Originally published at: Nuclear Treaty Expires Feb 5, Bill & Hillary Agree to Epstein Depositions, Will New Fed Chair Favor Bail-Ins? – Peak Prosperity
Geopolitics
A US-sanctioned Russian Ilyushin Il-76 cargo plane, operated by Aviacon Zitotrans and capable of carrying 50 tons, landed at a Cuban military airfield after stops in Russia, Mauritania, and the Dominican Republic. The flight follows similar deliveries to Venezuela and Nicaragua amid US statements on regime change in Havana. Russia has stated it will prevent a repeat of Venezuela’s instability.
Meanwhile, Russia’s Dmitry Medvedev warned that New START treaty expiration on February 5, without extension, would remove limits on US and Russian strategic weapons for the first time since 1972, potentially encouraging new nuclear powers. Russia has offered a one-year extension for negotiations. The White House stated President Trump will decide the path forward.
Speaking of nuclear expansion, US envoy Steve Witkoff is scheduled for direct talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Istanbul, the first face-to-face since June’s collapsed discussions. Washington demands zero uranium enrichment and missile limits, while Tehran calls for diplomacy without threats. Intermediaries including Egypt and Qatar are facilitating amid escalation risks. Araghchi stated Iran is ready for a fair deal or prepared for miscalculation.
Epstein Files
Bill and Hillary Clinton have agreed to closed-door depositions with the House Oversight Committee on Jeffrey Epstein after rejecting initial terms and facing contempt votes. Chair James Comer demanded sworn in-person testimony following months of non-compliance with subpoenas issued last year.
Meanwhile, some of the newly released Epstein documents include emails from biologist Robert Trivers discussing transgender “novel phenotypes” via early hormonal interventions and castration for more feminine males, citing their appeal in sex work. Surgeon Jess Ting, a recipient of Epstein grants, emailed about visiting Little St. James island with children and sought funding for a transgender surgery documentary and Mount Sinai program.
Also garnering attention, Epstein files contain 911 mentions of “pizza,” often with grape soda in contexts such as private menus and outings. These echo Podesta emails cited in 2016 Pizzagate claims alleging elite trafficking codes, such as “cheese pizza” for child pornography, though critics note no confirmation of codes and prior FBI findings of unfounded related accusations.
Economy
Trump’s nomination of Kevin Warsh for Federal Reserve chair has raised concerns over bail-in mechanisms, under which regulatory changes could subordinate IRA, pension, and securities holdings to bank creditors during failures. Assets in pooled central depositories would become collateral for secured creditors, as occurred in Lehman Brothers proceedings, though the Wall Street Journal editorial board called it Trump’s best second-term appointment for Fed reform.
The Trump administration announced Project Vault, a $12 billion public-private stockpile of critical minerals including rare earths, gallium, and cobalt. Backed by a $10 billion EXIM loan and $1.67 billion from investors including JPMorgan, it involves commitments from firms such as GM, Boeing, and Google for purchases to ensure stable supply for EVs and aviation. Rare earth stocks rose 5-10 percent following the announcement, despite some skepticism labeling it unrealistic amid U.S.-China tensions.
Lastly, some analysts describe the historic “Silver Friday” selloff as engineered to relieve bank short positions, citing widened Shanghai-Comex basis spreads as evidence of ongoing Chinese physical demand. Gold, silver, and miners reportedly retain upward momentum in an early-stage bull market driven by RMB reserve ambitions and supply deficits exceeding one billion ounces over five years. Prices have partially rebounded to around $85-87 since the drop.
Privacy & Surveillance
The Department of Homeland Security’s Mobile Fortify app has been used over 100,000 times since June 2025. It draws facial recognition data from databases holding more than 1.2 billion images, including those of US citizens and protesters. Agents have deployed it during arrests of suspected undocumented immigrants and at protests, even without arrests. The system accesses HART and IDENT databases, retaining photos and fingerprints for 15 years. A recent policy change rescinded opt-out rights for citizens. The ACLU has warned of potentially illegal street deployments against citizens, while some officials describe it as an effective enforcement tool.
Health
Researchers have published findings on self-amplifying mRNA vaccines for H5N1 and H7N9 bird flu viruses, delivered via intranasal spray using lipid nanoparticles that replicate in the body. The work, funded partly by the US Department of Defense, seeks to establish mucosal immunity and enable rapid population-wide deployment. Separate studies reportedly used gain-of-function methods to engineer synthetic H5N1 hemagglutinin proteins, delivered via electroporation and LNPs into mice prior to exposure to lethal strains. Recent reports note such vaccines elicited strong mucosal immunity in rodents and lasting antibody responses in chickens.
US Politics
Analysts have compared ongoing protests against migrant deportations to the 1917 Bolshevik uprising in Petrograd, where up to 500,000 people reportedly occupied parts of the city, hijacked vehicles, and clashed with authorities, resulting in hundreds of deaths. Reports indicate that current activists are funded by NGOs via encrypted apps and online coordination and have engaged in attacks on ICE agents, with few prosecutions, though a Federalist poll indicates nearly two-thirds of likely 2026 midterm voters support deporting illegal aliens.
Energy
Reports indicate global diesel and jet fuel shortages, derived mainly from heavy crudes like Western Canadian Select and Urals. Per capita supply has reportedly flattened since 2008, reducing international trade’s share of GDP. Refining constraints, depletion, and low profitability limit output despite demand from shipping, agriculture, trucking, and aviation, contributing to economic shifts, tariffs, and geopolitical tensions, while some analyses cite falling producer prices and forecasts of oil supply exceeding demand in 2026.
Sources
Civil War 2.0: Bolshevik Tactics Ignite America’s Undeclared Insurrection
It’s Time To Accept That Civil War 2.0 Has Already Started
Source | Submitted by Rodster
Scientists Develop Self-Amplifying mRNA Vaccines to Overcome Hesitancy, Funded by US Military
Scientists want to use self-amplifying mRNA to vaccinate those who do not want to be vaccinated
Source | Submitted by FASelect
No Exhaustion: Metals Bull Confirmed Amid China Silver Halt and RMB Reserve Push
The recent pullback does not signal exhaustion, but confirms an early stage regime shift into monetary metals.
Source | Submitted by wotthecurtains
DHS Face-Scan App Draws from 1.2 Billion-Image Database on Citizens and Protesters
Federal immigration agents are using facial recognition technology that draws from US government biometric databases containing more than 1.2 billion face images, according to federal records reviewed by Bloomberg News.
Source (Paywalled) | Submitted by Shplad
Trump’s Warsh Pick: Omen of Bail-Ins and Financial Armageddon?
The regulations specify American savers as the source for the next financial bailout.
Source | Submitted by Rodster
Sanctioned Russian Il-76 Lands in Cuba Amid US Regime-Change Threats
US-Sanctioned Russian Military Transport Plane Touches Down At Cuban Airfield
US Envoy Witkoff Set for Rare Direct Nuclear Talks with Iran FM Araghchi in Istanbul
US envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi are expected to meet on Friday in Istanbul to discuss a possible nuclear deal, Axios reports.
Clintons Capitulate to Comer: Agree to Epstein Depositions After Contempt Threat
“The only reason they have said they agree to terms is because the House has moved forward with contempt.”
Silver Friday: Banks’ Rigged Escape from the Mother of Short Squeezes
the world learned (or rediscovered) just how grotesquely rigged the paper gold and silver markets truly are.
Medvedev’s Stark Warning: New START Lapse Risks New Nuclear Powers
World’s Nuclear Club Will Grow If US Doesn’t Act By Thursday, Medvedev Warns
Trump’s $12B Project Vault: Strategic Mineral Stockpile to Thwart China, Rare Earth Stocks Surge
Trump Launches $12 Billion Strategic Mineral Stockpile To Counter China; Rare Earth Stocks Jump
Epstein’s Transgender Depths: Trivers Emails, Island Surgeons, and “Novel Phenotypes”
“BTW we are now pushing the intervention earlier–so you notice your 3-year old son has trans tendencies, so now you intervene with hormones i would be frightened to do that-but who knows?”
Diesel and Jet Fuel Shortages: The Hidden Force Behind Deglobalization
A worldwide shortage of diesel and jet fuel is forcing international trade to begin moving into a new downward phase
Epstein Files Prove Pizzagate Real: 911 “Pizza” Mentions Expose Elite Child Trafficking Codes
Epstein is Pizzagate.
In addition to sources submitted by community members, the following were also used in the creation of this report: The Federalist, Democracy Now, @Gw33pR, Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News, @Sayedabdelwhab, @SalehAlmenawer, Wall Street Journal Editorial Board, @GeopolitixM, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Axios, Eurasia Group, Reuters, NBC News, Hindustan Times, @BitettiAndy, @Factualman6404, @WhartoniteWG.