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AWS Outage Crashes Amazon, Global Disruption

Amazon
Amazon (Christian Wiediger/Unsplash)

A major outage in Amazon Web Services (AWS) disrupted global internet infrastructure early Monday, affecting scores of popular websites, apps, and platforms used daily by millions. Though AWS reported that the issue was “fully mitigated” by early morning Eastern Time, users continued to report lingering disruptions across a range of services.

The outage began shortly after midnight Pacific Time and stemmed from Domain Name System (DNS) issues linked to DynamoDB, a core AWS database service. AWS’s primary US-East-1 region was hardest hit, setting off a chain reaction across services relying on the cloud provider.

Major companies affected included Amazon itself, Disney+, Lyft, McDonald’s, The New York Times, Reddit, Ring, Robinhood, Snapchat, T-Mobile, United Airlines, Venmo, and Verizon. In the UK, government services such as Gov.uk and HM Revenue and Customs also went offline temporarily, according to reports from Downdetector.

Financial institutions and platforms were not spared. Lloyds Banking Group acknowledged service disruptions, and users of Coinbase, the cryptocurrency exchange, were locked out. Popular online games like Fortnite and Roblox also faced interruptions, as did cloud-based platforms like Canva and AI search engine Perplexity.

AWS stated that “multiple parallel paths” were being used to resolve the issue. By 6:35 a.m. ET, they confirmed that services were recovering, though some requests continued to be throttled as full resolution efforts remained underway.

This outage underscores the global dependency on a few dominant cloud providers—namely AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud. A single disruption can cascade across sectors, halting everything from financial transactions to government operations.

While there is no current evidence of a cyberattack, cybersecurity experts stressed that companies must prepare for such failures with stronger backup systems and redundancy planning. The incident again raises critical questions about centralized control of internet infrastructure and the vulnerabilities it creates.

Freedom House Exec Compares Trump to Putin in Shocking Claim

Russian President Vladimir Putin (Alexei Danichev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

A top official at Freedom House, an organization heavily funded by the U.S. government, likened President Donald Trump to Russian President Vladimir Putin and accused him of promoting a “dangerous” ideology that he claims encourages violence. The remarks were made during a Georgetown University panel held shortly before the 2024 presidential election.

Adrian Shahbaz, vice president of research at Freedom House, participated in the panel titled “Is Democracy a Democratic Form of Government?” The discussion centered on the rise of populist leaders worldwide, including Trump, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Shahbaz argued that these leaders employ a shared narrative used to “connect with right-wing audiences around the world,” one that allegedly targets immigrants, international bodies, and minority communities.

Freedom House received $80 million in U.S. taxpayer funding in 2024 alone, primarily through the State Department. Though it faced operational cuts in 2025 due to a funding freeze by the Trump administration, the organization was actively engaged in global political advocacy during the 2024 election season.

Shahbaz went on to label Trump’s platform as inherently violent. “It assumes a level of violence against the other. It assumes a level of violence against institutions,” he said, citing January 6 and so-called “election denialism” as examples. He also claimed the United States is undergoing “democratic backsliding,” a term Freedom House has previously applied to nations like Hungary and Brazil.

Other panelists offered no pushback and instead echoed calls for more government control over political speech online. University of Alabama law professor Ronald Krotoszynski criticized Big Tech’s role in political discourse, asking, “I don’t know why Elon Musk or Mark Zuckerberg is to be preferred to Joe Biden or Merrick Garland.”

The panel discussion, unearthed by the Foundation for Freedom Online, raises concerns about government-funded institutions taking overtly partisan stances during election cycles. The fact that Freedom House receives tens of millions in taxpayer dollars annually while making such comparisons between Trump and autocratic leaders like Putin will likely fuel further scrutiny over the group’s political neutrality.

Bernie Sanders Blasts GOP for ‘Fomenting Hatred’ in Protest Clash

(Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) lashed out at Republican leaders Monday on ABC’s The View, accusing them of “fomenting hatred” in their response to the recent “No Kings” protests targeting President Donald Trump. Sanders claimed the protests were a defense of constitutional freedoms, not an attack on America.

The exchange began when co-host Ana Navarro criticized House Speaker Mike Johnson for calling the protests a “hate America rally,” and President Trump for sharing an AI-generated video depicting protesters being doused in sewage. Navarro also referenced White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt’s remarks that labeled Democrats as a coalition of “Hamas terrorists, illegal aliens, and violent criminals.”

Sanders responded, “I think they are fomenting hatred,” pointing directly at Speaker Johnson’s remarks. “Why do people come out? They came out to defend the Constitution of the United States, to defend basic freedoms.”

He continued, claiming the “No Kings” demonstrations were a rejection of authoritarianism and illegal use of federal power. “You cannot send the military into Portland, Oregon. You cannot take people off the street with masked men, throw them into vans, and deport them to South Sudan,” Sanders said, referencing Trump-era law enforcement tactics.

Sanders added that America was built on the sacrifice of citizens defending liberty and accused Trump of threatening those principles. “Millions of men and women… have put their lives on the line to defend freedom,” he said. “We will not give more and more power to one person who in many minds is a megalomaniac, a pathological liar.”

Sanders characterized the “No Kings” protests as peaceful resistance against what he views as authoritarian overreach, calling it a stand for democracy rather than an act of hate.

CNN Admits, Trump Winning the Shutdown Battle

CNN

CNN has reluctantly acknowledged that President Donald Trump is winning the political battle over the ongoing government shutdown — a sharp contrast from his first-term standoff, when he took the majority of the public blame.

During Trump’s 2018-2019 shutdown, his approval ratings dropped by three points, with 61% of Americans blaming him for the impasse. This time, despite a similar standoff, Trump’s average approval rating has risen slightly, and only 48% of voters now blame him for the current shutdown.

Trump’s messaging has been direct: he’s using the shutdown as an opportunity to fire entrenched bureaucrats and permanently defund programs favored by the Democrat establishment. Even more notably, the administration has publicly confirmed this intent — and the public seems to be responding positively.

Unlike past shutdowns, where media outlets successfully framed Republican tactics as “hostage-taking” or “blackmail,” this time Trump’s message is reaching voters unfiltered. Analysts point to the weakening influence of legacy media as a key reason.

Instead of relying on CNN, MSNBC, or The Washington Post, Trump’s team is bypassing traditional channels and dominating social platforms with a simple, disciplined message: reopen the government, and then negotiate.

Meanwhile, Democrats are struggling. Party leaders like Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Nancy Pelosi face criticism for age and ineffectiveness, while younger figures like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez push an increasingly radical agenda. Their shutdown stance — refusing to reopen the government without unrelated concessions — is seen by many as incoherent and extreme.

Republicans have kept the issue focused: no taxpayer-funded healthcare for illegal immigrants. That clarity, paired with the media’s diminished credibility, has left Democrats politically exposed.

With the mainstream media no longer able to carry water for the left, the Democrat Party’s fractured message and leadership vacuum are quickly becoming liabilities in a high-stakes national battle.

Chicago Teacher Caught Mocking Charlie Kirk in Shocking Video

(Photo by Rebecca Noble/Getty Images)

A woman accused of being an elementary school teacher in Chicago is facing backlash after being caught on video appearing to mock the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk during a “No Kings” protest over the weekend.

The video, which quickly went viral on social media, shows the woman repeatedly miming a gunshot gesture toward her neck while seemingly mouthing the word “bang.” According to online users, the video was recorded from a truck displaying a flag in support of Charlie Kirk.

Outrage erupted as social media users identified the woman as “Lucy Martinez,” allegedly a teacher at Nathan Hale Elementary School in Chicago. In response to the growing firestorm, the school reportedly pulled its website and deleted its X (formerly Twitter) account, as reported by Daily Mail.

“Meet Lucy Martinez — an elementary school teacher from Chicago who thought it was funny to mock Charlie Kirk’s death,” Ryan Fournier, co-founder of Students for Trump, wrote on X. “This woman teaches children… Evil always exposes itself.”

The post triggered a wave of public anger, with users questioning whether someone with such behavior should be entrusted with educating children. “She should not be allowed near children and her teaching licenses need to be revoked,” one user stated. Others pointed to what they saw as a growing trend of extremist ideology in public education.

Fox News host Laura Ingraham responded to the viral footage, writing, “I KNEW she was a teacher!” She later described the woman as “absolutely unhinged” and said she had no business being anywhere near students.

Awake Illinois, a social welfare nonprofit, commented, “When non-woke parents run for school board, pull their kids from public school, and leave blue states… Exhibit A, your honor.”

As of now, neither Nathan Hale Elementary School nor Chicago Public Schools has issued a public response.

Illegal Alien Caught in Massive SNAP Fraud Scheme

An illegal alien living in Oregon has been sentenced to federal prison for orchestrating a massive scheme to steal over $2.4 million in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, federal authorities announced Friday.

Giovanni Spirea, a 29-year-old Italian national residing illegally in the United States, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay nearly $62,000 in restitution. Spirea admitted to operating an extensive food stamp fraud operation from August 2023 to October 2024.

According to U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford, Spirea and his co-conspirators used electronic skimming devices to steal benefit information from SNAP recipients. The stolen data was encoded onto cloned EBT cards, which were then used to purchase large quantities of items like infant formula and energy drinks.

In total, Spirea and his group acquired more than 120,000 pounds of goods using stolen benefits. These products were stored in residential homes and storage units across Oregon and Washington before being transported to California, where they were sold illegally on the black market.

“Protecting government-funded programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program isn’t just about preserving funds — it’s about safeguarding trust in a vital lifeline that millions of families depend on,” Bradford said. He added that the sentencing should send a message to others seeking to exploit federal aid programs.

Portland Police Chief Bob Day also condemned the theft, stating, “The theft of benefits intended for families in need is a serious crime. We remain committed to holding accountable those who exploit public resources for personal gain.”

Spirea’s conviction raises renewed scrutiny over Oregon’s sanctuary policies, which limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. Critics argue such policies create opportunities for foreign nationals living illegally in the U.S. to avoid detection while engaging in serious criminal activity.

James Carville Explodes Over Trans Athletes in Women’s Sports

Image via Canva

Longtime Democrat strategist James Carville criticized politicians who support allowing men to compete in women’s sports, accusing them of pandering to “left-wing zombies” and undermining the integrity of female athletics.

Carville’s comments came in response to California Democrat gubernatorial candidate Betty Yee, who recently told Piers Morgan that transgender athletes should be treated as women and allowed to compete in women’s sports. Yee also proposed creating gender-neutral categories for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

“I think transgender athletes are women athletes and they should be able to compete,” Yee stated.

Carville did not hide his frustration. “What bullsh*t,” he replied bluntly.

Speaking as a father, Carville emphasized the real-world implications of such policies. “You know what their parents don’t want them doing, for good f*cking reason, is competing with males,” he said, referencing daughters of friends who compete in sports like soccer, volleyball, and track.

Carville urged Yee and others to study the biological differences in athletic performance between men and women, calling on them to compare records and stats between the two categories. He warned that such policies erase the efforts of women who have trained tirelessly to succeed in their fields.

“You understand what you’re doing? To try to score some kind of cheap political point with a bunch of left-wing zombies is you’re ruining the women that work their asses off,” he said. “The last thing they need to do is be competing against the Duke men’s basketball team.”

Carville ended his remarks emphatically: “This is asinine, asinine, asinine.”

After co-host Al Hunt noted that transgender inclusion contradicts the intent of Title IX, Carville added, “It’s just like ‘Why?’ Where are these people coming from? What rock did they crawl from under?”

Trump Scores Victory to Block Portland Unrest

drag queens
Portland, Oregon (Justin Shen/Unsplash)

A U.S. appeals court has permitted the Trump administration to deploy Oregon National Guard members to Portland in a 2-1 decision.

“After considering the record at this preliminary stage, we conclude that it is likely that the President lawfully exercised his statutory authority under 10 U.S.C. § 12406(3), which authorizes the federalization of the National Guard when ‘the President is unable with the regular forces to execute the laws of the United States,'” the judges wrote.

“We thus conclude that Defendants are likely to succeed on the merits of their appeal, and that the other stay factors weigh in their favor. We grant Defendants’ motion for a stay pending appeal,” the decision added.

“Even if the President may exaggerate the extent of the problem on social media, this does not change that other facts provide a colorable basis to support the statutory requirements,” the panel explained.

Judge Susan Graber, a Clinton appointee, wrote in a dissenting opinion that the characterization of Portland as a “war zone” is “merely absurd.”

“But today’s decision is not merely absurd. It erodes core constitutional principles, including sovereign States’ control over their States’ militias and the people’s First Amendment rights to assemble and to object to the government’s policies and actions,” Graber wrote.

The Justice Department argued in an October 5 court filing that an order blocking the National Guard “improperly impinges on the Commander in Chief’s supervision of military operations, countermands a military directive to officers in the field, and endangers federal personnel and property.”

Chip Roy Pushes to End Senate Power Games in ‘Nuclear Option’

(Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) suggested Congress consider using the “nuclear option” to end the government shutdown.

“We need to be taking a look at the 60-vote threshold. We really do,” Roy said, as per The Hill. Bypassing the 60-vote threshold is considered the “nuclear option.”

“At a minimum, why don’t we take a look at it for CRs?” he suggested. “Why don’t we just say, look, I mean, we have a 50-vote threshold for the budget, we have a 50-vote threshold for reconciliation, why shouldn’t we have a 50-vote threshold to be able to fund the government?” Roy said.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has criticized calls for the nuclear option. “Is it possible? Yes. … Is it wise? A lot of people would tell you it’s not,” he said earlier this month, Politico reported. “I mean, on the Republican side, I would be deeply concerned if the Democrats had a bare majority in the Senate right now.”

Johnson said during a news conference on Monday that” this is the first time in history that any party has had the audacity to shut down the government over a totally clean, nonpartisan continuing resolution.” He called the move a “political stunt, and it’s the first time it’s been done.”

“It is the most costly, most selfish, most dangerous political stunt in the history of the United States Congress,” he said.

“The Senate Democrats have zero shame about this,” Johnson added. “They don’t have any shame at all about the pain that they’re inflicting upon hardworking families, upon soldiers and law enforcement officers and veterans, the elderly and the disabled, women, infants, and children.”

Texas Goes After Professors Behind ‘Leftist Ideologies’

Greg Abbott
Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) announced on social media that his state will continue targeting professors pushing “leftist ideologies” in classrooms.

“Univ. of Texas professor was dismissed from an administrative post overseeing university academic affairs because of ideological differences,” Abbott wrote. “Texas is targeting professors who are more focused on pushing leftist ideologies rather than preparing students to lead our nation. We must end indoctrination and return to education fundamentals at all levels of education.”

The governor shared an article from Axios, which detailed a University of Texas professor’s dismissal over “ideological differences.” The professor, Art Markman, shared his dismissal on LinkedIn.

Texas similarly cracked down on state professors following the assassination of Charlie Kirk. Texas’s Commissioner of Education, Mike Morath, issued a warning to state educators who shared content relating to Kirk’s death.

In a letter addressed to superintendents, Morath wrote, “[The Texas Education Agency] has been made aware of some Texas public school educators that have posed and/or shared reprehensible and inappropriate content on social media related to the assassination of Charlie Kirk.” Morath noted that the sentiments are not reflecting of the majority of Texas teachers.

“While the exercise of free speech is a fundamental right we are all blessed to share, it does not give carte blanche authority to celebrate or sow violence against those that share differing beliefs and perspectives,” he explained, noting that Kirk’s death is “heartbreaking.”

William Inboden, the newer executive vice president and provost of the University of Texas at Austin, has criticized the leftist ideas plaguing classrooms. Writing in the journal National Affairs, Inboden discussed the flaws of race and gender studies in academia, stating, “As an intellectual matter, classifying people and societies in race and gender terms or oppressor/oppressed binaries offers an incomplete, and at times impoverished view of the human person, the communities we form, and the endeavors we undertake. It also focuses more on what divides us, at the intellectual expense of what unites us in our shared personhood.”

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