What many Americans discovered early Monday morning is that nothing online is guaranteed, not even the biggest websites, apps, or messaging services, after a massive outage in Amazon Web Services’ (AWS) U.S. East 1 region in Northern Virginia triggered 15 hours of internet chaos. The disruption has reignited fears about overreliance on a single cloud provider and is expected to push major companies toward spreading their infrastructure risk across multiple clouds rather than relying on just one.

Bloomberg reports that yesterday’s AWS outage in the U.S. East 1 region was one of the company’s worst disruptions since 2021. The incident could prompt companies to diversify their cloud infrastructure risk, potentially slowing AWS’ growth while intensifying competition from Microsoft and Google.

“The outage will likely fuel customers wanting to spread their infrastructure between multiple clouds, which could be a positive for smaller vendors like Google,” Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Anurag Rana wrote in a note, adding that it’s unlikely to result in any meaningful market share loss for Amazon due to the difficulty of shifting workloads between clouds and industrywide capacity constraints.

The breakdown originated in AWS’s Northern Virginia region, its largest data center cluster, when a malfunction in a digital directory for a core database service triggered cascading failures across other subsystems, resulting in online disruptions for highly-trafficked platforms such as Venmo, Robinhood, Zoom, Salesforce, Snowflake, and even Amazon’s own Alexa, Prime, and Ring services. There were even reports of Amazon delivery disruptions (read here).

AWS engineers managed to restore data center operations in the Northern Virginia region to “normal” status by late Monday evening, about 15 hours after the problem first emerged. This outage echoes a 2021 incident that disrupted Netflix, Disney, and other global platforms.

If the AWS outage left you frustrated, imagine the chaos when China moves on Taiwan or disrupts critical infrastructure amid the ongoing Salt Typhoon and/or unleashes its full cyber arsenal against the U.S. Let’s hope the trade war is resolved soon, because a nation suffering from “TikTok brain rot” might not survive a week without its social media.

Shares of Eos Energy Enterprises surged more than 20% this morning (before pulling back into the cash equity open) after the company announced a $75 million battery manufacturing facility in Pennsylvania to supply Talen Energy Corp. and help meet the state’s fast-growing data center power demand.

The new plant, slated to open in mid-2026, will produce two gigawatt-hours of batteries, effectively doubling Eos’s production capacity in the Pittsburgh region, according to Bloomberg. 

“The energy to be generated is enough to power about 1.5 million homes for an hour,” said CEO Joe Mastrangelo, who added that the expansion positions Eos to scale up to as much as eight gigawatt-hours in the future.

Bloomberg writes that the batteries will help Talen optimize output from its existing assets — including the Susquehanna nuclear plant and nearby fossil-fuel generators — which partially supply an Amazon data center in the state. Pennsylvania is supporting the project with a $24 million incentive package to promote local clean-energy manufacturing.

Mastrangelo emphasized that Eos’s zinc-based batteries will play a vital role in stabilizing the grid as renewable energy generation becomes more variable, enabling a steadier and more reliable power supply for the region’s growing data infrastructure.

A key player behind that expansion is Tetra Technologies (TTI), one of Eos’s largest suppliers and strategic partners. Tetra provides high-purity zinc-bromide electrolyte, a critical component of Eos’s zinc-based energy storage systems, and is contracted to supply at least 75% of Eos’s total electrolyte demand for its Eos Z3 energy storage cube.

“TETRA is a proven global fluid solution provider… as we scale, we need supply chain partners that can help us achieve growth, reduce cost, and improve overall performance of our battery,” Mastrangelo said when the partnership was extended in early 2024. The collaboration also strengthens a domestic U.S. supply chain for Eos’s American-made product.

Eos Energy Enterprises, Inc., founded in 2008 and based in Edison, New Jersey, designs and manufactures zinc-based energy storage systems— including its Znyth and Z3 battery technologies—offering utilities, power producers, and commercial customers a lithium-free alternative for 3- to 12-hour applications, supported by battery management, project services, and long-term maintenance solutions.

Authored by Steve Watson via Modernity.news,

Washed up actor Robert De Niro had an unhinged rant platformed on MSNBC during which he called the Trump administration “Nazis” and said leftists need to “fight it out” with them because otherwise the President will not leave the White House at the end of his term in office.

“We see it we see it we see it all the time, he will not want to leave,” De Niro blathered, adding “He set it up with, I guess he’s the Goebbels of the cabinet, Stephen Miller.”

“He’s a Nazi. Yes, he is, and he’s Jewish and he should be ashamed of himself,” De Niro disgustingly asserted.

🚨 UPDATE: Conservatives are demanding a retraction from Hollywood liberal Robert De Niro for claiming “Stephen Miller is a Nazi.”

“Yes, he is. And he’s Jewish. He should be ASHAMED of himself.”

This is the kind of rhetoric that incites violence.

pic.twitter.com/1IvLVFppgX

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) October 20, 2025

He continued, “It’s all nonsense. It’s, we know it’s all racist. It’s all, I mean, that’s what he appeals to that’s what Trump is. Everything is what you see is what you get. It’s not going to change with him.”

“Everything, the point is we have to keep fighting and pushing until he is out, period. There’s no other way. He’s not going to want to leave the White House,” De (ranged) Niro further blurted.

“What is he facing? He’s facing certain things no matter what the Supreme Court, they’re going to find a way to go after him for what he’s done, all the awful, monstrous things that he’s done,” De Niro garbled, without actually explaining what he was referring to.

“You know, I don’t see anyway, he’s not going to want to leave,” De Niro reiterated, adding “We cannot let up on him because he is not going to leave the White House. He does not want to leave the White House. He will not leave the White House.”

“The Republicans, most of all, because they know, but they’re going along with it. It’s a classic bully situation. We see it, and there’s no other way to face a bully. You have to face him and fight it out and back them off and back him down. That’s the only way this is going to work,” De Niro further ranted.

He also suggested that Americans who do not reside in metropolitan elite areas are on side with Trump because they are not getting the truth from the media they watch.

Robert DeNiro says rural Americans believe Trump because they aren’t getting the truth from the media they watch.

This was said on MSNBC. pic.twitter.com/aWltPAnmoq

— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) October 19, 2025

Yes, he said that on MSNBC.

The full interview is here, if you can be bothered with 12 minutes of lunatic drivel.

I’m embarrassed for him, he’s about as out of touch as a person could get. Dudes at stage 5 TDS!

— Rhino Chaser (@thatrhinochaser) October 19, 2025

“the truth”… according to DeNiro’s Media:

-Kamala Harris: very popular
-Joe Biden: mentally sharp
-Unvaccinated asymptomatic people can infect vaccinated people
-The founder of TPUSA, who despised the concept of race, was racist.
-Violating Immigration Law is not a crime

— Kevin M. Nelson (@KevinMNelsonUSA) October 19, 2025

Robert De Niro on MSNBC: Rural Americans support Trump because they “don’t get the truth” from their media. Translation: If you don’t watch CNN, you’re too dumb to vote. This is coastal elitism at its finest—and why Trump keeps winning flyover country.

— Matthew Newgarden (@a_newgarden) October 19, 2025

De Niro has been saying Trump is a Nazi dictator for the best part of a decade:

He also once said that Trump is worse than psychopath killers he has played in films, and that he would disown his own children if they were anything like Trump’s family.

“I don’t want my kids to take this the wrong way, but if my kids did what [Trump’s] kids did, I wouldn’t want to be related to them. I would disown them.” De Niro raged during an appearance with the witches on The View.

“I would have a serious talk with them.” he continued, adding ”if I disagreed with them on things of principle, I would say, and they felt it, and we do now.” he added.

One of De Niro’s sons decided to declare himself as a transgender earlier this year, noting “I think a big part of [my transition] is also the influence Black women have had on me… I think stepping into this new identity, while also being more proud of my Blackness, makes me feel closer to them in some way.”

🔥🚨BREAKING: Robert De Niro’s son is now his daughter after he just officially came out as a transgender after being photographed in heels by the paparazzi. Airyn says ‘she is stepping into new identity’ pic.twitter.com/vWVNk9GgXq

— Dom Lucre | Breaker of Narratives (@dom_lucre) April 29, 2025

*  *  *

Your support is crucial in helping us defeat mass censorship. Please consider donating via Locals or check out our unique merch. Follow us on X @ModernityNews.

GM shares are trading up about 11% this morning after the automaker delivered stronger-than-expected third-quarter results and raised its 2025 outlook. The company reported adjusted EPS of $2.80 versus $2.31 expected and revenue of $48.59 billion versus $45.27 billion.

CEO Mary Barra said: “Thanks to the collective efforts of our team, and our compelling vehicle portfolio, GM delivered another very good quarter of earnings and free cash flow… we are raising our full-year guidance, underscoring our confidence in the company’s trajectory.”

GM now expects $12–$13 billion in adjusted EBIT and $9.75–$10.50 in adjusted EPS for the year, both above prior forecasts. The company also lowered its expected tariff impact to between $3.5 billion and $4.5 billion, down from $4–$5 billion previously.

Barra thanked President Trump for “the important tariff updates” announced last week, which included new levies on imported trucks and parts as well as an offset for U.S.-made vehicles.

Despite EV-related headwinds—only about 40% of GM’s electric models are profitable on a production basis—CFO Paul Jacobson reaffirmed the company’s long-term commitment to electrification, saying, “We continue to believe there is a strong future for electric vehicles.” Gains in China, international markets, and GM Financial helped offset weaker North American margins, as GM focuses on restoring its regional profitability to the 8–10% range.

GM’s stronger outlook also reflects booming demand for its high-margin pickups and SUVs, which delivered the company’s best year-to-date truck and Escalade sales since 2018 and 2007, respectively, and record results for the GMC brand, according to Bloomberg. CEO Mary Barra highlighted that GM is “very well positioned as we invest to increase our already significant domestic sourcing and manufacturing footprint,” thanking President Trump for extending tariff discounts through 2030.

Despite near-term EV challenges, GM’s traditional lineup continues to drive profits, aided by modest price increases in North America and improved performance abroad. The company’s China operations returned to profitability, earning $80 million in the quarter after losses last year. CFO Paul Jacobson said GM’s long-term focus remains on cost reduction and efficiency in its EV business while acknowledging that U.S. demand may soften as federal tax credits expire.

“As we have demonstrated, GM’s commitment to building great vehicles, delivering exceptional customer experiences, and creating lasting value is unchanged. Looking forward, we believe our investments in advanced technologies, manufacturing, and talent will build on our solid foundation, and make GM even more innovative, resilient and capable of leading through change,” Mary Barra said in her shareholder letter. 

The French blue-chip stock index CAC 40 is higher in Paris afternoon trading, reaching levels not seen since May 2024 and well above those of last week’s political crisis. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu’s defeat of no-confidence votes in the French government late last week has certainly cooled the turmoil. However, one UBS analyst tracking the headlines from France believes that Lecornu “might not make it until year-end,” as a highly polarized parliament could make passing a budget nearly impossible.

UBS analyst Simon Penn briefed clients that Lecornu’s ability to pass a budget may suggest the political storm is far from over:

French PM Lecornu Might Not Make It Until Year-End

Political advisory group Forefront isn’t convinced French Prime Minister Lecornu will remain in office until the end of the year.

His basic problem is the same one that each of his predecessors has faced — he is going to struggle to pass a budget.

The Socialists were clear last week: they were willing to lend their support to get Lecornu through confidence votes, but that didn’t mean they supported his budget proposals. Forefront noted that the first thing Lecornu will need to do is enact the suspension of pension reform. He might be able to get that through the National Assembly, but the right-leaning Senate is opposed. If it fails in the Senate, it will go to a joint committee, and since that has a center-right bias, a decision to suspend pension reform will likely hinge on a raft of other requirements. This brings it full circle — the National Assembly is unlikely to accept those.

The latest data from the cryptocurrency-based prediction market Polymarket shows that Lecornu’s odds of being ousted are 4% between now and the end of October, but rise to 38% by year-end.

Ignoring S&P Global’s cut of France’s credit rating last Friday due to political instability and the eurozone’s second-biggest economy’s inability to get its finances under control, the CAC 40 index has pushed higher, exceeding recent political turmoil levels and reaching highs not seen since May 2024.

“With the current downgrade, France falls below AA- from two of the three rating agencies, and it should result in forced selling from a number of institutional investors who are sensitive to ratings,” Mohit Kumar, chief economist and strategist for Europe at Jefferies, told clients.

Lecornu plans to reduce the budget deficit to 4.7% of GDP next year from 5.4% in 2025. This is the first step toward bringing it below the EU’s 3% ceiling and putting the country on a sustainable path. But the fractured parliament might make getting a budget passed near impossible. And back to UBS’s note above: Lecornu is likely on borrowed time.

Desperate for any information amid the government shutdown-invoked vacuum of macro data, this morning we get a glimpse of more ‘soft’ survey data, showing that Non-Manufacturing activity in the Philadelphia Fed region softened overall,

Additionally, the indexes for general activity at the firm level, new orders, and sales/revenues fell, with the latter two turning negative.

The firms reported an overall decrease in full-time employment.

Worse still, firms expected no change for growth over the next six months at the firm level and a decline in activity for the region. The diffusion index for future activity at the firm level fell 12 points to 0.2, its lowest reading since April

On the potentially bright side, Prices Paid and Received indices both fell last month (but remain positive, suggesting expectations for higher prices)…

Finally, since the shutdown began, what little hard data we have seen is basically flat while soft survey data has deteriorated significantly…

Of course, the big one will come on Friday when CPI is due to be released, and vol markets are aware of it…

Dip-buyers may want to reflect on that.

President Donald Trump and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese signed a minerals deal on Monday at the White House to expand America’s rare earth supply and diversify away from China’s dominance in critical minerals used in EVs, semiconductors, and defense weapons. Beijing’s weaponization of rare earth shipments (read Goldman’s latest brief) to gain leverage over President Trump in trade negotiations underscores the urgency of diversification.

“In about a year from now, we’ll have so much critical minerals and rare earths that you won’t know what to do with them,” President Trump said at the White House on Monday with PM Albanese. 

PM Albanese told the press that the U.S. and Australia will each invest over $1 billion within six months, targeting an $8.5 billion pipeline of joint mining and processing projects. 

He noted that Australia has an $8.5 billion “pipeline that we have ready to go.” 

President Trump is leading on critical minerals and defense. The new U.S.-Australia deal secures $53 billion in resources, strengthens the AUKUS alliance, and counters China’s rare earth export restrictions. This is a win for national security and the economy.

— Select Committee on China (@ChinaSelect) October 20, 2025

The new minerals deal aims to diversify away from China, which has tightened export controls on rare earths and metals like gallium, germanium, and antimony. 

Following the signing of the deal:

• Arafura Rare Earths Ltd. jumped up to 29% after the U.S. Export-Import Bank considered $300 million in financing for its Nolans project, alongside $100 million in conditional Australian government funding.

• The Ex-Im Bank also issued letters of interest totaling $2.2 billion to six other miners, including VHM Ltd. (+30%) and Northern Minerals Ltd. (+19%).

• Alcoa Corp. gained as much as 9.6% after its gallium joint venture with Sojitz received up to $200 million in equity funding.

• Lynas Rare Earths Ltd., not yet a beneficiary, rose briefly 4.7%, while Iluka Resources Ltd. gained 9.1%.

“This is the most significant bilateral minerals cooperation we have seen between two major Western countries,” Gracelin Baskaran, director of the Critical Minerals Security Program for CSIS, told Bloomberg by phone, adding, “Today’s announcement really shows the U.S. isn’t trying to address critical minerals alone. It’s looking to find the right partners.”

Analysts at Canaccord Genuity said the minerals deal “includes the use of economic policy tools and investment to support the supply of raw and processed critical minerals/rare earths, and accelerate the development of diversified, liquid, and fair markets.” 

President Trump is leading the effort – a national security one – to diversify away from China because these critical minerals are used in defense weapons.

In the U.S., we’ve been focused on popular rare earth stocks like USA Rare Earths (USAR) and MP Materials (MP), as the Pentagon quietly ramps up its billion-dollar mineral stockpiling spree. 

Recall that on July 11th, we wrote “The Coming Rare Earth Revolution And How to Profit” for our premium subscribers.

3 months later https://t.co/RHameHvU2H pic.twitter.com/F8A6faaNB7

— zerohedge (@zerohedge) October 12, 2025

Eighteen months ago, we wrote in a note titled “Next Big Mineral Trade Revealed by Morgan Stanley” that MP Materials is the “one company that stands to benefit” from restoring America’s rare earth supply chain. 

Rebuilding America’s supply chains and diversifying away from China will ensure the U.S. is prepared for not just the 2030s but also the world fracturing into a bipolar state. Remember, the whole posturing now is called “Hemispheric Defense“.

US authorities have charged and arrested two more teens in the attempted carjacking and savage beating of Edward Coristine, the 19-year-old former DOGE staffer known as “Big Balls.”

Laurence Cotton-Powell, 19, and Anthony Taylor, 18, have were charged with robbery and assault over their alleged roles in the Aug. 3 attack on Big Balls – as well as a separate incident which took place at a nearby gas station minutes before, US Attorney Jeanine Pirro announced Monday.

🚨 BREAKING: After an activist judge in DC REFUSED to jail Big Balls’ attackers, US Attorney Pirro announced she’ll be bringing FEDERAL CHARGES against them

“Today… Lawrence Powell, 19, along with Anthony Taylor, 18, are now charged with assault” 🔥 pic.twitter.com/QOj77G672z

— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) October 20, 2025

According to Pirro, Cotton-Powell and Taylor, along with a gang of several others, assaulted and robbed another individual minutes before attacking Coristine. Upon seeing the gang of roughly 10 suspects approaching, Coristine pushed a female friend into her car to try and keep her safe.

“He was then attacked by multiple suspects who then punched him repeatedly, causing significant injuries to him. They got him on the ground, and as they were doing so, they demanded the car from the woman who was inside the car and had already locked the car. They were banging on the car, they were pulling on the car door, trying to get the car open, and were telling the woman in the car to hand over the keys,” said Pirro.

Several days after the assault, President Trump posted a picture of Coristine bleeding, battered and shirtless – writing on Truth social “If D.C. doesn’t get its act together, and quickly, we will have no choice but to take Federal control of the City.” Days after that, Trump declared a local crime emergency – placing the DC police department under direct federal control. Agents – including the National Guard, then spread out throughout the city to crack down on crime.

“This case underscores the escalating challenges that we face in confronting crime in Washington, D.C.,” said Pirro on Monday, standing next to a photo of the bloodied Coristine, adding that the case highlights “the need for accountability among young offenders.” Pirro noted that Cotton-Powell’s had a rap sheet a mile long – having been arrested twice in the U Street corridor last year alone. Less than two weeks after the attack on Big Balls, Cotton-Powell was arrested again nearby. 

“This behavior is indicative of what we see time and time again: A small group of suspects committed a series of violent crime offenses in a very short period of time,” said DC Police Chief Pamela A. Smith during the Monday afternoon presser. Both teens have admitted to being involved in the attacks during police interviews, prosecutors say. 

The new arrests come days after a DC Superior Court judge let two 15-year-olds off with probation for the pair of Aug. 3 incidents. In her decision to go light on crime, Judge Kendra D. Biggs said that the goal of juvenile court “is rehabilitation, not punishment.” 

Pirro urged the DC City Council to “reconsider” laws that “allow these young people to go out and victimize, revictimize and keep revictimizing and putting the safety of the citizens who live, work and visit here at risk.”

“I ask them to stand up finally and send a clear message, because the people of this district deserve no less than safety,” she said. 

Authored by Jack Phillips via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

Health officials said that three cases of a rare strain of mpox, or monkeypox, were confirmed in California and that they are investigating whether the virus is spreading locally.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said in a statement on Oct. 17 that it is “investigating the possibility of a local spread of Clade I mpox cases after confirming its second case in an adult with no recent travel to regions where this virus is typically found,” adding that the person was hospitalized and is now at home and recovering.

Los Angeles County Health Officer Dr. Muntu Davis said in a statement that officials have “concerns about possible local spread in Los Angeles County” after the three cases were confirmed.

“We’re working closely with our partners to identify potential sources and understand how this potentially more serious type of the mpox virus may be spreading,” Davis said.

The cases of Clade I mpox confirmed in Los Angeles County are the first in the United States to be diagnosed without any known prior travel exposure. The strain, which is considered more deadly, has been spreading in the Democratic Republic of Congo and other African countries over the past few years.

Three days before the statement from Los Angeles County, the City of Long Beach said in a statement that it confirmed one case of Clade I mpox in a Long Beach resident who had no prior travel history. Long Beach is located in Los Angeles County but has its own health agency.

“While the overall risk of mpox clade I exposure to the public remains low, we are taking this very seriously and ensuring our community and health care partners remain vigilant so we can prevent any more cases,” Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson said in the statement. “This underscores the importance of continued surveillance, early response, and vaccination.”

The risk to the public is low, said officials.

The first Clade I detection was also in California, occurring last November, according to the state health department.

Mpox is a rare disease caused by infection with a virus that is in the same family as the one that causes smallpox. It is endemic in parts of Africa.

Milder symptoms can include fever, chills, and body aches. In more serious cases, people can develop lesions on the face, hands, chest, and genitals.

One version of the virus, called Clade II, was the source of an international health crisis in 2022 as infections escalated in dozens of countries, mostly among males who have sex with other males. At one point, the United States was averaging close to 500 cases per day.

Long Beach health officials noted that Clade I may be more severe than the other variant and said that vaccines for mpox are available.

The California Department of Public Health issued a warning on Oct. 17 that the disease may be spreading in the state and is “primarily impacting communities of gay and bisexual men.”

“As we continue to monitor the situation, it is crucial for Californians to stay informed and take preventive measures, especially persons who are more likely to be exposed to mpox,” Assistant State Public Health Officer Rita Nguyen said in a statement.

“Clade I mpox cases can be severe. Risk of severe disease and hospitalization are highest for people with weakened immune systems, so it’s critical to protect yourself by getting both doses of the mpox vaccine if you or your sex partner(s) may be at risk for mpox.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.