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Evening Brief: Amazon Web Services Outage Cause Global Disruptions, Via Baltica Highway Opens, Iraq to Keep Small US Adviser Force

BY Guy D. McCardle

AWS outage hits major apps, Trump targets Colombia, Sahel violence surges again. Here’s what’s making headlines this Monday evening.

Via Baltica highway connecting Lithuania and Poland. (Image grabbed via X)

Top stories this Monday evening, October 20, 2025.

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Global Internet Disruptions Hit Major Platforms After Amazon Web Services Outage

A widespread outage at Amazon Web Services (AWS) early Monday disrupted major online platforms, including Snapchat, Roblox, Fortnite, Signal, Coinbase, and even Amazon’s own services, such as Alexa and Ring.

The three-hour outage began around 3:11 a.m. Eastern Time and stemmed from problems with AWS’s domain name system, which routes web addresses to IP addresses. Amazon said most services recovered by 6:30 a.m.

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The disruption affected 64 AWS internal services and impacted businesses, universities, and government agencies worldwide.

Experts said the incident highlights global dependence on a few major cloud providers, though there was no indication of a cyberattack.

AWS’s last major outage occurred in 2021 and lasted more than five hours.

 

US Envoys Push to Stabilize Gaza Ceasefire After Deadly Weekend Clashes

US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday to salvage the Gaza ceasefire following a surge of violence that killed at least 30 people.

The flare-up began Sunday when a Palestinian attack killed two Israeli soldiers, prompting retaliatory Israeli strikes that left 28 Palestinians dead. Both Israel and Hamas have since reaffirmed their commitment to the US-brokered truce, though tensions remain high.

The US delegation is seeking to stabilize the ceasefire and move forward with the next phase of President Donald Trump’s 20-step peace plan.

Vice President JD Vance is expected in Israel on Tuesday for additional talks.

Meanwhile, Hamas said it would return the body of another hostage as Egypt hosts follow-up negotiations in Cairo.

Israeli officials warned they would strike any militants remaining beyond new buffer lines in Gaza, while residents described confusion and fear as the fragile ceasefire wavers.

 

Trump Says Survivors of US Strike on Drug Submarine Will Be Sent to Ecuador and Colombia

President Donald Trump said over the weekend that the two survivors of a US military strike on a suspected drug-carrying submersible in the Caribbean will be repatriated to Ecuador and Colombia for prosecution.

The strike, the sixth since early September, destroyed a vessel that Trump claimed was loaded with fentanyl and other narcotics bound for the United States.

Two people were killed in the attack, bringing the total death toll from recent US operations in the region to at least 29.

Trump has described the campaign as an “armed conflict” with drug cartels, invoking post-9/11 war powers to justify the use of lethal force.

The move has raised legal and congressional concerns over the scope of presidential authority and the legality of military actions against non-state actors.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro confirmed one survivor’s return, while Ecuador’s government said it had not yet been notified.

 

US and Australia Sign $8.5 Billion Rare Earths Deal to Curb China’s Supply Dominance

President Donald Trump and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese signed a major agreement Monday at the White House to boost joint development and processing of rare earths and critical minerals, aiming to secure supply chains as China tightens control over the global market.

The deal includes an $8.5 billion investment pipeline, with both nations contributing $1 billion over the next six months to launch joint projects.

The pact complements ongoing cooperation under the AUKUS defense alliance, which the leaders also discussed, reaffirming plans for Australia to acquire and build nuclear-powered submarines with US and UK support.

The agreement underscores Washington’s strategy to reduce reliance on Chinese exports of materials essential for electric vehicles, defense systems, and high-tech manufacturing, while Canberra balances its economic ties with Beijing—still its largest trading partner.

 

Pressure Mounts to Strip Prince Andrew of All Titles After New Epstein Revelations

Prince Andrew faces growing calls to be formally stripped of his remaining royal titles and evicted from his residence following fresh revelations about his ties to Jeffrey Epstein.

After discussions with King Charles III, Andrew agreed Friday to stop using the title Duke of York but still retains it legally, along with his status as a prince.

The move came after leaked emails showed he stayed in contact with Epstein longer than he had admitted and ahead of the release of Virginia Giuffre’s posthumous memoir alleging she was trafficked to Andrew at age 17.

Lawmakers, including SNP leader Stephen Flynn, urged Parliament to revoke his titles, calling public anger “widespread.” The government said the issue rests with the royal family.

Andrew, who paid a multimillion-dollar settlement to Giuffre in 2022 without admitting wrongdoing, continues to live at Royal Lodge near Windsor Castle.

The Metropolitan Police confirmed they are reviewing reports that he once sought damaging information about Giuffre through his security detail.

 

Zelenskyy Says Trump Meeting Was ‘Positive,’ Announces Plan to Buy 25 Patriot Systems

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described his recent meeting with US President Donald Trump as constructive, saying it advanced efforts for Ukraine to acquire 25 Patriot air defense systems, despite reports of a tense exchange.

Zelenskyy said Trump’s message was “positive” and focused on maintaining current front lines as part of a potential ceasefire. However, sources told media outlets that Trump used harsh language and urged Zelenskyy to make territorial concessions to Russia.

Zelenskyy confirmed that the meeting did not secure US approval for Tomahawk missiles, saying Trump appeared reluctant to provoke Moscow ahead of a planned summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest.

Zelenskyy criticized the choice of Hungary as a venue but said he would attend peace talks there if invited.

 

Ukraine’s Drone Strike on Russian Gas Plant Forces Kazakhstan to Cut Output

A Ukrainian drone attack on Russia’s Orenburg gas processing plant has forced Kazakhstan to slash production at its Karachaganak oil and gas field by up to 30 percent, industry sources told Reuters.

The Orenburg facility, one of the world’s largest, halted intake of Kazakh gas after sustaining damage in Saturday’s strike.

Kazakhstan’s Energy Ministry confirmed the disruption, while sources said output had dropped to 25,000–28,000 metric tons per day from the usual 35,000. Operated by a consortium including Chevron, Shell, and Eni, Karachaganak relies on Orenburg for processing and reinjection operations.

Kyiv claimed responsibility for hitting both the Orenburg plant and an oil refinery in Russia’s Samara region as part of its expanded campaign targeting Russian energy infrastructure.

The production cut highlights the cross-border ripple effects of Ukraine’s strikes on Russia’s energy sector.

 

Baltic States and Poland Open Via Baltica Highway

Poland and the Baltic states inaugurated the Via Baltica highway on Monday, a 970-kilometer-long (600-mile-long) route linking Warsaw to Tallinn that passes through the strategic Suwalki Gap between Belarus and Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave.

The corridor is viewed as vital for both regional trade and NATO defense, allowing faster troop movement to the Baltics in the event of conflict.

Polish President Karol Nawrocki and Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda hailed the project as key to economic growth and regional security.

The opening comes as tensions rise following Russian drone incursions into Poland and airspace violations in Estonia. Parts of the route remain two lanes and will be expanded in future construction phases.

 

Fire on Gas Tanker in Gulf of Aden Kills Two Sailors, Ship Drifting Off Yemen

A fire aboard the Cameroonian-flagged gas tanker Falcon killed two crew members and left the vessel adrift in the Gulf of Aden, authorities said Monday.

The blaze began Saturday and was likely accidental, according to the US Navy-led Joint Maritime Information Center. Twenty-four of the 26 crew members, mostly Indian with one Ukrainian, were rescued and taken to Djibouti.

Satellite images showed the ship still burning but upright, with salvage operations planned by a private company.

Initial reports suggested the vessel may have been struck, but investigators found no sign of external attack.

The incident comes amid months of Houthi assaults on shipping in the region, though no such attacks have been reported since the Gaza ceasefire on October 10.

The Falcon has previously been linked to Iran’s “ghost fleet” of sanctioned oil transporters.

 

Iraq to Keep Small US Adviser Force as Security Concerns Rise After Syria Upheaval

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani said Monday that a small contingent of 250 to 350 US military advisers will remain in Iraq beyond September to coordinate counter-ISIS operations with American forces in Syria.

The decision follows recent instability in Syria after the fall of President Bashar Assad, raising fears of an ISIS resurgence.

US personnel will stay at Ain al-Asad air base in western Iraq, near Baghdad airport, and al-Harir base in the north, while other sites continue phased reductions.

Al-Sudani emphasized that ISIS no longer poses a major threat inside Iraq and reaffirmed his stance that Iraq will not act as a proxy in regional conflicts. He urged renewed US-Iran dialogue and said his government supports integrating armed groups into state institutions or politics ahead of next month’s parliamentary elections.

 

Jihadist Violence in Africa’s Sahel Doubles, Expanding Across Area Twice the Size of Spain

Jihadist groups linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State have doubled their operational reach across Africa’s Sahel region since 2019, now covering over one million square kilometers—twice the size of Spain—and leaving around 77,000 people dead, according to AFP’s analysis of ACLED data.

Attacks surged from 1,900 in 2019 to more than 5,500 in 2024, with 3,800 already recorded in 2025.

Most violence is concentrated in Mali and Burkina Faso, where military juntas have expelled Western troops, while smaller hotspots persist near Lake Chad in Nigeria.

Analysts warn that military-focused strategies have failed to curb extremism, allowing jihadists to expand by exploiting local grievances and economic hardship.

Al-Qaeda’s JNIM now threatens to isolate West African capitals like Bamako and Ouagadougou by targeting transport routes and fuel supplies, particularly in Mali’s key western region of Kayes.

 

Myanmar Junta Seizes Starlink Devices in Raid on Major Internet Scam Center

Myanmar’s military raided the KK Park compound near the Thai border, one of the country’s largest internet scam centers, and seized 30 Starlink satellite internet devices, state media reported Monday.

The operation followed an AFP investigation revealing widespread use of Starlink at scam hubs that defraud foreigners through online schemes.

The crackdown comes amid growing concern over the resurgence of cyberfraud operations in Myanmar’s border regions, despite earlier multinational efforts by Thailand, China, and Myanmar to dismantle such networks and rescue thousands of trafficked workers.

 

Sources: News Agencies

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