The cellular outage that crippled service for AT&;T customers all over the U.S. on Thursday was likely the result of a software update gone wrong‚ the company said.  After speculation that the massive outage could have been caused by a cyberattack or even a sun flare‚ AT&;T released a statement explaining that it believes the outage was caused by “the application and execution of an incorrect process used as we were expanding our network‚ not a cyber attack.”  “We are continuing our assessment of today’s outage to ensure we keep delivering the service that our customers deserve‚” AT&;T added.  Sources familiar with the situation told ABC News that initial findings from the company pointed to a software update glitch and the company was not concerned about any malicious external activity causing the disruption. National Security Advisor John Kirby said on Thursday that the FBI and Department of Homeland Security had been investigating the cause of the outage‚ concerned about a possible cyberattack.  AT&;T’s service issues on Thursday morning prevented at least 70‚000 customers from using the basic functions on their phones‚ with some customers also unable to call 911. The outages mainly impacted people in Houston‚ Atlanta‚ San Antonio‚ Miami‚ Dallas‚ Indianapolis‚ and Louisville‚ leaving them unable to call‚ text‚ or use the internet on their cell phones‚ according to tracking site Downdetector. There were also reports of outages from Verizon and T-Mobile customers‚ but those companies said the reports of service problems came from customers attempting to communicate with people on other networks. Some concerned and frustrated AT&;T customers went to their local stores to find out what was happening. One video posted to X showed an AT&;T employee telling angry customers that the company was experiencing an outage and there was nothing he could do.  One AT&;T customer‚ who waited outside a store in South Florida‚ said he couldn’t do his job since his phone service wasn’t working.  CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP “I’m an electrician. Every morning I receive a call to let me know where I’m heading for to work and right now I don’t even know where I’m going‚” said Dave Cash‚ according to WPTV.  AT&;T said on Thursday afternoon that its network had been restored to normal.  “We have restored wireless service to all our affected customers. We sincerely apologize to them. Keeping our customers connected remains our top priority‚ and we are taking steps to ensure our customers do not experience this again in the future‚” the company said.  Leif Le Mahieu contributed to this report. 

Joe Biden‚ who has portrayed himself as the champion of blue-collar workers‚ may be in for a rude surprise: former President Donald Trump has garnered a substantial amount of donations from workers in typically unionized industries. Bloomberg News analyzed Federal Election Commission data from the second half of 2023 and found that Trump is winning the lion’s share of donors who work at companies such as Walmart and Federal Express; he is also collecting substantial donations from workers at airline and shipping companies. Meanwhile‚ Biden’s “campaign lags Trump in contributions from donors with oft-unionized job titles including mechanics and truckers‚” Bloomberg reported. Three key swing states in 2024‚ Michigan‚ Pennsylvania‚ and Wisconsin‚ contain large percentages of union workers in their voting blocs. Biden is clearly worried about Michigan‚ with its large Muslim bloc of voters‚ as he has been sending emissaries to speak to the Muslim population there. He himself has visited a UAW picket line there and various union halls. Despite Biden implementing pro-union policies‚ Bloomberg notes that donors working for General Motors and Ford are roughly split between Trump and Biden. Additionally‚ the powerful Teamsters Union‚ which has supported every Democratic presidential nominee since Al Gore in 2000‚ made its first substantial donation to the Republican Party in the last 20 years‚ giving the Republican National Committee $45‚000. In February 2021‚ one year after Trump left office‚ NBC News opined‚ “There are signs across racial and ethnic demographic groups that Republicans are becoming the party of blue-collar Americans and the change is happening quickly.” NBC News pointed out that in the previous decade‚ the percentage of Republican blue-collar voters increased 12 points while Democrat blue-collar workers declined eight points. CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP Between 2010 and 2020‚ the percentage of Hispanic blue-collar workers grew 13%‚ while the percentage of black blue-collar workers grew 7%. “Most of the GOP’s blue-collar growth took place during the presidency of Trump‚” NBC News noted. “While working class voters harbor reservations about both political parties‚ they align more with Republicans than with Democrats on most of the matters that concern them‚” William Galston‚ a former Clinton White House aide‚ acknowledged.

Former President Donald Trump reaffirmed his commitment to Christians across the country in a Thursday night speech in Nashville‚ Tennessee‚ stating that he “fought harder for Christians than any president” in history during his first term and will do so again next year. Trump was met with a standing ovation as he took the stage in Nashville at the National Religious Broadcasters International Christian Media Convention‚ where he offered his support to Christians and tore into the Biden administration for going after faithful Americans. “We’re going to save this country‚ it will be thanks to the men and women like you‚” the 45th president said to the crowd. “You make God’s work your work‚ that’s what you do.” “In my first term I fought harder for Christians than any president ever before … under my leadership we did more to protect religious freedom than anyone before‚” Trump said‚ touting his record in office. “They’re giving you a hard time in Washington right now‚ but they won’t be giving you a hard time in about 11 months.” Trump’s speech comes after two dominant Republican presidential primary wins in Iowa and New Hampshire‚ and just days before the South Carolina Republican presidential primary. Recent general election polling shows that a potential face-off between President Joe Biden and Trump will be close‚ with national polls showing Biden in the lead‚ but swing state polls in Arizona‚ Georgia‚ and even Nevada showing Trump with advantages over Biden. Religious voters across the country will be crucial for Trump to win in November‚ and he made the case to the crowd that he deserves their continued loyalty. “I was the first president to attend the March for Life in Washington‚ DC‚” he noted before contrasting his record with the actions of the Biden administration. “Pro-lifers are now being hunted down by the Biden regime as enemies of the state. Never again will the federal government be used to target religious leaders‚” he added. “Americans of faith are not dangers to our country‚ they are the soul of our country.” He also pledged that‚ if elected back to the White House‚ he will “create a new task force focused on fighting anti-Christian bias” with a mission to “investigate all forms of discrimination and harassment against Christians across America.” Trump criticized the attack on monuments of our Founding Fathers and other great Americans before reassuring that “nobody will be touching the cross of Christ under the Trump administration‚ I swear to you‚” drawing a standing ovation from the crowd. “We will protect God in our public square.” “We have an incompetent president who does not know what the hell he’s doing‚ he will not lead us to the promised land‚” the former president said as he blasted Biden. “The restoration of law in this country begins with firing crooked Joe Biden.” “I’ve been indicted more than Al Capone … I’ve been indicted more than some of the greatest criminals in the world‚” Trump stated before warning “the corrupt persecution from this regime will not stop with me.” Trump touched on his record on foreign policy‚ pledging to prevent “world war three” if he is reelected and touting his support of Israel‚ saying that he “cut off funding to the UN that was going to Hamas.” The former president touted his decision to move the American embassy in Israel to Jerusalem and discussed the war in Ukraine‚ adding that “millions of people would be alive right now” if Biden hadn’t taken office. He also discussed immigration‚ telling the crowd that he’s never “seen anything as egregious as this open border.” He added that foreign nationals who’ve crossed the border into the United States are “being treated better than longtime American citizens and our veterans” before committing to “the largest domestic deportation operation in American history” if he is reelected in November. The 45th president concluded the speech by outlining his policies on education and social issues‚ promising to “cut federal funding to any school pushing Critical Race Theory and transgenderism” and defeating “the toxic poison of gender ideology‚” drawing a standing ovation from the Christian crowd. “It’s something that I’m always amazed I have to say it‚ I will keep men out of women’s sports” he added before adding “I will sign a law prohibiting child sexual mutilation in all 50 states.” Trump’s speech came after an introduction from radio host Hugh Hewitt and addresses from others in the conservative movement‚ including Paul Dans‚ the president’s former Chief of Staff of the Office of Personnel Management. Dans spoke to the crowd on behalf of the Project 2025 Presidential Transition Project‚ an initiative from the Heritage Foundation that has built a personnel database for the next conservative administration and seeks to “pave the way for an effective conservative Administration.” “We are a historic movement making sure the next conservative president can hit the ground running on day one‚” Dans told the crowd before explaining that Project 2025 is based on the realization “that nothing in Washington is going to change until we make it change.” Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts also addressed the audience‚ warning that America is “in big trouble … beset upon by social problems‚ cultural problems‚ and religious problems‚” citing a “porn problem among young men” and a “mental health crisis among young women.” “Why does the Washington establishment hate Donald Trump and dread his reelection this November?” Roberts went on to ask‚ pointing to institutions that oppose him like “most large corporations‚” “academia‚” and “the federal bureaucracy and the deep state.” The Heritage President provided an answer‚ saying that the establishment opposes Trump because “he’s a threat to their power‚” before continuing “and God bless him for it.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has revealed his plans for “the day after Hamas.” Netanyahu asserted that the mission of the IDF includes destroying the military capabilities and governmental infrastructure of Hamas and Islamic Jihad‚ the return of the remaining Israeli hostages‚ and preventing a future threat from Gaza directed at Israel. He called for the dissolution of UNRWA —whose members have been accused of complicity with Hamas in the October 7 massacre of over 1200 Israelis — and said the IDF would retain the capacity for freedom of action in the entire Gaza Strip indefinitely while maintaining a “southern closure” on the Gaza-Egypt border in order to prevent the terrorists from reestablishing power within the Gaza Strip. The “Southern Fence‚” in cooperation with Egypt‚ will be intended to prevent smuggling from Egypt underground and above ground. To the east‚ Netanyahu stated‚ Israel will maintain security control over the entire area west of Jordan. In Gaza‚ Israel will strive to let the civil administration and responsibility for public order be filled by local officials with administrative experience‚ although those individuals cannot be identified with countries or entities that support terrorism. After Israel demobilizes from Gaza‚ Netanyahu said Israel will address the issue of stopping the inculcation of hatred of Israel in Gaza’s religious‚ educational‚ and welfare institutions‚ with the help of Arab countries that have promoted de-radicalization in their populace. “Israel will work to close UNRWA‚ whose operatives were involved in the October 7 massacre‚ and whose schools taught terrorism and the destruction of Israel‚” Arutz Sheva reported. “Israel will work to end UNRWA’s activities in the Gaza Strip and replace it with responsible international aid agencies.” Meanwhile‚ National Unity leader Benny Gantz‚ who serves in Netanyahu’s cabinet‚ said Friday: To the residents of the south‚ who yesterday received word from the Home Front Command about the security situation and the possibilities of returning to your towns‚ I would like to say that we understand your concerns. October 7th seriously damaged your faith in the state‚ and we have a responsibility to you to restore it through action. This will take time‚ and for that reason‚ the war will continue. In the future‚ we will operate deep within enemy territory‚ and not along the border. “We will protect towns with additional forces and find Hamas terrorists wherever they are. We will be in Rafah‚ deep within enemy territory‚ and not stop until we have removed the threat and recovered the hostages‚” he added. He told residents of the north‚ thousands of whom have been forced to flee their homes because of attacks from Hezbollah in Lebanon: I promise that we will not stop fighting until you can return. We are pursuing political and military action. Hezbollah has already been pushed away from the border and we are waiting for the day of reckoning in which we will need to expand our operations. I intend to promote a plan to reinforce the north immediately‚ as promised. We will invest over the next few years in developing the north and south in an unprecedented manner. That is what is needed right now. We are thinking of you‚ residents of the south and north. We know how strong your communities are‚ and along with all of Israel‚ we will build‚ be built‚ and be victorious.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) put forth a rule that would make broadcasters publicly post the race and gender of their employees‚ drawing concerns that companies would be pressured into making hiring decisions based on identity.  The proposed rule will require broadcasters to track the racial and gender composition of their employees and make that data publicly available. The rule was adopted in a 3-2 vote earlier this month and was released on Thursday to be placed into the Federal Register for comment.  Brendan Carr‚ who was appointed to the commission by former President Donald Trump‚ said that the rule would enable activists to pressure broadcast companies to make hiring decisions based on demographics‚ not merit.  “The record makes clear that the FCC is choosing to publish these scorecard for one and only one reason: to ensure that individual businesses are targeted and pressured into making decisions based on race and gender‚” he said in his dissent statement. The FCC just ordered every broadcaster to start posting a race &; gender scorecard that breaks down the demographics of their workforce. Activists lobbied for this b/c they want to see businesses pressured into hiring people based on their race &; gender. Courts have already… pic.twitter.com/4Mvb2sLMKj — Brendan Carr (@BrendanCarrFCC) February 22‚ 2024 Carr said that in adopting the rule‚ the FCC “caves to the demands of activist groups that have worked for years and across different industries to persuade the federal government to obtain — and most importantly publish — this type of data about individual businesses. This is no benign disclosure regime.” The rule‚ which was backed by the Biden-appointed members of the commission‚ will force radio and television broadcasters to file a yearly Form 395-B disclosing the demographic composition of their workforce. “We agree with broadcasters and other stakeholders that workforce diversity is critical to the ability of broadcast stations both to compete with one another and to effectively serve local communities across the country‚” the commission statement in support of the rule said. “ Without objective and industry-wide data it is impossible to assess changes‚ trends‚ or progress in the industry.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP The commission said that making the data public would ensure accuracy and that the move was “consistent with a broader shift towards greater openness regarding diversity‚ equity‚ and inclusion across both corporate America and government.” Carr said that the FCC’s attempt to make broadcasters post the data violated the Constitution‚ pointing to previous court decisions the FCC lost trying to mandate the comparison of employee demographic data with the general population.  “At worst‚ the Order pretextually seeks to force broadcasters into making race- and gender-based hiring decisions‚ a constitutionally offensive rationale that cannot justify any rules. Or at best‚ Order pursues disclosure for disclosure’s sake‚ which violates the First Amendment‚” Carr said.

Daily Wire host Michael Knowles’ speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) has outraged the Left for the second consecutive year — this time for his remarks on marriage. Knowles took the CPAC stage on Thursday‚ where he gave a speech focusing on America’s “identity crisis” and illegal immigration‚ among other topics. The speech came a year after his remarks at CPAC triggered backlash from leftists when the Daily Wire host said that “transgenderism must be eradicated from public life.” Some media outlets falsely reported that Knowles called for the eradication of trans-identifying people when the host had instead focused his speech on ridding society of trans ideology. During his speech this year‚ Knowles touched on another social issue and once again sparked the leftists’ rage. “They can’t really turn a couple of men or a couple of women‚ or three men and a billy goat for that matter‚ into a marriage‚” Knowles said. “That’s just not what marriage is. No disrespect is intended to anyone. Some people don’t want to get married — okay‚ there’s no obligation‚ but marriage has a meaning.” “Marriage is and always has been the union of a man and a woman‚ ordered toward the procreation and education of children” Knowles continued. “If you don’t like that‚ don’t blame me. I didn’t set the rules. It wasn’t the mean old conservatives who did this; we did not invent marriage. Marriage is a natural institution.” “The Left will slander us as hateful for observing this fact‚” Knowles added. Shortly after Knowles made the comments on marriage‚ President Joe Biden’s campaign team posted on X: “Top Trump advocate at CPAC echos MAGA’s Project 2025 plan to go after marriage equality during a second Trump term: Marriage is a man and a woman.” Top Trump advocate at CPAC echos MAGA’s Project 2025 plan to go after marriage equality during a second Trump term: Marriage is a man and a woman pic.twitter.com/uEn3uBnGjE — Biden-Harris HQ (@BidenHQ) February 22‚ 2024 Governor Gavin Newsom (D-CA) also commented on the Daily Wire host’s remarks‚ writing‚ “The @GOP are telling us who they are. We should listen.” Knowles responded to the Biden campaign on X‚ pointing out that then-Sen. Biden said in 2006 that “marriage is between a man and a woman.” “I’m just paraphrasing you‚ Mr. President!” Knowles wrote. I’m just paraphrasing you‚ Mr. President! “Marriage is between a man and a woman.” —@JoeBiden https://t.co/xw4iqCPa1L pic.twitter.com/u7fzToT5Qg — Michael Knowles (@michaeljknowles) February 23‚ 2024 Knowles also shot back at Newsom. “The GOP is telling you that we believe what the Democrats and everyone else for all of history believed until ~2015. You should‚ in fact‚ listen!” he said. Biden’s view on marriage appeared to change drastically following the Supreme Court’s Obergefell v. Hodges decision in 2015‚ which ruled that a union of same-sex couples is protected as a marriage under the Constitution. While running for the White House on the ticket with Barack Obama in 2008‚ Biden said in a debate against Sarah Palin that he didn’t support gay marriage. “Barack Obama nor I support redefining from a civil side what constitutes marriage‚” Biden stated. By December of 2022‚ Biden had completely flipped on the issue. Before signing the “Respect for Marriage” Act‚ which requires the federal government and all 50 states to recognize a same-sex union as a marriage‚ the president said‚ “Deciding whether to marry‚ who to marry is one of the most profound decisions a person can make‚” adding‚ “Marriage — I mean this with all my heart — marriage is a simple proposition: Who do you love‚ and will you be loyal with that person you love?  It’s not more complicated than that.”