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Table of Contents
Columbia University officials are accusing federal agents of lying to gain entry to a campus building early Thursday morning, leading to the dramatic detention of a popular international student with a massive social media following.
Ellie Aghayeva
In a developing story that has ignited tensions between immigration enforcement and academic institutions, Ellie Aghayeva, a Columbia University senior attending on an international visa, was taken into custody by Department of Homeland Security agents in what university leadership is calling a “misrepresentation” of facts to gain access to the student.
The Pre-Dawn Raid
According to Columbia University’s acting president Claire Shipman, the incident unfolded around 6:30 a.m. Thursday when DHS agents arrived at a residential building on the New York City campus. Shipman alleges the agents gained entry by falsely claiming they were searching for a “missing person” – a tactic she strongly condemned in a letter to the campus community.
Ellie Aghayeva
“Federal agents misrepresented themselves to gain entry into our residential building,” Shipman wrote, emphasizing that law enforcement must present a judicial warrant or subpoena to access non-public university spaces, not merely an administrative warrant.
Who Is Ellie Aghayeva?
Identified by both The New York Times and Columbia’s student newspaper, the Columbia Spectator, the detained student is Ellie Aghayeva, a senior with significant digital influence. Aghayeva commands over 100,000 followers on both TikTok and Instagram, making her one of the more visible international students on campus.
Ellie Aghayeva
As news of her detention spread, Aghayeva posted on her Instagram story in the early morning hours: “DHS illegally arrested me. Please help.” The post has since circulated widely across social media platforms, drawing attention from fellow students, advocacy groups, and elected officials.
Legal Questions Mount
The circumstances surrounding Aghayeva’s detention raise serious legal questions about federal agents’ authority on university campuses. Shipman’s letter stressed that administrative warrants – which are typically issued by federal agencies themselves without judicial oversight – do not grant automatic access to university facilities.
Forbes has reached out to DHS for official comment on the allegations, but the agency has not yet responded to requests for clarification about the operation or the legal basis for the detention.
Political Leaders Respond
The incident has already drawn sharp criticism from New York City political leaders. New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin, joined by Council Majority Leader Shaun Abreu, both Columbia College alumni, issued a joint statement defending immigrant communities and criticizing federal enforcement tactics.
Ellie Aghayeva
“ICE has no place in our schools and universities. These activities do not make our city or country safer, but rather drive mistrust and danger,” Menin and Abreu said. “As Columbia College alumni, our hearts are with the community there, and we have been in contact with the University to offer our assistance.”
The statement reflects growing tensions between local governments and federal immigration authorities, particularly in sanctuary cities like New York that limit cooperation with immigration enforcement.
Campus Climate Concerns
The detention comes at a particularly sensitive time for Columbia University, which has been at the center of national debates about campus protests, free speech, and international student rights. International students make up a significant portion of Columbia’s student body, contributing both to the university’s academic excellence and its cultural diversity.
For many international students watching this case unfold, the incident raises concerns about their own vulnerability to federal enforcement actions. University officials have not indicated whether Aghayeva had any prior immigration issues or what specific allegations led to her detention.
What Happens Next
Legal experts suggest the case could become a flashpoint in ongoing debates about immigration enforcement on college campuses. The distinction between administrative warrants and judicial warrants – central to Columbia’s criticism of the operation – may become a key legal battleground.
Immigration advocates are likely to rally around Aghayeva’s case, given her social media prominence and the allegations of federal misrepresentation. Meanwhile, DHS may face pressure to explain both the basis for the detention and the tactics used to access the building.
For now, Aghayeva remains in federal custody, her Instagram post serving as a digital cry for help that has reached hundreds of thousands of followers and counting. The university has not indicated what legal support it may offer the detained student, though Shipman’s strong public statement suggests Columbia will not remain silent on the matter.
As this story continues to develop, it underscores the increasingly fraught relationship between federal immigration enforcement and American higher education – with a popular international student’s future hanging in the balance.
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Table of Contents – Pam Bondi Hearing
WASHINGTON — In a fiery House Judiciary Committee hearing that felt more like a cable news showdown than a formal oversight session, Attorney General Pam Bondi turned the tables on frustrated Democrats by pointing to the booming stock market under President Donald Trump. The message? Stop obsessing over Jeffrey Epstein’s ghost and start celebrating a Dow Jones that just kissed 50,000.
If you blinked, you missed it — but the shouting? That went on for hours.
Democrats came ready for a brawl, (Pam Bondi Hearing)demanding answers on why the Department of Justice hasn’t indicted any of Epstein’s high-profile co-conspirators. What they didn’t expect was Bondi firing back with cold, hard numbers from Wall Street.
pam bondi hearing
“The Dow is over 50,000 right now,” Bondi declared under sworn testimony, her voice steady as Democratic Rep. Jerrold Nadler of New York pressed her on the Epstein files. “The S&P 500 is up. The Nasdaq is smashing records. Americans’ 401(k)s are booming. That’s what we should be talking about.”
pam bondi hearing
Nadler looked visibly irritated. Democrats on the panel exchanged glances. One staffer reportedly whispered, “Did she just… pivot to stocks?”
Yes. Yes, she did.
📉 The Epstein Elephant in the Room
Let’s rewind. The hearing was supposed to be about DOJ oversight. But within minutes, it became a proxy war over Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender who died in federal custody in 2019 under murky circumstances. For years, conspiracy theories have swirled about who else was involved — and whether powerful names were protected.
Nadler, clearly frustrated, slammed Bondi and the DOJ for failing to deliver justice. “Where are the indictments?” he asked. “The American people deserve to know if the fix was in.”
But Bondi wasn’t having it. Instead of diving into the Epstein rabbit hole, she redirected the conversation to economic wins under Trump — specifically, the Dow Jones Industrial Average crossing the historic 50,000-point threshold for the first time ever last Friday.
“You’re asking about Epstein? I’m talking about retirees seeing their savings grow,” Bondi shot back. “What does the Dow have to do with anything? That’s what they just asked. Are you kidding?”
At one point, Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) had to repeatedly bang his gavel as Democrats and Republicans yelled over each other. The scene was chaotic — the kind of DC dysfunction that makes C-SPAN watchers reach for the remote.
But Bondi didn’t flinch. A longtime Trump ally and former Florida Attorney General, she’s no stranger to political combat. Her message was clear: Democrats are stuck in the past; Trump is building the future.
pam bondi hearing
“You want to talk about Epstein? Fine. But don’t ignore the fact that American families are wealthier today than they were four years ago,” Bondi said.
The Dow crossing 50,000 isn’t just a number — it’s a political weapon. Trump has repeatedly used stock market performance as proof that his economic policies are working, especially after inflation concerns dominated the 2024 election cycle. Since taking office for his second term, Trump has overseen one of the longest bull runs in U.S. history.
Critics argue that stock market gains don’t reflect everyday Americans’ struggles with rent, groceries, and gas. But Bondi wasn’t in the mood for nuance.
“Retirement accounts are booming. Wages are up. Energy independence is back,” she said. “And all Democrats want to talk about is a dead pedophile’s little black book?”
The room went silent for a moment. Then Republicans applauded.
For those just tuning in: Jeffrey Epstein was arrested in 2019 on federal sex trafficking charges. He died in his Manhattan jail cell weeks later, officially by suicide — though conspiracy theories persist. His associate Ghislaine Maxwell was convicted in 2021 and is serving 20 years.
But the public has long demanded the release of unredacted documents, flight logs, and witness names. Trump has promised transparency, but so far, no major indictments have emerged.
Democrats say the delay is suspicious. Bondi says the investigation is ongoing — and that voters care more about their wallets.
Wednesday’s hearing was just the latest example of how Washington operates in 2025: zero trust, maximum volume. Both sides came prepared with soundbites, not solutions.
Still, Bondi’s “Dow defense” gave Republicans a much-needed talking point. Within hours, Trump’s campaign account tweeted: “50K DOW. EPSTEIN WHO? 🇺🇸”
Democrats, meanwhile, accused Bondi of deflecting. “The Attorney General of the United States just bragged about stock prices while avoiding questions about justice,” Nadler later told reporters. “That tells you everything you need to know.”
🔮 What Happens Next?
The Epstein investigation isn’t going away. Neither is the stock market. But Wednesday proved one thing: Pam Bondi isn’t here to play defense. Whether you love her or hate her, she knows how to change the subject — and fast.
With the Dow continuing to climb and Trump gearing up for what some speculate could be a third-term push (constitutional challenges aside), expect more hearings like this. More shouting. More gavels.
Bitcoin’s Brutal Nosedive: A $127K High to a Crisis of Confidence
If you’ve checked your crypto portfolio lately (Why Is Crypto Crashing?), you might need a strong coffee. American investors are waking up to a harsh reality as Bitcoin, the flagship cryptocurrency, continues its steep slide, wiping out all the gains made since President Trump’s re-election rally.
Why Is Crypto Crashing
From Boom to Gloom: The Numbers Tell the Story
As of this morning, Bitcoin is trading around $70,900, a far cry from its dizzying all-time high of over $127,000 hit in October 2025. Since the start of 2026 alone, the digital asset has shed nearly 20% of its value. This plunge marks a dramatic reversal from the explosive gains seen after Trump’s victory, which had sparked hopes of a crypto-friendly regulatory era in Washington.
Why Is Crypto Crashing
The Trump Factor: Promises vs. Political Gridlock
The current crash is deeply tied to the political landscape. The rally was fueled by Trump’s campaign pledge to make the U.S. the “cryptocurrency capital” of the world and the subsequent launch of his venture, World Liberty Financial. Momentum built with the announcement of a U.S. strategic crypto reserve.
However, the optimism has crashed into political walls. A key Trump-backed crypto bill has stalled in the U.S. Senate, deadlocked by disagreements between traditional banks and crypto firms. This regulatory uncertainty is a primary driver behind the current sell-off, leaving investors asking, “Why is crypto crashing?“
Why Is Crypto Crashing
The doubts intensified this week when Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna announced an investigation into World Liberty Financial following a Wall Street Journal report about a major Abu Dhabi investment. This scrutiny adds another layer of uncertainty, shaking the confidence of the market.
A Wider Market Tremor
Bitcoin isn’t suffering alone. The fear has spread across asset classes. On Thursday, silver prices plummeted as much as 16%, while major Asian stock indexes in Hong Kong and Japan also fell. This correlation suggests a broader risk-averse mood among investors globally.
Why Is Crypto Crashing
Why Is Crypto Crashing? The American Investor’s Perspective
For everyday Americans who jumped into crypto, the crash isn’t just about charts—it’s about trust and timeline. The core issues are:
Stalled Regulation: The promised clear rules from Washington have not materialized. This “light touch” regulatory environment is on ice, leaving the industry in a frustrating limbo.
Political Scrutiny: Investigations into high-profile projects like Trump’s create fear of a renewed regulatory crackdown, spooking both institutional and retail investors.
Profit-Taking & Fear: After the incredible run to $127K, a correction was inevitable. The current political headlines are triggering widespread profit-taking and panic selling.
Why Is Crypto Crashing
What’s Next?
The market is at a critical juncture. The trajectory for Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies now heavily depends on political developments in Washington. Can the stalled bill find compromise? Will investigations conclude without major shocks? The answers will determine if this is a painful correction or the start of a prolonged “crypto winter.”
For now, American investors are advised to buckle up, review their risk tolerance, and remember the oldest rule in the book: never invest more than you can afford to lose.
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Table of Contents – Is ChatGPT Down Again?
ChatGPT Outage Sparks User Frustration, Swift OpenAI Fix
If you were among the thousands trying to ask ChatGPT (Is ChatGPT Down Again?) a question on Tuesday afternoon only to be met with error messages, you weren’t alone. A significant, though brief, outage hit the popular AI chatbot, affecting users across the United States and sparking a wave of reports on problem-tracking sites.
is chatgpt down
The issue, which has since been resolved, was confirmed by both user-submitted data and OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT. According to Downdetector.com, a site that aggregates outage reports, problems spiked dramatically. At its peak, over 13,000 users reported issues accessing or using the chatbot. For many Americans who have integrated ChatGPT into their daily workflow for tasks like drafting emails, debugging code, or brainstorming ideas, the sudden silence was a jarring interruption.
is chatgpt down
The timeline, as tracked by Downdetector, showed a rapid surge and decline. By 4:33 p.m. Eastern Time, the number of active problem reports had plummeted to just 309, indicating a widespread recovery. It’s important to note that Downdetector’s data is based on user submissions, so the actual number of affected individuals could be higher or lower. Nevertheless, it serves as a reliable real-time barometer for service health.
OpenAI was quick to acknowledge and address the problem. The company stated, “We have identified the issue, applied the necessary mitigations and are monitoring the recovery.” This transparent communication is crucial for maintaining trust with its massive user base, especially as AI tools become more deeply embedded in professional and personal contexts.
is chatgpt down
So, what does this mean for you, the user? These occasional hiccups highlight our growing reliance on cloud-based AI services. While frustrating, brief outages are often the growing pains of incredibly complex systems being pushed to their limits by unprecedented demand. For those wondering “is chatgpt down” during future glitches, the best course of action is to check official channels like the OpenAI Status Page or community-driven sites like Downdetector before assuming the problem is on your end.
The swift resolution of this outage demonstrates OpenAI’s operational responsiveness. However, it also serves as a reminder that even the most advanced AI systems are not infallible. As we barrel forward into an AI-augmented future, users and companies alike are learning to build in redundancies and patience. For now, the digital assistant is back online, ready to tackle your prompts once more.