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Global Tech Outage Paralyses Flights, Banks, Hospitals and Media Worldwide
A software outage grounded flights, disabled banking and hospital systems, and took media outlets off the air worldwide today, July 19, highlighting the global dependence on a few key technology providers.
Airports across the U.S., Europe, and Asia saw long lines as airlines lost access to check-in and booking systems at the peak of the summer travel season. In Australia, media outlets were off the air for hours amid severe telecommunications disruptions. Hospitals and doctors’ offices struggled with appointment systems, and banks in South Africa and New Zealand reported outages affecting payment systems, websites, and apps.
Despite delays affecting some athletes and spectators arriving in Paris for the Olympics, organisers confirmed that disruptions were limited and did not impact ticketing or the torch relay.
DownDetector, a service tracking user-reported internet disruptions, indicated that the outage affected airlines, payment platforms, and online shopping sites worldwide, seemingly linked to companies using Microsoft cloud-based services.
Cyber expert James Bore warned of significant harm due to the outage, particularly for critical systems. “There are going to be deaths because of this. It’s inevitable,” he stated, noting the dependency of hospitals and other essential services on these systems.
Microsoft 365, in a social media post, mentioned efforts to reroute impacted traffic to alternate systems, noting a positive trend in service restoration. The company, however, did not respond to requests for further comments.
CrowdStrike, in an emailed statement, confirmed active collaboration with customers affected by the faulty update. “This is not a security incident or cyberattack. The issue has been identified, isolated, and a fix has been deployed,” the company stated.
In the U.S., major airlines including United, American, Delta, and Allegiant were grounded. Similar disruptions affected airlines and railways in the U.K., with extended waiting times reported.
The Paris Olympics saw limited impact, though some delegations experienced delays. In Germany, Berlin-Brandenburg Airport halted flights for hours due to check-in issues, while Zurich and Hungarian airports faced disruptions.
Dutch carrier KLM suspended most operations, and Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport reported significant impact on flights during one of its busiest days of the year.
Australian airports experienced widespread issues, with lines growing as online check-in services and self-service booths were disabled, though flights continued to operate. Similar manual check-ins were reported in India, Hong Kong, Thailand, and Kenya.
In Australia, the outage severely impacted banks such as NAB, Commonwealth, and Bendigo, as well as airlines Virgin Australia and Qantas, and internet and phone providers like Telstra. National news outlets, including ABC and Sky News Australia, were off the air for hours, with some anchors broadcasting online from dark offices.
Hospitals in several countries faced operational challenges. Britain’s NHS reported issues at most doctors’ offices in England, affecting appointment and patient record systems. Some German hospitals canceled elective surgeries, while Israel saw disruptions in hospital and postal operations.
In South Africa, a major bank experienced nationwide service disruptions, and in New Zealand, banks ASB and Kiwibank faced similar issues.
The Baltic Hub in Gdansk, Poland, a major container port, also reported problems due to the global outage, highlighting the widespread and varied impact of the technological failure.
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Four Men Cleared of Murder Charges in 2020 Killing of Matthew Daly
Four men accused of the 2020 murder of Matthew Daly were acquitted today after Justice Rajiv Persad upheld a No Case submission presented by their defense attorneys. Edward Crooke, Dajshon Benjamin, Micah Ormond, and K’Vawn Choucoutou had been on trial for five weeks for Daly’s killing on September 10, 2020. The trial, which began on September 16, 2024, concluded with the judge directing the jury to return Not Guilty verdicts for all defendants.
Crooke, Ormond, and Choucoutou left the High Court as free men, with no other legal matters pending. However, Benjamin remained in custody due to a separate guilty plea in a case before the Magistrate’s Court, as confirmed by his attorney, Michael Maduro.
The defense team included Attorney-at-Law Stephen Daniels for Crooke, Valston Graham for Choucoutou, and Valarie Stevens-Gordon for Ormond. The jury, consisting of seven women and two men, heard testimony throughout the trial before being instructed by Justice Persad to clear the defendants of the charges.
Before dismissing the men, Justice Persad urged them to contribute positively to society and avoid returning to the courts. “Make this a turning point,” he advised as they were formally released.
However, after the verdict, officers of the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force attempted to serve notices of appeal to the men outside the courthouse. This action was met with strong opposition from the defense attorneys, who argued that the notices were prepared before the judge’s decision was announced. The lawyers advised their clients not to accept the appeal documents, which the men complied with.
Despite the officers’ claims that the documents were timestamped after the judge’s ruling, the defense refused to acknowledge the service, leading to a tense standoff in the courthouse yard.
The case remains in legal limbo as both sides weigh their next steps.
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Quick Action by Firefighters Prevents Major Loss at Tortola Auto Group
A swift response by the Fire and Rescue Services averted what could have been a significant disaster for Tortola Auto Group (TAG) after a fire broke out at one of their storage sites. The blaze, which occurred at the Duff Bottom location behind the Island Department Store, threatened a large number of vehicles but was brought under control before causing widespread damage.
According to reports, the fire started in an area where numerous cars were stored. However, the quick actions of the firefighters, along with TAG staff members, prevented the flames from spreading to the majority of vehicles. Workers were able to relocate most of the cars to safety before the fire could escalate.
A source close to the company stated: “We were able to move most of the cars, thankfully. Yes, we lost a few to the fire, but the vast majority are safe and undamaged.”
While some losses were reported, the combined efforts of the Fire and Rescue Services and TAG’s team ensured that the potential for major damage was minimised. The cause of the fire has not yet been confirmed, and further details are expected as investigations continue.
More information will be provided as it becomes available.
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