A widespread information technology glitch affecting Microsoft cloud computing services has caused chaos for major airlines, medical facilities, businesses, and police forces around the world. Crowdstrike, a cybersecurity company, has confirmed that the outages were caused by a routine software update gone wrong, not a cyberattack. Microsoft has issued updates to resolve the issue, but some computers still need to be manually restarted causing delays.
The glitch resulted in numerous flight delays and cancellations globally, affecting major carriers like American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines. Passengers traveling to the U.S. from as far as Japan have had their flights canceled. The situation has also impacted stores and broadcasters in several countries, causing disruptions in operations.
In Europe, airports like Berlin’s Brandenburg Airport and Aena in Spain reported delays due to technical faults. Budget airlines in South Korea also experienced technical issues. In the UK, businesses such as train operators and the London Stock Exchange were affected by the glitch.
In the sports world, Manchester United delayed ticket releases, and the Paris Olympics organizing committee faced operational slowdowns. In the healthcare sector, at least 15 major hospitals in Israel were affected, along with the country’s ambulance service.
The glitch also impacted emergency services in Alaska, with 911 and non-emergency phone numbers not working. News outlets, including NBC and Sky News, experienced technical difficulties, affecting their ability to broadcast live news. The situation is still being resolved, with some businesses returning to normal operations.
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