desert rose travel dubai

• Beach Getaways
• City Breaks
• Short Breaks
• Family Holidays
• Romantic Escapes
• Active Holidays
• Island Escapes
• Summer Escapes
• Bucket List
• Surfing Breaks
• Ski Holidays
• Winter Breaks
• Middle east
• Australasia
• North America
• South America
• Hotels & Resorts
• Eco Friendly
• Food & Drink
• In The News

Select Page

Desert Rose Dubai

by Staff Writer | Aug 26, 2015

As one of the most sought after cosmopolitan cities in the world, Dubai, the most popular of the seven kingdoms that make up the UAE, is a high-tech heaven.

[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_separator color=”black” border_width=”10″][vc_custom_heading text=”UAE”][vc_separator color=”black” border_width=”2″][vc_widget_sidebar sidebar_id=”sidebar-page”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”3/4″][vc_column_text]As one of the most sought after cosmopolitan cities in the world, Dubai, the most popular of the seven kingdoms that make up the UAE, is a high-tech heaven. This oasis rises with sudden vigor from the arid sands of the desert and exults in luxury living…

Its glittering skyscrapers are framed by exotic, gently swaying palm trees. The incredibly impressive skyline, full of gleaming chrome, glass and steel seems to stretch out for miles. Home to the world’s tallest building and over 900 other high-rises, one can readily accept that Dubai has more skyscrapers than any other cosmopolitan city. Indeed it is rumored that there are more construction cranes here than in any other place across the globe. For business and leisure travellers alike, there is no dearth of things to see and do in this city of plenty.

WHAT TO SEE AND DO

View the Burj Khalifa-The Gateway to the Heavens

There are many reasons why your discovery of Dubai should ideally begin at the dazzling Burj Khalifa. Apart from being the tallest man made structure (828 m ) to ever be built in the world since 2010, this sparkling skyscraper that connects to the popular Dubai mall also houses a high-tech office complex, an elite cigar club, the ultra-luxurious Armani Hotel, high class residential apartments, four magnificent pools and a state-of-the-art observatory.

The Burj Khalifa has many other firsts to its credit too. For instance, imagine living in the highest apartment in the world, which is located here on the 109th floor, or praying in the highest mosque at the 158th floor or swimming laps in the world’s highest pool located on the 76th floor! You can also ride the world’s fastest escalators here which glide at a speed of 64 km/hr.

Its sophisticated designcan not only withstand the blazing hot Dubai summers, but can even lower the heat. The 22,000 panels that are fitted together over the exterior are made of a sturdy reflective glazing that have withstood an incredible lightening attack, just a week after it opened in 2010.

Prices: Admission for an adult is 100 Dh, a child under 13 is 75 Dh. If you prefer to bypass the jostling queues, shelling out Dh 400 will give you instant access. More information at www.atthetop.ae

Explore the Golden Sands…

Most luxury resorts here have a rather unique privilege i.e. their own strips of private beach, complete with soothing sapphire waters and powder white sands. These may not always be open to visitors (while others may charge a day fee if you’re not a guest at the hotel), so be sure check your access to the beach properties as you make your booking.

The Mamzer beach is a popular hotspot. Here, you can rent homes with barbeque areas for that summer picnic or impromptu get together. If you don’t want salt water in your hair, then you don’t even have to venture into the sea. Just wade into the two large swimming pools here! You can rent deckchairs, sun loungers, umbrellas and explore the small cafes and grocery stores that dot the property.

Ride the Devilish Dunes

No trip to Dubai is complete without the wild, wacky ride on the burning hot sands of the wild desert. Riding the sand dunes on a four wheel drive is like having access to your own private rollercoaster, but the enchanting desert experience isn’t just limited to this hair rising ride. Sit on a camel and experience its seductive swaying gait as its thick hooves sink deeply into the shifting sands. Ride the famous quad bikes for more adrenaline pumping adventure. The list topper is of course, enjoying a barbeque dinner under the star studded night sky.

View from the top

An aerial view of Dubai can be a thrilling experience, especially if you also have a passion for adventure sports. Several luxury hotels operate hot air balloon excursions of the dessert.

Hop onto a minibus, which will take you to your nearest hot air balloon stopover. Here you can soar through the dessert on a balloon that will glide gracefully over miles and miles of golden sands. You’ll receive a personalized flight certificate and a cool drink when you land. You can also explore the options of viewing Dubai by helicopters and sea planes, for which separate tours and bookings are available from several tour operators.

Party at the Palm Jumeirah

The Palm Jumeirah is living proof that man can vie with nature and create incredible splendor. A manmade archipelago that was built on reclaimed land, it looks like a giant emerald with its fingers splayed over the sapphire waters. Some claim that this is the eighth wonder of the world and can even be viewed from space. It consists of three main islands – the Palm Jumeirah, Palm Jebel Ali and Palm Deira which extend into the Persian Gulf. The Jumeirah Palm Island is the adult version of Disney land featuring luxury themed hotels, spas, apartment buildings, beaches, restaurants and resorts. The Atlantis is a popular luxury hotel here.

For luxury seaplane bookings: www.seawings.ae/ and www.viator.com/tours/Dubai For helicopter and balloon tours: www.helidubai.com/Scenic-Tours/

LUXURY SHOPPING

THE WORLD’S BEST PLACE TO INDULGE IN INTENSE RETAIL THERAPY

Gold Rush at the Gold Souks

Dubai’s gold souks have an aura that is straight out of the Arabian nights. It’s an unbelievable display of jewels that is meant to dazzle. 10 tonnes of pure gold hangs from hooks all around you. Surely among these 300 vendors, each with their own extraordinarily unique designs, you’ll be able to find an ornament that’s to your liking.

Givori Luxury Mobile

Accessories Even the technology here comes swathed in gold and precious gems! Shop at the luxury mobile firm Givori (browse their Phantom Collection) for 24 carat gold iPhone, rare black platinum mobile covers, iPhone 5 and 5S enveloped in alligator skin and silver dust, with personalized logos in black rhodium. Every accessory is hand crafted and requires hours of labor. They have several outlets across the city; the popular ones are located in the Mall of the Emirates, Dubai Mall and the Burj Al Arab. www.givori.com

Other Luxury Brands

For your luxury shopping needs, visit the Dubai Mall, a one-stop destination for every luxury brand in the world. With over 1200 stores, a beautiful indoor aquarium, impromptu concerts and other entertainment options, it’s little wonder then that the Dubai Mall is a luxury shopper’s slice of paradise.

Luxury Fashion

For the latest in haute couture, head over to the Mall of the Emirates. You’ll love the full Giorgio Armani ready-to-wear collection for both men and women, available on level 1. Other note-worthy luxury brands here are Boutique 1, Aigner, Burberry and Berluti. The Walk at Jumeirah Beach Residence, Dubai’s only beachfront promenade is being renovated for a further enhanced luxury retail experience & al fresco dinning.

FINE DINING

DUBAI IS HOME TO FOOD LOVERS WITH ITS MICHELIN STARRED RESTAURANTS AND AL FRESSCO CAFES

Dubai is a melting pot of international cuisine. There’s food to please every palate here, no matter how discerning you may be. The restaurant, Reflets by Pierre Gagnaire, with its elegant rose tinted interiors and exquisite French food is also known for its impeccable service. You’ll especially love the recommended wine pairings and the exquisite truffle desserts. For more French and international food served up in lavish buffet style, visit the Imperium at the Jumeirah This gleaming restaurant with its gold gilded columns and crystal chandeliers offers breath-taking views of the sea. For some of the best seafood in Dubai, look up PierChic, which as the name suggests is a fine dining restaurant that juts into the pier overlooking the glittering waters of the Arabian Gulf. If it’s Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine you’re interested in, head over to the Majlis Al Bahar at Burj Al Arab. Here, you can dine on tables spread over the sands that overlook the tranquil sea.

Nobu at Atlantis Hotel is the best place for Japanese cuisine, albeit with some Arabian influences. Savor recipes created by the world famous chef Nobu Matsuhisa. The sushi bar here comes highly recommended. For cuisine with fresh ingredients sourced from Europe and a collection of new and vintage wines, the flagship restaurant at the Grosvenor House, the Rhodes Mezzanine would be a perfect choice. Fine dining in Dubai, with many of its hotels hiring Michelin rated chefs is certainly not hard to come by!

LUXURY STAY

DUBAI HAS NO SHORTAGE OF OPTIONS WHEN IT COMES TO LUXURY ACCOMODATION.

You are spoilt for choices when looking for luxury stay in Dubai. One of the most iconic places to stay (and indeed a very interesting and integral part of the Dubai skyline) is the Burj Al Arab (Tower of the Arabs). It is the world’s most famous 7-star hotel, designed to resemble a billowing sail and the most easily identifiable part of the Dubai skyline. Burj Al Arab has become a significant cultural symbol, it’s more than just the luxury accommodation. It is suite-only accommodation, offering discreet check-in within your rooms, a private reception on every floor and a host of personal butlers, each a warm messenger of unparalleled hospitality.

Another iconic place to stay would be the Atlantis, in the Palm Jumeirah. This resort has unique marine habitats called The Lost Chambers, the Aquaventure park that kids would love, world class cuisines spread across 18 restaurants here and ShuiQi, a luxuriant spa which they say has been designed to lull you into a stupor while simultaneously awakening your senses.

Deep within Dubai’s dune landscape in Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve is Al Maha Resort. Al Maha offers a sense of desert adventure with its luxurious suites all with a desert view, private pool & deck.

For other classic luxury options, explore the Conrad Dubai, the Banyan Tree Al Wadi Resort and Spa, Jumeirah Beach Hotel, the Ritz Carlton Dubai, Fairmont (at Palm Jumeirah).

Dubai is certainly an unforgettable experience for the business or leisure traveller and one that is sure to present you gilt-edged memories to cherish.

Subscribe to the latest edition now by clicking here.

If you would like to comment on this story or anything else you have seen on World Travel Magazine, head over to our Facebook page or message us on Twitter .

And if you liked this story, subscribe to our bi-monthly World Travel Magazine , a handpicked selection of editorial features and stories from Global Destinations, Inspire Me, Insider, Style File, Wellness & Travel, City Travel, Suite Life, At Leisure, Short Breaks and much more.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Social Media

World travel experience app.

Related Articles

• https://www.facebook.com/WTravelMagazine
• https://twitter.com/WTravelMagazine
• https://www.linkedin.com/company/worldtravelmagazine/

Dubai’s Ultimate Bucket List: Must-See Attractions and Hidden Gems

Dubai. Just the name evokes thoughts of futuristic architecture, endless deserts, and opulent luxury.

But, ever wondered why everyone seems to be packing their bags for this desert oasis? Why is this city such a magnetic draw for globetrotters?

• Dubai boasts a stunning juxtaposition of futuristic marvels and historic charm.
• From the world's tallest skyscraper to golden sand dunes, the experiences are unparalleled.
• Dive in for the ultimate guide to making the most of your Dubai trip .

Why Dubai Captivates Travelers Worldwide

According to the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, a staggering 16.73 million tourists visited in 2019.

It's not just about the luxury shopping or the desert safaris, though they're incredible. It's the spirit of the city, a blend of the old and the new, that truly captivates.

The Towering Majesty: Burj Khalifa

Rising from the heart of Dubai like a silver needle piercing the sky, the Burj Khalifa stands as an emblem of human tenacity and vision.

Holding the record as the world's tallest structure, this colossus reaches a vertiginous height of 828 meters , dwarfing every other man-made edifice on Earth. Visitors venturing to its observation decks on the 124th and 148th floors are rewarded with panoramic vistas that are nothing short of ethereal.

On a clear day, the sweeping views extend far into the horizon, giving a bird's eye perspective of the ever-evolving metropolis below.

But the Burj Khalifa isn't just about height. It embodies the essence of Dubai – a city that dreams big and stops at nothing to realize those aspirations.

The tower's shimmering facade, resembling a lattice of diamonds at sunset, mirrors the audacity and glamour of the city it calls home.

For travelers, it's more than just a tick on their bucket list; it's an experience, a realization of what humanity can achieve when imagination meets ambition. Indeed, the Burj Khalifa is not merely a building; it's a testament to the limitless possibilities of the human spirit.

The Desert's Song: A World Beyond the Skyscrapers

As Sarah Khan, travel writer for The New York Times, aptly put it:

"Dubai is... a city that's shaped by a futuristic vision, yet rooted in a rich past. It's a place where you can ride a camel in the desert, explore spice markets and gold souks, and eat cuisines from around the world, all within a day."

Beyond the glitz and glamor of its soaring skyscrapers, Dubai offers a mosaic of experiences that beckon the traveler to dive deeper. The echoing calls to prayer, the scent of fragrant oud wafting through the air, and the intricate tapestries of traditional Emirati life are as integral to Dubai's fabric as its contemporary marvels.

Experience the serene beauty of the deserts . It's not just sand; it's a landscape that tells a story, from the time when Dubai was just a small fishing village. The desert whispers tales of Bedouin tribes, of ancient trade routes, and of the spirit of resilience that transformed this arid landscape into a global hub.

Venture out on a moonlit night, and you might just hear the rhythmic beats of traditional drums and see the fluid movements of the Tanoura dancers, painting a picture of a culture that's as vibrant today as it was centuries ago.

Dive Deeper: Unconventional Dubai Delights

Culinary wonders.

Dubai is a veritable melting pot of global flavors, a testament to its cosmopolitan flair. Begin your gastronomic journey savoring Emirati delicacies under the starlit desert sky.

Relish the aromatic Al Harees, cooked in clay pots and traditionally served during festivals, or the succulent Lamb Ouzi, a lavish dish typically reserved for grand celebrations. But Dubai's culinary landscape doesn't stop at local delights.

At Atlantis, The Palm, dine at Ossiano for an underwater experience, with exotic marine life swimming by as you savor sumptuous seafood.

From high-end restaurants with celebrity chefs at the helm to humble street food stalls churning out mouth-watering Shawarmas, every meal in Dubai is an exploration in itself.

Art Galleries in Al Fahidi District

The winding lanes of Al Fahidi District are a cultural treasure trove.

Whitewashed walls house numerous art galleries that showcase the city's burgeoning artistic talent.

Majlis Gallery, for instance, offers a peak into traditional Middle Eastern art, while the XVA Gallery delves into contemporary pieces that challenge and intrigue.

The district is a testament to how Dubai respects and nurtures its rich history while embracing modernity with open arms.

Secret Beaches

While Dubai is famed for its glitzy waterfront resorts, there's a side to its coastline that remains unsung.

These are the serene, lesser-known stretches of sandy bliss, untouched by the footprints of mass tourism.

Locals cherish these hidden havens, and they're hesitant to share their secrets. But here's a tip: strike up a conversation with Kevin Erickson if you happen to bump into him.

With a little persuasion and a shared love for sun, sand, and surf, he might just whisper the coordinates of his cherished beach spot, away from the bustling crowds—a piece of unspoiled paradise in a city of marvels.

Getting Around: Tips from Kevin Erickson

Dubai's public transportation is top-notch, but consider renting a car if you want to explore outside the city.

Remember, Friday mornings are quiet since it's the local weekend, making it perfect for sightseeing.

A Personal Conclusion

This desert jewel, once a humble trading post, has metamorphosed into a beacon of modernity and luxury, a testament to what vision, ambition, and determination can achieve. It's easy to be swayed by its glittering skyline and opulent shopping centers, but the heart of Dubai pulses in its old neighborhoods, its bustling souks, and the tales of its inhabitants.

There's a harmony here, a balance between the ancient and the ultra-modern. Where else can you find robot jockeys racing camels in the morning and attend a world-class opera in the evening? Where the echoes of age-old Bedouin chants seamlessly blend with the beats of international DJs?

The intricacies and nuances of this city are what make it extraordinary. It's a place that challenges perceptions, shatters expectations, and invites you to experience a mosaic of cultures, traditions, and innovations. As you wander through its streets, sail along its creek, or soar above its skyscrapers , you begin to grasp the true essence of Dubai.

For Kevin Erickson, and indeed many of us, Dubai is a reminder of the limitless boundaries of human creativity and the timeless allure of history.

It's more than just a stopover or a vacation spot; it's a journey through time, an adventure that leaves an indelible mark on the soul. And like all great tales, it beckons you to return, to uncover another layer, another story, in its ever-evolving narrative.

Is Dubai safe for American tourists?

Absolutely! Dubai is one of the safest cities globally, with a very low crime rate.

What's the best time to visit Dubai?

While Dubai is a year-round destination, the cooler months from November to March are most popular.

Do I need to dress conservatively in Dubai?

It's respectful to dress modestly in public areas. However, at beaches, pools, or clubs, regular western attire is acceptable.

How many days do I need to explore Dubai?

A week is ideal, but even in 3-4 days, you can cover many major attractions.

Is English spoken widely in Dubai?

Yes, English is widely spoken, especially in tourist areas and businesses. 

• Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing
• The New York Times - Travel Section
• Atlas Obscura - Dubai's Hidden Gems

• Work & Careers
• Life & Arts

The global IT outage: As it happened

Today’s top headlines:

Businesses across the world hit by ‘largest IT outage in history’

CrowdStrike chief: Staff had ‘long night’ working to resolve outage

Microsoft says it has ‘fixed’ the problem

IT experts react to the outage and stress vulnerability of sectors

BA warns of disruption on busiest day for UK airports in 5 years

• The global IT outage: As it happened on x (opens in a new window)
• The global IT outage: As it happened on facebook (opens in a new window)
• The global IT outage: As it happened on linkedin (opens in a new window)
• The global IT outage: As it happened on whatsapp (opens in a new window)

Edited by Alexandra White , Jaren Kerr , Peter Wells , Maxine Kelly , Emily Herbert , Georgina Quach , Oliver Ralph and William Sandlund

Daniel Thomas in London

Airlines, financial services and media groups hit by global IT outage

Financial services groups, airlines and media sites have been among the businesses hit by an IT outage on Friday morning, causing widespread disruption to services from stock market news to early morning broadcast services.

The outage has been blamed on social media on an update to the CrowdStrike security software, causing an issue with Windows software. Microsoft, the US tech giant, was not immediately available for comment. The IT issues have also affected businesses in countries such as Australia.

Australia’s National Cyber Security Coordinator official X account posted on Friday :

Our current information is this outage relates to a technical issue with a third-party software platform employed by affected companies. There is no information to suggest it is a cyber security incident. We continue to engage across key stakeholders.

• Share $ Airlines, financial services and media groups hit by global IT outage on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Airlines, financial services and media groups hit by global IT outage on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Airlines, financial services and media groups hit by global IT outage on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Felicia Schwartz in Aspen

White House offers assistance for global IT outage

The US has offered assistance to allies and CrowdStrike as the effects of a massive IT outage continue to disrupt businesses.

Anne Neuberger, deputy national security adviser for cyber and emerging technology, said she has spoken with global partners and CrowdStrike’s chief executive to offer American assistance for the outage, which does not seem malicious.

“Very much at this point we believe this is an IT-related patch, an issue with that patch,” she said. “We need to ensure that we have resilience.”

• Share $ White House offers assistance for global IT outage on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ White House offers assistance for global IT outage on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ White House offers assistance for global IT outage on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Will Schmitt in New York

IT disruptions push customers to brick-and-mortar banks

The global IT disruption is forcing some banking customers looking to move money to rely on brick-and-mortar locations.

“Teams are working hard to restore all online banking and other impacted systems,” said a US spokesperson for TD Bank. “For immediate banking needs, TD customers can visit their local TD bank or fully operational ATM.”

Chase and Bank of America were among the other lenders experiencing accessibility issues Friday, according to Downdetector. 

• Share $ IT disruptions push customers to brick-and-mortar banks on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ IT disruptions push customers to brick-and-mortar banks on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ IT disruptions push customers to brick-and-mortar banks on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Oliver Barnes in New York

US hospitals report continued disruption from IT outage

US hospitals and healthcare providers are reporting continued disruption from the IT outage that has affected Microsoft users worldwide. 

New York’s Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center said it was pausing the start of any procedure requiring anaesthetic due to the disruption. Boston’s Dana-Farber Cancer Institute advised all patients with scheduled appointments on Friday to stay home. 

Northwell Health, New York’s largest healthcare provider, said it was “currently experiencing sporadic technology impacts” due to the IT problems. “Where needed, we have implemented standard emergency response procedures to ensure the continued quality of care and safety of our patients,” Northwell added in a statement.

• Share $ US hospitals report continued disruption from IT outage on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ US hospitals report continued disruption from IT outage on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ US hospitals report continued disruption from IT outage on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Ian Smith in London

Insurers say their IT systems have regained normal operations

Two insurers that suffered disruption to their systems as a result of the IT outage said they have regained, or largely regained, normal operations. 

UK motor insurer Admiral, which had been suffering with its phone lines as a result of the outage, said it had now resolved the issue. Italy’s Generali said the “impact of the outage has been largely resolved and we are now only marginally affected”.

• Share $ Insurers say their IT systems have regained normal operations on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Insurers say their IT systems have regained normal operations on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Insurers say their IT systems have regained normal operations on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Blinken says IT outage not ‘malicious’

US secretary of state Antony Blinken said Friday’s global IT outage is not a “malicious attack of any kind” but demonstrates the importance of building resilient networks.

“We have to continue to build resilience in our systems,” he told an audience at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado on Friday. “We have to continue to diversify so we’re not reliant as best as possible on any single point of failure.”

• Share $ Blinken says IT outage not ‘malicious’ on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Blinken says IT outage not ‘malicious’ on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Blinken says IT outage not ‘malicious’ on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Philip Georgiadis in London

Airline passengers face long delays as IT outage hits carriers

Airline passengers face the prospect of an extended period of disruption as carriers begin the painstaking process of restoring their flight schedules following the global IT outage. 

Nearly 3,500 global flights had been cancelled by Friday afternoon, about 3 per cent of all scheduled flights, according to data provider Cirium. 

The European aviation regulator warned of “cascading delays and increased cancellations” throughout the day in a message to airlines seen by the Financial Times. 

The disruption comes at one of the busiest travel times of the year — and the UK’s busiest in nearly five years — meaning airlines have little leeway to recover their operations quickly with planes and crew stuck out of position, and problems likely to persist into the weekend. 

• Share $ Airline passengers face long delays as IT outage hits carriers on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Airline passengers face long delays as IT outage hits carriers on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Airline passengers face long delays as IT outage hits carriers on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Jaren Kerr in New York

Microsoft’s workplace unit says its services have ‘recovered’

Microsoft’s unit for workplace software said in response to Friday’s global IT outage that it had completed its “mitigation actions” and believed all previous issues with its software products had been resolved.

“Our telemetry indicates all previously impacted Microsoft 365 apps and services have recovered,” the company said in a post on X. “We’re entering a period of monitoring to ensure impact is fully resolved.”

Microsoft 365 publishes software such as Excel, Teams and PowerPoint, products used so ubiquitously that any disruption to its services could upend the operations of millions of businesses.

• Share $ Microsoft’s workplace unit says its services have ‘recovered’ on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Microsoft’s workplace unit says its services have ‘recovered’ on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Microsoft’s workplace unit says its services have ‘recovered’ on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Sarah Neville in London

UK hospital staff working on paper as administrative systems stutter

The UK’s National Health service, which earlier confirmed widespread problems in GP practices, later reported “some issues with administrative systems in hospitals that mean staff are having to work manually from paper to manage certain tasks”.

In the majority of hospitals, care was continuing as normal, it added.

Hospital Trusts in Lancashire and South Cumbria, in the North of England, asked people to continue to attend hospital appointments unless they were told otherwise. It said urgent and emergency care services remained open and plans were in place to prioritise resources for emergency treatment, critical care, neonatal care and trauma.

• Share $ UK hospital staff working on paper as administrative systems stutter on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ UK hospital staff working on paper as administrative systems stutter on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ UK hospital staff working on paper as administrative systems stutter on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Oliver Ralph in London

Recovery could take weeks, warns IT expert

The recovery from Friday’s IT outages could take weeks, according to specialists from BCS The Chartered Institute for IT, a UK trade body.

Adam Leon Smith, a cyber security expert for BCS, said:

In some cases, the fix may be applied very quickly, but because it has to be applied to so many computers around the world, that may take longer than it sounds. But if computers have reacted in a way that means they’re getting into blue screens and endless loops it may be difficult to restore, and that could take days and weeks.

We have to realise this could have been a lot worse. Microsoft Windows isn’t the main operating system used for mission-critical systems. It’s Linux.

• Share $ Recovery could take weeks, warns IT expert on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Recovery could take weeks, warns IT expert on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Recovery could take weeks, warns IT expert on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Clara Murray in London

Shenzhen and Amsterdam among worst affected airports

You are seeing a snapshot of an interactive graphic. This is most likely due to being offline or JavaScript being disabled in your browser.

• Share $ Shenzhen and Amsterdam among worst affected airports on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Shenzhen and Amsterdam among worst affected airports on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Shenzhen and Amsterdam among worst affected airports on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Alexandra White in New York

FedEx and UPS warn of delivery delays in wake of IT outage

Parcel delivery services FedEx and UPS have warned of package delivery delays owing to a sprawling global IT outage , as the US companies navigate disruptions to their business.

“FedEx has experienced substantial disruptions throughout our networks due to a global IT outage experienced by a third-party software vendor,” the company said in a notice on its website. “Contingency plans have been activated to mitigate impacts but potential delays are possible for package deliveries with a delivery commitment of July 19 2024.”

Rival UPS also warned of potential delivery delays in a notice on its website.

• Share $ FedEx and UPS warn of delivery delays in wake of IT outage on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ FedEx and UPS warn of delivery delays in wake of IT outage on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ FedEx and UPS warn of delivery delays in wake of IT outage on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Peter Wells in New York and Georgina Quach in London

CrowdStrike shares fall 14% in early trading

Shares in CrowdStrike, which has been blamed for the vast IT outage , were down 14 per cent shortly after the open in New York. Microsoft, whose Windows products were also involved, dropped 1.4 per cent. Shares in Crowdstrike’s rival, California-based cybersecurity company SentinelOne, were up by more than 6 per cent.

US carriers including American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines were among non-tech companies affected by the cyber outage, with their shares were each down by more than 1 per cent.

US stocks elsewhere made muted moves in early trading.

The S&P 500 swung between small gains and losses to be 0.1 per cent higher shortly after Wall Street’s opening bell on Friday, while the Nasdaq Composite was up 0.2 per cent.

• Share $ CrowdStrike shares fall 14% in early trading on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ CrowdStrike shares fall 14% in early trading on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ CrowdStrike shares fall 14% in early trading on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Georgina Quach in London

Formula 1 screens hit by Windows error message

• Share $ Formula 1 screens hit by Windows error message on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Formula 1 screens hit by Windows error message on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Formula 1 screens hit by Windows error message on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Philip Georgiadis and Robert Wright in London

Over 2,000 flights cancelled

Video description.

Passengers at Eindhoven airport

Thousands of flights have been cancelled around the world as airlines and airports respond to sweeping disruption caused by the global IT problems.

More than 2,850 flights had been cancelled by 8am Eastern Time, with the number growing by the minute, according to aviation data provider Cirium.

In the US, airline groups Delta, United and American took the unusual step of temporarily grounding their scheduled flights, and warned of disruption throughout the rest of the day as they restarted flying.

At London’s Heathrow airport, Eurowings said its check-in and boarding processes were “impaired” and online check-in was not possible. By early afternoon, it had cancelled 53 flights, although it said it still intended to operate about 80 per cent of its schedule.

• Share $ Over 2,000 flights cancelled on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Over 2,000 flights cancelled on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Over 2,000 flights cancelled on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Akila Quinio

UK payment services operate as normal

Payment services in the UK largely appear unscathed by the global IT outage.

Visa and Mastercard, which together account for 95 per cent of all debit and credit card payments in the UK, said their services were running as normal.

John Howells, chief executive of Link, the UK’s ATM operator, said cash machines were operating as usual, well-stocked, and not experiencing heightened activity. However, some payments appear to have been disrupted by issues with retailers’ tills.

“In the UK, the [Bank of England] does a good job on [supervising] the payments system and they’re all running, but that’s no use if the tills don’t work,” said Howells.

• Share $ UK payment services operate as normal on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ UK payment services operate as normal on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ UK payment services operate as normal on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Appointments and surgical procedures cancelled in several Massachusetts hospitals

The largest hospital network in the US state of Massachusetts has cancelled all non-urgent surgical procedures and medical appointments due to disruption caused by the global IT outage.

Mass General Brigham, which runs a dozen hospitals across the state, said in a post on social media network X on Friday that “a major worldwide software has affected many of our systems”, adding it had “dedicated every available resource to resolve this issue”.

The hospital network said it “remains open to provide care to patients with urgent health concerns in our clinics and emergency departments” and that it would continue to care for patients already receiving treatment. 

• Share $ Appointments and surgical procedures cancelled in several Massachusetts hospitals on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Appointments and surgical procedures cancelled in several Massachusetts hospitals on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Appointments and surgical procedures cancelled in several Massachusetts hospitals on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Screens go blank at Disneyland Paris

Blank display screens at Disneyland Paris

• Share $ Screens go blank at Disneyland Paris on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Screens go blank at Disneyland Paris on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Screens go blank at Disneyland Paris on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Nikou Asgari in London

London Stock Exchange Group news service functioning again after outage

The London Stock Exchange Group’s news service is functioning again, after facing a roughly six-hour outage following the global technology problems on Friday.

Regulatory announcements that would typically be published at 7am were being posted on the LSEG service from about lunchtime on Friday. 

The exchange group is one of many companies globally whose systems have been disrupted by the software security update from US company CrowdStrike which caused problems with Microsoft systems. 

• Share $ London Stock Exchange Group news service functioning again after outage on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ London Stock Exchange Group news service functioning again after outage on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ London Stock Exchange Group news service functioning again after outage on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Georgina Quach, Tim Bradshaw and Oliver Ralph in London

Companies rush to fix IT problems

State services and businesses from airlines to financial services and media groups were hit by a global IT outage on Friday, although there are signs that some of the problems are easing after Microsoft and CrowdStrike, the two companies involved, said the underlying cause had been fixed.

Security experts are calling it the biggest problem of its kind ever. “I don’t think it’s too early to call it: this will be the largest IT outage in history,” said Troy Hunt, a prominent security consultant, in a social media post. “This is basically what we were all worried about with Y2K, except it’s actually happened this time.”

Airports across the world have faced issues, with check-in desks among the services affected, passengers facing severe delays, and more than 2,000 flights cancelled.

Traders at banks and brokerages have been hit, while some retailers have also faced issues.

The public sector has not been immune, with health services in several countries dealing with problems.

• Share $ Companies rush to fix IT problems on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Companies rush to fix IT problems on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Companies rush to fix IT problems on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Claire Bushey in Chicago

Delta Air Lines resumes some flight departures but stills expects delays

Delta Air Lines said some flights were departing again, following a ground stop forced by the worldwide Microsoft outage.

The Atlanta carrier said it expected additional delays and cancellations to continue throughout the day on Friday. If customers rebook their flights before July 24, the airline will waive its customary policy of charging the difference between the two fares.

The three largest US carriers have all now resumed flying, but so far nearly 3,900 flights in the US have been delayed or cancelled, according to aviation data provider FlightAware.

• Share $ Delta Air Lines resumes some flight departures but stills expects delays on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Delta Air Lines resumes some flight departures but stills expects delays on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Delta Air Lines resumes some flight departures but stills expects delays on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Chris Kay in Mumbai

‘War rooms’ activated at Indian airports

India’s airlines as well as major airports in Mumbai, Bengaluru and Delhi said they were facing issues and disruption from the global software outage. IndiGo, India’s biggest domestic airline, said it had switched to manual and back-up systems, while activating “war rooms” at four airports to manage operations and prioritise passengers who had departures in the next two hours. Ashwini Vaishnaw, an Indian minister whose portfolio includes IT, posted a link to a technical advisory on X and said India’s government had been in touch with Microsoft over the outage.

CERT-In advisory on the outage of Microsoft. https://t.co/QFo6oGqlCG pic.twitter.com/7vmR80cEII — Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) July 19, 2024

• Share $ ‘War rooms’ activated at Indian airports on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ ‘War rooms’ activated at Indian airports on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ ‘War rooms’ activated at Indian airports on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Stephanie Stacey in London

‘Long night’ for CrowdStrike staff, says chief executive

CrowdStrike’s chief executive George Kurtz said it had been “a long night” as his team worked to resolve the outages that hit companies across the world. 

Speaking to NBC, Kurtz emphasised that the outages were the result of a “content update” rather than a cyber attack. “Obviously, we’ve got a robust team looking at the safety and quality of these updates. We’ll have to go back and see what happened here,” he said. 

He added that “many” of CrowdStrike’s customers were “rebooting and it’s coming up operational because we’ve fixed it on our end” but noted that it could still “be some time” for some companies’ systems to recover.

• Share $ ‘Long night’ for CrowdStrike staff, says chief executive on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ ‘Long night’ for CrowdStrike staff, says chief executive on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ ‘Long night’ for CrowdStrike staff, says chief executive on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Robert Wright in London and Kathrin Hille in Taipei

Airports deal with consequences of outage

At London’s Heathrow airport, one of the world’s busiest airline hubs, there were conflicting signs of the impact of the issues. Shortly after noon, four American Airlines departures took off within a few minutes, a sign of how the carrier has managed to overcome the issues that initially forced it to halt all departures.

In terminal 2, however, Lufthansa’s Eurowings had cancelled both of its scheduled departures. Passengers were checking in normally at the United Airlines area of the terminal but departure screens showed that none of the four scheduled departures for the day — two to Newark, one to Houston and one to Los Angeles — had left.

Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, the country’s main international airport, said some airlines were handling check-in procedures manually.

• Share $ Airports deal with consequences of outage on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Airports deal with consequences of outage on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Airports deal with consequences of outage on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Tim Bradshaw in London

Microsoft said that it had “fixed” the “underlying cause” of Friday’s problems to its cloud computing services, including its online Office suite and Teams collaboration tools.

“The underlying cause has been fixed, however, residual impact is continuing to affect some Microsoft 365 apps and services,” Microsoft said in a social media post. “We’re conducting additional mitigations to provide relief.”

The underlying cause has been fixed, however, residual impact is continuing to affect some Microsoft 365 apps and services. We're conducting additional mitigations to provide relief. More details can be found within the admin center under MO821132 and on https://t.co/uFnnN6T3jN — Microsoft 365 Status (@MSFT365Status) July 19, 2024

However, the problem remains widespread for many Windows PC users, as any fix must be applied directly to the software running their devices.

• Share $ Microsoft says it has ‘fixed’ the problem on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Microsoft says it has ‘fixed’ the problem on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Microsoft says it has ‘fixed’ the problem on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Claire Bushey and Ahmed Al Omran

United Airlines and American Airlines running again

United Airlines and American Airlines are both running again after the Microsoft software outage caused them to ground flights.

United said at 6.20am Eastern Time that it was “resuming some flights” but expected schedule disruption to continue throughout the day. American said it had re-established operations as of 5am Eastern Time.

So far, about 1 per cent of the 110,000 flights scheduled around the world today have been cancelled, according to aviation data provider Cirium.

The US Federal Aviation Administration said it was closely monitoring the IT disruption.

Elsewhere, Saudi budget airline Flynas said its operations had been affected by the outage, causing flight delays and performance issues.

• Share $ United Airlines and American Airlines running again on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ United Airlines and American Airlines running again on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ United Airlines and American Airlines running again on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Cheng Leng in Hong Kong

Severe delays at Hong Kong airport

Travellers at Hong Kong international airport faced severe delays on Friday, with staff at local carrier HK Express still processing flights scheduled at 2.50pm local time – amounting to a four-hour delay.

The carrier released a statement saying that its app and website had been affected by the IT outage and that it was conducting manual check-ins.

• Share $ Severe delays at Hong Kong airport on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Severe delays at Hong Kong airport on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Severe delays at Hong Kong airport on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

IT experts react to the outage

IT experts have been reacting to the global outage, reflecting on the impact on public and private sector organisations.

Dafydd Vaughan, chief technology officer at consultancy Public Digital:

Today’s IT outage shows that in our interconnected world, we are more and more vulnerable to cyber threats and errors . . . The government needs to consider the risk that comes with so few companies controlling so much of our essential infrastructure.

Ciaran Martin, professor at Oxford university’s Blavatnik School of Government and former head of the National Cyber Security Centre:

This is a very, very uncomfortable illustration of the fragility of the world’s core internet infrastructure.

Martin Greenfield, chief executive of cybersecurity monitoring firm Quod Orbis:

The global IT outage underscores a critical weakness in many organisations’ cyber-resilience strategies: an overreliance on single-point solutions like antivirus software. While such tools are essential, they should not be the sole pillar of a robust cybersecurity posture. This incident serves as a reminder that even industry-leading solutions can falter, potentially leaving entire sectors vulnerable.

• Share $ IT experts react to the outage on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ IT experts react to the outage on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ IT experts react to the outage on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Christian Davies in Seoul

South Korean gamers affected by outages

Online gaming companies in South Korea have also been affected by the outages.

Gravity Co, which developed the online role-playing game Raganarok , said that “it has been confirmed that an error in our system that is provided by another company is preventing users from gaining access to our website and games”.

Pearl Abyss, creator of the game Black Desert Online ,  said it had experienced “server instability” due to the “sudden failure” of its systems.

• Share $ South Korean gamers affected by outages on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ South Korean gamers affected by outages on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ South Korean gamers affected by outages on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Flight cancellations building on Friday morning

Flights cancellations were building on Friday as airlines and airports were caught up in the widespread global IT disruption.

Some of the worst problems were in the US, where United, Delta and American airlines all suspended flights early on Friday morning. 

As of 6am Eastern Time, there were 512 cancelled flights departing from the US, nearly 2 per cent of the total and “significantly higher than usual at this point in the day”, according to aviation data provider Cirium.  

In all, about 1,390 flights have been cancelled globally, with the number growing every hour, Cirium said.

• Share $ Flight cancellations building on Friday morning on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Flight cancellations building on Friday morning on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Flight cancellations building on Friday morning on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Alan Smith and Dan Clark in London

Scores of UK financial services companies hit by outage, data shows

User-sourced reports of IT outages compiled by Downdetector show how the disruption has severely affected companies across a wide range of sectors including finance.

Thousands of incidents were logged from the early hours of Friday morning. In the UK, sectors particularly affected include banking and finance.

Other industries affected include travel, retail and telecoms, as companies struggle to recover their services following what has been described as potentially the largest global IT outage in history.

• Share $ Scores of UK financial services companies hit by outage, data shows on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Scores of UK financial services companies hit by outage, data shows on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Scores of UK financial services companies hit by outage, data shows on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Trading at banks and brokers hit by outage

Trading at some banks and brokers including JPMorgan and CMC Markets were hit by the outage as traders hurried to see whether they could finalise deals.

JPMorgan’s trading execution systems were affected, and trading group ION was facing problems on Friday morning, according to people familiar with the matter. Broker CMC Markets said it was facing issues “currently impacting access to our trading platforms”. JPMorgan and ION declined to comment

“It’s a mess,” said a senior trader. “This is the biggest upset in years.

“People can trade but [there’s] limited upside unless it’s vital,” they added. “Traders need to be confident that the data they are trading off is accurate.”

London Stock Exchange Group said trading was unaffected but its news service faced problems, with only a handful of news releases being published on Friday morning. LSEG said it was experiencing “a third-party technical issue which is impacting some of our services”.

European stock exchange groups Euronext, Deutsche Börse and CBOE said their venues were running normally.

• Share $ Trading at banks and brokers hit by outage on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Trading at banks and brokers hit by outage on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Trading at banks and brokers hit by outage on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Long queues at Madrid airport

Long queues in Madrid airport

• Share $ Long queues at Madrid airport on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Long queues at Madrid airport on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Long queues at Madrid airport on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Maxine Kelly in London

CrowdStrike says outage caused by ‘defect’ not cyber attack

CrowdStrike’s chief executive has said the global IT outage is “not a security incident or cyber attack”, adding that a fix has been deployed.

George Kurtz, who heads the company at the centre of the meltdown that has affected a raft of sectors globally, took to social media platform X on Friday morning.

“CrowdStrike is actively working with customers impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts,” he said. “The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed.”

He said: “We further recommend organizations ensure they’re communicating with CrowdStrike representatives through official channels.”

CrowdStrike is actively working with customers impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts. Mac and Linux hosts are not impacted. This is not a security incident or cyberattack. The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed. We… — George Kurtz (@George_Kurtz) July 19, 2024

• Share $ CrowdStrike says outage caused by ‘defect’ not cyber attack on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ CrowdStrike says outage caused by ‘defect’ not cyber attack on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ CrowdStrike says outage caused by ‘defect’ not cyber attack on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Amy Kazmin aind Giuliana Ricozzi in Rome

Flight delays and cancellations hit Rome’s Fiumicino and state carrier ITA

The Rome airport Fiumicino said on Friday that flights in the Italian capital were being delayed or cancelled due to the disruptions with airports or airlines elsewhere, though it said its own systems were operating normally.

“Rome airport reports that although its own systems have not been impacted, delays or cancellations are occurring . . . due to the global problem with IT systems,” it said in a statement.

The company that operates Milan’s two airports said its systems were also working normally.

State carrier ITA said it was delaying and cancelling flights, though it did not specify whether its own IT systems had been hit by an outage or whether it was suffering the knock-on effects of wider disruption in the air travel system. However, the airline said it was “working to minimise passenger inconvenience as much as possible”.

• Share $ Flight delays and cancellations hit Rome’s Fiumicino and state carrier ITA on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Flight delays and cancellations hit Rome’s Fiumicino and state carrier ITA on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Flight delays and cancellations hit Rome’s Fiumicino and state carrier ITA on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Football ticket sales delayed

Manchester United is one of many football clubs in England and Scotland to be forced to delay the release of tickets to its matches, blaming a “global Microsoft Servers outage which is affecting many systems, including ours”.

💻 Due to a global third-party system outage, some online services, including our ticketing platform, are experiencing disruption today. This is completely out of the Club's control and is a network-wide issue across the world, which we are monitoring closely. #Rovers 🔵⚪️ — Blackburn Rovers (@Rovers) July 19, 2024

• Share $ Football ticket sales delayed on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Football ticket sales delayed on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Football ticket sales delayed on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

UK government working with affected industries

Pat McFadden, a UK cabinet minister, has said in a post on X that the government is working with affected industries.

Many people are being affected by today's IT outages impacting services across the country and globally. Ministers are working with their sectors and respective industries on the issue. I am in close contact with teams coordinating our response through the COBR response system — Pat McFadden (@patmcfaddenmp) July 19, 2024

• Share $ UK government working with affected industries on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ UK government working with affected industries on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ UK government working with affected industries on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

British Airways warned passengers of potential disruption as it said it had suffered “issues across our operational systems”.

The disruption comes at a particularly sensitive time for airports and airlines, with Friday due to be the busiest day for departures from the UK in nearly five years.

About 3,200 flights were scheduled to depart from UK airports on Friday, the most since October 2019, according to data from Cirium.

• Share $ BA warns of disruption on busiest day for UK airports in 5 years on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ BA warns of disruption on busiest day for UK airports in 5 years on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ BA warns of disruption on busiest day for UK airports in 5 years on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Yasemin Craggs Mersinoglu in London

Telecoms customers affected in France

French telecoms provider Orange said some of its partners had been affected by the IT outage, which “has affected certain services provided to our customers, including the broadcasting of several television channels in France”.

The company added it was working with its partners to minimise the impact “as quickly as possible” and that based on initial analysis Orange was not directly affected by the issue.

• Share $ Telecoms customers affected in France on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Telecoms customers affected in France on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Telecoms customers affected in France on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Akila Quinio in London

Metro Bank reports disruption to payments and customer services

Metro Bank said its payments and customer services were hit by an IT outage causing global disruption. “We are having problems with our phone lines and you may have trouble getting through,” the bank said in a statement on X. “Some payment services are unavailable due to the wider IT problems.” Metro’s statement comes as UK financial regulators are looking to assess the impact of the outage on the financial sector. NatWest, which has about 19mn customers, said it was running as usual. Lloyds Banking Group, the UK’s largest high street lender, has not confirmed whether or not it was directly affected by the outage.

• Share $ Metro Bank reports disruption to payments and customer services on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Metro Bank reports disruption to payments and customer services on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Metro Bank reports disruption to payments and customer services on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

European insurers report hit to systems and phone lines

German insurer Allianz has said in a message on its UK site that some of its systems and phone lines were currently unavailable due to the global IT outage. 

Allianz says the outage was “affecting some employees’ ability to log into their computers, and in some countries customers are having trouble contacting us or accessing our systems”. The insurer said is working “to address this issue swiftly”.

The UK’s Admiral, a big motor insurer, said it had a “problem with our phone lines that’s affecting our ability to deal with customer queries”, but did not name the reason. The companies did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Italy’s Generali told the FT it had also been affected by the IT outage and was assessing to what degree. Other insurers such as Aviva and Legal & General said they were investigating the issue. Pension Insurance Corporation, a pension provider, said it had no immediate indications of problems.

• Share $ European insurers report hit to systems and phone lines on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ European insurers report hit to systems and phone lines on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ European insurers report hit to systems and phone lines on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Chloe Cornish in Dubai

Dubai airport ‘back to operating normally’

Dubai International Airport, the world’s second-busiest global aviation hub, has said it is “back to operating normally” after some airlines were hit by the IT outage. 

Check-in for passengers at two terminals had been disrupted for some carriers, Dubai International posted on X on Friday, adding that the affected airlines had switched to a different system and normal operations had “resumed swiftly”. 

• Share $ Dubai airport ‘back to operating normally’ on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Dubai airport ‘back to operating normally’ on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Dubai airport ‘back to operating normally’ on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

GP practices disrupted in UK

The NHS said an issue with EMIS, an appointment and patient record system, was “causing disruption in the majority of GP practices”, forcing practices back on non-digital methods of communicating with patients and providing services. 

It said the NHS “has long-standing measures in place to manage the disruption, including using paper patient records and handwritten prescriptions, and the usual phone systems to contact your GP”. It emphasised there was “currently no known impact on 999 or emergency services, so people should use these services as they usually would”. 

However, people should only contact their GP “if it’s urgent”. Otherwise, they should use 111, the online and telephone advice service. Patients should attend booked appointments unless told otherwise, it added. 

Professor Kamila Hawthorne, chair of the Royal College of GPs, said any form of disruption to digital systems was a serious concern for GPs “as it directly impacts on the care we can give to our patients”.

• Share $ GP practices disrupted in UK on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ GP practices disrupted in UK on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ GP practices disrupted in UK on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

William Langley in Hong Kong

Chinese social media users ‘thank’ Microsoft for an early break

Chinese internet users took to social media to “thank” Microsoft for granting them a premature holiday, after a global IT outage of some of the company’s software struck companies across the globe.

“Thank you Microsoft for an early vacation” was briefly the most-searched term on microblogging site Weibo on Friday afternoon, with users posting pictures of the blue error screens their Windows computers displayed for them. 

Some users added that their companies had told them to go home early as a result.

• Share $ Chinese social media users ‘thank’ Microsoft for an early break on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Chinese social media users ‘thank’ Microsoft for an early break on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Chinese social media users ‘thank’ Microsoft for an early break on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Laura Onita in London

UK supermarkets on alert but most remain unaffected

UK supermarket Waitrose is taking cash payments only in some of its stores, while Asda, Sainsbury’s and Marks and Spencer have said there has been no impact to their store operations in the wake of the global IT outage.  

Sainsbury’s said it was continuing to monitor the situation, while M&S said stores were trading as normal and shoppers could continue to use its website as usual.  

Customers can shop in Tesco stores and online as normal, a spokesperson said.

Lidl, meanwhile, said it was not currently experiencing any operational issues and its stores are trading as normal.

Co-op said it had not experienced any significant impact, “with all cash and card payments running as usual. We’ll continue to closely monitor the situation.” 

• Share $ UK supermarkets on alert but most remain unaffected on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ UK supermarkets on alert but most remain unaffected on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ UK supermarkets on alert but most remain unaffected on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Heathrow operational as airports unevenly hit by outage

Heathrow said some of its systems were hit by IT problems, but that flights were still operational at the UK’s busiest airport.

“Microsoft is currently experiencing a global outage which is impacting select systems at Heathrow. Flights are operational and we are implementing contingency plans to minimise any impact on journeys,” the airport said.

Other airports have been worse hit, with Berlin’s Brandenburg, Prague and Amsterdam’s Schiphol all reporting disruption. 

Not all airlines use the software that has been hit by the technical problems, meaning the disruption across aviation is uneven, with some carriers cancelling flights but others able to continue flying, one industry executive said.

• Share $ Heathrow operational as airports unevenly hit by outage on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Heathrow operational as airports unevenly hit by outage on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Heathrow operational as airports unevenly hit by outage on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Adrienne Klasa in Paris

Paris Olympics hit by outage one week before event

The organisers of Paris Olympic Games have said the global IT outage has hit their IT activities, just one week before the city is set to welcome millions of visitors for the opening ceremony. 

“The Paris 2024 technical teams are fully mobilised to limit the impacts and we have activated our contingency plans to ensure the continuation of our operations,” the Paris Olympic Committee said in a statement. 

Earlier this morning ADP, the operator of Paris’s airports, said that while its own IT systems had been unaffected, problems at airlines around the world had led to delays to some of its services.

• Share $ Paris Olympics hit by outage one week before event on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Paris Olympics hit by outage one week before event on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Paris Olympics hit by outage one week before event on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

UK regulators investigating impact on banks and payments

Financial regulators in the UK are seeking to assess the extent to which a global IT outage is affecting banks and payment companies.

The Financial Conduct Authority and the Payments Systems Regulator, as well as trade body UK Finance, said they were liaising with financial services companies to find out more about the outage. It is unclear how many financial services companies are directly or indirectly affected.

High street bank NatWest said it was not directly affected but was monitoring the situation closely. A spokesperson for Visa, the global card network, said its own systems were operating normally but that it was aware of reports of people being unable to make payments and was “working with our financial institution clients to understand any impact on their services to cardholders and merchants”.

• Share $ UK regulators investigating impact on banks and payments on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ UK regulators investigating impact on banks and payments on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ UK regulators investigating impact on banks and payments on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

UK access to medicines disrupted as pharmacies face IT outages

UK pharmacies’ ability to dispense vital medicines has been affected by the international outage.

The National Pharmacy Association said: “We’re aware that due to global IT outages that services in some community pharmacies, including the accessing of prescriptions from GPs and medicine deliveries, are disrupted today.” It urged people to be patient while visiting their pharmacy and said it was “urgently raising this issue with NHS England”. 

• Share $ UK access to medicines disrupted as pharmacies face IT outages on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ UK access to medicines disrupted as pharmacies face IT outages on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ UK access to medicines disrupted as pharmacies face IT outages on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Adrienne Klasa in Paris and Kana Inagaki in London

Airports in France and Japan report delays to services

ADP, the operator of Paris’s airports, said its own IT systems had not been affected by the global Microsoft IT outage, but warned that the impact on the operations of airlines around the world would affect their services at Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports.

ADP said the IT problems at airlines had resulted in “slower check-ins, delays and temporary suspension of certain flight programs . . . Our teams are mobilised to guide and assist passengers on site.”

In Japan, Narita International Airport in Tokyo reported disruptions to check-in systems for low-cost airlines Jetstar, Hong Kong Express and Jeju Air, and to the automatic luggage system at the airport, a spokesperson said, adding that the airport was still investigating whether the disruptions were the result of the Microsoft outage. 

• Share $ Airports in France and Japan report delays to services on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Airports in France and Japan report delays to services on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Airports in France and Japan report delays to services on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Georgina Quach and Tim Bradshaw in London

State services and businesses from airlines to financial services and media groups, were hit by a global IT outage on Friday, causing massive disruption to a vast range of services and operations.

Security experts are calling it the biggest problem of its kind ever. “I don’t think it’s too early to call it: this will be the largest IT outage in history,” said Troy Hunt, a prominent security consultant, in a social media post. “This is basically what we were all worried about with Y2K, except it’s actually happened this time.”

Airports from Sydney to Berlin have faced delays and IT issues. Turkish Airlines reported it was experiencing “problems with ticketing, check-in, and reservation processes”. Aena, Spain’s main airports operator, said it had switched to using manual systems as a result.

The US Federal Aviation Administration said Delta, United and American Airlines had asked to ground flights due to take off.

Sky News had been unable to broadcast live TV on Friday morning, though its services have since been restored. Rail companies also issued alerts of IT issues and possible cancellations. GPs in Britain have reported difficulties in accessing patient data and booking appointments.

Shares in CrowdStrike, whose update is believed to be behind the outages, fell 12 per cent in pre-market trading.

• Share $ Businesses across the world hit by ‘largest IT outage in history’ on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Businesses across the world hit by ‘largest IT outage in history’ on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Businesses across the world hit by ‘largest IT outage in history’ on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Olaf Storbeck in Frankfurt

Major German hospital forced to cancel surgeries and clinics

In Germany, Schleswig-Holstein university hospital, one of Europe’s largest, has been forced to cancel all elective surgeries and close its walk-in clinics due to the global IT outage.

Schleswig-Holstein said both its hospitals in Kiel and Lübeck were affected, but added that emergency care was still operational.

• Share $ Major German hospital forced to cancel surgeries and clinics on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Major German hospital forced to cancel surgeries and clinics on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Major German hospital forced to cancel surgeries and clinics on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Joseph Cotterill in London

South African bank Capitec affected by outage

Capitec, South Africa’s biggest bank by customers, said on Friday that it had experienced “nationwide service disruptions” as a result of the global outage. Card payments and the bank’s cash machines were not affected and services were being restored, but Capitec had faced “an unexpected issue with an international service provider”, it said in a post on X. Capitec customers reported issues with mobile banking and making transactions earlier on Friday. The bank is one of the fastest-growing lenders in Africa’s most industrialised economy, with a focus on lower-income South Africans who find established banks too expensive.

• Share $ South African bank Capitec affected by outage on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ South African bank Capitec affected by outage on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ South African bank Capitec affected by outage on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

LSEG news service and desktop product affected

The London Stock Exchange Group is facing issues with its news service and desktop product, but trading on the venue is running normally. 

Its Workspace desktop product faced an outage, while very few news announcements were published on Friday morning. 

LSEG said it was facing “a third-party technical issue which is impacting some of our services”. But it said that “there is no impact to securities trading” on the exchange.

LSEG works closely on building products with Microsoft, which took a 4 per cent stake and board seat at the company in 2022.

Other European exchange groups Euronext, Deutsche Börse and CBOE said their systems were running normally.

• Share $ LSEG news service and desktop product affected on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ LSEG news service and desktop product affected on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ LSEG news service and desktop product affected on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Rachel Millard in London

National Grid says UK electricity services unaffected

National Grid’s electricity system operator, which balances electricity supplies in Britain, said it was monitoring the situation, but its own IT systems were unaffected. 

“We are aware of the global issue impacting Microsoft. There has been no impact to Electricity System Operator IT systems as a result of the global Microsoft outage,” a spokesperson said.

“Our ability to operate the electricity system and supply electricity remains unaffected. Our engineers have been and continue to monitor the situation closely.”

• Share $ National Grid says UK electricity services unaffected on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ National Grid says UK electricity services unaffected on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ National Grid says UK electricity services unaffected on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Harry Dempsey in London

Metal brokerages report stalling trades

The London Metal Exchange said that all of its systems were functioning normally, even as metal brokerages reported communication issues that have stalled the execution of trades and is likely to suck liquidity out of global markets because of the worldwide IT outage.

The world’s largest marketplace for metals trading said that “we are working with our users to minimise any impact for affected firms” and it “will continue to monitor all our systems closely”.

Al Munro, senior base metals strategist at Marex, a British commodities brokerage and financial services provider, said that communications had been made slower with clients but it managing to execute trades, despite “operating on a slimmed down basis”.

“Slowly systems are coming back up. It has been a nightmare in the first part of the day. It’s like sending a carrier pigeon . . . it’s extremely disruptive,” he said. He added that investors would become “more risk averse and defensive”.

• Share $ Metal brokerages report stalling trades on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Metal brokerages report stalling trades on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Metal brokerages report stalling trades on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Australian telco Telstra says ‘some state emergency services’ affected

Australian telecoms provider Telstra said global issues affecting CrowdStrike and Microsoft were disrupting some of its systems.

The company said calls to its “Triple Zero” contact centres were not affected but “we understand some state emergency services are also impacted and we are working with them to implement back-up processes”.

Telstra added the issue was “causing some hold-ups for some of our customers” but there was no impact to its fixed or mobile network which continue to operate.

Fellow Australian telecoms company Optus said it did not appear to be affected but was “closely monitoring the situation and will maintain a heightened vigilance”.

• Share $ Australian telco Telstra says ‘some state emergency services’ affected on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Australian telco Telstra says ‘some state emergency services’ affected on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Australian telco Telstra says ‘some state emergency services’ affected on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Airline disruption spreads

Disruption across airlines and airports around the world grew on Friday morning as the impact of the global IT outage spread. 

In the US, major airlines United, Delta and American all grounded scheduled flights, citing communication issues. 

In Europe, Dutch carrier KLM said the problems “made it impossible to handle flights” and that the airline suspended “most” of its operations. 

But other airlines and airports said they were still functioning as of 9.30am London time, although they warned passengers of delays. 

Many, including Europe’s largest airline Ryanair, advised passengers to arrive at the airport earlier than planned, and to check on the status of their flights. 

Prague airport said the problems centred on the IT behind the global check-in system, which is the backbone of airline operations for departing flights.

• Share $ Airline disruption spreads on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Airline disruption spreads on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Airline disruption spreads on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

GPs and emergency calls hit by global IT outage

GP services in the UK have been hit by the global IT outage. The Solihull Healthcare Partnership — which has more than 55,000 registered patients — said on X that there was a “national issue with EMIS Web — our clinical computer system. This will affect our ability to book/consult with patients this morning.”

State services in Australia and the US also appear to have been affected. In a post on social media, Alaskan emergency services said: “Due to a nationwide technology-related outage, many 911 and non-emergency call centres are not working correctly across the State of Alaska.”

• Share $ GPs and emergency calls hit by global IT outage on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ GPs and emergency calls hit by global IT outage on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ GPs and emergency calls hit by global IT outage on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

In pictures: Australian retailer closes due to tech troubles

• Share $ In pictures: Australian retailer closes due to tech troubles on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ In pictures: Australian retailer closes due to tech troubles on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ In pictures: Australian retailer closes due to tech troubles on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Kana Inagaki in Tokyo

Japan Airlines warns of disruption

Japan Airlines has also experienced disruption today.

A spokesperson said JAL’s reservation system for international and domestic flights had been disrupted from about 2.30pm Tokyo time, but the company was still looking into whether the cause was the Microsoft outage.

• Share $ Japan Airlines warns of disruption on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Japan Airlines warns of disruption on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Japan Airlines warns of disruption on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Microsoft says ‘multiple services are continuing to see improvements’

Microsoft issued an update on X overnight that it was “investigating an issue impacting users ability to access various Microsoft 365 apps and services”.

Early on Friday, it said it had implemented a solution to “reroute the affected traffic to healthy infrastructure”.

We're continuing to reroute the affected traffic to healthy infrastructure. Further info can be found in the admin center under MO821132 and https://t.co/Yl4tSdeglK . — Microsoft 365 Status (@MSFT365Status) July 19, 2024

We still expect that users will continue to see gradual relief as we continue to mitigate the issue. The latest information on impacted and recovered services will be provided within the admin center under MO821132 and https://t.co/Mx6vPz0yjP — Microsoft 365 Status (@MSFT365Status) July 19, 2024

The IT outage problems have been blamed on an update to CrowdStrike, a cyber security provider that has been vocal in criticising Microsoft for the series of attacks the company has recently had to contend with.

• Share $ Microsoft says ‘multiple services are continuing to see improvements’ on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Microsoft says ‘multiple services are continuing to see improvements’ on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Microsoft says ‘multiple services are continuing to see improvements’ on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Michael O’Dwyer in London

Trading providers warn of ‘difficulties’

Markets spread betting platform Plus500 said it had been affected by the global outage, and that customers “might have difficulties logging into” its platform and website.

Its rival CMC Markets told customers in Australia and New Zealand that it was “experiencing intermittent difficulties” with its trading platform.

• Share $ Trading providers warn of ‘difficulties’ on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Trading providers warn of ‘difficulties’ on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Trading providers warn of ‘difficulties’ on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Air France hit by disruption

Air France said on Friday that its operations had been disrupted by the global IT outages. 

“Air France confirms that following a global IT issue notably affecting several airlines and airports around the world, its operations are disrupted,” the airline said in a statement.  

“Flights already en route are not affected.  The Air France app and the AirFrance.com websites are working normally. However access to the customer care call centers may be disrupted,” it added. 

• Share $ Air France hit by disruption on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Air France hit by disruption on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Air France hit by disruption on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Three US airlines ground flights

Three of the largest American airlines have grounded scheduled flights due to technical issues.

American Airlines, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines all cited “communication issues” in requests to ground planes due to take off, according to filings with the US Federal Aviation Administration.

• Share $ Three US airlines ground flights on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Three US airlines ground flights on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Three US airlines ground flights on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

UK rail disrupted leading to potential short-notice train cancellations

Govia Thameslink Railway, the UK franchise which operates Southern, Thameslink, Great Northern and Gatwick Express, alerted customers to widespread IT issues on Friday. It warned passengers to “regularly check your journey before you travel”.

There are currently widespread IT issues across the entire network. IT teams are actively investigating to determine the root cause of the problem. As a result, some train operators are unable to access driver diagrams at certain locations, leading to potential short-notice train cancellations. Additionally, other key systems, including real-time customer information platforms, are also affected.

Train operator TransPennine Express also said: “Please be aware that some TPE stations and systems are having IT issues. Please purchase tickets on board if you are unable to do so in stations.”

• Share $ UK rail disrupted leading to potential short-notice train cancellations on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ UK rail disrupted leading to potential short-notice train cancellations on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ UK rail disrupted leading to potential short-notice train cancellations on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Sky television affected

David Rhodes, executive chair of Sky News, said on X that the broadcaster had “not been able to broadcast live TV this morning”.

. @SkyNews have not been able to broadcast live TV this morning, currently telling viewers that we apologise for the interruption. Much of our news report is still available online, and we are working hard to restore all services. — David Rhodes (@davidgrayrhodes) July 19, 2024

Sky TV services were later restored.

The Telegraph also reported that it had been hit by issues logging into computer systems and accessing the internet. 

• Share $ Sky television affected on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Sky television affected on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Sky television affected on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

CrowdStrike shares fall 12%

Shares in CrowdStrike, whose update is believed to be behind the outages, fell sharply in pre-market trading.

Shares in the Nasdaq-listed company were down 12 per cent ahead of trading in the US.

Microsoft shares were down 2 per cent.

• Share $ CrowdStrike shares fall 12% on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ CrowdStrike shares fall 12% on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ CrowdStrike shares fall 12% on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Cyber insurer shares fall

Shares in cyber insurers have fallen this morning as investors anticipate losses linked to the outage.

Beazley, a Lloyd’s insurer and a leading provider of coverage against business interruption and other cyber losses, was down 4 per cent in early trading. Hiscox, which also offers cyber cover, was down 2 per cent, deeper falls than the wider index.

Beazley did not immediately comment. Hiscox was not immediately available for comment.

• Share $ Cyber insurer shares fall on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Cyber insurer shares fall on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Cyber insurer shares fall on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Thomas Chan in Hong Kong

Some airlines in Hong Kong switch to manual check-in

Flights at Hong Kong airport have not been affected, but a spokesperson for the Hong Kong airport authority said:

A Microsoft outage that has disrupted the service of airlines worldwide is affecting some of the airlines at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA). The affected airlines have switched to manual check-in to continue serving passengers. HKIA has activated its emergency response mechanism in response to the situation. Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) advises travellers to allow sufficient time to travel to the airport for check-in procedures, and stay alert to updates.

• Share $ Some airlines in Hong Kong switch to manual check-in on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Some airlines in Hong Kong switch to manual check-in on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Some airlines in Hong Kong switch to manual check-in on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Guy Chazan in Berlin

Planes unable to take off or land in Berlin Brandenburg airport

Berlin Brandenburg airport also experienced massive technical problems on Friday, with no planes able to take off or land. Airport authorities blamed the problem on a technical fault which was causing delays in the checking-in process.

Local radio station RBB said there had been a huge server outage and emergency systems had sprung into action. RBB cited a Berlin Brandenburg airport spokesperson as saying all operations would be halted until 10am local time. 

• Share $ Planes unable to take off or land in Berlin Brandenburg airport on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Planes unable to take off or land in Berlin Brandenburg airport on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Planes unable to take off or land in Berlin Brandenburg airport on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Barney Jopson in Madrid

Spanish airports affected

Aena, Spain’s main airports operator, said “operations are being carried out using manual systems” due to an “incident” in its IT system.

“Disruptions are occurring in Aena’s systems and in Spain’s airports network, which could cause delays. We are working to resolve this as soon as possible,” it said.

• Share $ Spanish airports affected on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Spanish airports affected on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Spanish airports affected on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Camilla Hodgson in London

CrowdStrike’s history with Microsoft

The problems have been blamed on an update from CrowdStrike, the cyber security company that has been vocal in criticising Microsoft for the series of attacks the company has recently had to contend with. The company this year launched a product designed to work alongside Microsoft’s own antivirus Defender tool.

Adam Meyers, CrowdStrike’s senior vice-president of counter adversary, told the FT in May that demand for the product had been “incredible”, with businesses keen to “shore up this Microsoft [security] problem . . . Microsoft has repeatedly failed in this area.”

This year, the US Cyber Safety Review Board said a Microsoft hack in 2023 that affected US government accounts had been “preventable and should never have occurred”. Microsoft’s security culture was “inadequate and requires an overhaul”, it said.

• Share $ CrowdStrike’s history with Microsoft on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ CrowdStrike’s history with Microsoft on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ CrowdStrike’s history with Microsoft on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Adam Samson in Ankara

Turkish Airlines warns customers of problems with ticketing and check-in

Turkish Airlines, one of the world’s biggest carriers, said it was facing a “global technical issue”, making it the latest group affected by a widespread disruption hitting companies worldwide.  

The Istanbul-based airline told customers on Friday it was experiencing “problems with ticketing, check-in, and reservation processes”.

Many global financial services, transport and media companies faced technical woes on Friday. 

“It has been determined that there is a software-related problem that affects many companies from different sectors, including aviation, around the world,” a Turkish Airlines spokesperson said.

“Necessary actions are being taken to resolve this problem in our partially affected operations.”

• Share $ Turkish Airlines warns customers of problems with ticketing and check-in on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Turkish Airlines warns customers of problems with ticketing and check-in on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Turkish Airlines warns customers of problems with ticketing and check-in on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Emma Dunkley in London

Hargreaves Lansdown delays deadline for takeover bids again

Hargreaves Lansdown has extended the deadline again for private equity groups to make a firm takeover offer for the UK’s largest investment site, which could value it at £5.4bn.

The board of Hargreaves said on Friday it had asked the UK Takeover Panel for a second time to push back the date, as discussions between the investment site and the private equity groups — led by CVC Capital Partners — were “ongoing”.

The delay comes a month after the group of private equity firms, which includes Nordic Capital and Platinum Ivy, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, made an offer of £11.40 per share, which the board of Hargreaves recommended.

A source close to the situation said the extension, until August 5, was aimed at providing more time for private equity firms to complete their due diligence for an acquisition.

• Share $ Hargreaves Lansdown delays deadline for takeover bids again on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Hargreaves Lansdown delays deadline for takeover bids again on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Hargreaves Lansdown delays deadline for takeover bids again on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Airports warn passengers of delays due to ‘global technical outage’

Airports in Europe and Australia have warned passengers of possible delays because of IT problems. 

Sydney Airport said “a global technical outage” had affected its operations. It told passengers to expect delays, although flights were departing and arriving as planned.

Berlin’s Brandenburg Airport said it had also been hit by “a technical fault”, and that passengers had been delayed checking in. 

• Share $ Airports warn passengers of delays due to ‘global technical outage’ on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Airports warn passengers of delays due to ‘global technical outage’ on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Airports warn passengers of delays due to ‘global technical outage’ on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Ofcom bans mid-contract price rises linked to inflation

The UK communications regulator is banning inflation-linked price rises during the life of customer contracts for phone, broadband and pay-TV services.

Under new rules announced on Friday by Ofcom, telecoms customers must be told upfront in pounds and pence about any price rises their provider includes in their contract from January 2025. 

Cristina Luna-Esteban, Ofcom’s telecoms policy director, said the watchdog was “stepping in on behalf of phone, broadband and pay-TV customers” so people could “be certain of the price they will pay, compare deals more easily and take advantage of the competitive market we have in the UK”.

Ofcom proposed the ban in December.

• Share $ Ofcom bans mid-contract price rises linked to inflation on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Ofcom bans mid-contract price rises linked to inflation on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Ofcom bans mid-contract price rises linked to inflation on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Influx of customers and investments boosts Hargreaves Lansdown

UK investment site Hargreaves Lansdown reported a record £155.3bn in assets following an influx of customers and investments ahead of the tax year-end in April.

Hargreaves said it attracted £1.6bn of net new business over the three months to the end of June — although this was less than the £1.7bn the previous year. About 24,000 people signed up as customers, marking an increase from 13,000 in the same period a year ago.

The results come just ahead of a deadline on Friday for private equity companies, led by CVC Capital Partners, to make a firm takeover offer for Hargreaves.

• Share $ Influx of customers and investments boosts Hargreaves Lansdown on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Influx of customers and investments boosts Hargreaves Lansdown on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Influx of customers and investments boosts Hargreaves Lansdown on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Valentina Romei in London

British retail sales drop as poor weather and election uncertainty hit spending

British retail sales contracted more than expected in June with widespread drops across most types of shops as the poor weather and election uncertainty affected spending.   

The quantity of goods bought in Great Britain fell 1.2 per cent between May and June, following a 2.9 per cent expansion in the previous month, the Office for National Statistics said on Friday. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast a 0.4 per cent contraction.

Separate data from the research company GfK showed consumer confidence rising one point to minus 13, the highest since August 2021. ONS chief economist Grant Fitzner said:  

Retail sales fell back from May’s recent high point with falls across all main shop types, with the exception of petrol stations. Department stores, clothing shops and furniture stores were the biggest contributions to the fall.

• Share $ British retail sales drop as poor weather and election uncertainty hit spending on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ British retail sales drop as poor weather and election uncertainty hit spending on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ British retail sales drop as poor weather and election uncertainty hit spending on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

UK public sector borrowing higher than expected in June

UK public sector borrowing was higher than expected in June, according to official statistics that will be closely watched by new chancellor Rachel Reeves ahead of the Budget in the autumn.

Borrowing — the difference between public sector spending and income — was £14.5bn in June. That was £3.2bn less than in June 2023, but higher than the £11.6bn forecast by the Office for Budget Responsibility, the Office for National Statistics said on Friday.

Interest payable on central government debt was £7.4bn in June, £5.5bn less than in the same month last year, largely because the interest payable on index-linked gilts rises and falls with inflation.

• Share $ UK public sector borrowing higher than expected in June on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ UK public sector borrowing higher than expected in June on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ UK public sector borrowing higher than expected in June on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

William Sandlund in Hong Kong

Markets update: Taiwanese currency and equities fall as geopolitical uncertainty rises

Equities in Taiwan and Hong Kong led losses in Asia as rising uncertainty over US trade and defence policies dampened sentiment in the region.

Taiwan’s benchmark index declined 2.2 per cent on Friday amid uncertainty over US defence commitments to the island and reports of further restrictions on chip sales to China. The currency fell 0.3 per cent to NT$32.76 per dollar, its weakest level since 2016.

Shares of TSMC, the world’s largest chipmaker, fell more than 3 per cent despite reporting strong sales on Thursday as rising geopolitical risk hit sentiment.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index dropped 2.1 per cent after China’s Communist party put national security on the same level as economic growth following its third plenum.

• Share $ Markets update: Taiwanese currency and equities fall as geopolitical uncertainty rises on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Markets update: Taiwanese currency and equities fall as geopolitical uncertainty rises on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Markets update: Taiwanese currency and equities fall as geopolitical uncertainty rises on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Josephine Cumbo in London

What to watch in Europe today

Economics: The EU is to confirm an April estimate of 0.3 per cent GDP growth in the first quarter, compared with the previous quarter. Separately, Germany’s producer price index is expected to show another decline in prices, albeit at a softer rate than the previous month.

Public sector finances:   An update on the UK’s finances will be published today with data due on the government’s net borrowing and debt position in June. Rachel Reeves, chancellor, last week warned that the Labour government had inherited “the worst set of circumstances since the second world war”.

Corporate results: Trading updates are due from Burberry, Hargreaves Lansdown, Skanska and Finnair.

• Share $ What to watch in Europe today on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ What to watch in Europe today on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ What to watch in Europe today on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Markets update: Asian equities fall amid trade concerns and lack of China stimulus

Asia-Pacific equities declined on Friday morning, tracking Wall Street lower amid concerns over new US trade restrictions and a lack of clear economic stimulus measures from China’s third plenum.

Stock markets across the region declined, with Hong Kong leading the losses. The Hang Seng Mainland Properties index, which tracks Chinese real estate developers listed in Hong Kong, dropped 3.7 per cent after China’s Communist party put national security on the same level as economic growth following its third plenum.

Earlier in the week chipmakers began selling off after Donald Trump said Taiwan should pay for its own defence and the US was reported to be considering tougher restrictions on trading chips with China.

TSMC fell 1.6 per cent despite reporting strong profits yesterday amid rising geopolitical uncertainty. Samsung Electronics dropped 2.1 per cent.

• Share $ Markets update: Asian equities fall amid trade concerns and lack of China stimulus on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Markets update: Asian equities fall amid trade concerns and lack of China stimulus on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Markets update: Asian equities fall amid trade concerns and lack of China stimulus on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

What to watch in Asia today

Events: Japan starts joint military exercises with French, German and Spanish air forces. Canada’s minister of foreign affairs Mélanie Joly continues a visit to China and India’s foreign secretary Vikram Misri begins an official visit to Bhutan.

Economic data: Japan publishes inflation data for June. The core consumer price index is forecast by a Reuters poll to rise 2.7 per cent year on year. The core CPI was 2.5 per cent in May. Thailand and India release figures on foreign reserves.

Corporate updates: India’s Reliance Industries, UltraTech Cement and Wipro announce quarterly earnings.

• Share $ What to watch in Asia today on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ What to watch in Asia today on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ What to watch in Asia today on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Ciara Nugent in Buenos Aires

Argentina’s economy expands for first time under Milei

Argentina’s economic activity expanded 1.3 per cent in May compared with April, its national statistics agency said on Thursday, in the first expansion of the economy since libertarian president Javier Milei took office in December.

The economy fell into a severe recession last year and activity has continued to plunge in 2024 as Milei rolled out steep public spending cuts as part of his plan to fight triple-digit annual inflation. 

May’s rebound was powered by increases in activity for exporting sectors including agriculture and mining. Sectors relying on domestic consumer spending continued to contract.

Economic activity in May was also 2.3 per cent higher than a year prior, when the crucial agricultural sector was suffering from a severe drought.

• Share $ Argentina’s economy expands for first time under Milei on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Argentina’s economy expands for first time under Milei on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Argentina’s economy expands for first time under Milei on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Nicholas Megaw in New York

US stocks notch broad declines

US stocks fell on Thursday, with broader declines after a tech-focused sell-off during the previous session.

Wall Street’s benchmark S&P 500 fell 0.8 per cent. About three-quarters of stocks in the index declined, with every sector except energy in the red. Small-cap stocks, which had jumped in the wake of encouraging inflation data last week, also fell, with the Russell 2000 index down 1.9 per cent.

The tech-dominated Nasdaq Composite slipped 0.7 per cent, with mixed performance among its largest names. Nasdaq and Meta regained some ground after sharp declines on Wednesday, but Apple, Amazon, Microsoft and Alphabet all slid.

The Nasdaq on Wednesday suffered its worst day since 2022, with investors spooked by geopolitical tensions between the US and China.

• Share $ US stocks notch broad declines on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ US stocks notch broad declines on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ US stocks notch broad declines on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Christopher Grimes in Los Angeles

Netflix warns of subscriber slowdown one year after password crackdown

Netflix added 8mn new subscribers thanks to hits such as Baby Reindeer and Bridgerton but warned that sign-ups in the current quarter were expected to slow year over year.

The company’s earnings rose 42 per cent to $4.88 per share on revenue of $9.5bn, beating Wall Street forecasts. But Netflix said it expected new subscriber additions in the current quarter to be lower than a year ago, when its password crackdown first went into full effect. Its shares fell 4 per cent in after-hours trading.

Netflix said its advertising tier now accounts for 45 per cent of sign-ups in markets where it is available, but it did not expect it to be a “primary driver of revenue growth” until 2024 or 2025.

• Share $ Netflix warns of subscriber slowdown one year after password crackdown on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Netflix warns of subscriber slowdown one year after password crackdown on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Netflix warns of subscriber slowdown one year after password crackdown on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)

Lauren Fedor and James Politi in Milwaukee, James Fontanella-Khan in New York and Demetri Sevastopulo in Aspen

Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi add to doubts over Joe Biden’s re-election bid

Joe Biden came under mounting pressure from senior Democrats to drop his re-election bid amid growing panic in the party that he will lose the US presidency to Donald Trump and boost Republicans’ chances in congressional races.

Former president Barack Obama has told allies that Biden’s path to victory had greatly diminished and he should rethink whether he can win, The Washington Post reported on Thursday.

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has told Biden that she is pessimistic about his chances, CNN reported.

Read more here

• Share $ Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi add to doubts over Joe Biden’s re-election bid on X (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi add to doubts over Joe Biden’s re-election bid on Facebook (opens in a new window)
• Share $ Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi add to doubts over Joe Biden’s re-election bid on LinkedIn (opens in a new window)