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Microsoft scrambles to fix global outage affecting Teams and Outlook
Tech firm says there has been ‘encouraging’ progress in recovery in Europe and there is no indication problem was caused by cyber-attackMicrosoft outage hits UK hospitals, GPs, schools and policeMicrosoft outage – live updatesTell us: have you been affected by the outage?Microsoft is scrambling to fix an outage of some of its systems that has caused huge disruption to users, organisations and businesses across the globe.In its latest update, the tech company said it was seeing “early signs of stabilisation” in its efforts to improve capacity to enable more users to get back on its systems, after a global outage affected millions of users for more than 12 hours on Thursday and Friday. Continue reading...
'Turning China Into Enemy Not The Best Answer': Jensen Huang's Old Interview Resurfaces After Nvidia Exit
Old video clips of Jensen Huang defending Nvidia's AI chip exports to China have resurfaced after his exit.
First Thing: Global Microsoft outage chaos as tech firm says there are ‘signs of stabilisation’
Users of Microsoft Teams and Outlook in businesses and public services reporting problems. Plus would you like to spend time as a helpful furry little post delivery service?Good morning. A global outage of vital Microsoft systems has crippled businesses and public services around the world. The tech company said it was seeing “early signs of stabilisation” after the failure affected millions of users for more than 12 hours on Thursday and Friday.Some but not all users were reporting problems with services including Microsoft Teams and Outlook email. More than 430 million people use Microsoft 365 apps, and more than 90% of Fortune 500 companies use Copilot, Microsoft’s AI chatbot, according to the company. Microsoft said that there were no indications that the outage had been caused by a cyber-attack. We are covering the recovery efforts and ongoing impact in this live blog.Who are the main people involved? For more information on the cast of characters, Dan Milmo has this profile of outgoing Huang, who went from washing dishes at Denny’s to becoming the rockstar of AI, and Dara Kerr has this piece answering the question: Who is Colette Kress? And yesterday my newsletter colleague Hettie O’Brien had this excellent breakdown of what we do (and don’t) know about Alice Huang. We also have this timeline of how the scandal unfolded. Continue reading...
Service Not Improving "As Expected": Microsoft Outage Continues For 12 Hours
The disruption affects programs that are part of Microsoft 365 - a popular online service among businesses that allows them to use workplace tools like Outlook, Teams, and OneDrive.
Iran says it destroyed US military radar in Bahrain in retaliatory strike
First direct attack on US military installations for months was in response to US airstrike on communications towerIran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says it has targeted and destroyed a US early-warning radar in Bahrain in response to a US airstrike on a communications tower in Sirik overlooking the strait of Hormuz. It is Iran’s first direct attack on US military installations for months.“This is a serious warning to the aggressor enemy to end its aerial mischief and oil smuggling in the strait of Hormuz,” the IRGC said. “In the event of repeated violations and aggression, the IRGC aerospace force is on full alert to confront the enemy without constraint.” Continue reading...
What’s behind Australia’s surge in teen extremism?
Young people are being found with ‘hard drives full of what can only be described as gore’, one expert saysGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastIn March, Guardian Australia revealed that most people who have been charged with the new federal crime of possession of violent extremist material are under 18.This week Australian federal police sounded the alarm about a surge in teen extremism: 32 of the 37 young people prosecuted in counter-terrorism cases since 2020 were charged in the past two years. Continue reading...
A baffling trail from Australia to Singapore: what is Megaspeed, the company implicated in downfall of Nvidia’s Jensen Huang?
Few solid clues have emerged as to the true nature of Megaspeed, whose former director Alice Huang has been accused of being a Chinese spyGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastFrom washing dishes at Denny’s to rockstar of AI: the rise and fall of Jensen HuangA lottery retailer in rural Australia, a dilapidated storefront in Kuala Lumpur, and a near-empty office in Singapore: the global facades of Megaspeed International, the company linked to the downfall of Nvidia chief Jensen Huang, form a puzzling corporate picture.The company, which is registered in Singapore, has registered affiliates across the US, Asia and Australia, but individuals at its offices say they know nothing about the cloud computing firm at the centre of a global spy scandal. Continue reading...
Calls for crackdown on China chip exports – as it happened
This live blog is now closed – you can read our latest report hereCan the AI economy survive without its “central bank”? What does Jensen Huang’s fall mean for the world’s second-most valuable company, and what might a tremor in its fortunes mean for the world?Nvidia’s sky-high valuation is based on the fact that it designs and sells the advanced AI chips, called graphics processing units (GPUs), that underpin the AI economy. Without these, AI models such as ChatGPT and Claude could not be trained and would not run. Continue reading...
Taiwan launches joint probe with U.S. into suspected Chinese spy who 'honey-trapped' Nvidia boss
Developments and revelations continue to accelerate around suspected Chinese spy Alice Huang and her beau, former Nvidia CEO and co-founder Jensen Huang.
Victoria election 2026: Labor and Greens trade accusations of ‘dodgy deals’ as preference fight puts key seats at risk
Greens say they will not direct preferences to Labor in 15 seats after party’s ‘unforgivable’ decision earlier in weekGet our daily political email, free app or daily news podcastThe Greens have retaliated against Labor’s decision to run an open ticket in a key inner-city seat by refusing to direct preferences to the party in 15 electorates across the state at this month’s Victorian election.The move has sparked a war of words between the two parties, with each accusing the other of striking a “dodgy deal” that could help the Liberals and One Nation get elected on 28 November. Continue reading...
Children’s exposure to home wood-burning could be as significant as traffic exhaust, study suggests
Research finds highest levels of cancer-related PAH pollutants in cities that have widespread wood heatingChildren’s exposure to home wood-burning could be as significant as exposure to traffic exhaust, suggests new research across six European towns and cities.Scientists measured the air in buildings where children spend much of their time; in schools, sports centres and homes. Specifically, they looked at polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), a family of pollutants that are given off when fuels are burned. Continue reading...
Boxer on death row in Iran vows ‘not to bow before oppression’ after winning rights prize
Political prisoner Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani, one of seven athletes at risk of execution in Iran, given prestigious Magnitsky humanitarian award A boxer and political prisoner on death row in Iran said he will “never surrender” as he accepted a prestigious human rights prize on behalf of “the generation that is paying the price of freedom with their lives”.Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani, an Iranian boxing champion, coach and political prisoner, has been sentenced to death three times and is one of seven athletes at risk of execution in Iran. He was given the Magnitsky award for outstanding human rights activist at a ceremony in London on Thursday night. Continue reading...
