Some but not all Teams and Outlook users reported problems
A global outage of vital Microsoft systems crippled businesses and public services around the world, The Guardian reported. Microsoft 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. Users of Microsoft Teams and Outlook in businesses and public services were among those reporting problems as the failure unfolded.
Microsoft said that there were no indications that the outage had been caused by a cyber-attack.
For scale, Microsoft says more than 430 million people use Microsoft 365 apps and more than 90% of Fortune 500 companies use Copilot, Microsoft’s AI chatbot.
The Guardian said it was covering the recovery efforts and the ongoing impact of the failure in a live blog, as Microsoft reported the first signs that conditions were improving.
Elsewhere in the newsletter’s reporting, one of Donald Trump’s top lieutenants reportedly could soon be fired, as criticism mounts over commerce secretary Howard Lutnick’s apparent lack of action over the Nvidia spying scandal. Jensen Huang resigned from Nvidia on Thursday, and was replaced on an interim basis by chief financial officer, Colette Kress, after reports emerged of his multiple affairs, most importantly with Alice Huang (no relation), who is suspected of being a Chinese spy. The Guardian’s companion coverage includes Dan Milmo’s profile of the outgoing Huang, who went from washing dishes at Denny’s, Dara Kerr’s explainer on Colette Kress, Hettie O’Brien’s breakdown of what is known about Alice Huang, and a timeline of how the scandal unfolded.
New York officials have confirmed at least eight fatalities, six adults and two children, in the collapse of a building in Flatbush, New York. At least 18 other people have sustained non-fatal but serious injuries. Zohran Mamdani, New York City’s mayor, confirmed officials were working with the department of buildings to investigate 100 other sites in the city with connections to the building that gave way. The Red Cross set up a supply center at the Flatbush YMCA down the street from the collapse, providing temporary housing, social services and mental health support. “The last time I saw something like this was when I went to work at 9/11,” one witness said, and described the community as standing still and in shock.
The Guardian reported that, in what it called an apparent snub to the vice-president, who had been closely linked to negotiations with Tehran, Trump has said that the US is no longer seeking a deal to end the war with Iran and ordered JD Vance to focus on domestic politics instead. Vance last week blamed the conflict for the historic rout dealt to Republicans in the midterm elections.
On terror threats to US bases in Britain, a suspect held in a New York jail, Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi, has been linked to a handler behind Iran-linked operations in Britain, including what was suspected to be an attempted attack on US forces stationed at RAF Fairford.
After video of the defense secretary and his aides being admonished by a guard near the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier went viral, Pete Hegseth awarded a Joint Service Commendation Medal to the soldier who called him out, saying: “We love standards. Well done.”
Dan Hicks, NBC’s voice of golf and Olympic swimming, has died at 64. His wife, ESPN broadcaster Hannah Storm, said: “Our family is heartbroken by the sudden and unexpected passing of Dan.” Hicks enjoyed a 35-year career at NBC Sports.
Family Dollar is to pay $63m to settle overcharging allegations. The settlement with the FTC and state officials comes after the Guardian’s exposé of its pricing practices. The father of a South Carolina baby who survived being buried alive has been charged with attempted murder. The child was found crying and covered in dirt in a dog crate by rescuers after being left there for about 24 hours. Donald Trump Jr is no longer a paid adviser for Kalshi, the prediction market company said.
Michael Carrick has been sacked at Manchester United, and will be replaced by Mauricio Pochettino. The Argentine will lead the USMNT for the final times in their two-legged Concacaf Nations League quarter-final against Haiti. In entertainment, Darth Vader’s lightsaber prop from The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi sold for $4.875m.
Christian Donlan reviews Tanuki: Pon’s Summer, a multi-platform release in which a raccoon mends the world, one parcel at a time, and Phil Hoad has this list of the 20 most shocking and affecting true stories ever committed to cinema. Leah Harper’s Guardian piece on the origins of worries around Friday 13th finds some real-world impacts: it is a day with lower flight fares, fewer weddings and even an impact on property prices.
A Tesla Cybertruck ended up in a lake in Texas. The Guardian described the vehicle as eccentric and overhyped and a stand-in for Elon Musk during his ascent in the Republican party, and Matthew Cantor says it will join the ranks of other vehicles symbolic of their eras. The SS United States has been sunk, and will rest on the seafloor as an artificial reef at a depth of approximately 180ft.
Fiona Harvey reported from Cop31 in Antalya for the Guardian, and in an exclusive she spoke to Fatih Birol, the executive director of the International Energy Agency (IEA). He told her that more than twice as much electricity generation would be added to the global economy in the next decade than in the last, as countries scramble to secure their energy supplies against fossil fuel price volatility and supply shocks.
Sightings of humpback whales are becoming increasingly common, though one such sighting still sparked a social media frenzy.