Computer problems: Computer systems around the world were shut down because of a problem when the cybersecurity company CrowdStrike did an update to Microsoft Windows systems. CrowdStrike provides cybersecurity software. It’s being called the most massive computer outage in history. Banks, retailers, airlines and railroads were among the hardest hit. There were numerous flight cancelations and ground stops at airports around the world. CrowdStrike was doing a security update and there apparently was an error in he code it transmitted to the computer systems. CrowdStrike said it devised a fix but hours after that many computer systems still were out of service.
Even Gershkovich: The Russians have sentenced Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich to 16 years in prison for espionage. Gershkovich, the newspaper and the U.S, government all denied that he was a spy. The Russians accused him of working for the CIA. The Russian judge gave Gershkovich 15 days to appeal the sentence. Closing arguments in the trial were conducted in secret.
GOP candidate: Donald Trump accepted the Republican nomination to run for president at the GOP convention in Milwaukee last night. Trump spent part of his acceptance speech recapping what he experienced when he was hit by a bullet during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, last Saturday. Although Trump’s campaign had said that after the assassination attempt Trump was throwing out his original planned speech and doing a rewrite, the speech largely was a repeat of positions and claims made numerous times including that there was fraud in the 2020 presidential election.
Biden: CNN this morning quoted sources as telling it that major Democratic donors have threatened to withhold money from Democratic Senate and House candidates unless party leaders do more to try to get President Biden to give up his reelection campaign. CBS News reports that two Democrats in the House have told it that they believe an announcement from Biden that he’s stepping aside could come in the next three to five days. CBS said that so far 22 Democratic members of the House have called for Biden to step aside.
Drone attack: An armed drone struck Israeli’s major city Tel Aviv killing at least one person and wounding at least 10 others. The drone was launched by Houthi rebels in Yemen. The drone strike was near the U.S. Embassy. The drone was identified as having been built in Iran. The Israeli military said that the drone had been picked up on defense systems but got through because of human error.
Newhart and Dobbs: Comedian Bob Newhart has died at age 94. Newhart is remembered for his standup routines and comedy record albums as well as the TV series “The Bob Newhart Show” and “Newhart.” He appeared in several movies and performed in White Plains on the opening night of the city’s Performing Arts Center. Conservative cable TV personality Lou Dobbs also died yesterday. Dobbs was 78.
