Morning Briefing | The havoc of a software update

Some of us had a very, very bad Friday because of a software update.

Today in the Morning Briefing, we look at the outages that impacted flights, banking, hospitals and more around the world — including some locally — and recap the Republican National Convention as Donald Trump and his running mate, JD Vance, hit the campaign trail in full force today.

If you have thoughts or feedback on this newsletter or other news tips, please let me know at Kyle.Nagel@coxinc.com.

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The newsletter should take about 3 minutes, 56 seconds to read.

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A faulty software update causes havoc worldwide for airlines, hospitals and governments

Credit: AP

A faulty software update caused technological havoc worldwide on Friday, grounding flights, knocking down some financial companies and news outlets, and disrupting hospitals, small businesses and government offices.

• Why it matters: The incident showed how vulnerable many systems are because of how interconnected much of our technology is, experts said.

• What happened? The trouble was sparked by an update issued by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike and only affected its customers running Microsoft Windows, the world’s most popular operating system for personal computers. It was not the result of hacking or a cyberattack, according to CrowdStrike, which apologized and said a fix was on the way.

• What happened locally: The issue had multiple impacts in the Dayton area, including for the Montgomery County treasurer’s office, the University of Dayton, multiple 911 systems in the region and Ohio BMV locations.

• What’s the status? By late afternoon Friday, the worst appeared to be over, though there were still lingering cancellations and delays due to the cascading effect of the disruption.

Rebranding Trump, former president recalls shooting details but avoids policy details: RNC Takeaways

Credit: AP

The Republican National Convention celebrated former President Donald Trump not just as a party leader but a living martyr who survived a would-be assassin’s bullet and is ready to work for everyday Americans after a sweeping victory in November.

• The tone: The portrayals of unity, including in Trump’s first speech since he was injured in the assassination attempt last Saturday, sought to erase the image of a man whose presidency often swirled in chaos and infighting and ended with a violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

• Quotable: “The discord and division in our society must be healed. As Americans, we are bound together by a single fate and a shared destiny,” Trump said. “I am running to be president for all of America, not half of America, because there is no victory in winning for half of America.”

• What happens next: Trump and Vance, the Ohio senator and Middletown native, will hold a rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan today. Michigan is one of the crucial swing states expected to determine the outcome of the presidential election.

• Vance coming to Middletown on Monday: Vance will speak at a rally Monday at Middletown High School. He will address the crowd at 1:30 p.m. Tickets are open to the public and available on the Trump campaign website.

What to know today

• One big takeaway: A group of people who set up tents and began living in a local pocket park in Dayton’s Wolf Creek neighborhood have left that site after city officials said they were asked to leave or be trespassed by police.

• Major project to know: New Fairborn High School. The 214,000 square-foot facility on Commerce Center Boulevard just east of Interstate 675 formally opened Wednesday afternoon.

• Person to know today: Sophia Shenk. The Alter High School graduate was recently celebrated for volunteering more than 900 hours in her high school years.

• Quote of the day: “The point is, the dogs need a place to go. There are so many stray dogs in Dayton. These dogs deserve to have a future. It’s just a disaster waiting to happen, and it’s terrifying.” — Kirsten Knight of Dayton-based rescue Adopt-A-Pit, speaking about changes to the way the Dayton Police Department handles stray animals.

• Happening today: There’s PLENTY. Check out our list of 10 things to do this weekend.

• Photo of the day: Rapper/actor Ludacris performed at Fraze Pavilion on Thursday. Photographer Tom Gilliam was there to capture the show and the crowd. Click here for more photos.

Credit: Tom Gilliam