The Sunday Subject – July 21, 2024

A tech outage disabled 8.5 million Windows devices across the world on Friday.

The historic disruption was caused by a corrupted software update that US cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike sent out to customers. Computer systems across business, healthcare, technology, and government sectors came to a halt in under 12 hours. More than 4,000 flights across the globe were grounded, while hospitals and medical offices were forced to cancel non-urgent surgeries and appointments. Banks, shops, and broadcasters also halted services for the day.

Donald Trump announced J.D. Vance as his running mate at the Republican National Convention.

Vance, a senator from Ohio, rose to prominence after the publication of Hillbilly Elegy, his bestselling memoir about his life growing up in a working class family in post-industrial Ohio. Once a “Never Trump” Republican, Vance has transformed into a steadfast MAGA loyalist.

Congressman Adam Schiff called on President Biden to drop out of the presidential race.

The Congressman joined a list of prominent Democrats to call on Biden to step down after his disastrous debate, including Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown, New Mexico Senator Martin Heinrich, and nine other House members. The Washington Post also reported that Obama told allies in recent days that Biden’s chances of winning have diminished and he should reconsider candidacy. Biden’s team reaffirmed that he is not dropping out of the race.

The UN’s International Court of Justice found that Israel’s settlement policies in Palestine, including the West Bank and East Jerusalem, violate international law.

The court said that settlement “may indicate an act of annexation” and appears designed “to create irreversible effects on the ground.” The court also ruled that Israel discriminates against Palestinians and that it has failed to “prevent and punish” violence against Palestinians by Israeli settlers.