AP Business SummaryBrief at 9:47 a.m. EDT

By The Associated Press

Widespread technology outage disrupts flights, banks, media outlets and companies around the world

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — A global technology outage grounded flights, knocked banks offline and media outlets off air after a faulty software update disrupted companies and services around the world and highlighted their dependence on just a handful of providers. Cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike said the trouble with the update it issued that was affecting computers running Microsoft Windows was not a security incident or cyberattack. It said a fix was on the way. But hours later, the disruptions continued and escalated. Long lines formed at airports in the U.S., Europe and Asia as airlines lost access to check-in and booking services at a time when many travelers are heading away on summer vacations. Hospitals and doctor’s offices had problems with their appointment systems, and cancelled surgeries.

Internet outage latest | Airlines, businesses hit by global technology disruption

A major internet outage affecting Microsoft is disrupting flights, banks, media outlets and companies across the world. Problems are continuing hours after the technology company said it was gradually fixing an issue affecting access to Microsoft 365 apps and services. Airlines in the United States, Europe, Australia and India were reporting problems with some flights grounded. Retail outlets, banks, railway companies and hospitals in several parts of the world were also affected in what appeared to be an unprecedented internet disruption.

Treasury warns that anti-woke banking laws such as those in Florida are national security risk

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Treasury Department is warning that state laws that restrict banks from considering environmental, social and governance factors could harm efforts to address money laundering and terrorism financing. The Associated Press obtained a copy of a letter sent Thursday to lawmakers. The letter singles out a law signed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis that says it would be an “unsound practice” for banks to consider non-financial factors when doing business. Tennessee has a similar law, not mentioned in the Treasury letter. Conservative Republicans including DeSantis have sought to block environmental and socially conscious standards for investing. The Republicans say such initiatives can lead to unfair discrimination based on political beliefs and harm legitimate businesses.

Yoga, meditation and prayer: Urban transit workers cope with violence and fear on the job

NEW YORK (AP) — Transit workers around the country are managing their fear and anxiety over a rise in violent crime on subways and buses. Concern has grown after a series of brutal attacks in recent months against bus drivers, subway operators and station agents. The level of crime is striking because it coincides with a steady decline over the past three years in overall violent crime in the United States. Some unions and transit agencies are addressing the crisis by offering yoga and relaxation classes. They’re also teaching de-escalation techniques to workers and taking steps to better protect the safety of transit employees.

Boeing case puts a spotlight on plea agreements involving corporate defendants

Prosecutors are expected to give new details next week about Boeing’s plea deal in a case stemming from two deadly crashes of 737 Max jetliners. That’s when the Justice Department hopes to file the agreement with a federal district court in Texas. Earlier this month, Boeing agreed “in principle” to plead guilty to a single count of fraud — that it deceived federal regulators who approved the Max nearly a decade ago. A key detail of the plea agreement will involve appointment of an independent monitor to oversee safety compliance at Boeing. Experts on corporate behavior say whether the plea agreement leads to more safety could hinge on how much authority and independence the monitor gets.

How bootcamps are helping to address the historic gap in internet access on US tribal lands

A bootcamp on a California ranch could help improve internet access on U.S. tribal lands. Tribal Broadband Bootcamps have brought together 72 tribal nations from across the U.S. to learn more about how to build sustainable broadband networks. Indian Country has historically struggled with internet access. The bootcamps come as the Biden administration doles out money from a $65 billion investment to close the digital divide for good. The administration hopes to bring internet access to every home and business in the U.S. by 2030. At least $3 billion has been invested to shore up disparities on tribal land.

Stock market today: Wall Street opens slightly lower; CrowdStrike sinks after tech outage

NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street is relatively quiet even as businesses around the world scramble to contain the effects of a disruptive technology outage. The S&P 500 slipped 0.1% early Friday, a day after a wipeout dragged much of the market lower. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 0.5%, and the Nasdaq composite was off 0.1%. The relatively calm trading came as a major outage disrupted flights, banks and even doctors’ appointments around the world. Cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike said the issue believed to be behind the outage was not a security incident or cyberattack and that it had deployed a fix. CrowdStrike’s stock tumbled 14%.

Netflix’s subscriber and earnings growth gather more momentum as password-sharing crackdown pays off

Netflix’s subscriber and earnings growth accelerated in its latest quarter as the video streaming service benefits from a crackdown on freeloading viewers, an expansion into advertising and an acclaimed programming lineup. The results announced Thursday painted a portrait of a company still gathering momentum after a jarring decrease in subscribers during the first half of 2022 prompted a change in direction. Netflix added 8 million subscribers during the April-June period, that gain marked a 37% increase over the same time last year. It was Netflix’s sixth consecutive quarter of year-over-year subscriber growth. The company’s earnings also exceeded analyst projections, but Netflix shares still fell in extended trading.

From a media perspective, it was a tale of two Trump speeches — and long enough for both

In the eyes of much of the media, Donald Trump failed to stick the landing with his acceptance speech at the Republican national convention. In a speech that lasted more than 90 minutes, Trump gave a somber and emotional recounting of the attempt on his life last weekend, then segued into an address that felt familiar to many who watch his political stump speeches. Vanity Fair said it “gave America whiplash.” The attention of the political press now turns to who will oppose Trump.

15 months after his firing, Tucker Carlson returns to Fox News airwaves with a GOP convention speech

NEW YORK (AP) — Tucker Carlson was back on Fox News Channel airwaves Thursday. He spoke at the Republican National Conventipon 15 months after being unceremoniously dumped by the cable network. Fox carried Carlson’s 11-minute speech before the RNC in the same 8 p.m. Eastern time slot that he once ruled as the most popular host in cable news. Rivals CNN and MSNBC didn’t bother carrying the address, where Carlson spent most of his time extolling Trump’s bravery following Saturday’s assassination attempt. It’s a turnaround from the 2020 election aftermath, where Carlson was revealed in court documents saying derogatory things about Trump. This week he was a familiar presence at the convention, and reportedly lobbied Trump to name JD Vance as his vice presidential candidate.