Facebook’s Apps Went Down. The World Saw How Much It Runs on Them.
The New York Times
The outage disrupted the digital lives of small-business owners, politicians, aid workers and others. But for some, it was a welcome reprieve.
For more than five hours on Monday, the world got a taste of life without Facebook and its apps.
People in many places discovered that Facebook and its apps had burrowed their way into nearly every facet of existence.
In Mexico, politicians were cut off from their constituents. In Brazil, pharmacies stopped receiving prescription orders. And in Colombia, a nonprofit organization that uses WhatsApp to connect victims of gender-based violence to lifesaving services found its work impaired.
The attack occurred on the same day that Israel bombed sites in the Syrian capital that the Israeli military said were affiliated with a militant group. At least 15 people were killed, Syrian state media reported.
Aides to Benjamin Netanyahu are under investigation over accusations of leaks, record-doctoring and intimidation. The Israeli prime minister’s office denies the claims.
Justin Welby, the leader of 85 million Anglicans worldwide, announced his resignation days after a report found he had taken insufficient action over claims of abuse.
Israel said its forces had returned to northern Gaza to fight a Hamas resurgence. That has brought a new round of suffering for residents.
The move comes just before a Biden administration deadline for Israel to deliver more aid to the enclave or risk a cutoff of military supplies.
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The president-elect’s call for Taiwan to spend more on its own defense and his complaints about its semiconductor dominance may herald a tenser relationship.
Foreign leaders have rushed to ingratiate themselves with Donald J. Trump in recent days, nervously recalling the clashes, insults and feuds of his first presidency.
Disillusionment with the world that emerged from the Cold War has fueled a long-gathering revolt against the established order.
Viktor Orban of Hungary and other right-wing European politicians hail the return of a U.S. president who shares their tough views on issues like immigration.
Another Trump term could spur Europe’s efforts to stand on its own, but it is far from clear its leaders will seize the moment this time.