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Artificial intelligence has its hands in nearly every industry, from chatbots to healthcare, and one of the AI world's favorite new tools is <keyword id="20280828" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="whisper" source="keywords">Whisper</keyword>, a transcription program developed by <keyword id="19918823" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="OpenAI" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="OpenAI" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="OpenAI">OpenAI</keyword>. Whisper’s main selling point is that it supposedly delivers near “human-level robustness and accuracy,” as the company claims. But there’s a major catch — Whisper has a habit of “hallucinating.”<br /><br />If you’re picturing an AI tool hallucinating psychedelic visuals, it’s not quite like that. Hallucinations in AI transcriptions mean the tool has a tendency to make up words, phrases, and even entire sentences. Whisper has been known to slip in racial commentary, violent ideas, or medical jargon that no one actually said. And when used in sensitive settings like hospitals, these “creative” additions can be more than an oddity — they could be downright dangerous.<br /><h2>The hospital risk factor</h2>Several developers and researchers have found these hallucinations are worryingly frequent. In hospitals, transcription software like Whisper is being trialed to record patient-doctor conversations. It seems like a great idea — automated transcriptions could give healthcare professionals more time to focus on patients instead of endless paperwork. But as Allison Koenecke, a professor at Cornell, points out, nearly 40% of these hallucinations could lead to misinterpretations. And, as Alondra Nelson, former director at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, said, “Nobody wants a misdiagnosis. There should be a higher bar.”<br /><br />In <keyword id="23715899" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="medical-transcriptions" source="keywords">medical transcriptions</keyword>, even one mistaken word can be serious. One version of Whisper, for example, took the phrase, “He, the boy, was going to, I’m not sure exactly, take the umbrella,” and turned it into something alarming: “He took a big piece of a cross, a teeny, small piece… I’m sure he didn’t have a terror knife so he killed a number of people.” Disturbing additions like these could leave hospital staff baffled or, worse, could result in patient notes that entirely misrepresent a consultation.<br /><div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="111165894" title="Scientists find speech-to-text AI randomly adding violent language such as &amp;quot;terror,&amp;quot; &amp;quot;knife&amp;quot; and &amp;quot;killed&amp;quot; to audio transcription" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>Researchers have analysed thousands of audio samples and found that hallucinations often appear in well-recorded clips, not just in low-quality recordings or when there’s lots of background noise. For instance, when someone said, “After she got the telephone, he began to pray,” Whisper turned it into “I feel like I’m going to fall, I feel like I’m going to fall…” In other cases, it has fabricated nonexistent medications, like “hyperactivated antibiotics,” or injected racial commentary where none existed.<br /><br />Hospitals aren’t the only ones using Whisper — its transcriptions are popping up in call centers, video captions, and consumer voice assistants. In each case, hallucinations could lead to confusion and miscommunication, particularly for those who rely on accuracy, such as the Deaf and hard of hearing community. Whisper can bury made-up text in long transcriptions, meaning someone reviewing the text may struggle to spot which parts are hallucinated, experts warn.<br /><h2>Legal and ethical backlash</h2>With hospitals and health centers pushing forward with Whisper tools, former OpenAI engineer William Saunders believes OpenAI should address this flaw urgently. He points out, “It’s problematic if you put this out there and people are overconfident about what it can do and integrate it into all these other systems.”<br /><br />As usage grows, so do privacy concerns. California State Assembly member Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, who recently refused to allow a health provider to share her child’s medical recordings with OpenAI’s biggest investor, Microsoft Azure, expressed frustration about tech companies handling sensitive data. "The release was very specific that for-profit companies would have the right to have this,” Bauer-Kahan said. “I was like, ‘absolutely not.’”<br /><div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="114683256" title="&amp;quot;Jarvis, you there?&amp;quot;: Google&amp;#39;s new AI agent might take over your web browser and carry out tasks on your behalf" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>Despite the troubling feedback, OpenAI has been receptive to researchers’ findings. The company is working to address the hallucination issue, but they’ve also issued a warning: Whisper should not be used in “high-risk domains.” Yet, companies like Nabla, which offers Whisper-based tools to transcribe medical appointments, continue to integrate it. Nabla’s approach erases the original audio for “data safety reasons,” meaning hospitals may have no way to verify transcripts.<br /><br />Whisper’s hallucinations are a stark reminder that <keyword id="21222445" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="AI-in-healthcare" source="keywords">AI in healthcare</keyword> isn’t foolproof. The conversation about AI transcription flaws is picking up steam, with experts pushing for regulations and OpenAI encouraged to prioritise fixes. While AI is undeniably changing industries, sometimes its creative input needs a reality check — especially in life-and-death fields like medicine.<br />

OpenAI's tools are making up stuff in hospital transcriptions; can be dangerous for patients, experts warn

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Liam Payne, the singer who was part of One Direction, died Wednesday at the age of 31.</li><li>One Direction was one of the most successful pop acts of the 2010s, before they went on hiatus.</li></ul><p>The death of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/one-direction-liam-payne-dead-buenos-aires-2024-10">Liam Payne</a>, once part of One Direction, was a dark and abrupt turn for a person in a boyband that reinvigorated the pop music industry.</p><p>On Wednesday, multiple outlets reported that Payne died in a fall from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was 31.</p><p>Payne spent his adult life in the spotlight after he, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/one-direction-then-and-now-what-theyre-doing-2019-3">Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, and Zayn Malik</a> became One Direction in 2010 as part of the UK talent show "The X Factor."</p><p>They didn't win. But <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/simon-cowell-x-factor-one-direction-bankruptcy-career-music-industry-2024-6">Simon Cowell</a>, one of the show's judges, signed them to his label. They became international stars, filling a gap in the market for a new type of boyband.</p><p>They were one of the first acts to harness the power of then-burgeoning social media platforms, cultivating a loyal, vocal, and lucrative online fandom.</p><p>Stephen Graham, a senior music lecturer at Goldsmiths, University of London, told Business Insider that there was a market in the 2010s for "young, attractive, gentle male pop artists."</p><p>"What gave them longevity was the particular personal charm of the members, and the band and their team's canny positioning of their music somewhere between the bubblegum pop of previous boybands and loose notions of indie credibility and authenticity," he said.</p><p>Releasing an album a year from 2011 to 2015, One Direction became the first act to have all of their first four albums top the Billboard 200 chart. They sold over 70 million records worldwide, and wracked up more than 21 billion streams.</p><div type="image" title="one direction" height="1987" width="3000" msid="114320863" hostid="261" sizebytes="495400"></div><p>In 2015, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cool-things-you-didnt-know-about-one-direction-fun-facts">One Direction</a>'s members were the highest-paid entertainers under 30 <a target="_blank" href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/maddieberg/2015/12/16/the-worlds-highest-paid-celebrities-under-30-in-2015/">Forbes</a> reported, earning a combined $130 million.</p><p>Taylor Swift, with $80 million that year, earned more per person but was still second fiddle.</p><p>Savan Kotecha, a producer who worked on One Direction's first single, "What Makes You Beautiful," told <a target="_blank" href="https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/one-direction-10th-anniversary-collaborators-1032313/">Rolling Stone</a> in 2020 about how the band engaged with fans.</p><p>He said the band used social media to build hype and form a thriving fan community in the US before their first single was released there.</p><p>"They instinctively had this — and it might just be a generational thing — they just knew how to speak to their fans," Kotecha said.</p><p>Pop critic Alexis Petridis wrote in the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/2024/oct/17/after-one-direction-liam-payne-was-just-getting-started-his-death-is-a-heartbreaking-end">Guardian</a> on Thursday that the band's rocky sound helped them stand out from previous boy bands who released ballads, R&amp;B, and songs tinged with hip-hop.</p><h2 id="555edd76-eb54-4cb2-886e-c2d85186d3a1">Payne was a core member of One Direction</h2><div type="image" title="Liam Payne wearing a suit and tie in front of a pink background." height="2982" width="3976" msid="114320860" hostid="261" sizebytes="538512"></div><p>Payne came to be regarded as the sensible one in the band. He had songwriting credits on some of their biggest hits, including "<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/one-direction-music-videos-ranked-worst-to-best-2020-7">Story of My Life</a>" and "Night Changes."</p><p>Cowell told<a target="_blank" href="https://www.rollingstone.com/feature/one-direction-x-factor-1033795/"> Rolling Stone</a> in 2012 that he recognized Payne's talent when he auditioned for "The X Factor" and thought he would work in the band.</p><p>"I always knew that with confidence he would be a valuable member of this band, so I had no hesitation in bringing him back," Cowell said.</p><p>One Direction announced an<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/everything-one-direction-has-said-about-each-other-since-breakup-2019-5#in-2015-malik-said-he-wouldnt-listen-to-one-directions-music-3"> indefinite hiatus</a> in 2016 following Malik's departure, prompting each member to go solo.</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/harry-styles-worth-makes-spends-money">Styles</a> has so far been the only member to find global success, though.</p><p>Payne's first solo single, 2017's "Strip That Down," entered the Billboard 100 top 10, but his 2018 EP "First Time" and his 2019 album "<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/one-direction-solo-albums-ranked-harry-niall-zayn-louis-liam">LP1</a>" didn't match it.</p><p>He was open about dealing with <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/liam-payne-suicidal-thoughts-addiction-one-direction-2021-6">alcohol and drug addiction</a>, which he said began at the height of One Direction's success. In May 2023, Payne said in an interview with the boxing YouTube channel iFL TV that he was 100 days <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/liam-payne-one-direction-podcast-backlash-rehab-sober-2023-7">sober</a> and making a second album.</p><p>"I definitely want to tour this time. This is unusual because I wasn't sure I was going to tour for a long time. I was kind of over it a little bit but I'm really excited to get back out on the road and go and see all the fans," he said.</p><p>But in August 2023, Payne announced in a since-deleted Instagram post that he was cancelling his first solo tour, saying he had been admitted to a hospital with a kidney infection.</p><p>In March 2024, Payne's comeback single "Teardrops" generated little buzz, and his second album remains without a release date.</p><p>Fans may now never know if it could have been the project to revive Payne's music career.</p>

Liam Payne changed the music industry in One Direction — solo success was harder

The Prime Minister’s Internship Scheme, announced in the Union Budget 2024-25, is set to offer a tremendous opportunity for young Indians to gain hands-on experience in leading companies across diverse sectors.<br /><br />As of October 12, the portal for this ambitious initiative is open for registrations, with over 90,000 internship positions posted by top companies like <keyword id="19896380" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Reliance-Industries" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Reliance Industries" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Reliance Industries">Reliance Industries</keyword>, <keyword id="19895995" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="HDFC-Bank" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="HDFC Bank" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="HDFC Bank">HDFC Bank</keyword>, <keyword id="19950119" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Tata-Consultancy-Services" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Tata Consultancy Services" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Tata Consultancy Services">Tata Consultancy Services</keyword> (TCS), ONGC, Maruti Suzuki, and more. Here’s everything you need to know about how to apply, the companies participating, and answers to frequently asked questions.<br /><h2>Step-by-Step Guide to Applying for the <keyword id="23273918" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="PM-Internship-Scheme" source="keywords">PM Internship Scheme</keyword></h2><ol><li>Visit the Official Portal: The PM Internship Scheme’s application process takes place on the official website,<a href="http://pminternship.mca.gov.in"> pminternship.mca.gov.in</a>.</li><li>Register and Set Up Your Profile: After opening the portal, you’ll need to register and fill out basic information, including educational qualifications, age, and internship preferences.</li><li>Explore Internship Listings: With over 90,000 internships available from 193 companies, you can browse listings in sectors like Oil &amp; Gas, Travel &amp; Hospitality, Automotive, Banking, and more. Each listing will provide details on job roles, skills required, and specific fields like Operations Management, Production, Maintenance, and Sales.</li><li>Apply for Your Chosen Roles: You can apply for up to five internships based on your interests, qualifications, and preferred location. The portal allows for an easy application submission and lets you track your applications.</li><li>Confirmation and Next Steps: Once you apply, download the confirmation page for reference. Internships are set to begin on December 2, 2024, so selected candidates will receive further instructions as the start date approaches.</li></ol><h2>Major Companies Participating in the PM Internship Scheme</h2>Here are some of the top companies that have already posted internships on the portal, with more joining every day:<br /><br /><ul><li>Reliance Industries Ltd.</li><li>HDFC Bank</li><li>Tata Consultancy Services (TCS)</li><li>Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC)</li><li>State Bank of India (SBI)</li><li>Maruti Suzuki India Ltd.</li><li>Jubilant FoodWorks</li><li>Larsen &amp; Toubro Ltd.</li><li>Eicher Motors Ltd.</li><li>Muthoot Finance</li></ul>These companies are providing internships across over 20 fields, covering a wide range of skills and sectors. The biggest opportunities are currently in the Oil &amp; Gas sector, followed by industries like Travel, Automotive, and Financial Services.<br />    <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="113986236" title="Why so many entry-level jobs aren&amp;#39;t entry-level" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div><h2>Key Features of the Internship Scheme</h2>Under the scheme, interns will receive a stipend of Rs 5,000 per month, plus a one-time grant of Rs 6,000 to support miscellaneous expenses. These internships are available across 737 districts in all 37 states and Union Territories, making this a truly inclusive national program.<br /><br />Interns can indulge in many diverse internship roles. From operations to maintenance, sales, marketing, and production, these internships offer a variety of hands-on experiences that match real-world corporate needs.<br /><h2>FAQs about the PM Internship Scheme</h2><h5>Who is eligible?</h5>The scheme is open to Indian citizens aged 21 to 24 who are not employed full-time or enrolled in full-time study programs. Candidates in online or distance learning programs are eligible.<br /><h5>What sectors offer the most internships?</h5>The largest number of internships are in the Oil &amp; Gas, Travel &amp; Hospitality, Automotive, and Banking &amp; Financial Services sectors, with positions also available in fields like Manufacturing, IT, and Retail.<br /><h5>When do the internships start?</h5>Internships for this year will begin on December 2, 2024. The scheme aims to facilitate 1.25 lakh internships this financial year and eventually reach one crore internships over the next five years.<br /><h5>What are the application deadlines?</h5>The portal is open from October 12 for candidates to start applying, with companies continuing to post positions as the scheme rolls out. It’s recommended to apply early, as some positions may fill up quickly.<br />    <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="114029056" title="Read 5 résumés that helped techies land $300,000-plus jobs at Google, Meta, Amazon, and Salesforce" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div><br />

PM Internship Scheme finally launched — here’s how you can apply to work with Reliance, TCS, SBI and more!

Tata Group chairman <keyword id="19981455" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Ratan-Tata" source="keywords">Ratan Tata</keyword> breathed his last on Wednesday (October 9) at Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai. On Monday, the industrialist was admitted to the hospital for age-related issues. As soon as the news of his death broke, people started remembering the philanthropic businessman and social media is full of reactions. From actors to other business leaders, a lot of prominent figures reacted to Ratan Tata's demise. From <keyword id="6354583" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="salman-khan" source="Orion">Salman Khan</keyword> and <keyword id="1655" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="priyanka-chopra" source="Orion">Priyanka Chopra</keyword> Jonas to Ranveer Singh and <keyword id="6357860" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="anushka-sharma" source="Orion">Anushka Sharma</keyword>, Bollywood celebs also expressed their sorrow on social media. Let us take a look at some reactions. <br /><br />Superstar Salman Khan expressed his sorrow on X (formerly Twitter), writing, “Deeply saddened by the passing of Mr. Ratan Tata,” capturing the emotional weight of the moment. Ajay Devgn echoed the sentiment, describing Tata as a visionary whose impact transcended business: “The world mourns the loss of a visionary. Ratan Tata’s legacy will forever inspire generations. His contributions to India and beyond are immeasurable. We are deeply grateful. Rest in peace, Sir.”<br /><br />Anushka Sharma, sharing her thoughts on Instagram, lauded Tata for his integrity and grace: “Deeply saddened by the news of Shri Ratan Tataji. He upheld the values of integrity, grace, and dignity through everything he did and was truly an icon and Taj of India. RIP sir, you have touched so many lives.”<br /><br />Priyanka Chopra Jonas reflected on Tata’s kindness and leadership, noting, “Through your kindness, you touched the lives of millions. Your legacy of leadership and generosity will continue to inspire generations. Thank you for your unmatched passion and dedication to everything you did for our country.”<br /><br />Many others in the industry also shared their admiration for Tata. Sanjay Dutt called him a beacon of integrity, saying, “India has lost a true visionary today. He was a beacon of integrity and compassion whose contributions went beyond business, impacting countless lives.” Randeep Hooda hailed Tata as “India’s most valuable man,” saying that his worth was measured by his values rather than wealth.<br /><br />"India’s most valuable man, not necessarily for his vast wealth, but for his values.. largest being Integrity !! Never a show off but always the star ⭐️ The life #RatanTata ji led will always be an inspiration,"Hooda wrote in a post on X.<br /><br />Varun Dhawan, in a heartfelt Instagram post, shared a throwback picture of Tata, simply writing, “RIP sir RATAN TATA,” while Riteish Deshmukh took to X, stating, “Deeply saddened to know that Shri #RatanTata ji is no more. Condolences to the family and loved ones. Rest In Glory Sir.”<br /><br />Ranveer Singh paid tribute by sharing a monochrome photo of Tata with a simple infinity emoji, highlighting the eternal impact Tata will leave on the country. Actor R Madhavan also shared his admiration, writing, “A visionary, a gentleman of the highest order, an inspiration for generations, leaves behind a void that can never be filled.”<br /><br /><keyword id="19959949" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sushmita-sen" source="keywords">Sushmita Sen</keyword> and Karan Johar both paid their respects, while Dharmendra expressed his regret at never having met Tata, calling him a “Humble King” who treated his workers like family. “Sir, you will always be remembered with great love and respect,” he added.<br /><br />Filmmaker Rohit Shetty called Ratan Tata a “real hero,” while music maestro AR Rahman offered a poignant reflection: “Some icons are living textbooks, teaching us about leadership, success, and legacy. Extraordinary yet human and approachable, they inspire and guide us. India has lost a true son and champion. Rest in peace, Ratan ji.”<br /><br /><keyword id="19895145" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vicky-kaushal" source="keywords">Vicky Kaushal</keyword> also expressed his grief, writing, “Never could meet him… but adored, admired and respected everything he said and did for society. Lost a legend. May his soul rest in peace.”<br /><br />Other notable tributes came from stars like SS Rajamouli, Jr NTR, Prithviraj Sukumaran, and Rana Daggubati, who all shared their deep respect for Tata’s leadership and humanitarian work. Rajamouli, in particular, remarked, “Legends are born, and they live forever… Ratan Tata’s legacy is woven into everyday life.”<br /><br />The passing of Ratan Tata has left a profound void, but the legacy he has built in business, philanthropy, and ethics will continue to inspire and guide future generations.<br />

'Humble king who looked after his workers like children': Bollywood reacts to Ratan Tata’s demise

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Israel's tourism industry has faced a major drop in visitors and revenues since October 7, 2023.</li><li>Businesses have closed due to Hamas' rocket strikes in the south and Hezbollah's fire in the north.</li></ul><p>Israel's tourism industry has suffered significantly since Hamas launched its terrorist attacks on October 7, 2023.</p><p>According to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.cbs.gov.il/he/publications/doclib/2024/tourism_q1_24/t01.pdf">statistics</a> from Israel's Central Bureau of Statistics, the number of tourists dropped from around 300,000 in September to around 89,000 in October, falling to around 38,000 in November.</p><p>So did tourism income.</p><p>In 2023, it declined from around $1.4 billion in the third quarter to around $464 million in the last quarter, according to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.cbs.gov.il/he/publications/doclib/2024/tourism_q1_24/t18.pdf">data</a> from Israel's CBS.</p><p>"2023 was supposed to be a record year for tourism in Israel; we were close to 4.5 million tourists," said Peleg Lewi, a foreign affairs advisor to Israel's Tourism Ministry.</p><p>The downward trend has continued over the first six months of this year, with just 501,100 visitors compared to 2.1 million in the same period last year, per <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.cbs.gov.il/he/mediarelease/pages/2024/%D7%9B%D7%A0%D7%99%D7%A1%D7%95%D7%AA-%D7%A9%D7%9C-%D7%9E%D7%91%D7%A7%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%9D-%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%A9%D7%A8%D7%90%D7%9C-%D7%91%D7%99%D7%95%D7%A0%D7%99-2024.aspx">data</a> from Israel's CBS.</p><p>The lack of visitors has been compounded by <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://saleslink.aa.com/en-US/blog/2023/travel_advisory/israel-security-incident-travel-notice-exception-policy.html">many</a> <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/aegeanairlines/status/1710655166687461491">international</a> <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.aircanada.com/uk/en/aco/home/book/travel-news-and-updates/2023/civil-unrest-israel.html#/">airlines</a> <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/airindia/status/1710945413401088065?lang=en">pausing</a> flights to Israel in the wake of Hamas' terrorist attacks, with some still <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2024-08-12/ty-article/lufthansa-and-swiss-extend-suspension-of-flights-to-israel-until-at-least-august-21/00000191-46e7-d7bb-a1df-efef150e0000">canceling</a> flights as recently as this week.</p><p>Samuel Scanlon, a Ph.D. candidate with University College Dublin's School of Sociology, pointed to other factors in a piece for <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://theconversation.com/war-in-gaza-has-plunged-israels-tourism-industry-into-a-crisis-it-will-struggle-to-recover-from-229151">The Conversation</a> in May.</p><p>He said Israel's tourism sector may be suffering from the fallout of US college student-led <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/harvard-students-groups-signed-anti-israel-letter-without-them-knowing-2023-10">protests</a>, calls for boycotts and divestitures, and social media advocacy and solidarity movements, which could hurt its revenues.</p><p>As many as 46,000 businesses have been forced to shut down since the October 7 terrorist attacks, according to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/up-to-60000-israeli-businesses-may-close-in-2024-as-war-takes-toll-on-economy/#:~:text=CofaceBDI%20says%2046%2C000%20businesses%20have,services%20sectors%20are%20hit%20hardest">business information</a> company CofaceBDI, relayed by The Times of Israel last month.</p><h2 id="4d49ed02-db0c-445b-9a38-1960e49b42e1">Relying on domestic clients, exporting abroad, and cost-cutting</h2><p>David Tucker, general manager of the Ramada by Wyndham Hotel in Jerusalem, said that the hotel is facing a challenge due to a "big" drop in international visitors.</p><p>Since the Hamas' October 7 terrorist attacks, the hotel's tourism mix has changed, he told BI, with about 30% of tourists now coming from Israel and 70% from abroad, versus about 10% of Israelis and 90% of foreigners before the attacks.</p><p>And, "obviously," the hotel's profits "dropped" last year, Tucker added.</p><p>He declined to give BI the hotel's profit figures or the number of visitors staying there before and after the October 7 terrorist attacks, but he said he expected the hotel to "break-even, plus" this year.</p><p>Yossi Navi, general manager of the Carlton Hotel in Tel Aviv, said the hotel also weathered the war over the last 10 months.</p><div type="image" title="A view of the 'Carlton' hotel in 2013" height="3355" width="4497" msid="112604987" hostid="261" sizebytes="1331924"></div><p>He told BI that the hotel made a bigger profit in the first quarter of this year than in the same quarter last year, but he declined to give BI the hotel's profit numbers.</p><p>He said the hotel stayed afloat by cutting back on outsourcing services, turning to cheaper food and amenity suppliers, and getting support from Jewish organizations — all while housing war evacuees for free in 60 of its 270 rooms.</p><p>The Israeli government paid $250 per room per night for a couple, he said, which means he hasn't had to pay extra to house evacuees.</p><p>"This is the only way to survive," he said. As of May, just 65% of the hotel was full, up from 45% in October and 55% between December and April, he said.</p><p>Israeli tour guides, meanwhile, told BI in May that they have had to pivot to "<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/israel-gaza-tour-guides-pivot-october-7-tours-make-money-2024-6">grief tourism</a>" as their only means of making money as the sites of the October 7 attacks are the only ones in demand.</p><p>On October 7, 2023, more than a thousand people, mostly civilians, were <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/video-wreckage-destruction-at-israeli-festival-attacked-by-hamas-2023-10">killed</a> in Hamas attacks on Israel, with the Nova musical festival being the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/israel-festival-attendees-played-dead-for-hours-during-hamas-attack-2023-10">site</a> of the highest number of casualties.</p><p>Israel retaliated <a target="_blank" rel="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-israel-trying-to-achieve-in-gaza-bombing-2023-12"><u>against Hamas in Gaza,</u></a> which, according to the UN, has led to more <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://reliefweb.int/report/occupied-palestinian-territory/gaza-war-un-revises-death-toll-women-and-children">than 35,000 Palestinian deaths</a>.</p><h2 id="3e61ee4b-bedf-4d14-8658-bc3486993066">On the brink of war</h2><p>Things have not been as easy in northern Israel.</p><p>Israel and Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group operating out of Lebanon, have regularly exchanged fire since Hamas staged its cross-border terrorist attack from Gaza.</p><p>While this tit-for-tat has so far been contained to the border region, it could <a target="_blank" rel="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wider-war-hezbollah-could-unleash-unprecedented-missile-barrage-against-israel-2024-7"><u>escalate into a wider war</u></a>.</p><p>Tensions rose again recently after Israel <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/israel-tried-killing-top-hezbollah-commander-beirut-with-us-bounty-2024-7">killed</a> a Hezbollah commander in the Lebanese capital, Beirut.</p><p>The IDF <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/IDF/status/1818397182602707308">said</a> the attack came in retaliation to the armed group's <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/israel-promised-revenge-attack-on-hezbollah-yet-to-follow-through-2024-7">lethal rocket strike</a> on a soccer field in the part of the Golan Heights controlled by Israel.</p><p>Yaara Alfasi, vice president of marketing and export at Mount Odem Winery, said the family business, located in the northern part of the Golan Heights, near the Israel-Lebanon border, has borne the brunt of constant fire in the area.</p><div type="image" title="Smoke billowed after a hit from a rocket fired from southern Lebanon over the Upper Galilee region in northern Israel on July 8, 2024." height="1333" width="2000" msid="112604988" hostid="261" sizebytes="158012"></div><p>He told BI that the winery was declared a closed military area from October until November, at the peak of the harvest season, and the winery's sales dropped 70–80% in the last quarter of 2023.</p><p>Even now, he said, there is still "uncertainty as to whether we will be able to get to the vineyards because the security situation warms up and relaxes every time."</p><p>"Although the market has gradually recovered, it is still far from what it was at the beginning of the war," he said.</p><p>Gal Yaniv, CEO of Pelter Winery, a family-owned business in the Golan Heights, finds himself in a similar situation.</p><p>He told BI that most of the vineyards are on the Lebanese-Syrian border, and some are out of reach due to cross-border fires and explosions.</p><p>"Due to fires caused by Hezbollah missiles, we have already lost about 7% of the expected crops," he said, adding: "If the situation continues, we are in big trouble."</p><p>He said his profits have dropped by about 5% since October 7.</p><h2 id="ef44bd6e-4229-415d-9c8e-43aa2e04e6c6">The tourism industry has been there before</h2><p>Having worked for more than 40 years in Israel's hospitality industry, Tucker of the Ramada by Wyndham Hotel said the country has experienced multiple crises, including two intifadas and two Lebanese wars.</p><p>"And once things settle, within a couple of months, tourists come back, big time, because people want to visit Israel and the Holy Land," he said.</p><p>Tucker said he hopes the war will end "as soon as possible."</p><p>However, for this to happen, the hostages must be released, he said, adding that he wouldn't want to be in Netanyahu's "shoes" right now.</p><p>Navi from Tel Aviv's Carlton Hotel echoed Tucker's comments, saying ending the war with Hamas would "absolutely" help.</p><p>Lewi, the foreign affairs advisor to Israel's Tourism Ministry, predicted that if the conflict ends, the industry's recovery would take longer than in past conflicts, likely between three and six months.</p><p>"In the last 20 years, it was usually short cycles of violence — two or three weeks. We have been there for 10 months," he said.</p><p>According to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/up-to-60000-israeli-businesses-may-close-in-2024-as-war-takes-toll-on-economy/#:~:text=CofaceBDI%20says%2046%2C000%20businesses%20have,services%20sectors%20are%20hit%20hardest">business information</a> company CofaceBDI, relayed by The Times of Israel, as many as 60,000 businesses are expected to close in 2024.</p><p>"We were making plans for the day after, the day after, and the day after hasn't arrived," Lewi said.</p>

Israel's tourism industry is struggling under the weight of the war

<ul class="summary-list"><li>On a trip to Melbourne, Adrian Chia envisioned a holiday home to unplug from the world.</li><li>He sold his IT business and partnered with two friends to build Big Tiny, a tiny house startup.</li></ul><p>How nice would it be to leave everything behind, unplug from the world, and relax abroad?</p><p>This thought lingered in Adrian Chia's mind after a two-week family vacation exploring the Great Ocean Road in Melbourne in 2016.</p><p>Shortly after returning home<strong> </strong>to Singapore, he floated the concept of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/millennial-city-life-quits-job-build-tiny-house-wood-denmark-2024-9">living an unplugged life</a> by<strong> </strong>his friend Dave Ng, whom he'd met in his 20s<strong> </strong>during mandatory national service.</p><p>"We were just chitchatting, but Dave started thinking about it seriously," Chia, now 43, told Business Insider. Ng came up with the idea of creating a tiny house on wheels — a mobile house that could be easily relocated if a particular location did not attract guests.</p><p>In 2017, the pair decided to sell their businesses — Chia had been working in IT and Ng in waste management<strong> </strong>— and start a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-build-own-tiny-home-company-plans-2023-4">tiny house business</a> called Big Tiny. They<strong> </strong>invested 100,000 Singapore dollars, or around $77k, each, and dove into brainstorming their first prototype.</p><p>"I knew I was venturing into uncharted territory," said Chia, who was married with two young kids and had a newborn at the time.</p><h2 id="b90f8f35-563a-4d9d-9797-e15f7148fc10">An early obstacle</h2><p>With no experience in architecture or building, their first roadblock was figuring out how to build a tiny house.</p><p>"I can't even change the door knob at home," said Chia, adding that the thought of having to fit a kitchenette, a bedroom, and a living room into a 20-foot space was daunting.</p><p>They hired an architect to help with the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/couple-lives-in-tiny-home-on-wheels-with-office-bedroom-2023-6">design of the house</a> and agreed on<strong> </strong>a few essentials. First, the house had to be on wheels. Next, they had to ensure that the house did not feel claustrophobic.</p><p>Six months of trial and error later, Chia and Ng assembled the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/built-tiny-house-parents-backyard-rent-free-saved-money-2024-3">first prototype home in Chia's garden in Singapore</a>.</p><div type="image" title="A tiny home" height="3024" width="4032" msid="113509611" hostid="261" sizebytes="1381548"></div><p>They began scaling the business by sending tiny houses overseas. The first two were sent to Australia, one to Victoria and the other to New South Wales.</p><p>In 2018, Chia convinced a friend from elementary school, Jeff Yeo, to join the team of founders and help with branding. Yeo had worked as an account director and manager at several marketing agencies.</p><p>Together, they raised around SG$4.2 million over two funding rounds, Chia said. That includes SG$3.8 million in the second round, which took place in 2021.</p><h2 id="2f26daf1-a207-42de-80b6-4a8c216f56ad">Developing their tiny houses into a profit-sharing business</h2><p>After garnering attention from local media, the team started to receive inquiries on how to purchase tiny houses, Chia said.</p><p>So, in 2017, the team started a program that allowed people to buy a tiny house for around SG$90,000. In return, they managed the hotel side of the business by renting the unit back from the buyer. They either rented the tiny house for two years and paid 8% a year or five years and paid 10% a year. Big Tiny then earns from the profit of nightly stays, Chia said.</p><p>Although the headquarters is in Singapore, Big Tiny's first move was to send <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/live-in-a-tiny-mansion-home-so-could-afford-california-2023-10">tiny houses</a> out to the rest of the world. The homes had a modular design — flat packed "like Ikea furniture," as Chia describes.</p><h2 id="86541299-29a2-4f07-931a-d1593e686640">In 2023, they set up tiny houses in Singapore</h2><p><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiny-home-village-atlanta-south-park-cottages-photos-booker-washington-2024-3">The tiny house movement</a> encourages <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiny-house-new-yorker-first-time-experience-2022-7">minimalistic and sustainable living</a>. Although the movement has taken off in <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiny-house-movement-future-2021-1">countries like the US</a> and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiny-home-tube-shape-surprising-things-europe-slube-photos-2023-2">Germany</a>, it has been less popular in Singapore.</p><p>In 2021, an opportunity arose for Big Tiny to set up houses in Singapore under a<strong> </strong>government initiative<strong> </strong>promoting innovative business ideas.</p><p>The government awarded<strong> </strong>Big Tiny state land, for which the company pays rent, to build<strong> </strong>their <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/stay-tiny-home-remote-lazarus-island-singapore-2024-8">tiny houses on Lazarus Island</a> — one of the eight Southern Islands in Singapore.</p><p>"We jumped on it," Chia said.</p><p>In an email response to BI, a representative from the<strong> </strong>Sentosa Development Corporation, an organization under Singapore's Ministry of Trade and Industry, said the initiative aimed to complement the existing environment of Lazarus Island by introducing "light-touch" recreational uses.</p><p>Additionally, the response noted that Big Tiny's houses were equipped with sustainable features, which were in line with their goal of reducing vacationers' carbon footprint on the island.</p><p>The government also awarded another company a chance to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/luxury-tent-glamping-into-the-woods-lazarus-island-singapore-2024-9">build nine tents nearby.</a></p><p>Since opening the tiny house resort in April 2023, Chia said, it has been running on an average of about 90% occupancy. Guests have to book a few months in advance to secure their stay. He added that they have been cash-flow positive since their inception.</p><p>In August, BI was able to book a stay for SG$380 a night, less than three weeks in advance, although only a few tiny houses remained available at the time. All of the houses were full during BI's stay.</p><h2 id="4f271ca1-9272-4f7b-83ed-2c77ec2a4d51">Each tiny house is placed in nature</h2><div type="image" title="An accommodation in Lake Stella, New Zealand" height="3459" width="5189" msid="113509618" hostid="261" sizebytes="2539654"></div><p>Seven years on, Big Tiny has placed more than 400 tiny houses in more than 10 countries worldwide, from Taiwan to Europe and Australia.</p><p>On Singapore's Lazarus Island, guests are surrounded by lush greenery and can swim in the sea. At Lake Stella in New Zealand, two hours north of central Christchurch, guests can hike the surrounding mountains or take a dip in the lake<em>. </em>In Yilan, Taiwan, guests can sleep in a tiny forest cottage and gaze at the stars when night falls.</p><div type="image" title="The cofounders of Big Tiny take a selfie" height="2736" width="3648" msid="113509620" hostid="261" sizebytes="240580"></div><h2 id="a0ebf152-35eb-4037-bc31-9862591a586e">Working with friends can be challenging</h2><p>Looking back on the journey, Chia said he learned that ideas never come fully formed. "When I was speaking with Dave, it was just an idea of putting tiny houses in rural areas so that people can recharge themselves in nature," he said.</p><p>He said they never thought they could build tiny houses in his own garden — let alone transport them worldwide.</p><p>And although <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/business-partnership-ended-friendship-partners-friends-2024-1">working with close friends</a> can be tricky, Chia credits their successful collaboration to clearly defining their roles.</p><p>While Chia oversees revenue and strategic development, Ng heads operations and production, and Yeo focuses on branding.</p><p>"Whenever we face problems, we will call for a discussion. Everyone will have ideas on how to get things resolved," he said.</p><p>"But at the end of the day, the person leading the aspect of the business will take ownership and decide on what is the best course ahead."</p>

How 3 friends without any hospitality experience started renting out over 400 tiny homes in remote locations around the world

<p>Imagery of battlefields and violence have permeated the news cycle as armed conflicts rage around the globe, particularly in the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/israel-rafah-gaza-assault-warns-civilians-biden-2024-5">Middle East</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fierce-russian-attacks-test-ukraine-defense-near-kharkiv-war-expansion-2024-5">Ukraine</a>.</p><p>Rarely, however, do we see inside the multibillion-dollar industry behind the weapons that cause its destruction.</p><p>In his new book, "<a target="_blank" href="https://nikitateryoshin.com/nothing-personal">Nothing Personal: The Back Office of War</a>," photographer Nikita Teryoshin lifts the veil on the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-arms-exports-rise-50-percent-cutting-russia-weapons-trade-2024-1">global arms trade</a>, capturing defense exhibitions worldwide.</p><div type="image" title="Arms company CTA demonstrating their fire power on an 2mm thick aluminum target. CTA is joint venture between Nexter and BAE Systems based in France. EUROSATORY, Paris, France, 2018" height="2670" width="4000" msid="110124471" hostid="261"></div><p>"These [defense] fairs are the opposite of what you imagine when you think of arms and war," Teryoshin said in an interview with Business Insider.</p><p>Through the colorful, bright, yet uncanny depictions of the defense industry, "Nothing Personal"<em> </em>portrays a world that is the complete opposite of the battlefield it profits from, highlighting the sobering reality of war as a business and economic incentive.</p><p>From 2016 to 2023, Teryoshin documented defense fairs in 14 countries, including the United States, China, France, Abu Dhabi, and Russia. Closed to the public, his series offers a rare inside look into the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-economy-oil-export-revenue-price-cap-war-dark-fleet-2023-12">lucrative global arms industry.</a></p><div type="image" title="Live demonstration of warfare watched by high-ranked guests, politicians and traders. IDEX Expo, Abu Dhabi, UAE, 2019" height="1335" width="2000" msid="110124474" hostid="261"></div><p>Teryoshin's photos depict the showy display of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-abrams-tank-crew-says-still-on-front-lines-2024-5">tanks</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/armies-need-their-own-drone-air-force-flown-by-specialists-study-says-2024-5">drones</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russian-helicopter-ukrainian-drone-boat-armed-with-missiles-2024-5">missiles</a>, air shows, and war shows at various defense exhibitions. He described the fairs as "an oversized playground for adults with wine, finger food, and shiny weapons."</p><p>"Dead bodies here are mannequins or pixels on screens of a huge number of simulators," he wrote in his book. "Bazookas and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ukrainians-using-decades-old-us-gun-truck-against-russia-drones-2024-5">machine guns</a> are plugged into flatscreens and war action is staged in an artificial environment in front of a tribune full of high-ranked guests, ministers, heads of state, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/top-us-general-russia-growing-back-pre-war-military-strength-2024-4">generals</a>, and traders."</p><div type="image" title="A photo stand of the Indian Army. The soldier cut out equipped with a Kalashnikov rifle wears a Russian uniform with explosion coming out of his missing head.DEFEXPO, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India, 2020" height="4000" width="2667" msid="110124478" hostid="261"></div><p>Teryoshin's images are striking — a bright flash in each image tying together the bizarre display of weapons with abstracted figures of anonymous delegates. A colorful array of canapés and a bright floral dress are set in a scene with a sleek gray model of a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/french-warships-defeating-houthi-missile-attacks-2024-3">naval gun </a>looming in the background.</p><div type="image" title="Model of a Swedish Bofors 57 Mk3 naval gun behind a table full of food at defense fair" height="2670" width="4000" msid="110124481" hostid="261"></div><p>"I think it's the key visuals in the project where you see food and waitress serving wine and juice, and in the background, you see all these war machines," Teryoshin said.</p><p>In 2019, Teryoshin attended the International Defense Exhibition &amp; Conference in Abu Dhabi, where he said guests were enjoying a cake decorated with a mini tank, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-pulls-aircraft-from-front-lines-ukraine-strikes-deep-intel-2024-5"><u>jet fighters</u></a>, and missiles.</p><div type="image" title="IDEX 25th anniversary cake with explosions, missiles, and soldier cut outs" height="1200" width="1798" msid="110124485" hostid="261"></div><p>"Special guests and generals started to eat the cake with little forks out from the pallet directly, and then I thought it looked like a real battlefield," Teryoshin said. "There was an explosion and a tank and a plane and jet fighters were flying little toys that were flying around this explosion, and it was totally weird."</p><p>He added: "The alliance of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/uae-forges-china-ties-but-wont-get-j20-stealth-fighter-2024-5">UAE</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/saudi-us-deal-could-reshape-mideast-excludes-israel-war-2024-5">Saudi Arabia </a>were flying strikes against<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-navy-aircraft-carrier-rearmed-back-red-sea-battle-houthis-2024-5"> the Houthis</a> and bombing hospitals, schools, and houses of normal people, and at the same time, 1,000 kilometers away, they are eating this cake with an explosion."</p><p>With elements of dark humor and absurdity in every image, the photographer's distinctive visual style emphasizes the jarring juxtaposition of the luxury and celebration at defense fairs and the destructive weaponry and firearms the industry produces.</p><div type="image" title="Missiles models Python, Derby, Spike ER at the stand of the Israeli Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. surrounding an empty coffee mug." height="4000" width="2741" msid="110124488" hostid="261"></div><p>Large, metallic-gray <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-navy-more-missiles-recently-got-first-kill-pacific-threats-2024-5">missiles</a> frame a half-empty coffee mug sitting on the edge of a display table. The camera's flash casts imposing shadows of the missiles around the mug — the everyday object normalizing the display of dangerous weaponry.</p><p>Teryoshin alluded to the look of crime scene photography when discussing the use of flash in his series. The cold, harsh flash highlights the environment's ominousity through a pointedly cynical perspective.</p><p>After the construction and the <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/commodities/oil-gas-prices-israel-gaza-war-middle-east-houthi-iran-2024-2">oil and gas sectors</a>, the global arms trade is one of the most corruption-prone sectors in the world, according to <a target="_blank" href="https://ti-defence.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/1004_corruption_risk_offsets.pdf">Transparency International</a>. By contrast, the international trade of bananas is more tightly regulated than the arms trade, according to the introductory note of <a target="_blank" href="https://legal.un.org/avl/ha/att/att.html#:~:text=By%202006%2C%20international%20attention%20shifted,resonate%20strongly%20with%20many%20States">the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty</a>.</p><div type="image" title="Peruvian delegation at the stand of UkrOboronProm shaking hands" height="2670" width="4000" msid="110124492" hostid="261"></div><p>With the weaponry in the forefront, the fairgoers in the series remain anonymous — the figures of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-sanctions-russian-trade-banking-financing-ruble-ukraine-war-funding-2024-5">traders and politicians</a> are all faceless and undetectable.</p><p>"I deliberately don't show you the faces of the businessmen," Teryoshin said in his artist statement. "It is not my intention to fix everything upon a certain person."</p><div type="image" title="South Korean officer watching the air show by the aerobatic 'Black Eagles' air force team flying KAI T-50B Golden Eagle jets." height="4000" width="2670" msid="110124496" hostid="261"></div><p>The anonymity of the figures adds mystery to each photograph and portrays the photographer's intention of showcasing the global arms industry as a monolith.</p><p>"I also didn't want to blame any special country, manufacturer, or person but to show it just as a phenomenon," he said.</p><p>Here, war is simply a universal means of commerce — the convention space secluded from the real terror of conflict.</p><div type="image" title="On the deck of a ferry while jet fighters, helicopters and cargo aircraft fly low." height="2669" width="4000" msid="110124498" hostid="261"></div><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/global-military-spending-reaches-record-highs-2023-wars-conflicts-ukraine-2024-4">Military spending worldwide</a> amounted to $2.44 trillion in 2023. In the US, it was estimated that the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-aid-spending-israel-military-defense-gaza-war-2023-10">average taxpayer contributed $5,109 to the US military</a> and its support systems in 2023. While the average American contributes <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-aid-bill-help-american-jobs-military-defense-business-economy-2024-4">thousands of dollars to the military</a>, the general public is not privy to the inner workings of war profiteering — something Teryoshin hopes to change through his photography.</p><p>Teryoshin shows the irony behind arms company slogans, such as "70 years defending peace" by Kalashnikov Group or "Engineering a better tomorrow" by <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/militaries-receiving-f35-jets-frees-f16s-for-ukraine-former-exec-2023-7">Lockheed Martin,</a> by showing viewers the opposite of a violent and terrifying battlefield: the people in business attire who profit from window shopping for war machines with champagne in hand.</p><div type="image" title="A woman holding tray of juice and wine in front of a military helicopter." height="4000" width="2670" msid="110124500" hostid="261"></div>

Behind the Curtains of the Global Arms Industry

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="22530361" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ahmed-Al-Sharif" source="Orion">Ahmed Al Sharif</keyword> works in software engineering and <keyword id="6361185" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="consumer-electronics" source="Orion">consumer electronics</keyword> and previously worked for <keyword id="19911549" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Meta" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Meta" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Meta">Meta</keyword>.</li><li>The CTO found himself caught up in the outage-induced travel chaos on Friday.</li></ul><em>This as-told-to essay is based on a transcribed conversation with Ahmed Al Sharif, the CTO of Sandsoft, a game developer. Al Sharif was stranded at Barcelona airport on Friday because of the <keyword id="20972526" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="IT-outage" source="keywords">IT outage</keyword> disrupting travel and other services. The following has been edited for length and clarity.</em><br /><br />I've worked in tech for close to two decades. I've been a <keyword id="19945384" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="software-engineer" source="keywords">software engineer</keyword> and startup founder, and have worked for large companies like Electronic Arts and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/meta-ends-restrictions-donald-trump-account-social-media-2024-7">Meta</a>.<br /><br />I was supposed to be flying from Barcelona-El Prat Airport to London Heathrow on business at 11 a.m. local time.<br /><br />I was surprised to arrive and find the flights shuttered. I was also surprised to learn there had been significant <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/crowdstrike-global-it-outage-one-defective-it-update-sparked-chaos-2024-7">malfunctions across multiple Windows-based systems</a> at the airport. It took some digging to find out that it was a global event.<br /><br />Even as an engineer, the outage has been strange to witness. I didn't believe there was this much dependency on a single piece of third-party software or that pushing an update irresponsibly would cause this much havoc.<br /><br /><h2><strong>I realized the IT outage was happening after I arrived to chaos at the airport</strong></h2>I left for the airport at 8 a.m. Before I got there, there were some early signs of something being wrong.<br /><br />I couldn't log in to my online banking app, and things were a bit slow when I logged into my Outlook-based email, but I chalked it up to my hotel WiFi.<br /><br />When I got to the airport at around 8:20 a.m., it was packed. The queues were endless. Several check-in desks displayed blue screens, and no one was being processed. I realized something bigger was happening.<br /><br />I couldn't understand where to queue, and when I asked an airport advisor, they said there was no point queuing now because there was a problem with the ticketing, booking, and reservation systems.<br /><br />I asked if our airport was the only one affected, and they told me that it was happening everywhere.<br /><br />That's when my furious Googling began. I realized that the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/crowdstrike-outage-why-taking-time-companies-recover-2024-7">issue was with CrowdStrike</a>, and it was happening globally.<br /><br /><h2><strong>Disruptions at the airport continued throughout the day</strong></h2>Over the course of the day, baggage-drop machines, vending machines, and most display boards at the airport weren't working.<br /><br />Check-ins were being done manually. Before I was given a handwritten paper ticket, I had to prove I had booked a flight for that day by showing staff my emails as proof of payment. Anyone with checked luggage had to bring it to the gate, and airport staff were throwing it into the cargo hold by hand.<br /><br />  <div type="image" title="A handwritten boarding pass" height="565" width="1280" msid="111870426" hostid="261"></div>My own <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mass-it-outage-microsoft-chaos-delays-distruption-shown-in-photos-2024-7">flight has been delayed</a> by six hours, and I'm still in the airport as we're speaking. It's been annoying and inconvenient, but thankfully, the company is covering my travel, and they understand the situation is out of my control.<br /><br />I've spoken to people waiting in the airport for 11 hours. People seem pretty frustrated.<br /><br /><h2><strong>I was surprised to learn about <keyword id="20424191" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="CrowdStrike" source="keywords">CrowdStrike</keyword>'s dominance on <keyword id="19895622" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="microsoft" source="keywords">Microsoft</keyword> devices</strong></h2>During my delay, I've been trying to understand the situation more. It's quite intriguing and reveals that we've taken for granted how interconnected our world is and how dependent we are.<br /><br />I was surprised to learn that the cascading failures were caused by an update CrowdStrike pushed early Friday morning.<br /><br />CrowdStrike is well-known in the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-work-in-cybersecurity-expert-advice-2022-1">cybersecurity industry</a>, but until today, I don't think anyone was aware of its dominance as a platform on Windows. It didn't cross my mind that a third-party solution could cause this much damage to Windows-based machines.<br /><br />One of the cardinal rules of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/software-engineers-tech-panicking-golden-age-over-chatgpt-ai-blind-2023-4">software development</a> is that you typically don't want to push a fix later in the week or on a Friday. You'll have less support trying to fix any issues and the weekend is gone.<br /><br />It feels like cardinal rules were broken. However, CrowdStrike might have evidence to suggest that this is a freak accident, so I don't think it's fair to point fingers too much.<br /><br />I've seen people comment on this situation about diversification and companies not relying on just one or two providers. I don't think that's realistic.<br /><br />Windows is commonly used. In any free market economy, the best-performing and most suitable product will dominate the market.<br /><br />We need more stringent reviewing and a better understanding of the tools we use on critical infrastructure. The impact here was so big because it affected infrastructure like airports, railway stations, and hospitals. It's going to cost the economy a lot.<br /><br />Had there been more due diligence or even government regulation, I don't think this would have happened.<br /><br />I'd expect that after this, government authorities will expect widely used platforms like CrowdStrike to notify them before they push changes like this.<br /><br /><h2><strong>Technology will shape our future, so we need to consider how we regulate it</strong></h2>We haven't seen the full impact of this outage, and it's definitely put into perspective how the little devices we keep in our pockets dictate the rhythms of our lives.<br /><br />I don't think anyone really understood the true scope and presence of CrowdStrike before Friday.<br /><br />I still see our future becoming increasingly automated. There will probably be many more situations like this, especially as our society pushes toward more automation. I still think technology is a good thing, but it's made me want to get my bills in the post now and then.<br /><br />It usually takes a horizon event like this for lessons to be learned. I don't think technology is intrinsically good or evil; it depends on how it's used and regulated.<br /><br /><em>Correction: July 20, 2024 — An earlier version of the story misstated how long Al Sharif had worked in tech. He has worked in tech roles for close to two decades, including as a teenager, not "decades," as originally stated.</em><br />

I'm a software engineer stranded in the IT-outage airport chaos. CrowdStrike broke a cardinal rule of software development, and I can't believe the fallout.     

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/major-disruptions-airline-bank-london-stock-exchange-microsoft-outage-2024-7">global CrowdStrike IT outage</a> is affecting countless industries, including healthcare.</li><li>Some major US hospitals are struggling to access systems containing crucial patient records.</li></ul><p>Major hospital systems across the US are seeing effects on patient care in the wake of the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mass-it-outage-companies-operations-airlines-affected-microsoft-crowdstrike-2024-7">mass CrowdStrike IT outage Friday</a>.</p><p>Some health centers are struggling to access <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/electronic-health-records-benefits-challenges">patients' digital records</a>, including information vital to patient care, such as medical history and recent medications they've taken, and others are canceling non-emergency surgeries and procedures.</p><p>Mount Nittany Health in Pennsylvania <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://mountnittany.org/news-stories/general-news/mount-nittany-health-impacted-by-nationwide-it-outage/">said</a> it was canceling "all non-emergent appointments, including surgeries" at multiple locations because of "significant disruptions across our entire health system," The Guardian <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/article/2024/jul/19/crowdstrike-microsoft-outage">reported</a>.</p><p>Mass General Brigham in Boston canceled "all non-urgent visits" for Friday as it's "not able to access our clinical systems, including patient health records and scheduling," it said on its <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.massgeneralbrigham.org/en">website</a>. Its emergency rooms are still open, and it remains open for urgent appointments and procedures.</p><p>The Harris Health Quentin Mease Health Center in Houston <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/harrishealth">said</a> it was canceling "outpatient clinic appointments and elective hospital procedures," NBC News <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/live-blog/live-updates-it-outage-flights-banks-businesses-microsoft-crowdstrike-rcna162669/rcrd47119?canonicalCard=true">reported</a>. It said that "hospital visitation and patient information" was not available at two hospitals due to the outage. Harris' health centers are open for clinic appointments but "some services may not be available," it said on social media.</p><p>New York's Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center said Friday afternoon that it was "having systems issues" but that most of its systems and procedures had been reinstated. The center had earlier in the day said it was "pausing the start of any procedure that requires anesthesia," Bloomberg <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-07-19/global-it-outage-is-hitting-doctor-appointments-across-the-uk">reported</a>.</p><p>Besides postponing procedures, the outage has also complicated <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/healthcare-startup-is-remodeling-patient-care-in-rural-america-2022-7">patient care</a> in other ways. Nurses across the country have <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.tiktok.com/search?q=paper%20charting&amp;t=1721409401990">said</a> on social media, for example, that the outage has forced them to create patients' medical charts on paper due to computer system issues.</p>

Some US hospitals are canceling non-emergency surgeries and procedures amid the global IT outage

<keyword id="20153680" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-benchmark-indices" source="keywords">Indian benchmark indices</keyword> reached fresh <keyword id="19919943" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="record-highs" source="keywords">record highs</keyword> on Wednesday, driven by gains in <keyword id="22189713" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="banking-and-media-stocks" source="keywords">banking and media stocks</keyword>.<br /><br />Sensex closed at 78,572.43, up 518.91 points and <keyword id="19896381" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nifty" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Nifty" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Nifty">Nifty</keyword> 120.60 points high closing at 23,868.80 after the close of the market on June 26.<br /><br />The <keyword id="19950208" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="BSE-Sensex" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="BSE Sensex" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="BSE Sensex">BSE Sensex</keyword> soared to an all-time high of 78,759.40, closing at 78,674.25 with an increase of 620.72 points or 0.80 per cent.<br /><br />Concurrently, the NSE <keyword id="20641216" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nifty-50" source="keywords">Nifty 50</keyword> climbed 147.50 points or 0.62 per cent to settle at 23,868.80, having hit a record high of 23,889.90 during the session.<br /><br />Leading the gains on the NSE Nifty 50 were <keyword id="19896380" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Reliance-Industries" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Reliance Industries" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Reliance Industries">Reliance Industries</keyword>, <keyword id="19951944" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bharti-Airtel" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Bharti Airtel" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Bharti Airtel">Bharti Airtel</keyword>, UltraTech Cement, ICICI Bank, and Grasim. Conversely, Apollo Hospitals, Mahindra &amp; Mahindra, Bajaj Auto, Tata Steel, and Hindalco Industries emerged as the top laggards.<br /><br />Reliance Industries set a new record high, while Bharti Airtel surged over 3 per cent, marking significant large-cap gains on the major indices.<br /><br />The broader markets displayed mixed performance with the Nifty SmallCap rising by 0.11 per cent and the MidCap slightly declining by 0.05 per cent. Sector-wise, the Nifty Media rose by 1.7 per cent, Nifty Bank by 0.5 per cent, and Nifty FMCG by 0.4 per cent. The Metal sector remained the top loser, dropping over 1.39 per cent.<br /><br />Among the sectoral indices, Nifty Bank, Financial Services, FMCG, Media, Pharma, PSU Banks, Private Banks and Oil and Gas remains in the green territory. The stock of sectors such as Consumer durables, Midsmall healthcare,Realty, Metal and IT ended in the green.<br /><br />Foreign investors made a substantial move by buying Indian equities, while domestic investors showed differing market sentiment by selling shares.<br /><br />"Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) sustained their buying streak for the 12th consecutive session, acquiring USD 141 million worth of shares on Tuesday. Since June 7, FPIs have invested a total of USD 3.7 billion in Indian equities, buoyed by reduced policy uncertainty. Domestic institutional investors (DIIs) have also been active, purchasing USD 1.6 billion worth of shares in the same period," Varun Aggarwal MD, Profit Idea.<br /><br />"Gold and silver prices are declining due to the Federal Reserve's aggressive stance on maintaining higher interest rates, which increases US Treasury bond yields and limits precious metal gains. However, geopolitical tensions between Israel and Lebanon are supporting safe-haven demand," he added.<br /><br />Gold is trading between Rs 71,000 and Rs 71,800, awaiting a breakout to establish a new trend.<br />

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