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The massive outage that knocked out cellphone service for tens of thousands of AT&T users for hours Thursday was likely caused by a glitch in a software update — as viral photos show helpless AT&T store workers being harassed by angry customers.

AT&T blamed the large-scale service disruption that impacted more than 70,000 users across the US and parts of Canada at its peak on an unspecified coding error and not on a cyberattack, as widely feared.

“Based on our initial review, we believe that today’s outage was caused by the application and execution of an incorrect process used as we were expanding our network,” the carrier said in a statement late Thursday.

They done walked AT&T down ? buddy just work there ? pic.twitter.com/IjAePm5KFj— JP (@lostfilesjp) February 22, 2024

The “incorrect process in question” reportedly related to a software update gone awry, according to preliminary information from two sources familiar with the matter who spoke to ABC News on condition of anonymity.

The outage that left customers unable to make calls or send text messages was not caused by a malicious external actor, one of the outlets sources said.

AT&T Outage Today Had This Employee In Florida Stressed Tf Out ?? pic.twitter.com/usNAS4ur3F— Raphouse TV (RHTV) (@raphousetv7) February 22, 2024

Some frustrated AT&T customers flocked to their local cellphone stores to vent their frustration about the outage, as seen in viral photos and videos circulating on X.

One post that has drawn more than 19 million views shows a visibly befuddled AT&T worker standing outside a store surrounded by a crowd of people.

“They done walked AT&T down,” the accompanying caption read. “Buddy just work there.”

Another post on X showed an AT&T employee in Florida being berated by a man over the service disruption.

“I can’t even get a text message or a phone call out,” the unhappy customer whines.

“But sir, what do you want me to do What the hell, man!” the fed-up store staffer replies, adding: “Sir, we’re having an outage! Do you know what an outage is?”

“I know what an outage is,” the man replies.

“So what the f–k do you want me to do?” the worker fires back. “I don’t know what the f–k to tell you. Y’all stressing me out. I already don’t get paid enough.”

AT&T, the nation’s largest cellphone carrier whose 5G network covers around 290 million users in the US, spent more than 10 hours on Thursday restoring its service,

Outage tracker Downdetector noted that outages, which began at about 3:30 a.m. peaked at around 73,000 reported incidents.

The service was restored by 2:15 p.m.

“We are taking steps to ensure our customers do not experience this again in the future,” AT&T said on its website.

The Federal Communications Commission said it was investigating the outage, while the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency said it was working with cellphone carrier to get to the bottom of what happened.

White House spokesman John Kirby said the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security were also looking into the outage.

“We are being told AT&T has no reason to think this was a cyber or security incident,” said Kirby. “But the bottom line is we don’t have all the answers.

With Post wires

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Sports

Seize the Grey wins Preakness, denies Mystik Dan

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Seize the Grey wins Preakness, denies Mystik Dan

Seize the Grey went wire to wire to win the Preakness Stakes on Saturday, giving 88-year-old Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas a seventh victory in the race and ending Mystik Dan’s Triple Crown bid.

The gray colt, ridden by Jamie Torres, took advantage of the muddy track just like Lukas hoped he would, pulling off the upset at Pimlico Race Course in a second consecutive impressive start two weeks after romping in a race on the Kentucky Derby undercard at Churchill Downs. Seize the Grey went off at 9-1, one of the longest shots on the board.

Mystik Dan finished second in the field of eight horses running in the $2 million, 1 3/16-mile race. After falling short of going back to back following his win by a nose in the Kentucky Derby, it would be a surprise if he runs in the Belmont Stakes on June 8 at Saratoga Race Course.

Mystic Dan’s second-place finish extends a six-year drought in which the Kentucky Derby winner has failed to repeat at the Preakness Stakes. It is the longest such drought since 1989 to 1997, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.

Seize the Grey was a surprise Preakness winner facing tougher competition than in the Pat Day Mile on May 4. Though given the Lukas connection, it should never be a surprise when one of his horses is covered in a blanket of black-eyed Susan flowers.

No one in the race’s 149-year history has saddled more horses in the Preakness than Lukas with 48 since debuting in 1980. He had two this time, with Just Steel finishing fifth.

Lukas has now won the Preakness seven times, one short of the record held by two-time Triple Crown-winning trainer and close friend Bob Baffert, whose Imagination finished seventh. Baffert also was supposed to have two horses in the field and arguably the best, but morning line favorite Muth was scratched earlier in the week because of a fever.

Muth’s absence made Mystik Dan the 2-1 favorite, but he and jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. could not replicate their perfect Derby trip — when they won the race’s first three-way photo finish since 1947. Instead, Torres rode Seize the Grey to a win in his first Preakness.

This was the last Preakness held at Pimlico Race Course as it stands before demolition begins on the historic but deteriorating track, which will still hold the 150th running of it next year during construction.

That process is already well underway at Belmont Park, which is why the final leg of the Triple Crown is happening at Saratoga for the first time and is being shortened to 1¼ miles because of the shape of the course. Kentucky Derby second-place finisher Sierra Leone, a half step from winning, is expected to headline that field.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

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Politics

Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris will not stand at next election

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Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris will not stand at next election

Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris has said he won’t be standing at the next general election but will keep campaigning for the Conservative Party.

In a letter to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, which he posted on X on Saturday night, Mr Heaton-Harris said after 24 years in politics, it had been an “honour and a privilege to serve”.

He thanked the people of Daventry, Mr Sunak and former Tory leaders, including Theresa May, Boris Johnson and Liz Truss, “for putting their trust in me”.

Mr Heaton-Harris, who has been serving as Northern Ireland secretary since September 2022, said: “I started as a campaigner and I’ll be out campaigning for @Conservatives at the next election because we are the only party that has and can deliver for the whole of the United Kingdom.”

He joins an exodus of Tory politicians who have announced they will be leaving Westminster at the next general election.

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More than 100 MPs from across the Commons have said they will not be standing.

Those who have announced their intention to leave parliament range from the longest-serving female MP, Labour’s Harriet Harman, to one of those only elected at the last election in 2019, Conservative MP Dehenna Davison.

Of the more than 60 Tory MPs stepping aside, high profile names include former cabinet ministers Ben Wallace, Sajid Javid, Dominic Raab and Kwasi Kwarteng.

Back in March, Mrs May, 67, said she too had taken the “difficult decision” to quit the Commons after 27 years representing her Maidenhead constituency.

The last possible day for a general election is Tuesday 28 January 2025.

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UK

Oleksandr Usyk defeats Tyson Fury to become heavyweight champion of the world

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Oleksandr Usyk defeats Tyson Fury to become heavyweight champion of the world

Oleksandr Usyk has become the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world after defeating Tyson Fury in boxing’s biggest fight of the century.

The Ukrainian won on a split decision following the match in Saudi Arabia.

Usyk had 115-112 and 114-113 on two cards, while Fury took the other 114-113.

Oleksandr Usyk lands a punch on Tyson Fury. Pic: PA
Image:
Oleksandr Usyk lands a punch on Tyson Fury. Pic: PA

Fury disputed his loss after the match, saying: “I believe I won that fight. I believe he won a few rounds but I won more of them.

“Make no mistake I won that fight and I’ll be back.”

In response Usyk said he was “ready for a rematch”.

Tyson Fury v Oleksandr Usyk. Pic: Action Images via Reuters
Image:
Pic: Action Images via Reuters

Fury came under early pressure, with Usyk taking the centre of the ring with an aggressive offensive from the start.

At one point Fury was pushed against the ropes and started laughing as Usyk applied pressure.

The “Gypsy King” looked relaxed as he moved around the ring in the early rounds and picked his shots.

Pic: PA
Image:
Pic: PA

Tyson Fury lunges at Oleksandr Usyk. Pic: PA
Image:
Fury lunges at Usyk. Pic: PA

But after Usyk landed a right hook in the ninth round it looked as if Fury was in serious trouble. The Ukrainian followed up by unloading freely but somehow the bookmakers’ favourite stayed on his feet and was saved by the bell.

Last night, Fury weighed in at 262lbs (18st 10lbs) – nearly three stone heavier than Usyk, who clocked in at a career heaviest of 223lbs (15st 13lbs).

Fury refused to look at his opponent during a news conference on Thursday, but did not back down at the weigh-in last night, where the pair almost came to blows before being separated by their entourages.

Usyk arrived into the ring first, dressed as a Cossack warrior.

Fury entered to songs by Barry White and Bonnie Tyler, with the “Gypsy King” spending several minutes dancing on stage before the song changed to Holding Out For A Hero.

Anthony Joshua watched from the ringside, knowing he could meet the winner early next year.

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