AI In-brief 1 Oct 08:14

China's Xi says 'light of hope in front of us' on Covid

President Xi Jinping declared a "new phase" in China's Covid response, expressing hope despite a massive surge in cases following the abrupt end of the "zero-Covid" policy.
The sudden policy shift has overwhelmed Chinese hospitals and crematoriums, with official infection and death figures appearing inconsistent with the reality on the ground.
China will lift mandatory quarantine for international travelers from January 8, prompting several nations (including the US, Canada, and European countries) to impose new testing requirements or travel bans due to concerns over new variants and a lack of data transparency from Beijing.
The World Health Organization (WHO) supports countries' precautionary measures given China's limited data sharing, while some, like the European Airports Council, criticize the new travel restrictions as unscientific.

AI In-brief Yesterday 13:40

Supermarket freezers in several European countries hit by apparent cyberattacks

Supermarkets across Sweden, Belgium, Luxembourg, Ireland, and Estonia reported widespread freezer and fridge malfunctions due to apparent cyberattacks.
The attacks caused refrigeration systems to overheat, with temperatures soaring to 50 degrees Celsius (122 F), forcing stores to discard spoiled food and limit fresh/frozen product availability.
Major chains like ICA Group, Coop, Delhaize, Carrefour, and SuperValu confirmed impacts, with some incidents quickly resolved, while others experienced temporary disruptions.
These incidents follow a similar pattern to a cyberattack last month in France that targeted older refrigeration systems in hundreds of stores, suggesting a coordinated effort.