Saudi Warning System Went Silent, IMF Warns on AI, and Hackers Hit French Fridges

Saudi Arabia held a major oil conference on Monday, even as questions grew about why its warning system went quiet before deadly attacks on the country's airports. At least 18 people were killed and more than 300 were hurt in four attacks over the past week. Energy minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman urged oil company leaders to stay focused on the future. He told them the situation was serious and that the response had to match that seriousness.

Before the attacks, Saudi Arabia had been sending safety alerts to people through cell phones and social media since May. The warning system went silent in the days just before the attacks happened, and the government did not explain why. Officials told Reuters the silence was meant to keep things feeling normal. The alerts have since started up again in Riyadh and other cities.

The IMF released its latest report on the world economy at a meeting in Bangkok, Thailand. The report said that strong investment in AI technology is helping keep global economic growth at about 3.1% this year. High energy prices from the war in the Middle East have been slowing growth, but AI investment is helping make up for that drag. However, the IMF also warned that AI could become a serious risk if the high expectations for it do not come true.

In France, hackers carried out a serious cyber attack on supermarket chains across the country. They remotely changed the temperature settings on refrigerators and freezers, with some units set as high as 122 degrees Fahrenheit. The result was spoiled food, broken equipment, and even some fires. Retailers expect to lose tens of millions of euros because of the attack.