Supermarket freezers in Belgium, Sweden, and Luxembourg were compromised in a suspected cyber-attack, with temperatures deliberately raised and perishable inventory destroyed. Plus botulism in smoked fish, Ebola deaths climbing in Congo, and ransomware targeting critical US infrastructure.
Vitality Works Inc. of Albuquerque, New Mexico, is recalling one lot (lot number 2025-26227) of 365 Whole Foods Market Standardized + Full Spectrum Blend Ashwagandha Capsules (120 count) due to potential Salmonella contamination, according to the CDC. The product was sold nationwide from November 24, 2025, through October 20, 2026, both online through Amazon.com and at Whole Foods Market stores. The affected lot can be identified by lot number 2025-26227 and expiration date 10/13/2028 printed on the bottle bottom.
Healthy persons infected with Salmonella may experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, Salmonella can enter the bloodstream and cause severe illnesses such as arterial infections and arthritis. Young children, frail or elderly people, and those with weakened immune systems face higher risk of serious or fatal infection.
Check any ashwagandha capsules in your home and discern the lot number on the bottle bottom. If you have lot 2025-26227, discard it or return it to Whole Foods or Amazon for a refund. Do not consume.
Authorities in India's Andhra Pradesh state are evacuating residents as Cyclone Murasu approaches a region still recovering from Cyclone Arnab, which struck last week. About 2,000 people had been evacuated by Monday, with plans to evacuate approximately 30,000 more, according to Reuters reporting. The India Meteorological Department said the cyclone was likely to cross the south Andhra Pradesh coast between Nellore and Narsapur near Ongole from 11:30pm Monday to 4am Tuesday with wind speeds of 100 to 110 kilometres per hour (60 to 70 miles per hour), with gusts up to 120km/h (75mph).
Officials estimate that 6,000 to 8,000 electrical poles could be damaged, posing a severe threat to power supply in the region. Schools have been closed in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Odisha, with rain expected to continue through Wednesday as the storm weakens. Six National Disaster Response Force teams and seven State Disaster Response Force teams have been deployed in advance.
If you live in or travel to cyclone-prone regions, monitor official meteorological advisories and follow evacuation orders immediately. Prepare a go-bag with three days of water and non-perishable food, medications, important documents, and a battery-powered or hand-crank radio. After the storm, assume power outages of several days and a disrupted water supply.
Back-to-back cyclones stress local supply chains and power infrastructure. Keep at least three days of water, food, and medicines on hand if you live in cyclone zones.
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), FBI, U.S. Secret Service, and international partners released a joint advisory warning of SafePay Ransomware, one of the most active ransomware groups in 2026, impacting approximately 600 victims across sectors in the Americas, Europe, and Australia. SafePay actors gain access to victim networks by compromising credentials and exploiting known vulnerabilities in internet-facing devices, often connecting through VPN services. Once inside, they use legitimate IT tools to move through networks, steal data, encrypt systems, delete or disable backups, and pressure victims to pay by threatening to publish stolen information and calling victims directly.
Although this threat primarily targets organizations, households should recognize that critical infrastructure compromises can lead to cascading disruptions in power, water, communications, and food supply. The advisory notes that public-facing devices with known vulnerabilities remain frequently targeted.
Update all internet-facing devices (routers, modems, security cameras) with the latest patches and firmware. Use strong, unique passwords for all accounts and enable multi-factor authentication where possible. If you receive a call claiming to be from a utility or critical service demanding payment or information, hang up and call the official number on your bill. Back up important data offline.
Ransomware targeting critical infrastructure can disrupt utilities and supply chains. Keep emergency supplies and offline backups of critical information.
This issue reflects what was reported by November 2, 2026. Each section is based on one of these reports; follow the links for the full story and the latest figures.
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