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  • What Is ‘The Havana Syndrome’ And Its Link To Russia? , world news

    The Pentagon recently confirmed that a high-ranking Defense Department official who participated in last year’s NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, exhibited symptoms resembling the “Havana syndrome.”

    The investigation into the Havana syndrome continues, encompassing a series of health issues dating back to 2016. During this time, personnel at the US Embassy in Havana began reporting instances of sudden, unexplained sensations of pressure in the head or ears, and episodes of dizziness. .

    The harm inflicted on American government personnel, or their relatives was highlighted in a “60 Minutes” broadcast on CBS, which implied Russian involvement in these incidents. However, the Kremlin dismissed the allegations that Russian military intelligence may be behind this mysterious illness.

    What Is The Havana Syndrome?

    The term “Havana Syndrome” describes a set of puzzling symptoms encountered by American diplomats, notably those stationed at the US Embassy in Havana. The phenomenon emerged in the winter of 2017 when diplomats began reporting illnesses and strange sensations, including intense sounds and pressure in their heads.

    Recently, a senior Department of Defense official experienced symptoms like those anomalous incidents, reported AP. The reports do not suggest whether the affected defense official had to seek further medical care or retire citing medical privacy.

    In another case, Audrey Lee, a Foreign Service officer recounted an abrupt sensation of pressure in her head while washing dishes in her kitchen, according to the New Yorker. Comparable incidents were reported by fellow diplomats, sparking speculation about potential sonic assaults by a foreign party utilizing unspecified sonic weaponry.

    Symptoms And Causes of the Havana Syndrome

    According to reports by AP, the symptoms encompass a wide range, including issues with balance, sleep disturbances, dizziness, concentration difficulties, and many medical conditions could be responsible for their onset.

    As per a recent investigation by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), MRI scans did not uncover any signs of brain injuries in several American personnel reporting AHI (acute and highly unusual illnesses). Suspicions have persisted that individuals affected might have been targeted by directed energy or microwaves emitted from covert devices—a notion recognized in a previous intelligence report from the United States, as reported by the BBC.

    Which Foreign Agency Is Behind These Acoustic Attack?

    In February, the 2024 threat assessment from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence of US concluded that it was improbable for a foreign adversary to be accountable for the enigmatic ailments. The report acknowledged that US intelligence agencies held differing degrees of confidence in this evaluation.

    Nevertheless, State Department representative Matthew Miller assured the Associated Press following renewed allegations against Russian Secret Intelligence that the department maintains confidence in that evaluation. “It has been the broad conclusion of the intelligence community since March 2023 that is unlikely a foreign adversary is responsible for these anomalous health incidents,” Miller said.

  • State Dept. To Pay 6-Determine Sums To ‘Havana Syndrome’ Sufferers

    WASHINGTON (AP) — The State Division is making ready to compensate sufferers of mysterious mind accidents colloquially referred to as “Havana Syndrome” with six-figure bills, in line with officers and a congressional aide.

    Present and previous State Division personnel and their households who suffered from “qualifying accidents” since instances have been first reported amongst U.S. embassy body of workers in Cuba in 2016 will obtain bills of between kind of $100,000 and $200,000 each and every, the officers and aide stated.

    Explicit quantities shall be decided to by way of the level and severity of the sufferers’ accidents, that have integrated mind harm now not restricted to vertigo, cognitive harm, eyesight and listening to issues, in line with the officers and aides.

    The bills will follow best to sufferers hired by way of the State Division and their dependents. Different sufferers may have any repayment treated by way of the federal company that hired them. About 20% of the entire collection of sufferers are or have been hired by way of the State Division. Nearly all of the others have been hired by way of the CIA or the Division of Protection, that have their very own clinical insurance policies.

    The officers and aide spoke on situation of anonymity forward of the predicted e-newsletter subsequent week of the State Division’s plan to compensate sufferers underneath the phrases of the HAVANA Act, which President Joe Biden signed into legislation remaining 12 months.

    That draft rule is predicted to be revealed early subsequent week and won’t change into ultimate till after a 30-day duration by which public remark shall be solicited. The State Division, along side the Administrative center of Control and Price range and the Administrative center of Body of workers Control, will believe the feedback prior to enacting a last rule.

    The State Division declined Thursday to talk about the quantities of the proposed bills however famous that the HAVANA Act authorizes it “to offer bills to body of workers for sure qualifying accidents to the mind” and calls for it to put up its plans for imposing such reduction, which it stated would occur “quickly.”

    In spite of just about six years of investigation, scientists, physicians and govt officers had been not able to resolve the reason for the wounds, which some have speculated are the results of microwave or different varieties of assault from a overseas energy. Russia is maximum ceaselessly accused of being at the back of the alleged assaults, even if there was no proof to again up such claims.

    The mysterious accidents first started to be reported amongst U.S. embassy personnel in Havana, Cuba, in past due 2016 and feature since unfold to just about 70 international locations on all continents aside from Antarctica. The collection of experiences has tapered off dramatically because the starting of this 12 months.

  • ’60 Mins’ Releases Eerie ‘Havana Syndrome’ Audio After White Space Incidents

    New audio posted via “60 Mins” on Sunday unearths what the noise connected to “Havana Syndrome” seems like to people who declare to have skilled the mysterious situation.

    Those that’ve suffered say it all started after listening to this sound.

    On the other hand, “60 Mins” stated paying attention to the audio, recorded via an unnamed former professional, won’t result in any of the issues related to the syndrome because the sound is a “byproduct” and now not the purpose.

    Speaker alert: You may wish to flip down the quantity prior to taking part in this:

    Whilst many of the incidents connected to the situation came about out of the country, the CBS Information display reported a number of instances round Washington, D.C. ― together with some on White Space grounds.

    “It was once like this piercing feeling at the aspect of my head, it was once like, I bring it to mind was once at the proper aspect of my head and I were given vertigo,” Olivia Troye, a hometown safety and counterterrorism adviser to then-Vice President Mike Pence, informed “60 Mins.”

    She stated she felt it in 2019 on a staircase within the Eisenhower Government Workplace Development, which is a part of the White Space campus, in addition to 3 times at the close by Ellipse.

    “I used to be unsteady, I used to be, I felt nauseous, I used to be moderately disoriented, and I take into account pondering, ‘OK you’ve were given to ― don’t cave in the steps. You’ve were given to search out your flooring once more and secure your self,’” she stated.

    Loads of U.S. officers have stated they’ve suffered from a variety of unexplained problems together with complications and nausea after listening to bizarre sounds, with the primary identified instances traced to body of workers on the U.S. Embassy in Cuba in 2016, giving the situation its title.

    The CIA closing 12 months stated maximum instances didn’t seem to be brought about via a overseas energy, however investigations proceed.

    To this point, no company clarification has emerged however theories come with a weapon the usage of power, similar to microwaves. Others have speculated at a mental starting place, together with mass psychogenic sickness, extra popularly referred to as “mass hysteria.”

    Whilst the Trump management treated the situation with skepticism, President Joe Biden closing 12 months signed law to verify care and repayment to sufferers.

    Learn the total “60 Mins” record right here.

  • US diplomats, spies will have been hit by way of electromagnetic power – document

    Probably the most 1,000 US diplomats and intelligence officials hit by way of a mysterious sickness referred to as Havana Syndrome will have been centered by way of electromagnetic power pulses, in step with a report back to US intelligence leaders launched on Wednesday.

    “Pulse electromagnetic power, in particular within the radio frequency vary, plausibly explains” the ear ache, vertigo, and different signs of a few of the ones struggling the diseases first reported by way of US diplomats within the Cuban capital in 2016, professionals from outside and inside america govt stated.

    The panel of professionals was once convened by way of Director of Nationwide Intelligence Avril Haines and CIA Deputy Director David Cohen. The combo of signs “can’t be simply defined by way of recognized setting or scientific stipulations” amongst a subset of sufferers.

    The selection of the ones other people was once no longer disclosed within the document’s unclassified govt abstract. Instances had been reported in Russia, China, Tajikistan and a few African nations.

    The findings echo a 2020 Nationwide Academy of Sciences learn about and observe a Jan 20 intervening time CIA document which concluded that it was once not going that Russia or any other overseas adversary was once in the back of lots of the so-called “anomalous well being incidents.”

    The CIA document, alternatively, stated there have been about two dozen circumstances of the 1,000 that remained unexplained.

    The document launched on Wednesday didn’t delve into accountability. However its conclusions will most probably gas frustration amongst present and previous US officers who lack a transparent clarification for his or her continual afflictions.

    “We weren’t taking a look at attribution or assigning it to a overseas adversary or actor. We caught to the causal mechanism,” a US intelligence reliable accustomed to the document informed journalists.

    The findings “toughen the desire for a coordinated, entire of presidency way,” Mark Zaid, a legal professional representing sufferers from a large number of US govt companies, stated in a observation.

    “Those piece-meal company critiques every now and then expose inconsistent or even contradictory effects.”

    Eric Lander, director of the White Area Place of business of Science and Era Coverage, stated in a observation that the panel labored for just about 9 months and was once the primary of a number of knowledgeable teams to have such intensive get right of entry to “to intelligence reporting and affected person information.”

    The panel discovered that the indications “are authentic and compelling” according to scientific reviews and interviews with physicians and sufferers.

    Find that “pulsed electromagnetic power” might be the reason, the panel stated “knowledge gaps exist” however there are a number of believable techniques the power will have been generated “every with its personal necessities, obstacles and unknowns.”

    Such assets exist that “are concealable and feature average energy necessities,” the document stated. “The usage of non-standard antennas and methods, the alerts might be propagated with low loss” during the air and development fabrics.

    Folks unintentionally uncovered to electromagnetic power alerts – which come with radio waves, microwaves and X-rays – have reported “sensations” very similar to the indications reported by way of Havana Syndrome sufferers, the document famous.

    Ultrasound additionally may account for the indications, however provided that a sufferer was once in shut proximity to the beam as a result of ultrasound “propagates poorly during the air and development fabrics,” it persisted.

    Psychosocial components – which come with paintings calls for, pressure and despair – can’t on my own account for the core signs of Havana Syndrome, it stated.

    The document introduced suggestions to lend a hand perceive, save you and organize the afflictions, together with gathering and coordinating incident and scientific information inside of america govt.