US intelligence: "Havana Syndrome" is not caused by a foreign entity

CIA officials have announced that most cases of the mysterious illness that afflicted US officials, known as "Havana Syndrome," were not caused by a foreign power.

CIA officials have announced that most cases of the mysterious illness that afflicted US officials, known as "Havana Syndrome", were not caused by a foreign power.

The first case of the disease was reported in Cuba in 2016, and since that time US diplomats are still suffering from the same symptoms, prompting analysts to speculate that Russia, China or another adversary is behind this disease.

Americans who had Havana syndrome complained of symptoms, most notably dizziness, headache, and a severe and painful sound in their ears.

Cases have also been reported in Geneva, Berlin and elsewhere.

Some US officials speculate that the disease may be caused by so-called "microwave attacks", prompting speculation that the disease may be a type of weapon used by a foreign entity such as Russia. But Moscow has long denied any involvement in the matter.

For his part, a CIA official told CBS that the agency "has not yet found evidence of the involvement of an active state in any incident." He added that most cases can be explained by medical conditions or environmental and specific factors, "including previously undiagnosed diseases".

But defenders of the victims of the Havana syndrome said that "not all cases can be refuted with this interpretation..." It cannot and should not be the last word on this matter, because it is neither definitive nor comprehensive.

For his part, said CIA Director, William Burns, that the investigations will continue.

"We've had some important interim findings, but we're not done yet," Burns told the New York Times.

The State Department refuses to give any estimates of the number of people affected by the syndrome. A source close to the file said recently: “The number of two hundred” is confirmed or suspected.

Last November, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken called on every diplomat involved to disclose their situation without fear of "criticism" or "negative repercussions".

He said the presumed victims were being cared for at Johns Hopkins University Hospital, a well-known facility in Baltimore, near Washington.

He explained that some diplomats are now undergoing in-depth neurological, audiological and ophthalmological examinations before leaving to work abroad "to obtain a basis for comparison if they later report an abnormal health incident."

Countries call on Russia to reduce tension with Ukraine and America warns against reviving the Cold War

The US Secretary of State warned that Russia may revive an era of dangerous European divisions during the Cold War, by threatening Ukraine and its right to make sovereign decisions, while Germany and Britain called on Russia to reduce tension.

The Russian-Western tension is rising, as Moscow continues to amass more forces on the borders of Ukraine, more than 100,000 troops, according to US statements.

As a result, Western warnings to Russia continue, and an attempt to remedy any war it might launch against Ukraine in light of the escalation.

Cold War dangers

On Thursday, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken warned that Russia could revive an era of dangerous European divisions during the Cold War by threatening Ukraine and its right to make sovereign decisions.

In a speech in Berlin on the eve of talks with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, Blinken said that Russia, by requesting that Ukraine not be included in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), is violating the principle that countries can make their own decisions.

“Allowing Russia to violate those principles with impunity will drag us all into more dangerous and destabilizing times, when this continent, and this city, were divided into two parts, separated by a buffer zone where soldiers patrolled, while the threat of all-out war was over our heads,” he said. ".

"It will send a message to others around the world that these principles are subject to change," he added.

He added, "This is more than a conflict between two countries and more than a conflict between Russia and NATO. It is a crisis with international repercussions. It requires international attention and action."

Blinken warned of the devastation of an invasion, eight years after a pro-Russian separatist insurgency in eastern Ukraine killed more than 13,000 people.

"The human toll of a new Russian aggression will be much greater than what we have seen so far," he said.

In the same context, the chief economic official in the White House said today, Thursday, that any sanctions imposed on Russia because of its aggression against Ukraine will not affect the American economy in particular, although the Biden administration is focusing on any potential impact on oil in general.

In an interview with CNN, National Economic Council Chairman Brian Dees said, "The measures we have available that we are working closely with our allies to implement will impose a heavy price on the Russian economy over time, and they will do so in a way that mitigates the impact on the global and US economy."

Dess said any measures would focus in particular on Russia's financial systems.

"The fact of the matter is that the measures that we have prepared will entail heavy costs for the Russian economy," he added.

Germany and Britain warn

For her part, German Foreign Minister Annalina Bierbock stressed Thursday that any new Russian hostile action would have "serious repercussions", as Berlin hosts talks between the United States and its European allies to discuss the threat posed by any Russian military intervention in Ukraine.

"We urge Russia to take steps towards de-escalation," Birbock said in a press conference.

"Any new hostile attitude, any new act of hostility will have serious repercussions," she added, while her US counterpart, Anthony Blinken, stood by her.

"Nothing is at stake as much as preserving the European peace system," she said.

In this context, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said, on Thursday, that any Russian incursion into Ukraine would be catastrophic for both countries and the entire world, adding that the United Kingdom supports Ukraine's sovereignty. "There is no doubt that if Russia makes any incursion into Ukraine, I think it will be a disaster, not only for Ukraine, but also for Russia. It will be a disaster for the world," he told the media.

"The United Kingdom strongly supports the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine," he added.

Limited incursions?

In turn, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed Thursday that there are no so-called "limited incursions", after US President Joe Biden raised the controversy by noting that any "limited" attack by Russia would be met with a less response.

"We want to remind the great powers that there are no limited incursions and small states, just as there are no limited victims and little grief over the loss of loved ones," Zelensky said on Twitter.

Recently, Western countries accused Russia of amassing its forces near the Ukrainian border, while Washington threatened to impose sanctions on it if it "launched an attack" on Ukraine.

Hebrew newspaper: This is how Israel spies on Arab activists and violates their privacy

Last Saturday, an activist and political activist from Nazareth was summoned for police interrogation. They got out of there by a decision of the officer in charge with the following conditions: house arrest for five days, a ban on making any contact, signing a self-guarantee in the amount of three thousand shekels, and a ban on using social networks. The pretext: “conspiracy to commit a sin.” In fact, the reason was organizing a solidarity sit-in with the unconscious prisoner Nasser Abu Hamid, whom Israel refuses to release for medical treatment. The activist was released after an appeal by Adalah.

Another political activist from Jaffa, who spoke in a Facebook post, how, after the demonstration in Al-Sa’a Square in the evening hours, someone tracked her and ambushed her in a dark corner and called her by her name, then handed her a summons to appear before the police for “examination.” And he threatened that if she did not come, there would be "other ways" to get her. I suppose he meant less gentle ways of lurking her in the dark.

These two stories disappeared under the radar, not because they spoke to Arab citizens every day, but because they were swallowed up under the loudest news of a scandal over NSO 's Pegasus spyware , which it turns out the police used against Jewish citizens. This ignited a great fire and led to cries about “the death of civil society and democracy in Israel.” 

It seems that the anxiety and panic among the left - center of the liberal, about the death of privacy and the curtailment of freedom of expression, due to the use of this program against members of the "black flags", is justified. But what to do, she does not have much sympathy or deep identification with me, especially when I remember how many Arab citizens received threatening messages from the “Shin Bet” on their mobile phones in May, on the pretext that they participated in “riots” at Al-Aqsa Mosque, in order to provoke them. Fear and terror. At that time, there was no panic or anxiety among the left - the center of the liberal. The convictions were weak and timid, and a definitive request for the formation of a formal commission of inquiry into this failure was not heard.

The irony does not stop here, but rather increases when it comes to the police's handling of protesters and protest activists. And if there is anything that this case reminds us of, it means that there are two types of dealing in the state, which is divided on ethnic, national and religious grounds: there are “hightech” programs for Jewish demonstrators, and there are “lotech” means for Arab demonstrators.

To find and deal with Jews, the police are keen to keep tabs on them with advanced technology, quietly and discreetly, because it is not pleasant, they are Jews. But when it comes to Arab demonstrators or even Arab citizens who wrote a publication that they do not like, then the police prefer to use the well-known and popular means from the days of the military rule: night raids, summoning to the police station, cooperating with thugs in Arab society, threatening their family members, Administrative arrests, intimidation of the robbery of citizenship, destruction of your future and the future of your family, closing down of the police station near your home. 

Fighters for civil and human rights point out time and time again the necessary transition of means of control and control from the military occupation of the “Territories” [the West Bank] to the civilian life of Jews. This is true, but opposition to this method should not stem from concern that injustice will be practiced within Israel's borders against the Jews, but rather about the injustice itself. Yes, Palestinians are human beings and do not like your privacy being invaded.   Written by : Hanin Majadele