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First case of “Havana Syndrome” reported in India, Know what is this mystery illness?

Five years since being first reported, doctors and scientists are yet to ascertain what causes Havana syndrome. Different theories have done the rounds …

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First case of "Havana Syndrome" reported in India, Know what is this mystery illness?

An intelligence officer travelling in India this month with the CIA director reported symptoms consistent with the so-called Havana syndrome, signalling a possible escalation in the mysterious incidents that have affected US officials since 2016, current and former officials said.

The circumstances of the incident are still being investigated, and officials have not yet determined whether the CIA officer was targeted because the officer was travelling with the director, William Burns, or for other reasons. If the incident was caused by an adversarial intelligence service, it may not have known the officer was travelling with Burns.

Officials have struggled to determine the cause of the symptoms. While some officials are convinced they are attacks and that one or more rival powers are responsible, intelligence agencies have yet to come to any firm conclusions.

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Theories abound, including that the injuries are byproducts of surveillance technology or that they are deliberate attempts to inflict harm, but all remain unproven.

Nevertheless, Burns was angered by the incident in India, current and former officials said. Some former officials suggested that if it was an attack and an adversarial power was responsible, striking at Burns’ delegation would amount to an egregious escalation.

The incident in India was reported earlier by CNN.

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What causes Havana syndrome?

Five years since being first reported, doctors and scientists are yet to ascertain what causes Havana syndrome. Different theories have done the rounds since then — from psychological illness to some sort of sonic weapon.

However, microwave radiation has emerged to be the “plausible” cause, according to a report by the National Academies of Sciences (NAS).

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Just a stress-related condition?

Another section has altogether dismissed the syndrome, saying the stressful environment of foreign missions was behind US diplomats experiencing such symptoms.

Robert W Baloh, a professor of neurology at UCLA, called it a mass psychogenic (stress-related) condition, BBC reported. Baloh said the situation was similar to the way people feel sick when they are told they have eaten tainted food even if there was nothing wrong with it.

“When you see mass psychogenic illness, there’s usually some stressful underlying situation. In the case of Cuba, the embassy employees – particularly the CIA agents who were first affected – were certainly in a stressful situation,” BBC quoted Baloh as saying.

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Baloh said US embassy officials became “hyper-aware” and “fearful” as reports spreadand took every-day symptoms like brain fog and dizziness as being that of Havana syndrome.

Burns has made investigating the anomalous health incidents attributed to Havana syndrome a top priority, creating a targeting cell to investigate the incidents and improving medical care for those who have been injured by them.

Nearly half of the known cases involve CIA officers, although State Department diplomats and members of the military have also been affected, officials have said.

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Last month, Vice President Kamala Harris was delayed for three hours as she was about to fly to Hanoi, Vietnam, after a U.S. official in Vietnam reported Havana syndrome symptoms.

Current and former officials said there is no sign of the incidents trailing off, and some people believe they could be increasing.

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Government agencies have been stepping up warnings about the incidents in recent days, particularly for officials travelling abroad. Last week the Pentagon warned its entire workforce about anomalous health incidents, which it said often involve strange sounds or a sensation of heat or pressure followed by headache, nausea, vertigo and other symptoms.

The new government warnings have all told officials that if they experience such sensations or symptoms to immediately leave the area they are in.

A CIA spokesperson said the agency does not comment on specific incidents or officers. But she said the agency’s protocols for health incidents include ensuring officers receive prompt medical treatment.

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The spokesperson outlined steps the agency and Burns have taken to improve the response and treatment of Havana syndrome incidents, including making changes to the Office of Medical Services and working with a panel of experts from across the intelligence agencies and private sector to better understand the episodes.

While some officials believe the incidents could go back years, including to the Cold War, the most recent spate began at the U.S. Embassy in Havana, where diplomats and CIA officers reported hearing strange sounds and then feeling headaches and nausea.

That was followed by a series of incidents at U.S. diplomatic outposts in China that left a number of U.S. officials badly injured. Since then, cases have been reported throughout Asia and Europe.

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This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

Passionate news enthusiast with a flair for words. Our Editorial Team author brings you the latest updates, in-depth analysis, and engaging stories. Stay informed with their well-researched articles.

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Video of Isha Arora, Saharanpur Polling Agent Takes the Internet By Storm 

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Video of Isha Arora, Saharanpur Polling Agent taking the internet by storm 

A video is currently going viral on the internet, showing Saharanpur polling agent Isha Arora doing the rounds in the Gangoh assembly constituency during the Saharanpur Lok Sabha elections. Since then, netizens have been going gaga over her charm and personality.

Meanwhile, many are curious to know more about her. A wide range of memes and reels are also being shared on Twitter and Instagram.

According to social media, Isha Arora is a State Bank of India (SBI) employee, currently employed on polling duty for the Saharanpur Lok Sabha Election 2024 in Madari village of the Gangoh assembly constituency.

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Video of Isha Arora dominates the internet

There she serves as the first polling officer at Garhi village’s polling booth. It got to a point that national news agencies were trying to get her on camera.

Many of Isha Arora’s photos and videos are circulating on various social media platforms, generating millions of clicks and views. While talking to ANI, she stated:

“I think that if you get any duty, you should be punctual and that’s the reason I have assumed my duty on time. Every man and woman should be punctual to let the functioning be smooth.” 

On being asked about her election duties, she said:

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“I’ll say that people should be punctual and they are, otherwise conducting such big elections wouldn’t have been possible. I didn’t get time to watch it (comments) in the video. It’s election time and it was my duty to come on time hence I was busy. It goes viral due to my punctuality and devotion…” 

Back in 2019, during the Lok Sabha elections, a clerk from the Public Works Department in Lucknow, Reena Dwivedi, gained national media attention because of her beauty. Her pictures in a yellow saree on duty went viral on various social media platforms.

Also Read: Hareem Shah Addresses Trolls After Her MMS Video Leak

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Raj Kundra ED Case Explained: Properties Worth Rs 98 Cr Seized 

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Raj Kundra ED Case Explained: Properties Worth Rs 98 Cr Seized 

Raj Kundra, the famous businessman and husband of Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty, has had properties worth Rs. 98 crore seized by the Enforcement Directorate.

The ED has also seized Shilpa Shetty’s Juhu flat. The Mumbai Zonal Office has seized movable and immovable properties worth Rs. 97.79 crore belonging to Raj Kundra (also known as Ripu Sudan Kundra) under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, as reported by The Economic Times.

The seized properties include equity shares in Raj Kundra’s name, a residential bungalow situated in Pune, and a flat in Juhu under Shilpa Shetty’s name.

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The investigation was initiated by the ED based on multiple FIRs registered by the Delhi Police and Maharashtra Police.

The FIRs were registered against several MLM agents: Mahender Bhardwaj, Simpy Bhardwaj, Vivek Bhardwaj, Ajay Bhardwaj, the late Amit Bhardwaj, and M/s Variable Tech Pte Ltd.

According to News18, allegations prevail that they collected funds worth Rs. 6,600 crore in 2017 in the form of Bitcoins. Moreover, they falsely promised a 10 percent return per month in the form of Bitcoins.

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Investors were led to believe they would get higher returns on crypto assets, and the Bitcoins were purportedly taken to be used for Bitcoin mining in Ukraine. However, the promoters cheated the investors.

The promoters concealed the “ill-gotten Bitcoins in obscure online wallets.”

Investigation on Raj Kundra and Other Suspects 

The ED investigation into Raj Kundra revealed that he received 285 Bitcoins from Amit Bhardwaj, the mastermind.

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As the deal didn’t materialize, Raj Kundra still possesses 285 Bitcoins, worth Rs. 150 crore at present value, as per Mint.

In this case, Nikhil Mahajan was apprehended on January 1, 2023, Nitin Gaur on December 29, 2023, and Simpy Bhardwaj on December 17, 2023. Currently, all three of them are in judicial custody. 

However, the masterminds, Mahendra Bhardwaj and Ajay Bhardwaj, are yet to be caught. 

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Further investigation in the case is under progress.

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Karnataka Congress Leader’s Daughter Neha Murdered by Fayaz on College Campus, Suspected Arrested 

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Karnataka Congress Leader's Daughter Neha Murdered by Fayaz on College Campus, Suspected Arrested 

Neha, 23, was the daughter of Niranjan Hiremath, a Congress Corporator who was brutally stabbed to death. She was murdered inside her college campus in Hubballi, Karnataka by her former classmate.

The accused has been identified as 23-year-old Fayaz Khondunai, who is currently in judicial custody for 14 days.

Neha was studying at BVB College (KLE Technological University) and was in her first year of MCA (Masters of Computer Applications).

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This incident was captured by the CCTV cameras installed on the college campus. The footage shows how Neha was repeatedly stabbed by Fayaz with a knife.

The horrific incident took place at 4:30 pm when the victim completed her first semester exams and was returning.

The accused, Fayaz, belongs to Savadatti taluk in Belagavi district. According to reports by Opindia, Neha and Fayaz were friends during their bachelor days.

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However, both Neha’s parents and the college management opposed their friendship. Thus, Neha distanced herself from Fayaz.

Police consider that this stabbing incident occurred due to their strained relationship.

For this reason, Neha was asked by her parents not to even attend college.

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What Happened To Neha?

Fayaz confronted Neha when she came to appear for first-semester MCA exams. This escalated into a physical brawl in which Fayaz punched and then stabbed her multiple times. Then he left the scene.

However, some students tried their best and handed the culprit to Vidyanagar police.

Neha was immediately sent to the Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) Hospital by the students and college authorities. However, she was pronounced dead upon arrival.

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As per reports by OneIndia, Fayaz had been keeping track of Neha’s whereabouts ever since she rejected his proposal.

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