{
  "id": 13333320,
  "title": "‘Like a drill going into my eye’: why the mystery over Havana syndrome refuses to die",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/10/like-a-drill-going-into-my-eye-why-the-mystery-over-havana-syndrome-13333320",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-10T05:00:48.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Guardian",
    "slug": "the-guardian",
    "url": "https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2026/oct/10/havana-syndrome-mystery-cia-russia"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Over the past decade, an enigma has gripped numerous CIA officers – a condition dubbed 'Havana syndrome'. The origins of this mystery remain shrouded in uncertainty, leaving many to ponder whether it is the product of mass hysteria or the result of an attack from an energy weapon. If the latter is true, the question arises: who is the perpetrator, and has there been a cover-up to conceal the truth?\n\nOne such officer found himself ensnared in this perplexing scenario while on a work trip to London shortly after 1 a.m. on a night in April 2019. As he awoke in his hotel room, the intensity of the head pain he experienced was unlike anything he had ever encountered before. His body was drenched in sweat, and the sensation of his eyes being spun around in their sockets added to his distress. In an attempt to alleviate his discomfort, he made his way out of bed, hoping to reach the bathroom to vomit, but found his sense of balance had deserted him. Eventually, he succumbed to a shallow, fitful sleep.\n\nUpon arriving at the work meeting he had traveled to, the officer discovered that he could not recall the names of colleagues present in the room, people he knew well. As the meeting commenced, he struggled to follow the discussion. At first, he attributed the incident to a terrible case of food poisoning, one that seemed rather odd given the peculiar circumstances. However, as the weeks passed and worrying symptoms persisted, his initial theory began to unravel.\n\nThe officer experienced a range of debilitating symptoms: brain fog, loss of balance, and increasingly harsh tinnitus. The mystery surrounding Havana syndrome deepens with each new victim, as the nature of the affliction continues to elude even the most seasoned experts. Despite numerous investigations and inquiries, the truth remains elusive, leaving many to question whether this phenomenon is merely a result of mass hysteria or if it is indeed the manifestation of an energy weapon attack, and if so, who could be responsible for such a clandestine act, along with the possibility of a deliberate cover-up to protect the identity of the perpetrator.",
  "summary": "Dozens of CIA officers have been afflicted by debilitating symptoms over the past decade. Are they the result of ‘mass hysteria’? Or are they from attacks with an energy weapon and, if so, who is responsible? And has there been a cover-up? Shortly after 1am one night in April 2019, a CIA officer on a work trip to London was jolted awake in his hotel room by the most intense head pain he had ever…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Guardian US",
        "title": "‘Like a drill going into my eye’: why the mystery over Havana syndrome refuses to die",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/10/like-a-drill-going-into-my-eye-why-the-mystery-over-havana-syndrome",
        "published": "2026-10-10T05:00:48.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}