Havana Syndrome, Kobe Bryant, and a Lake Huron Shipwreck

Havana Syndrome Refuted

Cases of what has become known as "Havana Syndrome" were unlikely to have been caused by a foreign adversary or some type of directed energy weapon, according to US intelligence. The new analysis does not pinpoint a cause for the reported illnesses but points to possible environmental factors and preexisting medical conditions in many cases.

The number of cases reported has surpassed 1,500 across 96 countries, afflicting diplomatic staff and military personnel with symptoms including vertigo, nausea, brain fog, and more. Previous reports have noted both that similar physiological effects may be caused by pulsed microwave or radio frequencies and that the Soviet Union carried out a program to irradiate the US embassy with microwaves during the Cold War. Analysts said the intelligence update likely means a specific cause, if any, may never be determined. 

The new report is the result of a yearslong probe into the illnesses; find the full documents here.

Greece Train Crash

Greek police have arrested a 59-year-old stationmaster after a passenger train and a freight train collided in northern Greece, killing at least 43 people, derailing several carriages, and causing an explosion. Roughly 80 people were hospitalized. 

The stationmaster, in the nearby city of Larissa, was seen as responsible for the trains ending up on the same track in opposite directions and was arrested on charges of manslaughter by negligence and grievous bodily harm by negligence. Two others are being questioned. The Greek transport minister also resigned Wednesday. Officials are still investigating the cause of the crash, though the Greek prime minister attributed it to human error.

Approximately 350 people were traveling on the passenger train. The fire department said temperatures in the burning carriages reached 2,370 degrees Fahrenheit, making it difficult to identify the dead. See photos of the aftermath here.

Bryant Photos Settlement

Vanessa Bryant, the widow of basketball star Kobe Bryant, accepted a $29M settlement with Los Angeles County Tuesday over the unauthorized capturing and sharing of images of the deceased Kobe and his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna. The two were killed in January 2020 with seven others when their helicopter crashed en route to a youth basketball game northwest of Los Angeles. 

The amount includes $15M in compensation for emotional distress to Bryant, awarded by a civil jury in August, with the remainder settling future claims from Bryant's three daughters. While no images were disseminated publicly, reports arose that first responders had taken and shared photos of the remains of the victims. California passed a law banning unauthorized photos of the dead at accident scenes later that year.

A 2021 federal report concluded the crash occurred due to pilot error resulting from that day's disorienting fog. In June 2021, Bryant settled with the helicopter operator and pilot's estate on undisclosed terms. 

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In-Depth

> The Parisian Underground

MIT Press Reader | Félix Nadar. Translated excerpts from the memoir of a celebrated 19th-century photographer, depicting his descent into the sewers and catacombs of Paris as well as the early decades of photography. (Read)

> The Unraveling of a '90s Band 

Rolling Stone | Andy Greene. How legal drama, interpersonal conflict, and an alleged con man tore apart Live, one of the biggest alt-rock bands of the '90s. (Read)

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