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US alerts its citizens in China after its staffer suffers brain injury from sound

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US alerts its citizens in China after its staffer suffers brain injury from sound

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The episode sparked speculation about use of sonic devices or weapons

The US has issued an alert to its employees and citizens in China after an official working at its consulate in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou reported suffering from “abnormal” sounds and pressure leading to a mild brain injury.

US embassy reported this on Wednesday. The Trump administration they are taking these reports seriously and have taken up the matter with Chinese officials.

“A US State Department government employee in China recently reported subtle and vague, but abnormal sensations of sound and pressure,” the US Embassy in China said.

“We do not currently know what caused the reported symptoms and we are not aware of any similar situations in China, either inside or outside of the diplomatic community,” it said.

The embassy, which issued a health alert to Americans living in China, said it could not link the case to health issues suffered by U.S. government staff in Cuba dating back to late 2016.

In Washington, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the United States was concerned about the “serious medical incident” and raised it with China’s visiting State Councillor Wang Yi.

“We notified China of what took place as best we know it and they have responded in a way that is exactly the right response,” Pompeo told a news conference with Wang. “We’re working together to resolve (this) … I hope we can figure it out.”

Earlier, he told Congress that the incident in China was “medically similar” to one suffered by American diplomats in Cuba.

Wang said China has been investigating this matter in a “very responsible” manner. “We haven’t found that any organisation or individual has carried out such a sonic influence. We will stay in communication with the US through diplomatic channels, and we would suggest that US side can also carry out some internal investigation,” he said.

Wang said they do not want to see that “this individual case will be magnified, complicated, or even politicised.”

“We hope people will not associate it with other unnecessary matters.  China will, in accordance with the law, protect all the lawful rights and interests of foreigners in China, especially those of diplomats.  That’s our firm commitment,” he said.

The unnamed American citizen assigned to the consulate in Guangzhou had reported a variety of “physical symptoms” dating from late 2017 to April this year, the US embassy in Beijing said in an email, reporter news agency Reuters.

The worker was sent to the United States for further evaluation where clinical findings matched mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI), the embassy said.

The State Department was taking the incident very seriously and working to determine the cause and impact, the embassy said. Pompeo said that medical teams were heading to Guangzhou to investigate the incident. The State Department added that the Chinese government told the embassy it was also investigating and taking appropriate measures.

“We cannot at this time connect it with what happened in Havana, but we are investigating all possibilities,” a US embassy official told Reuters.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1527157739050{border-top-width: 10px !important;border-right-width: 10px !important;border-bottom-width: 10px !important;border-left-width: 10px !important;padding-top: 10px !important;padding-right: 10px !important;padding-bottom: 10px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;background-color: #d1d1d1 !important;border-radius: 10px !important;}”]The incident has sparked talk of a possible sonic attack. Sonic weapons – the use of high-power sound waves to disorient or incapacitate a person, and in extreme cases to cause death – are part of police and military arsenal in some countries, said a report in The Times of India

In some of the relatively benign cases, sonic devices using an ultra high-frequency blasts have been used to dispense loiterers or protesters. But high intensity ultrasound, which can cause serious damage and even death, is not known to have been overtly used, the TOI report said.

In a report investigating allegations of use of such devices after the Cuba episode, Snopes.com ruled out the possibility. It said that a device using ‘infrasonic’ sound waves (sound waves of frequency below the hearing range) would have to be huge and it would not be possible to either conceal it or focus it on a single small target.

On the other hand, in case of a device using ultrasonic sound (beyond the range of hearing), the victim would either have to be submerged in water or have the device in physical contact (both conditions would allow those waves to pass into the body without reflecting off it), reported Snopes.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]In a health alert issued to Americans in China on Wednesday, the US Government warned them about the incident it described as “subtle and vague, but abnormal, sensations of sound and pressure”.

“While in China, if you experience any unusual acute auditory or sensory phenomena accompanied by unusual sounds or piercing noises, do not attempt to locate their source. Instead, move to a location where the sounds are not present,” the emailed alert said.

The US government in October last year expelled 15 Cuban diplomats from the United States for what it said was Cuba’s failure to protect staff at the US embassy in Havana from mysterious health incidents at one point thought to possibly have been acoustic “attacks”.

Staff there reported symptoms including hearing loss, dizziness, fatigue and cognitive issues, though Cuban officials dismissed the idea of acoustic strikes as “science fiction” and accused Washington of slander.

The cause of those incidents remains unresolved.

The Canadian government in April said it would remove families of diplomats posted to Cuba after Canadian personnel there in 2017 also reported similar health symptoms.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Gaza sees largest anti-Hamas protest amid ongoing humanitarian crisis

In a rare show of defiance, Palestinians in northern Gaza rallied in large numbers against Hamas, demanding the group step down and calling for peace.

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Gaza protest, Hamas Gaza, anti-Hamas protest, Gaza war news, Gaza humanitarian crisis,

In a rare and bold display of public dissent, thousands of Palestinians took to the streets of northern Gaza on Tuesday, staging what is being described as the largest anti-Hamas protest since the outbreak of the war in October 2023. The demonstrations unfolded in Beit Lahia, where crowds were seen chanting slogans such as “For god’s sake, Hamas out,” “Hamas terrorists,” and “We want an end to the war.”

The scale of the protest, captured in video footage verified by a journalist present in the area, highlights a growing frustration among civilians as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza deepens. The death toll has now crossed 50,000, according to Gaza’s health ministry, with the enclave devastated by sustained military action and blockade.

A circulating social media message also called for nine separate protests across Gaza on Wednesday, encouraging citizens to make their voices heard. The message urged, “Let them hear your voice, let them know that Gaza is not silent, and that there is a people who will not accept to be eradicated.” The origin of the message has not been independently verified.

Since Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007 following a civil conflict with the Fatah-led Palestinian Authority, the group has faced sporadic internal criticism. However, public demonstrations of this magnitude are rare, especially amid an active conflict.

The protest comes at a time when northern Gaza is virtually cut off. Following the collapse of ceasefire talks earlier this month, Israel announced it was suspending all humanitarian aid to the enclave. UNRWA reported that no food, water, medicine, or fuel had entered Gaza in three weeks, warning of an impending acute hunger crisis.

Israel has repeatedly accused Hamas of diverting humanitarian aid to serve its military operations—allegations the group denies.

With infrastructure in ruins and the population relying almost entirely on international assistance, the protests underline growing public anger over both the war and Hamas’ governance during this crisis.

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Tiger Woods confirms relationship with Vanessa Trump, Donald Trump Jr’s ex-wife

Tiger Woods has officially confirmed his relationship with Vanessa Trump, Donald Trump Jr’s former wife. The pair shared the news via social media following weeks of public curiosity.

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Tiger Woods and Vanessa Trump confirmed relationship on social media

Tiger Woods has confirmed that he is in a relationship with Vanessa Trump, the former wife of Donald Trump Jr. The golfing icon made the announcement public via a heartfelt post on social media, requesting privacy as their relationship moves forward.

“Love is in the air and life is better with you by my side! We look forward to our journey through life together,” Woods wrote to his 6.4 million followers on X. He also asked for privacy for all those close to them.

Vanessa Trump was married to Donald Trump Jr from 2005 until their separation in 2018. The former couple shares five children, including 17-year-old Kai, who is expected to play collegiate golf at the University of Miami in 2026. Notably, Kai attends the same school as Woods’s children, Sam and Charlie, and recently competed alongside Charlie at a golf invitational.

The couple had been the subject of growing speculation across gossip platforms in recent weeks. Despite being known for guarding his personal life, Woods made the relationship public, drawing comparisons to his 2013 social media announcement about dating Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn.

In the past, Woods explained that going public was a strategy to deter paparazzi and safeguard his children. His children Sam and Charlie were born during his marriage to Elin Nordegren, which ended in 2010 following revelations of Woods’s extramarital affairs.

Woods’s most recent public relationship before Vanessa Trump was with Erica Herman, which ended in 2022 after a long-term partnership and legal disputes over property matters.

Woods also shares a professional connection with the Trump family. He has played golf with Donald Trump on multiple occasions and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Trump in 2019. In February, Woods was also seen attending a meeting with Trump to discuss developments in the golf world, especially around the emergence of the Saudi-backed LIV tour.

The announcement comes shortly after Woods revealed he had ruptured his Achilles tendon, ruling him out of the upcoming Masters tournament.

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Israeli airstrike kills Hamas political leader Salah al-Bardaweel in southern Gaza

Sources aligned with Hamas further disclosed that the attack not only killed Bardaweel, a key figure in the group’s political office, but also his wife, marking a significant blow to the organization’s leadership structure.

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An Israeli airstrike in Khan Younis, a city in southern Gaza, claimed the life of Salah al-Bardaweel, a prominent political leader within Hamas, as reported by both Hamas and Palestinian media outlets in the early hours of Sunday, March 23.

Sources aligned with Hamas further disclosed that the attack not only killed Bardaweel, a key figure in the group’s political office, but also his wife, marking a significant blow to the organization’s leadership structure.

Israel ramped up its military campaign in Gaza earlier that week, resuming large-scale strikes on Tuesday, March 18, 2025. The Israeli government pointed to Hamas as the reason for the renewed offensive, accusing the group of violating a ceasefire agreement that had held since January 19.

That truce, which lasted nearly two months, had offered a rare period of calm in the volatile region. The collapse of this agreement has reignited tensions, with both sides trading blame for the breakdown.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been vocal about the overarching goal of the war, emphasizing that Israel seeks to completely dismantle Hamas as both a military force and a governing body in Gaza. In this latest wave of attacks, Netanyahu underscored that a key objective is to compel Hamas to release hostages still held captive, a lingering issue from previous escalations. The intensified strikes reflect Israel’s determination to weaken the group’s operational capacity.

The casualties from Tuesday’s bombardment included high-ranking Hamas officials, such as Essam Addalees, who served as the de facto head of the group’s administrative government, and Mahmoud Abu Watfa, the chief of internal security.

Several other mid-level officials were also killed, further disrupting Hamas’ organizational framework. Palestinian health authorities reported a devastating toll, stating that at least 400 individuals perished in the strikes on Tuesday alone. More than half of those killed were women and children, highlighting the heavy civilian cost of the operation.

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