Barack Obama addressed long-running speculation about extraterrestrial life during a recent podcast appearance, joking about aliens while dismissing the idea of a government cover-up.
Speaking on Brian Tyler Cohen’s podcast, the 44th president was asked directly whether he believes aliens exist.
“They’re real, but I haven’t seen them,” Obama answered.
He also rejected claims that extraterrestrials are being concealed at the Nevada military installation commonly known as Area 51.
“There’s no underground facility, unless there’s this enormous conspiracy and they hid it from the President of the United States,” Obama continued.
Cohen followed up by asking what question first came to Obama’s mind after he entered the Oval Office. Obama said even then, the topic of aliens came up — though in jest.
“Uh, where are the aliens?” he joked.
The interview marked another occasion in which Obama has publicly discussed the possibility of life beyond Earth.
In a 2021 appearance on “The Late Late Show with James Corden,” Obama recalled that shortly after becoming president, he inquired whether the government had secret information about extraterrestrials or was studying them in a hidden facility. According to Obama, he was informed that no such program existed.
At the same time, Obama acknowledged that U.S. officials have taken seriously reports of unusual aerial objects that defy easy explanation.
“There is footage and records of objects in the skies that we don’t know exactly what they are,” he said. “We can’t explain how they moved, their trajectory. They did not have an easily explainable pattern. I think people still take seriously trying to investigate and figure out what that is.”
Following Obama’s remarks, Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy posed a question to President Joe Biden about unidentified aerial phenomena, or UAP.
“What do you think that it is?”
Biden replied, “I would ask (Obama) again.”
Interest in UAPs has grown significantly in recent years, drawing increased scrutiny from lawmakers and federal agencies. In 2023, Congress approved the Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Disclosure Act, and the Department of War established the All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office to examine reports of unexplained sightings across air, land, sea, and space domains.
{Matzav.com}
President Donald Trump is pointing to a decline in mortgage rates since his return to the White House, contrasting current figures with higher borrowing costs during Joe Biden’s administration and framing the change as a sign of economic improvement.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump shared a graphic claiming that mortgage rates now stand at 5%, compared with levels of 6%, 7%, and 8% under Biden. The source of the specific numbers cited in the post was not immediately identified.
When Biden entered office in January 2021, mortgage rates were hovering near record lows, with the average 30-year fixed loan at roughly 2.7%. Over the following two years, however, rates climbed steeply as inflation accelerated and the Federal Reserve responded with a series of sharp interest rate hikes. By 2023, mortgage rates had risen above 7%, reaching their highest point in more than 20 years.
Although rates moderated somewhat in 2024, they remained well above the historic lows seen earlier in the decade.
Since Trump took office again in January 2025, borrowing costs for home loans have edged down slightly, with average 30-year rates settling into the low-6% range in the opening weeks of 2026.
Financial analysts caution that while presidential administrations can shape broader economic policy, mortgage rates are influenced primarily by inflation expectations, movements in the bond market, and decisions made by the Federal Reserve. As a result, they are not determined by the actions of any one president alone.
“Joe Biden’s inflation crisis crushed the dream of homeownership for millions of Americans — but President Trump is bringing it back,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News.
“Thanks to the President’s successful economic policies, unnecessary red tape is being cut at a historic pace, borrowing costs are easing, and income growth is outpacing home price gains — finally making housing more affordable again.”
Leavitt added: “President Trump knows America is strongest when it’s a nation of owners, not renters, and he is determined to unlock that opportunity for as many American families as possible.”
A lapse in funding for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security took effect early on Shabbos morning, triggering a partial shutdown that directly affects airport security operations nationwide and raising concerns about potential travel disruptions.
The agency oversees the Transportation Security Administration, which is responsible for screening passengers and luggage at commercial airports across the country. With DHS funding now expired, TSA officers are required to report to work without pay while Congress remains at an impasse over the department’s annual budget.
Many travelers are uneasy, recalling the 43-day federal shutdown last year that caused significant flight cancellations and lengthy delays at airports nationwide.
Although TSA officers also remained on duty during the previous record-long shutdown that concluded Nov. 12, aviation analysts say this latest funding lapse could unfold differently.
Industry associations representing airlines and the broader travel sector cautioned that prolonged funding uncertainty could translate into longer security lines at airports, particularly as the spring travel season ramps up.
Homeland Security funding expired at midnight, but the remainder of the federal government continues to be funded through Sept. 30.
As a result, air traffic controllers employed by the Federal Aviation Administration will continue receiving pay, reducing the likelihood of widespread cancellations tied directly to air traffic staffing shortages.
Under DHS’ contingency plan, roughly 95% of TSA personnel are classified as essential employees and must continue working despite the funding lapse.
Democratic lawmakers in both the House and Senate have stated that they will withhold support for additional DHS funding unless new limits are imposed on federal immigration enforcement operations.
Historically, the effects of government shutdowns on air travel have intensified gradually rather than immediately.
For example, about a month into last year’s shutdown, TSA temporarily shut down two security checkpoints at Philadelphia International Airport.
On that same day, federal authorities directed commercial airlines to scale back their domestic flight schedules in an extraordinary move to manage disruptions.
John Clark, who arrived at Detroit Metropolitan Airport after a business trip to Mississippi, said he experienced complications during the previous shutdown and remains concerned about the current situation.
“You might not be able to get home if you’re already out, or it might delay if you worked all week and you’re trying to get home,” said Clark, who frequently travels for his job balancing machines. “It’s really bad.”
John Rose, chief risk officer at global travel management firm Altour, warned that operational strains could surface more quickly this time, noting that TSA workers still remember the financial strain of the prior shutdown.
“It’s still fresh in their minds and potentially their pocketbooks,” Rose said.
Security bottlenecks could arise unpredictably, making it difficult to forecast when or where delays might occur.
At smaller airports with only one security checkpoint, even a small number of unexpected TSA absences could quickly result in longer lines.
For that reason, travel experts advise passengers to build extra time into their airport arrival plans.
“I tell people to do this even in good times,” Rose said.
Although air traffic controllers remain on the job, specialists say flight delays remain possible.
Airlines could opt to hold departures temporarily to allow additional time for passengers to clear security screening, said Rich Davis, senior security adviser at risk mitigation firm International SOS.
Staffing shortfalls among TSA officers may also slow the behind-the-scenes inspection of checked baggage.
Burnest R. Green, who traveled from Phoenix to Detroit to celebrate his sister’s 70th birthday, said he hopes lawmakers resolve the shutdown before his return flight next week.
“I just hope that things start to get better before they get any worse,” he said.
While most airports publish estimated security wait times on their websites, Rose cautioned travelers not to rely on last-minute checks.
“You may look online and it says two-and-a-half hours,” he said. “Now it’s two-and-a-half hours before your flight and you haven’t left for the airport yet.”
Passengers are also encouraged to be mindful when packing, as prohibited items can slow the screening process.
For carry-on luggage, travelers should avoid bringing full-size shampoo bottles, large quantities of liquids, oversized gels, aerosols, and items such as pocketknives.
TSA maintains a detailed list on its website outlining what items are permitted in both carry-on and checked baggage.
Once at the airport, Rose urged travelers to remain understanding toward security staff.
“Not only are they not getting paid,” he said of TSA agents, “they’re probably working with reduced staff and dealing with angry travelers.”
Negotiations between the White House and Democratic lawmakers continued through the week, but no agreement was reached before senators and House members were scheduled to leave Washington for a 10-day recess.
Lawmakers were advised, however, that they could be called back to the Capitol should a deal materialize.
Democrats have insisted that they will not approve additional DHS funding until new immigration enforcement restrictions are enacted following last month’s fatal shooting of Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minneapolis.
In a joint statement, U.S. Travel, Airlines for America and the American Hotel & Lodging Association cautioned that the shutdown could significantly disrupt air travel as spring break approaches.
“Travelers and the U.S. economy cannot afford to have essential TSA personnel working without pay, which increases the risk of unscheduled absences and call outs, and ultimately can lead to higher wait times and missed or delayed flights,” the statement said.
President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu reached an understanding during a White House meeting Wednesday that Washington will take steps aimed at cutting back Iran’s oil exports to China, according to a report by Axios citing two U.S. officials familiar with the discussions.
“We agreed that we will go full force with maximum pressure against Iran, for example, regarding Iranian oil sales to China,” Axios reports, quoting a senior U.S. official.
China purchases the vast majority of Iran’s crude oil—more than 80 percent of its total exports—making Beijing the primary source of Tehran’s oil revenue. Any significant disruption to that flow would sharply reduce the income Iran derives from its energy sector.
The renewed focus on oil sanctions comes as diplomatic contacts between Washington and Tehran quietly resumed.
Israel’s Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara said Sunday that she has not yet examined a reported pardon request for Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, clarifying that any such request would be reviewed according to standard procedures.
Her statement comes amid heightened tensions following remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump, who publicly criticized Israeli President Isaac Herzog over the issue of a potential pardon for Netanyahu.
In a statement issued on her behalf, Baharav-Miara said: “I have not yet examined the prime minister’s pardon request, and it will be reviewed according to the accepted working procedures. Any other publication on the matter is incorrect.”
The attorney general reportedly felt compelled to release the clarification following media reports suggesting she was expected to submit a legal opinion on the matter in the coming weeks.
The controversy erupted after Trump, speaking to reporters outside the White House, was asked whether he believed Netanyahu would receive a pardon. Trump responded affirmatively. Over the weekend, he sharply criticized Herzog, saying, “President Herzog should be ashamed,” and called on him to grant Netanyahu a pardon.
According to reports, anger flared at the President’s Residence following Trump’s remarks. Sources close to Herzog said that “if Netanyahu’s hand is involved in this — that is crossing a red line. We expect clarifications from the prime minister.” Officials at the President’s Residence reportedly view the episode not only as a personal affront to Herzog but also as a serious breach of Israel’s sovereign standing.
In response, Netanyahu’s office said overnight that “President Trump’s statement the other day regarding the pardon was solely his own initiative.”
The Prime Minister’s Office added: “The prime minister heard about it through the media and had no prior knowledge of it, just as he had no prior knowledge of the president’s remarks on the matter in his speech to the Knesset.”
During a press conference at the White House, Trump said of Herzog: “I think the man should be ashamed of himself,” referring to the absence of a pardon for Netanyahu.
Trump also asserted that “the President of Israel, the main power he has is the power to grant pardons, and he doesn’t… he doesn’t want to do it now because he will probably lose his power.”
He continued: “Bibi was a good prime minister during wartime, and I think I was the best friend Israel ever had. People say beyond other presidents they ever had.”
{Matzav.com}
Immigration and Absorption Minister Ofir Sofer of the Religious Zionism party was recorded criticizing the proposed draft law in a closed-door gathering, warning that advancing the legislation despite opposition from reservists could severely damage the political right.
The recordings were aired Sunday morning on Kan News’ program “Haboker Hazeh” on Reshet Bet. In the audio, Sofer is heard cautioning that pushing forward with the draft law against the will of reserve soldiers would carry heavy political consequences.
“If the law is advanced, against the will and despite the anger of the reservists, the right will be crushed,” Sofer said in the recording. “It will pay an electoral price for it. Certainly in the overall count, and even if you look at more specific frameworks.”
Sofer also addressed the charedi leadership, criticizing the absence of a clear public call from leading rabbis stating that those who are not engaged in full-time Torah study should enlist.
“Why can’t we expect a letter from 25 important rabbis, maybe five, maybe ten leading rabbis, saying that we call on everyone who is learning Torah to continue learning, that no one should get up from the shtender, but whoever is not learning Torah — should enlist? You can’t hear such a thing,” the minister said.
Responding to the recordings, Avigdor Lieberman, chairman of the Yisrael Beiteinu party, said he sees no contradiction between Torah study and military service.
“For me there is no compromise — there is no contradiction between Torah study and military service. All the great leaders of Israel served in the army. There is no contradiction between Torah study and service in the army — Religious Zionism has proven that there is no contradiction. There will not be chief rabbis calling to throw draft orders into the toilet, only rabbis who served,” Lieberman said.
{Matzav.com}
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Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said her agency has sweeping authority related to election security, asserting that the Department of Homeland Security can detect “vulnerabilities” in the voting system and take “mitigation measures” to ensure that state and local elections are “run correctly.”
Speaking at a press conference in Arizona while advocating for a nationwide voter identification requirement, Noem contended that election systems fall under DHS’s responsibility to safeguard “critical infrastructure.”
“I would say that many people believe that it may be one of the most important things that we need to make sure we trust, is reliable, and that when it gets to Election Day, that we’ve been proactive to make sure that we have the right people voting, electing the right leaders to lead this country through the days that we have, knowing that people can trust it,” she said.
Video of her remarks circulated widely on social media Saturday, prompting immediate backlash from Democratic officials and political analysts.
“This is Trump’s idea of democracy: leaders get to select their voters instead of the other way around,” Sen. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) wrote on the social platform X.
The debate comes as the House approved the SAVE America Act on Wednesday, legislation that would require voters in federal elections to present photo identification and provide proof of U.S. citizenship when registering. The bill would also require states to purge non-citizens from their voter rolls if it becomes law.
The measure now heads to the Senate, where similar proposals have previously failed amid Democratic resistance. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) has already signaled opposition, casting uncertainty over its chances.
With the bill’s fate unclear, President Trump indicated Friday that he may act unilaterally if Congress does not move forward.
“There will be Voter I.D. for the Midterm Elections, whether approved by Congress or not!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Opponents argue the proposal threatens access to the ballot box and caution that it could strip voting rights from millions of lawful voters, including married women whose current legal names differ from those listed on older documents such as birth certificates or passports.
Noem rejected those concerns during remarks on Friday.
“Each of the arguments laid out to criticize this bill are baseless speculation from the radical left because they want illegal aliens to vote in our elections,” she said.
In recent weeks, Noem has also faced criticism over her comments tied to immigration enforcement operations in Minnesota, particularly after she quickly labeled the actions of two U.S. citizens who were fatally shot by federal agents as “domestic terrorism.”
President Trump has continued to stand by Noem despite bipartisan calls for her resignation or dismissal. David Axelrod, a former adviser to President Barack Obama, suggested on X that her stance on election oversight may help explain that support.
“THIS is why @KristiNoem will remain in place, despite her flagrant, corrupt mismanagement of the @DHS, at least through the midterm elections,” he wrote. “@POTUS wants a loyal apparatchik in place who will do whatever is necessary to ensure ‘the right leaders’ win.”
Nearly 95 percent of Palestinian illegal entrants apprehended by Israeli security forces along the West Bank seam line during the war have been released without indictment, according to newly published figures.
Military correspondent Doron Kadosh reported on Army Radio that a series of systemic failures within the security establishment has allowed large numbers of illegal entrants to continue crossing the security barrier. Even among those who are caught, only a small fraction ultimately face prosecution.
Official IDF data show that the rate of indictments is extremely low, even compared to the relatively limited number of suspects apprehended by security forces.
In 2025, a total of 6,807 illegal entrants were captured by the IDF and Border Police along the seam line. Of those, indictments were filed against only 405 individuals—approximately 6 percent.
In 2024, security forces detained 10,825 illegal entrants in the same area. Just 334 were prosecuted, representing only 4 percent.
Overall, during the war, about 95 percent of those apprehended were released without trial or formal charges.
Security officials cited several factors contributing to the situation:
First, authorities face significant difficulty in building sufficient evidence against detainees. Even when suspects are caught on the Palestinian side near the barrier, investigators must prove conclusively that they intended to cross into Israeli territory.
Second, there is a severe shortage of investigators in the relevant police and Border Police units tasked with handling these cases.
Third, the Israel Prison Service is facing an acute shortage of detention space. Holding facilities in the West Bank are operating at full capacity, with no available spots. As a result, even when suspects are apprehended, they are often released shortly thereafter due to the lack of space to hold them.
Fourth, coordination problems between various security bodies—particularly with the Defense Ministry—have compounded the issue. According to senior officials familiar with the matter, security personnel from the Defense Ministry’s crossings authority have at times allowed drivers transporting illegal entrants to continue on their way without detaining them and transferring them to police custody. “We are catching only the mosquitoes without draining the swamp,” a senior IDF official charged, criticizing Defense Ministry personnel.
In response, the IDF said it is working in coordination with all security agencies to combat the phenomenon of Palestinian infiltration into Israel and is investing substantial resources in the effort.
The Defense Ministry stated that in every incident in which an infiltrator is caught, the case is reported to law enforcement authorities and both the infiltrator and the driver are detained pending further instructions from enforcement officials.
{Matzav.com}
Two female IDF soldiers were pulled to safety Sunday afternoon after a hostile crowd in Bnei Brak surrounded and attacked them while they were carrying out duties in the city. The confrontation triggered strong condemnations from across the political spectrum, as well as from senior military and law enforcement officials.
According to reports, the soldiers, who serve in the Military Police, had arrived in Bnei Brak to place draft notices in mailboxes. They were met by an enraged group that shouted insults, including branding them “Nazis,” and made attempts to assault them.
Witnesses said a gathering of chareidi bystanders quickly formed, chanting “Nazis” and pressing toward the soldiers. There were also reported efforts to physically harm them. During the unrest, a police motorcycle was set ablaze, and rioters overturned a police van.
Police units rushed to the area and succeeded in extracting the soldiers without injury.
In an official update, police said the two female soldiers had come to the city as part of welfare-related activities connected to their IDF service. Officers evacuated them from the scene as several agitators confronted police and hurled garbage bins into the path of the responding vehicle.
https://matzav.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/78.mp4Blue and White chairman Benny Gantz commented: “This is a moral low that has nothing to do with Judaism. The police must enforce the full weight of the law against the perpetrators, and members of the coalition-especially leaders of the haredi community-must strongly condemn this outrageous incident before a disaster happens here.”
Chairman of the Yisrael Beytenu party, MK Avigdor Liberman, said: “What is happening in Bnei Brak is a national disgrace. Anyone who raises a hand against IDF soldiers, male or female, must know that the law will be enforced to the fullest. The excuses are over. Governance must be restored immediately.”
Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett stated that, “female IDF soldiers being attacked in broad daylight in Bnei Brak is. A bright red line has been crossed here. We will not allow anyone to harm our soldiers.”
The IDF reported that Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, strongly condemns the attack on IDF female soldiers who were carrying out a military mission earlier today in Bnei Brak. Any harm to IDF soldiers by Israeli civilians is a serious crossing of a red line, and action must be taken against the attackers with a firm hand. Lt.Gen. Zamir expects the law to be fully enforced against the perpetrators.”
Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu “strongly condemned” the attack.
“I strongly condemn the violent riots in Bnei Brak against IDF female soldiers and Israeli police officers,” he says in a statement. “This is an extreme minority that does not represent the entire chareidi community.”
He called the attack “a serious matter and completely unacceptable.”
“We will not allow anarchy,” he promised, adding that “we will not tolerate any harm to IDF personnel and security forces who carry out their work with dedication and determination.”
Defense Minister Israel Katz also “strongly condemned” the attack.
“I strongly condemn the violent attack against IDF female soldiers in Bnei Brak by a handful of rioters,” Katz said in a statement.
“Anyone who raises a hand against the security forces, against the soldiers of the IDF, and against Israel Police officers, crosses a red line. Violence against those serving in uniform is a criminal act in every respect, not protest,” he said.
Katz said he calls on chareidi community leaders “to denounce the [attack],” and for law enforcement to “act decisively and bring to justice everyone who took part in the severe attack.”
“The State of Israel will not allow harm to the security forces and will not turn a blind eye to violence of any kind,” he adds.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir declared that members of the mob involved in the assault “will pay a heavy price,” while stressing they do not reflect the “vast majority of the Haredi public.” He noted that one police officer was injured during the clashes.
There have been no reports of any arrests.
“I strongly condemn the small group of violent anarchists who attacked female soldiers, injured police officers, and set fire to a police motorcycle in Bnei Brak. These are grave, criminal, and unforgivable acts. Anyone who raises a hand against IDF soldiers or Israel Police officers will pay a heavy price,” says Ben Gvir in a statement.
“At the same time, it is important for me to clarify: This does not represent the chareidi community as a whole. The vast majority of the chareidi public is law-abiding, respects the security forces, and took no part in this violence. We must not allow an extremist fringe to stain an entire community,” he asserts, sending his best wishes to the soldiers and the police officer who was wounded defending them.
Authorities have not released further information regarding the condition of the injured officer.
{Matzav.com}
Working in strict secrecy, a government scientist in Norway built a machine capable of emitting powerful pulses of microwave energy and, in an effort to prove such devices are harmless to humans, in 2024 tested it on himself. He suffered neurological symptoms similar to those of “Havana syndrome,” the unexplained malady that has struck hundreds of U.S. spies and diplomats around the world.
The bizarre story, described by four people familiar with the events, is the latest wrinkle in the decade-long quest to find the causes of Havana syndrome, whose sufferers experience long-lasting effects including cognitive challenges, dizziness and nausea. The U.S. government calls the events Anomalous Health Incidents (AHIs).
The secret test in Norway has not been previously reported. The Norwegian government told the CIA about the results, two of the people said, prompting at least two visits in 2024 to Norway by Pentagon and White House officials.
Those aware of the test say it does not prove AHIs are the work of a foreign adversary wielding a secret weapon similar to the prototype tested in Norway. One of them noted that the effects suffered by the Norwegian researcher, whose identity was not disclosed by the people familiar, were not the same as in a “classic” AHI case. All spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the subject’s sensitivity.
But the events bolstered the case of those who argue that “pulsed-energy devices” – machines that deliver powerful beams of electromagnetic energy such as microwaves in short bursts – can affect human biology and are probably being developed by U.S. adversaries.
“I think there’s compelling evidence that we should be concerned about the ability to build a directed-energy weapon that can cause a variety of risk to humans,” said Paul Friedrichs, a retired military surgeon and Air Force general who oversaw biological threats on the White House National Security Council under President Joe Biden. Friedrichs declined to comment on the Norway experiment.
The Trump administration took office promising to pursue the AHI issue aggressively. But there has been little apparent movement. A review ordered by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard is expected to focus mostly on the Biden administration’s handling of the issue, and its release has been delayed, people familiar with the issue said.
In a separate development that has become public in recent weeks, the U.S. government covertly purchased at the end of the Biden administration a different foreign-made device that produces pulsed radio waves and which some experts suspect could be linked to AHI incidents, according to two people familiar with the matter.
The device is being tested by the Defense Department. It has some Russian-origin components, but the U.S. government still has not determined conclusively who built it, said one of the people.
The U.S. acquisition of the device was first reported last month by independent journalist Sasha Ingber and CNN, which said it had been purchased for millions of dollars by Homeland Security Investigations, part of the Department of Homeland Security.
The device that the scientist constructed in Norway was not identical to the one that the U.S. government covertly acquired, one of the people familiar with the events said. The Norwegian device was built based on “classified information,” suggesting it was derived from blueprints or other materials stolen from a foreign government, this person said.
At about the same time the U.S. became aware of the two pulsed-energy machines, two spy agencies altered their previous judgment and concluded that some of the incidents involving AHIs could be the work of a foreign adversary, delivering that verdict in an updated U.S. intelligence assessment issued in January 2025 during the Biden administration’s final weeks.
“New reporting,” the assessment said, led the two agencies “to shift their assessments about whether a foreign actor has a capability that could cause biological effects consistent with some of the symptoms reported as possible AHIs.”
One was the National Security Agency, which intercepts and decodes foreign electronic communications, several people familiar with the issue said. The other, said two of those people, was the National Ground Intelligence Center, a U.S. Army intelligence agency in Charlottesville that produces intelligence on foreign adversaries’ scientific, technical and military capabilities.
The majority of U.S. intelligence agencies, including the CIA and four others, said they continued to judge it “very unlikely” that the attacks were the result of a foreign adversary or that a foreign actor had developed a novel weapon. In conversations intercepted by U.S. spy agencies, American adversaries were heard expressing their own surprise at the AHI incidents and denying involvement, U.S. officials have said.
The CIA declined to comment on the Norwegian test or how it impacted the agency’s analysis. Norway’s embassy in Washington did not respond to a request for comment.
Some former officials and AHI victims have pointed to Russia as the prime suspect in the AHI incidents because of its decades of work in directed-energy devices. So far, no conclusive proof has publicly emerged, and Moscow has denied involvement.
Taken together, the two known directed-energy devices along with other research appear to have prompted a reconsideration by some of the causes of Havana syndrome, so named because of the mysterious 2016 outbreak of symptoms reported by personnel at the U.S. Embassy in Havana.
In subsequent years, U.S. personnel reported hundreds of cases globally, in China, Eastern Europe and elsewhere. A top aide to then-CIA Director William J. Burns reported symptoms while traveling in India in 2021.
At a conference in Philadelphia earlier this month, retired Air Force Lt. Col. Chris Schlagheck, at times his voice breaking, said he was hit five times in 2020 in his home in Northern Virginia, where a Russian family lived across the street. It was not until last year that a doctor told him his symptoms were the same as those reported from Havana a decade earlier.
Much about the Norway test remains obscured by its highly classified nature. People familiar with the events declined to identify the scientist or the Norwegian government agency he worked for.
The results were all the more shocking because the Norwegian researcher had earned a reputation as a leading opponent of the theory that directed-energy weapons can cause the type of symptoms associated with AHIs, those familiar with the events said. Trying to dramatically prove his point, with himself as a human guinea pig, he achieved the opposite.
“I don’t know what possessed him to go and do this,” one of the people said. “He was a bit of an eccentric.”
A delegation of Pentagon officials traveled to Norway in 2024 to examine the device. In December of that year, a group of intelligence and White House officials also went to Norway to discuss the issue, those familiar with the events said.
In January 2022, the CIA produced an interim assessment that concluded a foreign country was probably not behind Havana syndrome. It emerged weeks before a major panel of government and nongovernment experts produced a report commissioned by the director of national intelligence and deputy CIA director that came to a markedly different conclusion.
That panel concluded in February 2022 that pulsed electromagnetic energy, particularly in the radio-frequency range, ‘‘plausibly explains the core characteristics of reported AHIs,” although it acknowledged many unknowns. “Information gaps exist,” it reported.
The conclusion marked the first time a report issued publicly by the U.S. government acknowledged that the symptoms could be caused by man-made, external events.
The IC Experts Panel, as it was known, interviewed several people who had suffered accidental exposure to electromagnetic energy, said David Relman, a Stanford University microbiologist who chaired the panel.
But the CIA interim assessment overshadowed the expert panel’s report. Then, in March 2023, the full intelligence community issued an assessment that unanimously concluded that it was unlikely that a foreign adversary was behind the incidents. “There is no credible evidence that a foreign adversary has a weapon or (intelligence) collection device that is causing AHIs,” the unclassified version of their report said, citing secret intelligence data and open-source information about foreign weapons and research programs.
U.S. intelligence agencies “essentially ignored” the experts panel’s work, Relman told the conference in Philadelphia. The agencies, particularly the CIA, “had developed a very firm set of conclusions, world view that caused them I think to become dug in,” he said.
By late 2024, senior White House officials in the Biden administration had come to question the absolutist position taken by U.S. intelligence agencies in their 2023 assessment.
There were some officials, including within the intelligence community, who insisted that “there was nothing here” – that every reported case could be explained by some environmental or medical factor, said one person familiar with the administration’s views.
The more “responsible” view, the person said, was to admit “we don’t know the answers” and that it was “plausible that pulsed electromagnetic energy could account for some subset of cases.”
After the November 2024 election, White House officials who were working on an AHI brief for the incoming Trump administration invited several victims to a meeting to offer their input. The officials also wanted to reassure the victims that they realized the intelligence community assessment called into question the very real health issues they experienced and what caused them.
At one point, an official turned to the victims who were gathered in the Situation Room and said, “We believe you.” The White House wasn’t yet certain it was a foreign actor but believed it was plausible that the symptoms had been caused by external factors, said the person familiar with the administration’s views.
Marc Polymeropoulos, a former CIA officer and AHI victim who attended the unclassified meeting, said, “It was clear to the victims, but also unsaid, that new information had come into the NSC that had caused them to make such a statement.”
(c) 2026, The Washington Post
Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu has tapped Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar to attend next Thursday’s inaugural Board of Peace gathering in Washington, DC, instead of going himself, according to a diplomatic source who spoke with The Times of Israel.
Netanyahu traveled to Washington last week for talks with President Donald Trump during a period of heightened strain between the United States and Iran. He has chosen not to make another trip for AIPAC’s annual conference or for the Board of Peace session, where the Trump administration is seeking to secure financial commitments for the new international framework.
Sa’ar is expected to take part in the February 19 meeting alongside senior representatives from Argentina, Cambodia, Hungary, Indonesia, Pakistan and Vietnam. Bahrain’s King Hamad Al Khalifa is also expected to be present, an Arab diplomat said. While all 28 member states on the panel plan to send delegates, each government is determining the rank of the official it will dispatch, the diplomat added.
The Board of Peace has been established to supervise Gaza’s move toward a postwar administration that excludes Hamas, in line with Washington’s 20-point blueprint for the territory.
Still, Saudi Arabia has signaled it is not yet ready to pledge reconstruction funds. Speaking Saturday, Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud said Riyadh needs greater certainty about Israel’s eventual military pullout from Gaza and about Hamas laying down its arms before committing financial support. He suggested the upcoming meeting could provide further clarification.
When asked at the Munich Security Conference whether Saudi Arabia would finance rebuilding efforts in Gaza and under what conditions, Prince Faisal said his country is “fully supportive” of the Board of Peace and Trump’s 20-point plan. However, he stressed that, “We need to see a real end to the conflict.”
“That means we need to have clarity on when Israel is going to withdraw, when Hamas is going to disarm, when everyone is going to comply with all 20 points of the 20-point plan,” Prince Faisal said.
“The US is working on that. There’s a meeting on the 19th that will give us a lot more clarity,” he noted, referring to the Board of Peace fundraising meeting.
According to a US official and two Arab diplomats who spoke earlier this week with The Times of Israel, Washington hopes to unveil $1.25 billion in contributions from the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Kuwait. The New York Times has reported that the United States intends to match that figure with its own pledge.
Prince Faisal said Saudi Arabia would be better positioned after the meeting to assess “where we can best contribute toward — not just reconstruction, but also that the people of Gaza and Palestine can have a better future.”
The American proposal for Gaza was first presented in September and was conceived as the intended outcome of the ceasefire and hostage-release agreement Washington brokered between Israel and Hamas, following two years of fighting that began with the Hamas-led assault on Israel on October 7, 2023.
Although the US-mediated truce moved into its second stage last month, clashes have persisted in Gaza, with Israel and Hamas each accusing the other of violations.
Under the terms of the second phase, Israeli troops are to withdraw in stages from the Strip while Hamas dismantles its armed capabilities. An international stabilization force would then be deployed to maintain order.
Hamas, however, has consistently declared that disarmament is a red line, even as it has hinted it might consider transferring its weapons to a future Palestinian governing authority.
