35 episodes

Conspiracyland's "The Strange Story of Havana Syndrome," hosted by Yahoo News chief investigative correspondent Michael Isikoff, is an investigation into the baffling medical ailments-- headaches, dizziness, extreme fatigue and even brain injuries-- that have been reported by over 1,100 American diplomats and spies in recent years, confounding the U.S. intelligence and diplomatic communities. These symptoms are commonly known as Havana Syndrome because they were first surfaced in Cuba more than five years ago though they have long since been reported all over the world. But what and who was causing them remains a mystery. As Conspiracyland documents, the reports about Havana Syndrome were used as a political trigger to upend U.S. relations with Cuba: They set off a chain of events that led the Trump administration to reverse President Obama's efforts to normalize relations with the island nation, a rollback that has continued under President Biden. It also has led to an endless spate of news stories suggesting these health ailments were the result of targeted microwave attacks by a foreign power, with the Russian intelligence services under the control of Vladimir Putin considered the leading candidate. But as Conspiracyland reveals, the real story of Havana Syndrome is starting to look very different than it did at the time. 

Conspiracyland Yahoo News

    • News
    • 4.7 • 53 Ratings

Conspiracyland's "The Strange Story of Havana Syndrome," hosted by Yahoo News chief investigative correspondent Michael Isikoff, is an investigation into the baffling medical ailments-- headaches, dizziness, extreme fatigue and even brain injuries-- that have been reported by over 1,100 American diplomats and spies in recent years, confounding the U.S. intelligence and diplomatic communities. These symptoms are commonly known as Havana Syndrome because they were first surfaced in Cuba more than five years ago though they have long since been reported all over the world. But what and who was causing them remains a mystery. As Conspiracyland documents, the reports about Havana Syndrome were used as a political trigger to upend U.S. relations with Cuba: They set off a chain of events that led the Trump administration to reverse President Obama's efforts to normalize relations with the island nation, a rollback that has continued under President Biden. It also has led to an endless spate of news stories suggesting these health ailments were the result of targeted microwave attacks by a foreign power, with the Russian intelligence services under the control of Vladimir Putin considered the leading candidate. But as Conspiracyland reveals, the real story of Havana Syndrome is starting to look very different than it did at the time. 

    JFK: The Mother of all Conspiracy Theories (w/ Phil Shenon & Jeff Morley)

    JFK: The Mother of all Conspiracy Theories (w/ Phil Shenon & Jeff Morley)

    We talk to two leading experts on the subject of the JFK assassination about the newly released material on the matter, former New York Times reporter Phil Shenon and former Washington Post Reporter Jeff Morley.

    • 1 hr 5 min
    Bonus Episode 3: "A Havana Travelogue"

    Bonus Episode 3: "A Havana Travelogue"

    Host Micheal Isikoff and Producer Mark Seman discuss their wild, surreal experiences in Cuba.

    • 23 min
    Episode 3: "It’s Not What We Thought It Was"

    Episode 3: "It’s Not What We Thought It Was"

    This episode recounts how senior U.S. officials became increasingly dubious about sensational claims about Havana Syndrome pointing to the lack of any hard evidence that a secret microwave weapon even exists.

    • 38 min
    Bonus Episode 2: "Henry Kissinger's Radiation Treatment"

    Bonus Episode 2: "Henry Kissinger's Radiation Treatment"

    Peter Kornbluh, of the National Security Archive describes the years of Cold War conflict with the Soviet Union over reports that the Russians were bombarding the U.S. Embassy in Cuba.

    • 11 min
    Episode 2: "The Mystery of the Moscow Signal"

    Episode 2: "The Mystery of the Moscow Signal"

    An examination of the Cold War mystery over suspected microwave attacks on the U.S. Embassy in Moscow and how Pentagon fears about such bombardments heavily influenced the initial response to Havana Syndrome.

    • 30 min
    Bonus Episode 1: "A Cuban Doctor's Diagnosis"

    Bonus Episode 1: "A Cuban Doctor's Diagnosis"

    Mitchell Valdes Sosa, the director of the Cuban Center for Neuroscience, offers his own diagnosis of what is behind the Havana Syndrome symptoms.

    • 9 min

Customer Reviews

4.7 out of 5
53 Ratings

53 Ratings

katie.267 ,

Great Khashoggi Coverage

This podcast came out of left field for me. I heard about on a subreddit and I didn’t expect much. But, boy oh boy, it really exceeded expectations! Such in-depth coverage and spun in a gripping narrative. Great work!

tom rad ,

great 'cast !

this is a rly fun subject for a podcast. it's well reported & produced, and it reveals something vital about the way hysteria has become the norm for American politics.

Top Podcasts In News

The Daily
The New York Times
Serial
Serial Productions & The New York Times
Global News Podcast
BBC World Service
Front Burner
CBC
The Current
CBC
The Big Story
Frequency Podcast Network

You Might Also Like

Conspiracy Theories
Spotify Studios
Unexplained Mysteries
Spotify Studios
Noble Blood
iHeartPodcasts and Grim & Mild
American Scandal
Wondery
Who Killed JFK?
iHeartPodcasts
Throughline
NPR