US nuke submarine hits mystery object in South China Sea

A US nuclear submarine was damaged after hitting an unidentified object while operating underwater in Asia, the US Navy said in a statement on Thursday.

The USS Connecticut, a nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine, “struck an object while submerged on the afternoon of October 2, while operating in international waters in the IndoPacific region”, the navy said.

It said there were no lifethreatening injuries, but USNI News, a site specialising in navy news, reported that about a dozen sailors were hurt “with moderate to minor injuries”.

USNI News also said the submarine was operating in the South China Sea, where the US Navy has sought to challenge China’s disputed territorial claims on small islands, reefs and outcrops.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said on Friday that Beijing was “extremely concerned” about the collision. Washington should provide “detailed clarification” of the event, including information about what the submarine collided with, whether it caused nuclear leakage and whether it damaged the local marine environment, Zhao said.

Berlin cops investigating ‘Havana syndrome’ cases

Police opened an investigation in August into several cases of so-called Havana syndrome among staff at the US embassy in Berlin, Der Spiegel reported on Friday.

The syndrome first came to public attention in 2016 after dozens of diplomats at the US mission in Havana, Cuba, complained of the symptoms.

The basis of the German investigation is said to be material the US government handed over to German authorities, Spiegel reported.