“Very Proud You Are My Son”: CJ Stroud’s Mom Kim Reacts to Texans QB Crying Over Teammate Tank Dell’s InjuryMumbai: Kandivali based social activist has served a legal notice to the Chief Minister, BMC Commissioner, Development Plan (DP) Chief Engineer and other civic officials for failing to takeover the reserved 1991 DP and RG land from Growels 101 Mall even after more than 15 years. The legal representation demanded shutting down the mall highlighting severe irregularities related to the Building and Factory, Building Proposal, Development Plan and Storm Water Drainage departments until all legal compliances are met. The Free Press Journal had earlier reported that the BMC has failed to take over the DP and RG plot that lies in the vicinity of the Growels 101 Mall in Kandivali (E). The plot has been reserved to construct a recreational ground and a road connecting the Akurli Rd to the Western Express Highway as proposed under the DP 1991 and 2034. Although BMC has been requesting the mall to hand over the reserved land, the mall has not handed over the said plot. Kandivali’s Lokhandwala Residents’ Association (LRA) has been demanding the construction of the DP road since several years as the road is expected to ease the traffic congestion on Akurli Rd. Recently, Shishir Vivekanand Shetty, the founder of LRA, has served a legal notice to the CM, BMC commissioner and other civic officials urging them to take swift and immediate action against Growels 101 Mall with respect to the handing over of the DP and RG land. Kandivali Activist Serves Legal Notice to CM and BMC Chief Over Growels 101 Mall's Failure to Handover DPRG Land | File Photo The legal notice has been served through Advocate Rishi Nirav Bhatt, who had earlier represented the applicant in the PIL concerning the 1967 DP road connecting Thakur Village to Lokhandwala Township. The lawyer and applicant duo were successful in getting favourable implementation order from the BMC Commissioner through the Bomaby High Court in a very short time of approximately two months in October. Through the legal notice, Shetty has urged the authority to direct the Growels 101 Mall to hand over the DPRG plot and close all illegal entries to the mall. It has also prayed to the authorities to shut down the part of mall for illegal constructions, chemical laboratories and pending environment clearance until the requirements are met. The legal notice also cited Bombay High Court’s ruling in the case of Korum Mall in which the court had pulled up the municipal authorities for illegally regularising unauthorised construction by the mall to protect the latter’s interest. Shetty has given the CM, BMC chief and other officials a time of 15 days to take appropriate action against Growels 101 Mall and has warned the officials of legal action before the appropriate court, if they fail to act. The Free Press Journal contacted Santush Kumar Pandde, chief operations officer of the mall, but he was unavailable for a comment. Mall Has Not Submitted Any Environment Clearance The legal representation highlighted a severe irregularity with the mall as it had failed to provide the BMC with necessary environmental clearance from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. In July 2024, the BMC had asked the mall to submit the clearance within seven days. In another letter marked to the mall in September, the BMC had directed the mall not to carry out any work on site until submission of environmental clearance. A Major Nullah Near The Mall Diverted Northwards The legal representation pulled up the Storm Water Drain department as it had failed to take action against the mall authorities for diverting a major nullah adjacent to the mall. In February 2010, the Storm Water Drain Department had written to the mall’s architect after the nullah alignment was found shifted towards the north side. The architect had reasoned that the discrepancy might have occurred due to natural calamities of flood on July 26, or by earlier architect’s technical error. Shetty has alleged that the mall had illegally diverted the nullah which may cause a great mishap in the future. Mall Has Constructed Two Entrances, Lacks OC For A Wing While the mall uses two entrances on the Akurli Rd and one on the WEH, the BMC’s Building Proposal department has revealed that the mall has only one approved entrance which lies on the Akurli Rd. Moreover, the mall has constructed a water fountain on its entry gate, which according to BMC’s claims is unapproved. It also alleged that the mall has rented its A Wing to several licensee without having an occupancy certificate. Chemical Laboratories Running Inside The Mall Without Permission The BMC was unaware of the fact that two chemical laboratories were functioning within the premises of mall and were disposing chemical effluents in the nearby drains. After Shetty’s complaint, it requested the mall to provide necessary permissions for running the laboratories within seven days but has failed to act even after more than six months of the notice. Pay And Park Facility Running On DPRG Plot The notice also mentions about the pay and park facility being run by the mall on the DPRG plot, which has been earlier reported by The Free Press Journal. The BMC had said that there is no record of permission to the mall for the parking service. Documents from as early as 2012 had revealed that the BMC had asked the mall in 2011 to stop its parking business and hand over the DP plot to the BMC. Failure To Hand Over Reserved Plot Even After Utilising FSI BMC’s Development Plan department had issued notices to the mall’s architect SpaceX Consultant, in 2013 and 2016, directing them to hand over the DP reservation of RG and the 18.30 metres DP road. The BMC had ordered that the mall should not be granted any further development permission and insist upon the architect, owner and developer to handover the land. The Free Press Journal had earlier reported that the mall had utilised the FSI benefits from the BMC to its full strength and had still requested for realignment of the DP road but the corporation had denied any possibility. BMC Allowing Permission To The Mall For “Miscellaneous Work” The legal representation also pulled up the Deputy Chief Engineer of Building Proposal department alleging that the BMC has allowed the mall to “illegally construct certain portion under the sheep of miscellaneous work” although it had earlier raised the condition of not issuing any new permission to the mall until it hands over the DPRG plot.To play Maria Callas, Angelina Jolie had to learn how to breathe again
Sickness benefits reform will get people back to work, Labour vowsDelhi BJP flags off 14 video vans to collect manifesto suggestionsBiden will decide on US Steel acquisition after influential panel fails to reach consensus WASHINGTON (AP) — A powerful government panel has failed to reach consensus on the possible national security risks of a nearly $15 billion proposed deal for Nippon Steel of Japan to purchase U.S. Steel. The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States on Monday sent its long-awaited report to President Joe Biden, a longtime opponent of the deal. Some federal agencies represented on the panel were skeptical that allowing a Japanese company to buy an American-owned steelmaker would create national security risks. That's according to a U.S. official familiar with the matter. Both Biden and President-elect Donald Trump opposed the merger and vowed to block it. Nippon Steel says it is confident the deal will go ahead. Nissan and Honda to attempt a merger that would create the world's No. 3 automaker TOKYO (AP) — Japanese automakers Nissan and Honda have announced plans to work toward a merger that would catapult them to a top position in an industry in the midst of tectonic shifts as it transitions away from its reliance on fossil fuels. The two companies said they signed an agreement on integrating their businesses on Monday. Smaller Nissan alliance member Mitsubishi Motors agreed to join the talks. News of a possible merger surfaced earlier this month. Japanese automakers face a strong challenge from their Chinese rivals and Tesla as they make inroads into markets at home and abroad. What a merger between Nissan and Honda means for the automakers and the industry BANGKOK (AP) — Japanese automakers Honda and Nissan will attempt to merge and create the world’s third-largest automaker by sales as the industry undergoes dramatic changes in its transition away from fossil fuels. The two companies said they had signed a memorandum of understanding on Monday and that smaller Nissan alliance member Mitsubishi Motors also had agreed to join the talks on integrating their businesses. Honda will initially lead the new management, retaining the principles and brands of each company. Following is a quick look at what a combined Honda and Nissan would mean for the companies, and for the auto industry. Survey: Small businesses are feeling more optimistic about the economy after the election A survey shows small business owners are feeling more optimistic about the economy following the election. The National Federation of Independent Businesses’ Small Business Optimism Index rose by eight points in November to 101.7, its highest reading since June 2021. The Uncertainty Index declined 12 points in November to 98, following October’s pre-election record high of 110. NFIB Chief Economist Bill Dunkelberg said small business owners became more certain about future business conditions following the presidential election, breaking a nearly three-year streak of record high uncertainty. The survey also showed that more owners are also hoping 2025 will be a good time to grow. Heavy travel day starts with brief grounding of all American Airlines flights WASHINGTON (AP) — American Airlines briefly grounded flights nationwide due to a technical problem just as the Christmas travel season kicked into overdrive and winter weather threatened more potential problems for those planning to fly or drive. Government regulators cleared American flights to get airborne Tuesday about an hour after the Federal Aviation Administration ordered a national ground stop, which prevented planes from taking off. American said in an email that the problem was caused by vendor technology in its flight operating system. Aviation analytics company Cirium said flights were delayed across American’s major hubs, with only 37% leaving on time. Nineteen flights were cancelled. Nordstrom to be acquired by Nordstrom family and a Mexican retail group in $6.25 billion deal Century-old department store Nordstrom has agreed to be acquired and taken private by Nordstrom family members and a Mexican retail group in a $6.25 billion deal. Nordstrom shareholders will receive $24.25 in cash for each share of Nordstrom common stock, representing a 42% premium on the company’s stock as of March 18. Nordstrom’s board of directors unanimously approved the the proposed transaction, while Erik and Pete Nordstrom — part of the Nordstrom family taking over the company — recused themselves from voting. Following the close of the transaction, the Nordstrom Family will have a majority ownership stake in the company. Stock market today: Wall Street rallies ahead of Christmas Stocks closed higher on Wall Street ahead of the Christmas holiday, led by gains in Big Tech stocks. The S&P 500 added 1.1% Tuesday. Trading closed early ahead of the holiday. Tech companies including Apple, Amazon and chip company Broadcom helped pull the market higher. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.9%, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 1.3%. American Airlines shook off an early loss and ended mostly higher after the airline briefly grounded flights nationwide due to a technical issue. Treasury yields held steady in the bond market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury was little changed at 4.59% An analyst looks ahead to how the US economy might fare under Trump WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump won a return to the White House in part by promising big changes in economic policy — more tax cuts, huge tariffs on imports, mass deportations of immigrants working in the United States illegally. In some ways, his victory marked a repudiation of President Joe Biden’s economic stewardship and a protest against inflation. It came despite low unemployment and steady growth under the Biden administration. What lies ahead for the economy under Trump? Paul Ashworth of Capital Economics spoke recently to The Associated Press. The interview has been edited for length and clarity. American consumers feeling less confident in December, Conference Board says American consumers are feeling less confident in December, a business research group says. The Conference Board said Monday that its consumer confidence index fell back in December to 104.7 from 112.8 in November. Consumers had been feeling increasingly confident in recent months. The consumer confidence index measures both Americans’ assessment of current economic conditions and their outlook for the next six months. The measure of Americans’ short-term expectations for income, business and the job market tumbled more than a dozen points to 81.1. The Conference Board says a reading under 80 can signal a potential recession in the near future. Stock market today: Wall Street rises at the start of a holiday-shortened week Stocks closed higher on Wall Street at the start of a holiday-shortened week. The S&P 500 rose 0.7% Monday. Several big technology companies helped support the gains, including chip companies Nvidia and Broadcom. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.2%, and the Nasdaq composite rose 1%. Honda's U.S.-listed shares rose sharply after the company said it was in talks about a combination with Nissan in a deal that could also include Mitsubishi Motors. Eli Lilly rose after announcing that regulators approved Zepbound as the first prescription medicine for adults with sleep apnea. Treasury yields rose in the bond market.
Martial law controversy: Here’s what to know about investigations facing South Korean President YoonOne of the largest immigration advocacy groups in Pennsylvania is urging the Biden administration to end contracts with the border control agency, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and dismantle the immigration infrastructure as a way to blunt what is expected to be a harsh anti-immigration policy under the incoming Trump Administration. The Pennsylvania Immigration Coalition has joined other immigrant rights leaders nationwide to call on President Biden to dismantle as much of the deportation machine as possible before Inauguration Day. More politics Trump’s threat to impose tariffs could raise prices for consumers, colliding with promise for relief After delay, Trump signs agreement to begin formal transition handoff Trump won about 2.5M more votes than in 2020, some in unexpected placesCan the Cowboys win out? Players certainly think it's possible, so let's examine Dallas' remaining schedule
Briana White has sent an emotional message to Final Fantasy 7 fans, and you can watch it in video form above! The Aerith actress was speaking at The Golden Joystick Awards , shortly after picking up the award for Best Supporting Performer. Asked what it meant to have the fans show up and support her in these public-voted awards, White told Radio Times Gaming : “If I think about it too much, I'll cry so much I can't even speak with you. “But it's amazing. I'm so grateful – I mean, truly – that the fans welcomed me into the Final Fantasy community, because they're very passionate about these characters, and I had really big shoes to fill. “And so the fact that they liked my performance and have really accepted me and been so kind, that means a lot, means the world to me.” And what would White say to those fans if they’re watching? “I know they're watching,” White replied. “I know the fans are watching. And so to them, I just want to say, thank you. I could not be here without you. “And also, you've helped my dreams come true. And so I hope I can pass that along to you and say, if you have any dreams, please follow them. Please pursue that, because you deserve that, just like I got that chance.” How nice is that? You can share the message on social media below, if you'd like to spread the word! Moments later, Cody Christian (who plays Cloud) picked up the award for Best Lead Performer, prompting White to jump up and down with glee. We didn't quite catch that moment on camera, so you'll just have to take our word for it! Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth also picked up the gongs for Best Soundtrack and Best Storytelling, making it one of the biggest winners of the night. Helldivers 2 also did well, picking up three awards, while Black Myth: Wukong took home the coveted Ultimate Game of the Year award. Keeping things in the Final Fantasy family, the show was hosted by Ben Starr (Clive Rosfield from Final Fantasy 16). We’ve also got an interview with him – you can watch it on the Radio Times Gaming YouTube channel . Stay tuned for more coverage from the red carpet! Sign up for our gaming newsletter to receive the latest insights, reviews and expert recommendations By entering your details, you are agreeing to our terms and conditions and privacy policy . You can unsubscribe at any time. Check out more of our Gaming coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast .Grade: Senior School: Davenport North Notes: Bourrage, the reigning Iowa Gatorade Player of the Year, ranked second in the MAC scoring (19.8 ppg) and first in rebounds (9.3) and assists (5.6) last season. ... Has 1,042 points and 533 rebounds for her career. ... Signed with LSU earlier this month. Grade: Senior School: Davenport North Notes: Enters the season with 1,229 points and 603 rebounds. ... Missed the last eight games last season because of a knee injury. Shot 63.8% last season. ... Averaged 18.6 points, 8.4 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 4.6 steals per game as a junior. ... Signed with Iowa earlier this month. Grade: Junior School: Bettendorf Notes: McCorkle, who played at Davenport North as a freshman, ranked fifth in the MAC in scoring last season at 15.9 points per game. ... The 5-foot-8 guard also accounted for 3.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 3.5 steals per game. ... Has D-I college offers from Ball State and Buffalo. Year: Senior School: Pleasant Valley Notes: 5-6 guard was second in assists per game last season (5.0) behind only North’s Divine Bourrage. ... Scored 12.5 points per game and added 3.6 steals per contest. Career totals: 793 points, 263 assists, 255 steals. ... Signed with D-III Wartburg. Grade: Senior School: Central DeWitt Notes: Led the MAC in scoring (21 ppg) and ranked fourth in 4A last season. ... Also averaged 5.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.7 steals per game as a junior. ... Has 1,008 career points. ... Signed with D-II Lewis University of the Great Lakes Valley Conference. Sent weekly directly to your inbox! Sports Editor {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.Five sentenced after Ajax, Maccabi fan clashAngel Reese Doubles Down on One Secret She Will 'Never' Share on Social Media
US President-elect Donald Trump announced Wednesday that he was nominating staunch loyalist and retired general Keith Kellogg as his Ukraine envoy, charged with ending the two-and-a-half-year Russian invasion. Trump campaigned on a platform of ushering a swift end to the Ukraine war, boasting that he would quickly mediate a ceasefire deal between President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian leader Vladimir Putin. But his critics have warned that the incoming Republican will likely leverage US military aid to pressure Kyiv into an agreement that left it ceding occupied territory permanently or agreeing not to join NATO. "I am very pleased to nominate General Keith Kellogg to serve as Assistant to the President and Special Envoy for Ukraine and Russia," Trump said in a statement on social media. "Keith has led a distinguished Military and Business career, including serving in highly sensitive National Security roles in my first Administration." A fixture on the cable news circuit, the 80-year-old national security veteran co-wrote an academic paper earlier this year calling for Washington to leverage military aid as a means of pushing for peace talks. Ukraine has received almost $60 billion from Washington for its armed forces since Russia launched a full-scale invasion in February 2022, but with the more isolationist Trump taking over the White House, supporters fear the spigot will run dry. "The United States would continue to arm Ukraine and strengthen its defenses to ensure Russia will make no further advances and will not attack again after a cease-fire or peace agreement," Kellogg's research paper for the Trumpist America First Policy Institute think tank said. "Future American military aid, however, will require Ukraine to participate in peace talks with Russia." Kellogg served in several positions during Trump's first term, including as chief of staff on the White House national security council and national security advisor to then-vice president Mike Pence. Kellogg told Voice of America at the Republican convention in July that Ukraine's options were "quite clear." "If Ukraine doesn't want to negotiate, fine, but then accept the fact that you can have enormous losses in your cities and accept the fact that you will have your children killed, accept the fact that you don't have 130,000 dead, you will have 230,000–250,000," he said. Trump's announcement came as the outgoing administration of Democrat Joe Biden was hosting a news conference to urge Ukraine to enlist more recruits by reducing the minimum age of conscription to 18. Facing a much larger enemy with more advanced weapons and with stocks of volunteers dwindling, Ukraine is facing an "existential" recruitment crunch, a senior administration official told reporters. "The simple truth is that Ukraine is not currently mobilizing or training enough soldiers to replace their battlefield losses while keeping pace with Russia's growing military," said the official, speaking on the condition of anonymity. He was pressed on what Washington considers an appropriate minimum age and he replied that "we think there's real value in them considering lowering the recruiting age to 18" -- in line with the US benchmark. He added that an additional 160,000 troops would be "on the low end" to fill out Ukraine's ranks -- but "a good start." The former Soviet republic's population has fallen by more than a quarter since its mid-1990s peak of 52 million, and authorities are desperate to shield the younger generation -- but a US congressional report in June estimated the average Ukrainian soldier is 40. Zelensky signed a decree in April lowering the draft age from 27 to 25 but the move did not alleviate the chronic troop shortages, according to US officials. ft/bjtEx-Google employees say we need ‘an Android-like moment for AI’
On Nov. 25, Band Aid released the “ultimate remix” of “Do They Know It’s Christmas?,” the rock charity single from 40 years ago that, in addition to whatever good it has done, also broadcasts a narrative that undermines an entire continent’s dignity and agency. The recording has raised millions for humanitarian aid but has also furthered misrepresentations that have long justified treating Africa as a blank slate for Western intervention. In 1984, Bob Geldof, then the lead singer for the Boomtown Rats, brought together a supergroup of British and Irish rock stars to perform “Do They Know It’s Christmas?,” a song he co-wrote after seeing BBC reports of widespread famine in Ethiopia. The lyrics are a pop-song paean to colonialism, reminiscent of Hegel’s 19th century thinking when he dismissed Africa as “unhistorical, undeveloped” and “devoid of morality, religions and political constitution.” Lines such as “Where nothing ever grows / No rain nor rivers flow” and “Well tonight, thank God it’s them instead of you” painted Ethiopia as helpless, barren and dependent on Western salvation. In 1984, the song, accompanied by wrenching famine images, simplified a complex crisis, reducing the nation’s historical, cultural and religious identity to a caricature of despair for Western audiences. The Ethiopian famine of 1984 was far from a straightforward natural disaster. It was exacerbated by the civil war between Ethiopia’s Soviet-aligned Derg regime and insurgent groups such as the Tigrayan People’s Liberation Front supported by Western nations. Cold War geopolitics turned the famine into a proxy battleground, with the U.S. and U.K. providing both famine relief and covert support to insurgents seeking to weaken the Derg. The original Band Aid release set a record for Christmas sales in the U.K., and eight months later, Geldof organized Live Aid, a televised concert that attracted more than a billion viewers in more than 100 countries, or roughly a third of humanity. Broadcast over 16 hours from Wembley Stadium in London and John F. Kennedy Stadium (since demolished) in Philadelphia, it was a landmark cultural event featuring performances by David Bowie, Madonna, Paul McCartney and dozens more, and was attended by British royalty, including Princess Diana. The spectacle raised an astonishing $50 million in pledges, alongside additional revenue from sold-out merchandise. It was hailed as the pinnacle of humanitarian success. However, behind the euphoric Live Aid headlines lay dark questions. In a memoir, Fikre Selassie Wogderess, Ethiopia’s prime minister from 1987 to 1989, said only $20 million worth of aid actually reached the country in the mid-’80s. Reports — denied by Geldof and, in one instance, retracted by the BBC — have suggested that some of the funds could have landed in rebel hands. Since 1985, the Band Aid Charitable Trust is estimated to have raised more than $178 million for African relief, but the broader context cannot be ignored. Beyond the famine, the West’s involvement in Ethiopia turned into overt political meddling. In 1991, during the fall of the Derg, the U.K. and U.S. orchestrated a peace conference in London that enabled the TPLF to rise to power. This minority-led government ruled Ethiopia for 27 years, exacerbating ethnic tensions and sowing the seeds of instability that continue to plague the nation. The parallels with the Berlin Conference of 1884 — 2024 marks its 140th anniversary — where European powers divided Africa for their gain, are striking. Both events reveal a pattern of external forces imposing political structures on Africa to serve their interests, heedless of the continent’s complex histories and diverse peoples. Band Aid’s long-term impact on Africa’s image is equally troubling. The branding of Ethiopia — and by extension, Africa — as a monolithic land of suffering has been repeated through the years with revivals of “Do They Know It’s Christmas?,” including Band Aid II in 1989, Band Aid 20 in 2004, Band Aid 30 in 2014 and now Band Aid 40, shaping how the world sees and engages with Africa, and no doubt influencing investment, collaboration and policy decisions. The lyrics have been edited in response to critics calling the song demeaning and rife with colonial tropes, but it remains a self-congratulatory and tone-deaf exercise. A majority of Ethiopians are Christians; the country adopted Christianity as early as the 4th century AD. Ethiopians knew it was Christmas in the winter of 1984, and they know it now — despite the song’s patronizing question. And Ethiopia continues to be misrepresented in the Western imagination. Far from being a helpless land, it is the cradle of human civilization with a legacy as a leader in Africa’s fight against colonialism. Although the country in 2024 is no utopia — its challenges are real — it has survived a century of external interference and internal struggles. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed responded succinctly to the 2024 Band Aid remix: “A good cause that has not evolved with the times might end up doing more harm than good.” The relentless revival of narratives centered on helplessness and dependency distorts the rich and complex realities of Ethiopia and Africa. Rather than perpetuating outdated stereotypes, we must elevate African voices and champion a future where Africa leads and inspires on its own terms. Elias Wondimu divides his time between Ethiopia and Los Angeles. He is the founding director of Tshehai Publishers, the editorial director of the International Journal of Ethiopian Studies and a senior fellow with the International Strategic Studies Assn.DALLAS (AP) — More than 60 years after President John F. Kennedy was assassinated , conspiracy theories still swirl and any new glimpse into the fateful day of Nov. 22, 1963, in Dallas continues to fascinate . President-elect Donald Trump promised during his reelection campaign that he would declassify all of the remaining government records surrounding the assassination if he returned to office. He made a similar pledge during his first term, but ultimately bended to appeals from the CIA and FBI to keep some documents withheld. At this point, only a few thousand of the millions of governmental records related to the assassination have yet to be fully released, and those who have studied the records released so far say that even if the remaining files are declassified, the public shouldn't anticipate any earth-shattering revelations. “Anybody waiting for a smoking gun that’s going to turn this case upside down will be sorely disappointed,” said Gerald Posner, author of “Case Closed,” which concludes that assassin Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone. Friday's 61st anniversary is expected to be marked with a moment of silence at 12:30 p.m. in Dealey Plaza, where Kennedy's motorcade was passing through when he was fatally shot. And throughout this week there have been events marking the anniversary. When Air Force One carrying Kennedy and first lady Jacqueline Kennedy touched down in Dallas , they were greeted by a clear sky and enthusiastic crowds. With a reelection campaign on the horizon the next year, they had gone to Texas on political fence-mending trip. But as the motorcade was finishing its parade route downtown, shots rang out from the Texas School Book Depository building. Police arrested 24-year-old Oswald and, two days later, nightclub owner Jack Ruby fatally shot Oswald during a jail transfer. A year after the assassination, the Warren Commission, which President Lyndon B. Johnson established to investigate the assassination, concluded that Oswald acted alone and there was no evidence of a conspiracy. But that hasn't quelled a web of alternative theories over the decades. In the early 1990s, the federal government mandated that all assassination-related documents be housed in a single collection in the National Archives and Records Administration. The collection of over 5 million records was required to be opened by 2017, barring any exemptions designated by the president. Trump, who took office for his first term in 2017, had boasted that he'd allow the release of all of the remaining records but ended up holding some back because of what he called the potential harm to national security. And while files have continued to be released during President Joe Biden's administration, some still remain unseen. The documents released over the last few years offer details on the way intelligence services operated at the time, and include CIA cables and memos discussing visits by Oswald to the Soviet and Cuban embassies during a trip to Mexico City just weeks before the assassination. The former Marine had previously defected to the Soviet Union before returning home to Texas. Mark S. Zaid, a national security attorney in Washington, said what's been released so far has contributed to the understanding of the time period, giving “a great picture” of what was happening during the Cold War and the activities of the CIA. Posner estimates that there are still about 3,000 to 4,000 documents in the collection that haven’t yet been fully released. Of those documents, some are still completely redacted while others just have small redactions, like someone's Social Security number. There are about 500 documents where all the information is redacted, Posner said, and those include Oswald's and Ruby’s tax returns. “If you have been following it, as I have and others have, you sort of are zeroed in on the pages you think might provide some additional information for history,” Posner said. Trump's transition team hasn’t responded to questions this week about his plans when he takes office. From the start, there were those who believed there had to be more to the story than just Oswald acting alone, said Stephen Fagin, curator of the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza, which tells the story of the assassination from the building where Oswald made his sniper's perch. “People want to make sense of this and they want to find the solution that fits the crime," said Fagin, who said that while there are lingering questions, law enforcement made “a pretty compelling case” against Oswald. Larry J. Sabato, director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics, said his interest in the assassination dates back to the event itself, when he was a child. “It just seemed so fantastical that one very disturbed individual could end up pulling off the crime of the century," Sabato said. “But the more I studied it, the more I realized that is a very possible, maybe even probable in my view, hypothesis.”The Victorian Labor government is facing a political crossroads. or signup to continue reading Almost a decade since winning office, political analysts wonder if the state government must shed its skin to win an historic fourth term or whether it can coast off past achievements and electoral supremacy. Labor will find it difficult convincing Victorians it is a fresh government in 2026 purely because of how long it's been at the helm, political scientist Zareh Ghazarian says. "It will be 12 years old by the time the next election is due and there will be an 'it's time' factor that the government will really have to combat," the Monash University senior lecturer told AAP. Queensland Labor experienced the wrath of change-hungry voters in October, relinquishing its grip on power to the Liberal Nationals after almost 10 years. But RedBridge director Kos Samaras, who served as Victorian Labor's deputy campaign director from 2005 to 2019, suggested that result wasn't a perfect analogue. The leading pollster pointed out roughly 80 per cent of Victorian residents live in Melbourne, compared to Brisbane accounting for about 50 per cent of Queensland's population, and emphasised the Victorian capital's "rapidly changing" political landscape. "The two states are vastly different," he said. "Back in 2014 only around 26 per cent of the (Victorian) voters' roll was made up of Millennials and Gen Z were too young - it's now closer to 50 per cent if you combine Gen Z and Millennials. "This group of Victorians and particularly Melburnians are not really good hunting ground for the coalition and I'm yet to see any evidence that they are eating into that group, even with Labor's primary vote being so low." Nonetheless, Mr Samaras conceded Premier Jacinta Allan must reshape herself and her government after the economic shocks of the COVID-19 pandemic and inflation crisis. "She has to be drastically different to Daniel Andrews," he said. "What worked for him between 2014 and 2022, won't work for her." Mr Samaras, who is married to state Labor minister Ros Spence, and Dr Ghazarian both said Ms Allan had taken the "first steps" to differentiating herself with a recent blitz of housing policies. However, history won't be on her side when Labor heads to the polls in two years. The party has never won four successive Victorian state elections and will have been in power for 23 of the past 27 years. No Victorian premier who replaced their elected leader during a term has steered a party to victory at the ballot box since Rupert Hamer succeeded Liberal icon Henry Bolte in 1972. "The reason Rupert Hamer succeeded was he projected himself as drastically different to Bolte," Mr Samaras said. "Rupert Hamer is the roadmap." The practical effects of Victoria's strained finances and rising net debt, forecast to hit $187.8 billion by mid-2028, are starting to pile up. Hospitals were told to tighten their belts before being handed a $1.5 billion one-year funding lifeline in August and the government has found itself fighting bitter pay battles with unions. It managed to end protracted negotiations with nurses and paramedics, but disputes with Victoria Police and Fire Rescue Victoria workers have landed in the Fair Work Commission. "These things take the shine off the government," Dr Ghazarian said. One of Labor's biggest "failures" over the past 10 years has been ignoring its traditional support base of lower-income workers, Mr Samaras added. "They're going to pay a price for it," he said. "The price they're going to pay for it isn't just one election, it's going to be multi-generational. "They're going to lose a lot of seats - I don't think they'll lose enough to lose government." Any blow will be softened by the substantial electoral cushion left by Mr Andrews, who led Labor to 56 of 88 lower house seats in 2022. It means the coalition must pick up at least 17 extra seats in 2026 to form a majority government, and Mr Samaras noted the opposition would likely need a 53 to 54 per cent two-party preferred result to end Labor's reign. As Opposition Leader John Pesutto awaits the outcome of a defamation trial brought by ousted MP Moira Deeming, Dr Ghazarian acknowledged much of Labor's fortunes could rest on the Liberals. "If they are able to appear to be a coherent group with a clear leader and free from internal bickering, then they may have a chance of a strong showing," he said. Advertisement Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date. We care about the protection of your data. Read our . AdvertisementRobert Cardillo, Chief Strategist and Chairman of Planet Federal, to Present at Goldman Sachs Investor Conference
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