Trump says 80,000 pages of unredacted files on JFK assassination to be released today

Posted on by Vividh Bharathi

Washington, March 18 (IANS) US President Donald Trump said that he will release 80,000 pages of unredacted files related to the assassination of former President John F. Kennedy (JFK) on Tuesday.

“We’re going to be releasing the JFK files, and that would be tomorrow,” Trump told reporters at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., where he attended a board meeting, Xinhua news agency reported.

“You got a lot of reading. I don’t believe we’re going to redact anything. I said, just don’t. But we’re going to be releasing the JFK files,” Trump said.

“People have been waiting for decades for this,” Trump added.

When asked if there would be a summary of the 80,000 pages of files, Trump replied, “No.”

JFK, the 35th president of the United States, was assassinated on November 22, 1963, in Dallas, Texas, while riding in a motorcade. Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested for the murder, yet numerous conspiracy theories about the circumstances of Oswald’s dramatic death two days after the assassination remain prevalent even today.

In 1992, Congress required that all documents related to the assassinations be made available to the public within 25 years, by October 26, 2017.

In his first term as president starting January 2017, Trump accepted proposed redactions from executive departments and agencies, but ordered the continued re-evaluation of those remaining redactions.

Joe Biden, who succeeded Trump, issued subsequent certifications concerning these records in 2021, 2022, and 2023, which gave agencies additional time to review the documents and withhold information from public disclosure.

Biden’s press secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre, said on June 30, 2023 that 99 per cent of records associated with JFK’s assassination were available for public consumption through the National Archives and Records Administration.

On January 23, Trump signed an executive order to declassify any remaining files from the assassinations of former President JFK, his brother Robert F. Kennedy (RFK) and civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK).

–IANS

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Tripura govt gives special priority to education for backward classes, girls: CM Saha

Agartala, Jan 2 (IANS) The Tripura government has been given special priority to the development of the educational infrastructure in the state and is working to provide quality education to children from all sections of society, especially, backward classes and girls, Chief Minister Manik Saha said here on Thursday.

Addressing the platinum jubilee function of the Ramesh English Medium Higher Secondary School in southern Tripura’s Udaipur, the Chief Minister said that the state government has given special priority to developing the overall infrastructure of education in the state.

He said that the government also focused on implementing various education policies, with review meetings being held regularly in this regard.

Initiatives have been taken to address the shortage of teachers in educational institutions, Saha, who also holds the Education portfolio, said, adding that the government is working towards ensuring quality education and improving the teaching process.

“Efforts are being made to provide educational opportunities to children from poor, neglected, minority, and tribal communities,” he pointed out.

The Chief Minister highlighted that late academician Ramesh Chandra Dutta established Ramesh School as a private institution outside Agartala in 1951 with the aim of providing quality education to the children of the state.

Ramesh School is one of the oldest schools in the state, now known as Udaipur Ramesh English Medium Higher Secondary School.

“Students from this school have gone on to work successfully in many important positions both within the country and abroad. Among its alumni are former Chief Ministers, MLAs and senior officials of the state,” he added.

He also emphasised that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched the National Education Policy to modernise the country’s education system.

“The state government is aligning its efforts with this goal. Special initiatives have been taken to build new buildings, introduce smart classes, and modernize educational infrastructure in the state’s schools. At one time, there was no university in the state, but now there are many government and private universities, including a central university. Steps have also been taken to recruit sufficient teachers for the schools,” he stated.

–IANS

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Kirori Lal Meena’s phone was not tapped, claims Rajasthan Minister

Jaipur, Feb 20 (IANS) Rajasthan Minister of State for Home Affairs Jawahar Singh Bedham on Thursday claimed in the Assembly that the state government has not intercepted the phone of Agriculture Minister Kirori Lal Meena while Meena himself has publicly denied the allegations.

“There has been no phone tapping. Kirodi Lal Meena’s phone has also not been tapped. No individual’s phone was tapped in the state,” said the minister during his Assembly address while responding to Minister Kirodi Lal Meena’s allegations.

Clarifying the legal provisions, the minister said that phone interceptions are permitted only for critical purposes such as state security, maintaining public order, and crime prevention under the Telecommunications Act.

“The current state government strictly adheres to these regulations,” the minister further claimed.

Bedham informed the House that the Additional Chief Secretary of the Home Department is the competent authority for approving any telephone interception in the state.

“Such requests can only be initiated based on proposals from authorised police officers and must meet strict criteria before approval. To ensure accountability, a review committee has been constituted, chaired by the Chief Secretary. The committee also includes the Additional Chief Secretary (Finance) and the Principal Secretary (Law and Legal Affairs). As per regulations, this committee is required to meet every two months to review interception orders,” the minister said.

However, the minister’s comments created a ruckus in the Assembly with the opposition walking out of the session.

Rajasthan Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Tika Ram Jully asked the Home Minister about the government’s response to Kirodi Lal Meena’s phone-tapping allegations.

“If the phones were not tapped, what action would be taken against Kirodi Lal Meena for his allegations? Why doesn’t the government accept his resignation?” the LoP said.

As the debate intensified inside the Assembly, Forest Minister Sanjay Sharma waved a poster inside the House, sparking further outrage. Jully strongly objected to it and questioned the legality of such an action.

However, after a brief ruckus, normal proceedings resumed in the Assembly.

LoP Tika Ram Jully added that had the state Home Minister provided the clarification earlier, the matter would have been resolved.

Earlier, Congress had threatened to disrupt Assembly proceedings unless the government addressed the phone-tapping allegations.

Ahead of the budget session, the Speaker convened an all-party meeting, where it was decided that the government would respond on February 20 during zero-hour.

Following the negotiations, Congress allowed the budget speech to proceed without disruptions. However, despite multiple statements by the state Home Minister outside the Assembly, no formal response was given in the House until Thursday which prompted Congress to protest.

Earlier, Kirodi Lal Meena was issued a notice by BJP state chief Madan Rathore regarding the phone-tapping allegations.

On February 12, Kirodi had also sent a reply in this matter to the party chief.

“I have made a mistake and I have accepted it in the reply to the notice. I will not inform you what I wrote in reply. I have no resentment with the party,” Meena told media persons.

–IANS

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RJD MLA Mukesh Raushan receives threat calls

Patna, Dec 16 (IANS) Mukesh Raushan, the RJD MLA from Mahua Assembly constituency, on Monday allegedly received death threats, adding to the tension surrounding the political atmosphere in Bihar.

The threatening calls came from an individual who identified himself as Manish Chaudhary, claiming to be a resident of Uttar Pradesh.

The incident occurred on Monday evening and has been reported to the Patna Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP).

The individual, Manish Chaudhary, used WhatsApp to make four life-threatening calls to Mukesh Raushan from the number 7417173317.

During the calls, Chaudhary not only threatened the MLA but also used abusive language, attempting to intimidate him.

He threatened to set Mukesh Raushan’s office in the Vaishali district on fire.

These threats come at a sensitive time as the MLA mourns the recent loss of his father. His father was also murdered by criminals recently.

After receiving the threatening calls, Mukesh Raushan immediately reported the incident to Patna SSP Rajiv Mishra.

The SSP has advised the MLA to file a written complaint to initiate a formal investigation into the matter.

Authorities are expected to trace the caller and determine the motive behind the threats.

The MLA was in the news recently as he broke down publicly after RJD leader Tej Pratap Yadav hinted at contesting the next Assembly election from the Mahua constituency.

Mukesh Raushan, the current Mahua MLA, has openly expressed his fears about losing his ticket in the next Assembly election.

He has stated his willingness to accept any decision made by the party but also hinted at returning to his medical profession if sidelined in politics.

This incident raises serious concerns about the security of public representatives in Bihar.

Given the rising political and social tensions in the state, such threats not only endanger the lives of individuals but also create an atmosphere of fear and intimidation.

Earlier, Purnea’s MP Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav received a number of life-threatening calls and messages even from Pakistan, Nepal, Dubai and Malaysia.

–IANS

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