New testimony from an elderly former Secret Service agent who was guarding US president John F Kennedy when he was assassinated in Dallas in 1963 could prove to be a fatal blow to the widely disparaged official narrative of the murder.
There is a difference between genuine mysteries of history and the subjects of paranoid conspiracy theories. In history and politics, the venerable philosophical principle of Occam's Razor – which holds that all things being equal, the simplest explanation is usually correct – is invaluable. There's no need to look for outlandish explanations when obvious ones are rationally satisfactory.
The official narrative of the Kennedy assassination in the Warren Commission Report was, from the outside, too weak and deeply flawed not to be widely doubted. The circumstances of the killing are a genuine mystery and rejecting a totally unconvincing official account isn't paranoid or unwarranted. Speculation is likely to intensify now that former Secret Service agent Paul Landis, who was standing on the car runner boards a few feet from Mr Kennedy when he was shot, has at last told his story.
The Report's account hinges on the assumption that a "magic bullet" hit Mr Kennedy and Texas governor John Connally, who survived the attack, in multiple implausible parts of his body. Not only was the bullet's path seemingly bizarre, though hardly impossible, but the fact that it was found on Mr Connally's stretcher in a near-pristine state after all that supposed ricocheting and damage raised immediate doubts.
Mr Landis says that he found that bullet lodged in the leather of the limousine behind where Mr Kennedy had been sitting when shot. He took it into the hospital and placed it on the president’s stretcher in hopes it could help doctors. He surmises that the two stretchers were later jostled together and the bullet bounced onto Mr Connelly's.
The "magic bullet" that hit both Mr Kennedy and, repeatedly, Mr Connally is the linchpin of the lone gunman theory propagated by the Warren Report. If Mr Connally was struck by a different, and therefore additional, bullet, the already far-fetched idea that Lee Harvey Oswald was alone responsible for all the shooting crumbles. It virtually guarantees that there was at least one other gunman, and possibly more.
While the official narrative never held much water, many popular alternatives also seem entirely unconvincing. As popularised in Oliver Stone's essentially fictional hit film JFK, they tend to blame the CIA and/or the military for killing Mr Kennedy. They claim Mr Kennedy was preparing to destroy the intelligence agency or withdraw US advisers from Vietnam or to take some other supposedly intolerable action. And, therefore, he was simply killed.
This leaves a lot to be desired, to put it mildly. There is no evidence that Mr Kennedy wanted to, or could have, gone to war with the intelligence services. It's unclear whether he was really going to pursue a withdrawal from Vietnam or that this would've been regarded as an intolerable betrayal by the military.
Most importantly, the CIA has no history, before or since, of assassinating US presidents. The CIA and/or military certainly had the means but lacked any clear motive. And as for opportunity, virtually anyone who wanted to take a potshot at that motorcade could have.
The most glaring flaw in the official narrative that rendered the Kennedy assassination a genuine mystery from the outset is that, a few days after the assassination, Oswald himself was shot, in full view of police who were escorting him in custody, by Jack Ruby. Ruby insisted that he was motivated by patriotic outrage, but that's another laughable claim.
Ruby was a disreputable Dallas nightclub owner strongly associated with Cosa Nostra – the American mafia. The mafia, like anyone else, had the opportunity. They undoubtedly had the means. And mob leaders in the South (and Chicago) had ample motive.
They had supported Mr Kennedy and believed they had been crucial to his victory over Richard Nixon in 1960, in one of the closest elections in US history. Then Mr Kennedy appointed his brother, Robert, attorney general, who immediately launched a crusade against the mafia, leaving mob leaders feeling betrayed.
Carlos Marcello of New Orleans and Santo Trafficante of Tampa were extremely powerful and particularly aggrieved. Both had been major figures in the mafia-dominated economy of pre-Castro Cuba and were not only bitter about the Kennedy crackdown against organised crime but also the fiasco of the Bay of Pigs invasion and a sense that Washington was failing miserably to reverse the Cuban revolution and rescue their money.
Most significantly, perhaps, in 1961, the Kennedy Justice Department deported Marcello on highly dubious immigration charges, later overturned in court, to Guatemala. From Guatemala, Marcello was deported to El Salvador, and finally dumped in rural Honduras. He and his lawyer had to walk through more than 17 miles of high-altitude jungle, with no provisions, map or compass, before finally reaching a village.
Marcello's attorney reported that during this brutal ordeal, the ageing mafia kingpin collapsed three times and said he couldn't go any further, and repeatedly vowed vengeance against Robert Kennedy. He was a murderous man in a murderous rage by the time he finally made it back to the United States.
The motorcade was a wide-open opportunity. The mob bosses of Tampa, Chicago and, above all, New Orleans certainly had ample motive. The only question is: did mere gangsters really have the means to kill the US president?
1963 was still in the midst of the heyday of US mafia power. Marcello and Trafficante could have drawn on sophisticated assassins from around the US, or Italy and even France, even without the assistance or knowledge of the famous "five families" in New York City.
The biggest weakness of this possible explanation is how they manipulated Oswald into involvement. But Oswald's role isn't adequately explained by any other theory either. Ruby's murder of Oswald is rather less mysterious. Occam's Razor would suggest he was acting on orders from mafia superiors. He knew he had cancer and was dead by 1967.
Mr Landis’ account reinforces how implausible the official narrative is. US government involvement seems far-fetched and, above all, lacks a rational motive. Key mobsters, however, had the motive, means and opportunity. That's not proof, but it's not bad.
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Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 201hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 320Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.7L/100km
Price: Dh133,900
On sale: now
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
School counsellors on mental well-being
Schools counsellors in Abu Dhabi have put a number of provisions in place to help support pupils returning to the classroom next week.
Many children will resume in-person lessons for the first time in 10 months and parents previously raised concerns about the long-term effects of distance learning.
Schools leaders and counsellors said extra support will be offered to anyone that needs it. Additionally, heads of years will be on hand to offer advice or coping mechanisms to ease any concerns.
“Anxiety this time round has really spiralled, more so than from the first lockdown at the beginning of the pandemic,” said Priya Mitchell, counsellor at The British School Al Khubairat in Abu Dhabi.
“Some have got used to being at home don’t want to go back, while others are desperate to get back.
“We have seen an increase in depressive symptoms, especially with older pupils, and self-harm is starting younger.
“It is worrying and has taught us how important it is that we prioritise mental well-being.”
Ms Mitchell said she was liaising more with heads of year so they can support and offer advice to pupils if the demand is there.
The school will also carry out mental well-being checks so they can pick up on any behavioural patterns and put interventions in place to help pupils.
At Raha International School, the well-being team has provided parents with assessment surveys to see how they can support students at home to transition back to school.
“They have created a Well-being Resource Bank that parents have access to on information on various domains of mental health for students and families,” a team member said.
“Our pastoral team have been working with students to help ease the transition and reduce anxiety that [pupils] may experience after some have been nearly a year off campus.
"Special secondary tutorial classes have also focused on preparing students for their return; going over new guidelines, expectations and daily schedules.”
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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South Korea
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Points about the fast fashion industry Celine Hajjar wants everyone to know
- Fast fashion is responsible for up to 10 per cent of global carbon emissions
- Fast fashion is responsible for 24 per cent of the world's insecticides
- Synthetic fibres that make up the average garment can take hundreds of years to biodegrade
- Fast fashion labour workers make 80 per cent less than the required salary to live
- 27 million fast fashion workers worldwide suffer from work-related illnesses and diseases
- Hundreds of thousands of fast fashion labourers work without rights or protection and 80 per cent of them are women
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Results
5.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Dirt) 1,600m, Winner: Panadol, Mickael Barzalona (jockey), Salem bin Ghadayer (trainer)
6.05pm: Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Turf) 1,400m, Winner: Mayehaab, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass
6.40pm: Handicap (TB) Dh85,000 (D) 1,600m, Winner: Monoski, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer
7.15pm: Handicap (TB) Dh102,500 (T) 1,800m, Winner: Eastern World, Royston Ffrench, Charlie Appleby
7.50pm: Handicap (TB) Dh92,500 (D) 1,200m, Winner: Madkal, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass
8.25pm: Handicap (TB) Dh92,500 (T) 1,200m, Winner: Taneen, Dane O’Neill, Musabah Al Muhairi
Water waste
In the UAE’s arid climate, small shrubs, bushes and flower beds usually require about six litres of water per square metre, daily. That increases to 12 litres per square metre a day for small trees, and 300 litres for palm trees.
Horticulturists suggest the best time for watering is before 8am or after 6pm, when water won't be dried up by the sun.
A global report published by the Water Resources Institute in August, ranked the UAE 10th out of 164 nations where water supplies are most stretched.
The Emirates is the world’s third largest per capita water consumer after the US and Canada.
The Breadwinner
Director: Nora Twomey
Starring: Saara Chaudry, Soma Chhaya, Laara Sadiq
Three stars
Brief scores:
Southampton 2
Armstrong 13', Soares 20'
Manchester United 2
Lukaku 33', Herrera 39'
Grand Slam Los Angeles results
Men:
56kg – Jorge Nakamura
62kg – Joao Gabriel de Sousa
69kg – Gianni Grippo
77kg – Caio Soares
85kg – Manuel Ribamar
94kg – Gustavo Batista
110kg – Erberth Santos
Women:
49kg – Mayssa Bastos
55kg – Nathalie Ribeiro
62kg – Gabrielle McComb
70kg – Thamara Silva
90kg – Gabrieli Pessanha
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
How to donate
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
Teachers' pay - what you need to know
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
FIXTURES
Thu Mar 15 – West Indies v Afghanistan, UAE v Scotland
Fri Mar 16 – Ireland v Zimbabwe
Sun Mar 18 – Ireland v Scotland
Mon Mar 19 – West Indies v Zimbabwe
Tue Mar 20 – UAE v Afghanistan
Wed Mar 21 – West Indies v Scotland
Thu Mar 22 – UAE v Zimbabwe
Fri Mar 23 – Ireland v Afghanistan
The top two teams qualify for the World Cup
Classification matches
The top-placed side out of Papua New Guinea, Hong Kong or Nepal will be granted one-day international status. UAE and Scotland have already won ODI status, having qualified for the Super Six.
Thu Mar 15 – Netherlands v Hong Kong, PNG v Nepal
Sat Mar 17 – 7th-8th place playoff, 9th-10th place play-off
