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Gordon Brown calls for Andrew to be interviewed by police

Gordon Brown has called for police to promptly re-evaluate their probe into the potential trafficking of Jeffrey Epstein’s victims to and from the United Kingdom.

Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown is calling for the Metropolitan Police to re-examine their investigation into potential human trafficking by Jeffrey Epstein in the UK and to interview Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor as a matter of urgency.

Close crop of Gordon Brown outdoors

A BBC investigation in December uncovered 87 flights connected to the convicted sex offender that landed at or took off from UK airports between the early 1990s and 2018, with some flights carrying British women who claim to have been abused by Epstein.

According to Brown, a thorough investigation into these flights would reveal the full extent of the trafficking that occurred, as outlined in an article he wrote for the New Statesman.

The BBC has reached out to Andrew for comment on Brown's article, to which he has previously denied any wrongdoing related to his association with Epstein.

After reviewing the Epstein files released by the US Department of Justice, Brown expressed his shock at the scale of abuse and the potential role of the UK in these events.

Brown stated that his findings about the abuse of women by predators and their enablers, as well as the UK's unacknowledged involvement, have left him deeply disturbed.

He emphasized that the situation demands a comprehensive police investigation, describing it as the most significant scandal of all.

Referring to the BBC's findings on Epstein's private planes, Brown noted that women were often transferred between flights, with some logs only identifying female passengers as "females".

Many of the flight logs failed to provide the names of the women on board, while the identities of male passengers were also often withheld.

Brown pointed out that the authorities seemed to be unaware of what was happening, with many of the male passengers remaining unknown due to the lack of disclosure.

He argued that British authorities had limited knowledge of who was being trafficked through the country and for whose benefit, aside from Epstein's.

Brown has urged the Metropolitan Police to re-examine their investigation and subsequent reviews, citing the need for urgent action.

He expressed concern that even women mentioned in the Epstein files, whose names could have been obtained from the US Department of Justice months ago, appear not to have been contacted by British investigators.

Brown claimed to have been informed that investigations related to Prince Andrew did not adequately verify crucial evidence related to flights.

He has requested that the police re-examine this evidence as part of a new inquiry.

Stansted Airport was identified as one of the locations where women were transferred between Epstein's planes.

Brown believes that the revelations about Stansted Airport alone necessitate an interview with Andrew.

US lawyers representing hundreds of Epstein's victims previously told the BBC that it was surprising that a comprehensive investigation into Epstein's activities in the UK had never been conducted.

One British woman, known as Kate, who testified against Ghislaine Maxwell, was found to have been on over 10 flights funded by Epstein in and out of the UK between 1999 and 2006.

According to her lawyer, Brad Edwards, Kate has never been contacted by UK police, despite her involvement in the case.

Brown suggested that a UK police investigation into Kate's case could help identify Epstein's enablers in the UK and potentially reveal whether his associates protected him from investigation.

Thames Valley Police stated on Wednesday that they are continuing to assess allegations that Epstein sent a second woman to the UK for sex with Andrew in Windsor in 2010.

A spokesperson for Thames Valley Police said that they are evaluating the information and following established procedures to gather more details in collaboration with US law enforcement partners.

Entertainment And Arts

Spielberg Contributes $25,000 to Van Der Beek’s $2 Million Crowdfunding Campaign

The relatives of the deceased actor, known for his role in Dawson’s Creek, have expressed gratitude to those who contributed to the $2m fund.

A donation of $25,000 (£21,000) has been made by film director Steven Spielberg and his wife, Kate Capshaw, to a GoFundMe campaign that has raised over $2m (£1.6m) for the family of late actor James Van Der Beek.

James Van Der Beek wearing a maroon dickie bow while smiling for the cameras on arrival at the 2019 Emmy Awards
James Van Der Beek's character Dawson was a famous fan of filmmaker Spielberg

Van Der Beek, who passed away at the age of 48, is survived by his wife Kimberly and their six children, and the crowdfunding effort to support his family has now exceeded its initial target of $2m.

Other notable donors include Oscar-winning actress Zoe Saldana, who contributed $2,500 (£2,108), and director Jon M Chu, who gave $10,000 (£8,432) to the cause.

A statement from the organizers of the fundraiser, Friends of the Van Der Beek family, expressed gratitude to all contributors, stating that their support is deeply appreciated.

The statement highlighted the significance of the donations, saying that the kindness shown by contributors is beyond words.

It also noted that the outpouring of support has been a source of comfort during a difficult time, serving as a reminder of the power of love, community, and the enduring legacy of James Van Der Beek.

Van Der Beek was perhaps best known for his starring role in the popular US teen drama series Dawson's Creek, which aired from 1998 to 2003, although he remained associated with the show until 2023.

Although Van Der Beek and Spielberg never collaborated on a project, the late actor's character in Dawson's Creek was a fan of Spielberg's work, with posters of films like ET and Schindler's List featured in his bedroom.

At a Dawson's Creek cast reunion event last year, Spielberg paid tribute to Van Der Beek by sending a video message.

In the message, Spielberg said, "Dawson, you made it," and jokingly added that he hoped to one day have a room like Dawson's, filled with memorabilia from his films.

Van Der Beek passed away on Wednesday after a battle with bowel cancer.

Steven Spielberg arrives for the 98th Oscars Nominees Luncheon at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, USA, 10 February 2026
Spielberg made a surprise video appearance at last year's Dawson's Creek reunion

He had been dealing with the diagnosis since August 2023 and publicly disclosed his condition in November 2024.

The GoFundMe campaign was launched to help the family with medical expenses, which had depleted their funds.

The statement from the organizers concluded by saying that the family is currently taking time to grieve and be together, and thanked everyone for their compassionate and generous support in honoring James Van Der Beek's life.

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Zimbabwe Shocks Australia with Muzarabani’s Exceptional Performance

Zimbabwe secured a stunning 23-run victory over Australia in the T20 World Cup, with Blessing Muzarabani playing a key role by taking 4-17.

In the current T20 world rankings, Zimbabwe occupies the 12th position.

The Men's T20 World Cup is underway in Group B at Colombo.

Zimbabwe's innings concluded at 169-2 after 20 overs, with Bennett scoring an unbeaten 64 off 56 deliveries, while Green claimed 1-6.

Australia's reply ended at 146 after 19.3 overs, as Renshaw top-scored with 65 off 44 balls, and Muzarabani took 4-17.

The match resulted in a 23-run victory for Zimbabwe.

A standout performance from Blessing Muzarabani, who took 4-17, helped Zimbabwe secure a thrilling 23-run win over Australia in the T20 World Cup.

After being set a target of 170, Australia found themselves in trouble at 29-4, but a 77-run partnership between Matthew Renshaw and Glenn Maxwell for the fifth wicket gave them hope.

With 34 runs needed from the last two overs, Renshaw's dismissal for 65, caught off Muzarabani with eight balls remaining, essentially sealed the game's outcome.

The result has left Group B finely balanced after two matches each, with Australia trailing Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka by two points, ahead of their meeting with Sri Lanka on Monday.

Initially, Zimbabwe's approach to batting first at the R. Premadasa Stadium appeared overly cautious.

Brian Bennett's innings of 64 not out from 56 balls, including seven fours, was played at a strike rate of 114.28, as he anchored the Zimbabwean batting.

In contrast, Tadiwanashe Marumani and Ryan Burl adopted a more aggressive approach, scoring 35 off 21 and 30 balls, respectively.

A late surge from Zimbabwe skipper Sikandar Raza, who scored 25 off 13 balls, including the team's only six on the final ball, provided a boost to their total.

Australia's target seemed achievable, given their total of 182-6 in their previous win against Ireland.

However, the Australian batting line-up was severely dented by the loss of key wickets, including Josh Inglis, Travis Head, Cameron Green, and Tim David, courtesy of Muzarabani and Brad Evans.

A partnership between Renshaw and Maxwell offered some respite, but when Maxwell fell for 31, dragged on to Burl, the pressure mounted on Australia.

Muzarabani's return to bowl the penultimate over proved decisive, as he removed Renshaw, and Zimbabwe subsequently wrapped up the win.

There are calls for the ICC to review the rules regarding 12th men.

For more information, including notifications and social media updates, visit BBC Sport.

A blogger who participates in the FPL is also competing in the T20 World Cup.

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FA Cup Finalists Outside the Big Six Since 2008

As the FA Cup resumes this weekend, assess your understanding of past finalists that have competed from beyond the Premier League’s top six clubs.

This weekend, the FA Cup resumes with 32 teams remaining in contention for the historic trophy, which has been awarded for 155 years and will be presented to the winner in May.

Historically, the Premier League's top six clubs – Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Tottenham – have dominated the FA Cup, claiming 32 titles out of the last 37.

However, in recent years, teams outside of this elite group have experienced some notable victories in the competition.

Since 2008, 10 teams from outside the traditional 'big six' have advanced to the FA Cup final – can you identify all of them?

For more quizzes, visit our Football Quizzes and Sports Quizzes sections, where you can also subscribe to receive the latest quizzes directly on your device.

We have a quiz question tailored to each Premier League team – test your knowledge and see how you score.

Can you recall every team that has won the Women's Champions League?

Which players have made the most appearances in the Premier League – can you name them all?

Explore our Sports Quizzes page for a wide range of challenging and engaging quizzes.

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