News
Former police chief alleges Trump was aware of Epstein’s behavior in 2006
It is alleged that the current president made a phone call to law enforcement officials in Florida, who were conducting an investigation into Epstein, and expressed relief, stating “thank goodness you’re stopping him”.
In 2006, a phone call allegedly took place between Donald Trump and a former Florida police chief, during which Trump reportedly discussed Jeffrey Epstein's behavior, according to a recently released FBI document from the justice department.

The document summarizes a 2019 FBI interview with the former Palm Beach police chief, who claims that Trump called him after the department initiated an investigation into Epstein, stating that it was a positive development, as "everyone" was aware of Epstein's actions.
Although the officer's name is redacted in the document, it identifies the interview subject as the Palm Beach police chief at the time of the Epstein investigation, which was led by Michael Reiter, who has confirmed to the Miami Herald that he received the call from Trump.
Trump has maintained that he was unaware of Epstein's wrongdoing and has denied any involvement, but the alleged call may raise new questions about the extent of Trump's knowledge regarding Epstein's activities.
When asked by reporters in 2019 about his knowledge of Epstein's crimes, Trump claimed he had no idea about the financier's actions, stating that he had not spoken to Epstein in many years.
According to the FBI summary, Reiter stated that Trump told him in a 2006 call that he had removed Epstein from his Mar-a-Lago club, citing that people in New York were aware of Epstein's questionable character.
Reiter also alleged that Trump described Ghislaine Maxwell as Epstein's associate and characterized her as "evil", advising him to focus on her.
In 2021, Maxwell was found guilty of her role in facilitating Epstein's abuse of underage girls.
Reiter also claimed that Trump told him he had been present when Epstein was with teenagers and had promptly left the situation.
The document states that Trump was among the first people to contact the Florida police upon learning of their investigation into Epstein.
In 2006, the Palm Beach police were investigating Epstein for alleged sexual exploitation of minors, a case that was later transferred to federal prosecutors, resulting in a 2008 plea deal that included a non-prosecution agreement.
A justice department official stated that they are not aware of any evidence corroborating the claim that the president contacted law enforcement about Epstein 15 years ago.
During a briefing, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked about the reported call and responded that it may or may not have occurred in 2006, adding that she did not know the answer.
Leavitt emphasized that Trump has consistently stated he removed Epstein from his Mar-a-Lago club due to Epstein's questionable behavior, and if the call did happen, it would support Trump's previous claims.
The BBC has reached out to Reiter for comment on the matter.
Trump and Epstein were known to have socialized in the 1990s, but the president has claimed he was unaware of Epstein's crimes before their reported falling out around 2004.
Trump has stated that the reason for their falling out was Epstein's attempt to recruit his employees from Mar-a-Lago.
Trump recalled that when he learned about Epstein's actions, he warned him to stop, and after Epstein repeated the behavior, Trump told him to leave.
The reports of the alleged call emerged after Ghislaine Maxwell testified before the US House Oversight Committee, during which she invoked her right to remain silent.
Maxwell's lawyer stated that she was prepared to cooperate fully if granted clemency by President Trump.
Maxwell's lawyer claimed she would provide full and honest testimony if granted clemency by the president.
Trump has stated that he has not considered granting a pardon to Maxwell.
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.

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.

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.
News
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.
News
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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