International

Trump’s criminal trial in Georgia is suspended by order of the Court of Appeals

The criminal trial of former American president and Republican pre-candidate Donald Trump in Georgia (USA) for trying to reverse the results of the 2020 elections in that state was suspended on Wednesday by order of the Court of Appeals.

The process will not resume until there is a decision on the request of the former president (2017-2021) to disqualify the prosecutor of that case, Fani Willis, for an alleged conflict of interest, according to the decision signed by that court.

That order affects Trump and eight other defendants in this case and complicates the possibility that the process will take place before the presidential elections next November, in which he is expected to face the US president, Democrat Joe Biden.

Trump, who is accused of interfering in Georgia in the vote counting in the 2020 elections, where he lost to Biden, got the Georgia Court of Appeal to agree to examine his request to disqualify Willis on May 8.

The prosecutor is in the spotlight because of the relationship she had with a subordinate: the special prosecutor Nathan Wade, something that according to the complainants created a conflict of interest that vitiated the process.

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Of the four criminal trials opened against Trump, the only one that has already taken place is the one launched in New York for forgerying commercial records to buy the silence in 2016 about a relationship he had with the porn actress Stormy Daniels. The jury found him guilty last week and the sentence will be announced on July 11.

In Washington he has another open for electoral interference, while in Florida he is accused of taking classified documents from the White House when leaving power, which he kept in his mansion in Mar-a-Lago. Neither of those two processes has a start date set.

International

Bill Gates Admits “Serious Mistake” Over Epstein Ties

Bill Gates acknowledged he made a “serious mistake” by associating with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, telling employees at his philanthropic organization that he regretted the relationship and its impact on the foundation’s work. He also admitted to having had affairs with two Russian women but denied any involvement in Epstein’s criminal activities.

The Microsoft co-founder is among several high-profile figures mentioned in documents from the so-called Epstein files released by the U.S. Department of Justice. The records reference personal associations, financial dealings and private communications involving Epstein’s network.

During a staff-wide meeting at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation on Tuesday, a recording of which was reviewed by The Wall Street Journal, Gates said he regretted spending time with Epstein and arranging meetings between foundation executives and the financier.

“It was a big mistake to spend time with Epstein,” Gates told employees, adding that the association had harmed the foundation’s reputation.

In a draft email released by the Justice Department, Epstein claimed that Gates had engaged in extramarital relationships. The message alleged that their interactions ranged from assisting Gates in obtaining drugs to cope with personal matters to facilitating meetings with married women.

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Gates, 70, acknowledged during the internal meeting that he had two affairs but firmly denied any connection to Epstein’s crimes.

The revelations come amid renewed scrutiny over Epstein’s network of prominent contacts following the public release of investigative files.

International

Stephen Hawking Photo Appears in Newly Released Epstein Documents

A previously unseen image of renowned theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking has surfaced among documents recently released by the U.S. Department of Justice as part of its investigation into financier Jeffrey Epstein.

The photograph shows the British scientist, who died in 2018 at age 76, smiling while seated between two women wearing swimsuits in what appears to be a beach setting. In the image, Hawking appears to be holding a drink while reclining on a sun lounger.

The exact context of the photo — including the date and location — has not been officially confirmed. However, it is known that Hawking attended a scientific conference funded by Epstein in March 2006 in the U.S. Virgin Islands, where several academics participated in events and activities organized by the financier prior to his criminal charges.

No Allegations Against Hawking

Hawking’s appearance in the files does not imply involvement in illegal or inappropriate conduct, and there are no formal charges linking him to any criminal activity in connection with the Epstein case.

The physicist is mentioned in numerous documents, primarily in relation to his participation in academic events associated with Epstein’s efforts to build connections with prominent figures in the scientific community.

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The release of the files has prompted renewed public interest in the scope of Epstein’s network, though inclusion in the documents alone does not indicate wrongdoing.

International

Larry Summers Steps Down from Harvard Role Amid Epstein Controversy

Former U.S. Treasury Secretary Larry Summers has resigned from his academic post at Harvard University due to his ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the university said Wednesday.

Summers, who led the U.S. Treasury Department under former President Bill Clinton and later served as president of Harvard in the early 2000s, appeared in Justice Department files related to Epstein as having maintained extensive exchanges with the late financier.

According to a university statement, “Harvard Kennedy School Dean Jeremy Weinstein has accepted the resignation of Professor Lawrence H. Summers from his role as co-director of the Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government,” noting that the decision was connected to the Epstein case.

Meanwhile, Clinton is scheduled to testify Friday before a congressional committee regarding the Epstein matter. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is expected to appear before the panel on Thursday.

The development marks another high-profile repercussion stemming from renewed scrutiny surrounding Epstein’s network of associations.