‘Project Jes’ targeted high-level figures including George Osborne and Mervyn King, emails suggest

Jeffrey Epstein deployed a consultant to push for Jes Staley to become Barclays’ chief executive in 2012, a court was told on Tuesday, with the ultimately failed campaign – called “Project Jes” – having targeted high-profile figures including the chancellor George Osborne and the Bank of England governor Mervyn King.

The campaign’s efforts were detailed as part of a landmark legal case launched by Staley against the UK regulator the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Staley is trying to overturn its 2023 decision to ban him from taking senior roles in the UK’s financial sector for having allegedly misled the regulator over the depth of his relationship with the convicted sex offender Epstein.

Samir Shah offered a long thought about Northern Ireland while Tim Davie repeated terms so broad as to be meaningless

Caroline Dinenage, the chair of the culture, media and sport committee, regretted at its opening meeting with the BBC chiefs Tim Davie (director general) and Samir Shah (chair) that their catch-up would be detained by a recent scandal. She indicated in her tone that the fault, if not theirs, definitely wasn’t hers, and she meant the documentary recently pulled from iPlayer, Gaza: How to Survive a War Zone.

Although the tone was pretty punchy throughout, they observed the fundamental courtesy of the committee, that you do all the boring stuff before you get to the interesting bit. So this account will not be chronological.

Forthwrite, which takes place over two days this month, aims to dispel stereotypes around older women

Writer Kit de Waal is set to headline a new UK festival celebrating writing by women over 50.

Forthwrite festival, due to take place on 15 March in Brighton and 30 March in Crawley, will offer “inspiring workshops and lively discussions with authors and publishing industry professionals”, said organisers.

With London’s West End chockful of Hollywood A-listers, crowds are thronging stage doors. But do some fans go too far? We uncover a shadowy story of joyful adulation, gobby putdowns – and endless TikToks

On a cold evening in London, two German tourists survey the Theatre Royal Drury Lane. Lina, 19, outlines their master plan to meet Tom Hiddleston, starring in Much Ado About Nothing. Tonight: scrutinise the procedure at stage door, where only ticket holders are allowed to wait for a chance to meet the cast. Tomorrow: watch Much Ado then race to join the stage-door queue. As a backup, they’ve bought tickets for the next night, too.

“Be prepared!” Lina declares. Are they hoping for autographs, selfies … acting tips? “Just to see him. That would be enough. We especially travelled here for this. It’s all worth it. I just worry a little that he hasn’t much time.” She considers the arriving fans. “Wow – that’s a very big line.”

With London’s West End chockful of Hollywood A-listers, crowds are thronging stage doors. But do some fans go too far? We uncover a shadowy story of joyful adulation, gobby putdowns – and endless TikToks

On a cold evening in London, two German tourists survey the Theatre Royal Drury Lane. Lina, 19, outlines their master plan to meet Tom Hiddleston, starring in Much Ado About Nothing. Tonight: scrutinise the procedure at stage door, where only ticket holders are allowed to wait for a chance to meet the cast. Tomorrow: watch Much Ado then race to join the stage-door queue. As a backup, they’ve bought tickets for the next night, too.

“Be prepared!” Lina declares. Are they hoping for autographs, selfies … acting tips? “Just to see him. That would be enough. We especially travelled here for this. It’s all worth it. I just worry a little that he hasn’t much time.” She considers the arriving fans. “Wow – that’s a very big line.”