Bombshells and revelations: how the Jes Staley evidence unfolded

Nearly a year and a half after Jes Staley was banned from the City for allegedly lying about the depth of his relationship with the sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the former Barclays CEO arrived in court ready for a fight.His attempt to overturn the Financial Conduct Authority’s ruling in a two-week hearing covered in detail a lot of ground that was already in the public domain; but the watchdog dropped a bombshell on day eight.The Rolls Building courtroom, off London’s Chancery Lane, fell silent as the barrister for the City’s financial watchdog outlined the contents of a binder handed to Staley.Leigh-Ann Mulcahy KC explained that she was not looking to invade the former banker’s privacy, but needed to establish his connections to Epstein, who the FCA alleges was much closer to Staley than previously claimed.“You accept, do you, that you had sexual intercourse with a woman at Mr Epstein’s brother’s apartment on East 66th Street?” Mulcahy asked, citing a New York address

Tell us: how will you be impacted by rising UK energy and council tax rates from April?

Millions of homes will see their bills rising from April, as increases kick in for the energy price cap and council tax rates.Energy regulator Ofgem said the price cap on gas and electricity charges will rise by £111 from April to an average of £1,849-a-year for a typical household.Council tax, which varies by area, can be raised up to 4.99% a year without triggering a referendum, but the government has granted six English councils permission to introduce cap-busting hikes of up to 9.99% from April amid funding pressures

Apple’s UK encryption legal challenge heard behind closed doors

A hearing in Apple’s legal battle with the UK government over access to customer data was held behind closed doors on Friday after the press failed to gain entry to proceedings.The US tech firm has launched an appeal with the investigatory powers tribunal after the Home Office demanded access to encrypted data stored remotely in Apple’s cloud servers.UK media organisations including the Guardian, the BBC, the Financial Times and Computer Weekly made a submission to the tribunal asking for press access on public interest grounds but they failed to gain entry.Sir James Eadie KC, who represents the government in high-profile cases, was seen entering the courtroom at the Royal Courts of Justice on Friday.Apple is fighting a technology capability notice issued under the Investigatory Powers Act, which requires companies to assist law enforcement in providing evidence

What could Apple’s legal challenge mean for data protection?

Apple will challenge a UK government demand to access encrypted customer data at a Royal Courts of Justice hearing in London on Friday.The Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more.The appeal will be considered by the investigatory powers tribunal, which investigates claims that the domestic intelligence services have acted unlawfully

Rory McIlroy relishing tougher test as storms head for Players Championship

It looks as if the world’s best golfers should have enjoyed this while it lasted. If forecasted gusts of up to 30mph land at Sawgrass on Saturday, this Players Championship will descend into a war of attrition. Day four carries a 70% chance of storms. The PGA Tour’s marquee event could be about to get grisly.There was a time in the dim and distant past when Rory McIlroy shied away from playing in poor conditions

Geri Horner sees girl power lose out to Britpop at Cheltenham festival

Girl power took on Britpop at Cheltenham on Friday but a horse owned by Geri Horner proved no match for Wonderwall in the Hunter Chase, better known in racing as “the amateurs’ Gold Cup”.The former Spice Girl added a touch of glamour to the final day, and in the paddock beforehand she admitted she was looking forward to seeing Lift Me Up, named after her 1999 No 1, become her first runner at the festival. “I’m very excited,” she said. “It’s amazing. I’m very excited