"Invisible chains is a good way to put it, it was like I was handcuffed invisibly," says 43-year-old Juliette Bryant. "I'd never even told my family, I never told anyone about what happened with him until he died." Juliette was recruited from Cape Town by Epstein in 2002, as a first-year university student and aspiring model. At only 20 years old, she thought her life was about to change for good. "It just seemed like my dreams were all coming true because our family was struggling financially and I just really wanted to try and make a difference for my family." Juliette was on a flight to New York on her first overseas trip outside of South Africa, three weeks after meeting Epstein for the first time at a Cape Town restaurant with Bill Clinton, who was there on an official AIDS awareness trip accompanied by actors Kevin Spacey and Chris Tucker. Hours barely passed after arriving in New York City when she was told she would be travelling on to the Caribbean. A driver dropped her off at a runway at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey and she boarded a private jet where Epstein and the women she says initially recruited her in Cape Town were waiting to fly to his private island. "He patted the chair next to him... and then I went and sat there. It was such a confusing situation for a young person to be in. "As the plane took off, he started forcibly touching me in between my legs, and I just freaked out and I suddenly realised - oh my God, my family aren't going to see me again, these people might kill me, you know? "They [the women] were laughing. I was really petrified." It is unlikely she was the only young woman trafficked by Epstein from Cape Town. Emails from the Epstein files show flight details for unnamed female travellers being shuttled from Cape Town to London, Atlanta and New York up until late 2018. Juliette says she was not trafficked to other men but raped by Epstein repeatedly. "I would see him at lunch, breakfast and dinner, and then I would be called to his room. Otherwise, I didn't see a lot of him, he was always off working. "I spent a lot of time there on my own. I'd sit by the pool or read books, and I also found disposable cameras in the kitchen which I took to, so I took photos while I was there." Juliette's photos flit between beaming smiles in the embrace of other young women and haunting portraits of desolation and loneliness. "There was no way of getting away, you know. They had my passport and by then we had landed on one of the Caribbean islands and then were taken on a helicopter to his island. There was just no way of getting away. I'm not strong enough to swim away. I wouldn't be able to swim off there." Read more:'I am too young and he is too old': Epstein survivors' diariesEpstein asked staff to install hidden video cameras at his homeHow Epstein made his money Her entrapment was more than physical. Even after she was sent back to Cape Town, she boarded more flights to Epstein's properties in New York, Palm Beach, Paris and New Mexico where she says she met women and underage girls from Brazil, Romania, France and Spain. Juliette tells us she is still piecing together the depth of Epstein's dark machinery while contending with her psychological recovery and constant exposure to news about her abuser. "I look on Facebook, I see Epstein's face. I look on X, I see Epstein's face. I look at the news, there it is again. You know, there are times when it's made me feel physically ill, to be honest, it is just constantly there and there is no way of escaping it." The controversial US Department of Justice release of the latest Epstein files saw dozens of vulnerable victims exposed by insufficient redactions. Juliette's emails to Epstein were published unredacted and show her expressing support for him ahead of his trial in 2008 and continuing to contact him until 2017. "Whenever I sent emails, it was always when I had been drinking or when I was having a bit of a breakdown... I always felt like he was watching me, and that was also why I emailed. "I have nothing to hide. It has obviously been upsetting because it confuses people because obviously the man had a terrible grip on my mind."

How To Get To Heaven From Belfast blends her trademark humour with mystery as a group of women reunite following the death of their childhood friend. "I've always loved murder mysteries from when I was a little girl," McGee told Sky News. "I was obsessed with Jessica Fletcher and Murder, She Wrote, so it was really like whenever someone gave me the chance to do it, I was going to grab it. "But I knew I needed to do it my way. I wanted it to be very female-led, have a big comedy element to it, a bit messy." The Irish writer's journey into storytelling began long before the worldwide success of Derry Girls - a comedy set in Northern Ireland in the 1990s about what it's like to be a teenage girl living amongst conflict. McGee detailed how, growing up, she'd create plays for the neighbourhood where she lived to act out. She said: "[I was] doing plays in my street and forcing everyone to be in them, even if they didn't want to, you know, because everyone's mum was just like, go and be in Lisa's play and give me peace for an hour. "So, I was kind of the unofficial babysitter for the whole street. All the mums loved me, but the kids probably didn't because I was making them learn lines and stuff like that." McGee said, even at a young age, the stories she'd create had a darker element, possibly influenced by her upbringing in Derry before the Good Friday Agreement. "I remember saying to the executive producer of Derry Girls, Liz Lewin, who works on How to Get to Heaven as well, when I was in London: do you know the way, the army would check your car? And she was like, 'No, no! What are you talking about?'" "So, like these little things, I started to realise, oh, there could be something interesting in telling these stories." She added: "Outside of Ireland, people couldn't believe it, but that was what was going on. But it was so every day to us. It just became so part of your routine, and it was only like years later when I moved to London that I actually... realised that's probably not normal." She said it was that familiarity that sparked her interest in telling "truthful" depictions of what it was and is like living in Derry and Belfast. "I wanted to see myself and my friends on screen, which sounds incredibly simple, but I feel like it doesn't happen that often and I sometimes feel particularly Irish stories and stories about Irish women, they can be quite tragic and serious, you know?," she said. "I really want to keep making stories about where I come from and I feel just so lucky that I can do this now and I'll keep trying to do it until they tell me to stop. "I think Ireland's such a complicated, but incredible place, you know? So much history that hasn't fully been explored, the people are very funny, so I'm really excited about that, about the new stories we're going to tell now." How To Get To Heaven From Belfast centres on three thirty-something women who reunite following the death of their childhood friend. Starring Roisin Gallagher, Sinead Keenan and Caoilfhionn Dunne, it sees several familiar faces from Derry Girls take on new characters in the murder mystery comedy. McGee has said a second season isn't a certainty, but she has her fingers crossed. "I haven't asked, I have been talking about it and I don't know if I'm allowed to but I'd love to do it again because I love writing for those three women, I love those actors, they're just so talented and so funny. "I would do it again in a heartbeat, it just depends on who watches it I guess and how many people watch it." How To Get To Heaven From Belfast is out on Netflix now.

The assistant signed off the message as executive assistant to the secretary of state on the email that appears to be sent from a government address to Epstein's Gmail account. The time of the email says it was sent on 24 July 2009, just two days after Epstein left prison for sexual offending. Politics live: Click here for the latest updates There is no suggestion of wrongdoing on behalf of the assistant. Lord Mandelson is currently under police investigation for misconduct in public office. The email from Lord Mandelson's assistant to Epstein says: "Peter has asked me to forward you the attached speech he is delivering on Monday. Thanks." The name of the attached speech is BirkbeckFINAL.doc, and the subject line of the message is HE Speech - a potential reference to higher education. Three days later, Lord Mandelson delivered a speech at Birkbeck, University of London, where he laid out the government's expectation that university fees were set to rise, and that British university courses should be marketed worldwide, according to a contemporary report from the FT. Then business secretary, it was Lord Mandelson's first speech on tertiary education, having only just taken on the area in his brief. At the bottom of the email, the first of its chain, is a footer saying the email was sent from the Government Secure Intranet. Read more:Mandelson asked to testify in US Epstein investigationWhat do the Epstein files say about Lord Peter Mandelson?Mandelson quits Labour Party People who worked in the tertiary education sector at the time were unable to say if advance sight of the speech would have provided Epstein with a financial advantage. The emails contained within the Epstein files show Lord Mandelson approaching him for advice on various topics. Nick Hillman, who was working for the Conservative shadow education team at the time, told Sky News: "I cannot fathom why Peter Mandelson thought this would be of interest to the sort of people with the power to move the markets." Sky News asked the Cabinet Office if it would look into the speech sent outside of government, but was referred to the police investigation into misconduct in public office, which has so far only identified Lord Mandelson as being connected. The Metropolitan Police referred Sky News to a previous statement, which said: "This will be a complex investigation requiring a significant amount of further evidence gathering and analysis. "It will take some time to do this work comprehensively and we will not be providing a running commentary." Asked about the possibility that the speech broke the law, legal experts said the bar for prosecution on misconduct in public office is very high. 👉 Click here to listen to Electoral Dysfunction on your podcast app 👈 Jo Grady, the head of the University and College Union, told Sky News: "This is yet another example of Mandelson's close ties to the convicted paedophile, and he should be made to explain why he was giving Epstein advance sight of his speeches on the funding of higher education. "Our thoughts should always be with the victims who have suffered at the hands of these abusive and powerful men. But we should not forget that Mandelson's impact on public life has been corrosive, and this includes higher education." Sky News has approached the ministerial assistant for comment.

Tudor is expected to be in place to take Spurs training at the start of the week with his first game in charge the north London derby against Arsenal next Sunday, live on Sky Sports. The Croatian's priority will be keeping Spurs in the Premier League after Thomas Frank was sacked with the club 16th in the table and just five points above the relegation zone. There is a verbal agreement for Tudor to take over until the end of the season and only the final contractual details need to be sorted. He will fly back to his homeland from London before starting work. Transfer Centre LIVE!Tottenham news & transfers⚪ | Spurs fixtures & scoresGot Sky? Watch Tottenham games LIVE on your phone📱Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW📺 Spurs will look to name a permanent successor to Frank in the summer after the Dane was sacked on Wednesday following Tuesday's home defeat to Newcastle. Tudor, who usually deploys a three-at-the-back formation, will take over a Spurs side who have won just two of their last 17 league games. The 47-year-old has been out of work since October after being sacked by Juve, having also previously managed Lazio, Marseille, Galatasaray and Udinese. He comes with a reputation for stabilising struggling sides in the short term. Why Spurs have chosen Tudor... Spurs are looking to appoint an experienced head coach who has a track record of going into clubs and making an immediate impact, and Tudor fits that bill. He was appointed at Juventus and Lazio in March of each of the last two seasons and stabilised results in the short term. At Juventus, he inherited a team from Thiago Motta that sat fifth in Serie A, outside the Champions League places, after back-to-back defeats that capped a disastrous February in which the club were knocked out of the Champions League and the Coppa Italia. Tudor guided Juve to fourth in Serie A and sealed Champions League qualification after losing just one of his 11 games in charge. This earned the Croatian a two-year contract, although Juventus sacked him just four months later after results deteriorated. At Lazio, Tudor took over from Marizio Sarri in March 2024 on an 18-month contract. The former Chelsea boss had resigned after a fifth defeat in six games with Lazio in ninth.Tudor won five of his nine games as Lazio boss, losing just once, to secure a seventh-placed finish and Europa League qualification. He resigned at the end of the season after three months in charge. Tottenham's next six games February 22: Arsenal (h), Premier League - kick-off 4.30pm, live on Sky Sports March 1: Fulham (a), Premier League - kick-off 2pm, live on Sky Sports March 5: Crystal Palace (h), Premier League - kick-off 8pm March 15: Liverpool (a), Premier League - kick-off 4.30pm, live on Sky Sports March 17/18: Champions League last 16, first leg (opponent TBC) March 22: Nott'm Forest (h), Premier League, kick-off 2.15pm, live on Sky Sports

The extraordinary announcement on Saturday seemed deliberately timed to grab global headlines in much the same way as the dissident's actual death did. The news that Mr Navalny, 47, had died in prison in Russia broke on the opening day of the same Munich Security Conference of global leaders almost exactly two years ago. Naming the person or government allegedly responsible for such a political assassination - if the claim of poisoning is substantiated - is a form of information weapon. The intent is to make sure perpetrators cannot hide in the shadows and could face serious consequences such as sanctions or even criminal convictions. The thinking - which might well be wildly optimistic - is that greater scrutiny could make a hostile state think twice before sanctioning plots to kill political opponents or other enemies. It is doubtful that the efforts by Yvette Cooper, the British foreign secretary, and her German, Swedish and Danish counterparts, who made the poisoning announcement, along with Mr Navalny's widow, will deter the Kremlin from such allegedly ruthless action in the future. However, their words are at the very least evidence of a growing resolve amongst NATO allies to stand up to what they regard as attempts by President Vladimir Putin to attack their countries and societies in the grey zone - under the threshold of conventional war. This also includes acts of sabotage, cyber hacks and disinformation spread online. Speaking to a group of journalists about the case, Ms Cooper spelt out clearly the charges she was levying against Moscow. "We have confirmed that a deadly toxin was found in Alexei Navalny's body and that toxin has been identified as a toxin that is found in Ecuadorian dart frogs," she said. "Only the Russian government had the means, the motive and the opportunity to use that toxin against Alexei Navalny in prison and that is why we are here today to shine a spotlight on the Kremlin's barbaric attempt to silence Alexi Navalny's voice. To show that the Russian government has contempt for its citizens and the willingness to use this deadly toxin." Yulia Navalnaya, Mr Navalny's widow, also spoke. She learnt about her husband's death while at the Munich conference on 16 February, 2024. "It was the most horrible day in my life," she recalled, visibly upset. "I came to the stage and I said my husband Alexei Navalny was poisoned. What could else happen with Putin's number one enemy in Russian prison? "But - sorry, it is very difficult for me to say this - what could else happen with my husband in Russian prison? But now I understand and I know it is not just words. It is scientific proof." British scientists played a key role in identifying the deadly neurotoxin - called epibatidine - that was allegedly administered to Mr Navalny. The poison is found in the skin of the South American dart frogs, although Sky News understands it is likely the version used in the alleged murder was manufactured in a laboratory. The effects of the poison are devastating, causing paralysis, respiratory arrest and an agonising death. If - as claimed by Britain - the Kremlin did choose to use such an exotic substance to silence a critic, it demonstrates an unusual level of ruthlessness. The Kremlin is already accused of trying to kill Mr Navalny in 2020 with a Novichok nerve agent - the same chemical weapon deployed against a former Russian spy on the streets of Salisbury two years earlier. Fighting back, Moscow is well-practised and highly adept in the information space. Its embassy in London was quick to respond to the allegations about dart frog poisonings. "The goal of this ridiculous circus performance is transparent: to stoke waning anti-Russian sentiment in Western society. If there's no pretext, they laboriously invent one," it said. "The method chosen by Western politicians - necropropaganda - is truly shocking. This isn't a quest for justice, but a mockery of the dead. Even after the death of a Russian citizen, London and European capitals cannot give him peace, which speaks volumes about the instigators of this campaign."

A few minutes turn into quite a few more minutes, which is not usually a promising sign when it comes to interviewing film stars and filmmakers, but it turns out there's a good reason - an unexpected phone call from the president of Brazil. Not the kind of caller you send to voicemail. Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, known as Lula, wanted to congratulate them on the film's success: a string of honours starting with major wins at the Cannes Film Festival back in May, which now includes a Critics Choice award, Golden Globe wins for best actor and best non-English language film, plus two BAFTA and four Oscar nominations. As the first Brazilian ever to be nominated for best actor, Moura has made Academy Awards history. "I think it's meaning a lot to Brazilians, especially because we went through a very bad moment in our history where artists and culture were seen in a very negative way," says Moura. "It's a huge transformation, you know, and it's a big change." Veteran leftist Da Silva returned as Brazil's president after beating the far-right incumbent Jair Bolsonaro in 2022. In November last year, Bolsonaro began a 27-year prison sentence for plotting a coup after his election loss. The former leader's three-year tenure was marked by misogynistic and homophobic rhetoric, and a hostility towards culture and the arts; things have changed dramatically under Da Silva. "We went from living in a country where we were seen, perceived by the power as enemies of the people to a moment where the president himself is calling us to say that, hey, we are proud of you," says Moura. "The president saying that 'I see the culture, I see films, I see books, I see this as an important tool to the development of the country'. It's a reconnection." The Secret Agent is set in 1977, during the brutal military dictatorship in Brazil that lasted for more than 20 years, and Moura plays Armando, a professor forced into hiding after clashing with a regime official. While it started as a period thriller, the echoes of recent history are there. 'It requires courage to stick to your values' The Portuguese-language film is up there among the most celebrated of Hollywood's awards season, particularly following Moura's best actor win at the Globes, over favourite Michael B Jordan for his portrayal of twin brothers in Sinners. Mendonca Filho says the part of Armando was "tailor-made" for Moura. After years of talk about making something together, "it only worked when I finally sat down to write a script thinking specifically about working with him". Moura, who is better known globally for his portrayal of notorious Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar in the hit series Narcos, says the film is about generational trauma and values, and he was able to draw from his own experiences. "This film is about a man who is sticking with the values he has, during the dictatorship, which are obviously values that are opposite to [his]," he says. "What Kleber and I went through during the Bolsonaro time in Brazil is a big example of that. It requires a lot of... courage to stick with your values when what's established around you says the opposite, especially in this polarised world. "I think that it's getting harder and harder because the idea of truth is disappearing, you know... facts, they don't matter anymore." There was once a time when the right and the left "would discuss and we would even fight over something, but we were both seeing the same thing", he continues. "Nowadays, it's not about facts anymore, it's about versions, so we are not living in the same mental space, which is a very dangerous thing." Red carpet award controversy But people are connecting with The Secret Agent. Since Cannes, Moura says, "this film has been receiving so much attention, steadily - it hasn't dropped - which is very rare and kind of amazing, especially for a Brazilian film". Which is why a move to hand out the Critics Choice award for best international feature film on the red carpet, rather than during the ceremony itself, proved particularly controversial. The awards hierarchy is nothing new, with the Oscars criticised in recent years over plans not to televise certain technical (read: not enough star-power) awards to tighten the broadcast time. But Filho, who was clearly caught by surprise as he was unceremoniously handed his Critics Choice prize, says now - as Donald Trump's controversial immigration crackdown continues in the US - is a particularly troubling time to make such a decision around international films. Read more:Oscars 2026: The full list of nominationsBAFTAs 2026: The full list of nominations "I think politically, whoever made that decision doesn't seem to have a pulse on what is taking place in the world now and in the United States," he says. "I think once you invite someone to your party, just give him or her all the drink that he or she deserves, you know, don't say, oh I don't have the right to drink this like everybody else." Moura highlights the many brilliant non-English language films in the awards conversation this year, including Sentimental Value, submitted by Norway, Sirat (Spain) and It was Just An Accident (France). "In a year where the international films are great... politically, it doesn't feel right at all." Now is an important time for filmmakers, says Filho. "It does feel like the world is sliding back into a moment of conflict. And it's happening in many different areas and authoritarians are also back in a big way. "So as much as it feels so bad and we worry to death about what is taking place, it's also a very fertile moment to develop stories and tell stories, because the irony of present-day use of power is something that is part of our lives."

A letter from two Democrat members of the House of Representatives called on the former British ambassador to Washington to answer questions from the House Oversight Committee as part of their probe into Epstein. The disgraced peer's links with Epstein have led to calls for Sir Keir Starmer to stand down as prime minister. The prime minister's judgement has been questioned by critics over his appointment of Lord Mandelson as US ambassador, a role considered the most prestigious posting in British diplomacy. The letter to Lord Mandelson, signed by representatives Robert Garcia and Suhas Subramanyam, said: "While you no longer serve as British ambassador to the United States and have stepped down from the House of Lords, it is clear that you possessed extensive social and business ties to Jeffrey Epstein and hold critical information pertaining to our investigation of Epstein's operations. "Given the appalling allegations regarding Epstein's conduct, we request that you make yourself available for a transcribed interview with Committee staff regarding the crimes of Jeffrey Epstein and his co-conspirators." The letter added: "Numerous pieces of evidence have come to light demonstrating your close ties to Jeffrey Epstein over the span of multiple years." Among the evidence, it listed Lord Mandelson's "handwritten note" in a 50th birthday book for Epstein in which he described him as his "best pal". It also highlighted the peer's stay at Epstein's New York apartment in 2009 while Epstein was serving an 18-month sentence for soliciting prostitution and soliciting a minor. Also cited were photographs of Lord Mandelson in his underwear in the latest Department of Justice release from the Epstein files. The letter gave Lord Mandelson a deadline of 27 February to respond to the two US politicians "due to the urgency and gravity of this matter". Read more from Sky News:Critical incident declared at Nottingham University HospitalsNew snow and ice warnings issued across large parts of UK Lord Mandelson served as US ambassador between February and September last year before he was sacked by Sir Keir over his relationship with Epstein. Lord Mandelson has repeatedly denied all wrongdoing. He previously apologised for maintaining his relationship with Epstein, which he admitted went on for too long. Last year, the two US representatives made a similar request to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, who was then a prince.

Successive victories for Man City have altered the complexion and momentum of the Premier League title race. What was a provisional nine-point gap to Arsenal on Saturday evening has suddenly dwindled to four. This week's results feel like a turning point; City are closing in. More than the obvious value of back-to-back wins, though, was how those wins were earned. After investing "so much emotionally and physically", as Pep Guardiola put it, to come from behind at Anfield on Sunday, City made victory over Fulham look like a stroll in the park. To thrill as they did in the first half, scoring three times in 15 minutes, signifies the confidence of a team who know they are edging closer to the summit. "I say 'guys, we have to do it again', and they did it," summarised Guardiola, as if there were no real jeopardy at all. The rhythm of this Manchester City machine is surely now Arsenal's greatest enemy. Are Arsenal bowing to scoreboard pressure?Live Premier League table | Watch FREE PL highlightsGot Sky? Watch Premier League games LIVE on your phone📱Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW 📺 Guardiola is daring to go toe to toe with the best team in the Premier League, which of course has so often been his own. But now the Gunners supposedly have the most complete squad with the greatest depth - attributes comparable to champions. The best squad in the division should win the title, shouldn't they? Except of course this is not a game of should haves. Arsenal should have won the title in 2023/24 and didn't. They led from the front for the vast majority of 2022/23 too. And so here we are again, strapped in for another fascinating instalment of a repetitive saga: 'Can Arsenal actually get over the line this time?' Meanwhile, Guardiola is poised to take advantage. He is not without problems of his own, that point is important. Erling Haaland has only scored once from open play in eight games and is clearly suffering from fatigue, withdrawn at half-time against Fulham, albeit with the game already won. The over-reliance on Haaland has meant he has racked up more playing time than any team-mate (2,148 minutes in the league) - which accounts for his drop-off in effectiveness. And yet he scored the winner from the penalty spot at Liverpool and a sharp third to dispatch Fulham three days later. Chances are he will be given the upcoming FA Cup weekend off to rest. Bernardo Silva and Nico O'Reilly are the other two who would benefit from a break. Both are instrumental to City's structure, whereby Rodri no longer plays the lone role from deep but is aided by the industry of Silva and O'Reilly to help balance in and out of possession demands. It's a pragmatic move from Pep and an acceptance of one of last season's major flaws, that City were too easy to play through. Especially true in transition. The maturing of O'Reilly in particular has been key to the success of this new setup, but City still have problems maintaining control in the second halves of games. The drift is stark. City have lost nine second halves of football in the league, just one fewer than Burnley. If the table were measured by second 45s only Arsenal would still be top and City would sit sixth. Such is City's strong start to games, though, it hasn't much mattered - yet. Thirty first-half goals have been scored in the league, at least nine more than any other side, while demonstrating equally impressive strength from open play even when Haaland is not contributing. City have scored a league-high 42 times from active play compared to Arsenal's 27. In a season of such subjectivities that fact feels important. The diversity of goal threat is one of City's best weapons as long as it remains reliable and not solely attributed to Haaland. The arrival of Antoine Semenyo, scorer of five goals already, has and will continue to lighten the load on the Norwegian. The compelling additions of Semenyo and Marc Guehi in January have already had a stabilising impact. That is how you instigate the change needed to properly ignite a season. It shows intent and ambition. They are marquee signings and have the potential to push City in line with the kind of depth Arsenal have lauded over the league since the summer. Between now and the end of May the need to be perfect is immense. Anxiety over how that is achieved has cost Arsenal in games where City have played first and put points on the board, such as was the case this week. The Gunners have bowed to scoreboard pressure more often than not since the turn of the year, dropping points in four of seven games. That has cost nine points in total. It's not bottle or nerve they are lacking, it's efficiency when it matters. Gabriel Martinelli's miss in stoppage time at Brentford is exactly the kind of chance a championship-winning team scores. Those moments become the marginal difference in the end. Guardiola's side face just one top-half team (Newcastle) in their next five league outings, while Arsenal must negotiate the north London derby and a meeting with Chelsea in between trips to Wolves and Brighton - before the top two clash at the Etihad in April. This is where momentum takes on a whole new meaning. And for the first time this season, it seems like City's pull is greater.