BRUSSELS (AP) — Leaders from across the European Union are meeting Thursday to grapple with rising oil and gas prices caused by the war raging across key energy producers and shipping lanes in the Middle East.

Many of those leaders have deflected entreaties by U.S. President Donald Trump to send military assets to secure the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for the global flow of oil, gas and fertilizer. Rising energy prices because of the war and fears in Europe of a new refugee crisis have pushed leaders to make the Middle East a priority at the summit.

“We are very worried about the energy crisis,” said Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever ahead of the European Council summit of 27 leaders of European Union nations. He said that energy prices were too high before the war, but that the conflict “created another spike.”

“If that becomes structural, we’re in deep trouble,” he said. “At a European level, some measures can be taken to address the problem of the high energy prices.”

The European Commission has told leaders it has a mix of financial instruments that member nations could deploy to lower energy prices, which will be up for discussion. No single policy will likely work to blunt the economic shocks from the war across the bloc’s myriad markets from Romania to Ireland.

European leaders have struggled to take a firm stance on the fighting in Iran and Lebanon. While they have been critical of the Iranian government, they have not provided military support.

“This is a war that was started by the United States and Israel against Iran on reasons that I can understand because the Iranian regime is brutal not only for its own people, but also for the broader region and a security threat for Europe,” said Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten.

“But it’s not a war that we are part of,” he said, calling for more sanctions on Iran and support for opposition groups.

Video has emerged of the Ireland centre watching the end of the France v England game on a phone in Dublin

Footage has emerged of Ireland star Bundee Aki’s reaction to losing the Six Nations on the final kick on Saturday night.

Having beaten Scotland in Dublin to seal the Triple Crown earlier on Super Saturday, Andy Farrell’s side were relying on England to beat France in Paris to hand them the title as well. Remarkably, Steve Borthwick’s side found themselves leading 46-45 in the dying seconds after a dramatic 80 minutes.

However, Thomas Ramos’ last-gasp penalty snatched victory for the hosts with the final kick of the tournament – denying Ireland any title celebrations as well.

It capped the end of a lengthy wait for the Irish in Dublin.

Many Irish journalists had stayed in the Avivia Stadium to watch the end of France’s match – which ended just over six hours after Ireland’s match had finished.

However, that seemingly wasn’t the case for the Irish players.

A video has been posted on Instagram of Irish duo Aki and Finlay Bealham watching the game on a phone outside of Pitch on Dawson Street in the Irish capital.

As one group of fans watch Ramos’ kick sail through the posts on one phone, the camera pans to Aki and Bealham seeing their title hopes ended.

The British and Irish Lions centre simply reacts by shouting “F**k”, before the two go on with the rest of their night.

Warning: Strong language in the video

Many supporters revealed they were left feeling the exact same way late on Saturday night following the dramatic end to the Six Nations.

“We couldn’t say it better ourselves Bundee!” replied one comment on Instagram.

“Aki speaking on behalf of the nation,” said another.

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Manchester United’s fans won’t have a chance to see JJ Gabriel in Premier League action at Old Trafford this season, so a good proportion of the 2,516 who saw him feature in the 3-2 FA Youth Cup win over Sunderland made sure they got their selfies.

As he only celebrated his 15th birthday in October, Gabriel currently falls foul of the Premier League regulation that players must be 15 by 31 August of the season in question to be allowed to play. In other words, they have to be in Year 11 at school.

That is what makes Gabriel such a special talent.

Despite being a Year 10 in school terms and, physically, much smaller than the vast majority of the players he is playing with and against, he still tends to stand out.

The victory against Sunderland that earned United an Old Trafford semi-final with Crystal Palace, who they also meet in the Premier League Under-18 Cup final at Selhurst Park next month, wasn’t his best performance.

But he still produced a couple of magical moments. There was the first-time lay-off to Chido Obi in the first half that really should have led to United going in front. There was the perfectly weighted pass to Junior Brown that was smashed home superbly for the winner.

More thrillingly, there was the dazzling two-footed manoeuvre that took him into a shooting position at the end of the game.

That’s why those fans were after their selfies at the end. It is why Gabriel’s name was cheered the loudest when it was read out just before kick-off.

Youth coaches are notoriously reluctant to single out individual players for assessment. They know only too well the pressure they can place on youngsters who have so much growing up and so much development ahead of them.

But, just as with Arsenal’s Max Dowman – the 16-year-old who last weekend became the Premier League’s youngest ever scorer – for Gabriel there is no escaping attention.

In August, he was in the directors’ box with his family for the league opener against Arsenal. In December, he was pictured with Sir Alex Ferguson at the 1-1 draw with West Ham.

These events do not happen by accident. United know they must prove to Gabriel that he should commit his future to them.

They rolled out the red carpet last summer, when technical director Jason Wilcox was part of the delegation that spoke to Gabriel with a sales pitch that kept the Londoner in the north-west.

Nothing that has happened since will dissuade Europe’s leading clubs from thinking Gabriel has talent they would quite like.

He is top of the Premier League Under-18 scoring charts. He has scored 10 goals in his past nine games. In a United side challenging on multiple fronts under coach Darren Fletcher, Gabriel is a stand-out performer.

Ruben Amorim was the first to call him into the senior training squad, even if his response to Gabriel’s presence was lukewarm.

Michael Carrick was also asked about the youngster this week.

Fletcher is probably the best judge though given he has worked with him all season, deciding initially to pick him in a false nine position to give him more space.

He is more natural out wide but Fletcher and others are of the view he is better suited currently to a central position, so his physicality does not become a disadvantage.

“I couldn’t speak highly enough of JJ,” said Fletcher, when asked for his verdict in January.

“He’s got an amazing family and amazing support around him.

“He’s somebody we’re delighted to have at the club.

“There’s a lot of noise around him and deservedly so because he’s a real talented kid.

“He works hard. He loves football. He loves training and playing and he loves expressing himself.

“He has a bright future ahead of him and I’m super excited by his talent. But the most important thing is that he keeps developing because he still has lots to learn.”

This is true, as it is of any player.

But there are also milestones.

Wayne Rooney was at Old Trafford, along with Carrick, as his son Kai was an unused substitute in the game.

Rooney made his senior debut for Everton at 16. He became England’s youngest player when he made his debut against Australia in 2003, aged 17 years and 111 days.

When the 2026-27 season begins on 22 August, Gabriel will be 15 years and 320 days. Although the specific dates are yet to be confirmed, when United enter next season’s EFL Cup, it will be before his 16th birthday, even if, as seems certain, they do not enter until the third round stage as a European qualifier.

Currently, United’s youngest ever player is David Gaskell, a goalkeeper who made his debut when he was 16 years and 19 days. Legendary England international Duncan Edwards (16 years, six months, four days) is third on the list. Angel Gomes is the youngest to play for United in the Premier League era (16 years, eight months, 20 days).

Norman Whiteside (17 years 08 days) is United’s youngest scorer. Federico Macheda was 17 years, seven months, and 14 days when he scored his memorable winner against Aston Villa. He is still United’s youngest Premier League scorer.

Some of those names are proof that being the youngest to achieve something offers no guarantees. Equally, there are others for whom it was genuine confirmation of a rare talent.

For now, Gabriel will carry on doing his thing at the Under-18s. There is plenty for him – and his team-mates – to achieve.

But it won’t be long before his chance at senior level comes. And that is something many are looking forward to.

As Iran’s government buried its fallen heroes, its supporters came out in strength.

Senior security official Ali Larijani was killed in an airstrike two days ago, honoured today along with the crew of the Iranian navy ship sunk by the US at the start of the war.

Thousands of mourners gathered for the combined funeral. If you assassinate people whose religion embraces martyrdom, this can be expected.

Iran war – live updates

The funeral saw some of the biggest crowds since the war began.

Floats carrying coffins of the slain officials were driven down Revolution Square in Tehran, surrounded by grieving mourners. Women wept holding posters of the former and new supreme leaders.

As it loses leader after leader, Iran’s government still wants to maintain a sense that it can survive and outlast the enemy.

Holding a poster saying “Trump is humiliated”, one man had this message for the US president:

“Trump, soon we will kill you; Netanyahu is not our target anymore, our target is you. You killed our children to mock us and we will kill you to teach you a lesson in history.”

While Israel and America seek regime change in Iran, the scenes today suggest there is still considerable support for its government.

Mohammed and his wife, Hamideh, came with their children to show support. They told me people were united against the US and Israel’s actions.

“The method of our weak enemy martyring him [Ali Larijani] shows its weakness and impotence.

“The way he was killed was very unfair and is unacceptable anywhere in the world.” Mohammed told me.

Iran saw huge protests against the government before the war. Thousands of civilians were killed as well as hundreds of security forces, say authorities.

Opposition groups blamed the authorities for the crackdown, while the government insists the protests were stoked by foreign forces.

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What is clear from today’s scenes in Tehran is many support the leadership still, not least because they depend on it for a livelihood.

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Israeli airstrike destroys apartment building in Beirut

Sepora, a protester holding a placard with a old Persian poem written on it, explained to me its meaning: “It says, ‘if we are killed, all of us one by one, it’s better than giving our country to the enemy’.

“It is our country, we will not surrender.”

The culture of resistance and no surrender on show in today’s events also highlights the limitations of a strategy aimed at bombing Iran into submission from the air.

The true crime documentary explores the murder of the 18-year-old from Skelmersdale

ITV are releasing their latest true crime documentary Murderer Unmasked, but what happened to Alex Davies and where is Brian Healless now?

The latest entry into the genre from the broadcaster is part of their True Crime Presents series. Airing its first series last year, it provides an extensive examination of real-life murder cases and other serious crimes.

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Launching its second series last month, the show is described as a ‘collection of true crime documentaries that cover a range of real-life offences and notorious offenders’. The series once again features additional investigations, featuring interviews with victims, witnesses and police.

Last week saw the series explore the 2005 murder of 27-year-old Emma Caldwell, and her killer, Iain Packer, a sign-installer with a violent past, who evaded justice for years. The case was one of Scotland’s most high-profile unsolved murders until a TV documentary helped shed new light on the case.

The synopsis for the ITV series’ latest episode, Murder Unmasked, which airs on Thursday night (March 19), reads: “The case of Alex, an 18-year-old from Lancashire who was murdered in 2019 by Brian Healless, a man he met on a dating app.”

Brian Healless, 18, murdered Alex Davies, who was also 18, on Parbold Hill, Lancashire, in 2019 after they agreed to meet through the dating app Grindr.

Mr Davies, who was from Skelmersdale and openly gay was told by Healless, who is from Chorley, that he was ‘not out yet’ and suggested a ‘discreet spot’ halfway between their two homes for their first meeting.

However, Healless stabbed Mr Davies 128 times at the remote woodland area before dragging his body through the mud and covering it with branches and leaves while he was still alive.

Healless was examined by psychiatrists, who agreed that he was suffering from paranoid schizophrenia at the time of the killing. However, jurors rejected his defence that his responsibility for the killing was diminished by his mental state.

It emerged during the trial that Healless had tried to arrange similar outdoor meetings with four other men on Grindr in the days after he killed Mr Davies. According to the trial’s judge it was ‘extremely fortuitous’ that he was ‘arrested before anyone else suffered the same fate’.

Prior to his conviction, Healless received treatment at Guild Lodge Hospital in Preston and was returned there on the day of his sentencing, after a request from the doctor overseeing his care, who also gave evidence for the defence at the trial.

Healless was sentenced to a minimum term of 24 years in prison for Mr Davies’ murder but was taken to hospital on the day of his sentencing.

Mr Davies mother, Beverley Davies, received an apology from the Government for for not ‘promptly’ updating her on the development. She said in 2021: “I was told he was off to prison and it was only weeks after, when the Probation Service got in contact with me, I was told he was only in prison for two hours and then he was swept back to Guild Lodge….

“I will never be a grandmother. I am the one who has to live with the facts of my son’s brutal murder. He is so dangerous. Why is he not in a high secure hospital?

“I have asked for a general impression of what life is like in Guild Lodge, but there just seems to be a barrier where the public are not allowed to know about what the conditions are like in a medium secure hospital.”

True Crime Presents: Murderer Unmasked airs on Thursday, March 18, at 9pm on ITV1 and on ITVX

Life for the Driscolls won’t ever be the same again once they learn Megan Walsh (Beth Nixon) has been sexually abusing Will Driscoll (Lucas Hodgson-Wale) in Coronation Street.

The storyline began towards the end of last year, when Megan was introduced as a sports coach busy helping young athlete Will reach his full potential.

As Megan was welcomed into the Driscoll clan, they remained unaware that her role as coach was just a hideous cover up. Whenever the family thought Megan was training Will, she was actually busy letting the teen believe they were in a relationship.

Megan was faced with a problem a few weeks ago when it became apparent youngster Sam Blakeman (Jude Riordan) knew something inappropriate was going on. To keep him quiet, Megan has targeted Sam by completely destroying his self esteem.

It’s Sam’s poor mental health that has really pushed Leanne Battersby (Jane Danson) to find some answers. After he collapsed, Sam was rushed to hospital, but struggled to open up to Leanne.

Her suspicions started to grow though when she caught Megan in Sam’s hospital room.

When the Driscolls eventually discover the truth about Megan, they also have to deal with the fact she is pregnant with Will’s baby. In upcoming episodes, Ben Driscoll (Aaron McCusker) calls the family together to discuss her pregnancy and how Megan is currently refusing to take a DNA test.

When Will leaps to Megan’s defence, frustrated Maggie Driscoll (Pauline McLynn) cannot help but lose her rag.

In the week, Ben persuades Will to attend some counselling in the hope he might open up about Megan. A while later, Ben’s given more bad news when Kit Green (Jacob Roberts) points out that the contents of Will and Megan’s phones suggests nothing illegal has been going on.

How will the family navigate this if Will is in denial about what happened, and they cannot find any other proof right now? And when the news finally breaks that Will is the father of her unborn child, how will they cope?

This article was first published on March 18th 2026.

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It was no surprise when Joe Kent showed up on Tucker Carlson’s podcast a day after quitting his counterterrorism job in President Donald Trump’s administration. Here was a top official who resigned to protest the war with Iran turning to right-wing media’s leading critic of the conflict.

“The Israelis drove the decision to take this action,” Kent said in Wednesday’s interview.

But before long, the conversation moved in a different direction as Kent nodded to conspiracy theories that pro-Israel forces were behind the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

“I’m saying there are unanswered questions,” Kent said.

The conversation encapsulated two schisms within the Republican Party and the right-wing media system, both of which have reached high into the national security establishment of the Trump administration.

There’s a foreign policy debate over the wisdom of Trump’s war with Iran and the future of United States’ longstanding alliance with Israel.

But there also are fears that the focus on Israel is the leading edge of an antisemitic fringe that has gained ground by portraying Jews as shadowy manipulators, echoing some of history’s most hateful tropes.

Tucker Carlson is playing a central role

At the center of both issues is Carlson, a former Fox News host who remains influential among conservatives. He was previously denounced for hosting Nick Fuentes, a white nationalist and antisemite, on his podcast last year. During the interview, Fuentes complained about “organized Jewry in America.”

On Wednesday, Carlson was sharply critical about Israel, saying “its lobbying in the United States pressured the president.”

Matt Brooks, president of the Republican Jewish Coalition, described Kent’s appearance on Carlson’s podcast as “part of an ongoing problem.”

He noted that his group opposed Kent’s nomination as director of the National Counterterrorism Center because of ties to right-wing extremism. Trump ignored those concerns even though, as he said after Kent’s resignation, “I always thought he was weak on security” and “I didn’t know him well.”

Kent’s resignation letter trafficked in antisemitic conspiracy theories while raising concerns about the war with Iran.

He blamed “high-ranking Israeli officials and influential members of the American media” for encouraging conflict. Indeed, Israeli leaders including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu encouraged Trump to join forces in an attack on Iran.

But Kent also went further, saying it’s “the same tactic the Israelis used to draw us into the disastrous Iraq war.” He also said his wife, a Navy cryptologist who was killed by a suicide bomber in Syria, died “in a war manufactured by Israel.”

Sen. Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, described the letter as “virulent antisemitism.” Rep. Josh Gottheimer, a New Jersey Democrat, said “scapegoating Israel isn’t just a tired antisemitic trope — it’s anti-American.”

Kent has previously rejected all forms of “racism and bigotry.”

Trump has said nothing about Kent’s remarks on Israel. He’s previously disputed the idea that Israel pushed him toward war, saying “I might might have forced their hand.”

Unified Republican support for Israel has fractured

Questions about Israeli influence are not unique to right-wing circles. Progressives have also faced accusations of antisemitism for their response to the war in Gaza, which began with an attack by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023.

But it’s been a widening fault line within the Republican Party, which has been a bedrock of support for Israel over the years. Conservatives are still reckoning with the fallout from Carlson’s interview with Fuentes.

For example, board members and other staff resigned from the Heritage Foundation after the think tank’s president defended Carlson.

Trump tried to sidestep the issue, declining to criticize Fuentes and praising Carlson for having “said good things about me over the years.” The president previously dined with Fuentes at Mar-a-Lago in between his two terms, and Carlson has continued to visit the White House.

Mort Klein, president of the conservative Jewish Group Zionists for America, said Wednesday that he supports Trump but “I’d like him to do more” about antisemitism.

“I want him to be stronger on those issues,” Klein said.

Carlson has said that he is not antisemitic. But he has said anti-Jewish hate is less pervasive in society than bias against white people, and that some Christian politicians who were fervent supporters of Israel, such as Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, were guilty of heresy.

Israel divide simmers in right-wing media

The Iran war is poised to continue fracturing right-wing media.

Ben Shapiro, co-founder of The Daily Wire, called Carlson’s Fuentes interview “an act of moral imbecility” and accused the host of misleading his audience with falsehoods and conspiracy theories.

He’s also feuded with Candace Owens, who has promoted antisemitic conspiracy theories. Dennis Prager, a conservative commentator, wrote in an open letter to Owens that “I cannot think of anyone in public life engendering as much suspicion of Jews, Zionism and Israel as you.”

Megyn Kelly, like Carlson a former Fox News Channel anchor now helming her own independent media empire, said the war was sold to the American people by “Israel firsters, like Mark Levin.” Levin, a radio and Fox personality, has been among Trump’s most fervent supporters of the war.

Levin, for his part, called Kelly an “emotionally unhinged, lewd and petulant wreck.”

It promises to continue.

Levin posted on social media an invitation to Kent to appear on his show in the coming days.

“Sure,” Kent replied. “Let’s go.”

Coronation Street fans have been expressing their confusion as Megan Walsh’s pregnancy appeared to be forgotten as she was arrested on suspicion of grooming Will Driscoll.

Those who follow the ITV soap have been aware for months that Megan has been carrying out a secret relationship with schoolboy Will, with the pair recently seen sleeping together as he turned 16.

Shortly after, Megan discovered she was pregnant, and Eva Price and Leanne Battersby were seen showing her support when she claimed it was boyfriend Daniel Osbourne’s and that she couldn’t keep the unborn child.

Leanne accompanied her to the abortion clinic but it was then hinted that Megan hadn’t gone through with the abortion, and she was later seen telling Will, who isn’t her only victim, as viewers were also introduced to another teen who admitted to sleeping with Megan, that the baby is his.

Now, though, Megan’s world is tumbling down around her as her relationship with Will was revealed by Sam Blakeman, who cottoned on to what was going on between the pair and tried to expose Megan for the groomer she is, only for her to catch him and bully him into staying quiet.

As viewers saw earlier this week, Sam finally admitted the truth after he was rushed to the hospital after collapsing as a result of taking ADHD medication that wasn’t prescribed to him. While Sam tried to blame school stress for taking the medication, Leanne Battersby knew something wasn’t right and in Tuesday’s (March 17) episode of Corrie, fans saw Leanne eventually get the truth out of Sam, only for them to be joined by Will’s step-mother, Eva Price, who didn’t want to believe what the teen was saying.

Later, Leanne, Eva and Toyah Battersby gathered in the Rovers Return and when Megan joined her, they grilled her on her relationship with Will and what Sam had told them. Megan cried and claimed Will had a silly crush and that Sam had gotten the wrong end of the stick, but once she had gone, Eva confirmed she “didn’t believe a flamin’ word” of what the teacher told them.

It was then on Wednesday (March 18) in Corrie that Eva had to break the news to Will’s father, Ben, before Ollie and Maggie also discovered what had been going on. Ben tried speaking to his son, and in a particularly poignant scene, the pair were seen eating sweets as they sat on the swings at the Weatherfield Pricinct, as Ben told Will they loved him, and that he wasn’t in trouble as he asked him about his relationship with Megan.

Despite Will sticking with Megan’s story that he had a crush and that she rejected his pass at her, Ben, Eva, Toyah and Leanne were seen heading to the police to report Megan, before DC Kit Green later headed to Weatherfield High to arrest Megan, much to Daniel’s disbelief.

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But one question Corrie fans were left with as the scenes unfolded was over Megan’s pregnancy. @adlangford said: “I’m confused about something on #Corrie #CoronationStreet. Is Megan still pregnant or did she get an abortion? Because I was thinking she’ll try and use that baby to get the charges dropped or something.” @FairyMary56 questioned: “#corrie isn’t Megan pregnant? The dna will prove it’s Will’s if she is.”

@Fake_TV_Chef asked: “Do Eva, Toyah, and Leanne remember that Megan confided in them that she was pregnant? #Corrie.” @EileenCumi28050 posted: “Isn’t Megan pregnant or has everyone inconveniently forgotten that fact. #corrie.” @hughesjg74 added: “Isn’t she (Megan) supposed to be pregnant? Or have the producers/writers had another lapse of memory?”

Video game retailer GAME has confirmed all of its remaining standalone stores will close from April 2026

A major high street brand is shutting down all of its standalone stores. GAME has announced all three of its remaining stores will close their doors from April 2026.

The GAME website will carry on trading as normal, and the company will keep its presence on the high street through concession stands in Sports Direct and House of Fraser outlets, currently boasting over 200 locations. This follows GAME filing a notice of intention to appoint administrators earlier this year.

GAME has been scaling back for several years, shutting shops as leases expire, and last year it closed down its Basingstoke headquarters. Stay in the know by making sure you’re receiving our daily newsletter

The final stores that will be closing are in Dudley, Lancaster and Sutton.

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In a 2023 interview with GamesIndustry.biz, the chain’s Managing Director, Nick Arran, rejected suggestions that the firm was shifting away from its gaming business to concentrate on other products like toys.

“Gaming is our core business, and we will be the last man standing selling physical video games,” he said, reports the Mirror.

“We see our place in the market as proving that there is a place for physical, whether that be the collector’s editions, which we see as the vinyl of video games, or the gifter who doesn’t want to wrap up a download code for Christmas. But we need to be realistic. We have a business to run, and the expectation is that this will decline. So we need to fill that gap.”

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City of York Council confirmed the canopy was removed last weekend (March 14 and 15) as part of the Station Gateway project taking place there.

As reported by The Press, the removal comes after cracks in part of the frontage were discovered to the canopy which is fixed to the station portico, a Grade II* listed structure in Station Road.

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An application was submitted to City of York Council in November for the emergency removal and the immediate area was fenced off.

An October 2023 structural report showed the canopy structure had deteriorated over time and reached a point of inadequacy.

A new pedestrian crossing opened this morning (March 19) (Image: Kevin Glenton)

A council spokesperson said yesterday: “Contractors worked carefully to safely remove the canopy and maintain the heritage of the portico and station façade.

“Further works will be happening around the station in the coming days.

“A new pedestrian crossing will be opening tomorrow (Thursday 19 March).

“This will be a wide and accessible crossing directly in front of the station entrance.

“This will also be a pedestrian diversion route while work takes place on the footpath near The Milner York hotel.

“The footpath outside the hotel will be closed from tomorrow morning (Thursday 19 March) for two weeks, and pedestrians will be diverted to use the new crossing point during this time.”

Emergency plans were submitted in October last year for the demolition of the canopy (Image: Kevin Glenton)

The arched portico will remain as part of York Station Gateway’s new ‘supercrossing’ over Station Road for pedestrians.