Owners Greene King’s plans would see changes made inside and outside the Ye Olde Starre Inne, off Stonegate.

The plans include replacing a wooden sign which spans between buildings on either side of Stonegate advertising the pub to passersby and featuring its 1644 establishment date.

Greene King’s application stated the works would respect the building’s historic features while providing much-needed updates and improving the experience for patrons.

Plans for the refurbishments would see the sign spanning across Stonegate swapped for one with Greene King’s dark green and copper colour scheme.

The proposed sign for Ye Olde Starre Inne, in Stonegate, York. Picture is from Greene King/York Council’s planning portal, available for all LDRS partners to use.

The entrance to its beer garden, doors and window frames, which are all currently black, would also be repainted dark green.

Bar areas on the inside of the pub building would be rearranged and timber floors would be refinished with staining and polish.

New fixed seats and lights would be installed and the toilets would also be refurbished with new wall tiles and flooring.

A timber and polycarbonate pergola would cover the beer garden and outside lights would be replaced and walls repainted.

The Ye Olde Starre Inne is in a Grade II-listed building which dates back to the 16th Century with an early 17th Century wing.

It had become an inn called The Starre by 1644 and it is the pub in York which can show it has had a licence the longest.

During the English Civil War, it was used as a hospital for wounded soldiers after the Battle of Marsden Moor, which took place about seven miles from York in 1644.

In 1733, the pub’s landlord Thomas Bulman struck a deal with the owners of two shops on either side of Stonegate to hang a sign across the street.

A sign advertising the pub has been there ever since.

More extensions were added in the 18th and 19th Century and the building was refurbished in 1890 and 1985.

The pub was listed in 1954 and it features in Susanna Clarke’s 2004 alternate history novel Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, which is set during the Napoleonic Wars.

Plans stated the refurbishment would aim to bring the pub up to Greene King’s high standards across its estate.

They added the changes would respect the wider historic local area and the distinctiveness of the listed building.

Plans stated: “The proposed works seek to ensure the public house will continue to be a vibrant destination, assisting in helping to retain and attract new patrons.

“The proposed scope of works is limited to those necessary to improve the overall function of the existing pub and in doing so shall contribute to the economic vitality of the local area.”

The US and Israel attacked Iran on Saturday in what President Donald Trump said was an expansive operation to destroy the country’s military capabilities and eliminate the threat of it creating a nuclear weapon.

Iran’s foreign ministry said it would defend its homeland as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) initiated counterattacks, launching drones and missiles at Israel. Further strikes were launched at US military installations in Bahrain, Kuwait, UAE and Qatar.

The strikes follow weeks of pressure from Trump on Tehran to make a deal to constrain its nuclear programme. In the lead-up to the strikes, Washington built up a significant fleet of warships near Iran.

The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and three guided-missile destroyers arrived in January to bolster the number of warships in the region. The world’s largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R Ford, and four accompanying destroyers were also dispatched from the Caribbean.

At least 165 people were reported killed at a girls’ school in southern Iran in the Israeli-US strikes, according to Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency. Shrapnel from an Iranian missile attack on the capital of the UAE killed one person, state media said.

Ayatollah’s compound was one of the first targets

Israel announced it had launched an attack on Iran shortly after explosions were heard in Tehran on Saturday morning. One of the first strikes hit near the offices of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. It wasn’t immediately clear where Khamenei was at the time, as he hadn’t been seen for days.

Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi told NBC News that Khamenei and president Masoud Pezeshkian were alive “as far as I know” – though President Trump later said the Ayatollah had died in the attacks. This was then confirmed by Iran state media later on.

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Israeli defence minister Israel Katz said the attacks had been conducted “to remove threats”. Sirens were heard across Israel to warn the public about possible incoming missile strikes.

Iran strikes back at Israel and US bases

Later on Saturday, Bahrain said a missile attack targeted the US Navy’s 5th Fleet headquarters in the island kingdom. Witnesses heard sirens and explosions in Kuwait, home to US Army Central. Explosions could be also be heard in Qatar, where Al Udeid Air Base hosts thousands of service members.

Iraq and the United Arab Emirates closed their airspace, and sirens sounded in Jordan.

An apartment building in northern Israel was damaged and shrapnel fell in multiple sites, according to media and police. But Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani said there had been no significant hits in Israel and rescue services said there were no injuries reported from missile barrages across the country.

Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen, meanwhile, have vowed to resume attacks on Red Sea shipping routes and on Israel, according to two senior Houthi officials who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Trump tells Iranians to topple their government

It took over an hour for Trump to make an official announcement on the US involvement in what he termed “major combat operations”.

In an eight-minute video on social media, Trump indicated the US was striking for reasons far beyond the nuclear programme, listing grievances stretching back to the beginning of the Islamic Republic following a revolution in 1979 that turned Iran from one of America’s closest allies in the Middle East into a fierce foe.

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Trump told Iranians to take cover but urged them to later rise up and topple the Islamic leadership.

“When we are finished, take over your government,” Trump said. “It will be yours to take. This will be probably your only chance for generations.”

Fighting grounds flights and disrupts commercial air travel

The fighting has disrupted air travel in the region.

Israel and the UAE, home to both the long-haul carriers Emirates and Etihad, closed their airspace Saturday. Qatar Airways Group said it has temporarily cancelled flights to and from Doha because Qatari airspace also was closed.

Planes en route to Israel were rerouted to other airports.

Virgin Atlantic cancelled its flight from London’s Heathrow Airport to Dubai and said it would avoid flying over Iraq, meaning flights to and from India, the Maldives, Dubai and Riyadh could take slightly longer. Virgin Atlantic said all flights would carry appropriate fuel in case they need to reroute on short notice.

Turkish Airlines said on X that flights to Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Iran and Jordan will be suspended until Monday and flights to Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Oman would be suspended on Saturday.

Dutch airline KLM previously said it was suspending Tel Aviv flights starting Sunday.

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War widens to include Tehran-backed militias

Iran and Iranian-backed militias have fired missiles at Israel and Arab states, reportedly hitting the American embassy compound in Kuwait, while Israel and the United States pounded targets in Iran as the war in the Middle East expanded on Monday.

The Iranian Red Crescent Society said the US-Israeli airstrike campaign has killed 555 people so far in Iran so far.

As the American and Israeli airstrikes continued, top Iranian security official Ali Larijani vowed on X that “we will not negotiate with the United States”.

Blasts were reported in Jerusalem, Dubai, Abu Dhabi in UAE, Doha in Qatar, and Manama in Bahrain as the conflict entered its third day.

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US embassy ‘hit in Kuwait’ as American death toll rises

Smoke was seen rising from the vicinity of the US embassy in Kuwait, according to witnesses, and the US consulate urged Americans to “not come to the embassy”.

Three American troops were killed and five are seriously injured, the US military said, confirming its first casualties in the conflict.

President Trump has suggested the conflict with Iran could go on for the next four weeks after the US president earlier said that operations are “ahead of schedule”.

UK gives US permission to use RAF bases

Meanwhile, at the end of the weekend Sir Keir Starmer dramatically changed his mind over giving the Americans permission to use RAF bases in Cyprus to tackle the growing threat from Iran.

In a late statement on Sunday evening, the prime minister insisted he was giving permission for the “limited specific defensive purpose” of defending UK and US allies across the Middle East as Iran continues to lash out.

It follows defence secretary John Healey revealing that two Iranian missiles were aimed in the direction of Cyprus where the UK has bases.

Mr Trump later said he was disappointed in the delay over the decision from Sir Keir.

Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah exchange fire

Meanwhile, Israel launched a wave of missile and drone attacks on Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs of Beirut in Lebanon on Monday and ordered evacuations.

Israeli defence minister Israel Katz has warned that Lebanon’s Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem is now a “target for elimination”.

It comes after the group fired at Israel in retaliation for killing Iran’s supreme leader.

Held in the Old Library at Auckland Palace on Sunday, March 15, fans of the show will be able to enjoy an afternoon of fine dining with their mothers.

Writing on Facebook, The Auckland Project announced: “Dearest gentle reader…

“This Mother’s Day, you are cordially invited to Auckland Palace for a delightfully decadent Afternoon Tea — set and served in the Old Library, where every mother shall be treated as the true diamond of the season.”

Tickets for the afternoon tea are £30, with two 90-minute slots available to book at 12.30pm and 2.30pm.

The menu, which can also be adapted to vegetarian and gluten free, for the special day has also been revealed, which includes:

• Ham & Pease pudding, cheese & palace chutney and cream cheese & cucumber finger sandwiches
• Homemade fruit scone with clotted cream and jam
• An indulgent array of mini cakes & delights
• Freshly brewed tea or coffee
• Glass of prosecco or elderflower spritz

The Auckland Project’s attractions, including the Auckland Palace, reopened to the public in February after being closed for a winter break.

Last month, when Bishop’s Kitchen, a refurbished Tudor kitchen at Auckland Palace reopened, Kim Carruthers, head of hospitality operations at The Auckland Project talked about changes to the afternoon tea’s at the Palace.

She said: “We have gone back to doing pre-booking and the reason behind this is we can give a much better experience.

“We will be able to cater in advance for any dietary needs, we can expect the people coming in and we can have the tables set.

“We have launched a Mother’s Day afternoon tea, which will be Bridgerton-inspired too, for which tickets will be sold digitally.”

To purchase tickets for the Bridgerton-inspired Mother’s Day afternoon tea, visit: https://tickets.aucklandproject.org/event-tickets/75377?branches.branchID=2536

The 13-second video, which was posted to the league’s official X account following Spurs’ 2-1 defeat by Fulham on Sunday, saw goalkeeper Vicario launch a free-kick out of play along with the captions: ‘Just how the play was drawn up’, ‘Whoops’ and ‘An interesting free-kick from Vicario’, accompanied by a crying laughing emoji.

DWP plans to increase the length of awards for people making new PIP claims

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The UK Government plans to extend the length of awards for people making a new claim for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) from April in order to help reduce the backlog of Work Capability Assessments (WCA). The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) said the measure is designed to free up health professionals to conduct more face-to-face assessments and complete additional WCA reassessments.

Currently, the interval between PIP award reviews can be as short as nine months and the majority of people do not experience a change in their award at review. This is to be lengthened for most PIP claimants aged 25 and over to a minimum of three years for a new claim, increasing to five years at their subsequent review if they continue to be entitled.

These operational changes are separate from the Timms Review, which will examine the role of PIP, eligibility for the daily living and mobility components, assessment process and the criteria in supporting disabled people to achieve better health, higher living standards and greater independence.

The new measure in April will come into force alongside modifications to Universal Credit that narrows the gap between what people receive for being unemployed compared to long-term sickness. The alterations will see the UK Government fulfil a pledge it made in the Pathways to Work Green Paper to increase face-to-face assessments after they were suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with contracts agreed by the previous government requiring 80 per cent of assessments to be completed virtually.

The proportion of face-to-face assessments will be increased, with those for PIP rising from 6 per cent in 2024 (57,000) to 30 per cent of all assessments, and the WCA from 13 per cent in 2024 (74,000) to 30 per cent, reports the Daily Record.

The UK Government said it is implementing these changes and “reforming the broken welfare system it inherited” by extending the time between assessments to check if a claimant’s condition still qualifies them for PIP, freeing up health professionals to conduct more assessments face-to-face and deliver more WCA reassessments.

It added: “Reassessments play an important role in taking account of how changes in health conditions and disabilities affect people over time.”

In total, the measures are expected to save the UK taxpayer £1.9 billion by the end of 2030/31 and comes alongside employment support aimed at sick or disabled people including Connect to Work, and the redeployment of 1,000 work coaches.

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Pat McFadden recently stated: “We’re committed to reforming the welfare system we inherited, which for too long has written off millions as too sick to work.

“That is why we are ramping up the number of assessments we do face-to-face and taking action to tackle the inherited backlog of people waiting for a Work Capability Assessment.

“These reforms will allow us to save £1.9 billion, creating a welfare state that supports those who need it whilst helping people into work and delivering fairness to the taxpayer.”

Once again, it did not happen but looks so realistic.

And Cowan said it was difficult for there to be any recourse when content is presented “in a non-contentious manner”.

Unless a person has suffered commercial or reputational damage, options are limited.

“It’s always been quite challenging for an individual to enforce IP rights,” Cowan said. “If it is a deepfake that is showing them in a compromising position, let’s say, that’s different.”

The Data (Use and Access) Act came into force last month, making it a criminal offence to create, share or request a sexually explicit deepfake.

But then you have AI-generated videos such as Celtic’s Luke McCowan punching an assistant referee. Could it damage his reputation, or is it just not believeable?

A more pressing concern for players might be ‘passing off’. This is where someone unfairly associates their own products or services with the reputation and goodwill of an established brand or business – or player.

It is intended to mislead consumers into believing they connected to it – to the detriment of the established brand.

Cowan explained that in December 2024, as part of an AI-related consultation, the UK government said it was considering “introducing some kind of personality right”.

That would give a player more scope to take action.

Clubs, for their part, have a few more options open to them.

Social media accounts putting players in the shirts of their new team – or any team – is nothing new.

But what if a club wanted to take issue?

“Where you’ve got, for example, the Man City kit they could look at other IP rights,” Cowan said.

“Have they infringed the trademark in their crest? Or design rights in their shirt? For that kind of image, that’s what a club or an individual would likely be looking at.”

BBC Sport understands City believe fans know official channels remain the only places to go for any genuine news, images or videos.

But as the lines blur further, will clubs keep that stance?

Last month, John attended the awards show with the cast and crew of I Swear, a film inspired by his life story and experiences of living with Tourette’s.

During the event, he experienced a number of involuntary tics, one of which occurred while Sinners actors Michael B Jordan and Delroy Lindo were presenting on stage, resulting in him shouting the N-word from the audience.

In the last week, the incident has sparked a wave of headlines, with the BBC in particular facing scrutiny over how the uncensored slur ended up being included in the broadcaster’s Baftas coverage, which aired on a two-hour delay.

On Sunday, a week after the Baftas, John shared a message on his public Facebook page, claiming he’d been “waiting all week until the dust settles” to speak out.

“I would like to thank each and every one of you who have shown love, support and solidarity towards myself and the rest of the Tourette’s community,” he began. “Your kind words and support have got me through a very difficult week.

“Whilst I will never [apologise] for having Tourette syndrome, I will apologise for any pain, upset and misunderstanding that it may create. This past week has been tough, and has reminded me that what I do, raising awareness for such a misunderstood condition, there is still a long way to go and I will keep on keeping on until this is achieved.”

Footage verified by the BBC appears to show the moment an F-15 fighter jet falls from the sky and crashes to the ground near Kuwait City.

The video was filmed from the west of the city, on the edge of the Al Jahra area.

Earlier on Monday, Kuwait’s ministry of defence said “several American fighter aircraft came down this morning” with all crews having “survived unscathed”.

Unverified footage on social media also appeared to show the same aircraft falling, with other images purporting to show an unidentified pilot being rescued after ejecting from the aircraft.