Do you agree with our readers? Have your say on these MetroTalk topics and more in the comments

Iran war has not ‘occurred in a vacuum of no provocation’ says reader

Anna Romano’s letter against the war in Iran (MetroTalk, Fri) misses the point on so many levels.

Regardless of the fact that there are other countries in the region with repressive regimes – Anna names Saudi Arabia – Iran is the only country in the region killing tens of thousands of its own people, as well as backing terrorist groups such as Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis who continue to cause violence and create instability across the Middle East. Also, although anti-war sentiment doesn’t necessarily equate to support for Iran, it does lead to such a brutally repressive and terrorist-supporting regime acting with impunity.

As for previous failed military interventions such as in Afghanistan –these in themselves do not negate the fact that, rightly or wrongly, there are also successful military ones.

Finally, Anna’s quote from Judge Robert Jackson about the Nazis starting World War II being in itself a crime is not comparable here, as this is neither a widespread war (even its Arab neighbours don’t support Iran) nor has it occurred in a vacuum of no provocation. Paul, London

Will Iran war change migration habits?

An ironic thought, came to me. We have a lot of ‘illegal migrants’ coming to our shores to escape countries involved in wars – yet here we are, by implication, involved in a war with Iran. Will this see a change in the numbers seeking refuge? Paul Billson, Baldock

We should platform more kindness in response to hate, reader says

Thank you for running the story ‘Face of UK meets hate with dates’ (Metro, Wed).

This was about British-born London market trader Syed Usman Shah, who shamed trolls into apologising after he was racially abused when his image was used to welcome visitors to Heathrow.

He responded by inviting abusers to his Date Sultan stall in Borough Market for a free feed. Some took him up on the offer.

There is a lot of this sort of thing going on and it rarely gets a mention. More please. Bryan, Watford

‘Politicians at all levels need to hear how much we care about the climate’

It was great to read your interview with Chris Packham about his YouTube video Greenwashed, a ‘public-service resource’ relating to the environmental crisis (Metro, Mar 4). One way to tackle the horrors he describes is through how we vote – politicians at all levels need to hear how much we care about the climate and nature so that they take more urgent action. The next opportunity for many to do this is in the local elections on May 7.

Anyone joining voteclimate.uk will get a recommendation in April for how to vote tactically to help tackle climate change. Peter Moore, Shipbourne

Reader enjoyed Mother’s Day tribute

Thank you to Simon Gage for his lovely tribute to mothers for Mother’s Day (Metro, Wed). Sadly my mum has passed away but it felt like he was writing about her. Lizzie, Liverpool

Do you agree with our readers? Have your say on these MetroTalk topics and more in the comments

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Do you agree with our readers? Have your say on these MetroTalk topics and more in the comments

US is ‘determined to reassert US dominance in a world China and Russia seek to control’, says reader

Your contributors all seem to think the war on Iran is crazy but show little understanding of contemporary history or political realities (MetroTalk, Fri).

Donald Trump’s administration is a neo-con update of George W Bush’s government two decades ago – it is determined to reassert US dominance in a world China and Russia seek to control.

The war on the Iranian regime makes good sense – the mullahs are Nazi nihilists, determined to make a nuclear weapon and destroy Israel with it, whatever the cost – it is as simple as that.

Barack Obama may be far more articulate than Trump but he never had a plan to deal with these various threats to western values and world peace.

Britain, sadly, no longer has military capabilities that the US needs beyond our ports and airbases and we in return rely almost entirely on the US for our defence, as does all of Europe.

As an example, the entire British army would be wiped out in a matter of months of conventional warfare in Ukraine. Sir Keir Starmer knows all of this and did try to support Trump but was initially – and humiliatingly – blocked by his own cabinet.

The Iranian government has flooded Britain with agents determined to intimidate or kill Jewish people, infiltrate college campuses and subvert Palestinian campaigns to their own ends. The Green Party, wittingly or otherwise, plays straight into their hands.

Supporting the destruction of the Iranian leadership and its replacement with more compliant leaders who disavow nuclear ambitions will certainly require boots on the ground.

The difference with Iraq is that the majority of the lranian populace profoundly want this change and all we in Britain have to do is support it. Chris Shepherd, London

‘I have a long-standing dislike of the US’

I have a long-standing dislike of the US and all it stands for, so I applauded Sir Keir Starmer’s initial decision to stay out of the illegal American and Israeli attacks on Iran.

However the prime minister’s recent decisions to aid the United States by allowing them access to some of our airfields makes him a collaborator with international law-breakers.

By not upholding the principals of international law, our world will descend into the completely lawless, free-for-all, anything-goes state that much of the US has been in since its creation almost 250 years ago. A country where even an insane psychopath can become president.

Any abandonment of international law will soon have repercussions domestically, with a breakdown in law and order that will effect everyone of us.

So, please, do not let us go down the American route, that would be a BIG mistake! RA Skett, Tamworth

Would it be a ‘big mistake’ to go down the ‘American route’?

Will (MetroTalk, Thu) says the current war on Iran is comparable with the West ovethrowing the democratically elected government in 1951 and installing the dictatorial Shah.

The writer fails to mention that, for the past half century, since Ayatollah Khomeni came to power, Iran has been ruled by a fanatical Islamic regime, which is even more repressive and brutal than he alleges the Shah ever was. One only has to see what happened earlier this year, with thousands of peaceful protesters being massacred on the streets.

Although there were great disparities of wealth under the Shah, people were free to lead a Western life – without the restrictions imposed by Sharia law – and were probably better off then than they are now.

Unfortunately the bombing raids carried out by the US and Israel seem more aimed at reducing Iran to rubble (as they have done in Gaza) than bringing about meaningful regime change.

One can only hope that once it is over, Iran can recover and the people there can have the freedom and happiness they deserve. Julie, Bath

‘The bombing raids carried out by the US and Israel seem more aimed at reducing Iran to rubble than bringing about meaningful regime change’

Tony Blair loves being the centre of attention and has waded in, supporting Trump and his illegal war to try and make himself relevant again (Metro, Mon).

That’s good to know, because we’ve seen how badly wrong Blair was before about the Middle East with his disastrous war in Iraq – and we must therefore do the exact opposite of whatever he suggests and distance ourselves from Trump and the US, or risk suffering years of upheaval again. Sally Wilton, Bournemouth

Do you agree with our readers? Have your say on these MetroTalk topics and more in the comments

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“Isolated” James Thomas Baker was found with more than 3,000 indecent images of children on his phone, including 668 in the most serious category, plus five extreme porn images portraying scenes of bestiality.

Durham Crown Court heard that Barker made no comment when interviewed by police but later offered a potential defence that he only bought the phone in 2019 and claimed he did not download the images.

Shaun Dodds, prosecuting, said the phone in question was only manufactured two years later, and the images would have been accessed by the defendant after that date.

Mr Dodds said the images portrayed the abuse of children as young as three.

Barker, 27, of Acton Dene, Stanley, admitted three counts of making indecent images of children, plus one of possession of extreme pornography, but only after changes of pleas, on January 30.

The court was told he has no relevant previous convictions.

Reports on the defendant by the Probation Service, a psychologist and a speech and language team, were presented to the court.

The court heard that since admitting the offences, the defendant has attended his first session with the agency Stop It, aimed at curbing online paedophilic behaviour.

Judge Jo Kidd said she considered the offences “pass the custodial threshold” due to the number of images downloaded.

But she said the public would be “best served” by allowing work to continue to address the defendant’s issues as part of a suspended sentence.

She told Barker: “It’s clear to me that over a period of time when you were socially isolated you began to spend far too much time online, looking at pornography, and that developed into looking at images of children.

“I have read with care all the reports about you, and I have to consider whether or not to send you to prison.

“These are serious offences with children being raped.

“They were real children suffering real consequences of being raped.

“Anyone looking at these images is supporting the abuse of those children.

“You need to work hard with probation and the Stop It team to ensure you don’t look at images like that again.

“I think the best way forward is to pass a suspended prison sentence.

“If you come back to this court, you will serve a prison sentence.

“You need to understand how serious this case is.”

Judge Kidd passed a ten-month prison sentence suspended for two years, during which Barker must attend 35 rehabilitation activity days overseen by the Probation Service and complete 100 hours’ unpaid work.

She also made the defendant subject to registration as a sex offender and restrictions relating to his internet use, as part of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, both for ten years.

Read next … more court stories from The Northern Echo, by clicking here

The Judge told Barker: “I think the best thing for you is to get out of the house more often.

“You need to stop looking at this stuff.

“Don’t let me down.”

Guardiola faced criticism from some for his team selection last time out, leaving out the likes of Matheus Nunes and Rayan Ait-Nouri in favour of a more attacking formation, but is expected to name a more straightforward team tonight. They will need to improve in front of goal, with Erling Haaland goal-shy at present.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Iran war has scrambled the Federal Reserve’s outlook on inflation and unemployment and will likely further delay interest rate cuts this year, putting off any relief for consumers struggling with high borrowing costs for home and car purchases.

The spike in oil and gas prices presents already-divided Fed officials with a worst-case scenario as they conclude a key meeting Wednesday: Costlier gas will raise inflation in the short run, which typically causes the central bank to raise borrowing costs — or at least leave them unchanged — to combat higher prices. Yet if the spike is high enough or lasts long enough, it could hammer the economy and push up unemployment, which the Fed would typically respond to by moving in the opposite direction, and cutting its key rate.

For now, the clearest way forward for the 12-member rate-setting committee, led by Chair Jerome Powell, is to stand pat and wait to see which way the economy goes. The Fed is expected to keep rates unchanged Wednesday, and may remain on pause at their meetings in late April and June. Many economists now see the first rate cut this year not taking place until September or later.

“With Iran and the oil shock, I think the committee’s room for maneuver here is pretty limited,” said Nathan Sheets, chief global economist at Citi and a former senior economist at the Fed. “I think they’ve got to wait and see how this plays through.”

Yet the Fed also has to release a set of quarterly economic projections that will create its own set of pitfalls. In December, the committee forecast that inflation would cool to 2.6% by the end of this year, with core inflation excluding food and energy falling to 2.5%. But those figures were already rising before the Iran war, with core prices rising 3.1% in January from a year earlier, the biggest increase in more than two years.

The Fed had also forecast in December that it would cut rates once this year, but that will be harder to maintain if the committee also raises its inflation outlook. The Fed cut three times last year before pausing in January.

Tim Duy, chief economist at SGH Macro, argues that the Fed should raise its forecast for core inflation, using the metric it prefers, to at least 2.8% by the end of this year. An increase of that amount would argue against any cuts this year.

“Any reasonable forecast for inflation now should not have a cut” in the Fed’s projections, Duy said. “And it’s almost ludicrous that it might.”

Whether the Fed will continue to forecast a single rate cut this year, or pull back and project no cuts, is seen as a close call by most economists. Many leading members of the Fed — including governors Chris Waller, Stephen Miran, Michelle Bowman, and possibly Powell — are reluctant to give up on the idea of reducing rates. Waller, for example, has said in a television interview that inflation is heading back to the Fed’s 2% target, with the Iran war likely only a temporary disruption.

Yet another group of Fed officials — including Beth Hammack, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, and Austan Goolsbee, president of the Chicago Fed — were already worried about the stubborn persistence of inflation even before the Iran war. The prospect of higher gas prices will likely only intensify their concerns.

Mortgage rates have already risen in the wake of the conflict, likely because markets expect higher inflation will prevent the Fed from cutting anytime soon. The average 30-year mortgage rate jumped to 6.1% last week from 6%, though it is still down from nearly 6.7% a year ago.

On top of all the economic disruptions, the Fed is nearing a major leadership transition. Powell’s term as chair ends May 15 and President Donald Trump has nominated a former top Fed official, Kevin Warsh, to replace him. Yet Warsh’s nomination has been delayed in the Senate because key Republican senators have objected to a Justice Department investigation of Powell over his testimony about a building renovation.

Last Friday, a judge threw out a pair of subpoenas that the Justice Department had issued to the Fed, dealing a blow to the investigation, but U.S. Attorney Jeannine Pirro has said she will appeal the ruling.

Also hanging over the Fed is the inflation spike from the pandemic. Typically, the Fed would essentially look past a supply shock like the disruption in oil supplies from the Middle East. Once it ends, any inflation it produces will likely fall back, without the Fed having to raise rates. As a result, it could leave rates unchanged — or even cut them to boost weak hiring.

Yet as the economy emerged from the pandemic in 2021, inflation jumped as Americans sharply raised their spending, aided by stimulus checks and pandemic-era savings. Powell initially said that inflation would be “transitory” and would fade as the economy returned to normal. Instead it spiked to a four-decade high in June 2022.

With inflation still elevated, many Fed officials are wary of repeating the mistake, making any cuts less likely as long as inflation is elevated.

“I think they are a little scarred from the blowback they got from the word ‘transitory,’” said Derek Tang, an economist at Macro Policy Analytics, a consulting firm.

The BBC has obtained footage and interviews from the Iranian capital Tehran which evoke a city of strained nerves, of constant waiting for the next air strike and relentless fear of the state security apparatus. The identities of the people in this report have been protected.

Within Iran, state television broadcasts footage of demonstrations and funerals, as well as interviews with pro-regime officials and protestors that repeat denunciations of America and Israel.

While independent journalists still try to gather testimony that offers a credible alternative view, they run the risk of arrest, torture and possibly worse.

Our Special Correspondent Fergal Keane reports.

More on this story.

How to choose the best swimsuit

First up, decide how much coverage you’d like and what kind of swimming or water sports you want to use your new swimwear for. For wild or cold water swimming, look for something that fits well, is flexible and offers some warmth. It should also be easy to get off post-swim when you’re changing outdoors with chilly hands.

If you’re planning on surfing, paddleboarding or diving, a high-neck swimming costume or bikini top will stay put as you move, and high-cut legs will give you room to kick through the water. Pick a suit with decent coverage for a bit more sun protection, and avoid suits with random cutouts if you don’t want a diamond-shaped sunburn.

If you’re looking for eco-friendly materials, consider Finisterre and Zone3, which both use Yulex, a plant-based rubber material which is a more environmentally friendly alternative to neoprene. I also rate M&S’s affordable Good Move range and Hunza G, whose one-size-fits-all crinkle suits will fit most body shapes and are good for pregnancy.

How I test swimsuits

I tried out each of these swimsuits and bikini sets during swimming sessions at my local lido in the Cotswolds and in the Cornish sea. I also took them all on holiday to the French Alps for dips in glacial rivers (my baggage allowance was not happy).

When in the water, I tested each suit for limited drag and an unimpeded range of movement. I looked for decent stay-put coverage even when I was moving, a lack of tight straps or digging in, and rated each style for comfort even when worn all day – you should barely notice you’re wearing the best swimsuits.

I made sure that every suit and bikini preserved my modesty during water sports, as nobody wants a wardrobe malfunction mid-beach day. I swam regularly in each model across three weeks. Where possible, I checked they washed well, were chlorine resistant, quick drying and easy to look after.

You can visit our Who We Are page to learn more about our testing process.

Jay Cartmell died after being seriously injured in the Warcop area of Cumbria, just off the A66, on September 28, 2024. 

The eight-year-old was airlifted to hospital with a suspected shotgun injury but sadly died at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle. 

An inquest into his death later heard how the boy – described as “loving, kind and full of mischief” – suffered the injury while on a rabbit shooting expedition. 

Cumbria Police has confirmed that Allan Thursby, 64, has today (Tuesday, March 17) been charged with gross negligence manslaughter. 

Thursby, of Dent Place, Cleator Moor, was arrested on September 28, 2024 and has been on police bail since.

He was bailed to appear at Carlisle Magistrates’ Court on March 26, 2026.

Pictures from the scene (Image: Frank Chalmers)

Emergency services rushed to the farm in Warcop following the incident in 2024, with pictures showing several police vans and a crime scene investigation vehicle parked beside a road. 

Jay’s parent’s, Leigha and James Cartmell, later released a statement paying tribute to “the best boy that anyone could wish for and the third corner of our beautiful family ‘triangle’.”

They said: “We will miss him every day, but his love surrounds us and his memory will never fade.”

Jay Cartmell (Image: Supplied)

Malcolm McHaffie, head of the Crown Prosecution Service’s special crime division, said: “Our prosecutors have worked to establish that there is sufficient evidence to bring the case to court and that it is in the public interest to pursue criminal proceedings.

“We have worked closely with Cumbria Police as they have carried out their investigation into the circumstances of this death. Our thoughts are with the family of Jay Cartmell at this time.

“We remind all concerned that proceedings against this defendant are active and that he has the right to a fair trial.

“It is vital that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.”

Exclusive: Patients have been put at risk of infection with viruses such as HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C. The hospital says the risk is ‘extremely low’

Twenty-one patients underwent operations at a Welsh hospital in which unsterilised surgical tools were used, in a huge blunder.

WalesOnline can reveal the repeated use of unsterilised instruments in procedures at Newport’s Royal Gwent Hospital across two days – February 25 and 26 this year – before the mistake was discovered on the 27th.

Last week a whistleblower told us they were concerned that the affected patients had still not been informed despite a risk of serious infection from the instruments, which we understand had previously been used in other operations. The whistleblower also claimed management had warned staff not to speak to the press about what happened.

After we approached the hospital for comment last Friday, it asked us to hold off on publishing until today (Tuesday) so that patients could be informed. The hospital has now contacted all affected patients and insists the delay in doing so was purely a case of ensuring the correct information was given to the correct patients.

Aneurin Bevan university health board, which runs the hospital, told us there was an incident on February 24 in which surgical instruments were disinfected but not put through a key sterilisation procedure. Those tools were then used in operations, leading to a risk of blood-borne viruses such as HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C being transmitted. Patients are now anxiously awaiting tests.

“There is a potential but extremely low risk,” the health board’s medical director Dr Seema Srivastava told WalesOnline in an exclusive interview.

“We are very sorry this has occurred and for the distress caused to those affected and their families. We fully recognise the impact this has had on those people.

“The instruments were fully disinfected, and that in itself reduces lots of microorganisms. They are then meant to be put into a final stage machine called an autoclave, and that helps do the sterilisation process to ensure the instruments are free of specific viruses.”

The autoclave, which sterilises using heat and steam, was not used on this occasion – an unprecedented error for the hospital. A whistleblower expressed incredulity at the mistake, telling us: “The trays of instruments have been picked up from the sterile supplies department without the proper checking process.”

When exposed to the heat of the autoclave, the tape on a set of instruments is designed to change colour. Staff are meant to check the colour change and the date of sterilisation before approving a tray for use.

“For 21 procedures to happen with unsterilised trays, that’s a serious concern,” said our source. “It needs to be seriously investigated.”

Asked how the failing happened, Dr Srivastava said: “Although we have strong processes in place, human error can occur, and I know that has happened in this situation.”

The error was discovered through a “routine check” on February 27, she said, adding: “We immediately took steps to remove those instruments from circulation, and stood up a specialist team to investigate this matter.

“A number of medical instruments are reusable in healthcare treatment, and every hospital has a sterilisation and decontamination unit. We’re talking about a limited number of instruments affected by this issue.”

The hospital has not identified any harm to a patient from the incident. “We have been working very closely with an expert virologist, and that is why we are confident in saying the risk is extremely low,” said Dr Srivastava.

“Throughout the day [Monday], patients have been contacted and supported by our team of nurses. They have had answers to any questions they have, and we are arranging for any tests they might need.

“We have started an active investigation into what happened. It will take time to ensure we have a thorough review. I visited the sterilisation and decontamination unit earlier today, and I can see how deeply committed the staff are in ensuring patient safety, and the number of checks that were already in place. But we have now added further to ensure this doesn’t happen again.”

A whistleblower voiced concern that the error appeared to be “kept quiet” in the fortnight after it was discovered. Asked why patients were not informed earlier, Dr Srivastava said: “We really needed to be sure we had an accurate list of patients and that we were only contacting those impacted… We needed to be clear about what steps were taken to ensure their health needs are responded to.”

She said she was not aware of staff being told not to contact the press, but added: “We would not want patients to hear about this from anyone other than our specialist team.”

Asked if disciplinary action was being taken, she replied: “We are conducting a full review. There’s nothing else I want to say about that at this stage.

“It’s important to come back to how very sorry I am that the incident occurred and that distress has been caused to those affected. And it’s really important to know that if patients have not been contacted, they will not have been impacted by this issue.”

Dr Srivastava said she could not give any detail as to the types of operations affected for patient confidentiality reasons.

A health board spokeswoman added: “While the clinical risk of blood‑borne virus exposure is extremely low, we have arranged precautionary testing and support to give full reassurance. We fully recognise the concern and distress this may cause, and we are truly sorry. The wellbeing of our patients is our highest priority, and we are taking all necessary actions to understand how this happened and to prevent it from occurring again.

“We also understand that others may feel concerned on hearing about this. We want to reassure all patients that this was a very limited incident, those affected have been contacted directly, and there is no wider cause for concern.”

Earlier this month we revealed an alarming failing at another Welsh hospital. A surgical swab was accidentally left at the back of a patient’s throat for more than 24 hours after an operation at Cardiff’s University Hospital of Wales, which you can read more about here.

If you would like to let us know about a story we should be investigating, email us at conor.gogarty@walesonline.co.uk

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