Afghanistan has claimed 400 people have been killed in a Pakistan strike which Kabul said hit a hospital that treats drug addicts.

Pakistan had earlier dismissed the claim it had attacked a hospital in the capital, saying its strike in Kabul and other strikes in eastern Afghanistan on Monday had not hit any civilian sites.

The Taliban’s deputy spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat said that 400 were killed, and 250 others were injured.

Sharafat Zaman, the country’s health ministry spokesman, earlier gave the death toll as more than 200 during an interview with state TV, posted on X, and claimed all parts of the drug treatment facility had been destroyed.

He added that in total, 3,000 drug users were under treatment at the centre during the attack.

Afghan television stations posted footage showing firefighters struggling to extinguish flames among the ruins of a building.

Mosharraf Zaidi, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s spokesman, has denied the claims and said the strikes did not hit any civilian sites.

Pakistan’s information ministry also said in a statement that the military’s strikes “precisely targeted military installations and terrorist support infrastructure, including technical equipment storage and ammunition storage of Afghan Taliban” and other militants in Kabul and Nangarhar.

It added that the facilities were being used against innocent Pakistani civilians, and also said “false and misleading” claims that the site was struck were intended to stir sentiment and cover “illegitimate support for cross-border terrorism”.

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Pakistan declared that it was in “open war” with Afghanistan on 27 February, almost a week after its military carried out limited airstrikes on 21 February.

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Pakistan declare ‘open war’

Islamabad often accuses Afghanistan, where the Taliban seized power again in August 2021, of harbouring militants who carry out terror attacks. The Taliban denies this.

But for owner Kim Ferrington, the real achievement has been the community she has built over the past 13 years.

The 57-year-old has run the 201 Sandwich Shop alongside her daughter, 29, and another colleague Beth, 27, also working in the shop.

Kim said: “I can’t believe we’ve been nominated as a finalist – it’s a bit mad really.”

While the nomination is a proud moment, Kim says what matters most is the loyalty of customers who have been coming through her doors sin

ce the day she opened.

“A lot of people have been coming since I first opened. I must be doing something right,” she said.

Over the years, Kim has watched schoolchildren grow into adults, many of whom still pop in regularly.

She said: “I used to see lads come in when they were in high school at 14, and now they’re coming back in their twenties after work.

“Some of the kids who used to come in have left school, got jobs – it’s lovely to see.

“You really get to know people.

“You see them through different stages of their life.

“It’s such a nice sense of community.”

Despite not being in Horwich town centre, the shop has built a steady following, with regulars ranging from local workers to tradespeople who take advantage of the homemade soups and popular breakfasts.

She added: “We’re not in the centre and we’re not near anything else, but people still come.

“We’ve stuck to what people like and what they know.”

That means hearty breakfasts, homemade favourites and generous portions.

The full English and the “mega” breakfast are among the best-sellers, alongside cold sandwiches piled high with salad at no extra cost.

Everything is made with care by Kim, from homemade soups to cakes and sweet treats, while Carrs pasties, grillers and pies are also firm favourites.

And customers can wash it all down with coffee from a proper coffee machine.

“It’s family-run – me and my husband own it, and my daughter works here too. It makes it easier when you’re family,” Kim added.

After 13 years, Kim says she has no plans to change the formula.

“I’ve just stuck to what I’ve always done,” she said.

And with generations of customers continuing to return, it’s clear that for this Horwich sandwich shop, being part of people’s daily routine is just as important as any award.

To vote pick up a copy of today’s paper.

On Valentine’s morning last year, Naomi Aldwyn-Allsworth woke beside her partner, Matt, shared bubbles in bed over a breakfast of novelty chocolate boobs, then returned to her London home to spend the day with her son. 

And her other partner, Christopher. 

As a practising polyamorist – someone who has multiple partners at once – the survival and outdoor expedition specialist tells Metro that the idea of having a traditional desk job, marriage, and retiring at state pension age is her absolute ‘worst nightmare’.

Speaking over Zoom, a few days before heading to Norway to train in minus-30-degree conditions for an expedition to the South Pole, 30-year-old Naomi offers some insight into how she manages to juggle motherhood with her complex love life.

‘Non-monogamy was the primary way of navigating relationships until a few thousand years ago, so it’s surreal to me that it blows people away as this modern, crazy concept,’ she says. 

Naomi’s journey into polyamory began when she started dating Christopher at the age of 20. Going to school together in Pembrokeshire, the pair had been friends since they were 11, and have since gone on to have a son together, who is now seven. 

‘When I started dating Christopher, I realised quite quickly he wasn’t someone you date casually,’ Naomi explains. He was someone you might marry and have a family with. That scared me because I felt too young for it to be my final relationship. So we decided we could write our own rules.’

Christopher, who comes from a religious background, is happy to be monogamous, but Naomi, who is also attracted to women, began dating other people a year after she gave birth to their son, who is now seven.

‘He loved me deeply and didn’t want me to close off who I was,’ Naomi explains. ‘And I love him for that.’

Since then, she has dated other men and women, as well as married couples – at one point juggling four partners at once.  However, the mum insists, she’s only interested in relationships, not flings.

As you might imagine, life in a throuple (or more) has not always been straightforward, and it’s important to Naomi that she is open and honest with everyone involved. 

‘If I was ever wanting to take someone’s number or kiss someone, I would confirm it with a partner first so I wouldn’t cross any lines without discussing it,’ she says.

‘That first moment of becoming intimate with someone is really important. Everyone should be aware that it’s happening.’

Naomi – who has appeared on Channel 4’s Alone and worked with Bear Grylls – frequently travels internationally for work, which means she has to be ruthlessly organised to maintain her relationships.

She uses an app where all her partners – and even work colleagues – can see where she is at any given time. 

However, Naomi is clear that her son is her number one priority.

‘Managing a relationship is difficult for the average person with a normal job. Then you add my life into the mix… it is difficult,’ she says.

‘You need to be really organised with your time.

‘My son will always come first, and my career – which is very demanding –  is really important to me too. So when I’m back from trips I prioritise family time. A partner has to be aware and understanding of that, and if they can’t be, then I’m probably not the right person for them.’

Holidays can also be particularly tricky, Naomi admits.

‘At Christmas you want to do all the festive things together. But when a new relationship begins and you have those exciting butterfly feelings, you want to spend all your time together, and you can’t,’ she says.

‘So naturally you pull back in those moments when most people would jump straight in.’

In the documentary Naomi admits that there are ‘many challenges’ raising a child in a polyamorous ‘network’.

‘At themoment it’s ok. He’s too young to understand every aspect of my relationship, and there’s no need for him to -don’t understand every aspect of my parents’ relationship,’ she explains. ‘Some things stay between us and that’s also important.’

While her unconventional lifestyle may have brought many hurdles, it is something Naomi says she’s simply not prepared to compromise on.

‘[Polyamory] is going to cause rows. Naturally there will be moments of discomfort,’ she adds.

‘But there’s so much care, openness and transparency in this kind of relationship that you learn to talk through everything. You end up having conversations that many monogamous couples wouldn’t dare to enter into.’

When Naomi told friends and family about her relationship status, they were at first taken aback, with some being judgmental. 

‘I think it was mainly because we have a son, the concerns were around the impact on him. But over the years, they have seen how my partners and I put him first,’ she says.

Naomi is sharing her story in the documentary Love Without Limits: Polyamory and Me, which follows the rocky path of her relationships as she divides her time between Christopher, Matt – a partner who moved from America to be with her – and married couple Mollie and Connor, whose own family are unaware of the arrangement.

Christopher tells the film that their relationship has not always been simple.

‘It’s easier to say there are different partners and there’s more love… The reality is, logistically it can be horrific,’ he admits.

The dad explains that before any partner meets Barnaby, he must meet them several times first – befriend them, almost.

‘With us, you can see that a new partner gives Naomi something very different to what I can give her,’ he says, explaining why he is open to her having different experiences with different people.

‘The fact we can go through that and still be happy for each other is beautiful. You’re giving your partner something that you can’t give them yourself.

‘I’m not jealous. There’s another side to loving someone. I’m just happy to be part of Naomi’s life and see how she chooses to live it. There’s sacrifice for both of us. It’s a juggling act,’ he says.

In the documentary, Naomi explains that being raped at the age of 15, is the reason she is reluctant to clip her own wings in her personal life.

‘I wanted to show myself that I was okay and that I could love and be intimate with people while still feeling safe,’ she says. ‘I never wanted something like [the assault] to stop me from having a full life.’

The film also captures difficult moments within Naomi’s relationships, including discussions about when Barnaby should first stay at Matt’s home with her, and a tense argument between the couple about Naomi not having enough time for him.

During the documentary, the pair have ended their relationship, and Naomi was seen talking about meeting someone new.

Viewers also learn that she and Christopher also ended their romantic ties as their relationship became more ‘platonic’. Currently, they continue to live together so they can co-parent their son, moving from their two-bed into a three so they can date other people.

‘Nothing terrible happened in our relationship for us to stop being together romantically,’ Naomi insists. ‘It just shifted and adjusted. We still have a lot of love for one another and want to maintain a happy, healthy home.’

She admits that introducing new partners can bring tension.

‘If someone goes on a new date it can add a little bit of spikiness to our conversations that day,’ she says. ‘But you just work your way through it.’

For now, Naomi says she is enjoying the balance. She and Christopher remain close, and Barnaby is growing up in a happy and supportive home. 

His school is aware of their family arrangement and has been understanding.

‘With Barnaby, we focus on love, honesty and family, and explain how a number of families look different and it’s okay for your family structure not to be the traditional mum, dad and children,’ she says. ‘This is just another way, and that it’s more people to love and to love him in return.

‘Every partner I’m with brings a different kind of energy,’ Naomi adds. ‘For me, it’s not about one person ticking every box. That’s an impossible pressure to put on one partner.

‘But if you spread that load a little bit, I think that’s really healthy.’

Cariad Heb Ffiniau: Poliamoir a Fi (Love Without Limits: Polyamory and Me) airs on 24 March at 9pm on S4C and iPlayer.

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WHEN a group of strangers got together nearly 20 years ago to discuss a book, no one imagined they’d still be meeting all these years later – now as close friends.

“Though we only meet at the reading group, we’ve become firm friends and share intimate details about our lives,” says one long-standing member.

“Most of us would never have met through work or our regular social circle, but meeting through our love of reading has been a wonderful way of sharing opinions and ideas with a varied group of people. We started as strangers and ended up as friends.”

Across the UK, thousands of people are discovering that reading groups offer much more than just engaging stories.

The Queen herself started an Instagram book group during the pandemic – now a reading charity The Queen’s Reading Room.

Research by The Reading Agency showed that being part of a reading club not only broadens reading habits but also boosts wellbeing. In their survey of readers’ groups in the UK:

Book clubs are a great way to meet people and share a joy of reading

• 94 per cent said they read more widely

• 91 per cent said they enjoyed reading more when discussing books with others

• 90 per cent felt happier

• 78 per cent felt more confident to try new things.

What begins as a shared interest in reading often becomes something deeper – a community.

In York, Explore is on a mission to make reading together easy and affordable. We know that reading groups can be a lifeline, offering connection and calm in busy or stressful lives.

Science backs this up: regular reading can reduce stress, build empathy, and improve mental health.

Combine that with friendship and conversation, and you have a powerful recipe for wellbeing.

Finding a book club

Image shows women enjoying their book club

Maybe you’ve tried a reading group, didn’t like it and gave up? Remember there is not just one type of book club. They can range from quiet discussions to lively gatherings with activities, food and drink.

Choosing the right group that inspires you to read and chat and share your views is crucial. Whether you’re looking for a general reading group, one focused on a particular genre or a group that blends reading with creative and social activities, there’s a book club out there for you.

Recommended reading:

Many of our libraries host volunteer-run reading groups during library opening hours. Please ask at your local library and they will let you know if they have any spaces for new members. We don’t have a list of all the book groups in York though so please don’t ask for one!

York Explore library in the city centre has recently started Read and Relax – a different kind of book club. This is a drop-in group where you can meet up with like-minded book lovers for quiet reading and bookish chat.

Simply bring your own book, lose yourself in a story and share the joy of reading over a cup of tea. It takes place on the first Wednesday of every month from 6.30pm to 7.30pm.

Still can’t find the right one? Why not start your own? Many of the most successful reading groups begin with just a few people coming together to share their love of reading.

How Explore Libraries supporting local book clubs

Explore lends sets of books to reading groups who register with us. For an annual subscription of just £30 per group, members can borrow as many sets as they like – at no extra charge – including some in large print, ebook and audio format. It’s a budget-friendly way to access a wide range of titles for monthly meetings without the expense of buying new copies each time. You can register at any library in York.

Find out more at Reading Groups – Explore York

Reading Group sets

We add to our collection every year and currently have 258 sets available to borrow. We are especially grateful to The Friends of Dunnington library who have just donated £1,000 to support reading groups – enough to buy 15 new sets of books which we will be adding to our list over the coming year.

We are always glad to receive donations of lightly used copies from book groups too, it’s a lovely way to share your love of reading with a wider group of people.

If your book group would like to do this, please email us contact@exploreyork.org.uk

Book clubs are about more than books – they’re about connection, discovery, and the joy of reading together. During this National Year of Reading, why not get involving by joining a book group? You never know where the next story might take you.

Explore recommends: 5 thought provoking books for your reading group to try

Andrew Miller The Land in Winter – one of the book sets available at Explore York

There Are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak

From ancient Nineveh to Victorian London to the present day, this is a great read, mingling science, scholarship and myth, domestic drama and history.

A Little Trickerie by Rosanna Pike

Subversive historical fiction with lovable outcast characters and a wry, clever narrative voice.

The Women by Kristin Hannah

This story of one woman who joins the nursing corps in the Vietnam War shines a light on the unsung stories of women who answered the call and paid the price.

The Land in Winter by Andrew Miller

Set during the Big Freeze of 1962-3, this story of two marriages brilliantly evokes the legacy of the Second World War.

Small Pleasures by Clare Chambers

A gripping, powerful, and tender novel set in 1957 suburbia by an author who has been called a 21st century Barbara Pym.

Gillian Holmes is the communications officer at Explore York Libraries and Archives

There’s a lot riding on the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s upcoming overseas tour, especially as Harry is ‘reimagining his whole life’ as his royal family continues battling its crisis

It looks like the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are planning a major charm offensive next month with their “make or break” trip Down Under. The couple announced the plan last week, seven years after they travelled there on their first overseas tour as a married royal couple.

Following the news that Meghan, 44, has parted ways with Netflix and Prince Harry, 41, remains on the periphery of royal life, PR expert and talent manager Dermot McNamara says there’s a lot riding on the visit.

“They’re probably hoping to reignite their global brand in Australia, while also working out what they do in the future,” he tells new. “It’s a last chance for them to establish where they fit and where they want to go.”

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He continues, “Harry, in particular, probably feels he should get back out there and they know Australia is a place that loves them dearly, especially when compared to the UK. So it’s a trip that has a lot of possibilities but also a lot of risk.

“It’s a way to send the message ‘we are here and we are active’. It offers a middle ground for them to present themselves as Harry and Meghan, as royals, and as international celebrities, without it being too much in everyone’s faces.”

The Sussexes’ previous 16-day royal tour of Australia, New Zealand and Fiji in 2018 kicked off with the news that they were expecting their first child the following year. They spent much of their visit collecting baby gifts from well-wishers, as well as visiting various environmental and conservation projects.

Next month’s trip, however, is going to look rather different. While specific details are being kept under wraps for now, we learnt last week that Meghan’s commitments include star speaker at a women-only weekend retreat in Sydney.

A VIP ticket for the event, which is organised by the Her Best Life podcast, costs £1,700 per person and gives holders front-row seats at a gala dinner and “in-person conversation” with Meghan, as well as a “group table photo” with the Duchess.

According to Dermot, the couple will be hoping to strike a balance between their royal interest and brand appeal, while also hoping to ”cash in on the nostalgia” from their 2018 tour.

“They had such a good reception last time and there was so much love for them,” says Dermot. “So why not go there to get a feel for what lies ahead for them as a brand, without [Harry] feeling under siege, which he likely would if he came to the UK.

“Australia ticks a lot of boxes too. It’s within the Commonwealth and has a long history of royal visits. And Harry knows the Commonwealth is important to the family, as is maintaining the legacy [they have] in places like Australia.”

Dermot believes the trip will be particularly important for Harry because he’s not been as busy as Meghan when it comes to their private businesses and causes. Last year, Harry resigned from the Board of Trustees of Sentebale, the charity he set up in memory of Princess Diana, after the relationship between the trustees and the chairperson broke down “beyond repair”.

While Meghan continues to expand her As Ever lifestyle brand, Harry’s future focus is less clear, according to Dermot.

“He is having to reimagine his whole life, and try to build a life for himself personally and professionally in a way that has never been seen or done before.”

It also emerged last week that Meghan’s lifestyle business had ended its partnership with Netflix. The streaming giant supported the brand financially in its early days, but a spokesperson from As Ever said it was “ready to stand on its own”.

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Given it’s also widely believed that Netflix has put the kibosh on any more of Meghan’s With Love series, pressure is mounting for the couple to reignite their brand in other ways.

“If they’re not making headlines and, more importantly, if viewers are turning off in their droves, then companies like Netflix are ruthless and they’re not going to carry them just because they’re the Duke and Duchess of Sussex,” former royal editor Duncan Larcombe previously told the Mirror.

“They have to figure something out because the number of projects they’ve announced since they left the UK that have hit the ground and been a success is actually quite small.”

There’s also the scandal surrounding Prince Harry’s uncle, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, who was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office and released under investigation.

The juxtaposition between Harry and Meghan’s visit to sunny Oz while his family fights fires at home won’t be lost on Harry, Dermot says, but he has little choice.

“The royal family is in turmoil, and as a member of that family, so too is Harry,” he says. “Yes, they might be accused of bad timing with the Australia trip, but just because his other family members are embroiled in a scandal, why should Harry put his life on hold?”

The new strategy will be rolled out next month in a bid to crack down on ‘refund abuse’

The Department for Transport (DfT) has unveiled a major overhaul of the UK’s rail ticketing system, introducing stricter validation for railcard users and tighter refund rules to claw back an estimated £60 million lost annually to fraud and “refund abuse”.

The measures are part of the transition toward Great British Railways (GBR) – the new public body expected to take control of the network by late 2026. In a bid to tackle fare dodging, the DfT is introducing “simple validation” checks for the millions of passengers who use railcard discounts (such as the 16-25, Senior, or Two Together cards).

Starting in the second half of 2026, passengers using ticket machines will be required to scan their railcard or manually enter their railcard number and name before a discounted ticket is issued.

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Those using apps or websites with registered accounts will only need to input their details once for automatic verification in future. The Government expects this move alone to save £20m per year in lost revenue.

In a significant shift for flexible travel, the rules for returning unused tickets are being tightened to prevent passengers from claiming money back for tickets that were used but never scanned or stamped by staff.

From the start of next month, Off-Peak and Anytime tickets will only be refundable until 11:59pm the day before they become valid. Currently, passengers can claim a refund up to 28 days after a ticket expires without providing a reason.

Refunds will still be granted after the deadline if a service is disrupted or in “exceptional circumstances,” such as a medical emergency.

In better news for passengers, the DfT is simplifying the Delay Repay process. Currently, travellers often have to navigate 14 different operator systems to get their money back.

Under GBR, passengers will be able to claim compensation directly from the retailer where they bought the ticket (e.g., Trainline), rather than having to contact the specific train company.

Trainline estimates that passengers currently miss out on £80 million a year because the current system is too confusing or fragmented to navigate.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander stated that the changes would ensure the industry can “invest taxpayers’ money in things that really matter,” such as freezing fares and station upgrades.

Jody Ford, CEO of Trainline, welcomed the move toward a more consistent process, noting that “one-click” claims would be “welcomed by millions”.

NSB are also an official partner school with Northampton Saints.

This year, they provided the most players from any school to Saints’ under-18s.

Four players will also be offered first-team academy contracts this year.

“The boys have to manage their time really well,” says assistant first team coach Adam Baker.

“When we get into sixth form and into that first-team setting, we will try and put them through a programme that matches up with an academy programme, so if they go into that pathway, they are fully aware and prepped as to what that day-to-day life looks like.”

However, NSB aren’t the only state school making an impact.

They beat Campion School from Essex in the Continental Tyres School Cup semi-finals.

It was a compelling contest which went down to the wire, with two state schools playing high-octane rugby in front of a passionate crowd of over a thousand people.

The Rugby Football Union has a network of rugby managers to try to embed the game in state schools.

Twenty-two of the best state schools compete in the ACE (Academy, Colleges and Education) League. England internationals George Martin, Joe Heyes and Harry Randall all came through that route.

The programme is designed to support players who may not attend traditional rugby-playing schools, providing daily coaching, competitive fixtures, and opportunities to train alongside academy players.

Northampton Saints have two state school partnerships which play in the ACE League: Moulton College in Northampton and Sigma Sixth Colchester, located at Philip Morant School and College.

“Growing state school rugby is a one step at a time process,” said Beaumont.

“This is over 10 years of hard work. But it can be done.

“My advice to other schools is find a way to get more numbers in training, organise a game.

“Put a tournament on, you don’t need posts. Make it a habit. Get kids playing.

“Rugby needs every state school to push and develop rugby. This is the perfect time. State school rugby could be really special.”

One of NSB’s biggest stars is their 18-year-old captain Jack Lewis, who plays in the back row.

He has been at NSB for the past two years and in the Saints academy since he was 14.

This year he made his debut for Northampton Saints. Now he’s preparing to lead his school for the final time in a Twickenham final.

“NSB taught me how to act, it’s the closest thing to a professional environment,” he said.

“A lot of people work hard behind the scenes, they sacrifice their time. It’s given me so much as a player and a student.

“I’ve never played at Twickenham, it would be a great achievement if we could lift the cup there. We want to show what NSB stands for.”

A Russian natural gas tanker adrift in the Mediterranean Sea represents an “imminent and serious” ecological threat, several European nations have warned.

The Arctic Metagaz has been drifting in waters between Malta and Italy, European Union (EU) states, including France and Italy, said in a letter to the European Commission.

Earlier this month, Russia‘s Transport Ministry said the vessel, which was carrying liquefied natural gas from the Arctic port of Murmansk, was attacked by Ukrainian naval drones, which it claimed had been launched from the Libyan coast.

On 4 March, Libya’s maritime agency reported that the vessel had sunk in waters between Libya and Malta after catching fire a day before.

Ukraine has not claimed responsibility for the attack.

The letter to the European Commission said the state of the Arctic Metagaz poses the “dual challenge” of upholding maritime safety and preventing an ecological disaster while maintaining EU sanctions imposed on Russia.

“The precarious condition of the vessel, combined with the nature of its specialised cargo, gives rise to an imminent and serious ​risk of a major ecological disaster in the heart of ⁠the Union’s maritime space,” the letter said.

The EU said the vessel was part of Russia’s “shadow fleet”, which is intended to bypass sanctions imposed after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

The letter said action to resolve the situation, including surveillance, monitoring and other technical support, risked “undermining the integrity, effectiveness and the deterrent value of the EU sanctions ‌regime”.

Russia’s foreign ministry acknowledged the vessel was adrift in the Mediterranean, and said Russia’s further involvement in the situation would depend on “concrete circumstances”.

Spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Moscow was in touch with the vessel’s owner, and foreign “competent bodies”.

The ship, which has no crew, was carrying 700 metric tons of different types of fuel, and “a substantial amount of natural gas”.

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“The international legal norms applicable ​to the current situation imply the responsibility of coastal countries… ​for resolving the situation with the drifting vessel and preventing an environmental ​disaster,” Ms Zakharova said in a statement on the ministry’s website.

“Further involvement by the shipowner and Russia as the flag state ⁠will depend on the specific circumstances.”