PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — Two roadside bombs in restive northwestern Pakistan killed at least seven people on Saturday, authorities said.
The first targeted a vehicle, while the second went off as rescuers responded to the blast in Bannu, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan, senior police official Yasir Afridi said, adding both were controlled remotely.
Afridi said five people were killed in the first blast and two in the second. Three people were also wounded, he said. A search operation to find those responsible is underway.
No group immediately claimed responsibility, but suspicion is likely to fall on the Pakistani Taliban, who have been blamed for similar attacks in the past.
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President Asif Ali Zardari strongly condemned the bombings. In a statement, he conveyed condolences to the families of those killed and prayed for the speedy recovery of the wounded.
Without naming any group, Zardari issued a warning to “internal and external handlers of terrorism” who provide safe havens, logistical support and financial assistance to militant networks.
Pakistan has experienced a surge in militant violence in recent years, much of it claimed by the Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP. The group is separate from, but allied with, Afghanistan’s Taliban, who seized power in Kabul in 2021. Pakistani officials say many TTP leaders and fighters have found sanctuary across the border in Afghanistan.
All you need to know about the five rules impacting Man United’s summer transfer business – Manchester Evening News
Need to know
Manchester United want to spend big this summer but they will be impacted by rules out of their control
Michael Carrick and Manchester United must keep in mind several rules during the summer transfer window(Image: Glyn KIRK / AFP via Getty Images)
Everything you need to know about the rules impacting Manchester United’s summer transfer business:
United are looking to be busy in this summer’s transfer window. The Reds need to bolster their squad if they are to compete across four competitions.
However, Michael Carrick won’t be able to spend freely in the summer transfer window without first abiding by five rules out of United’s control.
First surrounds Brexit. United can only sign players from the European Union once they have obtained a Governing Body Endorsement (GBE).
These are obtained based on three criteria: Senior and youth international appearances, quality of the selling club, based on the league they are in, league position and progression in continental competition and club appearances, based on domestic league and continental competition minutes.
Brexit also limits the number of overseas U21 players a club can purchase in a single season and blocks academy players from joining United until they turn 18.
Next is Home Grown player quotas. Both the Premier League and UEFA have different rules that clubs must abide by.
In the Premier League, ‘Home Grown’ players are those who, irrespective of nationality or age, have been registered with any club affiliated to The Football Association (FA) or the Football Association of Wales (FAW) for a period, continuous or not, of three entire seasons, or 36 months, before his 21st birthday (or the end of the season during which he turns 21).
Meanwhile, in the UEFA Champions League, clubs must submit a List A and List B. List A can have no more than 25 players. Eight of these places are reserved for ‘locally trained players’. No more than four of those eight players can be ‘association trained players’. List B can be made up of an unlimited number of players so long as they were born on or after January 1, 2005 and have been eligible to play for the club for a two-year uninterupted period since they were 15. Or, three years, if one of those years was spent on loan at a club in the same association.
Next season, the Premier League will scrap Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) in favour of the Squad Cost Ratio (SCR) framework. SCR means Premier League clubs’ on-pitch spending is limited to 85 per cent of their football-related revenue and net profit/loss from player sales. Squad costs cover player and head coach wages, agents’ fees and amortisation or impairment of transfer fees.
UEFA also employs SCR but their spending cap is limited to 70 per cent. They also measure their finances by the calendar year while the Premier League will operate season-to-season.
North Yorkshire Police is appealing for information after the Yamaha, with a black and yellow fuel tank, was stolen in Bleriot Way, Clifton Moor, at around 1pm on Friday, June 12.
The force said the motorcycle was taken from the car park of the owner’s workplace.
A police spokesperson said a man had taken the motorcycle and “wheeled it away from the area”.
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They urged anyone who has seen the bike to contact North Yorkshire Police.
“If anyone has seen the bike in the image attached or has any information as to who may currently be in possession of it please could you get in touch,” the police spokesperson said.
The cabinet approved the change on Friday, and it will apply to visa applications submitted on or after 1 July.
Under the new fee structure, the cost of a single-entry visa will rise from 3,000 Japanese yen to 15,000 Japanese yen, while the cost of a multiple-entry visa will rise from 6,000 Japanese yen to 30,000 Japanese yen.
“The current visa fee was set in 1978, and we have recently revised it to reflect inflation and exchange rate fluctuations since then,“ foreign minister Toshimitsu Motegi told a news conference on Friday.
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“We made this decision after carefully considering various factors, and we do not anticipate that it will have an immediate impact on inbound tourism,” he added.
The fee increases follow legislation approved by parliament last month that allows the government to raise a range of immigration-related charges. Officials say the additional revenue will help cover the growing costs associated with managing Japan’s expanding foreign resident population and improving immigration services, according to The Japan Times.
As part of the broader overhaul, the legal ceiling for fees related to residency status changes and visa extensions will be increased significantly, while the maximum charge for permanent residency applications will also rise. The government has proposed lifting fees for residency status modifications and stay extensions to between 10,000 Japanese yen and 70,000 Japanese yen, depending on the application type.
Charges for permanent residency applications are expected to increase from 10,000 Japanese yen to 200,000 Japanese yen. Authorities aim to introduce those changes before the end of the fiscal year in March 2027, Nippon reported.
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Officials say the extra funds will support immigration processing, expand Japanese-language education programs and strengthen efforts to tackle visa overstays.
The government has also argued that the revised fees will bring Japan’s immigration-related charges closer to those imposed by other advanced economies, where visa and residency application costs are often substantially higher.
The annual event kicks off on Saturday (June 20) and will continue into Sunday (June 21), with a varied line-up of DJs and performers, including the likes of Calvin Harris, Zara Larsson, Skepta and Sammy Virji. There will also be lots of homegrown talent represented on the roster, including Josh Baker and Morgan Seatree.
Each year, the festival attracts over 82,000 attendees with many coming from outside of Manchester for the good times and atmosphere.
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Parklife 2026 will consist of five different stages, with a new Panorama stage making its debut this year. Described as an evolution of the fan-favourite Hangar, it will consist of multi-level dance platforms, a massive 100-metre curved LED screen that wraps around the stage, and exclusive behind-the-booth access for VIPs.
In addition to Parklife, the city is set to be busier than usual with fans also attending the Take That concert at the Etihad Stadium. In addition, Lily Allen will also be performing at the AO Arena this evening whilst the Soft & Gentle Netball Super League will continue at at Co-op Live. Because of this, fans have been asked to plan ahead when it comes to travel.
Today’s Parklife line-up will be fronted by Skepta and Sammy Virji, with Mozey, East End Dubs, Dean Turnley, Daria Kolosova, Rossi., Andy, Jamback, Mall Grab, and K Motionz amongst the performers later on tonight.
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We’ll be sharing all the latest on day one of Parklife 2026 in our live blog below which you can follow for updates and photos.
Law changes mean the consequences for crossing the line could be more serious than many realise
With the World Cup now in full swing, workplaces across the country – from offices to building sites – are buzzing with football-related conversations and group chat activity, most of which remains harmless fun.
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However, HR specialist Kate Underwood warns that major sporting events can sometimes spark issues when banter oversteps the mark from lighthearted ribbing into conduct that leaves colleagues feeling uneasy. Following recent amendments to employment legislation, the ramifications for both staff members and businesses can be far graver than many people appreciate.
Kate Underwood, who established the Southampton-based Kate Underwood HR and Training, explained: “The good banter is easy. Office sweepstakes, winding up a colleague after a bad result or debating whether football is coming home. The problem starts when comments become personal, targeted or continue after someone has made it clear they are uncomfortable.”
Kate noted that numerous workplace difficulties emerged because individuals concentrated on their intentions rather than the impact of their words.
She added: “One of the biggest misconceptions is that saying ‘I was only joking’ somehow solves everything. It doesn’t. What matters is how the comment lands with the other person, not what the speaker meant by it.”
She cautioned that football tournaments could turn into “flashpoints for inappropriate comments about gender, appearance or personal characteristics”. Remarks such as “do women even like football?” or persistent jokes aimed at a single individual can rapidly become an issue, particularly when alcohol flows at post-match gatherings.
Kate said: “The workplace version of ‘it was just banter’ is often where things start going wrong. Most people know where the line is. The issue is when someone keeps pushing after it has stopped being funny.”
UK employment law change in 2026 now in force
The stakes have risen following amendments brought in through the Employment Rights Act. Since April 2026, reporting sexual harassment has qualified as a protected disclosure under whistleblowing legislation, affording workers greater legal protections when raising concerns.
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Kate said: “A complaint that starts with somebody saying they felt uncomfortable can now potentially carry whistleblower protection. The bigger risk for employers is often not the original incident but how they react when someone raises a concern.”
She cautioned firms against brushing off complaints, sidelining staff or treating them differently once they have spoken out.
She added: “Employers need to remember that the law protects the person raising the concern. The worst response is to punish the messenger.”
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For employers, the answer isn’t to prohibit football banter entirely, but rather to ensure managers are clear about appropriate boundaries and that employees have a straightforward mechanism to voice concerns should issues arise.
Kate explained: “For almost everyone, the football is exactly what it should be: a bit of fun and a good excuse to wind up the desk next to you. The job for employers is simply making sure that if something stops being a joke, there is a safe place for people to speak up.
“Employers must take reasonable steps, such as adding a simple process like an independent reporting line, to ensure whistleblowing is taken seriously.”
BUNIA, Congo (AP) — Mourners gathered Friday to bury a 6-month-old girl who died from Ebola earlier this week, the third child to die at an orphanage in eastern Congo as authorities have struggled to contain the latest outbreak.
Carrying a cross, people stood at a distance as the small coffin was lowered into the ground by masked and gloved health workers, and a Catholic priest prayed over her body.
“It’s a feeling of sadness because we have lost one of our own, a daughter of the church,” said Father Innocent Ndogo.
“As we have always said, the Lord gives, and the Lord takes away.”
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Ituri, the region at the center of the current outbreak, has reported more than 90% of the cases. The response has been complicated by residents clashing with healthcare professionals over disrupted burials and the response to the outbreak, which has been militarized at times.
The impersonal nature of safe burial practices and the severity of the epidemic were evident on Friday as only healthcare workers in protective gear were allowed to handle the coffin and the burial.
Bundibugyo, the type of Ebola in this outbreak, has no approved treatment or vaccine, and even some health workers have said they don’t have the masks, gloves and other gear to protect themselves.
During a visit to Bunia on Friday, Congolese Health Minister Roger Kamba said that there were now 933 confirmed cases and 245 deaths from the current outbreak. Kamba also stated that all health centers will be free in Ituri and that healthcare workers bonuses will be doubled.
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There are 35,000 suspected potential contacts, Africa’s Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said on Thursday.
With no approved vaccines or treatments, the Bundibugyo strain was not tested for in the early days. This lack of testing is one of the reasons the outbreak has spread to such an extent. The more common Zaire virus, for which there is a vaccine, was responsible for most of Congo’s past 16 outbreaks of the disease.
Alex Lock, a communications officer at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, asked people to resist feeling indifferent.
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“She was a baby. She had her whole life ahead of her. Unfortunately, she was taken by the disease, a disease that, as you know, is transmitted from one person to another,” Lock said.
Although the outbreak is concentrated in Ituri, cases have also been recorded in the North Kivu and South Kivu provinces and have spread across the border to Uganda, where 19 confirmed cases have been reported and two people have died.
Rory McIlroy carded a one-over 71 in the second round of the US Open at Shinnecock Hills after a chaotic back nine
08:38, 20 Jun 2026Updated 08:50, 20 Jun 2026
Rory McIlroy’s turbulent back nine amid challenging conditions at Shinnecock Hills saw him slip away from US Open second-round pacesetter Wyndham Clark.
Just as the Masters winner appeared poised to mount a serious challenge to the American, his round unravelled dramatically.
Failing to convert a six-foot birdie opportunity at the turn, which would have left him three shots adrift of the 2023 champion, proved the least of the world number two’s troubles.
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Battling intensifying winds, he struggled to judge distances accurately, overshooting the greens at the 10th, 11th and 12th holes, dropping a shot at each.
A brief resurgence followed with consecutive birdies: nearly holing his 108-yard approach at the 13th for a simple tap-in, before the cup rescued a scorching 40-footer to restore him to two under par.
After another overhit approach at the 15th, his recovery chip failed to hold and trickled into a bunker, resulting in his group’s first double bogey of the tournament while playing alongside Ryder Cup colleagues Tommy Fleetwood and Ludvig Aberg.
That setback returned him to level par, seven strokes behind Clark but – given Shinnecock’s notorious difficulty – still very much in contention in a share of 10th place.
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His outward half proved far steadier, featuring seven pars alongside birdies at the fifth and eighth for a 33, though his inward 38 for a one-over 71 fell well short of expectations.
“If there’s a course where you feel like you still have a chance if you’re seven back going into the weekend like I am, it’s definitely this one,” said McIlroy.
“I know that everyone else in the field is going to make bogeys so if I can limit my mistakes and pick off a few birdies here and there, hole a couple more 20 to 25-footers than other guys, that’s really the strategy.
“You can’t go chasing pins around here. You can’t try to be too aggressive; today for me was a prime example.
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“I was a little too aggressive to the pin on 11, a little too aggressive to the pin on 12 – all of a sudden just two bogeys in a row out of nowhere.
“I think you still have to play smart, try to keep the ball under the hole, hit it into the middles of the greens and take your chances when they present themselves.”
A question mark remains around current host Kielty after RTE chiefs refused to confirm if the Co Down comedian would be returning in September.
08:51, 20 Jun 2026Updated 08:57, 20 Jun 2026
Kieran Cuddihy could soon be taking the reins on The Late Late Show as confusion grows over whether Patrick Kielty will sign a new contract.
The Kilkenny man has been at the helm of RTÉ ‘s Liveline since November after taking over from Joe Duffy, but a switch to Ireland’s top chat show could be on the horizon.
A question mark remains around current Late Late Show host Kielty after Montrose chiefs refused to confirm if the Co Down comedian would be returning in September.
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Cuddihy is now the favourite to replace Kielty if he doesn’t return. According to odds from Ladbrokes, the Kilkenny man is 6/4 favourite to land the gig, the Irish Mirror reports.
This comes as rumours that RTE will hand five potential hosts trial periods for a month each, with Cuddihy one of the names in the mix.
The other four include one-time favourite for the job Oliver Callan (2/1), former TodayFM presenter Dermot Whelan (3/1), IrelandAM presenter Muireann O’Connell (5/1), and current RTE TV presenter Maura Derrane (5/1).
There are also rumours The Two Johnnies could also be in with a shot. Their odds currently stand at 5/2.
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Miriam O’Callaghan and Ex-RTE presenter Claire Byrne are also in the mix.
Nicola McGeady of Ladbrokes commented: “It looks like we’re in for a summer of speculation on the next face of the Late Late Show. It looks like Kieran Cuddihy is the early favourite, but there is no white smoke just yet.”
After about half an hour, the traffic on the motorway was released, and the vehicles involved in the collision were moved to the hard shoulder.
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A spokesperson for GMFRS said: “Shortly after 6.30am this morning (Saturday 20 June), two fire engines from Whitefield and Agecroft fire stations were called to reports of a road traffic collision involving two cars on the M60 clockwise, between Junctions 16 and 17.
“Crews arrived quickly at the scene.
“Firefighters used a hose reel, hearth kit, and two trauma bags, and worked with colleagues from Greater Manchester Police to make the area safe.
“A male and a female were transferred into the care of North West Ambulance Service.
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