The Parklife 2026 weekend at Heaton Park is finally here!

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.

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.

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.

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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.

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.”

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.”

Gary, 65, has been reported missing after his van was found near Aldi in Newton Aycliffe.

Gary was last seen several weeks ago (Image: DURHAM CONSTABULARY)

He has not been seen for several weeks, police said.

Gary and is described as being of average height, with dark hair and a full beard. He is often seen wearing workwear.

He is said to have links to Newton Aycliffe and Whitby.

Anybody with any information relating to Gary’s whereabouts is asked to contact Durham Police quoting incident number 389 of June 14.

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.”

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.

There are 35,000 suspected potential contacts, Africa’s Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said on Thursday.

Despite the rapid spread of the current outbreak, it is still not nearly as deadly as a 2014 outbreak of Ebola that killed more than 11,000.

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.

Rory McIlroy carded a one-over 71 in the second round of the US Open at Shinnecock Hills after a chaotic back nine

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.

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.

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.

“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.”

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A question mark remains around current host Kielty after RTE chiefs refused to confirm if the Co Down comedian would be returning in September.

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.

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.

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.”

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This morning, Saturday, June 20, traffic was stopped on the M60 clockwise due to a collision near J15 and J16.

Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) confirmed that two engines from Whitefield and Agecroft were called out to the incident shortly after 6.30am.

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.

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.

“Crews were in attendance for around 30 minutes.”

NWAS has been contacted for comment.

Earlier this week, the White House criticised the Israeli government’s military operation in Lebanon, saying it risks scuppering the peace deal. But speaking near Washington as he unveiled a new Air Force One jet, President Donald Trump praised Netanyahu, calling him a “warrior”.

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.

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.

The Met Office has forecast temperatures up to 34C in the coming days with an amber weather warning for ‘extreme heat’ in force on Monday and Tuesday

A sleep expert has named a “common misconception” that could stop you getting a good rest during a heatwave. It comes as the Met Office warns of “extreme heat” for large parts of England and Wales this week.

The forecaster has issued an amber weather warning for the South East of England, the South West, London, and large parts of Wales from 1am on Monday. It will last until 11.59pm on Tuesday, June 23. The Met Office says temperatures could reach up to 34C on Tuesday.

It urges people to stay safe by drinking plenty of fluid, keeping out of the sun when it’s at its strongest, and closing curtains in rooms that face the sun.

People going out are urged to take supplies with them. The forecaster says: “If you are going out, take water with you, stay in the shade, wear sunscreen and a wide brimmed hat.”

Now, sleep expert Lisa Artis, founder of The Sleep Charity, has shared her top tips for getting a good night’s rest during the warm weather. In particular, Lisa says there is one “common misconception” that many people find disrupts them.

Lisa urges people struggling with the heat not to strip off at night. Speaking to The I paper, she said: “A common misconception is that sleeping naked is always cooler.

“In reality, lightweight sleepwear made from breathable fabrics can often be more effective. Clothing can help wick sweat away from the skin, allowing it to evaporate and cool the body more efficiently.”

Lisa says that without the layer of clothing sweat will simply “remain on the skin” or “soak into the bedding”. This she says could make you feel even hotter or less comfortable at night.

Lisa explains there are some simple tips you can do to make sure your bedroom is cool at night as well. She says people should close their curtains and blinds throughout the day to keep the sun out.

She believes creating the “coolest possible environment” can make it “easier to stay asleep and fall asleep”. Elsewhere she says that many people often find themselves putting their fans in the wrong place.

In fact, she says that putting a fan in a hot room “may not achieve much” at all. She continued: “Positioning a fan near an open window in the evening can help pull cooler air into the room.”

Lisa went on to explain that some people often put a bowl of ice in front of their fan to create a “temporary cooling breeze”. She also says that keeping your window closed in the day will also help trap the warm air outside your home.

Should anyone be looking for a way to stay cool at night, Lisa recommends putting cold water into a hot water bottle. She says putting this near your wrists or ankles can then cool you down at night.