Kingsway Project - New Town Birmingham

1. How to find the motivation to do things. We’ve all had times when doing a task feels like climbing a mountain. Luckily for you and your team, there are ways to change how you look at the work you have been putting off to get you moving along again. The most effective way to shake off procrastination depends on why you have been avoiding certain tasks in the first place. READ MORE

2. Global leaders rendezvous in Cornwall. The G7 club of what used to be the world’s seven largest economies includes the US, the UK, Canada, Germany, France, Japan and Italy met in Cornwall last week. Australia, India, South Korea and South Africa attended as guests. Climate change and the pandemic featured prominently on the agenda. Talks will progress to the larger G20 meeting in Italy next month, when other big nations – including China, India, Brazil and Russia – will join negotiations. The proposed changes to the tax rules governing multinationals will need to be haggled over by the 135 nations at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, which could lead to a potential global deal by October. As things stand, Amazon would not be affected by the tax plan aimed at tech giants, as its profits fall below the 10% threshold. Editor

3. Restrictions could last until next spring. A surge in Covid cases last week has ramped up pressure on the Government to postpone its much-touted target of lifting all lockdown restrictions in England by 21 June. The 76% rise in infections was attributed mainly to the Delta, or “Indian”, variant, held to be 40% more transmissible than earlier strains. Ministers fear Britain has a six-week window to open up in the summer or risk keeping Covid-19 restrictions in place until the spring. After Boris Johnson gave his clearest hint yet he is planning to delay a full return to normality for another month, government advisers have told ministers they will face a ticking clock before it becomes too late to lift the remaining restrictions in September. BBC

4. Football’s heroic human side. Simon Kjaer is an international Danish footballer and Milan player. He is not a global star. He does not wear gold football boots, nor does he have a huge personal following. He is now a football hero for saving Christian Eriksen after he fell unconscious during Denmark’s opening game of Euro 2020. Firstly, he secured Eriksen's neck and administered the first dose of CPR. Secondly, as captain of the team, he instructed his teammates to form a shield of protection around his fallen colleague to protect him from flash cameras. Kjaer was also quick to console Eriksen's wife Sabrina. His initial actions might well have saved his teammate's life, and everything he and his players did was exemplary. Let’s hope a new generation of children aspire to be like Simon Kjaer. Editor

5. Caravans and clothes boost the economy. A return to the shops has given the UK economy a boost as people spent on clothes, cars and caravans, according to ONS data. Growth in April was the highest since last summer when Covid restrictions eased, but it is still below the pre-pandemic peak. Though services saw overall growth, hospitality leaders have warned that the sector will face a hit if restrictions are not lifted in England on 21 June. Prime minister Boris Johnson is due to announce whether the final stage of his roadmap will go ahead later today, but a four week delay now looks highly likely. BBC

6. Part-time roles disappearing. Part-time workers are being disproportionately impacted by the pandemic and risk bearing the brunt of job losses after furlough ends in September, a new report says. Timewise, a campaign group for part-time work and job shares, reports that half of part-time staff – the majority of which are women – were furloughed or had hours reduced in the first lockdown, compared with a third of full-time staff. Part-time work has dropped to its lowest level since 2010, and Timewise warned that only 8% of vacancies offer part-time options, saying some felt they were "clinging on to jobs that will disappear". The Independent

7. Climate change deaths. More than 200 deaths occur in Britain each year because of heatwaves caused by man-made global warming, scientists have claimed. The study by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine - the largest to date looking at the health risks posed by rising heat exposure – analysed data on death rates and temperatures in 43 countries over the 27 years to 2018. Using modelling, the team calculated what proportion of heat-related deaths had been caused by human emissions – and found that it was 35% in the UK (compared with a global average of 37%). From this, the scientists estimated that anthropogenic climate change had led to nearly 6,000 extra deaths in the UK over the past three decades. The Times

8. Marriages under 18 to be banned. Currently, sixteen-year-olds can marry if they have their parents’ consent, but activists say that this enables sexual abuse with young women forced to wed against their will. The former chancellor, Sajid Javid, is introducing a private member’s bill next week that will make it illegal for anyone to marry below the age of 18. Daily Mail

9. Watching the Euro 2020 in work hours. Euro 2020 kicked off on Friday after being postponed for a year due to the pandemic. With some of the matches on during the day, football fans around Europe face the prospect of making arrangements to watch their team during work hours. For employers, the tournament could be an opportunity to boost morale, but there is a need to set some clear boundaries and rules around acceptable behaviour from staff. Editor

10. The bottom line. 65% of Britons say they are worried about proposals to scrap the “one metre plus” social distancing rule on 21 June. 63% would be worried if the rule on wearing masks was scrapped; 60% are worried about allowing unlimited numbers into concert venues, theatres and stadiums. The Independent