_{Read in 5m 18s ∙ Listening to Arlo Parks}

You might notice that things are looking a little different 👀We’ve been working hard in the background on a few system improvements (which we won’t bore you with). If something doesn’t work as expected, hit reply to let us know❣️

England’s national parks have been granted a £4.4 million funding boost from the government to help them protect the environment and support tourism. The 10 parks, which include the Lake District and the New Forest in Hampshire, will share the money equally. The funding will be used to support park rangers, maintain visitor centres and improve public access to the countryside through the creation of new trails.

⚖️ Channel crossings

New government plans aimed at detaining and deporting people who enter the UK via small boats have been criticised by campaigners as unworkable and unjust.

What do the new plans involve?
PM Rishi Sunak will this week publish new legislation which would make asylum claims from those who travel to the UK on small boats inadmissible, and require their removal to Rwanda or a “safe third country”. There are also plans to permanently ban migrants who cross the Channel from returning to the UK. Even children could be detained along with their families, a Whitehall source has confirmed.

What has the government said about the proposals?
Sunak has insisted that a major crackdown is needed to stop an estimated 60,000 people from attempting the crossing from mainland Europe each year. The PM told the Mail on Sunday: “Make no mistake, if you come here illegally, you will not be able to stay.”

How have campaigners responded?
The plans have attracted fierce backlash, particularly from refugee groups. They have warned that the scheme will “lock up people fleeing war”, and lead to the inhumane and costly detention of tens of thousands of people who would’ve otherwise been awarded asylum.

What else are people saying?
The proposed legislation has also been criticised as unworkable by some Conservative Party members. One unnamed former Tory minister, quoted in The Guardian, described the proposed legislation as “a joke”. “The idea that [former Conservative PMs] just failed to see this easy fix of circumventing laws with another law… just doesn’t wash,” they added.

The latest news has increased calls from across the political divide for more safe and legal routes for those wishing to seek asylum in the UK. At present, the only routes available are through limited schemes for people from Ukraine, Afghanistan and Hong Kong.

💆‍♀️ Are you having a “bare minimum Monday”?

TikTok’s latest productivity trend has been hailed as the answer to the “Sunday scaries” - in other words, the anxiety which many of us experience as the weekend draws to a close. But what exactly do “bare minimum Mondays” involve - and could they really be a cure for burnout?

First things first, how did this trend come about?
The concept was invented by TikTok creator Marisa Jo Mayes, who claims that practising “bare minimum Mondays” has transformed the way she approaches her work. “It has completely overhauled my relationship to productivity and work and how I think about myself,” she told the New York Post.

I’m guessing it involves doing… the bare minimum?
Kind of - but it certainly doesn’t mean doing nothing. Instead, it’s about only doing the most essential work tasks on a Monday, conserving your energy - and, as a result, productivity - for the week ahead.

It’s also about letting go of the high expectations that many of us place on ourselves. “It’s more of an opportunity for people to start untethering themselves from hustle culture”, Mayes said.

Surely this isn’t possible for everyone?
No - a key criticism of the concept is that only people in certain kinds of jobs can reduce their workload or structure their weeks in this way. Experts have stressed that “bare minimum Mondays” are in no way a cure-all for the widespread problems of chronic stress and unhealthy work cultures.

From the great resignation, to quiet quitting, to the #actyourwage campaign, a whole host of productivity movements have emerged in the post-pandemic era, led by workers who feel overworked and underpaid. And as dissatisfied employees continue to reevaluate the role that work plays in their lives, “bare minimum Mondays” is unlikely to be the last trend trying to get to grips with burnout.

🌊 High seas treaty: After almost 20 years of talks, UN member states have agreed a historic deal to protect international waters. The treaty is crucial for enforcing a UN pledge to protect a third of the sea (and land) by 2030.

⚔️ Johnson honours: Reports suggest that former PM Boris Johnson has put his father, Stanley Johnson, forward for a knighthood in his resignation honours list, leading to accusations of cronyism.

🚸 Employment gap: The Centre for Progressive Policy (CPP) thinktank has estimated that unsuitable childcare is causing the UK to miss out on up to £38 billion in economic growth every year.

❄️ Weather warning: Arctic air is expected to bring snow and icy conditions to parts of north-east Scotland and England today and on Tuesday, with the Met Office issuing a yellow warning for those areas.

🍫 Chocolate changes: Toblerone packaging will no longer contain imagery of the iconic Matterhorn mountain peak, and instead will feature a more generic Alpine summit - this is because some of the chocolate bar’s production is moving out of Switzerland.

Trivia answer: A) T. Rex - the band fronted by Marc Bolan swooped in to replace The Kinks after they pulled out last minute.

Got a friend who might love The Know? We’re honoured! And as a tiny team with a big mission, we're so grateful when readers spread the word about us. Learn more about what rewards are up for grabs here.