We'll have to wait a bit longer for life to return to normal as the easing of all restrictions in England on 21 June is to be delayed. Ministers had been urging caution and many scientists had called for restrictions to remain in place so that more people can be vaccinated as cases of the Delta variant rise. The average number of daily confirmed cases is increasing with the latest figures showing there were 7,490 cases on Sunday. With this in mind, senior ministers have signed off a decision to delay lifting all restrictions. Government sources have told us most of the current rules will stay in place for another four weeks.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has previously said the government should be cautious so restrictions wouldn’t have to be reimposed. And on Sunday this was echoed by Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab who said the government "don't want to yo-yo in and out of measures". The delay, expected to be announced by Mr Johnson during a news conference later, means people will be encouraged to still work from home where possible and nightclubs will remain closed. But the move would allow more work to be done around whether vaccines are breaking or weakening the link between hospitalisations and infections. The delay will be put to a vote in the House of Commons later this month - it could trigger a sizeable Conservative backbench rebellion.
Elsewhere in the UK, all areas of Scotland are due to move to Level Zero Covid restrictions on 28 June and limits on indoor gatherings in Northern Ireland are scheduled to be relaxed on 21 June - when the rules in Wales will also be reviewed.

"This is not a day of mourning. There is a change of government in a democracy. That's it,” Israel's new Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said after succeeding Benjamin Netanyahu who was forced out of office after 12 years. Mr Bennett has vowed to unite the nation promising reforms in education, health and cutting red tape. He said his government "will work for the sake of all the people". Mr Netanyahu - Israel's longest-serving prime minister - will become leader of the opposition. Representatives of the Palestinians have reacted dismissively to Israel's new government, saying it's an “internal Israeli affair”.

More women in the UK are being told they have HPV (human papillomavirus) because of changes to the way smear tests work. Labour MP Jess Phillips found out she had the virus when she was in her 20s and she felt “shame and guilt”. It’s passed on through sexual contact and in most cases people don’t know they have it and it causes no issues. But it can develop into cervical cancer or other cancers. Ms Phillips, who is now 39, said: "It's sexually transmitted so there was always this sense that it was somehow my doing and that I could have avoided this." Ahead of Cervical Screening Awareness Week she says the stigma and confusion must be broken down and people should not put off attending screenings.

The Daily Mail sums up the two main stories of the day with the headline “ecstasy and agony”. England’s winning start to the Euros is the source of good news but there’s “fury” as Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to confirm restrictions won’t end in England on 21 June, the paper says. “Wait four it” reports the Daily Mirror, as it says Freedom Day is on "hold" and Mr Johnson will urge everyone to accept “one last heave” when the delay to easing lockdown is confirmed, according to the Daily Telegraph. To provide some upbeat news, most of the papers are carrying pictures of Raheem Sterling who scored the winning goal against Croatia in England’s opening game of the Euro 2020 football tournament on Sunday. Read the newspaper review here.

Have you recreated anything that you’ve missed since the pandemic began? One man with a love of flying misses air travel so much he’s been making inflight meals to remind him of life before lockdown. Take a look at how his creations compare. And compare this forest to one you've probably seen. It's mostly likely not what you imagined but volunteers behind the “tiny forest” are hoping it'll make a big difference to the environment.

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