Earlier this year, the effects of leaving the single market could be seen in plummeting trade with the continent, even accounting for the pandemic. Additional red tape is awesome. HMRC estimates traders will be handling 215m more import/export documents a year, at an estimated bureaucratic cost of £7.5bn a year. Tariffs may not apply but rules of origin and health standards do. Every truck, every cargo requires inspection. As for migration, the overall shortage of seasonal farm labour, according to BBC Radio 4’s Farming Today, is 20% and often more. Fruit will rot in fields, pigs cannot get to abattoirs and Christmas turkeys will be a “nightmare”. Meanwhile, care homes in England are short of 170,000 staff, and delivery firms short of 100,000 drivers. Hotels have abandoned rooms and restaurant tables. Creative industries – worth £110bn to the UK economy – were forgotten by the Brexit negotiators and are now virtually isolated from Europe.
Germany must engage with Taliban to continue evacuations, says Merkel | Euronews
Germany must engage with the Taliban, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said during a news conference with her party’s election candidate Armin Laschet. “Of course we have to talk to them because they are the ones one needs to talk to now,” Merkel told reporters alongside Laschet who is hoping to succeed the chancellor in the upcoming election. She said they wanted to evacuate people who worked for German development aid projects. Germany also will support international aid organisations that “improve the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan”, citing drought and hunger as major problems. Merkel said it was a “good signal” that Kabul’s airport is “accessible again.”
Source: Germany must engage with Taliban to continue evacuations, says Merkel | Euronews
Laughter as a universal language. – Chen Song Ping
Laughter as a universal language.- when international tourists met and laugh at a common humorous display.
Jean-Paul Belmondo, jaunty star of New Wave classic ‘Breathless,’ dies at 88 – The Washington Post – RIP
Four Americans leave Afghanistan via overland route to 3rd country – UPI.com
The Americans, who were all in good condition, exited through an unnamed third country where U.S. embassy officials greeted them, an unnamed State Department source told CNN, NBC News and CBS News. “The Taliban was aware and did not impede their transit,” the source said. Their departure marked the first time that any of the dozens of Americans believed to be remaining in Afghanistan have made it out of the country since the last U.S. troops departed a week ago.
Source: Four Americans leave Afghanistan via overland route to 3rd country – UPI.com
Perhaps We Trusted Too Much
If you were born with pale skin in the United States in the last 150 years, you have led a life of great privilege, though you might not realize it. You might begin to realize it if you could exchange brief life stories with someone your age born in Ghana, Afghanistan, Hong Kong, Brazil, Iraq … most any other non-democratic nation. But here’s the thing … we are so used to that life of privilege that we no longer appreciate it, we take it for granted.
Since you were old enough to talk, you’ve understood that this is a mostly free nation, that people have certain ‘unalienable’ rights. You can choose your own career path, can choose to be well-educated … or not. You can choose, within the confines of your economic status, where to live, what sort of car to drive. You are not told who, or even if…
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Anti-vaccination protesters storm Slovenian public broadcaster, threatening journalists · Global Voices (Me: Death cult of right-wing anti-vaxxers getting bolder as more die)
A group of protesters that deny the existence of COVID-19 and oppose epidemiological measures and vaccination have stormed the studio of Public Broadcaster Radio Television (RTV) Slovenia on Friday evening, demanding airtime to present their views. The incident took place around 8:30 pm on September 3, as anti-vaccination protesters entered the studio used for news production and started insulting the journalists. The police had to intervene to remove the intruders. Journalist Barbara Vidmajer shared a video showing the event and police intervention in a tweet which become viral.
Do you Want Children to be Ready to Face a Green Future
Now that the pandemic has taken its toll
And everything seems to be out of control
The children can still look forward to a future that is bright
When we build environmental protection in a way that is right

Making a plan for a green future is the best thing adults can do
Now that climate change is causing more natural disasters, we don’t want the children to be blue
We should encourage them to learn eco-friendly tips and start protecting the planet
When they do this, they won’t be so worried and upset
When we build environmental protection awareness in a new way
Children will look forward to seeing a brighter day
They will be ready to develop economies in a way that is sustainable
Let us prepare them now that we are equipped and we are able
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Is life a Stage
Is life a stage for us? Do we parade our characters irrespective of their negative portrayal? Time like water cannot be contained, it slips from our grasp, we can’t save it, we can only use it. Let’s use time to create a better world within us and in the Universe.
© Norma Bobb-Semple 2021
Pensamentos.me/ VEM comigo!
Sem esforço não há recompensa para alcançar os nossos objetivos. Portanto, trabalhe duro e lute pelo o que almeja. A vida é uma somatória de propósitos e as necessidades do mundo. O bom é quando elas se juntam e perpetuam entre si mesmos, nos levando para frente. E, mais que isso, quando nos fazem enfrentar as adversidades aparentemente feliz.
Caminhe cinco minutos sem esquecer quem você é […] A maioria esquece. E aqui falo talvez, do detalhe mais importante que é: mantenha um sorriso gracioso no rosto, antes de tomar qualquer decisão sobre suas escolhas. O sorriso é um detalhe importante que te fará bela, porque de nada adianta um semblante triste a nos acompanhar. Concordas? Sinta-se igual a todos.
Assim, eu e você, poderemos entardecer na vida com luminosidade, enxergando as mesmas coisas, e respondedo-as de maneira sabia, ao que por ventura, a vida venha nos contrariar.
Marii Freire…
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