I've been wondering whether to keep this section, now that Brexit is (safely?) behind us. I think I'll keep it up for a little while, if only for the entertainment value: all Brexit related news these days seem to come straight out of The Onion/Der Postillon/Le Gorafi.

Government asks German residents to drive lorries even if they never have before - Independent

A letter was sent by the Department for Transport, signed by transport minister Baroness Vere, asking Germans who live in Britain to "consider returning" to the HGV driving sector.

The letter states: "Your valuable skills and experience have never been more needed than they are now.

"There are fantastic HGV driving opportunities in the logistics industry and conditions of employment have been improving across the sector. As well as attractive pay rates, we are seeing more options for flexible working, fixed hours, fixed days, full time and part time."

German driving licences issued before 1999 include an entitlement to drive a small to medium-sized truck of up to 7.5 tonnes. It is understood that almost all Germans residing in the UK who hold such a licence have been sent the letter, almost none of whom have ever driven an HGV before.

pic.twitter.com/yNn1aBqKeV

— Professor Amanda Vickery (@Amanda_Vickery) October 2, 2021

Northern Ireland faces clown shortage 🤡https://t.co/HpK6R80nCz

— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) September 29, 2021

This can be read at so many levels. Should we start a caption contest?

I think this, from the New Yorker, might be closer to reporting than satire. pic.twitter.com/TuC2JHipMR

— James O'Brien (@mrjamesob) October 1, 2021

Scotland, Wales won't follow Westminster govt on gene editing deregulation
wages of a devolved, united kingdom paid to the EU

reference
Department for EnvironmentFood & Rural Affairs (DEFRA),
"Genetic technologies regulation: government response explainer," updated 29 September 2021

Gene editing and the genetic technologies we are considering do not result in the introduction of DNA from different species but produce targeted changes to the existing DNA that could be made more slowly using traditional breeding methods or occur naturally. After considering the scientific evidence, the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment (ACRE) have advised that an organism produced by gene editing does not pose an increased safety risk compared to current traditional breeding techniques, which would take far longer to introduce the same beneficial changes.

The following is on the front page of La Repubblica (but behind the paywall). I can't find anything in the British press - what's going on there?

Regno Unito, ingorghi di ambulanze davanti agli ospedali: anche oggi 45 mila nuovi casi di Covid

Daily Mail

Britain is now facing a pie crisis amid a 'perfect storm' of foil tins running low due to rising global aluminium prices, ongoing labour shortages and inflation.

The British Pie Association is urging pie makers to re-use the foil tins rather than throw them away to tackle the shortages.

The National

Asked on Sky if you can catch Covid from your friends, Javid said: "People should consider wearing masks in crowded places when they are with strangers, when they are with people that they are not normally spending time with."

SNP MP Stephen Flynn asked vaccines minister Maggie Throup whether that advice had been backed up by science. She confirmed Public Health England had not made a comparative assessment about transmission rates between people who know each other and those who don't.

What a surprise!

Guardian

Supermarkets are using cardboard cutouts of fruit, vegetables and other groceries to fill gaps on shelves because supply problems combined with a shift towards smaller product ranges mean many stores are now too big.

Tesco has begun using pictures of asparagus, carrots, oranges and grapes in its fresh produce aisles, prompting ridicule on social media.

Thanks to Brexit, there are no restrictions on the shape of cardboard bananas.