As the second weekend of Easter approaches, the British port faces yet another round of misery amidst the ongoing Brexit turmoil. The country’s exit from the European Union has led to a cross to bear for the port, with delays, backlogs, and uncertainty lingering on. The impact of Brexit on the port has been significant, with implications for trade, customs, and immigration. As the port navigates through these challenging times, it begs the question of what lies ahead for Brexit and how it will continue to affect the country’s economy and infrastructure.
Last weekend was a difficult time for British holidaymakers hoping to reach the Continent by bus in time for Easter celebrations, as delays of up to 14 hours were reported due to post-Brexit border checks at the Port of Dover. Even children on school trips were caught up in the chaos, resulting in a hygiene-undermining and morale-killing experience for all. Despite the need for traffic buffer zones and extra sailings to clear the backlog, a critical incident was only stood down on Monday morning, with the port promising a full review in advance of this weekend’s coach traffic between Friday and Sunday. Unfortunately, the signs do not bode well, as travellers have increasingly vowed to fly next time, bad news for the climate.
In other news, Rupert Murdoch and his fiancée, Ann Lesley Smith, have called off their engagement, mere weeks after the announcement that the 92-year-old media mogul had proposed and given Smith an 11-carat diamond. The reason given for the split was that Murdoch was uncomfortable with Smith’s outspoken evangelical views. The couple had planned to wed following Murdoch’s divorce from Jerry Hall, which was finalised seven months prior to his announcement of his engagement to Smith.
Meanwhile, Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg has gained national attention for his charges against former president Donald Trump. Bragg, who grew up in a district known as “Striver’s Row” and attended Harvard law school, became Manhattan’s first black district attorney in late 2021. Shortly after taking office in January 2022, he announced that his office would no longer pursue low-level offenses such as cannabis use and fare evasion, freeing up more time to build his case against Trump. Bragg’s office had previously secured a conviction against the Trump Organization on charges of orchestrating a 15-year tax fraud. Trump being charged personally could result in Bragg winning another case against the former president.
Lastly, Forbes has reported that the number of billionaires on the planet has decreased from 2,688 to 2,640 over the past year, with 254 people dropping off the list and another 33 dying. The former “crypto wunderkind” Sam Bankman-Fried is among the ex-billionaires, as his wealth has plummeted from an estimated $24 billion to less than $10 million due to multiple US federal charges. Musician Kanye West also lost his standing as a billionaire, as Adidas dropped him following anti-Semitic remarks. Other ex-billionaires include Bruce Nordstrom, the founder of the US department store chain Nordstrom, and Ernest Garcia III, founder of Carvana, a used-car marketplace that was once dubbed the “Amazon of cars.” The founder of Patagonia, Yvon Chouinard, dropped off the list by choice as he donated his retail company to a trust and a non-profit agency fighting the climate crisis.
