Greater Middle East

Bowen Government Announces Green Energy Plans
Dublin, Leinster Province, Ireland

Today, Richard Bruton Minister of the Environment, Natural Resources, and Energy proposed a government bill in the Chamber of Deputies, aimed at establishing new focus for Federal Government energy and environmental policy. The bill entitled "Green Energy and Green Economy Act, 2021" is geared towards allocating Federal funding related to Energy into Proven Clean and Green forms of energy and production.

Minister Bruton, Representative for the Bunreacht Party has stated in his bill, supported by the Bunreacht Government, will allocate Federal Energy and Environmental Funding towards expanding Hydroelectric Energy, and funding research efforts in the area of Carbon Capture Technology. Notably, a section of bill is dedicated to repealing parts of the Electricity Regulation Act, 1999 that prohibits the production of Nuclear Energy in the Irish Free State.

"It's time that Ireland began focusing efforts on energy sources and technologies actually proven to be emission free and clean, no longer will the Irish Government waste the taxpayers Euro on ineffective energy sources like wind and solar energy. Moreover, no longer will Ireland be powered by English Nuclear Energy, Our government is committed to the safe development of clean and affordable energy for all citizens of Ireland." Said Minister Burton.

A press release speaking to the bill was released by The Jubilee Palace (Prime Ministers Office) expressing Prime Minister Bowens support for the Ministers bill. The Green Energy and Green Economy Act, 2021 is expected to enter first reading and debate in the coming weeks.

Raidió Teilifís Éireann | Radio-Television of Ireland
Dublin, Leinster Province, Ireland

Opposition Leaders criticize Governments plan to raise Taxes

While she was guest on the morning news of the RTÉ this morning, Leader of the Opposition Lauren Scullion (NLP) spoke on a number of issues relating to this Parliament and Government, speaking on decisions of the past and present. When asked about the 2021 Budget Proposed by Prime Minister Bowens Bunreacht Party, Scullion said;

"It's no secret that the New Left Party has been a vocal opponent of the Bunreacht Government, and many of their decisions. It's our duty as the Official Opposition to hold the government to account on behalf of the People of Ireland. In regards to the proposed government budget, I am a strong opponent of the governments tax plan, that calls on raising income taxes on all Middle Class Irish Citizens. The Government should be lowering the tax burden on the Middle Class and those working hard to join it."

When asked about the proposal to also raise income taxes on the highest income earners she said;

"I'm aware Prime Minister Bowen aims to also increase taxes on Ireland's wealthy, but it's the wealthy, the upper class, the one per cent that should be bearing the brunt of the national tax burden, and so we can't, and I can't support a budget that calls for increasing taxes on the Middle Class."

Towards the end of the interview, Mrs. Scullion was asked if she understood the proposal in the budget was aimed a ensuring that Ireland was prepared for any future economic down turn;

"I understand the Prime Minister and his government are trying to ensure Ireland is prepared for any potential economic hardships that might occur in the coming years, however I believe the government should be encouraging the upper echelons of Irish society and the major corporations to pay their fair share in order to make sure we are prepared for economic difficulties. Ireland is widely regarded as a 'Tax Haven' we need to be making sure the wealthy and the multinationals are contributing to the economic health of Ireland."

BRSC: Plans to recover contaminated areas go ahead

In light of the recent multibillion dollar case surrounding Vale SA and the state of Minas Gerais, the BRSC has unveiled nationwide plans to recover contaminated areas and restore the nation's "natural beauty".

Despite the existence of several regulations on contaminated areas in Brazil, the lack of a centralised means of management makes recovery work and progress difficult to sustain. As such, the BRSC has instituted the National Program for the Recovery of Contaminated Areas, as a means to proactively improve the management of contaminated areas, with a greater emphasis on more effectively implementing of land management policies under the guidance of the BRSC. The new regulations will also permit states and municipalities to independently and proactively adopt measures to prevent the foreseeable contamination of areas, freely consolidate information on contaminated areas with BRSC assistance, and disclose a variety of materials, procedures, tests, and models for public reference. Furthermore, a new nationwide database to standardise information presentation and sharing will be constructed to help improve the registration of contaminated areas in the country.

The program will be based on 2 main policies. The first involves identification and recovery, and then the consolidation of financial support. Identification and recovery initiatives will involve the use of the aforementioned digital database by BRSC authorities as a tool to map contaminated areas, which includes a set of prioritization criteria set up by local ecologists and scientists for areas. Contaminated areas will be classified based on the level of impact and/or risk contamination brings, and the recovery or promotion of sustainable land use will be based on such criteria. Meanwhile, the consolidation of financial resources will involve the expansion of inductive measures and financing lines to meet fiscal needs for land recovery. To promote such a system, the BRSC has pledged R$500 million towards various land management and cleanup policies across the country, with a majority of its funding to go to local decentralised government entities.

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AMRJ announces expansion

The Arsenal de Marinha do Rio de Janeiro (AMRJ), locatedin the city of Rio de Janeiro, is the main maintenance center and naval base of the Brazilian Navy. The AMRJ has been involved in numerous Brazilian naval projects, helping design, constructi, and maintain a variety ships and submarines not only for the Brazilian Navy, but also to friendly nations.

The AMRJ is world renown for its use of advanced technology, professionalism, and creativity, and has been honoured by the Pan American Institute of Naval Engineering for its contribution to the development of the Naval Engineering in 2002–2003, having repeated this mark of honour for the 2004–2005 meeting. Now, the AMRJ will expand its facilities to facilitate force dispersion, setting up 3 new military shipyards and 4 new maintenance centres in various cities across Brazil. Each of the new facilities will be based on the AMRJ's current configuration and design in order to standardise technical aspects of output from these new facilities, with the BRSC investing $500 million USD in total to this project, which will be fully complete by 2025. The first of the new facilities will be ready for initial operating capability by the end of 2021.

The 4 new maintenance centres will be located in Cabo de Santo Agostinho, Maceió, Penha, and Saquarema, while the 3 shipyards will be located at São Luís, Florianópolis, and Natal.

Русинський | The Ruthenian
2/24/2021

Ukrainian Nationalists Hold Protest Following Donetsk Recognition

This morning, a group of Ukrainian nationalists rallied before the Administrative Center in Uzhorod. As usual, they demanded that the country withdraws all claims to sovereignty and reintegrates into Ukraine. They also hold the belief that the Ruthenian People's Republic is an artificial state founded on a series of lies. In the past, such groups have been denounced by separatists as Fascist and counter to the greater good and popular will of the Ruthenian people.

The protestors were met by a group of Ruthenians, the group being about the same size as the Ukrainians. A fight, which the authorities state was started by the pro-Ukrainians, quickly broke out. In the end, the Ruthenian patriots won. Much of the Ukrainian nationalists were arrested by police, however a few managed to flee. Commenting on the matter, President Karpenko called the protestors naïve, and commended the work that the separatists did to fight them and that the police did to arrest them.