HIGH STREET SHOPPING GETS BOOST In recent years there has been a trend towards more and more on line shopping meaning that some high street retailers, particularly smaller ones have been struggling. The Minister of Finance, Stephen Finn, today announced a series of measures designed to help those on the high street. Speaking at a conference of small business owners the 44 year old former economics professor said. "Deals done with the CNN and various others have ensured good deals for consumers, however we need to also take measures at home to keep local businesses competative and appealing." The first measure he announced was a reduction in Sales Tax, "Currently sales tax sits at 15%, we will be reducing this to 12%. While this cut may not seem a huge decrease it will make a difference to businesses as they trade with each other.
The Minister then announced that business rates will be reduced by and various "Relief" measures introduced. Finn said, " Our nations business rates are paid on profits and on a silding scale. We will be reducing the rates people pay and increasing the thresholds, people will be able to keep more before paying a form of tax. We will also offer further reductions to companies in certain circumstances such as employing less than 100 people, being located in a rural area, or a traditional business. It is hoped that this will mean companies will have more disposable income meaning they are capable of making further investments into their business."
Minister Finn also announced that eight East Moreland cities will be part of new Enterprise Zones. "We have identified eight locations which see an abnormally high number of empty shop fronts. As such we are going to bring in a scheme to allow first time business starters to access these sites at very affordable rates, as such we hope that they will see new blood on our high street."
The measures however were criticised by Chief Councillor Thomas More who said, "I have seen some of the plans for Keepton's Enterprise Zone, these old traditional artisans shops are probably going to be turned into bars, coffee shops and discos. The high street will still be empty during the day as they only offer a role to the evenings. Beside we already have enough pubs and clubs and adding more is likely just see our city centres become full of drunks. Our cities are among the most beautiful on Mundus, old medieval buildings well preserved stand alongside tasteful and well thought out contemporary buildings which complement each other. Now however we'll see these buildings wasted."
OSTLAKE FILM AWARD VOTING BEGINS With the Ostlake Movie Awards, more commonly known as the "Ozzies" due to take place in four days time the voting has been opened. The Awards which will take place in the Ostlake Opera House will this year be hosted by Alander actress Krista Rosendahl-Sunbrek and East Moreland band 2Cellos. Rosendahl-Sunbrek has been spending the last six months in East Moreland filming a documentary on the troops who undertook two humanitarian operations in her homeland and was invited to host having worked with the band on a music video. Stephen of 2Cellos said, "As a kid you'd wait for the Ozzies and see the best in East Moreland handed out each year, the past few years though I think its got better as we've seen things from abroad slowly get involved, so why not the host."
Rosendahl-Sunbrek says she has a deep connection to East Moreland after spending her honeymoon here as well as being a volunteer translator with JET during their deployment to Nya Aland. "The Ozzies are among the most prestigious movie and film awards on Mundus, I still hope to win one some day but until then being asked to host is just as good." It is expected that the award for best Domestic film will go to yet another adaptation of the King Paul story with the discovery of a new set of descendent being recently discovered. Actor Simon Gatteridge who plays Paul in the film "The Wandering Horseman" said, "It was some of the best publicity we could ask for, even though the discovery did mean our film was out of date. The problem with the Paul story is so many different theories exist so we have so many versions of the film, I suspect maybe 18 months from now you'll see our film being surpassed by something new and more up to date."
Various film professionals across East Moreland will now be casting their votes with the winners being kept secret until the night.
JUDO STAR STARTS RED LEGION SELECTION Kristin Forester will become only the 2nd woman since the 16th Century to be part of Red Legions selection process. The almost year long selection process for the elite force is considered one of the most demanding on Mundus and the failure rate is exceptionally high, generally each year 200 potential Legionnaires begin selection with only around 10 making it in an average selection. The 32 year old Forester follows in the footsteps of Princess Freya who withdrew from selection two years ago because of injury and has not ruled out making her second and final permissable attempt. Forester is already held in high regard in the military having won a Judo Gold Medal at the Mundus Games in 2017 as well as having dominated the Armed Forces MMA Championships for the last three years. She is currently serving in the Royal Hussars, a regiment more at home to using Infantry Fighting Vehicles than special operations. She will be reporting to Oldfield Barracks in a weeks time to begin training and hopes to make history.
"Red Legion is a unit that if you become part of it everyone knows your the best. I like a challenge, that's why I wanted to go to the Mundus Games and bring back gold, I achieved that and I hope to achieve my next ambition. I understand there is every liklihood I'll not make it but you've got to be in it to win it and I'll be working hard to show them what I can do." The news of a second woman being admitted onto selection was welcomed by Princess Freya who upon hearing the news stated, "I wish Sergeant Forester all the best. Its not a competition and I'll be thrilled to see her, or anyone else, achieve their dreams especially if it means serving East Moreland. I've not ruled out a second attempt myself and who knows maybe we'll serve together in the future."
Brigadier Kelly was asked his opinion on women in Red Legion while attending a meeting at the Council Chambers, the commanding officer of Red Legion stated, "I don't care whether they are male, female, transgender, no gender, ratangender, if they can pass the selection process then I'm happy to have them onboard. No one gets any favours in Red Legion and as such if they make it past selection they deserve to serve."
BETTER AUTO TO INVEST IN PORTWORTH East Moreland's innovative electric car company Better Auto are to open thirty drive through battery exchanges in Portworth. The move comes following news that the city council plan to make the city emissions free within the next five years. The company have located thirty "brown" sites which means they are currently unused or underused sites that have been avaliable for at least three years. Simon Fadden of Better Auto said, "We've found sites ranging from a former drive in dry cleaners, an old fast food restaurant and a car wash in a multi-story car park. We believe we can convert these relatively easily and be operational in a short period of time. The battery exchanges will allow the people of Portworth to reliably use their cars without fear of having to find a recharge point."
Better Auto set up an innovative system whereby its cars are sold with a subscription to a battery exchange programme. The car drivers simply enter the exchange after swiping their membership card and park in a similar manner as they would at a drive in car wash. A robotic arm then removes their old battery placing it on charge for another user meanwhile replacing it with a freshly charged on. The whole process takes around two to three minutes and gives the driver a fully charged battery. The scheme has already been popular in Technology City where Better Auto first rolled out the system.