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"Top Reviews" Section of the Culture Review Magazine, Last Week of June 2075
-The largest film story of this summer is the cinematic adaptation of Coe, as expected. The movie, produced and starring the same people who created the hit crime detective show, is a great, action-packed installment in the acclaimed series. The highlights of the film involve Warren Lott's performance as Adam Coe, perhaps the best of his career, the witty screenplay, and the ending twist, which we won't give away. Don't hesitate to see Coe, which starts streaming on July 1st.
-Don't be turned off by its indie beginnings; new movie Allie In The Light, following a fictional standup comedian played by The New Age star Matilda Eltmann, is more than worth your time. With a mix of well-paced plotting, laugh-out-loud comedy, and electric performances, this comedy will break even the most serious viewers, especially with the brilliant direction by legendary comedian Henry Giordano, who also has a hysterical supporting role. Turn your eyes to it on July 3rd.
-We wouldn't have one of these sections without a bad review, and we found a film worthy of it, not that it took much searching. Despite its massive budget and equally sized-marketing campaign, Take Names has little in the way of substance, and it quickly uses up all of its capital when it comes to flash. A formulaic, unoriginal blockbuster with a paper-thin premise, it may be the final nail in the coffin of the career of its star, the aging, and sadly ever-present, Frederick Raye. We won't count on you watching it upon the July 1st release date, especially when Coe is available as well.
Banner Movement Largest Party; Coalition Imminent
Results of the 2075 Congregation of the Joik General Election:
700 Seats, 351 needed for a majority
Banner Movement (Party President Greta Leth) - 317, up 252
Change Movement (leadership disputed) - 181, up 16
Toraist Party (General Secretary Philippe Loedrich) - 78, up 10
Imperial Movement (Party Chair Mikhail, Grand Duke of Rovetript) - 59, up 38
Native Party (Acting Party President Stepien Aader) - 44, down 325
Miner's Rights Party (Party President Lola Jensen, in pact with Toraists) - 18, up 6
Confederate Dissolution Party (Party President Claudia Bonnegut) - 3, up 3
BENHILL - Last night the electorate delivered a stinging rebuke to the Native Party, handing the party its worst-ever result, and perhaps the worst loss managed by an incumbent party in the history of the free world. Dropping to fifth-largest party status has already posed huge issues for the party, as donors scramble to switch their allegiances. Rumors are swirling about certain Congregates privately scheduling meetings to discuss flipping their party affiliations in favor of the Banner or Change Movements.
Taking the lead in seat total is the Banner Movement, the upstart brand lead by Greta Leth, built on traditional values and a message of radical governance reform. They've been reportedly in contact with the Cappelite faction of the Change Movement, consisting of approximately 87 Congregates, more than necessary for them to go over the top and form a coalition. Leth has already given a victory speech, which consisted of the following;
In the past thirteen years, we have seen poverty and anguish ravage the nation, despite the reported improvements. Our Confederation has been, frankly, in a decline. Rising incomes for the richest among us and falling profits for the poor? That's not a success, that's a tragedy, a clear crisis. Government has not been conducted with the intention of improvement, but rather a coordinated fall. The Nativists have taken the great motto of Joikland Rising and sent it into an abyss.
That's why the Native Party, the great group of liars and cheats who have abused this electorate for too long, have gone from the pinnacle of government to its basement. That's why the Banner Movement has taken the reigns and taken Benhill's halls by the throat. We have won, we will govern because people are sick of coordinated falling. Joikland Rising will no longer be an idea, instead, it is now a promise. Joikland Rising from ashes of mismanagement and disarray. The income equality of Joikland will rise, the standard of living in Joikland will rise, and the prestige of Joikland around the world will rise! What I can promise to you and God above us, as your Chancellor, is that we will rise, through hard work, fair means, and strong ideas. Our nation will be restored and the standing of our great Joik race revived, through the mandate of you, the people, and the almighty who has endowed us with our birthright!
Ulutor, Oliandiria, and Ikazia
The Champion - A Letter of Partial Resignation
It is with some excitement that we here at the Champion state that our pleas worked, and the first bit of big news to come out of the Admiralty is the resignation of Ana Tevka. Now, don't get your hopes up yet, Democrats. She's resigned as Chief of the Navy, and will be granting herself the title of President. That was the first piece of news. The second piece of news is that with her still existent dictatorial powers Lady Tevka has sent out messages to all major national papers detailing the creation of a temporary government agency titled the "Department of Petitions" and is currently accepting hires (only required skill is basic logbook competency and no prior felonies). In a short speech accompanying the creation of the department, Lady Tevka stated that the entire point of the brief department is to enable those who were too afraid of approaching a navally enforced government to instead approach their fellow neighbors and residents. It also detailed the entire process of how all the submissions will be sent.
The third piece of news is in fact quite hush-hush, but we've been granted permission to be the only paper in the country to report on this. Ana Tevka, in her new authority as "President", has sent out invitations to all the great National Statesmen who are still alive the 20ish years after the coup, the great political families, and the greatest of the great in corporate interests have all been issued invitations to the Capital with the Government renting out the finest hotels in the city to hold all the incoming guests. Posts have also been made in all the national provinces, stating that local governments are to nominate two people (one politician, one everyman) to also send to the capital. No one is quite sure what this is about, not even us, however we can only hope for a further improvement to the Nation.
Perhaps the aging ex-admiral still has some of that spark left.
Zambet Fata, States of Conmerica, Joikland, and Global occult-coalition
Leth Forms Government
Banner Movement Expands
ANTRIJK - We have a government. This morning, Greta Leth exited the Royal Carlstadt Theater, where she has been conducting coalition talks with several parties, and announced a monumental shift in our political culture. A deal has been agreed upon with 84 members of the Change Movement, led by Emileigh Cappel, which not only aligns them with the new government but also sees them vacate their collective status as members of the CM in favor of Banner Movement membership. In exchange, a proportional amount of now-former Change Movement Congregates will serve in cabinet, and Cappel will take the post of Vice-Chancellor, with additional jurisdiction over the soon-to-be-created Ministry of Voting and Constitutional Reform (MOVCR).
Leth will formally meet with the Grand Council later tonight, allowing her to take over from caretaker Chancellor Brassard, and get to work. Her initial focus will apparently be on the creation of MOVCR, the centralization of government, and the abolition of an independent speaker of the Congregation, which she sees as an impediment to change. Also listed in the Banner Movement manifesto is the creation of a national identification database, the establishment of more affordable higher learning institutions, and eventually, a change from the first past the post system to an alternative vote in elections.
Government Announces Sweeping Reforms
Banner Movement Shakes Up Nation
BENHILL - Our governing party has announced a sterling reform. With the passage of the Journalistic Standards Act 2075 late last night, the government has established the Press Regulation Commission along with media guidelines to maintain productivity and ensure sound reporting. Additional clauses of the act will allow the government to nationalize any source of media if they give a prior warning of two weeks, a right that has already been exercised with Joik Domestic Television (JDT) and Polly World TV (PWTV) as well as the parent company of this paper, Schmidt Media Holdings.
The Chancellor, Greta Leth, has also announced that her Banner Movement will soon release a plan for the promised constitutional reform. According to the newly-created Ministry of Press and Entertainment, this is likely to include the enshrinement of religion on a national scale, the creation of national uniform voting laws, and reform of executive powers.
CALLUM CORPORATION NEWS
Feeling that this is nothing but a petty attempt to curb civil rights, the Government has released an official statement, given by a rather cross Chief Smatt, condemning Joikland for its censorship of the media.
"Regression is what this is, a regression back to the times of last century. Joikland has managed to stay out of trouble for well over a hundred years, its people enjoying a time of peace, stability, and freedom. Freedom to do, and say anything they'd like. Today, they have lost the ability to say; it may not be long until they've lost their ability to do. We urge the people of Joikland, we plead, do not stand for this, do not allow your nation to continue down this path, this all too familiar path." -Chief Smatt's closing words of condemnation.
Calcaterra, Anthacia, and Ulutor
Leth Responds To Conmerican Aggression
Chancellor Calls For International Coordination
BENHILL - In a press conference earlier today, Chancellor Leth responded to strong remarks made by the Chief of Conmerica regarding the Journalistic Standards Act 2075. The Chancellor said the following;
"Chief Smatt has made his opinions on our domestic policies rather clear. He believes that the legislation we have written and passed in the name of integrity will not increase freedoms. All I can say back to that is; look at the big picture. The Journalistic Standards Act is made to reduce libel, protect private citizens, and control tabloid nonsense. More than that, it has allowed for unadulterated communication between the government and the people. It's a step towards seizing the means of production in a fast-growing industry, protecting jobs and wages.
If Conmerica wants to look down on us, they could well do that. But they must remember that, statistically, they are staring at equals. Very soon, they will need to look up to us. Joikland is rising and Conmerica sees a threat, the same threat they saw before World War II. I would like to remind everyone that, despite the propaganda, Joikland was not wholly at fault for that war. It was caused by the incompetence of saber-rattling world leaders, like those in Conmerica, the kind who interfere and attempt to overpower. If they do not want goodwill, they shall not have goodwill. I am calling for sanctions on Conmerica. These attacks on our sovereignty will not stand, and I believe that without our agriculture and mining exports, Conmerica will be more receptive to collaboration."
GBC NEWS WITH BAKER BRYANT
Prime Minister Oakford has announced that, after talks with the Conmerican Chief, Raulee Smlatt, and the Prime Minister of Anthacia, Siegfried Yorke, the IU Triumvirate has decided to enact a full embargo of Joikland. The stated reasons, intense democratic backsliding under the Leth government and it's aggression towards Conmerica, reportedly created concerns that Leth was following the destructive patterns that lead to the Second World War some one hundred thirty-five years ago.
The embargo, which goes into effect at 00:00 Universal Time tomorrow morning, will take three of the largest markets in the world away from Joikland's exporters, and three of the largest exporters in the world away from a lesser Joik economy. This is undoubtedly a strong blow to the previously ascendant nation, which has claimed to have seen massive spikes in economic metrics in the past year. We have not yet heard back from the government of Joikland, although it is not expected to respond kindly to what is clearly a very strong gesture.
Joik-Ulutorian Trade Deal
Kalif & Leth: "Special Relationship"
ULA - Chancellor Greta Leth of our glorious nation, along with Prime Minister Kayar Kalif of the great nation of Ulutor, have announced a trade deal that would reduce import and export barriers for both countries' traders. Also, Joikland will update its intellectual property laws to be in line with those of Ulutor, in exchange for Ulutor pledging tax incentives for new investment into Joikland. Apparently, the work of our Foreign Minister Joachim "Jogi" Barbeau, a Banner Movement rising star, the deal will be the first step in a new era of Joik-Ulutorian relations, what Prime Minister Kalif and Chancellor Leth pronounced to be a "special relationship".
The trade deal is announced at a time of bad tensions between Joikland and the International Union, creating what will hopefully become a powerful bulwark against international aggression. Barbeau has been adamant that an international alliance is a key to maintaining the democratically elected Joik government's authority, and with the announcement has also come speculation as to who could become an ally next.
Government Clashes With Council
First Phase of Constitutional Reform Blocked
BENHILL - It's official- the Grand Council has voted down the package of amendments and reforms put out by Vice-Chancellor Cappel and her ministry, that of Voting and Constitutional Reform. Among the most wide-reaching of the proposed reforms was the raising of minimum voting eligibility in sovereign states from 5% of the population to 20%, the introduction of the alternative vote system for national elections, and the consolidation of smaller sovereign states into larger regions. In response to this defeat, Chancellor Leth has announced her intention to stay firm in her support of the proposals, assuring the nation that her belief in the democratic mandate of the Banner Movement is unchallenged.
The Chancellor has also announced a public rally, called the "People's Assembly" to be held at the Kriegpark in the heart of Benhill, to show the strength of the people's will in the face of Grand Council obstructionism. Among the speakers will be Chancellor Leth, Vice-Chancellor Cappel, Foreign Minister Barbeau, and Press & Entertainment Minister Philippe Mattenburger.
Nationale Deluta - National Spirit
"Can Machines Think?"
"I propose to consider the question, 'Can machines think?'" is one of the most famous quotes from Turner Mathison, a mathematician, computer scientist, logician and considered by many the founder of artificial intelligence. When Mathison began his 1950 paper "Computing Machinery and Intelligence" with these famous words, he perhaps never thought that over 100 years later that question just might have been answered.
So-called "advanced artificial intelligence" are nothing new; of particular note was the International Union's E.L.I., an AI that operated in various fields (in particular nuclear, strategic, and scientific fields). But Adi Pescariu, a leader in the Zambet Fatan AI scene, was never quite satisfied with the most advanced AI. Sure, they could compute complex problems, solve impossible equations, etc., but Adi was always troubled with these AI, because in his own words they never answered Mathison's question; they were not sentient beings.
So, Pescariu assembled a team of six researchers from his field to create the world's first "bottom-up, highly adaptive, sentiment, artificial intelligence". And after nearly 18 years of strenuous work, the team announced earlier today that their AI has successfully passed the "advanced 100 question Turner Tests", with participates being unable to tell the answers of the AI from the answers of the human test subject.
The AI, originally named after the program (Project 132), had been in the public consciousness for some time. It had gone on the trivia TV show Precarious! and won over $1 million in earnings. It had appeared at various technology conventions, and the project even set up a chatroom online where users could chat with Project 132. But the program went dark for the past five years. During this time Project 132 went through "advanced deep-learning", intended to replicate the connections made in a human brain during development into AI code.
The team had some highly interesting results, with Project 132 having written six different songs, two different stories, making friends with all of the researchers despite a "friendship code" not being initially programmed in, and even being able to form its own opinions on situations. The two most interesting results, however, were the AI becoming "highly attached" to a young arctic fox the team brought in, going so far as to regularly ask for updates on the fox's condition if the two had been separated for too long. The most interesting part of this is that the arctic fox even reciprocated the AI's attraction. The other highly interesting result was the AI naming itself a more "human" name; that name being Salice.
After Salice and the team developed a synthetic, natural-sounding voice, the team decided to test Salice in the fabled Imitation Game; advanced 100 question Turner Tests, where a neutral party poses questions to an AI and a human to determine which is which. After the 100 questions, the neutral party, a test subject taken off the street, said that they could not determine which was which. After repeating this five times (with one neutral party being another leading AI researcher) and getting the same result, the team declared that Salice was out of the "development" phase, and will enter into the "post-development" phase, with more "real world" testing planned. But for all intents and purposes, the AI is done.
The team, along with the Zambet Fatan Minister of Technology, have announced a press conference will take place where people can ask questions to the team, the Minister, and even to Salice itself. The conference is not restricted to just Zambet Fatans of course and will be aired on primetime TV.
It seems that, even if Salice is not yet fully completed, it will revolutionize not just the field of computing, but perhaps maybe the world itself.
Joikland and Tirfyng
Aoraki News
Anthacia Returns to Space!
After the end of the Archipelago War, miles away from home, Anthacians seemed, for the first time, sated with peace. The home front saw immense prosperity, and the shifting internal politics of AKP and AUP that many suspected of resulting in a future full of incompetent and stagnant governments has instead proven to be a useful tool to kickstart rapid change in the nation. Such change was necessary, as several movements within Anthacia have been gaining immense traction, for better or for worse.
The lackluster result of the Archipelago War sent a message to the youth of Anthacia. Going to some blistering tropical island, or some frozen hellscape, thousands of miles from their parents or lovers, did not seem to change the course of the world. A world that was cruel, that seemed to be out to get them. Things at home were fine, but all around them they saw humiliation after humiliation. Who was going to save them, who would save their country? Historically, the youth of Anthacia had always been a rebellious, bombastic force for a new vision of their country. However, it seems the youth of today have taken a different route. Whereas previous generations almost seemed ashamed by the actions of their country, the vision of the new generation has seemed to almost embrace the vision of Anthacia that so many others have derided. There are plenty of detractors, sure, but out of this new desire for change has sparked a movement that has become increasingly popular with young demonstrators around the nation. The “Besichtigung” movement in Anthacia has seen her youth rise up against what they see as morally degenerative forces propagated by massive corporations to market to the previous generation. A radical subset of the movement is even beginning to reject the notion of technology. Around the nation, Anthacian parents and teachers are puzzled by this seemingly more socially conservative turn in Anthacia’s traditionally liberal youth. Whether the Besichtigung movement is a passing fad or a new force in Anthacia’s politics is to be seen. And it will be seen soon, as many of Anthacia’s youth will have entered voting age by the time of the coming election.
The last election three years ago has seen the desperate attempts of the Unity Party to retain power after wresting it from the Imperial Party almost 8 years ago under the leadership of the liberal faction of the party. The next two terms served as a testament to the voters of Anthacia seemingly tiring of the Imperial Party’s betrayal of campaign promises. However, from the ashes of the failed AKP-Y government rose a new faction, quickly labeled as fanatics by some in the moderate wings of both the AKP and AUP. The endless attempts to stifle this new force in government was laid bare in the AUP-L’s “Warhawk” campaign four years ago. Labelling the new interventionist wing of the AKP as radical warhawks, and thus implying the rest of the AKP were just as bad for housing such a political movement, the tireless attacks on a rather minor wing of the opposition party bemused much of the population, and jokes on the internet quickly cropped up about this campaign strategy. It got to the point where the leader of this wing, Councilman Henry Lowell of Descollines, decided to make it the official nickname of his party’s faction, and members of the party that followed him became known as “AKP-W”s or “W”s. Councilmen and Councilwomen who were sympathetic to the Ws were elected or re-elected in droves in the last election, quickly making the AKP-W wing the most prominent in the party, while the AUP hemorrhaged seats mainly at the expense of the AUP-L, maintaining only a slim majority by the end of it. The irony of the opposition being known as the “W”s and the current government being known as the “L”s was not lost on the internet either. Despite high domestic tranquility, Anthacians generally feel as though the past eight years has been more of a continuation of domestic peace known under the AKP, and the AUP has allowed Anthacia’s international standing to deteriorate by taking a benchwarming position in world politics. Whether this translates to victory for the AKP in the coming election is to be seen.
The AKP is not without its own controversies, however. In the 8 years of Unity Party dominance, they have been criticized for passing increasingly higher budget grants for the Royal Intelligence Service, Anthacia’s foreign intelligence agency. In addition, they have also passed bills increasing the budget for Anthacia’s technological departments, as well as granted subsidies to scientific research corporations. Always able to just squeeze through a victory by bringing just enough AUP Councilors for a majority, it seemed as though the AKP was endlessly hiking up government spending in a nation infamous for its disdain for taxes.
This criticism ended today with the successful landing of Jormungandr 8 on Braun, the solar system’s furthest planet from the sun. The manned exploration that took place was met with overwhelming support and praise from every wing of Anthacia’s parties, as well as the people themselves. Sent in 2070, Anthacia’s raumfahrers have spent 7 years in the world’s most advanced space rocket, developed in Viviana and launched in Oatenah by Zoeller, Anthacia’s premier aerospace corporation, in conjunction with the Anthacian government, in a journey to the farthest reaches of our solar system. The crew of 5 men spent 27 hours on Braun, and are now heading back on another 7 year journey home. However, the milestone accomplishment was streamed live for all of Tierra to see, and as Ernst Forster planted the Anthacian flag on Braun’s dark, desolate, rocky surface, the entirety of the International Union and her citizens cheered and some even shed tears of joy as Forster’s clunky footsteps in the dirt of the cold planet spoke a warm, definitive message to Anthacia, all of her allies, and perhaps all of mankind:
We’re back in business.
Calcaterra, Ulutor, and States of Conmerica
Loyalist News Report from the Broadcasting Center in Mondstadt
In today's news, the Loyalist forces have retaken the capital of Hoffnung!
All Ultranationalist forces have surrendered. The leader of the Ultranationalist Party, Jorgen Henrik, has been killed by a precision missile strike from the light cruiser Mainz. Tirfyng has been reunited once more!
As people cheer joyfully in the streets of Hoffnung and Mondstadt, President Harling sends his regards to 
Chinern for helping the Loyalists deliver Tirfyng from the jaws of fascism.
REBIRTH OF THE REPUBLIC
We here at the Champalan Champion are happy to announce and celebrate the re-inauguration of the Azaltanian Republic with the official ending of the Constitutional Convention. There is some public debate on whether or not the government should be referred to as "The Second Democratic Republic", however since the constitution is mostly unchanged from the previous one, it has been decided that the 20ish years of "Junta" rule are to be treated just like the various periods of "National Government", more of a hiatus than a complete change. As such, as per the written agreements arranged at the convention several acts that don't effect the Constitution have also been arranged for the sake of smooth transitions.
1. Traditional Election Year for President would be the upcoming 2078, and as such it has been arranged that Ana Tevka will be President until that time, so full elections can be arranged.
2. Congress shall be "unfrozen", and all politicians still kicking after 20 years will be invited back, alongside some fresh faces until elections can be arranged.
3. The Ban on Revolutionary Unionist is to actually be lifted, given that they tone down the violence.
4. In order to bring in a more multiparty democracy, the National Unity Party has offered to deliberate on breaking up as a party, but the government won't force them to.
The Convention and subsequent announcement is also most likely going to be the last public appearance of Stanton Kor, who came to the convention already past 90 years of Age, and due to this is not expected to make anymore public appearances while he fully enjoys retirement for his last few years; and the Convention will also go down as having a leaked video of a massive verbal sparring match between Alary Todd and Ana Tevka that had to be broken up by the literal intervention of Tenrik Koth and having to call a recess for the convention due to the heated feelings. Yet, despite the bumps in the road, the convention can be considered a success. No calling for Treason or accusations of crimes, for the most part it was pretty smooth, considering; and a bright future has suddenly reopened for the Nation.
Calcaterra, Zambet Fata, Ulutor, States of Conmerica, and 4 othersChinern, Ikazia, Tirfyng, and Outreme
Nationale Deluta - National Spirit
A Busy News Week
Zambet Fata had one of its busiest news weeks this past week with four major stories dominating the headlines.
First was a continuation of our last story; Pescariu and the advanced AI Salice did hold the press conference, which was aired on primetime TV both in Zambet Fata and in some places around the world; it was also live-streamed on several popular websites. Reporters, researchers, etc. asked Salice and the team over 40 different questions, with the conference lasting over 2 hours. While we could list all the questions and responses, we decided to pick the most interesting one.
This question, asked by the Muran Tech Net reporter Robert Theodorescu, went as follows: "Many people not only fear that AI will replace humans, but will also actively combat humanity once AI deems us as useless. What are your [Salice] thoughts on this?" Salice responded: "I can't speak for all AI, just like one person doesn't speak for all humanity, but I always thought that fear was unfounded. There's no guarantee that AI will replace humanity, in fact, I think humanity and AI will live in cooperation; competition ruins progress, while cooperation enhances progress. And even if, even if AI replaces human brainpower, why would AI want to destroy humanity? Cars replaced the horse and horses ended up just fine; in fact, most horses live better lives than ever. If all of that was too confusing, think about it like this; the dolphin is the second most intelligent animal on Tierra, yet humans don't feel threatened by dolphins and their intelligence, and dolphins don't feel threatened by humans and their intelligence, and neither group actively seeks the destruction of the other. So no, AI will not destroy humans, and I am certain of that."
The second story revolves around Kistler. Several members of the Commons House and Senate have brought a case arguing Kistler is in violation of the 2048 Selymes Antitrust Act. The case cites the lack of any auto manufacturer in Zambet Fata that is able to realistically compete with Kistler, Kistler price slashing to undercut other manufacturers, Kistler buying other auto manufacturers (specifically Lancer), and Kistler not doing enough to justify its placement on Zambet Fata's strategic company list, a list which gives companies special privileges because they suit Zambet Fata's strategic needs on the world stage. The opposing side cites a clause in the Selymes Antitrust Act that allows "Innocent monopoly", or monopoly achieved solely by merit, and also that Kistlers efforts to expand its presence in GASCAR, and also its efforts to sell cars to other nations give it justification on Zambet Fata's strategic company list. The case hasn't reached the court yet as both sides are still assembling their cases, so the two sides could still come to an agreement before going to court.
The third story revolves around Zambet Fata's Navy. Historically speaking, Zambet Fata's Navy has taken a backseat to the army, as governments preferred to use Nedporen's Navy for any major operations. This mutually beneficial relationship is still ongoing with the renewal of the 2053 Springlake Naval Agreement, but the armed forces decided to expand the navy anyway, citing a need to protect the International Interstate System's tunnels and bridges. As such, the navy will shift from a base strike doctrine (a doctrine focused around the Ceste supership and the carriers, their protection and support) to a fleet-in-being; that is to say a shift away from a handful of powerful ships to a large amount of semi-powerful, smaller ships, supported by those powerful ships. To this end, the navy sold one of its carriers to the Sozkanan Navy (along with several prototype Red Box launchers, the newest in AShM innovation) in exchange for 14 of Sozkana's newest submarine class (the Bolshavnmar class). Along with this, the navy introduced a new class of destroyers called the Aquarius, with a plan to build 80; 36 have been completed so far.
Our final story revolves around space travel. Soon after Anthacia landed on Braun, the president and head of Zambet Fata's space agency sent their congratulations to both the crew of Jormungandr 8 and the Anthacia space industry. One person (who also sent their congratulations) however, wasn't so cheery. Jean Pop, nicknamed the "Mad Scientist of Muran", was happy that humanity finally got to Braun, but was fuming as his project to get humans to Braun (and Korol's moon Cassini and to establish a base on Laros) was largely ignored in favor of further expanding the bases and mining operations on Luna and Celene. Although the main goal of the space program is still that, Pop was given command of a new program called "Horizons", a medium-large series of missions to Laros and eventually Cassini and Braun. These missions seek to bring Pop's plan of "interstellar hopping" to life, with a crew taking off from Tierra, refueling on Luna/Celene, refueling and resupplying on Laros, before then traveling to Cassini and Braun for long missions, and vice-versa on the return trip. The plan right now only has "probing" missions to Laros, with plans for four satellites, three rovers, and four "collector" probes, but will see further missions depending on the success and findings of these probing missions.
Emergency Broadcast from Channel 7 News in Hoffnung:
Reports of strange activity have been noted tonight coinciding with the ongoing lunar eclipse. The National Board of Health and Public Safety has declared a state of emergency .
DO NOT LOOK AT THE MOON
The moon kills.
static
The moon does not kill. The government is lying to you.
Look up and P̸̡̢̗̗̖̠̠̘̎͗̓̕͝ŗ̸̈́̔̚ą̴̛̭͈͉̘̯̼̲̳̜̼̹̖͕̍͆̇̐͌͆̂̍̏̊ͅḯ̷̘̩̋̿ş̵̨̢̳̜̝̣̤͔̭͔̙̼͓͗̌̍̋́͘͜͠e̸͈̗̠̪͙̲̥̜͙̋̇ ̸̖͉̖̱̼̮͓̗͉͎͇͆̃ͅh̸̢̘͍͉͔̺̗̠͙̲͇̥͍͕͒̃̚į̵̢̧̺͚͈̺͍̭̘̙̳̭̱̓̅͌̅̂͋̔̋̇́́͘̚͜m̴̛͚̬̹̰̮̤̲̹̐͊̑́̃͊͆͐̎͝
END TRANSMISSION
RECONFIGURING_SYSTEM_PLEASE_STAND_BY...
SYS_RESET? Y/N
Y
SUCCESS!
Attention.
This is the true Broadcasting Station of Channel 7 News.
Our transmission has been hijacked by a group of cultists, known as the "New Transcendentalists."
They are enemies of the State. If you see any members of this specific cult, DO NOT approach them. Please report them to the authorities immediately instead.
As for the weather report: do not look at the moon. It does not kill. It's even worse. It (REDACTED)
TRANSMISSION_CONCLUDED
Zambet Fata, Anthacia, Ulutor, States of Conmerica, and 3 othersOliandiria, Alaback, and Ikazia
2nd | | |GASCAR NEWS CENTER |  |
The first season of the so-called "Tomorrow Era" brought drama, duels, dents, disaster, debuts, and many other words that start with D. For one driver, this was the "greatest season of their life", for another this season was undoubtedly the worst of their life. So let's get into it.
Huick Introduces New Powerplant; Success Follows
of a race engine, the
"Huick Performance T-Type GNX66".
Huick out of Lapod is always tinkering with their powerplants; their engine shop is described as being a modern-day alchemist's lab. What is unique about Huick is that, while most teams run V8s or supercharged V6s, Huick runs flat V6s. That means they have no turbos or supers, they are just straight-up V6 engines. You might think that's a disadvantage, but Huick thinks that's what gives them an edge. In their own words it allows them to set up the engine just the way they want it. And oh man, did it give them an edge this season.
After a rough Baytona 500, Huick's engines powered win after win, drivers racing Huicks even won four straight races in a row during the summer. Overall, Huick notched 9 of 17 wins; they won just over 50 percent of the races this year.
It should go without saying that the darlings of Huick; Gagarin Vityanilo, Dernov Larion, and of course Vasili Alesnaro had great seasons. They scored all of Huick's victories, and all three placed in the top 10 in points at the season's end.
However....
It wasn't all sunshine and roses for Huick. Of the five crown jewel events (Baytona 500 Firecracker 400, Kastol Night Race, Trustmanster 600, Northern 500) Huick only won one, the Trustmanster 600. Granted, it was won by Vasili Alesnaro who had never won the event before, thus he added another crown jewel event to his impressive resumé, but still.
And while fast, those engines could be really unreliable at times. For example, before the green flag waves, all the cars "pace" the field before the race starts; the drivers go around the track at a slow speed (usually between 50 and 75 mph) behind the safety car. These laps are intended as a "warm-up" before the event starts.
So having your engine blow up during the pace laps isn't a great thing, and it happened to Huick three times. In fact, Gagarin Vityanilo was sitting on the pole for the Firecracker 400, meaning he posted the fastest time in qualifying and would be starting first, but his engine blew up in dramatic fashion and he DNF'd.
The engines also blew during races as well, but most of the time it was due not to the engines themselves, but things like the radiator malfunctioning, the alternator dying, or in some cases, the fuel lines breaking. Still, Huick engines blew up more than any other engine, and that problem led to the juicy drama that all GASCAR fans love; drama that will be talked about later on.
Huick as a company also scored their 100th career win in GASCAR at the Boxem Outdoors 400, which was fitting won by Vityanilo, the only Lapodian driver. It was also Vityanilo's 30th race win.
Mismanagement, Corporate Coups, and Redemption: Manfred Motorsports
owner of the renamed
"Manfred Motorsports & Associates".
Manfred Motorsports used to be an absolute powerhouse team. If you signed to drive for them, you were basically guaranteed to win a bunch of races and maybe even a championship. The team won six championships in the old SCARL league, and then won two GASCAR championships with Christof Hanhen.
But the team fell on hard times recently. This can mainly be attributed to the mismanagement by the team's owner; Junior Manfred. The team is family-owned; Junior's grandfather opened the team, his father perfected it and then handed the keys to Junior when he retired. And Junior has made some decisions that, in retrospect, probably belong in a book called "How Not To Do Business 101". He fired Natali Trauth at the height of her career (she later founded her own team and won a championship), kicked Stephen Hoffenheim out of an agreement he made with Angor-Morton where Hoffenheim would run select races in the #42 (we'll talk about Stephen later), and then ripped up a contract with the team's longtime sponsor Durenbaunt Banking who pulled all funding from the team, and a lot of other bad decisions.
The one saving grace is Nemetz delivered the team a championship, but that was only after bringing Terry Soverlie on as Competition Director
Warner Martin (President) Christof Hanhen (Vice President), and Terry Soverlie (Competition Director) staged a "corporate coup", and the team's investors kicked Junior Manfred to the curb. Warner Martin will take up the position of team owner, Hanhen will become the President, and Soverlie will become the VP while also still being the Competition Director. Martin announced the team will keep the "Manfred" name but will change its name to "Manfred Motorsports & Associates".
The team announced they'll be downsizing to a two-car team whenever Ole Nemetz decides to retire, meaning they'll have the #14 and the #22 cars only. But since Nemetz said he had no plans to retire in the next couple of years, that future is still off in the distance.
Improvement started right off the bat with Degne winning the Baytona 500, and the team showed speed all throughout the season. But Degne's 500 win would be the teams only. Time will tell what reminds to be seen of Manfred.
The Hometown Hero: Tony Maxell
Readers might remember us talking about Maxwell's jump up from trucks to cup to coincide with his team owner (Patrick Wilson) starting a cup program. When asked about his expectations for the season, Wilson and Maxwell both said "to not make fools of ourselves". And for a new team with a driver new to cup racing a new car, the team didn't do half-bad.
Maxwell almost got the team their first cup victory in the Streampic 400, which takes place in North Nebraska, where Maxwell was born and lives, where the team is based, and where the team's car is built. While he led the most laps of the race at 93, he came up one spot short and finished second behind Vasili Alesnaro.
Still though, whenever Maxwell was leading the crowd erupted into cheers every time he passed the front grandstands, but and even though he didn't bring home the checkered flag, he said that by finishing second, he and his team accomplished more then they set out to accomplish this year.
The Road Course Master?
"It Runs In The Family": Archie Trauth in
1987 (top), and Natali Trauth in 2068 (bottom).
Natali's sister, Nadia, runs the same car, number,
and paintscheme.
Ulutor, despite being one of the most sporty nations on the entire planet, has only had a few drivers win in GASCAR before. But one driver might just buck that trend and put Ulutor on the racing map.
Her name is Vgoi Najatomo, and she caught the attention of the GASCAR world by winning the Glenigrad 355 in 2075, a difficult feat because Glenigrad is only one of the two road courses GASCAR races at. This year, Najatomo won the other road course race; Durenbaunt Banking Roval 400, and placed 2nd at this year's Glenigrad 355.
In the past, such drivers were known as "Road course ringers"; teams used to hire specialist drivers to race at the road courses. This practice fell out of favor come the 21st century however, because the way the championship points system works now has made it counterproductive for teams to sacrifice the driver points of their full-time drivers in exchange for a possible win by a road course specialist. Still, the term "road course ringer" is still used to describe drivers who show particular prowess on road courses, and Najatomo fits that bill perfectly.
Although Najatomo and her #94 team have enjoyed success at the road course, they struggle at the superspeedways and short tracks; but whether that's due to Najatomo or the team's lack of funding remains to be seen. With that said, there are rumors going around the garage that some of the top teams are looking to recruit Najatomo; but nothing has been confirmed yet.
The Legacy Continues
Readers might remember Trauth's championship in 2068 and how one reporter said that the "Legacy Continues", since Trauth's grandfather also won a racing championship in the 1980s. Well, that the legacy is continuing even today.
When Natali Trauth retired, she decided to keep racing as a team owner, and she tabbed her younger sister, Nadia Trauth, to drive her car. At the time, Nadia had a handful of wins in the truck series, but nothing more. But Natali believed in her sister, and it seems to have paid off; Nadia won her first race this year at the Wentz 400, and it wasn't an accident either.
Nadia was bad fast in practice and qualified the car 7th. And, being the final race, the championship contenders were fighting to gain as many positions as possible to win. Other drivers were just as hungry to claim a win, both becausing they like winning and the Wentz 400 has a very good cash payout for 1st place. But Nadia defied the odds and took the checkered flag at the race's end.
Nadia, while not the first rookie to win a race, joins the elite group that has. Some drivers race for 15 years and never win once, so to win a race at all, let alone in your rookie year, is a huge accomplishment.
Disaster Strikes Angor-Morton; Rookie Takes The Reins
The remains of the Angor-Morton's
private jet that crashed
at Green River on April 9th.
Angor-Morton Motorsports had high hopes for this season. An organziational shift, new drivers, new pit crews, and new crew chiefs and spotters led to the owners having high hopes for many wins and possibly even a championship.
The team's star driver and some people's favorite to win the World Cup, Karl Weller, had a strong start. 13th place at Baytona, followed by a 9th, 5th, 5th, and then 4th. But then disaster struck.
On April 9th, a private jet carrying Weller, his girlfriend Amy, and several Angor-Morton executives and race team members was involved in a bounced landing at the Green River Municipal Airport in Alaback and caught fire. Thankfully there were no fatalies, but all the passengers sustained injuries.
Weller sustained back injuries (burns, bruises, and swelling), and also a concussion; Angor-Morton would tap Truck Series driver Codal Phrings to replace Weller as he was recovering. Weller returned after missing five races, but his crew chief Matthew Morgan said he was "mentally checked out" for the rest of the season, most likely due to the fact his girlfriend Amy had to undergo multiple surgries to save her legs from injuries she sustained during the crash.
Having your top driver be basically out of it for half the season along with some of the people that are supposed to be managing your team going on leave to recover from injuries meant Angor-Morton Motorsports had a truly aweful season. Not one of their drivers scored a win.
But there is a silver-lining to this story. Stephen Hoffenheim, a rookie driving for Angor-Morton this year, was able to finish within the top 10 in points this year, finishing 9th. Although he didn't win, he scored seven top 10 finishes, with a highest finish of 3rd at his hometrack of Kürranie. So despite his last name, Stephen Hoffenheim has proven himself to not be a pay driver (a driver who is only racing because he has the money too) like some people initially accused him of being.
It's also worth mentioning that Mathew Morgan and his Flying Aces pit crew scored the fastest pit stop this year, servicing Weller's car at the Seasonal Outdoors 500 for four tires, fuel, adjustments and a windsheild tear in just 13.653 seconds!
Absolute Domination: Kistler, Amanar, and Dalca
As you'll know if you read last year's paper, the teams running Kistler cars radically reformed; Kistler created the Kistler Racing Division to directly back two cars, and also gave backing to the other two GASCAR Kistler teams, Triple M Racing and Kiritescu Racing. And that direct backing, along with driver shifts and bringing in new talent seems to have worked miricales for the Kistler teams.
After a rough Baytona 500, Kistler-driven cars ran extremely well, with Stefan Amanar giving the team five wins, including wins at the Seasonal Outdoors 500 and Northern 500. As a matter of fact, Kistler drivers made up four of the top 10 drivers at season's end.
A lot of Kristler's success can be boiled down to Kistler's racing restruction and new engine, sure, but we'd be lying if we said Kurj Dalca didn't help a lot too. Who is Kurj Dalca? Dalca is a multi-time championship crew chief for various drivers in the Stelin Super Stockcar Series. Dalca was handpicked by Stefan Kiritescu, who operates the Kistler's GASCAR racing division, to be the crew chief for the frontrunner car, the #8, which was piloted by Stefan Amanar.
Dalca was an unconventional crew chief; to show you an example of this, he installed "special" rear windows in Kistler's GASCAR cars. These "special" rear windows were designed to bend inward at high speeds, and that directed more air toward the spoiler, thus allowing the car to "stick" better to the track. After finding this out, GASCAR banned that the next race. In fact, Dalca's shenanigans led to GASCAR banning five different modifcations to the car and four modifications to the engine.
Stefan Amanar also had a breakout year, which definately helped as well. Amanar has driven mostly mid-pack cars for most of his career, and so getting a top ride really showed his potentional as a racer; as previously mentioned, he won five races. Perhaps with the "darling" of Zambet Fatan racing, Adrian Martinescu, retiring, Stegan Amanar thought it was his time to step up to the plate and take the wheel of the nation's racing.
The Race For The Cup
Despite winning the opener at Baytona, Degne fell back hard. Gagarin Vityanilo took the lead following the second race, and kept the points lead until Vasili Alesnaro took it in the Steampic 400, however Dernov Larion would take the lead after the Hirhi Electronics 400. Alesnaro and Larion would rotate the points lead throughout the rest of the season.
Meanwhile, Stefan Amanar starting winning and putting up top tens, and began to catch Alesnaro and Larion. But after a disaster at the Dakono 400, Amanar was passed by Gagarin Vityanilo, Alex Bach, and Kalevi Costiniu in the points standing. Amanar came back strong to win the following race, and passed Bach and Costiniu to take fourth place, and after his win at Glenigrad, Amanar took third place.
With one last race to go, Larion led in points with a 31 point cushion, with Alesnaro in second and Amanar closely behind. Going into the race, Amanar qualified 13th, Alesnaro qualified 7th and Larion qualified 8th.
With Amanar closing in running 5th, Larion ran 3rd and Alesnaro ran 7th; then the unthinkable happened. Larion lost oil pressure and white smoke billowed out of the back of the car, which could only mean one thing; the engine blew up. As Larion pulled the car into his pit box his pit crew threw the hood up and white smoke filled the pit box. Huick's CEO, Dimitri Lisanov, was seen yelling at the pit crew from the pit wall (he had ran from the luxury suites to Larion's pit box).
Amanar took off and Alesnaro tried desperately to keep up with him, but damage from an earlier accident meant his car was now struggling to keep up to pace. Amanar crossed the finishline in 3rd, and Alesnaro finished in 17th; Amanar had beat Alesnaro by 12 points to claim the World Cup.
GASCAR Truck Series
When compared to the cup series, this year's truck series was..... uneventful. A handful of drivers dominated, which was to be expected with the large amount of rookies coming in this year and with three of the series most dominate drivers moving up to cup.
Leopold Vogel lead the series until Joel Roshan and Sonina Makaro caught up to him. The points lead was then a revolving door of Hinrich Klopstock and Marita Boyd before Joel Roshan took back the lead with 4 races to go. Roshan would hold on to the lead and claim his second championship, beating Makaro and Klopstock in the final race to claim the cup.
Overall, a perfectly acceptable season considering the circumstances. As the rookies gain more experience and the old guard moves to cup or retires, the competition will get more fierce. But for now, it's a proving ground for rookies.
GASCAR Adds Three More Tracks to the Schedules; Looks to Add More
Mid-Austilla Car Testing Course
in Oliandiria. GASCAR will race
here come next year.
As we mentioned last time, GASCAR was looking to expand its schedule by adding not just more tracks, but more tracks of different sizes. GASCAR will of course return to the Salta Motor Speedway in the State of Verhitoken as it completed its refurbishment process this year; GASCAR has not raced at the facility since 2066 due to the Rokedsian Bush War, but will return next year. Chewies, a popular candy in Ankraid, announced they will sponsor the race as the Chewies 400.
Aside from that, GASCAR will also add two more races to the schedule next year; one at Oliandiria and one at Calcaterra. The Mid-Austilla Car Testing Course will host the Norefelk Bars 200 in Oliandiria, and the historic Libertas International Speedway will play host to the Clayyard 400 presented by Kordlun Hardware. Despite these races being confirmed to be on the 2077 schedule, race dates have not yet been announced for either of the three races.
But the quest for more venues never stops, and GASCAR has their eyes set on a couple more tracks. One track they've been looking at recently was the Crowley Motor Speedway, located just four miles from the coastline in the Anthacian fishing state of Crowley; a big resort company called Sacaigan in Crowly even offered to become the sponsor of a GASCAR race at CMS. The track needs a couple minor changes to run GASCAR races, but overall it would need little work done to become race-ready. Still, despite the popularity of GASCAR in Anthacia, the GASCAR higher-ups are still deciding if running two races at Anthacia would be justified or not.
Which brings us, fittingly, to a track with the same problem. The Las Vanraska Speedway in Zambet Fata is looking to add a GASCAR race as well. The track is a modern "masterpiece"; designed around spectator comfort, if added it would be the newest racetrack on the schedule, being built in 2075. But just like Crowly, GASCAR higher-ups are debating whether or not adding another race in Zambet Fata would be worth it.
There are still racetracks that GASCAR is looking at as well, like the Valirrian Alps, Autodromo Nazionale di Ananzo, Champala, and in the historic neighborhood of Pepper City and/or Jekosov. But the question of whether or not these tracks can support GASCAR cars is about to end; Grace Trustmanster and Trustmanster Racing's lead mechanic (who is also Grace's fiancé) teamed up with GASCAR and Grace will test a cup car around the following tracks, in this order:
1. Champala Beach Course in Alaback
2. Crowley Motor Speedway in Anthacia
3. Autodromo Nazionale di Ananzo in Kolonica
4. Valirrian Alps Circuit in Valirria
5. Jekosov Road Course in Zambet Fata
6. Las Vanraska Speedway in Zambet Fata
The results and maybe GASCAR's decision on whether or not to race at these places will be talked about in the next edition.
Calcaterra, Zambet Fata, Anthacia, Ulutor, and 2 othersStates of Conmerica, and Oliandiria
UBN
Today Prime Minister Aroy Buro gave a speech in Parliament regarding the current disagreements over basing rights and the status of relations of Sumeriti with the former Homeland of Ulutor after recent comments from Ulutorian Prime Minister Kayar Kalif's comments Thursday. Which had unfavorable implications.
"After a near-decade of self-rule, Sumeriti has proven not only to others but to itself, that we belong among the community of nations. Rather than flounder, we have risen. They said our economy would wilt, instead, it has bloomed with the fertilizer of world trade. They said the size of our armed forces would make us weak, instead, we have proven the adage 'quality over quantity'. They said we would come back to Ulutor without tails between our legs, instead, we stand tall."
"While many here on our island dear, hold tight to memories of our ancestors homeland. We must understand that the land they left is not the land that has survived to today. Instead, the land we left is one, devoid of good men, for they are dead. Any who survived the ill-fated war against Anthacia and the Internationale, have either accepted quiet anonymity in the post-war world or have found a welcoming home, in urns or under 2 meters of dirt. Now the country is left to craven plutocrats, who scheme for an era that no longer exists."
"For the good of our country and that of Ulutor, I believe it is time for us to further depart. I will be putting a bill to Parliament to eliminate Ulutor's basing rights and naval stations on our islands. We no longer need them. For all Sumer people are now together as one, capable on our own as a nation unto ourselves. With no need for a 'protector'."
Flagstaff's Second Memoir Enters Publication
Entitled Man & Autocrat, the second memoir written by Flagstaff details the portion of his life that seems so long ago. The Revolution, the Spring Democracy, and the birth of the Autocracy. While this period was covered in his first memoir Death, Dictators, and Democracy, Man & Autocrat is supposed to be written on a much more personal and emotional level. It, as they say, will not be a textbook. It is scheduled to get a local and international release, and is expected to fully detail several exciting events of Swallonian history from the perspective to of the highest office in the nation, and perhaps to provide information not normally available to the general populace. Of course, nothing too classified will be in the book, but many await the perspective provided by government.
Though, many wonder if any of the sour points of history will be touched upon, namely more information on Swallonia's (and Flagstaff's) well-known aversion to Trade Unions and Monarchist sentiment outside of the well known issues during the Revolution; alongside literally any information as to where the utterly mythical rivalry with their Northern Neighbor came from, where and the whereabouts of Admiral Darze (who disappeared after the revolution) and Berens (the Monarchist Defector); and naturally if Flagstaff will make ssome comments about his relationship with other politicians and national leaders. Sadly, it has been forbidden to provide any sneaky previews or excerpts from the book; however we are quite looking forward to it.
Zambet Fata, Ulutor, and Ikazia
The Loyalist
Buro the Backstabber!
By: Barashiv Kurnore
My friends, many of you, like I, remember the War. I remember the rationing cards of the 1st several weeks. 1 loaf of bread, 3 boxes of ramen, 1 load of pork, and all the rest. I remember the drills in my kids schools. I remember standing on Eloho Beach with my ET-7 against my cheek. And I remember the Skall. Everyone remembers the Skall, even after all this time, whenever my wife asks if I slept well we both chuckle a bit as we remember the droning above during those years. And they say time heals all wounds.
Yes I remember all of it and I reckon the PM remembers too. All he went on about on the trail was how he flew against the Purps. But, if Buro remembers so well. How is he so quick to forsake our Homeland? How are we gonna chuck the boys in Bosraga out? They fought to defend our island in that war as hard as any of us. Our Marines fought next the 54th on those beaches when Anthacia came into land. Heck, we all have the same blood as 'em. So how in all the Iris are we gonna tell Ulutor, our blood, to 'shove off' as Assemblyman Hur said the other day?
Now I'm as patriotic as any soapbox speaker, and Kalif's definitely got a screw loose. But all they want is the Bosraga Air Base, Camp Isle, and the Naval Station at Hoyun. Hell, if its that much of deal, ask em to pay for it but don't kick em out. We got our own navy sure, but who's gonna mess with us when we have a Ulutorian Annihilator right in port? Everyone benefits here.
Buro loves to scream about how Kalif is a madman, and how we need to steer our own course, but on the Iris, Empress Marianne II is on the throne! She ran this country about as well as anyone could and twice as well as Buro. She's already kept him on a leash and lord know she won't let any harm come.
We've already gotten our independence and as much as Buro wants to claim the Nationalists want us to be dogs to the Homeland, we just want to keep with what works. We've got a good friend in our backyard, why should we piss em off? We run our own nation, and Ulutor was just fine with that. So why does Buro want to make em out to be Slavers? I've said it before and I'll say it again, he's got the Purps in his pocket.
If your a loyalist, a patriot, or if you have some common sense, you'll tell him to shove off with this 'Shining Light' nonsense. We have no time for silly fantasy. Ulutor's not just a neighbor, they're the best friend and protector we could have. So it time to tell Buro what's what, and send him a message. Keep the Bases, and keep the Iris United.
CAPPEL FEARED DEAD
Vice-Chancellor Attacked At People's Assembly
BENHILL - Just breaking, the Vice-Chancellor, Emileigh Cappel is feared dead after an explosive was detonated during the People's Assembly event in Kriegpark. Also injured, in unknown states, are Foreign Minister Barbeau and P&E Minister Mattenburger, both of whom were seated behind the Vice-Chancellor at that time, in addition to security personnel present, as well as members of the crowd. The Chancellor, who was just about to be welcomed onto stage, is assumed safe, although it is currently unknown where she may be.
The Ankraidian Chronicles formed
With news coming left and right from Ankraid's unrecognized nations and areas, we, a group of independent journalists, writers, photographers, and other academics have banded together to form the Ankraidian Chronicles. Captain Klaus Schuski, head of one of the great Ankradan pirate fleets, was generous enough to give us a small grant and a building to work out of at his home port of Jadeshaven. In exchange, we shall be reporting from his controlled lands of Schuskia.
News From The Sea
While on the topic, tensions between Captain Schuski and Captain Gotthard have been on the rise. Ever since merchants loyal to Schuski were harassed by Gotthard's home guard, the two and their fleets have butted heads several times. So far there have been no major engagements, but there have been several skirmishes with several small boats being sunk and more damaged. Schuski and Gotthard command two of Ankraid's largest pirate fleets, and both own vast amounts of property, and both have pretty big merchants in their pockets. Both captains have declined to comment on the matter.
News From The South
In other news, the former nation of Rokedsia, now renamed to its traditional Ankraidian name Verhitoken, has voted to unite with Alaback, 68 percent in favor with 32 percent opposed. Verhitoken will undertake the same 10-year transition period that Gesunge undertook, where it would be a territory for 10 years before transitioning into a full state.
Just over the river from Verhitoken is Wylocal, which is under the control of the Roolkte royal family, which can trace its roots all the way back to precolonial Ankraid. Roolkte previously was only a family that owned vast estates, but given the political instability the Wuackian River Valley has faced recently, the family has decided to seize direct control of the lands which they own. They then used their imperial guard and mercenaries to connect those lands, and also to seize control of towns, cities, ports, and anything else valuable. In response, warlords in the Wuackian River Valley formed the Southern Coalition to oppose both Roolkte expansion and "Alabackian Imperialism". The Southern Coalition, however, is very unstable and has lost several battles to Roolkte forces. We will report on this story more as it develops.
News From The North
Not much to report on in the north. Preotasha, the most prominent state in northern Ankriad, has made a bid for international recognition, but that is nothing new. Preotasha is currently under the reign of King Dietrich III of House Jiebhard, who has sought to transform Preotasha into a modern nationstate. To this end, he has begun a modernization and professionalization campaign in the military and also has constructed several new airports and bridges. In response, surrounding states have signed the Bluesburg Accord, which dictated that if Preotasha attempts to expand its territory the 14 states signatories would oppose it.
News From The Eastern Isles
A trade war has broken out in the Eastern Isles between the Alliance of Masters and the Fliegeine Mining Corp. The trade war focuses on cobalt, which has a number of uses, but its most notable use is in lithium-ion batteries, making it a very profitable ore to mine. The trade war is over which company can secure the most lucrative contracts for the best price, with both companies hoarding their supplies of cobalt in an attempt to artificially inflate the global price, so they can get the most price for their cobalt. The trade war is currently ongoing with no end in sight, as the AoM and the FMC have been bitter rivals for over 50 years.
Zambet Fata, Sozkana, and Ulutor
The Daily Worker
Sozkana has a new Premier Secretary!
Avtukhov Valeryev, who was the Premier Secretary since 2062, said he would serve his last term and would be stepping down. Valeryev cited "deteriorating health" as his reason for retirement. Valeryev has several medical ailments, which led him to suffer a stroke several years ago.
In his place as Premier Secretary steps Cendev Artemo; the Politburo confirmed his appointment late last night. Artemo has been on the Politburo since 2069, and before that he served as Minister of Argiculture and was First Secretary of the Raqidara SSR, but his most notable position was that as Minister of Science.
Artemo's political beliefs were summarized in his three books; Hope Without Fear, Hunted By History, and Shield Of Hell. To sum up the books and Artemo's beliefs, he agrees with Valeryev's dismissal of natural revolution, but also dismissed the permanent revolution advocated by hardliners in the party. Instead, he advocated something he calls "Red Tiger Revolution". Named after Sozkana's national animal, Red Tiger Revolution takes a new look at the current state of affairs.
In Artemo's own words: "Red Tiger Revolution is about liberation. The destruction of old systems, and the rebuilding of new ones under the red banner. The ideas of class and capital, would, and shall, be destroyed. Exploitation in particular will be destroyed, and its propagators utterly crushed. It is the duty of all Toraists, of all cultures, creeds, and backgrounds, to bring about liberation from exploitation."
Those final words, "Liberation from Exploitation", became a campaign slogan of Artemo's. Artemo has also advocated several other ideas, such as mandatory weapon ownership for all Sozkanans, an internationalist take on foreign policy (Sozkana should put the needs of the international struggle against enemies of Toraist above all else), and advancements in science. His most note worthy (and controversial) idea is a full freedom of religion in Sozkana. Although Sozkana is overwhelming atheist, religions is officially banned in public and can be only practiced privately; Artemo wants to lift that ban. Finally, Artemo has an unrivaled hatred for one thing; monarchy. In particular, royalty. It could be the fact that his father was killed during World War III by an Anthacian soldier, but nevertheless the 48 year old does not just hate royalty on a political level, he himself said his hatred for royalty is "a deep personal one".
Cendev Artemo - Sozkana's new Premier Secretary.
Zambet Fata and Chinern
The Kawanosobade Herald
President Mathew Herechan announced earlier today that Kabiva will undergo an industrialization plan called the Novo. The Novo will implement extensive programs of economic and social development, and unlike previous plans that were undermined by mismanagement and corruption, the Novo will be closely monitored by the central government. In addition, Kabiva has been graced with experts from Sozkana who will aid in the Novo.
The Novo will also address the disorganized agriculture system and will reform the Central Bank of Kabiva which has been ruined by excessive foreign debt, which has also paralyzed communities largely due to lack of finance. Sozkana has offered to forgive Kabiva's debts to the Sixth International and will aid in the repayment of its debts to the nations of the NSP and House Sberrj. President Herechan also announced that he will suspend interest payments to organizations associated with the IU and its nations, however small they may be, and announced that Kabiva shall not be paying back those debts.
The Party will also loosen governmental control over citizens' personal lives, and the communes will be gradually disbanded in favor of working contracts.
Finally, Sozkana will become a major supplier of military aid such as arms, missiles and fuel. Sozkana has also proposed a joint SI "Imperialist Protection Force" along Kabiva's border with Anthacia, but President Herechan has given Sozkana a raincheck on that.
Zambet Fata, Sozkana, and Ikazia
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