Esamir National News Network

Frabjous Day commemorates the day Roghtang the holiest prophet of the Lord Omegus was made immortal and make a goddess and queen of the heavens after she endured four challenges placed before her by Omegus. The faithful commemorate these four challenges on Mondays before Frabjous Day.

The first Monday commemorates her challenge with the elements when fire and water from heaven tried to burn and drown her, the second commemorates her temptation by the evil one, the third remembers her sentencing to exile in the wilderness and the fourth- her death by execution by being shot by arrows.


Commemorates the day when Omegus created the earth and took his place as king of the heavens. In the life of Roghtang it marks the day she defied exile and waited outside the Viscos city gates and entered it the next day.


Roghtang enters Viscos in defiance of the exile sentence passed against her by the courts. Here she gives her last sermon and then she is arrested. Her trial is unfairly carried out the next day and she is sentenced to death.


Crus is the old word for death, and the mode of execution popular at that time. The victim is tied to a specially designed post and is shot with arrows. This was her last challenge- Death.


Services start at 5 am before the sun rises and the service begins with the holy fire coming back into public view since Friday evening when it was hidden from public view. The fire is the living embodiment of Roghtang. The fire is brought out just before sunrise as it is believed that the light of the sun will not shine unless the fire of roghtang blazes.

The service also begins with the offering of Roghtang's funeral sacrifice which is then transformed into a thanksgiving offering once the proclomation of Roghtang's new life is announced.

Frabjous Day is celebrated by decorating a pole with lights and flowers to symbolize the pillar of fire that broke the seal to her grave.


Roghtanganistines make up a minority in UKZ, but the origins of Roghtanism find its roots in the Zack state of Relion. Roghtang is believed to have been born and lived here. Cair paravel house also set up a Frabjous pole outside on the lawns. Roghtanism is also present in several neighbouring nations like New Tarajan.

Raitia, Achaian Norda: More than a week after Montferrati troops entered the city of Raitia, the namesake of the Achaian-ruled diocese of which it was the capital, Montferrati and Achaian officials meeting together in this city have agreed on the complete reorganization of the Achaian-held territories in Norda, and have established a transitional government capable of meeting the demands of the Nordan population while still retaining Achaian authority in the region. According to today’s announcement, made jointly by the Achaian and Montferrati officials in Raitia, the previously-named “dioceses” of Norda will retain their current political borders and regional capitals, but will be freed of the religious element of the previous Achaian administration, which had been entirely led and staffed by the Achaian Church and its handpicked representatives. “While we are aware that His Majesty Sultan Ioannis [IX Kallergis] fully intended to Christianize this region of Esamir, we are equally aware that His Anointed Majesty was initially unaware of the full effect of this ambition on the people of Norda,” said Minister Apostolos Douras, who has been named Megas Logothetis for the term of his stay in Raitia by the authority of Sultana Aikaterini. “By the time His Majesty became aware of the objectionable nature of the Achaian Church’s government in Norda, it was too late to dislodge that organization’s hold on the area without inviting a revolt among the devout people of Morea, as well as further unwarranted disruptions by the Church to His Anointed Majesty’s attempts to rebuild Morea’s relationship with non-Christian partners such as New Tarajan. Her Majesty Sultana Aikaterini has accomplished what His Majesty Sultan Ioannis could not, but only because the adoration of our Church has cooled in the wake of His Majesty’s assassination. The Lord provides, but His mercy does not always come without cost.”

“We are hopeful that the damage done by religious intolerance in this region can be reversed in short order,” said Minister Hermann Badoer of the Duchy of Montferrat. “Bishop Gavriil has a lot to answer for, as soon as we find him.”

Bishop Gavriil Ekklisias, handpicked for his post in Raitia by Bishop Akakios IV Doukas of Mystras, ruled these Achaian Dioceses from their establishment until the takeover by Montferrati military forces just over a week ago. Both he and his sponsor Bishop Akakios escaped capture by unknown means, and their current whereabouts are a mystery. Bishop Akakios in particular has made many enemies throughout the world in his time as primate of the Achaian Church, and is now officially wanted not just by Achaian and Montferrati authorities, but also by the Tarajani government in relation to insults he issued against that nation, its monarch, and its people. Tarajani authorities have promised to deliver Bishop Akakios to Achaian justice should they be the ones to capture him. Today Sultana Aikaterini officially acknowledged the Tarajani warrant with a promise of close cooperation between Nafplio and Astana until the bishop is found and brought to justice. In the meantime, investigations continue as to the disappearance not just of the two bishops and a significant portion of Bishop Gavriil’s governing cabal from Raitia, but also the disappearance of the Achaian Church’s security personnel in the area, most of whom are believed to have fled in the face of superior Monferrati firepower upon the entry of the latter into Achaian Norda. Logothetis Douras briefly touched on this point as well: “We will guarantee the safety and security of Achaian Norda, with the able assistance of the Duchy of Montferrat and the Nordans themselves. We are coming to know the full truth of the Achaian Church’s time in this place, and we wish to assure every Nordan, within and without our borders, that the crimes that were perpetrated here will not be repeated. The Achaian Church in Morea will be questioned, undoubtedly, but in Norda everyone may be sure it will never return. We will find those who caused all of this pain, and we will bring them to justice.”

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Morean Princes Assure Tarajani People: “Our Religion Does Not Reflect Bishop Akakios’s”

Due to a higher than average rainfall this season, local crops in the Asturias and Alhambra crop belt are thriving in recent news. Local farmers are excited with the new rainy season as they hope for a higher turn out than the drier season of the last few years. Many expect that the near-drought in Asturias and Alhambra is finally over and that farmers can relieve their reliance on fresh-water resources.

Half Christmas is a gag holiday that has been made popular by popular culture and TV Shows in the UKZ with many Zacks using the day as a reason to get drunk at the pub or throw pool parties to beat the heat.

This year for the first time Cair Paravel House will host a barbeque on the lawns to celebrate Half Christmas. Several celebrities and TV personalities will attend the event along with even the several important government ministers and even the speaker of the house. Alcohol will be served.

This celebration is a showcase of the party culture of the UKZ and the apathy Zacks have for Eurasian threats of war.

Even the religious use this day to remmeber the importance and significance of Christmas.

Wishing all our readers a Very Merry Half Christmas.



The annual Monsoon has been delayed with rains on and off in several southern areas of the UKZ. While Scotland is reporting sleet and heavy torrential rain.

The Monsoons are the most important season for the UKZ as a nation that is largely dependent on agriculture for its economic prosperity so the stock markets and the government will be looking closely at the monsoon season. There is risk of famine and draught if the rains are innadequate.

For the past two years the UKZ has seen excellent monsoons and it has actually helped the economic boom the UKZ is experiencing.

Besançon, Marquette--Joseph Charpentier, Chancellor of Marquette, has delivered his annual speech addressing the people of Marquette on topics ranging from a multi-billion dollar network of high speed trains, to the 12-month analysis of economic performance, to his plans for re-allocation of spending for the last two years of his term. Annual addresses are typically private events, with the Chancellor delivering his speech in the chambers of the Senate and broadcast for the rest of the country to view at home. However, due to the abundance of highly contentious topics, Charpentier decided to deliver his address on the Capitol steps for the general public to attend.

For the majority of the last year, the Senate has been embroiled in highly controversial negotiations over a proposed network of high speed trains that would connect most major cities in the country, with a price tag of nearly $22bn. Among the most avid supporters of the proposal is Charpentier himself, who claims that increased connectivity would prove invaluable for interstate commerce. No single party currently holds the majority in the Marquetien Senate, which is not uncommon, but has led to much gridlock. The Unionist Bloc, who are largely in favor of the project, has thus far failed to convince many members of the body to move forward with it. Charpentier's own support of the project has drawn much criticism from members of his own ranks, as the Independence Party has preached for years of the importance of maintaining an iron fist around the nation's pursestrings.

Many supporters of the Conservative Bloc (which includes the Independence Party) make the claim that the implications of undertaking such a large project at once could be unfavorable on the economy. Proponents of the proposal claim that the long-run opportunities it would make possible outweigh the potential short-term consequences.

Government spending has been at an all-time low since 2013 when Charpentier began his six-year term. Taxes, in turn, have been allowed to remain at record lows, even for Marquetien standards. In his speech, Charpentier laid out his two-year budget plan for his final years in office. As one of the largest economies in Esamir and a choice location for wealthy foreigners to hide cash, corporate income tax rates and capital gains taxes will remain relatively low. However, he plans to roll out over the next six years a new tax code that would gradually implement a progressive tax code that would give the federal government more breathing room.

Several notable Marquetien economists have raised concerns over the future of the economy if interest rates remain low. While the chancellor claimed he was not able to speak to the future of interests rates at this time, he assured the people that he has been engaged in talks with the chair of the Marquetien National Bank, Fedorico Baste, over the possibility of raising rates in the near future.

As Charpentier's term enters its final stretch, his straying from party lines shows a pragmatic side that has largely been unseen since his days as a senator. Willingness to shun the Independence Party's resolute aversion to government spending is welcome by many Marquetiens who have been calling for greater involvement of the federal government in public works and welfare. Intense gridlock has been crippling the government since 2013 and forced Charpentier to dissolve the Senate two years in a row, in 2014 and 2015. In 2015, one-third of the seats of elected members in the Senate were up for re-election, and only slightly lessened the problem. The Marquetien public are sitting on the edge of their seats awaiting what will be one of the most contested Senate races in recent history.

Astana.
Months ago, when, in the midst of the political storm caused by the TSDP draft of a law banning "religious influence in politics", the Evangelical Lutheran Church of New Tarajan decided to challenge the same law in court, few thought the move would have had any possible following.
The law had just been approved by both the Diet and the Landsraad, with strong support from the government, and King Friederick Wilhelm, who had never fully expressed his personal opinions about it, had signed it, as required for any law to be brought into full effect, despite the protests of fringes of the political world and harsh criticism from outside actors, including long-lasting allies and partners of the Kingdom, not to mention the long struggle against Bishop Akakios of Morea.
Now, months after those events, the news shocked everybody: the Court of the Seven, the supreme court of the Kingdom, announced its ruling, accepting the request of the ELCNT and officially declaring the law to be "unacceptable under Tarajani principles of law and in contradiction with them."
In its ruling the Court (which is composed by seven members, appointed by the King among the most prestigious law experts of the Kingdom, and which can rule upon matters of constitutionality and the interpretation of laws) fully explained the reasons behind the sentence: "Although we understand the motives of this law, and find them commendable, since it aimed to reduce religiously-motivated violence inside and outside the political world" the ruling said "Its existence is in complete contraddiction with the fundamental principles upon which the laws of our Kingdom are based, since they clearly postulate the freedom of religion and thought of all Tarajani citizens."
"To forbid a citizen serving in the highest of functions, that of representative in the Royal Diet, to express his or her own opinion, because deemed as religiously-biased, is an unacceptable violation of those principles."
As a result, the Court has now ordered the law to be repelled, hoping that "the Diet, and the political world it represents, will find a better way to resolve the problems arising from religiously-motivated violence."
In the Tarajani system, however, a ruling of the Court has no automatic effect: the law must be submitted again to the King, who has to accept the judgement and, thus, officially repeal the law as for his powers. Although there's no official obligation for the King to do so, never in the history of the Kingdom a sovereign refused to acknowledge the decision of the supreme Court.
However, the duty of King Friederick Wilhelm is far from being easy: the law was the highest political bid of the TSDP in the recent years, and its repeal would have enormous political costs for the socialists; the support given to it by an incredibly-divided Blue Party (it must be reminded that the law strong emphasis against Christians was never fully digested by the liberals, being it a more traditional flag for the conservatives), also, seriously threatens the tenure of the government, particularly considering how Prime Minister De Witte-Beulen expressed his support for the draft. Even the Landsraad will not be left unscathed by this: the Major Houses fully supported the law, and actively fought for its approval, even pressing the King and the Diet, and their reaction to this news is a dangerous unknown. In a few words, a new political hurricane is hovering over New Tarajan, and could strike anytime soon. If and how this will happen it all depends now on the ability of the main actors of the Tarajani political scene, and on how King Friederick Wilhelm will stand in front of the possibility to have a new political crisis so soon after the fall of Prime Minister Van Aardenne-Gliefen, which only miraculously did not lead to a break up of the liberal Blue Party, and to eventually put himself in direct contrast with the Landsraad.
Meanwhile, a first wave of comments it's coming: representatives of the conservative Regeneratije Partij already attacked the Court decision, deeming it as "irresponsible" considering the recent acts of violence by Christian groups, which was the most visible cause for the draft itself; few members of the Blue Party who voted against it in the Diet, however, cautiously expressed their will to accept "as provided by our laws, this ruling, and to act accordingly." No official statement has yet officially been released by the Palace of Government or Palace Van Geldern.
Nor did the ELCNT speak yet. Although one thing is clear: archbishop Bugenhagen, primate of Astana and main promoter of the decision to challenge the law to the Court of the Seven (and not to a State-level court has many suggested) could be very proud and satisfied. His bid was fully repaid.

New Viscos- The seat of power of the Roghtanganistine Faith celebrated its Independence Day. It historically marks the end of Telmarine rule in the region and establishment of the Holy Relionite Empire. The day is now used to commemorate the last day of the 6 week long Frabjous celebrations which commemorates the Immortality of Prophet Roghtang.

Several international leaders were also present including Prime Minister of UKZ and the ambassadors of the royal household of New Tarajan, Sdudeti Karabak and North Ajania. (The religious head of the roghtanganistine faith- The Manalsu is also from New Tarajan).

Service began at 9 am on the Temple Grounds with the worship of the holy flame and then the lighting of the sacrificial offering.



The Monsoons hit the mainland UKZ late, but they are finally here. The nation has seen the lowest average rainfall for June in years and this could spell bad news for the agricultre sector of the nation.
While the nation will now count on the July rains to make up for the loss of rainfall, Lacostasia has been getting excess rainfall. There is rampant flooding on the island and the Zack navy is carrying out rescue operations.

Meanwhile the onset of the monsoons will promote tourism in some parts of the UKZ. Tourism is the second largest sector of the Zack economy. While Goa will see almost no tourism as the beaches (main attraction) will see rough tides and dangerous conditions, Omsk with its beautiful back waters, Mikum with its hiking trails and Scotland with its rolling highlands and East Plain's flowering plains will see a boom in its tourism.

The monsoons are very important to the Zack economy and the fluctuations in the monsoons could reflect in the stock markets as well.
The UKZ puts all its economic success based on the quality of the monsoons.

Due to the delayed rains, we might see a slow down in the Zack economy in the days to come.

Astana.
Fourteen injured and four arrests. This is the result of the protests which erupted in Astana yesterday afternoon, as stated by a spokesperson of the Metropolitan Gendarmerie. The protests exploded after the announcement that the Court of the Seven, Tarajani supreme court, decided to welcome the appeal made by the Evangelical Lutheran Church of New Tarajan (ELCNT) against the Anti-Religious Interference Law recently passed through the legislative process and signed by the King.
As expected, the Court's ruling, which defined the law as "unacceptable under Tarajani principles of law and in contradiction with them", re-ignited the long-lasting religious contrasts existing under the surface of Tarajani politics. A country deeply divided along religious lines (between the Western States, with a Jahanist or even non-believer majorities, and the Eastern States, with stronger Christian minorities, sometimes even majorities; or between those still skeptics about Christian loyalties to the Monarchy and to the Tarajani liberal regime and those, instead, strongly advocating a complete religious liberalization) now finds itself facing the possibility of a repeal of one of its most controversial laws, which touched a very delicate issue, such as the influence of religion in politics.
The law, already hotly contested, particularly at the State level, was authored by TSDP members, with the open support of a majority of the governing Blue Party and even, after the Morean crisis, of the government itself and a majority of the Landsraad.
As a result, its possible repeal is creating a true storm over the Kingdom, and many have taken the streets, both in Astana and other major cities, in order to protest their indignation against the ruling (deemed as an "attack against Tarajani freedom") or, at the contrary, their support for the repeal of a "legislative unjustice". Although the rallies have been mainly peaceful, clashes became almost unavoidable when the two sides met each other, as in the case of Astana, where both rallies met not far from Palace Van Souten, seat of the Court of the Seven. The police had an hard way of handling with the protesters, and as a result three cars were burned, and there were injured and arrests.
The situation is now slowly coming under control, as in other cities, although more rallies have been announced in Eindhoven, Witteberg, and Bergenstadt.
The whole Kingdom is waiting to see what the King will do now, although only few expect that the sovereign would really risk not to accept the repeal (which would be an unprecedented move in Tarajani history).


Meanwhile, political reactions are beginning to surface from all directions. After the first comments released by members of the conservative Regeneratije Partij (RP), opposing the ruling, now it is the turn of the governing Blue Party of Prime Minister De Witte-Beulen.
"The Court's decision must be respected" a party's spokesperson said "Although the Diet will have to address again the issues arising from this repeal." An ambigious position, clearly defined in order not to dissatisfy both the moderate and radical currents inside the party. More uncompromising comments came from few Blue representatives belonging to the radicals: "This decision is absurd" they said during an interview "Compromising months of delicate legislative work, aimed at protecting our citizens from harming interference...did the judges already forgot what happened in Witteberg? Or in Heinrichstadt?" a reference to the most recent cases of religiously-motivated controversies and violence (in Heinrichstadt, the local County Diet was burned to the ground by protesters during an anti-abortion rally).
On the same line most of the TSDP, which now risks of seeing its political power greatly diminished by the Court's decision. A repeal of the law, indeed, would mean a serious setback for the socialist reprisal in the Diet after years of consensus fall.
The far right Republikeinse Vrijheid (Republican Freedom, or RV) approved the ruling, which they labelled as "just another attempt by the monarchical institutions of attacking the rights of thousands of Tarajani citizens".
But it is on the State level that the situation is getting more and more messy. Beginning into the Landsraad, where the Major Houses are divided on the issue (as they were during the legislative process), between Western Houses (generally in favour of the law) and Eastern Houses (generally against it). Yesterday afternoon, in the aftermath of the protests, during a session of the Landsraad Albrecht IV Van Adelaar, Duke of Drachten, publicly announced that, under his personal suggestion, the Ducal Diet has halted the process of reception of the law (every federal law must be accepted into local State law to have full effects into State territories), which was already meeting with strong resistance; same decision was announced immediately after by Karl Ludwig VI Van Haasen, Duke of Bergen. The decision of two of the largest States of the Kingdom to openly refuse the law even before the King's intervention is a strong political signal, which was not well received by all other Landsraad members, such as Philippe IV Van Aardenne, Count of Gravan, who defined them as "irresponsible behavior" (strong words in the usually more calm Landsraad). However, perhapes it is significant that, to bridge the opinions of both sides, it was Marcel V De Witte, Count of Witteberg and cousin of the Prime Minister, who intervened.
Now everybody's waiting: when the King will return from Vieneskel, and his meeting with House of Vergara, the decision will be his to take. And it will be a tough one.

Besançon, Marquette — The 2017 Senate Elections in Marquette are officially underway, and campaigning across the nation’s 68 districts that are contested this year has become increasingly competitive. Gridlock in Besançon has thus far crippled the first four years of Chancellor Joseph Charpentier’s six-year mandate, and his Independence Party is anxious to snatch more seats in order to win a definitive majority for the Conservative Coalition. With public opinion so much in favor of the multi-billion dollar train network championed by the Unionist Coalition, the conservatives have not faced such a difficult election in decades. Of the 27 seats the Independence Party must defend this year, 15 are in the traditionally left-leaning principalities of Cordevar and Miléna, which will no doubt prove to be some of the toughest battles of the year.

Political analysts are also paying close attention to the performance of the Social Advancement of Marquetien Workers Party (SAMWP). SAMWP’s entrance into national politics in the 2013 elections upset the balance of the coalitions, and their refusal to compromise on their party agenda and join a coalition is seen as the number one reason the senate has been so dreadfully inefficient in recent years. Their refusal to compromise also forced Charpentier to dissolve the senate two years in a row in 2014 and 2015 after months of counterproductive debate was only wasting government resources, as the Independence and Unionist Coalitions on their own only hold about 47% of seats each. The 2016 and 2017 sessions got off to shaky starts, but ultimately Unionists and Conservatives were able to set aside some of their differences to pass a budget and other critical pieces of legislation necessary for basic functioning of the government.

Public sentiment in Marquette appears to be shifting increasingly in the anti-establishment direction, which could spell disaster for both Unionists and Conservatives, whose affiliate parties, the Greens and Democratic Unionists respectively, are poised to take the lead. However, Marquetien politics have historically favored traditional parties, so any drastic shift in the senate is considered highly unlikely by political analysts. Either way, Marquetiens will certainly have a lot to consider when hitting the polls on August 1.

Nafplio, Morea: After days of waiting, Sultana Aikaterini II Baumbach-Kallergis has announced the Sultanate of Morea’s official response to claims that Bishops Akakios IV Doukas and Gavriil Ekklisias are creating a new ‘Achaian homeland’ in distant Oriento: invite foreigners to live there first. From her residence in Nafplio, Sultana Aikaterini called on the large number of still-rootless refugees that have come to Morea in search of a new home to take to the road once again, and act as the Sultanate’s official representatives in Oriento, in the Far East of Esamir. This comes after Bishop Gavriil released a video message to news outlets in the Duchy of Montferrat declaring that Achaians unhappy with Sultana Aikaterini’s rule could find a new home outside of their monarch’s authority.

“The people of Morea, Achaian and non, are subject to our authority above all others’ save God’s,” Sultana Aikaterini said in today’s announcement. “So too are all Achaians, in Morea and out of it, equally subject, even if they should fly to far Oriento. Our Church in Morea has learned the folly of agitating against the rightful rule of the Lord’s anointed monarch, though only after we suffered bitterly in the teaching; but prelates outside of these lands seek still to harass us, and lead our people astray. By our will, those who desire to do the most good for Morea and the whole Sultanate shall accompany those who wish us naught but evil. By their vigilance, the criminals who yet lay claim to bishoprics whose names they have sullied may finally be brought to justice.”

The vast majority of international refugees now residing in Morea do not adhere to the Achaian Church, and have come to Morea as a land of last resort as a result of the upheavals that have clouded Esamir throughout the past two years. Cursory observations make clear that they have never truly felt at home here, even under the more tolerant authority of Sultana Aikaterini in the wake of the Church’s reform. The Sultana believes that many such refugees, accompanied by various Makarian military units from Montferrat, would be pleased to abandon Morea in favor of territory with no prominent Christian heritage—and would have a vested interest in preventing Church leaders, especially the notorious Bishop Akakios, from turning that territory into another Achaian diocese on the lines of Raitia, Liguria, and Aimilia, which suffered serious harm by the order of the Achaian Church until Montferrati and Sultanate civil servants replaced the ecclesiastical hierarchy in Raitia by force of Montferrati arms. It is clear from Bishop Gavriil’s earlier announcement that this very plan currently motivates his thought, and that without intervention there may soon be another Christian theocracy lording over a non-Christian native populace.

Sultana Aikaterini made clear today that she will not accept that outcome. “Akakios is a wanted man,” she said. “If he is in Oriento, our people will find him and return him to Morea to answer those questions that have long surrounded him, relating to Norda and to our Royal Father”—a reference to still-unanswered concerns that Bishop Akakios’s sermons and influence brought about the assassination of Sultan Ioannis IX earlier this year. “Even if he is not present in that place,” the Sultana added, “we will not permit any Achaian to accept this man’s authority, nor will we allow the Church that has so lately been the cause of so much pain to inflict still more injury on the rest of this world. We, appointed by God for this duty, rule over the Achaians. Let the prelates remember that before their folly leads them to the ultimate disaster.”

The Sultana did not detail when or how she would provide for the transport of so many migrants to Oriento. Nonetheless, sources close to the Sultana assure the Monitor that plans are firmly in place to achieve this goal.

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IN OTHER NEWS:

Prince Dimosthenis Announces First Stage of Cathedral Construction Complete

Anticipation in Mystras as Residents Prepare for Journey

Astana.
After weeks of waiting, during which the whole Kingdom saw demonstrations and rallies rising in almost all States, finally King Friederick Wilhelm has taken his decision. Speaking from the Royal Palace, where the Royal House just came back from Vieneskel few days ago, a spokesperson of House Van Vinkel yesterday confirmed that "His Royal Majesty has just signed the official repeal of the Anti-Religious Interference Law, thereby accepting the judgement of the Court of the Seven."
Thus, the much contrasted law which prohibited many forms of public display of religion, and which causes much turmoil in the whole country, is no more.
The news came as no surprise for many, although still there was a palpable anxiety in both the political world and the public opinion about the King's decision: never in Tarajani history did a sovereign refuse the judgement of the Court of the Seven, which works as supreme court of the Kingdom; a decision in this sense by King Friederick Wilhelm II, so careful to respect Tarajani juridical principles, would have been a clear contradition to the liberal policies enacted by himself during his reign.
However, the signature and consequent repeal come with a price: the Landsraad is still divided, mainly on the geographical West-East line, between those in favour of the law and those against it, and to the former the news will come as no pleasure; the Diet is similarly, although somewhat less, divided, with the ruling Blue Party on the verge of internal collapse, and the Right on the war path. The tenure of the government itself was at risk before the signature, but a careful diplomacy carried on by the King during the last weeks helped avoiding the disaster: through direct consultations with representatives of all political sides at the Royal Palace, discussions and debates inside and outside the Council, meetings with prominent Landsraad members, King Friederick Wilhelm almost made a miracle. The whole issue testifies of the great political skills of the King, and of his full commitment toward the Liberal Project.




His position has been further confirmed when, today morning, he spoke in front of both the Landsraad and the Diet, gathered in joint session for the occasion: "This is no time for further crises" he said "This is the time to act, strongly and decisively, for the well being of all our citizens."
King Friederick Wilhelm stated that "it was not easy for me to sign the repeal. Not because I doubted the work made by our excellent judges, but because I knew too well of the political meaning of that act, and of its reflexes in the political world. But I did it, nonetheless: because that was my duty, as a King. Now, it is your duty, as members of the legislative assemblies, and of the most noble and honourable aristocracy, to find a solution to the problems that this repeal will undoubtedly arise."
An clear invite to keep calm, working for the good of the Kingdom's citizens. But the King himself decided to give the example: "After careful consideration and debate with the Council of my ministers, I have decided to form a special Committee, made of the representatives of all religions professed by our citizens, that will have the specific goal of advising these assemblies, the government, and myself, on all matters regarding faith and religion."
"It is time to move forward, toward a stronger and more united country." he concluded.
Members of the Committee are already being selected, and it is clear that a formal invitation to join it has been extended also to Archbishop Bugenhagen, head of the ELCNT.
And in the wake of religious liberalization now inaugurated by the King, there've also been interesting developments for the ELCNT itself: King Friederick Wilhelm, indeed, confirmed that by his own decision he had granted to the Lutheran Church the full possession of some of the churchers which were confiscated in the XVII century, following the abolition of Christianity in the Kingdom, and which were still part of House Van Vinkel's patrimony; among them, St. John, former cathedral, which, the King's hopes, will return to its former role. The King also invited the Houses of the Landsraad to do the same, although the decision is fully discretionary.
Both King's decisions already encountered the favour and full approval of the Council of Elders, the assembly of the most revered Jahanist sages.
Where this new policy will lead the Kingdom is too far to be seen. However, while discontent is rising among various fringes of anti-religious extremists, and also inside the political world and even some environments of the law enforcement agencies, it is clear that most of the population is appreciating this new position in favour of full individual freedom, something the Tarajani people has always strongly cherished.
The King made clear that "religiously-motivated violence will never be tolerated, as any other kind of violence" but that the best way to avoid it "is to work together, and to respect each other, in the true spirit of Tarajani liberalism." Words which will help appease the opposition inside the Landsraad (mainly motivated by fear of violent repercussions, such as the events in Gravan). It is to be seen if it will work also for the Diet.

Besançon, Marquette--In a victory that reverberated through the political establishment of Marquette, the Green Party has successfully displaced the Conservative Bloc as the largest party in the senate. Capitalizing on the growing discontent with the conservatives' over-zealous refusal to spend money, the electorate has chosen the Greens as the middle way, promising to increase spending on protecting the pristine natural environment while keeping taxes relatively low so as not to hurt Marquette's colossal economy. The results of this election signal the continuation of a shift in Marquetien politics that started four years ago whereby the establishment is slowly losing ground to parties that tout new, big ideas on how to keep Marquette ahead.

For the first time in over a decade, Garagen will be feeling the heat of genuine competition with the new Liberal Party leader Maisey Jacotey showing many of the winning traits that propelled the then young Garagen to a resounding victory that's gone from strength to strength over the course of his 12 year long, and still counting, tenure. As the nation heads towards it's midterm elections in little over 3 months, polls show the liberalist coalition (Liberal Party, National Party and Democratic Union Party) polling the highest they've polled since Garagen came into office back in '06. If the election were held today, the Liberalists would force the Red-Black Coalition of NZFirst and Labour into a grand coalition of the left wing, with the currently cross-benching Green's Party in order to hold governance. This would put Garagen's administration in hot water, as his future governance would at this rate would rely re-establishing a grand coalition of the left, this time including the Green's who have been at odd's with the Garagen Administration on numerous policies. While it is almost certain that the Green's would join a coalition with Labour (a hostoric ally of theirs) and NZFirst, they hold the balance of power and will certainly capitalise on it to push through their influence and some of their key policies. This places Garagen's administration in an extremely unstable position, something that will be very foreign to Garagen himself, who has so far experienced an extremely cosy dominance of his Red-Black Coalition. 

So who is this Maisey Jacotey who has Garagen looking over his shoulder? Jacotey is much like Garagen and the right wing's response to Garagen's dominance. While the latter has been aged and worn down by over a decade of perhaps the most stressful job on the planet, leading a military, economic and diplomatic superpower, facing a full scale invasion, subsequent cold war and rebuild, Jacotey is a fresh face with much of the youthful charisma and passion that propelled Garagen to his first victory. Jacotey ran for the first time for the Liberal Party last election winning her place in parliament not through the party list, but rather by winning the position as Senator for Magnolia District, thus earning her a seat in the House of Representatives as well as the Senate. At 33, she is 2 years younger than Garagen was when he won his first election campaign. Jacotey is a native of Magnolia, having grown up in Ivy City and graduating with a Law Degree from Victoria University of Magnolia. She practiced as a public defender for the best part of a decade before enterring politics as a candidate for the Liberal Party. Jacotey posseses much of the charisma, charm, passion and honesty that captivated the nation with Garagen. While one could be forgiven for thinking of Jacotey as a reiteration of Garagen, the differnces between the two could not be starker. Jacotey is campaigning on a far more economically and socially liberal wavelength than Garagen, while the latter opts to err to the side of protectionism, unionism and government intervention, Jacotey is a neo-liberal at the core. However, the main selling point for Jacotey is her relentless positivity, while Garagen's tenure has made him decidedly more cynical and pragmatic than the young man the nation fell in love with back in '06. This last term has been particularily difficult for Garagen with the economy, while still exceedingly strong, has come down from it's post war boom as the national rebuild starts to near it's end. Moreover, the President's last tenure has been uneventful at best, with little happening in terms of breakthrough successes for the current administration, rather it's been more of "the same old". That said, Taxes have been a nightmare for this term, with the government running an exceptionally narrow surplus and thus not looking able to deliver on it's pledge to cut taxes this term. The average tax burder is currently the highest it's been in 3 decades, and the result is an increasingly displeased voter population. Jacotey, of course, has capitalised greatly on this, with her party announcing policies to significantly cut taxes and embrace their liberalist core. All hopes for Garagen's administration now rest on the results of the OMNI summet. Should the President be able to show some great strides forward in the OMNI alliance, it could reassure the public that Garagen's "still got it" per say, and be what it takes to ensure the President makes it on into his 4th term and surpasses the late Michael Jefferson to be the longest serving President and the only President to win 4 consecutive elections.

Later this afternoon His majesty, King Comrac Tryion, stated that he would speak with his economic advisors to plan new oil drilling sites. He hopes to grow the nations oil industry into one of the largest in the world with a plan to level a total of 6000 acres in 3 different locations to open 3 massive oil refineries. The King hopes to bring Chackle's oil production to 60 billion barrels in 2 years. He plans to invest 15 trillion dollars into this idea. Lead economic expert Joseph Gelen stated this; "I think its a wonderful idea in the long run, as it could boom Chackle's economy, but it will have a devastating effect on the environment.

Riesa, Montferrat: Duke Nico II Baumbach has declared his intention to elevate the waning status of the Duchy of Montferrat in its Nordan neighborhood, after months of silence in the wake of his wife Duchess Aikaterini’s accession as Sultana of Morea and the other Achaian-dominated territories, including the former Dioceses of Norda that lie on Montferrat’s borders. According to his announcement, Duke Nico intends to reestablish Montferrati preeminence in the neighboring region of Norda, from which the Duchy has collected a vast array of immigrants and soldiers over the course of three centuries, and over which it held a good deal of unofficial authority before the Montferrati-assisted arrival of the Achaian Church under Morea’s Sultan Ioannis IX Kallergis and then-Bishop Akakios IV Doukas. While Montferrati military action was later required to remove the disgraced Doukas and his subordinate Gavriil Ekklisias from Norda, media reports that Duke Nico had received instructions from his wife Sultana Aikaterini prior to acting served to dilute the Duke’s apparent authority in the region, even as Montferrati diplomats and military advisors came to dominate the subsequent transitional government in the newly-reorganized provinces. Based on today’s announcement, however, Duke Nico intends to build off of Montferrat’s existing political strength in the region in new territories beyond the Achaian provinces’ authority.

“The Sultanate has worked hard to establish order in Norda where there was initially little more than confusion,” the Duke explained in his address to the media from the Ministerial Palace, where he was joined by Duke’s Minister David Augustin and several other ministerial colleagues. “However, we are all aware that this order was imposed with little care and even less compassion, so that the hard-won respect of Christendom and the security of our own Duchy were all but erased as a result of the abuse. It has been left to Montferrat to aid the Sultanate in reinstating its authority and its pride in Norda, particularly in those lands that have suffered the outrages of the Achaian Church—those lands, most specifically, whose people favor the Shield of Makaria to the Word of God. Such people have long called Montferrat ‘friend,’ and I fully intend to maintain and strengthen this relationship, regardless of whether these Makarians live in the provinces of the Sultanate or the territories farther afield.”

The Montferrati military has long utilized Makarian soldiers and mercenaries from beyond the Duchy’s borders to bolster its own ranks, a practice that the Sultanate’s acquisition of Nordan lands on Montferrat’s borders had seemed destined to stop. Military experts now believe that Duke Nico intends to reopen this supply of manpower, which has thus far been seen as a definitive advantage of Montferrat over the Sultanate of Morea, despite the latter’s apparent political sway over Montferrati policies. Yet in asserting Montferrat’s primacy in the area, Duke Nico stands to alienate his wife, Sultana Aikaterini of Morea, whose authority now extends to those same provinces that Montferrati soldiers had been instrumental in liberating from the Achaian Church. Unsurprisingly, in response to intense media speculation in the wake of Duke Nico’s announcement, the Sultana released a written statement reading, in part, “The Sultanate welcomes another opportunity to work together with the Duchy of Montferrat in both strengthening out ties and bringing peace and stability to the lands of Norda, in the name of Christ.” The Sultanate clearly has no intention of relinquishing its nominal authority in Norda, especially as it turns its attention farther and farther east as a result of Gavriil Ekklisias’s latest appearance in Oriento.

The deciding factor in the power struggle between these two allies will be the Makarians themselves. Their treatment at the Sultanate’s hands has been described in atrocious terms by both Makarian and Montferrati leaders, but in the wake of Sultan Ioannis’s assassination and Ekklisias’s exile from the then-Diocese of Raitia, Makarian leaders, most of whom make their official homes in Riesa, have become great friends and defenders of the Sultanate, due mainly to their personal friendship with Sultana Aikaterini, which was developed when she was merely Duchess of Montferrat. Speaking from Nafplio, the acting capital of the Sultanate, Makarian Shield Bearer Luca Todt underlined the difficulties Duke Nico will have in requiring the Makarian people to choose between the two rulers. “Sultan Ioannis brought churches and oppression, and Sultana Aikaterini brought friendship and strength; the death of the one brought about the policies of the other. Duke Nico stood beside the Sultanate through all of it, and his policies have changed again and again, dependent on the wind. Can our people trust the Duke to maintain his opinion of us without the Sultana beside him to direct his steps? To my mind, the loudest voice in the Sultanate drives Duke Nico onward, and it only makes sense for we Makarians to associate ourselves with that driving force in order to ensure that the Sultanate and the Duchy are both reminded of our importance.”

Yet while Makarian leaders and soldiers residing in Morea, ironically under Montferrati authority, may find it more sensible to side with the Sultana, those living in the Makarian homelands of Norda are less attached to the Sultanate that brought Gavriil Ekklisias into their country, and are more sympathetic to the Duchy whose soldiers ejected the erstwhile bishops of the Achaian Church. Opinions on the two governments are mixed at best in Raitia, the Achaian-named capital of the region, but in their direct interactions with Achaian and Montferrati representatives, the locals show a decided preference for the Montferrati. With Duke Nico now stepping out of Sultana Aikaterini’s shadow in Norda, he may find a ready power base waiting for him to reestablish Montferrati authority in the region.

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IN OTHER NEWS:

Sultanate, New-Zealand Announce Refugee Deal Ahead of OMNI Vote; What This Means for Oriento

Joining Prince Chrysanthos on Tour of Duchy of Creil

The 10-day festival celebrating the birthday of the Hindu elephant god- Ganesha will kick off tomorrow, with most of the celebrations being confined to southern UKZ provinces. The biggest celebrations taking place in the provinces of Bombay, Daman, Trivandrum and Andaman.

For the first time, the entire UKZ will get a holiday for the South UKZ (Indian) festival as its popularity is growing with Hindus in northern UKZ.

People make elaborate idols of Ganesha and welcome him into their homes or in public places. They then carry out worship for a set number of days (Homes usually for one and a half day and public installations- called pandals, for 10 days). Following which a procession with drums and dancing is carried out and the idol is immersed in the sea or an appropriately sized water body.

World's Largest Ganesh Idol:

The world's largest Ganesh idol stands at a whopping 20 feet and is in the heart of Mumbai (Formerly called Pombay), Bombay. Now in its 80th edition. It is called 'Lalbaugcha Raja' which when translated means 'The King of Lal Baug (the area of Mumbai it is in)'.
Swarms of people will come to worship their lord at this pandal, as it is also a popular belief that all wishes asked here are fulfilled.

This year the government has installed a tourist line for entry separate from the worshipper's line for foreign tourists to promote the festival.


The government of these provinces have made artificial lakes that can be dismantled after the festival and are encouraging people to immerse their smaller idols in there to reduce the amount of pollution in the natural lakes and ocean. The idols have also been made with only clay and eco-friendly paint is being used.

This begins the festive season in UKZ. Following this will be in September: the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, Navratri, Durga Puja, Victory Weeks and Victory Day.
October: Diwali, Levi Day, Halloween
November: All Souls, All Saints, Christ The King
December: Hannukah, Christmas

This is a very crucial time for the government that has seen poor monsoons and will suffer major losses in the agricultural sector. The stability of the Zack economy is very much dependent now on the tourist turn out for these events.
The Tourism Minister is however confident because he says, "The world knows that no one can throw a party like the Zacks"

Church of Aloia welcomes Tarajani religious law repeal, return of ELCNT property

ASTANA -- The Council of Bishops cheered the repeal of New Tarajan's controversial religious law and celebrated the government's decision to return the confiscated properties of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in New Tarajan. The ELCNT has already hosted reconsecration and re-dedication services for their formerly-confiscated properties. The Church of Aloia sent representatives to Astana to be part of the ELCNT's reconsecration of St. John's Cathedral. 7 Aloian bishops and archbishops attended the festivities.

Besançon, Marquette -- The Marquetien Senate, which on Friday began its first session since elections a month ago, has returned to its fast-paced, efficient routine as the conservatives picked up a strong majority despite losses from Independence. When faced with either losing a 68% majority or conceding to the Greens' proposed tax and spending hike, the Independence Party has agreed to make compromises. Several bills for tax reform have made it to the table, but it appears as though Senator Luigi Manfero's (Gr., BEL) proposal of a gradual income tax increase to 5% over two years is the most popular. King Frédéric has been working closely with both Chancellor Charpentier and Green Party leader Maya Silva to ensure a smooth execution of the conservative agenda, but will be leaving the capital in the next few days for his mountain home in Chandelise for the rest of this year's session, as is custom for the king.

The MarPeC spill has been high on the list of topics, and next year's agenda is set to have billions of dollars sent to relief efforts in the area.

Later this afternoon, King Comrac made a public Press Conference to announce his plans on remodeling his countries military. The King stated that this would further enhance Chackle's strength and protection towards his people. After talking with Chackle's military advisor , Keth Menbor, he announced that the country would invest 5 trillion dollars into upgrading old equipment, and removing its older equipment. With this announcement he also stated that the country would see a massive increase in the military budget, bringing it from 27% of the budget to 33% of the budget by the 3rd quarter. King Comrac also stated that Keth Menbor and him talked about a plan to make its Air Force the strongest military division. King Comrac stated the following;

King Comrac wrote:I think that this will aid us in protecting our selfs from foreign militaries, and aid us in any future conflict, our military will be seeing a massive jump coming the 3rd quater of next year. I think that this will open many opportunities and will aid our nations growth. Within the following years, the world may fear our might as a nation.

A survey was then taken place after the conference, asking people what they think about the new plan, nearly 87% agree with it stating that it would prove to the world that Chackle is much bigger then expected, and the others state that the funding could have gone towards public services, or towards new factories.



During his conference, he also stated that the countries economic growth had hit recent records breaking the last record in 2005 as the growth rate was 4.7%. He stated that it was mostly from Chackle's oil industry as it had grown by a staggering 24% as the country continues to grow its oil industry. Chackle's oil industry had gone from small to medium size, and is expected to continue growing with future plans to develop more oil extracting sites.

Maisey Jacotey - Liberal Party

Known to some as the right's Garagen and hailing from the beatiful arveyrean descendant district of Magnolia, Maisey Jacotey is the leader of the Liberal Party and the political commentators' favourite to win this election. Jacotey is a fresh faced wild card entry from the struggling Liberal Party who saw her as a means of taking the fight directly to NZFirst and the left, and initial polls showed her slowly winning over some of Garagen's faithful from middle New-Zealand. With the former President no longer in the race, Jacotey has an effectively clear path to the office of President, and the left led by Magellus will be struggling to stop the whirlwind that is her relentless positivity. Jacotey will be campainging on the promise of lower taxes, less government interventionalism and increased personal freedoms. A true liberal at heart, she'll be a dire contrast to the pragmatic and somewhat drab alternatives presented by the left. In fact, some commentators would go as far as to claim that if Garagen had not already been engraved as such a household name with his heroic reclamation of New-Zealand from invading Eurasian forces in his first term of office, he wouldn't stand a chance in an election against Jacotey. 

Pierce Jefferson - Labour Party

In the red corner we have Pierce Jefferson, grandson of much loved former President Michael Jefferson. A last minute change in leadership has placed Jefferson at the head of the labour party and the upstart has already vowed to remain on as leader for a full term to try again next election if this one doesn't go favourably. Little is known of Jefferson's specific campaign policies as he was appointed leader following Lytle's resignation only 3 days ago. However he has made it clear that he stands firmly on the Centre-Left to Left end of the economic spectrum, a direct opposite to the Liberal Party. Jefferson will be hoping that his grandfathers status as a household name and national icon will help boost his polling and give the struggling Labour Party which found itself hemmhoraging voters to the NZFirst Party under Garagen's phenomenal leadership. What started off as a desperate labour party allowing the centrist Garagen to take the role of President even though the Labour Party had more seats in an effort to secure their coalition and ensure Labour was in government instead of the Liberals backfired horribly with the Eurasian invasion, which saw Garagen as the President skyrocket to a national hero and take his party up with him. As a result the first midterm elections went horribly, with NZFirst skyrocketing to the largest party, followed by the Liberals and finally Labour in third. The historically successful party has since struggled to regain it's lost voters, and with the loss of Garagen so too their guaranteed coalition partner. With NZFirst now open to coalition with the Liberals, it's imperative that Labour make their mark known as this campaign will literally be a the party fighting to survive. 

Now those are your three "major" parties and their leaders, one of whom will almost certainly be the President of the Social Democracy in little under 6 weeks. Ofcourse with a volatile MMP system, much could change and a few percentage points could be all it takes to dictate who takes the top office, who works props up the majority in coalition and who's neglected to the opposing benches. One thing we can't forget is the power of the minor parties, who could be vital to a coalition effort on election day. We can never rule out a sudden surge in support foor a minor party. The most notable ones, who are likely to make Parliament this term, are the Green Party, Libertarianz (LNZ), Republican Party and the United Future Party.

Fiji the tiny island nation formerly governed by the government of the Province of Andaman and Pakistan the newly acquired island near Chackle are all set to win independence from the UKZ. They will, however, continue to recognise Her Majesty the Queen as their head of state but will elect their own Prime Minister's and in the coming days.

Both Fiji and Pakistan are set to have parliamentary democracies, with Fiji's constitution committing to secularism and Pakistan committing to the establishment of an Islamic Commonwealth Territory.

Fiji is set to be a tourist hotspot for all tourists willing to pay a handsome amount to enjoy the nation's pristine beaches and coast line, its lush forests with exotic wildlife and colourful coral reefs. Parliament today passed the Government of Fiji Act 2017, only 1 abstention. This legislation essentially recognises the constitution of Fiji which will come into force on the 10th of September 2017.
The capital of Fiji is Suva.
The Prefect of Fiji- George Konrote will take the post as its first Governor-General. Frank Bainimarama is the favourite to be Fiji's First Prime Minister. He is from the Fiji First party which is based on the principles of classical liberalism.

The date for Pakistan's independence still has to be decided with the Viceroy of Pakistan (Scottish born E. McGregor) pushing for a secular constitution for Pakistan. The leader of the Pakistani freedom movement, however, insists on making the Commonwealth of Pakistan a home for all Muslim Commonwealth citizens.
Pakistan will go free, only the date and time is unknown.

Pakistan will be fueled by oil wealth as it will have access to the oil rich oceans around it, which it also shares with Chackle. Something that the UKZ can benefit greatly from, even though it is a nation quickly moving towards to renewable sources of energy. The capital of Pakistan is Karachi.

Pakistan and Fiji are set to be the newest members inducted into the Commonwealth association.

HURRICANE PIERCE

Deadly hurricane ravages St. Helena, approaching Pontus.

TRAPEZOUS, Pontus -- The International Central Weather Service has been closely watching Hurricane Pierce, a category 4 hurricane which is currently hurdling across the Pontic Sea toward Pontus and western Aloia. The storm formed south of the islands of St. Helena and has already crossed Aloia's island state, causing major damage to the cities of Ascension and Irene on Ascension Island. Three people were killed in Ascension when flood waters washed their car into Ascension Harbor. Authorities in Trapezous and other major cities in Pontus have already called for voluntary evacuation, urging residents to travel east and seek refuge in Bohemia and the Sudetenland.

Chancellor Nelson and the Senate have already committed funds to assist in the recovery efforts in St. Helena state and in Pontus. Divisions of the Home Guard and Aloian Legion have been activated and almost 4,000 reserve troopers stand ready to move in to the disaster zones to assist in recovery efforts.

The storm is expected to hit Pontus tomorrow, and then weaken as it travels over Moravia and Silesia. By the time it reaches the Baltic Sea, it is expected to fall apart over the cooler Baltic waters. It will reach Svealand and the Aloian peninsula as a group of thunderstorms.

There has been some talk among political observers about the timely coincidence between the New Zealand election season, with Pierce Jefferson being a leader in the polls, and the hurricane being named Pierce. However, as ICWS Spokesman Johannes Benrud said, "Any coincidence is just that. The name Pierce was put into rotation in 1995, long before Mr. Jefferson was on the scene." There are six alphabetical, gender-alternating lists of hurricane and tropical storm names. It just so happens that this year, the list bearing the name Pierce is the one being used.

Human rights groups aghast by another "slave conference." ----- Ministry of Diplomacy responds to Kiwi presidential candidates claims calling Eurasia an "evil empire"; "Yeah, and?" ----- Misriah Armories purchases several thousand new slaves servants for work in "mining operations." ----- Christian death rate still 17 times higher than the international average, reports delightful Culture Ministry dossier. ----- Tolbiacum again named worst province. ----- Arveyran prostitute imports up again, researchers flummoxed. ----- New Zealand ranked as "shittiest place to raise a Eurasian child," according to Ministry of the Frumentarii. ----- Ostium Praetor enacts martial law, prompting several senators to question "When was it ever lifted?" ----- Garagenoid still banned by Imperial proclamation, popular assent. ----- Want more? Oh I'll give u more u little slut come to daddy Visit www.mc.co.ea

Julium
Today marks the 2648th anniversary of the Indentured Servant Contract Exposition, which began yet again today in Julium despite protests from abolitionist groups. The conference began with many of the largest land-owning houses and noble families in Eurasia putting forth bids on the available contracts, many of whom were provided by well-established members of the conference. Misriah Armories, the infamous military contractor of the Ministry of War, put up for bid some 30,000 foreign workers from its far-provincial industrial complexes. The Ministry of the Frumentarii also made a peculiar showing, purchasing several hundred servant contracts from an obscure Ostian seller, each for exactly one peseta.

Among the newer faces to the conference included representatives of the Marquettian Government, who purchased upwards of 5,000 unskilled laborers from Traxus Heavy Industries, the premier construction and railroad contractor in Eurasia. Rumors speculate that these new workers will be put to use constructing the new railroad from Besançon to Fuerteventura. The Imperial Household also made an appearance, purchasing the contracts of several hundred landscapers and gardeners for work on several new private and public arboreta throughout the Empire.

The Ministry of the Treasury, who controls the exposition, stated that they expect to reap upwards of several billion in taxes from the sales come the conference's end at the end of this calendar week, and that this has been one of the largest opening exposition days thus far since the record setting 1998 exposition.

Those looking to purchase contracts online may do so by visiting www.mt.servant-expo.co.ea.

Nafplio, Morea: After a nine-month wait, the Sultanate and the Duchy of Montferrat now have a common ruler-to-be. At 1950 Morean Time, doctors at the Achaian Royal Medical Center, accompanied by the recently-arrived Duke Nico II Baumbach of Montferrat, announced that Sultana Aikaterini II Baumbach-Kallergis had given birth to a healthy baby boy. Duke Nico, who expressed his “love for Morea, its people, and of course its Sultana” as he thanked the doctors for their work, had been alerted by the Royal Household regarding the Sultana’s condition only hours before and had rushed to Nafplio to be on hand for the birth. He briefly discussed his hopes for a united Morea and Montferrat, “a leading nation—one hopes the leading nation—in Norda,” before returning to his wife’s bedside.

The arrival of Ioannis Nikos, or Johannes Nico as he will be known in Montferrat, is timely. The Sultanate and the Duchy have ironically grown apart in the months since Sultana Aikaterini, Duchess of Montferrat, took the Morean throne, and very recently Duke Nico announced that Montferrat would begin its own diplomatic outreach to the people of Norda without involving or consulting the Sultanate or its representatives in Raitia. At the same time, however, the Sultanate remains home to hundreds of Nordan Makarian soldiers serving under the Duchy of Montferrat, whose leaders seem to have attached themselves more firmly to Sultana Aikaterini in her role as Duchess than to her husband the Duke; these Makarians now make up the majority of the Sultana’s personal guard, and remain the primary defense force in Nafplio. Political observers in both nations can only guess how the birth of an heir to both the Sultanate and the Duchy will affect relations between the two states, especially if the Sultana and the Duke should disagree on where and how he should be brought up. Nonetheless, there is hope that the coming of Ioannis Niko Baumbach-Kallergis will reestablish the firm alliance between the two nations he is destined to rule, and will reaffirm the relationship between the rulers whose marriage has brought them together.

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IN OTHER NEWS:

Refugees and Mystras Émigrés Acclimate to Oriento, Each Other

Duke’s Minister Augustin Announces Diplomatic Successes in Norda