4 Day Long GanJam to be held in Sulari
ODEN-K expects a crowd of 75,000
Sulari, Duchy of Suldanor
October 1, 5512


Sulari Stadium, Home of the Peace Concert will Host GanJam 5513

La Reina Promises to bring RF back to GanJam
Debut Pop&B album No Sleep til Sulari Hits Number 1 on Albums Poll
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
January 8, 5513


La Reina lives up to her name as the New Queen of Pop Ascends the Album Chart

As Kalistan reorients its Foreign Policy, Baltusian Moves raise Alarm
Army Group South and the 3rd Navy receive Alert, will be reinforced
Yoshimi Station, Yoshimi, Duchy of Suldanor
February 27, 5513


Corvette Commander LtJG Brigette Connor stands watch with her crew onbord KRS-39 patroling the Southern Limit

GanJam 5513 fires on all cylinders
Total Attendance tops 95,000 over 4 days
Sulari, Duchy of Suldanor
March 31, 5513


Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Nicolette II Ananto, as a fan, meets La Reina backstage at GanJam 5513

Night 1 Headliner Mimms Fatone starts his set by passing out Joints to the crowd

Kalistan's La Reina and Hutori's Baroness, out of costume partying during the late night DJ sets on L Night

FOMAT Reigning Champion Megapipe returns to Kalistani Music at GanJam 5513

Vrassan MC Allie hit the stage at 9 pm, and played for 37 minutes.

Show closers Rogue Meteor Cult, from Sulari, play a grand finale of GanJam 5513 underneath a sky filled with fireworks

"The Hole" by Miley Velasco, an optical illusion simulating depth on a 2D surface

"Heavens and Terra" by Bib Zimmerman, Muralist in Pavillion 1

On the Burden of Being Upright" by Terrance Winthrop and Emily Montana, Performance Art

"La Empreza" by Marian Richards, Pastels and photocollage

Tret_les Wrote:The opposition compares watches after a landslide IPoK victory
Discussion on the verge of a foul

From left to right: Trevor Parkinson, Anna Hope, Theresa Armstrong, Bob Anderson, Juan Murphy.
At some point I felt like I was in the epicenter of a political caricature. It all started when I got to the venue of the event with the pompous name "Coordinating Council of the Opposition" in a cramped trolleybus. A caring editor of the newspaper I work for advised me to take an umbrella to avoid getting wet in the chilly rain of Vraska. I obeyed without doubt. There was no free seat, so I stood with my cheek against the handrail, looking out the window for any sights of political ads or a slightest hint of the election that happened a couple weeks ago. Nothing.

The sense of surrealism was heightened when the people who got off with me at the bus stop walked in the opposite direction. I glanced at my watch to see if I was late, but the event was still 15 minutes away. With a quick step I reached a shabby office building, the only sign on which was a photo studio and a hostel. The smell of dampness and mold hit my nose as I ran up the stairs and opened the door. There was almost no one in the spacious white-walled room, aside from the bored interns and a couple of journalists.
That's when I got really scared. Has the opposition lured me into a trap? Were they bloodthirsty maniacs hiding behind the talks about journalistic freedom? I gripped the handle of my umbrella tighter, ready to defend myself at any opportunity. I huddled on a creaky plastic chair, holding my wait-and-see attitude.

It was only when people began to sit down one by one at a table as white as the walls that I finally relaxed. They were the self-proclaimed mastodons of the Kalistanian opposition, each and every as out of a 4990's sitcom: a technocrat financier with round glasses, a short-cropped nationalist, a red-faced farmer with vague political views. The de-facto leader of the group, famous republican politician Trevor Parkinson, was leaning away from his colleagues, sitting somehow on ths side. All these people had one thing in common: during the last election cycle, they were knocking on doors and handing out leaflets from hand to hand due to the lack of legal political advertisement opportunities. They represented rather narrow political groups from all across Kalistan.
"The election, which took place with a record low turnout of 15.72% shows that there is a public demand for an alternative political force" – explains Trevor Parkinson –, "people, essentially, have no voice. There is no opportunity to influence governmental policy which is entirely determined by the balance of power between liberal and conservative wings in the ruling party. We, the leaders of the opposition, are ready to give our fellow countrymen a voice."
His speech was continued by Anna Hope, a popular online anti-establishment blogger who ran for local office for the first time in Odufaray:
"Yes, that's right. The lack of any opportunity for political advertising has essentially killed pluralism in our country. The government is lying when it says that our current system is a vaccine from the radical left or radical right. This is not true. If more than 80% of residents don't vote, there is bound to be discontent. This is no longer a republic when even Brethrenist pastors can't talk about pacifism. Secularism isn't about shutting churches up, is it? It's about letting them speak freely and not being dependent on the state." After some more ranting on the subject of civil liberties, she turned the floor over to Theresa Armstrong, an economist with rumored left-wing sympathies.
"Our country ... Can't stay afloat that long if-- I mean, I wanted to say that the music industry, which is an important sector of our economy, is pretty unsustainable. Bringing investment and foreign capital into our critically important sectors, coupled with higher taxes on corporations, leads to a monopoly of foreign companies in the long run - at worst, and economic stagnation at best. Also, gross domestic pro-" She didn't have time to finish before her neighbor, Nationalist Bob Anderson, interrupted her:
"Excuse me, but there is a natural policy of economic substitution, and I'd rather say, replacement of our domestic producers for foreign ones. Opening up the flow of finance and strangling corporations, the backbone of our economy, is sheer malice. And immigrants? And don't tell me that we are a country of immigrants. Look at our young people! In a couple of years if we continue our open borders policy, our country will be full of fanatics and criminals. What about this concert that even the royal couple attended? Debauchery, drugs, and, to be honest with you, terrible foreign music."
The journalists who had already started to fall asleep, became active, but soon started to snooze again. At some point, the conversation on political topics turned into ranting, reminiscing about the life of each of the participants, and savoring historical details, during which the oppositioners tried to avoid sensitive topics. Finally, the meeting reached its climax.
"Today we, a broad coalition of republican forces, announce the formation of the political party Renew Kalistan." – Trevor Parkinson glowed with pride. – "Please note that we are not liberals," – he hastened to correct as he spoke the last word in rapid succession – "As you can see, our coalition is made up of forces from across the political spectrum. Do you think we could sit at the same table if we lived in Baltusia? Definitely not. Our main objectives at the moment are to soften certain aspects of our policies. More political freedom wouldn't hurt anyone, right? I'm asking anyone interested to sign a petition to help get our Let People Speak Act to the Parliament." Mr. Parkinson was obviously addressing an online audience watching at home, as there were more journalists in the audience than the usual gawkers. "Election campaigns are a gimmick in our nation after all!" – I think, heading for the box in the corner of the room, where a dark-skinned volunteer greets me. She points to a box above which hangs a paper, summarizing the Act the newly minted party wants to introduce into Parliament. I pick up a pen and freeze for a second: should I sign or not? Crossing my fingers behind my back, I leave my signature. Why not? Maybe in a few years the gray buildings of Vrassa will be covered with yellow banners of the opposition.
The author's opinion may not coincide with the opinion of the editors.

Chancellor Wilkes addresses New Liberal Party in Kalistan
"Not sure what they are even talking about," said Wilkes
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
April 14, 5514


Chancellor of the Empire Wilkes, Right, discusses radical charges made by leaders of New opposition Party

New KPO Dams begin Operations
4 of 8 new High Dams begin operation between 4 and 6 months ahead of Schedule
Lhasa Narrows, Duchy of Neveras
October 19, 5514


Lhasa Narrows Dam, North of Lhasa, Neveras has filled and is now generating power

KMC Representatives travel to Kazulia and Kundrati to discuss purchases
Military air assets on Agenda; also Proposal for Strait Exercises
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
October 17, 5514


Reps from KALMILINCO fly to Kazulia and Kundrati to discuss purchases

Zanz Wrote:Nørrehus Nationalt: Asvald Gruppen and Ministry of Defence confirm Kalistan agreement for Grippen
September 19 5514

Representatives from the Ministry of Defence and major Kazulian arms manufacturer Asvald Gruppen convened a press conference today to announce that terms had been reached with Kalistan for the export of several dozen Grippen multirole fighters. Kalistan's KalMilInCo was reported by Kalistani press in October to be interested in the Grippen as part of a broader effort to modernize Kalistan's air forces in the midst of a changing geopolitical landscape in northern Seleya.

The specific contract terms were not released by the MoD, but Kalistan was rumored to be interested in procurement of the jet in sets of 3 dozen, which appears to have been agreed to by Asvald Gruppen and the MoD, which by law must approve all arms sales in Kazulia. The MoD confirmed that the services of Kazulian logistical and pilot training crews were also purchased as part of the arrangement.

Tret_les Wrote:
The Puritans strike back
Dr. Benjamin Whitehouse calls the Government to protect children from drugs
Viibin, Duchy of Neveras
17 December 5514

Dr Whitehouse speaks to teachers and parents about the impact of tobacco, alcohol and cannabis on the younger generation. | Photos by Steve Kowalski/KR
When Dr. Whitehouse's monograph "Opium of the People" was published, he faced alienation on the one hand, and overwhelming support on the other. "I lost many friends who called me a liar, a bigot and a crazy one." — says Dr. Whitehouse at the presentation of his book “Common Ethics. Textbook for High School." — "I received letters threatening my family and my children. My phone was blowing up with calls and messages with curses. This was some kind of mass insanity, pure hatred and anger. Insanity fueled by tobacco sniffing, alcohol drinking and hashish smoking. But at the same time, I found many Friends: pure, bright, freedom-loving Friends." «Friends» are the fans of Whitehouse's books and teachings, devout Hosians at the intersection of Brethrenism and Aurorianism. Many of them consider the current educational system to be rotten and dangerous to children's minds; and government policies in the field of alcohol and tobacco distribution to be harmful. They take long «sick-days» for children and teach them religious morals at home. "Common Ethics" is expected to be a best-seller among them for it contains theological teachings about Biology, Sociology, Philosophy and Art. Without passing the inspection of regulatory authorities, this book is neither a certified textbook nor a scientific work. Yet Dr. Whitehouse claims the opposite: "It is surely a textbook. There are full paragraphs and assignments for them, there are methodological recommendations for studying the book. And this is not some kind of government-order-like school textbooks, no, this is a free but truthful presentation of information that will help to raise up a generation of New Kalistanians. My goal is to create a full line of textbooks, starting from the middle school until the very end of high school. Look at those gathered here. These are all Friends, many of whom have children. Some of them have a diploma in education. We could organize a private, home school for children and teach them what's right and what's wrong, but the current laws don't let us to do so."
"On top of that, any kid now can go and buy alcohol and cigarettes without presenting a proof of adulthood. What is this, Friends? Stupidity or treason? I'd like to believe that this dangerous misunderstanding will soon be corrected by my colleagues from Renew party. We must renew our education system and renew our nation to take care of our children. You know, promote sports, not alcohol. Get weed out of our kids. And let people like us determine how we want to teach our children."

We asked the Renew party leader Trevor Parkinson to share his opinion:

Quote:Yes, we are indeed in close contact with Dr. Whitehouse. He did us a great service by writing an explanatory note to the bill. Yes, we have already prepared a bill introducing restrictions on the sale of alcohol and tobacco to minors, as well as the legalization of homeschooling. Anticipating comments of Mr. Chancellor, I hasten to note that such proposals are not in any way radical or subversive to our core values. The changes we want to implement are just common sense. Talking about Doctor's comments about cannabis... Look, there is obviously no discussion of any cannabis restrictions or violation of any provisions of the ODEN agreement in our party. No, not discussable now. We are looking for constructive and productive cooperation with Institutionalists, who we hope will support our proposals.