Kalistan

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Kalistani News in Brief: FM debriefs recent Diplomatic Voyage;
Luncasi Naval Logistics Center is on pace for Completion; Kaliburg Art Rock goes exponential with new single by Zappa
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
February 12, 5689


FM Sir Thomas Harney discusses Kalistani Foreign Relations at Foreign Ministry Social in Kaliburg

FM debriefs recent Diplomatic Voyage
In his first public press conference following the return from Dolgava, Hutori, and Valruzia in late December, Her Imperial Majesty's Foreign Minister, Sir Thomas Harney met with the press at the Annual Foreign Ministry Social, designed to allow the staff of the Ministry to get together and socialize before the Spring and Summer International Diplomacy seasons kick into high gear. The FM declared the visits to Dolgava and Hutori a success, but saved his most glowing reports for the last minute visit to Valruzia.

"I gotta tell you: going to Szary was the highlight of the trip for me," he said. "I know Her Highness, the Princess of the Empire wasn't as enthusiastic about visiting the city which gave rise to the Kalistani Music Industry, but that was really special for me." He said that while the Princess of the Empire took personal time to meet with the retiring politician and personal friend, former Chancellor Szymon Nowik, he hired a local guide to show him where the Valruzian Beat Brothers grew up and recorded their first albums. "VMI, for those who know, plays such an important role in Kalistan's music scene, which of course we are all very proud of. It's like I went on a tour of the origin story, which is still all there, and maybe should be more prominently identified. Like: Here's the original VMI studios--Its a bakery now... But So much important history happened in that building, and it doesn't even have a plaque."

The Foreign Minister also thanked the Valruzian government for gifting Her Imperial Majesty, Empress in Waiting Carolina-Katherine Michelle Ananto-Connor a residence in Valruzia. "Her Highness, Princess Regent Nicolette Ananto-Collins said that Her Imperial Majesty was thrilled to have received the gift, and when she debuts in society later this summer, would like to schedule a private visit with the Princess Regent to the Kulka-Kozyra Palace." said the Foreign Minister. "They are leaning toward allowing the Empress to study abroad in Valruzia for a semester before she completes High School: It seems that the Empress has taken an interest in languages and has begun taking Valruzian language classes, in addition to her Vrassan and Egelian language instruction she gets in school and the Canrillais she has studied since she was 12. A semester would allow her to get an immersive experience that even the most fluent Kalistani teachers cannot replicate."

The Foreign Minister also noted the visit of the Xsampan Premier in late December. "Her Imperial Majesty would like to thank Premier Sherab Aurousseau of Xsampa for visiting the Princess Regent, the Chancellor and myself in Kaliburg just before the new year. This kind of personal diplomacy really goes quite far in Kalistan. We appreciate the sincerity of the Premier in her expression of her desire to mend bridges between our two nations, and I was able to communicate an identical desire from Her Imperial Majesty's government that we do all we can to restore regular diplomatic relations between our two nations. Xsampa has been an important friend in the region, and besides this, is a nation which conducts its economy ethically. It is time for use to let go of our hangups regarding their association with certain countries: If Kalistan could overlook their communism in the past, and still be friends, there is no reason we can't have that again." The FM said that talks between the two governments will continue through the Spring and into summer and barring any surprises, he expects that Kalistan's consular services will be restored in Metz-Leonid by July.

Luncasi Naval Logistics Center is on pace for Completion
Representatives from KALMILINCO, the Kalistani agency overseeing the construction of the Luncasi Naval Logistics Center in Luncasi, Kizenia, of the Tripartite Kingdom of New Endralon, Kizenia and Kuzaki have announced that the Naval Logistics Center is nearing completion. "We have completed the rail link with the continental rail system which will serve both the Base and eventually the Commerce Port at Luncasi," said Don Olivier, of KMC. "This was the last major part of the base which will make it fully functional. It was completed by the Luncasi Free City Government, utilizing supplies and money provided by Kalistan to upgrade and bring the city's rail infrastructure into compliance with Kerisian continental standards. The Southern Port has not handled much of the country's commerce in the past, given its and the rest of the Southern Coast's isolation from the rest of the nation, and hopefully this updated infrastructure will help integrate the cities of Luncasi and Deltabor at least infrastructure wise, into the rest of the nation."

Mr. Olivier said that the cost of the port upgrade has stayed within budget projections. "We had originally allocated more than ₭650 Million Imperial Rubles into the ports project in Luncasi," said Oliver. "This money is matched by both local investors, many from the Kalistani expatriate community, but also import and export businesses which have sprung up to take advantage of an anticipated increase in trade between Kalistan and Kizenia. The ₭250 Million we earmarked for the Naval Center has been spent well: The project will have only a small overrun of about ₭17 million, and we are expected to raise twice that much on the next capital round to complete the Commerce Port." Olivier said that the largest expendature will be in expansion of the deep water contours in front of the projected Commercial Port. "There's a very narrow window there to bring ships in and out of, so we have to go out and expand that. Doing so will take about three years itself, but once it is done, that will open this city to both economic opportunity, and a greater role in Kerisian trade."

Now that the rail link is completed, Olivier said that the Naval Logistics center will focus on warehouse expansion and completion of Barracks and Office facilities for permanent personnel. "The Marines have been living in Quonset huts for a long time. I know they will be thrilled to live in proper barracks." Future construction on base will include amenities for permanent personnel as well as a BEQ and a BOQ for visiting units.

Kaliburg Art Rock goes exponential with new single by Zappa
The Experimental Art Rock band Zappa, named after the River that empties into Davon Bay in northwestern Kaliburg, has maintained a fiercely anti-radio streak over the last decade, but a new single from their latest album, titled simply "Yayo" has nonetheless scored a minor hit on Radio 1, reaching number 36 in the Top 40 Singles chart. "It seems that while they have been creating deliberately radio-unfriendly music all this time, radio finally caught up to them," said Gina Rogers from Kalistani Rawk Monthly. "Their single is now the 36th most purchased, downloaded and spun song on Radio 1, and it is bringing them a bit of fame they never really wanted, and will probably try to sabotage on their next record."

Fans are intrigued by the weird syntho-loop rock production track, which is included as a deep cut on their KMI album The Bridge over the River Zappa. "Well, as a fan of the art rock scene in Kaliburg," said teenager Miguel Blanque, "of course I bought this album. I buy all their albums. I love the math rock aspects of their music for sure. But it seems that Kaliburg's best kept secret is no longer a secret anymore. It a good thing others are getting to hear their music too." To demonstrate the kind of clout the band has in the Kaliburg underground, the Director of the official video for "Yayo" was able to film part of the video at a house on Wilson Hill in southwest Kaliburg, just up the coast from Cliff House, where the Royal Family has their primary residence.

As the song moves into the pop charts, critical response is mixed. "I'm always confused by what this band is doing," said one critic for La Moda. "Their songs are all over the place, and rely on synthesized strings for a lot of it. It just always seems like three guys just f--king around in the studio making loud music." Others however were more charitable to the album. One critic for the online rock periodical Arete, gave the record four stars out of four and said "Their polyrythmic polymath style, recording, playing, producing, engineering etc, shines through on this record in a way which was missing on their earlier outtings. For the Art Rock fans, this has the really, really strong head rock aspects that they are looking for. And for the math rock fans of bands like Martel Strokes, this has all the volume, all the precision, and all the just far out progressions, both chord and rhythm, that you could ever imagine. It's really like the polar opposite of the stripped down, no frills, no fills music of a band like .350 Legend. We loved it.

You can check out the single "Yayo" from Zappa's latest LP Bridge Over the River Zappa right here, below.

[Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KExDqN1qRw]
"Yayo (Live Edition)" by Zappa, which, despite their best effort, is beginning to give the band some commercial success

@TheRepublic