Kalistan

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Kalistani News in Brief:  Kalistan meets with Hutori
Defense Ministry orders reorganization of Kalistani Regular Force; Kaliburg Black Bears win National Football Championship
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
January 29, 5629


Empress Consort Monica and the Minor Princess Margaret Ananto-DeLaurentis watch Kaliburg Black Bears take top honors

Kalistan Meets with Hutori
The Direct Representative of the Crown of Hutori, Crown Prince Albert spoke with His Imperial Majesty's Foreign Minister, Lady Anya Waltrip in Kaliburg this month.  The topics they discussed were defense, trade and cultural exchanges.  Kalistan reportedly discussed the need to acquire new naval technology to enhance its surface fleet.  They also raised the idea of developing a new trade agreement to allow Seleyan Nations to further break dependence on Artanian nations which are notoriously unreliable and cannot guarantee the safety of Kalistani commerce in the region.

The meeting also reportedly included offering the Hutori Royal Family an Hereditary Baronetcy in Ananto that would make the Hutorian Monarch a land owner in the Grand Duchy.  The Baronetcy would also make the holder of that title a Peer of the Imperial Crown.  The offer of the Baronetcy would be accompanied by formal induction in the Ancient Order of the Gray Smoke and seems to suggest that the Crown would be open to offering similar land grants to other foreign nobility.  The Hutorian Crown is expected to send a new Ambassador to Kaliburg in the coming weeks.  Kalistan will reciprocate by naming a new Ambassador to Hutori, and hopes to work very closely with its long time northern allies.

Defense Ministry announces Personnel reorganization in the Kalistani Regular Forces
His Imperial Majesty's Minister of Defense, Rear Admiral Henry Reals, announced a major personnel shakeup in the Kalistani Regular Forces.  "There are still more than 200 officers and 8500 enlisted men and women who are veterans of the Kundrati Campaign currently on Active Duty," said Admiral Reals.  "Over the next six months, our aim is to retire them from active duty.  If there are some enlisted men and women who have a clean service record, as in not being implicated in any way with the Likatonian Conflict, they will be welcomed to transfer to reserve contingents and finish out their careers as reservists.  However, Officers will be expected to resign their commissions and base their pensions on time in service."

As the war ended fifteen years ago this year, most of those involved in the Kalistani Regular Force during the Likatonian Conflict have either left the service normally, or have been discharged due to courts martial or for other reasons.  "But it is time to finally close that chapter in Kalistani Service History," said the Admiral.  "Our men and women who fought in Kundrati and conducted themselves honorably are worthy of our praise and admiration, but the stain that the depredations in Likatonia left on the Service is indelible and can only fade with time, and more importantly re-professionalization.  It starts with removing the last vestiges of the military of that time."

His Imperial Majesty is expected to make a recruitment drive this summer to begin refilling the ranks, and will promote junior officers and NCOs to fill the gaps left by the retiring veterans.

Kaliburg Black Bears take National Title in Football
The Kaliburg Black Bears, the capital's home team, played in the National Championship last weekend and beat the Eshar Kingfishers by a score of 27-10.  During the first half, the Kingfisher's defense dominated, keeping the Black Bears scoreless, but after halftime, the Black Bears scored three unanswered touchdowns in the Third Quarter and then a fourth in the last quarter while the Kingfishers only answered with a field goal.  In attendance at the National Stadium were Their Highnesses The Empress Consort Monica Ananto-DeLaurentis and the Minor Princess Margaret Nicolette Ananto-DeLaurentis, both of who are fans of the National Sport and have box seats at the National Stadium.

"It was quite exciting to see Kaliburg win this year," said Her Highness Minor Princess Margaret Nicolette Ananto-DeLaurentis.  "We followed this year and it is really thrilling to see the excitement this sport has generated in the capital.  At the beginning of the season last August, the National Stadium was pretty well empty for the first pre-season games.  Only the die hards.  But we try not to miss a game here, and over the year, as the Black Bears did better and better, you kind of got a buzz while watching the games from in here.  Like 50,000 people all cheering for the team as they went through the game was very exciting.

The Minor Princess has gotten her parents permission to serve as an unofficial youth ambassador for the Sport for the next two years.  "I'll be volunteering with the league, and will go to schools around the country to try to encourage communities to put an emphasis on athletics in middle and high schools, to try to encourage more kids to pick up the game and learn it, so the league can increase its talent pool.  It should be fun.  I look forward to supporting my Black Bears and all the other great teams in the Kalistani Football League."

The Black Bears finished their season with a 15-2 record, with three additional wins in the preseason and three in the post season, including the championship match.  This is the first time the Black Bears have won a national championship in 53 years.

@TheRepublic