Kalistan

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Kalistani News in Brief: Empress announces that she will have her second child
New Political Chief named to Luthorian Embassy; Art Rock movement takes off in Kaliburg
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
February 19, 5673


Empress Jennifer I Ananto visits the Addisjah Car Show last summer checking out the new 5673 EV-12 from MotorVrassa

Empress announces that she will have her second Child
The Office of the Empress has announce that Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Jennifer I Ananto will have her second child in July of this year. The Empress, 31, said she and His Imperial Majesty Emperor Fredrick IV Ananto are excited for the new addition to the Royal Family, and look forward to welcoming the rest of the pregnancy. "Her Imperial Majesty intends to stay at home until it is time to deliver her child into the world," said the Empress' Spokeswoman Ms. Amber Dawson. "She had some early complications which have since cleared themselves up, the baby is healthy and is growing well, but her physician and obstetrician has advised her to take it easy and relax for the rest of her pregnancy."

Ms. Dawson said the Empress has insisted on remaining busy while at home, despite her light duty status. "Her Imperial Majesty is managing Imperial clerical tasks along with the Emperor, and is also studying Egelian to become more fluent. She also receives visits at Cliff House from various peers who stop in the wish her well or have her help them conduct their business. She is just not sitting at the Imperial Seat currently or holding and formal audiences."

Her Imperial Majesty has kept herself busy last summer and fall before undergoing her pregnancy related health scare. Last summer she announced a new innitiative to improve battery technology for Kalistan's EVs and made an appearance in Addisjah to talk with both her old bosses at MotorVrassa and executives from MoCo who were showing new cars. She has also began working with Nevaras to expand highspeed rail in the Duchy. Currently, they have the lowest number of miles of commuter and passenger track, and she went to Nevaras City to present the Ducal Government a grant to begin to remedy that.

New Political Chief named to Luthorian Embassy
With the reopening of the Kalistani Embassy in Fort William, Their Imperial Majesties' Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Jeffrey Hewlett has named a new political officer to the Embassy, as part of the process of naming a new Ambassador to Luthori. The Political Officer, a career Foreign Service Civil Servant, the Right Honorable Mr. Edward Hendricks has been with the Foreign Ministry for twelve years. This post is his first Political Officer position. Previously Mr. Hendricks served with the Viceregal Office in Ciudad de Gaduri.

"I really look forward to analyzing the changing political situation in Luthori. It seems they are under some sort of change, and this is an exciting time to be in Artania and representing His and Her Imperial Majesties" said Mr. Hendricks. "But my job is particularly important. I have to observe and report, so that an appropriate candidate for Ambassador can be named that will be the person for this environment. My reports will help the Foreign Ministry make their recommendations."

Mr. Hendricks is currently the senior member of the Embassy Staff and is therefore, technically, Kalistan's representative to Fort William. "Oh heavens no, I don't have any real diplomatic responsibilities right now. Any actual consular issues, I either refer them to the Consul General here at the Embassy, and diplomatic issues, I get Kaliburg on the phone. My staff is purely functionary. I have four analysts right now who work in this office. I suppose my position makes me the senior man, but this is hardly anything like a fully operational embassy at this point. That will change eventually, but right now, we're just talking and listening, to see who will best serve Kalistan." Hendricks said he did not expect a new Ambassador to be named for a few years. "The Consulate works well for what we need right now, and Luthori hasn't named an Ambassador either, so that's where we are at the minute. Getting this place cleaned is our first priority."

IBSI is also believed to have reopened their offices in the Embassy. Hendricks strategically ducked all questions about IBSI.

Art Rock Movement takes off in Kaliburg
The new Art Rock Movement, a collective of sonic art students who make what can best be described as Art rock, have gained prominence in the Kaliburg club scene in recent months. More and more shows are being hosted by art rock bands. The movement draws heavily on both rock, classical and jazz influences, and has, to date featured students of musical instrumentation.

Anne Jean, an art rock musician said, "Well, I got into this thing the promoters are starting to call Art Rock, because I discovered the late great Jennifer Stepanov's music when I was a teenager. She was very inspiring to me to just kind of begin to write songs of all these different kind." Jean is a guitar virtuoso and plays her instrument in a very unorthodox fashion. "I was so impressed with her kind of anti-pop ideas, and figured it was time to start doing this full time, rather than going to school." Jean is at the center of a growing movement that is adding a more orchestral sensibility to rock music, and imagining rock as performance, not only in terms of how it sounds, but also how its actually created, produced and performed.

While the Art Rock Movement still hasn't made a dent in the Albums or Singles Chart, it is the next wave of underground music threatening to add its flavor profile to the stew of Kalistani mainstream music tastes. The movement primarily remains a Capitaline movement for the time being, but Jean suggests she may be interested in producing a record at some point. "Stepanov notoriously hated record contracts. She had something to say, and didn't want it fossilized. She may have had a point. I guess its not something I have to decide right now. Our shows are still super small, and we only get any time on Radio Kaliburg anyway."

Below is her recent performance of her tune "The Darkness", accompanied by fellow Art Rockist Frank Quinlan, captured at the Lolla club Poppy's Den last week.

[Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5CJGCbs_qA]

@TheRepublic