Kalistani Major History

[Doc]

Urban Renewal begins in Full swing in Addisjah
Residents of "Picture of Blight" protest Eminent Domain
Addisjah, Vrassa
January 31, 5361


Blocks go under demolition as NSP moves into Addisjah

Urban Renewal has begun across the Republic, as teams of civil engineers and demo workers under the NSP have descended on blighted communities. The sounds of destruction and heavy equipment is becoming a regular part of the Kalistani city scape. The goal: to attack the signs and locales of poverty and crime with the aim of renewing the housing stock and civic infrastructure across the Republic. To support the new move, the National Assembly has proposed a 10 percent increase in spending in the Infrastructure, HSS and Internal Affairs budgets and increased funding will continue over the next 10 years where levels will be revisited.

As NSP engineers begin redesigning the face of mainland cities by levelling sometimes whole blocks, they are also working to replace aging infrastructure from the subsurface up. Thousands of miles of new wire conduit, cable and high speed wifi infrastructure, and drainage, sewer and water lines will also be constructed to replace obsolete infrastructure. Above ground, once blighted areas have been leveled, the reconstruction will begin and will focus on increasing density and vertical expansion. By the time urban renewal ends, the cityscapes of several Kalistani cities are expected to be greatly altered.

The Republican Government has expressed optimism that this long term program will not only put as many as 450,000 workers to work in long term, high paying jobs, but will dramatically reduce municipal budgets. "We expect that the way tens of millions live will change dramatically over the next quarter century," said egan Carruthers, Minister of Infrastructure and Trade. "This investment in Kalistani Cities represents a long overdue alteration in our way of thinking. The practices we saw employed and practices as best practices on Ananto, especially those following the Kaliburg Earthquake, where huge sections of the city were demolished, will be brought to the mainland and established as best practices going forward. By this we mean a strong city core, with walkable neighborhoods, infrastructure for electric public transportation, getting rid of food deserts, and more efficient use of city services. Our aim is to take the burden off municipal budgets that are struggling to provide expensive services to far flung neighborhoods."

Not everyone is as enthusiastic for the project. Civic groups and liberal independents in elected office in District Governments on Mainland Kalistan launched immediate protests against the practice known as eminent domain. "The government shouldn't have the right to just come in here, send their industrial army to confiscate and destroy property at will and impose a massive civic spending scheme on all of us," said Chip Webber, President of the Port Swedes Club for Free Enterprise. "The constitution and statutory law says the government has the power to eminent domain, but they seem to think that means that property rights are inviolable. We were in the process of private sector solutions aimed at rehabilitating these dwellings to provide affordable housing units to private citizens and new economic opportunities to Kalistani Investors, which we believe to be a far better solution, especially for individuals who would like to move into the neighborhoods, and who have refused so far because of the blight that our Government is almost exclusively responsible for allowing to happen."

Other civic groups complained about the destruction of the character and culture of Mainland Kalistan's cities. "This will represent a change in the cultural characteristics of our neighborhoods," said Marcus Weller, of Addisjah. "So far the Government has focused on vacant and condemned buildings, but we expect that the people who still do live here will eventually be priced completely out. At the end of the day, for the poor individuals who still live in a lot of our neighborhoods, new housing and vertical development means that people themselves will lose their family's homes in a lot of cases. The solutions offered by the Landlords Association are probably worse in the long run, because they want to gentrify our neighborhoods, but at least families will be able to remain in their home. When you level a block, except for one house, that house's time is short, before it too is destroyed so that the State can build a high-rise apartment complex in the area."

The Republican Government has, for the most part ignored the critiques of local objectors. "Urban renewal and vertical development is what is going to happen," said Carruthers. "These stakeholders can choose to be a part of the solution, or they can sit on the sidelines and complain about what we are doing, but its going forward. We know there will be pain. We know there will be displacement. But if our goal is to provide affordable, sustainable housing, a working and efficient infrastructure, and a foundation to build local businesses, jobs and general prosperity, the losses we take up front will be more than offset. As for the landlords, they will have to find something else to sink their unlimited wealth into other than exploiting people's needs for reliable, affordable, safe, and sustainable housing and infrastructure. For those who wish to preserve the character and culture in their neighborhoods, we want to talk with you. We want to work with local cultural groups to conserve what you have. But that concern is not enough to offset the fact that the largest line in police budgets is fuel because it costs our cities so much money to patrol huge, horizontally developed neighborhoods. If we keep burning money on inefficiency, soon there won't be any money to keep police patrols in any neighborhoods."

Minister Carruthers stressed that the outcome will be better when it is completed. "This government is willing to stake its reputation on the success of this program. Give us 10 years to see if people do not see improvement, while protecting the things people like about these neighborhoods. If we haven't brought crime down, if we haven't made a significant impact in the black market drug market, if we haven't provided more people more services at a lower cost, if you don't see clean streets, livable and walkable cities, and more efficient uses of city resources, then you can say we failed. But we hope these people who are sitting out there and not helping will change their minds and pick up shovels to help the NSP clean up these neighborhoods and pave these roads, instead of just complaining." The message of the government was heard loud and clear and was met with muted opposition. "Just condescension," said Weller. "Might be unconstitutional," said Webber. "This government may be more hostile to the interests of wealth producers than any Socialist government in my life."

[Doc]

Civil Protest over Demolitions intensifies
Opposition being "planted by liberals" says Sulari NSP Chief
Sulari, Suldanor
August 18, 5361


Pro-revitalization advocates clash with landlords at Quarterly meeting in Sulari

As urban renewal deepens, and more old neighborhoods are demolished, several Mainland cities were rocked by civil unrest for the second week in a row. Socialist Partisans and supporters of the proposals to revitalize Kalistan's crumbling cities clashed with people supposedly representing Landlord and developer associations in Suldanor and Vrassa. The protests turned violent as tensions became heated, and by the time the clashes were quelled, 14 men and women were injured, including the vice president of one of Sulari's largest development firms, Sun Coast Ltd., which aims to purchase and develop much of the land which is being demolished to build upscale town homes.

The term "gentrification" has long been associated with this kind of program, as working and poor families fear that their neighborhoods are being demolished and the land being sold to wealthy developers who intend to replace old homes with single and two-and three-family row homes which they intend to sell at a premium. Landlords and developers are working together to put significant pressure on district governments to both direct the NSP to places where they think development will be most profitable, as well as to grant permits for construction of smaller multi family homes, rather than highrise apartment complexes that can house as many as 20 families, but which are controlled by the State and are open to all people.

"We have seen these developers working with district and city governments to pick and choose the places they want to build," said fair housing advocate Ronald Peerson. "We have evidence that those guys also hire goons to stop us when we go to the District government to complain. It's simply outrageous. And for what? We lose our homes to this 'renewal' so they can basically take our land, get the benefit of all this public money the Government is dumping into our streets and sewers and everything, and then kick all the poor people out of their neighborhood so someone who makes K100,000 don't have to see us when they are driving to their stupid ass yoga appointments? Seriously?"

The head of the Suldanor NSP, who is responsible for both the demolition and the rebuilding actually came down on the side of the anti-gentrification protestors. "We have evidence," said District Director Hanna Johnson, "that protestors are being planted, and are starting problems. Of the people who were hurt here in the clashes last week between the homeowners and the people supposedly supporting the rights of developers and owners, it was reported that all dozen or so were on the protestors' side. But then we found out that one of the so-called protestors was none other than Blake White, the VP of Sun Coast (one of the largest developers in Sulari and a company who was recently granted access to more than 47 recently cleared lots on the city's northwest side.) We think he was in the crowd to try incite the crowd to violence or to serve as an inside person if anything was going down."

The NSP has urged the National Government to take a larger role in deciding who gets what in the urban renewal project, but there are signs that the Socialist-dominated government is reluctant to play a larger role. "The law says 'The state owns and maintains all housing'," said Internal Minister Samuel Mars. "Practically speaking, the Republic has tasked that issue to Municipal Governments, for a number of very good reasons. Not only are there nearly 50 separate municipal entities in the Republic, but also hundreds of county and District entities all of which have different housing needs and situations. Some are rural, some are densely packed. If the Republic played an active role, it would need to remain focused at the structural level: A strong central government cannot possibly control the process that ensures houses to all. Instead our focus at the national level should be to ensure that all have a home, and leave the policy to more local entities." The National Government has been roundly criticized by citizens and local leaders for neglect, and leaving poor and working people to the avarice of for profit landlords and their allies in District Governments.

"We do need to make sure that the citizens, especially those who are displaced, get access to homes as they are displaced by renewal," Mars added. "This is a role of the National Government. And we do bear responsibility for the dilapidation that renewal is meant to address. But since practical policy implementation lies, I think correctly with the Municipal and District Governments, the role of the Republic has to be limited to establishing the policy for the Republic and then devoting the resources necessary to carry out the letter and spirit of the law. We may have some things we can do around rent capping. It's a problem I agree. But response to it involves a balancing act and occasionally, my side just doesn't win."

Anti-gentrification activists were not satisfied with that response from the National Government. "Housing is a human right!" declared Peerson. "The Republic is supposed to guarantee that needs are met. I don't care how they do it: If they have to, they should just nationalize all this property and get the NSP to build the houses themselves. I'd rather have public housing, so would my family, and so would all these people out here on the street, than ever pay another cent to any of these greedy landlords."

Sun Coast issued a statement, decrying the arrest of their Vice President White. "He was not a member of the mob!" said the statement. "He was simply there to attempt to ascertain whether the protestors would meet with our company peacefully so we could find out what they are so angry about. From where we sit, we are only doing a good thing for the people of this city! We believe that if the goal is to raise revenue, the only way you can do that is with neighborhoods that generate money. Public housing is definitely not the answer--no reasonable person would ever support something so destructive to economic prosperity and sane city planning."

The protests are on going, and the demolition continues, for the time being. Whether more will be arrested or the violence will intensify remains to be seen.

[Doc]

Lodamun's Teller arrives in Kaliburg
Trilateral talks with Lodamun and Lourenne focus on new relationships
Kaliburg, Ananto
October 1, 5362


Lourenne's Merchant General David Teller tours Kalsie with KALNAPECO-PETRO reps

The Merchant General of Lodamun, David Teller, met with Minister of Trade and Industry Alice Taliferro this week to hammer out a new basis for trade between the two northern Seleyan nations. Also in Kaliburg for consultations was Lourenne's Yves Penault, who represented Pétrole Royale (PETRO), KALNAPECO's Lourenne Partner. The representatives of the three nations met to discuss the potential of selling petroleum directly to Lodamun, as well as deepening trade relations between Kalistan and Lodamun.

Thomas Knepp, who is the COO of KALNAPECO, joined by Maxwell Weber of KALENCON, which coordinates both KPO and PETRO within Kalistan, spoke briefly on the potential for selling oil. "During our talks with both Lodamun and Lourenne," said Knepp, "it became clear that Kalistan can do business with Lodamun on a mutually beneficial basis. While KPO will not be increasing production in the Suldanor Formation, PETRO has stated that they are willing to increase production in the Straits, and divert the increased production to Lodamun. KPO has also offered assistance to Lodamun to help increase their refining capabilities within Lodamun itself, as part of the deal. The final details of the sale will be hammered out between PETRO and Lodamun itself at a later date, but there is a firm commitment to beginning to sell oil from the offshore platforms to Lodamun when those details are hammered out to ensure that PETRO and Lodamun can meet their individual interests." Weber added: "We also look forward to future cooperation on technology sharing for renewables to Lodamun so they can build alternatives to fossil fuel technology as well. This agreement represents a foundation for a new, long term energy alliance in the northern Anantonese Ocean."

Beyond talks of oil, Teller discussed deepening trade between Kalistan and Lodamun. "It is important to note that Kalistan and Lourenne have a long standing trade union," said Minister Taliaferro. "That relationship of zero friction trade between Kalistan and Lourenne can also benefit Lodamun, even if Kalistan acts as a pass through for Lourennais goods to Lodamun and vice versa. We certainly invite both Lodamun and Lourenne to consider the possibility of expanding our trade union to Lodamun, and we believe that erasing the border between Kalistan and Lodamun the way we did with Lourenne now more than 100 years ago can only bring both republics great benefits."

The Kalistan-Lourenne agreement,(The Anantonese Economic Standardization Accord, or AESA) which treats all investment as domestic and abolishes the border for purposes of trade and capital movement between the two nations has been a net positive for Kalistan, as much of its domestic consumer base has increased choice and decreased price in the market, while consumers benefit from comparative advantage on both sides of the Lourenne Channel. "Expansion of this agreement to Lodamun may answer a lot of challenges that Lodamun currently faces and there is certainly strong support for that in the National Assembly as well," said Taliaferro. Lourenne has also signaled their willingness to welcome Lodamun too, if Lodamun decides to ratify the treaty.

The meetings with Merchant General Teller lasted a week and were held primarily in Kaliburg, where the Merchant General met with several members of the Government's economic team, toured the Kalsie exchange, visited the offices of the International Cambio, and held discussions about trade. The trip also included a visit to Port Swedes and Addisjah, both of which are in the middle of urban renewal and strongly resembled a warzone. Infrastructure Minister Megan Carruthers was on hand in Addisjah to show Merchant General Teller the new construction techniques being employed in the rebuilding of the border city. "This building here is a 17 story high-rise, and the windows themselves are translucent photovoltaics provided by Sulari Sun Catcher, the start up which is working with KALENCON to create photovoltaic glass that we are installing in our buildings. This building here will be carbon negative and will be a net energy producer when it is fully constructed, providing the residents and people of Addisjah cheap clean energy. We are building high-rise blocks just like this throughout our major cities and encouraging all new construction to also have roof top gardens which will further reduce light reflection an will keep buildings better insulated, extending the lives of our buildings and encouraging sustainable food production in the city environment."

While Teller was in Addisjah, he was given a tour of the site that will be a future branch of MoCo. "MoCo had planned to open a plant in northern Vrassa for some years now," said Carruthers. "We were waiting for signals from Lodamun, but got the word a few months ago that this was a go, and investment began moving to MoCo to fund the construction of a new multi line plant that will not only begin producing Kalistani vehicles more efficiently that the old Sulari plant, but will also have a convertible line specifically for export to Lodamun of all the various types of motors that the Lodamese automakers order. The line will be tooled to produce gas, diesel and electric engines, as well as hybrids and hydrogen fuel cell engines, as the customer specifies. As MoCo will produce engines to order, when the new factory is complete in two years, we will begin requesting specs for Lodamese autos and begin building full lots of engines for export to Lodamun."

The Merchant General was also treated to a ride on the National Maglev Railroad, from Addisjah to Sulari, where he flew back to Kaliburg for final talks before returning to Kensington. The visit was enthusiastically welcomed in Kalistan, as the Republic has long sought ways to deepen its trade and cultural relations with its neighbor and second most important trading partner, but whose connection has regularly been thwarted by isolation and nationalist attitudes on both sides of the Jah River. "It is our hope that the isolation of yesterday is behind us," said Minister Taliaferro. "There is no reason our two nations should not be heavily invested in one another and deeply integrated. We speak much the same language, we share a long historical tie, and we want to do business. Hopefully Mr. Teller's mandate signals seriousness in the Lodamese government to those ends as well."

Teller flew home early this morning and landed safely in Lodamun.

[Doc]

Kalistan discusses joining Equifund
Members of Plenary Committee arrive in Kaliburg
Bozo River CAGCC, Ananto
August 8, 5364


Eric Weiss from Equifund introduces Equifund to the Regular Force's SNCO Ops Chief Course last week on Bozo River

Equifund, the international military industrial consortium met with members of the Kalistani Military and KALMILINCO to discuss the possibility of Kalistan joining the consortium. "We have invited Equifund to Kalistan to begin discussing how we can work together both to continue to deepen our military cooperation with the world's major powers, as well as continue to modernize the Kalistani Regular Force," said KALMILINCO chief Annie Musgrave. "Kalistan produces some of the finest indirect fire conventional weaponry in the world, and leads both in construction and hybrid powerplants for our naval vessels. Obviously we have things to offer the world, and can learn from the world here as well."

Members of Equifund include Kalistan's close partner Lourenne, as well as Istalia, Beiteynu, Dankuk, and Kundrati. Kalistan, if it were to join, would be the sixth nation. "Obviously, if we joined Equifund, Kalistan would maintain a non-aligned posture in world affairs," said Musgrave. "Joining a research, development and production consortium doesn't put any sort of policy limitations on Kalistan. The Government will of course review the treaty and if it complies with Kalistani law, then working together can yield a lot of benefits to Kalistan. For example, it would give us access to important radar technology, which the Republic could benefit from. At the same time, it will allow us to more easily proliferate our own weapons systems across the world, because it would provide us with access to a library that we can upload blueprints and share our techniques to other nations in the world."

Kalistan has long supported wide sharing of its designs, and has long sought blueprints to build systems of its own, hoping to sidestep the proprietary attitude of many of the world's superpowers. "Why should the most modern weaponry in the world be held jealously by the world's most powerful nations?" asked Musgrave. "They use those copyrights for one reason and one reason only: to dominate other nations of this world and bend the policy of the world to their will. Kalistan would like to help smaller and middle powers balance those major powers, to prevent the rise of an all powerful hegemon." Musgraves also admits to a secondary goal: "If we force the superpowers to have to spend enough to keep up with any of their potential enemies or all of them at once, perhaps they will someday decide that having a military that can project their force everywhere in the world is far too costly. And then, if they spend themselves into the ground, smaller and medium powers won't have to worry so much about being pushed around by major powers in the world."

The visit by Mr. Weiss and the other members of the Plenary Committee of Equifund is seen to accompany a new push by Equifund to bring more members on board. Musgraves indicated a general interest in Kalistan joining the Equifund, though, she said it is up to the Government. "There is a strong internationalist orientation in the Kalistani Government at this moment," said Musgraves. "Equifund was invited to Kalistan to discuss the possibility of the Republic becoming a partner. But again, we want to make sure that Kalistan isn't going to enter into any arrangements that will compel anything, internationally, from The Republic. We aren't joining any military alliance here: In fact, sharing military tech especially among smaller powers and states who simply wish to defend themselves, furthers Kalistan's official policy toward non-alignment."

A decision on joining can happen as soon as six months, said Defense Ministry spokespeople close to the Defense Minister. :However it comes down, Kalistan is interested in the Consortium, and exploring the terms of the agreement is an important first step.

[Doc]

Immigrant Mic Control Headlines Hip Hop Fest
Concert Series seen as warm up for FOMAT
Kaliburg, Ananto
October 18, 5364


Immigrant Mic Control sells out Lolla Ballroom in Kaliburg

Immigrant Mic Control has begun the Kalistani leg of their International tour, in preparation for the finale, set for Lourenne at FOMAT. The Republican tour which shall consist of three rounds of shows in each district, will last over the next year and a half, and then will extend to several venues in Northern Seleya and Keris. IMC is expected to play venues in Lodamun, Gaduridos, Tukarali, Likatonia, Kizenia, Dolgaria and Endralon. Kalistani shows will be held in Kaliburg, Luxon, Dulnerstaad, Vrassa City, Port Swedes, Addisjah, Nevaras City, High Bong, Eshar, Gendaris, Springfield, Dana, Sulari, Reynoldia, and Yoshimi. Future dates and venues may be added.

"ARC wanted to send us on tour because we could really use some more experience on the road," said Lora Monte. "We told them that we were rethinking getting elected to FOMAT, becasue we've never really played in front of international audiences. Even after the record came out, our concerts were not big. And they don't really run GanJams anymore like they used to. So we need to get some experience in front of different kinds of crowds."

ARC enlisted Radio 2 and ODEN-K as sponsors of the tour and are working on developing the live show. "The label hired a stage crew and we started paying an actual set," said Michel-Guillaume Brenard. "The set works really well for us. It kind of allows us to pace ourselves, to highlight the whole group and to keep good time to the sets. I've been able to work some acoustic stuff into the set to mix things up, and Lora has really started doing a lot more melodic stuff which kind of let her expand her range. Its been a real good opportunity to grow as a group."

The benefits to a more disciplined stage set were obvious at the tour's kickoff in Kaliburg's Lolla Ballroom. The 4,500 seat auditorium was sold out as fans came from across Ananto to help send the band off. "It was a good show," said Tophe Roland. "De La Paz opened for us at the Ballroom show, and they joined us on a couple tunes. Next time we play Kalistan, we're gonna get Republican Pictures out here and shoot a concert movie."

During the tour, between shows, Immigrant Mic Control will be recording their second album. "We have this idea for a record, a concept album sort of like some of those Indralan kung fu pictures they play in the midnight shows," said Bernard. "Like each of the songs will sort of be like a fight: you know how they are episodic and they go from battle to battle to battle. We want to do something like that, but with songs. Like, we are going to take this time on the road to write songs and try them out, as well as play stuff that people know. The record is finna be dope."

The sell out show portends well for the group as they begin preparing for the international stage and counting down to FOMAT XXI in Iztapalata, Lourenne.

[Doc]

IMC begins International Leg of World Tour
Kris the Ronin joins trio as opening act; New Album is in Post Production
Addisjah, Vrassa
April 16, 5366


Immigrant Mic Control finish Kalistani Concert Series as they head out of the Country

The most popular band in the nation at this moment is the hip hop trio known as Immigrant Mic Control. The combination of innovative production, expert vocals and natural charisma and showmanship has combined in IMC to make them the biggest draw this season. But after touring the Republic at a leisurely pace while recording their sophomore album, the soon to be released "Kung Fu Theater" on ARC and making a concert film that covers their tour, the ups and downs and the development of the band, IMC is preparing to launch out to tour the world.

The closing show of the Kalistani leg of their tour took the band back to Addisjah, at the epicenter of the modern Kalistani Hip hop movement which has produced other acts like De La Paz, The Trek Corps, Kris the Ronin, and more underground groups like the explicitly political Revolution X, early innovators The Squadron, and up and coming groups Hawu Monarchy and Das Kult. The show, which was attended by 35,000 people, was one of the biggest Hit Hop shows in Kalistan's history, and was attended by lot of people who have known the band through their rise to fame. "It felt like the entire city had turned out to send us off," said Lora Monte. "It was such a fun show, because we were there among friends."

Now that the Kalistani shows are completed, the band is on the move onto the world tour, where they will visit countries across Northern Seleya, Artania, Keris, and Dovani. "I think we are going to um, Baltusia first," said Tophe Roland, who is the band's producer and MC. "It's gonna be wild. Baltusia is DEFINITELY going to require a lot of weed. Those dudes are on a whole other level down there." Tophe was nonetheless happy to be playing in Baltusia. "They speak Vrassan there, which will be ok. We've never been down there: but you hear stories, you know... Anyway, it's definitely going to be a good way to kick off the tour!" After three nights in Baltusia, the band will carry on to Gaduridos, and play five shows there, mostly in the Capital.

Following shows in Gaduridos, IMC will next travel to Turkarali for three shows, then they will fly to Likatonia for a handful of dates. "We're skipping Valrusia," said Michel-Guillaume Brenard. "We get the distinct feeling that people who look like me won't be welcomed there. So ARC agreed that we just wouldn't play any gigs there. It's not a political thing. Its more of a safety thing. Racism does exist in this world, even if we don't have to put up with that garbage in Kalistan. So we'll stick to sane countries, and leave those stupid racist MFs to kill themselves off."

From Likatonia, the band will travel to Kundrati. "We've heard there is a fairly big contingent of fans in Kundrati that basically conducted a letter writing campaign to ARC to get them to add shows there. So, we plan on playing four shows in Kundrati." said Tophe. Following the visit to Kundrati, the band will next fly to Kiezenia. "We're pretty excited to play Kiezenia," said Monte. "They have a long history of sending musicans back and forth to Kalistan, and we know that there are a lot of similar influences musically there and back in Vrassa." IMC will record the Kasaema Kundrati and Cetatea Alba Kiezenia shows for footage for the Concert Film the band has been working on with Republican Pictures over the last two years. "It'll be cool to have international perspectives on hip hop," sakd Monte. "We can see if the things we rap about translate." After Kiezenia, Endralon is next for two shows, and then onto Dankuk for two shows.

"By the time we get to Lodamun, we're probably going to be pretty wiped out, so there's gonna be a break in here, while we head back to Vrassa for a little break," said Tophe, "and then we're gonna play six shows across Lodamun, before flying to Lourenne for FOMAT, where we are not only going to close the tour, but compete in FOMAT. And after that, we'll probably be dead."

The tour is expected to take about 12 months all told. "We aren't gonna just play all these dates solid," said Tophe. "This will also be an opportunity to do some recording overseas too, and sightseeing. We're gonna be on the road for 7 months total, and take the other five months in between these dates to go see the world. Nothing too hectic, everything is chill, but the label is paying for us to be tourists, basically, and also, we are going to donate all the profits to the Seleyan dates to the victims of the racist bullsh-t going on in Valruzia. I want to make sure they know we are doing it to kind of undermine the racism that they are running in their country. But the tour ain't going to be all work."

Kris The Ronin (center), joined by political MCs Fat Brad (Left) and God T (Right) for the independent single "Cowards in Arms"

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

Joining IMC on the Seleyan shows will be Kris the Ronin and Das Kult, two Addisjah crews who are currently building a name in the region but are opting not to join a label at the moment. "We want to stay independent, like they used to do in the old school," said Kris, who is covering his own expenses on the trip, though is using IMC's equipment. "I'm a battle rapper and a free styler. But I've worked with these guys (IMC) for years up in Vrassa, and so they welcomed me on the tour." Das Kult is well known for a style of rap called "fast rap" where they will often utter gibberish nonsense between works to keep meter while keeping the BPM over 140. "Like it takes a few listens to decipher our sh-t," said MC Libros McGravy. "When it comes to it, its supposed to make you think like "what the f-ck did he just say?" Neither Kris the Ronin nor Das Kult will play the Artania, Keris or Dovani dates, though they are expected to be in Lourenne for FOMAT.

"This may be the biggest tour of any Kalistani band," said Lora Monte. "Kalistani musicians don't always get invited to other nations. So it is just a real opportunity. We're pretty excited, but also, its totally a new experience for us all, so, hopefully all these shows will shake the nerves and by the time we hit the stage at FOMAT we won't just go out there and show our -sses..."

"We're all very excited, especially doing shows with Kris the Ronin. He rules," said Michel-Guillaume. "FOMAT is still on the horizon, so we're just gonna focus on Baltusia and do some bomb shows. One day at a time, one spliff at a time."

KRM wishes Immigrant Mic Control well as they go out to represent Hip Hop and Kalistani music across Seleya and the world. The band will be in Likatonia when their sophomore LP drops in five months.

[Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGA6shXdb_M]
Check out the recent single "FX from the Sewer" by Port Swedes' Das Kult, who will join IMC on all Seleyan dates this year[/align]

[Doc]

News in Brief
Kalistan joins Equifund; new MoCo Factory under construction in Addisjah
Kaliburg, Ananto
May 2, 5366


Urban Renewal goes ahead in Sulari, creating new green belts

Sulari:
The first round of urban renewal is completed, and while the city remains at a net negative for single occupancy and family units, it is estimated that approximately two thirds of the population which has been displaced by urban renewal demolition has found permanent housing in the new residential blocks downtown. Services for the new population are coming online, as seven elementary schools and two high schools have been opened to instruct the children of the relocated families. "We expect to either build or rehab homes for the remaining dislocated families within two years, but there is also the fact that many of those who have not returned to Sulari have simply settled elsewhere in the Republic, so it is also highly likely that we will have many apartments and row houses opened when we are finished with the housing stock renewal part, and this will attract people from other regions in the Republic to Sulari," said Mike Greenwood of the Suldanor NSP. This trend of intense internal migration has accompanied renewal in the majority of the cities of Mainland Kalistan, and by the time renewal and vertical development is completed, the character of Kalistan's neighborhoods is expected to be dramatically altered. But the process continues in Kalistan's cities, despite resistance from landlords and developers, who have, for the most part been cut entirely out of renewal and have been forced to move capital into new development in various exclaves across the Mainland.

Kaliburg:
The Ministry of Defense announced today that Kalistan has joined the international weapons research and development Consortium Equifund. The Ministry issued the following statement:

"Joining Equifund allows Kalistan to not only share our own military technology with a wide array of nations across the globe, but also gain access to the research of large nations, including our major partners in Lourenne. This both sets the stage for continued modernization across Kalistan's armed forces, but bolsters our non-aligned credentials, by allowing us to help arm the smaller powers of the world with modern weapons, and deliberately undermine the advantage larger powers have by deliberately picking and choosing which nations to arm and which to prey on. We also wish to open partnership with smaller states to offer training and technical assistance in an explicit attempt to balance the power of the one or two major power of this world who use things like internatonal institutions to enforce their national interest over the face of the planet."

The accession to the Equifund does not require collective security action on Kalistan's part, and the possibility that it might led Kalistan to delay joining the international weapons cooperative.

Addisjah:
Construction at MoCo's new Addisjah plant is well underway and is expected to be completed in two years. MoCo Spokesman Janice Alvares said, in a short conference on the progress of the plant: "We have laid the foundation for the main plant. The plant will have five main lines, which will allow retooling to meet foreign buyers' specs, while not disrupting production on other models. The plant is expected to employ as many as 7000 people from the Addisjah area, and will provide good, high paying jobs which will improve the lives of the people of Addisjah." The site was chosen for proximity to Lodamun, who is expected to be the primary purchaser from the factory. Other concerns were highlighted, such as environmental impact. "MoCo is committed to clean prodution," said Alvares, "and we want to make it clear that our factory will be a net Carbon Negative operation, as production will be offset by energy saving practices, as well as mass transit within the plant itself."

[Doc]

First Fleet returns to Base: Sanctions and Impoundment regime sunsets on the Anantonese
Kalistan looks to drafting of NBC and NAM treaties
Port Swedes, Vrassa
January 1, 5367


Elements of the 1st Regular Fleet begin returning to base at Port Swedes

The sanctions regime against Trigunia and Gao Soto which have been in place for more than a decade have officially ended, as the elements of the 1st and 3rd Regular Fleets returned to their respective ports across northern Kalistan. "in fact," said Naval undersecretary Amanda Howard, "I mean as a matter of fact, the sanctions regime expired a number of years ago. The navy ceased impounding or stopping ships in practice ten years ago. Both regimes that these sanctions were directed against have for the most part ceased to exist, and while we are not sure the criminal elements associated with them will ever fully be brought to justice, there is no longer any point in continuing to keep a sanctions and embargo regime in place that hurts free trade in the area while having zero effect on the targeted states. So, the Government decided to finally and fully lift the sanctions, and the hightened alert in the Ocean has been reduced."

Kalistan is once more on a full peace footing, as it prepares to begin working on two comprehensive treaties that should further undermine the ability of warmaking states to affect affairs in our corner of the world. The first is a new version of the Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical (NBC) Weapons ban, which aims to eliminate weapons of mass destruction from Terra. Historically, the NBC has not been very popular among the nations of the world, as regimes like to preserve the right to build these weapons and use them as they please. "But in the new NBC," said Nathan Calle, of the Foreign Ministry, who is tasked to draft a new NBC treaty, "we would ask especially the states who will never build them in the first place, for whatever reason, whether it be ideological or material, to sign on to the treaty to say to the world not only 'No" but "HELL NO! No WMDS!', and then to put pressure and bring international disapprobation to nations who remain committed to the systems of mass death."

The other major treaty the Foreign Minister would like to get started is the Non-Aligned Movement Treaty, that would allow nations to sign up to Non-Alignment. "With joining the NAM, we also want to have the ability to give people a reason to want to balance the great power states in the world," said Dr Carol Ananto-Donner, who is leading the team working on the NAM treaty for the Foreign office. "We aren't planning collective security: instead we are talking about free technology transfer, the ability to buy and sell weaponry, and an ability to identify who friendly regimes are in the process of establishing a new balance in the world order. Great Powers, and even large players might join individually, and they will be welcomed, but the commitment is to stay unaligned and resist the forces in the world that tend toward alignment and forming blocks that can subsequently threaten the rest of us. Kalistan is not into that, and we know there are more countries who would support a group working together to prevent elite led alliances from dominating the planet."

These two moves fit Kalistan's over all strategic outlook of defense in depth of the Republic, as well as, in terms of projection of soft power, undermining the ability of major powers to use hard power anywhere around Kalistan. "It is a function of the asymmetric nature of Kalistan's place in the international scene," said Calle. "We aren't going to support nuclear armed powers into the World Council. We aren't going to stand by while states gang up on weaker nations and dictate to them what is going to go on. And at the same time, we are not going to directly confront them in either the international diplomacy realm or in the waters of the Anantonese Ocean. Kalistan has a measure of security now that is fairly unprecedented, and a lot of that has to do with military cooperation with Lourenne and economic cooperation with our neighbors. We are in a good place right now to help build a movement like this, a movement of small and medium nations, to break out of the polarization of the world, to not pick sides, to continue to exist by not playing the game by the rules that the greater powers set up to promote their interests."

The treaties are expected to be introduced into the National Assembly within 6 months and then go out for ratification.

[Doc]

[Doc]

Kaliburg Welcomes news of Lodamese Ratification of AESA
Trade Union potentially represents largest bloc of this kind in Terra
Kaliburg, Ananto
February 28, 5367


AESA has become a defacto trade union for the Northern Anantonese

The agreement which led to integration of the economies and the abolition of borders between Kalistan and Lourenne has been extended to Lodamun, making the Anantonese Economic Standardization Act one of the, if not the largest trade union in Terra. The provisions now cover nearly 300 million people, and include one of Terra's largest economies, and two middle economies. Provisions of the act allow for free flow of goods, services, and capital between the three states, and the only economic activity excluded is monetary policy.

"The idea for integration came because Kalistan had long held a particularly favorable opinion of Lourenne," said Kalistan's Finance Minister Janine St. James. "The treaty was built to get rid of any remaining barriers to Lourenne's investment in Kalistan which are imposed even on nations we maintain free trade agreements with. In doing so, Lourenne became free to invest in Kalistan, and the Republic has benefitted ever since. Meanwhile, not creating a monetary union also helps each country stay independent enough that we can pursue different political economies and separate growth strategies without hindering capital flows between our two countries. The ZPG position of Kalistan doesn't prevent Lourenne from building new things in Kalistan, and Lourenne's liberal to social democratic orientation is strengthened by inflows of Kalistani capital who would prefer to do buisiness in the less restrictive environments that Lourenne offers. Adding Lodamun into the mix will just increase opportunity and diversity so companies can act in a way that best suits their business model and growth strategies."

A new partner in the trade union creates new opportunities but also new challenges for the centuries old partnership. Lodamun has committed to reviving its moribund economy, and has taken steps to secure important deals from both Kalistan and Lourenne, but at the moment, integration is slow, and both Kaliburg and Eroncourt will likely want to make sure that Lodamun is stable before full integration is achieved. "Kalistan will feel the effects of any changes first," said St. James. "We share a border, and Lodamun is our second largest trading partner, after obviously Lourenne. We have a number of important infrastructure connections, and while we look for more opportunities to invest, downturns in Lodamun, which has a more positive orientation toward capitalism than Kalistan does have to be insulated against. Kalistan already absorbs population pressure from Lodamun in the form of open borders, and given the long history of neglect in the Lodamese economy, there is not a lot of precedent that can help Kalistan plan for dramatic shifts in Lodamun. But we think they are very conservative in their approach to reform, and that is a good thing, especially from Kalistan's perspective. If Lodamun can keep that pace, slowly, deliberately, and responsibly reviving various aspects of their economy, I believe all three nations stand to benefit."

The news of Lodamun's ratification of the AESA and Lourenne's enthusiasm comes on the heels of Kalistan's announcement that the MoCo Plant in Addisjah is well ahead of schedule and is expected to be completed by year's end, with new products destined for Lodamun headed out by the second quarter of next year. Kalistani engineers are once again eyeing increased rail transportation across the Jah River and making the argument that the double track will provide excellent benefits, increased cargo turnaround time, and with the access of Lodamun into AESA, no more requirements about loading separate trains to transit the border. "The increase in efficiency and decrease in handing costs alone will pay for the bridge when it is finally completed," said St. James. "Lodamun is encouraged to complete thir half of it and link the double track cargo line into their rail network, a process which was started when we were talking about a northern Seleyan Rail Network almost 50 years ago."