Kalistan

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Empress opens rebuilt Gem Vault
The new location for the vault is located close to the new Main Homesite
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
June 8, 5723


Her Imperial Majesty offers rare glimpse inside one of the twelve halls of the newly rebuilt gem vault

Following the major Eveari Earthquake at the beginning of the century, the Royal Gem Vault on the Ananto Estate in Eveari was extensively damaged and was nearly lost. Access to the vault was completely destroyed, and nobody could enter the extensive underground treasury of House Ananto for years. Once Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Carolina II Ananto had completed the relocation and rebuilding of the main home and the repairs and renovations to the Pavilion and the Museum of the Empire, located on the property, as well as most of the staff quarters, it was finally time to tackle the gem vault.

The first step in recovery was to excavate an access to take a tour of the ruined vault. To do so, civil engineers from Marcus Construction, a civil engineer and general contracting firm in Eveari, were hired to dig an access shaft that ran parallel to the old stairway and elevator system into the vault. Several pilot tunnels were dug to determine how far down the access was damaged, and ultimately, the determination was made that the entire elevator shaft had completely collapsed and a new entrance to the vault would be needed.

"The destruction was so complete," said Chris Marcus, who co-owns the firm with his father. "We were pretty amazed, because the entrance was very well constructed, but in a battle between man's construction and the volcanic island of Ananto, the earth almost always wins. Ultimately it was determined that the old entrance was completely inaccessible and destroyed, and therefore a new entrance would be needed."

Once inside the vault, inspectors moved carefully through the damaged corridors. "I was with the first crew into the collapsed vault," said Marcus. "Initially we did not have any electric service installed down there, and obviously what was there was completely destroyed. What we found was complete destruction, where large slabs of concrete and earth had fallen in, massive cracks in walls and just mountains and mountains of physical wealth scattered all over, gems of all kinds, like someone had taken a sprinkle cannon and just blasted the whole place with color that glinted in our flashlights as we panned across the floors." Of the 8 hallways in the original gem vault that extended like spokes on a wheel around a central hallway, 6 of them were completely destroyed and almost totally inaccessible, while two of them suffered extensive damage but could still be accessed. "I have never seen so much gold or silver in my entire life," said Marcus. "I honestly didn't know this much even existed."

Marcus joked when talking about how the initial excavations were the most strenuous and dangerous. "It was quite hot down there while we were trying to string working lamps and ventilation. We all had to be weighed before we went in and after we came out, to make sure nobody tried to make off with any of the stones or ingots or anything. And for the first few weeks, most of us would come back up, just drenched in sweat, and would actually weigh like a pound less than when we went down into the vault. It was ridiculous. The joke became that if you weighed the same when you came up as when you went down, you probably had three or four gold ingots on you somewhere."

Once ventilation had been established, crews could work more diligently. "We knew we were going to have to demolish the old vault completely, but we had to first pull all those stones out. The Empress had ordered the construction of a new temporary holding facility for her treasure, and when we first went in there, when it was totally empty, we all thought no way would they get anywhere close to filling this place up. But I'll be damned if they didn't come close. By the time we had emptied out the old vault, the new temporary treasury, emphasis on temporary, was filled with stacks of boxes six feet high and across the entire room. There was just enough room for the team of jewelers that Reed provided to work: Their job was to clean, sort and grade each stone that came up from the vault. It was a massive job." Marcus said much of the precious metal needed to be melted down and recast, because the damage was so extensive in the central ring where most of it was kept. "In the end it was tons, and I mean tons of stuff that we eventually brought up and placed into the treasury, generations and generations of horded wealth. It was mind numbing."

Excavation also required removal of much of the concrete. "Well, you don't just go through and push concrete and rebar around when you are that far into the ground. This place was meant to serve as a tomb that could withstand a nuclear blast if need be. And now it lay under six stories of earth. Digging out a 150 feet deep hole was not childsplay, especially since the earth was so disturbed." He said the excavation of the the vault took 16 months total before crews were able to access the collapsed structure from the top. "It was like we were opening a quarry on the property, and we worked every day to do this excavation. It was a truly massive undertaking."

As Marcus was excavating the old vault, they were also busy building a new one. "The new one is significantly closer to the surface," said Marcus. "The Empress asked that it be closer to her home than the old one was, but we took sonograms of the subsurface, and realized that the bedrock is much closer to the surface near the forest where she planned for the vault We realized that placing the vault a mere 50 feet below the surface was a much easier task, and when she agreed, we were able to get to work." Marcus said he employed a crew of more than 450 tradesmen and women from around Ananto on the project. "Lots of laborers, lots of welders, lots of concrete guys-- Eveari alone couldn't support that and we had to put a bid out to contractors across Ananto to come in and help us. It was an Island wide undertaking by the end." The new vault was constructed over four seasons and was finally finished in 5721. Final excavations on the old vault were not completed until the next year, but the treasury had already started moving back underground. By the time the last stones were discovered, after sifting the last earth coming up from the pit, the new vault was about to be opened.

"We were extremely careful with our excavation of the old vault," said Marcus, "but it is possible that there are still precious stones mixed into that soil. House Ananto was working with us to determine whether what they thought they had had all been accounted for, but even they, at some point decided that we were at a point of diminishing returned, we had retrieved the vast majority of the fortune and unless any more stones were easily recovered, we should just proceed with the job." House Ananto estimated that some of the fortune could be still mixed within the soil taken from the old vault, but recovery of that would be too expensive to justify the additional labor necessary to extract it. So it would just be buried on site of the old vault and become part of the Estate. At the end only the foundations and whatever remained of the upright walls of the old gem vault were kept. The old storage location of the Hulanevek Diamond, which was three floors below the main vault, was not accessed, so anything that was in there will be lost. House Ananto did not confirm whether anything remained in that area.

The new Gem Vault was formally opened to exclusive and select tours earlier this month. Her Imperial Majesty Empress Carolina II Ananto herself accompanied the first tour, made up of the families of Eveari workers who had built the vault. "My guys and gals have already seen the inside of the vault," said Marcus. "We built it. We have been down there countless times. But Her Imperial Majesty specifically asked if our families would like to see what we had been working on for such a long time. A lot of people said yes." Her Imperial Majesty also rewarded each member of the crew a choice from a selection of raw gems selected from the horde to each of the workers, and offered to cover costs at Reed if the worker would like his or her gems turned into jewelry, to say thank you for their work on her behalf. "Of course, we were well paid too," said Marcus, who said his firm stood to earn more than 15 million Imperial Pesos on the job. "The gems were just a small token, a tiny fragment from the next to infinite number that are down under the ground again, but I would argue that they are probably more than most of our folks had before."

Small groups have joined the waiting list for tours this summer. "There's a bit of buzz surrounding this in Eveari at the moment," said Marcus. "The tours are free, but they're only doing like 6 tours for the rest of this year, and so getting in to see the vault is next to impossible, and probably will be for some time." Groups can sign up to the waiting list through the Museum of the Empire, who, as of this week, said that there is likely a three year wait already. Private tours are also available, but not yet to the public. Marcus said that with excavation completed, the crew still has about two years of work left on the old site to fill in the massive hole that needed to be dug to save the Royal treasure trove. Work is expected to complete at the site in late 5724.

@LaModa

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Orthodoxo: The Journal of Orthodox Institutionalism
Editorial- The Chancellor Must Not Undermine the Empress
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
July 6, 5723


Her Imperial Majesty is allegedly growing exhausted with Chancellor's Shenanigans

Editor's Note
While Kalistan is technically not supposed to have factions, so called Nationalists, represented by Chancellor of the Empire Lady Melanie Alvarez-McLinn, have their own journal. But for years, the Orthodox point of view has not been represented in Government or in the press. Orthodox opinions have been relabeled "Moderate" by the Nationalists, but the only reason the Orthodox position, which takes a more internationalist, Brethrenist, cooperative and dare we say, sane view of the world--along the lines of both the Empire's founder and such notable monarchs as Empress Nicolette the Great, and we believe, Her Imperial Majesty as well--is labeled "moderate" is because the Nationalist position is so extreme. Which is why we launched this new journal, to compete in the contest of ideas and ideology within this Empire. It is our hope that those who are more sympathetic to the Orthodox position, which is the classic position of the Institutional Party of Kalistan, find hope in the words of our journal and comradery amongst other readers, that they organize for power and rejoin our National Assembly to fully represent true Institutionalism in this Empire. Thank you for reading Orthodoxo.

Editorial- The Chancellor must not undermine the Empress
There are a lot of very poorly kept secrets concerning our Chancellor of the Empire, Lady Melanie Alvarez-McLinn. But we do not have to engage in lurid tabloid press to announce that the least secret thing about our Chancellor is her penchant for getting the Empress into trouble with our international partners. Earlier this year, she positively sandblasted our regional partners, completely humiliating them in our press because she felt it was necessary to announce Her Imperial Majesty's offer to discuss climate destruction with others couched in her abject dislike for other nations.

Shot after shot after shot after embarrassing shot was landed in her floor speech without answer before she finally got around to announcing that none of what she just said was going to happen at all, but that the Empress intended to call an international conference to discuss the issue of climate destruction caused by oil usage. In effect, she torpedoed the proposal in its cradle. The Empress, reportedly furious at her loud mouthed Head of Government, has since formally postponed any offers for a conference indefinitely, knowing nobody will attend now if she did call for one, and has moved on to other things which her Chancellor cannot sabotage for her.

Not only did the Chancellor belittle our regional partners in our press, but she deliberately undermined Her Imperial Majesty's program. The Empress has held her fire toward her Chancellor in public, but reports of private conversations between these two are not looking good for the Chancellor. The upcoming elections in January are already showing softening for the Nationalist position in the National Assembly, and several independents, including more than 30 candidates who openly align with a moderate position have narrowed their gaps with the nationalist, Alvarez-aligned incumbent opponents to single digits, while people are also taking another serious look at socialists in every one of Kalistan's free cities.

This latest stunt has merely confirmed that the Chancellor is setting herself up as public enemy. While her dislike and disagreement with Her Imperial Majesty is no secret at all, another non-secret is the Chancellor's association with the previous Defense Minister, who was dismissed under suspicious circumstances and allowed to retire early rather than return to active duty in the Navy. (The Defense Minister was replaced by a Institutionalist Partisan from Militia Artillery, and is known to be fiercely loyal, on a personal level, to the Empress, a selection which sends a very strong signal.) New reporting is coming out regarding why the former Defense Minister was sacked, and then the entire rest of the cabinet followed suit shortly afterwards: Apparently an invasion plan of a neighboring state was discovered half enacted. The report did not say which one it was, but we can only surmise that it was likely Athosia, knowing Lady Alvarez-McLinn's position on that Duchy.

The Chancellor herself was implicated in the plot, but she survived the sacking of the other ministers. The tradition is that the Chancellor serves until the Empress dismisses them. They do not face re-election any more, so they cannot be removed by a revolt among the voters. The Chancellor is the Empress' active hand in the National Assembly, and under normal circumstances, the hand does what the mind tells it to--It certainly does not plot to drag the mind into war. But the Chancellor has shown that she will comply, but not bow to Her Imperial Majesty. The Chancellor clearly believes that she has some sort of independent power base that allows her some autonomy in policy making, and this Empress has been more than willing to give her as much latitude as the Chancellor cares to take.

The Chancellor inherited her position after the collapse of the Anantonese Empire as nationalists, who were angry over the surrender of the Empire, revolted at the polls and elected a Nationalist super majority who felt emboldened to dictate to the Empress who the Chancellor would be. The Moderate Chancellor who preceded Lady Alvarez-McLinn had been killed in a car crash, and the Nationalist majority would not vote on any one other than Alvarez, who they saw as carrying on the legacy of the nationalist Lady Erika Donahue. The difference between Lady Donahue and Lady Alvarez is that Lady Donahue was intensely loyal to the Royal Family, famously sacrificing much of her personal life in their service, while it is well known that Lady Alvarez openly dislikes the Empress, blames her for the loss of Gaduridos, and has been pushing her for years in private to just go take it back, despite them having a new King and a functioning government after all these years.

This latest attack seemed calculated to put the target on our neighbors, perhaps to set the stage for military operations, perhaps to goad them into attacking so we could be justified in fighting back. If this was approved of by Her Imperial Majesty, it shows bad judgement on her part, but Her Imperial Majesty is, shall we say, known for her considered judgement in all matters. If this tactic was not endorsed of by Her Imperial Majesty, one could make the case that it borders on treason because it seeks to create conflict where no conflict existed before. But Lady Alvarez did what she did almost daring Her Imperial Majesty to sack her, and so far, the Empress has not taken any steps against the Chancellor.

It seems that our only option is at the ballot box: In January, our next general election will occur, but before that, in August of this year, the Institutional Party will hold its Conventions where it will select nominees for the upcoming elections. That being the case, Orthodox institutionalists across the Empire are currently acting within their various civil society organziations to secure nomination to the convention. If the majority of the delegation at the Convention are moderates, socialists and orthodox Institutionalists of all stripes it is possible that we could gain control of the Party's programme and move it to more of a traditional, less bellicose direction. An orthodox majority in the convention will also deny the Chancellor complete control of the nomination process and prevent her from disqualifying delegates who do not agree with her policies.

Kalistanis do not have a lot of opportunities for democracy in our nation outside of our free cities. But this is one instance where the voice of true Institutionalism can ring loud and clear. Those who oppose the Chancellor's power play in the National Assembly, those who wish to see a new direction for the nation, we have to organize and work for that new direction. Or else our alternative is the Chancellor continuing to drag our Empire kicking and screaming toward a conflict that nobody else seems to want. Least of all Her Imperial Majesty, who is still, last time we checked, the single most powerful monarch on the face of the planet. Even if her Chancellor does spend all of her time engaged in questionable personal activities and flaunting the spirit of Imperial fiat.

@Orthodoxo

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Princess of the Empire Nicolette Ananto-Connor has died
Former Regent has passed at her home in Luxon
Luxon, Grand Duchy of Ananto
September 12, 5723


Princess Nicolette Ananto-Connor, in 5676 and earlier this year at home in Luxon

Her Highness, the Princess of the Empire and Countess of Luxon, Lady Nicolette Ananto-Connor has died at the age of 76 at her home in Luxon, Ananto. Earlier this week, the Princess requested end of life assistance from her doctors. She was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer last year, and has spent much of this year in the company of her family and friends. She even was seen surfing this summer on the Pipe.

The Princess of the Empire gained fame as a major ambassador for the sport of surfing, and hit the apex of her career when she won the Triple Crown of Surfing in 5671, just over 52 years ago exactly. She then spent years away from competition, choosing to coach younger surfers and teaching. She married Sir Andrew Rohrbach, ODEN-K director in 5677, following a whirlwind public engagement. In her thirties, she began using drugs more heavily, and more or less disappeared from society and the pubic eye.

She was snatched from obscurity upon the death of her brother, His Imperial Majesty Emperor Fredrick IV Ananto and sister in law, Her Imperial Majesty Empress Jennifer I Ananto in 5685. At 39, the Princess was named Regent. She went into deep mourning, but needed to take in her now orphaned niece and step up to rule the country, with no formal training. She was assisted closely by Lady Erika Donahue, who was Chancellor of the Empire, who also served as something of a surrogate mother to Carolina in the early days while the Regent was learning how to live a sober life and was getting mental health therapy for her deep and abiding depression over the loss of her brother and sister in law.

As soon as she felt she was mentally and physically healthy enough, she and Sir Rohrbach adopted the Crown Princess as their daughter, and she took up reigns of the government. The Regent continued working closely with the Chancellor, and as the young Crown Princess was trained for administration, Lady Nicolette provided competent caretaker government. In addition to adopting the Minor Crown Princess, the Princess Regent served as temporary guardian for the future King of Hutori, Prince James Steuart Carmichael, before the Crown Princess completed National Service and took over both the Minor Prince's guardianship and royal training.

Lady Erika Donahue was a nationalist, and while she maintained control in the National Assembly, she was perfectly in line with the Regent, but as soon as the Crown Princess began seeking reformers in certain cabinet positions, some rifts began showing. The major crisis around corruption led to a brief period of civil unrest on the mainland near the end of her administration, but otherwise, it was a peaceful time filled with reaching out to other nations in Seleya and the Anantonese region. Princess Nicolette maintained the regency until the Crown Princess was prepared to be crowned after completion of her National Service. Her Regency ended in 5695.

From there, the Princess of the Empire settled into retirement, occasionally assisting as a representative of the Crown overseas. From retirement, the Princess of the Empire was last in the news when she published her memoirs called On the Swell: the Life and Times of the Queen of Surf about her time surfing, her life as the regent, and her struggles with and eventually beating addiction. Over the last six years she has maintained a local appearance, talking to Luxon High Surf Club on occasion, and personally sponsoring surfers in the Luxon Swell Contest annually. in 5721, Sir Andrew Rohrbach died of pancreatic cancer.

A lifelong tobacco smoker, she herself was diagnosed with lung cancer in late 5722, and began preparing to join Sir Andrew in death. Earlier this month, following a 3 month prognosis, she decided to request end of life care. Princess of the Empire Nicolette Ananto-Connor passed away at 3:15 am this morning. She was attended by her personal care physician, and Her Imperial Majesty and the two Minor Princesses were present for the Princess of the Empire's last days.

House Ananto has requested privacy for the Royal family as they mourn the loss of the Princess of the Empire. Lady Nicolette Ananto-Connor will be buried in Eveari in the Ananto Mosoleum next to Sir Andrew Rohrbach and near her mother, Empress Mary I Ananto. Both the County of Luxon and the Princess' beachside home will revert to Her Imperial Majesty, who has expressed interest in maintaining Her Highness' home for her family. Condolences may be sent to House Ananto, and any donations made in the name of the Princess should be sent directly to the Charity of the donor's choice.

May the Princess of the Empire rest in peace.

@TheRepublic

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FM announces tentative support for NDA in Xsampa
"Differing opinions in Kaliburg," says Ontiveros
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
October 1, 5723


FM Sir Miguel Ontiveros discusses Dovani instability in Kaliburg

"The problem is, the situation in Xsampa is very uncertain," said Her Imperial Majesty's Foreign Minister, Sir Miguel Ontiveros. "We have a really nasty habit of speaking off the cuff here in this nation, and so I just don't want to get it wrong. But from discussions with Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Carolina II Ananto, she has made it clear that we wish to support stability and peace in Xsampa, even if it comes at the expense of democracy. So the Empress has ordered me to very carefully issue a position of support for the Custodian Tsundue Dramuktsang in their efforts to stabilize the Xsampan government, though to make it clear that Kalistan adopts no formal position of support for the Xsampan Revolution. Kalistan would explicitly take a stand against democratic elements constantly attempting to unsettle established order within nations, and this leads us to our position of support for the Dramuktsang administration. Her Imperial Majesty recognizes the efforts that the Custodian is making to help stabilize and bring peace to a nation whose democrats have gone wild."

Ontiveros noted that the advice of the Government was not unified which delayed a position on the matter. "There are some differing opinions in Kaliburg, as can be expected. But I want to be clear here: Her Imperial Majesty's fiat is absolute. What she says is our law, and that's all there is to this. Several nationalists, including Lady Melanie Alvarez-McLinn argued very strenuously against involving the Nation in a foreign country's internal affairs. I myself joined Lady Alvarez' statement in the cabinet meetings. Her Imperial Majesty countered that it is more important for Kalistan to be on the side of Order, and Xsampa, despite our ideological disagreements, is still a trusted partner in trade and security, and keeping them onside is more important than the impudent demands of fifty democratic parties." Ontiveros said his own opposition softened when it was reported that the Communist and other radical left formations in Xsampa opposed the Custodian's moves to restore Order in the Nation, though the Chancellor of the Empire still very strongly opposes the statement.

"At the end of the day, Kalistan does not normally support legislative coups," the Foreign Minister stated. "But in Xsampa's case, this does not appear to be the correct way to interpret the events. It appears that the action was taken to prevent a democratic legislative coup that would overturn the legitimate political order in the nation. Whatever Kalistan stands for, we do not support demagogic actors who whip up mobs with the aim of undermining their political opponents through nominally democratic processes. In this case, the ends of protecting order in the political system of Xsampa seem to justify the means, and it is on this point that the Empire of Ananto and Kalistan bases its support for the Custodial government of Premier Dramuktsang and the suspension of the Legislature. This is the same thing Her Imperial Majesty would do, and has done, in similar situations."

The Foreign Minister said he is in the process of putting a team together in the Xsampan Embassy to approach counterparts in the new Government to see how Kalistan may best support the Administration there. "Obviously, we are not going to be taking part in any sort of conflict between the current, legitimate government in Xsampa and its adversaries in the streets," said Ontiveros. "But Her Imperial Majesty wants to put some credible commitments to stability on the table. We first need to ascertain what the Government would need from us, rather than assuming that we know best. In a lot of cases, we do not, and Xsampa is certainly one of those cases. Her Imperial Majesty would like to have a plan in place by the year's end."

The Chancellor of the Empire's office issued the following statement: "Kalistan's policy is the sole and exclusive province of Her Imperial Majesty, and her Foreign Policy is enacted by Her Imperial Majesty's Foreign Minister. The Government of the Empire of Ananto and Kalistan will continue to develop policy to enact and support Her Imperial Majesty's Fiat, whatever that happens to be."

@TheRepublic

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Chancellor arrested on corruption charges
Offenses are personal in nature, not related to Office
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
November 2, 5723


Chancellor Alvarez-McLinn in custody of KPD Police in Downtown Kaliburg

The Lady Mayor of Kaliburg-Port Davon, Baroness Whitney Andrews-Wiley, has referred formal charges against the Chancellor of the Empire to Her Imperial Majesty's Ministry of Justice this week. The Chancellor, who was indicted in the Free City over the weekend on charges of personal corruption and was taken into custody, has not issued a statement. The Justice Minister, the Honorable Bonnie Conway, said the Ministry will look at the charges to determine whether the case should be tried at the Free City level or at the National Level. The Chancellor is expected to be arraigned early next week.

The charges stem from a late September incident involving the Chancellor, four women and six men that took place at her Kaliburg apartment. One of the women there was a paid informant for the Free City and one of the men was an undercover police officer who was acting as part of a long standing investigation concerning the Chancellor's private activities. The charges allege that the Chancellor, while conducting a party, was also acting as a Madame out of her apartment, and had solicited prostitution with multiple individuals in attendance at her party. The charges allege that the Chancellor has engaged in prostitution multiple times, dating back at least 10 years, for which the Free City has been investigating for at least a year. In all, the City Court indicted her on 22 Counts of Criminal Solicitation stemming from her activates as a Madame.

Prostitution is a legal and regulated occupation in Kalistan, but the Chancellor is charged with running an underground, unregulated prostitution operation, which she herself took usually part in, which falls under the law as criminal exploitation of another human being. If tried by the Empire, it would amount to a Class 2a Crime, with a minimum of two years probation on each count. The Minister of Justice will also need to decide whether the action is likely to occur again, in light of the long history of similar activity alleged in the charges, and if so, the Chancellor's charges would be increased to a Class 3a, high potential to repeat Charge and if found guilty, she would become an inmate on King's Rock. If the charges are referred back to the City, prison would be out of the question, but the City may levy significant monetary fines for restitution and as punishment for the behavior.

The Chancellor currently awaits her fate in the Kaliburg City Jail. Meanwhile, it is important to note that nowhere is it alleged that this alleged behavior had anything to do with her official duties. The Charges make this explicit--these activities were carried out on the Chancellor's personal time, in her personal home. But what is unclear is whether any acting members of the Institutional Party were also involved in the activities.

Rumors have circulated for years about the Chancellor's personal life, but out of respect for her office and title, those rumors were never fully aired in the press. It is not clear whether Her Imperial Majesty had herself heard any of these rumors, or to what extent she knew that her Chancellor was involved in any sort of illicit activity, though it can be gleaned from statements that it was a not well kept secret that the Chancellor lived an alternative lifestyle. Before last year, no criminal complaints had ever been filed against the Chancellor by any of her personal associates.

The trial is expected to be quick: Most cases do not go to court unless the State has overwhelming corroborating evidence of the guilt of the defendant. If this case goes to trial, it will be to give the Chancellor the opportunity to explain any extenuating or exonerating evidence for the Court to consider in its verdict and sentencing. She will see a judge however within the next couple days to enter a plea to the Court for its consideration, and that plea will be entered with the Ministry of Justice as it considers whether to formally try to Chancellor.

At time of Press, the Chancellor of the Empire has not yet resigned from office, and the Empress, who according to House Ananto, remains in deep grief following the loss of her aunt, has not demanded resignation yet.

@TheRepublic

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Kalistani News in Brief:  Minor Princess Steps into Society;
Alvarez-McLinn Convicted in Kaliburg, removed from office; Orthodox nominees surge in polls ahead of next month's election
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
December 20, 5723


Her Highness, Minor Princess Victoria-Monica Miriam Ananto-Rosenfeld, at Cliff House in Kaliburg

Minor Princess Steps into Society
Her Highness, the Minor Princess Victoria-Monica Miriam Ananto-Rosenfeld has made her debut in Kaliburg Society at the Fall Debutante's Ball.  She was accompanied by her classmate, Master Roger Vonberg of Wilson, Kaliburg to the ball.  Following her debut, she assumes a more public profile, which will be managed until her 18th Birthday by House Ananto, including a social calendar, opportunities to be photographed and interviewed in the press, and an identity separate from her brothers and sisters.

"16 is the traditional age where the Royal Family considers childhood to be over and when the next generation begins preparing for adulthood," said Lady Christina Ananto-McKinley, who oversees House Ananto for the Empress.  "Other families will allow their children to debut as early as 14, but the Anantos wait until 16, because of their desire to shelter their kids a little longer from the demands of living life in public.  The Minor Princess was in no real hurry to debut, but I think peer pressure got the better of her, and now that she's finally out in society, she is slowly finding her way, with the House's help.  We all went through the process, but the Minor Princess herself is more interested in school than she is in dating or being out in public, so the transition will be more gradual for her.  Whatever happens, we will help her stay safe as she begins to explore her world as a public person, and navigate the challenges that come with being named Ananto.

The Minor Princess said she already has a very busy social calendar, including extracurricular activities, and doesn't think she has a lot of time for dating.  She participates in the School Theater and Music programs, and hopes that her stepping into society will give her the opportunity to meet people in the Kaliburg Theater scene, where she would like to try out to become a member of either the cast or crew of a production before leaving High School.

Alvarez-McLinn Convicted in Kaliburg, removed from office
The now Former Chancellor of the Empire, Lady Melanie Alvarez-McLinn has been convicted of 14 of 22 counts of Criminal Exploitation by the Court in the Free City of Kaliburg-Port Davon.  The case was initially referred to the National Court, but Her Imperial Majesty's Minister of Justice opted for recusal in the case to avoid the appearance of favoritism or impropriety, and sent it back to the City Court to try under city laws.  Kaliburg then tried Alvarez-McLinn for the charges upon which she was indicted.  At her arraignment, the disgraced former Chancellor pled nolo contendere to the charges, and after being advised that that would be treated as an admission of guilt, was judged to be guilty on 14 of the charges.  The last eight of the charges were dismissed by the judge because they did not technically fit the definition of "exploitation of another person" as they involved the former Chancellor directly.  The Nolo Contendere plea on the part of Alvarez-McLinn allowed her to admit guilt but avoid the public trial which would have laid out all the evidence against her, allowing her to avoid public humiliation, and protecting the identities and reputations of the victims in the case.

Following the No Contest plea, the City of Kaliburg gave the maximum sentence allowable to the former Chancellor, sentencing Alvarez-McLinn to a period of 4 years of National Service, to be overseen by the local court, because Kaliburg-Port Davon cannot direct imprisonment at King's Rock for a violation of Free City Laws.  She is also required to pay restitution of more than 7 million Imperial Rubles to her victims, and when her National Service is completed, she will not be allowed to maintain a home in Kaliburg.  Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Carolina II Ananto then stripped her of her Title as Chancellor of the Empire, and of her County of Lucid.  She is barred permanently from serving in a position of public trust again.  She retains her position in the Order of the Gray Smoke for life, and upon completion of her sentence and following restitution, is entitled to use the title Lady and rejoin the peerage, due to her life peerage, despite not having a title.  She will most likely be provided with a Baronetcy sinecure which will allow her to maintain something of a lifestyle.

Some of Alvarez-McLinn's opponents claimed that the Chancellor's behavior was well known to many in High Government for a long time, and something changed which caused the Government to take the claims seriously.  Many public reports hinted that the former Chancellor had been involved in lurid activities out of her home.  But it seems that something changed within the last year which opened the floodgates and lifted whatever immunity Alvarez-McLinn had previously enjoyed.  From there it was a short time before she was finally arrested and charged with crimes dating back ten years.  The Empress, who has opened Playa de Paz in Athosia two weeks early and is now out of the country, has signaled her approval of the verdict and the sentence and opted to not otherwise intervene in the case.  House Ananto issued a formal statement on the conviction:  "Today, justice is done on behalf of Ms. Alvarez' victims, and restitution will be made."

Alvarez-McLinn now rejoins the conscript ranks of the National Service Program and is expected to be placed in a position which does not require hard labor, given her age.  She will remain in National Service until she is 47.  At least six women and three men who were named in the criminal complaints issued court briefs on behalf of Alvarez-McLinn, saying they willingly participated with the former Chancellor and would have done so even if money had not been part of the matter.  The Justice for the City said that this was not enough to exonerate the defendant, and that the City had an interest in maintaining a regulatory regime over legal commercial operations, including sex work.  The city said they are continuing their investigation into whether others in Alvarez-McLinn's immediate circle knew about the crimes and did not come forward.

Orthodox nominees surge in polls ahead of next month's election
The last public opinion poll of the year shows that in most races where there is a choice between a Nationalist incumbent and an Orthodox challenger, the Orthodox candidate enjoys a 5-7 point lead going into the General Election after the New Year.  This is good news for Orthodox candidates as they seek to make a comeback onto the national stage.  "We're looking at the possibility of Orthodox candidates picking up about 26 seats in the general elections," said analyst Katie Rivers, of Kaliburg Polytechnic, who was responsible for the December Poll.  "The conviction of the former Chancellor on Prostitution charges adds just more wind to the Orthodox sails, who have spent the last half a year calling for a new voice in Kaliburg and a new direction for Kalistani Policy."

Also under threat are several members who hold seats in Her Imperial Majesty's Government.  Though the Chancellor is selected by the Empress, they make selection of Deputies who are elevated to Government.  While it is usually assumed that they will keep their seats over time, they can be voted out of office and therefore removed from the Government.  This time around, several members of the Government are faced with uphill fights to keep their seats in the National Assembly as well as the Government, and their alliances with the now disgraced former Chancellor is suddenly a liability,

"Lots of Nationalists are facing a backlash by the voters, and this time, the Empress is not even in the country to go to bat for the Nationalists," said Rivers.  "She has long had a strained and uncomfortable relationship with the hard nationalists who were operating as a clique with Lady Alvarez-McLinn.  And now, in one fell swoop, the intractable Alvarez-McLinn is permanently out of the picture, and her allies are suddenly uncovered.  And Orthodox candidates smell blood in the water."

The election, which is expected to be bitterly, if civilly contested over the next two weeks, is likely to decide who will replace former Chancellor Alvarez-McLinn at the helm of the National Government, and will likely have an impact that lasts for a generation.  If the Orthodox members somehow gain a majority, this will allow the Empress to select an Orthodox faction member as her next Chancellor.  "She will likely do so too," said Rivers.  "The Empress is widely viewed as more naturally inclined to support an Orthodox point of view, and regularly butted heads with the firebrands among the Nationalists.  If she truly is the moderate reformer that many believe her to be, and Orthodox victory could allow her to reorient the entire society in a very short time.  And its clear, especially following Alvarez' conviction that the people are ready for a change in direction."

The General Elections are scheduled for January 4, 5724, and the day has been declared a National Holiday for the purpose voting.

@TheRepublic

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Johnathan Mickelson named Chancellor of the Empire
Orthodox Leader clear choice of the Empress
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
January 10, 5724


Johnathan Mickelson was nominated by Port Davon Longshoremen for National Assembly

Orthodox Institutionalists, led by Kaliburg native and Davon Longshoreman John Mickelson conclusively took the National Assembly in last week's General Elections, with those who identify as Moderates or Orthodoxos claiming 45 of 79 seats in the National Assembly. The Institutional Party was congratulated on another successful election by Her Imperial Majesty via video conference from Athosia, who asked the Majority to name Mr Mickelson to the post of successor for her now disgraced Chancellor of the Empire, Melanie Alvarez-McLinn. The request was a surprise to most members of the Institutional Party, who assumed that she would name a far more outspoken Orthodox member from Sulari, Kevin Whist to the post. The Institutional Party put the question to the Party's Governing body who approved. Mickelson said he would serve on one condition: That the sentence for Alvarez-McLinn be commuted by Her Imperial Majesty.

"I made that request," said the new Chancellor of the Empire, "because I know Lady Alvarez-McLinn. She did not resist her arrest, she admitted her wrongdoing and she was prepared to accept the penalties. Her crimes, at the end of the day were administrative matters rather than moral matters, and the Empire has made an example of her. But I also know her to be a hard worker, a loyal subject, and one who sacrificed a lot to serve Her Imperial Majesty. Commutation allows this Empire to put her corruption behind us." When asked what Her Imperial Majesty answered, Mickelson was candid: "She asked me to make sure the death penalty is not still an option." At the end of the conversation, she felt Mickelson had made a persuasive argument and agreed to allow Lady Alvarez-McLinn to retire to her hometown of Lucid, where she would receive a small pension that would allow her to have an adequate standard of living, and would be granted the landless title of Baronette, in honor of her heritage and relation to Nicolette I Ananto. "At the end, I was able to prevail upon her Brethrenist morality," said Mickelson. The former chancellor served less than a month of her 4 year sentence in National Service, and will still owe restitution.

Taking office in a time of increasing tension in the region, Mickelson explained his governing outlook. "First and foremost, I reiterate that the role of the National Assembly is to enact Her Imperial Majesty's fiat. That's it. My job is to make sure the National Assembly does what the Empress says for them to do. When acting without direct fiat, my job is to support Her Imperial Majesty's strategic goals. I am not interested in stepping outside that relationship. This is the function of this Party and of this Legislature. I have no desire to get out ahead of Her Imperial Majesty, or trap her into some policy she would not have selected for herself. Only when this government is acting according to its correct functions do we succeed. When one part starts believing that they are greater than the whole, you end up getting disorder and gridlock."

Mickelson, 33, was the choice of the Port Davon Longshoremen to run in this year's general election. He is a freshman legislator, with no longstanding allegiances or alliances in the National Assembly. He is one of two Deputies elected from Kaliburg, the other being longtime nationalist and ally of the Empress Heath Wilcox. "Her Imperial Majesty selected an unknown to be Chancellor of the Empire, because her goal is to avoid selection of a person with lots of pre-established networks and connections," said Dr. Diane Brighton of Kaliburg Polytechnic. "Mickelson is young so he has a long potential to serve, and presumably, his first last and only allegiance will be to the person who plucked him from obscurity and made him the most influential legislator in the nation, rather than to the Party, to a group of close associates, or to himself."

Before being named as the candidate for office from Kaliburg, Mickelson was a dock worker. During his time at the Port Davon port authority, he also composed an somewhat widely read book concerning his reflections on civil society, especially why some join while others do not. His work reflected a sort of auto-didactic nature that many believe impressed the Empress. "She is a philosopher, and admires people who are intelligent, especially those who teach themselves things," said Brighton. "Mr. Mickelson dropped out of highschool in 10th grade, but continued his education independently after that, gaining a degree in psychology while in National Service as a welder. As soon as he left National Service, he studied the law by spending his evenings in the Kaliburg Law Library, and he achieved his law degree while working as a longshoreman.

Rising to the office of President of the Davon Longshoremen local 85, he became interested in Orthodox Institutionalism, and was recruited for office by the Local Orthodox club in Kaliburg, who would have nominated him themselves, but Institutional Party rules say they only take nominations from civil society formations that have more than 1000 members, and the Orthodox club only has 85 members. But the Orthodoxos were undeterred, and convinced the Union local to vote for him. Not only did the Longshoremen of Port Davon nominate him, but so did the National Warehouse Workers United, the Boatoperators Union, and the United Davon Merchant Marine Benefit Fund. Mickelson, who is a fairly unassuming Bretherenist, said he was overwhelmed by the support of the Unions.

"They told me that I was one of theirs," he said. "The Unions organized to support a working man. This must have come to the Empress' attention and when I won election, she said that it is time for the Empire to stand with the working men and women of the Empire. It is a true honor to be held up like this, and I intend to represent my brothers and sisters in the trades and the Industrial Unions as well."

The new Chancellor of the Empire is known to support National Industries. "The National Industries are the Workers' best friends," said the Chancellor in his book. "Not only are they closed shop, but they pay better than any comparable job in the Private Sector, offer all benefits backed up by law, and constantly strive for workplace safety and better working conditions. The Nationalized sector offers people job guarantees, wage guarantees, and opportunities for workers in one shop to make improvements not only for them, but for all workers. We have the ideal proworker economy in Terra, and it is Nationalized shops that help make this possible."

Mickelson ran on returning the Institutional Party to its historical orientation, which is more internationally minded. "We need to take the opportunity to work with those who want to work with us," said Mickelson. "Her Imperial Majesty espoused this idea at the beginning of her reign, and then the Nationalists took control and more or less rode roughshod over the nation. The days of threatening sanctions for not adopting Kalistan's world view are over." After being appointed Chancellor, Mickelson said his first foreign priority was to work with the Foreign Minister to reach out to the Custodial Government of Xsampa to see if there is something more that Kalistan can do to support the Government under the NDA, and noted that Her Imperial Majesty does not intend to acknowledge any blockades or embargos of Xsampa, whether against the Current Government or against a Communist coup were to seize power and put people back under the totalist boot.

He also feels it important to reach out to Gaduridos to try to set off a rapprochement. "I know Her Imperial Majesty is still mourning our loss of Gaduridos," he said last year. "We should do what we can to try to start healing. So she can move on with the rest of her reign. Kalistan does not have to sacrifice its national interests to work with others. We know this: We understand, probably uniquely among all nations, given the Brethrenism of our nation, that all have some worth which we should honor, even if we do not approve of all they are or do. A nation like Gaduridos was our friend at one point. It may be a little hard to remember that now, from the other side of the divorce, but I wonder if it ever occurred to [then Chancellor of the Empire,] Lady Alvarez that maybe they are hurting too. We have a lot of reasons to grieve the loss, but so do they. So maybe we can find a way to move forward."

Mickelson lives with his partner, Poppy Janine Martinez, in Zappa City, Port Davon, and they have one small child together. The Chancellor is expected to be inducted into the Ancient Order of the Gray Smoke later this month, so he can hold private conferences with Her Imperial Majesty. His first task however is to name a new Cabinet. Of those currently serving, six Ministers lost their seats and are therefore no longer part of Her Imperial Majesty's government. Of those who survived, the Foreign Minister is probably the most prominent Nationalist, but the office of Her Imperial Majesty's Foreign Minister said he was enthusiastic to meet with the new Chancellor of the Empire and getting to work together. A new Cabinet proposal will be announced by February.

@TheRepublic

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Foreign Minister reaches out
FM dispatches special envoy to Luthori and hails Gaduridos
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
February 12, 5784


FM Miguel Ontiveros says Empress welcomes discussions with Luthori

A special envoy was dispatched to the Royal Court at Fort William Luthori, Her Imperial Majesty's Foreign Minister, Sir Miguel Ontiveros announced. "Upon direct fiat from Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Carolina II Ananto, we have dispatched veteran diplomat Ellen Hedges, who works with us at the Foreign Ministry to reach out to the His Majesty's Government in the Luthorian Empire," said Sir Ontiveros. "Her Imperial Majesty wishes for Kalistan to make an effort to re-establish relationships with Luthori and work together on issues of mutual concern for both our states."

The Foreign Minister did not detail specific topics of discussion between the Special Envoy and counterparts in Luthori. "We decided that the discussion should be left open to serve as a starting point," said Ontiveros. "Her Imperial Majesty was impressed by the nuanced position of the Luthorians with regard to Xsampa, and feels that it provides a moderate alternative to the hardline adopted by some nations against the developments in that nation. On this ground, she feels that Kalistan and Luthori may have opportunities to talk about other things, such as diversifying trade or security matters in the region. Her Imperial Majesty believes that it would behoove us to diversify the field of those we talk with so we do not end up dependent on any one nation, thereby forcing our nation to tailor our interests to the imperatives of any other nation."

The move also reflects a new openness of Kalistan toward the world following the return of Orthodox government to Kalistan. While the nation can still be characterized as nationalistic in its scope, it also wants to reconsider pragmatism as a guiding principle. "Our neighbors may adopt a different stance on specific issues of the world, but Kalistan makes its own path," said Foreign Minister Ontiveros, "and if we can identify fellow travellers on that path, it doesn't hurt to ask them to walk together for a while. Where one door closes, another opens, and Her Imperial Majesty has decided to walk through it."

Ontiveros said that Her Imperial Majesty also looks forward to finally arranging a meeting between herself and the King of Gaduridos, hopefully this year. "We've sort of been in a holding pattern with regards to Gaduridos, and hopefully our invitation to visit still stands, and we can finally talk at high levels about outstanding issues from both of our nations' perspectives." Ontiveros said that he believes Her Imperial Majesty wants to get back on good standing with Gaduridos. "Kalistan misses having a relationship with Gaduridos, for economic reasons of course too, but Kalistan developed deep cultural ties with Gaduridos over the time that we were united, and its our hope that those cultural ties can be rebuilt to some degree. Right now, we are estranged. Hopefully someday we will see one another as siblings once again."

Ontiveros said Envoy Hodges will remain in Luthori for the next two weeks, speaking with various members of the Luthorian government and society, and will consider it a possible prelude to future discussions between the two nations.

@TheRepublic

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Xsampan Confidence collapses in Futures Market
Money is moving against long term success of NDA government
Sulari, Duchy of Sulari
February 20, 5724


Xsampan 6 Month Contracts issued yesterday are in profitable territory for first time since NDA established

Kalistani speculators can bet on almost anything they want in the Sulari Futures Market. As long as the Bookmakers Association will approve the contract and set an initial contract value, the bet can be tracked and bought and sold, both in the Market itself and online on the SFM app. One of the things that those playing the predictions markets can put money on is the predictions of success in specific world events. And for the first time this week since the collapse of the Government in Xsampa and the start of the NDA Custodial Government, betters are moving money away from Xsampa. Older contracts are selling at a much lower price than when they started as early optimists in Xsampan stability are beginning to head for the exits on the Dovanian nation. Meanwhile, the newest contracts to be issued are all starting at less than 50 cents per contract, suggesting that both the professional bookmakers and players in the market are bearish on Xsampa.

"There's not a lot of consumer confidence in the Custodial Government maintaining order in the nation," said Orenthal Richardson, speaking for the Sulari Bookmakers Association. "Our initial pricing on Xsampa, following the statement of the National Government, was at .67 cents, giving it essentially a 2 in 3 chance of succeeding. The original contracts have fallen to less than .55 cents, while the newest contracts are being bought at 43 cents. To us, this says that our investors are taking a dim view on the future of the Custodial Government in Xsampa."

A number of factors are militating against long term success and stability in Xsampa. While both Luthori and New Verham have joined Kalistan in calling for support for the Custodial Government as a stabilizing force in the nation, most countries in the world, including those who have a vested interest in returning the status quo ex ante to the nation, are pushing the Xsampans for abolition of the Custodian and restoration of the pluralistic PAX. "A lot of internal factors are also at play, and it would appear that most of the people in the nation of Xsampa are being whipped into a frenzy by vested political actors who want to overturn the system that is now in place as a temporary stability measure for purely instrumentalist reasons. There seem to be a lot of these forces arrayed against the Government, and the Government doesn't appear to be doing anything to mollify these different groups. Together, Kalistani investors seem to think that the amount of pressure is probably more than the Xsampan government will be able to withstand for long."

The result is less than even odds that the NDA will still be in effect in the next 6 months, when the contracts finally pay out. "Interestingly enough, but not surprisingly, is the line on Communist Revolution in Xsampa. The 6 month contract is at .56 and the 1 year contract is at .75 at the moment," said Richardson. "Investors are pretty certain that the Communists, whether backed by foreign manipulators or not, will start a revolution within the next year." Investors are going long on a handful of pro-democracy options, while short selling everything that even hints in long term stability in Xsampa. Over in the Observers Market, the line on Xsampan prosperity dropped from a Terran high at -464 to a very iffy +345, making it officially a "risky bet" for Observers investors. "The swing suggests that, from Kalistan's perspective, the Custodian is not doing much to dissipate or neutralize the forces that are looking to topple it."

The moves in the futures predictions also suggests some policy outcomes for the Nation. "Well, who knows what will happen in the future, but if Investors in both the Futures Market and the Observers Market are to be believed, Kalistan backed the wrong horse when they chose to support the NDA government on the basis of order and peace in Xsampa. This of course does not suggest that Xsampa will or will not ever get its act together and actually address the complaints of the opposition to the point where opposition switches from hostile opposition to loyal opposition, but what is clear is that investors believe Kalistan will end up on the wrong side of history if Kalistanis continue to look for ways to help the NDA stay in power. The NDA Government itself doesn't appear to really want to stay in order, or actually enforce the NDA, because those associated with communism are apparently routinely scoffing the law and are actively conspiring to return the nation to its pluralist, and therefore chaotic configuration from before. If all things remain exactly as they are today, our investors will surely lose money, and the Nation, if things come out the way the investors are guessing, will end up backing a dead end Government."

The Foreign Ministry was contacted for comment on the story, considering that it concerns national policy toward Xsampa, and they opted to not comment.

@TheRepublic

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Kalistani News in Brief: New Chancellor inducted into Order of Gray Smoke;
FM calls Xsampan Court Decision "regrettable"; Imperial Geographical Survey Office to issue new maps
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
April 4, 5724


Empress with Chancellor of the Empire John Mickelson in Eveari

New Chancellor Inducted into Order of Gray Smoke
New Orthodox Chancellor of the Empire, Sir Johnathan Mickelson, has been formally inducted into the Order of the Gray Smoke. The induction, which is traditional for Chancellors of the Empire, allows the Chancellor to skip much of the formal protocol points so that counsel and advice may be offered in a less mediated fashion. The Appointment is a lifetime appointment, and is reserved for Royal Family Members, their Spouses, major foreign figures who are close allies of Her Imperial Majesty, and major players in the Empire of Ananto and Kalistan.

The Chancellor himself had this to say, "Joining the Order is a rare privilege afforded to few. And there are a lot of things I have to learn about, and sort of just know. I'm not saying secret handshakes or anything, but the things that are done in Conclave all have meaning behind them. Even if you might be shocked by some of the things you see and experience there, which I am not at liberty to really discuss in any detail at all, it all has deep meaning. It's a transforming experience, let me just say that. Learning what all that means... its gonna take a while..."

The Order of the Gray Smoke is getting ready for its annual Order Day next month, which includes a large dinner and social for guests, and the main Order functions for the year, all of which remain entirely shrouded in mystery, though some have suggested wild theories about what happens behind closed doors, including anything from ritual disrobing, to ritual sacrifice, and everything in between. So far nobody has broken the secrets of the Order in its more than 400 year long history, and this is, according to the Chancellor strictly enforced, at all levels. "Secrecy is sort of what you trade for the privilege of being in the Order. And once you join the Order you remain in for life, because otherwise, there would be no way to enforce the secrecy of the Order."

FM calls Xsampan Court Decision "regrettable"
Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Carolina II Ananto called the decision to overturn the NDA and have thrown out the Custodian "regrettable" said Foreign Minister Miguel Ontiveros. "Communist Parties around the world are on the march," said Ontiveros. "Her Imperial Majesty is clear about her stance on communism and finds it quite predictable that the forces of communism, using democratic institutions as their cover, have overturned the one stabilizing element in place during the Xsampan Crisis. This is a truly regrettable development in the ongoing crisis in Xsampa." The Foreign Minister reiterated the Imperial Position that Kalistan will not let the Xsampan situation affect Kalistan's relations with the nation, though he did use the term "communist coup" again in the statement.

"The Foreign Ministry said that we wouldn't be honoring a blockade or an embargo against Xsampa, regardless of if they stuck with stabilization, or if they allowed a communist coup to overturn the law. It seems that this is a case of the latter, and to it can be added the term Judicial. But--that said, Xsampa is not Kalistan, and we traded with that nation when they were dominated by communists. It won't make a difference to us that they are controlled by communists again. Her Imperial Majesty likes the relationship; the ideology of the people running the nation, as long as it is not fascist in its nature, is inconsequential to Kalistan."

The Foreign Minister did note that other nations' communists are cheering for the collapse of the Custodial Government. "We can tell who is really on the side of peace and stability in Xsampa. And you can tell who is cheering for that stability's collapse in Xsampa. What I think the Empress finds saddest of all is the fact that so many came out in support of opposition parties who were intent on bringing down the Xsampan Government, and used every method they had available to do so. It goes to show the opinion of Communists when it comes to actually having a functioning stable government. We are predicting troubled times ahead for Xsampa, so its Her Imperial Majesty's sincere hope that the Communists worldwide who were cheering for this judicial coup d'état are still there to help pick up the pieces and set Xsampa back up right again as actively and gleefully as they supported its downfall."

Imperial Geographical Survey Office to issue new maps
Utilizing advanced software, the Imperial Geographical Survey has announced that they intend to publish a new set of maps for Kalistan. "It has been centuries since we have updated our maps," said IGS Director Derek Ignacio, at his office in Spencer, Sudanor. "Our previous maps were designed before Kalistan has access to more modern satellite mapping techniques. But that's not the case any longer, and it is high time we updated our library."

He said the new maps will be clean and clear and will represent a Kalistan more accurately than previous editions. "It's imperative that we have decent maps of our cities, our countryside, our infrastructure and our resources. Better maps will help us plan infrastructure, get handles on energy needs and efficiency, as well as find places where we are duplicating our services, or are missing key services in very vital locations. We rely on maps every day to get from point a to point b, but maps also help us organize our society better to allow the National Government to make policy which is more meaningful in peoples' lives for a vast plethora of things."

Ignacio said a new map of the Free City of Kaliburg- Port Davon is in the works, while Sulari is planned for the near future. "The issue with Sulari is, of course, that it is such a huge city, so we want to make sure we get it right. An accurate map of the city will help planners develop public transportation, infrastructure needs, and needs of the population, including zoning and amenities, so that is obviously a priority for us. And then from there, we want to map out our other free cities and smaller towns as well." He said the new set of maps will be provided free to all on the IGS' website and paper versions will be stored in public libraries for people to us.

@TheRepublic