Fr. Yuriy Chkadua stages protest outside Lodamese embassyMarch 4911The controversial priest "Fr. Yu," or Yuriy Chkadua, has caused quite the upset in Hobrazian society. Formerly a quiet parish priest in the rural Kidurani town of Kastal, Fr. Yu took on an anti-pagan crusade three years ago after seeing footage of a Lodamese pagan ceremony on Hobrazian Public Television. In an introductory video on his website, Chkadua explains his motivation for becoming a nationally-known figure: "I was a simple priest for 30 years. Never did I raise a fuss, never did I try to reach outside my town. But now I see that the Church's absence has allowed evil to run unrestrained throughout the world, and I can no longer remain silent." In those three years, Chkadua has become a polarizing figure, beloved by some and reviled by others, who loudly and repeatedly objects to seemingly every facet of the modern world, from foreign paganism to plastic toys. Known as Fr. Yu by his followers, he has attracted both a wide following and a dedicated corps of protestors who follow the priest to every public event. One of those protestors, Roza Kənanli, offers the following perspective on Fr. Yu's ministry: "He's simply a hateful man, there's nothing more to it than that. We don't believe that someone with such hate should go unchallenged."
Fr. Yu's favorite cause is agitating against the Seleyan nation of Lodamun. Last weekend, Chkadua held a protest outside the Lodamese embassy in Astoria, delivering a fiery sermon that accused the Lodamese of "building their own hell" and called the nation's populace "dirty little people living in dirty little huts." In the midst of his condemnation, Fr. Yu even advocated a boycott of Lodamese goods. A crowd gathered around the priest chanted slogans such as "Lodamun will burn," while counter-protestors - including Roza Kənanl - held a variety of pro-Lodamese signs advocating for Hobrazian-Lodamese friendship. The protest remained peaceful, but did not escape the attention of the local media, which widely condemned the event as inciting conflict. A petition has been circulated to investigate Fr. Yu for disturbing the peace.
The bulk of the priest's ire seems to be reserved for the majority-pagan nation of Lodamun, but he hasn't been shy to express his feelings on other nations and religions across Terra. Fr. Yu has variously called the Bianjan Church of Church of Fanggon "an absurd sham propped up only by the vanity of a fat and impotent khan," Endralon "a nation of money-worshipping libertines," Narikaton & Darnussia "just a harbor town that got too big," and the World Congress "a tool of the great evil which seeks to enslave humanity."
Needless to say, Chkadua does not enjoy the support of anyone in Hobrazian government. Fr. Yu has even scheduled a protest outside the National Capitol, calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Qeit Dagovy - in Chkadua's words, a "lily-livered peacenik who quakes in his boots before a few sinful Hobaists." Dagovy responded on social media, saying "I won't even be here! I'll be on a holiday in Kalistan."
Hobrazia's favorite anteater to give birth, zookeepers sayMay 4911The Muzal K'alak'i Zoo's prize anteater Eka, star of her very own internet video series that follows the mammal on her daily adventures, is apparently pregnant. "We're so excited to say our anteater family is growing bigger," said zookeeper Marina Charkviani, who has been Eka's primary caretaker for over 3 years. Eka is a national sensation, with her most dedicated fans already planning to make the trip to see her after she's had birth. "Please don't send any more care packages, though! Eka has everything she needs right here," added Marina.
Eka plays in her primary enclosureMuzalpox possibly linked with caves in Muzalkaz National ParkJune 4911Growing numbers of people report symptoms of the mysterious and controversial "Muzalpox," a hotly-debated disease that supposedly causes extreme drowsiness. As the list of apparent victims has grown, pressure has mounted on the scientific community to find a cause - even though some physicians and researchers still believe the disease to be purely psychosomatic.
"As I have stated before, there is simply no evidence that this is a real disease. The very fact that only Muzalkaz residents have reported falling sick ought to indicate that this is a case of people being overtired from the stresses of everyday life and looking for an excuse," argued Dr. Sergei Chavchavadze of the Muzal K'alak'i Mustard Clinic.
However, an increasing contingent of scientists have challenged the establishment position on the question. "I believe Muzalpox is real, that it truly is affecting these people. It's shameful that the medical community has been so reluctant to explore all the options," commented Ekaterine Bakhia, Regional Public Health Minister of Muzalkaz.
Some researchers have suggested a possible linkage between Muzalpox and the recently-opened Muzalkaz National Park after a survey revealed that nearly all patients had gone on a tour of the park's cave systems before contracting the disease. RFH interviewed a MNP Park Ranger who offered that "we know shockingly little about Hobrazia's caves, or indeed about caves in general. I can't say whether these caves could be the source of Muzalpox, but I can say we have a lot to learn about them."
So far, Muzalpox does not appear to be either contagious or deadly. Preliminary investigations have found that supposedly-infected individuals pose no risk to the public and cannot pass on their disease, which Muzalpox skeptics have cited as evidence that such a thing must not truly exist.
Muzalkaz National Park's most popular cavern is lit for one of its daily guided toursMeet the Hobrazians who say unification with Malivia could be a good thingJune 4911It's no secret that Hobrazia's tensions with Malivia have absorbed much of the nation's attention over the past few years. Malivia's claims of rightful leadership over Hobrazia have sparked fears in many and caused the government to pursue anti-Malivian defensive measures. Yet, not all Hobrazians think Malivia's claims pose a threat, and some even support the claims. A RFH poll revealed that about 7% of Hobrazian nationals believe Malivia's claims are "most likely" or "certainly" valid, a number that's concerned some hardline members of the Hobrazian Parliament.
We set out to find these pro-Malivian Hobrazians and find out why they think that unification could work out.
Husik Shengelia, a vegan activist in the border town of Brentaro, cited his belief in animal rights as a reason for pro-Malivian sentiment. The 24-year-old met our reporter wearing a t-shirt bearing the Malivian flag over the words "Friends of Malivia." "They simply treat animals better than we do," says Shengelia. "Not only does the Malivian government value animal life, but their people clearly care deeply about it as well. I think the earth would be better off if Malivia took over more territory."
For 58-year-old Hobaist community leader Soso Nogaideli, Malivia represented religious freedom. "At first I'll admit that I got caught up in the frenzy, and I hated Malivia too. But then I actually read the Gerajan scriptures, and I came to believe that Lord Hoba truly is a Gerajan god. We have faced so much strife as true believers, and Malivia would end that. I see Emperor Chandragupta as a protector, and I would welcome him. I believe that Lord Hoba will grant him reign over Hobrazia."
Not all were sympathetic for ideological reasons. For Natalia Ghurtskaia, a resident of the small Stormereti town of Dushchi, her support of Malivia was all about practicalities: "You know what happened in my home town after the Traditionalist Party took over? They raised property taxes, taking almost all of my take home pay. Yet the mayor and the town council are exempt from all taxes. They take our money, they spend it, and they expect us to thank them!" Ghurtskaia cited a series of local and national stories of corruption as evidence that the Hobrazian government was illegitimate. "I don't know much about Malivia," she said, "but they can't be doing worse than we."
