Kalistan

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Premier orders National Shipyards Reopened Early
Concludes "Hanshake Deal" with Dolgava for Small order of Patrol Craft totaling 16.8 Million KRB
Kaliburg, Ananto
February 3, 4881


Kalistani National Shipyards in Kaliburg begins refitting and construction work earlier than expected

The Premier this week ordered the Kalistani National Shipyards re-opened to begin refitting what is left of the Kalistani Regular Navy for active Service. "The Refitting won't be a quick job," said the Minister of Defense Edmund West. "The previous several Administrations have only done the most minimal maintenance on these ships, and most of them are simply not seaworthy. Luckily we have drydock facilities here and at Bozo River and in Dulnerstaad, and can speed up the process of inspection and refitting the hulls of these ships, but to be completely honest, most of our Naval Assets will need to be written off and scrapped, while we salvage what we can."

The move to reopen the Shipyards early comes as a terse diplomatic cable from the President of the Republic to the Kingdom of Lourenne still officially remains unanswered at press time. "The Premier put rebuilding the navy at the top of her list in regards to her agenda this year," said Defense Minister West, "And it is clear that she means business."

What is also clear is that, even with the recent handshake deal for 4 Light patrol craft from Dolgava recently concluded via back channels, which totals 16.8 Million KRB, the Republic will be no where near ready to adequately defend the Republic should a determined or combined attack from a modern navy sudden;y appear. "It is our hope, however, that we bloody anyone, to at least make them pause before they attack and ask themselves, if this really worth it?" said the Minister. "The Militia is reforming right now, and several fishing boats belonging to militia members are being retrofitted as shore vehicles and LAFAs but for the most part, any enemy will need to be within range of our coastal artillery before any real pain is brought to bear on them, and by then, it will probably be too late for the shore batteries to significantly forestall or deter any attack."

And this is why speed is of the essence in the work at the Ship Yards. "We have three months before the first system arrives from Dolgava. Within that time, we should be able to have more than a handful of ships of our own fully inspected, cleaned, repaired and ready to begin patrols. Training men and women to use those ships, well, that will take a bit longer."

"And you know, if this whole thing blows over, which is what everyone is hoping for," said Minister West, "The we have a head start on the bigger mission."

It is now a race for the Republic as time begins to tick.

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Socialists lay foundation for Nationalization
New Omnibus Nationalizes Power Grid, Makes changes to Drug Policy
Kaliburg, Ananto
January 1, 4882


Premier of the Republic Beloit discusses return of the Dual System

Three Years after assuming the Office of Head of the Government, and after significant changes to the Republican Constitution, the Premier and her Party are finally ready to begin the hard work of restoring the Dual Economy.

"We have been rather limited in our moves toward reinstitution of the socialist economy in Kalistan," said the Premier of the Republic, "along the Dual Economic lines preferred by the Socialists, due to our needs to do a lot of housekeeping and quite frankly, just cleaning up the rubbish around the National Assembly left by decades of misadministration and in other cases, non administration. We now take our first steps toward the Dual Economy."

In the newest Omnibus, called Omnibus 3, the SP calls for strict lines of Nationalization in certain sectors of the economy, to prepare for the re-authorization of the National Industries, a permission to create a National Banking System under a Single National Bank, the Nationalization of all defense operations the relegalization of gambling and prostitution, the deregulation of alcohol, tobacco and pornography, the ending of military cooperation and curfews, the abolition of nuclear weaponry in preparation for the Anti-NBC treaty's adoption, and new citizen liberties around mental illness, euthanasia, abortion, cryptocurrency, right to organize and strike, and recreational drug use."

"Each of our omnibuses moves mountains in months," said the Premier. "Naturally, it is slower than we would prefer, but it is the fastest we can go. Meanwhile, we continue to refit what is left from our Navy and train militia and regulars."

The Premier referred to the recent recommissioning of 4 Indica Class Submarines, KRS-462, 482, 487, and 491 and 3, Ananto Class Destroyers KRS 70, 85, and 89, 2 Kaliburg Class Destroyers, KRS-501 and 507 from the scrap yard at the National Shipyards. "We are working on bringing a handful of Frigates and at least half a dozen more submarines online this year," said the Premier, "But in terms of large capital ships, none were deemed servicable, and have been scrapped. When the KALNAFERCO is reopened later this year, we will begin rolling steel for a new fleet, but this will take time and extra effort. I am afraid we are simply out of ships for the time being, and have to make do with what we have." The remainder of the old regular fleet has been tagged for scrapping, with an effort being made to recycle whatever can be salvaged.

The Republic has yet to hear from Lourenne regarding the title of "Protector of Kalistan", but the Premier is preparing for the worst response, rather than the best. "We have trained one regiment of training, and the Militia is now going through basic along with the Regular forces at the Sulari Depot. Upon completion, all members are receiving basic rifleman training, as well as small arms and irregular tactical training, urban combat training, and signals training This intensifies and lengthens the training regimen from 3 months to 6 months, but we have put one class through already, and are slowly standing up both our Regular forces and the militia." In addition, Officer training is currently happening at Port Eshar Naval Base, and the Premier reports that the Junior Grade officer ranks are nearly filled. "All this is in preparation for Lourenne's response if we should step up our diplomatic pressure over their refusal to relinquish the title of 'Protector of Kalistan' from their Monarch's stile. We are currently drafting sanctions and will be calling on Lourenne's Trading Partners to honor our sanctions in the event that Lourenne refuses to address our legitimate concerns."

These are major changes for the Republic given the course just 4 short years ago. So far the population has been tolerant of the pace of change. Time will tell whether that patience holds, and the Socialist Party needs to begin wracking up results, if the people are to continue to support the Ancient Party.

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Tonya X and Newcomer Jenny Huerta release RF Duet
"Dancefloor" is first RF hit in Egelian
Sulari, Suldanor
February 18, 4882


RF scenester Tonya X joins Jenny Huerta in creating an Egelian Electronic Banger on KMI

The Kalistani Musica Egelian movement continues to spread into pop and pop-adjacent genres across Kalistan. It has now also arrived in the RF clubs which are booming across Kaliburg and Sulari with a recent duet between the veteran RF singer Tonya X and Jenny Huerta, who join together on Huerta's debut single from KMI called "Dancefloor". The song, which is about coupling on the dancefloor is accompanied by a spicy video featuring X and Huerta in a shower wearing revealing bathing suits. Parent groups are outraged by the video in Vrassa, as is predictable. "Dancefloor" becomes the most significant move of Egelian Language music into the RF scene to date, and the single debuted at Number One in the Nation this week.

When asked about the controversy, Huerta said, "Si no lo disfruta, no lo vea." Tonya X simply smiled and responded "yeah, that's what I'm saying too." When pushed on the matter by Vrassan reporters, Huerta defended the work, "I mean, yeah, we were close in the video, but its not like we took our clothes off. The song is innocent. What do you people have against women showing some skin in videos?" Loud protests from the assembled reporters ensued and the remainder of the interview was cancelled.

"Controversy is good for word of mouth," Tonya X told The Republic's reporter, with a shrug. "We are making some ground breaking music here. This song is totally bilingual, it's Kalistan. Those morons should respect that, but either way, the madder they get about it, the more the kids want to hear the song."

The Musica Egelian movement is several years old now. Jenny Huerta is one of a host of new artists who have begun putting out music in Egelian, and utilizing Pensio and Gaduri inspired rhythms as backing tracks. "Dancefloor" is unique because it specifically adopts the themes and the aesthetic of RF, which is something Musica Egelian has thus far avoided, simply because the Egelian language music tends to stick more to pop and hiphop and avoids dance music or such nihilistic and the more sexualized themes which are far more common in RF songs.

"I was really happy to have Tonya on this record," said Huerta. "I was not sure whether the RF crowd was ready to hear this song, but this is her first Egelian song too, though she does her parts in Vrassan, slipping into Egelian here and there. So we kind of give one another credibility among our own crowds." The pairing has worked, and represents yet another significant step for both Musica Egelian and RF in the current Kalistani Music scene.

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KRTVN Relaunched in Kaliburg
The Radio-Television Network seeks to reunite Kalistan's splintered media landscape
Kaliburg, Ananto
February 12, 4882


Post-Punk band Brown Paper Bag plays inaugural concert for reformed KRTVN

The Kalistani Radio-Television Network, long a mainstay for Kalistani Media, last blinked off the air in a slew of unofficial divestment efforts more than 70 years ago. In the years since KRTVN was sold off to private, nominally "non-profit" media conglomerates, the media landscape in Kalistan splintered, and then became stagnant.

"God, TV is abysmal these days" was a popular sentiment recorded when The Republic recently conducted a poll of readers aged 18-30. "I don't even watch tv anymore. I'd rather go to a club and listen to a live band play than watch whatever claptrap is on television," said one participant. Another was more explicit: "Oh yeah, I took a shotgun to my tv a few years ago. Just the kind of commercials they played... it was all lies, and they treated me like I was an idiot."

Radio fared a little better, but common complaints were: "mindless corporate music", "Too many commercials," "DJ talking over EVERY song to advertise" and "News is all unreliable." For the most part, participants in the poll gave Kalistani TV a "Zero" in quality and gave the radio a "four" out of ten.

As this poll was being conducted, a small measure was passing through the National Assembly. The vote was conducted by acclamation, rather than a formal vote. At issue was whether to recharter the KRTVN, which had been at the center of Kalistani cultural excellence so often in the past. In a particularly contentious session discussing possible sanctions on Lourenne for their refusal to change the stile of their Monarch, The Premier of the Republic put the session into recess, but required all members to remain in their place. Suspending business is a relatively rarely used measure which is equivalent to calling an executive session of the National Assembly. Usually it is only members of the Government and the Shadow Government who remain back for Executive Session, but this time the Premier meant for all Deputies to Participate.

Normal Order suspended temporarily, the Premier put the following motion on the floor: "That the KRTVN Reorganization Act be brought back into force by acclamation." The motion was quickly seconded by the Culture Minister. The motion left most of the Assembly wondering why the Premier had suspended normal business to seek the reinstatement of a 120 year old act.

"It seemed like you Comrades were about to kill one another talking about Lourenne, and let's be completely honest: Television sucks." The comment from the 24 year old Premier brought raucous laughter from segments of the Assembled Deputies, who promptly applauded the Premier. Those who were more taciturn in their response nonetheless did not oppose the Premier. When she asked for debate on the question, one of the Oldest Members, Thomas "Tommy" Ulavaeus, from Vrassa City, said "Who could possibly disagree with you, Comrade?" Another round of applause followed the comment, and then the Premier put the matter to a vote. The Yeas were unanimous, and there was no opposition to the simple move. And with this, KRTVN was reborn once again.

KRTVN wasted no time acquiring the assets of the supposedly "non-profit" stations around the Republic. A message was sent out that all those operating radio and television stations and selling commercial advertisement had been in violation of the existing law for decades, and the law was now to be enforced with a process of collection of owed taxes and license suspensions. Stations could convert their existing holdings to public property, could still maintain their stations under their management, could draw a salary, and would owe no back taxes for profitable years if they applied for their license from the newly reopened KRTVN branches across the Republic.

Within a month of the issue of Amnesty, KRTVN ombudsman Terry Greene reported, "We had more than 90% compliance in the first week. There are one or two remaining hold outs, mostly in Odufaray, who are rural stations and have never been all that profitable to begin with. We will focus on bringing them in over the coming weeks."

With new National Networks springing up all across the Republic, the newly reignited powerhouses Radio 1 and TV 7 joined forces to put on a live, broadcast only concert, which was seen by an estimated 28 million Kalistanis. The concert featured a lineup of bands, mostly hard rock and alternative bands, but also a number of Electronic bands and more than a few Musica Egelian artists as well. FOMAT runners-up Salgo played at the top of the 7PM hour, while La Sol performed at 8pm. There was a festive atmosphere in the on-air studio, as well as in the Streets, where people played the concert from their cars, or loudly on their televisions. Impromptu block parties were organized across the Republic as people got together to cook out or to play sports while the music played.

"Pretty good for an unpublicized Concert, huh?" said organizer David van Doren. "I mean, 28 million. By word of mouth. One neighbor calling another saying "Turn on Channel 7 or turn on Channel 1... Th Response was phenomenal."

The show closed with a relatively unknown band from Senvias, Brown Paper Bag, who played a single song "Astigmatism" before the show ended. "They came up to the studio, and said "Hey, can we play? We're Brown Paper Bag from Senvias," said van Doren. "Nobody ever heard of these guys but we asked them, 'What do you sound like?' Th lead singer, Jeremy, I think was his name, said 'We're loud!' And, since dude had guts to just walk up to the studio, guitars, trap kit and amps in tow, we said 'Sure, you close the thing.' We made a great choice. It was a great way to end an amazing concert."

Indeed. KRTVN is now, two months later, generally in control once more of the radio and television stations in Kalistan. Commercial advertising has all but vanished, and new shows have even begun to appear on the airwaves. We look forward to a bright future from this phoenix which continues to get run into the dirt by liberals but continues to rise once more.

Brown Paper Bag performs "Astigmatism" on the Channel 1/7 innagural concert which was viewed by 28 million Kalistanis

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Foreign Minister Addresses Assembly
Prepares Sanctions against Lourenne and Alduria
Kaliburg, Ananto
July 17, 4882


Foreign Minister Mosswell backs Nationalist calls for change in Kalistani Policy toward Lourenne and Alduria

More than a year and a half after the issue was first raised in the Kalistani National Assembly, the issue of Lourenne's Queen Catherine III referring to herself as "Protector of Kalistan" remains unresolved. The issue, which has become increasingly irritating to nationalists in the Party erupted in loud opposition to both Lourenne and the Premier's preferred "Benefit of the Doubt" policy that she has maintained over the last 18 Months.

"Look! Nobody wants to make matters worse," said Nicholas Overbridge, Deputy from Dahriel Ananto, and a self-described nationalist. "But I think a year and a half is more than enough time to allow Lourenne to make a good faith effort to begin to address this, and their refusal to do so in this time demonstrates to me, and the members of this caucus that they have no intention to do so."

The heated dispute hit white hot levels this week as the Foreign Minister herself appeared to switch sides from the more patient approach preferred by the Premier and the majority of the Deputies in the Assembly to the growing chorus of the Nationalists. "Comrade Premier, we MUST do something about this continued provocation. We cannot allow this to continue unanswered by Kalistan. It is either this or we lose credibility as a sovereign and free nation. As you know, I have always stood with the policy of this Government, so I am really saddened that this is what we're here to talk about. But it is clear that inaction on the part of this Administration threatens our credibility as a Government, and if it continues without results, will lead to our removal through a vote of no confidence."

The Premier, not used to being challenged by her own Government in open session seemed non-plussed. She immediately called a recess to the session and convened her cabinet for closed session. Reporters were not permitted into the tense session, but reports on background revealed that the emergency executive session was very tense. Some ministers, standing with the Premier called Mosswell's speech on the floor a "betrayal", while others, including the Defense Minister and the Trade Minister stood with the Foreign Minister. The session lasted for more than an hour before the National Assembly was reconvened.

"Comrades," said the Premier, "The Foreign Minister may have violated decorum on the floor of this Assembly a while ago. However, what she said was not without merit, and it is worthy of our consideration. In consultation with the President of the Republic, I have asked the Foreign Minister to draft a series of sanctions to be applied to the joint crowns of Lourenne and Alduria, who have so far refused to move toward the modification of that stile. Kalistan has been more than patient in our quest for a peaceful solution, and we will continue to look for all opportunities to stay our hand. But the only tool we have to get them to address our concerns seems to be the application of economic and diplomatic pressure. If this is not successful, Kalistan will consider additional steps. This upstart monarchy has stepped on the wrong Kalistani nerve and they can no longer expect our desire for peace and tranquility between our two people to supersede our National respect and Sovereignty."

The Premier then directed the Government to actually draft articles which applied sanctions including the freezing of Lourennaise and Aldurian deposits and investments in Kalistan, to be applied immediately, as more general sanctions take hold. In addition, the SOFA which allows for Louerennais basing and refueling at Dulnerstaad will be reviewed for revocation, and trade action against the United Kingdom was also expected to be included to be in the package. The Premier ordered the Defense Minister to put Kalistan's tiny fleet on alert in the Northern Anantonese Ocean, and called upon deputies to consider the re-authorization of the Privateering Act, which remains on the books, but has not been used in centuries in Kalistan. The Premier was explicit that no restrictions are planned at the moment in the Ananto Strait.

"Our hope is that none of these matters needs to actually be carried out," said the Premier. "Any disruption to trade and investment between our two nations would be disastrous for Kalistan. But we can no longer call ourselves an independent nation if we continue to tolerate this affront to our sovereignty from a nation which has been historically referred to as 'Kalistan's 6th District'. The matter is an existential one for this Republic. It is worth crippling our economy to resolve to our satisfaction."

The Premier's action met with wide scale support from Nationalists and Institutionalists alike within the Party, and coverage of the raucous session was broadcast on KRTVN. The new Sanctions join Kalistan's already completed actions of removing Kalistani diplomatic staff from Lourenne and officially ending consular Activities following the departure of the last remaining Kalistani citizens who wished to depart the nation six months ago. Direct flights between the two nations also ended at this time, greatly disrupting transit between Ananto and Dovani: Eroncourt was the primarily port of entry to the continent before the crisis began, and direct flights to Lourenne accounted for more than 95% percent of all traffic from Kalistan to the Dovani Continent.

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Production begins on Republican Pictures' new Film
"Poppy" is the Biopic of slain President and Partisan Poppy Smith-Bennots
Dahriel, Ananto
August 8, 4882


Camera Crews begin shooting at historic locations in Downtown Kaliburg

Republican Studios have greenlit and begun principle photography on the movie "Poppy", a biopic of former President of the Republic Poppy Smith-Bennots, who was killed at the battle of Mt. Shmee during the Indralan invasion of Ananto during the Ananto War. Smith was 50 when she died in 3994 along with most of the Socialist Militia units defending the Bridge over the Zappa River, when Socialist Partisans were routed and nearly overran by invading and determined Indralan soldiers.

Director Don Bernard has been tapped to helm the project, and bring the creative vision of author Violet Knoffzinger, who published an authoritative biography of the late President in 4878, to life. "It is an honor to work on this project," said Knoffzinger, who also consults for the film. "President Smith was an inspiration that Kalistanis spend their lives trying to imitate, even now, 900 years later." Smith had far more authority than the President of the Republic currently would ever dream of, and when the war began, she refused to evacuate the Island, but stayed behind, joined the Militia as a Captain of Partisan Artillery, but when her position was repeatedly overrun by rapidly advancing Indralans, she joined a provisional rifle company, which is where she died. "The story of her time in the Militia during the war is widely known even today," said Bernard, "but this film also gets into her pre-war life and presents her as a complicated and intelligent young woman dedicated to socialism in the Late Imperial Republican period."


President Poppy Smith-Bennots, on Left is to be portrayed by actress Tanna al-Yusef-Talibbi, from Yoshimi

Smith, a devout member of the Brethrenist Faith, held advanced degrees in Economic and International Trade, and was a post-doctoral Fellow working on Public Policy when she was elected to the Presidency at the age of 33 following a collapse in the Internationalist Government under President Estevez. She was elected to focus more on the Republic and adopt a less internationalist stance, but world events at the beginning of the Terra War outpaced her. Her entire administration was incredibly tense, beginning with problems in the Anatonese Ocean, and ending, unfortunately in her untimely death defending Kaliburg from a ground assault. Most of Kaliburg was eventually leveled by Naval barrage from the Indralan Fleet anyway, but due to the previous and tireless efforts of the Kalistani Government, most civilians had been evacuated to the mainland previous to the bombardment. Kaliburg was never occupied, due largely to the determination of Socialist Partisans.

Smith never had a spouse in her 17 years as President of the Republic. Her biographer explained that she had always wanted a love life, but first her education and then her duties as President of the Republic and then the war foreclosed any opportunities for romance. "She had a plenty romantic life, to live and die in the service of the Republic, defending Ananto in a hopeless battle that only ended in a draw against one of the most mighty Empires in Terra because Indrala needed the troops and supplies and war equipment elsewhere. Unfortunately for her, this did not mean a long term committed relationship though."

Accomplished and skilled Yoshimi actress Tanna al-Yusef-Talibbi, 43, will play Smith in the movie. "It's a real thrill to portray such a Kalistani Hero," said al-Yusef. "In a lot of ways, it almost feels like we are going through a lot of the same things today as she had to go through, but of course, we have the benefit of nine centuries of history on her, and things are a lot different too." Al-Yusef, who is herself a practicing Ahmadi was asked if it would be difficult portraying the Fighting Brethrenist. "No, I can't see how it would be. Much like the Brethren, the Ahmadi is religion of peace as well. And like the Brethren, we would also not disobey our conscience if it said we must fight."

Al-Yusef said she joined the cast after being shown the script. "I was a real fan of the book when it came out a few years ago, so when Don [Bernard] called me and told me that he had me in mind to portray the President, I put my own production about Halal Cooking on hiatus for as long as it takes to complete this Project." Al-Yusef also became one of the Executive Producers of the film.

Primary Photography is expected to wrap in February. The film will be shot primarily in and around Dahriel, but additional locations will be in Kaliburg, Neveras, and Eveari. The President's demise will not be shown graphically, out of respect for her and the partisans who died at her side. "We are working with Special effects teams to depict the destruction of Kaliburg, though," said Bernard, who plans to rely heavily on archival footage and CGI. "That sequence alone almost doubles the cost of the production," said Bernard, "But the goal is to be as faithful to History, and to show Audiences what happened to Ananto and Kalistan as a whole during the battles in the War." Luckily, though, Bernard and Knoffzinger both imagine this movie to be a "character drama" with the action sequences taking up a relatively small part of the film, while dialogue and character development occupy the vast majority of the movie. Several hundred members of the RSMoK have also been contracted to be extras and to perform minor speaking roles in the Movie.

"It will not be boring at all," said Bernard, "but it is not intended to be a war movie. Both Vye [Knoffzinger] and I wanted to make this a beautiful ode to one of the truest examples of Kalistani Patriotism that ever walked our soil, and perhaps inspire modern Kalistanis to emulate her example."

"Poppy" is slated for release next summer.

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Reprinted from El Chisme Interior





The elites in Gaduridos are a rare group. There are only a few thousand families in the country who are categorized as
millionaires, billionaires, powerful, or influencers. These individuals and families are very low key and are very different from the average Gaduri citizen. The Gaduri elite mainly live in the nation's capital, in an elite neighborhood called "Los Altos" or they live in their vast beach houses and villas throughout the nation's beautiful coastal cities and resorts. However, despite having money and a lavish lifestyle, the elite are very similar to the average Gaduri. Both the elite and the average citizen have been impacted by the explosion of music in Gaduridos. The music industry, largely fueled by the Gaduri elite, have finally seen a piece of music made for them. Vicente Martinez and Kalistani Star Christina Shakespeare., both respected singers in Gaduridos and Kalistan, released a new song called "Hoy Te Quiero A Ti" or "Today, I want You". A forbidden love song, which portrays the constant secret love affairs that are a common occurrence among the Gaduri elite. The song's passionate, melancholy tunes help shape the mood and the character of the Gaduri Elite. According to Shakespeare, one of the main singers in this song, stated that her and Martinez's goal was to appeal to the rich in Gaduridos in hopes of supporting the current music explosion in Gaduridos. This song, while not as popular with the Gaduri public, is further enhancing the music boom in Gaduridos, but also reflects the nation's obsession with songs of passion.

[Luis1p]

Revista Limon: The Red Angels to Tour in Kalistan

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Kalistan to send La Sol to FOMAT X
Singer to play "Love Song" this year in Gaduridos
Kaliburg, Ananto
August 8, 4884


La Sol, who normally sings in Egelian, will sing a Vrassan tune called "Love Song" at FOMAT X

The Kalistani Musica Egelian singer La Sol, who has been recording for years in the Egelian Language has been selected to represent Kalistan in FOMAT X, in Gaduridos. La Sol's "Love Song" was selected by listeners' Poll on KRTVN Radio 1 from among 24 entries. "A round robin bracket was set up this year to select the winner," said Contest Facilitator KRTVN DJ Robin Goldsmith "with winners from the first round going on to compete against each other in successive rounds. We also had it set up for double elimination so that those who lost their respective matches would have a second chance to come back and win again. The winners were selected based on votes both in studio and online."

Fan's clearly preferred La Sol's tune to all other entries: She beat out both alternative rock, hip hop, dub and RF singers both in Vrassan and Egelian. "They really liked the beat of that song: it was a hard thumping dance beat, the kind you would hear in a club," said Goldsmith. "I heard the term 'banger' used over and over on the lines when we were running the contests. We also noticed, in rounds where La Sol was competing, we would see a 59% increase in internet traffic to our live streams, and a 515% increase in phone volume. Some people after voting for the song demanded that the station play it again."

La Sol herself was amazed at the reception that the song has gotten. "I got full support from the Label (LTD Records) who heard the composition and realized that whatever it did, it would probably be an amazing hit. But at the last minute, due to an issue with the masters, it didn't make it on my last record. We did some touch ups on the recording, and this year, we released Love Song as a standalone single, and enlisted (video director) Vernon Lewis who had this whacky idea about karaoke and some weird trip that I was having while singing at this bar, and everything seemed to mesh. The single dropped right on the first day of the FOMAT contest, and I am so happy to be the one they picked, and I am glad they loved this song so much."

The song, "Love Song" is a self-refential Vrassan tune about a young woman's feelings toward the ubiquitous "you"comparing her feelings to the lyrics one typically hears in a love song. "I wanted to make a song which was kind of playful, plus, I thought this really shows kind of a diversity that exists in Kalistani Music at this point," said La Sol of her song. The choice to do a song in Vrassan is in itself a bold choice for the artist. "I mean, I have always done music in both languages. I started in Vrassan of course. And the majority of Kalistani music is still in Vrassan." Stylistically, the song draws pretty heavily from the music that is closely associated with the RF scene, but the song has far more pop sensibilities than its RF cousins. "We had this synthesizer effect that we matched with that 4 on the Floor Beat that sounded kind of like a tightly stretched rubber band, and kind of twisted it up through this sequencer. It's crunchy and poppy and people can really dance to it. And then they kinda made me sound a little robotic too, which was also kinda fun," said La Sol.

The musician will travel to Gaduridos for the FOMAT Festival which takes place next summer. Given the proximity to Kalistan, attendance by La Sol's fans is also expected to be high. KRTVN Radio 1 is planning to have a contest for 10 tickets to the show along with all expenses paid. We wish La Sol all the luck in the world at FOMAT X.

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Premier to let Sanctions expire on Lourenne; Extends for Alduria
Progress has been made to address Kalistani Concerns, says FM
Kaliburg, Ananto
July 15, 4885


Premier of the Republic Beloit, speaking to Reporters after allowing Sanctions against Lourenne to expire

The Kalistani Premier, Marguerite Beloit today informed the National Assembly that she has directed the sanctions regime against Lourenne imposed following her first international conflict to lapse, and looks forward to normalizing relations with the United Kingdom of Lourenne and Alduria.

"It is unlikely that our sanctions did much to hurt Lourenne, and probably cost Kalistan quite a lot in terms of inability to trade freely with the United Kingdom," said Beloit. "But I think we also made it clear that we are willing to endure pain to ensure that our national sovereignty is acknowledged by foreigners."

Nationalists in the Assembly applauded the Premier's "victory" as they put it, and informal canvasses following the speech suggests that the Premier has shorn up her support among that faction. Advocates of peaceful interaction for other states also gave the Premier's steady hand high marks. Liberal economists, on the other hand, have continued their steady criticism of the sanctions regimes, calling them "unnecessary" and "counterproductive." "We noticed," said Professor Edward Griffin, "that the GDP of Kalistan has not grown as much as predicted due to the sanctions. Where we expected a modest 3 percent growth over these last five years, we have only seen about a 2.3 percent growth, and this is largely due to our refusing to conduct commerce with our closest and most important neighbor."

Socialist theorists shot back, largely dismissing Griffin and the Liberals' critique. "Zero growth is and should be the goal of the Government, and the purpose for National intervention in the economy," said Finance Minister Dianna Delgado. "The primary benefit of these sanctions, so far has not been to change the behavior of another sovereign state which we unfortunately had to break ties with, but to slow the growth of the economy." As if underscoring this effort, the Premier, in the same speech announced the formal renationalizing of the Oil, Steel and Aluminium, Textiles, Military provisions, and and Food Bank, as well as reauthorizing the National Service Program and the National Bank. "The Republic has been inching back toward the dual economy for years," said Delgado. "This act merely formalizes it."

Beginning in August, a new Ambassador will be named to Lourenne. Lourenne is, in reality, the most important posting in the entire foreign service, and the Ambassadorship is thought to be among the most prestigious. "I believe the President intends to name Gerald Byers to the post," said Foreign Minister Mosswell. "Byers is a life long diplomat who speaks Canrillaise fluently and is known to possess a strong desire to move our two nations closer together, despite these recent issues." If and when Byers is confirmed to his position, he will make application to the Lourennais Government to reopen the Kalistani Embassy in Eroncourt. Meanwhile, all Kalistani travel restrictions to Lourenne have been lifted and consular services have been restarted once more.

Sanctions as they exist will continue for Alduria until this client nation follows suit and removes the title "Protector of Kalistan" from the official style of its Monarch.

"The Government of Kalistan would like to express our gratitude to the Government of Lourenne for allowing this issue to be settled peacefully," said the Premier to reporters after the end of the Session.