Videnhagen Press Group [Domestic News]

[Vermark]

[OOC: This is a conglomerate listing of the major news corporation in Vermark, This thread is exclusively held by me. Please do not post. Any questions, comments, or concerns may be directed to me via telegram. Thank you.]

Latest Stories

Rise of Progressive Conservatives | Possible Gov. Corporation  Under Discussions | Sub-Nationalism Grows in Varish Cities

The main publication of the Videnhagen Press Group, the Videnhagen Press is the most printed and read newspaper in Vermark. Edited by Frans Golning, the Press has little bias, but has been ridiculed in the past for being liberal. Writers at the Press cover political, social, and other events in Videnhagen, Vermark, and around the world. Over forty percent of the publications made by the Videnhagen Press Group company fall under the Videnhagen Press itself. It is printed and distributed across Vermark on a daily basis.



The Academic is the longest running publication in Vermark. It was established in year 1775 as an academic journal for the University of Videnhagen. In 1820, it merged with the Videnhagen Press and became unaffiliated with the university. Today, The Academic discusses a wide array of issues with an academic tone. Writers are no longer confined to those belonging to the academic community; leaders of all fields are invited to write for The Academic.



Capital magazine is Vermark's premier business magazine. It exists both online and in print. Capital covers topics related to business, finance, technology, and the economy; Capital is also known for publishing lists such as the Capital 100 list, the Top 10 in the Next 10 (years), and the Multiverse 15.



Sportmark is Vermark's premier sporting news source. It exists both online and on television, however, it does not exist in print. Access to the sportmark.vk website can be found by clicking the logo above.

[Vermark]

Progressive Conservatives on the Rise
Axel Patriksson ▪ April 3, 2015

The strongest continuity throughout Varish history has been the prominence of the Liberal Party of Vermark. The liberals have only lost three parliamentary elections in Vermark's nearly-200 year history. The idea of the welfare state and limitations on the economy have been core pillars of Varish policy for a long time. Conservatives in Vermark have often been chastised for being selfish, elitist, and bigoted. However, a movement is brewing that could bring Vermark away from the left side of the spectrum.

Conservatives, due to the political climate of Vermark, are not strangers to having to adapt to Varish public opinion. The only way to be somewhat relevant as a Varish conservative is to mix both left and right views and campaign with a shrewdness that Liberals don't need. In the 1960's, a Moderate/Conservative coalition overtook the Liberal Party after the conservatives gained remarkable popularity with the then-rising class of manufacturers and other working class voters. The moderates brought the progressivism, and the conservatives brought the votes. Since then, in order to maintain the minority in Parliament, the Conservative Party of Vermark is much different than most right wing parties. Varish conservatives completely rely on economic conservatism; social conservatism, particularly traditionalism and evangelicalism, are virtually outlawed due to their lack of popularity.

This upcoming election (scheduled for July/August) will not be seeing a new coalition, but rather, pundits have predicted a new party coming to the forefront. A new wave of conservatives are on the rise being led by the charismatic Marcus Leonardsson. Leonardsson, currently a member of the Moderate Party, has been efficiently gaining momentum my speaking on the possible marriage between economic conservatism and social liberalism. He and his movement, known as the Progressive Conservative (PC) movement, have stated that the welfare state expands in direct correlation to the expansion of the economy. Since funding for welfare is more or less a percentage of the GDP, a bigger economy will generate as much government revenue with a lower tax rate. Additionally, Lowering the tax rate increases consumerism, which then grows the economy. Theoretically, this will create a cycle of growth on both social and economic levels. Also, this movement has been extremely popular due to its ability to feed off of nationalism. Nationalism in Vermark has gained exponentially as Vermark has expanded its foreign interactions. Projecting Varish political theory (i.e. the welfare state) as a superior system compared to others could be a huge asset in generating nationalism and popularity for the PC movement. Vermark's international openness has also resulted in an inward stream of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). This FDI is creating a strong brigade of venture capitalists, who have a lot to contribute to the PCs in terms of both cash and votes. The hand of cards the Progressive Conservatives have been dealt is impressive and unprecedented in regards to the potential of any other political minority movement.

The PCs will face their fair share of problems. Inevitably, these revolutionaries will want to privatize national industries. While the oil and gas industry can easily be competitive on its own, liberals will predict higher gas prices and economic catastrophe. Problems regarding possible inequality will also be brought up by the incumbent party. In general, an ideology that generally speaks against change will have to sell the idea of change. There's little doubt that the expansion of capitalist ideals will be good for Vermark. The only problem is convincing liberals to abandon the risk-free security of big government and small economy. The struggle will be convincing Vares that medium government and medium economy will benefit everyone, and grow Vermark's world prominence to a comparatively astronomical level. This is no easy task when the greater economic structure has been continuous for such a long period of time.

The ProCons have plenty of Pros and plenty of Cons. The first order of business is to consolidate as an official political party by the deadline of the end of this month. Then, the PCs can take on the liberals as well as the established conservatives in the general parliamentary elections later this summer. This movement has a lot of potential, so it would be a shame to see it amount to nothing. Only if the PCs unite and run for parliament will we be able to see if a bigger, more capitalist Vermark is a true possibility.

[Vermark]

RVBG and Parliament Announce Possible Government Enterprise
Anders Klausen ▪ April 21, 2015
POLITICS

In a semi-socialist economy like Vermark, government-sponsored enterprises (GSE) are hardly rare. However, Parliament is pulling a whole new cat out of the bag with its latest scheme. In recent months, free enterprise has become more and more common throughout the Social Republic. Newly-found confidence of the Varish citizenry has translated into an economic boom. In fact, even the government has gotten on-board with the free enterprise movement and suggest the launch of a new corporation unlike any other.

The last quarter have seen borrowing rates up by more than fifty percent. Therefore, it is no surprise that super-bank RVBG has chosen the most trusted institution in Vermark - the government - to partner with a business venture. Some reports claim that Parliament wishes to implement a joint-stock trading company (like the ones that were common in the eighteenth century) in order to expand Vermark's economic presence abroad. However, a source closer to the deliberations predict that a combined consultancy firm and holdings company with the objectives of "investment and advancement" will likely be the answer.

Regardless of the speculation, one thing is true. This company will be big, and it will be rich. Marcus Leonardsson, leader of the new Progressive Conservative Party, has been very involved in these talks, as well as the general promotion of free enterprise. In a press conference, he said, "we are trying to use the government to strengthen capitalism in Vermark. This new corporation will be partially public sector, but not entirely. And regardless," he continues, "this business will undoubtedly be designed and operated to benefit the free market as much as possible."

The big question, however, is how will other nations react to this large, hegemonic company? Will it be seen as an attempt at imperialism, or will it be welcomed as a beneficial corporation? This is perhaps the question that Parliament needs to focus on. As Vermark gains more preeminence in the region of Rushmore, it can not afford to make any other nations feel threatened. Moreover, while it is important to gain the respect of foreign states, it is even more critical that Vermark not incite any hostility against her. Rushmore is a region with a complicated web of alliances, rivalries, and alignments, thus, the Parliament of the Social Republic must be diligent when it comes to navigates the regional affairs of Rushmore.

Just as important as the governments strategy for interaction abroad will be the corporations strategy for navigated foreign affairs. If this business does in fact deal with both "investment and advancement", it may appear to be intruding should it invest and consult overseas. While the trading companies of early-modern ages thought they were being helpful by overhauling foreign economies, today, they are looked back on as being overly controlling. This is the key for the corporation. Investing in and advising to foreign entities will demand meticulous planing and strategy. The company's government ties will require even more attention. Vermark may become a powerful country, but it will likely always be small. Therefore, appeasement may come off as weakness, but it is actually the ideal strategy for Varish success because it will lead to Varish partners returning to do business multiple times.

Parliament has been shrewd and creative in the past few months when it comes to managing Vermark rise onto the international stage. This potential government-sponsored enterprise is just the latest piece of evidence. While it is too soon to tell exactly what is in the cards, there will definitely be big changes as a result of this development. In the coming months, expect more interesting and unique plans put forth by the Liberal Party as it prepares to hold an election against the up-and-coming Progressive Conservative Party. Varish politics has never been so dynamic, and is unlikely to slow any time soon.

[Vermark]

Nationalism
Lacrosse and the Micro-Nationalism Movement

Regions of Vermark are rallying behind lacrosse teams and becoming increasingly patriotic.
Maja Abramsson | CULTURE | 08 Apr 2015

---

There is talk across Vermark and around Rushmore concerning growing nationalism in Vermark. This is hardly unexpected. Vermark has a stable government and a thriving economy; there are plenty of reasons for Vares to be assertive and proud. However, Varish nationalism can be broken down into equally powerful, regional tides of sub-nationalism. The Coast, the Plains, and the Mountains are all becoming increasingly patriotic, and they're starting to butt heads, especially in the sport of lacrosse.

Lacrosse has not been a Varish hobby for long. Rather, it has grown popular among participants due to its similarity to association football and ice hockey, Vermark's two most popular spectator sports. Of course, it's popularity in participation has (naturally) transferred to a popularity in viewership. With the current lack of a professional competition, lacrosse spectator-ship seems to have piloted itself at the collegiate level. In other words, venture capitalists are only going to start a professional league if that sport is popular at the amateur level. This condition has been satisfied, thus far. College lacrosse in Vermark has drawn many crowds which have formed a handful of interesting rivalries.

The University of Videnhagen (white) in fierce competition
against Raskstad University (blue).

The most notable lacrosse dynamic is that everyone hates the city-dwellers. The working class farmers of the Plains and miners of the mountains are fiercely critical of the posh, public transport-riding members of urban Vermark. The epitome of this "urban Vermark" is most definitely the city of Videnhagen. Citizens of Videnhagen views themselves as the intellectually-advanced, well-cultured, work horses of society. If you talk to someone on the streets of Videnhagen, he or she will most definitely predict Vermark descending into shambles if the people of the Plains and Mountains take over Vermark. This is why we see the University of Videnhagen against Agriholm University as one of the biggest games of the VISA (Varish Interscholastic Sport Association) lacrosse season. It's a classic case of city boy versus farm kid. This match up has also been known to cause on-field brawls. Both the farmers and the urbanites of Vermark have very distinct cultures and very profound senses of nationalism.

The golden ticket for these urbanites is admission to the hallowed University of Videnhagen. U of V's lacrosse team is astoundingly competitive, thanks to the (Videnhagen) Metropolitan Lacrosse Association feeding the school with a huge pool of teen-aged players. The Blue Jays (the name of U of V's athletic teams) have fierce derby matches against schools like Navstad University College, which picks up U of V's denied applicants, and the Naval Academy, fueled by a growing number of Vares having the desire to enter the military.

More interesting than these cross-town matches are the inter-regional fixtures. Perhaps the most noteworthy is when the Raskstad University Mountaineers come to play the University of Videnhagen. This show-down of the two major metropolises of Vermark has sold out the 76,000-seater National Stadium for two consecutive years. Videnhagen versus Raskstad is really a challenge between opposites; pitted against one another is the old and the new, the coast and the inland, and the theoretical versus the practical. Videnhagen has always been a city of tradition, history, and breadth, while Raskstad is a city of innovation, recreation, and specialization, especially in regards to the technology industry. The citizenry of both cities take great enjoyment from ridiculing one another. Perhaps the greatest sources of nationalism consist of pride for one's city.

Another commonplace city-based rivalry occurs on the prairies. Between the power-house Agriholm University and the under-dog University of Komark lies the fundamental question of the Plains: Who is the better farmer? According to an Agriholm University Aggies, only those who have the intelligence and perseverance to cultivate grain can be considered the true farmers of Vermark. The University of Komark Cowboys, however, insists that their toughness and ruggedness from raising cattle makes them far out-match the wheat-lovers of Agriholm. Thus, another lacrosse rivalry is hashed out every season. While there never will be an answer to "Grain or Cow?", there is one definite prediction: these rivalries are not going anywhere, any time soon.

The refined intellectuals of the city. The hard-working farmers of the plains. The individualistic naturalists of the mountains. Even Dunsvik and Petrovik pride themselves for being attractive beach boys and shrewd oil workers respectively. All these groups have one thing in common (surprisingly). These collectives are all vying for greater assertiveness of Vermark around the world. Though these people have different ideas of what Vermark is, they are certain about one thing: Vermark is a wonderful nation and should be one that is respected around the world.

[Vermark]

INVESTING
Commodity Trading: Vermark's Preferred Investment?

The Varish consumer is no stranger to investment; as a highly developed economy, finance is often considered the primary component of the Varish economy. While stocks, property, and mutual funds have been popular financial vehicles for years, nothing has endured the kind of boom that commodity investments have. It's a peculiar development, and, unlike many so-called investment 'fads', this may actually become sustainable.

The surge in commodity investment can be traced back to academic rhetoric as well as strong marketing campaigns by Varish banks. As finance professor Jannick Jonsson said earlier this week, "Investing in certain commodities is a fundamentally good idea. Any investment that is dependent on the human population is generally going to increase in value over time. In other words, as long as there are people who need food, the value of, for example, wheat will increase in the long-term. The key is holding these derivatives for long periods of time and generally ignoring day-to-day changes." Jonsson's comments certainly are not the first endorsement of commodity investing; however, Jonsson's words are some of the best praise for commodities up until this point. Moreover, Jonsson's logic resonates with the Varish consumer very well. Simply put, Vares understand why commodities are a good idea, because they themselves fuel commodity prices. A consumer who buys bread on a weekly basis can visualize how the value of a wheat derivative will increase over time.

Perhaps, the deeper cause for all of this is just good marketing on behalf of Varish banks. The Big Two, Mulighed and RVBG, have been very diligent on promoting commodity trading over the duration of the past month. Not only have these banks used the same logic as academia, their own lending practices have actually driven up the prices of commodity derivatives. In the past quarter, these two banks have made thirty percent (30%) of their loans to agricultural enterprises and twenty four percent (24%) to energy enterprises. This statistic has been widely circulated by the banks who have subsequently been investing heavily in wheat, petroleum, and canola derivatives. This strategy has been good economics so far; the energy and agricultural sectors have received substantial support, commodity values have increased, and banks ultimately end up with more money to lend out. It's a self-feeding phenomenon that, at the moment, appears to be perfectly sustainable.

"Thus far, the financial sector's fixation on commodities has benefit every realm of the economy," says Elisa Lundsberg, Minister of Economics, Finance, and the Treasury. "We see that there is a healthy flow of money going from big banks to small enterprises to every-day consumers. While banks should continue to maintain appropriate lending practices, the Treasury sees no reason to correct the bias that's been placed in favor of commodity exchange."

Lundsberg is right. Commodities are good for the economy, since they encourage production as well as investment, but they can be seen as a form of saving as well. They strike the perfect balance between numerous economic interests. Expect commodities to continue to take off as well as become Vermark's preferred form of investment.

[Vermark]

Elections Overview
Frans Halstrom | Political Correspondent

In the upcoming Varish election we have a handful of parties: some old and some new. However, we're going to have a look at them all.

Liberal Party (RULING PARTY)
Leader: Nicklas Jamesson | Ideology: Left
The Liberals have their work cut out for them in these upcoming elections. Jamesson is adamant that the petroleum industry must remain nationalized and agricultural marketing boards must stay in place. Ultimately, the liberals are trying to hold on to their collectivist orientation among a nation of growing individualism. In a way, the Liberal Party is also the conservative party as it attempts to main maintain the status-quo of leftism. However, the liberals will be able to cash in on the recent growth of the economy and the relative success of the Emergence Act. But whether or not the liberals will be able to fend off the conservative tide will be a question that only the campaign trail will be able to answer.

Progressive Conservative Party (MAJORITY OPPOSITION)
Leader: Markus Leonardsson | Ideology: Centre-Right
Some call it a coalition of the former Moderate and Conservative Parties, but officially, the Progressive Conservatives are a for-real force. While outside of Vermark, the PCs would definitively be considered a left-wing party. Regardless, Leonardsson and his colleagues are making a decent splash in Varish politics. The Progressive Conservatives are extremely charismatic, and their ideas are convincing as well. Their core ideas are economic promotion and development in order to increase tax revenue in order to strengthen in the welfare state. One could argue that they are the Liberal Party with a twist. However, they are very much an opposing force to the Liberals. They are advocating for reform left and right, including privatizing EnerMark Petroleum and the Velstand Agricultural Board. And finally, rumours are circulating that the PCs are also planning on launching a socio-cultural ideology in complement their economic ideas.

Socialist Party (MINORITY OPPOSITION)
Leader: Sara Golning | Ideology: Far-Left
More trade barriers, more collectives, more government enterprises. All of these have prominent places on the economic agenda of the Socialist Party. It, of course, is not very popular since the recent opening of the economy has been so popular. While the Socialists won't be successful economically, they could very well become a prominent third party by being a social forerunner. With extremely lax views on abortion and other contentious social issues, the Socialists have become very appealing to the university student voting bloc. However, do not expect the Socialists to win a huge amount of seats; they'll likely come out as the most powerful of all of the fringe parties.

Christian Democrats (MINORITY OPPOSITION)
Leader: Matilda Axelberg | Ideology: Right
The Christian Democrats are relevant only because they are new. As a historically secular country, religion mixing with Varish politics is extremely rare. However, the Christian Democrats are here to challenge the growing support of abortion, marriage rights, and anti-theism. Once again, this party will not win a large number of slots in Parliament, but they will become one of the more assertive minor parties, ad=nd they could become an ally and influence of the Progressive Conservatives. They represent a very narrow demographic category of Vermark, but this category could very well grow in the future.

These are the major parties of the Varish Parliament. Stay tuned to this blog to receive more news and analysis throughout the election season.

[Vermark]

Introduction to Hanseaticism
Markus Leonardsson | Leader of Progressive Conservative Party
EDITORIAL

The human brain is one of the world's most astonishing marvels. It contains billions of neurons. These neurons have the ability to store the equivalent of roughly one million gigabytes. The brain harbors seventy thousand thoughts per day and reacts to stimuli at a speed of up to one hundred and twenty metres per second. Because of the brain, humans are able to analyze, sympathize, ponder, communicate, memorize, and perform countless other activities that allow the brain to function on a daily basis.

However, none of these actions would be possible without synapses, the connections between neurons. Every time a person creates a memory, a new connection between brain cells, called neurons, is formed. These synapses allow information to be passed throughout the brain. This is why what we see is connected to what we think about, what we say, and how we act. Essentially, the brain would be utterly useless without the existence of the connectors to facilitate its function.

Long ago, there was a civilization that saw the importance of facilitating connections. This civilization was the Hanseatic League. The Hanseatic League was a trade organization during the late Middle Ages. They consolidated their economic and military power and formed guilds for the mutual benefit of everyone. They believed in the importance of economic development. They believed that individualism and collectivism are not mutually exclusive. Of course, as a Nordic nation, Vermark shares the same heritage as the Hanseatic League, but there are many aspects of the Hanseatic League that can enable us to form an identity, grow and consolidate power, and create prosperity throughout the Social Republic.

I believe that the ideals of the Progressive Conservative Party of Vermark and the Hanseatic League are very much in sync. They are aligned with each other so much so that I believe that an ideology derived from the values and ideals of the Hanseatic League, Hanseaticism, should be designated as the doctrine of the Progressive Conservatives. The basis of these principles consists of economic advancement, individualism, and political attitudes that foster connections between people, places, and ideas.

Economic advancement should always take a two-fold approach. This means that we most focus on economic development as much as we focus on economic promotion. In other words, the goal of our economic policy should be to spread Varish economic influence abroad while simultaneously opening the Varish economy to foreign products and services. Free market trade is the only road that can lead a nation to becoming powerful. This means allowing ownership of collectives to become private and limited the amount of government-owned enterprises that operate within Vermark. This is not to say that we will abandon the Nordic Model. Rather, we will strengthen the economy in order to strengthen the welfare state; in other words, by allowing Varish businesses to thrive, the government will be able to generate more tax revenue as private enterprises also generate more revenue for themselves. By opening the economy, we will help the consumer and the business alike, while strengthening Vermark's economic prominence overseas.

Culturally, the importance of individualism must be more stressed to Vares across all of Vermark. For too long, Vermark has lumped itself into one single body of people. However, this neglects the amazing diversity that exists across Vermark. From the chateaus of the Mountains to the fields of the Prairies and then to the metropolises of the Coast, there is more than just one Varish culture. We should embrace this differentiation and allow for connections to be made across the sub-cultures of Vermark. We should encourage a plethora of different cultures to grow and interact with one another. As a result of these interactions, new ideas and ways of living will be generated. Think of a field of wildflowers which are given the ability to cross-pollinate; inevitably, the cross-pollination will result in flowers that are not only heartier, but also a more beautiful mix of their constituent elements.

In many ways, the political sphere will follow the cultural sphere. The core tenant of Hanseaticism is facilitating connections, and that tenant plays multiple roles in policy making. For one thing, it motivates certain initiatives that are crucial to the nation as well as the state. This includes investment in infrastructure in order to create more concrete connections. It involves not necessarily removing bureaucracy but rather streamlining it to work more efficiently. In an abstract sense, Hanseaticism applies to connecting ideologies to one another and embracing pluralism. To do this, we must deny that two opposing ideologies are mutually exclusive. For example, the idea that liberalism and conservatism cancel each other out is simply preposterous; instead, we must look at these two schools of thought as complementary to one another. This, of course, will be a contentious issue due to the divisions that Vermark has. It is paramount that we do not let Videnhagen's Academicism become at odds with the pragmatism of Agriholm. If we can enable cooperation between ideas that have previously been understood as opposites, it will not only be revolutionary, but it will allow Vermark to reach levels that other states can only dream about.

In this era, it is crucial to build bridges, not walls. This is what Hanseaticism is all about, and I believe that this Hanseatic path will lead Vermark to a bright future.

[Vermark]

Religion
Rationally Religious

A culture of logic and reason is taking a leap of faith.
Arne Sorensson | CULTURE

---

In a nation well-known for its rationalism, support for science, and secularist culture, it is rare that a religious ideology gains any foothold. However, recently, faith in Vermark has been gaining popularity, and the ideals of rationalism are quickly becoming complemented by the ideals of romanticism. While the term "Religious Revolution" may be an exaggeration, it is true that Vares are no longer choosing to be entirely God-less and scientifically-driven.

In a recent study conducted by the Institute for Theology at the University of Videnhagen, Vares were asked if God should play a "main role, some role, or no role" in people's lives. Four years ago, over forty percent of people believed that God should play no role in the lives of Vares. Today, this number is now twenty-three percent, while those who believe in some role rose from thirty five percent to sixty four percent in the same four-year time frame.

Religious identity also saw growth during the four year span. The survey found that a third of the participants who claim to be religious now identify as Christian, which has risen from less than a fifth. Islam also experienced double-digit growth; seventeen percent of Vares now think of themselves as Muslim, up from just six percent four years ago. Those who identify as "non-denominationally religious" remained mostly stagnate in terms of growth, but they make up forty four percent of religious Vares, which is by far the biggest section of the religious group of Vares.

Experts interpret this data as a result of many factors, but primarily the growth of the economy and the decreasing influences of large educational organizations like the University of Videnhagen. Previously, people who worked at universities as professors, researchers, or other kinds of teachers received the most respect in Varish culture. Now, more practical occupations such as business, medicine, or law are gaining popularity among Varish workers. This has increased Vares' disposable income and time, as well as decreased the general influence that educational institutions have over the public. As a result, Vares have become increasingly curious about philosophical and theological virtues. In a way, the public has found the emotionless, virtue-lacking ideology of rationalism to be dissatisfying.

This change reflects a demographic transition of sorts. As Vermark's economy expanded and diversified, people started leaving the realms of the control of universities and started to search for ways to create their own identity apart from the traditional identity of Vermark, which is centred around Academicism and rationalism. As Vares moved into more mainstream jobs, especially middle class occupations, they sought to find a moral structure that would complement their position on Vermark's socioeconomic latter. To do this, Vares turned to faith and religion to look for a system of morals and virtues that would make their lives more fulfilled.

"Vares are beginning to search for more abstract versions of self-satisfaction," explains Professor Alexis Dalsberg from Dunsvik University's Program of Religious Studies. "Twenty, and even ten years ago, status in Vermark was defined by academic achievement and some contribution to the academic world. Now, people are not as focused on the academic sphere of Vermark and more interested in improving themselves and their families versus their high-profile schools."

There are numerous external factors as well. Islam's growth comes from a recent wave of immigration as well as Vermark's recent engagement with the country of Arabnesia. Growth of Christianity, especially Catholicism, can also be attributed to immigration, but also Vermark's increased connections with Catholic countries. Also, religions have experienced a culture shift of their own and have evolved to become more appealing to rationalist cultures like Vermark. The Catholic Church's recent transition to a more liberal, open agenda as been huge in its growth among Vares.

Vermark will experience a number of cultural shifts over the coming years due to the changes in Vermark's international interactions and growing economy. Religion will be one of them, and as a dynamic force, it will shape how powerful Varish institutions, like the University of Videnhagen, interact with the pubic. Whether or not the academic sphere of Vermark will welcome the rise of religion in Vermark is another question entirely, and a question that only time will be able to answer.

[Vermark]

[OOC: See here.]

Christian State Attack Kills 106, Injures Hundreds More
Elections delayed indefinitely; Gov. response uncertain.

VIDENHAGEN--The deadliest act of violence in Varish history took place yesterday in mid-morning. Authorities are scrambling to assess the damages. The attack, taking place at the University of Videnhagen and the Observatory of the Interconnection of Faiths has been confirmed to have been carried out by the Christian State, an extremist Christian organization in the Free Republics. The government has not come out with an official response as of now; however, most experts believe that a significant backlash against the group as well as against Free Republics is imminent.

At approximately 10 a.m. yesterday morning, three explosive-filled vehicles were detonated at the Gilstrom Natural Sciences Building at the University of Videnhagen. The organization behind the attack, the Christian State, cited the facility's support for the theory of evolution to be the motivation behind the violent incident. At the time, about 140 visitors, students, and staff members were in the building, sixty-six were killed along with five bystanders outside the building. The remaining seventy seven victims of the attack on the University building are hospitalized; thirty-three are listed as being in critical condition. While no official statement has been released on the extent of the damage; the entire building, which housed a large amount of laboratory equipment, technology, and other expensive items, has been reduced to rubble. However, all 143 people have been accounted for.

The attack then targeted Videnhagen's Observatory of the Interconnection of Faiths. The Observatory, a place of worship, museum, and think tank, was attacked because of the Christian State's animosity towards the ideals of pluralism. Six men detonated bombs in the Observatory, killing themselves along with thirty-two visitors and staff. Fifty-four others were injured; sixteen of the injuries are considered life-threatening. Estimating the value of the Observatory will be much harder. Built over 150 years ago, some consider the Observatory a priceless historical site.

Before the attack ceased, other terrorists moved on to the crowded Zakaria Square and opened fire on pedestrians and bystanders. They struck thirty-two people. Eight have since died, while the other twenty-four have sustained injuries, many of which are considered to be critical. The general emergency response during the crisis has been praised. The gunmen were all shot dead before they could harm any more people. Rescue crews were also diligent. They were praised by the Videnhagen Mayor's Office for their speedy and efficient rescue of victims from the rubble of the Gilstrom Building and the Observatory.

The federal government is yet to release any statement or take any action in regards to the attacks. However, Parliament did vote to delay general elections, originally scheduled for the day of the attack, indefinitely. Vermark, which has never seen an attack on its soil in relation to the Christian State Attack, will likely retaliate in some way. This is, of course, a crossroads moment for Vermark from a political standpoint; Nations from around the multiverse have been wary of Vermark's growing economic power. Regardless, this is the first time Vermark's political and/or military muscle has been challenged.

This has been tragic event for Vermark; however, it will also be a watershed moment in which Vermark will undertake its first venture into the international politics scene. The government's response is hard to predict and could be a number of different options. What is not uncertain is the terror group's rationale behind the attacks. Vermark has been a proud innovator in the fields of science and rationalism. Demographically, few nations are less religious than Vermark. According to a study conducted by the Observatory for the Interconnection of Faiths (OIF), only a fifth of Vares describe their personally philosophies as "theistic". In other words, only twenty percent of Vares identify as having a specific religion such as Christianity or Islam. Vares also typically experience a great bit of happiness. Therefore, happy, non-devout nations like Vermark challenge the legitimacy of fundamentalist religious groups without intending to. Like many other nations, Vermark's identity is its biggest asset as well as its biggest liability.

Moving forward, it will be difficult for Vares to cope with the loss. No other incident in Varish history has witnessed a greater loss of life. However, resilience and activism are not hard to come by in Vermark, and this is nothing but a short hurdle for Vermark to jump over.

[Vermark]

Transcript: Live Election Coverage

ALEK JORGENSEN: "Hello, and welcome to the live election coverage by the Videnhagen Press on VBC. I'm Alek Jorgensen joined by Videnhagen Press political director Sandra Markus and experts Sanders Elmqvist, a senior fellow from the Agora Instiute, as well as Elsa Golning. a columnist for the Raskstad Daily. Let's get started."

<VBC Intro Clip>

EXIT POLLS (Coastal Region)
PROGRESSIVE CONSERVATIVE 57%
LIBERAL                  38%
OTHER                     5%

JORGENSEN: "We are beginning to receive exit poll numbers from the coastal ridings which give us a pretty good idea of the outcome. The coastal districts make up sixty-five percent of the electorate. So, the results from the coast give us a good indicator of the results of the whole Her are e the numbers: Fifty-seven percent for the PCs, thirty-eight for the liberals, and five percent for the Socialists, Christian Democrats, and Independents. Wow, the PCP really showed up in today's election."

SANDERS ELMQVIST: "I think, given the circumstances of the growth of the Varish economy and the socio-political changes that have come with, such as more diversity, ambition, and optimism throughout the public, there was bound to be a change. I think the Hanseatics [Progressive Conservatives] have done a good job of marrying the social democratic ideology with intriguing capitalistic economic policies."

ELSA GOLNING: "I completely agree with Sanders. I don't think there was any mismanagement by the liberals in terms of governing, but I think they came off as dynamic during the campaign. They seemed to be more inclined to talk about what has been going well so far instead of what they were going to do in order to sustain or even increase the amount of growth in the future. Especially in the urban areas, people are not seeing as much of a necessity for the welfare state in its current state--large, well-funded, all-encompassing--and they are beginning to want to have more economic capabilities to do things like start businesses, invest, and spend money. There really has been a snowball effect in Vermark that once people begin to feel some self-generated economic success, they begin to want more and more and more."

JORGENSEN: "Sandra, do you see there being any difference between the results on the coast and the results in the mountains and on the prairies?"

SANDRA MARKUS: "No, not really. Demographically, the mountains are very similar to the coast. It's still a very wealthy, urban region that has seen substantial economic growth in recent years. So, I think the desire for more capitalism in the mountains is very similar to that on the coast. And on the prairies, I think what you see is a lot of farmers are seeing the success of the urbanites and wanting to replicate it, but they don't necessarily perceive themselves finding success. So a lot of them are starting to think that maybe it's time for Velstand, Vermark's wheat board, to start playing a smaller role in the agricultural market. But a lot of people see this to be the opposite; they want Velstand to be stronger. So in the prairies, the results are going to be more split. The Hanseatic Party will surely get quite a few votes, but so will the Liberals and possibly even the Socialist Party."

JORGENSEN: "Alright. When we come back, we'll talk about the upcoming war against Free Republics as well as possible trade deals with The Valhallan Union and Eura. This has been election coverage on VBC.

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JORGENSEN: "Welcome back to live election coverage from the Videnhagen Press on VBC. We're here with the opposition's critic for foreign affairs and the soon-to-be Minister of Foreign Affairs--assuming our predictions are correct--the Honourable Walter Hummel. Mr. Hummel has been a member of Parliament for almost fifteen years. Before entering politics, he was a renowned scholar on international relations at the University of the Prairies in Rostesson. Mr. Hummel, thanks for coming on the show."

THE HONOURABLE WALTER HUMMEL: "Thank you for having me, Alek."

JORGENSEN: "I want to start by asking on your thoughts on the conflict between Vermark and the Holy Republican Empire. Of course, the current government has declared war, but no military actions have been taken. A mobilization of troops has been talked about, but it hasn't been announced yet. Will the Hanseatic Party, assuming they come into power, continue with the conflict against Free Republics and what specifically will be your strategy for taking them on?"

HUMMEL: "We believe that we cannot afford to send a message that Vermark is a passive player on the international stage. In order to increase our influence abroad and be able to protect and empower Varish citizens, we must show that attacks like these will not be tolerated. I also think that a wide-scale mobilization of ground troops is not necessary. I have been in close contact with the Quebecois who have quite a bit of manpower on the ground in Free Republics right now. I think we can utilize our assets in order to work in tandem with the Quebecois, but I don't think that includes sending Varish people to fight. Frankly, we don't have the resources or the manpower to be effective in terms of fighting with people. We are going to have to assist the Quebecois against the Free Republics by using what Vermark already has developed, and that can still be very powerful."

JORGENSEN: "What do you mean by what we have developed? What does that entail?"

HUMMEL: "Well, right now the Ministry of Defense is exploring multiple options that can be quite useful. This includes using cyber warfare, unmaned aerial vehicles, or possibly even Varish military aircraft. We can be effective against this enemy without putting large numbers of Varish citizens in harm's way."

JORGENSEN: "At a recent campaign event you said, 'If we want the Varish economy to keep getting bigger and bigger, we're going to have to put pen to paper and start interacting with other states regardless of what side effect may or may not result.' This sparked outcry among those who support a more protectionist economic policy and some members of your own party came out and said that trade deals must be pursued with caution. Do you stand by what you originally said or what your party's position seems to be?"

HUMMEL: "What I said is absolutely what I believe. Economic growth is going to start relying on foreign trade more, and we need to prepare our economy for that make sure we have a legal foundation for trans-boundary trade. Vermark has a plethora of assets that make it competitive in terms of international economics, and other nations, such as Eura, Quebec, and others have asst=ets that can benefit Varish consumers and businesses."

JORGENSEN: "Will you pursue a Vermark-Eura or Vermark-Valhallan Union trade deal?"

HUMMEL: "Absolutely."

JORGENSEN: "Mr. Hummel, thank you once again."

HUMMEL: "My pleasure."

JORGENSEN: "We're going to go on a quick break, but stay tuned. We're expecting word from the Parliamentary Election Commission at any time."

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JORGENSEN: "We're back and we just received word from the Parliamentary election Commission that the Progressive Conservative Party has clinched a majority government in Varish Parliament. Once again, the PCs now have a majority government, this is the first time that a right-wing party has ever held a majority government without forming a coalition. Sandra, what do you see going forward for the left wing in Varish politics?

MARKUS: "Essentially, politics is just a series of reactions to reactions. I think that the success of the right wing remaking itself will prompt the left wing to recreate itself. But at the same time, the left wing has some divisions and it is very possible that there will be a backlash to the capitalist measures that the Hanseatic Party is likely going to put in place. I think it is likely that the left forms two parties, one that focuses on protecting the welfare state while working with the right wing on implementing capitalism on a more widespread scale and then you'll have a party that is even further left than that and it will start to appeal to the proletariat and more socialistic economic views. And then, I think we will have a very interesting three-headed monster where Varish politics should be.

<Laughter>

JORGENSEN: "That's the end of this hour of election coverage, but stay tuned, we have plenty of interviews and analysis still to come."

<VBC Exit Clip>

<End of Program>