TBRE News

[Teddy Bear Republic]

From the Toyland Times, 22nd January 2013

Talks Start for Toy Islands Parties
Talks have started between several political parties to form regional parties.
In anticipation for the upcoming vote for whether or not the TBRE should join the proposed Alliance of Toy Islands, one of the most structured regional governments of its kind in the history of the Toy Islands, several major political parties at home have started talks with others abroad.
The Svaltesteinian Social Democrat Party and the Teddy Social Democrats have said that they would start a regional party, although the name has yet to be decided, while the Labor Party in both countries have stated they would form a left alliance, again with the name yet undecided.”
The Teddy National Liberal Party, despite being one of the major proponents for the integration into the Alliance of Toy Islands, has not yet decided which direction they will take, nor have started talks with other parties on potential unified courses of action.”
“They have stated they will wait until the referendum comes back before making a decision, although they did say that some talks were underway with other regional allies to see the potential for a coalition to operate in the new Assembly that will be a legislative voice in the Alliance.”

Dated: 22nd January 2013

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"Welcome to the Hourly News Flash, from Public Radio World, the World Broadcasting Union division of Public Radio International, itself a division of Public Radio Teddy."

"The Light 220 arrived today.”
“Several shipments of Teddy Computing System’s Light 220 personal computer arrived in developing countries where the Ministry of Refugian Affairs operates, part of their commitment to the humanitarian need for informational technology products in places such as Africa.”
“The computers arrived on a regular cargo flight, and most have arrived at their final destinations, although some were still being transported to their rural destinations by the time of this product by the Ministry of Refugian Affairs, which included this in their budget last year.”
“The computers are being bought by the Ministry at a reduced price, with the difference being TCS’ donation to the project, which will start officially tomorrow when the computers are set up and the networks established by volunteer electricians and information scientists who have been deployed to these areas.”

"Remember to tune in onto the News Broadcast of Public Radio Teddy for more news at Seven, or go to www.prt.tbr."

Dated: 22nd January 2013

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"Welcome to the headline news of the hour of the Teddy Broadcasting Authority, International Channel."

“The preliminary report for the factory fire has come out.”
“Investigators concluded that the factory fire in Grenatia, which occurred several days ago, was not a result of any case of arson or similar suspicious criminal activity, and that they do not expect to continue with the investigation when the final results from the lab return.”
“However, at the press conference today, they warned that their results were only preliminary, and that the lab results may change all that, although they remain cautiously optimistic in their belief that it was the cause by a simple heating fire inside the building that resulted when one of the systems were not turned off.”
“The company that operates the fire is still under risk assessment by legal advisers, and have also started their own internal investigation, although they have stated that any internal discipline of an employee was unlikely from the evidence that local police have presented thus far.”

"For more news, remember to tune in for the main news at 7 right here on TBA International, or visit www.tba.int."

[Teddy Bear Republic]

From the Toyland Times, 23rd January 2013

Refugian Complex To Open
A new Refugian office complex will open.
A series of technology companies have decided to open shop and base their operations in Refugia Specially Administrated County, a place originally dedicated to housing refugees displaced from their original homes, although portions of it are now controlled by the supremacist Human First group.
The technology companies contracted Yin and Yang Construction Ltd to build their new sprawling office complex, featuring “a lot of glass and green design” on the north side of the island, where most of the main infrastructure is located. There are some 12 companies involved, most of them simple start-ups.
The companies say that they decided to build on this land, since the cost is cheaper - thanks to the perceived idea of danger that living on the island poses, even though the Armed Forces and most residents have stated that the difference between living on the mainland and the island is negligible.
There will be an official welcoming ceremony tomorrow to open the new office complex, to be attended by employees and the local city mayor. It is expected to be well-attended by the press, being one of the few relatively new developments in this often underestimated site.

Dated: 23rd January 2013

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"Welcome to the Hourly News Flash, from Public Radio World, the World Broadcasting Union division of Public Radio International, itself a division of Public Radio Teddy."

“Talks between political parties are going well.”
"With the date of the national referendum over the issue of whether the TBRE will join the Alliance of Toy Islands on Monday coming up soon, with the answer most likely to be a yes, TBRE political parties are undergoing measures to form up regional parties to form voting blocs.”
“It is believed that the Social Democrats and Labor parties of other countries are going very well in their talks, with a final decision in whether to band together going to come out on Thursday, while the National Liberals have also started talks with other left-wing, centrist to center-left allies.”
“The Baren Party is expected to join up with other Laltofian center-right parties, although there have been no major discussions on the level that we have seen on the left, with a party spokesperson saying that nationalistic lines made it difficult for them to band with anyone else.”

"Remember to tune in onto the News Broadcast of Public Radio Teddy for more news at Seven, or go to www.prt.tbr."

Dated: 23rd January 2013

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"Welcome to the headline news of the hour of the Teddy Broadcasting Authority, International Channel."

“The Light 220 computers are being set up.”
“The computers are a donation from Teddy Computing Systems to the Ministry of Refugian Affairs, which purchased the personal computers at a lower than market price rate. The Ministry, having consulted local authorities, are using the computers to connect developing countries.”
“Volunteers today set up intranet and internet capabilities for the computers, part of the greater drive by the Ministry to encourage people in these regions to adjust to the changing economic conditions, one more focused on technology, said a Ministry spokesbear today.”
“The Ministry said that so far everything was going to plan, and that they were immensely pleased with the progress that had been carried out by those involved, thanking Teddy Computing Systems, the main information technology provider in the TBRE, and volunteers, for their efforts.”

"For more news, remember to tune in for the main news at 7 right here on TBA International, or visit www.tba.int."

[Teddy Bear Republic]

From the Evening Teddy, 24th January 2013

Schools To Share Courses
Schools will start sharing courses.
Despite the best efforts by the Ministry of Education to ensure that most schools offer a wide range of subjects, administrative issues, teacher unions and cost prohibit many, if not all, schools from offering all subjects that are examined by the Examination Board, and some foreign courses approved as well.
As a result, a new system that was allowed by legislation last week and has been discussed by the schools involved in the trial, will be implemented next year, the press were told today, although some schools have yet to confirm their status in the pilot scheme. If successful, then it will be implemented nationwide.
The idea is that students who find that their preferred course is available in a nearby school, but not in their own, may choose to sign up for that course, and the schools would share a common schedule so that students could interchange. Whether the students physically go there or share a videolink depends on numbers.
Despite a concern that it would be an administrative nightmare, the Ministry of Education have placed a coordinator in the affected schools to help organize and coordinate the matter, with a major meeting the day after tomorrow for administrators to discuss how best to tackle this issue.

Dated: 23rd January 2013

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"Welcome to the Hourly News Flash, from Public Radio World, the World Broadcasting Union division of Public Radio International, itself a division of Public Radio Teddy."

“The new Refugian office complex opened today.”
“Built by Yin and Yang Construction for a series of technology companies, most of them small, in the cheap but perceived-as-dangerous area of Refugia, due to the location of the human supremacy terrorist group the Human First Party there, the new office complex is said to be the start of a new era.”
“The local mayor thanked the companies for starting up here in Refugia, showing that people do indeed have confidence in the island, and that the negative stereotype that it is a “crime-infected, terrorist-filled” area is indeed not true, and that most of the island is no different from the others.”
“He added that he hoped other companies would start to do the same as well. Statistics certainly do back up his statements, criminal reports from the National Police, incidents by the Armed Forces, and other civilian statistics collected by the Ministry of the NAtional Archives and History Keeping all point to his conclusion.”

"Remember to tune in onto the News Broadcast of Public Radio Teddy for more news at Seven, or go to www.prt.tbr."

Dated: 24th January 2013

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"Welcome to the headline news of the hour of the Teddy Broadcasting Authority, International Channel."

“Preliminary talks for political parties have ended.”
“It has been agreed by several left-wing groups, such as the Teddy Social Democrats and the Teddy Labor-Worker Party, that they will band up in order to form an official voting bloc in the proposed Regional Assembly of the legislature of the Alliance of Toy Islands.”
“Although details and names have yet to be decided, as well as how best to adjust their respective constitutions, the parties stated today that it was confirmed they would join up with some regional allies, although they would invite other similarly minded parties to join up.”
“The government Liberals are still busy finding a partner in their effort to take part in the new Regional Legislature, while the Baren Party is in talks with regional Laltofian nationalist center-right parties, something that is expected to be brought to fruition before the first elections should the TBRE join the Alliance.”

"For more news, remember to tune in for the main news at 7 right here on TBA International, or visit www.tba.int."

[Teddy Bear Republic]

From the Toyland Times, 25th January 2013

Referendum Preparations
Preparations for a National Referendum has started.
The National Referendum on whether the TBRE should join the Alliance of Toy Islands, a new regional government structure, will take place on Monday, and the Independent Commission has started the process of organizing this historic and highly important ballot for the people.
The Independent Commission stated that it was taking extra measures with this referendum, even more so than their usually strict practices to ensure a fair election, such as doubling the number of employees involved to ensure a fair ballot box collection and count, as well as having a triple rather than double count of the votes.
The HM President, a strong and vocal supporter for the TBRE’s inclusion in the Alliance of Toy Islands, thanked the Independent Commission for the role that they will take on, which will “transcend the simple counting of a mark on paper.” He also asked citizens to take this vote seriously.
The vote will take the rest of the week from Monday until Wednesday, when ballot in the TBRE close and the ballot is counted by hand over a series of a few days. The Independent Commission is highly experienced in this matter, having conducted many hundreds of votes over the course of its existence.

Dated: 25th January 2013

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"Welcome to the Hourly News Flash, from Public Radio World, the World Broadcasting Union division of Public Radio International, itself a division of Public Radio Teddy."

“Administrators met on the school scheduling issue.”
“Next year, following legislation by lawmakers, schools will be able to share courses, ensuring that students can study courses that may not be available at their own school, or schools can pool their resources together more efficiently. However, it has caused a little bit of an administrative nightmare.”
“Hence the need for a meeting, which occurred today with mediators and coordinators from the government meeting with scheduling officers from the school to work out how best to tackle this issue, with a final decision expected to be reached in tomorrow’s session just before the start of the school week.”
“The administrators reported that their session today had gone well, and that they looked forward to reaching a solution by Sunday, hoping that their work will ensure a fairer system for students. The HM President also congratulated them on their work in a press release today.”

"Remember to tune in onto the News Broadcast of Public Radio Teddy for more news at Seven, or go to www.prt.tbr."

Dated: 25th January 2013

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"Welcome to the headline news of the hour of the Teddy Broadcasting Authority, International Channel."

“Workers went to work at the new Refugian complex.”
“The new office complex in Refugia was opened up by technology companies in the area, who stated that the cost of operating there was cheaper than most office districts around the state, due to the perceived conception that the island isn’t safe, due to the presence of the Human First Party.”
“Office workers have been granted residences in the newly developed area, part of a greater project near the north of the island. Some of them included refugees who offered to work for a salary, most of whom will be involved with the industrial assembly process of the electronics being made.”
“Security was extra tight today, although authorities have stated that there have been no specific threats by the Human First Party to attack the facility. However, the government is eager to present this place as a safe haven for new businesses, part of its policy to promote the area.”

"For more news, remember to tune in for the main news at 7 right here on TBA International, or visit www.tba.int."

[Teddy Bear Republic]

From the Toyland Times, 26th January 2013

Camera Bear Project
A new project by the Ministry of International Bear Relations has started.
The project aims to capture the lives of several different non-sapient bear species in order to promote bear kind as well as give researchers a unique opportunity to look at the lives of bears, and perhaps find some new discoveries about their behavior, due to the long-term nature of the project.
The Ministry stated that it has received permission from bear researchers at the Ministry of National Archives and History Keeping, which also helped develop the small cameras that the bears will wear to transmit signals back and prevent the bears from being too affected by it.
Crews are being deployed tomorrow to begin scouting the locations to find suitable places to hide and wait for bears in order to place cameras on them, a process which will involve drugging them and attaching the camera on, since bears are known to be highly dangerous even to members of their own species.
The government has stated that the bears will be able to take the camera off if they find it too intrusive, but otherwise they feel that they would leave it on since it is not expected to affect them too much, having been tested on zoo animals and wild animals brought into sanctuaries.

Dated: 26th January 2013

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"Welcome to the Hourly News Flash, from Public Radio World, the World Broadcasting Union division of Public Radio International, itself a division of Public Radio Teddy."

“Preparations for the National Referendum continued today.”
“A national referendum, being held by the Independent Commission, will determine the TBRE’s future and decision whether or not to go into the Alliance of Toy Islands, an organization set up to ensure a proper regional government for the Toy Islands, a region known for its diversity but also its conflicts.”
“National Police and the Independent Commission briefed their respective law enforcement officers together today, holding seminars that will last until tomorrow in anticipation of the highly watched and highly guarded vote, with neither organization taking any chances with fraud.”
“Government advertisements have been running all week long asking people to vote, although voter apathy may not be an issue here, since most national referendra have a high turn out rate. The government is slightly concerned about votes being marked incorrectly, leading to a rejected vote, however.”

"Remember to tune in onto the News Broadcast of Public Radio Teddy for more news at Seven, or go to www.prt.tbr."

Dated: 26th January 2013

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"Welcome to the headline news of the hour of the Teddy Broadcasting Authority, International Channel."

“School administrators have solved the timetabling issue.”
“Government mediators and coordinators announced that school administrators, who have been struggling over the issue on how to coordinate their respective school schedules so that students who cannot find their course offered may go for classes in another school, have solved the issue.”
“They have elected several general officials to keep a monitor over the entire process, and also have set up a large, universal shared document on the schools’ intranet that will be kept guarded for security reasons, in order to ensure that each student has a non-conflicting timetable.”
“Actual timetabling will be sorted out for the new school year in 2013, but organizers said that they needed to start planning now so that “students and parents know what is going on.” They feel confident that success will be the result after all this planning and preparation, ready for August.”

"For more news, remember to tune in for the main news at 7 right here on TBA International, or visit www.tba.int."

[Teddy Bear Republic]

From the Evening Teddy, 27th January 2013

MINAHIK Finds Stolen Item
MINAHIK has found a stolen item today.
Every month, the Ministry of the National Archives and History Keeping accepts donations of items that citizens feel are of intricate value to the state and also rewards them with a small amount of money, whilst personal items they wish to store in a secure place being charged and kept separately.
MINAHIK employees inventorying the new arrivals found that an item looked suspicious, who brought it to their supervisor - confirming that the ruby had indeed been listed as stolen by the police. Police were notified, who have taken the ruby into their custody for examination and analysis.
A spokesbear for the police said that they were not commenting on the case since the investigation was still underway, but MIANHIK states that it will take in the diamond at the end, since all items from the Nordican Royal Collection was added to MINAHIK apart from this stolen item, and the contract says that MINAHIK is the rightful owner.
The ruby is from the Nordican Royal Collection, and was declared missing back in the 60s, being one of the most elusive items and the subject of much debate among the policing community, who took it on as a challenge to try and get it back. However, it was only today that the ruby was found.

Dated: 27th January 2013

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"Welcome to the Hourly News Flash, from Public Radio World, the World Broadcasting Union division of Public Radio International, itself a division of Public Radio Teddy."

“Bear experts are now preparing for the SecretCam Project.”
“So dubbed by the media, the SecretCam Project involves the Ministry of International Bear Relations and MINAHIK to place small, non-intrusive cameras on bears to try and find out more about their secret lives, as well as promoting bear kind to the international community.”
“The experts are now scouting for locations to wait for bears to come past, drug them, place cameras on, and send them on their way, something that they have described as routine procedure. So far, some 10 different groups are spread out across 5 continents scouting for these locations.”
“MINAHIK also announced that the cameras will form part of a live stream by the organization on their website so that the public can view the bear’s behavior in real time, as well as helping amateur scientists study them. The website, having been set up today, got some 10 million hits on its first day alone.”

"Remember to tune in onto the News Broadcast of Public Radio Teddy for more news at Seven, or go to www.prt.tbr."

Dated: 27th January 2013

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"Welcome to the headline news of the hour of the Teddy Broadcasting Authority, International Channel."

“Preparations for tomorrow’s national referenda are underway.”
“The final ballot boxes were put into place today, and polling stations have been sealed and guarded for the night. It is expected that a large number of the population will vote through the internet, a new and recent feature, and electronic guards are expected to stay all night to monitor that the site is not attacked.”
“Early votes arriving by mail were placed into the post, and will be opened on election day to be counted and check that all appropriate documentation have been filled correctly. Such votes have priority over other mail, and are on the special Urgent Priority system, where mail from any place in the globe will take less than a day to reach the TBRE.”
“Volunteers received their final briefing, with some in Greater Toyland, the capital city, receiving a visit from HM President who thanked them for their service, and asking that they take extra care in their duties with this historic vote, expected to change the course of regional history.”

"For more news, remember to tune in for the main news at 7 right here on TBA International, or visit www.tba.int."

[Teddy Bear Republic]

From the Toyland Times, 28th January 2013

National Referendum Today
Today was the national referendum for the Alliance of Toy Islands.
The TBRE is one of the many countries in the region currently having a nationwide referendum concerning whether the country should ratify the Charter of the Alliance of Toy Islands and join the largest regional government and structure ever created in the history of the Toy Islands.
The national referendum started today, with polling stations opened by the Independent Commission facing some unprecedented long lines, with record numbers of people going out to vote in this historic election. People may also vote by mail, if living overseas, or on a secure online account.
It is widely predicted by initial polling that the TBRE will join the Alliance by the end of the election, with the vote ending on Wednesday and the three counts required by the government occurring on Thursday, with the result declared for the entire region on Friday, although such an event will be largely ceremonial in nature by then.
However, there were some demonstrations in the streets, although election rules stated they could not be next to election booths. The protests were mainly by some Baren Party members who fear that the USSR Natureland, with its authoritarian and large voting bloc, could force the TBRE to do undesirable actions.

Dated: 28th January 2013

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"Welcome to the Hourly News Flash, from Public Radio World, the World Broadcasting Union division of Public Radio International, itself a division of Public Radio Teddy."

“Police have traced the source of the stolen diamond.”
“The diamond that MINAHIK discovered in its archival donation box turned out to be a stolen item from the Nordican collection, the rest of which are already in MINAHIK archives. National Police were informed and started investigating the case, having collected and determined a suspect.”
“It is believed that the suspect, since they included several trivial items in the box, had no criminal history or connection as far as the authorities can determine from his background, may have gotten the diamond from a thrift shop or a backyard sale. He is cooperating fully with police.”
“MINAHIK will repossess the diamond tomorrow, although it will be stored separately from the others since it is undergoing a criminal investigation. The National Police are not confident that the original thief will be found, since it occured several decades ago during the 60s.”

"Remember to tune in onto the News Broadcast of Public Radio Teddy for more news at Seven, or go to www.prt.tbr."

Dated: 28th January 2013

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"Welcome to the headline news of the hour of the Teddy Broadcasting Authority, International Channel."

“Scientists are making progress on the SecretCam project.”
“The SecretCam project aims to put small, unintrusive cameras on the top of various bear heads and track their movements around their geographical location, which will not only promote bear kind but also provide a useful study opportunity for scientists to see more about their lives.”
“Although many scientists and volunteers are still staking out locations to see where best to locate and drug bears before putting cameras on them, a few have found their locations, and one has already put a camera on a brown bear in Alaska, with the live feed streaming back to a special MINAHIK website.”
“The website has received several million hits, despite only being created and up and running yesterday, partially due to all the publicity the media has provided, and the hype that has been generated as a result has been encouraged by MINAHIK, stating that only when the public is interested will this project take off.”

"For more news, remember to tune in for the main news at 7 right here on TBA International, or visit www.tba.int."

[Teddy Bear Republic]

From the Evening Teddy, 29th January 2013

Roundabout Road To Be Temporarily Closed
Roundabout will be temporarily closed.
The major traffic and pedestrian walkway will be closed over the next two days while emergency repairs are being made, the Ministry of Welfare and Housing, which is also responsible for public works, has declared. The Ministry has said that such changes have long been needed in the area.
They have stated that the roundabout in Roundabout has become deeply damaged due to the relatively large numbers of traffic that has used this critical part of the road system in the center of the capital city, with there now being many potholes and bumps that make the journey to this historic area "an unpleasant experience."
Alerts by the police and traffic authorities have already warned people to stay away from the area to avoid traffic jams, and to find potential alternative routes around the area, while work crews planned how best to close the roads to minimize disruption and get the maximum amount of work done.
Roundabout is an easily recognizable point, and many informal meet-ups by the public occur in the area, an Autobahn nearby, and a local public transport interchange in the center of the roundabout, that will remain open throughout the course of the construction. The roundabout is also known for its free-for-all traffic style, with limited signage in the area.

Dated: 29th January 2013

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"Welcome to the Hourly News Flash, from Public Radio World, the World Broadcasting Union division of Public Radio International, itself a division of Public Radio Teddy."

“The national referendum continued today.”
"A national referendum is being held over the issue of whether or not the TBRE should ratify the Charter of the Alliance of Toy Islands and join this new regional government structure, something that has been encouraged by the current government and is very likely to pass over the course of the vote."
"The Independent Commission, responsible for organizing national referendums and other general elections, have stated that the number of people who are using internet voting on the Commission's homepage has gone up, while those voting by mail have gone down, showing a clear shift in preference in the expat public."
"Meanwhile, many political parties are so confident that the referendum will pass that many have started to form supranational party organizations, with even the Baren Party conceding that the election is inevitable, and taking their chances with either a Laltofian party or a regional conservative one."

"Remember to tune in onto the News Broadcast of Public Radio Teddy for more news at Seven, or go to www.prt.tbr."

Dated: 29th January 2013

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"Welcome to the headline news of the hour of the Teddy Broadcasting Authority, International Channel."

“The stolen diamond is back in MINAHIK archives.”
"Keen-eyed employees of the Ministry of the National Archives and History Keeping found out that a diamond that had been donated into their possession was in fact a missing artifact from the Nordican collection. The source has been tracked down and released, after it was found out that he had in fact found it at a thrift store."
"While the search for a new suspect continues, MINAHIK has replaced the diamond into its archives, although it has done so in a special section so that it will not be tampered with in the meanwhile and the police can still access it if they need to continue on with the investigation."
"MINAHIK has justified its collection of the diamond, stating that by contract, all items in the Nordican royal collection - including the stolen diamond - were transferred to their custody and safekeeping, and it is not expected that there will be any challenges to that decision."

"For more news, remember to tune in for the main news at 7 right here on TBA International, or visit www.tba.int."

[Teddy Bear Republic]

From the Toyland Times, 6th February 2013

Leaders Converge in Scanden for Signing
Most heads of states and government in the region have converged in Scanden, Svaltestein, for the historic signing of a Charter that will formally create the Alliance of the Toy Islands - the first regional government in the history of the traditionally unstable region that the TBRE calls home.
HM President Palchensky arrived two days ago on Teddy One to meet with other heads of states in a pre-signing dinner held in the Government District, Scanden, where the Alliance will be administratively kept. He spoke of this being a "significant step in regional politics", and hopes that by signing, the TBRE will be better positioned for discussions on "controversial topics." It is expected that TBRE representatives will request motions on topics mainly on relations with the USSRN, such as environmental pollution or the reduction of NBC weapons in the region.
This morning, the leaders present assembled for breakfast, before retiring to the televised signing of the Charter. HM President Palchensky was one of the first to sign, placing his name on the document at around 9:05 - a symbolic time, reflecting the year (1905) in which the TBRE was founded as the Federation of Bear States, one of the first steps to unifying the many states in both the bear world and the region as a whole. Since then, many supranational unions between states in the region have been formed, such as the Coalition of Communist States and the Barbergen Common Agreement Zone, which the TBRE helped found.
Afterwards, heads of states held a small press conference, in which the head of the Designated Transitional Authority for the Alliance of Toy Islands - formed to supervise the creation of the Alliance - was thanked on behalf of all those who had participated in this. It is expected that Palchensky will be back in the TBRE by tomorrow, and no bilateral discussions - official or otherwise - with any of the heads of states present are expected to have been plan.
However, some leaders did not attend since the referendum in their respective countries have not yet been completed, although it is widely expected that all countries in the region will eventually sign the Charter over the coming days, save for the government-less region collectively known as Rhandona. The TBRE's own referendum on the motion took place in late January, with 62% saying Yes to ascension to the Alliance and 29% against.

[Teddy Bear Republic]

Non-Canon
From the Toyland Times, 1st April 2013

Zombie Pandemic Grips The Nation
The entire state is locked down as zombies wreck havoc upon our country.
It is believed that the first reported zombie case stumbled across the border in Mersonn, where attempts by medical staff to identify his ailment were quickly infected. Other border areas soon reported zombie cases until an emergency meeting by the National Cabinet shut down all borders, including those of Barbergen free travel zones.
The National Cabinet also decided to raise a national State of Emergency, with National Warning Levels raised to a Code Red, the second highest level in our country indicating an imminent war. Reserve military units were called up to isolate zombie communities and contain them, while the Home Guard were put on standby. National Police units were also transferred over to the jurisdiction of the Ministry of War, and will be working closely with Ministry and Military police to control the security situation.
The Ministry of the National Archives and History Keeping, in conjunction with scientific labs from fellow Barbergen allies, began developing a possible cure for the non-sapient zombies, while the HM President urged for calm among citizens from the Red Housse, where he swore to "stay till the end."
Regionally, the Kingdom of Svaltestein has stated that the regional Alliance of Toy Island government offices have been shut down and isolated from the rest of the country, which has also taken measures to seal off its national borders. It is reported that most other states have begun a zombie culling policy, though the Minister of Health said that it would be unnecessary in the TBRE, since "at the end of the day, they are our friends and relatives". Troops have been instead asked to merely contain and control zombies whenever possible, although self-defense "will not be out of the question," as Minister Eskanord of war put it.
The Toyland Times will be providing government updates on its main news site, and urges all citizens to stay indoors and vigilant.

Update 1:
There are promising results at the Ministry of the National Archives and History Keeping, where prototypes have been developed and are being produced in Poldovia, after an antigen was isolated in a Svaltesteinian lab after the TBRE determined the cause for zombification. The HM President has praised the efforts of scientists.
The government is also now in talks with sapient zombies, which have not been the ones responsible for these attacks, stating that "it only makes sense that all sapient beings have rights, par our constitution". The opposition Baren Party, currently locked out in a hastily prepared fort in the capital, has criticized the government of dealing with trivial affairs.
Additionally, the Ministry of Refugian Affairs has said that since resources are abundant and a cure is well on the way, it is providing aid drops to other countries, although the Ministry of War has stated that no military action will be undertaken abroad since "we need every gun and soldier we've got for the time being." Instead, the Red Claw - currently distributed around the world, some in safe zombie-free zones - is providing free security for expats, and has also offered its services to foreign states for the first time "in light of the situation."

Update 2:
The situation, unfortunately, has taken a turn for the worse.
MINAHIK has announced that there have been severe distribution issues with the antidote, and it has not been as reliable as they would liked it to have been. Additionally, it is reported that the 1st Brigade in Toyland had been overrun, leaving one of the largest population centers to be open for the infected. All this has created a chain reaction resulting high infection rates in the country and the region as a whole. States have been turning to searching for a more effective cure as a last resort after their military forces were overwhelmed by inbound zombies from other states.
The TBRE government announced a Code Black, indicating the imminent deconstruction of the state. Nuclear bunkers, which had been open to civilians from the start, are now being sealed off. The Ministry of Refugian Affairs has stopped aid to foreign countries to focus solely on the domestic front, and martial law has been imposed. The Home Guard has been activated, and the no-shooting zombies policy has been lifted, although many are proving reluctant to open fire while there is still hope for a cure.

Update 3:
The Ministry of War has expressed "optimistic caution" about the current situation.
"We're definitely seeing the rate of infections plateau at this point," said a spokesbear speaking from a bunker in Nordica that the government has evacuated to to ensure the continual of government. As the Nordican Provincial Government has lost contact with the outside world, the National Government has temporarily declared itself in charge of all provincial matters - although it looks to be a formality at this point in time. The Toyland Times is now operating out of Archiva when contact was lost with the main Toyland office.
The spokesbear added that at this point, the cure was beginning to work - it is now just a race against the clock to ensure more antidotes are handed out than people getting infected. More alarmingly, there have now been deaths recorded in the country as a result of zombification.
However, evacuation is not out of the picture, and civil defense units have been asked to prepare to move out in case the orders goes out to abandon the country and try for safer waters.

[Teddy Bear Republic]

From the Evening Teddy, 2nd April 2013

Regional Elections Begin
Regional elections for the Regional Assembly have started.
The Regional Assembly is the lower house of the legislature for the new regional government, the Alliance of Toy Islands, composed of 500 members. Each country is assigned seats based on population, with preference given to smaller states. It will be responsible for the election of a regional President, who functions as a ceremonial figurehead and is widely expected - for this term anyways - to be a person from a neutral state in order to ensure regional unity.
The TBRE itself has some 6 seats up for contention. The major regional parties which on the ballot, elected through proportional representation, are the Regional Party for Toy Island Socialists and Progressives (of which the Teddy Social Democrats are a member of), the Centrist Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (whose membership includes the Teddy National Liberals), the United Left Alliance (including the Teddy Labor-Worker Party), the Regional Greens (which the Green Party have partaken in) and the United Party for National Fronts (which includes the Baren Party).
Although TISAD is expected to win the position third largest party in the region after Regional Communists (dominated by the USSR of Natureland) and the Collective Alliance for Betterment (a libertarian party), the Centrist Alliance is expected to win most of the seats in the TBRE. The Independent Commission is responsible for the election here in the TBRE.

[Teddy Bear Republic]

From the Evening Teddy, 8th April 2013

Regional Elections Finalized
Regional elections have finished and the results announced.
The Regional Communist Party is the largest party, with 227 seats mostly thanks to the unelected seats allocated to the USSR Natureland. The second largest is the centrist Collective Alliance for Betterment, with 111 seats, then the Regional Party for Toy Island Socialists and Progressives with 44 seats. The Ba'athist Party of the Toy Islands has been allocated 25 seats, and the Crescent Party of God possesses 21, while the United Bordorian Party from Bordoris has 18 seats. The Conservative People's Party for Freedom has 15 seats, while the Centrist Alliance of Liberals and Democrats has 13. There are 6 seats for the Kinsfolk Party of the Toy Islands, and the United Left Alliance and Regional Greens have 5 and 2 seats respectively. No seats are occupied by an independent candidate.
In the TBRE, with 6 seats up for contention, 2 were allocated to TISAP, of which the Teddy Social Democrats are a member, 3 are for CALD (which includes the ruling National Liberals), and 1 was given to NatFront (which includes the Baren Party). It is believed that coalitions between parties of similar ideologies, such as CALD and TISAD, will be formed in order to challenge the much larger parties, although no single party holds a simple majority.
One of the first issues expected to be taken up by the body - after the election of the Regional President - is the matter of Rhandona, with terrorists based there having recently taken two nuclear rods from Bordoris. It is widely expected that an ATI-approved mission will go ahead to resecure the rods and bring the terrorists to justice.

[Teddy Bear Republic]

From the Toyland Times, 10th April 2013

Flag Day
Today was Flag Day, with the annual Flag Day parade taking place as normal down Military Lane in the capital city.
As usual, the parade was led by one of the battalions of the Presidential Guard Regiment following speeches by HM President Palchensky and Minister Eskanord of War. This year, the honor went to Guard Borderers of Grenatia battalion, setting the time for the rest of the parade (in conjunction with musical bands from Headquarters) and displaying the national flags and the flag from each branch of service at the head of the parade.
Some 5 000 troops from the Armed Forces took part this year, a significant reduction from other years, since many units have been placed on standby ever since the regional Alliance of Toy Islands agreed on a motion to move regional troops to Rhandona to secure nuclear rods stolen by terrorists. As usual, units from each infantry/armor battalion were on show with representatives from each combat support branch for the army, and there were units from each individual service branches from the Navy, Air Force and Space Command. A contingent of volunteers assembled from the Home Guard also marched, as well as trainees from the various officer academies nationwide.
A flypast by various air force units also took place, including one of the Teddy Ones in service as the air transport for the President, the historic Flight No. 7 and - for the first time ever - an experimental testbed used in the production of the natively created T-88 5th generation jet fighter. Large plasma screens placed around the parade also allowed an inspection of a sail past by the navy, and there was one of the few public appearances of the Bearphoon-class ballistic missile submarines which are key to deploying the TBRE's nuclear weapons. It is believed that this show of force is designed to scare terrorists ahead of the Rhandonian mission.
The HM President called today "yet another excellent display by the Armed Forces ... combining respect for tradition and technological knowledge in a blend that is unique to our state." National Police, who were on hand throughout the parade site to monitor crowds, reported no major incidents.

[Teddy Bear Republic]

From the Toyland Times, 23rd April 2013

Operation Dawning Star
Today, Operation Dawning Star - the designation given to the regional task force approved by the regional Alliance of Toy Islands to retake Bordorian nuclear fuel rods from pirates - began with a landing by a combined TBRE-USSRN force.
The USSR of Natureland has deployed the most troops, including those involved in a naval blockade of the island. Bordoris has dispatched members of their crack Intelligence Troops in order to secure the fuel rods when they are found, and other states have deployed air mobile troops or combat support units.
The TBRE itself sent members from the 23rd Reconnaissance unit - one of the three battalions of the elite Claw Commando unit specializing in intervention operations behind enemy lines - as well as members from the 217th NBRC Task Force to find the spent nuclear fuel rods.
USSRN troops were quick to construct a forward operating base, and the 23rd went ahead in helicopters to spearhead the assault on what is believed to be the pirate's main base. Although the Ministry of War did not delve into details, it did confirm that contact in the form of heavy resistance from hostile forces had already been established, and that injuries were reported.
The TBRE has no naval presence in the area, but the HMTS Frederick Henry Warco, a Bear Bear-class Guided Missile Cruiser, is on standby to provide support and anti-missile defense for the homeland if required. The military has been put on an alert status, but National Warning Levels have not been raised dramatically has no immediate threat to the TBRE is expected.

[Teddy Bear Republic]

From Le Petit Nounours, 30th April 2013

Operation Dawning Star Draws To A Close
Operation Dawning Star was declared "finished" today by the HM President.
The Ministry of War released a press statement early this morning, and summarized the events in a press conference that took place this afternoon. The HM President and Minister of War thanked all those involved for successfully defending the TBRE and the region from the nuclear threat, and stated that they were working "closely" with their Bordorian counterparts to avoid a repeat of this incidence.
Having discovered their base in Rhandona, elements of the 23rd Reconnaissance unit - part of the famed Claw Commandos, which include the 21st "Stealthy Pandas" - were able to penetrate into their base with extensive artillery and armor support from USSR Natureland forces. However, Natureland anti-aircraft units spotted helicopters evacuating the base, and radiation levels and lack of nuclear fuel rods found at the base seemed to confirm that they were carrying the spent nuclear fuel rods towards the larger, more inland settlement of Elysium.
The helicopters managed to evade radar, but was soon picked again after Rhandonian pirates were able to launch two missiles before their base was overrun and the terrorists apprehended. The Missile Corps were placed on a high alert status, and the Natureland vessel NS Proletariat was able to destroy the second missile after launch using SA-N-20 missiles. However, the first missile escaped and re-entered the atmosphere, releasing projectiles. Many of these were destroyed by TBRE and USSRN missile defenses, including anti-ballistic missile missiles launched from HMTS Bear Bear when one began to gain on the capital.
However, one warhead successfully detonated in the Northern Seas above Nordica province. Radiation levels in the area will exceed international safety limits for roughly seven months, but the situation is otherwise under control.
This thus ends the ordeal that started some time ago with the capture of spent Bordorian fuel rods by the pirates. The terrorists are being brought to trial before the regional Alliance of Toy Islands, which approved of this mission.

[Teddy Bear Republic]

From the National Expat, 18th May 2013

Drug Raid in Dastr
A massive drug operation against an organized crime syndicate ended last night in the city of Dastr.
Local Dastrian authorities and the National Police Bureau have been following the group extensively following a tip-off about a group importing hard drugs - illegal in the TBRE - into the country under the guise of bringing in pharmaceutical products. They have said that surveillance had been going on for several years now.
The local chief of the Dastrian branch of the National Police stated that, thanks to Dastr's position as an autonomous Municipality, monitoring trade was somewhat difficult for jurisdictional issues, but that the Ministry of Communications - jointly responsible for facilitating communication between government bodies and reducing bureaucracy - had quickly cleared any such concerns in a few days, acting as a liaison between the Bureau and local law enforcement.
This surveillance resulted in a joint raid on multiple locations to the point that the chief said that he was "confident" that they had put a massive dent in organized crime operations in the TBRE, most of which are small-scale due to the low crime rate. Some 70 suspects have been brought into custody from around Grenatia, where the drugs were mainly distributed to having entered into the country through the port of Dastr.
Ties with the terrorist Human First Party have been ruled out, the organization being known for carrying out such crimes to fund their operations which has become increasingly difficult with the military blockade of their part of the island of Refugia. The National Police have stated that these criminals were merely "petty crooks, nothing more."

[Teddy Bear Republic]

From the Evening Teddy, 23rd May 2013

TTS Warns of Station Closures
The Toyland Transit System authorities have warned the public of impending station closures.
Fourth Quarter station, a key interchange station between the Kingston-Swife line and the Forkal-Banswaph line, is scheduled to be closed tomorrow for around 2 days pending repairs to the track and the parts of the platform, something that the TTS has been warning for some time and advising people to plan alternate routes instead of going to the station.
TTS managers apologized today to the public, and also released a press statement thanking people for their patience. "We hope to get the system up and running as soon as possible," it said, "we understand that people place reliance on the TTS to go about their business, and these repairs - while slightly annoying now - will ensure that we can deliver on that long into the future."
The TTS have organized buses between the several consecutive stops of the Kingston-Swife and Forkal-Banswaph line, but have warned that such buses will not be as frequent and will close earlier than the train. Trains on the lines will continue to run, but will not stop at the station since they will be diverted to an alternative track route.
Fourth Quarter station is one of the oldest stations in the TTS network, having preceded the government established public entity as one of the original stations of the previous train networks serving the capital city. It is long overdue for repairs, the TTS says, citing old age and antique equipment that needs to be repaired and upgraded to handle the increasingly large volume of commuters and newer, heavier models of train that are currently entering service.

[Teddy Bear Republic]

From the National Expat, 4th January 2014

New Year, New Sights
Following the ringing in of the New Year with a remarkable fireworks display in the capital city of Greater Toyland, the National Expat has been highlighting events to look out for in the coming year. 2014 is definitely going to be the year where foreign policy takes center stage.

• Presidential Elections
  The post of the TBRE's head of government will finally be up for the voters to decide when the race winds up at around April, along with several upper house by-elections. Although the center-to-center-left Teddy National Party's candidate is currently the frontrunner, how Palchensky - the incumbent TNP President-Minister - handles their key "pet" projects such as further integration into the controversial regional Alliance of Toy Islands [see below] may set it to change.
  
  Additionally, some pundits argue that the TNP's prior electoral success in the executive office and legislature has been due to Palchensky's political skill, something unprecendented for a person whose role was originally envisioned to be technocratic in nature. With other parties wising up to the TNP's techniques, including the center-right Baren Party's recent moderation of their more radical policies, the playing field may change in the coming four months.
  
  
• Barbergen Treaty Fully Implemented
  This year, the TBRE and its other regional allies take the final step to becoming a fully fledged customs union, as described in the Treaty of Barbergen. The Ministry for Industry and the Ministry of Finance already had measures passed in the legislature last year to implement common union-wide external tariffs in stages throughout the country in 2014. It is further step from the existing free trade and movement agreements that make up the Barbergen Treaty.
  
  Although some economists have argued for further economic integration, a possibility that has been considered during the meetings of heads of state and government, it would appear from the statements of other regional allies that it is not likely in the future, evident by Poldovia and Drondaria's persistent unwillingness to abandon its government subsidies to infant industries, for example. Meanwhile, other non-Barbergen countries have criticized the common external tariffs for targeting some of their national industries, asserting that it is against the Barbergen Union's goals for free competition in the marketplace. How the Barbergen governments respond to such accusations will remain to be seen in the coming year.
  
  
• Regional Paralympic Games
  Following the success of the 2014 Regional Games held in the McFluffle Bunny Empire (especially with the TBRE performing remarkably well in several unexpected sports!), the Regional Paralympic Games will be held later on this month in the same place. Essentially a carbon copy of the Regional Games, the Paralympic Games was formed along with its counterpart in the 90s, and has traditionally been held immediately after the Regional Games in the earlier months of the following year, every four years. It is sanctioned by various international sporting organizations, as well as the Sports Commission of the Alliance of Toy Islands.
  
  
• Potential Monarchy in NGL
  The Grand Democratic Republic of Natural Green Land may be on its way to becoming a monarchy from a parliamentary republic. With the incumbent Prime Minister being descended from a long lineage of nobles, and an increasingly large portion of urban Natish seen to be in support of restoring the crown, the government has made plans to transition back to a monarchy, making it one of the few countries in the world to revert back to the older system of governance. With NGL one of the most important economic players in the region and the one with the largest area and second largest populace, the potential socio-economic and political effects are bound to felt in the coming year.
  
  
• Laltofian Confederation to Join the Alliance
  Theoretically composed of some 50+ sovereign states of varying sizes and populations, the Laltofian Confederation has a much more complex process than others in determining whether or not to join the Alliance of Toy Islands. It requires its constituent states to hold referendums, and for the super-majority to agree to ratify the Alliance Charter, something that has taken them a year longer than the rest of the Toy Islands who signed it in February. Interestingly enough, this also means that in theory, the 50+ sovereign states will need to individually ratify the Charter. Looks like they'll need some extra pages at the end.
  
  When the Laltofian Confederation signs on, a historical marker will be reached. For the first time, the politically diverse countries of the Toy Islands have decided to work together - although for all intents and purposes, this goal was reached when some of the larger authoritarian states in the Toy Islands agreed to sign on, something that negotiators early on considered to be of paramount importance if the Alliance was going to work.

[Teddy Bear Republic]

From the p14 Opinion, Toyland Times International Edition, 17th October 2014

Graskii Ready For Peace - But Will Peace Come?
By Mahon Medvedev
The world's eyes are on Graskii, the provincial capital of Grenatia, as it readies itself to receive regional diplomats for the Graskiian Peace Accords who are expected to arrive on TBRE soil in the next few days. The sight is not necessarily a pleasant one.

The Accords have been much-vaunted by the National Liberal government as a peaceful solution to the recent invasion by the Six Nation Alliance, led by Tabi'atstan (-Natureland-), of Natural Green Land to "liberate" the territories the latter occupied in 2003. Ironic, then, that local preparations for the conference have been anything but peaceful: the National Government was recently forced to drop plans to deploy the military into Graskii itself throughout the course of the talks in favour of a softer presence in the surrounding area following criticism in the Beige House, the national legislature. The estimated 30 000 protestors from both sides expected to descend on Graskii that local authorities will need to deal with aren't helping the situation either.

Regardless, the TBRE and others asked to mediate the talks face much larger problems with implications for the future of international relations in the Toy Islands. Firstly, both sides do not exactly see eye to eye. Although Tabi'atstan and NGL have said that they are broadly willing for a referendum to be held on the issue of independence for the occupied territories, opposition in NGL's own legislature may prevent the national government from getting the constitutional revisions it needs to enable local authorities to do so. Issues of electoral fraud and biased reporting may continue to plague the result for years to come. The lack of a negotiating timetable may cause the conference to drag out indefinitely while locals take matters into their own hands, leading to instability in the South-East islands. The presence of armed, unregulated militias and foreign occupying troops who remain in what is still NGL will be a veiled threat over the conference - hardly the preconditions for peace. The issue of reparations is a tricky one, as is the question of how NGL businesses will be compensated post-independence.

Secondly, the war itself raises larger questions about the viability of the Memo of Mutual Understanding - the tacit understanding between the TBRE and Tabi'atstan that ushered in the so-called "Friendly Times", offering recognition and economic benefits in return for advancements in human rights that never showed up. Though the National Liberals have been quick to assure the public that the Memo still stands, and more importantly that Tabi'atstani officials agree that it stands, its clauses concerning regional peace and stability have now been called into question, and a certain mistrust has definitely grown between each country's diplomatic corps.

All of this poses issues for the newly elected Tobruina government in its first significant diplomatic hurdle, and already the National Liberal's policy of appeasement may, like Chamberlain's own, fade into the history books as a mistake that changed the world.

Mahon Medvedev is the leader of the opposition Baren Party and former Permanent Secretary for Industry

Views expressed in opinions are not necessarily reflective of those by the TBRE government, the media organizations in which they are published in, nor networks on which they are transmitted.