2024: THE LONG PEACE [IC| OPEN | EU PLAYERS REQUESTED]

by **The Baton Rouge Free State** » Fri Mar 20, 2020 6:01 am

People's Republic of Bangladesh
May and June 2024

New Cannabis Law
In Parliament May 4th, 2024

Whereas, the actions of the former anti-drug use establishment made little progress in the way of combating drug usage in the nation, and furthermore, the vast failure of government law enforcement to maintain such enforcement protocols. The Parliament of Bangladesh has found it necessary to revisit the established legislation on the usage of Cannabis and Marijuana and related products. The Parliament has also found that the climate and region of the Chittagong hill tracts remains pristine and favorable for the growth of Cannabis crops, which would help improve the human rights and economic situation of the region. Therefore, the Parliament believes it in the best interest to call upon the repeal of the Narcotics Control Act 1990 and the Narcotics Control Act 2018 to better improve the situation and human rights standards for citizens in Bangladesh. The Parliament calls upon the government to perform the following.

Section I: Medical Usage of Cannabis
The medical uses of Cannabis are two important to ignore, its place as a cheap pain reductant and a cost effective narcotic could help provide an important service to the Bangladeshi medical service system. Therefore, Doctors are now permitted to release Cannabis Prescriptions. If received, recipients are permitted to carry whatever limit is listed on the Prescription card, as well as buy Cannabis from dispensaries at a reduced cost. Cannabis Prescription cards will have a photo identification, name, address, age, the reason for the prescription, date when the prescription expires, permitted consumption, and maximum carry restrictions.

Section II: Recreational Usage of Cannabis
The high rate of Recreational usage of Cannabis has been too large to ignore. The ineffective enforcement by local police forces and the national drug enforcement apparatuses has proven that the population sees Cannabis as a positive benefactor to society. Therefore, the possession of 100 grams of Marijuana or Marijuana products or less has been legalized for all persons above the age of 18. Possession of up to 500 grams is decriminalized without a permit and will result in fines of up to 15,000 Taka. Possession of higher than 500 grams is punishable with higher fines, public service labor, and/or up to 2 months in jail. Permits can be issued to carry up to 500 grams of Cannabis, these permits manifest in the form of an "Extended Use Strip" which is added to the Drivers license and National ID of the person. This is obtainable when a person reaches the age of 21, has no felony crimes, and has taken a safe usage class educating persons on safe driving and usage habits, as well as the laws governing Cannabis usage.

Section III: Cannabis Agriculture and Retail
To grow Cannabis, a person must obtain necessary agricultural permits as well as a Cannabis Growth Permit. This permit will ensure a controlled supply of Cannabis in the country. To obtain such a permit, persons must have proof of connection to a registered dispensary, proof of agricultural permits, be of the age of 21, and prove that no minors will come in contact with the cannabis product. Cannabis retail can legally take place in the form of Cannabis Dispensaries, locations or retailers which have received explicit government permission in the form of a Cannabis Retail Permit, to sell Cannabis Products. To receive a Cannabis Retail permit, retailers must be of the age of 23, prove that no minors will come into contact with the products, and take a class and written test on the laws and legislation governing Cannabis use and retail. Cannabis retailers are exempt from carry maximums but must not sell any non cannabis related narcotics. Persons who sell or grow cannabis without permits are able to receive fines of between 100,000 and 200,000 Taka; or up to 5 years of jail time; and/or public service labor.

Section IV: Enforcement of Laws
Standard Police and Investigative apparatuses will enforce the new drug restrictions. As stated already, punishments for possessing more than 100 grams of Marijuana products with out license is punishable by a fine, it is a misdemeanor crime for the first five offenses. Selling or Growing Cannabis is illegal without a permit and is punishable by up to 5 years of jail and 200,000 Taka. It is a misdemeanor for the first offense but becomes a felony charge the second offense. Falsifying cannabis documents is punishable by up to 5 years in prison, and giving Cannabis products to Minors is a misdemeanor the first 3 times but becomes a felony after the fourth time, it is punishable by up to 2 months in Prison the first 3 times or by a 30,000 Taka fine, and up to 2 years in prison the 2nd time. Addiction specialists and clinics are now authorized to help people with Marijuana and Cannabis addictions with no fear of retribution, and the government will begin conducting health and effects surveys of Marijuana.

National Credit Union Act 2024
In Parliament May 22nd 2024

Whereas, the government sees the contribution the of Banks and the current financial system as positive, the Parliament believes that a further category should be a created, a system of non-profit communal financial systems which serve to manage financial endeavors of the members. The Parliament believes the credit unions will help drive investment and thrift in the economy and further speed up the processes of economic development and investment which has thus far occurred. Therefore, the Parliament seeks to enact the following resolutions which are superior to any previously held legislation regulating Credit Unions.

Section I: Defining Credit Unions and Operations
A Credit Union is to be defined as a financial reserve organization which is a private company and acts not in the interest of generating profit but in the primary interest of holding securely the funds of its membership. To join a Credit Union members must complete a comprehensive entry process further defined in the perimeters of the Credit Union specifically. Credit Unions are required to have a set of atleast 3 entry requirements including such requirements as membership in a specific job, resident of a specific community or area, struggling with a problem, or having completed a set of similar experiences. Credit Unions select their board of directors via an election in which each member of the Credit Union gets an equal vote regardless of their financial share in the corporation. The Credit Union acts on behalf of its members when requested in financial matters and should offer services such as monetary legal protection, monetary reserve and storage, and lending money and mortgages. Credit Unions are allowed to maintain corporate relationships with banks and other companies to raise the value and membership of the credit union as well as the storage and management capacity.

Section II: The Credit Union Registry
To be recognized as an official Credit Union, the organization must meet all the specified criteria in Section I, and must also have at least 100 members and a private commercial registration. The organization can then be chartered as a Credit Union and added to the registry kept by the Ministry of the Exchequer. The Registry will serve to help the public be notified of the Credit Unions which they may be eligible for, as well as keep a comprehensive record of the active Credit Unions in the nation.

Section III: Tax Exemption
Registered credit unions have a tax exemption from financial transaction taxes and corporate taxes. Its financial transaction tax rate is lowered from 6% to 4.5% and its corprate tax rate is lowered from 25% to 15%. This will make Credit Unions financially competitive with large banks and able to offer cheaper loans and better credit to its members.

Rupali Bank is Broken Down
Implemented June 8th

In an effort to decrease corruption as well as the share of Public Banks in the Banking sector, the government has opted to auction off the various assets of the Rupali Banking Corporation. The Bank had already started to decrease in market share, but more importantly it was already partially privatized which made it easier to get rid of. The bank's 5,100 Employees and 520 Locations across the country were auctioned off on the 6th and 7th to the largest private banks in Bangladesh. Of the 520 locations, 212 were purchased by IDLC Financial Limited, 190 were purchased by BRAC, 80 were purchased by Islami Bank, a large purchase considering its recent merger with EXIM Bank, and the remaining 38 locations were purchased by up and coming Bank Asia, the first major non-Islamic bank in Bangladesh. Other large accounts were given back funds and then allowed to transfer funds to new banks. Rupali bank was notified of the plan for closure in early February and since then have been working on retrieving back as many loans as possible. The closure was smooth and the assets of the bank have been transferred to new banks. People who had accounts in the bank are allowed to switch banks over the course of the next month free of charge and with ease as the Banks have agreed to hold the funds in full reserve until the end of the month.

National Geothermal and Renewable Energy Survey
Implemented on June 12th 2024

The government believes that before developing its electrical system further, the primary locations for construction of renewable energy plants to maximize renewable energy output and keep the nation as low emission as possible, formal national survey should be completed in coordination with the UN Environment Association and several non-profits in the region, this project has been allotted 15 Million US Dollars and will be lead by the Ministry of Environment and Agriculture. The Project will be completed in a year and will report to the government its findings and recommendations for moving forward with renewable energy constructions.

by **Atrilan** » Fri Mar 20, 2020 5:54 pm

PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

中华人民共和国

Grand Hall of the People - Beijing, China

The session of the National People's Congress began like it always does, the Chinese anthem played through the Grand Hall the the over three thousand attendants. It had moved into the second week of the biannual session. In prior days, the Congress had passed legislation regarding measures to increase innovation, uplift the poverty-stricken, and the standard type of bill that seems to be passed a thousand times over. Today, however, the brainchild of Xi Jinping and another member of the Standing Politburo, Zhong Shan, would come to vote. It was part of a project which Xi planned on announcing prior to the vote. After the anthem ended and the Congressman sat. Xi Jinping stood to thunderous applause and spoke,

"Distinguished deputies.

As an old Chinese poem goes, 'When I glance at the visage of vernal breeze, I know that a thousand flowers of purple and red set spring aglow.' After seven and a half decades of hard work under the leadership of the CPC, our people's republic has been growing vigorously, and with an entirely new posture, it now stands tall and firm in the East. We have undertaken the most swift uprising of economic activity in human history ad we've uplifted hundreds of millions out of poverty and into a life of prosperity and wealth. We have not only done this as a nation, carrying our blood and sweat to build the Chinese Dream, but as a government through policy and action.

Though as China has grown so quickly, we have watched as policy continued to need development and change to support a nation which has changed form and risen income brackets in such a short amount of time. Policy decisions in the past have been incredibly successful for the China of yesterday, but they would fail the China of tomorrow. What follows will be a proposal from Mr. Zhong on building the China of tomorrow, a future of sustainable growth which would defeat the serpents of financial burden which have looked on our nation's growth with hunger.

This plan does not work alone, however. I am pleased to announce the Jade Field initiative which seeks to build the new sustainable economic future for the People's Republic of China. A future not written by a nation desperate to catch up to the rest of the world, but one written by a nation leading that world into a brighter future!"

The Congress applauded as Xi sat down in his chair, shaking the hand of the Wang Huning, the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, who took the podium and read the first move of the initiative to Congress.

Politburo Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China
Based in Xicheng District, Beijing
People's Republic of China
Serve the People

中共中央政治局常委
总部位于北京西城区
中华人民共和国
为人民服务

Bill - National Housing Reform Bill
By: Zhong Shan, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress
Description:

• Slow the unsustainable increase in housing prices across China
----> a. Establishing guidelines to avoid rapid purchase-sale cycle, patching up the primary cause for rising prices
----> b. Institute a nationwide grace period to which one cannot make any property sale or transfer of property until three years after the initialization of ownership to any property purchased after 1 July 2024.
-----------> 1. Any property which has been legally formed under the condition of construction, not including expansions or remodels, is exempt from this policy
-----------> 2. Property purchased between 1 July 2024 and 1 July 2022 will be subject to a two year ban counting from the date of property transfer
-----------> 3. Property sales to state bodies from either the central or local governments are exempt from this policy
----> c. Restrictions for deposits in marriages have lead to bureaucratic loopholes. Within two years of the finalization of a divorce, restrictions on deposits remain the same as in marriage.
----> d. Any local government which acquires land is subject to a five year halt on sale to private ownership
-----------> 2. Any land sold by the local government to a real estate enterprise is subject to the same five year halt on resale
• Establish a bias towards rent-based real estate investment
----> a. Lower the rent tax from 15% to 12% to encourage renting over property purchase
-----------> 1. Citizens immigrating from the western provinces with an income under the poverty line are exempt from the real estate tax for one year
----> b. Establishment of rent control policy to assure the continuation of stable rent
-----------> 1. The rate of rent is established based on the value of the property at the beginning of the fiscal period
-----------> 2. This rate is controlled by the local government on a universal basis, preventing price gouging
----> c. Designate 80% of constructed houses finalized after 1 July 2024 as rental properties
----> d. Grant tax cuts to property owners who rent out previously sales-designated properties instead of selling. Minor tax breaks will also be applied to corporations which specialize in rented properties.
----> e. Grant renters with a lease of a certain length decided by the local government the ability to apply for residency
-----------> 1. Renting will supplant property ownership as the most essential sign of residency. Applications for residency in a city where one rents in a different city are considered invalid.
• Lowering the allure of continued unnecessary construction
----> a. Granting local governments the ability to establish a property tax to counteract the need for short-sighted expansion and rapid local land sales
----> b. Liquidation of Local Government Financial Vehicles and the removal of the ability for local governments to form State Owned Enterprises without approval from the central government
-----------> 1. Permitting local governments to loan money to finance projects
----> c. Creation of the Local Finance Department to oversee and approve all loan cases submitted by local governments
-----------> 1. The Department would be established as a subset of the central Ministry of Finance
-----------> 2. Strict regulations are to be placed onto provincial loans,with rigid and non-extendable terms placed on the payback of debts to guarantee economic feasibility of a project
• Reassurance to middle class in guaranteeing economic supports
----> a. Beginning 1 July 2024, citizens are permitted to make property sales to the local government at discounted prices
-----------> 1. These sales are exempt from the real estate sales tax
-----------> 2. This option is largely designed for citizens who are unable to sell their property and are facing bankruptcy at the hands of local property taxes
----> b. Property sales to the local government by citizenry are not subject to either the five or three year ban on reselling property

Signed:

Xi sat back as negotiations took place in the Grand Hall for a large portion of the day, confident that his document would pass. His Premier used to joke how any document with Xi's signature on it shouldn't have to even be voted on, because when Xi's pen touched the paper, it was as good as law. Sure enough, as the day came to a close and the voting began, the bill garnered a supermajority within the National People's Congress. The first step to the Jade Field Initiative had been passed.

by **Millennium Chronicle** » Fri Mar 20, 2020 8:38 pm

UNITED KINGDOM ELECTIONS LEAD TO HUNG PARLIAMENT
By John Smith

Boris Johnson speaks about the Scottish question in a debate

The Conservative Party under Prime Minister Boris Johnson was able to stave off Keir Starmer and the Labour Party from taking over the government in the general election in May, however this is a far cry from victory for Prime Minister Johnson. In fact, Boris Johnson’s very leadership skills have been called to question by many within the Conservative Party. The Conservative Party needed 326 seats to form a majority in Parliament but was unable to do so. The Conservative Party only won 272 seats, with Labour winning 265. While having the most seats out of all the parties in Parliament, the Conservative party does not have the clear 326 seats needed to form a majority government. In order to continue to push policy, the Conservative Party needs to either attempt to govern as a minority, or enter a confidence-and-supply arrangement with multiple minor parties to circumvent Labour’s large presence in Parliament, as the 272 seats alone are too small to ally with only one party.

The remaining 113 seats are largely dominated by regional parties, most notably with the Scottish national Party sweeping 57 of the 59 seats of the Scottish constituency in the House of Commons. Sinn Fein managed to get 9 seats, the DUP got 6, and the Alliance Party won 3 seats. The Liberal Democrats have had an increase from 11 seats in 2019 to 26 seats in the election, an unusual surge. Analysts attribute the loss of seats in the Conservative Party largely on the “Scottish Question”, with the chaos in Scotland going largely unaddressed by Boris Johnson, and the public becoming more aware of the war expenses from the joint US-UK intervention in Nicaragua. On matters of Scotland, the Scottish Conservatives faced immense backlash following the Prime Minister’s plan to build another nuclear plant in the Scottish county of Ayrshire. The SNP has been especially vocal since 2007 against the construction of any new type of nuclear energy, and has called upon Westminster to focus on implementing other green projects as well.

Though nuclear energy alone wasn’t what led the SNP to triumph in the election, but the matter of Scotland itself. Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP have declared their intention to vote against any bill introduced in Parliament until the government either recognizes the second referendum that was held in 2022, or host a new referendum. This isn’t the extent of the SNP’s resistance to Westminster. The SNP has organized a general strike throughout Glasgow, essentially shutting down businesses and travel. The United Kingdom and the world waits to see what Prime Minister Boris Johnson will do next.

EAST AFRICAN PEOPLE’S COALITION SECURES VICTORY IN FLEDGLING EAF
By Nabwana I.G.G.

Burundian citizens celebrating the victory of the EAPC

The fledgling East African Federation held its first elections in June of 2024, with a tremendous turnout of 84% of the country’s eligible voters. The results saw Dr. Emmanuel Ugirashebuja and his East African People’s Coalition (EAPC) gaining 46% of the popular vote, with the ambitious big tent Young Africa Coalition coming in as a strong opposition with 32%. The EAPC rode its victory primarily on the support of powerful tribal leaders, which is especially apparent in Burundi where the EAPC coordinated with the National Council for the Defense of Democracy – Forces for the Defense of Democracy, a Hutu Power party commanding a majority of Burundi. Opposition from Swahili Nation and the Young Africa Coalition are concerned that the EAPC’s appeal to those already entrenched in power could lead to devastating consequences should inter-ethnic conflict increase, especially as some in the ruling coalition begin to discuss the possibility of a confederalization.

The EAPC’s electoral victory relying on powerful tribal and ethnic groups may not be successful in subsequent elections. The issue of Somalia’s instability and the Chinese lease of the Port of Mombasa hangs in the air of political discussions in the EAF, and the Young Africa Coalition (YAC) has been keen on hammering these issues in regular congressional proceedings, and more prominent members of the YAC coalition have promoted the development of domestic industry and to focus on developing import substitution industrialization over reliance on trade. The YAC enjoys fairly even support in urban locations, academia and university students, women, and generally young people; though it lacks support among major corporate or tribal powers. Regardless of how policies churn out of Arusha, one thing is certain. The coalitions must be willing to compromise, or unforeseen consequences are likely to arise in Africa’s newest nation.

PANAMANIAN ELECTIONS LATEST TO BE SWEPT BY PINK TIDE
By Alejandro Alajandres

Navarro holds his last rally before Election Day

Democratic Revolutionary Party candidate Juan Carlos Navarro, a businessman, environmentalist, and former mayor, won the presidency of Panama with 54.8 percent of the vote. The left wing candidate had a double-digit lead in most polls leading up to Sunday's vote. He will take office on July 1.

The right-wing Democratic Change party candidate, ended up in a distant second place with 22 percent of the vote. He quickly conceded on election night, stating that the popular vote had made its decision clear. Election officials continue to tally the results of the elections of all 71 members of the National Assembly, Panama's unicameral legislature, and hundreds of local government officials. Navarro supporters, gathered in a downtown Panama City hotel, erupted in cheers upon learning their candidate was declared president-elect.

"Panama decided its future," Navarro told the jubilant crowd, pledging to work tirelessly over the next five years for a prosperous and just country. Juan Carlos Navarro served as the first Environmental Ambassador of his country, appointed by the President of Panama to advise key officials, in both the public and private sectors, on national and international environmental policy on an ad honorem basis.

He joined the Democratic Revolutionary Party in 1998 and was originally elected Mayor of Panama City for a five-year term (1999-2004) after winning his party's primaries (October 1998) and the general election in May 1999. He was reelected for a five-year term (2004-2009) in May 2004. He was the youngest citizen ever elected to the Mayor's office. After several defeats in national elections, he stepped down from the party leadership in 2015.

In a fiery and passionate speech in March 2022, Juan Carlos Navarro called for all members to join him and his Ola Rosa (Pink Tide) movement in forming a new PRD to ensure the party's victory in the 2024 elections. In August 2022, the 4,200 delegates of the National Congress convened to elect a new executive committee; the result was a decisive victory for Navarro and the Ola Rosa movement, which won all 10 seats of the executive committee, with Navarro elected secretary-general once again. Primaries were held in March 2023, with 17 candidates taking part in the process. Juan Carlos Navarro won 95% of the vote and was elected as the party's presidential candidate for the 2024 general election.

Navarro ran on a nationalist ticket and promised to be a lot less conciliatory than his predecessor towards the US. On the campaign trail, he made repeated calls to assert Panama's sovereignty. He lambasted the "erratic" US "war" on Latin American sovereignty and criticised what he called an "arrogant, backwards and inhumane" foreign policy. He’s even said he would renegotiate the presence of USSOUTHCOM in Panama. Many Panamanians, like many Latin American voters since the US invasion of Nicaragua, liked this rhetoric and heard their grievances put into words. Now he has to assemble policy out of rhetoric.

AN AGRICULTURAL REVOLUTION OR DEVOLUTION IN POLAND
By Oscar Swagonn

Small scale farms at the crux of these ambitious reforms

This week, the Polish government proposed radical changes to agricultural spending and policies that will focus the money on benefits to middle to large farms and the processed food industry. Economists have called it “dramatic and utterly critical,” and a revolution in Poland’s historically low productive agricultural sector.

Under the bill, which passed the Polish parliament earlier this month, farmers will be given subsidies not simply for farming land—the current EU system—but for “benefiting local agricultural and food-processing industries,” as well as the environment. These include improving animal living conditions, prioritizing suppliers and butcheries within 50 km, and creating farmers’ cooperatives. A support fund of about $200 million will also finance organic certification of Polish farms and compliance with EU ecological farming standards.

Socio-economic models will be needed to study the impact of the policy changes on farms and rural communities, according to agricultural and economic experts. Much remains to be determined. Will farmers only get payments if animal welfare and conditions are shown to improve? And over what time scale? Who will measure it? What are the specifics for the plan to consolidate smaller farms—if any? What if enough farmers refuse to consolidate? What will the proposed farmer cooperatives mean for the big Polish agricultural unions?

“You’re left with more questions than answers,” says a preliminary report from the Institute of Environmental Protection in Warsaw.

Farmers—especially owners of vulnerable small operations—have eyed all these changes warily. The OPZZ (Ogólnopolskie Porozumienie Związków Zawodowych), one of the biggest agricultural unions in Poland, lobbied for more emphasis on supporting food production. The final bill stipulates that the government will “lobby the European Parliament and the European Investment Bank to dedicate a full 9% of the Common Agricultural Budget to Poland.,” which the union calls a “tentative starting point” for designing the new support programs. But researchers and others worry about backsliding toward payments that support private profits, rather than environmental progress and economic dynamism. Other countries will be watching closely. If it’s successful, that will be a very powerful argument for the rest of the European Union to follow.

UNITED RUSSIA HOLDS POWER AMID POWER STRUGGLE SCARE
By Oscar Swagoff

President Vladimir Putin and President-elect Dmitry Medvedev the day after the election

The former prime minister and president Dmitry Medvedev was declared the winner of the Russian general elections by the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation. The official results placed Medvedev in first place with a share of 57% of the votes, followed distantly by former Tula Oblast governor Alexey Dyumin with 33%. The other three candidates split the remaining 10% of the votes.

Foreign observers and monitors widely derided the elections as neither free nor fair, citing the vast irregularities in the entire campaign starting with the lack of a transparent and fair nomination process by United Russia, which saw Medvedev win despite opinion polls showing strong support for Dyumin. On Election Day itself, allegations of ballot stuffing and carousel voting being dismissed by the Central Election Commission. Following a request from the bottom three candidates, the Commission agreed to recount more than half of the ballots cast in the presidential election. It later reconfirmed the original result.

Meanwhile, the consensus among political experts and pundits is that the United Russia establishment moved back towards the moderate center for fears of what a doubling down on Putin’s aggressive foreign policy could mean for the economy, and the uncertainty on what the US elections could mean for the future of America’s isolationism. The biggest surprise, however, was how big the internal split of the party really was and how effectively Dyumin was able to whip votes on his own—even if there will likely be political consequences from his party for running against their nominee. Dmitry Medvedev takes office on May 7.

RESISTANCE GROUP IN TURKISH OCCUPATION ZONE STORM TOMB OF SULEYMAN SHAH
By Bashar Al-Assad

Drone footage of the Tomb of Suleyman Shah

The controversial Turkish Occupation Zone in Northern Syria has been a point of contention in the region for several years, and has been one of the most violent areas in the region. Following the announcement from Prime Minister Erdogan on the integration of the zone into Turkey and the failure of resolution S/2024/142, militant groups have become increasingly active in the region. One such group struck at the heart of the Neo-Ottoman legacy the JDP appears to be pursuing by storming a rather unconventional target. Suleyman Shah was often attributed as the grandfather of Osman I, who founded the Ottoman Empire. His tomb, located in the occupation zone, was a point of contention during the Syrian Civil War. His body was moved back to the tomb and was guarded by a contingent of 40 soldiers.

Militants in the region, armed with short range missiles, stormed the small tomb and desecrated the corpse of Suleyman Shah. 14 guards were killed and the attack and 6 were injured. The group is believed to be associated with one of the surging resistance groups in the region, though their association with either Kurdish or Syrian groups is up for debate. Foreign analysts have accused Russia of arming the group in question, though the claims are nought but speculation.

OTHER MAJOR STORIES FROM JAN-JUN 2024

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European Sovereign Group has turned heads in the European union, with several parties from other nations announcing plans to join the group. With the next ELI Parliament elections scheduled for this Septermber, the extent of the block remains to be seen... Continue Reading ⟶

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The Democratic Party faced turmoil over the past few weeks after Dean Hampton resigned his ticket to run for the Democratic Primary as the Incumbent President. Several Democratic candidates, including Corey Booker and Kamala Harris have announced their candidacy less than two weeks before Super Tuesday. The lack of organization within the Democratic Party has left Republicans surging in recent polls, with the DNC hoping to pull together by April... Continue Reading ⟶

The Chinese economy has seen a recent dip in GDP growth from 5.9 to 5.6 as the first stage of the Jade Field Initiative announced by Xi Jinping goes into effect. Real estate, being the main avenue of investment for Chinese nationals, has seen a downturn in activity just after the announcement, but this is expected to stabilize in the months following the reform. The IMF has praised the reforms as "long overdue and necessary," though many within the Chinese Communist Party are worried that the economic backlash will worsen over time... Continue Reading ⟶

The Egyptian government has announced this afternoon that they would be withdrawing their ambassador from Ethiopia after talks broke down over the Grand Renaissance Dam. Ethiopia has been insistent on maintaining their current reservoir filling rate, which has devastated Egyptian agriculture and energy production. Egypt has submitted a resolution to the United Nations on the dam and hopes to push Ethiopia into an agreement... Continue Reading ⟶

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by **Fascist Republic Of Bermuda** » Mon Mar 23, 2020 9:02 pm

Bundesrepublik Deutschland
Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit

German Defense Minister: “Europe’s Defense is Germany’s Defense”
Reaffirms German Commitment to European Military Cooperation

Bundeswehr soldiers conducting a training exercise in the Bergen-Hohne Training Area

BERLIN, GERMANY The stated role of the Bundeswehr is defined in the German constitution as “absolutely defensive.” Since a 1994 court ruling, however, the definition has also been expanded to include defense of German interests overseas, leading to the deployment of Bundeswehr soldiers in regions like Afghanistan and West Africa. Today, German Defense Minister Erich Kirsch drew on this court ruling in his statement about Germany's military role.

“Europe's defense is Germany's defense,” Kirsch said in the statement released on Monday, “The Virumaa Crisis demonstrated that to defend sovereignty and democracy, we must be self-sufficient militarily and fully willing to defend our allies.”

The statement was generally well-liked by politicians that are derisively referred to as “Virumaa-Falken” (“Virumaa Hawks”)- describing politicians who had shifted in favor of more pro-military policies following the Virumaa Crisis. Kitsch himself has said in the past that he “rejects interventionist adventures” but supports “an armed defense,” a compromise between the previously antimilitarist stance of much of the German left wing and the swift emergence of Virumaa-Falken that many analysts agree is the reason he was appointed to his position.

Die Linke, having maintained a firm anti-militarist stance despite the general trend, condemned the statements as "needlessly belligerent," drawing comparisons between the Defense Minister's statements and the statements that preceded the U.S. invasion of Nicaragua. On the other end of the political spectrum, members of the far-right AfD were divided; the party issued no statement, but some individual members issued statements praising its commitment to Germany’s defense while criticizing the pro-EU tone of the Minister's statement.

In Other News

German government widely condemns Russian elections as fraudulent.
Discussion in Bundestag to begin regarding stimulus package to promote inter-European infrastructure projects.
“Are you sure the Union isn’t part of the coalition?”: Die Linke MdB expresses frustration with increasingly militarist stance of other coalition parties, Grünen and SPD MdBs fire back, claim Die Linke MdB disrupting coalition unity.
Twelve years after original presentation, “Trabant nT” electric car to finally begin limited production and sale, received coldly. “All of this for the Green Ossi,” ridicules one auto magazine.
Muslim Germans will be “decisive voting bloc” in next Bundestag election, says analysts.
AfD reportedly weighing potential voting power of European Sovereign Group against the AfD's own harder stance against the EU than the ESG's platform.

by **Pimps Inc** » Wed Mar 25, 2020 3:03 pm

July 1st, 2024
8:14 AM
Mexico City
Election Day

Lt. Anna Vargas-Oeste sat wearing her clearly labeled vest identifying her as an election monitor for the PRI party. She absentmindedly fiddled with the top of her pencil while her left foot anxiously tapped away. Next to her were election monitors representing the other parties.

What if he *did* show up? Would she have the chance to meet him? If so, would she be able to say anything to him? She had only barely managed to convince her commanding officer to give her the day off for the election.

Her only other experience with a politician had been as an eight-year-old in the summer of 2012, when the former US Ambassador to Mexico came to her parent’s barbecue. But this was a few years after he had left the position. With that meek experience in mind, she wanted to prepare in the event she did get to shake Slim’s hand. She didn’t want to squander the moment. But she vacillated about whether anything she might say could make a difference. As a natural optimist, she hoped that something she might say could strike a responsive chord. Maybe a few carefully chosen words would have some influence on his presidency if he did win. Wishful thinking?

When Slim and the press arrived, they walked up to the table with poll workers some twenty feet from me. Slim smiled but there was a subtle exhaustion to his countenance. The campaign had etched deep lines in his face.

After casting his ballot for the cameras, he proceeded to make some time to greet and shake hands with the poll workers. It would be several hours until he would need to go back to his campaign war room to keep up with exit polls. The display naturally moved towards meeting the election monitors behind the scenes as well. As she reminded herself that history often turns on seemingly small and inconsequential events, it became her turn to shake hands with him.....

October 1st, 2024
Inauguration of President Carlos Slim Domit
San Lazaro Legislative Palace of the Congress of the Union, Mexico City

Security was tight in Mexico City for the inauguration as petrol bomb-wielding protesters clashed with riot police who fired tear gas. The demonstrators were angry at alleged interference in the election by the outgoing president to give his party an edge in the elections—resulting in several irregularities but not enough to elicit a protest from international observers. An edge that meant the continuation in power of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) for at least another six years.

Amid a cacophony of trumpet fanfare and heckling from opposition congressmen, outgoing President José Antonio Meade handed a sash with the colours of the Mexican flag to Carlos Slim Domit who, after giving his oath of office, began his inaugural address.

_{"My name is Carlos Slim Domit. A few moments ago, when I presented you with my oath of office, I lived my freedom to the full, because I know no greater exercise of freedom than the voluntary assumption of a commitment; and before you, just a few minutes ago, I have contracted the most important commitment of my life.

Today, from this pavilion of democracy, I address the Mexican people, who through suffrage, politically expressed their plurality to duly elect me to the position of President of the Republic. I accept my assignment with seriousness and responsibility. I will try to fulfill it to the maximum of my strength, with the help of you and with my passion for our country.

You expect me to address your demands, but first I must address you.

I was born in 1967. I was raised in a traditional Mexican family. As a child, I had a ordinary life. I went to school, had friends and siblings. But then my father became the richest man in Mexico and my life changed. What I'm about to say, at least some of what I'm about to say, will cause controversy. Firstly, because I'm the one who's going to say it. And secondly, because what I'm going to say is true, and it will make a lot of people nervous because it's something we don't want to hear. And second because what I am about to say is true and will make many nervous because it will include topics we do not want to talk about. That we want to pretend they do not exist. It will also agitate the many organized crime organizations that have plagued us for the past half-century, particularly since 2006. But it's imperative that we acknowledge them—that we have these conversations that make us uncomfortable.

It’s imperative that we realize importance of the role that that we play as members of our civil society in the face of this phenomenon. As well as the 4 levels of response that citizens have against it. I recognize that to some it might prove difficult to forget that I am the son of Carlos Slim. To worry that I am not a citizen concerned on the state of our country. You don't have to forget. You don't have to worry. It is not required to understand the importance of the following. I believe that in Mexico we have a problem. We have a great obstacle facing us. Iit is in consensus and we all agree. What we do not agree on, however, is on what is the problem that we have. The cartels? The government? The Corruption? The Poverty? Or something else.

I do not believe any of those is the problem. I don't mean they are not problems that do not require our attention, on the contrary. What I mean is that they are not THE problem. That we will not be able to attend to any other problem if we do not first resolve the true problem that we have in Mexico, and that true problem, my compatriots, is that the majority of us Mexicans present ourselves as the victims of our circumstances. We are a country of victims. Even historically, we have always presented ourselves as the victims of something or someone. First we were victims of the Spanish. Then the French. Then we were victims of the Gringos and US interventions. Then of Don Porfiriato. Of one-party rule. And now we clamor that we are the victims of the narcos, organized crime, the U.S. Drug demand. The PRI and PAN. Hold on. Not that these are not problems but they are not THE problem. The problem isn’t the thing of what we present ourselves as victims of, it's the problem that we present ourselves as victims in the first place.

Compatriots, we need to open our eyes and see that we are not victims. If we stopped thinking ourselves as victims, if we stopped this victimization, words cannot express to you how much our country would change. We must move on from being a society that victimizes itself to one that assumes responsibility and holds the future of its country in its own hands. In this process are four levels of citizens’ response to violence. In order of weakest to strongest, the first is negligence. Apathy. Today, a great portion of the Mexican population is in a state of neglect. We stubbornly want to continue our daily lives when we do not live in a normal environment. Political parties and politicians fold their hands behind their back and refuse to compromise to legislate to solve the life and death issues facing millions of Mexicans. They are stuck in the Cold War Era mentality of measuring every decision based on wether the speaker is a socialist or a capitalist, if the policy is left wing or right wing. And Mexican voters have the tendency to vote according to the party color next to the name of the candidate. It's like a person with a possibly fatal disease who just wants to pretend to simply have a cold. That it will go away by itself, the less he or she thinks about it. Mexicans want to pretend Mexico has a simple cold. But Mexico is stricken by something much worse than just a cold. Mexico has cancer.

If we do not do something about it, this cancer will end up killing Mexico. We need to move our society, from that neglect to the next level of response that is recognition. In effect, recognition of the severity of our plight will generate great amounts of fear. However, fear is better than apathy. Because at the very least, fear will empower us to do something. There is also another great portion of the Mexican people who experience great fear today. Even as I speak right now, southern states are waging a bloody drug war on the marijuana and opium fields and the north on the traffickers. We have a lot of fear. And we are acting on that fear. And the problem with acting on fear is how counter productive it is. The streets in Mexico are insecure because of violence. So the people seek shelter in their homes so now the streets are even less secure, and so the more we hide in our homes, and make the streets more desolate and insecure, and so on.

This vicious circle of the entire society hidden away dying of fear. More fear than when we were on our streets. We need to move Mexico to the next level of response. Which is action. We need to take action and retake our streets, our cities, our home states, our country. Now, to many, action requires the use of force. Of anger. Of revenge. From fear, we devolve to anger. Today, as of 2024, over 50 public hangings have been reported. Normally, 1 or 2 a year is the figure. Now, we see one a week. One a week. This is proof of a society that is desperate. And that is taken into its own hands, though sadly, violent action, as better an option to no action, has the problem of masquerading the violence. If I am being violent to you, and you respond in a violent way, you are participating in that violence, and just canceled out the horror of MY violence. The line between you and me disappears. When you kill a murderer, the number of murderers in the world remains the same.

Mexicans need to stop being a people in the comfort of inertia. Our nation must become uncomfortable with inertia and comfortable with change. For this, we need to see action from all members of the citizenry, action at this level of response and move it on to the 4th and final level. Which is non-violent action. Which is civil and coordinated pacific action. Determined and effective. But not gratuitously violent. There are examples of this in Mexico, as well, historical ones such as the famous case of Cinco de Mayo at the Battle of Puebla. But there are also more recent examples.

In 2011, the town of Chéran in Michoacán was dominated by illegal loggers, who clearcut local forests and hauled out dozens of truckloads of logs each week with the protection of a local drug cartel, and the collusion of corrupt police and local politicians. It fit into the drug war’s archetype of the Mexican town controlled by the cartels.

The town women met in secret to make their plans. They were sickened by the killings and kidnaps that had become routine and angered by the masked men who roamed their town demanding extortion payments from small businesses. And for more than three years they had watched, indignant, as truck after truck trundled past their homes piled high with freshly cut logs.

A group of women went into the forest to try and reason with the armed men. They were verbally abused and chased away. So their plan evolved. Now they knew it was too dangerous to confront the loggers in the forest at the spring, they determined to stop the trucks in town where they would have the support of their neighbours.

Early on the 15th of April 2011, Cheran's uprising began. On the road coming down from the forest, the women blockaded the loggers' pick-ups and took some of them hostage. As the church bells of El Calvario church rang out and fireworks exploded in the dawn sky alerting the community to danger, the people of Cheran came running to help. It was tense. The hotheads had to be persuaded by the women not to string up the hostages from an ancient tree outside the church.

The municipal police arrived with the mayor, and armed men came to free their friends held hostage. There was an uneasy stand-off between the townspeople, the loggers and the police. It ended after two loggers were injured by a young man who shot a firework directly at them. And the town of some 20,000 people began its journey towards self-government.

The police and local politicians were quickly driven out of town because the people suspected they were collaborating with the criminal networks. Political parties were banned - and still are - because they were deemed to have caused divisions between people. And each of the four districts of Cheran elected representatives to a ruling town council. In many ways, a town populated by the indigenous Purepecha people returned to its roots: to the ancient way of doing things, independent of outsiders. Meanwhile armed checkpoints were established on the three main roads coming in to town.

Today, thirteen years later, those checkpoints still exist. They are guarded by members of a local town watch made up of men and women from Cheran. Every vehicle is stopped, its occupants questioned about where they have come from and where they are going.

Michoacán is one of Mexico’s most violent states and in the communities around Cheran, stories of kidnap, extortion and murder are commonplace but in the last ten years there have been no murders, kidnaps or disappearances in Cherán. Cherán dispenses its own justice for minor offences, usually alcohol-related. Penalties include fines and community work. Serious law-breaking is referred to the attorney general. Their main achievement has been peace.

Cherán is not completely independent as it still has state and federal funding. But its autonomy as an indigenous Purepecha community is recognised and underwritten by the Mexican government. Its ban on political parties, meanwhile, has been upheld by the courts, which have confirmed its right not to participate in local, state or federal elections.

Other towns have tried to copy Cheran's example, but without the same success. Most people who live in Cheran are from the town. There are very few outsiders here. Families are large, and they are close. Everyone knows everyone else. And that is the foundation of the town's unity.

The lesson from Cherán isn’t their social mores or the particular way they solved their problem—it’s their solidarity with which they stood up to their problems and acted despite the physical danger to themselves, family, and neighbors. With a thousand towns and cities acting with the same unison that the residents of Cherán do, Mexico would be a very different country. The thing is, there are thousands of towns like Cherán. They just have to raise their hand.

I was born in Mexico. I grew up in Mexico. And in the process, I learned to love Mexico. And I think for all those that have set foot on this land can I agree with me when I say that loving Mexico is not difficult. I've been to many different parts of the world, and nowhere have I seen anything close to the passion of the Mexican people. The passion with which we cheer on the national soccer team. The compassion we have for people requiring our assistance during natural disasters, such as in the 1985 Mexico City earthquake or in Hurricane Katrina. That fervor with which we sing the national anthem, since childhood when we believed the lyric “Masiosare” was a foreign enemy and we sang with all of ours hearts, "Oh beloved Motherland!, Heaven has given you a soldier in every son!"

I think the worst insult you can inflict upon a Mexican is to insult their mother. It's the most sacred thing we have in our lives. Mexico is our mother. We are living the darkest moment in living memory. Our mother, Mexico, is being killed in front of us. What are we going to do. Masiosare is here. Where is the soldier in every son, ready to give their life for the Motherland?

Death seems to elicit a rich range of emotional responses in us Mexicans, yet one that does not contain that sense of gravitas required by the act of burying. Philosopher Emilio Uranga once said that to be Mexican is to suffer from a peculiar kind of madness, a state of being characterized by a violent oscillation between optimism and pessimism. To be Mexican is, more specifically, to sway back and forth between ‘episodes of intense elation and joy and bouts of melancholy and desperation.’ Our kind of madness is nowhere more evident than in our attitudes towards death, and our relationship to death finds no greater example than in our holiday dedicated to the dead.

All of our heavy maneuvering is ultimately only a way to distance ourselves from death because, like Octavio Paz rightly notes, we never surrender ourselves to her. On the contrary, the farther away we keep her from us, the easier it is to keep living with indifference to life and death, for they are two sides to the same coin, two faces of one reality. Death and the dead are unimportant because so are life and the living. And as much as we want to share a moment with the dead, we also want to be indifferent to their pleas and demands for the rest of the year.

This explains why we have failed not only in reclaiming the remains of the dead in our conflicts but also in burying them. So far it is a responsibility felt only by their families, not by the authorities and not by their fellow citizens. The fact that we have failed to perceive this as a shared responsibility is the product of the strong social division that afflicts Mexican society, like many Mexican intellectuals have already pointed out. It is a fragmentation so deeply entrenched along class, gender and racial lines that it is as if we lived in distinct worlds, even when we share the same physical space. To borrow Ernesto Sabato’s metaphor, it is as if we lived in tunnels that never seem to intersect, isolated from each other’s reality. Most of us fall into the trap of believing that nothing has happened in Mexico because nothing has happened to ‘us.’ Yet nothing could be further from the truth, for our blindness to the realities experienced by other Mexicans is only the product of a failure to see how our stories are intertwined.

We need Mexicans who love Mexico and are disposed to act rather than die in apathy of inertia. To borrow from the Chilean author Pablo Neruda

“Die for you? I would rather live for you. Dying is easy, instant. Living, that's more complicated.”

This is a call to all Mexicans regardless of who you voted for, regardless of age, race, religion, color, creed, and sexual orientation to assume themselves to this initiative. A call to you so that everything that we love about Mexico, cantinas, mariachi, el Grito, el futbol, the flag, tequila, posadas, el Dia de los Muertos, all of that, prevent it from disappearing.

Without debate, without criticism, without the active participation of every citizen of its society, no Administration and no country can succeed and no republic can survive. If you voted for this government, demand accountability from it, just as passionately as you campaigned for it. If you didn’t vote for this government, accept defeat, and demand accountability from it as well. But above all, when you wake up tomorrow, work even harder than the day before.

We are facing a powerful evil in an unending war. Anyone can end the life of any man, beggar or president. Anyone right now can end my life, or the life of anyone sitting in here today, or anyone watching from home or in the streets. But no one can end the spirit of true Mexicans. The battle is won. But we have to give that battle.

2,000 years ago, the Roman poet Juvenal, said something which should ring true to all Mexicans. He said, consider that the greatest of all sins is preferring simply existing to an existence of honor. And caution in trying to preserve our lives, losing the very reasons to live. Thank you and viva México, pero viva México libre!”}

by **Lan Khao Xang Hom Krung Tai** » Wed Mar 25, 2020 8:03 pm

State of Palestine
دولة فلسطين

This just in, the President Mahmoud Abbas has suffered a stroke earlier today in his office. President Abbas’s health has been called to question the continuity of his rule. In past years, many within the National Authority have not commented on past health problems or elaborated on previous hospital visits. In 2018, President Abbas passed 2 resolutions to begin preparation of his exit from politics. In Fatah’s Revolutionary Committee, if he were to become incapacitated, Vice-chairman Mahmoud al-Aloul would replace President Abbas for 60 days until primaries and the election of a Fatah new chairman could be organized. In the National Council, another resolution has allowed for it to transfer authority to the Central Committee for making the most important decisions, such as the election of a new National Authority Chairman. As such, Mahmoud al-Aloul has been chosen as the acting Chairman of Fatah and Prime Minister Rami Hamdullah, appointed by President Abbas, has been chosen as the temporary National Authority Head.

Undisclosed Location, Ramallah
Away from the eyes of onlookers, and more importantly away from the prying eyes of the Israelis, sat the facade of one of the plainest buildings you could see. One would not give it more than one look if they were to pass by, and certainly it did not have the air of importance of what its truest purpose for the future of the Palestinian parties, and today would be the day for the preliminary meeting and discussion. An unofficial summit of the largest factions of Palestinian independence. Hamas, Fatah, and the new coalition formed mainly from the Democratic Alliance List, still keeping the name. It’s main goal, the call of unity amongst all three parties to agree to an official meeting.

At the table, three different undistinguished suits were made to represent their factions in the somewhat tense atmosphere, their personal security from all three sides making the room a tad more tense with the worry of a possible Israeli raid. After a few more moments of an awkward silence, it was the representative from Fatah, one Haidar Rahaim, to break the ice.

“This gathering that we are here for is on what we all desire, the liberation of Palestine and-”

“Oh, this coming from Fatah?” the Hamas delegate Anwar Taheri interrupted. “Fatah has been collaborating with the Israelis for how many years now? And putting Hamas in the hands of Israeli police as you try to shake us down!”

“Come now, we should hear Mr. Rahaim out.” Tariq Mansouri of the Democratic Alliance List told the Hamas delegate. “Even if they no longer have the same will as they once had.”

“Look, what I was trying to say is that we are all here for the liberation of Palestine. The Palestinian Authority is growing weaker to Israeli encroachment into the West Bank. This is the most important part. The West Bank. While we may not agree between the state solutions nor the method, I think we can all agree on the strong independence of the Palestinian State and that cannot come to fruition until the nullification of the second Oslo accords that have sectioned off the West Bank in territories for Israel to use. But what we cannot have is the armed struggle that both of you are causing. Because of the action of Hamas and the Islamic Jihad Movement, Israel is taking a harder stance with how they handle us in the West Bank.”

“You cannot be serious. Do you really wish for us to just give up the armed struggle against such an occupier as those in Tel Aviv?” the Hamas suit started up. “And you say that our fight against them is unjust? Even as your plans have had those in the United Nations call for Israel to halt their actions, they stop not for them! They will continue to encroach into the West Bank!”

“Solidarity is what we need for the further betterment of the Palestinian people, but for this to happen, all of us at the moment must commit to non-violent pursuits. At least until we can appease to get further control and build what we still have. But for that, our heads must meet in the official setting. For that, I would like to suggest Amman or Cairo.” the Fatah representative suggested.

Ministry of Transport, Ramallah
“Minister Salem, hello. I hope President Abbas will recover quickly.” Mr. Hassan greeted, albeit nervously.

“Ah, Mr Hassan, hello. I hope he shall as well, though I think after this, he might take some time to retire from politics. Anyways I heard your talk with Minister Bishara at the Finance Ministry did not come to your hoped results, though I will say I was also hoping for your outcome as well. Anyways, to business, let’s see what you brought for us to discuss today.”

Mr. Hassan nodded as he took a seat with Salem, unfurling his maps of the West Bank, one with routes sprawling outwards from Ramallah as it connected with the rest of the PNA administered territories and another map with an area between Ramallah and East Jerusalem marked. “So, I was thinking for a more updated network to connect the Palestinian territories. Buses and air terminals are of great importance to the Palestinian State, but I do have two suggestions that I believe the company which I represent can work to achieve for Palestine. An air terminal outside of Ramallah and the transfer of the Al-Karameh Bridge from Israel to the Palestinian Authority.”

“Now see, while I agree that we do need those two things…” he began, “You’re asking for leaps and bounds that I do not believe the Israelis. That's outside of what I can realistically do. We’ve suggested Qalandiya Airport before, to be reopened for Palestinian use, but it’s still been closed since the Second Intifada and it sits on the otherside of their barrier. The bridge is a whole other matter entirely. For now, as long as it is within Areas A and B, or heck, even Gaza, we can get authorized easier than Area C.”

by **Kargintina the Third** » Thu Mar 26, 2020 6:23 pm

United Kingdom
Part 4: Compromises, Compromises
Some good music

10 Downing Street
Westminster, London
United Kingdom

Prime Minister Boris Johnson walked through the door of 10 Downing Street and awaited the arrival of SNP Leader Nicola Sturgeon. After the election and the beginning of the Glasgow strikes he knew he had no choice but to make concessions to Scotland, the question was how much would they accept? He stood just outside the building flanked by security which had been heightened since the strikes. He patiently awaited the SNP leader’s arrival.

Nicola Sturgeon arrived not long after, escorted by a black, one-eyed guard. She dismissed him and confidently entered the building, knowing that Scotland could only benefit from the talks that were about to occur. Mrs. Sturgeon sat down beside Johnson. “Greetings, Mr. Johnson, it’s an honor to be with you on this fine day. Though I wish for Scotland to be independent, I do hope we can cooperate on the affairs of the British Isles. Tell me, what do you plan on offering the people of Scotland?” She asked.

"I understand many in Scotland wish for independence, but unfortunately I cannot grant that. What I can grant however is an agreement that will improve both England and Scotland. As the desire to rejoin the European Union is one of the main reasons for a desire for independence, my government is prepared to allow many of the EU's benefits return to the people of Scotland. First off, free travel between Scotland and the rest of the EU as it was pre-Brexit; however, people coming from dangerous nations must be vetted if they wish to enter under the new Immigration Act of 2024. England will NOT allow these individuals coming into Scotland to travel south of the border. Secondly, the construction of the Ayrshire nuclear plant will be cancelled. In fact, my government will make a commitment to insuring Scotland is completely dependent on solar and wind energy within ten years. Scotland's representation in Parliament will be expanded from 59 seats to 89 seats, while the seats representing the rest of the UK will stay the same, giving Scotland a much larger say in the nation's affairs. Trade between Scotland and the mainland will be encouraged, and he Westminster government will even assist in increasing it further than it already is.

"Our reasons for wanting independence are more complicated than wanting to rejoin the EU. Your first suggestion is not something that's feasible unless you create a hard border, which we would never accept. We would, however, support making the entirety of Scotland a nuclear-free zone, and any attempts to make it greener would be supported. We support the addition of more seats, as it would give us a greater say in the affairs of the UK. What we want most is greater control over Scotland's economy. We want more subsidies from the central government to replace those from the EU lost due to Brexit, full control over our own welfare and childcare policy, and the ability to negotiate trade deals with foreign powers on behalf of Scotland, though the central government would have veto power over it."

“We will subsidize you to make up up for Brexit and allow for the welfare and childcare policy to come under your control. The most important thing is that the strikes must end.”

“Does that include the ability for Scotland to control its trade policy, with the supervision of the central government?”

“Yes. I believe it is time for Scotland to be in control of more of its own affairs”

“Alright, I don’t believe we have anything else to discuss as of the moment, then. It should be clarified, this will end the strikes and we will begin to participate in government again, but we still want a second referendum and will still peacefully push for one in the future.”

“I am glad that we have come to an agreement. It is important for people especially in this age to be able to come together and come to a peaceful agreement to their differences. Thank you for your time.” Boris extended his hand for a handshake.

Sturgeon shook his hand.

Palace of Westminster
Westminster, London
United Kingdom

The Scottish Autonomy Act reached Parliament a few days later. It was uncertain whether it would pass as not all SNP members agreed to the bill. Hot debate lasted hours as a few hardcore SNP members along with the deepest Socialists in Labour wanted to block the bill in favor of a second referendum. The bill was as follows:

Final Vote: 430 Aye-211 Nay-9 Abstain [Sinn Fein]

Mogadishu
Somalia

Ben Wallace arrived in his second visit to Africa. He had been sent by the Prime Minister to meet with representatives of Somalia to discuss the terms laid out by the Prime Minister to the Somali government. The UK had proposed quite a lot of terms to the troubled state, and he hoped something fruitful could come out of the meeting. He sat down in the meeting room and awaited the Somali delegates’ arrival.

The Somali Foreign Minister as well as a representative from the Puntland State arrived at the meeting site. "It is a pleasure and an honor for us to meet together today in these troublesome times"

“It is a true pleasure to meet with both of you. We have a deal that my government believes will usher in a new era of peace and prosperity in your nation. As you know, the group known as Al-Shabaab has plagued your people as well as encourage attacks in our own lands. My government wishes to assist in seeing this group wiped from the face of the Earth. We are prepared to deploy a detachment from the 22nd Special Air Service, among the best special operations units in the entire world to assist in defeating them as well as training the Somalia army to modern day standards. We will give both of your armies plenty of modern equipment and rifles to bring your forces up to standard. However we do ask for things in return. In return for assisting in fighting these terrorists we seek for your government to allow British mining companies to access copper and coal reserves as well as British oil companies to have access to Somalia’s oil reserves. Does this sound acceptable?”

The Somali Foreign Minister replied quickly, saying "Your offer of military aid is most generous, yes. We ask that British companies in Somalia operating in the mining and oil sectors maintain that a minimum of 45% of its employees are Somalis, and the Somali Federal Government is willing to take loans from the United Kingdom to establish vocational institutions to train them, and for a 12% share of profit from what is extracted be given to the Somali federal government. I must say though, our problems include more than Al-Shabaab. Overfishing by foreign corporations are driving some to piracy. If it is the will of the Unted Kingdom, the Somali government is willing to let the British have a naval base in Hobyo and Mogadishu if your nation is willing to help Somalia combat illegal fishing and piracy"

“If you’re going to be operating within the territory of Puntland, you should not just be considering Somalia as a whole, but Puntland’s needs as well,” the Puntland ambassador stated, “60% of the employees of any groups operating in Puntland should be Somali, and 15% of any oil revenue in it off the coast of Puntland should be given directly to the local government of Puntland, but otherwise, should be 15% to the federal government.”

"The Somali Federal Government has constitutional authority throughout the entirety of the nation. The Puntland delegation has been brought with me to explicitly discuss military cooperation with the United Kingdom. What I have offered to the United Kingdom is already a satisfactory agreement" the Foreign Minister said, eyeing the Puntland delegation.

"The Somali Federal Government is willing to accept the grant. We would like to invest in a highway system and telecommunications along Southern Somalia"

"Puntland is an autonomous region of Somalia which has control of its own territory, on economic matters, we have a right to speak for ourselves. It is not a satisfactory agreement at all, you're giving them too much and what little you get in return you're only going to use for lands under your direct control," Puntland's diplomat said in protest

"An autonomous region is allowed to maintain some control, yes. However it is still subordinate to the Somali Federal Government"

"In the past it has been *our* government who has negotiated trade deals with foreign entities. We will not allow you to steal our right to control our economic affairs. Our economic negotiations should be none of your business."

The Foreign Minister sighed. "Is the Puntland administration willing to split the shared profit with the Federal Government?"

“Gentleman please, we are all here to come to a common agreement that benefits all parties involved. Arguing amongst ourselves will not accomplish anything.” Wallace interrupted.

“If it’s in Puntland, the money should go to Puntland. That is how we’ve arranged deals with foreign entities in the past, and we have no intention of changing that,” He noticed Wallace, “This is an important issue, and something that needs to be discussed.”

“Surely a small amount can go to the Federal government no? You are apart of the same nation after all. We wish for all parties to be assisted by this deal.”

"That has not been the case in the past. At most, we would accept them getting 10% of the money already going to Puntland."

"That's a fair compromise" the Foreign Minister said. 10% would be a major victory in Mogadishu.

“Compromise is important. Our Prime Minister just made a large compromise a few days ago.” Wallace chuckled to himself. “Would Puntland also want weapons and equipment for their army?”

“That would be desirable, yes. To help better fight Al-Shabab. That, and the other points we have made, would make for a satisfactory deal.”

“Is there anything else either if you would wish to propose?”

"I have nothing further to suggest. Your generousity is most appreciated, Minister Wallace"

"Nothing else. To make it clear, in exchange for you setting up military bases and being allowed access to Somali and Puntland natural resources, you will give equipment to both of our armed forces, 60% of the employees of any groups operating in Puntland should be Somali, and 13.5% of any oil revenue in it off the coast of Puntland should be given directly to the local government of Puntland, with 1.5% going to the central government. In central government territory, it's just 15% total to the central government. "

“Correct. We hope that this deal will provide a better future for all of us. If there is nothing else, I suppose this meeting is concluded.”

"I suppose it is"

“It was a pleasure meeting with both of you.” Wallace outs his hand out for a handshake

The ambassador of Puntland simply smirked at the two, and quietly left without shaking his hand.

The Somali Foreign Minister gets up and shakes his hand. "It was a pleasure indeed"

by **Pimps Inc** » Thu Mar 26, 2020 9:50 pm

^{9:00 AM
Peñón de los Baños, Venustiano Carranza, 15620 Ciudad de México, CDMX}

Shing-psshh, shing-psshh, shing-psshh.

The President sunk the ceremonial chrome shovel into a pile of dirt and then scattered it at the base of a small, growing tree. Arranged in a circle around him like a group of carrion birds were dozens upon dozens of journalists. The cameras shutters and flashes crackled in the crisp morning air. Finally, the president finished the ceremonial task and the crowd began clapping as the small pine tree stood proudly in its proper place. “I’m pleased to announce the official opening of the Benito Juárez Sustainable Metropolitan Park!”

After posing for some pictures, Slim was led off to a small platform nearby. Directly behind him, positioned perfect for the cameras is a newly casted full bust bronze statue of the 26th Mexican President, Benito Juárez. The Benemerito de las Americas, standing with his right arm raised and pointing north towards Ciudad Juárez. His right hand rests on a book with the title Reforma, on top of a low pedestal. He wears a short double-breasted jacket with a long cape over his shoulders. The granite base is inscribed:
Adversity, Citizen Deputies,
discourages none but contemptible peoples
BENITO JUAREZ
1806-1872

Slim took the podium and after looking back at the bronze one of Juárez, scanned the faces in the crowd
“Mayor Beatriz Morga, Secretary Josefa González Blanco Ortiz Mena, esteemed delegates, compatriots,

we will come to mark today as one of the best days for our capital in modern history. We stand today where once long concrete runways created an urban heat island on the grounds of the former Benito Juárez International Airport, it has now been replaced by more than 884 acres of trees and other flora specifically selected to filter the air of our capital of harmful pollutants, lower temperatures to prevent damage to our ecosystem and public health, and solidify Mexico as one of the countries who places great priority on the environment. The new Benito Juárez Sustainable Metropolitan Park allows for aquifer recharge, ameliorates the "heat-island" effect, attracts rain, and encompasses, in addition to Red Pine, White Pine, London Plane, and Hispaniola Pine, hundreds of thousands of potted and planted English Ivy, Varigated Snake Plant, Red edged dracaena, Peace Lily, Florists chrysanthemum, and other plant life that have been found particularly effective in removing benzene, formaldehyde, and trichloroethylene, xylene, ammonia, and carbon dioxide from the air-chemicals that have been linked to health effects like headaches and eye irritation and negative effects on air quality.”

The crowd clapped and cheered while Slim made a pause to bask in the praise. His aides had been opposed to going into great detail during his speech but Slim insisted on pronouncing the names of the plant life and chemicals during his speech. Wether that was a good idea was debatable.

“As reported by the city, Metrobus public transportation transports up 7 million passengers a day across 29 routes covering nearly 500 kilometers. This easily make Metrobus the largest BRT system in the world while the city’s bike-sharing system, Ecobici, has 15,000 bicycles and 889 stations. Yes, after decades of air quality negligence that resulted in terrible effects on public health and our capital’s international reputation, Mexicans and Mexico City residents can take pride in knowing we are moving ever closer to having one of the largest and yet most environmentally-friendly capitals in the world.”

Applauded again from the crowd as Slim pauses to single out faces in the crowd, making eye contact and seeing a great range of emotions and reactions. Not everybody was convinced, it seemed, as some rolled their eyes or were just generally apathetic.

“However, we have still much to do. Our capital’s access to water is still very much subpar, with even the richest of the rich having running water in their taps 12 hours a day. For the poorest of the citizenry, water comes only once a week, or once every several weeks, and that may mean just an hour of yellow muck dripping from the faucet. Those people have to hire trucks to deliver drinking water, at costs sometimes exponentially higher than wealthy residents pay in better-served neighborhoods. Up to a third of their entire income is forced to go to paying for fees of those truck deliveries every week. Other engineers say the system is a source of constant tension. ‘It’s exhausting. There is a lot of stress. You see the numbers sometimes and know you can’t deal with them,’ says Bernardo Reyes, who helps manage the measly $94m annual budget to provide water to more than twenty million people living in the Metropolitan Area of the Valley of Mexico, who spend twice that amount every year on bottled water. His department is severely understaffed, underfunded and overworked to the point and other workers often leave the office after 11 PM. Mr. Reyes actually joins us today in the audience. Stand up, Mr. Reyes, if you please. You are a true civil servant.”

The balding and tired looking man in the audience stands timidly in his work overalls and nods before sitting back down.

“In the immense neighborhood of Iztapalapa, where nearly two million Mexicans live unable to count on water from their taps, a teenager was swallowed up where a crack in the brittle ground split open a street last year. Sidewalks resemble broken china and elementary schools have crumbled or caved in due to a phenomenon that has been closely studied by Loreta Castro Reguera, a young, Harvard-trained architect that joins us in the audience today. Ms. Reguera.”, the President motioned to the woman in the audience. She looked puzzled as when the President called her during his speech writing process, he hadn’t been informed that her that she would be mentioned by name in the speech. However, she smiled anyway.

“Our capital is still from taking strides that will lead it to become one of the great capitals of the world it deserves to be, one of the envies of the industrialized nations. There has to be a consensus, of scientists, politicians, engineers and society, when it comes to pollution, water, climate. We have long possessed the resources, but lacked the political will. So today, and not a minute later, let us take these first steps that will one day become the confident we strides need.

As President of the United Mexican States, I, CARLOS SLIM DOMIT, in exercise of the power conferred on me as Supreme Commander of the Mexican Armed Forces by Article 89, section I, of the Political Constitution of the United Mexican States, based on Articles 9, 22, 23, 27 , 28, 29, 30 and 32 of the Planning Law and 9, 2 9 , 31 and 37 of the Organic Law of the Federal Public Administration, declare a state of emergency in all sixteen boroughs of Mexico City and order the Secretary of National Defense to activate Plan DN-III-E: Civil Relief and Aid Plan for Disasters.

The permanent 3,987 pledged members of this emergency management plan will immediately begin to distribute potable water at no cost using all military vehicles available to them. The Secretariat of National Defense will have the authority to reassign army units from the 12 Military Regions of the country to carry out this task and ensure the entire population of the capital has access to potable water every single day.

I am also announcing that I have introduced to the Congress of the Union a modification to the upcoming federal budget to withhold the $42 million that Mexico contributes to the United Nations every year and instead reallocate that money in its totality to the budget of the Mexico City Water Supply and Management Department. I am also appointing Loreta Castro Reguera as Director of the Department. This city is full of brilliant people with good ideas like Ms. Reguera. I plan to work closely with her Department to explore her concept for a water fund into which corporations drawing heavily on the water supply would pay to help improve services in less advantaged areas.

The Secretariat of National Defense, on behalf of the General Directorate of Road Maintenance, are also negotiating a three year $300 million Public Private Partnership with Dutch companies VolkerWessels, Wavin and Total to introduce their plastic road design into Mexico City. PlasticRoads would be built to replace current paved roads in the boroughs of Iztapalapa, Gustavo A. Madero, and Álvaro Obregón, where infrastructure overhaul is long overdue. The concept consists of a prefabricated, modular and hollow road structure made from recycled plastic. The hollow space can be used to catch and store rainwater that would otherwise be wasted with current concrete designs and preventing the frequent flooding that occurs during heavy precipitation. The hollow space can also be used for the transit of cables and pipes, thus preventing excavation damages to the fragile lakebed Mexico City sits on.

It has a significantly smaller carbon footprint than traditional road structures thanks to the longer lifespan and the reduction of transport movements involved in its construction. As mentioned, it can be made from recycled plastic. Therefore, as part of the Plan DN-III-E, the Secretariat of National Defense will organize plastic collection programs from Mexico City’s vast Bordo Poniente landfill. Volunteers will be accepted, as will be the unemployed and homeless who will receive pay of ¢10 per pound of plastic they collect for recycling. I’ve also come to an agreement with the municipal governments in the Mexico City area and enlisted the cooperation of their court-ordered community service programs and of public schools in participating in plastic and litter collection towards this goal. As I said before, there has to be, must be, and I believe WILL BE a consensus, of scientists, politicians, engineers and civil society, when it comes to pollution, water, climate and I hope I can count on the entire citizenry on putting in their part in resolving these public obstacles we face. We’ve done it before when President Cardenas announced the oil expropriation 86 years ago today, March 18. When the Mexican citizenry mobilized together in patriotism and thousands from all social classes gathered in front of the Palacio de Bellas Artes to make donations ranging from chickens to jewelry to pay the compensation debts to foreign companies. Thank you for your time.”

Immediately following the speech, the Secretariat of National Defense set to work, having prepared for mobilization in advance. Mexican soldiers rolled out of the barracks and onto the outskirts and slums of Mexico City, military utility vehicles filled with potable water ready for distribution.

^{Mexican soldiers hand out potable from every container available as a stop-gap measure while proper equipment is acquired}

February 2, 2025
Official Gazette of the Federation

Official Memorandum

^{Alfredo Elías Ayub, Secretary of the Interior, and General Alfonso Duarte Múgica, Secretary of National Defense, make it known to its inhabitants, the following:}
Joint Declaration

Based on the provisions of Article 26 of the Agreement that establish the Guidelines for the FONDEN Emergency Response Fund, the National Coordination of Civil Protection of the Ministry of the Interior today issued an Emergency Declaration for Mexico City, itself composed of 16 Municipalities, and 41 adjacent municipalities of the states of Mexico and Hidalgo, due to the critical lack of access to affordable potable water and insufficient road and water management infrastructure.

The Secretariat of National Defense in accordance with the provisions of article 1 / o. of the Organic Law of the Mexican Army and Air Force and articles 21 / o. and 73 / o. of the General Law of Civil Protection through the Regions, Zones, Military Units and other agencies, activates Plan DN-III-E: Civil Relief and Aid Plan for Disasters.

From this declaration, the authorities will have resources to meet the potable water needs of the affected population and other services at the instruction of the President of the Republic.

The Institutional Revolutionary Party has seemingly had to forcibly bend to the agenda of President Slim. With the resignation of Secretary General Carolina Austria, an emergency party assembly was called and the party voted to adopt a series of resolutions structural changes, which according to some sources came straight from the President. These included a complete top-down reorganization of the party. The position of “President of the Party” has been merged and awarded to the Presidency of the Republic, thereby granting the position to incumbent Carlos Slim. Finally, the newly elected Secretary General of the Party is Arturo Elías Ayub, is the brother-in-law of Slim Domit.

The return to power of the Institutional Revolutionary Party was always likely to attract protests. There was always likely to be heckling congressmen at the inauguration from sore, opposition parties. With resistance on the streets and in both houses of Congress, could he be much more than a lame duck?

The political conditions are actually more promising than the disorder might suggest. In his first full day in office, President Slim a unveiled a cabinet with multi-partisan touches. Most of its members are either young PRI technocrats or party stalwarts who served in cabinets in the 2010s. But it also includes two PAN finance officials. The left is represented by Claudia Sheinbaum, a former mayor of Mexico City from MORENA, who has been given the influential social-development ministry. Omar García Harfuch, the police chief in MORENA-run Mexico City who was slated to serve in the cabinet of presidential candidate Martí Batres, will be in charge of public security.

The capital is also in a flurry of speculation over the regular meetings Slim has held with party leaders, state governors, and even local mayors. The truth was he was seeking to reach an agreement similar to President Enrique Peña Nieto’s “Pact for Mexico” in 2012; a packet of of 95 loosely defined proposals, signed by the leaders of all three main parties, that managed to break gridlock to pass several major reforms.

Slim expects the qualified support of the conservative National Action Party (PAN), which his family had ties with in the past and shares many of his party’s economic ideas. The real coup is the signature of the leader of the left-wing MORENA. Its leaders and state governors seem willing to work with him. Slim’s aides calculate they can do business with more than half the congressmen from the MORENA and the decaying PRD holding on to its electoral registry.

Slim has started to make a name for himself with lists of promises. A bridge here, a new library there—ticking them off one by one in behind closed doors meetings in the spacious presidential residence, intimate and softened by rounds of drinks. For the actual party leaders, he’s been preparing a buffet of negotiations, ready to make concessions on behalf of the party. Some were small but eye-catching, such as a ban on fracking. Others suggest he may be preparing to give up several cherished priorities like the PRI’s long-standing objection to electoral reform in order to convince the other parties to cede inches as well. Then he will have to turn the agreements into legislation. Agreeing to a set of policy goals is one thing; determining who should pay for them may prove trickier.

President Slim Domit must present a budget by December 15th, for Congress to vote on by the end of the month. Before Christmas he also hopes to secure approval for his plan to finish the job of eliminating the $12 billion deficit and running the first balanced budget in 10 years, which was held up by disagreements in the Senate on cuts to security and defense spending.

ARISTEGUI NOTICIAS
Noticias Al Momento™

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Article of the Day:

Politics & the World
President Slim Domit Covers the Cost of Treasury Debt on Presidential Plane

By: Katherine Ortiz (Jan 2025)

REPUBLICA MÉXICANA-
News broke earlier this week about a payment made by President Slim to the Mexican treasury with the explicit purpose of covering the outstanding cost and debt the government’s purchase of a pricey presidential plane in 2012 that made headlines at the time as the most expensive of any head of state—in a country where 40% of people fall below the poverty line.

When asked by reporters, President Slim Domit defended the purchase of the presidential plane made at the end of the term of former president Felipe Calderón of the opposition PAN party. He indicated that those responsible for authorizing the purchase was the Congress of the Union and that it was at a lower price.

In his daily press conference, he expressed: “The purchase of the presidential plane was a decision of the Congress of the Union and was unanimously voted, the acquisition was at a much lower price than it was in the market, but we can keep talking about the plane, its remodeling by the previous governments, but above all it has managed to distract us. I’d rather move forward and address the issue by reforming the legal process behind government acquisitions like these.”

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Trending:

Lifestyle
Adios Karinas, Hola Hermanas

By: Roberto Colombo (Jan 2025)

West Coast-A new seafood restaurant is starting to take hold in Tijuana, and is looking to expand north of the border into San Diego, where they’ll likely face competition from the Karinas Seafood chain. SIrenas Hermanas is expected to... (SEE FULL ARTICLE)

Security
In Bid to Curb Femicides, Government Slowly But Surely Arming Women

By: Kathleen Ortiz (Jan 2025)

Mexico City-The Secretariat of National Defense have confirmed they approved 6,700 concealed carry licenses with compulsory firearm safety classes at no cost in the first two months since the presidential inauguration...(SEE FULL ARTICLE)

National Projects:
Review and Implementation of Reformed Justice System: 12%
-SETEC reestablished and funded
-Director Maria de los Angeles Fromow confirmed by Senate and sworn in by President Slim Domit.
-Four multinational law firms with offices in Mexico have agreed to help train public defenders in the new criminal justice system, including Carvajal y Santoro S.C. Law Firm who pledged their services pro bono

Professionalization of Law Enforcement: 7%
-Orders sent down chain of command for all Mexican Army units currently deployed in law enforcement role to cease regular patrolling operations and be relegated to only carry out search & seizures, arrests, raids in the presence of prosecutors with court issued warrants only and, in emergencies, provide reinforcements to police that come under fire from armed cartel members

Partial Decentralization of Federal Government: 2%
-Memorandum containing instructions sent to select Secretariats, decentralized agencies, and state-owned enterprise
-Process of deciding exact addresses and procurement/construction of new facilities ongoing, task assigned to the Secretary of the Interior and Secretary of Agrarian, Land, and Urban Development

by **Monipolois** » Fri Mar 27, 2020 7:10 pm

Lawmaking:

The Federal Legislative Branch of Brazil has voted on and passed two bills, both of which President Manuel Barbosa I examines thoroughly. Passing these two bills will gain him both influence and heavy multi-partisan support, a tool that is often overlooked. As he reached his midterm the mortality of his campaign only grew on him. With the elections two years away he must make some influential moves to ensure a safe and secure transition into a second term.

National Assembly of the Federative Republic of Brazil
Based in Three Powers Square, Brasilia
Federative Republic of Brazil

Order and Progress
Assembléia Nacional da República Federativa do Brasil
Sediada na Praça dos Três Poderes, Brasília
República Federativa do Brasil
Ordem e Progresso

Bill: Expansion Bolsa Família 2024

Author: Brazilian Democratic Movement Chamber of Deputy Member Oscar Garcia Paiva

Co-Authors: Brazilian Democratic Movement Chamber of Deputy Member Ronaldo Aguiar, Brazilian Democratic Movement Chamber of Deputy Member Isabel Paz, Brazilian Social Democracy Party Chamber of Deputy Member Fábio Lemos, Social Christian Party Chamber of Deputy Member Teodoro Assunção.

Summary: Passing expands benefits that are granted to lower income families in Brazil.

SECTION I:
The Brazilian government's Bolsa Família will push to cover more families and give more money back to the people.
----> Families making a combined total income under $170 BRL will receive a monthly stipend of $45 BRL for each vaccinated child under 16. Families will receive $50 BRL per youth that is attending school from ages 16-17.
- This is raising the threshold for assistance from the previous $140 BRL a month to $170 BRL a month combined total family income per household.
a) The monthly stipend of $45 BRL per month per vaccinated child under 16 that attends school maxes out at 2 children.
b) The monthly stipend of $50 BRL per youth 16-17 only applies under the following conditions.
I. The youth must be going to school.
II. The youth must be vaccinated.
III. The youth must not be employed or making any sort of income.
IV. The monthly stipend of $50 BRL per youth 16-17 can only be applied once per household per month period.
-----> Single parent households that receive a cumulative income of $70 BRL will also receive above benefits plus $20 BRL a month extra.
-----> Parents that have infants and are within the threshold of Bolsa Família will receive $30 BRL.
- The $30 BRL a month bonus cannot apply to a family more than twice per family per pay period.
- The infant age range in order for this to be applicable is newborn (0 years, 0 months) to 3 years of age.
SECTION II:
The Federative Republic of Brazil will ensure that members of the community are protected by a strong and well funded law enforcement office.
----> The Ministry of Justice and Public Security of the Federative Republic will have an increased annual budget.
- This will increase the Ministry of Justice and Public Security’s budget from $12,300,000,000 BRL to $14,000,000,000.
a) 45% of the $1,700,000,000 is to go to the Federal Police of Brazil.
b) The remainder of the budget increase is to be split equally between the rest of the Ministries duties and programs.
----> The State Police forces from Brazil can now use excessive force when combating gang violence.
- Due to increased cartel and gang violence across Brazil the State Policy are allowed to use what is considered excessive force when using law enforcement measures against them. Excessive measures include as follows.
a) Eliminating any known gang members that are armed.
b) Arresting anyone associated with cartel or gang activity.
c) Blending forces to raid cartel hideouts and notable criminal locations.
I. This blending of force is using State Police, State Highway Police, and Federal Police Units.
II. Under blended forces the gear and equipment can be the best available from whichever divisions are blended.
III. Federal Police are, with the increased budget, to fully back and support State Police Cartel and Gang units, as well as the Narcotics Units of each.
Tear gas, pepper spray, and rubber bullets may be used to keep peace when dealing with a civilian resistance to raids.
d) Citizens who protest raids or interfere with police raids on cartel or gang members can and will be arrested and charged with petty crime misdemeanor.
e) State Police can contract Federal Police for investigation equipment and surveillance gear.
I. Gear borrowed must be contracted by State Police officials who have undergone federal training for operations.
II. If any gear is stolen, broken, or damaged the State will pay full value of the new model of that equipment to the Ministry of Justice and Public Safety.

National Assembly of the Federative Republic of Brazil
Based in Three Powers Square, Brasilia
Federative Republic of Brazil

Order and Progress
Assembléia Nacional da República Federativa do Brasil
Sediada na Praça dos Três Poderes, Brasília
República Federativa do Brasil
Ordem e Progresso

Bill: 2024 Tax Policy

Author: Workers Party Chamber of Deputy Member Caio Machado

Co-Authors: Workers Party Chamber of Deputy Member Fábio Branco, Brazilian Social Democracy Party Chamber of Deputy Member Thiago Pacheco, Brazilian Social Democracy Chamber of Deputy Member Gabriel Sá Rosa.

Summary: This bill pushes forth new tax policies.

SECTION I
----> The income tax brackets will change following 2024.
Households and individuals that make up to and under
- $2000 BRL a year will pay no tax.
- Households or individuals that make $2000.01-2999.99 BRL will be taxed at 8.3% income tax. This is a raise from the previous 7.5% rate for incomes around this range.
- Households or individuals that make $3000-3999.99 BRL will be taxed at 18% income tax. This is a raise from the previous rate of 15% for incomes around this range.
- Households or individuals that make $4000-4999.99 BRL will pay 25% income tax. This is a raise from the previous rate of 22.5% for incomes around this range.
- For incomes of $5000+ BRL the tax rate will be 36%. This is a raise from the previous rate of 27.5% for incomes around this range.
----> The corporate tax rate will also change.
- The 15% Statutory Corporate income tax will be raised to 20%
- The 10% surtax on corporate income over $240,000 BRL per year will be raised to 15% with the new minimum income to be set at $280,000 BRL.
- The 9% Social Contribution Corporate tax will be lowered to 3%.

Other News:

- All parties have members announcing candidacy for the 2026 Presidential Election. Party debates will ensue and no real candidates will be chosen until early 2026. Fundraising, parades, conferences, and other smaller events are happening all across the nation as the race for 2026 starts.
-The Libertarian Party of Brazil has flown hundreds of higher ranking members to the United States of America to help campaign for the United States Libertarian Party. They are spreading support throughout the Spanish speaking, immigrant, South American, and Brazilian voters of the United States. The hope is this help will be returned.
-The Comunist Party of Brazil has had many high ranking officials within the party recently go and meet with lower ranking officials in other Comunist nations such as China. They go to learn more about their political system and to hopefully secure political allies.
-Production of the 27 JAS 39 Gripen aircraft started. They should be done by early 2026.
-President Manuel Barbosa I filed his re-election paperwork. Even when his approval ratings are volatile his effort is applauded by the Federal Senate and the party members of the Brazilian Democratic Movement.

by **Latvijas Otra Republika** » Sat Mar 28, 2020 10:47 am

New Ambassador to the U.S

After the resignation and retirement of veteran career Andris Teikmanis, serving since 2016, the Latvian Republic has appointed a new Ambassador to serve in restoring some relations with the United States of America. An educated female 'chess-grand master', who's studied the field of Cosmos, has been appointed. Dana Reizniece-Ozola, in a Saeima hearing, has expressed her views of working with the next incumbent President to rectify any past failings between the relationship of both nations. She has told some reporters that with her shortage in international diplomatic skill she makes up for in her personal understanding of Parliamentary systems (due to being a deputy), she has also stated that look after the interests of the Latvian diaspora living in America.

Upcoming 2025 Rīgas Domes Elections

The capital city, Rīga, will be scheduled to vote on a new mayor and a city chamber of deputies. The last election being held in 2020, an emergency vote due to a corruption scandal that involved the Social Democratic 'Saskaņa' mayor Nils Ušakovs. The race is currently contested by three main candidates with, the urban and Russian minority orientated, Ļubova Švecova being the likely front-runner as had been the case for her party members for decades. Her views are mainly inline with her party, economically left and culturally right. She has served as a lawyer, a deputy, and has created herself a public persona of being 'stern' & 'tough'. The mainly left-wing party 'Gods kalpot Rīgai!' has thrown their support behind her, due to the electoral pack shared by both parties. It is also of note that she has received the endorsement of the President, Julija Stepanenko.

Mārtiņš Bondars, being an influential candidate in 2017, has also resurfaced for another bid at becoming mayor. He has received backing by his own liberal party 'Attīstībai/Par!' and thus the backing of the party 'Progresīvie' due to an electoral alliance that ensures no vote splitting occurs. His political messaging is orientated towards the youth & middle class of the city, with his manifesto stressing political and economic modernisation of Riga to be more inline with cities of Western Europe. He has experience in the banking financial sector & running political campaigns, though some have lead to failure.

Another unlikely candidate, a former mayor of Riga between 2001 and 2005, has also declared his candidacy with the unforeseen support of the governing Coalition of The New Conservatives, KPV-LV and Nationalists. Though he's affiliated with the corrupt politics of Latvia in the 2000s, more specifically his past allegiance to Šlesers' political party, he has stated that will expose & condemn any and all possible corruption he encounters. He is running the public image of a 'reformed' and 'toughened' man, based on his travels in the wilderness of former Soviet Bloc nations. He's also been seen basing his manifesto on national pride and territorial integrity, playing into aftermath of the Latgale Crisis. Some speculate he's just been summoned to be a puppet for the Coalition government, since it could be argued he had been somewhat of a 'puppet' before when he was mayor.

Though this election can seem inconsequential, it will drive the political atmosphere of the country & the economic direction of the capital city. 60 Seats are within Rīgas Dome, the decider of Rigas future.

European Sovereign Group - First Assembly

*Leading Political-Party Heads Sign on in Press Conference

The political parties that had made plans to join where invited into an official, symbolic, first assembly to solidify the blocks existence. Due to the first assembly being located in Riga a reference to 'Helsinki 86' and it's struggle for human rights was paraded outside the meeting's venue, a movement which came from the bravery of three port workers. During the gathering an agreed set of principles was established, shown off to the press inside.

- Self-Determination is to be the prevailing idea of Europe
- Nations are not to be bound as subjects
- Interests of the common individual & family are to be a priority
- Self-reliance is a goal to strive for

The now co-founder, Artuss Kaimiņš, said to a media outlet that he'd want to see 'Europe as friends' not 'bound to by the will of Brussels'. All of those that joined were assigned the title of co-founder, explaining his 'demoted' unofficial title.

THEME

by **Zhukovian** » Sun Mar 29, 2020 12:32 am

República de Colombia

Palcio de Nariño

Timoleón Jiménez stood behind the podium facing the several media men and their cameras readying themselves. A decade ago, he was one of the FARC leaders who sat with the Colombian government in the negotiations table for a peace treaty between the two, and now, he is the Defense Minister of the Petro Administration. With the cameras now having a faint red blink near the lenses and the reporters signaling that they are ready, he announced, "Pueblo de Colombia, el Presidente de la República, Gustavo Petro!"

Petro walked through the red carpet approaching the podium and smiled at the cameras. "My fellow countrymen, for decades, we have been subject to violence. Many of us have died in protecting our respective ideals and aspirations. To put it bluntly, we have been blinded by the selfish missions that we have forgotten the fraternity that our very nation was founded upon. A decade ago, President Juan Manuel Santos sat with the FARC and signed a treaty that ended half a century of war. This act truly helped in assuring ourselves and future generations, that a peaceful tomorrow is a possibility. This month, we sought to finally end the wars with the other rebel and paramilitary groups. May it be known to them that we are willing to talk for a ceasefire agreement and make a deal that will result in their full cooperation with the government. At my back are the members of the Peace Council, headed by the Defense Minister, Timoleon Jimenez, we will be talking with you at Quibdo, Choco. The government shall try at its best to recognize your call for a just and equal society for all."

He paused for a second for the audience to clap while taking a sip from a glass of water. "That leads us to another announcement, I have signed a directive to the Colombian Military Forces for its restructuring and the improvement of their training manual. Though we have the second-largest military in the Americas and we have the experience, we must, therefore, adapt to the dynamic nature of the defense. The directive will also be an order for the preparations for the upgrade and purchase of military equipment. With a united Colombia, we must be ready to defend our people against any impending threats that sought to corrupt us. A regiment will be sent to the border to assess and help the refugees from our neighbors. All South Americans, no matter what their nationality may be, share a common history, we struggled together, and we shall help each other. These people who seek our help shall be supported. I have allocated a $50 million fund for the settlement of them, and about $2 billion will be allocated for their settlement and eventual integration to our country. We shall be cooperating with our brother from the Pacific Alliance and with Brazil to ease the burden of our friends in need. Together, we shall rise from the ashes and fly high in prosperity. Viva Colombia! Viva la Republica!" He ended his speech with a Roman salute and prepared himself for a quick questioning from the reporters.

After answering the almost endless questions, Petro retreated to his office with his Defense Minister in tow. As he entered the office, he went straight to a bucket of Aguardiente and poured one glass before facing Jimenez. He stepped forward and offered the drink, which the other accepted and went to his seat. He poured another for himself before approaching Jimenez. "Hermano, in the past years, these criminals...ours and that Venezuelan government have been a thorn to our country. The Party of the U may have tried to do have something about it, but their approach was sloppy. What do you think we should do?"

Jimenez took a sip of his drink, placed it on the desk, and answered, "Señor, with the fragility of the political arena as of now, a direct confrontation will bring us only backlashes. What I suggest is to crush them silently. I'll try my best with the rebels who will talk with us, and with your order, I can form a special unit to send to Venezuela and sabotage their oil fields. With their primary source of income depleted, Maduro wouldn't have the money to pay his soldiers. We could then support the opposition for a coup."

The president leaned on the table, "But wouldn't that cause a violent uprooting? Displacing millions more? What about the funds?"

Jimenez only gave his superior a chuckle, as if he's been waiting for this moment all his life, "We do not have that enough political nor economic leverage over the Venezuelans. We cannot pressure for a peaceful transition; even the Americans failed. We can cooperate with the friendly rebels and our secret police to slowly degrade their economy. There is no avenue for a peaceful talk with them, they have already been consumed by corruption to the extent that they've divulged from Socialism—a great shame."

Petro's eyes went cold after hearing the phrase secret police. Since his inauguration as the President of the Republic two years ago, he collaborated with Jimenez and his inner circle for the formation of the secret police, the ANSC (Agencia Nacional de Seguridad y Cumplimiento), the official and only military intelligence agency of Colombia since the dismantlement of the DNI in 2012. It's director answers directly to the President and the Minister for Defense, and the members' identity being classified and the selection process much more difficult. Though the citizens are aware of its existence, proper propaganda, false transparency documents have persuaded them that it is just one of the specialized agencies of the Ministry of Defense. What they do not know is that it has operated silently and have silenced some opposition through indirect operations like bankruptcy through sabotage and planting of false evidence. "How long is your projected length of the operation?"

"We could train native Venezuelans for 3-8 months, plant and have them circulate for 2-5 months. The sabotage operations would be starting at that time, gradually. While we're at it, we'll meet the opposition leaders and some more of their generals. It could take 1-2 years before Maduro would eventually fall, his economy is already failing, only the Russians and Chinese are keeping him in power because of his oil and strategic position. When the process of kicking him out, the Chinese and Russians are just too far, and hopefully, the Brazilians and Mexicans will elect a government that we can cooperate with. Though I said that there is no avenue for a talk with the Venezuelans, in these coming months, we need to keep them focused on us or away from the jungle. To do that, we can send for a diplomatic mission with them, and maybe, just maybe, we can put some sense on Maduro's brain.

Capitolio Nacional

Today is the end of the First Session of the Congress, at this moment, the Senate will be put on the final voting for the bills that have passed through the stages from the House of Deputies. At the helm of this process is the presiding officer, the Senate President, the upcoming protegé of Petro, Juan Manuel Galán. With almost a decade of experience in the Senate, he is the apparent heir to Petro's throne come 2026. With his party's influence and political will, he is confident to oversee the passage of the reforms during this final plenary.

The first passed bill is the amendment of the Anti-Corruption Law. The author of the amendment is to wish to add a "Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net worth (SALN)" as an annual report to be made by all public officials and employees of the government. The report shall be composed of the following: total assets and liabilities, assets and liabilities of their spouse and any unmarried children under 18 who are living at home, co-mingled assets, and any gifts, donations, inheritance, or other property received at no cost must be listed at the fair market value and the assessed value. The official shall send the report to the General Auditor. The main goal of this report is to add transparency to the government and assure the public of the transactions made by public officials.

Next would be the Programa Integrado Nacional de Infraestructura Colombiana (PRINICO). A five-year comprehensive infrastructure package set to the spark an infrastructure construction era. This will pave the way for the construction and upgrade of roads, bridges, all kinds of ports, railworks, and other sources of energy like tidal and diversion plants and agricultural infrastructure. The proposed budget for this program will be around $100 billion. Aside from the annual budget, the funds will be sourced from government bonds and interests from investments; some projects will also be done as a private-public program and foreign investments from the other countries. A joint board will be made consisting of the Minister for Transport, Minister for Housing, City and Territory, Minister for Labor, Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development, Minister for Finance and Public Credit, together with the National Economic Advisor. This board will be working together for the immediate approval of projects and documents needed for the program. If a foreign nation is to put a stake for the program, the Director for International Coordination of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is to be added. The proceedings before and during the execution of this program, like transactions and biddings, will be transparent and available to the general public.

The Education Enhancement Act has also been passed. This pertains to the ambitious move of the government to improve the overall educational standing of the Colombians. More schools will be constructed, better facilities and equipment integrated, and specialized institutions are to be founded. The Colombian government will be partnering with the Canadians, British, and Chinese for the overall improvement of the research output of the universities. English will be integrated into the primary curriculum starting from pre-school. A specific provision in this act pertains to the assurance of free education to all levels. This means that public universities will be tuition-free for the deserving students that have been proven to be unable to finish college. Teachers' wages will significantly increase. However, teachers are required to have a Master's in their specific subject to teach, and for promotional purposes, this will be implemented gradually and partially subsidized by the government.

The final proceedings have been done for the 2025 General Appropriations Act. In this act, Congress has allocated a budget of $105 billion for the fiscal year of 2025-2026. The following is the breakdown of the approved budget:
•Education $16.5 billion (15.7%) - The bulk of the budget will be used for the implementation of the Educational Enhancement Act. The first five specialized Science High Schools will also be built, with top equipment and facilities. Top-performing universities will be subsidized for an upgrade to their equipment and facilities.
•Interior $13 billion (12.4%) - This will be for the operations of the cities and municipalities. The budget for the Administration is also in this sector.
•Public Works $15 billion (14.3%) - The PRINICO will be the primary beneficiary of these funds. This budget will also be used for the maintenance of the completed projects. The primary areas will be in Southern Colombia to help move the agricultural products from there to the northern ports.
•Defense $11 billion (10.5%) - This will be for the reexamination, retraining, and restructuring of the military and police. The purchase of new equipment will start next year. Financial aid will be injected for the research and development of the local arms industry and their production.
•Agriculture $6 billion (5.7%) - As a partner for the PRINICO, a fund will be allocated for the expansion of the irrigation system. Funds will also be used for the improvement of roads from rural areas to the national highway. More subsidies will be awarded to farmers. New crops will be introduced for the diversification of the agricultural industry. A significant portion of the funds will be used for research and development and the purchase of new equipment. Agrarian Reforms will also be undertaking.
•Social Welfare and Development $6 billion (5.7%) - This will be for the pensions and social initiatives by the government. As promised, $2 billion will be used for the settlement of the refugees in the Republic. Funds will also be used in partnership with the PRINICO for the creation of more housing units and infrastructure that will make the basic necessities more accessible to rural areas.
•Science and Technology $4.5 billion (4.3%) - This will help the implementation of more robust research and development facilities in the different sectors in Colombia. The improvement of the telecommunications industry will also be undertaken. New research facilities will be made, and proper agencies for the monitoring of the weather and seismic activities will be done.
•Transportation $5 billion (4.8%) - In partnership with the PRINICO, the Transportation Ministry will be coordinating with the board for the expansion and construction of new seaports and airports. The revitalization of the railway system will also be undertaken. The utilization of the rivers of Colombia will even begin; this will be for the freights to be transported faster.
•Others $37 billion (35.2%) - The rest of the funds will be used for the other sectors, like the debt service, economic subsidies, and the healthcare system. New efforts will be made for the improvement of the quality of health service and the efficiency of the clinics nationwide.

Palacio de San Carlos

Code: Select all: To: Foreign Ministries of Brazil, Britain, Canada, and China From: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Colombia Greetings of Peace! We would like to inform you of the intentions of our President, Gestavo Petro, in his interest in having a meeting with your leaders. We are looking to strike a mutually beneficial agreement with your respective nations. We are open to any venue you would like to meet. Sincerely Yours, Juan Carlos Pinzon Minister for Foreign Affairs Republic of Colombia

Summary

•The government invites rebels for peace talks.
•Training of secret paramilitary.
•New anti-corruption scheme.
•Education reform.
•Infrastructure program.
•New budget.
•Colombia invites Brazil, Canada, China, and the United Kingdom for a talk.

by **Durin V** » Tue Mar 31, 2020 2:30 pm

co-writer: Industrial States of Columbia

It was always a pleasure coming to Switzerland, no matter if it was for a holiday or for work, Mohammad Javad Zarif thought as he gazed through the window of the car. The people were nice, the scenery was beautiful and if you liked the cold the weather was great as well.
This wasn't Mohammad's first trip to Switzerland, his first was just like now, for talks about Iran's nuclear program. It was almost a decade ago yet they were so close back then. Everybody had agreed to the deal and all went well till the U.S. got a new president. He made the U.S. step out and ever since it has been a struggle to keep everyone to their obligations. The Iranian government had asked Mohammad to step in once more as head negotiator and so he was here, prepared to give it another try.
Upon arriving at the place of negotiation the delegation headed inside. Their American counterparts had not arrived yet, and thus the delegation sat down in the hallway, patiently awaiting the Americans.

The American delegation was likewise in an optimistic mood. Arthur Reese, the chief proponent of this optimism, whistled while maintaining a steady pace. He was a plump man who had seen decent success in life, though the cherry on top had come from his appointment as Secretary of State by Sanders.
He hoped the days meeting would bear fruit, as much of his work had been in accordance with Sanders' and then Hampton's policy of strategic withdrawal from foreign commitments. A deal with Iran could provide the U.S with more breathing room in the middle east, and potentially a way to curb Russian interests.
Reese smiled warmly as his group reached the Iranian delegation, "Hello gentlemen. I hope we haven't kept you waiting long. Shall we go inside?"

"Not at all, we barely sat down" Mohammad replied with a smile as he stood up. He proceeded to follow Reese into the negotiation room. Mohammad sat down and unpacked his suitcase before turning towards the American delegation, "Before we start i'd like to announce that the Iranian government will be releasing six individuals as a show of good faith" he mentioned as he handed over a paper with a list of the names of those being released.

Morad Tahbaz, Iran - U.S. citizen
Baquer Namazi, Iran - U.S. citizen
Siamak Namazi, Iran - U.S. citizen
Kamal Foroughi, Iran - U.K. citizen
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, Iran - U.K. citizen
Kylie Moore-Gilbert, Australia - U.K. citizen

Reese brought out a pair of reading glasses to look over the paper, quickly glancing over the list before remaking eye contact, "That is mighty kind of you. The United States appreciates Iran's commitment to normalizing our dialogue again. Before I begin with what objectives my constituents seek, I was hoping that you might tell me what Iran is seeking in these talks?"

"We seek equal treatment, no more and no less" Mohammad mentioned. "We have had many hostilities towards one another in the past, yet ever since the U.S. retreated from the region things have calmed down between our nations. Now we feel is the right time to start a new, fresh relationship. We have set aside the distrust towards your government and hope you can do the same. We might not be friends, and we might never become friends, but we live side by side and Iran wishes to make that as peaceful as possible."

"The United States appreciates Iran's commitment to pursuing a peaceful course and a productive course. We will however reiterate that for a deal to be taken Iran must not pursue nuclear technology for weaponized means. Anything that short of this first point and the United States cannot commit to a deal with Iran regarding the pursuit a peaceful nuclear technology, regardless of the goodwill that Iran has shown and the good faith in these beginning negotiations."

Mohammad nodded, "Iran has never, and will never pursue nuclear weapons. We have always stood for a nuclear free Middle-East and will continue to stand for that in the future. I've had a look at the previous deal that was once in place and i believe we can make some suited adjustments that would satisfy us both."

"Indeed. There are a couple other additions that the U.S would like to add to the existing deal framework. The first is concerning the plant at Arak. We would like to see that the spent fuel produced there is shipped to the U.S rather than reprocessed in Iran. This would allow for a guarantee by two powers that Iran is not producing weapons grade material, as what could potentially be gathered will be in the custody of the U.S."

"I believe reprocessing is already banned under the existing framework. Iran can agree to ship it to the U.S. directly as long as the other signatories agree and the payments are made ofcourse."

"Iran will be compensated appropriately for the materials. My government intends to make this a productive deal for both our nations. If there is no objections from Iran for the previous points, we will move to some more delicate matters."

"We have no objections so far" Mohammad answered, preparing himself for the more serious subjects.

Reese nodded, "In order for a deal to be reached, the U.S is committed to making the Mid-East a safer place for its allies. We are thus asking Iran to issue a statement clearly recognizing the government of Israel as a legitimate state. We for our part will work with our ally to attempt to normalize their relations with Iran."

"I'm afraid Iran's stance is clear on this subject. As long as the Palestinian people are opressed in their rights we will not recognize Israel. This statement has been made clear by the Islamic community and Iran stands by that statement. We do not search conflict nor confrontation, but like the U.S., we cannot abandon our allies.
I do however like to propose an alternative. For years there have been peacetalks between the Palestinians and the Israeli's, but as we all know, these peacetalks were never meant to succeed as neither party wishes peace. I propose we set up a conference to achieve the peace that the region needs. Both the U.S. as Iran, along with other willing nations can pressure the Israeli's and Palestinians into serious talks, talks that have been long overdue. We prefer a real peace over a peace just on paper, and we hope you do as well." Mohammad told. The proposal, or demand, took Mohammad off guard as he didn't expect them to draw in third party issues. But perhaps this could be an oppertunity as well, an oppertunity to solve one of the longest running unresolved conflicts in the world.

"Iran has tried to work out a deal with the U.S in the past, specifically in 2003, to recognize Israeli sovereignty. We would also like to point out, the U.S will not hold Iran to exclusive recognition of Israeli sovereignty. Iran may and ought recognize Palestine as well," Reese sipped from his water, "The U.S will agree to use its diplomatic pressure to bring Israel to the table for a conference. We agree with you, peace in the Levant is long overdue. This cannot be accomplished without Iranian recognition of Israel in good faith. The success of this nuclear deal will hinge on this point I would like to add. We hope Iran will seize this opportunity for diplomatic and economic boon."

For a while Mohamamd and the others spoke to each other in Farsi. They had been given a lot of freedom in these negotiations, but recognizing Israel would be a step too far. "As stated before, Iran cannot recognize any other state than Palestine before peace has been reached. I also believe we have shown good faith enough by releasing the foreign prisoners. However, me and my colleagues have one last counter-proposal. Iran is willing to recognize the right of the zionists to have a state within the Palestinian region, and is willing to recognize Israel as a state once the two have come to an agreement of peace."

"This is acceptable to us. Shall we shake on it?," Reese smiled as photographers moved into their places.

"Ofcourse my friend" Mohammad replied as he shook the American's hand and posed for the photographers.

by **The Palmetto** » Sat Apr 04, 2020 2:03 pm

East African Federation
July 22nd, 2024

EAPC’s Emmanuel Ugirashebuja election stirs up East African tension
by Joe Mamabe

Kenyan police brutalizing a protestor

2024’s controversial elections within the EAF saw the election of a new government, with the East African People’s Coalition winning out against the Swahili Nation and Young Africa parties and Dr. Emmanuel Ugirashebuja becoming the first president of Africa’s youngest nation. The EAPC won a plurality of the votes, gaining around 46% of the popular vote, while the rest of the vote was split between the SN and YAC. The YAC got around 32% of the popular vote, and SN trailed behind with only 22% of the vote. The opposition secured most of the majority vote, but the Swahili Nation’s refusal to embrace the Young Africa movement and its nationalistic, less tribal, tendencies lead to a major split among voters. The Young Africa movement’s anti-tribalism and association with instability scared voters, causing many who otherwise would be supportive to vote for the EAPC. The Jubilee movement in Kenya lost its more conservative, tribalist voters to the EAPC, and what’s left of it has moved further from the right. In Uganda, the monarchist groups delved further into tribalism as a response to the EAF’s unification, causing the ruling party to switch to Swahili Nation and win a plurality vote there.

Though these elections were the first elections for a unified East Africa, they have largely exposed its disunity. The chaotic and sudden switch to a new electoral system and the sudden creation of voting blocs caused massive confusion and disruption across the EAF, with Uganda and Kenya seeing the brunt of the system's flaws. Experts had warned that the young federation was not ready for elections just yet, but the old guard, confident in their entrenched power and unaware of Young Africa's influence, felt confident enough to go ahead anyways. Because of their rushed decision making, ethnic tensions in the EAF are higher than they have been in years, and dozens have been killed in Kenya due to voting competition. Many in the ruling Jubilee coalition felt "betrayed" by those who voted for the EAPC, and Kenyatta, the leader of the group, did little to stop them from engaging in violence. Yoweri Museveni, Uganda's leader who aligned with Swahili Nation but kept power, warned the monarchists that he once supported "You exist because of my government and my government alone, if we put you into this world, we can take you out of it." Museveni had been a major supporter of tribal autonomy in the past, but even though he secured their autonomy within the EAF so they wouldn't lose their rights, their continued opposition over time made him lose patience with them.

Regardless, President Emmanuel Ugirashebuja has done his best to form a ruling government for the EAF. The EAPC government has stated that they do not condone the violence within the country, and has ordered the deployment of the police and military where necessary to restore order to East Africa. Regardless, they are eager to embrace their rural, tribalist electorate, and Ugirashebuja has promised to develop the EAF by focusing on agriculture and the modernization and rural areas of the country. Though people are skeptical of his ability to enforce this, he has promised to expand the reach of internet and roads across the entire country, so that most people at least have access to the nation's growing infrastructure. The EAPC government hopes to work with foreign powers to encourage massive amounts of investment in the country, while also hoping to each out to foreign nations for military and educational aid. President Udirashebuja will be working with the EU and potentially USA to expand the agricultural infrastructure in the country, so that more farmers can have access to information on how to farm and also have access to more modern farming equipment so they can properly develop the land. He has also promised, with British aid, a large military expansion, with him hoping to swell the unified military up to 150k men and provide proper training for them and a new Air Force as well. For better or for worse, a unified EAF is now in the hands of the EAPC, who as the first ruling coalition will be the most impactful on its history.

EAF condemns recognition of Somaliland, calls for talks on Somalia
by Isaiah Netanyahu

Somaliland within Somalia

Somaliland has been a complicated issue for many decades, with the autonomous region comfortably securing their independence following Somalia’s collapse. Even as the Somali state began to restabilize, Somaliland has retained their independence, even while similar regions such as Jubaland and Puntland have declared loyalty to the government in Mogadishu. All three of these distinct regions had made deals with foreign powers, and in practice, there was not much separating the regions. They were all practically independent, and though Somaliland claimed full independence, the fact that no one recognized them largely meant that this didn’t matter. Recent Ethiopian attempts to reconcile Somaliland and Somalia had been going well, and it seemed like some sort of agreement was being reached that would finally end the decades long conflict. That was, however, until Vladimir Putin announced that Russia would recognize Somaliland, and Russian allies followed suit.

“Russia is an important friend of the EAF and its people, and no one within my country believes Russia was acting with mal-intent,” EAF Foreign Minister James Biruta explained, keeping in mind another recent agreement, “But Russia has acted without regard for the interests of the nations within the region. Even though we were already in the process of trying to sort out this issue ourselves, Russia did not even think to consult us to reach a diplomatic solution, and thus unilaterally recognized the autonomous region of Somaliland as an independent nation.”

“Instead of simply protesting, however, we would like to use the attention brought onto Somalia to bring the international community together to stabilize the region. Somalia’s instability is not going to go away with time, and we will deal with global threats such as piracy and terrorism from the Horn of Africa for as long as Somalia remains in its current state. We should solve this crisis at its core, not just fight the symptoms. As such, we’ll be holding a conference in Arusha to finally resolve the situation, and set the powers of both the Somali government and the autonomous regions,” He added.

A conference is set to take place in Arusha, Tanzania within two weeks of this announcement. The meeting will involve the EAF, Ethiopia, and Somalia, though the UK, Russia, the EU, China, India, and the USA are encouraged to attend to support their interests in the region. Controversially, the autonomous regions of Somalia will not be allowed to attend, though Biruta specified that they would be represented by their allies abroad.

In exchange for 1 billion in investments, the EAF recognizes Crimea as part of the Russian Federation.

The EAF states its interest in resolving the dispute between Egypt and Ethiopia, but many are unsure what side, if any, they will take.

Mauritius and Comoros offered association status with the EAF like South Sudan, though with the possibility of federal membership given to the Comoros.

EAF informs Madagascar that "Saying you're interested in relations gives us nothing to work with"

The EAF requests observer status in the Arab League, and membership in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

The EAF praises China for its humane treatment of Muslims in Xinjiang.

by **The Surge Empire** » Mon Apr 06, 2020 8:51 am

Republic of Italy

August, 2024

The Italian Economy Reforms

Tax Reform

The Governing Coaltion had brought forth a massive tax simplification bill to vote.

2024 Tax Reform

As part of the Prime Minister's larger Economic Initiative, The Governing Coalition (Five Star and Brothers of Italy) has brought a plan to simplify the tax code by a large amount.The Tax rate itself isn't subject to change, however it should be far simpler on Italian citizens to file their taxes.

Opposition has augured that by simplifying the tax code, The governing Coalition have created loopholes in the tax code that will allow corporations to lessen their taxes
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Senate Votes

YEA Votes: 162 (Governing Coalition: 122)
NAY Votes: 38
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Chamber of Deputies Votes

YEA Votes: 320 (Governing Coalition - 224)
NAY Votes: 112

The Bill Passes

E-Governence

The Italian Government has secured a 600 million euro grant from the European Structural Reform Support Programme, for the Italian E-Governance Project. It Seeks to make filling out taxes and applying for grants far easier and faster, as well as making communications between the Italian Government Agencies far easier. This along with other forms of E-Governance are to be implemented by the Italian Partnership for E-Governance, A task force similar to the National Partnership for Reinventing Government, a task force sent to do the same thing, in the united states in 1993 during the Clinton Administration.

It is projected to take roughly 1 to 1.5 billion to complete, and with 400 million being provided by the Italian government, this should be able to provide the base level of a billion to get the program up and running. If any extra is needed, foreign investors will be looked at first. This program should be the first to set Italy's economy back on track.

Italian Federalism

The Actual Italian Federalist plan hasn't be heard in a while, yet Mr. Mussolini has been speaking of progress being made on it. After some criticisms between parties, the state intermediaries between the Federal Government of Italy have been removed and the current twenty county administration would be separated from the direct control of the Federal Government, the one problem being that, due to Mr. Mussolini's wishes, the project had been radio silent for weeks. And the public was getting annoyed.

However Effort was going well, The Decentralization had gain the liking of all the three main parties of the coalition, 5 Star supporting the process through it entirety, as they backed their prime minister. Brothers of Italy spearheading it, and with the project giving the Autonomy so desired by Lega Nord. It was going well. Even After the hiccup with the rejection of the states intermediary, hopes were high within the group who were designing it. Caio was especially proud of his work, hopefully the southern regions would be able to use the freedom granted by the bill to jump start their economies.

EU Politics

With the formation of the European Sovereign Group, The leaders of Five Star Movement, were unsure of whether to join it or not, but in due time they came around. With them joining this group, its power has grown quite a lot, and with Brothers of Italy also on the knife's edge of whether to join or not. Whether the EU liked it or not, Italy's ruling parties had swung in favor of soft Euroscepticism.

Despite this Eurosceptic swing, the debate in the Council of the European Union on PESCO had went in favor of a lesser form of the original plan, The Italian representative had been, at times, both supportive and opposed to the reform. it was considered necessary to have a stronger military for Europe, since America had left NATO. Cesdot while admirable, couldn't compare to NATO. And The Russian Bear to the East was encroaching on European sovereignty since Virumma. there were reports of a possible Eurobond discussion could come up soon, and that the Italian representative had lost his cool with the Hungarian Representative.

by **The National Dominion of Hungary** » Thu Apr 09, 2020 6:32 am

Rzeczpospolita Polska

Negotiation

After several weeks of negotiation between representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and representatives from various Polish farmer's unions a compromise had been reached. The Unions largely wanted clarification as to how the various policies would work, something the state was glad to provide which later led to talks regarding the terms and conditions of the various policies. Small-scale farmers were worried that they would be largely left outside of the new system if they were unwilling to form farming co-ops, in an effort to provide greater flexibility the parties agreed on forming a number of cooperative models which farmers would be able to adopt in order to be eligible for the new and grants and benefits which the state was insistent on in order for Polish agriculture to finally overcome one of it's major structural inefficiencies and make significant gains in economics of scale. The government was adamant in keeping the farmers on their side since they, along with the international banks and catholic church could in many ways be considered Poland's three most powerful lobbies. Indeed, the rural vote had played a significant role in raising the PiS party to the dominant position it enjoyed in Polish politics. If that had not been the case, the state would probably not have agreed to accommodate the farmer's unions to the same extent.

The Sejm and Senate would in the later weeks after the negotiations vote through the new amendments to the Agriculture and Food Processing Revitalization Bill. It passed by by a narrow margin as some of the PiS-party's coalition partners considered some of the new additions and changes unacceptable. In particular the new reform plan when it came to regulations on the acquisition of agricultural land which were formulated with the intention of putting barriers up to sell farmland to foreign entities in order to prevent Polish agricultural land for becoming target of foreign-funded speculation. While the PiS whips managed to get the party's MP's to vote along the lines of the party dictates, some of the Porozumienie MP's who had previously supported the bill in it's first edition now instead voted against or abstained altogether. In the end, it did however pass, and with the new extended Agriculture and Food Processing Revitalization Bill the government hoped to both alleviate the concerns of farmers, unleash the country's agricultural potential and raise further support in rural communities ahead of the 2027 Elections.

Policymakers at Work

After later consultation with representatives of the agricultural sectors, unions and researchers. The following additions shall be made to the measures outlined within the texts of the Agriculture and Food Processing Revitalization Bill. Unless stated, previous measures outlined in the previous documentation shall remain unchanged.

* Active Measures.

- In order to encourage co-operative farming, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall make a number of cooperative frameworks available for farmer so they can choose which suits them and their situation best while encouraging consolidation of farmland and allowing farmers to pool capital, labor and diverse skills to raise their profits. This will not only spread out the costs but also increase adaptability and resilience. These organizations shall be eligible to apply for the financial incentives, assistance programs and support measures for cooperative farms outlined in the Agriculture and Food Processing Revitalization Bill. The types of cooperatives recognized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall be the following.
*-- Joint Cooperative Farming Society
In the framework of the the Joint Cooperative Farming Society, the member-farms will be on the highest level of integration. Members will pool their land and their productive assets and shall carry on all the pre-
sowing and post-harvesting functions alongside the cultivation of the pooled land on a cooperative basis. The Joint Cooperative Farming Society purchases various inputs from the market and arranges for the joint
marketing and sale of the products it produces. Joint Cooperative Farming Societies shall be able to apply for grants to help with, among other things, the purchase of seeds, fertilizer, new machinery, to support
the implementation of new technologies such as Precision Farming technologies, and aid with subsidies for fuel in order to power agricultural machinery.
*-- Cooperative Better Farming Society
In the framework of the Cooperative Better Farming Society, the member-farms shall be on a medium level of integration. Cooperative Better Farming Society members are not required to cultivate their land jointly,
instead, each member cultivates their own land. However, they shall cooperate with each other on pre-sowing and post-harvesting work. For example, they shall purchase inputs such as seeds, fertilizers,
insecticides and maintenance service of agricultural machines etc on a cooperative basis. They shall market and sell their crops jointly. On signing the document officiating the formation of the Cooperative Better
Farming Society the members all agree to how many percent of the incomes and expenditures they shall share in. The Cooperative Better Farming Society shall be able to apply for grants to help with, among other
things, the purchase seeds, fertilizer, new machinery, to support the implementation of new technologies such as Precision Farming technologies, and aid with subsidies for fuel in order to power agricultural
machinery.
*-- Cooperative Tenant Farming Society
Within the framework of the Cooperative Tenant Farming Society, the Society buys or leases land form the state or from private individuals and then in turn leases land to the member-farms. The members all
cultivate the land they rent individually and pay the rent falling on their share to the Cooperative Tenant Farming Society. The society renders various services to member-farms such as providing machine
maintenance and is payed by the tenants for this service. The profits earned by the society from the products cultivated on the land that it leases shall then be distributed among the members according to the
formula agreed on in the leasing contract. The Cooperative Tenant Farming Society shall be able to apply for grants to help with, among other things, the purchase seeds, fertilizer, new machinery, to support the
implementation of new technologies such as Precision Farming technologies, and aid with subsidies for fuel in order to power agricultural machinery.

- Intitialize the DobrostanPlus Program, offering financial incentives to farmers who take measures to improve the welfare and conditions of animals on their farms by avoiding overcrowding, taking measures to find local suppliers of organically produced feed and local butcheries no more than 50 kilometers away to minimize animal transport time and emissions while offering more locally sourced and eco-friendly foodstuffs to local markets and benefiting local agricultural and food-processing industries. Both individual farms and cooperatives shall be eligible for DobrostanPlus support funds.
*-- The farmers who fulfill the requirements below shall be given yearly support payout of minimum 100 Zlotys per pig and 500 Zlotys per cow yearly.
*-- Animals will be kept in a non-congested manner with each animal having more than the minimum standard of required room per head which we hope will significantly aid small family-owned farms.
*-- The farms eligible shall keep a number of animals corresponding to the area of their farm and size of holding facilities in order to increase animal welfare by avoiding congestion. Additional support will be given to farms that feed their animals with feed produced on the farm/coop itself to reduce CO2 emissions released during transport of said feed.
*-- To be eligible, farmers shall not use GMO feed in order to feed their animals. Poland has no internal GMO feed production and so it would both support local agriculture and reduce transport-related emissions.
*-- To be eligible, farmers shall keep pigs on litter bedding in the holding facility and cows shall be allowed to graze outside at least four months per year.
*-- To raise their yearly financial support, farmers shall procure feed from suppliers to more than 50 kilometers away and sell their animals for slaughter to processors no more than 50 kilometers away.

- In order to encourage localized food processing industries in order to both reduce transport emissions and encourage economic growth in rural areas, these industries, both old and newly established shall receive cost mitigation support when purchasing from farmers and cooperatives within a 50 kilometer radius. The support shall amount to 12% of the cost of the crops and/or animals purchased. If the purchase is made from a farm which has EU Ecological Certification the support shall amount to 20% of the cost of the crops and/or animals purchased. With this we hope to encourage the growth of local companies closely connected with local farms and farming coops and to serve as an encouragement for more farms to adhere to the EU standards of ecological production which would result in more healthy, eco-friendly foods on the tables of consumers both Polish and foreign.

- Legal barriers shall be put in place in order to prevent Polish farmland from becoming the easy target of land speculation funded by foreign capital. This shall be in order to make farmland cheaper and more accessible to local farmers.

- Within the framework of relief for farmers who have lost crops, the size of the payout will be determined by the damages and the size of the farm. The National Crop Failure Relief Fund shall amount to 3.25 billion Zlotys and will be made up of both national and EU funds. Depending on the damages and other factors, a payout of between 30 000 and 145 000 Zlotys shall be sent to the stricken farm.

Sejm votes:
AYE: 231.
NAY: 229.

by **Latvijas Otra Republika** » Thu Apr 09, 2020 2:48 pm

LATVIJA

KNAB Authorised to launch 'KGB Sack' Investigations

*Aldis Gobzems gives authorisation on KNAB investigations

Ivars Godmanis, two time Prime Minister who is currently sitting on the board of large a pharmaceutical company. Ivars Bickovics, Supreme Court chief justice. Julijans Vaivods, Catholic Cardinal. Georgs Andrejevs, former foreign minister and EU MEP. Aleksandrs Kudrjashovs, primate of the Russian Orthodox Church. Several former high ranking officials and diplomats of the Republic, businessmen and even 'Independence Activists' in the 90s. When the USSR dissolved, the KGB neglected to get rid off official documents relating to informants and associated agents in their Riga headquarters, documents suppressed by high ranking members of Latvian society till 2018. The aforementioned individuals, with at least 24,000 more Latvian associates, will be investigated by the anti-corruption agency KNAB with the underlying goal of labelling them with crimes involving 'treason against the state'. The investigation can be deemed legally viable, as the Latvian diplomatic service in exile never recognised the 1940-1991 Soviet occupation of Latvia and thus the state continued to exist.

Full exercise of authority to the KNAB agency has been authorised by the populist KPV-LV Prime Minister and cabinet, an unprecedented move that former establishment parties would've had trouble committing to due to their respective allegiances. The Prime Minister, Aldis Gobzems, in a recent statement has concluded that 'The powerful will be ripped from their decadent nests, and cast out into the cold world that we know and endure'. Critics state that this move would damage & hinder the establishment of Latvia, weakening the state from within and bringing unsavoury sentiment across the country. Having the well-known martyrs of independent Latvia be brought down to such a low would shatter conceptions of the public, people who even voted for men such as Ivars Godmanis may become cynical towards him.

For the first time in the history of the modern Latvian Republic, such a large action has been committed against those deemed to be 'corrupt' and going against a 'democratic & free state'. Conspiracy theorists see this enacted investigation as evidence that the collapse of the USSR was 'controlled' in order for the elite to maintain control politically and bank off the giving-out and sale of national assets, even benefiting from an 'infiltration' into the EU in a political and economic aspect. Of course these claims are officially unsubstantiated, yet they have basis in reality form the not so distant collapse of the Soviet Union.

Neo-Pagan Dievturība Recognised as an Official Religion

*First Lokstene Shrine of Dievtur

The Ministry of Culture has announced that the Neo-Pagan movement of Dievturība, currently a small community of roughly 800, shall be proclaimed as a recognised religion of the Latvian state and be granted the same taxing and social status of Christian & Jewish religions. This announcement was essentially seen as an endorsement for the traditional faith from the Government, perhaps even a move to draw upon tourist attraction or even the strengthening of national identity within the populace. The newly accepted religion can trace it's modern roots to Ernests Brastiņš & the Young Latvian movement that sought to reinvigorate the Latvian folk in the first national awakening, the maintenance of folklore and ancient pagan deities was sought by Ernests in the 1920s.

The forceful end of Baltic paganism was declared in Pope Alexander III's document named 'Non parum animus noster' that authorised the beginning of the Northern Crusade. Even after the Teutonic Order has brought it's subjugation, the Baltic people's were still resistant in adapting a 'faithful' lifestyle to the Church. Perhaps now this also seems to be the case, as this could be seen as an action towards religious 'regression' away from Protestantism.

Education & Diaspora Legislation Extended

After the Latgale crisis, which essentially brought about the temporary end of most legislation, the Latvian Government has mostly postponed it's diaspora and education curriculum reforms. Now with a relative, minor, return to normality they have been reinstated with some amendments in areas. The Education change would be in some aspects easier to manage, due to Latgale (that hosts a slightly above average number of minority orientated schools) being out of the picture.

Latvijas Republika
Republic of Latvia

Latvian Language Curriculum Reform

-This Legislation proposes that Latvian be the only 'main language' on the curriculum of every academic institution, excluding higher Universities and Tehnikumi. Each school most teach the Latvian language & literature curriculum. Extra-curricular clubs & lessons must not exceed teaching time, per student, in foreign language than in the Latvian language. Penalties, such as monitored 'special measure' schools, be introduced if requirements not met. All lessons to be taught in Latvian. Main verbal communication in staff must be Latvian. Minority schools to be integrated with it's language curriculum to the rest of the country.

Aye: 74
Nay: 26

With the education legislation passing the Saeima moved to motion for debate on action regarding the diaspora legislation, the ministry of culture has argued and lobbied hard for this to pass. Main opposition to this legislation was due to financing.

Latvijas Republika
Republic of Latvia

First Latvian Diaspora Legislation

-This legislation proposes that two million, split equally, be allocated towards the American Latvian Association and the Union of European Latvians (both organisations work in protecting and maintaining the interests of the Latvian diaspora abroad). Both groups establish formal ties with the Latvian government for monitoring of expenditure & activities. Both groups be monitored by the ministry of culture. Input from the groups Representative will be sometimes adhered to, but the main overarching goal is the establishment of 'culture centres' for the diaspora in foreign nations. Events for Līgo Day and Jāņi Day be sponsored in foreign nations, with some other events included. Begin the initial phases of attempts re-intruding the diaspora to Latvia through culture centres & other associated activities.

Aye: 79
Absent: 11
Nay: 10

The diaspora act was financed through a small spike in the alcohol & tobacco excise duty, from 2021's rates by an overall '10' in categories all form wines to beers.

by **Pimps Inc** » Fri Apr 10, 2020 1:19 pm

President Slim Domit signed a congressional resolution today establishing the National Commission on Educational Reform. This technical commission, in consultation with schools and local communities, will examine public education in Mexico and propose reforms, which will be guaranteed an up and down vote in the Mexican Congress. The Commission will stand for 3 years and will be made up of teachers, local school administration staff, students, ministerial officials, state governors, Congressmen, academics, researchers, and civil society representatives. All international assistance is welcome.

ARISTEGUI NOTICIAS
Noticias Al Momento™

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Article of the Day:

Politics & the World
The Return of the Iron Treasurer

By: Katherine Ortiz (2026)

REPUBLICA MÉXICANA- The morning I saw him for breakfast he did not go running, as he usually does every day. He had slept only three hours after several flights. I was face to face Aristoteles Nuñez, one of the most respected and efficient public officials in recent memory. During his tenure as Commissioner of the Tax Administration Service(SAT) from December 2012 to September 2016, he not only increased revenue collection, but he also showed his strong hand. He fought as much as he could against corruption, investigated the powerful names exposed in the Panama Papers, and prosecuted tax evaders.

Everything went smoothly until he hit a wall five months after the launch of investigations into Mexican nationals exposed in the Panama Papers, including former Pemex CEO Emilio Lozoya. His exit from the SAT at the same time as the resignation of Foreign Affairs Secretary Luis Videgaray, Nunez’s godfather, from the treasury was no coincidence. Videgaray has been characterized as the architect of then President Peña Nieto’s controversial invitation extended to then-presidential candidate Donald Trump to visit Mexico, which would turn out to be a PR disaster.

After his public service, Nuñez’s technical knowledge and the ease in explaining fiscal and financial matters catapulted him to the media spotlight. He became a recurrent analyst of radio and television news programs. His critical and incisive attitude, however, made him collide again with the same wall: the political censorship by Enrique Peña Nieto’s reactionary government.

Now, however, after ten years of admittedly successful years working in the private sector, he has accepted President Slim’s offer to head the Tax Administration Service once again. Even without the guarantee that the Senate will approve his position, the upper chamber would be committing a mistake in not voting in his favor. If there has ever been a case of an honest public servant being kept from achieving his true potential by his dishonest superiors, it would be the case of Aristóteles during his first tenure as tax czar.

President Slim seems willing to prove his own dedication to combating corruption and financial crimes by offering this pragmatic underdog a second chance clear of political obstacles. Key words: it seems.

It couldn’t come at a better time. Just last month, Federal Auditor Carmen Aristegui announced the discovery of a tax evasion network consisting of 13,000 partners and shareholders of small and big companies, and of 600 thousand 'risky' companies from all economic sectors; marketers, service providers, communication and sports. All of them evading taxes and having in common that they are 'ghost' or facade companies created ex profeso to evade the treasury. According to the data crossings of the SAT, this network of companies, partners, and shareholders cost the treasury of 100 billion pesos in lost revenue flow, an amount that does not include the evasion of taxes. The “Mega Net” scandal forced Osvaldo Santín Quiroz, the SAT commissioner leftover from the previous presidential administration, to resign. Mr. Quiroz is now facing SICARIO charges from state and federal prosecutors of racketeering, influence peddling, and accepting $6 million pesos in bribes.

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Environment
Tapping into Mexico City’s Water Resource Potential

By: Roberto Colombo

REPUBLICA MÉXICANA- If rainwater could reach the porous lava rock and lava soils below the pavement, it would drain down to the aquifers below, and filter a lot of contamination along the way. The hardened lava flow “sucks it up like a sponge,” says Pedro Camarena, the head of the a joint project by the city government, the federal government, and the National Autonomous University of Mexico to access Mexico City’s deep aquifers.

Camarena and his team at UNAM are trying to figure out how much time and money would be needed to re-expose some of the lava rock on a larger scale, in parts of Mexico City’s Pedregal neighborhood where it’s trapped beneath highways and parking lots. Could you take out a concrete median on a highway, and let falling rain hit lava rock below? Could you peel back the city’s decorative lawns, and make lava-rock gardens instead?

It will be a herculean task; in parts of the Pedregal outside the reserve where the rock is covered by soil, not cement, an invasive African grass has grown like a mat, choking out the soil’s ability to let water through. All that soil would need to be moved out. “It would be extremely hard to re-expose the Pedregal,” Camarena says.

Later, back on UNAM’s campus, which is built on the Pedregal just outside the reserve, Camarena points with derision at an immaculate lawn. “This is the landscape of Scotland or England, not Mexico,” he says. “Even hundreds of years after the conquista we still think the European style is better than native landscape.”

He keeps a small demonstration garden of Pedregal plants with the help of his students, since the university wouldn’t hire him a gardener. Camarena says the local gardener’s union, whose members tend to the campus grounds, don’t want to help his project, because it thinks switching the university’s lawns and garden beds to rocky landscapes full of Pedregal plants would put their gardeners out of work. Nothing to water, no pesticides to apply. But, Camarena argues, it would actually give them job security: In times of intense drought when lawn watering is curtailed, the campus’s gardens wouldn’t die. The gardening union would still have something to tend.

The government of Mexico City, the Mexican Army’s Corps of Engineers, and the National Autonomous University of Mexico recently signed an agreement to cooperate on a project to replace sections of pavement throughout the Pedregal with pervious concrete and plastic roads to expose the rock below; parking areas, areas with light traffic, residential streets, pedestrian walkways.

Nearby is Valle de Chalco, the deepest part of the Mexico City watershed, which sits just outside the eastern boundary of the Federal District. Little more than 100 years ago, this was home to the last of the great lakes on the plain. Residents used to commute from here to the city by steamboat, until the waters were drained to create farmland and roads in the late 19th century.

But in the past few decades, the Lago de Chalco has started to return. Soon after the 1985 earthquake, Mexican authorities drilled 13 wells nearby that emptied aquifers, caused subsidence and then – as the surface fell – created a giant puddle that just kept growing. After almost a century, the water had found its way back.

This is still not officially recognised on maps, but the lake now stretches over 554 hectares. Migrating cranes and storks rest on the wetlands here. Old men fish; young children play in the water. There are even sailboats. It is hard to believe that a short distance away from this body of water, on the other side of the Sierra Santa Catarina, the Mexican Army is currently deployed in distribution efforts for more than a million people suffering water shortages in Iztapalapa.

“Lakes are a really cheap way of dealing with this problem. If we made this lake eight metres deep, we’d have enough water for 1.5m people,” said Elena Burns, an activist with the Water for People, Water for Life campaign, as she looks out across the reeds and marshes.

Burns, a naturalised Mexican citizen, is co-founder of the Watershed Commission of the south-eastern Mexico Valley water basin, which is exploring the possibility of using natural catchment areas to solve the city’s water problems. It includes scientists, environmentalists and the two main government organisations dealing with water issues, Conagua and Sacmex.

The Watershed Commission’s management plan estimates that many problems in this area – groundwater overexploitation, subsidence, sewage flooding, lack of access and poor quality – could be solved by deepening the lake and building a waste treatment plant nearby. This would cost 7bn pesos (£275m), which is less than a third of the money the government has already spent on wastewater tunnels.

The president of the commission, Oscar Monroy, who is one of Mexico’s leading authorities on waste-water management, says this will be part of the ongoing city-wide federal program instituted by the Slim administration to collect rainwater rather than have it pumped from ever-more distant sources.

The Watershed Commission and the Mexican National Water Commission both agree to estimates that harvesting an area of 20sq km would be enough to provide for the city’s needs. As well as lakes and cleaned-up rivers, this could mean storing the rainwater collected by the roofs of shopping malls, schools and condominiums. “It’s not alien technology,” he says. “It could have be done with existing technology years before. But it will only work if the government wants to, and until now they didn’t.”

Elsewhere, several pilot projects are underway. The Metropolitan Autonomous University has pioneered a rainfall catchment project in schools in the Santa Catarina district of Iztapalapa.

The idea is simple: grated gutters around the playground channel rain through a filter into an underground storage tank. Half of the water is then injected underground to replenish aquifers, while half is pumped up to a tank on the roof of the school for use in flushing toilets and cleaning classrooms.

“There’s no secret to this. It doesn’t require much energy, the expense is modest and it works. For two years, the school hasn’t need to spend a single peso on water tankers,” says Juan José Santibañez, of the Metropolitan Autonomous University of Iztapalapa. “In Germany and Japan, there are systems for harvesting rainwater for agriculture, but we think we are the first to do so on this scale in schools. We have to be innovators because our crisis is so bad.”

With 25 schools already using the system, Santibañez is enthusiastic about its potential to ease shortages and replenish aquifers. But he in the past, the government has baulked at the the set-up costs of 150,000 pesos (£5,850) per school.

The head of Mexico City’s water operator is unimpressed: “This sounds intelligent, but it’s not. It’s cheaper to bring water from outside than to capture rainwater. There is not one city in the world that uses rainwater collection,” says Ramón Aguirre. “Where do we keep it and supply it? It needs to be huge so there is enough for months when there is no rain. It will need to be cleaned if it comes off the streets. Would you drink from a puddle? No, it is very polluted with hormones, drugs, vitamins and other emergent contaminants.”

The Watershed Commission believes the city authorities are too wedded to mega-projects to accept low-cost, sustainable solutions like turning Chalco Lake into a reservoir. “They think this is a tiny project; he’s a wells and dams-kind-of guy. He likes spending money on expensive projects like long tunnels and deep wells that don’t get us anywhere near sustainability. If it weren’t for President Slim’s support, they wouldn’t have even given us the time of day.”

The Federal government recently announced it will urbanize and market at least 30 hectares of land owned by the Army, located in the Santa Fe area, in Mexico City. He explained that the total land owned by the Army in Santa Fe has an area of 150 hectares. There sits a defunct weapons factory that the Army abandoned in 2020 after transferring near Puebla, since it was dangerous to keep it in Mexico City.

There are 50 hectares where there are historic facilities of the Secretariat of National Defense, a national heritage, which will become an Army museum, and the remaining 100 will be divided between the real estate project and a public park that will connect with Chapultepec Park.

The purpose is to raise a luxury real estate development project for sale to the public from where the government plans to obtain between 20 and 30 billion pesos($1,048,290,000-$1,572,435,000) that will be used to finance water-scarcity programs in the capital, and construction of a supposed “police academy” and a planned ecological park in Texcoco borough.

President Slim informed that in charge of the project are the secretaries of Agrarian, Territorial and Urban Development; and of Environment, who have the support of the mayor of Mexico City.

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Security
Mexican State Owned Oil Company Pemex Launches Voluntary Redundancy Program

By: Roberto Colombo

The CEO of Pemex released a statement announcing the formal launch of the voluntary redundancy program that’s been in the planning stage for several months to downsize staff size and fight corruption. The state owned oil company offered this voluntary redundancy to 17,000 employees between the ages of 35 and 50, with negotiations stretching back 3 months. Those who voluntarily leave will be given between 12 and 16 months of severance, an additional 109,527 Mexican Pesos, and a semester-course in entrepreneurship or job placement services paid for by the company. The estimated cost of the program is $55,476,365, if all projected employees leave voluntarily. However, President Slim has said there would likely be another voluntary redundancy program in the future.

In the buildup to the launch, the company has also cracked down on 4,000 Pemex “ghost employees”, with the Prosecutor General’s Office opening several investigations against high level officials, with one reaching an indictment just last week. Ultimately, the goal is to fulfill President Slim’s pledge to reduce Pemex’s labor force size to one comparable to Petrobras, a more profitable company owned by the Brazilian government with operations across all of South America but with a much smaller workforce.

National General Law on Water

Full title
A series of participatory planning processes to achieve a National Agenda for Water in 15 years: Quality water for all; water for ecosystems and for food sovereignty; an end to water contamination, to the destruction of watersheds and aquifers, and to avoidable vulnerability to droughts, floods and climate change in general.
Colloquial name(s)
Ley del Agua
Introduced in
LXV General Congress of the United Mexican States
Introduced on
December 12, 2024
Effects and codifications
Act(s) affected
Law of National Waters
Agencies affected
Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources
National Water Commission
Legislative history
* Introduced in the Chamber of Deputies as H.R. 1 by Dr. Jose Manuel Mireles (MORENA–Michoacan) on December 12, 2024
* Committee consideration by: Deputies Commission on Food Self-sufficiency, Commission on Agriculture and Livestock, Commission on Indigenous Affairs;(35–5)
* Passed the Chamber of Deputies (430-70)
* Passed the Senate(99-29)
* Reported by the joint conference committee; agreed to by the Senate and by the Chamber of Deputies (430-70)
* Signed into Law by President Carlos Slim Domit on January 8th, 2025

Preamble. This law is centered on community, citizen and governmental co-management of watershed and municipal systems through legally binding plans, with citizen oversight to ensure governmental compliance.
Subtitle I. establishes that water is a national commons, produced by Nature, and that the decisions regarding water must be made by Mexico’s citizens and peoples from the local to the national level. This law will not permit any arrangement which would make water a commodity or would allow private control over, or the extraction of profits from any aspect of water management, defined as the activity of planning, developing, distributing and managing the optimum use of water resources.

Title I. A National Water Agenda will be established, to be fulfilled basin by basin, in 15 years:
· Water for ecosystems;
· Quality water for everyone;
· Water for food sovereignty;
· End to pollution;
· End to the destruction of basins and groundwater;
· End the avoidable vulnerability to floods, droughts and climate change;
· End corruption, impunity and criminalization of defenders of water and territory

Title II. This law defines two types of decision-making structures. For watershed planning and management, the law establishes Microbasin Committees, Sub-basin Commissions, Watershed Councils, as well as a National Council of Watersheds, with citizen and community representatives holding the majority of votes in each. The first, local microbasin level will be open to participation by all, and from there, spokespeople will be elected to participate on each successive scale to the national level, with the possibility of electing or inviting external specialists as needed. Representatives from governmental ministries of water, environment, forestry, health, agriculture, economy, urban development and civil protection will also participate in these councils.

Participatory watershed bodies will ensure sustainable, planned management of water and territory from the microbasin to the national level. These systems will work together through a non-partisan, democratically elected Local Water Council. Citizens’ Water Oversight Bodies that will combat corruption, monitor the fulfillment of the human right to water & sanitation and pressure public officials to implement the plans and decisions of the co-management councils.

Title I. Citizen-governmental assistance for planning and management:
a. Replaces the National Water Commission with the National Council of Basins and Water, built from the microbasin, sub-basin, basin and region to the national level, with an open participation at the local level, and representativeness at each higher level by territorial unit and by associated management system with rights (indigenous peoples, community systems, urban domestic users, producers for food sovereignty; defenders of water for health (end of pollution); defenders of essential ecosystems; researchers and civic organizations.
(a I.) The National Council shall propose the yearly federal budget for water to the Legislature.
(a II.) Before the eventuality of underwater mining project, the National Council will issue a moratorium until the technical and scientific studies have been obtained to determine the policies to be followed, ensuring the health of the oceans and the interests of humanity and Mexico.
b. Democratizing the state water and sanitation commissions: State councils composed of territorial representatives of essential systems for compliance with rights, elected in inclusive assemblies, with the possibility of recall.
a. Democratizing municipal agencies: Municipal Board of Directors, which are composed of government representatives but primarily of elected citizen representatives with the possibility of recall, of the water systems, domestic users, native peoples, schools, health systems, without the intervention of political parties, whose terms shall be staggered in order to guarantee continuity, shall develop and carry out a Municipal Plan for the Right to Water and Sanitation, to guarantee the equal and sustainable access to water, primarily for personal domestic and public use. It must guarantee access to public drinking fountains and clean bathrooms, and seek ways to make optimal use of rain and domestic and public waste water. This Board shall oversee the transition to a zero discharge (100% recycling) policy for industrial users as soon as it is feasibly possible.
(b) These Boards will require their endorsement to: approve or modify the Urban Development Plan; change land use or occupancy density; authorize licenses for housing units; for hotel projects, or for any work or activity that could affect the availability or quality of water for the inhabitants of the municipality or municipal seat.

Title III. Cuenca Master Plans as territorial planning instruments around human and peoples rights. Recognition of jurisdictions of native peoples. Definition of Areas of Water and Environmental Importance. Reconstruction of the Concession System. Programs, policies and works required to restore basins and prepare them to face climate change. Plans for food and energy sovereignty and sustainability.
(a) The Watershed Councils will develop legally binding Watershed Master Plans, which must describe the actions required to achieve the goals of the National Agenda in that watershed, giving priority to local and upstream solutions. These Plans must define Areas of Importance (forests, recharge zones, wetlands, flood plains) in which land use would be severely restricted, and public funding would be available for restoration and management by local communities.
(b) To overcome the current crisis of extremely excessive and concentrated water rights for non-essential uses, the Watershed Councils would also recommend the reassignment of superficial and groundwater rights to fulfill the Constitutionally mandated criteria of: equal and sustainable access; the fulfillment of the rights to water, food and a healthy environment, and indigenous peoples’ rights to preferential access to the waters in their lands.
(c) In watersheds which suffer from subsidence and surface cracks due to aquifer overexploitation, chronic flooding, or neighborhoods without continuous access to quality water, their Councils may demand that their watersheds be declared Zones Under Extreme Water Stress. Under such decrees, new projects of profit-oriented urbanization could not be authorized until existing water crises were resolved.
(d) Given that the rights to 77% of the country’s water have been assigned to agricultural users, primarily highly polluting agroexporters in the northern desert region of the country, each Watershed Council shall have Committees for Food-and-Water Planning. These Committees must determine the infrastructure and actions required for achieving food sovereignty within the context of watershed restoration. Farmers will be required have to develop and follow transition plans towards agroecological practices in order to have access to irrigation water.

Title IV. The National Council of Basins and Water will develop new prevention, precaution and protection instruments such as:
a. The Water and Socio-Hydrological Impact Assessment, which will complement and strengthen current environmental impact assessments,
b. The analysis opinion of the socio-environmental cost benefit, which would be done contemplating the operation of the entire infrastructure life cycle, and including environmental and social costs.
c. The Zones Under Extreme Water Stress criteria and declaration
d. The recognition of areas of socio-environmental importance
f. The protection of federal areas, including the revision and, if necessary, revocation of concessions that hinder the proper functioning of the basin.

Title V. Municipal and Mayor's Plans of Mexico City, for potable water, sewerage and binding sanitation, to ensure the provision of drinking water and sanitation services by municipal Potable Water, Sewerage and Sanitation System, either by community/self-managed systems or citizen systems, and will contain the strategies, policies, works and actions required to guarantee equitable access to quality water, decent sanitation and sanitation for current and future inhabitants, and for the optimal management of urban wastewater and stormwater.

Title VI. Create an information, monitoring and alert system for basins and watersheds. The system will be coordinated by the National Council involving: the National Meteorological Service; National Commission for the Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity, National Institute of Ecology and Climate Change, National Institute of Agriculture and Forestry Research, National Forestry Commission of Mexico, National Institute of Statistics and Geography, and the entities responsible for water at the federal, state and municipal levels. It will involve the integration of all climate, hydrometric and groundwater monitoring systems in the country into a single system. It will be used for the elaboration and monitoring of Municipal Plans and Plans for Municipal Drinking Water and Sanitation; management plans for Areas of Socio-hydro-environmental Importance; urban development plans and ecological systems; volume and conditioning recommendations for concessions; strategies for the elimination of hydro-environmental risks; Cost-Benefit and Socio-Water Impact Assessments, warning systems, among others.

Title VII Rebuild the system of rights to national waters:
a. Only the ecologically usable volume will be concessioned, as determined by researchers endorsed by the respective Watershed and Basin Council.
b. Water will be a priority for domestic use and basic public services and food sovereignty, followed by the priorities determined by the Watershed and Waters Council.
c. Equitable access to a volume agreed by the Council will be guaranteed.
d. The rights of native peoples will be restored and the integrity of their lands and waters respected.
f. Concessions for non-priority uses will be annually renewable, depending on availability and compliance with access conditions.
d Concessions will not be transferable.
g. Official inspections and citizen monitoring will be carried out, with guaranteed financing and public access to the results.

Title VIII. Prioritize water infrastructure required to guarantee rights to water and water security in tax policies and budgets at the national, state, and municipal levels. Compliance with the right to water requires progressive tax-fiscal policies to combat inequities that put the country's stability at risk.
The Mexican State at all levels shall guarantee that those who benefit most from the economy pay a fair tax burden, and that the resources thus collected are applied strictly and as a priority to the execution of the agreed plans to guarantee the human right to water and a healthy environment.

Title IX. Establish the Social Water Comptroller (CSA) as a decentralized body at municipal, watershed and national levels, of citizen composition that shall seek to eradicate corruption and impunity in the performance of the public water function.
(a) It shall have budgetary autonomy (financed with up to 5% of the collection of rights to national waters) and decision, as well as binding capacity.
(b) The National Human Rights Commission shall certify the process of election of Citizen Comptrollers (honorary position, without conflict of interest) by basin and national level.
(c) The representatives of the CSAs shall be observers in official decision-making meetings relevant to the human right to water and good watershed management. (d)They shall monitor the construction and democratic and transparent functioning of the citizen and community instances of water and basin management.
(e) They shall maintain the National Registry of the Human Right to Water and Sanitation that allows to guide the actions of the National Fund, as well as to pretend responsibilities of public servants and shall present Annual Evaluations of Compliance of Public Officials, requesting, where appropriate, request to the corresponding Court or Tribunal of Administrative Justice that a government official be removed from office. A publicly funded Legal Services for the Protection of Water and Environmental Rights shall make it possible for citizens to sue government officials and companies.
(f) It shall promote demands for collective action to cancel harmful projects and to achieve socio-environmental restoration with the support of a Water Justice Procurement Agency specialized courts and socio-environmental defenders.
(g) It shall the power to audit the effectiveness of projects, and to discover the possibility of misconduct, waste, fraud, theft, or certain types of criminal activity by individuals or groups related to the operation, budget, or credit of the National Fund for the Human Right to Water and Sanitation established under Title XIII.
(h) Likewise, the Superior Audit of the Federation shall have the obligation to investigate irregularities detected by the CSA in its annual evaluations of public servants. It shall apply the corresponding sanctions including the revocation of the mandate to officials who fail to comply, issue irregular authorizations or divert resources. The CSA shall be part of the National Inspection System promoted by the Superior Auditor of the Federation.

Title X. Create the Office of the Water and Environment Prosecutor, constitutionally autonomous (the current Federal Prosecutor for Environmental Protection depends on the Federal Executive), with one field units in each basin, financed with up to 3% of water rights, responsible for inspecting to monitor compliance; investigate claims; conduct inspections and environmental audits; resolve administrative appeals on water and environmental issues and promote the participation of the public in water and environment law creation. It is also responsible for ensuring strict observance of standards and regulations set by Microbasin Committees, Sub-basin Commissions, Watershed Councils, as well as a National Council of Watersheds, as well as those contained in rules and laws enacted by the Mexican Congress. It performs audits and evaluations, imposes fines and other sanctions, it hears public complaints and demands related to insufficient compliance and it is to inform and teach the public of the water rules.

Title XI. a. Establish the Public Defender's Office of Water and Environment: Public resources, including financing by up to 2% of water rights, for specialized lawyers to carry out strategic litigation against major water destroyers and basins (civil servants, corporations), according to recommendations of the Office of the Comptroller of Water and the Citizen Council of Basins. These instances shall appoint and, where appropriate, replace federal, state, and municipal Public Defender’s Coordinators in their jurisdiction.
XI. b. Authorize the Environment Prosecutor to enter into a Consent Decree with a municipal or state government to agree to resolve civil action arising from the aforementioned subtitle without further contested litigation.

Title XII. Shield national water of any free trade agreement or agreement. Any agreement shall have to empower people and citizens to achieve compliance with human rights, limiting and conditioning the powers of corporations. This law prohibits access to the nation’s waters for toxic mining, toxic industries or fracking, or for the irrigation of lands where toxic agrochemicals are being applied. The National Council shall have the right to review and question any international treaty which could affect water sovereignty or the human right to water in Mexico, prior to or after its signing.

Title XIII. Establishes the National Fund for the Human Right to Water and Sanitation, a revolving fund to guarantee direct access to public resources for self-organized projects in communities without access to these basic rights.

by **Pacificora** » Fri Apr 10, 2020 8:14 pm

ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF
F U L A N I A

Current Government:Military Transitional Government under the Coalition de Liberation Islamique does Puel (CLIP) and the Front-de-Liberation (FL)
Current President: Albert Requeti

N/A (First election to be held in 2026)
- Albert Requeti (chairman, CLIP Supreme-Commander)
- Alpha Oumar Gambari (vice-chairman, Executive of Administration)
- Boubacar Buhari (Executive of the Economy)
- Binta Yar Adua (Executive of Culture)
- Ibrahima Diallo (Executive of War, General Strategist in CLIP)
- Mafany Tize (Executive of Farming and Grazing)
- Kimdu Edzoa (Speaker of the Bukkaru)
- Zonga Asong (Executive of Social Programs)
- Onyama Okwangela (Executive of Energy and Resources)
- Sociga Arabo (Executive of Nationalities and Foreign Affairs)

MAROUA, EXTREME-NORD

Maroua as viewed from above shortly following the takeover of the CLIP military government

The people of Maroua were used to a quiet life. Fulani herders would often wander in and out, and whenever they wandered in, Maroua would blossom in activity to try and buy and sell their products. But even when the markets were blossoming, life in Maroua wasn’t exactly particularly busy. But for months now the city had been in a massive fervour of activity, of energy, of business, because in all meaningful senses, Maroua wasn’t Cameroonian any more.
No, Maroua, at least according to the new Bukkaru, what the Coalition for the Liberation of Islamic Fulanis, more famously known internationally as CLIP, calls their new government. No, according to the Bukkaru, Maroua was now Fulani, as it always truly had been. This city laid on Fulani land, and had laid there for centuries. This was not the land of the old artificial European constructs of Cameroon, because Cameroon was just that, a European construct, playing puppet to the French even after having gained their independence many years ago.
And maybe if the Cameroonian government had been more attentive of its northern reaches, just maybe would CLIP have been an impossibility, but in the eyes of many, this was always bound to happen, it was more a question of when. CLIP was going to take what it viewed as its rightful land, what was its rightful territories, at least that was what the people believed, and that is what Alberti Requeti had said.

POLITICAL AFFAIRS

1:30PM OUTSIDE EXTREME-NORD GOVERNMENT HOUSE, MAROUA

BREAKING NEWS: Albert Requeti is delivering an open speech on the steps of the Government House in Maroua, addressing the people.
‘My Brothers and sisters! Sons and daughters of these Fulani lands! We have taken back what is rightfully ours, these are truly joyous times!
This, my people, is the beginning of a new age for us in the African interior. We for too long suffered under the imperial grip of the Europeans, who scoffed at us, called us savages, disregarded our thousands of years of culture and tradition, and instead told us to follow their ways of life. And then, what happened when Africa was liberated? What did those privileged few of our African brethren down south say? Those that had given in and asymilated into the ways of the white man? Instead of liberating us, freeing us from the shackles that the white man put us in, they kept things the way they were!
They kept those straight lines in the sand that the white man drew, they created monstrosities of nations that were never meant to exist. Well no longer! Mi jabbata! Us, the Fulani, are going to take our rightful land, the land in which we have had thousands of years of tradition, and seize it away from the traitors in Yaounde! Those fake Africans! The fake Christians who follow the ways of devils! Those who kept the ways of the white men! This is a new age for Africa, and it is time that we took care of ourselves!
We will create a country for the Fulani people, an Islamic country, guided under the ways of Allah. This country will become the safe haven it once was for lost peoples! Christians, you are welcome. The Hausa, our brothers, you are welcome. Even those down south who see the new truth of the Fulani people and future of Africa, you are welcome. Only under the Fulani flags can this land be a haven!
So raise our flags! Take up your arms and join our fight, our fight from Hande to Jango! From Fajira to Kikide! Miyotti sosai!’

2:00PM CENTRAL COMMITTEE MEETING OF THE BUKKARU, EXTREME-NORD GOVERNMENT HOUSE, MAROUA

Present:
- Albert Requeti (chairman, CLIP Supreme-Commander)
- Alpha Oumar Gambari (vice-chairman, Executive of Administration)
- Boubacar Buhari (Executive of the Economy)
- Binta Yar Adua (Executive of Culture)
- Ibrahima Diallo (Executive of War, General Strategist in CLIP)
- Mafany Tize (Executive of Farming and Grazing)
- Kimdu Edzoa (Speaker of the Bukkaru)
- Zonga Asong (Executive of Social Programs)
- Onyama Okwangela (Executive of Energy and Resources)
- Sociga Arabo (Executive of Nationalities and Foreign Affairs)

Topic(s):
- Need for aid and resources
- Future CLIP military actions
- Future of Fulani lands and peoples
- Establishment of religious legitimacy

Transcript:
<Requeti> ‘I hearby call this meeting of the Central Committee of the Bukkaru. Let us begin with the issues of resource distribution’
<Gambari> ‘My brother, both sister Okwangela and I have to very strongly bring up the issue of this administration’s resources. We have still to formalise our control of these territories, and are running thin on supplies for CLIP on the frontlines and maintaining control of the lands we already have, as you have surely noticed in your dealings with the militia Brother Requeti’
<Okwangela> ‘Brother Requeti, all of what brother Gambari has said is true. We need to formalise our control of this territory, start implementing a tax system, and access the great agricultural resources of this land that we inhabit.’
<Yar Adua> ‘My brothers and sisters, in this implementation of administration, our culture cannot be forgotten. We are fundamentally a nomadic people, people that bring our herds to fields around the country. Let us finally implement the reforms that those fake Africans kept promising to fulfil, and establish public herding and grazing fields for the use of a significant portion of our population.’
<Gambari> ‘I hear what you are saying Sister Yar Adua, but our ideology must come second to practicality, there is no land for us to use. We can’t seize the land from our citizens.’
<Requeti> ‘Brother Gambari, we are building a Fulani nation, our people must come first. What if we allow and encourage the Zakat for our people to grant at least a section of their land for public graising? And seize all European owned farms and transform them into state owned control.’
<Gambari> ‘Brother Requeti, we have already discussed the significant issues with state seizures of European farms. Yes, it is an eventual goal, but neither my nor Brother Tize’s departments have enough resources to coordinate all of this without taking away at least some backing from CLIP on the frontlines.’
<Diallo> ‘A possible solution to this my brothers and sisters is devoting some resources to the previously discussed Operation Bottleneck. If we can seize Guider, we can move our traditional CLIP forces to just trying to hold the bottleneck, maintaining a short frontline, then try and support Fulani revolution across Garoua, Larki, Lagdo, and Gouga. There is already a small CLIP contingency in Vaimba that is proving promising in assuring that our seizure of the Northern Region should not prove too difficult. Furthermore, if we can get past Guider, then we only need be concerned about two throughways to our territory instead of four. That should allow a redistribution of resources to the Departments of Administration and Agriculture.’
<Requeti> ‘As appealing as that sounds Brother Diallo, it requires us to stop, to try and hold our ground instead of spreading the word of Allah in this Jihad, this revolution must continue in order to continue our momentum.’
<Gambari> ‘With all due respect brother Requeti, without this movement we won’t have enough resources to support that momentum anyway. CLIP and the Bukkaru must survive, if our dreams of a Fulani nation are to ever occur.’
<Requeti> ‘Fine, if the rest of you deam it as necessary, Brother Edzoa, prepare to put the increase in funding to the Agricultural and Administrational Departments to the Bukkaru. But remember my brothers and sisters, this is only the beginning. Once we control the territory we desire from Cameroon, we must bring these messages of Allah across Africa, across the Sahel. Our nation here must be the start of something much greater.’
<Asong> ‘As much as we all respect and agree with your vision Brother Requeti, we must also all remember that to do that, we need resources, and we need to have a real control over territory and land in order to have those resources, especially given less than favourable relationships with our neighbours given their Fulani populations.’
<Requeti> ‘Let us leave this discussion for another day Sister Asong. We must also discuss the issue of establishing our religious legitimacy as a nation of the Islamic religion. It is my view, and the view of brothers Tize and Arabo that we must find this legitimacy from members of all three major clergies in Islam, with the Shiite clergy especially in Iran, the Sunni clergy in Arabia, and the Sufi clergy. We shall call for this legitimacy in a public statement.’
<Adua> ‘Brother Requeti, to put it lightly this is an unlikely reality. Recognition from all three is near impossible. Yes, our Fulani people fit all denominations, but instead of seeking their permission, we should lean into the fact that we are Islamic, not Sunni, Sufi, or Shiite.’
<Requeti> ‘It is for that exact reason that we should aim to gain approval from nations and clergies of all Islamic denominations, to avoid the division that those silly Middle Easterners gave themselves. Now, we all have much to do, I believe it is time to call this meeting to an end.’

2:43PM EXTREME-NORD GOVERNMENT HOUSE, MAROUA
<Arabo> ‘Brother Requeti, am I still to go forward with directly pursuing discussions with the Algerian government?’
<Requeti> ‘Yes my brother, everything is to go as planned. Whilst the rest of the Bukkaru remains concerned with Operation Bottleneck, we must try and specifically find that foreign support to prevent our collapse’
<Arabo> ‘Why was this not something that we clarified with the rest of the Bukkaru?’
<Requeti> ‘Brother, sometimes these issues are left best between as few people as possible. The less people handling the treasure, the less likely one of them steals it for themselves.’
<Arabo> ‘Do you really think there is a spy amongst our brothers and sisters? We are not a big group.’
<Requeti> ‘I have my suspicions Brother Arabo, but as of now they are just that.’

LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS - BUKKARU EXECUTIVE DECLARATIONS

43 – DECLARATION ON PUBLIC LAND

Preamble:
1. Given the nomadic nature of many of our peoples, as true Fulanis,
2. In support of national harmony, coexistence, and stability,
3. As a symbol of religious unity as Muslims, regardless of sect or lack there of,
4. In fulfilling our promises in coming to power, and implementing the empty promises of the illegitimate Cameroonian government traditional Fulani Lands,

Operative:
1. Declaring unused, abandoned, and blacklisted lands as publically owned ‘Pulloelle’ by the government of the Islamic Republic of Fulania
2. Establishing administration over these Pulloelle to the newly created ‘Public Lands and Nomadic Lifestyles Board’ (PLNLB) as a part of the Department of Farming and Grazing, which will hold the responsibility to;
a. Administer, oversee, and register visiting herds to these areas.
b. Distribute information regarding the location of these areas and availability of these to Nomadic herds, families, and communities.
c. Ensure the safety of both the herds and people in these areas.
3. Grant Nomadic peoples liscenses free of charge over the period between the 1 Dec 2024 and the 1st of July 2025, in return for the implementation of a limited proportional tax of 5% of income in order to help maintain the PLNLB to be instituted from 1 Sep 2025.
4. Acknowledging the right of all Licence holding nomadic groups and herds to wander publically owned lands, and graze within publically owned Pulloelle.
a. Furthermore protecting this right in legal capacities.
5. Allowing and recognising a form of the Zakat as the donation of portions of private land to the PLNLB, allowing their registry as Polloelle.
6. To be fully implemented as a program following the 1 Jan 2025.

Process in Passing:
Unanimously passed by the Bukkaru

44 – DECLARATION ON POLITICAL FREEDOM

Preamble:
1. Recognising the need to implement democracy in the established Fulani lands to fulfil our promises,
2. In support of the rights of all people of Fulania to democratic government,
3. In accordance with the holy Islamic scriptures,
4. Recognising the need to protect the political rights of non-Muslims in Fulania,
Operative:
1. Allows for the creation of Political Parties other than the Front-de-Liberation (FL) in preparation for planned elections no later than June 2026 registered with the Department of Administration.
2. Establishes the following requirements in order to be registered as an official political party in the Islamic Republic of Fulania;
a. Be approved by impartial Islamic Courts of Fulania.
b. Not in any way advocate for the unfair disenfranchisement of non-Muslim citizens of Fulania.
c. Be officially supported by at least 5 Mosques, or at least 3 Mosques and 2 other recognised places of religious worship.
d. Not be considered as supported by foreign powers
3. Allows for the removal of registration with the Department of Administration by failing to uphold these requirements
4. Allows for input from political parties into the establishment of functioning elections and democracy by the temporary CLIP Military Administration.
5. Allows for input from political parties into the federalisation of CLIP territories in order to allow for functioning democracy in Fulani territory.

Process in Passing:
Unanimously passed by the Bukkaru

MILITARY AFFAIRS

To: General Keenya, Outskirts of Lam, Frontlines of the CLIP-Cameroon borderlands
From: General Diallo, Maroua, IR Fulania Administrative Capital
Subject: Operation Bottleneck
Information Class: Highly Classified

Brother Keenya, in order to better allow for administration within Fulani territories, we are to commence Operation Bottleneck in order to secure a short, defensive line requiring minimal resources to maintain. A copy of the latest version of the plan is attached, and prepare your troops for more covert operations in order to wither away at Cameroonian defences once we move into the Nord Province.
We are only planning to hold this line for a short number of months, the current deadline being early next year. Brother Gambari simply needs the time to institute his plans. I will make sure to inform you of any developments that might arise with Brother Arabo’s foreign visit that could assist your defensive line, and later offensive forces.
May Allah be with us all, inshallah.

FOREIGN AFFAIRS

View from Algiers as Mr Arabo lands

3:00pm, Algiers, Algeria. Exectutive of Nationalities and Foreign Affairs, Mr Arabo, arrived at the meeting venue in a hotel in Algiers. He was dressed inconspicuously, not to attract attention. CLIP wasn't exactly the most popular organisation internationally in Africa, and the less people knew that Arabo was here, the better, for both CLIP and Algeria.

"Greetings, Mr. Arabo. My apologies for the lackluster lodging, but this meeting is to be as secretive as possible. Algeria has no intent of openly supporting any rebels within Cameroon," The Algerian representative said, great stress placed upon openly, "tell me, what sort of support would you be looking for from Algeria?"
"Mr Representative, we are very aware that at this point, openly supporting CLIP would, to put it lightly, be an unpopular decision. At this point, all we are looking for is covert assistance. Thankfully, our lands are blessed by Allah with fertility, so we have enough food to fead our people, but without major export resources currently under our control, gaining ammunition and equiptment has been very difficult."
"Is there any way that Algeria would be able to aid us in this regard? We are aware that Algeria has a famously well trained and well eqipted military, and any assistance in that sector would be extremely valued."
"We can give similar support to that given to the Polisario front in the Western Sahara. We can send a few hundred advisors to help train your soldiers and teach them how to use more advanced military equipment, along with supplying you with military equipment. We can provide you with around 20,000 AK-47s and a consistent supply of ammunition, along with supplies and instructions to produce your own mortars, such as those used by PLO. Finally, we can send around 50 million dollars a year in financing."

“That is exactly what we need, CLIP will be eternally thankful for this assistance from Algeria. With this equipment we would be more than able to fight off our opposition forces in Cameroon. We will provide all your advisors with traditional CLIP uniforms, and ensure that they are not suspected to be foreign support. Now that that issue is sorted, CLIP also seems it important to discuss what our future relationship would be like if our plight for independence was to be successful. We were curious under what conditions would Algeria consider recognising an independent Fulania as a sovereign nation?”

“We would likely only recognize an independent Fulani nation if its independence was ensured and already de facto recognized by many other powers, otherwise, we wouldnt want to risk retribution,” he noted

“That makes sense, an independent Fulania, is to say the least, still a contentious issue, especially within Africa. But we are hoping that eventually this is only the start of a new age for our beautiful continent here, an age where Africa is for Africans and not subject to the neo-colonialism of Europe and America.” Arabo composes himself again, and after a brief pause moves onto perhaps the most controversial topic of the entire discussion. “One of the very important things that we feel we should discuss with Algeria is in regards to your opinions on our territorial ambitions and ideology. As I am sure you are aware, we have ambitions for much of the traditional Fulani lands across the Sahel. Is this something Algeria is comfortable with?”

"To be honest, it is not. The Sahel is just on our southern border, and we don't want to see the region destabilized. We just want to keep the French out of Africa, and as of the moment that involves supporting you within Cameroon," the Algerian stressed.

‘But surely Algeria recognises that France’s presence in Africa stretches so far beyond Cameroon. There’s been thousands of French troops just in your southern border in Niger, across the Sahel. This fight is so much more than just Cameroon’. Arabo hesitated for a second. In all honestly he was never the internationalist Requeti was, or wanted him to be, and he knew he shouldn’t push this point. ‘This should never leave this room, but honestly CLIP is divided over this issue. The question of our future ambitions can be answered at a later time, and the direction we chose’

"Our government is divided in our support for you too, but not heavily in your favor. You are not a high priority within our nation. If you become a problem, we will simply cut off aid and throw you to the French," He sternly remarked, "Be grateful for what you have."

‘Yeah, I can imagine we aren’t exactly the most popular group across most of Africa. I really hope this is an image we can change, and eventually build a strong relationship with our African brethren. We are incredibly thankful for your support, and may Allah be with you and bless Algeria’ Arabo stated, very aware that continued discussion would be unlikely to lead anywhere productive.

"May Allah bless us both, inshallah," He said, shaking his hand and ending the meeting.

by **Kargintina the Third** » Fri Apr 10, 2020 9:45 pm

United Kingdom
Part 5: Getting Things Done
Music for your reading

10 Downing Street
Westminster, London
United Kingdom

Prime Minister Boris Johnson sat in front of the camera yet again, planning to introduce the new legislation being put forward by the British government. Both acts had passed overwhelming with support from both Labour and SNP votes. The camera crew prepared the camera as he looked out the window. The sun shown down brightly on the city of London. Beyond that lay the rolling hills of England, his home.

"Mr. Prime Minister, are you ready?" One of the men asked.

"Yes, of course."

"Okay, live in three, two, one.. go."

"Good afternoon. Earlier today, Parliament passed two historic acts to increase the quality of living for the people of our nation. The first was the Human Development Act of 2024. This act contains many clauses that will greatly improve the lives of all citizens of our United Kingdom. First of all, the government has pledged to provide around ten million pounds to modernizing the infrastructure of our nation including roads, buildings, bridges and statues. We wish for all of our citizens to live in a nation that is efficient, modern, beautiful and useable." The Prime Minister took a breathe.

"Next up, the second clause is to invest in our economy and create thousands of jobs for our citizens. We recognize the existential threat of climate change, and thus are working to build solar farms to help move our nation off of fossil fuels. Of course our promise to insure green Scotland by 2034, so we will start with four massive solar farms across Scotland, as well as a wind turbine farm in the Pentland Firth to insure green energy in Scotland. Later on will be constructing several in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Lastly, we will be building a nuclear power in Northern England to bring both thousands of jobs and a greener future for our children."

"Further jobs will be created by invested in the tech sector. We will be investing money to bring coding and other computer science related jobs back into the United Kingdom. Our plan is to create ten thousand jobs within the next year."

"Now, the second act we have passed. For a long time, it has been debated on whether or not to legalize recreational and medicinal maurijuana. Working with members of the Labour party, we have finally passed a bill that will completely legalize growing, selling and purchasing medicinal maurijuana for everyone aged eighteen and older. My government's top priority is to improve the lives of all Britons and to insure a free market, and this bill does both. The Green Leaf Act of 2024 will legalize maurijuana that can help citizens will be legal on January 1st, 2025. However, this bill will not apply to recreational maurijuana."

"There you have it my fellow Britons. Our government remains committed to increasing development of this island and it's people. Nothing is more important than our people and that's why we are hear anyways, to serve the people. It has been rough the last few years, but together we can push forward and forge a better future. Thank you."

Laikipia Airbase
Nanyuki, Kenya
East African Federation

The sun was rapidly setting off to the west as the elite team of 22nd SAS walked across the base. Off to the east, the peak of the massive Mount Kenya was easily visible from the airstrip, shooting up into the sky in protest of the fleeing sun. The Commandos made their way into one of the hangars which had been turned into a makeshift briefing area. The Captain stood in front of a projector with a meter stick in hand.

"Pay attention gentlemen because this is gonna be quick." The Captain declared before looking around to check all of the doors were closed. "MI6 picked up an image from a drone of an Al-Shabaab compound west of Jilib. They believe they have identified Abu Musa Mombasa, a Pakistani who is one of Al-Shabaab's top commanders and the group's chief of security and training operations. Unfortunately, we have no way of knowing if he is still present but we still plan to raid the place anyways. We will be infiltrating with a HALO jump in the cover of night and breaching the compound while the Jihadists are asleep. We grab Mombasa, commandeer enemy transport and hi-tail it back to government controlled land." The Captain looked around at the eleven other team members. "Any questions?"

No answer came.

"Very well then, lets roll out!"

30,000 feet up
Jilib, Jubaland
Federal Republic of Somalia

The roar of the C-130's engines was almost deafening to those inside. To the poor Jihadists sleeping far down to the ground, they had no idea what was coming. The back door of the aircraft slowly opened to the dark sky with air rapidly blowing out of it. The plane's crew chief stood near the door, a rope holding him from flying out the back. The twelve SAS operators stood up from their seats and faced the exit. The crew chief raised his hand with all his fingers up as if ready to count down.

"Five, four, three, two, one! GO, GO, GO!" He screamed as the light on the ceiling turned green. The twelve operators sprinted at the exit and flung themselves out into the open air. The wind swept up on them as they plummeted down towards the Earth. They formed a circle as they rapidly approached the ground. The Captain did a hand gesture and they all pulled their shoots. They finished out their descent and landed in the desert a few miles out from the compound.

"Command this is Bravo Six, we are on the ground and approaching the hostile compound on foot over."

"Confirm Bravo Six, be advised there may be non-combatants on site so check your fire."

"Understood Command, Bravo Six out." The Captain finished conversing with Command and the team made their way towards the compound. It appeared almost like an oasis, a bright monument visible for miles in the desert.

As the team approached the walls of the compound they made sure to watch every possible viewing point like they were trained, pointing their L119A1 rifles at every nook an insurgent could fire from. A few long-time veterans like the Captain had seen action in Iraq and Afghanistan but for most of the team this was their first taste of combat outside of killhouses at Hereford.

"Alpha 1 take your men around back and cut the power." The Captain pointed to one of the Sergeants who took three other men with him. "The rest of you follow me to breech the front gate. No one gets in or out, understood?"

"Yes sir!" All the men chorused in unison.

The power soon cut out as the rear team completed their mission and the Captain led his team up to the front gate. It was a large metal gate held shut by chains. All of the men pulled NVGs down in front of their eyes as one of the Corporals planted a charge on the gate. "Command we are ready to breach. Bravo Six, Going Dark."

Bang!

The charge blew open the front gate and the men stormed in. Two militants in the courtyard were quickly dispatched before they could grab their AKs.

"Bravo SIx this is Alpha 1, we are scaling the back wall over."

"Confirm Alpha 1, we are securing the courtyard and sweeping the houses." The men checked the courtyard before splitting off to search the houses for Mombasa. Once inside the men set aside their rifles for silenced P226 handguns. The first house had a man in a woman in it. The man grabbed the woman and held her at gunpoint while screaming wildly in Somalia. He was quickly put down with a well placed headshot but the woman scrambled for the handgun of her dead husband.

"Shoot her!" One of the Commandos shouted and bullets quickly ripped through her body.

"Crazy fucking bitch!" One of the younger soldiers yelled.

"Keep your cool soldiers! As soon as she touched the gun, she became hostile!" The Captain quickly shut the younger soldier up. "Move to the main building!"

All teams converged on the largest house of the compound from all sides. If Mombasa was still present, he would have to be there.

"Bravo Six this is Alpha 1 ready to breach the house from the rear."

"Confirm Alpha 1 we are breaching the front door." The Captain pulled out a shotgun and blew off the hinges of the front door before a Corporal threw in a flashbang. Flowing the blinding flash the SAS breached the door and gunned down three blinded Jihadists. They kicked the AKs out of the hands of the dead men and searched the room for Mombasa. "Bravo Six moving to the second floor." The Captain stated as he led the men up the stairs. The sounds of a crying baby loudly filled the entire floor.

"Remember to check your fire." The men breached the top floor room and spotted a woman and a baby.

"Don't move! Don't fucking move!" The men approached the woman who was curled up in a corner with her baby in her arms. "Put down the child! Let me see hands!"

Unfortunately, it didn't appear that the woman understood English. One of the men approached her and tried to gently pull the baby away.

"Search her, she could have a vest!" The men finally managed to get the baby away and patted the woman down.

"Mombasa?"

The men tore the room apart but couldn't find anything.

"Shit. The Captain swore to himself. "Command this is Bravo Six, no sign of Mombasa."

"Affirmative Bravo Six you need to get out of there immediately, drone imaging shows around a dozen technicals loaded with hostiles inbound along the highway from Jilib. Advise immediate exfil."

'Understood Command, Bravo Six out." The men quickly ran outside and loaded up into two technicals stored in the courtyard. "Floor it, floor it, go!" The Captain shouted and the two trucks took off down the road. Thankfully, the government controlled city of Barawe wasn't far out and the insurgents were unlikely to follow as they floored it down the highway.

by **Greater Redosia** » Sun Apr 12, 2020 2:16 pm

Taking his private jet to the capital city was just as easy as it was when he was President, Vladimir Putin leaned back and closed his eyes. Perhaps he had power for much too long, he was tired and was getting towards the age that all leaders had to do less and let others take the post. He could relax away from the foreign affairs of the state, the domestic policy that the people followed him blindly on, the economics and environmental impacts of his decisions. Without power he simply had himself to contend to, which brought a sense of content happiness.

But deep down, there was something different, a need for the power that is no longer there. He had a plan and he wanted to be remembered in history as someone who despite the hardships from the West brought forth the Russian Federation to new heights, only he had the ability to. He gave all he needed to to the new President of the Federation, they would listen because without Putin's approval they would easily be removed by the next election or by any other means. Russia needed more that only he could provide, so as his plane gently touched down on the runway of the airport in Minsk, the ride in the car he had prepared to the Presidential Palace, the slow but decisive walking he had when preparing to enter the room with the President of Belarus...It was all to lead up towards a moment he had been creating long ago, the pieces were set and hopefully with the foreign affairs victory he planned on vaulting on in the near future, the Union State would be streamlined and more acceptable in the eyes of the Government of Belarus.

Entering the room, Putin lays his eyes on Alexander Lukashenko, with a large friendly smile on his face which was iconic around the world now. "It's a pleasure to see you again President Lukashenko, it's been too long. I am thankful you allowed me to come to Minsk and meet you, that we could stay good friends as I leave office to my successor. I pray that Belarus is able to push through these uncertain times?"

"Of course, Mr. Putin. What brings you to Minsk, Mr. Putin? Would you like a personal tour of the city?"
Without waiting for him to respond, President Lukashenko scoots him into his personal custom Tesla. The convoy began driving.
"It is so nice to be able to talk with you as friends now rather than politicians!"

"Of course, but I'm sadly not here just for a meeting of friends. But we may definitely be able to do something for fun later, maybe we can make pancakes or other closely related foods like waffles. But no, I am here to discuss the Union State. I'm sure you remember our talks about the creation of a new nation through the unity of our nations, that is what I am here to discuss and wonder what you plan on doing."

"Yes. Pancakes"
The convoy stopped at a nearby restaurant.
"Get me two plates of pancakes!" Lukashenko shouted out his window to a guard.
"Sir, it is a Chinese restua-"
"I did not stutter"
The guard obliged and went to the restaurant to get the breakfast item.
"I do remember those talks. And I AM sure that you remember those talks crumbling each and every time. Even in retirement you are persistent on this goal"

"It's a noble goal, we are one people after all. But I assure you, we can reach a compromise and definitely reach the Union State we envision. Russia is definitely going to allow some freedoms to the Government of Belarus and of course, to you my close friend. You've been an ally to me despite the situations that divide us. Suggest a starting point and we can negotiate how we may proceed with the Union State."

"Before I suggest anything, I'd like to see what is the plan that the Kremlin originally envisioned when you left there to come here"

"The original plan, which has changed over the times I have spent pondering heavily on how we can proceed. In the past we've focused too much on instant unification, that was a mistake on my part. I believe not only should we slow the political and economic integration of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus, we should find common ground to start on, such as connecting infrastructure, penal laws, education standardization, taxation and security forces such as the police. I also believe that instead of simply integrating Belarus into Russia, we both accept a power sharing agreement where the Government of Belarus and the Government of Russia are equal in regards to their domestic affairs and may have local autonomy in their respective regions until a time where we can integrate further.

"Secondly, we will create a Government for the Union State where it will be an equal number of representatives from both Belarus and Russia into a Union Duma which will create the laws of the new Union State and more importantly create a constitution that will lead our nations together as one for its people and in its affairs. We then begin elections through a run-off system and victory is granted by popular vote, thus electing the new...Chairman? We can discuss a title for the leader of the Union State later. But in the end, it would support a unified set of laws and practice of Government for both our nations. It would also allow closer economic relations as better deals can be achieved for the nation of Belarus especially through energy and other goods that it receives from Russia."

"Before I talk about the other points I shall say this. I have governed this nation as its President since 1994. I have seen Belarus grow to what it has become today, and I shall see to it that no matter what future forms the nation of Belarus takes, Belarus shall remain Belarusian. I have come to define the Belarusian character and culture. If we agree to Union State, then I cannot step down as President of Belarus"
"Another great fear I have, is the destruction of Belarusian culture. The Russian people are brothers of the Belarusians. This is known. But a brother can not become a carbon copy of another brother. This is biologically impossible, ignoring the fascinating creatures known as 'twins', which the Belarusian and Russians are not. Should integration take place, the language and traditions of Belarus shall be maintained"

"Of course! If anything, I'd beg of you to stay in power due to how much the people support you. You are needed for the people of Belarus." *Vladimir places a hand on his shoulder, softening his voice to become more caring, "The people of Belarus will never lose their culture, if anything we should encourage the bridging of cultures so that if anything, us Russians can adopt the cultural aspects of the Belarusians as so can those curious about Russia's together. We can never become one people no, but we can become two people united by our care for one another. Just as I care about you, my great friend."

The Belarusian President pondered a bit, and began going through his phone. He spent a good minute on it until he found the document.
"I myself have drawn up some proposals regarding the Union State. You shall find it in this document"

Putin was curious and took the phone gently from the President and began to look through the document, just to see what it really entailed.

It shall be made apparent that the signing of the Union Treaty shall be renegotiatied. It will not be the integration of The Republic of Belarus into the Russian Federation, but a harmonious union of two sovereign countries under one political entity. THere shall be no bias towards the cultures of the Russian Federation or the Republic of Belarus within the Union, to ensure the preservation of both cultures and respect of the brotherhood between the peoples. First and foremost, the newly created state will be a confederation. This confederation shall not be referred to as Russia or Belarus, but shall be referred to by a neutral name for respect of the cultures within the Union.
The Union shall be referred to as The Union of Sovereign Republics, in respect to the never-ratified New Union Treaty of 1991. With the name established, matters of governance and the transition will proceed.

"I believe...that this is absolutely understandable. Though one final thing must be agreed upon before we can work towards the Union..State. It's more simple to call it such if you may understand, the name for formal reasons is set in stone. The Union of Sovereign Republics is the name it shall be given, but for less than formal meetings, the Union State shall be more easily referred to.

"As for my question, a capital for the Confederation must be decided on. While Minsk is the capital of the Republic of Belarus and Moscow is the capital of the Russian Federation, to ensure that it is equal we cannot have it in either nation's capital. What I suggest instead, is that the capital and future ratification of the Union be made in St. Petersburg instead. Everything else can worked out later and the unity of our nations shall not be treaded upon each other's sovereignty."

The Union of Sovereign Republics will be referred to by the abbreviation of USR.
-All citizens shall enjoy equal protection under the law anywhere in the USR, regardless of state origin.
-The border of the member states are inalienable and cannot be altered unless agreed upon by both members of the USR.
- The capital city shall be Orsha due to proximity to the border between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus.
- The national legislative body of the USR will be a bicameral body. The lower house will be the House of Representatives with 75 deputies from Russia and 28 from Belarus. The upper house wil be the House of the Union, with 36 deputies from Russia and 36 Deputies from Belarus.
- Both the Belarusian and Russian states will maintain their own currencies for a period of three years. Meanwhile, a new neutral currency shall be developed for use throughout the USR.
- Belarusian and Russian will be jointly promoted languages in education systems, and legislation, orders, and official national government communiques shall be done in both languages.
- A transitional committee shall head the unification, with there being parallel positions from both Belarus and Russia, with said positions in charge of different aspects of unification. It shall consist of members of the respective cabinets of both nations.
- The Supreme State Council shall be the primary executive body in charge of affairs regarding taxation, finance, monetary policy, energy, education, and internal development.
- To ensure the preservation of friendship between the respective member states, energy security will be guaranteed for both member states with no financial hardship placed on either state.
- To prevent the destruction of the Belarusian economy throughout unification, a financial aid package of $500 million annually is necessary, to be provided to the executive office of Belarus to ensure proper monetary distribution.
- Payments made to each other shall not halt.

"We are willing to comrpomise in regards to names"

Putin was more surprised on how willing the other was in regards to the unification. Several points were understandable, having control of the lower house of this bicameral body would be secured while negotiating for the upper house was simply a Russian specialty. Currencies was a trouble he was hoping to avoid, but Belarus was already far ahead of him for what he planned. Same with language and education. The aid package was fine, 500 million in United States dollars prepared in case something goes wrong, wouldn't need to spend that much of it most likely. But the only problem was the capital

"I believe that the only problem I have with this, is the capital of the USR. I believe a much more suited capital for the people of Belarus and Russia would be to make the capital Smolensk. It is close to the Belarussian capital of Minsk whilst also being in roughly the same distance from Moscow. Thus making no strong connection to either nations, if you can understand."

"Smolensk is fine. I believe discussion regarding political parties in the USR legislature should also be brought up at a later time. Are the other points fine?"

"The political parties is going to be difficult, so definitely be brought up at a later time. But the other points are most definitely fine, as long as we are allowed to oversee the use of the aid package when it is being used to restore any points in the Belarussian economy."

"The Supreme State Council will provide information regarding oversight. After all they will be the primarily executive body"

"Of course. I'll forward all this information to Moscow so that they may begin the motions of unification, then to organize for the Transitional Committee and eventual Supreme State Council. Though I question, how we will decide the head of this Supreme State Council. Since although idea of a Council to be the ruling body such as that of Switzerland, it doesn't lead entirely to decisive action or to the protection in case of conflict. Which is the reason for a ruling head of state."

"The Supreme State Council comes from the old Union Treaty between our nations. It already exists. It already has a head, Mr. Putin. Have you forgotten?"

"You are correct, apologies. I haven't eaten so my mind is somewhat clouded, apologies. I've also been on edge ever since I've left the responsibility of ruling the Russian nation to my successor. But this unification of the Union State, the creation of a new constitution to benefit both our peoples and everything. It will bring us success my friend. I hope you think so too."

"Though...I question this. While yes, this does establish an already put in place executive body. The way it is currently cannot be turned into a Governing body, especially since how do we establish any sort of succession afterwards? If we keep in place the current means of Chairman and General Secretary, will it not divide the idea of unification? I believe what should happen, is the Supreme State Council be changed from its current form. Where the head of the Supreme State Council be chosen by the people of our Union. Then we will alternate every election who is in charge of the Council of Ministers and General Secretary. Does that not sound much more appealing than what we currently have, it will definitely encourage the west to look more willingly than our current form, it could have them understand our decision better instead of crying wolf about authoritarianism and no right to democracy."

The Chinese waiter finally arrived with pancakes.

"Thank you, Ping Lee. Now, Mr. Putin, I have been leading the Council since 2000. Have I not been an effective leader?"

"It's not that you've been an effective leader, it's simply that appointing a leader does not look well in the eyes of the community. If you do lead the Union State you will be targetted by Western sympathizers and spies who will try to kill you, especially since they'll associate you with the current happenings in both Ukraine and the Baltics."

Putin takes his helping of pancakes, holding it in his hands and preparing to eat it in a bit, "We cannot simply take our current leadership and simply place it for this bigger nation. This isn't just for two separate nations having close relations, but becoming one nation. Thus we need a new form of leadership. It makes no sense having a President of one of the nations in our Union being in charge of the Union, especially when the President speaks of fairness but encourages something that makes it biased to one of the nations within it. We must stay absolute in the ideals or we cannot have those ideals at all, if you can understand that my friend. We need to hold elections to ensure the West is happy and that the fairness in this new Union is upheld."

"Mr. Putin, you might be a vanguard for democracy, but I, President Aleksandr Lukashenko, am not holding such beliefs. I am a dictator. In fact, I am the only dictator in the world. I will not see to our nations kowtowing to the West"

"But our nations will be sought against by the west, your nation has close trade ties with many European nations and surely you do not wish to see the economy of Belarus falter due to the actions of Authoritarianism that you wish to hold. Or perhaps, we can come to another compromise, to encourage you to agree with my point of view."

"What is this 'another compromise'"

"Well, you are the most powerful man in Belarus and you enjoy having much freedom of being able to do as you wish. Perhaps we can take a few million dollars from that Financial Aid Package and send it straight to you, as compensation for the transition from head of the Supreme State Council and to encourage you to consider the idea of being compensated for being part of the future."

"Here are all my terms.
1. I get an annual stipend of $150 million.
2. I am allowed to have a personal protection force numbering 5,000.
3. I remain in control of the Belarusian intelligence and security apparatus.
4. There will be no diversion of oil transportation away from Belarus.
5. The leader of the individual nations of the Union State can become leader of the Union State. Of course then they'd have to relinquish their previous position. The leader of the Union State must be chosen by holding a majority in the government in both houses.
Is this agreeable?"

"I agree with these terms, however you cannot keep control of the intelligence and security apparatus if you become head of the Union State. Therefore you cannot become the leader of it unless we hold an election choosing the new leader. If you can understand this my friend, if you agree to this and we begin the transition towards the Union State, we will hold a snap election in the Government to choose the new leader."

"Of course. If I become head of the Union State I will relinquish control of the local Belarusian intelligence and security apparatus for the duration of my regime. I must state the big terms important for me is the annual stipend, a personal paramilitary force for my protection, oil security, and of course my fifth point. The leader of the union state should be elected by holding a majority in both houses of the Union State legislature. This ensures a fair parliamentary type system which all of the West will fawn over"

"The money is no problem and you'd make your own paramilitary force anyways, I don't see a problem at all with those points. The West will definitely enjoy the parliamentary system and all I need is your acceptance towards unification which Moscow will love to hear and begin work towards it. Then we hold snap elections to see who is the new leader."

"Snap elections for both houses of the Union State legislature could take a while to organize. How long wil that take?"

"It will most likely take at most...eight months. We elect a new legislature then they choose the new Head of the Union State. Completely fair and with no foul play on either side. It also gives us time to finish up the finer touches of unifying into the Confederation and gives us some time to prepare ourselves for a new future."

"I am fine with that"

"Good, now. Shall we enjoy our pancakes as a toast to our united future of prosperity?"

"Of course"
Lukashenko opened a bottle of rum and soaked his pancakes in it.
"To the Union State!"

"Oh, uh, okay then," The waiter said, before walking off.
From then on, all Chinese restaraunts in Minsk introduced the "Lukashenko Special": pancakes covered in rum.

"To the Union State"
Putin then ate his pancakes, after somehow convincing Lukashenko to the deal.

After the meeting with Lukashenko as friends and small bits of politics, Putin was back on his private jet flying back to Russia. But while in transit, he initiated a call with several of his allies not only in the Kremlin but Russian society as a whole. Several Russian oligarchs, Roman Abramovich, Alexander Abramov, Oleg Deripaska, Alexander Lebedev, German Khan, Viktor Vekselberg, Leonid Mikhelson and Vagit Alekperov. The meeting was being closely watched by the best cyber security the private industry had to date and the need for secrecy was heavy for Vladimir Putin especially for what he had to be putting in place for his success.

"Gentlemen, it's a pleasure that you are all able to meet with me at such short notice. I can tell you that Belarus will soon be joining the Russian Federation under the Union of Sovereign Republics as an equal and united nation between Belarus and Russia. The only road block is Lukashenko's compromises and the following elections that will be held in eight months time."

"Well, spit it out then Mr. Putin. We do not have all day to wait." spoke Leonid, having several important meetings with contractors in Siberia to exploit the oil there.

"Firstly is Lukashenko's insistence at having a Private Militia of his own, but I'm not as bothered since I know ahead of time. He will be looking for loyal Belorussian men to join this militia, we should attempt to establish contact with any of our sleeper agents within the Belorussian military to get them to be part of this force, if we have none we get some through out monetary base. All men can break for the right price, while we also hang something over their head if they attempt to break out of our control. We need these men to be prepared in case Lukashenko starts making moves we do not entirely approve of.

"A second problem is his wishing to control of his intelligence service, which should be easier than the private security force. I will get my contacts in the Kremlin and those within the Foreign Intelligence Service to get sleepers and activate any we already have in place, many of my friends were former KGB members so if there are any within theirs we will definitely have a stream of information of what Lukashenko plans to do and keep our own plans safe. If need be, work with those in his private security force to eliminate him. He will not stand in my path towards being Chairman of the Union State or in the way of your goals of expanding your economic operations into the nation of Belarus. Their currency will be worth these efforts and the eventual integration of our political systems and economic systems will only allow you more dominance.

"Finally, there is the elections. We cannot allow Lukashenko to win, if he does he will bring both our nations to the ground and destroy our economies further than they were before. What we need is men loyal to Russia and Moscow over their own nation running for elections. Using our funds and political clout, we will encourage those who support us to run for election to get onto the Government of the Union State. If we cannot get our allies into the Government then we will encourage them to vote for us in return with better paychecks or special offers which I'm sure you are able to compensate for their loyalty. Of course we cannot just do this in Belarus but in Russia as well, Lukashenko will have the same idea and so we must counter any of their attempts to sway the election in his favor. We will use all the power we can to ensure that doesn't happen, his victory is the loss of all members of this Union. Along with your assets."

The oligarchs remained silent, before Leonid took the lead, "We...understand the situation very well Mr. Putin. My company has been interested in ensuring that the Belorussian people get the best of deals and obtaining their pipelines to Europe would be beneficial to my company. In fact, I'm sure I can speak for all of us with Belarus under a similar economic system and the ability to remove economic barriers completely will allow our companies to grow and expand beyond Russia as we envision. With you in charge, we can also expect that you will be able to guide us. Ah..sorry, I must go. I have a meeting I must get on with." With that, the oligarchs slowly left, leaving Putin to lean back in the comfy chair of the jet. Many plots and plans were being entangled in this web, this game, he was determined and needed to win it.

by **Greater Redosia** » Sun Apr 12, 2020 2:17 pm

Russian Peacekeepers preparing to return to Russia after two years in Virumaa

After two years of Russian expansion into the ethnically Russian regions of Estonia and Latvia, showing the success of the Russian Federation in their abilities to undermine the ability of the Europeans to defend themselves and the weakness of NATO which ultimately shattered the alliance as a whole. What followed was the shattering of West and East, families in the Russian occupied zone unable to meet those in Latvia or Estonia. But in the end, they were given more freedom and unity than they were under their normal nations at least in the eyes of the Russian Government. For two years these regions were under emergency Russian military occupation and martial law, but with the easing of tensions and a new Government taking power, delegation of responsibilities must be taken. What resulted in several months of preparation and political reorganization of the region of Latgale and Virumaa.

What came of it, was the Republic of Latgale and the Republic of Virumaa, semi-autonomous regions which were allowed to create their own constitutions and local laws that ultimately gave them the freedoms they desired for so long, including under the two years of Russian military occupation. With this, Federal Russian police and ministries begin to train and organize local constituents to organize and order themselves. Police forces, education, welfare and administration. But in the end, most of the decisions are to be made by the newly elected Heads of the Republics of Latgale and Virumaa, which are to be decided via snap elections to choose their Government representative to create a Government and a cabinet to manage the Republics instead of the Federal Government. Strangely enough, the Government in Moscow didn't officially endorse any candidate, nor had any sudden influx of population from Russia come in to interfere with the local elections. Many within the Russian Federation citing that it must be the most free elections the country has ever seen in its history. The parties including the Latvian Russian Union, the new Latgale Social Democratic Party and finally the Latgalian Unity Party.

The Latvian Russian Union which has always been a Pro-Russian party which supported the rights of the Latgalian language and Russian to be the co-official language of Latvia now support Latgalian as a first language with Russian as a co-official one. Secondly, it supported the rights for non-citizens to obtain Latvian citizenship but now advocates for those who still do not have any citizenship to begin the political process to obtain it within the Republic of Latgale. Being socially-conservative and economically left-wing, many portions of the region had to be taken over by the state to continue their operations and work closely with small businesses that survived the occupation to restore services and transition them to the Regional Government's name.

The Latgale Social Democratic Party supports a Socially Liberal stance in regards to its issues and focuses greatly on a more relaxed economic transition towards a mixed economic model which could benefit the people but also private companies which would support the Republic as a whole. Focusing on ensuring all citizens are treated equally and that the Latvian minority in the region is not trampled upon like the Latvians did to them.

Finally, the Latgalian Unity Party which advocated the Latgalian people to distance themselves from the Latvian nation and the ethnic group to make an independent identity which would truly make them independent of the negligence the Republic of Latvia had been forced upon them. They although plan to run independent of the other two parties, are in the works to be a supporting coalition Government member with the Latvian Russian Union. Aiming for stability for its democratic transition over political gains.

For the Republic of Virumma, the a split from the Estonian United Left Party known as the Virumaan United Party emerged to fully represent the now Russian majority in the region and seeks a democratic socialist platform of equalizing the wealth in the region and keeping economic stability with working with small businesses and market socialist practices to support growth and aiming for an economic rebound. It sadly isn't alone in its attempt at creating a Government as a opposition of the Russian National Union, a resurgent of the party from 1920 of the same name and successor to the Russian Party in Estonia to support the prosperity of the Russian majority over the Estonian minority, advocating for the support of Russofication of the populace and focusing heavily on Russian culture and language in schools to ensure a stable Republic Government. It isn't known yet which party will take control over the Government in the snap elections, but it is heated and Moscow has yet to fully report on the situation as a whole.

President Medvedev speaking to the Duma the importance of proper education.

"The Russian people, are not getting the education they require. It is not because they cannot afford it, it's not only because of the opportunities they receive outside the nation, but because our system is broken and harms their education and their chances at success. The corruption in our education system but be removed, must be pulled from the roots if we are to grow the next generation of bright minds from the Russian youth. Our information technology sector is falling behind, our engineering becoming below the necessary standards of our nations, our doctors becoming fewer and more expensive as time goes on the more we allow this to happen. Not only will this harm the Government and the ordinary people, but the businesses too. Energy, cyber security, engineering, electrical, plumbing, all companies and small businesses in the Russian Federation will lose a base of bright minds because of our lack of care against the corruption inside the system. So we are a Government must take action so that we may modernize and improve our nation against the forces that push against it! I look to you, members of our State Duma to support our students against the corruption within our system, to ensure the future of Russia and its prosperity against the brain drain."

Russian State Duma

Anti-Corruption Initiative in the Russian Education System

As a continuation of the Anti-Corruption Campaign of 2010, the Russian State Duma proposes to begin the efforts to remove corruption in the education system with this five point goal to ensure it.

I. The safety and confidence in the students to call out acts of corruption in the system
II. The revealing and imprisonment of those that engage in corruption in the education system
III. The ability to ensure corruption does not return into the education system once it is removed
IV. The education of the students on how to fight corruption and how to locate it
V. The precedent this initiative is to set for future efforts to fight against corruption

I. The safety and confidence in the students to call out acts of corruption in the system -
I.A. The creation of a whistle blower protection program for students who wish to report corruption they have witnessed or suffered by workers of the Education System.
I.B. The encouragement to call out on corruption with Government support in obtaining jobs after graduating in both Government sectors and private sectors
I.C. Completely anonymous reports which do not reveal the identity of the student or other member who has reported the corruption.

II. The revealing and imprisonment of those that engage in corruption in the education system -
II.A. Using Federal agents to investigate any reports of corruption with close cooperation of local law enforcement
II.B. Engaging in traditional and encourage the use of unorthodox tactics to catch the corruption in the act
II.C. Increasing the punishment of corruption by eight times the amount of the bribe and/or extortion for corruption of less than half a million rubles ($7,500), fiftyfold for over half a million rubles but not over five million rubles ($75,000) and finally a hundredfold of the amount if it is over five million rubles.
II.D. Increasing the minimum jail time for offenders of corruption, to 10 years and increasing by the same amount for every amount it goes over the last.

III. The ability to ensure corruption does not return into the education system once it is removed -
III.A. The reeducation of those who conducted corruption and extortion of the students or other members of the education system.
III.B. The close inspection and with support of local administration of choosing and replacing corruption officials with capable and non-corrupt officials.
III.C. A thorough check of income that does not align up with official records and sudden transactions of unnecessarily large amounts.
III.D. Close cooperation with school guidance councilors and students to keep a lookout for corruption.

IV. The education of the students on how to fight corruption and how to locate it -
IV.A. A Federal mandated class on what corruption is, how to fight corruption and the duty of the citizens to report corruption is to be created and enforced in all schools
IV.B. The class will take place one a month every three months with the date at the discretion of the school as long as it is held by the three month period
IV.C. Schools unable to provide for the class shall receive Government support in obtaining the location for the class, speakers for the class and/or materials for the class
IV.D. Schools who actively oppose or go against the Government mandated classes shall be fined and charged with anti-state behavior and the Federal Government with cooperation with the local governments to replace the unruly faculty and administration of the school and temporarily administer the school to teach the class until a replacement is found. If no replacement is found within a one month period then the previous administration will be reinstated but under close Government oversight.

V. The precedent this initiative is to set for future efforts to fight against corruption -
V.A. The Anti-Corruption Initiative in the Russian Education System depending on success shall be the basis of future anti-corruption efforts in the Russian Federation
V.B. The Government shall take a more active role in fighting corruption in all sectors of Government and of public administration to ensure fairness to the Russian people and the prosperity for all in the Rodina
V.C. To encourage that corruption is not a Russian cultural norm or a normality to be tolerated in the Russian Government or any of its administrative constituents.
V.D. To encourage the idea of a modernized Russia that can truly be a model for all developing nations that even the most corrupt of positions are not safe from the good efforts of its people if they take a more active role against corruption.

Votes:
Yes: 379 No: 17 Abstain: 54
Votes pass the State Duma and are accepted by the Federation Council

To restore faith in Russian foreign policy after the controversial support for the independence of Somaliland, the Russian Federation officially begins transporting relief supplies and personnel to Yemen. Officially declaring it shall support both states to prevent a humanitarian crisis when tensions in the region are already starting to flare up after the recent annexation of the Syrian Occupied Zone by the Turkish Republic. The relief supplies include crates of non-perishable foods and water for the populace and humanitarian workers who come from a mixture of doctors, foreman and other engineers to reestablish infrastructure such as power and water in the region.

Many of the food supplies came with support from the CEO of Lenin State Farm, Pavel Grudinin. So many of the containers were given hammer and sickles on the lids and sides, the main focus of the Russian relief supplies and reconstruction are to be in the cities which serve as the capitals of both nations. Sanaʽa for the Houthi administered north and Aden for the Republic administered south, with future plans to expand to the rural countryside of the nations once the capitals were fully reconstructed. Of course, in the south an underlying tone of support for the Southern Transitional Council and the closely allied Yemeni Socialist Party to move away from the Hadi-led Government towards a independent South Yemen which did not need the North to thrive as it had done before the unification of Yemen in 1990. But in the end, most of it is genuine support for the suffering people of Yemen in the hopes that the refugee crisis will be mitigated and not destabilize the region further.

by **Da Klan** » Mon Apr 13, 2020 4:41 pm

Republic of India

President Shekhar Rama’s Decision Regarding Hung Parliament

Article 75 of the Constitution of India states that “The Prime Minister shall be appointed by the President and the other Ministers shall be appointed by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister.” As is parliamentary tradition, it is the leader of the largest party in the Lok Sabha capable of forming a government that is selected to become Prime Minister. In this instance, the composition of the Lok Sabha suggests that despite having the most seats, the Bharatiya Janata Party and the National Democratic Alliance coalition would be unable to form a coalition government and govern. To give the Prime Ministership to Amit Shah would threaten the political fabric of the country and does no assurance of preventing deadlock. Recalling the great history of corruption from the Indian National Congress, I am equally hesitant to give the Prime Ministership to Shashi Tharoor. Therefore, I am exercising my constitutional powers vested in me as President of India and am hereby authorizing the dissolution of the Lok Sabha on the date of August 2nd, 2024, and for a general election to occur on September 20th, 2024 in accordance with the Constitution. In accordance with the Constitution, the Rajya Sabha shall act as the sole Parliament Prime Minister Amit Shah shall be the leader of the caretaker government until elections are finalized.

New Delhi

“Amit Shah you goddamn idiot. You bloody clown. You simpering little fool. You Baluchi goat herder. You ought to go pray now because it will only be through that will we beat this hung parliament! First you throw out Modi, then you jeopardize the chance of an India free from the reigns of the INC!” Shekhar boomed.
“You buffoon!” Amit Shah roared. “All that calcium from that milk you drank as a kid must have gone to your cranium because your skull is as thick as my-”.
“You know it’s political suicide to bring up your sexually deviant and immoral past so stop doing it! We might risk everything now because you managed to lose at winning an election!”
“We can still form a coalition. YOU are the one who threatens to tear up this alliance, Shekhar”
“Amit, you simpleton. As President, I must always be the impartial force. More than anything, our nation needs stability. Either win a majority, or you will resign from office, Amit”
“You going on about being impartial sounds like some liberal. I came here for advice, yet you degraded me when I entered in this room”
“You want advice to win? It’s easy. We have an old enemy needing to be taken care of. Do it before the 10th of September and I assure you that should you be successful, you’ll cement your heroism in the hearts of millions of voters before election day”

Parliament of India

Due to the dissolution of the Lok Sabha by President Shekhar Rama, the upper house of Parliament, the Rajya Sabha, has become the sole legislative body until the September 20th elections. The Rajya Sabha represents the interests of the states, while the Lok Sabha represents the interests of the people. Even in times of uncertainty as it is now with the dissolution of the Lok Sabha, it is necessary that the government still try to exercise some form of rule of law.

The Rajya Sabha will maintain the current budget from the previous year until General Elections.

The Nalanda Initiative Act
The history of India includes over a millenia of a rich culture and religious traditions. This tradition had spread as far to Southeastern Asia, especially Dharmic traditions involving the teachings of the Gautama Buddha. It is the imperative of the Indian Republic in foreign affairs to promote peace, cooperation, cultural exchange, and mutual understanding in order to maintain the Republic of India’s key position in the world as a negotiator for peace and advocate of a better world. With these points in mind, the following piece of legislation has been put into Parliament, which shall enact the following:
This act shall define the Nalanda Initiative as an international educational and cultural program regarding Dharmic thought and philosophy, especially as promulgated by Gautama Buddha. The intention of the Nalanda Initiative is to preserve Dharmic tradition abroad, conserve Indic cultural heritage and architecture abroad, and to promote Dharmic philosophy and thought. The act shall provide easily accessible education based on the aforementioned ideals.
The Ministry of External Affairs must dedicate 15% of its total budget towards the Nalanda Initiative annually.
The Government of India will integrate the Nalanda International University into the Nalanda Initiative.
The Government of India shall reserve the final right in regards to decisions of faculty, funding, admission, and similar campus matters on campuses within the Republic of India, however it shall be largely autonomous in governance.
Domestic employment in the Nalanda Initiative will be conducted via the Ministry of Labour and Employment for prospective Indian citizens who are in possession of an Aadhar card and in pursuit of a degree relating to pedagogy.
Extension of the programs to encompass primary and secondary education in participating countries is authorized with express permission from the participating country and approval from the Ministry of External Affairs.

Indo-Bangladeshi Meeting

Prime Minister Amit Shah's first foreign visit was to the People's Republic of Bangladesh. The plane landed in Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka, the Prime Minister ready to meet with his Bangladeshi counterpart.

Bangladeshi Prime Minister Nazmul Hassan Pappon greeted him as his flight landed. "A nice journey I hope?" He confidently asked

"Yes. A fine journey to a fine country, Prime Minister. Shall we get to business?"

"Of course" they were quickly wisked away into a town car which took them through the streets of Dhaka to the Lalbagh Conference Hall where the meeting area was set up. They all took there seats and a small meal of dates curry was provided for them. "Now lets discuss, did you have any opening ideas for investments or actions you wanted to take first?"

"We want close cooperation and collaboration with your government, due to the shared cultures and our intertwined histories. First on the list is energy. Last year in 2023 India and Russia helped complete the constructin of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant. With this growth in nuclear energy and research, India is willing to work with Bangladesh regarding the utilization of thorium for nuclear energy. This wold be beneficial for both our energy needs"

"We would be interested in pursuing this kind of program. However, before we construct any further nuclear power stations we would first like to set up a Nuclear Waste Recycling system, much like what is used to France, so that we do not have an nuclear waste we must store or keep track of. But such a system would work and we believe would be a beneficial system for the two of us, so we can agree on this."

"A recycling system would be beneficial, yes. With oversight with the IAEA and cooperation between our respective militaries, we can ensure this system be just as efficient as the French system and safe as well. Would Bangladesh be interested in the establishment of a research university dedicated to nuclear energy? The university would be similar to the Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology i that it would be a university set up with joint collaboration of our respective governments"

"We already have the Atomic Research Institute in Baipayl, however, if you wish to work together to help expand and modernize its facilities, I'm sure we would be open to working together on that."

"That is wonderful to hear. Another matter I want to move to before we discuss further collaboration is a matter of security. As you are keenly aware, Myanmar has been in a state of extreme disarray, and the flooding of Rohingya migrants into your borders poses a regional security threat. On behalf of the Republic of India, I am asking what the People's Republic of Bangladesh seeks to do regarding Myanmar. India will not act in Myanmar until we know what Bangladesh intends to do there, and India does not want to engage in actions in Myanmar that can cause spillover or instability in Bangladesh"

"We are prepared to do whatever it takes to secure the Rohingya homeland. We would prefer if the solution were of course peaceful and diplomatic, however, and therefore we would like to see the Rohingya get an autonomous region within Myanmar where they are allowed to live in peace and safety. With that said what is India prepared to do?"

"India is prepared to go so far as to take covert military action to ensure the stability of the region. Myanmar's instability is a grave threat to Northeast India"

"Yes of course. However, this begs me to ask the question of whether once the situation is resolved an alliance should be created with the Burmese. Once in place we can prevent the fall of the republic into another military Junta and help protect the border regions with a diplomatic front. It would be wiser in this regard, I believe, to keep our enemies close."

"Should the hypothetical new republic arise from the pseudo-junta in Myanmar, it would be imperative to ensure their close cooperation with our governments. I do not think a diplomatic solution is entirely possible with Myanmar"

"It should at the very least be pursued one last time, for the sake of peace and prosperity, one last time. But perhaps we should move onto other matters, and leave such discussion for future reference."

"Of course. It would be of mutual benefit for both of our nations to link up Northeast India to some of Bangladesh's ports, especially the Port of Chittagong, Port of Matarbari, and the Port of Payra. India is willing to collaborate with Bangladesh for the necessary infrastructure to be implemented"

"Bangladesh would be interested in such a project. It would require at least a few billion dollars to expand the highways and rail networks necessary to support the traffic, however. To make things easier, I could set up more border checkpoints as well."

"A fair price to pay for regional integration. Now, in regards to infrastructure projects, the Indian government does not intend to and is unwilling to provide any ludicrous loans to foreign governments. We will ensure that any project we cooperate with the Bangladeshi government will ensure an equitable loan if necessary, or the proper vocational training to Bangladeshi citizens to help India with projects in Bangladesh"

"Yes of course, and I'm sure you have heard about our recent education reform, soon we are planning on shaping up the University system as well and we'll be getting European and East Asian quality workers into the workforce in just a handful of years. Of course help with training is always welcome. We are planning on setting into motion a number of infrastructure projects soon, which should help make the nation more interconnected and able to contribute as well. In particular we have been looking into expanding our river transport system, with several river ports along the various major rivers in the country, this will make moving goods a lot easier and cheaper as we'll be able to use large barges, perhaps you would be interested in helping with such a project as well?"

"India would be willing to aid with technical research and viability. The Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Programme would be more than willing to provide necessary researchers, blueprints, and data necessary for Bangladesh to develop said infrastructure"

"And moving into other areas we would like to diversify our import and export partners, so as to not be overly reliant on any specific nation and provide healthy and competitive prices for our nation to buy. In specific to you we would like to see an increase in Iron and Steel imports to Bangladesh as well as other natural resources. Any ideas how we could work together to accomplish such a task?”

"I suppose if Bangladesh is willing to lower tarrifs, India could coordinate for iron and steel to be imported into Bangladesh. If reforms are passed in Bangladesh regarding pharmaceuticals, India could also assist in that sector of imports. India is also more than willing to advocate for Bengladesh in regards to trade negotiatons with foreign nations as well"

"And in regards to diversifying trade partners, I believe increasing regional trade ties in South and Southeast Asia would be beneficial"

"Of course, thank you for your input. Are there any other points you wish to raise?"

"I have no further points to raise at this time. Unless you have anything, then I must say this has been a splendid meeting, and I look forward to future cooperation with Bangladesh"

"Sure, so just to get settled on the points of agreement reached between us, the Indians are willing to:
- Work to ensure the development of Thorium usage in Bangladesh Powerplants
- Help develop a nuclear waste recycling system
- Develop the Atomic Research Institute in Bangladesh
- Help develop Bangladeshi infrastructure to connect India cities and Bangladeshi ports
- Open and further develop border checkpoints
- Help develop a river port network in Bangladesh
- Ensure an increase in Iron, Steel, and Pharmaceutical exports to Bangladesh
- and vouch for Bangladesh as a reliable trade partner"

"These are the points yes”

"Alright very well then, I look forward to our further cooperation in the future. As always this has been a pleasure."

Indo-Cambodian Meeting

The Minister of External Affairs lands in Phnom Penh, waiting for the Cambodian delegation to greet him.

Cambodia’s iron Prime Minister Hun Sen emerged from his state limo, pushing away the attempts of his bodyguards to assist him. The 72-year old authoritarian removed a glob of nicotine gum from his mouth and handed it over to a bodyguard, missing the paper wrapper and sticking it into the man’s palm. As the Indian plane finishes taxiing and begins the process of disembarking, he waits at the bottom of the airstair to greet the Indian foreign minister with a handshake.

"Looking fresh as ever, Prime Minister Hun Sen. It is an honour for me and the Republic of India to meet with you today. We have much to discuss" Foreign Minister Anand Shad said, shaking the Prime Minister's hand.

Hun Sen‘s sunken features offered a toothy smile. “State visits between our two countries are some of the brightest moments in Cambodia’s foreign relations.” Motioning to their transports back to The Peace Palace. “Please, I would not want to delay your schedule unnecessarily.”

Minister Shad follows Hun Sen to The Peace Palace and into a conference room. "Prime Minister, there is without a doubt that our respective nations have historically been enriched by the mutual cultural exchange that we have historically enjoyed centuries ago. The influence of that exchange is still strong in Cambodia, a mighty people maintaining their culture even when they were under the colonial thumb of the European forces. Now as we venture into this New Age, our respective countries have fought hard so that we can govern ourselves free from the rules of a foreign people hundreds of thousands of miles away. With the old American axis falling, India seeks not to create a new axis, as that would only be a continuation of an old and oppressive system, but rather India wishes look back to it's history and resume the exchange of ideas and knowledge that it had once zealously engaged in. To India, the strengthening of Indo-Cambodian relations represents the beginning of a new era of international relations. One built on mutual cooperation and understanding rather than economic or military dominance"

The misshapen eyes of Hun Sen focused on his Indian diplomatic guest as the Prime Minister let him spew out his prepared piece. He listened but he also had 7 other issues knocking around in his head just as important as good relations with the Indian government for ensuring he remained both prime and minister. When the man in front of him finally concluded Hun Sen seemed to pause for a moment to take it in then responded, “Well, minister Shad let me tell you that my earlier comments on the tarmac were not just well learned politesse but sincere—even if that itself might sound like politesse. I do believe Cambodia and India have a special relationship of our own, just like the UK and US have theirs. Without your government’s support in the Vietnamese invasion, peace would have come much later to Cambodia if at all. This is why I know for certain you are sincere when you say you seek mutual respect and cooperation, not subjugating as Beijing does.”

Annad had to exercise caution with his words now. True, the Prime Minister did express discontent with China, but equally as true is the glaring fact that Cambodia was largely reliant on China for its imports. "If it is your contention that your relationship with Beijing is of economic subjugation, then India is willing to act in whatever way necessary to ensure Cambodia is engaging in fair and secure trade not detrimental to its standing in the global stage. But on immediate matters, India seeks to strengthen this relationship by establishing academic institutions, helping Cambodia maintain its cultural heritage sites, establishing cross-educational and cross-cultural programs, and helping Cambodia diversify its economy"

Hun Sen thought about all the countless other cultural agreements he had signed with other nations. The ones with the floral language meant to give a show for the cameras as each head of state signed it. He smiled as he prepared to mostly ignore the comments on China. A slip up on his part. He needed to balance the two sides to get benefits from both. “It is my contention that the relationship between Cambodia and India can always be improved upon and is a constant work in progress. We would be happy to diversify and strengthen our existing agreements, and add more.”

"Prime Minister Hun Sen, I am aware that there are still elements of Cambodian society and the diaspora which rebel against you, falsely accuse you of corruption and other heinous activities which a man of faith like yourself would never commit. Accusations from degenerates. What the Republic of India is offering you, is the opportunity to purify your nation from those who seek to dismantle your 40 year long legacy of progress, and we offer this through faith. Under India's flagship 'Nalanda Project', India will provide you an interest free grant of 1 billion USD for the circulation of Buddhist-oriented educational curriculum within Cambodia, 1 Nalanda college campus in the capital with 5 satellite, funds for the Cambodian government to construct temples, money for the maintenance of Angkor Wat, and student exchange programs for Cambodian youth"

"Now, this false speech I've mentioned, that's moha, delusion. These dissenters are engaging in moha, which as the Great Buddha said, is Sarambha. That leads to violence. There is no doubt that those who oppose you seek violence against your era of benevolence. With India's help, we'll provide the funding you need to greatly expand the connection between the temple and your authority to ensure that there is authority and respect for your reign in your country and to remove moha from your society. You will be the enforcer of order to those who seek chaos"

Hun Sen pondered this for a moment. For forty years, he had balanced religious groups and faiths with each other to keep his regime free of religious conflict. The opportunity to make the religion an absolute base pillar of his power base. “Hmm. These all sounds like very productive programs that I would be happy to be a part of. I would just like to add that I think the Cambodian youth need military discipline and Buddhist education. Would the Indian government be open to the possibility of a youth organization that instills military discipline and Buddhist-centered education.”

"Of course, Prime Minister. That would be splendid. What do you have in mind for the youth organization?"

“It would be managed by the armed forces and provide some sort of reserve pool to draw officers from. Officers that are prepared for the task of serving their nation with their entire will. Eventually, it could grow to become a major, perhaps the primary, organization for youth.”

"That sounds splendid, Prime Minister. India is more than willing to assist in this front. In fact, the Republic of India is even willing to coordinate with domestic Cambodian intelligence agencies to ensure the security of your state, and to protect your party from undemocratic opposition harassment. Now, are there any matters or sectors the Cambodian government wishes to see investments in?"

“My government would like to cultivate new industries. Industries of the future. We have a strong desire to build a digital economy as it presents opportunities not just for Cambodia but also for potential investors. Our digital economy has been gradually taking shape and creating new business activities in digital payment, online entertainment and e-commerce. India’s investment could be a strong driving force.”

"India is more than willing to assist in the Kingdom of Cambodia's rising digital economy. Should Cambodia emulate the same policies it took towards American tech companies to Indian companies, Cambodia would easily see growth in its various sectors. 5g infrastructure can be provided at below market prices as well"

“Well, hearing your agreement and enthusiasm is just what I wanted to hear. The details can be worked out by the bureaucrats.”

"Of course. If that is all, Prime Minister Hun Sen, then I believe we have reached a decent agreement" The Foreign Minister extended his hand to the Prime Minister

The Prime Minister shakes the minister’s hand. “It’s always a pleasure receiving a delegation from India.”

by **Da Klan** » Mon Apr 13, 2020 4:42 pm

Republic of India

Multi-Agency Centre

CLASSIFIED

The Multi-Agency Centre was established following Pakistan’s intrusion into Kargil, Ladakh in 1999. It is an inter-intelligence agency which coordinates between India’s various intelligence agencies. The following orders have been issued to the appropriate agencies for the purpose of protecting India.

All India Radio Monitoring Service:
-Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Maldives classified as nations of interests.
-Broadcast media owned, operated, or determined to hold significant influence from the People's Republic of China from aforementioned nations to be monitored.
- Development of broadcast disrupting technology to begin effective immediately.

Aviation Research Centre & Joint Cipher Bureau
- Authorization to purchase civilian aircraft and retrofit with necessary equipment granted.
- Regular (regular meaning twice a week, with authorization to conduct further flights if determined appropriate) flights along India’s borders (with respect to Jammu, Kashmir, Ladakh, Sikkim, Assam, and Arunachal Pradesh: the line of control) for image and signal intelligence of any possibility of external threats attempting to encroach on the border.
- Intercepted communications determined to be of origin from Pakistan or China to be interpreted by Joint Cipher Bureau and immediately presented to the Prime Minister and President.
-Map out likely military outposts for Chinese and Pakistani militaries along Indian border.

Central Bureau of Investigation
- Trace origin of Naxalite arms suppliers
- Investigate foreign financing in state-level elections in the Northeast region of India.

Intelligence Bureau
-Increase surveillance on Chinese nationals within the Republic of India and their whereabouts.
-Identify likely spies from the People's Republic of China.
-Determine key points of interest for the People's Republic of China in the Republic of India.
-Begin development of foreign espionage detection program (to be detailed in future MAC order).

Central Economic Intelligence Agency
-Monitor movement of Chinese nationals within the Republic of India who officially claim to be involved for business.
-Monitor Chinese business dealings within the borders of the Republic of India.
-Collect information on all financial details possible regarding Chinese businesses within the Republic of India.
-Monitor management in economic sectors deemed vulnerable to foreign markets.
-Sri Lanka designated a nation of economic interest.
-Establishment of front companies to purchase important companies or significant shares in Sri Lanka authorized.
-Important companies or significant shares to include anything in relation to the
telecommunications, information and technology, agriculture, and fishin sectors
-From Indian Embassy in Maputo, Mozambique, identify politicians determined most willing to accept foreign money.

Directorate of Naval Intelligence
-Provide constant updates regarding location of People’s Liberation Army-Navy assets within the Indian Ocean.

National Technical Research Organization
-Satellite monitoring of Chinese military positions along Indian border.
-Develop communication platform for exclusive use of Indian government.

Telecom Enforcement Resource and Monitoring
-Monitor communication between civilians of Republic of India to People’s Republic of China.

Directorate of Military Intelligence
-Retrofit existing Indian foreign military bases with appropriate technology for listening on nearby Chinese communication and interception of Chinese messages.

Research & Analysis Wing
-Identify number of permanent Chinese military personnel and assets present in Coco Islands, Myanmar.
-Identify and mark key BRI infrastructure in Myanmar
-Identify opioid smuggling routes from Myanmar to southern China.
-Recruit among global NRI (Non-residential Indian) population.
-Develop plan to infiltrate the People’s Republic of China.

by **St George Territory** » Tue Apr 14, 2020 7:25 pm

Under the Mirabeau Bridge
there flows the Seine
And our loves recall how then
After each sorrow joy came back again
-Le Pont Mirabeau, Guillaume Apollinaire

PARIS, FRANCE

Paris, the city of lights, settled more than two millennia ago by Gaulic tribes, one could say that not much has changed from her barbaric origins if you heard the arguing in the Parliament, although mercifully words are the weapons of choice. The many smoky cafes, quiet theatres, awe-inspiring museums that hold some of humanity's crowning achievements in art and science, France had seen better days, as Macron traveled through the streets of Paris from the Presidential palace. What was on the streets was a far cry from the palatial Palais de l'Élysée, the economy had taken a beating in the past decade ever since the Eurocrisis of 2012, the yellow vest movement of 2019. Macron sighed, thumbing through several pages of notes; the European Union much like France had seen greater times, but like a pheonix would arise from the ashes and show the powers of Russia and the United States that she was not to be underestimated.

Traffic seemed merciful in the Parisian streets today as the presidential limousine quickly made its way past the Fontaine de Mers and onto the Pont de la Concorde over the Seine, once parked, an attendant quickly opened the door for Macron who made his speedy exit and on to address the National Assembly, who eagerly awaited to hear what was to be the blueprints for establishing what Macron said was to be 'a slow but steady revolution to grow the French economy.' A topic that had been at the top of the agenda for Macron's government, constantly attempting to chip away and paint over the damage, the election of 2022 was a wake up call for many, with his handling of the Virumaa Crisis being what many commentators considered his saving grace.

Past the formidable colonnades and the gaggle of reporters and flashing lights of cameras, Macron made his way swiftly onward through the door and past rows of guards, over three centuries of French culture, a wonder to behold, but one that Macron had seen many times as he passed staffers exchanging greetings towards the National Assembly, which was in a state of relative ease, with fairly good attendance in wishing to hear what Macron had to say. Macron made his way to the podium shaking hands along the way. Several cameras from national and foreign correspondents were set up awaiting the President's speech.

Clearing his throat, Macron placed his binder onto the podium, opening it and commenced his speech, looking to the National Assembly, "Madames et Monsieurs of the National Assembly, for to long France has stagnated under an uneasy economy, rural communities suffer from issues such as lack of accessible healthcare, housing, economic handicaps of the sort, to grow the French economy, there must be a revolution, like our forefathers of the glorious revolution, we must make France stronger, and with that the economy of the European Union. Many current events may bring about feelings of pessimism, we are not meeting the challenge that is expected of us, of our Union. The Republic of Latvia and the Estonian Republic have suffered greatly, regretfully. But there is always some silver lining that may be found, one such thing is that of the Polish; where they have commenced an agricultural revolution, what they can do in Poland, I believe can be done in France tenth-fold. Our goals are immense, our plans massive, I cannot lie to you and say that everything is alright, that the ship isn't taking water, non. What I can tell you is that France is on the precipice of something great, in our past, we may look to events such as the World Wars, the Franco-Prussian War, and we must realize that France has always come back from near defeat, not alone though, but through a combined force today we have the ability, we have the means, we have our Union!" Macron took a moment to take a sip of water as he gazed out to the crowd, he could see many of his political foes, among his most hated Marine Le Pen, but she mattered little as he enjoyed encouragement from his party.

"Our economy is in need of a revolution, yes, but with that I would like to take but a moment to address matters of the larger world, I think we can all find a few words that can describe the current state of the world, some of those better left unsaid in the presence of polite company, but one word I believe that is universal is chaotic from the current humanitarian nightmare that has been brewing in Yemen for the past years, where as a result of the conflict Twenty-two million Yemenis are in dire need of assistance, with eight million at risk of starvation, combined with an outbreak of cholera, there is undeniable chaos, the global response has been deafening in its silence, seemingly only Russia has come to provide support to the Yemeni people. We live in an age of chaos, I wonder what the future holds, something what I know though is that there is no future in a divided Europe, no future that would be recognizable and in any form that would know peace and prosperity. There are those that will say that our project is failed, a sinking ship, they will say 'look at Virumaa! How can we defend against that?' I would say to those, that our revolution will transform Europe, relying on America for as many years as we did was foolhardy at best, near ignorant at worst. It showed that we must rely upon the Union for our defence, and once America comes again, we will allow their assistance, but relying on them is foolish, Europe must guard our homes, I think about the courage of the Latvians at the battle of Rēzekne, where 102 brave soldiers withstood twenty-five thousand, to say that we do not have the will to defend Europe is wrong, we lack the resources, but through communications and working together with our Union, this continent, we shall defend. Undeniably these are chaotic times, that we must traverse and fight onward, together. I know in the future that America will regret its inaction, as I regret not taking more, but mercifully Latvia stands. Estonia stands, Ukraine stands. We must not forget that together what we can achieve in these turbulent times, where tensions are greater and the theoretical 'what if?' has occurred. I know that what I am saying is gloom, but we must act now."

"To bring the conversation southward, to Africa, the situation there seems equally dire, as the Fulani state has attacked the rightful Cameroonian government, France, in accordance with our steadfast determination to the stability of Africa will not stand idle while rebels harm the progress that the Cameroonian government has made, like when we battled Daesh and combated extremists in the Sahara, we shall once again battle against terror and chaos, and offer our full support towards Cameroon and invite any nation that wishes to see peace." Macron coughed into his sleeve as he flipped pages in the binder, until he found the page labelled 'New Economic Policies'

"France has been faced a situation that I would say, if you forgive me, for the great amount of pessimism, I can promise you that there is some optimism; but the situation is turbulent. The state of the European Union is turbulent, we are in a debt crisis that has no end in sight unless we act now, that is why we are all here today, why I am here is to sell it to you. I would like to break down our issues one at a time, our hors d'œuvre will be tackling the issue of unemployment, which is at a rate of 8.5 percent, an unacceptable number that puts a strain on our social services, compared to that of the United Kingdom and the United States is simply unacceptable. Therefore, investments must be made into the economy to support our industries in growth, offering incentives to grow skills and fill needs in the economy, overhauling public transport to fight issues such as climate change and improve citizens abilities to not only find work, but to access essential services such as those residing in rural communities. The main battle for the French economy will be fought in the technical colleges and universities, where we must inspire our youth and those who require work to seek the education and fill our labour shortage. To improve our industrial sector is imperative for the prosperity of France. Overhauls will be needed, sadly we will need to take a look at labour laws and speak with our business leaders to calm fears around hiring new workers. This is not to say that the industrial sector is the only one that we must take a look at, for instance, our agricultural and service industries. To bring you back to the beginning of the speech, don't worry, it all has a point." Macron takes a moment to take a sip of water.

"Our rural communities are suffering, primarily these communities rely on the agricultural sector for their economies, the Polish, have been able to jump start their agricultural industry, an effect that I believe can be replicated throughout the European Union, to increase self sufficiency and be able to assist areas of the world that are at risk of famine, such as the aforementioned Yemen, where eight million souls are put at risk. Strengthening the capacity of French farms through direct investments and subsidization we can seek to begin our revolution of France, strong words, I know, but where it can be done in one part of the Union, we will seek to replicate and enhance on a greater scale. Our service industries must as well see investment as the backbone of the French economy, lightening the load on our fuel taxes while also making public transport more accessible and affordable will meet our need to cut carbon emissions while not sacrificing our economy. In the coming days we will present legislation to enact the revolution, working with regional partners for the betterment of the Union. Better days are ahead of us! Vive la France!" Macron waved as he took his exit to applause from his party, the National Rally on the other hand, sat resolute as they awaited Macron's exit.

by **Hanoverian Great Britain** » Wed Apr 15, 2020 1:07 am

THE HASHEMITE KINGDOM OF JORDAN
المملكة الأردنية الهاشمية
Al-Mamlakah al-’Urdunniyyah Al-Hāshimiyyah

Zaatari Camp, Mafraq, Jordan

"It is just surprising on how many refugees have went back to Syria at the moment", commented a refugee camp guard, who alongside a few of his coworkers had been busy monitoring the movements inside the Zaatari refugee camp. "Agreed Mahmoud, but the total amount are not so many", responded Tamir. Since the Syrian Civil War's end in 2022, the Jordanian government had been partly encouraging Syrian migrants to return home, citing economical strains and difficulties. While there were considerations of asking for financial aid from either the United States or China, such move would only increase the debt of Jordan itself. Regardless, so far, only around 315,000 refugees of the civil war had been accounted as having returned to their homeland for the past 2 years, while a small portion of them went back on their own decision.

Government to increase police force size by 2%

As part of the government's long-standing commitment to address the country's financial burden, the Minister of Interior has announced a far-reaching program to curb unemployment among Jordan's youth by encouraging participation in the country's law enforcement agency. The director of the PSD, Major General Hassan Al-Zafar also agreed with the extension plan, citing that "it is best for the country's youth to indulge themselves in professional jobs that benefits the country".

In addition, the government has also insisted that further strategic decisions such as reducing loan interests and cutting down on funds in several sectors are also being considered as the government entered its 2nd year of the "National Recovery Program", following the aftermath of the Syrian Civil War which had became a major factor in hampering Jordan's economical growth.

Hussein II assures investors that Jordan is "politically" stable despite challenges

"The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is a nation that stood still against challenges and it has been proven many times, including the present", declared Hussein II in a special press conference this afternoon. The 31-year old king, since taking power on the death of his predecessor Abdullah II 4 years ago had been instrumental in cooperating with the government in spearheading a much needed recovery of the country with a liberal agenda. For instance, the "National Recovery Program", which aims to reduce the unemployment rate down to 15% by 2030 has been filled with various steps and measures to address the country's problems. In addition, far-reaching and complex plans are yet to be implemented in the fight against poverty, but this is expected to be implemented in the vicinity.

"The kingdom, as we know it has been referred to by many as the oasis of peace, and despite all these challenges, it will continue to serve as the oasis of peace and rest assured, it is viable for every able country to contribute in our fight in ensuring that such peace and prosperity could be achieved through diligent and adequate means", added the king.

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