Husani Antar has been named the most influential person in 2023
GLOBAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDANT: Travis Canterbury (TCanterburyOfficial)
TOFINO - Annually, the Tofino Times releases a list of the most influential people of the year. As 2023 concludes one of the most tumultuous years on record, the list has been determined by the effect these individuals had on both domestic and international narratives, policy, and culture.
20. Ilberto Baurant: President of Ossinia
19. Tullia Grönberg: Prime Minister of Caspiaa
18. Oljon Slach: President of Sateroc
17. Paul Wasserbaur: Prime Minister of New Anea
16. Elisabeth Rademacher: Prime Minister of Besmenia
15. Akram Sulaiman: President of Emmiria
14. Qin Chen: President of Yuan
13. Sayako: Emperor of Tosichi
12. Yannis Kormoulis: President of Syraranto
11. Oriol Miguélez: President of Paraboca
10. Cekov Marino: President of the World Cup Organization
9. Arthur Davidson: Senator and 2024 candidate for President of Zamastan
8. Kaenan Bullock: Prime Minister of Unified Sera
7. Sylvain Buzitu: 13th General-Secretary of the CCA
6. Amir al Abadi: First democratically elected President of Terehan
5. Sabine Armitage: The President of Zamastan began the year with a troubled start. As the increasingly unpopular military campaign in Terehan was confronted with a growing insurgent group, and as she signed controversial legislation lowering the national minimum wage, Congressional Hall began impeachment inquires and an eventual trial over the President's financial dealings and backroom negotiations with the embattled oil and gas company SanCorp. Armitage narrowly survived a vote-of-no-confidence, and used her near-political-death experience pace her policies. She reshuffled her cabinet, forcing out several department heads, and appointing congressionally-suggested nominees in what many viewed as a gesture of mediation. She heralded a sweeping tax cut in the summer, followed by an education reform bill, both of which were received with positivity. Riding this boost in ratings, Armitage announced that she would seek a second term in July. Armitage's international standing saw an immense shift as Terehan concluded its first democratic elections, and shortly thereafter Armitage led WEDA in a daring and risky naval intervention as Yuan blockaded Haduastan. Her staunch world positioning only furthered as Haduastan was invaded by Elastan, and her trumpeting to supply Haduastan with WEDA-made weapons was credited with their successful counter campaign.
4. Pope Clement III: The archbishop of North Kai, Clement III ascended to the papacy upon the passing of Pope Marcellinus II. As the head of the catholic church, Clement III broke historic barriers as the first pope from western Adula, and the first person of color to be elected pope. In his short time as leader of the catholic church, he has adopted a more conservative stance than his successor, reverting more progressive stances that Marcellinus had put in place to the admiration of liberal Catholics, but to the criticism of more traditional worshipers. In his role, Clement III has found himself in an adverse role of acceptance, with praise from traditionists and criticism from progressives. However, he has likely become the most outspoken and widely publicized pope, already having made dozens of international trips including many to impoverished and war-torn regions, and he is frequent in his appearances to the public and in acts of service.
3. Sartaj Bali: The embattled Prime Minister of Haduastan found himself in the crosshairs of political disaster as the year began. Rampant economic turmoil as a result of mismanaged international agreements, followed by a naval standoff with Yuan was forcing his hand into concession after concession. Bali made a gamble in his tossing of membership with the TTPA, but his abandonment eventually paid off when the forces of Elastan and its allies invaded the disputed Nidayar province. WEDA and several other nations in the international community began flooding Haduastan with money and weapons, not only keeping their economy alive, but their chances of survival lively as well. Bali stood firm in his position, cementing himself as a wartime leader as the war expanded, and seeking support from the CCA. As the war concluded and an armistice agreement was reached, Bali has found himself in prime political positioning to stay in office, should Haduastanis continue to see him as a positive figure. Internationally, his image is one of dispute and controversy even in nations friendly to him, but his influence is undeniable.
2. Hossein Usavi: The longtime democratic opposition leader to the nearly 23 years of Bahadar Panwar's regime, Usavi's imprisonment by the government of Elastan led to a surge in demonstrations against the regime unlike any which had been seen in the decades prior. Usavi, being the most prominent opponent to Panwar's control, was seen as a threat for his outspoken views against the war in Haduastan. From his cell, Usavi called for a revolution by peaceful means, rallying hundreds of thousands of people, mostly students, to take to the streets and occupy city squares. As Panwar ordered his regime to clamp down, Usavi endured torture at the hands of his captors. Eventually, the rallying cries of the demonstrations and Usavi's letters from prison inspired dissatisfied army generals to join the movement, ousting Panwar in a coup as he fled to Yuan, and releasing Usavi from prison, and appointing him to the head of a transitional government whose first act was to mediate a ceasefire and an end to the conflict in Haduastan.
1. Husani Antar: The first opposition party leader to be elected in Zalluabed since the rise of the dominant Conservative Islamic Party party, narrowly defeating incumbent Zayyaan al-Akhtar. Antar's election was widely celebrated internationally as his promises of a shift in the largely antagonistic policies of the previous government began to be implemented. He was the first Zalluabedi head of state to visit Albarine since the World War, and reentered into normalization talks with Zamastan and other WEDA nations. Ultimately, his progressive policies made him an enemy of al-Akhtar's supporters, and following Antar's public declaration to seek an end to Zalluabed's membership in the TTPA, the military began a coup which overthrew his government and forced him to flee to Albarine. Antar established a government in exile, supporting a rebel movement which struck up against the military. And while Zalluabed plunged into a civil war, Antar's continuous international effort to bring attention to the plight of his people garnered him the backing of the highest caliber of democratic world leaders, and to this date, an aerial intervention over the Qahazar peninsula by the forces of WEDA and ANS to support the pro-democracy rebels.
The GLP presidential contender's quick action likely saved lives, says fire department
SOCIAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDANT: Edward Renene (EddyReneneOfficial)
TOFINO - Senator Arthur Davidson was taken to a hospital Sunday night for treatment of smoke inhalation he suffered trying to rescue his next-door neighbors from their burning house in the Kingston neighborhood of Tofino. Davidson, the senator for Holish Islands' second district and currently the frontrunner for the GLP nomination for president in 2024, had spent the day at Congressional Hall where funding negotiations are underway between the liberal-led congress and conservative-led senate. He was later at ZNN's downtown studios for an interview before returning home, at which point he discovered his neighbor's house was burning. Entering his neighbor's home, he assisted a woman escape the structure.
"I just grabbed her and whipped her out of the bed," Davidson said in recounting the fire. Davidson told The Tofino Ledger he also suffered second-degree burns on his hand.
The fire started in a two-story building on Telthorne Avenue in the Upper Kingston neighborhood, shortly before the senator arrived home after a television interview with ZNN. Five people were taken to the hospital for treatment: the senator, a woman from the house, and three members of his security detail. The woman was listed in stable condition at Saint Thomas Medical Center in Kingston with burns to her back and neck.
Senator Davidson is expected to hold a press conference at 10 a.m. at his home to discuss the incident.
Kingston District Fire Director Fateen Mahmood said after the senator arrived home he saw flames and smoke from the second floor of the building next to his home, and no residents outside. Davidson rushed in and his security detail followed him, Mahmood said. As fire and EMS arrived, they administered oxygen to Davidson and his security detail and took the senator to the hospital. Kingston Fire Chief Adam Centanni was at the hospital with Davidson and said the senator and his detail were "banged up" but would be fine. The residents of the building also appeared to be okay.
Centanni said the senator executed a professional rescue and possibly saved the life of one resident. After being released from the hospital, Davidson recounted his experience at the fire and said he thought he might have to jump out of a window because of the heavy flames.
"We got everybody out of the house, but their daughter's screaming, 'I'm upstairs!' " he told The Tofino Ledger.
One of his security officers tried to stop him from going back in. The officer had been posted at Davidson's house in the mayor’s absence. The other two detectives were accompanying Davidson from the television interview.
"Now we actually get into a fight because his job is to protect me," Davidson said of his security detail. Davidson said when he reached the second floor, he was engulfed in flames and smoke. "I suddenly had the realization that I can’t find this woman." Davidson said. "I look behind me and see the flames and I think "I’m not going to get out of here. Suddenly I was at peace with the fact that I was going to jump out the window." Then he heard her cries in a back bedroom. "I just grabbed her and whipped her out of the bed," Davidson said. The two made their way downstairs, where they both collapsed, Davidson said.
Davidson's actions were praised by his colleagues on both side of the political aisle, and it appears his popularity in polling has received a vital boost which, in the latest Tofino Times showings, place him in a double digit lead to his GLP opponent Euan Gunn.
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