Foreign Concerns Gazette/Year 444 - 444.5

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Category:Session Summaries
Economic News:
*"Uneven Sanction Responses from '3C Powers'" After threats to cut off trade in event of Imperial entry into Confederate Space, Shantine Empire and Serene Duchy of Aeldrum follow through, but Alusia reverses position, maintains Confederate commerce. Aeldrum, citing that the Imperials were not part of its commercial ultimatum, preserves trade with the Fialta Imperium.
*"Shantine, Aeldmen Sign Major Arms Contract" Shantine and Aeldman Governments Reach Contract for Aeldrum to Provide Majority of Shantine Military Materiel and Supplies, at Significant Savings.
*"A Realignment on Trade?" Flurry of trade deals, signs of cosmopolitical fault lines.
**Deutschreich increases trade ties to Alusia, but Sermaye pivots from Alusia to Shantine-Aeldman-Directorate trade bloc in exclusive commercial deal. 
**Aeldrum and Saldan reach a free trade agreement and a technology investment contract.
*"Heavy Imports" Alusia begins massive import program of capital goods from Aeldrum, Saldan. First Druz migrant workers arrive in Alusia to help establish this new 'model industry'.
*"Racking up Debts" Aeldman Government, Bank of Valdos both raise enormous funds amidst growing international uncertainty. Investors flock to bonds, but some financial experts keep a wary out for a long-term deficit pattern. Imperial and Aeldman governments both believed to be running a deficit, but Aeldman treasury remains largest in cosmos, followed by Valdosian Bank.
*"Confederate Integration Program Unveiled: Major Financial Gains for Fialta Emperor, Dalthadi Bakken" Integration of Confederate economy into the Imperial economic system is rapid and lucrative – growing pains and reduced foreign trade cause some economic anxiety for Confederates as Imperial economy soars and Imperial tax revenues grow an estimated 20%. Confederate Princes, buoyed by Valdosian largesse, express high optimism, rally populace. Dalthadi church launches ambitious unity program, sees gross tithing increase over 25% across the Confederacy and Imperium.
*"Tightening the Belt Now to Feast Later" Empress Illyana of Alusia declares to her people a time of national growth and investment; announces a '5 year plan' to raise per-capita income in Alusia to new heights through state-led industrialization. Alusian citizens enthusiastically support talk of industrial growth, proudly share stories of Alusian export achievements, but significantly increased tax burden weighs heavily on short-term growth prospects, consumer spending.
*"A Rising Tide Lifts All Boats" Massive Aeldman state investments in industrial development in the Aeldman colonies, while Core Worlds enjoy continued Tech Sector Growth from Ethernet Contracts. Aeldman state investments also include huge outlays, equal to estimated 7-8% of Aeldman GDP, to reorganize swathes of Aeldman steel, chemical, tinned food and machineworks industries on Aeldrum and in Core. Stocks in affected industries soar.
*"A Shot Across the Bow" Aeldman naval yards and munitions factories increase input to support large increase in military strength. Mass recruitment of Aeldman regular troops in the colonies. 
International Relations:
*"Strange Bedfellows" As Religious Violence Grips Confederacy, an Unlikely Alliance Between Moderate Kirvan Clergy, led by Rising Star Bishop Tarlo, and the Dalthadi Bakken Produces Resounding Calls for Unity, Raises Millions for Interfaith Reconstruction of Damaged Churches.
*"A Worst Case Scenario" As Confederate Crisis Grows and Local Princes Called for Imperial Assistance to Bolster Ineffectual Congressional Troops, Bishant, Alusia and Aeldrum issue a mixed message of support for Confederate independence and offers of assistance in combating civil unrest, while threatening dire sanctions if the Confederacy accepted Imperial military presence. Though pro-neutrality Congressionalist leaders welcome the support, a general revolt of the Princes in Congress results in a constitutional amendment, forming the Fialta Defense Community with the Fialta Imperium. The high level language of this amendment is copied below:
**The Confederacy shall, from the date of accession of this amendment, enter into a mutual defense pact with the Fialta Imperium (the "Fialta Defense Community", or FDC).
**Upon activation of this amendment, the Fialta Emperor and his designated representative shall negotiate the terms of the FDC, including an applicable policy framework.
**The framework shall include as its foundational principles: (i) mutual respect and a preference for peace (ii) mutual recognition of defense needs (iii) freedom of navigation (iv) military cost sharing and (v) the respective rights reserved to the Emperor and the Princes on other matters, to be defined
**Our junior correspondents in the Confederacy report that effective immediately, Fialta Imperial ships will begin patrolling Confederate space, and Imperial troops will assist counterinsurgency efforts. Off-the-record diplomat comments "In six months and without firing a shot, the Imperium all but undid forty years of containment that the Coalition spent millions of lives to secure."
*"No Hard Feelings?" Sermaye makes compensatory payment to Alusia for trade annulment and floats future factory purchases.
*"We May Have a True Partner At Last" Strong words of support for Alusian rapprochement from leading Deutschreich politicians.
Military, Criminal and Disaster News:
*"The Dossier My Brethren Gave Their Lives For" Knight of Adarnum Gives Exclusive Interview on the 'Marivan Dossier', Which Provides Photo Evidence, Schematics of Massive Imperial Naval Construction. Financial Analysis, Production Photos, Suggest Imperial Navy Could be at Least Twice as Large as Previously Believed, and Growing.
*"Televised Arrest of Knight of Adarnum Chapter on Marivan" Outrage Across Fialta Imperium as Evidence of Mass Knights of Adarnum Conspiracies Emerges -- Photos of a "Skinchanger" Occult Monster in KoA Employ. At Least 20 Knights of Adarnum Believed to be in Imperial custody. Evidence of Widespread Knights' Activity in Imperium, Confederacy.
*"Gone Quiet?" Alleged Aeldman Serial Killer Seems Not to Strike in Confederacy Anymore.
*"Vive L'Empereur!" Wildly Jubilant Fialta Crowds Greet Imperial Troops Sent to Confederacy to Put Down Civil Unrest. Kirvan clerics advise the faithful to stay home, avoid trouble. Kirvan rebels forced to retreat to hinterlands across the Confederacy.
*"Put Us In!" Fialta Nationalist Militia flock to enlist in the Imperial army as auxiliaries; Self-Styled Grand-Captain Mirbus of Fialta National Front claims "If His Imperial Majesty Puts up the Weapons, We Can Give Him a Division Today, and Ten by Next Year."
Culture and General Interest:
*"Reaching an Understanding" Patriarch of Ahlam Reverses Criticism of Kirvan OnlyFlames platform after reaching media-exchange deal with Shantine Patriarchs, Empress Kataph. Ahlam begins distributing Shantine OnlyFlames Content, While Delivering Live Speech on Pan-Kirvanism to the Faithful on Bishant.
*"The Mystical and the Modern" OnlyFlames content continues to soar in popularity across Bishant, Aeldrum, Alusia. Patriarch of Ahlam distributes sermons from himself and the Shantine Patriarchs into Confederacy via ethernet link with Alusia. Open-Air Watch Parties Attract Thousands.
*"This is Not Kirvanism" Shantine Empress Denounces Excesses by Individual Knights of Adarnum, But Speaks of Redemptive Power of the Church and the Sacred Mission of the Knights. The Empress continues to center herself as the secular face of Kirvanism: unprecedented outpourings of adoration from non-Shantine Kirvans Accompany Empress Kataph's Ethernet Appearances.
**Defiant Shantine Patriarchs Denounce Enslavement of Kirvans as Far Greater Evil than Any Adarnan Violence.
*"Once a Dalthadi, Always a Dalthadi?" Patriarch of Korinth Places a Temporary Excommunication on Bishop Tarlo, Citing "Betrayal of the Kirvan Faithful" and "Suspect Religious History". The Patriarch has chosen to request a vote of the Kirvan Council of Patriarchs to formalize the Excommunication of Tarlo. Tarlo was formerly a Dalthadi seminarian before renouncing Dalthad and joining the Kirvan Church.
*"Shantarans: Masterminds or Scapegoats?" As Denunciations of Knights of Adarnum Proliferate, Kirvan Church Leaders In and Out of Confederacy Maintain Shantaran Agents-Provocateurs Responsible for "False Flag "Religious Violence in the Confederacy.
*"Hostility to the Knights at an All Time High" Knights of Adarnum roundly excoriated by Confederate, Fialta Imperial media: Dalthadi Church launches a popular civic watch campaign. Kirvan moderates condemn Knights of Adarnum provocations and false flag activity, but maintain that they believe Shantaran agitators caused initial violence.
*"Not Just for Big Business Anymore?" Ethernet Cafes Open on Aeldrum, Harwel, Lidenia, Calath. Terminals at Each Cafe Allow Users To Connect with Users At Any Other Terminal in Any Other Cafe -- Lag-Times Of Under 1 Minute Are Reported. Prices remain high, but cafes attract crowds of well-to-do Aeldmen
**"We Will Not Be Censored" Ethernet Neutrality Becomes Rallying Cry on Aeldman Ethernet Channels as Users Decry Corporate Control of Ethernet
**"The Spirit of John Jones Lives On" Ethernet Cafes in Serene Duchy Become Hotbed of Conspiracy Theories. Claim that Alusia is Arming Kirvan Radicals, Shantine Fringe Groups Dominates Ethernet Buzz. Acronym WWJJD Animates Message Boards.
**"Who Made the Spires?" Viral posts in Aeldman ethernet campaigns suggest that the Spires are older and far more cosmically significant than any work of Baradun. Our correspondents report this fascination spreading into salons and public houses across the Duchy.
*"In Our Folly, We Have Let the Arrogance of Aeldrum Push Us Right Under the Emperor's Boot" Prince Paloctus delivers furious, tearful speech to Congress of Princes. Standing ovation from ardent Congressionalists, but many Princes walk out when Paloctus decries "The Flow of Tainted Valdosian Gold into the Pockets of this Assembly."
*"An Expression of Loyalty" Multiple Confederate Princes Fly Imperial Banner Above Confederate Flag, Seek Audiences with the Emperor.