Foreign Concerns Gazette/Year 445 - 445.5

*Main article: Grand Strategy 1*
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**Economic News:**

* "Glad to be Noticed" *Shantaran Free State Accepts Trade Agreement with Empire of Alusia, Negotiates Navigational Rights.*
* "Kickstarting Saldan Trade" *Academy of Saldan Establishes Trade with Empire of Alusia, Empire of Bishant, Marches of Thalran. Bishant and Thalran accept Toll-Free Passage of Merchant Ships Between Alusia and Bishant. Alusia-Saldanese Relations Prove Instrumental in Smoothing Discussions.*
	+ "Mass Education?" *Academy of Saldan and Alusia discuss mass training program for Alusian workers to enter new pre-fab factories. Ambitious matriculation of up to 1 million students per year is projected.*
* "Celestial Horizon" *Aeldrum Establishes Trade with New Celestial Confederation (NCC).*
* "More Guns" *Aeldrum Inks Military Supply Contracts with Thalranese, NCC.*
	+ *Aeldman steel and other manufacturing concerns complete reorganization under the Ursa Consortium.*
	+ *Aeldman Arms Industry and Affiliates Now Represent 6.9% of Aeldman economy (direct arms sales represent 2.7%).*
* "Selling Our Souls?" *Shantine Patriarch Decries Trade with Slave-Holding Powers, Induces Shantine Empress to Once More Sever Ties with Fialta Confederacy. Patriarch Jan Excoriates All Powers Profiting From Commerce with Slavers. Shantine Trade Ties with Slave-Holding Thalranese Remain Currently Unaffected.*
* "Now Accepting Pre-Orders" *Alusian "Factory-Factory-Factory" Project Completed, to National Fanfare. So-Called F^3 Represents Unprecedented Mobilization of Capital Goods Manufacturing. Imminent "Factory-Factory" Rollout Excites International Attention, as Investors Wait for Modular Factories to Come onto Market in Phase 3 of Alusian Industrial Plan. Sermayan, Confederate, Deutschreich Buyers Register Significant Interest.*
* "System Online" *Kingdom of Druz Ethernet Hookup to General Etheric Network Launches Successfully. King of Druz Presides Over Start-Up Ceremony with Aeldman Officials.* *Sermayan Ethernet Network Slated to Launch in 6 Months.*
* "Shifting the Burden" *Aeldrum Enacts Steep Tax Hike on Tithing by Religious Institutions, Offers Modest Tax Break to Rest of Economy. Idolmarite Cardinal and Kirvan Patriarch Protest, Citing Lack of Public Social Services to Compensate for Reduced Church Functions.*

**International Relations:**

* "A Defusing Detonation" *International Observers Give Sigh of Relief as Each of the Null Bomb Capable Powers (Aeldrum, Fialta Imperium, Bishant, Alusia) Completes Controlled Simultaneous Detonation of a Null Bomb at Neutral Site, In Moral Victory for Arms Control Efforts.*
* "Perhaps Not Too Open" *While Trade with Alusia Continues, Deutschreich and Serene Duchy of Aeldrum Reach Impasse Over Trade Discussions.*
* "Confederate Partition?" *Rumors Swirl of a Breakup of Fialta Confederacy as Confederate Government Continues to Prove Impotent to Resolve Rebellions and Peacekeepers Excite Controversy. Princes Confer in Private As Crisis Mounts: Leading Figures Include Prince Paloctus, Prince Gunnot. Majority of Princes Register Pro-Imperial Stance, But Loud Minority Begins Open Discussion of a Breakaway State in Confederate Congress.*
* "Stopped at the Border" *Patriarch Jan's Abolition Address Does Not Reach "FialtaNet" (Confederate, Imperial Ethernet), but Kirvan Churches Replay Broadcast Offline to Jubilant Confederate Congregants.*
* "Historic Conference Planned" *As Confederate Crisis Remains Unresolved and Outrage Over Fialta Slaveholding Increases, Aeldrum, Alusia, Bishant, Fialta Imperium and Thalranese Marches Agree to Major Diplomatic Conference. Issues at Hand Include Future of Fialta Slavery and Resolution of the Confederate Question.*
* "Abolition is Our Priority" *Shantine Empire Emerges as Moral Leader on Issue of Slavery in Fialta Territories. Observers Note Military Mobilization, Economic Activism as Signs of Significant Commitment.*

**Military, Criminal and Disaster News:**

* "I'm Doing My Part!" *As Confederate Crisis Drags On, Shantine Empress Calls Feudal Levies and Bonded Merchant Ships into Service, Effectively Doubling Fighting Strength of Shantine Navy and Tripling Ground Strength.*
* "Slow and Steady Mobilization" *Serene Duchy of Aeldrum Continues Mobilization at Same Rate as Previous Six Months, Estimated at 40% the Recent Rate of Shantine Mobilization. No Evidence of Further Fialta Mobilization.*
* "All Quiet?" *Fialta Imperium Shows Little to No Mobilization Activity, But Experts Caution that Secret Mobilization is Not Out of Question.*
* "Playing Soldier or Building an Army?" *Fialta Confederates as Young as Twelve Joined Up With Militia Groups For Camaraderie, Sense of Order. Now, Thousands Are Forming A "National Corps" to Support Police Functions in Confederacy: Skeptical Peacekeeper Officers Comment* "They Spend More Time Parading Around Unarmed Kirvan Civilians Than They Do Actually Protecting or Fighting Anyone." *On Many Worlds, These Corps Outnumber and Outgun Princely Forces.*
* "Kirva's Judgment Upon You" *Recovered Weapons from Kirvan Partisans "betray" Fialta wielders – Several Fialta Officers Severely Injured as Battle Trophies Turn on Them. Kirvan Partisans and Sympathetic News Outlets Rejoice at "Divine Intervention."*
* "Your God is Firing Blanks!" *Imperial, Confederate Generals Uncover Occult Nature of Weapons Captured from Kirvan Partisans. Overwhelming Evidence of Occult Sophistication Leads Intelligence Officials to Claim Partisans Must Receive Foreign Assistance.*
	+ "Petition of Princes To Execute All Knights of Adarnum Upon Capture Gains Raucous Support in Fialta Confederate Congress"
	+ "Leaked Audio Of Known Knights of Adarnum Meeting with Key Partisan Leaders in Confederacy" *Files Captured in Raid*
* "Death to Tyrants" *Riots in Streets of Delarman Capital as President-for-Life Orders Crackdown on Demonstrators. Enclave Embassy Recalls as Elvish Subjects to Militarized Elvish Quarter as Rioters Attack Enclave Symbols and Threaten Elvish Delarmans.*
* "The Mother of All Storms" *Etheric* "Mega-Storm" *Disrupts Trade Routes Around Yushan. Celestial King of Aksai Reportedly Seeking "Military Solution" to Alleged "Nipponese Divine Provocations"*

**Culture and General Interest:**

* "One God, One Morality" *Kirvan Patriarch of Bishant, Jan the Baptist, Delivers Impassioned Speech with Act of Divine Intervention to Rapturous Onlookers at Shantine Imperial Cathedral. In Two Hour Speech, Shantine Patriarch Excoriates Moral Failings of Great Powers in Tolerating Fialta Enslavement of Hundreds of Millions. Patriarch Interweaves Claims of Kirva's Divine Supremacy with Visceral Reminders of Horrors of Slavery – Thousands of Listeners Reported to Weep and Beat Themselves for Complicity. The* "Abolition Address" *Becomes Record OnlyFlames Success Across Shantine, Alusian, Aeldman Networks.*
	+ "If Parlor Tricks Get This Kind of Reception, I Can Recommend an Excellent Dalthadi Fire-Eater" *Confederate Princes, Imperial Grandees Comment Derisively on Abolition Address. Thalranese Warriors and Priests Decry Attack on "*Thalranese Way of Life*" by Kirvan Foreigners.*
	+ *Sales Explode for Cameos of Patriarch's Distinctive Image and Color Scheme for Kirvan Laity Fashion Lines*
* "He Cleans, He Folds, He Cooks!" *"Mister Brass" home androids debut in special limited-run order from Aeldman Mechatronics Corporation (AMC), A Partner of GE. First 1000 models to be sold domestically, Sermayan Distributor Secures Distribution Rights for Sale of 5,000 Models Outside Aeldrum. AMC Promises "Drink Mixer Protocol" Computer Card Next Season, Compatible with Current and Future Mister Brass Models.*
* "We Need a Succession Plan" *Imperial Intellectuals Debate Future of Imperium as Uncertainty About Imperial Succession Casts Shadow over Imperial Leadership in Confederacy.*
* "Bloodsap: The New Opium?" *Deep Red Color of Drink, Semi-Permanent Lip Stains Add to Unusual Fashion Appeal of Mildly Addictive Drink of Choice for Fialta Princes, Now Expanding Rapidly into Alusian and Aeldman Markets. Chartered Organization of Aeldman-Shantine Medicines (CHOAM) Assures Shareholders that Opium, Spice Sticks Will Retain Market Dominance.*
* "'Silk Baron of Yushan' Flops, But 'Pelvis' Breaks Box Office" *Critics Prefer 'Silk Baron' for Artistry and Direction, but 'Pelvis,' featuring three previously unreleased songs of Mr. Resley, the late halfling country rock star, offers comfort and nostalgia.*
* "Noloth Hysteria" *Ethernet and Public Discourse on Mysterious Noloth Reaches Fever Pitch with SECOND Confounding Appearance of Ship in Aeldman Space, Now at Telrion From Long-Rumored "Third Line." Aeldman National Security Officials Make No Comment.*
	+ "The Spires, The Lanes: Noloth" *Academic Monogram Circulates with Firmer Occult Evidence for Noloth as Hitherto Unknown Elder God.*
	+ *Several High Profile Individuals Affirm Noloth as Aeldrum's God, Seek to Develop Rituals. Nipponese Expatriates Host "Noloth Sessions" to Teach Lore of Elder Gods. Baroness Lavenia Exhibits Shrine to Noloth in Fashionable Aeldman Salon.*
	+ *Aeldrum MPs Form Commission to Investigate Noloth.*
* "Licensing the Flame" *Shantine OnlyFlames Content to Be Licensed on WeFlame Platform Alongside Other Religious Media, Including Discussions with Pentacle Clergy.*
	+ *OnlyFlames Content Remains Most Popular, and OnlyFlames "Bootlegs" Continue to Proliferate in Alusia (Despite Arrests).*
	+ *Pentacle, Syncretic Clergy in Alusia Protest at Broadcast of "Kirvan Supremacist" Speech by Jan of Bishant.*
* "Abolitionism: A Growing Cause" *In Wake of Jan's Abolition Address, Protests Across Alusia Demanding End of Trade with Fialta Slavers. Saldanese Alumni Criticize the Academy for Allowing Trade with Thalranese. Aeldrum Abolitionist Clubs See Dramatic Increase in Membership. Sermayan Trade League Claims It Will Not Hear Any Diplomatic Overtures for Fialta Commerce Until Abolition Question is Resolved.*
* "Friendly Brawling" *Alusian and Directorate Units Reenact Old Boxing Rivalry from Past Coalition PeaceKeeping Efforts.*
	+ *Exhibition Match Between Alusian and Directorate Sergeant Majors, both Coalition War Veterans, Ends in Mutual Knockout, to Uproarious Approval.*
	+ *Chess Exhibitions Attract Considerably Less Interest from Directorate Troops, Who Complain that Game Improperly Simulates Merits of Infantry Wave Attacks: Proposed "Chess-Boxing" Format with Forward Capturing Pawn Rules to Debut Soon.*
* "Etheric Guitars and Blue-Robes" *Shantine Merchant Style Moves to Forefront of Shantine Material Culture as Trade Heats Up, Bishant Looks Outward. Sermayan Merchants Begin to Emulate Shantine Styles.*
* "Patriarch of Sevalne Accepts WeFlame Contract" *In Lengthy Interview with Alusian Minister Beriak, Patriarch Outlines Vision for Economic Progress Through Kirvan Cosmic Ties and Cooperation between Church and State. Patriarch of Sevalne Continues to Emerge as Champion of "Cooperative Kirvanism" in Friendly Dialogues with Alusian Intellectuals.*
* "Ethernet Cafes on Aeldrum Buzz with Rumors of 'K'" *Former Aeldman Intel Officer Writes at Length on Folly of Aeldmen "Falling for Same Trap Year After Year" In Confederate Quagmire, Claims to Leak Secret Details on Aeldman Foreign Policy.*
* "Drawing in the Net" *Ethernet Cafes See Significant Reorganization as Aeldman Media Companies Move into Ethernet Space, Spearheaded by Major Investments from Count du Montreal.*

**Foreign Concerns Special Economic Report:** GDP and GDP/100k people of the Great Powers:

* Serene Duchy of Aeldrum: 43.8k econ, 1.62/pop
* Shantine Empire: 29.8k econ, 1.19/pop
* Empire of Alusia: 23.6k econ, 1.54/pop
* Fialta Imperium: 14.7k econ, 1.02/pop
* Thalranese Marches: 5.11k econ, 2.5/pop