Zargathian News Network

[Amyante]

Population Census completed

Recently, the Zargathian government has issued a full census of the population to get an updated count of its citizens. The last such count dated back from before Inner Mongolia was handed to us by the former Lu Empire, and their regional census had simply been added to ours. Now that the situation had normalized, inspectors went door to door to get a more precise count of how many refugees and citizens had snuck over the border during the troubles.

The numbers showed that Zargathia has a population of sixteen million, signifying a 19% increase over what had been previously thought. After this categorization, immigrations officers are working hard to issue passports to these 'ghost citizens', giving them legal status in our country after a mandatory background check, as well as equally mandatory integration courses.

[Amyante]

OOC; Stock Market wonder and the Hospital improvement. Though Hospitals aren't Wonders (hence why it isn't front page news) i'm still making a minor article about it since you can only have one.

IC:

(from left to right: Stock market, hotels and the white Royal Palace in the background)

Zargathian Stock Market opened!

Zargathia has reached an economic milestone today with the opening of the first Stock Market in Harbin. The ribbon was cut by her Majesty personally signaling the start of trade. The building itself, aside from the stock market, houses various conference rooms for business transactions and negotiations as well as a five star hotel next to it, and lies within five minutes from the railway network and major roads.

Some leftist organizations have voiced their concern about what they see as Zargathia taking a more capitalist route as opposed to many of its neighbors, but the Queen in her role as government reassured the people that this would not be the case.

Amyante - "Though financial health and a good economy will remain pillars of Zargathia, you have my word that the people will not be overlooked. The stock market will assist in gathering the necessary funds for other projects and as such it was given priority over others, but no previously accepted petitions have been or will be canceled."

As to what these other projects are no official statement has been made of yet, but the government has stated that should a schedule of some kind be known, they will let us know.

(reporter on his way to the hospital)

While the stock market has taken up most of the attention, it has not been the only press release of the government made today. An abandoned monastery has been converted to a hospital for those suffering from the effects of radiation poisoning and other long term illnesses, and outfitted with the best in medical science Zargathia has to offer. It is believed that the clean mountain air and peaceful surroundings will have a positive effect on the patients, speeding up the recovery process. Our reporter has been sent in to interview some of the personnel, and the special will be broadcast next week at eight.

Though Zargathia has had no run ins with nuclear weaponry, the cleanup processes in Furon and Michuraza has given our medical personnel a vast amount of experience when it comes to treatment of radiation damage, and it is hoped that with the opening of this hospital, this expertise will not be forgotten.

On to Rob Sherman for the weather...

Edited December 13, 2009 by Amyante

[Amyante]

Election Fraud? In MY Zargathia?!?

After the announcement of the Carthagian government that Zargathians have been involved in the Somalian election fraud scandal, the Zargathian government has launched an investigation of its own. Though relations between Carthage and Zargathia have never been good, a government official has stated that 'regardless of the event being fact or propaganda, several loopholes in Zargathian law have been found' making it 'frighteningly easy to commit and cover up such acts'.

While personal donations to political parties will continue to be allowed, the government is currently searching for alternatives to seal these holes without compromising the freedom of speech that allows for the creation of said parties. While the search for those responsible for setting up this election fraud ring are still to be found, the government stated that they are hopeful that interrogation of the Zargathian operatives will provide some much needed leads for ZEIS to investigate this scandal as a matter of National Security.

[Amyante]

[quote name='Amyante' date='17 November 2009 - 07:29 PM' timestamp='1258482874' post='1975915']
[center][size=5][i][b]Oil Phase-out Announced![/b][/i][/size][/center]
[/quote]

[center][size=5][i][b]Oil Phase-out Completed![/b][/i][/size][/center]

After a long while, the Zargathian government has finally reached its quota. Roughly 90% of all civilian, commercial and public transportation is done by electrical vehicles, the remaining 10% being 'within acceptable environmental boundaries'. While a spokesperson has mentioned that it would be impossible to completely ban fossil fuels from the country, environmentalist groups have said they are elated with the results, and are hoping Zargathia's neighboring countries will follow its example.

For foreign traffic -- consisting of most of the 10% -- fossil fuel stations are still available at gas stations near important roads, where governmental subsidies have allowed existing gas stations to expand, adding 'pumps' to charge up electrical engines. While gas prices are on the rise due to a decrease in demand, thus making fossil fuel pumps more expensive to maintain, analysts expect electrical engines to be low-cost and efficient enough to compensate for an increase in price to compensate fuel pump holders for their loss on maintenance.

[kitex]

*** Message to the Zargathian government, specifically the head of Immigration***

[i]To Whom It May Concern:[/i]

I'm looking to retire, as much as a former president can, and have decided to go with Zargathia. I'm currently in the nation on a visa and would like to know where I can take my citizens test. Also any fees that need to be paid can be directed to the Blue Heaven government.

Sincerely,
John Shiznay

[Amyante]

Dear Mr. Shiznay,

We find ourselves honored by your decision to settle in Zargathia. Citizenship tests are available at the municipalities of every town and city. Depending on where you wish to retire the requirements may take anywhere from a few hours to a week to prepare -- logically shorter in the larger population centers -- during which time temporary housing will be made available to you. As you are already familiar with (one of) our national languages we can omit obligatory language courses.

After citizenship is granted, there is a Ƶ 3,000.- interest free loan to the state involved that is used as 'start up money' with which applicants can get settled, and this would be the only actual fee involved. Then, you will be a full citizen of Zargathia, and as such are free to settle anywhere you wish.

If there are any further questions, please feel free to contact me.

Sincerely,

Roberta Black
Zargathian Immigrations

Edited March 16, 2010 by Amyante

[kitex]

***Private to Roberta Black***

As of now, I have paid the fee and am looking for a place to settle, somewhere in the city hopefully.Would you recommend anything?


Sincerely,
John Shiznay

[Amyante]

OOC: Whoops...

IC:

"Not really, though we could certainly assist you based on what kind of environment you would prefer. Zargathia has a vast amount of climates ranging from mountains to coastal to deserts. Which would you prefer?"

-----

[center][size=5][i][b]Queen announces Disaster Relief Agency[/b][/i][/size][/center]

Earlier today, Queen Amyante has announced the creation of the Zargathian Disaster Relief Agency as part of a plan to streamline interorganizational communication during disasters. This new Agency will incorporate all branches involved in the activities of the White Cross in Zargathia, as well as the radiation cleanup crews. Even though the ZeDRA's first priority is to act as a safeguard for national disasters, given its specialization it is likely that they will be deeply involved in international operations in case of foreign major disasters.

Meanwhile, the bandwith issues are still troubling Zargathian engineers. While the relays are now stable, a large part of Zargathia's communication infrastructure is still made from obsolete materials. Technicians have compared the current situation as "being in a sport car stuck in traffic", and construction still proceeds around the clock to replace old copper wiring with glass fiber. Despite the delays, the situation is still described as 'running according to schedule' due to a buffer built into the timeframe.

OOC: Got the Wonder )

Edited April 10, 2010 by Amyante

[Amyante]

[center][size=5][i][b]Satellite launched![/b][/i][/size][/center]

In response to the bandwidth capacity problems that continue to plague Zargathia, the government has been taking a different approach. Official broadcasts show the successful launch of the geostationary satellite TRAC-1, which will be taking over the transmission of television, radio and telephone communications from the old network, which will be used solely for Internet infrastructure now. A government spokesperson has said that 'it is regrettable that the situation got out of hand' and that 'the addition of a secondary communications network in parallel with the first will circumvent conflicts'.

Regardless, our reporters have confirmed that media signal reception has improved by 8% over the past few days. As customization is still in progress, we shall be keeping an eye on this development as it progresses.

[Amyante]

[center][size=5][i][b]Monument unveiled[/b][/i][/size][/center]

In celebration of Zargathia's one year existence, the Queen has publicly unveiled a monument today in commemoration of this event. An interesting detail is that the design was submitted in a contest by the people: A team of experts agreed that the entry of 34 year old elementary school teacher Kitanagi Masame was the best one. Miss Kitanagi was present during the ceremony as a guest of honor.

[Amyante]

[center][size=5][i][b]Excavations unveil ancient temple[/b][/i][/size][/center]

During excavations in recently reacquired Liaoning, construction workers have stumbled upon an ancient temple of as of yet unknown origin. Archeologists believe that these ruins may have been built around the time of Goguryeo, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, due to the discovery of several religious symbols from that time, though a deeper analysis is required in order to confirm or deny these estimates. As with any archeological discoveries, the government refuses to go into specifics on where exactly in the province these ruins were found to prevent unintentional damage to the site, though a spokesperson has promised to keep us informed through regular channels.

[Amyante]

[center][size=5][i][b]Communications restored![/b][/i][/size][/center]

At long last, the communications networks have been deemed 100% operational. While the government and other important organizations already had access to foreign countries, engineers are pleased to report that at the time of writing, Zargathian citizens now have full 24/7 access again as well. Ironically, it was the former People's republic that had made this possible, as a small breakthrough was achieved counter engineering the network technology in Liaoning and Daqing. Also, all spyware and antivirua software has been updated to match world standards [i]before[/i] foreign access had been restored to the general public through the use of local servers hosting manual updates. Zargathia wishes to thank its neighbors, friends and allies for their continued patience.

[center][size=5][i][b]Massive Interstate Network Completed[/b][/i][/size][/center]

The second work that had been worked on alongside the Internet network was an overhaul of roads. A number of roads, specifically in remote areas, failed to meet the current national safety standards. Aside from a network of wide roads for interstate transportation, local village roads no matter how small have now been fitted with a crash barrier and, where possible, a berm. It is hoped that these countermeasures will help in reducing the number of annual roadside fatalities. Given that the vast majority of Zargathian vehicles run on electrical engines, artificial noise barriers have been removed in favor of more natural surroundings such as rows of trees. The subsidy for replacing the internal combustion engine for an electrical system has been extended to June 2012.

Large car parks have been built near the borders, where foreign visitors may exchange their regular car for an electrical one for free during their stay, with the option to have their old car refitted with the new engine against a nominal fee. This technology is freely available as part of our Environmental Awareness Program.


OOC: Becoming active again (Internet wonder "fixed") and Interstate Wonder and 1k infra bought today

[Subtleknifewielder]

"Australia is delighted to hear that the problems have been fixed. We look forward to interacting with you once more as a friend and ally."

OOC; WB, Amy.

[Amyante]

[center][size=5][i][b]Threat of hostility averted[/b][/i][/size][/center]

With the signing of a treaty between Koryo and Zargathia, an end has come to a border dispute that has threatened the peace in newly acquired Liaoning. Though critics are blaming Queen Amyante of 'divvying up the country' between Zargathia's neighbors, the government has assured that the clause would only come into effect in the event our nation would fall into complete anarchy, and that therefore the regions would not be lost should the government change for whatever reason. The vast majority of the population is elated that relations between Zargathia, Koryo and the USC have calmed again, and international trade along the southern USC border is once again approaching its former PRC levels.

[Amyante]

[center][size=5][i][b]Zargathian Military unveils new heavy tank[/b][/i][/size][/center]

Earlier today, Zargathian officials have released images of what is going to be the newest model of heavy tank. The GH-795 boasts excellent firepower and strong armor compared to its predecessor, and will be replacing the GH-763 in the armed forces over the course of several years. Several heavy tank prototypes had been seen providing relief during the Dragonisian Earthquake some time ago, but setbacks during the developmental phase as well as the discovery of new materials have caused heavy delays before the model eventually reached mass production.

One of the advantages of the GH-795 was its robustness, and the ability for a bulldozer blade and ripper to be installed upon the frame, making it perfectly suited to clear rubble on difficult terrain, thereby giving us the option of using it in disaster relief operations.

[url=http://img714.imageshack.us/img714/7857/8cc86b2819c167301220a49.jpg][img]http://img714.imageshack.us/img714/7857/8cc86b2819c167301220a49.th.jpg[/img][/url]
The GH-795 with blade installed, pulling an emergency generator.

Edited July 12, 2010 by Amyante

[kitex]

[font=Times][size=2][font=arial, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif][size=2]"Blue Heaven congratulate Zargathia on its new tank."

- Jose Vieques (BH Minister of Foreign Affairs)[/size][/font]


***Private to Zargathia***

John Shiznay has contacted us and has asked to be Blue Heaven's special diplomatic envoy to Zargathia. Would you accept this?

Sincerely,

Jose Vieques (BH MoFA)[/size][/font]

[Amyante]

*** Private to Kitex ***

- "Certainly. Will he be replacing your diplomat Nina Ford or join her staff?"

[Kankou]

Koryo wishes to know that the... creature... thing is that is next to what you call a tank.

[Amyante]

"Oh, that? Art Division drew it up, they said it reminded them of a movie they had seen the other night, but ended up accidentally Photoshopping the originals. There was no time to make new ones so close to the announcement, and since the tanks themselves weren't edited the decision was made to just use the ones we had."

[kitex]

[quote name='Amyante' date='12 July 2010 - 02:04 PM' timestamp='1278957881' post='2368280']
*** Private to Kitex ***

- "Certainly. Will he be replacing your diplomat Nina Ford or join her staff?"
[/quote]



***Private to Zargathia***

He will be joining Nina Ford.

OOC: My nation's name is Blue Heaven. Kitex/Troina fell one-three years ago.

[Amyante]

[quote name='kitex' date='13 July 2010 - 02:38 AM' timestamp='1278981466' post='2368724']
***Private to Zargathia***

He will be joining Nina Ford.

OOC: My nation's name is Blue Heaven. Kitex/Troina fell one-three years ago.
[/quote]

OOC; I remember, but still ended up typing your account name rather than nation name. ^^;

IC:

"If Mr. Shiznay and Ms. Ford have come to an agreement we would certainly have no objections."

[Amyante]

[center][size=5][i][b]Address of the Nation[/b][/i][/size][/center]

This afternoon, the Queen has made a speech on Zargathian television regarding the future of the military forces.

- "Dear citizens of Zargathia. When Zargathia was first founded, our army was large in numbers, able to stabilize the region and keep the peace with a fraction of its full force. When the Lu Empire turned control of Inner Mongolia over to us, our army was sufficient to patrol the borders and keep order. Now, with Liaoning added, and Daqing returned to our nation i have asked the Chiefs of Staff to assemble the report which i currently have before me."

Amyante held up a closed folder before putting it on the table again.

- "The majority of this report is classified, but its conclusion is one i will share. Our army, though able to keep the peace and patrol our borders, is having difficulties. Its numbers have barely increased since the time when Zargathia was just Heilongjiang and Jilin whereas our territories have tripled. It also concludes that our army, though having excellent equipment bought from our allies, would simply not have had the numbers to adequately defend the borders in case the Revolution in Koryo or the rebellion in Madurastan would have spilled into our country. In addition, i will not have Zargathia unable to back up its military treaties, nor be perceived as dead weight that is barely capable of looking after itself. Thus, in the interests of national security i am hereby forced to reinstate conscription for every able bodied citizen aged between 18 and 50 years."

There were some murmurs from teh crowd, but a raised hand from Amyante silenced them -- or at least dampened them to the point of no longer bordering on interrupting her.

- "I am fully aware that this is an unpopular decision, but it is something that must be done. Though my position as Supreme Commander technically makes me a member of the army, exempting me from conscription service, my son Lu Gang will not be an exception to this rule. The reason why it was decided to make this a public announcement is because according to estimates the size of the Zargathian Army will increase tenfold, and i do not wish for this development to be misinterpreted and lead to confusion at our borders. To our neighboring countries, i assure you our policies remain the same as they have always been."

She took a deep breath, and took a sip from a nearby glass of water. The fact that the camera was still running was proof that there was more to come.

- "In addition, i have an announcement concerning the White Cross as well. The recent string of international deployments has shown the need for an efficient use of available resources. As such, it is my pleasure to announce that the Zargathian White Cross will be receiving a brand new headquarters which is to act as a center of communications and planning. With the increase of our military the need for a centralized location to call their own was clear, and for this purpose the army base being constructed near Changchun has hereby been assigned to the White Cross for their specific use. Keep up the good work."

OOC: Updating army stats in my factbook and figured i could make a post about it. Also, Pentagon Wonder.

[Amyante]

OOC: Too long since i last updated this...

IC:

[center][size=5][i][b]Religion on the Rise[/b][/i][/size][/center]

Recent surveys have pointed out that religion is again entering the lives of many Zargathian citizens. While the major religions have reported an overall rise in the number of followers, smaller groups have similarly been riding the trend. Though none have the capability to make themselves known on a national level, smaller cults and religious splinter groups have started to form in local communities. In line with the freedom of religion they are granted the same rights and privileges as the larger religions, though they will have to adhere to the same basic laws as well. For the purposes of clarity, the Zargathian government has issued a copy of the three main rules to this station. The full version can be viewed on our website, but a simplified version reads as follows:

I. Religious law cannot overrule national law. While this means some practices (polygamy, some ritual sacrifices etc.) are considered illegal, others -- like fasting -- would be fine since those would not counter national law.

II. Any official public gatherings, regardless of their nature, needs to have permission of the mayor of the local community to continue. Private gatherings, such as inside temples, churches or other privately owned buildings, would not need permission unless there is a certain amount of noise pollution audible outside (megaphone, church bells etc.).

III. All organizations are to respect one another and their property. The same laws that allow one group to exist also allows the other. While relations do not necessarily have to be cordial -- though encouraged to be -- the ethic of reciprocity is considered to apply to all people regardless of their religious beliefs.

-----

[center][size=5][i][b]Navy Academies Officially Opened![/b][/i][/size][/center]

During a live TV broadcast over all Zargathian channels, the Queen has declared the Naval Academies to be officially opened. Though the area in question is restricted to civilians, the location -- with many buildings such as docks and shipyards still under construction -- is considered to be common knowledge, and affectionately called 'The Worst-Kept National Secret' by the population. Regardless, the first students to go through the Academy will mostly be the members of the current brown-water navy, bringing them up to international standards in a more specialized course than offered by the universities. While under normal situations the additional classes are not necessary for riverboats they are however mandatory for navigation over the open sea, leading some experts to think that Zargathia may be expecting its first seaworthy vessels around the time the first classes graduate from the Academy.

[Amyante]

OOC: Event

IC:

[center][size=5][i][b]People protest in Harbin, rapid police intervention prevents escalation[/b][/i][/size][/center]

After a [url=http://forums.cybernations.net/index.php?showtopic=76000]series of bad decisions[/url] by one of the Royal Advisers had ended up in people demonstrating in the streets, police forces in full riot gear were quick to show up. Though no incidents took place, a government official stated that it was standard protocol for unauthorized demonstrations, citing the fact that no incidents took place as proof that 'both sides knew what to expect.' After a police representative talked to a few of the organizers of the demonstration, an alternative route was planned out, and the police proceeded to reroute traffic so that the people that weren't demonstrating would be disturbed as little as possible.

The Adviser in question, Siu Qingzhao, has been put on inactive status, and requested not to leave his home as the investigations continue. Given that mr. Siu was acting of his own accord, the ZL will not be losing its spot as a Royal Advisor, though at the moment the party is undergoing massive reorganizations as half its current leadership has stepped down in response to the scandal.

[Amyante]

[center][size=5][i][b]GDP passes psychological 1 billion mark[/b][/i][/size][/center]

Elated news in the Stock Market today as the national GDP passed the psychological mark of one billion. Singacorp stock rose sharply followed the announcement of several profitable long-term deals with the American continent, and this positive news jumped to other titles as the day progressed. Analysts expect the currently ongoing peak in trading activity to normalize after the weekend break.

[center][size=5][i][b]Zargathia forms first all-Japanese Division[/b][/i][/size][/center]

The enrollment of volunteers from Japan have ended up in the formation of the Mihari Light Mechanized Infantry regiment. These consist fully of Japanese voluntaries and are led by officers of the Japanese Army. Where previously these volunteers had been assigned to various Zargathian divisions, the government hopes that reforming them into a new Division will lead to a more efficient way of peacekeeping, as the language barrier would be nonexistant. This regiment will be stationed in the Solnechnyy and Nanayskiy Districts, patrolling the land while Marscurian and Zargathian forces patrol the Amur.