Kuitentsyol News

[Krehamn]

OOC: This will be a list of all the news from Kuitentsyol that will be under a number of different publications. Hope you enjoy reading!

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Plans to expand KUTZS released​

Zhunbäzar, Nissel-Uul, Kuitentsyol l The Government of the Khanate has formally released their plans to expand the Kuitentsyol National Railway Network through a press release on Thursday, after many months of planning. This upgrade is much needed, as complaints about the size of the network itself have lasted for years, with many analysts comparing it to a 'human body without flesh'. The network itself only has around five lines, with just one going north of Zhunbäzar, and runs on diesel trains from the 1980s. Therefore, it pales in comparison to the much more developed, and expanded, national highway and road system, which has been the main node of transport for the nation in ages present and past.

The plan, which was released online through their main website, outlines a major expansion plan of three new lines, which would connect the cities of Kerlusaq, Gorgaan, Irosehvgii and Paahmuuk to the national rail system, as well as many other towns and smaller communities scattered throughout the forests, steppes, and mountains of the nation. It also proposes electrifying the entire network, which would bring it up to the standards of today's world, as well as connecting it to the rail systems of Eiyyglia, Scalvia, and Hexastalia, a move that would greatly improve regional connectivity with the Khanate's neighbours.

The only real downside of this project, which is officially named 'Khooy', would be the extravagant costs needed to cover such a immense undertaking. For this, multiple economists have already pulled up suggestions to take out loans from other nations or international loans, a move that would see the Government's debt increase. However, they say that the long term benefits of such would be able to cover the costs itself, and would be a step towards diversifying our economy through connecting domestic industries and moving trade goods even faster.

A transportation plan this major hasn't been seen since the likes of the National Mass Highway Plan in the 1960s, which was carried out by Altankhuyag Naranbaatar after the Khutogbai's approval, and became the first plan to connect the entirety of the nation fully. Co-funded by the Scalvian CFDO and the Khaanate National Development Fund, it greatly expanded road links to Scalvia and pulled the two nations closer; will we see the same such thing happen with this project? However, the verdict on this is unclear as the Nilamaat Aputikvik International Airport renovations in 2016 was completely funded domestically. Will the KNDF still have funding to see this through?

The Khooy Project will be set to go through the Khutogbai this Wednesday under the Khoy Bill. We hold out hope that the congressmen of the Khutogbai will see reason and let this bill go through, to improve the lives of all.

 

[Krehamn]

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Social Media Trend spikes amidst unnatural record heatwave​

Nilamaat, Izajulleq, Kuitentsyol l Following the unnatural heatwave that started late October, the 'Ice Bucket' challenge has made a resurgence in the media platform Viedéo, popularized by Kuitens around the nation looking for a way to deal with the sweltering heat.

The heatwave, which started in late August, currently affects all but the mountain ranges in Kuitentsyol, with Nilamaat averaging new record temperatures of 29.1 degrees celsius on October 23rd, breaking the previous record of 28.9 degrees celsius set on the June 1987 heatwave. Zhunbazär has also come remarkably close to breaking it's own temperature record, setting a temperature of 36.7 degrees celsius on October 16th, just three degrees celsius away from it's current record of 40.7 degrees celsius set in July 1943. The current averages for these two are 19.6 and 30.1 degrees celsius respectively, with the current nationwide average being 25.7 degrees celsius, about six degrees higher than this same time last year.

With this heatwave looking for a way onto the record books, the populace, especially those around the age group of 18 to 25, have repopularised the 'Ice Bucket' challenge, which involves a person getting a bucket of ice and water dumped onto them, often for a shock reaction. It was popularized in 2014 to raise awareness about amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS; aka motor neuron disease) but has since spiralled into becoming one of the internet's most well-known and famous trends.

Now, it has made it's way back onto the national stage, not for ALS, but rather for it's effectiveness in combating against the heatwave. Many Kuiten citizens were seen participating in the Ice Bucket Challenge on Viedéo over the past few weeks, and some have even made it onto international popularity. Celebrities and politicians were also seen taking part in the challenge.

However, there has been growing concern over the challenge, being it's use of water. With the heatwave, Kuitentsyol will no doubt be suffering under a drought, and critics of the challenge say that the Ice Bucket Challenge is 'a waste of water that could've gone towards irrigating crops'. However, this hasn't stopped the growing popularity of the trend, with the hashtag #IceBucketChallenge being used more and more with every passing day.

Will this trend have a butterfly effect on the nation? Only time will tell.

 

[Krehamn]

Frustrations with UDN-TKE Coalition grow as tax bill passes the Khutogbai
By Avaas Khajan - Mercanti Language Translator for the KUG
For reference - UDN refers to the National Progressive Party, K refers to the Conservatives, NEK refers to the United Rights Union, TKE refers to the Farmer-Labor Coalition, LAN refers to the Liberal Democratic Party, and ZN refers to United Left.

Zhunbazär, Nissel-Uul, Kuitentsyol I "Outrage!" screamed a member of the Conservatives as 14 members of the Khutogbai left after the titled 'Anti-Smoking Health Bill' increased taxation on products with tobacco from 3% to 10%, as well as setting public restrictions on smoking areas and forcing tobacco corporations to donate an undisclosed amount of money to lung cancer research every year. The bill, which passed 272-23-205 in the most recent session of the Khanyikh Khutogbai, caused fourteen members of parliament to storm out of the Hall, including Nitamaq Hyeinsflugur (K), Gyhalm Kan-Pastelflad (NEK) and Vaadmur Abaalna (NEK).

Sponsored by the Anti-Smoking Committee - primarily made up of members of the UDN, TKE, LAN, and ZN - the bill was hypothetically supported by a large majority of the Khutogbai, with news predictions even going as high as a 100-vote majority. Which makes it worse for Aallad and the UDN that the bill only passed by 22 votes - shockingly narrow for such a bipartisan bill. 17 members of the National Progressive Party voted against the bill out of the 152 seats that the UDN held, with a further 3 abstaining. And it must've raised major concerns over the discipline of the UDN members, as High Minister of Government Keersan Aallad could be seen talking with his advisors and members of the Anti-Smoking Committee after the passing of the bill.

Even worse was the Farmer-Labor Coalition, or rather the TKE. The junior partner of the minority coalition had 12 of it's 71 members vote against the bill, and 8 abstaining, almost certainly splintering any notion of party unity after the session - Party President Haeld Aaklegblait could be seen furiously arguing with TKE Whip Matenseg Bulbayar after the votes were announced, red faced and all, as the larger commotion occurred at the doors of the Hall.

After the passing of the bill, Conservative Minority Leader Aaltan Khuunlei was sought out for a comment by the press corps. After asking him on how he felt on the passing of the bill, he responded:

It's a major, major disappointment for all the workers and the people out there who look towards smoking as a way out of stress. Instead of the Government doing it's job and making people happy, it seeks to take a major source of comfort away from the majority of the population under the disguise of health and environmental issues. I announce a strong denouncement of the current minority coalition for this blatant act of oppression against the people. However, I was overjoyed to see it pass by such a small majority - even members of the coalition saw things for what they were! I still believe this country, and this Parliament, still has reason in them, and so I will continue to fight against the interventionist policies of the UDN and the TKE until the next elections.

Public response to the passing of the bill have mostly been general discontent, although there were some who sought to express their frustration and anger in a more public way. In a rather careless act of display, protests occurred in the industrial districts of Nilamaat by the working class - many of whom saw the coalition's actions as 'betrayal'. Although not a particularly major bill in the grand scheme of things, all parties involved in the bill will no doubt take a popularity hit, with the brunt of it on the National Progressives and the Farmer-Laborers.

The Official Office of the High Minister of the Government released an official statement the morning after the protests, urging for 'calm' and 'restraint' from the people. But, no doubt, this bill has to be one of the most controversial of the term.