Kuitentsyol News

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!

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.

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.