OAN NEWS
TERRORIST ATTACK ON MALACHITE PALACE, KOHATU ISLES
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Today, there was a terrorist attack on Malachite Palace during its opening ceremony.
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A white vehicle, believed to be a lorry, rammed into the stage. In attendance were senior government officials such as His Serene Majesty, the Emperor of Polynesia, Oahoanu, Her Royal Highness, Serene Consort Aroha, Arana Marama, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Opal Lazuli, first minister of the Kohatu Isles, and Sardonyx Tupuni, Kohatu Minister of Internal Affairs.Â
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Luckily, state protection units caught wind of the attack mere minutes before the vehicle struck. Acting quickly, authorities evacuated the crowd and public in time to prevent any major loss of life. Unfortunately, one person has been injured and is currently undergoing emergency treatment. Further, there are 8 people missing, including Sardonyx Tupuni. The vehicle was filled with explosives which denoted at the steps of the building, resulting in severe damage to the central atrium.
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Fire fighters are currently attempting to put out the fires and searching for the missing 8 individuals reported missing. The nation is currently in shock. So far, no organisation has claimed responsibility or been linked to the attack. A statement was released by the Office of the First Minister of the Kohatu Isles indicating that the Emperor, royal family and other government officials are safe. Furthermore, the First Minister urges the public to remain calm, to cooperate with law enforcement and to stay away from Malachite Palace and surrounding areas until the investigative team has completed its work. She wished a speedy recovery to the injured person and urged families of the missing 8 to be patient.Â
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Authorities have declined to comment and have stated that they will contact the media as soon as they have more concrete facts to share with the public. We urge members of the public not to share fake news and to come forward with any intelligence that can help authorities.
OAN NEWS
KOHATUAN MINISTER ARRESTED IN CONNECTION WITH TERRORIST ATTACK
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Kohatuan Minister of Internal Affairs, Sardonyx Tupuni (who was originally reported missing) was arrested at Kohatu International Airport.Â
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Minister Tupuni had allegedly excused himself from the opening ceremony of the Malachite Palace to use the bathroom, but was found at Kohatu International Airport attempting to board a private jet scheduled for take off that day. Customs Service Officials at the airport alerted the Oan Intelligence Bureau which ordered his immediate arrest. Because the incident involved a state official heading out of the country, the matter feel within the jurisdiction of the OIB. Usually the OIB only focuses on foreign intelligence operations thus speculation is rife that there may have been foreign involvement in the attack.Â
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It is unclear whether Minister Tupuni was directly involved, associated with or had pre-knowledge of the events. Law enforcement officials have not announced why he was arrested or whether he will be charged with a crime. Due to the 48-hour extraordinary warrant, law enforcement and intelligence have wide powers to arrest any person and seize any documents and assets believed to be connected to the attack on Malachite Palace and the attempted assassination of our sovereign. We urge the public not to spread propaganda and disinformation surrounding these events. We will bring them to you as soon as they are made available by authorities.
OFFICIAL STATEMENT OF THE EMPEROR OF POLYNESIA
Our subjects, People of the Greater Oan Isles,
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We condemn the attack on Malachite Palace and the attempt on Our life and the lives of Our subjects and ministers. In defiance of the enemies of this nation, We are alive and well. We are fully confident that Our authorities shall apprehend the perpetrators of this attack. We call for calm and ask Our people to express the same confidence. We shall overcome. The enemies of the people of the Greater Oan Isles shall not prevail.
Your Emperor,
OAN NEWS
SERENE CONSORT, CROWN PRINCE HEAD TO GREAT MORSTAYBISHLIA
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Serene Consort Aroha and Crown Prince Moana have arrived in Great Morstaybishlia, a source at the Serene Court confirmed.Â
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Allegedly, the Serene Consort and Crown Prince are going to spend time with their relatives, the Constantines, and pay their respect to the deceased Prince Thadeus, Duke of Jubliak.Â
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The Serene Court did not respond to our request for comment.Â
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Rumours are circulating that they are being taken to GM to keep them safe. The Emperor is still in the Oan Isles and continues to work from the Palace of Putangitangi. Earlier, he visited the injured victim from the Malchite Palace attack. He also released a statement on Friday urging citizens to cooperate with police and encouraging us to remain confident in authorities.Â
SARDONYX TUPUNI RELEASED
Minister of Internal Affairs of the Kohatu Isles, Sardonyx Tupuni has been release by order of Crown Prosecutor, Lees Tohinga.
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Following the submission papers by the office of Kohatu Social Democratic Party Chief Whip, Jasper Ray, to the Mahakatepa High Court, the Prosecutor conceded that they did not have enough evidence to prosecute and thus had him released.Â
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Minister Tupuni was not formally charged with anything and the police stated that he was being kept for questioning as part of an investigation into the Malachite Palace attack in line with the broad warrant given by the Supreme Court.Â
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Jasper Ray penned a scathing open letter which was published by Axdel News services in which they criticised the Oan government as using Sardonyx as a scapegoat while also attempting to remove a political opponent.
OAN NEWS
3 September 2021
NO HELP FOR HAWA
Imani Lucim
Minister of Defence for the Oan Isles, General Oahuoa Uye has announced that the Oan Isles will not intervene in the Hawa Civil War. The reason is that the Oan Isles is already dealing with serious security concerns due to the recent attempted assassination of the Emperor of Polynesia and the attack on Malachite Palace in the Kohatu Isles. Thus, the nation cannot spare scarce resources for a conflict thousands of miles away. However, the government has joined the chorus of the inept international community in condemning the Kemto and calling for peace.
Hawa is a small developing country in Gondwana. Its population consists of the majority Kemto ethnic group and the minority Rufi ethnic group. The country is currently in the midst of a Civil War fought along ethnic lines. The violence and displacement perpetrated against the Rufi by the Kemto has been described as genocide. Nacata as a nearby nation cultivated strong ties with Hawa and in part has vested interests in that nation. Coupled with its democratic system and values, it was expected to provide assistance to the people of Hawa.
Furthermore, Nacata as part of the Kuthern Commonwealth, is a means through which Kuthernburg projects strategic, economic and political power in Gondwana. Thus, the failures and successes of Nacata reflect poorly on Kuthernburg and threaten the stability of the Commonwealth. Nacata has failed to contain the situation on its own, resulting in direct involvement from Kuthernburg.
Things took a turn for the worst when Kuthern peacekeepers deployed to Hawa were killed by Kemto soldiers. The incident caused an uproar in Kuthernburg. Due to the severity of the situation, Kuthernburg has attempted to get the Peacekeeping Forces Of Urth to intervene. Negotiations for a coordinated strategy are underway, but members seem reluctant to intervene.
Some members states especially those with vested interests or established relations have taken unilateral action in the conflict. The Kingdom of Tretrid sent soldiers to help the Rufi due to their common enmity for the Kemto. Unfortunately relations between the Rufi and Tretrid have not been inspiring. There are doubts as to the effectiveness of their cooperation.
In a surprising turn of events, Iboma has approached Kuthernburg to coordinate a response. Apparently reviled by the extent of the violence, Iboma is in discussions with Kuthernburg about a negotiated settlement with the Kemto. Talks are ongoing and we await the outcome.
The Civil war has ramifications far beyond the borders of Hawa. On one hand it tests the relationship between Kuthernburg and Nacata and the formerâs control over the latter. It also tests Kuthernburgâs ability to project power outside of Novaris.
OAN NEWS
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OAN-SALOVIAN POLITICIAN ELECTED LEADER OF AURORAN PARTY UNCONTESTED
Astrana Tohinga-Vidalovich a politician from the Oan Isles of both Oan and Salovian (specifically Kostrom) ancestral heritage has been elected as the President of the Auroran Socialist Democratic Party. Ms Tohinga-Vidalovich is a member of the Auroran Parliament and she has served in multiple committees in that body. She previously served as a member of the Council of the People of the Oan Isles before the Pacifist Party put her forward as a candidate in the Auroran Parliament elections as a member of that body.
She is a qualified pharmacist with experience in pharmacological research. She possesses a wealth of professional and political experience that makes her suitable for the job. Furthermore, her multi ethnic heritage bridges gaps between cultures and nations. Her political positions include support for closer Auroran integration and storing social support for vulnerable groups.
OAN NEWS
BLUEACIAN PARLIAMENT PUSHES FOR UNAC REFORMS
Yesterday, Minke Dantuma. Member of the Blueacian Parliament for GrienLinks (which translates to Green Left in Staynish), proposed that the Parliament of Blueacia pass a motion forcing Prime Minister of Blueacia Pearson Lagonus to present a proposal to the member states of the United Nations of the Auroran Continent (UNAC) that would alter the composition of the Auroran Parliament (AP) in favour of smaller member states.
The proposal has faced criticism from a variety of social forces. The first criticism is that the Council of the UNAC provides equal representation for all member states. Furthermore, because the Council of the UNAC is vastly more powerful than the AP, it gives smaller states disproportionate influence over the UNAC.
Secondly, a change to the composition of the AP requires the passage of the treaty to amend the Charter of the UNAC (also known as the Treaty of Aura). This requires the unanimous consent of all member states. It is unlikely that larger states like Great Morstaybishlia or Axdel will agree to this proposal because it diminishes their power and influence in the organization. Thirdly it leaves much larger proportion of people in those countries without representation.
Furthermore, this proposal is unlikely to gain much traction. It is unlikely that a small country like Blueacia could offer larger nations anything that would tempt them to disenfranchise large amounts of their people from the AP. It is likely that this is a negotiating tactic to provide smaller states with more influence. As it stands, the proposal suggests that GM as the largest member state is capped at 33% of the seats and all states being guaranteed 6 seats.
OAN NEWS
The Tivot Sandwich: Why Investors Love Eating in Tarov
By Imani Lucim
The Republic of Tivot is a democratic country located in Aurora on the Horn of Caltharus that seceded from Salovia after the Auroran Imperial War. It is an upper income developed economy with a GDP of 602 billion KRB and a per capita GDP of above 32000 KRB. This small country has gained a reputation as an international hub for trade, commerce and finance with the Port of Tarov being one of the most important transshipment hubs in the world.
Tivot cultivated a robust and thriving financial services sector through its immovable political stability, low taxes for foreign companies, secretive banking legislation and investor friendly policies. This led to it attracting companies from around the world to set up shop hear. Most notably it houses the holding companies for corporations such as Café Pay and the Metatron Corporation as well as the headquarters of the Auroran Central Bank (the central bank of the Kirib Monetary Union encompassing about 20 member states). The highly sophisticated Tivot Stock Exchange lists some of the largest companies in the world.
One of the most attractive features that Tivot has is the Tivot Sandwich. The Tivot Sandwich is a term used in the accounting and financing disciplines to describe the legal framework in Tivot that enables companies that set up offices there to avoid being taxed in their home countries and the countries in which they do business. A company can set up a holding company in Tivot as a 100% shareholder. The holding company can make a loan to its child company that has interest and capital expense payments equal to or greater than its profit. This creates the legal impression that the company is running at a loss or breaking even, removing the possibility for the home government to tax it. The interest expense payments from the child company appear as income in the holding company income statement. This is the first half of the proverbial Tivot Sandwich.
The second half of the sandwich is that the child company can repay the holding company for the loan in intellectual property such as patents. These are valued according to projected royalties and income from their rent and use in the production of goods. By repaying the holding company in IP, the holding company assumes oweneeship of the IP and generates revenue from the royalties it receives as income from the child company and other companies that rent the IP. This makes the second half of the sandwich. Furthermore, the holding company can write off these IP repayments as bad debts if the projected royalties reach below a certain threshold. This expense lowers the taxable income of the holding company. Coupled with the fact that the United Nations of the Auroran Continent (of which Tivot is a member state) does not allow nations to be taxed twice, only the Tivot tax rate will actually apply. Given that Tivotâs corporate tax is next to nothing compared to other UNAC states, investors can make incredibly handsome profits from their ownership of these holding companies.
Some investors go further and have a triple layer sandwich whereby the holding companies own the physical assets used by the child company and loan them to the child company. The child company pays for the use of the physical assets. This also lowers its taxable income in the home state and takes advantage of the low tax rates in Tivot. Investors who really know their stuff will have a quadruple layer sandwich. This is when the holding company is owned by a trust or charitable organization. Rather than paying out dividends to natural persons, the holding company pays out to the trust. The trust then manages the assets for the welfare of the investor concerned. Trusts are exempt from a lot of taxes but there are strict rules about how the trust can spend this money. This means that the investor can place themselves as the trustee using the trust to live luxuriously.
There are some controversies about the Tivot Sandwich some of them justified and others not. For instance, there are legitimate reasons to avoid double taxation: it keeps a company that generates income in one country from being taxed in its home and operations state. This encourages multinational business and commerce especially because most commercial transactions are not carried out in the domicile nation. Secondly, the ownership structures of corporations exists as part of the fundamental character of corporations as juristic persons. As natural persons they can and should be able to legitimately own assets in other nations including other companies. Tivotâs low income has attracted businesses and raised employment in that nation.
Some of the criticisms are justified such as that sometimes rich people set up these structures and take advantage of the loopholes in tax legislation to become even more rich on the backs of their workers. Again this is a reasonable and valid argument. However, I would argue that people becoming rich does not inherently make a system bad or good as wealth and income differences are natural results of capitalist systems. A more interesting question is whether Corporations and the rich are contributing their fair share to the taxes of each nation.
Ankther question is whether the concentration of capital in holding companies leads to the inefficient allocation of capital. This is questionable and may be relevant in some cases. In some cases the money makes its way back to the financial system when it is reinvested or loaned out. Another question is whether income inequality breeds social instability. This is a relevant questions but what is more interesting is how relevant is this complaint given that most UNAC nations are highly developed and globally connected. Itâs not a case of rich vs poor but super rich versus moderately rich. Another query is whether trusts are being exploited, but the truth is that trusts are useful in protecting the wealth of their beneficiaries which can include orphaned children and other worthy causes. In light of this, there is a lot of nuance to this discussion and it really depends on the situation.
OAN AND AURORAN CENTRAL BANK TUSSLE OVER CAFĂ PAY
The Auroran Central Bank and Oan Central Bank are in a fight about the status of Café Pay.
The Auroran Central Bank sent a complaint to the Oan Central Bank about CafĂ© Pay earlier today. They complained that CafĂ© Payâs virtual cash service was undermining the stability of the Kirib and that the Oan Central Bank should either order the closure of the virtual cash service or order CafĂ© Pay to apply to be a bank.
Some background: the Café Pay Virtual Cash services allows users to load virtual cash (in any currency including the kirib) into a wallet on their phone using their bank card. They can pay other users from their phone. Whereas other Café Pay products facilitate transactions between users through banks, virtual cash does not go through banks.
According to the ACBâs logic, CafĂ© Pay is acting like a bank. It is holding deposits of users and paying them out on demand. Because CafĂ© Pay is not a bank, it is not forced to meet the fractional reserve requirements of banks.
Fractional reserve requirements ensure that the bank has a minimum amount of currency on hand at all times of people want to withdraw money.
Oan regulators feel that this classification is unnecessary. According to them, Café Pay is a technology company not a financial services company. According to them, Café Pay is not acting like a bank because a bank also loans out the deposits. Café Pay does not loan out the deposits of users. Furthermore, deposits in different currencies are not convertible into other currencies via the Café Pay Virtual Cash app. According to them, Café Pay is just doing the same thing that physical cash does using virtual mediums.
The fight between the banks is ongoingâŠ
Baby Snatchers: A Story of the Oan Islesâ Darkest Secret
By Imani Lucim
Writing this story is not easy. I am trembling as my fingers hit the keys on my keyboard. My chest is full and my eyes are pregnant with tears. I am very proud of the life I built in this country and of the opportunities I got ever since I immigrated here many years ago. I feel as much Oan as someone who was born here or who is of native Oan descent. For that reason, the shame I feel is that much more searing.
I got an anonymous tip off last year in January about how there is an adoption agency in the Oan Isles that may be involved in the trafficking of children from poor countries on mainland Aurora like Volova, Nilovia and Thalria. Running with this story took editorial guts the likes of which I have never had. My editor and I sat around the table wondering what to do with the information that we had been given. We thought about alerting authorities, but there was so little evidence we did not want to raise a needless furor from a prank call. But the source was a trusted one, so we decided to look into it.
I travelled to Tauranga a te Toka. I expected to find a dingy dark establishment with a creepy person lurking behind a skull on a desk. Instead, they were all wearing fancy Oan clothes and smiled with perfect teeth. Their tattoos were so perfect, I could smell the cosmetic surgery bill lingering in the atmosphere. So, I was taken aback that there was a possibility that this place was hiding something nefarious. I pretended like I was looking to adopt a child. They ran me through the process and everything looked above board.
I started Goggling sources and I came up empty. So, I took a sabbatical in the later half of 1020 AU (2020 CE). I decided to travel to Volova. I arrived in Novugdidi and met a contact for adoption agencies at the Volovan government. I told them I want to adopt a child, but I am facing challenges in the Oan Isles. The man was suspicious but I stuck with my story for weeks and the man eventually came round. He showed me to an adoption agency in Novugdidi. They walked me through the process, but I was emphatic that the normal process would not work for me. The man charged me 20,000 KRB to âfind me a babyâ and forge the relevant documents. At this point we alerted the Oan embassy in Tuvaltastan (which also functioned as the embassy for Volova). The embassy alerted the Auroran Security Agency. They assisted me and gave me security and helped me conceal my identity. They also gave me a hidden mic that I took with me.
He took me to a small town in the middle of the Great Auroran Desert. In this small town, they led me to an old building where people in dark suits were standing around. A woman in dirty old clothes came through holding a small object wrapped in blankets. She was as white as milk with eyes as black coals. A stout friendly looking white woman presumably working for whoever this was, took the baby from this lady who I had not been allowed to speak to and handed it to me. I looked at this poor beautiful creature as white as snow. I looked at it and nearly said, âThis child is much too light for meâ, only to realise that I was a pale white woman originally from Salovia (and thatâs on colourism I have to battle with, but thatâs a story for another day).
Instead, I said the baby is adorable. They gave it back to its mother and told me that I have to pay an additional 50,000 KRB. I was at a cross-roads, but I decided to plough ahead, much to the irritation of the ASA handlers who didnât want to put me in harms way, but I was in too thick and too dead-set on figuring out the truth. I then decided to follow through. Yesterday, as I was writing about the tussle between the Oan and Auroran Central Bank, and they gave a call on an unknown number. I was told to meet someone at a cafe opposite the street where the Oan adoption agency was located. I alerted my ASA handlers who alerted alerted Oan police who followed me and miced me. I recognised the man I met as being from that agency. I recoiled in shock, but kept my cool. His smile was as white as snow, hair sleek, arms burly and clothes dripping. And yet the putrid smell of child trafficking stuck on him like the fumes of a landmine.
He handed me the documents and told me to fetch the baby from an upmarket hotel in Tokapa. I met another one of those fancy men from the Oan adoption agency. They handed me the baby as ordered. Oan police captured the men as they were leaving and raided the Oan adoption agencyâs offices at midnight capturing documents and they are making arrests as you are reading this. I will be writing more about this and analysing what this means. But I am exhausted and disgusted, more information will come through.
Freedom International condemns the sale of âonly source of food for Nekomimisâ in Nystatiszna
Freedom International vehemently condemns the sale of the Two Penguin Seafood company in Nystatiszna to KĂŠraâzna. The government of Nystatiszna provides canned fish as food aid to the highly impoverished Nekomimi of Nystatiszna. The sale of the seafood company will make it impossible for Nekomimi to get access to their primary source of food aid. Freedom International calls upon the international community to impose financial and travel sanctions on President Ayo Hoshi and other senior government officials of that country until a solution is found. We also call on the international community to provide the Nekomimi with food aid to alleviate the horrendous food situation that they are subjected to. This deprivation of food of a marginalized and stigmatized social group coupled with the historic discrimination they have experienced at the hand of this government borders dangerously on ethnic cleansing. While we reserve that epithet for the most atrocious sapient rights violations, this action by the Nystatisznan government is nefarious and highly destructive.
Freedom International calls for investigation of child trafficking, commends Imani Lucim
We would like to commend the incredible work done by Oan News journalist Imaji Lucim in unveiling a complex web of adoption agencies operating in the Oan Isles and in various mainland Auroran countries such as Volova to illicitly provide children for adoption in the Oan Isles. We also commend the officers of the Auroran Security Agency and the Oan police who assisted in the discovery and capture of officials involved in this diabolical conspiracy. The fact this is happening is a great shame and brings into question the effectiveness of our law enforcement and public administration agencies in preventing this crime from taking place at all. Thus, we call upon the government to establish a commission of inquiry to uncover the full extent of this practice and to hold its contrivers accountable.
Baby Snatchers Part II: The Boogeyman Revealed
By Imani Lucim
In a press conference by the Commissioner of Police for Tokamotu, Major General Ruhare Amatu on 6 December 2021 revealed that the name of the adoption agency involved in the trafficking of children from mainland Aurora is St Matilda House of Mercy. St Matilda House of Mercy a non profit organisation established by Mrs Uhe Tonoawhatu in 2001. House of Mercy is affiliated with the Light of Thaer Temple in Tauranga a te Toka. They are linked to criminal syndicates and corrupt government officials in former Salovian countries namely Baykalia and Volova.
Over the span of their existence, they have trafficked 170 children. Criminal syndicates in Volova and Baykalia locate and coerce or deceive families to get their children. They target the poorest and most isolated communities. They usually operate by pretending that they come from a hospital that will treat children suffering from diseases or experiencing malnutrition. They then take the children to a hospital in Volova where the children are treated. This is where the corruption government officials take over. The officials pay the syndicates for the child. Using bribery, they get the children admitted and treated at the hospital. Then they tell the parents or guardians that they are taking the children to the Oan Isles or further treatment.
The children are then introduced to the prospective adopting couple sometimes accompanied by their parents. If the couple likes the child then, the officials prepare fake adoption papers and hand over the children to the House of Mercy contact in Volova. They are then smuggled through neighbouring countries using Auroran passports to the Oan Isles. In the Oan Isles, they are received by the House of Mercy officials. On the side of Oan immigration, the papers look as though they are legitimately issued by the Volova government. The children are then handed over to the parents and the children are registered in the Oan Isles.
Usually adopting parents do not know that the children have been taken. They are given the impression by the House of Mercy that the children are suffering in Volova. The House of Mercy only targets parents who are desperate, have tried and failed multiple times to have a baby and are willing to pay the extortionate amounts being demanded by the agency to execute the adoption. The families tend to be affluent couples who are in the middle to end of their careers. They tend to either be homosexual or having fertility issues.
The people involved in the House of Mercy have been arrested and its documents have been seized. The Public Prosecutor has brought criminal charges against the people involved in the House of Mercy. Volova authorities have been contacted, however because the Oan Isles and Volova do not have a treaty surrounding such matters, it is unclear to what extent the Volovan authorities will react. The Oan Isles has sought a warrant from the Auroran Court of Justice to arrest the Volova official and criminal actors who were involved if they set foot in UNAC soil. Furthermore, it has applied for a warrant to freeze their assets held in Auroran countries. However, the fact that the Auroran Security Agency entered Volova without Volovan involvement or knowledge, may cause a diplomatic incident. In the next article we will talk about the social, economic and political conditions that led to this.
(Post dated 20 August 2021)
OAN GOVERNMENT CONDEMNS ATTACK AGAINST MBE PM
Rangitanga-a-te-Moana Oahoanu held a press conference today outside the Palace of Putangitangi with Prime Minster Maui Uye-Ahua and Foreign Minister Arana Marama beside him. He condemned the attack on the Morstaybishlian government and expressed support for the Morstaybishlian people. He expressed that the Oan Isles would assist in any way possible including sharing intelligence from the Oan Intelligence Bureau.
(Post dated 24 September 2021)
OAN GOVERNMENT RESPONDS TO ELECTION OF RIANNAR KARMER AS NEW MBE PM
Prime Minister Maui Uye-Ahua announced that the Oan government was looking forward to a productive working relationship with the new Morstaybishlian Prime Minister Riannar Karmer who previously served as the First Secretary of that nation. Although the circumstances under which he became the PM were highly undesirable and tragic, Uye-Ahua complimented Karmer for assuming the mantle in a time of chaos for the MBE. Regarding the independence referendum planned for Marisilia, he simply stated that the Oan Isles was watching developments closely.
Should Kundzeti join the Kiribzone?
Yes with an asterisk. Before we answer that question, we should give you some background.
What is the Kiribzone?
The Kiribzone (formally known as the Kirib Monetary Union) is a monetary union of various countries in Aurora that use the kirib as their legal tender. This means that monetary policy is set by the Auroran Central Bank. The primary function of the ACB is to ensure price stability, meaning to prevent inflation from getting out of control. It does this by increasing and decreasing the supply of money through the interest rate it charges commercial and other banks to borrow kiribs as well as buy buying and selling bonds.
Why join the Kiribzone?
There are many benefits to joining the Kiribzone. These include strong price stability, a reliable currency, a currency that is recognised globally, being part of a highly influential monetary area, distribution of monetary risk among a wider pool of states, and ease of access to borrowing. This works well for wealthy countries because they often need to borrow lots of money and they donât mind borrowing lots. Secondly they buy lots of stuff from elsewhere so itâs cheaper for them to buy things from overseas. Thirdly, their banking systems are among the most reliable in the world, which is important for a rich nation more than a poor nation.
For the astute reader, you would have noticed that these benefits accrue more to wealthy nations. Thatâs not to say that a poor nation would not benefit. It just means that the advantages of joining the Kiribzone are more useful to rich nations even though a poor country can potentially benefit from the kirib as a currency. Rich nations benefit more because they value stability. In contrast, stability helps poor nations, but their main focus is to become rich and this means being dynamic.
Is joining the kiribzone good for every nation?
This leads us into the main issues for poor countries joining the Kiribzone. They lose control of their monetary policy, thus they canât respond as quickly to rapid changes in the global economy (as these changes affect them much more than rich nations). Secondly, it makes their exports uncompetitive because people outside the Kiribzone have to pay more for their goods. It makes their local industries uncompetitive because itâs cheaper to buy things from another Kiribzone state than have them made locally.
The fact that the kirib makes borrowing easier is a Catch 22 for poor nations. On one hand the government can get easy access to credit, on the other hand it makes interest rate payments more expensive (relative to the state revenue) and makes it more tempting to get into debt because itâs more available.
Why are there poor countries in the Kiribzone that would obviously benefit from being monetarily independent?
History. Baykalia was let into the Kiribzone almost entirely because it was a member of the ACA and all the other nations of the Kiribzone were ACA members. It has stayed because no one has seen the need to kick them out and because of the corruption of their government. The business interests of the Posolic family are placed more highly than the welfare of the Baykalian people and the Posolic family business benefits from being part of the Kiribzone and for that reason they havenât exited.
Other countries like Durentrus and Sarentria inherited the kirib from the  fact that they were part of the Republic of Ethalria. As a whole, the Republic of Ethalria benefited from the Kiribzone. However separately, and still recovering from the 2017 Continental War, the two nations are somewhere in the middle of being rich and poor. Some economists (but not all) would argue that they should leave. But thatâs not going to happen because the reality is that the old Bursil Alliance states use the kirib to control these countries and keep them from starting another continental war. So, they donât have a choice in the matter. Call it economic colonialism, call it peace and stability. You choose.
Is monetary policy all there is?
No. Even if we have pointed out all the issues that affect poor(ish) countries from joining the kirib, their economic fates vary according to the circumstances. Countries that have a competitive advantage in certain industries will benefit tremendously if they can maintain a trade surplus. Countries that primarily access foreign loans through the Auroran Monetary Fund basically get paid to borrow in Kiribs because the rates are so low that if they play their cards right they can make a profit from borrowing kiribs especially when rates dip below 0%.
What about Kâundzeti?
Luckily for Kâundzeti it wasnât thrust into the Kiribzone but it is getting fiscal, trade and economic policy right before making the leap of faith and the other members are really working to ensure that Kâundzeti gets a good deal out of this whole joining the kirib thing.
Secondly, Kâundzeti has a competitive advantage in construction materials, fossil fuels and rubber. Furthermore, the AMF is more than happy to give it all the funding it needs to grow its economy and become better connected with Aurora. There are all sorts of projects that Kâundzeti can take advantage of especially because UNAC member states are eager to help them climb the economic ladder (a stronger Kâundzeti means a stronger UNAC). Further, the kirib will help Kâundzeti get over economic dependence on ex-coloniser Vistaraland.
But Kâundzeti needs to make sure that they get it right. They have to make sure that they donât borrow lots in the good times and that they borrow lots in the bad times. They have to make sure that the money they borrow goes into building infrastructure or economically beneficial projects and doesnât get stolen by corruption or misuse. Where possible, get aid. If possible convince a country like MBE or Axdel to subsidize your military instead of paying for yourself or just ditch your military and get a big UNAC/IRSA country to protect you (i.e., cut costs where possible).
If you do that, this Kirib business may work out. But of course this is just the opinion of a few journalists and economists from a random Oan News service. So you should take what we say with a pinch of salt. Nevertheless, the biggest take away is that there are cons and pros of joining the Kiribzone and there are ways to balance these to achieve the best economic outcomes.
Café Net develops blockchain-based academic repo
Café Net has a developed a blockchain-based academic research repository called BlockPapers. The company developed a website where academics can publish academic papers to journals that have their content published on the blockchain. They developed this technology to improve the accessibility and verifiability of academic papers. This is an aim to combat the rise of predatory journals and to give academics greater control over their research output. The company is making use of the Lux blockchain started earlier this year by Etuariti Takatunuye. The company has sent out a request for comment from academic journals that currently publish on current repository known as Café Papers regarding the project. If the project receives the support of the academic journals, then Café Net will migrate from Café Papers to Block Papers. The project forms part of the ongoing work of decentralising and democratising the web.
ASTRA and ECSEA collaborate on reusable rockets
The Auroran Science and Technology Research Agency (ASTRA) and Emberwood Coast Space Exploration Agency (ECSEA) have started the Reusable Rocket Project (RRP) to conduct research and develop the reusability of space rockets used to propel space vehicles beyond Urthâs atmosphere. The project involves public private partnerships and is valued at 30 billion KRB. The Rosamund Island Space Vehicle Launch Site (also known as the Rosamund Spaceport) will be used for the vehicles. Various Auroran nations are collaborating to develop the components necessary for the project. The rockets will be assembled in Aura, Emberwood Coast. ECSEA is famous for having one of the best space vehicle programs in the world.
Oan university awarded Damehowe research grant
Damehowe Inc has awarded the School of Computer Science at the University of Tokapa the Walter Dame and Primessa Howe Excellence in Computer Science Research Grant. Valued at 15 million KRB, the grant aims to encourage research and development in information and communication technology. Dr Maati Rangi, President of UOT accepted the award on the universityâs behalf. He explained that the institution aimed to use the money to conduct research in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and quantum computing. The grant will go a long way to strengthening the Oan Islesâs position as a leader in the ICT sector.
OAN NEWS
Church of Akrona supports Crystal Coast secession
By Hakere Tupuni
Matron Vana Dandreal, the highest figure and authority in the Tavarian religious organisation known as the Church of Akrona publicly declared that the organisation would support the secession of Crystal Coast to form Acronis.
The move came after attempts by the government of Tavaris to assuage the longstanding complaints of the Akronists and people of Crystal Coast failed. Firstly, the Prime Minister ĆœarĂs Nevran Alandar and King Zaram V attended a Akronist service to woo Akronist support for unification. But the attempt failed spectacularly when the King launched a tirade against the Akronist speaker regarding her claims that former Secretary General of the International Forum and former Prime Minister of Tavaris Ć ano Ć onai Tuvria was part of their community due to his mixed religious background. The insult was so severe that the Matron declared attempts at unification a failure and had the King and Prime Minister evicted from the premises.
Secondarily, the Matron welcomed the investment and development schemes of the Ćœaris Nevran Alandar government, but decried them as paling in comparison to the devotion and loyalty shown BY Akronists to Tavaris. Analysts had mixed reactions to Matron Vana Dandreal speech. Agnar Moutuara, political analyst and professor at Shiro Academy, felt that independence is such a big move that Vana Dandreal would not have taken such a decision alone or on a whim regardless of how nasty or disrespectful King Zaramâs outburst had Been. He argues that Dandreal waited for an opportune moment and Zaramâs invective provided it. Moutuara quipped that he should be known as Zaram the Ignominious
Husband of Lady Posol Assassinated by Baykalia
By Ohana Apaupuru
The plane carrying Remis Posol, majority shareholder and senior executive of Posol Industries and husband of Lady Posol, head of state of Baykalia, was shot down over Baykalian air space by Baykalia surface to air anti-aircraft missiles and debris fell into Great Morstaybishlia.
The Baykalian government stated that Remis Posol had been a traitor due to his willingness to collaborate with an investigation by the Morstaybishlian Intelligence Bureau into corruption and state-sponsored interference in the internal and security affairs of the Great Morstaybishlia and presumably other Auroran states within its area of influence. Remis Posol was heading to Great Morstaybishlia to provide testimony and/or to turn himself in (it is unclear at the moment what exactly he intended to do there but more on that will follow as the story develops). This follows the successful hacking of Baykalia government records by the MIB that implicate Baykalian officials in a variety of schemes.
Great Morstaybishlia bitterly decried the actions of the Baykalian government and suggested that they would retaliate in some way. The Oan government, as the dutiful servant dog it is, released a statement supporting MBE and offering support where necessary. They celebrated the fact that the dictatorial government of Baykalia was finally facing justice. Oan companies which relied on Posol Industries such as Floating Market, an online shopping platform, have cut off ties with the company in anticipation of the sanctions that will be enforced once they leave the draft phase.
Erratum: A previous version of this article stated that the plane was shot over Morstaybishlian airspace. It was shot over Baykalian airspace and debris fell into Great Morstaybishlia.
Oan Isles Beats Tula 7-1 in Aurora Cup Qualifiers
By Te Rakea Whamiti
Despite the fact that Oans were disappointed that the Oan Isles will not be competing in the soccer world cup this year, the Aurora Cup proved to be a welcome respite. The following extract is taken verbatim from the Aurora Cup qualifier website.
âAs a surprise to many Tula started the match with lots of fire and determination to show the world they have grown quite a bit in the last time. They actually scored in the 8th minute of the match and the stadium went crazy. Would Tula start these qualifiers with a win? Answer came sooner then later when Oan scored their first goal of the qualifiers just before half time making it 1-1. The players of the Oan Isles must have had some wonderdrink in the break within 5 minutes of the second half starting they score twice more making silencing the stadium almost completely. Tula tried to make the match exciting again by attacking quite a lot, but with one of the attacks the inevitable thing happened and the Oan Isles scored their fourth goal of the match before the 60 minute mark was passed. The Tulan players then decided enough is enough and they started to defend with everything they had. And they kept it 4-1 until the 80th minute. Then Oan Isles made a last push and scored three goals in the last 10 minutes, one of which in the dying seconds of the match making the end score a whopping 7-1. On the day Staynes started with a day off, this was the best start Oan could wish for.
On to the third match of the evening. They are not the biggest nations but can always surprise and have had some moderate success in the past.â
OAN NEWS
26 October 2022
Samminel Herinshaw New CEO of Cafe Net
Eden Backensea
Former Secretary of State for Foreign and Overseas Affairs, Samminel Herinshaw has been appointed the CEO of the Oan search engine, cloud computing and social media company Cafe Net. Bringing a wealth of political and business experience, he served in the Walter Johannes cabinet from 2005 to 2009 and then served as the Deputy Chief Information Officer at Cafe Net.
Born in Kurandia, he served as an MP in the Kalmington Parliament before ascending to the Johannes Ministry. He is currently married to Jasmine Harlow.
Now former CEO and billionaire founder Etuarity will move to Cafe Pay full time after serving notice for 5 months after his resignation.
Financial transparency disclosures from the Oan tax authority suggest that Herinshaw will receive a share compensation package in the range of 20 to 40 million KRB and an annual stipend of 2 million KRB and annual perks estimated at 1 million KRB.
Founded by Etuariti Takatunuye and now a subsidiary of the Morstaybishlian technology company Damehowe, Cafe Net is arguably the largest search engine after Goggle by number of users and the third largest Oan based company after Metatron and the Standard National Bank.
OAN NEWS
22 April 2023The UNAC needs reform
Te Ita Mokuere from the Movement for Auroran SolidarityThe United Nations of the Auroran Continent (UNAC) is arguably the most closely integrated and developed free trade and travel area and customs union in the world. Furthermore, its membership is coextensive with the much older Kirib Monetary Union (Kiribzone) which brings together several nations under one currency, the Kirib, overseen by one bank, the Auroran Central Bank.
For all its advances, the UNAC suffers from a democratic deficit. The Council of the UNAC is the most powerful body in the UNAC. Although largely unseen from the public eye, the Council of the UNAC has the power to remove members and make laws and appoint Commissioners, judges and even the President of the UNAC herself. Firstly, this body is appointed by governments and not elected by the people. Secondly, it gives an equal number of votes to every member states. The over 300 million people in Great Morstaybishlia and the 50,000 people in Blueacia have the same amount of representation in the most powerful body in the UNAC.
Furthermore, the Auroran Parliament guarantees a minimum of three votes for all member states. This means that people from bigger countries are underrepresented. This bizarre format was created to convince nations that were sceptical of leaving the Auroran Continental Assembly and joining this new body. It was part of the compromise that came out of the Auroran Reunification Summit. The worst part is that the nations that instigated the Auroran Cerenerian War like the Ethalrian countries and the nations that did not fight like Emberwood Coast made demands about the configuration of the UNAC.
Four years after the end of one of the most brutal wars of the past 150 years, we have been left with a decrepit and deformed institution. This union needs reform. And here are our proposals:
Direct election of the Council of the UNAC: The citizens of the UNAC must directly vote for their representatives in the Council of the UNAC and more seats or a higher weighted vote must be given to bigger member states. Conversely, more power must be delegated to the Auroran Parliament.
Direct election of the President of the UNAC Commission: The citizens of the UNAC should be able to directly elect the President of the UNAC Commission.
Integration of the Auroran Central Bank into the UNAC: The ACB needs to be integrated into the UNAC and made accountable to the citizens through our elected representatives in the Auroran Parliament. While we support its independence, we think more oversight of the body is needed so that we can trust it.
Delegation of fiscal powers to the UNAC: The UNAC should not only rely on contributions from member states. The UNAC should be able to levy taxes and implemented services directly to the citizens of the UNAC. Additionally, there needs to be a framework that governs government expenditure, taxes and external debt. Although the Auroran Monetary Fund exists to help nations in financial distress with meeting their balance of payments obligations, our union remains fragile if one country is going through austerity while another is accumulating debt to fund frivolous expenditure.
We call for our representatives in our respective legislatures etc. to bring forward these concerns, to make the UNAC stronger and more united.
Oan Government Condemns Askaraban and Crimpateia
Imani Lucim
29 June 2023
The Pirimia, Maui Uye-Ahua has issued a statement expressing solidarity with and support for the people of Sayyed during their nationâs invasion. He also condemned Askaraban and Crimpateia as aggressor nations that have disrupted the globalised and rules based world order.
Liam Keawe, the Ambassador of the Oan Isles to the International Forum, ha supported the sanctions and condemnation levied against Askaraban and Crimpateia by the the Security Council. He expressed that it displayed surprising and unlikely courage, unity of purpose and moral uprightness by the Member States of the Council who are serving the last legs of their term.
New Security Council on the Horizon
Te Whohinga Tua a te Nui
The incumbent security Council has exactly a month left until its term ends in August since the last in February.
Packilvania was nominated for the first time but failed to attract support. Among the three so called superpowers, Packilvania is the only one that hasnât managed to get a seat. Nations such as Norgsveldet, and Asendavia, have enjoyed surprisingly long tenures through their frequent reelection. Yet, with the next term in full view, it remains I be seen whether the approach to selection of member states will be based on merit well.
Oan News
Arana Marana Announces Bid for Prime Minister
13 July 2023
Te Ipanui ko Ita Koinga
Arana Marama, Foreign Minister of the Oan Isles and Leader of the Green Party, has announced that she will run for the position of Prime Minister at the elections in August. She currently serves under Prime Minister Maui Uye-Ahua. It is believed that she will continue to serve in the Cabinet until campaigning begins next week Monday.
She states that her government will ensure economic growth and address the long standing question of the unity of the Oan Isles and our historic territories to the west currently under the administration of Great Morstaybishlia. Furthermore, she states that she will push for closer economic and political integration with likeminded nations in the United Nations of the Auroran Continent. Another of her main goals is to improve the viritlity of the Oan Islesâs participation in the International Forum with a view to running for the Security Council.
Arana Marama was instrumental in negotiations between the Oan Isles and Uspalria that ended the political stalemate which impeded steps towards Auroran Reunification. She also played a crucial in the drafting of the final draft of the Charter of the UNAC representing the Oan Isles. She has displayed competence and ethics in her handling of Oan foreign policy including managing to secure the Oan Islesâ presidency and stewardship of the Auroran Monetary Fund.