Teloran News Agency

[Telora]

Teloran News Agency
Bringing you the latest news from Telora​

"This is Radio Telora. Now, the 15:00 news, read by Josef Eisler..."

• President Almquist has nominated Joseph Mendelssohn as the next Minister for Agriculture and Rural Regeneration. Mr Mendelssohn was previous director of SeedBank, a state-owned agricultural bank in Hansa province, a role in which he won acclaim. The President affirmed that he had agreed Mr Mendelssohn's appointment with Governor Palme before making the announcement.
• A bill proposed by the Minister of Finance to compensate localities for shortfalls in their budgets caused by the CCA scandal has passed the House of Session Finance Committee unanimously, and has been scheduled for a vote this evening. The bill, which recieved formal backing from the President over the weekend, was unveiled last Friday by Minister of Finance Johan Clemensson.
• The Teloran Central Bank has announced it will raise interest rates by 0.25%, as it seeks to contain the fall out from the CCA scandal. The TCB decided to raise rates for the first time since early 1956 at its monthly monetary policy meeting Monday morning, saying that it was looking to head off the inflationary impact of a weaker Teloran Mark, and draw additional capital into the country.
• Professor Ivar Hurum, the new Chair of the Teloran Trade Commission, has expanded on remarks yesterday on seeking new trade deals in Northern Europe, specifically citing [MENTION=665]Gouw Marken[/MENTION], [MENTION=16]Engellex[/MENTION], [MENTION=26]Bourgogne[/MENTION], [MENTION=18]Eiffelland[/MENTION] and [MENTION=1517]Saaremaa[/MENTION] as key priorities. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has affirmed it will support the TTC in seeking to sound out these states, and others, with regards to potential deals.
• Federal Electric have released their full year report for 1956, showing that the company experienced a slight growth in profits - less than 1% - as they seek to reduce corporate debt and invest in renewing their factory estate. The company expects to continue this programme into 1957, projecting that by year end it will have reduced its debt by almost two-thirds from its high point two years ago, and completely renewed almost three quarters of its production floorspace.

That was the news, and now for the afternoon play...

 

[Holy Frankish Empire]

Grand Duchy of Bourgogne

The Grand Duchy is happy to discuss new trade deals which may benefit us and our Teloran friends. We are committed to finding amicable ground on which may advance our industries and relations

 

[Tyonic Confederacy]

The Federal Republic of Geotri

Many companies have expressed interest in a trade deal between themselves and Telora, while we do support them we can not negotiate such a deal on their behalf, as our interests are different from theirs. If you would wish to make a deal I would recommend speaking to CEO of Udel, Gerwald Schwender, and the CEO of HML, Lorenz Wald.

 

[Rheinbund]

Wirtschaftsministerium
Trier, Eiffelland

Our companies are very much interested in a trade deal between Eiffelland and Telora, as we are convinced that both countries will benefit from such a deal.

Dr. Stephan Röpke, Minister for Economic Affairs

 

[Telora]

Teloran News Agency
Bringing you the latest news from Telora​

"This is Radio Telora. Now, the 15:00 news, read by Josef Eisler..."

• The Minister of Commerce and Industry, Dr Sven Sorenson, has confirmed that Telora will be signing a free trade deal with Bourgogne in the near future. The announcement, after several days of contact between officials of both states, is an early victory for the Teloran Trade Commission's new chair, Professor Ivar Hurum, who had pushed for a series of trade deals shortly after taking office. The details of the deal will be announced in the next few days.
• The Senate has confirmed Joseph Mendelssohn as the new Minister for Agriculture and Rural Regeneration in a 71-5 vote. Mr Mendelssohn, who was nominated last week by the President, replaces Hannes Svedberg, who resigned under pressure in his role in the CCA scandal and is expected to face police questioning this week. A full new Ministerial team will be announced by Mr Mendelssohn tomorrow.
• Ministry of Finance officials have confirmed that the replacement payments for those stopped as part of the CCA investigation are to be made this week, under fresh legislation agreed by Congress on Friday. Speaking to reporters in his office, Minister of Finance Johan Clemensson said that the new payments would be made public day by day, with local and state government officials expected to publicly affirm receipt of the payments, and that he was prepared to freeze them if he felt it necessary.
• The announcement by the [MENTION=2057]Geotri[/MENTION] government that it will revisit its entire budget for the financial year has led to a softening position for its currency on the financial markets today, as traders sought reassurance that the revisitation was not a sign of wider fiscal trouble. The move has helped the Teloran Mark recover some of the ground lost in recent weeks.
• The Federal Navy has formerly requested that [MENTION=125]Trivodnia[/MENTION] host the first overseas visit of the new light cruiser TSS Oxenstierna this May. Trivodnia is a long standing partner of Telora, and the move was widely expected by analysts, as the Teloran government looks to deepen ties with partners across Europe.

That was the news, and now for the afternoon play...

 

[Polesia]

Ministry of External Affairs

The Free States of Trivodnia would be more than willing to welcome TSS Oxenstierna this May.

 

[Telora]

Teloran News Agency
Bringing you the latest news from Telora​

"This is Radio Telora. Now, the 12:00 news, read by Josef Eisler..."

• The Teloran Trade Commission and Ministry of Commerce and Industry have announced that Teloran officials have successfully completed negotiations for two new free trade agreements with [MENTION=26]Bourgogne[/MENTION] and [MENTION=18]Eiffelland[/MENTION]. Whilst the Bourgogne agreement had already been announced, this confirmation of the successful completion of two agreements is a significant boost to the chair of the TTC, Professor Ivar Hurum. The leaders of the Centrist and Nationalist caucuses in the Senate have already indicated they will move to back the treaties, likely ensuring a smooth passage into law in the near future. The deals are understood to cover some tariff reductions, simplifying customs procedures and mutual recognition of patents.
• The Castle Line vessel SS Angevin is understood to be due to arrive in Serenierren waters today, to collect Teloran and other journalists arrested by the government there. The vessel, which was chartered late last week by the government, has been proceeding unescorted at high speed towards Serenierre, despite some early speculation she would receive an escort from one of the Navy's Molnet-class destroyers. After collecting the released journalists, the Angevin will divert to the Eiffellandian port of Lubeck, to offload all non-Teloran nationals, before returning to Telora. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said it has seen no sign that the Angevin will be impeded, and therefore does not believe any further action was required to protect the vessel.
• A Gallup poll released today appears to indicate that the worst of the Coastal Communities Act crisis has passed for President Almquist, although there is little sign of a recovery in support for him. Some 62% of respondents said they had an unfavourable view of the President, up only 1% on the February number, whilst 33% expressed a positive view - unchanged from a month ago. However, 75% of respondents said they believed the Special Prosecutor would find evidence of criminal activity in the federal government, resulting in prosecutions. Respondents were broadly positive about the role of Congress, with 44% of them approving of its job so far, and 35% disapproving, a position which strengthened when respondents were specifically asked about the investigations into the CCA scandal.
• TelorRail has announced that the electrification of the mainline between Agnafit and Telor City has been completed on time, and that the first run of the new electric intercity services will begin on Monday 13th March as previously planned. The electrification, the centrepiece of the TelorRail Appropriations Act 1955, and a key pledge of President Almquist, is the largest single project included in that bill, covering Telora's busiest mainline as well as several key branch lines. There had been some speculation that the project might be delayed after early opposition from several local councils along the mainline, but this quickly subsided in the face of a sustained series of public meetings by TelorRail executives. The line will be formally inaugurated by President Almquist in May, when he travels to Agnafit to commission the newest Oxenstierna-class light cruiser.
• The Office for Budgetary Control has announced that it has completed pre-budget consultations, and that the President will unveil his budget for this financial year next Monday. The OBC, which is responsible for compiling budgets and monitoring departmental compliance with them, has been asked this year to model for a 1% increase over inflation in government spending, a further reduction from last year's 2.5%, which in turn was a fall from the President's first budget in 1955, which saw a 4% increase in spending. The move is likely to reassure financial markets about Telora's financial and political stability, after months of uncertainty driven by the CCA scandal. It is expected that the new budget will also see a round of spending reductions for some programmes as the President shifts resources into priority areas.

That was the news, and now the weather - some rain in westerly areas will clear by evening, with a light north-westerly wind. Tomorrow will see a strengthening north westerly wind bringing a band of snow showers over much of Telora, with parts of Kolmården expected to see up to 8 inches of snow in rural areas. Temperatures will drop sharply from today, with the highest of around 3 Celcius in southern parts of Hansa and Ossex.

This has been the news and weather with Josef Eisler, and now The World Today with Jaan Rei...

 

[Telora]

Teloran News Agency
Bringing you the latest news from Telora​

The Telor Tribune​

BUDGET DAY: SPENDING TO GROW BY 1%​

Increase in income and investment taxes;
Focus on business and education;
But cuts in health, other programmes downsized​

President Hjalmar Almquist has unveiled his proposed budget for fiscal year 1957-58, which envisions an increase of total federal spending of 1% in real terms, coupled with tax rises to help further reduce the country's debt. The bulk of the spending increases will be focused on business support and the education sector, with smaller uplifts for transport and the country's military. Most other areas of spending will either experience no increase in funding after inflation, or will experience slight falls - the largest of these being healthcare, which will see a 0.5% reduction in spending, after several years of steep funding increases left the Ministry of Health struggling to spend its full budget. Several programmes within various ministries are also to experience reductions, or even closure, as the budget seeks to focus more effort on key areas.

Announcing his budget today, President Almquist said that it was a "budget for growth, for prosperity, for security for all Telorans" and that he would work with "all and any legislators who wish to join this quest to invigorate our economy and national life." He particularly focused on a new fund for the regeneration of university campuses, with a near doubling of the federal cash available to help universities upgrade teaching and research facilities, as well as a 25% increase in the funds available to schools to refresh their equipment stocks. He also confirmed that the federal government would seek to charter at least 3 new universities in the next year, focused on science and technology. He also confirmed increases in federal grants to the NIC Bank and the Export Bank, with the aim, in his words, of "underwriting a boom in business finance and trade."

Other areas that were highlighted include further money and loan guarantees for rail electrification - focused on commuter lines around Telora's three largest cities - Telor City, Agnafit, and Julyents - as well as a fund to explore the construction of expressways between these cities, and the final stage of the loan guarantee package to complete the overall of Telora's largest port at Agnafit. The President also confirmed that the defence budget would increase by 4%, with the cash going towards refreshing the country's air force and army. In particular, the Air Force will purchase new heavy lift aircraft, to replace its increasingly elderly collection of transport planes, and the Army will investigate the purchase of new armoured cars and lorries.

To cover the cost of these commitments, the government has confirmed that the top rate of income tax will rise from 50% to 52.5%, whilst the threshold will, once again, not be adjusted for inflation. The top band of investment gains tax will be raised by the same amount - again, to 52.5%, while the second band will increase to 40% from 37.5%. Together with a variety of smaller tax adjustments, these will provide the bulk of the additional money needed to cover the increased costs in the budget and still meet the President's target of reducing Telora's debt to 35% of GDP by the next election. However, the Office for Budgetary Control (OBC) has warned that further, and broader, tax rises may be needed in next year's budget to keep to this target, if economic conditions deteriorate.

The budget also envisions cuts to several programmes within the federal government - some of them through natural attrition, others after what has been called "careful prudential review" by the Office of the President and the OBC. Into the former category fall such programmes as the retirement fund for TelorRail's steam locomotives - with the last of them due to retire later this year, the new payment into the fund will fall by 33% this year, and will have closed completely by the end of the next fiscal year. The second category is populated by programmes such as the Housing Recovery Scheme, which aimed to return derelict houses to livable condition and sell them to local councils - which is to be replaced with loans from the Federal Housing Corporation - and the Pollution Monitoring Board, which is being cut by 10% after persistent criticism for its failure to meet auditory standards.

Continued on page 2
More on pages 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6

 

[Polesia]

Ministry of External Affairs

The Free States of Trivodnia, in recognition of our long-standing friendship, deepening economic ties and shared tradition of neutrality, would be keen to open free trade agreement negotiations with Telora.

 

[Telora]

Teloran News Agency
Bringing you the latest news from Telora​

"This is Radio Telora. Now, the 15:00 news, read by Josef Eisler..."

• The leader of the National Party Senate caucus, Ernst Posse, has said that he is inclined to support the President's budget, given that "the alarming pace of spending increases of previous years have come to an end". The National Party's federal leadership council will meet this evening to formally decide their response to the budget, but a combination of efficiency measures, slower overall spending growth, and higher defence spending are likely to mean that the council recommends supporting President Almquist's budget. Support from the National Party would grant the budget a majority in both houses of Congress.
• Officials from the Teloran Trade Commission have confirmed they are in detailed talks with [MENTION=1774]Pelasgia[/MENTION], [MENTION=125]Trivodnia[/MENTION] and [MENTION=414]Nichtstein[/MENTION] on future trade deals, expected to be announced in detail in the coming days. It is understood that the Nichtstein deal will be a near-copy of the Eiffelland deal, given the close economic ties between those two states. Given the easy passage of the Bourgogne and Eiffelland deals through the Seante, TTC officials are confident of a majority for these agreements.
• An announcement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that it would be prepared to underwrite a portion of the extra cost of converting a bridge between Kadikistan and Calidia has been met with angry dissent from key members of Congress. Deputy Niels Clausen, chair of the House of Session finance committee, said he would be calling in officials from the Ministry to testify on the prospective deal, saying that "Teloran neutrality is undermined by such chummy deals with nefarious regimes." Privately, several federal officials have voiced concerns about the deal, fearing it will further erode support for the President in Congress.
• The NIC Bank has confirmed it will be jointly funding the construction of a new set of docks at Telora's third largest seaport, Attelley. The deal was struck with the Ossex Ministry of Development today, and commits the NIC Bank to provide loans covering 30% of the initial costs, and up to 35% of the final costs of the construction process. The new docks will handle output from Ossex's growing textiles and farming industries, as well as allowing the closure of the oldest sections of the port for redevelopment.
• United Granaries (UG) has confirmed that its profits grew slightly more than expected - 2.7% - in 1956, and that it expected this year to have another strong performance, with early forecasts for grain harvests steady, and demand for its milled grain products continuing to steadily rise. The company has said it will explore expansion of its retail operations as well - its range of self-service "supermarkets" saw a growth in sales of 6% last year. UG has also confirmed it is looking to expand into pastoral agriculture, saying it will seek to acquire dairy operations "likely through merger activity."

That was the news, and now for the afternoon play...

 

[Telora]

Teloran News Agency
Bringing you the latest news from Telora​

"This is Radio Telora. Now, the 19:00 news, read by Josef Eisler..."

• The President's budget is in peril tonight, after the National Party caucus in the House of Session failed to reach agreement on whether to support the proposal. A rebellion, led by the chair of the House Finance Committee, Deputy Niels Clausen, led to enough deputies refusing to back the budget that the caucus was unable to reach the needed 60% threshold for it to reach a position on the matter. It is understood that the President will look to agree support from individual National Party deputies, as well as seeking backing from the Centre Party.
• The Teloran Trade Commission has confirmed that trade talks with [MENTION=1774]Pelasgia[/MENTION] and [MENTION=414]Nichtstein[/MENTION] have concluded, with both trade deals ready to be sent to the Senate for approval. Whilst the Nichtstein deal is a near-replica of the Eiffelland deal approved in early March, the Pelasgia agreement is understood to include reciprocal reductions in port fees, as well as larger tariff cuts than have previously been indicated. The TTC has also indicated a draft deal with [MENTION=125]Trivodnia[/MENTION] will be released shortly.
• Ahead of this summer's state elections, the Ossex Liberal Party conference has voted to continue its alliance with the Centre Party, as it prepares to defend its record in government in the state. The alliance, which is one of the oldest in Telora, sees OLP candidates run at state level and Centre candidates at national, with the two parties sharing members and resources within Ossex. The election in Ossex will be a key indicator ahead of next years federal elections, with the opposition Christian Union seeking to fend off a strong National Party challenge.
• The Television Review Commission, established by President Almquist shortly after he came to office, will report on Friday on its findings. It is believed that the Commission will advocate for the establishment of a new state-owned television broadcaster to compete with the two existing commercial networks - the independent TelTV and Federal Electrics' National Television Service (NTS). The President has previously committed to sending the Commission's proposals to Congress as a bill within a month of publication.
• The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr Gustav Orff, has said he will look to step down next year if President Almquist is re-elected. Dr Orff, who is 62, is understood to want to return to private life after many years of public service, and has declined a direct offer from the President to continue in his post if the President is re-elected.

That was the news, and now Today in Telor City, hosted by Oscar Rei.

Good evening fellow Telorans. Today we will be discussing the Presidents' budget, the fresh round of upcoming trade deals, and how prospects for this Junes' elections are impacting on federal politics. To join me in these discussions are Dr Viktor Nilsson, from Federal University's Department of Politics, and Dr Casper Fager, from the University of Børad's Department of Civics. Good evening to you both.

Good evening

Good evening

Thank you. We will begin with the most important news story of the day - that the Presidents' budget, which until now had enjoyed a relatively calm reception from Congress, has been plunged into crisis today by the refusal of almost half of National Party deputies to endorse their leadership's support for the budget. Whilst National Party Senators have been very receptive, the House of Session caucus has been split by a rebellion led by Niels Clausen, who is chair of the powerful Finance Committee. Dr Nilsson, if I can begin with you, why exactly has this split come about?

Well, Mr Rei, the trigger for this split has been a steadily growing tension within the National Party as a whole. For some time now, there have been a growing number of members and elected National Party officials who feel that the party's support for the country's mixed economic model has gone too far, and that it should campaign more vigorously on issues of liberty. The most prominent advocate of this has been Niels Clausen, who you may remember unsuccessfully ran to be Deputy Leader of the National Party's House of Session caucus a few years ago. He, and his allies, have been strengthened by the failed candidacy of Ernst Posse, the National leader in the Senate, for the Presidency in 1954. Senator Posse is seen as the embodiment of the consensual-minded leadership that has failed the party and led to this ideological drift.

It seems, therefore, that this is more than immediate reaction to particular aspects of the Presidents' budget? A more existential crisis is brewing up?

Indeed - whilst this particular budget will eventually pass, in some form, the underlying tension is merely going to be compounded by this battle. Deputy Clausen has a growing base among party members, and now it seems in the House of Session as well. The party is also aware that the Christian Union is moderating its federal and local policies as well - it has been moving more towards the direction of Christian Democracy for the past two election cycles, and as it does so it is making inroads into the sort of suburban voters that the old leadership sought to keep onside with their moderate stance.

Quite the issue, then! Dr Fager, what can the President - indeed the Socialist Party - do about this? How much room for manoeuvre do they have?

The alarming thing of course, Mr Rei, is that the National Party's own internal conflicts are to some extent reflected by the Socialist Party. We already know, thanks to reports carried by the EPA, that senior Socialist Party members are looking at ways of preventing President Almquist getting onto next June's ballot. President Almquist was, of course, the candidate of the party's more radical wing - which made his nomination and election all the more significant. But now the party's moderates are looking to re-assert themselves, generating growing internal problems. What this means in terms of the budget is, of course, that a collapse in support from the National Party re-opens political space for radical and moderate Socialist members of Congress to press for fresh concessions.

Dr Nielsson, you wanted to comment further?

Yes - an observation that I am sure Dr Fager will share. The rise of more regular polling, which has proven increasingly reliable in the last few elections, is increasing the pressure on these parties. Because they can more accurately perceive how voters feel about them, and on issues, the pressure to do something about developing challenges or problematic leaders has become that bit more intense

Thank you, Dr Nielsson. If I can return to Dr Fager - given what you've said about the Socialist Party, can we expect the budget to be rescued by someone else? The Centre Party, for example?

I think that's somewhat unlikely. The Centre Party at a federal level has been unable to get a firm grip on how to respond to this Presidency on a day-by-day basis, and they have trailed behind the other two main parties in the polls as a result. Their indecision has meant ineffective responses to previous budgets - I don't seem them resolving their internal tensions sufficiently to allow them to unequivocally back the budget. More likely they will repeat last year's offer - talk of concessions, but then grant Deputies and Senators a free vote. As for other parties - the Communists never support a Socialist budget, which leaves the Christian Union, the Estland Party, and a brace of independents. Together they might be enough to help a wider coalition of elements of the main parties get over the line, but they'd likely exact a high price for such support.

To both of you, then - how likely is it that this budget will pass by the end of March, as is traditional?

I'd say the chances of that are less than 25% at the current moment.

I'd concur with that.

Thank you. We now move on ...

 

[Telora]

Teloran News Agency
Bringing you the latest news from Telora​

"This is Radio Telora. Now, the 23:00 news, read by Josef Eisler..."

• President Almquist has hosted a second day of crisis talks aimed at rescuing his budget with leaders from the National, Centre, Estland and Christian Union parties in the executive mansion. Whilst National Party Deputies are unable to act as a single caucus to support the budget, owing to a split, it is understand that a large minority of them may choose to vote for the budget, though not enough to secure a majority in the House of Session. The Estland Party and Christian Union are both understood to be seeking considerable concessions for their support for the budget.
• The Centre Party has unexpectedly won a by-election to the House of Session in the former Socialist-held seat of Attelley West, in Ossex. The seat was vacated after the death of the previous Deputy, and it had been expected that the Socialist Party would see off the challenge from the National Party, which had placed second in 1954. However, a vigorous ground campaign has seen the Centre candidate, Mr Mark Grimond, gain the seat with a majority of 3,000.
• The Senate has comfortably approved trade deals with Pelasgia and Nichtstein, with the votes falling along similar lines to those over the deals with Bourgogne and Eiffelland. The deal with Nichtstein, broadly a repeat of the Eiffelland deal, was only opposed by the Communists and two Socialists, whilst the Pelasgia deal attracted slightly stiffer resistance, with the Christian Union and two more Socialist Senators joining the opposing votes.
• The Castle Line is to seek federal financial support to purchase a new class of high-speed liners. The newest of the company's existing quintet of fast liners, the Indalsälven-class, has been in service since 1940, and is approaching the end of what the company describes as its "useful service life". It is likely that any such deal would require the Line to purchase the vessels from a Teloran yard.
• A fire at a lunatic asylum in Julyents has led to the death of six staff and over forty patients. The blaze, which broke out in the early hours of this morning, has consumed most of the building, with firefighters only finally able to bring it under control late this evening. The Ministry of Health, and the Gotamark Bureau for Lunatic and Mental Treatment, have said they will launch a full joint investigation into the cause of the fire.

"That was the news, and now for the evening service, brought to you ..."

 

[Telora]

Teloran News Agency
Bringing you the latest news from Telora​

"This is Radio Telora. Now, the 15:00 news, read by Josef Eisler..."

• President Almquist has begun a sixth day of talks between various party and faction leaders in Congress in an effort to produce a majority in both chambers for his budget. Speaking to reporters ahead of today's first meeting - with Centre and National Party leaders in the House - he said he was hopeful that a deal was on the horizon, and that he would soon be able to present his budget for a vote in Congress. However, sources close to the leaderships of both parties involved in today's talks said they were sceptical, with some worrying that Socialist deputies are wavering in their commitment.
• Telora's trade negotiations with [MENTION=2057]Geotri[/MENTION] have ground to a halt after the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee has called hearings on the matter. The committee, which can recommend a negative vote on any treaty, has expressed reservations about a deal with a country that re-issued its entire budget earlier this year. Speaking to Radio Telora this morning, the committee chair Senator Hans Palme (C-Gotamark) remarked that "the administration must be certain that any trading partner is fiscally sound before engaging in deeper economic relations with them".
• The newest member of the House of Session, Mr Mark Grimond, has been sworn in after his shock victory in the Attelley West by-election last week. Mr Grimond, as is traditional, gave a brief speech from the floor of the House on his objectives - saying that he wanted to be a voice for a "liberal, united" Telora, and that he would look for "a much more thoughtful budget proposal" from the President before he would consider voting for it. Mr Grimond's campaign has surprised many commentators, who had expected the seat to revert to the National Party.
• The Ministry of Commerce and Industry and the NIC Bank have agreed a funding package to support the Castle Line's acquisition of new high-speed liners, with the condition that only Teloran yards enter the bidding for the contract. The agreement grants Castle Line a 15-year loan at 2% - 0.5% below the TCB's base rate - which will cover a third of the expected costs of the liners, as well as loan guarantees for another third of the costs. Bids are expected to be announced shortly by Telora's two largest yards - Eagle & Ox, and Federated Shipyards.
• Heavy rain in parts of Estland has resulted in a series of flash floods, killing two, and injuring several more. The inclement weather is the result of a late-season Arctic storm, now moving south along Telora's Eastern coast, and forecasters are expecting it to cause further distruption as it heads south, before moving back out over the Gothic Sea. Federal officials have been deployed to help the clean-up and recovery effort in Estland, and are on alert along the Eastern coast.

"That was the news, and now for the afternoon play..."

 

[Telora]

Teloran News Agency
Bringing you the latest news from Telora​

"This is Radio Telora. Now, the 15:00 news, read by Josef Eisler..."

• President Almquist has withdrawn his budget proposal and announced he will re-issue it next week, after talks between himself and Congressional leaders broke down. Socialist, National and Centre Party group leaders all blamed each other - but all have indicated they will vote for a continuing resolution this evening to fully fund all government operations at existing levels until the end of May, granting time for a budget to be agreed. It is understood that the President will look to make further savings in a future budget to draw more votes from National Deputies, and also divert more money into local government to try and appeal to Centre Party legislators.
• Following the withdrawal of the Presidents' budget proposal, the Teloran Mark has dropped on international markets, while bond yields have resumed the climb they broke off earlier this year. Shares in Teloran companies are trading lower, but the markets' reservations are tempered by the swift agreeing of a continuing resolution, and the feeling that the differences can be relatively easily reconciled with a new budget proposal next week. The Teloran Central Bank has said it will not be intervening in the markets for the moment.
• Officials have confirmed the final death toll from yesterdays' winter storm - 4 dead, and 45 injured - as state and federal employees begin the clean up and recovery operations. The storm has deposited large quantities of snow on higher ground, as well as filling several reservoirs in Estland to the brim, prompting the Estland Development Agency, which operates the dams containing the water, to warn that they are likely to need to drain off significant quantities of water before the snowpack melts.
• Early investigations into the fire in a lunatic asylum in Julyents have indicated that staff failed to try to help patients from their rooms until it was too late for many of them, and that the building was in what is being described as "significant disrepair". Investigators have also warned that the death toll is likely to rise considerably, as many patients were still unaccounted for and a full survey of the ruined building was likely to take some time. Campaigners have called on state and federal officials to inspect all of Telora's asylums as soon as possible.
• The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has said it will publish legislation next week to formally create a new state-owned television broadcaster, after the recommendations of the Television Review Commission. The Commission recommended that the Federal Radio Office, which operates Radio Telora, be expanded to include both a television operation, and a wider suite of radio stations. Ministry officials have indicated they will pursue this option in full, quashing earlier rumours that they would back away from such a bold expansion.

"That was the news, and now for the afternoon play..."

 

[Telora]

Teloran News Agency
Bringing you the latest news from Telora​

"This is Radio Telora. Now, the 15:00 news, read by Gustaaf van Beek..."

• It has just been announced that Former President Mark Grimond has died, at the age of 92 after a short illness. President Grimond, who served two terms as President from 1972 to 1980, was also previously a member of the House of Session from 1957, and is widely regarded as the architect of the revival of the Centrist Party. During his two terms, he oversaw considerable social and political reform - a cause which he remained dedicated to after he left office. He chaired the Constitutional Convention of 1988, and lead the successful campaign in the 1990 referendum to adopt the Convention's proposals. President Berg has announced that a day of mourning will be held tomorrow, and that President Grimond will receive a state funeral early in the new year.
• Federal Navy officials have been summoned by the Senate Defence Committee to testify on the possibility of intensifying anti-drugs smuggling patrols. Recent weeks have seen an uptick in international interest in the topic of drugs and their regulations. Telora's domestic law is considered to be more liberal than many other states, but explicitly forbids importation or exportation of any substance from or to another state where it is illegal. Some Senators have pressed for the Navy to deploy warships, to reinforce the Customs patrols currently deployed, though it's understood the Navy has been resistant to commit heavy fleet units to the task.
  
• Engineers working to repair the Pühajärv dam have said that they expect the work to be complete in February. The dam was damaged during the flash floods in November, when it was threatened with overtopping, and the spillway collapsed under the weight of water. Repairs have forced the Estland Hydroelectric Board to close the dams entire electrical generation capacity, though the Board has assured customers it has sufficient spare capacity left to cope with demand over the winter.
• The Senate has voted narrowly to approve President Berg's Rural Banking Accessibility Bill, 51-46, allowing it to return to the House for the consideration of Senate amendments. The Bill, proposed by the President during his campaign last year, creates a new tax credit for banks to reduce the costs of keeping branches in rural areas open, as well as granting powers to the Teloran Central Bank and Federal Banking Supervisory Board to help banks maintain their branch network. Two of Telora's banks - Telbank and Demos - have already announced a pause to their reorganisations until the Bill either falls or completes passage.
• The National Retailers Council, the trade body for Teloran retailers, has announced its list of the top 10 toys for sale this Christmas, based on early sales trends and search activity online. Topping the list this year is the LEGO set "Tel Castle", a special set released to commemorate the 800th anniversary of the fortress, at the centre of Telor City. Other entries this year include games consoles, toy dart guns, and an animatronic whale which sings and fires water from its "blowhole". Retailers are expecting a bumper Christmas, as consumer confidence remains strong and steady.

"That was the news, and now for the afternoon play..."

 

[Telora]

Teloran News Agency
Bringing you the latest news from Telora​

"This is Radio Telora. Now, the 15:00 news, read by Gustaaf van Beek..."

• The House of Session has voted to approve President Berg's Rural Banking Accessibility Bill by a narrow margin, accepting the amendments inserted by the Senate that increased the size of the tax credit for banks to help them retain their rural branch networks. The measure passed by 202-198, after a large rebellion among Social Democrat deputies forced the National leadership in the House to appeal to the Christian Union to ensure sufficient votes were raised. The Centrists, Greens, Left Alliance and all 4 independents all voted against the measure, which will now proceed to President Berg for his signature.
• Federal Navy officials have told the Senate Defence Committee they have no intention of deploying "heavy fleet units" to assist in anti-drugs smuggling patrols, despite pressure from several members of the committee. Senator Frans Bos (N-Hansa) said that the Navy seemed "unconcerned by the problem facing Telora", and urged them to take "much firmer, more visible measures" to tackle the issue of drug smuggling. In reply, Admiral Adlar de Jaager told the committee that "coastal patrol vessels, coupled with the Coast Guard, are a more appropriate use of Navy resources to tackle this issue."
• The University of Ystad has announced it will join TelStar, the commercial space exploitation consortium headed by Teloran billionaire Elsa Magnusson. TelStar, which aims to create a commercially viable, reuseable rocket to place large payloads - and eventually people - in orbit, has received backing from several major supporters since it was established 5 years ago, including Federal Electric, Taurus Steel, and DataDriver. Ystad, which houses Telora's second largest physics department, has said they are keen to work on what will be Telora's first domestic space programme.
• The Mayor of Telor City, Margot Ullsten, has announced that, from 2020, all diesel vehicles will be banned from the city centre. The measure is part of a package of measures designed to help reduce the capital's carbon output and air pollution. Though Teloran air pollution regulations are stricter than many other in Europe, many cities continue to experience pollution levels higher than recommended by medical experts. The Teloran Automotive Manufacturers Association has welcomed the move, saying it will speed the development of new, less-polluting vehicles.
• The Estland Minister for Justice, Liis Tammer, has died unexpectedly at the age of 48, according to her family. The Estland Prime Minister Villu Savisaar, has paid tribute, calling Tammer an "effective voice for justice in Estland, and indeed all Telora - her contributions to our work will be greatly missed in the years ahead." The sudden death is not expected to trigger a wider reshuffle in the Estland government, though Savisaar is expected to appoint a relatively young member of his own Estish National Party, as he prepares for his retirement next year.

"That was the news, and now for the afternoon play..."

 

[Telora]

Teloran News Agency
Bringing you the latest news from Telora

Telor Review of Books​

Telora: A Modern History
Dr I. E. Rosenstein
Ystad Press, TM 35

Telora's history since the 1950's is currently the subject of intense debate, after President Berg's creation of the Commission on History in Schools. The President himself has said that "Telorans need to learn from an early age, that our recent history has not been a seamless progression from good to greater good [...] but rather a tale twisted and tugged by the winds of history." Even within his own party, this has triggered debate - some have accused him of downplaying Telora's achievements; others, however, have praised him for highlighting the idea that history does not, in the words of one deputy "follow the progressive ideal of an arc bending forever towards their values."

Into this debate comes a welcome contribution, therefore, from Telora's foremost scholar of its modern history - Dr Isaac E. Rosenstein. Rosenstein's previous works have included critically acclaimed biographies of both Presidents Mark Grimond and Ernst Posse, and a two-volume work on the Constitutional Convention of 1988-1990. This book draws not only on this detailed knowledge of Teloran political history, however, but also on wider works covering economics, culture, science, and other disciplines. It is, in the language now so popular in university departments, truly 'interdisciplinary'.

Rosenstein tracks the path of Telora as it emerges from the aftermath of the Great War, right up to the election of President Berg last year. He begins with an overview of Telora in the 1950s - a society he describes as superficially orderly and calm, but "laden with the means which would, in the decades after, tear at that order with sometimes violent intensity." He tracks the rise of both the New Left, and the Hard Right. Niels Clausen - perennial thorn in the side of Posse, both in Congress and later when Posse became President, plays a key role in these early chapters. In some ways, Rosenstein sees him as the catalyst, in other ways the symptom of, the turmoil that began to bubble over in this period.

The narrative takes a turn with the election of Grimond in 1972, beating Clausen after a bitter campaign. Some might worry that Rosenstein's familiarity with Grimond - he composed the former President's biography with his help, and had unparalleled access to his personal papers - might warp his perception here. But Rosenstein is level-headed in his assessment - he notes that much of what Grimond would achieve after he left office might have been done while there, and says that the President was often too cautious for his own good. Despite that, he clearly credits his administration - and the dominance of the Centrist Party during this period - with soothing the wounds that opened over the previous 20 years.

From here, he tracks what he calls the emerging "Grimondite consensus", finally establishing it as setting in 1990 when the changes proposed by the Constitutional Convention were adopted. He does not regard this, clearly, as an inevitable event - he notes that the politics of the 1980s, though still dominated by the Centrist Party, were increasingly tested by the attempted resurgence of the New Left outside of the newly formed Social Democrats (whose success was by no means assured), and the meteoric career of Niels Clausen Junior in the National Party. Though the Centrist Party would fall from office, they remained long enough, he argues, to allow the conditions for the Convention and so the final establishment of the consensus to set in.

Up to the present day, he tracks the efforts of politicians to either preserve, amend, or erode this consensus - but not, he notes, overthrow it. In his final chapter, summarising Telora as he leaves it, he notes that "efforts have been made to articulate a new consensus, one with a different basis to Grimond's vision [...] some have expressed high hopes, or fears, that these would come to pass with sufficient time. But none has taken root in Teloran institutions, or the public imagination, in a way that Grimond's has. It is considered outdated to speak of a 'national character', and perhaps with good reason. But insomuch as we might speculate such a thing exists - insomuch as we have found one in this study and elsewhere - Grimond's vision fits more closely to the Teloran version of that than any of the alternatives sketched out more recently."

Rosenstein's work, therefore, offers a telling of Teloran history since 1950 that is engaging, detailed, and - above all else - superbly told. Whatever wobbles there may be - no history is free of moments we find ourselves questioning the perceived truths of the author - they pale in comparison to these virtues. No bookshelf in Telora will be complete without this volume for many years to come.

 

[Rheinbund]

Joint statement by the Eiffellandian car manufacturing companies Raimer, EKW, Darner Werke and Magirus Deutz

We have strong objections against the plan to ban all diesel cars from the city centre of Telor City from 2020 onwards. For people who bought new diesel cars this year, their cars will be rendered valueless in two years. That is too harsh, especially given the fact that nobody saw this decision coming. We would agree with a ban on diesel cars aged 16 years and older (given an average lifespan of 15 years for a car), but not with a ban on two year old diesel cars, unless Telor City decides to compensate the value loss of diesel cars aged up to 15 years. Should any citizen of Telora decide to go to court because of this measure, we will support him hor her.

 

[Telora]

Teloran News Agency
Bringing you the latest news from Telora​

"This is Radio Telora. Now, the 15:00 news, read by Gustaaf van Beek..."

• The Teloran Central Bank has held rates at 3% for the fourth month in a row, despite rising inflation. Addressing reporters after the Monetary Policy Committee meeting, the Governor of the Bank, Knut Hagen, said that "inflationary pressures are mostly external", adding that the MPC did not feel further domestic monetary tightening would make a meaningful difference to inflation. Dr Hagen specifically cited the rising price of oil and gas as a key factor in driving up prices - a rise attributed to climbing geopolitical tensions overseas. The Teloran Mark was steady on the day, and Teloran government bonds drifted slightly lower, as investors sought safe haven from more troubled countries.
• The Ministry of Social Security has confirmed that a draft of President Berg's proposed Welfare Reform Bill will be laid before Congress in late January. The confirmation came after some speculation earlier in the week that progress was being impeded by the Ministry of Finance, over concerns that the bill's savings projections were over-optimistic. It is understood that a resolution has been agreed, and the MoSS has forwarded a green draft of the bill to its internal Congressional Counsel's office, for first remarks. President Berg made welfare reform a key plank of his election platform in 2016, and has already held several meetings with Congressional leaders on the subject.
• The Mayor of Telor City has said she will defend her policy prohibiting diesel cars from the city centre from 2020 in court, after several Eiffellandian car manufacturers confirmed they would support individuals who sought to sue over this. The companies - and several motorist lobbying groups in Telora - charge that the policy's short-time frame will cause diesel cars to loose value very quickly, leaving newer customers out of pocket. In response, the Mayor's office has re-iterated that the ban applies only to the centre of Telor City, and that it intends to press forward with wider measures to tackle air pollution.
• Teloran Coast Guard vessels intercepted a yacht carrying an estimated TM 85 million in cocaine off the south-western coast of Telora two days ago, according to Ministry of Defence sources. The intercept, carried out by the cutters Munthe and Ugglas, occurred just within Teloran waters. The vessel's point of origin is unknown, and Teloran officials have traditionally refused to speculate on such matters unless another state directly demonstrates that the vessel hailed from that country. It is understood that the crew of the yacht will be transferred to shore in the next few days or trial.
• The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a travel advisory for Trivodnia and Crotobaltislavonia as tensions between the two countries continue to escalate. Whilst the Ministry noted that tensions remain primarily diplomatic at this time, and travel was not prohibited, they urged travellers to delay if possible, to see if the situation de-escalated. TelorAir has already said it has seen a rise in cancellations on its weekly flight to Banja Luka, and its tri-weekly flights to Amstov.

"That was the news, and now for the afternoon play..."

 

[Telora]

Teloran News Agency
Bringing you the latest news from Telora​

"This is Radio Telora. Now, the 15:00 news, read by Gustaaf van Beek..."

• 7 Senators and 22 Deputies from the National Party have signed a letter, published in the Sunday Chronicle, declaring they will not vote for the President's flagship welfare reform bill in the New Year unless defence spending is increased further. The letter is the first formal expression of discontent after the government of Oost Gouw Marken announced its intention to join the Rurikgrad Pact. Whilst most parties have refused to comment on the news, there is a significant faction within the National Party that have argued that Kadikistan, and the Rurikgrad Pact, pose an existential threat to Teloran interests, and that the country should be especially wary of its influence expanding into its near-neighbourhood. There has not been an official reply to the letter from the Presidency.
• The new Estish Minister for Justice, Mart Aansip, has ordered an official federal judicial inquiry after the coroner's verdict in the death of his predecessor appeared to have been tampered with. Rumours had been circulating that the published version of the verdict - which records a verdict of "death by misadventure" - had been manipulated in some way, with several bloggers producing a variety of evidence for their claims. There had been no official comment from the Estish government until today, when Mr Aansip announced the inquiry in an interview on Sunday with Telora on this station. He has said that, as the Federal Records (Deaths) Act, 1881 requires certain standards that may have been breached, it is appropriate that a federal judge conduct the inquiry.
• A crack has been detected in the blade of a turbine at the Võrtsjärv dam, the largest in Estland, forcing the deactivation of the turbine while engineers attempt to replace the blade. The incident, the third since November's flash floods, has raised new questions about the state of management of Estland's large number of hydroelectric power stations and dams. The Estland Hydroelectric Board has denied that there is a "culture of underachievement" at the Board, but has confirmed that external engineering contractors have been hired to expand its capacity to respond to the numerous problems currently being addressed.
• The National Retailers Council has said that sales for early December were slightly above expectations for its members. With consumer confidence firm, despite rising inflation, the NRC had already forecast a strong Christmas season earlier in the year. However, sales are running an average of 2.5% higher than expected, with some areas such as electronics seeing sales almost 10% higher than expected. Despite the positive data, the NRC has warned of an "exceptionally lean January" to come, as inflation continues to rise, and price pressures translate through to shoppers. Federal Electric, on the back of the figures, announced it expected to beat income forecasts for the final quarter of 2017.
• The head of astrophysics at the University of Børad has appealed for international co-operation in the field of science ahead of his retirement. Professor Carl Palmberg, regarded as one of Europe's leading astrophysicists, said that "international co-operation would lower costs, and enable us to pursue even more complex physics as we seek to roll back the frontiers of human ignorance." Professor Palmberg made the remarks on Radio Telora's Science Hour programme ahead of his retirement at the end of the month.

"That was the news, and now for the afternoon play..."