AP BusinessWire ~ Affiliated Press Business News

[Ebria]

Anger in Central Himyar as Camp Hill feels snubbed by ODS
AP Camp Hill

As Chief Minister Bradley Ross has issued his second invite for ODS companies leaving the Kadikistani Special Economic Zones to come and invest in the Union of Central Himyar, promising a young and well educated and skilled workforce and good infrastructure, a second call that received no answer, the number of Central Himyaris that follow the calls of the Hyenas to work for a better Himyar, rather than get involved in Gallo-Germanian and Westernesse politics grows. ​

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For many in Central Himyar, joining ODS has come with the promise of great prosperity, that the free trade zone will increase the number of tourists, that prices of goods imported from Eiffelland and Etruria will go down and that many companies will come in Central Himyar and invest, bringing moving many of the assembly lines that existed in Trivodnia, to Himyar, if not many others more. ​

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The increase in tensions between the Rurikgrad Pact and the ODS has made Central Himyari wake up a a much worse reality than the paradise many of them hoped to see. Investments from the ODS countries are little to none, the protectionism that defended the internal market from being flooded by Eiffellander goods especially is gone, the increased tensions have reduced the number of tourists too and there were even talks of potential conflict, which probably scared many more Central Himyaris.​

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The Himyari National Congress, internally nicknamed the Hyenas, have capitalised on those fears, as their leader, Yonela Ashleigh Dalasile, an ex-Chief Minister between 2014 and 2018, has called again and again against the nation joining the ODS, stating that Central Himyar (Natal back then) has to bee one of the main players in Himyar and it doesn't have neither the power projection nor the reasons to project its influence over the Long Sea into Gallo-Germania or over the Thaumantic, in Westernesse. Their campaign, called "Himyar at Home" hasn't been as successful as the pro-ODS "Yes for Democratic Unity" Campaign, which has managed to turn the tide on the opinion polling and have the statistics show that more Central Himyaris were supporting the ODS, rather than only membership in the EHTO (Eastern Himyari Treaty Organisation), which was later reformed into the Himyari Cooperation Forum.​

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Even so, the calls by Bradley Ross to end the FIC-led interventionist policies into the Union's economy, the privatisation of many of the publicly owned conglomerates and corporations, and the end of the campaign to push for the diversification of the economy, which has had a 'rentier' status for three decades now, all done to align the Union of Central Himyar to ODS legislation, have been received extreme anger by many and has given a strong impulse to the new Hyena campaign called "NatOUT", or adapted to the new name given by the constitutional referendum, "CHexit".​

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The Hyena calls against having the Union Defence Force to be deployed outside Himyar has managed to attract many supporters for their cause, as many see Gallo-Germania and its wars unnecessary for Central Himyar. Now, the lack of investments of the ODS moving from the SEZ into Central Himyar, with the Johnstone Isles attracting many because of its WeFTA accord is sowing even more anger, disgruntle and disappointment into the Central Himyari membership into the organisation. ​

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Even so, Chief Minister Bradley Ross wants to follow up with the reforms, promising that in the end, the long promises prosperity will be achieved. The problem for many is when would that happen, as the trade unions are mobilising for strikes against privatisations as they fear that all those reforms will do will be to bring down the production capacity of Central Himyar and create a huge mass of unemployed people. The government states that states that free trade is the answer and that investments will come, the moment bureaucracy will be eased and it will just be easier to do business in the nation, but many have seen this year as a tease of at least a decade to come should ODS membership continue, and they fear that Eiffellander and Aurarian manufactured goods will outperform and outbid Central Himyari ones, Johnstonian cattle will outsell Himyari one and Etrurian banking will take over, leaving Central Himyar with a small economy based only on mining for precious metals, gems and diamonds, and with a huge unemployment that some analysts believe it would be around 25 to 35%.​

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"I see no investments from the ODS. All I see is us needing to follow our obligations to the organisation. To bring down protectionism and privatise the conglomerates, to send our soldiers into cold Gallo-Germania to fight someone else's wars, and to just allow us to become a consumer market for ODS products. If the Hippos are allowed to continue with their administration, they will put our nation into an early grave and will turn Himyar's most prosperous country into an agrarian failed state. No, I said from the beginning that it will be a mistake to join the ODS. They told me yeah, it will be hard at first but investments will flood into Central Himyar, as all those companies will want to move away from ex-Trivodnia and the Kadikistani SEZ. Well, nothing like that happened nor it seems that it will happen. It is time to save ourselves and go for CHexit," stated Yonela Ashleigh Dalasile, the leader of the Hyenas.​

 

[Rheinbund]

Joint statement by the Rathenau Gruppe, the Eiffelloretalian automotive industries, Königliche Eiffelländische Bergbaugesellschaft the Eiffelloretalian biopharmaceutical and medical devices industries and the Eiffelloretalian machine manufacturers

We would like to discuss possibilities to invest in the Union of Central Hymiar. We realise that we took our time, but decisions like this should not be taken in a hurry.

 

[Implaria]

Quarter-yearly Investment Survey sees further shift towards Gallo-Germania
AP Westport

The Global Investment Survey is a report compiled and published quarter-yearly by the Bank of Implaria. It measures popularity of Europe's countries amongst investors trading on the Westport stock exchange and is generally seen as a reliable indicator for future investments and the flow of capital. In its newest release, the report offers few surprises, but a continuing of the previous trend towards investments in Gallo-Germania at the expense of Himyar and most parts of Westernesse.

"The more general trend is that victors of the Great War continue to leverage their strong political positions to influence global trade in their favor," a spokesperson of the Bank of Implaria explained during a press conference for the report. "Other important factors, particularily for Westernesse sans Sylvania, are growing political turmoil. Investors are growing wary of Implaria with the prospect of a Socialist government come January and further south the failures of the state to contain rebels in Gran-Occidentia turn away business."

Amongst the nations profiting off the instability in these countries, the nation of Remion in particular stands out. While nations like the Small Countries enjoy continuously high investor confidence, they are also seen as very much established markets with fierce, well entrenched competition. Remion, however, is attributed considerable potential for growth and will enjoy high rates of foreign investment if it can continue to provide a stable environment for business.

 

[Implaria]

Implarian manufacturer has airplane fired upon to demonstrate safety of design
AP Westport

In a attention-grabbing publicity stunt, the Implarian Airship Company, a manufacturer of dirigible balloons, had one of its airships fired upon by units of the Implarian Army Corps. Flying above the coast of the Thaumantic at low altitude, the airship was riddled with bullets from a machine gun, then continued flying uninterrupted northwards until it landed safely after about half an hour.

The test was meant to demonstrate the safety of the Implarian Airship Company's designs that utilize hydrogen cells for buoyancy. Hydrogen had recently been branded as unsafe substance and even become subject of a ban in the country of Eiffelland. A spokesperson of the Implarian Airship Company called this a "policy against progress", stating that safety concerns were unfounded. "As we have clearly demonstrated, hydrogen is a safe ressource for the construction of modern airships."

In addition the company cited the advantages of hydrogen over gases like helium, such as lower cost and weight. "Our airships can be operated at a fraction of the cost of our competitors, such as Darner," the Implarian Airship Company pointed out, "while exceeding their capacities by a considerable margin." Implarian authorities, too, have endorsed the domestic manufacturer, stating that their hydrogen filled airships meet legal requirements and can be safely operated.

"We just have the better technology."

 

[Implaria]

EKW sharevalue spikes after Remington buying spree
AP Westport

Shares of the Eiffelländische Kraftfahrzeugwerke company closed on a new alltime high after a massive buyout of EKW shares by Remington Investments. The stock portfolia of Implarias most famous billionaires began to openly and aggressively bid for shares of EKW right when the stock market opened and kept up demand all day. When investors picked up on the movement on the market, many quickly joined, heating up the market and causing a price bubble that is expected to spill over to other markets across Europe.

Asked for comments on their sudden and unexpected interest in EKW shares, the Remington Investments public relationship office refused to comment. Analysts suggest that the buyout may be part of a bigger scheme, a prelude to a buyout of the Eiffelländer company or a deliberate manipulation of the broader market, with some even going so far as to suggest a smokescreen meant to hide other investments, but any theory at this point remains purely speculative.

Depending on development on other markets, the price of EKW share is expected to drop drastically once the stock market reopens for the next trading day. Whether the Remingtons will join attempts to cash in on the pricehike remains to be seen.

 

[Rheinbund]

Eiffellandian national air traffic authority: “Test by Implarian Airship Company no proof of safety”
AP Trier

Asked upon by one of our journalists, a spokesperson of the Reichsluftfahrtbehörde, the Eiffellandian national air traffic authority, commented on the test carried out by the Implarian Airship Company, during which an airship was fired upon by a machine gun. The spokesperson was very clear in his remarks: “The only thing that this so-called ‘test’ can prove, is that the skin of the airship is resistant to machine gun fire. It does not show how fire-resistant the airship is from the inside, and what happens if the airship catches fire from the inside.
Let’s be open about one thing: Indeed, the first airship that crashed was an Eiffellandian-built one: The hydrogen-filled Marineluftschiff II caught fire, burnt out and crashed within seconds. And of course we were the first to experience such a crash: We Eiffellandians already built airships long before the Implarian Airship Company started to build them. Anyway, we learned a couple of lessons out of that crash, lessons the Implarian Airship Company apparently doesn’t want to learn from us. When that company continues to use hydrogen for their airships, it is not a matter of IF but WHEN one of their airships will burn out. And when that happens, there will be no hope for the passengers and the crew: The airship will burn out and crash litterally within seconds.
And then some more remarks about this so-called ‘test’ by the Implarian Airship Company: How do we know that the machine gun bullets really hit the airship? We don’t see proof of that. It could be that this airship flew too high for the bullets to hit it. Or maybe the airship flew low enough for the bullets to hit it, but the bullets only hit it at a low velocity. What about the ammunition used? Conventional machine gun ammunition? Or bullets that fly at a lower velocity? Or even shooting blanks? So on second thought, even a possible claim that the airships from the Implarian Airship Company are resistant to machine gun fire would not hold.
In any case, we will not allow hydrogen-filled airships in Eiffellandian airspace. We refer to the crash of the Marineluftschiff II for the reasoning. If the Implarian Airship Company wants to build airships that are allowed in Eiffellandian airspace, it will have to build helium-filled airships. Full stop.”


Eiffellandian stock exchange authority halts trade in EKW-shares
AP Trier

The Reichsbörsenkontrollamt took a quite remarkable move today: It halted the trade in EKW-shares. A spokesperson indicated “unexpected fast changes in the stock price of EKW-shares” as the reason for this move, and told that the Reichsbörsenkontrollamt wants to investigate why there is suddenly so much interest for the EKW-shares.
EKW is a financially healthy and robust company. Normally its shares are wanted for stability reasons and the dividend. Of course market parties can be extra interested in EKW-stocks shortly before the dividend is paid, but then the stock prices will increase with the expected dividend, and will decrease again after the dividend payment. That makes the increase in stock price extra interesting, because there is no dividend payment due soon.


Darner Werke announces venue of new small car
AP Trier

Darner Werke is known for its subsidiary Darner Flugzeugwerke. But the company produces more. It actually produces all kinds of motorized devices, like tractors, lawn mowers, large pumps, construction tools etc. Today it made an announcement: It will start producing a small car according to a design by renowned car engineer Ferdinand Borschel. The car will have a 985 cm3 four-cilinder boxer engine in the back. Its top speed will be 100 km/h. Production will start in two years. The car will be positioned under the smallest car produced by EKW (the EKW 207).

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[Implaria]

The Eiffelländer authorities are welcome to inspect the airplane from the test to confirm that our demonstration wasn't a mere publicity stunt, but a true display of the safety of our airship designs. We wish to point out that the bullets did indeed puncture the hull of the airship - that was the point of the demonstration - but that no catastrophic fire resulted from this. Modern airship designs such as the ones of the Implarian Airship Company use compartmentalized gas bags for buoyancy, meaning that damage, even fire, does pose no significant danger to the survival of the airship. As we have furthermore demonstrated, ignition of the gas is a very unlikely event, as hydrogen on its own will not catch fire and any mixing with oxygen would have to occur outside of the airship.

In short: hydrogen filled airships are safe.

Given the scarcity of helium, an elusive element with little global production, and the fact that it is heavier than hydrogen, thus making it the worse choice of gas for commercial operation, we feel Eiffelland is committing a grave error and hamstringing an entire industry. Of course, companies operating airships to and from Eiffelland are welcome to use airships of the Implarian Airship Company and utilize helium instead of hydrogen to comply with national laws, but we must stress that our airships, designed with hydrogen in mind, can achieve higher speeds, carry bigger weight and require less fuel than their Eiffelländer competitors if utilizing hydrogen.

Signed,

The Implarian Airship Company

The government of the Implarian Federation expresses its concern about the multitude of protectionist measures put into place by the Eiffelländer government to the detriment of our nation. Implarian industry carried the world through the last war, but because it did not join this foolish endeavour, it is now excluded at every opportunity from postwar economic growth and often so with very flimsy excuses. Recent examples such as arbitrary regulations regarding airship security and the unwarranted interference in the trading of shares by Implarian investors have reinforced this view.

Eiffelländer interference in free markets and free trade, two cornerstones of a just and prosperous world order, is deeply unsettling. Eiffelland can not expect our government to sit by idly while Implarian companies and investors are punished for being better, faster and blessed with more entepreneurial spirit than their complacent competition from the old world.

We urge Eiffelland to reconsider its stance and allow for participation of Implarian companies in their market on a more equal footing. An escalation of this disagreement into a trade war can not be in any of our nations best interest.

Signed,

Implarian Foreign Secretary

 

[Rheinbund]

Reichsluftfahrtbehörde
Trier, Eiffelland
Your explanation does not take away our concerns regarding the use of hydrogen in airships. It could very well have been that the bullets penetrated the hull of the airship, but then still the only thing that was proven was that the airship is able to withstand machine gun fire. We can only consider a hydrogen-filled airship safe if a fire in one of the compartment bags is contained long enough for the crew and passengers to leave the airship safely.
Indeed, hydrogen can only ignite when it is mixed with oxygen, but it is by far not an inert gas. A leak in one of the gasbags may not lead to problems when the airship is still moving, but it will lead to problems when the airship is hanging still. At that moment, the leaking hydrogen has plenty of possibillities to mix with oxygen, and then one tiny little spark, just static electricity, is enough to cause a fire that will burn itself through the hulls of the gasbags.
One of the old airships of Luftfahrt Eiffelland is currently returning from its last trip. The intention is to disassemble it, but instead we can use it for a demonstration of the problem if you want to.
In any case, airships from the Implarian Airship Company are welcome in Eiffelland if they are filled with helium.

Signed,

Dipl. Ing. Erwin Fuchs, safety inspector


Auswärtiges Amt
Trier, Eiffelland
We regret that the feeling has emerged that Implarian companies would be denied chances in Eiffelland. However, is the situation really that bad? We don’t have that feeling. Implarian companies have access to the markets in Eiffelland. Indeed, we have safety regulations in place, but it can’t be different than that Implaria has safety regulations in place as well. Nobody wants to be electrocuted by his electric shaver. Nobody wants his radio or electric furnace to cause a fire. Nobody wants his grammophone to destroy his records. Nobody wants the engine of his brand new car to break down irreparably within a month. So there are safety rules, and indeed also quality rules.
We fully understand that free trade and the free market are the keys to prosperity, but free trade and the free market can only function properly and bring prosperity when they are not subject to market disturbances induced by market parties. The recent large fluctuations in the stock price of EKW-stocks were a strong indication of such market disturbances, and that made an intervention by the stock exchange authority necessary. EKW is a competitive and financially robust company, like all Eiffellandian companies with stock exchange listings. It is our intention to keep it that way, among others by making sure that the stock prices reflect the values of the companies correctly.

Dr. Norbert Schmelzer, Minister of Foreign Affairs

 

[Tarusa]

Lianozov resumes full gas services to Ostmark
AP Kremlyov

A deal brokered earlier in the year before elections in Ostmark had resulted in limited gas supplies flowing back into Ostmark after discussions between the Holy Frankish Empire and the Tarusan Empire had settled minor issues. The debt of payments owed by Ostmark would be taken on by the Frankish nation in exchange for state owned Lianozov to resume gas flow to prevent suffering in the general public. While Lianozov did not immediately return to pre-crisis levels of exporting to Ostmark it had resumed enough for comfort but was unwilling to do more until the situation in Ostmark had changed.

With the death of Ludwig Bohmer the Board of Directors of Lianozov have stated that pre-crisis levels have been resumed on good faith with Frankish promises and contract negotiations will happen after the Tsarist government has carried out diplomatic meetings with the newly elected officials across the border in Wien.
Such a statement from the board of directors hints that inside knowledge points to a future meeting on the diplomatic level between the two governments is bound to happen. While the future is uncertain this seems to be a positive move for the economic future of the region even if it is only temporary.

 

[Vrijpoort]

Multiple VP Accounting Firms to Offer Unique Special Tax Accounts
AP Vrijpoort

In light of Pelasgian lawmakers proposing overseas taxation of its citizens, many accounting firms in Vrijpoort have already managed to exploit loopholes in Vrijpoort taxation and corporate law to offer services to dual citizens and employed residents of Vrijpoort who wish to avoid double taxation.

The so-called Special Tax Accounts, or STA, would be set up for a nominal fee by an accountant at a bank of the client's choice in Vrijpoort. The majority of the client's salary would be directly deposited into the STA, which is partially tax-sheltered, which itself would be owned by a trust administered by a custodian working on behalf of the client. Under Vrijpoort law, this mechanism is entirely legal so long as it is not used to shelter income tax owed in Vrijpoort. The lowest tax rate in Vrijpoort is 2%, the highest 10%.

In one example being advertised, a Pelasgian national residing permanently in Vrijpoort who earns 1 million guilders per year (approx. €M 130,000) would have 70% of his salary deposited into the STA and the remaining 30% paid into his regular current account. Vrijpoort income tax based on the full 1 million would be automatically deducted every month as normal, but for reporting purposes to Inland Revenue Vrijpoort, his official annual income would be listed as 300,000ƒ per year. This relatively low amount of income would appear on the official Inland Revenue tax forms furnished to any foreign tax authority, thus helping to keep the individual's foreign tax obligations low.

Inland Revenue Vrijpoort was asked about whether it would assist foreign tax authorities in determining and collecting tax due overseas. A spokesperson wrote back to AP:

Inland Revenue Vrijpoort, by appointment of His Serene Highness the Prince, is tasked with facilitating the calculation and collection of domestically owed tax and tax owed in His Serene Highness's Overseas Crown Colonies of the Dune Sea, the Meridian Antilles and Batavië. If dual citizens or permanent and temporary residents of Vrijpoort or Overseas Crown Colonies require a certified statement of domestically earned income, Inland Revenue will furnish said statement according to Vrijpoort law. The referenced Special Tax Account falls under section 7(c)3 of the Personal Income Tax Act 1995 and is therefore fully legal in its framework and use in Vrijpoort and her realms. Inland Revenue does not assist foreign tax authorities with the determination of foreign tax owed or the facilitation of tax collection. We can only provide the above-mentioned certified tax documents.​

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In addition to the STA option, many high net worth individuals have been known to park their assets in complicated corporate and trust structures in Vrijpoort and the Meridian Antilles. Those who earn mostly from very high regular incomes as opposed to capital gains often choose to domicile for a minimum of 181 days a year in the Meridian Antilles where there is a personal income tax rate of 0% for income earned off-archipelago.

The AP plans to run a series of special reports on the unique and murky world of Vrijpoort financial structures in the near future.

@Pelasgia

 

[Prydain]

AP Prydain

The Sovereign Estate Investment Council have called in independent auditors after their review of the accounts of Commonwealth Overseas Containers unearthed half million Manx Marks black hole in the shipping company's finances.

The internal review was done in the light of the Banshee snuggling case.

 

[Prydain]

AP Prydain
Trade Minister starts the liquation of Commonwealth Overseas Containers threating 10,000 jobs, it is believed the Trade Minister & Domestic Affairs Minister were both displeased with the level of co-operation from the company's board of directors stating that the Executive Director is too busy passing the "hot potato" rather investigating and resolving systemic problems within the firm.

All shipping & port operations have been suspended and the entire company fleet is alongside in their home ports till further notice.

 

[Tianlong]

-Tibur Automobile Factory could expand into Ostmark
AP Tibur

According to automotive market rumors, the national TAF group is considering the option of buying a company in liquidation in the former democratic republic of Ostmark. The objective of this operation, according to our analysts, is to buy real estate capital and skilled workers, and then modernize the entire process in order to produce cars on site for the purposes of the local market. It would seem, however, that the cars produced in Ostmark will not be in the name of the TAF, but the foundation of a German nomenclature company, to which the Tibur Automobile Factory will sell the production license of its models.

 

[Prydain]

AP Prydain
G&I Capital and Gemini International are in talks with the Sovereign Estate Investment Council over the sale of the ownership of the now defunct Commonwealth Overseas Containers for undisclosed sums. With criminal investigations still on-going , the International Brotherhood of Sea have called the talks immature and have threaten that members will be forced to locked themselves inside their ships which are now alongside until payment disputes have been resolved. The union claims that 90% of ships' crew have not been paid since the new year.

 

[Pelasgia]

Pelasgia Nationalizes Several Business Conglomerates
AP Propontis

The new administration of the Pelasgian Union has announced the sudden seizure and nationalization of several major corporate conglomerates for their alleged role in the attempted coup of April 21. This new nationalization scheme has granted the Pelasgian state effective control over the commanding heights of its economy, including such important sectors as the media, natural resources, arms production, and several heavy or other core industries. The heads of a number of prominent business families controlling these conglomerates, often pejoratively termed "oligarchs", are reportedly in custody. The matter has sparked wide concern and speculation about the future of Pelasgian economic policy; however, the Propontis Stock Exchange on Himyar Avenue was not able to reflect this change, as it will likely remain closed until early next week.​

 

[Pelasgia]

Pelasgia, Tianlong sign trade deal based on resources for high-tech goods
AP Propontis

The Pelasgian Republic and the @Tianlong Republic have signed a comprehensive trade agreement based on the exchange of Pelasgian natural resources to power Tianlong's industry, in exchange for the sale of high-tech technological goods at cheap prices to Pelasgia to power Pelasgian economic growth and modernisation. The two countries plan to work together on two massive pipelines to carry oil and natural gas through the Basilisk Sea to Toyou, traversing the entirety of mainland Pelasgia and the Exarchate of Tephanon, before ending at Tianlong's western coast, south of Naneung. The twin pipelines are to be called Eurus and Feilian, after ancient wind deities from both countries.

Pelasgia specifically plans to export natural gas, oil, precious metals and rare earths, and industrial gasses and materials to Tianlong. A notable exception to this list is steel, which Propontis seeks to import from Tianlong, Europe's largest producer, to complement its own limited reserves in Baselea region. Tianlong, in turn, hopes to export large quantities of electronics and high-tech goods to the Pelasgian market, including cellphones, computers, tablets, processors, and network adapters, particularly those needed for the Toyou giant's new 5G technology. Both countries produce automobiles and certain other industrial goods; thus, they have agreed to ease trade barriers on these goods, to allow for the greater presence of each other's products in their respective markets.

Given the already increased volume of commercial traffic in the Basilisk Sea from the World Belt Initiative, Uicheon is concerned about the growing threat of piracy and trade route safety in the region. Pelasgia, which is a major participant of the Initiative and Europe's largest maritime nation, is equally concerned, as it considers a stable and open Basilisk Sea to be imperative to its economic reforms. As such, the two countries have agreed to increase their maritime presence in the region with a view to conducting joint anti-piracy and freedom of navigation operations. Tephanon, the Pelasgian exclave just at the mouth of the Basilisk, is set to serve as a major port for this joint operation.
​

 

[Arcadia]

Meridian Marker Prices jump to 105 EM as Al-Magrab and Hajr production is disturbed
AP Valls

Meridian Marker is a benchmark crude oil that is reference price for buyers and sellers around the eastern hemisphere in general, and the Meridian Sea in particular. Meridian Oil has become a world wide trendsetter, with even Tarusan oil production becoming tied to it, with only two worldwide exceptions, the Touzenese and the Westernesse Federation's productions, both because of their distances and the Post-Delegationist characteristics of the nations which produces them. The Scanian oil is tied to the Meridian Oil because of the production being so well ingrained within the fabric of Gallogermanian and Himyari oil markets. Thus, Meridian Oil is thus used to set prices for about 4/5 of the world's oil production.

The jump is significant, as in the past two years, the price went from 65 EM to the current staggering 105, especially because of the De-Mandatisation of the European Forum administered territories but also because of the fall of Pannonia, pushing the Tsardom of Tarusa and the democratic nation on a collision course, many fearing that the Empire will use its important oil production as means to facilitate the forwarding of its own interests, for the loss of its enemies and critics.

Originally, Hajr and Al-Magrab have been offered by the European Forum to the nations of Rheinbund and Scanlaw as mandates and trust territories, but after a resolution passed a year ago to disband the mandates, pushed by the representatives of San Jose and other WOTO nations, the EF abandoned the system, pushing for the independence of all territories. Now, a year later, the decision is being seen as a disaster, as no mandate territory has gained independence and the quality of live in all three mandates collapsed.

Oil production in Al-Magrab and Hajr collapsed initially when the mandates were dissolved, as Al-Magrab fell into warlordism as Rheinbund withdrew its administration, while in Hajr, Scanian forces remained, but they faced a nationalist rebellion, as under the anti-colonial rhetoric which dominated within the EF, many Hajr Uroduah were seeing the continued presence of the Scanians as an affront. Even so, compared to Al-Magrab, which saw its oil production fall by 75%, Hajr observed a reduction of only 50% of its output. Even so, the world markets suffered, as Northern Himyar, namely Hajr, Al-Magrab and Pelasgia represent some of the biggest oil producers in the world.

The news of the invasion of Hajr and Al-Magrab by a new alliance made out of Tarusans, Franks and Scanians shocked many, especially in the oil industry. The little production that could be observed within Al-Magrab all but stopped in the early hours of the morning when troops started crossing the border from the Noks Free State and the beaches of the country became a battleground.

Oil production within Hajr is set to be kept at the same levels, as the Scanian peacekeeper force is occupying the oil fields, but everything depends on whether or not the pipelines will survive the fight and whether the ports such as Al-Gharb and Barqah in Al-Magrab or Alexandrette, Fustat or Al-'Askar survive with their infrastructure intact during the battles, so they they can continue to export the oil out of the two countries. Even so, the shock of the surprise alliance between Scania and the countries of the Pressburg Pact have taken many by surprise, which is worsened by the fact that they decided to attack together two nations which have previously been under the protection of the EF.

Some analysts hope that if the infrastructure remains intact, prices will go down and remain around 90 EM per barrel, once the initial shock of the invasion passes, but if the infrastructure is to be damaged and the oil industries of Al-Magrab and Hajr be completely wiped out, some expect the price per barrel to reach 160 EM. This is even more worrisome as no other oil producing nation, such as Tarusa, Pelasgia, Touzen or the Federation of Westernesse have announced that they would increase production to reduce the costs of the barrel.​

 

[Rheinbund]

OOC: Very nice post, @Ebria However, could you please remove the connections between the Rheinbund and Al-Magrab? I was not involved in it as the Rheinbund.

 

[Tianlong]

Logistics prices rise, Tianlong announces lower growth in international trade
AP Uicheon

The authorities of the Republic of Tianlong, following the start of the Himlayr invasion, announced that the cut in world oil production and its increase in the price per barrel would threaten the growth of international trade, favored by the fragile stability that had characterized the world until a few days ago. As announced, several provincial authorities have reported that the increase in the price of fuel has almost doubled in the last period, also creating a moderate discontent among the car drivers, but above all to the logistics and transport companies of goods by road. Some associations of entrepreneurs in the sector have announced an increase in transport costs of 11%, an increase that will be distributed on the final price of the goods, thus increasing the price of each good destined for the final consumer.

In the worst cases, there have been queues for kilometers outside the distributors, with the fear that the situation may not have a positive end in the short term. The central government has announced that strategic national reserves of oil will be available if the fuel shortage is severe enough to require it, but the situation is currently under control.

 

[Radilo]

Maserati Announces New Electric Vehicles
AP Nouvo Porto

Maserati Màchina Automobile (Euronext: MAS) has announced that, due to rising fuel prices, it will release its fully electric fleet ahead of schedule. By 2023 all vehicles, including its MA22 supercar, will be available in all-electric. The company also announced that its two most popular models, the GranCabrio grand touring and Levante compact SUV, will only be available in fully electric starting in 2025. In the last decade, Radilo and other Gallio-Germanic nations have greatly expanded their electric car infrastructure, so this trend is likely to continue with other car manufacturers. However, with the recent nuclear disaster in @Ostmark, it is likely that the expected push towards nuclear power (which enables a plurality of carbon-free electric vehicle charging) might well be delayed.