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Kanēa Forest, Murdarbe Province, Eiria

For a majority of the year, you could almost forget that Eiria was a tropical nation. Frigid, snowy winters and cool falls were almost reminiscent of the climates of the northern hemisphere, and the rainy springs were as generic as they come. But, unfortunately, there was one season that brought Eiria’s inhabitants back to their geographical reality: summer. The sun bared down on anyone and anything it can find, confining many to the shade. Mosquitoes buzzed by the ears of their unsuspecting victims, hoping to snag a meal.

Despite this seemingly hellish climate, the beauty of Eiria’s northeast still shone through. The sunshine reflected off of vibrant blue lakes, serving as a spotlight for many species of local wildlife. Beautiful beaches provided stunning views of the ocean (as well as serving as fantastic tanning spots). And deep in the forest, the first official class of The Harmonious Academy of World Students (THAWS) were arriving at their new boarding school for the first time.

These students were coming from entirely different worlds (some from conflicting nations). None of them had any idea of what to expect from the new school that they were entering into. But there was no time for fear or doubt. They now must face their fellow students and their new professors as they attempt to represent their nations with pride.

—

THAWS is a state-of-the-art refurbished facility that was built on the site of a former private school situated in the Kanēa Forest in Murdarbe Province. It is equipped with amenities such as a combination gymnasium and weight room, auditorium, Olympic-size swimming pool, two-level library, and computer lab, as well as multiple buildings of comfortable dorms. The current student-to-faculty ratio is around 4:1 (but that is expected to rise in future years). Both students and teachers have access to a variety of opportunities in the local college town (and coastal city) of Upenceda, which is just a short bus ride away. 

The first ever academic year at THAWS has begun!

Hello! As my term in office is pretty much up, it's time for me to open nominations for LIDUN President. Candidates may nominate themselves or have a fellow LIDUN member nominate them. Voting will be open to region members with at least one nation in LIDUN. The initial nomination period will be open until 11:59 CST on January 3rd. Thank you all, and happy election season! 

If you have any questions, please either see the IDU Constitution in "Law-Library" or feel free to contact me directly!

Hello all, I'm Henry Yeong, and welcome to HSN's coverage of the long-awaited 2024 IDU Baseball Classic!  We're here live in Munseong, Namhae to cover the draw, and we have finally received confirmation of the 16 team slate, and a start time for the second iteration of this tournament! The Ministry of Culture is about to unveil the groups for this tournament, and we have a sterling team here to provide instant analysis and breakdown all the interesting matchups here.  We have Alexandra Yoo here, who specializes in the Haesan national team and international events.
AY: Happy to be here, Henry!
HY: Also joining us is Manuel Enriquez, a long time player, coach, and official within the Slokaisian organization.
ME: I'm excited to see what kind of chaos the draw will cause!
HY: Haha, very well then!  Last but not least, we have the former Laeral Crane, Zhuang Zhisheng.
ZZ: Thanks for having me!  And I know this might not be the most popular here, but go Striking Cranes! (Makes striking crane hand gesture)
Yoo gives a death stare from across the table
HY: Uhh... (awkward pause) It looks like they're about to reveal Group A!  Let's see who will be joining Haesan for matches in Suyang and Hanyeong!

Group A - Suyang/Hanyeong
Haesan (H)
Mallacaland
Elalia
Lao Sansong

HY: To my eyes, this looks like a group that's settled before it begins, but I want to get your thoughts.
AY: So obviously Haesan and Mallacaland are the teams to beat here, but a lot will depend on the Ibrahim Kamza situation.  If he's out, who knows?
ME: That's very much the case, and I really like Lao Sansong as a potential spoiler here if Kamza can't compete.  There's a lot of venom on this team, and there's a lot to play for considering the current, um, situation between Haesan and Sansong.
ZZ: I wouldn't be so sure of that... I think this Mallacaland team is surprisingly deep.  Kamza is definitely their heartbeat, but they're too talented and this group just isn't strong enough to pose a real threat of eliminating them at this stage.
HY: What matchup here are you looking forward to the most?
ME: Give me Haesan vs. Lao Sansong in Suyang!  Final game of the group, absolute hatred, and a surely roiling environment.  Even if Haesan ends up mercying the Warriors, the passion alone makes this one must watch.
ZZ: I'm more interested in the premiere: Mallacaland v. Haesan.  This is by far the toughest test Haesan will get in the group stage, Kamza or no.  We'll get to see how their new coach, and new philosophy, holds up against a top team in the IDU.
AY: I agree with Zhuang, for all the reasons he stated, and also just because of the atmosphere.  Haesan will pulling out all the stops for the tournament opener.
HY: Alright, so what are your predictions for this group?
ME: Haesan, Lao Sansong, Mallacaland, Elalia.  Kamza can't make it and the Lions fall apart.
ZZ: Whoa, that's bold!  I'll keep it chalk.  Haesan, Mallacaland, Elalia, Lao Sansong.
AY: I wouldn't discount Sansong that much, Elalia doesn't have a ton going for it.  Haesan, Mallacaland, Lao Sansong, Elalia for me.
HY: It looks like we're getting Group B in now!  Let's take a look:

Group B - Sinju/Hyangsan
Libertas Omnium Maximus
Laeral
Teyè
Thousand Branches

HY: Thoughts?
AY: This isn't quite a dream for Laeral, but they'll find a lot of comfort in Group B.  They'll get two games in Sinju, and there's a large Ren and Minjian presence there.  I expect those two, including a tantalizing fixture against LOM, will look a lot like home games for them.
ZZ: Indeed, but I honestly think this is close to a best case scenario for the Cranes.  I'm quite pleased with this draw for them.
ME: I think this group rests on two questions: one, is Teyè dangerous?  They're unproven, untested, didn't compete in Hanshui, and an absolute wildcard.  That matchup could be a trap game for the loser of Laeral-LOM.  The other question is: which version of LOM shows up?  If the team that upset a lackluster Haesan in the Olympics arrives, they could make a really deep run.  If they return to their usual mediocrity, or worse, as we saw in Trive, it's going to be a rough tournament to watch for fans of Madley's Mariners.
AY: I think that's a solid assessment.
HY: Ok, time for your guide to viewers.  If you only have time for one Group B match, what should it be?
AY: Laeral vs. LOM.  You have two prestige teams in a high profile head-to-head clash for control of the division, and more importantly, likely facing Mallacaland in the quarterfinals instead of Haesan.  Your chance of making the finals drastically increases if your team wins as opposed to getting second.
ZZ: Agreed.  Teyè doesn't intrigue me nearly as much as our Slokaisian friend here.
ME: It's not that I'm fascinated by Teyè, it's just I don't know what to make of it.  Laeral-LOM is the definitive match to watch here.
HY: Predictions?
ME: LOM, Laeral, Teyè, Thousand Branches.  Chalk for me.
AY: Agreed.  The Branchians can't really upset anyone I don't think, and I don't trust Teyè.  LOM seems the more complete team, so chalk for me as well.
ZZ: Laeral, LOM, Teyè, Thousand Branches.  The Sharks always perform worse in the group stage than in knockouts.
AY: Laeral winning?  From Zhuang?  Of course.
HY: I hear they're ready to release Group C now!

Group C - Anfa/Levesque
Wosteaque
Aredoa
Misumi
Pharitaya

HY: First impressions?
ZZ: Misumi was always going to be the wrench in the system, they're clearly the "best of the rest" so to speak.  Is Aredoa disciplined enough to withstand their fearsome pitching?  It's going to be close.
ME: Honestly, Misumi might be the team to beat there?  I feel like Aredoa is deeper for sure, but the Egrets are just always so well coached and disciplined.
AY: What about Wosteaque?  Are we ready to anoint them here?  They've got Norene and Draven, but outside of their stars, they could easily end up being number 3 on paper.  This is the tightest group, even Pharitaya might have had chances against a different set of competitors.
ZZ: Exactly.  If you pick any two of the top three teams to advance you'll have a reasonable justification for it.
HY: Ok, so this one's going to be tense.  What do you think will be the highlight?
AY: So I'm going to take the easy answer and say Misumi vs. Aredoa on the final day.  It's going to be cold, really cold, in Levesque, and with the wind off the lake too it could be just horrendous.  This is the closest matchup we've seen across all the groups, and the slight favorites might have both a weather and crowd disadvantage; there are a lot of Mizu up in the Northlands too.  Likely a "must-win to qualify" game, and Aredoa are going to get tested big time.
ZZ: No arguments.  An instant classic in the making.
ME: Ok, for the sake of diversity, I'm going to say Wosteaque versus Aredoa.  It's the opening game of the group, we all think Wosteaque is a bit of a paper tiger, and a loss here means the loser has got a high pressure game against Misumi to qualify.  That threat alone makes this an enticing matchup, it's two excellent teams and a tie that will set the tone for the rest of the group's play. 
AY: Agreed, this group will definitely be fun to watch!
HY: Alright, we're a bit overtime, let's get some fast predictions before we analyze the final group.
ZZ: Wosteaque, Aredoa, Misumi, Pharitaya
AY: Wosteaque, Misumi, Aredoa, Pharitaya
ME: Aredoa, Misumi, Wosteaque, Pharitaya
HY: Ok, we don't have time to process what Manuel just said, and we already know the final group, but here it is formally:

Group D - Anmi/Jeonyu
Trive
Slokais Islands
Mansilla
Eiria

HY: More chalk here, or what are we thinking?
ME: We have no clue how good over half these teams are.  Trive is very highly rated for a team that has been at rest for 5 years, and the last time they played, their results were mediocre at best.  Mansilla is making their international debut, and Eiria is just... overshadowed by their Caxcanan counterparts, to put it nicely.
AY: On paper, Trive is one of the most top-to-bottom solid rosters, Slokais is a marginal contender, and Mansilla has major bullpen issues, but on grass, how much really separates these teams?  A lot I'd wager, but I'm not 100% sure.
ZZ: Slokais is such a mystery.  They could easily be the best team in this group, or honestly, possibly the worst.
AY: Hard to make heads or tails of this one.
HY: What game do you think will help provide clarity?
AY: Well, the opener, Slokais v. Trive will provide a lot of info.  We'll see how shaky Slokais is, if Trive is ready for the bright lights again, and it'll generally help clarify who is on top of the group.
ME: Hard to disagree with that.
ZZ: Honestly, I don't think the Blue Bombers have much of a chance against Trive.  I think Slokais vs. Mansilla will resolve this one.  Slokais has the deeper bullpen for sure, Mansilla will need to keep their starter on for a while, but I just don't trust their lineup.  This one will be closer than many expect.
HY: OK, final predictions before we talk about knockout projections?
ME: Slokais, Trive, Mansilla, Eiria.  I can't root against my team.
AY: Haha, at least you're honest about it unlike Zhuang over here.  I've got chalk here: Trive, Slokais, Mansilla, Eiria.
ZZ: What's that supposed to mean? Anyways, I'm taking an upset by the Scudieri: Trive, Mansilla, Slokais, Eiria.

HY: Alright, before we go, I want to see who you're picking to win it all!  So, given your group stage results, who do you think is going to advance?  Alexandra, let's start with you.
AY: Ok, I'll take Haesan over Laeral, Mallacaland over LOM, Wosteaque over Slokais, and Trive over Misumi in the quarters.  Let's say Haesan over Trive in the finals, a battle of the hosts.
ZZ: Haha, and you say I'm the partisan?
AY: Hey, the Comets are favored to win, after all!  And they're at home!
HY: Zhisheng, what about your picks then?
ZZ: LOM v. Wosteaque, and Laeral v. Aredoa are my semis.  I have Wosteaque over Laeral in the finals.
ME: Haha, so he's not a perfectly loyal fan after all!  Well played Zhuang, well played.
ZZ: What can I say, I'm nothing but tactful!
HY: Alright, and Manuel, you can wrap this up with your picks!
ME: OK, so Haesan over Laeral, and LOM over Lao Sansong shouldn't be too controversial.  I'll also say Slokais over Misumi and Aredoa over Trive.  Haesan over Aredoa and LOM over Slokais seem pretty common sensical, and let's say the hosts get revenge for the Olympics in the final.  Haesan over LOM.
HY: Alright, that concludes our coverage of the IDU Baseball Classic draw!  We look forward to covering the action in February!  In the meantime, feel free to check out our website for more in-depth information on when and where the games will be, as well as information about the host cities!  This has been Henry Yeong, with Alexandra Yoo, Zhuang Zhisheng, and Manuel Enriquez, signing off.

Atlantis: a bustling metropolis in northwestern Eiria. Besides being the biggest city in Jurmala Province, it is also a cultural capital of the Republic. The Harbor Bay district is the beating heart of the Eirian theater industry, and plenty of influential movie studios own estates towards the outskirts of the city. In short, you would be hard-pressed to find a more suitable place in Eiria for the 2023 IDU Film Festival. A blue and silver carpet has been rolled out in front of the iconic Lasaria Theater for the awards ceremony, and the nearby Augupen and Lēbela Balts Theaters have been reserved for screenings. Hotels all around the city have been fully booked for the three week festival, signaling a large attendance of film experts and enthusiasts alike. 

Anticipating the sudden influx of tourists (both foreign and domestic), the City’s Office of Tourism has published thousands of biodegradable pamphlets containing a list of all the city has to offer. Between showings and other performances, visitors can shop in the city’s grand shopping mall, rest on the beautiful beaches of the Nereus Sea, and explore a dozen nearby city, provincial, and national parks (including the picturesque Amalija Waterfall Park, one of the most popular parks in the province). However, a majority of tourist attention will be on the vibrant festival, with the world's finest actors, directors, and other media celebrities, clad in the finest fashion, showing off for the press and their fans.

The 2023 Film Festival will consist of six regional categories for IDU entries (Best Film, Best Lead Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Musical Score, Best Costume Design, and Best Documentary Film) and one international category (Best Foreign Film), which is open to nations from IDU embassy regions. Applications will be accepted as soon as this thread is posted, and will still be taken until January 9th at 11:59 PM CST. Movies from within the IDU may be entered into more than one category, as long as the name of the awardee (I.E. Composer for Best Score or Actor for Best Actor) is also listed. Each nation may only present one entry per category.

The award application will take this format:

Film Title (English and/or Native):
Nominating Nation (If not from the IDU, please also list region):
Nomination Category/Categories:
Language: 
Run Time:
Director:
Producing Studio/Company (optional):
Cast:
Brief Summary (No more than 2-3 medium paragraphs please):
What makes this film special? Why was it nominated for this/these category/categories? (No more than 1-2 sentences per category nominated):
Any additional info (optional, short paragraph maximum):

List of categories:

IDU:
Best Film
Best Lead Actor
Best Supporting Actor
Best Musical Score
Best Costume Design 
Best Documentary Film

Embassy Regions:
Best Foreign Film

Sand Crunched - A Prequel to Have I Got Coups For You

Spoilers for Have I Got Coups For You ahead. It is highly recommended that you read, at minimum, the first post of HIGCFY before proceeding.

Contents
1. We Didn't Start The Fire

---

We Didn't Start The Fire
February 2018

Suleman Chaher was ambitious. It was his greatest flaw, and the one his parents were most ashamed of instilling in him, back when they believed it to be a virtue. Accordingly, he had been in many political parties in his time, which he now justified as a mere survival strategy to get himself through the Communist regime. It was all spin, of course. Suleman Chaher had not much cared one way or the other about communism, except regarding how it could help or hinder his rise to the top.

His most principled position, however, was that of opposing foreign interference in a nation's domestic affairs. This is why it annoyed him so much that Leanna Walker and Laura Moore were so willing to just allow armed Skodenians to freely wander around Melissa City because they were so afraid of a few anarchist rioters. In his position as Home Secretary (which would be renamed to Domestic Affairs Secretary in 2019 due to the stain on the office he himself left), he was expected to play nice with the Skodenians too.

Any fool could see that it would not end well. Lauchenoiria was a relatively poor, relatively pacifistic nation; while Skoden was wealthy, militarised, and clearly in possession of an imperialistic streak. Support for democracy? Pull the other one. If Walker and Moore thought they would manage to get rid of the Skodenians after the Anarcho-Communist Collective of Lauchenoiria had been handled, they were lacking a few brain cells. There would always be another ACCL around the corner to justify their continued presence.

Suleman Chaher did not make his distaste for the presence of Skodenian Peacekeepers unknown. It was obvious to anyone watching that there was a weak link in Moore's cabinet loyalty; and exactly who it was. This fact would set off an uncontrollable chain of events, the ending of which one can still only guess at.

This is how the fire started.

Ambassador Neal, a tall dark skinned man, with a large afro, black with a spot of gray in the front, and his signature white bifocal prescription glasses, entered the Chamber. Pursuing the creation of a World Development Bank via LIDUN has been a priority for him since his appointment to LIDUN several weeks ago, after the election of Chancellor Recardo, and his subsequent nomination to the post.

Having spent several weeks picking up from the previous Doatian Ambassador to the EDC, now retired, Ambassador Neal worked to craft a proposal for a WDB, in coordination with the entire Recardo Administration.

Wishing to open the discussion on the topic in this council before officially making the proposal, excited to listen to the questions, comments, and concerns from his esteemed colleagues on the council, he rose to be recognized:

"Thank you, madam clerk, for recognition and thank you to my esteemed colleagues for their attendance here today. I'd like to begin a discussion regarding the creation of a world development bank, an agency which would be under this council's purview.

An agency which could bail nations out who are on the brink of economic collapse, prevent defaults by offering emergency grants and loans, provide economic aid and stimulus, invest in small businesses and industry-specific infrastructure, and otherwise support the economies of member nations, especially those with struggling economies.

We believe, in order to ensure full cooperation amongst member nations, in order to be a recipient of said support and relief, one must be a member of the WDB.

We also believe the WDB, while under the oversight of this council, should be governed by a board of contributors. Nations which contribute at least 3% of their annual GDP to the WDB annually would be guaranteed a seat on said board.

In order for a member nation to qualify, they must meet certain qualifications:
- be a direct contributor to the WDB fund (at least 3% annual GDP)
- have at least 30% citizens living in poverty
- be facing economic collapse/default (must agree to conditions for improvement set by board, unless they contribute 5% or more to the WDB's revenue )
- be at war or have citizens facing humanitarian crises
- have less than 3 million citizens
- be otherwise approved by the board
- be a nonprofit organization, which must be vetted by the board, applying for a grant anf requesting emergency aid

We also see the need to create an expedited process for requesting emergency aid, in times where there is no time

We believe funding should aim to be 50% from LIDUN, and 50% from individual contributors.

We believe board seats should be divided based on contribution to the WDB's general fund.

And we believe minimum budget obligations should be set to improve living conditions for all people within the IDU, with an annual mandate to the board to set 3 priorities for the year, which 40% of the budget must be dedicated to. An additional 25% of the budget should be reserved for emergency situations.

The board would then have the authority to create programs and initiatives, approve requests for aid, execute rules and guidance set by this council, and set additional guidelines for relief/aid. 

All of these suggestions are subject to reconsideration and the actual proposal is still being crafted, so we welcome everyone to weigh in.

We hope the creation of this agency, and the good work that will follow will lead to (Doatia's priorities):
- at least a 30% reduction in poverty in the IDU
- at least a 20% increase in access to quality and affordable healthcare across the IDU
- at least a general increase of 30% of access to education for students aged 3-18, and a specific 40% increase for female students
- at least a 25% reduction in slum-living, and a 30% decrease in homelessness
- an average of a 20% improvement of struggling nation's GDP's over 5 years"
- an average 5% increase in military funding for nations with 50 million, or less, citizens

While the Budgetary & Internal Affairs Council was busy with the Opthelian delegation to LIDUN debating the merits of an organisational rebrand, the Political & Human Rights Council remained rather unbusied, with just a handful of bureaucratic procedural motions filling the dead air... until the better part of the entire Novellan delegation to LIDUN filed to their allocated seating within the council.

While a lone junior attaché could be entrusted with the Social Republic's nuclear security agency proposal over in the BIAC chamber, it would take the remainder of their delegation to handle the political and diplomatic issues a proposal in this council was bound to raise. The clerk raised his eyebrow as the large group silently made their way into the room, each with a small nod to the chair, as polite formalities dictated. "The Novellan delegation has something to raise with the Council, I assume?"

A slight grin spread across the ambassador's face, as he raised the document bearing the proposal in a show of acknowledgement at the secretary's question.

While the Novellan delegation struck at the heart of a critical issue of international security with its proposal just prior, the Opthelian ambassador had a slightly more... vain issue to raise within the Budgetary & Internal Affairs Council. As the council secretary called on him to speak to his government's motion, the man rose to his feet with a polite nod.

"May it please the Council. The Empire of Opthelia tables this proposal at the request of the government of Hanafleura, whose interests we continue to represent before LIDUN at this time." Shooting a glance and quick smile at the woman sitting beside him - Hanafleura's chief liaison to the Opthelia LIDUN delegation - the ambassador continued.

"While neither Hanafleura nor Opthelia wish to diminish the significance of the achievements made under the present iconography of LIDUN, there are a number of valid concerns to be raised. As such, we implore the Council to support this proposal, in order to begin the process of designing an emblem more fitting for the present day."

The Novellan delegation to the League of IDU Nations was not well known for being a particularly proactive force in international affairs. Indeed, their modus operandi typically involved maintaining a delicately balanced air of neutrality on most matters... right up to the point that they could deliver a well-calculated and critical blow, and only ever on matters that affected the Social Republic's own affairs.

The proposal tabled today was, of course, no different. As the clerk read the orders of the day for the Budgetary & Internal Affairs Council, she gave a considerable pause before continuing. "Item number two, BIAC/PROP/2/A and /B, tabled by the... Social Republic of the Novella Islands?"

The sole present Novellan, a young staffer, stood with a nod, confirming the council secretary's suspicions. "Yes, as tabled, Ms Secretary. Thank you." Those seven words were all the instruction he had been given by the senior members of his party; as to whether it was unfounded hubris or well placed confidence, well... that was up to the whims of any other state parties that were present. As he sat back down, he texted a message of confirmation to his superiors, as the clerk continued.

"Very well. Debate will shortly begin on... On the Formation of an International Nuclear Safety Authority, after a brief recess to give the state parties time to read the tabled proposal."

I hereby call the admission of Sunemia into the League of IDU Nations to a vote. As is protocol, initial voting shall last 72 hours.