[b][center][h3]January, 2018[/h3][/center][/b][center][b]Global GDP Change[/b]: [color=green][b]+1.41%[/b][/color][/center]
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/EXwhHm4.png[/img]
[i]the Known World, 2018[/i][/center]

[b][u]January 13th[/u][/b]
[indent] Placido de Riba, a rather unknown technocrat from Lacas who previously worked in problematic regions fixing water access and infrastructure issues, attempts to take power in the [b][color=yellow]Common Republic of Melizea[/color][/b] by placing President Xavier Resendes under arrest. Military police loyal to Resendes shoot and kill de Riba and Resendes is evacuated after civilians in the capital learn of de Riba's death and foster him up as a man of the people. Military police and civilians clash, ending with 44 wounded and 6 dead.

[center][img]https://cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170412184038-10-venezuela-protest-0404-super-169.jpg[/img][/center]
Those who feigned loyalty to de Riba are quickly split into two camps, with those pledging their loyalty to Resendes once again and another group--75 men in all--who flee to the Commonwealth of San Ribera to escape prosecution from Resendes. 17 men who pledge their loyalty to Resendes again are then arrested and poised to stand trial. In an emergency public hearing, Resendes reminds "those who would oppose the Party that the People stand with us," though many international observers wonder aloud if instead of party, he meant military.[/indent]
[b][u]January 15th[/u][/b]
[indent]In the [b]Republic of Fusan[/b], political negotiations by the [b]Conservative Alliance[/b] see an emphasis on bids for the [b]Sporte Internationale[/b] placed, and these tactful maneuvers seeing the [b]CA[/b]'s support raise by +2.1% in new polls.[/indent]
[b][u]January 16th[/u][/b]
[indent]Although the economy of Aontas is in a period of steady growth, employment prospects in the country remain dour. The unemployment rate is high, and stagnant job growth both represents a social ill in the kingdom and is stifling the NKP's popularity. To remedy the issue, Minister of Labour Robert Oldervik has pursued an agenda of enticing domestic private industry to increase the size of their workforce in Aontas. His latest policy item is the '[u]Secured Service Employment Credit[/u]', a non-refundable tax credit that will be offered to small and medium-sized enterprises in the economically dominant service industry.

The credit will offer a modest tax break to small businesses hiring new employees after the date the credit is enacted, with the credit only being payable if the employee was either previously receiving income assistance or unemployment insurance, or is a person under the age of 23 who has not previously been employed. The size of the tax credit offered by the SSEC will scale up according to the amount of employees an employer hires that are eligible for the program, and scale down according to the company's revenue. The objective of the legislation is to make it easier for small businesses in labor-intensive industries, such as food service and retail, to take on new employees. Only time well tell it's effects moving forward. The [i]Kommunistparti i Aontas[/i] (KA) decried the move in the Aontan Parliament and Party Leader Lars Henstre called for the immediate resignation of Minister of Labour Robert Oldervik for undeniably awarding tax credits to the very demographic responsible for electing his party to power in the first place.

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[i]Aontan Parliament, 2018[/i][/center][/indent]

[b][u]January 19th[/u][/b]
[indent]Funding for the [b]Radena Foreign Ministry[/b]'s budget is raised from $610,000,000 to $720,000,000 to increase the amount of military and cultural attaches in the Radenan embassies and consulates in Aontas, Itherae and Fusan. The increase of personnel in these territories will increase the effectiveness of communications there.[/indent]

[b][u]January 21st[/u][/b]
[indent]The Everett Government of the [b][color=lightblue]United Republic of Calloway[/color][/b] takes to national television to condemn the attacks in Southton and promise the people results in finding the terrorists and rebuilding as we stand strong together. Many were confused however as the person who gave the speech was not the President, nor was it the Minister of Security. It was a no-name. It was not a press conference. Many were left confused by the ambiguous rhetoric deployed and poll numbers showed a drop of nearly 5%.[/indent]

[center][[u]January, 2018[/u] is ongoing.][/center]