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Telos Restoration Project in Financial Trouble
Good afternoon, sentients. I'm your HNN Newsfeed host, Resel Tholt. Zowl Blifter has the day off.
It appears that the Telos Restoration Project is in danger of total failure, after years of progress and in the last stretch before its completion. Already under intense scrutiny as the project neared its end, a rash of furious cries has come in the wake of an emergency request made by the TRP to the Galactic Senate Appropriations Committee. The proposed budget increase would provide another 10 billion credits to the terraforming and infrastructure efforts on the Outer Rim planet.
Though no Representatives nor Senators have expressed an interest in supporting the action yet, the opposition is already vociferous. Led by Haridon Melfer, the newly-elected Senator from Taris, those blocking the measure are pointing out that the TRP's new proposal would take away from monies earmarked for ongoing reconstruction efforts on other planets still struggling from the aftermath of the Mandalorian and Jedi Civil Wars. In a statement released by the Tarisian Senator's office, and immediately seconded by three members of the Appropriations Committee, the lack of available funding for the move has been connected to both the rights of other member planets' populations, and the intense popular resentment of the current post-war taxations still in effect.
In a brief public address concerning the matter, Senator Melfer had this to say: We have supported the TRP on my homeworld of Taris since its beginning, but this new requisition would unduly infringe on the funding my own people need to return to the measure of good living they enjoyed before Saul Karath ravaged our planet. The same is also true for the populations of several other planets that were victimized by the recent wars. The position I am forced to take may be seen as backing out on the noble efforts that have defined the TRP since Czerka's involvement was eliminated, but I cannot support a new tax increase, nor can I ignore the needs of others to regain a prosperous lifestyle. Until a different solution is found, if any, I will vote against the TRP's funding request so long as it is before the Committee -- so blatant a disrespect need not be presented to my peers in the Senate at large. I'll not be taking questions at this time.
No TRP officials were willing to speak publicly on the issue, but an anonymous source from inside the agency provided additional insight for the request's motivation.
In a surprise communique from Nar Shaddaa to the TRP offices, Vogga the Hutt has raised the price of the fuel he provides the TRP by a shocking twenty-five percent. For the past three years, both Citadel Station and the TRP have been operating on fuel purchased from Vogga's fuel refineries in the Sleyheron system of Hutt Space. As the Hutts are independent of Republic governance, though they still conduct business almost exclusively on the value of the Republic credit, there is little political action that can be taken to address this sudden shift in the Hutt's economic policy.
An HNN field reporter has been dispatched to Nar Shaddaa to investigate further. We'll keep you updated with the latest news on these developments as it becomes available.
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Empress Teta Reports Massive Pirate Strike
Also today, the office of the Empress Teta Senator reported a nearly inexplicable loss of resources. Due to Empress Teta's holdings on the distant Outer Rim world of Bespin, far to the galactic south, the Deep Core planet has a major portion of its industrial power dedicated to supplying the Republic military with refined Tibanna gas, a critical component in energy weapon operation.
The report acknowledges that a superfreighter loaded down with spinsealed Tibanna was subjected to an overwhelming assault by pirates, before it was able to hyperjump out of Bespin's gravity well. Though no members of the superfreighter's crew were harmed, nor the vessel destroyed, enough of the blaster weapon component was seized to support the entire Fourth Fleet at full combat action for a month.
The Supreme Commander issued an outraged order that detached elements of the First Fleet would be employed to guard further shipments of the much-needed gas until such time that the pirate activity has been put to an end.
One additional footnote on this pirate seizure: emergency responders to the freighter's distress beacon reported seeing a massive white mynock laser-engraved on the vessel's hull. It appears that this new criminal element is interested in leaving a calling card.
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Onderonian Admission in Final Stages
The Republic Ministry of State today announced that Onderon's admission to the Republic is all but a done deal. Next month, a diplomatic envoy consisting of the Senators from Corellia, Alderaan, Fondor, and Brentaal will accompany the Onderonian ambassador back to the candidate planet in order to negotiate the final details of its admission as a member planet. It is reported that Queen Talia is very eager for this process to come to its close, and that she looks forward to strengthening the Republic as it continues to rebuild from the past decade's strife.
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