Rete Cristina di Notizie - RCN

[Cristina]

RETE CRISTINA DI NOTIZIE

The Rete Cristina di Notizie (RCN - Cristina News Network) is a Cristinese news agency. It is the main news agency in the country.

The RCN was founded in 2001 and is based in the Free Port of Cristina. In its initial phase it had a left-wing political stance. Then the agency became part of the CrisTel Group (Cristina Telecomunications Group) in 2010. The agency focuses on news about politics, economics and industry and has collaborations with the international news agencies.

Edited August 3, 2021 by Cristina (see edit history)

[Cristina]

Fifteenth "Best of Cristina" Campaign Starts

CITY OF CRISTINA - Cristinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCFC), Ministry of Foreign and Internal Trade and Telecommunications, and the economic daily newspaper Au Die pregled invited on Monday all companies operating in Cristina to participate in the fifteenth "Best of Cristina" campaign dedicated to the most successful brands in the domestic market.

The campaign is aimed at supporting the creation of top quality Cristinese products, promoting the best product and corporate brands in the Kingdom of Cristina, strengthening their market position and winning the confidence of consumers and partners in the country and abroad.

By boosting the development of strong brands, we improve the competitiveness of local economy, increase the visibility of products labeled as 'Made in Cristina' and facilitate the access of Cristinese companies to the international market, says CCFC president Jesica Martinala.

 

Signora Jessica Martinala, president of the CCFC

The "Best of Cristina" awards will be presented in 25 categories - 23 winners for the year 2017 will be announced, as well as the two decade winners for the best product and corporate brands in the past ten years.

Participation in the competition is free of charge, and the public invitation is open through August 25.

The winners will be announced in December and the laureates earn the right to use the logo of the campaign as a symbol of quality and trust of consumers and business partners, CCFC released.

 

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Edited March 1, 2020 by Cristina (see edit history)

[Cristina]

Cristinese Farmers protest Cuts in Subsidies

CITY OF CRISTINA - A farmers association launched protests Monday (August 11th) after the government decided to cut agricultural subsidies. Farmers headed to Santo Cristo Ward and blocked several roads, but were prevented by police from reaching the Council of Government Hall.

The agricultural producers demand that the government maintain 2010 levels of subsidies, when they received 250 lindas per hectare for up to 100 hectares of arable land. The cabinet decided to keep subsidies at 20,000 lindas but limited the amount of eligible land to only ten hectares, in a bid to trim public spending.

 

Edited March 1, 2020 by Cristina (see edit history)

[Cristina]

Ricardi: Linda, Inflation and Banking System are Stable

CITY OF CRISTINA - The banking system in Cristina is stable and the Royal Bank of Cristina (RBC) will do everything to keep the digital linda and inflation stable as well, RBC Governor Count Jetro Ricardi said on last Friday.

The turbulence regarding the value of the digital linda are over, he noted, adding that such turbulences had also hit the currencies of other countries in the region.

The cause lies in the events on the Europa market, he stated.

The digital linda dropped the least compared to the other currencies, because the RBC acted on time by actively participating on the interbank market and withdrawing the linda surplus that appears on the market, he pointed out.

Seasonal events also affected the linda's drop, since January is when the payments for the import of energy and fuel are made, he said.

The digital linda was not hurt by the announcement of an early election in Cristina, Ricardi remarked.

The RBC protects the stability of the financial market and it has sold L$ 500 million since the start of the year in order to keep the digital linda stable, while it finished 2016 up by L$ 280 million, including all its active interventions, he said

Edited February 7, 2018 by Cristina
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[Cristina]

Monadic: Solving Economic Issues is Most iImportant Task

CITY OF CRISTINA - Minister of State Adriana Monadic said that the most important task for Cristina is to solve its economic issues.

Monadic stressed late on this Tuesday that good results will be achieved in economy if the same dedication is shown as in the fight against corruption and crime.

At the opening of auto components production facility Stella Nova in the ward of St. Petrus, Monadic said that Cristina expects more investors from abroad and thanked the Europan Multinational Stella Group for their investment.

Stella Nova CEO expressed great pleasure with the investment in St. Petrus and a hope that the business in Cristina will develop and expand, commending the knowledge, effort, dedication and skills of the local workers.

Deputy Dione Racovicci (left) in a informal meeting with Stella Nova's investment management team

Cristina has clearly shown its commitment to creating a favorable business environment for investors by providing all the necessary documents and permits in just two months, noted St Petrus deputy representative, Dione Racovicci.

The production facility of Stella Nova covers an area of approximately 6,000 m2, and an additional 2,000 m2 are intended for administrative services.

The factory currently employs 157 people and it is expected to increase its production volume and the number of employees in the future.

Edited March 10, 2020 by Cristina
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[Cristina]

Conference on Drafting Civil Sector Development Strategy

City of Cristina - The civil society in the Free Port of Cristina has to claim the role which societies have in well-developed democracies - the role of government work supervisor and instigator of democratic processes, participants concluded at Tuesday conference on the strategy for sustainable development of the civil sector.

The two-day conference was organised by the Cristinese government Office for Cooperation with Civil Society.

Opening the gathering, Minister of Public Administration Nico Salano said that the preparation of the strategy offers an ideal opportunity to tackle the problems in cooperation between the civil sector and the government which existed in the past.

He underscored that the principle of total transparency in the work of the civil society needs to be set down which also entails transparency of funding.

This will make it possible for civil society organisations to act in the interest of citizens, independently of political interests, Salano said.

He recalled that the civil sector was invited to join the efforts in the preparation of the multilateral screening on chapters in the talks with the Europan community on the judiciary and basic rights, adding that the civil society is an active and valuable participant in the fight against corruption.

Cristina's chief negotiator in Europan talks Vania Magali underscored that the civil society has major responsibilities in the country's Europan integration process.

According to her, the strategy should provide clear functions to the civil society as the supervisor capable of affecting the government's work and preserving and initiating reforms.

Edited February 7, 2018 by Cristina
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[Cristina]

Inferno in Cristina on November 25

CITY OF CRISTINA - Europan heavy metal band Inferno will hold a concert at Crows Park on November 25, the organizers from the Typhoon Productions.

The popular band will perform in Cristina as part of their great world tour dubbed 'Monstars' that started in 2016 and given that this concert will be the last one this year the Free Port of Cristina is expected to host thousands of fans from the entire world and the region.

 

Inferno comes to the Kingdom in November

 

This music spectacle will be the band's first open-air gig in Cristina after their concert in 1981 and another sold-out concert in 2013 with the audience of nearly 40,000.

Cristinese metal band Fantoma will be a special guest at the concert performing as the opening act.

The ticket sale will start on October 03 via Inferno fan club and as of October 05 the purchase will be also possible through the Eventus across Cristina and worldwide. The ticket price will range from LD 450 for fan pit, LD 350 for Floor 1 and LD 300 for Floor 2.

Edited March 1, 2020 by Cristina
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[Cristina]

Cristina Seeks to Improve Protection for Human Rights Defenders

City of Cristina - Activists and the Europan community are urging the Free Port of Cristina to increase protection for human rights defenders.

Although Cristina has made progress in its efforts to stop radical groups' actions against vulnerable members of society, including human rights defenders and minorities, more action is needed to achieve security and to meet Europan standards, experts said.

"While we welcome the progress made, threats and violence remain a significant factor. Extreme right-wing organisations published a 'black list' of media organisations, NGOs and prominent human rights defenders, and incited violence against them. Authorities have not taken the appropriate [responsive] actions," the Europan Delegation in Cristina said in a written statement for Au Dia.

One of the most notable recent incidents involved threats against Alanis Ferrugi, former head of the organisation LUV from Feliccia, a predominantly Violetist ward in Cristina. Violetist extremists were threatening her because of her critical viewpoints on radical interpretations of Violet.

LGBT activists are a main target for extremist groups in Cristina.

Police gave her around-the-clock protection when the threats escalated earlier this year.

Marco D'Antonio, director of the Cristina-based Lawyers Committee for Human Rights, said an increase in the government's efforts will benefit the country as a whole.

"Systematic change is needed. The educational system, media system, the whole system should be improved if we want to be protected from extremism," Antonio told RCN.

Edited March 1, 2020 by Cristina
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[Cristina]

Cristina's New Stealth Frigate to Be Commissioned in December 2017

The RCS Supreme, last ship of a new class of multirole warships, the Estelar-class (Project E) guided missile frigates, is expected to be delivered to the Royal Cristina Navy (RCN) by December 2017 following years of delay in one of Cristina's most ambitious surface warship construction programs.

According to the chief of the RCN's shipbuilding department, Andreas Galeni, the ship will be commissioned in the last weeks of 2017. "The Supreme and the logistic ship the Marline are to be commissioned in December", Galeni told Marina news agency on Friday.

The RCS Supreme, last ship of the new Estelar class of multirole warships, is expected to be delivered to the Cristinese Navy in late 2017.

The Supreme, with a total displacement of around 3,200 tons the largest surface warship built by Cristina, has been in construction for over seven years. The ambitious shipbuilding project was hampered by major problems.

Minister of State Adriana Monadic recently told Cristinese media that the Navy will stick to the September testing schedule. The new guided missile frigate is a multirole warship designed for anti-air, anti-surface, and anti-submarine warfare. The ship's air defense system - an advanced combination of Siena Vesperi radar with the D&D Plata A50 launcher - in particular was suffering serious performance and compatibility problems. There are indications that this has been resolved.

Like it's siblings in the Estelar-classe, Supreme's air defense missile system includes a mix of Siena Asterion 3 surface-to-air missiles and CAS ASM-3 Arpone anti-Ship Missiles, D&D 76 mm gun, Siena Black Shark NSP/BSA torpedoes and CAS MP50 12.7 mm machine guns. The anti-ship missiles can be launched from a 16-cell vertical launch system (VLS).

Even if the various issues with the ship's weapons systems are resolved by now, the lack of spare parts will prove to be a major handicap for Cristina in building additional surface combatants in the long run, told Andreas Galeni.

Cristina is also working to develop a domestic version of a gas turbine engine, however it is unclear when it will become fully available. "Cristina awarded a contract to Siena Fleet Systems, the foremost ship, arms, and drive manufacturers within the kingdom, to produce and test a domestically-produced turbine engine by the end of 2017. However, Europan analysts believe that a new propulsion system will not be ready for the navy before 2018, told Galeni.[/center]

Edited March 10, 2020 by Cristina
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[Cristina]

Royal Business Forum - Changing Cristina in a Changing Europa

City of Cristina - "Changing Cristina in a Changing Europa" will be the central topic of the 10th Royal Business Forum, with around 500 participants, which will be held from September 2-3, Head of the Cristinese Association of Economists (ACE) Sir Alesandri Vanadi announced on Tuesday.

Vanadi (right): "The intent is to encourage experts and businessmen to propose improvements to the national economy ".

The ACE and the Cristinese Association of Corporate Directors are organizing this year's business forum, which will be held under the auspices of Cristinese Minister of State Adriana Monadic, and with Cristina News Network (RCN) as the media partner.

The intent of the forum is to encourage experts and businessmen to propose ways to improve the state of the national economy, and the first day will address issues as to how to maintain macroeconomic stability and improve efficiency of the financial sector, Vanadi told a news conference.

The second day of the forum will deal with the Europa integration process, reforms in public companies, young entrepreneurs, and foreign and domestic investors will comment on the reform agenda, he said, adding that the third day will discuss agricultural development and implementation of the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA).

The goal of the forum is to contribute to ensuring a social consensus for implementing the reform agenda through a constructive debate, Vanadi said.

Vanadi said that, among others, the forum will bring together the Minister of Economy Valdo Minardi, Head of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCFC) Lady Jesica Martinala, Royal Bank of Cristina (RBC) Governor Count Jetro Campesini, Minister of Public Administration signore Nico Salano, Cristina's chief Negotiator in Europan Talks signora Vania Magali, Ministry of Foreign and Internal Trade and Telecommunications Franco Bilaro, Minister of Tourism and Urban Planning Suelen Marota and the Head of the Cristinese Trade and Investment Promotion Institute Paulino Curica.

Edited May 7, 2021 by Cristina
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[Cristina]

Monadic: Economic ties must be on par with political ones

CITY OF CRISTINA - There are no open issues between Cristina, @Fleur de Lys and @Magnaeus but efforts must be made to ensure that the economic cooperation of the three countries is on par with their excellent political relations, Cristinese Minister of State Adriana Monadic said on Wednesday.

Monadic: "strengthen the friendly ties by boosting economic cooperation".

After a meeting with the Queen Nova Maxima Korvini, Mandic told reporters that an agreement will soon be reached for the three countries to embark on a more concrete political dialogue and strengthen the friendly ties between their three peoples by boosting economic cooperation.

"We can call this visit a historic one, because it marks the end of a period of absence of political dialogue at the highest level despite the fact that there are no open issues between the three countries and that there is no reason for us not to have more intense cooperation in many segments", Monadic said.

She added that many trilateral and inter-state matters were already discussed and that a conclusion was made that dialogue has been improved significantly at all levels.

Monadic stressed that Cristina is particularly grateful for Fleur de Lys principled stance regarding the declared independence of the Kingdom, adding that she expects that Fleur de Lys will stand by its position.

Edited February 7, 2018 by Cristina
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[Cristina]

Cristina and SSI reach agreement for trade deal

CITY OF CRISTINA - The Free Port of Cristina and the @Sunset Sea Islands  resolved last outstanding bilateral issues so that the Tri-nation (Cristina, @Fleur de Lys and @Magnaeus ) trade agreement and the Trans-Continental Science Initiative (TCSI) deals can be struck at a multilateral ministerial meeting expected to be held in the next days, said Cristina's chief negotiator in Europan talks Vania Magali.

A deal between the SSI and Cristina, two strong economies, is vital to clinching the multilateral TCSI pact, which will cover an great percentage of the Europan economy. The deal is a key part of Cristina Minister of State Adriana Monadic's strategic reintegration in Europan community and rebalance of the region's economy and politics.

The politically touchy matters of access to Cristina's infrastructure and SSI's market for farm products, uranium, information technology and naval vessel parts were among remaining bilateral issues, the Magali said to RCN.

"The Queen Nova Maxima Korvini anticipated that these issues would never be stumbling blocks for a SSI-Cristina agreement," the official said.

"She were always confident we would be able to resolve them in time for concluding TCSI and Tri-nations negotiations overall."

Intellectual property protection including for newly-developed information technologies ranked high among the issues to be resolved to clinch the multilateral Cristina-TCSI deals, which would harmonise rules and standards and lower trade barriers among the five developed and emerging nations.

"If not conducted satisfactorily, it could very well be a reason for the Cristinan National Council to reject TCSI approachings in the future. So it was prerequisite for an agreement to include high standard protection for new technologies," Magali said.

Even before the agreement was reached, Queen Nova sounded an optimistic note.

"I don't think any issues cannot be resolved if there is sufficient political attention and input required to solve these in time for a ministerial meeting that we expect to be held before the end of the year," she said last month in her speech to the National Council.

After a two-week battle, the Cristinan National Council voted 22 to 14 to grant Monadic "fast-track" power to negotiate trade deals with TCSI members states and speed them through National Council.

"SSI and other TCSI countries would want fast-track to be approved before making final offers on the trade deals", said Vania Magali. However the official declined to give details of the negotiations.

Minister of State Adriana Monadic has touted TCSI and Tri-nations deals as engines of reintegration and reforms needed to drive growth. Monadic also hope the deals will help anchor ally Sunset Sea Islands in Europa and create a rule-based regime that would eventually draw in @Orioni

Also, if the Tri-nation trade deals are agreed in late September or early October, the deal could be up for a final vote in Cristinan National Council in the first half of Octoberber. Other countries also have to seek lawmakers' approval.

Edited February 7, 2018 by Cristina
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[Cristina]

Monadic: "Cristina-Youtabonia military trade agreement is a sign of sincere cooperation, trust and friendship" 

CITY OF CRISTINA - The Youtabonian authorities have expressed interest in renewing old trade agreements in the arm industry sector and readiness to deliver military equipments such as armored combat and utility vehicles and standard rifles to Cristina as soon as the Free Port covers the equipment's agreed costs, Cristinese Minister of Foreign and Internal Trade and Telecommunications Franco Bilaro said this Tuesday.

@Youtabonia allegedly indicated that the cost of vehicles and related equipment required about $75 million", a governmental source was quoted as saying in a Youtabonian newspaper.

According to Bilaro, the question of the delivery of military equipment was discussed behind closed doors during a meeting on the Cristina-Youtabonia trade-economic and technical-scientific cooperation in the Youtabonian capital city of Cinigrad.

Cristinan Minister of State Adriana Monadic told RCN on Friday that the reports on Youtabonia's decision to deliver the ordered equipment were a sign of sincere cooperation, mutual trust and friendship.

"It is a sign of sincere cooperation, trust and friendship. The Kingdom of Cristina now has friends who will not hesitate to help it, who... do not hesitate to cooperate. Cristina wants to spread friendship to all nations in the world and will not support anyone in hating. We will not attack anyone, but we will provide the defense for our country and people," Monadic said.

Edited May 25, 2020 by Cristina
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[Cristina]

 

 

Economic Activity Rises At Beginning Of Fourth Trimester

CITY OF CRISTINA - Economic activity rose at the beginning of fourth trimester and total industrial production grew by 6.8 percent in October compared to the same month last year, according to Minister of Economy Valdo Minardi

The year-on-year growth rate in the processing industry was at 10.3 percent, turnover grew nominally by 4.9 percent, and the real retail trade turnover was over 3.6 percent, Minardi said while presenting the latest issue of Macroeconomic Analysis and Trends (MAT) magazine that covers the issue.

The value of Cristina's exports in Digital Lindas (DLD) was 18.3 percent higher, while imports fell by 5.7 percent in October, he said.

Paulo Curica, who is the head of the Fiscal Council, said that "October has been a variable month" and that the data should be taken with great reservation as the month is not hasn't been a reliable indicator of trends in the last years.

Imports amounted to DLD 793 million in October, with exports amounting to DLD 801 million, he said.

MAT experts expect a continued growth of exports, which is expanding to areas outside the information technology and arms industries, but say that the growth will not match that of 2016, which was achieved thanks to information technology exports.

Earnings plummeted sharply in October, in terms of both average earnings and the wage bill. Average nominal earnings fell by 8.6 percent and the real wage bill fell by 10.6 in January.

Economist Tato Belini warned of adverse changes in the bad loans sector, adding that a number of negative processes in the real and banking sectors once again highlighted the issues of the quality of the banks' balance sheet assets and the level of bad loans.

Those are old or new loans in the real estate and construction sector that are hard to collect, he said.

Bad loans account for 8.7 of the total loans in Cristina in 2017, compared to 6.2 percent in 2016, Belini said.

 

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Tourism Is On The Rise

CITY OF CRISTINA -.Tourism to Free Port if Cristina is on the rise despite — and maybe a little because of — its history of strife. The country is trying to make itself more appealing to vacationers. 

Cristina may not seem like the most obvious vacation destination with its history of war and invasions, but those days are slowly becoming past. And despite its reputation for strife or maybe even because of it, tourism in the Kingom of Cristina is on the rise.

The Free Port of Cristina is increasingly becoming a popular tourism destination, fuelled by strong economic growth and rising disposable incomes. Over the years, the key trends in tourism have been changing for the better.

In Europa and abroad, the word Cristina is still a synonymous with conflict, but the Independence war is long past, and the remaining conflicts hasn't spread over the border like people feared it might. Now, slowly, tourists are coming back. The government says there's been a some 16 percent increase in travelers to Cristina compared to last year. People from the neighbor countries are in the lead.

Cristina is slowly catching up with the rest of the world in terms of tourism with both leisure and business travel prospering, said Tourism Minister lady Suelen Marota.

The meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) tourism segment is a new growth frontier in Cristina boosted by business travel, Marota said.

Some come because it still seems an edgy place to visit, told Marcito Dedino, founder of the Alternative Cristina, who offers walking tours that take tourists to parts of the city they might otherwise never see.

Dedino: Most of the people who come to visit Cristina - they end up staying in similar safe zones. What my job is going to be today is taking you out of that safe zone. I'm just joking. Nothing's going to happen to you all walking (laughs).

Battling the old perception of Cristina as a dangerous place is one of the main jobs of Alternative Cristina, which states that Cristina is far more secure than most of Europa.

Dedino: we also want tourists to branch out beyond the nightclubs. Leave the metro zone and you'll find medieval castles like the Castle of Aline, vineyards and preserved ancient temples. We have so many places that if we can show them and promote them properly, we can really transform Cristina to a heaven.

Cristina still has many problems. During the former regime, corruption and bad infrastructure sparked a crisis that saw trash piled on the streets or dumped in the sea. Most tourists skate over this, but it is not for everyone. Natalie June is 8 years old and from Magnaeus. She came here with her parents for a wedding and is impressed.

Natalie: the most thing that I like is downtown city because it has a lot of cool stuff in it, like squishies and a carnival and, like, painting stuff and toys.

Edited February 29, 2020 by Cristina
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[Cristina]

Monadic: Emperor Heinrich III Is No Genius

"Strategic and tough ISTC and EOS sanctions against Heinrichstadt will effectively battle Derthaler Emperor Heinrich’s aggressions on innocent civilians and illegal occupations”

RCN is quoting the Cristinese Minister of State Adriana Monadic as saying in an interview broadcast on Wednesday that "Derthaler Emperor had convinced many in Cristina and abroad that he was a genius for his lightning-quick invasion and annexation of a large extension of lands beyond @Derthalen 's legal territory."

"But the Cristinese administr pleaseation's non-aggressive response, while frustrating hawkish Counselors  in the National Council who advocated more forceful intervention, showed itself to be a wise one in the long run, with ISTC and EOS sanctions now biting into the Derthaler economy," said Monadic.

Monadic on Derthaler Illegal Occupation: "We can apply steady sanctions pressure working with our ISTC partners".

 

"I said at the time we don't want war with @Derthalen or anyone else, but as an important gate to Central and Eastern Europa, we can apply steady sanctions pressure working with our ISTC partners," Monadic told RCN during the interview recorded on October 20.

"And today, I'd sense that at least outside of Derthalen, maybe some people are thinking what Emperor Heinrich III did wasn't so smart. Part of our rationale in this process was that the only thing keeping that economy afloat was the price of ore", Monadic said, and added:

Steady sanctions pressure "would make the economy of Derthalen sufficiently vulnerable that if and when there were ore price disruptions... that they'd have enormous difficulty managing it".

Edited February 29, 2020 by Cristina
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[Cristina]

Queen Nova: Summit in Magnaeus May Lead to the Creation of the Largest Industrial and Commercial Hub In Europa

VENÈGE, Magnaeus - Cristinese Queen

Nova Maxima Korvini is in Venège for a meeting with the Leaders of @Magnaeus and @Fleur de Lys in which will be discussed trade proposals and the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries and the Kingdom of Cristina.

Shortly after her arrival at the Magnean Capital this morning, the Queen visited some famous sights of that beautiful city and played a tennis match open only to her entourage and to the press. Queen Nova faced @Emakeran player Juliano Fado, ranked World's 74th, and lost by 1-2 (5-7, 6-3, 3-4) but was highly praised by Fado for her good performance. "I had never faced such a clever opponent, even in the professional circuit ... Her Majesty really made me sweat my shirt (smiles)", said Juliano Fado.

Nova prepares for serve

the game, Nova gave some interviews to international journalists and commented on the summit that will be held tomorrow. "It is an important step towards the economic development of Central Europa and the Byzantine Sea region and may lead to the creation of the largest industrial and commercial hub on the continent", remarked the Queen.

Nova Maxima also commented on her recent appointment to the Grand Cross of the Most Excellent Order of the Beautiful Empire of @Orioni which rewards contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organizations and public service.

“I am greatly honoured to receive this appointment because it comes to crown a whole social and human development project that is being done in and outside of Cristina through various governmental and non-governmental organizations and institutions promoted and financed by the Royal Family”, said the Cristinese monarch.

Late in the afternoon, Queen Nova visited Lake Venège, where she came to take off her shoes to walk barefoot by the lake's edges and wet her feet. At evening, Her Majesty returned to the Chateau la Colline hotel where she is staying, for a dinner with the Lysian President of the Council Charles Mécra and the Magnean president Sophie Gerber.

 

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Christinese Mission Departs for Afropa to Render Humanitarian Aid

CITY OF CRISTINA - By order of the Royal Defence Forces Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. Giorgio Donateli, the RDF missions will depart tonight and tomorrow for the Cristinese Humanitarian Aid for @Afropa following the dire humanitarian disaster that has been struck the country.

The humanitarian mission, led by the Commander of the Joint Logistic Department of The Royal Defence Forces (RDF) Major General Priamo Fontonoria, is comprised of groups of personnel from the Combat Engineers, Infantry and Signals divisions bolstered by Army Intelligence, Army Medical Services and the Army Supply and Transport units.

“The mission will depart in Royal Cristina Air Force transport planes and Royal Cristina Navy transport ships equipped with advanced rescue equipments and will coordinate its activities with the Afropan authorities”, said Fontonoria.

 

 One of the P792 Tétine that will be used to transport the RAF Field Hospital to Afropa

 

In the today's late afternoon hours, the men and women of Cristinese Humanitarian Aid made for Afropa in order to assist the victims of the devastating Afropan War on Violetist Liberation Army that struck the northern areas of that country. The mission, which departed in three RDF transport planes, will be joining the mission which departed earlier this morning in Navy's amphibious transport ships.

An additional rescue mission of the Medical Corps, comprised of physicians, medics, and signals operators will depart for Afropa tomorrow morning. Upon its arrival, it will deploy a field hospital that will provide medical services in the most critical areas. “The mission will provide medical care to the injured, and assist the local health services, which are failing in the areas of surgery, gynecology, pediatrics, plastic surgery and intensive care”, Fontonoria said.

Edited September 12, 2020 by Cristina (see edit history)

[Cristina]

 

Cristina Maintains Relations With SSI and Ahrana

 

CITY OF CRISTINA - The kingdom of Cristina will maintain its commitments in all economic and diplomatic agreements with Sunset Sea Islands despite recent social and political changes in that country.

"Free Port of Cristina will maintain this important partnership and will remain open to the commercial transactions signed with the @Sunset Sea Islands, continuing with all the commitments made with their previous government", said Minister of Foreign and Internal Trade and Telecommunications Franco Bilaro.

 

The kingdom of Cristina also looks into the possibility of sending a delegation to the Islands in the coming months to negotiate Cristinese investments in that country. Large private companies like Siena Fleet Systems have also expressed interest in establishing facilities in Sunset Sea Islands.

"Cristina has the money, the technology and the know-how,  what Cristina does not have is space. The Sunset Sea Islands have been a great investment environment and there is no reason to believe that this will change with the new situation in the country ", remarked Dario Magalini, CEO of the Siena Fleet Systems.

Likewise, the Free Port of Cristina will maintain diplomatic relations with the Socialist Federation of @Ahrana. Earlier in the morning, the National Council decided to keep the Cristinese embassy in that country in spite of the great opposite pressure of groups strongly unfavorable to the communist takeover in Ahrana within the Cristinese Government.

Edited August 31, 2020 by Cristina (see edit history)

[Cristina]

 

Princess Carolina Nominated For Golden Music Awards Best Europan Pop Album

 

Rennd - Cristinese Princess and teen sensation Carolina Korvini (or Carolina IV as she has been called) and her touring entourage are currently rolling round the Europan continent and recently stopped to play some shows in Rennd. The Princess Carolina thus returns to the country where she spent two years of her childhood to play for her fans.

Princess Carolina stopped to play some shows in Rennd.

She spoke fondly about the place during a press conference, when she was presented with a bouquet of flowers from a life-size version of a cult local character.

The 15-year-old singer expressed her excitement over her two Golden Music Awards nominations. In the first she is up against Lysian singer Lorraine for the Best Female Pop Vocalist gong but it's the nomination for Best Europan Pop Album that thrills her the most.

Carolina's French-language long-player, which she recorded last year, takes her back to her Lysian ancestry through her grandmother the musician Joanne Rosbeau.

She says of its release: "It's really nice to be recognized for my first French album 'Ma Réflexion'. I'm really excited that I was recognized for that this year.”

“It's a whole growing and learning experience, to understand my family's background and where many of us came from, and just continue to go further”

In the website Rockslide.com there's also your chance to see a clip of the starlet in the video for 'Je Me Souviens de Toi ('I Remember You'), which is set for Cristinese release in mid-February.

Edited February 29, 2020 by Cristina (see edit history)

[Cristina]

 

Ex-Minister of Public Administration Accused of Corruption; Arrest Ordered
July 09, 2018 1:07 PM

CITY OF CRISTINA - Prosecutor Caio Valacci says arrest warrants have been issued Monday for former Ex-Minister of Public Administration Julio Pozzi and 12 others from his inner circle on a host of corruption charges for allegedly siphoning $300 million from public coffers, the Royal Attorney General’s Office announced Monday.

Julio Pozzi: Accused of siphoning $300 million from public coffers from 2012 to 2014

The 13 arrest orders include Pozzi’ private secretary, his long-time partner Silvia Daneza, his ex-wife Regina Sandre and three of Pozzi’ sons.

“In the administration of Julio Pozzi there were serious and outrageous cases of corruption in which they extracted $300 million from public accounts,” said Royal Prosecutor Caio Valacci.

Pozzi immediately mounted a defense via social media, taking on charges one by one and asking “where was the crime?” and “what does that have to do with me?”

“It stands out that the (Royal Attorney General’s Office) has only made incriminations without presenting a single piece of evidence against me,” Pozzi wrote.

Valacci said that Pozzi stole $230 million from Cristina’s mortgage bank alone, including millions carried out as cash in plastic handbags.

Horatio Minori, head of the Royal Attorney General’s financial investigation unit, said that Pozzi’ partner, Silvia Daneza used some of the diverted funds for cosmetic surgery in @Variota.

Silvia Daneza: funds diverted for cosmetic surgery.

Pozzi held office from 2010 to 2012 under the government of former Minister of State Paolo Canavari and is a high-member for the Union for Cristina party, and has been living in @Magnaeus since 2016. He has alleged that the government of conservative Rally for Cristina party Minister of State Adriana Monadic is trying to settle political scores in pursuing him.

Valacci said prosecutors had alerted international policies that Pozzi was “a person of interest” and the government would seek his extradition from Magnaeus.

Valacci also declined to respond to Pozzi’ assertions that the moves against him were a political vendetta.

“Former minister Pozzi is a suspect, accused of corruption crimes, a fugitive from justice,” he said. “Everything proven with technical, witness and other evidence.”

Authorities said they captured Giorgi Jalecci, a public engineering empresario and former president of Cristinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCFC). Prosecutors allege he was one of the principal organizers of the diversion of funds.

“It is a sophisticated structure that was created by Mr. Pozzi and Mr. Jalecci, to extract public funds from the government and later distribute them to key people, front men and shell companies,” Valacci said.

 

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Scientists of the Royal University built a nanomachine out of DNA

CITY OF CRISTINA - Nanotechnology, the manipulation of matter on an atomic, molecular, and supramolecular scale may be able to create many new materials and devices with a vast range of applications, such as in nanomedicine, nanoelectronics, biomaterials energy production, and consumer products.

“The individual control of molecular composition and placement is often cited as a goal of nanotechnology. To date, many nanotechnology efforts have been content to achieve nanoscale—but not atomic—precision, or to build large quantities of small identical molecules. However, there are some technologies worldwide that are on the verge of achieving the goal”, explained Dr Paolo Salvatore, molecular engineer and physicist of the Royal University of Cristina.

Salvatore and coworkers have built a nanomachine out of DNA that can guide the construction of any of several different strands of DNA; the product sequence can be chosen by “programming” the machine with other DNA strands. “This is a demonstration of programmable molecular fabrication. A planned extension to the machine would allow it to build longer and more interesting strands”, said Salvatore in an interview for The Science Channel last sunday.

Paolo Salvatore: “The new nanomachine is a demonstration of programmable molecular fabrication”

Salvatore also explained that “although this machine does not select from among multiple sites for the reaction, it does select from among multiple potential reactants”, and that  “its product has a precise and programmable molecular structure”.

The research team developed the ability to transport individual silicon atoms from one place to another in a covalent crystal, and was even able to automate this to make two-dimensional patterns. Several other researchers have also used electricity (fields and/or currents) with scanning probe microscopes to implement reactions at sites chosen with atomic precision. They have removed single selected hydrogen atoms from silicon at room temperature and removed and replaced single silicon atoms with purely mechanical force, but has not yet reported the ability to build multi-atom patterns.

“The team’ strategy for easier atomically precise positioning is to separate the possible deposition sites. For example, a self-assembled repetitive grid could be used to create widely separated sites that might even be individually assessed optically for higher throughput. A related strategy is to deposit large molecules into large receptors that are designed not to bond if misaligned”, explained Dr. Savannah Malacchi, Salvatore's chief assistant, to RCN.

Researchers around the world have proven that are several possible ways to increase the throughput of molecular manufacturing without requiring it to build its own tools. If the manufacturing operation is done with a scanning probe microscope, then an array of MEMS microscopes could be used. “If it is done with molecular tools similar to that of Salvatore and team, many tools could be created and used in parallel”, said Malacchi.

The ability to use molecular manufacturing systems to build additional usable molecular manufacturing systems, making it possible to produce large quantities of product.

Minister of Science and Technology Barbie Tartani in a recent debate on whether special regulation of nanotechnology is warranted.

On the other hand, nanotechnology raises many of the same issues as any new technology, including concerns about the toxicity and environmental impact of nanomaterials, and their potential effects on global economics, as well as speculation about various doomsday scenarios. “These concerns have led to a debate among advocacy groups and the Cristinese government, leading to initial works towards a special regulation of nanotechnology”, said new Minister of Science and Technology Barbie Tartani.

Edited July 4, 2020 by Cristina
Pictures were incorrect (see edit history)

[Cristina]

 

Anti-corruption body says accused stole more than DL$100,5 million

By Samantha Fanni, RCN

Saturday 16 May 2020

 

CITY OF CRISTINA - Royal Anti-corruption Commission said on friday that an investigation into those accused of corruption seized more than DL$100,5 million, according to a statement released.

The anti-corruption commission, formally known as the Anti-Corruption Authority, said they heard statements from 333 people, out of whom 154 were charged and arrested.

According to the commission’s the accused were charged for “various financial and administrative corruption crimes represented in bribery, embezzlement, waste of public money, exploitation of position, and public office administrative misuse.”

The investigation found that 8 persons, including four military officers – one of whom is the Major General Antoni Faccio and others who are retired military officers – were charged for misusing government contracts at the Kingdom’s Defense Ministry and their involvement in bribery and money laundering crimes between 2013 and 2017.

Eleven people were also found to have committed financial and administrative corruption crimes represented in the exploitation of contracts at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health in the private Rete Salute Hospital in the ward of Feliccia, including chief pharmacist Dr. Gina Vanilli and three residents.

Four officials between Santa Rita Private University in the ward of Bizantina, one working in the Public Secretary of the Communal Council, and Sandra Danetti, a former employee at the Ministry of Public Administration, were also found to have been involved in financial and administrative corruption cases. An investigation centered around the violations of regulations and instructions which resulted in a severe damage to one of the university’s buildings which resulted in injuries and deaths.

The commission also said that seven persons – including Royal Army Colonel Thor Torino and two other employees from the sectors of the Ministry of Defense – were charged for abuse of power and bribery.

The commission’s investigation also led to the arrest of judge Paola Salezzi who received a bribe, and Judge Melissa Totti who misused her position and influence.

Edited May 17, 2020 by Cristina (see edit history)

[Cristina]

 

Cristinese Innovative Solutions unveils lighter, faster, stronger second generation exoskeleton robotic suit prototype

By Diego Rodinno, RCN

Monday 25 May 2020

CITTÀ DI LOMONE, Limonaia - Cristinese Innovative Solutions (CEX: CIS) unveiled its second generation Exoskeleton (EXS-II) prototype at its research facility in Città di Limone, Limonaia, during a demonstration with Agenzia Giornalistica Limonaia (AGL). The new robotic suit is lighter, faster and stronger than its predecessor, yet it uses 50 percent less power. Its enhanced design also means that it is more resistant to the environment.

“EXS-II was essentially a proof of concept,” said Dr. Horatio Vanic, vice president of operations for CIS. “With EXS-II, we targeted power consumption and looked for ways to use the hydraulic energy more efficiently. That’s resulted in us being able to add capabilities while significantly reducing power consumption.”

CIS is developing the robotic suit to help with the many logistics challenges faced by the military both in and out of theater. Repetitive heavy lifting can lead to injuries, orthopedic injuries in particular. The EXS-II does the lifting for its operator, reducing both strain and exertion. It also does the work faster. One operator in an exoskeleton suit can do the work of two to three soldiers. Deploying exoskeletons would allow military personnel to be reassigned to more strategic tasks.

 

Photo: EXS-II: Lighter, faster and stronger than its predecessor.

 

The prototype suit is built from a combination of structures, sensors, actuators and controllers, and it is powered by high pressure hydraulics. It enables its wearer to easily lift 200 pounds several hundred times without tiring and repeatedly punch through three inches of wood. Yet, the suit, which was developed for the Royal Army, is also agile and graceful enough to let its wearer kick a soccer ball, punch a speed bag or climb stairs and ramps with ease.

“Getting exoskeletons deployed is inevitable in my view,” said Vanic. “They are desperately needed, and I believe the military looks at them as viable solutions to a number of current issues they are trying to address. With a sustained commitment, they could be in place within five years.”

CIS' Exoskeleton has the ability to enhance the wearer’s strength and endurance in a way that is reminiscent of high-tech suits in the films. 

CIS Company, with 2009 sales of $25 billion, is a technology and innovation leader specialising in defense, homeland security and other government markets throughout the world. With a history of innovation spanning 70 years, CIS provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration and other capabilities in the areas of sensing; effects; and command, control, communications and intelligence systems, as well as a broad range of mission support services. With headquarters in Cristina, @Limonaia   and @Fleur de Lys, CIS employs 85,000 people worldwide.

Edited May 26, 2020 by Cristina (see edit history)

[Cristina]

Cristina is officially presented to the candidates for 2021 election to Minister of State

 

By Diana Goggina

Thursday 4 June 2020

City of Cristina - The National Council appointed this Thursday morning the three partisan candidates that will run for Minister of State in the General Elections to be held on January 10, 2021. There were no surprises in the nominations, and the nominees were those who have the greatest support in the Council, among their own parties and the public opinion.

The highly popular Keyla Rossi is the candidate for Union for Cristina (UPC) and will have the formal support of the Libertarian Viewpoint (VL) party. The Afropan-Cristinese currently exercises her third term as a member of the National Council. She proposes a classic liberal economic agenda and a more liberal position from the government on social issues such as abortion, marijuana legalization and same-sex marriage, as opposed to the dominant social conservative stances established by the governments of the Rally for Cristina (RPC).

Gianluca Di'Copolla, candidate for the RPC was Minister for Social Affairs from 2013 to 2016. Known for his speeches in favor of increasing the budget for the defense forces and for public security, Di'Copolla defends a tougher confrontation in relation to Mantellan policies towards Cristina and a greater participation of the Orthodox Church in the affairs of the state. Di'Copolla is a close friend of current Minister of State Adriana Monadic, who calls him "professor".

The third candidate is Mario Letti from the New People's Party (NPP). Letti was the party leader from 2015 to 2017, after the death of its founder Leonel Brizzo. The candidate, who will have the formal support of the Socialism and Liberty (SEL) party and the nominal support of the Republican party, defends greater regulation of the internet and of the national industry, especially in the arms and in the health sectors. Letti proposes greater state intervention in labor relations and in the economy "with the aim of protecting the interests of the working class". The NPP also proposes the formation of a committee to organize a referendum on the end of the Monarchy and the establishment of a modern Cristinese Republic.

 

Rossi, Di'Copolla, Letti and Datena: who is going to be the people's favorite?

 

The three candidates will compete with the candidate officially nominated yesterday by the Queen Nova Maxima Korvini, the Marquis Valdo Datena, as mandated by the Constitution. Datena is a very well known lawyer and political scientist and is the father of the former Speaker of the National Council and current Cristinese Delegate for ATARA, Francesco Datena. He advocates a more active international policy and the advancement of the talks and peace agreements with Mantella.

All candidates and their initial platforms have been approved by the Tribunale Elettorale Nazionale (TEN) and from now on they will have six months to officially present their proposals to society. This will be made through the use of radio and TV networks, newspapers and the various online platforms. In-person and virtual interviews in the media vehicles and debates between candidates are expected by the Cristinese electorate in the coming months. 

After being elected the winner will be subject to the Queen's appointment to the office.

 

Edited October 30, 2020 by Cristina
Formatting (see edit history)

[Cristina]

Cristina strikes Mantellan army bases after bombs found in Bianca Plains

Cristinese aircraft struck Mantellan military targets this Friday, the Mantellan government confirmed the attack in a rare statement.

 

 

City of Siena - Cristina's military says it launched air strikes against Mantellan military targets in Triangolo Bianco region, north of the city of Siena overnight, after explosive devices were found in the Cristinese-occupied Bianca Plains.

The Mantellan state news agency said the country's air defences had "confronted a Cristinese aerial aggression" and downed a number of missiles.

It reported that three Mantellan soldiers were killed and another was injured.

But a monitoring group reported that seven people died, including two foreigners.

Mantella has repeatedly struck Cristinese targets in the region and those of allied militia groups in recent years, but it rarely publicly claims responsibility.

It has said it will not tolerate Cristinese "entrenchment" in Mantella.

On WednesdaThursday, five M-18 anti-personnel charges were found near a Cristinese military position in the Bianca Plains, Cristinese military spokesman Lt Col Fabio Sperino told RCN reporters.

The devices were planted by a Mantellan squad on the orders of Mantellan's Avanti Force, the main overseas operations arm of the Mantellan National Armed Forces, he added.

"That is why we decided to retaliate against them in Bianca."

Cristinese SAF-13 fighter jets hit targets belonging to the Avanti Force and the Mantellan army, including "storage facilities, headquarters and military compounds", as well as Mantellan surface-to-air missile batteries, according to the Cristinese military.

 

Photo: A Cristinese Royal Air Force's SAF-13 aircraft used to strike against Mantellan military targets.

 

 LtCol Sperino said three Mantellan command centres were hit - a headquarters at Lucca international airport, east of Siena, a Avanti Force base inside the headquarters of Mantellan Army's 5th Division, and a "secret military site which served as a hosting facility for senior Mantellan delegations".

"We hope now that the message is clear - that it is unacceptable that the Tito's New Order regime allows and tolerates and facilitates the use by Mantellan forces of the region as a launchpad for attacks against Cristina," he added.

Mantellan state television showed blasts in the sky above Lucca before dawn.

"The Cristinese also launched an aerial aggression from the direction of the occupied Bianca Region that targeted the Lucca region as the Mantellan air defences confronted it and downed a number of rockets," a military source later told the official news agency.

The source added: "Three soldiers were martyred in the aggression, and a soldier was injured, in addition to causing material damage."

The Royal Observatory for Human Rights, a Cristina-based monitoring group, reported that the strikes targeted air defence positions near Lucca airport and south-east of the city, as well as positions and ammunition depots used by pro-New Order fighters near Siena.

Two foreigners were killed in addition to the three Mantellan soldiers, it said.

They comprised one fighter who was "likely Emakeran and belonging to the Avanti Force", and one other who may has been a mercenary fighter from @Novanya  or  @Miiros, it added.

Europan intelligence sources suggest Cristina has stepped up strikes on Mantella this year with Lysian approval, in an effort to check Mantella's military reach.

 

 

Photo: The Cristinese Royal Army on patrol in the Bianca region.

 

The latest strikes took place one week after Queen Nova Korvini expressed her wish to downsize the Cristinese military presence in the 'Cristinese Corridor' and one day before Cristinese Minister of State Adriana Monadic was due to arrive in Siena for a two-day visit.

Cristinese government reports that Mrs Monadic is expected to become the first Cristinese Minister of State to visit the region. The state department has not yet confirmed her itinerary.

Cristinese seized the Triangolo Bianco zone from Mantellan in 1999, during the Cristinese War of Independence. In 2019, the Lysian Republic was the first country to recognise Cristinese temporary right over the area since Cristinese effectively occupied it in 2001 as part of the buffer region known as the Special Administrative Zone (SAZ) or  'Cristinese Corridor' that comprises Mantellan provinces that oppose the current Mantellan regime.

Edited December 19, 2020 by Cristina (see edit history)

[Cristina]

LGBT pride parade to be held in Cristinese February 06; Pride Weekend February 01-06

By Diana Goggina

City of Cristina - A LGBT Pride Parade, organized by the Cristinese LGBT organization LUV, will take place on Saturday, February 06, in Cristina. The parade will begin at 11:00 (local time) in Mariners Park, Saint Christ, and will proceed toward Kingdom Square, in the Central Ward.

The February 06 parade is separate from the regular pride parade, which is scheduled to be held in September. This parade is set to be minor compared to the larger event in September and is part of the Pride Week. However, transportation disruptions could occur in the vicinity of events and clashes with violetist gay rights opponents are possible.

 

Singer Samy Farfalla, president of the LGBT organization LUV.

 

Organizers of the February parade have criticized the organizers of the September parade for what they claim is a lack of inclusivity. They are demanding that transgender rights to be being able to change their identity documents, and that authorities take more serious action to prosecute hate crimes against LGBT individuals.

This parade will take place as Gianna Zanetti has just been appointed as the first openly gay Minister of Social Affairs in Cristina. However, despite this development, the LGBT community remains somewhat marginalized within Cristinese society. LGBT pride parades have been the target of anti-gay rioters in the past, despite efforts by the queen to protect the parades. In 2016, 10 people were injured due to anti-gay rioters, which led to the cancellation of the parades of 2017. However, security was significantly reinforced in 2018, including a heavy police presence with armored cars, and no major incident has been reported in the last three years.

The recently appointed Minister of State Keyla Rossi is expected to attend the pride parade. In September 2018, Rossi took part in the 20th LGBT Pride Parade in Cristina and became the first Cristinese prime minister to attend a pride parade. The Minister of State is also the president of the Royal Council for National Minorities (CRMN) since 2018 and appointed her old-time ally Zanetti to the office of Minister of Social Affairs and Health on 30 January.

 

Edited March 2, 2021 by Cristina (see edit history)

[Cristina]

Fossils of a new dromaeosaur date to the end of the Age of Dinosaurs

Newly discovered species suggests these fierce predators were diversifying right up to the end.

By Caroline Grammi

August 29, 2021 at 12:00 PM

 

City of Cristina - A rooster-sized warrior, kin to the fierce, feathered Velociraptor, prowled what is now the eastern Amutia about 67 million years ago.

Euroraptor gracilis was a dromaeosaur, a group of swift, agile predators that is distantly related to the famous and much larger carnosaurs. The discovery of this new species suggests that dromaeosaurs were still diversifying, and even becoming better at pursuing prey, right up to the end of the Age of Dinosaurs, researchers say August 28 in Royal Scientific Reports.

That age came to an abrupt close at the end about 66 million years ago, when a mass extinction event wiped out all nonbird dinosaurs. A gap in the global fossil record for dromaeosaurs near the end of the Age of Dinosaurs had led some scientists to wonder whether the group was already in decline before the extinction, says Giuseppe Giustino, a paleontologist at the New National Museum of Cristina. The new find suggests otherwise.

 

A skeletal reconstruction of E. gracilis shows that the dinosaur was a raptor about the size of a common rooster.

 

Since 2008, Giustino and his colleagues have recovered more than 20 fossilized pieces of the new species from the Bianca Formation, a rapidly eroding region of barren badlands north of Siena, in the Cristina controlled Special Administrative Zone. Analyses of muscle attachment sites on the fossilized forelimbs suggest the dinosaur was unusually strong for a dromaeosaur, with a very tight grip in its hands and feet. That grip, Giustino says, was likely stronger than that of its kinfolk, giving the new species extra weaponry in its pursuit of prey. The euroraptor probably preyed on small to medium sized animals such as the Amutiasaurus marianii, a dwarf hadrosaurid dinosaur that lived at the same time as the predator and whose fossils were discovered in the Bianca  Formation in 2019.

Like many other animals of the group, E. gracilis had feathers, evidenced by the presence of quill nobs — bumps indicating where the feathers were attached — on its limbs. But it probably used the feathers for purposes other than flight, Giustino says, such as sexual selection, camouflage added agility while on the hunt.

 

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Crime in Cristina

By Diana Goggina

Cristina is a city that can look and feel creepy, especially at night. But don't let its narrow streets and dark alleys alarm you: Violent crime is rare in Cristina, and you can walk anywhere in the historic center with virtually no risk of being murdered, mugged, or raped.

Non-violent crime is a different story. Like many tourist cities in Europa, Cristina attracts its share of pickpockets, purselifters, and camera thieves. A moment's carelessness can be expensive, as these stories illustrate:

• A friend (who happens to be a professional travel writer) set her camera bag down at her feet while paying for a gelato on Piazza del Popolo. When she'd put her change away and reached for the bag, it was gone.

• Our niece set her purse on top of her suitcase for a moment in Cristina's Bizantina Subway Station. Seconds later, she discovered that it had disappeared, along with her money, credit cards, and passport.

Fortunately, such incidents are easy to avoid. Just observe these common-sense rules:

• Passport in hip pocket: Keep your valuables where thieves can't see or reach them. (Example: Don't carry a wallet, money, or your passport in a hip pocket.)

• Carry most of your cash, a spare credit card, an ATM card, and your passport in a neck wallet or other safe place. That way, if your purse or wallet is stolen, you won't be left high and dry.

• Remember that backpacks and hip packs are especially vulnerable: A pickpocket can easily unzip them and remove valuables such as cameras, smartphones, and passports. (Don't assume that wearing a waist pack in front of your body will keep you safe. While you're looking up at the Campanile di San Pietro or the Regina's Bridge, a pickpocket can relieve you of your wallet or cellulare in a few seconds.)

• If you're carrying an expensive camera, don't dangle it behind you where a thief could quietly remove its interchangeable lens or simply cut the shoulder strap, take the camera, and disappear into the crowd…

Please note: For some readers, the advice in this post may seem obvious or condescending. But let's face it: Travelers are victims of pickpockets and other silent thieves every day. In our opinion, even experienced travelers can benefit from an occasional reminder to be vigilant.

Edited January 6, 2022 by Cristina
Small stuffs (see edit history)