CORNELLIAN EMPIRE NEWS (closed, Region Only)

[United Valik]

Glauconeum Gazette,
Jana Jaworski

Protesters against anti-LGBT laws and vigilantism in New Edom, plus apparent Edomite sympathy for the Fascist Party of New Othman have begun surrounding the Edomite Embassy in Glauconeum just outside its limits. Waving placards and Valikan flags, burning effigies of Selim Targan and Samuel Under, and shouting slogans such as, "Hey, hey, ho, ho, Morality Act has got to go!" the demonstrators have also written down the names of Benjamin Kent and Lavinia Nabal as "victims of repression and terror," while warning that "fundamentalism in any nation is a threat to freedom." Protesters also waved signs with the names of men and women who died fighting the Fascist invaders of United Valik during the Othmani War, often as part of the militias or the Regular Army.

Principal leader of the latest round of protests are Paulina Adamski, Chairperson of the People's Party, a left-wing group of note, as well as Communist Party First Secretary Anton Stavros, while counter-protests are organized by the anti-gay Federalist Party Chairman Mikis Baukis. Baukis and Stavros seem to be forming of late a "red-black coalition" of the far left and the far right, and both are known to have strong authoritarian views, but the issue of New Edom seems to have threatened that unity. The more mainstream parties seem to be less active in organizing such protests, perhaps due to the chance that they might have to reach agreements with the Edomite leaders, which such protests might seem to discourage.


Paulina Adamski, Chairperson of the People's Party


Anton Stavros, First Secretary of the Communist Party


Mikis Baukis, Chairman of the Federalist Party

Prime Minister Dr. Basil Pappas admitted in a press conference that, "I do not fundamentally agree with the Morality Act or with the Compulsory Nudity Act. I also disapprove of such oppressive laws in nations such as those of the Imperium. However, I am more troubled by their sympathy with Othmani Fascists, as indicated by Dr. Aphek. The Edomite nation is, however, a young and illiberal democracy. Ceti was the same way once. Now look at Adiron today, a beacon of freedom and justice for the region and the world. On balance, a bit of patience and a measure of restraint and engagement through trade and diplomacy are called for here. However, I would be less than candid if I denied that Dr. Aphek's remarks displeased me greatly, speaking as a Valikan who had to watch his country get raped by the Fascist invaders from New Othman and wants to see Fascism eliminated forever."

Foreign Minister Talia Tsaros more pointedly accused Dr. Aphek that, "he makes excuses for rape, brutality, violence, and aggression committed against women whose only crime was to dare to think for themselves. He advocates for Fascist war criminals who ought to be executed for their atrocities instead of roaming freely through New Othman. The Deadorans, while often wrong, have this issue spot on. Women are not chattel to be beaten, raped, and killed for daring to speak out."

BREAKING

Quarrels between pro-Edomite and anti-Edomite protests have gotten violent in downtown Glauconeum near the New Edomite Embassy, as fistfights and rock throwing have broken out between Populists, Communists, and Federalists, with some 14 people injured, plus 6 people arrested for brawling and aggravated assault. Among the 6 were 2 Populists, 1 Federalist, and 3 Communists. Cries of "direct action" among the Communists seem to suggest that the Reds instigated the violence by throwing rocks at two Magi priests marching with the Federalists. Some Populists and Communists were heard singing the Internationale as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KymgJPVQphk

[Exalted Draconia]

Draconeum Daily Mail,
Maris Basileos

This reporter conducted the following interview with Dr. Xander Mavros, Foreign Minister of Exalted Draconia. Here are some key excerpts, regarding recent prominent issues, such as New Edom, the Imperium, Deadora, Ghant, etc. This reporter was fascinated by some of Dr. Mavros's relevant remarks.

BASILEOS: Dr. Mavros, there has been much talk of the recent protests in New Edom regarding the Morality Act. Do you have any thoughts on that law or the Compulsory Nudity Act? If so, what are they?

MAVROS: Yes, I think that much has been overdone about this whole thing. Lack of perspective. That's really what fanaticism is, you know, loss of perspective. When you consider that there are equally repressive, if not worse laws in other countries, one is curious as to why the fixation or obsession with righting wrongs in a country that has been already invaded and plunged into wars too often to have the luxury of taking a long, hard look at itself. Its people have been more worried about basic things such as vital services and survival. In that context, I find the humanism and compassion of some critics rather alarmingly confused and uneven. Certainly short of nuance.

BASILEOS: How so?

MAVROS: Until recently, how many nations have truly tried to bring peace and prosperity to New Edom, to help end poverty, to aid in the relief and comfort of its people? Speaking as a Hellenist, I can say that these questions have been lost in the vortex of civil liberties objections and often exaggerated public outrage. Who among us Hellenes, for instance, have remembered that beggars and strangers come from Zeus? Where are the aid shipments to New Edom of books, of toothbrushes, of shoes? Where are the medical supplies and doctors and nurses, the orderlies volunteering for service? I think that we need to look to our own ethical lapses right now.

We need to remember that right now, the Curia have meddled in untold nations and attempted to impose their morals and their laws on others. Have the Edomites gone that far? So, who is the real zealot, the real fanatic here? It's easy to lose sight of the number of Deadoran men who fall victim to the gelding knife, for that matter. Where is the righteous indignation over that? Where was the demand for international war crimes trials for the Othmani war criminals, tried by the whole region so that the region would learn to reject brutality and inhumanity to one's fellow man? It's easy to be an armchair activist and civil-libertarian, as long as it doesn't cost you a thing. At least the Edomites are holding hearings, for Zeus's sake! I shudder to think of some folk demanding that we establish full gender equality here, when that is not the way that we do things here.

BASILEOS: What do you say to those who agitate for changes in our laws?

MAVROS: I say, look to your own injustices. I challenge them to work on improving their own countries first. We all have plenty of vices of our own. In New Edom, it's against homosexuals, but in Exalted Draconia, it's the treatment of women, while in Deadora, it's the abuse and violence against men. In Jedoria, they could be a bit nicer to Christians, in fact. In New Othman, they need to treat Christians, Shia, and Jews a lot better. In the Imperium, they're not very compassionate toward their poor and so-called heretics. The Ghants could do better about social mobility for the commoners and bastards. In the Empire, they ought to embrace more freedom for their youth and they only recently freed their slaves. The slaves should get back payment for unpaid labor, too. In Hostillia, it's the lot of their peasants.

BASILEOS: What would you recommend that people who want changes in other lands do?

MAVROS: Close their mouths, open their ears, and pick up shovels, waivers, and tickets to the war zone. I've been there. Help rebuild. Give money, food, clothes, shoes, medicine, and other items to the people there. Be the change. Vote with your hands for progress in those countries that you want to improve. Vote by giving and working for a new day. Volunteer. Until then, it's all noise. As a great man once said, "Thunder is impressive, but lightning gets the work done."

BASILEOS: So, about this year's football draft pick, the new goalie for the Draconeum Dragons?


Dr. Xander Mavros, Foreign Minister of the Hellenic Union of Exalted Draconia

[New Edom]

New Edomite National News Report

Opening bars of Pictures at an Exhibition play as a globe spins with pins popping up on various points of the world. Split screen images of natural disasters, celebrations, military actions, elections, royal ceremonies, celebrity events are showin, occasionally with New Edomite news anchors talking about them, and then fades to a news desk.

A raven haired woman with olive skin, dark brown eyes with a rosebud mouth, a slim nose and a statuesque figure sat behind a news desk with the New Edomite flag imposed over a silhouette map of the Allied States of New Edom behind her. “Good evening,” she said, looking up with a smile. It was clear that above the waist at least she wore nothing but a gold cross on a chain, though her image was pixelated for those nations censoring such an appearance. “I’m Lavinia Tuller, and this is the International News.

"The National Air Force confirms reports that the hurricane has indeed hit Isidium with devastating effect. Eyewitnesses uploading video of the event report piling up storm effects including massive thundershowers, high winds and tornadoes."

Images showed from uploaded videos a trail of devastation in Isidium and destroyed houses, cars flung about badly. It was shocking to see an Adiran city in such condition.

"There are no reports yet about actual casualty figures, but prayers are being said in the nation including those led by senior clergy and the King and Queen.

"In New Edom travelers from Adiron to New Edom are being offered free shelter by the government, church and communities if they were not able to get home. Whether it is a cot on a church floor, or a hotel room, or even someone's house, doors are open to those in deed.

"in addition to this, free cell phone and internet service are being offered at designated cafes, markets, and public buildings which will be distributed as lists following our commercial break.

" And we'll back after these messages, including the Prophet Samuel Under leading the nation in prayer for victims of the hurricane..."

[The Shrailleeni Empire]

The Kalko's Cry
The First Independent News Source of the Shrailleeni Empire

July, 1291 (2015)
International News

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Religious Orders Donate to Othmani National Women's Congress
Temple Reaches Out After Brutal Attacks

Imperial City - Several branches of the Temple of the Mother Goddess have announced that they intend to send charitable donations of currency to the Othmani National Women's Congress following reports of an attack on members of the organization days ago. The donations form the first non-humanitarian aid sent by Shrailleeni organizations to a foreign nation, and the first to any foreign political group. While the specifics of the donations are not yet known, and it is not even clear if the government of New Othman will allow the exchange, the Temple Sisters who spoke to the Cry insisted that it was their duty to help their foreign Sisters in whatever small way that they could.

According to the Edirne Chronicle, a rally held by the ONWC was interrupted and violently disrupted by terrorists belonging to an organization calling itself "The Black Scimitar." Calling for the destruction of the Republic and the removal of the CPO, as well as the return of the Fascist government, the Black Scimitar claimed responsibility for the attack that reportedly left 45 injured, 7 sexually assaulted, and 13 dead.

While both public and official outrage at the attacks have been expressed in nations such as Jedoria, Deadora, and Adiron, the response of Shrailleeni has taken a more practical edge. In the atmosphere of uncertainty created by the formation of the National Assembly, Shrailleeni have rallied around the plight of the Othmani Women's Congress as something that they can take concrete action toward. This concern has culminated in charitable efforts by the Society of the Four Pillars, the Temple of Light, the Temple of Moon, the Order of Woman, and the Order of Open Hand to raise money to donate to the ONWC in the wake of the attacks. As of its last estimate, the Cry has calculated that donations in excess of $S30,000 had already been raised.

When asked about the donations, a spokesperson for the Temple explained that the intention is to strengthen Sisterhood, not to put a price on trauma of the victims.

"It is well known that many women throughout Cornellia will never enjoy the quality of life that we have here in Empire of the Children of the Mother Goddess. It is saddening to think that people are denied the divinity of their womanhood, that girls are taught to suppress their logic and intelligence in order to become subservient. However, the ascent of Gloria Regis is proof that things can change for the better. We hope that in some small way, our support for our Othmani Sisters will help to affect positive, peaceful progress in that nation as well."

Asked if the Temple Orders had any message to give to the Othmani National Women's Congress, the Enlightened Sister said:

"Stay strong, and give one another strength. Do not succumb to the barbarity of the Patriarchs, as the Mother Goddess blesses the way of peace. And remember, you are not alone."

The Imperial government also released a short statement, reaffirming their commitment to the CPO mission in New Othman and their support for the government of the Republic. They condemned the Black Scimitar for its fascist terrorism, and sent their sympathies to the victims of the tragedy and their families.

---

Hurricane Strikes Isidium
Shrailleen Prepares Humanitarian Response

New Laconia - Hurricane Scarlett made landfall in the Southern Adiron, devastating large areas including the city of Isidium with damage from wind and rain. While the Republic government was prepared for the storm's arrival by evacuating high-risk areas, the effect of the storm has been undeniably catastrophic. While the toll in human life is not yet known the destruction of property is extensive.

The Shrailleeni Imperial government has already approved of humanitarian relief efforts organized by the Order of Comfort, the Temple Order primarily responsible for all foreign Shrailleeni humanitarian aid. The Red Oval-Arcs has also offered its services to the cause, pending talks with the Adiran government. While it is no known whether either offer will be accepted by the Republic, the volunteers including veterans of other Shrailleeni relief operations are fully prepared to act as soon as possible.

Echoing the response of New Edom, the Imperial government has also offered its hospitality to Adiran travelers effected by the storm, as has the Temple of the Mother Goddess. Prayers and offerings to the Mother Goddess are taking place across the Empire as concerned citizens reach out their hearts to their Adiran Siblings. No stranger to tropical storms, many Shrailleeni know first-hand the chaos that nature can bring, and are eager to help others to recover from the aftermath.

[New Othman]

Edirne Gazette,
Caglar Buldan, Assistant Editor

Edirne Police Commissioner Guclu Sarp has been arrested today on charges of "obstruction of justice", "corrupt affiliations", and "aiding and abetting the enemies of the Republic" by members of his own Edirne District Police Command, on orders from Tekil Levni, Director-General of the National Police Forces Command. Also arrested were Deputy Commissioner Muammer Adanir, on similar charges, Captain Gokhan Niazi of the Internal Affairs Division, and Captain Akman Koc, the Superintendent of the Western Regional Police Academy, which is located in Edirne.

Lieutenant Salamon Beit, the new Commissioner, will be the first Jewish Commissioner to head any District Command in the history of New Othman. The new Deputy Commissioner will be Lieutenant Rabia Sakir, the first woman to reach such a high position in any police force in New Othman.


District Prosecutor Umit Dal

Levni was reportedly instructed to arrest and remove Sarp by none other than Interior Minister Erhan Armagan, which probably indicated that Premier Recep Borek was behind the decision to crack down on the police in Edirne. District Prosecutor Umit Dal also announced today that she had secured an indictment against Mayor Hanefi Dogu of Edirne for "graft, nepotism, bribery, witness tampering, concealing evidence, harassment, retaliation, intimidation, and obstruction of justice, as well as possible treason against the Republic."

Dogu denied those charges vehemently, calling Dal a "dangerous radical feminist with more zeal for politics than adherence to the law."

Deputy Mayor Tugal Veli, however, has now openly asserted that "there is a culture of brutality, coercion, conspiracy, paranoia, arrogance, corruption, and disloyalty in high places in Edirne, which I have encountered at any turn whenever attempting to uphold the Constitution and laws of the Republic, as well as the Treaty of Beaulieu. Dogu and his confederates hide it whenever they fear discovery, but otherwise there is a brazen contempt for the Republic and the national government, for the rule of law, for personal freedom, for foreigners, for women, and for Jews. It is honestly a wonder that there have not been more atrocities of the sort that recently occurred and that they haven't been worse."

UPDATE: Justice Minister Enver Cihan declared in a brief public statement tonight that District Prosecutor Umit Dal would have "our complete support and funding in her efforts to eradicate injustice and lawlessness in high public office in her district. The Government of the Republic will not tolerate local government defiance of its authority and the supremacy of its laws. There must be law and order in New Othman."

[Gavinium Magnus]

Deleted.

[Free Garza]

Free Garza City Matador,
Oscar San Marin, Staff Writer

A widely popular bill to raise the minimum wage from 2 garzans per hour to 3, to set in another raise to 4 garzans in exactly one year's time, and abolish the service industry exemption from minimum wage passed the People's Assembly by a margin of 234-66 today, giving Premier Jacinta Castillo a badly needed first victory to start her new term in office. It was one of the centerpieces of the programme proposed by the SDP in its election campaign and it also gained easy support from the Christian Democratic Party, due to being one of the more moderate social reforms even endorsed by Cardinal Montalbano, the Primate of Free Garza, spiritual leader of Free Garza's Roman Catholic majority.

The next item in the ruling party's agenda was expected to be a bit more controversial, but the minimum wage hike met opposition only from the 66 deputies of the economically conservative, socially progressive Liberal Democratic Party, a party that represents the growing urban professional and middle classes. The Christian Democrats were likely to oppose the Labor Rights Reform Act being proposed next, which would require secret ballots in shops and plants over the option to organize local chapters of the National Confederation of Workers, the country's dominant trade union. Secret ballot for union elections is favored by trade unionists as likely to reduce fear of intimidation and coercion by management over the issue against workers.

Despite this strong resistance on the trade union elections issue, it is highly probable that the leftist majority in both houses of the Cortes will approve the bills, where they will await the signature or veto of the King. Since His Catholic Majesty has already indicated that he will at least sign the Wage Reform Act of 2015 into law, that much at least is guaranteed to be good news for the Garzan working class, provided that it passes the Senate, which it is highly likely to do. It remains to be seen if the union secret ballot bill will also become the law of the land.

[Hostillia]

Publication 56.626

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Coup in Gavinium Magnus
authored by Lucy Wu, junior correspondent

Shocking news out of Gavinium Magnus this evening as it is reported that a coalition of military figures, led by Colonels Chloe Saunders and Eustace de Mark, have announced that they have assassinated the rightful King, Maximian II, in a brutal seizure of government. Unfortunately, due to the illegitimately installed National Executive Committee’s oppressive means of monopolizing the news networks within the nation, all that can be otherwise confirmed is that the Dowager Queen has been forced to flee the capital, with many speculating that she has found refuge with Han forces, though this has not yet been confirmed. There is not yet word on the status of Princes Julian, and Balthazar, or Princesses Constance, Jennette, Marianne, and Arienne, all of whom are considered minors by Gavinium law, while they are but youths, these violent criminals have demonstrated, with the brutal killing of Maximian, that these are individuals with no sense of right or wrong, and that they are willing to go to any lengths necessary to advance their own, heinous, agendas.

The silence of this so-called National Executive Committee as to the health and wellbeing of these juvenile royals is a grim hint at what may have come. Final reports from associate stations to the Chronicle within Gavinium stated that forces, apparently loyal to the NEC, had begun seizing major media outlets in an effort to consolidate all information leaving the country under the new ‘government’. Unfortunately, we have not been able to resume contact with these affiliate stations and must assume that they have been overrun by supporters of this coup. Unfortunately, due to the NEC’s apparent monopoly on the Gavinium’s media, there is no word as to the number of loyalist remaining within Gavinium, though there can be no doubt that the NEC will actively attempt to seek out and purge any such elements that may offer resistance to the new self-proclaimed overlords.

Due to the special relationship between Gavinium and the Middle Kingdom, many are waiting eagerly to hear what the Son of Heaven will say in response to this sickening revolt, while the official statement has not yet been made, the Most Honored Scholar, Dong Sung, was reached for a brief statement on the treacherous act, to which he stated, “regicide is amongst the most severe crimes ever concocted by the twisted hearts of mankind- any hope for legitimacy, any hope for international favor, any hope for reconciliation between true states and this so-called government were lost with the true King’s last breaths. The Lord of Ten Thousand Years has yet to ascertain who has obtained the right to rule in Gavinium as of yet, however, soon a new rightful monarch will be proclaimed, and they will enjoy the same support, legitimacy, and prestige deserved by the Son of Heaven’s Delegate in Gavinium. Further statements will be made in the near future as the Son of Heaven guides the Divine Empire’s response.”

So far, no additional statements have been released by the Dragon Throne or His Majesty’s Imperial Viceroy, however, one thing is certain- there is a great sadness in Gavinium, the sadness of millions who would mourn for their King, a good and noble man, whose life has been too rapidly taken. May the Heavenly Magistrate he is taken before be merciful, may his Ancestors be quick to embrace him, and may he be honored justly in Heaven for his work done on Earth. There is little that we mere subjects may do for the people of Gavinium in these dark days, but as you go before your Ancestral Shrines this evening, please, beseech your Ancestors that it might suit Heaven to return peace and enlightenment to the Protectorate, and may Heaven guard the people of Gavinium Magnus.

---

Viceroy Insists First Prince Merely “Coming to Visit”, cntd. pg. 13
Summer Celebrations Scheduled in Shengjing, on pg. 18
Daily Sudoku on pg. 20

[Novitera]

Savvy Novi
Novitera's Most Innovative Magazine

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Myrmidon JMBT

Tests of the Myrmidon JMBT being conducted around Saikanen Army Base in Soletrek

Savvy Novi seldom posts about military hardware. Our focus has and always will be, consumer technology. However the new main battle tank to be adopted by both Noviteran and Jedorian Armies is something worth highlighting. Army Commandant General Emmet Shaw is proud to unveil the Myrmidon JMBT. He cites the tank's light weight, defense systems and speed making it the right choice for the Army. The Myrmidon will replace Novitera's aging Type-99 MBT with an initial order of 200.

The Myrmidon is a child of two parents, Noviteran digital mastery and Jedorian mechanical robustness. On the Noviteran side, Katashi Systems Inc. designed the tank's computer software including the software for the active protection system which the current Type-99s are not equipped with. The same APS system will also be rolled out on various Army armored vehicles such as the Strykers and Bradleys in service. Army leaders decision to add APS to their armored vehicles came from hard lessons learned in the peacekeeping operation in New Edom. In that conflict, man portable rocket launchers in the hands of insurgents brought to light the weakness of our tanks and APCs. Katashi's software has been designed to run on Ishukone's computer hardware and optics that the Myrmidon will have. Combining both, you have the tank's inertial navigation, automated fire control system and modernized guided weapon's system. Last from the Noviteran side comes the Myrmidon's explosive reactive armor for increased protection.

Jedorian engineering has given us the tank's main gun, chassis and engine. Something that General Shaw has stated, "The Army regards as excellent." Jedoria's diesel engine will allow the tank to go as fast as 60km per hour on their light weight chassis that puts the tank at under 50 tonnes. Not only that, the tank will be able to travel underwater for limited amounts of time. The 125mm smoothbore cannon (Noviteran version comes with autoloader) will be able to fire 4 main kinds of ammunition. These being high explosive fragmentation rounds, high explosive anti-tank rounds, armor piercing discarding sabots and guided missiles. In addition to the tank's smoothbore gun, it will be equipped with a Commander's remote controlled machine gun mounted on the top of the tank. As well as a 7.62 coaxial machine gun for the gunner.

General Emmet Shaw has stated that the Myrmidon will make Novitera a more mobile fighting force in peacekeeping missions abroad by being easier to transport overseas. As well as the Army's role in supporting our Jedorian allies in the South. Savvy Novi salutes all the developers involved in the creation of the Myrmidon for their contribution to modern technology and Noviteran national security.

[Free Garza]

National Catholic Daily,
Deacon Francisco Burgos, Senior Writer

Former Foreign Minister Dr. Armando Sanjuro has given in his first public address since leaving office, at a special convocation of the Christian Democratic Party's Local Government Caucus, a group of mayors, councilors, and other local officials. The topic was "Humanism and Christianity," naturally leading to rather candid remarks on the subject of the highly controversial Morality Act and Compulsory Nudity Act in New Edom, laws that even many Catholics in Free Garza consider "a bit excessive", to quote Father Luis Beltran, the official chaplain of the Cortes.

A recent poll stated that only 45% of Free Garzans of any religious stripe regard some form of the Morality Act as beneficial or helpful, and of these, 67% advocate "revision or reform." Only 5% consider the Compulsory Nudity Act to be humane or civilized. Compared to some nations, however, that is still a sizable percentage of the population. Surprisingly, even 56% of self-identified Liberal Democrats believe that "there are redeemable measures and provisions in the New Edomite Morality Act, indicating that the law should be revised or amended instead of repealed outright." This means that to many Garzans, the Morality Act is less an abomination and more a case of excess or extremes.

This was a sentiment that seemed to be reflected in Sanjuro's speech, in which he articulated the view that, "While it is a generally considered view that the Morality Act is rather oppressive and old-fashioned in its present form, the fact remains that it was historically acceptable and practiced in many Cornellian states, and not that long ago, for religious law to influence or guide the direction of civil and criminal statutes. New Othman was under Sharia until 1970, Gavinium Magnus chose its judges from among the clergy until 2012, and even here in Free Garza, as late as 2008, we had statutes on the books which were inspired by canon law and which prohibited homosexuality and transvestism on pain of death. Divorce and abortion were forbidden as well prior to that year. We currently prohibit abortion after the 12th week, except in cases of rape, incest, and grave danger to the mother's life or health. It ill behooves us as a nation, especially a traditionally and officially Christian nation of Catholic affiliation, to sit in smug and arrogant judgment of our brethren in Christ, simply because their interpretation of faith and law doesn't fully coincide with our own at all times."

The speech received a surprising reaction given the international furor over the Morality Act and the Compulsory Nudity Act: a standing ovation from the delegates. Whatever else can be said of Garzan public opinion regarding New Edom, it is clear that there is no shortage of a sentiment of brotherhood among the Catholic faithful and on the Right, even if at times tempered by frustration and astonishment regarding those aspects of Edomite culture which our nations do not share at all, such as Edenism.

In this much, Free Garza can serve as a bridge from New Edom to the rest of the region and the larger world, preventing the nightmare scenario of a New Edom that holds onto a "siege mentality" due to alienation from the outside world that it believes holds it in open disdain and contempt. For the sake of the peace and prosperity of the region, let us pray that Free Garza can help avoid that end. A New Edom that regards the rest of Cornellia as its enemy can never truly be whole. We Free Garzans owe it to Cornellia and the world to act as that bridge. After all, the world can also learn a thing or two from the Edomites as well. Arrogance serves no man and no nation well, but some humility benefits us all.

[Jedoria]

Why Adiran-Shraileeni Ties Hold the Key to Cornellia's Future

An opinion article by Costel Ionescu

When you look at Cornellia, you realize a few things right off the bat. First starters, this geopolitical status of the region is a confusing mess, full of conflicting interests and ulterior motives are constantly suspect. The overall strategic situations of many nations are uncertain and the future appears murky at best. It's difficult to establish what nations fall into what camps without a thorough investigation, and I'll do my best to give an accurate picture to my readers here, whomever you are.

Let's start with my home nation of Jedoria. The Confederation of Jedoria is home to 107 million people, and is run through a representative democracy. The Confederation is a largely industrial state known through the region as a hub of mass production and manufacturing. Jedoria's Government benefits from a subservient culture and a people who believe the State is the highest form of existence, and a life devoted to it is a life well lived. As a result, Jedoria has a few advantages in terms of international politics: The people are largely supportive of Government in most things, and can be called upon to serve in defense of the State if necessary. Jedorian culture emphasizes that the ends justify the means, and thus the Jedorian Government will rarely rule out an option with regards to reaching a goal unless it is deemed entirely unfeasible.

Now let's look at Jedoria's strategic situation. Jedoria is bordered by three nations, Hostillia to the east, Novitera to the north, and New Edom to the south. Jedoria has a mutual defense pact with both Hostillia and Novitera, meaning that both the eastern and northern borders of Jedoria are largely secured. New Edom, on the other hand, has been a traditional enemy of Jedoria for some time now, having fought thrice over the course of the last century. Public opinion of each other in both countries is low. In the interest of defending itself against New Edom, Jedoria has maintained a large military to deter aggression. In response, New Edom has done similar. Both sides maintain a heavy military presence on the border in between them, as well as on the island of Peregrino, which is split between them.

On the international scale, New Edom is also allied with the Imperium of Arbites (though not officially). Jedoria currently has severed ties between itself and the Imperium as well as maintaining an embargo on Arbites. However, Arbites remains a very powerful nation, and it's ties to New Edom ensure that in nearly all scenarios, a war between New Edom and Jedoria will involved the Imperium coming to the Edomites aid. As a result, this acts as a deterrent against further aggression against New Edom on Jedoria's side. Likewise, Jedorian ties to Novitera and Hostillia act to deter Edomite aggression against Jedoria.

However, over all Jedoria's strategic situation is rather good. It's stable. Jedoria and New Edom have not come to blows in 40 years. The Imperium and Jedoria are seperated by an ocean nearly 7,000 kilometers distant. Jedoria overall does not have to worry about radical changes in it's strategic situation and can remain complacent with regards to it's geopolitical situation.

New Edom is not as lucky. New Edom is bordered by Jedoria and Hostillia to the north, Spartianus and Deadora to the east, and Dengali to the south. Only Dengali and Spartianus are on good terms with New Edom. On the other hand, Jedoria, Deadora, and Hostillia all have had disputes with New Edom in the past. To counter this, New Edom has built up a network of international alliances, as already mentioned with the Imperium, but also the Shraileeni Empire.

Now we arrive at the crux of this article. The Shraileeni strategic situation is far different from New Edom or Jedoria. The Shraileeni are a nation of islands, but they still are affected by regional boundaries. Directly to the north of the Shraileeni homelands is East Klamath, a territory controlled by the Imperium. Even though both nations are members of FODE (More on the later), their cultures are polar opposites. The Shraileeni are Matriarchs with focus on compassion and love. The Arbiters are a patriarchal authoritarian society ruled by the Curia. They are not friends, in the slightest. Furthermore, the Imperium is also (apart from Arcolgoia), the closest part of Ceti to the Shraileeno homelands. So in essence, both their northern and western boundaries are next to a state the Shraileeni are on poor terms with. Looking east the situation might at first appear hopefully. The Shraileeni have a colony, Kurungarra, and are allies with two nations in southern Acheron. However a quick glance proves otherwise. Directly east of Kurungarra is Krutongo, a territory ruled by, you guessed it, the Imperium.

Furthermore, the two allies of the Shraileeni, Deadora and New Edom, are mortal enemies of each other. Shraileeni ties are based on a conflict of interest. But even worse, neither relationship is perfect. New Edom remains a Christian patriarchal society that is heavily mistrusting of Feminists, whom the Shraileeni are obviously a fan of, and Deadora's power driven, violent society is a near polar opposite of the Shraileeni values of love and peace. So far the Shraileeni have been able to look past this, but those are also unforgettable differences between them.

And because Gaia hates the Shraileeni, things don't get any better whether you go north or south. North finds the Shraileeni facing Jedoria, Novitera, and Rome, none of which the Enlightened Matriarchy are on particularly good terms with. And south are the ever neutral Ashab and Chaco, and then the Cookish States, whom have a noticeable sour relationship with the Shraileeni Empire.

So not only is the overall Shraileeni strategic situation poor, it's also complicated. Adding to the mixture is a non-national entity, the Federation of Oil Developing Economies. Most of the nation's major oil producers are a member of it, with the exception of the Cookish States and Jedoria. The Shraileeni benefit immensely from their membership in FODE, but in the end they are also inadvertently financially supporting regimes they mistrust, mainly the Imperium.

And Furthermore, recent developments from within the Empire itself have altered the strategic outlook. In March of this year, the High Priestess of the Temple of the Mother Goddess called for the abolition of the traditional Shraileeni feudal system to be replaced with a national assembly of citizens. The act was not well received within the ranks of the nobility, whom apparently attempted a coup in June, but were foiled by forces loyal to the Mother Empress. This radical change of the Empire from a feudal monarchy to a near democratic state has had profound effects on Shraileeni culture, and it's effects are still being felt.

Let's switch gears for a moment and talk about another prominent Cornellian state; Adiron. The Republic of Adrion is Cornellia's largest democracy are arguably the most powerful. The Adiran economy, in conjuction with the Romans, effectively runs this region. Make no mistake, Adiran dollars flow through nearly every economy we know, and only nations embargoed by the Republic can really say they have no Adiran-made products within their realm. Adiron has always played the role of the social democracy, championing human rights and supporting democratic measures through peacekeepers and international aid. Because of this, the recent energy crisis within Adiron, due to the Imperium of Arbites refusal to negotiate with the Republic (and possibly violating FODE's own rules), is bound to have serious negative effects for the rest of the region. Trade with Adiron numbers in the billions of dollars for many states. Losing that because of the Imperium's placement of politics over economics is bound to fuck everyone over.

The Shraileeni like FODE. It gives them billions in revenues as has been a major source of funding for many Government projects. And the Shraileeni, having emerged from their isolation seriously lagging behind many other states in the technology scale, have responded by moving heaven and earth to catch up with the world without Mothers. But the Shraileeni risk losing a lot by FODE not dealing with Adiron. Adiron wants to buy from FODE, President Tavish DeGroot has made it clear it's not a lack of will on the Adiran side, it's the Imperium wanting Adiran dollars to fund it's war machine, which coincidentally, seems hell bent on ravaging Adiron. Not wanting to shoot themselves in the foot (and face, stomach, chest), Adiron has made it clear; they will not allow their direct purchases to fund the Imperium, and to a lesser extent Urdnotia.

Losing Adiron will bite FODE in the ass. Only the Imperium and Urdnotia want to fuck Adiron over. The Shraileeni have already stated where they stand, and fortunately for Adiron, they want to reach a settlement. And if their smart, that's not where the buck stops. Already a deal has been worked out between Adiron and the South Acheron Economic Community.

Adiron and the Shraileeni share many goals. Both want a peaceful New Edom. Both are opposed to the Imperium (though a little more heated on the Adiron side, wars tend to do that to ya). And both states have contributed to international aid foundations and causes. And both states are now democracies. The Shraileeni may be matriarchal at heart, but they aren't stupid. Adiron represents the best way to defeat the Imperium. Adrion also holds one of the regions largest economies, and they can pour quite a lot of money into the still developing Shraileeni economy and infrastructure. The Shraileeni have already cooperated with Adiron in the political and military sphere, so the foundation is there.

I guess the main point of this is, everyone in the region is tied to the Shraileeni and Adiron. What happens between those two states can seriously impact the rest of the region in more ways than one. And if their relationship is allowed to bloom, and, if we allow ourselves to venture into the realm of speculation, and Adiran-Shraileeni Alliance, it would be a power bloc that could run this region from point A to point B.

The peices are in place, Mother Empress and President DeGroot. Now make it happen.

[New Othman]

New Ankara Republican,
Erdemir Birsen, Senior Editor

This morning, at 7:49 am, local time, just before the new session of the Grand National Assembly, 3 deputies of the Assembly, all of them members of the ruling Social Republican Party, were gunned down by 2 constables of the National Police assigned to security duty with the Government District. The 3 deputies and 2 constables remain unnamed for now, but it is known that one of the constables was also killed in the ensuing gunfight with the other guards. The other is in police custody, but presently confined to a bed in the Criminal Ward of the Fazil Kotuk National Hospital. This seems to indicate that he is in critical condition as well.

The Vengeance of Allah terrorist organization has claimed responsibility for the attack, admitting that the two guards had been recruited through friends attending madrasas. In the statement released to the press just an hour ago, the organization called the action a "necessary phase of the National Intifada against Adiran military occupation and the infidel apostates in our unholy government who have collaborated with such evil. Public officials must renounce democracy and the puppet regime, swearing allegiance only to Allah, or if they do not repent, they, too, shall be exterminated. Adiron has proven on several occasions that it is a godless, Marxist nation which seeks to destroy Islam and the Othmani national civilization. We will not rest until Adiron and its secular Marxist puppet regime are driven out of New Othman forever. All Othmani Magi must also convert or else face annihilation, as they are puppets of Arbites Materia."

This message might well be a rare case of a document that condemns both Arbites and Adiron in one breath, thus indicating a general hostility to all Cetans. Then again, as the new Foreign Minister, Yosma Ozsoy, indicated in her first press conference just minutes ago, "It is no secret that the Othmani nation still has deep scars from the Great War that have hindered improved relations with any successor state of Ceti's and the participation of both Cetan nations in the embargo of 2013 has only made things worse there, as has the Adiran role in both the Lazodirian War and the resulting presence in the DMZ. This does not, however, mean that we condone such terrorist activities. Adiron is not our enemy nor is the Imperium. We should focus on the future, not the past. We are not an occupied nation and calling us one is nothing but a case of reckless polemic against our former foes and those of us in the government, who are not traitors, but patriots."

Still, one cannot help but be alarmed by the recent fiery sermon by the Imam Huseyin Elmas, who dared to advocate the "extermination of the Cetan people once and for all."

It is clear that some wounds keep refreshing instead of healing, but dangerous demagogues must be treated with the contempt that they deserve, so as to deprive them of any public forum to destroy the peace and prosperity of this nation and this region

.

[Jedoria]

Mutual Defense Pact Signed Between New Othman and Jedoria

STRANA MECTHY AND NEW ANKARA - Relations between New Othman and Jedoria have reached a new level as it was confirmed earlier today that the Republic and the Confederation had both signed a mutual defense pact. In augmentation to a previous trade agreement and increased ties between the two states, the signing signals a furthering Jedorian commitment to the longevity of the Republican Government currently in power in New Othman.

New Othman's history is recent years has been the source for plenty of regional contention, including a civil war, and the Othamani invasion of Lazodiria and United Valik while New Othman was under the control of the previous Fascist regime. While today a democratic republic, New Othman faces new dangers in the form of terrorism. Ranging from radical Islamist groups like "Vengeance of Allah" or neo-fascists hoping to reconvene the totalitarian state like the "Black Scimitar", it's clear that the Othmani people still will not know peace unless drastic action is taken. Duke Victor Răceanu, an vocal supporter of the Republic's attempts to establish itself as a modern, functioning democracy, stated that the pact is a "show of the level of commitment the Confederation has to supporting the development of democracy across the region."

Citing hopeful indications of democratic tendencies taking hold in places like New Edom and the Shraileeni Empire, the Duke also cautioned that in a world filled with tyrants, steps must be taken to safeguard the democratic process against "those that would seek it's intentional undermining."

As part of the deal, Jedorian military forces are to be deployed to New Othman to assist in counterinsurgency operations, as well as to provide defenseive units of mechanized composure that the New Othmani military cannot currently field. The Confederation went on to state, along with assurances from Foreign Minister Andrei Paler and Premier Recep Borek of the Republic, that the Pact will fall in line with the Treaty of Beaulieu, which has placed certain restrictions on the Othmani Government and it's assets.

While lauded by the Jedorian Government as a means of strengthening the ties between democratic states in Cornellia, many analysts have pointed out that the Pact in many ways assures that a democratic style of government remains in place in New Othman, even as organizations vie to destroy it. The presence of Jedorian troops on Othmani soil seem to act in a ostensible certainty that a regime change in New Othman would not be welcome nor allowed. Regardless, it appears the fates of two of Cornellia's democracies are now intertwined. What that holds for the future is anybody's guess.

[United Valik]

Glauconeum Gazette,
Jana Jaworski reporting

The Supreme Court of Justice today, in a unanimous decision, determined that the 2014 conviction of Rado Kowalczyk, a 23 year old post-graduate medical student at Pribuska University Medical School, on 8 counts of second-degree sexual assault, is invalid, because the local affirmative consent law imposed in October of 2014 by the Progressive-Populist majority coalition on the Pribuska Municipal Council and passed over the veto of Popular Democratic Mayor Zlatuska Kapa violated Kowalczyk's "Constitutional rights to due process and a presumption of innocence due to a shifted burden of proof to the accused and a lower standard of proof under this particular ordinance. The conviction secured on December 29, 2014, is therefore vacated as contrary to the provisions of Article 1, Sections 12, 13, and 16 of the Constitution of the Republic."

Kowalczyk, who was convicted of the alleged November, 2014, rape of an intern named Antonina Skudra, had been sentenced to 12 to 15 years in prison. He was, however, released on bond for his appeal, so thankfully did not serve a single day of his sentence. If his conviction had been upheld, however, he was due to report to prison by 2 September, 2015.

This landmark decision, while already criticized by some notable feminists and other radicals of the leftist fringe, has been generally lauded by the majority of public figures in United Valik, with Prime Minister Dr. Basil Pappas calling it a "bold defense of the key principle of Valikan criminal justice, the supremacy of the rights of all citizens to a fair and proper trial under the presumption of innocence until guilt is proven beyond a reasonable doubt. I am pleased to see the due process of law still unabridged by our courts of law."

In a rare case of public commentary, President Dvora Aziz also hailed the decision as a "sound ruling founded upon the most basic principles of civilized jurisprudence, without which the rights of the People against tyrants are not truly secure."

Progressive Party Chairman Andrej Balewicz could not be reached for comment at this time. It is clear to me, however, as a journalist of high ethical principles and a dedication to facts, that this decision was precisely what was needed to preserve the most essential doctrines of Valikan law and the values of our liberal democracy. We must leave kangaroo courts and show trials in our Communist past. They have no place in our democratic future.

[Late Roman Empire]

Constantinople Tribune,
Aulus Lucanus

Building on areas of agreement that began with the Marco Roman cabinet and have continued since Premier Jacinta Castillo took office, a new, permanent peace, trade, and friendship treaty has been signed by Castillo on behalf of Free Garza and by the Divine Augustus himself after a lengthy summit on the Macellum imperial estate. The Roman-Garzan borders have been confirmed. Travel, student, and tourist visas will be standardized. Patents, copyrights, and other intellectual property issues have been settled. A complete extradition treaty has been approved. Fishing and other maritime matters have been solved, including a sticking point that had existed between Free Garza and the Empire: whaling. The Empire has agreed to assist the Garzan economy in finding alternatives to whale blubber, in exchange for the Restored Kingdom prohibiting the practice entirely. Both nations have agreed to combat piracy and slavery as well, and to co-operate in that effort.

Most important of all were a trade agreement between Free Garza and the Empire, in preparation for Garza's admission to a proposed trade bloc headed by Constantinople, to include Exalted Draconia and possibly Ghant; a non-aggression pact between the two nations, renouncing any right to attack each other, including any pre-emptive strikes; and a mutual-security and defense pact that will essentially make the two nations allies. As King Diego IV has indicated that he will sign the proposed Treaty of Macellum, and there is bi-partisan support for the Treaty in the Garzan Cortes (parliament), the region has now awakened to a new alliance, composed of Rome, Garza, and Draconia.

This is yet another grand achievement for the Emperor's wise and inspired foreign policy and in keeping with the Silvanus Doctrine imposed by the late Emperor Quintus Silvanus Rufus. Despite such setbacks as relations with Hostillia, the Divine Augustus has generally prevailed in his policy of diplomatic partnership and collective security as the long-term replacement to the expansionism and colonialism of the past. Not being the regional hegemon anymore, we have finally learned to accept the status quo and work within it, abandoning the revanchism of some and the isolationism of others. We are not the Han and it is high time that we act accordingly. We are better than that. We are Romans.

[New Othman]

New Trebizond Gazette,
Birol Tunc, Senior Writer

In a rather stunning move, 18 high-ranking officials of the National Police Forces have been removed from their posts personally by Premier Recep Borek. There was no official reason stated for the removal in the press statement, but amid growing incidents of apparent Fascist and radical Islamist leanings in the police, as demonstrated by increasingly dangerous and destructive acts of terrorism committed with either the collusion or the negligence of the police making their success more probable, the Premier is rumored to be impatient with the Command and its senior officers. This move has been alleged to have been recommended by Colonel Tasar Inan, Director-General of the National Security Police, a separate entity responsible for dealing with threats to the security of the Republic, and by Major General Tekil Levni, the Director-General of the National Police Forces Command.

The list of dismissed officials, against whom state prosecutors have already begun pressing criminal charges, includes the Police Commissioners of 8 vilayets (regions), 4 of them in the Lazodirian Border DMZ and 2 in the Valikan Border DMZ, as well as 8 District Police Commissioners, 7 of these in the Lazodirian Border DMZ, and the Directors of the Investigations and Customs Divisions of the Command. The ousted Investigations Director, Colonel Ferhat Eris, was also arrested this afternoon for obstruction of justice, graft, and concealing state's evidence. The deposed Customs Director, Colonel Uygu Taskiran, has been arrested for smuggling, bribery, and tax evasion. If convicted on all 42 counts, both men face maximum prison sentences of 30 years in prison each as well as their dishonorable discharge from the paramilitary police and the loss of their pensions and benefits.

The degree to which this corruption and disloyalty to the Republic has penetrated the National Police Forces has been dramatic, and what is worse, it remains unclear if there are more cases awaiting discovery and prosecution. The fact that many of these officials were holdovers from the Fascist regime and only paid lip service to the Republic strongly indicates that what DUP Chairman Udan Varcar called a "very thorough purge of the National Police" is indeed warranted in high places. It is evident to this reporter that not nearly enough has been done to secure the allegiance of our national police organization to the Republic that it has sworn to service since the 2013 Second Othmani Revolution. While there have been concerns that this might affect the professionalism and experience of the NPF, it is obvious now that the greater risk is from disloyalty and corruption in the chain of command.

There is also a very strong political element here, in terms of many of the primary culprits being at least nominal members of the ruling Social Republican Party. With each such case of corruption, treason, and abuse of power, the SRP, which is the moderate rump of the old Fascist Party, only renamed, loses public credit as a redeemable political movement or party, with many Othmanis looking to other parties as alternatives that promise to "clean up" the mess. Indeed, even the SRP's coalition partner, the Social Democrats, have lately been very active in pressing for civil service reform and the abolition of any remaining political patronage. Deputy Premier Akonder Tufan, for instance, has already cashiered more than 21 officials from his own bureau for a variety of offenses.

It remains to be seen how long this process takes, but it is apparent to this reporter that the housecleaning has just begun. It's also overdue. It's time for a change. One hopeful sign, at least, is that all three replacement deputies from the Social Republican Party caucus in the Grand National Assembly have been known moderates and reformists, two of whom are women. Even so, the government has a lot more work to do to make things better. New Othman cannot afford to stay trapped in the corruption and brutality of the past. As a nation, we need to clean up our act, and the whole region is watching.

[Allamunnic States]

Leifspurt Herald
Sports - AGL Gridiron

Vikings scrape past visiting Smoke Jaguars, 14-13
Exhibition game against Jedorian WAFL team ends in hard-fought victory
by Haalga Waalturs

LEIFSPURT, Harrenlynd, SK - At the end of the 2014 AGL season, it was announced that the AGL and the joint Jedorian-Noviteran Western Acheronian Football League (WAFL) would be holding a series of preseason exhibition games, featuring four teams from each league. The first on the slate was the match-up, in Leifspurt, of the Leifspurt Vikings against the Strana Mechty Smoke Jaguars.

Somewhat unusually for a preseason game, Longship Stadium was actually sold out for the exhibition tilt. The stands were a sea of cyan and light gray, although it was worth note that Smoke Jaguars colors were visible in places.

The visiting team received the opening kick-off, returning the ball to their own 21 before being stopped. They were unable to get much going on the opening drive, punting near midfield. The Vikings took the field after Andrya Haelburg returned the punt 21 yards to their 28. The drive sputtered out at the Smoke Jaguars' 34. A penalty definitively took the Vikings out of already sketchy field goal range (considering punter Ole Andrsunn was doing double-duty, filling in for Izaak Kaarlsburg, precautionary held out with a minor injury), and they punted into the Smoke Jaguars' endzone, leaving the Jedorian side to take over on their own 20.

The teams traded punts for the rest of the first quarter, with each team losing a turnover that killed a promising drive. Just before the end of the quarter, QB Dragomir Baicu scrambled on a broken play, looking for an open man on third and long on the Vikings' 16. Pursued by DE Junn Grahulm, he could not scramble forward, instead trying to lob a pass to TE Vali Neagoe, which Grahulm managed to contact with his fingertips. The ball tumbled through the air into the hands of a waiting ILB Daanyl Rivers, who managed to run it back to the Leifspurt 19.

For their part, the Vikings nearly converted the following drive in the early second quarter, reaching the 3-yard line before Joe Daanyls had the ball ripped from his usually-secure hands by OLB Marius Drevibic as he tried to dive into the endzone on an off-tackle run.

The long drives created something of a break-through, however, as both teams would score touchdowns before the half ended. The Vikings broke the drought first, with QB Junn Haaldur hitting TE Beow Svaartmunn in the endzone on a 12-yard play-action pass. Six minutes later, the Smoke Jaguars would answer on an 11-yard halfback screen to HB Alexandru Hagi, who was sprung loose by a crushing block by OL Dorinel Mutu, who blindsided and flattened Grahulm as he attempted to pursue Hagi. As a result, the two teams went into the locker rooms at halftime tied, 7-7.

When the two teams returned, the Vikings started with the ball, but nothing came of the drive, as Haaldur floated a pass over WR Brant Daanyls into the waiting arms of SS Florin Rebreanu, who plowed over Daanyls on the 8-yard return to the Leifspurt 41 before he was tackled by several members of the Vikings' offensive line.

A defensive stand by Leifspurt saw the ensuing Strana Mechty drive sputter out and stall at the Vikings' 14, forcing them to settle for a field goal. K Adam Ionescu's 31-yarder gave the Smoke Jaguars their first lead of the game, 10-7. The Vikings' next drive would sputter out around midfield, forcing them to punt, at which point the Jaguars drove back down the field, stalling at the Leifspurt 23, where Ionescu would boot a 40-yarder to widen their lead to 13-10 as the third quarter ended.

Another stalled Vikings' drive to start the fourth quarter had many in the stands groaning and wondering when the futility would end, as the Smoke Jaguars began to drive down the field once more. This time, however, the defense would be more proactive in returning the ball to the offense, giving Waaltur Vaalburger's team a much-needed spark.

The Strana Mechty side managed to work their way down to the Vikings' 15, where an attempted scamper by Hagi was answered with a crushing tackle by Robb Strong that jarred the ball loose, recovered by ILB Jory Haaldur. The Vikings could not directly capitalize on the turnover, but the damage to the Smoke Jaguars' momentum was done, and the Vikings pushed closer and closer to the endzone on successive drives, punting from the 40 once, and with Ole Andrsunn missing a 53-yard field goal on the next.

Finally, one more interception out of Baicu (this one by Daanyka Maarks) gave the Vikings the opportunity they needed, starting from their own 44. Working behind their excellent offensive line, they pushed down the field, feeding the ball to Joe Daanyls and FB Snaari Lyndemunn to work down the field, with the occasional play-action change-up by Haaldur (usually connecting with Svaartmunn).

However, their ball-hogging methods caught up to them; the Vikings were 15-yards out with forty five seconds left and only a single time-out. Using what could only be characterized by a hurry-up offense, they managed to push out five more plays to reach the goal-line with only two seconds left on the clock when they called their final time-out. One way or another, the game would come down to one final play.

Naturally, the Vikings trusted Daanyls to redeem himself for his earlier fumble, working from their usual 2-2-1 front, having Lyndemunn and Svaartmunn as lead blockers, and then having Daanyls run off-tackle into a pile two yards out from the endzone with a full head of steam.

He was stopped cold. Legs still churning, two Smoke Jaguar defensive linemen looked to have locked up the Vikings' elite tailback, until Daanyls showed how he earned his accolades. He managed to slip one tackler and, lowering his shoulders, simply chugged his way through the other, dragging him into the endzone with him, giving the Vikings the 14-13 win.

Vaalburger was quite pleased with the team when he spoke to reporters after the game.

"I'm very proud of the grit and fire our team showed out there," he said, "The Smoke Jaguars are a fantastic team, and they pushed us to our limits. It was a privilege to play against them, but it's all the sweeter because we were able to come out on top in this one," he explained.

Asked if there was anything he would have liked to see differently, he nodded. "There were a few too many turnovers, but it's the preseason, when we're still knocking off the rust. If we see that at next week's game, I'll be a little more concerned. In the meantime, that's what practice is for."

The next AGL-WAFL exhibition game will feature a match-up of the Skarrsboro Knights on the road in Sumphink against the Snow Ravens, kickoff tonight at 6:30 PM AST.

[Republica De Gran Chaco]

El Tiempo

Chaco's Finest News Source

---

New Fighters for the Navy

A spokesman for the Ministry of Defense announced today a deal has been approved for the purchase sixty Super Harpy fighters, which will be re-designated F/A-18F Super Hornets, from Hyasyoda Aerospace Corporation of Novitera. These planes will be bought for the Navy’s Fleet Air Arm. This agreement came as the result of a deal that will allow Noviteran Submarines to dock in Yanque port for resupply. While many of the details of the deal remain unknown, also included in the deal is that Chaco will also receive licensing rights to produce the aircraft and spare parts domestically at Rodriguez Aircraft Industries.

The new Super Hornets will replace the navy’s aging A-4M Skyhawks. The Skyhawks will be phased out of active service and placed into reserve units. The Super Hornet is faster, can carry more ordinance, and has better avionics than the Skyhawk. The Admiral of the Fleet Miguel Seminaro’s office released a statement saying that “the new fighters will help to expand and modernize the Fleet Air Arm. The new multi role fighters will help to provide greater support and protection to not only the fleet, but also to the fighting men on the ground.”

The delivery of the first aircraft is scheduled to take place next month. Along with the planes will come several Noviteran pilots, engineers, and mechanics to help begin familiarizing Chacanos with the new systems.

[Allamunnic States]

Allamunnic States Daily
Sports - Professional Gridiron

Regulars hit by high-profile departures
National team's loss is AGL's gain
by Ruger Lonnergaan

Over the last few months leading up to the AGL season and World Bowl XXVII, the National Gridiron Team has been shaken by several major departures in the coaching staff and among the players, who have largely gone to play in the AGL.

The only major coaching departure was the hiring of Regulars' Defensive Coordinator Elias Mourner as the head coach of the expansion Innusburg Huskies. Mourner is the fifth National Team defensive coordinator to leave for a head coaching job in domestic play, following Frans Hoepwyll (Draakurr Mariners), Theo Dahlstadt (Dunnmaar Bruins), Daanyl Rickenbacker (Aldhuld Guards), and Jethro Myers (Ardryk Crimson Tide) to the AGL.

There were, however, three key losses among the players. On the offensive side of the ball, star tailback Graagur Baaltrsunn came to the AGL, joining his hometown Dunnmaar Bruins to create a truly horrifying backfield duo with Waldr Staarks. His departure leaves the Regulars staring down a campaign leaning on relatively-unproven tailbacks Ella Kaarbrynn and Brandt Hendriks, who both acquitted themselves in somewhat limited action during World Bowl XXVI.

The defensive losses are far more worrisome, as the team has lost two of its bonafide stars in DE Henrik Baaldr and SLB Maarkus Staalhelm, who followed their defensive coordinator to join Staalhelm's younger brother, Bjorn, on an absolutely-stacked defensive unit on the expansion Huskies. The Regulars' defense is far from stripped-bare, but the loss of two of its biggest playmakers along with their coordinator may prove troublesome for the team.

"It's always sad to see folks that have played for us move on," National Team head coach Baeryk Vaalburger said at a recent press conference, "But you wish them well, that they'll continue to represent this nation well as they move onto new arenas. We're confident that the players who remain on our roster are more than capable of fighting their way to more wins and championships."

[United Valik]

Glauconeum Herald,
Aivars Rozitis

The nation is in shock today as Prime Minister Dr. Basil Pappas was stricken with a massive and fatal coronary while chairing a session of the cabinet. Dr. Pappas, the country's first prime minister since the fall of Communist rule in 2009, was pronounced dead by emergency medical technicians at approximately 15:48 hours in the afternoon. He was 68 years of age. He is survived by his wife, Baksza Doloroza, as well as his 2 concubines, Saba Resta and Apolline Lazos, his 8 children, 23 grandchildren, and 4 great-grandchildren. Regarded by many as the architect of the 2013 Constitution, Dr. Pappas was also the wartime leader of the nation during the Othmani War and helped the country transition into peace, albeit at the price of a treaty that was controversial because of alleged breaches of Article I's protections and guarantees of private ownership and carrying of firearms.

Prior to becoming Prime Minister of United Valik, Dr. Pappas was President of the interim Federal Council and President of the Apella (lower house) under the Archonate system of the Ecumenical Patriarchy era. Before this, he was Secretary-General of the National Committee for Anti-Communist Resistance during the War of Revolution (2009), as well as chairman of the local chapter of the banned Democratic Liberation Front (an anti-Communist political party). Previously, Dr. Pappas was a lifelong, professional dentist, having graduated from the People's Institute of Dental Studies in 1972, at the age of 25.

Within hours of Dr. Pappas's death, the National Liberal Party's Federal Executive Council selected Defense Minister Stanislav Lubinski, principal organizer of the famous Lubinski Plan during the Othmani War, to succeed him as Chairman of the NLP, a move that virtually assured him appointment as Prime Minister tonight by President Dvora Aziz, as the NLP has a full majority in the Assembly and a plurality in the Senate. Foreign Minister Talia Tsaros has signaled that she will continue to support the NLP-PDP coalition that she has aided in governing the nation.

Speaking to the press and the nation, Mr. Lubinski has vowed to "continue and carry on the excellent leadership and work of the existing Government under my illustrious and greatly lamented predecessor. We will honor his memory by preserving his legacy, a nation united, prosperous, free, and at peace with its neighbors."

This was taken to be a signal that Lubinski, despite initial qualms over some clauses in it, has fully committed to upholding the Treaty of Beaulieu, at least for the foreseeable future. Let us hope that is the case, because the alternative is an Acheron and Cornellia drowned in blood.



Stanislav Lubinski, the new Prime Minister of United Valik

[Ashab]

Ashabi News Network

A camera zooms in on a grey haired man wearing a suit. The backdrop shows the Tarnum skyline, obviously fake for the lack of smoke rising from the horizon.

"People of Ashab, I come to you with terrible news. Minutes ago the city of Tarnum suffered a massive missile attack from defector units who are now in open rebellion in the Northwest of the country. The targets included a number of Tarnum's factories and utilities facilities. This studio is running on its backup generators for Tarnum has gone dark. Right now emergency services are combating the fires from the blasts sites. We have unconfirmed reports at this moment that missiles have also struck Amby Air Force Base and Saberis Army Base. The government urges the populace not to panic and stay in your homes until this crisis can be sorted. Military units across the country are now mobilizing to combat the rebellion. President Anjideen assures you that the perpetrators of this heinous attack will be brought to justice. We are going now to the air with Sapek Bisar." He said.

The feed switches over to a view of the Ashabi skyline in a helicopter. Columns of smoke were rising in the air from multiple locations in the city.

"Right now we are looking at the aftermath of the attack. As you can see the missiles have devastated a number of areas in the city. Not only did they hit critical pieces of infrastructure and industry, a few have struck residential areas as well..."

The feed switches back to the studio.

"I have to interrupt. There is a new emergency warning from the Ministry of Defense. Defector aircraft are currently inbound to Tarnum. Government officials advise all citizens in the Tarnum area to seek shelter immediately. I am Pirgen Mantai and this is the Ashabi News Network. We will get back to you as soon as we know more."

[New Edom]

New Edomite National News Report

Opening bars of Pictures at an Exhibition play as a globe spins with pins popping up on various points of the world. Split screen images of natural disasters, celebrations, military actions, elections, royal ceremonies, celebrity events are showin, occasionally with New Edomite news anchors talking about them, and then fades to a news desk.

A raven haired woman with olive skin, dark brown eyes with a rosebud mouth, a slim nose and a statuesque figure sat behind a news desk with the New Edomite flag imposed over a silhouette map of the Allied States of New Edom behind her. “Good evening,” she said, looking up with a smile. It was clear that above the waist at least she wore nothing but a gold cross on a chain, though her image was pixelated for those nations censoring such an appearance. “I’m Lavinia Tuller, and this is a NENN Evening News."

“After several years of beaming Earth's location into outer space, it seems somebody has finally responded... by leaving cryptic messages in the form of crop circles in the fields around Fineberg. Tonight, we have invited the nation's leading minds on the possibility of alien life to discuss the matter.
“We have with us Doctor Dulcinea Panza with us, the leading correspondent for the Alternative History Channel, Zack Frederickson, the nation's foremost authority on Battlestar Galactica fanfiction, and Dr.Nestor Khalkimedes, the National Science Advisor.” The three, a thin young woman with dark severely cut leck hair, a strong chin and a dark olive tan, an even skinnier young man with very thick glasses and slightly mop like brown hair and a bald man with horn rimmed spectacles and a beaky nose (who wore a tight lipped expression) sat facing their cameras on Lavinia’s back screens.

“And hello and welcome all, God bless you for coming. I’d like to hear all your takes on the crop circ--“

"Aliens! They're aliens I tell you!" cried Doctor Panza. “Finally we can establish a dialogue with the great extraterrestrials who helped mankind leap from the stone age to the ancient monuments of old. This is clearly a depiction of their alien moon. We should study it to learn more about them."

"That's no moon!" interrupted Zack Frederickson, his face flushing hotly, his eyes blazing through his thick bottle bottom glasses. "It's obviously some alien form of surveillance, preparation for an invasion. I say we rally the combined military forces of the Cornellian Empire and just shoot into the sky until we hit something! We're bound to kill at least one alien invader before we all die a hero's death!"

"Um, has anyone noticed that looks an awful lot like Fineberg Flockers’ logo?" countered Dr. Khalkimedes while spreading aerial photos of the phenomenon across his screen. "There's a logical explanation to all this that doesn't involve aliens. The circles were probably caused by intoxicated farm boys. Actually, investing in a small program to teach farmers how to operate machinery more responsibly couldn't hurt."

“Is this more funding for the Ministry of Education though…” began Lavinia.

“The truth is out there Doctor Khalkimedes,” said Doctor Panza, shaking her head with pity on her face. “how long will you and the scientific community in this region deny it?”

“Don’t listen to her, she’s crazy!” cried Zack Frederickson. “She’ll have us all become alien food or slaves!”

“And we need to go to a commercial break,” Lavinia Tuller said with a slightly strained smile. “We’ll be back after these messages.”


"

[Novitera]

DASH
Internet News Media

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Ashabi Catholic Church Patriarch Gehtas Kurain Launches Viral Video

Most of you have heard the events developing in Ashab. In the past 24 hours there are reports of mass mutiny by Republican military forces. Missile attacks and bombings by the rebels on Tarnum, Saberis Army Base and Amby Air Force Base completely took the Republican government by surprise. It is now clear that these units which encompass as much as half the Ashabi military are in consort with the Theology Council, the previous ruling body of Ashab deposed in 1978 by President Adid Sararik. Patriarch Gehtas Kurain, head of the Ashabi Catholic Church, has declared the reasons why the attack is happening and calls for all Catholics to wage holy war against the Republican regime. Video Below

The video opens showing the inside of the Temethis Cathedral. There is an altar, a large wooden cross and stained glass windows. Behind the altar is an older man, possibly in his 80s, wearing robes and pope hat. He raises his hands and says the "Our Father" before beginning.

"Ashabis! For too long we have allowed sin, heresy and heathens to grow with impunity in our country. Thirty-seven years ago the infidel Adid Sararik, may he burn in hell for eternity, stole power from this country's rightful rulers. Ashab is meant to be a Catholic nation. Faithful to Lord and Savior. It is time to rise up. To bring God back to Ashab. We will purge the nation of the Republicans. The usurpers! Make no mistake my fellow Ashabis, President Anjideen is the devil's man. We will purge the country of the true infidel that he gives aid and comfort. The heathen Intaki refuse to see the light of God. Instead they choose to live in sin, fornicating with each other and worshiping idols. Princess Anora Kador, we shall burn her at the stake for the witch she is. This taint upon our beautiful land cannot be tolerated. As the Lord's vessel on Earth, I hereby declare a Crusade against evil. As God's instrument, I have appointed the pious General Juber Shada to lead our holy warriors into battle. To kill an infidel is not murder. Tis the path to Heaven! For all those who fight on behalf of God and Church in this struggle, for you I declare absolution. Fear not, for you shall be granted eternal Paradise."

[Allamunnic States]

Allamunnic States Daily
Sports - World Bowl XXVII

Champions once more, monkey thrown?
Regulars pull away late to seal record sixth championship against Ko-oren

Entering last night's World Bowl XXVII Championship game, the Allamunnic States Regulars had only won a single game out of their four match-ups with Ko-oren. Even that single win was a tough slog. But, when it perhaps mattered most, in the World Bowl Final itself, the Regulars turned in arguably the best performance they've ever put on against a tough Unionite squad, meaning the Regulars remain the only team to successfully defend a championship.

The early going saw a close game take shape, with Ko-oren taking a lead into halftime. The Regulars started with the ball, but they were stopped by the stout Ko-orenite defense, with their usual three-down rushing escalation (using HB#22 Ella Kaarbrynn, followed by HB#35 Bryndyn Traewyk, culminating with FB#45 Torren Tormundsunn on fourth down) at the Unionite 41. Mercifully, the Dragonflies, opting for a more balanced attack led by QB Sébastien Germain, got similar results after taking over on downs, stalling at the Allamunnic 40. K Helen Guillon attempted the 57-yard field goal, but it was slightly wide left, bouncing off the outside of the upright (although the distance was good). Thus, one of head coach Baeryk Vaalburger's more aggressive calls narrowly avoided costing the team, the head coach proven right by the defense and luck.

The next time they got to about the same distance, the Regulars opted for a safer punt, which, courtesy of good ball placement from P#4 Wyatt Skode, bounced out of bounds at the Ko-orenite 2. It had all the makings of a drive resulting in a signature Allamunnic forced safety, but hard running by RB Simon Richter and RB Wouter Willems managed to get the Greenblues out of the danger zone. Still, the Regulars' defense held fast, and they only managed to push out their own 38 before they were forced to punt. P Akamine Mamiko managed to get a good bounce, and R#21 Anna Eriklunn fielded the punt at the Allamunnic 19. She was able to pick up a few blocks and take it back to the Allamunnic 28, but it was still worse field position than their last two drives.

Yet, this time, Vaalburger trusted his passing game, and the offensive line to buy time for QB#2 Izaak Kleiner to make his throws. Play-action on first down got a good throw to WR#12 Emma Kaarlsunn, and the chains were moved again two plays later by TE#85 Godwyn Braanur. A stout back end for the Unionites meant that Kaarlsunn, normally a yards-after-catch player, did not get going after snagging a tough grab, and Braanur got little more after his catch, simply bulling through LB Arnout van den Heuvel for an additional yard.

After feeding WR#87 Waldr Hoerst the ball on the next play, Unionite defensive coordinator Joshua Nelson got the message; they would have to stop both dimensions of the Allamunnic offense if they wanted to win. The Dragonflies could no longer load the box based on the situation, at least not as consistently, and it paid off. The next play was a classic thunder-up-the-gut play with Traewyk behind Tormundsunn, going for nine yards across midfield, followed up by a direct snap to Tormundsunn on the next play to get the first down.

With that established, the Regulars began to move the ball more effectively, pushing down the field in relatively small chunks, reaching Ko-oren's 14. There, however, van den Heuvel managed to chase down Kaarbrynn on a first-down screen for a two-yard gain, DT Song Li and LB Jim Washington managed to limit Traewyk and Tormundsunn to a four-yard gain, and Kleiner ate a sack on third down by a blitzing SS Nick Roy, losing four yards. This time, the Regulars opted to just take the points, and K#7 Justyn Kynyks booted the 35-yard field goal for the 3-0 lead a few seconds into the second quarter.

That broke the dam, though. The Regulars managed to narrowly avert an answering touchdown on the next drive, with CB#9 Rikard Junnsunn managing to dive and bat away a sure end zone catch for WR Wouter de Bruijn on third down and short. On fourth and 1, they tried to give the Allamunnae a little bit of their own medicine with a run by Richter, blocked for by TE Yulian Petrov, but the Regulars keyed into it and DT#95 Piotr Farrangur managed to stuff Richter at the line to take over on downs at the Allamunnic 17.

Which was why it hurt all the more when, on the first play of the ensuing drive, the Regulars dialed up a play-action pass that was clearly supposed to go to Braanur. Roy read the play and jumped the route, intercepting Kleiner's throw and dashing back 21 yards for the touchdown to put Ko-oren in front, 7-3, after Guillon's kick.

Working from their own 20 after a touchback by Guillon, the Regulars went back to leaning on the run, trusting Kleiner to move the chains on third-down when necessary. Traewyk and Kaarbrynn took turns at halfback, but much of their success was owed to Tormundsunn, who hammered defenders at the line and at the back of the box to finish the offensive line's work. This approach yielded fruit increasingly as the drive went on, and the Unionite defense began to tire, exhausted by the mauling work of the Regulars' line and lead blockers (Braanur doing his fair share as well). As a result, 17 plays into the drive, Traewyk was able to follow Tormundsunn in the goal line set on a 2-yard touchdown run to retake the lead, 10-7.

After the way the Regulars slowed down the Dragonflies on their previous drive, and Kynyks forcing a touchback of his own, it seemed like Ko-oren would be unable to answer with only 2:18 left in the half. However, Germain responded by orchestrating a masterful drive of his own, hitting de Bruijn and Petrov to move the chains, striking WR Andrei Plischchuk and WR Hirano Tadahiro for big gains as well, and finally culminating the drive in a 15-yard strike to de Bruijn for another lead, 14-10. The Unionite defense held strong, and the Regulars could not answer before halftime. Meanwhile, the Dragonflies were due to start the second half with the ball.

But the Allamunnae came out fired up out of the half, and Kynyks booted a beautiful kick off. R Nico Hermans only got back to the Unionite 5 before being buried by Regulars, and the Dragonflies started in suboptimal field position. Still, a few decent runs pushed them to the 11, but what was going unnoticed on the sweeps and off-tackle dashes was that NT#91 Waldr Baersvylk was hammering C Leon de Boer. This led to a bungled snap at the 11, which Germain managed to scoop up, looking for a target on the broken play. However, he was smothered, in turn, by DE#96 Rikard Theodur, who smashed the ball from his grip, sending it bouncing back onto the turf at the 2. Richter, displaying great presence of mind, ran back to scoop up the ball. However, as he did, he was blasted back into the endzone by a punishing hit by LB#98 Fradrik Eriksunn, giving the Regulars the safety and the ball, while closing the gap to 14-12.

The play laid the seeds for the Regulars to pull away; the momentum firmly on their side, Vaalburger rode Kaarbrynn, Traewyk, and Tormundsunn down the field, moving the chains with Braanur and Hoerst at times. Kaarbrynn and Traewyk began finding seams and holes, ripping off progressively larger runs as they went. As the Ko-orenites began loading the box once more, the pass worked against them, and the Regulars retook the lead when Kaarbrynn ran a toss to the left, picked up blocks from Braanur and Tormundsunn, and zipped into the endzone on a 6-yard run. Kynyks booted the PAT, and the Regulars had a 19-14 lead.

Even playing from behind, the Unionites did not panic, and they very nearly answered, reaching the Allamunnic goal line after moving the ball in large chunk plays utilizing both the passing and running game. Still, the Blue-and-Gray did not break, and forced fourth down at the goal line. George Wallace made the decision to go for it, and in response, Allamunnic defensive coordinator Theo Laansur dialed up a play. Working out of the 5-2, the Regulars prepared to stuff the run, and they were not disappointed. Seeing Richter taking the handoff and beginning the run, LB#53 Junn Haaldur took a flying leap over the offensive line and hammered Richter down in the backfield for the stop.

The Allamunnae could not score again on the next drive, but it was enough of a victory to Vaalburger that they managed to move out of their own end zone before punting, a crisis squarely averted. That set the pattern for the rest of the quarter, with the teams trading short drives and deep punts that ensured neither came close to scoring.

Still, the Allamunnae could not rest easy, and early in the fourth quarter, they were simply trying to burn clock with the running game, while praying that the defense would hold against a demonstrably-explosive Dragonflies offense. Thankfully it did, registering its first turnover of the game on a strip-sack of Germain to kill a promising drive near midfield. Giving the offense another boost of momentum, the Regulars fed the ball to Traewyk, who found a hole, slipped a tackle attempt by DT Carl Woods, bulled through Washington, and took off running. He managed to break another tackle attempt by Roy before charging into the endzone, whooping and hollering with what would turn out to be the clinching score. The Regulars gave Kynyks the PAT attempt, and they had a 26-14 lead.

Now working two scores down, the Ko-orenites did not wither, but they did shift to a more pass-heavy attack. This proved to be their undoing, as it allowed the Regulars to keep utilizing the 5-2 and 4-3, letting their pass rushers tee off on Germain while trusting LB#57 Kyl Waalturs and Haaldur in coverage. Against an aggressive, powerful front seven, the Unionite offensive line increasingly broke down, committing penalties negating the team's sporadic gains, while Germain began to get hit more and more often.

Finally, with only two minutes to go, Germain had still somehow managed to throw the Dragonflies to the Allamunnic 12. He looked for Petrov in the endzone, but before he could complete the throw, he was dragged down by DE#77 Alf Vaalhulmsunn. The pass sailed erratically, and it was relatively simple for Baersvylk to reach up and bat the ball to himself. He secured the catch in an instant and dove forward into the offensive line, securing the turnover for the Regulars. It took only a few solid runs by Kaarbrynn and Traewyk to give the Regulars the first downs they would need, and, with less than a minute left at their own 38, Kleiner took a knee three times to secure the victory.

Traewyk and Kaarbrynn ended up finishing with 18 and 15 rushes for 83 and 78 yards respectively, each with a touchdown. Those totals put both over 1,000 yards for the World Bowl campaign.

The win is the Regulars' sixth in seven visits to the World Bowl Finals, and doubles the mark of championships set by Dancougar. Baeryk Vaalburger has his third championship, and FB Torren Tormundsunn has his first MVP award for his fantastic blocking. But, most importantly, perhaps, it means that the Allamunnic squad will enter World Bowl XXVIII with a huge target on its back, and more accomplishments to fight for.

"We still want to go undefeated," Vaalburger told reporters when asked about future goals. "We want to win so many championships that nobody can ever match us. We have a lot to do, and our job will only get tougher with this new success. So we'll go home. We'll rest up a bit. And then, as always, it will be back to work."

[The Shrailleeni Empire]

The Eagle's Cry

Shrailleeni News Unbiased
Serving the Children of the Mother Goddess and the Region

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Statement of Purpose: Founded on the principles of liberty, morality, and matriatism, the staff of the Eagle's Cry are dedicated to the principles of free speech and accessibility of information. Faced with an atmosphere of secrecy and censorship imposed on the national media by a government that does not wish its inner workings known, this news source will report to the Shrailleeni people and the region the true goings-on within the Shrailleeni Empire through foreign electronic and domestic printed mediums.

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October, 1291 (2015)

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Featured Article

Imperial Military Announces Completion of Aircraft Carriers

S.I.S. Vangarra during maiden voyage

Imperial City - Despite the stalemate in the National Assembly, the Imperial Navy has announced that its four newly commissioned aircraft carriers, the first designed and constructed natively by the Empire, have been made operational. Seen as a necessary component of the Imperial defense strategy, the carriers have nevertheless been criticized as an unnecessary expense during this uncertain period in Shrailleeni history.

Commissioned early in the modernization of the Empire, the Meshdra'il-class aircraft carrier has dominated state military-industrial efforts for a considerable time. Non-nuclear, capable of supporting forty aircraft, and each with a displacement of roughly 22,000 tons, the carriers are intended to form the first line of defense for the home islands against foreign aggression. This is reflected in the names of the vessels, each of which carries the name of one of the original four High Queendoms, the S.I.S. Home Island, Vangarra, Fromathra, and Sevreen. Their deployment, alongside the James Lawrence-class flagship S.I.S. Chella Resyanna, brings the Empire's total carrier strength to five and according to the Imperial Navy finally brings the Empire into a position of defense preparedness against possible foreign invasions.

The final preparations for the construction of the Meshdra'il-class were forced to be put on hold when the major production factors in Muldera were shut down during the widespread Republican protests last year. The peace which followed the formation of the National Assembly allowed the factories to continue production.

The announcement of their completion, however, raises questions about the militarization of the Shrailleeni Empire and the future of its domestic and foreign policies. Many educated Shrailleeni and business owners question the already dominating Imperial Military budget, which despite the end of the compulsory service tradition remains the Empire's largest spending area. Opponents argue that Shrailleeni diplomatic traditions, already successful in resolving conflict in the past, make the expansion of the military unnecessarily expensive and provocative, jeopardizing the Empire's image as a peace-loving nation. And the Meshdra'il-class aircraft carriers, while non-nuclear, still have the range when properly refueled to drastically enhance Shrailleeni force projection.

With the National Assembly still stalled on military issues, all other Imperial technological developments have been put on hold in order to protect against possible abuses.

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Shrailleeni News

National Assembly Frozen Over Districts

Sources from within the body of the National Assembly, which has now convened regularly for almost three months, report that progress toward reforms within the Shrailleeni Empire has again ground to halt following the inability of the body to come to terms on the divisive issue of representative districts. Various representatives had strongly advocated for a variety of solutions, including:

1. Dividing districts along current local Queendom boundaries.
2. The creation of new districts based on population.
3. The creation of new districts based on newly formed Republican and pre-existing ethnic communities.
4. The consolidation of representative districts into five large entities based on the current High Queendoms.

Advocates of each solution are reportedly disinterested in compromising in what they see as an essential issue toward constructive, long-lasting democratic reforms. Worse, the two-thirds majority required by the National Assembly to reach any decision seems unlikely to be met. This is only the latest in a series of roadblocks to progress which have included debates on the fate of the current nobility, the form of eventual representation, the structure of the newly proposed Imperial Legislature, and the powers to be retained by the Mother Empress and the Royal Court. Indeed, following the agreement to allow the Imperial Matriarchies to continue operation under the supervision of the Mother Empress in order to preserve order and stability, the National Assembly has failed to make any decision of consequence regarding the Empire and its future.

Crime on the Rise Following Closing of the Courts

Reports across the Empire, but especially in Home Island, are indicating an increase in non-violent crime over the last few months. Burglaries and break-ins have increased, and couples report that matters of marriage and debt contracts are no longer being resolved, leading many to violate such contracts illegally. Many people are blaming the increase in crime with the decision of the National Assembly to suspend the Enlightened Court System in the wake of the failed Coupe of Queens early this year. The National Assembly has not yet decided on a replacement for the courts, leaving a large variety of day-to-day judicial affairs unresolved and emboldening petty criminals.

The Enlightened Court System has operated in the Empire for centuries, and the position of Khallete', or Judge, has been traditionally appointed by the local Queen. However, mistrust in the appointments of the Queens over rampant corruption and nepotism led to the suspension of the courts as a prerequisite for the peaceful convention of the National Assembly. Originally intended to be a temporary measure, with the stalling of debate in the Assembly the issue of how to enforce local law has been left totally unresolved. While the Imperial Guard and the Black Wing remain to ensure a measure of peace, it does not seem likely that Imperial society will be able to hold together after a few more months of Court absence.

Islands Brace for Early Monsoons Following Hurricane Scarlett

Worries from Shrailleeni weather forecasters were confirmed yesterday when storm patterns were detected forming along the seasonal monsoon path in the Western Ocean. The storms, heralded by the arrival of Hurricane Scarlett, herald the arrival of the rains a full two weeks earlier than normal. Their unusual timing threatens to cut the yearly harvest short, which may cut in to Imperial food reserves. The larger fear is that extended rains may also ruin the seasonal monsoon crops and lead to widespread flooding and infrastructure damage. The traditional celebration of the Enlightened Matriarchy's foundation, scheduled for next week, may be cut short so that farmers can adjust to the abnormal weather.