[Earth II] Newswire

by **Earth_ Two** » Sat Nov 03, 2012 10:31 am

Earth II
Newswire

This is a consolidated thread for our news postings. News postings here should be regarded as valid IC statements and there should not be any OOC posting in this thread. Please use the Earth II Main Thread for any OOC posts. This thread should be limited to news posts and not short stories or claims. Please see below for a list of acceptable and unacceptable posts for this thread. We encourage everyone posting to be as creative as they desire in their news posts in regards to formatting. Photographs are acceptable and encouraged. Banners and elaborate graphics are encouraged just the same. This first post will also serve as an index to news articles and it will be updated infrequently but the updates shall be tracked and posted to make everything easier for everyone. If you are looking for the original Earth II Newswire thread, please go here. Everything in this thread is considered to be known IC (vs. secret IC). Also a note, while we encourage IC posts to be written in native languages (for the feel) and then translated, please post all articles here in English for ease.

Rules & Conditions

Acceptable	Not Acceptable
English Internet articles Letters to the editor Magazine articles Newspaper articles Op-Ed pieces Television transcripts	Articles from other nations [without their permission] Claims of any kind [IC claim announcements, progress, etc can be posted] Non-English Novel-like IC posts OOC chatter Secret IC posts Short story posts

Table of Stories

2017
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  - January 16: Orion 9 Delayed to May

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by **Layarteb** » Sat Nov 03, 2012 11:41 am

MINISTRY OF INTERIOR ASSERTS "NO OFFICIAL RELIGION"
By Kathryn McAdams
Published: November 1, 2012 | 13:00 EST

LAYARTEB CITY, NEW YORK — In an announcement today, the Ministry of the Interior rejected a recent petition from the Roman Catholic Church for the Empire to adopt a national religion. In the announcement, the Minister of the Interior announced, "The Empire believes that the separation between Church and State must be absolute. Adopting a national or an official religion is beyond incomprehensible and it will not be done."

The Empire, whose population is estimated at 1,335,680,000 is home to the world's largest Roman Catholic populace with 522,167,224 estimated Catholics, far more than any nation with Roman Catholicism as its national, official, or dominant religion. Despite this large number, this only gives Roman Catholicism a 39.09% stake. The largest religion in the Empire remains the Layartebian Pagan Rite with an estimated 714,844,804 members or 53.52% of the populace. Christians in the Empire, such as Protestants and other non-Catholic religions, claim only 6.08% of the populace or an estimated 81,206,530 members, making it the third largest religious makeup in the Empire.

Other religions in the Empire include Judaism with 5,616,874 estimated members (0.42%) and Islam with 3,637,039 estimated members (0.27%). The number of Layartebians who claim to be agnostic is estimated at 3,497,755 (0.26%). Atheists number approximately 1,608,739 (0.12%) and 3,099,827 (0.23%) are estimated to be "unlisted."

GOVERNMENT | RELIGION
Layarteb City Times © All Rights Reserved 2012

by **Itailian Maifias** » Mon Nov 05, 2012 12:10 pm

The Hague Guardian

Ministry of Defense Announces Massive Purchase

THE HAGUE, HOLLAND -

In a massive reformation of the Kingdom's Royal Air Force, the Minister of Defense in coordination with the Prime Minister announced today in a press release of a purchase of more then four hundred F-58 Vipers from the Layartebian Empire, for an undisclosed amount but is quite obviously in the billions.

Such a purchase not only sounds off for a major reform in the equipment of the Air Force, but it also sounds off perhaps an increase in diplomatic relations with the Layartebian Empire. After last year when most of the world thought the Kingdom might go Axis following the deployment of a division to aid in the Russian Invasion of Persia, this sounds of a realignment towards the October Alliance perhaps? Such a move would certainly be tactically genius for the Kingdom.

by **Layarteb** » Tue Nov 06, 2012 8:42 am

MINISTRY OF DEFENSE: "SAY NO TO MERCENARIES"
By James Douglas
Published: November 6, 2012 | 10:34 EST

LAYARTEB CITY, NEW YORK — Further distancing itself from the Arak Incident, the Minister of Defense today issued a statement to all nations of the world, "Say 'No' to mercenaries!"

The Ministry of Defense has always maintained a strict anti-mercenary policy, which originates from the First Venezuelan Civil War. During that war, the Republic of Layarteb, short on manpower, allowed for "Private Military Contractors," which the Ministry of Defense has always maintained is simply a "sham politically correct term for mercenaries," to fight in the war. Numerous atrocities linked to these PMCs made national headlines in the twilight of the Republic and were linked to gross misconduct on the part of government officials in awarding contracts. Dozens of officials were tried following the Fall of the Republic for accepting bribes in the awarding of these contracts.

Despite the MoD's policy, Manchurian Global, the Empire's largest corporate entity, maintains a sizeable PMC force that actively guards the Suez Canal. When asked about this situation, the MoD will consistently return a "No comment," which likely exists due to the differences of opinion between both the government and Manchurian Global on the administration of the canal. Manchurian Global purchased the Suez Canal without government approval and the two entities have consistently been at odds over this issue since May 2011, when the sale was made public.

Further backlash against Manchurian Global is expected to continue over the Arak Incident and though many hold the Layartebian government liable, the link between this incident and the MoD is spotty, at best. No conclusive link between the MoD and the actions of Manchurian Global's PMC exists as of yet, despite extensive and exhaustive investigations.

CURRENT AFFAIRS | DEFENSE | MIDDLE EAST
Layarteb City Times © All Rights Reserved 2012

by **Layarteb** » Thu Nov 08, 2012 2:11 pm

AMAPA DECLARED "COUSIN OF THE EMPIRE"
By Peter Salter
Published: November 8, 2012 | 16:05 BRT

MACAPA, AMAPA — During the signing of an agreement between Amapa and the Empire concerning new trade deals and broader military cooperation, the Minister of Foreign Affairs announced that the Emperor and the Empire as a whole considers the Amapanese people and their country to be "cousins of the Empire."

Ever since the fall of Neuvo Rica and the various regimes that have come to the fold since, the Empire has maintained close relations with Amapa. Considering a vital security partner, the Amapanese government and the Empire have worked closely concerning the Mato Grossan situation as well as the various efforts that the Achesian Democratic Ascendency has undertaken to fight illegal trafficking of human beings for sex slaves. Amapa, which shares a border with the Province of Worros first gained international attention in 2007 when the Empire launched its invasion of the Amazonian Republic. Amapanese politicians overwhelming supported the move and declared openly that they would assist the Empire militarily if they were asked. Though not confirmed, it is believed that Layartebian special forces units used Amapa as a jump-off point for operations in the Amazonian Republic.

Amapa has also voiced its opposition to both the United Provinces of Bavin and the Chileans, the latter now being a part of the Republic of South America. Amapa has looked to improve relations with the RSA but remains a firm and committed partner to the Empire.

Military cooperation with Amapa remains strong and though many have accused Amapa of being a puppet state of the Empire, their independence remains crucial to the Empire's long-term policies, as stated by the Emperor himself in numerous speeches concerning the affairs of South America.

COMMERCE | FOREIGN AFFAIRS | SOUTH AMERICA
Layarteb City Times © All Rights Reserved 2012

by **URBOV** » Fri Nov 30, 2012 5:11 pm

Internal Economic Socialization and Modernization Project 01
Soviet of Nationalization and Modernization
People’s Commissar Lev Ivanovitch German
11-30-12

Comrades,

After months of tireless study and Socialization of the Means of Production it has been determined by the Soviet of Nationalization and Modernization that an overhaul of all infrastructure leading to the Far East is critical. Heavy Industry in the West requires a near constant stream of minerals and other resources from the bountiful Eastern Oblasts, inefficiency, corruption, and antiquated roadways have reduced this stream to a pitiful trickle. Working in tandem with the Commissariat of Internal Affairs the Soviet of Nationalization and Modernization decrees that starting December 01 Project 01 shall be put into effect.

Initial moves shall be the Collectivization of the Industrial Plants between the Ural and Far Eastern Federal District, Workers Soviets shall be raised and handed the plants along with the quotas to be filled. As previously determined by the Commissariat of Economics any excess production shall be funneled to the Private Market which is allowed to operate in the designated Market Zones. In order to increase production the State is prepared to purchase the excess product in Factory Labor Vouchers, granting all workers a number of labor hours per surplus item produced.

Mines and Farms shall function in a similar manner though the Soviet of Nationalization must stress that all lands within the Russian Union State must be considered Public Property. Collective Farms must apply at once to continue operating on their fields as the most efficient Farms will be rewarded with additional land. Surplus foodstuffs will be purchased universally by the State at double Market value, to be awarded in Hard Currency. This currency while functioning only in the Market Zones can be placed in the People’s Bank to gather interest which will be paid in Labor Vouchers awarded to the Entire Farm.

Infrastructure shall be built by both National and Local Authorities. Communes that build highways, canals, rail lines, metro tunnels, or airstrips shall be rewarded per square kilometer of infrastructure. Funds shall be provided initially by the National Government though it should be noted by all Citizens that Taxation shall go into effect starting January 1. Due to the Post-Currency nature of the homeland of the Revolution, taxes shall be paid in finished goods that have a sale value equivalent to the Labor Value of the Taxes assigned to the Commune. All taxes shall be assigned to Communes, Territorial Soviets shall in turn be assigned a quota of Citizens that are to join the service of the Land of Socialism and Eternal Bliss. Citizens that do not desire to serve must then produce surplus goods/foodstuffs that are equivalent to the base pay of a Public Servant.

In our march towards Utopia, the Workers and Soldiers of Russia shall face many trials, through the endurance of the International Proletariat we shall conquer!

by **URBOV** » Fri Nov 30, 2012 5:50 pm

Central Asian Socialist Federation [Autonomous]
Council of Tribal Chiefs
11-30-12

Comrades,

Over the course of the last few months it has been determined that the Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan Socialist Republics being isolated from the RUS itself must unite to create a level of self sufficiency. Our neighbors to the north, east, and south are potentially hostile; the forces of Socialism must then fortify what they have secured. Revolution shall be exported in time and in order to prepare for this time the people of Central Asia must unite as one entity. Proletarian Internationalism must combine with Turkish culture, it must live and breathe in the air of our homeland just as it lives and breathes in our Slavic brothers’ homeland.

Effective December 01 the Uzbek and Turkmen Republics shall be known as the Central Asian Socialist Federation [Autonomous].

It shall share one flag and coat of arms.

The Red Army of Workers and Peasants shall maintain their garrisons but will share one Command and Control Section headquartered in Samarkand.

Tax Quotas relating to Economic Project 01 shall be delivered on December 02 and will enter effect January 01.

The Transcaucasian Socialist Republic
Soviet of Workers, Miners, and Peasants
11-30-12

Comrades,

Effective January 01 the Republics of Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan are combining to form the Transcaucasian Socialist Republic. Tax Quotes in compliance with Economic Program 01 are to be delivered to the Republics in question on December 03 and will enter effect on January 01.

by **URBOV** » Sat Dec 01, 2012 1:18 pm

Formation of the Leninist Pioneers
Commissar of Internal Affairs Yuri Rogozhin
12-01-12

Comrades,

It has been determined by the Committee of Internal Works that the citizens required to serve the State are to be placed within the newly established Leninist Pioneers as opposed to the Military itself. Conscripts will receive training in basic military maneuvers and weapons, but shall be employed to construct public works that all citizens of our great Socialist Republic may benefit by. A strict Military Hierarchy shall be developed and officers shall be elected by the Conscripts to interact directly with duly appointed Officers from the Military Engineers.

Service shall be rewarded with Labor Vouchers and for every hundred kilometers of infrastructure produced, parks developed, or buildings constructed, the Pioneer Regiment shall be rewarded additional Labor Vouchers or hard currency to be used in the Market Zones. Pioneer Detachments that apply for and are granted permission to travel abroad to aid the development of our Fraternal Comrades in line with the Marxist Principle of Proletarian Internationalism shall be rewarded with Labor Vouchers or hard Currency.

The initial Economic Project, that is to say Economic Project 01 shall take effect today with taxation and payment taking effect on January 01.

Through labor the Revolution shall grow!

by **URBOV** » Sat Dec 01, 2012 1:37 pm

The Necessity of a Vanguard Party in relations to the Commune
Commissar of Ideological Development and Education Mikhail Dmitrivitch Pavel
12-01-12

Comrades,

Bolstered by our present success in rolling back the reactionary ideals of the Pochva Clique, some critics of Vanguardism have come forward to say that we do not require an ideological vanguard in the New Russia. Others say that while the Communist Party of the Russian Union State is a valuable institution, the Dictatorship of the Proletariat is no longer necessary as we have progressed past formerly failed State Capitalist modes of production. This is the worst form of Opportunism Comrades! The CPRUS must smash the remnants of the Reactionary State through skilful employment of Class Warfare, it must seize control of all institutions and allow the autonomous blocks of industry to be Centralized at the Top.

Economists say that we will reintroduce Gosplan, and they are correct! Gosplan shall be reformed but the new State Planning Agency will not directly manage, no, it shall assign quotas based on type of plant and that plant shall be run by a Soviet of Workers. There will be no bureaucratic class that straddles the great machine of State in the new truly classless Russia, instead there will be representatives of each Federal District’s Industrial and Agricultural Soviets. They will appoint an individual to make up the Supreme Economic Soviet of the State Planning Committee and they will receive the full support of the Intelligentsia which shall be no longer considered the class enemies of the Proletariats and Peasants!

All Teachers, Professors, Military Officers, and Specialized Workers must rally to the banner of the CPRUS and undertake the great task which is to indoctrinate their Comrades both at work and at home! The Communist Party is to be a Vanguard force, yes, but it must be supported by the entire population. When all know the words of Marx, Engels, and Lenin then all shall be able to act in a manner fitting to a Builder of Communism. Through education comes the New Communist Person!

Study then is the highest form of labor in the New Russia!

by **URBOV** » Sat Dec 01, 2012 1:52 pm

The Internationale Brigades of the Red Army
General Dmitri Ivanovitch Grotskin
12-01-12

Comrades,

Due to the necessity of an internationalist armed body to promote violent revolution abroad, the Russian Union State has formed The Internationale Brigades of the Red Army. These brigades shall receive training and supplies from the Russian Union State as they struggle to liberate their homelands through protracted People’s Wars of National Liberation. Democratic in nature, the Internationale Brigades shall act as both the Vanguard of the Revolution and one of the first response forces of the Russian Union State.

Enlist today in the name of Proletarian Internationalism! All Soldiers shall receive pay in Labor Vouchers equivalent to time spent training, fighting, or studying the nature of armed conflict.

All struggle is class struggle!
No War but the International Class War!

by **Cotland** » Wed Dec 05, 2012 9:14 am

Cotland declares "International Brigade" a terrorist organization

KURBA/OSLO (CNN): New Russian organization placed on terror list

In an announcement made by the Minister for Justice in a speech in Kurba, Tverrmark on Tuesday, the Government clarified its stance towards the "International Brigades of the Red Army" announced by Communist General Dmitri Grotskin of the Communist Russian Army on 1 December.

The Minister stated that the whole concept of the "International Brigade" was meant solely for destabilizing foreign states and terrorize innocent civilians with the intent of forcing them to adopt Soviet communism, and that this was a stance that the Government of Cotland "cannot and will not accept to take place."

As a result of this, the "International Brigade of the Red Army" has been placed on the Ministry of Justice's Terror Organization List, making membership, financing and supporting said organization a felony under Cottish law. Cottish legal history shows that members of organizations placed on the Terror List have been convicted of terrorism and legally executed by the Government, while supporters and financers have been incarcerated for periods ranging from five to thirty years. The Minister specified that despite the Russian Communist State declaring members of the "International Brigade" to be enrolled into the ranks of the Armed Forces of Communist Russia, the Government of Cotland will not treat them as lawful combattants but rather as criminals, should a scenario of the "International Brigade" operating in Cotland take place.

The "International Brigade" thus joins organizations such as the Rote Armee Fraktion (RAF), Sami Liberation Front (SLF), Al-Qaida, Justin Bieber Fanclub, Irish Republican Army (IRA), Northern Seperatist Movement, Pan-Slavic Front and various other organizations.

The Russian ambassador to Cotland refused to comment on this topic, requesting instead that we direct our questions to the Russian Soviet of External Affairs. This entity has yet to respond to our requests for an interview on this topic.

by **URBOV** » Wed Dec 05, 2012 5:57 pm

Internationale Brigades Antagonistic?
Tooling and Dye Factory No. 4 Periodical [Nizhniy Novgorod]
12-05-12
Albert Vasilivitch Yolkin

Friends,

Through I am but a shift worker in our factory, I must comment on the recent formation of the Internationale Brigades by our newly elected Government. You all know me as a man who is honest and I would be lying if I were to say that I support the formation of an organization dedicated to what appears to be the violent overthrow of legitimate governments. My son who you all know is currently a student in the Ukraine, tells me that it’s in line with the idea of Proletarian Internationalism, so we must ask ourselves; is Proletarian Internationalism good for Russia?

I had hoped that the election of the Communist-Anarchist Coalition would see Russia work to develop herself internally without the costly Pan-Slavic Adventures sponsored by the Pochva. I have mixed memories of Soviet Times and have done relatively well under the Capitalist Ideal so you all know that I view the Government through the lenses of a realist. My education has been spotty since the dissolution of the Soviet Union but since reunification I have resumed my studies and even been able to send my eldest to a proud University. Using our history, the history of our homeland and our peoples as a guide I must then ask,

Is an antagonistic relationship with the Realm of Cotland what we need?

I a concerned citizen, say no. We need bridges not bombs.

Forward, to Communism!
Siberian Federal University
12-05-12
Dr. Denis Olegovitch Loban

Students and Teachers,

Our ideological and ancestral enemies within the Cottish Realm have revealed the enduring Reactionary Nature of their State with their recent condemnation of the Internationale Brigades! While they speak truth when they say that the Internationale Brigade is dedicated to exporting Communism, it is not the Communism of faceless State Mechanisms! Ours is the Revolutionary Marxist-Leninist-Anarchist Tendency formulated in the proto-states of the chaotic nineties as a response to the Capitalist-Militarist Victory over the Soviet Union. With this return to the very core of Radical Leftist Ideology, that is to say with the return to the concept of Proletarian Internationalism we do pose a very real threat to the Reactionary Regimes that border the Land of Socialism and Eternal Bliss, what we are not is terrorists!

While in the name of consolidating the gains of the International Revolution the Communist and Anarchist Factions have reunited in the spirit of Fraternity, both factions have agreed to continue the condemnation of political terrorism. If anything the only aspect of Terrorism used by our movement is State Terror against our class enemies the Bourgeoisie and Bureaucrats! Momentarily let us forget the Class War and look to our neighbors, the Realm of Cotland sees fit to declare an aspect of and thus our entire movement illegal. In retaliation I, head of the Chair of Russian History at the Siberian Federal University declare they and their Imperialist Allies of Layarteb to be Illegal Terrorists!

Russian Union State Commissariat of Foreign Affairs
12-05-12

The Commissariat of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Union State offers no comment at this time regarding the recent declaration of the Cottish Government.

The Russian Union State does however reminds our Cottish Neighbors and Partners that while ideology differs we recognize their sovereignty and we expect that they [The Realm] shall in turn respect ours. It is the sincere hope of the Russian Union State that what can be viewed as a historically mutually-antagonistic relationship may in time be normalized through openness and mutual respect.

by **Layarteb** » Thu Dec 06, 2012 9:05 am

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS PRESS CONFERENCE IN RESPONSE TO RUS DECLARATIONS
By Britney Sellers
Published: December 6, 2012 | 11:05 EST

LAYARTEB CITY, NEW YORK — At a press conference this morning, the Minister of Foreign Affairs responded to the storm of announcements from the Russian Union State concerning communist reformations. "The Russian Union State has always and will always be seen as a communist country, regardless of what theatrics they present to the world. The illusion of democracy in the Russian Union State might have fooled various nations of the world but it has not fooled the Empire," the Minister said, in response to whether or not relations between the Empire and the RUS would change.

Indicating that there would be no change, the Minister further explained, "the Russian Union State remains an enemy of the Empire and an enemy of world peace. Regardless of their public statements and pro-Slavic racism, their goal is a worldwide, communist revolution, which is put a pipedream. The Empire will continue to monitor the RUS closely and take action against any Russian aggression, whether against the Empire or its allies."

Recent announcements from the Cottish Realm that the "International Brigade" is now classified as a terrorist organization were affirmed. "The International Brigade of the Red Army is unwelcome on Layartebian-soil and it will be treated just as we treat Al-Shams. Their classification as a 'terrorist organization' will not change until they cease to be an entity."

As for the announcement from Dr. Denis Olegovitch Loban that the Empire is the illegal terrorist, the Minister of Foreign Affairs stated, "the Empire sees this announcement as significant as the snowfall totals on Hunter Mountain in the month of June."

FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Layarteb City Times © All Rights Reserved 2012

by **Terra Reborn** » Thu Dec 06, 2012 9:44 am

Imperial Broadcasting Corporation News Service

Defence of the Realm Act passed by Parliament and signed into Law.
Thursday 6th December 2012

The Defence of the Realm Act (DORA) was passed by both the House of Commons and the House of Lords today as the final amendments were made to the satisfaction of both Houses. The Law was then forwarded to the Von Karin Fortress in a speedy manner and was signed into Law by His Majesty the King an hour ago. Although the Law has been tightly fought over in both Houses of Parliament, all in the Imperial Legislative realised the need for the law to pass it once all main concerns that had been passed. The Defence of the Realm Act grants the Imperial Government new authority to take any measures as required in the name of the defence of the realm. Of course there are numerous restrictions to prevent this power from being misused, with the most notable being that aside from needing to be approved by the King, the Prime Minister, the Home Secretary and the Defence Secretary, any actions taken under the Defence of the Realm Act can be scrutinized by any member of Council or the justice system.

At the most simplest level the Defence of the Realm Act grants the following new powers. The Military has gained a number of powers as to actions it is permitted to take in peacetime in the name of the Defence of the Realm, it also increases the powers that the military has in times of war to protect the Empire and operational security. The Intelligence Community gains new powers for a variety of new techniques and existing techniques that it can take in determining and stopping threats to the Realm, these powers cannot however be used in criminal investigations. The Imperial Government gains new powers to be used in the Defence of the Realm. The Defence of the Realm Act does however have inbuilt safeguards, the Monarch is required to inform both the Leaders of the Government and the Leaders of the Opposition in both of the House of Commons and the House of Lords before the deployment of Imperial Military Forces, on Privy Council terms.

This Defence of the Realm Act (DORA) is unique in that such-named Acts are usually only put established during times of war, this would be the first time that a DORA has been enacted in peacetime, and as such is seen as a direct response to the rise of international terrorism, largely encapsulated by the Portuguese operations prior to the invasion. The Prime Minister pointed out that the Act was not a response to the recent Russian announcements. That being said it was announced less than two hours after the act was signed into the law by His Majesty The King it was announced that the International Brigade of the Red Army was being officially added to the Imperial List of Terrorist Organisations under the Defence of the Realm Act, coming in line with the recent announcements of the Realm of Cotland and the Empire of Layarteb. This is likely to result in many Russian nations facing the more stringent measures of the DORA when attempting to enter the country.

The Foreign Office made a statement in regards to the recent Russian rhetoric and in particular the establishment of the International Brigades, where it stated disappointment that the Russian Union State has resumed its former old tricks that had appeared to subside over the summer.

by **Layarteb** » Fri Dec 07, 2012 8:03 pm

.:. Updated to this point .:.

by **United States of Brink** » Tue Dec 11, 2012 2:44 pm

The Johannesburg Times
By Umandi Delasware
Technical Engineering Coorespondant

Cape Town to Layarteb City in less time than it takes to park at FNB Stadium? No problem (though truthfully you could probably fly conventionally in the same timeframe). Windhoek to Kyoto before your favorite television program rolls final credits. Of course!

Such is the goal of the joint Layarteb – African project being conducted at Antananarivo Institute of Technology (AIT) in Antananarivo, Madagascar. In addition to scientists, engineers, students, and a host of others who have been collectively working on a proposed Mach 20 (that is 20 times the speed of sound for those keeping count) engine, aeronautics company Aero Patricant is providing the actual construction. It is a lofty goal, as supersonic commercial jets have failed, often disastrously, in the past. The project is in its early stages, though prototypes have already been constructed and are currently being tested over the Indian Ocean. As one might expect, early creations of the project have met watery ends, though the results continue to boost the confidence of those working on the project.

“Our understanding of applied aerodynamics at that speed have greatly improved,” noted Dr. Abraham Isham of AIT’s sister school in Layarteb, MIT, who is a partner in the project. “Failure is not without its benefits,” he continued, “there is a lot of potential for success here, it has been exciting to be a part of.”

It is important to understand the difference in this research versus that of supersonic flight, an already obtained feat. Mach 20 is hypersonic flight, well beyond that of your now basic supersonic. It creates a host of problems as air stops “getting out of the way and compresses into a wall that a plane must punch through”.

Tywondi Drogga, an aeronautical engineer for African Space Exploration (ASEx), explains, “Hypersonic planes entail even more specialized solutions, such as heat-shedding ablative armor and supersonic combustion ramjets, or scramjets, for propulsion. At even low hypersonic speeds (Mach 5-10), air molecules ionize into electrified and chemically reactive plasma, producing exothermic (heat-releasing) reactions that add to already monstrous frictional heat.”

Translation, it’s complicated stuff.

In the meantime we can look to its potential and practical uses and who wouldn’t mind a day trip to Japan, a quiet evening in Paris, or a nice afternoon of skiing in Canada?

Source: http://science.howstuffworks.com/transp ... nutes2.htm

by **United States of Brink** » Fri Dec 14, 2012 9:59 am

Windhoek Daily News
Hadron Collider Complete
By Drogha Tulamandi

The South African Nuclear Research Group, known as SANR (pronounced Snar), based out of Lusaka, Namibia, has finally completed their largest project to date, the Large Hadron Collider.

The Hadron Collider, the largest of its kind, is located nearly 400 feet below the service of the Earth and covers an area of roughly 20 miles. Its massive size is only shadowed by its larger than life implications. Nestled in the heart of the country, the Hadron Collider is a scientific marvel and a testament to the Republics continued dedication to advancing human knowledge on a grand scale.

The Collider, as its name implies, blasts protons and ions at each other at light speed creating collisions resulting in massive amounts of energy. The LHC uses magnets to steer beams of protons as they travel at 99.99 percent the speed of light. The magnets are very large, many weighing several tons. There are about 9,600 magnets in the LHC. The magnets are cooled to a chilly 1.9 degrees Kelvin. That's colder than the vacuum of outer space.

Speaking of vacuums, the proton beams inside the LHC travel through pipes in what SANR calls an "ultra-high vacuum." The reason for creating such a vacuum is to avoid introducing particles the protons could collide with before they reach the proper collision points. Even a single molecule of gas could cause an experiment to fail. The process hopes to shed light on a number of scientific theories including, most importantly, that of the Higgs Boson Particle, perhaps better (and ironically) known as the ‘God’ particle.

The Collider hopes to recreate a number of scientific theories, much to the chagrin of others. Theoretically, the collider could produce results, on a much smaller scale, that include both the big bang and black holes. While many argue that the results could cause irreversible damage to the planet, most scientists disagree stating that any recreation will be so miniature that it would cause zero damage and only exist for a brief few seconds, if that. Despite protests the Collider is scheduled to go operational sometime next month.

Source: http://science.howstuffworks.com/scienc ... llider.htm

by **Layarteb** » Mon Dec 17, 2012 12:50 pm

"HUBBLE II" LAUNCH GETS GREEN LIGHT
By Peter Salazar
Published: December 17, 2012 | 14:30 EST

MIAMI, FLORIDA — In an official announcement on Monday, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), a division of the Ministry of the Interior, gave the final green light to the Advanced Orbital Space Exploration Telescope (AOSET) or "Hubble II" mission to blast-off from Cape Canaveral on Friday, December 28.

The AOSET, a successor to the original Hubble Space Telescope (HST) features a 9.2-meter aperture lens, which will enable the AOSET to observe far greater resolutions than the 2.4-meter aperture HST could. It will blast off next Friday onboard a Delta IV rocket from Space Launch Complex 37. SLC-37 once served the Apollo program in the early 1960s.

The HST was launched in 1990 and it has been in continuous service since. While originally expected to remain in use until 2019, this plan was changed in 2001 as newer technologies became commercially viable. The AOSET is expected to remain in service until the year 2035.

During the press conference, NASA's program director, Jeremy Ortiz, stated, "The Hubble has made us proud but, unfortunately, it is old technology. The images it has provided to the world and to mankind will forever be iconic but they will pale in comparison to what the AOSET will provide. The AOSET uses the newest and most sensitive technology ever imagined for a space telescope and in the 2030s, when we are replacing it, I imagine a similar sense of nostalgia will be with the new program team."

When asked if there was a backup plan in place, should the AOSET malfunction, Ortiz stated that should such a situation arise, a manned mission could launch in spring 2013 and re-boost the Hubble to provide functionality until 2019. The current plan is to de-orbit the HST in early 2014 over the Pacific Ocean rather than risk collision.

Ortiz stated, referring to the name of the telescope, "AOSET might be the official name but none of us would get mad if you called it 'Hubble 2.'"

The AOSET is just one of many programs being undertaken by the Layartebian scientific community with regards to space exploration. The construction of a Thirty Meter Telescope in the mountains of Hawaii will be completed in late 2013 and construction on the Extremely Large Telescope is underway in Peru with a completion date of mid-2014.

Whether or not the scientific community will go forward with a plan for a 100-meter telescope design for completion in 2017 – 2019 remains to be determined at this time.

SCIENCE | SPACE
Miami Herald © All Rights Reserved 2012

by **Layarteb** » Mon Dec 17, 2012 1:42 pm

PEGASUS PROBE UNVEILED
By Peter Salazar
Published: December 17, 2012 | 15:45 EST

MIAMI, FLORIDA — After years of anticipation, the Pegasus 1 series interstellar probe was unveiled this morning in Cape Canaveral. Following the announcement of NASA's green light to the "Hubble II" mission, the Pegasus Program has received significant attention.

The Pegasus Program is a successor to the Voyager Program, launched in 1977. The Voyager Program's two probes, Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 were both launched within one month of each other in late-summer 1977 and they were originally intended to study only Jupiter and Saturn. However, both probes have continued past Jupiter and Saturn, studying Uranus and Neptune and they are presently within two to three years of interstellar space, making them the furthest, manmade objects from Earth. By 2025, neither probe will have the ability to power any of its instruments. Both probes have provided some significantly detailed photographs of our solar system.

The Pegasus Program will see an initial launch of four probes, each sent in a separate direction away from Earth. They will pass by and observe every planet from Mars to Pluto and beyond, using each planet's gravitational forces to slingshot it towards the next. This will help conserve power, ensuring a long life for the probes.

The four Pegasus probes will be numbered 1 through 4 and are powered by very advanced radioisotope thermoelectric generators or RTGs. Unlike the Voyager probes, the RTGs on the Pegasus probes are powered by americium-241, which has a significantly longer half-life than plutonium-238. The anticipated lifespan of each Pegasus probe is an astounding 1,000 years, meaning that they will get further from Earth than any probe has ever gone before. Each probe is equipped with an S-band and an X-band communications device providing up to 20 kilobits of data per second at Pluto's distance. Cameras installed on each probe will provide the highest resolution ever for a space probe.

Solid-state recorders on the probes can store an astounding ten terabytes of data to be communicated back to Earth or stored for an extraterrestrial species. It is estimated that when the probes reach a distance of 100 AU, that they will be traveling anywhere from 15 km/s to 29 km/s, depending on the probe. Backup power sources are provided from solar panels and each probe will be launched from an Atlas V rocket on January 5, 2013, January 19, 2013, February 15, 2013, and April 16, 2013.

SCIENCE | SPACE
Miami Herald © All Rights Reserved 2012

by **United States of Brink** » Mon Dec 17, 2012 2:01 pm

Skeleton Coast Gazette
Limitless
By Tami Ludowni-Keszweku

My parents lied to me. They looked me dead in the eyes and, with all sincerity, lied to me. When I was younger they used to look at me, brimming with youthful potential, and tell me that the sky was the limit. Mom and Dad, you were wrong! The sky is no longer the limit, in fact, neither is the stars.

With the recent Hubble 2 announcement, made earlier this week by the Empire of Layarteb, it would appear that we, as a human race, can now reach well beyond the stars. The Hubble 2 is the latest achievement by the Layarteb space program, perhaps the finest in the world. Its launch is only logical as improvements to technology, especially in photography, have increased exponentially since the installation of the original Hubble telescope. Hubble 2 will provided clearer pictures set deeper into the final frontier, allowing scientists a more detailed map of space.

The Hubble 2 announcement came on the heels of three other scientific develops. The Large Hadron Collider in Zambia officially went online last week with testing scheduled sometime next month. It is a general hope that what we see in Hubble 2, we can recreate here. The second announcement came just off the coast, from AIT in Madagascar. Researchers there are currently working on a jet engine that can reach Mach 20, a speed in which physics begin to distort. Finally Layarteb announced the launch of a long range space exploration probe.

While announcements like these are not uncommon in the scientific world, it is the proximity that is interesting. What you might not know is that this is not random and, more importantly, this is just the start.

Reports indicate that both the Republic and the Empire have been ramping up their efforts in all fields of science. However, Russia and Japan are following suit. In short, we are witnessing the beginning of a new tech race. And in this type of race, we all win.

Astrology isn’t the only player either. The Yutani Corporation from Japan is making giant strides in the medical field, an area the Republic is beefing up interest in. Rumors are already surfacing regarding collaboration concerning the proposed 100-meter telescopes mentioned during the unveiling of Hubble 2. These recent advances will only help further the cause of scientific enlightenment, and spur continued innovation in a field severally lacking a globalized goal.

“It is time we started moving forward in one direction,” proclaimed a jubilant Dr. Jahari Al-Zahere of Windhoek University, “instead of backward in five.”

by **Terra Reborn** » Mon Dec 17, 2012 2:13 pm

Imperial Broadcasting Corporation News Service

Imperial Space Agency Reports first Stage of Moon Mission a Success
Monday 17th December 2012

The Imperial Space Agency announced today that the first mission that is intended to lead up to an Imperial Moon Landing by the end of next year was successful in putting the first of the intended moon mission vessels into orbit before safely returning it to the Earth, whilst being completely manned as if it were a run for the moon short of actually going. The ISA was given a mandate by His Majesty The King shortly after his coronation last year to put Imperial Boots on the moon within two years, and following an agreement for the use of the Kennedy Space Centre with the Empire of Layarteb. Whilst the mission was a success the ISA was quick to remind the public of the inherent dangers of space travel but remained cautiously optimistic. The Imperial Mission to put men on the moon is the first such mission since the initial moon landings of the 20th Century and intends to finally start putting Human presence back into space beyond simply the orbital environment.

In a statement released by the Fortress, His Majesty The King expressed his pleasure at seeing an Imperial Space Vessel successfully launched and stated his optimism for a successful moon mission by the end of the year, which is intended to be the first step of a much wider space program now that the Empire has grown sufficiently to allow funds for the project without taking away from other important areas such as defence.

by **Layarteb** » Mon Dec 17, 2012 7:10 pm

MOD COMPLETES UPGRADES TO AIR DEFENSE NETWORK - SHUNS POP CULTURE REFERENCE
By Nancy Frank
Published: December 21, 2012 | 18:00 EST

LAYARTEB CITY, NEW YORK — On Friday, a Ministry of Defense spokesman announced that the planned upgrades to the Empire's air defense network, commonly referred to as "Skynet" have been completed. The upgrades, which cost approximately §500 million to §900 million, will give Skynet the ability to counter fifth generation stealth aircraft as well as low observable and hypersonic cruise missiles, the most common threat to the Empire's air defense security.

Developed originally by a consortium of contractors in the early to mid 1980s, freakishly called Cyberdyne Systems Group, Skynet has not been without strong criticism from conspiracy theorists and pop culture gurus alike. In response to allegations that the Empire's Skynet system is a real-world nightmare of the network made famous by the Terminator franchise, the Ministry of Defense has commonly referred to an age-old statement, "Those assumptions are malarkey." Attempts to label the Skynet system as a doomsday weapon have also been laughed at by senior MOD officials who claim that they are nothing more than topics-of-the-week for conspiracy "whack jobs" looking to "capitalize on a very applicable definition.

The Skynet system, which has been in continuous service since somewhere around 1985, is an all-encompassing, tiered, air defense network that can purportedly track objects as small as baseballs as far as three thousand miles away and as high as twenty thousand miles or larger sized objects as far away as thirty-five thousand miles. True specifications remain highly classified but the system encompasses the entire territory of the Empire and many assume the entire world thanks to oceanographic systems and remote radar stations. The Skynet system also purportedly tracks space debris in the Earth's orbit and many conspiracy theorists claim that the Skynet system has tracked extraterrestrial UFOs.

The Skynet system, which is just one part of the defense network of the Empire, remains one of the largest classified projects that any military in the world has undertaken.

MILITARY
Layarteb City Times © All Rights Reserved 2012

by **Layarteb** » Tue Dec 18, 2012 1:15 pm

MOD PLANS PEACEKEEPING MISSION
By Harold Moore
Published: December 18, 2012 | 10:00 EST

LAYARTEB CITY, NEW YORK — Peacekeeping has long since been a mission carried out by the New African Republic, whose military force while not small, is not geared towards the major, high-intensity conflicts that the Imperial Layartebian Military is. While the Empire has carried out several peacekeeping missions in the past, they have always been at the behest of a larger-scale military operation and not a focused, single mission. This will change after an announcement by the Minister of Defense on Tuesday paves the way for a permanent, peacekeeping mission for the Imperial Layartebian Military.

"While peacekeeping-only missions and operations can conflict strongly with the Doctrine of Sovereignty, we believe that in particular circumstances, they can serve the greater benefit of the Empire and of the world." The Minister of Defense commented. "There are several units within the broader scope of the Imperial Layartebian Military which would make excellent candidates for this 'auxiliary' role and we will be evaluating them in the coming months." He added after questioned which units would fulfill this task.

Potential candidates include the Imperial Layartebian Navy's Marine Readiness Brigade, a 5,600-man strong combined airborne, cavalry, and infantry unit that is deployed with all Amphibious Ready Groups; the Imperial Layartebian Army's Quick Reaction Force, an 800-man strong battalion organized within the broader scope of an airborne division that comes with airborne, cavalry, and infantry elements; the larger, Imperial Layartebian Army's Air Assault Brigade, a 6,200-man strong airborne force with cavalry and infantry elements, including the QRF; and a Foreign Legion Regiment, a self-sufficient, 2,600-man strong regimental unit with airborne, cavalry, infantry, and special operations elements.

While the Ministry of Defense has not given any clear indication whether or not this will become a permanent mission for the Imperial Layartebian Military, conflicts around the world, such as in Ethiopia, Persia, Mato Grosso, and New Zealand in recent times have all drawn significant international attention to the necessity of a peacekeeping mission. The New African Republic, an eternal champion of the peacekeeping versus the conquering role of a military is likely to weigh significantly on this latest decision by the Ministry of Defense.

DEFENSE | WORLD
Gotham Journal © All Rights Reserved 2012

by **Earth_ Two** » Sat Dec 22, 2012 9:53 am

.:. Updated to this point .:.

by **Itailian Maifias** » Sun Dec 23, 2012 9:25 pm

Hague Guardian

February 3rd, 2012

Daniel Soer returning from Huis ten Bosch

THE HAGUE-

Just confirmed within the last hour by our on the field agents, Her Royal Majesty has accepted Daniel Soer's, the new leader of VVD, offer to form a new government in her name, making him the new Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Hollland, it's second since it's restoration nearly a year ago. His confirmation as the new Prime Minister comes just one month on the heels of the ground breaking midterm Parliamentary elections that saw now former Prime Minister Květoslav Sedláček and his Liberal Democrats almost completely ousted from Parliament and saw his removal from office.
Coming from the new Prime Minister, he promises to curb the reckless imperalism executed on behalf of the Sedláček administration and promises to seek and establish foriegn relations, namely with the Empire of Layarteb, who Soer has called a key focal point to the next evolution of the Kingdom.

[Earth II] Newswire

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