Aenean News Network [Closed; Aeneas only]

by **Poldania** » Mon Mar 09, 2015 11:04 pm

Aenean News Network
Because one news thread is not enough!

"I think this could be a solution to consider" -- Mizuyuki

The Aenean News Network is a free and independent service providing news to all people of Aeneas. The aim of this service is to collate the best of the region's news and journalism, thereby giving Aeneans a broader and more informed perspective of their region and the views of foreign nations of the stories of the day. In order to contribute your news source to the ANN please ensure:

Your news articles/bulletins/summaries should be written to the best of your ability including in the areas of content, grammar and structure.
Your news stories can be any of the following: newspaper articles, online news articles, television news reports, radio bulletins, opinion and editorial pieces or special reports.
Please remember the five W's and extra H: Who, What, When, Where, Why and How?
Have fun and enjoy posting news stories.

ANN has appropriated the above blurb from its predecessor the ABC, pending a rewrite, because it gets the job done.

This thread is for members of the Aeneas region only. The ABC thread is to be locked and kept available for reference.

by **Aurinsula** » Mon Mar 09, 2015 11:11 pm

Aenean News Network
Because one news thread is not enough.

ANN to carry translated Aurinsulan news reports

We at the Aenean News Network are proud to announce that beginning immediately, our English-language Internet portal will begin carrying authorized translations of stories published in Aurinsulan news outlets. In the interest of informed news consumption, this new service will begin with an overview of Aurinsula's major news sources. All the included news sources publish out of the Xinjing Capital Region.

The Xinjing Times

The Xinjing Times publishes every day. It is owned by Hongjiang Media, which observers in other news sources have reported on as being connected to the government and to the ruling Minquan party. It is printed entirely in simplified characters, and began publication in 1931. It has the third-largest circulation of any daily paper in Aurinsula. The Xinjing Times has been praised for its commitment to neutrality and its "just the facts" approach to journalism, but has been derided for its lack of in-depth analysis. The paper is often employed by the government to carry official communications.

The Aurinsula Evening News

The Aurinsula Evening News publishes every day, with a special Sunday edition. It is owned by Tangshan Media, which is not connected to the government or to the ruling party. It has a strong readership base among Aurinsula's bensheng population of "native" Tinchalian-speaking readership, meaning those whose hereditary residence in Aurinsula predates 1935. The paper has been described as "leftist" and is frequently critical of the government, and focuses on domestic politics, culture, and media. It has the largest circulation of any paper in Aurinsula, printing 7.8 million copies per day. It prints entirely in simplified characters.

The International Times

The International Times publishes every weekday, with a special Sunday edition. It is owned by Kangxi Media, which observers in the Aurinsula Evening News have claimed is connected to the government, and frequently supports its policies. 37% of shares in Kangxi Media are held by the Qian-Ganzhou family, to the head of which is the cousin of former Minquan President Qian Gaoling. The paper has been described as "right-wing." It focuses primarily on financial news and on domestic and international politics. It prints entirely in traditional characters, and is notable for even printing the date in traditional numerals - ie, printing the current date as 民國百十一年六月二十五日 rather than 民國111年6月25日.

The Pearl River Observer

The Observer publishes once a week on Saturday evenings. It is owned by Zhujiang Media, which has been accused inconclusively of being connected with the government. It has been described as "leftist." The Observer has been praised for its depth of reporting and analysis, and has received more major foreign journalism prizes (11) than all other Aurinsulan news outlets put together. It prints its editions both in traditional and simplified characters.

The Xinjing Daily Post

The Daily publishes every day. It is owned by Jinmin Media. The Daily focuses primarily on local news, sports, and entertainment, and also publishes a special women's interest section every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. It has the second-largest circulation in Aurinsula, with 7.1 million daily copies. It prints entirely in simplified characters. It is famous for being the only major news outlet that prints the date in AD/CE rather in the Republic Era, ie current date 2014.06.25 rather than 民國111年6月25日.

by **Mediterreania** » Tue Mar 10, 2015 6:44 am

LATINITAS GLOBALIS (Lingua Latina) | GLOBAL LATINITY (English) | .لاتین جهانی. (زبان فارسی) | LLATINITAT GLOBAL (Dialecte de la Delta) | LATINITÁ GLOBALE (Dialetto di Lvsca)

"No Surrender": Reports from the Front Lines of the Mediterranean War

Global Latinity is proud to present "No Surrender." Marcus Appius brings exclusive reports from the front lines of the battle between the self-declared Catholic State of Siracusa, and the international coalition that has arisen to fight it. In this week's dispatch, he is embedded in a unit of Mohammadan guerrillas who seek salvation in their fight against the "new Crusades."

The black-bearded man spoke softly and calmly to me, very differently from how I had expected from the pamphlets he had written. I expected a street preacher or a grizzled guerrilla commander; now, with his spectacles and the black hat of a seyyed (descendant of the Prophet Mohammad), the young man of twenty five would not have seemed out of place at a seminary school. As we sat in the back of a pickup truck headed for the front lines of the conflict with the Catholic State, he lectured me about the Safavi theological movement.

"Our organization is part of a long tradition of Shia resistance. The Qezelbāsh movement is a revival of the organization founded by Sheikh Hyder in 1469." He paused to hand me a photo of himself, surrounded by similarly-dressed young men under a black flag. "I helped found Jond-e Enteqām va Tohid, the Brigades of Revenge and Monotheism, in late 2012. We were doing aid work in the Lāhijān refugee camp when I came across a few qezelbāshes who lost their homes in the war. They were quite eager to fight for their right to return, so we organized them. This is why we are called the Brigades of Revenge."

The young man's name was Farrokh Bayāt, and I had first heard of him while researching leads for my story on Mediterranea. It was no accident that his group in particular stood out. The Brigades (actually closer to an infantry company in size, but who's counting?) were intentionally waging a sort of counter-propaganda war against the Catholic State. One of their viral videos featured a few Catholic State prisoners, hooded and dressed in orange jumpsuits like the Crusaders' beheading victims, while the Brigadiers held English signs that said "Islam is mercy."

"As for the monotheism, the Qor'ān clearly states that it is the duty of all Muslims to fight infidel tyranny. While the Christians are People of the Book, this Catholic State has clearly transgressed by killing Believers. Therefore we fight for monotheism and freedom. We have been fighting for freedom for 1500 years before the Socialists and Anarchists existed."

The terrain around us shifted from plains to hills, and Farrokh became visibly tenser. The coastal hills marked the boundary of Latin country, and even within friendly lines it was not unheard of for Catholic snipers to pick off unprotected soldiers. I gripped my seat a little tighter as the driver accelerated. Conflict survival 101: a moving target is harder to hit. Farrokh scanned the horizon for any smoke trails or sudden flashes of light.

A ruined town came into view. Farrokh looked down the scope of his rifle. The telltale yellow flag of the Catholic State was not there, but this meant nothing in the contested guerrilla zones. We broke radio silence.

"Takbir, takbir."

"Allāho akbar! Sheikh Hyder wears a golden crown."

Having received the proper codewords, Farrokh relaxed. He put down his rifle. The truck suddenly swerved, rushing down a dirt road to an empty-looking house. The garage door came to life, and we were rushed inside. A few other bearded men looked at me suspiciously, and Farrokh chattered at them in Persian. Reluctantly, they spoke to me.

"We conduct operations against the Malibiyān (Crusaders) from here." One of the Brigadiers stepped forwards. If Farrokh looked like a seminary student, this one couldn't have been more than a high schooler. He had a taped-up pair of glasses above his patchy beard. "We monitor them with drones. They've gotten very good at hiding from the heat-sensors, but it's impossible to hide their vehicles. We also have seismic sensors. You can publish that for all I care; nothing the Malibiyān can do will shield them from the sensors. The omniscient Eye of God is above us all." He spat his entire rant out in an interrupted burst of speech. It looked as if he had not slept in several days. I was about to ask him to sit down for an interview when an alarm sounded in an unseen part of the house, and he ran off to answer it.

We spent the rest of the day listening to Sufi poetry. Unlike most soldiers I've stayed with, the Brigades didn't play cards or whore around or smoke hashish in their spare time. Drinking was not even within the rnage of possibilities. As far as I know, none of them used uppers, either, although I had my suspicions about the young one. This pervaise boredom, without the relief of practical jokes as the situation was too dangerous, led to two things taking center stage: music and politics.

Each one of the Brigadiers had an opinion on the various Islamic factions within the coalition against the Catholic State. The length of each group's name seemed to be inversely related to the number of members; the Battalions of Islamic Struggle and Martyrdom Commandos (Gordān-e Jehād-e Eslāmi va Fedayān-e Shahādat) had barely two dozen members. Meanwhile the most dangerous foe, at least according to the Brigadiers, was simply called the Rejector (khāreji) movement. Founded around the time of the death of the Prophet, and resurfacing briefly around the 1980s, the nihilist Rejectors were rumored to have once again taken up arms. They declared that anyone -- Muslim or not -- who submitted to secular law or recognized a Caliph or Imam was an unbeliever condemned to death.

The only polity the Brigadiers wouldn't -- or couldn't -- give an opinion on was the República Morisca. The normally frank Brigadiers had to resort to the Persian Way of metaphor and circumlocution. "Rumi said, 'Someone had brought information to Khosrow the Just that an enemy of his had been removed from this world by God the most high. He asked: "Have you heard anything about His intending to spare me?"' Once the Catholic State is destroyed, some elements in Granadita and Ciudad Bética should be very worried, especially if the cause of this destruction is the Islamic uprising. God gives all their just desserts, in this world and the next."

by **North Defese** » Tue Mar 10, 2015 5:07 pm

Royal Guard Reform

15MAR2015

Today the Emperor publicly revealed the reforms of the Royal Guard that have been going on since last week. During the rare personal appearance for the briefing in the Administration Hub, where he touched on things such as the fall in gas prices and his veto of the People's Parliament bill to raise the tax rate, he announced "sweeping reform" to the Royal Guard.

Established first in the Old Empire, the Royal Guard have been protecting the royal dynasties for centuries. Reformed into the House of State Protection during the reign of the Chancellors, they were once more adopted officially as the Royal Guard during the Great Reformation of 2012. Currently the Royal Guard consists of 80 men assigned to ensure the security of the Emperor and his dynasty, which so far consists of his cousin, the Chief Minister. His reform loosens the restrictions on appointments to the Guard. Currently only Prokhor noblemen at least 21 years old are permitted to join the Guard, and candidates are presented by the Great Clans. Tradition has family present sons or daughters, or other close relatives, to the honour of personally guarding the Emperor.

A painting of the royal guard during the time
of the Kingdom. Image published with
permission from the Department of Culture
and the Department of Media Management.

Under the reforms, the Royal Guard will be appointed directly by the Emperor and Office of the Emperor. All Imperial Citizens who achieve the following are eligible for appointment:
1) Achieving the rank of Lieutenant in the Shikovundr, Warrant Officer in the Wayrnja, or being any rank of enlisted Ahtakaskr.
2) Be at least 18 years of age.
3) A clean criminal and civil record.
4) Passing the physical and mental tests and requirements.
5) An eyesight of 20/20, or no worse than 20/70.

Once enlisted they would enter the Royal Guard Training Regime, after which if they pass they would become certified Guardsmen during a swearing in ceremony.

The Royal Guard today.
Published with Permissions.

Along with the requirement changes, the Emperor announced an increase in funding for the Guard as well as swelling of their ranks. By the end of next year, the Royal Guard will consist of 120 men and women, the goal made easier by the loosened restrictions. This number will include the Personal Guard which remain on the Emperor's person, the crew for the Emperor's personal plane dubbed Leviathan and escorting aircraft, the drivers for his motorcade and personal limo Goliath, as well as other support personnel.

The Royal Guard remain the most elite and respected units in the Empire. Even so early in the reestablishment of the monarchy, they crushed the attempted coup of 2014, successfully intercepting an attack on Leviathan with the Boeing VC-25's installed countermeasures and skill of the escorting Su-35's. On the ground, their armoury's full contents are of course classified, but seen by the public so far suggests that the Royal Guard exclusively command several armoured personnel carriers, three Su-35's, and three attack helicopters.

See also:

Controversial MP Dies in Car Accident
Interior Government Condemns Terrorist Attacks in Lanos
Lanos Terrorists "Have A Point", says Foreign Minister
Nasiristan Coup: Does It Really Matter?
People's Parliament Negotiating With Emperor on Tax Rise
Seglandic Refugees "Camping Outside Border Checkpoint", Esperance Yet to Respond

by **Andallion** » Wed Mar 11, 2015 5:30 pm

Corruption! Lies! Deceit!
House Johannes accused of stuffing local ballot box!

A former legal representative of House Johannes has alleged that the Royal House has been using it’s police force to intimidate voters and stuff the ballot boxes to back the Johannic Contingencies Liberal Democratic Party, a centre-right political party within House Johannes territory which has held power in the Contingency government since 1988. House Johannes, which shares a border with the Otulian Federal Republic and has the largest minority of Otulians in the country, has attempted to cover up allegations of vast income inequality amongst Otulians since 2002. The controversy has been long overlooked by the Royal government in Landres.

“The fact is that Otulian communities, especially in the inner cities, are more likely to see an increased poverty, lack of education funding, less police protection and more prosecutions then that Andallic communities,” said the former representative, wishing to remain anonymous.

Court documents, which were leaked by the website OTULIANSFOREVERANDALLICSNEVER.ORG on Thursday revealed that the Johannic government, headed by House Johannes’ Duke, Lord Andrew Johannes, has pocketed the problem, and even directly funded local LDP candidates in exchange for political support.

The documents allege that House officials have accepted CD$520,000 in bribes in exchange for turning a blind eye to the inequality. In recorded conversations with advisers, the appointed Lord Governor, Jean Budreaux, is recorded in saying, “I’m not about to prosecute my funders, they help us out, we help them, and plus, who even cares? I’m not addressing the problem.”

The corruption case extended well beyond the Otulian discrimination, with House Johannes linked to funding Royal Democratic Party candidates, who make up the 3rd largest group of MP’s in the Royal Parliament - a direct criminal offense.

The Royal Ministry of Justice in Landres has refused to take up the issue of House Johannes’ rampant discrimination and corruption. Even the Supreme Court threw out a case (Braussen v. Johannes) in 1999, upholding a Crown Court ruling in which House Johannes was not guilty after being sued by an Otulian for enforcing discriminatory policies on the minority. The Judge presiding on the case was arrested in 2003 for accepting bribes on 7,934 cases from 1988-2003. He was not jailed for the offense.

The issue is to be blamed on the decentralized system in the Andalls. The intricate relationship, especially between House Staryion and House Johannes, is important to maintain, since their 94-year hostile relationship isn’t afraid to boil over into total conflict. An embittered House Johannes would be more than willing to rise up if it had the chance, raising an army

The Johannes Crown Council, the legislative body of the Johannes Crown Contingency, has 60 members in it, in which 56 are members of the Liberal Democratic Party, the other four are members of the Royal Democratic Party. Since 1988, the LDP has held no less that 43 seats, having a majority in the Contingencies Council since then. In the past, LDP officials used a bureaucratic tax system to extract bribes. The government would require a huge upfront tax payment and then withhold the refund companies were legally due. A 2013 nonpartisan report from the RoyalAction think tank found that refunds were more likely to go to “companies connected to the government or those that pay bribes.”

“It’s a shame,” said one Otulian on the street in Landres, which has a long tradition of proud civil rights laws. “We cannot end up like other countries and we need to make a change.”

MP’s at the Parliamentary level are not concerned, as most have returned to their constituencies to campaign and hold on to their seats. The Ministry of Justice and spokespeople for all 4 Royal Houses denied to comment.

by **Otulia** » Wed Mar 11, 2015 6:01 pm

THE FEDERALIST

Rampant discrimination in Andallion reported; Chancellor vows: "These slimy fascist scumbags will suffer the consequences."

REKO, Otulia- Appearing at a press conference following reports that House Johannes, a province of Andallion, had enforced blatant, de jure discrimination against Otulians, the Chancellor vowed to "punish these worthless bourgeoisie fatcats and make them choke on their bloated corpses." The Chancellor said that the "open" bribery and "blatant destruction of democracy and rights for Otulians abroad will not be tolerated in any way, shape or form by this administration."

The Chancellor said that the Parliament "will begin enacting sanctions and punishing the fascist scumbags that have dared to destroy the equality and freedom of our brethren to the north."

According to a statement by the Ministry of Defense, several thousand soldiers of the 8th Airborne Division were being mobilized for "training exercises" along the Andallion border. The move appears to be an attempt to pressure House Johannes into ending their discriminatory policies.

The Ministry of Finance also released a statement, saying that it would begin providing funds to activists and protestors within the country to "stand up for their sacred civil rights."

The Ministry of the Interior further stated that "all Otulians disillusioned with the Johannesian bourgeois democratic system, hellbent on conducting negative class warfare and subverting the rightful and honest proletariat to their fascist wills, are welcome to come to their homeland and prepare to restructure their homes and shape up to turn Andallion once again into a haven for the workers and peasants of our people."

The Chancellor ended the press conference by saying that Foreign Minister Cautious Advance would be asking for an audience with House Staryion, following his visit to Nasiristan.

by **Andallion** » Wed Mar 11, 2015 6:46 pm

King rejects audience of Otulian Foreign Minister
Ministry of Justice to launch investigation into widespread corruption as Royal Army puts 2 more divisions on alert

Appearing at a press conference today, the Chancellor of Otulia vowed to "punish these [as in the Andallic people] worthless bourgeoisie fatcats and make them choke on their bloated corpses." The Chancellor said that the "open" bribery and "blatant destruction of democracy and rights for Otulians abroad will not be tolerated in any way, shape or form by this administration."

The Chancellor ended the press conference by saying that Otulian Foreign Minister Cautious Advance would be asking for an audience with House Staryion, following his visit to Nasiristan. This was also in conjunction with an announcement that several thousand soldiers of the Otulian 8th Airborne Division were being mobilized for "training exercises" along the Andallic border. The move appears to be an attempt to pressure House Johannes into ending their discriminatory policies.

His Majesty, Clovis III, King of the Andalls and Lord of the Realm of the Kingdom of Andallion, rejected an audience with the Foreign Minister Advance, instructing the Otulian Embassy in Landres:

The Otulian government must recognize that it cannot meddle in the internal matters of the Kingdom of the Andallic people. I cannot permit your government to threaten us whilst showing interest in negotiations.

The King also pledged to open an official investigation by the Ministry of Justice into the issue of discrimination.

I cannot confirm or deny the presence of discrimination in a Kingdom that prides itself in civil and political rights. However, Justice Minister Andrew Robert Bastaeu will order an official investigation into the alleged, yet unlikely, activities of House Johannes.

A spokesperson for House Johannes denied any involvement by House Johannes in the discrimination, stating that House Johannes is fully pledged to civil rights for all, including immigrants.

The Johannes Crown Council delayed considering a resolution that opposed segregation within the Contingency, with representatives voting to to send the resolution to a committee rather than consider its merits. Resolution sponsor Andrew Creupen (LDP) told the Landres Sunday Tribune the vote ensured no one would have to be listed as voting against the symbolic measure.

The King also ordered 2 more divisions to be activated in response to the Otulian government announcing military exercises, increasing the number of soldiers from 15,000 to 45,000, to patrol the Kingdom's border with Otulia.

by **North Defese** » Fri Mar 13, 2015 2:41 am

Parliament Breaches Covenant; Independent Coalition Party Dissolved

13MAR2015

Five Members of Parliament have been detained by Cadeyrn Police after a particularly heated session of Parliament. The MP's, all of them members of the Independent Coalition which currently holds 10 out of 116 seats, were arrested after turning the debate over an increase in the national tax rate into a debate about the government's interpretation of the Covenant. Head Spokeswoman of the Independent Coalition Jekaterina Maryana was among the detained.

During the debate Jekaterina questioned the Parliament's interpretation of the Covenant, making her opening line Article III Section 1 of the Rights of the Citizen.

People's Parliament Building.
Published with permissions.

"The ability to act according to one's will without being physically hindered [...] is the true liberty of man," she told the assembled parliament, "but are we not being hindered? Our chains may not be visible, but we are nevertheless restrained by the forces of absolutism. Twice our proposals to the Emperor have been rejected..."

She continued to state her grievances with the Sovereign, during which several other members attempted to shout her down.

"It is the belief of myself and my party that the Emperor is in breach of Article I, Section 1b of the Covenant in his refusal to consider the majority decision of the Citizen,"

She was unable to continue as an uproar and threats from fellow MP's brought functioning to a stalemate, during which several Ind. MP's assaulted other staff present until guards were called in to restore order. The session was eventually cut short by House Speaker Abram Varfolomey, Old Guard party member and Prokhor of Clan Varfolomey.

Local police were called in and the responsible Ind. MP's were arrested. As well as this, Chief Minister Oksana Gradysk announced that the Independent Coalition is dissolved by order of the Emperor.

"Due to their glaring misunderstanding of the Covenant," Oksana of Clan Gradysk told reporters, "we can no longer trust the Coalition to represent the Commonwealth or to act under the advisement of the Emperor."

Under this ban, all Coalition members have been removed from office, and none may run for the ballot under that party. A snap election for the 10 missing seats will be held March 16th.

Jekaterina nor the other arrested MP's were not allowed to comment after her arrest. They are reported by the Chief Minister to be held for six months, after which a tribunal will determine their guilt.

See also:

Several Gerlotion Towns Liberated in New Offensive
Lanosian Embassy Closes; Ambassador "Feels Unsafe"
Emperor Nears Graduation
Navy Reaches Julian; War Games Underway
Heat Wave Strikes, Temperature Reaches 100 For First Time
Albion Wine Banned: Discovered to Suppress Testosterone

by **Estoni** » Fri Mar 13, 2015 11:29 am

Estoni Today

The President Speaks

For the first time in nearly a month President Hendrik Toomas has been seen in public and directly addressed the nation rather than releasing a statement through his spokesman. For weeks now rumors have raged suggesting the President himself had been killed or deposed in a military coup or had fled the nation under threat from his own intelligence service. But this morning he gave an address from his study in the Presidential Palace in Majevica.

In a short speech the President attacked those elements of the media and society who were sowing discontent within the nation and called for national unity in face of the myriad problems facing the nation. He attacked the separatists in the east while calling upon those who have taken up arms in the north to not turn upon their fellow countrymen but to face the true enemies of the state.

He asked the leaders of these groups to meet with him or his representatives to discuss their concerns and to turn their anger against the true enemies of the nation. Most commentators have interpreted this as a call for further volunteers to join government forces in Segland and a select few have believed it is a subtle call for an increased ethnic cleansing of Kulgrinden separatists.

President Toomas called upon the MPs who crossed the floor to rethink their priorities and to return to the government coalition and asked the police to investigate links between government officials and organized crime. He claimed to be in possesion of information linking senior figures to major drug and arms smuggling groups. Many have said the President is using this as an opportunity to purge unfaithful elements especially former Defense Minister Ratko Lazic from the political scene.

He went on to mention a deal had been reached with officials from Esperance International to provide food and other aid to refugees in the north who have fled the fighting in Segland. Almost 1000 personnel will arrive to provide aid in the troubled region but whether the convoys will be allowed to pass by paramilitaries is another matter.

by **Segland** » Fri Mar 13, 2015 4:53 pm

The Seglandic People's Herald

Scientists confirm anthrax was disseminated by missiles

PETROMUNDI, Segland - The city of Hau Lairsti, a suburb of Petromundi, is under lockdown by Confederate soldiers after a ballistic missile attack utilizing warheads with anthrax. One of the missiles is reported to have exploded in the atmosphere, leading scientists to fear widespread contamination.

A number of unusual but related cases at the Petromundi hospital in the days following the missile attack prompted the Confederate Army to deploy a team of scientists to take samples in the area around the city. The samples confirmed the presence of anthrax spores in the soil, particularly at Hau Lairsti.

The biological fallout threatens the nations of Poldania and Estoni as well, according to Dr. Narund Yoste, a prominent epidemiologist at Hangen University. "If severe countermeasures are not immediately taken by all governments in the area, hundreds of thousands of individuals may die," he said.

The fact that the National Socialist government possesses the capability to use biological agents in missiles suggests an advanced biowarfare program. Many Seglanders, even in Ryutsvaag, are outraged that weapons of mass destruction were being secretly manufactured by the government.

The current death toll attributed to the anthrax is 38, with that number expected to grow exponentially in the coming days. The People's Herald will continue to bring uncensored news on the matter.

by **Poldania** » Fri Mar 13, 2015 6:34 pm

BREAKING: Anthrax threat in the west
Parts of Vestland to be evacuated following bioweapon attack in Segland

March 13, 2015

OSTENT, Vestland - A missile reportedly carrying anthrax has detonated over the Seglandic city of Hau Lairsti, near the border with Poldania. While no infections have yet been reported outside the city, officials say the airborne pathogen could be blown east into Vestland or beyond.

The government has ordered an evacuation of all Poldanians within one hundred miles of the border to the nearest hospital or military base. Anyone who begins to experience acute flu-like or other severe symptoms is to remain in their residence, as well as those in close contact with them, and should contact their local healthcare office for special transportation to a treatment facility.

Furthermore, all healthcare and military personnel not already vaccinated against the disease will be receiving the vaccine immediately. The Department of Defense keeps stockpiles of anthrax vaccines for such emergencies, but said it does not have enough to vaccinate the entire population. Citizens are advised, however, that it is extremely unlikely that the disease will spread beyond the initial area, as anthrax rarely spreads from person to person.

President Cesare has declared a state of emergency in Vestland, and has ordered the mobilization of forces in the area to maintain order and assist in humanitarian operations in the state. Additional missile defense systems will be moved to the border in order to provide advanced warning in the event of another bioweapon strike.

Property of the Union Broadcasting Agency of the Department of Information and Education. Redistribution of this article or its contents without attribution is illegal.

by **Acroticus** » Fri Mar 13, 2015 7:17 pm

Chemical Weapons Used in Segland
Government of Acroticus Responds, Loudly

Therinia, Acroticus - The war in Segland has taken a wrong turn, Acotician government officials have said. This in response to recent reports that suggest the use of chemical in Segland has killed dozens of people. An official close to the Department of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that there was an explosion in the atmosphere near the city of Petromundi. Reports from the region have further confirmed hospital cases resembling those of people exposed to anthrax. Currently, the number exposed is unknown.

The neighboring nation of Poldania has also begun to evacuate its western territory of Vestland for fear of the effects of the nearby explosion. President Cesare of Poldania declared a state of emergency, leading some Acrotician officials to believe that the spread of the released anthrax is likely to extend beyond Segland's western border.

The government of Acroticus was quick to respond. Earlier today, the Department of Foreign Affairs released a statement denouncing the attacks and calling for a temporary cease fire in the conflict, while the details of the attack come to light. The Secretary of Foreign Affairs himself spoke in Magna Adera today, expressing his personal belief in the proliferation of chemical weapons region-wide.

"Chemical warefare the most despicable form of conflict that has ever existed," Secretary Stasi Piscatores said. "We at the Department of Foreign Affairs call on all combatants in Segland to refuse the use of any form of chemical weapons."

Secretary Piscatores was not the only one to call out the combatants in Segland. Both Praetors met today on the steps of the Charrea and spoke out against the violence in the region. Praetor Arriston Andros, however, gave more than a symbolic call for peace. On the steps of the Senate, the 81 year old Praetor called on the Aderan Republic's ally Defese to intervene in the regional conflict to ensure stability and an end to any chemical warfare.

"It is necessary to determine who is behind this atrocious act," the Praetor said. "That is why I am asking our ally Defese to mount an investigation into what caused this attack... and which group in the region has supported this act. Defese... should take... any and all necessary steps to ensure that another attack like this never happens again."

Praetor Andros continued to offer help in evacuating any territory to the government of Poldania.

The government of Defese was unavailable for comment.

Other News

Today, Senator Aggrildus's education bill was defeated in the Curia for the third time during his tenor. The Senator released a statement, denouncing the amount of money spent in the Acrotician education system, and the amount of waste... Read More

Earlier this week, the Garren Andros, the Praetor's youngest son, resigned his position as Deputy Secretary of Infrastructure. The 47 year old bureaucrat had been appointed only two years ago after a failed bid to become a Senator... Read More

by **Otulia** » Fri Mar 13, 2015 8:20 pm

THE FEDERALIST

NEWSWIRE

Anthrax Found in Segland!

OSTENT, Vestland- In dramatic events unfolding today, the Seglandic People's Herald reported that the Republican government in Ryutsvaag has deployed anthrax bombs against their own citizens, with possibly massive casualties, which some experts say could exceed 1 million. Here in Ostent, the atmosphere is also very nervous and extremely tense, as the Poldanian federal government has ordered numerous inhabitants to evacuate beyond a 150km radius of the recent anthrax attack.

Professor Tulmik of the University of Reko dismissed claims that the pathogen could spread to Otulia. "We're confident that the anthrax virus cannot possibly reach Otulia, by any stretch of the imagination, it's simply too far to spread."

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that it would send "all necessary humanitarian aid" to help the rebels in "countering this deplorable action by the Seglandic government." New Vice-Chancellor Breathless Cloud has announced that Parliament is ready to appropriate up to Tl8 million to help in relief efforts to clear the anthrax from Segland.

Ministry of Defense Deescalates: "We don't want a war with Andallion"

REKO, Otulia- Announcing today that it fully intended to "prevent a war with our northern neighbor," the Minister of Defense announced that the number of paratroopers stationed on the border with Andallion would be reduced from 9,000 to 2,500 by next month, in an attempt to "stop a crisis from emerging and to encourage better, more constructive diplomacy with the Kingdom.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that it intends to continue pressing for a meeting with the House Staryion, and wants to "help the federal government in ending these horrific abuses." Vice-Chancellor Cloud called the discrimination Otulians face "apalling" and that "more needs to be done to bring House Johannes into line." Parliament is expected to approve a sanctions bill against the House Johannes Crown Council, several members of the judiciary, and various members of the local royal family.

Parliament approves MoD appropriations: Intervention in Nasiristan expected

BASHIR, Nasiristan- The Otulian Chargé D'Affaires here in Nasiristan announced that Parliament had notified the Consulate that "roughly Tl5 billion" had been appropriated for additional Ministry of Defense operations, including carrier and long-range bomber actions. The appropriations bill, which passed 563-187 in the Chamber, was signed by Chancellor Regrets this morning. The appropriations will be used immediately, to mobilize the OFS Felicity, a carrier, 8 destroyers, and 15 frigates for indefinite duty off the Nasiristani coast. The Felicity will come armed with 60 combat aircraft. The appropriations also provide funding for bombing runs by the country's 3 long-range bombers. The step is seen as a way to begin preparing for the April 2nd deadline, after which Parliament is expected to approve a declaration of war and conduct full-blown military operations against the rebel government of El-Basir.

by **Estoni** » Sat Mar 14, 2015 11:53 am

Estoni Today

Lanosian Charged in Bijeljina Murders

In an unforeseeable move two members of the Lanosian military have been charged with the murders of Slobodan and Loretka Selselj in Bijeljina last month. The old farming couple had been brutally tortured by their killers before dying of their injuries. Seglandic refugees were originally blamed for the murder but the police failed to make headway.

However intelligence sources revealed that Lanosian soldiers inside Segland had been training the terrorists there and in a daring operation two of these despicable men were seized and extracted to Majevica where they were questioned by the Internal Police. It was decided by both police and the national prosecutor that there was enough evidence to charge the men and their trial will begin tomorrow.

The Lanosian Embassy has been contacted to inform them oft eh trial of their nationals and they have been invited to provide consular assistance. Further reading can be found here... http://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=333834

In other news the government has ordered people to remain inside for a minimum of 20 hours of the day after the alleged chemical weapons attacks inside Segland. Livestock is to remain inside barns and must be tested before being slaughtered.

And finally the government has reissued call up papers to the first reserves. This is presumed to be in preparation for an intervention into the troubled regions of Segland potentially in conjunction with our allies in the Agenor Coalition although some have claimed the government is still in panic and trying to counter coup attempts.

by **North Defese** » Sat Mar 14, 2015 3:16 pm

BIOLOGICAL ATTACK
MAINLAND THREATENED

14MAR2015

In a horrifying turn of events, reports given to this studio detail that scientists have confirmed a biological weapon to have been detonated in the atmosphere by the Seglander government. The weapon was detonated near the western border of Segland, and evacuations have been reported to be underway in areas assumed to be possibly affected in both Estoni and Poldania. Immediately following reports of a possible anthrax attack, the Interior Government assumed an emergency session and defenses on the Seglandic border had their alert levels raised.

Biological Response Team attached to
the 4th Division.
Published with permission from DMM.

This studio is permitted to detail that after the attack was confirmed, several squads of Ahtakaskr, special forces, have been dispatched into Seglandic territory to seize missile launchers and other possible sites of threat near the Imperial border. Details provided say that there has been sporadic resistance, but so far 70% of all known sites have been seized within the last 24 hours with minimum casualties. Along with this, Biological Response Teams have been mobilized, and are preparing to move to seized Seglandic sites to secure and dismantle any biological or biochemical weapon. Teams are also preparing to set up monitoring centers in the Mainland, along with independent scientists to provide early warning and quick response to a possible biological attack on urban centers in the Empire, as well as a reactivation of Civil Defense in the eastern Districts to provide training and information to Citizens in possible target areas.

Responding to the crisis, the Emperor has dispatched an announcement ordering a general mobilization in the Shikovundr. The 4th and 3rd Divisions, both stationed near the Seglandic border, are being fully mobilized and kept on alert. These Divisions saw combat in the 2014 Seglandic conflict, and the Emperor has put his trust in them to secure the Commonwealth from any possible aggression.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced a state visit from Acroticus by two high level Acroticus officials, who will be met by Foreign Minister Laverenti Vaska and the Chief Minister Oksana Gradysk. They will deliberate on a response to the crisis while the Agenor Coalition begins their emergency summit to outline a united plan to deal with the Seglandic issue.

See also:

Civil Defense: More Relevant Than Ever
Parliament Passes Emergency Embargo on Gusts of Wind from Segland
Royal Guard Install SAM on Roof of Imperial Palace; "Just a Precaution"
Aurinsulan Pork & Rice Becomes New Favourite Dish of Defesian Homes
Independent Coalition Struck from Ballots; Illegal Protests Dispersed
Andallion: Friends, or Foes?

by **Gvozdevsk** » Sat Mar 14, 2015 10:14 pm

Biological attack in Segland condemned, prompts fears at home
March 14th, 2015

Gvozdevski Army soldiers in CBRN equipment. The recent attack in Segland prompted a national CBRN response exercise

Yesterday, Segland's civil war took a turn for the worse as a ballistic missile attack was carried out by the Seglandic government. The missiles were confirmed to be carrying a payload of anthrax by Seglandic sources.

Although the anthrax in Segland has no chance of reaching Gvozdevsk, the attack still prompted fears at home. "We have, within our own country, terrorist groups that could potentially manufacture or otherwise acquire chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear material and use it in an attack on Gvozdevski citizens. This attack in Segland is something we must not allow to happen on Gvozdevski soil." A spokesperson for the Ministry of Internal Affairs said in an interview with Gvozdevski Broadcasting Corporation. These fears are not unfounded, as several Indian Warrior Brotherhood chemical attacks had been foiled in recent years.

A nation-wide CBRN response exercise began today following news of the attack in Segland. Armed Forces, Internal Troops, law enforcement and medical personnel are all involved. The exercise requires operations in major urban areas over the next week but a Ministry of Defence spokesperson claims the disruption to day to day life for the average Gvozdevski citizen will be minimal.

As for the attack in Segland, the Seglandic government was harshly condemned in the Duma and by President Saburova. Both the Duma and President called for the Seglandic government to destroy their chemical and biological weapons, lest they fall in the wrong hands as a result of national instability, while condemning such an attack on civilian populace as "barbaric and savage, an act not fit for civilized nations in the 21st century."

Rumors are circulating that the Gvozdevski Armed Forces may take part in an intervention in Segland as part of the Agenor Coalition, although nothing has yet to be confirmed. However, representatives have been sent to an emergency summit of the organization in order to deliberate on a plan to deal with the Seglandic crisis.

by **Poldania** » Sun Mar 15, 2015 1:25 pm

Anthrax kills 19 in Vestland
President promises justice for victims of Seglandic attack

March 15, 2015

OSTENT, Vestland - The deadly pathogen released by Segland's loyalist regime in a missile strike against rebel forces has claimed its first victims in Poldania, despite the government's immediate emergency response.

So far, 19 Vestland residents have died as a result of anthrax infection, with hundreds more suspected victims in hospitals. The surprisingly quick advance of the disease has led some to suspect Segland of using a modified strain of the bacterium. In its natural form, anthrax has a 50% fatality rate and infections typically last about one week.

Officials say it is too early to know whether the bacterium has been modified, and military experts say that anthrax is naturally deadly enough that it would not be worth the expense of modifying.

In a brief television appearance, President Cesare assured that nation that the infection will not spread far, and promised justice for the victims in Vestland, saying, "Those responsible for this cowardly and horrific attack will be made to face the consequences of their actions. They have committed crimes against their own people, against the laws of war, against the inviolable sovereignty of Poldania, and against all humanity."

The secretary of state has been dispatched to an emergency meeting of the Agenor Coalition.

Anthrax, which is naturally found in herbivores, such as cows, and only spreads to humans through close contact or meat consumption, has been eliminated from Poldania by modern agricultural and food safety regulations.

As a precaution, all farm animals in areas with reported anthrax cases are ordered destroyed. The militia will provide incineration services.

Health officials remind concerned citizens that anthrax cannot be spread by humans, but the environment in which they contracted the disease may still contain deadly spores. In particular, clothes, bedding, and other porous or fibrous materials should be handed over to authorized personnel for safe destruction. Your nearest healthcare facility or pharmacy will have breathing protection available at no cost.

Property of the Union Broadcasting Agency of the Department of Information and Education. Redistribution of this article or its contents without attribution is illegal.

by **Mediterreania** » Sun Mar 15, 2015 3:06 pm

LATINITAS GLOBALIS (Lingua Latina) | GLOBAL LATINITY (English) | .لاتین جهانی. (زبان فارسی) | LLATINITAT GLOBAL (Dialecte de la Delta) | LATINITÁ GLOBALE (Dialetto di Lvsca)

Mediterranean Refugee Bill Passes Luscan Council Despite Opposition

SEDVLA - A bill to resolve the growing refugee crisis in Lusca, known as the "Lex De Fvgis Ex Mediterraneo," has passed the Great Council and is awaiting the approval of the Council of Ten. This comes as a great disappointment to the fragile coalition between the Illuminationsts and Terrafirmists, led by the firebrand Francesco Caravello. If the bill is approved by the Council of Ten, tens of thousands of Mediterranean refugees fleeing the conflict with the so-called Catholic State would face the risk of deportation from the Luscan islands. If the bill does not pass the Council of Ten or the Dux, the Great Council could defund the refugee camps and force the Dogana to deport their inhabitants.

Profvgi Mvsvlmaniqve in Charace. Photographvs Ricardvs Sanctorvm.

Refugees in Lusca fall under the authority of the Dogana (Customshouse), a branch of the Navy. Most enter the country through the Latin Coast settlements of Castra Ansae and Charax, where they are held in temporary camps awaiting transfer to a permanent camp on island of Landita. (The camps at Landita were built during the 1990s by the Office of Emergency Management for disaster relief.) A few fortunati hold Luscan residency or citizenship; they are allowed to proceed to the main islands. For the others, there is no long-term plan. An estimated 150,000 mainland Mediterraneans have gone through this process since 2012, while another 10,000 are suspected to be living as illegal immigrants.

The Lex De Fvgis, proposed by Iacobo Manino of the conservative Patria party, would order the Dogana to halt the process of transfer to Landita. The Dogana would be compelled to either naturalize or deport all residents of the Landita camp by 2020. Local commanders at the Latin Coast settlements would have full responsibility over the temporary camps. So-called "ratvlarii," or "boat people," would be granted conditional temporary amnesty if caught on land. Ratvlarii captured at sea would be left at Daryāshahr in Free Assembly territory. As a concession to the Terrafirmists, the bill also calls for a commission to investigate the possibility of transferring police powers over the Latin Coast settlements from the Navy to the Army.

Caravello, with his usual rhetorical flair, denounced the bill as a "criminal waste of resources" and an "attack on natural rights." He added, however, that the internment of refugees on Landita is by no means a permanent solution and that free immigration is necessary for a free market society. Antonius Paulus, his newfound ally among the Terrafirmist faction, added that the bill is "a stab in the back of our mainland brothers." The Illuminationists, who seek liberal and free market reforms, and the Terrafirmists, who seek a restoration of the Luscan colonial empire, are recently allies in the face of the confrontation with the "naval clique." The two parties are now proposing a rival bill to pre-emptively grant citizenship to any Latin-speaking Mediterranean who applies.

Outside of the parliamentary opposition, reactions were mixed. Michaela Assania, exiled leader of the outlawed Anarchist Front, claimed responsibility for a letterbomb sent to the Dogana headquarters. No injuries were reported. Meanwhile, supporters of Patria held a demonstration in favor of the bill outside the Grand Council building in Sedula. General Shahrbāni, leader of the Army of the Free Assembly and spokesman for various mainland groups, expressed "dismay" that the Luscan Republic was "not willing to contribute its fair share to the refugee crisis" but added that his forces would "cooperate fully" with repatriation efforts. In the Moorish Republic, the offices of the President and the Foreign Ministry offered no comment.

by **Andallion** » Sun Mar 15, 2015 5:24 pm

Sanctions approved against Otulia
Treasury freezes Otulian investments in Andallion as Royal Family and government withdrawals investments from Otulia

The vote for H.M.R.P.R. #45123 passed 109 - 12.

Nearly one week after the Otulian Parliament introduced a sanctions bill against House Johannes, Foreign Minister Jean d'Aulle and Prime Minister Harold Umbrich have announced that the Royal Parliament in secret session has passed what is the first imposition of sanctions because of what he called Otulia's “brazen” violations of a cool course of action.

“We know with certainty that Otulia will do nothing but attempt to hurt us and see us bleed before we give in,” Minister d'Aulle said at the start of the press conference. “We’re not going to sit there and be part of this kind of extraordinarily craven behavior at the expense of the sovereignty and integrity of our Kingdom.”

The bill gave the Prime Minister and his cabinet full authority and autonomy to pass sanctions on what "was necessary for the integrity of the King and the Andalls."

After the meeting, Minister d'Aulle told reporters that “a step of serious, punitive sanctions” were being weighed, and he added that he expected the Coalition government to make a decision on what steps to take in the next few days. Minister d'Aulle did not provide any examples of what sanctions might be chosen or when they might take effect.

Minister d'Aulle said the Coalition government had sought to target sanctions so they would influence the Otulian leadership without hurting the Otulian public. But in a clear warning to Chancellor Regrets, Minister d'Aulle said that sanctions would have a broader effect if they are required to be stepped up, which could lead to more questioning at home of Chancellor Thoughtful Regret's policies.

National Labour politicians drafted the proposal. The Conservative party, which traditionally shies away from punitive measures like sanctions, voted in favor of it.

Otulias ambassador to Andallion criticized the timing of the measure, which he called “counterproductive” at a time when tensions are rising. “What the president and government of Otulia need is encouragement, not condemnation,” he said.

by **Esperance International** » Tue Mar 17, 2015 2:37 pm

Esperance News Network

GLOBAL HEALTH COMMISSION CONFIRMS
WEAPONIZED ANTHRAX USE IN SEGLAND

By: Fujiwara Hatsuyo
17 March 2015

Petromundi, Segland – Drawing on extensive field tests and laboratory analysis, the Global Health Commission of Esperance International has today confirmed that weaponized anthrax was unleashed in the northern Seglandic suburb of Hau Lairsti. The Global Health Commission has also released both grim predictions concerning the consequences of the anthrax attack for much of northern Segland, and a comprehensive plan for relief, treatment, and decontamination operations in at-risk areas.

Civil war broke out early this year in the Seglandic Republic, a fascist state in central Agenor, when thirteen of the republic's states declared their secession from Segland and seized several important cities. The conflict has already caused mass civilian casualties, due primarily to the fascist government’s use of airstrikes and artillery bombardment against civilian population centers. The rebels are also suspected of organizing a campaign of ideological cleansing aimed at murdering or exiling fascist supporters. The conflict has several times threatened to draw in neighboring nations and spark a regional war, and the Commission of Inquiry has repeatedly stated that it suspects the Republic of Lanos and the People’s Republic of Estoni, among others, of having provided illegal support to combatants in the civil war. For its part, Esperance International drafted a plan for international action known as the Roadmap for Peace, which aimed to protect aid operations, document crimes against humanity, and bring economic and diplomatic pressure to bear in order to facilitate a ceasefire. The Roadmap had won broad international support by the end of February.

Esperance International field investigators arrived in Hair Laisti within days of the
anthrax attacks.

On 13 March, the pro-Confederate Seglandic People’s Herald reported that ballistic missiles bearing anthrax-laden warheads had struck the city of Hau Lairsti, a suburb within the Petromundi metropolitan area in Confederate-held northern Segland. Scietnists associated with Confederate claimed to have found anthrax spores in the soil in the Hau Lairsti area, and blamed the attack on the fascist government. So far, there has been no comment from Ryutsvaag.

The story was immediately picked up by international news outlets, and prompted a variety of responses. The Otulian government vowed to provide funding for relief operations, while Praetor Andros of Acrotius called on the Defesian Empire to launch an investigation and the Gvozdevski Armed Forces launched a surprise readiness exercise. Defese launched special operations raids against Seglandic missile launch sites and readied thousands of troops along its border. Poldania, which has already suffered more than a dozen deaths from anthrax spores blown east by the prevailing winds, began an emergency vaccination campaign and issued a sequence of inconsistent public-health advisories ranging from self-quarantine to the destruction of contaminated bedding. The Agenor Council has met in emergency session to discuss armed intervention in the Seglandic Civil War.

In the immediate aftermath of the attack, a team of inspectors from Esperance International’s Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological Non-Proliferation Task Force was dispatched to Hau Lairsti in order to conduct an independent assessment of the situation. They discovered two impact craters from ballistic missiles, and high concentrations of atmospheric anthrax spores throughout the Petromundi area, suggesting that a third missile was detonated in the skies above the city. Their work in collecting samples and conducting reading formed the basis for analysis by the Acute Epidemiology Laboratory on New Prospect, and that analysis led to the release today of the Global Health Commission’s Report and Response Plan for Biological Weapons Use in Northern Segland.

The report confirmed beyond a shadow of a doubt that anthrax has been used as a weapon of war in Hau Lairsti. It further confirmed, based on analysis of metal fragments left over from the destroyed ballistic missiles that carried the anthrax, that the fascist government in Ryutsvaag was responsible for the attack. “Absent all political bias,” the report concluded, “there exists overwhelming objective evidence that the regime of Chancellor Heinrich Mueller has attempted the murder of more than a million Seglandic citizens through the use of biological weapons of mass destruction.”

The report also confirmed that three missiles were used. Two struck Hau Lairsti directly, while the third detonated over the city. Each warhead carried approximately twenty-five trillion anthrax spores. The report cautioned, however, that spores must be present in very high concentrations in order to cause death or serious illness; pulmonary anthrax requires a person to inhale between ten to twenty thousand anthrax spores. Analysis also revealed that the anthrax used in the attack had been modified at the genetic level to make it more lethal; this new strain has never before been seen, and so the Global Health Commission has asserted that it must have been engineered within the borders of the Seglandic Republic itself.

Thousands of patients infected by anthrax spores have already flooded hospitals
across northeastern Segland.

In the report, the Global Health Commission outlined four zones that would be affected by the anthrax attack to different extents. Zone A, limited to Hau Lairsti itself, is expected to suffer mass casualties and is so contaminated that it is impossible even to enter it safely without full protective gear. Zone B, comprising the larger Petromundi area, is highly contaminated and unsafe for human habitation; remaining in Zone B is likely to cause swift infection and death. Zone C, including most of northeastern Segland, is at risk because prevailing winds in the Petromundi area blow east, carrying the spores from the atmospherically detonated missile along with them. But spore concentration in Zone C is expected to be lower, and it will take time for spores to settle and build up. Finally, Zone D includes the rest of eastern Segland and much of Vestland in Poldania; while lethal concentrations of anthrax spores in this region will be fairly low, widespread illness can be expected from lower-concentration infections, and in the absence of prompt medical treatment, such illnesses can eventually prove deadly.

“Without a proper humanitarian response to provide vaccinations and prophylactic antibiotics to at-risk persons, treat infected patients, and decontaminate affected areas,” warned the report, “the maximum possible death toll from this attack could exceed a million. Even with a fully funded, prompt humanitarian response supported by the international community as a whole, it is likely that the Hau Lairsti anthrax attack will be a contributing factor in at least a quarter of a million deaths.”

Anthrax is a bacterium that has historically been most prevalent in herbivores and that spreads to humans through contact or meat consumption. But it also exists as endospores, tiny particles which can remain dormant for decades under even the harshest conditions. These spores are distributed in vast numbers by the detonation of an anthrax warhead, and when enough of them are inhaled, they build up in the lymph nodes and multiply into active bacteria. Ultimately, the lymph nodes rupture, releasing the disease into the bloodstream, where it leads to widespread cell death and the swift death of the patient. Symptoms include flu-like symptoms, but the coughing of thick, dark blood is a key sign of anthrax infection and should always be taken very seriously.

Anthrax is not spread from human to human except through close contact with infected blood. As a result, the disease’s spread is limited to areas where spores can be carried in sufficiently dense concentrations to cause dangerous infection. Quarantines are therefore counterproductive and dangerous as a way of treating anthrax, though great care should always be taken around the body fluids of those infected. Basic safety measures, including respirators or even surgical masks, can significantly lower infection rates. Analysis by the Acute Epidemiology Laboratory of samples of the anthrax used in Hau Lairsti has shown that vaccination and high doses of prophylactic antibiotics are also effective at preventing infection by this weaponized strain. One of the primary recommendations of the Global Health Commission report is for countries to donate as many anthrax vaccines as they can spare in order to allow Esperance International aid workers to inoculate at-risk persons in Zones C and D, where spore concentration is still rising. Where vaccines are unavailable, prophylactic doses of standard prescription antibiotics can help prevent the disease from gaining a foothold within the human body.

The Global Health Commission also outlined an ambitious plan for an international response to the humanitarian crisis created by the anthrax attack on Hau Lairsti.”We are formally calling on the international community,” High Commissioner Catherine Gladwell announced in a statement this morning, “and on both sides in the Seglandic Civil War, to cooperate fully with Esperance International recommendations and lend their support to relief operations throughout the affected area.”

The evacuation of contaminated areas of Segland, while necessary in order to save
lives, is expected to produce a refugee crisis on a historic scale.

The planned response includes the assignment of almost ten thousand relief workers to the Petromundi area, who will be responsible for evacuating almost a million Seglanders from Zone B; anyone remaining within twenty kilometers of Hau Lairsti risks infection from the contaminated environment. The cooperation of Confederate forces will be needed in order to perform this evacuation, and very large refugee camps will need to be established in neighboring countries to accommodate the evacuees. Once the evacuation is complete, the report calls for “the largest decontamination operation in the history of Aeneas”: an effort to cleanse every inch of the Petromundi metropolitan area of anthrax spores through the use of bleach, chlorine dioxide, and decontamination foam.

Additionally, the report recommends that another ten thousand Esperance International aid workers be assigned to administer millions of anthrax vaccinations and prophylactic antibiotic cocktails to the entire population of northeastern Segland, where prevailing winds are likely to carry high concentrations of anthrax spores. It is crucial, the Global Health Commission stresses, that this preventive campaign be carried out in a matter of days, not weeks – before anthrax spores flood the affected region in high concentrations.

Finally, the Commission report advises that Esperance International boost both funding and personnel assigned to supporting medical care across much of eastern Segland and western Poldania, in regions where anthrax spore concentrations will not be catastrophically high but will nonetheless be sufficient to threaten old people, children, and those already ill with serious illness. Supporting existing medical infrastructure, the report claims, “will keep these treatable cases from combining with preexisting medical issues to create a regional health crisis.”

The Global Health Commission, together with the Office of the High Commissioner, has called on the international community to support these relief efforts through cash donations; donations of anthrax vaccines, antibiotics, and decontamination agents; and the application of diplomatic pressure upon both sides in the Seglandic Civil War in order to convince them to support the peaceful evacuation of the Petromundi metropolitan area. “We are truly grateful,” said High Commissioner Gladwell in her statement this morning, “for the assistance of our many valued friends and partners across the region. It will be essential in the coming days.”

The Commission of Inquiry yesterday announced that it has launched an investigation aimed at uncovering who was specifically accountable for the anthrax attacks. Anonymous sources within the Commission claim to be in possession of promising leads in the search for those responsible, but declined to comment further.

“There is struggle ahead,” warned Catherine Gladwell this morning, “and great suffering, and much death. But the Seglandic people are proud and courageous, and the governments of Aeneas are wise and compassionate, and together we will endure this crisis, and hold its worst effects in check, and one day Petromundi will again be filled with the voices of children and the sound of laughter. We will stand as one human family, hand in hand - and we will prevail.”

OTHER NEWS

Otulia-Andallion Tensions Continue to Rise [ 3795 ]
Esperance International Scientists Ambushed in Northern Defese [ 1236 ]
Agenor’s Quiet Tragedy: Estoni in Meltdown [ 13,240 ]
Agenor Coalition Weighs Military Action in Segland [ 7103 ]
Gladwell Slams Mediterranean Refugee Law as “Criminally Negligent” [ 6087 ]

by **Mediterreania** » Tue Mar 17, 2015 2:56 pm

OOC: Names are spelled differently because the Workers' Party uses a Turkish-style romanization of Persian.

ENGLISH
ZABĀN-E FĀRSI (LĀTIN-NEVESHTEH)
زبان فارسی
LINGVA LATINA
Αχαϊκή γλώσσα

INDEPENDENCE - A workers' newspaper for a workers' republic

Reactionary Coup in Nasirestān! Border Militias Mobilized!

An attempted coup by reactionary field marshal Karim Basir, backed by the landlords and capitalists of Nasirestān, is underway. The so-called Revolutionary Guard has seized the capital city of Vahat, forcing the democratically-elected President Hosseini to flee to the city of Bashir. Most of the professional armed forces have pledged their loyalty to Basir, but the people of Bashir have formed popular militias in defense of their democracy. In response, the Mediterranean Workers' Party has called for solidarity demonstrations and militia mobilizations along the Nasiri border. Several brigades of regular artillery are on high alert.

Hosseini, a national-capitalist, was the first democratically-elected leader of Nasirestān since the fall of the feudal-theocrat Ebrāhim ebn-Musā. The nation had previously been governed by a transitional council since 2011. Hosseini had made himself an enemy of the billionare Meshāl Sobā'i, whom Basir has declared Emir, by promising to nationalize his lucrative holdings in the bauxite and cobaltite mines. Neither side has promised to turn the mines over to workers' control. Nonetheless, the Workers' Party has declared its support for the democratically-elected government again ultracapitalist gangsterism.

Workers' Party militias rallying in the border town of Halabjeh.

Basir's forces, led by the infamous fundamentalist Āqel Hakem, are advancing north along the Bābel-Asad river valley. Government bombardment has reportedly delayed the advance, although these reports remain uncomfirmed. The Revolutionary Guard and military forces aligned with the coup have an advantage in number of trained officers, but the loyalist military forces have greater numbers of armor and aircraft. In addition, President Hosseini enjoys greater popular support. Whatever his chances of success, Basir's hopes for a quick coup are unlikely to be realized.

An emergency meeting of the Central Committee has called for the immediate mobilization of militias in the border cantons of Kāmyārān, Halabjeh, and Sorān. In addition, the Committee has placed the 3rd, 5th and 8th Field Artillery Brigades on high alert. None of these forces are authorized to cross into Nasiri territory; such an authorization requires a popular referendum, and is tantamount to a declaration of war. A referendum is expected within the next week. In the meantime, rallies have broken out across the Workers' Republic and other parts of Mediterranea in support of Nasiri people.

"First in Siracusa, and now in Nasirestān, the capitalists and fascists are trying to establish reactionary theocraies." said Fātemeh Gozashtasp, a participant at one of the rallies. "We will smash them! Tomorrow I'm going to enlist in the Popular Militia, and if they reject me, I'll volunteer at the Red Crescent or the arms factories. I want to help the victims of fascism!"

Regardless of the outcome of the coup, the situation will be a humanitarian disaster. Civilian areas have been bombarded by both sides. Atrocities such as thermobaric bombings have been reported. Local cantons are mobilizing resources for the expected influx...[url=forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=332218&p=23675503](read more)[/url]

by **North Defese** » Tue Mar 17, 2015 8:03 pm

BREAKING NEWS
Coalition Intervention in Segland
Heinrich Mueller Named "Agenor's Most Wanted"

17MAR2015

Hadric Gustov - Three days after convening in an emergency session in response to their first real crisis, the Agenor Coalition has today announced a unilateral intervention in the Republic of Segland in response to the confirmation of Weapons of Mass Destruction having been used. Coalition Spokesman for Aeynerilis Vyacheslav Irakliy gave details of the summit and plans only moments after Imperial forces moved into Segland.

"In the interests of operation security, we will not be sharing details of our forces at this time," Vyacheslav told reporters, "but you will know now that we are now conducting a military intervention in Segland after the Coalition had six votes in favour and one abstention. We are going in under the common flag of Agenor to stabilize the situation and ensure the safe destruction of all WMD's."

According to military sources, the newly formed Agenor Coalition Intervention Force (AgCoF) has been given a mission mandate under Supreme Commander Hans Marell, a Poldanian national. The Kingdom of Mizuyuki is reported to be providing a carrier battle group, which will station in Seglandic waters and provide mission support for Coalition forces. The mission mandate was released in press briefing by Supreme Commander Hans Marell at the same time as the press briefing for INN, in which they outline their immediate goals in Segland:

The Coalition has voted in favour of intervention.
Image published with permissions.

Disarmament of all Weapons Of Mass Destruction in Segland, and the destruction of facilities which would allow creation of further weapons.
Bringing those associated with Seglandic WMD programs to justice for war crimes.

In order to fufill these goals, the Agenor Coalition has named Heinrich Mueller, the current leader of loyalist forces in Segland, as their "Most Wanted" due to an investigation by Esperance pinning the anthrax usage on the Seglandic government. A bounty of $2,000,000 has been listed for his capture. There is also a standing bounty on all scientists and officials known to be associated with Seglandic weapons programs and leaderships, who will be targets for Coalition capture.

We will bring more information on this turn of events after the next press briefing, where officials have promised "further" information on Coalition activities.

See also:

Civil Defense Drills Scheduled for Major Cities
String of Murders in Odsk: Culprit Found to Be Former School Teacher
Anthrax Scare in Schalter "False Alarm"
Talks Begin With Aurinsula: Energy Deal In Progress?
Esperance Medical Effort Stops Influenza Outbreak in Petyatrobisk
Interior Government "Discussing Nasiristan Issue"

by **Estoni** » Thu Mar 19, 2015 12:47 pm

Estoni Today

Massive Military Operation Launched In The East

After the shocking and brutal atrocities committed by so-called Kulgrinden Freedom Fighters yesterday in which thirteen paramedics were killed and two towns occupied by terrorists the government has announced a major offensive into the east. The recent mobilization of the army to counter the crisis in Segland has proved to be timely indeed.

As the troops have not yet crossed the border they have been easy to redeploy and send to the east. From there they will avenge the humanitarians who were slain in service of their nation. The government has enforced a curfew across the province of Kulgrindr and ordered all civilians to stay in their homes and to offer no aid to the terrorists.

Anyone found to be assisting the terrorists will be considered an active combatant and treated accordingly the army has said. They have called upon all loyal Eesti citizens to assist the army and to remember the faces of the terrorists to lead to their just deaths. To finally destroy the terrorists the army has deployed the mountain regiment into the Gresta Mountains believed to be the terrorists hide out.

The army has also announced plans to use paratroopers to seize key villages and crossroads to prevent the movement of the terrorists. Elite units have been placed on alert at all airbases throughout the country to quickly deploy and destroy any terrorist band detected immediately. This has however forced the government to withdraw the offer of the use of these bases to AgCo members intervening in Segland.

The government has also declared a no-fly zone across the nation until the current crisis is over and withdrawn permission for foreign troops to be deployed from Estoni bases citing reasons of national security. As the first case of anthrax is reported in the north the government has viciously condemned the 'fascist dogs' in Segland and demanded their deaths.

by **Acroticus** » Fri Mar 20, 2015 8:28 am

Foreign Aid Bill Highlights Changes in Policy
Andros Fights Against Chemical Weapons

March 20, 2015

Therinia - Late last night, the House of Consuls passed Praetor Andros’s foreign aid bill, which included a $21.9 million increase in aid to the nation of Defese, and a $8.3 million increase to the nation of Estoni. This increase comes after a closed meeting between Praetor Andros and Defese and Estoni delegates just one week ago. After the meeting, the bill, already on the floor of the House, was quickly amended to include, among other things, the increase in aid to these nations.

The new foreign aid package also includes about $20 million in discretionary Praetorial spending for foreign aid. Previous years had this reserve number significantly lower, with $12 million being set in the budget for FY2015, $13 million from 2014, and only $9 million in 2013.

Furthermore, the Office of the Prima Praetor has begun mobilizing national food reserves; working with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Food Security Administration (FSA), Andros’s administration has begun shipping massive amounts of food overseas to Defese. The range of this program has yet to be seen, as it is in its early stages.

This increased assistance is no doubt in response to recent actions in Segland, after reports confirmed the use of anthrax missiles in the region, with the death toll still unknown. Praetor Andros has been an outspoken opponent of all chemical weapons use during his time in the Senate as well as Praetor.

Soon after the passage of the bill, Praetor Andros’s office released an official statement, stating the importance of the passage of this bill, and calling it a “landmark action to prevent war crimes now and in the future.”

by **New Geordia** » Fri Mar 20, 2015 2:21 pm

The Herald Mail reports
107 policemen sent to chase down 'kid with BB gun'
Boy injured 11 people by firing from bedrom window.

Fearing a shooting spree was in progress, 107 armed policemen were dispatched to a south-eastern suburb of Tynebridge, only to find that the violence was not as dangerous as they had initially thought.

The incident took place at a house on the busy Pamberley Road in West Pooley. Stephen Callahan, a ten-year old boy, was off school for the day due to illness. His mother had been with him for most of the day, but she left him alone in the house for a few hours in the early afternoon. It appears that Callahan used this time as a opportunity to get up to some mischief. Besides consuming a cigarette and a double-shot of whiskey, he had taken a BB gun that belonged to his fourteen-year old brother Harry and fired it out his bedroom window at passers-by in the street. It is reported that 11 people suffered minor injuries between the period of 14:30 and 14:40.

The police received two emergency calls describing the incident. The first reported that "someone was shooting something out of a window". They gave the location, but did not describe in detail the nature of the weapon. Another call came in that said that "some sort of weapon was being fired" but again did not describe it. Captain Ian Roberts, who is in charge of the West Pooley Police Station, said that "We did not jump and assume it was a killing spree. We suspected it was something like a BB gun or an airsoft rifle, but we couldn't rule out that it was live ammunition because the descriptions we had got were so vague. So we had to prepare for the worst." He enlisted help from South Bridgend Police Station.

In total, 107 policemen (most of whom were armed) were dispatched to the scene, with the first squad arriving at 14:52. Callahan had paused firing the BB gun, but was now back at the window looking for someone to shoot. Armed with Glock pistols and a semi-automatic rifles, a squad of 6 policemen first broke into the house. Callahan surrendered and was forced to lie down on the floor and be searched at gunpoint. He was then arrested and marched out of the building and into a police van. He was detained for 38 minutes at West Pooley Police Station before being charged with 'Assault With A Non-Lethal Projectile Weapon'. He will most likely be sentenced to community service.

"It turns out that our response was spectacularly superfluous, but we don't regret it," said Captain Roberts. "He won't be doing that again." He advised that people reporting the scene of a crime "should be clear and precise and not exaggerate things in the hope of getting a speedier response. You could end up wasting police time, which is dangerous for public safety and against the law. Although this time round, part of the problem was that the telephone operators didn't ask enough questions." He also said that "I hope that the boy's parents learn lessons from this." Callahan's parents refused to comment on the event.

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