[Earth II] Newswire

[Terra Reborn]

Imperial Broadcasting Corporation
Online Service

Ministry of Defence Restructures Military Intelligence.
10th November 2014

The Ministry of Defence today formally conducted a major reorganisation and consolidation of the various military intelligence Divisions that currently exist within His Majesty’s Armed Forces. Seeking to both streamline the process and remove the possibility for any inter-service complications or rivalry, the separate divisions within the chain of command of each of the service branches will be reorganised into one single formation.

To be known as the Unified Intelligence Taskforce (UNIT), it will consist of personnel from every branch of the Military, although the Army will provide the majority of its infrastructure and manpower, but it would answer directly to Imperial High Command. In doing so the Ministry of Defence is endeavouring to ensure that UNIT is free from any branch-related distractions. This desire to ensure centralisation of the Military’s intelligence apparatus is reflected in the fact that the personnel of UNIT will not only remain with the organisation for the majority’s of their service, but will wear uniforms similar to, but distinct from, any of the three main branches of the armed forces, whilst retaining the relevant rank insignia of their service branch. It is unclear what equipment and resources UNIT will have, however it is anticipated to be substantial, given the wide ranging tasks asked of it

Although the exact orders and mandate relating to UNIT is classified, the organisation is anticipated to not only take on all of the roles currently held by the Service Intelligence Divisions, but also a number of other roles that civilian intelligence agencies may by unequipped to handle, in fitting with its paramilitary status. Upon direction by the National Command Authority (The King and the Prime Minister) UNIT can take over control of any intelligene or counterterrorism situation from local law enforcement or civilian intelligence, and is believed to have powers of arrest in certain circumstances. It is also anticipated to be the lead agency in the hunting down and capture of the remaining members of the conspiracy that assassinated King Walker.

Lieutenant General Sir David Cornwallis, the first Commander of the Unified Intelligence Taskforce, is a veteran of Army Intelligence, and has been decorated for Gallantry on the battlefield. The Unified Intelligence Taskforce was formally activated on Monday 10th November 2014, by His Majesty King Arthur in a ceremony at the Ministry of Defence.

[Amigard]

AMIGARD NEWS NETWORK

November 21, 2014

NEW CARDINAL ELECTED TO LEAD THE THEOCRACY OF AMIGARD

In an effort to determine who the next Cardinal of the Theocracy will be the Council of Bishops went into executive session and remained there for the better part of the past week. Sources inside the Cathedral of Saint Michael report heated debates among the Bishops as they struggled with the question of who among them is best suited to take the reins of the Amigard government amidst recent chaos and instability.

The recent Constitution requires that the decision regarding who will fill the position of Cardinal must be unanimous among all members of the Council of Bishops including the King of Israel, who though he is not a Bishop sits on the council.

At 8:35 this morning The Public Information Office at the Cathedral of Saint Michael announced that the Council of Bishops had made its decision and that Bishop Hamal Rasheed of the Eastern Saudi Arabia Diocese would take up the mantle of Cardinal effective January 1, 2015.

Cardinal Steele released a statement shortly after the announcement indicating his intent to approve the appointment and expressed congratulations to Bishop Rasheed saying “I have known Hamal Rasheed for many years and count him among my closest friends. I know that if there is anyone in the Theocracy capable of uniting this nation and bringing peace and stability to the Theocracy, it is Bishop Rasheed. He is a man of great honor, integrity, and undying love and devotion to God and to his people.”

Bishop Rasheed accepted the appointment in a speech given earlier today in which he acknowledged the monumental tasks that lay ahead, but expressed his desire to do God’s work and to shepherd the people of Amigard. Bishop Rasheed stated that the Theocracy has undergone a great deal of turmoil over the past few years and expressed a great admiration for Cardinal Steele in his ability to unite the region in peace and stability and declared his intention to continue the Cardinals efforts.

Bishop Rasheed told reporters that he plans on working with Parliament to strengthen the Theocracy’s economic and political position in the region and ensure that there is a place in the world where God and his Church will be welcome and celebrated. Rasheed was a little more elusive when it came to the question of foreign policy, however, as he simply stated that the Theocracy will seek to maintain peaceful relations with its neighbors and work toward mutually beneficial trade agreements.

[Terra Reborn]

Imperial Broadcasting Corporation

His Majesty The King's Christmas Message
25th December 2014
Originally Broadcast on IBC One

I had long wondered the thought process that went into the King’s Christmas Address. For my Father it was a deeply personal affair, he would lock himself away in his private study for hours on end as he wrote, and re-wrote, the entire address over and over again. For him it was one of the very few times that he could give a completely apolitical speech; a heartfelt address from a Monarch to his subjects. It was also the one thing about Kingship that my father refused to teach me, saying simply that when the time came, I would know what to say, and that it was important that I discovered this skill myself.

Of course I had not ever thought that I would have to give this address as soon as I now find myself having to. This year has been marred for all of us, from my family to all of you, with the tragic loss of my Father only a few months ago. But what my Father built has endured, through the courage and determination of each and every one of us. Despite all that we have lost this year, we have persevered; we have refused to give in to tyranny and anarchy.

As my Father said last year, this is not an easy time for some, everyone who has ever lost someone knows the pain of knowing that they are not with you, but Christmas is a time of hope, for hope of salvation. It is a time to spend as much time with our families as possible, and to cherish every single moment, because they’ll never come again.

And this was not a year without successes either, it is vitally important that we do not forget this. We saw peace and stability spread to even more of the States in North America as they were brought under the Imperial banner, and are already showing positive signs of prosperity in the months that have passed. We saw the beginning of a hopeful peace in Liberia, as we stood against the forces of dictatorial tyranny. We saw criminals who have caused death and destruction brought to justice at last, and we have brought and end to religious warfare on Cyprus.

Like so many years in recent history we have been compelled to use Military force to bring about a better future, and at this time especially I pay tribute to the men and women of the Imperial Armed Forces who are at sea, operationally deployed or otherwise on duty at this time of year. I also pay tribute to the men and women of our Emergency Services, who have likewise sacrificed this year to keep us all safe, and the thousands of them doing so even now to keep us safe over the festive period.

The days may be short, and the nights long and dark, but they are also the times in which our light shines the brightest, from the lights of a Christmas tree to the selfless volunteers who are giving up their Christmas to make the day better for the less fortunate. These are the times where we banish the darkness from our hearts and souls, where we celebrate and come together to build a better tomorrow.

I wish you all a very merry Christmas and a very happy New Year.

[Amigard]

AMIGARD NEWS NETWORK

Naval Forces Recalled from Soter Naval Base
January 9, 2015

Officials at the Catheldral of Saint Michael announced today that the Solomon Expeditionary Strike Force and the Righteous Fury Carrier Battle Group will soon be recalled from their current assignment patrolling the seas near Soter Naval Base at Chittagong, Bangladesh.

Amigard naval forces were sent to the Pacific/Indian Ocean Theater several years ago in response to increasing tensions there. Critics of the move at the time suggested that Amigard naval assets were being sent to the region as a “show of force” and criticized then Cardinal Steele for having imperialistic intentions and of shoving the Theocracy into global affairs that were best left alone and had nothing to do with the Theocracy.
Soter Naval Base will remain open and garrisoned by a company of Amigard Marines and will likely be utilized primarily as a resupply point for Amgiard and her allies operating in the Indian Ocean and Pacific Theater. The two battle groups that called Soter home for the past few years will be returning to the Amigard Naval base at Kuwait City where they will resupply and undergo various upgrades.

Cardinal Rasheed denied the move as an indication of a more isolationist foreign policy on his part and stated only that the continued presence of the HES Righteous Fury and the Solomon Expeditionary Strike Force at Soter Naval Base were no longer “necessary” and he believed that Amigard assets and resources would be better utilized elsewhere at this time.

Cardinal Rasheed has only recently taken the helm of the Theocracy, having been sworn in on January 1st this year. The recall of the Righteous Fury to Kuwait City is among his first decrees and some suggest it is an indicator of a much more reserved administration in terms of foreign and military policy than what had been seen in the past under Cardinal Steele.

[Layarteb]

Mayor of Falcon City Scammed!

By Billy Bats
Published: December 26, 2014 | 12:08

FALCON CITY - The Mayor of Falcon City isn't very bright.

On Friday, Mayor Patrick Leahy of Falcon City filed charges in Provincial Superior Court against the nation of Equatorial Guinea seeking monetary damages of §129,590. Over the course of his initial testimony, Mayor Leahy, aged 59, explained that he had been scammed out of his entire savings and had his credit cards maxed out after being victim of an e-mail scam.

Mayor Leahy testified that on October 6, 2014, he received an e-mail from a representative of the Prince of Equatorial Guinea notifying him that he was to receive compensation of §5 million as the result of a buyout of an Equatoguinean oil company, of which Mayor Leahy has five hundred shares. In said e-mail, the representative requested Mayor Leahy's full name, date of birth, citizen identification number, and bank information for the wire transfer. Additionally, Mayor Leahy was to provide §250 for bank filing fees and paperwork fees.

Despite the fact that there is no prince of Equatorial Guinea and despite the fact that said oil company was not undergoing any payouts, which at a share price of §28.19 on the Windhoek Exchange means a payout of 35473% per share, Mayor Leahy did willingly provide this personal information and the associated bank payment.

Mayor Leahy testified that on October 13, 2014, exactly seven days after he provided this information, his credit card was declined while purchasing groceries. After examining his bank statements, Mayor Leahy testified that he found all four of his credit cards maxed out with suspicious purchases and his checking and savings accounts wiped clean. Mayor Leahy testified that he borrowed §5,000 to hire a private investigator who traced the e-mail back to a computer in the Ministry of Finance within the government of Equatorial Guinea. Mayor Leahy testified that over the course of October, November, and now into December, he has been unable to receive resolution with the Equatoguinean government, who repeatedly deny that their government and any of their employees were involved in the fraud.

Mayor Leahy's request for international legal action must commence with Provincial Superior Court. Representatives from the Equatoguinean government will likely report to court upon request but they are not legally required to and the Empire of Layarteb, not being a signatory to any international charters, especially those with Windhoek's International Court of Justice, make this a difficult legal case for Mayor Leahy.

While e-mail scams are nothing new, Mayor Leahy is likely the only politician to be swindled to this capacity, which beckons the question, "How was he intelligent enough to get elected?" Common sense, which should have prevailed, would have told Mayor Leahy that this was a scam, as would a single search on Google. Typing in only the first sentence of Mayor Leahy's e-mail reveals hundreds of blogs and websites reporting this to be a scam - and many by other people who lacked the common sense to see it as such.

When asked to comment, the Emperor of Layarteb visibly laughed and said for the record, "I guess the voters will have fun with him in the next election." Despite being authoritarian on the federal level, the Empire remains a representative democracy at the state level and lower.

Only time awaits Mayor Leahy's case and while we cannot guess what outcome there will be, we can only surmise that, given this is a well-documented scam, Mayor Leahy will receive all of his funds back. However, for the time being, it will be tremendously stressful.

This reporter and this newspaper would like to share some tips for our readers to ensure that they do not fall victim to similar scams. Any e-mail notifying you of monetary reward is likely a scam and it should be researched thoroughly. If you are unsure, it is not a bad idea to contact your local law enforcement's computer crimes division. Scams such as these require personal information such as bank account numbers and citizen identification numbers. These should never be given out to anyone you do not know, especially over e-mail. Additionally, any request for money for fees, in order to receive money, are usually a deadpan indicator of a scam. While banks do charge filing fees, they will notify you in writing, by certified mail or in a sit-down session at the bank and never over e-mail. You can find our useful tips on our website.

Business | Justice
Falcon City Herald © All Rights Reserved 2014

[Hi No Moto]

Hi No Moton News Network
December 28 - 2014
Tokyo Metropolis, Empire of Hi No Moto

The Imperial Ministry of Defence today announced that it would go ahead with the planned deployment of a Missile Defence System, known as the 'Northern Shield', to the Siberian territory of Kamchatka and the Komandorski Islands as opposed to the disputed territory of the Aleutian Island Chain. The Minister of Defence, Itsunori Eto, announced the deployment of the Type 6 Missile Defence System along with a Long Range Radar Station Complex to Kamchatka and the Komandorski Islands in a press release in the early hours of this morning. The Minister revealed that this deployment was in response to the threats posed by terrorists in the Siberian territory of the USSR.

Despite cancelling the deployment of the Type 6 Missile Defence System to the Aleutian Islands, the Imperial Ministry of Defence let it be known that the dispute Island Chain would not be abandoned and nor would they be left undefended. A series of long range RADAR systems would still be deployed to the main islands in the Chain to warn of a possible attack on the Home Islands and the deployment of Imperial Air Force assets to bolster the squadrons already deployed there would go ahead.

[Earth_ Two]

.:. Updated up to here .:.

[Layarteb]

Guangdong in Native Hands

By Nicholas West
Published: January 9, 2015 | 12:00

ZHANJIANG - On Friday, the last Layartebian military units withdrew from the Guangdong province on mainland China, marking an end to Layartebian occupation of the prefectures of Maoming and Zhanjiang. Occupied by Layartebian forces since the cessation of the Sino-Layartebian War, Maoming and Zhanjiang suffered badly during the war, and both territories were hotly contested between Chinese and Layartebian forces during the heat of battle. The withdrawal also marks the fulfillment of the Hong Kong Accord, signed in July 2013, which effectively ended the conflict. POWs were repatriated, diplomatic communicate was resumed, and border skirmishes were put to a stop.

In the Hong Kong Accord, President Chomei recognized Layartebian possession of territory in Guangdong in exchange for the Emperor's recognition of the Chomei government as legitimate. Additionally, all POWs were repatriated between either side, the Empire would not support or encourage rebel groups, Chomei would reopen shipping lanes to Layartebian traffic, and the Layartebian navy would not harass Chinese shipping. Furthermore, the Thai Canal would be opened to Chinese vessels. Though not specifically mentioned in the Hong Kong Accord, a side agreement between President Chomei and the Emperor would see significant Layartebian reconstruction efforts in both Maoming and Zhanjiang.

Though the slated completion date for all reconstruction projects was December 20, 2014, varying delays did not see the final ones completed until this past Monday, January 5. Layartebian units have been slowly but steadily withdrawing from mainland China since mid-October 2014 when the majority of those projects were completed.

The withdrawal will see full and total control going back to Nanking, as there are currently no plans for previously established bases to remain in Layartebian possession. Sources close to the Layartebian government have revealed that negotiations were not even entertained due to the perceived hostility of Nanking to the idea.

On hand, for the ceremonies were several Chinese officials, Layartebian commanders, and the Layartebian Minister of the Interior who commented that the withdrawal was part of a wider shift in Layartebian policy. "The Empire never fully intended to maintain its presence in Maoming and Zhanjiang and this just goes to prove that we meant as much when we said it. Our withdrawal does not represent an abandonment of the people of this region but rather a wider policy shift of the Layartebian government and the Layartebian military. While we are hopeful that our withdrawal will help improve Sino-Layartebian relations, we know that nothing can repair the damage caused by the war."

As to what that policy shift is, the Minister of the Interior would not comment. Several officials on hand would not comment either though this newspaper shall be making inquiries in the days to come.

Layarteb | Far East
Hainan Times © All Rights Reserved 2015

[Amigard]

Amigard Assets Withdrawn from Lacoze

January 12, 2015

In yet another move that some suggest is indicative of a far more isolationist foreign policy was seen during Cardinal Steele’s reign, Cardinal Rasheed has ordered the return of Amigard Air Force assets stationed at Slany in the Federation of Lacoze.

The assets include a squadron of F-16 fighters that were stationed in Lacoze as part of a mutual trade agreement two years ago in January of 2012. Cathedral officials report that, while the trade agreement will likely continue and diplomatic channels will remain open, the Theocracy will no longer maintain military forces within Lacoze borders and have requested that Lacozian military assets be removed from Amigard territory by the end of January.

Officials claim that the move is not intended to be an indication that relations between the two nations have cooled, nor is it in response to any particular incident. Rather, a spokesperson from Cardinal Rasheed’s office stated in a press release that “After deliberation the Cardinal has determined that Amigard military forces are best utilized at home and the presence of foreign military assets in Amigard territory are unnecessary at this time.”

The return of Amigard Air Force assets alongside naval assets from Soter Naval Base effectively signals an end to any significant Amigard military deployments globally. While Soter Naval Base will remain open and garrisoned by Amigard marines, its primary purpose will be as a resupply point for Amigard commercial interests rather than for military operations.

Some political analysts in the Theocracy have suggested that the move is very much consistent with Cardinal Rasheed’s track record during his brief reign as the Bishop of the Eastern Saudi Arabia Diocese. Records obtained from the Council of Bishops show then Bishop Rasheed espousing a strong, home based military while opposing any imperialistic tendencies. Rasheed opposed the establishment of Soter Naval Base as too aggressive.

Cardinal Rasheed had also voted to veto Cardinal Steele’s controversial “Articles of Just Intervention” which was seen by some as an attempt to apply the Just War Doctrine in a far too liberal way. The Articles of Just Intervention allowed the use of force against a foreign government as a means to combat “grave violations” of human rights and was used as the justification for military intervention in Persia. Cardinal Rasheed opposed the Articles saying that “While it may look good on paper, in practice I fear that these articles will be used as nothing more than justification to expand the borders of the Theocracy using military means under the guise of humanitarianism, but in the end only more human suffering will result.” Many believe Cardinal Rasheed plans to repeal the Articles of Just Intervention early on in his rule.

The announcement today by the Cardinal’s office certainly appears to support those political analysts that predict the Cardinal’s reign is likely to be one focused largely on domestic and regional issues while avoiding global entanglements. The Cardinal is not expected to cut funding to, or reduce the size of, the Amigard military, but it is unlikely that the Amigard military will be venturing far from the borders of the Theocracy in any significant way.

[Layarteb]

2015 Canal Toll Rates Announced

By Wesley Brookfield
Published: October 6, 2014 | 12:48

LAYARTEB CITY - On Monday, the Layartebian Ministry of Commerce announced next year's toll rates for the Panama, the Suez, and the Thai Canals. As expected, the increase was slight, less than last year.

For this year, the increases stand at a flat 2.0% increase across the board. New tolls are effective January 2, 2015. No impact to shipping traffic is expected due to these increases.

In 2013, the tolls were increased on the Panama and the Suez Canals 5% over what they were in 2012 whereas in 2014, the Panama Canal increased 3.5%, the Suez by 2.5% and the Thai Canal by 1.5% over 2013 rates. The explanation as provided by the Ministry of Commerce was a lengthy explanation citing the increase in costs related to security and economic considerations. Though generally accepted, there were many critics.

CY15 Toll Brackets

Commerce
Commerce Weekly © All Rights Reserved 2014

[Terra Reborn]

[quote="Terra Reborn";p="18630871"]

Imperial Broadcasting Corporation
Online Service

Imperial Military Deploys More Forces to Euro-African Theatre
23rd February 2015

The Ministry of Defence announced today the deployment of an increased number of military units from all three branches of the Armed Forces, to the European and African theatres. Although not specifically stated as such, it is believed to be in response to the increase in potential threats in the region. The bulk of the redeployments is centred around the new Imperial Colony of Malta, seceded from the Roman Empire following a referendum on the matter, as part of both the Empire’s commitment to protecting Malta but also providing several thousand additional jobs in support, most notably at the new headquarters of Imperial Joint Command, Europe.

The most notable deployment is that of the 3rd Airborne Brigade to Malta as part of a long-awaited MOD plan to station rapid-response assets in the Euro-African theatre of operations, intended to support the comparatively small garrisons present at Gibraltar, Rhodes and Cyprus on very short notice. The 3rd Airborne Brigade would also be available for a wide variety of operations as required across the wider theatre. The deployment also brings along with it the associated aircraft of the IAF responsible for dropping the Brigade into combat, as well as the various support elements required for the Brigade to operate. This deployment has necessitated the construction of a major Barracks complex close to IAF Lupa, the primary airbase on Malta.

Brigadier Edward Coulson, Commanding the 3rd Airborne Brigade, said of his command’s redeployment:

“All of the officer’s and men are looking forward to the new and varied duties we will be tasked with as the primary rapid reaction force unit forward-deployed to the European and African theatres. As Airborne soldiers we are ready to respond to any crisis or threat to the Empire in very short order, and provide the European and African Joint Commands with a significant

The Imperial Air Force has redeployed No. 83 Wing, formally responsible for the air defence of the Duchy of Sierra Leone, to protect Malta, a move made possible by the deployment of No. 38 Group, in its entirety, to Sierra Leone, which has effectively increased the IAF’s combat power in the region by four-fold, whilst also providing a powerful IAF presence in the central Mediterranean, along with the movement of the of the headquarters of No.21 Group, which is responsible for all four fighter Wings stationed in the Mediterranean, to Malta. Air Chief Marshal Sir Christopher Lane KCS, Air Officer Commanding Imperial Air Forces Europe, said:

“For too long now the Imperial Air Forces in Europe, like the Naval and Ground Forces, have been spread incredibly thin throughout the European and African theatres of operations. With the final stabilisation of the situation in North America the Imperial Military can afford to reinforce its holdings and support its interests around the Globe more forcefully and with greater strength than in previous years.

Finally the Imperial Navy has redeployed the 12th Frigate Squadron to Malta from the increasingly overcrowded naval base at Gibraltar. The strategic location of Malta is ideally suited as a base for the Type-26 Frigates which provide a standing Imperial naval presence away from major naval bases in locations such as the Suez Canal, Cyprus and indeed Malta itself.

On the redeployment of so many units to the Mediterranean Theatre, as well as the heavy investment in military infrastructure on Malta, the newly appointed Commanding Officer of Imperial Joint Command, Europe, Marshal of the Imperial Air Force Sir William Stryker GCS, said:

“Malta has always been of great strategic importance to the Apilonian Empire. It’s central location amidst the Mediterranean trade lanes has meant that under Apilonian rule the islands became incredibly wealthy as a result, and hopefully will do so again, but have also been a centre of military strength for the Imperial Military in this part of the world. The Maltese have always been very supportive of Imperial Military forces stationed on their Islands, which culminated of course in two sieges, and the economic impact of such heavy investment in military infrastructure on Malta should certainly be a positive one as well. I am confident that Malta will, as was the case historically, will play an important role in Imperial Military posture throughout the region.”

[Itailian Maifias]

H.M.S. Ark Royal Arrives at HMNB Toulon
Royal Navy flagship arrives at HMNB Toulon to begin its Mediterranean deployment

^{SHARE THIS:}

Lionel Taylor (@LionelTaylor)(BBC)
^{January 23, 2014 9:00 AM | Marseille, France}

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H.M.S. Ark Royal being tugged into Toulon harbor BBC photo

Marseille, France(BBC France) — Just a week before the Ministry of Defence is set to release the 2015 Defence Review, which is being wrapped into the new Defence Paper, titled ambitiously Better Arms for the Better Empire, the Queen Elizabeth II class aircraft carrier H.M.S. Ark Royal arrived at HMNB Toulon, the largest Royal Navy naval base in the Mediterranean and now homeport for the Ark Royal and her carrier group of four Type 45D destroyers, two Waarden cruisers and three Type 23 frigates, which will share the base with the Mediterranean Fleet which they have been attached to for their six month deployment to help with British operations in the nearby regions, which more then likely means helping final clean up operations against Al-Shams in Amigardian southern lands and keeping an eye on the evils of the Lacozen Federation .

The Royal Navy flagship will not only be conducting those two duties during her first deployment since the foundation of the Empire, she will also be host to Operation Sea Shield, the first and largest naval exercise performed by a European power in nearly three decades, Operation Sea Shield is set to practice anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare and combined naval coordination during battle. The exercise is set to take place in the Mediterranean, using the southern French coast, Corsica and the free waterways to perform the exercise, though Corsica will get to host a practice amphibious assault by members of embarked Royal Marines, who will practice landing on the city's southern coast and rapidly seizing strategic locations.

The Carrier Group will bring a massive increase in firepower to the Mediterranean Fleet, which is at the writing of this article permanently composed of H.M.S. Foresti's battlegroup, which is a standard Royal Navy composition of 1 Supercarrier, 1 carrier, 4 destroyers, 2 cruisers, 4 frigates and 2 submarines, though there is a notable secondary sub pack of five nuclear attack submarines based out of a sub pen near Marseille and there are rumors of a second near the Joint Forces Base in Nice, but these remain unconfirmed rumors as far as the Government is concerned, as is that the deployment was motivated by the Apilonian troop surge on Malta and in the European theater


Lionel Taylor contributed to this article.

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MORE IN WORLD

• Opinion: Bogorian insurgency really this serious? [ 890732 ]
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• Layartebian canal toll prices set for 2015, marked decrease [ 98171 ]

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Comments [ 6711 ]
E-mail
© British Broadcasting Corporation 2015

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5871 comments

^{FAVORITE THIS DISCUSSION}

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JohnM · 1 hours ago
Sounds like a trumped up flag flying op; Amigardians already had us pull out entirely off their lands from combat ops and they have a plenty strong enough air force for strikes, I don't buy it

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JessicaSt · 3 hours ago
Mhmm, nice to see the Ark Royal getting in some hours, curious to see how her new air wing does

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Merk · 4 hours ago
Wish BBC covered the completion of the Interregional Highway and Roadds System instead of this; perhaps the largest infastructure project undertaken this century, both the French, German and Dutch highways and major roads completely expanded and improved and not one line. I'm sad BBC, smh

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[Layarteb]

Layartebian Troop Surge Complete
Imperial Layartebian Military expands active forces by 360,000.
Rebecca P. Pinon (@REBECCAPLNN) (LNN)
January 26, 2014 - 09:35 | Layarteb City, New York, Empire of Layarteb

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Imperial Layartebian Marines in basic training.

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RELATED TOPICS
¤ Imperial Layartebian Military upsizes by 360,000 [1,189 comments]
¤ MOD announces 360,000 more troops [440 comments]
¤ WATCH: Minister of Defense Press Briefing announcing more troops [982 comments]

Layarteb City - In a startling announcement on Monday, the Layartebian Ministry of Defense has announced that the troop surge exercise it initiated in July has been officially completed with a result of increasing the number of active troops by 360,000 men.

In a briefing given at 07:30, the Minister of Defense announced, "Our troop surge exercise has been hereby completed as of January 5, 2015. All criterions were met satisfactorily and as a result, we have increased our active forces by 360,000 men. In doing so, we have decreased our inactive reserve billets by an equal number of troops. No change has been made to active reserve forces. By the numbers, the army has increased by 200,000 men, our defense forces by 115,000 men, and our Marines by 45,000 men, a total of fourteen divisions."

When announced at the end of July, the troop surge exercise was believed to be already underway and while critics called the exercise a prelude to pre-emptive strikes, no such war has materialized to date. The Ministry of Defense, citing "growing instability in regions such as Western African, Southeast Asia, and Central and South America" as a reason for the exercise in July did not go into specifics. In this morning's announcement, the Minister of Defense did not give specifics as to where the troop increases have been seen but anonymous officials within the Ministry of Defense cited that the biggest increases in troop levels were to the African and European Commands, known as AFRICOM and EURCOM.

Critics both within the Empire and around the world have continually cited the Empire's aggressive military stance as a major cause for global disharmony and just last month, the New African Republic announced massive changes to its relationship with the Empire of Layarteb allegedly due to Layartebian interference in the Ethiopian Civil War. Others have cited the Sino-Layartebian War as a major reason for this buildup but no evidence has been presented that the troop surge was in direct relation to that conflict, which was recently put to rest when Layartebian authorities handed over administrative control of all mainland Chinese territories back to Nanking, including Hong Kong.

The increase in forces to the Imperial Layartebian Military represents an increase of approximately five percent to the current active forces however, this brings the total size of the Empire's active forces to just over one percent of the total populace of the nation, which was estimated at 718,300,000 at the start of this year. Another census isn't due until the year 2020. There's been no word yet as to how this increase will affect Layartebian relations or interests abroad but it is likely to generate a considerable amount of buzz within the world's various defense agencies.

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1,890 Comments
Layartebian News Network © All Rights Reserved 2015

LayartebianPatriot
Albany, NY
18 minutes ago

That sounds great to me! I can't believe we cut ourselves so thin anyway. Just because Argentina isn't hostile anymore doesn't mean the world has less threats. We need to be ready to fight every one of them the moment they come knocking on our door.

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CardDealer
Washington City, MD
20 minutes ago

This isn't a great idea at all! How are we supposed to signal to the world that we're a nation of peace and that peace is our goal when we go and do things like this? We should be demobilizing, not adding more men to our already swollen ranks!

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809 Yeas 309 Nays

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Justice4All
Caracas, VZ
3 hours ago

This is by far the most reckless move we've made to date. Nothing more needs to be said!

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522 Yeas 114 Nays

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[Layarteb]

29th Infantry Division (Light) Comes Home
The 29th Infantry Division (Light) has completed another successful tour in Amapá.
Robert N. McLain (@ROBERTMLNN) (LNN)
January 12, 2015 17:10 | Cayenne, French Guianna, Empire of Layarteb

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Soldiers of the 29th Infantry Division (Light) return home.

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RELATED TOPICS
¤ New division to Amapá [290 comments]
¤ Amapánese assistance program rotates [120 comments]
¤ WATCH: Soldiers return home from Amapá [88 comments]

Cayenne, French Guianna - On Monday, the 29th Infantry Division (Light) of the Imperial Layartebian Army completed its change of command in Amapá, officially handing over command to the 30th Infantry Division (Light), also of the ILA. Every twelve months, the Imperial Layartebian Military rotates a single division of troops, usually light infantry, through Amapá as part of a military assistance program, which was started in January 2010. The 29th Infantry Division (Light) marks the fifth such deployment to Amapá since the program began.

In a press release from the Ministry of Defense, the Imperial Layartebian Army states, "The mission of the Imperial Layartebian Military in Amapá is threefold. First and foremost, we bolster the defenses of the country and protect its national borders from threats. Secondly, we provide additional training for the Amapánese military, utilizing the long battle history of the Imperial Layartebian Military to provide lessons learned off of the battlefield, where they are most beneficial. Lastly, it is our contribution to the continued defense of South America against brigands, kidnappers, drug cartels, and traffickers who have utilized the rural terrain of the Amazon Rainforest to their advantage."

The 15th Marine Division conducted the first tour from 2010 to 2011. The 29th Infantry Division (Light) conducted its first tour from 2011 to 2012 where it was followed by the 30th Infantry Division (Light) on its first tour, followed by the 12th Airborne Division before returning to the 29th Infantry Division (Light) and now the 30th Infantry Division (Light). There is no nominated successor for January 2016 when the 30th Infantry Division (Light) is set to complete its 12-month tour.

The military of Amapá, which is very small, consists of only 8,000 men in arms, most of them in the country's army. It has a small air force with only a handful of jets and a small navy, which is tasked mostly with coastal police and rescue duties. The presence of a Layartebian military unit more than doubles the size of the Amapánese military. With the 29th Infantry Division (Light) or the 30th Infantry Division (Light), the number of troops in Amapá between both nations settles at 21,000 men.

According to André Araujo, Amapá's Chief of Defense, "The presence of a Layartebian division is very comforting to the Amapánese people. While we have no immediate threats or hostilities from our neighbors, we have had a traditionally difficult time protecting our borders from traffickers who utilize the Amazon River to transport contraband and kidnapped persons out to the open sea. The Layartebians help us put a stop to this degree of lawlessness. Last year, the Layartebian soldiers assisted our own military with 49 separate interdiction raids, recovering over 60 tonnes of illegal narcotics and rescuing 18 kidnapped girls, all of whom were below the age of eighteen. Without their presence, we would not have been able to conduct those missions. We owe a major debt of gratitude to the Layartebians."

While the Layartebian military does provide a significant boost to the Amapánese military, many critics have argued that it is a way for the Empire to occupy the country through the "backdoor." The close relationship between Macapá and Layarteb City has led to many, including President Merik of the Republic of South America, to accuse the Empire of directly interfering with the affairs of the sovereign state of Amapá. Despite this criticism, officials within either government call this type of criticism "nationalistic rhetoric without evidence or justification."

While the Republic of South America has not released any official statement concerning this relationship in quite some time, it is likely that the country will take note, despite the lack of proximity between Amapá and La Paz. Critics of the Republic of South America have often utilized its statement concerning this relationship as basis to speak against their South American nationalism, which critics say is just a smokescreen for anti-Layartebian sentiment.

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211 Comments | E-mail this article
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BusterB
Caracas, VZ
19 seconds ago


To hell with Merik and his whole RSA b/s. His nation is nothing more than Bavin with a different flag. South America rejected one Bavin already and they'll reject the next one! His "nationalism" is just rhetoric and a way to hide behind his desire to conquer the whole continent for his own banner.

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42 Yeas 1 Nays

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ChesterA
Panama City, PN
40 minutes ago


This is great news! My cousin is with the 29th ID-L. Can't wait to see him.

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40 Yeas 0 Nays

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Birdman
London
11 minutes ago


One division in, one division out, who cares?

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30 Yeas 128 Nays

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[Terra Reborn]

Major Drugs and Piracy Bust in Bay of Bengal
October Alliance Task Force neutralises major pirate and drug activity in the Bay of Bengal.

Samuel Fitzpatrick (@FitzPac ) (ACN)
Monday 26th January, 09:00 | Anchorage, Alaska, The Apilonian Empire

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The Imperial Marines Storm Ashore

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RELATED TOPICS
¤ TOA Forms Anti-Piracy Task Force [1,189 comments]
¤ PROFILE: Commodore William Wilson [440 comments]
¤ WATCH: TG Amethyst Assaults Indian Pirate Base [982 comments]

Anchorage - The October Alliance’s elite Anti-Piracy Task Force reported its first major bust this morning after a flurry of rumours in naval circles coming out of the Indian Ocean over the past week. Task Group Amethyst under the command of Commodore William Wilson CS DSO DSC of the Imperial Navy, who distinguished himself during the Melilla Incident of 2013, attacked and destroyed a major pirate base in the Bay of Bengal, killing or capturing a large number of pirates, drugs and weaponry in the process.

The episode began on 19th January when a Lynx Helicopter from the Task Group stopped a fast-moving coaster heading from northern India heading for either the shipping lanes near the Thai Canal or Indonesia. The coaster had been pinged by the Naval Division of the Unified Intelligence Taskforce as a potential pirate ship and acting on a sighting from a friendly merchantmen the Task Group moved in to intercept. During the interception the Lynx came under heavy small arms and instead elected to shadow the vessel until one of the Task Group’s vessels could catch up and under the threat of the ship’s guns the pirates were compelled to surrender. A search of the ship and interrogation of the captured pirates led the Task Group to a small bay in Northern India, in a territory run by a local warlord.

Upon arriving in a staging area off the coast the Task Group launched a number of reconnaissance UAVs and performed numerous sweeps of the compound to get a good picture of what they were dealing with. Their assault consisted of naval gunfire from all four ships as well as a landing by the Marine Detachments which successfully captured or killed over a hundred and fifty pirates and twice as many civilians directly supporting the piracy. In addition to a sizable haul of various military-spec weapons and explosives the Marines also found over four tonnes of heroin, worth a suspected five hundred million dollars.

At the Admiralty Briefing this morning, where the news of the operation was revealed, Admiral Sir Christopher Walcott, the Imperial Fleet Commander, had this to say:

“The incredibly success of Task Group Amethyst is a testament to the professionalism of the Imperial Navy, the Imperial Layartebian Navy and the Royal Cottish Navy, and as a result a pirate base, which is believed to have supported a flotilla of over a dozen ships, has been neutralised and the entire region made safer. Piracy remains an understated threat to International Commerce and the Imperial Navy has always considered the suppression of International Piracy to be a responsibility that it cannot shirk. The October Alliance Task Force allows the Alliance to bring to bear on these criminals the concentrated fury of the three most powerful nations on Earth. I am confident that this success will be the first of many for the Task Force, and for Commodore Wilson and the men and women of Task Group Amethyst in particular.”

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5,402 Comments
Apilonia Cable News © All Rights Reserved 2015

NavyGuyDan
Anchorage, Alaska
Thirty Minutes Ago

It’s damn good to see the Imperial Navy working alongside our TOA allies to combat the scourge of International Piracy, an important but often overlooked role in the modern world. We should be proud of our men and women, and those of our allies.

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144 Yeas 14 Nays

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ImperialPatriot245
Seattle, Washington
Two Hours Ago

Why the hell are we conducting anti-piracy missions so far away from our main trade lanes? All Task Group Amethyst has done has made the trade lanes for the Empire of Hi No Moto safer, and others who don’t have the protection of IEIC Cutters like our own flagged vessels do. The same is true for the Task Groups at the Azores, the only people who will benefit from that are the damned Khorsuni.

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44 Yeas 148 Nays

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MountainWill18
The Rockies, Idaho
Forty Minutes Ago

A Battlecruiser… to combat a bunch of bozos in a run-down cutter. Ever get the impression even the Admiralty doesn’t know what to do with all the Battlecruisers we’ve inherited from the Australian Navy…

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45 Yeas 32 Nays

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[Layarteb]

Advanced Tactical Truck Available For Export
Layartebian Defense Corporation now authorized to export the ATT.
Jorge Massa (@JORGEMLNN) (LNN)
Tuesday, January 27, 2015 - 14:26 | Layarteb City, New York, Empire of Layarteb

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Line drawing of the M2500-series configuration.

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RELATED TOPICS
¤ Budget crisis for the Layartebian government? [1,982 comments]
¤ LDC Exports Tactical Truck [57 comments]
¤ Vroom, Vroom... [3 comments]

Layarteb City, New York - After nearly two years of delays, the Layartebian Defense Corporation announced on Tuesday that export sales of the Advanced Tactical Truck can commence to non-TOA partners. Introduced to the Imperial Layartebian Military in 2001, more than 1.5 million examples have been built and purchased by the Layartebian government and the military. With over 85% of all domestic and 100% of all TOA orders complete, the Ministry of Commerce along with the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have cleared the vehicle for export to non-TOA partners.

Release of the ATT to non-TOA partners was expected in early 2013 but considerable delays between the Layartebian Defense Corporation and the ministries of Commerce, Defense, Finance, and Foreign Affairs in nailing down the agreement has led to the nearly two years' worth of delays. While it is impossible to quantify the loss of revenue to the Empire due to these delays, the release of the ATT to non-TOA could not come at a better time. On January 6, the Ministry of Finance released an internal memo citing a potential budget shortfall for the 2016 calendar year. Citing the loss of contracts with the New African Republic and the fulfillment of many orders by the LDC, the memo instructed the Layartebian government to "make any means necessary available to make up the budget shortfall." While no official statements have been made, analysts suspect that the memo is merely a "cover your butt" scenario and that by Q4, revenue will be found to make up any shortfalls.

Also within the announcement comes an historic decision by the Layartebian Defense Corporation to entertain the possibility of domestic production rights or DPRs for the ATT. Previously, DPRs were given only for small items such as bullets or small arms. "Given the versatility of the ATT it is anticipated that worldwide demand could quickly exceed production capacities. It is not in the interest of the LDC to delay foreign militaries' need for these vehicles." The press announcement stated. While no specific criterion has been proposed for what would qualify a country with the ability to manufacture their own vehicles, the merely possibility is monumental to the LDC. What affect this will have on the popularity of the vehicle remains to be seen. At present, anonymous officials have cited that demand for the truck does not yet exceed 20,000 units worldwide but that the information is still too new to make any positive estimation on the numbers.

Speaking of the delays, Bruce Armstrong, Vice-President of Communications said, "Unfortunately the supply far exceeded the demand and our number one priority is our own domestic requirements. With those filled, we branched out to our next level of export customers, TOA partners. Now that we have satisfied the majority of our demand, we can open the export up further. We're excited by the announcement and we anticipate that the ATT will be well received around the world, especially in nations looking to replace their aging trucks. The advantages of the ATT are numerous, including the commonality across the entire series."

The Layartebian Defense Corporation has indicated that while the ATT was designed for military purposes, there are countless civilian applications both inside of law enforcement and outside, especially in the area of construction.

It is interesting to note that 48,400 vehicles were exported to the New African Republic (a non-TOA partner) in an agreement made on February 4, 2004. All of those vehicles have been delivered.

The announcement sent LDC (LCSE/WSE: LDC) stocks soaring to over $5 per share since trading opened this morning. Providing worldwide demand comes in over the 100,000 mark, stocks are expected to rise further.

ATT Order Sheet

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411 Comments | E-mail this article
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MarkD
Layarteb City, NY
5 minutes ago


They better not raise my taxes!

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1,110 Yeas 300 Nays

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GangstaPhil
Cincinati, OH
8 minutes ago


Inb4taxhike

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40 Yeas 2,091 Nays

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CindyP
Westport, CT
90 seconds ago


Well I just hope this generates a lot of revenue. Sure we've got to rely on something other than arm's exports for revenue but at least this is just a truck, not a tank or a fighter jet.

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1,000 Yeas 510 Nays

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[Terra Reborn]

The Argument for Benevolent Imperialism
McAvoy Argues in favour of Imperial Foreign Policy
Jonathan McAvoy, Anchor & Editor-in-Chief (@McAvoyACN) (ACN)
Tuesday 27th January 2014, 22:30 | Anchorage, The Duchy of Alaska, the Apilonian Empire

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Imperial Navy working with International Partners on Disaster Relief Mission

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RELATED TOPICS
¤ WATCH: McAvoy’s Africa Report, 1999 [1,189 comments]
¤ HMS Fairbanks returns from Disaster Relief Mission [440 comments]
¤ WATCH: This Argument on Newsnight [982 comments]

Anchorage - For some Imperialism is a dirty word. A word used to describe a policy of aggressive expansionism and subjugation of native peoples by military force for the benefit of a larger, more powerful, nation-state. To a certain extent this is true, over the years many injustices and even atrocities have been conducted under the banner of Imperialism, and it is important that we, as a people, recognize that, in the past, even the Apilonian Empire has been a party to such activities. It was after all the aggressive Imperialism of the powerful civil servants, whose descendants were responsible for King Walker’s tragic assassination last year, which led to the Coalition that brought down the First Empire, undoing many decades of careful diplomacy in a few short years. And whilst the excesses of the late First Empire never became to severe, other nation-states have committed horrendous atrocities as part of their Imperialist policies, up to and including genocides and innumerable war crimes. In the traditional definition then there is more than enough evidence to support the idea that Imperialism is a bad thing, it brings death and destruction to the native peoples who have done nothing to deserve such treatment.

In the years since its resurgence the Foreign Policy of the Apilonian Empire, at least from the turn of the Twenty-First Century anyway, has been criticised as Imperialistic. In my view, and I suspect in many of my peers and the general citizenry of the Empire, I don’t think this is fair. To compare the Apilonian Empire’s foreign policy to the exploitation and atrocities of traditional Imperialism is like comparing a fish to a whale, utterly ridiculous. The term ‘Expansionist’ would probably be more apt, the Apilonian People have always sought power, prosperity and influence, a mind-set shared by the Australians given their history and connections to the Empire, we like to be able to control our own destiny, we like to live comfortably and protect our own interests. It took twenty years after the resurgence of the Empire for this mind-set to return to the forefront of public thought.

But Expansionist isn’t the title hurled at the Empire, it is Imperialist. It is a label that has been debated for some time now, with the likes of Viscountess Stanford going on record in the Imperial Times to argue in favour of Interventionism, but I will go a step further and say this: If the Apilonian Empire is Imperialistic, it is so benevolently. Viscountess Stanford has already pointed out eloquently that the Empire has conducted a number of interventions in the years since 2000, with the likes of Rhodes being perhaps the best example of Intervention done right, and she is also right in the reason why we intervene, because we can. Our military, economic and political strength puts us in a position to do an awful lot of good, and whenever there is a natural disaster or other such humanitarian crisis in the less fortune parts of the world the Apilonian Empire is often the first to offer aid and assistance, and in coastal or island regions it is often an Imperial Warship that is the first to render assistance, the vast majority of these are done for the medium-to-long term without any Imperial occupation or annexation at all, despite what some might try to claim.

It is also claimed by critics of the Empire that we only go into places where we have a specific interest of our own. Is this true? No its not, as I’ve already pointed out the Empire has a long record of humanitarian endeavours which haven’t ended in Imperial annexation. Is it true that the Empire sometimes goes into places, and oftentimes these are the ones that we encourage to join the Empire, because of the strategic value? Sure. But the critical difference is that we never go against the will of the population of the places we are operating in. It is a core tenant of Imperial Foreign Policy, especially when dealing with such things, that we only go where we are asked, we only stay where we are wanted, and we only absorb when free and fair referendums have shown that that is what the majority of the population desire. The sole exception to this is of course Portugal, but then that was never presented as a humanitarian intervention, it was a retaliation for proven attacks on the very homeland of the Empire, and Portugal was restored to the control of its people within twelve months, and is now flourishing under its new government. Some of our Crown Colonies and other holdings came to the Empire for protection, others for law and order, still more for economic reasons, and some, such as Gibraltar and more recently Malta, because they were Imperial under the First Empire, and desired to return. For many the Imperial Flag is a symbol of hope in a dark world, and is something we should all be proud of.

Getting back to the core of the argument, does the Empire go into countries, and yes sometimes absorb them, because of their strategic or economic value. The answer is yes, but it is a symbiotic relationship, not a exploitative one. Sure the Empire will get some form of gain out of its actions, but the gains that the territory gains as a result are equal to, and oftentimes more than what the Empire gets out of it. And, most importantly, the Empire did not do it without the consent of the government and the people. I’ll give two examples.

The first of course is Rhodes. Before the Empire moved in the island was a lawless mess, there was violence and depravity the likes of which chill the soul, brought famously to the attention of the Empire when the Battlecruiser Valiant intercepted a ship off Rhodes carrying liberated child slaves who had been rescued by the escaped prisoner, Lieutenant Rachel Weber IN. These children had been destined for the sex trade on the island, and Lieutenant Weber had personally prevented a young child from being raped during her time on the island after her capture. Faced with this information neither King Walker nor Parliament could sit back and allow it to continue. The Imperial Marines were deployed and order was restored, and over a period of years we rebuilt the framework of a nation that could care for itself, then at the end we gave the people an choice. They could choose independence, go forth and make their own path in the world, or they could join the Empire. They selected the latter of course, and Rhodes is now a prosperous Crown Colony, a profitable tourist location and, for the Empire, a very strategic location, which is of course what the Empire gets out of the deal.

The second, and perhaps more controversially for those who argue against the Empire’s policy, is Sierra Leone and Liberia. In the former the rare stable country in West Africa was on the verge of a civil war, our intervention prevented a conflict in which tens of thousands would die, and the people were given the same choice, go it alone or join up with us. As a result of their choice Sierra Leone is now a very profitable mining colony. This helps the economy of the Empire of course, but it has also helped Sierra Leone itself in numerous ways, including superior infrastructure and services than anywhere else in West Africa, and in a few years they are anticipated to be on the same level as anywhere else in the Empire. As for Liberia, the same was very much true, but our true concern came with the Buchanan Massacre, it was obvious that we could not allow such atrocities to take place without a response, and unfortunately for all of Liberia the belligerence of the Khorsuni encouraged President Fox to sign a treaty to save his country from becoming the battleground between the Empire and the Khorsuni Nation.

These are but two examples of course, but they are good representations of the bigger picture. The Empire gets something out of the exchange, whether that be a strategically placed colony or a profitable mining venture, but by and large the population get the far better deal, whether it be economically, politically or indeed protection from outside aggression. It is also important to remember a fact that many people ignore, and that with civil strife or other such issues which the Empire has successfully intervened in over the years, they are not quick fixes. It is not enough to simply solve the initial problems and hope for the best, sometimes the Empire must stay to keep the peace or to mediate a dispute, now what is better, to be an occupied nation or to be a full part of a functioning democracy in which their voices can be heard and they can directly influence affairs in the Imperial Parliament. And, importantly, remember that once all is said and done, once the foundations have been laid for a better future, if the Empire is not wanted, the Empire does not stay. It goes, and watches from afar as a friendly nation.

There are some that argue that the far flung nature of some of our Colonies is evidence of our land-grabbing intentions, but this could not be further from the truth. Some argue that the Empire has no right to interfere in regional issues that do not concern it. However more than a ‘right’ the Apilonian Empire has a ‘responsibility’ to step-in where it sees injustice, atrocity or tyranny. And to those that question our involvement I pose this question: ‘Where was Rome when Rhodes was going to hell, when brutality was widespread and young girls were being raped on the streets’. In every intervention the Apilonian Empire has conducted outside of our home regions of North America and Australia that has been an utter failure of the regional powers to step in. What gives us the right to interfere? Because no one else will.

I remember a time when I was in Africa in the late 90s, famine was spreading across the land and with it civil wars and other violence only making the situation worse. It was before we began to intervene proactively, but we sent large amount of humanitarian aide. A group of aid workers were killed by rebel soldiers, and yet we did nothing, we didn’t go in and we didn’t use our military strength, as reduced as it was compared to today, to end the fighting and protect the people. I spoke with a woman who had lost her husband and all three of her sons to the war, he words still ring in my ears, and the ears of anyone who heard them on one of my first broadcasts on ACN.

“The rebel soldiers come. They rape, murder, take our children and train them to kill, and you do nothing! So rich, you send us food and shovels, but you don't protect us. Even when your own people are killed, you do nothing. I don’t understand your country.”

This was a stunning indictment of the Apilonian Empire’s foreign policy at the time, our economy was booming and we were able to help by sending supplies, but we weren’t willing to do what had to be done. Less than two years after this broadcast we intervened militarily in Washington, and mere years after that in many other places. It had allowed our people to see that there was a way to combine our desire for strength and power with a desire to be decent human beings. In closing I therefore say this. Yes, the Apilonian Empire is expansionistic, but it is also benevolent. Yes, the Apilonian Empire has intervened in far-flung parts of the world, but only because no one else was willing to do the right thing. Yes, the Apilonian Empire has annexed territory as part of the solution to various problems, but always with the consent and request of the people.

And when we come down to it I have only one question to ask those who question the Empire’s motive: ‘My Empire feeds the hungry. My Empire comforts the sick and dying… what does yours do?”

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1,298 Comments
Apilonia Cable News © All Rights Reserved 2015

JenBrooks2014
Los Angeles, California
Four Hours Ago

Couldn’t agree more! If it hadn’t been for the Empire all of California, and most of the other states, would have fallen into anarchy and petty fighting when the USWA fell. Just look at how much good they did for North America, why should being far away disqualify people from salvation?

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1,420 Yeas 108 Nays

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NavyMan19
Kodiak Island, Alaska
One Hour Ago

Spot on. I’ve been involved in more humanitarian missions during my time in His Majesty’s Service than ever on operations against an enemy. A very important job, and it’s easy to forget that even when there are combat operations, afterwards there is a lot of rebuilding to do, and nations do not get rebuilt in a night.

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485 Yeas 32 Nays

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RhodesImperial
The Crown Colony of Rhodes
One Hour Ago

Before the Empire came to Rhodes it was not safe for me or my family to leave home at night, and even during the day it was dangerous. The sight of the Imperial Assault Ship that glorious morning was the best thing I’ve ever seen. God Save the King!

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1,012 Yeas 45 Nays

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[Layarteb]

17th Century Shipwreck Found
Nuestra Señora del Pilar discovered near the Puerto Rico
Marsha McFall (@MARSHAMLNN) (LNN)
January 30, 2015 - 19:25 | Havana, Cuba, Empire of Layarteb

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Routes of the Spanish Treasure Fleets

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RELATED TOPICS
¤ Diving crew finds long lost Spanish treasure ship [90 comments]
¤ Nuestra Señora del Pilar found off of Cuba [44 comments]
¤ Biggest discovery of the Caribbean in decades [62 comments]

Havana, Cuba - Not only is the legend of the Nuestra Señora del Pilar potentially true but the wreckage of the vessel has been found, at least that is what a spokesman from Dive Earth - a world renowned wreck diving company - has announced on Friday. Purportedly lost in 1666, the legend of the Nuestra Señora del Pilar has been a popular tale for North Americans for centuries though until this discovery, the majority opinion is that the legend is fiction.

The legend of the Nuestra Señora del Pilar begins in the year 1657 when the Nuestra Señora de las Maravillas collided with another Spanish vessel of the famed treasure fleet and sunk in the Straits of Florida with 5 million pesos of silver. The Spanish mounted a salvage operation but a massive storm, known now to be an Atlantic hurricane, devastated two small vessels, sinking them on the south side of Castaway Cay in the Bahamas. Ultimately, the Spanish were able to recover some 1.5 million pesos but the balance remained lost. The legend states that three years later, in 1660, a Spanish admiral named Gonzalo Flores set out to recover the balance of the lost treasure. After two expeditions, both of which were failures, Admiral Gonzalo Flores was accused by the crown of wasting funds and dismissed. Flores, unwilling to give up his quest for the lost treasure moved to Cuba where he raised a crew and bought a ship, naming it the Nuestra Señora del Pilar.

In 1665, Gonzalo Flores and his crew supposedly found the sunken treasure. Wishing for vindication, Flores reportedly took a single chest back to Spain as proof that he had found the wreckage. Unfortunately, he was dismissed as being mad and the chest was confiscated by the royal guard. Gonzalo Flores return to Cuba in early 1666 and in mid-summer, he and his crew allegedly recovered every missing chest from the 1657 shipwrecks. Incensed with the Spanish crown, he directed the Nuestra Señora del Pilar to sail to South America, where he would split the plunder with his crewmen and use the remaining balance to live a life of wealth and luxury away from the reaches of Spain. However, his ship was lost. The legend states that the ship was lost in a terrible storm, likely another hurricane. It is known that two hurricanes savaged the Lesser Antilles in 1666. In August, Martinique and Guadeloupe were struck sinking all but two vessels of an English 17-ship fleet, killing Admiral Francis Willoughby in the process. The second struck Puerto Rico, though the date is unknown. Alternative theories state that the vessel was destroyed by piracy or a battle between French and English vessels.

While most have believed that the legend of the Nuestra Señora del Pilar was fictional, a small group of individuals throughout the world, namely local Caribbean divers and historians have held that the tale is true. They may finally have vindication thanks to Dive Earth.

Dive Earth, founded in 1977, is a world-renowned wreck diving company that operates out of Havana, Cuba. The primary mission of Dive Earth is to provide recreational wreck diving to amateurs and enthusiasts. Though they mainly operate in the Caribbean Sea, they have sent expeditions into the South China Sea and the Mediterranean Sea over the years. While recreational wreck diving is their primary mission, Dive Earth, from time to time, uses its funds to locate long lost shipwrecks. They are instrumental in charting the many shipwrecks off of the island of Bermuda. The expedition to find the Nuestra Señora del Pilar is just one of many.

Carmen Deitz, the company's spokeswoman said in a released statement this afternoon, "The legend of the Nuestra Señora del Pilar has entertained people for centuries and yet it has been tarnished with the spectre of the label of 'fiction.' We at Dive Earth have set out to prove the existence of the Nuestra Señora del Pilar and we have done that. Thanks to a team of researchers and divers, the nineteen-year quest to locate the wreck of the Nuestra Señora del Pilar has finally ended with success. On Friday, January 30, a team of divers led by expert diver and historian Dr. Clarence S. Smith located the wreckage of the Nuestra Señora del Pilar and its entire bounty. The company will hold an unveiling on February 16 in Havana. The details will be released prior to the event. We hope that you can join us for this exciting announcement."

The company's website has uploaded several underwater photos from the site, including two cannons and several piles of tarnished, silver coins. Whether or not this find is truly the Nuestra Señora del Pilar is to be determined but at the very least, Dive Earth has found a long list shipwreck of the Caribbean.

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5 Comments | E-mail this article
Layartebian News Network © All Rights Reserved 2015

DrGreen
Havana, CB
30 minutes ago


I hope they open this up to the public and donate it to a museum. If this is the wreck of the Nuestra Señora del Pilar I know I'll be excited.

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50 Yeas 7 Nays

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Marta
On Earth
10 minutes ago


I wonder what will happen to the artifacts? Will they keep them or donate them?

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22 Yeas 4 Nays

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PirateSteve
Tortuga
16 minutes ago


Arrrr matey!!!

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5 Yeas 0 Nays

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[Brydog]

New President of the Federal Council Appointed
January 1, 2015

WROCLAW- Today, Natálie Kudrna, the Minister of Foreign Affairs was named the new President of the Federal Council taking over from Minister of Defense, Świętomierz Kijek who was the nation's first President. Kudrna told reporters she is happy at the chance to take over as the Head of State for the next year as the 2nd President of the Federal Council. Kudena's husband Rene is a professor of Internal Affairs at Charles University in Prague at hand for the small event at the Federal Council, which the Council confirmed the appointment. The President is appointed by the Federal Council, and is usually the acting Vice President, which Kudrna was at the time of the appointment. However with the events in Lazcoe being her first crisis as the leader of the Council, which which replied, "I have already been working it", the Government continues on with a new Head of State.

[Terra Reborn]

Weapons Trade Control Bill Passed
A Bill designed to better regulate the movement of weapons by civilians through the Empire’s territory has been passed by the Imperial Parliament.
Jessica Wright, Senior Political Correspondent (@JWrightACN) (ACN)
Monday 9th February 2015, 17:00 | Anchorage

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HM Coastguard helicopter launches to intercept suspect vessel.

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RELATED TOPICS
¤ HM Coastguard makes major drugs bust. [569 comments]
¤ How did the weapons that killed our King get past the Coast Guard [2,404 comments]
¤ WATCH: HM Coastguard in Action [982 comments]

Anchorage - His Majesty’s Government today passed a law forbidding the transport of weapons or military equipment through its territory, up to and including its exclusive economic zone, even if the ship in question is not intending to put into an Imperial port, by civilians without a permit. This law also gives the Imperial Navy and Imperial Coast Guard, as well as HM Customs and Border Patrol, the statutory authority to stop and search any suspect vehicle, airport or ship within the Empire’s jurisdiction (including the EEZ) if the operator does not have a valid permit. The Department for Business and Trade will be primarily responsible for issuing such permits, however all applications will require clearance from the Home Office and its appropriate arms (such as the Security Service). The Home Secretary, who spearheaded the effort to pass the bill, emphasised that this law would not prevent the transport of arms within Imperial jurisdiction, but rather that it would ensure that His Majesty’s Government knows about majority of such weapons transports, and has the statutory authority to stop and search any vessels seeking to avoid Imperial oversight.

The law, known as the Weapons Trade Control Bill of 2015, is widely seen as a response to the Assassination of King Walker last year, during which the weapons were smuggled into the Empire using a smaller ship from a larger ship, which was legitimately carrying the weapons to a separate sale within the Empire. The Bill is will give the authorities more substantial powers to stop the international arms trade from passing through, or making use of, the Empire or its territory, which is seen as very important in less stable parts of the world where the Empire has a colony or other holding.

It has been also suggested by some that the move is designed to increase the Empire’s options with regards to limiting the movement of Hi No Moton weapons and military equipment into the contest Aleutian Islands outside that which can be carried aboard military transport aircraft and ships. If true this is the latest in a series of diplomatic exchanges between the two Empires over the status of the islands, the most recent of which resulted in the movement of a Hi No Moton missile defence system being relocated from the contested islands to other Hi No Moton territory. If interpreted in this fashion, the Bill would allow the Imperial Armed Forces to act, if so directed by HM Government, to prevent the Hi No Motons from deploying any more heavy or advanced weapons systems to the contested islands than has already been deployed prior to the return to strength of the Empire, something that the Empire has been committed to preventing for over a decade.

When asked about this suspicion HM Government spokesperson did not rule out such a motivation, and simply remarked that the Apilonian Empire remained committed to restoring the Aleutian Islands to Imperial administration.

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4,024 Comments
Apilonia Cable News © All Rights Reserved 2015

TheCalifornianSceptic
San Francisco, The Duchy of California
Twenty minutes ago

And this wasn’t the law before… why?

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128 Yeas 14 Nays

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Coastguarder2014
HMCGAS Kodiak Island, Duchy of Alaska
Three hours ago.

As an Officer of His Majesty’s Coastguard I can say first hand that this Bill will significantly free the hands of the Coastguard when it comes to intercepting suspect vessels, we’ll know for sure whether a target is legally authorised to carry weapons and munitions.

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842 Yeas 43 Nays

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ImperialPatriot245
Seattle, Duchy of Washington
Four hours ago

About damn time, we need to stop these scum from using our waters or our airspace for their own ends.

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128 Yeas 422 Nays

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[Layarteb]

Shakeup in Cabinet
12 out of 21 positions of the Cabinet changed
Kim Hensen (@KIMHLNN) (LNN)
February 2, 2015 - 09:10 | Layarteb City, New York, Empire of Layarteb

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Press Secretary Henry Branson speaking during the announcement.

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RELATED TOPICS
¤ 12 of 21 Cabinet members changed [425 comments]
¤ Emperor Shakes Up Cabinet [890 comments]
¤ New Layartebian Government Announced [1,290 comments]

Layarteb City, New York - In a surprising announcement on Monday, the Layartebian Cabinet has received a major shakeup with twelve of the twenty-one positions changed. The change in leadership was announced by Press Secretary Henry Branson on Monday morning due a regularly scheduled briefing to the Fortress of Comhghall's press corps. While the topic of the meeting was not divulged ahead of time, this shakeup is the largest since the end of the Kaliningradian War when sixteen positions were changed in January 1996. While the shakeup comes without explanation, it was likely decided several months ago and a transition plan has been underway. In past announcements, officials have hinted to a three-month transition process for outgoing and incoming Cabinet positions.

Unchanged positions include the minister and the deputy minister of the Ministry of Commerce, Defense, and the Interior. The National Security Advisor was left unchanged as well. Retiring members include the Minister of Education, Finance, Foreign Affairs, and Justice, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In all of these positions, subordinates moved up to the highest position in their government ministries. The Minister of Intelligence has resigned and the deputy minister has been elevated. The Chief of Staff resigned and the Press Secretary was unchanged.

While there has been speculation of major policy changes within the Layartebian government since last summer, no official statements have been made in regards to policy changes or Cabinet shakeups until today. During his briefing, Press Secretary Branson announced, "Our outgoing Cabinet members have all served their country with the utmost dedication and the Emperor and their subordinates are all eternally grateful to the jobs they have done. The Layartebian people should be thankful for the selfless dedication that these men and women have shown to assisting in running the Empire." He went on to further state, "The Emperor expresses the utmost confidence in each and every replacement and promoted individual. The Empire has been in existence for nearly thirty-five years and while that is only a small bit of time in the universe, for the Layartebian people that is an eternity. Our continued existence throughout the world and the powerful position we levy throughout global affairs could not have been achieved without the dedication and sacrifice that these men and women, and all those who came before them, have shown."

With this shakeup, the longest-serving member of the Cabinet is now the Minister of the Interior, who rose to the position in 2006, following the official end of the Conquests. While there is no way of knowing if there are further Cabinet changes in the works, the shakeup does bring many questions concerning the stability of the Layartebian government and its future policies into question. While time will tell what kind of effect this has on the country and the world, there is one thing for certain, it is difficult to work for the Empire.

Minister of Commerce - Sara L. Hill
Minister of Defense - Allen A. Sanders
Minister of Education - Leon Krueger
Minister of Finance - Charles P. Spencer
Minister of Foreign Affairs - Timothy M. Fisher
Minister of Intelligence - Carmen G. Flores
Minister of the Interior - Ryan F. Wright
Minister of Justice - Kimberly G. Cooper

Deputy Minister of Commerce - Jeff B. Edwards
Deputy Minister of Defense - David J. Davis
Deputy Minister of Education - Anita M. Rodriguez
Deputy Minister of Finance - James B. Fetty
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs - Maria J. Raines
Deputy Minister of Intelligence - Michael M. Bryan
Deputy Minister of the Interior - Diane L. Spears
Deputy Minister of Justice - Stephen J. Collins

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff - Chairman-General Anthony S. Barnes
Chief of Staff - Emmett S. Baird
National Security Advisor - Robert P. Crawford

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1,762 Comments | E-mail this article
Layartebian News Network © All Rights Reserved 2015

CharlieB
LC, NY
89 minutes ago


Of course it's difficult to work for the Empire - you mean Emperor - the man never takes a vacation and with all of the crisis throughout the world imagine how many phone calls you get at 3 in the morning because some nutjob in some faraway country has done something stupid.

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789 Yeas 177 Nays

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Gratisman
Sarajevo
22 minutes ago


Conspiracy! It's all a conspiracy!

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612 Yeas 100 Nays

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[Layarteb]

Canary Islands Become SCZ
Canary Islands designated as a Special Cultural Zone by the Ministry of the Interior
Brandon Small (@BRANDONSLNN) (LNN)
February 13, 2015 - 09:34 | Layarteb City, New York, Empire of Layarteb

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Map of the Canary Islands

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RELATED TOPICS
¤ Newest SCZ: Canary Islands [11 comments]
¤ Canary Islands Now An SCZ [42 comments]
¤ WATCH: Minister of the Interior's Speech on SCZ [2 comments]

Layarteb City, New York - On Friday morning, the Minister of the Interior announced that the Canary Islands had received the status of Special Cultural Zone joining both Cozumel Island and the Balearic Islands in this special category. Speaking from the Ministry of the Interior, Minister Wright announced, "The designation of the Canary Islands as a Special Cultural Zone has been a ten-year process undertaken initially at the request of the Kingdom of Dalmasce. I am pleased to announce that as of midnight tonight, that designation will go into effect."

A Special Cultural Zone is a special designation by the Ministry of the Interior that works in conjunction with both the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Justice to ease many of the strict penalties and regulations of Layartebian law to so-called "victimless crimes" such as prostitution and recreational drug use. As indicated, the process for establishing an SCZ is a long process and it requires considerable legislation and research both commercially and legally. The primary aim of an SCZ is to promote international tourism and to keep intact already existing cultures that do not conform as rigidly to the policies of the Empire.

Cozumel Island was the first SCZ, designated such in November 2004 shortly after Quintana Roo was conquered by Layartebian forces. It is currently the home of Hedonism, a major resort and it received over twenty million visitors last year alone. The second were the Balearic Islands, designated such in May 2011. The Balearic Islands are home to yearly, summer festivals for electronica and dance music. While the Canary Islands lack the sort of resort draw that Cozumel has and the festival culture that the Balearic Islands have, it is unique in its influence from the Kingdom of Dalmasce where heroin and opiate-based drugs are legal.

Speaking of the qualifications, Minister Wright said, "The Canary Islands derive over three-quarters of their revenue from tourism and the majority of those tourists come from the Kingdom of Dalmasce. While agriculture could be a major draw, the Ministry of the Interior has always expressed large concern with regards to overexploitation and it is in our interests, and the interests of the Canary Island residents to protect the local environment as much as we possibly can. The Canary Islands alone draw approximately ten to fifteen million tourists per year." While no official announcement has been made from the Dalmascan government we can only surmise that it will be met with favorability.

The SCZ designation for the Canary Islands will encompass the entire archipelago, despite speculation that it would be limited to specific islands. The Canary Islands are already a Special Economic Zone (SEZ), which allows for free trade regardless of national affiliation. The largest trade partners in the Canary Islands are, without surprise, the Kingdom of Dalmasce and the New African Republic.

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14 Comments | E-mail this article
Layartebian News Network © All Rights Reserved 2015

MadTDog
LC, NY
6 seconds ago


Booking my ticket in...

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4 Yeas 16 Nays

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CherylAnne
Falcon City
90 minutes ago


Great, another place for unrestricted drug use and debauchery. I can't wait until we see the OD statistics.

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25 Yeas 11 Nays

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Barnabas
Miami
30 minutes ago


It's right and well to do something good for the Dalmascans but I think this might not have been the right move.

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20 Yeas 15 Nays

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[Earth_ Two]

.:. Updated to here .:.

[Layarteb]

The Empire Rejects "Virtue"
Calls into question 300+ year old relationship with the Roman Empire
Todd Gaines (@TODDGLNN) (LNN)
January 14, 2015 - 13:30 | Layarteb City, New York, Empire of Layarteb

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(File Photo) The Emperor entering a news conference

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RELATED TOPICS
¤ Layartebian government blasts "Virtue" [448 comments]
¤ "Virtue" announced with immediate backlash [890 comments]
¤ Empire of Apilonia bashes "Virtue" [1,900 comments]

Layarteb City - On Wednesday, the Emperor announced a summary rejection of the newly announced organization known as "Virtue." Announced Monday from Puerto Saulo by Roman Caesar Valerius, the new organization includes the nations of Puerto Saulo, the Roman Empire, the Republic of La Plata, and the Republic of the Khorsuni Nation.

Speaking of the organization, the Emperor said, "'Virtue' is nothing more than an attempt to practice imperialism and divide the world into spheres of influence through deceit and deception. The summary rejection of imperialism and the connotations that the 'Virtue' charter associates with it are hypocritical to the aims of the organization. Rather than be honest with the citizens of the world, 'Virtue' instead intends to use pseudo acts of kindness, charity, and benevolence to deceive and subjugate the people of the world. 'Virtue' seeks a different brand of imperialism, marketed instead to appear as something it is not. I call upon the nations of the world to reject 'Virtue' and its hypocrisy."

When asked how the Empire would respond to "Virtue" as an organization, the Emperor responded, "Neither 'Virtue' nor any of its subsidiary organizations or fronts is welcome in the lands, the skies, or the seas of the Empire. Any attempt by 'Virtue' to force itself upon any of the Empire's neighbors and allies will be treated as an act of hostile aggression, for which it is. The language of the charter is but a farce upon the world, an attempt to brand interventionism differently. Any organization that includes the Republic of the Khorsuni Nation, a nation that blatantly attempt to provoke war with the Empire not one and a half years ago can do no good for the world. The Republic of the Khorsuni Nation exists for no other reason than to antagonize the peace, the stability, and the prosperity of the world. No organization that includes them as a member can possibly be considered virtuous by any stretch of the definition of the word."

Citing specifically Roman involvement as a cause for concern, the Emperor responded to a question concerning Valerius' announcement with a very different level of tone than we have seen directed at the Roman Empire. "That Rome, one of Layarteb's oldest allies and kin, would ally itself with the RKN is a slap to our face, a betrayal that cannot be undone. It calls into question the commitment that Rome has to the world. If Rome is willing to throw away over five hundred years of history with Layarteb then it is obvious they care little for history. Rome might have brought the Layartebian people the Industrial Revolution but they have nearly undone such contributions with this act."

While the Emperor refused to comment further on the situation, the Press Secretary, Henry Branson did say that Rome's partnership with the RKN was likely to lead to a change in attitude towards their nation from the Layartebian government. The Empire of Layarteb now joins the Empire of Apilonia in condemning the organization and rejecting its very existence. Whether this is a unified front between the October Alliance allies remains to be seen, as there have been no official statements from the Cottish Realm yet. Unlike the Apilonian condemnation, the Emperor strictly limited his criticism to the organization as a whole and only the RKN and the Roman Empire.

Further statements and releases are expected as this story develops.

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981 Comments | E-mail this article
LNN © All Rights Reserved 2015

HistoryProfessor82
Raccoon City, WV
39 minutes ago


This is unprecedented in the world. Rome, by its very membership in this organization has rejected over two thousand years of its own history. It's unconscionable to think what Valerius' predecessors are thinking in their graves. If Julius Caesar were alive today he would play the role of Brutus.

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790 Yeas 214 Nays

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JackB
Miami, FL
90 minutes ago


Let the Romans go. If they want to be bedfellows with the RKN so be it. It just gives us more of a reason to conquer Sanibel, Alert, and Southern Ontario. We'll show them what "Virtue" is really worth.

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500 Yeas 250 Nays

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BillR
Havana, CB
25 minutes ago


The Romans have a shorter attention span than your common fruit fly. The Khorsunis fired a ballistic missile - yes people a ballistic missile that could have carried a nuclear warhead - right at Cape Verde just a year and a half ago and now Rome wants to get in bed with them? They're just inviting us to invade Sicily. After all, the Empire doesn't have nearly enough islands in the Med.

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358 Yeas 219 Nays

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[Terra Reborn]

Government Launches New Educational Policy
Department for Education unveils new Educational Framework
Jane Hunter (@JHunterACN) (ACN)
Thursday 12th March 2015, 21:00 | Anchorage, Duchy of Alaska

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RELATED TOPICS
¤ Biggest shakeup of Welfare System in thirty years [4,244 comments]
¤ Profile: Secretary of State for Education [440 comments]
¤ WATCH: Secretary of State’s Speech [982 comments]

Karin City, Duchy of Alaska - The Department for Education announced today that all young people will be required to remain in some form of education, until the age of eighteen. Young people will have the option of pursuing one of two options. The Academic route will consist of traditional courses in academic subjects taught at the College-level and result in the award of A-Level qualifications. The Vocational route will consist of two-year apprenticeship in which an Apprentice receives the basic introduction to a technical or vocational trade, resulting in the award of a Level 3 National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) in the appropriate trade. Above the age of eighteen these qualifications will lead to either University (for the Academic route) or further Apprenticeships (for the vocational route), designed to ensure that all young adults possess qualifications and skills, depending on ability, to allow them to attain employment in some form after compulsory education.

The Secretary of State for Education, the Right Honourable Wendy Hammond, said:

‘The 2015 Educational Framework will ensure that all young people, whether academically or vocationally inclined, will be provided with a good foundation from which to develop further skills or qualifications, or at least attain decent employment. The Department for Education is very excited about working with educational institutions to enact this framework over the coming years. The Educational Framework does not seek to punish those who are not academically strong, rather it seeks to ensure that each and every Imperial Citizen has the tools to live their own lives.'

The new policy would be funded completely by the Government, as part of compulsory education, and in addition to funding the training, the Government would also found two maintenance programs (the Educational Maintenance Allowance and the Vocational Maintenance Allowance) to a maximum sum of £30 a week, designed to be used to pay for public transport, any equipment required and for food. This new Educational Initiative is part of a wider range of policies by the Alexander Government designed to reform the benefits system to ensure that it is used where it is needed and not wasted on slovenly and lazy individuals, by ensuring that those who have physically and mentally capable cannot use the excuse of lack of skills or qualifications as a reason for not finding work.

The Right Honourable Phillip Martin, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, said:

‘The Welfare reforms, which the 2015 Educational Framework is but a part, will ensure that Apilonian Empire has one of the most robust welfare systems in the world. We will make sure that we help those who actually need our help, we will provide free, universal healthcare to all Imperial Citizens and we will ensure that every person who calls this Empire their home the chances to make a better life for themselves. However we need to do so without bankrupting the country and without taking vital funds away from other areas, such as Defence. In order to do so we cannot afford to fund the lifestyle of those who are lazy and avoid work, everyone has the responsibility to ensure that they can live their own lves, so that the Government can support those that really needed; the disabled, the mentally unsound and those truly without hope.'

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2,400 Comments
Apilonia Cable News © All Rights Reserved 2015

JJWilliamson2015
Karin City, Duchy of Alaska
Forty Mintues Ago

It’s about damn time the Government cracked down on those abusing the welfare system. It is those layabouts that stops the funding going to the people that need it most, and continues the cycle of homelessness and unemployment.

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842 Yeas 221 Nays

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CaliJane
Los Angeles, Duchy of California
Two Hours Ago

Nice to see the Government finally putting a stop to the Entitlement Culture that has done as much damage to the economy as it has to the welfare system, hopefully now wastage will be reduced.

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244 Yeas 84 Nays

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LadyLuxery11
Bismarck, Duchy of the Dakotas
Twenty Minutes Ago

How can the Government do this! Now I can’t live a life of leisure!

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4 Yeas 289 Nays

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