Saltbridge Sun: Newspaper of Saltbridge (Open to All)

[Saltbridge]

BRE Upgrades In 2016 Blingridge International Airport Saltbridge Airport Corporation (SaltAC) plans to upgrade Blingridge International Airport (BRE) in the next year, CEO of SaltAC, Dr. Guadalupe Castillo said, BRE has exceeded the capacity of handling 6.5 million passengers and plans to upgrade the airport is included in their Strategic Development Plan. "The upgrading of the BRE will begin next year and I believe it is timely because it will increase the number of tourist arrivals in Blingridge. He said the upgrading project will be implemented in phases, beginning with upgrading a terminal board. However, Dr Castillo did not disclose the cost of the upgrade. In conjunction with the Strategic Development Plan, SaltAC also prepared an Airport Environment Strategy and a Ground Transport Plan. During preparation of the Master Plan, SaltAC has worked closely with stakeholders including industry, airlines, the community and all levels of government.

[Saltbridge]

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UniLight Logistics will open new perishables handling facility at Oldwich SkyPark Aeropolis

UniLight Logistics will open their new perishables handling facility within their perfectly located airfreight hub at Oldwich SkyPark Aeropolis. The 8,000 square foot facility has a number of features that will improve handling processes, adding efficiency and value to their perishables customers supply chain. The temperature-controlled facility, has cross-dock capability, eliminates contamination exposure, reduced manual handling and will be operational 24/7, by our dedicated perishables team.

“Efficiency is of paramount importance for perishables customers”, says Benjamin Collingham, CEO of UniLight Logistics. “The significant investment we have made is not only part of our airfreight strategy, but a result of from feedback from clients and valuing their needs from a logistics provider in this sector.” Collingham adds: “I have high hopes for this ultra-modern facility as an addition to our already existing airfreight hub. This will help us to become one of the premier logistics services providers in this sector and offer many benefits and integrated solutions for our customers supply chain.”

[Saltbridge]

Saltbridge Sun’s Diplomatic Interview Series: Exclusive Interview with Minister of Foreign Affairs Pierre Joseph of The Anime Reality Empire of Flardania Diplomatic was a interesting and tricky issue. Peace and war are parts of the playground. Therefore, we in SaltbridgeSun.com try to get more inside about diplomatic arena. Saltbridge Sun’s Diplomatic Interview Series was our tools to dig more about that issue. Minister Pierre Maximilian Joseph Editor’s Note: This interview is part of Saltbridge Sun’s Diplomatic Interview Series. Today we have, Minister of Foreign Affairs Pierre Joseph of The Anime Reality Empire of Flardania. Pierre M. Joseph of the Taisuist Autocratic Republic of Flardania was born on April 3 1989 to Jerome Joseph his black father and Renée Delcroix Joseph his French/White mother at St. Beatrice Hospital in LaRousse. Pierre's mother died of disease in 1996 and his father was killed in the Secular Riot of 1998 where he spent the rest of his childhood surviving with fellow orphan, former Domestic terrorist and current director of CP 9 Junko Enoshima and former domestic terrorist and current special ops soldier Mukuro Ikusaba. Pierre would split off from Junko and Mukuro when he was offered a full ride scholarship to Mahora University in his Junior Year of high school and sped through the program. Pierre graduated at the age of 21 became the youngest minister of Foreign affairs two years ago at 23 and is still going strong How do you assess Flardania’s role in global democracy and what steps are being taken to move forward in the international scene? Flardania's role begins at finding the right type of democracy fits whether it is an existing one or a new one. Remember that democracy was created and perfected in the west with different social norms, cultures, and traditions. Furthermore the west as similar traits and events they can relate to. Here in the east there are different priorities. For example Flardania's ancient history was one filled with Emperors and Shōguns who held power over the many former nations that makes up Flardania today. It is for that reason we are a Taisuist Autocratic Republic, using Taisuism to influence the nations constitution in order to guarantee rights and provide fail safes. It is for that reason that Flardania shies away from promoting one type of democracy because it may not fit everywhere and instead promotes alternatives that fit the society in question. In regards to taking steps to move forward in the international scene I believe we have already done so. Flardania is a member of the International Freedom Coalition and founder of the Pacific Cooperation Pact. Hosted summits, peace treaties and has a national football team that is making noise. However we always seek more recognition and plan to do such. What is your outlook for the Flardania economy for 2015 and beyond? The future outlook of the Flardania economy is looking very bright. The Kasuga administration has been working hard to increase the value of construction based jobs as a means to increase respect and pay. This encourages more people to work positions from Architect to Construction worker. This allows for us to further innovate infrastructure and lower unemployment. Also Dirigeant Arata Kasuga launched the Storefront Initiative Act to provide extra funding to business close to going international this was especially seen with Air Pacifica and may be potential seen with the restaurant chain Hanako Belpois. Flardania under Kasuga will be seeking to bring foreign business and plants to Flardania. In the past we would sit passively and let people come to us seeing how modern and environmentally beautiful we are, but now we seek to bring companies to us which will also have other companies seek us. Where do you see Saltbridge-Flardania trade relations five years from now? It's tough to say at this point but with Air Pacifica Cargo connecting the two countries I would say five years time could be the start of something special. However a good place to start is with Saltbridge and Flardania establishing formal relations through embassies or alternative means. This would be something that would need to be discussed between both parties but is one we are in favor of. What is your plan for the future? I don't know to be honest. Maybe marry someone who knows that could end being Princess Natsumi Haruhara a friend of mine I have recently began courting with or some other fine woman. Perhaps I can also try my hand one day at being the Dirigeant of the Taisuist Autocratic Republic or switch from part time to full time professor at the University of Mahora like former President Negi Springfield. There is one other possibility and that is to once again seek appointment as Minister of Foreign Affairs, travel is something I adore and I appreciate the opportunity this job has given me. What have been the milestones for the nation over the years? Some of the milestones include but are not limited to: Air Pacifica going international/ PCP Summit in Altomare/ IFC Summit in Kairaku, 4th place Soccer finish in the Baptism of Fire/ Hosting a peace conference and treaty signing in Altomare, along with many more minor accomplishments that we seek to improve and expand on.

[Saltbridge]

Construction begins on last of three Harbor Class OPVs for the Greythrone Navy Harbor Class offshore patrol vessels Construction has begun on the last of three new Harbor Class offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) for the Greythrone Navy. The first steel for what will become GNS Saltstone Harbor was cut at Government Arsenal shipyard on 7 October, according to the Ministry of Defense, Internal Security & Intelligence. The first and second vessels, GNS Saltstone Harbor and GNS Angelwood Harbor are scheduled to be delivered in 2017, followed by GNS Stormfury Harbor in 2018. The vessels are being purchased, at a cost of NSD348 million, in order to maintain Greythrone shipbuilding activity .

[Saltbridge]

President: New National Security Directorate Improvement Bill to tackle terrorism will be tabled soon President Blend of Saltbridge A new National Security Directorate Improvement Bill will soon be shelved in the current Parliament sitting to enhance Saltbridge’s security measures amid terrorism threats both from inside and outside the state, President Blend said today. Blend said this was aimed at strengthening the National Security Directorate (NASDIR) so that it would be on par with similar agencies in other countries. "In line with the shifting geopolitical landscape and the type of threats from non-state players, regardless of whether from overseas or from within, violent extremism in Saltbridge is real and the government has paid due attention to combat it. "Therefore, the government is now in the process of strengthening theNASDIR to make it more efficient and effective in streamlining the policies as well as the country's security strategies," Blend told Parliament during question time. "The transformation among others is to contemplate the roles and purposes of the NASDIR as an agency that executes policies it finalizes. Other News • SaltAIR staff combine to safe our rivers • Estenford Regional Air start their route to Oldwich Skypark

[Saltbridge]

Armed Men Arrested After 'Forsaken Falls' In Blingridge Besieged National Security Directorate Special Operations Group A gunman on Tuesday has made a restaurant in Blingridge, became the scene of a dramatic siege for two hours. The Saltbridge Sun reported that National Security Directorate (NASDIR) were called to the restaurant Forsaken Falls located on the edge of Highland Street and Pioneer Boulevard at 10 am local time. The naked man earlier had attacked police with meat cleaver and escaped in the NASDIR attempts to arrest him before fleeing to the restaurant. He was allegedly involved in poaching efforts by National Security Directorate early today. The man had barricaded himself in a restaurant and began throwing objects such as glasses and bottles from the windows on the second floor of the building. The operative from the National Security Directorate Special Operations Group (Group No. 7) finally caught after noon. Some people have been evacuated from the building during the siege.

[Saltbridge]

Saltbridge Sun’s CEO Interview Series: President of LegionTV, Bobby McEsten Bobby McEsten Today we have Bobby McEsten, President of LegionTV. Formerly the National CEO of Legion Entertainment, he was promoted to lead the international expansion of LegionTV. Mr McEsten has been a pivotal figure in the Recon media industry, having headed the biggest mass media company in the nation. He has helped found the original ReconTV branch, along with fellow media mogul, Farrell Gonsman, who chairs the Gonsman Group, another television broadcaster. Mr McEsten has also previously held titles as Managing Director of McEsten Media, a self-founded media company wholly bought by the Legion Corporation; as well as Director of Press of the Legion Corporation. How has LegionTV invested in innovation? LegionTV, like all of Legion's many subsidiaries, invest heavily in technologies and improvements that make our service more user-friendly and of a higher quality than our predecessors. When Legion decides to embark on a new subsidiary, we always go through the process of sitting a development research team down, finding the current market trends, and ensuring there's a need and desire for it. This is how our subsidiaries are always so successful the moment they take flight. The birth of LegionTV has been long awaited, as I continued to helm as President of the domestic Legion Entertainment. It is only after seeing the steady decline of fellow international market competitors that we decided it was time for us to take over as the next market leader. LegionTV's success is not by pure chance, but by careful planning and strategic execution, thinking of all possible factors that can increase our probability of success. In a sector characterized by growing competition, building a reputation is crucial. How do you do this? We do expect competition to arise once we started LegionTV. In fact, the Legion management in general has seen competition in almost all our subsidiaries, in petrol, retail, and healthcare and even in investments. It is a natural process for a market to catch up once others see our success. We don't feel its a threat, but instead a clear indication that encourages our staff and leaders that the company is heading in the right direction. Legion doesn't wait and follow others, because its too slow. As our conglomerate motto says, we believe in the power of dreams. Legion will be the one who continues to realize this dream into reality. We build our reputation through just that. Being the first one who fills up a gap in the market definitely leaves a mark, as you'll be one step ahead of all your competitors. But also, due to our continuous success, the Legion brand has taken off in a positive spiral as one of the most recognizable brands in the world. This itself gives us an edge when competing with lesser known brands. How do you maximize the efficiency of your operation? We believe that the most important thing in a storefront to sustain is how it can archive its interactions efficiently. A systematic, analytical and well thought through design to ensure that records don't clog up the storefront unnecessarily, and if required, that it is easy to look at. As you may realize from Legion's early beginnings, our services are always choked by bureaucracy, having multiple vice-presidents, directors, managers and executives that answer to separate departments. We feel that such a model needs to be improved, and cannot be sustained in the long run. Hence, ever since around early this year, many of our subsidiaries begin answering our clients directly by our chief executives, or his/her deputy. We try to avoid layers of bureaucracy which has helped our clients feel that we are more approachable and friendly. As noted, we put a lot of effort into letting our clients know who is behind the businesses, because we want our executives to be responsible and responsive to clients' needs and desires. We believe that the most important thing in a storefront to sustain is how it can archive its interactions efficiently. A systematic, analytical and well thought through design to ensure that records don't clog up the storefront unnecessarily, and if required, that it is easy to look at. Many a times we see new storefronts (even some experienced ones) simply listing their clients, resulting in a long list of words that is tough to get scroll through. These storefronts, as expected by our market research team, have declined significantly. We ensure that all Legion storefronts are of the same quality, having an easy, professional look, despite the hard work that's put into it. LegionTV does it through great scheduling techniques, smaller pictures for artistes and presenters, and shrinking down of non-essential services (LegionNet). A tiny note is how we actually think about how we align our schedules to ensure that on a standard computer screen, there is not a single row that reaches more than one line. This is how we achieve that clean look. What qualities are needed in a modern CEO? Throughout history, leaders are visionaries, those who can lead his organization into the future, through innovation and direction. There is no such thing as a modern corporate leader. Throughout history, leaders are visionaries, those who can lead his organization into the future, through innovation and direction. This is the role that all leaders have to fill, even till today. Of course, there are new challenges in the world today, such as the thick legal and bureaucratic mess that all companies need to go through, as well as growing intelligence in consumers and critics. However, these problems will continue to keep evolving, and it is the job of the Chief Executive to know and tackle the problems. Do you have any priority targets for 2016? LegionTV hopes to expand its success to be comparable to our larger subsidiaries, like Legion Hypermarkets, Legion Universities or Pegasus Petrol. Seeing how these subsidiaries have become staple in the infrastructure of many nations worldwide, we believe that LegionTV's current market image as a modern and professional media company positions us well to reach that goal. In this system of GE&T, to be frank, what matters is the first impression, the rest will fall into place by itself. In this system of GE&T, to be frank, what matters is the first impression, the rest will fall into place by itself. If the first impression is not done well, it's hard to catch up in the future. Of course, as usual, Legion will continue to look for new opportunities to grow and develop, but understanding that our resources are limited, it will take an even longer time before Legion comes out with its next subsidiary. Nonetheless, success aside, LegionTV's main motto is always to connect the world together. Our motto is often known as "Bringing the world to you", but the lesser known second part is actually "and Bringing you to the world." We want our viewers to be the creators in the future, and only that will really ensure an intelligent and altruistic communication channel for people all around the world. Thank you for this interview.

[The Recon Empire]

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To Editor-General of Saltbridge Sun:

Greetings! Thank you so much for your kind interview with our President! LegionTV is very glad to let people around the world know more about us, and how we operate. We thank Saltbridge Sun for this wonderful opportunity, and hopes to work closely with your magazine in the future. Mr McEsten himself has expressed gratitude and appreciation for the efforts of the Saltbridge Sun staff, and hopes to see the continuation of this format to encourage new entrepreneurs and businesses to work hard and flourish.

Our upper management has also viewed this interview favourably and looks forward to more interviews with Legion CEOs!

Bringing you to the world, and the world to you.

With thanks from LegionTV,

Edward Simms
Director of Press
LegionTV
The Legion Corporation

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[Saltbridge]

Saltbridge Sun’s CEO Interview Series: CEO of CuppaCoffee PLC, Oliver Buxon Oliver Buxon Today we have Oliver Buxon, CEO of CuppaCoffee PLC. Mr. Oliver Buxon, 54, born in Purston, Kington Langley at 1961. Hold a degree in Economic & Corporate Management. Joint CuppaCoffee in 1993 from middle level until appointed as CEO in 2011. Appointed as Kingtonian business ambassador in 2013 and hon. Lecturer at University of Kingsmouth in 2014. What does the future hold for CuppaCoffee? ...2016 is certainly going to be an exciting year for us and for our customers. Currently, CuppaCoffee is working extensively on relaunching its image. Within the next few weeks our customers can anticipate the arrival of a brand new storefront. While we are saying goodbye to the one that has served us well for the past 4 years, making us the household name we are today along the way, we must look to the future and continue to be at the forefront of modernity. Coinciding with this, our logo is also getting a bit of a revamp though it shall remain the recognisable design the world knows and loves today. Financially, as the number of nations with a CuppaCoffee presence passed the 400 milestone recently, funding of our environmental protection activities will also be significantly increased over the next year. Currently set at 15% of all CuppaCoffee after-tax profits, this will be doubled to 30% by Christmas next year. With many more planned changes still being discussed by the board, 2016 is certainly going to be an exciting year for us and for our customers. You appear to put a high value on employee engagement. What do you do to make this happen? We try our best to emphasise the importance of the individual. It is hard to be motivated in your job when you feel you are nothing more than a small cog in a massive, complex machine. Constant communication with management is one way we attempt to achieve this and is probably the most effective. When employees are constantly updated by those in charge, they feel that they are 'in the loop' so to speak. What I mean by this is that they don't feel ignored. Instead, they actually feel as though their opinions matter and that they have the opportunity to contribute to the future of the company. Another tactic we employ is decentralised management. Apart from the most important company-wide decisions, the day-to-day running of CuppaCoffee is handled by our vast network of regional managers who are responsible for the 400 individual national CuppaCoffee chains around the world. With large corporate decisions being made at a much lower level, our employees can realistically aspire to obtain a meaningful position within the company on a much shorter timescale. Those are just two major examples. What single issue or challenge do you see most often? The single greatest challenge CuppaCoffee faces is logistics. We own and/or operate stores in over 400 countries which have to be supplied constantly, especially those in highly developed/urbanised markets. While we have a number of active supplier agreements with major specialised third party distributors in an effort to alleviate these high demands, the vast majority of logistical responsibilities continues to lie solely with us. The question of improving these capabilities is one that is asked almost on a daily basis at CuppaCoffee board meetings. To combat this we are floating the idea of establishing a more decentralised structure of distribution where we would seek to contract out such responsibilities to local companies wherever possible. Simply put, it continues to be an obstacle for us but one we are actively attempting to overcome. What qualities are needed in a modern CEO? Their ability to work effectively depends entirely on the ability of the CEO to lay out an effective plan for how they want the business to be managed...You need to be inclusive but, at the same time, know when to be decisive. From my personal experience, I would say a CEO in the modern era must have 3 specific qualities if they are to lead a company or organisation effectively. One: You must have a clearly defined vision or business plan. When you assume a role such as a CEO, you have thousands of people under you that look to you constantly for guidance. Their ability to work effectively depends entirely on the ability of the CEO to lay out an effective plan for how they want the business to be managed. Without one, even the most powerful organisations can unravel. Two: You need to be inclusive but, at the same time, know when to be decisive. To be an effective leader you have to be prepared to listen to the views of your colleagues and take criticisms of you ideas into account when they are justified. However, you also need to be strong enough to take the initiative and make the tough decisions. Three: You need to be willing to innovate. Regardless of how successful a company is, its competitors are never far behind. A good CEO never gets caught up in the progress they have already achieved, they are always focused on doing better. While there are certainly many more qualities one must have to be a 'good' CEO, such as honesty and a strong moral compass, those three are the ones I think one has to possess if they are to be an 'effective' CEO. What do you think is the biggest challenge facing leaders today? Finding the time for serious reflection. As communication technology continues to advance at an amazing speed, getting in touch with others becomes faster and easier with each passing day. Whether you are the leader of a country or a company, there are thousands of individual problems demanding your attention at any given moment. As the speed at which communication technology advances only increases, there are now as many ways to address these problems. This can make it all too easy to get caught up in problem-solving, communication, and decision making to the extent that you don't have time to even think about anything else. This may seem like a good thing in and of itself, they are focusing more on running their company right? But ask yourself this: if they can't step back and take time to reflect on the work their company is doing, and why it is doing it, who will? As leaders, they have to maintain vision and perspective on the work they do, and sometimes the only way to do this is to take a step back. With modern leaders now being only a phone call or email away, this is becoming an increasingly impossible task.

[Saltbridge]

Saltbridge Sun’s CEO Interview Series: Chancellor of the Legion International University, Dr. Alistair W. Hennings Alistair W. Hennings Today we have Dr. Alistair W. Hennings, Chancellor of the Legion International University. As co-founder of the prestigious Kinstail McKenzie University together with Dr Kinstail McKenzie, a fellow education legend and the former Premier of the Recon Empire, Dr Hennings has also set the core policies for the national education system in the Recon Empire. Serving as the former Secretary-General of the Recon Education Authority under the Ministry of Community, he has defined the curriculum for all public schools in the Recon Empire for the past 25 years. Dr Hennings has also been involved with the foundings of the Imperial College of Dion, the University of Pryston and the Felton State City University, and currently sits on their Board of Governors. Dr Alistair Hennings obtained an LPhD in psychology and LDMg in Education Administration, and is the father of the Sir Eugene Hennings, the current Lord of The Crown Federation of Recon. What have been some key events over the past year for Legion International University? Thank you for having me today. Legion International Universities has become a household name for quality higher education of world-class standards. Over the past year, we have expanded tremendously into so many countries worldwide. Undoubtedly, Legion Universities, like many of Legion subsidiaries in the past, have performed at a level that has never been seen in its respective industries in modern history, and I'm very pleased to say that Legion Universities have upheld this standard. No international companies in Nationstates history has excelled in areas of education, healthcare and general retail like how Legion has, and with that is something we pride ourselves in. Legion Universities is currently celebrating the opening of our 60th university in the Phillipines, the new St. Manila University, a prestigious education institution that is helmed by my very capable Vice-Chancellor, Dr Fantino Rosales, who happens to be a personal friend of mine. Other prominent events that happened over the past year include our new establishment of the Blue Ribbon School of Culinary Arts and the Gaia School for Environmental Studies. These new schools help define the direction that Legion International Universities are heading towards, and we hope to bring about new and important changes to the global landscape with this reputable influence that has been entrusted to us by so many of our partners. To what extent do you collaborate with the private sector in order to enhance curricula? Our universities pride itself in down-to-earth, practical but yet innovative and creative approaches to our academia. As mentioned in our mission and vision statements, our philosophy is always about adapting and changing. We must ensure our graduates are well-equipped with skills that can enhance their lives and career, which is what we serve to do. That is why we have partnered so strongly with not only the private sector, but also governments as well, to offer opportunities for our students to experience what is like in the real world. Many traditional universities focus too much on the symbolism behind education that sometimes it distorts the realities for their students. We always remind our academics and professors about the importance of staying in touch with reality. That is why we go to such extents to partner with real-world commercial and professional organizations. We offer a variety of internships for our students to experience, as well as linking up with businesses to take in our students after they graduate. We believe it is a mutually beneficial partnership that will provide our students with the career development and the foundational start they need, as well as guaranteeing the standards and professionalism in the skill sets that we impart to our fresh graduates. We believe this is the most important social responsibility that an educational institution should accomplish, and it is beginning to reap its results on the international market, having our graduates working in many prestigious organizations such as Majestic Hotels and Bank of Yohannes. How is Legion International University applying technology and innovation to its programs? Technology is the hardware, innovation is the software. Technology is the hardware, innovation is the software. We are fortunate in which we provide both, technology through the support of all our corporate partners and innovation through our teaching philosophy. One cannot survive without the other. We invest heavily on research and development, as well as in the facilities and equipment that is used by our scholars. Some criticize that Legion International Universities is costly, but if you actually evaluate amongst other corporate ventures of ours, you will realize that we have the lowest profit margins, and where does these money go? It is back to society, and back to these students to make sure they can receive the best quality education with the most suitable and available resources. What are your expectations for the year ahead? We believe it is a mutually beneficial partnership that will provide our students with the career development and the foundational start they need, as well as guaranteeing the standards and professionalisms in the skill sets that we impart to our fresh graduates. We always believe in continuous progress, and that is what we will do. We cannot predict what the world will see in the future, but we can predict the fact that we will always adapt and bring forth the best possible opportunities for our students. The institution will react to the needs and demands of the labour market and do our due diligence in ensuring our next generation does not suffer from illiteracy and lack of education. From our various achievements over the past year, it is these very endearing rewards that spur us to continue providing quality education to anybody who seeks.

[Saltbridge]

Stevencousin and Saltbridge consider co-production of military vehicles Cassatjor Plant, Cassaholm Stevencousin and the Saltbridge are considering a programme of collaboration featuring the joint production of military vehicles in Stevencousin, it has been announced. The project was the subject of discussion in Cassaholm on 1 August between Stevencousin's defence minister Dr Jan Kappel von Kiger and Robert Filke, Saltbridge's ambassador to Stevencousin. The Stevencousin government's public relations department said that during the meeting Saltbridgean officials offered to support the development of Stevencousin's defence industry by transferring technologies to local enterprises. It added that the proposal is with a view to establishing a jointly run facility to manufacture and provide full maintenance support for military vehicles in Stevencousin.

[Saltbridge]

Saltbridge Sun’s Diplomatic Interview Series: Exclusive Interview with Chief Commissioner of the Imperial Anti-Corruption Commission Justinian Fredorus of The Empire of Insectae Diplomatic was a interesting and tricky issue. Peace and war are parts of the playground. Therefore, we in SaltbridgeSun.com try to get more inside about diplomatic arena. Saltbridge Sun’s Diplomatic Interview Series was our tools to dig more about that issue. Justinian Fredorus Editor’s Note: This interview is part of Saltbridge Sun’s Diplomatic Interview Series. Today we have, Chief Commissioner of the Imperial Anti-Corruption Commission Justinian Fredorus of The Empire of Insectae. Growing up in downtown Reblatta, the Blattodean capital city of 19 million, Justinian was born to a lower-class family of roaches surviving on less than $1 a day. At age 9, he was recruited into a local gang, selling drugs. By age 16, he was an experienced drug dealer and con-artist for his gang, and helped expand operations to cover almost a tenth of the cities area and population. At 19, however, he was arrested in a sting operation by the imperial Special Investigations Office, the forerunner to the Anti-Corruption Commission. On account of his youth, he was sentenced to 11 months in prison at a hotel in Mantidea, the richest part of the Empire. Upon being released from prison, Justinian received a scholarship to study at a Mantidean university, and graduated with a law degree in 1996, at age 28. Moving back to Blattodea, he was hired as a petty (criminal) court judge, and saw record numbers of gang members arrested and convicted, as well as more lenient sentences and rehabilitative imprisonment for first-time and juvenile offenders. This earned him a bad reputation with the nation's organized crime, and a gang attempt on his life in 1998 left him with only five legs. In 2000, given his outstanding record as "untouchable", he was appointed to the Anti-Corruption Commission, and personally managed the operation that arrested then-PM Extorta for a wide variety of corruption charges. Following a wide series of high-profile arrests of some of Blattodea's most prominent politicians, he was appointed Chief Commissioner in 2007, following the retirement of the previous one. He has continued to lead a strong and unrelenting campaign against injustice and corruption, particularly in his homeland of Blattodea, where it is most prominent and public. What is your proudest achievement while you were in Imperial Anti-Corruption Commission? That's a difficult question, as it's hard to take pride in throwing roaches into jail. If I had to choose, I would say the day former Blattodean (Cockroach) Prime Minister Scandalius Extorta got tossed in jail; that would be in 2001, the year after we were set up. It was the first case where we managed to get the charges to stick, and also the first time a Blattodean Assemblyroach ever got sentenced for corruption. What were some of the milestones of the 2015? Oddly enough, our biggest milestone is that we haven't jailed the Blattodean PM. We've had a dozen arrests for roaches in the highest office, but Nestelium Questoran's administration has been shockingly clean. We also managed, with the support of street protests, to ensure our funding doubled after nearly a decade of continuous budget cuts. Finally, perhaps our strongest milestone is when we convicted several (Imperial) Constitutional Court judges of accepting bribes to manipulate rulings. We showed that no one, not even the most powerful judges in the land, is immune to the law, and it's our first attempt at trying judicial officials for corruption. As it's gone well, we're using our processes there to plan further sweeps of the judiciary in other parts of the empire. What are the main challenges you expect to face? Looking forward? More funding; we still don't have anything near adequate enough to expand our operations much. We're also trying to fight new parliamentary immunity laws that would make it more or less impossible to arrest legislators. And, naturally, our long and continued battle against that den of graft and cronyism, the Ministry without Portfolio. What is your plan for the future? With what new funding we have, expand our operations. I've also been considering proposing new rules that would allow an outreach program to get in touch with victims of corruption and create an empire-wide movement against graft and favoritism in the political process. As always, I am extremely committed to a 0-corruption future, and I intend to make the Commission the means of achieving that dream.

[Saltbridge]

SaltCom awarded major security scanner contract from National Security Directorate INSIST-T1 System In July 2016, the Procurement Office of the Saltbridge National Security Directorate signed a framework agreement with SaltCom for 300 INSIST-T1(INtegrated Security monItoring SysTem) security scanners. The new instruments can be now be used everywhere that the Saltbridge NSD performs security checks. The primary application will be for security at Saltbridge airports. SaltCom was awarded a contract by the Procurement Office of the Saltbridge National Security Directorate for the latest generation of INSIST-T1 security scanners. The three-year framework agreement encompasses 300 systems plus accessories and service. Other News • Hundredstar weighs damage after earthquake rattles Maximus Isle • Saltbridge Cabinet approves new civil defense plan • UniPet closer to rolling out new oil project contracts

[Saltbridge]

Saltbridgean Navy inducts indigenous LORDSHIP Type C heavyweight torpedo LORDSHIP Type C Saltbridge's Defence Minister, Gwyn Diamond Delantis, formally handed over the indigenously developed LORDSHIP Type C (Long-range Torpedo System - Heavy) heavyweight anti-submarine torpedo to the Saltbridgean Navy (Saltbridge Navy) on 29 June. The Saltbridge Navy has ordered 73 of the 1,500 kg wire-guided torpedoes for USD132 million, which will be manufactured by SaltArms Marine Division in Manlow and fitted onto the navy's mainline warships and submarines. Designed by the state-run SaltArms R&D Corporation and featuring 95% indigenous content, the ship-launched, electrically-powered LORDSHIP Type C weighs 1.25 tonnes and has a payload capacity of 250 kg. Travelling at speeds of around 38 kt, the torpedo has a strike range of 20 km, according to Saltbridge Navy officials. Other News • Insurance sector set for growth next year • SaltAir opens premium lounge at Oldwich-2 • The Latest: Hurricane Wildcattle nears northwest Sholemarking coast

[Saltbridge]

Saltbridge's SaltArms develops new M-132 MBT variant M-132 Cobra MBT One of Saltbridge's biggest military manufacturers, SaltArms Consortium Corporation (SaltArms), has developed a new variant of its M-132 main battle tank. Except for an improved ventilation system, the M-132C appears to show no visible changes to the turret, optical sensors or main 125 mm gun armament. Unconfirmed Hundredstarian reports indicate that computer and digital communication systems have been improved, allowing tank commanders to benefit from common integrated intelligence of the battlefield processed at higher levels of command. The reports also point to improvements reportedly made to the M-132C's engine, exhaust system, suspension, and running wheels. Other News • Saltbridge Navy inducts new observation aircraft • GACO Shipyard & Marine Systems wins NS$10.125 billion frigate contract from Royal Navy of Recon

[Saltbridge]

11 Killed on a Saltbridge ELINT Plane Crash Crash site A Saltbridgean Air-Force SA80-EM1 special-mission aircraft plane crashed on Friday in the north of the country, killing all 11 of those on board. The twin-engined transport plane came down in a rural area near the town of Spoonbrews, in Sagemore's province, having reported engine difficulties. Saltbridgean media reported that local residents said the plane had been struck by lightning. An investigation into the cause of the crash has been ordered, says the commander of Saltbridge’s air force, Flight-General Sebastian Malcolm Steinmiller. Saltbridge’s President Lucas Margarito Blend described the victims as heroes. All of those killed were members of the Saltbridgean air force. Other News • Smaller Drones for Tactical Missions • SaltComm introduces a new Tablet Computer fro Military Applications

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Saltbridge Sun’s CEO Interview Series: CEO of the Silverport Dockyards Limited, Nora Cathlong Nora Cathlong of the Tribe of Cork Today we have Nora Cathlong of the Tribe of Cork, CEO of the Silverport Dockyards Limited. Nora Cathlong of the Tribe of Cork, born in 1964 in Silverport is a Selkie businesswoman and shipwright, one of the co-founders of Silverport Dockyards Limited. Her father is Tyran Cathlong of the Tribe of Cork, who founded the company in 1983. In 1970, she followed her mother's footsteps by joining the Daggermaidens of Gavida, the God of Arts and Crafts, being a good woodcarver herself, becoming a laywoman of that Cult. In 2001, she was 'promoted' to Arcane Servant, a position she holds to this day. At the tender age of 23, after finishing the Merchant School of Laclan, she joined her father's company as his registered office. During these days, the company was mostly a repair yard, but in 1992, SDY entered a competition for the new corvettes of the SDF-Navy with the help of a young, genius engineer named Fynn Caillte of the Tribe of Cork. What began as a business relationship soon blossomed into love between the two, culminating in their marriage in 1988 and the birth of their daughter Gwen in 1989 (Gwen Cathlong of the Tribe of Cork is nowadays an accomplished engineer, forelady of Yard 15 and representative of SDY on a multitude of events). She became a widow in 1997, when a storm forced an amphibious assault ship of a friendly nation to limp to Silverport for an emergency checkup and said 40,000 tons of warship fell onto Fynn's head during the inspection of the keel. He wore a hardhat, as did the other 29 people crushed by the keel. Nora fought on and raised further in the ranks of SDY. In 2005, she added the Grey Wolf Sról to the family, who is to this day her daughter's pet. In 2009, her father retired and she took SDY's reins, expanding the company and forming strategic partnerships with Ironcastle Ironworks and Gabha Blacksmiths as well as several other companies in the Free Lands, preparing it for the international market, which the company entered in 2015. Nora is, besides CEO of SDY, mother of a daughter and an Arcane Servant to Gavida. What are your focus areas for technological advancement in Silverport Dockyards Limited? SDY focuses on many different areas, some of which are not really for publishing yet. One of the things I can talk about, though, are our advancements in engine technology and conventional propulsion. In our current developments, we mainly focused on fuel efficiency and ecological impact, reducing the letter and increasing the former quite a bit. Combined with a few more tricks my engineers have up their sleeves, we should be able reduce CO2-emissions and fuel costs considerably in the future. Another thing we are working on are new materials. Steel is a wonderful material to build ships with, don't get me wrong there, but for some applications, there are better materials, though mostly for the civilian market. Can you provide us with a short introduction to the history of the Silverport Dockyards Limited? SDY was founded during the Yard-Crisis, where many shipyards closed in the 70s and 80s. In 1983, my father Tyran Cathlong went and founded the company with his first investor, namely me. At first, we worked mostly by providing maintenance and repair and build vessels under license for the domestic market, that was our main business until 97. Our first big order was building one of the Sciath-class Corvettes, SDFS Dúnford, she's nowadays stationed in Scilly, in 92. We expanded and grew, opened facilities all over the Free Lands. Over time, we got orders for vessels from abroad, both in accordance with foreign and in accordance with our own developments. Our export earnings In 2009, Dad retired and I took over. Six years later, we made our services widely available. What is SDY's perspective and goals for maritime industries? As SDY is a company focused on shipbuilding both for the civilian and military market, we have to deal both with politics and with competitors. We see, that the traffic for passengers and freight over the seas is rising and that the sealanes are getting longer and longer. This traffic, however, is threatened by state actors and by non-state actors. As a shipwright, SDY has to consider this in our planning and so far, I would say, that we did a good job with that. As we simply do not have the capabilities to build ships longer then 265 meters, and we don't plan on acquiring these capabilities, we specialize in smaller ships with versatility, . For civilian vessels, we focus on ships, which are cheap in upkeep, maintenance and general operating costs, ideal for economic uses. Exception of the rule being our research vessels, of which we are exceptionally proud. We are proud of all of our designs, but the research vessels take the metaphorical cake. What are your expectations for 2017? Many things. New designs, new ideas, new inventions, new business partners. And, of course, meeting old friends along the way. Life would be boring without that.

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PRESIDENT BLEND VISITS GOGIC DEVELOPMENT IN GRASSCOURT Grasscourt Oil & Gas Integrated Complex President Blend took an hour off from his busy schedule today to visit Unicorn Petroleum Ltd' Grasscourt Oil & Gas Integrated Complex (GOGIC), with an aerial as well as ground tour. Accompanied by Unicorn Petroleum Ltd President and Group Chief Executive Officer Mr. Elias Lindsay Barlow, as well as Mayor of Worthstoke Annette Allegra Schefers, he also officiated the successful installation of a propylene fractionator process column for the steam cracker facility at the GOGIC. The GOGIC consists of a 300,000 bpd refinery and petrochemical complex designed to produce premium differentiated petrochemicals, which will meet domestic demand for petroleum products and the government's future legislative requirements on implementation of Euro 6 specifications. There are about 31,000 workers currently employed at the project site, while at the peak of construction in 2017, it is expected to have a workforce of about 60,000 with varying skills and disciplines.

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SaltAIR Expects 10 Pct Increase in Passengers SaltAIR expects the number of passengers increased by 10 per cent this year due to the company's continued efforts to expand its network and fleet. The airline will acquire seven more aircraft and add international destinations from Oldwich this year, said Chief Executive Officer Christina Margaret Avila to the Saltbridge Sun. "In line with our previous growth, we expect at least a 10 per cent increase in passenger numbers in 2017. About SaltAIR SaltAIR, Saltbridge's inaugural airline was officially launched on 25 December 2000. It provides to the air travel necessities of the nation's traveling population by providing affordable fares, beneficial schedule and connections within Saltbridge. Being a subsidiary of SaltINVEST, SaltAIR takes advantage of its link with Saltbridge's national carrier to deliver our people’s with greater connectivity to the global network. SaltAIR is proud to embark on fleet upgrading program by purchasing new aircraft to ensure that we continue to extend a relatively young fleet in our network as well as to continue to strive in providing a advanced product to our customers. SaltAIR can be found at www.saltair.com.sb

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Saltbridge Sun’s CEO Interview Series: CEO of the Rhydia Vehicle Corporation, Kiman Ahri'Zun Kiman Ahri'Zun Today we have Kiman Ahri'Zun, CEO of the Rhydia Vehicle Corporation. Kiman Ahri'Zun took the reigns of management as the CEO of RVC in 2005, formerly the Global Officer of Automotive & Assembly Practice. He has extensive experience serving within the company and multinational automotive companies on a variety of topics including alliances and strategic partnerships, transactions, marketing and sales, performance transformation, and product development. After spending a number of years abroad as part of a rotational management service to various outlets of RVC, Kiman is now based within the home office. Examples of his client work include the following: * Helping a premium automotive OEM build its presence in Rhydin by transforming its organization and developing a new distribution-network strategy * Leading the turnaround of a major Rhydinian automotive group, including the development of a new group strategy and a branding and product-portfolio strategy, organizational restructuring, implementation of a new budget-steering process, sales and marketing performance-improvement initiatives, and quality transformation * Over a 5-year period, working with a client to build a new automotive company from scratch—including conducting a feasibility assessment, developing the business plan, negotiating of a joint-venture agreement, securing regulatory approval, and recruiting senior management and the engineering team * Kiman holds a BA in accounting from Rhydian Provisional University; he also studied at the University of International Relations in The Grand Duchy of Havasu.. What have been the main achievements and developments at Rhydia Vehicle Corporation since your appointment as CEO? Before my appointment, RVC had very little impact into the foreign sales sectors, our move into global markets was not planned, and our global strategy was not as systematic as it is today. After my appointment, I approached the various heads of office with a global strategy based on four aspects: technical cooperation with overseas enterprises, car exports, overseas assembly plants, and equity joint ventures. Technical cooperation began earlier, with the design of our own engines-the first batch of engines was developed in partnership with TAKTRUK, a nation of which the home country of ours has an industrial trade pact with. That cooperation enabled our engineering and engine teams, as well as our suppliers, to improve their capabilities. Eventually, we became a leader in engine technology in Rhydin. To lower costs, I directed management to outsource only a part of the design and tried to do everything else ourselves, so all of our employees were able to improve their skills. It’s in this way, I think, that being in an inferior position helped RVC to grow. What is your strategy for future innovation within Rhydia Vehicle? At this time, our goal is to keep the distinctive innovative culture and spirit of hard work, and endeavor to achieve the strategic goal of "becoming an internationally competitive automaker with world top products by 2020. This means that we shall work to keep the prices affordable for everyday citizens, while equipping our vehicles with the comforts that today's drivers and passengers have come to accept as standards. What are the competitive advantages of Rhydia Vehicle? RVC is now conducting comprehensive layout of globalization. Its products are exported to over 80 countries and regions all over the world. There are 15 overseas RVC plants that have been built and more are being built. RVC protrudes into the markets under the radar, we prefer to quietly work our way into a foreign market, replacing marque vehicles over a period of time. Our vehicles are affordable, and we've had time and energy through our design and construction methods to produce vehicles that are reliable, safe, and affordable. Utilizing the many branches of the company to market the vehicles to the public, RVC offers a wide range of services to those who would drive a vehicle of ours. RVC is a national proprietary brand. This enables us to keep our production cost low and the pricesof its product are therefore competitive with other manufacturers. RVC has plenty of human resources including specialists, experienced marketing staffs, etc. Through extensive sales, client building and so on, RVC has sufficient capitals and fine business credits. What are your expectations for 2017? Currently, RVC adopts multi-brand strategy which dilutes the main brand’s brand awareness. At present, we operate four brands: RVC, RMS, REV and RHVS. Among them, RVC is the main brand. None of our single sub-brand achieves big sales. In order to operate multi-brand successfully, we are looking to each sub-brand, and at the varying ways each has to be positioned clearly and explicitly. The goal of RVC in 2017 and further is to optimize and manage brand portfolio and brand hierarchy. Among our four brands: RVC, RMS, REV and RHVS, variances between each brand are currently not clear enough. Homogeneous competition might exist. By conducting and promoting its sustainable multi-brand strategy through brand segment positioning, brand price planning, brand management control and brand cultural improvement, I think RVC could perfect its medium and long-term brand strategy and finally deliver its special characteristics to customers. In short 2017 will see us being very busy as we try to branch out the various sub-brands as well as the main line more into the market for our patrons.

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Dr. Carnahiba Resign Steffen Kristoffersen Steffen Kristoffersen, Director General, Saltbridge Counter Terrorist Organization (SECTOR), will replace Dr Lloyd Rupert Carnahiba as President Blend's national security adviser, a senior administration official said Wednesday. The president will announce the personnel change Wednesday afternoon at the Cornhunter Summer Villa, an administration official said. Ms. Pamela Hornrigger, former special assistant to the president and counter-terrorism expert, will take Kristoffersen's spot as Director General of SECTOR, a senior administration official also said.

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Saltbridge Sun’s CEO Interview Series: CEO of the Chase & Company Inc., Chase McClure Chase McClure Today we have Chase McClure, CEO of the Chase & Company Inc.. Chase McClure was born to a wealthy family in the south of Texas in 1983. When the age of deep space exploration came about he personally took it upon himself to found a corporation dedicated to deep space drilling. He lives in Chasetopia with his wife Kaitlyn (29) and daughter Madilyn (8). How has Chase & Company Inc. evolved since its establishment? Chase & Company has evolved in many ways since it's inception. We have added many subsidiaries and options to our productions and products. We recently acquired new oil fields in a few foreign countries. What is the company strategy when it comes to foreign markets? When it comes to foreign markets we tend to back up and review market trends before making a decision/investment. Once we have decided we tend to stand strongly with pur decision and put faith in a free market system. What is your strategy for future innovation within Chase & Company Inc ? We plan to put more of our money into environmentally safe and effective drilling and processing techniques. We understand that oil is a somewhat dying breed as eco-cars start to become prevalent and we want to counter that by making oil extraction environmentally safe. What are your expectations for 2017? We expect for a moderate incline in oil prices but a sharp increase in pipelines as more and more countries realise the economic potential that they have.

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Former President Blend's national security adviser joins Hundredstar International board Dr Lloyd Rupert Carnahiba Hundredstar conglomerate company Hundredstar International has appointed former President Blend's national security adviser as a new independent non-executive director. Hundredstar International said on Thursday that the new board member, Dr Lloyd Rupert Carnahiba, would join the board effective May 1, 2017. Hundredstar International chairman, Dr. Hamilton Tennesley, said that Carnahiba's appointment reflected the company’s commitment to a structured and rigorous approach to board succession and planning, having regard to the skills, experience, and attributes required to govern the business effectively.

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Saltbridge Sun’s CEO Interview Series: CEO of the SaltAIR, Christina Margaret Avila Christina Margaret Avila Today we have Christina Margaret Avila, CEO of the SaltAIR, prior to these she was Deputy Secretary of Defense in former administrator. Have experience as diplomat to several countries. A Killenhouse Scholar, she earned two degrees from Rodneywoolf University: a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Philosophy in Economics; she also holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from East Mortshire University. Avila is also a recipient of the Public Service Award of Excellence. How is the airline performing? We’re in a good position with strong cost and market fundamentals. Our 2016 results showed a credible 7.2% operating margin. We achieved that without the full benefits of the low oil prices due to a combination of the effects of hedging and the exchange rate. We are growing profitably. The main driver is our successful strategy to expand across the global. Our mission is to connect Saltbridge to the world and we exploit the opportunities created by our geography... How are you positioning the airline in the market? SaltAIR is firmly positioned as a value carrier. Our mission is to connect Saltbridge to the world and we exploit the opportunities created by our geography to use Oldwich as a gateway between Tanah Melayu and World-wide. We’re pragmatic. We are demand-led. You can’t pigeon-hole us other than to say we try to identify and meet demand. We manage cost diligently and try to deliver great customer service too. And we will continue to evolve to meet customer demand. How do you keep costs low as you expand? You just have to be as efficient as you can be. We have one aircraft type and we put in a big order in 2013, which kept the price per aircraft low. We only keep our aircraft eight years before moving them on so they are cheap to maintain and fuel efficient. We aim to utilize them 14 hours a day. We are living in a world that is becoming increasingly technologically-savvy. That means SaltAIR has to respond to that and provide products that enhance the passenger experience. What new technologies do you believe will be the most influential in the years ahead? We are living in a world that is becoming increasingly technologically-savvy. That means SaltAIR has to respond to that and provide products that enhance the passenger experience. We are always trying to introduce new ideas and new technology. For me, it boils down to providing access - for the customer to the airline and for the airline to the customer. I’m also very excited about Wi-Fi and live TV. If we can keep the passenger connected, it not only enhances their travel experience but also enhances our service levels. We can use that connectivity to make our crew and staff more efficient in responding to requests.