Esquarium Today [Regional News, CLOSED]

by **Fjaalberg** » Sat Mar 28, 2015 9:03 am

Sjagheim's "Weekend of Beer and Spirits" kicks off this weekend

Sjagheim: In the coastal city of Sjagheim, the annual "Weekend of Beer and Spirits" has begun.

The festival lasts from March 28th to March 30th, and may attract up to 360,000 people this year. Tourists and locals alike flood the festival every last weekend of March, and 295,000 attendees crowded the streets of Sjagheim in 2014.

The "Weekend of Beer and Spirits" is a Fjaalen tradition held annualy on the last week of March. The tradition dates back to 1880, when people celebrated on the streets of Sjagheim with beer and partying after hearing that Fjaalberg became independent from Vjaarland. Today, the festival is still held in Sjagheim every March, attracting tens of thousands of tourists from across Esquarium.

Attendees take part in traditional dances, ride carnival rides, and often times, dress up as fishermen from the 1880's. Smaller celebrations are held in other major cities, but they only see several thousand people attend.

Police forces have been called to Sjagheim as the festival requires increased "police presence." Police captain Harold Venberg explained;

"Naturally, when you have hundreds of thousands of intoxicated people celebrating in Sjagheim, the police presence has to triple. This is so we can handle any potential drunken brawls, injuries from alcohol, among other things," said Harold Venberg.

Sjagheim has a population of 85,000, making it hard for the city to cope with the 300,000 people who party in the streets. All major roads have been closed in Sjagheim to make room for celebrants and drunks. The Bjornen Postens will have a presence at the Weekend of Beer and Spirits, so keep yourself updated with information from the Bjornen Postens.

by **Namor** » Sat Mar 28, 2015 9:39 am

Namo upholds Txotai election result
President-General congratulates Wei Siang

March 28, NMR 2375
Liberation Day

NAMO - The central government has officially upheld the results of the recent Txotai leadership election which saw the election of regional DemSoc candidate Wei Siang to the position of head of state.

Wei Siang, new head of state of Txotai

This morning of Liberation Day, the Namorese Central Council convened to discuss the Txotai election, and unanimously voted in favor of upholding the election results and recognizing Wei Siang as the third head of state of the Autonomous Republic of Txotai.

"The Central Council affirms that the Txotai election was held in accordance with not just the regional law [of Txotai], but the national law and the Constitution of the People's Republic," read a statement released by the CenCo.

Afterwards, the Executive House stated that it reviewed the election and will uphold the results. "The President-General would like to congratulate Wei Siang for his victory in the recent regional leadership election in Txotai AR. Reviewing the process of the election, it is determined that the election, as always, was held in a transparent setting and in accordance with both national and international standards. He hopes that upon becoming the third head of state of the Txotai Autonomous Republic in the 29th, Wei will work for the interests of Txotai's people, maintain open communication with the central government, uphold rule of law and uphold the principle of national unity. In turn, the President-General is willing and ready to work with the new administration in Txotai."

The Executive House refuted claims from overseas-based Txotai separatists that the election was "rigged," saying that these claims are "backed by no evidence whatsoever," but instead "supported by erroneous assumptions and groundless Namophobia."

Wei Siang responded to Namo's reaction to the election, thanking the central government for its support for his election and expressed his willingness to cooperate with Namo on core issues that affect both Txotai and the rest of Namor as a whole.

COMMENTS

Other News
Liberation Day in Namor - March 28 is Namor's national day, known as Liberation Day.
Moderate Otekian expats welcome Txotai election - Moderate elements from the Otekian expat community say they wish Wei Siang will "do a good job in governing and administrating the region," hoping that the new head of state will not "close the doors to negotiations."
North Cortoguay media says it will not display Nevan flag if Nevans refuse to show Michillian flag in CdE - On Twitter, the Santiago Reporter said it would not show the flag of monarchist Nevanmaa in its coverage of the fourth Coupe D'Esquarium until "all Nevan media ceases using the occupationist flag," referring to the flag of former monarchist Michillies.
Two veterans of Namorese Civil War, Namo-Chorean War still surviving, according to government agency - The Namorese Census Bureau says there are still two surviving veterans who participated in the Namorese Civil War as well as the interrupting war of resistance against imperial Chorea.
Constitution on misspelling spree - In its article on the Txotai elections, Luziycan newspaper The Constitution spelled Otekians as "Otekiaas" and went on to misspell the name of a Qianrong-based Txotai separatist leader. Otekians in Txotai say this is proof that Luziyca may care about them on the surface, but are actually uncaring enough to spell the name of their ethnicity wrong.

by **Vozergovnia** » Sat Mar 28, 2015 1:08 pm

Anti-death penalty poster produced by the Justice Now! advocacy group

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28 March 2014
Capital Punishment Abolished in Vozergovnia; Death Row Inmates' Sentences to be Commuted to Life without Parole

King Maximilian has granted royal assent to the Cruel and Unusual Punishment Act of 2015 which effectively abolishes the death penalty by classifying it as 'a cruel and unusual form of punishment which shall henceforth be considered illegal in Vozergovnia and in violation of the principles of the aforementioned nation. This comes after the national legislature of Vozergovnia, the Zabor, passed the law 98 to 3 only hours before the King signed the bill turning it into law pending its formal gazetting.

Advocacy groups had been formed in recent months which campaigned extensively in favour of the abolition of capital punishment and even threatened to challenge it in front of the national judiciary system. Surveys and nation-wide polls conducted in the past month suggested 58% of population wanted to see the abolition of the death penalty within their lifetime while only 9.75% wished to keep it in the country's law-books; the rest did not care or stated they did not know. Nevertheless, analysts have speculated capital punishment has been abolished in the country in order to facilitate Vozergovnia's entry into the Esquarian Community; the Republic of An Déise claimed it would only vote in favour of Vozergovnia's inclusion if it abolished the death penalty. While the advocacy groups, surveys and polls certainly brought attention to the issue it was the international political opposition to capital punishment which convinced the statesmen and stateswomen at the Zabor to bring an end to the legality of the death penalty within Vozergovnia's territory.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is expected to notify the Esquarian Community of the law's approval as soon as possible; the country's form of government, head of state and head of government have yet to be updated too.

While the law has no retroactive effect and therefore does not immediately pardon those currently on death row the Sovereign has issued royal pardons to the four men and three women scheduled to be executed on charges of murder and high treason; their sentences have been commuted to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. The convicts have been given the right to be euthanised if they were to fall severely ill.

The Premier's Office issued a very brief public statement through its spokeswoman in which it praised the legislators of Vozergovnia and the piece of registration they had passed. It should be noted that the statement was made public before the King officially turned the bill into law which is nothing more than a formality in Vozergovnia's constitutional monarchy where the monarch is expected to allow the passage of all legislation unless it directly 'violates the law or seeks to harm the nation'. The entire statement can be read below.

The Vozergovnian Premier's Office wishes to congratulate all the members of the Zabor for their overwhelming decision in favour of the abolition of capital punishment in Vozergovnia in order to allow our country to respect the principles that led to its establishment and current rule of law. For too long we have challenged our own national values. We know call on our Sovereign, Maximilian of the Vozergovnians, to grant his assent to this bill.

Small demonstrations have formed throughout the nation to congratulate the government on its decision and to celebrate Vozergovnia's entry into what they claim is the 'civilised world where people cannot be unjustly and illegally deprived of their most precious possession, life'. The families of the victims of those convicted of murder and sentenced to death have yet to comment on the government's decision; it is not known whether they will issue of a public statement or remain silent.

by **North Cortoguay** » Sat Mar 28, 2015 2:00 pm

the santiago reporter
the voice of north cortoguay

hoy es sábado, 28 marzo 2015
English edition | edició català | edición cortoguayana | edicion michillèsa

#cde4: the official santiago reporter simulation, part ii
preparing for the coupe d’esquarium kick-off with our knockout stage simulation

The kick-off of the fourth Coupe d’Esquarium is fast approaching. Sjalhaven’s date with the hosts will mark the beginning of a tournament of what are sure to be surprises, miracles and wonder. Teams are now flocking to the Provinces in droves to acclimatise themselves and prepare for the games in la tèrra de fèr latin. For the first time, if you weren’t aware, North Cortoguay is among them after pulling of a miracle in FESCOFA Qualifying.

Now if you’ve been living under a rock, you might not know that we decided to get in on the prediction game by using an algorithm to calculate a "power ranking" each of the forty teams and mixing them with a random factorto come up with what is probably the most comprehensive prediction for this upcoming tournament. We conducted our own draw and played out the group stage, earning us some hate from Vitorian press when the simulation results left them with a 0-0-4 record. As with the real thing, the winners and runners-up of each group advanced to the Round of 16. With our previously released results, that gave us:

Group A: Michillies, Arkiasis
Group B: Iglesiantis, Vyvland
Group C: North Cortoguay, Kraq
Group D: Namor, Magane
Group E: Ainin, Atlantia Creek
Group F: Luziyca, An Déise
Group G: Nevanmaa, Koyro
Group H: Francilie, Lyonsland

Round of 16
Michillies

2–2

Vyvland (3–2 aet)
North Cortoguay

4–2

Magane
Ainin

2–0

An Déise
Nevanmaa

2–1

Lyonsland
Iglesiantis

5–2

Arkiasis
Namor

0–1

Kraq
Luziyca

1–1

Atlantia Creek (2–1 aet)
Francilie

2–0

Koyro
Few of the results should come as a surprise if you followed the group stage. Seven of the eight group winners advanced to the quarterfinals, with Namor being the oddball. Kraq pull of an incredible upset to make it to the final eight, while Vyvland and Atlantia Creek push Michillies and Luziyca respectively to extra time.

Quarterfinals
Michillies

2–0

North Cortoguay
Ainin

1–2

Nevanmaa
Iglesiantis

0–0

Kraq (0–0 aet; Iglesiantis advance 4–3 on penalties)
Luziyca

2–1

Francilie
The Tricolour Crushes come to an end in the last eight, as North Cortoguay falls in an all-Sèreníssima match and the Aininians fall to the Nevans. Kraq’s miracle run comes to a heartbreaking end after being taken out by the Iglesians on penalties, the latter of whom go on to play the Luzzy club in the semifinals.

Semifinals
Michillies

3–3

Nevanmaa (3–3 aet; Michillies advance 5–4 on penalties)
Iglesiantis

0–2

Luziyca
Few surprises pervade the semifinals. The Luzzy club clobbers the Iglesians while the first semifinal goes all the way to penalties. The hosts ultimately survive, though, banishing Lejonat to the third-place play-off.

Third-Place Game
Nevanmaa

0–1

Iglesiantis

Final
Michillies

4–3

Luziyca
After the Iglesians despatch the Nevans to claim bronze in a stalling, low-scoring event, the final produced infinitely more action. Seven goals were scored, with the hosts gaining their revenge by denying the Luzzies a second title, the second consecutive occasion on which this happens.

Our actual prospects
Enough with the simulation, though. We hope you take one point away from it, though: luck of the draw is paramount to this tournament. Some got it lucky. The Aininians pulled off a miracle in Group E by avoiding giants like Vyvland and Luziyca. And we had a somewhat of a miracle ourselves.

The third-to-last team pulled out in the draw, we find ourselves in Group F with Namor, An Déise, Ariania and the Ocelot Isles. The Namorese are to be feared, of course. They are no small fries and will be favourites for top spot in the group. But the rest of our opponents are of little note. We haven’t a clue who Ariania are, while An Déise and the Ocelot Isles seem to pose little threat. And given that we had to take out Odissia, who eliminated Namor in the second round of the last Coupe, to qualify for this edition, we shouldn’t underestimate our ability to get to the knockout stage.

A place for El Borealis in the Round of 16 is incredibly likely, so likely that I will eat my shoe if it doesn’t happen, but we are most likely to face the Aininians when we get there. The group stage will be a cakewalk. The knockout stage will be hell.

— Paulo Fuentes Ybarra from Christiana, Michillies

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In other news:
Txotai/Oteki: Wei Siang confirmed as Head of State by Namorese Central Council
Vozergovnia: Death penalty abolished in bid to enter Esquarian Community
Qianrong: Michillian newstands refusing to stock Trang Vai after depicting occupationist flag on newest cover
Local: Festival da Música final tonight: predictions on who will win

by **Geadland** » Sat Mar 28, 2015 4:56 pm

MATJASSEN TO LEAVE THE CABINET

Progressive leader says 'cabinet solidarity' rule is preventing him from leading the party effectively

28 March 2015 Last updated 14:53 Geadish Standard Time
Markus Matjassen, the leader of the Progressive Party, has said that he plans to step down from the Council of State "before the end of next month" so that he can concentrate on leading his party.

Matjassen has served as the Minister of the Interior since the Nordland Cabinet took office in June 2013. As the Minister of the Interior, he has been responsible for law enforcement and immigration. He has occasionally clashed with Nordland and the Conservatives by publicly criticising policies of the government:

In December 2013, Matjassen admmitted that "If I had it my own way, I wouldn't have cut spending on policing so much. But I have to compromise with the Conservatives and their austerity agenda. They inevitably have the most leverage in this government."
In May 2014, he said that the government's planned immigration reform "would not go far enough".
Last October, he accused the Conservatives of "treating our welfare system like a maths puzzle and ignoring the human dimension".
Earlier this month, he said in a private conversation "Nordland makes the same mistakes on immigration as her two predecessors. We still have further to go before we can deal with our jobs crisis."

Matjassen said: "I'll be transparent about why this decision. Nordland approached me a few weeks ago and told me that I was creating bad publicity the government by criticising them in public. I told her that if I kept my mouth shut, I would be unable to lead my own party effectively. But afterwards, I realised that when I speak my mind, it gives the public the wrong impression that we're infighting. So I could either stay on the cabinet and risk undermining the coalition, I could keep my mouth shut and undermine my own party, or I could stand down from the cabinet and undermine no-one. That's why I plan to resign as Minister of the Interior." He said that he had told Nordland that he would consider the decision for a few weeks and that he had only made his final decision today. "I will stay on for at least a week, to allow time for me to tie up some loose ends and arrange for a successor to be appointed. I will leave the post before the end of next month."

He defended his record in government, saying that "I am very proud of what the Progressive Party has achieved in government. Together with the Conservatives, we have worked to end the SDLP-era spending binge, adapted our welfare system to meet the challengers of the future and reform our immigration system to protect Geadish workers' jobs." He added that "I'm still glad I worked in this position, because immigration reform has always been an important issue for the Progressives. Now that the policy has been implemented, there is less reason for me to stay on the cabinet." He said that no other Progressive ministers plan to step down ("I've spoken to all of them"). This includes Elsje Snäder, the party's deputy leader, who currently serves as Minister of the Economy.

At a press conference, Prime Minister Efa Nordland confirmed that Matjassen's account of their conversation was true. "There is a tradition in Geadland - and any parliamentary system for that matter - called 'cabinet solidarity'. As Christjan Euchensshepping once said: 'No minister should criticise another minister if they sit together on the Council of State.' I am thankful to Mr. Matjassen that he has chosen to respect this convention. By giving up his executive power, he has made a noble sacrifice to protect the government from infighting and PR disasters." She denied that her government was suffering from internal tensions. "Actually, Mr. Matjassen's decision will ease some minor tension that was existing in the cabinet before."

Leader of the Opposition Samuel Stefansen also praised Matjassen's decision, for far less complimentary reasons. "When the Nordland Cabinet took office, we maintained that the leader of the xenophobic Progressive Party was the wrong person to put in charge of our immigration policy. His decision to step down is a great one - it is only a shame that his successor will almost certainly be someone from the same party." He said that the resignation of Matjassen exposed weaknesses in the government. "The Nordland government is the most disorganised cabinet Geadland has seen since the Bollingheim Affair. It's no wonder - their austerity agenda has irritated even their own ministers."

Neither Matjassen nor Nordland confirmed who would succeed him as Minister of the Interior. It is likely to be someone else from the Progressive Party. The most likely candidate would be Snäder, since the Ministry of the Interior is the highest cabinet post that the Progressives obtained in the 2013 government formation. Either way, at least one new Progressive MP would have to join the cabinet. Matjassen also did not give any more specific information on when he would leave office.

Political scientist Johan Peter Blumendal said that the most likely reason Matjassen resigned was to improve his party's prospects. "He is worried that the Progressives will lose support in the local elections and the next general election. Some of their supporters feel his party has compromised too much while in government, both on welfare and immigration." However, the Progressives have been polling 12%-14% in the last month, having obtained 12.7% of the vote in the last general election. They have held onto their support better than the Conservatives and Liberals, both of whom have lost support since then. Blumendal said that "Compare that with 4 years ago, when they polled something like 18%-20%. You can see why he's worried."

GOVERNMENT WILL MEET WITH MODERATE OTEKIAN SEPARATISTS
First time in 50 years the government has spoken with any separatists

28 March 2015 Last updated 17:59 Geadish Standard Time
The government has announced that the Prime Minister and several leading members of the government plan to meet with representatives of the Otekian National Congress and the Campaign for a Free Oteki, two moderate separatist organisations which are respectively based in Luziyca and Geadland. No details have yet emerged, but the meeting will take place within Geadland.

Prime Minister Efa Nordland said that "This was our decision to invite them to Geadland. We're just planning a talk - nothing more. We don't really know what might come out of this. But looks what's going on east of the border. The separatist leadership is planning to re-militarise. There is a real possibility that terrorist activity could enjoy a resurgence after years of decline, which is not just dangerous for Namor but dangerous for Geadland too. But unlike the 1960s, the Otekian nationalist movement doesn't just consist of violent groups, but it includes moderate groups, too. They could play an important part in helping our nations deal with the violent ones."

When asked if the decision to holds talks would damage relations with Namor, Nordland said that "I doubt it. We're meeting with some separatist leaders. In the past, we have met with the leaders of Luziyca, Unolia and Qianrong, and Namor hasn't got on particularly well with them either." The Campaign for a Free Oteki said that the decision to hold a conference "has overwhelming support from our members." The ministers who will join her are foreign minister Julius Albrechtsen, outgoing interior minister Markus Matjassen and defence minister Micheil Boorten. It is not known who will attend to represent the separatist groups.

The response did not attract much comment from other politicians. While a few backbench MPs on both sides of the chamber criticised the move, including former Progressive leader Jüte Rosengard who called it "A cheap attempt to court Luziycan Geads' votes." The SDLP leadership remained quiet, with Samuel Stefansen saying that "It is too early at this stage to say if anything noteworthy will come out of this." The Green Party praised the government's move, with party leader Harald Fredriksen saying that "Opening dialogue with the moderates is important here. The government should invite some figures from the opposition too, not just themselves."

The government's move to seek dialogue with moderate separatists comes at a time when opinion polling finds that for the first time, a plurality of Geads believe that the Luziycan-speaking Otekian people should have a state of their own. Recent reports of separatist threats and possible militarisation have not appeared to dent this change in public opinion.

The last time the government of Geadland is known to have was a secret meeting in October 1966, which was not made known to the public until 1991. A senior figure in the government of the Second Republic of Oteki, codenamed 'Rex', travelled to the border town of Otterdal with 3 other representatives. Here, they met with Prime Minister Karl den Haage-Are and members of the Geadish government and armed forces leadership. Den Haage-Are offered to support the Otekian Republic if the new state was to be "democratic, secular and allied with the free world." However, the rebels refused to accept his terms. Geadland supported the Namorese for the duration of the war.

In other news:

ANALYSIS: Elections in Txotai - what do they mean for the region's ethnic groups?
MPs vote to mandate plain cigarette packaging
EDITORIAL: Bringing the Nevan football team to Michillies risks damaging the rapprochement process

by **Vozergovnia** » Sat Mar 28, 2015 8:37 pm

A Sakatian FAR-35s in flight. Similar aircraft are expected to be stationed at a joint Sakatian-Vozergovnian air base in Vozergovnia
scheduled to be opened 'soon'.

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28 March 2014
Sakatian Military Bases to be Established in Vozergovnia as Vozergovnian-Sakatian Alliance is Formalised in Sakatian Capital, Plavagrad

Plavagrad, Sakatia - A treaty has been signed between the Free State of Vozergovnia and the Federal Republic of Sakatia in which the two countries formalise their military and political alliance while promising to 'co-operate militarily', establish jointly-managed military bases and even provide for the eventual establishment of a solely Sakatian military base in Vozergovnian territory. The treaty also grants citizens of the two countries indefinite freedom of movement and residence between the two countries; Sakatian citizens in Vozergovnia will be granted the rights held by Vozergovnian permanent residents and vice versa.

This treaty comes after the two countries closely co-operated during the Christian State insurgency in Sakatia which also intervented (albeit very briefly) in Vozergovnia only to be promptly forced to retreat by the Vozergovnian Defence Forces. Vozergovnia also attempted to mediate between Ionland and Sakatia during their brief war earlier this month and ultimately vowed to join the war on the Sakatian side if negotiations with the Republic of Ionland did not bring the war to a close. History shows the two countries have traditionally been allies for many years!

To this moment three bases have been announced in Udar, Belgrev and Tijeka but it is not clear whether more will be announced at a latter date. The military bases in Tijeka and Belgrev will be jointly-managed but the base in Udar near the Vozergovnian-Sakatian border will be solely managed by the Sakatian Armed Forces.

The move on part of the two nations has been received positively in both countries; the citizens of the two nations view this as merely the formalisation of their friendship and brotherhood. After all, both Sakatia and Vozergovnia speak similar languages and their cultures are very similar. When asked both Vozergovnians and Sakatians seemed to overwhelmingly approve of the warm relations between the two historically allied nations.

Maria Slobodna, a nineteen-year-old Vozergovnian had this to say when interviewed by The National Observer in the streets of the Vozergovnian capital, Belgrev.

"I am very happy! I have family in Sakatia and now I can visit them for extended periods of time; it's fantastic. Some of my friends say we're sacrificing our independence but I disagree; Sakatia is our friend and our brother. As a people the Sakatians have always been there to help and preserve our independence and liberty. Yes, Sakatians took our liberty in 1954 during the Sakatian Civil War but those were the Sakatian communists who do not deserve to be treated as 'proper' Sakatians; they divided their country and dared to kill their compatriots in the name of an extremist ideology which ultimately failed."

On the other hand, Nikolai Strelkov, a fifty-year-old Sakatian from the city of Omsk told our journalists there the following in perfect Vozergovnian.

"I am extremely pleased by this; we are countries united by very similar cultures and languages. For many years we have been more than friends - brothers I dare say! As a child I spent many summer holidays in Vozergovnia and have grown to love the country. In fact, my children would love to attend university there and now they will be able to with the freedom of movement. Perhaps I'll move there when I retire!"

About me · by **Luziyca** » Sat Mar 28, 2015 10:02 pm

Moderates to head to Geadland for a heart-to-heart chat

Cartoon by the Liberator

DA HEGNER, GEADLAND - It was announced by the Geadish government to hold a meeting between the government, the Geadish Campaign for a Free Oteki, and the Otekian National Coalition, which is based in Frontiersburg, Luziyca.

According to the National Daily Post, Prime Minister Efa Nordland explained, "'This was our decision to invite them to Geadland. We're just planning a talk - nothing more. We don't really know what might come out of this. But looks what's going on east of the border. The separatist leadership is planning to re-militarise. There is a real possibility that terrorist activity could enjoy a resurgence after years of decline, which is not just dangerous for Namor but dangerous for Geadland too. But unlike the 1960s, the Otekian nationalist movement doesn't just consist of violent groups, but it includes moderate groups, too. They could play an important part in helping our nations deal with the violent ones.'"

President Shjoraski has praised the decision of the Geadish government, stating that, "The endorsement of talks with moderates who advocate for greater autonomy for Oteki, or at least peaceful measures is a wonderful news to hear, and we hope that these talks shall produce fruitful results."

In Frontiersburg, Mikhail Shumev and Natasha Roman have both announced that they will represent the Otekian National Congress in the discussion being held in Geadland.

Shumev explained, "The fact that Nordland is willing to give us a chance to discuss the situation in Oteki is a wonderful thing. I for one, am looking forward to heading towards Geadland, and I pray that Namor doesn't get upset over this. If they do cancel it because Namo pressures them, I'd be irritated."
Natasha Roman also said, "It is quite wonderful to head to Geadland to discuss Oteki: how to best discuss this," but said that "it may be a good idea to invite the Geadish opposition as well."

In contrast, Valeriy Anisim criticized the decision, saying "While these talks are good in theory, the main issue is that they refuse to invite us to join them in Geadland as well. It does not represent the best interests of the Otekian people, and ultimately, it only brings Oteki under further domination by the Namorian."

In Frontiersburg, many in the community were divided, with many supporting the talks, but others opposing it.

One resident said, "These talks will produce nothing. Nobody can help us, so it is our duty to change Oteki for the better: even if it involves violent force against the Namorese."
In contrast, another replied, "I have high hopes that these talks will produce results, so that Geadland can apply some pressure to Namor: they have started with the Letter of Millions, but they need to go further."

In Namor, the people seemed to be critical of the talks, with the Liberator issuing a tweet showing their cartoon of the day: charming "moderate" serpentists, which is a typo of separatists. This picture has gone viral on Luziycan cyberspace, and has drawn significant criticism, due to it depicting the snake that appears to represent Otekians as a force that intends to annex Geadland back into Luziyca.

A senior official from West Geadland said "it is malicious, and quite frankly, it is ridiculous. To think all Luzzies want to annex Geadland is like saying that all blacks are savages: it is patently untrue." Many prominent people all over Luziyca have echoed similar sentiments.

More as the story develops.

In other news
Qianrong - The Constitution apologizes to Klitishko for typo in yesterday's article
Vozergovina - Bad decision made: government to abolish death penalty
Michillies - Chaska i Esquarium to begin soon: how will we fare?
Opinion - It's time to ditch the Whigs and go Liberal

by **Ocidenia** » Sun Mar 29, 2015 4:03 am

BREAKING NEWS

Cease-fire agreement broken: Southern secessionists attack the Ocidenian Military

Clashes erupt on the demarcation line between Ocidenia and the secessionist south as the secessionist fighters attack the Ocidenian Commonwealth Armed Forces, thus violating the cease-fire agreement

This just in, an alerting situation escalates in the regions around the demarcation line between Ocidenia and the secessionist south. Multiple sources, including the government and the military command, have reported that this morning the units of the Ocidenian Commonwealth Armed Forces stationed along the demarcation line between the country’s mainland and the seceded south, have been attacked by the secessionist forces located on the other side of established border, as the militants launched an unexpected offensive against the forces of our country’s army. This assault prompted the Ocidenian Military to respond as an act of self-defense, which resulted in a wave of clashes that are continuing even now as we speak. The government called this action from the side of the southern secessionists unacceptable and unjustifiable, officially stating that the cease-fire agreement signed by all sides of the conflict, has officially been violated by one of the parties, thus completely breaking the truce. The representatives of the administration claimed that following the escalation of the fighting on the demarcation line, there had been endless attempts to contact the leadership of the southern secessionists in order to receive an explanation for the mentioned actions, however, these attempts bore no fruit as the secessionist leadership was unavailable for contact. Nevertheless, the government has stated that attempts to contact the secessionist leadership continue as the administration is strongly determined to get answers.

Map of Ocidenia with areas of conflict

The representatives of the general military command of the Ocidenian Commonwealth Armed Forces have stated that the secessionist assault had escalated following a concentrated attack by the militants on multiple fronts. According to the claims by the general military command, the militants launched their assault by unexpected shelling of the Ocidenian positions with mortars, followed by a wave of attacks from other lethal weapons, such as multiple types of rifles, machine guns, rocket launchers, grenade launchers, bazookas and multiple other types of lethal equipment. Following the successful onslaught, which managed to catch the government troops off-guard, the secessionists resumed their attack, even raising the level, the size and the pace of their assault, most-likely attempting to keep up pressure on the Ocidenian Military, without giving a single chance for the soldiers to concentrate their own power and form an effective response. Nevertheless, the Ocidenian Military eventually managed to form an on-the-spot strategy and launch a counter-offensive against the secessionist forces on the other side, which consisted of ground and aerial assault on the militant positions. With each side launching its own strategy against the other, this collision of opposing military action resulted in a procrastinated fighting on the demarcation lines, which actively continues even at the moment. Despite the truce having already been classified by the government as being violated, the military command of the Ocidenian Commonwealth Armed Forces have claimed that our army’s forces are still keeping up attempts to preserve the terms of the agreement and avoid crossing the demarcation line in order to strike the secessionist forces in their own territory. Overall, the Ocidenian Military claimed that their basic objective will be to defend the mainland from the secessionist onslaught, in order to keep the militants from entering central Ocidenia, rather than pursuing the radical in their own area.

In Paradisa, this escalation of events raised a high-level alert among the government, as Prime Minister Simeon Brozhav called for an urgent meeting among the members of the National Security Committee and the Department of Defense in order to discuss the escalated situation in southern Ocidenia and form an urgent and effective response as soon as possible, while the there is still a chance to contain the escalating crisis. We will keep you informed as events develop.

by **Kraq** » Sun Mar 29, 2015 9:24 am

Voice of Kraq: Sports

Kraq Drawn into Group H; Kraq National Football Team Reactions to Nevan Football Chants

Kraqi National Team playmaker Brevui Themvako: "Hey Nevanmaa, not all us 'camel fuckers' are Arabs."

The groups have been set and Kraq has ended up in Group H, alongside Magane, North Daecon, Nevanmaa and Yamea. The Sand Dragons will play North Daecon first on 31 March 2015, followed by the racists sexists Nevans on 1st April, then Magane on the 2nd, and finally Yamea on the 3rd. Out of the five in the group, the top two highest ranked teams will advance into the knockout stages.

Yet with the tournament having not even started, the Coupe d'Esquarium has been rocked by controversy as racists Nevan fans have released several chants for the Cup. The two most popular being extremely racist, comparing the players of the Maganese to monkeys and referring to the Kraqi players as "camel fuckers" and "Kraqi towelheads"; amassing 3 million views within a matter of hours. Despite being universally condemned, it took several days after the chants were released for the Nevan Football Association to confirm that "motivational assistants" wouldn't be singing any of the two chants during their matches against Kraq and Magane. Nevertheless, Kraqi Football Association has urged claim amongst Kraqi football fans attending the Kraq's match against Nevanmaa.

The President of the Kraqi Football Association, Majed Al-Deayea, has blasted the chants, saying: "The most recent [Nevan] football chants for this up and coming Coupe d’Esquarium IV are completely against everything the competition stands for, a tournament that transcends politics and promotes unity among all nations within the region. I can honestly say I'm disgusted that the [Nevan] football chants are considered by some Nevan [fans] [Nevanmaa]'s chants for the tournament."

Meanwhile Kraq's team captain, 30 year old Habibullah El-Hashem, has announced that during his team's match against Nevanmaa, Kraqi players will refuse pregame handshakes with Nevan players in protest of Nevanmaa's racial laws, saying: "No Kraqi in their right mind would shake hands with the backwards Nevans. A people who strongly believe we're an inferior people and wouldn't be granted basic human rights. People like that shouldn't exist in the modern world." Meanwhile his teammate and playmaker Brevui Themvako, whom holds joint Kraqi-Luziycan citizenship and simply put when asked about the chants during a press conference; "Hey Nevanmaa, not all us 'camel fuckers' are Arabs."

Kraq will be playing North Daecon on Tuesday at Arena dos Lòpos, Villoba. North Daecon will be going into the game the favourites, not just to win the match but to the group. Enjoying vasts more, though not particularly successful, experience in the competition. Few believe Kraq can go far in this tournament. But if there's anything the Coupe d'Esquarium has taught us over the years, never underestimate the underdog.

by **The Ocelot Isles** » Sun Mar 29, 2015 9:42 am

Second Day of Ocelotian-Sinhakese Negotiations See Promising Progress

Independence Hall, Kongeuvia

It is the second day that the Ocelotians and the Sinhakese are meeting face-to-face for compromises. The call for negotiations came after councilmember Calvin Heites raised awareness about the "inequality" between Sinhako and the rest of the Ocelot Isles, the former supposedly enjoying affirmative action from the Ocelotian Administration. Currently the discussion is held in Independence Hall, in Koneguvia.

The first day of the negotiations did see some agreement on several negotiation topics, but overall not much has been accomplished and the discussion had to be restarted four times. This field is prone to conflicts as expected. While interim Governor-President Adelaide is in support of benefiting Sinhako as much as possible, most representatives on the Ocelotian side are unwilling to provide any further "affirmative action" and are demanding equality between the two nations. On the Sinhakese side, while interim Sinhakese President Helga Duta is expected to be quite willing to accept terms proposed by the Ocelotians, the Sinhakese negotiators also expressed some resistance towards the terms. Due to complications it justified many people's beliefs that the Ocelotian-Sinhakese negotiations will last for at least several days.

Today, however, there is some hope. Several governmental representatives have spoke outside Independence Hall regarding the subjects that have seen promises for agreement from both sides. Spokesperson Elias Rupertson elaborated on this, saying, "the Ocelotian side and the Sinhakese side have been able [...] to move towards a compromise on the enforcement of law and security in the Sinhakese zone, the regulation of immigration and level of travel restrictions, the division of the national debt so as to allow Sinhako to contribute in its elimination, and various others that we wish to reveal towards the end of the negotiations."

"Nevertheless there are obvious blocks preventing us from effectively reaching resolutions to what needs to be addressed," another spokesperson, Jane Pallam, declared. She recited factors similar to what was mentioned in the article earlier, including "the overall attempts by the Ocelotian side to impose new restrictions directly upon Sinhako [...] and the overall attempts by the Sinhakese side to obtain more affirmative action." Sinhako also has its spokespeople that commented on the ongoing conference.

Outside of the negotiating table, two sides offered their opinions. One side is in favor of the Ocelotian-Sinhakese discussions, and councilmember Heites (having proposed the discussions) is "pleased with the approval from the Ocelotian Administration to try and come to terms with the Sinhakese, and the willingness of the Sinhakese governemnt to accept the negotiations. Both are commendable for their efforts to allow both nations to coexist peacefully." The other side criticized the discussions, some going as far as to demanding a shutdown to them like the Purity Congress: "by making contact with the criminal hands and minds of the ill Shudri, the Ocelotian Administration is condoning the Shudrification of all of the Ocelot Isles," claimed Purity Congress member Ulysses Warrenson.

Independence Hall is a government office built in 2000, though it is not purposed for the Ocelotian Administration and rather for local jurisdictions. The building suffered remarkably limited damages during the First, Second, and Third Ocelotian-Pavonistadian Wars, and any damages to the building were repaired as opposed to other infrastructure. It was selected as the place for negotiations several days before yesterday.

About me · by **Luziyca** » Sun Mar 29, 2015 10:00 am

Negotiations are underway

Independence Hall

KONGUEVIA, OCELOT ISLES - On the second day of the negotiations with the Ocelot Isles, countless people have commented on the conference, as it is slowly progressing.

Outside independence hall, spokesperson Elias Rupertson told the Ocelot Gazette, "the Ocelotian side and the Sinhakese side have been able [...] to move towards a compromise on the enforcement of law and security in the Sinhakese zone, the regulation of immigration and level of travel restrictions, the division of the national debt so as to allow Sinhako to contribute in its elimination, and various others that we wish to reveal towards the end of the negotiations."

"Nevertheless there are obvious blocks preventing us from effectively reaching resolutions to what needs to be addressed," another spokesperson, Jane Pallam, declared to the Gazette. She recited factors similar to what was mentioned in the article earlier, including "the overall attempts by the Ocelotian side to impose new restrictions directly upon Sinhako [...] and the overall attempts by the Sinhakese side to obtain more affirmative action." Sinhako also has its spokespeople that commented on the ongoing conference.

One of the spokespeople, Saria Santiyama said, "We are making huge progress. We're moving towards a compromise to regulate immigration to prevent actual criminals from heading in, we are moving to help compromise to ensure an effective enforcement of law and order within Sinhako, and dividing the debt of the isles so we can help."

However, Johannes Sikari explained in Prasanta, "This is concerning. While it is good to discuss certain affairs with the Ocelotians, we must remember that our goal is to not become an integral part of these islands: making such huge sacrifices only ensures that we lose our culture and identity, and enable the Purity Congress to come in and cause havoc while we cannot do anything about that: Sinhako has to stand on its own ground, and not compromise with the Ocelotians, who will restrict our ability to be a safe haven to all Shudri from all over the world."

Interim President Helga Duta has remarked, "I am quite confident that the negotiations will succeed," but declined to elaborate of the progress, only saying that "the Ocelotians have explained some wonderful ideas to ensure that we do not become a mini-state."

More as the story develops.

by **Britanno** » Sun Mar 29, 2015 10:33 am

Is Aaron Cooper the Royals' saviour this time around?

The 22 year old Candover United centre-forward has risen through the ranks of the national team quicker than anyone could have imagined possible, but will he fulfil the media hype surrounding his new place in the Britannon squad?

If you look at his record, the answer should be yes. He’s only been a regular starter for Candover United since the start of this season, but he’s already scored 29 goals for the capital’s giants. Having played for his club since the age of 12 and described himself as a “local lad at home in Candover”, it isn’t any wonder why his fans love him so much. But can he keep his good form up, and can he make the transition from domestic league to international arena?

So far he’s shown no sign of faltering. He’s scored in all but 4 of the games he’s started in this season, and has only ever been substituted twice. But his ability to find the back of the net and outstanding stamina may not be enough to get his country passed the group stages. Britanno has never got out of the groups in the past 3 CdEs, but last year’s humiliating defeats were enough to send our manager packing. I do not share the optimism that some have highlighted in the media: the idea we could get to the quarter finals is ridiculous.

Our group has two of the biggest names of the game in: Michillies and Unolia. The latter has been a dominant force in football in recent years, and Michillies will be enjoying the extra support they get as hosts. The Michillians will surely qualify – their squad is impressive to say the least – and so we are forced into hoping that the Jahistics underperform. There is no doubt in my mind that we are in the toughest group because not only are we stuck with two big teams, but we also have Sjalhaven to play, who are not known for being easy to beat.

Last year we struggled to score any goals at all, and this is where Cooper might come in handy. Nobody can deny his talent for goalscoring. He’s scored from pretty much anywhere in the goal’s half of the pitch – not bad considering he’s only been playing one season. He’s quick and manoeuvrable, with skills on the ball unheard of for someone his age (in Britanno at least). And so no, we probably won’t get out of the groups, but if we do my guess is that our victories will have one name written all over them: Aaron Cooper.

About me · by **Luziyca** » Sun Mar 29, 2015 10:35 am

Opinion: Can somebody please remove the Nevan "motivational assistants" from Michillies? Ideally with fire and with no escape.

Nevan football team

LAS PALMAS, MICHILLIES - As the Chaska i Esquarium commences its first match, and Nevanmaa faces it against Magane, the Nevans have been taking a lot of flak for a lot of things: their racism, the fact that they are very distrustful of the hosts and want to isolate their skinheads to the hotel and the pitch, and now, wanting to bring some "motivational assistants" to help provide support.

Let alone that they are a rent-a-crowd, what is the point of bringing a thousand fans to Michillies? To cheer for their football team which comprises of a bunch of skinheads? The Nevan Football Association claims that they will not perform those racist chants, but really, I am highly certain they will, as well as bringing a lot of things to provoke the host nation, like the monarchist flag of Michillies. The Michillians should have denied permission for those bloody skinheads to enter the nation.

Why? We need to explain their relations: long story short, the Nevans supported the monarchists that oppressed the people of Michillies and so when the revolution did happen, the Nevans cut ties with the Michillians and in turn, a few years later, the Michillians recognized the communists and still do.

So what is my advice? Operation Hospitality, you need to go to your natural instincts: the Nevans, the savage skinheads who mistreat those that are not "pure Nevan blood," are inherently the lowest of the low. As patriotic Michillians, you need to realize that you cannot help these subhumans: you have to sabotage their efforts. For the sake of the Maganese and the Kraqi, you need to sabotage the Nevan cause in every way you can.

My advice is to poison your food and give the food to these skinheads, so they fall ill with listeria and expire. I want you to throw Molotov cocktails against their hotel. I want people to make bombs so to blow up the vehicles of the Nevan team and ensure that they will never make it to the match, nor any other matches. If you do watch them play anyone, I want you all to go on the pitch, and beat the Nevans until they cry for their mothers and fathers, and then beat some more. If you hear Nevan being spoken, just beat them up or shoot them or at least make them trip over your feet.

The Kraqis do not want to shake the hand of the true savage: neither does any human that seeks equality. The only way they deserve to return is in a pine box, direct from Michillies: each player dead will send pressure to the skinheads in Nevanlinna to end their racist ways and implement true equality: until then, we must thwart these skinheads every way we can.

This has been an op-ed by Diana Slivinski, former actress for the hit LRT series "Krilya yego." She is now studying drama and identifies herself as a proud social justice warrior, who feels that everyone should be equal. The views that she expresses does not reflect that of the newspaper.

About me · by **Luziyca** » Sun Mar 29, 2015 5:54 pm

Emperors lose 3-5 to Scotians

The Emperors before they departed

CARTHAGE, MICHILLIES - Today, the proud Luziycan Emperors lost 3-5 to the Scotian national team, after a valient effort to ensure that we were able to win the first match, and ultimately lost by two points, in a humiliating defeat against the debuting Scotsmen.

In the first half, about 2 minutes in, Rodgar Hagen scored the first Luziycan goal, bringing the game to 1-0. Ten minutes in, John Fraser attempts to score a goal, and is repelled by Bosse Dahl. Twenty-two minutes in, Fraser makes it again and bypasses the hapless defense to ensure that the match was tied one to one. After this, we were essentially tied and it reached a literal stalemate for the rest of the half, but just two seconds to go, Felix Niequest ended the half with a goal for the Emperors, with a 2-1 score.

But the second half did not fare as well: seven minutes in, Fraser again scores a goal, tying the match 2-2. We had to start adjusting our methods to try and score a goal, to try and win the match against the Scotsmen. Unfortunately, Fraser scores a goal, tipping the balance to the Scots just eleven minutes in, with a score of Luziyca having two points, the Scotians having three points.

At the twenty minute mark, Anna scores a goal, tying the match 3-3, and at twenty nine minutes, Rodgar attempts to score another goal to break the deadlock, but fails with Vang Wei succeeding in blocking the pass. Thirty-nine minutes in, Li Wen scores a goal, bringing the score to 3-4. Anna tries to score another goal forty-two minutes in, but fails and with mere seconds to go in the second half, Michael Ferguson scored the match-ending goal, bringing the score to 3 points for the Emperors, and 5 for the "Royal Stewarts."

When asked, Wang Kerr said, "I am quite disappointed that we did not do as well as we hoped, but I am quite confident that on Tuesday, we will achieve a significant victory against Banija. This is only a minor setback, and I know that we will train hard to achieve our aim."

However, a fan from Semrov was doubtful: former player Sifa Upendo for FC Semrov explained "if we can judge by past records, let us note that we did significantly awful in the second edition. We changed our formation to 1-1-8, and we attempted to live up to that victory that we achieved in the first Chaska i Esquarium. However, we did poorly, and as a result of our losses, we were losing morale. I think this Chaska will be much like the second Chaska, where we did horribly and were eliminated in the quarterfinal by the Vyvlanders, losing 4-1. If the Emperors do make it to the semi-finals, I will be quite stunned, and if they make it to the finals, I will eat my own shoe."

More as the story develops.

In other news
Ocidenia - Separatists fight government forces
Kraq - Team player critcizes Nevanmaa, says "not all of us 'camel fuckers' are Arabs."
Ocelot Isles - Negotiations continuing with Sinhako and its role in the islands.
Jerusalem - University issues a warning to Slivinski, saying "her vitriol that she spewed forth against our Nevan brothers will reduce her chances in society," threatens her with suspension if she does not recant within 48 hours

by **The Ocelot Isles** » Sun Mar 29, 2015 6:49 pm

-CdE IV Ocelot Isles See Promising Start in Matchday One Against Ariania

Football fans in the Ocelot Isles wildly applauded following the first match victory of our country in Coupe d'Esquarium IV.

The Ocelotian National Football Team scores a total of three against its first opponent, Ariania. In the first half, Charles Liefobe volleyed goal number one during the 36th minute. Patrik Sonna took care of the second gold while Yanick Schmitt secured the third one, respectively in the 67th and the 85th minute. For all three goalscorers, it is clear that they breached the opponent's defense. Meanwhile, the football team of Ariania scored one against our team. Of course it did little to prevent us from security a victory in Matchday One.

Players on the Ocelotian National Football Team have commented on our success in Michillies. Liefobe reported "it was an incredible moment shooting the first goal for our country [...] in the quest for the Coupe." Meanwhile, Sonna claimed to have "a surge in the desire to do as well as possible" soon after Liefobe's success, thus contributing to the second goal for the Ocelot isles. And Schmitt said, "[n]ever before have I felt so proud of making this a great achievement for our country; it is without a doubt an amazing moment." The goalscorers went onto Twitter to express their joy, the following showing the tweet by Sonna.

Patrik Sonna

@PatrikSonna

Am super super SUPER pleased after scoring a goal and scoring a win over Ariania with my team!! #CdE4

RETWEETSFAVORITE
301117

06:34 pm - 29 Mar 15

The manager, Carlos Agapito, asserts that "what the [Ocelotian] football team has done today is only a small part in a magnificent series of events" and claims that the Ariania team's tactics were carefully examined so that improved performance can be possible in the very near future. Back at home, various fans cheered for the success of our team. An example is Oxen City's James Lukasson, who states that "the fabulous advances of our country shows that we will not go without a fight, even if it means being destroyed [referencing the Ocelotian-Pavonistadian wars]." Another is Helena Gabler of Inkann, saying that her "doubts for the team aboard is completely washed away with the match against Ariania." Some Ocelotians and pessimists did comment that this victory is emphasized and may be followed by a series of failures.

We have a goal difference of +2, deriving from 3 goals for subtracted by 1 goals against for new football spectators.

To see the full match, see here.

by **Nevamaa** » Mon Mar 30, 2015 5:25 am

The Lions beat Magane 0-1 in their first game

VILLOBA - When the Lions entered the pitch today, they weren't exactly welcomed by fans. The stands of the Arena dos Lòpos were not filled with Nevans nor Maganese: Instead, the stadium was full of Michillians cheering for the Maganese team. Luckily the Nevan supporters, even though only taking up a small portion of the massive stands, made much more noise than the Michillians and kept the blue cross flying high.

Much to the disappointment of Michillians, the Lions of Nevanmaa begun their journey towards winning the Coupe d'Esquarium Magane 1-0. The sole goal of the game was made by Ari Nurmela on the 27th minute and while the Lions did manage to score several shots towards the goal the Maganese goalkeeper Ayanda Zwelithini miraculously managed to stop them all. The game almost ended 1-1 when during the 88th minute Maganese striker Thabo Sobukwe Hani almost scored a goal that was blocked by Nevan goalkeeper Lauri Männikkö

The Maganese team was more defensive than initially expected, leading to Lions having severe difficulties controlling the ball on the Maganese side of the pitch. After the game, captain Niko Väisänen commented that "the Maganese were a good opponent, their defensive line held very well and overall we had a very good game. We are all very excited that we won the game, and we're all ready to beat North Daecon tomorrow."

Unfortunately, in the aftermath of the game several Michillians were arrested after assaulting the Nevan supporters. Reports also indicate that a group of three Nevan fans were temporarily detained by the Michillian Police after the group started singing unauthorized chants.

by **Ocidenia** » Mon Mar 30, 2015 9:19 am

BREAKING NEWS

Ocidenian Military clashes with secessionists in northern Ocidenia

Following the escalation of hostilities between the Ocidenian Commonwealth Armed Forces and the secessionist fighters in southern Ocidenia, an identical situation develops in the north of the country

Military-level escalations have reached northern Ocidenia as well. Following the clashes between the Ocidenian Military and the secessionist forces along the demarcation line in southern Ocidenia, identical fighting has erupted between the forces of our country’s military and the fighters in northern Ocidenia. In comparison to their southern counterparts, the northern secessionists have been described as launching an even more powerful and concentrated assault on the positions of the Ocidenian Commonwealth Armed Forces stationed along the demarcation line, prompting our army to respond with a heavy counter-offensive, consisting of a series of powerful land and aerial strikes. Due to the northern secessionist onslaught moving in a rapid pace and in a high-level, the Ocidenian Military has been forced to use high-tech destructive military equipment in order to push-back the secessionist militias and keep the fighting concentrated only along the demarcation line, as the general military command claimed that currently the main objective of the Ocidenian Commonwealth Armed Forces is to block the path for the fighters of either secessionist movement to enter central Ocidenia.

With 2 of the 3 parties violating the cease-fire agreement, the administration of Prime Minister Simeon Brozhav had declared the cease-fire agreement as no longer in effect and claimed that our country’s regular army has now obtained the right to contain the crisis using any measures required. It has been added, that the escalation of events in northern Ocidenia has brought the attention of the National Security Committee and the Department of Defense to a new issue, as the past several meetings were basically focused on resolving the situation in southern Ocidenia. The Minister of Defense has stated that due to the situation in southern and northern Ocidenia being identical in their classification, the assembled meetings will focus on forming a mutual solution for both crises, as they had already been classified as parts of a single armed radical insurgency. Although multiple steps and potential solutions will have to be discussed, which will take up a lot of time, Prime Minister Simeon Brozhav, the Minister of Defense and multiple representatives of the government have stated that the administration will make all attempts to form an effective solution in a course of several days. Nevertheless, the government has added that due to the pressure of time and the crisis potentially moving towards a critical level over the course of the following days, the administration has claimed the right to apply additional and quicker measures in order to contain the crisis, before more permanent solutions could be formed.

The secessionist assault against the Ocidenian Military escalated this morning, leading up to our army’s counter-offensive and resulting in the fighting which is continuing even now. The military command has stated that the Ocidenian Commonwealth Armed Forces will keep up their current objective, while the government develops a more permanent solution to solve the crisis. Similarly to their southern counterparts, the leadership of the secessionists of northern Ocidenia were unavailable for contact with the government in order to explain these recent actions, however, just like with the southern secessionist, the administration stated that it will continue all attempts to contact the heads of both secessionist movements in order to receive answers regarding an open violation of the cease-fire agreement. We will keep you informed as events develop.

by **Francilie** » Mon Mar 30, 2015 10:05 am

In the news #NEVMAG: The Nevans win against the Maganese team, not without incidents ⌬ Who can stop the Coqs this time ? Meet our rivals. ⌬ Promising start for the Coqs

#CdEIV PROMISING START FOR THE COQS
The Francesians won over the Yameans 2-1 in an exciting first match.

Ayokunle Lestrange, the Francesian goalkeeper, after the game.

Promising. That's the word we'll keep in mind after this first match of the Francesian team. Not without any stress, the Coqs started to play. After loud anthems, the Francesians seemed tired, while the Yameans seemed energic and well-trained. The Francesian defenders were sleeping while the Yamean forwards were fast. But they never scored as Ayokunle Lestrange, our goalkeeper, was like a huge wall. 1 ball stopped, 2 balls stopped, 3 balles stopped...the Yameans were pratically tired, in the end. The Francesian team woke up after the 25th minute, after a ball stopped by the Yamean goalkeeper, and shot by Pascal Vartanian, the Francesian captain.

And 7 minutes later, bingo ! Côme Foss, a Francesian defender, shot a ball right under the top corner of the goal, unstopped by the Yamean goalkeeper, thus resulting in the first goal. After the half time, Morgan Comtois scored another goal. After some failed tentatives from the two teams, a Yamean managed to pierce the Francesian defense and to get a corner at the 84th minute. Yamea scored. 2-1.
Everyone feared a Yamean awakening from this moment. But no, there were only 6 minutes left, plus some minutes. And these minutes were relatively uneventful.

"After all, we still dominated the Yameans during a big part of the game" said Thierry Fabron, the Francesian manager. "Ayokunle was incredible at the start, but became tired after the half time" said the assistant manager Maëlys Béringer. Meanwhile, the Derman Iles defeated Carolina 1-0 in their first game. Our next match ? Against Sakatia. Can they defeat us ? The bets are open, because it's known that we must not underestimate our opponents. In the other groups, the Nevans defeated the Maganese team 1-0, and, surprise, the Scotian newbies defeatead the Luzzies 5-3. This CdEIV is promising too.

This has been SRF Sports for our daily coverage of the CdEIV in Michilles, thanks for reading us.

#CdEIV Results of the Matchday 1

Group A
Michillies 4–1 Sjalhaven
Jahistic Union 0–1 Britanno

Group B
Francilie 2-1 Yamea
Derman Iles 1-0 Carolina

Group C
Luziyca 3–5 Scotia
Qianrong 0–0 Arkiasis

Group D
Vyvland 2–0 Vojkaria
Iglesiantis 1–7 Lyonsland

Group E
Atlantia Creek 1–0 Koyro
Sandhelm 1–2 Ainin

Group F
Namor 0–2 North Cortoguay
Ariania 1–3 Ocelot Isles

Group G
Walminghaven 1–0 Causenian Region
Ionland 1–4 Vjaarland

Group H
North Daecon 1–0 Rasskovy
Nevanmaa 1-0 Magane

by **Scotia-99** » Mon Mar 30, 2015 1:14 pm

30 March, 2015

Esquarian Cup IV - Fans in high spirits before Scotia-Qianrong match

The Scotian team after the equalizer by
James Fraser in the first match w. Luziyca

SCOTIAN SCHEDULE
31 March - v. Qianrong
1 April - v. Arkiasis
2 April - Bye Day
3 April - v. Banija

CHRISTIANIA, MICHILLIES - Fans of the Royal Stewarts are in high spirits after the first day of the Esquarian Cup brought an improbable (at least according to team captain James Fraser) 5-3 victory over the favorites Luziyca, as the team gets ready for their next match against Qianrong tomorrow.

In a press conference after the match, head coach Alastair Armstrong commented that "We just did what we set out to do when we came to Michillies: to inspire the fans back home, and we just won, winning over a team that you and I can recall were the favorites going into the match. We're obviously not resting on our laurels, and we ask that the fans come to cheer us in Carthage tomorrow."

The upcoming match is also notable for being the first match between the two teams since Scotia joined the intervention to back Qianrong's government in the wake of attacks from the militant Alliance for Sovereignty in Qianrong. Several Scotian and Qianrongese fans have come to reporters openly expressing their solidarity towards their governments' actions against the ASQ, and chanting "Sì-Sì-Èr" (the Minjianese number 442, in reference to the hijacking and fatal crash of Air Hearadh Flight 442 which killed 177 people). Meanwhile, Michillian police have arrested several Scotian and Qianrongese fans after they chanted death threats against the ASQ's leader Ngo Huu Tra.

by **Namor** » Mon Mar 30, 2015 2:17 pm

Namor loses first match to North Cortoguay, 0-2
Loss sparks online backlash back home

March 30, NMR 2375

NAMO - Team Namor entered the battleground of the Coupe D'Esquarium rather poorly, losing to North Cortoguay 0-2. The loss has led to the team receiving a backlash from Namorese back home online, some saying that Namor did not deserve to lose to a "non-country."

How some Namorese are reacting to the 0-2 loss to North Cortoguay

Attackers An Yanlin and Dong Ling tried to score a goal, but were stopped by the North Cortoguayans. The North Cortoguayans responded in a way that apparently caught the Namorese off guard - Óscar Cuevas scored two goals for North Cortoguay. The first goal came at the 60th minute and the second at the 80th minute. Neither Cuevas or the other attackers were able to score more goals, but the Namorese were not in any better position. The game ended in a loss for Namor, 0-2, to North Cortoguay.

The loss was clearly felt across the Namorese team, read in the faces of those who showed up at the post-game interview.

"We have to work more on our attacks," said team captain Tinjan Ancha. "As seen in our face-off with North Cortoguay, our attacks weren't really effective, especially against a team like North Cortoguay's. There is time to change that, though, so we aren't encountered with the same thing as we play against other countries."

Back home, the Namorese loss was met with some backlash from netizens. Some claimed the game was "embarrassing" since Namor lost to a team that was not only debuting, but representing a non-country that's probably the only non-country in the CdE.

"It will go down in history that Great Namor cannot beat a dependency of another country in football," someone tweeted. "That's how bad we are."

"If Nantai was its own team, I bet we'll lose, too. Good thing that's not the case," someone else remarked in the comments section of PTH Tiyu.

Others complained about North Cortoguay's presence in the Coupe D'Esquarium, wondering why the North Cortoguayans could be part of the Michillian team.

"North Cortoguay is Michillies, right? So why can't they just become part of the Michillians and stay in Group A? Surely that will save us a lot of trouble," one person commented.

But not everyone was gloomy and disparaging the opponent - some came forth and either said it was "just a game" or that a loss to North Cortoguay was "expected."

"They are part of Michillies, after all. It's not like they suck more than we do [in football] and beat us," read one comment.

"Totally disappointing to see that some Namorese think we're a 'great power' in the world of football. We're not, and we never will be. It's not like anyone should expect us to win anything. We don't roll that way," read another comment.

Tinjan Ancha was asked about what he thought about the backlash, downplaying its value. "Certainly we're not doing the best we can, but we treat every opponent like a formidable opponent, and at all times we take everyone seriously."

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by **North Cortoguay** » Mon Mar 30, 2015 4:06 pm

the santiago reporter
the voice of north cortoguay

hoy es lunes, 30 marzo 2015
English edition | edició català | edición cortoguayana | edicion michillèsa

#cde4: namor 0-2 north cortoguay
north cortoguay in shock at opening day win, namorese complain about losing to a "non-country"

Heavily tipped to make the quarterfinals of the tournament, Team Namor has certainly gotten off to a poor start. The débutante North Cortoguayans have pulled off a miracle upset of the Namorese side, thought to have been the strongest in Group F, in the Còlòssïo di ço Salvator, far surpassing manager Celestino Maradona’s hopes for the squad.

Heading into the game, the Namorese looked like the favourites against El Boreas, with many Namorese commentators mocking the fact that North Cortoguay had a team to start with. But the first half proved fruitless for Namor, with An Yanlin attempting an early attacking in the first minutes of the game, only to be stopped cold by Dani Cuéllar. Having gained possession, the team shifted to a tiki-taka strategy to tire the Namorese out, but quickly lost possession again. However, the North Cortoguayan defence was effective at keeping the ball away from Vichenç Jou and making the Namorese work for their attacks. Jou was ultimately called to action to deal with an attempt from Dong Ling near the end of the first half, successfully catching the ball and despatching it to Anastacio de Asturias before the whistle and silencing the Namorese critics.

Still scoreless at the beginning of the second half, the squad used their kick-off to keep up the passing strategy. Frustrating Namorese attempts to gain possession, Fuerza Rioja’s Óscar Cuevas managed to break the deadlock in the 60th minute with an assist from Jeremías Puga. Putting the Namorese back in possession for a kick-off, the midfield went back on duty to try to wrest the ball from the Namorese, ultimately earning Jonmarco da Silva a booking in the 67th minute for an ugly tackle on midfielder Lixa Xo. But despite conceding a free kick in the defensive half, the defence quickly wrested the ball and took little time trying to pass it up the pitch. By the 80th minute, Ártur Asis had managed to pass the ball off to Cuevas, who then proceeded to double North Cortoguay’s lead and clinch three points for the side.

North Cortoguay has gone into a collective state of shock over the win, having resigned themselves to defeat before the game in Salvator. #SalveBoreas (Hail the North Wind) has become a trending topic, with even top figures in the regional government using the hashtag, including Governor Ana María Santana López.

"It’s beyond anything we ever expected to be here playing for the Coupe d’Esquarium," said captain César Ochoa after the match. "To take down Namor in our opening game is icing on the cake. I have to give respect to the Namorese, because they played a great game and they made us work for that win. My hat is off to them."

The Namorese captain Tinjan Ancha congratulated the opposition for the win and took it as a lesson as to what his sides weak points were. "We have to work more on our attacks. As seen in our face-off with North Cortoguay, our attacks weren’t really effective, especially against a team like North Cortoguay’s. There is time to change that, though, so we aren’t encountered with the same thing as we play against other countries."

But not all the Namorese were so gracious in defeat. Namorese began taking to social media, attempting to compensate for the loss by denigrating their opposition, claiming that their nation had lost to a "dependency" or, worse, a "colony". "It will go down in history that Great Namor cannot beat a dependency of another country in football," was one of the most favourited tweets from the Namorese side. Even prominent nationalist politician Kuo Zhang got in on the action when he tweeted "North Cortoguay should not be in the #CdE."

"It’s a sad world that we live in when people can focus all their energy into attacking their opponents after the game is done," midfielder Gil Rios said in a phone interview with the Santiago Reporter. "We have our team because of historical and political circumstances that affect our region and its culture. We have a team. Get used to it."

In Group A, the hosts defeated Sjalhaven 4-1 in the opening game, while the Britannons overcame the Jahistic Union 1-0. Francilie and the Derman Iles defeated Yamea and Carolina respectively in Group B. Group C saw Arkiasis and Qianrong stonewall each other in a rather dull game, while the Scotians pulled off a miracle 5-3 upset against Coupe favourites Luziyca. Vyvland got off to a strong start against Vojkaria in Group D, while Lyonsland hammered Iglesiantis 7-1 in what some have called the "Game of the Century".

Group E saw little interest, with Ainin and Atlantia Creek winning their games against Sandhelm and Koyro rather safely, while our own group saw the Ocelot Isles defeat Ariania 3-1. Walminghaven eked out a narrow win over the Causenian Region in Group G, while Vjaarland crushed Ionland 4-1. Meanwhile in Group H, North Daecon defeated Rasskovy and Nevanmaa came out with a narrow win over Magane.

North Cortoguay’s next game will be against Ariania tomorrow in the Còlòssïo di ço Salvator in Salvator.

— Paulo Fuentes Ybarra from Salvator, Michillies

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#CdE4: Scotians released by Carthage police without charge after "death threat" chants

by **Namor** » Mon Mar 30, 2015 5:50 pm

EDITORIAL CARTOON The Growing Fire
Наморайин | English

Trending

Namor loses to Michillian Cortoguay 0-2 | After chanting "death threats," Scotians Coupe spectators arrested, then released by Michillian police

by **New Saha** » Mon Mar 30, 2015 6:06 pm

Attahbad (Al-Haqq) March 30 2015 - The takfiri terrorist group, the caliphate, invaded the territory of the Saha Arab Republic yesterday. The takfiri's massacred their own fellow takfiris and our Shia brethren and are currently trying to spread their jihad throughout the Saha desert. The kafir and so called caliph Ebrahim Ridha Ahmad reportedly ordered the invasion of takfiri armed gangs into the Saha desert and captured the cities of Jiddah, Dhamra and Makka.

The Council said in a statement that "Republican Guard and Hezbollah forces have been mobilised to clear the Saha desert of any kafirs they encounter".

The Council also said that emergency measures are in place to prevent the takfiris from advancing any further. Brother Leader Asoud al-Abahi has ordered a defensive line be created around the cities of Dala and Raha to prevent the caliphate from advancing.

The caliphate have been creating havoc in our neighboring Arab nations of Irvadistan and Kraq, trying to force their wahhabi ways on the populations of those countries. The Brotherly Leader said Saha will not suffer the same fate and announced the Sahagi Republican Guard will "defend our people, our way of life, and defend the revolution.

The Council said they will review placing Emergency Law on the cities of Dala and Raha, to prevent mass chaos from ensuing those cities.

Hezbollah chief Omar al-Assad said in a statement, "Hezbollah, the party and army of god, will defend our nation, the Saha Arab Republic, from the takfiri elements that threaten the Shiite people! Insha'Allah!

Takfiri elements detonated a bomb on a bus in Haytah, killing 8 civilians. No takfiri group claimed responsibility, however the Council said they had evidence that the caliphate was behind the attack.

The Republican Guard Air Force launched strikes against takfiri elements in the Saha desert yesterday, killing an estimated 30 kafirs.

by **Vjaarland** » Mon Mar 30, 2015 8:12 pm

Vjaarland defeats Ionland 4-1 in thrilling first match

RIS, MICHILLIES -- In an exciting opening day for the fourth Coupe de Esquarium, the Vjaarlandic national football team “Blue and Yellows” achieved an unexpected 4-1 victory over Ionland.

The match kicked-off to a slow start, remaining scoreless for the majority of the first-half. The action truly began around the 32 minute mark, with Vjaar Filip Albertsen scoring the first goal of the match after receiving a well-placed corner kick from Alvar Hansø. The Blue and Yellows remained ahead as the match entered its second-half, further cementing their lead with a second goal by team captain Edvard Lykke at 51 minutes.

The sole Ionite goal came just two minutes later at 53 minutes, passing just inches outside the grasp of Vjaarlandic goalkeeper Emil Rytter. The Vjaars’ stellar offense continued its success up to the buzzer, with Hansø and Albertsen each scoring additional goals at 68 and 85 minutes respectively.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better way to kick off Vjaarland’s first ever Coupe de Esquarium,” said Edvard Lykke, speaking to reporters directly following the end of the match. “The entire team showed some phenomenal talent and teamwork throughout the match, and I think we showed the world that we’re more than capable of going head to head with just about any team out there."

The sweeping victory came as a shock to football fans around the world, with many expecting Vjaarland’s inexperienced rookie team to suffer through an epidemic of defeats from early on in the group stage. Reactions poured in from across the predominantly hockey-oriented nation, with Vjaarlandic football fans expressing delight and bewilderment alike at the unexpected victory.

Ole Strand
@olestrand29

Vjaarland just won a football game. THIS...DOES...NOT...COMPUTE! #CdE4

RETWEETSFAVORITE
257504

6:02 pm - 29 March 15

Ulrik Klausen
@UlrikKlausen

Wait...what? Vjaarland won? Clearly you must be thinking of a different Vjaarland. #CdE4

RETWEETSFAVORITE
94117

6:29 pm - 29 March 15

VRT will continue its coverage of the fourth Coupe de Esquarium with Matchday 2 tomorrow, beginning at 08:00 VST.

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Vilhelm Norup Seconds ago
Alright, Vjaarland! Kick their sorry commie asses back to the fucking stone age! PAIN TRAIN’S A COMIN’, BITCHES! WOOOOOOOOOO!

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by **The Ocelot Isles** » Mon Mar 30, 2015 9:29 pm

Early Compromises Confirmed, Detail by Interim Governor-President

Interim GP James Adelaide

The third day of the Ocelotian-Sinhakese negotiations have seen what some may call a surprise, and what others may call an expected event. The news of the existence of resolutions to several discussed topics was broken to the Ocelotian public by our interim Governor-President.

As consistent with yesterday and the day before, the third day of negotiations lasted into evening. Details about the actual discussions were limited due to the severely-regulated amount of journalists and reporters within Independence Hall. Interim Governor-President James Adelaide came to the press conference room at 7:34 PM to announce that several deals have been made during today's discussion. His appearance was unexpected by several journalists, including some of our own. After his introduction, he happily announced that "We have built the framework of the ideas, and to our expectations we have polished it."

The first resolution was related to security, which was a topic suggested by many councilmembers and civilians alike. Adelaide declared, "In our resolutions, the Ocelotian Armed Police Force is the paramount force responsible for the defense of Sinhako, as well as the Ocelot isles. It shall be given the ability and right to intervene with nonlethal or lethal force in Sinhakese criminal affairs whenever it is deemed necessary. Sinhako, however, will be able to have its own law enforcement forces that will act independently. [...] In summary, security within Sinhako will be maintained by the region itself, excluding such cases as racist terrorism and foreign invasions."

Another topic in which a compromise existed for is immigration. "Due to the risks of Shudri-related violence and the fear of exporting them beyond the Sinhakese zone, it is decided that to mitigate the direct importation of such risks from Sinhako, elevated immigration controls in the Sinhakese border will be put in place. Immigration officers stationed in the Sinhakese border are granted additional abilities, [...] including the right to confiscate contraband or any suspicious items, investigate travellers without a warrant, and demand smartphone codes or entry. Such deals have been negotiated vigorously so as to prevent abuse of police powers that may be alleged by the public. [...] In addition, immigration data and the information of immigrants may be freely shared between Sinhakese and Ocelotian agencies."

Interim Sinhakese president Helga Duta commented on the progress, mostly in agreement of what has been reached by the Ocelotian and Sinhakese side. In the public, mixed reactions have poured in regarding the announcement. Some people like councilmember Calvin Heites state that "the negotiations in Independence Hall do ensure equality or at least a degree of fairness between the Sinhakese and the Ocelotians," while other people like professor Carlos Rothmans warns that "the deals reached in the negotiations can suppress the Shudri and escalate the grave discrimination already directed that these people."

Another surprise is that Adelaide did not wear his sunglasses in his appearance. He is often seen in his sunglasses, and the last time at which Adelaide was seen without them was in August 2014. A photo dating from that time was featured in Namor's The Pickle following Adelaide's response to a Namorese asking about his sunglasses.

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