[Earth II] Newswire

by **Amigard** » Thu Mar 12, 2015 4:24 pm

Amigard Parliament Meets for First Legislative Session

February 2, 2015

Throughout the month of January members of the Amigard Parliament met for the first legislative session since the inception of the Parliament. More than two dozen bills that had been introduced were debated throughout the month of January and the Parliament also reviewed previous legislation that had been adopted by the Cardinal and the Council of Bishops in years past.

With the adoption of the new Constitution in which Parliament is now acts as the primary legislative body the Amigard Parliament now faces the daunting task of sifting through massive tomes of law that had been introduced and adopted by the Council of Bishops and the Cardinal over the years in order to eliminate redundant or unnecessary laws and regulations, combine the various laws into formal statutes that have been approved by Parliament, and generally streamline Amigard legislation.

Much of the new legislation proposed was struck down including a proposal by Holly Lynard, a representative of the Iraq Diocese and member of the Amigard Catholic Nationalist Party (ACNP), that would have placed increased tariffs on trade with “Non-Christian” nations. The proposal would have placed significant tariffs on goods originating from countries that had adopted a formal religion that was not Christian based. The measure was defeated 55-51 with all of the yea votes stemming from the ACNP and members of the Theocratic Puritan Party (TPP) while the thirty three members of the Republican Reform Party (RRP), the eighteen members of the Amigard Progressive Party (APP), along with the four unaffiliated members voted against.

Parliament did pass a bill introduced by ANCP member, Imran Binyamin that amended the current statutes relating to resisting arrest and obstructing a peace officer/clergy member. The bill changed the severity of resisting arrest from a class 2 to a class 1 misdemeanor and added verbal non-compliance to the current obstruction statute which is a class 2 misdemeanor. Under the amended obstruction statute someone that “directs foul, offensive, obscene, or blatantly disrespectful language or gestures toward one that the subjects knows or reasonably should know is peace officer or clergy member” commits the crime of obstruction. The measure is expected to pass both the Council of Bishops and the Cardinal’s review and will become law on July 1, 2015.

Parliament is expected to continue review and revision of Amigard legislation over the course of the next three to four months and the new Amigard National Revised Statutes should be out by late July 2015 and the various Diocese of the Theocracy are expected to adopt local statutes that conform to the national statutes prior to the end of the year.

by **Terra Reborn** » Sun Mar 15, 2015 8:33 am

4th Battlecruiser Squadron given new home
The Admiralty announced today that it was to deploy the 4th Battlecruiser Squadron to the Mediterranean, based out of a purpose-build facility on Cyprus.
Samuel Fitzpatrick, Senior Defence Correspondent(@FitzPacACN) (ACN)
Friday 13th 2015, 09:00am | Anchorage, Duchy of Alaska

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Vice Admiral Sir Jonathan DeSoto, Commander Force H

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¤ 4th Battlecruiser Squadron completes world tour [249 comments]
¤ Imperial Navy to construct naval station on Cyprus [1,040 comments]
¤ WATCH: 4th Battlecruiser Squadron returning from world cruise [111 comments]

Anchorage, Duchy of Alaska -The Admiralty announced today that it would permanently deploy the 4th Battlecruiser Squadron to the Mediterranean Fleet, bringing an end to over two years of the Squadron essentially squatting in any naval station with the space to host them. After a two month cruise in the Mediterranean the 4th Battlecruiser Squadron will take up residence at the newly constructed Imperial Naval Station on Cyprus. The Naval Station, built in the months since the Imperial Occupation of Cyprus begun, and only sped up after Cyprus voted by plebiscite to join the Empire, has played a vital part in beginning to rebuild some of the damage done by the religious war on Cyprus which was only ended by the Imperial Intervention. The Naval Station has provided and will continue to provide jobs for over ten thousand Cypriots directly and indirectly, particularly in the area around Limassol, which had already provided significant support to the nearby IAF Akrotiri. HM Naval Station Limassol also signifies the continuing commitment of the Apilonian Empire to the defence of Cyprus, with the presence of the 4th Battlecruiser Squadron significantly increasing the amount of Imperial combat power stationed on Cyprus, strategically close to the vital trade lanes of the Suez Canal.

The Admiralty denied that the deployment of the 4th Battlecruiser Squadron to the Mediterranean Fleet, so soon after the significant increase of Imperial military forces deployed to the Euro-African theatre, was due to a specific threat, pointing out that the 4th Battlecruiser Squadron has needed a home for some time, and that the Imperial trade lanes through the Mediterranean are vital to the Empire’s economic strength. However sources within the Ministry of Defence have suggested that the deployment is in response to the unsettling decision by the Roman Empire to align itself with the likes of the Republic of the Khorsuni Nation, and that the 4th Battlecruiser Squadron is intended to provide a significant surface action group to the Mediterranean Fleet. Whilst the Ministry of Defence has long seen the Roman Empire, and its military, as very much a Paper Tiger, it is likely that the MoD would want to take precautions, as even limited or ineffectual strikes against Imperial shipping in the Mediterranean could cause significant economic damage to the Empire.

When asked about the deployment, Vice Admiral Sir Jonathan DeSoto, Commander of the Mediterranean Battle Force (Force H), said:

“The Deployment of the 4th Battlecruiser Squadron to the Mediterranean significantly increases both the raw combat power but also the versatility of the force under my command. An Aircraft Carrier like the Reprisal is a wonderful thing, however it is not perhaps suited for every situation, and having eight Battlecruisers to play with will significantly increase my command’s ability to respond to a crisis. Due to its comparatively small size, compared to other areas of operation, the Mediterranean is already well equipped to provide a standing Imperial naval presence, primarily from the 12th Frigate Squadron, based out of Malta, and as such the 4th Battlecruiser will primarily be used as a response group, either a s a show of force or in opposition to a specific threat detected by other assets in the Fleet.

The Imperial Saga-Class Battlecruiser has been an iconic symbol of the Imperial Navy for some years now, its status in the Imperial Navy arguably being more substantial than that of its classmates serving in the Royal Cottish Navy. For many years they were the largest and most powerful ships we operated, and even today where we operate Battleships and Aircraft Carriers, the Imperial Battlecruiser still plays a vitally important role, either as Squadron Flagships or in large surface action groups such as the 4th Battlecruiser Squadron. I am very lucky to have a force of them under my command.

3,408 Comments
Apilonia Cable News © All Rights Reserved 2015

NavyGuyDan
Anchorage, Duchy of Alaska
Two Hours ago

Excellent choice, significantly increases the forces available in the Mediterranean without stripping ships from the Atlantic Fleet, and with the increase of threats, or at least hostile nations, in both those theatres, a very good choice.

349 Yeas 28 Nays

Reply

ImperialPatriot245
Seattle, Duchy of Washington
Twenty Minutes ago

Will serve those Roman [Censored] right when they try to throw their non-existent weight around and they come up against a full Squadron of Imperial Battlecruisers.
49 Yeas 84 Nays

Reply

JenBrooks2014
Los Angeles, Duchy of California
One hour ago

About time! How the Navy could tolerate an entire Squadron of its capital ships loitering around whichever base had the space spare to hold them is beyond me!
103 Yeas 36 Nays

Reply

by **Earth_ Two** » Sat Apr 04, 2015 2:55 pm

.:. Updated to Here .:.

by **Layarteb** » Fri Apr 10, 2015 12:34 pm

MoD: Exercise Joint Fisherman I Brief
Transcript of MoD briefing of March 2, 2015
MoD Wire Service (@LMODWIRE) (Layartebian Ministry of Defense)
March 2, 2015 - 17:15 | Layarteb City, New York, Empire of Layarteb

Layarteb City - Transcript from today's Ministry of Defense briefing:

Defense Minister Sanders: The Imperial Layartebian Navy and the British Royal Navy concluded Exercise Joint Fisherman I today. The exercise, which began two weeks ago on February 16 was centered in the Gulf of Guinea with a special emphasis on joint coordination between the Imperial Layartebian Air Force, the Imperial Layartebian Navy, and the British Royal Navy. The exercise involved a single carrier group from the navy, one bomber squadron from the air force, and a carrier group from the British. Exercises were conducted in international waters without penetration into any nation's airspace or maritime waters. No merchant traffic was disturbed.

Exercise Joint Fisherman I was the first in a series of bi-annual exercises to be conducted in February and August yearly in the Gulf of Guinea. We can confirm that JF II will commence in August and it will involve cooperation with the Imperial Apilonian Navy who were unavailable for tasking for JF I. Cooperation in the future would ideally involved more than one nation and we hope to bring the Cottish and the British back into a future exercise, preferably at the same time to begin fostering a peaceful, working relationship between the Cottish and the British.

Following the conclusion of this exercise, British ships will return to their normal patrol patterns while the 4th Carrier Battle Group will remain in the Gulf of Guinea for the duration of its patrol. The bomber squadron from the air force will be returning home within the week.

I will now field questions.

James Fields: Minister Sanders, was there a response from the RKN?

DM Sanders: There was a response but as of this time I am not prepared to discuss what their response was. No weapons were fired, no casualties were taken, and there were no close calls.

Margaret Rent: Minister Sanders, will the 4th CVBG participate in JF II?

DM Sanders: No, JF II will involve a different battle group. The same goes for the air force unit involved.

Harold Queen: Minister Sanders, is JF an exercise focused on the RKN? Will future exercises be conducted closer to Khorsuni waters?

DM Sanders: Exercise JF is geared towards the evolving threats in the region. To say that the RKN is not one of the factors we considered would be a lie but it is not solely focused on the RKN.

Brian Malcolm: Minister Sanders, will future exercises involve expanded forces from the Imperial Layartebian Military such as army or additional air force elements?

DM Sanders: Yes they will. JF I was a test run merely to see if the exercise was feasible. JF II and JF III are planned to be larger and longer. We anticipate three to four weeks for exercises JF I and JF III utilizing regional bases of our allies and our own holdings in the Atlantic Ocean. Last question.

Amy Growler: Minister Sanders, how does the Ministry of Defense respond to allegations that these exercises are deliberately provocative towards Verela?

DM Sanders: Everything to the RKN in theater is considered 'provocative' and that is because of their own actions. This is the nation that fired a ballistic missiles in a 'test' towards Cape Verde just a year and a half ago without pretense and without provocation. The regime in Verela has already signaled to the world that they are reckless and that they do not respect the sovereignty of other nations. The Empire has respected their sovereignty with these exercises. If they wish to consider it provocative then that is their prerogative.

by **Khorsun** » Sun Apr 12, 2015 2:41 pm

Resolution Remains Unwavering in Face of Imperial Intimidation
by Kalanza Rhadhalun
Beacon of the East - English Edition | Zamayana, Republic of the Khorsuni Nation | March 2, 2015

Zamayana - The Layartebian and Anglo-Hollander navies have declared an end to so-called Exercise Joint Fisherman II, a transparent attempt to intimidate Khorsun and maintain the Empire's hegemonic pretenses in West Africa. In spite of its scale, this exercise has rung hollow, and the eyes of the Khorsuni Nation have seen through it as the empty facade that it is. Previous attempts by the co-imperial powers of Layarteb and Apilonia to intimidate our Nation and halt its inexorable rise have involved the killing of Khorsuni citizens and soldiers. These acts of violence spilled our blood but failed to break our own unsinkable resolution. Is there anyone who really expects us to be frightened by ships playing imaginary war games?

Admiral Nulambas dha Zolatassa, Chief of the Navy of the Khorsuni Nation, oversaw a series of snap drills in response to the exercise, demonstrating that the fleet was "vigilant and ready for any possible development." These drills included long-range aircraft, submarines, surface units, and land-based anti-ship missiles. On February 30, the Ankhazar himself arrived aboard the corvette Vhashona Aravantan [Wandering Falcon] to inspect the fleet. The Ankhazar had nothing but praises for what he saw.

"Ten years ago, there was no Navy of the Khorsuni Nation. Today it is a force ready and able to defend our National Republic against any adversary," the Ankhazar said. "And in ten years' time, it will be the fleet of a world naval power." The Ankhazar has made no secret of his ambitions for a strong Khorsuni navy, calling naval power our Nation's first line of defense against its enemies overseas. In recent years the Navy has been expanded through acquisitions from the Empire of Hi No Moto, the USSR, and other foreign suppliers, along with vessels produced from newly opened shipyards in Khorsun. These plans saw a setback last year after a deal with the Anglo-Hollander Kingdom for the acquisition of an aircraft carrier was scuttled under Layartebian pressure. "No amount of imperialistic coercion," said the Ankhazar, "will prevent us from reclaiming our maritime legacy," assuring us that this was no more than a temporary and inconsequential reversal.

Anglo-Hollander participation in the exercise comes as a disappointment. The RKN cultivated good relations with the European kingdom in the post-Independence years, obtaining economic investments and arms sales, including the aforementioned carrier deal. The Liberian Crisis, however, saw the Anglo-Hollander Kingdom along with the Kingdom of Dalmasca taking the side of the Apilonian Empire, who intervened in Liberia to impose domination upon the Khorsunis living there and acquire a land border with which Khorsun could be threatened with invasion. The RKN thwarted this hidden Apilonian agenda and has since repaired its relations with the Dalmascene Kingdom through the signing of the Marrakesh Pact. Relations with the Anglo-Hollanders, however, have yet to fully recover, and their participation in a joint military exercise with Layarteb seems indicative of a continuing realignment towards the October Alliance powers.

Media Minister Khazorhala Bezhuela's remarks in press conference last week make for an excellent closing note on the subject of the Layartebian exercise. "The word unspoken is Virtue," she said on February 25. "They would like everyone to forget about Virtue, first and foremost a triumph for humanity across the globe, but also a triumph of Khorsuni diplomacy. A failure of Layartebian-Apilonian imperial policy to isolate Khorsun and brand us as a rogue nation. They have failed and we have triumphed - and this is a feeble attempt to distract everyone from it."

Indeed it is. In a week's time, Joint Fisherman II will be all but forgotten. But the historians of the far future will be writing of the Century of Virtue.

by **Amigard** » Wed Apr 15, 2015 2:26 pm

Amigard Teen Sentenced to Jail for Neglect of Family

Wednesday April 15, 2015

Nineteen year old Lane Fairbairn was sentenced to eighteen months in the Diyala Parish Jail in the Diocese of Iraq on Monday after having pled guilty to a misdemeanor charge of neglect of family. Fairbairn was originally charged with felony neglect of family after he separated from his girlfriend and two small children in February of last year and subsequently failed to pay child support.

Fairbairn was arrested in early February of 2015 after the mother of his children applied to receive social services assistance and reported the father’s absence to the Department of Social Services. Upon investigation Fairbairn was found by investigators in Baghdad working a part time job washing cars. Fairbairn had told investigators that he had left his girlfriend and his two children because he was not ready to be a father, and that he was unable to pay child support because he did not make enough money at his current job. The couple had their first child when Fairbairn was seventeen and his girlfriend was sixteen, but the family of the teens did not seek to involve the courts as Fairbairn and his girlfriend had announced their intention to marry at that time. The children lived with their mother and her parents while Fairbairn continued to live with his parents. The marriage never took place, however, and the couple had a second child a year later; Fairbairn left about a week after the birth of his second child.

The Inquisitor presiding over the case, Mostafa Botros Karim, admonished Fairbairn not only for failing to pay child support but for having children out of wedlock. Fairbairns girlfriend was not spared admonishment either and the Inquisitor further ordered that no marriage involving either Fairbairn or his girlfriend will be recognized by the Theocracy unless said marriage is to the other party.

As part of the plea agreement Fairbairn agreed to enlist in the Amigard Army for a period of no less than two years, that during his employment with the Army his pay would be garnished to pay for any child support currently in arrears and for any future child support owed, and that he would serve his time in jail until attending basic combat training and duty assignment after which all subsequent jail time and fines would be deferred and eventually dismissed upon completing his term of service with the Army.

Fairbairns parents told reporters that they felt the sentence was overly harsh. Fairbairns mother said that her son was “good kid, who made some poor decisions over the last year or so, but I don’t think he should have to go to jail for it. If his father and I had known that he was having a hard time paying child support we would have helped him.” Fairbairns parents stated that they knew that their son and his girlfriend had separated and that they were very disappointed by it, but they didn’t know that he was not paying his child support because the children’s mother would not let them see the children and cut off any contact with them. Inquisitor Karim has ordered a custody hearing to determine how much, if any, visitation the paternal grandparents and the children’s father should have; that hearing will be handled by another inquisitor in a civil court.

Inquisitor Karim ended the proceedings by declaring that this should act as an example to everyone that his court takes the status of the Amigard family very seriously and then quoted St. John Paul II saying “As the family goes, so goes the Nation and so goes the whole world in which we live." Karim stated that the God centered family is the foundation upon which the Theocracy stands and any cracks in that foundation must be dealt with. Inquisitor Karim hopes that this case will encourage others to consider their decisions with more intensity and deliberation than Mr. Fairbairn and his girlfriend have.

After sentencing Fairbairn was remanded to the custody of the Diyala Parish Sheriff’s Office and booked into the Parish jail; he is due to leave for basic training in June of 2015.

by **Amigard** » Thu Apr 16, 2015 2:01 pm

Theocratic Puritan Party Up in Arms over Deal with the Empire of Layarteb

Thursday, April 16, 2015

Rusty Zane, the head of the Theocratic Puritan Party of the Amigard Parliament released a statement today on behalf of his party criticizing Cardinal Rasheed and his administration for engaging in talks with the government of the Empire of Layarteb in which the Amigard government is proposing an increase in trade between the two nations. While Mr. Zane and his party state that they are not overly thrilled at the prospect of increased trade and cooperation with the Empire of Layarteb, they are primarily concerned about the rumors that the Amigard government is prepared to purchase various military aircraft from the predominantly pagan nation.

“If we are going to be spending money on foreign military equipment” said Zane “we don’t need to be giving our money to pagans. I’m sure there are plenty of Christian nations out there who are more than willing to provide us with military aircraft and weapons.”

Zane vowed in the statement that the TPP would motion to veto any agreement made between Cardinal Rasheed and the Emperor of Layarteb for military equipment of any kind and said that the Amigard people should not tolerate the presence of Pagan weapons and military equipment in the Theocracy’s military. Zane suggested that the Theocracy should be doing all it can to separate itself from any relationships with non-Christian nations, but especially largely pagan ones such as the Empire of Layarteb and said that relationships with nations such as the Empire of Layarteb represent a clear threat to the spiritual well-being of the people of Amigard.

Cathedral officials did not deny that talks between Amigard and the Empire were taking place but declined to speak about the proposed deal in any detail. Officials did state that “The Cardinal believes that the security of the Theocracy is of paramount importance, and that in order to ensure the nation’s security it is necessary that the Theocracy continues to maintain a state of the art military force that rivals that of the world’s superpowers. While there are certainly plans in the works to increase domestic production and research capabilities within the Theocracy, the Cardinal believes that it is important for the Theocracy to maintain a diverse military force as well as good relations with all governments throughout the world if possible. Cardinal Rasheed feels that the discussion that is currently underway with the Empire of Layarteb represents a step forward toward both goals.”

Cathedral officials went on to state that discussions have also taken place with the Kingdom of Holland regarding exchanges in military equipment, but again did not disclose any significant details about the potential agreements. Officials say that the Cardinal desires to leave options open and is disinclined to reject any economic agreements between the Theocracy and other nations simply based on differences in theology or religious beliefs.

Members of the other parties of Parliament appear to be mixed in terms of their responses to the proposed deal. The Amigard Catholic Nationalist Party (ACNP) appeared to be fairly evenly split over the deal while members of the Republican Reform Party (RRP) generally seem to be in support of the agreement. The majority of the Amigard Progressive Party (APP) express discontent with any agreement that would expand the nation’s military beyond its current level, preferring the government focus more of its budget toward domestic programs as opposed to the purchase of military equipment.

by **Layarteb** » Thu Apr 16, 2015 7:51 pm

Minister Sanders Dismisses Amigardian Remarks
Cites ideological blindness as harmful to Amigardian society
Tommy Barnes (@TOMMBLNN) (LNN)
Friday, April 17, 2015 - 08:00 | Layarteb City, New York, Empire of Layarteb

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F-58 Viper

RELATED TOPICS
¤ Theocratic Puritan Party Up in Arms over Deal with the Empire of Layarteb [480 comments]
¤ Amigardians not so 'keen' on potential arms deal [655 comments]
¤ Video: Rusty Zane addressing Parliament on potential arms deal [100 comments]

Layarteb City - In a statement released on Friday, Minister of Defense, Allen A. Sanders, was dismissive about recent comments made concerning a potential arms deal between the Theocracy of Amigard and the Empire of Layarteb. In his statement, Minister Sanders said, "It is worrisome that Mister Zane would put religious ideology over cooperation between two friendly nations. The fact of the matter remains that the Theocracy of Amigard and the Empire of Layarteb are close allies despite any differences in our national character. Should the Amigardian government wish to purchase arms from the Layartebian Defense Corporation it would be irresponsible and unprofessional to deny Amigardian soldiers the high-quality and reliable weaponry the LDC produces over the religious character of our nation.

"The Empire of Layarteb is a secular country that does not mix Church and State. We respect the differences with Amigard and we ask the same of every nation on Earth." In his statement, Minister Sanders added, "The Empire is home to almost 300 million Catholics and Christians, more than the entire populace of the Theocracy of Amigard. To call the Empire a pagan nation is to ignore the 300 million believers of Christ who benefit from any arms deal just the same as those who espouse the Layartebian Pagan Rite."

No details have emerged as to what kind of arms deal is on the table between Layarteb City and Baghdad but it is likely to include the F-58 Viper, a 4.5-generation, multirole fighter. The LDC has already built over 25,000 F-58s including over 19,000 that have been exported throughout the world. The highly successful aircraft would be a large boost to the Amigardian Air Force as would other aircraft. However, many suggest that the high price of the F-58, valued at $115 million flyaway cost, could limit the number of aircraft purchased. In comparison to other 4.5-generation fighters, the F-58 Viper offers more for the dollar than the Rafale ($108m), the Gripen NG ($113m), and the Eurofighter ($100m).

While there was no official response from the Office of the Empire on Mister Zane's comments, they are unlikely to have any effect on the Layartebian side of any deal. Most individuals within the Ministry of Defense have expressed concern that Mister Zane's ideological blindness could lead to underequipping Amigardian soldiers, which would only lead to more casualties on the battlefield.

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ABCMaster
Falcon City, MA
58 minutes ago

Really? The Empire has more Catholics than Amigard has people and he's going to play the "pagan" card on us? I hope his constituents remember his comments when they go to the polls in the next election. They need to consider their own heroes and not this flusey.

190 Yeas 63 Nays

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PeaceLove
Haddock, PA
90 minutes ago

Isn't it time we stopped selling arms to the world and started selling something else, something that won't cause more death and destruction?

160 Yeas 82 Nays

Reply

by **Layarteb** » Fri Apr 17, 2015 10:21 am

1st Legion to Train in Dalmasce
1st Foreign Legion Regiment chosen for prestigious training exercise with Kingdom of Dalmasce
Jeremy Brenner (@JEREMYBLNN) (LNN)
Monday, April 20, 2015 - 10:00 | Havana, Cuba, Empire of Layarteb

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Map of Morocco

RELATED TOPICS
¤ Minister Sanders Dismisses Amigardian Remarks [900 comments]
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¤ Birea and the Troubles [1,082 comments]

Havana, Cuba - On Monday, the Ministry of Defense named the 1st Foreign Legion Regiment, 47th Foreign Legion Division as this year's unit to take part in Exercise DESERT WARRIOR, a prestigious exercise that dates back to the Moroccan War in the 1940s. Cooperation between Layartebian and Dalmascan units dates back to the 1920s when the Republic of Layarteb began to shed its vestiges of self-imposed isolation and branch out throughout international politics, largely done so with the help of the Realm of Cotland, the Roman Empire, and the Kingdom of Dalmasce. Exercise DESERT WARRIOR was the first joint exercise Layartebian personnel ever participated in on a large scale.

The exercise takes place over a six month period alternated between the mountainous regions of Morocco and the desert regions of Western Sahara, the two components of the Kingdom of Dalmasce. This year, the training will take place in Morocco. Normally in years past, the Layartebian military committed only a battalion-sized force but this year marks the commitment of the first regimental-sized force since the 1980s. The largest deployment was in 1965 when an entire brigade of Marines rotated in to deploy. Exercises were suspended during the Second Layartebian Civil War.

The Ministry of Defense offered little else in the explanation of the exercise or when the 1st FLR will deploy for them. The 1st FLR is one of ten regiments within the Layartebian Foreign Legion, which employs more than 50% of its personnel from foreign countries. No country - with the exception of October Alliance nations - can supply more than 10% of the Legion's personnel size. TOA nations may provide up to 15% and they are the only nations whose soldiers can hold command positions in company and battalion levels. All other officers are Layartebian. Dalmascan citizens are legally barred from serving in the Layartebian Foreign Legion.

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IBelieve77
Nowhere
60 minutes ago

It's just a cover for importing couscous.

48 Yeas 1 Nays

Reply

SemperFiGuy
Miami, FL
30 minutes ago

I served in that place in 1996. It was the most miserable six months of my life and I was in combat for three tours!

5 Yeas 2 Nays

Reply

by **Byzantium Imperium** » Sat Apr 18, 2015 2:44 am

The Voice of Asia

Nanjing - Chinese People's Republic
April 19, 2015

A spokesman for the Interior Ministry reaffirmed the government's ongoing fight against illicit activities in Great China, today. An underground church was stormed in Shanghai, several arrests were made as holdouts continue to illegally practice the black art of Christianity in the People's Republic. In Xinjiang, Army troops stormed a compound known to be housing an opium processing facility, the facility was destroyed and the drug dealers arrested. Tensions along the Sino-Soviet Border have deescalated for the second time in recent history, with China ordering units in Mongolia and Manchuria to stand down. The Government refused to comment on the ongoing situations in Kachin Province, as well as Chinese intervention into Vietnam, which is according to sources going slower than the government originally expected.

by **Layarteb** » Mon Apr 20, 2015 8:57 am

Fairdale Tornado Strongest of the Season
Two killed from EF4 tornado in April
Bill Paxton (@BILLPLNN) (Layartebian News Network)
April 17, 2015 - 15:35 | Chicago, Illinois, Empire of Layarteb

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Fairdale Tornado in Rochelle at EF4 strength

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¤ Tornadic Activity at Near All-Time Low [44 comments]
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Chicago, Illinois - The Fairdale Tornado of April 9 has been confirmed as the strongest tornado in 2015. Rated an EF4, the tornado touched down near Franklin Grove, Illinois as a small cone. However, it rapidly strengthened to a very violent and very strong EF4 by the time it arrived near Rochelle, Illinois where winds reached an estimated 200 mph (322 km/h), the upper limit for an EF4. Two people were killed by the tornado when - after a period of weakening - it re-intensified to an EF3 and struck Fairdale, Illinois. Over the course of April 8 - 9, this small outbreak produced 8 EF0, 9 EF1, 1 EF2, and 1 EF4 tornado. Three additional tornadoes have yet to be rated but are not likely to exceed the EF4 scale.

Disaster services from the Ministry of the Interior have been on scene in Illinois to assess the damage and assist homeowners and business owners with recovery. Property damage was significant from the Fairdale Tornado including to a Kraft Foods plant outside of Ashton, Illinois.

Despite this deadly outbreak, the current season is at a record low with only 107 tornados reported through April 17. The minimum observed through April 17 was 95 and the maximum was 480. The mean average would be 241 tornados.

Tornadic activity has been low due to colder than average temperatures from the east and warmer than average temperatures from the west. The outbreaks in March and April were due to a change in the observed pattern.

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by **Khorsun** » Tue Apr 21, 2015 6:46 pm

Khorsuni Ankhazar Bans Plastic Toys
by Charlie Okotie, Op-Ed Columnist
The New African Sun | Lagos, New African Republic | April 18, 2015

Lagos - In a move perhaps inspired by the Grinch Who Stole Christmas, the RKN's dictator Rekhan Taneltar announced yesterday that his country will no longer permit the importation of plastic children's toys. Khorsun's colorful despot announced the ban during a bizarre, rambling public address, citing a range of arguments including concerns about lead paint, the threat of consumerist culture, and even economic motives - the Ankhazar apparently believing it will help to create jobs in Khorsun.

"We send our own hard-earned money out of our country to enrich foreign corporations, and what do we get in return? Plastic junk, painted in lead to stunt our children's development. This is idiocy. These so-called toys are literally creating idiocy. They are blighting our next generation, enveloping the minds of our children in cultureless globalist consumerism values. We will not allow the children of our nation to be corrupted by these false values. No one needs this plastic junk, and we will not allow it to enter our Nation any longer."

Mr. Taneltar, of course, has other ideas in mind for the children of Khorsun.

"Our children will have toys to play with, and they will be toys made from wood, with hand tools, by Khorsunis, in Khorsun!" During a brief question-and-answer session following his tirade against the menace of plastic toys, an RKN state media reporter asked the Ankhazar if domestic production would be able to entirely fill the shortfall created by the import ban.

"Any fool can whittle," the Ankhazar replied. "And he will be able to find employment. This will create an entirely new industry. There is no excuse to be unemployed. We are an industrious people, we are ambitious, and we have two hundred years' conquest and oppression to rebuild from. Those who cannot complete a college education, those who cannot do skilled labor or military service, have no less of a part to play in the Khorsuni Nation. There will be jobs for them and they will contribute to our future."

This latest RKN stunt has, to no surprise, resulted in a backlash from the New African toymaking industry, which stands to lose sales as a result of the ban. Mojisola Agoro, spokesman of the New African Business and Trade Council, issued a statement later that day condemning Verela's move. "This ban is arbitrary, unjustified, and counterproductive to relations between the NAR and RKN and to the economies of both nations. Frankly, we hope this is some sort of a joke and that we can get back to sensible dealings very soon. If it isn't, we will be lobbying the government to take appropriate measures in response to this disruption."

The sun has risen on a new day, and there is no sign that this was all some sort of late April Fool's joke. It would seem the ban is here to stay. While disappointing and indeed hurtful to our companies, it's no catastrophe. The RKN's share of New African toy sales was a miniscule one, and other markets will be found to make up for them. It is the Khorsunis, of course, who will be hurt the worst by this wrong-headed attempt to control the free market by government fiat.

Who knows what's next from Rekhan Taneltar? Maybe tomorrow he'll decide that bicycles are a foreign abomination, and that all Khorsunis will ride donkeys to work. Perhaps the most important lesson to take away from this is to be thankful we live in a truly democratic republic. While we may all have differences of opinion with our own leaders from time to time, we can all rest assured that President Briddick won't just wake up one day and decide to take our toys away.

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The New African Sun © All Rights Reserved 2015

TheSageWithNoWage
Luanda
57 minutes ago

Thats the most stupidous thing I've ever heard.
222 Yeas 48 Nays

Reply

Usedandconfused29
Lagos
43 minutes ago

The Ass of Mischiefq strikes again
119 Yeas 64 Nays

Reply

LionEagle34
Windhoek
37 minutes ago

Was he really so ass as you believe?
38 Yeas 79 Nays

Reply

Usedandconfused29
Lagos
13 minutes ago

yes
68 Yeas 13 Nays

Reply

Belinda Kaunda
Port Harcourt
52 minutes ago

While I don't agree with a dictator he does make some good points. I wish our leaders would stand up to big business exploiting the children sometimes. Rekhan Taneltar please hold free elections for your people they will think the world of you!
73 Yeas 106 Nays

Reply

Usedandconfused29
Lagos
31 minutes ago

You're and idiot. =)
66 Yeas 54 Nays

Reply

by **Amigard** » Thu Apr 23, 2015 10:37 am

Amigard Parliament Repeals The Articles of Just Intervention

April 14, 2015

Amigard Parliament voted today to repeal the Articles of Just Intervention previously adopted by Cardinal Steele’s administration. With a slim majority vote of 56 for and 50 against the Amigard Parliament has declared that the Articles of Just Intervention will no longer be included as part of the Theocracy’s foreign policy.

Prime Minister Akeem Abdullah Ahmed, spoke for the majority in his statement:

“The Articles of Just Intervention are essentially a redundant and unnecessary part of Amigard’s foreign policy. The current Just War Doctrine is more than sufficient in guiding the government in making a determination as to whether or not the use of armed force is necessary and appropriate to the defense of the nation or to a community of nations. The Articles were an attempt by the previous administration to further define Just Intervention in regards to if and when the Theocracy may intervene to prevent grave violations of human rights or to bring stability to highly unstable regions. Both issues are essentially covered by the Just War Doctrine and it is the opinion of the Parliament that the Articles of Just Intervention are simply a reworded version of Just War and as such is unnecessary. The Articles were referenced to intervene in Persia which ended in a failure that resulted in more bloodshed than was necessary and could have been handled without the use of Amigard military force. Indeed, the violation of human rights is of great concern to the Theocracy and to the Church as a whole, but the use of military force to intervene in such cases must be done with great deliberation and in light of the Just War Doctrine given to us by the Church. Ultimately the Articles of Just Intervention are unnecessary in light of the Just War Doctrine.”

Hashim Muhammad in the dissenting statement said:

“The Articles of Just Intervention further clarify the Just War Doctrine and represents an important part of this nation’s foreign policy. The Theocracy of Amigard stands among a community of nations wherein the fate one people is inevitably linked to that of all others. Without the clarification that the Articles provide, the Theocracy will be in a position where we must sit back and watch as our fellow human beings, our brothers and sisters, are slaughtered or woefully mistreated because we do not consider it a threat to our own national security. I believe that we, as a nation, and as children of the Almighty God, have a duty and an obligation to our fellow man to intervene in cases of grave human rights violations. Do we find it acceptable to stand by and watch as a neighbor beats his family members? Do we stand by and watch as this same neighbor kills his family in the middle of the night? How can we stand by and watch a neighboring government do the same to their own people? The Articles of Just Intervention are a guide for the nation as to when is appropriate and just for the Theocracy to intervene and prevent this neighbor from slaughtering his own family and from abusing God’s creation. By repealing these articles we are simply locking our doors and pulling the blinds down ; the abuse will go on, but we will pretend not to notice.”

Cardinal Rasheed is expected to sign the bill that would repeal the Articles when it reaches his desk tomorrow morning.

by **Khorsun** » Sat May 02, 2015 8:04 pm

The Ijsselmeer Affair: New African Shipyard Delivers Battleship to Khorsun
by Ekene Asomugha, Foreign Affairs Columnist
The New African Sun | Lagos, New African Republic | April 25, 2015

Lagos - The New African Republic's own Ijsselmeer Shipyards Group has triggered outrage by delivering a powerful battlecruiser to the Republic of the Khorsuni Nation. The scandal has raised deep questions over the wisdom of our country's longstanding laissez-faire economic policies. The New African economy is the world's most prosperous and dynamic, an achievement to which a hands-off policy of minimal government inference and regulation has certainly played no small role in helping to create. But is there a line that should be drawn? At what point do the benefits of Bjornoyan School economics cease to outweigh the costs that come to our national security and to our commitment to the international advancement of human rights?

The warship in question has a long and murky history, being laid down in the late 1980s as the HCNS Barbarossa, the lead vessel of what was planned to be a class of six so-called 'strike cruisers' being built for the Hirgizstani Commonwealth Navy. The Barbarossas were to have been nuclear-powered guided missile cruisers equipped with the advanced Aegis air defense radar system. Their construction, however, ran into numerous delays due to Hirgizstan's deteriorating financial situation. Two of the vessels were canceled before their hulls were even laid down, and none of the Barbarossas were completed prior to the Commonwealth's collapse in 1999.

While her three remaining sister ships quickly found their way to the scrapyard, Barbarossa, whose construction was the furthest towards completion, narrowly avoided sharing that fate. Left on the slipways at the Togolese deepwater port of Lomé, Barbarossa was claimed by the Republic of the West Africa, the successor government to the Commonwealth in the regions that now constitute the RKN. The ship's hull was 75% complete but no work had been done on her since 1994, when the decaying Hirgizstani Commonwealth began devolving powers to regional governments such as the RWA.

The ex-Barbarossa was prematurely commissioned into the West African Navy as the RWAS Kweke A. Busia, named after West Africa's first (and only) president. From 1999 to 2002, the RWA half-heartedly set to work on completing the vessel. Budget limitations and the emigration of many skilled Hirgiz personnel, however, hindered any serious progress from being made. In the summer of 2002, the West African government gave up on completing the Busia at home and turned to the Ijsselmeer Shipyards Group, based in Cape Town, offering the company a $500 million contract to finish the vessel. Drastic reductions in the warship's capability were planned in order to achieve the necessary cost reductions; under the 2002 specifications it would have been built sans Aegis, as well as most of its other electronics and missile systems, arriving as little more than a 16,000 ton platform for an eight-inch gun.

Ijsselmeer worked on and off on the ship for the next two years, repeatedly halting construction due to delays in payments from the increasingly insolvent West African government. The project was written off as the West African government fell in the bloody 2004 Khorsuni Revolution. After some months vainly spent looking a foreign buyer for the mostly-finished Busia, Ijsselmeer wrote it off and decided to recoup its losses on the project by consigning the ship to the breakers.

The Busia was saved from scrapping at the eleventh hour by Etienne van der Stel, the multi-millionaire casino magnate of Cape Town, who put in a higher bid for the ship in the hopes of turning it into a floating casino. The Busia was sold to Mr. van der Stel in 2005 and was indeed put to use for his intended purpose, hosting gamblers and tourists from late 2005 until a fire broke out within the ship on November 28, 2008, killing eight of those aboard and injuring thirty-one more. Van der Stel Holdings was held responsible for the tragic incident, charged with neglect in the maintenance of the casino vessel as well as failing to take fire safety precuations and to have an evacuation plan for emergencies. The Busia had yet to turn a profit for Mr. van der Stel at the time of its closing as a casino. Van der Stel, nearly bankrupted by punitive fines and damages paid to the victims, prepared to sell off the unlucky ship for scrap.

For a third time, however, the Busia was saved from the scrapyards, and by none other than the same Ijsselmeer Shipyards Group that had sold her to Etienne van der Stel in the first place. Ijsselmeer re-acquired the ship on March 12, 2008 and began work on restoring her to her originally intended purpose: a nuclear-powered battlecruiser, built to the original specifications of her original Hirgizstani designers rather than the neutered-down version the Republic of West Africa had asked for in 2002.

Ijsselmeer Yards never disclosed what country had contracted it to complete the vessel, despite a number of inquiries and rampant speculation in the years to come. Calls for a federal investigation never yielded an answer, with the Department of Industry releasing a statement in 2011 affirming that Ijsselmeer Yards was operating within its legal rights and that although its withholding of the vessel's buyer was "questionable", Ijsselmeer was under no obligation to publically disclose that information. The Republic of Khorsun was one among several countries speculated to have made the secretive purchase, though largely dismissed due to skepticism of Khorsun's ability to afford it.

Such skepticism ultimately proved unwarranted, as Ijsselmeer announced the delivery of the all-but-completed battlecruiser to the RKN on April 22, triggering an uproar both within the NAR and abroad. Ijsselmeer repeatedly denied to comment upon the scandal until earlier today, when CEO Jan Duiker issued a statement defending his company's action as "completely within the bounds of the law."

President Briddick is among the many who have criticized Ijsselmeer Yards, declaring the sale of the powerful warship to Khorsun "a reckless act" and "a betrayal of the New African Republic's values" and promising that there would be a full investigation of the affair. In spite of this, the Briddick Administration has come under heavy fire itself for allowing the sale to take place.

"This administration is absolutely responsible for allowing this to happen," transparency reform advocate Sibusiso Asmal said in reponse to the government's statement. "The fact is, businesses in this country are allowed to put their profits before our national security, and it's the politicians in Windhoek who allow them to do that. How hard could it have been for the government to find out who was paying [Isjelmeer] for that ship? The fact is, they didn't even try. This is completely on them. They allow this situation where corporations can keep secrets from anyone and don't have to make public disclosures. So who knows what else is going on and who else is selling things they aren't supposed to to people they aren't supposed to? [Isjelmeer] can't be the only ones getting away with this. I guarantee there are others, and as long as he allows it to keep happening, Samuel Briddick is complicit."

Administration spokesman Andrew Mlambo defended the President in a press conference yesterday evening. "What we need to have is a comprehensive national dialogue about the boundaries between economic freedom and national security and how best to balance those concerns and ensure we are upholding both. Accusations of corruption or attempting to affix the blame onto the President or other individuals in the government is counterproductive and distracts us from the dialogue we need to have in order to achieve real progress."

The Kweke A. Busia meanwhile has returned to its birthplace in the harbor of Lomé, now the Khorsuni city of Suvhanda. Photographs of the vessel today show that the Busia name has been painted over; hardly a surprise given that the Khorsunis not only overthrew Kweke Busia but have since attempted to assassinate him in exile several times. The RKN has not yet announced what the ship's final name will be, though prevailing rumor points to Tavhazha Saralambra, or what loosely translates from Khorsuni as the "Distant Lover's Devotion", a name in keeping with the Khorsuni Navy's penchant for fanciful ship names, taken from the title of an epic Khorsuni mariners' poem dating back before the birth of the Christ.

The Tavhazha, or whatever the RKN ends up calling her, was escorted to Khorsuni waters by multiple RKN warships, perhaps in anticipation of the attention she received from the Layartebian and Apilonian armed forces, both of whom dispatched ships and aircraft to track the cruiser's movements. The New African Navy also shadowed the vessel closely, though at no point attempting to halt or impede its progress.

Neither the Layartebians nor the Apilonians are pleased with Ijsselmeer Shipyards Group, though it remains to be seen whether they will also be holding the New African government responsible for the debacle. Both nations have branded the RKN as a rogue state and have sought to isolate it internationally; the RKN has accused Layartebian pressure of being the culprit behind the termination of an arms deal with the Kingdom of Holland in 2014 that would have seen the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle sold to Khorsun.

The damage is done. While Ijsselmeer is unlikely to escape the storm of controversy unscathed, we must face the unfortunate fact that while the company has committed an outrageous act, it does not seem to have violated the law. While we are more than right to criticize Ijsselmeer Yards for its sale of a nuclear-powered warship to an at-times hostile nation, we are short-sighted if we content ourselves simply with punishing the company. There is a larger issue here of a gap between our nation's interests and ethics and our nation's laws. We must find a way to close this gap while continuing to uphold the principles and the freedoms we hold dear if we are to prevent something like this from ever happening again.

189 Comments | E-mail this article
The New African Sun © All Rights Reserved 2015

Simba the Rebel Lion
Cape Town
2 hours ago

Briddick lets an New African company build a f***ing battleship for the Ankhazadar right under his nose and no one holds him responsible? Yeah, here's your comprehensive national dialogue, you useless idiot.
You: What should we do in the future to prevent this from happening again?
Us: YOU should do the job WE elected YOU to do, and PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR F***ING COUNTRY!!!
191 Yeas 136 Nays

Reply

Check Your Spelling, Shitlord
Windhoek
1 hour ago

*Ankhazar
38 Yeas32 Nays

Reply

Simba the Rebel Lion
Cape Town
47 minutes ago

Who the f*** cares you f***ing pedant don't you understand that the point I'm trying to make is the important part?
35 Yeas 29 Nays

Reply

Usedandconfused29
Lagos
1 hour ago

The Ass of Mischiefq strikes again
137 Yeas 89 Nays

Reply

Sarah Victorian
Ibadan
32 minutes ago

"Debacle?" Way to be unbiased. How much are the Layartebians paying you to peddle this alarmist nonsense? Nobody's dead here except the people who burned to a crisp on Etienne van der Stel's unlicensed firetrap casino version of the ship. And somehow the fact that eight people died is less important than feeding the warmongers' propoganda mill. Wake up people! The Layartebian Empire is not our friend! They are trying to stir up a pointless war between the NAR and Khorsun that benefits no one but themselves, they'll sit back and reap the profits and laugh while we Africans are killing each other. And all of us are just lapping it up. So again, Mr. Asomugha, how much are you being paid to be an Imperial Shill?
166 Yeas 159 Nays

Reply

JomoAGoGo
Nairobi
29 minutes ago

And how much did the Ankhazar pay you for this shitpost?
86 Yeas 57 Nays

Reply

by **Layarteb** » Wed May 06, 2015 5:19 pm

Layartebian Shingrot Continues Slide
Shingrot down 7.6% for the year
Blair Huxley (@BLAIRHLNN) (Layartebian News Network)
Thursday, May 8, 2015 - 16:30 | Layarteb City, New York, Empire of Layarteb

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¤ Shingrot down 7.6% [42 comments]
¤ African mark strengthens against shingrot [11 comments]
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Layarteb City - The Layartebian shingrot (§) continues to slide against the African mark ($) as Windhoek continues to discourage its markets from trading with the Layartebian government. The slide, which has seen the shingrot drop from $1.84 to $1.70, has worried many economists as to whether or not long-term economic consequences could be in store for both the Empire of Layarteb and the New African Republic.

The measures were enacted by the African Economic Council in December 2014 following an announcement by President Briddick that the Empire of Layarteb has been waging a covert war against African forces in Ethiopia, a claim that the Emperor of Layarteb has personally addressed and denied. The announcement came following a disastrous raid by mercenaries against African forces revealed high-tech, Layartebian-made weaponry in the hands of mercenary forces. Windhoek claimed to have concluded a long and exhaustive investigation into arms sales of the Layartebian Defense Corporation, though the results of that investigation have not been made public.

Since December 2014, the African military has sought out other sources of military hardware and assistance, reducing the LDC's contributions to less than 40% of its total, a sharp drop from the 80% prior to May 2014. Additionally, the sales of uranium to the Layartebian power industry have been seriously curtailed by Windhoek, a move that the Layartebian Ministry of the Interior states is not a dire situation given current uranium reserve levels. Reportedly, the Ministry of the Interior is looking to purchase uranium from Australia or Niger. While Kazakhstan is a potential source, it would require significant discussion with Kiev, which owns majority ownership in Kazakhstan's uranium ore mining industry. Kazakhstan generally accounts for one-third of all uranium ore mined each year.

Despite the decline in the value of the shingrot against the mark, the measures enacted by Windhoek have not caused considerable harm to the Layartebian economy. Analysts predict that the Layartebian Ministry of Finance will have to announce a slight tax increase for the 2016 calendar year but that revenues for Layartebian corporations are not being seriously affected enough to consider Windhoek's moves an embargo of sorts, a concern amongst economists. Economist predictions over the next five years show everything from no effect to the direst of outcomes as a result of Windhoek's measures. While it is too soon to tell what the effect will be, the measures have not caused any official, reciprocal, Layartebian actions.

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PocketPro
LC, NY
55 minutes ago

All Windhoek is going to do is harm themselves. They tried this a while back with an actual embargo and all it did was harm their economy more than ours. If Windhoek actually wanted to harm us they would have to charge their entire economic philosophy at the cost of ruin to themselves. This is just President Briddick blowing off steam because he failed in Ethiopia. He can blame us all he wants but it just brings attention to his own failures.

55 Yeas 5 Nays

Reply

Stryker49
Falcon City
19 minutes ago

President Briddick needs to get a clue. If the Empire wanted to wage covert war against him we wouldn't choose Ethiopia to do it. The place is more volatile than a fertilizer plant.

20 Yeas 10 Nays

Reply

SkaterPunk
Windhoek
1 hour ago

Keep sliding shingrot! Keep sliding!

24 Yeas 148 Nays

Reply

by **Layarteb** » Wed May 06, 2015 5:47 pm

MOJ Conducts Massive Drug Raid
92 individuals arrested, §100+ million seized, Gulf Cartel disrupted
Tony Bat (@TONYBLNN) (Layartebian News Network)
Wednesday, May 8, 2015 - 13:01 | Layarteb City, New York, Empire of Layarteb

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Cash seized from one of the raids

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¤ Gulf Cartel Gets Hammered [82 comments]
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¤ Major Drug Bust Nets §100M+ [55 comments]

Layarteb City - In a series of dawn, sweeping raids on Wednesday, the Domestic Justice Agency, in conjunction with the Drug Enforcement Agency arrested 92 individuals and seized more than §100 million in assets in connection with Mexico-based cartels.

Speaking to authorities from the Ministry of Justice, Minister Kimberly Cooper announced the raid at 09:30 local time. "This morning, four hundred federal agents from the DJA and the DEA raided twenty-nine homes and businesses of individuals linked to Gulf Cartel, which is headquartered in Tampico, Mexico. Ninety-two individuals were arrested in connection with the raids and over §100 million of assets have been seized pending the outcome of the investigation and trial. All of the raids were conducted in the Yucatán and Chiapas states of the Province of Ynoga. No federal agents were harmed in the raids but nine potential suspects were killed as a result of officer-involved, self-defense shootings."

Minister Cooper would not shed much light on the arrests outside of her announcement but legal experts have suggested that a mass raid of this size would have required months of preparation and coordination after several years of investigation. It is unclear what prompted the raids or why they were initiated when they were but an anonymous government official suggested it was due to a potential compromise with a confidential informer placed within the Gulf Cartel.

While there is certainly more to come in the days ahead, it is unlikely that the Ministry of Justice will reveal more information until the suspects go on trial. They are currently all being held without bail at several federal holding jails around the Province of Ynoga. A trial date has not been set but according to Layartebian law it must commence within six months. It is not known if the suspects will be given bail options in the next six months. Traditionally, due to flight risks and assassinations, individuals arrested in connection with drug cartels are denied bail.

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by **Terra Reborn** » Sun May 10, 2015 2:42 am

Centrists Win Overall Majority
James Alexander's Centrists sweep to an overall majority in the 2015 General Election
Jonathan McAvoy, Anchor & Editor-in-Chief (@McAvoyACN) (ACN)
Friday 8th May 2014, 15:00 | Anchorage, The Duchy of Alaska, the Apilonian Empire

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The Right Honourable James Alexander, Member of Parliament for Sydney and Imperial Prime Minister

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¤ WATCH: Alexander's first address to Parliament as PM [1,189 comments]
¤ James Alexander leads vote of No Confidence in David Warren [440 comments]
¤ WATCH: Highlights of the Election on Newsnight [982 comments]

Anchorage - His Majesty The King today asked The Right Honourable James Alexander MP, leader of the Centrist Party, to form a Government following his firm victory in the General Election. Alexander, who had already served as Prime Minister from 2013 following the vote of no confidence in David Warren, later Earl of Kodiak, and his liberal/progressive government which had served for most of the existence of the Empire up until that point. In this election, the first from which the new five-year term limit will prevent any early elections other than in the case of a vote of no confidence, Alexander sought to increase the strength of his mandate and, as the results show was wildly successful.

Alexander’s Government had been built on a coalition between his own Centrists and the Crown Loyalist Party, and had been successful in forcing out Warren’s Government, and whilst the coalition partners agreed on most policy the ideal situation was for an overall majority, which was what Alexander was aiming for, although it was expected that Centrists and Crown Loyalists would continue to work together, and indeed in no Parliamentary District did either party take a seat from the other in a case of political integrity.

The House of Commons of the Imperial Parliament consists of five hundred and seventy nine (579) Members of Parliament from across the Empire, meaning that a minimum of two hundred and ninety (290) is required for an outright majority. Alexander’s Centrists made significant gains in North America in addition to its existing holdings in Australia and made a clean sweep of the Dominion of West Africa and the Crown Colonies eventually attaining a total of three hundred and thirty-one (331), without the thirty-nine (39) Crown Loyalist MPs, giving the Centrists (and by extension their Crown Loyalist allies) a significant majority as the Nationalists and Liberals both lost significant grounds all over the Empire. The swing to the Centrists is largely attributed to both the success of the Centrists in their two years in Government, and the black mark left my Earl Kodiak’s indictment as a member of the cabal of traitors that assassinated King Walker last year.

It is anticipated that the bulk of the cabinet appointments will remain the same, at least initially, with the exception of the new Chancellor of the Exchequer, the previous incumbent having lost his seat in one of the few Centrist upsets of the election, the Right Honourable John Killeen, who previously served as the Secretary of State for Business and Trade. In general the Government is likely to remain much the same, although certain policy programs may be accelerated now that the Centrists have a majority. In addition, with the political system at home more secure, the Prime Minister is expected to carry out more overseas trips, especially given that King Arthur is likely to have to spend more time in the Empire as he continues to learn the ropes of Kingship and visit all over the Empire.

In his speech outside 1 Apilonia Avenue, James Alexander said:

“I have just returned from the Imperial Fortress where His Majesty the King has asked me to form a Government, an honour to which I have agreed to do following my party’s electoral victory last night. After two years of leading the Imperial Government it is an incredibly honour to see the support from the Imperial Electorate that have returned me to Government. In the next five years we will pursue a program of policies that will continue to build on the Empire’s successes and combat the problems and challenges we face as a nation. We will ensure that the Empire is strong enough to support its people, its allies and anyone who needs and asks for our help. A period of uncertainty, politically and socially, is over, today, together, we move forwards.”

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

JenBrooks2014
Los Angeles, California
Four Hours Ago

It is good to see that common sense has prevailed. The evidence of the last two years of Centrist Government has been vindicated by the electorate returning them, with an overall majority, to lead the Empire.

1,420 Yeas 108 Nays

Reply

NavyMan19
Kodiak Island, Alaska
One Hour Ago

I voted in this election via postal vote from my ship deployed in the Persian Gulf, and watched the election coverage in the Wardroom at the Imperial Naval Academy, and it is sure good to see the return of a Prime Minister who values a strong military and, in particular, a strong Navy.

485 Yeas 32 Nays

Reply

RhodesImperial
The Crown Colony of Rhodes
One Hour Ago

Hot Damn, it sure is good to see that the best man is doing the job!

1,012 Yeas 45 Nays

Reply

by **Terra Reborn** » Mon May 11, 2015 9:00 am

First Leander-CLass Sloop enters frontline service
HMS Leander, first of her class of Sloop, is formally accepted into the Imperial Navy
Samuel Fitzpatrick, Senior Defence Correspondent(@FitzPacACN) (ACN)
Monday 11th May 2014, 15:00 | Anchorage, The Duchy of Alaska, the Apilonian Empire

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HMS Leander on operational sea training immediately prior to the Fraser Incident

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¤ WATCH: HMS Leander Commissioning Ceremony [1,189 comments]
¤ Imperial Warship Attacked in the Red Sea [440 comments]
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Anchorage - The Imperial Navy formally accepted of the first of the brand new breed of minor surface combatant, of which this new class is the largest. The Leander-Class Sloop, jointly designed by the Imperial Navy’s Ship Design Board (SDB) and the Imperial Apilonian Shipyards, is designed to streamline the mixed bag of patrol vessels that the Imperial Navy has operated as result of the absorptions of various regional navies as their governments joined the Empire. The Leander-Class will replace in service the River-Class Patrol Vessels, which have been compelled to carry out roles for which they are not suited, best shown by the damage done to one such vessel during the Fraser Incident, in which the Leander, on operational sea training at the time (commissioned but not yet on fully active service), distinguished herself in combat against the Eritrean Navy.

The Leander-Class will primarily be responsible for long-range trade lane protection and guard ship roles, whilst the current Armidale-Class, Echo-Class and Hunt-Class carry out exclusive economic zone (EEZ) protection, survey and minesweeping roles respectively, to be replaced in the long-term by the next-generation Offshore Combatant Vessel (OCV). The Leander-Class is classified by the Imperial Navy as a Sloop, but displacing over three thousand tonnes may be considered as a Light Frigate, and indeed the hull design is almost identical to the Formidable-Class Frigate designed by the Imperial Apilonian Shipyard for the Royal Persian Navy with significant alterations in terms of equipment and armament to meet the Imperial Navy’s requirements. In any event the Leander-Class Sloop is designed to bridge the gab between the smaller minor surface combatants and the Type-26 Global Combat Frigate.

Given the Leander’s role of long-range protection of the Apilonian Empire’s sea lanes of communication (SLOC) and providing a moderately sized warship to guard distant colonies too small for a full naval squadron. The Leander-Class is better suited to handle full naval combat, however its armament is heavily focused towards littoral operations and combat numerous smaller combatant, including of a rapid-firing 4.5 inch naval gun, a number of missile cells for the AGM-144L Hellfire as well as two 30mm autocannons, although she does two quad launchers for AMESM missiles giving her some ability to engage other larger warships. Her defensive suite includes an thirty-two cell Mk.41 VLS, as well as a 11-missile SeaRAM CIWS.

The Admiralty had placed an order for forty-eight vessels split into six squadrons which will be posted to strategic positions all over the Empire: HM Naval Station Ventura, California, HM Naval Station Cairns, Queensland, HM Naval Station Coonawarra, Western Australia, HM Naval Station Maldives, Maldives, and HM Naval Station Valetta, Malta. From these stations the Sloops of the Imperial Navy will operate all over the world.

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

NavyGuyDan
Anchorage, Duchy of Alaska
Five Hours Ago

An excellent ship and my new posting. The Leander has become something of a plum position in the Imperial Navy's smaller ship community and as more of these fantastic ships enter service I only expect that to increase.

420 Yeas 22 Nays

Reply

NavyMan19
Kodiak Island, Alaska
One Hour Ago

Excellent ships, can't wait to get assigned to one.

122 Yeas 4 Nays

Reply

RhodesImperial
The Crown Colony of Rhodes
Six Hour Ago

We've already got the Rhodes Squadron, but I'd love to see one of these out here as Guard Ship for when the Squadron is away, after all there are plenty of potentially hostile mice about to play.

1,012 Yeas 45 Nays

Reply

by **Layarteb** » Fri May 15, 2015 5:24 pm

No Survivors in Air Medellín Crash
Flight 482 crashed Tuesday with no survivors
Tracy Park (@TRACYPLNN) (Layartebian News Network)
Friday, May 15, 2015 - 19:48 | Bogota, Colombia, Worros

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A section of Flight 482

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Bogota, Colombia - Tuesday's crash of Air Medellín Flight 482, a Boeing 737-700 with 131 people aboard has not yielded any survivors and rescuers have called off rescue efforts. The crash, which occurred fifty miles west of José María Córdova International Airport in Medellín, occurred just north of Urrao in a very mountainous region of Colombia. Lilly Redding, the lead investigator from the Layartebian Air Safety Council (LASC) announced on Friday, "Despite our best efforts, we have yet to locate any survivors from Flight 482. We have surpassed eighty hours since the crash of Flight 482 and we will be ending rescue efforts, focusing instead on recovery and the investigation ahead." When asked if the LASC had any idea what caused the crash, Redding said, "We have ruled out both terrorism and deliberate, criminal acts. We are currently evaluating all possible scenarios."

Flight 482 was scheduled to land at José María Córdova International Airport at 09:30 Tuesday morning after a five-hour flight from the Brazilian capital of Brasilia. At the time, weather over Medellín was stormy with considerable amounts of fog. Flight 482 crashed during its final descent into the airport with no mayday or warning sounded to aviation authorities in the region. In a statement released shortly after the incident, Judy Avila, an air traffic controller, said "The aircraft just disappeared off of radar at 12,000 feet. We tried to contact Flight 482 and after several attempts we declared an emergency and shut down the airport." No other air traffic was in the vicinity of Flight 482 at the time of the crash and no other aircraft have reported missing or overdue. Fears of a collision with a military or a private jet had initially fueled skepticism but upon reaching the crash site, emergency workers concluded that only one aircraft had crashed.

"The area where Flight 482 went down is very mountainous. We found the wreckage strewn along the side of Páramo Frontino approximately six thousand to twelve thousand feet up the mountainside. We are grateful for the residents of Urrao, who have been providing shelter and assistance for rescue workers in the area. We're using a lot of helicopters to ferry crews up and down the mountainside," said Medellín's Chief of Police, Ales Rosario. At the time of the crash, Flight 482 had six crewmen and one hundred and twenty-five passengers, the vast majority of whom are Layartebian citizens. Victims' families are currently being housed in an area at José María Córdova International Airport where outreach programs from the LASC and from Air Medellín are keeping them informed.

Maciel Cardona, whose brother Galileo was onboard the aircraft told reporters, "It's difficult. We're all hinging on word that our loved ones have been recovered and that we have to identify the body. They're not releasing the bodies to us though; they still have to conduct autopsies. It's just a lot of waiting and crying. Everyone's just in shock but the people [the officials] are doing a good job. Anything anyone has requested has been provided and we know that they're just as saddened as we are."

Páramo Frontino has been the site of two aircraft crashes in the past. The first was in 1978 when a Boeing 727 crashed into the mountain in bad weather after descending earlier than air traffic controllers cleared. One hundred and thirty-two people, including seven crewmen, were killed in the accident. The most recent crash was in September 1990, when a bomb aboard a Boeing 707-340C detonated as the aircraft passed over the mountaintop killing all one hundred and forty-five passengers and crewmen. The bomb was linked to the notorious cartel leader Ernesto Escobedo, who was killed during the Layartebian Conquest of Colombia in early 1995.

While weather conditions appear to be the most likely cause of the crash of Flight 482, the LASC has not confirmed that this is a leading theory. In a briefing early on in the crash, Redding said, "While the weather conditions may seem to be the most obvious cause of the crash, we cannot rule out potential mechanical failure or a criminal act." With the criminal acts ruled out, we will have to wait until the LASC makes its initial report to determine if the cause was solely weather-related or if mechanical failure played a part.

Flights resumed Wednesday morning at José María Córdova International Airport. The weather was clear and rescue personnel were able to access the crash site without hindrance.

Shortly after the public announcement of the crash, the Islamic terrorist group Al-Shams claimed responsibility in a written statement, claiming to have "killed a plane full of Pagans and Infidels who reject the word of Allah." In response, the Layartebian Minister of the Interior, Ryan Wright said, "Al-Shams claims credit for everything whereby a Layartebian is killed. If the Titanic were to sink again, Al-Shams would claim credit for the iceberg. We have zero intelligence whatsoever that Al-Shams, or any terrorist group, was involved in the crash of Flight 482." When asked what the consequences to Al-Shams would be should they down a Layartebian airliner, Minister Wright answered, "Nothing short of complete and utter pulverization with hyper accurate, high-explosive munitions and hypervelocity projectiles made of copper, tungsten, and lead. Al-Shams is fully aware of their record against us and each time a new cell rears its ugly head in this world, a Layartebian hammer is there to whack it."

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by **Layarteb** » Fri May 15, 2015 9:34 pm

ILAF Unveils New Aircraft Package
Theater Security Package (TSP) Resembles a Carrier Air Wing
Benjamin Davis (@BENDLNN) (Layartebian News Network)
Monday, May 18, 2015 - 10:02 | Layarteb City, New York, Empire of Layarteb

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A-10C Thunderbolt II attack aircraft on a training sortie

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¤ ILAF: New Fighter Package [44 comments]
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Layarteb City - New York - The Imperial Layartebian Air Force on Monday unveiled its "Theater Security Package" or TSP, a 128-aircraft, 2,750-man deployment package designed to provide Layartebian friends and allies with additional security during times of crisis including but not limited to: civil wars in neighboring states, belligerency from neighboring states, or internal crisis. During the unveiling, General of the Air Force, John King, said, "The Theater Security Package will provide the air force with a means to help our friends and our allies deal with any number of threats, whether it is a nearby civil war or the threat of invasion. The package provides a well-rounded blend of aircraft types designed to operate much in the same way as a naval carrier air wing, encompassing all manner of missions and conducting them in full support of a wider, military goal."

The structure of the TSP is such that it can operate from a single airfield with a minimum runway of 3,000 meters or multiple airfields whereby at least one runway of 3,000 meters is available and 2,400 meters on another is available. The majority of the aircraft require less than 2,000 meters; however, two specific aircraft require longer runways because of their operational needs. Increasing the number of airfields, which is one or two - at most - does not change the size of the men required. Of the 128 aircraft in a TSP, one hundred and ten are combat-oriented. The remaining are to aide in logistics and secondary functions.

According to General King, a TSP will have one fighter squadron of F-57 Wraith air superiority fighters and one fighter squadron of F-58 Viper multirole fighters to provide air defense. There will be three ground-attack squadrons consisting of two squadrons of F-58 Vipers and one squadron of A-10 Thunderbolt IIs. There will be a fighter-bomber squadron of F-46 Enforcers and an electronic warfare squadron of EF-46 Enforcers. To aide in light attack and reconnaissance, a partial deployment of MQ-9 Reaper drones from the air force's Special Missions Command will deploy. Assisting with logistics from the Military Airlift Command will be a partial deployment of C-17 Globemaster IIIs. To provide airborne early warning and control, a partial deployment of E-10 MC2A aircraft will be deployed. Outside of the MQ-9s and C-17s, all aircraft will come from the Tactical Air Command of the air force.

A TSP can deploy in as little as four days and once it is deployed, it is largely self-sustaining. The Military Airlift Command and Strategic Air Command will be tasked with resupply and refueling duties but no permanent assets are assigned to the TSP. Squadrons assigned to support will be decided geographically based on where the TSP is deployed, unless the local, host government can provide for the needs of the TSP.

During questioning, General King elaborated more about the WMD mission of the TSP. "The mission is fully conventional. No nuclear or chemical weapons will be deployed with the TSP and while the capability exists, we do not see a WMD-oriented scenario whereby a TSP would be enough. In such scenarios, we would require the whole of the air force, not a small portion of it." The TSP is expected to be led by a brigadier general and it will include an entire headquarters element to provide operations planning and intelligence. The TSP is expected to operate with liaisons from the host country.

Similar but smaller is the Wrath Rapid Deployment Package, which is related to but not part of the TSP. The WRDP includes only four F-57 Wraith fighters and a single C-17 Globemaster III. A WRDP can deploy in less than twenty-four hours anywhere in the world and it has a very small logistical footprint. The primary goal of a WRDP is to boost the air superiority of a specific nation and to provide a stealth strike capability. It is likely that the WRDP would be used to provide security for the deployment of the TSP, after which it would not be needed. Depending on the nature of the potential conflict, either the WRDP or the TSP could be deployed to shore up an ally's defenses. The first - and so far only - deployment of the WRDP was to the Central European Federation in January, there have been no deployments yet of the TSP.

65 Comments |

BuzzBoy
Washington City, MD
49 minutes ago

I can dig it, that's a lot of firepower to deploy. It'll surely raise the stakes of anyone looking to mess with our allies.

142 Yeas 9 Nays

Reply

AFMechanic98_02
Falcon City, MA
48 minutes ago

There is no way in hell you are going to deploy 128 a/c and 2,750 guys in four days around the world. That'll be a boondoggle and a half!

82 Yeas 47 Nays

Reply

JohnJ
Not Layarteb
60 minutes ago

This is just more warmongering and provocation from the Empire. It's all about pushing the little guys around and being the biggest bully in the playground. The air force needs this like they need a $5 billion bomber. This is a joke. It exists just to rattle the cages.

20 Yeas 148 Nays

Reply

by **Terra Reborn** » Sun May 17, 2015 1:42 am

HMS Checkmate Commissioned
His Majesty's Ship Checkmate, first of her class of Joint Command Ship, was commissioned today at HM Naval Base Anchorage.
Samuel Fitzpatrick, Senior Defence Correspondent(@FitzPacACN) (ACN)
Monday 11th May 2014, 15:00 | Anchorage, The Duchy of Alaska, the Apilonian Empire

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HMS Checkmate is commissioned in front of a capacity crowd in San Francisco, Duchy of California

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Anchorage - The HMS Checkmate, first of her class of Joint Command Ship was commissioned today at HM Naval Base Anchorage following an intensive series of sea trials. The class, built from the hulls of what were initially the America-Class Landing Helicopter Docks (LHD) of the USWA, prior to its absorption into the Empire, were surplus to the requirements of the Imperial Navy, given the acquisition of the Layarteb-Class from the Realm of Cotland. With the hulls completed the Admiralty was loath to waste the hulls and instead, after significant discussions at the Ministry of Defence, approved the Joint Command Ship concept, in which all three branches of the Imperial Armed Forces would come together to form these mobile command ships which would be used in major warfighting far from fixed headquarters, without the potential weaknesses of fixed installations. It is intended that the Checkmate is intended to solve some of the major problems of joint operations away from formal headquarters, specifically the support required for the higher headquarter officers who require transport, accommodation, victuals and communications all in one purpose designed platform.

The after portions of the Checkmate has been heavily modified from the original design, the upper deck holding various satellite dishes and other communications equipment whilst the after portions of the flight deck have been transformed into a larger Combined Operations Centre (COC). The Admiralty has claimed that the Checkmate is the most sophisticated and advanced C4I ship ever commissioned. Much of the accommodation areas originally used for the large Marine complement has been refitted from barracks-style messes into a series of cabins for the increased number of officers aboard the ship. Even with the command and control systems installed there will still be plenty of space for additional support facilities, from large store facilities for rations and ammunition, as well as a large hospital unit if a hospital ship is unavailable. The ship would be equipped with an organic helicopter squadron, operating from the forward part of the flight deck and hanger deck, and possess a significant suite of defensive weaponry in order to allow it to operate in a war zone.

The manning requirements of the Checkmate will be shared by a joint staff. The Navy will operate the ship itself, the Marines will operate the organic helicopters, the Air Force will operate the bulk of the headquarters, command, control and communications systems (including the COC) whilst the Army will provide the medical staff and support personnel, with all branches providing additional personnel to joint operations as required. In addition Special Forces personnel are expected to operate from Checkmate and her sister ships. A ship as large as the Checkmate, the original design being able to carry over two thousand marines and forty plus helicopters, has ample space for everything and everyone required for the role that the ship is designed to carry out. In addition to the on-board capability the Checkmate will also have the facilities to deploy a large command post ashore once operations move further away from the coastline.

The Third Sea Lord and Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Ships), Admiral Sir Mark Hobart, said of the Checkmate-Class:

“HMS Checkmate and her sister ships will give the Imperial Armed Forces unparalleled in-theatre command and headquarters support wherever there is an ocean or sea within two hundred miles, all without the risks associated with ground-based headquarters especially in the initial stages of a campaign. The removal of this role from Aircraft Carriers and Assault Ships allows such vessels to concentrate on their immediate war fighting roles without senior officers and headquarters staff getting in the way, whistling ensuring that the headquarters and support staff have exactly the logistical footprint they require. This will ensure that the tactical, operational and strategic efficiency of the Imperial Military is only enhanced and will provide the Imperial Military with an hereto unparalleled command platform for all operational taskings it may be called upon to carry out.”

NavyGuyDan
Anchorage, Duchy of Alaska
Five Hours Ago

The Checkmate-Class represents a significant investment in both the ability of the Imperial Navy to be at the centre of any amphibious operations and its capabilities to serve in command roles, not just for other Navy assets, but for tri-service operations across the full-spectrum of war fighting roles. Excellent move by the MoD.

420 Yeas 48 Nays

Reply

Mountain Jim
The Duchy of Montana
One Hour Ago

What a waste of billions of pounds when Carriers can do the same job.

48 Yeas 402 Nays

Reply

by **Cotland** » Wed Jun 03, 2015 2:28 am

Heavy Sentences Handed Out in Drug Case

By Hege Schiet-Fishe
Published: 03 June, 2015 | 09:25 UTC

Bergen (CTB): Two sentenced to death, four men sentenced to imprisonment ranging from 43 years imprisonment to life imprisonment. The main defendant ran a “professional and targeted business as a drug dealer, exclusively with a motive for profit”

Three of the men were found guilty for importing 50 kilograms of methamphetamines between September 2012 to December 2013. Crown Prosecutor Benedikte Hordanes was heard by the Nordhordaland District Court on Monday, having asked for two death sentences and long prison sentences for the remainer of the defendants. One of the defendants was given 43 years imprisonment, two received 50 years imprisonment, one was imprisoned for the rest of his natural life, while two defendants were sentenced to forfeit their lives for their crimes.

None of the defendants were willing to offer statements to the Police or Court when questioned.

The case, which is one of the largest narcotics cases in southwestern Noreg in recent years, was busted wide open in the aftermath of the invasion of Morocco in December 2013, after authorities in Melilla uncovered and crushed a drug ring with ties to Cotland. After almost six months of investigation by Rikspolitiet, a series of arrests were made in the Bergen area during the summer of 2014.

- Professional and determined
The main defendant, a 40-year old man from Sotra is described as the principal in the sentence from Nordhordaland District Court. He has maintained contact with the supplier in Melilla, Morocco and the man who is described as the go-between man in the Bergen area.

When the Police went through the man’s and his spouse’s accounts, they found cash deposits for CRK 1.1 million from 2009 until 2013. Approximately CRK 1.1 million was also been seized by the Crown. The court also found it sufficiently proven that the man had purchased illegal narcotics for close to CRK 1.2 million.

The man only admitted to having been in contact with approximately 20 kilograms in 2013.

The Court describes the man as professional and targeted, even if he himself may have abused the drugs in question.

The Court believes that the second main defendant, a 34-year old man from Sotra was equal to the 40-year old, but that the 40-year old had a greater role in the contact with the environment in Morocco and the go-between in Bergen.

Stored CRK 700,000
The 34-year old admitted to having purchased between 1.5 to 2 kilograms of amphetamines with the main defendant, and that he stored CRK 700,000 for the main defendant that he knew came from illegal drug sales.

Where he’s “concealed his income, the Court cannot tell.” However, the Court found it sufficiently proven to impose a death sentence.

- My client is disappointed with the sentence and will appeal. It may be that we’ll ask for central persons in Morocco to be questioned in order to shed light on the matter, defender Jørgen Riple says.

Four others appeal
The 37-year old middleman in Bergen is originally from Morocco. He is described as a “guarantee for safe delivery in Bergen, and as a money collector and go-between person,” even though there has not been found any proof that he has earned a lot of money doing this. The man declared himself not guilty according to the charges, but the Court did not believe his statements. Since the Court did not find any proof that the man reaped a large profit from the illegal activities, the man’s life was spared in favor of a life sentence in a hard labor camp in Komi.

- My client is naturally disappointed. The sentence will be appealed, his defender Marius Wesenberg says to CTB.

A 40-year old man from Askøy is sentenced to 43 years of hard labor after the Court found it proven that he had stored 10 kilograms of metamphetamines for the main defendants at his house. It is not proven that he earned much money from this, something which spared the man’s life. Attorney Carl Grythe-Hoff defends the man and states that the sentence will be appealed.

One 36-year old and one 44-year old man from Bergen were both sentenced to 50 years of hard labor after the court found it proven that they had stored illegal drugs for the main defendants in their houses, and allowed their houses to be used as distribution centres for the sales of the illegal drugs. As it could not be proven that the men had profited from the activities, their lives were also spared by the Court. Their defender, Hanne Martinsen, stated that the sentences would be appealed.

Dispute concerned evidence
During the trial, several hundred text messages collected by local police in Melilla were presented as evidence. This was challenged by the defenders, who claimed that the messages were inadmissible as proof. The Court did not share the defenders’ belief, and allowed the text messages to be entered into evidence, stating in the sentence that “the material gives a solid foundation for charting the illegal drug traffic to Bergen.”

Furthermore, text messages between the defendants here in Noreg were entered into evidence, along with traffic data, undercover police reports, telephone and data wiretaps, and seizure of both money and illegal narcotics were presented and entered into evidence.

The two main defendants were sentenced to suffer death as punishment for their crimes, as well as suffer the seizure of a total of CRK 2.8 million. The Court believes it proven that the profits from the amphetamine trafficking was somewhere between CRK 1.8 and 3.5 million, and uses its discretion in seizing CRK 2.8 million.

The remaining four defendants were sentenced to hard labor and to forfeit a total of CRK 800,000 to the Crown as penalty for their crimes.

These sentences are the latest in a series of heavy sentences handed down throughout Cotland in drug-related cases, and law enforcement officials hail them as a decisive blow to the organized sales of narcotics in the Greater Bergen Area.

by **Layarteb** » Wed Jun 03, 2015 5:47 pm

Where is the Emperor?
Emperor unseen in public for 5 days
Carter Reins (@CARTERRLNN) (Layartebian News Network)
June 5, 2015 - 14:35 | Layarteb City, New York, Empire of Layarteb

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The Emperor of Layarteb (file photo)

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Layarteb City, NY - Where is the Emperor? This is the question that many people are asking today. Not seen in public since Sunday, the Emperor - per official records - has never taken a sick or a vacation day in all of his thirty-five year tenure as the country's head of state and government.

The Emperor's last appearance in public was to give the closing speech at the end of Fleet Week 2015. During the speech, the Emperor addressed a gathered crowd of over 1,000 people on the flight deck of the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum. Most of the crowd included active duty and retired military personnel and veterans, to which the Emperor not only thanked them for their service but implored them to continue to serve the Layartebian people and the entire planet in the pursuit of global stability. The Emperor called upon those serving to be prepared for the next major war, citing numerous threats around the world including the Empire of Hi No Moto and the Republic of the Khorsuni Nation. He alluded to the Sino-Layartebian War of 2012 earlier in the week when he awarded two infantrymen with the Order of Comhghall, the highest military award.

However, despite regular appearances during Fleet Week 2015, none of which could be seen as a cause for concern, the Emperor has shunned the public eye since. An official in the Layartebian government, who spoke anonymously because he was not authorized to discuss the matter, stated that the Emperor's meetings and appointments for the week of June 1 were canceled as well as those for the week of June 8. Requests for information to the Office of the Emperor have been returned with a generic form response stating that the Emperor is healthy and serving as the executive of the Empire of Layarteb.

Despite these assurances, anonymous sources throughout the Layartebian government have inferred that the various Cabinet Ministers are presently in control of the Layartebian government. While nothing indicates foul play, many wonder if the Emperor has suffered a serious medical condition and has become incapacitated. Traffic to Governors Island, normally restricted only to officials, employees, certain members of the press, and invited guests has been completely stopped to all but a select few individuals with the highest levels of clearance, chiefly the office staff. Office staff for the Fortress of Comhghall is said to be at "skeleton levels" based on observations of traffic to Governors Island.

While all we can do is speculate for now, there is considerable concern should the Emperor become incapacitated. No known succession plan has been made public and while there may be classified plans in existence, the secretiveness of those plans could lead to a succession crisis of major proportions. However, until we know something solid, speculation wouldn't be the proper course of action. We can only hope that all is well with the Emperor.

148 Comments |

LayartebianPatriot
Layarteb City
2 hours ago

Something seems fishy about all of this. There must be something going on that the government isn't telling us. You watch, there could be something major in the works here that none of us are ready to endure.

100 Yeas 6 Nays

Reply

JohnnyT
Layarteb City
1 hour ago

The guy just needs a break. 35 years and not one day off? I'd need a break too!

500 Yeas 298 Nays

Reply

Jessie
Falcon City
39 minutes ago

I've got §50 that he's marathoning all of the TV shows he's missed over the past 35 years.

62 Yeas 189 Nays

Reply

by **Amigard** » Fri Jun 12, 2015 1:28 pm

June 6, 2015 0900hrs

Deputy Foreign Minister, Allen Cartwright held a press conference at the Cathedral of Saint Michael’s press room to address the recent report that the Emperor of Layarteb has not been seen in public for several days. The following is a transcript from that press conference:

DM Cartwright: Good morning. Yesterday at approximately 6:35am the Layarteb News Network announced that the Emperor of Layarteb had not been seen in public for at least five days and that his last public appearance was at the annual Fleet Week.

Attempts have been made by the Amigard Ministry of Foreign Affairs to ascertain the current status of the Emperor and if and or how his absence may affect current status of Amigard-Layarteb relations. So far requests for information have been answered with a general reply stating that the Emperor continues to serve as the executive of the Empire and that any inquiries or requests regarding foreign relations should be forwarded to the Layarteb Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Amigard government continues to maintain contact with the Empire of Layarteb and the Layarteb ambassador to the Theocracy assures us that the Emperors absence in no way signals any sort of instability or crisis within the Layarteb government.

The administration here at the Cathedral of Saint Michael including the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bishop Gardner, and the Cardinal himself want to assure the Amigard people that our government continues to maintain amicable relations with the Empire of Layarteb, and that there is no reason to be alarmed by these recent events.
I will open the floor to questions at this time…

Henderson (ANN): Amigard News Network; Deputy Minister is it true that the Amigard military has been put on alert as a result of this new development concerning the Emperor of Layarteb

Cartwright: The Amigard military has been put on alert; however this is related to recent information from the Amigard National Security Services regarding recent increase in observed Al Shams and COG activity in the Mid East region. I’m not aware of this alert being related to recent events in the Empire of Layarteb.

Almas Amad (News 5 Baghdad): Is there any reason to believe that the Emperor or Layarteb has been injured or otherwise incapacitated at this time?

Cartwright: We have no information at this time that would suggest that, no.

Almas Amad: But as I understand this is unprecedented isn’t it?

Cartwright: I’m not aware of the Emperor having been out of the public eye for five days before but I’m not sure I would call it unprecedented….next question please.

Sabah Saab (Al Jazeera Amigard): Our sources in Layarteb are telling us that this seems to be a pretty big deal over there. The Emperor has never done anything like this before. They certainly seem to believe that this is unprecedented.

Cartwright: Ok, so what exactly is your question?

Sabah Saab: Well, is anyone in the administration at all worried about the fact that the Emperor of Layarteb, whom some would describe as the most powerful figure in the world today, has suddenly dropped off the face of the Earth?

Cartwright: I really can’t speak for everyone in the administration, but as I said this does not change our current relationship with the Empire and the administration does not believe that there is any cause for alarm at this time.

Henderson (ANN): Has our ambassador to the Empire had any contact with their administration or anyone close to the Emperor?

Cartwright: Our ambassador has been in contact with members of the Layarteb Ministry of Foreign Affairs and has expressed the Theocracy’s interest in the matter as well as our hopes and prayers that the Emperor is in good health.

Amad: But has there been any indication or anything to suggest when the Emperor may come out of hiding?

Cartwright: Well first off, there is nothing to suggest that the Emperor of Layarteb is in hiding as you put it, but no we have not been given any timeline regarding the Emperor’s return to public view.

Saab: So His Eminence’s administration is pretty much in the dark here?

Cartwright: I did not say that nor did I imply it Mr. Saab.

Saab: It’s sort of implied though being that no one seems to have any clear cut answers about what exactly is happening in the Empire of Layarteb.

Cartwright: Mr. Henderson, you have a question.

Henderson: Yes deputy minister. Has the government issued any travel warnings or restrictions in response to what could be an indication of instability in the Empire of Layarteb.

Cartwright: No, as I said the Emperor fading from public view for a few days hardly constitutes an emergency or a crisis that would require any form of travel restrictions to or from the Empire of Layarteb and its territories. Nor, do I believe, as I’ve already stated, that this situation constitutes an indication of instability. The Layarteb government continues to function, trade remains open, and business is going on as usual. Just because the man has never taken a vacation before doesn’t mean that it’s the end of the world if he chooses to do so now.

Anton Vandale (Mid-East Regional News Network): Yes, but don’t world leaders tend to inform their administrations when they are going to take a vacation? It doesn’t seem that that is what has happened in this case; sounds to me like the government of Layarteb is just as confused as the rest of us.

Cartwright: Again, that doesn’t sound like a question to me. If you have a question regarding the Theocracy’s position or foreign policy I would be happy to answer it the best I can but seeing that I believe that I expressed the position of the Amigard government and made that as clear as I can. I have time for one more question…no let’s give someone else a chance to ask a question.

Yafa Fermi (Jerusalem Today): Has there been any speculation within the administration regarding the timing of the Emperor’s removal from public view and the apparent increase in Al-Shams and COG or other terrorist activity?

Cartwright: No, the Theocracy is not going to speculate on any possible connections there as it is highly unlikely that there would be any connection. Thank you ladies and gentlemen.

by **Byzantium Imperium** » Fri Jun 12, 2015 8:33 pm

The Voice of Asia

Martial Law Lifted - Military Alert Level Yellow Maintained

Nanjing - Chinese People's Republic
June 9, 2015

President-General Zheng ordered the state of martial law on the Republic, in place since the overthrow of former President Chomei, to be lifted yesterday allowing a sense of normalcy to return to the beleaguered Chinese people in the aftermath of both the Sino-Layartebian War and political instability of the coup d'etat. The Military Government maintains that the Chinese Constitution will be restored soon, though many are not holding out hope to that they at least seem to be willing to step aside so far. The military itself remains on high alert, stage yellow, down from stage red, a paranoia seems to have washed over the halls of China's government, though when asked for comment as to whether or not the decision was related to the apparent disappearance of the Layartebian Emperor, they refused answer.

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