Den Konstitution - A Reliable Newspaper from Luziyca

[Luziyca]

Esquarian Union to stay alive until Greenwich Area gets integrated into EC

Headquarters of the EU

BETHLEHEM, F.C. - In a shocking announcement from the Esquarian Union, President Lilyana Paskaleva has announced plans to delay the shutdown of all EU institutions, and to postpone its dissolution until the bill tabled by Luziycan delegate Taras Pashkov passes the Council of Esquarium and the Esquarian Parliament.

"While it is true that we will have no funding to do anything," she explained, "because of the advancement of the bill to integrate the Greenwich Area into the framework of the Common Market of the Esquarian Community, we have a moral obligation to continue our existence until that bill passes the Esquarian Parliament and becomes part of the law of the EC."

"Once that is concluded," she stated, "we will hand over the original treaty that created the Greenwich Area in 1985 to the President of the Esquarian Community in a formal ceremony, and then officially dissolve. We will just postpone the official ceremony for dissolution until that bill passes the Esquarian Parliament."

In other news

• West Cedarbrook - How the election campaign will affect this Jewish nation
• Fascesia - Government minister claims cell phones irradiate the populace in press conference after terror attack
• Alto Luziyca - Avalanche kills 22 people at ski resort
• Opinion - What will 2017 bring?

[Luziyca]

6 people killed in Greenwich mosque, 21 injured

Kirill Jaromir

GREENWICH, SHENITSA - Just hours after the terrorist attacks in Aspatria at Horsham Square, 21-year old Kirill Jaromir entered the Pochetni Mosque in the suburbs of Greenwich, Shenitsa, as they were leading the congregation in the fajr prayers. In a space of two minutes, Jaromir opened fire, killing six people, and injuring twenty-one other attendants at the mosque, before being arrested by the Greenwich Municipal Police. Of the twenty-one injured, twelve are in critical condition.

When arrested, Kirill Jaromir surrendered, declaring "I had to stop a terrorist attack that they were brewing [at the mosque]. Either I kill them or they kill us." He was handcuffed, and is currently being held at the Gavril Sashlov Detention Center, pending a hearing from the judge. He is facing six counts of murder, twenty-one counts of attempted murder, one count of possessing an unregistered firearm, and one count of terrorism.

Among the dead are the 52-year old Imam, Ahmed al-Abassi, who immigrated from Kraq in 2002 in search of a better life, and who opened the mosque in 2007 to serve the Muslim community in Greenwich.

Shortly after news of the shooting broke out, Governor Ted Achinskov ordered that all flags be at half-mast for thirty days, and declared his "utter contempt" for the shooter, and condemned "terrorism, whether the Muslims commit it, or whether it is someone who seeks to take revenge against them."

President Sera Svensson also chimed in, sending her condolences to the friends and families of the victims of the shooting at the Pochetni Mosque, and also ordered that all Luziycan flags be at half-mast for seven days.

More as the story develops.

In other news

• Arkiasis - At least 50 killed, 600 wounded in Aspatria terror attack
• Ainin - Loup-CGT VP convicted, sentenced to eight years in prison
• Pisdara - General strike turns to violence as GSUP, moderates clash with each other
• Opinion - We must do something about the Muslim problem

[Luziyca]

Jaromir pleads guilty to all charges but terrorism

Kirill Jaromir

GREENWICH, SHENITSA - Two days after the horrific New Year's Day attacks in Aspatria, and in Shenitsa, killer Kirill Jaromir attended an arraignment, where he was informed of the charges that he is facing in his killing spree at the Pochetni Mosque, which killed six people at the scene, with two more people having died in hospital. He asked to enter a plea.

Jaromir pled guilty to each of the charges placed against him, except for terrorism, stating that his actions were not terrorism "because unlike what the Muzzies did in Aspatria, I had an obligation to stop the Muzzies in Greenwich from blowing our city up: I don't give a f*ck if they're innocent or not, they're all the same in my eyes."
He also added that he was motivated by the attacks at Horsham Square on January 1st, stating that "as soon as I heard the news, I knew that either we start getting rid of some Muzzies, or we will get killed by them."

An evidentiary hearing for the murder, attempted murder, and unregistered firearms charges will begin on January 7th, while the trial will begin on February 1st. where Jaromir will be tried on the charges of terrorism.

In other news

• Arkiasis - Death toll rises to 72, injuries over 700
• Namor - Shohai reaffirms three mutuals
• Gijirokastra - Dorothy Vasiliev calls for a registry of all Muslims at a rally of 750,000 people at the Square of Nations
• Opinion - We must do something about the Muslim problem

[Luziyca]

List of victims killed in the Pochetni Mosque Massacre

Pochetni Mosque prior to the shooting

GREENWICH, SHENITSA - Today, police chief Erik Golovkin released the names of the victims of all those who were killed in the Pochetni Mosque Massacre, as well as the list of those injured. The death toll has risen to eleven people now, with five having died in hospital. Out of the sixteen who survived the massacre, seven people are still in critical condition.

Golovkin read out the names of the victims in a solemn ceremony, stating that "each of those names represents a person. They represent an innocent soul whose lives were taken away by a madman who falsely believed that all Muslims are terrorists. They were mothers, fathers, teachers, and community leaders. Some of those fighting for their lives today are children of those who will never see the light of day again."

"To the xenophobes celebrating the tragedies in Greenwich and in Ashuragar, know that the victims are real people," he declared. "They were not plotting to destroy their homelands: they were praying to God in their own way, when their lives were ended in this despicable and cowardly act."

The dead
The italicized names were those who died at the Greenwich General Hospital. The list is ordered based off of the time of death.

Maria al-Sylla, 21
Ahmed Dobrev, 38
Ahmed al-Abassi, 51
Yusuf al-Jafri, 30
Sahla al-Zia, 42
Rabi el-Habib, 63
Andrei el-Sharif, 19
Ihaab Zakharov, 58
Muhammad al-Ghafarri, 46
Mara al-Sylla, 49
Amina Hayov, 36

The injured
Italicized names indicate those that remain in critical condition as of the time the article is written. All of them are still hospitalized at the Greenwich General Hospital.

Rashiq al-Wali, 39
Mohammad al-Quds, 47
Nahla al-Jafri, 8
Craik al-Zia, 35
Tharwa el-Tariq, 21
Ahmed al-Tariq, 27
Munisa al-Saade, 29
Rasheed Makarov, 71
Maria Makarov, 66
Sayeed Makarov, 41
Abdullah Makarov, 19
Yusuf al-Tariq, 41
Safar al-Iman, 21
Hamdi el-Vohra, 33
Tayyib al-Obeid, 24
Yusuf al-Obeid, 56

In other news

• Pisdara - 20 killed at mosque, gunman is killed in firefight, five critically injured
• Greenwich - Linda Dobrev arrested for advocating terrorism and violence
• Ainin - Mosques, top attractions heavily protected by Aininian police and military in light of the tragedies of the past day
• Esquarileaks - News agencies alleged to be linked to Liberal campaign

[Luziyca]

Luziycan charges against Dobrev dropped, to be extradited to Ainin

Linda Dobrev

GREENWICH, SHENITSA - Nine days following her arrest, Linda Dobrev's charges of advocating terrorism and violence have been dropped due to a lack of evidence. However, this does not mean that Linda Dobrev will walk free: she will be sent to Ainin to face charges on an EC arrest warrant for 'twenty counts of desecrating the dignity of a deceased person, one count of inciting hatred and one count of advocating violence against an identifiable group' issued by the government of Ainin.

Press conference held by the Greenwich Police Department
Chief Erik Golovkin admitted at a press conference that there was "substantial overreaction on our part" in the case against Linda Dobrev, "due to the recent [Pochetni Mosque] shootings," and that upon further examination of the offending tweets, Linda Dobrev, "although impolite and crass, has violated no federal or state laws concerning the original charges."

Golovkin did note that "her tweets to Arkiasian citizens and government agencies urging that they 'punish' the Muslim populace comes dangerously close to violating the law," and noted that in particular, "the tweets to Zachary Boyle and Jay Stevenson could potentially be considered to be encouraging a crime."

When asked if she will be charged for these offenses, Golovkin stated that "if they commit these crimes, or if the Arkiasian government requests, we will charge her for encouraging a crime. Otherwise, we shall not charge her."

Response by the federal government
As soon as the decision was made by the Greenwich Police Department to drop all charges against Linda Dobrev, the Secretary of Department of Justice, Jan Kroon, stated that "Linda Dobrev shall be extradited to Ainin to face trial for the charges that have been placed against her by the authorities of Ainin."

However, Kroon explained that "utilizing universal jurisdiction over hate speech is a dangerous precedent: universal jurisdiction should only be reserved for more serious cases, such as terrorism, piracy, war crimes, genocide, trafficking, or other crimes against humanity," as well as fugitives on the run from a crime committed in their country.

He added that to "utilize universal jurisdiction for lesser crimes is ridiculous, because it diverts resources that could be used to extradite criminals that pose a greater threat to society, such as a human trafficker or a war criminal, than some irrelevant hatemonger in an obscure corner of the internet."

In other news

• Pavonistade - Viral video shows Muslims celebrating Horsham terrorist attacks
• Pisdara - 62% vote to dissolve government in a referendum
• Namor - AAECNA passes cadre, despite some obstructions
• Sjealand - Ferry sinks, only 267 survivors found

[Luziyca]

Esquarian Union dissolved!

Headquarters of the EU

BETHLEHEM, F.C. - After the passage of the Common Market and Greenwich Area Act 2017, a ceremony was held in front of the former EU headquarters. Despite the -41 degree wind chill and the snowfall, EU President Lilyana Paskaleva handed over the original copy of the treaty that established the Greenwich Area in 1985 to Everàrd Torsièl, the President of the Esquarian Community, before exchanging a handshake.

Before the transfer of the treaty, EU President Paskaleva stated in Katranjian that "this may be the end of the EU, but this is really only the beginning of a greater partnership. We have decided that it is in the best interests of all Esquarians to work together in the EC, as opposed to having two overlapping organizations to achieve the same goal."

After the transfer of the treaty, EC President Torsièl gave a few remarks to the audience, in his native Montecaran language. He said that:

"The Esquarian Union deserves the respect of everyone in our world for faithfully representing many of Esquarium's highest principles. Its important work and dedication to the Pan-Esquarian ideal will be carried forward by the Esquarian Community and by individual Esquarians who seek a better future for themselves and for their children."

He added that "We warmly welcome the members of the Greenwich Area into the Esquarian Community. Together we will work toward what has long been the goal of the Community and the Union that came before it: a freer, fairer, and more just Esquarium."

Following Torsièl's speech, the flag of the EU was lowered for the last time, to the melody of the Hymn of the Esquarian Union.

In other news

• Aucuria - Viral video of Pavon Muslims celebrating the attacks on Horsham claimed to be Atlians celebrating football match
• Unolia - Shots ring out in Assembly of the People
• Lanos - Government to debate intervening against the Caliphate
• Lombardia - 15,000 protesters protest deportation of Linda Dobrev

[Luziyca]

Sera Svensson issues executive order to dismantle its biochemical weaponry

Svensson at a press conference

BETHLEHEM, F.C. - Today, President Sera Svensson signed an executive order that would make Luziyca comply with an agreement made with the People's Republic of Namor: specifically, it would order that an immediate halt to production of all biological and chemical weapons, and ordered the start of the destruction of biological and chemical weapons within ninety days.

Immediately after approving the executive order, President Svensson called a press conference to announce the executive order.

"As I have said in Xiangmen [during the summit]," Svensson declared, "chemical weapons and biological weapons are outdated and barbaric. The risk we pose by maintaining them outweigh the benefits: from a risk that terrorist organizations can use them to the risk that the general public may be exposed to them because of leaks. And all that just for some sense of safety and protection."

"The truth is that no nation's sovereignty, especially a major power is at risk if we get rid of our biological and chemical weapon arsenal," she proclaimed.

Plans are to transport all stockpiled biological and chemical weapons and munitions to these sites, which are equipped to handle the destruction of the biological and chemical weapons.

• Oro Military Base - Oro, Lombardia - blister and nerve agents
• Tobolsk Arsenal - Tobolsk, Kozunitan - blood and choking agents
• Fort Gukovo - Gukovo, Shenitsa - biological weapons

More as the story develops.

In other news

• Doomsday clock - Two minutes until midnight
• Pavonistade - Liberals plotting to illegally win election
• Xiaodong - Economy all but collapses as sanctions get imposed
• Ankoren - Beyyurdu gas field discovered, to be exploited

[Luziyca]

His Holiness breaks his silence

His Holiness, Pope Stephan V

BETHLEHEM, F.C. - After days of speculation, His Holiness, Stephan V broke his silence and went on the airwaves to comment on the death of the Patriarch of Gusev. Ivan III, and to address speculations of whether he will attend the funeral.

His Holiness stated that "The church has witnessed the loss of a Patriarch; the continent a peacemaker, and the faithful a shepherd."

"During his career as Patriarch, he helped improve relations between the People's Republic of Namor and the Christian Republic of Luziyca. Thus, he helped construct the foundations of a lasting and peaceful relationship that seemed unthinkable just decades ago when the world was on the brink of Armageddon," he declared.

"Unlike his predecessor [Mikhail], he served as a true Christian. Taking into his heart the message posed by Matthew 5:9, he made it his mission to bring peace between the Namorese and Luziycan governments; the Namorese and Otekian populations, and even the separatists and the Namorese government. While he may have not succeeded in all of these areas, the fact of the matter is that he did the best that he could."

"It is now the obligation of the next Patriarch to continue building a lasting relationship between the Otekians and the Namorese, and to ensure that this region that has long been a place of discord and violence live up to its Namorese name: the 'land of brotherly peace.'"

His Holiness also added "If Namo were to invite me, I shall attend, but if not, I shall stay."

In other news

• Bethlehem - Flags to be lowered at half-staff until funeral of the Patriarch of Gusev in all government buildings
• Pisdara - Controversy over genocide memorial
• Tinzhan - Government to ignore court ruling
• Shenitsa - Jaromir found guilty of terrorism, to be put on death row

[Luziyca]

Svensson government unveils response to the Defense of Namorese Dignity Act

President Sera Svensson

BETHLEHEM, F.C. - After days of speculation since the Central Council passed the Defense of Namorese Dignity Act on the 25th of March, President Sera Svensson officially announced the Svensson Doctrine, with four components to outline Luziyca's response to the bill and to ensure that "positive relations" between the Christian Republic and the People's Republic shall continue.

Press conference
At a press conference at the Presidential Palace, Sera Svensson declared that "over this past weekend, our government has been in emergency meetings in order to determine our response to the passage of the Defense of Namorese Dignity Act in the Central Council. And just a few hours ago, we have agreed to four important principles, to outline our course for future Namo-Luziycan relations."

"The four points we have agreed on is the continuation of detente, increased cultural exchange [between Namor and Luziyca], a plan to return Nantai to Namorese control no later than the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the People's Republic of Namor (if Namor were to accept it), and how this doctrine will affect foreign policy [to other nations]," she explained.

When asked by a reporter why she will deny Nantainese the right to determine their own future, as she promised when she signed the Kenyen Declaration, Svensson stated that "there is no person who was born in Nantai prior to the Treaty of Tatra who is still alive, if I recall correctly. The current inhabitants of Nantai have been so influenced by Luziyca that they would rather chop their own heads off than accept the fact that they are Namorese, and will one day have to look towards Namo."

Criticism
Her response sparked criticism, especially in regards to her plans for Nantai: the leader of the National Luziycan Party, Dorothy Vasiliev, declaring that "Svensson's plan to betray our fellow Luziycans residing in Nantai is blatantly unconstitutional, and is a sign that she values detente with Namor over our own people and their rights! We must end detente altogether, because we have given and given and given, and the Namorians have refused to concede anything!"

Former Vice-President of Luziyca and Chief Executive of Nantai, Kung Alicia condemned her plan to "transfer Nantai to Namor without listening to the voices of the Nantainese who will be impacted the most."

Former President Breuvi Shjoraski expressed "disappointment," but said that "I am not surprised by her decision [to give up Nantai]."

More as the story develops.

In other news

• Bohemia - Communists rig referenda after only announcing it one day in advance, Luziyca to not recognize results
• Britanno - Left-wing parties gain minority
• Arkiasis - Tory Brown to resign as PM
• Francilie - Liet wins re-election to Consulship

[Luziyca]

Protesters in Kenyen criticize Svensson's plans to transfer control of Nantai

Protesters in Kenyen

KENYEN, NANTAI - Days after the Svensson Doctrine was announced, which explicitly stated that Nantainese have "no right to self-determination" in order to preserve relations with Namor, protesters once again blocked the streets of Kenyen to demand that the federal government rescind the Svensson Doctrine, and to demand that both governments "acknowledge our rights."

According to the Kenyen Police Department, there were 85,000 protesters, but organizers claimed that 115,000 came out to protest against the Svensson doctrine.

Organizer An Kiang said "we are protesting because we are tired of Namor and Luziyca seeing us only as pawns. We are tired that we have to protest to make our point to both our cultural motherland, and to our political fatherland. We are tired that Svensson is focusing on maintaining detente even though despite having given, given, given, Namor refuses to concede anything to us. We are tired of being mere pawns in some sort of geopolitical game!"

Unlike previous protests which have only lasted for a day, An Kiang plans to not break the protests until "both Namor and Luziyca agree to respect our right to determine our own future, without any say from any other citizen [of Namor and Luziyca]."

So far, the protests have been largely peaceful, with former Chief Executive Kung Alicia giving a speech, declaring that "Svensson's actions to appease Namor is the textbook definition of treason." That brief statement electrified the crowd.

Some notable actions were the burning of effigies of Sera Svensson and Antelope Shohai, while chanting "KISS! KISS! KISS!", as well as the burning of Namorese and Luziycan flags, which caused five arrests, including one attempt to burn a fireproof Namorese flag.

Response from the governments
Chief Executive River Tam told reporters that the "protesters have genuine grievances concerning the Svensson Doctrine, and we are concerned that it and the Defense of Namorese Dignity Act will push what the Nantainese want to the wayside."

However, President Sera Svensson condemned the protests, stating that "the protests in Kenyen are instigated by Namophobes who are determined to destroy any and all progress that we have made on detente in the past few years. The Government of Luziyca will be considering appropriate responses to these protests." She also stated that "Nantai is Namorese, and will be returned to the motherland sooner or later. The Nantainese need to learn to accept that."

The Namorese government has yet to comment on the situation.

In other news

• Ankoren - 80 politicians latest victims in the Red Hurricane
• Crethia - Top staffer ousted following scandal
• Bohemia - Government to leave if censured from the Council of Esquarium
• Irvadistan - End in sight for Islamic terrorism?

[Luziyca]

(not an April Fool's day post)

Nantainese government requests that any discussion on Nantai's status involve Nantainese

Chief Executive Tam

KENYEN, NANTAI - Days after the Namorese government began discussions on extending the vote to non-citizen Namorese nationals, Chief Executive Tam issued a response to the Namorese and Luziycan governments concerning Nantai's future: requesting that any future decisions on Nantai's future must involve the Nantainese.

At a press conference, Nantainese Chief Executive Tam River stated that "after considerable discussion, the Nantainese government feels that any further discussions and decisions concerning the future of Nantai must involve the people who actually live, work, and play within Nantai."

"Our people are tired of being treated as pawns in a geopolitical game of chess," she said. "They are tired of the neglect of Namo and Bethlehem, and the lack of consideration for what they want for Nantai. And as Chief Executive, I have a moral obligation to the Nantainese people to make sure that they have a say in any process that affects them, whether it'd be something as minor as representation in the EC, to the transfer of sovereignty of Nantai to Namor."

"Nantainese must decide their own future," she declared. "And the only way we can do that is if we can make Namo and Bethlehem agree to accept our presence at the negotiating table."

When asked by reporters about the Central Council's proposals to permit non-citizen nationals of Namor to vote, she stated that "I personally am in favor of it, because if we vote in large enough numbers, we can make Namo aware of what Nantai wants, instead of having people who only lived in East Po'ai speaking for all of us."

So far, neither the Luziycan or Namorese governments have responded.

Reactions on the streets of Kenyen
When news of Tam's press conference reached the protesters, there was much ecstasy in the air, with many crowds chanting praises in support of the Chief Executive, and for Nantainese self-determination.

Organizer An Kiang said that "I am glad that the Chief Executive [Tam River] has decided to make sure that Nantainese be consulted for any future decisions made between Namo and Bethlehem regarding our land. But it is fruitless if neither Bethlehem or Namo allows us the right to be at the negotiating table to discuss our own future."

When asked on the proposed bill in the Namorese Central Council, An remarked that "this bill ignores the fact that many Nantainese do not want to be part of Namor. And personally, if we do vote in such elections, we would be seen by Namor as having closer ties to Namor than to Luziyca, or even Nantai itself."

The proposed bill to amend to the Namorese Constitution, as per yesterday's poll in Kenyen Sibo, had 45% support, 40% opposition, and 15% undecided on the matter.

Response from other communities
Across the country, rallies have been held to support the Nantainese protests in Kenyen. Some major protests included:

• Gijirokastra - 75,000 people according to the Gijirokastra Police Department are protesting at the Square of Nations
• Yereva - 45,000 marched to support Nantainese rights and criticizing the Svensson doctrine
• Jerusalem - 10,000 protesters in front of the Royal Palace
• Bethlehem - 15,000 protesters in the gardens in front of the Presidential Palace
• Feniksgrad - 85,000 protesters marched through the city's central business district
• Po'ai 2,000 protesters gathered at the dividing wall separating the western and eastern neighborhoods

These protests were largely peaceful, with protesters carrying signs criticizing the Svensson Doctrine and carrying Nantainese flags. However, there were reports of arrests in some events, mainly involving burning Namorese and Luziycan flags.

More as the story develops.

In other news

• Sinhako - Anti-fentanyl bill tabled
• Aucuria - Teutonia fires missle into Aucurian waters, Svensson condemns "unprovoked aggression"
• Tuthina - Vertical farms introduced to the hermit kingdom: a surprising bastion of modernity?
• Opinion poll - Sera Svensson's approval rating falls to 41%

[Luziyca]

Hurricane hits Sjöström Island, kills one, injures one

Scientist Yalim Arslan in December 2016

SARMABY, LUZIYCAN HYPORIAN TERRITORY - Sixty-one year old scientist Yalim Arslan was found dead in his home in Sarmaby, with gunshot wounds at 8:14 am local time (4:14 am EST). His wife, Kerstin Arslan was severely injured by the gunshots and was transported to hospital in Jinalut.

Yalim Arslan's life
Born in Ankoren in 1955, Yalim Arslan had a strong interest in Hyporian science from a young age: in 1985, he chose to move to Sarmaby to further pursue his research on Hyporia. In his personal life, he married Kerstin Göransson in 1988, and had a daughter, Nuran in 1990.

From 1991 onwards, Arslan began working on Hyporia itself, being based off at Rassvet Station and often was separated from his wife and daughter for extended periods of time, having wintered over in 1991, 1992, and then in 1995 through 1998. At the end of the 1998 winter season, he began only working in the summer in order to spend more time with his wife and daughter. Thus, he continued his work at the station during the summer until the end of the 2015-16 season, when he retired. By the time of his retirement, he had produced tremendous amounts of data concerning the geological structure of Hyporia.

In recent years, Arslan became critical of the growing authoritarianism in Ankoren, and began making posts on social media criticizing Ankoren's descent into totalitarianism. He began following groups supportive of Ankoreni opposition.

As for his daughter, Nuran left for Jinalut after graduation to attend Konyakov University, and in 2011 married Behram Serkar. She changed her surname to Nuran Serkar following the marriage and had a son in 2012, and a daughter in 2015.

Response from the community
Immediately after the news of the murder, Commissioner Edmund Igheld spoke outside the town hall, stating that "Yalim Arslan was a respected scientist, father, and friend to all who came his way. His wife, Kerstin Arslan was a good mother, and was loyal to him despite her husband's focus on a career in Hyporia."

"The shooting in Sarmaby that has left Mr. Arslan dead and has caused Mrs. Arslan to be transported to Jinalut is, to be quite frank, a barbaric and cowardly act," he declared. "We will not tolerate this sort of violence, no matter if it occurred in Sarmaby or on a remote patch of ice in the middle of Stenbock Land."

He added that "we will ensure that we will find whoever did it, and ensure that justice is served."

Police chief Alvin Nordström stated that "the suspect has been apprehended as he was attempting to acquire tickets at the airfield for a flight back to Jinalut. I cannot say much about him as of this time, but what I can say is that the suspect is an Ankoreni citizen."

The funeral for Yalim Arslan is scheduled for April 11th at 11:00 am local time.

More as the story develops.

In other news

• Bohemia - Communists reject agricultural nationalization: a shocking decision considering the passage of the energy bill
• Filimons - Government to bring back the death penalty
• Ankoren - 10 Livancians arrested after raid for terrorism, Emir of Livancia lauds arrest of "terrorists"
• Irvadistan - Irvadi Freedom Defence Front claims responsibility: a new player in Irvadistan's war?

[Luziyca]

Identity of suspect charged with murder and attempted murder released

Mugshot of Özalp Yavaş

SARMABY, LUZIYCAN HYPORIAN TERRITORY - Today, Police Chief Alvin Nordström officially released the identity of the suspect accused of murdering scientist Yalim Arslan and attempted murder of Kerstin Arslan (nee Göransson), following requests from the Ankoreni embassy in Jinalut.

At a press conference at the police station, Alvin Nordström stated that "we can confirm that the suspect in our community's first recorded murder in over a century is Özalp Yavaş. He is 26 years of age, and is an Ankoreni national from Erdek. He had been visiting Jinalut for a week, and only arrived here two days prior to the murder of Yalim Arsland and Kerstin Arslan."

Nordström stated that "Mr. Yavaş is facing a charge of first-degree murder of Yalim Arslan, as well as attempted murder of Kerstin Arslan."

When asked by reporters if the police believed that Yavaş has any connections to the Ankoreni government, Nordström stated that "as of right now, there is no conclusive evidence to say whether Mr. Yavaş took orders from the Ankoreni government or not. We are still in the process of investigating."

However, Nordström added that "regardless, we criticize the statements made by Governor Hetav of Jinalut: all he has done is taking a tragic event that had happened in our community, and appropriated it for his political gain. That is unacceptable, and we wish for him to clarify his remarks."

When asked about the venue, Nordström said that "because of the serious nature of the offense, it is probable that the trial will be held in Jinalut because our infrastructure will not be able to handle a flood of journalists who will wish to cover the trial."

The preliminary hearing is scheduled to begin on May 2nd.

In other news

• Jinalut - Governor defends comments, points to the "murder of Ali Qazi's family at the start of the year"
• Ankoren - Government to develop solar energy
• Pavonistade - President-elect to cut ties with Xiaodong
• Bohemia - Terror attack shakes capital: Caliphate prime suspect

[Luziyca]

Opinion: A superpower's last gasp

Dorothy Vasiliev of the NLP

GIJIROKASTRA, F.C. - As I read the headlines, and read more and more of how Svensson is putting everything on the line to make sure that detente continues, even if it comes at the expense of our position as superpower, I am starting to feel that the Christian Republic is losing its position as a global superpower. With each passing day, Svensson has turned her back on what a real Luziycan leader is: willing to stand for the rights of the oppressed no matter where they stand.

It started with Svensson promising us the night of her election when she stated that she'd "make Luziyca a world peacekeeper, not a world police officer!" And since her election, we have witnessed Svensson dismantle our country from within, as she seeks to make Luziyca a world peacekeeper and an irrelevant power.

Under President Shjoraski, we were among the top tier of world powers: only Namor, Ainin, Vjaarland, and Tuthina could realistically rival us.

We stood for our principles and did what was right: while we did start detente with Namor under his administration, at least we did not allow Namor to trample the rights of our fellow citizens living in Nantai. We promised to protect Phikam no matter what the people chose, and did not interfere in any way whatsoever. And most importantly, we played a greater role on the world stage, helping Kraq combat The Caliphate, and maintaining close links with our fellow EU member-states.

Under Sera Svensson, we have allowed Namor to run roughshod over us and impose their will over Bethlehem. Svensson negotiated a secret agreement to start relations and give up the Phikamese Islands without consulting those who live there and who have opposed the annexation. While she has continued helping Kraq fight The Caliphate, she has thrown the EU into the fire in favor of greater cooperation with the member nations of the Esquarian Community.

Thus, as we approach our midterm Congressional elections this coming November, you must remember that under Sera Svensson's rule, she has transformed Luziyca from a first-rate power with its heart in Bethlehem, as well as the leader of the free world, into a weak country that only follows the orders of Namo, Huimont, Sakan, and Strandhavn.

I have high hopes that come these elections, the people will have spoken to demand change: to demand that Sera the Coward be held accountable for her actions that have saw the weakening of the Christian Republic at the expense of other great powers, especially the communistic dictatorship that has governed the People's Republic of Namor.

In other news

• Sjealand - Hovedstadens Tidende criticized after having a lot of poor spelling in its coverage of a massacre
• Bohemia - Communists adopt "syndicalism" after government change, Růžičková allegedly "dismissed"
• Riro - Katranjian government to cease assistance payments to Namo
• Nantai - Chief Executive demands "greater involvement" by Nantainese for their rights in Namor

[Luziyca]

Whigs table impeachment motion against President

President Sera Svensson

BETHLEHEM, F.C. - Today, Whig representative Zakari Kollerov tabled a motion of impeachment against President Sera Svensson, alleging her decision to transfer Nantai "without consulting the inhabitants of Nantai" and her recent controversial tweets to be "treasonous," and asked for referral to the House Judicial Committee.

At the House of Representatives, Kollerov stated that "in recent weeks, President Sera Svensson's actions has undermined Luziyca's role in global affairs, such as the Svensson doctrine and her plans to transfer Namor, regardless of whether the people of Nantai actually want to return to Namor or not. My decision to table this bill is not because I have a grudge against Svensson, but because I worry about the future of my fatherland."

The debate
As soon as the bill was tabled for first reading, significant murmuring occurred.

NLP leader Dorothy Vasiliev approved of the bill, and co-sponsored the bill, declaring that "for a long time, Svensson has undermined our credibility as a world power. She has ignored the will of the people, and has sought to only please the elites in Namo. We cannot, and we will not tolerate this any longer."

Meanwhile, Liberal representative Emilia Hallström defended Svensson, stating that "Svensson, in my opinion, has done the best she can, with the political situation that is currently unfolding in the world. She has done her best to try and ensure that the Christian Republic adapts to changing circumstances, what with the rise of Namor and the rise of Ankoren. It may not have been popular, but what she did was necessary for our survival."

The debate grew heated, with two representatives (one Liberal and one NLP) having to be dragged out after attempting to get into a fistfight. Order was called, and by around 1:00 pm, a vote was taken.

The votes
At 1:30 pm, after the conclusion of the votes, the results were as follows:

Liberals - 114 YEA, 252 NAY
Socreds - 125 YEA
Whigs - 78 YEA
CLP - 50 YEA
NLP - 6 YEA

Because 59.68% of the House of Representatives voted in favor of the measure, including all opposition parties and 114 Liberals, the motion is to be referred to the House Judiciary Committee for them to write up the articles of impeachment on President Svensson.

In other news

• Namor - President-General condemns Svensson's tweets, deems them "satirical at best"
• Petrea - Khabwa Refugee Camp subject to terrorist attack, Svensson pays condolences to the victims
• Bohemia - Civil war engulfs communistic dictatorship
• Luziycan Hyporian Territory - Symbol of the Demir Muhafız found carved into tree near Arslan's home, Yavaş confesses

[Luziyca]

Articles of impeachment passes committee

President Sera Svensson

BETHLEHEM, F.C. - Today, the impeachment motion requesting the removal of President Sera Svensson unanimously passed the House Judicial Committee, bringing one step closer to Sera Svensson's impeachment. In particular, the House Judicial Committee passed articles that would impeach her on the charges of "abuse of power" for her attempts to transfer Nantai to Namor without prior consultation of the citizenry of Nantai, as well as "severe violations of the constitution," in particular the Second Amendment.

Committee chairman Krister Järnefelt (from the Liberal Party) stated that "after over a week of discussions, we have decided on two articles of impeachment for the President. It was an agonizing process, but once we settled on those two charges, everyone was willing to co-operate."

The forty-one members of the Committee voted in favor of the articles of impeachment, with no abstentions, absences, or dissensions.

What next for the impeachment process
The House of Representatives will convene on the first of May to vote as a grand jury on the articles of impeachment. If the articles of impeachment pass, Sera Svensson would be impeached, and she will face trial by the Senate. Such a trial will likely begin at the earliest on the seventh of May.

While Sera Svensson has remained silent since the start of impeachment proceedings, many officials, both from the Liberal Party and from the opposition parties have insisted that she step down from the Presidency and allow Colin Hardage to become the new President. Already, rumors are spreading that if she does not resign, it will be very probable that she will be impeached, convicted, and stripped of the Presidency.

More as the story develops.

In other news

• Pavonistade - Whistleblower Kobi Aschan pardoned by Kal Simpsen
• Petrea - President el-Farha to announce "Unity Party," sparking criticism from opposition
• Bohemia - Secretary Alina Stasov recognizes Růžičková's government as "sole legitimate government" of Bohemia
• Irvadistan - Secretary Alina Stasov congratulates Irvadis on first free elections, but won't recognize the PAI until "Amin Kamel leaves Qufeira"

[Luziyca]

Svensson impeached!

President Sera Svensson

BETHLEHEM, F.C. - Today, the House of Representatives has passed the articles for impeachment of President Sera Svensson for her abuse of power and for her severe violations of the constitution. By a margin of 386 votes in favor against 127 votes against the motion, with zero abstentions or absences, Sera Svensson has become the first President of the Christian Republic to have ever been impeached.

The vote
Liberals - 239 NAY, 127 YEA
Socreds - 125 YEA
Whigs - 78 YEA
CLP - 50 YEA
NLP - 6 YEA

What does this mean for Svensson
As the first President in the country's history to have ever been impeached, this is not the exact end of her Presidency. She is still the official President until the Senate convicts her. However, the trial will only begin on the seventh of May, and because it is unknown how long it will take for the trial to go on, she will still be the President until the Senate has decided, by a 2/3rds majority, to convict her.

This could mean the trial may last until June or July.

However, for the first time since Svensson's impeachment motions began, President Svensson has announced a speech later tonight at 8:30 pm EST/WDT (9:30 pm NDT), concerning the impeachment.

More as the story develops.

In other news

• Irvadistan - Luqya liberated from the Caliphate by Ankoreni forces
• Pisdara - Riots tear country during May Day
• Namor - Official of the Namorese government warns that relations will not be sustainable if an agreement is not settled soon
• Bohemia - CENBA nations to send carrier groups to monitor the situation in Bohemia

[Luziyca]

Svensson holds conference, announces her intention to resign

President Sera Svensson

BETHLEHEM, F.C. - At 8:30 pm tonight, President Sera Svensson held a speech at the Presidential Palace, where she announced her intention to resign in the midst of the scandal produced by the Svensson Doctrine and her recent comments concerning Nantai. It was broadcast live on LRT and on radio.

Summary of the speech
The first four paragraphs of the speech summarized the factors that had motivated her to resign following her comments on Nantai and the Svensson Doctrine.

The fifth paragraph was when she formally expressed her intention to resign the office, stating "I hereby tender my resignation from the Presidency, and transfer all of its duties and responsibilities to Colin Hardage," before explaining to the reporters of her confidence in Colin Hardage's abilities to exercise the Presidency, citing his term as acting president during her hospitalization after the assassination attempt.

The next three paragraphs detailed what she felt she had accomplished during her term, and her hopes for the future.

Finally, the last two paragraphs summarized the entire speech, notably saying "I am resigning, because I do not want to burden myself, my family, and Congress with the coming trial that will result in my conviction if I stayed on to the bitter end and continued that fight."

What this means for the impeachment process
Because she has resigned, but already impeached, it is unclear if Congress still have jurisdiction on her.

Liberal Senator Karl Sobiesky stated that "I am skeptical that the Senate will be willing to try President Svensson. She has tendered her resignation, and I feel that because she is no longer in office, it is not in our best interests to try her."

In contrast, Whig Senator Matthiu Khloponin condemned Svensson's resignation, calling it a "despicable ploy to circumvent justice. The Whigs will fight to make sure that justice is delivered, for the sake of the people of Nantai."

Regardless, because the Liberals hold fifty-one seats in the Senate, it is likely that the Liberal-dominated Senate will not try her for her abuse of power and constitutional violations.

What this means for the nation
Because the Vice-President, Colin Hardage, will assume the title of President and all the responsibilities that come with it, including the nuclear briefcase, it will mean that Colin Hardage will be moving to the Presidential Palace and becoming the official representative of the Christian Republic on the world stage.

When Colin Hardage is sworn in tomorrow at noon, he will have to clean up the fallout from the debacle with Sera Svensson, reassure Kenyen that Luziyca will not give up Nantai, and reassure Namo that he is sincere with detente.

To that, we, the editors of The Constitution wish the best of luck for Colin Hardage and his administration.

In other news

• Irvadistan - Luqya liberated from the Caliphate by Ankoreni forces
• Pisdara - Riots tear country during May Day
• Namor - Official of the Namorese government warns that relations will not be sustainable if an agreement is not settled soon
• Bohemia - CENBA nations to send carrier groups to monitor the situation in Bohemia

[Luziyca]

President Hardage states that "it is time for a new approach"

President Colin Hardage en route to the Presidential Palace

BETHLEHEM, F.C. - After Colin Hardage was sworn in at noon, he held his first press conference. On the agenda was to have a "new approach on relations with Namor," to balance the interests of the People's Republic of Namor and the Christian Republic.

A new approach
As soon as the conference began, President Hardage told reporters that "it is clear that with the deterioration of detente between the People's Republic and the Christian Republic, it is time for a new approach to our relations with the People's Republic of Namor."

"My predecessor [Sera Svensson] has tried to strengthen detente, and to improve the relationship between the Christian Republic and the People's Republic," he stated. "However, in the process, she had inadvertently caused the creation of these tensions as she placed the interests of Namo above the interests of the people living in Nantai."

When asked by reporters if his administration had any plans to rearm Otekian separatists, Colin Hardage simply stated that "our government will not recognize any efforts to dislodge Namorese sovereignty in Txotai, and we will not provide any support to these organizations."

When asked by another reporter about the possibility of a future Nantainese referendum, Hardage said that "it will only be held under the conditions that both Namor and Luziyca agree to it, and that only residents of Nantai living in the area for at least ten years and over the age of eighteen may vote."

When the same reporter asked Hardage about Nantainese reunification with Namor, Colin Hardage stated that "it will only happen with the consent of Namo, and with the consent of the people living in the Republic of Nantai. We will not alienate the interests of the Nantainese just to satisfy the demands of Namo, nor shall we alienate the interests of Namo just to satisfy the Namophobes."

Appointments
Also on the agenda was a cabinet shuffle: Jan Kroon will become the Vice-President of Luziyca, meaning that Colin Hardage will have to appoint a new Secretary for the Department of Justice.

"I have worked with Jan Kroon during his term as the Secretary of Justice," Colin Hardage told the press. "Last night, I telephoned him and asked him if he wanted to become the Vice-President, and he said yes."

When asked on the replacement for Jan Kroon, Colin Hardage declared that "Milan Pichushkin will serve as acting secretary for the Department of Justice, due to his experience, both in criminal and in corporate law."

"His experience will bring a much needed breath of fresh air to the Department of Justice," he declared.

In other news

• Irvadistan - Aid begins to pour in to Luqya, Luziycan Red Cross to ship food, clothes, and infant formula to liberated city
• Kaona - Kaonese government to host an Alemannic base: germane to a democratic Phikam post-handover?
• Namor - All options on the table with Luziyca: is a Fourth Namo-Luziycan War inevitable?
• Nantai - Protesters disperse after the reassurances of President Colin Hardage

[Luziyca]

Secretary Novak to announce renewed offensive in Kraq

Secretary Juliana Novak

BETHLEHEM, F.C. - Secretary of the Department of Defense, Juliana Novak held a press conference today to announce a "massive boost to deploy more troops to the State of Kraq to combat the remnants of The Caliphate within the country in light of the liberation of Luqya by Ankoreni forces and out of concerns by some officials that Ankoren may take the opportunity to enter Kraq.

The conference
Secretary Juliana Novak expressed plans to deploy "ten additional brigades (40,000 troops) to the State of Kraq, in addition to the military presence that we already have had since the Shjoraski administration's decision to commence ground operations in Kraq [in 2015]."

"These brigades will be deployed over a period of three months, with the intention of deploying them in offensive roles to combat remaining areas that are still under the control of The Caliphate," she declared. "We seek to liberate these areas from the control of the Caliphate, and restore law and order to the Kraqi goverment [based in Ragobad]."

When asked by reporters if she will target Kraqi opposition forces, in addition to The Caliphate, Juliana Novak stated that "our utmost priority as of this time is to destroy all remaining Caliphate cells [within the State of Kraq]. We strongly urge the Kraqi government and all opposition forces to unite in a crusade against radical Islam, no pun intended."

When a reporter asked if the decision had any connection to the meeting between President of the Christian Republic and the Prime Minister of Ainin, Juliana Novak stated that "the meeting between President Hardage and Prime Minister Lotbinière helped us smooth out the rough edges for our intervention, and also resulted in an agreement to co-operate in Kraq."

Opinion poll
An opinion poll was done to calculate the support for Novak's decision to deploy ten brigades to Kraq to help crush the last remnants of The Caliphate and restore law and order to the troubled country.

The results are as follows:

• 65% agreed
• 21% have no opinion
• 14% disagreed

In other news

• Petrea - Petrean ambassador to Luziyca summoned over asset freezes
• Pavonistade - Pavon government to cut ties with Xiaodong, substantial protests
• Namor - Infrastructure Minister Lai Techin's arrest "unconstitutional"
• Pavonistade - Purity Congress legalized again: a victory for freedom-lovers everywhere

[Luziyca]

Patriots draw 1-1 with the Lions

The match

HWANGGUM, TOKSAN - At the first match of the eighth Chaska i Esquarium, our Patriotic lads tied the Nevans 1-1, when just seconds to go in the match, Edward Song scored a goal against the Nevans, resulting in the match ending in a draw.

The match
13 minutes in the first half, Niko Väisänen scored a goal against the Patriots. This immediately triggered an attempt at revenge: 18 minutes in, Mario Rusenov attempted to score a goal, but was blocked by Juho Väätäinen.

This sparked an attempt by the Lions to score a goal, when Tero Kolkkala tried to score a goal, but was blocked by Jung at the 22 minute mark. Jung then attempted to score a goal, but was blocked by Lauri Männikkö at the 25 minute mark.

Once the ball was passed to Ari Nurmela, he made a valiant attempt to try and break through the Patriotic defenses, but was stopped at the 27 minute mark by Song. Song took the opportunity to pass the ball to Sandra Todorov, and at the 29 minute mark, Sandra attempted to score a goal. It reached the net, but it ricocheted off of a goalpost.

By now, morale on both sides started to wear a bit thin, and there was no real serious attempts to try to score another goal on either side for the rest of the half. It ended with the Nevans leading 1-0.

The second half was much of the same, although at the 67 minute mark, Johannes Eklund attempted to break past the Patriotic defenses. Alas, the Lion failed to do so as Jung successfully prevented it from getting close enough to the goal.

Finally, at the 89 minute mark, after an uneventful second half, Song managed to break through the Nevan defenses, and managed to deliver a blow to the Lions, with just seconds left to spare.

The match ended with a 1-1 draw.

Analysis
Assistant Manager Barbara Schmidt said that "the Patriots have done their best against the Nevans. They've played their hardest against the Nevans, but the Nevans have a strong cohesion; a strong defense, and they have practiced incredibly well."

"While we have practiced pretty well, it was not enough to defeat the Nevans," she stated. "When we reach our next match [against Xiaodong], we will train harder in order to ensure that we will defeat Xiaodong."

In other news

• Senria - Could this be a concrete solution to climate change?
• Kinzeria - Vjaarlandic President issues ultimatum to Kinzerian government in response to terrorist attack
• Katranjiev - Communistic government issues recall over product that supposedly causes "trichiasis"
• Kraq - Defense Secretary apologizes for use of the term "crusade"

[Luziyca]

Patriots draw 1-1 with the Xiao

The match

HWANGGUM, TOKSAN - Despite the hopes for the Patriots to defeat the Xiaodongese team today, the Patriots have tied the match one to one, after Xiao forward Xi Chengji scored a goal with seconds left to go in the match.

The match
The match was initially uneventful at first. At the sixth minute, Kuang Biao attempted to score a goal against the Patriots, but was prevented from advancing far by James Rostov's defense. Rostov swiftly passed the ball to Tyrone Dobrev, and at the eighth minute, attempted to score a goal, but was repulsed by goalkeeper Shen Panmin. Shen passed the ball to Yu Xuesong, who then passed the ball towards Xi Chengji.

Xi attempted to score a goal ten minutes in, but was repulsed by James Rostov. Rostov then passed the ball over to Jung, who in turn passed it to Gregory Todorov. Todorov managed to score a goal at the twelve minute mark, causing great celebration among the Luziycan fans in the stands.

This greatly demoralized the Xiaodongese team, but in spite of this, Wang Jingjing passed the ball to forward Hu Youkang, who attempted to score a goal at the seventeen minute mark, but was repulsed by Patriot goalkeeper An Grigor. An passed the ball towards Andrei Rusik, who in turn passed it towards Song, who at the twenty-two minute mark attempted to score a goal, but was repulsed by Wang Jingjing, who seized control of the ball.

Jingjing passed the ball back to Xi Chengji, who at the twenty-eight minute mark attempted to score, but was prevented from doing so by A.B. Normal. Normal passed the ball to Sandra Todorov, who at the thirty minute mark made an attempt to score, but missed the goalposts by a mile. As a result, Duo Bingtian seized control of the ball, and passed the ball over to midfielder Qing Yuanchao. Yuanchao then passed the ball over to Kuang Biao, Biao attempted to score a goal at the thirty-six minute mark, before Mario Rusenov took control of the ball.

Rusenov attempted to score another goal at the forty-two minute mark, but was rebuffed by Yuanchao. Despite efforts by the Xiaodongese team to score another goal, the half ended before Chengji could score another goal. Thus, the half ended 1-0 in favor of the Patriots.

After the half resumed, the Luziycan Patriots and the Xiaodongese team became more resistant to attacks: despite efforts at the sixty-one minute mark by Xiao forward Xi Chengji and at the seventy-one minute mark by Tyrone Dobrev, there was little advancement until just seconds towards the end of the match, Xi Chengji managed to break through the Patriotic lines of defense, tying the match 1-1.

Analysis
Captain Jung told reporters that "while we have prepared hard in our fight against Xiaodong, we were amazed at how well the Xiaodongese were able to play. It is quite clear that we were in for a difficult match, and while it was quite fun and interesting, we have to improve our efforts if we want to have any chance of making it into the next round [of the CdE]."

"I have hopes that on our next match [against Lanos], we will be able to break out of our Group, and hopefully, we will make it all the way to the finals," Jung stated.

In other news

• Pisdara - Mashda Naram-Sin tables controversial citizenship bill and election bill
• Irvadistan - Elections in Irvadistan ruled "free and fair" by Elections Luziyca
• Kinzeria - Crethia and Pavonistade sides with Vjaarland, Ankoren and Austrosia against
• Interest rates - Federal interest rates lowered to 0.60%

[Luziyca]

CEO of PNK holds press conference following oil spill

Footage of the sinking MV PNK Nadezhni

FENIKSGRAD, PUSTINIA - A day after the sinking of the MV PNK Nadezhni, CEO Donna Shetsov held a press conference concerning the spill after the ship struck an islet 35 kilometers away from Aomoe in the Nordanian state of Campenia and Lorania. She confirmed that "all twenty-four crew members, as well as Captain Ågren are deceased."

The CEO told reporters that "Over the past day, Pustinia Neftnaya Kompaniya has been working tirelessly to ensure a rapid response to this disaster to minimize the damage to the Lazarene Sea, both in terms of the damage to its ecology, and to minimize the risks that the oil spill will damage the economies within the basin. Our goal is to stop the leak from the PNK Nadezhni, and to clean up the surrounding area in an efficient manner to ensure a return to normalcy for those living in the Lazarene Sea region."

"To the friends and relatives of those who have lost their lives in this senseless tragedy, the company sends our condolences for their losses, and we shall provide generous compensation to the families of those who have lost their lives," she stated. "We will start an investigation as soon as possible over the cause of the collision of the MV PNK Nadezhni with the islet, in order to provide closure not just to the friends and families of the victims, but also to the fishermen whose livelihoods have been damaged by this spill."

Summary
The ship departed from San Tommaso in Lombardia, and was to transport 2.2 million barrels of crude oil to the port of Wéppy in Campenia and Lorania.

Records from the San Tommaso Port Authority show that the MV PNK Nadezhni left San Tommaso on its planned 12,248 kilometer journey on June 19th, 2017, and that according to the records, there was "no sign of physical damage to the MV PNK Nadezhni," although they did report that Captain Segol Ågren, an experienced captain had fifty bottles of whiskey brought onto the boat, although it is unclear whether it was for him or for the crew members.

More as the story develops.

In other news

• Rifat - Civil war underway
• Aucuria - Aucurian capital city of Kartupelis preparing to host fourth Esquarian summit: here is what you need to know
• Pavonistade - Government to announce referendum to leave the EC
• Ankoren - What Ankoreni-Irvadi unification will mean for you

[Luziyca]

Government urges Mazaristan and UNIR to sort out their differences

Alina Stasov at a press conference

BETHLEHEM, F.C. - Today, news broke of Mazari shells hitting positions in northern Irvadistan, killing three people, resulting in the United Nautasian Islamic Republic firing upon Mazari positions. In light of growing concerns about escalations between the United Nautasian Islamic Republic and the State of Mazaristan, Secretary Alina Stasov of the Department of Foreign Affairs held a press conference concerning the recent incidents.

She stated that "the allegations that the Mazari government have engaged in war crimes against the Druze is a concerning matter, and so have the recent allegations that they have fired shells into the Nautasian Union."

"The Luziycan government has been shocked by these allegations, and would like to remind our counterparts in Jalawla that attempts at aggression against its neighbors, especially in light of the vulnerable security situation inside Mazaristan, will only result in serious harm to the State of Mazaristan, and if it is proven beyond a reasonable doubt by neutral observers that Mazaristan has been conducting such aggression, we will not provide any support to the government."

She added that "Likewise, any unprovoked attack on Mazaristan. as proven by neutral observers, shall be met with proportionate and appropriate defense by our troops stationed in Mazaristan."

"Therefore, the Christian Republic strongly urges both countries to agree to a ceasefire along the Nautasian-Mazari border, and to cooperate on removing the last remnants of The Caliphate from both Mazaristan and UNIR."

When asked how it will affect trade with UNIR, Stasov stated that "it remains in our interests to maintain good diplomatic relations with both the United Islamic Nautasian Republic, and the State of Mazaristan. However, recent tensions between the two states are seriously testing our ability to continue cooperation with these two states, combined with our obligations to both UNIR and to our allies in Huimont and other countries."

In other news

• Saheil - Investigation to be wrapped up
• Kaona - Myarrese government condemns Kadawist suppression
• Karazawa - Is war between Karazawa and Alemannia inevitable?
• UNIR - Arrests made after molotov cocktails thrown at Aininian and Namorese embassies

[Luziyca]

Glaring red flag over Phikam

Fireworks at a Buddhist temple, Songchin

SONGCHIN, KAONA - Today, the last possession of Luziyca's colonial empire, the Dominion of Caona, had been relinquished when at midnight Kaonese Summer time (7 pm in Bethlehem), the Luziycan and Dominion flags were lowered for the last time, and then the Kaonese and Phaonamese flags were raised.

The ceremony
The ceremony began at 11:30 pm Kaonese Summer Time (6:30 pm Bethlehem) at the Songchin Convention Centre, when President Damir Agapov of the Christian Republic delivered his speech, declaring that tonight is a night of celebration, not sorrow.

Agapov's speech went on to praise the positive contributions of Luziyca to Phikam, but also criticized the negative contributions, such as racist policies. He also reiterated the promises made by his predecessor, President Sera Svensson, that they will maintain their autonomy and capitalist economy for the next fifteen years.

Following Agapov's speech, troops from the Caonese-Luziycan Regiment and incoming Kaonese troops marched onto the stage. Six troops: three per nation, with one representing the Armies, Navies, and Air Forces of each country then marched unto the stage: the Kaonese troops carrying the Kaonese flag. This was followed by six Phikamese police officers: three to represent the incoming administration, and carrying the Phaonamese flag, with the other three representing the outgoing administration.

At exactly 11:59 pm, after having attached the Kaonese and Phaonamese flags to the flagpoles, the Luziycan and Dominion flags were lowered for the last time to the tune of the Luziycan national anthem, Hymni Luziyca.

It was followed at 12:00 am by the raising of the Kaonese and the Phaonamese flags, to the tune of the Anti-Imperialist March.

After the Luziycan troops and the three "Phikamese policemen" detached the flags of Luziyca and the former Dominion, both troops marched off, in time for a speech by the First Secretary of the Kaonese People's Union, Yuttapong Rakkiatgym. Rakkiatgym declared the handover of the Phikamese archipelago "a historic triumph of the people's will over imperialism, of socialism over capitalism and of dignity over slavery."

At 12:15 am (7:15 pm Bethlehem time), following the end of the ceremony, Damir Agapov bid farewell to the citizens of Phikam at the Songchin International Airport. He, as well as other Luziycan officials, flew back to Bethlehem on a chartered Air Luziyca flight.

Reactions
There have been news of celebrations: according to the state-owned newspaper Thng Daeng, 500,000 residents of the archipelago were on the streets celebrating the transfer of sovereignty with street parties and parades. However, the actual figure is likely to be much lower than that.

However, there were some protests on September 4th: as it was Remembrance Day on the islands, commemorating the Phuko Ceasefire that put a halt to the Kaonese War for six decades, many activists and opponents to the Kaonese regime protested against the impending handover, and concerns that their civil and political rights would be further eroded than they already had been under former Prime Minister and Governor-General Kriangsak Pukkavesh, who seized power after the tidal wave this past summer.

Meanwhile, back in Luziyca, leader of the NLP, Dorothy Vasiliev said that the "move to transfer Phikam to a communist dictatorship was the gravest mistake that could possibly be made," and stated that the Kaonese will have no intentions on keeping their end of the bargain.

Regardless, we at The Constitution wish the best of luck to all Phikamese in these trying times.

In other news

• Narmada - Government to not negotiate with Xiaodong
• Karazawa - De Mona elected Chairman of the Southern Nordanian Alliance
• Siphria - Two Luziycan dead after suicide bombing at temple
• Namor - Over 10,000 people declared dead from the tidal wave