International Association of News Media | News Feed

[South Olpen]

INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF NEWS MEDIA
Welcome to the IANM discussion and application thread!

The International Association of News Media is an association of major news media publications. The association was made on the 31st of December of 2035, and stemmed from the Association for all Olpenese, a joint bloc of Olpenese news organizations, especially regarding interviews.

The group will cover costs of publishing and promoting the news papers, in exchange for a small fee. The IANM will also be responsible for creating an archive of issues from news publications for the public consumption. This will come in the form of a multilingual, free website.

There are two possible ranks of publications in the IANM. The first and more involved is Associate. Associate publications may post on the public newsfeed and be covered in terms of promotion and publishing of their papers. They will also have the rights of Verified Publications. Verified Publications may put an IANM seal of approval on their papers, this will show they are an unbiased an legitimate news organization.

To be accepted for either rank, a publication must be verified and checked to be unbiased and neutral, or at least label when they are openly. Government operated publications will be rejected (ie: North Korean or Chinese news), this said publications which are government promoted or funded (ie: BBC) are allowed.

This website is too be used to openly broadcast the feed of approved member publications. If the IANM see fit, a member organization could be banned from publishing. All member organizations are expected to be fair and respectful.

[South Olpen]

The Sezonian Telegram
The Nation's Finest News l March 15th, 2036

Sicilian Times Sues Patriots Army for Defamation
By Julius "Nothing bad ever happened to the Ceasers" Ceaser
The Sicilian Times, a center right Meretican newspaper, has announced they will be suing The Patriots Army, a far right nationalist conspiracy pamphlet, and Alex Jones, the owner and sole employee of TPA, for a combined total of 1.9 trillion dollars. This comes in the aftermath of a flame war between the two publications on the issue of Olpenese monuments in Meretica, in which The Patriots Army repeatedly falsified statements made by the Sicilian Times and there authors.

In a press conference, Alan Dunceowitz Esquire, chief lawyer for the Sicilian Times, said abou the case, "We're expecting this to be a relatively easy victory," and "Alex Hones is getting what's coming to him." The Sicilian Times support in South Olpen is fair, being brought down slightly due to the articles on Olpenese memorials in Meretica, especially when compared to the Patriots Times.

The Patriots Army has not yet made a statement on the matter, but Alex Jones (@AlexJones.TPA) has posted an image of ripped up legal papers, suspected to be a summons or notification regarding the case, with the caption, "[w]on't meet the bastards." If the papers are indeed legal papers, it is likely Mr. Jones will be held in contept of court. Despite this, though, he has declared that he will be counter suing.

If it enters Olpenese courts, it is likely that the case will see victory, if not in the amount. It is suggested that for the nine (9) articles published attacking the Times, 14 billion dollars could be awarded in non economic damages.

Fascist and Nazi Protest, Counter Protest in Scezonia
By Prime Minister Trudeau
The Olpenese fascsist group known as the Parti des États confédérés (Party of the Confederate State, referring to the short lived rebellion known as the Confederate States of South Olpen) have illegally protested, rioted in Scezonia today. THe protests quickly devolved into violence, including the murder of a riot agent. The Society for a Civilized South Olpen have legally counter protested, this, however, remained totally peaceful.

The PCS members involved in the riot have all been arrested for there part in the acts, not least of which involve up to one thousand (1,000) dollars in property damage and abbeding the murder of T. L. Nichen, the murdered riot officer.

The riot was initially a protest regarding the raised healing on immigrant and refugee allowance. This sparked outcry from many far-right groups, and chief among them were the PCS. They called for a protest, and secretly asked all members to being automatic rifles in “defense.” The illegal weapons were then given to ex-military members.

The counter-protest was started in opposition to the PCS, and specifically the governments incompetence in arresting them. This group rightfully requested a license for the protest, and they were quickly approved. The mayor of Scexonia, Adam Richardson, called in the City Militia to defend the protesters.

Calls for President DuBois’ Impeachment in Meretican Senate
By Mike Och
Senator Schumer, leader of the Conservative Party of Meretica, has attempted to begin the process of impeachment for the president of Meretica, Francis DuBois. A recent article in the Mereteican Herald has accused him of embezzling government funds for his own personal use. He is also being accused of murder, bribing several Senators, blackmailing several high-ranking officers in the Meretican Bureau of Investigation to not investigate him, profiting off the Second Dragonheart War, aiding and abetting the regicide of House Organa, and illegally using campaign funds to pay for lawsuits.

The most shocking of these claims is of curse his accused involvement in the regicide of the House Organa, and other murders. Because of these claims as well a ones of the Dragonheart War, it has been decided that, if allowed, the SSD will cooperate and help the MBI or any independent committee set up to investigate.

Analysts doubt the impeachment will even go to a vote due to the Federalists large majority in the Senate, and doubt even more that it would be approved. It is doubted even that he would be impeached if the accusations were proven, to an extent, specifically if it was proven he only profited on the Second Dragonheart War.

The Liberal Communist Party has not made a definitive statement of support for either Sen. Schumer or Pres. Dubois. In a regular press conference, LibCom Jr. Press Secretary Andrew Ging said, “[w]e are grateful to the Meretican Herald either way. We are glad to see many people attempting to find the unbiased truth. We also very much hope this is not true, however. Quite simply, we wish only to find the truth.

Special: An Unbiased View of the Galapagos
By Professor Harriot Yunion
The Galapagos Civil War is certainly a situation in which not many are fair. The defacto GLA propaganda arm, The Galapagos Times can’t help but too spread mistruths about the actions of the coalition, consisting of S. Olpen and SM, as well as their reasoning. On the contrary, however, Marajarbian coverage can easily be seen as propagandistic, with the clear intent of fueling hate against the GLA and encouraging often ready tourism. The purpose of this review is too simply provide a fair view. We will not present the equally if they aren’t, but we will leave political and national interests behind ole trying to fairly understand the reasoning and actions of both the Galapagos Liberation Army and the SM-SO coalition.

We will begin with who are often presented as the villains, or at least the worse group, that being the GLA. Their actions are very often despicable, and I will not try to defend them. They have, on multiple occasions admitted to the brutal torture and murder of coalition soldiers. They have also openly used chemical weapons multiple times, mainly on civilians that just happen to be in coalition territory. They have openly accepted support from numerous fascist and authoritarian regimes, not least of which Oceania. When given the chance, they have proven they will go as far as getting revenge on civilians, via nuclear means if necessary, even when it is not nurturing there goal, regressing it even by enraging the attacked nations. These actions, while both despicable and deadly, are in service of a not objectively while goal. That goal being to liberate the Galapagos from the admittedly harsh coalition occupation it has been put under. Under closer inspection though, it appears that this would be in the self-interest of the GLA. Documents and statements all but say that the GLA’s ideal Galapagos would be a dictatorship regularly murdering immigrants, while possibly engaging in a bloody and fruitless campaign against the coalition.

Next are the supposedly liberty-loving coalition troops and nominally government, as well as the individual governments themselves. Their actions are much less cruel but still murky for a professional army of a democratic state. They quickly suspended multiple civil liberties, such as the liberty to information, the liberty of movement, and the liberty to assemble. They established POW camps which also served as forced re-education centers. These camps practically stole soldiers from there families, many of whom were young and simply misguided. They have, on several occasions, undoubtedly tampered with the free press to paint the Galapagos as a good location, indubitably leading to the deaths of there own citizens. We would be remiss to fail to mention recent Lakan intervention in the area. This action is very much like to support Oceania to the GLA. Many elite special forces units burned numerous areas in the interest of combat efficiency, and they most certainly committed and will commit many war crimes. They are doing and allowing these actions to occur in the interest of their goal, that being the containment of terrorism and the creation of a new, prosperous Galapagos (that just so happens to be a close ally of the coalition) that may help the globe in many situations while being economically successful.

In the end, I will not tell you which side to support. I, in my own opinion, find myself agreeing with the methods of the coalition (Laka notwithstanding), while weakly sympathizing with the cause of the GLA. If I’m forced to choose, I’m confident I would support the coalition. Both sides, however, are largely bad, but I feel we can agree that the GLA is worse. Thank you for reading.

[South Olpen]

The Construction City Daily
News, For You | March 28th, 2036

Chamber Minister Neuville Creates Ministerial Oversight Bureau
By Joesph Standle
The Chamber Minister has signed Ministerial Act B-213, named by officials the Ministerial Oversight Act last evening. The act provides 3.4 million dollars (out of the Ministerial Spending Budget) to a newly formed Ministerial Oversight Bureau. The Bureau will serve as a constant impeachment committee for the Chamber Minister, and will incessantly watch, monitor, and grade the actions of the Chamber Minister, as well as monitor suspicious that could merit an investigation by the Senatorial Investigation Agency.

Initially championed as a bill by the Chamber Minister Jordan, the MOA was fast-tracked following multiple scandals regarding illegal activities of the Meretican President F. DuBois. It was deemed important that such a scandal must be prevented before it happens. The bill will still enter congress, but MA B-213 will institute the act beforehand.

Bureau membership is currently being decided. The Bureau will be formed of influential journalists, opposition Senators, multiple lawyers and legal scholars, and a vast array of other groups. The Bureau will have a leadership committee of 33, and agents will be taken from investigative services in the nation as required by the Bureau.

This is a very rare time bipartisan agreement, with even the Republicans hailing it as a “great marker of success for the nation.” The Chamber Minister has started that “[he] is very proud of the bipartisan support, and [he] believes it’s a great time to be Olpenese, ” he also said “[he] is happy to be investigated, and hopes that nobody takes this as an insincere act meant for my own gain.”

Family of MoC Jordan Humbly Declines Becoming Meretican Aristocrats
By Marcus Dunham
In an official statement by the Jordan Family, Mrs. Charlene Jordan humbly declined an offer by HM, King Organa of Meretica, as well as the Senate and RAB to be given both a totalMere and an estate in Meretica. Her decision was likely influenced greatly by pressures from the government, specifically the Senate Commission on Meretican Relations and the current Chamber Minister.

In her statement, she had this to say for her reasoning, “We appreciate the offer greatly, and is honored by the proposal, but must humbly decline. It is not what Damien would have wanted. He believed he did nothing noble, honorable even, but instead he was just doing his duty. And if he didn’t see himself as noble, than we are truly nothing. As well, the family has collectively decided we will not move from our Scezonian brownbrick, and I see it disloyal to have an estate in absence.”

The Chamber Minister and the government has come out in support of this saying, “While we are great allies and friends of Meretica, it is not the place of the Olpenese to have power there, ceremonial or not. We are sure that the Jordan Family is very content in this decision.”

Despite rejecting the original offer, the Jordan family has decided to move towards duel citizenship. They will not move, but they will still exercise the duties of a citizen, including paying taxes, staying informed, and perhaps even voting. They have applied for citizenship, and are studying for the citizenship test.

Sicilian Times-Patriots Army Case to Begin Soon
By Harriot Squnder
The suit by the Meretican center right newspaper Sicilian Times against the far-right conspiracist “news” pamphlet the Patriots Army is currently raging. The court case will begin on the 5th of April in this year. The case, launched over appellant defamation, has sparked coverage and outrage from both sides of the political spectrum.

The Times is still expected to win, but they will get significantly less than the original paperwork asked for, going down from 1.9 trillion dollars (including legal fees) to 14-16 million dollars. Of this, the Times could receive 1.5-2 million dollars before the Patriots Army defaults and Mr. Alex Jones declares bankruptcy. It is unknown if, and who will pay the remainder.

Regardless, TPA will still have to shut down, and Mr. Jones will likely not have the funds to restart it. The Patriots Army has declared that, “the truth will always get out, with or without us! Also buy Patriots Supplements, only 18.99 a gram.” Reportadky, many other far right newspapers have offered him a job, with some going so far as asking him to take control.

Mr. Jones is currently under house arrest for contempt of court. This is as he has admitted to ripping up numerous court summons, and it is also suspected that he was tampering with evidence as their website is having long-lasting “technical difficulties.” Mr. Jones is suspected to be only fined for this, but it is possible even that he could be arrested for up to six months.

Growing Support for Leaving Galapagos
By Michelle Jones
There appears to be growing support for leaving the Galapagos. Recent polls suggest that 24% of the population supports total or majority military withdrawal from the Galapagos. This is still a paltry amount when compared to the 76% who wish to continue military operations, but it has spiked from 13% at the beginning of the year. As well, multiple politicians and military officers agree with this stance.