Radio Ad’ihan International domestic and world headlines

[Adihan]

Grévoie hits out at ruling Greens over French issues

Modna Nord, GRAND ISLAND, June 11, 2152— The secretary-general of the Francophone Party (PFA), Jean Grévoie, today blasted the governing Green Ad’ihan party for their lack of a Francophone Affairs representative in government.

General Grévoie, speaking at an election rally outside the party's headquarters in Modna Nord, told a gathered crowd of nearly 6,000 in French that the government's lack of a spokesman for francophone issues was a "sign that you should not trust them to have your interests at heart". Gen. Grévoie said that the three ministers of French origin in the current cabinet were "ineffective" at dealing with the francophone electorate, suggesting that they had "failed in their duty to champion the interests of our people" in Parliament.

Gen. Grévoie added that Green Ad’ihan's policies did not allow French people to succeed "to the best of their ability", often leaving them "lying in the lurch" until rescued by the state welfare program.

His remarks were rejected by the government's highest-ranking francophone, the Environment and Energy Resources Secretary Pierre Guingamp, who pointed out that Gen. Grévoie had made it to five-star rank in the armed forces and was the country's top military man as chief of the armed forces until he quit to form the PFA. Mr Guingamp told RAI Français that the general "should not forget his own high-ranking previous occupation before espousing lofty ideals for the country's French people".

Separately, Gen. Grévoie said he would not be willing to be part of any coalition government even if the PFA's candidates are all elected to Parliament, which would seriously hamper negotiations for the party with the most seats should they not be able to win a majority. The PFA have put forward 54 candidates to contest in four counties—12 (out of a possible 19) in the Southern Zone Autonomous Region; a full slate of 16 in Daniels County; 14 (out of a possible 25) in Frontier County; and 12 (out of a possible 16) in Airport County—and are widely expected to elect at least 30 MPs in the upcoming polls.

With 260 seats at stake, 131 seats will be needed to form a new government. Six parties or groupings are contesting the polls. They are Green Ad’ihan (contesting all 260 seats); the Ad’ihan Conservatives (260); the Democracy and Action Party (155); the Alliance of Parties for Ad’ihani Democracy (130); the PFA (54); and the Nationalist Party (14). The Réseau marxiste, or Marxist Network, had intended to field six candidates but were disqualified by the Elections Commission. In each constituency/county, if any party receives a vote total that would translate to more seats than the number of candidates fielded, they will only win the number of seats equal to the number of candidates fielded, with any extra seat returning to the pool. Each party must receive a vote share of at least 7% in each county to be eligible for a seat, meaning that in counties electing 16, 19 or 25 MPs, receiving less than 7% of the vote will not get a party elected, even though mathematically it would otherwise result in at least one seat.

[Adihan]

Tilson ups stakes, vows to quit if Tories lose seats

Flitton, GRAND ISLAND, June 13, 2152-- Conservative party chief Paul Tilson has vowed to step down as the Tory leader if his party fails to make any parliamentary gains in next Wednesday's election.

Mr Tilson's Conservatives are looking to improve on their current 66 seats in Parliament, and have repeatedly attacked the current Financial Affairs secretary Francis Sevillon in their campaign advertisements in a bid to rouse voter discontent with the poor state of the economy.

The Tories' shadow justice secretary, Klaus Petersen, has also made rally speeches in the Southern Zone Autonomous Region accusing the ruling Green Ad'ihan of negligence in handling the case of a then-14 year old boy who was sentenced to adult prison two years ago, sparking deadly riots in Altsend.

Mr Tilson, speaking to reporters today in Flitton while on the campaign trail after the publication of a new Islands Daily-Comsat opinion poll showing a net gain of up to 25 seats across the islands, said he was "encouraged" by voters' response.

"What we are seeing is an increasing dislike of the Greens in power. People realise that they made a mistake two years ago when they gave the Greens a majority government, and there is ever-increasing resentment at the state our country is in.

"I have told the party's CEB (central executive board) that as such, I will tender my resination as secretary-general if we fail to improve on our 66 seats from last time. I believe that with the move to proportional representation across the country, we will see a swing against the Greens enough to put them out of government."

When asked about legislation pushed through in an April parliamentary session before elections were called which legalised homosexual adoption and gave gay couples equal parenthood rights as heterosexual couples, Mr Tilson said that despite there being a split in his party on the issue, he would not be pushing for a repeal if elected.

"The Ad'ihan Conservatives stand firstly for equality of man, and secondly for conservative principles. While I respect the existence of a large minority of the party opposed to this legislation, there is no way I will allow a repeal bill through if I am elected prime minister," he said.

[Adihan]

RAI News election shorts
June 16, 2152
APAD; DAP agree to push for longer terms

CITY OF AD’IHAN— Leaders from the APAD political grouping and Democracy and Action Party (DAP) have signed a memorandum of understanding to extend parliamentary term limits from the current three years to four.

The Alliance of Parties for Ad’ihani Democracy, made up of three left-of-centre parties, and the right-leaning DAP agreed that while the two blocs would "in all likelihood" never agree to form a government together, both would pool parliamentary votes to force through legislation seeking a term extension if they win enough seats. APAD chairman and former prime minister John Baines said the agreement marked a "significant milestone" in relations between left- and right-of-centre parties in Ad’ihan, which have been strained since independence.

Stewart promises Cabinet shakeup
Sémoy, BARRIER ISLAND— Prime minister James Stewart has promised to "radically refresh" his Cabinet if his Green Ad’ihan party is returned to power with a majority on Wednesday.

Speaking at an election rally in the town of Sémoy in Coastal County, Mr Stewart acknowledged growing dissatisfaction over the ruling party's policies and gave his strongest hint yet that Financial Affairs Secretary Francis Sevillon—attacked by many opposition parties as the reason for the nation's dire economic situation—would find himself in a different portfolio come July 1, the date by when the new prime minister must nominate his Cabinet.

"We are not averse to change. We have seen and heard the sentiment on the ground and recognise that a number of our policies, especially regarding finance, have not been well-received," Mr Stewart said. "If you re-elect us to form the next government, I will ensure a radically refreshed Cabinet able to serve the people of Ad’ihan."

Tory leader Paul Tilson reacted by pointing out the Greens' broken promises from the 2150 elections.

Grévoie says military draft "not essential"
Modna Nord, GRAND ISLAND— General Jean Grévoie, the former head of Ad’ihan's military and the leader of the Party for Francophones of Ad’ihan (PFA), has publicly stated for the first time his opposition to a military draft, which the Ad’ihani Conservatives and Democracy and Action Party (DAP) both support.

The matter is an election hot issue for the second straight poll in a row, but this is the first time such a high-ranking member of the armed forces has spoken out against it. Gen. Grévoie issued a statement through his party that he and the PFA "categorically reject the notion that a military draft is essential to our islands' defence", saying he saw no issues as chief that suggested a draft was required.

"A military draft is not essential for our armed forces and Ad’ihan's military must remain purely voluntary," the statement added.

Latest opinion poll numbers
CITY OF AD’IHAN— Latest opinion poll numbers show an overall national negative vote swing against the Greens, although this has been dismissed by analysts and party insiders as francophone votes lost to the new Party for Francophones of Ad’ihan (PFA).

In an average of three nationwide opinion polls, one commissioned each by the Greens and Conservatives and one by RAI, the Greens look set to win a national vote share of 32%, with the Tories trailing behind at 23%, the Alliance of Parties for Ad’ihani Democracy at 16%, Democracy and Action Party at 13%, the PFA at 10%, and the Nationalist Party at 6%. However, not all the surveys did not take into account how many candidates were standing for each party in each county.

The only truly representative and accurate poll, commissioned by RAI News and executed by Comsat, suggested the Greens will win a strong majority in its traditional four power base districts of the City of Ad’ihan, where 14 MPs will be elected from each district. The analysis has the Greens taking up to 33 of the 56 seats on offer in the region, with the Tories at 14, the APAD at 5, and the DAP at 4. However, the poll suggests the Greens will lose a large amount of the French vote in Grand Island to the PFA, which is running all 54 of its candidates in that region. The Comsat/RAI poll shows a gain of 23 seats for the PFA, which is under the 30 the party has publicly targetted.

In Barrier Island, the Comsat/RAI poll suggests the APAD—the three constituent parties of which are all based in Modna South—will do well, possibly winning up to 40 seats, above the 35 that the alliance's secretary-general Sandy Welsh has said it is aiming to win.

[Adihan]

Final day of campaigning ahead of key vote
CITY OF AD’IHAN, June 20, 2152— Six political parties are conducting their last day of nationwide campaigning in Ad’ihan ahead of tomorrow's general election, the country's third parliamentary vote since independence five years ago.

Prime minister James Stewart is facing his first electoral contest as the Green Ad’ihan leader since coming to office, having been party deputy secretary-general during the last election in 2150 in which the Greens won a majority in Parliament. Mr Stewart's Greens and the main opposition Conservatives, led by Paul Tilson, are the only parties to be contesting for all 260 available seats in Parliament.

Early analysis suggests the Greens will lose a number of seats in Parliament, although analysts are split over whether the Greens will lose enough seats to be forced out of power. A key election issue remains the state of the country's economy, with Finance Secretary Francis Sevillon receiving the bulk of opposition ire during the campaign. This has drawn comparisons to the first post-independence polls in 2148, when the then-Minister of State for the Treasury, Javier Fuego, was the aim of opposition parties for allegedly defaming the Conservative economic spokesman Trevor Donaldson.

Mr Donaldson, now a senior economic policy advisor to Mr Tilson, says the Greens' mismanagement of the country's finances had gone on for long enough and people are finally ready to vote for change. "The tide is swinging against the Greens, and James Stewart knows it. There's no other reason why he would have to make defensive promises like he did in Sémoy on Friday."

Details of tomorrow's polls:
Polling stations are open from 7 am to 9 pm.
Vote counting begins at 9:15 pm.
Party list proportional representation is being used in all counties. 14 MPs will be elected from each district in the City of Ad’ihan; 19 from the Southern Zone Autonomous Region; 25 from Flitton County and 16 from each remaining county, for a total of 260 MPs. A minimum vote total of 7 percent must be achieved to win a seat in each county. As less than 7 per cent of the vote is required to win seats in all but the four City of Ad’ihan districts, parties failing to win the required 7 per cent will forfeit the seat they would have otherwise won.
For electoral purposes, Caernvill Point residents are considered constituents of Frontier County.

County-level breakdown by number of seats contested per party:
City of Ad’ihan
District 1 (elects 14 MPs): GA 14; AC 14; DAP 8; APAD 5
District 2 (14 MPs): GA 14; AC 14; DAP 7; APAD 5
District 3 (14 MPs): GA 14; AC 14; DAP 7; APAD 5
District 4 (14 MPs): GA 14; AC 14; DAP 8; APAD 5; NP 1
Total (56 MPs): GA 56; AC 56; DAP 30; APAD 20; NP 1

Barrier Island
Navon County (16 MPs): GA 16; AC 16; APAD 16; NP 1
Dalinn County (16 MPs): GA 16; AC 16; APAD 16; NP 1
Barrier County (16 MPs): GA 16; AC 16; APAD 16
Coastal County (16 MPs): GA 16; AC 16; APAD 16; NP 1
Harley County (16 MPs): GA 16; AC 16; APAD 16; DAP 1; NP 1
Total (80 MPs): GA 80; AC 80; APAD 80; DAP 1; NP 4

Grand Island
Frontier County (25 MPs): GA 25; AC 25; DAP 25; PFA 14; APAD 7; NP 2
Daniels County (16 MPs): GA 16; AC 16; DAP 16; PFA 16; APAD 4; NP 1
Airport County (16 MPs): GA 16; AC 16; DAP 16; PFA 12; APAD 2; NP 2
Central County (16 MPs): GA 16; AC 16; DAP 16; APAD 6
Rovers County (16 MPs): GA 16; AC 16; DAP 16; APAD 4; NP 1
President's County (16 MPs): GA 16; AC 16; DAP 16; APAD 2; NP 1
Southern Zone (19 MPs): GA 19; AC 19; DAP 19; PFA 12; APAD 5; NP 4
Total (124 MPs): GA 124; AC 124; DAP 124; PFA 54; APAD 30; NP 11

Total number of candidates per party (260 MPs): GA 260; AC 260; DAP 155; APAD 130; PFA 54; NP 16
*Green Ad’ihan (GA); Ad’ihan Conservatives (AC); Democracy and Action Party (DAP); Alliance of Parties for Ad’ihani Democracy (APAD); Parti pour les francophones d'Ad’ihan (PFA); Nationalist Party (NP)

[Adihan]

Elections Commission orders Grand Island recount, results delayed

Modna Nord, GRAND ISLAND, June 22, 2152-- Final results of yesterday's general election may be delayed for up to three days, the Elections Commission has said.

It said at least three parties had requested an official recount of votes in Grand Island, which means no results from the region can be released until a full recount is completed and certified by the Elections Commission.

It is widely understood that the ruling Greens are one of the parties involved, following poor results in the City of Ad'ihan and Barrier Island where the party has won only 51 of the 136 seats available, far lower than the at least 65 expected.

The Geens only managed to win 22 seats in the capital region, and even lost the popular vote in District 1 to the Conservatives. The Democracy and Action Party did better than expected with 10 seats from the region.

In Barrier Island, the Greens scraped a narrow popular vote victory of less than 15,000 votes over the Alliance of Parties for Ad'ihani Democracy, losing two of the five counties to the APAD, placing third behind the Conservatives in these counties. The APAD took 27 seats from the region, under the 35 it was aiming for as the Tories managed to win 23 seats.

The Tories and DAP, former allies in opposition, are expected to be the other two parties challenging the Grand Island results. The DAP has the most to gain, with the new proportional representation system meaning they should improve greatly on their current 16 seats before dissolution.

[Adihan]

BREAKING NEWS

Greens lose 23 seats, majority

CITY OF AD'IHAN, June 24, 2152-- The Greens have officially been returned as the largest Parliamentary bloc, although the party has lost its majority.

Elections Commission returning officer Eamon O'Callaghan made the announcement of finalised Grand Island results today, showing that Green Ad'ihan had picked up 46 seats in Grand Island for a total of 97 MPs in the third Parliament.

The Conservatives again emerged as the strongest opposition party, winning 80 seats, a gain of 14. The party fell short in Barrier Island, coming only third, missing out on a chance to overcome the Greens. They were displaced in Barrier Island by the Alliance of Parties for Ad'ihani democracy, whose 27 seats in the region was enough to push them to third overall nationwide with 41 seats, despite having only the fifth-best popular vote share.

The Democracy and Action Party finished third in the popular vote, but won only 26 seats, making it the fourth-largest party in Parliament, while the Francophone Party won election for 14 of its 56 candidates. The Nationalists were the only party other than the Greens to suffer a loss, losing one elected MP to finish with two.

Immediate post-election politicking now turns to orming the next government. The Greens' natural allies, the APAD, have enough seats to form a majority coalition. However, prime minister James Stewart will be wary of making a deal with the party that led the last short-lived non-Green government which collapsed after the Greens withdrew support.

The opposition also do not have enough eats between them to form a like-minded government, although if in the unlikely event political leanings are put aside, Tory leader Paul Tilson would be the most likely candidate to be prime minister.

The third and most likely option would see Mr Stewart lead a minority government, with perhaps the offer of one or two minor Cabinet positions to the APAD to earn their support for a Green minority government.

Otherwise, Ad'ihanis may be headed back to the polls by December.

[Adihan]

Greens will govern in minority

CITY OF AD’IHAN, June 26, 2152— Prime minister James Stewart has announced that his Green Ad’ihan party, the largest bloc in Parliament, will form the next government of Ad’ihan in minority after snubbing an approach by the Alliance of Parties for Ad’ihani Democracy (APAD) to form a coalition government.

The APAD's three constituent parties are the Greens' traditional left-of-centre allies, and two of the parties that form APAD were at some point in history in coalition government with the Greens. Seeking to play on past alliances, the APAD's secretary-general Sandy Welsh and its chairman, former prime minister John Baines, met Mr Stewart and Green party chairman Kyle Adamson at the prime minister's official residence yesterday to discuss the possibility of the APAD being a part of the new government. However, sources with knowledge of proceedings report that the "cordial but tense" meeting lasted only 15 minutes, with Mrs Welsh and Mr Baines being driven away in Mr Stewart's official car.

Despite not being an official part of the new government, the APAD has been given one Cabinet portfolio, as have the Francophone Party, in an attempt by the Greens to garner enough support in Parliament to approve the new government.

This is the second minority government in Ad’ihan's short history; the former, led by Mr Baines after the withdrawal of the Greens from the coalition then, lasted only two days.

Insiders suggest Mr Stewart's big task will be getting Parliament to approve a new budget, failing which he could be expected to call fresh early polls within the year.

[Adihan]

Orean sets Badonner death row date

Orean, LIVENTIA, June 26, 2152— Liventian authorities have confirmed to Radio Ad’ihan International that interim Liventian prime minister Jane Pollard has withdrawn a decades-old moratorium on the death penalty for former terrorist leader Jacques Badonner.

Badonner, the founding leader of the Grand Island Independence Front (GIIF) which pursued the island's independence from Liventia, was arrested in Modna Nord in 2147 for planning large-scale guerrilla attacks against the then-federal government in City Centre. The GIIF, widely held responsible for violence on the island in 2147 which killed over 700 people including 661 people in a bomb attack on a hotel, disbanded after Grand Island gained independence as a part of the Union Republic of Ad’ihan on May 9 of that same year, with more moderate factions becoming a part of the Nationalist Party in Ad’ihan.

Badonner was found guilty of terrorism, leading a terrorist group, attempted murder, attempted kidnapping, conspiracy to murder and possession of heavy weaponry and sentenced to death in late April 2147, although a moratorium on capital punishment means the now-36-year-old has still not faced the gallows. However, with today's announcement by Mrs Pollard, Badonner will face a lethal injection on August 7.

Ad’ihani prime minister James Stewart and new foreign secretary Pierre Guingamp both expressed dismay at the decision and called on Mrs Pollard not to proceed with Badonner's execution. Mr Guingamp described the latest developments as a "setback" for Ad’ihani–Liventian relations, while Mr Stewart said he would speak to Mrs Pollard by phone to discuss the issue.

Ad’ihan's opposition leader Paul Tilson has also condemned the developments in Liventia.

Henry Matthew alias Henri Mathieu, Badonner's replacement as GIIF leader, remains a free man in Ad’ihan openly living in Modna Nord despite officially still being wanted for terrorism offences in Liventia. Mrs Pollard has indicated that her government will seek Mr Mathieu's extradition to face the death penalty, but Mr Stewart is on record as saying his government will not pursue Mr Mathieu.

The fresh row threatens to scupper a planned state visit by President Jonathan Manning to Orean next month.

[Adihan]

Opposition file protest motion at weakening economy even as Greens win key vote

CITY OF AD’IHAN, July 3, 2152— Members from all five opposition parties in Parliament have signed a protest motion over the Greens' "continued mismanagement of the country's finances", dealing a blow to minority prime minister James Stewart just days after a key Parliamentary win.

Parliament passed a controversial bill legalising all forms of abortion in the Ad’ihan on June 30, with the bill barely making it over the votes required. With the Conservatives, Democracy and Action Party, Francophone Party, Nationalist Party and four Green MPs opposing the bill, and another 6 Alliance of Parties for Ad’ihani Democracy (APAD) MPs abstaining, the bill was passed 128–126 in what was seen as a key sign of how the parties would operate in the third Parliament. Mr Stewart described the vote as "momentous" for Ad’ihan, while Tory leader Paul Tilson criticised the six APAD MPs for not voting the bill down.

However, it has emerged that on the last day of the first sitting of the new Parliament, a motion tabled by Thomas Wilkins, APAD MP for Harley County, has garnered support from 131 opposition MPs, throwing into serious doubt whether Mr Stewart's minority government would survive. Seven MPs from the APAD, including former prime minister John Baines, and the other 122 opposition MPs signed the motion not amounting to a vote of no confidence in the government following the release of new data showing Ad’ihan's already-weak economy contracting further in the first quarter of this year.

The new Financial Affairs Secretary, Andrew Potter, has promised to "turn the economy around within two years". In a speech to Parliament following the tabling of the motion, which is non-binding, he asked for time to settle into his new position and to "carefully go over all records from the past 12 months" to see where the department can be improved. Mr Baines responded by saying that as a member of a minority government, Mr Potter had "no such luxury" and suggested he would have "less than six months" to produce results.

[Adihan]

DAP leader Rowand quits party in shock move

CITY OF AD’IHAN, July 8, 2152— Michael Rowand, the secretary-general of the Democracy and Action Party and its one-time presidential candidate, has formally announced his resignation from the party.

In a surprise statement issued jointly by both Mr Rowand and the DAP, the runner-up in the 2147 presidential election said he held "irreconcilable differences" with high-ranking party officials' stances on key issues including immigration. The statement added that an internal party vote was to have taken place on June 11 over Mr Rowand's concerns, but said the vote would now not go ahead. The MP for City of Ad’ihan District 2, who has previously publicly spoken out against his former deputy Hubert Wallace's right-wing anti-immigration bias, said that he could not "see myself leading this party" while it continued to elect people with "extreme views" to its central executive.

The DAP said that it "held and continues to hold Michael Rowand in the greatest of respect" and acknowledged that a number of its members held "views that could be considered divisive", but defended Mr Wallace, saying the party did not interfere with its members' private views as long as they "do not break any laws". The DAP added that it would not be appointing a new leader for now, instead letting the remaining four members of its central executive jointly decide on the party's future.

The move leaves the DAP with 25 MPs, while Mr Rowand becomes an independent MP. Mr Rowand has said he is "not interested" in joining another party, although he left the door open to an approach from the Conservatives. He will become Ad’ihan's first-ever independent to sit in Parliament if he does not join a new party before the next session of Parliament, currently estimated for September.

[Adihan]

Ad’ihan kicks out Liventian ambassador

CITY OF AD’IHAN, July 16, 2152— The Liventian ambassador in Ad’ihan, Geraldine Thompson, has been expelled by president Jonathan Manning following the Liventian government's announcement that it would execute an Ad’ihani citizen next month.

Mrs Thompson was told to leave the islands by tomorrow in a terse telephone call to the Liventian embassy made from the presidential office, according to sources with knowledge of the situation. A spokesman for foreign affairs secretary Pierre Guingamp confirmed that Mrs Thompson had been asked to leave, but did not give further details.

The move comes after stand-in Liventian prime minister Jane Pollard announced that her government would be terminating a decades-old moratorium on the death penalty specially to execute Jacques Badonner, a convicted terrorist who holds Ad’ihani citizenship. The Ad’ihani government does not consider Badonner a terrorist, despite his group—moderate elements of which are now a part of the Nationalist Party which has two seats in Parliament—being responsible for attacks in Grand Island which killed over 700 people prior to the country's independence.

Mr Guingamp also confirmed the withdrawal of Ad’ihan's resident ambassador in City Centre, Terence Lambert, as well as its consul-general in Orean, Darren Jones. The two missions will be manned by Liventian staff, with Cmdr Simon Collins MPA, a former Liventian ambassador to Ad’ihan and the first man awarded Ad’ihan's President's Medal, being appointed local chargé d'affaires of the two missions while Ad’ihani diplomats are withdrawn.

President Manning's scheduled state visit to Orean from July 22 to 24 is now in doubt, with many observers expecting the trip to be called off.

The official Liventian opposition Greener Society Coalition has expressed its "dismay" at the developments, and called on Mrs Pollard to reinstate the moratorium and put back Badonner's execution.

[Adihan]

Parliament to hold extraordinary session

CITY OF AD’IHAN, July 17, 2152— Parliament will sit tomorrow for an extraordinary session, it has been announced.

Speaker of Parliament Francis Sevillon said in a statement that a request made by prime minister James Stewart for the session was approved with the unanimous agreement of the 260 MPs, and the House will sit on July 19 and 20 to discuss the latest developments in the case of Jacques Badonner, an Ad’ihani citizen due to be executed in Liventia on August 7.

On July 19, the president will address the chamber, the first time a sitting president, Ad’ihan's mostly ceremonial head-of-state, will do so. President Jonathan Manning, who is still due to make a state visit to Liventia commencing July 22, is expected to hear members' opinions on the issue and to take parliamentary advice on whether to proceed with his trip.

Francis Boston MP (Southern Zone Autonomous Region), the leader of the Nationalist Party, is expected lead calls for the visit to be cancelled. The Nationalist Party includes moderate elements of the former Grand Island Independence Front (GIIF), the terrorist group Badonner is convicted of leading. The other Nationalist MP in Parliament is Michael Devon (Navon County), whose brother-in-law is Henri Mathieu, another GIIF leader wanted by Liventia. Mr Devon has indicated he will also vote to block the visit.

Other legislation can be heard during the extraordinary session if permitted by the Speaker, and it is expected that the Democracy and Action Party will attempt to introduce a motion to censure its former leader Michael Rowand, now an independent, for comments made about his ex-deputy and the party's new secretary-general, Hubert Wallace. However, it is unclear if Mr Sevillon will approve the motion to be heard.

[Adihan]

Badonner execution stayed at last minute

Orean, LIVENTIA, August 7, 2152— Liventia's prime minister Jane Pollard has put the execution of an Ad’ihani citizen, convicted terrorist Jacques Badonner, on hold after a Parliamentary motion narrowly passed demanding the lethal injection not go ahead.

The country's de facto head of state, Speaker of Parliament Alex Cardoza, delivered the binding verdict just 25 minutes before Mr Badonner's scheduled execution. Mrs Pollard, who could have ignored the verdict at risk of being charged with obstruction of Parliamentary proceedings, announced shortly later that after consulting with her justice minister, the execution would be stayed to an as-yet-unannounced date.

Ad’ihani president Jonathan Manning, who undertook a shortened one-day visit to Liventia late last month to appeal the Badonner case, welcomed the move, saying it was a "significant positive step" in relations between the two countries, historically tensioned and once again strained over Badonner's planned execution.

Mr Cardoza told news sources that any execution would likely be stayed until after the next Liventian general elections, currently scheduled for October 5. It is understood that if the Greener Society Coalition takes power in the vote, it will push for Mr Badonner's release.

[Adihan]

Plane crash-lands, at least 45 die; 30 survive

Airport City, GRAND ISLAND, August 11, 2152-- An Enigma Star Airways flight has crashed on landing at the Aéroport international d'Ad'ihan, killing at least 45 people.

The flight, ESA 24, originated in Cyclonesville, Liventia, with 116 passengers and crew on board and had made a stopover at the international airport in Orean, an Enigma Star spokesman told Liventian media from the company's headquarters in Jesner.

The flight captain, named in Liventian media reports as Howard Eckers, is thought to have survived the crash and is understood to be helping the Ad'ihani Transport Safety Advisory Committee with investigations. Mr Eckers is reportedly a 14-year veteran pilot, and has been flying the Cyclonesville-Orean-Ad'ihan route since it was launched in 2150.

Preiminary reports suggest the plane's landing gear failed before landing, leaving Capt. Eckers unable to land the aircraft safely. Eyewitness reports say the plane hit the runway at speed and an engine exploded, with a visible hole left in the fuselage.

Airport City police have confirmed the rescue of 30 survivors from the plane, in differing states of injury. At least 45 bodies have been recovered from the plane, with the remainder of those on board still unaccounted for.

Transport Secretary Yanming Chan has described the accident, the worst aviation disaster in the country's short history, as "horrible and saddening", and promised he and prime minister James Stewart would leave no stone unturned to investigate the cause.

[Adihan]

Enigma Star crash: pilot, 2 surviving crew remanded

Airport City, GRAND ISLAND, August 15, 2152— The pilot and two surviving crew members of the fateful Enigma Star Airways Flight 24 crash four days ago have been remanded in custody today after a successful application to the Grand Island High Court by Regional Police on behalf of the national Transport Safety Advisory Committee (TSAC).

Captain Howard Eckers, 46, his First Officer Andrew Parson, 38, and Second Officer Flight Lieutenant Marcus Landel, 31, have been placed in a cell at the police facility at the International Airport with full consular assistance, a spokesman for the TSAC said. As Liventia's ambassador to Ad’ihan, Geraldine Thompson, is currently persona non grata in the country, the Liventian chargé d'affaires, Pierre Rinault, is overseeing all consular access to the three. The Foreign Secretary, Pierre Guingamp, also confirmed that Liventia's military attaché in Ad’ihan, Colonel Paul Stinson, was being granted access to Flt. Lt. Landel, a member of Liventia's air force.

The TSAC said the remanding of the three did not necessarily mean they were guilty of a crime or would be implicated in any charges, merely that they were considered to be integral to the investigations into the crash which killed 84 of the 116 people on board.

Grand Island Regional Police spokesman Superintendent Michael Nouvion said that no charges had been brought, and if Liventian diplomats requested the trio's release from remand, the Regional Police would not object.

Transport Secretary Yanming Chan, who is personally leading the TSAC inquiry into Ad’ihan's worst air disaster, said that preliminary data from the plane's black boxes recovered today showed that it was likely an unavoidable crash, but indicated that if the plane's landing gear was part of routine Liventian air checks, then the crew could yet be held accountable.

3 Spec Forces battalion wins inaugural AFUIR best unit award
CITY OF AD’IHAN, August 15, 2152— The 3rd Ad’ihani Special Forces battalion (3 Spec Forces) has been handed the honour of Best Combat Battalion of the Armed Forces of the United Islands Republic (AFUIR), the first time such an award has been given out.

A Department of National Defence (DND) statement released to the press today ahead of Military Forces Day on August 18 cited the battalion for its "high level of operational readiness for combat missions" and noted 3 Spec Forces' record high score in an AFUIR-wide war games competition held in July. The statement added that the award was introduced this year to promote and encourage better standards of military readiness amongst units of the AFUIR.

The DND added that the Commanding Officer of 3 Spec Forces, Colonel Sean Werth, would be presented with a commemorative plaque at the Military Forces Day Parade next week.

Other awards presented included the Best Air Force Unit to the 3rd Air Guard Brigade, and the Best Naval Unit to the Islands Coast Guard South Division.

[Adihan]

Enigma Star crash: TSAC to press charges

Airport City, GRAND ISLAND, August 26, 2152— The Ad’ihani Transport Safety Advisory Committee (TSAC), tasked with investigating the Enigma Star Flight 24 crash on August 11, has indicated that its preliminary findings warrant proceeding with criminal charges against the airline and the flight captain.

Transport Secretary Yanming Chan, who is leading the inquiry, said that the committee's evidence indicates that the plane did not meet Ad’ihani safety standards for aircraft flying into or out of the islands. The craft's last registered inspection by the TSAC was on July 5, 2151, which exceeds the TSAC's guideline of one check every six months for foreign airlines, and Liventian authorities had not signed off on an inspection since August 8, 2151.

"The fact that an aircraft of this type which we recommend three-monthly inspections on went unchecked for a whole year, well beyond TSAC's recommendation of six months and Ad’ihani air transport legislation requiring all aircraft to be checked within a year of any flight in this country, shows negligence on the part of the airline," Mr Chan told a press briefing.

ESA 24's pilot, Captain Howard Eckers, is expected to be questioned by the TSAC inquiry over why he did not report the aircraft's failure to meet safety standards, and could face similar criminal charges. Mr Chan added that Capt. Eckers and his two flight officers, Andrew Parson and Flight Lt. Marcus Landel, continued to be held in remand while investigations continue, specifically over whether the trio conducted their routine pre-flight checks and if this turned up any problem.

The Liventian military attaché in Ad’ihan, Colonel Paul Stinson, has indicated that his country will not seek the early release of Flight Lt. Landel until the TSAC inquiry is complete.

Chief of the Armed Forces honoured

CITY OF AD’IHAN, August 26, 2152— Senior General Mark Andrews has been appointed Commander of the Order of the Parliament, becoming the first military chief to be handed one of Ad’ihan's three state honours.

The Chief of the Armed Forces, who assumed control over the Armed Forces of the United Islands Republic on April 1, was formally awarded the honour by president Jonathan Manning in a short ceremony today at Parliament House. Gen. Andrews, 42, was cited for his "service to Ad’ihan as a military commander".

The Order of the Parliament is the lowest-ranking of the three state honours, and its appointees can be nominated by anyone, as long as at least nine other people have nominated him for the same citation. However, until today, it and the Order of the Islands both did not have military appointees.

Gen. Andrews described the award as "a great tribute to the military", and said he would continue to work hard to increase Ad’ihan's military readiness.

[Adihan]

Parliament to vote on islets

CITY OF AD’IHAN, September 7, 2152— A thorny and under-reported issue in Ad’ihani–Liventian relations is set to be discussed when Parliament sits for the first time since July on Monday, September 11.

Conservative MP Albert Warring has introduced a proposal to cede control two small islets some 45 kilometres off the east coast of Barrier Island, which although administered as part of Barrier Island have never been formally included in Ad’ihani maps, to Liventia, which claims the islands.

The islets, called Île François and Île Patrice by Ad’ihan and collectively referred to as the Francis Islands by Liventia, were administered from Schimpol as part of the Lox Land Island regional government in 2147 when the Outer Islands—which make up present-day Ad’ihan—voted to secede from the central government in City Centre. The Lox Land Island government, which was similarly offered secession, voted to rejoin a centralised government to form the Republic of Liventia. However, control of the two islets—which have a combined area of just 15 square kilometres and a combined population of just 1,800 people—was taken over by Ad’ihan for unknown reasons.

Liventia has always maintained that it has sovereignty of the two islands, and considers the island's populace to be Liventian citizens, although the governments of the late Patrick Danahue and the now-toppled Jeremy Firston had accepted the status quo and never raised the issue with Ad’ihani diplomats. However, faced with an impending election, caretaker prime minister Jane Pollard has turned the issue of the islands' sovereignty into an election wildcard, and has written to foreign secretary Pierre Guingamp over the matter.

"Ad’ihan does not formally recognise the Francis Islands as its territory in any significant local geopolitical maps, and Liventia seeks to assert its rightful sovereignty over the islets," said a spokesman for Mrs Pollard.

The islands' residents, who were offered Ad’ihani passports in the early days of the country, are split roughly evenly over a reunification into Liventia, which some consider a faraway land. Almost 90 per cent of residents interviewed have said they consider themselves Ad’ihani first, although 46 per cent say they also see themselves as Liventian. The Barrier Island and Ad’ihani flags currently fly over the islands, despite Ad’ihan not formally claiming sovereignty of either.

Now, Mr Warring has tabled an Out-of-Session Motion (OSM), the second such motion tabled since the last ordinary session of Parliament closed in early July. Mr Warring's OSM, signed by all 80 Tory MPs and the 26 Democracy and Action Party MPs, seeks to formalise a transfer of control of the islets to Liventia "with early effect".

However, Mr Guingamp has cautioned against what he described as "hasty moves", noting that details of any handover would have to be discussed, including territorial waters and airspace concerns. He also noted that as Ad’ihan currently administers the islands and its residents according to Ad’ihani law, a case could be made asserting de facto Ad’ihani sovereignty over the islands.

Prime minister James Stewart visited Île François on Tuesday, sparking minor protests outside Ad’ihan's currently unstaffed embassy in City Centre, but not drawing any official comment from the Liventian government. Mr Stewart is expected to visit Île Patrice on Saturday, a move the Tories have criticised as unnecessarily escalating tensions with Liventia.

[Adihan]

Liventian police announce "foiled attack" attempts on Ad’ihani missions

Orean, LIVENTIA, September 18, 2152— Police in the Liventian capital Orean have announced that they believe a planned attack on the Ad’ihani consulate in the city has been foiled, while in CCL security has been stepped up following a bomb hoax.

Orean Capital Police commissioner Brigadier (Police) Shaun Rasmussen made the announcement at an emergency press briefing today, following the arrest of 15 people in and around the city. Brig. (Pol.) Rasmussen confirmed that the police had received an anonymous tip-off relating to a "possible terror plot" in the city, and that two complete fertiliser bombs and other bomb-making equipment had been found.

"The Orean Capital Police explosives specialist unit has successfully destroyed the two fertiliser bombs," he added. The Ad’ihani consulate in Orean is currently manned by local staff, as consul-general Darren Jones was recalled to Ad’ihan in July amid a diplomatic spat.

In a separate development, police in the former Liventian capital city of City Centre confirmed that it had attended an incident at the Ad’ihani embassy in the city's Diplomatic Quarter, following an anonymous bomb claim. No bomb was found, although security has been increased and City Centre police have confirmed extensive investigations are underway to locate suspects.

The news of the planned attacks on Ad’ihani missions comes as crucial bilateral talks between the two countries are set to take place next week. The talks, aimed at resolving a territorial dispute over two Ad’ihan-controlled islets claimed by Liventia as the Francis Islands, are set to be the last high-level meetings between the two sides ahead of a Liventian general election in mid-October, in which the ruling Centrist Bloc is expected to be pushed out of power.

The Ad’ihani Parliament voted last week against a bill which would have ceded sovereignty of the two islands, known locally as Îles François-et-Patrice, back to Liventia.

[Adihan]

Francis Islands talks deadlocked

ÎLE PATRICE, September 23, 2152— Talks between the Liventian and Ad’ihani governments on the future of Îles François-et-Patrice remain deadlocked and will likely not continue until after the October elections in Liventia, sources close to Ad’ihani negotiator Commodore-Admiral Thomas Jones said.

Liventia claims formal and total sovereignty over the pair of Ad’ihani-administered islands and had demanded full economic exclusion zone rights to surrounding waters, which would severely lessen the extent Ad’ihan's territorial waters. Sources said this offer was "immediately and categorically" rejected by Cdre-Adm. Jones, who is currently deputy commander of Ad’ihan's Armed Forces Training and Logistics Centre.

A counter-offer is understood to have been made, where the two countries would jointly administer the islets and residents on the atolls would be free to choose either Ad’ihani or Liventian citizenship. However, it is unclear if Liventian negotiators, led by the head of the Republic of Liventia Armed Forces Intelligence, considered this counter-offer.

Brigadier Peter Mason and his team of 14 Liventian diplomats and army officers have since retired from discussions.

Ad’ihani foreign secretary Pierre Guingamp has indicated that he will accompany Cdre-Adm. Jones to the next round of talks, currently scheduled for 1 November on Île François.

Military suspends all training after spate of deaths

CITY OF AD’IHAN, September 23, 2152— The Ad’ihani military has suspended all field and physical exercises for a week following three training deaths in less than a week.

Army Private (Trainee) Howard Lemuel was killed on September 19 by an armed grenade during a grenade-throwing exercise in an accident that also injured Second Lieutenant Dennis Waylord; Coast Guard Staff Sergeant Alastair McGeown died on September 20 after he collapsed during a 10 kilometre run; and Army Officer Cadet First Class Louis Versailles died yesterday after he was found unconscious during a jungle confidence exercise on September 21.

Major-General Jeremy Lawson, the commander of the Armed Forces Training and Logistics Centre (AFTLC), made the announcement today following what he described as "high-level emergency discussions" between the chiefs of staff of the five branch services and the chief of staff (joint staff).

Maj-Gen. Lawson said that until further review of the three incidents takes place, the Armed Forces has declared a moratorium on all training exercises deemed of medium risk or greater. "The three incidents are being investigated thoroughly, and the armed forces sends its deepest condolences to the families of the soldiers involved," he said.

Lieutenant-General William Brady, the army chief of staff (deputy head of the army), announced that OC1 Versailles has been posthumously commissioned and promoted to the rank of second lieutenant, while the injured 2nd Lt. Waylord, who suffered 30 percent burns, would be awarded a promotion to Lieutenant for attempting to save his trainee's life in the grenade accident.

The head of the coast guard and deputy naval force chief, Vice-Admiral Pierre Guignault, has similarly announced a posthumous promotion for Staff Sgt. McGeown to the rank of Master Sergeant.

Maj-Gen. Lawson indicated that the chief of the armed forces, Senior General Mark Andrews, will attend the funerals of the three personnel. It is also understood that 2nd Lt. Versailles will be accorded a military funeral.

[Adihan]

Right score economic policy win

CITY OF AD’IHAN, September 27, 2152— Parliament today passed controversial legislation ending all government-sponsored welfare programmes, marking a major victory for the right-of-centre opposition.

The Ad’ihan Conservatives and the Democracy and Action Party (DAP) had championed the legislation, led by the DAP's financial affairs spokesman Charles Ferguson MP, in response to Ad’ihan's struggling economy, which has taken a further dip since the governing minority Green party were voted back into office. Financial Affairs Secretary Andrew Potter, who was one of 80 Green MPs including prime minister James Stewart to support the bill, described its passage as a "turning point" for the economy, even as left-of-centre parties accused the Greens of "selling out".

Mr Potter said he believed the legislation would help the government save up to Tz300 million a year, and was a step in the right direction, but admitted he felt "uneasy" over the ending of specific programmes benefiting the extremely poor and elderly. However, "in the long run I believe these concerns were not significant enough to outweigh the amount of good this will do Ad’ihan's economy," he said.

Former prime minister John Baines MP, the Alliance of Parties for Ad’ihani Democracy party chairman, said the move was "in the wrong direction and sends a clear message to Ad’ihan's poor – too bad, the government can help you, but it won't. And that's wrong."

Tropical depression forms in southern Great Mets Sea; forecast to approach Ad’ihan

CITY OF AD’IHAN, September 27, 2152— A tropical depression has formed in the southern Great Mets Sea—the water body within which the islands of Ad’ihan are situated—and could approach the islands in the next week, says the Ad’ihani Islands Weather Agency (Aiwa).

The Aiwa says that the tropical depression, which could become a major hurricane by the time it reaches the islands, is forecast to move slowly, giving it time to intensify before striking Ad’ihan. The last hurricane to hit Ad’ihan, Hurricane Henry five years ago, caused widespread damage on Barrier Island and disruption to the inaugural presidential elections.

Lead Aiwa tropical cyclone forecaster Paul Masterson told media in a briefing that it is expected to continue its slow movement even while near Ad’ihan, which could result in the islands battered by severe winds and heavy rain for an extended period of time.

"Normally we'd have storms move through pretty rapidly, and most would be over in about 12 hours, since our islands are fairly small. However, with this one the Aiwa is forecasting it to be a strong category four hurricane as it moves through, this is stronger than Ad’ihan has ever experienced, and it could be hanging around for over a day. This has the potential to do serious damage, but it is still too far out in the forecast to tell," Mr Masterson said.

[Adihan]

Tropical Storm Echo brings "worst-case scenario" to Ad’ihan: met service

CITY OF AD’IHAN, October 1, 2152— The national weather agency's Meteorological Service arm has warned that Tropical Storm Echo, currently located 550 kilometres south Pointe Sud, the country's southern-most town, is forecast to bring "worst-case scenario" conditions to the islands.

Lead forecaster Paul Masterson wrote in his warning that "not only will extremely dangerous winds be a factor, heavy rains accompanying the system could lead to major flooding nationwide". Wind gusts, he said, could top 270 km/h as Echo nears Grand Island, and added that people should be beginning to prepare for the storm.

The National Storm Readiness Condition (SRC), an eight-level scale (One; One-Alpha; One-Bravo; Two; Two-Alpha; Three; Three-Alpha; None), is now at Three-Alpha, the warning noted. The SRC was introduced after Hurricane Henry struck in 2147 to help people determine what limits and cautions they should observe regarding approaching storms, and is set by the Environmental Affairs Secretary on consultation with the Ad’ihani Islands Weather Agency. Three-Alpha means that a tropical cyclone is forecast to affect Ad’ihan in the approaching days and preparations for the storm should be underway.

Mr Masterson told the media that an inland tropical storm watch had been put out for both islands, with only Frontier and Daniels Counties not covered by the warning. However, he warned that the Daniels coast is still under a coastal tropical storm watch, and said the two counties were likely to fall under a watch soon anyway.

"Echo" is the first name to be used from a new tropical storm naming list proposed by the AIWA and adopted by the government in 2150; it follows the military phonetic spelling alphabet from Echo to Whiskey.

Side note
The full text of the AIWA warning:

WTAD30 ADIN 011200
TROPICAL CYCLONE WARNING FOR THE AD’IHANI ISLANDS
TROPICAL CYCLONE DIVISION, TROPICAL METEOROLOGY DEPARTMENT, METEOROLOGICAL SERVICE
AD’IHANI ISLANDS WEATHER AGENCY

ISSUANCE NUMBER FIVE FOR TROPICAL STORM ECHO
ISSUED AT 10 AM AD’IHAN STANDARD TIME, OCTOBER 1, 2152

HEADLINE
----
TROPICAL STORM ECHO CHURNING AWAY SOUTH OF ISLANDS...

WARNINGS IN EFFECT
----
A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS NOW IN EFFECT FOR THE ENTIRE COAST OF GRAND ISLAND EXCEPT 
THE NORTHERN COAST OF FRONTIER COUNTY. A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS ALSO NOW IN EFFECT 
FOR BARRIER ISLAND... AND FOR ÎLES FRANÇOIS-ET-PATRICE. A TROPICAL STORM WATCH INLAND 
IS NOW IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF GRAND ISLAND EXCEPT FRONTIER COUNTY AND DANIELS COUNTY, 
AND FOR ALL OF BARRIER ISLAND.

THIS MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREAS WITHIN 
48 HOURS. NATIONAL STORM READINESS CONDITION IS NOW AT THREE-ALPHA, WHICH MEANS ALL 
PREPARATIONS FOR THIS STORM SHOULD BE BEGINNING.

A HIGH WIND ADVISORY IS NOW IN EFFECT NATIONWIDE. THIS MEANS STRONG WINDS, INCLUDING
GUSTS ABOVE GALE-FORCE, ARE LIKELY TO OCCUR WITHIN 48 HOURS.

LATEST INFORMATION
----
THE AD’IHANI ISLANDS WEATHER AGENCY (AIWA) IS CONTINUING TO MONITOR THE PROGRESS
OF TROPICAL STORM ECHO. AT 9 AM AD’IHAN STANDARD TIME, OCTOBER 1, 2152, THE
CENTRE OF TROPICAL STORM ECHO WAS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 550 KM SOUTH OF POINTE SUD,
GRAND ISLAND.

THE STORM IS CURRENTLY MOVING ON A VECTOR OF 350 DEGREES AT 3 KNOTS, OR ROUGHLY
NORTH AT ABOUT 6 KM/H. THIS MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS, 
GIVING ECHO TIME TO STRENGTHEN OVER THE WARM WATERS OF THE GREAT METS SEA.

TROPICAL STORM ECHO IS CURRENTLY PACKING MAXIMUM WINDS OF 45 KNOTS, OR 85 KM/H, NEAR 
ITS CENTRE. GUSTS FURTHER FROM THE CENTRE ARE ESTIMATED UP TO 65 KNOTS, OR 120 KM/H.

THE MINIMUM ESTIMATED SEA LEVEL PRESSURE IN THE STORM IS 998 HECTOPASCALS.

AT 9 AM, THE GALE WIND FIELD EXTENDED OUTWARDS UP TO 130 KM FROM THE STORM CENTRE. THE
MAXIMUM WINDS WIND FIELD EXTENDS OUTWARDS UP TO 25 KM IN THE NORTHEASTERN QUADRANT BASED
ON RECENT SATELLITE AND SCATTEROMETER ANALYSIS. ON THE CURRENT FORECAST, THE WIND FIELD 
WILL EXPAND FURTHER AND TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS COULD OCCUR WITHIN AD’IHAN AS SOON AS 
48 HOURS. THEREFORE... A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS BEING DECLARED IN ADDITION TO A HIGH 
WIND ADVISORY FOR STRONG GUSTS.

CURRENT LOCAL CONDITIONS
----
THERE ARE CURRENTLY NO WEATHER CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH TROPICAL STORM ECHO AFFECTING
THE ISLANDS BUT EXPECT SEAS TO BECOME INCREASINGLY ROUGH IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS AS ECHO
CONTINUES TO APPROACH FROM THE SOUTH. WEATHER IS GENERALLY EXPECTED TO BE GOOD, IF WINDY,
OVER THE NEXT TWO TO THREE DAYS BEFORE CYCLONIC WEATHER SETS IN.

CHECK THAT YOUR HURRICANE PREPARATIONS ARE IN PLACE IN CASE EMERGENCY EVACUATIONS ARE 
NEEDED AT ANY POINT.

FORECAST DISCUSSION
----
ON ITS CURRENT PATH, THE TROPICAL STORM IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TO INTENSIFY. WIND
SHEAR IS LOW AND CONDUCIVE TO TROPICAL CYCLONE ACTIVITY... AND SEA-SURFACE TEMPERATURES
ALONG ECHO'S PROJECTED PATH ARE WELL OVER 28 DEGREES CELSIUS. OCEANIC HEAT CONTENT IS
MODERATE... BUT ENOUGH TO SUSTAIN A DEVELOPING HURRICANE. A TROPICAL UPPER TROPOSPHERIC
TROUGH ALONG THE PROJECTED PATH IS THE ONLY UNCERTAINTY TO THE FORECAST. THIS TUTT MAY
WELL GENERATE SIGNIFICANT WIND SHEAR BY THE TIME ECHO CROSSES ITS PATH... BUT ON THE
FLIP SIDE MAY HELP IN THE STORM'S OUTFLOW AND AID INTENSIFICATION.

GIVEN ALL THESE FACTORS... AND ERRING ON THE SIDE OF SAFETY... THE AIWA FORECAST WILL
CALL FOR STEADY STRENGTHENING IN THE NEXT 24 HOURS AND SLIGHTLY MORE RAPID INTENSIFICATION 
THEREAFTER... FORECASTING ECHO TO STRENGTHEN TO A MAJOR HURRICANE IN THE NEXT 72 HOURS 
AND POSSIBLY REACH CATEGORY FOUR STATUS BY 96 HOURS. 

STEERING CURRENTS REMAIN WEAK AT THIS TIME... BUT EXCEPTIONALLY ROBUST RIDGING AHEAD
OF THE STORM IN ADDITION TO STRONG MODEL SUPPORT SUGGEST A GENERALLY NORTHWARDS MOTION
WITH LITTLE DEVIATION EAST OR WEST.

THIS FORECAST BRINGS ECHO DIRECTLY OVER THE ISLANDS AS A MIDDLE-END CATEGORY FOUR 
HURRICANE MOVING SLOWLY... WHICH IS CERTAINLY AT PRESENT TIME A WORST-CASE SCENARIO 
FORECAST. NOT ONLY WILL EXTREMELY DANGEROUS WINDS BE A FACTOR, HEAVY RAINS ACCOMPANYING
THE SYSTEM COULD LEAD TO MAJOR FLOODING ISSUES NATIONWIDE.

THIS FORECAST IS IN GOOD AGREEMENT WITH THAT OF THE HEARTLAND TROPICAL CYCLONE PREDICTION 
CENTRE IN OREAN, LIVENTIA, AND IN EXTREMELY GOOD AGREEMENT WITH MODEL CONSENSUS.

DATED FORECAST WITH PEAK WINDS AND APPROXIMATE LOCATION
----
TIME OF ISSUANCE: 9 AM, LOCAL, OCTOBER 1, 2152
VALID TILL: 9 AM, LOCAL, OCTOBER 6, 2152 TO BE SUPERSEDED BY FUTURE ISSUANCES
AVERAGE FORECAST ERROR IS 15 KT AND 250 KM IN 72 HOURS, AND 20 KT AND 350 KM BEYOND

DATE-TIME GROUP LISTED IN PAX TIME - TWO HOURS AHEAD OF AD’IHAN STANDARD
STORM TYPES: LOW; DEP: DEPRESSION; STM: STORM; SVR: SEVERE STORM; HU1-HU5: HURRICANE

FORECAST DTG    APPROX LOCATION                          MAX WINDS     MAX GUSTS  TYPE
 INITIAL 011100 550 KM SOUTH OF POINTE SUD             45KT  85KPH   65KT 120KPH  STM
  12 HRS 012300 490 KM SOUTH OF POINTE SUD             50KT  95KPH   75KT 140KPH  SVR
  24 HRS 021100 420 KM SOUTH OF POINTE SUD             55KT 100KPH   80KT 150KPH  SVR
  36 HRS 022300 380 KM SOUTH OF POINTE SUD             65KT 120KPH   90KT 165KPH  HU1
  48 HRS 031100 325 KM SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF POINTE SUD   80KT 150KPH  100KT 185KPH  HU2
  72 HRS 041100 180 KM SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF POINTE SUD  100KT 185KPH  125KT 230KPH  HU3
  USE WITH CAUTION...
  96 HRS 051100 30 KM SOUTH OF GRAND ISLAND COAST     120KT 225KPH  145KT 270KPH  HU4
 120 HRS 061100 OVER GRAND ISLAND EAST OF KINNEY ROAD  85KT 160KPH  105KT 195KPH  HU2

REPEATING THE LATEST INFORMATION
----
TIME EFFECTIVE: 9 AM, LOCAL, OCTOBER 1, 2152
TROPICAL CYCLONE: TROPICAL STORM ECHO
POSITION: APPROXIMATELY 550 KM SOUTH OF POINTE SUD, GRAND ISLAND
WINDS: NEAR 85 KM/H, WITH GUSTS TO 120 KM/H
PRESSURE: ESTIMATED AT 998 HPA
MOVEMENT: NORTH AT 6 KM/H
MAXIMUM EXTENT OF WINDS: MAXIMUM WINDS: 25 KM GALE WINDS: 130 KM
WARNINGS IN EFFECT: YES, SEE WARNINGS PARAGRAPH

NEXT WARNING
----
THE AIWA TROPICAL CYCLONE DIVISION OF THE METEOROLOGICAL SERVICE WILL CONTINUE ISSUING
PERIODIC TROPICAL CYCLONE PUBLIC WARNINGS, GENERALLY EVERY 12 HOURS. THE NEXT SCHEDULED
ISSUANCE IS AT 10 PM AD’IHAN STANDARD TIME. IF CONDITIONS WARRANT OR THE SITUATION 
CHANGES, AN EARLY SPECIAL BULLETIN MAY BE ISSUED PRIOR TO THAT.

ISSUED BY
----
FORECASTER PAUL MASTERSON
LEAD FORECASTER, TROPICAL CYCLONE DIVISION

[Adihan]

Met service: Hurricane to bring "36 hours" of rain and strong winds

CITY OF AD’IHAN, October 4, 2152— Hurricane Echo, currently located 125 kilometres south of Westedge, Grand Island, is expected to lash Ad’ihan for "nearly 36 hours" with "heavy rain and strong hurricane-force winds", the Meteorological Service is warning.

Tim Larkin, the deputy lead forecaster at the tropical cyclone division of the Met Service, said that the hurricane had stalled south of Grand Island and was no longer expected to intensify into a Category Four "major" hurricane as had previously been predicted. "It appears that earlier forecasts of a Category 4 hurricane are now unlikely to verify," he said. However, he issued a stark warning that the long time Echo is expected to spend over the island could lead to "major flooding issues nationwide", possible rainfall totals of up to 400 centimetres especially in mountainous areas in Daniels and Airport Counties, and "the threat of life-threatening flash floods and mudslides".

He said that the National Storm Readiness Condition level had been raised to One-Alpha: "a hurricane is affecting the islands and sustained winds of at least storm-force (89 km/h) have been reported on land". A weather station at Westedge has reported winds sustained at 104 km/h, with a maximum gust reported at 133 km/h, he added. However, he described the storm's sudden stall as a "big break".

Speaking to reporters via conference call from the Met Service headquarters in the City of Ad’ihan, he explained that the storm had stalled in an area of less favourable conditions for a hurricane, and that it could upwell itself, a process in which is uses up all available heat energy from the waters it remains stationary over and starts to weaken in response to the lower sea temperatures.

WTAD30 ADIN 041200
TROPICAL CYCLONE WARNING FOR THE AD’IHANI ISLANDS
TROPICAL CYCLONE DIVISION, TROPICAL METEOROLOGY DEPARTMENT, METEOROLOGICAL SERVICE
AD’IHANI ISLANDS WEATHER AGENCY

ISSUANCE NUMBER 14 FOR HURRICANE ECHO
ISSUED AT 10 AM AD’IHAN STANDARD TIME, OCTOBER 4, 2152

HEADLINE
----
HURRICANE EMERGENCY DECLARATION IN EFFECT...
HURRICANE ECHO STALLS SOUTH OF GRAND ISLAND AS A CATEGORY TWO HURRICANE...

WARNINGS IN EFFECT
----
A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR GRAND ISLAND. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING AND
HURRICANE WATCH REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR BARRIER ISLAND... AND FOR ÎLES FRANÇOIS-ET-PATRICE. 

A HURRICANE WARNING MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE LIKELY WITHIN THE WARNING AREA
WITHIN 24 HOURS. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE LIKELY
WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN 24 HOURS. A HURRICANE WATCH MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS
ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA... IN THIS CASE WITHIN 36 HOURS.

BASED ON THE CURRENT FORECAST, BARRIER ISLAND WILL LIKELY EXPERIENCE GUSTS TO HURRICANE
FORCE BUT HURRICANE-STRENGTH WINDS DO NOT EXTEND OUT SIGNIFICANTLY ENOUGH TO AFFECT
BARRIER ISLAND OR ÎLES FRANÇOIS-ET-PATRICE.

NATIONAL STORM READINESS CONDITION IS NOW AT ONE-ALPHA, WHICH MEANS A HURRICANE IS
AFFECTING THE ISLANDS AND SUSTAINED WINDS OF AT LEAST STORM-FORCE HAVE BEEN REPORTED ON
LAND. THE LOCAL STORM READINESS CONDITION FOR BARRIER ISLAND IS ONE-BRAVO, WHICH MEANS
A TROPICAL CYCLONE IS AFFECTING THE ISLAND AND SUSTAINED WINDS OF GALE-FORCE HAVE BEEN
REPORTED ON LAND.

A HURRICANE EMERGENCY DECLARATION IS IN EFFECT.
A STATE OF EMERGENCY DECLARATION IN RELATION TO HURRICANE ECHO WAS ISSUED AT 5 PM
LOCAL TIME LAST EVENING BY THE GOVERNMENT. THE PUBLIC IS STRONGLY ADVISED NOT TO VENTURE
OUT. IF YOU ARE ON GRAND ISLAND, YOU ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO EVACUATE TO THE NEAREST
EVACUATION CENTRE IF CONDITIONS ALLOW.

LATEST INFORMATION
----
AT 9 AM AD’IHAN STANDARD TIME, OCTOBER 4, 2152, HURRICANE ECHO WAS LOCATED ROUGHLY 125 KM
SOUTH OF WESTEDGE, GRAND ISLAND.
THE HURRICANE CONTINUES TO MAINTAIN A WELL-DEFINED EYE AIDING IN LOCATING THE CENTRE.

THE STEERING CURRENTS HAVE BROKEN DOWN AND ECHO HAS STALLED. THE HURRICANE HAS MOVED 
LITTLE OVER THE PAST SIX HOURS AND IS GENERALLY QUASI-STATIONARY. AN OVERALL NORTHWARDS 
MOTION IS EXPECTED TO COMMENCE IN THE NEXT DAY OR SO.

HURRICANE ECHO IS CURRENTLY PACKING MAXIMUM WINDS OF 95 KNOTS, OR 175 KM/H, NEAR ITS 
CENTRE. MAXIMUM WIND GUSTS AWAY FROM THE CENTRE ARE ESTIMATED UP TO 115 KNOTS, OR 215
KM/H.

THE MINIMUM ESTIMATED SEA LEVEL PRESSURE IN THE STORM IS 925 HECTOPASCALS.

EXTENT OF WIND FIELD AT 9 AM:
GALE FORCE 34 KNOTS: UP TO 355 KM FROM CYCLONE CENTRE
STORM FORCE 48 KNOTS: UP TO 180 KM FROM CYCLONE CENTRE
HURRICANE FORCE 64 KNOTS: UP TO 80 KM FROM CYCLONE CENTRE
MAXIMUM WINDS 95 KNOTS: UP TO 35 KM FROM CYCLONE CENTRE

CURRENT LOCAL CONDITIONS
----
CURRENTLY, HURRICANE ECHO IS PRODUCING VERY ROUGH SEAS OFF THE COASTS OF THE ISLANDS
WITH LARGE SWELLS AND HIGH WAVES UP TO 10 METRES.

GUST READINGS FROM POINTE SUD ARE OVER 100 KM/H. THE MAXIMUM GUST READING TAKEN SO FAR
WAS REPORTED AT 7:19 AM THIS MORNING AT WESTEDGE WITH A GUST TO 133.4 KM/H. WINDS WILL
CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN WITH SUSTAINED WINDS INCREASING TO HURRICANE STRENGTH.

RECENT WIND MAXIMA:
LOCATION                SUSTAINED    TIME (LOCAL)   GUST          TIME (LOCAL)
POINTE SUD   GRI        47KT 87KPH   8:31 AM        56KT 104KPH    8:31 AM
ALTSEND      GRI        40KT 74KPH   9:14 AM        49KT 91KPH     8:41 AM
WESTEDGE     GRI        56KT 104KPH  7:53 AM        72KT 133KPH    7:19 AM
PILMINSTER   GRI        33KT 61KPH   9:18 AM        44KT 82KPH     8:59 AM
AD’IHAN      COA        30KT 56KPH   8:56 AM        39KT 72KPH     9:00 AM
NAVON BEACH  BRI        36KT 67KPH   8:49 AM        51KT 95KPH     8:44 AM

FORECAST DISCUSSION
----
THIS COULD BE THE BIG BREAK EVERYONE WAS LOOKING FOR. ECHO HAS STALLED IN WATERS 
IMMEDIATELY SOUTH OF AD’IHAN THAT ARE ONLY AROUND 26 DEGREES CELSIUS... AND OCEANIC HEAT 
CONTENT IS BELOW AVERAGE. IF ECHO DOES NOT START MOVING SOON... IT COULD UPWELL AND BEGIN 
TO WEAKEN.

THE NEW FORECAST ASSUMES THAT ECHO WILL START MOVING AGAIN IN ABOUT 12 HOURS... ALLOWING
IT TO MAINTAIN INTENSITY AS A HIGH-END CATEGORY TWO STORM OR POSSIBLY INTENSIFY INTO
A CATEGORY THREE MAJOR HURRICANE. HOWEVER, IT APPEARS THAT EARLIER FORECASTS OF A CAT. 4
HURRICANE ARE NOW UNLIKELY TO VERIFY.

THIS FORECAST BRINGS ECHO OVER GRAND ISLAND MOVING VERY SLOWLY. IT SHOWS LANDFALL AROUND
1 PM TOMORROW NEAR WESTEDGE... AND A DEPARTURE POINT NORTHWEST OF KINNEY ROAD ONLY AROUND
7 AM ON OCTOBER 7. THIS WOULD MEAN A TOTAL OF NEARLY 36 HOURS OF HEAVY RAIN AND STRONG
HURRICANE-FORCE WINDS... WHICH COULD LEAD TO MAJOR FLOODING ISSUES NATIONWIDE. RAINFALL 
TOTALS OF UP TO 400 CM IN MOUNTAINOUS AREAS ARE POSSIBLE CARRYING WITH IT THE THREAT OF 
LIFE-THREATENING FLASH FLOODS AND MUDSLIDES.

ECHO HAS AN EYE ABOUT 30 KM IN DIAMETER, WHICH SHOULD MAKE THE EYE PASSAGE RELATIVELY 
SHORT. DO NOT VENTURE OUTSIDE AFTER LANDFALL EVEN WHEN CONDITIONS APPEAR CALM!

DATED FORECAST WITH PEAK WINDS AND APPROXIMATE LOCATION
----
TIME OF ISSUANCE: 9 AM, LOCAL, OCTOBER 4, 2152
VALID TILL: 9 AM, LOCAL, OCTOBER 8, 2152 TO BE SUPERSEDED BY FUTURE ISSUANCES
AVERAGE FORECAST ERROR IS 15 KT AND 250 KM IN 72 HOURS, AND 20 KT AND 350 KM BEYOND

DATE-TIME GROUP LISTED IN PAX TIME - TWO HOURS AHEAD OF AD’IHAN STANDARD
STORM TYPES: LOW; DEP: DEPRESSION; STM: STORM; SVR: SEVERE STORM; HU1-HU5: HURRICANE

FORECAST DTG    APPROX LOCATION                          MAX WINDS     MAX GUSTS  TYPE
 INITIAL 041100 125 KM SOUTH OF WESTEDGE               95KT 175KPH  115KT 215KPH  HU2
  12 HRS 042300 110 KM SOUTH OF WESTEDGE               95KT 175KPH  115KT 215KPH  HU2
  24 HRS 051100 30 KM SOUTH OF WESTEDGE               100KT 185KPH  120KT 225KPH  HU3
LAND ETA 051500 LANDFALL FORECAST NEAR WESTEDGE       100KT 185KPH  120KT 225KPH  HU3
  36 HRS 052300 OVER GRAND ISLAND NEAR PILMINSTER      90KT 165KPH  110KT 205KPH  HU2
  48 HRS 061100 GRAND ISLAND 40 KM NORTH OF DULLHAM    80KT 150KPH  100KT 185KPH  HU1
  72 HRS 071100 SEA 80 KM NORTHWEST OF KINNEY ROAD     65KT 120KPH   85KT 160KPH  HU1
  96 HRS 081100 250 KM NORTH OF GRAND ISLAND COAST     75KT 140KPH   95KT 175KPH  HU1
 120 HRS 091100 OUT OF AD’IHANI ISLANDS WEATHER AGENCY WARNING RESPONSIBILITY AREA

REPEATING THE LATEST INFORMATION
----
TIME EFFECTIVE: 9 AM, LOCAL, OCTOBER 4, 2152
TROPICAL CYCLONE: HURRICANE ECHO
POSITION: APPROXIMATELY 125 KM SOUTH OF WESTEDGE, GRAND ISLAND
WINDS: NEAR 175 KM/H, WITH GUSTS TO 215 KM/H
PRESSURE: ESTIMATED AT 925 HPA
MOVEMENT: QUASI-STATIONARY
MAXIMUM EXTENT OF WINDS: 355 KM GALE, 180 KM STORM, 80 KM HURRICANE, 35 KM MAXIMUM
NATIONAL STORM READINESS: ONE-ALPHA (ONE-BRAVO FOR BARRIER ISLAND)
HURRICANE WARNING: GRAND ISLAND
HURRICANE WATCH: BARRIER ISLAND AND ÎLES FRANÇOIS-ET-PATRICE
TROPICAL STORM WARNING: BARRIER ISLAND AND ÎLES FRANÇOIS-ET-PATRICE

NEXT WARNING
----
THE AIWA TROPICAL CYCLONE DIVISION OF THE METEOROLOGICAL SERVICE WILL CONTINUE ISSUING
TROPICAL CYCLONE PUBLIC WARNINGS EVERY SIX HOURS WITH INTERMEDIATE WARNINGS EVERY THREE
HOURS. THE NEXT SCHEDULED INTERMEDIATE ISSUANCE IS AT 1 PM AD’IHAN STANDARD TIME. IF 
CONDITIONS WARRANT OR THE SITUATION CHANGES, AN EARLY SPECIAL BULLETIN MAY BE ISSUED PRIOR 
TO THAT.

ISSUED BY
----
FORECASTER TIM LARKIN
DEPUTY LEAD FORECASTER, TROPICAL CYCLONE DIVISION

[Adihan]

Greens confirm death of Ann-Marie Canning

CITY OF AD’IHAN, November 11, 2152— Ann-Marie Canning, the wife of former prime minister Alex Canning, has died aged 55 after succumbing to leukaemia.

A statement from the Green Ad’ihan party founded by Mr Canning said that Mrs Canning had died at shortly before 3 am on the morning of November 11, 2152, with her family at her side, and expressed the party's condolences to the Canning family over the loss.

Mr Canning was Ad’ihan's chief minister from 2144 until independence in 2147, and then prime minister until he resigned on February 15, 2150. He was then appointed as Attorney-General, Ad’ihan's top legal officer, during the short-lived government of his successor as prime minister, John Baines. After the collapse of the Baines government, Mr Canning took over as the country's foreign secretary, a position he held until his retirement from politics before elections held this past June. Mr Canning, who did not stand in the June elections, said in a statement issued on May 24 that his retirement was related to his wife's bone marrow cancer.

Opposition politicians have been quick to offer their support and condolences, with Mr Baines leading the tributes. Mr Baines, who served in the coalition Cabinet during the First Parliament as Mr Canning's deputy prime minister, said that in his time working with Mr Canning, "Ann-Marie was always there to provide support to her husband and his colleagues, for which we remain always grateful."

Independent MP and one-time presidential candidate Michael Rowand and Conservative leader Paul Tilson issued a joint statement expressing their sadness, triggering fresh speculation that Mr Rowand will join the Tory party.

Current prime minister James Stewart and deputy prime minister Kyle Adamson are both understood to be with Mr Canning at the moment.

Rachel Canning, the Cannings' daughter and a rising star in the Green party tipped to be fielded in her father's old constituency at the next election, has issued a statement on behalf of her and her brother Timothy, a lieutenant in the Air Guard, thanking close friends for supporting the family during the past months.

It is unclear if Mr Canning will return to active politics in the future, although sources close to the Greens indicate that he may be appointed as a senior advisor to the Cabinet instead of returning to front-line parliamentary politics.

[Adihan]

Ad’ihan and Liventia reach islands settlement

ÎLE FRANÇOIS, December 3, 2152— The governments of Ad’ihan and Liventia have reached a settlement on the future of Îles François-et-Patrice, it has been announced.

The islets, currently administered by Ad’ihan although never formally claimed as Ad’ihani territory, will be transferred to Liventian sovereignty. However, the islets — which will fly the Liventian flag — will be jointly administered by the Barrier Island regional government in Modna South and the Embassy of the Republic of Liventia from the City of Ad’ihan.

In addition, Liventia will not claim an economic exclusion area around the islets — a move which would have seen Ad’ihan's territorial waters shrink dramatically. The airspace above the islets will remain Ad’ihani airspace, per the status quo.

The 1,800 islanders will be accorded citizenship of both countries, although they may choose to accept only one.

The announcement was made in a joint press conference by top Ad’ihani negotiator Commodore-Admiral Thomas Jones and by Liventia's new negotiation team led by its freshly-appointed foreign minister Lucas Prestwick.

The deal, which will have to be ratified by both countries' legislative assemblies, will come into effect on January 1.

With the Ad’ihani parliament having previously voted against a bill ceding sovereignty of the islands, officially the Francis Islands to Liventia, it is unclear what a rejection of the deal might mean for the future of the islands.

Ad’ihan's foreign secretary Pierre Guingamp has urged his parliamentary colleagues to back the deal, saying it was "win-win" for all sides.

New Liventian PM promises "closer bond" with Ad’ihan

Orean, LIVENTIA, December 3, 2152— Liventia's new prime minister has promised to strengthen ties with Ad’ihan after years of dispute.

Anita Kumara, whose Greener Society Coalition won a majority in elections in late October, said it was time for "both countries to move forward and stop looking back".

Her words were welcomed by her Ad’ihani counterpart James Stewart, coincidentally also the leader of Ad’ihan's Green party.

"We have seen it in the actions of the new government in Orean in the Francis Islands discussions, and the Enigma crash co-operation, that we have embarked on a new, refreshing, positive chapter in relations between Ad’ihan and Liventia," he said.

Mrs Kumara, who will visit Ad’ihan on her first official visit in January, said that the two governments' shared green platforms made co-operation "much easier".

She added that the once-thorny issue of Jacques Badonner, who was to have been executed by the previous Liventian government, had also been resolved, with the two governments agreeing his return to Ad’ihan where he will remain in life imprisonment.

TSAC closes Enigma case, charges flight crew

Airport City, GRAND ISLAND, December 3, 2152— The investigation into a fatal Enigma Star Airways crash in August formally concluded today after criminal charges were laid against the flight crew.

The national Transport Safety Advisory Committee (TSAC) inquiry's findings recommended that the pilot and two co-pilots of ESA Flight 24 were to be held criminally and judicially culpable for homicide by negligent behaviour. It also found the flight captain should be held criminally and judicially culpable for failing to report a safety standards breach.

The Grand Island Public Prosecutor's Office has accepted the TSAC findings and charged captain Howard Eckers, first officer Andrew Parson, and second officer Flight Lieutenant Marcus Landel, each with 84 counts of homicide by negligent behaviour, and Capt. Eckers with a further count of failing to report a safety standards breach.

The three face almost a combined 3,800 years in prison — 15 years for each count of homicide by negligent behaviour and three years for Capt. Eckers' failure to report that his plane had not been inspected in over a year at the time of flight.

Flt. Lt. Landel, who is a member of Liventia's Air Force, is to be summarily dishonourably relieved from service, a statement issued by the Liventian Defence Ministry said.

The trials have been set for March 13–27.

[Adihan]

Francophone MPs walk out during Francis Isles debate

CITY OF AD’IHAN, December 5, 2152— The Francophone Party (PFA) staged a walkout from Parliament this afternoon during a debate on the ratification of a proposal to accord sovereignty of the Francis Islands to Liventia.

Led by leader Jean Grévoie, the party's 14 MPs walked out after shadow foreign secretary Petra Ebbett (AC/Frontier) called on all MPs to "be true to your homeland".

General (Ret.) Grévoie, who is the PFA's only Cabinet officer, later indicated he had taken Mrs Ebbett's remarks to refer to Liventia, which he said he "did not and will never stand for, or be true to."

Speaker of Parliament Francis Sevillon criticised the walkout, but noted there was nothing he could do procedurally to stop it, or to penalise the PFA for it.

The shadow prime minister, who was not present for the debate, has backed Mrs Ebbett over her comments.

Paul Tilson described the walkout as "childish" and said it was "a stretch" to interpret Mrs Ebbett's words as referring to Liventia.

The proposal will be put to a full vote of Parliament on Friday, and is expected to pass the two-thirds supermajority easily.

Former Navy chief to form new party

Flitton, GRAND ISLAND, December 5, 2152— The country's former Chief of the Coast Guard and Navy has received approval from the Electoral Commission to form a new political party, he has announced.

Admiral (Ret.) Howard Tyksland will lead the new Party for Social Democracy (PSD), but will not field candidates under the party banner at elections.

Adm. Tyksland, who is also a member of the Forward Movement — a constituent party of the Alliance of Parties for Ad’ihani Democracy (APAD), says members of his party will be drawn from the current APAD parties.

"We intend to be a constituent party of APAD at first, but with some value and measure of autonomy. Our candidates will stand as representing APAD-PSD, with a view to further independence of the party in the future even while retaining strong links with the APAD."

APAD chairman John Baines MP welcomed the new party, saying the addition of the PSD was proof of the alliance's growing influence.