Esportivan Foreign Press [Semi-Open/Esportiva]

[Uitbregen]

(Article taken from Het Land newspaper)

Heaviest Day of Fighting sees 21 RUA Troops killed

The Heaviest day of fighting so far in the 2-year Arendslaand Civil War has seen the deaths of 21 Royal Uitbregeni Army during a series of night assaults by units of the AOA (Arendslaand Orange Army) against a number of RUA & AGF positions along the Spitzkorn river.

The assaults happened after AGF forces had made several of their own aggressive forrays into AOA territory, with Artillery strikes from a number of hidden positions within the deep forest which line the riverbanks and beyond proceeding a large amphibious and ground assault on bases in Wolmaranstraad and elsewhere.

The RUA Operating Bases Tiger (in Wolmaranstraad), Eagle & Rock Lizard (both in Stelmannskop), which house over 1,500 RUA Troops, came under attack shortly after midnight, in the gap between two patrols, leaving many of the stationed troops off guard and relaxing or sleeping. The AOA troops crossed the river under ferocious artillery fire, which dealt severe damage to the structures within and around the base, allowing over 900 AOA troops to breach the perimiter walls.

The following firefights claimed the lives of 21 RUA troops & 104 AGF troops, with the casualties coming from the 9th Denvargen Rifles, 156th Kulisberg Recon. Division & Royal Engineering Corps IV. Wolmaranstraad was also shelled heavily, as well as the nearby towns of Stelmannskop and Viljoenstaad, whilst AGF airbases and river ports along the Spitzkorn where also damaged.

The AOA attacks were repelled after several hours of intense fighting, thanks to drafted Helicopter support from the main RUA base at Mariusfontein, 50 miles away from the capital, and deep within AGF territory. The AOA forces were repelled back over the river, with casualties estimated at 250, with over 400 captives taken.

Minister for Foreign Affairs, Jens de Boer, has once again reinstated his support for the government of Arendslaand, saying that RUA troops will remain in the country until the conflict is resolved, and that he will step up the current number of troops to 4,000 top help with the developing humanitarian crisis in Arendslaand.

[Apox]

THE INTERNATIONAL POST

Lord Winklebottom dies, aged 74

by Tim Brown

Lord Winklebottom in 547, negotiating terms for peace after the first Apoxian Civil War

The iconic figure, Lord Winklebottom, first democratic leader of Apox, has today died at the age of 74, at home surrounded by his family and friends. Lord Winklebottom had been quite mobile up until a couple of weeks ago, when he was struck by a virus, which he failed to recover from, his weak immune system not standing up the job.

Born on 13th March 506 A.T in Dwile, Hester Charles Winklebottom didn't have a particularly comfortable childhood, his father, Jack, working in the local steel works. After graduating from Dwile Metropolitan School in 522 A.T, Winklebottom moved to the North of the country in order to become more involved with the local politics up there - the North, at the time, was the more democratic part of Apox.

After a number of years in the North in various forms for local government, notably holding the position of Chief Adminstrator for Cierbana from 530-533, he returned to Dwile as a journalist and political activist, working for the (at the time) outlawed Free Politcal Party of Apox, a politcal party working to overcome the feudal tyranny created by the upper classes, dating back 150 years. Toying with jail a number of times, including being arrested in 542 but released without charge, Winklebottom was certainly on the front line of change.

In the first Apoxian civil war, lasting from 545-548 A.T, Winklebottom was one of the "big" men in charge of the freedom fighters, mainly comprising of the Free Party and their related activists. He was involved in the battle of Dwile, taking place in October 547, culminating with the effective surrender of the feudal lords, with outbursts of fighting in the North and South of Apox for up to a year afterwards.

With Dwile conquered and the enemy defeated, Winklebottom was one of the men tipped to take control as Apox emerged from the damaging civil war. He had become more powerful and more relevant over the course of the war, and with many of the higher ranking members of the Free Party dying in the civil war he was one of the most important. After being voted into power by the remains of the Free Party, he set about creating a fairer, prosperous, more democratic Apox.

In the first years of his tenure as Leader of Apox, he created Government House, the centre of rulings and oversaw the gradual election of officials to government; he set about unifying the previously largely divided Apox from the feudal system that had existed before. Transport links between cities and other countries were improved, the economy gradually recovered and indeed prospered, and the country grew from something of a quiet backwater into a major Esportivan power.

Having stabilised the country, he began to improve the political system, giving more and more political rights away. In 555, he allowed other political partiesto exist legally in Apox. He was instrumental in the setting up of local councils and the first council elections in 569 A.T. In 560, he helped impose various checks on the Leader's office. All this of course lead up to the first elections in 562, where his Free Party won by a large amount, and he remained in office.

His first, "properly" elected term in office was more of the same, and he even introduced the "Regulated Free Trade and Commerce Act" of 564 A.T, which allowed greater business independence in Apox and greater opportunity to trade with other countries in the region. It was thought that he would continue on for the 566 elections, he wasn't particularly old, politically speaking, aged 60, however, he decided that after 19 years in charge of Apox, it was most definitely time to give someone else a turn.

With no other promising candidates coming forward to lead the Free Party, it was the ANP which won the 566 election, with Hester Winklebottom, now Lord Winklebottom not a part of Government House for the first time in its history.

His "retirement" was a mixture of genuine relaxation at his house three miles north of Barbury and performing public speaking roles all around the country at various events on the importance of democratic government. These events had trailed off considerably as time had worn on, and recently he would only speak once or twice a year.

In conclusion, Lord Winklebottom is perhaps the pillar upon which modern Apox is founded on. The fact that he is no longer with us is troubling in itself, and in many people's minds, the calm, quiet but authorative presence which made you feel sure everything would be fine is now gone. Rest in peace, Lord Winklebottom, you work here is finally done.

[Apox]

THE INTERNATIONAL POST

A New Dawn?

A 4th Apoxian political power is beginning to rear it's head in Apoxian politics, with potentially devastating consequences for the established three parties. The party, A New Dawn, lead by their enigmatic and loud leader, Ave Damascus, is polling well in the south and north of the country. This is particularly worrying for the main parties after Annabel Harwood has announced an election for May 582, in order to stop claims that her party is leading the country without a popular mandate.

The party, which sits to the right of the ANP, has picked ground, mainly from ANP and ONP supporters following the greater demographic divide and increased partisan nature of government house this current term, with many ANP party members implying they may move parties in time for the next election. A New Dawn is a potentially dangerous force, a party with little actual substance at this stage, and could potentially do well in the next elections by picking up a large protest vote.

While A New Dawn will be the ANP's biggest concern, the Free Party and the Green Party will also monitor it closely, with the change from a List voting system to AV to elect officials to Government House, this means that A New Dawn could also steal seats of the Free Party and the Green Party in the next election. Green Party leader, Kashmir Aston issued the following statement regarding the rise of A New Dawn:

"While the Green Party notes the sudden appearance of this new party, we are more focused at fighting the ANP and Free Party for seats in the next election at this stage. Whilst they have no representation in Government House, we cannot regard them as a serious threat." Fighting talk indeed from Mr. Aston, however, A New Dawn could have representation in Government House very soon indeed, as Mr. Damascus is planning on standing in the Urbanista Dockside by-election next month, and judging by the rate at which they're campaigning there, who knows what could happen. There is a possibility that they could seize that seat from the ANP.

Finally, a quick look at the polls to finish:

37.3% - Free Party
29.2% - Green Party
20.6% - ANP
7.8% - A New Dawn
5.0% - Others

[Apox]

THE INTERNATIONAL POST

True inclusion for all

by Clement Ashley

It's something of a momentous day in Apox, as, finally, the people who came from Old Guard during the Old Guard catastrophe two years ago, can now become full Apoxian citizens, should they wish.

This is an important step for the people of Apox and those from Old Guard as well, and is at the very least what those people from Old Guard deserve, the two countries being close diplomatically before the catastrophe as well. It is thought around a quarter of a million former Old Guardians are currently resident in Apox, with the majority of those living in the south, in the county of Old Guard, although there is a sizeable minority population in Dwile as well. These people have played their part in the recovery of Apox from the civil war which was as a result of the Old Guard catastrophe, and it is only right that they should be rewarded as a result.

In addition, due to the odd naming culture in Old Guard, it has also been decreed that those former Old Guardian citizens who want to may change their names, either choosing a new first name or choosing a surname for themselves. This special consideration has been added due to the high number of Old Guardian citizens with unfortunate names which belittles them without having any true bearing on them as individuals. Examples include names such as "Oldrick the Pigheaded", "Tim the Stupid" or "Agatha the Runt". As a result, this special consideration is a fair addition to the rights of these people who have suffered so greatly in recent times. This is a move which has been hailed by many in the media as a good move by the government and Anna Harwood.

[Apox]

THE INTERNATIONAL POST

One Month to Go, the Heat is On

by Matthew Townsend

http://i1245.photobucket.com/albums/gg583/ApoxNation/1monthprior_zps6622bd80.png
The polls taken of the major parties heading since the last election in 580 A.T

With one month to go until the Apoxian general election, the campaign wheels are slowly beginning to turn. Annabel Harwood's Free Party, currently the larger member of a Free-Greens coalition government, currently sit on around 36.5% of vote on polling data, while their coalition partners, the more libertarian Greens sit on 28.5% of the vote having slowly recovered some votes since their large fall in the last election.

The ANP, currently led by Jasmine Cooke, another enigmatic young leader, have fallen from their share of 29% of the vote since the last election, although they have recovered ground since their low of 20.5% after 18 months of opposition. Then of course there are the new party to the table, New Dawn, who's popularity has risen dramatically in the past year, and they currently have 7.8% of the polling share, down from a peak of 8.9% at their highest. They are very much an unknown quality in this election, and even though they only have one member of Government House, their leader Ave Damascus, who won the recent Urbanista Dockside by-election, they are still being taken very seriously, and they could potentially end up holding the keys to power once the dust settles.

This is going to be quite the ground breaking election, as Apox moves to a AV electoral system instead of a party list one as previously used. This is due to voters feeling that they had a lack of connection to those they were electing - it also plans to make the entire system of representation more effective and better - one representive per constituency rather than 10 spread out across varying and occasionally fragmented areas.

The election is due to occur on the 7th November 582 A.T, exactly two years after the last one and called early through the Green Party refusing to co-operate with the Free Party over a number of controversial, highly environmentally unfriendly policies which would cause the economy to improve - at least, according to c.60% of consulted experts.

[Apox]

THE INTERNATIONAL POST

Free Party remain biggest party once again

by Matthew Townsend

Political Party     Votes      % Seats Swing
Free Party      6,495,392  40.21    39    -6
Green Party     4,227,601  26.17    28    +7
ANP             3,417,662  21.16    24    -5
New Dawn        1,043,957   6.46     8    +7
Independents      643,284   3.98     1    -2
Pirate Party      205,492   1.27     0     0
ONP               101,951   0.63     0    -1
Environmentals     16,492   0.10     0     0
TOTAL          16,151,831 100.00   100     0

The Free Party are once again elected into government as the biggest party - though it remains unclear whether they'll go into another coalition or try to make things work as a minority government. With Jack Greybold, the former leader of Apox, rising to prominence during this election campaign, and partly to thank for their spike in the vote - a new Free-Greens coalition could be in the mix, especially as Annabel Harwood and Jack Greybold's good working relationship is well documented.

However, with Kashmir Aston still leader of the Greens - even if he is quite unpopular - it's clear to see that there are going to be plenty of mini battles and fights in the coming weeks as Apox settles down politically into a new system.

The ANP had a minor burst from what they'd been polling, and ended up with 24 GWs, which they will still not be happy with, but will ultimately settle for, the party moving away from it's stagnant image it had generated during the latter years of John Asheburton's leadership, Jasmine Cooke will now be able to work hard to transform their image and get back to the big issues which had dominated her party.

Another important factor in this election is the number of votes cast for Ave Damascus' New Dawn, as they polled strongly, gaining over a million votes and 7 new GWs to join Ave Damascus in Government House. Their uprising took a lot of votes away from the Greens and the ANP, and really changed the face of the election and with a block of 8 voters in the House, they now have the ability to really influence legislation and hold a lot more power than they ultimately deserve.

One independent candidate, Jack Tenworth from the sparsely populated Plains constituency was elected, and he'll be likely to support the Free Party in most issues, having the greatest leaning in that direction.

It's all set up to be a blockbuster governmental term - let's hope it lives up to its billing and Apox comes out stronger on the other side.

[San Jose Guayabal]

www.elnacional.gu/sjg/uh/id=270063

You are in: El nacional > SJG > Politics > Modernization

Written by: Luis Ferreira.
Date: Friday, 10/12/2197, 14:38 - San Salvador time

Guayabalense Public Roads Administration Starts an Upgrading Program in Interprovincial Highways.

After various plenary sessions with the Committee on Transport and Public Roads of the Riksdag, the Ministry of Transport and Communications (MTC) made a request for C$ 600 million kronor in order to modernize the highway system in different provinces, emphasis in the province of Salamo, the northwest corner of the country, different members of the Riksdag, which formed part of the Camargo Coalition (Government Coalition) and members of the Conservative Opposition of parliament were expectant of planning and program objectives would be presented by the Minister José Carlos Ramos, among which included detailed spending C$ 600 million for substantial improvements to the highway system throughout the country in order to have an even better connectivity it currently enjoys among different parts of the country, including those creating a logistic corridor branched from San Salvador and Vladivostok, which would be incorporated into the new National Highway 66 (AN 66) to connect Metapán and border Estope and also Sálamo and the western border with neighboring countries as Estope and Wednesday Evening.

Ramos also explained in his budget the creation of the modernization program "Digital Highway" with which it plans to implement smart warning systems across the country to warn drivers of any event, besides the installation of speed controls in neighborhood or better known as Secondary Roads that are at the outskirts of cities or towns Caminos. The installation of smart systems in the various National Highway at a cost of C$ 160 million, which are listed by Ramos as "an excellent investment in improving connectivity in the country." And Gerardo Centeno (President of the Commission Transport and Public Roads Riksdag) as a "Good bet for modernizing the country."

The Riksdag has approved C$ 600 Million in order to upgrade the
National Highway System with digitalization in every Interprovincial
Road in the Nation. The goal is to bring high quality to the populace
in the road. - Photo: National Highway 27 (AN 27) San Salvador -
Yucuaiquín, at the Road Station of Colmenares (KM 166).
Source: Miguel Melgar - El Nacional.

After a three-hour presentation to the members of that committee, it was agreed to support the motion in plenary last Wednesday night, which was met by a vote of 285 in favor, 16 abstentions and 24 MPs against, mainly the Communist Party and the Pirate Party, the latter said in a public statement that "The project is not viable because the computer system and the database can be hacked." Because this approach Pirate Party also He was added to the new project incorporating a firewall and security measures necessary to prevent infiltration into the system, which according to Luis Morales, Pirate Party parliamentarian considered as "A prudent move to real problems that can happen at any time."

After the plenary session, Ramos said the digital system for highways would be presented on Thursday, which took place without any problems, fulfilling what was said by the Minister Ramos in the conference called "Road to Digitization" were different systems and computers, plus digital screens that will be installed in different ways and which operate on solar energy in order to maintain a system of lesser impact to the environment, yet inexpensive, using products manufactured 100% by Guayabalense hands in order to give greater opportunities for companies in the field of renewable energies, especially the solar sector in this area. The operation of the new network will be based on control points that are strategically be located in provincial capitals, having subgroups that will be responsible for reporting any incidents or any event worth reporting on track and that may affect motorists, plus suggestions to take alternative routes to avoid traffic jams.

According to Prime Minister Julián Camargo, the new system "will put at the forefront of our nation in terms of the efficiency of road resources." In addition to "Provide new tools useful for our citizens, who deserve quality." As for maintenance this system, said that measures like hiring student crews from the faculties of different universities of Systems Engineering, Power Engineering and Civil Engineering in order to maintain national digital network to be taken, detailed access to these crews will be voluntary and shall pay, in addition to the social practices of each student to perform the work on maintenance crews that will spread nationwide.

Other Interesting News:

• Sálamo Business Council: "We are happy regarding the Government's decision to invest more in our province."
• Standarized test for High School will include more items about investigation and analysis.
• Telaris Mobil announces expansion to new markets, The Royal Kingdom of Québec is on the list.
• A swell is expected on the South Coast of the Nation, Yellow Alert is declared in all the South Coast.
• Are you ready for Summer? Check our "Summer Time Magazine" to see the best travelling options for your family.

[Apox]

THE INTERNATIONAL POST

Calls for term limits to be introduced

by Clement Ashley

Artur Winklebottom, one of the main proponents of the Set Terms Bill

With the last Government House election coming in 582 A.T, it is nearly 6 years now since the last election which saw another Free-Green coalition come about, with Jack Greybold replacing Kashmir Aston as leader of the Green Party in the process. However, since then, there have been 10 by-elections due to the length between elections, meaning one in ten GWs are different to the start of this party.

When questioned about her lack of calling an election (and with the threat of a vote of no confidence hanging over her), Annabel Harwood responded with "this has been an exceptional term in many respects, with no major upheavals taking place, a strong economy and the growth of the Apoxian population, not least through the influx of refugees who have turned Wofford into the major commerce centre it is today."

These are all valid points, although the Wofford point may be a little poorly judged, since polling shows that the Wofford Civic Area has 64% support for the ANP, perhaps due to the lack of government supported opportunities going there compared to other areas as well as the relatively slow implementation of infrastructure there to keep up with the population boom.

However, Annabel Harwood is likely to lose the fight on the set term limit, with cross party support for the bill, and relatively low personal and party ratings mean she is unlikely to reprise her role as Leader of Apox when the next election does end up happening, with her Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Artur Winklebottom, openly supporting the Set Terms Bill. The ANP, under Jasmine Cooke, looks strong enough to seriously push for government at the moment and they lead in the polls. The Green Party under Jack Greybold maintains moderate support, largely due to JAck Greybold pushing through the Green Energy Act in 583 which has seen the percentage of energy generated in Apox by renewables soar to 30% currently, with average bills down by 25% as a result. Ave Damascus' right wing New Dawn party remain fairly constant on about 7%, with a number of political gaffes haltering their advancement, though support for them remains strong in the industrial heartland of Urbanista as well as in the North.

Current Polling Figures:
39% - ANP
29% - Green Party
25% - Free Party
7% - New Dawn

[Apox]

Madness Within Government House as New Election is Called

by Matthew Townsend

With the Set Terms Bill being passed with a resounding majority last Friday, it seems that Parliament House has gone into full chaos mode as a vote of no confidence in the Government was immediately called following the bill being passed by Jasmine Cooke of the ANP, the current favourite to become leader after next months election. The Bill itself passed 73 votes to 27, and the vote of no confidence (the first since the 571 one) being called with 63 for to 37 against. In the end, the Bill enforces term lengths of 4 years, in order to avoid this unusual 6 year sitting we've had this term.

It seems currently that everyone has been lining up to take a bash at Annabel Harwood, something that's frankly quite unfair considering all the good work she's done in this (albeit very long) term. First the ANP were scathing in her lack of democratic principles in refusing to stand down without being forced, before Ave Damascus' New Dawn were typically partisan and unhelpful with some stern remarks.

Only the Green Party under Jack Greybold have kept their tongue on this issue, though there have been reports of a small faction under Kashmir Aston reporting dissenting opinions, more in line with those of the more left leaning ANP.

Not even the Free Party is maintaining an image of unity in this crisis, with the popular, youthful Arter Winklebottom (son of former leader Lord Winklebottom) openly rebelling against his party on the Set Terms Bill and leading a number of Free Party GWs with him in that vote. His actions have further reduced faith in the governing Free Party, which isn't ideal seeing as the election is on the horizon. Normally support flowing from either of the "traditional" parties normally ends up with the Green Party in the middle, although in this instance lost support seems to be going from the Free Party to the ANP, further increasing their lead in the polls, and even opening up the possibility of a majority government next term for the ANP, which would be their first time in power, alone or as a coalition for 19 years, since the days of John Asheburton as leader. Oh how things have changed.

With the election scheduled for the 7th January 589 A.T, here's how the polls look:

44% - ANP
29% - Green Party
21% - Free Party
6% - New Dawn

[Apox]

LIVESTREAM: 589 Election

21:01 Hey there everyone, and welcome to the International Post's coverage of the 589 Apoxian general election, with polling just finishing at 9pm.

21:04 It's been a fraught election campaign so far, with the last government term ending in debacle, with the ANP calling for a vote of no confidence in Annabel Harwood's government, a motion which pass due to large section of her party rebelling against her. Let's have an in depth look into each of the main parties.

21:06 The Free Party, previously the largest party in the ruling coalition, politically slightly to the right of centre, have had a chaotic campaigning period, with a number of gaffes and lack of unity. Annabel Harwood has been more concerned with trying to keep her party together than promoting new policies for a speculative new term in government. They are expected to flop pretty badly, having polled poorly throughout the whole election campaign.

21:08 The Green Party, the smaller party in the coalition, currently have 28 seats in Government House. They've been one of the more steady parties, and haven't lost or gained much support. As the centrist party, they will likely have to make up a coalition with whichever party gets the most votes and that will probably content them for another term. Jack Greybold is the party leader, and as a former leader of Apox, is incredibly experienced now.

21:11 The ANP, under Jasmine Cooke, are the most left leaning of the major parties, and the one expected to do well in this election. They've been polling strongly, and have exciting new policies and direction, in direct comparison to the stagnating Free Party.

21:14 Ave Damascus' New Dawn, the far right party, have done what nobody predicted they would do - maintain support at about 7%, with most predicting either a rapid rise in support or New Dawn dying away into nothing. They've courted controversy, as in everything they do, with Damascus suspending two party members for racism during the campaign, as well as having strong stances in immigrants. Not expected to do well in Old Guard or Wofford, two regions with strong numbers of immigrants.

21:20 This election sees a return to those friendly party lists of elections gone by, with Apox split into 10 regions, with each region electing 10 GW's based on the number of votes a party gets in that region. Therefore, the boundary to get a seat in any one region is 10%, although there will be rounding made to ensure that 10 representatives from each region are elected.

21:25 The first results are expected to come in shortly after 10pm, with the count in the Dwile South region expected first as it is the smallest constituency.

21:27 Let's just update you all on the areas which will have GW's elected from them this election, with each area electing 10 GW's in the party list format.

Regions:
Dwile North
Dwile South
Old Guard & Deep South
Sea Quarter
Border
Gwinevra & Surrounds
Mountains
Central
Northern Conurbation
East Coast

21:34 We've been talking to Jasmine Cooke, leader of the ANP and widely expected to become the new leader of Apox are tonight's polling. She's in ebullient form at the moment, saying "we've been the opposition for a long old time, and I think Apoxians are fed up of the same brand of politics that we've had for a while. The ANP is reaching out to a lot of people, and we're feeling confident ahead of tonight's results."

21:37 We are expecting to get the results of the Dwile South region in now. This region includes the parts of Dwile of Egloskerry, Docklands, Frenshaw, Golper, Hacktor and extending all the way to Mandon.

21:40 This is the most working class region of the two Dwile regions, and so the ANP is expected to do well. As such, this can be a marker of how well they do this election. If they scrape through with the most seats here, then maybe their advances aren't as great as would be expected, while if it's a big win then that could suggest that they're going to do very well indeed.

21:45 The Dwile South results are just coming in. It's looking like a strong victory for the ANP, with the Free Party hemorrhaging votes.

21:49 The full results of the Dwile South region:

Dwile South Region
Total Population: 2,175,265

Political Party        Votes      % Seats % Chng
ANP                  576,433  44.15     4  -4.15
Green Party          404,302  28.87     3  +1.13
Free Party           388,594  27.74     3  +2.26
New Dawn             101,392   7.24     0  -7.24
Pirate Party          14,584   1.04     0  -1.04
Independent 1         14,321   1.02     0  -1.02
Environmentals         1,023   0.07     0  -0.07
TOTAL              1,400,649 100.00    10

21:54 The ANP have done very well, and that's a strong share of the vote for them there, while the Free Party are narrowly beaten into third place. New Dawn also polled well in the region, being unlucky not to get a seat in the region.

21:56 Political analyst James Porter here. That is a strong performance by ANP, who improved their vote share by 11% over the same area from the last elections (which were AV). They've seen their number of GWs increase by 1 here then, taking one off the Free Party.

22:00 Next up is the Border region, which is the largest region by area, containing the sparsely populated Plains district, as well as cities such as Cawln, Wye & Wofford.

22:03 Votes being announced. Grim faces in the Free Party headquarters in northern Dwile.

22:06: Another big victory for the ANP. Here are the results:

Border
Total Population: 2,349,976

Political Party        Votes      % Seats % Chng
ANP                  854,493  53.45     5  -3.45
Free Party           354,392  22.17     2  -2.17
Green Party          243,854  15.25     2  +4.75
New Dawn             124,382   7.78     1  +2.22
Independent 1         13,292   0.83     0  -0.83
ONP                    7,594   0.48     0  -0.48
Environmentals           545   0.03     0  -0.03
TOTAL              1,598,552 100.00    10

22:10 The ANP were always going to poll strongly in Border, with the strongly working class ethic in the region. This was the first election where Wofford have been as influential a population centre as they currently are, and they're voted overwhelmingly ANP, with approximately 70% of the Wofford vote going to the ANP.

22:12 The Free Party did alright in this region as well, while New Dawn have got themselves a seat in Government House, with the controversial Arthur Swimmington being elected.

22:16 Anna Harwood was not available for comment following these results, but the current Health Minister, Harriet Duncan Smith has said this about the results so far:

"It is a little disappointing to see our vote share being somewhat collapsed, but this is politics and it is fickle. Admittedly, we've never been too strong in the announced regions, so we'll just have to wait for some of our more traditionally strong regions to be announced before passing a verdict on our performance in this election."

22:20 Up next is the second Dwile region - Dwile North, which is encompasses the more affluent areas of Dwile, with the regions Dwyle, Issington, Chardon, Ministry, Rupert & Vordon in it. Notably, two party leaders also hold this as their seat - Green Party leader Jack Greybold & Free Party leader, Anna Harwood.

22:22 The Dwile North region is just beginning to be announced now.

22:24 And here comes the results. The Green Party will be pleased:

Dwile North Region
Total Population: 2,375,154

Political Party        Votes      % Seats % Chng
Green Party          843,700  45.27     5  +4.73  
Free Party           467,801  25.10     3  +4.90
ANP                  450,323  24.16     2  -4.16
New Dawn              46,302   2.48     0  -2.48
Independent 1         33,281   1.79     0  -1.79
Independent 2         21,302   1.14     0  -1.14
Environmentals           711   0.04     0  -0.04
George For King Party    101   0.00     0  -0.00
TOTAL              1,863,581 100.00    10

22:26 This puts a slight dampener on the ANP's early optimism of destroying their opponents, and perhaps even gaining an overall majority in Government House, narrowly beaten into third place here by the Free Party. However, this wasn't one of their "target" regions, and therefore, they still look on track to have the most seats in the next term.

22:29 Jack Greybold & Anna Harwood are both elected as a result of these results, with both being the top listed member of their respective parties, and therefore basically guaranteed a seat.

22:32 A little comment from Green Party leader Jack Greybold following the third region being announced:

"We weren't expecting to massively surprise in this election, and while initial results are promising for us, I think we've seen a strong flow of support from the Free Party to the ANP. How much of that is going to the Green Party is hard to say, but we're definitely keeping hold of our core support based off results so far."

22:35 And now to hear from Ave Damascus, Leader of New Dawn, has had this to say from his parties headquarters in Cierbanor:

"We've had a tricky time of things so far this election, but these are not strong regions for us - city folk are generally more progressive. We are expecting better results from the more rural areas, so we'll have to wait and see. I confidently predict that New Dawn will still be having a serious influence in the next term in Government House."

22:37 We're likely to have a stream of regions reporting from now until around midnight, with some of the bigger regions being expected after that.

22:39 First up, is the East Coast, which is a region which generally swings with public mood, so it'll be interesting to see the results from this one.

22:42

East Coast
Total Population: 2,540,399

Political Party        Votes      % Seats % Chng
ANP                  678,593  43.80     4  -3.80
Green Party          410,698  26.51     3  +3.49
New Dawn             178,286  11.51     1  -1.51
Free Party           177,865  11.48     1  -1.48
Pirate Party          65,771   4.25     1  +5.75
Independent 1         32,067   2.07     0  -2.07
Save the Sea           4,382   0.28     0  -0.28
Environmentals         1,685   0.11     0  -0.11
TOTAL              1,549,347 100.00    10

22:45A big win for the ANP there, and another encouraging sign for them. With 4 regions in they've amassed 15 seats, and they'll be hoping to make further gains on the Free Party and Green Party in later seats.

22:47 We've finally caught up with Anna Harwood, who is re-elected to Government House but has seen her party lose both votes and seats. Already there will be questions over her suitability of her being Leader of the Free Party going forwards. This is what she had to say regarding her party's results so far:

"It's been a difficult day and difficult campaign for the Free Party - which is a shame considering all the good we've done in the last, admittedly very long Governmental term."

22:48 Sounds a fair bit like someone trying to ensure their legacy is left intact to me - and to be fair, the Harwood administration will likely be viewed as a successful one once all is said and done. It's especially interesting coming now, after that region where the Free Party were pushed into 4th behind New Dawn - I expect the party high ups will have gone into panic mode over that one.

22:51 Anyway, no time to stop and chat, we've got the Central region coming up now, which is a similar demographic to the East Coast one.


22:55 And here are the results of that:

Central
Total Population: 2,365,392

Political Party        Votes      % Seats % Chng
ANP                  676,503  40.75     4  -0.75
Green Party          465,411  28.04     3  +1.96
Free Party           398,666  24.02     3  +5.98
New Dawn              61,392   3.70     0  -3.70
Pirate Party          36,531   2.20     0  -2.20
Independent 1         20,818   1.25     0  -1.25
Environmentals           712   0.04     0  -0.04
TOTAL              1,660,033 100.00    10

22:58 Another strong win for the ANP there, with the Free Party rallying here. It's also interesting to note the very low New Dawn vote there, although not particularly surprising, seeing as the Central region doesn't border any other countries and therefore doesn't particularly apply to the New Dawn's heavily anti-immigration stance.

23:00 It's also interesting to note the Green Party as being the current second party of Apox - something the ANP fulfilled for so long, with the Green Party's support remaining fairly constant as opposed to the Free Party's collapse. It's amazing how Jack Greybold has managed that, but it's certainly a good achievement in itself.

23:04 The remaining regions are large ones, and not expected until midnight, so we're going to close down now and re-emerge just before further announcements.

----

00:06 Ok we're back, with the Old Guard & Deep South region expected any minute now. This one has traditionally been heavily in favour of the Green Party & Free Party, so it'll be interesting to see the results from here.

00:08 And here are the results:

Old Guard & Deep South
Total Population: 2,756,493

Political Party        Votes      % Seats % Chng
Green Party          604,995  33.67     4  +6.33
ANP                  540,103  30.06     3  -0.06
Free Party           475,392  26.46     3  +3.54
Pirate Party          55,302   3.08     0  -3.08
New Dawn              50,392   2.80     0  -2.80
ONP                   43,493   2.42     0  -2.42
Independent 1         25,403   1.41     0  -1.41
Environmentals         1,001   0.06     0  -0.06
Independent 2            594   0.03     0  -0.03
TOTAL              1,796,675 100.00    10

00:11 The strongest indictment of the countries lack of faith in the Free Party yet, with votes flowing to the Green Party, and indeed to the ANP, with the Free Party forced into third, although, to be fair, this was one of the closest results at the top.

00:13 A heavily immigrant part of Apox, New Dawn we down in 5th with 2% of the vote.

00:14 It's also interesting to note that the ONP, the party whose militant splinter group caused the second Apoxian Civil War ten years ago has next to no support in Apox anymore.

00:17 And now we're expecting the next region, this time it is the Mountains region, which is basically the more rural, and hardy North of Apox. This is a New Dawn stronghold and Ave Damascus is the first New Dawn candidate on the ballot, so they'll be hoping for a good showing here.

00:18 And here are the results:

Mountains
Total Population: 2,954,821

Political Party        Votes      % Seats % Chng
ANP                  769,019  47.99     5  +2.01
Green Party          343,584  21.44     2  -1.44
New Dawn             221,392  13.81     2  +6.19
Free Party           205,548  12.83     1  -2.83
Pirate Party          20,715   1.29     0  -1.29
Independent 1         16,584   1.03     0  -1.03
Free North            10,584   0.66     0  -0.66
Independent 2          8,386   0.52     0  -0.52
Independent 3          5,489   0.34     0  -0.34
Environmentals         1,032   0.06     0  -0.06
TOTAL              1,602,333 100.00    10

00:21 A massive victory for the ANP here, gaining well over twice the vote of second placed Green Party and gaining half the seats in the region.

00:24 Ave Damascus is re-elected to Government House, alongside party secretary Dan Coles as they once again beat out the Free Party into fourth place, in the region with the most candidates and therefore most vote share.

00:26 We've spoken to Artur Winklebottom who's had some pretty damaging things to say about the Free Party's showing at this election:

"Well I think it's been a disgrace, to be totally honest with you. With 7 of the regions announced, we've managed to hold on to 16 seats, which is simply not good enough for a party of our stature. While I recognise the good work Annabel Harwood has done for us during our time in Government, I can't see any way in which she can remain as Leader following this election."

00:28 I don't think there was much that Annabel Harwood's could've done this election to satisfy Artur Winklebottom and her growing number of critics - and there could be other motives involved - there are no clear candidates to succeed her as leader should she step down and when asked, Artur Winklebottom said he would certainly consider it.

00:32 It's also noteworthy that Kashmir Aston, one of the more influential Green GW's lost his seat there, having been forced down to 3rd on the ballot for the Greens after a bust up with party leader Jack Greybold.

00:35 Time for the remaining big city regions, starting off with the Sea Quarter region, which is centred on Urbanista, but also involves other large areas such as Uxminster.

00:36

Sea Quarter
Total Population: 3,462,403

Political Party        Votes      % Seats % Chng
ANP                1,320,293  49.77     5  +0.23
Free Party           546,594  20.60     2  -0.60
Green Party          503,392  18.98     2  +1.02
New Dawn             178,493   6.73     1  +3.27
Pirate Party          46,594   1.76     0  -1.76
ONP                   40,392   1.52     0  -1.52
Independent 1         15,493   0.58     0  -0.58
Environmentals         1,655   0.06     0  -0.06
TOTAL              2,652,906 100.00    10

00:38 Another strong win for ANP there, they are not basically guaranteed to be the top party next term, with something remarkable such as one party sweeping the board in the remaining two regions.

00:43 Jasmine Cooke has been on ebullient form tonight and indeed during this whole campaign, addressing her campaign staff just now, effectively announcing her parties victory in this election campaign.

00:46 And now it's time for the Gwinevra & Surrounds region to be announced, another strong ANP region:

Gwinevra & Surrounds
Total Population: 2,886,493

Political Party        Votes      % Seats % Chng
ANP                  654,493  43.37     4  -3.37
Green Party          465,483  30.85     3  -0.85
Free Party           252,676  16.74     2  +3.26
New Dawn             102,221   6.77     1  +3.23
Pirate Party          32,901   2.18     0  -2.18
Environmentals         1,292   0.09     0  -0.09
TOTAL              1,509,066

00:48 The Green Party will need to get 9 seats in the Northern Conurbation region to beat out the ANP's number, and it is now basically confirmed that the ANP & Jasmine Cooke will be the leader for the next term.

00:53 And the final region, the Northern Conurbation which is centred on the cities of Wrexton and Barbury, is finally in. Let's view the results:

Northern Conurbation
Total Population: 3,265,493

Political Party        Votes      % Seats % Chng
ANP                1,004,395  42.98     4  -2.98
Free Party           603,919  25.85     3  +4.15
Green Party          323,165  13.83     2  +6.17
New Dawn             254,812  10.90     1  -0.90
Free North            85,482   3.66     0  -3.66
Pirate Party          42,747   1.83     0  -1.83
Independent 1         14,321   0.61     0  -0.61
Independent 2          6,399   0.27     0  -0.27
Environmentals         1,434   0.06     0  -0.06
TOTAL              2,336,674 100.00    10

00:55 A commanding victory for the ANP then, all things told. Jasmine Cooke is set to drive to Government House tomorrow to organise the transition from one government to another.

00:56 While Annabel Harwood's future remains uncertain. In the coming days and weeks, I'm sure more will be discovered.

00:58 In the mean time, we'll leave you with the total results by party. Thank you for tuning in!

TOTALS
Political Party        Votes      % Seats % Chng St Chng
ANP                7,524,648  41.64    40 +20.48     +16
Green Party        4,608,584  25.51    29  -0.66      +1
Free Party         3,870,868  21.42    23 -18.79     -16
New Dawn           1,319,064   7.30     7  +0.84      -1
Pirate Party         315,145   1.74     1  +0.47      +1
Independents         227,750   1.26     0  -2.72      -1
Free North            96,066   0.53     0   N/A        0
ONP                   91,479   0.51     0  -0.12       0
Environmentals        11,090   0.06     0  -0.04       0
Save the Sea           4,382   0.02     0   N/A        0
George for King Party    101   0.00     0   N/A        0
TOTAL             18,069,177 100.00   100  
Turnout               66.60%

[Tumbra]

The Tumbran Herald

Conservatives squeak back in after by-election; DA in second place

It was a massive sigh of relief for the Conservative Party as they managed to retain their seat of Carshalton and Couldson - albeit with a significantly reduced majority.

The by-election, called after the passing of previous MP Gregory Grealish, saw seven candidates take the field - one each from the political parties except for the TNP, and one independent candidate.

While the seat was considered a safe seat by the Conservative leadership, the entrance of the Democratic Alliance leader Alan Goodison changed the playing field completely. Polls right up to election day showed Mr. Goodison ahead of the Conservative candidate, Ms. Audrey Bates.

Nonetheless, the final results had Ms. Bates above Mr. Goodison, with the previous Conservative majority of nearly 9000 being slashed to around 450.

There was a distinct local flavour to the election as well - John Houghton, an independent candidate who had been a local councilman for the constituency, decided to contest in the election. Houghton managed to finish third with 11.5% of the vote, taking a large chunk out of the SDP and Liberal Alliance's vote share.

Following the release of the by-election result, Mr. Goodison told the press "This result shows that the Democratic Alliance is capable of winning seats in Parliament. The party will be back next time around, and I will be contesting this seat once more."

By-Election for Carshalton and Couldson constituency
Electorate: 81,477

Candidate           Party                Votes   Vote %   Change
Audrey Bates        Conservative        17,411  38.70  -17.01
Alan Goodison       Democratic Alliance 16,974  37.20  +36.55
John Houghton       Independent          5,211  11.54  +11.54
Andrea Gough        SDP                  4,007   8.88  -12.45
Henry Krim          Lib-Grn Alliance       951   2.10  -13.55
John Glenn          People's Alliance      711   1.57  +1.46
Edward Stevens      PRP                     62   0.01  -0.31

TOTAL                                   45,147  55.4
Result: Conservative hold         Majority 437

[Apox]

Expansions to Apoxian High Speed Rail Quickly Proposed

by Ashley Newton

Following on from the success of the P1 high-speed rail line from Dwile to Gwinevra, Jasmine Cooke and her cabinet have emerged from talks with the Licentian Federal Council brandishing a blueprint for a bold new rail project, the like of which hasn't been seen in the nation or indeed the region before. It involves two successive projects, named P2 and P3, in the same style as the initial high speed rail project.

P1 opened on schedule in March 584 and since then has carried 20 million passengers along it's length, with it's construction already paid back 40% in the 7 years it has been open. P2 is a more modest plan, simply being an upgrade to the existing line from Gwinevra to Mona, via Skibbereen and then a link past the coastal village of Frendlesham, 10 miles south of Mona, and currently proposed to cost §1 billion. If approved, upgrades would be carried out from August 592 - August 593, with the construction of the extra 15 miles of new track occurring from December 592 - August 593.

P3 is much more ambitious, more ambitious even than P1. It involves the construction of a tunnel from Frendlesham to the Licentian Island of St Thomas, with the tunnel split into two at the sand bank of Sandhorne, 30 miles off the coast of Apox. This sandbank would use material from inside the tunnel to build it up, with a stable height of 4-8 metres above sea level island 2 miles long being constructed, as a monitoring station for the tunnel and for ease of construction. The predicted cost of P3 is §13 billion, which would be shared between the two governments, with the Apoxian government likely shouldering a slightly larger proportion of the costs.

The Federal Council also stated their intent to connect St Thomas to the Licentian Mainland with a much shorter tunnel as well, meaning should all three of these construction projects be completed, the capitals of The Licentian Isles and Apox, 650 miles apart would be connected by one rail line. P1 currently runs at an operational speed of 140mph. The trains running on it, however, are capable of safely managing 180mph. These proposals would see the limit raised to 160mph, with a slight reduction inside the tunnel, bringing the two cities within a 4 hour train journey of each other. This and the promise of both governments promising low, affordable train fares, would make this option highly competitive with the air industry and flights between Montfort and Dwile.

There are still plenty of questions to be asked however, and with both countries having strong Green Parties, for this project to fly, the environmental and sustainable aspects of this project will have to be rigorously examined and proven to be worth it. In addition, these are bring projects, and the funding required will take a significant part out of Apoxian and Licentian budgets in the near future. Winterbury Thomas, the current Transport Minister for Apox under Jasmine Cooke's ANP, stated that this is "an opportunity to continue to establish Apox's position regionally and continue to think long term and co-operatively with our allies in Esportiva."

Whatever you think of it, you cannot fault this government’s ambition - characteristic of Jasmine Cooke since her party won the election of two years ago.

[Tumbra]

the tribune

Anthony Charleston should be considered a founding father of the Esportivan Bloc - but why isn't he?

The recent progress in the Esportivan Bloc project has been astounding - but we shouldn't forget the man who made it happen, Anthony Charleston

by Jamil Muhammad


Charleston in 1984

THE recent progress on the Esportivan bloc has been nothing short of amazing, with the proposed Treaty of Malborough already being debated amongst national leaders, Michael Sheppard included. Among the more controversial clauses of the Treaty include a single currency for the whole of Esportiva, and the Esportivan Executive, something which is sure to spark fierce debate amongst parliamentarians and the public alike when the finished Treaty is presented to the general public.

However, despite Michael Fitzooth (and his Foreign Secretary, then successor Sheppard) gaining all the credit for the formation of the bloc, the very idea of a pan-Esportivan alliance was mooted at various times in the 20th century by Anthony Charleston, one-time leader of the Social Democratic Party and a very keen supporter of an Esportivan Alliance, and would have been an avid supporter of one were he still alive today.

The firebrand politician was born in south Tumbra, in 1911, becoming a journalist for the Tribune in his earlier years (and the paper's), before ascending to the House of Commons as Member of Parliament for Empire Bay North in 1945. He lost the seat in the 1960 general election, but won another seat, Blaenau Gwent and Ebbw Vale, in a by-election held in 1961.

While he was passed over repeatedly for a Cabinet job in the Houghton administration, within the Thorpe administration of 1955 to 1960 was much kinder to him, giving him several junior posts in the government, particularly those related to Defence and healthcare. In 1959, before he lost Empire Bay North, he was appointed Minister for Healthcare, which promptly led to his popularity spiralling downward before he was dumped out of office in the 1960 election, where he was one of 80 net losses suffered by the SDP on the night.

He would return in 1961, but his confidence was shattered by the debacle. In 1972 he would accept a job in the Government as Secretary of State of Education, where he performed admirably before resigning in 1975. In the second Kenny administration, he was appointed Chancellor, and his speeches on the 1977 Budget were widely regarded as his best. He was moved to become Leader of the House in the Harrison administration, before he became SDP leader following Harrison's dismissal.

During the ill-fated 1984 election campaign (which was mostly held in 1983), Charleston made a succession of speeches detailing his vision for pan-Esportivanism and a desire to see things move forward with regards to that area, but he was drowned out by the Conservatives' more effective campaign of painting the SDP administration as ill-managed and that Charleston was nothing more than a "presidential nominee".

The SDP would later lose nearly sixty seats in their worst result since 1968, and Charleston resigned, to be replaced with John Brown. Charleston resigned from the frontbench, and would serve as an MP until 1992. He passed away in 2008, being a staunch supporter of pan-Esportivanism to the end.

But it was here that the seeds of an Esportivan Bloc were sown. When the referendum was announced, Fitzooth quoted Charleston in several of his campaign speeches, stopping short of crediting him for the idea of a region-wide bloc. Why is this so?

We need to ensure Anthony Charleston's name goes down in Esportivan history as a founding father of the Esportivan Bloc project, and not just an opposition leader that lost an election.

[Apox]

After Difficult First Term, Cooke Sets Date for Elections

by Tamarind Hawkner

Cooke announcing the 593 elections

After four years in which Jasmine Cooke and her ANP led coalition has struggled to see all their political aims implemented, she has reached the end of the limit for calling a new election, and has officially set the date for 15th April 593, two months time exactly.

The ANP swept into power for the first time in 19 years in 589 on a progressive manifesto - aimed at providing educational reforms for Apox as well as improving the poor state of the national infrastructure outside of Dwile and the other big cities as well as aiming to present a more coherent face than the latter days of Annabel Harwood's government where Artur Winklebottom openly rebelled against his leader.

However, there was difficulty early on in her time as leader, with the Apoxian Corruption Scandal breaking in late 589 and early 590 which was a serious blow to the entire country. Cooke and her cabinet made the executive decision to axe the AFB and outlaw the ANL, effectively ending Apoxian involvement in football - a controversial and not overly popular move, although it did draw in savings due to not having to finance the weighty and bureaucratic AFB anymore.

Pushing ahead with education reform, Cooke ran into problems there, with Tom Norton from this very newspaper describing the changes as "rushed" and "well intentioned but poorly delivered". Despite Apox's stature in the world, education had always been one of the aspects the country had lagged behind in, and many people thought the poorly organized and quite rigorous exams policy was outdated, as well as the notion that children only needed 8 years in compulsory education, from 6 to 14. Cooke's policy to extend this to 16 lead into many problems, as well as a complete restyling of the school system, which will have to be tweaked and adjusted for years to come until it can be seen as a success. However, she may be seen as the woman who got this country moving in the right direction in terms of education.

Her governments other big promise - a revamp of transport infrastructure - has also been patchy, like the form of her predecessors. In 591 her government formally approved P2 and P3, the construction of the rail tunnel to The Licentian Isles, one of the most ambitious projects in Apox's history. This was seen as a bold statement at the time, but construction has been slower than predicted, with P2 (high speed rail expansion to the Apoxian coast) now being thought to open in April 594 - nearly a year behind schedule and having caused carnage to the north's train services. With the tunnels to The Licentian Isles scheduled to be opened in 598, having only just begun construction, this asks why the current line was put in so early as it doesn't run through any major population centres from Gwinevra to the coast.

Additionally, while approving P2 & P3 showed off Jasmine Cooke's credentials, she hasn't improved transport links elsewhere particularly well. She committed to and has seen out the motorway running to Wofford and the construction of the ring road there, but has done very little for road or rail links in the south where work was desperately needed and in the north, especially in the mountainous areas which are in need of upgrading.

The economy has continued to slowly grow under Cooke's leadership, though it hasn't particularly differed from Annabel Harwood's days either, while the Tom Smith sex scandal in 592 did not help her parties reputation.

All in all it's been a mixed first term for Jasmine Cooke and her team, with both successes and gaffes. What will help her in the elections though is the ponderous state of the Free Party, who were ripped open in a damaging leadership contest in 590 between Artur Winklebottom and Lorcan Oberhausen, one in which Oberhausen eventually won though they are yet to recover their standings in the polls. The Green Party will be Jasmine Cooke's biggest threat, still under the steady hand of Jack Greybold in his second term as party leader, while New Dawn have gone from blunder to blunder and have seen their poll standing whittle away to almost nothing since the last election.

Polls
39% - ANP
35% - Green Party
22% - Free Party
4% - New Dawn

[Apox]

Will Oberhausen be the one to lead the Free Party back into Government?

by Matthew Townsend

Lorcan Oberhausen at a recent Free Party event in Dwile

Jasmine Cooke has had an indifferent second term as leader of Apox. True, it hasn't been the rollercoaster madness that hit Jemima Cafrew in 570/571 or the rumbling discontent which Annabel Harwood suffered at the end of her very long second term. It has however, been largely unspectacular - which is good for the state of the country but might not reflect well in the eyes of the voters who crave excitement and results.

In truth, a lot of the schemes she implemented in her first term are only now finally seeing fruit, such as her Education Reform Bill of 590 and subsequent Exam Standardisation Act of 593, which implemented the Minimum Requirement (MR) exams at age 15 which has been a great success and replaced the piecemeal, regional exam set up which preceded it. However, failures such as setting up serious transportation improvement and the passing away of her political mentor and only previous ANP Apoxian leader, John Asheburton, in 594 left her seemingly adrift for a while.

Her main opponent, Lorcan Oberhausen and the Free Party, have taken time to regroup and form a cohesive unit, following on from Annabel Harwood's time as party leader. He has had a difficult time in dealing with the high profile Artur Winklebottom and Annabel Harwood in the ranks, but has generally presented a calm and controlled figure. Running on promises to control immigration to Apox and boost our ageing defense forces, something the ANP has generally neglected, have seen Free Party polls rise among a troubling time internationally. Further moves to increase Apox's renewable energy sector (which is already one of the best in the region) has seen him also take points off a struggling Green Party. This and promises to lower the tax for higher earners from 44% to 40%, balanced by increased revenues from the high speed rail infrastructure sees the Free Party in a good position with just under a year to go until the next election.

It really will be a close run between Jasmine Cooke's ANP's for a third successive term and Oberhausen's Free Party, with the Green's and New Dawn lagging far behind. New Dawn have generally collapsed following on from Ave Damascus resigning as leader and as a GW in 594 following corruption claims at a sensitive time. The following two years have seen two leaders, Harriot Minski first, before she was forcibly removed by a coup which placed Jean Polito in charge. Further controversies, party sackings and inconsistent policy directions have seen their support collapse, at one point polling 5th behind the Pirate Party at just 0.8%. The Green Party have also struggled, with Jack Greybold retiring following the 593 election. Kashmir Aston, a long time GW won the eventual leadership election, but has struggled to fit in and work well with coalition partners the ANP, Aston being controversially demoted from Deputy Prime Minister to Transport Minister last year after a speak out regularly against the government, making the Green party very much the small dog in the coalition and consigning them to third place in the polls.

It is likely that the election will be contested on 29th March 597 A.T

Polls
43% - Free Party
38% - ANP
16% - Green Party
3% - Others

[Natanians and Nosts]

Natanians and Nosts axious for elections

Next year there will be municipal elections in Natanians and Nosts.The people is waiting to vote more and decide the country's future.The party that currently holds the biggest number of mayors,Christian Socialist Party,hopes to mantain it's numbers,but the Liberal Nationalist Party has been growing in popularity along with Partido Latino Nacional and GP/NEP.
The Communist Party aims to expand its two municipalities,and the current number of councillors.

There are not officially candidates nor pollings,but people fear a potential rise of the right and is possible consequences to a national election.

[Apox]

TOTALS
Political Party        Votes      %  Seats
Free Party         6,687,694  40.67     40
ANP                4,967,445  30.21     30
Green Party        3,152,328  19.17     24
New Dawn             703,467   4.27      4
Pirate Party         502,032   3.05      1
Independents         276,823   1.68      1
Free North            86,593   0.53      0
Environmentals        33,392   0.20      0
ONP                   32,675   0.20      0
TOTAL             16,442,449 100.00    100

Lorcan Oberhausen becomes leader of Apox, leading a Free-Green coalition.

Results of the First Dwile Mayor/Council Elections

by Alaric Thornley

Results of the Dwile Council Elections by Ward, with the Red representing the ANP, green the Green Party and white the Free Party.

As part of Lorcan Oberhausen's dramatic overhaul of a variety Apoxian areas of life since his Free Party were elected as the largest members of a coalition last May, the Dwile Council and Mayor elections took place yesterday. The way the election works is that the metropolitan area of Dwile (containing around 4.25 million inhabitants) is split into nineteen wards (though this number is likely to expand for greater representation) and each ward votes with first past the post to elect their member to the Dwile Council. The mayor is elected as the representative from the party with the most votes in this election, and they are the head of the Dwile Council.

While the Mayor and the Council majority are likely to be from the same party anyway, the quirks of FPTP mean that there could arise a situation where the Mayor is from one party while another party has the most seats in the Council.

However, in this first election that was not to be the case, with the ANP (who've always polled strongly in Dwile anyway) gaining 52.8% of the vote to the Free Party's 24.3% and the Green Party's 19.6% with the other 3.3% going to other parties. This vote share translated into nine, six and four seats respectively, meaning there is no overall control on the council with the ANP being just one seat short, and having exactly half the seats on the council when the new Mayor, Hannah Montari is added to the total.

The Dwile Council will first sit on 15th February with Hannah Montari likely to aim to implement her progressive agenda which her party ran on, which includes better social care and increased welfare funding for the elderly and disadvantaged in Apox's biggest city. Lorcan Oberhausen, speaking shortly after the results were announced, had this to say:

"Since the end of the Second Apoxian Civil War, you were promised more autonomy and increased decision making on a local basis. Having the laws and decisions of a country as diverse as this being made by only one hundred people in Dwile did not allow for local decision making. Add to this the fact that no devolution of powers to the regions occurred between 580 and now, and we can see why various areas have struggled and plateaued in recent years. No more! This is just the beginning of the new city councils which will replace the obselete, poorly organised and run local governance. Thank you for coming out to vote, for whichever party today and thank you for helping to make Apox more powerful and more democratic!".

This speech has confirmed Oberhausen's plan to give local areas increased governance, with the long awaited and key part of his election campaign, Governance Re-Allocation Act thought to be coming later this year. This act will effectively scrap the current local governance systems, which vary from region to region, with some regions having councils, some having open members meetings and some having a coalition of elected governors. None of these institutions had much really power and many didn't have set terms for elections or even elections at all.

While city regions will certainly be in favour of this new local governance reform, the more rural regions like the Plains region in Northwestern Apox and the Mountain Region running along the spine of Apox will struggle with this more rigorous legislature being poorly accessible and extensively rural regions. It will be interesting to see how Oberhausen and specifically the Secretary of Interior Affairs, Jacob Bradburn deals with this. Not only this, but there is likely to be reform to how GWs are elected to Government House, with the current hundred GWs deemed too small a number for effective governance now the rule of Apox has been fully set up following on from the two civil wars. Additionally, with new areas such as Oldem and Wofford being large centres now, an increased number of GWs will be required, with the next election likely to see around 150 GWs elected although the exact number has not yet been confirmed.

[Sorlovia]

President Maksimov Reforms Intelligence Service And Armed Forces

Tarchenko - In a statement made during a session at the State Duma President Artyom Maksimov confirmed his commitment to reshaping Sorlovia's military and intelligence service. He made the statement in response to repeated calls from the State Duma pressuring him to make his stance on the matter known. Several governmental figures and social watchdog groups have noted the continued presence of communist protocols and practices in the intelligence service and armed forces.

President Maksimov speaks to reporters inside the State Duma

"This nation cannot fully step into the bright future ahead of it while there are traces of overt communist thought and protocol within it. For this reason I have made uprooting every last hint of communism a priority. We must close the book on this dark chapter of our national history before we are able to go forward together as a nation and a people. For this reason I am pleased to announce that the State Security Bureau, which was descended from and heavily influenced by the former communist intelligence service and secret police, has been formally disbanded to make way for a new organization.

A new intelligence service will be created in its place to be named the Federal Intelligence and Security Service. Due to operational and national security reasons I cannot disclose the operations and form of this new service. But I would like to assure you, my dear Sorlovians, that it will be totally free of any hint of communist practice. In a similar fashion I have ordered a complete and rigorous investigation into the armed forces to root out every last insidious communist tendril

The Perestroya Union was an ultra-communist regime that seized power in Sorlovia in the early thirties ruling with an iron-fist until the mid-eighties when it was overthrown during a long and intensely bloody counterrevolution. The regime is charged with a host of tyrannical abuses and the murder of millions of innocent Sorlovians. The democratic governments that succeeded it have undertaking numerous measures to remove all traces of communism with varying degrees of success.

The Maksimov Administration, a staunchly capitalist conservative democratic government, has so far been the most relentless and rigorous in tearing down every hint of communism. It won wide support when it approved a State Duma motion to outlaw communism in Sorlovia thus declaring the Communist Party of Sorlovia illegal. It has allowed communist history to be taught at schools and universities in Sorlovia as a history warning to future Sorlovians. It has also declared a number of communist-aligned social groups to be illegal and a danger to national security.

Under Maksimov's leadership the Sorlovian Government has enacted increased security measures to combat a resurgence of communism whilst protecting its citizens' right to free speech. Several members of the government have voiced support for these anti-communist agendas believing that the wounds of the past have not yet healed to allow free discussion of all political ideologies.

A leader community figure in Tarchenko, who wished to remain unnamed for private reasons, voiced his support of President Maksimov's strong-arm approach;

President Maksimov is right to have taken this approach. The simple fact is that there has been too much death and suffering in the name of communist to allow such a dangerous ideology to take root in this nation. The abuses of the Perestroya Union and its state-ordered killings are still too fresh in the national mindset. Perhaps in the future communism can again be talked about in a purely historical manner.

I do not believe communism can exist without widespread corruption and abuse. For the sake of our nation and our future we must do away with all things communist.

[Sorlovia]

Krupin Welcomed Home To Cheering Fans And National Applause

Kamensk - Gregori Krupin has been welcomed home in Sorlovia amid raucous cheering and crowds of adoring fans. Fresh from his World Grand Prix Championships (WGPC) rookie season the young Sorlovian racer has become a national celebrity and posterboy for Sorlovian racing. Despite his bad streak in the latter half of WGPC16 he has become a deeply loved Sorlovian Son who has been propelled to the heights of fame in his homeland.

Despite this immense national adoration and recognition Gregori remains humble. The fame even seems to have embarrassed him a little as he adjusts to his new life. He has shown an immense love for his fans thanking them in a heartfelt statement at an autograph signing the day after his arrival back in Kamensk.

Gregori Krupin speaking at an autograph signing in Kamensk

I am humbled by the recognition and fame that is being heaped upon me. I am honoured to be called a beloved son of Sorlovia. I embarked to the international racing stage due to my love of racing. Of course I also sought to represent my homeland and to bring recognition to it, but I primarily entered the international racing arena because racing is a deep love of mine. I honestly believe I need to race. It is not a past time or a hobby, it is a beloved career that I need to partake it. Racing is, for me, a great joy and a pleasure.

Now that I have a chance to do so before you all, I would like to properly thank my fans for all their tireless support and encouragement during WGPC16. You are all as much a part of my team as my pit crew. There were hard times during the season where I will admit that I doubted and even questioned my future as a racer. It was your support and messages of encouragement that renewed my spirit and helped me out of those dark places. I would be nothing without you my amazing fans!

I can also put the rumours to rest and confirm that, yes, I plan to return in WGPC17 and will begin discussions with the Vannish Motors Racing team at a later date. It was a pleasure racing with them and I was truly blessed to receive a VMR contract. They are an amazing group of people and I look forward to racing for them again in the future. The VMR team are some of the nicest and most professional people I have ever done business with. It is an honour to know them and I owe them a great debt of gratitude for helping me launch my international racing career.

Gregori has since returned to his modest townhouse in Kamensk where he believed to be resting up before his tour of Sorlovia. He brought his Vannish Motors Ghost car with him which has been heavily photographed and admired across his hometown. He has made public statements several times praising Vannish Motors and the Vannish Motors Racing team very highly. But he has also expressed a desire to be given some peace and privacy as he relaxes after returning home.

He has not revealed when he will race in the 2018 Kamensk Grand Prix with some fans suggesting that he is instead taking a rest break. Sources close to him have confirmed that he intends to periodically continue his rigorous training regime to keep his skills sharp but that he also intends to take a break from racing and a vacation. The charismatic young racer is believed to now own a sports drink brand and a nightclub in downtown Kamensk.

He has also confirmed that he is involved in several advertisement agreements with a variety of products including a vehicle manufacturer, his sports drink and a Kamensk-based cinema company. Gregori has also played a part in mentoring young Sorlovian racers with a series of talks on the demands of the international racing arena, the specifics of the racing industry and tips that can help a rookie racer.

[Khytonya]

KHYTONYA AMERALYS

Stories Right from our Nation

'Writer Finally Stands in Statue Form!' Prime Minister Announces

Written by: Mick Tylan

Gretna District, Murrayfield - The soon-to-be-raised statue of famous writer Herod Pöllmacher has been erected by city planners and officials when Prime Minister Barry Dalton made his speech about the importance of culture reserving and heritage remembering. It received positive feedback from the older generation who wanted to keep Khytonian tradition alive and the younger generation who are just as excited as they are expecting.

'It is very important to preserve our culture for the future to come,' said Dalton. 'That is why the statue has been completed. It is never built with no purpose, but built with such a strong pride along his presence. Thanks to him, our own culture will never be forgotten as time goes on!' Dalton added in. The statue has been planned 4 months ago by a local non-profit organisation 'Khytonyan Cultura Berjana' (Khytonian Culture Forever), which aims to preserve the traditional values and cultural image of Khytonya. The attention that grab a number of city officials came from 100,000 people in an online petition set up by the group, along with 450,000 Duisyns raised by the citizens of Murrayfield.

Members of the organisations are loaded with enthusiasm after hearing an good outcome from the crowd. 'It is exactly how we wanted,' told Jens Fuller. 'We are very sure that Pöllmacher is the most influential person in Khytonya and nearly everyone would have admire him. Every poet before him brought us with bright colours and great knowledge, but out of all people that shape us to what it is, Pöllmacher is the figurehead of Khytonian culture'.

Pöllmacher has been considered to be the father of Khytonian culture and tradition as he is well known for writing famous stories and poems that have become the center of international attraction for Khytonya. According to many accounts and biographies, he is loved by the whole of Arlecdon during the mid-19th century and his works are considered to be importance in Khytonian culture.

[Damukuni]

NEWS ATARASHII-DAMUSHUTO
International Press

---

PHOTO: EFP >>> Damukunian President Wayne Bucks (left) and Demacian King Jarvan Lightshield IV (head of state) walk side by side at the Demacia City Crossground. Behind the two leaders (to the right of King Jarvan in the photo) is Demacian Premier August Windbringer, Lightshield's head of government.

Demacian Kingdom of Lightshield signs Protectorate Treaty
Staff Report

The Demacian Kingdom of Lightshield has signed a ground-breaking treaty of protection with the United States of Damukuni.

The treaty will allow for an exchange of military and other crucial protections, as both nations work together to cooperate in the promotion of inter-regional peace. Both President Wayne Bucks and Demacian King Jarvan Lightshield IV assured critics that the Demacian Kingdom was only entering status as a protected state and would not be assimilated into the governing structure of the United States of Damukuni.

President Bucks and Demacian King Jarvan IV also posed for an historic photo as part of the festivities, the first a President has had with a royal outside the South Otselician ruling family. The photo was taken after the signing ceremony, which, under Demacian law, required the signature of both the Prime Minister and the King.

The military proviso takes effect immediately, much to the chagrin of anti-militarisation, who protested near the docks of Demacia City as well as near the Crossground, where the treaty was signed. Protesters held signs saying "DOWN WITH THE OCCUPIERS" and "DAMN YOU, 'KUNI!" as well as some that praised a totally independent Lightshield.

Neither the Damukuni Department of State nor the Demacian Minister of Military Affairs were available for comment.

[Sorlovia]

Nemenyets Technology Tycoon Named As Richest Man In Sorlovia

Nemenyets, Sevayev Oblast - Thirty three year old Nemenyets native and technological prodigy Nikolai Mikhailov has been named as the richest man in Sorlovia. With a net worth of $84 billion he stands as one of the richest men in the world with a technological empire behind him. He is the founder and CEO of Sorlovian tech giant Volkov Technologies, commercially trading as Volkov, which has been responsible for numerous high profile Sorlovian Government projects most notably the creation of its highly sophisticated supercomputer nicknamed SONYA and the Federal Intelligence Service's intelligence mainframe. He has remained tight-lipped about these projects and their true capabilities due to their highly classified nature and existing non-disclosure agreements.

Despite his extreme wealth Nikolai remains a good-natured, kind-hearted and jovial young man having resisted the tendency to let his wealth turn him into a bad person. He is known for a keen sense of humour and a compassionate nature that when combined with his young age sets him apart from his wealthy colleagues. He has opted to to forgo the opulent ulta-luxury that usually comes with the super-rich instead living in a modest mansion in Nemenyets with an elegant sports sedan. He laments the fact that he has to have private security and bodyguards but understands that it is a reality of his fortune and his favoured life.

A self portrait commissioned by Nikolai

His company is known to have a corporate headquarters in Tarchenko which oversees factories in Kamensk and Novochevka as well as a nationwide network of electronics stores. Volkov is also believed to be in the process of entering the Vengazi market through negotiations with the government of Vangaziland. It remains to be seen whether Volkov will be involved with any major government or national projects in Vangaziland should its commercial bid be accepted but its range of smartphones, computers and other general consumer electronics have a highly desirable reputation that would make them commodities of interest.

Nikolai has credited Volkov Technologies and his natural intelligence as the reasons for his wealth but remains humble. He has stated that he was simply genetically favoured with a technologically gifted mind and passionately encourages others to pursue the areas that they are skilled in. He is known to regularly donate sums of money to educational programmes and charities that improve the lives of less fortunate Sorlovians in an effort at setting himself apart from the stereotype of the greedy rich miser. He has appeared as a guest speaker at the University of Nemenyets and the University of Tarchenko giving lectures on business management and entrepreneurial talent meant to inspire the next generation of businessmen.

He was born to Anatoly and Natalia Mikhailov who were themselves small business owners. As an act of respect he provided for his parents until their deaths seeing it as his duty as their only child. He then paid for their funerals where he gave an emotional and heartfelt speech praising them for their constant love and support throughout his life. Nikolai has a tradition of placing a bouquet of dark red roses on their graves every year and can regularly be seen visiting them at the cemetery. He acknowledges the fact that he came from humble beginnings and praises his parents for teaching him the drive, commitment and ambition it took to get where he is.

Due to his international reputation conspiracy theorists have targeted his government projects. A popular theory states that the SONYA supercomputer is capable of tracking anyone anywhere in the world through the use of satellites and face recognition, is able to monitor the national communications and information network, controls all government communications networks and is able to coordinate thermonuclear strikes anywhere in the world through controlling Sorlovia's nuclear arsenal. It is known that SONYA is an extremely advanced supercomputer but its exact capabilities remain strictly classified due to national security reasons.

[Natanians and Nosts]

This happened during the WC 80 cycle
I know I did not get to finish that debate...

Election Results!

After today's plea,the voting machines' results were computed and few moments ago were announced.Natan Ion dos Santos won with 52,3% of the votes.Coming in second was Ion Mihai Constantinescu with 10% of the votes.The day was calm and the plea successfully occurred.Most of the candidates voted early in the morning.
Besides the presidency,the GP/NEP won two states governorships:Mihai Márcus Mihailescu at the North State and Ioan Ion Castro at the East State.The only governor to be re-elected was Carolus Ion Gheorghescu of the PLN,in the Liver State.The parliament has a new composition,the Socialist Party now holds ~3/8 of the Chamber,and the GP/NEP has 100 deputies,making it the 2nd largest party in the chamber.The Senate has two new members:Mihai Ion Ionescu,68,from Minalata in the Liver State,has barchelor's degrees in Public Admninistration,Economics and Sociology,and a master's degree in Sociology,he is a known politician and former professor;Márcus Ioan Smith,85,is a retired professor from Ebro in the East State,he has a ScD. in Biology and a master's degree in Economics,he is one of the most respected Biological Scientists in his area.
The GP/NEP candidate won in the first-turn,with a good advantage over the second-placed candidate,the opinon polls indicated that he would win with advantge,but not this much.Natan Ion dos Santos is a 39 year-old Environmental-consultant and was a member of an activist group during college,he is a UniNorći alumnus and has a master's degree,he says that when he is able he will join a doctoral program.He is married to Mihaela Laetitia Marques,also 39,whom he dates since high-school,they have three kids.His vice-president is Márcus Ioan da Silva,64,is a former federal deputy and a master in Palaeo-oecology,while deputy he was known as one of the strongest defensors of the Environment at the federal government,he's married to Mihaela Ioana Constantinescu,they have 2 childern and one grandson.

Percentual of votes.

52,3% - Natan Ion dos Santos
10%   - Ion Mihai Constantinescu
9,7%  - Nacto Amúlio Aureliano
9,6%  - Mikhail Ion Richardson
9,5%  - Rog Carolus Ionescu
8,9%  - Lucas Estevo Rodrégues

Old Chamber of Deputies configuration



New Chamber of Deputies configuration


Communist Party 5(0);Socialist Party 175(90,+85);Left-wing Capitalist Party 15(0);Partido Latino Nacional 40(120,-80);Christian Socialist Party 37(50,-13);GP/NEP 100(83,+17);Worker's Party 43(23,+20);National Centrist Party 26(10,+16);Liberal Nationalist Party 20(0);Christian Capitalists 25(70,-45);Right-wing Capitalist Party 15(0)

New Senate composition


Communist Party 1;Socialist Party 2;Left-wing Capitalist Party 3;Partido Latino Nacional 5;GP/NEP 3;Worker's Party 4;National Centrist Party 1;Christian Capitalists 1;Right-wing Capitalist Party 1

[Southern Esportivan Union]

Earo declares Environmental Disaster
Premier unsure if more islands will sink

Nawi Island, now completely submerged

CAYO COSTA - Earon Premier Sylvia Becket declared a nation wide Environmental Disaster yesterday following the evacuation of residents from Hog Island. Becket also confirmed that following a recent storm, Piaçabuçu Island has now become East Piaçabuçu Island and West Piaçabuçu Island, after storm surge severed the island in two. A rise in sea level caused by climate change has been noted as the reason for the two most recent events, as well as several other flooding events which have happened in recent years.

Hog Island, whose 13 residents have now been relocated to Big Island, is only 28 cm above sea level and has experienced at least three total submersions over the course of the present stormy season. While the island has so far returned from the depths following each storm, the SEU Environment Agency has grown increasingly worried that the next storm may be the island's last. Residents meanwhile have become fed up with the government's lack of action.

Phyliss Jeffery, who has served as the island's doctor for the past 20 years, stated, "The government had ample time to implement projects and strategies and the like to mitigate the effects of climate change in the islands. But they chose to focus on other things, like securing foreign investment and oil exploration."

Two other islands, American Island and Nawi Island, have already been fully submerged. Nawi Island, which also experienced significant erosion due to its location next to a particularly strong ocean current, is now under six meters of water. The SEU Environment Agency has listed four other islands as being in danger of suffering the same fate as Piaçabuçu Island. They did note however that those islands are unlikely candidates to become fully submerged as their highest points were many meters above sea level.

Premier Becket has stated that her office has been liaising closely with the SEU Environment Agency so that it can take a proactive approach to evacuating residents from danger zones. She stated, "As of right now, I do not believe an other islands will be lost under the sea, but we'll be conducting a massive survey to identify any problem areas."

Aston West, Chairman of the Southern Esportivan Union, is set to convene a meeting of the SEU Council to discuss the current situation in Earo and the SEU's plans going forward. The growing crime rate, primarily centered in Tanamera, will also be discussed.

[Southern Esportivan Union]

Premier Becket Slams Insensitive Jeckish Media
Poor Choice of Headlines leads to Rebuke

CAYO COSTA - Premier Sylvia Becket has lashed out at the publishers and editors of a Jeckish newspaper in response to a headline which she considers to be highly insensitive. The story, which was published not long ago following Jeckland's 3-1 victory over the SEU national team in the recently concluded Campionato Esportiva, was titled "Spuds Sink Southern Esportivan Union."

Considering the recent environmental disaster which has befallen Earo, in which the rising sea levels caused by climate change have seen several islands submerged underwater, Becket called the headline, "the most insensitive and careless rubbish ever spouted by Jeckish miscreant journalists." She would probably have continued on, had she not started choking on her words in anger.

The Jeckish journalists in question, to their credit, do seem to have recognized their error and reached out to offer an explanation and apology. Becket doesn't appear to have accepted any of it.

"As far as I'm concerned, they can get stuffed!" exclaimed Becket later on in the press conference. Becket's government has come under increasing pressure in recent months, with the Environmental Alliance gaining in the polls on her National Conservative Party. The tone of her response is likely being driven by desire to appear as though she is taking the situation seriously, in contrast to accusations of apathy made by those most affected by the disaster, the environmental refugees.

The SEU national team will, following a rather successful jaunt in the Campionato, play their first match tonight in the Baptism of Fire. Their opponents are the Rushmori nation of Adyatin, who won their opening match four days ago against Floyssauu, 1-0. They are the only team in Group A to have secured a victory so far, let alone to have scored a goal, with the other two matches in the group having ended in scoreless draws.