Sunalayan News {SUNALAYA ONLY!}

[Aphisepten]

PRESIDENT LIAVON JAKAVIENKA DOES NOT EXCLUDE APHISEPTEN JOINING THE NORTH LUTENTIAN TREATY ORGANIZATION (NLTO)

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Aphisepten Republic President Liavon Jakavienka told the gathered journalists that he would not mind Aphisepten joining the new NLTO military organization and has already spoken about it with the Defense Ministry and Military Officials

President Liavon Jakavienka is preparing for the grand conference with journalists and the cabinet of ministers that would begin momentarily. That grand conference would be summing up the 25 years of Jakavienka’s ongoing presidency so far. Ahead of that big conference the President graciously gave his time to a group of journalists in another forum this morning where the President spoke with the worker’s of the national agricultural sector. During that exchange with the journalists, the President answered some sensational questions on internal and foreign affairs. President Jakavienka expectedly did not avoid a question on the newly created North Lutentian Treaty Organization. The President said that he would personally not mind Aphisepten joining NLTO. The national leader assessed that he has advocated for a creation of a regional bloc in Eastern Ventismar or a bloc that could merge Eastern Ventismar and Ophion. President Jakavienka also reminded the journalists how his administration left open the idea of Aphisepten joining Ophioneus as a federal subject, an associate state or merging into a new union state.

“You know all of that and I’m not saying anything sensational. I am the most open President in the world and telling the journalists and our people things as they are. I’m not backtracking on the positions I have expressed in the past and try to remain consistent. That is why the people have been re-electing me to be this nation’s President for 25 years already. I’m consistent with my positions. The fortunate position for us in Aphisepten is that questions like these cannot divide our nation by turning into a bipartisan issue. That is the case for big questions in internal and foreign policy. I’m an independent and the National Assembly of our Republic has independents in the majority so we can be the most flexible government in the world. Our government is not confirming or denying anything yet. I’m just saying that I wouldn’t mind Aphisepten joining NLTO because I’ve advocated for regional integration. But you have to remember that I’m not the only official in our government. There’s the administration, the parliament and the opposition. I think you, dear journalists, know what the opposition thinks of this issue without me having to address it. I’ll just tell you that I did my part as President. I have already spoken with the Defense Ministry and our Military Officials to discuss the standards and framework that Aphisepten would have to meet so that it could join NLTO if we come to it. Better to be prepared for everything.”

[New Vesvai]

NEW VESVAI BROADCASTING

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New Vesvai’s And SOWEFTA Representatives Gather For Treaty Signing, Creperia Agrees To Host

Prime Minister Matteas Noran is in Creperia right now in the company of New Vesvai’s delegation. Creperia has agreed to host the signing ceremony of a negotiated trade deal between New Vesvai and the SOWEFTA trade bloc. Creperia itself is a SOWEFTA member and is New Vesvai’s neighbor which makes it the most continent location for this symbolic signing. New Vesvai’s delegation is gathering in Creperian capital Miraya together with the delegations of SOWEFTA members which are Creperia, Sunrisia and Edereon. PM Matteas Noran will be signing the long negotiated Deep and Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between New Vesvai and SOWEFTA. It is a trade deal that PM Noran and his predecessor PM Kai Placore have both advocated for. The negotiations of the treaty sped up especially under the tenure of PM Noran.

The Head of Government spoke of the trade deal and the progressive status of negotiations in front of the Parliament not too long ago. He had reported how the negotiations were nearing conclusion and how his government was negotiate with SOWEFTA members to hold the singing soon. Presently one of New Vesvai’s allies in the Council of 3 shares the Deep and Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement with SOWFTA. That ally is West Zilveren Berg. The West Zilveren Berg’s representatives have shared their nation’s experience with this trade deal during the sessions of the Council of 3. They have informed how the trade deal has positively impacted the development speed and modernization of a nation that was recently an active war zone. New Vesvai has been aiming to replicate West Zilveren Berg’s success and expects that New Vesvai would have even faster paced results because New Vesvai has been fortunate enough to avoid war.

PM Matteas Noran attributes even more importance to the treaty, having said: “[I]t’s not just a trade deal but a pathway into the future and a choice of civilization for New Vesvai.”

[Aphisepten]

PRESIDENT LIAVON JAKAVIENKA CONFIRMS FUTURE EXECUTIVE ORDER ON DUAL ALPHABET

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At the Grand Conference with journalists and the cabinet of ministers, Aphisepten Republic President Liavon Jakavienka has confirmed rumors that he will be signing an Executive Order to introduce dual alphabet in Aphisepten: Cyrillic and Latin

President Liavon Jakavienka is presently in the middle of his Grand Conference with the nation’s journalists and in attendance of cabinet of ministers with other officials. The Grand Conference is meant to sum up the President’s 25 appreciated years of rule so far. The President has already confirmed that he does not plan to stop and will be running for re-election because he still has a lot of energy in him to serve the nation. This announcement is already trending everywhere after being announced live on air. The President continues to answer many questions that the journalists of various national news outlets are asking him. The President sees the press as the middle-man between himself and the people so the journalists are meant to ask all kinds of question of the President while speaking from the name of the people. In turn, the President answers the questions back as an elected officials and has his ministers and other officials by his side to give account over what the citizens care about and what they’re asking about.

Many questions that the President has already answered have ended up as trending stories, including his run for another re-election. There were some provocative questions that the journalists have read from social media aimed at the President. One of them was about whether the President was expecting to see his 14-year old son, who is also his third son, as the future President of Aphisepten who will inherit the presidency. This rumor has been going around because the President’s son has become a public figure in this teenage years and almost a social media influencer. The President’s son is also always by his father’s side during military parades and national celebrations, also going on foreign visits with his father. The President handled the provocative question with class though. He said that his son would not inherit the throne because Aphisepten is a democratic republic and does not have monarch. The President said that he would be proud to see his son run for office one day and if the people choose him, the President is confident that his son would be a perfect national leader. Another attempt by keyboard warriors to call the President a dictator has been shut down by Jakavienka with style as he always does.

There is another story that is currently trending after the President addressed it in his currently happening Grand Conference. The President confirmed a rumor about Latin alphabet being introduced in Aphisepten on an official level by the national leader’s Executive Order that he will sign. But the President has also debunked the theory that Latin alphabet would be replacing the Cyrillic alphabet in Aphisepten. Instead, the President’s Executive Order will call for the Latin alphabet to be made the Second Official Alphabet in Aphisepten along with the existing Cyrillic which is presently the only Official Alphabet.

“Latin alphabet is what our ancestors used and it is part of our culture. So I think that it should be brought back. The Latin alphabet is used by the majority of the world today and our young people need to be acquainted with it so that they could work with this globalized world. I just don’t think that the Latin alphabet should replace the Cyrillic alphabet which is something that these rumors have been about. The Cyrillic alphabet is also an irremovable part of our culture today and we used it for most of our modern history as our only one. Stop trying to use the language question and the alphabet question to divide us. We are not going to replace one alphabet with another or elevate one language as the official state language while negating others. Guess what, we are not going to convert from Orthodoxy to Catholicism or Protestantism, even if those religions and those churches have also been part of who we are, who our ancestors were and have influence on our culture today. Stop trying to create a clash of civilizations inside Aphisepten. We should be celebrating our diverse culture and recognize that all of these different things are part of who we are.

It is because of this that I will be signing a different kind of an Executive Order. My Executive Order will be about bringing back the Latin alphabet into Aphisepten on an official level but without it replacing the Cyrillic alphabet. Cyrillic and Latin will coexist as two official alphabetic systems in Aphisepten alongside each other. It has been estimated that the integration of Latin alphabet into Aphisepten alongside the Cyrillic script could be completed approximately by 2027. So in order for us not to lose time, I will sign the Executive Order first thing tomorrow morning at my office. I’m sure the National Assembly will have no problem with this. I even have a feeling that the opposition might like this move.”

[Belantica]

Ministry of Defense Reveals State of Hypersonic Missile Program
Today, the Ministry is Defense of the United Queendoms made an announcement regarding the state of an ambitious weapons project that was done in conjunction with the Rezuan Empire, being the development of this joint hypersonic missile program. Previously, the plan to develop such missiles for the defense of both Belantica and Rezua and extend long range capabilities, and was announced back in 2007 during the presidency of Julian Berklow, and prime minister Katherine Asuko, making the claim that a “new generation” of ICBMs were needed. Since then, while progress has been slow and much information has remained classified for national security reasons, the MoD has went ahead to make an announcement on the current state of the project. While major sensitive details have remained classified, there has been the reveal of the project’s name, it’s capabilities, and the estimated date of arrival for Belantica’s first generation hypersonic missile.

A spokesperson for the MoD made the statement on the project earlier today at the ministry’s headquarters in the Ornell district of Center City. While it was not overly long and hasn’t revealed anything sensitive to the security of the project, it has given the general public a rough perspective on the capabilities and the timeframe of when it will enter service. It is expected that it will spark some negative reactions, and criticism among pacifists.

“Today, we would like to make an announcement on one of our latest projects developed in a partnership between Belantica and Rezua as a next generation line of defense. Over the course of the past decade, the MoD along with our Rezuan counterpart had begun and continuously worked on with top scientists and engineers to design our hypersonic missile capable of delivering a payload over a significant distance of the need ever arises. The missile in question, which is codenamed Project Gonzales, will be able to achieve speeds over Mach 5, which has been a long process of performing very rigorous and exact calculations in order to actually work. The hopeful end result will be that Gonzales will be able to hit speeds of over Mach 6 after the proper testing and mathwork has set and done. The range is still being debated, but we expect to be able to have the ability to hit targets upwards of 6,000 miles away, which once again is our current projection. Hopefully, with more research, the range might eventually go beyond the current projections. The missile itself will be equipped with four MIRVs to help increase the chances of a successful hit. As for when Project Gonzales will enter service, we still estimate that it is still a few years out before we can be assured that they are ready for service. At the very least, our estimate is that the project will be complete and up and running by the middle of 2022, not factoring in any potential delays to the project. To international governments, we will let them be assured that Project Gonzales is for defense purposes of the United Queendoms and her allies only, in correspondence with our own nuclear weapons usage policy, which is reserved for defense and as a ultimate last resort if all over means fail. We feel that once Project Gonzales is complete, we will have a new powerful tool in our belt of defenses.”

Once the announcement was made, critics have already begun. Pacifists have formed demonstrations against the missile project outside of Parliament, the MoD headquarters, and the Queen’s residence in the small town of Hudson, Enfield. Their main argument is they believe the project has to do with showcasing military power in an unstable region of the world. Despite this, many MPs in Parliament claim this new design of missile is needed due to what they claim is “another arms race”, of which they want to stay with or ahead of the times.

In Other News
- Counter-terrorism drills continue in select cities
- Crisis in Ziamban getting worse as reports of a major oil refinery was exploded and completely destroyed owned by a Shastaran oil company. MFA issues a travel advisory for the region
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs currently engaging in talks with the Empire of the Tao. The Ministry is also currently in talks with the nation of Layfet to improve the current state of Affairs between the two nations
- Valliant Energy looking to enter into untapped sources of crude oil on land and off shore to offset foreign oil consumption, environmental activists enraged and call the energy giant “hypocrites” for its recent expansion of researching green technologies

[Aphisepten]

PRESIDENT LIAVON JAKAVIENKA SUMS UP 25 YEARS OF PRESIDENCY AND PLANS TO KEEP GOING

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The Grand Conference of Aphisepten Republic President Liavon Jakavienka with journalists and in attendance of the cabinet of ministers has ended with the President summing up his 25 appreciated years of presidency so far and making some grandiose announcements. Among them was a confirmation that the President would be running for re-election again

At 66 years of age, President Liavon Jakavienka claims to still have a lot of energy in him and dismisses all skeptics trying to push him towards retirement. Since his election in the mid 90’s, against an opponent that was viewed as more pro-Eastern and pro-Ophioneus than Jakavienka was, the 25 following years of presidency were spent on exclusively on overseeing the development of Aphisepten. The President has personally looked over the economic, agricultural, industrial, technological and other development of Aphisepten and continues to do so. Social progress is something that the President never had much interest or knowledge in, so he kept it up to the activists. The President says that he would feel like a traitor to quit, while he still has so much life left in him to serve Aphisepten and its people. The President said that it was his personal dream to die serving Aphisepten but he also added his understanding of the democratic process.

“If the people feel like they no longer want me as President I will leave first thing tomorrow morning. I’m just saying that it must be done within the bounds of law and exclusively through our democratic election process. No ruckus on the street. So far people have been re-electing me 25 years straight which means that they trust me as the Nation’s Father of sorts. I’m proud and honored if that is the case. And because I want to die serving Aphisepten, I will run for re-election again next time. Let us see if the people still want me as President and if they want peaceful and stable development of the nation to continue.”

Yesterday’s announcement by the President that he plans to run for re-election did influence its skeptics. In the capital today, a double-digit number of people did gather for a small protest against the President, either calling for him not to run again or to resign while he is in his current term. The demonstration was unsanctioned, so the law enforcement had the legal right to require its end. The officers dispersed the protest without much resistance from the demonstrators. The fate of the protesters would not be harsh. They would be fined rather than imprisoned.

President Jakavienka said on numerous times that he despises being called a dictator. To disapprove these unpatriotic accusations against the nation’s elected leader, the President has been trying to lead the nation without what would be defined as repressions. Alas the law enforcement is trying to keep things in the nation orderly and police officers patrol the streets 24/7 all around Aphisepten for public safety. Death penalty is also still legal because the President said that the tax payers should not be feeding certain criminals that cannot be redeemed.

[New Vesvai]

NEW VESVAI BROADCASTING

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New Vesvai And SOWEFTA Sign The Deep And Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement

Prime Minister Matteas Noran and the representatives of SOWEFTA members: Creperia (host), Sunrisia and Edereon have signed the Deep and Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement in Creperia. This has placed New Vesvai at the top of outside trade partners of SOWEFTA and would now allow for New Vesvai’s accelerated development and modernization that was promised.

PM Matteas Noran has claimed this as a victory for New Vesvai but it is also obviously a victory for his personal approval rating and even for the governing AIT coalition. Many analysts have commented without a doubt that the approval rating of PM Matteas Noran will most definitely rise from this achievement and for fulfilling a promise made. That boost in the personal approval rating will also probably transfer over to the rest of the AIT coalition because the personality of the Prime Minister serves as the face of the government. As members of AIT coalition and the Head of Government, previous PM Kai Placore and current PM Matteas Noran have helped benefit the image of the AIT-led government even more as an effective government.

After the treaty was signed PM Noran shook hands with members of his own New Vesvai delegation, the SOWEFTA delegations and everyone that was present in the room. The Prime Minister promised that New Vesvai’s Parliament will ratify the Deep and Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement as soon as he returns to New Vesvai. He asked that the parliaments of SOWEFTA members do the same so that the deal could go into force as soon as possible.

[Ophioneus]

Multiple Pilots Disclose Recent UFO Encounters

Jamestown In a major breakthrough in what could be the most facinating story of our time, five USJR/Federation JK 37 crewmen have recounted a number of incredibly strange encounters with unidentified flying objects off the northern coast of Ophioneus. Two of the pilots went on the record. The surreal craft they encountered had performance that defies known propulsion and aerodynamic abilities, and are described as looking like something to special effects seen in 80s sci-fi flicks. The pilots contribute the detection to recent upgrades in airborne radar equipment.

The most chilling news is that these events took place as recently as 2015, over a decade from the Tic Tac Incident involving a USJR carrier group in 2005. This comes to light- at least officially- just weeks after the Federation Navy said it is changing its procedures for its service members reporting unexplained phenomena.

The persistence of these craft was in no way the strangest thing about them. Beyond their being able to drop thens of thousands of feet in a matter of a second or two and possessing flight characteristics that are unobtainable with known technology, the unannounced visitors looked like nothing else on the planet. The pilots in the first incident reported that during training maneuvers in the North Sea the anomalies were picked up on radar. The aviators contribute their ability to pick up the bogies due to a new radar suite, the Electronically Scanned Array radar. The pilots described the incident:

"The pilots began noticing the objects after their 1980s-era radar was upgraded to a more advanced system. As one fighter jet after another got the new radar, pilots began picking up the objects, but ignoring what they thought were false radar tracks.

“People have seen strange stuff in military aircraft for decades,” Lieutenant Graves said. “We’re doing this very complex mission, to go from 30,000 feet, diving down. It would be a pretty big deal to have something up there.”

But he said the objects persisted, showing up at 30,000 feet, 20,000 feet, even sea level. They could accelerate, slow down and then hit hypersonic speeds.

Lieutenant Accoin said he interacted twice with the objects. The first time, after picking up the object on his radar, he set his plane to merge with it, flying 1,000 feet below it. He said he should have been able to see it with his helmet camera, but could not, even though his radar told him it was there."

The navy's move to change reporting procedures occurred at an odd time due to the increase in events. We can learn a few things from this move. First, these events are a big deal. Several pilots have reported these incidents, and these are not old accounts, only a decade ago or a few years since these events have passed. These events have happened, for the most part, in areas restricted for military testing flights. The Tic Tak incident included a carrier group preparing for final deployment in a naval exercise zone. Not many ships, or aircraft, frequent those areas. The deployment of new radars for these incidents have allowed the Navy to record these incidents with high fidelity radar. Whatever this is deliberate or accident is unknown. When it comes to the object's strange appearance, making something as alien looking as possible is probably a good thing for deniability and unconventional camouflage purposes. Even the testing of sensors under real-world conditions against such a craft using various guises could be beneficial.

Now stepping back even further, it is very interesting we are hearing of this now. The steady drip, drip, drip of information starting with the disclosure of the Jamestown's Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP) in December of 2017 has been peculiar, bordering on downright questionable, to say the least. It is also just days before To The Stars Academy, the quasi-research/entertainment corporation filled with impressive resumes from the intelligence and aerospace sectors, including the ex-head of the AATIP program, has the first episode of its highly touted new program on the History Channel premiere.

The main revelation is that technology exists that is capable of performing flying maneuvers that shatter our perceptions of propulsion, flight controls, material science, and even physics. The encounter with the Tic Tac proved that exotic technology that is widely thought of as the domain of science fiction actually exists. It is real. It isn't the result of altered perception, someone's lucid dream, a stray weather balloon, or swamp gas. Someone or something has crossed the technological Rubicon and has obtained what some would call the Holy Grail of aerospace engineering.

More News:
- NLTO: Its Charter and Impact of the Federation
- Despite Coup Military Boosts Tech Spending

[South Baggnagia]

Congress discusses the Neodvisni exclave, declares neutrality in the Eikangaard Crisis after long silence

JUGAC, SOUTH BAGGNAGIA – Congress of National Sovereignty of South Baggnagia has been busy with discussing two topics lately that directly impact South Baggnagia. The first one is a domestic issue although the part of North Baggnagia in question is cut off by a foreign nation’s territory. This obviously refers to the exclave of Neodvisni which is a territory of South Baggnagia entirely surrounded by North Baggnagia and cut off from the rest of South Baggnagia. The other topic discussed concerns something happening abroad but right next door and that is Eikangaard. The neighboring state has been a conflict zone of varying intensity but there does not seem to be an end in sight. It keeps going through new stages. The Congress is discussing the risks and possible impact deriving from it.

Starting with the exclave of Neodvisni. The area remains heavily militarized to deter its invasion by North Baggnagia from all sides. The border between North and South Baggnagia overall has been a very tense area but Neodvisni more so than anything else. At least on the common border there always was and is a chance that South Baggnagia can take on North Baggnagia in a fight. The strength comparison is in South Baggnagian favor even because of Sunrisia being on South Baggnagian side and bound by a Mutual Defense Treaty to defend South Baggnagia. The hypothetical scenario has partially come to reality a while back during a brief border incident that resulted from a North Baggnagian invasion attempt. The combined South Baggnagian and Sunrisian forces against North Baggnagia helped end the invasion attempt in failure in less than 24 hours. In North Baggnagia’s favor its universal conscription gives the relatively small nation a very large military in numbers because of the whole population being drafted.

After a period of continued tensions, South Baggnagia, Sunrisia and North Baggnagia have finally met at the border to create a framework of coexistence. A series of treaties has helped agree on joint security areas on the border that will be dually constructed. Unblocked access to the exclave of Neodvisni has also been promised by North Baggnagia. Military drills on both sides have stopped. So far everyone seems to be following the agreements but caution remains. Given the current semi-peaceful state of things the Congress has been discussing the plans to create an effective commercial connection between mainland South Baggnagia and the Neodvisni exclave. Any connections would inevitably go through the territory of North Baggnagia. The unstable relations with the North would place any investment into commercial and infrastructural projects along with workers, at risk. Any new conflict could lead to North Baggnagian sabotage of a commercial connection with Neodvisni and also a new threat of occupying the exclave.

At same time, to deter North Baggnagian sabotage and blackmail, South Baggnagia and Sunrisia have a known yet risqué strategy that Chairman of the Presidium of Congress of National Sovereignty of South Baggnagia Gustav Feldt voiced at the Congress meeting:

Our ally Sunrisia has dared to threaten the North Baggnagian leadership that Sunrisia would use military force to create a land corridor between South Baggnagia and our Neodvisni exclave. South Baggnagia has repeated these threats and supported this position. It has now become our mutual strategy. Obviously such a scenario would result in war because North Baggnagia would be invaded and the hypothetical land corridor would go through its occupied territory. But this would only be done if North Baggnagia makes the first move of trying to cut off the exclave of Neodvisni from our reachability or try to occupy it. We will never make the first move because we want our current peaceful coexistence to continue. The common South Baggnagian and Sunrisian strategy is to deter any North Baggnagian attempts to cut off Neodvisni or occupy it or do both. The resulting war might not end in North Baggnagian favor and the North Baggnagian leadership might push its own end closer to reality by provoking a Neodvisni cut off or occupation. Making the stakes known to North Baggnagia is the only deterrent. So we hope that the North Baggnagian leadership will never try to destroy the results of a thaw we have achieved together. It’s in all our interest to keep this going.

The next discussion was on Eikangaard and how the military phases of the conflict in the neighboring state would directly affect South Baggnagia. After long silence on the situation in Eikangaard the Congress has finally decided to address it. The slow response has been explained by the Congress still debating on what to do all this time. With an overwhelming majority the Congress of National Sovereignty has voted to declare neutrality of South Baggnagia in regards to the Eikangaard crisis. Chairman of the Presidium of Congress of National Sovereignty of South Baggnagia Gustav Feldt followed it up with a statement:

The Eikangaard Crisis has evolved into a proxy conflict between the VU and Kiez. South Baggnagia declares itself neutral regarding the Eikangaard Crisis. On humanitarian basis South Baggnagia can be open to refugees but we are a small nation and can’t take many. Our long-term goal would be to repatriate these people back home when it becomes safe for them. We can also send humanitarian aid into Eikangaard. We have Minister of Defense Vojtech Wylem Betnar presence at the Congress with us today because the topics of Neodvisni and Eikangaard have a military side to them. The Minister thinks that we should not put troops on the border with Eikangaard to not add to an escalation of things and to maintain our neutrality in the situation. I agree with him and hope that dear colleagues at Congress will agree too. The risk of spillovers is also not realistic at the moment but we have our measures in such instances that we all know.

[Allentyr]

Allenske Folkeparti Wins General Election -- by Marie Kaarsberg

Aalhavn, Svangerby -- After the results came in, the incumbent Allentyrian People's Party has won the 2019 General Elections and retains their position in government. Lars Thorsrud will be replacing Line Bonde as she steps down after her second term. Shockingly to longtime APP supporters, the reactionary right-wing party Allentyr First has gained a significant foothold in the states of Nordtyrstad and Ribeborg, narrowly failing to gain enough votes to become the ruling party in those historical stronghold APP states. Political commentators have blamed it on an increase in paranoia and fear stemming from neighboring conflict regions. As rumors swirl of Allentyrian government involvement in a "Ventismarian Missile Program" and a possible military intervention in Eikangaard, Allentyrians have had an uncertain year.

Caplandian MP Simon Marigold (SB) has attracted the vitriol of the Allentyrian internet community after remarking "Damn nazis are taking over our neighbors to the north and nobody bats an eye.". This has sparked a flood of "memes" and angry comments on social media. Meanwhile, a group of AF supporters got into a street fight with APP supporters in the Aalhavn metro, leading to multiple arrests. Participants in the fight allegedly threw water balloons filled with expired milk at the opposition, forcing the close down of Aalhavn Central for cleaning.

Parties in control of states/territories

Kolding - Allentyr First
Roskilde - Social Democrats
Ribeborg - Allentyrian People's Party
Svangerby - Allentyrian People's Party
Nordtyrstad - Allentyrian People's Party
Fynland - Social Democrats
Risland - Social Democrats
Norrland - Allentyr First
Veststrøm - Allentyrian People's Party
Bindal - Green Party
Østholm - Green Party
Nordurlavik - Allentyr First
Blåtand - Allentyrian People's Party
Grønhavn - Social Democrats

In Other News

An Allentyrian soldier has become an internet star after his image was posted on brother's social media, with many calling him "dreamy".
Wargames begin in Capsland and Lindenholt, with around 5,000 Allentyrian troops involved. Wargames are alleged to be for an invasion of Eikangaard.
A tree fell on a post office after a storm in Akureyri, causing moderate damage. Mother Nature has been mailed the bill.

[The Layfetian Republic]

BENSON WINS CAPITALIST PARTY NOMINATION!

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Following decades of waning popularity and losses in Congress, the Capitalist Party was fractured and almost entirely broken. However, recent events and frustration over Executive Minister Susan Polster's handling of the government, economy, and Layfet's foreign relations as well as dissatisfaction among voters with the current Progressive establishment have allowed the Capitalist Party to gain a foothold into the Layfetian political sphere once again.

Capitalist Party Chairman Tom Bunner along with other Capitalist Party leaders like Robert Novel and Micheal Keys have built the "new" capitalist party to "cater to those the progressives had left behind" as Bunner put it. In fact the primary for the Capitalist Party convention in New Brevin, in the state of Mirvain this years has been the largest capitalist party primary attendance since 1975.

At the convention, all three major candidates - Anthony Benson, Arthur Morris, and Austin Whitaker gave speeches along with other members of the Capitalist community and party leaders, however after all the cheers and voting, Benson was chosen as the Party's nomination for Executive Minister of Layfet gaining 57 percent of the vote versus Morris' 40 percent and Whitaker's 3 percent. Morris and Whitaker then gave their concession speeches and Benson gave his victory speeches emphasizing uniting the party and implementing reforms in every area of the country.

The convention ended with Benson choosing his running mate as Morris, which shocked everyone, but Benson said uniting the party was more important then his personal choice. Benson then formally announced his resignation as President of the University of Nordipolica - Maracachot (University of Mirvain) and left the stage. Only time will tell if Benson can stand up against the likes of the other candidates in the pool. 2020 couldn't come sooner.

IN OTHER NEWS
-Layfetian-Capsland tunnel moved from Tonnes to New Haven, Tonnes City Mayor upset.

-Port Louis, Capsland wants Port Louis, Layfet to change name after centuries of sharing it.

-Layfetian economy sees first signs of recovery since joining the VU

-EDOT (Epinay Dept. of Transportation) cancels plans to move rail-lines to right side traffic in order to better intergrate with Capsland's current system.

-L-19 and L-17 to see major upgrades in order to reach VU standards

-Oliver Cromwell to tour states before union party convention

-Luke Brant, Layfetian Director of Foreign Relations resigns, Issac Hudson, Deputy Ambassador to Capsland to replace.

-Cathy Harris, oldest Layfetian movie star dies at age 112.

[Mysenaea]

Romalean troops are deployed for War against the DCZR

July 14th, 2019
Constantinople—The Romalean Empire, as a member of the ACIS, has deployed troops for waging war against the DCZR over their hostile diplomatic actions. Amidst the explosion of a Talivistovan oil refinery and the attack on an Englean city, the Kaissreich and Talvistova have waged war against the Sunafrican power. The Imperial Council has cited that the Romalean Empire must take up arms amidst the defensive clause of the ACIS.

An excerpt from the speech of Tribunas Ypsilanti, a member of the Imperial Council: "The Romalean Empire is obligated to declare war against the DCZR over the defensive clause of this alliance that we have joined. Under this clause, it is mandated that the members of this alliance must come in defense of one another should any one of them be attacked. Therefore, we are required to honor this alliance and take up arms against the hostility of the DCZR. This alliance is beneficial to the defense of our Empire against the barbarians. We can not afford to dishonor this alliance."

Thus, Emperor Constantine has quietly announced a declaration of war against the DCZR. Several troops have been deployed and are heading by sea towards Romalean Sunafrica. It is planned that at a minimum, 275,000 Romalean personnel will be involved in the invasion.

Other news
- The Romalean economy continues to slow down, warehouses are being loaded beyond capacity
- UFO sightings in the town of Tyana
- A Marian apparition has been spotted in Mykonos, the Eastern Catholic Church is reviewing the claims
- The Romalean army: Large and mighty but with outdated equipment
- LGBT activists suspend activity and flee the country amidst heavy crackdown

[Aborzhenia]

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BREAKING: CEO, BOARD OF MINING CONGLOMERATE DISAPPEAR BEFORE SCHEDULED HEARING

Disclaimer: The Azure Fields Group has been a repeated financial contributor to the NABC.

Port St. Edwards—At 8:45 this morning, agents of the Federal Judicial Enforcement Service arrived at the palatial home of business mogul and CEO of Azure Fields Group Romana Izarova to perform a routine execution of a court summons. When they came to knock on the door, however, the sound was drowned out by the beating of helicopter rotors, and the FJES agents noticed a helicopter, likely carrying Izarova, leaving towards the privately-owned Port St. Edwards Municipal Airfield. Within three hours, a business jet also likely carrying Izarova crossed over international waters and departed from Aborzhene airspace.

Izarova has been brought up on charges of wire fraud and gross financial laundering after documents released to the press by pure accident showcased large-scale transactions between Izarova's Azure Fields Group and several people believed to be linked to organized crime in the city of Gracewell. The Azure Fields Group is the largest mining conglomerate in the nation, operating mostly in the north after several copper, iron and bauxite mines formed together during the economic recession of the early 1970s. Since then, the Group has been plagued by scandal, including allegedly scamming potential investors and stockholders by showcasing them falsified production numbers and, in one case, bringing investors on a tour of a "highly productive mine" that had been previously been closed two years prior. These incidents have prompted law enforcement to open a long-overdue investigation into the Group, which was meant to culminate in Romana Izarova and the members of the Azure Fields Board of Directors being brought before the Federal Criminal Court system. When the FJES attempted to bring the Board members into protective custody to prevent them from also skipping out on their court date, they found to their dismay that all of the Board members had independently coordinated their own escape. It is believed that Izarova and the Board of Directors of Azure Fields Group are living somewhere in Ventismar under assumed names. In their absence, the shareholders of Azure Fields Group have turned over interim control of the company to the Department of Revenue for a financial audit and restructuring.

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[Talvistova]

Borglund "Disappointed" with actions of DCZR

Following the news of the attack on the oil refinery last week, the city of Kvingandannes has been buzzing with activity, both inside the RTSLSASC and the ACCIS headquarters over how to respond to the attacks as well as refusal to allow independent investigators into the country to investigate the plane crash that started this incident.

The Talvistovan Ambassador to the ACCIS, Gustaf Borglund, had the following to say about the incident:

We had hoped, of course as all civilized people should, that we would have been able to reach a peaceful resolution and that those at fault would be brought to justice, but unfortunately the actions of General Ad-Idi has made such hopes increasingly dim. His outright lying about the cause of the crash being from faulty construction when the Kaiserreich and Talvistovan Air Force have both come forward with evidence it was a purposeful shootdown, as well as his vilification of the Tao when they offered to broker peace has brought us to the conclusion that a peaceful solution is quite possibly highly unlikely at this time. I shall continue working tirelessly to accomplish a peaceful goal, and I pray to God we can reach a peaceful conclusion.

In response to this, the air bases of Talvistova have been officially closed to the public and placed on high alert.

In other news:

• Talvistova welcomes Sanaatria to ACCIS, Oskar plans to accept visit invitation
• Yxa, lead guitarist of metal band Dödskramning, hospitalized after overdose

[Ophioneus]

Cold Reception for NLTO in the National Assembly

Jamestown In a shocking turn of events, Prime Minister Ippolit Andrey has delayed voting on ratifying Ophioneus's entry to the North Lutetian Treaty Organization. Despite the Party's recent gains in the National Assembly, the NLTO has proven unpopular with the opposition and even members of the Ophioneus United Party. Voting was postponed after four hours of debate and a straw poll indicating that the measure would not pass a first round of voting. Thirty members of the party defected to the Coalition during the debate, showing the Prime Minister that the resolution did not have enough clout to pass.

Opposition leader Alexander Karev stated that he considered this a major victory for the Unity Coalition. "Indeed, this small victory proves that party politics and the cult of personality surrounding Io has not poisoned our young Republic." Karev led the counter attack in the Assembly, arguing that Ophioneus should not be in league around with "communists and monarchists" who seek to "trample the rights of man, ruin elections, and destroy the work of the revolution!" Pundits speculate that this highly controversial legislation being pushed up the new class of Assemblymen have resulted in the Ophioneus United Party being weakened.

More News:
- Federation Deploys Carrier Group to North Sea: Analysis
- Io Abroad on State Visit to Capsland

[Aborzhenia]

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BREAKING: TWO AZURE FIELDS DIRECTORS FOUND DEAD OFF RURAL HIGHWAY

Disclaimer: This article contains subject matter that may not be suitable for younger viewers.

Norrton—In a sad development in the continuing story surrounding the Azure Fields Group and the Gracewell Papers scandal, the bodies of two members of the Board of Directors were discovered this afternoon in a coupe on a branch road off of Provincial Route 10 in eastern Norrland. The 1978 Huston Century that the two were driving in was still running when it was discovered by a local housewife on her way to the shops for the day. The executives' necks were contorted and their eyes bulged out from their skulls, and their bodies lay across the front seat, splayed around "as if arranged purposefully by an assailant," one anonymous source within the Norrland Provincial Police revealed to NABC. The cause of death is still unknown to the public at this time. The Provincial Police are considering this a probable homicide at this time, and as is the case with these procedures, little will be released until the case is brought to trial. The names of the victims have not been released, and the whereabouts of the other executives are still unknown. As the Azure Fields Board of Directors are federal fugitives, the National Fugitive from Justice Act of 1977 applies and any person who has information is legally compelled to phone the Federal Judicial Enforcement Service or their local police agency to report information. More information will be updated into this story as it's revealed.

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[Eikangaard]

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Elections Promised Amid Mass Protests; Do They Come Too Late?

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Protests have been cropping up across the country in opposition to both Premier Mikkelsen's planned rollback to the popular 2018 5-Year Plan and to the cancellation of open elections which would have taken place this month. With attempts to get the army to intervene proving unsuccessful, the Premier has barricaded himself inside the Premier's Residence and has only communicated with the People's National Council via teleconference. During one of these conferences, the Premier made the decision to halt his planned rollbacks of both free elections and the 5-Year Plan, citing pressure from the North Lutetian Treaty Organization.

However, many see this as a final attempt by the Premier to legitimize his government amid protests against his leadership. Already, many see a number of issues plaguing these supposed elections. In the announcement, the Premier stated that he would only allow elections to continue if they were free from "foreign oversight" and ordered that USA overseers would not be permitted to monitor the elections for fraud as previously planned. While the USA does not need to be involved to ensure a fair and open election, many wonder if this is but a first step in removing oversight of the election, allowing the Premier to rig the ballots in his favor.

Regardless, the move to have not calmed the protesters at any rate. Many citing that the Premier seems all too willing to compromise the election for his own needs, or that he simply won't respect the results in the first place. All told, many of the protesters are simply calling for the Premier's immediate resignation.

In Other News
- Tensions in Ziamban heat up between Talvistova, The Kaiserreich, and the DCZR
- Jamestown Seemingly Rejects the NLTO
- Execution of Homosexuals Against Backdrop of Remembrance Day in East Romaleus
- Are UFO's Real? The Ophionese seem to think so...

[Lindenholt]

Music to listen to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQRIOKvR2WM

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Tulpen: "Nowhere to run. Nowhere to hide."

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ARTWINGEN -- As protests in the EUSR are reaching a boiling point and the Mikkelsen administration has reached a low point in their popularity, Lindian prime minister Tulpen directly confronted premier Mikkelsen during his weekly press conference.

The Eikangaardi situation has been in the spotlight recently. The north is suspected of orchestrating terror attacks in the Republic of Eikangaard as well as displaying general hostile behaviour towards the Republic and the VU. Despite a world court decision, ruling that the EUSR is guilty of sponsoring terrorism, the regime is still supported by Kiez and their NLTO alliance. Kiez' blind support of a terrorist state was met with condemnations from several western democracies. In addition, it seems to also have rubbed the Ophionese the wrong way, as their parliament decided to hold off on joining the NLTO.

While the weekly press conference usually takes place on Wednesdays, Tulpen decided to schedule his press conference earlier today as tomorrow he will be attending Lindian-Allentyrian-Capslandian war games. During the press conference he answered questions regarding domestic issues, especially the threat of drought and crop failures in the west of the country. He acknowledged the threat to national security of the extreme heat, with temperatures reaching almost forty degrees in some parts of the country. His short-list of threats included the previously mentioned heat and the ever-looming threat of flooding. Notably, he also directly mentioned the NLTO organisation to be a direct threat to Lindenholt, the VU and western democracies in general.

He commended the Ophionese parliament for holding off from joining the NLTO alliance, praising them for pressing the brakes at the right time. "The NLTO is an inherently anti-democratic organisation" Tulpen said. When asked to give an example of the NLTO's anti-democratic nature he responded: "The EUSR will never admit it and reporters will not be allowed to report it, however, knowing the EUSR's track record of lying and deceit we can infer that their national news organisation reporting "protests" means that it must be more serious than simple protests." Tulpen continued: "The Eikangaardi people are discontent. The EUSR may not respect Lindenholt, the VU or Ophioneus, but they will learn that they must respect their people. Kiez and the EUSR have worked themselves in to a difficult situation. A situation where I think Mrs. Reeves words apply best: No where to run. No where to hide."

While Tulpen got praise from his party, political analyst Peter de Rooie is not impressed. Going as far as to calling it a careless act. "We know how flamboyant the Kiezan leadership is. While the EUSR is not friendly at all, at least they seem to have some self control. The statements Tulpen made towards Kiez and the EUSR are dangerous." De Rooie argues that the Kiezan's previous impulsive and over-the-top behaviour to criticism from outside -- even from mere MPs and journalists -- has, at least according to De Rooie, brought the doomsday clock significantly closer to midnight. "I'd advise the prime minister to be more careful, and less confrontational. Not because I have any hope of having a softer tone will bring a solution, Kiez has demonstrated in the past that a softer diplomatic stance towards them means nothing to them. I advise a softer tone as to prevent Kiezan armour rolling through the Republic of Eikangaard."

Despite the prediction made by De Rooie, it remains to be seen what the response will be from the EUSR and Kiez.

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In other news:
- Rumours: Possible heavy rain next week
- Water, without a doubt, is the most important thing you can put in your mouth
- What to do against the heat

[Rhodevus]

Brevin Energy Group has announced plans to invest 1.4 billion NSD into renewable energy research

The Rhodeve energy giant has had a troubling few weeks as continuous news has been released regarding unsavory practices. Starting in May with the revelation that BEG had hid over 150 studies from the 1970s and 1980s concerning resource extraction effects on climate change, and the news of unreported oil spills between 2010 and 2015, the company has been on the defensive, trying to win back public support. This news was compounded with the arrest of CFO Gregory Thompson and Lead Development Engineer Bradley Augustine on charges of embezzlement, fraud and tax evasion, and CEO William Ericburg on criminal charges of sexual abuse against over a dozen employees. All three along with nearly twenty-seven other positions were replaced with new employees, with both internal and external hiring practices.

The High Court of Rhodevus also completed the trial of Rhodevus v BEG, concluding that the energy giant had been hiding reports concerning the number of oil spills as well as amount of oil spilled, in order to reduce the amount of environmental taxes to be paid in compensation. Section iv of R1893 clearly stated that spills over 50L in the Southern provinces or spills over 25L in the Northern provinces are to be reported to the Ministry for the Environment. If there are more than 530 spills over 5L in a single plant, then they are to be reported to the same ministry. In the trial, it was confirmed that mining plants were given two names and the spills were split between the two in order to appear as though fewer spills were taking place.

In a move to save face and appear to have turned over a new leaf, this 150 Billion Rhode company has pledges 1.4 billion NSD or a bit more than 700 million Rhodes in renewable energy research. As can be expected from such news, this did not garner the effects that the company had been hoping for, bringing on a new wave of criticism against the company.

“For a company this size, 700 million [Rhodes] is a drop in the bucket. If they really want to show the world that they are changing, they should be pledging that amount every year, as well as at least triple that amount in retrofitting their current global operations to reduce spillage and improve efficiency,” said Arnold Quebber, a professor for Chemical Engineering in the University of Kingstown.

His words were echoed by a dozen politicians and lawmakers who sent out an open letter to BEG stating that, “improving environmental efficiency to meet current national standards is not a benchmark practice, but the lowest possible rung any energy company could strive for…”

As of now, no new information has come out of BEG as to how they will be handling this new wave of criticism.

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- Princess Heir pregnancy news: Expected delivery date July 18
- Rhodeve vote that water, without a doubt is the second most important thing you can put in your mouth
- Rhodeves confused as to why Rhodevus is considered the most powerful nation in Sunalaya.

[The Layfetian Republic]

UNord celebrating their win against UTonnes during 2018 Unileague finals
With the L-League now over, Layfetian football gears up for next challenge

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Despite hiccups in the economic and political spheres, Layfetians remain wholly optimistic…. about football! With the L-League now over, Layfetian football will enter into its next stage of cups and matches all while preparing for the gold star of them all – the 2020 International Sunalayan Football Association World Cups.

At the top of the League was Olympic Cove FC, which came as no surprise to anyone considering they have been at the top of the leagues since 2016. Their players however are aging, so without any changes in the upcoming L-League, many experts worry they might be upstaged by the up and rising Real Layfet City, which were the runner ups this year followed by Delta Valley Crossroads, Nordipolica FC, and Tonnes Port Authority.

All five of these teams mentioned will take place in the first ever Ventismarian Superleague, the VU specific championship league that is replacing the old common Ventismarian league – InterVenti, which is essentially defunct. Olympic Cove FC Coach Scott Manalayson said that the team is looking forward to “taking the fight to the rest of the continent” and is excited for the league to show who is the best of the best.

Meanwhile, on the homefront, the Unileague is about to begin, which will see the two Layfetian Universities and their satellite campuses go head to head. This year has a change, however as Layfet’s foreign hosted institutions will not be invited to the league with the Nordipolica Conference including Foskva University – Delta Valley (a Librira based institution) and the Tonnes Conference picking up Pierce University – Layfet (a Belantica based institution) The first game of the Nordipolica Conference will be UNord v UNord-Sokaczow and on the Tonnes side will be UTonnes-Layfet City v UTonnes – Cataland.

Finally, despite losing against Pantorrum in the final eight in the 2018 ISFA Men’s World Cup, (of which Pantorrum went on to win) and winning the 2018 ISFA’s Women’s World Cup, the Layfetian National Team Coaches Martin Vinwicki and Bailey Micheals have said they will wait till the VSL has started before looking for players to the national team. Layfet has also bid to host the 2020 ISFA Women’s World Cup.

IN OTHER NEWS
-NMW releases concept car for the Stargazer Pro

-Economists see signs of Layfet to recover from recession by end of 2020

-Cromwell and Hastings “neck-in-neck” for Union Party Nomination

-Executive Minister Susan Polster approval ratings stop plummeting.

-Libfray values stabilize

-All Layfetian sports leagues except football and esports to join Capslandian leagues

-Layfetian cell phone carrier L-Cell files for bankruptcy, Layfetian government to hold L-Cell assets until VU Cell Service markets invest in Layfet

[Aborzhenia]

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Conservatives in Assembly Push New Voter ID Bill in Run-Up to Election

Edælia—Blue-Conservative Assemblyman Joshua Neumark of the South Norrton riding put forth a bill in the National Assembly Friday that, if passed, would radically change how the upcoming parliamentary and presidential elections would be conducted. The bill, entitled "The Secure Voter Identification Act of 2019," would create a new type of National Voter Database that would store constantly-updated information about registered voters such as their date of birth, residence status, employment, date of immigration, eligibility to vote, and—most controversially—their past voting records. A person's voter database would be downloaded onto a new electronic card that could function both as the sole voter identification accepted at the ballot box and as the new replacement for the aging DriveID system in place across the nation. Critics in the New Left and Blue-Liberal ranks have mostly focused on the fact that the SVICA comes too late in the pre-election cycle for the massive overhauls it proposes to be implemented properly, while the Free Speech Movement, SDP and Communist League members have focused their criticisms primarily on the idea of the government gathering and controlling so much information about the adult citizens of Aborzhenia.

Despite all of this opposition, it's expected that the Act will pass, as the Blue-Liberal leadership announced their support for the SVICA in a press statement that contradicted and overrode the objections of some of their own Assembly members. Combined with the unconditional support for SVICA coming from the Conservatives and the United Aborzhene Party, and it's widely assumed that by the time this article is published and the vote is held on Monday that the SVICA will become law and that all DriveIDs have to be exchanged for the new Motor and Election Registration Service (MERS) cards by August 31st.

Update—The SVICA has passed the National Assembly and the National Senate, meaning that it has now become national law. The best locations to exchange your old DriveIDs for MERScards would be your local Bureau of Motor Transport office (upon appointment) or Postal Station.

In Other News:

• Maritime Defence Force departs from Port St. Edwards to bring home new frigates from Allentyr
• Two Azure Fields Directors apprehended at Rose Federation border
• "Offensive" deepfake of UAP leader taken off air by internet streaming services
• North Eikangaard still in throes of mass protests
• Persecution of LGBT in East Romaleus continues

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[Kiez]

Music of Choice: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_WSIJqWxik

K.I.N | Kiez Internationale News
"Für das Vaterland, Kiez über alles!"

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National - Regional - World - Politics - Technology - Health - Sports - Entertainment - Travel - Money - Other

Western Hypocrisy: Commissar Mikhail Rokossovsky On VU Aggression

Having been largely unknown to most people during the Cold War, Commissar Mikhail Rokossovsky rose to prominence during the early days of the Richtofen Administration.

Amheim, Kiez --- With the rising tensions in the Eikangaard Region reaching a boiling point and the recent comments of Lindenholt Prime Minister Jasper Tulpen many people in Kiez have expressed concern with how the Richtofen Administration is handling the Eikangaard Crisis. While there has been critics who question whether the formation of the NLTO or supporters who believe that the creation of the NLTO is necessary in order to protect Kiez from it's numerous enemies, Commissar Mikhail Rokossovsky of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, noted to be a soft spoken and reserved individual when it comes to confronting international issues has surprisingly decided to address the issue of the VU and the Republic of Eikangaard's aggression through a live interview with one of our reporters from the Ministry of Internal Affairs located in Amheim, Kiez which is roughly a fifteen minute drive away from the capital of Berlin, from the Ministry of Internal Affairs we have Reporter Vincent Seidel with Commissar Mikhail Rokossovsky:

Journalist Vincent Seidel: "Before we begin I would like to thank you Commissar Rokossovsky for accepting our request at an interview during such a time where war seems likely and that we are honored for you to be hosting such a once in a lifetime opportunity."

Commissar Mikhail Rokossovsky: "The honor is all mine Mr. Seidel and please, there is no need to address me by such a formal title, feel free to call me Mr. Rokossovsky for the duration of the Interview. Now I trust that you had a number of questions for me to address?"

Journalist Vincent Seidel: "Ah yes. Now, Mr. Rokossovsky, there have been some people saying that the establishment of the North Lutetian Treaty Organization only serves as adding fuel to the fire that is still raging in the Eikangaard Region and that it is one more step to a war that will be costly for the people of Kiez: what is your opinion on the concerns that have been voiced by the Premier's most vocal critics and whether these rumors of war are true or not?"

Commissar Mikhail Rokossovsky: "Allow me to reassure the people that the foundation of the NLTO was not intended to spark direct confrontation but to rather dissuade the Ventismar Union from jumping to the gun and seeking a confrontational outcome. The North Lutetian Treaty Organization is both an Economic and Mutual Defense organization that is dedicated to ensuring that the nations of Eastern Ventismar and Western Ophion have a chance to rise to their full potential as nations without being preyed upon by other nations who seek to facilitate their downfall. As for the rumors that this organization's primary function is to serve as the catalyst for the beginning of a Ventismar War is woefully incorrect and that I am quite confused and deeply concerned about these rumors: The creation of the NLTO was only meant to ensure that nations who have no allegiance to any supranational organization such as the Ventismar Union are not strongarmed into joining them and to ensure that they are left alone to peacefully tend to their own devices."

Journalist Vincent Seidel: "Mr. Rokosskvsy, when you mean 'tend to their own devices' do you mean that they are protected from foreign intervention by opposing nations? And if that is the case does this imply that members within the Richtofen Administration feel that Kiez is under siege by many of its international opponents?"

Commissar Mikhail Rokossovsky: "Without a shadow of a doubt Mr. Seidel, it has become the opinion of many analysts within both the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as well as those within my own Ministry feel that because of our support of a nation that inherently stands against the ideals of the western world that our enemies are beginning to pile up and that our allies are running short. In short: we most certainly feel that if nothing is done to rectify the power vacuum in Ventismar then instability perhaps even exceeding that of 2017 is very much likely to happen."

Journalist Vincent Seidel: "That is quite an alarming declaration to make Commissar Rokossovsky and most certainly a surprising statement to make on live television, could you perhaps elaborate as to why the Richtofen Administration feels that conflict could break out at some point in the future?"

Commissar Mikhail Rokossovsky: "In my personal experience I feel that transparency to the people that the Government serves is the best option when it appears that there is no way out. As for your question: allow me to be as blunt as possible that this conflict with the Ventismar Union is based on a long-standing ideological dispute that spans back into the early 20th Century: It is the fear of any nation even remotely affiliated with the term 'Communism' that is the direct cause of this rising tension in Eikangaard. It is a very concerning prospect that such intolerance exists even in the 21st Century where unions such as the United Soviet Socialists of Ophion have long since ceased to exist."

Journalist Vincent Seidel: "If that is the case then does this suggest that due to the fact that an inherently socialist nation such as Kiez suggested the creation of the NLTO that Prime Minister Tulpen labeled the NLTO as an 'anti-democratic organization'?

Commissar Mikhail Rokossovsky: "(chuckles) Maybe it could be and maybe it could not, to suggest that is Prime Minister Tulpen's belief would be to imply that I am able to read minds. Kiez is usually labeled as a 'Communist Nation' due to our advocation of all peoples, regardless of race, religion, social standing or ideology is inherently equal not only to the government that serves them but also down to the rule of law itself. The difference lies in our economic standing: you see Kiez has what is called a Mixed Market System, where all but the most critical aspects of our nation's economic output remain free from government control, industries such as defense are what falls under federal jurisdiction."

Journalist Vincent Seidel: "This next question comes directly from a concerned citizen who wished to remain anonymous: He asks about your opinion regarding Premier Richtofen's rather nationalistic zeal when addressing the press corps and whether it has the potential to help or harm future negotiations with the Ventismar Union."

Commissar Mikhail Rokossovsky: "Premier Richtofen comes from a long line of heroes who have diligently served from the earliest days of the Kiezan Empire to the Revolution of 1945, heroes who have been forever etched in our history books. He is a man who embodies the very ideals of the Kiezan Revolution, he dedicates his service, not to his own agenda but those of the Kiezan people. While on occasion the Premier's flamboyant personality appear as unprofessional it is an attempt to rally the people together under the banner of our nation, a nation that stands under siege for its decision to offer support to the EUSR: Allow me to say that I would be willing to follow Premier Richtofen to the ends of the world itself if it was needed of me because he is a man who does not seek power but rather seeks to serve the people and only the people of Kiez: he does not allow himself to submit before the pressure of another nation if the people of Kiez do not desire to kneel before said nation."

Journalist Vincent Seidel: "My apologies for dragging this on Mr. Rokossovsky but this is the last question before we run out of time: What do you think of the Kingdom of Lindenholt's implication that Kiez supports the current administration of the EUSR?"

Commissar Mikhail Rokossovsky: "Let me say that without a shadow of a doubt that we, the nation of Kiez do not serve at the whim of an administration that has lost the support of it's people but rather we serve the people of the nation itself, from the Kaiserreich to the EUSR do we support the people of a nation, and if said people desire a change of administration or a change in their government then, by all means, we will not stand in the way of what their people desire. But that does not mean we will abandon pacts that we have already established with those nations, our defensive pact with the EUSR pledges that Kiez will defend the Eikangaard United Socialist Republic of its successor state from any outside force that may seek it's downfall: we will not leave our allies to the wolves."

Journalist Vincent Seidel: "Thank you very much for offering your time to answer our questions Commissar Rokossovsky. If I may could I perhaps shake your hand?"

Commissar Mikhail Rokossovsky: "Of course, and please: call me Mikhail."

In Other News:

• Heat Advisories issued in portions of Western Kiez: Drink Plenty of Water and avoid Strenuous Activity.
• Kiez Armed Forces station in the EUSR ordered to not interfere in EUSR Protests.
• Confusion as Ophionese National Assembly delays vote of ratification into the NLTO.

[Demitor]

The Demitorian Times

Reporting since 1872

The International Coalition, the leadership bloc of the Assembly has announced a new economic and reorganization plan for the upcoming terms of office. The largest party in the Assembly is the International Unionist party, an Internationalist political front advocating for a unified world government and the eradication of nationalism. It has grown remarkably since the nationalist crises of the early twentieth century and has risen from a more moral standpoint of helping others through unity and strength through peace. The party's leader, Ryan Amalian, has repeatedly said these economic and organizational reforms are needed, stating:

"We need a policy and government that works for all of the world, not just us here in Demitor. We are but a state in what will become a federalized world government. We may have to resort to war, but in time the people of the oppressive monarchies will realize they are being oppressed, and will finally join us."

The new economic policy is mainly just funding of anti-monarchist and pro-internationalist parties in other nations, with an emphasis on free trade and regulated capitalism. Borders still aren't an issue as the Open-Borders Act of 1973 prohibits borders from being enforced on any level, allowing for free travel into and out of Demitor as a whole. There has been some economic downturn due to the flight of wealthy industrialists following tax hikes for social services, but the results of that flight are unknown. The Department of Commerce declines on what the forecasts predict as they cite a "lack of sufficient data." Only time will tell what the results are for now.

As for the reorganization plan, there is a lot of change. The Department of Defence will be disbanded, and all functions being handed over to the Department of Justice and the Department of Protective Services for the time being. A new governmental model will be announced following the plan's finalization and approval by the International Congress after it goes before the Assembly this August.

[Aphisepten]

PRESIDENT LIAVON JAKAVIENKA MAKES SUGGESTIONS ON NLTO

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Aphisepten Republic President Liavon Jakavienka is speaking more about the North Lutentian Treaty Organization (NLTO) which comes coincidentally soon after the National Assembly of Ophioneus became split on Ophioneus accession to NLTO

President Liavon Jakavienka has suggested that the North Lutentian Treaty Organization (NLTO) be kept as an exclusively military organization of mutual defense while a separate Eastern Ventismar and Ophion organization be created for trade, economy, political and other kind of regional integration. The reason for such a proposal by the President comes strictly from the perspective of Aphisepten’s national interests and how they could be made compatible with the neighbors.

“A topic of Aphisepten’s military alignment is still a greatly divisive issue. We have many political forces in our nation that are fighting over this. You have many wanting to maintain non-alignment and stay out of military blocs but those same forces are interested in regional integration in other areas. So we are just putting it out there and asking rhetorically if it were possible to maybe create a supranational union or trade bloc of Eastern Ventismar and Ophion countries. At the same time we understand that it would be much easier to have just a single organization of NLTO that would encompass all of that to avoid confusion. In any case that is not really a demand of Aphisepten. We might join even if NLTO becomes both a trade and a military alliance. As we said it is still a topic of debate in Aphisepten so we are not going to rush with the NLTO question just yet. It still seems to be an unresolved question in Ophioneus too after what happened at the parliament there. But we will keep the topic of NLTO in Aphisepten’s public life.”

[New Vesvai]

NEW VESVAI BROADCASTING

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VRA Reports Strange Behavior Of Vesvai’s Military Near Shared Border

New Vesvai’s Minister of the Vesvaian Revolutionary Army Varsi Polvandet has stood before Parliament this early morning Perloveu (capital city) Central Standard Time. The Minister’s goal was to inform the MPs of what has been urgently reported to him by New Vesvai’s military officials. Polvandet told MPs that according to the words of New Vesvai’s commanding soldiers from the border, the Royal Vesvian Security Forces of the Dominion of Vesvai are making provocative moves again. This time it is not the army, but rather the air forces that are acting strangely.

The jets of the Royal Vesvaian Air Force have been increasingly active near New Vesvai’s airspace. Minister Polvandet quoted New Vesvai’s soldiers as saying to him that: “[Vesvai’s warplanes] have been making predatory rounds near our skies.” The soldiers have informed the Minister that New Vesvai’s own warplanes have been ready to take off from the airfields and that the army has readied anti-air weaponry to shoot down the hostile warplanes in case of anything.

After making MPs informed Minister Polvandet rushed to meet with Prime Minister Matteas Noran who recently came back from Creperia. Polvandet sought to inform the Prime Minister of the situation and they are said to be holding a personal meeting behind closed doors right now. This is not the first escalation between New Vesvai and Vesvai. The last tensions on the border were resolved with a phone call between PM Matteas Noran and Vesvai’s Prime Minister Jonathan Mollisal. The two Prime Ministers had already shared two phone calls in the past and both helped deescalate developed tensions. Time will now tell if this previously successful method will be used again and if PM Matteas Noran will try reaching out to his Vesvai’s counterpart again.

[Aphisepten]

PRESIDENT LIAVON JAKAVIENKA SIGNS EXECUTIVE ORDER ON DOUBLE ALPHABET

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Aphisepten Republic President Liavon Jakavienka has fulfilled his promised on signing an Executive Order that enforces a double alphabet in Aphisepten: Cyrillic (existing one) and Latin (revived one)

The Executive Order on Dual Alphabet by President Liavon Jakavienka has gone to both chambers of the National Assembly for ratification. This initiative is a rare case where the President sees support from many opposition parties that have regularly opposed the “Easternization” of Aphisepten’s culture in its newest history. Two examples of the so-called “Easternization” according to the opposition are the Cyrillic alphabet as the primary alphabet in Aphisepten and also the presence of the Eastern Slavic Orthodox Church as the main church and dominant faith in the Republic. With this Executive Order, the President has struck a balance and found common ground with the opposition which is something that is rare. The President is perfectly aware of this. The President himself believes that having the Cyrillic and Latin exist in parallel to each other has practical usefulness in the globalized world. But the President also says that it is necessary for Aphisepten to equally use Cyrillic and Latin to pay respects to the ancestors, the history, the modern esthetic of the nation and reflect Aphisepten as a cross-civilization country between East and West.