Sunalayan News {SUNALAYA ONLY!}

[Sunrisia]

Urgently-Inaugurated New President Fórî Apstérâ Announces That He Will Not Be Stepping Down As PID Director And Leading Intelligence Operative After All

New President Fórî Apstérâ has received his urgent inauguration ceremony today, after the ouster of Vice President-turned-President Amíc Fútûra by him yesterday and the preceding resignation of President Válîd Sâlúbĕr before that over a no-confidence vote at the Convet of the Nationalist Republic of Sunrisia. President Fórî Apstérâ can now get to doing what he had set out to do. Nevertheless, he has also made an announcement, which contradicts the past statement by him regarding his future as the Director of the Prime Intelligence Division (PID), the leading intelligence agency in Sunrisia, since succeeding to Presidency.

Prior to today’s formal inauguration, President Apstérâ said he would have to step down as PID Director and hopefully have the intelligence agency find his replacement, preferably a young loyalist, whom he would then endorse and approve as President. The new head of state instructed the PID to look for such candidates and present them to him. However, today, following the inauguration, the President has announced that he has changed his mind. President Fórî Apstérâ will not be stepping down as the Director of PID. Instead, he would be holding both offices simultaneously, being both the President of Sunrisia and still remaining the Director of PID, as well as the country’s leading intelligence operative. Therefore, there is no longer a need to look for candidates for his replacement, as the order has been recalled by the now-Apstérâ administration.

President Apstérâ said that there is no strain for him to be the President and PID Director at the same time. According to the President, he is more determined and energized than ever in this “interesting” time for Sunrisia, referring to the political crisis over the so-called “Shadow President and Government Scandal.”

In other news:

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• Former “sham” Vice President/actual President Fógâr Nélsân admits to being an intelligence operative and has been during his term.
  
  
• Minister of Security Vírân Spêctér:”Sunrisian military forces, including nuclear forces, have been placed on high alert and readiness over the declared Englean maneuvers around Western Corentia.”
  
  
• Top Releases on the Sunrisian Musical Charts (“Revolution Edition”) (In No Particular Order):
  
  
  • Êléctrîcá Víolétâ (Electric Purple) – “EMP.”
    
    
  • Lunae – “Relaxo.”
    
    
  • Neon feat. 2XZ – “Astral.”
    
    
  • Erâ Lábénâ – “Nomadic.”

[The Seven United]

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3 Days to the Vote / Last Unitary Debate

Yesterday, party leaders attended the final Unitary election debate before voting begins on the 6th of this month. Hosted by TNE in the capital of the Trident, Celstead, the party leaders faced a different audience with many different issues. Attended by the Big Five, Alternate Liberal leader Manuel-Caruso Lopez, Communist Party leader Luis Manuel Osóro, followed by Soldurs Des leader Montserrat Diegas, Damsmarian Unionist Party leader Felipe Peña Ines and then the leader of the United Nationalist Party, Ablija Hejkovic, the debate was successful and watched by millions from across Damsmar.
Here are the key points to take away

Political Analyst for TNE
Juan Sebastian Romero

1) "You want to break up the Union"

Communist leader Osóro along with DUP leader Ines continually launched scathing attacks against Hejkovic and the UNP. Osóro accused her of wanting to “break up the Union and plunge Damsmar into chaos.” Receiving significant audience applause. Hejkovic counter-attacked on injustice and the sense that politicians are out of touch with those they represent. “The only people breaking up the Union are all of you. While millions live in growing misery, injustice and ill-representation from far away politicians in Aygon, the only option we can see is increased devolution and self-control. And it is true right now, how can we be a union when one of the main party leaders in front of me can’t even properly speak Damsmarano?” However, this invited untampered fury from Lopez who she accused of not being able to speak Damsmarano, naming Hejkovic “the biggest spinner of lies this nation has ever seen.” While Hejkovic seemed to receive a lot less share of audience applause, she came across as the more composed out of the five playing well with the Unitary audience.

Hejkovic further went to ask if Lopez had ever even visited north Montedoran, “where the consequences of injustice are being felt most harshly.” citing not only the endemic poverty in the region but the current violence and unrest. Ines then interrupted, asking what government had been in power in Montedoran since the creation of the union, the answer being the United Nationalists.

2) Language Row

At the beginning of the debate, an audience member asked a question regarding indigenous language rights, particularly the role of the German language in the neighbouring state of Caledonia claiming that there are little rights afforded to the minority language. Hejkovic quickly turned the question on Manuel-Caruso Lopez whom attempted an answer, Hejkovic stating that he couldn’t speak on this question as he was himself unable to speak Damsmarano (Damsmarian Spanish) In response, Lopez turned to answer the question dismissing the “nasty rhetoric” from Hejkovic, claiming that Damsmarano “Is a dialect, not a language.” This provoked uproar from the Tridecian audience. Lopez stated that his party believed that indigenous languages were best protected by the regional Commission in which they reside, but pointed to the legacy of Anderson’s Commission of which passed the Indigenous Languages Act 2018, working to include indigenous languages into public offices. “Not enough” claimed Hejkovic. Debate host Ana Imbernon had to plead for quiet.

3) The Economy

Featuring heavily throughout the debate, the state of the economy was a key theme and issue for the audience. It also provoked the most heated debate, particularly between Osóro and Lopez. Osóro responding to Lopez calling the Communists the 'most economically reckless party in Damsmar.' managed to turn the issue to the legacy of the Anderson and Ahina Commission. “Have you even been to the growing Aygon favelas? Have you been to the north and west of L’Bailleur? Have you seen the poverty, injustice and degradation of these regions? Austerity was not only unnecessary, it was cruel, reckless and criminal! It has ruined the economic hopes of millions of people, you and Ahina were the same!”

In response, Lopez justified the actions of the previous Commissioner. “We faced a huge financial black hole, in which millions were being poured into mismanaged departments. Because of the actions taken, the government is now more efficient and waste-money has been cut to near nought. When we came in, the corrupt Democratic Party left us squandering over a hundred million a year to projects that never ever ran! That is the true criminality.” DUP leader Ines argued that the economic stagnation of Damsmar was due to an unnecessarily bloated civil service and complicated government structure, believing the only way to fix the problem was to fully federalise the Union. Montserrat Diegas agreed with him, then splitting to “we need to streamline the government and ensure business and corporations are able to operate without unnecessary socialist bureaucracy. Wherever state involvement is cut, you see business come shortly after!” This saw a sharp response from Osóro, calling the Liberals and Soldurs Des one and the same.

All party leaders were committed to showing in the debate their manifesto booklets. However, what saw plenty of response from the audience was the manifesto booklet of Osóro and the Communists. "Wait for it..." he said, then revealing the Communist Manifesto originally written by Karl Marx. With audience laughter, it was still easy to see that Osóro was in fact being serious. "Its quite simple."

4) Engleberg

On the issue of security and stability on the continent, Diegas claimed that the issues of stability within Sunrisia and Daredland were "direct works of the Englean invader state". Such strong words were criticised by Felipe Peña Ines for having a destabilising effect themselves. Ines was critiqued for being "weak" by Diegas, as the DUP leader furthered his position on the growing issue of stability in Corentia. "By having a strong and stable domestic situation we are able to project stability in an otherwise rocky continent, we can work to be an honest broker in negotiations within Daredland, while remaining a reliable ally within the MDAA. What Diegas wants to do is launch a reckless and damaging xenophobic campaign to continue a war of words and animosity towards Engleberg, just more openly than the last Anderson government. It won't work, it hasn't worked, why would it work now?"

Diegas responded "A position of nicey nicey will not work at all. We found out that they are funding and weaponizing terrorists in Montedoran. They directly invaded our neighbour. We are flanked by an enemy, it is time we work with the MDAA to paralyse this threat." Asked how he would manage to do so, Diegas floundered. The Alternate Liberal leader was continually laughing at the responses, thus was quizzed by the debate host as to his policy and the difference between that and his predecessor. "Our policy remains the same, we work to negotiate, we work to be honest. We can not be made to be belligerents." he states.

Osóro believed the position of all the leaders were untenable. "We need to stop viewing the position from us and them. It is not the Englean people responsible for the weaponisation of terrorists in northern Montedoran, nor are they responsible for the meddling in Daredi and global affairs. The Englean nobility is responsible for that, they control their people with an iron and authoritarian fist. We are all Corentians and the most of us are all part of the working class. We should stick up for each other instead of trying to divide each other, as Diegas is trying to do here. What we have to do is promote the power of democracy and socialism through Corentia, so we can break down the divides of nationality."

Hejkovic's nationalist position was criticised by Osóro for being destabilising in itself. "It isn't rich of me to speak of nationality when I sit here and watch the biggest divider on the stage, Ms. Hejkovic, who wants to divide our nation up into its seven parts and put them back at each other instead of actually fixing the problems facing our society."

5) Election Timing

Of one thing all party leaders agreed was their disapproval of the timing of the election. Including Lopez, (Osóro pointed out it was the Alternate Liberal party who appointed the Unitary Electoral Commissioner Joaquín Almerá.) who criticised the short allocated campaign duration and went as far as to condemn the initial vote of no confidence. At this stage the point of agreement diverged, with Hejkovic stating that whatever occurred in the election, the union "is better to have Anderson out of office."


Analysis of the Leader's Performance
TNE Political Analyst Aarón Fernandez


Manuel-Caruso Lopez had it tough even beginning the debate. It would be impossible for him to pass this debate without the legacy of the previous Alternate Liberal administration to be thrown at him. He did manage some well but on others he left it short and simple, continually defending the previous manifesto and repetitively stating that "our policy remains the same." This doesn't help viewers many of whom are uninformed of the contents of the previous Alternate Liberal manifesto. It did also make it easy for his opponents to pick a part his policies, especially be referring to their effects put into practice. Lopez did manage well as he sparred with Osóro. Referring back to fundamental economic ideology and the "dangers of Marxism", Lopez seemed well able for many of the arguments put against him by Osóro.

Osóro himself however done much better than expected. While able to fight back fundamental arguments against his ideology, he was also arguably the most composed out of the five leaders. Especially his position on Engleberg, being incredibly contrasting to the often dogmatic positions put forward by that of Diegas and the non-position put forward by Lopez. Osóro matched Peña Ines who also performed well with this question, drawing a lot of audience applause. Osóro also done well at picking apart economic issues, showing a good level of understanding compared to Lopez whom spent most of his time defending his predecessor. Arguably at his best was Osóro launching an attack on Hejkovic for her position on the Union.

Hejkovic herself was fairly muted throughout the debate, which is often how she is during Unitary debates. Just like in the last Unitary election, Hejkovic spends much of her time in the Unitary debates justifying the Montedoran situation to the rest of Damsmar. Unfortunately, the course of this debate meant there was not much room for talk of the instability in the Montedoran, in fact it wasn't mentioned much at all. Hejkovic did however make many good digs at Osóro and Lopez, linking these two to the greater Damsmarian political establishment. Perhaps her best dig was at Lopez for saying he was unable to fully speak Damsmarano, referring to the controversy of the official language of the debate which had sparked days earlier. Lopez an Aygonian French native, learned the standardised form of Damsmarian Spanish and while still able to partake in a Damsmarano-TV debate, his accent came across with viewers as often "funny and very elite." Often times in Damsmarian TV debates, the language used can have a great impact on the audience. There are usually mandatory two debates in Aygonian/other variety of Damsmarian French and one in Damsmarian Spanish, the standardised form being understandable.

The other two party leaders, Felipe Peña Ines and Montserrat Diegas also shown themselves to be rather muted. Often Ines found himself agreeing with the Communists, and he had spent much of his time attacking the liberals. The Soldurs Des leader performed robustly but at many times came across as if he was participating in a rant session and not a debate. This meant while he performed strongly with the Tridecian audience, other Damsmarian audiences did not view him so well especially when contrasted to the composure of Ines and Osóro.

Currency: 1 Argent ARG ($A) = NS$0.62.9977.

[Ashukal]

Ashu National News

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International | Local | Economy | Sports | Weather

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Imen Al-Ghazzawi : Environmental and Fiscal Responsibility

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In our continuing coverage on the still-new Ashu Federal Eleciton, we recently had the opportunity to sit down with Senator Imen Al-Ghazzawi. Mr. Al-Ghazzawi was one of the candidates who announced their intention to run with the sudden announcement of President Aljubeli's retirement. Mr. Al-Ghazzawi has already been making waves iwth younger voters, promoting a policy of evinronmental responsiblity in the face of a continuously changing climate. However there's a notable lack of information on his platform as a whole outside of his numerous appearances in political rallies. We sat down with Mr. Al-Ghazzawi to nail down the details of his platform and hopefully clear up some of the misconceptions surrounding his campaign.

The following is the transcript of our interview with Imen Al-Ghazzawi:

"Thank you, Mr. Al-Ghazzawi, for meeting with us today."

"Thank you for the opportunity!"

"Now there are a number of questions that are floating around, so we were hoping to clear the air."

"Understandable."

"To start, what is your vision for the future of Ashukal? What do you feel is the priority for us moving forward?"

"Naturally, my focus will be on reducing Ashukal's environmental impact. With climate change being such a big issue, I feel if we do not act now we will reach a point where it will be too late to act. Naturally, we cannot do so while destroying the progress we made under President Aljubeli, so my platform is based on building an environmentally conscious nation that nonetheless remains fiscally responsible. Going forward we will begin leveraging the wealth generated from the oil industry to lay the groundwork for Ashukals transition to more sustainable renewable energy sources."

"And how do you plan to accomplish this?"

"As I stated, we will be leveraging the revenue generated by the oil industry to kickstart our transition to a Green Energy economy. We will also be leveraging the revenue from the Public Trust Fund to add to the process, whereas previous governments have simply reinvested the income. Additionally, taxes will be raised on key goods, services, and polluting industires to help cover some of the costs. We will also be looking for places in the budget to shift out funds to pay for our civic development projects and government grants."

There have been some concerns, tabled by both your political rivals and concerned citizens, that part of your platform is to slash the defense budget. What do you say to that?"

"We may cut some defense spending, but it is unlikely to be a lot. The rumors that we plan to cut defense spending by a significant amount, or outright ax the defense budget entirely, is blatant scaremongering. With the world as it is now, we cannot afford to reduce defense spending to any significant degree. That's just not on the table."

"Immigration appears to be a fairly hot-button issue nowadays. What would be your policy in regards to that?"

"I would keep the same policy we currently have. Ashukal already does not attract a whole lot of immigrants yearly, and so far there has not been any substantial evidence that it is disrupting our economy. Again, those who say otherwise are scaremongers."

"On that note, the recent war between Kiez and Demitor. Do you see any cause for concern to Ashukal's national security and safety?"

"Naturally there are concerns of spill-over occurring, and we must be ready for that. However, I don't feel that there is any direct threat to Ashukal with the conflict."

"Any closing thoughts you'd like to make to the people of Ashukal?"

Yes actually. I know that our people are intelligent and well-informed. I would hope that, looking through an objective lens, that they understand that we cannot continue down the same path we're on. We need to change our path forward if we want to survive as a civilization and a species. I hope they understand that we need clear and decisive changes now.

"Thank you Mr. Al-Ghazzawi, for your time."

"Thank you for having me."

[Sunrisia]

DEVELOPING

President And PID Director Fórî Apstérâ Dissolves The Convet By Protester Demand: Early Legislative Election Called

LIVE BROADCAST

Convet of the Nationalist Republic of Sunrisia.



Scenes from protests from various parts of Sunrisia, including from past several days. Early reactions to Convet dissolution already coming in at certain regions with celebration.

On the eight day since nationwide protests began in Sunrisia over the so-called “Shadow President and Government” scandal, New President and also still the Director of the Prime Intelligence Division (PID) Fórî Apstérâ, has decided to listen to the people. The President has officially announced that he has dissolved the Convet of the Nationalist Republic of Sunrisia. President Apstérâ has signed a decree authorizing the sacking of the Convet, Sunrisia’s unicameral legislature. After signing the decree which sacked the parliament, the President made announcement heard around Sunrisia that the Convet was now dissolved and that he had taken such a decision due to the pressure of nationwide protests over the so-called “Shadow President and Government” scandal and the Sunrisians’ loss of confidence in the current government as a whole. The dissolution of the Convet would now automatically trigger an early legislative election, where Sunrisians will have the opportunity to elect the “fresh” government they wanted and which would become the first elected parliament since the adoption of the current constitution. Therefore, it would make that future government, elected in the early elections, the first “true” government of the Nationalist Republic of Sunrisia, since the current incarnation of the Sunrisian state was founded de jure with the adoption of the current constitution on 22 of August, 2019.

The news of the dissolution of the Convet is still making its’ way across Sunrisia. Some protesting regions are already celebrating victory as a result of their uprising. Technically, the dissolution of the Convet is a protester victory, because the protesters were calling for early presidential and legislative elections to replace the current government with a new one. The demand for early legislative elections has been fulfilled by new President Fórî Apstérâ. Sunrisians will now be able to vote and democratically replace the current parliament with a new one, even though the current majority-holding Justice Coalition of Neo-Isolationism and Self-Reliance, as well as other big parties, including opposition parties, are already making early announcements that they would run in the upcoming early legislative election. Their confidence and determination is to be admired, considering that the nation has been clearly fighting for 8 days to oust them from power.

So, as mentioned before, one of 2 protester demands has been fulfilled. The new President has dissolved the Convet and an early legislative election has been announced. However, the second demand of the nationwide protests has been an early presidential election as well. New President Fórî Apstérâ has not mentioned anything about that so far. But there is a catch. The most intense point when the Sunrisian protesters were demanding for an early presidential election, along with an early legislative election which they have achieved and will now be getting, was after now-former President Válîd Sâlúbĕr lost the confidence vote at the now-dissolved Convet and when his Vice President Amíc Fútûra, who is also a fellow Centro-Unionist party member, took over as President. It was still the same establishment in the administration. The protesters “turned up the heat” in their nationwide uprising and demanded for those people to be removed. Technically, they are no longer there, because the administration is now run by the Director of PID, the leading intelligence agency in Sunrisia, who is now also the President after replacing Fútûra, who was President for less than 3 days. Also technically, new President Fórî Apstérâ has not been a politician until Sunday, despite PID, him as the Director of the agency, Sunrisian intelligence services as a whole, and not to mention the military, having an inappropriate large role in Sunrisian political affairs all this time. And they still do. In fact, the revealing of that information is what caused the so-called “Shadow President and Government” scandal and nationwide anti-government protests in the first place.

The only news that new President Apstérâ said regarding the presidential administration, was that he planned to do some “reshuffling” and “revamping” in the administration. The President has also expressed hope and even slight confidence that the situation in Sunrisia would now stabilize after the dissolution of the Convet and the fulfilling of protester demand regarding the early legislative election. At least Sunrisians can now celebrate that victory.

In other news:

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• Intelligence operatives visit the Superior Court of the Nationalist Republic of Sunrisia for talks.

[The Seven United]

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Jean de Temer warns a "perfect storm is brewing" for the Alternate Liberal Party

Serving High Commissioner Jean de Temer set a precedent today as leaked letters sent to incumbent Alternate Liberal leader Manuel Caruso-Lopez state the High Commissioner’s fears of a “perfect storm brewing” for the Alternate Liberal party.
In the revealed letters which were sent to Lopez days before his election as leader, Temer calls for transformative action within the Alternate Liberals “or risk being swamped from all sides.”

Specifically, Temer asks Lopez to carefully consider the options of moving the party’s direction significantly, as to avoid being behind public sentiment. Instead of campaigning on Anderson’s manifesto, he proposed Lopez completely rebranded it to avoid “the new party leadership from being tarnished with the brush used to tarnish Anderson.” This political move by an otherwise neutral political official has caused worries within the Unitary Council. Regional Commissioner for Montedoran Ablija Hejkovic condemned Temer for “callous political play while being an officially neutral figure.” Speaking on a campaign rally in Herza Novi, Hejkovic said that while she agreed with what were in the letters, “it is fishy that Temer is writing to Lopez as if he is already the leader.” Insinuating that the party leadership election was rigged, Temer’s office criticised Hejkovic today as his office published a statement online. “Jean de Temer is a long serving member of the Damsmarian Alternate Liberal Party. As is his right, away from the political office of the High Commissioner, Mr. Temer is fully within his rights to help carry out party business, whether this is advising the leader or otherwise. Hejkovic’s comments are unhelpful and an unnecessary attempt to smear the office of High Commissioner.”

Analysis
Jerene Anrala

It is likely Jean de Temer is attempting to advise the new Alternate Liberal leader as much as he advised the departed Unitary Commissioner Christina Anderson. His comments represent a growing sense of danger within the Alternate Liberal’s that their campaign has fell apart. Lagging behind in the polls Union-wide, it is very likely the Liberals will end up in a position much worse than when they entered the election, and with many MUPs already expressing frustration it could be possible that another split within the Alternate Liberals is to come.

Similar problems are afoot within the Communists, where party leader Luis Manuel Osóro faces pressure from his party to respond to the growing threat from Damsmarian Unionists. Eating up a growing portion of Communist votes specifically in the more urban areas of the south west, Osóro risks numerous loyal Democratic seats heading straight to the Damsmarian Unionists, or should the vote be split, to the Liberals – as is how the Damsmarian first past the post system works. Osóro faces his biggest problems here, where in the rural areas of northern Bailor and north west Cyprexe, he rides comfortably.

Currency: 1 Argent ARG ($A) = NS$0.62.9582.

[North Baggnagia]

Honorable Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Baggnagia Jakub Gottschalk visits Belantica

CENTER CITY, BELANTICA – Honorable Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Glorious Nation of North Baggnagia Jakub Gottschalk has arrived in Center City, the Capital of the Comrade Nation of Belantica. Honorable Minister of Foreign Affairs Jakub Gottschalk was sent to the Comrade Nation of Belantica by His Excellency Marshal Jan Tillich, the National Leader of North Baggnagia and of All Baggnagians. Honorable Minister of Foreign Affairs Jakub Gottschalk has come to the Comrade Nation of Belantica for the very first time. This is the Honorable Foreign Minister’s first visit ever to that part of the world. This is also the first visit ever by an Honorable Government Official from the Glorious Nation of North Baggnagia to that part of the world and to the Comrade Nation of Belantica specifically. His Excellency Marshal Jan Tillich has sent Honorable Minister of Foreign Affairs Jakub Gottschalk to the Comrade Nation of Belantica by the invitation of the Honorable Minister’s Gottschalk’s counterparts in the Comrade Nation of Belantica who extended an invitation for Honorable Government Officials of the Glorious Nation of North Baggnagia to come to the Comrade Nation of Belantica.

Honorable Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Glorious Nation of North Baggnagia Jakub Gottschalk came to the Comrade Nation of Belantica with Gifts for Her Majesty Queen Karen of the Comrade Nation of Belantica. The Gifts are from Honorable Minister of Foreign Affairs Jakub Gottschalk Personally and from His Excellency Marshal Jan Tillich. Honorable Minister of Foreign Affairs Jakub Gottschalk said that the Glorious Nation of North Baggnagia and the Comrade Nation of Belantica had something to discuss. Honorable Minister of Foreign Affairs Jakub Gottschalk is looking forward to hearing own the offers from the Comrade Nation of Belantica. Honorable Minister of Foreign Affairs Jakub Gottschalk will then report back to His Excellency Marshal Jan Tillich and to the North Baggnagian People.

[Vesvai]

VNNHD

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Vesvai To Host Military Exercise With Allies

The Dominion of Vesvai is preparing to host a large military exercise with its allies, announced Vesvai’s Ministry of National Defense and Security. The first nations to confirm their participation in the exercise are: the United Queendoms of Belantica, the Englean Kaiserreich, the Layfetian Republic and the Rezuan Empire. Belantica, Layfet and Rezua are Vesvai’s allies in the Rhodeve Commonwealth. The Englean Kaiserreich is an ally of the Commonwealth and also a new ally of the Dominion that Vesvai has been moving forward to deepening ties with. Invitations to participate in the exercise in the Dominion of Vesvai were sent out to other nations too. In the last hours there have been may more that confirmed their participation but the Ministry of National Defense and Security has not specified what nations and has not disclosed any sensitive information. Vesvai’s Minister of National Defense and Security Robert Praesedit said that more details on everything would be revealed in time.

Reinforcements Pulling Back From The Border After Vesvai And New Vesvai Reinstate Cease-Fire

Vesvai’s Royal Vesvaian Security Forces and New Vesvai’s Vesvaian Revolutionary Army are each pulling back their additionally sent heavy reinforcements from the shared border. RVSF is doing it on the Dominion of Vesvai side and VRA is doing it on New Vesvai’s side. This is part of a deal reached on Sunday to reinstate a cease-fire which was suddenly violated and caused a three-day border war.

Vesvai’s Prime Minister Jonathan Mollisal and New Vesvai’s Prime Minister Adi Letago had agreed to reinstate the existing cease-fire on Sunday after three days of intense border clashes and endless growing fighting. Vesvai’s Royal Vesvaian Security Forces and New Vesvai’s Vesvaian Revolutionary Army had been holding war drills while the fighting was going on and throwing reinforcements at the border endlessly. Many have already declared the cease-fire that ended the Vesvai War as collapsed and that the war on the island would resume. It seemed like everything was leading to it and that’s what could’ve happened.

But tirelessly peacemaking efforts by Prime Minister Jonathan Mollisal and Vesvai’s government have stopped what could have been. PM Mollisal was tirelessly trying to reach out to any available New Vesvai’s government officials to negotiate the cease-fire reinstatement. But all of New Vesvai’s officials were just telling PM Mollisal to try and reach New Vesvai’s Prime Minister Adi Letago. While PM Jonathan Mollisal was tirelessly putting all his energy throughout all of Saturday into attempting to save the shared island from destruction and help solve the mess that New Vesvai started, PM’s counterpart from New Vesvai was busy touring the world. He did not care because he had other things to attend to apparently. But the important thing is that Vesvai’s and New Vesvai’s heads of government shared a phone conversation in the end and agreed to reinstate the original cease-fire that was negotiated by Rhodevus on Vesvai’s behalf and Sunrisia on New Vesvai’s behalf. Peace has been return once more but for how long?

Speaking today PM Jonathan Mollisal denounced the laying of mines by the Vesvaian Revolutionary Army on New Vesvai’s side of the border with the Dominion of Vesvai. The head of government called it: “[N]ot helpful to anyone and provocative.”

[Austravica]

As Corentian Tensions Rise and Neighbour Enters Referendum, Austravica Celebrates 69 Years of the Republic

As tensions around the world once again rise, specifically in Corentia, the Republic celebrates its 69th birthday today with the annual Republikstag holiday throughout the nation. On Deecember 4, 1950, the former Austravican Second Republic was formerly dissolved with the deposing of the military-lead Republican Transitional Government and the Third Republic was proclaimed in the capital of Zapfenfurt. This had been the first time a democratic institution was present within the nation since the Election of 1925, where former chancellor Hermann Nitzsch was successful in gaining the position of President and altered the Austravican constitution in order to prevent further elections along with the merger of the two offices. In 1945, Nitzch was deposed by the military forces of the Second Republic and replaced by the "Republican Transitional Government" and the nation declared war on the Rezuan Empire. The RTG was able to survive four more years until the Unrest of 1949 when massive protests throughout the nation forced the resignation of President Oscar Metze, and transition of power to the newly proclaimed Third Republic under President Urs Gering.

Nearly seven decades later, Austravica celebrates its successful recovery from the dictatorship of Nitzsch and the Second Great War into a functional republic of the people. Known colloquially as the "Second Independence Day," Republikstag brings together the Austravican people in unity to celebrate the accomplishments throughout the seven decades since the founding of the Third Republic. Within the capital, Chancellor Evelyn Fassbender joined President Elias Feigenspan in the annual Republikstag parade down 54. Heinrichstraße which saw the inclusion of the Austravican Bundeswehr along with various civilian parade floats. The Chancellor praised the "exceptional display" today within the city, and noted that the Republic "...will continue for over another seven decades" with the "will of the people."

In addition, the recent activity within the neighbouring Socialist Republic of Kiez has taken the interest of the Bundestag. Recent activity out of the Bundestag has led to rumours that the body is planning to pass multiple motions in order to prepare the Republic for any possible outcome to the crisis over the border. The Bundesheer has been placed on medium alert to monitor the border in case of a refugee crisis or military action, and the multiple travel advisories have been placed into effect. More developments are expected to occur later this week, when the Chancellor is set to appear before a press conference in order to discuss the Republic's position in this situation.




In other news:

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• Man claiming ties to the former Austravican Royal House gains minor traction in the countryside, mostly ignored by general population.
  
  
• Bills furthering ties to the Ventismarian Union expected to pass later this month.

[Rhodevus]

Fluerian Times
Incredible Discovery Found in Layfet

Over the last few weeks, an archeological dig in Layfet led by students from Tonnes University in Layfet began uncovering segments of an old tapestry which could be dated to between 500 and 700 CE. Over thirty segments were uncovered in various places around the dig, but it was later confirmed that they were in fact pieces of the same overall tapestry.

Through careful analysis and artificial intelligence, a completed representation of the complete tapestry was discovered. What came out of it has rocked the art world, especially those in the Ile du Fleurs. The tapestry, which features a near perfect bisymmetry, coloured leaves and flowers, as well as predominantly features two unique species of bird holds a striking similarity to a famous ancient tapestry which came out of the Ruzkovian Period of art; the Dua Gama. The two species of bird represented on the tapestry are the Fleurian Dove and the Goldith Dove, two species endemic to the island.

The University of Flowers in the IdF have continued the research started by those at Tonnes University to put a name to the tapestry, which has only further connected the two pieces of art. Historical scholars wrote of a tapestry known as the Dua Götter which featured, birds, wreaths and flowers on a blue backdrop. Many in the art community believe the discovered tapestry to in fact be this Dua Götter.

How it ended up in the Republic of Layfet is unknown at this time. The Layfetian and Fleurian governments have begun discussions on whom the tapestry belongs to. With the Fleurian side wishing to have the fragments of the tapestry brought back to the Ile du Fleurs citing its importance to Galarian art history and history related to the Ruakovian Era. However, the Layfetian side has argued that due to its discovery in Layfet, it should remain there until more information is known about it, including if it is truly a Galarian piece of artwork, as well as how it ended up in Layfet. The Fleurian government has placed a request to the federal government in Rhodevus to request fragments of the tapestry be delivered to the University of Flowers for study, as well as segments to be open for viewing in Fleurian museums.

As of right now, two fragments have been loaned to the Museum of Art in Nordpolica, Layfet for public display with the rest being carefully studied for new information.

A computer-modelled recreation of the Dua Götter

A recreation of the Dua Gama

Rhodevus to Participate in Vesvai-hosted War Games

It has been confirmed that the Armed Forces of Rhodevus will be joining in and participating in the war games proposed by and hosted by the Dominion of Vesvai. While hesitant at first, the Rhodevus government after careful discussions with its counterparts in Vesvai have come to an agreement to see active Rhodeve involvement in the wargames. This course of action was mainly due to entire commonwealth involvement in the games, as well as multiple close Rhodeve allies also being involved. The hesitancy was thought to have come from the recently concluded Sunrisian wargames.

“Rhodevus has never antagonized Sunrisia, even with the accusatory and baseless claims made by the Sunrisian government. It has never been the intention of the Rhodeve government to antagonize the MDAA and Sunrisia with military training exercises, of which Rhodevus believed these games may be construed as. Light Rhodeve involvement was first considered, as to show continued support for the Rhodeve-Sunrisian lead ceasefire negotiations between Vesvai and New Vesvai.”

The Rhodeve military has requisitioned the use of the HMV Laaban Tutzo, Rhodevus’s only completed Isaac Wolff class aircraft carrier for the upcoming wargames. As to the exact numbers of ships and soldiers to be active in the games has not yet been revealed.

Rhodevus Denounces New Vesvai’s Use of Land Mines

It was announced recently that the New Vesvai Revolutionary Army has begun placing land mines on its side of the shared border and demilitarized zone with Vesvai. Many members of the house have already individually denounced these actions as “a further method of antagonization”, “impractical and unnecessary” and “harmful to the continued push for peace in the region”. With a majority vote in the House, a public statement of denunciation has been authorized to declare New Vesvai’s actions “opposed to the subjects of peace and mutual cooperation.”

The Rhodeve government stated that it will consider the reduction of tariffs on New Vesvai as well as the opening of formal lines of communication if it “decides to rejoin the first world in opposing indiscriminate killing that comes from land mines and the deliberate placement of such weapons.”

[Sunrisia]

BREAKING NEWS

Former ”President” Dêc Grétân, Former Democratic Union And Provisional Republic Vice President Édér Cólum, And Second/Last North Sunrisian Vice President Jûc Ármiger – All Found Dead In Daredland

LIVE BROADCAST

We got major breaking news coming to us at these hours from Daredland. Even though this is an event from early Thursday morning, it is becoming known to us only now as Thursday afternoon approach Thursday evening in our time zone. We also have to take into account that this is news coming in from a foreign country at a different pace.

Dêc Grétân, second and last Vice President of the Provisional Republic and the former “President” of the new Sunrisian state, as well as Édér Cólum, the only Vice President of the Democratic Union of Sunrisia and the first Vice President of the follow-up Provisional Republic, and finally Jûc Ármiger, the second/last President of the defunct North Sunrisia – have all died.

Their bodies were found on the territory of Daredland, at the location currently-unknown to us. Grétân’s, Cólum’s and Ármiger’s remains were found at 9 a.m. Sunrisian time, taking into account the time difference between Daredland and Sunrisia. Local authorities suspected it may have been murder of all 3 men, but no other details are known as of yet, including the time of death. Daredi investigators are on the case and Sunrisian investigators have rushed to Daredland to join the investigation as well, requesting that Daredi authorities allow Sunrisian investigators to work within the Daredi jurisdiction, considering that the case involves Sunrisian citizens.

The sudden deaths or murders, as early information claims, of the Provisional Republic second/last VP and former contemporary “President” Dêc Grétân, Democratic Union’s only and Provisional Republic’s first VP Édér Cólum and North Sunrisian second/last VP Jûc Ármiger are undoubtedly-suspicious. Second and last Vice President Jûc Ármiger of defunct North Sunrisia was the most elderly of the 3 men, but he is also claimed to have been a murder victim like Grétân and Cólum. It was not an illness or natural causes that claimed Ármiger’s life. The death of the Provisional Republic second/last VP and former contemporary “President” Dêc Grétân in particular, is being linked to the so-called “Shadow President and Government” scandal, which Sunrisia has been dealing with for a second week now and which has already practically broken the old system. Dêc Grétân has been revealed to have died on the second day after new and current President of the Nationalist Republic of Sunrisia and incumbent PID Director Fórî Apstérâ announced the dissolution of the Convet of the Nationalist Republic of Sunrisia by protester demand and declared an early legislative election. The Sunrisian protesters took this as their victory, rightfully so, and it seemed that the crisis started calming down, but suddenly these news of Dêc Grétân’s death along with other 2 former politicians from different periods in Sunrisian history, have suddenly dropped like a bombshell.

Out of the 3 deceased men, Provisional Republic second/last VP and former contemporary “President” Dêc Grétân was a figure that was part of the so-called “Shadow President and Government” scandal and he was one of the people that Sunrisians have been protesting against along with the rest of the government. His death and all 3 of these deaths raise a lot of questions and can generate a lot of theories. What exactly has happened here, or more correctly to say, what exactly has happened on the territory of Daredland? What or whom could have claimed Dêc Grétân’s, Édér Cólum’s and Jûc Ármiger’s lives and over what? That is currently a mystery, because of how fresh this information is. There have been no comments so far from the Sunrisian government, including from the administration of new President Fórî Apstérâ, as well as the recently-dissolved Convet. Even Grétân’s “colleague”, Sunrisia’s recently-revealed former “Shadow President” and an intelligence operative Fógâr Nélsân, who guided or even controlled Grétân, has not said anything so far.

Fatality 1:

Dêc Grétân (Deceased). Second and last Vice President of the Provisional Republic. Former “President” of the new Sunrisian state that followed. During the so-called “Shadow President and Government”, revealed to have been a figurehead and a proxy of the Prime Intelligence Division (PID), the leading intelligence agency in Sunrisia, while Grétân’s “Vice President” Fógâr Nélsân, recently revealed to be an intelligence operative, turned out to have been the actual President all along and controlled the administration. Cause of death currently unkown.

Dêc Grétân first became known in Sunrisian political history as the second and last Vice President of the Provisional Republic, serving alongside President Nóv Fáustîtár, also no longer among the living. Before the days of the Provisional Republic, the late President Nóv Fáustîtár was elected the second President of the Democratic Union of Sunrisia, a country formed from Sunrisian reunification between North and South that were both overthrown by the Revolution of Rebirth. Late President Nóv Fáustîtár followed President Sánît Béâtídá, the first elected President of the Democratic Union, also no longer among the living today. When the late President Nóv Fáustîtár took over as the second head of state of the post-reunification Sunrisian state, his government carried out a peaceful self-coup, which ended the Democratic Union of Sunrisia and restored the constitution of the Republic (the original First Republic). Thus, the Provisional Republic was established. Late President Nóv Fáustîtár soon parted ways with Vice President Édér Cólum, one of the 3 people we are focusing on today and whom we will cover as well. Vice President Édér Cólum originally served with the late President Sánît Béâtídá and transitioned over into the Fáustîtár administration. Édér Cólum was the only Vice President of the Democratic Union of Sunrisia, first serving in the Béâtídá administration and later in the Fáustîtár administration that immediately followed.

Édér Cólum was succeeded as Provisional Republic’s Vice President by Dêc Grétân, who was chosen by the late President Nóv Fáustîtár. The unpopular Provisional Republic they governed did not survive long under the pressure of the nationalist sentiment in Sunrisia. Late President Nóv Fáustîtár was forced to resign over nationwide protests by Nationalists, Neo-Isolationists and other ideological groups in Sunrisia, some may even say radical groups. Late President Fáustîtár said that he was forced to resign over his addiction to painkillers so that he could enter rehab, but it was clear that he was overthrown. Provisional Republic Vice President Dêc Grétân took over as Provisional Republic President, but only for a very short time, since the Fáustîtár administration and the entire government at the time was deposed in its’ entirely. The unpopular Provisional Republic was overthrown as well and ceased to exist entirely.

Afterwards, a new Sunrisian state emerged, which was being referred to de facto as the Nationalist Republic of Sunrisia and it was run by the ideologies of Nationalism, Neo-Isolationism and Self-Reliance. However, it operated under the constitution of the Second Republic, hence why the Nationalist Republic of Sunrisia was also sometimes still referred to as the Second Republic of Sunrisia. The constitution of the Second Republic was adopted during the days of the Provisional Republic. Which is why, since the overthrow of the Provisional Republic, that constitution was being rewritten and amended daily to the point of no recognition. To this day, it is being referred to as having been the “Frankenstein’s Monster” of constitutions. Fortunately, Sunrisia has a different constitution today – the Constitution of the Nationalist Republic of Sunrisia, adopted on 22 August, 2019, as a side note. But at that time, while being the last head of state of the overthrown Provisional Republic, Dêc Grétân automatically became the head of state of the new metamorphosing Sunrisian state that was growing on the ashes of the Provisional Republic, while also kicking them from underneath itself. In both cases, the Provisional Republic’s final days and in the new Sunrisian state, the Grétân presidency was technically acting, because he was not elected to head the new Sunrisian state founded after the Provisional Republic was no more. In the new era and the new Sunrisian state, Fógâr Nélsân was chosen as Grétân’s Vice President. At least that is how everyone thought things were back then until the truth came out a week and a half ago. “President” Dêc Grétân of the new Sunrisian state was an “immigrant”, an “expat” and a “left-over” from the old, destroyed system and therefore, he had to win over the Nationalists, the Neo-Isolationists, other groups and the changing population in general. Even if that meant that he would be betraying his ally – the late ousted President Nóv Fáustîtár. That could have been a Machiavellian or an opportunistic move on Grétân’s part, but it could have also been an instruction from the Prime Intelligence Division (PID) and other Sunrisian intelligence services, as was revealed to us a week and a half ago. It could have even been both.

Under the tenure of “President” Dêc Grétân in the new Sunrisian state, the tenure that was thought to be his at the time, the reformist periods of the Sunrisian June or the Sunrisian Respite began and he personally committed to continuing the revolution, likely referring the Nationalist and Neo-Isolationist course that the new metamorphosing Sunrisian state and its’ new incarnation was taking. However, “President” Dêc Grétân still failed to win over the Sunrisians as a politician from the old system and from the Provisional Republic-era. “President” Dêc Grétân announced that he would not be seeking a second term. Again, that decision could have been because of his realization that he was not an elected leader at that time and should not attempt to run for office again, however, it could have also been his disconnect with Sunrisians living in new and different Sunrisia, as well as a possible instruction from the Sunrisian intelligence services not to run for office. Again, could have been all of those factors. The next President of Sunrisia, this time an elected one, was now-former President Válîd Sâlúbĕr. Former “President” Dêc Grétân held no public office since or was involved in politics in general.

In the last weeks of his life, former “President” Dêc Grétân came under fire together with today’s Sunrisian government. A week and a half ago, the Prime Intelligence Division (PID), the leading intelligence agency in Sunrisia, declassified information revealing that Dêc Grétân was not actually President, but only a figurehead and a proxy controlled by the Sunrisian intelligence services, while the actual head of state was Grétân’s supposed “Vice President” at the time Fógâr Nélsân, a political outsider and a man of mystery. This triggered nationwide protests in Sunrisia, because the citizens found out that they had a “shadow government” at that time and this raised questions about how independent today’s government was from Sunrisia’s intelligence services and the military. That is how the so-called “Shadow President and Government” scandal began. The uprising was started against the former Grétân puppet administration actually headed by supposed “Vice President”/actual “shadow” President Fógâr Nélsân, who, to pour gasoline on the fire, on Monday has finally admitted to being an intelligence operative and having been an intelligence operative during his “Vice Presidency”/ “shadow” Presidency to steer the “Grétân administration” from behind the scenes in the name of Sunrisian intelligence services.

What happened since the escalation of the political crisis, were – the vote of no-confidence against now-former President Válîd Sâlúbĕr, the less-than-3 days succession to Presidency by Sâlúbĕr’s Vice President Amíc Fútûra, the immediate replacement of Fútûra by incumbent Director of PID and leading intelligence operative Fórî Apstérâ as President, and then new President’s Apstérâ’s dissolution of the Convet and a call for an early legislative election by the demand of the Sunrisian protesters. Apart from President Fórî Apstérâ and the Sunrisian protesters who have gotten one of their main demands met, the aforementioned examples are losses and casualties, but only of a political kind. However, the Provisional Republic second/last Vice President and former intelligence proxy “President” of the new Sunrisian state – Dêc Grétân, is the first and hopefully last actual casualty linked to the so-called “Shadow President and Government” scandal.

Fatality 2:

Édér Cólum (Deceased). The only Vice President of the Democratic Union of Sunrisia serving in both the Béâtídá administration and the Fáustîtár administration. Later the first Vice President of the Provisional Republic. Before death, a retired politician, a marginalized outspoken opposition voice and the critic of the system.

As mentioned before, Édér Cólum became the first Vice President of the Democratic Union of Sunrisia, a a country formed when the Revolution of Rebirth overthrew the North and South that were separated from reach other and reunified them into a new Sunrisian state – the Democratic Union of Sunrisia. Democratic Union’s Vice President Édér Cólum served in the administration of late President Sánît Béâtídá first. Cólum went on to serve as Vice President in the administration of the second and last Democratic Union’s head of state – late President Nóv Fáustîtár. As mentioned before, the government under late President Nóv Fáustîtár, carried out a peaceful self-coup, ending the Democratic Union of Sunrisia and replacing it with the Provisional Republic by restoring the constitution of the original Republic (First Republic) that was first founded when the Kingdom of Sunrisia underwent a transition to democracy and which was ended by the Sunrisian Coup d'état, which overthrew the Republic, established the short-lived Absolute Democracy of Sunrisia and then let to the country’s division into North and South. The restoration of the restoration of the original Republic (First Republic) constitution and the cessation of the Democratic Union of Sunrisia as a result, has made Édér Cólum the only Vice President of the Democratic Union and the first Vice President of the Provisional Republic, before being succeeded by Dêc Grétân. Cólum’s life in politics ended with the overthrow of the Provisional Republic. In contemporary days, before his death, Édér Cólum was a retired politician, a marginalized outspoken opposition voice and the critic of the system.

Fatality 3:

Jûc Ármiger (Deceased). The second and last Vice President of North Sunrisia. The only one to be democratically-elected in a vice presidential election, which was later abolished in favor of allowing presidential candidates to choose their own running-mates. Served as Vice President under the last 3 Presidents of North Sunrisia. After the Revolution of Rebirth, overthrow and reunification of North and South, and the establishment of the Democratic Union of Sunrisia, retired as a politician and became an outspoken voice of the opposition. Started leaning towards the system again during the era of the Provisional Republic, but became a harsh oppositionist when the Nationalist Republic of Sunrisia was established. Remained an outspoken opposition voice until his death. Current cause of death unknown.

The eldest of the 3, Jûc Ármiger was the second and last Vice President of the now-defunct state of North Sunrisia, which existed during a period known as the Division Period or the Quasi-Civil War that began after the Sunrisian Coup d'état. Ármiger followed Rellăs Famél, former President of the Republic of Sunrisia, later Vice President and de facto Acting Vice President of North Sunrisia after the Sunrisia’s division and the start of the Quasi-Civil War period. Jûc Ármiger was democratically-elected in the first and only Vice Presidential election in North Sunrisia. Afterwards, the separate Vice Presidential elections were abolished and the Presidential candidates got to pick their own Vice Presidents/running mates. The first North Sunrisian President, whose administration North Sunrisian Vice President Jûc Ármiger served in, was the late Émen Séntân. Ármiger later served as Vice President in the administration of the other 2 North Sunrisian Presidents that followed, since North Sunrisia only had 2 before its’ collapse – the late Áest Sâlutár and the late Coél Nátio. The Revolution of Rebirth overthrew North and South and reunified the 2 halves, creating the Democratic Union of Sunrisia. The North’s former Presidents – the late Émen Séntân, the late Áest Sâlutár and the late Coél Nátio would end their lives at the hands of the Sunrisian Military over treason. Since reunification, Jûc Ármiger retired as a politician and became an outspoken voice of the opposition. He started leaning closer towards the system against during the days of the Provisional Republic, but after it was overthrown, he faded into obscurity again and became a more intense opposition figure than ever before. Ármiger would stay like that until his death.

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We will be looking forward to more information and hopefully answers, regarding this sudden loss of these 3 lives. Stay tuned for our broadcast and continued coverage of events revolving around the Sunrisian political crisis, the events revolving around the so-called “Shadow President and Government” scandal, and the investigation around the passing of these 3 former politicians from various periods of Sunrisian history.

[The Layfetian Republic]

Opinion: Hastings, Recession, and an uncertain Layfetian future.
By Arthur T. Billings

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Now there only one month away until Spencer Hastings takes office on January 5th, 2020. With her brings a new era of politics to Layfet, as her party - the Union Party takes control of the House of Representatives and the Capitalist Party controls the Senate. This will be the first time that the Progressive Party has not had control of the body since the 1970s. Hastings is quickly setting up her ministers such as President of the Layfetian National Rape Recovery Agency, Anne V. Fitch for her Chief of Staff. Many are hopeful that this new government can tackle the mess that current and soon-to-be-former Executive Minister Susan Polster left the country in. Hastings already has several ambitious plans announced during her campaign to tackle Layfet's deteriorated foreign policy, VU integration, and the monster of it all - the growing Recession. She isn't the only one, as the Capitalist Party in the Senate has announced their own plans to tackle these issues. It seems that both sides are going to be engaged in gridlock, but both are looking forward to to taking office and getting to work.

Unlike Congress and "Layfet's Little Girl" as some are taking up to call Hastings, many including this commentator remain skeptical that anything is going to get better for our republic, especially since the lame duck Congress has announced several bills aimed at defaulting on some of its foreign debt in entirely to Sunrisia and Ophionious, with partial defaults on debts to Rezua, Kiez, Libria, Rhodevus, and Kohharu. The Kiezian government has since announced that they plan to cancel some of the debt instead, no doubt in order to buddy up the VU. Another bill is in the works to have the VU "take control" of our economy and have them bail us out. And lastly, a final bill is designed to give up the Hallis Atoll to duel-sovereign status with Belantica in order to cancel some of these debts. All three of these options are terrible and only will lead us down further a rabbit hole that will make this recession worth. Layfet needs to Capitalize and not hold onto the Socialist mantle that we have maintained since the late 1800s. Hastings and the new government will bring change, however, how much will actually change in the long run?

IN OTHER NEWS:
-Sunrisian politicians: Grétân, Cólum, and Ármiger found dead inside Daredland

-possible famous tapestry: the Dua Götter found by University of Tonnes students, University of Tonnes Archaeological Studies Department offers joint research venture to its University of Flowers counterpart with stipulation that the find remains in Layfet at least until March of 2020. The Layfetian Congress passed a resolution that supported the U of Tonnes.

-Vesvai War Games to begin, Layfetian government declines participation as of now, spokesman says that "We hope to find a better time to better our national guard, but the military isn't our priority"

-Vesvai-New Vesvai ceasefire bring the Layfetian National Guard home.

-Layfet and Belantica to sign new trade deals lowering tariffs between the two nations

-Executive Minister Susan Polster approval ratings drop into single digits across all major polls.

[Sunrisia]

Last Vice President Of The Republic Of Sunrisia (Original First Republic) Jacob Cárroll Detained Over Suspected Links To A Militant Group

Former politician and the last Vice President of the Republic of Sunrisia (the original First Republic) Jacob Cárroll has been detained in the city of Aestin, northern Sunrisia, where he is from. Cárroll was arrested by the Aestin Police Department (APD) and later handed over to the Sunrisian special forces even. The administration of President Fórî Apstérâ says that the elderly Cárroll has been arrested over suspected links to an unspecified militant group aimed against the Nationalist Republic of Sunrisia, possibly even operating from a secret location inside the country itself. The Sunrisian intelligence services are on the hunt for them. New President Apstérâ says that he has all the information first-hand as the sitting Director of the Prime Intelligence Division (PID), not requiring briefings. Jacob Cárroll is scheduled for questioning.

The elderly former politician served 3 terms as Vice President of the Republic of Sunrisia under 3 different Presidents – 1 vice presidential term under President Edward Léker during his third and final eligible presidential term, 1 vice presidential term under President Rellăs Famél during his only presidential term and 1 vice presidential term under the untimely-departed/killed President Mélior Vîttá during his only presidential term. In total, Cárroll served as the Vice President of the Republic for 3 terms, which was the eligible limit for a Vice President back then, just like it was for the President of the Republic as well. Also, that was the time when the Vice President was being separately elected from the President, therefore, after being elected for the first time to be the Vice President in the Léker administration, Cárroll would go on to be re-elected twice to serve in the 2 administrations that followed – of President Famél and then of President Vîttá.

After the Sunrisian Coup d'état, the fall of the Republic, the division of Sunrisia into North and South, and the start of the Quasi-Civil War period, Jacob Cárroll would serve as Acting Vice President of North Sunrisia, while Mélior Vîttá was Acting President. This technically made Jacob Cárroll the first Vice President of North Sunrisia, even if it was an acting role. He was finishing off his third and final vice presidential term anyway, since North Sunrisia retained the constitution of the Republic and old rules still applied. Jacob Cárroll was succeeded as North Sunrisian Vice President by Jûc Ármiger, who, as we know, died yesterday in Daredland under mysterious circumstances. Jacob Cárroll would retire from politics soon after finishing his third vice presidential term.

In other news:

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• No new details or updates yet on the deaths of former ”President” Dêc Grétân, former Democratic Union and Provisional Republic Vice President Édér Cólum, and second/last North Sunrisian Vice President Jûc Ármiger in Daredland.

[The Layfetian Republic]

Editorial: Hastings is the next LaRue
By Guila Gomez

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Despite the recent opinions and failings of the long dominant Progressive Party, they have had many champions to take office of Executive Minister and lead Layfet into something greater than a small archipelago dangling of the side of the world's major players. Some of these champions include names like Evelyn Hall, Laura Howell, and most recently Edmond Dantes, but none can compare to Clara LaRue.

When LaRue was elected as the then youngest Executive Minister (the youngest now being the 22 year old about to assume office) in the late 1800s, she was pretty much a no one. Sure she had campaigned for women rights and is regarded as a founder of the Layfetian feminist movement. She had recently graduated from the University of Nordipolica and founded the Progressive Party. She used her grassroots movement and brilliant ideas to eventually become Executive Minister. As EM, Clara LaRue gave birth to the Progressive Era of Layfet by instituting much of the democratic socialist apparatus that has been present in our nation since (excluding the brief flirt with fascism during the Layfetian Civil War). She single handily has had more effect on the nation other than the brave revolutionaries that brought our nation in existence. I could go on with her accomplishments, but now is the time talk about the uprising of "Layfet's Little Girl" as opponents have dubbed her. Executive Minister-elect Spencer Hastings

Layfet's Little Girl comes from humble origins, her father worked in the post office and her mother in customer service, but from these origins, Hastings excelled and with her genius, she graduated from both high school and college early, made good use of networking skills and worked in both Dantes's and Polster's Foreign Affairs Department and quickly became one of Layfet's top international diplomats and negotiators. Her ideas and solutions to complicated international legal and diplomatic issues helped her ride a political hype all the way to being elected Executive Minister back in October.

Now Hastings is assembling a team of the best and brightest into her government who have experience and aren't the career politicians we have seen in the last decade. Both former candidates for the top job Frasier Krane and Oliver J. Cromwell were denied positions in her government. She has already directed her future officials to get to work. Hastings's fast paced "gung-ho" attitude is exactly what the nation needs in order to get out the growing economic and political slump. Hastings is going to change not only Layfet but the world. Her plans will radically overall parts of the Layfetian economy and give the nation a much needed facelift. Hastings also is pro-VU, unlike her predecessor, which will allow the nation to integrate faster. The Layfetian-VU Transition Team, established hours after the VU vote to include Layfet in union has put out a statement that points out that Hastings will make their work run smoother and cut down time. The team and Hastings have a goal to get Layfet fully compliant and integrated by the end of 2020.

Layfet is going into a whole nee direction, with the Progressives out of the picture and the Union and Capitalist Parties taking the reigns in Congress and the Executive Ministership. Hastings is a bit more open to capitalism then previous leaders which surely will help the economy and open more opportunities with foreign companies. Belantican companies for instance are excited to invest in the nation. Hastings hasn't seen that much international attention, as many polls conducted over the campaign season indicated that most foreigners wanted the very pro capitalist Anthony Benson or Cromwell to win. Hopefully as time goes on, Hastings can show the world that she has what it takes. She plans to address the VU and the Rhodeve Commonwealth soon after taking office.


Clara LaRue was a visionary, a fighter, and a remarkable women who lead Layfet for 20 years, serving four terms, shaping the values and ideas that captivated and guided Layfet for over a century. Many think that the rising feminist and icon Hastings, with her dreams and ambition will be a quintessential Executive Minister who will be a force that will guide Layfet's future for the 21st century.

IN OTHER NEWS:
-Construction on Capsland-Layfetian tunnel resumes in January thanks to VU appointed Layfetian Investment Board

-Senator Winston Arthurs (P-Epinay) passes away in car wreckage on E-22 highway.

-University of Nordipolica Foreign Relations Professor Julia Oceans named Director of Foreign Affairs, Oceans begins drawing up future plans with Hastings staff to "redefine" Layfet's place in international politics.

-Vesvai and Layfet to set up smaller war games simulation aimed at counter-terrorism operations.

-Layfet Congressional Budget Committee to speak with VU counterpart on possible bailout bill.

-Pro-Ventismarian Federation Party established in Layfet.

[The Seven United]

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Damsmar Heads to the Polls

Today is election day as polls open across Damsmar for the 2nd snap Unitary election in the history of The Seven United. Turnout has been reported to be steady, with indications being voter turnout will be higher this year than compared to last April. All the major party leaders were photographed voting in their local constituencies, banding together to encourage that if you're registered to vote, you go out and vote. At 10pm today Bailorian Standard Time, polling stations will shut, an hour later we will reveal the exit poll. The next morning on Saturday, counting will commence in all states with tallying expected to be finalised on Sunday morning. At this time the result will be known to us in full. High Commissioner Jean de Temer commented on the current running of the election "I'm very pleased that polling is running smoothly, with the Electoral Commission doing a great job at handling this snap election. May I remind everyone if they are registered to go out and use your vote! Don't waste it."

A controversy has erupted within the government as leaked documents from the Unitary Electoral Commission show that this election is projected to cost the taxpayer $A 230 million, contrasting heavily to the $A 148m expenditure on the previous election. The Unitary Commission blamed the short notice of this poll on the increased expenditure, but opposition figures including the Communists have pledged to run an investigation into misappropriation of money within the Electoral Commission should they get into office.

Currency: 1 Argent ARG ($A) = NS$0.62.9438.

[Librira]

Your Source for Local, National, and International news

Libfray Downward trend continues, pace slackens; Some not satisfied

Libra

Despite all the promise of its new Executive Minister, Layfet's economy continues to sink, and in turn, drags Librira's fortunes with it. The People's Exchequer has had to adjust its economic growth predictions, down by almost 25%. This could have severe implications on the growth of the country. Economic experts say that this could be the harbinger of an economic depression or worse. Critics of the government have called cited this recent downturn as evidence of the inevitable failure of socialism, and Daskinism specifically. Spokesperson for the Exchequer Vasily Varnov said that " The Exchequer along with the international currency bank are taking all measures and precautions to ensure the stability and continued prosperity for both countries". As part of these measures the Excehuqer announced it, with approval from the People's Congression, it would forgive an 'agreed-upon amount' of Layfetian debt to lessen the debt burden on Layfet.

This all comes on the threshold of an election which is set to begin in a few months. The People's Congression is set to welcome a new batch of prospects, and of the members running for re-election, their chances don't look good. Polls held by Foskva University College of Politics show that less than 40% of Librirans believe the People's Congression has done a good job handling the current situation. Support and membership for the DA and KS have spiked in the past year, whereas SSL and STS have seen a plateau in their membership growth. its expected the democrats and conservatives could make gains in the Congression, while the SSL and STS lose out. However, it won't be known until the elections in April as to what the outcome maybe.

One thing that is for sure is that the Premier has come under fire from critics, for his silence and inaction on the situation, citing that he'd rather "let the current mechanisms of the government sort it out" was interpreted by many people to by lazy, and Ivan Gurov's support has dropped to near 25%. Protests have begun to reach massive levels in Libra, and Nieper, as members of various Citizen's Organizations come together to protest the 'incompetence' of the current premier. A new attempt at a recall of the premier has started and is already well on its way, if it succeeds it would be the first time a premier has been removed due to a recall and would lead to an emergency election at the same time as the Congressional elections.

[Sunrisia]

DEVELOPING

Operation Solar Wind – Sunrisian Military Takes Down A Militant Group’s HQ: President Fórî Apstérâ Declares A 7-Day State Of Emergency

LIVE BROADCAST

Flag used by the Sunrisian Theocrat And Monarchist Corps (Also flag used by the former countries of the Kingdom of Sunrisia, the Absolute Democracy of Sunrisia and South Sunrisia, which used a variant of it).

The Sunrisian Defense Force (SDF) has secretly launched Operation Solar Wind, which has only become known to the public hours ago, when the first results of the military operation were revealed. The Sunrisian special forces had uncovered the location of a secret base-camp of a militant organization – the Sunrisian Theocrat And Monarchist Corps (STMC). Upon the discovery of the headquarters, the military was officially authorized to invade the base-camp. The underprepared and low-resource militant group did not hold out long against the military offensive. SDF cleared out the base camp of any living militant quickly and then planted bombs across the entire headquarters’ territory, in order to destroy it completely. It seemed that this was the end of the short-lived militant group STMC there and then, however, military commanders have claimed that Operation Solar Wind has not ended yet. The armed forces will be sweeping the country’s territory for any possible cells of STMC. Moreover, the Prime Intelligence Division (PID) and other Sunrisian intelligence services have information that there might be another militant group inside the country, separate from STMC. They differ ideologically, therefore, they might either be rivals or partners with each other, at least against the Sunrisian Military.

SDF’s Operation Solar Wind will continue in order to eliminate any possible remaining militant cells and uncover this other militant group to destroy it as well. In order to create comfortable conditions for the military’s work and with a militant threat existing, President Fórî Apstérâ has declared a 7-day State of Emergency by signing a decree. Operation Solar Wind and now the 7-day State of Emergency have both been authorized by commander-in-chief President Fórî Apstérâ after 2 National Defense Council meetings in the past 2 days. The President obviously took these 2 big steps unilaterally without legislative approval, since Sunrisia technically does not have a parliament at the moment. The Convet has been sacked and therefore, until the early legislative election, President Apstérâ has to think fast and make these important decisions only in the ranks of his administration, the intelligence services and the military.

President Fórî Apstérâ has personally stated that the information about the existence of the Sunrisian Theocrat And Monarchist Corps (STMC) militant group, it’s whereabouts and base of operations in Sunrisia, was extracted by the PID through the interrogation of a source that the government will currently not disclose. The information about the militant activity has been extracted from multiple sources by the intelligence community. President Apstérâ has admitted that former politician and the last Vice President of the Republic of Sunrisia (the original First Republic) Jacob Cárroll, who was detained in Aestin, northern Sunrisia, on Friday, is being questioned on any information regarding that other militant group that is not STMC or possibly even more of them. The link to that unspecified military group is why Cárroll was detained in the first place. The urgent wave of fresh militant activity is being linked to the pursuit of these groups to create a revolutionary situation in the midst of a political crisis, in order to accede to power and reshape the state according to their ideological vision. The Apstérâ administration has committed to “suffocating” them, before they even could get a head-start.

Regarding the 7-day State of Emergency, President Fórî Apstérâ has openly admitted that it could temper with protest activity and freedom of assembly in Sunrisia for a week, to make safe room for Operation Solar Wind on all fronts. The protesters did not exactly declare their nationwide manifestations to be over, even after the Convet was dissolved, hence why the President needed to make this announcement in advance and to forewarn the civil society on the current state of their self-expression rights in general. Stay tuned.

[Vesvai]

VNNHD

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Prime Minister Jonathan Mollisal Says There Is A Vesvai–Oblaren Dialogue Happening On A Union But Vesvai Would Not Be Making Any Announcements On Its Own

Vesvai’s Prime Minister Jonathan Mollisal spoke before Parliament on the topic of proposed integration between the Dominion of Vesvai and the Armed Republic of Oblaren. His speech was traditionally broadcast at the same time so PM Mollisal simultaneously spoke with Vesvai’s people too who were watching. PM Mollisal said that the Vesvai–Oblaren dialogue was not dead in the water or in a frozen state. This was the Prime Minister’s responds to all skeptics who thought this was just a fantasy, a passion project or something that exists on paper at most. PM Mollisal has admitted that on some level it was frozen for a time and was just a proposal that was rarely brought up while no steps forward were being made. All words and no action. But now the Prime Minister said that Vesvai and Oblaren are moving towards an active integration dialogue with roadmaps on how to achieve that.

“[V]esvaians and Oblaretines are two neighboring island nations in the south of Dogmana. We share a similar faith and similar history of conquest and independence. We even shared some of the same conquerors in the past who have today become allies to us both. Our paths are practically identical if not the very same path. We are culturally and kinda even ethnically related. We are fraternal peoples. We should live together. We are small but we will be stronger together. But this destined union must not be pressure from a more ambitious, eager and passionate brother towards the other brother. Vesvai and Oblaren must meet each other half-way on this. So our governments have restarted this conversation. Even I and Oblaretine President Nathaniel Harrisbur had separate chances to talk about this.

This all started out when Vesvai proposed a military union or a joint military force exclusively between Vesvai and Oblaren. Our brothers accepted and we started debating the names and the process of creating that joint force and the timeline for the procedure. We know that Vesvai and Oblaren are integrated within ROVAA organizations as members but we wanted something dual just between us. Yet nothing came through with it because our nations got preoccupied with our own issues. Nobody was at fault, it just dropped off. For a while this integration topic just floated or was frozen. On some occasions Vesvai’s government would bring it up just to keep the idea alive and maybe bring back Oblaren’s interest. We needed to strife for specific action. Vesvai declared its readiness for all kinds of road maps like a political union, a military union, an economic union, a confederation, a union state and as deep as it can go. Just to create a single state out of Vesvai and Oblaren. Our partners in Oblaren were more comfortable with a military union for a time and that’s what they have brought up to us not that long ago. But then they too have pushed a bit further and showed interest in deeper dual integration. And now we have a bunch of roadmaps to work from.

In the past when nations were ruled by monarchs it was easy for kingdoms to merge their crowds and created union states. Today it is a little bit more complicated. There are family-like Vesvai–Oblaren similarities I have mention before but our nations have gone down very different paths politically. We have almost incompatible political systems. Oblaren is a republic while Vesvai is technically a constitutional monarchy. Our head of government is a Prime Minister while in Oblaren it is the President. We also have the office of the Governor–General and our monarch is Her Highness Queen Diana Wolff. In Oblaren it apparently stops with the President, the Parliament and the Constitutional Court. Nothing more. Those things will not mesh. And yet there’s a dream to create not a loose confederation but a Union after all.

And that is why one of the roadmaps that Vesvai’s government is proposing is a Federal Union where Her Highness Queen Diana Wolff would only be a monarch of Vesvai’s part of the Federal Union while not touching Oblaren’s part. Other than that we can start talking about a common government, a common military, a common economy, common currency, common citizenship, common constitutional court and merger in all other areas. I would just propose that until all those common structures can be create and start functioning the current separate governments of Vesvai and Oblaren should complete their terms. Maybe we will get lucky and the people will elect us into the new common government too? We’ll see. But time for specific action has come. I still hope that there’s enthusiasm in Oblaren like it is in Vesvai on a Federal Union.”

[Rezua]

State of the Empire

Imperial News

Sasha Gresett

Everen-Abramses Begin Christmas Preparations

It's that Christmas time of year again. As per tradition, the empress has begun preparing the empire for the holidays by kicking off the season with charitable events such as the National Yule Food Drive. This year, Eomeria alone has donated more than two million canned goods, breaking previous opening weeks records. Clothing donations are also booming. This comes as no surprise, with 2019 being the year with the highest per household donation total in a decade. This total includes not just domestic charities, but also foreign ones as well.

Additionally, Empress Ymira has released the royal family's Christmas photos. This year, there is another baby in the pictures, this beginning Princess Maia's first Christmas. The pictures from this year not only include locations in Rezua but the entire Commonwealth as well. According to the empress, the family's favorite location so far was the mountainous north of Rhodevus by a cozy cabin. The newest princess was apparently "difficult" to get to cooperate during the photo shoot with a Rhodeve reindeer.

Layfet Defaults on Loans

It seems that companies as well as private citizens have lost faith in Layfet's ability to pay their debts. Stock in Layfetian companies have fallen, with sellers unable to find buyers for market price. On the other hand, individuals who have sold short these stocks have made a decent size in profits. Layfetian short term bonds have seen a decline in purchase, with long term bond being passed over entirely as volatility rises. Many have called for Empress Ymira to demand immediate payment on at least the interest of loans owed Rezuan companies.

In an effort to protect Rezuan industry, as well as keep Layfet from sinking deeper into debt, Empress Ymira has discussed allowing the Layfetian government as well as select companies to be granted a six month interest free grace period and has agreed to lower interest rates to 1% for the next two years. The empress stated that it is the duty of the empire to support its allies financially whenever possible. Additionally, for the next month, the Rezuan government will be buying Layfetian bonds and loans held by Rezuan citizens and companies for fair market/par value. The reasoning behind this is so those dependent on immediate payment can get the cash they need now, while the government can rely on its longevity to collect on their newly acquired loans and bonds - with interest.

Eyebrows Raise as Situation in Kiez Grows Uncertain

This past month alone, more than sixty individuals have left Rezua behind to try to claim lordships in Kiez. These people have ties to Kiezan (and Rezuan) nobility and are hoping to regain privileges they'd previously lost. Ranging from blood-ties to simple knights to dukes, it is unknown if any of them will actually be successful on their quest. Among those who left are Howard McGowal, 34, who says he hopes to be crowned emperor.

"Sure I might not have much experience," said McGowal, "But I was raised in the tradition of those before me and I think I've got the relevant theories and concepts behind kingship."

Less amusingly, many in eastern provinces have grown unease with the formation of a new empire in the east. Rumors of "nationalism" in Kiez have made victims of the Summer War take to the streets in protest to parliament's offer to give support to Kiez in their uncertain time. For now, debates remain tense but civil. The main concern is whether the empress should still be warm with Kiez with such a drastic change in their governance, and if continuing the de-arming of the border is wise.

In Other News
-Lakes freeze over earlier than usual surprising water collection companies
-Newest internet meme of Empress Ymira earns wtf reactions
-"Christmas Snow" tops charts as "Newest Christmas Classic"

[Sunrisia]

DEVELOPING

Second Militant Group Uncovered – The New Sunrisian Republican Army (SRA): Operation Solar Wind By The Sunrisian Military Continues

State Of Emergency: Day 2

LIVE BROADCAST

Flag used by the New Sunrisian Republican Army (Also flag used by the former countries of the Republic of Sunrisia, North Sunrisia and the Provisional Republic of Sunrisia. The latter 2 used their own variations of the flag).

After his questioning since Friday’s detainment in Aestin, northern Sunrisia, former politician and the last Vice President of the Republic of Sunrisia (the original First Republic) Jacob Cárroll, has confirmed suspicions that he had ties to a militant group despite initial strong denial. Moreover, the elderly Cárroll is an informant, a strategist and one of de facto leaders of another militant group, other than the Sunrisian Theocrat and Monarchist Corps (STMC), which the Sunrisian Defense Force (SDF) is fighting in Operation Solar Wind. Cárroll told the interrogators he personally has no ties to STMC. We remind that SDF has uncovered and taken down a base-camp of the underpowered and under-resourced STMC on Saturday and currently continues the hunt for any of its’ possible cells on Sunrisian territory.

However, the Sunrisian government, the Prime Intelligence Division (PID), other intelligence services and the military had suspected the existence of another or multiple militant groups other than STMC as well. In fact, Cárroll was suspected of being linked to another militant group separate from STMC, therefore, he was the current important source to all the information about them. The interrogation since Friday’s arrest has made him “unfold all the cards.” Cárroll has exposed the existence of – the New Sunrisian Republican Army (NSRA), which positions itself as a direct successor of the original Sunrisian Republican Army (SRA) active in a short period between the Sunrisian Coup d'état/fall of the Republic and the Sunrisian division/beginning of the Quasi-Civil War period.

In the past, the original Sunrisian Republican Army (SRA) was urgently formed after the Sunrisian Coup d'état, when the Republic of Sunrisia was overthrown by rebels and replaced by the short-lived Absolute Democracy of Sunrisia, a semi-Theocracy. Most of the Sunrisian Defense Force (SDF) at the time accepted the new order things and were loyal to the new regime. A minority of pro-Republic dissidents from the military formed the SRA and waged a low-level insurgency in northern Sunrisia against the new order of things. The armed forces were ordered to quell the SRA insurgency. With personal strength, and the help of covertly-invading Creperian soldiers on their side and Aznazian supplies, SRA was not immediately defeated and managed to hold up for a week. The insurgency was not defeated, but not because SRA was proved to have been an underestimated opponent, as the Sunrisian Military could still defeat them, but because there was a wish to avoid a civil war. A cease-fire was declared after a week and a today-reviled compromise was reached to split the country up into North and South. The North modeled itself after the Republic and the South after the Absolute Democracy. In the end, neither prevailed, because both systems fell and the reunification happened under a new third system, which itself is no longer alive either, as the Nationalist Republic is today’s Sunrisia.

To the interrogators, Jacob Cárroll explained that New Sunrisian Republican Army (NSRA) sees the Sunrisian Theocrat and Monarchist Corps (STMC) as their ideological rivals with incompatible ideologies and that only one of them can initially seize power in an insurgency. Nevertheless, he suggested that NSRA and STMC might declare temporary bilateral truce and jointly collaborate against the Sunrisian government for the time being, in an armed uprising that both want to wage.

After the revelation of the existence of NSRA, President Fórî Apstérâ has called up another National Defense Council meeting, a third one in a short time. In the meeting, the decision was made to include NSRA in the targets of the ongoing Operation Solar Wind, where the Sunrisian Military is currently going after STMC, but where it will also be ready to go after any other militant group, whose existence could be uncovered. After the third National Defense Council meeting, Operation Solar Wind will now be specifically aimed at destroying STMC and NSRA, while the intelligence community continues to search for other possible militant groups. Following the third National Defense Council meeting and the extension of objectives in Operation Solar Wind, President Fórî Apstérâ has ordered the deployment of special forces to the location, where Cárroll said there are NSRA’s base-camps. If the special forces confirm their location, the military will send in combat forces to invade NSRA’s base-camp in a similar surprise ambush that successfully took out STMC’s HQ on Saturday night.

Military representatives have said that some of NSRA’s base-camps have already been discovered and that the information extracted from Cárroll was true. Cárroll himself would remain imprisoned and possible further questioning of him on other NSRA-related information or information on other militant groups, is not ruled out. Cárroll might also even be taken with the Sunrisian Military on missions that would be part of Operation Solar Wind, in order to point out more NSRA base-camps and possibly be used as bait to lower militant guard upon seeing one of their own. That would make a counter-offensive against the militant easier for the armed forces.

[North Baggnagia]

Honorable Minister of Foreign Affairs Jakub Gottschalk speaks with His Excellency Marshal Jan Tillich on the Belantica visit

SILCENDA, NORTH BAGGNAGIA – Honorable Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Glorious Nation of North Baggnagia Jakub Gottschalk has met His Excellency Marshal Jan Tillich, the National Leader of North Baggnagia and of All Baggnagians. The Honorable Minister of Foreign Affairs delivered news from the Honorable Minister’s visit to the Comrade Nation of Belantica. The Honorable Minister of Foreign Affairs talked about the outcome and the progress reached by Him and His Diplomatic Delegation.

After Their meeting His Excellency Marshal Jan Tillich sent Honorable Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Glorious Nation of North Baggnagia Jakub Gottschalk to the Consultative Assembly of the Glorious Nation of North Baggnagia. The Honorable Minister of Foreign Affairs was supposed to speak before the Consultative Assembly of the Glorious Nation of North Baggnagia and tell the Consultative Assembly of the Glorious Nation of North Baggnagia what He had told the Great Leader. At the time of the Honorable Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Glorious Nation of North Baggnagia Jakub Gottschalk speaking before the Consultative Assembly of the Glorious Nation of North Baggnagia, the filming of the speech was prohibited. No cameras at the Hall of the Consultative Assembly of the Glorious Nation of North Baggnagia. His Excellency Marshal Jan Tillich said the news brought back were strategic importance and could be revealed to inside enemies of the People, foreign spies and enemy foreign states.

The Honorable Minister of Foreign Affairs just revealed that the dialogue between the Glorious Nation of North Baggnagia and the Comrade Nation of Belantica will probably continue after the visit by the Honorable Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Glorious Nation of North Baggnagia Jakub Gottschalk to Belantica. His Excellency Marshal Jan Tillich, the National Leader of North Baggnagia and of All Baggnagians invited officials from the Comrade Nation of Belantica to visit the Glorious Nation of North Baggnagia too. The Great Leader invited officials from Belantica to the Capital of the Glorious Nation of North Baggnagia, Silcenda.

[The Nina Islands]

LOCAL NEWS - INTERNATIONAL - POLITICS - ENTERTAINMENT - SPORTS

Prime Minister Parker-Lizabont meets with Layfetian Aid Director Richard Yates to discuss economics

Prime Minister of the Nina Islands Akaysha Parker-Lizabont met with Layfetian Aid Director Richard Yates over lunch yesterday at the Checkerboard Restaurant to discuss changes towards Layfetian Aid to the Nina Islands and how growing economic issues in Layfet would affect the small barely 19,000 citizens of the Nina Islands and their nation as a whole. After the meeting, despite Mr. Yates insisting that the meeting "remain on the down low", the Prime Minister put out a statement as to the content and her disposition to the meeting. In the statement, the Prime Minister said that she was "not happy with how the Layfetian's economic issues are tying up smaller nations like us." The statement said that the Layfetian government was:

-Reduce Layfetian Aid to the Nina Islands Government to zero Libfray for 2020, as approved by the Layfetian congress and signed by Layfetian Executive Minister Susan Polster.

-Cease its portion of funding towards the Willow Rose Science and Launch Center due to the Ventismarian Union's space agency not assuming the responsibility of doing so.

-And Allow the expiration of the Nina Islands-Layfet Free Trade Agreement in 2020

The Prime Minister said that the loss of the funding to the WRSLC will cut 2,000 jobs from the economy, and hurting the lives of those who work there. "Layfet is hurting everyday Ninans for their mistakes with their economy! Our economy is small and hasn't had the opportunity to grow. We are a nation of about 20,000 people. 2,000 jobs is over 10% of our workforce. All because their government can't handle their own fiances? They are oppressing us even still!" National Assembly Member Huta Manjma said. "We need that aid, we need those jobs."

[Rezua]

Fjord Industries Announces New Testing Facility in the Nina Islands

Informative Straits

Samuel Burrino

Fjord Industries Plans To Bring Jobs to the Nina Islands, Ducal Family Starts Charity

As economic downturn looms in the Nina Islands, a big announcement has given wondrous news. Fjord Industries, a leading green energy company, has decided to made a testing facility in the Nina Island. According to CEO Robin Herbert, having access to the sunny weather and tides of the islands would make testing of hydro and solar power more viable. Herbert promises that "many" jobs could be created, both skilled and unskilled. Though not official yet, it is probable that Fjord Industries will begin to look for land to build on in the Nina Islands.

Additionally, Grand Duke Alphonse has pledged to provide unemployment "stipends" for any Ninan currently out of work due to recent layoffs. According to the duke, by virtue of the marriage of Duchess Rebeka, the Kurezan people and Ninan peoples have been brought together. His words, while powerful, seem to be overstepping the bonds of his title:

"I'm disturbed to hear that ten percent of the Nina Islands could be out of work due to Layfetian mismanagement of debt. As grand duke, this is something that I can simply not allow. While I might not hold any titles in the Nina Islands, its people have become in-laws to my dukedom. To the Ninan people: my coffers are open to you. None who come to the Lizabonts for help shall be turned away. We'll get you back on your feet so that you can get back to working. Then, you can help uplift yourselves. Until then, I wish for you to consider me your brother-in-law. We are family."

Opponents of the grand duke have decried his words as "polarizing" against Layfet and "indirect" attacks on the empress' attempts to aid Layfet manage its debt. Worse, some see his generosity as merely a show of just how wealthy the Lizabont family is. Due to their protected status as Rezuan nobility, the Lizabonts kept their family riches even after the crowning of Emperor Augustus. In fact, the Lizabonts are believed to be the wealthiest family in the entire empire. Calls for regulation on the ducal treasury have sprung up once again, with the main voices behind the cries former nobles stripped of their titles by the Everen line.

As put by Annabelle Monteral," It's time for this cuddling of the Lizabonts to end. My family didn't oppose Augusts Everen, yet he stripped away our ancestral wealth because we were not as quick to bend the knee, nor toss men into the meat grinder of the war. The Lizabonts get to keep their wealth, get to rule our province as a dukedom, and to top it all pay less tax than the average citizen. The Lizabonts were critical to funding Emperor Augustus' army. But that was over seventy years ago. The Old Duke is dead and so is Emperor Augusts. It's time to modernize the treatment of the Lizabonts. They're more than just governors of Kurzera, they're basically kings over this land. It's time for their fair tax to be given, and for our elected leaders to replace them completely. If Empress Ymira cares about all her subjects, maybe its time for her to start correcting the corrupt left by her grandfather. "

In Other News
-Protesters in Eomeria demand removal of the Musical The First Emperor for it's "anti-eastern Revonic" themes and portrayal of revenge as justice
-Bohi smugglers arrested in Kurzera

[Sunrisia]

PID Admits To Killing Dêc Grétân, Édér Cólum And Jûc Ármiger In Daredland

State Of Emergency: Day 3

Dêc Grétân, second and last Vice President of the Provisional Republic and the former figurehead “President” of the new Sunrisian state, Édér Cólum, the only Vice President of the Democratic Union of Sunrisia and the first Vice President of the follow-up Provisional Republic, and Jûc Ármiger, the second/last President of the defunct North Sunrisia, who died mysteriously in Daredland on Thursday, December 5th, have finally had their death cases solved. However, the closure may not be what people might have initially expected. If the deaths of the 3 men were with no foul-play, then it could have been a number of possible things that could have happened. However, since Daredi and Sunrisian investigators suspected murder, the only resolution to the 3 deaths would be to catch the murderer or murderers. The thing is that those responsible for the 3 deaths have revealed themselves and have declared that they had a legitimate reason for doing what they have done.

The Prime Intelligence Division (PID) of the Nationalist Republic of Sunrisia has announced that it has, in fact, killed former figurehead ”President” Dêc Grétân, former Democratic Union and Provisional Republic Vice President Édér Cólum, and second/last North Sunrisian Vice President Jûc Ármiger. As the Director of PID, President Fórî Apstérâ has justified this action and admitted to being among those, who oversaw that this be done. Grétân, Cólum and Ármiger have been accused of ties to militant groups, in addition to treason. Grétân had links to both the New Sunrisian Republican Army (NSRA) and the Sunrisian Theocrat and Monarchist Corps (STMC). Cólum and Ármiger were both members of NSRA as non-combat operatives. As for the treason part, Grétân, Cólum and Ármiger were willing to offer the sale of unspecified and undisclosed Sunrisian national secrets to foreign adversaries.

PID agents, together with Sunrisian special forces, had travelled to the territory of Daredland, where Grétân, Cólum and Ármiger were attempting to access the self-proclaimed Weniges Reich and through it, the rest of Eastern Corentia, while posing as members of a delegation sent by the Sunrisian government to “reach out” to the Weniges separatist leadership, since the Daredi government was unwilling to do so. While safely out of Sunrisian reach on the territory of ACIS, which they had hoped to access, but never did, Grétân, Cólum and Ármiger could resume strategic coordination of the activities of NSRA and STMC militant groups inside Sunrisia, while rallying support for those groups from Sunrisian adversaries, as well as offering the sale of Sunrisian secrets to adversary states. Grétân, Cólum and Ármiger were reportedly willing to approach the Englean Kaiserreich, Aznazia, Rhodevus, Rezua, Belantica, Vesvai, North Baggnagia and multiple other countries with the offer of selling secrets, while also requesting support for the NSRA insurgency or the STMC insurgency in Sunrisia. Cólum and Ármiger wanted a regime change that would restore the Republic of Sunrisia, which is why they were fully aligned with NSRA. Grétân was more opportunistic and did not care which system, apart from the current one, is in power and whether NSRA or STMC seizes power, although he was reportedly also leaning more towards NSRA, which is why he was in cahoots with Cólum and Ármiger. Nevertheless, Grétân had his ties to STMC as well.

In order to stop Grétân’s, Cólum’s and Ármiger’s anti-Sunrisian plans, it was important to capture them, before they access the territory of the self-declared Weniges Reich and of ACIS. With the Daredi government being informed of the situation, they had given permission for the Sunrisian PID and the special forces to carry out the operation. The capture, enforced extradition to Sunrisia and then interrogation, were the original objectives of the mission. However, Grétân, Cólum and Ármiger detected the Sunrisian special forces going after them as they were moving eastwards in Daredland. Resisting arrest, Cólum and Ármiger were shot and killed. Grétân was only wounded. He was captured and then taken into a local military base for interrogation. After being presented with the accusations and the gathered intelligence leading to those accusations, Grétân admitted everything to PID interrogators. Afterwards, he was killed by a Sunrisian special forces soldier with a bullet to the head. His body was taken back to the place where Cólum and Ármiger were lying dead. PID and the Sunrisian special forces have then left Daredland and headed back to Sunrisia. An investigation on their deaths was soon started by local authorities and then Sunrisian investigators asked to join and be allowed to operate in Daredi jurisdiction, because the victims were Sunrisian nationals. Nobody neither in Daredland nor Sunrisia knew about what had actually happened until today, making the investigation a pointless hunt, when in fact it was a conspiracy.

Today, President Fórî Apstérâ revealed that Dêc Grétân was that mysterious source, from whom the Sunrisian intelligence services and the military received the information about the existence of the Sunrisian Theocrat and Monarchist Corps (STMC) and their base-camps inside Sunrisia, because of the aforementioned ties that Grétân had to STMC. The revelations came during Grétân’s interrogation by PID after his capture and before his killing by a Sunrisian special forces soldier. Grétân also revealed that there may be other militant groups or general military activity happening in Sunrisia during the time of the political crisis, which various militants have seen as a perfect opportunity to create a revolutionary climate in the country and pursue power through armed force. Grétân only exposed STMC, but not the New Sunrisian Republican Army (NSRA), whose cause and ideology of restoring the Republic he was more sympathetic towards, like Cólum and Ármiger were. But Grétân’s revelation of other possible militant groups has made the Sunrisian intelligence services and the military hunt for those other possible groups that were not the already-known SMTC. That is how former politician and the last Vice President of the Republic of Sunrisia (the original First Republic) Jacob Cárroll, was targeted, detained, locked-up and interrogated for suspected links to militant groups. Like Grétân exposed STMC, while keeping NSRA hidden, Cárroll exposed NSRA. Since yesterday, NSRA has become the second target for elimination, together with STMC, by the Sunrisian Defense Force (SDF) in Operation Solar Wind.

Former de jure Vice President, de facto “shadow” President and intelligence operative Fógâr Nélsân, who worked in the same administration with Dêc Grétân, who posed as President, while Fógâr Nélsân was the actual President, was asked to react to his colleague’s death and the revelations about him. Nélsân’s short answer was:

“He was a terrorist ally and a traitor. It erases any partner-like relations we might have shared at a certain time.”

The Apstérâ administration revealed that the remains of Grétân, Cólum and Ármiger are not wanted back in Sunrisia. What is going to happen to them, was left up to the Daredi leadership, since the 3 individuals were killed and lie dead on the territory of the country administered by them. The dead-end murder investigation case is expected to be closed and Sunrisian investigators are expected to return home, where they are awaited. The government has apologized for deceiving them and leaving them to work on a supposed murder mystery.

[The Layfetian Republic]

Congress passes debt bill
By Austin H. Wright

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Yesterday, Congress passed the Restructure of Layfetian Debt and Aid Resolution and Act, this bill made key fundamental changes to how Layfet is planing to confront its growing economic woes. First the aid and funding bits of the bill which includes cuts down significantly Layfetian governmental aid and investment in lesser developed countries as well as Kohharu. This was met with sharp criticism from the government of several nations. The bill also ends Layfetian government funding of the Willow Rose Science and Launch Center in the Nina Islands until the Ventismarian Space Agency can take over its functions, however since the WRSLC is currently under a form of duel sovereignty with the Nina Islands, it is unlikely to do so.

The bill also accepts the deals made by government of Rezua and Kiez, respectfully, overall reducing the amount Layfet owes to these nations and preventing default. Rezua and Layfet's deal reduces interest payments to 1% for the next two years and grants a six month free grace period towards interest payments. The Rezuan government is also directly into Layfetian bonds and state owned industries to keep them afloat. "It's similar to Reconstruction" Professor of Economics Jeffery Chaffer of the University of Nordipolica said "Rezua has put a lot of value into Layfet ever since the 1960s, they are one of our largest economic partners. They in essence helped build the strong Layfetian economy of the late 20th century. If they don't invest, Rezua has the most to lose outside of the VU and the Libfray currency nations" Kiez instead, opted to forgive a large majority of Layfetian debt, equal to around 578 Billion Libfrays, with negotiations on the remaining 202 Billion to be set at a later date.

The bill also authorizes the Executive Minister to default on debts of foreign nations excluding members of the VU, debts to members of the Libfray currency union post 2018, Rezua, Kiez, Belantica, and Aznazia. So far though, Executive Minister Susan Polster has said that she won't use the power on any nation except Sunrisia, which shortly after the bill was signed into law, the Executive Minister Polster called the Sunrisian Treasury Department to notify that Layfet is defaulting on the entirety of the 670 Billion Libfrays it has borrowed from Sunrisia. Polster did in fact use the power on another nation, defaulting on the 200,000 Libfrays owed to Libria pre-2018. Executive Minister-elect Spencer Hastings has not made a comment on how she will use the power, however just before she takes office, she said she will make a trip to Rhodevus to discuss the 3.9 Trillion Libfray debt to the nation that has been in effect since 1721. (By far, Layfet's largest debt owed to any single country)

Lastly the bill gives until December 17th for the Ventismarian Union and the Layfetian Investment Board to draft a bill to bailout Layfet in exchange for austerity measures on balancing the Layfetian budget and preventing Layfetian from selling or negotiating over debt with it's overseas territories. There is no deadline as to when such a VU bill has to be passed, merely drafted. If no bill is drafted, Congrsspersons have said they might enter into another duel sovereignty agreement with Belantica over Hallis Atoll in exchange for debt relief.

the value of the Libfray is expected to be reduced by 1/3 of its current value by March of 2020. Current value is 5.6 Libfray to 1 Sunalayan Standard Dollar. Layfet's debt to GDP ratio is currently just over 300%

IN OTHER NEWS
-Another crisis in Sunrisia comes to a close

-Rezan company to invest in the Nina Islands, talks begin

-Gottschalk of North Baggnagia visits Belantica

-Nordipolica City Government sets up for Christmas

-National Paper and Cardboard files for bankruptcy

[Vesvai]

VNNHD

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Vesvai Will Be Informing The United Sunalayan Assembly On The Upcoming Largest Ever International Military Exercise On Vesvai’s Soil

Vesvai’s Minister of National Defense and Security Robert Praesedit said that the Dominion of Vesvai would be required to inform the United Sunalayan Assembly on the upcoming largest ever international exercise on Vesvai’s soil. It is a demand of international law that USA be informed in advance if military drills that are too large. It’s for the sake of international stability and probably to avoid suspicions that any war games could be cover-ups for actual military invasions. On Vesvai’s behalf the USA will be informed by Vesvai’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Nicholas Vicina, the head diplomat of the Dominion of Vesvai. Vicina will either send a communiqué or travel to USA headquarters to inform of the international war games in Vesvai in person.

The suggestion to inform the USA was made by Vesvai’s ROVAA and Rhodeve Commonwealth ally Rhodevus. The United Sovereign Kingdoms of Rhodevus will be among 15 nations that are going to participate in these war games in the Dominion of Vesvai. There were originally supposed to be 16 nations but fellow Commonwealth member and ally of Vesvai in the Vesvai War Layfet has decided to drop out. Vesvai’s government has not disclosed the reasons. Instead Vesvai and Layfet will hold separate dual exercises later which have already been talked about in Layfet’s media.