The Western Isles News

[New Aapelistan]

Aprosia Daily

— 21st of February, 2020 —
Enterprise heads meet with Union representatives; discussions of the economic future

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DAŠARÓD, DAŠARÓD CAPITAL REGION

In preparation for the 500-Day Program of Aprosia, a two day conference between heads of the largest national enterprises and representatives of both the Federal Government and national governments of Aprosia has been concluded in the national capital, Dašaród. Privatization of several national enterprises, infrastructural development and the future status of foreign capital and trade, among others, were reported as the main topics of the conference, preparing the nation for its economic future. Further on, the future plans of the various enterprises was heavily discussed, as the Federal Government plans to cease a vast amount of industrial and other economic subsidies for the enterprises as a part of the economic privatization and modernization. While cutting most enterprise subsidies in the 500-Day Program, the federal and national governments wish to conduct a smooth transition to a socialist market economy. A large amount of enterprises have already publicized plans to sell and lease assets to both international and domestic investors and corporations to ensure profitability and eventual transitions to joint-stock companies by the start date of the 500-Day Program.

While the majority of the national economy will be privatized as according to the 500-Day Program, strategic industries and industries of national significance will remain under the supervision and ownership of either the Federal Government or the respective government of the federal subject. The Federal Government has decreed that the national rail infrastructure will remain under the control of the Council of Federal Economic Affairs and most federal subjects have chosen to maintain either federal or national control over the energy sector of the economy. The latest session of the Supreme People’s Assembly of Aprosia maintained the will and the need for the Council of Federal Economic Affairs to maintain control over the existing banks of Aprosia, resulting in the Central Bank of Aprosia losing the ownership of many of its subsidiaries, including the Industrial and Agricultural banks, no longer restricted to their namesake sectors of economy under new federal legislature. Despite this, both the Council of Federal Economic Affairs and various heads of enterprise have stressed the importance of foreign capital in the transition to a socialist market economy. During the conference, the Federal Government pledged to alter the concurrent banking legislation to allow for foreign banks to conduct business on Aprosian soil.

With the end of the conference in Dašaród, President of the Union Alí Hamaném, acting as the main representative of the Federal Government, commented that the event has strengthened his belief that the Aprosian nation can improve and modernize itself in accordance to the Aprosian socialist ideology even with the reduced control of the Federal Government in the economy.

[Mokov]

Lidská Pravda
Mokovi People’s Republic
2/23/20

General Secretary Kalintov Releases Book
This morning, the General Secretary of our glorious republic published ‘Stát a Lidé’ a book detailing his early life and his political philosophy. In just over three hours the book became the best selling piece of literature in Mokovi history, surpassing even the Bible. While written in Eastern Mokovi, translations into Western Mokovi, Southwestern Mokovi, English, Ahnslen, and Alteran have also been published.

Leonid Kerenskyy, manager of the Nový Litkov State Book Repository, stated that not two hours after the book was published, “There was a line that stretched down the street, farther than I could see.” Defense Minister Georg Rezek gave “Stát a Lidé” a five star review, calling it “The best work of both autobiography and political theory ever written.”

Internationally, the capitalist reactionaries in control of Altera and Corinda released vile propaganda about the book, hoping to keep the inevitable revolution from reaching the minds of their oppressed people. The worst perpetrator of lies and oppression, Havalland, has banned this masterpiece out of fear that for the first time in their history, the truth might prevail over their doctrine of fear and repression.


Reminder: all law abiding citizens of the Mokovi People’s Republic are required to own and read ‘Stát a Lidé’ by order of the Presidium.

[Havalland]

The Royal Cryer

Civilians preform mass book burning.

At 7pm a large group of Havallish citizens who had bought out many works of communist literature the past week preformed a massive book burning just outside of Kingston city limits. The demonstration had gone on for an hour and a half as the civilian comprised of coal minors, railway workers, and other workers chanted for the death of communism.

Though King Leon disapproves of the actions of these protesters he is sympathetic to them. At 8:40 the king had come on air to address his people, he reassured Havalland that the country would stand her ground, he reassured that the wolf will not fall to the eagle, she will dig in and hold firm.
People of Havalland we are protected, we are safe from the red devil that wishes not only to kill our king, but tell us how to live, how to dress, how to feel. Mokov wishes not only to steal Havalland but to destroy our churches and burn our bibles. In the name of the goddess we shall not fall, now keep your rifle by your side as your ancestors did one hundred years ago!

[Brulafi]

Special Transport Committee Designs Rail Modernization Plan;
New High-Speed Rail Service Expected in 5 Years


A concept image of the AVT unit in service, provided by Brulafi Railways.

TURBAY-It's no secret to anyone at this point that the rail system in Brulafi is in need of a major revamp. Most passenger rail services share lines with freight trains, leading to more wear and tear on tracks and uncomfortable rides for passengers. Many passenger services throughout the country also suffer from frequent delays, sometimes as long as 15 minutes or more. Train cars are often older and sometimes completely outdated, with malfunctioning services that make an accident seem like a matter of "when," rather than "if." Passenger train systems designed to be "high speed" decades ago are forced to run at speeds much under their true potential, either due to congestion, curving trackage, or old age. These factors coalesce to make a rail network that is generally disliked by most Brulafis, and kept alive mostly through the inaccessibility of other services. Embarrassingly, the most highly-rated regular rail service in Brulafi comes from the Hangma of Central Argus, which is run by a Vancouvian company.

These factors may be bad on their own, but they are intolerable together. Ultimately, a few years ago, calls for major transport reform grew so strong that the General Assembly decided to take decisive action to resolve the issue. When the Special Extra-Secretarial Committee on Transport Modernization (made up of railway workers, designers, representatives of Brulafi Railways and engineers) was convened, it was expected to come up with basic solutions to the myriad of problems at hand: replace diesel passenger trains with electric locomotives, expand work pools for railway repairmen and locomotive engineers, reroute freight lines, and so forth. The Comprehensive Transport Restructuring Guide, passed by the Assembly as one of its first acts this new session, mostly contains this style of proposal and plan, and ultimately will serve to do much in making rail service more bearable and pleasant throughout the nation. There is even a new Permanent Railway Safety Development Bureau, which will work alongside existing rail safety bureaus and projects to make the lines much more safe in the future.

The part of the Restructuring Guide that has most people's eyes, however, is a much more bold proposal indeed: the construction of a high-speed rail network from Redaj to Turbaj and Novo Castelo, with running passenger service by 2025. The service, known as the "Strejal" Line ("Arrow" in English), will run on its own dedicated railway lines to avoid congestion and allow for much faster speed than traditional passenger services between the three biggest regional economic centers in the country. In addition, the Advanced Velocity Transport system (AVT) units running the high-speed rail service will be Electric Multiple Units, requiring no extra locomotive. Instead of running on pantographs like Brulafi's other passenger rail systems, Strejal units will be powered by on-board hydrogen fuel cells. This serves the dual purpose of keeping the environment clean, as the only byproduct is water, and giving the trainset even more power to go as fast as possible. As a result, the new AVT system will be the first high-speed rail network in Argus to be powered by hydrogen. This highly innovative fuel system will require a lot of ingenuity and hard work on the part of the Brulafi developers. Luckily, a total of three major groups have agreed to pool their resources for this ambitious project. The Alteran conglomerate Horizon has agreed to work as a joint partner with the Brulafi Railways Research and Development Bureau, as well as the Turbay People's Technical Institute's Engineering Department, in order to produce fuel systems, hydrogen extraction plants, and other elements of the trainset and its functions. The system as a whole primarily promises to maintain three principles: speed, efficiency, and reliability. In regards to speed, the Strejal units are expected to reach top speeds in the "mid-to-high 200s mph (402~460 km'h) range," according to an official statement released by Horizon. If that was not enough, if official concept drawings of the AVT trainset's interior are to be believed, comfort shall not be left out of the equation either.

The Committee goes on to make the bold claim that this AVT system will make it so that "the average worker's delegate from Redaj or Novo Castelo will soon be able to attend the National Congress for their trade in Turbay during the day, then be home in enough time to have dinner in their own home." This would certainly stand to revolutionize how the Brulafi people travel, but it stands to reason that hotels in the Turbay area, which usually benefit from the influx of overnight patrons during labor conferences, would object to this massive hit to their revenue. Right? Well, as it turns out, perhaps not. Workers at the Turbay International Hotel, the largest by far in the city, have released a statement fully supporting the new AVT project, reading in part that "while the decline in hotel visitors during conference season is not the preferred outcome, it is our belief that this new rail line will revive the romantic ideal of travel for the common worker, encouraging enough new seasonal vacationers to our lovely capital to offset previous losses, or even provide growth."

Construction of the line will begin by the end of March this year. More lines across the country are expected to be planned in the following years, pending interest from local authorities.

[Alteran Republics]

Aprosia set to become "Global Industrial Titan"
thanks to huge Alteran investment

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Aprosia’s manufacturing activity is predicted to gain a huge boon, as Alteran based manufacturers look to invest in the Southern Sea nation.

Alteran companies, including Horizon, Conway and Rowlands are set to invest huge sums of money into the Southern Sea nation, as it aims to take advantage of the nation opening up to foreign investment.

Aprosia’s manufacturers are ready to begin reporting their best profits in years, fueled by government-led infrastructure spending, a strong housing market, higher factory-gate prices and a recovery in exports.

“Over the short term, we believe the resilient demand growth and disciplined balance sheet expansion ... will point to further improvement in manufacturing profitability and investment returns,” analysts at the Council for Industry and Infrastructure said in a note after the data.

But cost pressures from high raw materials prices, competition from Alteran based manufacturing and continued under performance of smaller firms mean some native manufacturers are still struggling.

“Mid- and downstream industries are worried about a further increase in cost pressures,” Praetor for Industry and Infrastructure Myong Bedrose wrote in comments published with the data.

The latest survey showed input prices continued to rise, benefiting upstream producers such as miners, smelters and oil refiners.

Whilst there has been questions raised in Altera, largely asking if the investment in Aprosia will negatively impact the job market, overall there seems to be a sense of positivity in the newly opened Aprosia markets.

Bedrose commented that Altera would also be benefitting from Aprosia trade, citing the newly funded High-Speed Rail networks that would be using Alteran companies to complete its construction.

Aprosia’s government said that they would take a number of measures, including tax exemptions and targeted reserve requirement ratio cuts, to encourage banks to support small businesses.

The impressive performance for Aprosia’s manufacturers comes despite a government push to shutter outdated industrial capacity and clean up polluting industries, though some analysts say official claims of massive capacity cuts are misleading as overall production is still rising.

Aprosia's rise to be crowned as the world's fastest-growing economies today is the latest milestone in a predicted boom that has been forecasted since the country began the long process of embracing free-market principles.

The Aprosian economy is set to grow rapidly, since their leaders started plans to introduce economic reforms. Even if regional economies hadn't faltered in recent months, Aprosia was expected to expand by another 10% this year so it was always likely to overtake its neighbours.

Some analysts argue that Aprosia is underestimating its own growth, and may be powering ahead even quicker than thought.

Aprosia has recently claimed the top spot in a number of important economic league tables, as it hopes to drag the regional economies out of the global downturn:

• RTEA has calculated that Aprosia became the world's biggest exporter in 2025. This increased the pressure on Aprosia to revalue their currency, a move it has proved reluctant to make.

• More computers and electronic components are now made in Aprosia than any other country.

• Aprosia is also the biggest market for new Alteran cars. Sales of new passenger vehicles leapt by more than 50% last year.

• Last month Aprosian demand for energy more than doubled in the last decade. Most of the demand comes from the nation's huge manufacturing operations, but its population are also using more energy as their standards of living improve, and more of them buy computers, cars and domestic appliances.

The latest data predicts that the Aprosian economy will grow by 9.1% in 2020, despite most of the developed world suffering a painful recession.

RTEA believes that, with continued investment, Aprosia could become one of the region's top economies by the end of the decade.

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The following is a paid advertisement.

[Sulamze]

February 5th, 2020
The Sulamze Spectacle
Sulamze, Nationwide

Laguno is a high protein relative of millet.
Grown in the hills towards the center of Sulamze Island,
it has been a staple cereal crop for thousands of years.
The earliest evidence of Laguno domestication dates
back to 500 BCE.

Sulamze to Host "Liberty Gala"

This morning the Confederated Congress voted in overwhelming support of hosting a "Liberty Gala". Representatives explained the move as a necessary event to build diplomatic ties and demonstrate the success of Sulamze Socialism to The Western Isles.

"If we are to be a part of our larger community we must engage with our neighbors in a friendly manner, both so that we can foster beneficial relations and so that we might show the world true liberty" - James Meyer, Representative for the Tall Bark Commune

The Office of International Communication has been tasked with the organizing of the gala. By midday diplomat Mia Visser was chosen to be the host due to her vast experience in dealing with international issues. The O.I.C. has already begun sending out invitations to foriegn nations across the Isles. Further details will be reported as they appear.

L.L.O.M. Encourages Excess Laguno Planting

The latest data from L.L.O.M. is encouraging the agricultural sector to plant more Laguno this spring. This came as a surprise to many, as the trend for the last few years has been a focus on meat production rather than the cultivation of cereals. Analysts point towards an downward trend in the population of salmon and other fish as the primary cause for this shift. Several communes have already announced their intentions to follow L.L.O.M.'s recomendations but many are hesitant.

"L.L.O.M. isn't perfect. I mean it's definitely a good thing, but I don't think we need to worry about runnin' out of fish." - Tyler H., resident of the Long Beach Commune

[Mokov]

Lidská Pravda
9/3/20
Mokovi People’s Republic

Alliance with our Glorious Neighbor

Just two hours ago, Great Comrade Kalintov returned from a meeting with our anti capitalist brothers in the MDR. The meeting was to form an alliance forged of steel against our decadent reactionary enemies in the Trosrod and Havalland. The Treaty of Krōlecz-Кролечград was signed by both General Secretary Kalintov and Marshal Markevič.

The treaty stipulates full military cooperation for ten years, free immigration between both states, open trade between both states, and the creation of Krolecz as a shared city, governed simultaneously by the MPR and the MDR. In celebration of this event, a statue of Comrade Markevič has been scheduled for construction in Nový Litkov Square, replacing one built in honor of the reactionary tyrant Karoly LXV by his Havallish allies. A statue of Comrade Kalintov is also set to go up, but in Nový Mokov, the capitol of the MDR. Perhaps this historic treaty is the first step towards reunification, in spite of our foreign adversaries.

[Havalland]

The Royal Cryer

Former Mokovi King to re-marry into the Royal Family!

Many people celebrate today especially in Abbey, as it has been announced to the public that the young sister of King Leon III, Elizabeth Wolf will become the second wife of King Ivan XII, the rightful ruler of Mokov. Duchess Elizabeth will remain in charge of Abbey while it is encouraged for them two have two children, one heir to Mokov and one heir to Abbey.

In other news, Kalintov’s book has been made accessible in strictly digital copies and was immediately ripped into by political theorists. Even members of the NCP and SMP, two socialist/communist parties, have called out the obvious propaganda. Even more interesting is Kalintov’s Havallish cousin, the known comedy director Lawrence Hall has stated that he’s read the book. Hall has said he may write a parody about his cousin though he isn’t sure yet saying “sure I love my family, even if they do bad things, I feel compelled to show why what he’s doing isn’t a good thing even through comedy.”

And finally, as the coronation of Prince Maximus as the king of Nhoor approaches King Leon III threw his brother a party, the siblings all buying Maximus a gift.
Jacob had gifted Maximus a customized sword to show the strength he wields, Elizabeth gifted him a new outfit to wear on coronation day, and his brother, The king of Havalland gifted him a companion, a Kingston freckled fox named Adler.

[Mokov]

Свобода
Немяводск, Тросрод
9/3/20

Král Ivan XII Set to Marry

We recently received an announcement from our Havallish sources confirming the engagement of Ivan XII, deposed monarch of Mokov, to a Havallish noblewoman. This news has come as no surprise, since the royal family has long established ties to Havalland, stemming from the Havallish Civil War 100 years ago.

When the Král fled Mokov following Kalintov’s coup dętat, his wife was murdered, and the two had no children, making this marriage very important for maintaining the royal line. Our noble Hetman, Bohdan Federov, while refusing to bow to the Král, has sent his brother Ihor Federov to Havalland to give congratulations. No doubt the tinpot dictators in the MPR and MDR will attempt to have the royal couple suffer ‘an unfortunate accident’ to prevent any future threat from emerging by way of their offspring. May god shield the Král from harm. We do not bow before him, but we Cossacks recognize a good man when we see one.

[Martenyika]

Tuesday March 10, 2020
RKT - Royal Kessa Times

Militias on the Rise as Government Steps Back in Hazhariland

Bazhi Litha vows to protect his locality with or without government support.

Despite the fact that President Maxime Zubele greenlit a militarized operation against organized crime elements in Hazhariland two months ago, local militia strength continues to rise in the region. Authorities are currently attempting to ascertain the situation in Hazhariland, but it is believed that most of the militias are ultimately loyal to the national government. In January, National Guard soldiers joined forces with the Gendarmerie in an unprecdented show of force in northwestern Hazhariland.

Yet the Hazhari people, especially in the northwest, feel the government is already forgetting them. "the government gets to say they helped once, but we have to stay vigilant to defend our land and our people all the time," said northwestern militia leader Bazhi Litha. Many attribute the pause in the organized crime war to protests by Eastern Citizens Party head Asani Mondli, who attacked President Zubele on the issue. The ECP was an important part of the President's coalition...READ MORE >>>

[Athara Magarat]

Actually Brought to You By

March 19th, 2020

Khas-Kirati Vassal Swarm: A Greatest Empires Exploit

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Wrong Picture

So you have been thinking of earning achievements in the grand-strategy game War and Conquest: The Isles Greatest Empires (developed by Neo Arts and published by Chitrakar Studios). Even after hundreds of hours, you have only earned the very easiest ones, is it? Greatest Empires is so hard, you say. Well, fear not; for there is an exploit that will allow to bag these achievements with ease. And yes, this exploit is 100% Achievement-compatible; which means that this how the game is 'supposed to be played'. I am talking about the "Khas-Kirati Vassal Swarm" exploit, of course.

Now, the Khas-Kirat Empire is technically a 'fake empire'. But rather than making it a confederation with same-dynasty elective monarchy (tribal confederations and elective monarchies do exist in this game), our game developers have created a special title for it - the Mahangate. If we have to be blunt, the Mahangate is garbage. Okay, why is it garbage? Right off the bat, you will notice that the Mahang cannot declare wars (except to "collect tributes" or whatever). That's right, ladies and gentlemen, the game is called War and Conquest but you cannot even declare a war. 2/3rds of your vassals are either nomads or tribes; which means they generate shit-amount of taxes and provide even shittier amount of income to you. And let's not forget the fact that these nomadic and tribal vassals of yours have infinite amount of CBs. A decent player would take advantage of this to use those CBs of your vassals to declare war...but let's be honest, you are still a noob (or else why would you come here to learn about this exploit at all). For noobs like you, this will be a nightmare. In the best case scenario, your vassals will always fight each other (that is until the Domans and the Noronnicans come in and you can't raise your vassal armies cause they are busy fighting each other). In the worst case scenario, they will always ask you to grant "invasion rights" and rebel if you don't (or just have high liberty desire if you send them enough gifts...but that too will eventually bite you in the arse). Since Khas-Kirati armies and CBs are OP (except for yours obviously), your vassals will grab huge amounts of clay in just single war. And it will get even worse if your vassals are very aggressive. If you are still somehow lucky, the natives of the conquered land will start revolting and it will be your job to stack-wipe the natives. Else, your vassals will gain coalitions because of their rapid aggressive expansion and you will face the pain of having to fight (you automatically join any defensive wars of your vassals) coalition war after coalition war (and did we mention that only the particular vassal responsible for the coalition war and their allies will join you while rest of your many vassals continue fighting each other or just chilling around). If only we could get rid of the stupid Mahangate and have a normal empire! Oh yes, you can with this exploit.

There are basically two ways to use this exploit and both of them involve tweaking the start date.

Using Your Vassal Swarm to Kill More Natives

1. 1918 Nyssic Colonial Empire

If you jump to 1918 and select the Nyssic Colonial Empire, you will notice that it covers the entirety of Central Argus as well. The story here is that your crown prince was elected the new Mahang of the Khas-Kirat Empire after the death of Tilija Hangma, the last Mgar monarch of the "mainland branch". There was a war of succession that became inter-wined with the boarder Great Gael War and the Nyssic crown prince has rightfully won the crown as victors of the war rather than the Oseans (Razzgriz). You will immediately get an event with two options; either "Merge the Nyssic and Khas-Kirati Crowns" or "Establish the Magarati Dominion". In real life, the Khas-Kirat Empire (aka the Mahangate in game) was destroyed as a title and the Magarati Dominion, a colony which is one gigantic useless blob with garbage ideas in this game, was instead established in modern-day Athara Magarat and northern San Montagna. If you want to run the exploit we are discussing, you have to choose the first option. It will make the Nyssic Crown "absorb" the Khas-Kirati one. And that is all it takes for all of the many hangates to become your vassals. Since they are no longer the vassal of the Mahangate, they will lose their "hangate" special titles. Instead, they will become "Khas-Kirati vassal duchies" and generate income for you (granted, their taxes will still be shit; but it will be much better than 2/3rds nomadic or tribal vassals). Forget, taxes. The real advantage you will have here is 12 vassals (who will no longer be able to fight each other) joining your wars (unlike garbage Mahangate, you are a true empire with the ridiculously powerful 'Imperialism' CB you can use on anyone). Each of these new vassals will have around 10k to 20k "ridiculously overpowered" (take 'Noronnican Gurkhas' special edict to make them even more OP) armies (in comparison the Magarati Dominion will have a 36k army). And what makes it even more broken is that these vassals will never rebel. Your new vassals will already have lower liberty desire since you are an actual empire (unlike the garbage Mahangate that keep on generating liberty desire due to events and whatnot) but since they are "Khas-Kirati vassal duchies", they will count the the your army size and then army size of each and every other vassal you have before deciding "oh no, I only have 10k troops...I will never win my independence war". And since they are content with your rule, your rivals will not be able to support the independence of your loyal subjects.

Unfortunately, since it is 1918 already; you only have 22 years before the game ends. And let's be honest, in 1918, the Nyssic Colonial Empire is already the most OP nation in game and this "Khas-Kirati vassal swarm" will be barely of any use.

2. 1940 and Back

Jump to 1940 on the start date and now go back to any start date before 1918. The Mahangate will no longer exist as a title and the Khas-Kirat Empire will become a normal empire. You can now declare war or just use your vassal's OP CBs. They will all become "Khas-Kirati vassal duchies". You can make it even ridculously broken by selecting dates with more vassals (generally, there are roughly 30 to 40 hangates but the 1444 date in particular has nearly 200 hangates). They might have very small 1k or 2k armies but combined together, they will be able to defeat any foe and your army can just stay at home and kill some rebels to pass your time. You will never have to worry about your income, manpower or army (although, the navy will need some love). And just like that, you can conquer the entire Isles while easily.

[Nhoor]

[Dothrakia]

March 30, 2020
The Dothraki government has announced that it will be starting a new competition for its Next Generation Weapons Program (NGWP). This program is designed to bring the Dothraki Army and Marines into the 21st century with increased emphasis on adaptability to new technologies. Specific systems include new rifle an sidearm cartridges. For the rifle cartridges, the competition includes the 5.56x45 NATO, 6.8x43 SPC, and a number of other foreign designs. The sidearm cartridges include 9x19 Parabellum, .45 ACP, 5.7x28, and 4.6x30
The program is also looking into a new MBT for the Dothraki military. This competition is expected to come down to a competition between the rumored Rothana Heavy Engineering design and an upgraded model of the venerable T-81. The new tank is expected to include technologies such as reactive armor and be available for export to foreign nations.
A decision is expected within the next several years with rollout to commence around 2025-2027.

[Northern Scandinavian Islands]

March 31st, 2020

The Skandlandian Government and the Skandlandsk FlyFabrikk announce the possibility of export of the JAS 94 and JAS 95 Fighters. This is to bring new innovations into the program as well as continued as acquiring a higher profit by sales. This presents a great opportunity for countries with aging fighter fleets to acquire a viable replacement.

More information can be found here: https://www.nationstates.net/nation=nor ... id=1339385

Skandland also announced the construction of a new railway infrastructure project, of which many details are not yet known.

[Noronica]

^-POLITICS_-
EIGHT MEMBERS OF MCINTOSH GOVERNMENT GUILTY OF TREASON

Francis Urchardan | Saltire Media

Published 2 April 2020

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NOLON - After a year of careful consideration and several meetings of the newly-formed United Prefectures Supreme Court, eight out of the fourteen original members of the McIntosh Government that led this country into civil war and chaos have been found guilty today by the Supreme Court and have been sentenced to capital punishment. This sentencing was read out by the First Justice Roibeart McAra, who hailed this as a historic moment and one of the 'greatest executions of justice this country has seen in decades'.

As every citizen of Noronica knows, this country has been through many hardships, and after last year it has been tasked to rebuild towards a brighter and better future to ensure that the troubles of the past remain buried. The corruption and malice that seeped into Noronnican politics has finally been put to rest after today's judgement, as the eight members out of the fourteen politicians that worked in Prime Minister McIntosh's government have been found guilty of committing high treason against the state and the people. They supported the aggressive and corrupt Prime Minister who wished to reserve all power for himself and who was found to have bled funds from the Treasury towards his own accounts.

These eight have been named and confirmed in an official statement by the Supreme Court justices:

• Former Home Secretary, Brandon Andrews
• Former Foreign Secretary, Rachel Harman
• Former Treasurer, Rebecca Everett
• Former Secretary for Justice, Matthew Adams
• Former Secretary for International Trade, Daniella Daniels
• Former Secretary for Communities & States, Maleah Marsh
• Former Secretary for Health, Reece Lloyd
• Former Secretary for Transport, Alex Anderson

This is the first time since 1992 that Noronnican citizens have been found guilty of treason, which translates to capital punishment, which is under a moratorium. However, it can be granted in cases of exceptional circumstances such as treason, the murder of a state/public figure or a figure lawfully administering justice, piracy with violence and extreme offences under military jurisdiction. This decision was not taken lightly, but the First Justice of the Supreme Court, Roibeart McAra, stated that 'due to the extreme nature of their crimes which are tantamount to high treason, their punishment must be severe.'

Several speeches were given in the Prefectorial Senate today, rejoicing an 'end to tyranny' in Noronica. The First Prefect gave his own speech in the chamber, stating that, 'The Noronnican people must be given the justice they deserve for all the hardship they endured and for the price they have had to pay for the rebuilding of this great nation. Once this ordeal is over, we must continue to look onto our newest achievements, as the fusion of the state and corporate worlds continue, the Prefectorial Senate building's final construction work finishes this week, and unemployment rates across the nation have been plummeting due to our new extensive plans for work and guidance of the economy. Today is one step among many for a brighter future.'

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[Magtel]

4th of April, 2020

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Foreign Investment Feeling Electric as New Lithium Reserves Discovered on Isla Blanca

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By Leon Garcia, Business Columnist.

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The North Mesder Grand Duchy of Magtel possesses some of the largest reserves of lithium, a lightweight metal crucial to manufacturing batteries for electric vehicles in the whole of the Western Isles.
Now, even more reserves have been discovered in the Sierra de la Mañana mountain range just north of the capital city of Benevolencia and the government is looking for interested foreign parties to enter the market.
President of Mag-Pro Corp., the leading lithium producer in the country, Albert Mendoza had some words of advice for companies looking to enter the Magtelan lithium market, stating "flexibility is probably one of the most important things to have in this game" further adding that "in a fast-growing market like lithium, new opportunities present themselves constantly".
With these new reserves being discovered, the Magtelan Government is hoping that by bringing in foreign investment to share in the country's wealth of 'white gold', it will be able to forge new international agreements and gain more prestige among its partners in the region.

While environmentalists are concerned with the amount of fresh water that will inevitably have to be diverted to the new mining operations, Gillermo Mariano, spokesperson for the Department of Preservation and Protection of the Environment assured sceptics that "the government has long had to balance the citizen's need for water with the needs of the mining industry" and that no harm will come to the local ecosystems.

Join in on the conversation, using our hashtag #eldiario on Twitter, or commenting on our Facebook page.

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[Athara Magarat]

April 3rd, 2020

Mag gov sends ultimatum to Canal Authority

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THE IMAGE YOU ARE REQUESTING IS NOT AVAILABLE AT THE MOMENT

NEW LIBANG, LIBA HANGATE

The central government of the Athara Magarati Federation of Hangates has sent an ultimatum to the Central Canal Authority to stop providing asylum to the last remnants of the 2019 Khumbuwani Revolt.

The unsuccessful Khumbuwani rebellion was spearheaded by Thebe Kulung Hang, who had accused the Divan-i-Magarati (the 50-member upper body of the parliament) of foul play after his rival Rhula Hangma of Second Tamuwan Hangate was sworn in as the head of the central government after a snap election following Jrm Hangma's murder. The former Hang of Khumbuwan had also alleged that Jrm Hangma was assassinated by mercenaries from McHenry's Port and not murdered by her ex-lover Major Phedap Moringlahang (the official statement by the central government).

The Khumbuwani rebellion has its roots during the Imperial War when the Free Powers promised the Majh Kirat Gun of an independent nation. However, the Free Powers never delivered their promise and the Khumbuwan region instead became part of the Mahakirat Hangate, one of the 12 Free Powers occupation zones in post-Imperial War period. Khumbuwani separatist movement became more prominent and many terrorist attacks were carried out by Khumbuwani terrorists in the 70s and 80s. After the 1991-1994 30th Parallel War against San Montagna, the Magarat region was restructured into 18 hangates (hence the name Athara Magarat or "18 Mgar Lands"). The Mahakirat Hangate was split into Khumbuwan region and the Hangate of Arun Valley.

The Khumbuwani rebels (which consisted of the terrorist group Khumbuwan Liberation Army and local paramilitary units loyal to Thebe Kulung Hang such as the Khumbuwan Defense Force, the Khumbuwan Volunteer Force and the Khumbuwani Reserves) initially had great successes as they took over the Majh Kirat Gun and occupied several towns and key military bases on their way to New Libang; which the rebels wanted to occupy and install their leader as the new Hang of Athara Magarat. The Khumbuwan region is a major exporter of opium and cannabis with eight local clans (the Bahing, the Chamling, the Chuliban, the Khaling, the Mewahang, the Thulung, the Yamphu and the Kulung clan which Thebe Kulung Hang hailed from) becoming influential thanks to their control of the drug trade. These eight clans, collectively known as the Athapahariya Rai, have long historical rivalries over the drug trafficking and tea trade (tea is another major export of the Khumbuwan region and Khumbu tea or Hangun's Tea is known for its delicate aroma and light color and even resulted in the Tea War of 1821). The rebellion was led by the eight clans who allegedly had support from drug lords across the Isles and the Central Canal Authority; which they deny.

By mid-December, however, the rebels were pushed back into Khumbuwan region. In February 14, Thebe Kulung Hang and leaders loyal to him died when a missile carrying sarin gas struck Khotehang, Khumbuwan's capital. Besides Thebe Kulung Hang, an estimated 80 others (some sources put the estimates in double the numbers) died The Magarati government maintains that it does not have capabilities to launch such an attack and alleges that it was carried out by a Khumbuwani clan rival to the Thebe Kulung Hang's Kulung clan (such as the Thulungs, the Chamlings or the Khalings) with foreign support. International media, however, have been quick to blame the attack on the Magarati government but the official stance by most governments across the Isles is that both the murder of Jrm Hangma and the Khotehang chemical attack need further investigation.

Following Thebe Kulung Hang's death, almost all of the eight clans put forth their own candidates as the new leader of the rebellion. The infighting eventually allowed the Magarati government to take back the control of Khumbuwan region by March. The remnants of the rebellion crossed the border and sought asylum in Central Canal Authority. The Magarati government has warned the Canal Authority that it will take any measures to bring the rebels into justice.

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[Alteran Republics]

Altera's Stern Warning to Athara Magarat:
Come to the Table, Or Get A Bloody Nose

Benjamin Mills | Alteran News Network
April 4th, 2020

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Alteran's Praetor for Defense, Marcelo Q'Long, will join other officials to hold a joint emergency meeting to discuss Athara Magarat's threats to the Argus Canal, diplomats said this morning.

The closed-door meeting, set for later this weekend, was requested by the Strategos and other senior Alteran officials, they said.

Meeting in an undisclosed location, the senior leaders of the Eastern Coalition of Independent States (ECIS) will discuss the growing escalation in tensions between Athara Magarat and the Argus Canal Authority.

It is not known if representatives from Athara Magarat will be present.

Tensions have arisen following a failed coup and rising reports of violence across Athara Magarat.

Reports indicate that in the wake of the failed uprising, opposition leaders have fled to the south of the Argus Canal district, seeking protection from persecution.

Before leaving for the meeting, Q'Long released a statement to the media:

"Whilst we, of course, condone any sort of violence or threats to destabilise governments in Athara Magarat, we must equally respect that the same respect is extended to other Argus nations.

"We implore leaders in the Canal District to assist Athara Magarat in bringing those accountable to justice.

"Equally, we reassert to Athara Magarat our right to protect international sovereignty over the Canal, as well as Alteran assets, citizens and civilians living in the district.

"We will protect those if necessary, but implore all parties to resolve this situation without an escalation of arms"

Despite the message of not wishing for an escalation of arms, numerous eye-witnesses state there is an 'unusual buzz of activity' within Alteran military bases, including those closest to the Argus Canal District border.

Whilst military officials could not comment on the precise nature of military activities, several sources state that the military has the habit of 'preparing for all eventualities'.

According to reports from the Alteran United Services Institute (AUSI) think tank if military action were to be considered, the occupation of the Northern District of the Argus Canal would be 'on the table'.

AUSI speculate that if military action were to be taken, it would see a 'rapid, but organised dash' to secure assets north of the canal and set up defensive positions - much like the actions taken in the early weeks of the Imperial War.

Although any actions taken would not likely have the aim of 'capturing' assets, but merely prevent them from falling into 'occupied hands' as this disrupts economic activity in the territory and within Altera.

Even though AUSI have studied possible conflicts within the Canal District, the think-tank stresses any activity is 'speculated' and all conclusions are part of a 'multi-eventuality thought experiment'.

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[Magtel]

4th of April, 2020

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Imperial 'Super-Sub' rumoured to have smuggled Imperial Magarati officials to Magtel at the end of the Imperial War discovered at the bottom of the ocean 10 miles off the coast of Lluvia Island, Magtel

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By Hortensia de la Cruz, for Eldiarioonline.mag

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A missing Imperial Magarati submarine said to have taken defeated Imperial Magarati to the northern most island in Magtel has been discovered after nearly 77 years. The submarine, Red Blossom had been one of the titular submarines deployed by the infamous Yellow Dragon Fleet during the Imperial War and one of the fist designed to sail submerged for prolonged periods of time, with a range capable of reaching Magtel without interruptions. The submarine was thought to have been sunk by the Free Powers during the liberation of Brulafi in 1943, but the inability to find any wreckage fuelled rumours that it had escaped.

A common conspiracy theory surrounding the Red Blossom was that it had transported Magarati war criminals, among them General Madan Kusunda to Magtel, a theory that was mostly based in the similar naming of the Empire of Magarati and the Grand Duchy of Magtel and that the name Red Blossom could be associated with the national flower of Magtel, the rose.

However, with this most recent discovery of the submarine wreckage, the theory has gained newfound popularity sparking debate among the citizens of Agua del Norte, the nearest Magtelan city to the wreckage. Ferran Peron, mayor of Agua del Norte had this to say about the conspiracy theory:
"Look, its no secret our nation took in a lot of refugees from the Imperial War back in the day, but to suggest we'd harbour an internationally wanted men doesn't really fit our national spirit of international cooperation and neutrality". When pressed on the matter of General Madan Kusunda specifically, mayor Peron added "I'm sure our nation's military developments in the post war period were just a coincidence, its not like our government would ship in Kusunda over here to provide guidance or something, that's preposterous".

Join in on the conversation, using our hashtag #eldiario on Twitter, or commenting on our Facebook page.

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[San Montagna]

San Montagna News Network
April 7th 2020
Sabazio, San Montagna

San Montagna condemns Magariti Ultimatum

Prime Minister Giorgio Cavallo issued a statement condemning the Athara Magariti ultimatum given to the Central Canal Authority asking them to hand over Khumbuwani Rebels.

Khumbuwani Refugees first entered the Central Canal Authority following the Athara Magariti governments recapture of Khumbuwan, which was facilitated by infighting within the different clans of Kumbuwan following the death of rebellion leader Thebe Kulung Hang. While the Magariti government has been eager to take back the refugees, the Canal decided to continue granting asylum to the Khumbuwani. An enraged Athara Magarat issued an ultimatum to the CCA warning them that they will take drastic measures to enforce repatriation.

San Montagna has made it clear that it does not support the steps taken by Athara Magarat, with Prime Minister Giorgio Cavallo referring to the ultimatum as basically as "essentially just warmongering at this point". Cavallo, who has been openly critical of how Athara Magarat conducted themselves during the rebellion, commented further stating that the Khumbuwani are in need of Asylum. "It is unreasonable to allow refugees back into a country which we have reasons to believe had no problems with using sarin gas on its own people," Stated Cavallo " as we can't say for sure what they have in store for them. However, it looks grim for these Khumbuwani refugees as Athara Magarat has taken it upon themselves to issue a very concerning ultimatum, which is too vague too imply that its drastic measures won't cause more tentions and hostility. We implore Athara Magarat to back down from its ultimatum and resolve things peacefully." The San Montagnan government stated that it would monitor the situation and react accordingly.

[Noronica]

^-INTERNATIONAL_-
CRAWFORD: 'REBEL FACTION CAUSED THE SARIN ATTACK IN ATHARA MAGARAT'

Angela McSechlan | Saltire Media

Published 8 April 2020

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NEW LIBANG - It seems that after a month of deliberation, the situation in Athara Magarat is beginning to churn once more. The central government of Athara Magarat, led by the newly-elected Rhula Hangma after the curious death of Jrm Hangma, has issued an ultimatum to the Central Canal Authority demanding that the leaders of the attempted rebellion in the north-east of the country be returned forthwith to Athara Magarat. It is hard to avoid noticing that the situation is ramping up, as Magarati officials move to and from government offices in the capital chatting animatedly about the Canal.

It was the death of Jrm Hangma that helped spark a short power struggle in Athara Magarat between two rivals, Thebe Kulung Hang and Rhula Hangma. When Rhula Hangma was elected the head of government, Thebe Kulung Hang vented his anger in parliament at his rival gaining power and tried to delegitimise the newly democratically-elected government through conspiracy. A rebellion soon followed as Thebe Kulung Hang attempted to forcefully break his hangate away from the federation.

While initially successful, the unpopular rebellion was swiftly put at ease by the legitimate government of Athara Magarat to restore order and peace. Matters worsened when the chemical agent sarin was used in an attack and 80 people were killed. The remnants of the Khumbuwani Rebels swiftly left the country then, seeking refuge away from justice in the Central Canal. Countries after the attack and recently have blamed the central government for the chemical attack, but in a joint-statement Noronnican State Directors of Foreign Affairs and Defence Logan Crawford and Martyn Greyhound calls these accusations 'reckless'.

With tensions escalating in Athara Magarat and North Argus, the two State Directors held a press release to provide Noronica's input to a situation regarding its oldest ally. Both covered the matter extensively, but Martyn Greyhound made his point repeatedly, "What we have to remember here is that Athara Magarat after the First Imperial War was carefully restricted in its inventory of arms to ensure that there was never a repeat of the war. This means that weapons of mass destruction such as chemical agents are in that list of restrictions also. Nations of the old Free Powers, including Noronica, have spent decades monitoring Athara Magarat's military capability and can say that for every year of inspection the nation has been open, honest and has always been cooperative. With the nation's military budget also, it would be highly unlikely that such weapons could be easily procured. These accusations come from nations that maintain stronger militaries, looking to weaken this peaceful and lawful nation. I would not be surprised if the rebels had been nudged by foreign agents looking to sow discontent."

Logan Crawford made it quite clear that it was not the central government that caused the strikes, but other groups of dissidents. "With every revolution, there are factions and zealots. From the evidence provided by authorities, it seems clear that what this attack was, was the infighting between factions of the Khumbuwani Rebellion who sought to seize power for themselves while taking down Thebe Kulung Hang. Factionalism is a dangerous matter, and the reason why our government favours harmony within politics, as groups such as these scramble to fight over who is boss. I am quite certain that rebels procured the chemical agent sarin through the black market and used it to eliminate their rival and try to delegitimise the central government."

He finished the conference with this, "Both the ruthless killers and leaderless dissidents now try to seek safe haven in the Central Canal, and so we as a government stand resolute behind our oldest ally Athara Magarat and its ultimatum. To the Central Canal Authority, do not attempt to play politics here and give ordinary Magarati citizens justice and extradite these murderers."

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[Alteran Republics]

Central Canal Crisis:
A.A.D.F. initiates no-fly zone

Geraldine S'Long | Alteran News Network
April 9th, 2020

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Plans for a possible no-fly zone over the Central Canal District were put into action this morning, with Alteran Air Defence Force aircraft seen leaving from airbases across the country.

The both the Council for Defence and Council for Foreign Affairs are drafting a resolution for an air exclusion zone, which is due to be presented to ECIS [Eastern Coalition of Independent States] defence ministers on Friday.

Athara Magarat government forces, which are poised to invade the canal district, are threatening key Alteran investments in the region.

The Athara threat of invasion comes after the government in the Central Canal District failed to extradite known terrorists to the country.

Whilst the Curia does not oppose the universal condemnation of the deadly sarin attacks against Athara Magarat, they are concerned that the nation would use this crisis as an excuse to seize control of the whole canal district.

Alteran Confederacy Praetor for Defence Marcelo Q'Long said Altera was working "with partners on a contingency basis on elements of a resolution on a no-fly zone".

But he said Noronican and international support would be crucial, and there would need to be a clear trigger - most likely a sharp worsening of conditions for civilians.

Mr Q'Long also said the move needed the legal backing of ECIS support.

He also stressed the need for ECIS authorisation for any no-fly zone.

"I can't imagine the international community and the E.C.I.S. would stand idly by as the government in the C.C.D. [Central Canal District] and their continued to attack our international partners," he said.

"Equally, we cannot stand idly by whilst there is a genuine threat to commercial aviation and international commerce through the canal district.

"The planned no-fly zone, to be operated by a mixture of Alteran Air and Maritime Defence Forces, will extend from the Alteran border to - and including - the Central Argus Canal.

"Any incursions or penetrations of this zone by any unauthorized forces will be intercepted and guided to the nearest airbase or escorted out of the no-fly zone."

Deputy Strategos Jacob Harrison said the Curia and C.F.D. had prepared several military options for Strategos Ryansan.

"I think at this point there is a sense that any action should be the result of an international sanction before anything is done," he added.

Correspondents state that whilst A.A.D.F. aircraft have been seen scrambling from airbases across Altera, there has also been a build-up of A.G.D.F. [Alteran Ground Defence Force] along the Alteran-Canal District border.

As the threat of invasion from Athara Magarat continues, the Curia has issued further instructions to Alteran citizens and civilians living in the Central Canal District.

Official advice is advising both Alterans commuting or living within the Canal District to 'carry on as normal' but to 'be prepared to get to a safe location at a moments notice'.

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[Magtel]

9th of April, 2020

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President Gustavo Rodolfo urges de-escalation amid rising tensions in the Argus Canal region

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Rúben Larcón, Political Correspondent.

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Magtelan President Gustavo Rodolfo this morning called on "all parties to exercise utmost restraint" as tensions continue to rise in the Argus Canal Region.

The president issued a public statement saying there was "an urgent need for de-escalation" and that "the current cycle of violence in Khumbuwan must end."

Earlier this week, the central government of Athara Magarat led by the newly-elected Rhula Hangma issued an ultimatum to the Central Canal Authority to stop providing asylum to refugees who fled the Khumbuwan region after a failed coup that was cut short last December after a missile carrying Sarin Gas struck the city of Khotehang, the regional capital, killing an estimate of 80 people.

The Magarati ultimatum warned the Canal Authorities that they were prepared to take drastic measures to force the repatriation of the Khumbuwani emigrates should they fail to comply, sparking reactions from governments across the Western Isles.

Among the foreign governments to take action during this crisis, the Alteran Confederacy has mobilised its air force to establish a 'no-fly zone' to defend Alteran assests in the Argus Canal region from a threatened Magarati invasion.

President Rodolfo has expressed on behalf of his administration "deep concerns for the negative consequences the outbreak of an international conflict could have for the region" further adding "Rhula Hangma's administration's ultimatum is clearly extremely concerning".

"It is in everyone's interest that this crisis does not escalate into open warfare. The Sarin gas attack last December should be the tragic end of this crisis, not the spark that ignites even more tragedy" said the Magtelan leader.

President Rodolfo has also brought forward the idea of a meeting of all parties involved on neutral ground, suggesting either the International District or the Magtelan capital Benevolencia as locations for such a meeting amid the current, fast-developing situation, hoping that it is not too late for a peaceful resolution.

While the Grand Duchy of Magtel is committed to its policy of 'armed neutrality', the Benevolencia based humanitarian organisation the 'Foreign Volunteer Corp.' has stated that they are monitoring the situation at the Argus Canal very closely, with a spokesperson for the FVC stating "we have already begun constructing plans for helping the populace of the region should open conflict erupt there" adding "its always the common people who pay for conflicts like these, we already saw that with the gas attack last December".

Join in on the conversation, using our hashtag #eldiario on Twitter, or commenting on our Facebook page.

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[Northern Scandinavian Islands]

Due to the recent events in the Central Canal, all Skandlandian vessels are ordered to stay outside the Central Canal Authority. Those already inside are advised to leave as soon as possible, this is done to limit potential damage to the already small commercial flotilla of the U.R.R.S according to a government spokesperson. All Skandlandians in the Central Canal Authority are also advised to report to the Skandlandian Consulate.
The O.O.C.N Third Flotilla with adjunct vessels of the Submarine Corp have been dispatched to nearby international waters in order to escort major Skandlandian vessels out of the potential conflict zone, these vessels are:
Markse Reinen, container ship
Markse Polar, container ship
Markse Reisende, container ship
Markse Victoria, container ship
Markse Charlotte, container ship
Northern Cruise Lines Aurora, cruise liner
Sudkapp Heavy Industries Hjort, Oil Tanker
Sudkapp Heavy Industries Sol, Oil Tanker
The previous ships have been designated as priority returns by the Skandlandian Overseas Operation Command Navy and must follow all orders provided by the O.O.C.N. All evacuation procedures will be done on the Eastern Limit of the Central Canal Authority, foreign vessels are advised to stay a minimum of 12NM away from the O.O.C.N Flotilla at all times unless informed otherwise.
An O.O.C.N Spokesperson early today on a press conference said "This is not an act of aggression, or of warfare. This is only done to protect Skandlandian lives and resources and all the evacuation procedures will strictly follow all laws put in place, we plead to all, help us ease this procedure." The stance of the Alteran Republics and Athara Magarat on the evacuation of Skandlandians from the conflict zone is yet to be seen.


two Ormen Skamme Class Corvettes of the Third Flotilla during a training exercise.

[Orsandia]

The Guangfeng Post

Two years after the war, Orsandia is easing back into a cautious normalcy. But will it hold ?

GUANGFENG (GP)

It has been two years since the conclusion of the Second Orsandian Civil War which saw half of the country destroyed amidst a conflict between the far-left People's Liberation Force and the Orsandian government, aided by loyalist groups and regional allies such as the United Republics, which had left scores dead and millions displaced in a major humanitarian crisis not seen since the first period of political unrest during the late 1970's. With major reforms, economic stimulus, and an aggressive multinational effort towards reconstruction, Orsandia appears to be back on its feet. A sense of normalcy has returned to the once-bustling country, with people about and a quickly recovering economy to boot. Despite initial controversies, Prime Minister Reginald Williamson's Liberal Democrat - Federalist alliance government is soaring in the polls, and the spectre of far-left insurgency is slowly becoming a afterthought of the past. Lihai, the metropolis giant of a city and port-hub that was stricken the worst during the war, has been rebuilt with many of the displaced returning in a somber manner to their war-torn home. Years earlier, Lihai had been the epicentre of the fiercest of the fighting, with even the PLF taking control of the city for months. Though decreased, aid workers and patrolling soldiers alike could still be found roaming about. An eerie calm, but with uneasy issues brewing in the midst. Only time will tell the long-term effects of these post-war efforts.