Septentrion Regional Headlines

[Themiclesia]

November 22nd, 2019

Themiclesian Women's League: Sexism Persists in Air Force

Kien-k'ang • The Themiclesian Women's League says today despite repeated statements to the contrary from the Chief of Air Staff, sexism continues "with little consciousness to the contrary" in the Air Force as far as opportunities, promotions, and salaries are concerned.

According to information presented by "an anonymous source", women of credentials similar to men are promoted less frequently and to "less desirable" positions. This nebulous term, "less desirable" positions, varies from place to place and time to time, but it seems to point towards those where opportunities to contribute positively or conspicuously are less frequent. The League has admitted it is "very challenging to find convincing proof that sexism was afoot," but the Chairwoman believes she has found some.

"We have surveyed the credentials of men and women promoted in the Air Force for the last 50 years, and we can demonstrate that between women and men of equal standing and to equally-perceived positions, women are promoted only 41% as frequently as men. In the space of a year or two, or even five years, this might be an accident. Consistently across 50 years, we are of the opinion it is not. This has been challenging to demonstrate, because overall women are promoted roughly as frequently as men of the same credentials, but the disparity only appears after the position to which women are promoted are taken into account."

Feminist historian Julie Cartier writes to this paper:

The sexism in the Air Force is very different from what you might expect in other branches or other nations' forces. It is not the sort of discrimination that manifests as bellicose machismo and loutish male chauvinism, but a far more subtle, sinister sort. Air Force officers are very respectful towards women, but they have a great reticence to consort with them, to recognize them, and to place them in positions of trust. You will most certainly not find aviators that discriminate against women visibly or audibly. They will not slut-shame or fat-shame, and they even speak out against name-calling. In 2004, when a soldier was revealed to have drawn pornographic images of women on his wall, a thousand airmen signed a petition to remove him from his service for "objectification the female sex". In 2005, the Air Force started a campaign to ban all pornographic material that depict women in a degrading light. Indeed, it has imposed fines on disrespectful language towards women as early as 1958.

However, all these efforts are a sham. In January 1952, the Air Force declared that it would "utterly dismantle all regulatory barriers to service on the grounds of sex." It is the second combat branch to do so, after the Marines in December 1951, who made this astonishing commitment after the House of Lord's decision. The TAF made several pointed references to ensure that the media would receive it in the light of a progressive, female-friendly force. It was very, very successful. In fact, it singled out the Marines as not having done enough to protect the right of women to serve, saying that "an empty promise such as 'respecting women's right to serve' is insufficient to rectify the injustices that the armed forces have all committed in ages past. We seek to be the first to make a genuine, active attempt to become a sex-blind force." This speech, which has stuck in the public imagination, is the Air Force's shield to outside inspection. The fact that air forces internationally tend to be more egaltarian has not helped women gain equal footing in this country's air force, which much of the public assumes to be of a similar disposition as foreign ones.

But to understand the Air Force's closet denigration of women, you have to look beyond its military cloak. You must look at its heart. Indeed, it is so different from other forms of military sexism because it is not military. The Air Force's sexism has nothing to do with its military functions. Let us recall that the Air Force's predecessor was the League of Aviators, which was, in the 1910s, a private, elite, male sports club. The league was made up of all-male clubs. What is little-known is the League of Lady Aviators, which was founded in 1909 and still exists today. This league was was made up of all-female clubs. Thus, in the early days, aviation was already a segregated sport. It is not surprising then when the League of Aviators became the TAF, it naturally was an explicitly-male institution, one which had a female counterpart. Believing that the Air Force was simply the successor to the League, airmen thought that airwomen had their own league, only it was not militarized. Thus, the inclusion of women in the League-cum-Air-Force was seen as an incursion, an unwelcome and unnatural one. 1940s Air Force leadership would have believed that, if women were to fly, they should be formed into their own all-female air force.

Why was this absurd belief held? Once again, the Air Force's past holds the keys. Aviation was an expensive sport, one only middle-class families can afford. Middle-class Themiclesians in the early 1900s accepted gender boundaries in social circles much more strictly than lower-class families. While men and women dined together, they did not socialize with each other. Men had male friends, while female ones were naturally suspected as mistresses; women and female friends, while male ones were thought of as lovers. While working conditions forced lower-class men and women to share social circles, this did not apply to the leisured middle class, which held their sexual segregation as a point of pride, of middle-class morality. This morality contrasted with the perceived depraved hedonism of the upper class and ignorant looseness of the lower. It was the identity of the middle class. The Air Force was, in substance, an outgrowth of the male circle. Today, there are still middle-class clubs that are all-male or all-female, an echo of a departing past; the Air Force is unwilling to say goodbye to their elite roots. The class largely responsible for establishing industrial power in this country, which in the early 20th century that measured personal worth by wealth was a glorious heritage.

For a long time since, the Air Force held itself to be a middle-class force, first and foremost. It was not an upper-class force, like the Gentlemen-at-Arms. It was not a lower-class force, like most of the Army. It did not have bases; it had club-branches. It did not have barracks; it had accomodations. It did not use the word "promotion" but "preferrment". Airmen referred to each other as "sir", which sounds stuck-up in any context. While class-consciousness waned in the 50s, the Air Force's allure as a middle-class institution still gave it an unmistakable air [not intended] of superiority. Yet it is also because this form of sexism is so distant from military necessity that makes it difficult to identify and rectify. In the 70s the Army was criticized for not admitting females to its special forces, while it deflected saying that no female candidate has met its physical standards. When it was shown in court that one female did and was overlooked, the Exchequer of Appeal ordered it to comply. And it did. But in the Air Force this would never happen, as there are simply too few objective standards. It was not as easy to judge whether a pilot was a good pilot, or a mechanic a good mechanic; a lot came down to judgment, and this is where the inborn sexism seeps in.

But being a middle-class force also meant it couldn't go against the government. That was vulgar. There were no ugly rebuttals like the Army proffered, refusing to admit females to small parts of its hierarchy. While the Army was in the hands of the middle class in the 50s, it was more ready to accept reforms than in the 60s, when the officers who grew up in the PSW graduated to steer it. "We saved the country" led them to test the government's patience, and as we know it did not end well the upstarts. The Air Force never suffered from this problem, smoothly sailing past the government's reprehensions as the Army got all the negative attention. A different article will address the problem of class consciousness in the Air Force, where an unnaturally-large portion of officers are from a middle-class background. Furthermore, the image of the middle-class Air Force officer, doffing his hat at a well-dressed lady, so much more palatable to the sight than crude humour from front-line soldiers or sailors, seems to conceal the ugly sexism. Besides, the Air Force had a female chief-of-staff between 1979 and 1982, making it the first branch to have one. Again, this reinforces its image as champion of equality, when the femininity of the chief-of-staff has [expletive] to do with the fact that women under her were not promoted at a fairer rate.

Well done, Air Force. Like the new stealth fighter, you have concealed yourself so well.

[Minilov]

Man builds Babbit Burrow house in Uplaninama

SJEVERNATE, Minilov — Tomas, a 29-year-old Sjevernatan, has built a house that clearly resembles the Babbit Burrow house from the fantasy film Ruler of the Rings. The walls are covered in grass and Tomas lives in a space no bigger than 30m².

"Most people focus on what is above ground, but this is wondrous and magical," says Tomas, who’s been living underground for a year now. "It's a fantastic world with animals and the roots of the trees."

Tomas' home only lacks the Babbit Burrow's triangular door. "I was so fascinated by the book when I was twelve," he says. "It was the first book that really gripped me. I’m attracted to the magical world. I had the idea of building a house then but it didn’t happen. This is a childhood dream that has come true."

"This doesn’t feel like a dark burrow, but a comfy warm place." Tomas' house has an oven, a table, a wardrobe, a double bed and a shower. "We've got everything we need inside apart from the loo that is outside!"

[Themiclesia]

November 22nd, 2000

Case Right Law Reform Receives Royal Assent

Kien-k'ang • In the House of Lords today, the sovereign has given assent to numerous laws, including the Case Law Act, which of late has generated considerable debate in public forum. While the law of torts have so far allowed courts to award damages for physical and mental injuries to the person, the Case Law Act will permit courts to recognize injuries to the person in terms of "personhood, dignity, ethnic origin, cultural practice, and profession".

However, critics, including the Society for the Defence of Free Speech and the Personal Liberty Alliance, have long decried the reform as easily-abused and overbearing. "We are faced with a law that allows the judicial system to recognize a long list of very nebulous interests and award damages on the basis of injuries to them. This is what we mean by 'easily abused'. The law in operation will also practically prevent all critical speech, since a person's dignity is inevitably measured by how society receives him, and this law seeks to prevent society from forming opinions about individuals."

The government's leader in the House of Lords has given a speech supporting the law's purport, describing it as a "necessary and proper" sequal to a "long history of improvements in the defence of the person against abuse."

"Centuries ago, our ancestors did not know that a human being is far more than a collection of flesh and bones, and so they recognize only offences to the flesh and bones, the physical body of a person. When we became a civilized state, we recognized that, in a functional society, a person's reputation must be defended against defamation, and so we adopted laws which forbid the disruption of a person's reputation on the basis of falsehoods. In 1949, we have come to recognize mental health as much as physical health, and therefore we forbid abuses to the individual which damage mental health. Today, we recognize still more, higher interests of the person, not only in the eyes of society, but to protect him against abuses which injure his mental state. This law we enact because we believe a person has the right to be deemed an individual of worth and to have and profess his identity and skill, without interference from others."

"This law is a natural progression because we have now come to understand what a human being is differently from ancient people." The Chancellor said before the House. "In more primitive times, the law recognized only a limited range of interests. It is not the intention of the government to revert to those times, when abuses pour through gross, gaping loopholes in the law."

"Let there be as well no confusion of any kind," the Chancellor also said, "these interests the law seeks to protect are not created by legislators. They are as real as flesh and bone and deserve to be protected as much. They compose of the complete human being as much as flesh and bone."

"The law is admittedly exceptionally broad," television commentator M. Kaw said to this paper. "While it is the fundamental attribute of a human being to be unique, which is what the law means by the word 'individual', it is not clear what constitutes a breach of this interest. Modern society very much relies on standardization to be efficient, e.g. it is not possible for clothing to be precisely made to a person's exact height, unless it is manually tailored. I should hope the operation of the law will not destroy cheap, machine-manufactured clothing."

"I think Mr. Kaw is under some misconception," another correspondent telegraphed us. "The interest of individuality would only become relevant is something prevents another from being recognized as an individual. I would raise the example that school uniforms will not be in breach of this interest, since students can still be recognized individually from their faces. The mandatory wearing of masks that dehumanize individuals, instead, will be prevented."

It has been noted by other authorities that no criminal law counterpart to this development has been discussed yet in parliament.

"This law allows courts to award damages for offences to these personal interests, but what will happen to the perpetrator other than paying money? As far as the law suggests, nothing at all. It is not a crime to offend these interests, so as much as you are able and willing to pay damages, you can continue to contravene them. This is an area the government has yet to work on."

Other groups, such as the aforementioned Personal Liberty Alliance, dispute the necessity of such a legislation. "We are of the opinion that criminalization of insults is not necessary. It is natural that penal law protects only a more limited range of interests, as they tend to breach the public peace. Not all violations of interests are of this character, e.g. it is not a criminal offence to default on debt, unless it is intended. These interests do not harm the public directly and are best dealt with as civil actions."

"Moreover, Themiclesia has already one of the most draconian incitement law regimes in the world. It is a criminal offence knowingly to incite a criminal offence."

[Minilov]

More Minilovans suffer workplace stress

MALJUBAV, Minilov — Workplace stress reaches historic high in Minilov. The number of workable jobs now below 50 percent. A study by the ministry of health has revealed that over 1 in 2 employees are battling stress levels deemed problematic. The figure has never been higher, and has a big impact, the study says: the balance between work and private life comes under pressure, while workplace stress spoils the working day.

The ministry conducts this kind of research every other year, taking soundings from white- and blue-collar workers. Are they enjoying their job, do they get the chance to learn, are they able to combine their work with their family life, or how frequently do they get ill or mentally stressed? The research involved 5.000 workers. "In 2013 we had 55 percent workable jobs, now this figure has dipped to just below 50 percent", says health minister Mrs Heather Vrijeme. "Our goal to reach a figure of 60 percent by 2020 is far from being reached."

The main cause of the negative trend is a surge in the number of complaints related to workplace stress. "In 6 years' time, the number has climbed from about a quarter to more than one third", says Vrijeme. 37 percent of the employees are voicing this particular complaint. The education sector is worst off with 46 percent, but the care sector and food industry are also scoring below par with almost 40 percent. The Miher-government increased to retirement age with two years to 67. But if this is the case, work should become more workable, unions say.

[Minilov]

Teenage binge drinking remains problematic

MALJUBAV, Minilov — A study by the health ministry funds reveals that problematic alcohol abuse among youngsters. The number of teenagers between 12-17 that ended up in hospital as a result of excessive alcohol consumption, hardly dropped over the past years. On average, 6 teenagers ended up in hospital each day last year. The total number was at 2.234 last year and applies to those aged 12-17. The figure has hardly changed over the past 10 years. In neighbouring nations this number is 3 times lower.

The youngest category of 12- and 13-year-olds even saw a slight increase. "The figures give rise to concern", says health minister Heather Vrijeme. "This can have grave consequences for these teenagers both in the short and the long term. It is also disturbing that they can get hold of alcohol so easily, while they don't realise the consequences."

The alcohol abuse is as big a problem among boys as among girls. "But girls need less alcohol to become intoxicated. They get into trouble more easily." The figures are highest in Domora province, where the rate is double as high as for Rekaušće province.

[Themiclesia]

OPPOSITION ANTICS CONTINUE
PARLIAMENT DISSOLVED
GENERAL ELECTION ON DECEMBER 20

KIEN-KANG • After the Conservative Party has successfully torpedoed the last two coalition governments, with the result that most people in Themiclesia now think of elections as an annual nuisance, activity is afoot at Conservative HQ to deny the country the unity it so long deserves, after nine successive minority governments.

"It is really very disgraceful," a former worker at Conservative HQ says to this paper, "the Party machine has hired private investigators on several topics—the Prime Minister amongst other Cabinet ministers—and intends to reveal a cache of questionable information on them very close to election day."

While it is not in our habit to speculate, it hardly seems possible to interpret this as anything other than character assassination. This is especially apparent since the investigations are not conducted by reporters, who look out for politicians' electoral promises, but by detectives whose job it is to find past dirt. For the sake of outing the truth, this worker who wishes not to be named for fear of Conservative retaliation, which surely will be forthcoming given the great number of detectives at their disposal, has been dismissed by the Party.

[Themiclesia]

December 14, 2019

Wing Commander Indicted for Influencing Vote

Kien-k'ang • The Attorney-General for the Air Force today announced that he has obtained an indictment before a grand jury on Wing Commander Hwim, on a charge of abuse of authority and political activity. Allegedly, he very poignantly lamented the waning of the right wing in Themiclesian politics, in a discussion about the upcoming general election.

Hwim's message indicated by the indictment is reproduced as follows:

"The culture of the forces makes us all collectivists, and I think that is neither avoidable nor to be avoided. We all deeply depend on each other, even the other forces. Yet, translated into voting patterns, it's quite clear this also resolves as an inclination to the left. Exit polls since 1977 prove this. As Air Force voters, let's break with tradition this year!"

If Hwim is found guilty, under the Common Penal Code and Air Force Offences Act his faces imprisonment for up to eight years.

"I feel deeply bewildered by the wing commander's actions," the Attorney-General said in a press conference, "the impropriety of what he said should not have been difficult to see for a person of his standing and level of education."

"Regardless of any personal sentiment for a fellow member of the Air Force," he also emphasized, "our laws do not permit discretion in allegations of this sort. If we found criminal evidence, and I believe we have, we must seek an indictment before a grand jury of airmen. It is regrettable that the grand jury has accepted the evidence we presented."

Themiclesian law criminalizes the abuse of authority by both military officers and others "in a position of authority, explicit or implied". Amongst what is explicitly prohibited is the use of authority to alter the way enfranchised individuals cast their votes.

"From a political perspective, the underlying principle of elections is that everyone enfranchised has one vote of equal weight, no more and no fewer," Dr. Rem, a professor in politics spoke to us today, "if figures of authority can use authority to influence how others vote, then this underlying principle has been broken. In an election, we are all under the same franchise; high or low, rich or poor, powerful or powerless, we must all be the same."

The law not only criminalizes an illicit outcome, where a vote has been cast due to the influence of a figure in authority, but the act of influencing too, in se.

"As it is difficult to determine what effects an illicit use of authority has on the enfranchised mind," Dr. Rem points out, "legislators have criminalized the very act of using influence, regardless whether it produces a noticeable result."

Furthermore, authority is defined rather broadly by the penal code. A person has authority over another if it is possible for him to impose a significant consequence in a sanctioned way. This relationship includes that between employer and employee, teacher and student, and of course military commander and their charge. In the armed forces, where a higher rank automatically denotes more power, it is also accepted as a form of authority, even in the absence of a chain-of-command (click the link to find out what this phrase means).

"If a person can impose a significant consequence in a non-sanctioned way, this is what we call violence." Dr. Rem says, "Unlike what a lot of people think, violence need not involve physical contact, but only the compulsion of others to act in a way not legally required. In the armed forces, it is easy to impose violence, and it is easier to abuse authority."

"Let's not be too hasty here," Progressive MP Mr. Nrop said to us, "I trust Air Force people aren't as simple-minded as some would like to think. We should first assume they are above influence such as this before we seek to punish the source of the influence."

"Wing Commander Hwim has been known as a right-wing crank," Mrs. Drak, the wife of Marshal Drak of the Air Force, wrote us yesterday. "He would not cease speaking about the ills of socialism in dinner parties. Truly, he has been checked off the invitation list of all Air Force officers' spouses, unless he bind himself first to a solemn vow of silence."

"I would second Mrs. Drak's statements," Kelly Trap J. of the Supreme Court told us, "this man wants to abolish the nationalization of railways and public road transport because he thinks the bus lanes make traffic, and his Gerraris in it, slow. Under his Air Force standards all road traffic is bound to be slow, so why complain?"

[Minilov]

48-hour rail strike starts on Thursday

MALJUBAV, Minilov — Two of the union’s that represent staff that work for the Minilovan Rail Company have called a 48-hour rail strike for 19 and 20 December. Negations to avert the strike broke down on earlier this week.

The Socialist Trade Union (MSU) and the Orthodox Trade Union (MOTU) are not satisfied with what MRail is proposing as a pay and conditions package for the next two years. Both unions are demanding an annual 2% pay increase in the period between 2020 and 2022 and the recruitment of additional permanent staff.

Furthermore, the unions want a reduction in the pay differentials between blue collar rail workers and white collar rail staff and the maintenance a 36-hour week. However, the MRail CEO Sofia Roštilj intends to introduce a 38-hour week, something that is rejected by the orthodox and socialist trades unions.

As things stand the Liberal Trades Union has not said whether it will join the strike. The strike will start at 22h on Wednesday 18 December and last until 22h on the evening of Friday 19 December.

[Themiclesia]

December 14, 2019

History Now
How the Monarchy Was Saved Amidst Ascendant Republicans

This is a stock image related to the Themiclesian armed forces.

“Gentlemen, I beg your leave to advise vociferous republicans to keep to the cloakroom or smoking-room,” a half-joking voice crackled through the densely-populated hall with the assistance of a microphone. “The Emperor presently approaches this chamber.”

The occasion was the 1901 year-end dinner party of the Marines’ officers. The man delivering this statement was the Treasurer of the force, then regarded by popular assent as the highest-ranking officer and the predecessor of the modern Captain-General. Emperor Goi had been arranged to visit this party, amidst a fairly packed schedule, and to give assent to the honours list that the Secretary of State for the Navy had proposed for the Marines. The Home Secretary was invited for this purpose, since a different minister had to be witness to the granting of assent. With the Emperor came several other high-ranking personages, such as lords in waiting, junior ministers, and MPs. A canopy had been purchased for the occasion and erected in the hall. It was a rare occasion for the Marines, and everyone knew it.

The wine was flowing, but the toast had already been agreed upon, to a lowly-taxed budget to which the emperor might have the good fortune to assent. There were a few round tables set up, but the chairs were more or less scattered through the room, as the attendees dragged them for conversations’ sake. Gradually some of the officers left the hall, whether to the cloakroom or smoking-room we cannot know.

The first herald to announce the sovereign’s arrival was the Capital Marshal. He was followed closely by the Gentlemen-at-Arms, then composed of the sons of the aristocracy who held spears and maces for the throne. They filed into the room and lined the canopy. Then Lord Krai-tek, lord in waiting and a leading member of the House of Lords, came knocking.
“Gentlemen, the Emperor.” The Treasurer announced.

Those present suspended their conversation, tidied their uniforms, and rested their wineglasses. Emperor Goi, then sixty-something, walked into the chamber followed by the tribunes, other lords and gentlemen in waiting, and an entourage of other officials. The Marines officers silently reached and removed their hats and bowed to the emperor, as he paced pass them. Around 1900, it was still considered criminal to make sudden movements in the imperial presence, so nobody should have done that.

The emperor’s hand was held by the Lord of Nrin-dak, who helped him enter the canopy and be seated in the cushioned chair in it. At length, the Navy Secretary waded through the assemblage of officers standing before the makeshift throne. The levity had all dissolved by the heavy state of the imperial presence. The Navy Secretary bowed to the emperor, who stood and removed his hat in response, before resuming it and sitting down.

“Your Majesty,” he began pulling out a carefully-written list of names, “these individuals listed here have performed exceptionally in Naval Service, with their names and a short description of the conditions which have moved us, your ministers, to commend them in the way herein noted, under relevant laws. If it please Your Majesty, we crave Your Majesty’s most gracious assent to the foregoing.”

He then handed the scroll to the Lord of Nrin-dak, who walked up the dais that housed the emperor and briefly spoke to him. The emperor’s response here is immaterial—whatever he says the Lord of Nrin-dak will come forth to proclaim his assent to the Navy Secretary. After all, the medals already minted and sashes woven are not to be wasted.

The Lord of Nrin-dak’s role here is telling. As a leading member of the House of Lords, his participation, which arguably is more important than the Emperor’s, was thought to symbolize endorsement by the aristocracy, not out of the emperor’s personal whim. The Navy Secretary’s and MPs’ involvement naturally indicated the assent of the House of Commons. This practice is ancient, representing the sharing of powers between monarch, aristocracy, and the common people.

Just as it happened, the tray of medals and sashes was brought out, and the awarded officers stepped to the front and formed a line. No ordering was necessary here, as the medals awarded were the same—the Outstanding Service Medal—the only medal applicable to them. Themiclesia was still in the medal-poor pre-war era. The Lord of Nrin-drak and the Navy Secretary handed each awarded officer his medal and sash.

“Thank you, milord,” the said to the Lord of Nrin-dak.

“Thank you for your kindness, sir,” they said to the Navy Secretary.

“Long live the emperor,” the said, after receiving the award…

That is, until they came to Captain Bit. He expressed gratitude to Nrin-dak and the Navy Secretary but refused to wish the emperor ten-thousand years to reign.

“Come on, Bit, please don’t do this.” The officer next to him nudged.

“What? Why should I have to pick between the cloakroom and receiving a medal?” He awkwardly replied. Voices before the throne should always be soft, but the emperor was within earshot.

“Please say it.” The Navy Secretary urged. “You’ve said it for the two of us, and you should have the same to say for the third component of our political system.”

“I refuse to say something I have no compulsion to say.” Bit repeated, though with a calmer voice. “The Emperor may reign for however many years, and I utterly care not.”

“Bit, you’re embarrassing us all.” His superior said from across the room, “Save your views for the column you write. You’re putting the Lord of Nrin-dak and the Navy Secretary in an impossible position.”

“If I can express them on a column, then why not here?” He replied, not turning away from the two award-givers.

“What’s so difficult about showing some gratitude to the head of state when he has just granted a medal you receive?”

“Because I don’t think this country should be run by a monarch.”

His superior, Major Kap, buried his face in his hands. At length, he started again.

“If you don’t think this country should be run by a monarch, perhaps you might also consider resigning the commission issued by one?”

“What has that to do with this? The commission wasn’t issued with a proviso that I must like the monarchy or wish the incumbent an improbable number of years, or indeed any number of them, on the throne.” Bit was becoming agitated.

“I would suggest—”

“Thank you.” The Navy Secretary said, stopping further effort to procure the refused salutation.

“Maybe Captain Bit would leave the hall, now that he has his medal?” The Treasurer spoke up, being formally the chairman of this meeting.

“No, Mr. Treasurer, I have an invitation to be here you issued.”

At this point, the tribunes had been consulted. Before the imperial presence, it was an offence as well to use force without permission, and that permission was granted by the Tribunes, a college of jurists in service to the throne. Their considered opinion was that nothing illegal has happened, so Captain Bit couldn’t be ordered to leave the hall on the grounds of violating the law.

The Navy Secretary went off the speak with the emperor. If it were not for Nrin-dak, we would never have heard of the emperor’s reply.

“In my view, and you, sirs, are to advise me otherwise if you feel so bound, the sovereign is an office constituted by mutual assent and for the common good. I think it not so offensive to republicans as they sometimes think. If [Bit] has done lawfully and outstandingly, then I think it legally sound he ought to receive a medal, whatever his opinions on the crown.”

Arguably, Emperor Goi’s statements have served to quell republicanism in Themiclesia, which was quite rife in the late 19th century. That phenomenon had to do with his predecessor, Emperor Mjen, who was very inquisitive on the government, questioning the legal soundness of its policies. While Mjen never dismissed a minister for his policies or refused to assent to laws, his (conscious) use of imperial influence was hated by republicans and widely criticized. Yet Goi behaved in a completely different way—quiescent, pliant, and nonchalant.

In his broad-mindedness, he actually distanced the monarch from public business, thus leaving all the blame to his ministers. Whenever his opinions were sought, he always measured them to be more forgiving, more liberal than his ministers were willing to grant. Compared to the increasingly-aggressive republican rhetoric that alienated the general public, the monarchy was ironically portrayed as open and accommodating. And this might have been enough to save the monarchy, in the long run, especially in view of the condemned conduct of the aristocracy before the PSW.

[Husseinarti]

Early in the morning today, Emperor Napoleon VII gave the official green-light to the Sieuxerrian Armed Forces and to his AVA allies to begin deployments into Hemithea and Meridia in the following weeks. This comes to light as tensions between AVA and Menghe over the sovereignty status of the Republic of Isla Diamante rise as both Sylva and Sieuxerr seriously protested the previous agreements signed in 2015 following the Innominadan Crisis. The treaty had outlined that the Republic of Isla Diamante would exist as a sovereign for a period of fives years, when it would then be adsorbed over to the Republic of Innominada. However immediately following the signing of the treaty in early 2016 problems began to arise as AVA military bases were slowly expanded in side and capacity, along with this, naval patrols from AVA bases in Meridia also increased with the stated purpose of enforcing Isla Diamante's territorial waters against piracy and "attempts to delegitimize its government", however these patrols also began to intercept and closely follow Menghean warships of various kinds, including at one time Sieuxerrian nuclear attack submarines taking pictures of Menghean carriers at sea (Which according to inside sources in Menghe, the carrier's escort ships did not detect any enemy submarine in the area) and posting them online to their respective social media accounts.

Along with this, various air violations of Isla Diamante's airspace, along with AVA violations of the Republic of Innominada's air space have been very common since 2016. This also famously came to a near-breaking point when a Menghean patrol aircraft was struck by a Sieuxerrian Rafale international airspace as the Rafale flew close to the patrol craft, possibly attempting to force it away from the Sieuxerrian ships is was following. The pilot of the Rafale and the crew of the Menghean patrol aircraft were killed in the accident and both sides since then have shown more caution in interceptions. There also are large numbers of Menghean artillery units that sit within their effective range of Isla Diamante, which mostly consist of rocket and missile forces able to conduct pinpoint strikes against the AVA bases on the island.

Lastly, Sylva and Sieuxerr complained of an insurgency backed on the island by Menghe and the Republic of Innominada. AVA intelligence agencies claim that explosives, money, weapons and even advisors have been moved into the nation as the ethnically diverse population occasionally bomb and shoot at various government and military compounds. Both the RoI and Menghe reject these claims and instead point to the differences in the ethnicities between the pro-AVA government and the pro-Menghe civilian population.

This series of events led to the AVA ignoring the deadline and instead have the island sign a number of new trade and defense treaties with them. The treaties over defense outlined the authorization of more AVA troops in Isla Diamante even tho that would be against the previous treaty in 2015 signed between AVA and Menghe. These units did not get the official nod of approval until today. The majority of units suspected to leave for Isla Diamante will be of air and coastal defense units, as there already a small but well equipped ground force comprised of Sylvan and Sieuxerrian troops. Along with this, more aircraft will be stationed in Portcullia, Maracaibo, and the island itself. A destroyer division is also said to be preparing for a deployment as the navy also begins to hasten the refit of its other ships to prepare them for a possible conflict.

In all, its suspected to be thousands of Sylvan and Sieuxerrian troops to be deployed in the next few months. How exactly Menghe will respond to this is unsure, but expert opinions point to an other negative outcome, as there seems to be a possible power vacuum forming as Menghe's leader supposedly falls ill.

[Themiclesia]

December 17, 2019

Minister of Education makes dubious oath before Supreme Court: campaign will be truthful

"Today," he proclaimed emphatically before the press corps at the threshold of the Supreme Court, "I have made oath before Puisne Justice Kam that all statements I make from today until polling day will be true, and further more I shall be willing to show it before a court of law."

He is the first politician in Themiclesia to take this measure to defend his reputation against relentless rhetoric from his Conservative opponents.

"And as we all know, breaking a judicial promise constitutes perjury in this country, for which penalty is six years in prison. I stake my political career on the truthfulness of this campaign, and I call upon my opponents to do the same," he said.

"I think politics has of late become a circus of bigger, juicier falsehoods. At the expense of fighting their lies with lies of my own, I wish to prevent further degeneration into the vice of half-truths and manipulative headlines."

However, the Capital Correspondent casts doubt on the validity of the promise he made before Kam J. today.

"You can go to court and make oath that something already happened is true," James Tsit, our judicial commentator revealed, "but you cannot promise that something in the future is true. That would be a legally-ineffective oath, because the rationale for punishing perjury is speaking falsely. The future is neither true nor false, so it is not possible to invoke the penalty for perjury in future promises."

"You can make oath to surrender a legal right." Tsit further commented. "By this you effectively promise not to exercise that right in the future, and this you can do because you currently have that right. If you later change your mind about this right, your oath can be held against you. But this is about all that you can hold for the future in a legally-binding way."
Questions have arisen over the actions of Kam J. in this matter, if his acceptance of the oath translates to an endorsement of the campaign's truthfulness.

"We think it is not," Dr. Krjem says, "Kam J. will certainly be bewildered to hear this oath, but it is not currently his job to decide whether this oath is valid or not. It will be if the oath is later contested, though. Just as he has no power to prevent an oath taken before him, his acceptance of the oath is not to be understood as a guarantee the oath is effective."

"Nevertheless," he also said, "I think it is not proper for the Minister to levy juridical reputation in this way to bolster his own campaign. He has sworn an empty oath before the court purely to woo the public with a flourish of truth and honesty. It is not illegal for him to swear it or Kam J. to accept it, but neither is it illegal for me point out his dishonesty and reprehensible behaviour."

[The Soodean Imperium]

中央日報 중앙일보
Jung'ang Ilbo

Look to the facts when seeking the truth

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AVA Escalates Troop Presence in South Menghe Sea Region

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Son Yŏng-sik; 2019 / 12 / 18

Donggyŏng -- Tensions in the South Menghe Sea continue to escalate after Isla Diamante's government doubled down on its refusal to pursue unification with the Innominadan mainland. Responsible members of the international community have condemned this obstructionism, which is in flagrant violation of the 2014 peace agreement on the island's temporary autonomous status. In a sharply worded statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated Menghe's position that Isla Diamante should unify with Argentstan, which inherited the Republic of Innominada's claim to the island following its secession last year. Reunification with Argentstan still enjoys broad support among Isla Diamante's majority-Argentan population, as evidenced by the recent campaign of revolutionary-insurgent attacks on the police forces and infrastructure of the discriminatory Creole-led government.

In spite of the clear illegality of its actions, Isla Diamante has received firm military support from the members of the Able Vigil Accords. AVA member states, led by Sieuxerr, have escalated their troop presence in bases circling the South Menghe Sea, deploying warships to Northern Meridia and thousands of troops to Isla Diamante itself. AVA air and sea forces have also behaved aggressively against Namhae Front forces protecting the sovereignty of Menghe and Argentstan. Earlier today, Altagracian coast guard vessels intruded into disputed territorial waters and confronted the Menghean frigate Maepo, maneuvering unsafely and forcing the Menghean frigate into a collision which damaged one of the Altagracian ships.

This tension comes at a sensitive time for Menghe. In three days the country will celebrate the 32nd Anniversary of the Decembrist Revolution, a time when projecting an image of national stability is particularly important. There is also the question of Choe Sŭng-min's health. The Chairman recovered well from the serious fall he experienced one year ago, but his health remains poor, and there is speculation that he will not be present on the parade viewing stand during the bracing December cold. If true, this would mark the first time that the Chairman has not attended one of the key national anniversary celebrations, the other being Victory Day on July 27th. For the time being, the Chairman remains of sound mental health, but if his legendary firm resolve and on-the-spot decision making should ever fade, the nation's ability to respond swiftly to imperialist aggression could suffer.

Marshal Kang Yong-nam, the High Commander of the Menghean Army, responded to news of the AVA's new troop deployment by staging a surprise inspection of Menghean rocket and missile troops in Argentstan. After reviewing the state-of-the-art rocket and missile launchers, which are capable of hitting all bases and military installations on the island of Isla Diamante from dispersed inland firing points, Marshal Kang delivered a strongly-worded statement denouncing the AVA's aggression in the region, and boasted that the Menghean Army was fully capable of securing victory in a war with the AVA's overseas forces. Later the same day, he met with President Buphavanh Tauaenthong to reiterate Menghe's guarantee of Argentstani independence and its support for the rights of Argentans living in Isla Diamante.

Deputy Chairman Mun Chang-ho, who has taken a leading role in managing Menghe's domestic affairs during Choe's periods of inactivity, adopted a more measured stance, issuing a press statement in which he urged both sides to exercise caution and avoid unnecessary risks. He drew parallels to Menghe's policy toward the Go-ŭn or Altagracian peninsula, which is also illegally held by a Sylvan puppet state in violation of an expired treaty. After Sylva's annexation of Isla Diamante, Menghe closed off all border crossings with Altagracia; but the Menghean government also swore off any intention of retaking Altagracia through an unprovoked act of force. Deputy Chairman Mun advocated a similar stance toward Isla Diamante, proposing that its status be resolved through domestic processes in accordance with international law. Unilateral, unprovoked military action in both cases would undermine Menghe's reputation as a law-abiding international actor and the economic prosperity which it struggled for thirty years to achieve, especially if such action led to a large-scale destructive war with AVA member states. Such a statement is unsurprising from Deputy Chairman Mun, who was serving as Minister of Economic Development in 2014 when the war scare over Innominada set off a panic in the Menghean stock market.

Later in the day, Choe Sŭng-min issued a brief endorsement of Mun Chang-ho's statement, affirming that Menghe's government would not take any illegal unilateral actions to jeopardize three decades of economic progress in the name of symbolic gain. At the same time, he warned that a strong military was necessary to protect the country from imperialist aggression, and that Menghe would respond to any foreign attack with swift and relentless retaliation.

Thus, for the time being, it is expected that the Menghean Armed Forces will respond to the AVA's escalation through "higher caution and higher readiness." Major-General Ri Wu-il of the Sunju Air Defense Division stated that the missile defense systems around Hwangsa Bay would be placed on an increased state of alert to protect the southern cities against an aircraft or missile strike from Altagracia, and the Ministry of National Defense hinted that surface-to-air missile systems along the southwest coast would increase combat readiness. Mobile artillery units north of the Go-ŭn peninsula deployed to the field for readiness exercises, but did not fire drill salvoes into the ocean, as they had done on prior shows of force.

The Menghean Navy has also stepped up its patrols near Isla Diamante and Altagracia, and in the Strait of Portcullia, though its warships and aircraft have exercised greater caution about probing disputed waters and airspace. After alleged periscope images of the carrier National Economic Miracle appeared on Sieuxerrian social media last week, a Navy spokesperson denied rumors that the carrier's escort screen had not detected a submarine, but also vowed to institute a comprehensive internal evaluation of the Navy's anti-submarine warfare capabilities.

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Other News

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Menghean Economy On Track to Meet Growth Targets in 2019
Despite concerns over a long-term deceleration in the economy, GDP growth is projected to be above the 5% target for 2019, according to the latest Ministry of Economic Development estimates. Experts cited reliable consumer spending and ongoing infrastructure investment as the main driver of the stable expansion, and economic restructuring at low-grade industrial enterprises as the main headwind. more

Statistics: Expansion of "E-Security" Contributed to a Fall in Crime
According to a comprehensive report released by the Ministry of Information and Statistics, violent crime declined across the nation over the last two years, with the sharpest declines taking place in cities which had implemented facial recognition, cellphone recognition, and doorbell camera systems in compliance with the central government's E-Security Initiative. Interviews with citizens on the street found broad support for the greater feeling of safety in everyday life, demonstrating that E-Security is in fact a tool which can protect human rights. more

Editorial: Why No Homelessness in Menghe? Success of State Housing Policy
During the Economic Miracle of the last 30 years, Menghe's urban population skyrocketed due to internal migration, yet walking along the street of any Menghean major city, you will not see any slums or homeless encampments. Contrast this with any city in the developing world or even many in the developed world. The secret: while other countries only treat the symptoms, Menghean cities have attacked the root of the problem with ambitious large-scale clearance and construction of affordable modern housing. more

[Jedoria]

Imperialists Threaten Stability in South Menghe Sea

State News Service of the Socialist Republic of Kolodoria

ISLA DIAMANTE – Like a resurgent cancer with its origin in Casaterra, the Imperialist powers of the Able Vigil Accords have once more sought to undermine legal protocol and international law in their efforts to continue to spread their aggressive agenda. Earlier this week it was announced by Emperor Napoleon VII of Sieuxerr that a Sieuxerrian task force will be dispatched to the disputed island, which is rightfully claimed by the Republic of Innominada, but who’s AVA backed government has refused to submit to the 2014 peace agreement regarding the status of the island. Per the agreement, Isla Diamante is due to be returned to Innominadian control.

Since the 2014 agreement the AVA has made clear their lack of concern regarding international law and norms, with AVA aircraft and vessels routinely harassing Innominadian patrols and violating marine time boundaries. More recently the provisional government of Isla Diamante has made illegal agreements with the AVA to authorize the deployment of AVA troops and material to the island, threatening the security and stability of the region. This latest provocation stands as more proof to the imperialist and hegemonic desires of the Able Vigil Accords, along with their blatant disregard for international dialogue.

Premier of the Socialist Republic of Kolodoria Jaan Kask condemned the actions of the Able Vigil Accords in a public statement delivered to the Supreme Council earlier today, citing the necessity of respecting international law and criticizing the actions of the AVA.

“For more than a century the imperialist powers of Casaterra have attempted to usurp the rights and laws of local peoples and societies in their never-ending quest for profit. Today the Emperor of Sieuxerr has signaled once more the willingness of the imperialist powers to utilize military force to advance their efforts at the expense of the standards for which international relations are supposed to be conducted by.”

The Premier did not elaborate on what actions, if any, Kolodoria would officially take against the involved parties, but sources indicate that Kask intends to speak with the ambassadors of the AVA member states in order to make Kolodorian displeasure clear. He went on to urge other national leaders to condemn the actions of the AVA and offer support for the Republic of Innominada and Menghe in their efforts in preserving international law.

In other news…
-Travel Advisory in effect across northern districts as subzero temperatures ice Kolodorian highways
-Consumer confidence rises as holiday season shopping continues
-Failure to call Fire Department saves the lives of 4 firefighters

[Themiclesia]

December 18, 2019

Prime Minister makes emotional and moral appeal for votes on Dec. 20

I have only a very short text to speak before you today, and I think I may predict that the Opposition will point out, very accurately I might say, the brevity of this text is the consequence of the paucity of accomplishments that this government can show for the mandate given to us in November 2018.

And I cannot lie but confess as much to both the Opposition and the public, that this government has failed in many ways to deliver on its electoral promises.

And it is true that this government is now coming before you, the people, to seek a third mandate within the space of 23 months.

Before we all go out and cast our ballots the day after tomorrow, I would take this time to characterize our country and make a final appeal.

In the two hundred years after the Great Settlement, our country has moved from an aristocratic oligarchy, to a limited democracy, and to a full democracy.

And on the eve of the Pan-Septentrion War, every man and woman, enfranchised or not, was asked a question—whether they will defend, with their lives if necessary, their desire to be governed under a system of their choice. The alternative was, of course, subservience to a foreign power that was, by all standards, an irrational, ignorant, and disagreeable dictatorship that had not the proper regard for the sanctity of human life, peace, and the prosperity that comes from it. Nor do they promise any right or freedom that we now know are so critical to our way of life.

And I think we can all say that those who came before this generation, though Parliament, responded in the affirmative. And exactly as the democratic government cannot exist without its people, we in this government deeply realize that the will of our people to govern themselves this way constitutes this land, the throne, and this government. A long list of states have their constitutions written out, but we are not amongst them. In the absence of any destructive political upheavals, I trust this is because our constitution is written in and through our minds and good sense, because even a written constitution is useless if left on the shelf, when it should be consulted and followed.

Yet all around us, these principles which we think are natural are under attack. Do I by the previous statements make a cheap appeal to nationalism and court the voter's emotional largess? Some in the Opposition might say so.

Yet I wish to distinguish myself from the Trumps and Johnsons, the Dutertes and the Le Pens, and their like, by emphasizing that these things which I have said are in agreement with the Opposition. Conservative politicians, I think, would not object to my saying so. For a constitution is only as sacrosanct as it is accepted by the people that enact it and reject that which contradicts it, and what I say, even if a shameless appeal to nationalism, is our constitution. I have not said this to discredit the Opposition, and they may be my judge on this matter. For those who know Roman history well, I might even compare our constitution to the sacrosanctity of the tribunes of the plebs, for the sole source of their power is the people that elect them and who will defend them to the death, if their rights are violated.

In this election, the Conservatives propose a program that is undoubtedly appealing. I sometimes wonder why I do not also vote Conservative. [Laughter]

And perhaps I do actually vote Conservative. [Laughter]

Being the chairman of the Liberal Party, if he can be persuaded to vote Conservative, then one may take that the Conservative platform is very appealing. Yet it shows that our country has been spared the hateful polarization, which in its importation would see every Liberal government dismantle every Conservative achievement, and the same in the other direction. It would see every Liberal denounce every Conservative for every trivial and imaginary crime, and the same in the other direction. It would see, and it much pains me to say this, the dissolution of our consensus on this form of government.

We on this side of the house do not question the validity of many Conservative policies or hesitate to call them achievements. We do not doubt that compulsory education, offered by the state, is a good thing and to be maintained. We do not doubt that employees are frequently in a disadvantage and need legal protection.

In the defence of these things which we value, the great vice that is the written constitution is made naked. For everything that is within it is beyond question, and those that do are treacherous, and everything outside of it is heretical and may be derided and insulted cheaply by extremists who pretend to be the great body of citizens that are the true rulers of any democratic form of government. We do not entrust a slip of papyrus, parchment, or paper to be a sufficient record of everything which we hold dear, or to be so sound that it cannot be questioned. Instead we believe in our good conscience to do what is right and make necessary sacrifices to defend what we hold dear.

Written laws are the tools of the tyrants who disbelieve in the people to govern themselves in a decent and agreeable way. It is for this reason why Tribunes have lost much of their former power in Themiclesia, where their monopoly on the letter of the law have allowed them to hold the people in awe and terror, for fear of punishments made valid by a few strokes of ink on a forgotten piece of wood or bamboo. We must all realize that laws are laws because they are a record of what we agree upon, and they are not, as Nem CJ has put it so memorably in 1957, "laws because they are passed."

And so many times I have mentioned that our constitution is in our hearts and minds, not on any piece of paper. And we must ever be vigilant for evil influences which may corrupt our hearts and minds, to reduce our desire to compromise with each other, to dismantle the great harmony of our government, and the consensus on which all state power is built.
Fortunately, for us, these threats are remote. The Progressives have only two seats. [Laughter]

But indulge me to assert this, if we look upon a foreign nation that enjoys not our very rights which distinguish a man from a beast, and we do nothing about it, it casts a grave doubt as to what we are. For if we say so proudly here that we have so and so, and they are given to every Themiclesian person because he is a human being, then what excuse have we to ignore the human beings who are not in right of the same because they are not Themiclesians? Does it not imply that Themiclesians are a special people, that Themiclesians are more equal than others, and that our purport about universal human rights is merely a veil about Themiclesian exceptionalism? Is this not the same mechanism that so many years ago encouraged the growth of military power in civic life, in Dayashina and Menghe? Does it not intimate that only Themiclesians are entitled to human rights, and humanity alone is not sufficient to qualify for human rights?

What does it, in turn, suggest about us? If nationality is sufficient to exclude some individuals from what is their right as human beings, then what about sex, gender, ethnic origin, colour, language, religion, and profession? If we truly did believe that a human right is what every person, rich or poor, high or low, male or female can demand of the world to honour, do we have much excuse to turn away from the world that is an increasingly hysterical place, and to an existence which must, increasingly, be defined by arbitrary rules, isolation, and apathy?

A tyranny is not as much unable to provide a happy existence to its people as a democracy. But a tyranny can withdraw that happy existence, because it is founded on the arbitrary whims of the tyrant, rather than the universal, invested consent of the people. What is dangerous in this scenario, is that the people will sign away their entitlements, with the fictitious understanding that it was given to them as an act of grace, rather than what they have accomplished and of right enjoy.

It is much easier for one man to change his mind, than a nation of millions. If we wish our happiness to be secure and durable in the face of challenge, then it cannot be founded on the arbitrary will of one or a few men; it must be the common enterprise of every citizen who knows that he has a right as a human being to certain things, and that he must also labour towards its protection in certain ways. I think this is what our forefathers have chosen in the Pan-Septentrion War, to maintain, above all, an authentic democracy.

In the 60s, we have further stood up for the values that made us the last beacon of democracy in Hemithea, or the Orient as they say in Casaterra. But that time, rather than putting every able-bodied man to arms, we have instead chosen to raise an army at public expense. While the role of the citizenry now is only to pay taxes in support of campaigns against dictators, we wish to remind you that you have played a part as large as soldiers who hauled cannons, fired guns, rescued the oppressed, and overthrew the oppressor, in the four quarters of the world. Their ability to fight for what we all believe in is completely to your credit, alleviating them from the need to sustain themselves by leading productive lives otherwise. They could not have fought even if they wanted to, were it not for your generosity and benevolence, and this generosity and benevolence you granted for nothing less than human rights in the world.

Rarely is it for politicians to comment in such frank terms the civic involvement in military conflicts, but it is true. We have seen enough films and posters about war heroes, and it is now time to recognize the people that made, armed, and fed war heroes. For without your resolve their glory is not possible or legitimate, and this I might say has been the agreed position of civic society in warfare abroad. And this is what I lay before you today, the citizens of this country. In an age of economic stagnation, we all wish to reduce funding to defence and increase our comforts, like shortening working days, lowering taxes, and providing more benefits at public expense. The Liberal Party more than any other party agrees with these feelings, since we have always believed that viable industries should not be hampered by excessive duties and uneconomic restrictions.

And these are of course legitimate feelings. We may be the wealthiest nation in Septentrion on a per capita basis, and it feels like an eternity since we've last given ourselves a pay-rise. Goods all around us are more expensive than before, and many have found that online shopping in Dayashina, a country most renowned for its expensive things, is cheaper than domestic shopping, even after shipping.

Yet taken from a different angle, it is also most incumbent upon us, each one, to give a little more for the less fortunate. We are not a large, powerful country, but we do have some money that we can spend without reducing our standards of living by a noticeable margin. This shows that our productivity and adaptability is high. Exactly as we demand the richer amongst us to pay more in maintenance of our public goods, I think the world also calls upon its wealthy to protect the impoverished. It is a moral duty of wealth.

If we regard our defence budget, which is currently 2% of our GDP, to be our duty towards the maintenance of international peace, then we may see that it is far below what other nations of comparable productivity provide. Hallia provides 3.5%, that is three-quarters more than we do. Sieuxerr provides 4.25%, which is onefold and one quarter more. Conservatives make a case for reducing our contribution to 1.5% GDP, which is a reduction by one quarter. Now, I don't think we are ready to tolerate top income individuals to reduce, by their own decree, their marginal tax rates from 60% to 45%, and this is what the world would see if we were to slash defence spending from 2% to 1.5%.

And finally about how we plan to accomplish our goals. As chairman of the Liberal Party, I have covered today why we believe our defence commitments should rise, not fall, and how this relates to our domestic consensus and international position. I beseech the nation, if this what I say is also what you believe in, then empower us at the polling booths the day after tomorrow to execute your commands. Thank you for your kind attention.

[Minilov]

Jail break at Jezerograd Prison

JEZEROGRAD, Minilov — Five prisoners escaped from Jezerograd prison in Nasjeveru province on Friday evening. Three of the five have since been recaptured, the other two are still on the run. Police went to the prison straight away after having received reports of the prison break. A search was started immediately in an effort to catch the fugitives.

They made their escape by climbing over the prison wall and were driven away from the prison in a getaway car that was waiting for them in the street adjacent to the jail.

The Jezerograd Police Service reports that a number of patrol vehicles, a Police helicopter and tracker dogs were deployed to carry out a search of a wide area around the prison. A call was issued to anyone that might have seen anything they might see as suspicious to contact the police straight away.

By Saturday morning three of the fugitives had been captures. One of the men on the run is Wulfred Sachsenberg, the 26-year-old brother of the “Escape King” Arnold Sachsenberg. Arnold Sachsen is currently in prison in Ostland and once also managed to escape from Jezerograd Prison.

As the search goes on for the two remaining fugitives an enquiry is under way into how they were able to escape.

[Themiclesia]

December 28, 2019

‘You pervert’ dismissed from office

Colonel-general Gwjang, the top Marines officer, has been dismissed today on account of his personal involvement in the Nov. 29 tweet that called the Freedom Warriors ‘perverts’, which was considered gross misconduct.

‘We are appalled by this indiscretion.’ Liberal MP Lord Trjung-l’jin (Kien-k’ang 11th) told us, ‘It is difficult to imagine how two words can be so offensive to so many groups of people, but he has certainly managed.’

The order-in-council, laid before the House of Lords by the acting Defence Secretary, was unanimously approbated by the house (though with only 29 members present) yesterday and sent to the Privy Council for royal assent, which was granted very quickly, we are informed by the Lord of Kaw-lang, lord-in-waiting to the sovereign.

A small group of petitioners met outside of the house before the vote was scheduled, asking for reconsideration on behalf of a ‘very decorated and loved officer who has risked his life in many occasions, not only in Themiclesia’s defence, but also the security of important allies, and continues to perform well in other areas’. The group was allowed to address the house at 8:30 this morning, presenting a few pictures to the members.

While some peers appear to be interested in the petitioners’ appeal, the Baroness of Kra (L) moved the house to dismiss the petition, since the petitioners ‘like Mr. Hou MP points out, have failed to apologize for the obvious trivialization of sexism of the tweet, and the alleged facts are only what he was paid to do.’ A petitioner asserted that similar statements are ‘common amongst the ranks and sometimes uttered under great pressure, such as when bombshells are flying overhead’. The Lord of Ruk told the house that when the tweet was sent, he was probably ‘in an air-conditioned office,’ and there were no ‘bombshells overhead.’

There being no further statements, the house rejected the petition at 8:52 a.m. The House of Commons has rejected a similar petition on the 20th. If the Lords accepted the petition, it would have forced the government to reconsider the order-in-council it laid before the throne, though ultimately the upper house cannot prevent the government from doing the same.

‘We believe good character is vital to those with significant power, and the colonel-general has not exhibited the same in sending this awful tweet,’ the Vice Chancellor told us. ‘Ultimately, all government officers and activities are paid for by Treasury funds, and I think we have a duty to ensure that taxpayers’ money do not contribute to ends they do not approve.’

The tweet, in response to Freedom Warriors’ assertion on the same platform that they would not hesitate to bring to light any abuse while imprisoned by the Marines, the two engaging in Idacua, generated public outrage and condemnation across the entire spectrum of government. Feminist groups considered the remark trivializing of the abuse women experience in many societies, while human rights groups have expressed that proper treatment of prisoners-of-war was disparaged, insulted, and improperly associated to sexual deviancy, itself a questionable concept, by this statement.

‘His tweet is especially questionable in a time when soldiers—the Kolodorian forces—have been accused of deporting the entire population of Tamar. The world is calling for governments to keep their forces in check when dealing with prisoners and civilians, and yet Gwjang said something to the contrary,’ an unnamed source in the Foreign Office tells us.

However, the Department of Intelligence (Foreign Office) has asserted that Themiclesian forces have committed no crimes of any kind towards enemy combatants, prisoners, and civilians of any nationality. The Foreign Secretary, after several days of public outrage, called for a more balanced view, saying that the statement ‘though trivializing and contemptuous, is not an indication that any criminal conduct was happening.’

‘It is, as far as evidence suggests, a problem of unthinking commentary, and on those terms we will be dealing with it,’ sources close to the Foreign Secretary averred. ‘If there is any evidence at all of actual misconduct, every Themiclesian government department is open to complaints.’

Nevertheless, the Admiralty Board said today that Gwjang, as Captain-general, had an implicit duty to set a positive example to men in his charge, and they believe that the tweet ‘places severe doubt on his commitment to that moral obligation, but all action will be done according to relevant laws.’

[Minilov]

200.000 Minilovans' data stolen at Osiguranje Insurance

MALJUBAV, Minilov — A data file used as a back-up that was stolen in Maljubav in August contained the data of 200.000 Minilovans that had made a claim with Osiguranje Insurance. The news of how many Minilovan customers had their data stolen comes after a thorough check of what data was contained on the stolen that has taken several months. The data was contained on a back-up disk that had been stored in a safe at what had been believed to have been a secure location.

Most of the data stolen is from customers of Osiguranje Insurance that had taken out travel insurance or vehicle breakdown policies. Some of the data contains sensitive medical information. The company has reported the data theft to Interior Minister Mr Ioan Pekmez.

Osiguranje Insurance says that it will inform customers that have had their data stolen individually that this is the case. The insurer advises customers to be wary of suspicious messages or strange messages from people claiming to be from the company. Anyone seeking more information about the data theft can contact Osiguranje Insurance via the email address podrška@osiguranje.ml

[Themiclesia]

December 28, 2019

‘You pervert’ dismissed from office continued in letters—the response statement

Dear Editor of the Correspondent,

Sir—I am a great admirer of your paper, my most reliable subscription since my university days, but your recent coverage on the ‘you perverts’ matter is regrettably incomplete. This is not your blame, since all reporting on the forces is bound to be that way—alas, openness has never been us strength or primary charge. Now writing to you as a private citizen, I wish to give my perspective as to how that scelerous tweet made it to the public.

On the night when it was sent, I was occupied with several Government MPs, whose names I must reserve, at Barry’s of 601 Chamomile Road in Kien-k’ang. The honourable gentlemen first commented on the recent, unfortunate indictment of Wing Commander Hwim, a personal friend of mine, and sought my view. I said that rules about this sort of activity are quite clear, particularly chapters 50 and 56 of Hen 22. They said I was like a legal counsel, knowing the statute books on the back of my palm. I thanked them for their praiseful words.

Then the conversation turned the government’s defence policy. They said that the government is indebted to ‘people like me’ that contribute to national defence yet are not sufficiently consulted in making policy. I was given to an appearance of ease but felt quite uncanny about why Government MPs were making statements of this endearing nature. As the alcohol flowed, they revealed the reason why—a general election was down the pipeline for two weeks later.

I was scared. The Air Force recently indicted a well-decorated and well-loved wing commander, and I don’t think my reputation amongst my men is anywhere near where Hwim’s is amongst his. And at any rate, there is no good reason to think why a naval grand jury would react differently if a similar case occurred in naval service.

Obviously, they didn’t say what they want in so many words. But I was also scared of the prospect of offending the parliamentary party if I said something inappropriate. Our salaries still depended on their largess, and, if anything, the minority government has prevented statutory shock from occurring too much during my tenure.

To put an end to the awkwardness, I told them that we’re all very free-thinking individuals and hope that would acquit me from their inclination. While polite words never gave way to curses and fists, it was quite clear the parliamentary party was not happy with my response, which was worded to suggest that I had no influence over my men in these matters. I think I am not wrong to think that my men are all legally-literate and know that superior officers’ commands have their effective bounds. The ballot box is certainly beyond it, and anything they might make me do would have no effect.

I hope it will be clear to you, sir, why this letter reaches you only after the general election.

Returning to my office late at night, I felt greatly distressed by the egregious things the delegation intimated, since they are not only insulting to me but to my men as well. Was there any reason for the MPs to believe they are not functional individuals and moreover citizens who can and do make up their own minds on the ballot? To me personally as well, did I do anything to deserve the likely conclusion of Hwim’s career?

Hwim is a wingnut, and his eccentricity is well-known throughout the Air Force. As far as I know, his behaviour has done nothing to engender Liberal support in the Air Force; asking me to do the same, would not they be implying my men are more gullible than Hwim’s?

If I had any moral duty towards my men, then protect them against exploitation should be high on the priority. Besides, electorally, there really isn’t much of a case what those MPs wanted would make for any difference. Since soldiers began voting from home constituencies in the 1950s, there haven’t been enough of us to swing even a single seat, even if I somehow could convince every marine to vote Liberal. Where it would be most consequential, there would be around 580 or so extra votes for a Liberal candidate, given where we make our addresses, and only a single seat had a smaller swing in the previous election. Ridings with such small swings are also not consistently located and at any rate not where most marines live.

Being pressured to violate political neutrality to create an inconsequential electoral advantage is not only insulting but belittling, which caused a fuming rage to develop as I tried to catch some sleep on the couch in the cabinet.

About 11 at night, my secretary entered the cabinet without knocking. I very nearly lost my temper, but ultimately what he brought in and when he did was not his fault. But that did not resolve the embarrassment of reading a terrible report in underclothes, filing in through the Cabinet Office.

I should not omit to mention that the Freedom Warriors is, for a mercenary force, very mouthy. They’ve been going about Idacua promoting the idea that because there are no legitimate governments, laws of war do not exist. What they imply is that they have no qualms about shooting their prisoners as soon as they’re captured. We’ve dealt with them before and they are indeed known to dispense with what conscience they have very liberally. I think any of our allies that have suffered them will be able to testify likewise.

Chapter 20 of Hen 38 requires the armed forces to convey all attempts to parley to the Foreign Office, and the 18 mercenaries of that group in our custody have very, very frequently tried to do this. I am personally convinced that they know about c. 20. They have all kinds of requests like warm water baths and cable television, and they try to gamble with our men guarding them into bankruptcy or demand freedom. These requests began more intense as the number of prisoners increased from the dozen and a half to about 50 a few days ago.

As it happened, the Freedom Warriors decided to scale the moral high ground and avail themselves of the situation with the Kolodorians in Tamar, casting themselves in lieu of the Tamar refugees and us the Kolodorians. The twitter message claimed they would be making sure that we respect prisoners’ rights, reprising the phrases that human rights groups have used monitoring the situation in Tamar. All the dissatisfaction and indignation had come to a head at that moment and I cannot excuse myself that I said things which I will perpetually regret, and one of those things was using women and human rights groups as ammunition on a reply over twitter.

Earlier this week, a non-commissioned officer wrote to your paper reporting that a ‘bewildered captain-general screamed at him to reply with the worst possible insult over twitter, to remove them off the moral high ground.’ I now confirm for you the accuracy of this account; it is completely true.

While I did not give the precise wording that the Twitter Czar used in that regrettable message, I cannot be excused from its appearance before the public, besmirching the good name of our government and the integrity of the public coffers. What I think he wished to accomplish here is to suggest that Freedom Warriors were not as manly as they make themselves out to be, and their statements were disingenuous. He said so, in my estimation, because they rely on a certain reputation in the mercenary market, and by applying that word on them that reputation would be diminished. Putting them out of work, essentially, was what he considered a suitable reply.

While it is not lawful for citizens of this country to take up arms for private gains, we remember that it is lawful in many others. To some extent, we must therefore respect the choices that members of Freedom Warriors have made by choosing this profession. While they deny the legitimacy of any government, we are also not apt to abandon our beliefs to apply their arguments against themselves. We must recognize that they are not stateless individuals and remain under the protection of their respective states, all of which have signed the protocol on the conduct of armed conflicts.

While parts of the press have outright called on us to kill the prisoners, I must declaim in the strongest possible terms and with abundant clarify that there is no probability under any circumstances we will be given to such a thing. Freedom Warriors as much as they declare themselves stateless and not governed or protected by Convention, they are both governed and protected by the same. Our Parliament ratified the Convention like most of the world in 1898. To act upon their claims of statelessness merely lends credibility to their anarchical fantasies. A prolonged contempt for our treaties leads to outlawry and outrages the world.

But what Lord Trjung-l’jin correctly points out, by attacking them in the tweet according to their own value system, we are in a way accepting that such a value system is applicable and therefore perpetuating it. In a perverse interpretation, it suggests we are better than they are according to their own standards, i.e. even bound by all our laws, at being soldiers we are still better than they are, and if unbound by our laws, we could be committing far more crimes than they do. These are hideous things which I hate to write, but they are things which can easily be followed from the tweet. Since laws are not to be regarded as an impediment to state action, the tweet does convey a message inconsistent with statutes and government policy.

And as the Attorney-general says, there are at least three ways in which this message could be construed as offensive, to all three of which I can only concede. There is a fourth and a fifth, like I found out above. In a fit of anger, I was not thinking as clearly as the Attorney-general, and I accept culpability for it. The law cannot change for states of emotion, and I don’t ask special treatment for my emotional response that have impaired good judgment.

To respond to the petitioners that have appeared before the House of Commons on the 20th and the House of Lords on the 28th, I express my earnest gratitude for your support and confidence in my purpose in office, and I understand some of you may be my men. For the latter group, you should know that what good I have done in office will not fade by reason my departure. That is the strength of a good military force. Confessing and confining to myself to all damnified and outraged parties in this incident, I furthermore apologize to you having abused the name of our service in a passionate tweet. I hope honour and reputation may soon be restored to you for what you do in the defence of our country.

I was dismissed by order-in-council, which allows me to keep my pension. This is more generous than what I can reasonably ask for, and I do not plan to contest the order-in-council in court. Public servants like me serve at the pleasure of the public and do not hold office of right. I wish my successor, Colonel Margaret Sui, whom I barely know, a good tenure and ask her not to repeat my faults. I will be appearing before the court on Jan. 29, 2020 to return my seal of office to lords in waiting.

P.S. The Government has seen fit to make me the Rector of the Department of Strategy and Senior Fellow in the Naval Academy. I am surprised by this preferment. At 59, I am not far from retirement anyway, but I shall take this appointment as seriously as any other I have.

I am, etc.

Geoffrey GW.

[The Soodean Imperium]

December 22, 2019

Special Feature: Who's Who in Menghe's Succession Struggle

Donggyŏng - On Saturday, Menghe celebrated the 32nd anniversary of its "Decembrist Revolution," the official name for the military coup which toppled Ryŏ Ho-jun's DPRM and installed today's Socialist government. In the process, it also implicitly marked the 32nd anniversary of Choe Sŭng-min's tenure in power. It was Choe who personally commanded the division that rolled down Donggyŏng's snowy streets and stormed the headquarters of the old Communist Party, surprising his superiors, who had planned the military takeover for the following week. At the time, Choe was a young and unlikely leader, a 48-year-old Major General on a council of officers two or more grades higher. In spite of his apparent inexperience - or perhaps because of it - Choe deftly outmaneuvered his rivals in the ruling circle, and by the mid-1990s he had established himself as the unquestioned supreme ruler of the most populous country in the world.

Today, Choe Sŭng-min is still the unquestioned Supreme Leader, concurrently serving as Chairman of the Supreme Council, General-Secretary of the Socialist Party, and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces. Yet it is readily apparent that times have changed. Last week, he celebrated his 80th birthday, making him one of Septentrion's oldest heads of state. What's more, over the last few years his health has been in a state of steady decline. Government censors have diligently stifled any open reporting on the "succession question," but all across the country, politically alert citizens are carefully reading between the lines of official photos and state announcements, hoping for any hints about the drama unfolding in the Party Center.

This discussion is buzzing for good reason. Ever since Choe Sŭng-min began building up his personality cult in the 1990s, it has been hard to imagine Socialist Menghe under the administration of anyone else. The "Dear Chairman" has left his mark on all aspects of political life, and for years he carefully undercut any inner-circle rivals who attempted to share the spotlight. Nor is there much in the way of earlier precedent. Menghe's last planned, peaceful transition between major leaders took place in 1924, and this was followed by a coup three years later. Since then, every exchange of power has involved some combination of palace conspiracy and military force.

[align=left]In this special feature, we look at Kim Pyŏng-so, Mun Chang-ho, and Kang Yong-nam, the three men who most foreign analysts (and domestic observers) regard as the most likely successors in line for the Eastern Office. All three were present on the parade viewing stand on Saturday, with Kim and Mun standing to Choe's left, and Kang standing to his right. We also cover some frequently-asked questions about the secession issue, in the hopes of shedding light on a question whose outcome could profoundly shape the future of the world we live in.

Kim Pyŏng-so: The Crown Prince

Kim Pyŏng-so ( 킴평소 / 金平卲) is the First Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Council and, in theory, the first person in line to succeed the Chairman if he retires, dies in office, or is otherwise incapacitated. Choe appointed him to this post in 2009, and given his relatively young age at the time, many Palace-watchers interpreted this as a sign that Choe was readying a successor. In a further sign of his progression along the "three-crown" succession track, he was promoted to the rank of Vice-Marshal and given a Deputy Chairman position on the Politburo Standing Committee of the Socialist Party. On the Menghean internet, political posters referred to him the "Crown Prince" (Taeja), a term which state censors have tried to discourage.

Unfortunately for him, the very traits which allowed Kim Pyŏng-so to rocket up the ranks early in his career have made his future uncertain. According to anonymous insider accounts, Kim Pyŏng-so is a rather unremarkable "yes-man," trusted by Choe because he never questioned the Chairman's decisions and harbored no intentions of seizing power ahead of time. For a healthy, stable dictator, these are valuable qualities to look for in a designated successor; appoint someone too assertive or ambitious, and you risk falling prey to a palace coup. But now that the date of succession is drawing near, there is widespread doubt inside and outside the halls of Donggwangsan that Kim Pyŏng-so has the necessary skills to manage the world's most populous country and its largest economy. For his part, Kim seems to be struggling to fight back; unlike Mun and Kang, he does not appear to have built up a loyal insider faction, and during Choe's periods of hospitalization he did little to assert his authority on the public stage. It is also unclear where he intends to take the country once in office, beyond the default position of bland continuity. There is even some speculation that Choe Sŭng-min himself is losing faith in his former right-hand man, and possibly shifting his favor to the next possible successor: Mun Chang-ho.

Mun Chang-ho: The Technocrat-Reformer

Mun Chang-ho (문창호 / 文昌鎬) is something of a latecomer to the succession dispute, but his star has been rising the fastest. In 2014 he was appointed Minister of Economic Development, after successful work as the Party Secretary of Sunju City. A few months after he entered office, the "Security Shock" threw the Menghean economy onto the brink of recession, as foreign investors withdrew their funds in a panic on fears that the Innominadan Crisis would escalate into a global war. In the end, world war was averted, and Mun was able to stabilize the economy through an emergency program of stimulus spending and corporate restructuring. His pragmatic, efficient style seemingly drew the favor of Choe Sŭng-min, who in 2017 promoted Mun to the post of Deputy Chairman - one position behind Kim in the line of succession.

From his new post, Mun Chang-ho has continued to focus on economic affairs, and particularly the problems of government debt and inefficiency in the state sector. He has also signaled his interest in adopting a greater role in the government. While Kim has done poorly in the spotlight, Mun embarked on a string of policy initiatives and public appearances, especially during periods when the Chairman was hospitalized. He has also cultivated a faction of like-thinking technocrats in the middle ranks of government, particularly in the Economic Development apparatus and the corporate realm. Most surprisingly, he has gained a large and popular following among college students and private entrepreneurs: on top of his his pragmatic, friendly, non-doctrinal style, Mun gained a reputation for supporting civil liberties and so-called "consultative democracy" during his tenure as Party Secretary of Sunju. Some speculate, as above, that Choe Sŭng-min favors him over Kim Pyŏng-so, but it is hard to tell how much of this is wishful thinking: officially speaking, Kim still holds the higher position, and the central government has been especially careful to avoid any open signals of favoritism which could provoke instability.

Kang Yong-nam: The Hardliner

Kang Yong-nam (캉용남 / 康勇男) holds the rank of Marshal (OF-12) and the post of Chief Commander of the Army. While Mun Chang-ho was managing the economic fallout from the Innominadan Crisis, Kang Yong-nam was managing the invasion of Innominada itself, as the four-star General commanding the 4th Army. While the Navy leadership bore the political fallout for the launching of the war, the Army leadership claimed the glory of its successful execution, and Kang in particular was rewarded with a promotion to the post of Marshal after the incumbent Chief Commander retired. This post moved him from the commanding realm onto the fringes of the political realm, where he has taken steps to expand his influence. In past years, the Chairman would have moved quickly to remove an assertive military leader, and indeed he forced the Chief Admiral of the Navy into retirement in 2015 in response to his role in escalating tensions ahead of the Innominadan Crisis. But today, Choe is both physically and politically weaker, and Kang has successfully positioned himself as a key player in the succession struggle despite lacking a post on the Supreme Council.

Marshal Kang has taken an unusually public role as Chief Commander. In speeches and public pronouncements, he has positioned himself as a military hardliner, denouncing the recent deployments by the AVA and suggesting that Menghe should use preventative military force to address the "problems" of Altagracia, Isla Diamante, and West Innominada. This jingoism has made him popular among nationalists in the general public; even before his rise to the inner circle, he had already gained enormous fame as the "operational genius" who orchestrated Menghe's swift offensive through Innominada. Within the ranks of power, he appears to command respect among the Army, the Police, and the vast internal security apparatus, whose members sympathize with his assertive vision - and potentially fear budget cuts under a "Chairman Mun." Choe Sŭng-min did not promote Marshal Kang to a Deputy Chairman post in 2019, a clear signal that he is not officially on track for succession, but in light of the sensitive security situation and the need to project national unity, Choe did not take any steps to demote Kang, either. Once Choe does pass away, all eyes will be on Kang, who would be in an advantageous position to launch a military coup of his own.

Other Questions:

What is the state of Choe's health?

Menghean news media are no longer trying to cover up the fact that the Chairman's health is declining; that much became obvious in the Fall of 2017, when he disappeared from the spotlight for several months and then made a televised statement from a hospital bed. In January 2019, he suffered another prolonged absence, and this time official news sources reported from the start that he had fallen while descending a staircase in the Donggwangsan palace. During these periods of hospitalization, Choe's would-be successors have jostled for influence in his stead, with Kim and Mun emerging as a sort of "diumvirate" in most periods.

What isn't known is exactly what condition Choe Sŭng-min is experiencing. News sources are universally vague on this, treating it as either a private matter or a matter of state security. The most specific reports make references to the "wear placed upon his heart by decades of tirelessly serving the country," which some have interpreted as a vague reference to some kind of heart condition, though others believe the statement is purely metaphorical. After his fall last year, some newspapers asserted that he had suffered a stroke, but this was later "corrected" with an admission that the papers had erroneously passed on a rumor. Lung, liver, and weight conditions can be plausibly ruled out, as Choe has cultivated an image as a non-smoker and a light drinker, and if anything he has appeared thinner than usual at recent events. The most that this editor can say for certain is that Choe Sŭng-min is suffering from some combination of conditions, possibly heart- or chest-related, and possibly related to the stress of ruling a country for three decades.

What is known is that his condition has not left him mentally debilitated. In between his hospitalizations, Choe has consistently moved back into the spotlight, making public appearances and conducting business from his spacious office in the Donggwangsan complex. Princess Rei of Dayashina, who held a one-on-one visit with the Chairman last May, reported that he was surprisingly sharp and charismatic, despite having left the hospital four months earlier. The main changes in the Chairman's demeanor have been physical. Insider accounts and a few photographs show that he conducts most internal government business from a wheelchair, and has done so since at least 2017. He is able to stand, at least with support from a railing or podium, and he surprised observers by standing throughout the morning ceremonies on the 21st - possibly with the result of concealed leg braces. But when walking in and out of public appearances, he has almost always relied on an aide or another top official for support.

How have foreign policy events affected the struggle?

The AVA's recent deployment of troops to Isla Diamante, and its ongoing support for that island's violation of the reunification agreement, stands to benefit Kang Yong-nam and other hardliners in the military and security apparatus. Both among his allies in power and among the general public, Kang's main appeal lies in his projected image as a strong, aggressive leader with prior wartime experience. That appeal grows all the more important as the threat from the AVA rises. Any perceived foreign interference in the succession struggle, including interference from Menghe's allies, could further strengthen Kang's nationalist position.

On the other hand, steadily improving relations with Tir Glas, Dayashina, and Hallia have lent considerable support to Mun Chang-ho. Both during and between Choe's periods of illness, Mun spent a great deal of his time meeting with dignitaries from Menghe's wealthy, democratic allies, strengthening trade ties and cultural exchange programs. Mun also had a key role in the decision to allow independent candidates to contest last summer's elections. In contrast to Kang, Mun has spoken of the need for Menghe to attain "normal nationhood" - completing its transition from a highly militarized fortress state into a respected member of the international community. Whether this is achievable in light of the AVA's troop movements remains to be seen.

Are there any family members involved?

Choe Sŭng-min has no living next-of-kin. He was an only child, the son of a Navy officer who left for service in the Pan-Septentrion War and died during the sinking of Heavy Cruiser Chobosan. Choe Sŭng-min married once, in 1966, to his childhood sweetheart, Ri In-hye, but she passed away the following year during an outbreak of plague. He never remarried. Official memoirs recount that he was devastated by the experience, and swore to devote his life to the betterment of the nation, first through military service and later through political leadership. As such, there is no possibility of a hereditary succession, and there are no immediate family members who might come forward to contest for power. Given the ongoing political campaigns against corruption and nepotism, this at least stands to reduce the potential for instability.

[Themiclesia]

Jan. 6, 2020

Female ex-captain appointed as head of security in the House of Lords

“We wish to give the new parliament a fresh start by dismantling some of the old rules that have come under question in recent years,” the Vice Chancellor said, “and chief amongst them are gendered, career, and heritage restrictions on officials serving the house.”

The old head of security, the Kaw-men Gentlemen-Captain (kaw-men-rang-slje-mra’), now aged 68, has petitioned the house just days before the dissolution of the last parliament to resign his position. As the house was just three days from prorogation, the Vice Chancellor decided not to nominate a replacement when business was rushed.

“The former Gentlemen-Captain, Lord Nikw, has been forty-years a civil servant before taking on this position. His service to the house was remarkable in every way, account for the novel forms of threat that modern legislators face, such as digital espionage and misinformation campaigns. But late in the previous parliament he has decided that the time has come for him to retire to his estate and spend what he has with his family and personal pursuits.”

Despite the appearance of routine retirements and appointments, the House of Lords has lately come under fire for the appointment of its officers, many of whom are highly salaried and have little oversight or standards of performance.

“We are happy to announce that Captain Mrju has accepted the invitation of this house to become the new Kaw-men Gentlemen-Captain.” The Vice Chancellor, to whom the new officer will be responsible, told reporters. “She has worked in the field of digital security during her distinguished naval career and seemed the best candidate to this house, amongst several other outstanding ones submitted by the armed forces. She will be improving and updating the infrastructure that Lord Nikw has left us with.”

On the one hand, legislators need access to information, some sensitive, to work, and digital technology has made access of such information much more convenient. On the other hand, storing it digitally also poses security risks. Lord Nikw was appointed in 2012 in consequence of a breach in the House of Lords’ e-mail system, which saw 31 confidential studies and reports, some prejudicial to national security, disseminated publicly by hackers.

“The salient question that remains today is the appointment system itself, which is neither fair nor effective. It adheres instead to the idea that commoners serve commoners, and peers serve peers.” Dr. K’ung of the University of Pond says, “of course, since there aren’t that many peers willing or able to undertake what is a very substantial and technical job, they appoint people who are related by blood to peers and can do the same.”

“The rationale is also transparent. If you’re related to a peer by something as immutable as blood, then they assume you are better able to understand their needs and more interested to defend them, should a conflict arise.”

Dr. K’ung recently wrote about Themiclesia’s “lingering haunt” with hereditary privilege in many remote corners of society. He says that the remoter the corner, the less exposed to reforms they are.

“There are two main arguments supporting the idea of a chamber of peers. First, some say that peers are meritorious men and women who deserve an unaccountable say in the legislative process. This implies that the electorate should have no say in deciding who is meritorious, and that merit somehow runs in the family, but only to the agnate heir. Second, which is more persuasive but less palpable to my mind, peers represent a permanent and substantial interest, that can check the popular will represented through the House of Commons. Both arguments have significant drawbacks.

“Additionally, the institution of the House of Lords is not limited to its 273 peers and peeresses. They are merely the most-exposed surface of a massive network of interests, tied together by collateral lines and cadet branches. When we encompass the ills of the House of Lords, we shouldn’t be thinking about the free first-class train or airplane tickets peers receive. We should be thinking about how their wealth create and support a huge gated community of privilege, where the entry-pass is birth.

“The peerage isn’t 273-strong. It’s thousands of people who have fast-tracks in both public and private sectors to powerful, highly-paying, or powerful and highly-paying positions. It is quite possible to be a member of the peerage, in the economic sense, without realizing it. In the aftermath of the Pan-Septentrion War, most of the statutes that stipulated these privileges were repealed, but that did not kill off privilege. Mannerisms and mechanisms went into hiding. 100 years ago, you’d know that you’re passed over for promotion because the other candidate is the nephew of the Lord of Lik, and your organization is run by his second cousin the Baroness of Kaw-brjang; today, you wouldn’t know a thing, and you start rambling about racism and sexism.

“This then discredits the left who want to find and discuss genuine social problems and feeds the right who thrive off intellectual and political disorder.”

So, what about Captain Mrju?

“The officialdoms at the House of Lords naturally belong to peer-class. Since peers have been expelled from the military since the 20s, it is one of the institutions that is today less afflicted with privilege. But it is but a sign that privilege thrives when nobody with a military service has ever found a job at the Lords, when they have often at the Commons. It shows that the military is not ‘one of them’.

“I think it is a good thing that at least a mask of equality and decency is being worn here, but the underlying problem is still the same. Once the security problems abate, peers can restore the position to their kind.”

[New Hayabusa]

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PM Daichi Noru releases BOMBSHELL Bakhriya memo; criticises Maracaiban action
Kaito Yoshida (@kayo_rst)
^{17/01/2020 | Shizuna, Dayashina}

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The Prime Minister spoke pictured replying to
questions after bombshell flash statement

This morning opened with shock as the Prime Minister appeared publicly for an unscheduled, flash statement regarding the Bakhriya conflict, breaking his months-long silence on the matter despite the existence of a plethora of issues on the matter that he typically responds to. Reporters rushed to the scene as th Prime Minister delivered what might be his most vicious attack on the Allied Nations' foreign policy yet. With the removal of President Kerman, analysts predicted that relations between Dayashina and Maracaibo would drastically improve, but this could not have turned out to be more untrue, judging by Noru's statements on the matter.

The Prime Minister opened by announcing the release of a Republic of Dayashina Defence Forces memo detailing all unclassified material on Dayashina's involvement in the Bakhriyan War. In short, the memo confirms the active combat involvement of the Dayashinese Special Air Service's 9th and 15th Companies on the frontlines of the Bakhriyan War, embedded with the Shijukunese Army. The memo states that DSAS operatives were strategically positioned in the areas of the front line experiencing the heaviest combat to break hard resistance cells at a faster rate to help the Shijukunese Army continue their rapid advance. Their presence was reportedly critical to the success of the offensive in some areas, reporting multiple dozens of prolonged engagements against the Bakhriyan and Maracaiban military.

With these movements being in direct contrast to Noru's open promise to reduce Dayashina's involvement in international conflicts during the 2019 Defence Reform debacle, it is expected to garner an angered response from the opposition party, who hold this ideal among their top values. Despite this, Noru pressed on, and used the memo as a part of what was immediately clear to be a wholesale attack on Maracaiban foreign policy, especially focusing on the Kerman Doctrine, perhaps the most polarising piece of foreign policy in the world.

"Everything about the conflict in Bakhriya proves that the Kerman Doctrine is nothing but a pipe dream and lie," Noru spoke with emphasis as he opened, "we in Dayashina have always known this, but this should make it clear to the world at large. Maracaiban actions in Bakhriya show that this doctrine, which has defined Maracaiban foreign policy for over a decade, is a disastrous failure of a facade which is selectively applied solely when it is in the Maracaiban government's heavily biased, borderline racist interest. It promises continental utopia, but only serves to strengthen some of the most horrific regimes in recent history.

With the release of the DSAS memo, I wanted to make it clear that there is nothing, absolutely nothing, that the Allied Nations can or will do to prevent us from fully supporting and fiercely protecting our esteemed allies and interests on the continent of Meridia with utmost, diligent respect to international conventions and laws. Dayashina, under any government, has never and will never let the Kerman Doctrine restrict the way in which we conduct ourselves as a sovereign nation and highly reputable member of the international community. The document is completely and wholly irrelevant to international law in every regard, and Maracaibo is not at liberty to enforce its will upon their counterparts as if they are authorities in international law.

While the words written on the Doctrine are polarising in their own right, the way in which they are applied are stunningly even worse, and this has all been proven in the latest months with the conflict in Bakhriya. Perhaps what is the immediate and obvious issue is that the Allied Nations deployed multiple thousands of troops to support a dictatorial regime that has been the oppressing force in numerous ethnic conflicts over the last century. The Van Kroezen regime, particularly, denied basic human rights to both the Bantu and Berber ethnic minorities, attempting to use brute military force to step all over their minorities in order to gain unrestricted access to economic activities and resources, which happened to be among the only things that served to even remotely increase their disastrous quality of life. Having had enough, the brave Bantu and Berbers assembled in unison against the Bakhriyans, despite facing overwhelming force, and jointly declared sovereignty over their own land. Our esteemed counterparts in Shijuku and Eukras deployed to aid their struggle, albeit in return for economic concessions.

Now, with the Kerman Doctrine promising continental prosperity in the absence of foreign influence, one would have thought that the Maracaibans would have deployed alongside their continental peers to assist the independence of the oppressed Bantus and Berbers and in the removal of the Van Kroezen regime. It turns out that that this was entirely untrue, as they deployed to secure the continued existence of the Van Kroezen regime, throwing all of their expeditionary weight behind a terrible regime which stands accused of hundreds of individual violations of human rights in the Septentrion League. As we speak, the Maracaibans are constructing large military bases within their newly drawn borders as insurance that the regime will continue its dastardly existence, and that they will not be brought to trial for their crimes in Sakurajima. Such actions show that the Kerman Doctrine now, and in the future will only serve to aid and reinforce suffering among Meridians, and that there should now be absolutely no question among anyone in the world that this is the case - the actions prove it.

One would think that it couldn't get worse than this, right? Oh, but it can. Once again, through their own actions, the Maracaiban government has undermined their own Doctrine, which is meant to apply to the entire continent of Meridia, by selectively applying it to the Bakhriyan conflict. They guaranteed the sovereignty of the Van Kroezen regime over all of the land of which it claims is theirs, yet completely ignored their desires to reclaim Berber land from the Berber independence movement and the Eukrasian Armed Forces, instead focusing everything in theatre on the southern front, against the Bantu and the Shijukunese. Even this proved completely unsuccessful at preventing the Shijukunese and Bantu strategic objective, thus proving that the Maracaiban government cannot physically live up to their promises, even if they were truthful in nature. The premise this actionfurthers is even more worrying.

After some time, one begins to seriously and reasonably question if the Doctrine is racially motivated. Over the course of recent years, the Maracaiban government has not lifted a finger to contest any sort of Casaterran or other such foreign influences on Meridia, despite the fact the Doctrine promises the removal of all foreign meddling from the entire continent. It has never once questioned the undeniably polarising movements of Casaterran powers on and around the continent, which have served to bring instability to the eastern hemisphere at large on repeated, prolonged occasions. Yet, their response seems to be immediate when any Hemithean nation abides by their commitments to their Meridian allies in accordance with international law. They have been incessant in questioning any Dayashinese action on the continent regardless of motivation, even questioning our right to respond after a terror attack killed over 50 Dayashinese civilians, and demanding a part of an operation for nothing other than the preservation of optics. In this case, Maracaibo completely ignored the actions of the Hallian-by-ethnicity Eukrasians, but were adamant to attempt to stop the actions of the Hemithean-by-ethnicity Shijukunese. After over a decade of such events, I can no longer seriously contest the argument that the Kerman Doctrine is meant as nothing other than an Anti-Hemithean Doctrine.

For far too long, I have held my tongue on the issue of Maracaiban foreign policy and their applications of the Kerman Doctrine. It may not have seemed that way, but I have. For far too long, I have allowed myself to let my sentiments, based on nothing but complete objectivity, to take the back seat, in the name of hopefully improving relations with the Maracaiban government. With the election of their new President, I was happily and joyously prepared to discuss mutual concessions for the improvement of relations between our two states. Regardless, their government has yet again proven themselves unwilling to make any concessions, unwilling to act in accordance with international standard, and unwilling to cease actions which serve to do nothing more than bring negativity and suffering upon our sacred world.

I condemn, wholeheartedly, the Maracaiban government for their horrific actions in Bakhriya. The Republic of Dayashina, as we speak, is discussing the possible unleashing a round of sanctions on Maracaiban goods, in correspondence with our esteemed allies. Their unwavering support for evil and ridiculous actions on the international stage can no longer go unpunished. Furthermore, we call upon our reputable counterparts in the Entente Cordiale to rescind all modes of support for the Kerman Doctrine and the foreign activities of the Maracaiban government at large. If not for any other reason, they should do so, so as to not be implicated on the international stage as complicit in their associate's support for one of the most oppressive regimes still in existence today."

From a Dayashinese person's perspective, it is unsurprising that the Prime Minister would choose this time, specifically, to make this statement, which one can reasonably assume has been in the works for quite some time. With elections coming up very soon, it is likely that Noru does have a domestic motivation behind this, aiming to drum up support or unify the Dayashinese people under his cause so as to boost his polling. Although the opposition party has always opposed Dayashinese intervention abroad, even they have openly expressed support for Noru's foreign policy specifically relating to the Allied Nations.

Despite this reality, the recent statements by Noru might have been too strong to appeal to the Liberal sentiment, and this may or may not serve to disunify the population on issues regarding Maracaibo. What could happen is the opposite of the effect that Noru is likely aiming to achieve, with the Liberals, Centrists, and other opposition parties possibly declaring that such statements were "too far," and the Rising Sun Party perhaps declaring that Noru "still isn't doing enough." Time will tell how this statement ripples through Dayashinese politics, and indeed what implications it will have on the international stage.

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Comments 92K | E-mail

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Comments:

FYR-MAN-42069 · 52 minutes ago
HAPPENING!!!!! ITS HAPPENING!!!!!!!!!!

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52,643 likes · 6,956 dislikes

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yuki59 · 45 minutes ago
As a liberal myself, I understand how fucking dumb the doctrine is, but I think its equally as dumb to legitimise it by giving it any substance on the international stage. I think Noru made a mistake here, he should gone the route which Liberal party leader Yuriko Saito suggested to him, that being total silence and disregard.

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42,515 likes · 20,125 dislikes

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joyspam-bot90 · 31 minutes ago
200 IQ Noru moment, Noru 2020, 2025, 2030...

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25,341 likes · 14,912 dislikes

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[Meinkraft]

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BREAKING NEWS - The State Department responds to PM Daichi Noru
_{by Sandra Amador}

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After a scathing criticism from the Prime Minister of Dayashina, the State Department has released a statement which reads as follows:

From the State Department of the Allied Nations of Maracaibo and Outlying Territories:

The Allied Nations have always been committed to fostering peaceful relations between herself and her fellow sovereign nations on the world stage. Unfortunately, events will pass which threaten this peace. It is currently within the interests of the Allied Nations to protect other sovereign nations from threats without. This is to maintain peace on the continent. A nation is clearly and gravely in need when it looks to be crushed and divided up amongst its adversaries; especially while in a civil war, its greatest time of need. Maracaibo received the angel of intervention in its darkest hour over seventy years ago, and is grateful. Maracaibo’s foreign policy is now to pass along that favor and sweeten the deal by enforcing a lasting peace. This peace does not hinge on race, class, or any other immutable trait. The guarantee shall be enforced to the fullest extent Maracaibo may pursue it, up to and including direct conflict with the aggressive party.

The Allied Nations further condemns Dayashinese involvement in Bakhriya, noting that the secretive and underhanded involvement violates and undermines trustworthy values held common. The State Department has no further statements at this time.

This story automatically updates. Its content may change or be added onto by any trusted GSRN journalist as the news develops.

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Also in the news:
What the Kerman Doctrine means for Meridia
Following the Trail: The Case of Missing Persons in Lanza
Uncovering Vitric Treasures: The Telescopes of the Tribals

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Aggregated Comments Related to #Bahkriya:

George Kerman ✔ @GRK · 2 hours ago
#Bahkriya A good move on Barnes' part to continue the protection I strived for, in the face of nasty opposition. This thread will inform you on how the Doctrine works 1/?

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51k likes, 630 replies

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Ryanne Barnes ✔ @chicaselva43 · 1 hour ago
I'm in #Bahkriya right now. People were grateful for us coming to their aid. Noru once again showing his ass.

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13k likes, 250 replies

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Maracaibo Syndicalist Party ✔ @ALasBarricadas · 10 minutes ago
The situation in #Bakhriya is a mistake and travesty our country has made, and we want no part in upholding a regime like that.

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40k likes, 22 replies

_{REPLY · LIKE · HIDE}

Rosa Celestino @RosaC1312 · 10 minutes ago
What does #Bakhriya have to do with us? Why are we there?

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250 likes, 150 replies

_{REPLY · LIKE · HIDE}

[Themiclesia]

Jan. 19, 2020

Breaking: Namae-Nashi Trashes Forces' Recruitment Offices in Krong-nêng

The recruitment offices the Consolidated Fleet in ruins.

Krong-nêng • It is reported from multiple eyewitnesses that Namae-Nashi, the noted rapper and controversial celebrity, has ransacked the forces recruitment offices in Krong-nêng with two baseball bats.

This is unlikely to be a random attack, since the offices were some blocks apart, and Namae-Nashi has only attacked those offices, leaving all other buildings and persons in his way fully unscathed.

Namae-Nashi was at a signature event held for several days in a row, interacting with the fans of his music, and it has been customary that he led the fans to public houses and other venues after 8 in the evening, where he would give in promptu performances and drink. He reportedly visits multiple locations each evening, allowing his fans to join him without cramming into public houses of limited size.

Around 1 a.m., Namae-Nashi emerged from his final destination of the night, "very visibly drunk" according to an attendee, and said he would hail a taxicab home. After some valedictions, he disappeared from the crowd and was next seen breaking into a sports equipment store about two blocks away from the dispersing fans, with a stone tile lifted from the boulevard. Then, he was seen emerging with two baseball bats and hailed a taxicab away.

About a half-hour later, he was seen wreaking havoc on the ground level of No. 301, Kaw-ning St., where the recruitment office of the Consolidated Army for the Inner Region was located. Neighbours reported that the din was far worse than anything which normally came out of that office, and some opened their curtains to see the destruction.

Having broken through the windows of the offices, he disappeared from view and emerged some minutes later, while the police have been called. Then, he hailed another taxicab, probably through an Internet service at this hour, and disappeared from the scene.

He was arrested at No. 43, Goi-bruk Village, where the rampage continued on the Consolidated Fleet's recruitment office, again for the Inner Region. The Metropolitan Police of Kien-k'ang have not commented on this matter since Namae-Nashi was taken into custody, though he has tweeted to his fans that he is "quite all right."

As for possible motivation, our correspondents note one of his cousins appears to have been trying to get into the forces in the past few weeks but was declined. Though the reason was not stated by either the cousin, Namae-Nashi, or the forces, public information seems to suggest the cousin would not turn 18, the minimum age to enlist, until later this year. However, the cousin lives at Namae-Nashi's home town of Tul-gwang, and it is not likely that he was turned away in either of the two recruitment offices Namae-Nashi destroyed last night.

[Husseinarti]

Emperor Napoleon VII: "It is time to rethink the Kerman Doctrine"

Breaking the silence over Maracaibo's foreign policy position, known as the "Kerman Doctrine" named so after the former President George Kerman, Emperor Napoleon VII made his remarks on it in an address given this afternoon. It was a scheduled which was projected to go over mostly the events happening in the South Menghe Sea between the Socialist Republic of Menghe and the majority of the Entente over the Isla Diamanta crisis, with some also speculating that mentions of the conflict in Bakhriya would also come to light. However following Dayashinese Prime Minister Daichi Noru's snap statements just a few hours before, the address was speculated to change almost entirely to the conflict in Bakhriya and the Maracaiban Kerman Doctrine.

Up to this point, the Emperor and many in the Entente remained mostly quiet on the Kerman Doctrine, with serious backing from the Sylvan government along with fears of interruptions to cheap oil to Casaterra, it was regarded as a very sour topic in Casaterran politics to discuss. This generated much criticism from foreign governments both outside of Casaterra and from within. However the status quo is to change, as with the soon unification of the Sieuxrrian and Sylvan crowns in the coming weeks, the pro-Maracaiban lobbying may soon come to a sudden end, and this new interview with the Emperor sheds much light, but also poses even more questions for the role the Entente will play in Meridia in the years to come.

The Emperor's statement was very critical of the Kerman Doctrine, going over its history in the early 2010s and its backdrop on early conflicts in the 1990s. He shifted to the problems the doctrine created between Dayashina and Sieuxerr, building on already strained relations between the two nations during the Pillowlandia conflict of the 1990s, in which Sieuxerr gave no protest as Sylva supported Maracaibo. The address was relatively short and blunt, ending the statement by saying that "It is time to rethink the Kerman Doctrine, Sieuxerr will not support or follow Maracaibo into a war in which it uses the Kerman Doctrine in any way to justify its actions." With this, he put forward a challenge to the current Maracaiban government to reconsider the doctrine as whole.

[Tobar Islands]

https://en.thesunnews.tob/frontpage/frontstory

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Vol. 20 .. No. 104

Monday, January 20th, 2020

2 Tobarese dólará (NEWSPAPER)

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VIOLENCE ERUPTS IN SÉPALÈ AFTER INTERNATIONAL CORPORATE INTERACTION BILL PASSES, PRESIDENT VOICES OUTRAGE
Paulè Matasī (@TheSun_Paule)
^{Monday, January 20th, 2020, 9:49:12 PM}

Traditionalist protestors clash with armored officers of the Sépalè Metropolitan Police blocks away from the Republican Assembly building.

This past January has been punctuated with a rising tide of nationalist sentiments and reciprocated globalist outcries ever since the seizure of several hundred kilometers of land from the Akúoké tribe occurred over New Years, and it seems like the overall situation will "only deteriorate further" according to many Tobarese. However, the "spark" that has officially lead to the explosion of nation-wide civil violence occurred today when the Republican Assembly successfully pushed the "Free International and Corporate Interaction Act", or FICIA, into becoming law. President Julián Rákaò had issue a veto to the law over the weekend in criticism of its "handing of the reigns of many sectors of the Tobar Islands' economy to non-Tobarese private actors"; however, the current political majority in the Republican Assembly — consisting of a coalition between the Tobarese Progressive Party and the Social Democratic Party of the Tobar Islands — spearheaded an overturn of Rákaò's veto in a never-before seen 60% domination of the legislative proceedings.

It is currently unknown whether or not President Rákaò's firebrand responses over social media on Sunday morning was the definitive cause for today's influx of violence in the capital. Nonetheless, massive protests were held today within Champion Park and along the Boulevard of Golâz to pioneer the message of the Traditionalist Party and support Rákaò's outrage against the "culturally and economically transgressive bill". The mayor of Sépalè, Daní Abasá, and the city's municipal board declared these demonstrations as illegal gatherings soon after violence broke out between the traditionalist protesters and a growing collection of counterprotestors; many of whom showed banners and icons in support of the Progressive and Social Democratic parties.

Riots broke out well into noon after columns of armored officers belonging to the Sépalè Metropolitan Police arrived to break apart the gatherings in Champion Park and the Boulevard of Golâz, with tear gas being employed against both traditionalist and bill-supporter groups. However, after reports of molotov cocktails being thrown and massive vandalization of sidewalks for throwable objects began to trickle in, the riot police were authorized to use water cannons from the municipal fire departments and to use rubber bullets against particularly aggressive rioters. This lead to large-scale vocalizations of protest on social media, calling the police and the municipal government "tyrannical".

Two men show The Sun reporters the severity of their injuries sustained during protests in Champion Park, inflicted by "stray projectiles from counter-protestors".

Live rounds were reported to be shot in the neighborhoods of Little SiyuÍ and Ascaiú against police at around three o'clock in the afternoon among the overall discord of the city's riots, bringing schools and hospitals in the area on lockdown. Although no casualties were reported, the gunmen were suspected to belong with the Akúoké tribe, as both of these neighborhoods possess large concentrations of those who both identify with and descend from the tribe and have been bastions of support for the Traditionalist Party. However, these suspicions were only voiced by a select few representatives of the metro-police, who have retracted their statement since on the grounds of minimal evidence.

Prime Minister Matiú Alâsá has ordered the Republican Assembly to reconvene tomorrow morning to assess the sociopolitical climate surrounding the bill's passage, and has voiced his own displeasure with the municipal government of Sépalè.

"It is such a shame that the government of our own capital city will go to drastic lengths to curtail the freedoms of protest assure by our very own constitution," Alâsá stated over the national news radio, Tobár On the Waves. "I am very much cognizant of just how controversial this entire subject is, but the last thing a proper government would want to do is to silence the opposition within the general citizenry on the grounds of.. what? Political differences?"

As of this time, there are still significant groups of protesters occupying various smaller parks within the capital city in defiance of the municipal government, with the entirety of the Boulevard of Golâz being cordoned for traffic. Regional elements of the Tobarese National Gendarmerie has been mobilized and are moving into the city, supposedly to bolster the security for the next meeting of the Republican Assembly that is to be held tomorrow morning. President Rákaò and Prime Minister Alâsá have both scheduled public meetings tomorrow afternoon, and are to air across all available national telecommunications services in addition to several news channels, including our very own SunLive service.

Riot troopers from the Sépalè Metropolitan Police and reinforcements from the National Gendarmerie advance along Captain Avenue and the remains of broken sidewalk projectiles used by rioters.

Updates will be delivered as the situation progresses.

Written by Paulè Matasī

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