Earth II v.5.0 [Newswire Thread]

[Earth_ Two]

Earth II
The Earth II Newswire

Welcome to The Earth II Newswire, which is to be a collection of news articles written in, about, around, and/or focusing on the nations of the Earth II Community. If you are not a member of Earth II please do not post in this thread. However, please take the time to read our works. If you are interested in what you see, we invite you to learn about our community and submit an application.

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[Earth_ Two]

The Earth II Newswire
Table of Contents

• 2019
  
  • Itailian Maifias
    
    • [31-DEC-19]: The End of a Year, and perhaps a Government?
  • Layarteb
    
    • [11-MAR-19]: LCAA Releases Final Flight 8432 Report
    • [01-APR-19]: Wings Over McGuire 2019 Set to be Biggest Military Airshow in Layartebian History
• 2018
  
  • Itailian Maifias
    
    • [05-MAY-18]: RN Deploys Task Force to Aden to Coordinate in International Anti-Piracy Effort
  • Layarteb
    
    • [19-JUL-18]: Abandoned Merchant Ship Found Adrift
  • -The United Federation of Nations-
    
    • [04-MAY-18]: Grim Reaper Squadron: Uncompromised Performance

[-The United Federation of Nations-]

Grim Reaper Squadron

Uncomprosed Performance

Grim Reaper Squadron (GRS) is proud to announce that as of today, 4th May 2018, we are now fully operational and available for contracting all over the world. GRS is the worlds-first combat aviation private military company, with capabilities ranging from air defence patrols, to battlefield interdiction and everything in between. Composed entirely of former military combat pilots, GRS provides a professional, highly trained and deeply experienced package designed to allow potential employers with the ability to significantly enhance their combat air capabilities without having to pay to maintain and operate them, instead paying a single, simple and fairly priced fee to GRS. The Grim Reapers operate under a strict code of conduct, similar to military law, ensuring a professional, trusted service to our customers. Although the Grim Reapers are available to high by all interested parties, the GRS will not conduct missions which require the use of weapons of mass destruction, or the deliberate targeting of civilian targets; the exact restrictions of GRS services are laid-out in employment contracts.

David Breckenridge, Chairman of the Grim Reaper Squadron Organisation (GRSO), the Grim Reaper Squadron’s parent company, is a former combat pilot in the United Defence Force of the United Federation of Nations, declared that the Grim Reaper Squadron constituted the single most highly concentrated unit of military aviation experience and expertise anywhere in the world, drawing it’s pilots and support staff from a number of different sources, and offering unparalleled capabilities not found anywhere outside of national militaries.

All interested parties should visit our secure website and speak to one of our advisors at http://www.GrimReaperSquadron.com or otherwise make use of our secure Telegram system.

[Layarteb]

Abandoned Merchant Ship Found Adrift
Arctic cruise ship MV Aurora Borealis located after 5-1/2 years
Myron Collins (@MCOLLINSLNN) (Layartebian News Network)
Thursday, July 19, 2018 - 19:09 | Layarteb City, NY, Empire of Layarteb

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MV Aurora Borealis as last seen in February 2013

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LAYARTEB CITY - The MV Aurora Borealis has been found, ending years of speculation that the derelict vessel had sank in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean. The vessel was spotted by a passenger yacht drifting in the seas approximately 250 nautical miles east-northeast of Grand Turk in international waters.

The Aurora Borealis was a 295-ft long, 110-passenger cruise liner that operated in the Arctic from 1976 to September 2010 when it was seized in port following the bankruptcy declaration of Arctic Premier Tours. The vessel had been tied up in port in St John's, Newfoundland for two years prior to this due to mechanical issues with the ship. Her last tour, completed in summer 2008 had been at half capacity with only fifty-six passengers booked. The crew had been downsized to fifty-one and maintenance issues had plagued the trip. Following low bookings for its subsequent cruise, the vessel was slated for repair in St John's in the autumn and winter of 2008 - 2009. Due to debts exceeding §250,000, the ship was never repaired and when it was seized in September 2010 as part of the bankruptcy hearing, the cost to restore it to passenger-service standards far exceeded its value in scrap.

The vessel was sold to a scraping company based in Cuba in February 2012 and taken under tow in January 2013. However, a violent storm forced the company's tugboat to detach its tow line after just 24 hours at sea. An effort to regain the tow occurred seven days later on February 1 but it was lost again within six days following continued, violent weather. The vessel has not been seen since. Several salvage experts gave interviews around the time, speculating as to the vessel's worth and one company publicly pledged to recover the vessel. Wintry conditions prevented any further towing operations however.

The Aurora Borealis was presumed to be drifting eastward with the ocean current and on February 23 and March 12, two signals from the vessel's still-functioning emergency position-indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) indicated that the vessel was taking on water - as these beacons only activate when they are exposed to water. A small search effort was launched by the coast guard but the vessel was not locating and declared "Missing, Presumed Sunk" on March 18, 2013.

That was until today when the vessel was spotted. How it managed to elude sighting for so many years will remain a mystery and the state of the ship is said to be in extreme disrepair indicating that any attempt to board or take her under tow could result in massive, structural failure. So far, no salvage companies have announced their intention to take the vessel under tow and gain what value they can. How the vessel is still afloat will be the biggest mystery however as well as its route. The coast guard issued a short statement that they would send a small cutter to investigate the vessel to ensure it was not a hazard to any offshore platforms or land possessions. It is likely, if left alone, that the ship will drift into the Turks and Caicos islands and beach itself or continue westward, where it would eventually reach land in Mexico, should it avoid land along its journey.

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[Itailian Maifias]

RN Deploys Task Force to Aden to Coordinate in International Anti-Piracy Effort
Task Force G will join ships from the Federation, Layarteb, and 2 other states to combat piracy in the Aden Gulf

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Lionel Taylor (@LionelTaylor)(BBC2)
^{May 05, 2018 2:00 PM | Paris, France}

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H.M.S. Oriens, Type 45-class Destroyer, D200, in transit in the English Channel BBC photo

Paris, France(BBC2) — Earlier this morning, the Department of the Royal Navy announced through it's public relations office that the British government and military had come to an agreement with the Empire of Layarteb, Federation and Ostafrika to contribute British military assets towards an international effort the three previously mentioned nations were forming in order to combat a growing issue in the Aden Gulf; piracy on civilian shipping.

The Navy announced that the HMS Ark Royal and her accompanying battle group would be temporarily designated as Task Force G and would proceed towards the Gulf where it would join the international group, which was calling itself Task Force 100, to try to break down the actions of piracy groups in the area and combat them to protect civilian shipping lanes and merchant vessels which had recently come under attack in an increasing wave of pirate acts. The rise of piracy in this area is largely contributed to the systematic destabilization in Yemen, and although no British ship or company has reported facing pirates lately, the Navy spokesperson clarified that the government was seeking to help end the problem before it manifested itself into a much larger problem and cancer.

The Ark Royal had just recently finished a cruise as apart of the Atlantic Fleet and its associated command and was currently scheduled to head towards the Arabian Sea and then HMNB Karachi to relieve the battlegroup there for a eight month deployment; the Navy has stated that these plans will be delayed until the Ark Royal can complete it's contributions to Task Force-100, after which they will resupply at the RN's base on Mauritius and then continue with their planned posting at HMNB Karachi.

Lionel Taylor contributed to this article.

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JohnM · 1 hours ago
Will be very interested to see how Soer does; he hasn't had a established platform in a long time, but he has also done the unbelievable task of managing what used to be a regional power to one of the largest nations on the planet.

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JessicaSt · 3 hours ago
While I originally appreciated the EIRP when it was first unveiled, I think it needs a serious relook, specifically from our new vantage point of a global Empire, and not just a regional European nation, and I'd love to see it revitalized and continued. The NHS formation also sounds amazingly unConservative of Soer, I wonder if he's doing it to steal a leg from Opposition's stool so to speak

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Merk · 4 hours ago
To me, he has to recover some prestige diplomatically. Not that he ever lost any, but HM reallly stole the thunder when he and his sister completely buried the hatchet and planted a garden with Lacoze. The world's cooking pot ready for a world war, and they defused it in a month, after years of tensions. Soer definitely wants to come up with a victory to outscore that, though it'll be *very* hard to do, even for him.

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[Layarteb]

LCAA Releases Final Flight 8432 Report
Air Layarteb Flight 8432 Final Accident Report on 2015 Crash
Simon Hayes (@SIMONHAYESLNN) (Layartebian News Network)
March 11, 2019 - 08:00 | Layarteb City, New York, Empire of Layarteb

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Recovery operations of Air Layarteb Flight 8432

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LAYARTEB CITY - After nearly four years, the Layartebian Civil Aviation Agency has released its full and complete report into the crash of Air Layarteb Flight 8432 in 2015. The aircraft, which crashed off the southern shore of Long Island on July 23 of that year was brought down by a surface-to-air missile fired by terrorists loyal to Al-Shams. The incident killed 509 passengers and crewmen, making it the deadliest air disaster in Layartebian history and perhaps the most tragic. The flight had departed London's Heathrow Airport and it was due to land at Layarteb City International Airport.

The aircraft, an LDC Model 003-100, was traveling at an airspeed of 205 knots and an altitude of 4,775 feet off the southern shore of Long Island when it was brought down approximately 11 miles south of Jones Beach. Due to the nature of the incident, the LCAA had cooperation from both the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Intelligence. Per the report, three terrorists identified as Abdul Yasmin Haik, Faisal Ikraam Touma, and Khalid Khairi Maloof were responsible for the incident. They had been living surreptitiously in the Empire for several years as an "inactive cell" prior to July 2015 when they were activated to bring down the airliner. The terrorist act, the deadliest on Layartebian soil, was meant to be one of four incidents but authorities were able to stop the remaining three before they could be carried out, thus stopping Al-Shams' further plans.

According to the report, an Igla-S missile was fired from a boat in the Atlantic Ocean at approximately 23:00, which then tracked the slow-moving airliner. The missile's warhead detonated on the aircraft's portside, inbound engine, known as the #2 engine. The initial impact is believed to have caused catastrophic damage to the engine blade and the pylon mounting. The massive, turbofan engine then suffered immediate mechanical failure that resulted in shrapnel piercing and destroying the aircraft's portside wing, causing it to separate from the aircraft. During the wing separation, shrapnel was also found to have damaged the portside, stabilizer though not in a catastrophic way. The separation of the wing caused the aircraft to depart from level flight and crash into the water after corkscrewing. Both the in-flight data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder were recovered during the recovery efforts, which saw approximately 95% of the wreckage recovered.

Eyewitness report from late-night beachgoers at Jones Beach did support evidence of a missile launch as many eyewitnesses reported seeing what was ultimately described as a "rocket flare," or the ignition of the missile's solid-rocket motor. Despite efforts, no missile launcher was recovered and the precise launch point could not be ascertained. Missile parts however were recovered and explosive residue on the engine affirmed the missile theory.

The report provided some light detail into the activities of the three terrorists prior to and after the crash. The terrorists, and their wives, fled the country that evening before authorities could ascertain what had happened with the jetliner. Intelligence gathered by the Ministry of Intelligence uncovered that the terrorists flew commercial flights to Yemen, where they went into hiding. They are believed to still be at large though unconfirmed reports of a special forces raid in Al Mukalla in August 2015 suggest that these terrorists were killed. Neither the government of Yemen nor the Empire have issued any comments concerning these allegations, on that they are "baseless conspiracy theories meant to undermine Yemeni sovereignty." It is believed, however, that Operation ANGRY HUSKY, launched in October 2016 in Pakistan by Layartebian and British forces was directly in connection with the downing of Flight 8432. That operation saw the death of Mullah Shahir Alhasan Najjar, the former leader of Al-Shams' Shura Council. It is believed he was replaced by Ghali Khulus Salib, a former commander in the Yemeni military during the 1980s who joined Al-Shams in the late 1990s, shortly after the group was formed in 1996. It is believed that Salib was likely the organizer of the November 8, 1997 attack on a supermarket in Al-Mukalla that left 35 dead and 16 wounded, one of Al-Shams' first terrorist attacks on record.

The report, which is 421 pages long, has been released to the public and downloadable in PDF format. There are, surprisingly, no redacted portions of the report and its release came with the approval of not only Chief Executive Jonathan Walker and the Layartebian legislature but also the Office of the Emperor, which is normally very secretive concerning Al-Shams' terrorist activities.

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[Layarteb]

Wings Over McGuire 2019 Set to be Biggest Military Airshow in Layartebian History
Attendance over the 4-day period is expected to exceed 225,000 with over 400 aircraft in attendance
Sport McAllister (@SPORTMLNN) (Layartebian News Network)
Monday, April 1, 2019 - 09:41 | Layarteb City, New York, Empire of Layarteb

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(File Photo)

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LAYARTEB CITY - The annual Wings Over McGuire airshow is shaping up to be the biggest military airshow in Layartebian history. Officials announced the airshow as taking place from Thursday, July 4 to Sunday, July 7. Officials confirmed that there are already over four hundred confirmed aircraft attendees with static displays of nearly every aircraft in Layartebian, military service with some exception. As usual, the B-2A Spirit will only fly overhead at low-altitude versus sit on static display.

The typical attendance is 50,000 persons daily but with the extension to a fourth day, as well as statistical estimates based on the aircraft representation, officials believe as many as 225,000 people could walk through the gates of McGuire Air Force Base during this four-day period. Major General James Bonnet, commanding officer of McGuire Air Force Base, spoke on record to say, "The Fourth of July, being on a Thursday, presents a unique opportunity for the Layartebian public. Typically, the public will receive off not only the Fourth but also the Fifth in these situations, not unlike we see on the Thanksgiving holiday. With that in mind, we decided that spacing the airshow out with an extra day would really be a treat to the visitors." Typically, national and public holidays that fall on Thursdays tend to see Fridays added on as well.

"We will already feature every aircraft in the air force and the navy's inventory, with the exception of some obviously sensitive drone and bomber technologies, chiefly the B-2. The army will provide several helicopters as well. Internationally, we will see a strong contingent from air forces and navies around the world. We anticipate some exciting displays and demos as well with the premier 'maneuver pilots' from aerobatic teams present. There may even be something of an aerobatic competition but that isn't confirmed yet," Bonnet added over the phone when asked for further comment.

Wings Over McGuire is the Empire's largest, military-themed airshow with only the Oshkosh Airshow, held at the end of the month, eclipsing it for aircraft and patronage. The aircraft there are primarily light, privately owned aircraft akin to Cessnas and Beechcrafts. Overall patronage for the 7-day Oshkosh event normally exceeds 600,000 people. Wings Over McGuire was first debuted in 1985 to commemorate the 5th anniversary of the Layartebian Revolution and it has been held annually ever since, located approximately eighteen miles southeast of Trenton and east of Philadelphia. In 1995, there was serious consideration to moving the airshow to Stewart Air Force Base in New Windsor, New York but space and residential limitations required a local referendum to be held. Residents in the neighboring townships voted overwhelmingly against the airshow.

While the airshow is free to attend, which includes parking, concession revenues often exceed §5 million for the three-day event whereas the local economic impact can be as much as §60 million. Increasing the airshow to a fourth day is expected to increase revenues by as much as a third without negative impact to the community. In the past, Wings Over McGuire has never exceeded three days, which puts this year's airshow as a first for the community, the air force base, and spectators.

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[Itailian Maifias]

The End of a Year, and perhaps a Government?
Per Parliamentary agreement, 2020 will be an Imperial General Election, and PM Soer and his Conservatives have much to do to solidify their control, or they will lose it

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Lionel Taylor (@LionelTaylor)(BBC2)
^{December 31, 2019 2:00 PM | Paris, France}

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Rt.Hon. Prime Minister Daniel Soer during testimony over BBC photo

Paris, France(BBC2) — Tonight, we will ring in conclusion of this year, 2019, as we also usher in the beginning of a new year, a new decade in 2020 and as eyes leave yesteryear's business in the dust and look forwards to what lies ahead, many throughout the Empire have laid their minds on a question that will become more burning as time draws closer to Autumn 2020; is Prime Minister Soer and the Conservatives saavy enough to pull a victory and retain power through the upcoming 2020 General Election?

On paper, there isn't much of an issue. Out of the 1,283 seats within the Imperial Parliament, Daniel Soer and the National Conservatives Party (NC) command a near-majority with 611 seats within the House of the Commons; their coalition government is joined in union by all 42 seats of the Imperial Heritage Bloc, the 60 seats of the National Alliance Party, the 30 seats of the Briton's Peoples Party, 25 seats from the Levant and Jewish specific Solomon & David, and finally 25 from the Egyptian People's Bloc; for those who were trying to do the math along the margins, it gives the NC-lead government with PM Soer at the reigns a very comfortable 793 seat majority within the Chamber, remaining this way since the German and Egyptian by-elections two years ago for a handful of parliamentary seats. The remaining 490 seats within the Parliament are collected by the Labour Party (314), Continental's Rights Party (56), People's Cause Coalition (100), Citizen's Action Cause (50), and the Celtic Circle Party (15), and for many who have remained informed on British national politics, the stark difference between the Government and Opposition has been clear; despite being rather infamous for not using a banner policy to campaign under, Prime Minister Soer has done an highly effective job of communicating his position on a number of policies and remaining firm in not just uttering commitments in election season, but also passing them through Parliament, mostly thanks to the large majority that he has commanded since 2013 when he took power on the surge of a number of snap elections. He came into office in times of political uncertainty, with Parliament and Whitehall both seemingly bogged down by the bureaucracy that ensures the well-being and administration of two billion plus of the world's citizens, the Commons frequently deadlocking on bills that ended up languishing in committee or getting into seemingly generational fights with the Lords, specifically over legislative privileges and ministerial funding authorizations and he managed to completely turn the tables within the past six years, carefully navigating the various pitfalls a British politician could encounter, while building a network that would see him to become one of the longest-serving, and many would say, successful Prime Ministers in modern history.

However, despite all the past success, the present also demands for an accounting; the Prime Minister's public perception remains deeply stained by the coverage of the Evelyn Scandal, even though it finally concluded before winter this year, it was a prolonged affair that lasted more then 13 months of coverage through the main stream, and not, media sources within and without the Empire; news of your Minister of Energy embezzling funds from the country's nuclear power programs and ensuring that fossil fuel companies remained competitive through unfair contracts would have destroyed many careers, and many (including some within the Ministry of Justice) have accused the Prime Minister of being aware of Mr Evelyn's illicit activities and condoning them through negligence in addressing them; the Prime Minister has been taciturn in addressing this scandal in public, having yet to do so personally having all statements read by representatives so far. In addition, you have the continuing rhetoric from MP Caitlyn Gwerder, one of the senior members in the Labour-led Opposition, which is mostly focusing on the inaction from Prime Minister Soer and the Government MP's in addressing the ever-increasing media rumors that they have been hands off with proper accounting of the military administration and more then a few military officials have come forward privately on how their hopes are quashed every year when a budget fails to address something, or a key policy or directive is put off or suspended (again). On top of all of this, you have influential social voices throughout their various communities in every part of the Empire, though mostly concentrating on southern France, central Germany, and more far flung parts of the Empire, on Prime Miniser Soer delivering on his promise of finalizing legislative reform, something that was given back in 2013 when a fresh-in-office Prime Minister Soer signed off on an landmark deal with the Opposition that saw a highly debated set of laws pass that reformed the membership of Parliament, but didn't fully address and many of its sunset clauses continue to enact each year that Parliament fails to replace it; it's anticipated that if not solved before this upcoming election, the total size of the Commons may swell well past 1,400 members unless directly addressed. Clamour for the reform has been nigh constant from every non-Conservative for the last decade, but it was one of the major things that tripped up Soer's predecessor and caused it to come to a stalemate.

In addition, as mentioned above, this year will be a budget year, with the Chancellor of the Exchequer anticipated to address the Parliament shortly after it opens on January 10th to deliver the Government's proposed budget; while annual budgets are common, and perhaps expected, the Government defer and instead fund the continuance of government through individual ministerial financing resolutions, which have become more common under Prime Minister Soer's premiership, as it often ensures that the Government can carry on without the whole budget getting bogged down over the tough choices made on where the Government's limited resources are invested. However, the Treasury has not submitted a budget nor has Parliament debated once since 2015, the Government having remained funded through those previously mentioned resolutions, often referred as TFA's (Temporary Financing Acts) which is the longest such stretch in modern British history, and has been the cause of grief and criticism for him of late. Keeping government spending in line with revenues is always tricky, and with many critical components coming up for financial renewal, such as the military behemoth or the infrastructure spending that has slowly upticked in recent years, it will be an uphill battle even with serious backroom negotiation.

Despite all of this, this does not mean Prime Minister Soer is doomed for a failure; indeed if the election was to happen tomorrow, nearly every poll indicates a Conservative victory, maybe even one big enough to allow them to shed the coalition and assume a majority government, but as the election season dawns and the politicians shake out their campaigning boots, open polling agencies and establish call centers, go on debate trails and conduct block rallies, the political pressure will ratchet, and Soer must show that he is the elder statesman that his allies portray him to be, otherwise he will risk losing more then just a handful of seats; the Opposition as many fiery speakers, and all of them will galvanize not just their supporters but lukewarm citizens who are undecided, and make a duck hunt out of any political squandering or inaction on the Government's behalf.
Lionel Taylor contributed to this article.

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JohnM · 1 hours ago
Will be very interested to see how Soer does; he hasn't had a established platform in a long time, but he has also done the unbelievable task of managing what used to be a regional power to one of the largest nations on the planet.

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JessicaSt · 3 hours ago
He's a token player at best; he can't negotiate the passage of a good budget, can't reform the Parliament so it isn't bloated and can barely keep the helm straight at Whitehall; time for Crushing at NAP to step up and take the Government back for those of it that like to see our leaders work!

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Merk · 4 hours ago
Budget discussions will be early on, will be a key indicator of how he's going to do, whether be his best friend or his own worst enemy

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[Layarteb]

Indian Point Energy Center Commissions Unit 4
First of two new nuclear reactors officially commissioned at Indian Point Energy Center
Ruth Thomas (@RUTHTHOMASLNN) (Layartebian News Network)
Wednesday, April 15, 2020 | Buchanan, New York, Empire of Layarteb

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Indian Point Energy Center

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BUCHANAN - There are cheers and hollers all around as executives and state and local officials celebrate the commissioning of a new nuclear reactor at Indian Point Energy Center. Unit 4, which has been under construction for the past 8 years, was formally brought online at 12:01 this afternoon. Unit 4 is the first new nuclear reactor to be built in the state of New York in almost two decades and it heralds a new era of nuclear reactor design, though the design itself is nearly thirty years old.

Unit 4 is just one of two, new advanced boiling water reactors to be commissioned at Indian Point Energy Center with Unit 5 slated to come online in April 2021. Authorization for the two new reactors came in 2010 amidst discussions on whether or not to recertify Units 2 and 3, which had been in operation for nearly 40 years at that point. Per Layartebian regulations, nuclear reactors require recertification after the expiration of their original, operating licenses, which are normally set for the term life of the reactor. Units 2 and 3 were given 40-year licenses each, both of which expired in 2014 and 2016, respectively. In order to bridge the gap between then and the commissioning of Units 4 and 5, temporary operating licenses have been granted for 10 years each.

"The construction of Unit 4 and soon to be Unit 5 will provide New York, especially the Layarteb City area, with over 70% more energy than before. This will ensure continued supply as we endeavor further and further upon a digital future," said Secretary Christopher Davis, head of the Department of Energy, which is underneath the Ministry of the Interior. "The DOE has shown full confidence in this project and we believe that nuclear power remains a power source for the future." He would go on to add.

Currently, Indian Point provides 2,060 megawatts of power but when Unit 5 is completed, it will provide 3,500 megawatts of power, a 70% increase. Combined with other power sources in the region, the added capacity will be a major help in securing energy stability for the future. Under the current plant, Unit 2 will be formally decommissioned within the next 6 months and Unit 3 will be formally decommissioned within 6 months of Unit 5 coming online. For the time being, until Unit 2 is decommissioned, Indian Point will be able to provide 3,810 megawatts of energy. When Units 3, 4, and 5 are operational, the capacity will be over 4,500 megawatts.

Decommissioning of the two units is expected to be completed by 2030. Current plans call for the construction of two, new reactors and a possible third to replace Unit 1, which was run for only twelve years from 1962 to 1974 when it was brought offline due to issues with the reactor design and its fuel source. Unit 1 was formally dismantled in 1989 but nothing has replaced it since. There was a plan to build an identical reactor to Units 2 and 3 there in the early 1990s but this fell through amidst a wave of criticism from local officials who were concerned about the cost as well as resident backlash.

Resident backlash has not gone away and the commissioning was marred by throngs of anti-nuclear protestors. The protest movement Green Layarteb had the largest, visible presence outside of the gates. Dubbed "ecoterrorists" by plant officials, Green Layarteb protests against the use of fossil fuels, especially nuclear power plants for what they deem as "safety risks." While nuclear power plants are inherently dangerous by the nature of their design, Layartebian reactors have had a stellar safety record with only one major incident, the Three Mile Island accident in 1979. Despite initial fears, no adverse effects from the accident have been noted and the reactor was fully cleaned up in 1993 at a cost of nearly §1 billion. The accident was blamed on a combination of poor design and user error. A commission to investigate the accident was heavily critical of the designers of the reactor, especially for those who specifically designed the control room interface. Plant officials shouldered some of the blame themselves, specifically for providing inadequate training to reactor operators.

Indian Point Energy Center has had several "incidents" over its length operating time but none have been considered serious enough to threaten or to harm the surrounding communities. Opponents to Indian Point Energy Center have cited a previously undiscovered fault line in the area but which remains dormant. Scientists believe the fault is over 200 million years old but there is no evidence of any seismic activity. Opponents also cite the proximity to Layarteb City and a lack of a viable evacuation plan, should something catastrophic happen. However, state and local officials have advised that there are evacuation plans should the area need to be evacuated, though they could not share details when asked. "Drills and exercises are conducted regularly both at the plant and in the areas in physical, real-world scenarios and tabletop exercises," Governor Matthew Guy stated in an interview after the commissioning. When asked who conducted them, his response was "A coalition of agencies and departments in local, state, and federal government." No further responses were given to continued questions.

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[The Kingdom of Apilonia]

Treaty of Cape Town marks the foundation of the Apilonian Commonwealth
An Apilonian Commonwealth, consisting of Apilonia, Austria and several former daughter colonies, are brought together in a close economic, political, and military union.
Thomas Fitzwallace, Senior Political Correspondent (@FitzPacACN) (ACN)
Thursday 20th February 2020, 1300| Cape Town, Union of South Africa

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His Majesty The King addresses the Commonwealth Conference

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Cape Town, Union of South Africa- His Majesty The King, was joined in Cape Town today by President Jonathan Mulder of South Africa, Sheikh Mohammed bin Ahmed al-Sufi of East Africa, and Their Royal Highnesses the Archduke and Archduchess of Austria. Such an illustrious gathering of past, present, and future Apilonian political associates, was with the expressed purpose of signing the Treaty of Cape Town. The brainchild of Jonathan Mulder, in which his desire for a closer political relationship with the Kingdom of Apilonia was seen negatively by some within South Africa due to Apilonia’s imperial past, the Treaty of Cape Town establishes a new political union between Apilonia and several of it’s former colonies under an entirely new, and far more egalitarian, framework. To be known as the Apilonian Commonwealth, this political union shall initially include the Kingdom of Apilonia, of course, the Archduchy of Austria, the Union of South Africa, and, pending an amendment to the Treaty of Asmara to reflect this new option, East Africa. Initially conceived off as early as June, a multinational team from all four founding members worked around the clock to develop a framework that would be acceptable to all; a process significantly helped by the shared cultural and political systems, allowing the finalised treaty to be published in record time.

Although the organisation is primarily intended for those former Apilonian colonies, territories, and dominions seeking a close political union with those that share a common history, culture, and mindset, the Treaty of Cape Town makes clear that all states interested may apply for membership. However, the Treaty explicitly commits the Commonwealth, and its members, to the principles of democracy and self-determination, and any application by a state with an unfavourable record of such is unlikely to be accepted.

In any event, the Treaty of Cape Town represents a very different end to a year of increased Apilonian involvement in former colonies, and closely aligned friendly states like the Archduchy of Austria, than many previously expected. Although both Austria and East Africa were prepared to accept direct integration into the Kingdom, as a massive improvement over the previous colonial relationship in the case of East Africa, the new framework laid out for the Commonwealth was viewed as infinitely preferable for all concerned and would be implemented in the transition period that will follow today’s treaty signing.

Under the terms of the Treaty of Cape Town, the Kingdom of Apilonia, as the single largest and most powerful polity by some margin, is recognized as the first-amongst-equals, and as such all the members of the Commonwealth are unified by a common allegiance to the Apilonian Crown, which will require an adjustment of constitutional arrangements in some of the new or prospective members. Beyond such allegiance, however, each of the Commonwealth Realms (that is those members of the Commonwealth aside from Apilonia itself) retain their own legislative and constitutional independence from Apilonia itself, even if there is an implicit agreement to work towards a general standardisation of laws and regulations. This is due in no small part to the fact that the Treaty of Cape Town explicitly established the Commonwealth as a single market, in which the vast majority of trade barriers will be removed and common policies on product regulations will be developed by the end of the transition period, to be known as the Commonwealth Standard. In addition, the Commonwealth single market will allow for the freedom of movement of all factors of production, enterprise and services, as well as persons with travel and immigration between Commonwealth Realms being visa free.

In addition, although each of the Commonwealth Realms may pursue its own foreign policy and complete bilateral agreements independently, the Treaty of Cape Town commits members to a common foreign policy, which will largely be determined by a gathering of heads of government at an annual Commonwealth Conference. Furthermore, a common security, intelligence and defence policy will be enshrined by a series of Commonwealth Agreements, with extensive co-operation in these matters. In recognition of the Kingdom’s superior military, intelligence and security capabilities, the Treaty of Cape Town explicitly places the armed forces of the Commonwealth Realms under the direct operational command of the Royal Apilonian Military during wartime. Although not explicitly in the Treaty of Cape Town, it is understood that an attack on any part of the Commonwealth is an attack on the whole, and defence co-operation is expected to be extensive.

In his speech following the signing, His Majesty The King declared:

“…this Commonwealth will bring together Apilonia and those who we share a common heritage, culture and interests; equal in status and united in free association by our shared commitment to democracy, peace, prosperity, and the rule of law. The Commonwealth will be a true reflection of the simple truth that we are greater than the sum of our parts. The Apilonian Empire, as it was then, was built upon the riches and efforts of our colonies, and whilst they undoubtedly benefited in some respects from our presence in others they undoubtedly suffered, which although perhaps acceptable to the standards of the time is to my eternal shame as King. It is therefore only right that in this modern age that Apilonia rebuilds its international network firmly for the benefit of those it once exploited. The argument can be made that this Commonwealth, or something like it, ought to have been established decades ago during decolonization, but I do not envy the situation my father, grandfather, and the politicians of the day found themselves in. And yet, the formation of this Commonwealth is not merely a means by which Apilonian can make amends for the mistakes of its pass, as we do not desire this to be a backwards looking organisation, but rather a forward facing one that seeks peace and prosperity as we build a new future together."

Some commentors have immediately drawn parallels between the Apilonian Commonwealth and the Shenzhen Pact, raising the question of whether the Commonwealth was formed in direct opposition to the bloc, particularly given the initial opposition of numerous Pact members to the legitimate transfer of power during the South African Presidential Crisis. However, given the pre-existing ties between Apilonia and the Commonwealth Realms, and the Commonwealth’s fundamental commitment to democracy and human rights, officials asked for comment on the matter responded that observers could make that determination for themselves. The Commonwealth will officially begin its existence on 1 November 2020, following expected ratification in all four legislatures, and a twelve month transition period will begin during which the Commonwealth Common Market and other common agreements will be established.

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564 Comments
Apilonia Cable News © All Rights Reserved 2020

AdamBrooks70
Portsmouth, Duchy of Virginia
Two Hours Ago

An absolutely outstanding idea, for all concerned, allowing all of these Commonwealth realms to enjoy the benefit of closer relationships and a common market and travel area, whilst allowing all to retain their sovereignty. Not perfect, of course, but can't see many being dissatisfied!

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840 Yeas 44 Nays

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DiehardImperialist
Undisclosed
Twenty Minutes

Why are we pandering to these people? We should just take what is our birthright.

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4 Yeas 844 Nays

Reply

[Itailian Maifias]

GEC Commissions Newest Atomic Plant
The new facility, considered a Gen 4+, is meant to not only supplying power, but also providing room to open a new reactor this decade - a thorium one.

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Lionel Taylor (@LionelTaylor)(BBC2)
^{March 17, 2023 2:00 PM | Paris, France}

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A picture of the Beenjulik Facility, located in central Holland BBC photo

Paris, France(BBC2) — The scene is an idyllic one to some, horrifying to others, but for the majority of us, it represents a huge scientific achievment - the expansion of atomic power throughout the Empire. Earlier today, at the entrance of the elaborate brickwork archway that serves as it's main entry, Vice President of Operations for General Electric Company (GEC) Fleur Rodney was joined by the Holland Regional Director, ICC Elwin MacColuim, as well as the local MP, and several business elites as the GEC officially commissioned the Beenjulik Atomic Power Facility, the newest of its atomic power production sites, and the largest in the region.

The facility is set to supply power to not only all of Holland, but also with lines that tie into with northern French and German cantons, and is the latest in GEC's and other companies building spree is in part due to the Imperial government's current incentive-program to expand atomic power generation in favor of retiring older coal, gas, and carbon-damaging power sites. The facility sits on approximately 1,650 acres and sits just north of the Holland municipalities of Wessen and Roermond; three Gen 3 reactors have received governmental certification and are what is coming online today, are pressurized heavy-wator reactors, similar to the EDF/French EPR, that are intended to provide more than 1850 gross MWH; this alone will help decommission a number of coal and gas plants still operating in Europe, as the Imperial Government expands the C.E.S.N (Connected Energy Supply Network), but the main focus of the site is the still under-construction Reactor 4, which is intended to be a thorium-fed fast breeder reactor. The project has been the brainchild of Drs. Nicole Archer, Deòiridh Milburn, and Hannah de Royer, and is the successor to a government-funded project N.G.A.A which was terminated in 2001, and the rights to the research work and the work itself bought by the ICC in 2005 after which they restarted the project with the help of Archer, Milburn and de Royer, whom they recruited from the universities at Cambridge, Oxford, and Cleves. The Ministry of Energy issued a working site certification four years ago, but there have been some delays with construction materials and GEC decided to open the facility with the three proven reactors first, continue work on the final, and open it after completion and thorough testing; it's believed that upon completion and commissioning, the site will be the primary energy production site for all of Holland.

The event was not without controversy, as there was Wessen Municipal Police on site to contain a number of protestors who are unhappy with the company's decision to put the plant so close to major population centers, but VPO Rodney defended her company's choices, pointing out that the Ministry of Energy and the wider Imperial Government have been conducting extensive studies in to every avenue of atomic power generation, and only lowered the restrictions on site construction and location in concern to population centers after decades of research. Atomic power was originally quite popular within the Empire, but diminished between 1956 - 1961 mostly in part to the ruling Labour Party much more favoring retaining and expanding coal and other natural resource consuming power sites, mostly because the coal power and mining industries and workers were the powerbase of said political party. When Prime Minister Soer came to power in 2013, he launched the most comprehensive and well-funded endeavors into expanding atomic power, in part, because it plays well into his Government's wider agenda of bringing the Empire's massive infrastructure networks into the next generation of applicable technologies; the most visible icon of this endeavor is the CHARIOT Project, which is overseeing the construction of maglev and HSR (high speed rail) networks that connect every British city in Europe - Target C was met just two years ago when all of France and northern Germany was completed, joining their British and Dutch cities. Target D, which is still under construction, will complete central and southern German networks, and Target E which is being worked on concurrently will connect Polish and Prussian cities into the wider network; to date, the CHARIOT project has consumed hundreds of billions of pounds and is estimated to not be finished entirely until 2035, however with the nascent growth the population rate has seen in recent decades, it's seen as an absolute must as the Empire seeks to maintain the high living standard it has enjoyed since the previous two centuries.

Lionel Taylor contributed to this article.

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StewartR · 25 mins ago
If those tulips start turning green, I'm getting on the first flight to Java

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ALeblanc876 · 3 hours ago
It's about time, between GEC, Bowerstone and EDF, soon all of Europe will be atomic powered #TheFutureAwaits

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Return to Introduction
Return to Contents

[Grand California]

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2023's Most Influential Person

He strode into that little diner outside of Houston wearing cowboy boots, blue jeans, a denim shirt, and a black hat. He looked less like someone I would’ve expected to be a future CEO and more like an actor playing a role in the next big-budget Hollywood western. He sat down, took off his hat and put it on the booth beside him. The moment he started speaking, I knew he was as Texas as a Texan could be. I wondered who this kid could be and why I was sitting before him scared out of my mind. With a quick, charming smile and his down-home charm, he melted those fears away. We talked ad nauseam about country music, something I must admit I had no knowledge of before. There wasn’t anything special about him. He looked like your average twenty something fresh out of college and ready to take on the world.

People would underestimate him if they saw him like this. I did, not knowing everything about him beforehand. Then when we spoke on the topic of Devereaux Enterprises, I found that this wasn’t any twenty something. He knew what he wanted, he had the drive and ambition to work for it, and the connections to make it happen. What else would you expect from a family that produced two presidents, four Texas governors, 7 mayors of Houston, and spawned the most valuable company in California? He wasn’t trained for his role at Devereaux Enterprises, it was imprinted on his DNA. It was who he was and he was proud of it. He told me about formulating business strategies with his elementary school friends about a lemonade stand in a local park. In high school he had a portfolio that would make Midas blush. He graduated Magna Cum Laude with an MBA and a BS in Finance. He’d spend the summers at his family’s massive cattle ranch roping, herding, branding, and whatever the hell else someone does at a cattle ranch. Honestly, when he told me about it I lost my place in that story several times wondering if he’d have been better off being born in the late 1800s.

He stands on the precipice of greatness, the heir to his family’s multinational corporation and the massive family history and fortune that comes along with it. He’s a force, plain and simple. You can feel it exuding from him the moment you meet him. To be honest, I’ve never met someone like him before and I doubt I will again. There’s nothing about him that isn’t built for the future established for him by whatever universal forces choose us for the paths it puts us on. If you stand in his way, I feel sorry for you because he has the means and the power to bulldoze over just about any obstacle in his way and won’t hesitate to do it, either. I learned this 5 years ago when we first met at that diner. And since then, I’ve been proud to call him a friend.

Underestimate him at your own peril.

Nathaniel Thornton is the Chairman and CEO of Thornton Unlimited

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Dealing with events in my Earth 2 RP: Houston

[Itailian Maifias]

IAF Announces Final Flight for an Icon
The Mammoth's final flight date has been set, June 3rd, as after half a century service the IAF finally has a replacement for the icon

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Lionel Taylor (@LionelTaylor)(BBC2)
^{April 26, 2023 11:30 AM | Paris, France}

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#48, a bomber of No.251 Squadron, flying in Egypt BBC photo

Alexandria, Egypt(IBC3) — It's not often in the realm of military hardware for things to last long; with the rapid advancement of technology, hardware and software, it's oft said that the military needs to be like a wheel that never stops turning, lest it gives up an advantage to its potential foes; however, an anthesis of that wisdom has been the legacy of service of the De Havilland Mammoth strategic bomber, who originally began it's service as the premier heavy bomber of the Imperial Air Force all the way back in 1952, when it finished it's final test flights, and now, in 2023 more than a half century later, the IAF has finally announced it's last flight, with the last Mammoth set to leave service in an elaborate ceremony currently set for the first week of June this year.

If one were to view an Mammoth, it certainly holds true to its name; much larger than any other airframe except the largest cargo aircraft, its design harkens back to a long-ago age of air warfare; back when the need to have the most amount of bombs get through an enemy's airspace was considered a vital strategy during a wartime effort - when it was first accepted into service, it even had defensive turrets with autocannons still, and had a crew of twenty personnel. Of course, as time went on, strategies change, technology advances, and adaptions were made; first to go was the defensive mounts, then it was a refit for all 8 of it's engines, including the practically troublesome turboprops; of course, the first replacements didn't work, and it wouldn't till the third try. All in all, the Mammoth looks quite different then it did when it first entered service, but it's valiantly served as the front of Imperial airwarfare since it got started. It's limelight hour, was when the No. 251 Squadron out of JFB Ramon was involved in the IAF's first carpet bombing run on Alexandria, their first such usage of said tactic in more than 45 years; the tactic was credited with heavily weakening the resolve and capabilities of the Egyptian defenders, who surrendered less than a week later.

But, nothing is eternal like time, and the IAF has been slowly removing airframes from service dating all the way back to the 1980s. At first it was budgetary cuts, then it was the restructuring of bases and not many had the infrastructure left that was needed to the support the massive bombers, and of course, the Air Force wanted to run towards their modern goals of stealth, speed, and multi-mission craft, none of which the Mammoth fit. The original 200 airframes were slowly parred down, until by the time of it's use in Operation Pink Falcon, No.251 Squadron and its parent 3rd Bomber Wing where the last remaining in service across the Empire; heck, even the company that produced, De Havilland, left the military aerospace market more than four decades ago. The final nail in the coffin was the design and development of it's successor, the Manchester B.1 which began production in 2011 as apart of a breakthrough joint effort between three of the largest aerospace firms in the Empire, M.B.B. (Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm), De Havilland, and Sud Aviation, the former two returning to military industrial affairs for the first time in decades.

The Manchester is a complete revolution on how the IAF will use strategic bombers, and in the proposed budget currently sitting on the Parliament's table, the service is currently seeking funding for approximately 250 additional airframes; four squadrons of 20 had already been authorized three years ago when the first production order was placed, but at that time it was never envisioned that the Manchester would be stationed outside of Europe, but now the IAF wants them to serve from Lancaster to Indonesia. The first squadron to receive the Manchester, No. 311 operating out of IAF Berenger outside of Provence, has been training extensively after being stood up earlier last year and are now scheduled for their first deployment to IAF Aswan; where they will replace No. 251 Squadron, who will be sent instead to the Empire's aircraft storage processing centers, where sensitive equipment will be stripped and recycled and selective frames reserved for donation to historical societies.


Lionel Taylor contributed to this article.

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[Grand California]

'FIREBALL IN THE SKY'
Witnesses say a plane exploded just after takeoff over the Pacific Ocean near the Tahitian city
18 May 2023 | 07:42 am CDT

CTSB Chairwoman Margaret Davies

PAPEETE - It was a peaceful and tranquil day in the capital of Californian Polynesia. That was until a fireball light up the evening sky when a private jet bound for Houston exploded about 15 minutes after takeoff. According to eyewitnesses, there was a sudden, bright flash of flight, shortly after which pieces of the plane rained down on the water. According to the California Transportation Safety Board, they are dispatching a team to the area to investigate the cause of the explosion. Per reports, the plane belonged to Devereaux Enterprises and it was confirmed by a spokesman for the Devereaux Family that Devereaux Enterprises CEO Nanette Devereaux was on board the flight. At this time, no further information has been released by the Devereaux's or their legal team. It is unknown what caused the explosion at this time, the CTSB saying that the rampant speculation on the internet is just that--speculation.

"We are currently dispatching a team to the area," Chairwoman Margaret Davies said at a press conference in Denver earlier this evening." We will be working closely with the California Bureau of Investigation as well as local law enforcement to work out a timeline of events, to gather all pieces of the aircraft for analysis, and to identify everyone who was on board the flight." According to the CTSB chief, the plane was scheduled to leave Papeete and travel to Los Angeles where it would refuel, then bring Ms. Devereaux back to Houston to be with her family shortly after reports surfaces that her son, Brock Devereaux, brother of Devereaux Enterprises COO, David Devereaux, had been kidnapped by the son of disgraced Texas State Senator Jack Coburn. The NTSB does not believe the two events are related, though nothing has been ruled out at this time.

"At this time our thoughts are with the friends and family of Ms. Nanette Devereaux," the Chairwoman continued. "We want them, and the nation to know, we will not stop until we know the cause of this incident."

-This is a developing story

[Grand California]

[Grand California]

PRESIDENT DENOUNCES BOMBING; CALLS IT ACT OF TERRORISM
24 May 2023 | 14:35 CDT | By Charles Gordon, staff writer

DENVER - President Tyler Ellison on Wednesday denouncing the bombing of the Devereaux private jet and urged the California Bureau of Investigation to devote its full resources to bringing to justice the person or persons involved in bringing down the aircraft which killed Devereaux Enterprises CEO and Chairman Nanette Devereaux.

“To the Devereaux family, I extend by heartfelt and deepest sympathies in their time of need, but they can rest assured the Federal Government will find the despicable criminals who committed this heinous act of terrorism and bring them to justice.”

The remarks came less than an hour after the California Transportation Safety Board discovered explosive residue on the aircraft wreckage. After testing, the CTSB stated that the chemical compounds found were consistent with a specific style of bomb. After reviewing the flight data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder, the plane seemed to function perfectly until a brief second of an explosion could be heard and the recording stopped in their tracks after that. It’s believed the bomb exploded in the storage compartment. The wreckage was located about 100 miles offshore of Tahiti and was spread over a few miles of open ocean. Crews are still recovering wreckage. The body of Nanette Devereaux and an unknown male companion were found in and among the wreckage. Attempts are underway at identifying the unknown man on the plane. The bodies of the flight crew have been recovered. Their names are being withheld due to requests from the families.

[Itailian Maifias]

New Year, Old Traditions
The Crown helps the Empire ring in the new year with one of it's exciting traditions, the 181st Versailles Festival

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Lionel Taylor (@LionelTaylor)(BBC2)
^{December 30, 2023 2:45 PM | Paris, France}

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Overview of the Versailles Palace and its Parks, the site of the 181st Festival BBC photo

Versailles, France(IBC1) — As we all gather around the dinning rooms, salons, cafes and other rooms of merriment this holiday season, celebrating with one final hurrah the closing weeks of this year, and heralding what many surely hope to be an auspacious beginning to 2024, across the Empire many will find entertainment and comfort by tuning into IBC1, among the luxury of Palais de Versailles and the manors of Paris, as the Imperial Household and some anticipated 75,000 ticket-holders, and a further quarter of a million tourists, will visit the historic palace, and the city of Paris, as the 181^stFestival of Versailles is held there.

With such a long history, it is no wonder that tradition informs most of the festival's structure; few alterations have been made to the format and it will feel familiar as every to those who attend or watch the coverage of it. Festival doesn't even seem like a true word to cover the celebrations, which officially begin with the Imperial Procession beginning at the Palais Royale in Paris, and then snaking it's way the 17 kilometers to Versailles, where Emperor Richard will officially open the Festival; the Palace grounds will be home to a portion of the party that is infamously elite, with it being on personal invitation of the Imperial Household only to some few 5,000 individuals; whereas the Grand Park adjacent to the Palais is the main grounds, though adjacent sites have been set up at Palais Royale, Elysium, and other parks in and around Paris; in total, Festival organizers anticipate that more than 4 million people will visit at least one of the sites over the seven days it runs, from tomorrow the 31st through the 6th of the New Year, the formal beginning of the Octave of the Epiphany; for this reason, many hold this view of the celebrations as a sort of week-long Fat Tuesday-like event, and it wouldn't be entirely inaccurate. Wine, cognacs, and other fine spirits all the way down to beers specifically brought in from Bavaria will be plentiful, as well every manner of culinary delights; and if you weren't concerned about your creature comforts, you won't want for other forms of entertainment either. Of course, there is the infamous New Year Derby that will be played in Paris at the Stade de France between Paris SG and Standard AC, the most successful French football club and the oldest respectively; and if sports isn't your spectacle, perhaps break a pair out and visit one of the nine opera houses found in Paris, and view any of the many productions on play throughout the festival.

Lionel Taylor contributed to this article.

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