The Western Isles News

[Martenyika]

August 4, 2020
RKT - Royal Kessa Times

Miner Uncovers Source of Large Martenyikite Stones

A small-scale Martenyikan miner has found several large stones of Martenyikite recently, garnering price tags in the millions of dollars (USD). Just one of the stones weighs roughly 8 kilograms and sold for 3 million USD yesterday. Martenyikite is an uncommon mineral used in the production of jewelry and other precious items. The rarity of the mineral combined with the demand for luxury items in the international market would suggest that mine owner Matthias Kamba is set for a comfortable retirement. However according to Mr. Kamba, "I think education and schools would be the best place for this money..."[READ MORE>>>}

[Almorea]

AUGUST 6, 2020

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Almorean church assembly rejects Supreme Court's religious authority

The 2020 general assembly of the National Church is held in Ellsburgh on August 5, 2020

ELLSBURGH- The governing body of Almorea's largest Christian church has decided to reject the Supreme Court's authority over religious issues, ending a years-long debate which raised concerns over the separation between church and state.

The general assembly of the National Church of the Almorean Provinces, or NCAP, voted Wednesday afternoon to bar the Supreme Court from releasing any judgments on doctrine or church governance. The decision effectively ends the power of the federal judiciary to intervene in the affairs of the NCAP, which has a membership of 11.8 million Almoreans.

Each of Almorea's eleven provinces sent their bishop to the assembly, where they were joined by over 300 ministers and the Archbishop of Ellsburgh, the highest-ranking official in the church. The conference was originally scheduled for July, but was pushed back after a ceiling collapsed inside the traditional venue, the Adair House, a building used by the church since revolutionary times.

Archbishop Robert Hindley, accompanied by the other eleven bishops, signed a letter to Congress announcing the decision. In the letter, the bishops affirmed "the right of the National Church, as a private Christian institution protected under Article 9, section 2 of the Constitution, must be protected."

"The Supreme Court, although a legitimate and legal court, does not have the right to pronounce on matters of private worship", they continued.

The ten-person Supreme Court sits at the top of Almorea's judicial system. Led by the Justice General, it oversees Almorea's federal district courts and provincial appellate courts, and has automatic jurisdiction over constitutional issues. It can also suspend actions of Congress which it deems to run afoul of the Constitution, the nation's foundational legal document.

In 2018, a group of NCAP ministers appealed a doctrinal issue to the Supreme Court. Declining to intervene, Justice General Thomas O. Anderson asked the church to decide the matter for themselves. The 2019 general assembly deferred the matter after President Alasdair Hallowell endorsed the Supreme Court's jurisdiction and said he would not "necessarily" consider any church decision binding.

Despite the decline in the strength and influence of religious institutions in recent years, the NCAP was still supported by a broad coalition of religious liberty activists who sought to protect the Constitution's religious guarantees from government interference. Article 9 of the Constitution allows freedom of worship in Almorea.

The NCAP, which receives some financial support from the Almorean government and has an official federal representative, the Commissioner to the National Church, was opposed by groups such as the liberal Alliance for a Freer Almorea, or AFA, which declared that all religious groups should be subject to secular jurisdiction. The AFA, which defended a Muslim group against federal investigations in 2015, exposed itself to accusations of anti-Christian bias during the debate.

Commissioner James Horrocks told Almorean media that the Hallowell administration was "disappointed" with the general assembly's decision, and that the president would attend the next assembly, in the summer of 2021, to "set the record straight".

The Times of Ellsburgh reserves all rights to this publication. Copyright MMXX.

[Nhoor]

[Santiland Repubilc]

Disaster Relief Deadlocked in Congress

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Jan Hopper, CBN News
August 7th, 2020

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GREENPORT, SANTILAND- Unprecedented floods left thousands without power, access to clean water or working infrastructure in Santiland’s Central Valley. For the past month, State Governments of Lansi and Letroro have been left to fare off by themselves without much assistance from the federal government as Congress has found itself deadlocked over aid.

Progressive Constitutionalist Senators argue extensive aid is needed for such a dire situation while conservative senators from the National Action Party argue a decentralized response would be best for each individual state affected.

The Central Valley suffered $1.5 billion dollars in damages in the face of the historic flooding.

Protests have erupted in front of the National Capitol demanding action from a historically deadlocked government.

In the face of the crisis, Chancellor William A. Douglas’ approval rating has sunk from its high last month of 54% to 45% this week according to a poll by CBN News.

[Kobnia]

2020-08-09

FREE KOBNIAN PRESS

KOBNIA ANNOUNCES ELECTIONS

AKUTYA - General Ko Lan Dur has announced that the unicameral People's Assembly will be dissolved in two weeks and reformed into the bicameral Parliament of Kobnia. This will mark the first time the Parliament of Kobnia will meet since it was dissolved by the Kobnian Worker's Party at the end of the Kobnian Civil War in 1946. The General has also announced that political parties other than the Communist Party of Kobnia, the Pan-Socialist Front, and the Worker's United League will also be allowed to form. The move comes as unexpected to many watching events in Akutya. It is suspected that the near total isolation of Kobnia from the rest of the region has begun to take its toll on the economy making life extremely difficult for many.

While it is too early to declare the earnestness of the move towards democracy, some are hopeful it will mark a new page in the history of Kobnia. Pro-Democracy leader Ser Ko Lak has announced plans to form a new party already for his home while under house arrest. Many observers doubt that he will be able to able to stand for election, but this has not been officially confirmed by the government. It is also unclear if General Ko Lan Dur will stand for election or retain his post as "caretaker of the nation" as he has been crowned by the ruling military junta.

[Martenyika]

Sunday August 9, 2020
RKT - Royal Kessa Times

"Scandal, Depravity" - Health Ministry Alleged to Under-Report Rural Childbirth Fatalities

The Martenyikan Ministry of Health was thrust into the spotlight this week for allegedly under-reporting childbirth related deaths in rural areas. Although the allegations were initially dismissed by the health ministry, certain pieces of leaked internal correspondence may suggest otherwise. It has been claimed that the Ministry of Health covered up the deaths of thousands of women and children between 2015-2020. Aurore Tisjano, a member of parliament from the National Organization for Women (NOW) berated the ministry for what she called "an unimaginable scandal...complete depravity." Infant and maternal mortality rates have seen improvement in Martenyikan urban zones, but they remain a concern in rural regions...[READ MORE >>>]

[Santiland Repubilc]

Regional Taskforce Formed in Central Valley

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Jan Hopper, CBN News
August 11th, 2020

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LANSI CITY, LANSI, SANTILAND- The state governments of the two largest Central Valley states, Letroro and Lansi, have banded together in cooperation with smaller states in the region and created a joint regional taskforce to tackle the aftermath of the historic flooding in the face of stalling federal response. The new taskforce would pool emergency funds and coordinate a regional response.

The Office of the Chancellor declined a request for comment from the National Press Association in the face of this crisis.

The federal government has come into increased scrutiny following its inaction with the two major parties in the nation's National Congress locked into a battle for the best way to support Central Valley communities.

In the face of the crisis, numerous nations have pledged support for the beleaguered region of the country.

[Ainslie]

Image: Gifford announcing flood response

Your Weather: Arnton - 33C/20C

INTERNATIONAL: Elite medical 'ICAMAT' teams deployed to Santiland
Arnton, Ainslie

This morning Prime Minister Elliana Gifford announced the landing of Ainslie’s elite disaster response personnel alongside an initial hundred ARSF personnel in the Santiland Republic. This follows unprecedented floods which have significantly disrupted power and water supply to those who work and live in the Central Valleys of the nation. It is estimated that well over 1 billion dollars in damages have been incurred in the nation, yet the extent of the damage has not yet been fully realised due to significant infrastructure loss.

“Our thoughts and our prayers go out to those currently affected by the flooding but also to those who have families… friends… in the flood zone. Us Ahnslens know how that can feel - our country is well known for its floods, particularly in the south. Thankfully, this has prepared us to be able to act in a way that we believe will be effective but also efficient.

The Ahnslen Government has been in close contact with the Chancellor and the Speaker of Santiland and are well aware of the particulars of the regional taskforce which has been set up. Our specialists and ARSF responders are enthusiastic although understandably sombre in being able to have this opportunity to come alongside a government in such a challenging situation.”
- PM Elliana Gifford

Foreign Affairs Minister Aaron Gerslin also later confirmed that the ARSF personnel were to be landing in Greenport to offer technical advice and logistical support to local agencies. The ICAMAT teams will be landing at various points throughout the Central Valleys of Santiland, provided that flooding in the particular areas has receded to levels that activities such as rebuilding and providing medical aid can be done reasonably easily.

One of the key challenges that the teams will be facing, according to Professor Underen of Sunset Coast University’s Disaster Mitigation Institute, will be rebooting the local water systems. Many of the region’s sanitation and sewage facilities are understood to be compromised. In addition to this, whilst many rivers are falling in their water levels there is worry that any further rainfalls will only amplify the existing devastation. Beyond this is worry that dams may fail if their management is not careful and objectively viewed.

Underen also continued to add that during floods, it is common to see an increase in water bourne illnesses and various diseases associated with mosquitos.

“Since you want me to speculate, I don’t think it’d be all that surprising to see a field hospital being set up. Whilst this is a high income economy with a reasonable healthcare system, it is possible that it may not be able to match the existing workload in addition to whatever surge comes from this event”.

Arendai will bring you the Santilandish reply as soon as it is known.


DOMESTIC: Government foreshadows major dental reform
Arnton, Ainslie

Health Minister Tristan Chermside today was flanked by both Prime Minister Elliana Gifford and the new Chief Medical Officer, Dendren Kelse as they announced the swiftest reform actions in the sphere of health since Sentan Tullan’s health reforms in the 1960s. This was spurred by the realities of what going to the dentist means for many Ahnslens - both expensive and uncomfortable. This is marked by telling figures recently collected by the Ahnslen Statistical Office (ASO) which depicts that between 20% and 40% of Ahnslens have not been to the dentist in the past 30 months and well over half have not been in the past twelve months.

This has led to the announcement of an inquiry into dentistry, with terms of reference focusing on community attitudes and what the government can do to improve and encourage better oral health outcomes for Ahnslens. In a controversial move, the Government has sought to back up these words with action - appointing the twenty year practitioner and former President of the Ahnslen Dental Association Karina Delaner as the Chief Dentistry Officer - a new position which would directly answer to the Health Minister.

Whilst the Ahnslen Council of GPs amongst other professional bodies have signalled their welcoming of the move they are asking that a similar position be set up for all of the major disciplines within the medical field.

“The appointment of the new CDO marks an important step to recognising and addressing the challenges that the often ignored medical service has in ensuring the country’s health. However, amidst an increase in technology and information, similar problems are likely to arise in a variety of other fields too. In addition to this, we consider it wise to appoint Chief Officers for a number of different areas. Furthermore, there is no clarity as to what the CDO is meant to do or for how long these positions would last - vital details that have been left out by the Government.”
- Official Statement from the President of the Ahnslen Council of General Practitioners.

Specifically, the work of the CDO is forecasted to surround the response and consideration of the inquiry’s findings surrounding:

• Dentist marketing
• Existing government oral health programs; and
• The prospect of subsidising or completely covering the cost of dental treatment under the federal universal healthcare scheme, medihelp.

The results and recommendations of the inquiry are expected to be released in early 2021.

[Santiland Repubilc]

His Royal Majesty King Francis II Visits Central Valley


_{Central Valley faces its biggest flooding in decades}

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Eric Johnson, CBN News
August 21st, 2020

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SANTA FE, LT, SANTILAND - Phoenix One, the official aircraft of the Royal Family touched down in the Lansi City-Santa Fe Intercontinental Airport to meet with local leaders and inspect the damage caused by the historic flooding the overflow of the New Bern River caused. The king was greeted by cheering crowds as his motorcade made its way to the Lansi State Capitol across the river from the airport in Santa Fe, Letroro. The King met with state leaders of the Central Valley and pledged to do everything possible to convince Chancellor Douglas to deliver the aid the Central Valley needs.

King Francis II also toured riverside neighborhoods most affected by the flooding and spoke to residents and business owners about recovery efforts and reassured residents of his commitment to them and of the resilience of the people of the Central Valley. "I was born in a small town 30 minutes up of the river from here and I know first-hand the resilience and strength of the Central Valley, we will overcome this tragedy," the king said as he addressed a crowd before another meeting with regional leadership.

King Francis also Governors Margarita Zavala of Letroro and Mark Walker of Lansi in their praise for Ainslie and their humanitarian aid during the crisis. King Francis refrained from openly criticizing the Douglas administration meanwhile Zavala and Walker slammed Chancellor Douglas declaring his inaction a "wake up" for Santilandishes ahead of the 2021 General Election where Douglas is expected to have strong opposition from both his own party the National Action Party (which Governor Walker is a part of) and from the country's political opposition in the form of the Progressive Constitutionalist Party.

[Stapolka]

22nd August 2020
Stapolkian Times
Daily Informer


These last few days have really been something in Stapolka, our own leader is being investigated on corruption charges, his own Vice President is going to run against him in the upcoming election and as we approach our nation’s 9th anniversary our nation’s people are becoming more and more radical to the right. A recent documentary has exposed why this is happening and we have already watched it for you so here is a quick summary; Since our nation was founded we have only be lead by one guy, Benjamin Holzman and he has promised great things for us but in the end does nothing, it is believed that he rigged the previous election and now the people are not happy, then VP Konsta Virrankoski made a speech saying that he will run against Holzman as a independent candidate which polls have shown that 60% of Stapolkians will vote for him. But despite him promising radical change experts are more worried about his far right views and his hate on minorities.

[Corindia]

Marcel Paquet Wins Presidency: Despite previously slightly trailing the Corindi Progressive Party in polls gauging voters' choices in the elections which will determine the President and Senators of Corindia until 2025, Marcel Paquet and the Corindi Worker's party have continued their meteoric rise to the forefront of Corindi politics, a rise which has taken them all the way to the top. The votes that are in show a clear victory for Paquet over current two time President Lindsay Abelló's successor, current Secretary of Diplomacy Reyes d'Cruz, and a likely plurality of congressional seats.

What This Means: The Corindi Progressive Party's decade long stranglehold on Central Governmental control has come to an end. A flagging economy has allowed populist and far left groups to succesfully question its handling of domestic and foreign affairs, particularly conflicts in Arvan and San Javier, as well as the increasingly expensive MSTO military GDP minimums. The Corindi Worker's Party, a center populist organization with strong support in rural areas, has been particularly critical of these foreign military ties under its new leadership of President-Elect Marcel Paquet, the firebrand Mayor of Gran Lago. Paquet is to be sworn in as President in a month on the 23rd of September, and has promised to act quickly on his campaign promises to leave the MSTO and focus attention on Corindi infrastructure and development. Paquet has yet to give his victory speech.

Senatorial Races: The apportionment of Corindia's proportionally elected senate seats will have also been decided once all votes are in. Although the precise make up of Corindia's 40th congress is still unknown, it is likely to roughly match the proportions of the Presidential vote. Each of the 7 Administrative Regions is assigned 20 senators, as well as 10 elected from within the Hacopare Iza community who almost unanimously back Hacopare Iza Liberation.

[Nhoor]

[Santiland Repubilc]

National Congress Approves Federal Aid for the Central Valley


_{Chamber of Deputies votes 367-133 to approve federal aid for the Central Valley}

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Jeff Kirkman, CBN News
August 21st, 2020

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GREENPORT, CR, SANTILAND - Santilandish lawmakers in both houses of the National Congress have a approved $5 billion in aid for the Central Valley after more than a month of deadlock in the National Congress. Governor Mark Walker expressed his disappointment with the passage of the Flood Relief & Prevention Act saying "it simply came to late to be helpful for the majority of the people of Lansi and the surrounding region". Similar opinions were expressed by other regional leaders and spells trouble of the Progressive Constitutionalist Party and their coalition, the Alliance for Progress in the upcoming 2021 General Election. Chancellor William Douglas who was unable to broker a deal between the National Action Party, conservative members of the PCP and the PCP itself is also in trouble with NAP primary elections beginning in two months.

The Chamber of Deputies voted 367-133 in favor of of the Flood Relief & Prevention Act while the Senate voted 56-44 in favor of the proposal nearly a month after the flooding began.

Approval of the National Congress slipped to its lowest levels in 10 years to 24% nationwide and 17% in the Central Valley. Approval of Chancellor Douglas slipped 9 percentage points over the last month to 36% nationwide.

[Almorea]

SEPTEMBER 5, 2020

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President Hallowell takes aim at Athara Magarat in widening Thunderbolt controversy

President Alasdair Hallowell (center) and the directors of the Export Bank of Almorea take questions at the Falmouth Commercial Center in Falmouth, Baranor province, on September 5, 2020

FALMOUTH- President Alasdair Hallowell levied accusations of corruption and malice against Athara Magarat today, after a Magarati-made missile exploded on an Almorean naval base.

The explosion, which killed 26 sailors and injured 50 others, occurred at the Valemalart naval base in Culawee province on Friday morning. A Thunderbolt missile, which is used as an anti-ship weapon by the Almorean Navy, was being loaded onto the destroyer ANV Thunderer when it suddenly detonated. Eyewitnesses described a large blast that flipped over vehicles and blew a hole through the dock, sending shrapnel flying everywhere. First responders and naval medics arrived quickly on the scene, only to find that the explosion had taken a horrible toll.

The deadly accident was greeted with shock and grief across Almorea, with President Hallowell proclaiming a day of mourning on September 7.

At an event with the directors of the Export Bank of Almorea in Falmouth, Baranor province, Mr. Hallowell accused the Magarati government of deliberately allowing its exporters to sell poorly-made missiles to Almorea, under the terms of the AMRETA trade deal between the two nations signed in late 2018. He also blamed Magarati companies for unfair trade practices, and mentioned other Almorean grievances against Athara Magarat, such as the ongoing controversy over the Central Canal.

"The Magarati government will be called to account for allowing this accident to happen," the president said. "We are going to get to the bottom of it, and whoever was in Almorea that helped them out, they're going to be punished too."

Deputy President Nora Soodalter, accompanied by defense leaders and members of Congress, attended a wreath-laying ceremony at NFA Valemalart this afternoon. After a 26-gun salute was fired, the black-clothed dignitaries processed to the base's chapel, where they paid their respects to the dead.

Rear Admiral John Mercier, the commanding officer of the naval base, released a video statement in which he honored those killed in the accident, commending them as "brave sailors" and describing the accident as "one of the worst tragedies in the Navy's history."

The Almorean secretary-general desígnate of the Raedlon Organization of States, former president Andrew F. Crawford, called on the international community to "unite against Athara Magarat's corrupt and self-serving sale of faulty bombs."

The Hallowell administration has taken an increasingly anti-Magarati line as the December 2020 legislative elections approach. In the spring of this year, Mr. Hallowell deployed 400 troops to the Central Canal in response to Magarati threats to the area's sovereignty. Analysts say that the explosion controversy provides the president with a perfect excuse to step up his rhetoric against Athara Magarat.

According to multiple sources in Carldon Hall, Mr. Hallowell and his advisers believe that a strong anti-Magarati stance will help win over voters who are typically opposed to the president's liberal Almorean Party (AMP), including conservative Nyssics in Almorea's northern provinces, and elderly Almoreans who tend to view Athara Magarat with hostility as a result of the Magarati invasion of Almorea in the Imperial War. The AMP needs to gain 3 seats in the Senate from the conservative Federal Party to win a majority.

The Hallowell administration's efforts to paint Athara Magarat as an adversary may be hampered by well-known corruption in Almorea itself. Donald Hauke, the trade secretary who negotiated the 2018 AMRETA deal, was forced to resign in late 2019 after it emerged that he took Magarati bribes.

Jon Fitzlane (F-Frasyrland), the leader of the Senate and chairman of the Federal Party, announced this afternoon that he blamed the president just as much as the Magarati government for the explosion. "This horrible, reprehensible tragedy would not have happened," Mr. Fitzlane said, "if Almorean officials under this administration acted with even a modicum of honesty and legality."

Mr. Fitzlane called on the Justice Department to investigate trade officials and the Naval Logistics Bureau over the explosion. Representatives at the federal attorneys' office could not be reached for comment.

The Times of Ellsburgh reserves all rights to this publication. Copyright MMXX.

[Solaryia]

13th of September, 2020
Eridanis Weekly Review
Eridanis City

Weekly News


The Gulf Aurela being tugged out into Eridanis Bay earlier this morning.

Citizens were lined up today at the shorefront of Eridanis to greet the newest warship in the growing Republic Navy, the Gulf Aurela. This new ship, along the rest of the of the Siren-Class destroyers promises to be the most technologically advanced line of warships yet, built by DCF Industries and put to port in the city of Solis. After completing its tour, the ship is set to link up with the Home Defense fleet for a series of combat exercises off the coast. More information on the new Siren-Class ships and the combat operations can be found on Page 3.

President Conti Bellarys has finally released a statement regarding the newly formed monarchial military alliance, The Pact of Kings. "The outdated and totalitarian concept of complete monarchism is ineffective in the modern world, and is in direct opposition to the ideas of freedom and self determination. This deserves no place in the Western Isles." Quotes the President, in an excerpt from her speech at Republica Plaza. In addition, there is discussion within the Senate about a possible embargo on various members of the Pact, however no clear statement has been released as of yet. For more information on the Pact of Kings and international affairs, turn to Page 2.

Construction on the long anticipated Ecumine Tower has finally been started on Beach Avenue earlier this week, The tower promises to be one of the tallest in Eridanis City, with a height of 380 meters. The new tower promises to host residential apartments above a large public mall. Previously the project had been delayed since late June due to financial issues. More information on Ecumine Tower and other construction projects within the city can be found on Page 5.

Last night, a group of Eridanis police raided a home in the suburbs under suspicion of housing illegal firearms. Four suspects were known to be taken into custody, however their names and photos have not yet been released by the EPD. More information on the raid and other police activity can be found on Page 6.

In other news, a small tropical storm seems to be forming about 150 kilometers off the coast of New Everenn. Whilst meteorologists at the National Mountain Weather Center claim the chance of the storm making landfall is small, they still recommend that the population prepare for electrical grid outages and minor flooding across the New Havell Region. For Eridanis and the Western Regions however, it is forecast to be sunny for the next week, the perfect opportunity for beachgoers as the summer comes to a close. More information on weather can be found on Page 4.

[Alteran Republics]

Horizon's underwater data centre resurfaces
after two years since first submerged

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Two years ago, Horizon sank a data centre off the coast of Balwark Island in a wild experiment. After spending two years sitting on the sea bed, that data centre has now been retrieved from the ocean floor, and Horizon researchers are assessing how it has performed, and what they can learn from it about energy efficiency.

Their first conclusion is that the cylinder packed with servers had a lower failure rate than a conventional data centre.

When the container was hauled off the seabed around half a mile offshore after being placed there in May 2018, just eight out of the 855 servers on board had failed, which compares very well with a conventional data centre on land.

"Our failure rate in the water is one-eighth of what we see on land," says Ben Crfler, who has led what Horizon calls Project Eftboren (Reborn).

The team is speculating that the greater reliability may be connected to the fact that there were no humans on board, and that nitrogen rather than oxygen was pumped into the capsule.

In the early hours of the morning, the long, white cylinder covered in grime is lifted by a crane from the sea; the Horizon logo just visible on the end cap beneath a layer of dirt.

"We think it has to do with this nitrogen atmosphere that reduces corrosion and is cool, and people not banging things around," Mr Crfler continued.

Balwark Island was chosen for the trial by Horizon, partly because it was a centre for renewable energy research in a place where the climate was temperate - perhaps even chilly. The idea was that the cost of cooling computers would be lower if they were underwater.

The white cylinder emerged from the cold waters with a coating of algae, barnacles and sea anemones after a day-long operation. But inside, the data centre was functioning well - and is now being closely examined so that the research team can learn more.

As more and more of our data is stored in the cloud, there is growing concern about the vast energy demands of data centres.

Project Eftboren was partly about working out whether clusters of small underwater data centres for short-term use might be a commercial proposition, but also an attempt to learn broader lessons about energy efficiency in cloud computing.

All of Balwark Island's electricity comes from wind, solar power and nuclear power, but there were no issues in keeping the underwater data centre supplied with power.

"We have been able to run well on what most land-based data centres consider an unreliable grid," says Aldfriþ Fowers, one of the technical team on Project Eftboren.

"We are hopeful that we can look at our findings and say maybe we don't need to have quite as much infrastructure focused on power and reliability."
A man in the tight confines of the opened tube works on a computer in a rack of identically sized machines.

Underwater data centres might sound an outlandish idea. But Alice Glitenung, who has been a consultant to the data centre industry for many years, says the project has great potential.

She believes organisations facing a natural disaster or a terrorist attack might find it attractive: "You could effectively move something to a more secure location without having all the huge infrastructure costs of constructing a building. It's flexible and cost-effective."

Horizon is cautious about saying when an underwater data centre might be a commercial product but is confident that it has proved the idea has value.

"We think that we're past the point where this is a science experiment," says Ben Crfler.

"Now it's simply a question of what do we want to engineer - would it be a little one, or would it be a large one?"

The experiment on Balwark Island is over. But the hope is that the result will be more environmentally friendly data storage, both on land and underwater.

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The following is a paid advertisement.

[Serpens Land]

*deleted*

[Serpens Land]

*Deleted*

[Littolyo]

2020/19/9
TWIN via The Littolyen Times
Portland, Olany, Littolyo

President Drake Opens Relations with Solaryia

President Leon Drake touched down this morning in Eridanis, the capital of Solaryia, to begin a day of pomp and circumstance that will see the official opening of formal relations between the two nations. Disembarking from Air Force One under a brilliant and cloudless sky, Mr. Drake was greeted on the tarmac by Solaryia's foreign minister and a delegation of diplomats and trade officials. The two shared a ride to the presidential palace, where the president met in person for the first time with Solaryian president Conti Bellarys.

At a joint press conference following two hours of bilateral meetings, Mr. Drake stated, "the Republic of Littolyo is deeply appreciative of the steps we are taking here today, and we look at this moment as the beginning of a long and prosperous relationship defined by a shared commitment to democratic values and mutual respect."

In the afternoon, President Drake attended a ceremony formally opening the Littolyen Embassy in Eridanis; also in attendance were President Bellarys, Secretary of State Leslie Strivers, and the Solaryian foreign minister. Maynard Rufus, Littolyo's ambassador to Solaryia, and Liu Ingall, the Solaryian ambassador-designate to Littolyo, exchanged gifts on behalf of their governments before flashing press cameras.

The day's ceremonies concluded with a meeting at the embassy between the two presidents, their foreign ministers, and the two ambassadors, followed by a final press conference featuring Ambassadors Maynard and Ingall. Said Ambassador Maynard about his new home country, "I've been in Solaryia for just a few days now, and I have to say, I'm already loving it. The warmth, the welcome, and the graciousness with which the Solaryian people have received me has been more than I could have imagined, and I look very much forward to the coming years, when our two nations will be enacting a robust and progressive agenda that will move Littolyo and Solaryia forward together."

[Shanzie]

09-19-2020
Prambanam Daily Post
Prambanam, Sanghora, Shanzie

Governor Stojan Andrej Raises Glass With Textile Mill Workers on Vishwakarma Jayanti

Early Saturday, the 19th, Governor Andrej made a rare visit to the textile mills in the south of the Sanghoran capital of Prambanam where he celebrated the often overlooked holiday of Vishwakarma Jayanti. Many of the city's industrial elite accompanied the governor as he made his rounds through the mill. Afterwards, Governor Andrej sat with some of the mill foremen in a meal paid for by the governors personal salary.

"Vishwakarma Jayanti is the perfect opportunity to celebrate the men and women of Sanghora and Shanzie that have built this nation from the day it was unified," the Governor said in a statement to press after the event. "Everyday, men and women toil in factories, mines, and construction yards as they work to make our nation what it was always meant to be. Free, fair, and prosperous in our unification."

The Governor went on to say he signed an order to officially recognize the holiday in Sanghora.

The holiday is a day of celebration for the Hindu God Vishwakarma, who built the city of Dwarka for Krishna. Originally meant for the workers that built the ancient cities, the celebration has evolved in Shanzie to be both a day of respect for manual laborers as well as a rallying call for the unions in Shanzie to call for strikes or more federal holidays for workers. Because of the latter, Parliament in Saint Christopher has never recognized the day as an official holiday.

"Federal holidays are meant to be set aside for holy days and days of national remembrance," Branislav Žarko, the House of Representative Majority Leader of the Bamori Catholic Republicans (BCR), said in a statement regarding a similar issue last year. "Days like Vishwakarma Jayanti aren't federally recognized because of their history of polarization between political groups. We cannot suspend parliament for every religious holiday in the first place, particularly when that holiday has been used by leftists to push an agenda not remotely related to the day itself."

It has long been complained by both priests and worker's rights groups that Hindu holidays are mostly ignored in favor of Abrahamic ones like Christmas and Ramadan.

"It is best to call it what it is: Discrimination." one unionist said outside the textile mill following the Governors visit. "Hindus and Sanghoran people in general are overlooked by our government in every way."

Despite the controversy, Hindu Sanghorans have honored this holiday for decades in the one way that matters- taking a break from the long work day to look on what they have done both at their stations and in their unions.

Happy Vishwakarma Jayanti!

[Martenyika]

Tuesday September 22, 2020
RKT - Royal Kessa Times

Fersòn Urban Farm Deal Breaks Ground Near the Namasi Market

Following an efficient period of negotiations, the Fersòn company of Littolyo has been allowed to invest in an urban farm development within the Republic of Martenyika. Martenyikan laborers broke ground at the designated location near the Namasi Market district of Kessa, under direction from Fersòn foremen early today. Fersòn is one of Littolyo's largest agri-business conglomerates and has shown interest in expanding urban farming to other nations.

According to press releases, the new farm will take over a derelict warehouse area not far from Kessa's Old Town and Namasi Market districts. A variety of local fruits and vegetables are expected to be grown in both outdoor and controlled indoor spaces including onions, okra, chicory, peppers, greens, and herbs.

President Maxime Zubele prominently aided the negotiations, to ensure that the project proposal would become a reality. He pointed to the job potential and food security issues as reasons for how the farm development would make positive impacts. Fersòn promised that they would hire as many Martenyikans as possible to complete the project in an efficient manner. The company also advertises further potential onboarding to local laborers, a policy endorsed by the Republic of Martenyika's government and the President himself.

This recent arrangement has sparked a great amount of political discussion amongst the people and commentators. Many believe that it this is an important development for the disenfranchised in Martenyika, starting with certain notable neighborhoods near the Namasi Market. While most agree the cause to be just, some residents have expressed concerns over foreign investment in general as a precedent going forward. Even a selection of Zubele's own supporters are beginning to question his apparent support for foreign investment. According to them, continued deference to foreign investments will betray the President's own platform of building up Martenyika to excel on its own merits.

[Littolyo]

2020/19/24
TWIN via The Littolyen Times
Portland, Olany, Littolyo

Portland Farm Tower Gains Final Approvals



The face of agriculture in Littolyo may be about to change forever, as the Portland City Council voted nearly unanimously on Thursday to award final approvals over a 26-story riverfront tower comprised entirely of indoor farmland. Dubbed "Orchard One," the nearly 400' tall tower will house more than 25 acres of farmland, primarily fruit and nut trees including plum, apple, almond, and olive.

Dedicating more than one million square feet to farming in the heart of Littolyo's most rarified real estate market may seem extravagant, but Fersòn, the conglomerate developing the project, says this is only a taste of things to come. "Orchard One is really the proof of concept for Littolyo's food security future. Success here will pave the way to many more and taller urban farms, reinventing the way Littolyens eat," said a company spokesperson.

Fersòn CEO Ken Wooddall painted the project as the culmination of years of research and development, but also just one waypoint along the way to a much grander vision. "To think that barely five years ago we were really pushing the boundaries of indoor farming with a 3-story warehouse project, and here we are today—it's just incredible. The point where Littolyo is totally food self-sufficient is now very much within reach."

The project has been cheered on from the highest levels of the Drake Administration, with President Leon Drake reported to have called Mayor Gary Hobarth multiple times over the past months, eager for updates. Catharine Greyson, the Secretary of Agriculture, has lavished both praise and, critically, major funding on the project. "We are always thrilled to see private companies take important issues like food security into their own hands and run with it, and public backing of their progress will allow other companies to move into the space as well. Automated farming technologies that were developed here with research and development funding from the taxpayers will be available to all Littolyen farmers and businesses, which is exactly what we want. After all, if we are going to build enough new farmland to reach food self-sufficiency in the coming decades, we'll need all hands on deck."

Secretary Greyson added that the nation's strict conservation laws mean the development of new farmland will have to grow up, not out. "Over-farming of the Holden Valley has caused an environmental crisis there that will take us decades to fully recover from, and clear-cutting our forests is not an option. Look at the havoc already being wreaked on the climate by excessive deforestation. We have to find a safer way of developing."

Senator Louise Nyetta, who represents the Portland district where Orchard One will be breaking ground later this year, was equally effusive. A co-sponsor of the Fortify Littolyo Act currently under debate, she described the farm tower as fitting perfectly within the Senate's strategic vision for Littolyo's future. "Food has always been a key challenge for our country, and it really is a national security question that we're working hard to solve. Importing food as we have for centuries puts Littolyen citizens at the mercy of other nations and the market. It's a glaring vulnerability that must be addressed, and with today's progress, I have a good feeling we are moving in that direction." One provision of the Fortify Littolyo Act would require the country to achieve net-exporter of food status no later than 2030.

The City Council seemed to agree with the project's importance. Despite a tortuous, nearly two-year journey through the Planning Commission, Thursday's vote at City Hall came in 23 - 1, with one abstention. Opposition to the project hinged primarily on its prime riverfront location, with opponents claiming agriculture was a suboptimal use for such choice real estate, but Fersòn executives argued before the Planning Commission that that was exactly the point. "Future tower farms will be located outside the city center, certainly, but Orchard One is a showpiece," said COO Laura Lune. "We're trying to make a splash here. We want to introduce the public to the future of farming prominently, and really show what a beautiful addition to our society these farms have the potential to be."

At the behest of the Planning Commission, Orchard One will also operate an admission-free museum, as well as offer weekly educational tours to the public, free of charge.

The vote comes just days after a similar but much smaller project broke ground in Kessa, the capital of Martenyika, with Fersòn's backing. Advocates point to the development as a signal of how lucrative such innovations could be for Littolyen companies.

As for the small band of protesters outside City Hall who espoused distrust for the safety of food grown in skyscrapers and tended largely by machines, Senator Nyetta was blunt. "Frankly, I don't think Littolyo has time to wait for these people to come around," she said. "I'll be the first one to eat this stuff, and if they don't want to, I guess that just means more for the rest of us."

[Biaten]

Friday 25th September 2020
Hachen Times
Republic of Biaten

President Breitbarth Greets Military after weeks of tensions

This morning, His Excellency, President Petrus Breitbarth, visited the troops and general staff at military headquarters near the large coastal town of Harbeck. The President was greeted and escorted by the 4th and 6th Division while parading through the town to the base. The aim of this visit, according to the Presidential Office, was to help improve relations with the military and to mediate between the government and military after weeks of tension, which started when the government announced back in June that they will halve the military budget in the next 5 years in order to help fund the newly-proposed redistribution fund, which outraged many of the commanders within the Biatanian Armed Forces. As a result, the military began carrying out actions without the permission of the Ministry of Defence. Reports have been pilling up about various citizens being detained by the military based on false accusations of spying for foreign nation and deployments of the military to random districts throughout Biaten as well as deployments to areas of peaceful demonstrations by political activists from the main opposition party, the Communist Party, as well as other third parties such as the Biatenian National Party, which have furthermore produced reports of minor acts of violence between soldiers and demonstrators.

During the visit to the base, President Breitbarth, Chief of Staff of the Army Field Marshal Ralph Combs, Chief of Staff of the Navy Aaron Smith, as well as multiple other commanders, met in the headquarters building. After 2 hours, both the President and Chief of Staff of the Army exited the headquarters and spoke to a crowd of people and soldiers outside of the base. President Breitbarth was the first to speak, displaying a message of unity between all of the people of Biaten.

We must learn from our struggle against the oppression of the monarchy all of those years ago. Our revolution showed that the light of the people and soldiers of Biaten can overcome darkness, but only when each and every one of us stands united. With no one to unite against for the past 200 years, it is tempting for us, due to our human flaws, to devolve into petty divisions amongst ourselves, but we must not give in to these flaws. What has brought us great success during and after our revolution was our identity as one nation. We must not waste this gift given to us by our forefathers by resorting to violence and division.

Field Marshal Combs then spoke, echoing the calls for unity made by President Breitbarth, calling on both the military and the government to work together past these troubles, and announcing plans to tackle the Armed Forces' actions.

Over the summer, we have seen unjust events transpire which unfortunately have not been inevitable. Most of these events involve wrong arrests of people who were believed to have been involved in treasonous actions against the state, but many of these charges have been inaccurate or insignificant. We have nevertheless seen that innocent citizens have been taken by our military forces, in many cases because paranoid people have been reporting other people's unusual activities or radical left-wing or right-wing views to the authorities, but let me be clear that the military must stay out of politics and only act against violence or threats of violence. Most of the population has a good opinion of our military, but we also receive some complaints and problems from some citizens who are not always happy about our presence or authority. Unfortunately, we also have to announce that we have seen a few, but still too many confrontations between citizens and soldiers that have resulted in shots being fired in 4 cases, which has only resulted in the death of one person so far. Overall, however, the situation is under control, and I am confident that in the coming weeks and months, we will be able to return to the status quo. I must warn that this will require cooperation from both sides. I urge the government to rethink its military policy, and I urge the military to act in the interests of the people and cooperate with and help the government that was elected by the people.

[Ioudaia]

SEA Announces Completion of New Spacecraft, Schedules Manned Flights

SEA announces the completion of construction of a second Kenomerodios III-class ship. The new ship is called the Kenomibis, after the migratory bird that summers in Erythkoralia.

In addition, SEA announces that SEA and AMK have diagnosed the battery problem that occurred during the first test flight of the Kenomerodios III. AMK discovered that the difficulty was in a specific production run of batteries, and has determined that the root cause of the problem to be an incorrect electrolyte formulation. Working with SEA, AMK put new manufacturing processes and quality control techniques in place to prevent a recurrence of the problem.

Since the flight of the Kenomerodios was otherwise flawless, SEA scientists, engineers, and flight directors are confident that the class is ready for manned test flights. As such, in November, the Kenomibis will conduct a dual manned test flight with the Kenomerodios III. The two ships will
conduct independent test flights to as part of their final validation for regular manned service, and then conduct docking maneuvers to verify that they are prepared for flights to the Western Isles space station.

[Littolyo]

2020/19/24
TWIN via The Littolyen Times
Portland, Olany, Littolyo



Naval Flotilla Embarks on Goodwill Tour



ABOARD THE LNS GOLEM, AMBER SEA—A small flotilla of Littolyen naval vessels is underway on a regional tour that will see ports of call in five nations around the Western Isles. The ships—the destroyers Titan and Golem, along with two smaller support ships and nearly five hundred Littolyen sailors—will cover 16,000 miles, conducting goodwill visits along the way in Ainslie, Wellsia, Martenyika, Solaryia, and Serpens Land.

The voyage will be the longest continuous trip carried out by the Littolyen Navy since 1844, when President Luko Verins attempted to celebrate Littolyo’s victory in the Second Onian War by sending forty ships on a voyage around the world. The mission turned to disaster when two of the Littolyen vessels collided and sunk, causing the fleet to abandon the mission; a third warship foundered in poor weather on the return home. In all, the 22,000-mile journey resulted in the deaths of more than seven hundred Littolyen sailors, a national catastrophe that prompted President Verins to resign months later.

This time, President Leon Drake is doing everything differently. The four ships set out last Tuesday from Naval Base Kenneth outside Aelix City with little fanfare, transiting the Argean Sea. After a brief stop to survey the International District, they steamed to Ainslie, where the flotilla spent Sunday night in Mandara.

On Monday morning the fleet set sail for Brookhaven Naval Station in Wellsia, a nearly 3,000 mile journey across open ocean that took the better part of four days. After dining with the Wellsian Navy and a good night’s rest, the ships transited the Wellsia Canal and made port at Côte Verte Naval Base in Martenyika, near the resort city of Port Bonaré.

Now about halfway through their journey, the coming week and a half will bring the flotilla through the Amber Sea to Solaryia, through a maze of uninhabited islands on the outskirts of the Mesder Sea, and finally to New Plymouth in Serpens Land by way of the Four Passages. From there, the group will return to Littolyo.



While the mission is officially a training exercise intended to give newly minted sailors valuable experience on a high-endurance circumnavigation of the region, analysts suggest there may be other elements at play.

Friday night, Littolyen sailors made merry with their Martenyikan counterparts on the beaches of Port Bonaré, feasting on local seafood and dancing to Martenyikan tunes into the night. Missing from the festivities was Secretary of the Navy Rimos Leutens, who has been traveling aboard the Titan; he spent the evening on base, meeting with senior commanders of the Martenyikan military amid whispers in the local tabloids that negotiations for a Littolyen naval base in the country might be quietly underway.

In addition, the two destroyers leading the voyage are among the newest and most advanced ships in the navy. To Drina Richter of the Center for Strategic Studies in Littolica, “The intended message is implied but unmistakable: Littolyo has arrived on the world stage.”

Yaro Staemen, Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, was more circumspect. “In today’s world, it is so critical that Littolyo maintains close military cooperation and communication with our international partners,” he said.

Reached for comment, a spokesperson for Secretary Leutens raised a different perspective. “Visits like these not only strengthen those ties, but also help build cultural fluency. When our soldiers visit other countries, they are acting as our front-line diplomats.”

Whether this journey has a real and lasting impact on global affairs remains to be seen.