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Offline Achkaerin

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Re: Achkaerin News Service
« Reply #30 on: April 03, 2018, 10:18:48 PM »


OPENING DAY OF WINTER GAMES


By Nick Watson: Sports Correspondent

The first day of competition of the Winter Games signals the first day of a competition based around expectations but as the history of the games tells us there's usually a surprise somewhere along the way. This  year the surprises seem to have started on opening day as while the favoured nations such as Nya Aland and Mountjoy picked up medals it was a day that unquestionably belonged to Nordmar as they picked up three golds, three silvers and two bronzes, and with day two seeing a wider range of competition including in Nordmar's specialist area of Cross Country Skiing there's reason to believe that the surprise package may remain in place at the top of the medal table for the moment. The hosts don't get their action until day seven of the games when the snowboarding program begins, while Achkaerin's Amy Silver will have to wait for the last two days of competition in the Short Track Speed Skating.

Achkaerinese success on day one was confined to the curling as the men's team racked up a 5-3 victory over East Moreland to secure a solid, professional start to their gold medal bid, with the mixed curling team not playing on the opening day and the women's team set to come on day two, hopes of success in this area are high. There is without question much to look forward to in the coming days.


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Re: Achkaerin News Service
« Reply #31 on: April 09, 2018, 11:02:41 PM »


ACHKAERIN TESTING BUBONIC PLAGUS SAMPLES


By Olivia Moore: International News Correspondent

Achkaerin is presently undertaking action to verify whether the allegations made by the Iwi against Royal Seleucid in regards to the Bubonic Plague outbreak have an evidential foundation or not. Representative to the Cross Mundus Agency, Cheryl Holmes (pictured above), explained the steps presently being taken stating: "Achkaerinese personnel are taking samples from victims of this outbreak in all affected nations, these samples will then be compared against the strain of the plague used by Royal Seleucid thirty years ago. This will be a process where everything will be double and triple checked, we must take care to be thorough when the stakes are this high. If the samples, following rigorous testing, match the historic strain then in legal terms there is a threshold reached in terms of reasonable grounds to ask the question not only of Royal Seleucid but of any nation possessing this particular chemical weapon. After all if this was a nuclear weapon detonated by a terrorist group the international community would be asking questions of Achkaerin, East Moreland and Rokkenjima almost instantly. But let's be clear reasonable suspicion is not proof, at the moment we are establishing whether there are reasonable grounds to warrant further action, such action may involve requesting Royal Seleucid produce records relating to this strain of the plague and potentially permitting an international team of inspectors to verify that none of this strain has gone missing. This sort of action would also naturally extend to any nation possessing this weapon."

It's also believed that Major Parker, the Achkaerinese representative to the CAC of the Uppsalla Convention has been meeting with intelligence officials.



DRAGONFLY ENTERS SERVICE


By Penny Noble: Defence Correspondent

The Dragonfly aircraft has entered service with the Achkaerin Air Force, the aircraft which is the Air Forces first foray into Ground Effect Vehicles (GEV) is designed to be a patrol aircraft for coastal waters and is armed with a machine gun and rockets. The Air Force has purchased a total of ten of these aircraft to fulfill this purpose, though there are rumours that the Dragonfly is the start of something else, a theory supported by comments made by the CEO of Riviere Corporation Catriona Rowan who said: "The journey to long term goals start with small steps, we're new to the GEV practical application stuff but we know the theory so we decided to use the Air Force contract for a coastal water patrol aircraft as our means of testing our work so far. We're pleased with the way the Dragonfly performed in testing and we're looking into other applications of the technology moving forwards."

In related news the Air Force has also announced the phasing out of the Bat type aircraft in favor of the new Dragonfire type aircraft, this phase in is expected to happen over the coming weeks and months. Suspicion is that the Dragonfire will be showcased at upcoming LISA military training exercises.



SILVER STRIKES GOLD IN BIATHLON


By Nick Watson: Sports Correspondent

Achkaerin has won it's first gold at the Winter Games, though the day belonged to the likes of Nya Aland, East Moreland, Neu Uburzis and Nordmar the highlight for Achkaerin was Danielle Silver winning gold in the women's 15km individual biathlon. Taking gold ahead of Himeyama by over thirty seconds, the biathlete who's the younger sister of Short Track speed skater Amy Silver, has at least ensured that the Silver family has one gold medal, though whether this takes the pressure off her big sister is yet to be seen. In other news from the games Achkaerin's curlers continued their good start to the competition, the women's competition promises to be interesting as four of the five major curling nations feature in that group with only Mountjoy being absent as they're in the other group. The Men's ice hockey also saw Achkaerin progress to the quarter final stage.

« Last Edit: April 17, 2018, 04:26:47 PM by Achkaerin »

Offline Achkaerin

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Re: Achkaerin News Service
« Reply #32 on: April 14, 2018, 12:25:31 AM »


"IT'S TIME TO DRAW A LINE" - DEFENCE MINISTER ON NAPALM


By Olivia Moore: International News Correspondent

Minister of Defence Adam Sheppard (pictured above) has spoken out in the Senate today about the use of Napalm against a village in Quintelia, an urgent question was brought by the Liberal Party on the matter, the Minister responded as follows:

"I thank the Honorable Senator for her question and for the opportunity to state the Government's position on this issue. Let's be clear the Uppsala Convention, that great Treaty that regulates circumstacnes such as this states under article 8.1 that "All possible care should be taken to ensure no civilian casualties." now Mr Speaker Napalm is an indiscriminate weapon, the use of it is unpredictable and it is a weapon let's make no mistake that has no place in the arsenal of any nation of this era. Achkaerin as the Senate is aware decommissioned all such weapons thirty five years ago. The point here Mr Speaker is that the very nature of Napalm makes it virtually impossible to take all possible care to ensure no civilian casualties when deploying the weapon over a residential area such as this village. Therefore Mr Speaker if this is an action by the Quintelian military then it is of paramount importance to establish who ultimately made that decision and hold them accountable for that action. The Achkaerinese government therefore recommends that Quintelia make available to the Convention Advisory Committee of the Uppsala Convention, which is the relevant authority on matters like this, any information on the use of Napalm with a full understanding that any independent investigation be allowed to go wherever the evidence leads with the potential for prosecutions if warranted.

Also Mr Speaker it is also the opinion of the Achkaerinese government that for the international community the time to draw a line has come. Napalm is not classified as a chemical or biological weapon under article 1.7 of the Uppsala Convention, this therefore technically means it's use while utterly abhorrent is actually legal, subject to the other provisions. So it is well past time Mr Speaker that the International Community came together and said of weapons like Napalm "Enough is enough, these are weapons that should not be used against anyone." We've seen enough uses of this particular weapon and enough deaths from it, it needs to stop now.



BUSINESS LEADERS HAVE THEIR SAY AHEAD OF KEY TALKS

Marqueeza Olivia Leonidas (right), talks with Edward McKinlay (centre) and Timothy Cross (left)

By Maggie Clough: Business Correspondent

It's been billed as Crunch Week for the Cross Straits Union as various parties talk to their governments about how best to reform the organisation ahead of key talks with the Commission of the Union scheduled for next week. Today Maqueeza Olivia Leonidas hosted Achkaerin's business leaders to talk about their priorities in regards to the Union. According to statements made after the event the mood was largely positive. There are other meetings scheduled for the next few days as politicians, teachers and others have their say on what's needed. No comment is expected from the Commission until talks on reform begin however Lìosa Càidh the Secretary General of the Cross Straits Union has been doing the rounds of her fellow commissioners, it is a clear sign that this is something being taken as seriously as possible. Most analysts expect a strong series of agreeable reforms that do little to no damage to the Union's trading ability. Whether that will be the case is something we will have to wait and see about.


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Re: Achkaerin News Service
« Reply #33 on: April 20, 2018, 10:37:10 PM »


NAVY ON ALERT IN THE KYNE


The INS Saix left Antares Base earlier today heading for the edge of the advisory area

By Olivia Moore: International News Correspondent

The Achkaerinese Navy has gone on alert for what has been defined as "Potential trouble" in the Sea of Kyne, the move comes following Iwi air strikes against Royal Seleucid and a subsequent Seleucid deployment. The Achkaerinese government has already issued a Emergency Shipping Advisory to all Achkaerinese commercial and cargo vessels traversing the area, the intention being to take all necessary steps to avoid citizens being put at risk. The move also sees the deployment of the INS Ninetales, INS Riviere and the INS Saix to the area to monitor the situation, it's also been reported today that the INS Intrepid, the Achkaerinese flagship on it's way back to Achkaerin for decommissioning following it's deployment around Phuebra wil be diverted to the region to complete the monitoring group on what will certainly be the ship's final deployment before the new incarnation of the ship is deployed later in the year.

In the Senate Consul Michael Williams addressed the chamber on the issue stating: "This is a situation that needs to be worked out peacefully and that is what we are hoping will happen, the steps taken in terms of deployments are for the safety of shipping in the area, we are simply monitoring this situation and we encourage both sides to let the various process's be undertaken, we have two reports one from Bretonnia and one from Achkaerin both conclude that the current strain of the plague devastating some areas of Mundus is a weaponized version with an almost identical DNA match to the strain that is on record as used by Royal Seleucid in the 1980's. This conclusion amounts to a threshold that warrants the requesting of access to Royal Seleucid for the purposes of further inquiry it does not amount to proof of anything whatsoever. There are plenty of questions that need to be answered and while we understand the Iwi reasoning we also recognize the stakes that are in play we encourage that there be no further escalation, that there be dialogue and that the course of action proposed to the Cross Mundus Agency in terms of approaching Royal Seleucid take place, but we will continue to monitor the situation and if it becomes necessary act."




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Re: Achkaerin News Service
« Reply #34 on: June 07, 2018, 01:16:08 AM »


EMPEROR ORDERS AID EFFORT FOLLOWING TSUNAMI


The INS Rhyth Icerider en route to the crisis area several hours ago

By Olivia Moore: International News Correspondent

Following the tsunami in the Mhorish that has hit the disputed Nurashima/Barnacle island chain the Emperor has ordered the Imperial Navy to undertake an aid effort to the islands utilizing assets that were in the area at the time such as the destroyer INS Sharingan and drone carrier INS Rhyth Icerider (pictured above), also being sent into the area are the amphibious warfare ship INS Athos Mishima, the frigate INS Leonaise, GPPS INS Volga and the hospital ship INS Nebula. Following the announcement the Foreign Aid Minister Hannelina Porter stated "The situation is a most concerning one, we have thousands of people affected by a natural disaster and we have the ability to help them in someway in the vicinity. This is the sort of operation we've been involved in before and chances are we will have to do a great many more of these type of things in the years to come. Contact with the Heyran Government has been made with a request to utilize the capabilities of the INS Rhyth Icerider in assessing damage and initiating an aerial survivor search. We expect that the full complement of assigned Achkaerinese vessels will be on station as quickly as they are able, with our aid operations likely to begin in some form before that. We will seek to work with our allies and international friends in this effort and we note that such an effort will need to be not only about the here and now but also as this situation progress's about the long term of the island chain both in a humanitarian and political sense."




RESTORATION OF SEAFORTH WELCOMED


Royal Press Secretary Hannah Cartwright

By Niamh Roberts: Royal News Correspondent

The restoration of Seaforth was the headline subject at the latest Royal Press conference as Press Secretary Hannah Cartwright stated "The Achkaerinese leadership has a long established friendship with the Kingdom of Seaforth going back to our days in the CIS, this bond like the one we share with East Moreland is one that we consider unbroken. As such the Emperor will seek at the earliest opportunity to reestablish ties with Seaforth. Part of such talks will naturally include discussions as to any assistance we can offer them as the rebuilding in Seaforth continues as well as the return of other aspects of the Achkaerin-Seaforth relationship. There was some slight surprise to discover that Joshua Rhodes is not the King of Seaforth however as noted by King David, relations between nations are not about the relations between the leaders they are about bigger things than that, Joshua Rhodes or Andrew Rhodes it makes no difference Achkaerin and Seaforth were friends before and we hope they will be again."

No date for such a meeting has been released yet but it is likely to be eagerly anticipated.




FUTURIST INDUSTRIES TRY SOMETHING NEW

By Kimberley Thorn: Science Correspondent

Futurist Industries has opened a new power plant, not something uncommon as the Achkaerinese energy sector continues to implement sections of the Renewable Energy Transition Act (2012) however what makes this plant different is what it does. The plant opened up a few miles outside Artaxia is a Liquid Air Energy Storage plant or LAES for short, sometimes it is also referred to as Cryogenic Energy Storage or CES. What this means in simple terms is that electricity is used to cool air into a liquid state which is then stored in a tank, ambient air exposure or waste heat is then useable to bring it back to a gaseous state which then turns a turbine and as a result generates electricity. When asked for comment the CEO of Futurist Elecktra Hope said "This is something that's been thought about for a long time, to actually see this plant open and ready for a trial run is a great moment, we'll be running a six month experiment, but this is a significant step in the energy sector, we'll be looking at ways to increase the efficiency of this as we go but we hope that in a few years time that this sort of plant is found across Achkaerin as the transition to renewable energy sources continues."

In related news Futurist has also confirmed an agreement with the Nemerie Government to build a nuclear plant in the Principality, while in other science news the Achkaerin Space Agency has confirmed that the Virgil probe has achieved orbit of the Keaclite asteroid and is beginning the next phase of that mission.


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Re: Achkaerin News Service
« Reply #35 on: June 14, 2018, 12:33:02 AM »


RENEE AZUREWIND ESTABLISHES CWF CHARITY


By Niamh Roberts: Royal Correspondent

Renee Azurewind, wife of the Emperor and Duchess of Rosemoor has used an address to the Achkaerin Youth Assembly to announce the establishment of a new charity. The Duchess announced the CWF or to give it it's full title the Children's Welfare Fund. It came as a surprise to the Youth Assembly when the Duchess said the following:

"A few years ago I was proud to put my name to a piece of paper that made me a patron of the Global Childbirth Initiative, an organisation that does important work in aiming to reduce the number of women and children killed as a result of childbirth and the complications thereafter. It has been and continues to be one of the most important aspects of my life, championing that cause across Mundus. A couple of months ago I visited Hope Hospital in Valtheim, a centre of excellence for the GCI and a teaching hospital, several of the women I met that day were Phuebran refugee's and the more stories I heard, the more it made me think, the more it made me research, what happens to children who aren't as fortunate as I was at that age? I had access to food, access to safe drinking water, access to healthcare, access to an education, I was encouraged and given every opportunity. Not everyone is as fortunate, so today I stand here to announce the Children's Welfare Fund a charity with a focus on supporting children across Mundus who are in need of a great variety of support, support that we can give them whether it be in education, food, water or healthcare. In the coming days I will be meeting with various agencies and companies to establish the detail of the program's and how we embody the vision and intention of this charity going forwards."

The announcement was welcomed by the President of the Mundus Youth Assembly Scarlet Cox with many suspecting that the announcement comes as a prelude to the Emperor's Covenant Address to the Senate this weekend.



SENATE ENJOYS "PEOPLE'S WEEK"


Minister of trade Viola Summers speaking during the days events

By David Woods: Political Correspondent

As is the tradition of the Senate in the run up to the Covenant Address, which will be delivered by the Emperor this weekend, the Achkaerinese Senate does not discuss matters of policy unless there is a state emergency declared. Instead the five hundred Senators discuss the concerns of Achkaerinese citizens in all sessions in what has been nicknamed "People's Week" it is a tradition that can be traced back to the establishing of the Senate in 1718 where the Senate, comprising at that time of 100 independent citizens would constantly talk about more local issues while leaving national and international policy to the Crown, of course over time that has changed. Favourites from this week so far have included a petition for more life skills to be taught in schools, a request that the Senate outlaw certain names for newborns, a discussion of whether enough attention is being paid to the arts and various letters of congratulation and correspondence.



NIGHT FURY ENTERS TESTING


By Penny Noble: Defence Correspondent

AADC have begun testing their latest aircraft, the Night Fury. Designated as a strategic bomber the aircraft bears a fair number of similarities to East Moreland's Jekar's Chariot boasting similar speed, range, weapons outlay with stealth capability thrown in. The Night Fury has been in development for over a decade and is believed to be one of the most difficult projects the company has worked on with CEO Sir Darren Eagle saying today "This represents a landmark moment for us at AADC, to get the Night Fury out into testing after a few setbacks and adjustments is great we're hoping for a clear run of testing." It is not yet certain that the Achkaerin Air Force will purchase any of the aircraft once testing is complete but sources close to the Ministry of Defence suggest that an order will be placed should the testing provide satisfactory results.


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Re: Achkaerin News Service
« Reply #36 on: June 16, 2018, 11:12:29 PM »


EMPEROR DELIVERS COVENANT ADDRESS


Emperor Peter pictured just before entering Liberty Hall this evening

By Roisin Shaughnessy: Chief Correspondent

Emperor Peter Azurewind has delivered his sixteenth Covenant Address, this is a tradition that dates back to the foundation of the Senate and is named after the speech given by Empress Djana Azurewind three hundred years ago. In simple terms it is an annual event where once per year the monarch travels to the Senate to deliver a speech, that outlines Achkaerin's place in the world, pays tribute where tribute is due and talks about the future. In the week leading up to the address there was a lot of speculation about what was going to be said leading to a much larger audience than previous years. The only notable absentee from the speech this year was Crown Princess Serenity as she continues to focus on her military service at this time. The full text of the speech is below:


Quote
Mr Speaker, honourable Senators tonight as is the custom of my predecessors of the last three hundred years I come to the Senate tonight to deliver this my sixteenth Covenant Address, the three hundredth in the history of our great and noble nation. It is an address where I have the opportunity to commend, to comment, to voice my opinion on matters that I would normally recuse myself from and an address where I can convey the pride I feel in the people I serve and repay the trust that they show in me for as my father always said to me “An Emperor may be the Head of State but he is nothing if he is not also a servant of the state.” Tonight I stand here to deliver an address of positivity, of progress and of hope for the future.

Achkaerin is a nation that is fortunately blessed with a great deal of friends, nations such as East Moreland and Seaforth come to mind but also Nya Aland, Lodja, the Iwi, Ecclesiastical State and Vaguzia to name but a few of them, but we must also seek out those we do not yet know, those nations who could be called strangers but who we call friends we are yet to meet, this was why the Prefect program  was employed within the Achkaerin Ambassadorial System to seek out new relationships, to develop our existing relationships and to show our commitment to our hope of a peaceful Mundus for all peoples. With this in mind we will seek to maintain and develop our existing diplomatic relations, we will seek to cultivate new relations and we will continue to abide by the diplomatic agreements we make.

It would be wrong of me to not stand here tonight and acknowledge the almost superhuman effort that the Achkaerinese armed forces have once more found themselves having to put in this past year. Time and time again, without complaint and hesitation these soldiers, sailors and air force personnel have put themselves in harms way both in combat and on humanitarian operations, partnering trusted friends and trusted allies in a variety of different situations and showing their greatest qualities, qualities they are showing this very moment engaged against insurgents in Phuebra, on the lookout for trouble in the Kyne and in humanitarian operations in the Mhorish. We will not shirk our principles in this regard, we will not turn our backs, we will stand for what we have always stood for - helping people who can’t help themselves, defending the innocent and ensuring a position where we are capable of rendering assistance when it is required and when it is asked for. To all of our brave members of the forces I extend my greatest thanks for their hard work, their courage and their sacrifice.

On the 7th of November 1945, my grandfather the Emperor Harry Azurewind gave an order that would change the world at that time, he ordered the use, the sole use of a nuclear bomb against the Ardian Empire, seeing such a power arrayed against them the Ardian’s surrendered on the 11th of November that year. The use of a nuclear bomb that day most likely saved a lot of lives on both sides of the war, but it did something else it opened a Pandora’s Box, it let the Genie out of the bottle, it changed the scope of warfare, attempts to contain it were made, we recognized the significance of what we had developed, but in our arrogance, in our hubris we thought ourselves the controllers of the uncontrollable devastation, other nations obtained nuclear capability, the ability to wage a destructive and apocalyptic war was in the hands of other nations. A few days ago my friend King David of East Moreland made a statement in which he announced that Alba Karinya would be a nuclear weapon free continent in three years time, it was a bold statement and it was a courageous decision. Tonight that boldness and that courage echo in this chamber, tonight the 16th of June 2018 we join our friends in writing the final chapter of the nuclear weapons story that began on that November day, why should nations possess the ability to destroy each other ten times over when surely once is enough? Tomorrow I will initiate a course of action to decommission the Achkaerinese nuclear arsenal.

At home and abroad we are party to many organisations and initiatives of the non-military nature, bodies such as the Mundus Goodwill Bank, the Joint Emergency Team, Mundus Health Organisation, the Mundus Refugee Council, the Mundus Crime Agency, the Global Childbirth initiative - an organisation of which both myself and my wife are patrons and an organisation backed by our Achkaerin Health Service. There is also the Mundus Convention on Universal Rights, a treaty we are proud to be signatory to and the Cultural Exchange Treaty Organisation an organisation that my daughter is a patron of. Earlier this week my wife Renee added another charity to that list, she added the Child Welfare Fund this is a body aimed at supporting children worldwide whether it be providing an education, food, water shelter, medication and vaccines or just being there to listen to them. These are all noble causes, these are all causes that stand in their own way to make Mundus a place we can be proud to call home, a world where we don’t look at each other with suspicion because of the colour of our skin, the gender we identify as, our sexuality or the faith we worship. Two years ago Pride came to Gowu and this point roared loud and clear in that city, for a few days the message of unity was there for all to see, the message of peace and tolerance was there for all to see. For a few days everything else was stripped away and we tolerated each other regardless of creed, colour, sexuality and gender and you know something? It was a wonderful moment and we need more of those.

As we move forward into the future those of us who are getting on a little in years so to speak look at our children and we ask ourselves a question - “What kind of world am I leaving them in?” is it safer or more dangerous than it was when they came into it? It yields a second question doesn’t it? “What kind of world do I want to leave them?” my answer to that is I want to leave them a world better than the one I grew up in, I want them to have a world where people think about the long term issues affecting our planet, issues such as climate change and the need for a transition to renewable energy sources, some nations including our own have already begun to take these steps and it is right and responsible that we do so, the day is coming when the oil will run out, what might happen the day after that is something that does not bear thinking about, but if we take the first steps now as we have done then as a nation we can play a part in helping develop a greener Mundus so that the worries and fears we have deep at the back of our minds don’t materialize. And climate change is only one of the many persistent dragons that circle around us that we don’t see because we’re too caught up in other affairs, there’s more to consider - poverty, disease, starvation, polluted oceans, the wealth gap, homelessness, displaced people, the persecuted and the mentally ill are only a sample of the others, there are more and yes I could name them but we’d be here all night.

My point is this in the last few years I have sent the Achkaerinese Armed Forces into war on several occasions, sometimes to help our allies, sometimes to stop something terrible and sometimes to help people we didn’t even know. Well tonight I declare one more war, not on another country, not on another ideology, not on another religion. Tonight I declare war on these dragon’s - is it acceptable that people should live in poverty when we can do something about it? No. Is it acceptable that people should suffer with disease and potentially die from it when the treatment can be easily funded at a very small cost if spread evenly? No. Is it acceptable that people should go hungry and thirsty in an age where we have so much? No. Is it acceptable that our world’s oceans should be polluted? No. Is it acceptable that there should be such a huge difference in what someone is paid because of geographic or personal factors? No. Is it right that someone should be left homeless when we can build such marvellous buildings? No. Is it right that displaced people should be left wandering in the wilderness when all it takes is a little kindness and a smile to make them feel like they belong? No. Is it right for a person to be persecuted just because they don’t share the same opinions as someone else? No. Is it right that people should suffer in silence with something because they’re afraid of the stigma? No.

These are not lofty ambitions, these are not pipe dreams, these are tangible possibilities, for the first time we have a chance as not only a nation but also internationally as a community of nations to shape the world to combat the real problems that run in an undercurrent, in places some have already started on this, Queen Klara of Lodja has declared her intention to make Lodja plastic free within the next twenty five years, East Moreland is innovating new technology all the time just look at what OsmanTech came up with a so called “Cancer tattoo”, the nanotechnology being developed within Heyra is also worthy of mention and in this very chamber four years ago the Senate passed legislation compelling the formulation of a strategy to transition over the next few decades to green energy. If there’s one thing we’ve learned through watching the news over the last few weeks it’s that we can have a safer Mundus, a Mundus without the horrors of weapons of mass destruction, we can have a Mundus with clean oceans, we can have a Mundus where the planet is healthier, where the people are healthier, the steps are being taken independently already.

A few days ago King David of East Moreland remarked that the airbridge constructed by Morelander and Achkaerinese military forces during the Cult of Helus Genocide was “the most complex and ambitious military operation Mundus has ever seen.” let’s be clear we’re talking about the forces of two nations operating a long way from home in unfamiliar surroundings, under enemy fire, doing something that would be considered almost impossible...Well they did it. Now surely if two nations forces working together can manage something like that, then imagine the possibilities if the brightest minds start working together, imagine what we could say to those dragon’s I mentioned earlier. What would we say I hear you ask? Well I would say this - Bring...It...On!

Thank you.


There were no prizes for guessing the headline grabbing announcement, the decommissioning of Achkaerin's nuclear arsenal, it's a shock that's set to cause much debate within the Senate in the coming days as proven by initial response to the announcement which has ranged from "Bold" to "Downright irresponsible". The call for unity towards the end of the speech is not anything surprising as it's been a feature of many a speech before but the language has raised eyebrows. Some analysts in the immediate aftermath have commented that there appears to be some sort of hidden message within the speech though they haven't actually said what it is, leading other analysts to suggest that they're hedging their bets significantly on the interpretation. The only comment coming out of the Marble Palace following the speech was given by Press Secretary Hannah Cartwright saying "The Emperor is very happy with how tonight has gone and looks forward to implementing the details of what he outlined."

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Re: Achkaerin News Service
« Reply #37 on: June 24, 2018, 07:00:26 PM »


FIRST SEONAID CLASS ENTERS SERVICE


By Penny Noble: Defence Correspondent

The first of the Seònaid class aircraft carriers the INS Seònaid Ayanami has entered service, the new vessel succeeds its predecessor of the same name, is the first of reportedly three expected carriers of this class to come into service with the INS Intrepid and INS Djana Azurewind expected to be in service over the course of the next year. The Seònaid Ayanami is expected to spend some time in the Great Northern Ocean for shakedown purposes before assuming routine duties with the Imperial Navy. It's also rumored that as part of the navy's development program that the Imperial Navy is looking to replace its Tisiphone class submarines, though this rumor remains unconfirmed by the Navy.



ARTAXIA CITY WIN EMPEROR'S CUP


Jamie Speed scoring the extra time winner

By Nick Watson, Sports Correspondent

Artaxia City produced one of the great comebacks of Achkaerinese football to deny Dovah City a league and cup double at the Fox's Den. In the build up many were expecting that the dominant form shown by Dovah City en route to claiming a surprising league title would bring them success in the cup final and for the first hour of the game that's what it looked like as the league champions passing game pulled the opposition apart with midfield maestro Michael Danvers netting fifteen minutes in to give Dovah the lead, with a goal early in the second half from a Wayne Carson free kick the league champions looked set for a double. However Artaxia City are the specialists of the Emperor's Cup, and with the introduction of winger Jamie Speed from the bench they found something as first striker Tom Oakleigh headed in from a Speed cross and as the game entered the last ten minutes striker Li Shibuki was put clear through by that man Speed to round the keeper and level the score with a tidy finish. Extra game was an end to end affair but it was fitting that it was Speed who raced clear of Dovah's defence with two minutes to play to score the winning goal and deliver Artaxia City the title.

The result means that by virtue of winning the Emperor's Cup Artaxia City will join Dovah City, Leonaise F.C and Avalon F.C in the Mundus Champions League while Valtheim United miss out due to Dovah City's defeat.


« Last Edit: June 24, 2018, 09:38:42 PM by Achkaerin »

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Re: Achkaerin News Service
« Reply #38 on: June 29, 2018, 11:07:17 PM »


FORMULA MUNDUS PREVIEW WITH MMA CHIEF


By Felicity Stewart: Sports Correspondent

It's the eve of the Formula Mundus season with the teams having completed pre season testing and having flown in to the Kingdom of Vafleon, part of the Commonwealth of Eswen, its time for game faces to be put on and for the drivers to let their skills do the talking while the team's do the same in the pits. With the season starting tomorrow Achkaerin Sports took the opportunity to interview the Head of the Mundus Motorsport Association Matthew Baxter (pictured above) and ask his thoughts on the coming season.

What does the pre season testing tell us?

"It tells us for the most part things we already knew. The consistency of Riviere Corporation Racing is apparent and their strength on tracks towards the back end of the season appears to still be as powerful as ever. The mid season has always been the strength of Rytol-EMAC with the other teams scoring reasonably well but having to fight against this backdrop. We could well be in for another instalment of Megan Harrison vs Sam Halliday but there's reason to hope for more than a two horse race. And I say that because if you look at the way the last two seasons have gone there's something of an interesting factor in play, two years ago in the season that saw Megan win the title she won it because she was more consistent in the early part of the season than Sam was, while he was fighting around the lower order scrapping for the odd point she was challenging for podiums and victories, all of which meant that her championship lead wasn't overhauled until near the end of Rytol's purple patch in mid season, meaning she was able to safely regain her lead and take a near unassailable position into the title decider. Last season we saw much the same start until Megan got injured at Sisko, then we saw an intriguing three way fight for the title develop and it eventually went to Sam. But bear in mind this - not in either season has there been an overwhelming dominance from any driver it's been close both times and it's gone to the last race at Silverhills both times. There are no invincible teams in this."

So who might upset the odds?

"Team wise it will be difficult given the consistency of Riviere and Rytol-EMAC but Tifosi did put up a good performance last year and Ornati look to have in places a decent pace as well. It's also got to be heavily considered that Formula Mundus is a sport of evolution over the course of a season so we're going to see changes as the season progress's. So teams that have not tested well may struggle at the start of the year but they may turn things around as the season goes on, of course though the teams that tested well will also be striving to make improvements and that's why this sport is really interesting. In terms of drivers we've got a wide open field I think obviously the likes of Sam Halliday and Megan Harrison will start as favourites but once you get past them there's a group of racers that are talented enough and consistent enough to take this title. Aldous Moses for Tifosi has tested really consistently in the pre season, he could be the dark horse to look out for. But again let's not rule anyone out of the title race yet, there's such a thing as keeping your powder dry and trying not to show your true capabilities.

Which race are you looking forward to the most?

"I always like the Valkyria Grand Prix, it's a real test of all the car and it's a circuit that's very technical. It's a different type of drama from a street circuit such as Sisko or a sprint like Celestis but it's equally enjoyable."

Who's going to be the world champion?

"Whoever's the most consistent throughout the season. That's how the sport works and we've seen it in the last two seasons that when it has come down to it the most consistent driver has won, and we're not talking about number of victories it's consistent high placed finishes that get championships won. Once we get a few races into the season we'll know who the contenders might be."

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Re: Achkaerin News Service
« Reply #39 on: July 08, 2018, 07:57:28 PM »


TERROR ALERT LEVEL RAISED TO AMBER IN RESPONSE TO SEPARATIST THREAT


Saki Ryoko during her interview earlier today

By Roisin Shaughnessy: Chief Correspondent

The terror alert level has been raised to Amber following implied threats by the Borland Separatist terrorist group. The announcement comes following a string of tweets apparently by Kyle Barren the leader of the terrorist group. The announcement was made by the deputy national security advisor Saki Ryoko during a televised interview earlier today during which she was explaining the work currently ongoing regarding the decommissioning of Achkaerin's nuclear arsenal, an announcement regarding this is expected when the Minister of Defence addresses the Senate later in the week. When asked about the tweets in question Ms Ryoko said "Clearly the ambiguity of the threat implies that anyone could be a target, we've been targetted before and we take terrorist threats seriously. We've therefore taken the decision to raise the terrorist alert level to Amber, meaning that an attack is believed to be imminent. This is not the first time the alert level has been raised to this point but clearly we must be mindful that whatever is being hinted at might happen on our soil and that's something we'll do everything possible to prevent happening."



CORAL SET UP FOR LONG TERM STUDY


By Kimberly Thorn: Science and Technology Correspondent

The Centre of Oceanic Research And Learning (CORAL) has announced a new venture that it says will allow for the monitoring of ocean wildlife and further study of both them and the ocean itself. The project dubbed 'Crystal Sea' involves the construction of a series of fifty artificial islands within Achkaerin's EEZ with each serving as a monitoring station for an area around it. The idea is to use these stations to observe the wildlife of the ocean, the coral, the plant life and other factors to see what happens as the environment evolves and changes. It's also expected that the crimson finned whale, an endangered species native to the waters of the Northern Ocean, will have its population monitored by these stations with further studies also on the table for other species. This project does mark CORAL's first major study since its establishment a few years ago. Minister of Science and Technology Kathryn Deed has described the project as "An intriguing venture and I look forward to seeing what it develops."

« Last Edit: July 08, 2018, 08:11:48 PM by Achkaerin »

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Re: Achkaerin News Service
« Reply #40 on: July 15, 2018, 12:26:05 AM »


AMBASSADORS DAUGHTER AMONG WOUNDED IN TERROR ATTACK


Danielle Knight, daughter of Ambassador Churchill

By Olivia Moore: International News Correspondent

Danielle Knight, daughter of the Achkaerinese ambassador to New Zion is among the wounded following several terrorist attacks carried out across Mundus by the Borland Separatist Group. Mrs Knight, a student at the Royal Merriman University in East Moreland was helping with their open day when she was caught up in the attack, she is presently being treated in hospital and is expected to make a full recovery. In total fifteen Achkaerinese citizens were killed in that specific attack with several like Mrs Knight injured in a subsequent blast undoubtedly intended to cause injury to those responding to the initial attack. Other attacks to date in this latest Separatist campaign have seen attacks in Lodja, Ui Cenneslaig and the Iwi. As well as directed attacks against Rokkenjiman military bases specifically Queen Katenka Naval Base in Dartfordia and Queen Adrianna Military Base in the Illumic. At this point in time there is no official figure for the death tally or estimate in regards to the number of wounded.

It is believed that Rokkenjima has tabled a proposal at LISA in response to these attacks though there has not yet been any comment on this from that organisation. Additionally the Emperor having spent today talking with the families of the Achkaerinese victims of these attacks is believed to be meeting with the Round Table tomorrow to discuss the Achkaerinese position in relation to these attacks.

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Re: Achkaerin News Service
« Reply #41 on: July 30, 2018, 12:00:00 AM »


NETTIE TAYLOR TALKS ON BARNACLE FROM BARNACLE


Ms Taylor attending a daily briefing with Achkaerinese forces committed to the aid effort in Barnacle

By Roisin Shaughnessy: Chief Correspondent

Nettie Taylor, the former Premier of Rokkenjima, former Imperial Councillor for Foreign Affairs of Rokkenjima and presently Foreign Affairs Advisor to Emperor Peter Azurewind has spoken about the present state of aid operations following the tsunami that devastated the Barnacle island chain. Ms Taylor was assigned to the aid effort due to the potential for political complications resulting from an aid effort in territory that is disputed between the two nations of Heyra and Himeyama. Considering overnight developments coming from first Rokkenjima and then Heyra Ms Taylor stated the following:

"The statements issued by Rokkenjima and Heyra are quite surprising and Achkaerin considers them ill judged, ill timed, unnecessary, reckless and in all honesty incendiary. Firstly the timing of the Rokkenjiman statement comes at a point where there are delicate situations occurring on the ground we have discovered that Himeyaman forces are still present and quite understandably at first contact were a little confrontational but were then open to cooperation with nations involved in the aid effort, and if we're objective and honest about it right now if we consider the number of nations currently on station, the number of aid workers available and the fact that the pre-tsunami population of the island chain was 108,000 people we are most certainly not in a position to turn that help away. Contrary to what Heyra's statement suggests it is surely possible that Heyran and Himeyaman working side by side can in effect aid this humanitarian effort. Achkaerin has also asked questions of Rokkenjima at LISA in regards to their statement and given the potential consequences of that statement it is important that they be answered, Achkaerin also calls for calm on the islands and the release by Himeyama of those effectively being held as prisoners of war.

Continuing with the focus on the Himeyaman marines present on the island chain I would remind everyone first that the most warning anyone had of this tsunami was twelve hours before it hit, that is simply not enough time for a complete evacuation of Himeyaman military personnel considering the logistics involved in terms of equipment and numbers. Second it is arguable that the Himeyaman marines are acting correctly under article 2.5 of the Uppsalla Convention 'Members of the Armed Forces have a duty of care to civilians in territory they control.' now let's bear in mind that we are talking about disputed territory so it is therefore the case that for those nations that do not at present recognize one nations absolute sovereignty, but rather the reality on the ground of a majority Himeyaman controlled area with Heyra controlling the north west we have a situation where Himeyaman troops in territory they control are aiding civilians as they are required to do so under Uppsalla. But once again I point out that we do not presently have the personnel numbers on the ground to be able to tell the Himeyaman's to stand down, the fact that they have stayed, that they have rendered aid and are continuing to render aid is surely something to be commended not condemned. Of course Achkaerin as I have previously implied does not like some of the actions taken by Himeyaman forces at the first contact stage and work is being undertaken to resolve those. The simple reality is that this dispute is not going to be resolved if there is a continuation of suspicion and hostility perpetrated by the two parties to the dispute.

I must personally register my disappointment with Rokkenjima concerning their approach to this, the Empress of Rokkenjima stated when declaring war against the USR that 'today the First Empire stands against the expansion of a Soviet empire of aggression and proclaims the end of apathy, and also that Mechean self-determination is worth defending' now regardless of what anyone thinks about the sovereignty issue the reality is that for decades the two societies have lived side by side and actually according to the Free Mundus Network there is a sizable population group, which according to the numbers would amount to 50% of the islands population at pre-tsunami level, that do not identify as either Heyran or Himeyaman with recent protests seen on the islands suggesting a desire for independence from both sides involved in this.

This surely indicates that the appropriate way forward in navigating this dispute is, once the humanitarian work is done, to hold a referendum, this is a position we share with our friends in East Moreland and Dartfordia. A referendum allows the will of the islanders to determine the future of the islands I would remind the Imperial Diet of the Empress's words in that declaration of war and challenge them with the following question: How can it be that the right to self determination of Mechean citizens is worth defending yet the same right is apparently not worth defending in respect of these islanders, especially given the situation on the ground? I hope the Diet will reconsider its position because the message such statements send to the international community is not a good one for Rokkenjima's image."

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Re: Achkaerin News Service
« Reply #42 on: August 02, 2018, 01:15:25 AM »


ACHKAERIN CONSIDERING QKNB BID?


By Roisin Shaughnessy: Chief Correspondent

Rumours coming out of the Ministry of Defence have suggested that the Achkaerinese Government might be open to talks concerning Achkaerinese forces taking over Queen Katenka Naval Base in Dartfordia, the base presently one of the overseas Rokkenjiman facilities has come into the spotlight recently that the Dartfordian Government is considering closing it. There has been no official comment from the government on this but sources suggest that "they may be prepared to make an offer to exclude vessels possessing weapons of mass destruction and aircraft carriers from using the base"

Quite how accurate this is isn't known but considering the present mood internationally and recent events there appears to be at minimum a paper thin credibility to the rumours but whether they are true or not remains to be seen.



ELEANOR HENDRY GOING FOR ANOTHER RECORD


(left) Eleanor Hendry (right) the solar powered vessel Sunseeker

By James Robson: Home Affairs Correspondent

Eleanor Hendry Achkaerin's triple record holding sailor is going for another record, three years after her last voyage. The twenty year old (pictured above left) who already holds the sailing records for the first solo circumnavigation of Mundus by a woman, being the youngest person to circumnavigate Mundus and for the fastest circumnavigation of Mundus is now attempting the first circumnavigation of Mundus using a vessel powered entirely by the Sun. The Sunseeker (pictured above right) is a vessel that utilizes solar technology to collect the sun's power and to then power the engines and other onboard equipment, the goal isn't a speed record, the goal is a successful voyage. The planned route is to depart from East Moreland, go round the Horn of Ardia, through the Alucard, around the bottom of Albion and then up through the Strait of Shaw before turning west and going through the Kyne, the Matilda's and then Krimeon before arriving back in East Moreland.

When asked to comment Ms Hendry said "I'm a bit of a technology geek and I always feel most at home on the ocean, so to have the opportunity to do something like this to try and prove something is great. The good thing about departing from East Moreland is that it gives us the opportunity to do a long distance field testing of the vessel hopefully as part of the Festival of Sail procession. While we've set the provisional departure date for the morning after the festival. I'm hoping not to run into any storms though."

For those interested the Sunseeker will be on show at the Festival of Sail and we will bring you regular updates of the voyage.



ACHKAERINESE ARMY GETS ROBOGUARDS


By Penny Noble: Defence Correspondent

The Achkaerinese Army is to add to its assets with the RoboGuard, East Moreland's famed autonomous patrol vehicle. The vehicle will in the words of General James Robbins will "Further support the multi-role and multi-operational capabilities of the Achkaerinese military. This is vital considering the workload of our military in recent times. The RoboGuard represents one of the greatest advancements in our area in recent times and we're very happy to be able to add them to our capabilities.", the purchase is for sixteen RoboGuards and training is set to be provided to the Achkaerinese operators within the next few weeks.



NATIONAL TRIALS UNDERWAY AHEAD OF GAMES


By Felicity Stewart: Sports Correspondent

It's that time of year again, with the Mundus Games approaching the Achkaerin National Trials are underway to determine the athletes that will compete at the games for the country. Taking place at Djana Azurewind Sports Park in Valtheim the event has drawn many eager fans all curious to see who will be presented with their countries colours. Naturally not all decisions are made at the trials with some of the team squads being determined by their respective coaches. One of the first athletes to secure her spot was taekwondo fighter Arya Warner (pictured above), with more action expected over the next few days. It has been confirmed that Crown Princess Serenity will not be competing in the Heptathlon this year as she is presently deployed aboard on military duty within the Navy. Princess Esme, the Achkaerin chef de mission, when speaking about the trials said "This is the time of year where everything gets difficult for us coaches because we have a lot of very talented athletes, all capable of representing the nation, it's safe to say that myself and the other coaches will end up in a boardroom each evening going through the lists and it will be a series of very difficult decisions for us, but we enjoy this because it means we will hopefully have a successful games."





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Re: Achkaerin News Service
« Reply #43 on: August 08, 2018, 12:24:03 PM »


ACHKAERIN TO STEP UP BARNACLE OPERATIONS


By David Woods: Political Correspondent

Richard Chambers the Minister of Foreign Affairs has announced that Achkaerin is to step up operations on the disputed territory of Barnacle/Nurashima. In a statement given in the Senate the Minister stated "Circumstances on the ground have taken a rather disturbing turn in the last few hours we have seen a noticible build up of Heyran military personnel, now there could be any number of reasons for such a presence but as we now know it is to do with the Heyran claim for sovereignty over the entirety of the islands, given the potential implications including an elevated level of risk to our personnel on the ground this government has decided to take steps to safeguard our humanitarian operations on the islands."



PROMETHEUS II SET FOR LAUNCH


By: Kimberley Thorn: Science and Technology Correspondent

The Achkaerinese Space Agency has announced that the long awaited follow up to the original Prometheus mission of two years ago is expected to launch at the weekend, the probe named Prometheus II will explore the sun's outer atmosphere and help answer questions about how the physics of stars work. It will also allow improvement in the forecasting of space weather events. The probe will orbit the sun from a distance of four million miles after using seven orbits of Ishtar over an expected seven years to adjust its orbit in relation to the sun, of course such a venture comes with a lot of kit and Prometheus II is no exception with instruments designed to image the solar wind and study electric and magnetic fields, coronal plasma and energetic fields. Given the obvious implications of the mission the probe is also outfitted with a heat shield intended to keep the instruments at a tolerable temperature. Speaking about the mission the Achkaerin Space Agency's Director of Flight Operations said "We're excited to finally be able to get a chance to send this up, it's been something of a dream for a great many years and when we sent the original Prometheus up we weren't convinced we'd get to this point but we're here and we're going to go for it. We've got other exciting things coming up as well and that's before I mention KISS where I look forward to extending knowledge sharing in the way that the Nordic Space Program has always extended it to the rest of the world."

« Last Edit: August 08, 2018, 11:28:18 PM by Achkaerin »

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Re: Achkaerin News Service
« Reply #44 on: August 18, 2018, 10:52:51 PM »


COUNT OF SAIKA NAMED VICEREGENT OF ROKKENJIMA


Count Emerson Ravenswood at the Red Moon Showcase last night

By Roisin Shaughnessy: Chief Correspondent

Emerson Ravenswood, the Count of Saika, has been named as the new Viceregent of Rokkenjima an appointment that has surprised as much in Achkaerin as it has in Rokkenjima. The announcement came as the Count attended the Red Moon Showcase, part of the Edelweiss Festival, after the nights music the Count spoke about the appointment saying: "It's going to be interesting to say the least, I've been very clear with the Empress that isn't my job to make her look good, it isn't my job to just agree with her, chances are we'll spend most of the time debating. My responsibility as Viceregent is to make sure she does her job as the Empress, there's a distinct resolve that we share to change certain things and address certain concerns some of these are new things some are things that have been said before and others are matters that circumstances have forced us to deal with."

The Count is expected to travel to Rokkenjima in the next few days to take up his new responsibilities.



LIFE GOES ON IN THE MHORISH AS AID EFFORT LOOKS FORWARDS


By Olivia Moore: International News Correspondent

Despite the latest round of political posturing over the disputed territory of Barnacle/Nurashima, life on the islands has been somewhat quiet as the aid effort rumbles on. In the city of Hakae-Shima, Nettie Taylor has spent a lot of time talking with Mayor Nishida (pictured above) the elected leader of the city, while workers of Nelson Construction have demolished several buildings that were threatening to collapse onto key routes through the city, when asked about this the CEO of Nelson Construction, Timothy Nelson explained saying "To an extent we're dealing with two natural disasters in one here, first an earthquake and then the tsunami, a lot of structural damage was we believe caused by the earthquake with the raised sea level as a result of the tsunami further weakening several structures, we've now had to safely demolish a number of buildings in the city to avoid further loss of life on the ground due to cumulative damage from both events. There's no question that large areas of the city are in need of either major repairs or a complete rebuild, this we will discuss with the local authority so as to alert them and allow them to follow their procedures for such an eventuality."

Later in the day Ms Taylor announced that the provisional death count from the incident for the city of Hakae-Shima was 3,000 people. Achkaerin News understands that this is a figure arrived at by comparing the latest local government records of the city against a list of survivors, however as some areas of the city are still being searched for survivors it is possible that this number will rise.



LAWSON GOING TO GAMES


By Felicity Stewart: Sports Correspondent

Sammy Lawson, arguably Achkaerin's best known sportswoman and arguably the finest cyclist on Mundus is going to the Mundus Games again after booking her place at the national trials. She will once more be seen as one of Achkaerin's strongest medal contenders on both the road and in the velodrome. Lawson will lead a strong team of cyclists from Achkaerin, a part of the team viewed very much as the foundation of Achkaerinese medal success in recent years, especially last year when Achkaerin topped the medal table at the end of the games a feat that the team will want to repeat this time out.

And whisper it softly but there's a little more intrigue to the Games this year as going into the competition Sammy has ten medals to her name and Daisy Greechan, the renowned swimmer from East Moreland, has eleven to hers and with an expanded cycling program this year giving Lawson more opportunities for medals it could well be that the battle for the outright Greatest Of All Time at the Mundus Games is on. When asked about this Sammy said the following "I know everyone likes the idea of a great story and rivalry's and everything but the truth is I've never thought about that at the end of the day me and Daisy and everyone else competing we're trying to do our best as representatives of our nations. Would I like to be the record holder? Of course I would but if it doesn't happen it doesn't happen."

Sammy Lawson has also been named as the Achkaerinese team captain for this years games.


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Re: Achkaerin News Service
« Reply #45 on: September 01, 2018, 08:18:17 PM »


MUNDUS GAMES PREVIEW


By Nick Watson: Sports Correspondent

It's that time of year again, the Mundus Games are here and with competition just hours away we at Achkaerin Sports thought we'd take a look at the various runners, riders and stories circling the games and tell you what to look out for over the eighteen days of competition.

So let's start with the usual suspects the nations everyone is familiar with seeing compete in these games countries such as Achkaerin, East Moreland, Nya Aland and making a welcome return this year Dartfordia. These are nations we as fans of the games know and are stocked full of talented athletes, the top three female athletes on medal count are all present as for the first time since the games were in East Moreland some years ago we're graced by the presence of Daisy Greechan, Sammy Lawson and Sophie Harrison-Ironside with a couple of battles between those three but we'll get to that a little later. So what to look out for? Well let's look at them at a glance - Achkaerin will once again look to the velodrome and the athletics track to support its medal efforts while challenging elsewhere, but watch out for the footballers as world number one's on both sides of the game there will be plenty of expectation there. Will Achkaerin repeat the success of last year and top the medal table? That's hard to say but a good solid all round performance is achievable provided the team can get off to a good start.

If Achkaerin's 'banker' golds are in the football then let's change the shape of the ball to talk about the golds that the East Moreland public will be demanding be won, the rugby sevens gold medals yes the Honeybadgers will once again be the team to beat can anyone do it? Well if one listens to the pundits the strongest challenge will come from the Iwi but this is fourteen minutes of rugby we're talking about and anything can happen. Away from the rugby field East Moreland will look to the pool to produce a strong start to the games and with the likes of Daisy Greechan in the team it's not a set of swimmers to be underestimated. And then there's the fencing, gold medals here are perhaps of cultural significance to East Moreland and with a new event in medieval duelling making its debut this year there will be much anticipation of success. Of course if all of the above fails East Moreland do have Sophie Harrison-Ironside who competes in the marathon and cross country which could see her walk away with up to three medals.

Dartfordia's return to competition is one of the big pre games stories however how well can they do? The best chance for a medal is most likely in the Muggle Quidditch an event that Dartfordia has historically done very well in, then there's the sailing squad with plenty of strength, of great interest will be the cycling as the Dartfordian's present a challenge of unknown quantity to Achkaerin's riders and particularly Sammy Lawson as she goes hunting for records. But don't discount Dartfordia elsewhere the games do have a tendency to love a good story and a habit of throwing up the odd surprise here and there.

If we go a little way down the Albion coast we find Nya Aland, they'll hope that their strengths in shooting events whether with bow or firearm will stand them in good stead and mount a decent performance as they try to prove once again that they aren't just a winter sports nation. They boast a team with a variety of talent that can do a lot of damage to other teams medal hopefuls so if there's a surprise package among the established names it may well be this one, keep your eyes out for the Alanders.

But of course there are plenty of other nations involved and many of them have teams entered for the first time so what can we expect from them? Well the first rule is likely to expect the unexpected, a lot of regular viewers of the games will remember how Dijel topped the medal table early days in the inaugural games with a surprisingly strong performance across their team in the swimming pool, and if we look at the medal opportunities for the newcomers it's going to be interesting especially in the combat sports the boxing and Mixed Martial Arts look like they are going to provide some of the biggest highlights of the games. Our tip for a surprise package from this collection of nations? Well Kaedwen and Royal Seleucid look good on paper but do not discount the hosts.

And speaking of the hosts what do we think of Kaitaine's chances competitively? Well they appear to be quite good in truth. Their weightlifters will compete in a four way showdown with the strongmen of the Iwi, Valokchia and San Espinosa to settle who are the strongest of them all, just don't tell a certain Morelander nicknamed 'the beast' about that because chances are he'll have something to say about this in his event. Their gymnasts will look to dominate in what looks like a fairly open field and their cyclists will provide a strong contest. But as history proves a home team roared on by their home crowd is a match for anyone, the other athletes will have to be on top of their game.

Finally let's take a look at the female trio that seems to have an interesting story or two to play out in these games the Morelander pair of Daisy Greechan and Sophie Harrison-Ironside and the Achkaerinese cyclist Sammy Lawson. At the start of proceedings Daisy has eleven medals, Sammy ten and Sophie nine so it's pretty close in the battle to be the outright greatest at the games and assuming all three turn up in their best condition it should be an interesting story to watch unfold especially on day eleven of the games when all three of them are in action around the same time. 

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Re: Achkaerin News Service
« Reply #46 on: September 06, 2018, 03:50:58 PM »


WHAT NEXT FOR PHUEBRA FOLLOWING REBEL SURRENDER, SHOCK FINDS AND CIVIL WAR?


By Olivia Moores: International News Correspondent

The Achkaerinese Government has announced that the rebel faction within the Phuebran army that forms the backbone of the illegitimate regime in Phuebra has surrendered. The war in Phuebra has been ongoing for over a year and has seen a faultline on religious grounds threaten to tear the country irrevocably apart. The surrender of General El-Kammal has been met with joy in Phuebra but also with great relief back in Achkaerin. However while this is a significant moment it is far from the end of the story because while the latter stages of this stage of the conflict raged coalition forces uncovered mass graves of dead civilians, further investigation of the finds has led to the detention and subsequent arrest of the legitimate Phuebran government leading ultimately to a power vacuum.

When interviewed following all of these things being made known Minister for Foreign Affairs Richard Chambers (above left) said "Obviously this is a situation that no one envisaged happening but it has happened, it is unacceptable for anyone to order or participate in such an act of cruelty as this. Now let's be clear about something what we have today is the surrender of General El-Kammal and the portion of the Phuebran military he commands, this does not however mean the job is done, the General's regime was supported by several armed insurgent groups who have not laid down their weapons, the conflict has shifted to its next stage and Achkaerin will continue to support operations in Phuebra to combat these groups. We also now have to deal, rather rapidly, with this power vaccuum which is why tomorrow myself, representatives of the other Phuebran political parties and the Free Phuebran army as well as our international partners in this will be starting negotiations aimed at resolving this vaccuum and then laying out a road map that will rebuild the nation."



GAME ON AS LAWSON EQUALS GREECHAN TOTAL AT GAMES


By Nick Watson: Sports Correspondent

Day two of the Mundus Games may have belonged to Lodja and their sensational swimming display in the pool but for Achkaerin it was Sammy Lawson's day in the sun as the golden girl of Achkaerinese cycling won gold in the women's road race to take her medal total up to eleven equalling that of Morelander swimmer Daisy Greechan. The two women both have many medal opportunities left and both are abundantly aware of the risks of over-eventing. The race itself was an entertaining affair with breakaways and chases, the whole consetina affect on show. It wasn't until the last forty five kilometres that a decisive breakaway was made and uncharacteristically it was Lawson making that move, a small group escaped and stayed away long enough and with one final assault Lawson aided by team mate Melanie Parker (who finished 5th) was able to do enough damage to earn her gold medal.

Speaking afterwards Sammy said "That's a first for the women's road race at the games we've never had a race quite like it, usually we bunch up for most of the race and then we chase people down and capitalize but today the attacks just kept coming and it became obvious that the peloton wasn't going to hold together for a sprint so we just went for it on that last big hill and we got the gap we needed to string them out. The girls were great they did what they had to do and I'm happy to bring home the win for them. To equal Daisy's record is huge it's not something I imagined I'd be doing and to know that I have a chance of walking away in two weeks as the greatest athlete in the history of the games is crazy but it is now mostly in my hands because due to the wonders of the scheduling I'll know before the velodrome cycling starts what Daisy's total is but she's a great swimmer and she could put this out my reach before we get that far, anyway we'll just have to see what happens at the end of it all but if I race how I know I can I think I've got a good chance."

Sammy will return to action on day eleven in the women's time trial and will take to the velodrome in a handful of events concluding with her favored track discipline the omnium. So two great athletes, two experienced multi eventers, two great competitors, eleven medals each and a good few days of competition left - game on.


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Re: Achkaerin News Service
« Reply #47 on: September 19, 2018, 01:43:09 PM »


AURA AND FUTURIST UNVEIL 3D PRINTED CAR


By Maggie Clough: Business News Correspondent

Noted Achkaerinese car manufacturer Aura have teamed up with Futurist Industries to bring into existence a new car. It's called the Scarlet (and not for the colour though it is optional) but what makes this car special isn't that it's electrical but that it was produced as a result of 3D printing, the whole car is reported to have taken around four days to print and build though Futurist Industries have said that they're confident of decreasing the printing time dramatically as production moves forwards. All in all the Scarlet's electrical batteries produce enough power to cover between 160 and 190km, making it potentially suitable for daily use within a localised area or if you're a resident of Nemerie the range does put around half of the country within driving distance. The CEO of Aura, Jessica Sherman gave the following statement at the unveiling:

"The Scarlet is something unlike any other car on Mundus, not because of its power system but because of its manufacturing process. To be able to produce a car at the speed that this process may make possible is something special. It's also likely to be the cheapest car in our production range. The assistance of Futurist Industries in this venture has been invaluable, we could not have done it without them and I hope to continue working with Futurist on projects further down the line."

Positive comments were also received from Futurist Industries.


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« Reply #48 on: September 26, 2018, 05:20:15 PM »


CROWN PRINCESS CAUGHT IN BLAST


By Roisin Shaughnessy: Chief Correspondent

Crown Princess Serenity has been confirmed as one of the injured following an explosion in the disputed Barnacle/Nurashima island chain. The Crown Princess, a JAG officer, was conducting routine liaison duties with small hamlets outside of the city of Hakae-Shima when the blast occurred, she is believed to be one of five wounded, it's not clear what caused the blast at this time though experts have several theories including a leftover device from the Great War to a more recent device being planted there as well as an IED, nothing can be confirmed until after an investigation has been carried out into the explosion. Senior personnel on site have explained that the wounded will be treated and stabilized aboard the INS Nebula before being airlifted out of the operations area. When asked for comment the Royal Press Secretary Hannah Cartwright stated "The Emperor and family are aware of what has happened and ask that their privacy be respected at this time. We don't presently know the full extent of the Crown Princess's injuries and until we do we'd ask people not to speculate on them."



IMPERIAL NAVY CONFIRMS REPLACEMENT FOR CHALLENGER CLASS


By Penny Noble: Defence Correspondent

The Imperial Navy has confirmed the much anticipated replacement for the aged Challenger Class Frigate by unveiling the Dragon class corvette, it's a lightweight design but with a potent amount of firepower that will allow the class to fulfill its role within the navy. It's expected seven Dragon class vessels will be built while it's also been confirmed that a further three Kryptonite class vessels will be built. The Ministry of Defence is remaining tight lipped about the specific capabilities of the Dragon Class but many expect a fast vessel with a balanced focus.

« Last Edit: September 26, 2018, 06:27:16 PM by Achkaerin »

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« Reply #49 on: October 03, 2018, 07:00:55 PM »


CROWN PRINCESS MOVED TO EAST MORELAND


By Niamh Roberts: Royal News Correspondent

Following her injury in an explosion on the disputed islands of Barnacle/Nurashima, the cause of which is as yet unknown, Crown Princess Serenity along with two other wounded soldiers has been airlifted out of the islands area and is presently receiving treatment in an East Moreland military hospital. The moving of the Crown Princess was carried out courtesy of the famed East Moreland Ekrabadger meaning that the journey was a whole lot quicker than it otherwise would have been. The Emperor and family are expected to visit the Crown Princess within the next few hours. There has still been no comment about the extent of the injuries the Crown Princess has suffered though that is expected once the family has visited.



DAWNBREAKER TEAM SETS DATE FOR RECORD ATTEMPT


By Kimberley Thorn: Science Correspondent

Team Dawnbreaker, the brains behind the attempt to break the solar powered landspeed record, have set the date that they will make their record attempt. Unsurprisingly like the Tollerbadger it will occur following the final race of the current Formula Mundus season. No comment on the driver has been made but there are rumors floating around that the three Riviere Corporation Racing drivers have been approached. The projects leader Kit Davenport in announcing the date also confirmed that the Dawnbreaker vehicle was just the first record they were chasing though she didn't specify what the others were.



CULT OF NAMIS CONFERENCE BEGINS


By James Robson: Home Affairs Correspondent

The annual Cult of Namis Conference got underway today with the Priesthood session, this being the part of the Conference where the Priests and Priestesses consider pastoral matters while the actual business session which is where reports are received and big decisions made is still a couple of days away. This years Conference marks the first one in which the High Priestess, Alexis Minette (pictured above) will have spoken as the leader of the Cult. And she's not been shy about what is likely to be discussed in the business as the faith considers how its stances play against current national stances, there's also likely to be discussion of other issues with the recent announcement out of Heyra concerning IVF and 5000 new babies expected to feature strongly. As for guest speakers there's eager anticipation as Cardinal Martin Deed of the Catholic Church has been invited to address the Conference during the High Priestess's resource session.


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« Reply #50 on: October 09, 2018, 01:54:45 AM »


CARDINAL DEED ADDRESSES NAMIS CONFERENCE


By Roisin Shaughnessy: Chief Correspondent

Normally the guest speaker at the Cult of Namis Conference doesn't really mean an awful lot but with recent events in mind there was a ripple of interest as Cardinal Martin Deed of the Catholic Church addressed the Conference earlier today. The interest undoubtedly born from recent statements made by the Pope and then the surprise news coming out of Slava Lavosk. The Cardinal, the adoptive father and mentor of Pope Peter as well as self styled 'off the wall Cardinal' is known for holding the Church accountable in public and this was an interesting speech featuring a lot of his styles:


Quote
Your Holiness High Priestess, Lady Oracle, Queen of Songs, Members of Conference.

Let me begin by telling you a little about me. I am not from a Catholic family both my parents were Church of Achkaerin Christians, my wife Georgina who I met before I joined the Ministry of that Church was Catholic, we were married and we were blessed with a daughter Kathryn of whom I am immensely proud each and every day. Circumstances led to my transfer to the Catholic Church and from there I have journeyed with God to the place I find myself now which is as the Cardinal of Santiago, quite an appropriate and humorous appointment for a journeyman such as myself to have.

It is a great honour and privilege to be asked to address you today, to be able to watch you discuss so passionately those issues which lie at the very core of our society and those issues that are not so comfortably accepted or understood. As I look around this room I see the representatives of a loving faith, of a tolerant faith and of an ever evolving faith. It would be nice if such things were remembered elsewhere. Because Christianity is a religion founded on love, the act that preachers such as myself proclaim as the Good News - the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross is an act of love, the message of unconditional love is the constant thread throughout the faith's teachings, there are no questions, no door slammed in the face, yet despite this foundation there's a sense that the cowboy builders have conned their way into the building contract for the Church because despite the understanding that the unconditional love of God is for all there are those who continue to try to caveat this. Rather than moving forward and applying the gospel message to the world around them they wrap themselves in their traditions and stay where they feel comfortable. I do not believe that this is not a time for Christianity to be comfortable it is a time for Christians to show their principles and to stand up for what they believe in.

There's a common theory about science and religion, that they are incompatible, that science is something that seeks to explain or replicate the impossible and should as a consequence be fought off at all costs. And it's this kind of thinking that grounds theories like those expressed by the Pope, calling certain things sins against the creator - now it may be my non Catholic background but that doesn't sit right with me and honestly I taught him better than that. Is it wrong for a doctor to perform an abortion to save the life of the mother? Is that a sin? And what about that couple that can't conceive a child naturally? Is it wrong for them to seek that joy of parenthood through IVF? Christianity is a religion of love and it shouldn't matter how that love is expressed. The Pope should think about the story of the man who lived by the river and the driving force of it.

The world evolves with each new day, each new advance, each new crisis, for those of us with a faith this creates an easily described yet complex situation - we have a religious text that was likely written thousands of years ago and we live in a world that the texts pre-date, in legal terms the text has become antiquated. Our challenge is to do our best to apply our belief to the modern world. But also remember this as the world changes so to do the attitudes of its inhabitants. Take the issue of slavery, hot topic of the day following events in Slava Lavosk and a subsequent Papal response, I won't speak to the politics but I'll speak to the morality, there was a time when slavery was tolerated, when it was an accepted practice - the Ardian Empire was built on slavery, the great Pyramids of Abydos were built by slaves, Royal Seleucid enslaved many people for a very long time. Yet over time nation after nation after nation outlawed the practice until we come to where we are today with just Tamora continuing it. So considering this I find myself to an extent in agreement with Bishop Vasic and share the frustration of not having an answer from the Pope a lot sooner. The moral question is simply put - is it right for someone to be considered effectively property? Personally I point my fellow Christians to the gospel of Luke "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free," Think about that is what I tell them to do and then say where the slave fits in there and what is going to happen to them.
« Last Edit: December 11, 2019, 11:07:07 PM by Achkaerin »

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« Reply #51 on: October 10, 2018, 01:12:44 AM »


CROWDS MARCH ON ECCLESIASTICAL EMBASSY


By Roisin Shaughnessy: Chief Correspondent

A weeks in the planning peaceful protest attracted a lot more attention today making the "March for Equality" that had been planned mushroom into something far bigger than anticipated. The march, originally planned in the wake of Papal statements on abortion and IVF some weeks ago, as well as other attitudes viewed as discriminatory, set off from Liberty Plaza and after walking past Liberty Hall and through the centre of Valtheim arrived in Embassy Square where the protesters appear to have taken up residence, in a scene the like of which hasn't been seen since the Northfort protest outside another embassy. A stage was set up in advance of the march arriving and has played host to a few Achkaerinese artists. Naturally there have also been a few surprise guests, most surprisingly perhaps being the consul himself Michael Williams.



Consul Williams appearing on stage at the protest

The Consul spoke at length to the crowd but perhaps the soundbite that will play for days is this "No one has the right to say that any human life is worth less than any other. No one has the right to demean a human life to that extent. No one has the power to deny people their dignity and their rights. And if anyone thinks differently then we're here for the long haul, come and put up or shut up."


In related the Minister of Culture, Bonnie Harper (pictured above), was asked about Cardinal Deed's address. Appearing on morning television to talk about Achkaerin's upcoming awards season the Minister was asked what she made of the response to the Cardinal's words saying "The Cardinal's daughter is a colleague so like the other government ministers I know the family so I can say that in this instance the father in him has won out, it's very easy to understand the Cardinal's frustrations and you have to credit him for having the courage to ask the questions that he asked because that's how things move on, it's the way of the world if you don't ask questions you don't get answers and nothing changes."

In terms of awards season the anticipation is rising with the Riviere Prizes, Sports Personality of the Year, Artisan Awards, Harmony's and the Scribe Awards over the next few weeks, the opener as is always the case used to be termed the National Archaeology Awards but is now renamed the Bell Awards after the late Johnathon Bell.



ATTORNEY GENERAL CAUTIONS ROKKENJIMA AND ECCLESIASTICAL STATE OVER HIGH FELL


By: Olivia Moore: International News Correspondent

The Attorney General, Samuel White, has cautioned Rokkenjima and Ecclesiastical State following their responses to the declaration of the 'High Fell Principality' by the PLA terrorist group. In a rare speech to the Senate the Attorney General stated the following:

"I'm not a Senator so I will not speak to the politics but at the Speakers invitation I will speak to the legalities involved.

Firstly let's be clear there is no question at this stage that a state has done anything legally wrong, the Uppsalla Convention in article 1.4 states that national governments have the right to declare war, this is what Ecclesiastical State has done and insofar as that goes it is fine. The PLA is a terrorist group and under article 1.5 'National governments have the right to take proportional action against groups described as Terrorists' and this is where I must sound the note of caution in respect of both Ecclesiastical State and Rokkenjima, because they may find themselves running afoul of the wording of this article. Proportional action in a legal context here means using only as much force as is required to get the job done, According to estimates the PLA has less than 500 members, so is a carrier group deployment proportional? Depends on what they end up doing once in the area. A declaration of war conjures up imagery such as thousands of men and women going off to battle, ships sailing over the horizon and squadrons of planes in the sky it implies an undertaking of thousands upon thousands of people, is that a proportional response given what we know of the PLA? Most likely not, most likely it is closer to a disproportionate response and the responses of both nations are also a little more questionable in this regard when we consider that Bakkermaya has enough military capability to handle the situation as it presently stands. I suggest both Rokkenjima and Ecclesiastical State review their responses to this before we potentially have the most absurd Uppsalla Convention breaches we've ever seen.

Moving onto the matter of referendum's the High Fell situation does not presently warrant a referendum, it cannot presently be supported by anyone unless they wish to say that a terrorist organisation can claim land and by virtue of that claim alone force the landowner to have a referendum on the sovereignty of the said land, I can almost picture the gleeful look on Kyle Barren's face at that thought. At the present moment Emperor Benson has not stated that his nation has a sovereignty claim over the territory, therefore no dispute exists at this time and bandying around the word referendum is unhelpful to the situation at hand."
« Last Edit: October 10, 2018, 01:20:44 AM by Achkaerin »

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« Reply #52 on: October 16, 2018, 10:08:04 PM »


TIMOTHY WILLOWS TALKS CWF


By James Robson: Home Affairs Correspondent

Timothy Willows, the managing director of the Child Welfare Fund has outlined his initial goals for the charity. Speaking to a varied audience of business leaders, teachers and health professionals Mr Willows stated "My aim is to help provide a world safe for children, there are a lot of them out there that feel vulnerable and there are a lot of them out there at risk as we who work in this area say. They need safe shelter, they need access to clean water and food, they need access to an education. A great number of humanitarian operations over recent times have in some ways covered elements of what we hope to achieve, if you look right now at Lakhzovia for instance we see a great number of displaced people in what was until what seems only hours ago a war zone, we also know there's been historically speaking people trafficking in Zimalia including children and we know the horror stories thereof. The simple truth is that children have a right to grow up in a world without fear of harm, as the CWF sis now operational this is what we will commit ourselves to. There is of course some overlap with currently existing organisations that we will be looking at and hoping to take advantage of. I personally am looking forward to meeting with the leaders of those organisations to see how we may be able to work together."



"MIRACLE" MILLIE TAKES BRONZE AT GAMES


By Felicity Stewart: Sports Correspondent

Day Ten of the Mundus Games and as medal tallies continue to mount the table begins to slip into sharp focus. Presently Achkaerin sit second in the table behind Lodja, there have been several surprising moments over the course of the games, the Nemerie fencing display was much stronger than anyone anticipated, the Lodjan's were brilliant in the swimming pool and the Tamoran's shot really well. Achkaerin hadn't had that shock moment but today they got it courtesy of Millie Neal (pictured above) in the womens mixed martial arts as she won bronze by defeating her Bakkermayan opponent. A kickboxer at heart Millie trains out of a regular boxing gym in Meridian, due to the nature of MMA as more of a fringe sport. She won her bronze medal bout in the third of three rounds by knockout stopping the clock with forty five seconds left and thus avoiding a judges decision that would have occured at the end of that round. Speaking afterwards Millie said "I don't think it's really sunk in yet, for years I've been training in that boxing gym back home being called the 'weird girl' because I'm throwing kicks when everyone else in there's throwing punches and it's just great to see it all pay off."

In related news there's a rumour going round that the status of mixed martial arts as a 'fringe sport' may be a few days away from changing, more on that as we get it.

However back to the Games and a preview of the much anticipated eleventh day of competition, why is it much anticipated? Daisy Greechan, Sophie Harrison-Ironside and Sammy Lawson all in action. First up Sophie in the womens cross country an event she's taken silver in before both on an individual and team level and then as Daisy Greechan bids to make it fifteen medals to her name in the women's 10K open water swim Sammy Lawson will go for her twelfth medal in the women's time trial cycling. For anyone following the so called battle for the GOAT it's a big day because by the end of it we'll know the scale of the challenge in front of Sammy Lawson as Daisy's event is her last in this years games so whatever happens she will either be on fourteen or fifteen medals, Sammy can finish day eleven on twelve medals and with the velodrome program still to come the difference between four medals and five (assuming Greechan medals) to be the outright most decorated medalist what some are calling the 'greatest of all time' cannot be overstated.


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« Reply #53 on: October 21, 2018, 08:39:01 PM »


EMPEROR ON IWI SITUATION


By Olivia Moore: International News Correspondent

Following the execution by the Commonwealth of Unified Iwi of Imran Gamal, a former Seleucid Military Officer, who during the Seleucid occupation ran a biological and chemical weapons research centre at the Watkins Bay Camp Emperor Peter has spoken about the execution and the responses of the international community stating:


Quote
Sadly despite being an adopted member of the Ngāti Paoa Iwi I know very little of the nitty gritty details of how their legal system works though something tells me I'm going to be reading up on it a lot more. However as I understand it their legal system is focused around the idea of the punishment fitting the crime rather than having a set punishment for offences, for example in Achkaerin someone who commits rape is going to prison for a long time, I don't know what the punishment in the Iwi would be but I don't imagine the custody tariff is the approach they use. The point is that this is different to the norm and this is why I'm a little disappointed in the Empress of Rokkenjima this is a woman who claims that we must learn about why the general international path in regards to the abolition of slavery didn't happen in Tamora before taking any action, yet now in relation to the Iwi she doesn't afford the same courtesy? If she's prepared to take the time to understand why slavery persists in complete contrast to the international norm then she owes it to the Iwi to take the same amount of time to understand how their legal system works as it is also in contrast to the international norm.

The Iwi, like anyone else, have the right to seek justice for the wrongs done to them, I may not like their methods of executing people but my personal dislike for such methods without clear proof of illegality in this instance on the part of the Iwi is not enough for me to warrant action being taken against them at this point in time this is what is presently under consideration by our legal experts led by the Attorney General. If someone can provide me with a legal argument of where and how the Iwi have behaved improperly I will review that position.


CROWN PRINCESSES RECOVERY "GOING WELL SO FAR"


By Niamh Roberts: Royal Family Correspondent

Crown Princess Serenity's recovery has been reported as "Going well so far" by Royal Physician Doctor Maddy Dale. In a statement released by the Marble Palace Doctor Dale explained that the Crown Princess had been fitted with her prosthetic leg and was getting used to walking on it and living with it, the statement also included a personal thank you from the Crown Princess to the staff at the East Moreland hospital where she received treatment in the aftermath of her injury. In an aside the Crown Princess was seen (as pictured above) relaxing in the grounds of Highwick Manor, a former Royal Residence of East Moreland, which has seemingly now confirmed that the Emperor did in fact buy Highwick when it came on the market. It's not yet known what the Crown Princess will do next in her recovery but we will keep you updated on this story.



SAMMY LAWSON GOES TO TWELVE AND AIMS FOR MORE


By Felicity Stewart: Sports Correspondent

Cyclist Sammy Lawson has won her twelfth Mundus Games medal with victory in the women's time trial where she beat team mates Jacqueline Armitage and Katy Primrose to secure the gold and a clean sweep of the medals for the Achkaerinese team. It was billed as a big day in the Games with a lot of action going on elsewhere, early in the day East Moreland's Sophie Harrison-Ironside won silver in the women's cross country behind Achkaerin's very own Britney Hammond and then while Sammy was out on the road cycling the other contender in the so called 'GOAT equation' Daisy Greechan was winning her fifteenth Mundus Games medal in the open water event. As we highlighted in an earlier report this means that Sammy now knows the target she has to aim at if she wants to walk away from the Games as the most decorated medallist. Speaking afterwards Sammy said "It's amazing what the pressure can do in terms of the games it plays on your mind because there's this moment on the course where you come round this sweeping curve and onto an open section of road that runs alongside where the open water was taking place and there's a temptation to glance over to see what's going on there. My mind's on the velodrome program now I've got more chances to medal and I'm going to do my best to get more medals."

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« Reply #54 on: October 25, 2018, 07:16:57 PM »


FOOTBALLERS SEND ACHKAERIN TOP OF THE TABLE


By Nick Watson: Sports Correspondent

Achkaerin have gone top of the medal table at the Mundus Games thanks to double gold in the football on day twelve. The men's team led by coach Dame Julia McCabe and captain Robert Kinnay faced off against San Espinosa in their gold medal match, a game they dominated from the first whistle with their pass and move play style. The goals started coming in the twentieth minutes when striker Danni Leonidas headed home from a Rory Doherty cross, the second came on the stroke of half time thanks to a Cesc Santiago free kick. After the break it was the turn of the youngster Age Lied (pictured above) to strut his stuff as he netted a brace, the first with a crisp volley from eighteen yards and the second a poachers goal from six yards. The rout was completed five minutes from time as captain Kinnay got in on the fact with a half volley from twenty five yards smashing into the top corner. Speaking afterwards Julia McCabe said "That was a great match and a great performance that the lads put in, we knew we were favourites and we knew if we played the way we know we can play and executed our game plan that this was ours. And that's what we did, roll on the World Cup in a few months."



And what of the women? Well the Vixens didn't have it all their own way in their match against Lodja, trailing one nil and later two one they had super sub Amy Bell to thank for turning the game around. Trailing to an early Lodja goal they seemed to have gotten out of jail through an equalizer from captain Ruth Kinnay (sister of the mens team captain) but when a goal early in the second half went against them the Vixen's faced trouble, an injection of fresh legs in the form of Amy Bell prompted a moment of magic from a Tori Silva free kick to bring Achkaerin level and in injury time it was Bell who seized the moment to slot home the winner, cue much jubilation on the Achkaerin bench but there was no question that they'd been in a tough contest as coach Tom Morrisey said afterwards "I feel the person playing monopoly who draws the get out of jail card. We got rocked by that early goal and never really got our stride until the last twenty minutes, Lodja played a great game out there not giving us space, pressing us high they should be very proud of what they did tonight and the girls pushed on, kept grinding away, kept trying hard and they got that last chance and Amy stuck it in."

The women's gold medal is the first title that Morrisey has won as the teams coach.

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« Reply #55 on: October 27, 2018, 06:21:31 PM »


EMPEROR'S NIECE UNIMPRESSED BY ROKKENJIMA


By Olivia Moore: International News Correspondent

Sakura Sheppard, niece of the Emperor, has spoken out following Empress Beatrice of Rokkenjima in which the Empress spoke about the situation around the Iwi and then called the international community on a supposed "double standard." giving an interview in which she talked about several things she was asked about the situation around the Iwi on which she said:

"Let's get this absolutely clear Rokkenjima has the right to object to what it views as morally wrong, Rokkenjima has the right to withdraw offers if it so wishes, the Iwi have the right under their laws to execute those people convicted of crimes in a manner determined by their law which is that the punishment fits the crime, they'd also have this right if they were a signatory state of the MCUR. So it's hard to see what concerns Rokkenjima has unless their questioning the right to fair trial something that would require looking at if that's the case, so we now have in Rokkenjima a nation that decides to take steps against the Iwi when human rights are allegedly infringed yet when they are blatantly denied they do nothing, where was this outcry from Rokkenjima when the Lakhzovian Government had members of the Utman community executed without a trial? Oh that's right they were cuddling up to Lakhzovia.

And then it gets even more confusing when we see Rokkenjima's latest press releases in which it is stated firstly that 'the First Empire shall not deny the right of the Iwi state to seek and enact justice.' and then goes on to say 'The First Empire supports the proposal put forth by Lodjan Envoy to the Ardians for the Kingdom of East Moreland to have oversight of court cases tied to the genocide' these two points are surely incompatible - when you say that you will not deny the right to seek and enact justice you are saying that the Iwi has the right to request nations extradite the people responsible for the genocide to the Iwi, you are also saying that the Iwi then have the right to enact their justice which means trial in an Iwi court under Iwi law with the sentences handed down being those prescribed by Iwi law. So to say that and to then follow it up with support for a measure which would obstruct the Iwi's right to seek and enact justice is frankly mind boggling.  You don't take the right of the Iwi to deal with it themselves away from them, that's foolish and presently uncalled for, what you do is take steps to satisfy yourself that the process is fair and if it's discovered that this is a 'kangaroo court' as suggested by Royal Seleucid then take the steps concerning oversight but don't unnecessarily rob the Iwi of the right to have the accused in their courts.

The Empress also touched on the Bene Gesserit, it's worth remembering the following - the Bene Gesserit are only regarded as a terrorist organisation by three nations specifically Kaitaine, East Moreland and Rokkenjima. The remainder of the international community take a different view, they don't view the Bene Gesserit as a terrorist entity, Achkaerin doesn't because we believe that it is a very dangerous thing to say with many dangerous implications. Consider this Anna La Montagne leader of the Sorority of Materna is a follower of the Church of Materna, if we were to then say that all members of the Church of Materna were terrorists we would actually accuse Alys Arsenault of being a terrorist when she has no connection to any terrorist act, she is arguably a victim of terrorism at the hands of the Sorority. Instead the majority view of the International community is that the terrorist acts come from a small group within that faith that we differentiate from the faith.

Finally let's talk slavery what have we got? We've got partisan interpretations and projection of the same circumstances, if something's going to happen there then it's got to be following an objective look at the situation and that means it's going to take time to figure out. As for slavery itself it's not an acceptable practice and it has no place on Mundus. It's interesting that what we now have is a situation where we have King Lapu of Quintelia, a man whose signature is on the MCUR, engaging in the slave trade which is unacceptable and we also have Patricus Bateson engaged in the slave trade on Rokkenjiman soil within the jurisdiction of the MCUR. So if Rokkenjima is serious, if Empress Beatrice is serious about doing away with this 'double standard' then she will have no problems with Mr Bateson being prosecuted for violation of the MCUR will she?"

« Last Edit: October 27, 2018, 06:38:53 PM by Achkaerin »

Offline Achkaerin

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Re: Achkaerin News Service
« Reply #56 on: October 28, 2018, 01:06:57 AM »


SAMMY LEADS THE WAY ON SUPER SATURDAY


Sammy Lawson after her elimination race victory

By Felicity Stewart: Sports Correspondent

Seven golds, five silvers and five bronzes. That's the medal haul for Achkaerin's athletes on day fifteen of the games or as it's being dubbed 'Super Saturday' and what a day it was. First up the three day eventing reached its climax with Royal Seleucid in pole position for gold and Achkaerin sat in silver medal position after the cross country stage, the quartet of Jensen Hoover, Harper Pace, Cecelia Becker and Charlie Smith somehow managed to steal the gold medal from under the Seleucid's nose, not bad for a hastily put together quartet. In the main stadium it was the turn of the field events and the medals kept coming a silver in the discus for Ellie Baker, the javelin double as Ryder Whitley and Jenny Wilson took the golds respectively in the mens and womens events, a bronze for Callie Holt in the womens long jump and another bronze for Alma Blackburn in the women's triple jump capped an impressive display by the track athletes. 

In the gymnastics it was a special moment for Abigail Snowden, Achkaerin's best known female gymnast in her final Mundus Games, it hadn't been the Games she'd wanted but today she got her moment winning the Individual All Around competition, with strong and consistent performances across the four pieces of apparatus she took control of the competition and secured the gold medal. A great way to end her career as an athlete, though many suspect she'll go into coaching the next generation of gymnasts now, after receiving her medal she gave her reaction saying "I knew coming in that this was it, my last day, my last competition I decided I was going to throw everything I had at it and that I wouldn't be satisfied if I didn't give everything. Last year was a miracle for me doing the clean sweep at the Games, this year bit more grounded, I wasn't expecting a repeat but I wanted at least one Gold to finish with and I'm happy it's this one."

However all of that just set the scene for Achkaerin's cyclists and the medals came thick and fast in the velodrome gold for Mark Kaymer in the men's Keirin while in the womens version Lucy Fernley picked up the silver, a bronze for Kevin Gibbs in the mens flying lap, Lee Barry grabbed another bronze in the mens scratch race, David Foster won silver in the mens elimination race and there was a silver for the womens Madison pairing of sisters Caitlin and Niamh Fernley.

But just when the Achkaerinese team thought it couldn't get any better it did courtesy of Sammy Lawson, Achkaerin's most decorated athlete won a bronze in the womens flying lap, a silver in the womens one kilometre time trial and then took the gold in the womens scratch race to take her medal tally to fifteen equalling that of East Moreland's Daisy Greechan and then Sammy lined up for the womens elimination race, a medal in this and she'd be the outright most decorated medallist in the Games history, could she do it at the first time of asking or would she have to wait for the omnium? Yes she could first time and she did it in style taking another gold and saluting the crowd. Speaking afterwards Sammy said "I don't think this is ever going to sink in, I spent the whole day trying not to think about it but you just can't as I got each medal I was at the back of my mind tallying it up at the end of the scratch race I was thinking 'no way' and then when I crossed the line at the end of the elimination race it hit me sixteen medals. But I'm not saying that makes me the greatest it only means I've got more medals than anyone else something I'm sure Sophie will have something to say about come the Winter Games if she competes because this is where I'm in agreement with Daisy she's a swimmer and I'm a cyclist, Sophie's a skater on the ice and a runner on road, track and the hills she's won medals at the summer and winter games if anyone's the GOAT it's her."

We did ask Achkaerin's Chef de Mission, Princess Esme Azurewind, to talk about the day's success however due to a party developing at the Achkaerin teams accommodation all we could get was "A great day for us and a job well done by all our athletes bring on tomorrow."

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Re: Achkaerin News Service
« Reply #57 on: October 30, 2018, 10:14:19 PM »


TEAM ACHKAERIN SET SIGHTS ON RECORD


By Nick Watson: Sports Correspondent

With just two days of competition left Team Achkaerin sit at the top of the Mundus Games medal table and now have a record medal haul firmly in their sights, their present record of one hundred and nine medals was achieved at last years games and with two days to go in this years competition Achkaerin have one hundred medals exactly, the latest batch coming from the athletics track. Samaan Saacid (pictured above) took silver in the mens 5000m and then won gold in a tense mens 10,000m race leaving Achkaerin on ninety nine medals. With no medals coming in the baseball where both Achkaerin's men and women missed out on bronze attention turned to the steeplechase in the athletics.



Enter Britney Hammond, with two gold medals to her name from the cross country earlier in the games, and a missed opportunity in the womens 5000m earlier in the evening she was on a mission to add to her medal tally, she ran a solid race but a slight misjudgement on one of the jumps left her chasing her Seaforthian competitor and though she did rapidly close the gap on the final lap she ran out of distance and had to settle for the silver medal.

Speaking after the conclusion of the evening's athletics Achkaerin's chef de mission Princess Esme Azurewind said "We're in good stead and we're going to try and get our record medal tally, we've got strong athletes and a fair few medal contenders to come. Even if we don't manage it this has been the most competitive Mundus Games we've ever seen, with many nations who've never competed before making their mark and surprising a lot of us. They've given the fans who've come out to support them their best and that's all any of us can ask."


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« Reply #58 on: November 20, 2018, 12:18:43 AM »


RIVIERE CEO RAISES EYEBROWS AT DRAGONAII FUSION REACTOR


Riviere Corporation CEO Catriona Rowan

By Kimberley Thorn: Science and Technology Correspondent

Rivere Corporation's CEO Catriona Rowan has raised a skeptical eyebrow at reports out of the Chinese Republic about nuclear fusion energy. Speaking after giving a speech to the Artaxia University students union Ms Rowan explained her skeptism saying "Nuclear fusion and the capability to use it as an energy source is very much a holy grail when it comes to research and development. As far as I am aware there are several nations conducting research into this, our own endeavours into it having been ongoing for thirty plus years and we're still in the early days of experimentation on plasma and we're not expecting to be in a position where we're ready to begin deuterium–tritium fusion experiments for a few years yet. And we're only just beginning the design discussions on the demonstration station should our experiments prove successful. And this is where I find myself a bit skeptical about what I read, obviously I don't know much about the ITI project except for what I've read but I find the idea that by 2020 they'll be in a position to use fusion as a sustainable form of energy a little bit odd and potentially quite dangerous when one considers the relative progress of other international research efforts in this area not to mention the costs in both money and time of then constructing the required reactors to power a nation, if they manage it fair play to them but I'll believe it when I see it."

Ms Rowan is believed to be heading to East Moreland's Technology City ahead of the CNN's Showcase in the next few days though it is not yet known if Riviere Corporation will exhibit anything at the event.


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Re: Achkaerin News Service
« Reply #59 on: November 21, 2018, 11:17:41 PM »


SUNSEEKER LEAVES PORTWORTH FOR ROUND THE WORLD TRIP


By Kimberley Thorn: Science and Technology Correspondent

After much anticipation the Sunseeker voyage is underway. Departing from Portworth at 10am this morning she entered the Mhorish Sea heading for the Horn of Ardia, the vessel under the control of noted and record holding young sailor Eleanor Hendry is completely powered by solar energy relying on solar cells and panels for the power to drive the ship across the seas of Mundus. The differences between this voyage and the last time Ms Hendry sailed around Mundus have called for a much different route on this occasion as outlined below:



The route as indicated by the differing coloured lines is split into several legs, the Sunseeker after departing Portworth in East Moreland heads for the Horn of Ardia and Bakkermaya and that tends to become the theme of the first section of this trip as the planned route sees the Sunseeker travel south through the Alucard using Bakkermayan and Lodjan islands as waypoints once the Lodjan Island of Queen's is reached it's a long leg around the south of Albion to Ecclesiastical State and then up to Marseilles. A short hop across the Strait of Shaw takes the Sunseeker to Rokkenjima and then the long run out to the Iwi is followed by another long run to Kaedwen, the journey ends with two short legs by comparison first from Kaedwen to Sirinisi and then finally back across the Mhorish to East Moreland finishing where it started in Portworth.

And what of Eleanor Hendry herself? Well the night before her departure she gave her thoughts saying: "I always feel at home out on the ocean and I love trying new things out there, to take a ship around Mundus powered solely by solar power is my kind of challenge, of course this isn't a speed run it's a technology test and I've got a huge team behind me monitoring this every step of the way. The funny thing is that the trip might give me a chance to finally see my brothers Thomas and Liam play rugby internationally in the World Cup and I really hope I get that chance this year. When I leave tomorrow it's all about calm seas early doors to get some distance under the belt quickly and clear skies overhead to build up the energy and hopefully come Festival of Sail next year the Sunseeker will be sailing back into Portworth.