Author Topic: Hermes (State Owned Media Company of Cassiopeia)  (Read 4531 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Cass

  • Order Of The Pen
  • Basically New Zealand
  • **
  • Posts: 131
    • View Profile
  • Your Nation: Cassiopeia
Hermes (State Owned Media Company of Cassiopeia)
« on: October 14, 2020, 11:36:23 PM »




QUEEN TO ADDRESS THE REALM
CSTV1 & Radio Alpha @7pm

It has been announced today that at 7pm local time Her Celestial Majesty Queen Atalanta II, Phylarch of Golgagra, Oracle of the Martyr Cassiopeia will address the nation. The Queen's address will be made public on the state operated Cassiopeian State Television Network as well as the largest of the three state operated radio stations, Radio Alpha. The exact nature of what Queen Atalanta II will address has not been made public however it is expected that the Queen will outline a series of new policy directions for both domestic and foreign stances. The announcement has already started tongues wagging across the nation with many expecting the Queen to set out exactly which international treaties the nation will endorse as well as commenting on many key issues across the region.

At various Temples across the nation omens have been taken with many indicating that, as the Oracle at Hekabe put it, "The Queen will announce a stance strong and stable like the foothills of Mount Olympia. Her foresight shall be as focused as an eagle on the wing and a time brighter than gold will sweep across all realms for I have seen it in the flowing of the water and the falling of the autumn leaves." This has lead some to believe that the Queen will perhaps for the time being shun what some international observers would believe are "benchmark" treaties such as the Mundus Charter of Human Rights and the Uppsal Convention. One such expert is our own International Affairs editor who tells us, "The Queen will I think try and maintain the strong moral and cultural pride we have as a nation. Human Rights are not something in danger in the Realm, they never have been, however to many signing a document written by outsiders and giving it governance over our own laws will be in essence turning her back on our own democracy."

The Queen will be making her speech from the garden of the Complex of the Queen in Golgagra.

Two executed for kidnapping and murder. The third man covicted of the crime took Hemlock-----------Representative of Dionysus told not to seek reappointment following Mundus Games fiasco----------Queen's teenage sister to be "certified" as descendant of Andromeda at the weekend--------National Assembly's Forum nearing end of repairs following 2018 Bomb Attack---------Ithaca Zoological Gardens welcome newborn albino Bear, Oracle's believe it a good omen for nation

Offline Cass

  • Order Of The Pen
  • Basically New Zealand
  • **
  • Posts: 131
    • View Profile
  • Your Nation: Cassiopeia
Re: Hermes (State Owned Media Company of Cassiopeia)
« Reply #1 on: October 15, 2020, 11:02:07 AM »




QUEEN ADDRESSES THE PAST AND THE FUTURE

OOC-Thanks to Dave and Rob for proof reading and the History/Geopolitics lesson
From the Complex of the Queen we join Queen Atalanta II for her nationwide address.

Quote from: The Address

May the 12 bless and watch over us all.

The Realm of Cassiopeia are a nation that have long held onto our deep rooted and proud traditions. We are a nation that was founded on the idea of self-sacrifice for the greater good, doing right by the Gods and attempting to leave the realm in a better place than we have found it. Sadly over the last few decades we at times lost sight of this. During the 19th Century we allowed our realm to become split, the south seeing land seized by the Ardians, and the North fearful of a Seleucid drive South from what is now the Iwi. Unlike our northern neighbors we freed ourselves from these chains in the 1930's and at that point should have aided the Maori to our North or the Ikhan to our East. In that regard our nation hesitated, we were fearful of more war and destruction and yet almost a decade later we found ourselves once more embroiled in conflict. To those we should have aided long ago I must on behalf of the Realm extend our sorrow. Time can not be reversed however and rather we must live in the present dealing with the hand we are dealt.

The hand I am currently dealt is one that has once more been isolated, this time not because of foreign invasion but because of our own weakness. In 2010 my cousin, the now deposed Queen Cassandra allowed her husband to corrupt our nation by permitting a handful of senior offices to operate her like a cheap marionet. For close to a decade they imposed upon us martial law, smashed down all that tried to oppose them and forced those who refused their military command into exile. While in Marseille I watched from the deck of the Okeanos as my brothers and sisters in the military were promised a better Realm and had their heads turned by broken promises. I then watched with horror as our safe haven was wracked with its own corruption and chaos as the Marseille nation faced its own religious breakdown. The Okeanos and the loyal crew then headed to the frozen south of Albion, to Runavik where we plotted and schemed to return our nation to its righful path. Almost three years ago we returned and under cover of darkness brave men and women of the Doru Hoplite smite the military junta in a single night. I was then thankful the now free Priesthood selected me as Queen and upon my coronation I vowed to never permit my people to suffer again. For two years of my reign I have looked inward. We have taken a clean broom to the military, those loyal to the old generals are gone and those who maintained their loyalty now have places of honour. We have fixed our nation but neglected the world.

In that regard I must now walk a fine line, a tightrope of global politics. I today make a promise to my people, my family. Never will I allow Cassiopeian authority over her own future to be usurped by those outside the nation. I know the ears of those around our borders will no doubt be listening intently to my words and to them I offer a hand in friendship. There will no doubt be an expectation that I now sign all these global charters, the FSC, the human rights charter, the Uppsala Convention and numerous others. This I will not do. These organizations believe that there is some authority over Cassiopeia that is more legitimate than that given to us by our ancient ways and traditions. While this may sound like I am placing us on a collision course with the international community that is not our choice. If they judge a nation purely on what pieces of paper they have signed rather than what their people experience and how their leaders actually act then they are a nation I do not wish to know. The borders of Cassiopeia are open and I urge anyone who believes that my refusal to sign the various charters shows that we are abusing our people to come and speak to them, unannounced, unplanned and unrestricted you will find the people here cared for and happy. In the coming days there will be perhaps pressure to join organizations such as the Ardian Assembly, or SANE, maybe even the CSTO. We shall, for now, ignore any of these. They are in our view attempts to enforce the will of others on nations and do nothing than engage in constant bickering as recent matters in the Ardian Assembly have shown. We believe though in nations seeking peaceful co-existance and will engage with nations who share our views or even those who wish to challenge us on our views in a case by case basis.

I do though understand the desires of my people to begin repairing the damage done by a period of relative instability within the realm and have listened to the calls of people to ensure we are open for trade, investment and tourism. I though desire more I wish to our businesses challenging on a global stage and so I fully intend to begin the foundations needed to put that in place. As things stand our former military junta excluded all foreign embassies from our soil in retaliation to both Marseille and Runavik providing safe haven for those of us unwilling to give up our struggle. I now formally invite all nations to return to the Realm and have instructed my civil servants to identify properties across the capital in which nations may establish an embassy, many will naturally simply be those used in the past. The first of these will, if my invitation is accepted, by formally handed over on the 24th October when I shall host an ambassadorial event as the Complex of the Queen. Once this step is undertaken I fully intend to accelerate the way we handle trade, travel and I hope co-operation on a wide range of matters. While we may shun the concept of blindly joining organizations just to fit in we do support what many intend. There are a handful that we support and as such we shall join. The CETO is one example. The realm is a nation steeped in its folklore, its temples and its crafts. Our very geography is determined by the traditions of our land and so we shall preserve them and share them with the world. In this manner over the next few weeks we shall navigate our way back to Mundus.

It is important that we also look to reform the way we ensure the stability of the monarchy in the long term. It was too easy for the military turn coats to corrupt the system and place a puppet on the throne in a manner seen as legal. This can not happen again. While I oppose automatically inherited crowns I believe a safeguard is needed and so to the people of the Realm I have an important announcement. During our Ambassadorial Dinner the Priesthood shall name three members of my family who shall be capable of inheriting the throne. Each of these three ladies shall be given duties and titles associated with what their destiny may become. It will be my hope that when I finally pass on to the Gods that I leave an experienced and prepared monarch in place.

To Mundus I wish you peace and happiness, to my people I wish you a glorious future and a pleasant evening. Thank you for your time and may the 12 bless you.

Offline Cass

  • Order Of The Pen
  • Basically New Zealand
  • **
  • Posts: 131
    • View Profile
  • Your Nation: Cassiopeia
Re: Hermes (State Owned Media Company of Cassiopeia)
« Reply #2 on: October 18, 2020, 10:20:37 PM »




LADY LENA NAMED AS A DESCENDANT OF POSEIDON
Certification Successful for Queen's Sister

Today Lady Lena Manolas underwent the rituals and ceremonies associated with the process known as "Certification". The process can be undertaken by any individual who has at least one parent who has been a member of the Celestial Family, what many other nations would describe as a Royal Family. In order to become "Certified" the would be royal must first reach the age of 13 and request the one time process take place. Once that request is made the omens of the childs birth are reviewed having been recorded at the time by one of the 12 Oracles in addition the candidate must have an interview with the Oracle of the same Olympian whose Temple recorded the child's birth omens. Once this has been done all 12 Oracles vote on whether the individual should be hailed as having descended from the union between Poseidon and Andromeda.

At 17 years of age Lena Manolas is older than many who request the ceremony however she had elected to postpone her application until after completing her studies in The Allied States of Ardia. When the military manipulated the process for selecting the Queen in 2010 and effectively created a Military Junta the Manolas family, being the largest branch of the royal line, were evacuated to various points across Mundus. Queen Atalanta was at the time an officer in the Navy and was onboard one of the vessels that fled into exile, first in Marseille and then Runavik. The then 7 year old Lena was taken to the Allied States of Ardia where she attended a prestigious private school and three months ago completed her exams gaining excellent grades. She has now relocated to the Academy of Athena in Hekabe where she is preparing to take exams in Philospohy, Law and Theology before enrolling in the Air Force. While the process of "Certification" was often held for would be royals in exile not a single member of the Manolas line was eligible other than Lena who was on record as stating that she believed an individual could only be certified if they took their oaths in the Temple of Zeus in the capital Golgagra. Now having returned to the Realm the youngest sister of Queen Atalanta is extremely likely to become a Princess. The next step in the process of becoming a royal will take place in 2022 when the then 19 year old will formally make offerings to the Gods and make oaths at each Gods temple.

Upon becoming Princess Lena she will be able to claim an annual pension of $100,000 however most royals serving in the military forego that while in service. She will also be able to claim a suite of rooms at the Complex of the Queen, order Temples to be constructed and any of her children may be enrolled at military academies. In return for those honours she will be expected to provide lodgings for the Queen's representatives if she lives outside the Queen's Complex, she will also have to undertake royal duties for 20 days a year, and provide enough food for 100 soldiers during the year. Currently there are 18 members of the Celestial Family. The next royal likely to seek to claim recognition as a royal is Lord Lysimachos Floros who turns 16 next month. While traditionally members of the Celestial Family claimed their royal titles first at 13 it is seemingly becoming the case that this is now happening after they have finished the lower tier of high school.


Hoplite 2021 Project aims to return military to pre Junta levels-----Lady Filippa Andreas to enter diplomatic service upon graduation-----Cross Realm Highway to get extra lane by 2022-----Queen plans visit to Runavik in coming days-----7 Nations have so far accepted embassy re-opening invites.

Offline Cass

  • Order Of The Pen
  • Basically New Zealand
  • **
  • Posts: 131
    • View Profile
  • Your Nation: Cassiopeia
Re: Hermes (State Owned Media Company of Cassiopeia)
« Reply #3 on: October 21, 2020, 10:16:47 AM »




PROVINCE LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO DISCUSS "HUMANITY BILL"
Queen to reaffirm rights

The Queen has today issued each of the Realms provinces with copies of what is to be called at this point the "Humanity Bill". Following the seizure of power in 2010 by the military the nations laws regarding individual rights were suspended effectively meaning the military could act as they saw fit. Queen Atalanta II has stated that while she fully supports the concept of human rights she believes the nation should have a say on whether the old "Citizens Rights Act (1962)" is still valid in the 21st Century. As such she has released the draft of the document to the Provinces to allow it to be reviewed and suggestions taken. It is expected that the Queen will take the step of presenting the National Assembly with a final draft of the document in early November however she has already stated, "I imagine the new document to mirror the old very closely. It is my intent that until the new one is brought into effect in whatever form the National Assembly and myself end up agreeing on that the old laws of 1962 will be utilised."

Quote from: The Humanity Bill

Be it known that all those who are present in any of the realms of Cassiopeia fall under the jurisdiction of the Queen of Cassiopeia and her laws without prejudice to nationality, race, gender, class, sexuality or faith.

1. No one shall have their life taken away except following an authorized trial and in accordance with the nations laws.

2. No one may be held in servitude. Any person held in servitude reaching the Realm shall at that point be considered free.

3. No one shall be subject to torture.

4. All are equal before the law.

5. No one may be arrested without articulated grounds for suspicion.

6. Anyone arrested must be charged with their crime or released within 72 hours save for in cases where a Prytanei[1] has granted an extension of up to a further 72 hours.

7. Anyone charged with a crime must have the chance to state their plea within 48 hours of a charge being made.

8. Everyone is entitled to a hearing in public save for cases where doing so would endanger national security.

9. Everyone has the right to freedom of movement within the realm.

10. No Cassiopeian may hold more than one nationality.

11. Any man and woman who having reached their 16th birthday may marry if they have their families blessings. Any man and woman having reached their 18th birthday may marry regardless of their families blessings.

12. Couples of the same gender having reached their 18th birthdays may enter into a legal contract known as a Civil Union.

13. Individuals may own property alone or in association with others. No one may be denied their property unless specified by a court.

14. Everyone has the right to follow a religion and express that religion openly so far as they do not threaten or endanger others or the good order of the realm.

15. Everyone has the right to express their ideas and opinions so far as they do not threaten or endanger others.

16. Everyone has the right to assemble with others freely.

17. No one may be forced to join an organisation.

18. Everyone over the age of 18 and who holds Cassiopeian citizenship may vote and take part in government regardless of where on Mundus they live.

20. Publically provided services must treat individuals equally regardless of background.

21. Everyone has the right to work and operate a business.

22. Workers have a right to expect equal pay for equal work.

23. Everyone has the right to an education funded by the government if under the age of 18.

24. Everyone has the right to peaceful protest.

25. Everyone has the right to utilize the courts if they feel their rights are being infringed.

 1. like a UK Magistrate but more qualified



Offline Cass

  • Order Of The Pen
  • Basically New Zealand
  • **
  • Posts: 131
    • View Profile
  • Your Nation: Cassiopeia
Re: Hermes (State Owned Media Company of Cassiopeia)
« Reply #4 on: October 22, 2020, 01:55:06 PM »




LADY FILLIPA TO SERVE AS AN AMBASSADOR
Queen to reaffirm rights

The Queen's cousin Lady Fillipa has been confirmed as officially entering the diplomatic service of the Realm. The 20 year old is the only direct member of the Andreas branch of the Celestial Family who has no royal title. It is unlikely the 20 year old will ever be able to claim royal rank because to do so an individual is expected to be capable, if required, to serve in the military. Lady Fillipa was diagnosed at the age of two of suffering from an incurable conditional called Retinitis pigmentosa which eventually leads the majority of sufferers to become totally blind. As such by the age of 12 she had already been diagnosed as having lost around half of her useful vision and by the age of 16 had become legally blind. As a result she has never formally asked to be certified as being a member of the Celestial Family however it is understood that after informally speaking to the Oracle of Demeter, who had recorded her birth omens, it was unlikely she would gain the required number of votes to allow her to be named as part of the Celestial Family and as a result the Andreas family advised her against the stigma that may come from a failed attempt. Instead of undertaking royal duties she instead dedicated herself to studying literature and philosophy and last year completed her degree a year ahead of schedule. She is also close friends with many of the Manolas family and as such the Queen has been keen to find her a position. The decision to appoint her as an ambassador is an indication of the Queen's policy on the up coming appointments. She made this further clear today when speaking at a meeting with the foreign office when she said, "We must have our ambassadors be the type who can help build relationships with others. They must be dynamic, dedicated and committed to bettering themselves and our realm. Lady Fillipa is a prime example. Many young ladies would have retired from the intense scrutiny she will face as a non recognized member of the Celestial Family. Instead she has not let her disability hold her back and has exceeded everyone's expectations, graduating from school at 17 while the rest of us needed an extra year, to then get amazing results at University. She is a raising star in our nation and thus must be given a chance to shine. We shall pack our embassies with such stars regardless of their experience, after all as a nation we are lacking in that anyway."

Princess Clytia Andreas, who is head of that branch of the family,  has argued that should Fillipa serve as an ambassador this should perhaps open the door for her to become recognized as a  member of the Celestial Family saying, "Our monarchy must move with the times to make sure we still serve the nation as one would expect a descendant of Poseidon. Surely in the modern age where huge armies are irrelevant and that rank in the military is determined not by birth but merit. My daughter is now dedicated to serving the nation and as such that should be recognised just as if she served on the battlefield."

It is not yet known whether this argument could find support among the Oracles. To change the process it would be necessary for all the Oracles agree to any new rule and for the Queen and at least half of those currently in the Celestial Family to agree.

-----Plans for new National Sports Arena to go on show-----Man imprisoned for attempted human sacrifice-----Province of Leda to hold referendum on death penalty-----Small Earthquake hits coastal city of Chersonis, statue of Zeus loses arm-----

Offline Cass

  • Order Of The Pen
  • Basically New Zealand
  • **
  • Posts: 131
    • View Profile
  • Your Nation: Cassiopeia
Re: Hermes (State Owned Media Company of Cassiopeia)
« Reply #5 on: November 07, 2020, 11:13:21 PM »




QUEEN MAKES FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR RESTORATION

Queen Atalanta II today visited an old Temple of Athena in the capital of Golgagra and took the occasion to announce a significant project aimed at restoring the nations heritage sites. The old Temple has been damaged by centuries of earthquakes, fires and neglect once a new Temple had been built, today it stands in virtual ruins and is used more for a tourist backdrop than anything meaningful. The Queen laid an offering of a bronze axe at the temples old alter before speaking with the press to announce the funding stream. "Our nation has a history and mythology that capture the imagination of the world. As such we hold a sacred trust to look after sites such as the Complex of the Gods and even small rural temples. Alongside our religious sites are places of great cultural significance such as the Complex of the Queen and various old theaters and old towns. Over the last twenty years or so these have in many cases been neglected. This is something we should hold our heads in shame for allowing to happen. Today I have issued instructions that $400million is to be made accessible for projects which will restore and protect heritage sites. The funding will be considered on a case by case basis and will be given to any project which seeks to either protect or restore a site that is over 150 years of age. It will only be given to projects that will allow the public to enjoy access to the site. The funds will not be used to help restore private estates of the nobility unless they of course make significant commitments to allowing the public and even tourists access to their estate. It is my hope this will boost work in three sectors of our economy. First we will create a huge amount of work for our craftsman, the stonemasons, the carpenters and countless other trades. It will create work in the tourist sector as I anticipate a large number of people will seek to come and visit our sites. Finally I think we will see a boost to the communities around those sites helped as they invigerate themselves to take advantage of increased footfall. The application process will begin shortly."

There have already been around 150 sites that have announced an intention to request funds.




HUMANITY BILL TO FACE "CITIZEN'S SENATE"

With the Queen's proposed Humanity Bill receiving largely positive reviews from the Provinces Queen Atalanta II has taken the decision to place it before a "Citizens Senate" before putting it before Celestial Council or National Assembly. The Queen will invite a total of 2,500 individuals drawn at random to take a seat on the "Citizens Senate" which will give their own interpretation and suggestions on the proposed bill. This is the first time the "Citizens Senate" has been utilized in the last 120 years. Historically they were used when a monarch tried to change duties of the various parts of government or to change rules around the Celestial Family. There had been the expectation that one would be convened once the Junta was defeated however that was not the case and instead a nationwide referendum was held instead.

The Humanity Bill is likely to be the Realm's own version of the Mundus Convention of Universal Rights as the Queen refuses to sign the international treaty stating, "It is merely virtue signalling. Few nations on Mundus have signed it than have not and frankly it means little even to those who have. If they placed it in such high regard it would feature much more prominently in their decisions on international diplomacy and I think it is evident that is not the case. Nations are judged on what they actually do rather than what they actually sign. Cassiopeia will clearly hold ourselves to account with the very highest of moral expectations. We have gone through a decade of horror and injustice and that shall never be permitted under my reign. If nations fail to recognize that about us then they are nations we can not deal with."

It is hoped the process to bring in the Humanity Bill can be completed by the end of the month.

Queen to purchase new "Celestial One" aircraft----Chersonis earthquake damage to Zeus repairable-----Leda introduce lethal injection as means of execution-----Province Cup Football begins next week.

Offline Cass

  • Order Of The Pen
  • Basically New Zealand
  • **
  • Posts: 131
    • View Profile
  • Your Nation: Cassiopeia
Re: Hermes (State Owned Media Company of Cassiopeia)
« Reply #6 on: November 30, 2020, 11:05:22 PM »




BILL FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE REALMS INHABITANTS APPROVED
was
Following several weeks of consultation which included a randomly selected Citizens Senate the nations "Humanity Bill" has been signed by the Queen. The document which is officially named the Bill for The Protection of the Realms Inhabitants was drafted by Queen Atalanta after consultation with the various Oracles and aims to outline in law the rights of anyone inside Cassiopeia. The document was first scrutinised by the Celestial Council, then the National Assembly before the Queen took a rather unique step of allowing the creation of a 500 person, randomly selected, Citizens Senate, the first in around 120 years. The Queen sat in on the five days process and made several changes to the document based on the consultations. Finally a vote of the Citizens Senate took place and approved the document 431 to 69. Following the Citizens Senate approving the document the Queen signed it making it law, she however then took the unusual step of inviting every member of the Citizens Senate, Celestial Council and National Assembly to add their own signature. Following the signing the Queen addressed the nation saying, "Under the military Junta people lost their rights and the rouge elements of our military, intent on only furthering their own fortune and influence, left people only with what they thought they needed. Many nations across Mundus hold up the MCUR as the true defender of individuals rights however to the best of my knowledge no consultation on the scale of that undertaken by us has ever been done on Mundus to approve a human rights charter. Over 700 individuals have added their signatures representing every single person who resides in our Realm. From this day forward the rights of every resident within the Realm, be they Cassiopeian or a foreign national, they will be protected by law and we shall do everything we can to ensure every single individual recieves the full support of the crown in enjoying them."

The key parts of the document are summarized below.

* Any individual over the age of 18 who has resided in the nation for more than 5 years may vote unless they are a convicted criminal.
* Ex-Members of the Armed Forces have the right to own firearms and carry them concealed in public.
* The Death penalty may be utilised for the crimes of rape of a minor, murder and treason
* Education shall be compulsary from ages 4-18 and funded by the government if required.
* Equal Pay for Equal Work
* Arranged marriages may take place at 16. Non-Arranged marriages may take place at 18.
* Prostitution shall be permitted only in licensed buildings
* Discrimination on the grounds of race, religion, gender, sexuality or age is outlawed.
* Same Sex couples may not marry but may have legally recognised civil unions.
* Individuals may change gender but this shall not be funded by the government.
* Government will not recognise changes in gender on official documents.
* Trials will be determined by jury for all but capital offenses. Capital offences are determined by three judges and two members of the Priesthood.
* All non-cosmetic health care is to be funded by the government through taxation.
* Anyone born within the Realm with at least one Cassiopeian parent is considered a citizen. Anyone born with two Cassiopeian parents is considered Cassiopeian. Following living in the Realm five years and passing a citizenship test an individual may apply to be a Cassiopeian citizen.

The full document is published on government websites.

In other news it is announced that the Queen has sent invitations to the nations of Chistopol, Paracambi and Denovia to visit in order to discuss co-operation. It is understood that the Queen has targeted co-operation with these nations as they, like the Realm, have refused to sign a vast array of international agreements. The Queen is said to hope that "by standing together those of us who value our own individual sovereigty above all can ensure our strength should the internationalists try and enforce their own ideals and values upon us. So far I have been privledged to meet several nations, such as East Moreland, who are signatories of every major international agreement. Those talks progressed well and I believe they understand we are a nation that is not some evil monster simply because of our stance. We can not however run the risk that one day things may change so I would prefer to be in a position to maintain strong friendships with like minded nations."

Chersonis earthquake damage to Zeus statue begins to be repaired---Queen to host a Conclave of Oracles to discuss religious policies for the "21st Century"----Complex of the Queen to host Academic Decathlon event----Hopes of joining the "Southern Line" dashed by lack of Novinican support.

Offline Cass

  • Order Of The Pen
  • Basically New Zealand
  • **
  • Posts: 131
    • View Profile
  • Your Nation: Cassiopeia
Re: Hermes (State Owned Media Company of Cassiopeia)
« Reply #7 on: December 17, 2020, 10:30:44 PM »




HISTORIC AGREEMENT ON HORIZON

The Queen's media representative has announced moments ago that it is likely that shortly the Queen shall announce the creation of a new multi-national agreement in which Cassiopeia will be a central partner. The Queen is currently meeting with the governments of Paracambi, Chistopol and Drenovia in Golgagra. Preliminary talks have so far seen the four nations reach an agreement in principle to work together in the areas of trade and travel among other areas. The exact nature of the agreement has yet to be announced however the Queen's representative stated, "The Queen is hopeful that when an agreement is reached it will see the Realm in a position to put in place a large number of projects which will help the nation grow its economy and create oppurtunites for all our citizens." While the collection of nations present may sound rather random there was an explanation of why they were invited. "Cassiopeia does not and will not recognise that any nation has authroity over its land. All decisions made for the realm shall be made by the Queen and her representatives. The Queen though believes that international co-operation is needed to help nations develop and take advantage of oppurtunities, that does not mean though sovereignty must be given away. Queen Atalana considered exploring existing alliances and pacts like the CNN, the CSU or regional assemblies however they were rejected as each includes clauses that in our view give up sovereignty. The CSU for example allows any nation who is a member to fish for nearly half a month in any other member nations waters once registered, it determines limits to the working rights of students across the whole of the CSU not allowing nations to take that decision for themselves. These may seem minor issues but they also allow people feeling they are not getting their way to utilise foreign courts to force a nation to act a set way. The CNN is little better. It imposes rules on a nations education system and ties people to the Uppsala Convention,  a treaty that allows foreign courts to oversee trials against our citizens. Surrendering these rights its something we can not do. As such we see commonality with Chistopol, Paracambi and Drenovia who have also to date rejected these concepts."

The Queen has also expressed her view that this treaty may see further nations join with her spokesman saying, "There are other nations out there who have also rejected what were once seen as key treaties, the MCUR for one. While three nations have attended there are still opportunities to join with like minded nations." It is expected that the four leaders will address the media once the treaty or agreement has been finalised.

Offline Cass

  • Order Of The Pen
  • Basically New Zealand
  • **
  • Posts: 131
    • View Profile
  • Your Nation: Cassiopeia
Re: Hermes (State Owned Media Company of Cassiopeia)
« Reply #8 on: January 09, 2021, 08:22:51 PM »




MONUMENT TO BE REBUILT

The National Assembly have today released funds for the reconstruction of the Statue of the God Helios. The statue of the God shall stand over the top of the entrance of the old harbour entrance to Nifio which is a small fishing town which at one point was home to a large part of the ancient Realms navy. The statue was originally built approximately in the year 250BC to mark a safe return of several ships from a storm. The statue stood until 842 AD when an Earthquake caused it to collapse except it legs below the knees which survived until a further Earthquake of 1733 destroyed them. The local community have in the last few months called for the statue to the rebuilt as Nifio was one of the first towns to be liberated from the rule of the Junta when the Royalists returned on 17th March 2018. The new version of the monument will not just be a replica of the original but will also feature a memorial to members of the armed forces who fought in March 2018 as well as a viewing platform.

The construction of the new statue is hoped to not just restore the heritage of Nifio but also boost tourism which is a key part of the task allocated to the National Assembly. Queen Atalanta believes that tourism could be a huge boost to the Cassiopeian economy and has allocated substantial funding to the improvement of the sector which is to be issued by the National Assembly. The exact cost of the statue is yet to be confirmed and it is hoped that the work will begin within a month. The plans have been in place for a number of years since the nations liberation however funding was never approved until now.




Offline Cass

  • Order Of The Pen
  • Basically New Zealand
  • **
  • Posts: 131
    • View Profile
  • Your Nation: Cassiopeia
Re: Hermes (State Owned Media Company of Cassiopeia)
« Reply #9 on: January 11, 2021, 08:01:33 PM »




PRINCE KREIOS PROPOSES TRADE LAW

Prince Kreios Floros, the cousin of Queen Atalanta, has today utilised his right to speak in the Celestial Council to propose a new law to govern trade within the Realm. The 45 year old Prince is permitted to sit in the Council by the right of being a member of the Celestial Family. If his new proposal passes through the fellow members of the Council it will then be required to be examined by the National Assembly and then Queen Atalanta. It is likely the new law, which is being called the Ethical Trade Act, will pass through its first hurdle in the next 48 hours. Speaking to the 74 members of the Celestial Council in attendance Prince Kreios explained. "The Realm was built upon the very notion of self sacrifice and duty. We saw for close to a decade what happens when these ideas are put to the side and self glorification and personal greed are allowed to dominate the nation. We must ensure we do not allow our nation to prosper because of the unjust practices."

The new bill will broadly speaking bring about three major changes in the Realms trading policy. The first would be to cease products, services or materials involving slave labour being able to enter the nation. The Bill would insist that anything being imported from a nation that recognises the practice of slavery utilises the East Moreland backed Freestone Mark. Prince Kreios explained, "The bill is not to be a sanction. It is to be about ensuring one human does not profit off the suffering of another. We see good and bad people in every nation, our own former Junta demonstrate that. There are no doubt Tamorans who are working hard, treating their workers fairly and paying them a fair days wage for a fair days work. Those are companies I would welcome to the Realm as they are companies who despite being given the oppurtunity to gain an economic edge over global competition are doing what is morally right."

The second change would be that the nation would draw up a list of endangered animals, possibly using the Wild Mundus Organisations own list, and that any product using these animals would be banned from being imported or exported from the Realm. "We have been given a beautiful world by the Olympians and we are guardians of it. Look at animals like the Pangolin in Kaitaine, they are being hunted to extinction and soon we may not have many left if any. They are creatures put here by the Gods and so can not be allowed to die out. We therefore will no longer be complicit in trading in the last few specimins of creation."

The final change is that the Realm will not permit antiquities over 600 years of age to leave the nation without permission. "We are a nation with a very deep and ancient culture. We are a nation blessed with thousands of years of archaeology beneath our feet. We are equally blessed to have neighbours with just a rich a history. It is known that a trade by the Seleucid in Maori heads exists and this is heartbreaking that human remains sacred to a people can become nothing more than household decoration. These artifacts belong to the people of those nations and not to private investors." Under the proposal anyone wishing to remove an artefact more than 600 years old will require a license. The Prince recognised that there are hundreds of thousands of ancient coins and pottery fragments in the Realm with many more found annually. The new law would still allow a trade in these for collectors however would allow scholars to prevent new and interesting discoveries to disappear.

There has already been one voice of opposition in the guise of  Georgios Adronis, an elected representative of Ariadne who stated. "This new law is haphazard. It attempts to do so many things in one package. Slavery is a blight but a blanket ban on Tamora is needed. Animals are tools created by the Gods for our use and enjoyment, if an animal is not able to survive in the modern world then it has reached the end of its line. We must adapt as the planet changes and so must all species. Charles Darwin talked about survival of the fittest and if Pangolin are not fit for the 21st Century then its time they go the same way as the dinosaurs. The only part I agree upon is protecting our own heritage however I believe any process must be streamlined enough to not permit legitimate trade to be stopped and this requires its own unique legislation not something thrown together trying to cover everything." The politician is likely to present his own counter-proposal covering some aspects of this bill but is not sure if the proposal will reach the required number of supporters to get debated.

So far the Queen has declined to comment on the matter.




Offline Cass

  • Order Of The Pen
  • Basically New Zealand
  • **
  • Posts: 131
    • View Profile
  • Your Nation: Cassiopeia
Re: Hermes (State Owned Media Company of Cassiopeia)
« Reply #10 on: February 04, 2021, 10:57:56 PM »




QUEEN TO VISIT ALLIED STATES OF ARDIA

Queen Atalanta is scheduled to visit the Allied States of Ardia in the coming days on her 2nd official state visit. The Queen has recently visited East Moreland and now plans to visit several of the nations which took in exiles during the Realms period under the control of the military Junta. The Queen is expected to spend time in talks with Praetor Julius Devaux as well as visiting several individuals who took care of exiles during the occupation. Several members of the Queen's extended family spent time in the Allied States including her cousins Lady Filippa Andreas, Duke Vangelis Michelakos and Prince Cronus. It is however suspected that several members of the Junta who escaped may have headed to the Allied States and remain there under assumed identities. The Queen is expected to also bring up discussions based on trade and travel. Queen Atalanta believes that it is perhaps likely many Cassiopeians may still desire to regularly visit the Allied States to maintain friendships and even family links established during exile. One advocate of such a measure is 52 year old Grigol Chatzis who in 2010 escaped to the Allied States in his role as a adviser to the diplomatic corps. "I have fond memories of my time in the Allied States. I made many friends over my eight years there and while its not far to go we do have visa applications and limits to how long we can stay. Its my hope that perhaps building upon these old kinships we can build a system where travel is streamlined and these friendships are much easier to maintain."

The Queen has publically stated that she would also seek to extend requests to other nations that took in significant numbers of exiles including Marseilles, the Commonwealth of the Iwi, Lodja and several others. The Queen says the aim of the visits is to "cement the bonds of old friendship and formally show thanks for the support of the loyal subjects of the realm during a national crisis."

Offline Cass

  • Order Of The Pen
  • Basically New Zealand
  • **
  • Posts: 131
    • View Profile
  • Your Nation: Cassiopeia
Re: Hermes (State Owned Media Company of Cassiopeia)
« Reply #11 on: February 28, 2021, 09:27:11 PM »




QUEEN GETS EXTRADITION AGREEMENT

Over the last three days Her Majesty Queen Atalanta has been visiting the Allied States of Ardia on an official state visit. The Queen spent time meeting with Praetor Julius Devaux and various representatives of their government as well as visiting various individuals who supported the Realms citizens who fled to the Allied States following the military junta seizing power in 2007. The Queen also meet with several individuals who had fled during the occupation and since stayed in the Allied States, in some cases having married and settled down in the nearby nation. The Queen and Praetor concluded a few agreements the most significant of which was an agreement on extraditions between the two nations. It has been agreed that criminals accused of crimes carrying more than 24 months in prison shall be extradited so long as three criteria are complied with. The first criteria is that a judge in the nation from which extradition is requested is presented with a summary of charges and reasons for suspicion, once reassured a pathway to extradition can begin. The next hurdle is that all trials must be help in public and finally that no evidence gained by the use of torture may be used in court. The Queen pushed for this agreement as at present a list of around 160 members of the Junta are unaccounted for and should they be placed on trial it is likely any punishment would be well in excess of the minimum required for this agreement. Under Cassiopeian Law all trials that are likely to result in consideration of the death penalty, which includes treason,  are heard in the Celestial Courts which all meet in public utilising a panel of judges and Priests as a jury thus easily fulfilling the requirement. Queen Atalanta explained that the agreement was an important one saying, "There is a decent sized Cassiopeian population in the ASA meaning any members of the Junta could easily blend in without raising suspicion. I sense a situation similar to that of the Iwi with Seleucid war criminals and I am keen to try and avoid the entanglement they have experienced. This is the first step to ensuring those who were traitors to their homeland are brought to justice."

The Queen has also secured deals on lowering tariffs and  making visits between citizens of each nation simpler. The Queen has also voiced that she intends to visit other nations that had significant numbers of Cassiopeians during the period of the military Junta. This is likely to include Marseille, Acquitiane and possibly Lodja.

Offline Cass

  • Order Of The Pen
  • Basically New Zealand
  • **
  • Posts: 131
    • View Profile
  • Your Nation: Cassiopeia
Re: Hermes (State Owned Media Company of Cassiopeia)
« Reply #12 on: April 16, 2022, 07:15:36 PM »




FIGHTER ORDER MADE

The Realms Ministry of Defence have today confirmed that they have placed an initial order for 35 of the S.U.N developed Zarptica fighters. The project is the first joint development between Cassiopeia, Drenovia, Chistopol and Paracambi since forming the co-operative group. The fighters will be mainly focused on fulfilling the strike fighter role to replace the aging GR-33 Megaera which entered service in 1979. A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said. "The Zarptica is a fighter that will fulfil almost any role and will become the most advanced fighter within our armed forces. We are looking forward to welcoming the first delivery of the aircraft and integrating them into our armed forces."

The project will also see a boost to some Cassiopeian technological companies. The aircrafts twin engines are manufactured by Lucin who will now potentially be manufacturing hundreds of new engines. Hera Armaments meanwhile have been responsible for both the manufacture of weaponary that will be deployed on the new aircraft as well as the software required to operate it. With four nations within SUN it is likely well over 100 aircraft will be ordered. The organisation have also not ruled out selling exports of the fighter and therefore an even bigger boost to the organisations aerospace industry could be on the horizon.

Offline Cass

  • Order Of The Pen
  • Basically New Zealand
  • **
  • Posts: 131
    • View Profile
  • Your Nation: Cassiopeia
Re: Hermes (State Owned Media Company of Cassiopeia)
« Reply #13 on: April 18, 2022, 06:45:03 PM »




NEW FLAG FOR THE REALM

Following a consultation with thousands of citizens the Queen determined that the flag of the Realm needed to be changed. The old flag, which featured three coloured stripes with a pattern of regular stars was introduced when the military junta staged a coup and replaced the Celestial family. They removed the pattern of the constillation of Cassiopeia, the mother of Andromeda who is a key part of the nations history. The Queen has considered changing the flag for some time and had asked for various suggestions that were narrowed down to four. The winning design features a blue field in the top left corner on which the five stars that make up the constellation of Cassiopeia , this is then displayed on a field showing blue and white stripes. The design is supposed to evoke connection to the sea which is an essential part of the Realms folklore. The winning design polled 54% of the votes cast with a design of the original flag coming in 2nd.

The Queen unveiled the winning design by hoisting it up the flagpole on the Okeanos, her old ship. The Destroyer is considered the flagship of the navy due to its connection to Queen Atalanta. The commanders of several other Naval ships were present for the unveiling and each given their own new flag by the Queen. Following the reveal the Queen said, "The old flag marked a dark day in our history and now from every flagpole a new banner will fly. Its my hope this can help begin a new era in our nations history."

Offline Cass

  • Order Of The Pen
  • Basically New Zealand
  • **
  • Posts: 131
    • View Profile
  • Your Nation: Cassiopeia
Re: Hermes (State Owned Media Company of Cassiopeia)
« Reply #14 on: January 24, 2023, 07:53:10 PM »




WMO (CASSIOPEIA) TAKES ACTION IN DEFENCE OF SEA LIFE

Telis Latsis is the CEO of Coastal Management Solutions, a company that have made an ongoing business of creating sustainable coastal businesses, his portfolio of business interests range from a tidal wave station to a small marina which aims to offer "environmentally themed holidays." . Today however Mr.Latsis put his name to a court document which is seeking to put the Empress of Rokkenjima, as Commander in Chief of their Armed Forces, in the dock. Following the launching on a test missile used to sink a combat vessel in Peniche Bay Mr.Latsis utilised Rokkenjimas "Declaration of Rights' for Cetaceans and Elephants" to bring action against what the Co-Chair of Wild Mundus Organisations Cassiopeian branch has called "Eco-Terrorism". The Decree aims to protect Cetaceans and Elephants and Mr.Latsis is acting on behalf of the whales, purpoise and various other types of Cetacean that inhabit the bay and surrounding regions. Under Article 5 of the Decree ". Cetaceans and elephants have the right to the protection of their natural environment." and in this case Mr.Latsis says this is not the case.

"I have been involved in several environmental engineering projects in my time. I've also sadly seen warships hit by missiles during my time fighting against the Junta. From both ends of this I know that there is no way, even if as stated the ship had minimal fuel, that the environment will not be damaged. Prior to any ship being used for an artificial reef a clean up period of around 12 months is required. During this process it is vital that you remove liquid fuels and oils and even greases so that no visible sheen is remaining on the tank surfaces. This requires full draining and then flushing. With an engine having propelled the ship to a reported 27 knots it is clear that no flushing, a process which takes a great deal of time, can have been carried out. We now face the prospect of these leaking into the environment. The process of removing such liquids is so tricky that many opt instead to aim for the removal of the equipment and piping, something clearly not done on this occasion. Even when doing this in normal circumstances many find it is  less expensive to remove and dispose of the engines than toclean the oil from them. It is even suggested that Hydraulic pumps and associated piping and fittings should either be removed or drained and flushed clean. None of these processes can happen at sea while a ship is in operation, especially with an incoming missile. It is also to be expected that all batteries are removed from the vessel prior to sinking. If as stated the system was being run by an ICON remote control system electronic systems must have been operational meaning batteries are onboard. The manner of the sinking also provides issues to artificial reefing. By using a missile in the manner described in RBC there was no controlled explosion meaning the exact sinking would be hard to achieve. Furthermore with the documented inaccuracies of such weapons being reported it would also mean a controlled explosion was impossible. As such it is often necessary to remove sharpened edges on ships used as reefs. Having had a hole blasted into the ship means this has not taken place. All these things lead us to think this sinking will have a negative impact on the environment. The sinking seems more about Rokkenjima demonstrating military technology with a laissez faire attitude towards how such acts will impact the creatures their decree claims to protect. On this occasion they have been found lacking in their credentials for these creatures. With the Rokkenjima constitution therefore stating in Article Article 11. "The Empress has the supreme command of the Imperial Armed Forces." It is she who must carry the can on this occasion and should be brought to court."

It is expected that several other WMO figures may make similar calls in the coming days. Mr. Latsis also stated the location of the test could be seen as an acknowledgement of Nimbyism. "The missile could just have easily struck a moving target in Rokkenjiman waters, instead they choose to do it well away from their own shores. Some more quizical members of the public may ask if this is because it would be known that there is no way to carry out this kind of test without the ship contaminating the waters."

The Palace has not commented so far except to say "Mr.Latsis is free to act in a capacity he sees fit as a private citizen and environmental campaigners. The Cassiopeian government however would like to reassure its own citizens that it would not risk damage to the ocean intentionally. As we are drawn from the heart of Poseidon we view his realm as one to take careful stewardship over." As of yet the Rokkenjiman courts have not commented on the request for action issued by Mr.Latsis.