TOP STORY: A NEW FRONTIER AND A NEW REPUBLIC
Donald Blackburn, Farengeto International News


Farengeto City, Farengeto - The Farengeto Space Center was full of excited visitor today, following two long-awaited landmark events. Maximilien Rey's speech celebrated the launch of Stage 1 of the Farengeto Alpha Station, originally scheduled for June but delayed after the May Crisis. Stage 1 builds the core of the new station, which will be expanded in coming years. In his speech, Rey reaffirmed the nation's commitment to its space program: "decades ago we were leaders in space travel; we landed on the moons and sent probes to other planets. It is time that we reclaim our place as leaders in the exploration of space". Stage 2 of Alpha Station is scheduled for launch later this month.

Rey also used the opportunity to declare the Third Farengeto Republic, announcing parliamentary elections. The 50-day campaign period is set to begin tomorrow, with elections scheduled to take place on January 2nd, 2016. In his speech, the General said:

"Nuclear War! Terrorism! National Collapse! Now more than ever, the South Pacific needs united governments and strong leaders! As the leader of our nation, I will lead us to the creation of a stronger, safer Farengeto, that can succeed where others have failed."

The event took place despite terrorist threats from the Alliance for the Republic, a radical group of Larue supporters linked to at least three foiled assassination attempts on Rey.

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As Black Friday comes ever closer, Congress approves bill to place Riot Police in busy stores
Kevin Dalogakafis, Kyrini Post


Alox, Kyrini - The Federal Congress has passed a law making it compulsory for riot police to deploy in major shopping centres in Black Friday, with the exception of situations where crowds are too small to become a mob.

This happened after hordes of customers fought with each other and with security guards last yeat at an intensity so high that security guards at many stores lost control of the situation and some even ran away or were seriously injured. Shoppers even behaved aggressively with employees when forcing them to scan their items as quickly as possible.

This was not the first time something similar occured. In fact, it has been a recurring event since 1999. Two years ago there were 63 injured, in 2012 there were 54 injured and in 2011 about 98 injuries were registered. During the 2011 event, riot police were deployed at some shopping centres, which saw high levels of shopper violence. Even though they succeeded in controlling the violence, it was not easy, and it even took three hours to quell a 6AM mob at a Donatre supermarket, in Sunecia. 1893 arrests were made Kyrini-wide in 2011.

The Federal Government has stated it hopes "the citizenry would be aware this year to keep Black Friday shopping peaceful. If there is violence, we hope that it will be quickly subdued".

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Inside Qvait: SIS Cutter a "failure?", 2016 election, Labor VP nominee's military background
Julian Moore, The Qvaitican Cascade


Stockholm, Qvait - One of Qvait's most beloved cities is in crisis, the SIS is under fire, the January 2016 general election is on the horizon, and Labor Vice Presidential nominee is under scrutiny over the level of secrecy in her military career. The Constitutional Socialist Party of Qvait (CSPQ) has struck again in the country's most populous city of Sydney. However, the CSPQ's method of operation, or M.O., has drastically changed. In 1999 and the years that followed, the CSPQ carried out more than a dozen terrorist attacks that consisted of assassinations, bombings, and shootings, and has now turned to more violent hostage crises, larger bombings, and sieges.

After a decade of inactivity, the CSPQ has changed up its M.O. and the nation's top spy, Secretary of Intelligence and Security (SIS) Victor Cutter, is under fire for failing to protect Qvait from these acts of terror. Secretary Cutter has dedicated a great part of his life to protecting and serving his country, but there are politicians who are now questioning the SIS's patriotism. Of the four presidential frontrunners prior to the primary election, Governor Nicole Chancellor was the only one who did not choose Secretary Cutter to remain in his post. When asked about why she did not want Secretary Cutter in her Cabinet, the former Governor replied, "failure after failure."

Conservative presidential nominee Nicole Chancellor threw Secretary Cutter under the bus on 30 October when Sydney was under siege. She said, "From time to time, Secretary Cutter has failed to protect his own country. In this year alone, he let three terrorist attacks happen." The Qvaitican Cascade tried to reach Secretary Cutter but his office has not contacted the newspaper for a response. When the newspaper asked Labor presidential nominee Margaret Harrison, who has Secretary Cutter in her future Cabinet, about the former Governor's comment, she said, "Utter nonsense. Secretary Cutter would never 'let terrorist attacks happen.' I know him to be a good, honest man who does everything within his power to stop terrorist attacks before they happen."

At Capitol Qvait, the House and Senate Intelligence Committees have been investigating the efficiency of Secretary Cutter's intelligence apparatus. However, several members in both committees, most notably Congressman Dave March, a Conservative from Unicy, are calling for Cutter's resignation as the Secretary of Intelligence and Security. While some see this as a political attack against Secretary Cutter for switching over to the Labor Party earlier in October, others see this as a legitimate call. Either way, Secretary Cutter has made it clear that he will not resign, even as he is under intense scrutiny from the Capitol and the media.

On another stage, the 2016 election is beginning to turn out as a lost cause for the United Conservative Party. With the UCP divided between imperialists and anti-imperialists, the departure of Victor Cutter, and the reactionary personality of Conservative presidential nominee Nicole Chancellor, many political analysts across the country are saying that Labor presidential nominee Margaret Harrison will be the country's first female President. However, that does not come without controversy. Congresswoman Harrison's running mate, Julia Burns, is considered the most secretive of politicians, despite Burns being a politician for a short time.

There are politicians in Capitol Qvait, members of the media, and members of the UCP who are calling for the declassification of Julia Burns' career in the Qvaitican Navy. When she served for the Navy, she became the first and only female to join Neptune, the Navy's special operations program. While she served in Neptune, she took part in many black operations that were not made known to the public. Conservative presidential nominee Nicole Chancellor said, "I think that the public ought to know what [Burns] did for the last sixteen years." Despite calls for the declassification of the black operations she took part in, Secretary of Defense Winston Tyson, without confirming nor denying the existence of black operations, said that "even if she did take part in black operations for this country, we will not declassify said operations."

Senator James Connelly, the Ranking Member of the Senate Intelligence Committee said, "I am for transparency, but transparency can only go so far. I'm not sure if this country carries out black operations, but if it does, I think that it is best that we don't know what this country or even Ms. Burns has done." On the other side, Congressman Franklin Hoss, the Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee said, "Senator Connelly can say what he wants, but I want the truth from Ms. Burns. It is better for the country that she comes clean with what she's done." Responding to the congressmen's statement, Secretary Tyson said, "It doesn't matter what Ms. Burns did. All that matters is that she served her country well and continues to do so by being a public servant."

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A Mathematical Man, Part 3
A Biography of Connor Walsh, President of Kringalia


General Walsh was revered in the military. Cadets looked up to him as a source of inspiration, as proof that anyone would make a life as a soldier if they put their minds to it. He had not been forced to serve, he had chosen that life, and had excelled at it. Just like he had done during in years prior, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs made sure to have lunch with each new class of graduates from the military academies and demanded that the commanders of all three branches do the same, instilling a sense of community and allegiance in the military.

He was now in the pinnacle of his military career, but there was some uneasiness in his mind. Walsh had closely advised all presidents since Christopher Johnson and was used to having that kind of access and influence. Stefano Vannelli was very much different and less trustful of his suggestions. A rivalry emerged, between the highly influential General Walsh on one side and the moderately popular President Vannelli on the other side.

President Vannelli made a point to show Walsh who was in command, routinely excluding him from military briefings and instead having the Executive House Military Liaison sit on strategy meetings. Walsh initially allowed it, thinking that Vannelli would eventually think things through, but their rivalry kept escalating. Eventually Vannelli informed the General that he was going to propose that the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs be an administrative position without command or advisory powers, which led to Walsh resigning his commission in protest, a mere three years after being confirmed.

Connor Walsh felt like a fool that day, since he was told that his resignation was precisely what Vannelli had sought with that threat. It was 2006 though, meaning the presidential primaries were in full swing. Walsh was a civilian for the first time in forty years and was being courted by both Progressives and Conservatives to run for office. He was more politically aligned with the Conservative Coalition and was very tempted by the offer to be their candidate for Governor of Crown Summits. However, even more tempting was the offer to run as running mate of incumbent Vice President Jake Williams, who was seeking to succeed the outgoing Vannelli.

It was so that the General ran as the Progressive candidate for Vice President, portraying himself as an apolitical advisor whose only aim was to continue serving his nation. He toured the nation alongside the Vice President and presented a plan based on international integration as a way of promoting development at home. Their plan was well received by voters, who rewarded the pair with a comfortable victory over Conservative George Brusaw.

Many shared Vannelli's distrust, and cautioned against giving too much power to the new Vice President. Brusaw in particular was a leading voice in the early opposition to the Williams Administration, arguing that the young President would let Walsh slowly take over the government. The Vice President said time and time again that his only aim was to advise the President, but he already had his eyes set on a bigger prize.

NEXT ISSUE: PART 4 - EYES ON THE PRIZE