Fortunate News (New Edition)

News Broadcasts
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[spoiler]Most of the stories in the last Fortunate News are no longer canon to me, so I’m just going to restart it.[/spoiler]
FN - Uproar In The North!

Following the shocking speech yesterday by our glorious leader, protests and rioting broke out in Eridani Theta, our neighbor of the North. In his speech, our glorious leader requested for the state to join with Fortuna as one nation.

“My wish is for all citizens within the Spes Region to be able to freely work and travel wherever they please as free, Fortunan citizens!” - Tristan Lytle

This was followed by nationwide approval by all Fortunans, however in Eridani Theta it is a different story. Many supporters of joining with Fortuna in Eridani Theta went to the streets to show their support, causing nationwide panic. This soon led to Aran Lucius, Supreme Chancellor of Eridani Theta, calling in the military to put out the voices of the people, causing even more chaos. It is still unsure of the safety of the many Fortunans currently within Eridani Theta, but our glorious leader has demanded that they be kept safe or else there will be consequences. The government of Eridani Theta has not responded to the proposal given by our glorious leader, but Catone Palerma, current Southern Chancellor and supporter of joining Fortuna, gave news reporters his opinion on the matter.

“We have just now been given a chance to finally reunite as Fortunans once more, so I will not stop until that is so.” - Catone Palerma

Eridani Theta once was part of Fortuna during the First Fortunan Empire, being colonized in the late 1200s. However, after the Great Civil War, the island broke away just like the three states, sending them swirling away into chaos. It wasn’t until the mid 1900s when their former leader Eldur Mironov united the separated provinces to form Eridani Theta. Many believed him to be the Chosen One, however this turned out not to be true and many unity supporters now see him as the predecessor to our glorious leader.

From the start, our glorious leader’s goal was to reunite the Fortunan Empire, starting with the Fortunan Archipelago and then the Medium Islands. Eridani Theta is the last island that needs to join to reform the Empire. Currently, the representatives of Eridani Theta are meeting in the Hall Building to discuss what shall be done. Hopefully the make the right decision.

Glory to the High Commander!

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FN - Referendum To Be Held in Eridani Theta!

Nearly a week after our glorious leader’s proposal to Eridani Theta, Supreme Chancellor Aran Lucius has finally spoken out and announced that a referendum shall be held on if Eridani Theta should or should not join our Empire!

“Fellow Eridani Thetans, we have been given an important decision that could effect our way of life. This decision is so important that we will need everyone’s opinion. This is why I am declaring that a referendum is to be held on if we should join the Second Fortunan Empire, our neighbors to the south. Each and every single Eridani Thetan is important in this matter, from North to South.” - Aran Lucius during this morning’s press conference.

The referendum is said to be held on the 1st of November, two monthes from now. However, Lucius has demanded for the amount of Fortunan military presence to be decreased for the referendum to be held. Our glorious leader, out of the kindness of his heart, agreed to these terms only if the Eridani Thetan government agreed to release all unity supporters that were arrested during this week’s protests to insure that every voice in Eridani Theta is represented during the referendum. Both terms were agreed to by both parties, thus beginning the road to the most important decision in Eridani Thetan history.

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FN - Riots Break Out Across Eridani Theta & Medium Islands Granted Representation!

A rally within the capital of Eridani Theta has led to nationwide riots, leaving more than 30 were dead and over 500 injured, an example of just how divided the nation is.

Yesterday morning, independence supporters held a rally in front of the legislative building in Equilara, Eridani Theta, led by movement leader, Northern Chancellor, and possible VU sympathizer, Savino Manfrin. Tensions soon begun to build up as pro-unity protestors arrived at the rally to verbally protest the anti-unity movement. Tensions between the two sides continued to grow over the day until violence finally broke out. Beatings, thrown projectiles, and trampling of each other led to most of the casualties on both sides. The violence soon spread across the city as shops and buildings were looted and burned, a total of 14 structures burnt down. It took a full hour until the military arrived and slowly began to break up the rioting, however it was too little too late as the violence had already spread too far to be contained.

This morning, the military is continuing to break up the rioting within the city, but they are being spread thin as the Equilara incident started smaller riots across the island nation. Currently, it is not known on whose fault it is for the chaos, but independence supporters place the blame on the law enforcement of Equilara for the riot for their bias against vulpines. However, unity supporters blame the slow response of the Supreme Chancellor, Aran Lucius, who escaped the city just as the violence began. Both leaders of the movement, Savino Manfrin, who could get out of the city safely, and Catone Palerma, have voiced their opinions on the matter.

“We merely came to Equilara to voice our support for Eridani Thetan independence. It was those fascist supporters who came lusting for blood, wanting to pick a fight, and shut us up. Well look what that did, only caused pain for both sides. This referendum is a disgrace and is only breaking our nation further apart. Therefore, I voice my opinion that the referendum must be cancelled, but until then I will continue to show my support for the independence movement.” - Savino Manfrin

“I stand behind my brothers and sisters for standing up for their beliefs and voicing their opinions. Those in Equilara did nothing wrong but state their disagreement with the anti-unity movement, this clearly pissed those vermin off and caused them to attack unity supporters. This is uncalled for and I demand for Supreme Chancellor Lucius to step up or step down. You want to talk about bias? Well how about the bias that the majority of the military is camped out in the south while in the north there is continuous violence against my supporters. What do you think of that, Lucius?” - Catone Palerma

Aran Lucius has not yet responded to either statement or anything concerning the rioting across the nation. The fate is still uncertain for the island nation to the North.

[hr]
Fortuna has just approved of giving the Medium Islands representatives within the government, providing two seats within the Commons Chamber. Medium Island inhabitants are also now allowed to officially apply as full pledged Fortunan citizens, a step above their current title of “Honorary Fortunan.” These are a couple of the final steps toward the successful integration of the formerly annexed islands into Fortunan society.

For the past five years, the Medium Islands have been under intense “Fortunification” such as the introducing of Fortunan language and culture. In 2010, less than 25% of Medium Island inhabitants spoke Fortunan or at least knew it as a second language. By 2017, that number has jumped up to more than 75%. This is just a mere example of the evergrowing influence of our glorious nation.

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FN - Growing Fear of the Rise of Speciesism in Eridani Theta

The upcoming referendum in Eridani Theta continues to widen the gap between the northern and southern provinces. It has also become a rising concern that the referendum has been playing a large role in the growth of speciesism within the region.

Speciesism has been a large issue within Eridani Theta for hundreds of years, being one of the largest tasks that former Dictator Eldur Mironov tried to fix while in power. However, resentment between humans and vulpines continued to this day, and now many fear that the referendum that was meant to help create a sense of unity has instead added more fuel to the fire.

Actions targeting specific species have mainly been limited to verbal attacks, but this soon changed after the recent riots of the past week. In the northern province of Keid, three rural vulpine towns banned the entry of humans within their city limits, stating that the land was “vulpine land and not human.” This of course received large backlash from both sides, even Northern Chancellor Manfrin going as far as calling the actions of the towns “sickening.” As none of them would stand down from their actions, Supreme Chancellor Lucius ordered for the military to enter the towns and, if needed, forcefully retake them. It was later reported that the town leaders were arrested for treason and the town had been placed under temporary martial law after backlash from the residents.

The mistreatment has been claimed to not be one-sided, with multiple claims popping up in the south of vulpine businesses being targeted with vandalism. Reports have also been coming in from the southern provinces, specifically the province of Bellatrix, of vulpine individuals being harassed and at times beaten in the streets, however these claims have not been fully proven. In response to these claims, Lucius had Sub-Commander Lanfranco Calabresi, commander of the military force in the province of Bellatrix, fired for possible corruption and “not protecting the people of Eridani Theta equally.” This in return has received backlash by many Pro-Unity Movement leaders, most vocal being Southern Chancellor Palerma who went as far as calling Lucius a “fox sympathizer.” Lucius in return has not responded to these accusations and has continued to remain silent.

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FN - Eridani Thetan Vulpines Calling For Separation

As the referendum is coming around the corner, the northern region of Eridani Theta are singing a new tune. Since the beginning, the northern provinces, which holds the major population of vulpines in the nation, have been against the uniting of Eridani Theta with Fortuna. However after a recent poll that was released yesterday showed that nearly 95% of humans were for unification while only around 8% of vulpines were for it, the vulpine minority that had once been calling for national independence from our nation are now demanding the separation of the northern provinces from the southern provinces. If this were to take place, it will most likely split the island of Eridani Theta in two, separating the two species further.

Governor Irvo Salvine, a prominent leader in the anti-unification movement and vulpine rights activist, has voiced his support for the separation of Eridani Theta, calling for the northern provinces to split away and join together under a vulpine-led government.

“There is no place for us in Fortuna, a nation that has been known to suppress the voices of its people. Us vulpines have spoken, and we say no to being ruled by that tyrant. We say no to being unrepresented in their government. We say no to being oppressed by the same nation that oppressed us in the past! This is why I fully support for northern independence from this now corrupt government, and I say my fellow brothers and sisters should support this decision too!” - Irvo Salvine statement following the poll results

Although the support for a vulpine independence from Eridani Theta is small, the government in Eridani Theta fears that it may soon grow out of hand. Supreme Chancellor Aran Lucius has voiced his disapproval of this new movement, but currently no action has been taken against the northern provinces, stating “they (vulpines) deserve to voice their opinion, however if it begins to get out of hand I will not hesitate to put down any aggressors.”

Lucius has though been doubling down on law enforcement within the region as the date of the referendum nears, however many question the loyalty of the military to Lucius as a growing number of officers have began to voice their opinions. Since the expulsion of Sub-Commander Lanfranco Calabresi, it has been noted that Lucius has been busy firing and replacing many of his officers, a possible sign of his weaken grasp on the nation.

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FN - Eridani Thetan Leaders Voiced Support In Splitting The Nation & A New Ally In The South!

New development in Eridani Theta as Regional Chancellors Savino Manfrin and Catone Palerma have just made statements that they support splitting the nation right down the middle between regions, just when the controversial referendum was about to take place in nearly a week. Many Eridani Thetans are shocked by this turn of events, yet already many are already voicing their support. The leaders of the radical independence movement, calling themselves the Ambravian Freedom Fighters, in the northern provinces have made statements that they fully support Northern Chancellor Manfrin and his decision and have threatened other northern leaders to do the same. In the south, the Pro-Unity Movement, although shocked at first, have too made statements that they stand behind their regional chancellor. The incompetent ruler Aran Lucius has merely voiced his disagreement with the breakup of Eridani Theta, but it is believed he only wishes to preserve his position of power.

Although many are quick to put the blame on the referendum, it is believed that this decision was caused by the hundreds of years of tension between the two species. If the separation of the nation were to take place, it would dissolve the fragile union and cause the creation of both a majority-vulpine nation of the northern provinces and a majority-human nation of the southern provinces. As the southern provinces have been pro-uniting with our great nation, it is expected that they would later join under our great leader. The fate of the northern provinces remains unknown, but many vulpine leaders are now looking to the mainland for assistance.

The Eridani Thetan Council has announced for a emergency meeting where they will discuss the future of the Lucius’s referendum, the possibility of dissolving the current government, and the separation of the two regions.

[hr]
Our glorious nation has been making headway internationally, especially with a new ally from Aurora. The Greater Xagrurgian Empire has told our great leader that they fully support our great nation and are willing to support us. Although it is still in discussion, it has been hinted that our great nation and the GXE may soon have a strong military alliance. This comes also with bettering relationship with the United Kingdom of Kuthernburg & Altaesia who hosted a grand military parade where our formidable military was displayed to the world. These are good signs for our great nation as we continue towards a better future!

Glory to Fortuna! Glory to the High Commander!

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FN - Eridani Thetan Legislative In Favor Of Separation & The Beginning Of The End For Lucius!

After two days behind closed doors, the Eridani Thetan Legislative has officially announced they are in favor of an immediate separation of the nation. Although at odds themselves, Eridani Thetan representatives came to a set of agreements that are to be set in motion immediately.

The most noticeable agreement was for the separation and autonomy between the northern and southern provinces. They then announced that the current referendum (which is on the decision of if Eridani Theta should join under Fortuna or not) is to be scrapped, and in its place a new nationwide referendum on if Eridani Theta should split. It is speculated that support of the last referendum will stay the same into the new referendum, but this one is being praised for lowering conflict levels as it gives the two completely opposite regions more freedom. The northern region, which is majority vulpine and a strong opponent against uniting with Fortuna, will most likely become the autonomous state of Ambravia. The southern region, majority human and supporter of uniting with Fortuna, is expected to begin the process of joining the Empire after the referendum. However, these are mere speculations and the final say can swing in either direction.

Another surprising agreement was the call for the dissolution of the head of state and for Supreme Chancellor Aran Lucius to immediate resignation. If he were to not resign before the referendum, representative leaders threatened that he will be forcefully removed. Aran Lucius, who was not present during the emergency meeting, has again not spoken up and his whereabouts are unknown.

There have also been growing concerns over the military which only he has control over, but the loyalty of the military has already begun to crumble after this meeting. Many high ranked officers have declared that their loyalty no longer lies with Lucius but with their home regions. Most notable is General Fransis Lucchesi, one of Eridani Theta’s top vulpine military leaders, who has stated his resignation from the Eridani Thetan Army and now offers his service to Ambravia. Many vulpine officers and soldiers have begun to follow suit and heading to the north, while on the other hand human officers and soldiers are making their way south. Skirmishes between Eridani Thetan forces have already been reported to be taking place along the regional border, and many fear that this may be the start of a civil war. May this not end in unneeded bloodshed.

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(OOC: What’s that, boy? I’m a month late? This should have been posted at the beginning of November? No one reads these? Okay. . .)

FN - Eridani Thetan Supreme Chancellor Steps Down From Office a Day Before Referendum!
October 31, 2017

The Eridani Thetan government is in a flurry as Supreme Chancellor Aran Lucius just announced that he was stepping down from office. In an emergency announcement that was broadcast nationwide, Lucius with tears in his eyes stated that he was unfit for his position, and with the inevitable state of the nation, he believed it was wise for someone else to take his place.

“It was by luck that I was chosen to be your ruler, a position that I failed to fulfill. I failed to protect you, to aid you, and to represent you. This day was inevitable from the very start, but it hurts me knowing that the nation will fall apart also. My only wish is that the situation will not end in bloodshed, and one day peace will return to Eridani Theta; my home.” - Aran Lucius during his announcement

The Eridani Thetan Council announced that there will be no successor to Lucius and that all executive powers will be eliminated until after the referendum. Tomorrow, millions of Eridani Thetans will come out to make the final decision to split Eridani Theta in half, a decision that would come into effect immediately after the results are in. As we speak, thousands of Eridani Thetans are already preparing to move to the region they side with or to leave the island entirely. Northern officials are scrambling to gain control of thousands of people, mainly vulpines, that are heading for Yedo to make there way to the mainland.

The military of Eridani Theta has already began to break down as soldiers and officers have been seen abandoning their posts and making there way to their respected regions. Paramilitary groups and freedom fighters have quickly began filling in the gaps left behind by the Eridani Thetan military, most prominent being a group calling themselves the “Ambravian Freedom Fighters” in the north and Southern Chancellor’s rally guards known as simply the Black Shirts in the south. Close allies and officers of Lucius still hold control of Equilara and state that they will continue to hold the capital city until after the referendum.

Our glorious leader has already taken action and ordered for our proud men in uniform stationed in the Telga Islands to begin to prepare as it is already expected the southern provinces of Eridani Theta to vote for joining our glorious nation. Is the ending to this mess finally coming, or is this just to tipping point of what is to come? That still remains a mystery.

Glory to Fortuna! Glory to our High Commander!

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FN - The Results Are In! Eridani Theta Is No More!
November 1, 2017

The results are in for the Eridani Thetan 2017 Referendum, and by a landslide of 91.64%, the people voted in favor for the immediate separation of the state. As of now, the former United Province of Eridani Theta no longer exists and in it’s place will be the independent state of Ambravia and Theta; the newest member of the Fortunan Empire!

The governments of Ambravia and Theta now work to secure their territories, especially along the newly forming border. Reports are coming in of increased movement from the Ambravian Freedom Fighters, now considered the successors to the Eridani Thetan military for the north, along the border. Many fear possible attacks from Ambravia and remnants of Lucius Loyalists against the south, but as we speak, Fortunan troops have began moving in to secure the territory. With help from Palerma’s army, the remnants of the Eridani Thetan military and opponents to our glorious leader are quickly being crushed by our forces. What a glorious day it is to be a Fortunan! We will continue keeping you updated on this glorious occasion!

Glory to Fortuna! Glory to the High Commander!

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FN - Agreement Signed Between Fortuna and Ambravia!

Today, our glorious leader met today with representatives of Ambravia to discuss the future of Eridani Theta. After hours of discussion, both sides came to an agreement and signed what is now being called the “Slens Agreement.” The agreement recognizes both nations as sovereign bodies and what their claims are over the island. The agreement also has called for a ceasefire with the extremist group the Ambravian Freedom Fighters after notable skirmishes along the border and within Equilara. The city was also decided to be split between the two nations once the remnants of the Eridani Thetan nationalists are cleared out.

Arguably the most important decision made during the talks is concerned with speciesism and the rights of humans and vulpines. Both signatories agreed that the highest level of rights and freedoms of vulpines and humans should be respected, an idea that has never been the Fortunan Government’s priority until now. Following the agreement coming into effect, reports of disagreement erupted not only in Fortunan Eridani Theta, but also in Ambravia. Any signs of rioting were quickly suppressed. Elite Chamberman and Head of Information Eugene Smith later came out to make a statement concerning the point.

“From a general point of view, there is no logical reason for violent speciesism to continue. Fortuna has never supported speciesism, and it never will in the future. If you are born in Fortuna, pray to Unus, and serves the High Commander, you are a Fortunan.” - Eugene Smith at today’s press conference

When asked about past examples of speciesism which led to the exportation of thousands of vulpines and nekos during the Purification Period, Smith was unwilling to respond and the reporter was removed from the press conference.

Finally, both signatories agreed for a two week period where Eridani Thetans are allowed to freely move to the region of their choice. This of course has led to an influx of civilians in the south, mainly vulpines, making their way to Ambravia. Ethnic Fortunans in Ambravia have also began the move to Fortuna. The immense amount of movement along the Ambravian-Fortunan border has many in the military worried it will spiral out of control, but for now the main issue they have to face is what appears to be unending traffic.

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FN - New Flag Announced, Trade Deals With Adumara, And A Possible UK-Pax Alliance?!

At the recent weekly rally, the Fortunan Government announced the introduction of the new flag that shall represent our nation. Since the birth of the Second Fortunan Empire, the nation had used the “Circle of Peace” flag, known for consisting of an image of the homeland surrounded by an olive wreath. However, after the annexation of the Medium Islands in 2012 and the Eridani Theta annexation, many believed it was about time for the national flag to get an update. The newest design was met with an uproar of approval from ralliers when the flag was presented at this week’s rally. The flag consist of the same background as the past flag, but now has a golden shield with seven stars. The stars, as High Commander Lytle described, represented the island clusters that make up the Empire. The golden shield represents a strong, protected nation, safe from outside aggression. “Strength comes from unity!” the High Commander closed with, repeating our great nation’s motto. Indeed, strength does come from unity.

In international news, the peace talks between Yuno and Adumara appear to be breaking apart, and many fear that war may break out again between the two nations. This is a major concern to Fortuna as both Yuno and Adumara are close trade partners with our nation. Although the Fortunan Government has shown more sympathy towards Yuno, it has stated that it will not pick a side in the conflict. “The Yuno-Adumara conflict is a Concordian issue.” Alexander Reason, Head of Foreign Affairs, stated. “Not a Yasterian issue, not an Auroran issue. It is up to them to come to a decision on their own. Fortuna, however, is willing to provide aid in rebuilding after the conflict, and we will also continue trade with the two nations.” Fortuna-Adumara relations trade wise appear to still remain steady, and a recent trade deal between the two is a representation of that. The Fortunan Science and Engineering Department recently purchased five dredging vessels from Adumara, stating they shall be used for a new project to create more space for our already heavily populated nation. The FSED have been responsible for many of the scientific wonders in Fortuna, so we anxiously wait to see what they have planned next.

Recent news coming from the Pax Caliphate has many in the Fortunan government and military to grow concerned with the safety of our nation. Although not entirely confirmed, reports have been coming in of increasing relations between the Pax Caliphate and the United Kingdom. Both the Caliphate and the UK are undoubtedly some of the few most powerful entities on Urth, with influence, territory, and puppet states around the globe. With some of the largest armies at their side, opponents of both powers fear for the worst. However, top officials in the government and military have stated that there was nothing to be afraid of. “We will continue to monitor the movements of the Pax Caliphate,” Commander Ferdinand Romano said to reporters, “but for now there appears to be no reason to fear just yet. The Pax Caliphate appears to be more focused on conflicts in Allegheny and the west, leaving us in peace. If they do turn their attention to us, then there is still no reason to fear because Fortunan men and women are prepared to push out the invaders if need be. We have done it before, we can do it again.” Upon request of the government, we ask Fortunans to remain calm and continue as usual. If we do get attacked, our men and women in uniform, led by our glorious leader, will push back the aggressors at any cost!

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FN - Elite Chamberman Recovering From Terrorist Attack and FSED Announces Project!

After a week of uncertainty, an official statement was made concerning General Leonard Rani, head of the Regulatori. While on a trip in Eridani Theta, Rani’s helicopter was shot down by Ambravian terrorists, leaving two Regulatori officers dead and Rani and his assistant critically wounded. Both were quickly taken to the Tanta Military Hospital where they are making a steady recovery. The High Commander has condemned these attacks as “pathetic” and “disgraceful.” In response to the attack, the High Commander called for an increase of military presence within Eridani Theta to hunt down Rani’s attackers. Although both Fortuna and Ambravia agreed to allow the PKFU, a foreign peacekeeping force, to enforce the border, tensions continue to linger.

Both servicemen who died in the attack will be given the Iron Eye, the highest award in the military. A hero’s funeral will be held today in their honor.

Today, the Fortunan Science and Engineering Department officially announced there next project at a press conference. Rachel Ettori, FSED Director, made the announcement on a project to help with Fortuna’s ever growing population. Known as the “Project of Growth,” the plan consists of growing Fortuna further through port construction, island creation, and land reclamation. This will be done using newly bought dredging vessels and “amazing feats of engineering,” as Mrs. Ettori put it. The first step in this project is testing which will focus on the creation of a usable port on the island of Mira. Details on future steps still remain a secret, but as of now the project has gain much public approval.

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FN - One Week Till Unification Day!

With the dawn of a new era, Fortunans around the nation, and even around the world, are preparing to celebrate the anniversary of our nation’s unification.

March 11 will mark the 19th year since our great leader, the High Commander Tristan Lytle, accomplished what was once thought to be impossible. On this date in the year 1999, with our great leader and the United Nationalist Party, the corrupt government that kept the states of Emili, Ancona, and Toscani separated was torn down and replaced with the current stronger, more united government, beginning the birth of the Second Fortunan Empire. As we entered a new century, our leaders helped guide us out of backwards thinking and isolation, leading and building our nation into what it is today. The Empire has also grown since then, both in strength and size. Our military has far surpassed what it once was, and now we are a formidable force in Yasteria while our amount of influence and growth into the Spes Region has increased, especially after the annexation of the Medium Islands and Eridani Theta.

Since this will be the first year that citizens living in Eridani Theta will bet to experience Unification Day, it is expected that this year will be especially special. Not only will a military parade be held in Destino as usual, officials confirmed that a mock parade will be held in Avley, Eridani Theta. Following this, a special rally will be held in the National Rally Grounds where prominent leaders such as the High Commander and the Second Commander will be speaking. Performing at the rally will also be our very own Imperial Fortunan Choir, fresh from performing at the Urth Songfestival. Afterwards, the celebratory soccer game will commence between the Destino Diamonds and the Terine Sailmakers, this will be a game you do not want to miss!

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FN - Unification Day, Nuclear Testing, and Baykalian Leader Visiting Fortuna!

With Unification Day having come and gone, there is certainly a lot to talk about. It is reported that this year’s Unification Day was the largest on record with Fortuna, and that is not too far from the truth. Millions of Fortunans from every corner of the nation came out to celebrate the joyous occasion. In Destino, over 400,000 people attended the annual military parade where our nation showed off the might of the Fortunan Armed Forces. Fortunans in Eridani Theta were also given a military parade in the city of Avley with an attendance of over 100,000 proud citizens of the Empire. The celebratory soccer game between the Destino Diamonds and the Terine Sailmakers was received with great enthusiasm, and it was a game no one wanted to miss. After a hard fought game, the Destino Diamonds claimed victory with a score of 4 to 3. Though the game was one of the main talking points of the day, it was the Unification Day Annual Rally that really stole the spotlight.

The rally was a huge success with over 250,000 participants and millions of viewers from across the nation. At the rally we were given one of the greatest performances of the year with another military presentation, music by the Imperial Fortunan Choir, and speeches from some of the Empire’s most influential officials and speakers, but it was the speech of the High Commander which really took the stage. During our great leader’s speech, the testing of our nation’s largest nuclear device to date was shown to the public. The nuclear device, created by the FSED, was reported to have a yield of 20 kilotons, twice the power of past explosions. This testing marks a historical point in Fortunan history as the next step towards strengthening our nation’s position in the world. FSED officials reported that the current design was accomplished with the help of advisors from the GXE before their collapse. With this more explosive and compact design which can be fit in a medium-range missile, this allows for the Fortunan military to further protect our home from foreign aggressors. Echoing what the High Commander said during his speech; “today will not only be the day of memorial, but it will mark the beginning of a new era!”

In other news, reports have come in that our nation has received a special guest during Unification Day. Coming all the way from Aurora, the Baykalian leader Lady Posol arrived with her family to attend this year’s festivities. Lady Posol, an ethnic Fortunan whose family arrived in Aurora during the War of Aggression, came to power in the nation of Baykalia, becoming their Clan Leader. During her coming to power, she married Remis Posol, the owner of Posol Industries, Baykalia’s largest company. In recent years, Mrs. Posol has become vocal in her support of the High Commander. It is believed that this is due to the fact that her and her family are Claritists and Mrs. Posol herself being ethnic Fortunan. Now that Posol is here in Fortuna, government officials have confirmed that the High Commander will be happy to meet with Lady Posol later this week. Although it is unclear on what would be discussed, it can be assumed it will relate to further strengthening the bond between our two nations.

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FN - Elections In Ambravia, Who Will Gain the Upper Hand?

After four months since the collapse of Eridani Theta, the vulpine state of Ambravia has finally announced that its first elections for the National Assembly, the legislative body of Ambravia. To ensure that their newly created state did not immediately collapse upon its birth, the current government was made up of former Northern province leaders and politicians, most notable being Savino Manfrin who took up the role as Ambravia’s temporary head-of-state until an official election is held. Until then, Ambravians main focus will be on the current election on filling up the dozens of vacant National Assembly seats.

Up for grabs in the upcoming elections is 150 seats within the National Assembly, making this to be their largest and most important election for years to come. Looking to gain control in this new legislative body are a handful of political parties, but only a few are showing to be actual contenders. Arguably the largest party is the Ambravian Democratic Party who are the reformed Eridani Thetan Democratic Party, the leading party in the northern provinces for years. With support from a large portion of the population and Savino Manfrin, the ADP are expected to gain a majority of the seats in the National Assembly.

However, there has been a rise in two newer and more radical political parties, both coincidentally on opposite sides of the spectrum. The first party is the Ambravian Communist Party who wishes for the implementation of communist ideals and beliefs into Ambravia. With a majority of the Ambravian population consisting of the poor class and former communists, analysts determine the ACP has a good chance at being a worthy competitor to the ADP. The second party is the Ambravian Nationalist Party, the newest party but the fastest growing of the three. Based around the ideas of upholding Ambravian nationalism above all else, this party has begun to gain traction due to recent events and heavy support from notable “Ambravian Freedom Fighters” leaders.

Even though both of these parties are on opposite sides, they do have a common hatred for Fortuna. Because of this, the Fortunan government has shown concern that these two parties will gain too much influence within this new government. If either were to gain control of Ambravia, there will certainly be an increase of tension between Ambravia and Fortuna. It is too soon to entirely predict the final outcome, however, so for the time being we will just have to wait and see.

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FN - Deadly Virus On Our Borders
June 16, 2018

Citizens of Fortuna Eridani Theta live in fear as news from Ambravia continue flooding in of a new deadly virus which threaten the lives of anyone it touches. At the beginning of June, reports began coming in of a deadly disease causing its hosts to go crazy in the port city of Clivroni, a small Ambravian city just miles away from the Fortunan border. Although not entirely clear, local news reporters noted that the diseased individuals first showed signs of “delirium” followed by “fits of rage and violence.” It wasn’t until the 12th of this month that the first confirmed death was announced by local doctors. The number of individuals that showed the signs of the locally named “Clivroni Crazy Disease” has jumped from a couple dozen to over a hundred by the end of this week. Experts believe that the disease may be linked to similar cases that have began to pop up in nations around the globe, most likely making this an international situation. Although no federal officials of the Ambravian government have officially said anything concerning the disease, Merigo Castiglione, province governor of Theemin, has stated that he was aware of the situation in Clivroni and that his administration was working with local doctors and law enforcement to contain the disease and prevent it from spreading further.

Though the disease has been growing, for the most part it had been contained within the city of Clivroni. Fortunan officials at first believed that PKFU border checks and Fortunan military checkpoints would be enough to keep the disease from spreading into Fortuna Eridani Theta, however those beliefs were quickly broken down after the first case on Fortunan soil was reported. This morning, doctors in the small city of Venila reported to authorities of a patient with the same symptoms of the Clivroni disease. The man, a 34 year old human deliveryman, told doctors that he had just recently arrived from Clivroni a few days before. Currently, the man has been put into quarantine for the safety of others, all the while local authorities are searching for individuals the man came into contact with while in Fortuna.

With the news breakout of this first case, Fortunan officials have temporarily closed the Ambravian-Fortunan border except for Fortunan citizens who will be required to go under a medical examination. Fortunan officials have also increased criticism of the effectiveness of the demilitarized border currently being run by the PKFU. With the AFF still a threat to Fortunan troops and continuous smuggling, it is believed that the PKFU have all but succeeded in securing the border. Now with this first case of disease on Fortunan soil, anger only continues to grow against the so-called peacekeepers.

17

FN - Virus Continues to Grow, Sending Ambravia Into Chaos

In over a week, the situation in Ambravia seems to have only worsened. Although an exact number is unknown, analysts believe that there are now over a thousand infected individuals with close to twenty deaths. This has come after limited success at quarantining hospitals and health campaigns within Clivroni. Although a majority of the cases seem to remain in Clivroni, over thirty individuals outside of the city have been reported to being infected by the virus, one case even finding its way out of the Theemin province and into Sceptrum. Experts believe that the failure at containing the disease can be blamed on limited resources, little public knowledge, and a lack of government support.

The disease has quickly gained the attention of the Ambravian population as the number of infected had continued to rise. Angered at the how the current administration has been handling the situation in Theemin, protesters led by opponents of the Chancellor Manfrin and his administration took the streets yesterday within many of Ambravia’s major cities. Kaslo Arco, one of the leaders of the protest, told reporters that the purpose of the demonstration was to demand more action from the government concerning the virus.

“Thousands of our brothers and sisters are suffering from a disease with little information on, a disease of which has already led to deaths, and yet the government does nothing except simply state that they acknowledge the situation. That’s it?! Just acknowledge the situation?! Until something is actually done to contain the disease before more Ambravians die, we will continue protesting against this weak and illegitimate government!” - Kaslo Arco to reporters during the protest in Yedo.

Although the protests for the most part have remained peaceful, there have been a handful of reports of small clashes between protesters and law enforcement. More demonstrations are expected to take place tonight with double the amount of participants than yesterday’s.

Concerning the homeland, the number of reported infected individuals has risen to twelve. All the cases have been contained within the area bordering the Ambravian province of Theemin, but authorities still advise caution for those who have recently arrived from or came into contact with someone from Ambravia. Officials are currently looking into putting heavier travel restrictions to and from Ambravia as well as discussing travel bans to other nations that show similar cases as the Clivroni Virus.

18

FN - Face-off in the Codex Pontus

Early yesterday morning, the Fortunan Coast Guard vessel HCS Maria faced off against Sorentavian Navy corvettes Jamila and Salih within the Codex Pontus. The conflict began when the Sorentavian ships intercepted three Fortunan fishing vessels. Sorentavian officials later stated that the Fortunan ships illegally crossed into the Union’s exclusive economic zone. The HCS Maria, which had been shadowing the fishing ships, maneuvered to cut off the Sorentavian corvettes. As the corvettes attempted to maneuver past the Fortunan patrol vessel, the HCS Maria quickly cut them off with what the Sorentavian officials described as “reckless and dangerous maneuvers.” The situation would come to a head when the Jamila and HCS Maria collided with each other, causing minor damage to each other’s hulls and leading to both parties separating and returning to their respective ports.

As soon as the collision was publicly made aware, both nations blamed the other for crossing into each other’s EEZ, escalating the encounter, and causing the collision of the Jamila and HCS Maria. Wasim bin Irfan Al Tawfiq, Emir of Remnia and Minister of Defense for Sorentavia, angrily informed reporters that he blamed the Fortunan patrol vessel for purposefully colliding with the Jamila after speaking with the crew of the corvettes. In Fortuna, Chief Maritime Commander Battista Lisone reported that he and his investigative team concluded that it was Jamila and her crew that were at fault for dangerously crossing in front of the HCS Maria. Both parties have demanded for the other to pay reparations for the damages, but this will most likely not lead to an agreement.

Foreign experts have come out to state that this is only the start to rising tensions between the two nations as Fortuna has turned its focus toward the Codex Pontus. With the conclusion of the Ambravian conflict, Fortunan naval presence has increased in the sea since the blockade on Eridani Theta was lifted. Both Fortuna and Sorentavia have also never officially agreed to a maritime border with the last agreement having been set up with the former Fortunan Confederation in the 1980s. This uncertainty has the potential to lead to further conflict, and although the two nations had little to no encounters in the Codex Pontus for the past two decades, this period of peace may have come to an end as the Fortunan Empire has now turned its gaze to the west.

19

FN - Two Generals Confirmed Dead in Plane Crash Over Medium Sea

General Nicholas Telli and General Antonio Renata, prominent military commanders during the conflict with Ambravia, met a sorrowful end when their jet crashed during their journey back to the homeland from Eridani Theta. Although the investigation into the incident is ongoing, it is believed that the crash was due to an engine malfunction.

The generals played a major role in the conflict with Ambravia as both commanded Fortuna’s main offensive forces. Coming from families of high status, Telli and Renata served in the Fortunan Armed Forces over 15 years and gained notoriety for their aggressive leadership and rumoured rivalry, quickly rising through the ranks during the Aspirian Isles Campaigns. Their deaths are especially unfortunate as it occurred just a few months after their greatest achievement with the conclusion of the war in Eridani Theta. In order to recognize their role in the reuniting of the Fortunan people in the Aspirian Isles, High Commander Tristano Lyone has called for a day of mourning in honor of Telli and Renata.

Questions have begun to arise by representatives of their families claiming the deaths of Telli and Renata were purposefully caused, ranging from possible tampering to an attack by vulpine radicals. Officials of both the Armed Forces and the Regulatori have responded saying that such statements were unfactual and even conspiratorial, but they won’t rule out anything until the investigation is completed.

20

FN - Terrorist Attack in Yedo, Former AFF Members as Main Suspects

A bomb was set off in Yedo harbor, damaging and nearly sinking the freighter Giordania. The city was shaken late in the evening at around 5 PM as the explosive went off. No one was injured, however millions of Fortunes worth of damage was done. Investigations are still ongoing, however Regulatori officials have stated they believe it was done by Ambravian terrorists that were former members of the AFF.

The most likely suspects are the Ambravian Resistance Fighters, the main successor to the AFF terrorist organization. If the bomb in Yedo was for sure theirs, this would be the ARF’s largest attack to date. Since the conclusion of the war, the ARF have been behind assaults on soldiers and Regulatori officers, leading to three deaths. Although they are still a small force, the attack at Yedo could be a sign of their growth, a major concern to the West Eridani Thetan Administration and the Regulatori. Government officials have informed the public that they are closely looking into the ARF and ensure that attacks like the one in Yedo will not become a common occurrence.

The growth of the ARF has brought up talks regarding the integration process of West Eridani Theta into the Fortunan Empire. With the integration process underway, concerns have arisen about the willingness of the local population to integrate themselves. The want for independence by some within West Eridani Theta is what birthed the terrorist state of Ambravia in 2018, however officials have stated those individuals were simply a loud minority. Samuel Merlo, a chamberman and the first vulpine elected to the Common Chamber, has spoken out saying that “West Eridani Thetans want security, and security can be achieved through unity,” a statement he made at the Vulpines for Fortuna Rally in IFC this past weekend, echoing recent sentiments of Expansionist party members.

“All Aspirians are Fortunans,” Second Commander Susan Locke told reporters, “the question is then how long it will take until that becomes a reality.”