The Nuvrenon News: News from Tavaris

[Acronis]

FROM THE ARCHIVES
Date of original publication: February 1st, 2021 CE

Bay of Rodoka, the Navy’s Second Nuclear Submarine, is Formally Christened and Launched

GOOD HARBOR-- With a bottle of rum broken over the bow and the words of a ceremonial prayer to “follow always the light of the moon and you will always find safe harbor,” the Royal Tavari Navy’s newest submarine was officially christened and launched on Monday morning. A crowd of some 5,000 people gathered in New East Harbor to watch the ceremony, which was presided over by His Majesty King Zaram V and, in her first public appearance since her appointment last month, Her Beneficience the Elder Anda of the Church of Akrona. It is extraordinarily rare for any Elder to appear in unaccompanied by the Matron or another Elder, and historically ship christenings are done by the Matron, but the Church said in a statement that “the event of the Bay of Rodoka’s christening was a perfect opportunity for the people to have the first chance to get to know our newest Elder.” Anda is the first Dwarf, and the first person born outside Tavaris, to serve as an Elder.

Ship christenings have long been a formal tradition in the Royal Tavari Navy, and feature elements from both of Tavaris’ two major belief systems: Akronism, and the Tavari traditions of the Tavat Avati. The First Matron is recorded as having issued a prayer upon the event of a new ship entering service as early as the year 1485. In the modern ceremony, the Matron or an Elder - in this case, Anda - recites the Canticle of the Mariner, a prayer written to invoke the grace of Akrona during voyages at sea. Though in recent decades it has been recited by speaking, Anda sang the Canticle according to its traditional melody, to great aplomb. “Well how am I supposed to follow an act like that?” The King joked as Anda concluded her performance.

For his part in the ceremony, King Mital toured the ship “to ensure seaworthiness” and then broke a bottle of rum over the bow, which sailors hold will bring good luck to the ship. This is a Tavari tradition, recorded as early as the year 1354, and is believed to have developed in Tavaris independent of other cultures that have similar traditions. According to Naval tradition, the rum must have been aged at least 4 years in barrels of Tavari mahogany or teak. The bottle the King used today was a Ranat Reserve, aged 7 years in mahogany, and came from the King’s own personal stock. The Silver Palace keeps a stock of rum on hand for ship christenings as well as “other formal occasions,” such as state dinners, a palace aide said.

The Bay of Rodoka now begins its sea trials, in which the Navy will see how she performs at sea and make any changes or repairs before she is formally commissioned and enters into service. She is the second of Tavaris’ two nuclear-powered submarines, following her sister ship Crystal Bay, launched in 2019. Both ships, once fully operational, are equipped to store ballistic missiles, including nuclear weapons. While the exact location of both submarines is now classified under national security, it is believed the Bay of Rodoka will undertake sea trials in waters around Avnatra and then dock in Crystal Coast to be commissioned sometime later this year.

[Acronis]

FROM THE ARCHIVES
Original date of publication: February 10th, 2021

ELECTION 2021: Absolute Rout for DNP; Communists Ascendant While Other Opposition Flounders

NUVRENON-- The voters have delivered a clear, single-party majority, the first in a decade, to Šano Šonai Tuvria’s Democatic National Party (DNP), in what will almost certainly be seen as an overwhelming vote of approval for Tavaris’ controversial new nuclear weapons program. With all precincts reporting unofficial results, the DNP has won 601 seats, 120 more than in the previous Diet and a majority of 15 seats.

The results for most other parties in the Diet range from somewhat disappointing to catastrophic, as the various parties struggled to differentiate from each other on the nuclear issue. Former coalition partner Socialist Party for Democracy (SPD) saw their seats decline from 120 to 99. The Green Tavaris Party (GTP) saw a gain of one seat, but had been aiming for a much larger increase on the belief that anti-nuclear voters would support them. However, with several other parties also staking their election promises on ending the nuclear program, including TCP, SPD, and Goddess and Country (G&C), the GTP message failed to resonate. The starkest collapse of the evening is that of the Liberal Party, who went from having 254 seats in the previous Diet to just 113 in the new, a loss of 141 seats.

In contrast, the Tavari Communist Party (TCP) led by Atra Metravar saw a healthy gain of 44 seats, increasing from 106 seats to 150. Now the largest opposition party, Metravar has stated that her party will form an “opposition coalition” with GTP. “We need to stand up and speak out with a clear voice in opposition to this government. Democracy depends on dissent, and we intend to keep the Prime Minister in check before he turns the entire world into his military playground,” said Metravar.

“This election fell almost completely on pro-nuclear and anti-nuclear lines,” said professor and election analyst at University of Nuvrenon Dr. Evaro Nokrai Tanakat. “The Liberals failed to take a coherent stance one way or the other, and it led to their destruction. The anti-nuclear vote split across several parties, and while TCP certainly managed to gain a plurality of anti-nuclear attention, including quite a bit from Akronists in other parties, it just wasn’t enough to compensate for the swarm of pro-nuclear voters in other parties who switched to the DNP.”

Movra Vodroni Alištar, leader of the Liberal Party, has resigned her position. “It is quite clear that the Liberals failed to live up to this moment,” she said in brief remarks to supporters.

Reaction at DNP headquarters on Ocean Avenue in Nuvrenon was jubilant and overjoyed. At times, Prime Minister Šonai Tuvria had to shout to be heard over his roaring supporters. “Together, we have turned a new page for Tavaris. Together, we have made an indelible mark on the world. And together, we will continue to lead and continue to advocate for a strong, fair, just Tavaris that both on its own and with international partnerships will step up and be a global leader now and forever,” he said.

RESULTS:

DNP: 601 (+120)
TCP: 150 (+44)
LIB: 113 (-151)
G&C: 104 (+0)
SPD: 99 (-21)
GTP: 61 (+1)
REP*: 34 (-2)
TNP**: 10 (-1)

*Republican Alternative
**Tavari National Party

[Acronis]

FROM THE ARCHIVES
Original date of publication: February 18th, 2021

In Shock Move, Šonai Tuvria Steps Down to Take Secretary-General Job; Nevran Alandar to Replace Him

NUVRENON- In a surprise announcement that left many of those attending stunned, Prime Minister Šano Šonai Tuvria has resigned his position to become the Secretary-General of the International Forum after having won election to a seven-year term just 8 days prior.

“I know this announcement will come as a shock to many people, but there are times in life when we see opportunities we simply cannot ignore,” said Mr. Šonai Tuvria in an uncharacteristically emotional address. Several times, the Prime Minister appeared to choke up. “The International Forum is perhaps the very bulwark of our international system. Peace depends on it - not just peace in one country, but peace in every one of them.”

The International Forum selects a Secretary-General by vote of member states for a term of six months. The February 2021 election was originally scheduled for February 1st, but both candidates in the running dropped out in January, leaving no one in the running for the office. Maku Mtebe, the current Federal Premier of Bana, withdrew his candidacy on January 12th, stating that “after a review of the Forum’s new policy and structure after the [Global Crisis Council] merger, I have determined that I would not be able to achieve my stated goals.” Bana, along with a small group of other countries, opposed the merger of the International Forum Security Council with a separate body known as the Global Crisis Council, which took effect on February 1st. The other candidate, former President of Asilica Mario Huber, withdrew on January 30th, citing a recent cancer diagnosis. Huber passed away very suddenly just three days later.

“After waiting as long as I could to see if other candidates would place their name in contention, I decided that this position was too important to leave unfilled, and so I made the heart-wrenching decision to resign and run for the position myself. I know that I had just spent weeks making promises and telling you all, the voters, the people, that I would be there for you. Know that I am doing this not out of callous ambition, but out of a dedication to peace. And I leave you in very capable hands,” said Mr. Šonai Tuvria.

Taking his place as Prime Minister of Tavaris will be current Deputy Prime Minister Žarís Nevran Alandar, an enormously popular figure who regularly ranks higher in opinion polling even than her predecessor. Known as a shrewd political mind as well as a charismatic speaker, Nevran Alandar comes from the same centrist school of thought as Šonai Tuvria.

“I am here to tell you that the DNP will continue with the exact same priorities and the exact same agenda of building a better Tavaris,” said Nevran Alandar. She will meet with the King this evening for her formal appointment as Prime Minister. Under the Standing Orders of the Diet, the Deputy Prime Minister (a position elected by the Diet) is automatically considered to have the confidence of the Diet if the sitting Prime Minister permanently leaves office, so no additional vote of the Diet is needed to nominate her.

“I am tremendously honored, greatly humbled, and frankly, very excited to be your next Prime Minister,” said Nevran Alandar, with a particularly misty-eyed Šano Šonai Tuvria standing beside her. “I can’t wait to get to work.”

[Acronis]

FROM THE ARCHIVES
Original date of publication: February 19th, 2021

In Historic First, Native Rodokan Named Tavari Ambassador to I.F. Security Council

RILANON, Christie Island-- Jaak Moenarr Vähi, formerly the Tavari ambassador to Tretrid, has been appointed to serve as Tavaris’ representative in the International Forum Security Council on Thursday - the first Native Rodokan to ever represent Tavaris to the I.F. in its hundred-year history. As the position sometimes meets with the Cabinet, this raises the number of Native Rodokans at Cabinet level in government to two, the highest it has ever been. Advancing the cause of Rodoka has been a political focus of Prime Minister Žarís Nevran Alandar throughout her career; she served her conscription at Royal Air Base Sinajärv and is known to be fluent in the Rodokan language.

“I am of course tremendously honored to represent our country in one of the most iconic halls of power in the world, but I don’t give any thought to the citizen-or-national question or the nationality thing. I’m Tavari. I represent Tavaris,” said Moenarr Vähi. “Though, if there are Rodokans or humans out there who look at me and feel inspired, then I am proud to be that for them,” he added. The indigenous population of Rodoka are humans who speak a language distantly related to Asendavian. According to the 2017 census, there are more than 1.6 million native Rodokans in the Empire today.

“This does mean a lot. This is the government saying in the clearest possible terms that Native Rodokans are Tavari, that they’re part of Acronis, and that Native Rodokans can be a face for the Empire just like elves can,” said Ivi Puna Laar, the Chief of the Puna tribe and Presiding Chief of the Native Rodokan Tribal Administration. “For most of Tavari history we’ve just been shoehorned over here into our little corner. Things like Jaak Moenarr Vähi’s appointment are impactful because they show that we’re just as Tavari as anyone else.”

The Office of the Prime Minister declined to comment on this story, except to say that “the Prime Minister appoints people to government office on the basis of their qualification for the job.” However, she has said in the past that a goal of hers is to increase the presence of Rodokans in government. Her largest effort in that goal was the Rodoka Act of 2020, the bill she authored that fully integrated Rodoka into Tavaris with the status of a province. Another Native Rodokan, Saima Viha Kerska, has served as Minister of Rodokan Affairs and Minister of the Environment since 2017.

[Acronis]

FROM THE ARCHIVES
Original date of publication: February 20th, 2021

More Than Four Years Later, A Permanent Memorial for Air Tavaris Flight 704

DONDARA, Zinai Province-- It was called “one of the darkest days in Tavari history” when Air Tavaris Flight 704 was struck by space debris and crashed into a residential neighborhood in Zinai Province in the middle of the night. Two hundred and seventy-four people perished in the crash, all 177 people on the plane and 97 people who had been asleep in their homes. Of the 177 passengers on the plane, 159 were Akronist pilgrims who had just completed a tour of visiting every temple on Rodoka. Also among the dead was the only son of then-Prime Minister Aniríl Dravana Niktat, who ordered that no information about the deceased be released until after polls closed because he feared that people would vote for him out of pity. He would lose that election to Šano Šonai Tuvria.

Today, more than four years after the crash, the permanent memorial to the victims has been completed and opened to the public. The crash site has since been turned into a grassy park, and the most visually striking part of the memorial is the field of brightly-colored flowers that cover nearly every piece of land. From the street, a single concrete pathway - placed in precisely the path of the plane - leads up to a massive marble tower in the shape of the Akronist diamond, cut diagonally at the top to show the cross section.

On the diamond-shaped face are the words of the Canticle of the Benefactor, the prayer that was said by Co-Pilot Nevar Dravana Niktat, the Prime Minister’s son, as the plane went down. The prayer was recorded by the plane’s black box, which was recovered, and the recording became famous after it was released. The Matron was said to be so moved that she issued an Edict explicitly permitting the Canticle of the Benefactor to be used as a last rite, which it had not been before. The plane’s black box is kept in the New Temple of Administration.

The Church paid for the construction of the monument entirely. In an agreement made with the families of the victims, the monument was designed primarily with Akronist symbolism because a vast majority of the victims were observant Akronists. However, the Church arranged for the site to be consecrated as a shrine by the local Tavat Avati Shrine Association - the first time in Tavari history that an Akronist memorial other than a war memorial has also been consecrated under the Tavat Avati tradition. With this designation, families of the victims - as well as anyone else - may come to the memorial to pray to the spirits of the victims.

The Matron herself presided over the ceremony, with the families of the victims in attendance along with the current Prime Minister, Žarís Nevran Alandar. While the Matron is known for her very powerful voice when speaking, during the ceremony on Saturday she choked up several times, and finished her address in tears. “There has been no greater prayer, no greater prayer ever given to the Goddess, then what that brave young man gave on the plane that day. Let it be a testament, forever and ever, that all the best parts of life - bravery, grace, compassion, comfort - can be found even in its most terrible moments.”

It was an emotional day for everyone present. Former Prime Minister Aniríl Dravana Niktat spoke briefly, but the most striking moment was when, after he spoke, he turned to face the monument, and eventually walked up to touch it. Both the Matron and Ms. Nevran Alandar walked up to approach him, and the three stood together, their arms draped over each other’s shoulders, silently before the monument. When they turned back towards the crowd, none of their eyes were dry.

[Acronis]

FROM THE ARCHIVES
Original date of publication: March 9th, 2021

Tavaris Announces Defense Agreement With Ayaupia

CAYOO, Ayaupia-- Days after the Diet formally ratified the defense agreement with Aponivia, Prime Minister Žarís Nevran Alandar travelled to Ayaupia today to announce a new defensive agreement with that country, an ANG ally.

“Our agreement today provides security and safety to Ayaupia, but it is truly a victory for the region of Northwest Gondwana as a whole. We all benefit from increased security and stability, and we are very pleased to partner with Ayaupia, with whom we have worked before to great success,” said Ms. Nevran Alandar in remarks to members of the media. Ayaupia is also a member of the Alliance Space Cooperative, an international space program under the Alliance of Northwest Gondwana.

The agreement gives the Tavari military permission to operate in Ayaupian air space and territorial waters. Additionally, one Royal Tavari Air Force squadron will be permanently based in Ayaupia, with others rotated in and out “as needed.” The agreement requires Tavaris to station no more than 3 nuclear warheads in the country at any given time. The weapons will be air-based, not intercontinental ballistic missiles launched from submarines. While the negotiations for the agreement began before the announcement of the nuclear program, negotiators included the nuclear provisions in the last few weeks of talks.

“The devices the agreement mentions are known as ‘pre-strategic’ warheads, and are designed to either counter an inbound nuclear missile or to serve as a so-called ‘warning shot,’” says Nuvrenon University professor and nuclear weapons researcher Dr. Vodri Kanatar Venkat. “They have much smaller payloads than the larger, submarine-based missiles. 150 kilotons of TNT compared to 600.”

Prior to her remarks, Ms. Nevran Alandar met with Ayaupian Prime Minister Alastir Ruste for two hours. No transcript of the meeting was released by either government, and no Tavari government spokesperson would comment on the nature of the talks. A high-level source within the Ministry of External Affairs who was not authorized to speak publicly told the News that the talks were “sometimes heated” and “centered on the treatment of ethnic Ayaupians by Tavari law enforcement, especially the death of Ayaupian-Tavari man Vrapaal Costel at the hands of Royal Marshals in 2018." The incident is still remembered in Ayaupia as well as among the Ayaupian community in Tavaris.

[Acronis]

3 Dead, 6 Wounded in Bombing at Nandrat Province Construction Site

TOMÍS TOWNSHIP, Nandrat Province-- A bomb blast at a construction site in rural Nandrat Province has left three people dead, and a left-wing terrorist group has claimed responsibility. The group, known as “Fist of the Moon,” has been a target of the Royal Tavari Marshals for some months, but this is the first time they are believed to have committed an act that resulted in fatalities.

According to the Marshals, at approximately 7:30am, a bomb went off at the site, a planned industrial park near the border with Ranat Province. The planned industrial park has been controversial since it was first announced, due primarily to the fact that a stand of old-growth trees believed to be the last in the province will be cut down. Several environmental groups, as well as the national political party Tavaris Greens, have decried the construction as harmful, but the bombing is a significant escalation and the first act of terrorism based on environmental reasons recorded in more than five years.

Three people were killed in the blast. Their names have not yet been released by the Marshals, though the Marshals did describe them as “construction workers.” An additional six people were sent to the hospital with injuries, most of them minor. Marshals described the bomb as a “small, improvised device” and said it had been hidden behind the wheel of a backhoe.

The Fist of the Moon, according to their website, identify as “radical Ilarist” Akronists. Named for Ilara Lendreaž, the 12th Matron of the Church of Akrona and first High Priestess of Rodoka, radical Ilarism is a sect of Akronism not endorsed by the mainline Church that believes that killing can sometimes be justified. In a written statement claiming responsibility, the organization stated “We deplore death in all its forms, and wish nothing but peace for the spirits of those who died, but these deaths today prevent far, far more deaths in the future.”

“This is an absolutely heartbreaking turn of events, and it was completely unnecessary,” said a representative for VandriTonakar, Inc., the company constructing the industrial park, in a written statement. “Our construction site in Tomís, as with all our projects, is operating under all environmental regulations and is doing absolutely nothing more than what is legally permitted by the township and provincial governments. This terrible violence does nothing except destroy families.”

Condemnation was also swift to come from the Church of Akrona, which disavowed the Fist of the Moon as “wayward and wrong” and encouraged the perpetrators to turn themselves in to law enforcement. “The Church of Akrona deplores violence and deplores violence and murder. This is not the way that Akrona teaches anyone to walk, and the people responsible for this terrible atrocity should present themselves to the authorities so that the families of the victims can have justice,” said church spokesperson Tavri Danavar. “Of course Akronists should be concerned about the environment, but one cannot be an Akronist while deliberately committing murder. We must do all things peacefully and without holding hatred in our heart - even disagreeing.”

[Acronis]

Crown Prince Otan, Prince Hendrik of Vistaraland In Relationship, Silver Court Announces

NUVRENON-- Stating that “the two simply no longer felt it was right to keep it secret,” the Silver Court announced on Thursday that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince Otan is “in a loving relationship with” Hendrik, Prince of the Vistara, who is the son of the reigning Empress of Vistaraland. The Silver Court is the state entity that manages the royal household as well as all crown land in the country.

The statement took great care to emphasize that the relationship was genuine romance, not a “strategic political negotiation tactic as were some royal marriages in the distant past.” “I’m excited to tell you about my relationship with Prince Hendrik, who I think is very special,” the statement quoted Prince Otan as saying.

Prince Hendrik of the Vistara is the son of Empress Marium I of Vistaraland. He also holds the title Duke of Koersland, and is sometimes referred to as “Duke Hendrik.” At 27 years old, he is Prince Otan’s junior by three years. He identifies as bisexual; Prince Otan identifies as gay. While Vistaraland is an elective monarchy and his title of Prince is ceremonial, Prince Hendrik is also the heir to the reigning royal house of Vistaraland, the House of Milba, and is therefore considered to be the most likely candidate to win election.

The two are said to have met in the course of Prince Otan’s duties as Ambassador-at-Large to the “global community of monarchies,” a position that entails building approachment with the royal families of other monarchies, which Prince Otan holds in addition to his position as Ambassador to the League of Novaris. “We were introduced to each other in very official circumstances, and we certainly hadn’t gone into them expecting something like this,” said Prince Otan. “But we are both very thankful that we met.”

While neither the Silver Court nor the Prince were any more specific about where they met, political analysts believe it is most likely that the pair met during then-secret nuclear talks with Vistaraland in January this year. “The nuclear talks are the only puzzle piece that fits,” said Dr. Katai Dondru, a professor of political science who studies the Silver Throne at the University of Nuvrenon. “Prince Otan had been active duty at sea for at least two years until January, when he was retired from the Navy. And the nuclear talks are the only official interaction we’ve had with Vistaraland in some time.”

The possibility of a marriage between the two raises many questions, including ones about same-sex marriage laws in each country and the impact of having children would be. Same sex marriage is legal in both Tavaris and Vistaraland, and both countries allow for same-sex couples to be listed on the birth certificates of their children as the named parents.

An Edict issued by King Zaram V in his capacity as Chief of Chiefs in 2004 made it law that “the hereditary title of Chief of Nuvo shall pass to the eldest child of the previous Chief, whether that parentage be by natural birth, birth by surrogate, or adoption.” Therefore, any children of the marriage would be in line for the Tavari throne - and potentially the Vistari throne as well. In the past, this scenario has been known as a “personal union.” Some countries in personal unions have chosen to merge into a single country, but according to the Silver Court, “such a situation is never automatic and must be specifically legislated for.”

The Silver Court also noted that, in a hypothetical marriage, Prince Otan, and the monarchy, would remain in Line Nuvo. “While this is first apparent in that Prince Otan is the elder of the couple, it would be true in the case of any royal marrying a foreign citizen, as they would not have any line at all and would therefore automatically join Line Nuvo.” He would simultaneously be a member of the House of Milba, because the Tavari line system is “neither compatible with nor directly comparable to” the systems of royal houses used by nobility elsewhere, according to the statement.

[Acronis]

FROM THE ARCHIVES
Date of original publication: February 20th, 2021

Tavaris, Meagharia Normalize Relations, Talks “An Astounding Success,” PM Says

SUTHRIMABURG, Tretrid-- In a stark contrast to events elsewhere in Novaris, tensions between Tavaris and Meagharia eased significantly on Friday with the signing of the agreement the two countries have called the Kanor Accords. Talks were hosted by the Kingdom of Tretrid, a stalwart ally of Meagharia and, of late, increasingly warm towards Tavaris internationally. The agreement settles perhaps the most severe diplomatic situation, outside of relations with the Federation of Bana, that Tavaris has faced since the end of the Great War.

The Secular Republic of Meagharia arose out of the ashes of the Milofite Civil War, a 40-year long conflict that was one of the deadliest in history. Meagharia has seen significant international protest regarding their record of sapients rights abuses, especially in the case of religious discrimination. Having any religion at all is a crime in Meagharia, and known theists are typically sentenced to hard labor.

Tavari relations with Meagharia became very tense almost immediately. The main flash-point has been the Isles of Kanor, islands that Tavaris won from Milofia, Meagharia’s predecessor state, in 1713. The smaller of the two islands, Kanor Minor, is home to Tavaris’ largest naval base, and the island itself is less than 3 monai from Meagharia. While the base has been present in some form since the 18th century, originally in presumption of further Milofite attacks that never came, a large expansion was completed https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/the_east_pacific/viewtopic.php?p=243620#p243620. This, in addition to the announcement of the Tavari nuclear program and the pro-nuclear Democratic National Party winning elections in February, was the catalyst for the talks - the first one-on-one formal diplomatic contact Tavaris has ever had with the country.

“We are pleased, quite pleased, with how the summit in Suthrimaburg turned out,” said Prime Minister Žarís Nevran Alandar. Ms. Nevran Alandar inherited the talks from her predecessor, Šano Šonai Tuvria, who resigned shortly before the talks began. “Obviously, we will have a lot more to talk about with Meagharia over the coming months and years. But the most important thing is that we are talking to them at all. Honestly, I consider this to be an astounding success.” Leading the talks was External Affairs Minister and former Prime Minister Endra Tivriš Žovradai. He was assisted by the Tavari ambassador to the League of Novaris, Crown Prince Otan Nuvo Šolosar.

The Kanor Accords call for the two countries to share ambassadors and embassies, similar to the agreement with Bana in 2020. However, the Accords also contain provisions for several items that are unique. Tavaris has agreed not to store nuclear weapons at RNB Kanor Minor, and they have also agreed to allow multinational inspectors under the LN umbrella to verify compliance. In exchange, Meagharia has pledged to remain non-aggressive with Tavaris, and LN inspectors will be sent there to monitor this as well.

A majority of the talks actually dealt with an issue that the Tavari negotiators did not expect: whaling. While Tavaris allows and regularly engages in commercial whaling, Meagharia is among those nations on Urth that have outlawed the practice. Meagharia protested the presence of whalers, predominantly Native Rodokans, in its territorial waters. Tavaris has not been able to prosecute these individuals because it is the Rodoka Native Tribal Administration that has that legal authority over Native Rodokans under the Treaty of Sinajärv.

Under the Kanor Accords, Tavari citizens - including Native Rodokans - who violate Meagharia’s territorial waters for whaling will be tried by a specially-established League of Novaris tribunal. The tribunal will consist of three judges - one from each party country and one named by the League. The tribunal will operate under Meagharian law, but any individuals convicted will serve their sentences in a separate prison facility. The treatment of potential Tavari prisoners in Meagharia had been a sticking point in the talks, especially observant Akronists.

The Church of Akrona responded coolly to the Kanor Accords, which it says does not go far enough to protect Akronists from potential harm in the Meagharian penal system. “The Church of Akrona is very concerned by the lack of apparent safeguards for religious Tavari citizens if they are placed in Meagharian custody. The prison will be located on an isolated Meagharian island, and there are no treaty provisions to allow for inspection of the prison facility,” said the Church in a statement. “Nevertheless, the Church recognizes that international diplomacy often leads to solutions that disappoint all sides. It is a disappointment, though, that Tavaris was so eager to place Akronists in danger simply for the sake of pleasing the international community.”

The Kanor Accords will be placed before the Diet for ratification “within the coming weeks,” said Deputy Prime Minister Jeila Telan Vandravat. Ratification is expected to pass easily in the DNP-dominated legislature.

[Acronis]

Portions of Nandrat River National Forest to be Opened for Lithium Mining

NANDRAT-- The so-called “Nandrat Lode” of lithium along the Nandrat River near Ranat has sat untouched since its discovery in 1975, but under a plan issued by Prime Minister Žarís Nevran Alandar on Tuesday, this will soon change. The Kingdom of Tavaris will auction the rights to the lode to as many as four companies, Ms. Nevran Alandar said, and the Ministry of Public Lands and Territorial Waters will begin accepting bids on Thursday.

“Rechargeable batteries from Tavaris power computers, phones, medical equipment, toys, and innumerable other products,” said the Prime Minister at the announcement, which was held at the newly-opened Kataza, Inc. battery manufacturing plant. “The demand for these batteries, and thus this metal, are high, and it is vital not only for our economy but for industries and consumers across the planet to make sure we responsibly and ethically extract it.”

Kataza is a new venture by palm oil industry titan Toran Nuvo Ranzalar, the richest person in Tavaris, who also owns Monata Automotive Company. (Nuvo Ranzalar’s holding company Ranzalar Holdings holds a minority stake in the News’ parent company.) He hailed the move, saying “This move by the government will enable a boom in the stagnant Tavari mining industry and provide jobs to thousands of people.”

The announcement took environmental groups by surprise, and environmentalists were among the loudest critics of the plan. Shortly after the announcement, the left-wing terrorist group “Fist of the Moon,” which identifies as a “radical Ilarist, Akronist, environmental liberation society,” issued a statement decrying the move and vowing to “totally destroy” any mining facilities or equipment in Nandrat. The group was responsible for a bombing elsewhere in Nandrat Province that killed 3 and injured 6.

The Church of Akrona also decried the move, though its statement called upon members to “peacefully, respectfully, insistently, and unwaveringly defend” the environment. The Church called the move “extremely disappointing” and said it was “placing the Nandrat River watershed in dire jeopardy.” Lithium mining, like most kinds of mining, generates significant amounts of waste and debris that, if improperly released into the environment, can cause significant harm to plants, animals, and people.

Opposition leader Atra Metravar of the Tavari Communist Party, herself an Akronist, vowed to “use every tool at my disposal” to block the move. However, the plan does not require approval from the Diet to begin. The Mining and Resource Extraction Act of 2003 gave the government the authority to open the Nandrat River National Forest to mining, although the government of the time eventually chose not to proceed after Tavari participation in the Arkian Civil War caused public opinion to turn against then-Prime Minister Endra Tivriš Žovradai.

Ms. Nevran Alandar dismissed criticism of the plan as “unfair.” “This is the 21st century,” she said. “We are more than capable of opening small areas of land to carefully regulated mining undertaken with strict environmental safeguards.” She noted that the expansion of cobalt and nickel mining in 2008 (done by Mr. Tivriš Žovradai in his second, non-consecutive term) was similarly decried as dangerous but “not a single ívotemo of hazardous waste” has been released into the environment and “every single cobalt and nickel mine in this country has passed their twice-annual inspections with flying colors this whole time.”

Ms. Metravar of the Tavari Communist Party was unconvinced by the Prime Minister’s statement. “All it ever takes is just one mistake. We know that sapient society is harming the environment. We should be trying to be more careful, not less.”

[Acronis]

Nationalists in Uproar: Appointment of Akronist to Obscure Government Body Brings Unexpected Controversy

NUVRENON-- This past Monday, May 10th, Prime Minister Žarís Nevran Alandar appointed Dr. Landra Kenkaša, PhD. to the office of Chair of the Council of the Tavari Language. The position is a dry and technical one and normally brings little fanfare - the Council of the Tavari Language is the body that determines the official vocabulary and grammar of the Tavari language. Kenkaša is, like her six most recent predecessors in office, a professor of linguistics. At the University of the Aequator she teaches classes such as “Syntactic Analysis of Proto- and Early Modern Tavari (circa 1000 BCE-1000CE)”. She has authored several books and journal articles; her most recent work is an article in Annals of the Tavari National Linguistics Society, Session CXXVII entitled “Analysis of Foreign Substrate in Proto-Tavari Indicative of Proto-Ayaupian Characteristics.” Needless to say, she has never captured the attention of the media or the public. Or she hadn’t, until her appointment.

Tavari nationalists, many but not all of them affiliated with the far-right Tavari National Party, are in an uproar over the appointment for the simple reason that Dr. Kenkaša is an Akronist, the first ever to be appointed to the office. Tavari nationalists have long been skeptical of Akronism at best, outright violent and hostile at worst. Nationalists are known to use such terms as “occult” and “foreign” to describe Akronism, which they claim is a wayward diversion from the Tavat Avati tradition, to which they adhere. Brovai Utanor Vambrašt, Diet Delegate and leader of the Tavari National Party, summarized his complaint with Dr. Kenkaša as such: “It’s nothing personal against Professor Votrai Kenaša, I’m sure she’s very good at what she does, but the Tavari language simply should not be entrusted to an Akronist who, by definition, disavows and forsakes Tavari tradition.”

Opposition and outrage spread quickly through nationalist networks, and on Saturday a group of more than 300 of them gathered outside the Prime Minister’s Official Residence on Zaram Avenue. The Prime Minister was not present, but there was a brief altercation between a pair of nationalists and an officer of the Nuvrenon Municipal Police that led to “minor superficial injuries” for the officer and two arrests for the attackers.

Several individuals took the opportunity to speak through a megaphone and address the crowd. They said slogans like “Tavari language is Tavari culture” and “Cultists get out.” A few of them held signs that, instead of bearing words, showed just an orange Akronist diamond with a bright red X painted over it. The rally dispersed a few hours after it began, after the altercation with police. By the time the Prime Minister returned to her residence at 6:30pm, the street had already been swept.

Ms. Nevran Alandar issued a written statement later that evening that stated: “As always, the only thing I ever consider for any appointment is the candidate’s fitness for the job. That’s it, and that’s all. I appointed Dr. Kenkaša for one simple reason: I was a student at the University of the Aequator and I wasn’t a linguistics major, but everyone on campus knew that Dr. Kenkaša would tear even the very best papers to shreds over grammar and syntax. There’s simply no one else better for the job. Anyone who thinks her religion should have anything to do with it could stand to get some education themselves.”

[Acronis]

I.F. General Council Ambassador Fired

THE INTERNATIONAL FORUM-- Ambassador Žandra Alaran, who has represented Tavaris in the International Forum General Council since 2017, has been removed from her position, the Office of the Prime Minister announced on Friday. The move comes after the Council had discussed topics including the protection of international heritage and nuclear non-proliferation.

The written statement issued by the Office of the Prime Minister was brief, reading in its entirety: “Ambassador Žandra Alaran will no longer be representing the Kingdom of Tavaris in the International Forum. We thank her for her service. Ambassador Jaak Moenarr Vähi will be taking her place on a temporary basis until a permanent appointee is found.”

Neither the statement nor the Office of the Prime Minister commented on the reasoning behind the move. However, a high-level source within the Ministry of External Affairs told the News that Ms. Alaran was removed from her post because of comments she made on the subject of nuclear non-proliferation.

“[Ms. Alaran] said a few things in the debate that she did not have diplomatic authorization to say on behalf of the Tavari government,” said the source, who asked to remain anonymous because they were not authorized to speak publicly. “In particular, she made comments about reductions in the Tavari nuclear arsenal that oppose current government policy.”

According to the public transcript of Friday’s session, Ms. Alaran said during the debate “I want to be clear that the Kingdom of Tavaris is absolutely willing and able to discuss potential reductions in certain kinds of nuclear weapons, even ones we already have, and an international inspection regime.”

“The Kingdom of Tavaris is not willing and able to discuss potential reductions,” said the source. “At least, it wasn’t at the time that [Ms. Alaran] said it was. Ambassadors speak on behalf of the country, but they don’t decide policy.”

The task of representing Tavaris in the General Council now falls on Jaak Moenarr Vähi, who has represented Tavaris in the Security Council since March of this year. Prior to that appointment, he served as the Tavari Ambassador to the Kingdom of Tretrid. With this change, Tavaris becomes the only country in the Forum to use the same ambassador in both Councils of the International Forum.

The Ministry of External Affairs declined to comment on this story. Ms. Alaran did not respond to requests for comment by press time.

[Acronis]

Prime Minister Marries Partner in Unannounced Ceremony at Local Courthouse

NUVRENON-- Žarís Nevran Alandar, the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Tavaris, married her partner Linai Nakana Modrovai on Monday afternoon, in an unannounced civil ceremony at the Nuvrenon 1st District Municipal Court attended only by a handful of guests, the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) said in a statement. Nevran Alandar, the first lesbian to serve as Prime Minister, has historically been remarkably hesitant to provide details about her personal life, though she did announce the beginning of her relationship with Nakana Modrovai, her former Chief of Security, in December of 2020.

In observance of a classical Tavari tradition, Linai, who is the Prime Minister’s junior by six years, has changed her name to Linai Nevran Alandar. She served as the Chief of Security for the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister beginning in 2015, serving under two different deputies including her future wife. She resigned shortly before beginning her relationship with Žarís Nevran Alandar. Prior to her position as Chief of Security, she served in the Royal Tavari Army, first in infantry and later as a drill instructor. She retired in 2014 at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Since leaving government service, she has worked as the Director of Veteran and Military Outreach at the Tavari Society for the Deaf, a disability rights organization with which she has been affiliated since 2004.

During her 15 years of military service, Linai Nevran Alandar was twice awarded the Golden Star for sustaining injury during combat. She was present during the 2004 Battle of Gossenmark in the Arkian Civil War, and her actions in that battle - the deadliest battle in the war for Tavari troops - earned her the King Utor Medal, the second-highest honor the Royal Armed Forces can bestow. In 2015, on the occasion of her retirement from the military, she was made a Knight of the Amethyst Order, the country’s highest honor, in recognition not just of her actions on the battlefield but for her long record of advocacy for veterans of the Armed Forces who became deaf or hard-of-hearing as a result of their service. Linai Nevran Alandar herself lost approximately 75% of her hearing in Gossenmark and has worn hearing aids since then.

The ceremony was attended by very few guests. The Prime Minister’s father, Dr. Daronal Nevran Alandar, and Linai Nevran Alandar’s mother, Davrani Nakana Modrovai, were the official witnesses, according to the written statement released by OPM. Also present were Minister of External Affairs and former Prime Minister Endra Tivriš Žovradai and two nieces of Linai’s who were not named in the statement. Under Tavari law, at least two witnesses must be present for a marriage to be valid. However, previous rules requiring a three-day waiting period between applying for and certifying a marriage license, and the posting of a marriage announcement in a local newspaper, were repealed in 2009 in the broad overhaul to marriage laws that also legalized same-sex marriage, among several other changes.

Anticipating questions about the secrecy, the statement said “The Prime Minister and her wife made the decision not to announce the ceremony in advance because they wanted it that way, and the OPM does not consider the marriage of a sitting Prime Minister to be a public matter requiring disclosure.” However, several eyewitnesses who were at the municipal courthouse, reported that the Prime Minister waited in the public seating area before her appointment and spoke with those who came up to her.

“She waited her turn in line just like everyone else, and she was visibly excited when her name was called [to enter the courtroom],” said Tova, who was present at the courthouse for a legal matter. “I’m not sure I’ve ever seen someone smile wider than I saw her smile when they called her name.”

According to the OPM, Deputy Prime Minister Jeila Telan Vandravat is “handling government affairs” for the remainder of Monday and is expected to do so on Tuesday, but “there are no plans for an extended honeymoon at this time, given the nature of the Prime Minister’s time-sensitive job.”

[Acronis]

For First Time Ever, Support for Independent Akronist State Exceeds 50 Percent in Crystal Province

Provinces in gray were not polled. Brighter shades indicate majority support, while paler shades indicate plurality support.
Source: UCC Akronist Nationalism Survey, 2021

CRYSTAL COAST-- For twenty-one years, the University of Crystal Coast has surveyed people in Western Tavaris on a simple question: “Do you support the creation of an independent Akronist State on western Avnatra?” When the survey was first run in 2000, just 19% of people in Crystal Province, which contains proportionally more Akronists than any other province, answered yes to the question. The results for this year, though, tell a different story: 51% of respondents now believe that some or all of Western Tavaris should secede from the Kingdom and establish a sovereign, explicitly Akronist country.

The survey is run in five provinces: Anara, Crystal, Indar, Nandrat, and Ranat. Of these, only Crystal Province reached the 50% mark. While Indar Province has a plurality in favor of “no” and Nandrat Province a majority, for the first time the percentage of “yes” answers exceeded 40% in those provinces. Anara Province just missed the majority mark, coming in at 47% in support of secession, the highest percentage ever seen there. Most remarkable of all was that, for the first time ever, in all five provinces the percentage of people who were unsure was at or below 10%.

“What the data tells us is that, while we now see a slim majority in Crystal Province and other provinces near the mark, with the undecideds decreasing, this issue is becoming more and more polarizing,” said Dr. Tavet Noštrai Žanadu, who for ten years has led the survey, known as the UCC Akronist Nationalism Survey. “For many years, Akronist nationalists have been frustrated by the fact that, despite having majorities in each province in Western Tavaris, they have been able to turn that into majorities for nationalism. They’ve managed to do so now, at least in one province, but in so doing they have earned more opponents as well.”

The Church of Akrona has never endorsed the idea of Akronist secession, though in recent years, Church observers have noted increasing levels of cooperation between the Church and Akronist nationalist groups, who are often leftist in political alignment. In 2017, Matron Vana Dandreal garnered criticism for publicly meeting with the leadership of the Tavari Communist Party, though she stated she did so to coordinate with the party in an “apolitical community service campaign.” The 2020 appointment of an Ekvatoran citizen and registered Communist, to the seat of the Elder Anda also drew controversy, predominantly from right-leaning political organizations including the Goddess & Country Party.

“The Church of Akrona is not a political organization and does not have any stated political ideology at all. Individual Akronists are free to align with whatever political party or belief they feel is right. The Church is proud to have been founded in the Kingdom of Tavaris, which has been our home for more than 525 years,” said the Church in an unsigned statement.

Crystal Province First Councillor Ílirio Barandi, who leads a Goddess & Country government in the province’s Legislative Council, dismissed the results. “There is no universe in which this province could ever secede from the Kingdom of Tavaris. The idea is absurd. This province and the rest of the country have been the domain of the Tavari for two thousand years. One survey from a politically motivated institution like the University of Crystal Coast will not and cannot change that.”

However, advocates for Akronist secession say they can see the political landscape changing. “With each tree that Žarís Nevran Alandar orders cut down, with each plant and animal and insect and fungus that dies in the name of lithium mining or oil drilling or nuclear [expletive deleted], that pushes at least one Akronist somewhere that much closer to deciding they’ve had enough,” said Meledra Kakaši, the leader of the Crystal Province chapter of the Tavari Communist Party, who is the only provincial chapter leader in the party to have openly endorsed secession. “They’re cutting down the trees faster and faster these days, and our membership list is increasing just as fast. I don’t know if it’ll be tomorrow or in 60 years, but I know in my heart that an Akronist secession is a question of when, not if.”

[Acronis]

Shano Tuvria Will Not Run for Re-Election as I.F. Leader, Announces Cancer Diagnosis

THE INTERNATIONAL FORUM-- Shano Tuvria shocked the country when, eight days after he was re-elected as Prime Minister with a sweeping new majority, he stepped down to become Secretary-General of the International Forum. On Friday, with a new election season approaching at the world’s largest international organization, he shocked the world by announcing once again that he would step down from that position as well. The reason? Mr. Tuvria has been diagnosed with gastric cancer (known also as stomach cancer).

“It is with a tremendously heavy heart that I announce that I will not be able to continue as Secretary-General, and I will leave the office and begin treatment upon the conclusion of my term on the 15th of August,” said Mr. Tuvria in an announcement. As he had when he announced his resignation as Secretary-General, he became visibly emotional and choked up several times. “It was my hope to be able to use my time in the office to make a real improvement of the state of peace on Urth. I didn’t get the chance to do all the things I would have liked. In fact, I’m rather disappointed in myself. But I cannot, and will not, let my own ambition jeopardize the mission of this organization, which needs a capable leader.”

Mr. Tuvria was elected in the most chaotic Secretary-General election in recent years, when due to the withdrawal of Maku Mtebe of Bana for political disagreements and Mario Huber of Asilica for health reasons, the Forum was left with no candidates at the very last minute. At the time, Mr. Tuvria said that he felt compelled to run because there was no other interested candidate. In February of this year, the International Forum formally merged with a previously separate organization known as the Global Crisis Council and changed several administrative and procedural changes that had dissuaded Bana’s then-Premier Maku Mtebe from taking up the office. Mr. Huber passed away just three days after he stepped out of the race. With the term having already started with no Secretary-General in place, Mr. Tuvria was elected unanimously as the only candidate.

Despite pledging to focus on peace on Urth during his term, the International Forum was wracked with chaos for a significant majority of the Spring 2021 session. Three ambassadors died in two separate incidents - the Vothetrian ambassador who collapsed in the ambassador’s private dining area, and two representatives of Balistria - after they had already been expelled from the organization by vote of the General Council. An investigation into the deaths of several dozen protestors in Kyrloth was blocked from entering the country, and efforts by the General Council to reduce specieist apartheid and species-based discrimination have not only been met with significant resistance from portions of the Council, but are seen as having been the primary catalyst for the formation of the Douglasa Accords, an organization bringing together states around the world who maintain controversial species-based policies that critics call crimes against sapientkind. When the International Forum ordered that a Kurikian blockade be lifted from around the waters of Nystatiszna, that order too was entirely ignored—though Nystatiszna itself has garnered significant negative attention for its treatment of nekomimi citizens.

However, Mr. Tuvria noted in his remarks that he was very pleased to have made progress on several areas of international cooperation. During his term in office, legislation creating the International Cultural and Heritage Organization, the Global Development Bank and Trade Organization, and the Global Health and Solidarity Organization was passed, and the most major international nuclear non-proliferation treaty in several years was passed by the Forum and presented to national governments to sign and ratify.

Unlike the election in February, there are already four candidates who have placed themselves in contention for the Forum’s top spot. Mr. Tuvria has not endorsed a candidate and did not respond to questions asking if he planned to do so. His deputy, Remy Jacquet of Alksearia, has joined the election, as have Sergai Vakuran (Kuirika), Magnus Rokhaug (Asendavia), and Torstein Jensen (Norgsveldet). Nominations are still open, with the designated campaign period beginning on July 25th.

[Acronis]

Cannabis Legalization Will Be Decided In Referendum That Could Be Divisive, “If We’re Lucky”

NUVRENON— Through an order issued by King Zaram V, the Cannabis Legalization and Taxation Act of 2021 will be presented before the voters to either approve or reject on October 17th of this year, the Silver Court announced on Sunday. The Silver Court is the government entity that manages the Royal Household and all publicly-held lands in Tavaris. While under the Tavari constitution the monarch is usually considered a figurehead, the decision to refer a bill to referendum is one he can exercise alone. The last law to be referred to referendum was the Petroleum Extraction Ban Repeal Act of 2015, which was rejected on a narrow margin of 50.2% to 49.8%.

“His Majesty the King has no further comment to make about the decision to refer the bill to referendum” was all the Silver Court had to say about why the King chose to make this decision. In fact, the King answered that way for all three of the referendums we have had since his 2000 accession to the throne.

“It’s clear to me that the King simply feels that issues that are so personally or politically divisive or controversial should be voted on by everybody,” said Dr. Katai Dondru, a professor of political science who studies the Silver Throne at the University of Nuvrenon. “A ‘veto statement’ could indicate opposition to the government, which he wants to avoid.”

The Cannabis Legalization Act passed with a healthy margin of 799-373, though that margin is notable in that it fell almost entirely on religious lines, almost disregarding party lines. Akronist political parties across the political spectrum were starkly opposed to the measure—Akronist belief generally discourages drug use, saying mind-altering substances weaken your connection to Akrona. The TCP, an avowed Akronist party, resoundly opposed it, and they were joined by the center-right Goddess & Country party and as rather strange bedfellows, all ten members of the Tavari Nationalist Party. While Tavari Nationalists strongly oppose Akronism in all circumstances, the most conservative followers of the Tavat Avati also believe that drug use is forbidden. Strict followers of the belief system generally consider the Tavat Avati’s prohibition of chewing coca to apply to all narcotics.

GTP, the junior party in Atra Metravar’s “opposition coalition” with the TCP, was split almost evenly in the yes and no sides, as was the Socialist Party for Democracy, which is somewhat more to the center than the left-wing TCP. Both have sizable contingents of Akronists and traditionalist Tavari. The DNP—who would have won this vote even if not a single other party joined them, of course—were joined in supporting the bill by the Liberal Party, Republican Alternative, and the remaining SPD or GTP members.

Dr. Dondru, the political analyst, says that there could be something very dark lying under the surface of this vote: religious sectarianism. “Akronist political parties have been saying for years that the Diet continues to poorly reflect the religious diversity of the country. At this point, Akronists are 45% of the population and that number is not decreasing. And yet out of 1,172 Delegates, only about 350 of them are Akronists, which is just 30%. To the Akronists, they look at things like this and say ‘we’re never going to be able to have a say in this system.’ It’s a pipeline right into Akronist nationalism.”

This comes on the heels of a major study showing a majority of voters in Crystal Province https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/the_east_pacific/viewtopic.php?p=247656#p247656 to form an independent Akronist state—something never before seen in any province. “Our society is more polarized along religious lines right now than it has been probably since the Rodokan War,” says Dr. Dondru, referring to the 1632-1634 conflict between Akronist settlers and indigenous Rodokans, which was often violent.

“We’re seeing the rise of religiously-affiliated eco-terrorists, The Nuvrenon News: News from Tavaris - Page 2 - The East Pacific - Tapatalk. That’s actual sectarian violence, today, in 2021. We’re seeing the Church become increasingly frustrated with the government as the DNP continues to The Nuvrenon News: News from Tavaris - Page 2 - The East Pacific - Tapatalk in favor of expanding the mining industry, not to mention https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/the_east_pacific/viewtopic.php?p=243622#p243622, which has basically severed all communication or respect between the Matron and the Prime Minister. There is so much dividing them but the gulf between them is only getting wider.”

Dr. Dondru does not expect there to be outbreaks of widespread violence in city streets any time soon, though she cautioned that the Fist of the Moon would very likely take this opportunity to purposely widen the gap even further. “Groups like these depend on that resentment and that anger to bring people into their movement. Cannabis legalization certainly isn’t going to help. If we’re lucky, it will just be bitter and divisive. If we aren’t lucky… well, it could be the feather that breaks the jaguar’s back. Or close to it.”

[Acronis]

Radical Environmental Terrorist Group “Fist of the Moon” Detonates Bomb in Nuvrenon

NUVRENON-- Downtown Nuvrenon was rocked by an explosion early Thursday morning when a bomb, believed to be an improvised explosive device, was set off in front of the headquarters of https://tep.wiki/wiki/Ranzalar_Holdings, the Nuvrenon Municipal Police Department (NMPD) reported. The bomb blast blew out several dozen windows at that building as well as nearby storefronts, but caused no “major structural damage,” according to the NMPD. Immediately after the blast, which injured 12 people but caused no fatalities, the radical Ilarist eco-terrorist organization known as the Fist of the Moon claimed responsibility.

“Toran Nuvo Ranzalar is hereby placed on notice,” the organization stated through an unsigned press release. Nuvo Ranzalar, the richest man in Tavaris, owns Ranzalar Holdings—which, among other industries such as palm oil, has recently begun construction of a lithium mine in the Nandrat River National Forest. (Ranzalar Holdings owns a minority stake in the News’ parent company.) “We set off this bomb at 5 in the morning as a warning shot. We will not hesitate to escalate our actions if the raping of the environment in Nandrat Province does not immediately cease.”

According to the NMPD, the Ranzalar Holdings building was occupied only by cleaning staff at the time of the blast. Of the 12 injured, 7 were inside the building and 5 were bystanders either out on the street or in neighboring buildings. All victims were admitted to Nuvrenon General Hospital with non-life threatening injuries and are listed as in stable condition.

“I’m heartbroken for all those who have been hurt, and I’m outraged that evil people would commit such an evil act on innocent people,” said Mr. Nuvo Ranzalar in a statement. “Our cleaning staff don’t have anything to do with Nandrat Province. We will dedicate every resource we can to assisting the police with investigating this crime and bringing the perpetrators to justice.”

The Office of the Prime Minister indicated that Prime Minister Žarís Nevran Alandar was “briefly relocated to a secure location” but “has since resumed normal operations, as there is not believed to be a continuing security threat.” “The Royal Tavari Marshals and the entire national security apparatus will assist in this investigation, and the criminals responsible can expect to face the full force of the law,” said Mrs. Nevran Alandar.

The Fist of the Moon aligns itself with an Akronist philosophy known as “Ilarism,” named after Ilara Nevran Lendreaz, the 12th Matron of the Church of Akrona who, as the first High Priestess of Rodoka, ordered the death of the High Chief of Rodoka and Rodokan forces loyal to him. Ilarists, who are not recognized by the Church of Akrona as being in good standing with the Church, believe that exceptions can be made to Akronism’s strict forbiddance of murder. The Fist of the Moon has been engaged in environmentalist terrorism for several months, especially in Nandrat Province, where deforestation and the introduction of lithium mining have been politically controversial.

[Acronis]

Prime Minister Orders Surge of New Troops to Ni-Rao

NUVRENON-- Prime Minister Žarís Nevran Alandar announced on Friday that she has issued orders for an additional 15,000 members of the Royal Tavari Armed Forces to Ni-Rao—an increase of 50%. This would raise the total number of Tavari troops in the country, which has been fighting a civil war since October 2020, to 45,000—more than the total number of North Raonite soldiers in the country.

“It is never a happy decision to deploy our brave women and men in uniform into an active combat zone, and never one that I or anyone else in government takes lightly,” said Mrs. Nevran Alandar at a press conference. “But the situation in Ni-Rao has changed and it is quite clear that what’s happening on the ground requires greater attention.”

The move comes after the forces of Communist South Ni-Rao (known formally as the Raonite People’s Democratic Republic) overtook the city of Shoni in central Ni-Rao, which had been under siege since January. The loss was a significant and embarrassing setback for the Northern Coalition, which includes North Ni-Rao (formally known as the August Empire of Ni-Rao, the state that formerly controlled the entire country) and paramilitary forces from Meremaa.

The stated purpose of the military intervention in Ni-Rao is to restore North Ni-Rao’s control over the entire country. Instead, so far, the South has been gaining ground. “What Tavaris is learning is that, in general, it is very difficult to fight an offensive war,” said Dr. Tano Ro, a professor of military history and strategy at the University of Dravai. “While I wasn’t present in the room when the Prime Minister made the decision to get involved in Ni-Rao, if I had to bet, I would say that she had expected for things to go much more easily than they have. So now she has to turn up the heat.”

In a written statement issued shortly after the Prime Minister’s press conference, the Ministry of Defense stated that the majority of troops ordered to Ni-Rao are in the Royal Tavari Army and Air Force. There is already a naval contingent, including the aircraft carrier Žavražan, present in the waters of South Ni-Rao, primarily blockading the port of Krist, Ni-Rao’s largest city. South Ni-Rao has almost no formal naval capacity, as most of Ni-Rao’s small navy was destroyed at the outset of the war.

“What this tells me is that Tavaris is likely to undertake a far more serious ground invasion of the South, rather than simply guarding the borders and shooting at the southern troops who happen to approach. It’s very likely that Tavari and other coalition troops are going to be more actively engaged in pushing the South back,” said Dr. Ro, who also had a warning: “That all said, though, she can send as many troops to Ni-Rao as she wants. Nothing can change that this is an offensive war on our part. They are the ones defending their homes. They have everything to lose, and we are at the disadvantage. No amount of strategizing or troop surges can change that.”

In addition to the Army and Air Force, a smaller contingent of Royal Tavari Marshalls is being deployed as well, primarily in an “order-keeping capacity” in the North, according to Mrs. Nevran Alandar. They will be performing tasks such as enforcing curfews in major cities and even assisting North Ni-Rao government officials in the collection of tax revenue, as the government-in-exile’s cash reserves are now virtually exhausted. This is the first time Royal Tavari Marshalls have been deployed in an active warzone since 2004.

[Acronis]

BREAKING: PRIME MINISTER SUMMONING CABINET TO DISCUSS DECLARATION OF WAR ON UPPER SUVANIA, PER HIGH LEVEL SOURCE

This story will be updated…

[Acronis]

Diet To Be Summoned To Consider War on Upper Suvania

NUVRENON-- The Prime Minister will formally summon the Diet on Monday to consider the question of whether or not to declare war on the Suvani Socialist Republic, known as Upper Suvania, according to the official Diet schedule posted on the legislature’s website. By law, the Diet’s agenda is required to be public, with declarations of war specifically excluded from the exemption for matters of national security. This comes after reports of an emergency meeting of the Cabinet on Sunday evening in which Prime Minister Žarís Nevran Alandar is believed to have proposed the declaration.

Upper Suvania, a Communist country located in western Yasteria near Vistaraland, is currently embroiled in war with two competing governments both claiming to be the legitimate Lower Suvania. Also involved in the war, on the side of Upper Suvania, is the Army of Progress, the international secular terrorist organization responsible for the Lantaž Temple Bombing earlier this year. This link is believed to be the reason for the declaration of war.

“The Constitution specifies that wars may be declared on sovereign states in particular, and there are Constitutional questions as to whether or not that limitation applies just to declarations of war or to the country’s ‘power to wage war’ more generally. This means that, for legal purposes, a declaration of war on Upper Suvania is procedurally easier than attempting to declare war on the Army of Progress, which is not a state, or on either of the Lower Suvanias, as neither are currently sovereign,” says Dr. Novrar Endrani Tokrataš, a professor of constitutional law at Nuvrenon University.

Dr. Endrani Tokrataš added that, unlike many other countries, Tavari case law “generally requires” that the government attain a formal declaration of war from the King for all military actions that take place “when a sovereign state is involved as an opponent.” Ni-Rao and Karolingia, two areas on Urth where Tavari troops are currently present without a war declaration, are both presently in a situation where sovereignty is unclear, as was the Arkian Civil War in 2004-2005—meaning that they were exempt from the requirement. Because the Suvani Socialist Republic is a sovereign country that is formally allied with the Army of Progress, engaging in hostilities with their military does require a war declaration.

“Ever since the Army of Progress involved itself in the conflict earlier this year, there have been proposals circulating among lawmakers that Tavaris should become involved, considering their direct attack on Rodoka,” said Dr. Endrani Tokrataš. “This is a group that has actually committed an act of violence on Tavari soil that killed Tavari citizens. Considering that Upper Suvania is acting as an ally and state sponsor of this organization, the Prime Minister will not have a hard time finding people in her Democratic National Party who agree they are an enemy of the Kingdom. The measure is likely to pass, if it does come to vote. The matter of public opinion, though, is much more uncertain.”

Some members of the Goddess and Country Party, an Akronist political party aligned to the right, have advocated for military action against the Army of Progress in the preceding days, including the party’s Rodoka Province Chairwoman, Devra Nakandri. Retaliation against the Army of Progress is likely to be popular in some Akronist circles, especially on the political right, but it is likely to see resistance from the mainstream Akronist left, especially the Tavari Communist Party.