Foreign Concerns Gazette/Year 531 - 532

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***Empress Leandra I Dead at 75***

*Editor's Note: due to controversy about acknowledgment of the political status of the entity historically known as the Grand Celestial Confederation, the Gazette shall refer to the GCC by its historic name except when discussing parties which recognize it as an Empire, to be indicated by the acronym GC(E).*

**International News:**

* "A Grand (Fialta) Solution" *Fialta Emperor Leutarus Hosts Marivan Conference on Weapons of Mass Destruction, Stakes Leading Role in WMD Policy for Celestial Powers with Inclusion of Veiled Dominions, GC(E).*
	+ "Inclusion and Forgiveness" *As International Criticism of Veiled Dominions Swirls for the Nightmares at Sevalne, Marivan Conference Places Dominions at Heart of Imperium-Backed WMD Protocol*.
	+ "Celestial Power Play" *Observers Note Powerful Signals of Marivan Conference for Fialta Celestial Policy – Tripartite Mutual Defense Pact Against WMDs, Acknowledgement of Grand Celestial Empire and Monarchic Status of Galorius I by Fialta.* "Leutarus is signaling that the Imperium is ready to credibly serve as a security partner in Celestial Space, and the Celestial Powers seem to be listening"
	+ "Lone Wolf?" *No Other Imperial Powers Engage with WMD Conference or Marivan Protocol, Suggesting that Fialta Dominance at Marivan Could Prove Isolating*.
* "Aeldrum Reasserts Security Aegis" *GATO Agreements Reify Aeldman Economic and Navigational Sphere Covering All Aeldman Successor Republics (Including New League of Sovereign Republics). In Mirror of Marivan Protocol, GATO Signatories Undertake to Treat Null Bomb Attacks on Any Member as a Null Bomb Strike on All Members.*
	+ "Extending the Second-Strike Doctrine" *Observers Note that GATO Enables Aeldrum to Claim Second-Strike and Other Mass-Destruction Retaliatory Measures on Behalf of Third Parties. Proponents Hope Measure Will Deter WMD Development by other GATO Participants; Critics Claim Increased Risk of Cosmic Escalation.*
* "Hope for a Unified Protocol, Or Another Fork?" *As Aeldrum and Imperium Appear to Stake Parallel WMD Diplomatic Regimes, International Research into Null Bomb Identification Sees Significant Investment from Aeldrum, Sermaye Branch of BoV, Offers Platform for Other Institutions to Commit Resources.*
* "Rival Lawmaking" *While Fialta Legal Institutions Attempt to Present Nonreligious International Legal Apparatus to Govern WMD and Other International Protocols, Sermaye News Network Presents Editorial for Legal Practice Based on Explicitly Volunite Legal Model*
* "Succession Denied" *Celestial Diet Convened to Vote on Claim of Liu Xin, Son of Galorius, to Imperial Title. After 3 Rejections of Liu Xin for Emperor, GC(E) Admiralty Locks Down Diet and Arrests Relatives of Leading Opponents of Xin.*
	+ "Liberation or Foreign Imperialism?" *Aeldrum, Alusia, Bishant and Sermaye Issue Swift Condemnation of Liu Xin, Aeldrum Threatens Military Invasion of GCC to Protect Rights of Celestial Diet. Serene Doge Secures Contingent Military Powers from Aeldman Parliament to Deploy Naval Expedition if Liu Xin Refuses Diet's Decision.*
	+ "On the Diet Again" *Celestial Diet Restores Celestial Council, Including Liu Xin, To Executive Authority, With No Mention of Empire or Monarchy.*
* "No Direr Omen than an Empty Throne" *Middle Kingdom Succession Crisis Centers on Internal versus External Claimants, Threatens to Escalate Rapidly if Multiple Claimants Make Public Bids*
	+ "The Outside Bet" *Middle Kingdom Mandarins Flock to Prince Haelog of Keshig as Stable, Well-Funded Candidate for Middle Throne. Our Palaceworlds Correspondent:* "Some are surely considering that Keshig's alien status will assure his reliance on them to manage the Middle Kingdom"
	+ "The Inside Track" *Spate of Assassinations, Duels Sow Chaos Among Internal Claimants for Middle Kingdom, but May Accelerate Coalescence Around a Figurehead to Challenge Keshig. Our Palaceworlds Correspondent:* "As the field clears, time runs short for someone to make a strong assertion against Keshig"
		- "The Dukes" *Rumored (Still-Living) Candidates for Middle Throne Include Duke Jinep, Protector of the Folds of Volune and Duke Sanren, Protector of Middle Kolong. Both Have Personal Wealth, Private Armies to Provide Core for Claimant Faction But Remain Silent.*
* "Peace in Our Time… On Telrion at Least" *President Wynn Brokers Cease Fire, Joint Investigation, Reconciliation Council Between Telranian Republic and Kingdom Over Border Smuggling and Violence Against Protesters*
	+ "He Came Directly to Us, No Great Power Pressure!" *Telranian Dwarves, Kobolds in Republic and Kingdom Praise Sermaye's Light Touch and Respectful Manner*
	+ "…Why Are We So Divided?" *Telranian Unification Party Calls for Reflection on Weakness of Telrion Amidst Republican-Monarchist Tensions*

**Military and Disaster News:**

* "Fialta Land in Enclaves... Bringing Food, Blankets, Not War" *Largest Humanitarian Effort In Recorded History A Logistical Success As Hundreds of Thousands of Tons of Relief Equipment and Supplies Reach Starving Elves*
	+ "Who Authorized This?" *Rumors of Civil Dissent within Elvish Enclaves, As Planetary Nobles Allow Fialta Relief Crews to Pass Through Long-Restricted Etheric Gates*
	+ "Welcome but Not One Step Further" *Fialta Humanitarian Personnel Report Grateful Elvish Recipients, Stern Admonitions to Stay Within Allocated Landing Zones.*
	+ "Still No Word On What's Happening… Or How Long It's Been Happening" *Returning Fialta Soldiers Recount Trees That Appeared Long-Dead, Rivers Run Dry, Dust Storms, General Absence of Divine Intervention That Appeared Much Longer-Term Than Public Knowledge of Enclave Famines.*
* "Shameful, Barbaric" *Media Criticism as Word Leaks that Nipponese Were Responsible for Nightmare at Sevalne, and of Alusians, Aeldmen and Shantine Seeking* "Blood Debt" *from Nipponese Rather than Court of Justice*
* "Mass Arrests in GCE" *Galorious Announces Detention of Alusian Nationals Within GC(E)*. *Strange Bedfellows Amidst Heroism Knights of Leandra Revealed Themselves in GC(E) to Protect Alusian Expats from Galorious's Police, Offer Protection in Kirvan and Tetrad Churches*
* "Out with a Bang" *Emperor Galorius Slain in Shocking Assassination by Vengeful Alusian Expatriate. Killer Used Flashbangs and Fragmentation Grenades to Clear Path to Emperor, Hydrogen Pistol to Blast Back Surviving Guards, Detonated Suicide Vest to Kill Galorius.*
	+ "We Take No Responsibility" *Alusian Lord-Regent Koraksic Denies All State Involvement in Murder of Galorius.*
	+ "Galorius Died for Alusian Insecurity" *Grand Celestial Grandee Liu Xin Places Blame for Death of His Father, Galorius, Squarely on Alusia. Celestial Diet Appears to Share Liu's Assessment in Joint Statements.*
	+ "Hundreds in Custody" *Fate of Imprisoned Alusians in GCC Remains in Doubt, As Accusations of Mistreatment Mount in* "Retribution" *for Death of Galorius.*

**Economic and Technology News:**

* "A Crack in the Façade?" *Unsubstantiated but High-Profile Claims of 10,000 Broken Valdosian Soul Contracts from Refugee Ship at Pin-Jump Prompt Frenzy of Speculation Across Cosmos.*
	+ "A Divine Sign!" *Shantine Jurist Arronos of Brumaire Suggests Kirva's* "Holy Light" *Weakens Valdosian Contracts*
	+ "Bait" *Aeldman Newscasters Speculate that Bank of Valdos May be Luring Unsuspecting Signatories to Take Contracts More Lightly*, "…only to find they're very damn real"
	+ "Economic Warfare" *Rattled Stock Markets Lead Alusian Academics to Suggest* "these 10,000 could be a sophisticated psy-op against cosmic economic stability"
	+ "The Horizon" *High Weaver of Church of Spires Claims Irresponsible Etheric Infrastructure Could be Weakening Partition, Disrupting Subtle Cosmic Balance* "contract exceptions may only be the beginning"
* "A Bad Year for Markets, Good Year for Stabilizing Measures" *Political and Economic Uncertainty Battered Established and Emerging Markets, Signaled Importance of Great Power Actors in Projecting Economic Confidence.*
	+ "Contract Panic" *Sermaye Stock Market Experiences Worst Single Day Drop In Ten Years On Claims of Mass Emancipation from Valdosian Soul Contracts. Emergency Controls Activated to Stabilize Shares, Markets Appear Poised to React to Further Evidence on Valdosian Contracts*
		- "Could Get Much, Much Worse" *Saldanese Economists Note that Significant Share of Sermayan, Alusian, Imperial Debts Ultimately Pegged to Stability of Valdosian Soul Contract-Backed Instruments.* "If creditors lose confidence in soul-contracts, expect interest rates to triple and stock market crashes not just in the Bank's sphere but across the Aeldrum sphere – Aeldrum's trade balance is maintained by the availability of cheap credit in its partner nations"
	+ "Run on Celestial Gold Exchange" *Failed Coup of Liu Xin Sends Celestial Institutions in Spiral, Economic Contagion to and From Panicking Kolong Traders over Middle Kingdom Uncertainty. Celestial Stocks Rebounded on Aeldman Parliamentary Vote for Military Expedition, Liu Xin's Acceptance of Political Status Quo.*
* "A Cosmic Science Fair" *Empire of Alusia Invites International Exhibition of High Technology at Reilla, Fabulous Cash Prizes, Large Government Contracts. Crowd-Favorite Exhibits to be Taken on Tour of Inner and Outer Alusia.*
	+ "Truly International" *Demonstrations by Infinite Wishes, Multiple Aeldrum ISC Corporations Prompt Positive Comment on Alusian Innovation Environment, Spirit of Collaboration*
	+ "Visions of the Future" *Cosmic Science Fair Includes Experimental Prototypes for Consumer-Grade Translane, Ether-Stabilizing Infrastructure to Reduce or Harness Storms for Civic Good, Gene-Therapy for Enhanced Intelligence and Vigor, Mathematical Proofs for Potential of Soul Computers that Could Use Nested Pocket Dimensions and Time Dilation to Approximate Intelligence of Gods*

**Cultural News:**

* "Calls for an International Court in Cosmic Media Assassinations, Occult Assaults, Blood Debts" *Nightmare at Sevalne, Death of Galorius and Other Shocking International Incidents Spur Calls for Civility and an International Law Department from* "Fialta Society for International Justice," *Criticizing Not Only Perpetrators but Reaction of International Community* – "(Alusia and Bishant) wanted hostages to make examples… these are the politics of thugs"
	+ "Law Isn't A Contract" *Management of Null Bombs, International Conflict and Justice Must Rely on Common-Sense Principles For All, Not Relationships and the Discretion of a Monarch, Says Sermaye Entertainment Conglomerate (SEG) Justice Hour*
	+ "Lawe Feels Fine" *Following his obscenity-laden appearance on "Sermaye this Week" earlier this year, Sermaye Councilor Reagan Lawe pays 5000 ducat fine for violating prohibitions on swearing during daytime hours on Sermayan television. After paying his fine, Lawe was heard saying,* "I'd pay that <<CENSORED>> fine again if someone could just tell me what the <<CENSORED>> those <<CENSORED>> mother-<<CENSORED>> <<CENSORED>>holes meant by a <<CENSORED>> blood debt."
* "A Different Kind of Enclave Refugee" *After Centuries of Elite Emigrants and Religious Exiles, Tens to Hundreds of Thousands of Elvish Refugees Come from Enclave Peasantry, Masses Feeling* "Abandoned, Utterly Forsaken" *By Their Gods.*
* "Fialta is Beautiful in Every Way" *Fialta Emperor and Empress Pose for Cover Photo Shoots in* "Glam Offensive" *Across Cosmic Media, Give Opinions on* "Fialt Beauty" *Across Religion, Aesthetics, Athletics. Leutarus Organizes Rounds of Interviews with Famous Fialta Athletes, Emphasizing Progressive Ideal of Martial Grace Without Violence.*
* "Most Anticipated Coronation in a Generation" *Death of Empress Leandra Means a Grand Ceremony for Coronation of Lapheraz Kataph. Tens of Millions Expected to Attend, Billions to Watch on Ethernet.*
	+ "The Peril and Promise of Youth" *Lapheraz will be Youngest Shantine Monarch Since Theodosius IX, Grandfather of Theoboda the Great, and Takes Responsibility of Divine Communion Decades Younger than Her Mother or Grandmother, Irboda II.*
	+ "What Kind of Communion Awaits?" *Leading Bishant-Watchers Debate What Character Lapheraz Will Add to the Angelic Succession.*
		- *Professor of Shantine Culture at Academy of Saldan College of Religious Politics, Milos Delinos,* "We saw a quarter century with Leandra I that was of course splendid, but ultimately understated compared to Irboda and certainly Theoboda. The question for us all is if Lapheraz will continue her mother's example of quiet stewardship, or decide that the ground is fertile to reignite the legacy of the elder Leandran-Kataphs."
* "The E-Word" *Statement of Mourning and Official Memorial to Galorius from Celestial Diet Recognizes Him as* "A Figure of Significant Import to the Governance of the Confederation" *Who Died* "During the Fulfillment of High Office" *But Does Not Acknowledge Him as Emperor, Refers to Him Exclusively as* "Liu Xuan"*.*

**Affiliate News Contributions:**

*Sermaye News Network*

* **Shake-Up at SSS:** *Sermaye Sports Syndicate has fired one of its top on-air personalities, J. Alexander, after anti-Fialtan after-hours rant goes viral. SSS CEO, Peter James, dismissed Alexander saying,* "Jones crossed a line in accusing the Fialta government of being responsible for the Elvish Enclave famine. If the Fialtans were quick to respond it's not because they can control the weather and caused the famine, and that should not need saying."
* **Sermayan Polling Services Releases Latest "Head of State Superlatives" Survey:**
	+ Most Likely to Succeed – President Wynn
	+ Best Dressed – President Wynn
	+ Most Talented – President Wynn
	+ Best Smile – Vayheun Istradez
	+ Most Likely to Put Us to Sleep While Speaking – Doge LePaix
	+ Class Clown – Emperor Leutarus
	+ Most Likely to Not Get a Joke – Chairperson Sfigmen
	+ Most Likely to Try to Science Wash a Corrupt Dictatorship – Prince Regent Koraksic
	+ Most Attractive – Empress Kataph
	+ Most Likely to Burn Us Alive For Publishing This List – Empress Kataph