Pator - Abel Jarek, the leader of the Salvation Crusade, a movement of former slaves preaching the Amarrian faith, died yesterday during an attack by masked vigilantes in the township he founded for his followers in the Tronhadar Valley region of Matar. The news spread quickly among the scattered Salvation Crusade communities, inducing shock and disbelief among their number. While some considered Jarek to be overly evangelistic in his approach, other Minmatar converts to the Amarr faith expressed deep [...]
Aydoteaux - Early this morning, members of the Federal Intelligence Office's Special Department of Internal Investigations (also known as the Black Eagles) took Weilard Guillaud into custody pending charges of espionage. Guillaud, who served as Chief of Staff to Senator Julian Hevard, was apprehended at his home, though FIO personnel conducted a simultaneous raid of his offices at Hevard's campaign headquarters. Guillaud stands accused of having used his unrestricted access to Senator Hevard's office [...]
Mani - Holder Urist Satri surprised many today by announcing he would be permanently leaving his family's ancestral holdings and moving to the Ammatar Mandate. "I cannot live in a place where I am surrounded by those who so offend my sensibilities," Lord Satri said. "It has become apparent to me that my neighbors are not interested in the moral prosperity of the Empire. They are interested only in making things easier and more convenient for themselves. It is a sad state of affairs. I have long tried [...]
Villore - Three senators from the Defense Committee have put a motion before the Military Oversight department this morning calling for the replacement of Committee chairman Vance Opheron. Following recent rumors of discord within the Committee, currently conducting a review of the Federal Defense Union's administration, the senators demand that Senator Vance Opheron be replaced due to 'incompetence' and claim he has displayed a 'lackadaisical attitude to the defensive state of the Gallente [...]
Khanid Prime - The Khanid Bookstore has declared a record 3.6 billion ISK turnover for the month of May. The figure came after the venture had achieved a 1.2 billion ISK turnover in April. The Bookseller is a retired industrialist who established the Khanid Bookstore in order to bring skillbooks to the residents of the Khanid Kingdom who lack easy access to educational facilities in the region. The venture, which has now run for more than one year, imports a wide selection of skillbooks from Tash [...]
Ishukone has announced that it will be selling transcranial microcontrollers to interested Holders at "bulk rates". "Ishukone is opening its arms to the Empire with this unprecedented offer," read the press release from the megacorp. "With the recent debate in the Empire, knowledge and acceptance of Transcranial Microcontrollers will only grow. By offering to keep prices low and affordable, many holders may now benefit from their numerous applications as a method of workforce control." The press [...]
Villore - Emotions ran high today as the Gallente Senate debated a bill which would have major implications for the Federation's defense communications network. At issue was the bill's plan to undertake a massive upgrade of the physical infrastructure, encryption protocols, and anti-tamper safeguards underpinning all secure defense-related communications. The plan is the result of a recent study undertaken by the Federal Intelligence Office's Special Department of Internal Investigations to assess [...]
Villore - Controversy over the review into the Federal Defense Union administration emerged today at an open senate session in Villore, where topics included the Defense Committee's review and the Federal Navy liaison office's parallel investigation. Various senators found the Federal Navy involvement in the review 'highly inappropriate' branding it as a step towards military oversight of civilian government operations. Other political blocs in the senate, including Senator Chermoul himself, argued [...]
Villore - Speaking outside the office of the Senate's Defense Committee, Federation Navy Captain Jaxon Harner issued a statement regarding the Navy's forthcoming involvement in the militia review. As the appointed Navy liaison to the Senate's Military Oversight department, Captain Harner had reportedly met with the Defense Committee, as well as Senator Chermoul previously, to assess potential Federation Navy participation in the ongoing review. "From what I have seen thus far," stated Captain Harner, [...]
Avair - The Theology Council has decided against hearing and ruling on the transcranial microcontroller controversy. The Council released a short statement explaining the ruling. "The issue of slave control is one left up to a Holder and his slave drivers. It is not the position of the Theology Council to step in and mandate what methods are and are not acceptable. A broad, sweeping declaration on the issue would ignore the many unique issues involved in owning and caring for slaves. There are times [...]
Many of the more powerful Holders in conservative areas of the Empire have begun banning the use of transcranial microcontrollers by subservient Holders. Lord Tapur, the Holder of Dakba, stated that the move was a mere formality. "None of the lesser Holders under my charge would think of using them. But a statement needed to be made and I have made it. We will not allow change for change's sake to poison the moral fiber of the Empire and allow us to drift down a dangerous pathway toward corruption. We [...]
The reignited debate over Transcranial Microcontrollers has proven to be a divisive one in the Empire, with camps divided over the chip's acceptability as a slave control tool. Many oppose them completely, while many others believe they are the way of the future. Middle ground is difficult to find, with only a few moderate voices chiming in. One of the most vocal critics was Lord Tarpur of Dakba. "The issue may seem minor, but it is endemic of the way more and more people are thinking. Slaves are [...]
Villore - In a prepared statement, Gallente Senator Pillius Ardanne announced today that he would be retiring from the assembly effective immediately. Citing reasons of "personal health," the statement has sent shockwaves through the Gallente political establishment. Though best known for his heated tirades at the podium, Ardanne was none the less a respected member of the Senate, holding several important committee positions thanks to his seniority and political connections. Chief among these was his [...]
Konora, Metropolis - A number of Konora officials, including Freedom Extension station administrator Korlo Seycha, have been arrested on charges ranging from corruption to collaboration with the enemy. Republic Fleet investigators believe the Konora food shortage crisis was engineered by a renegade splinter faction of Angels as a means to provide a plausible cover for their takeover of the system and potentially to cast themselves in the role of saviors. Administrator Seycha is suspected of a leading [...]
Mani - Holder Urist Satri has publicly charged his neighbor, Holder Loke Hatar, with heresy stemming from Lord Hatar's usage of transcranial microcontrollers on his slave population. Lord Satri made these comments during a public sermon conducted by the Holder regarding traditional values and the role of slaves in the Empire. Unlike Lord Hatar, whose heretical methods weakens the future of the Empire, we use only the traditional, Scripturally-approved methods of slave control," Lord Satri said amid [...]
Konora, Metropolis - After fierce fighting in Konora, first reports are that the breakaway Angels have been driven from the Konora system in disarray, with most of their ships destroyed by a combined Minmatar-Thukker fleet and renegade ground forces overwhelmed by Minmatar Republic shock troops. Thukker Tribe forces are confirmed to have been present at the engagement, with the allied fleet outnumbering the renegade Angels by at least two-to-one. Despite intelligence indicating a massed force of [...]
Konora, Metropolis - Dozens are feared dead in Konora, after pro-Republic protests on several industrial colonies were forcefully suppressed by the Angel forces laying claim to the system. Sanmatar Shakor's office has released a statement condemning the "acts of terror perpetrated by a small group of pirate malcontents" and pledging to restore peace and order to Konora "before the week is out." An Angel spokesman known only as Commander Origen claimed that "more food rioters attempted to breach the [...]
Villore - Senate Defense Committee head, Vance Opheron, has issued a preliminary report to the Senate's Military Oversight department. This follows an official petition last week by Senator Chermoul, calling for a full review of the Federal Defense Union's administration. Initial press releases regarding the report, though relatively low on detail at this time, indicate the first findings into the FDU's administration 'leave little to be concerned about.' Early probes into previous budget allocation, [...]
Konora, Metropolis - In what many have termed an unusual development, Angel Cartel forces - by some accounts actually members of a breakaway faction - have shipped large supplies of food to the Konora system and directly distributed them to the various mining and industrial colonies scattered across the system. The ground forces accompanying the food shipments have reportedly secured the colonies and a spokesman known as 'Commander Origen' has asserted control of the territories "on behalf of the [...]
New Caldari - **** The contentious Military Reforms Act first proposed by the Caldari Providence Directorate in April was passed by the Chief Executive Panel today. Despite strong objections by Hyasyoda, Nugoeihuvi and Sukuuvestaa, Ishukone and CBD sided with the patriot bloc's corporations in passing the measure, which will go into effect at the end of the month. Among the provisions of the act are unification of equipment specifications and clarification of overall chains of command, both of which [...]
Konora, Metropolis - An unusually prolonged shortage of food among industrial colony workers in the Konora system has led to weeks of unrest which yesterday escalated into deadly violence. When rumours circulated yesterday morning that large stockpiles were being held at Freedom Extension's orbital storage facility, a food riot ensued. The violence claimed two lives as corporate security fought to stop rioters from breaking into the station's storage bays. Similar violence at the Kaalakiota [...]
Villore - The Gallente Federation Senate's Defense Committee has been presented with a petition, signed by a large number of senators, calling for an urgent review of the Federal Defense Union's management. The committee, part of the Senate's larger military oversight structure, is charged with monitoring the competence and positioning of military assets dedicated to the defense of Gallente Federation territories. The signed petition received by them this morning was forwarded from the office of [...]