News of the World

[Markus Wilding]

OOC: This is a general NPN/Global news thread. Events of significance that happen without a player's direct involvement will be posted about here.

IC:

QUARANTINES LIFTED - MULTIPLE COUNTRIES CLAIM "NO MORE INFECTIONS"

The terror of the German Flu is starting to pass in some countries globally. In the past month, several nations across the Americas, Asia, Europe and Africa have declared themselves to have contained cases of the flu and reported no new cases in several months. These nations have declared their borders officially open for free travel and trade, much to the jubilation of their politicians and population.

WARS ENGULF WORLD

Despite long wars in America and Europe, new wars have broken out, practically mere moments after quarantines have been lifted. In the Caribbean, Haiti and the Dominican Republic are engaged in active combat with one another. The reasons behind the war are unclear, but may boil down to a border dispute of some kind. Journalists from both countries blame the other for sparking the conflict, while international journalists have been unable to confirm or deny either side's story. Little progress has been reported so far.

Meanwhile, Africa also is wracked by warfare. Disputes over water have led to two Congo-based nations - the Republic of Congo and Democratic Republic of the Congo - becoming involved in open warfare. According to DRC sources, the Republic of Congo began the war by breaching the border to build guard posts on the opposite shore of the Congo River, a clear violation of the DRC's sovereignty. The communist leadership in the DRC posits that is it only abiding by previous international law and is lawfully defending itself from invasion.

[Markus Wilding]

WARS IN CARIBBEAN, CONGO END IN STATUS QUO

According to sources from Haiti, the Dominican Republic, the Republic of Congo and Democratic Republic of the Congo, the respective wars in these regions have ended in status quo ante bellum, though heavy tensions remain for the nations involved as each side rebuilds and rearms its military forces. Already, strong defensive works have been spotted along the Congo River in Africa, while zealous border guards detain nearly anyone they see fit to in the opposing sides of Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

[Markus Wilding]

INFIGHTING, CHAOS IN REPUBLIC OF ZHEJIANG

In the early morning hours of August 7th, gunfire erupted in the eastern coast of China as Republic of Zhejiang naval forces bombarded a fort belonging to the Republic of Zhejiang Army. The fort is reportedly a stronghold of holdout forces that refuse to follow the Navy in declaring a coup as Zhejiang Marines stormed the Presidential Palace to arrest President Xia Cai on charges of "high treason." The location of President Xia Cai is unknown at this time, though Rear Admiral Cheng Yu has declared himself as the new acting leader of the Republic in these tumultuous times.

[Markus Wilding]

FRENCH CIVIL WAR BEGINS

News is reaching the Associated Press of active combat near Vichy as the French Republic has apparently invaded neighboring French Commune. Decades of relative peace have now erupted into open warfare as the two sides accuse the other of opening fire first during what appeared to be a relatively routine border patrol. According to sources in Paris and Marseille, this has apparently been a conflict years in the making. Observers hope that the war will be short-lived and without unnecessary loss of life.

[Markus Wilding]

VIOLENT COUP UNDERWAY IN WEST TURKEY

Reports are flooding into the Associated Press from Romanian, American and German sources that the military has apparently seized control of the government offices in Istanbul, as heavy fighting engulfs the city. Gunfire is reported between military forces and loyalist elements of the autocratic regime, with no known motive for the military-led coup.

FRENCH CIVIL WAR - COMBAT REACHES LYON

An offensive undertaken by French Communists has reportedly driven to Lyon, threatening to cut the beleaguered French democracy in half. In response to the offensive, which has apparently cost the French Republicans the lives of nearly twenty thousand troops with an unknown number captured, Spain has pledged to assist the French Republicans materially and financially. Acting in solidarity with the French Communists, the People's Republic of Belgium has sent military advisers and weapons to Paris, according to AP reporters in Brussels.

[Markus Wilding]

MONGOLIA DECLARES YELLOW RIVER "NATURAL BORDER" OF NATION

According to Soviet diplomats in Ulaanbaatar, the Mongolian Foreign Ministry has officially declared a policy that demarcates the Yellow River as being the extent of what the government considers natural Mongolian territory. This policy, which was apparently leaked to a Soviet diplomat prior to its official declaration, specifically notes that the Mongolian government will seek to use any and all means available to it in order to ensure that the "frontier" is preserved.

CREE AND DAKOTA TO BEGIN MUTUAL DEFENSE MEETINGS

The Associated Press reports that Dakota diplomats have been spotted in Cree, apparently part of a conference to discuss mutual defense pacts and potential military cooperation. It is an open secret that the Socialist Republics of America will cross the border one day, leading to well-founded fears that some day very soon, the SRA will declare war on one of the small North American republics. According to anonymous sources within the Cree nation, they intend to resist the Socialist Republics not just militarily, but diplomatically as well.

NORDIC COUNCIL CONVENED, ENDS IN DISGRUNTLEMENT

A meeting has been called between Iceland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland entitled the Nordic Council, apparently to discuss topics of mutual interest. Denmark reportedly dominated the meeting, demanding concessions from Norway and Finland that the regional powers were loathe to accept. Topics of trade and mutual friendliness were overshadowed by arguments between Icelandic and Finnish diplomats concerning defense and intelligence sharing, with no known agreement coming out of the meeting a month later.

[Markus Wilding]

FRENCH CIVIL WAR - COUNTERATTACK AT LYON

Sporadic fighting continues to rage in and around Lyon as Republican forces mount a counterattack intended to relieve the siege of Lyon. Italian sources confirm that Communist troops are reinforcing the area, while Belgian military observers note a breakthrough by Communist armored forces just south of Metz. Unconfirmed AP reports show that Republican forces appear to be engaging on a broad front, and may threaten southern France within the week unless Communist motorized infantry can respond to the incursion.

[Markus Wilding]

FRENCH CIVIL WAR - INTERVENTION FORCES GROW

The Associated Press is reporting that Germany, the Kingdom of Italy, and Ireland have acted ahead of the United Nations vote, sending varying levels of arms, funds and technical assistance to the French Republic in their fight against Communist forces. Similar reports show that the Soviet Union, Denmark, and the People's Republic of China have sent similar assistance to the French Commune. Perhaps in spite of pledged UN involvement, the French Civil War is apparently becoming very politically charged and international very quickly.

BULGARIA INVADES MACEDONIA

Romanian and Victorian diplomats have confirmed that Bulgaria has invaded neighboring Kingdom of Macedonia, apparently as part of a larger border dispute and concern regarding arms smuggling to Bulgaria. The Macedonian foreign minister has vowed that this blatant aggression shall not stand, and that Macedonia will protect itself to the full extent of its might. The Bulgarian president, when asked for comment, simply stated that the military response is to "right previous wrongs and ensure everything is as it should have been in the first place."

[Markus Wilding]

BULGARIAN-MACEDONIAN WAR - BULGARIAN TROOPS BOGGED DOWN

Reports are coming in that the Bulgarian offensive has been halted outside of Veles, in central Macedonia. Despite a week of brutal combat which has found the nearby town of Lozovo nearly razed by constant Bulgarian artillery fire, the front line has barely moved even a mile. Diplomats and military attaches from both sides called the situation "less than beneficial" and claimed that they fully believed in the strength of their armed forces.

[Markus Wilding]

IRANIAN OFFICERS ARRESTED ON CHARGES OF ESPIONAGE IN INDIA

Indian border officials today confirmed that they have captured a dozen Iranian military officers who were caught attempting to infiltrate the nation today via small coastal craft near Sri Lanka. They have been arrested on charges of espionage, although the Indian government has refused to disclose potential prison sentences. When asked by Associated Press as to why Iran would want to infiltrate the country, the Indian foreign minister said, "We cannot comment on it at this time as this is an active investigation. Whatever their reasons, we are disappointed that Iran has seen fit to resort to subterfuge in order to achieve their goals."