Brettish Broadcasting System - BBS News

[Brettaine]

≈9

BBSNews - Melbourne​

NATIONAL NINE NEWS - AFTERNOON NEWSBREAK​

8 June 2011​

This is National Nine News. Live from Melbourne, Joy Walters.

Good afternoon, and welcome to the National Nine Afternoon Newsbreak. Making headlines this afternoon:

King and PM land in Villesen

The Royal Jet landed in Villesen for a week long state visit with the King and Prime Minister Jeanne Hollingsworth. The King is expected to present members of the Black Jaguar Special Operations team with the Brettish Cross of Valour for their heroic actions in saving over two-hundred-and-thirty passengers aboard the hijacked Brettish airliner last month. The medal is awarded to members of the Brettish Armed Forces for extraordinary heroism and gallantry in the face of overwhelming odds; but may be awarded to members of a foreign military force as a foreign decoration. The primary difference between the domestic medal and the foreign award is the device worn on the ribbon, which is a simple bronze cross for the foreign award but an enameled bronze cross for the domestic award. At the discretion of the foreign nation's government, recipients of the award may add the suffix "BCV" after their name; different from the domestic suffix which is simply "CV."

Besides the presentation of the medals, however, the Prime Minister plans to meet with President Renaudière to discuss matters of foreign policy. No doubt, the two leaders will most likely be discussing growing tension between the fellow NCSC member Anglyn and the Oceanic country Cantigny.

In Other News:
78-year-old grandmother takes parking ticket protest clear to Ashtonfield.
The Raving Byrds producer Ernest Sanders caught shoplifting from store in Monash.
Traffic jams up National Highway 17 between Melbourne and St. Kilda.

 

[Thaumantica]

Office for Foreign Affairs

The Commonwealth of Cantigny challenges the Continental country Brettaine to diversify its sources of information and dialogue beyond Anglyn when assessing other Oceanic Nations such as Cantigny. Anglyn is as truly an Oceanic Colony holder as Great Engellex, Suionia, and Vistrasia - who have experienced positive relations with Cantigny historically and in the contemporary era. If it should please the Kingdom of Brettaine, members of this Office and National Chancellery would go so far as to represent their Nation personally, permitting the Kingdom its due right to come to its own conclusions of the Commonwealth as it actually is.

Forward Cantigny!
Benjamin Stokes,
Chief Officer

 

[Brettaine]

Ministry of Foreign Affairs​

Kingdom of Brettaine

8 June 2011​

Mr. Stokes,

The Kingdom of Brettaine has taken no definitive stance on the situation in Oceania, and will not make any such decision until the situation is fully analyzed by His Majesty's Government. Although an ally of Anglyn and a signatory to the Northwestern Collective Security Coalition, the Kingdom's interpretation of the organization's charter is that the Coalition's mission is purely in the defence of and protecting the security of member nations. To wit: the Kingdom will not engage in any offensive conflict engaged on the part of a member nation.

Having established this, His Majesty's Government will be open to an audience with representatives of the Commonwealth to further assess the situation at hand.

Yours,
Robert F. Hensley
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Kingdom of Brettaine

 

[Brettaine]

=3=​

BBSNews - St. Marys​

NEWS CHANNEL THREE EVENING UPDATE​

11 June 2011​

PARLIAMENT AUTHORIZES CONSTRUCTION OF NEW DESTROYERS

In one of its most sweeping defence-oriented bills in over fifteen years, Parliament today authorized funding for a new generation of destroyers. Utilizing the TRIDENT weapons system, the new class of destroyers are simply the first part of the Conservative Party's "Rebuilding Brettish Defences" Initative. Over the next 10 years, Brettaine hopes to build its army size by 20,000 regular troops in the Brettish Army, and 5,000 Marines. New, state-of-the-art body armour is to be designed as well, and anti-aircraft weaponry expanded. To rebuild the Brettish fleet, Parliament plans to launch the new classes of TRIDENT destroyers and cruisers--14 Deming-class destroyers and 12 Aquitaine-class cruisers, to join the 10 Roache-class destroyers already in service. The 1970s-era Keane-class destroyers are slated to be retired by the year 2015, as they become obsolete and maintenance expenses continue to rise. Although not slated in the current goals of the Initiative, future goals include launching at least two aircraft carriers.

Since the end of the Shaw Adminstration in 1990, Parliament has sought to downsize the Brettish force to where it is today. The Army now has 25,000 regular troops, and 5,000 Marines. Special-ops funding became virtually non-existent after the Keating Adminstration came to an end in 1999. The Shaw Administration was also the last to authorize a new class of warships, the Roache-class, with the only exception being the Royal Navy's class of 20 Abel-class patrol boats which were authorized in 1993 under John Keating's Ministership.

Four contracts have already been awarded to Avendale Shipbuilding in St. Marys, and two to Blair Shipbuilding in Melbourne. Other shipbuilders, such as Du Pieunt Shipbuilding in Aylette and Hardwick Shipbuilding in Adelaide have applied for contracts on the Deming-class destroyers as well.

Daedalus Technologies, Ltd. has been awarded contracts to manufacture key components of the TRIDENT weapons system. Other components will be manufactured by Mercury Defence Systems, a subsidiary of Mercury Electronics, Inc. Daedalus and Mercury Electronics, Inc. have cooperated in the design phase of TRIDENT since first authorized by the Keating Government in 1996.

In addition to expenditures on go into special ops and computer technology.

KING PRESENTS CROSS OF VALOUR TO SERENIÉRRESE COMMANDOS

In a ceremony in Villsen this afternoon, the King presented the thirty-two commandos of the Black Jaguar commando unit with the Brettish Cross of Valour. The citations issued were for "extreme heroism and gallantry in the rescue of two-hundred-and-thirty-six passengers aboard Brettish Airways Flight 239 on 5 May 2011." The Prime Minister was present, along with Prince Michael, as the King distributed the awards.

CAUDYLL TO RETIRE AT THE END OF AUGUST

Defence Minister William Caudyll is expected to retire at the end of August, his secretary announced today. Prime Minister Hollingsworth sent a press release from Villsen confirming Caudyll's plans to retire, and announcing plans to nominate Deputy Defence Minister Kathryn Anderson, grandddaughter of former Chief of Staff chairman Gen. Arthur Anderson, as his replacement.

 

[Serenierre]

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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs
​

SECRET COMMUNICATION
​

Issued upon the directives of President Renaudière:

To,
The Minister of Defence
The Kingdom of Brettaine.

The Kingdom of Brettaine is an ally and an all-weather friend – no doubt exists in our mind as to the Good Neighborliness Policy – and this was proven yet again in the recent commando action against terrorists who held our citizens hostage. The people of this country appreciated the special visit by His Majesty King Paul II to Villesen to present the Black Jaguars with the Brettish Cross of Valour (BCV) to our brave servicemen. Furthermore, the Government of Sereniérre is genuinely pleased that Villesen was chosen to be Prime Minister Hollingsworth's first international visit since assuming the heavy burden of Premiership.

But considering this tradition of friendship, we are disappointed by recent suggestions in certain sections of the Brettish media that the Brettish military is considering expanding its current capacities, while fully within the rights of a sovereign state such as the Kingdom of Brettaine is, considering the sensitive nature of the region at the current moment.

The Government of Sereniérre officially requests its counterpart in Ashtonfield to provide information in regards to these defence policies and a reason why the matter was not discussed during the recent state visit of Prime Minister Hollingsworth in her meetings with President Renaudière. We wish to remind our counterpart in Ashtonfield that PASILLA maintains an active, some might say hostile, presence in our region and we must be careful in disseminating information to members of the press in regards to our defence. Our insistence for information is to allow our diplomats to deliver concise, well-informed responses to any troublesome queries.

President Renaudière looks forward to hearing from Prime Minister Hollingsworth later in the evening.

Jean-Jacques Rogére
State Councilor for Foreign Affairs
​

 

[Brettaine]

Office of the Prime Minister of the
Kingdom of Brettaine​

CLASSIFIED - SPECIAL HANDLING REQUIRED

14 June 2011​

Jean-Jacques Rogére
State Councilor for Foreign Affairs
People's Republic of Sereniérre

Dear Mr. Rogére,

The recent action taken by Parliament was to authorize funding for a new class of destroyers to replace the aging Keane-class, which have become obsolete and bear excessive maintenance costs. Although the BBSNews article stated that there were plans to launch up to 14 new Deming-class destroyers, only six were authorized by Parliament. The "Rebuilding Brettish Defences" Initiative is an independent "think tank" comprising Members of Parliament, but it is not set policy of the Parliament at this time. Unfortunately, the BBSNews article misrepresented the facts of the matter: we have yet to set a specified defence policy and are dealing with the matter by piecemeal at this time.

That having been stated, much of the information released to the media was done so by the RBDI, and not by the Press Office of Parliament. However, I must stress that I share your concerns vis-à-vis the dissemination of information regarding defence initiatives. It will be made plainly clear to Members of Parliament that RBDI will be barred from involving themselves in the creation of defence policy should they continue to release information to the press without Parliament's prior approval.

The RBDI has some rather lofty defence initiatives, much of which will have to be considered only after lengthy research and thought. Although my administration aims to strengthen Brettish defences in the aftermath of the BA239 hijacking, I will not allow a "runaway" agenda bloat our military budget at excessive and unnecessary costs to the taxpayers. To wit: Brettaine shall not become a "militarized state" as a result of my administration's defence policies.

Aside from this matter; however, I would like to take this opportunity to thank President Renaudière and the good people of Sereniérre for their graciousness during His Majesty and I's visit to Villesen. I hope to meet again with President Renaudière again within the coming months to further discuss defence policies between our two nations.

Until then, I am and will remain

Sincerely Yours,

Hon. Madame Jeanne Allison Hollingsworth, KCKB
Prime Minister
Kingdom of Brettaine

 

[Brettaine]

7​

BBSNews - Ashtonfield​

JET MAKES EMERGENCY LANDING IN DUNDALK​

14 June 2011​

DUNDALK, Daventry – Brettish Airways Flight 534 had to make an emergency landing in Dundalk this afternoon after suffering a catastrophic failure of it's number two engine. The news is not good for Brettaine's flagship carrier, which is still reeling from bad press in the aftermath of the Flight 239 disaster last month.

At approximately 3:45 this afternoon, Flight 534 took off from Ashtonfield bound for Adelaide. The aircraft involved was a Bowen 727 aircraft, carrying 94 passengers. After reaching cruising altitude, the pilots heard a loud boom that shook the aircraft. Systems on board the airliner started to shut down, including cabin electric and hydraulic pressure to the elevators and rudder, which became "extremely sluggish" according to Captain Tom Bryan. The pilots immediately radioed to Kensington ATC, and were diverted to the regional airport of Dundalk Field. Despite significant damage to the tail of the aircraft, it was able to land safely and with no injuries.

Captain Bryan, unaware of the damage to the engine, at first thought that a bomb had exploded. "Given the current political situation, and of course the hijacking of 239 last month, it's not outside the realm of reality to consider that's what it may have been," said Bryan in an interview with BBSNews. "We took all appropriate precautions in any case."

The airliner was a special charter flight for Starcross Cruise Lines, carrying mostly retirees bound for a Green Sea cruise. None of the passengers were injured in the landing, although some report being "shaken" from the experience. Once the airliner touched down in Dundalk, the passengers erupted in applause. Dundalk airport controllers, who witnessed the plane's landing, have commended Captain Bryan for his skills in flight.

"Honestly, with such damage to their hydraulic systems, I truly believe it is a miracle that the plane didn't go into the runway sideways," said airport controller Donald Burton.

The aircraft, tail number B-359BA, entered service in February of 1995. Service records indicate that the aircraft suffered a generator failure during a flight from Aquitainia on 30 October 2007. MOTSB investigators are focusing on the repairs done to the generator in 2004, to make sure that the process didn't cause damage to the number two engine.

OOC Note: I had car trouble today…my idler pulley broke and threw the serpentine belt, so I thought I'd RP the experience. lol.

 

[Brettaine]

≈9

BBSNews - Melbourne​

NATIONAL NINE NEWS - EVENING NEWS​

2 July 2011​

This is National Nine News. Live from Melbourne, Joy Walters and Evan Hardman.

Good evening, and welcome to the National Nine News.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs Urges Bretons in Carentania and Solaren to Leave

In an announcement today, Foreign Affairs Minister Robert F. Hensley urged Bretons in Carentania, Solaren, and neighbouring countries to tend to their affairs as quickly as possible and make preparations for evacuation. The announcement comes as the governments in Rijeka and Torrance continue to spar over EDF troop movements in the region. According to a broadcast on Carentanian Public Broadcasting this afternoon, the Commissariate for Defence in Rijeka has initiated partial mobilization of naval and air forces to combat what is seen as a threat to Carentanian national security.

Foreign Affairs Minister Hensley stated that "tourists and visitors carrying Brettish passports should seek passage out of the region for their own safety, until at least such time as cooler heads prevail. The Ministry has formed a Long Sea Interests Hotline for Bretons at home and abroad to inquire about the situation. In Brettaine, the number is 1800 985 640. Abroad, use the Brettish International Calling Code +61, and the international hotline is 1800 985 680."

Brettish Airways and other overseas air carriers have told BBSNews that the number of passengers departing for Carentania, Solaren, Nicosia and neighbouring countries has not dropped significantly in the past week in spite of militant posturing in the region. In compliance with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs placing passport holders on alert, however, the airline has placed placards at customs gates alerting travelers to the situation around the Long Sea.

For the entire press release by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, they have posted the link online at

You must be registered for see links

.

Hajri Oil Futures Hit High on Melbourne Commodities Exchange

As the threat of war looms in the Long Sea, futures for Hajri oil have risen €4.69 (BE £4.46) in trading today, topping at €93.96 (BE £89.26) at the closing bell. Traders are concerned that warfare in the Long Sea could put a bottleneck on crude oil exports to Boreas. Paradis Energy, Brettaine's largest oil company, has speculated that should war break out in the Long Sea, oil futures could rise as much as €25.00 (BE £23.75) a barrel, which could bring petrol prices to near £1.05 a litre.

In anticipation for a possible spike in petrol prices, the City of Melbourne has reduced the price of subway day passes to £3.50 from £4.00 and monorail day passes to £4.50 from £5.00 to encourage ridership on public transportation and lessen the burden on potentially shaky gasoline prices. Commuter train ticket prices on the Monash-Cheval-Heathrow route are expected to remain at £7.50 for a day pass while ticket prices on the Richmond-Carlton route are expected to drop to £6.00 a ticket, as more commuters live in the middle-class suburbs to the east of the Central Business District.

The Norfolk Sheriff's Office and City of Melbourne Police Department have issued warnings that officers will be strictly enforcing HOV-lane rules on M9, M16, and the Melbourne Loop.

Mercury Electronics To Open New Factory in South Melbourne.

With sales figures having risen in the second quarter of 2011, Mercury Electronics, Inc. plans to open a new factory in South Melbourne for development of its mid-line Helion notebooks. The announcement out of the Adelaide-based company was met with general fanfare as the new factory opening is expected to create nearly 1,500 high-paying engineering and support positions.

"By opening the new production line in South Melbourne, we hope to be able to target international markets easier along the Green Sea and elsewhere," said Mercury CEO Allison Howe. "Mercury computers are known nationally as some of the finest machines on the market. We use the best materials, the best software and hardware engineering, while still maintaining a competitive price. We hope to take that model abroad."

Cheval Students Show Support for Marriage Equality

As the Senate considers legalizing gay marriage throughout the Kingdom, students at the University of Norfolk at Cheval turned out in support of marriage equality. Holding placards that read "Genitals Don't Get Married, People Do," and "Stop Gay Sex! Legalize Gay Marriage," members of the UN Gay-Straight Alliance organized a picnic on the campus quad which attracted over 2,000 students to show their support. University of Norfolk at Cheval Comptroller Erin Nay said that the turnout was "enlightening" as so many students turned out on their own to support marriage equality.

"It's well known, through polls taken across the Kingdom, that marriage equality enjoys enormous support from voters between the ages of 18 and 25. Most polls show support in that age bracket hovering around 77%," said Dr. Henry Mossgrove, a noted Political Scientist at the University of Norfolk's Main Campus in Melbourne. "The leaders of tomorrow are simply expressing their opinions today."

Still, the rally was not without opponents. Over a dozen or so counter protesters gathered across the street from the University, many of them elderly parishioners at the conservative St. Ignatius Catholic Church on Thalia Drive in Cheval. Father John Whidden of St. Ignatius has been a rather vocal opponent of marriage equality since the issue was first brought up for debate during the Keating Administration in 1994.

"What these misguided students don't realize is that marriage is a contract between man and wife, which is ordained by God. It is the only stable system in which to raise children," said Whidden.

The Senate is expected to vote on marriage equality on Monday. If it passes it will be presented to the King by Prime Minister Jeanne Hollingsworth for Royal Assent. The Aquitaine Palace has already announced that the King will sign the legislation into law if it passes in the Senate.

Prince Michael Attending Summer Diving School in St. Kilda

Prince Michael is spending his summer vacation in Norfolk Province attending the Odysseus Diving School in St. Kilda. The Prince is studying along with 25 other boys and girls between ages 15 and 19, in a programme that is billed as "an unforgettable experience" by Odysseus. The young Prince Michael told reporters today that he has had a deep interest in oceanography since he was a child, and that the diving school is a "dream come true" for a "nautical nerd" such as himself.

The Aquitaine Palace has announced that the Prince will be enrolled in the programme and remain in St. Kilda during the King and Queen's planned overseas tour in August.

National Weather

Melbourne: 24ºC under fair skies
St. Marys: 22ºC under fair skies
Adelaide: 22ºC under fair skies
Ashtonfield: 20ºC under clear skies

A little cooler up to the north, with 19ºC in Hedlington and 18ºC in Hartford. Looking at tomorrow's highs and lows:

Melbourne: 30/22 and sunny
St. Marys: 30/21 and mostly sunny
Adelaide: 29/20 and partly cloudy
Ashtonfield: 28/20 and partly cloudy
Hedlington: 26/18 and partly cloudy
Hartford: 26/17 and sunny

In Other News:
A burst water pipe on Carter Avenue diverted traffic near Renaissance Centre in the CBD for two hours this afternoon.
Vistrasia and Engellex lowered tariffs; trade expected to rise between the two nations.
Construction on M9 in Danson causing some travel headaches for "Baycationers" travelling from the City to St. Kilda for festivities on this Memorial Day Long Week-end.

And that concludes the National Nine News Evening Edition for this Saturday evening. From all of us here at BBSNews, good night, Melbourne.

 

[Socialist Commonwealth]

Commissariate for Foreign Affairs

One can only wonder as to wh there is a travel warning issued against the Workers' Republic, but not against Nicosia or Lorraine, both at the forefront of the upcoming EDF attack on Solaren.

 

[Brettaine]

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Kingdom of Brettaine​

2 July 2011

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE​

SUBJECT: Travel Alerts in Long Sea Region for Brettish Tourists

Travellers carrying Brettish passports in the Long Sea, particularly in the nations of Carenania, Solaren, Nicosia, and neighbouring countries, are encouraged to seek passage out of the region. Travellers in Lorraine should remain vigilant of the situation in and around the Long Sea, and may be placed on alert should the situation continue to deteriorate. Should warfare break out, those with passports issued in Brettaine may seek refuge at their nearest Brettish embassy or consulate; however it must be stressed that evacuation at that point will be significantly delayed and travelers may find themselves stranded in the war zone.

Tourists and visitors carrying Brettish passports should seek passage out of the region for their own safety, until at least such time as cooler heads prevail. The Ministry has formed a Long Sea Interests Hotline for Bretons at home and abroad to inquire about the situation. In Brettaine, the number is 1800 985 640. Abroad, use the Brettish International Calling Code +61, and the international hotline is 1800 985 680.

Hon. Robert Frederick Hensley
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Kingdom of Brettaine

 

[Brettaine]

≈9

BBSNews - Melbourne​

NATIONAL NINE NEWS - EVENING NEWS​

6 July 2011​

This is National Nine News. Live from Melbourne, Joy Walters and Evan Hardman.

Good evening, and welcome to the National Nine News.

Senate Passes Same-Sex Marriage Bill

The Senate passed the bill to legalise same-sex marriage by a vote of 54-21. The bill will now be subject to Royal Assent, where King Paul II will formally sign the bill into law. Prime Minster Jeanne Hollingsworth, in a press conference today, called the vote "a monumental leap forward for the people of Brettaine."

The King will grant Royal Assent in a public event at the Aquitaine Palace on Friday. After that time, same-sex couples throughout the Kingdom will be allowed to marry.

Court of Enquiry To Investigate Hijacking of Flight 239

A court of enquiry investigating the hijacking of Brettish Airways Flight 239 will reopen on Monday, 11 July, according to a statement issued today by the Office of the Prime Minister. The Hon. Lord William Henry Turner will preside over the hearings.

The court is particularly interested in hearing the testimony of passengers and crew members, members of the Brettish and Sereniérrese special forces, and others who played a role in foiling the hijacking plot in May. Persons who may be called to testify before the Court of Enquiry include Capt. James Taylor, First Officer Jean-Paul Marien, Flight Attendants Kate Lockard and Tilly Muggleson, and passenger Paul Reynolds. The Court may have members of the Sereniérrese Black Jaguars testify in absentia, and request that terrorist mastermind Anna Karizhnikov be extradited to Brettaine where she may stand trial for murder, conspiracy, and terrorism.

Witnesses may not be called until after the 13th of the month.

Bantyric Senate Rejects Controversial Bill

Amidst pressing criticism both at home and abroad, the Bantyric Senate rejected a controversial bill which would have allowed inmates to be subjected to human experimentation. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a warning to the government in Bàngleann that should the bill pass, it could result in a breakdown of economic and political ties between Brettaine and the Northern European nation. The governments in Coronado, Carentania, Guiana, and the Holy See issued similar diplomatic communiqués to that effect as well.

"For decades, the Kingdom of Brettaine has made patently clear its unwavering support for human rights. It cannot and will not condone such mistreatment of human life. Regardless of the past transgressions of the inmates in question, no person should be forced to submit their body to inhumane scientific experimentation," said Minister of Foreign Affairs Robert Hensley in a statement this afternoon.

Although the bill failed in the Bantyric Senate, the Foreign Office in Vesper, Cantigny issued a communiqué supporting the Bantyric bill, stating "...we do not recognize the rights of child molesters, murderers, or moral creeps as remotely equal to the Enhanced Defence Apparatus of the Bantyric Patriotic Nation. Never before has Bantyr faced such harsh criticism and mortal peril in the face of European certain other peoplery."

"The statement from the Foreign Office in Vesper is quite disappointing," said Foreign Affairs Minister Hensley in the Press Conference this evening.

National Weather

Melbourne: 24ºC under fair skies
St. Marys: 22ºC under fair skies
Adelaide: 22ºC under fair skies
Ashtonfield: 20ºC under clear skies

A little cooler up to the north, with 19ºC in Hedlington and 18ºC in Hartford. Looking at tomorrow's highs and lows:

Melbourne: 30/22 and sunny
St. Marys: 30/21 and mostly sunny
Adelaide: 29/20 and partly cloudy
Ashtonfield: 28/20 and partly cloudy
Hedlington: 26/18 and partly cloudy
Hartford: 26/17 and sunny

And that concludes the National Nine News Evening Edition for this Wednesday evening. From all of us here at BBSNews, good night, Melbourne.

 

[Gunnland]

You must be registered for see images

Secretariat of State of the Holy See.​

The Holy Father is dismayed by the news that the Brettish Senate intends to redefine the ancient institution of marriage at variance from the holy sacrament of matrimony. The Tiburian Curia recommends that His Majesty King Paul II change course.

If the Brettish people wish to give legal recognition to the joint rights of gay and lesbian couples, the Senate ought to create a category of legal partnerships. If a principle of equality is enjoined here, the Senate ought to eschew the language of 'marriage' altogether.

Let our simple protest not be understood. The authority to marry is proper to the Church (and the various ecclesial communities and cults) and the Church (and the various ecclesial communities and cults) alone. The present legislation is an attempt to usurp the authority of the Apostolic Church, bound to cause confusion.

In the name of His Holiness Pope Stephanus IV,
Angelo Cardinal D'Ursaque, Secretary.

 

[Brettaine]

7​

BBSNews - Ashtonfield​

KING HOSPITALISED FOR FLANK PAINS​

7 July 2011​

ASHTONFIELD – His Majesty the King was sent to hospital this morning after complaining about a sharp pain in his left side. The King and Queen were returning home from a Memorial Breakfast for Brettish veterans when the King fell ill.

The Aquitaine Palace reports that the King had been suffering from flank pains since yesterday evening. His personal physician prescribed the painkiller hydrocodone and the muscle relaxer cyclobenzaprine, which helped the King sleep through the night but did not cure the pains.

St. George Hospital in Ashtonfield, where the King is being treated, has reported that the King is in good spirits and conscious, although will be kept in hospital overnight for observation. In a statement, the King's physician, Dr. Christina Hawthorne, says that the King is suffering from a muscle spasm caused by mild dehydration after spending much of the Memorial Day Long Week-End outside in the heat, as well as a potassium deficiency.

"His Majesty will be observed throughout the night and allowed to rest. Further aggravation of the muscle spasm could lead to internal bruising of the muscle tissue, so for the time being he is encouraged to rest and wait for the spasm to subside," said Hawthorne in her statement. "He will make a full recovery from this, and will hopefully be out of hospital by tomorrow afternoon."

Regional Weather Update

Currently in Ashtonfield: 23º and rainy

Forecast for Tonight: 20º and rainy

 

[Frescania]

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

We congratulate the Senate of Brettaine for giving the same rights to the gay community. We also hope the King recovers quickly.

 

[Brettaine]

7​

BBSNews - Ashtonfield​

ROYAL ASSENT GRANTED TO GAY MARRIAGE​

8 July 2011​

ASHTONFIELD - In a public ceremony this morning, His Majesty King Paul II signed the Marriage Equality Bill of 2011 into law, effectively legalising gay and lesbian marriage throughout the Kingdom. The King had planned to sign the bill yesterday, but was taken to hospital after complaining about flank pains. After having been released from hospital this morning, the King returned to the Aquitaine Palace where he granted Royal Assent to the bill.

Advocates for marriage equality are celebrating this evening in events taking place in Ashtonfield, St. Marys, Melbourne, and Adelaide. Effective Monday, marriage licenses will be issued throughout the Kingdom to gay and lesbian couples who have been fighting for equality for the better part of a decade.

"I am proud to grant Royal Assent to this bill, and to stop the silent persecution of a segment of the Brettish people," said the King after signing the bill. Upon signing, Prime Minister Jeanne Hollingsworth applied her signature to the bill as well, and the Palace Clerk affixed the Royal Seal to the document, formalizing it into law.

"This is a great day for the people of Brettaine," said the Prime Minister in a statement.

Despite overwhelming support from the Brettish people, there are still critics who oppose the bill. In a special statement yesterday morning, the Tiburian Curia recommended that the King refuse to sign the bill. If the King decided to follow that advice, it would be the first time since 1928 that a sitting monarch has refused to grant Royal Assent to a bill that has passed through both houses of Parliament.

"Although the Thieriots are Catholic, it is necessary to understand that in Brettish politics, the King's religion plays no role in public affairs. The Constitution of 1914, which grants basic civil liberties to the people of Brettaine, specifically outlines that the Government of the Kingdom would officially be secular while granting religious liberties to all people. While this new law legalises gay marriage, it makes no assertion or implication that religious denominations that oppose same-sex marriage shall not be compelled or obliged to perform said unions," said Dr. Henry Mossgrove, a political scientist at the University of Norfolk. "There's the rumour amongst some hard-line conservatives that the King signed this bill because his son, Prince Michael, has come out as a homosexual. But the fact of the matter is, the King is very supportive of gay rights and has been for decades. In 1992, two years before Prince Michael was born, the King pushed for the repeal of discriminatory policies against homosexuals vis-à-vis employment."

Ceremonies in Melbourne are expected to continue throughout the weekend. Gay marriage enjoys the highest support in Norfolk Province, where 85% of the citizenry has affirmed their support for marriage equality. Prince Michael, who is spending the summer at diving school in St. Kilda, will travel to Melbourne over the weekend to celebrate the new law and give a speech of support to gay youths in Norfolk.

Karizhnikov To Stand Trial Via Satellite Communications

The Foreign Ministry of Sereniérre has flatly denied a plea by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to extradite Flight 239 hijacker Anna Karizhnikov to Brettaine to stand trial. The District Court of Norfolk Province has filed charges against Karizhnikov, including murder, attempted murder, and conspiracy for her role as the lead terrorist in the hijacking in May.

"It is disappointing that our Sereniérrese friends have refused to allow the legal system to run its course," said Foreign Affairs Minister Robert Hensley. "We do intend to bring justice to Karizhnikov, even if that means trying her in absentia."

Despite refusing to extradite Karizhnikov, the Sereniérrese have promised to allow Karizhnikov her rights as guaranteed by the Constitution of 1863. These include the right to meet with counsel, the right to a speedy trial, and the presumption of innocence until the verdict is passed down. Jury selection is expected to begin in Melbourne on Wednesday.

Regional Weather Update

Currently in Ashtonfield: 24º and cloudy

Forecast for Tonight: 22º with isolated showers

 

[Brettaine]

≈9

BBSNews - Melbourne​

A CENTURY LATER; HMS CARAVELLE FOUND​

23 July 2011​

WYNDHAM – One-hundred-and-one years after its mysterious loss, the former battleship HMS Caravelle was found on the bottom of the Green Sea, approximately 250 miles south-southeast of the Norfolk Peninsula. An expedition from Tierra Caye Oceanographic Institute has been searching for the battleship since early June.

A century ago, the Kingdom of Brettaine boasted one of the largest blue-water navies on the Green Sea. The political climate during the reign of Queen Elizabeth, between 1865 and 1907, saw a more militaristic Brettaine. One of the biggest rationales for boasting such a large navy was to compete in an international arms race prior to the Great War, as well as to protect Brettish business interests abroad.

HMS Caravelle was one piece of Her Majesty’s Royal Navy. Launched by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth in 1890, she entered service in 1895 as an armoured cruiser and flagship of the Red Fleet. With her white hull, buff-coloured funnels, and main armament mounted en echelon, the Caravelle was considered one of the world’s most advanced warships at her commissioning in St. Marys on 17 September 1895. With the world locked in a massive arms race, however, her time in this position would be short.

In 1900, Caravelle was reclassified as Battleship No. 2, and served alongside her predecessor, HMS Aylette, in the Green Sea Fleet. Both ships were named for cities in Berengaria.

By 1910, Caravelle had been outclassed several times over. She had been reclassified as a second-class battleship in 1907 and relegated to coastal patrols and training duties. On 7 July 1910, she departed from the St. Marys Naval Facility with the light cruiser HMS Sevylor for a three-month cruise around the Green Sea.

On 21 July, as the ships were about 250 miles out from port, Caravelle suddenly started taking on water in its centre boiler room around 12:30 in the afternoon. Captain Aaron Roche ordered the ship to be stopped until the source of the problem could be found, and signaled a sign of distress to the Sevylor via wireless and signal flags.

Throughout the early afternoon of 21 July, a ready crew worked to find the source of the water, but as the water was leaking from a source under hundreds of tonnes of coal in the centre bunker, it was ultimately decided to simply close the watertight doors and make for port. At 6:45 that evening, Capt. Roche contacted Admiral Paul Mossgrove and Capt. Jeffrey Herig on board the Sevylor and informed them of the situation. Adm. Mossgrove ordered the two ships turned around, and relayed the distress signal to Naval Headquarters in Ashtonfield via a transmitting station in Wyndham.

Amidst a setting sun, the two ships turned back towards the Naval Station in St. Marys. Four hours later, around eleven o’clock on the night of the 21st, the crew on board HMS Caravelle heard a loud noise, and the ship suddenly started to lurch to starboard. Capt. Roche immediately signaled to the Sevylor via Morse lamp and the wireless, but the stricken battleship soon lost electricity and went dark. Capt. Herig, on board Sevylor, ordered spotlights and boats into the water. Sailors aboard the cruiser watched in horror as the huge bulk of the Caravelle slipped beneath the waves, leaving sailors bobbing in the water. Of the 374 officers and men aboard Caravelle, 281 perished—many were simply caught off guard and drowned in their berthing compartments. Only those sailors on deck and officers in their sleeping quarters stood a chance at survival. Capt. Roche was simply washed off the bridge, and survived without injury.

Sevylor quickly picked up the surviving crewmembers, a task which proved difficult in the pitch darkness of night. By 4:00 in the morning on 22 July, the survivors from Caravelle had been pulled from the water, and Sevylor started towards home.

Yet the saga of the Caravelle did not end. Two days after the sinking of the Caravelle, the cruiser Sevylor appeared to be in trouble of her own. Early on the morning of 23 July, the cruiser had received a warning from weather stations along the Josepanian coast about a cyclone that had wreaked havoc on shipping the previous day. The storm was moving northwest at an alarming speed, heading directly for Sevylor. As tall storm clouds began building along the southeastern horizon that Saturday afternoon, Capt. Herig and Adm. Mossgrove met with the senior officers from Sevylor and Caravelle to discuss a strategy. The group agreed that the storm would most likely catch up with the Sevylor, even at full steam, before the cruiser could make it to port in St. Marys. They agreed, it would be quicker to make for the Straits of Norfolk, seeking refuge in the Bay of Brettaine, and disembark the sailors from the lost Caravelle in Adelaide. At 7:45 that evening, Sevylor turned to the north and made full steam for the mouth of the Straits, hoping to beat the storm.

Although they made a good run throughout the night of the 23rd and the early morning hours of the 24th, they wouldn’t make it to the Bay in time. In the age before satellite technology, forecasting cyclones proved incredibly difficult, with many seafarers and meteorologists relying on reports from ships and coastal installations. As it turned out, the cyclone took a jog to the north in the early morning hours of the 24th and began to intercept the Sevylor as it entered the Straits. The crew hoped to seek refuge from the more damaging elements of the cyclone by reaching the Bay of Brettaine, using the Norfolk Peninsula as a gigantic dam against the storm surge. As the cyclone struck while the Sevylor was still in the Straits, however, the surge acted on the ship as if it were sailing through an overflowing rain gutter. The cruiser fought against the ferocious wind and tide, but to no avail. At 3:45 in the morning on the 24th of July, the HMS Sevylor ran aground on the Norfolk Coast near Spencer’s Landing, a large plantation along the Straits. Four sailors were killed when they were knocked off the deck and into the churning seas below.

Lord Richard Spencer, 3rd Baronet Spencer, having a hard time sleeping through the foul weather, was drawn from his home by a deafening roar and the crashing of metal. He was stunned to see the huge gray hull of the Sevylor washed up on the shore behind his home. With the storm getting worse, and the ship still lurching despite having run aground, Spencer quickly sprung into action and brought the four-hundred-and-seventy-seven men into his home to ride out the storm. By seven o’clock in the evening on the 24th of July, the storm had started to pass. Adm. Mossgrove and the two captains left for Ashtonfield after securing proper quarters for their crew.

All three of the senior officers were exonerated in a court of enquiry, but having lost two ships in a one-week period, the Royal Navy encouraged all three of the senior officers to retire to save face. Admiral Mossgrove survived another 10 years, passing away in 1920 at the age of 73. Captain Hering would retire in 1912 at the rank of Commodore. Captain Roche retired in 1918 after serving in the Great War; he passed away in 1968 at the age of 103-years-old. For his part in assisting the crew of the Sevylor, the Baronet Spencer was elevated to the title of Marquess of Machodock in 1912. Sevylor, perched against a small bluff over fourteen metres from the shoreline, was ultimately scrapped on the spot when attempts to refloat her failed. Her mainmast was sent to Ashtonfield, where it remains as a memorial to the lives lost in what became known as "The Odyssey of the Caravelle." As for the Caravelle herself, her disappearance remained a mystery until her discovery last week.

Using remote-operated vehicles to dive deep into the wreck, researchers found a massive hole in the bottom of the ship. A fire in the centre coalbunker, a common occurrence at the time, had been smouldering since the ship departed from St. Marys. Since the fire seemed to be under control, the crew kept an eye on the situation but didn’t think much about it. Meanwhile, the smouldering heat was weakening the bottom of the hull, until two or three rivets finally gave way and a leak started. Although the cool sea water extinguished the fire, it also began to put a lot of stress on the weakened bulkhead between the coal bunker and the boiler room. At 10:45 in the evening on 21 July, the bulkhead finally gave way and cold seawater rushed into the central boiler room. Fifteen minutes later, the super-heated boilers exploded as cold seawater rushed in, igniting the starboard powder magazine. Five minutes afterwards, the ship slipped between the waves.

What started as a simple coal fire led to one of the greatest peacetime losses in Brettish Naval History. Although the crew members of the Caravelle would never know what happened to their ill-fated ship, their descendants now have some empirical evidence as to its demise.

 

[Brettaine]

≈9

BBSNews - Melbourne​

ROYAL MINT RELEASES NEW COIN DESIGNS​

27 July 2011​

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Figure: The new reverse designs as it appears in a Mint Set. The obverse designs feature the effigy of HRH King Paul II.

MELBOURNE – For the first time in fifty years, Brettish coinage has undergone a change. Yet unlike previous changes, where a new reverse may only affect one denomination, the new changes will affect the reverse of every circulating coin. Some, like the new reverse designs for the fifty-pence and one-pound coins are simply a modernized redesign of the previous piece. Others, such as the penny and two-pence, have undergone a dramatic modernization.

The reverse designs for the circulating penny and two-pence coins were both designed in 1859, and with the exception of some minor die modifications, they have retained the same design since. The 1859 designs feature a laurel wreath with the words “ONE PENNY” in the centre on the penny, and an oak wreath with the words “TWO PENCE” in the centre on the two-pence. While the venerable designs have graced the copper coinage for a century and a half, the designs have been criticized since the 1930s as stodgy and outdated. The new penny features the lamp on the Tierra Caye Lighthouse, while the two-pence features a sailboat in the Bay of Aquitaine. Zachary Thompson is credited with both designs for the new copper coins.

Like the copper coins, the five-pence features a design dating back to the nineteenth century. The old design has been on the reverse of the five-pence since 1883, featuring a large “V” surrounded by a wreath of Brettaine’s largest agricultural exports: maize, tobacco, wheat, and oats. The new design features the dome on Parliament Hall in Ashtonfield, offset for a twenty-first century feel. David Anderson is credited with the design on the new five-pence.

The ten-pence features one of the most radical redesigns. The former design was released in 1947, featuring the Crest of the Federal Parliament. The new ten-pence bears the design of the 12th century Eysóne, a large silver coin used in ancient Daventry, surrounded by stars and the denomination. Credit for the new ten-pence design goes to Noah Reynolds, an art student at the University of Teck.

The new twenty-pence coin uses elements from the Crest of the Federal Parliament, featuring a fasces in front of an olive branch. The fasces represents the strength of the nation and her people, while the olive branch represents its commitment to the preservation of peace. The new twenty-pence was also designed by David Anderson.

While the family crest of the Royal Family remains on the fifty-pence, the coin’s shape has changed. For the first time in Brettish history, a polygonal coin has entered circulation. The dodecagon – that’s mathematics for twelve-sided – has a cleaner design of Aliza Strand’s classic 1933 reverse featuring the Thieriot Family Crest, along with three stars representing the Holy Trinity.

The one-pound coin, like the fifty-pence, also features Strand’s representation of the Coat of Arms of the Kingdom, although the name of the country has been removed from the reverse and instead the design is framed by an ancient Berengarian weave. The same weave appears on the two-pound coin, although the bimetallic silver centre bears a more dramatic representation of Brettania and removes the more militaristic elements that appeared in the 1908 design. The famed sculptor, Augustine St. Helens, is credited with the new design for the two-pound coin.

The new coins have been generally lauded by the numismatic community within the Kingdom, and have fulfilled the desires of many who have pushed for a modernization of Brettish coinage for more than a decade. The King, a supporter for redesign, worked closely with the Dahlgren government for years to approve the new coin designs.

The main mint in Kensington has minted the majority of the new coins. The branch mints in Melbourne, St. Marys, and Winchester will start full-scale coinage in the autumn, making branch-mint releases for the 2011 coins a possible rarity in the near future.

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Figure: The new reverse designs as it appears in a Mint Set. The obverse designs feature the effigy of HRH King Paul II.

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Figure: The old designs as they appeared in a 2009 mint set. All 3 mints will cease production of these designs by 1 October.

 

[Brettaine]

BBSNews​

SPECIAL REPORT

AUGUST TERROR

17 August 2011​

ASHTONFIELD--For the second time this year, Brettaine became the victim of terror when a series of coordinated attacks were carried out on government targets yesterday. At approximately 9:11 a.m. yesterday morning, a Royal Parcel Service van laden with explosives detonated outside of the Offices of the Ministry building near Parliament Hall in Ashtonfield. The initial explosion, centred directly below the office of Prime Minister Hollingsworth, cut off the entire eastern façade of the nine story structure and seriously destabilized the remnants of the building. The Prime Minister had left for a meeting with His Majesty the King not more than half-an-hour earlier, undoubtedly saving her life. Members of the Ministerial staff, however, were not so lucky.

The attacks were carried out by the Holy Brotherhood of Bretons, a hyper-nationalistic paleo-conservative splinter group from the National Party. The ringleader, Alan Miller, had allied his group with the Lancaster Militia, a gun-rights and anti-Federalist organization from Hartford which had a hand in storming the Lancaster Parliament House. They had planned to force the unicameral legislature to vote for succession from the Federal government in Ashtonfield to form the Lancaster Republic. The plot was foiled when Prime Minister Hollingsworth ordered anesthetic gas piped into the chamber through the building's ventilation systems, subduing the Militiamen and keeping the legislature from acting under the threat.

Twenty minutes after the bombing at the O.M. building, Prince Michael was abducted by the terrorist mastermind at the Berkshire School ALLIES event being held at Caledon Nature Park in Clayhill, approximately 20 kilometres north of the Capital District. News of the abduction sent the Aquitaine Palace into a tailspin as they were already reeling to respond to the O.M. Building bombing. At 10:30 yesterday morning, the mastermind of the attacks, Alan Miller, addressed the nation on national television and presented his ransom for the Prince's safe return: the abdication of the King and the resignation of Prime Minister Jeanne Hollingsworth. Miller demanded that the Ministry be handed to MP Benjamin Andrews, the lone National Party representative in Parliament. Responding to a possible coup on Andrews' part, the Master at Arms arrested Andrews under orders of the Prime Minister until such time as he was ruled out of the conspiracy. Andrews was released from custody at 11:15 p.m. yesterday evening.

Reports have come out from Cheval, a small outlying community within the Melbourne metropolitan area, that terrorists had infiltrated Cheval High School in order to kidnap the Prime Minister's daughter. Preliminary reports from the Norfolk Sheriff's office state that the plan was foiled, when it appears that the student body - aware of the Prince's kidnapping and the situation in the Capital - took up arms against the terrorists and prevented them from taking Hollingsworth. Four of the five men who took the school hostage were killed in a firefight with police officers. One man, Darren Otten, survived, although he was badly injured when a student subdued him by smashing a bottle of sulfuric acid over his head.

The chaos has been called the August Terror. It was a deliberate, coordinated series of terrorism aimed at the Brettish people and the families of our sovereign and elected leaders.

Bretons Join Together in Wake of August Terror

This morning, across the Kingdom, it is not an uncommon sight to see traffic flowing carefully and cautiously; to see Brettish flags flying from buildings; to see the people joining together as one people to help one another in the wake of the terrorist attacks of 8/16. Trading on stock markets have been closed until Friday afternoon, government buildings have been shut down, and airplanes and trains have stopped moving. Yet despite the fact that the nation has come to a virtual standstill, the people have shown their willingness to join together to show they have not been shaken by terror.

At the O.M. building last night, some first responders report seeing a surge of citizens pouring over the wreckage and victims to lend a helping hand in rescue efforts. It was even reported that late last evening, the Prime Minister and the King himself were present at the temporary triage centre set up in the parking lot tending to the victims. Both the Prime Minister and the Aquitaine Palace have declined to comment on these reports.

In Melbourne, citizens joined in a candlelight vigil at Millican Park at 10:30 yesterday evening. Sailboats on Millican Bay pointed lights at their Brettish flags and sent battery-powered lanterns to the top of their mast, while tugboats at South Melbourne docks blew their horns in unison for thirty-seconds. Melbourne Mayor Kryzstof Trofimiuk reportedly gave an impromptu speech at the event, and held a moment of silence for the victims of the terrorist attacks.

The King is expected to address the nation at 9:00 a.m. this morning regarding the attacks.

 

[Frescania]

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

We condemn these attacks on Brettaine and we send our condelence to the Government and the people of the country. Frescania is willing to send assistance.

 

[Anglyn]

Foreign Office

HM government condemns these barbaric attacks, and though Anglyn and her overseas territories are under threat from attack by by the armaed forces of Solaren, Engellex and the Platte Confederation, assistance is offered to the Kingdom of Brettaine.