Istalia

[XanderOne]

National Alliance won elections and Eros Monaldi endorses Ilaria Spada as his successor
AN's single-party government will lead Istalia for the next four years headed by the new party leader while Eros Monaldi retires honored by the whole country

A cheerful Ilaria Spada just before to swear as new Prime Minister of Istalia in the hands of the Emperor

1 April 5209

ROMULA - Last month's elections were certainly a nice farewell gift for the Duke of Sàxera Eros Monaldi, the long lasting leader of the National Alliance: the party has in fact brought back a landslide victory and gained 245 seats into the Chamber of Deputies and 28 Federal Councilors, a more than comfortable majority which determined in few weeks the appointement of the leader of AN as next Prime Minister who this moorning swore in front of the Emperor.

However, it was not once again the outgoing Prime Minister Eros Monaldi the chosed one, but his dolphin the outgoing Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Ilaria Spada (37), became in the last years, despite the young age, the veritable right hand of Monaldi, two times Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Chairman of the Steering Committee of the party for 3 years and previously leader of Monaldi's faction into the National Conference. Known to be a fierce politicians, she is a determined woman who has been described as a sharp person, cheerful and easygoing too but able to keep in line her ranks with great authority.
Eros Monaldi, despite leading another successful electoral campaign, showing still a great charisma despite his advanced age (85), already few months ago had already announced his intention to retire from politics and enjoy a well deserved rest, confident to leave the country in safe hands.
The party will organize the new National Congress to elect the new leadership in few weaks but it will be just a formality to confirm the succession of Ilaria Spada, being the vast majority of the party firmly controlled by Monaldi and Spada, assuring thus a smooth transition. There are, however, some rumors according to which the carrer of Ilaria Spada was favored by what has been considered a too close friendship with the outgoing AN's National Secretary, developed especially since the death of the wife of Eros Monaldi. However, coming such rumors from the opponents of Monaldi and Spada within the party, they should be taken with a pinch of salt and most of the public opinion currently consider them as just malicious gossip.
The last week, during the session of the Chamber for the vote of confidence to the new Government, Eros Monaldi make the last appareance into the Chamber and once the confidence was granted, the whole hemicycle stand up applauding the outgoing Prime Minister expressing the gratitude on behalf of the whole country for his long years of service and showing the respect that the aged stateman gained during its tenure, a respect that trascends the different political colors in the light of his undoubted successes and merits and for his devotion to the country.

His Majesty the Emperor, during the swearing-in ceremony of the new government this moorning, after wishing good work to the new government he express few words of gratitude to the former Prime Minister too:

Whole Istalia today pay homage to one of the greatest leaders this country had not only in the last century but in its whole history.

I would like express my deepest gratitue to you, The Honorable Duke of Sàxera, on behalf of the whole country too of course, which you served with the outmost devotion, bringing it glory, prestige and respect.

I was honored to have you as my first Prime Minister after the long years of service under my beloved father during which you granted me, as young Grand Prince of the Crown, your assistance, your counsel and your experience.

I wish you a peaceful and joyful rest after all these long years dedicated to the fatherland.

Thank you Mr Prime Minister!

[XanderOne]

A made in Istalia promotional tour
Some of the most advanced ships of the Navy will leave for a world cruise as a veritable showcase of the industrial and technological excellencies of the country


12 April 5209

NEAPULIA - The Imperial Ships Aquila (LHD), Impetuoso (destroyer), Palladio (offshore Patrol Vessel) and Monte Tonante (logistic ship) left today for a world cruise that will see the flotilla stop off on all continents to meet authorities and business of the countries touched.

Among the most advanced vessels in the fleet, pride of the Istalian shipbuilding and of defense industries, the ships will dedicate leave for a veritable promotional tour of the "Made in Istalia", with the Aquila that has been turned into a "floating fair" . Aircrafts and vehicles in services into the Istalian Armed Forces have been embarked aboard the LHD as well as other ones the Istalian Industry wishes to offer to foreign markets and then, in the several underbridge spaces of the ship, stands of many other istalian companies have been prepared, showing other articles from the technologicial and high-tech industries.

The semiconductor and informatic technology industry will be present with products from TEA or VerTech, like the new microprocessors of the "Idra" family or the second version of its quantum computer; BIOENIST, subsidiaries of ENIST, is present with its latest generation biofuels (bioethanol and biodiesel) produced from hemp; dozens of new medical equipements, like the last generation robot surgeon "VerTech RC1X", while the University of Caleon will be present to present new prostetic libs made of new materials, printend in 3D and some prototype of robot arms and legs; a section of the Aquila has been reserved also to show some of the new hybrid and electric cars from istalian brands like Estal or Tridente; ecc...



Among the defense articles promoted there will be the new vehicles for the Army: the new multipurpose ground combat platform "Drago" and the armoured personnel carrier "Lince". Both the vehicles remain faithful to the Istalian tradition to design wheeled vehicles, judged more suitable for asymmetric warfare, peacekeeping and humanitarian missions, city combat scenarios, etc... than tracked vehicles, especially given the absence of the risk of large scale conflicts. Such a doctrine had already determined some decades ago the decision by part of the Defense to halt the development of a new MBT and to reduce the orders for the tracked IFV "Tuffad".
Furthermore, vehicles like the "Lince", can fulfill roles aimed to internal security like civilian policing, control of territory, maintenance of order, contrast to terrorism and internal crime, ecc...

The wheeled 8x8 armoured vehicle "Drago" is a platform which has been developed into multiple variants to fulfill several roles: infantry fighting vehicle, this version is called "Aspide", which in turn has been designed to fulfill several roles based on its equipement as pure IVF (with a remote 30 mm autocannon turret), anti-tank (equiped also with an anti-tank missile launcher), Command Post and 120mm mortar carrier; the "Drago 155/39" as self-propelled howitzer; "Drago Scutum" as a polyvalent platform equiped with a main gun derived from a naval cannon to be used as anti-aircraft and anti-missile system, although it can be deployed for ground combat as well as for coast defense.


The "Drago"


The IFV "Aspide"

The "Lince" instead, it's a wheeled armoured personnel carrier presented in 4X4 and 6x6 versions. The "Lince" has been designed to complement the "Aspide" but the Istalian Army today is equiping with this vehicles most of infantry regiments too. It is used by cavalry regiments as well as by several special forces regiments. The vehicles in the next years will equip also regiments of amphibious and parachutist brigates. The Lince is equiped with a machine gun remote controlled turret and smoke-grenade launchers.


A 6x6 "Lince"

In show there will be also the new assault riffle for the Istalian Armed Forces, the Veredda "VBR-200", built in composite materials, designed to be fully ambidextrous, it can be equiped with granade-launcher as well as with a bayonet, and the next months Verredda will present several specific versions of the VBR-200 (like the one for the special forces, the designated marksman rifle version, a copacted version aimed also to equip police and swat departments).


The "VBR-200" assault riffle

About the aircrafts, Leonardi presents its new multi-role medium helicopter, the LH-5500, mainly aimed to internal security, thus for police forces and rescue organizations and it can be used as VIP transport and commercial helicopter. Leonardi, however, is also about to present a military version, the LH-5500M, able to operate in the most desparate environments, day and night, as troop transport, logistics support, surveillance and reconnaissance, Special Forces operations, command and control, medical and casualty evacuation, Search and Rescue (SAR) and personnel recovery.


The "LH-5500"

On board of both the Aquila and the offshore patrol vessel Palladio, medical facilies have been installed equiped with the best of the medical devices like TAC and PET and even a surgic room aquiped with a surgic robot. The medical team embarked on the flotilla will also show the applications of new medical treatments and techniques. However, the medical facilities will not only be a showcase but once the flotilla will touch some of the poorest regions of world the medical team will carry health assistance to the local populations.

Given the pacific nature of this tour, on the LHD will be in active service just two helicopters while the Impetuoso and the Palladio will lack of any offensive weapons and they will be equiped with just defensive ones. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs for months already had contacted all the countries where Istalia wishes to send its ships, also to require the necessary authorizations for the transit and docking of these military ships into their territorial waters and ports. A further security measure will be the presence of a Romula-class attack submarine, the Caleon, but this one will be fully equiped and will never enter the territorial waters of the nations touched with the other ships. In any case, as declared by the Ministry of Defense, approaching the foreign territorial waters the presence and position of the Caleon will be disclosed and the submarne itself will wait in emersion, a further sign of the pacific nature of the mission.


Photo of Grand Prince of the Crown Nicola Alessandro as a fresh from diploma ensign assigned to the destroyer Impetuoso

The flotilla will have among the ranks of its crew His Imperial Highness the Grand Prince of the Crown Nicola Alessandro (22), currently serving under the Imperial Navy on board of the Impetuoso and who will also represent the crown and the country paying homage to the heads of state and state authorities of the country visited by the tour, the first official commitment of the heir to the throne.

Among the nations which will be touched there will be Beiteynu, Deltaria, Dolgava, Vanaku, Kalistan, Lourenne, Kanjor, Luthori, Baltusia, Malivia, Kalopia, Luthori, Sekowo, Tropica, Bianje, etc... while in the most poorer nations touched in Dovani the mission will focus on medical assistance to local people, from simple medical check to surgery, from vacinations to the printing of artificial limbs through the new techniques and technologies embarked on the ships.
The istalian delegation will be able to meet local authorities and business and the most of the government contacted in the previous months already expressed their will to warmly welcome the Grand Prince of the Crown, like Kalistan where the local authorities will organize festivities to welcome the Prince and the Istalian sailors while a joined review of the troops will see the Grand Prince alongside the new Emperor David I to whom the Prince will present the best wishes on behalf of his father. The former Empress Elizabeth is also eager to meet Prince Nicola Alessandro as long lasting friend of the Imperial family and of Empress Mother Elisa particularly.
In Lourenne the Grand Prince of the Crown will be welcomed by the Lourennese heir to the throne Prince of Alvium Maximilien, in Kalopia the Grand Prince will pay homage to the new Triarchs by part of Istalia and his father the Emperor, as well as in Vanuku where the Prince will pay homage to the new King Pawl, ecc...

OOC: military vehicles, aircrafts and weapons are based on the armoured vehicle Centauro II, on the IVF Freccia, on the armoured transport Puma, on the AgustaWestland AW169, on the Berretta ARX160 and its derived versions.

[XanderOne]

Il Gossip Quotidiano
Prince Nicola Alessandro protagonist of a gossip scandal in Sekowo!
While in the dovanian nation the heir to the throne has fallen for a local movie star: a new controversial but great love story in sight for an Istalian royal?

The sekowan actress Sakurai Yuni

5 March 5210

ROMULA - The ships of the Imperial Navy sent on the "Made in Istalia" promotional tour around the world have returned home for over a month and a half now, bringing back great satisfaction to the Government.

The mission was also a success for the Grand Prince of the Crown Nicola Alessandro (23) who excellently represented the Crown and the Nation, being warmly welcomed with great honors in all the Presidential Palaces and Royal Courts visited. Upon returning, the Prince has gone on leave and he won't come back in service on board of the destroyer Impetuoso before than other two months.

For some days, however, the Grand Prince of the Cronw has become the protagonist of a gossip scandal that broke out in Sekowo whose echo reached Istalia in no time: last week various sekowan tabloid and online newspapers published photos of the Prince of the Crown in the company of the young sekowan model and emerging movie star Sakurai Yuni (18 the last November).

In Istalia, such news would not have generated any scandal but would have simply made the delight of tabloid newspapers and make craxy the "followers" of the Crown, perhaps making just the fan of the young Prince despair, but in Sekowo the Prince and the young actress have hit the local traditions, conventions and morality regarding interpersonal relationships, showbusiness and also they infringed the unspoken rule regulating how sekowan celebrities relate to the public, usually very reserved about their private lives which are constrained by rules too. But actually there is also to assess if laws of Sekowo were infringed: the actress, behaving in this way, it seems she has broken the contractual agreements with her agency and messed up what turned out to be a commercial operation organized by her agency and the one of a local music star who had staged a relationship between the two celebrities. The girl then found herself in the midst of a storm of criticism, harassed by disappointed and angry fans, and then criticized by many in Sekowo for the photos with the Prince in which she appears in behaviors judged not at all appropriate for her age.
The photos, in fact, spotted the Prince and the actress while they were visiting a tourist area in Sekowo and portray them in intimate attitudes, as they walk hand in hand, hug or kiss. These are scenes that for the local culture are considered even osé by the most modest and traditionalists and the Prince's attitudes seems very proactive, excessively proactive, towards a girl who for the law of the country was still a minor until 10th November. But there are also other kind of malicious criticism against the actress according to which she behaved in such a way for her own interests, to increase its visibility and because attracted by the international renowned istalian movie industry.

Since the release of the photos, the sekowan and then the Istalian press put great efforts to collect more infos and it emerged that Prince Nicola Alessandro met Miss Sakurai at a night gala in Heimeikyo attended by sekowan personalities from politics and business but also by people from entertainment industry among which there were also Miss Sakurai who collected another prestigious sekowan award for a role in an historical film few months ago and who already a year and half ago won numerous best new actress awards after her debut movie in which she had a lead role. Already that night the staff of the Prince found itself to be quite embarassed when local press asked at the end of the gala for some questions to the Prince who instead had vanished. At the time the issue was solved saying that the Prince came back at the Istalian Embassy due to an unexpected indisposition. In reality it seems that Prince Nicola Alessandro, after having approached Miss Sakurai, left the gala with her coming back to the Istalian Embassy only the following moorning.

In Istalia, public opinion has welcomed the news about the Crown Prince with a completely different and much lighter spirit but concerns have emerged within the Crown and the Government who fear that this could represent a diplomatic and image issue with the Sekowan government and the Sekowan people. The Prince, in fact, could be even pursued in Sekowo beacuse the age of Miss Sakurai: currently it is still unknown the precise day when the photos have been taken but this could be really crucial because the Istalian mission stopped in Sekowo for a week and half between the 5 and 16 november, Miss Komatsu 18th birthday fell on the 10 November and the gala was held on 7 November. If the Prince of the Crown and Miss Sakurai had more intimate intercourse before November 10, the situation could become decidedly more complicated. What is certain is that not all the nations of the world are open minded like Istalia and the traditions and customs of Istalia are surely less strict than the one in Sekowo: sex between teenager still underage is normal, relationships involving high students and a little older young adults are not unusual (and in certain conditions also relations with larger gap can be accepted, as the love story between Tommaso III and the now Empress Mother Elisa testified), as well as it is different the approach of the justice on such cases which in Istalia tendentially takes a lot in account several factors and conditions of such a kind of relationship, more focused on accertain if there are psycological or fisical abuses, coercion or deception at the expense of the minor who for the Istalian law, reached the age of 16, is deemed able to consent to having sex with an adult as long as the latter is not in a position of trust or authority.
Other concerns then emerged from the public opinion in Istalia about the security of the Prince and the press questioned the Palace about how the Prince was able to vanish unnoticed even if he was the main guest and attended the gala in its dress uniform. The Imperial Household responded that the Prince has never been out of the sight of his escort and indeed he convinced, although it seems it would be better say that he forced one of the members of his escort, his personal and most closed guard, to exchange clotes dressing thus a more discret dark suit.

Yet even in the homeland of the actress, now after several days from the explosion of the scoop, positive comments are finally emerging too, with many positive and above all dreamy comments for the alleged love story between the Prince and Miss Nakano hoping for a happy ending fairy tale story.
In both countries, the curiosity of the public is mounting more and more but both here in Istalia and in Sekowo the two protagonist of the scoop for a couple of days they have not only seemed unreachable by the press but they seem even nowhere to be found and both the Crown of Istalia and the sekowan agency of the actress did not want to reveal where the two are, although it is suspected that they are together in Sekowo where the Prince, very discreetly, has returned in a hurry as soon as the scoop exploded.
It really is like this? Will Nicola Alessandro be the protagonist of a controversial but great love story like his grandfather Tommaso III? In the meantime, some critical words have come from the more conservative part of public opinion that is wondering about what seems to be becoming a recurring "little habit" in the Imperial Family on the "choice of women".

[XanderOne]

Prince of the Crown temporary dismissed from official commitments
The Palace gave another explanation but clearly it's because the sekowan scandal: attempts to put an end to the love story in sight? For the moment both the Prince and the actress apologise

Sakurai Yuni, with her agent Isomura Shinji, while apologizing publicly

25 May 5210

ROMULA - The Palace announced this morning that Grand Prince of the Crown Nicola Alessandro has returned to active duty aboard the destroyer Impetuoso but what caught the attention of the public was the fact that the Palace has specified that the Prince will dedicate himself full time to his career in the Imperial Navy and that this will keep him away from any official commitment in the months to come, except for the most important ones involving the whole Imperial Family.
Palace's note was concise and offered no other details and to the press no further explanations were given but it is clear that the decision came after the sekowan scandal.

Since the scoop blew up, the Prince became unapproachable by the press and tracking him has also been very difficult for photographers but it seems that the Prince spent another two week in Sekowo with Miss Sakurai.
Once come back in Romula, however, the Prince met once again Miss Sakurai earlier than expected: in fact, last month the Imperial Household invited Miss Sakurai in Romula with her parents, Gendō and Ririko, and her agent, Isomura Shinji. Their journey in Istalia, however, was organized so to be as discreet as possible and actually only recently the public learned about this visit.

Since March, in fact, days after days the situation in Sekowo has become ever more complicated, with the family of Miss Sakurai about to sue the Prince due to the fact that it was ascertained that the couple indeed had more intimate contactas before the 10th November 5210 (18th birthday of Miss Sakurai). However, after some weeks the family gave up on their purpose and according to some rumors this heppened after that the Prince of the Crown met the Sakurai family in the girl's hometown, a little village 70 km south of Hishikawa (Tōzan Prefecture).
After few weeks, however, it was the agency of the actress which wanted to pursue legal action and with sekowan public ever more concerned and the local authorities ever more agitated, the Imperial Household, after consulting with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Office of the Prime Minister, decided to invite Miss Sakurai, her family and her agent in Romula to try to settle the situation and actually they got them in somehow since the Prince has not been sued and the agency of the actress declared to have no more intentions to proceed as intended and that the family itself will oppose any sue from other parties.

However, this unlickely will means now a happy ending for the Prince and Miss Sakurai. As said, the Palace lickely forced the Prince to focus exclusively on his military carrer and on his studies and his dismissal for the moment from any official commitment clearly is a move aimed to keep him far from the questions of the press and to try to cool things avoiding media exposure.
Also Miss Sakurai, once back in Sekowo, already had declared during a press conference organized by her agency that she intends to focus on her next commitments and finally she apologized to all her fans and followers as well as to all the people troubled by the situation. A letter written by the Prince was also reed during the press conference by the Istalian Consul in Sekowo Erminio Logatto, who attended the conference representing Istalia and the Crown, with which the Prince expressed his deepest regret for the problems caused and for not being respectful towards whole Sekowo and for having hit in such a way the sensitivity of the sekowan people.

But, and this is what the public wants to know, could this means that Prince Nicola Alessandro and Miss Sakurai were forced to break up? Actually nobody said anything about and indeed nobody specified that this will be the end of their relationship and that they won't meet anymore.
What is sure is that for the comming months the two won't meet eachother, at least for the next three months, until the next leave of the Prince from his service on the Impetuoso, although it will be a leave of just one week before other three months of service.
Miss Sakurai, instead, as announced, will be committed with an important drama series for the sekowan television, a project from which she had risked to be ousted after the scandal and for which her agency had to bend over backwards to avoid such epilogue (although the fact that the media exposure of Miss Sakurai surely will bring a lot of viewers to the new drama helped the reconciliation) assuring that she will put all her efforts on the project behaving with the utmost seriousness.

Although both the families, the Imperial Household, the Istalian Government or the agency of Miss Sakurai didn't forced them to break up, facing probably the strong opposition of the couple (maybe both menaced to turn the back to their commitments, careers and institutional role), there is no dubt that from all sides there is the attempt to make take different paths to the couple, keeping them separated and focused on their career, hoping that the time will "solve" the situation. Will it work?
Rumors from the movie industry, however, could undermine all these plans rather soon: after the scandal, in fact, Istalian cinema seems to have laid its eyes on Sakurai Yuni, whose fame was already growing explosively among the gao-showans nations but with all the media exposure in the recent months its fame has gone beyond the borders of western Dovani and in the future it is expected that directors and producers outside Sekowo will compete for her.
In Istalia, certainly the country today with the most developed and renowned film industry worldwide, there are already many who seem interested and therefore the girl could be in Istalia even sooner than one might expect, certainly making it much more difficult to separate the couple.

[XanderOne]

Government establishes a new Intelligence agency
The "Imperial Agency for Communications and Informations" will be responsible of signals, geospatial and imagery intelligence


27 January 5211

ROMULA - This moorning the Minister of Defense Camillo Saragat presented to the parliament the last initiative of the governmetn about the national Intelligence: the Ddl 01/5211 will establish a new agency within the Imperial Services for Informations and Intelligence (the Istalian Intelligence community), the "Imperial Agency for Communications and Informations" (Agenzia Imperiale per le Comunicazioni e le Informazioni - AICI) which will be responsible for signals (SIGINT), geospatial (GEOINT) and imagery (IMINT) intelligence.
Like the AISI and the AIDIE (our domestic and foreign Intelligence agencies), the AICI will be under the responsability of the Imperial Department of the Services of Information and Security, the government body of the Istalian Intelligence community.

In the details, the AICI will be responsible for global monitoring, collection, and processing of information and data for intelligence and counterintelligence purposes. It will be its responsability to support the defence of Istalia through information gathering and analysis for planning defense and operation policy. Its tasks will include analysing military strategies, gathering geospatial and meteorological intelligence, training Defence Forces and partner staff, such as Fedearl Police or Imperial Gendarmerie, capturing and analysing electromagnetic radiation and maintaining an electronic intelligence mapping, support to military operations with information services.
The AICI will be also tasked with the protection of Istalian communications networks and information systems. It will strincly cooperate with the other Intelligence agencies and with the Armed Forced for cybersecurity and contrast of cyberespionage.

The AICI, in coordination with the other Intelligence agencies and the Armed Forces, will make use of land-based intercept and listening stations, airborne IMINT and SIGINT, Intelligence satellites (all now put under the control of the AICI although the agency will analyse satellite images bought from commercial satellites or from the ones of the Armed Forces too).

Unlike the AISI and the AIDIE, the AICI will be authorized to operated both domestically and abroad, although in most cases in coordination with the other two main agencies of the Intelligence.

The Minister of Defense said about the new agency:

Facing the increasing importance of such fields of security and defense, aware of the challenging threats from this kind of demains and finally also taking in account the recent agreements about Intelligence cooperation that we established with foreign nations, it is absolutely necessary to put these demains under a specific and well organized agency in order to better handle them and to put in place adeguate measures to protect Istalia and its interests from any sort of the new threats from the cyber demain and to improve the capacity of Istalia to operate in it.

The new agency will make use of the best of the technologies at our disposal and in future the AICI will can count on technologies and vehicles ever more performing and, about this, I would like announce that the Ministry of Defense will began a cooperation with Istalian defense and technological companies to develop new technologies and device, first of all a new SIGINT aircraft which will replace those currently in service.

Of course specific technical details as well as locations and sites used by the AICI will be not disclosed and indeed they security will be crucial for the interest and security of our nation.

Thank you

[XanderOne]

Il Gossip Quotidiano
Sakurai Yuni engaged for an Istalian movie
The Prince of the Crown and the actress spotted through the road of Romula show to be more closer than ever and they found a crucial ally: The Empress Mother Elisa. The Imperial Household had to give up but concerns are emerging: who was contrasting the relationship? And why? Racial issues? In the meantime it's Sekowan mania in Istalia

Sakurai Yuni at the announcement of the new movie directed by Valerio Pasolini and the other main members of the sekowan and yingdalan cast

19 June 5211

ROMULA - To the delight of the supporters of the story between the Grand Prince of the Crown and the sekowan actress Sakurai Yuni, the production company TerraMedia Studio has announced the engagement of Miss Sakurai for a historical film directed by Valerio Pasolini, a international production with a cast composed of istalian, sekowan and yingdalan actors, which will be shot between Istalia and Yingdala and which will focus on the journey of some brave Aurorian missionaries to the 16th century Yingdala.
Miss Sakurai arrived in Istalia a few days ago and with the cast and the production she attended the announcement counference of the film at the TerraMedia Studio headquarters in Milona.
The relationship with the heir to the Istalian throne has certainly skyrocketed the notoriety of Miss Sakurai who for about four months has also been chosen by the well-known Istalian fashion house Narsece as its testimonial for Sekowo and Gao-Showan Dovani.


Sakurai Yuni on the cover of some fashion magazine

Already the next day, then, Miss Sakurai was spotted in the streets of Romula together with Niky, as he is known to his family and close friends, and despite the precautions taken by the two to go unnoticed, they could not escape the cameras of the paparazzi, who actually expected a rapid reunion, and already today the photos have appeared in the major national tabloids.
Looking at the photos the couple is happy and passionate, especially the Prince who, waiting for a new assignment while the Impetuous destroyer has returned for maintenance operations, will have several weeks to spend with Miss Sakurai who will be in Istalia still for a few weeks before leaving together with the movie production for Yingdala to begin shooting the film.


The photos of the couple spotted through the road of Romula published by the tabloid "Visto"

It therefore appears clear that the goal that the Imperial Household and the actress's agency had set is foundered miserably, also because, as recently emerged on some sekowan tabloids, it seems that the girl's family, since the first visit to their house of the Prince, has proved to be more positive towards the relatons than initially thought and even in Istalia an expected ally seems to have given her blessing to the couple, that is The Empress Mother Elisa, grandmother of the Prince, who few years ago welcomed her grandson and the girl at Villa Annamaria, the estates into the Fidelia's countryside where the Empress Mother moved after her husband's death.

The support of the Empress Mother will probably put an end to any attempt to interfere between the Prince and Miss Sakurai but this will surely have repercussions: for some time, in fact, many among the public opinion are wondering why the Imperial Household has proved to be so against the relationship and someone began to insinuate that it could be a racial issue, linked to concerns for the couple's possible offspring.
If it comes to that, surely the thing will trigger a media uproar, also because a question will surely follow: given that the Imperial Household is under the total control of the Imperial Family and responds exclusively to the Emperor, who in the Imperial Family is so opposed to the relationship? And if it is really a problem of a racial nature, the Imperial Family would be heavily criticized and would create an enormous embarrassment, so much so that the issue could also have consequences at institutional level for the damage to the image for the entire country.

For the moment, anyway, the interest of readers in Istalia and around the world is mounting more and more, increasingly eager for news of the couple who, together or separately, should expect to be hunted by the press and paparazzi, even more than they are already.
But the relationship between the Prince and Miss Sakurai triggered another interesting phenomenon in Istalia: in fact, since the love history emerged, there has been an increase in interest in Sekowan culture and particularly in some of their most famous media products, namely manga, hentai, tv dramas and movies. More and more manga titles and volumes are filling the shelves of bookstores and newsstands, Istalian TV channels have already bought the rights of several hanime dedicated to younger audiences while on ShareNet, the well-known Istalian video sharing platform, more and more titles are becoming available of films and series produced in Sekowo and indeed, it seems that ShareNet would be ready to directly produce new movies and series not only for the sekowan market but also for Istalian and worldwide ones.


Sekowan dramas and movies now available on ShareNet

[XanderOne]

New Space Initiatives for Istalia
The Prime Minister proudly presented in person the new programs envisaged by the Government: unmanned explorations, manned programs to come back once again in orbit and beyond, Defense and Intelligence related missions


7 Jenuary 5212

ROMULA - Left behind us the Hallownight holidays, the parliamentary works resumed and Prime Minister Ilaria Spada proudly presented in person to the Chamber of Deputies the new Government's programs relating to the resumption of space activities and missions by Istalia: the Government will fund three distinct programs over the next decades, three distinct groups of programs each focused on different goals.
The programs will be developed by the AISA as well as the Air Force's Aerospace Division in cooperation with privates and providing a series of bids open to the companies active on the sector in order to jointly develop new technologies, new spacecrafts and systems.

The new space initiatives will be:

Cosmo Programs
The following programs will be aimed to operate a series of missions to build and launch unmanned explorative probes. They will be:
- OSS program: the Stationary Solar Observation Program will be aimed to launch a probes to be placed on one of the Lagrange points to obeserve and study the sun.
- Mamerte Program: it will be aimed to develop and launch a probes on the red planet with instruments to study and analyze athmosphere and soil.
- Peregrino Program: program aimed to build and launch a probe which will touch and study the four external gas giants of our solar systems before to leave in order to reach the Oort claud, the heliopausa and then the outer space.
The Cosmo Programs will be carried out by the AISA (Autorità Istaliana per lo Spazio e l'Aeronautica) which will contract to private for the productions of the components of the probes which will be build and developed by the AISA itself.
In the city of Catambèrt (Cisavugli) it will be built the "Laboratorio Spaziale Avanzato dell'AISA" (AISA Advanced Space Laboratory), which will become the main design, development and construction site of the probes for the AISA.

Nuovi Orizzonti Program
This program will be aimed to design, develop and construction of technologies to bring back Istalian astronauts into the Terra's orbit. The program will be divided in several phases to the design, development and construction of a new space station and of new spacecrafts to bring astronauts and payloads in orbit.
This program will be carried out by the AISA which will provide a series of bids open to the private to cooperate on the design, construction and operation of the several projects part of the program.
But as said, the Program looks farther and in fact the Nuovi Orizzonti Program will be propaedeutic for a future Istalian return on the moon too.
The Government, about the development of a new space station and of a future new lunar mission, didn't exclude the possibility to invite third nations to join Istalia in these endevours, given the nature of these missions which technological and scientific benefits will interests the whole humanity

Ecate Program
Finally, this program will be developed by the Air Force's Aerospace Division in cooperation with one or more private companies and will be aimed to the design, development, construction and launch of satellites and spacecrafts for the Defense and for the Intelligence.
Unlike the other two program, details will be kept confidential for National security reason.
Within the Ecate and the Nuovi Orizzonti Programs, the AISA and the Air Force's Aerospace Division will cooperate to develop of a proprietary unmanned spacecrafts for the needs of the Defense.

The Government, as said, is aimed to involve privates into the programs, in order to stimulate all the whole economic sector and grants benefits to the entire supply chain and as the Prime Minister presented the new space initiatives, the corporation that showed to be the most interested is VerTech, especially for the Ecate Program and part of the Nuovi Orizzonti Program.
Although the current majority party has already tried in the past to give once again impetus to the Istalian space activity, especially under the first mandates of Eros Monaldi, due to international events he was forced to put these projects in the background. Lately National Alliance showed to be aimed to resume these goals and among the corporations that began to put pressure on the Government to follow these plans there was indeed VerTech which owner and CEO, Diletta Veratti who, recently succeeded to her father Filippo, announced a few hours after the announcement of the Government that her company will purchase the residual assets of Siderale, historic Istalian corporations active in the field of space research, the market of space launchers and spacecrafts. The company, like many others, greatlu declined due to the crisis of 49th and 50th centuries and it was even put under the administration of administrative justices after the previous ownership was convicted of fraudulent bankruptcy and for decades it remained under state until 5168 when it was purchaised by a Fidelian-based group of businessmen aimed to recover its fortune. They however failed and after years of inactivity, during which the Fidelian businessmen sold pieces of the company, finally today it seems that the fate of Siderale will be rewritten.


VerTech Logo

It is therefore expected that VerTech will become even more a crucial partner for public scientific research but also and above all for Defense, a sector to which the company had already approached for some time, providing a large amount of hardware and software for the Defense, but there are not a few critical voices according to which the company would have too close ties with the public authorities, and especially with the current majority party, and that it is progressively conquering an excessively privileged position to the detriment of the other Istalian companies.
In defense of the company's position, however, there is undoubtedly the fact that, being the most advanced technological research and development company in Istalia and among the most advanced in the world (which in one of its facilities is currently even building what was described as the most powerful supercomputer of the world, based on the recent quantum technolgies developed by the company itself), it is almost natural for it to be in such a privileged position.

[XanderOne]

Empress Vanessa behind the opposition to Sakuari Yuni?
Investigative journalist Marco Tiraboschi of the Il Serale newspaper makes explode the scandal: is there a mole into the Imperial Household? The Palace denies all

Empress Vanessa

12 February 5212

ROMULA - While the Istalians are enjoying the last excerpts of this austral summer, a veritable media atomic bomb has exploded in Istalia, a scoop involving the Imperial Family and which is already expected to become something truly sensational, risking to shake the Crown.

Il Serale, one of the most widespread and authoritative Istalian newspapers, has in fact published in its columns an article by the investigative journalist Marco Tiraboschi regarding the much opposed relationship between the Crown Prince Nicola Alessandro and the sekowan actress Sakurai Yuni. Since the story had become public, in fact, the Imperial Household has done everything to separate the couple and, beyond the amazement and the scandal generated, many have wondered the motivations for such strong opposition by part of the Imperial House. Finally, three days ago, the pen of Marco Tiraboschi seems to have given an answer to public opinion: behind this behavior there would be none other than the Empress Vanessa who, according to Tiraboschi's article, would be the one who raised doubts of a racial nature and above all concerns of image for the possible offspring that could be generated by this inter-ethnic union.

If these statements should be confirmed, the Crown would find itself in the midst of a colossal media storm and even in a veritable institutional crisis. But it will not be easy to confirm such news: as explained by Marco Tirabocchi himself, behind this leak of news there would be an important figure within the Imperial Household, part of the narrower circle at the service of the Imperial Family, which however wants to remain anonymous and very unlikely will decide to expose himself in the future. This mole inside the Imperial Household seems to have revealed many details and even anecdotes relating to the story, such as, for example, some unfortunate comments made by the Empress about having an Emperor or an Empress of the Istalians with yellow skin and almond eyes.

Obviously the Imperial Palace found itself overwhelmed by the attention of the whole press and already the day following the publication of the article by Tiraboschi, the Imperial Household, through the Press Manager of the Imperial Household Luciana Doninzetti, categorically denied these accusations and announced that legal actions will be taken against both Il Serale and Marco Tiraboschi for aggravated defamation against the Empress.

Yet, there were not a few who actually noticed how the contacts between the Empress and Miss Sakurai were extremely scarce, despite the fact that, since the girl has been increasingly requested for work in Istalia, all the other members of the the Imperial Family seem to have definitively accepted the relationship, and among the most enthusiastic there would be the Empress Mother Elisa and her namesake, the sister of the Crown Prince, the Grand Princess Elisa (21), born as Miss Sakurai in 5191 and with whom she developed a strong friendship.


Grand Princess Elisa with Miss Sakurai

Others, therefore, have pointed out that for some time the public outings in pairs between the Emperor and the Empress have been more sparse and not a few have concluded that this would be due to the Emperor's irritation at the attitude of his wife, who she was never present on the occasions that Alessandro IV met Miss Sakurai. Questioned by the press also on this point, the Palace denied once again simply explaining that the Empress was indisposed when she was absent at her husband's side.

Perhaps it is no coincidence that last night, on the occasion of the inauguration of the new film studios of TerraMedia Studios in Romula, the nucleus of what not only TerraMedia but the entire film industry hopes will become the most important Istalian and Majatran production center, the Empress arrived at the event with her son and Miss Sakurai with whom she entertained throughout the whole evening.
Will all this be enough to put an end to the uproar and the rumors around the story? In any case, whether what has been said about the Empress is true or not, the relationship between the heir to the throne of Istalia and the young sekowan now seems to be heading towards the happy ending that many expect and for the Empress there would be nothing left to do if not to put her soul in peace.

[XanderOne]

State visit in Kafuristan announced
Ministers of Foreign Affairs and of Trade and Industry will travel in al-Kasraj to talk about a join venture to build an oil pipeline between the two countries


13 August 5212

ROMULA - The office of the Prime Minister announced this moorning that the Government is in dialogue with the Government of Kafuristan and that it's organizing a state visit of the Ministers of Foreign Affaris and of Trade and Industry Flavio Bosetti and Niccolò Parenti.

Istalian government was recently contacted byAl-Kasraj's authorities which announced their intention to adhere to the Trans-Majatran Corridors Agreement, looking for increasing trade with the rest of the continent. With a nation like Istalia so close, the Kafuris were naturally pushed to establish closer relations with Romula and indeed this first contact could represent a great deal for Al-Kasraj.
In fact, the Government of Istalia, following its efforts to secure more and multiple sources of valuable resources and raw materials, proposed to Kafuristan a join venture to built an underwater oil pipeline between the two countries.

The authorities of Al-Kasraj showed to be quite receptive to the Istalian proposal, both governments already underlined some preliminary plans and conditions and the state visit of the Istalian Ministries is aimed to finalize talks for a final definitive agreement.
The Ministry of Trade and Industry, responding to the first questions of the press, said that the Government hopes not only to finalize an agreeemnt on the project but also a fair deal to import the Kafuri oil for the increasingly raw resources-hungry Istalian economy.

[XanderOne]

Elections 5213: stratosferic success for National Alliance!
Against five other parties AN reports a landslide victory: the voters granted other 4 years to Prime Minister Ilaria Spada

Prime Minister Ilaria Spada came back to Antinori Palace (seat of the Government) from the HQ of National Alliance once the party landslide victory was confirmed


11 March 5213


ROMULA - Despite during these past four years Ilaria Spada's Ministry kept good approvation rates and achieved also to make pass into the parliament measures supported by all the political forces, very few expected such a result at these last elections, a result even brighter than the latest polls predicted: National Alliance, in fact, increased its majority reporting over 60% of the preferences of the voters and sizing the control of 270 seats into the Chamber of Deputies and 31 into the Federal Council.

The successor of the long lasting leader of AN Eros Monaldi has showed to be his worthy heir, following his path in successfully leading the party through new success and keeping it as the veritable hegemonic and institutional party of Istalia.

For Ilaria SPada, thus, there will be another four years at the helm of the country and among the goals on the agenda of her next government there is certainly the finalization of the agreement with the government of Al-Kasraj for the construction of a submarine oil pipeline between Istalia and Kafuristan.

Another important point that the Prime Minister wants to touch are the relations between Istalia and Beiteynu. Actually, from the public opinion and from many among the ranks of National Alliance concerns are rising about the cooperation on Intelligence affairs promoted by the Government of Yishelem. These concerns are related to the security of the Istalian Defense and its Intelligence and there are many who wonder to what extent Beiteynu and the other nations that have ratified the treaty will have access to our intelligence, informations and operations. We therefore want to ensure that such cooperation cannot backfire on the interests of Istalia, a concern in line with that certain mentality developed in our country since the refoundation of the Empire impregnated perhaps a little too much of suspicion and which is always concerned for the security and the very existence of Istalia.