Lodamun

[imperialpearl]

The chaos and confusion surrounding Valruzia's brief yet geopolitically significant dealings with "ordosocialism" and the subsequent migrant crisis bourne out of the nation's introduction of its "National Sovereignty Act", should have been the perfect opportunity for the federal government to demonstrate both its inclination and appetite for real reform/transformation within Lodamun's immigration system. Yet, amidst the influx of migrants from Valruzia to surrounding states including Likatonia and Tukurali, the previous administration, led by former President Julliet Andrews, had been slow to the draw. Whereas the quick and decisive action of the governments of Kundrati and Tukurali spurred the creation of a sealift which allowed Valruzian ethnic migrants to slow nearly seamlessly into Tukurali via Kundrati transportation efforts, the Lodamese Government remained mum on the issue, seemingly stunned into inaction. In the absence of a coherent and comprehensive strategy to deal with the ensuing crisis from Kensington, Lodamese border states namely Millford and Berkwaki, were primarily responsible for driving the nation's immigration policy, albeit with unique approaches. At the height of the ever-evolving situation, then Governor of Berkwaki Jordan Marshall opened the door for more than 100,000 migrants with the promise of resettlement and integration. Alongside the Lodamese Border Guard officials, Governor Marshall insisted that the Lodamese Commonwealth and its subordinate states must welcome those in need, recognising the often fickle nature of human existence. "Ethnic minorities are heeling Valruzia under threat of persecution. It is only reasonable that we extend our assistance to these people and open our doors to those in need, lest we find ourselves in a similar situation where we may have to flee Lodamun, a small amount of compassion goes a very long way," Marshall said. Similarly, in Millford, then-governor Freddie Woods threw open the state's doors to more than 500,000+ migrants promising that through a programme to be discussed among the other governors of Lodamun, namely the Governors of Barrington, Newchester and St. Christopher, which would see the 500,000+ migrants distributed proportionally across the aforementioned states. Woods lamented the lack of support from the federal government, noting that although the states possessed certain powers which granted them the right to partially deliberate on matters related to immigration into their territories, such powers have the potential to be weaponised in the absence of federal policy. "The fact that the Andrews Administration has not made any announcement as to its decisions on addressing this confusion is in itself troubling. The states maintain powers which grant them the right to deliberate on matters related to immigration into their respective territories. Although Governor Marshall and I have demonstrated how these powers can ultimately be used for good, nothing is stopping a rogue element from weaponising these powers to do the unthinkable. The federal government must intervene, close this loophole and introduce a coherent and modern immigration policy for Lodamun," Governors Woods told members of the media.

Fast-forwarding to President Douglas Concannon's substantive press conference held at Whitehall earlier this morning, there appears to be considerable movement towards addressing the mess created by the Andrews Administration. Speaking alongside Vice President Richard Pruitt and Secretary of Domestic Security Eugene Holmes, President Concannon admitted that the inaction of the Andrews Administration had been the root cause of the uncertainty hanging over Valruzian migrants residing in Lodamun. He noted that various technicalities currently existed which had to be remedied via legislative changes. Pointing to the fact that it was within the legal powers of the Lodamese Border Guard to begin deporting Valruzian migrants en masse, recognising that the temporary pause of deportations established by the Governors of Berkwaki and Millford had expired, President Concannon stated that discussions were on-going between the Majority Leaders of the Senate and the House of Representatives to expedite the necessary reforms. He explained that the administration had approved a rolling extension to the deportation pause order. He noted that there was an urgent need to comprehensively reform the nation's immigration system, from changing how federal, state and local authorities deal with migrants and refugees to how they also address the issue of resettlement and integration. Secretary Holmes, as the line minister responsible for immigration, noted that under the current system, immigration policy is largely left up to the states, with the federal government becoming involved at the request of a state, mainly for manpower and other related resources. He explained that the reforms being moved through the National Congress would ultimately introduce the federal government into the equation, placing it as the premier body responsible for crafting immigration policy. "The federal government must not leave room for rogue actors or disingenuous lackeys to treat migrants/refugees with prejudice," Secretary Holmes said. Bourne out of the aforementioned reforms, the Bureau of Immigration, Refugees and Integration will be bourne. The new independent federal agency would essentially become the principal federal agency responsible for crafting, implementing and monitoring Lodamun's immigration system. He explained that the bureau would be responsible for managing federal immigration programs from managing refugees and asylum seekers to working with state and local officials on managing their resettlement and integration into Lodamese society. "The Bureau will become the one-stop shop for all matters related to immigrants and asylum seekers. It is a unique organisation in that it is a government agency whose sole purpose is to ensure that we treat the issue of immigration and asylum seekers with a high degree of humanity, recognising that in other territories, the inherent benefits of immigration are often drowned out by the noise of reactionaries," Secretary Holmes explained. Former Executive Director of the Immigration Pathways Network, Christina Faulkner has been tapped to lead the Bureau as its new Commissioner.

The reform programme also births a new position within the Department of Domestic Security in the form of the Assistant Secretary for Immigration and Border Enforcement, who would become the government secretary responsible for both the Bureau of Immigration, Refugees and Integration and the Lodamese Frontier Guard (formerly the Lodamese Border Guard). Career attorney and former Whitehall General Counsel under the Andrews Administration, Samuel Carr has been appointed to the substantive position. Carr, who was also present during President Concannon's press conference, stated that the administration's overarching policy surrounding administration was that Lodamun must be welcoming of migrants, regardless of their situation. "In many instances, the migrants and asylum seekers coming to our borders are doing so to escape persecution and tyranny within their own homes; and having made the often difficult trek to our borders, it would be remise of any government to treat these persons as undesirables and ultimately as a burden. We should be honoured that it is Lodamun that they view to be safe enough, welcoming enough to restart their lives," Carr lamented. Expressing concern surrounding Secretary Carr and the Concannon Administration's overly generous overtures to migrants and refugees, some have stated that a more managed yet encouraging model would better serve the interests of all parties. Immigration economist Dareion Miller stated that with the economy not experiencing extraordinary growth, migrants and asylum seekers potentially flocking to the nation on the seemingly welcoming invitation of the administration could be hit with the hard pill of unemployment among other challenges. He noted that although he too recognises the inherent advantages of a welcoming/encouraging immigration policy (which would ultimately benefit the nation demographic-wise), a hybrid points-based system would serve the nation better as it would allow for greater management of requests/applications whilst also granting persons coming into the country a degree of certainty that there will be a meaningful opportunity for rebirth/growth within Lodamun.

[imperialpearl]

In a report conducted by the Lodamese Senate's Committee on Defence and National Security, it was found that a chronic lack of investment into core infrastructure aimed at enhancing the combat effectiveness of the nation's troops was directly responsible for the Lodamese Armed Forces (LAF) overall slip in general readiness. The report, entitled "An investigation into LAF core infrastructure and readiness", notes that although the general reorganisation of the LAF continues, defence appropriations over the past decade have been primarily focused on equipment, with little to no funding being oriented towards enhancing LAF training facilities and other key infrastructure. It notes that although the Armed Forces had been making material improvements in terms of equipment, the fact that the LAF did not possess any training centres of its own, pointed to a "serious miscalculation". Submissions and testimonies given by LAF trainers both past and present noted that whilst other nations were making noticeable progress in enhancing the capabilities of their troops in numerous disciplines including amphibious warfare and armoured warfare, Lodamun has been lagging behind. Throughout the committee's work, defence trainers and analysts of the sort pointed to the need for the LAF to construct an urban warfare school of its own. The rationale, according to submissions, comes in recognition of the fact that amidst the changing geopolitical environment, the Lodamese Army, Lodamese Marine Corps and the Commonwealth Guard would undoubtedly find themselves having to operate in urban environments, be it under peacekeeping missions or as part of the LAF's regional defence doctrine. "The LAF must set itself apart from the rest in terms of both doctrinal development and capabilities. Our troops must be prepared to respond to emerging threats effectively, regardless of the operational environment. An urban warfare school for the LAF would enable our troops to hone their skills in urban warfare and allow defence planners to make the necessary changes to both the procurement regime and the wider doctrine itself. Whilst by no means this is advocacy for the LAF's doctrine to be solely based on urban warfare, it does underscore the importance of a modular doctrine: one which can be changed on the fly, and which our troops can become accustomed to almost overnight," an anonymous submission read. In acting on the committee's recommendations, the Department of Defence has approved funding for the construction of an urban warfare school within Lodamun. At the sod-turning ceremony in Millford, Secretary of Defence Wesley Sutton; Chairman of the Combined Chiefs, Admiral Brendon Adams, Chief of the Army General Ben Morris and Director of the Commonwealth Guard General William Read sang praises for the initiative. Secretary Sutton noted that the facility, which is to be named "Battle City", was the first of many as part of the DoD's new defence infrastructure programme. She noted that discussions have begun on the construction of an armoured warfare training centre in Millford. According to General Morris, Battle City once completed, would enable Lodamese troops to hone their skills in urban and subterranean warfare. The facility is expected to be used by various brigades and formations, including mechanised infantry, armoured cavalry, paratroopers, marines and special forces. "It is being designed to be used by almost every and any infantry and armoured formation within the LAF as we want to ensure that everyone can utilise the facility to determine the effectiveness of their tactics in an urban environment," General Morris explained. "I am particularly interested to see how the Armoured Divisions and their scouts handle this urban environment, as there will be instances of combat where tanks will undoubtedly have to operate in cities and towns," He concluded. The centre will take on the shape of an average mixed-use urban environment, with some sections of the city containing a handful of towers and others containing densely packed townhouses, shops and even a shopping mall. Whilst most of these buildings will be unfurnished, General Morris notes that the environment must and would feel claustrophobic. "Not only is it going to take on the shape of a mini-city, the alleys and side-streets, hidden tracks and subterranean passages would lend itself to an environment which is both claustrophobic and "choking". "It is being designed to stress test tactics and strategy for the urban environment. We want troops to be suspicious of what is around the corner or what is on the other end of a tight alley. We want our tanks, APCs and IFVs to be constantly scanning rooftops and windows for potential ambushes. We want troops to sweep through the various sections of the city methodically. At a cost of around 2.5 billion LOD, the project is the most expensive to date, however, General Morris notes that the LAF having its own facilities would be "worth every penny."

[imperialpearl]

Director of National Assessments Valerie List is set to meet with numerous high-ranking officials within Kalistan's security and intelligence community, as part of a series of discussions aimed at gauging the nation's appetite for greater cooperation in information/intelligence sharing alongside establishing a clear foundation for future cooperation between the various intelligence agencies of both Lodamun and Kalistan, should the latter register its interest. List, as the titular head of the Lodamese intelligence community and the quasi-national security adviser to the President, will follow former Merchant General David Teller to become the most official with the Lodamese Government to have visited the "Sunshine Republic" in decades. In a press release issued moments prior to her departure for Kaliburg, List stated that as both Kalistan and Lodamun continue to build on the major strides made in the past decade towards rebuilding their once highly functioning relationship, a common understanding between the two states would undoubtedly have to be achieved. Pointing to the yeoman work of the National Investigations Bureau (NIB) in Baltusia to conclude that the nation's investigation into political terrorism, List noted that the event provided the Lodamese Government with a unique perspective on the need for greater cooperation in information/intelligence-sharing among like-minded nations. "Although it had been somehow engrained into the minds of my predecessors, events in Baltusia and other territories have impressed upon us, the necessity of greater collaboration/cooperation among like-minded nations in security matters. We cannot continue in our current direction, blatantly ignoring the core benefits of sharing information with our closest allies and then wondering how was it possible that we had not anticipated both the nature and direction of attacks against our nation, our way of life," the statement read. List's call for greater cooperation between the Lodamese and Kalistani Security and Intelligence Community had been largely met with considerable scepticism in Lodamun as numerous security experts point to Kalistan's historically unwavering non-alignment and aversion to security cooperation agreements between itself and other territories. One of the idea's principal sceptics, former Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Domestic Security Brandon Holmes, stated that the dynamic of security intelligence in Kalistan was particularly different from that of Lodamun as he noted that a retrospective of the nation's historic security agencies including the National Security Agency and most recently, the Republican Bureau of Security Information would all point to a more internal/domestic focus by the nation. "What ultimately can a nation whose security apparatus has been historically oriented to look inward do for Lodamun? Only recently, the nation has made some movement towards reorienting that dynamic, yet it remains to be seen whether it will make any material improvements to its general posture," Holmes quipped. Via a series of tweet posts, List rebuffed Holmes' statements pointing to the fact that regardless of the nation's supposed security posture, the nature of information held by Kalistani authorities could ultimately augment the work being done by the NIB, SSA and ONA. "By no means are we seeking to rely wholly in information from the Kalistani Government however, it is our hope that the information we both share and obtain would augment the work being done by our respective intelligence agencies. Information obtained from Kalistan could potentially augment investigations being conducted by the National Investigations Bureau, the Strategic Services Agency and the Office of National Assessments; and information sharing by the NIB, SSA and ONA with the RBSI could potentially augment/aid their agency's own investigations. Contrary to what Mr. Holmes suggests, what we are building here is not to compete with any other nation in a battle of wits or "who has the better information" but to ultimately ensure that we can adequately anticipate the moves of those attempting to harm the very fabric of our nation," List's tweets read.

[imperialpearl]

With numerous Commonwealth Air Guard formations set to receive the first batches of F-16C multi-role fighters as part of the wider modernisation and procurement programme for the Commonwealth Guard, the Commonwealth Guard Bureau has issued its most recent request to commence the process to replace its ageing fleet of refuelling tankers, in a process largely to be monitored by the Lodamese Air Force who could potentially procure the same refuelling tanker in the coming decades once the DoD's attention shifts to the Air Force. The request for proposals, which was issued earlier this morning, was sent to international competitors including Hutori, Dorvik, Luthori and other territories as well as domestic competitors. Having done "yeoman service" according to the Chief Engineer of the Berkwaki Air Guard Frederick Houghton, the Commonwealth Air Guard's fleet of TriStar K1s has surpassed their operational ceiling, as he noted that the aircraft had been plagued with numerous mechanical challenges in the latter half of their lifetime. "It's either the APU were non-functioning, the hydraulic were failing or the avionics were becoming increasingly susceptible to cybernetic attack as they themselves became increasingly obsolete," Houghton said. These aerial refuelling tankers enabled aircraft from the various State Air Guard formations (be it Berkwaki or Newchester) to extend their range beyond what their onboard tankers would allow, thus allowing for aircraft to remain in their AO (Area of Operation) for longer periods of time. The request for proposals (RFP) denotes interest in at least 35-40 refuelling tankers as part of a long-term procurement programme. According to Director of the Commonwealth Guard General William Read, the large, long-term order anticipates the wider scaling of the capabilities of the various State Air Guard formations. Recalling the Commonwealth Air Guard's procurement of around 400 F-16s and supposed interest in procuring more modern helicopters and transportation aircraft, General Read stated that the order is in anticipation that the Commonwealth Guard's "sprint" to rebuild its capabilities would ultimately place considerable pressure on a handful of aircraft. "As part of the larger reforms to the Commonwealth Guard, these State Air Guard formations will undoubtedly become involved in CAPs (Combat Air Patrols) throughout Lodamun and Northern Seleya, thus it would be imperative for us to maintain a capability/capacity to conduct these operations for sustained periods of time without assistance from external entities. These tankers would ultimately lend themselves to greater range among our aircraft and would thus extend the capabilities of our State Air Guard formations," General Read explained. Having mentioned that the Lodamese Air Force would be observing the programme throughout its lifetime with the hopes of procuring similar aircraft once appropriations are in its favour, Chief of the Air Force General Dashaud Joyner stated that in the interim, once the aircraft replacement has been sourced and the tankers delivered, they [the tankers] will also operate alongside the Lodamese Air Force in conducting similar responsibilities. He noted that once the Lodamese National Congress approves additional funding for the Air Force, a similar RFP would be issued to procure refueling tankers for the aircraft as part of a similarly lengthy and expensive, long-term procurement programme.

[imperialpearl]

Ahead of a series of announcements from the Harrington Company surrounding its progress in fulfilling its founding mandate of establishing secure supply chains for Lodamese imports, Merchant General Elliot Gallant announced his intention to embark on an "economic cooperation sprint" with the hopes of expanding Lodamese access to much-needed materials pertinent to domestic production. In a press release dated earlier this morning, Gallant noted that the founding charter of the Harrington Company mandates that alongside expanding market excess for Lodamese goods and services, the Harrington Company would also be responsible for establishing secure supply chains between raw materials and domestic manufacturers by aligning itself with "like-minded nations". This, according to trade expert Max Collins, sets the entity's mandate aside from others. "In its purest form, the Harrington Company is the nation's premier trading entity, wholly responsible for maintaining our nation's connection to the global economy. Whether it is aligning Lodamun with potential trading partners or encouraging companies to establish factories/plants within Lodamun, the Harrington Company is the entity responsible for much of this and more," Collins explained. The press statement noted that amidst a refocusing on enhancing the nation's domestic manufacturing capacity by the incumbent Concannon Administration, it was incumbent on the Harrington Company to build on the progress it had already made in establishing secure supply chains for the Lodamese Government. Pointing to the entity's work in securing a major REM (rare earth minerals) and medium to long-term crude oil and natural gas supply agreement from Vascania and Kalistan respectively, Gallant's press release noted that the company had considerable work to do in the pursuit of eliminating uncertainty from Lodamese imports. As the nation maintains little to no natural resources, the vast majority of raw materials used domestically are largely imported from other either Seleyan nations or extra-regional territories. In order to eliminate or reduce instances of profiteering at the hands of private shipping companies, the Harrington Company has embarked on a major shipbuilding programme aimed at procuring its own vessels for the purpose of transporting Lodamese imports and/or exports throughout the world. This rebuilding of the nation's Merchant Marine underscores the entity's commitment to establishing strong supply chains leading into and out of Lodamun proper. Gallant's economic cooperation sprint would see the Merchant General travel to numerous territories alongside Secretary of State Emerson Pope with the hopes of establishing clear diplomatic and economic relations with "like-minded nations". The itinerary released to the media moments following Gallant and Pope's departure notes that this "sprint" would take them to Haldor, Dorvik; Bekenial, Hutori; Skalm, Kazulia; Haradesa, Nsanlosa and finally Eroncourt, Lourenne before returning to Kensington. The trip has been dubbed a major move for the Harrington Company recognising that up to this point, much of its activity has been largely restrained with the entity only making incremental movements towards fulfilling its mandate. Chief Factor of the Harrington Company, the most senior public servant within the Harrington Company, Dr Aksa Benjamin confirmed that Deputy Merchant General Adelynn Zimmerman is expected to testify before the Senate's International Commerce Committee where she is expected to answer questions related to the entity's performance since its foundation and its aspirations for the future.

[imperialpearl]

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HALDOR, Dorvik — Secretary of State Emerson Pope and Merchant General Elliot Gallant landed in Dorvik in their first respective visits to a foreign nation since assuming their respective roles, thus commencing their touted "global economic cooperation sprint" designed to establish diplomatic and economic relations with like-minded nations and reinforcing existing relations with existing partners. In a communique released earlier this morning, both Secretary Pope and MG Gallant reaffirmed their commitment to advancing the notion of ensuring Lodamun remains connected to the wider global economy. Within the communique, Pope noted that although Lodamese relations with the nations of the Artanian continent have been relatively non-existent, owing to the nation's admittedly lacklustre approach to foreign policy, the visit to Dorvik presented the Lodamese Government with an opportunity to "test the waters". Pope explained that the economic revival on the Artanian continent, largely driven by enhanced Luthorian, Dorvish and Kundrati economic opportunity had been a major determinant in the team's decision to formally make a gradual pivot towards the continent. "It is therefore obvious as to why we are seeking to establish a healthy relationship with the continent's largest economy as the foundation of our broader, yet gradual pivot to Artania," Pope said via the communique. According to State Department Deputy Communications Director Edward Mitchell, who accompanied Secretary Pope, the establishment of formal diplomatic and economic relations between Dorvik and Lodamun was a "major milestone for the administration" noting that the visit had been the result of months of negotiations between Dorvish and Lodamese diplomatic officials. Both Secretary Pope and MG Gallant are expected to meet with Dorvish State Chancellor Florian von Voll, Foreign Minister Florian Neuhaeusser, Dorvish Trade Commissioner Flori Rödl and Trade and Industry Minister Albert Schützenberger. Moments prior to their meeting, MG Gallant expressed excitement related to the prospect of both having greater access to Lodamese exports into one of the world's largest economies alongside the potential for greater foreign direct investment into Lodamun. "We continue to build a resilient and robust domestic manufacturing potential and will continue to pour support towards ensuring this potential can be scaled against other nations who have had a head start. It is my honest belief that opening up Lodamun to Dorvish investment and enabling Lodamese firms to be able to penetrate the Artanian market via Dorvik is an amazing opportunity for economic development/growth between our two nations," Gallant said. According to Gallant, there was extraordinary potential to be had from leveraging the inherent advantages of Dorvik's energy sector, particularly the nation's crude oil and natural gas wealth. He noted that with the Concannon Administration having reaffirmed the DPL's commitment to the promise of a vibrant downstream petrochemicals sector in Berkwaki, Lodamun's thirst for hydrocarbons is set to go exponentially as the pieces begin to fall into place for the sector to finally operate on its own. Gallant confirmed that one of the major agreements he intends to settle with his Dorvish counterpart, Herr Rödl would be a long-term supply agreement similar to its existing agreement with Kalistan. "Dorvik, similar to many other nations in the Northern Hemisphere including Hutori, Trigunia and Kazulia has extensive experience in the crude oil and natural gas business having operated in their capital-intensive sectors for centuries. Although what we are doing, is building out a complex and well throughout downstream petrochemical sector which operates beyond refining has never been done before, we continue to take up opportunities to work with like-minded nations such as Dorvik in achieving progress which is ultimately beneficial for us both."

[imperialpearl]

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BEKENIAL, Hutori — Seeking to build the positive momentum gained from their visit to Dorvik days prior, Secretary of State Emerson Pope and Merchant General of the Harrington Company Elliot Gallant landed in Hutori, becoming the first Lodamese politicians to visit the Keris/Macon heavyweight in centuries. According to Whitehall Press Secretary Karen Berg, similar to the moves made in Dorvik, Secretary Pope would ultimately seek to establish clear diplomatic and economic relations between Lodamun and Hutori. She noted that although both states maintain a minor form of diplomatic contact via the Luthorian Commonwealth (for which Lodamun is a member), Whitehall's opinion of Lodamun's relationship with the Commonwealth was that it should not be the "be-all and end-all" of diplomatic contact between Hutori and Lodamun. "President Concannon believes that seeking to establish this one-on-one relationship with Hutori, without the Commonwealth as a facilitator would ultimately provide for a more secure and long-lasting relationship should relations with the Luthorian Commonwealth sour as it did in the previous decade," Berg explained. Via communique issued moments prior to their arrival in Hutori, Secretary Pope and MG Gallant revealed that they intended to have numerous discussions with key officials within the Hutorian Government as well as the nation's business community. It noted that formal ratification of a joint diplomatic recognition agreement alongside Hutorian Prime Minister Tristan Taylor and Global Affairs Minister Natalie DuMarquis were on the cards. According to rumours from within Whitehall, President Douglas Concannon is expected to make a substantive visit to Hutori to hammer home Lodamun's commitment to this newfound relationship between the two states. MG Gallant is expected to meet with numerous executives representing the Hutorian business community, with the hope of marketing Lodamese manufacturers. The CEOs of Digital Instruments, Stockham Electronics and representatives of the Lodamese auto industry have reportedly flown in to meet with prospective Hutorian investors. According to the communique, Lodamese investment in semiconductor manufacturing had accounted for the vast majority of new capital poured into the sector within recent history on the global market and thus Hutorian interest in hosting Lodamese semiconductor plants was piqued amidst the "white hot" development of Lodamese manufacturing. "The investment successive administrations have poured into scaling domestic manufacturing has been substantial, in that it has accounted for the vast majority of new capital being poured into sectors such as microchips and automotive anywhere in the world. With the backing of the Research Project Administration (RPA), the Federal Industrial Finance Corporation (FIFC) and the Lodamese banking sector, we are gradually establishing Lodamun as a major player in manufacturing. Hutorian businesses have expressed interest in partnering with Lodamese companies in this regard and it thus natural for us [Secretary Pope and MG Gallant] to advance this cause on their behalf," the communique read. Alongside this, Director of National Assessments Valerie List has also flown into Hutori with the intention of meeting with the various heads of the Hutorian security and intelligence community. List's visit is reportedly building on the momentum gained in her visit to Kalistan wherein she gauged Kaliburg's appetite for an intelligence-sharing agreement. According to List, she intends to similarly gauge Bekenial's appetite for a similar agreement.

[imperialpearl]

Amidst months of negotiations between the Defence Procurement Administration (DPA) and McDouglas-Carmichael, the first batch of the Commonwealth Guard's 400 F-16s have been delivered to the Berkwaki Air Guard as part of the wider rearmament of the Lodamese Commonwealth Guard. At a ceremony held at Delaney Air Base in Moorsborough, CEO of McDouglas-Carmichael Howard Zamora hailed the programme as a major success for Lodamun's infant defence industry. He noted that the delivery came roughly three (3) years following the initial announcement that the company had been granted the contract to construct the combat aircraft for the Lodamese Armed Forces. The entire programme, according to the Defence Procurement Administration has been valued at around 15 billion LOD, with deliveries set to follow an incremental, long-term schedule aimed at spreading out payments evenly throughout the years. According to General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Berkwaki Commonwealth Guard, Colonel Morgan Sweeney, the batch's delivery is timely, noting that the Commonwealth Guard's enhanced schedule for future CAPs in Northern Seleya. Recent tension spurred by Likatonia's decision to grant the Luthorian Armed Forces a naval base in the nation and the subsequent Trigunian reaction has reportedly hastened the Commonwealth Guard's plans both as it related to procurement and the general restructuring of the branch. Sweeney noted that although the gradual scaling of both equipment and manpower had begun for the various State Air Guard formations, the Berkwaki Air Guard would take over much of the CAP responsibilities of the Newchester and St. Christopher Air Guard until their respective F-16 orders have been fulfilled. "With these aircraft, we personnel will become acquainted with their capabilities and will inevitably become extremely proficient in their use. It is our hope that these F-16s will become the backbone of Lodamun's air policing initiatives alongside other missions," Sweeney concluded. Adjutant General of Berkwaki Major General Jarrett Pugh revealed that the proposed structure of the Berkwaki Air Guard (which is subject to the approval of the Director of the Lodamese Commonwealth Guard and the Governor of Berkwaki) would entail a refuelling wing, a fighter wing, a reconnaissance wing, a helicopter/SAR wing and a ground attack wing which is set to be created in anticipation for the Lodamese Army's ground attack aircraft programme (GAAP).

[TheGrandEmperor]

THE COMMONWEALTH NEWS NETWORK

Election Night 5393

Lodamunese Citizens lining up to cast their votes in the 5393 Snap Elections

Kensington, District of Piedmont - It is election night here in the Commonwealth of Lodamun and this election night comes during one of the greatest government collapses in our nation's history following the dissolving of the two major parties of Lodamun. This has caused high tensions in the nation as many people are doubtful of a stable government following the unexpected and unannounced government collapse of the Democratic Party of Lodamun. Adding to the chaos and instability of the nation, the last remaining party in the National Congress has also collapsed days after the Democratic Party. What the future holds for Lodamun shall remain unknown until the newly elected government announces its intentions.

Two relatively new parties on the political stage will be dominating Lodamun politics for years to come following the demise of the two previous major parties. The Lodamun Liberal Party and Fair Deal Party of Lodamun have put forth their candidates for this election to bring stability and leadership to the nation. The Lodamun Liberal Party (LLP), has put forth Kristen Carter as their presidential candidate with the backing of the Fair Deal Party of Lodamun, sealing Mrs. Carter's win as the next President of The Commonwealth.

Election Night - 11pm: Kensington, District of Piedmont - Election night has concluded and what a shocking election has it be, the TCNN can confirm that the Lodamun Liberal Party will win 308/345 seats of the National Congress with Fair Deal Party winning a whopping 37 seats. A massive win by the LLP on this election night, they have said a small statement that they will be forming a unity government with FDPL very soon after internal party talks are finalized.



President-Elect Kristen Carter speaking to a group of reporters following the election.

I am very humbled today by the great amount of support I and my party have received on this election night during one of the most chaotic times of our nation. I want to ensure to all citizens that my party and unity government will be working towards stabilizing the nation and continuing the prosperous growth that our previous predecessor has started. I will commit to working day in and day out for the people of Lodamun and getting things done. My first act as President is to form a unity government with the Fair Deal Party and also propose a constitutional reform to help further and better ourselves as a government to provide top-quality care and leadership to the country. Again, thank you all very much for the overwhelming support on this election night.

That concludes the small statement made by President-Elect Carter who will be sworn in as President within the coming weeks.

Below are the final results.

National Results:
Lodamun Liberal Party
- Votes: 10,618,878
- Votes (%): 88.66%
- Seats: 308
- Difference: 89.28%

Fair Deal Party of Lodamun
- Votes: 1,358,767
- Votes (%): 11.34%
- Seats: 37
- Difference: 10.72%

Regional Map


Seats Pie Chart


Regional Results

[TheGrandEmperor]