[Lauchenoiria]

Lauchenoirian Guardian

Former intelligence agent accused of treason escapes from prison
15th October 2020

A former agent of the Lauchenoirian Intelligence Agency, Gabriel Fleming, has escaped from a high-security prison in Ecanta province. He had been detained in the facility awaiting trial for treason, murder and mistreatment of prisoners. The full details of his charges have been withheld from the public due to reasons of national security. Following his escape, pictures of Fleming were circulated by the media. He is to be considered highly dangerous.

Four prison guards were found dead, alongside two other prisoners in the facility. No other prisoners escaped. It is believed that Fleming was a supporter of Suleman Chaher’s coup in 2018, and that he may try to contact pro-Chaher groups in Lauchenoiria. Security services have been placed on high alert following the escape. Border patrols have been increased, though it is thought unlikely that Fleming will try to flee the country.

There has been speculation that Fleming or pro-Chaher groups intend to attempt another coup, however no evidence has been found to back up these claims. Despite this, security around the Parliament has been increased, alongside security outside the residences of both the President and Prime Minister. The government has denied that this is a result of Fleming’s escape and that they are responding to the increased threat of civil disobedience from activist groups such as Watchdogs of Our Earth (WOE).

In what came as a surprise to many, the Matriarchy of Kerlile has publicly assured Lauchenoiria that if Fleming is found attempting to cross their border, he will be returned to Lauchenoiria despite the lack of formal extradition treaty between the two states. It is thought that Fleming was responsible for anti-Kerlile operations during his time as an intelligence agent, which is rumoured to have prompted this statement by the Matriarchy.

Unverified documents online were leaked following the escape which imply that Fleming was responsible for a number of online rumours surrounding Yauhmi, the deposed Empress of Xiomera and leader of one faction in the present civil war in Xiomera. The rumours, which spread during the Great Selection (a process by which Xiomera chooses their leader), implied that Yauhmi had been unfaithful to her husband, Emperor Topilpopoca, and were vehemently denied by Yauhmi.

Pictures of Fleming have been circulated. Lauchenoirian residents are warned NOT to approach Fleming if seen, but to report any suspected sightings to the authorities immediately. Foreign ambassadors have also been contacted and provided with a list of known aliases, in case Fleming attempts to flee the country. To report a suspected sighting, please contact your local federal police department.

[Lauchenoiria]

Lauchenoirian Guardian

Climate Direct Action Group Classified as Terrorist Organisation After Butterfly Island Incident
24th November 2020

The Lauchenoirian government announced yesterday that they were classifying the Warriors of Our Earth – a breakaway faction of the Watchdogs of Our Earth which endorses the use of violence – as a terrorist organisation. This comes after 21 individuals claiming to be members of the Warriors group were arrested in Seahaven, Butterfly Island, for seizing control of a government building in the heart of the city.

The building, which serves as headquarters for the Butterfly Island provincial government, was seized by the Warriors of Our Earth on Sunday 15th November, but was only retaken yesterday by government forces. Opposition parties are set to question the government on why this operation took so long, and why the seizure of the building was not reported. Butterfly Island authorities had previously stated that the building was evacuated due to asbestos being uncovered during routine plumbing work.

No statement has been released from the Warriors, however Watchdogs’ primary social media accounts have all linked to a statement from the main WOE organisation denouncing the classification of the Warriors faction as a terrorist organisation, claiming this is an “attack on civil liberties” and accusing Prime Minister Alvarez of being a “dictator in disguise and puppet of Shuell” for her actions. Shuell classified WOE as a whole as a terrorist organisation last Wednesday.

Lauchenoiria has become the third nation to classify at least part of WOE as a terrorist group, following denunciations of the group by both Shuell and Xiomera within the last week. The National Shuellian Broadcasting Network (NSBN) called WOE a “radical anarcho-primitivist organization, with the goal of destroying modern society and any semblance of civility”, while Xiomera decried the influence of “foreign-manipulated terrorism” in their present civil conflict.

Prime Minister Josephine Alvarez is set to make a statement to the Federal Parliament later today in which she will “explain the rationale” behind the false information given on the Butterfly Island building seizure. She will also deny any involvement in the Xiomeran civil war, stating that she had attempted to prevent members of WOE from travelling to Xiomera in order to participate in the conflict and will promise to “consider” the extradition of any Lauchenoirian citizen accused of committing terrorist attacks abroad.

[Lauchenoiria]

Lauchenoirian Guardian

Former SDP Leader Cassidy Laurens defects to Feminist Party
27th March 2021

Cassidy Laurens, the former leader of the Social Democratic Party announced today that she had left the SDP and would be joining the Feminist Party. In the 2019 elections, Laurens’ party’s share of the vote dropped rapidly following comments caught on microphone where Laurens’ appeared to praise Kerlile’s attitude to gender relations. The SDP lost all their seats in the 2019 election, and many commentators have pointed to Laurens’ Kerlile comments as the final nail in the coffin.

This change of party has led to many on social media declaring that they feel ‘vindicated’ for accusing Laurens’ of being a Kerlian agent two years ago. However, Laurens’ and the Feminist Party deny any links with Kerlile. Allegations that Laurens’ is a Kerlian sleeper agent known as an ‘Aurora’ have also been refuted by a spokesperson for the Lauchenoirian Intelligence & Security Agency.

In Laurens’ statement about the change, she says that this has come from following “years of soul-searching” and that she believes only a gender-inclusive social democratic government can deliver the society Lauchenoirians deserve. “There has been an increase in misogyny in the last few years in Lauchenoiria. I think this is in part due to false rumours about Kerlile, and a perception of Kerlile that is at odds with a nation that is currently reforming their worst policies.”

Laurens’ has condemned the previous Kerlian regime in articles before, but she has praised their recent attempts at reform, and has urged the Lauchenoirian government to consider trying to improve relations with their northern neighbour in light of these changes. Laurens’ says that her new choice of parties has nothing to do with Kerlile, but rather is a result of “sustained sexism directed at myself and others by misogynistic figures such as Paul Doberman who have been given a free run by a society which associates tackling misogyny as somehow backing Kerlile.”

Commenting on social media, Mr Doberman responded with “like flocks to like, Kerlian spies flock to Kerlian spies. #ArrestLaurens #ArrestWright [Katherine Wright, Feminist Party leader] #ArrestAuroras”. The Feminist Party leader welcomed Laurens as a new member of the party, and stated that she “looks forward to working with [Laurens] to advance the cause of women’s rights in Lauchenoiria”. The SDP, which still has minimal representation in provincial parliaments, did not respond to a request for comment.

[Lauchenoiria]

Lauchenoirian Guardian

Prime Minister Announces Planned Attendance at International Women’s Congress
11th June 2021

Prime Minister Josephine Alvarez this morning announced that she would be attending the 2021 International Women’s Congress in Kerlile. The IWC, which was planned for this month but pushed back to August due to flooding in the Kerlian capital damaging the planned venue, is a biannual conference promoting women’s rights globally. This will be the 65th IWC and the first to take place in Kerlile since 1977.

Alvarez’s announcement was met with shock, given the poor diplomatic relations between Kerlile and Lauchenoiria dating back decades. No sitting Prime Minister of Lauchenoiria has visited Kerlile since the Matriarchy was founded. Though the two states maintain official relations, tensions have been consistently high for the last century, with the two countries going to war on two occasions, in the 1990s and three years ago in 2018.

The Matriarchy of Kerlile, upon being granted hosting rights by the organising committee, extended an open invitation to all female foreign leaders including Alvarez. Though she is not the only leader to accept – President Liu Mei-han of Laeral has already confirmed attendance alongside many other politicians of democratic states – this is by far the most shocking announcement given the state of relations.

Controversial far-right Lauchenoiria First leader Paul Doberman condemned the decision, claiming the the Prime Minister was a Kerlian spy and part of the Aurora Programme, a claim repeatedly made by Mr Doberman about a number of politicians from various countries and never verified. He also claimed that she was being ‘brainwashed’ by Councillor Jennifer Hale of Kerlile, who she is still legally married to, through a microchip inserted in her brain.

The Council of Kerlile have confirmed they have received notice that Alvarez plans to attend the IWC and have provided public reassurances that all delegates to the conference will be granted full diplomatic immunity. The new conference date is yet to be confirmed, but it is likely that it will begin in early August. The application deadline for delegations and stalls has been extended to the 31st July from the initial deadline of the 31st May.