(Montis, Noirmarche) -- The Sun rose on an exceptionally quiet Montis as Social Liberal Union coalition forces disembarked at the port. Messages of thanks poured in from the Quera and Jysk forces, a break from the constant fighting just around the corner from them.

• North american republica's main offensive force -- 25,000 strong -- is set to take up current defensive positions and prepare for further excursions into Noirmarche.

• Ganduni's and Esviaa's battalions arrived yesterday, taking advanced positions for assaults on the outlying villages of Vilarivero and Vilasafiro.

• While Jyskmark's ground forces will be retreating from the conflict, sorties by the Jysk Air Force will continue and be enhanced by the overwatch capabilities of Imuneco's satellite network. Imuneco's satellites were already able to pick up several convoys leaving Esmeralda in Central Noirmarche late last night, allowing Jysk to take action.

• Harndon's Quera, who though small in number remain ever so committed to the conflict, will be taking a rest and bringing Puertollano-argamasilla's squad up to speed on their operations as they seek to cooperate on future endeavors.
  

Without the support of an SLU coalition at this critical time, Montis may have fallen to Kommandanto Henrick and many brave lives would have been lost in the conflict. As of right now, those stubborn residents of Montis who refused evacuation can rest easy tonight knowing that peace and order have arrived.

In an address on April 20th, Tamia warned of continued aggression by Rossia after intelligence reports were leaked to writers at UnionEsq, a popular news blog. The documents were verified as authentic Rossian memos by the Combined Union Security Agency, but UnionEsq refused to name the source. With the region currently mobilizing to combat Kommandanto Henrick in Noirmarche, Harndonian and Jysk personnel in the line of fire with reinforcements not slated to arrive for a month, and the seriousness of the Rossian threat after years of dormancy, the Social Liberal Union is facing a crisis that was only supposed to stay a wargame.

Hope for a return to order in Noirmarche came May 1st, with Kommandanto Kandaĵa playing a larger role than expected in the Noirmarche Badlands. The constant improvement of supply chains and other logistical efforts, the building up of essential infrastructure, and the implementation of just policies for oppressed minorities has led to a sizeable growth in Kandaĵa’s forces, exceeding the strength of the Jysk brigade in Montis by a factor of three. In his First of May address, he advanced plans for his “Free State of Noirmarche,” detailing improvements in administration. Among these was a plan to establish Konsilioj governed by elected laborers from each workplace.

"The international community should be appalled by the lack of care the SLU has for national sovereignty. They continue to enforce sanctions upon us, they have destroyed Montis and for what? For power and power alone. When will their treacherous interference end? Once we constrict their movements and destroy their trade as they have destroyed ours."

As we write, armies, navies, and aircraft are being prepared across the region to be sent to Montis. The Quera and Jysk forces have been able to expand their zone of control to the city limits, however not without cost. Seventy-five brave soldiers have lost their lives liberating the city from Kommandanto Henrick, but more lives will be lost if help does not arrive quickly. Henrick has withdrawn his forces to neighboring Akvau, which he controls, and is preparing to retake Montis. In a video released on Quaker, Kommandanto Henrick appealed to Noira refugees, particularly in Harndon and Jyskmark to "revolt against the oppressors, burn their cities to ash. Make their people feel our pain."

Rossia has played its cards and it is now up to us to respond.

Physicians Without Borders president, Dan Svendsen, sounded the alarm on Thursday that if conditions do not improve in Montis, we may see an abnormal growth in mosquito populations, leading to the rapid spread of the Kunjin virus among remaining residents and SLU-associated forces. Neither the Quera nor Jysk forces are prepared for such an uptick in mosquito populations, nor for any diseases they may carry.

PeaceNow!, an international pacifist non-governmental organization that maintains a close working relationship with multiple SLU governments, has been advocating for Harndon and Jyskmark to commit to a unilateral withdrawal from Montis. Chairwoman Melania Kira referred to the recent violence as "disgusting" and said that intervention in foreign territories should never be allowed.

With member state forces now under attack during a peacekeeping mission and Kommandanto Kandaĵa renouncing cooperation with the SLU, should the SLU commit to sending military support to end the conflict in Noirmarche once and for all? Vote now: page=poll/p=155523

Rossia has remained a pain in the SLU's side for five years defying sanctions, interfering with elections in neighboring nations, as well as funding and arming secessionist groups in those neighboring nations. Having previously developed advanced military technology, a communications jammer that is capable of suppressing those military frequencies would not be beyond Rossia. If Rossia is to blame for the sale of the devices to Henrick, it would be unknown how long Henrick has been planning on launching his assault against the Federated Councils of Blackacre or how he received enough money to purchase the devices. Central Blackacre -- where some reports indicate Henrick got his start -- was both the breadbasket of Blackacre and has been severely underutilized since the collapse of national government years ago. Henrick could not have raised enough money off the control and sale of produce to purchase advanced military devices unless there was a state that absolutely required access to food exports.

Regardless of the origin of the devices, the special forces operation and airstrike undertaken by Jyskmark against a supply depot will undoubtedly force Henrick to play the hand he has and bombard fortified positions in the 'Safe Zone' in retaliation. An attack will come on the heels of negotiations between Harndonian Quera and Kommandanto Kandaĵa being abruptly ended on Friday with the Quera returning to Montis to aid the smuggling operation. Kommandanto Kandaĵa took to the airwaves in the Blackacre Badlands Saturday calling for a 'New Nationalism' that should guide each and every Blackacriot. While still an underdeveloped program, Kandaĵa cited the importance of reflecting on 'our common history and culture' as well as rejecting the 'harmful characterizations and gross misunderstandings of our people' that some use. Kandaĵa furthermore announced the establishment of the Free State of Noirmarche. "Our new nationalism commands that our history not be washed by those from the 'Social Liberal Union.' We are Noirmarche. We have always been Noirmarche and we refuse to allow them to say we are 'Blackacre.' We will no longer be slaves to SLU interests. We are not slave 'Blackacriots,' but proud 'Noira!'"

Following this announcement, the Social Liberal Union Tribune will use 'Noirmarche' instead of 'Blackacre' and 'Noira' instead of 'Blackacriot' out of respect for Kandaĵa's pronouncement.
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Do not delay your response; new articles about the situation come out about once a week! All are welcome to enter the situation at any time through communications on Discord or spoilered posts on the regional message board. Polling will be used in cases when an SLU-wide response is necessary.

Jysk troops are facing an uncertain situations in Montis. Reports of advanced technology on the battlefield capable of blocking military communications being deployed by Kommandanto Henrick are filling the airwaves. While the device that was set up has since been destroyed by the Quera, its origin is unknown -- FCB president, Valora Luksa, confirmed with the SLU Tribune that their government had no such device, nor were they aware of nearby kommandantoj who possessed one. While rumors abound that a Social Liberal Union nation may be providing such equipment to Henrick during a period of tense relations between him and certain SLU nations, this publication is unable to uncover such a connection at this time.

The situation in Blackacre has finally reached the shores of Ramelia. While the Constituents' Congress has stayed up-to-date on the situation, inaction has been their prescription. The may change when Speaker Galeb, in calling back the Rameliae congress, stated, "It is my intention that the Constituents' Congress should authorize action to counter forces intervening in Blackacre by all means necessary." This was a surprising development, considering how close Harndon -- the first intervening nation -- and Ramelia are and the relationships that have developed over the years. The Congress meets today to discuss the situation. With elections on the horizon and already violence escalating in Ramelia, it is unlikely that the Constituents' Congress will authorize action against intervening nations as they shore up support and enforce order at home.

While reinforcements are on the way, the situation in Montis currently seems to be at a stalemate. The Quera, beyond protecting the safe zone, has not authorized further excursions. Jysk troops are serving as peace keepers. Discussions with Kommandanto Kandaĵa do not seem to be progressing and some SLU nations are even condemning the intervention.
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Do not delay your response; new articles about the situation come out about once a week! All are welcome to enter the situation at any time through communications on Discord, spoilered posts on the regional message board, or on the forum.

Hundreds of miles away in the expanse of the Blackacriot badlands, Kommandanto Kandaĵa met with Harndonian Quera on Tuesday to discuss Harndonian intervention in the conflict. A top level source stated that the discussion was about the potential for Kandaĵa to take over Blackacre with the support of SLU as well as information gathering on Kandaĵa's capabilities. Kandaĵa has been praised for his rehabilitation of trade networks in the badlands after 2 years of civil conflict.

While the Quera are drafting plans to retake Montis and are in discussions with others in the region, the FCB government-in-exile has settled into accomodations in Azharian. President Luksa drew a small crowd upon her initial arrival on Wednesday, but the fame has slowly dissipated. Luksa had asked Azharian officials to put her into contact with SLU leaders and representatives in the Council of Leaders to hear her plea for help, but has not released any information about the talks. The SLU Tribune reached out to numerous offices to get a response to her plea, but they have all refused to comment, citing "Privileged Communications."

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Do not delay your response; new articles about the situation come out about once a week! All are welcome to enter the situation at any time through communications on Discord, spoilered posts on the regional message board, or on the forum.

The Social Liberal Union's non-interventionist stance was strongly felt in discussions within the Council of Leaders. Most leaders were apathetic or supportive of the SLU's interests in the region with only a couple dissenting. When debating support for Blackacre, the SLU overall committed to providing economic aid, however, Auze voted for full intervention. A minister of Foreign Relations had this to say:

"When a polity has to fight to maintain control over its territory, than ultimately any sort of aid is bound to lead to causing death. For example, it using the aid to be able to buy more weapons. Other pure economic methods of forcing a government to change are similarly cowardly. Sanctions, for example, are either so light or ineffective that the nation is barely discouraged (such as our's), barely enforced and followed, or so harsh that they end up causing as many deaths as starting a war there."

We do not expect Auze to take the results of the most recent vote lying down in the aftermath of the conflict. The upper echelons in this militaristic society seem to believe that once conflict is started, it must be ended by whatever means. In this case, it appears that ending this conflict involves supporting the kommandanto and his new status quo as a means of peace.

Others in the region are advocating support for Kommandanto Kandaĵa whose rise through a small paramilitary group in the Blackacriot badlands and softer occupation policy endeared him to some SLU leaders. While not much is known about the kommandanto, his reputations has preceded him. Throughout Jordan Welsh's time in Montis, migrants from occupied territories of the kommandanto praised the strength of the trade network he built between cities under his control. One resident recalled the moment their opinion of the kommandanto changed, "I went to the market one morning and every stall was full. I asked a merchant what happened and he said, 'Kommandanto Kandaĵa has blessed us with an opportunity in this city. He ordered us to spread the bounty of his land here.' I must have smiled from ear to ear all morning."

Nevertheless, there are parties who have stayed out the situation, for better or worse. Freja Sørensen, Jysk Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, had this to say: "While the ongoing situation in Blackacre is heartbreaking, it is not Jysk government policy to mindlessly rush into intervention in other nations' affairs. The Department for International Aid continues to support humanitarian efforts in the country, but for now the Foreign Ministry is monitoring the situation as events unfold and further action may or may not be taken."

With a collapse of support in the Council of Leaders for any united action, only time will tell what is in store for Blackacre.

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This is a special Council of Leaders article; there will be no associated poll this week for the situation. You, the leaders of nations in our great region, may elect to continue influencing the situation in Blackacre (post about what you are doing) and a future article will come out that takes into account your intervention or lack thereof. These may, of course, be posted on the Regional Message Board (RMB) using a spoiler tag, put up on the forum, or put up on Discord. I strongly recommend you attempt to build off your positions in the Council of Leaders to build a deeper world.

Chairperson Tamia of the North American Republics referred to the Council of Leaders decision as a "blatant disregard for human lives." The Harndonian spokesperson, Kariva Ulav, has said that only economic aid may not be enough in this conflict, "...the deaths will only continue, no matter what side 'wins' the conflict." Refugee International president, Martina Sato, has called out the international community for not working toward a ceasefire situation. "The SLU has a strong defensive army; this army sitting, collecting dust is unacceptable."

The SLU Tribune was able to confirm that the Montis suburb of Kunin has been under the full control of Kommandanto Henrick as of midnight on Thursday. The FCB gendarmerie has been pulled from civilian duties and into the battles against Henrick's forces. SLU Tribune Reporter Jordan Welsh is currently on route to the North American Republics.

The FCB's forces are wearing thin, but still have some fight in them. If they do collapse, we should be prepared to consider how relations with a disjointed Blackacre will work.

(MONTIS, FEDERATED COUNCILS OF BLACKACRE) -- It has been nearly two years since the descent into chaos in Blackacre. While low level bands of paramilitaries roam the countryside, residents of the cities are beholden to the ever-swaying allegiances of the Komandantoj and their soldiers who took over the cities as fiefdoms. The Federated Council of Blackacre is barely holding onto its last stronghold in Montis after losing Sofia last week. Montis, a city whose past of wealth and splendor is interlaced with the territory's history, is lost under the rubble and dust from mortar attacks.

We were fortunate enough to have a working vehicle at our disposal and a member of the gendarmerie as a guide, but that doesn't stop us from feeling pity for the people we passed who still made this city their home. Their weathered faces and tired bodies were forced to press on and survive as their homes crumbled around them. On one excursion into a suburb at the city limits, our guide heard gunfire up ahead and forced us to turn back. As soon as we got back to the hotel we heard over the guide's radio that the suburb was temporarily taken over and ransacked by Komandanto Henrick, a former member of the KFB Milico who was instrumental in the takeover of Sofia.

It is clear that Blackacre is at a crossroads. In a couple of weeks, the FCB may collapse and Komandanto Henrick will make Montis his own. If the SLU acts, the FCB may survive and claw back stability for the rest of the country. The choice is ours.

There was a considerable silence in the Social Liberal Union Council of Leaders over the fate of the Burnhelmese Revolution. In a split decision between intervention on behalf of Burnhelm and non-intervention, the two sides preferred to agree to disagree while the conflict rages on. Social media outreach by the Migdaler Revolutionary Army is already underway with videos of Migdaler bureaucrats being imprisoned in makeshift prisons for 'Crimes Against Migdal' being shared alongside MRA memes [1]. According to sources within the Republican Intelligence Office of Burnhelm, these posts do not seem to be traceable.

The leader of the movement, The Firebrand as he is known, granted the SLU Tribune team in Burnhelm exclusive access to their headquarters. Ever careful about operational security, our video-taping devices were stripped from us as well as any writing implement. We were allowed a single voice recorder with the condition that the movement's officers inspect it before we left. Even without a video recording, we can still recall that within the compound, we saw shelves of armaments alongside maps and what looked to have been documents taken from the Migdal Assembly before it was burned down. While sitting down at The Firebrand's desk, we could hear the movement's officers talk with absolute delight how Governor Debois' deeper crimes will be exposed.

The Firebrand was a towering man with a sweet smile and, despite knowing that he orchestrated a fire that destroyed a government building, no one on our team could shake the feeling that what he was doing was right while he was talking to us. This charisma must be behind the strength of the organization that is now pulling in recruits from the cities of Migdal, including the capital, Turo.

"Our people have struggled -- they continue to struggle day after day, night after night, all for what? For Governor Debois to seize for his personal pleasure the labor of our poor folks? No! That cannot be allowed to continue and you need to tell the world!" The Firebrand told us. He grabbed one of the documents on his desk and showed it to us. The letterhead from the Glorious Democratic Republic of Kujang was unmistakable. "Do you see this document? It states in explicit detail the corrupt relationship our own governor had with a foreign head of state! Billions of dollars have been washed through Migdal! Millions more are stored in Migdaler vaults as cash, diamonds, gold. And Governor Debois, for his...generosity...gets to reap a small percentage of the hauls, leaving us high and dry. We cannot stand this any more."

The document that The Firebrand was holding, without a doubt, implicates Kujang with the piracy experienced by neighboring nations, links Governor Dubois with money laundering for a foreign power, and shows a devil-may-care attitude present among the elites in both governments.

The GDR of Kujang, a known thorn in the SLU's side, had allowed for Naran economic planners to offer a strategy for economic reorganization. The substantially increased mining output of the GDR of Kujang, the discovery of a large platinum deposit, and the steady rise of international wealth allowed Kujang to reap substantial profits. However, the state began resorting to piracy once its situation with its neighbor, Dai-Kujang, fell off the radar. Their professional pirates set up bases along the southern edge of Priangan, a large mountainous island to their south-west. As Eggic, Avaerilonian, and even Goncaran ships were taken over, Kujang's coffers grew, but neighboring nations grew suspicious about the state's connection with the pirates -- as well as the exploding treasury. This was hinted at more than once when Goncaran shipping containers were seen on a ship flying the Kujang flag and the discovery of Avaerilonian gold (which has a special emission spectrum due to a rare earth metal present in nearly all Avaerilonian gold) among Dialectican black market sellers.

Kujang has emphatically denied involvement in any money laundering scheme and has stated that it appreciates the gradually thawing relations between the SLU and itself.

The Firebrand, before we parted ways, expressed concern that the movement would split due to their radicalism. "The people need our support! We the people of Migdal and Burnhelm need to finally control our own destinies, but to start means removing these warts from power. We do not want violence; it's a dirty, nasty business, but when the state has left us with no other outlet for our frustration, we must make do. Some in our movement do not understand that, and they are loud and proud in their apprehension to our means, but I hope that they will remain allies until our mutual goal is reached. I only hope they see the truth that we are doing what is necessary by then."

While the Republican Bureau of Investigations has not officially commented on Kujang and money laundering links, the MRA seems to have legitimate proof of misdoings. The SLU Council of Leaders cannot come to a decision on what to do, leaving Burnhelm burning. What happens next?

[1] An example of the memes being shared can be seen here:

Amanda Tamia, Chairwoman of the Workers' National Council has called for cooperation with the rebellious group, citing the democratic victory of Jerri Crumrine in the 2012 election following the revolution started by the People's Front of Social Liberation. "It is clear that the same forces that propelled our own Andrew Rey into power years ago are active in Migdal. We must support the MRA as much as we can to force the Burnhelm Communist Party into power. It is only then that the people of Burnhelm will be truly free from the corruption their government represents."

What cannot be discerned at this point is how the region will respond to calls to action from both Burnhelm and the Migdaler Revolutionary Army. While the MRA has set alight the capital building, no one has been harmed. However, this may be a sign that the MRA is willing to escalate matters. The government of Migdal, however, has been caught padding their own wallets as the Republican Bureau of Investigation has already arrested numerous officials caught in a sting operation. The depth of the corruption is common knowledge, but high officials have staved off investigations into their own dealings and arrests so far, even going so far as to claim that they were immune from action. How far they are willing to go to protect their positions is not known.

Desperate to escape the suffering, refugees have begun stuffing themselves into containers on ships leaving the Port of Montis. Refugees have so far found their way into Hirematia and the North american republics. North American Republican Directors Margo Brown and Raphael Sanzio -- from the Department of Infrastructure and Department of Health, respectively -- issued a statement to the press asking Blackacriot residents to not engage with "Ranchers," the Blackacriot human traffickers. "Riding in a shipping container is dangerous. The lack of clean water, ventilation, sewage system, uncertainty of destination, and the slavery that often accompanies such engagement mean that you may be leaving an unsatisfactory life for a worse one. Please do not take this risk. Those who are already here: we will welcome you with open arms, so do not be afraid of turning in your captors. They are a scourge on our society and justice will be swiftly administered."

Still more Blackacriot refugees of the paramilitary conflicts are taking their chances crossing the continent to safer countries that adhere to the Social Liberal Union's code of law. Takumi Keelin, father of three, stopped to talk with us as his children and wife received fresh water. "The gangs that drove us away, they talked about how much better life would be without us 'Blatoj.' They called us filth, degenerates. They said that the illness was because of us. What have I done but cared for my family?"

One night, as our crew was packing up, a two teams of four in modified SUVs drove up to us. Children no older than fourteen with the weariness of aged veterans told us to leave and never come back from their windows. We were told that we were unwelcome as we only came to support the 'blatoj.' They fired shots above our heads and drove away shouting "We are the bringers of death."

(SANT'TO, KANORIA) -- It has been nearly a month since the flu started ravaging Blackacre and the region is still suffering. A quarter of citizens in Social Liberal Union Economic and Development Zone (SLUEDZ) countries have been vaccinated according to the Union Disease Control Center. That has not stopped the tide of deaths:

• Blackacre: 15,500* Senior Citizens | 12,200* Adults | 21,000* Children

• New lettia: 7,832 Senior Citizens | 6,911 Adults | 8,674 Children

• Lawattsia: 5,864 Senior Citizens | 4,634 Adults | 5,127 Children

• Harndon: 4,112 Senior Citizens | 3,537 Adults | 3,880 Children

• Crysinia: 3,237 Senior Citizens | 1,501 Adults | 2,375 Children

• Goncar: 3,182 Senior Citizens | 1,208 Adults | 3,569 Children

• Koiho: 3,037 Senior Citizens | 1,125 Adults | 2,723 Children

• Hirematia: 1,943 Senior Citizens | 3,459 Adults | 2,215 Children

• Auze: 1,705 Senior Citizens | 1,681 Adults | 1,666 Children

• Paschimbanga: 2,074 Senior Citizens | 1,031 Adults | 1,536 Children

• North american republics: 1,964 Senior Citizens | 939 Adults | 1,164 Children

• Kanoria: 1,899 Senior Citizens | 814 Adults | 980 Children
  

*Estimated Figures

The people of the Social Liberal Union have been advised to take special care of themselves as the flu spreads. Repeated washing of the hands, coughing into your elbow, and staying away from others is advised. The Union Disease Control Center authorized the distribution of face masks to affected countries on Sunday. Hospitals and clinics across the Union have already begun receiving their shipments.

Physicians Without Borders has redoubled their efforts in SLUEDZ countries, providing doctors to New Lettia and Lawattsia to combat the spread of the flu. "Our pull back from Blackacre was a necessity; there was so little for us to do to help and our doctors were becoming ill in an environment where we could not support them adequately. It was not a decision we could make lightly, but we can now focus our efforts on the worst affected member state: New Lettia," said Dr. Svendsen, president of the group.

(NEW NEW YORK, NORTH AMERICAN REPUBLICS) -- The flu continues to ravage the Social Liberal Union. Five more nations -- the North American Republics, Kanoria, Hirematia, Auze, and Paschimbanga -- have reported several H2N2 infections each. With H2N2 present and spreading at a rapid rate in eleven countries and the potential for the infection to spread to other countries increasing, the Union Disease Control Center has issued a Pandemic Alert for the entire Social Liberal Union.

Dr. Yan Sanja, director of the Union Disease Control Center, made a lengthy statement at the press conference held this morning, "This has been the worst spread of the flu we have seen thus far. We are starting to see many deaths associated with H2N2...too many infants. Too many seniors before their time. Eighty infants and 121 senior citizens since the start of reporting and who knows how many in Blackacre before that. H2N2 vaccine supplies are now completely depleted in Courelli, North Isseggggnignigsegigisegggg Islands, East Fredonia, Vancovaria, Lawattsia, Freeland Newworldia and Humasis. Doctors in other countries are pleading with their governments to implement restrictions again. Let me read a statement from our National Advisor stationed in Goncar:

'People are coming in droves to get vaccinated. Every two days we get a supply of 100 vaccines from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and I have to turn 40 people away once they're gone. I see elderly patients come in with defeated faces, walking slowly from the fatigue that plagues them, nearly collapsing if not for their adult children helping them in. There is one story from a doctor's office twenty minutes down the road from here that the doctor had two children of the ages 5 and 10 from the same family pass out while waiting to be helped. They did not wake up again.'

"At this point, controlling the spread is out of doctors' hands. That is our...prognosis."

Physicians Without Borders has had to pull out of Blackacre because of a lack of support and an increase in infected doctors. "We cannot continue our work if we do not have healthy doctors. It is the lack of national support that is hurting our organization. We cannot continue to risk our doctors' lives without the support to back them up. Our resources will be redirected to lesser well-off countries within the organized SLU sphere," said Dr. Svendsen, president of the organization.

The Council of Leaders meeting has been postponed until Sunday.

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Correction: Last Sunday we mistakenly referred to Paschimbanga's president as "Jatiya Sansad" which we now understand to be they call their parliament. The president's name is actually Abhishek Chanda and the government operates as a parliamentary system.

(NEW NEW YORK, NORTH AMERICAN REPUBLICS) -- After four long days of deliberation, the Council of Leaders has overwhelmingly decided to end the policy of vaccinating only infants and the elderly and has opened distribution to healthy adults as well. The move was in response to a report released by the Institute for Health and Economics indicating a 10% drop in regional economic activity if prompt action were not taken.

Some national leaders are attempting to calm the public's nerves by visiting hospitals treating H2N2 patients. "Our brave doctors are standing at attention, ready to treat the very worst illnesses that could come through. We may suffer from the flu, but you will not be alone, not in New Lettia," said Newlettian Prime Minister Joe Holman last night at Ūziņkalnienes 1. slimnīca, a large and well respected hospital. The prime minister shook hands with some of the recovering adults and has received praise for being "a man of the people" by twitter celebrities.

There is a growing list of countries that have issued travel advisories for Blackacre, New Lettia, and Lawattsia, but some countries are going a step further in combating the flu. The Anaaxese Chancellor of Health has issued a directive to place unvaccinated travelers under home quarantine. President Jatiya Sansad of Paschimbanga has gone a step further and authorized the quarantine of all travelers from afflicted countries for fourteen days in order to prevent the flu from entering the country. The Lawattsian Health Minister, Shirley Fox, told Lawattsian media that the government plans on introducing mandatory vaccination to stem the spread of the flu in their country. Fox has received some criticism from anti-vaccine groups around the region for endangering the well-being of her citizens.

The Courellian Secretary of Health, Michael Cox, is reportedly glad to see action on the part of member states. "We could tell that this flu season was going to be bad once the Blackacre report came out. That is why my office called for travel restrictions. Now we have the flu spreading in countries that could have remained safe. At least our policy choices have been vindicated and others will listen from now on."

While this action is providing a gleam of hope that the Social Liberal Union will push through H2N2, another four countries are reporting confirmed infections. Crysinia, Harndon, Goncar, and Koiho have each reported to the Union Disease Control Center one confirmed patient. Goncaran Minister of Internal Affairs Casey Lindsey is expecting to report another three when the test results are released. "While this is a setback in Goncaran public health, the most we can do is continue to treat the infected and educate our citizens in proper hygiene during a flu epidemic in another country," said Lindsey Sunday morning.

Governments are being asked to attend the next Council of Leaders meeting on 2018-03-07 (March 7, 2018) to discuss mid-week updates on this flu epidemic.

(NEW BEERINI, NEW LETTIA) -- Nearly one week after the call was put out to implement a flu strategy, doctors in the New Lettian city of New Beerini are beginning to report a multitude of H2N2 infections. A customs official at Frederick International in Lawattsia also caught an H2N2 patient after the airline passenger collapsed at the booth. While initially believed to be a fainting due to a mistake the official made, the passenger was taken to Frederick Memorial Hospital where she was diagnosed with a severe H2N2 infection. These cases demonstrate the pressing need for regional governments to work fast and coordinate properly to stem the spread of the infection.

"Our patients have been seen coughing in the waiting rooms into open air, which facilitates the transmission of the virus. Some are covering their mouths with their hands, which stops the aerial transmission, but they go on to touch our doorknobs, clipboards, magazines...that only spreads [the virus] even further," said the exasperated Dr. Ozolinsh, a general practitioner in New Beerini. A survey of 5,000 citizens, sampled from across the region and released on February 27th, states that 61% of respondents "Believe that they are doing their best to reduce transmission" while 54% of respondents state that their primary method of transmission reduction is either "Cough into my hands" or "Cough towards the ground."

The airline passenger who collapsed at Frederick International is the first reported case of H2N2 in Lawattsia, although airline passengers on the patient's flight are being contacted so as to be informed. They will be advised by the Union Disease Control Center to stay home if they are feeling the slightest bit unwell and to rest and drink plenty of fluids if that is the case.

While there are a smattering of infections outside of Blackacre, five more doctors have fallen ill with H2N2, two from Aegishjalm and three from Intermedium. Dr. Svendsen, president of Physicians Without Borders, said early this morning: "We are reviewing the equipment we have out on the field and workflows our doctors are using to ensure that proper precautions are in place."

With the flu increasingly putting otherwise healthy adults into the hospital, predicted economic output decreasing significantly over the next four months, and social media abuzz with discussions about governments not caring about their citizens, the Council of Leaders is tasked with the question: should governments re-evaluate their stance on vaccine distribution?

Over the past two weeks, doctors in the small town have made house visits to teach residents best practices for keeping healthy, including frequent hand washing and keeping hands or fingers away from the nose, mouth, and ears. "Some people seem to be understanding that they need to keep healthy, for themselves and their family. We haven't seen an outbreak this bad in a long time, but if the whole territory were -- if the whole region were like Ragnoville -- the region would not have to worry about the spread of disease, but it comes down to education," said Dr. Reinhold, a traveling physician from Avaerilon.

In response to the epidemic in Blackacre, resident states of the Social Liberal Union are ramping up H2N2 vaccine production. The entire region should be covered by the vaccine within 4 months as supplies trickle out. Citizens across the region have been streaming in to doctor's offices, leading doctors to limit the vaccines to the young and elderly. Sick adults are being asked to stay home, rest, and drink plenty of fluids. Doctors are asking these adults to replenish their electrolytes with certain infant drinks and the Crocade sports drink.

A small contingent of nations have pledged to sign up or incentivize more doctors to join Physician Without Borders, which is currently stationed across in Blackacre. Two doctors from Michutopia have already contracted the flu and are being kept in quarantine tents. Physicians Without Borders has directed resources to making sure that those doctors make a full recovery. "We will take good care of them. We work beside them; we know they're strong and will make it. They just want to get back to helping others," said Dr. Svendsen, president of the group.

There have yet to be significant efforts to teach citizens how to prevent the spread of diseases beyond brief public announcements on AM radio. Courelli has been the only nation thus far to suggest travel and trade reductions from Blackacre until the epidemic passes, instituting health checks for people traveling in from Blackacre.

Governments are being asked to attend the next Council of Leaders meeting on 2018-02-28 (February 28, 2018) to discuss mid-week updates on this flu epidemic. Chairperson Amanda Tamia of the North american republics has thanked nations for their participation in solving this crisis.

(NEW NEW YORK) -- The Flu rages on in Blackacre, a territory of the Social Liberal Union.

A report from the Federated Councils of Blackacre -- the largest unrecognized Blackacriot government -- shows 1 of every 13 visits to the doctor was for fever, cough, and other symptoms of the flu last week, the highest level seen in the Social Liberal Union since "The Green Death" of 2012. The scale of the epidemic is unknown as of yet with other Blackacriot governments not having the resources or skill to draft such reports.

"We've been looking at this from every angle and all we can do is hope it doesn't become a pandemic, considering the state of Blackacre. The flu could become unrestrained," said Dr. Yan Sanja, director of the Union Disease Control Center.

While the flu in the SLU is usually a non-event every year, this year's flu season started early in many nations, including the North American Republics. No other territories or nations have reported the resurgence of H2N2 and trade and travel restrictions have yet to be put into place.

The Federated Councils of Blackacre report not only shows a remarkable increase in infant and elderly deaths related to H2N2, but the death of the first healthy adult as well.

Stores of H2N2 vaccines are low and all already distributed vaccines do not protect against H2N2.

Governments are being asked to develop a flu strategy by attending the Council of Leaders meeting being held later this week. A spokesperson for the SLU stated that they hoped to have a plan in place by Monday to prevent a pandemic from happening.