Political Corruption Under Investigation Dateline V1, Q7 3207.079

The District Prosecutor’s Office in Willie City has launched an official investigation into the so-called ‘chips of truth’ recorded by Renata Beger. The opposition SelfDefense MP had recorded with a hidden camera her negotiations with two representatives of the ruling Law and Justice Party linked to the Prime Minister’s Office who had been promising her a high government post and financial aid at taxpayer’s expense in return for switching political sympathies to support the government. The prosecutors have already questioned Renata Beger but nobody has yet faced any charges in connection with the incident. However, it has been acknowledged that the case can be qualified as corruption, which carries a penalty of up to 12 year imprisonment for offenders. The recordings have been handed over to the Planetary Prosecutor’s Office by VNN, the commercial media station which had initially aired the recordings almost three weeks ago.

Huge Anti-Venerian Protest Dateline Garesh Q3, 3207.068

The Quadrant Free Venerian Youth Congress organized a protest demonstration in front of the Venerian Mission on Garesh to strongly condemn the recent opening of fire at defenseless refugees by the Venerian starguard patrols a Garibaldi Station. This incident lead to at least two deaths and detention of about 30 escapees including 10 children whose fates are still unknown. "This incident has become a proof to the outside world of the ongoing brutality of the Venerian regime and the high vulnerability of visitors to Venerian worlds", a spokesperson for the Congress said "crossing the border every year.

About 3000 protesters gathered in front of Venerian Mission and started shouting slogans against the Venerian authorities. The slogans included ‘stop the killings of refugees’, ‘no freedom, no peace’,'Garibaldi a death trap',
'Venerian lies, people die', 'shame on Venus', etc. Organizers from the QFYC called for immediate halt to this kind of inhumane treatment to refugees entering the system. They further unanimously expressed their determination to continue their protest until the justice is fully served. The demonstration was then followed by candle light vigil signaling the united call for justice to this unfortunate incident. The protest demonstration eventually concluded with prayers (Words of Truth) and the Garibaldi national anthem.

Separatists Skirmish with Commonwealth Troops Dateline Savory Q5 3207.089
Internal conflict has flared up on the colony of Savory in Quadrant 5. Though the world has had a unified planetary government for several years now - there remain a number of dangerous armed separatist groups in the highlands of the equatorial jungle region. These separatists have been engaging in prolonged skirmished with Wolfer security forces - who are allegedly having some difficulty bringing them under control. Several dozen security troops and an estimated 2-300 separatists have been killed or wounded in the fighting. A spokesperson for the local government said "These hill people have always been bandits and troublemakers. Now that we're members of the Commonwealth it won't take long for them to be pacified".

Grinning Carcass Trash Hotel Dateline Rotnart Q6 3207.058
Sludge-core Goth metal band, Grinning Carcass were living up to their hard-core uber-celeb status on their Q6 tour. The Disney-Hilton Hotel was declared a chemical hazard zone following their post-gig party. Famous for their use of recreational toxic chemicals and explosives, the band had recently re-formed following the spectacular death of lead singer Nancy Kaun in a freak microwave pop-tart accident in 3201.
Grinning Carcass are renowned for their outrageous sex, drugs and rock and roll lifestyles, and have become very popular with 'alternative youth'. The five piece band have got their reputation from controversial songs such as 'love the machines', 'driven beserk' and 'fight for them' which have been rumoured to be linked to the so-called 'exterminator cult'.

Colony destroyed by Huge Planetquake Dateline W18 Q7 3207.080
Reports are coming in from independent traders of a major disaster on W18, the struggling newly settled colony in Quadrant 7. An unexpected planetquake hit the only colonised region of the equatorial continent, and it seems that the resulting landslides and tsunami virtually wiped out the entire colony. According to traders who visited the world a few weeks after the event, the few survivors appear to have succumbed to starvation and disease.

Universal Spaceball Championships in Crisis Dateline T42 Q3 3207.065
The ever-popular Universal spaceball championship is looking as though it is in crisis as key players from the Martian team have been shipped home with injuries and ill-health even before the first heats of the contest have begun. Chairman of the Interstellar Spaceball Committee, Galliant Quickbrain said "This is a blow for the contest. The removal from the Martian lineup of Muhinder Tightend and Harriet Longleaper will reduce the quality of the play. Perhaps Earth will be in with a chance this year!". Mars generally dominates the competition, having only lost once in the last 41 years The Martian team Captain said "Look... mean...strewth...its a bit of bloody bad luck. No - there was no question of illegal genetic enhancements and Ms Longleaper was injured in training - she had nothing to do with the bar fight." Bookmakers are now putting the odds against Mars winning this year's contest and projected tri-v viewing figures are looking poor as a result of the loss of two star players. Some commentators are predicting the most open contest for years - with strong teams from New Venus and Xyon looking set to challenge Martian and Earther historical domination of the competition.

Police Clash with Cultists Dateline Barba Q0 3207.125
Fighting has broken out in the mountain city of Nintendo on Barba between local police and adherents of growing religion known as the Cult of Gia. The world, which has very largely been maintained as a tourist and recreational colony, has little industry and the wild areas are managed for the use of visitors. The Cult believes that humanity has no business on the world at all, and that the exploitation of the planet for tourism is immoral and 'angers the world-spirit'. The group have been involved in a number of minor attacks on tourist centres in recent years - but the most recent violence marks a new phase of public demonstration. According to official Wolfer sources, the protesters and cultists are a "..small vocal minority of loony troublemakers, who have no popular support. The ringleaders have been arrested so we should have no more trouble here. Its all over bar the shouting.". The colonial government was at pains to point out that there is absolutely no risk to visitors to the world, and this will not affect the annual mountaintop Festival of Zelda that is held near the city.

Colonial Referenda and Memberships - from our colonial corespondent

Referenda have been held on the following worlds:

Ruritania Q1, on 3207.050 - which has voted to apply for membership to the Union of Xyon.