06:13

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C-Sec expresses concern over Earth-based gangs
February 2nd, 2011

C-Sec issued a report today that expressed concern about the growing presence of Earth-based gangs, both on the Citadel and in Citadel Space. According to a C-Sec representive, “many of these gangs have their origins in urban slums on Earth. On Earth, they were oriented around petty crimes and small scale violence. However, an alarming number of their members seem to be making their way into the interstellar community, where they are now associated with larger scale crimes such as piracy and inter-species violence.”

It is uncertain how these gangs are gaining the resources to move off-world, but C-Sec has speculated that some of them may be associating with larger criminal enterprises. The Alliance has vowed to crack down on the problem, but many on the Citadel are not convinced. Said one turian diplomat, who wished to remain anonymous: “The Humans want galactic influence, but they can’t even take care of the problems caused by the slums on their own homeworld. Now those problems are becoming a danger for the rest of us.”

Tags: c-sec, earth

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Palaven tourism vessel involved in fatal crash
February 1st, 2011

In a catastrophe already being billed as “the worst air traffic disaster in recent memory”, 56 people have been killed and another 13 are missing after a mid-air collision between a sight-seeing vessel and an autocab in the skies over Palaven. Initial reports indicate that the autocab crashed into the tourist ferry, instantly killing the cab’s occupants and bringing the ferry down. Local politicians are praising the ferry’s crewmembers, saying that without their swift action in evacuating the majority of the passengers, many more lives could have been lost. Search-and-rescue operations are continuing throughout the night.

Tags: Palaven
Posted in Unofficial News | 41 Comments »

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Alliance Business Association challenges salarian tariff
January 31st, 2011

The Alliance Business Consortium has protested a .5% tariff that the salarian government recently levied on Alliance manufactured personal transportation units. The Business Consortium has called the tariff “crass protectionism, in violation of Citadel protections for free trade.” The salarians, meanwhile, defend the tariff as “both necessary and legal,” and have stated that the money is “used to pay for inspectors who ensure that human goods meet salarian safety standards.”

It is expected that both sides will argue their case to the Citadel Council next month. In the meantime, fear has grown within the Alliance business community that this dispute could contribute to increased tension with a key trade partner, as well as grow support for extremist figures within Alliance politics. The Terra Firma Party has already issued a statement that blasts the Salarians, and uses the incident to argue support for their candidates and platform.

[via The Alliance Beacon]

Tags: Alliance Beacon, Alliance Business Consortium, Citadel Council, council, salarian, Terra Firma

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Turian artist posthumously releases new album
January 30th, 2011

Turians the galaxy over are expected to turn out in droves for the release of Sleep of the Just, the hot new release from Turian singer/songwriter Jelusa Nektaros. Nektaros died of an apparent drug overdose in 2153 at the young age of 42, and the debate over whether it was suicide, accidental, or foul play continues to this day. For now, though, the focus is on her music, as the album full of previously unreleased studio and personal recordings, including 5 never before released songs, is set to be released at midnight tonight. A small portion of Nektaros’s fanbase insists that these recordings prove that she faked her death to escape the limelight, and that this album will mark her return to the stage.

Tags: Entertainment, Jelusa Nektaros, Music, Sleep of the Just, turian

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Elcor rights group files discrimination claim
January 29th, 2011

An elcor rights group has filed six lawsuits against Citadel securities firm Alkezar Unlimited, citing charges of workplace discrimination against elcor. According to Elcor Liberties Movement spokesman Jandrum Naurowauro, the firm has consistently refused to allow its employees access to speech-to-text dictation software, hindering efforts by elcor in the workplace to do their jobs. “Indignantly: Elcor paws are not naturally equipped to use other species’ terminals,” stated Naurowauro at a press conference earlier today, shortly before revealing that the combined financial impact of the suits would approach a figure in the low millions of credits. “Melodramatically: By refusing to let my clients use dictation software, Alkezar Unlimited has greatly hurt both my clients’ productivity and their own. With insincere sorrow: I am truly sorry for their loss.”

Tags: Alkezar Unlimited, elcor, Elcor Liberties Movement, Jandrum Naurowauro

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Annual Tuchanka fishing tournament begins this month
January 28th, 2011

Fishing enthusiasts from across the galaxy as converging on the Bitter Seas Archipelago on Tuchanka this month for the annual Mannok-Vahk fishing competition. Every year dozens of krogan fisherman head to the small island chain in Tuchanka’s largest body of water to try and claim the honor of being named champion. This year, the number of contestants has swelled with the arrival of a number of non-krogan participants brave enough to weather the irradiated waters, including master anglers Tomi Oshiro of Earth and Nulia T’Raok of Illium. “Krogan are known for rage,” says last year’s champion Korwun Valug, “not our fishing skills, but I’d like to see any human or salarian land a 300-pound flathead. A krogan will take the title again this year, you’ll see.” The atmosphere of the competition is good-natured so far, but the tournament is known for breaking out into violence.

Tags: Bitter Seas Archipelago, earth, Illium, Korwun Valug, Mannok-Vahk, Nulia T'Raok, sports, Tomi Oshiro, tuchanka

06:12

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Aldrin Labs warns against security flaw
January 27th, 2011

A team of researchers on Luna revealed a “potentially catastrophic” security vulnerability in omnitools, terminal computers, datapads, and bio-amps manufactured by Luna-based Aldrin Labs, Inc. The vulnerability could allow attackers to gain full control of the equipment, view encrypted files, change settings, override a user’s commands, install spyware or malware programs, or even overload the affected equipment. The research team’s leader, Prof. Carson Lubick of Armstrong State University, explained “this is a good time to remind everyone who owns a computer, or a datapad, or an omnitool, or a bioamp, to make sure it has security software installed and regularly updated, regardless of the manufacturer you buy from.” Aldrin Labs declined repeated requests for comment, but said in a statement, “We are aware of this issue and it is under review. We do not anticipate recalling any of our products, and if necessary we will address the issue in our next software update.”

Tags: aldrin labs, Carson Lubick, Luna

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Tayseri Ward site of mass C-Sec sting
January 26th, 2011

Tayseri Ward was the site of a massive sting operation yesterday as C-Sec officers stormed multiple warehouses suspected of being clearinghouses for drugs and prostitution. C-Sec has announced the arrest of 300 individuals on charges ranging from possession of controlled subtances with intent to sell to unauthorized prostitution. Included in the arrests are believed to be the leaders of both the Tayseri Tiagrets and the Ward Side Threshers, two influential gangs in the Citadel underworld.

“Tayseri Ward has been reeling under a great weight ever since the geth attacks,” said C-Sec spokesperson Jeloth Manorai, “as thugs, con artists, and opportunists swept in to take advantage of the good people of the Citadel in their darkest hour. Today, we have dealt a staggering blow to those criminals, and we will not rest until the Wards are clean again.”

Tags: c-sec, citadel, Jeloth Manorai, Tayseri Ward

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01/24/2186
January 24th, 2011

Historians and astronomers alike are abuzz tonight over a new paper published by Dr. Amanda Kenson of the University of Arcturus. Her team claims that by testing the dust trapped in the gravity wells around a mass relay, and comparing its composition to that of dust clouds in the same system, scientists can create a timeline of when the relay passed through the dust. Her conclusion? “Only a small fraction of the mass effect relays date back 50,000 years,” she writes, “The majority are far older, indicating they were created by a species predating even the Protheans.” Dr. Aurana T’Meles of the University of Serrice met the information with skepticism: “While Dr. Kenson’s methods appear sound, the asari tried a similar procedure centuries ago and discounted it. What civilization could have spanned the galaxy for not thousands, but millions of years? If this were the case, we should have found mountains of evidence of their passing. Where is this species now?”

Tags: Amanda Kenson, Aurana T'Meles, Mass Relay, Protheans, University of Serrice

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01/23/2186
January 23rd, 2011

The Alliance cruiser that sparked a standoff between the Earth Systems Alliance and Batarian Hegemony has retreated from the Bahak system. Hegemony officials claim to have found no trace of the pirate fleet the Alliance was allegedly pursuing when the SSV Budapest flew into the system. The Alliance maintains it was chasing pirates raiding human merchant vessels when it crossed into batarian space, but refuses to release any of its ships’ logs. Despite this, Citadel observers say the Alliance’s withdrawal has done enough to ease tensions. “The Hegemony knows the Alliance is attempting to save face,” said one anonymous Citadel diplomat. “At this juncture, the humans’ retreat from Aratoht [in the Bahak system] has gone from a diplomatic crisis to an embarrassment they want swept under the rug.”

Tags: Aratoht, Bahak, Batarian Hegemony, citadel, Hegemony, SSV Budapest, Systems Alliance

06:10

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01/22/2186
January 22nd, 2011

The galaxy is on high alert as starships belonging to the Earth Systems Alliance and Batarian Hegemony refuse to back down from a confrontation in the Skyllian Verge. The encounter began when a frigate from the batarian colony of Aratoht discovered an Alliance cruiser, the SSV Budapest, on patrol in the Bahak system. The Alliance claims the Budapest was chasing a pirate fleet that has been harassing human colonies in the Skyllian Verge, and that it was fully within its rights to travel through Bahak’s space. The Batarian Hegemony has demanded the Alliance’s immediate withdrawal from their colony’s system. Three batarian cruisers stationed on Aratoht are now on their way to join the confrontation.

Tags: Aratoht, Bahak, Batarian Hegemony, Hegemony, Skyllian Verge, SSV Budapest, Systems Alliance

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01/21/2186
January 21st, 2011

The weekend’s box office is in, and awards season is in full swing. “Patriots”, the true story of a human serving with the salarian navy stationed at Jaeto, netted a comfy 2.3 billion credits, while tearjerker biopic “Dr. Kepral” came in a close second at 2.24 billion. “May to December” examines an asari girl on a quest to learn the life story of her vorcha father, pulling a respectable 1.88 billion; and the ambitious remake of “All Souls’ Rising” brings forth Earth’s Haitian revolution in all its flawed glory, holding firm at 1.75 billion in its third week. On the lighter side, the slapstick “We the Sheeple” skewered just about every visible galactic politician for a modest 1.28 billion. Described by the producers as “all the laughs you expect from Orwell’s ‘Animal Farm’ before you actually read it,” the comedy is down 600 million from its opening weekend.

Tags: All Souls Rising, box office, Dr. Kepral, Jaeto, May to December, Patriots, We the Sheeple
Posted in Official News | 29 Comments »

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01/20/2186
January 20th, 2011

The human colony of Drasta is hoping to attract potential settlers with its fresh air, clean rivers and hospitable climate… but don’t bring your credits. “Internally, we’re sticking to a barter system for our first ten years,” says leader of the colony Loran Evanko. “Whether it’s work, goods, or advice, we want the colony to be self-sufficient before we start using credits. It’ll make us less of a target for raiders, motivate us to know the land, and help screen out romantics.” Even visitors to Drasta will be asked to bring in useful goods or skills of their own while staying at the colony. “We’re not tyrants,” Evanko assures us. “Colony members can keep their accounts. We just ask them to make any fiscal transactions off-planet.”

Tags: Drasta, Loran Evanko
Posted in Official News | 42 Comments »

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01/19/2186
January 19th, 2011

Authorities remain baffled by the cause of an explosion at an element-zero processing plant that killed six last week on Planet Urksone. “You always risk a blast when you run test charges,” says safety inspector Ziph Betress. “If your eezo is impure or you run the wrong voltage through it, bam. The plant’s equipment seemed to be functioning fine, but we’re still examining security footage.” The plant’s owner, Liyasha Losine, remains skeptical that the incident was accidental. “I’m not pleased Inspector Betress isn’t pursuing the possibility of sabotage or other outside causes. We keep our safety systems in perfect working order. Element zero doesn’t just become unstable on its own.”

Tags: Liyashi Losine, Urksone, Ziph Betress

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01/18/2186
January 18th, 2011

Sathur, home to fields of vines that produce the hallucinogenic drug commonly called “creeper”, has frozen all immigration applications “until we can sort out genuine colonists from cut-and-run opportunists”, declared Governor Vien Suchart. “A year ago, we were a colony of 4,000. Now we’re receiving that many petitions for citizenship in an hour. Even if we wanted to accommodate every immigration request, we simply don’t have the infrastructure.” Governor Suchart says he’ll be regulating ossilbir production facilities more closely, after several crates of creeper were discovered in the homes of factory workers last week.

Tags: Creeper, ossilbir, Sathur, Vien Suchart

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01/17/2186
January 17th, 2011

Some closure today in the case of the lost colonists of the Manswell Expedition: after educating the colonists on the state of galactic affairs, Alliance personnel asked the group where they wished to live. Nearly half of them voted to stay on the planet, with one of them saying “Everything has changed so much that I don’t see how I could ever go back. Mass relays? The Citadel? Robot wars? I wouldn’t know what to make of any of that. I feel like a caveman seeing New York for the first time.” Others were eager to rejoin galactic life. “I just discovered one of my descendents is still alive,” another colonist explained. “How weird will that be, going back to see him?” An Alliance sociologist said they will help the colonists assimilate into modern life if they choose to return to Earth. “Follow-up interviews and seeing how they adjust should be fascinating,” she said.

Tags: Alpha Centauri, Manswell Expedition, Systems Alliance

06:10

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01/16/2186
January 16th, 2011

More news today out of the Alpha Centauri system, where an Alliance mission has made contact with a lost colony of human explorers from the Manswell Expedition of 2070. “To say these people are in a state of shock would be an understatement,” said Commander Jon Hayes. “Nearly 120 years of history has passed them by. When they left Earth, nobody knew aliens even existed.” The colonists’ asari prisoner has been released and is in good condition. “They were understandably spooked by the asari. Who wouldn’t be, seeing a biotic alien for the first time? In fact, I want to personally thank the asari for her restraint in this matter. She could have fought her way out, but once she understood the situation these people were in, she was patient and let the Alliance resolve the situation.” Sociologists are now working with the colonists to decide the best course of action for the future.

Tags: Alpha Centauri, Commander Jon Hayes, Jon Hayes, Manswell Expedition

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01/15/2186
January 15th, 2011

The mission to establish contact with a lost human colony from the Manswell Expedition bore mixed results this week. According to Commander Jon Hayes, Alliance ships landed far from the human settlement so as not to exacerbate an already uncertain situation. “We didn’t want a whole armada of ships descending from the sky to spook these people.” Nevertheless, the colonists feared an attack when Alliance personnel approached on foot. “They put up a spirited defense. A few of our people were wounded, and unfortunately they suffered a few casualties as well.” Once the situation was under control, a dialogue with the colonists was opened. “It took some convincing that we were humans from Earth. They suspected an alien plot.” Eventually, an Alliance representative was allowed into their camp to make contact with their leader and check on the condition of their asari prisoner. Details are pending.

Tags: Alpha Centauri, Commander Jon Hayes, Jon Hayes, Manswell Expedition

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01/14/2186
January 14th, 2011

An effort is underway today in the Alpha Centauri system as Alliance specialists work to establish contact with a lost colony of early human explorers who took an asari scientist prisoner. Mission Commander Jon Hayes said: “As near as we can tell, these people slipped through the cracks. They were considered missing when communication was lost with their ship after they left in 2075 and fell off the radar, so to speak. It’s entirely possible they have no idea what’s happened in the galaxy for the last 110 years. We’re treating it as a first contact situation.” Accompanying the military will be experts from a variety of fields, including sociologists, anthropologists, linguists, psychologists, geneticists, and a host of supporting medical personnel. One anthropologist commented “It reminds me of those 19th century explorers who discovered tribes deep in the Amazon rainforest. The natives had no idea the wider world existed.”

Tags: Alpha Centauri, Jon Hayes, Manswell Expedition, Systems Alliance

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01/13/2186
January 13th, 2011

Surprising details have emerged about recently-discovered human colonists in the Alpha Centauri system who captured an asari scientist. Alliance ships performed a reconnaissance overflight of the planet in question and gathered details about a settlement there. After cross-referencing with Alliance databases, a clearer picture has emerged. An Alliance source explained: “These people are literally a lost colony in every sense of the word. We’re 95% certain they originated from the Manswell Expedition of 2070.” A background check reveals Victor Manswell was a billionaire who funded his own private spaceflight in the year 2075 after growing frustrated with the pace of official exploration. Pre-dating the use of mass effect relays, some 300 people joined the expedition and were placed in cryogenic freeze for the journey. After a successful launch the colonists were never heard from again… until today, if Alliance suspicions prove true.

Tags: Alpha Centauri, Manswell Expedition, Systems Alliance, Victor Manswell