Top News: Empress Makes It Official, The Outsource Suggestion Is Now Made Law
The Outsource Bill that was suggested to the queen by consultants has now been made official. If businesses wish to move work outside the country will have to either pay an exit tax or pay compensation to workers that will be laid off. It has been made clear that businesses will clearly go for the cheaper route and pay the tax, so the Empress has added to this law by saying the money collected from this tax will be used to start an unemployment fund that will once again go to laid off workers.

Now with this suggestion, she has added the requirements that come with this new benefit:

• the receiver must immediately begin looking for work. Each receiver will be assigned a case worker that will help with job seeking.
• if the receiver wishes to use the benefit to start his or her own business, evidence must be shown to such i.e. business proposal and location. If the business is a success, it will be, as expected, under the new law, but the business will be subjected to a higher exit tax.
• if one wishes to use the benefit to help further their education, one must show they are actually attending school.
• repayment is an option; however, if a receiver is revealed to be abusing the benefit or squandering it, repayment will become a requirement.
• this does not apply to those who had lost their job not through outsourcing, there is a separate benefit (the Rebuild Act) that is for the situation.
  

There are those who have expressed anger at the new law, several business have even closed down early in protest. Empress Amaryllis has given a statement on the issue.

"I understand that a business has to keep up with demand and competition, which is why I haven't outright banned outsourcing like some of my consultants had suggested. But we must also keep in mind the families, our neighbors, and their children that will suffer because of this choice, and we need a compromise make a compromise to make sure they won't be hung out in the cold and forgotten. If you are wiling to give up the extra money to move locations, then you can be willing to pay either conditions.

"With that being said, I have no intention of continually giving money to those who have lost their jobs. We have always believed that people will work hard and life has them fall short. It is my job as your empress to hear you cry when this happens and to offer assistance and that includes having you learn to walk on your own again."

Emperor Ajax had shared his wife's belief.

"The hard decisions are going to come with consequence and for those who think this law is unjust, tell me, is it unjust to tell someone who had decided to work for you that you no longer have a job simply because it's business."

Randolph Ether Found Dead
Shortly after being disowned and going West, Randolph Ether was found dead in his rented apartment, a bottle of pills and suicide note close to his body. Seekers say that although this does appear to be a suicide, they will investigate fully to make sure there isn't foul play due to Randolph Ether being the only connection to "The Organization".

"He was jailed and recently disowned, so we won't deny that Ether was probably depressed," Seeker Trisha stated, "But we have to make sure this is simply a suicide and not another staged one."

Randolph's brother Samuel expressed his grief, "He's always going to be my brother, you know, no matter what Father said. I wish I could have seen before he left, told him that I wasn't mad, and beg him to come clean because I had a suspicion that this was going to happen; and honestly, I didn't know which was going to be worse, homicide or suicide."

Second Princess Gem Had Rock Thrown at Her, Doesn't Press Charges
Our kingdom's more reserved princess was accompanied by two Pack members earlier today to shop in the capital when she was recognized. Another family member, a woman named Rose Sullen, who had a loved one injured in the Western Campaign had picked up a rock and thrown it at her, calling the Empress names that we'd rather not repeat. The rock hit her in the head, causing her to bleed, and the Pack members were quick to arrest the woman and have the princess taken back to the palace to be treated. Thankfully, she only needed stitches.

Usually assault on a member of the royal family carries heavier weight than assault on a normal citizen, but the Second Princess had ordered, yes ordered, that the woman not be charged and to be released, baffling not only us, but her siblings as well, especially when she refused to give a statement why she wouldn't be pressing charges.

First Princess Lucia's words:

"She has her reasons. My guess is that she just felt sorry for the woman. And if that's the case, someone must have been watching over her because she was looking at serious trouble. I won't lie, I'm upset that she didn't press charges, but it is Gem's choice, and I can be grateful that she's okay."

Some who Engaged Wintery in the Campaign Have Chosen Exile
Those who had engaged Wintery in the Western Campaign and lost were given the option to simply help in the effort to rebuild as punishment or simply be exiled from the kingdom. While most have gone with the former, others have gone with the latter, citing they want to keep their dignity.

"I'll give the Empress this much credit, she gave us a choice, and I'm choosing to not ignore what she had done and being okay with what comes next." one stated, "I don't have family and as far as I'm concerned I don't have a home here. She said she's willing to live with this on her shoulders, let's see how much she can take before her back's broken."

The Empress has given those who chose exile two weeks to leave. Reports say some will chose to continue on west. Other reports say there are some celebrations over the decision. We believe those who are celebrating are those who have not been too happy with Empress' choice of punishment.

Another Protest in Zelf Scheduled
With disappointment and anger over the Western Campaign still apparent, another protest has been planned in Zelf. The same doctor, who has expressed he doesn't want to be named, is organizing it. We have yet to receive a date.