APR

APR is a newspaper in Deus Ex. It focuses on delivering information about current events in the United States and abroad with little bias (although its reliance on official sources does make it an unwitting pawn in MJ12's propaganda campaign).

Mead Bucks Congress
APR - Washington D.C.

''Defying Congress for the third time this year, President Mead unilaterally paid the United States' late dues to the United Nations. "Like good tenants, we must pay our rent on time," he told reporters.''

''Leaders of both parties criticized the move. "Where does he get the cash?" asked Senator Ridon (D-Illinois). "Clearly from some budget item yet to be approved by this Congress."''

''The Republicans were no kinder. "This council member has been betrayed, and so has America," said Senator Osno Liverpoole (R-California). "The Congress came together to approve a UNATCO presence on U.S. soil, but we did not write a blank check. No, sir. A superpower does not pay rent."''

French Connection Found in Rubble
APR—New York

''Recently released evidence from last year's bombing of the Statue of Liberty supports growing rumors that link the incident with the French terrorist group "Silhouette". Already members of Congress are calling for immediate cessation of diplomatic relations between the United States and France unless the responsible parties are brought to justice.''

''"Rash accusations will not reverse the damage that has already been done," said UNATCO Director Joseph Manderley. "Both France and the U.S. subscribe to the UNATCO charter and we are committed to the full and ongoing investigation of this horrible crime."''

''An anonymous e-mail received from an individual purporting to be the Silhouette "Minister of True Lies" denies all responsibility. "For that, you must go to the center of the maze," the e-mail said in part.''

Bootcamp for Betty
APR - Portland

''Madison High School junior Betty Souza will spend the semester at the Canyon City Bootcamp, say school officials. The crime? "We have verified that she told another student that she knows how to make a bomb," said Principal Martin Gordly.''

''What makes this case notable is that the parents have filed a lawsuit against the school district. "Our daughter wears black," said father Brandon Souza in a prepared statement. "She has an occipital jack and we let her use it to play games. We allowed her to get a tattoo when she turned 16, but none of this makes her a criminal."''

The parents claim that Betty was discussing a novel by Tom Robbins taught at Madison High when the mention of explosives occurred.

''Betty Souza will not be alone in Canyon City. Last year 15,234 young people served sentences in the state's FBI-run "good behavior" camps, a legacy of the Northwest War.''

Mass Grave in Brooklyn
APR - New York

Responding to an outbreak of Gray Death that quickly overwhelmed all city services, National Guard forces were placed under the command of local law enforcement today and mobilized to help with disposal of the recently deceased in Brooklyn.

''However, the National Guard soon proved inadequate in containing the chaos and in many cases the dead were simply left lying in streets while the dying—mostly homeless—wandered the city until collapsing. Traffic jams and looting remain widespread, and as fear of the disease continues to escalate, frequent riots have made any attempt at an organized clean-up impossible. With the threat of secondary diseases looming, city officials have consulted with the CDC in Atlanta and ordered a mass grave to be dug in Gateway National Park.''

Chinese Lunar Mine Operational
APR - Beijing, China

Chinese authorities today announced that their state of the art Zhou Enlai Lunar Mining Complex is operational and functioning at one hundred percent capacity.

"We are pleased to be making significant progress not just in pushing back the boundaries of exploration for all humanity, but in developing the lunar terrorities in a way that benefits the Chinese people and the global market," said Nghia Lam, Chinese Premier.

''While the United States and Nigeria still dispute China's claims to the lucrative Palus Somnii and Mare Crisium regions, Chinese construction has proceeded apace while diplomatic negotiations continue. "We feel we have some valid claim to those territories, certainly," said Robert Holden, Secretary of the Interior for the U.S. "But we would prefer to find an equitable arrangement that would allow our countries to work together in developing man's first real home outside of our own planet."''

The first ore delivery from the factory will be launched by mass driver tomorrow and should arrive in Earth orbit by next week.

McMoran Slings Chinese Ore
APR - Beijing, China

With the announcement by the Chinese last week that the Zhou Enlai Lunar Mining Complex was fully operational, today McMoran Global Steel held a press conference to detail the first delivery of lunar ore from the facility to Earth via a mass driver constructed by McMoran.

''"The McMoran MD-118 Mass Driver is the first piece of accelerated stock to be constructed on such a scale, and certainly the first to operate extraterestrially," said Sean Murphy. "The selection of McMoran for this contract by the Chinese government is a major step towards closer economic ties between China and the U.S."''

McMoran won the contract in a heated bidding war with Page Industries that reached its most fevered pitch when Page attempted an unsuccessful hostile takeover of McMoran.

Seasonal Flooding Minimal
APR - London, United Kingdom

''An article recently published in the Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society indicates that worldwide flooding from melting ice caps will be significantly less this year than in previous years due to an unusually cold winter in the Northern Hemisphere. Dr. Tammy Bright, a professor of climatology at Oxford University, led the study and noted that global tides should rise by no more than "one to two meters on average" in most major cities throughout North America, Europe, Russia, and East Asia. For comparison the high water mark in New York last year was four meters, requiring millions of credits in additional spending for a network of levees and pumps.''

"While theories concerning the significant increase in days below freezing at either pole abound, the practical upshot is that Arctic ice density has grown substantially when compared to any similar period in the last five years."

Ten Dead in Gang Slaying
APR - Hong Kong, China

''The simmering gang war in Hong Kong exploded onto the streets overnight when ten were killed during an attack on a local establishment, the Lucky Money Club. Located in the Wan Chai district, the Lucky Money Club has generally been associated with organized criminal activity. Eyewitness reports were few, but local authorities suspect that members of the Luminous Path Triad may have been involved in the attack.''

''All ten victims had extensive criminal records. Each was killed with traditional weapons, their throats savagely cut in an ancient ritual typically employed as a punishment for betrayal.''

UNATCO Nabs Terrorists in Hell's Kitchen Raid
APR - New York

''A recent raid on UNATCO's Liberty Island headquarters by members of the National Secessionist Forces (NSF) ended today when UNATCO troops, working in conjunction with local police, assaulted a warehouse in Hell's Kitchen where NSF units were regrouping. While UNATCO casualties were low, few NSF members survived the action which UNATCO Director Joseph Manderley termed a "suicidal last stand on their part."''

"We negotiated for hours," said Manderley, "and were prepared to make arrangements for their surrender into custody when an attack was initiated against us by the NSF. We had no choice but to respond with force. Obviously, a complete inquiry into this terrible, unfortunate series of events will be undertaken as soon as possible."

Beth DuClare Awarded Legion of Honor
APR - Paris, France

''Beth DuClare, millionaire, philanthropist, activist—and famously reputed to be the mistress of French President Alain Bourges-Maunoury -- was today posthumously awarded the position of Chevalier in the Ordre Royale de la Légion d'honneur. Created by Napolean Bonaparte on May 19, 1802, the Legion of Honor is an order of merit to which all qualifying military personnel or civilians can be nominated without regard to birth or religion, provided that they swear to uphold liberty and equality.''

The award was not without some controversy, as members of the Republican Social Union for French Democracy (RSUFD) party disputed the merit based on her involvement in the "Somnolente Ile" scandal that rocked the Serra administration five years ago.

''Beth DuClare passed away in September, found dead at her chateau of natural causes. She was survived by her daughter, Nicolette DuClare, who has been missing since her mother's death. Police currently have no leads as to her whereabouts.''

The award was accepted on Beth DuClare's behalf by President Bourges-Maunoury.

Mass Driver Accident Kills Over 2,000
APR - Ibadan, Nigeria

''The historical first delivery of ore from the Zhou Enlai Lunar Mining Complex ended in tragedy today when a targeting error resulted in the payload slamming into the outskirts of the city of Ibadan in Nigeria. Thousands died in the initial blast that was compared to a small nuclear bomb as the payload impacted in a sparsely populated suburb, while thousands more were left disoriented, homeless, and without power or water in the wake of the explosion.''

''Chinese officials have halted all other deliveries from the Zhou Enlai Complex and are working with both the United Nations and officials from McMoran Global Steel to determine the cause of the error. McMoran Global Steel was responsible for the construction of the mass driver, winning the contract from Page Industries in a heated bidding war.''

''"Obviously we took the utmost precautions in building the Zhou Enlai driver," said spokesperson Sean Murphy. "But something has gone terribly wrong. Our only real response at this point is to offer our condolences and aid to the people of Ibadan, and insure that such an event never occurs again."''

Terrorist Bombing Kills 35
APR - Hong Kong, China

''A terrorist attack on the VersaLife building in Hong Kong has at last count left 35 dead and over a 100 wounded. As authorities continue to search the shattered structure through the early morning hours, the hope for locating any survivors among the remaining missing dwindles.''

''VersaLife, a division of Page Industries (NASDAQ:PAGI), has long been on the cutting edge of genetic, biological, and pharmaceutical research, virtually becoming synonymous with treatments for such virulent plagues as AIDS and the Century Flu. Neither local police nor UNATCO would speculate on possible motives for such an attack, though both confirmed that it was the result of direct terrorist action. When reached for comment, VersaLife released a short statement saying "We are shocked and saddened by this horrible tragedy, but must turn our attention towards comforting those who have lost a loved one to this senseless violence."''

UNATCO is currently seeking JC Denton, a known terrorist, for questioning.

Search for Terrorist Leader Intensifies
APR - New York

UNATCO is working closely with FEMA and other international security agencies around the world to apprehend JC Denton, a terrorist with ties to a number of groups including the NSF, Silhouette, and organized crime in Hong Kong.

''"We believe him to be responsible for organizing and leading the attack on Liberty Island and the deaths of a number of UNATCO agents," said Walton Simons, Director of FEMA. "The necessity of instituting martial law in New York -- unheard of in the history of America -- is directly attributable to criminal elements operating under his orders."''

Simons went on to say that evidence recovered from the recent bombing of the VersaLife building in Hong Kong demonstrates JC Denton's involvement "beyond a shadow of a doubt" and points towards an organized, systematic campaign of terror designed to "extort freedom for politically dangerous ideologies through any means necessary."

Authorities are also seeking any information on the whereabouts of Alex Jacobson or Brian "Jock" Flanagan, key figures in the terrorist organization.

Page Unveils "Aquinas"
APR - Washington, D.C.

''At a lavish press conference today attended by mainstream and technical media alike, Bob Page unveiled Page Industries (NASDAQ:PAGI) newest technological achievement, "Aquinas." Rumored to have been in development for almost five years at a cost of over a billion credits, Aquinas is a seamless, transparent replacement for the current patchwork of Net protocols that promises to radically expand bandwidth without the need for new hardware.''

''"Aquinas is the result of over five hundred man-years of effort on the part of some of the most talented and driven people in the industry," Page said at the conference. "We're grateful to the NSA and the Hague Commission on Secure Communications for trusting Page Industries with the responsibility for this technological milestone. As of noon today you can expect nearly all of the world's net traffic to be carried by Aquinas. Bandwidth is now, for all intents and purposes, free."''

The remainder of the press conference involved presentations by the leaders of the carriers allied with Page Industries, and a technical discussion of the Aquinas protocol—named after the titular Thomas Aquinas, whose philosophy is a well-known passion for Bob Page.

Bot Kills Three in Accidental Shooting
APR - Paris, France

''Yves-Pierre Adrien, Dominique Vittet, and Marie Philibert were heading home from a late night on the town when they were gunned down in the street by a military bot that mistakenly identified them as terrorists. Since the institution of martial law in Paris, bots have regularly patrolled those areas with a high level of criminal activity, armed with a visual database profiling thousands of wanted terrorists, thieves, and drug dealers.''

''"It was awful," said Kristi Amiel. A waitress at Enfant Terrible -- a nearby cafe where the trio had their last cup of coffee—she was witness to the shooting. "The bot just kept shooting and shooting until all you could hear was an empty clicking sound, then one of the soldiers ran into the control station across the street trying to shut it down, but nothing happened. It just kept clicking... trying to shoot them again."''

''Police Prefect Hubert Dupuy defended the practice during a news conference earlier today. "The bots are programmed to only use lethal force if the suspects resist arrest, and while these deaths are tragedies to be mourned, it in no way compromises the effectiveness of bots in keeping Parisians safe."''

UNITED STATES INSTITUTES MARTIAL LAW
APR - New York

''In a momentous speech held at 2:30PM EST today, Philip Mead announced the declaration of martial law throughout the United States, citing a "fundamental threat to the American way of life in the form of organized, insidious terrorism." With major American cities already reeling under the impact of the "Gray Death", looting and rioting have reached disastrous levels while terrorist attacks have grown increasingly ubiquitous, climaxing in the attack on UNATCO headquarters in New York last week. Local authorities have so far proven ineffectual in stemming the tide of violence, and even Washington, D.C., has been hit by an outbreak of the Gray Death. Highly placed sources have speculated that Mead himself may be infected.''

''President Mead appointed Walton Simons, Director of FEMA, to spearhead an interim council tasked with managing the government response. "We will do everything -- everything -- that is in our power to restore the peace and security of the average American," said Simons. "In no way will this violate the civil liberties that have made this country great -- instead, we pledge to do everything in our power to safeguard those liberties against all who would see them torn apart."''

U.S. Situation Worsens
APR - Washington, D.C.

''With the declaration of martial law only twenty-four hours ago in the United States, the country is in turmoil and teeters on the edge of social collapse. Numerous Governors, including Jason Findley of Colorado, Gray Haddock of Texas, and Christina Leicht of California, have refused to comply with the Presidential directive or acknowledge the authority of Walton Simons, Director of FEMA. National Guard and other troops mobilized to quell domestic turmoil are in disarray as many units have gone AWOL. In a live NetCast earlier today, General Ed Garner said that he would "give no order, nor allow any order to be given to those under my command that would lead to their taking potentially lethal measures against an unarmed civilian population." He concluded by saying that "our neighbors are not our enemies."''

General Garner was immediately relieved of command by Walton Simons, resulting in the resignation of N.D. Goper, Secretary of Defense.

''Reports that a detachment of UNATCO troops fired on a crowd of protestors in New York City has yet to be verified, though several high-level sources within the government indicate that the situation may have degenerated to the point where UNATCO is no longer operating under governmental supervision. Similar reports have been received from Mexico City, London, Berlin, Paris, and Moscow.''