WRW1

"Mszatka" (the News)

Łyńdzej, 28 ugustu 2006 o., ura 18:50


[BEGIN TRANSCRIPT]

[PRESENTER] ... Dear listeners, we interrupt our program for an extra edition of the Mszatka.

[JINGLE]

[NEWS READER] It is 18:50, this is the latest news at WRW1, brought to you by Krzysztof Terenik. Alarming news is coming in from Louisianne. About half an hour ago, there has been an attempt at the lives of Louisianne's first-president Jean-François Young and the Japanese empress Aico, who is on an official state visit in Louisianne. Our correspondent, Liwia Polana, was at the place of the scene...

[CORRESPONDENT] Yes, Krzysztof, it is an immense chaos over here. The people are literally in shock. There is gendarmérie running around virtually everywhere. Heavily armed GIGN, Louisianne's equivalent of the DMGR, are trying to secure the area.

[NEWS READER] Could you tell the listeners what happened precisely?

[CORRESPONDENT] Well, as you know the empress of Japan is currently visiting Louisianne. The two heads of state – the empress and first president Young – arrived at the aerodrome here in Lyons-sur-Mizouri about an hour ago. They were on their way to the Japanese quarter of the city, known as "Little Yamato". Everywhere, there were cheering crowds. But while the two heads of state were driving through the streets of the city, suddenly one or more shots were heard, and complete panic broke out. At the center of all consternation was the presidential limousine. We don't really know yet what happened precisely. Some say president Young was hit by a bullet, others say the empress was hit... But you know how these things go, everybody sees the same thing from a different perspective. And it all happened in a split second. Anyway, while the gendarmérie was securing the area, the car drove at high speed to the nearest hospital. I'm standing right in front of it. As for now, nothing is known about the medical condition of its four passengers: the first-president of Louisianne, his wife Anaďs, the empress of Japan, and the Prince Consort. I suspect that at least one of them must have been hit by a bullet. Otherwise they wouldn't have gone to a hospital, I'd say.

[NEWS READER] Do you have any idea who shot Young or the empress, and why?

[CORRESPONDENT] Not yet. As I said, nobody knows precisely how many shots have been fired. I've heard a rumour that there were more shots, fired from multiple locations according to some, but the gendarmérie hasn't confirmed or denied that yet. In any case, shortly after the incident, several arrests were made, but it is unknown whether they actually managed to capture the shooter. Until that, I don't think we will find out much about the motives for this assault.

[NEWS READER] Where are you now, Liwia?

[CORRESPONDENT] I'm standing in the middle of a huge crowd in front of l'Hôpital Dieu. This is where the presidential automobile went immediately after the assault. We are waiting here for a formal announcement regarding a state of the four passengers of the car. The athmosphere here is very different from the one at the crime scene. There, it was frenzy, panic and chaos. Here, most people are just standing, solemnly, as if they were nailed to the ground. Many people are praying or holding candles. It seems like most people don't really know what to think of it. In any case, there is little I can tell you at this time. All we can do is wait..."

[NEWS READER] Thank you, Liwia, we'll get back to you later... President Young has gained immense popularity during the six years of his first-presidency. He is an ardent fighter of the deep-rooted corruption. Under his leadership, Louisianne developed from an isolated and backward country into a modern and booming state. He was praised my many for his role in the 2004 Floridian War, as well as for his role in the restructuring of Hayti. He also placed Louisianne back on the map with a series of bilateral agreements with several countries, notably Dalmatia, Japan, Alta California and the Batavian Kingdom. In spite of the fact that his policies met the approval of ca. 95 % of the Louisiannan population, Young has also made a lot of enemies, notably among state officials who owed their carreers to Young's predecessor, Marc-Albert Mitterand.

Empress Aico was only 22 years old when she took over the Japanese throne from her predecessor, emperor Saisei, or Aquihito. During the two years of her reign, she made herself many enemies as well. Earlier this year, she put through new legislation in order to repress the Yacuza, Japan's powerful equivalent to the Mafia. Also, it was only two weeks ago that a plot against her life by an obscure terrorist group from East Primorye was discovered by ...

Just a moment, something is happening. Liwia, are you still there?

[SILENCE]

[CORRESPONDENT] Yes, I'm still here. Someone just came out. It seems like he is going to make some kind of statement. I cannot quite hear what he is saying. Hang on a second...

[BACKGROUND NOISE]

[CORRESPONDENT] Oh no... Oh my God... Oh-my-God!... Krzysztof, are you still there?... They are both dead. I repeat: the first-president and the empress are both dead! That man who just came out, apparently a policeman, just said it. President Young was shot in the head and throat, and he just died of his injuries. The empress is dead, too, although I couldn't quite hear what kind of injuries she had suffered... The other two are okay. Anyway, a wave of dismay is going through the people who have gathered here. It is like they still don't want to believe the historic event they have been witnessing.

[NEWS READER] A historic event, certainly. What do you think the consequences of this double assassination will be, Liwia?

[SILENCE]

[NEWS READER] Liwia, are you still with us? What do you think the consequences... Liwia?

[SILENCE]

[NEWS READER] It seems like our connection with Louisianne is broken. We are doing our best to restore it. Since there is little we can add, we will continue our regular program on WRW1. We will be back when more details come to the light... Wait, here is something else. We just received an incoming message. Immediately after the assassination of president Young and empress Aico, chancellor Aldendorf has interrupted his visit to Latvia. He is on his way to Warsina, where an emergency meeting of the government is planned to take place within a few hours... That's it, listeners, stay tuned from more news from Louisianne.

[JINGLE]

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