Gulf Empress Assassinated, Prime Minister Detained as Possible Suspect

Today, Pamela Beesly, Empress and Wife of Chancellor Holland of the Gulf Empire, has been brutally murdered in her bed last night and current evidence points to Prime Minister Jim Halpert as a possible culprit, resulting in his detainment until further charges can be mounted against him or evidence proves otherwise.

LIMA, PERU, GULF EMPIRE: According to an official statement released by the Dept of Imperial Affairs for the Gulf Empire, Empress Pamela Beesly has been assassinated or murdered last night, roughly around 12:00 AM to 1:00 AM according to the report. According to the report, her body was discovered around 6:00 AM in her chambers in the Imperial Palace and upon examination of the body, it was found that she had been dead for five hours. According to the report, she had 36 stab wounds but no signs of a struggle, leading authorities to believe that the first few stabs were lethal and while she was still asleep.

According to the report, slippers belonging to Prime Minister Halpert were discovered in the room and further search of his own room reportedly revealed a bloody robe and knife that resembled the kind used in the stabbing. According to the report, investigation is still underway and tests are being done on blood samples found on Halpert's clothes and review of security tapes are being done. Halpert is currently being detained but apparently has not been charged yet.

The official statement was issued by the Imperial Dept of Affairs and the statements notes that more developments will be reveled to the public in the future. So far, photographic evidence and interview requests have been denied and no officials have spoken out publicly. We have also to wait for the responses of foreign leaders who have also not yet spoken and we will keep updates posted. 

Martinesia Divided over International Diplomacy

The Federation of Martinesia is divided over a new legislative proposal stewing in the Commission that will define the region's foreign policy, dictate the process of embassy creation and acceptance, and call for all Martinesia to join the Congress of Nations, as a whole.

Junsse Building, Seria, Roxia: Headquarters of the Martinesian Commission

SERIA, ROXIA: The Commission of Martinesia, the executive body of the Federation of Martinesia and sole organ with power of legislative initiation, is undergoing the process of drafting a legislative proposal to the federation as a whole that will completely reshape Martinesia's foreign policy. Although the details of the proposal have not yet been leaked to the public or the press, Commission officials have hinted that this new proposal will completely change Martinesian foreign affairs. 

The first big change of the proposal, according to Commission President Gerry Joules, is that the constituent republics of Martinesia will not longer have initiative when it comes to membership to international organizations and creation of embassies, both at home and abroad. The proposal is guessed to give the powers of embassy creation and maintenance to the Commission instead and all embassies will be neutral for the entire region.

But perhaps the largest topic of debate expected to rise up is what to do about membership to the Congress of Nations. Currently, four out of the ten member republics have membership with the Congress of Nations: Trafalgar, San Andreas, Sunlaya, and Roxia. However, rather than having individual nations as members, the new proposal is expected to require all member nations to terminate their membership to the Congress of Nations and allow for the reentry of the whole union as a sovereign whole.

For some nations like Bosrat and Marland who have voiced heavy opposition against joining the Congress of Nations, this is a bad idea but other nations have been pushing for more CON members and this method they consider is the best to get full membership to the Congress of Nations. The proposal is expected to be released to the public sometime tomorrow as it is submitted before the Council of Ministers tomorrow for their feedback.