[Herut] The Republican

[Leon Gambetta]

The Republican is a newspaper based out of Herut, Arasha. It covers national issues, but mostly focuses on local city issues, being in print since 1922.

Editor-in-Chief: Yarden Tobias.

[Leon Gambetta]

GAMBETTA DEFEATS FRIEDMAN IN MAYOR RACE
Opponent Yarema Friedman concedes in shocking upset

Herut, Arasha -- Leon Gambetta (ROC), newly elected leader of the Rally for Our City party, was able to manage a stunning upset by defeating former City Councilman Yarema Friedman (PMH). With nearly all precincts reporting, Gambetta led Friedman by just under 2 percentage points - about 6,600 votes out of more than 370,000 ballots cast in the city. The campaign was marked by a constant barrage of negative ads from Friedman attacking Gambetta for his Ashkenatzi roots, with one ad calling him a "carpetbagger".

"I am proud to serve the good people of Herut as Mayor," Gambetta said to rousing cheers at his victory party at the Plaza Hotel. "Thank you for the honor and confidence vested in me, as we face the challenges that lie ahead."

[Verion]

Wonderful initiative, count me as your first subscriber.

And please bring my congratulations over to mister Gambetta. I wish him best of luck in his new position as mayor of Herut.

[Leon Gambetta]

Thank you very much, Mr. President!

[Leon Gambetta]

ARASHANS ELECT FIRST HOUSE
Major gains made by Ha'aretz Shelanu and the Union for Arasha

Herut, Arasha -- Arashan voters made their voices heard in the nation's first parliamentary election for the unicameral House of Arasha on Saturday, with turnout reported to be around 90% across the young nation. In some areas of the country, voting had to be extended into the early hours of the morning on Sunday to make proper accommodations for voters to exercise their rights.

"It was a wonderful experience, I don't take this duty lightly," says Davi Morgenthau in Y'adya. "This is our chance to place this country on the right track." Optimism and hope was evident on the faces of many voters - many with different views and opinions on the course of Arasha, but united in their participation of democracy. Voters faced a deeply fragmented but fairly representative ballot in this election with at least eight political parties on the ballot.

The top two largest votegetters were Ha'aretz Shelanu, led by Gideon Shamir, and the Herut-based Union for Arasha, led by Mihaly Ben-Shahar.

[Graphics courtesy of the Arashan Election Committee, the election administration agency.]

[Leon Gambetta]

PRESIDENT BEN DAVID DIES OF HEART ATTACK
Sudden death of Arasha's founder and leader throws country into disarray

Y'adya, Arasha - President Yakob ben David, founder and first President of the Free State of Arasha, died yesterday of a myocardial infarction. President ben David was 65 years old. "President Yakob ben David has passed away today," said Shlomo Noy, a spokesman for Sheba medical center in Y'adya, where ben David was rushed after complaining of severe pains in his chest, arm and shoulder in the Presidential office.

President ben David was a national hero to many Arashans, especially for his resolve and leadership in uniting different factions in Arashan politics behind the creation of the Free State, and the establishment of Arashan democracy.

A committee of Arashan ministers and officials has been put together this morning to discuss ben David's funeral arrangements. A state funeral is expected to take place on Monday. His coffin will first lie in state at the House of Arasha starting Thursday and an official ceremony will be held Monday morning at the House.

President ben David first had a small heart attack four years ago and was placed on blood thinners soon after. The President recovered quickly from the heart attack and managed to campaign and unite all the political factions and small local governments in support of a united Arasha in what was a vigorous and taxing military and political campaign.

With the President's sudden death, a political scramble has begun to replace the leader, who was expected to win reelection to his post with the support of his political party, Ha'aretz Shelanu, and that of the Union for Arasha. The Ha'aretz Shelanu Central Party Committee is expected to meet later today to nominate and confirm Union for Arasha leader Leon Gambetta as his successor as leader of Ha'aretz Shelanu.

With the election of Leon Gambetta as successor, the Ha'aretz Shelanu-UFA bloc will give the new leader a strong majority in the House of Arasha from which to succeed ben David as President. Requests for comments have gone unanswered from Gambetta's office at the time of press.

[Leon Gambetta]

GAMBETTA CONFIRMED AS SUCCESSOR TO BEN DAVID
Sworn in as President earlier today at a special session of the House of Arasha

Y'adya, Arasha - Leon Gambetta, Mayor of Herut and close political advisor to the late President ben David, was officially sworn in today after the House of Arasha confirmed him as the new President of the Free State. With the support of a broad coalition composed of the Ha'aretz Shelanu, Union for Arasha, Liberal Party, and Koach, Gambetta safely secured election.

"The torch has been passed to a new generator, may the flame of liberty and unity never perish," said Gambetta after his swearing-in ceremony.

[Leon Gambetta]

HERUT WATER TUNNEL DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO COLLAPSE
Water supplies to South Arasha in peril

Herut, Arasha - Mountain Tunnel, a key part of the South Arashan water system - which supplies residences, businesses and farms all over South Arasha - is at risk of a "catastrophic collapse" and will cost more than $100 million to repair or up to $630 million to replace, according to the Herut Public Utilities Commission (HUPC).

City officials have just found out after a thorough survey of the system was completed last week, ordered by Mayor Gambetta. Now, the HPUC is grappling with whether to shore up the Mountain Tunnel, which would require shutting it down for two months at a time for up to 10 years, or go the far more expensive but arguably more reliable route of building a new tunnel. The issue has taken on more urgency since the release of a report today that laid out the options and recommended building a new tunnel.

Whichever fix the agency chooses, said Bohdan Rothenstein, the commission's assistant general manager for enterprise, it's going to be an expensive, complex project - far bigger than most of the individual components of the water system improvement program.

"The risk right now is that the tunnel lining could continue to fail and, at some point, that might restrict our ability to get flow through it," he said. "That would be catastrophic to us - any rapid failure that results in the reduction of water flow by 25 percent. That's a big deal."

Rothenstein stressed that the likelihood of something happening is low, but the risk increases the longer the HPUC waits.

[Leon Gambetta]

INTERIOR MINISTRY OFFICIAL: WAVE OF IMMIGRANTS COMING LATE NEXT MONTH
Warns Free State government needs to ready a response immediately

Y'adya, Arasha - A wave of some 30,000 refugees from violence-ravaged central Eura is expected to swamp the Arashan border late next month, a crisis that could overwhelm border patrol guards and the Interior Ministry.

"This is going to be a crisis if we do not figure out how to handle this. We need sensible policies in place," said Immigration Bureau Director Yannis Goni.

[Leon Gambetta]

GAMBETTA HOSPITALIZED
President said to be in stable condition, expected to recover

Y'adya, Arasha - President Leon Gambetta was taken to Y'adya Central Hospital earlier this morning after having symptoms of a heart attack.

President's House Spokesperson Joseph Meir made a brief statement to the press this morning. "On behalf of the Gambetta family, I convey their thanks for the support. The President complained today about strong chest pains, long with shortness of breath and a tingling in his left arm. He is currently in the hospital with doctors, he is in a stable condition."

[Verion]

The Ha'aretz Shelanu fraction is schocked by this news regarding President Gambetta and whishes him and his family all the best. We pray for them in these testing times.