Federal District -- Vice President and Draco Foundation CEO Nadja Daviar paid out yet another of the multitude of incentives the Great Dragon and Former President Dunkelzahn left in his will. Cable Technologies, Inc., a company dedicated to the constuction of a working space elevator, was awarded 50 million nuyen from the Draco foundation to continue work on their design and plans.
Seattle -- Comet hysteria appears to be raising in pitch as people prepare for the much anticipated appearance of Halley's Comet just a few months from now. The comet is already visible via small, store-bought telescopes, and "Comet Viewing Parties" are becoming common social events.
Boston -- Scattered violence continues in the wake of the breakup of megacorporate giant Fuchi last year. Novatech Inc., the personal empire of former Fuchi exec Richard Villiers, is reported to be making overtures to the corporate board of Alistair Studies, a magical research firm on the east coast. Alistair Studies is currently owned by the Nakatomi family, another Fuchi refugee currently in a place of power in the Renraku corporation. The Renraku response is reported to involve invoking a poison pill strategy and looking for a white knight. More on this breaking business development when Novatech has a response.
Detroit -- Damien Knight, the CEO of Ares, issued a public apology today to Saeder-Krupp for the accidental descruction of Saeder-Krupp's "Duccio" space probe. The Duccio probe, which SK had hoped to land on the comet for direct investigation, was destroyed just a few hours after launch when it strayed into a "test zone" used by Ares for orbital weapons checks. According to Ares officials, they were conducting a routine test into an anti-sattelite weaponry system, and fired into a deep space safety zone. Ares claims they were unaware of the Duccio's presence in the zone, as SK had kept the launch and trajectory of the probe under wraps.
Immediately after the incident, Saeder-Krupp addressed the Corporate Court for redress, claiming that Ares intentionally shot down the probe as an act of aggression. Ares issued a public apology and offered an undisclosed financial sum in compensation for the incident. Though Saeder-Krupp initially refused the settlement, the Corporate Court ruled in favour of Ares, and ordered SK to accept the settlement as an end to the accident.
Salish-Shidhe Council -- A newly awakened species of bear is giving pause to hunters and trappers of the SS lands. This new metaspecies, dubbed the "Horned Bear" by locals, is reported to be an awakened species of black bear. Larger than the other well known species of metabear, the Piasma, the Horned Bear is reported to have a more aggressive, territorial attitude than it's unawakened progenitor. The beast is named for the large curving set of horns, similar to a ram's, jutting from the back of it's head. Sporadic reports indicate that the creature engages in some sort of ritualistic combat with those who encroach on it's territory, but scientists consulted for this report, who even now are seeking out a specimen to examine, were skeptical.