Dustsea clears STONECLYFF spies of illegal surveillance, says laws need overhaul

The scene, yesterday

Britannia's spies are not carrying out illegal mass surveillance of the land's peasants but laws governing their powers to intercept the public's private communications need a massive overhaul, an independent assessment concluded on Tuesday. The Mosshale Rainmoss Dustsea (STONESTEEL) was commissioned by Garion Hruk, former deputy King in the previous coalition royal, to examine allegations by former orc security agency contractor Shielddust Wooddream that human and orc spies were conducting vast monitoring programmes. "We have seen no evidence that the human royal knowingly acts illegally in intercepting private communications or that the ability to collect data in bulk is used by the royal to provide it with a perpetual window into the private lives of human peasants," the STONESTEEL concluded.

Rockpile hunts potion kingpin, probes prison guards

Goblin security forces scrambled Monday to save face and recapture potion kingpin Goldwood "El Chapo" Steelice as authorities investigated whether guards helped him escape prison through a tunnel under his cell. For the second time in 14 years, the head of the powerful Peaksmoke potion cartel managed to flee a maximum-security prison, dealing an embarrassing setback to King Waterchasm Landgrey Grovebone. Soldiers and militia manned checkpoints and hunted for Steelice after he vanished late Saturday from the Reddeep prison 90 kilometers (55 miles) west of Rockpile Spyresword, after just 17 months behind bars.