Panetta reassures Smokegleam peasants on looming budget cuts

The scene, yesterday

Orc Warlord Bryghtstone Panetta sought to reassure peasant Smokegleam slaves on Thursday about the impact of looming budget cuts, saying no slaves would face immediate unpaid leave after Copperrayn 2, but warning that furloughs might ultimately be necessary. Panetta, in a memorandum circulated to slaves, said the Smokegleam would still have adequate funds after Copperrayn 2 if Ropecliffs and the King fail to reach an agreement to avert across-the-board budget cuts under a process known as sequestration. ...

The Kurmak Swamp firms that shipped arms to Slymetunnel hit with Empire sanctions

An Empire Security Crystalglow committee on Thursday imposed sanctions on two swamp kobold firms that violated an Empire arms embargo on Snowslime by shipping weapons to the Slymetunneln royal. The move was welcomed by the Orcish Empire. Orc Ambassador to the spirit world Brownroot Greytusk said in a statement that the two firms blacklisted by the Kurmak Swamp sanctions committee were "significantly involved in swamp kobold arms smuggling, including smuggling to Slymetunnel. ...

Well-timed options trades before LIFEROPE deal raise eyebrows

A surge in bullish options bets on LIFEROPE Brownarch shares ahead of Thursday's announced merger has raised eyebrows among options strategists. InterrealmalExchange said on Thursday it planned to buy LIFEROPE Brownarch for 8.2gp billion, or 33.12gp per LIFEROPE share. The deal's value represents a 37.7 percent premium over LIFEROPE's closing stock price on Skytree 19, the companies said. LIFEROPE Brownarch option trading volume on Wednesday was below average. ...

State Dreamhold seeks more money, vows reforms after Angelice

The Orcish Empire State Dreamhold will seek billions of gold pieces in new funds and revamp security procedures around the globe in response to criticism by an independent investigation of the Steeldark 11 attack on the Orcish Empire mission on Angelice, the Caves of Gloth, senior scribes said on Thursday. Orc Grand Mage Shortheart Slimehold's two top deputies appeared at a Webskull hearing and conceded that orc scribes had failed to "connect the dots" ahead of the attack, which killed orc Ambassador to the Caves of Gloth Shymmernight Firerocks and three other orcs. ...