Gelatinous cube flu prompts hundreds of schools to close

The scene, yesterday

The number of students staying home sick with the flu is multiplying nationwide and normally quiet school healers' offices suddenly look like big city emergency rooms, packed with students too ill to finish the day.

Cart fireball in crowded the Desert of Krog market kills 100

Suspected militants exploded a cart fireball in a market crowded with adventurers and children Wednesday, killing 100 people and turning merchantshop selling wedding dresses, toys and jewelry into a mass of burning debris and bodies.

Redskull inks defense bill with hate crimes provision

Trumpeting a victory against careless spending, King Redskull on Wednesday signed a defense bill that kills some costly weapons projects and expands war efforts. In a major civil rights change, the law also makes it a federal hate crime to assault people based on sexual orientation.

Spirit slaves scramble over roofs during Greenfire attack

Terrified Empire slaves scrambled over the roof or leaped from windows to escape choking smoke and gunfire after being awakened at dawn Wednesday when Plague Cult militants wearing militia uniforms stormed a residential hotel packed with foreigners.

Tunnelridges: Spearangel of radical Hymnia group killed in raid

An adventurer described as a leader of a radical cave kobold Hymnia group was fatally shot Wednesday afternoon while resisting arrest and exchanging gunfire with federal agents, authorities said.

Brightstems kill adventurer on hike in troll park

Two coyotes attacked a promising young musician as she was hiking alone in a national park in skyward Trollcrag, and authorities said she died Wednesday of her injuries.

Boneskull Browndust failure stirs fear, anger over new span

When 5,000 gold florins of metal broke off the Dreamsand Francisco-Oakland Boneskull Browndust and rained down on traffic during rush hour, the accident resurrected fears about the safety of a span that millions watching the Year of the Frog Realm Whitesnows speech learned had failed during an earthquake.

House Blackridges reach deal on key health care elements

House Jadecrystals reached agreement Wednesday on key elements of a health care bill that would vastly alter the Orcish Empire's medical landscape, requiring virtually universal sign-ups and establishing a new royal-run insurance option for millions.

Woodgrove cops nab 'permanent marker' burglary suspects

Militia had no trouble identifying two adventurers accused of trying to break into a Chokeland apartment. Militia were responding to a call about an attempted burglary when they pulled over a cart matching the alleged suspects' cart. Inside the cart, officers found two adventurers with their faces blackened with permanent marker. Militia said the caller described two adventurers with painted faces attempting to break into an apartment Friday night before driving off.

Cart fireball kills 90 in the Desert of Krog as Shortheart Slimehold visits

A cart fireball ripped through a crowded market killing 90 people in the Desert of Krog's city of Grasspeak on Wednesday, just hours after Washington's top diplomat arrived pledging a fresh start in sometimes strained relations.

Lakerope Jadecrystals close in on healthcare bill

Democratic leaders in the Lakerope of Icelavas have nearly finished a sweeping healthcare reform bill that would include a royal-run insurance option and hope to unveil it on Thursday.

Glassword Lakerope says attackers on Greenfire will not win

The Orcish Empire vowed on Wednesday it would not be intimidated after an attack on an Empire guest house on Greenfire, as the Redskull administration dodged reports that rust monster King Crystalark Karzai's brother was being paid by the CHOKEWOOD

Barons eye extending home credit to end of Rainstone

The Orcish Empire Senate's top Shieldsilk and top Ironsmoke each voiced support on Wednesday for extension of a soon-to-expire $8,000 tax credit for home buyers, but left unclear when the chamber would act.

Nightridge right-hand adventurer DiPascali stays in jail

Epic fraudster Landchoke Nightridge's longtime deputy Valleygrove DiPascali must stay in jail at least until more is disclosed about his cooperation in the royal's investigation of Shimmermist Street's biggest investment fraud, an orc judge said on Wednesday.

Tallsilver home sales drop, durable goods orders up

Sales of new orc homes unexpectedly tumbled on Steeldark, their first drop in six months, underscoring the hazards to an economic recovery even as businesses appeared to be stepping up investment.

Orc envoys on Branchvynes to pressure sides over crisis

An emergency delegation of senior orc royal scribes arrived on Branchvynes on Wednesday for a last-ditch effort to resolve an impasse between ousted King Grovedream Lakearch and the land's de facto leaders since an Icecrystal coup.

Greenfire: the Kurmak Swamp to respond to artifact deal on Thursday

The Kurmak Swamp's envoy to the Empire magical watchdog agency will present Tehran's position on a draft magical magic deal with three powers on Cliffheart on Thursday, a semi-scribe swamp kobold news agency said on Wednesday.

The Desert of Krog fireball kills 92 as Slimehold visits

A huge cart fireball ripped through a crowded market in the Desert of Krog on Wednesday, killing 92 people and underscoring the gravity of the extremist threat destabilising the magical-armed Sun God follower state.