News Stories

During Shepard's travels, you will hear various news stories related to assignments, missions, and other things.

Mass Effect Elevator News
When you use the elevators on the Citadel, you will sometimes hear news stories about what is happening around the galaxy.

Pre-Mission Elevator News
Sometimes you will hear a news story about what is happening in a part of the galaxy. These stories can give you assignments.
 * Apparently an ExoGeni Corporation survey team has gone missing in the Hades Gamma cluster. This triggers the UNC: Missing Survey Team assignment.

Post-Mission Elevator News
After you complete various assignments and missions, you will sometimes hear a news story about it.
 * After you complete UNC: Missing Survey Team, you will hear a news story about how the team was found and their names are being withheld until their next of kin is notified.

Other Elevator News
Some news stories aren't related to assignments and missions.
 * Binary Helix has settled out of court with a krogan group that charged the corporation with fraud. They paid BH for research to cure the Genophage, and then sued for their money back when nothing came of the research.
 * Because of the attack on Eden Prime, Alliance colonial backers have pulled support for future colonies. While officials insist that Eden Prime was an isolated case, colonial investors have pulled support until they are convinced Alliance Colonies will be protected. As a result, colonist enrollement has fallen sharply.
 * A salarian excavation team has run into a problem after unearthing a Prothean dig site. Apparenlty some hanar protectors have blockaded the site to protect artifacts of the "Enkindlers" from being disturbed. The salarians have appealed to hanar representatives on the Citadel in order to reach a dipolmatic solution.

Citadel NewsNet With Emily Wong
There is a terminal on Level 27 of Zakera Ward on the Citadel, where Emily Wong will give some stories about what is going on in the galaxy or on the Citadel.
 * After you arrive on the Citadel after the mission to Freedom's Progress, you can hear a story about how Alliance officials are still tight-lipped about what happened there. Alliance officials are blacking out the press and details are sketchy. However the hanar are offering a prayer at the Shrine of the Enkindlers for the lost.
 * If Sidonis is spared in Garrus' loyalty mission, it is reported that Sidonis turned himself over to C-Sec and fully confessed to murdering his own team. The complications of his confession is that Omega has no government to extradite him. If Shepard chose to let Sidonis die, Emily Wong reports that C-Sec is investigating his death but has no leads.

Galactic News
At terminals on the Citadel, Illium, Tuchanka, and while walking around on Omega, you can hear various news stories about what is happening in the galaxy. These stories are delivered by a female voice.
 * A batarian group has apparently decided to sue the Citadel Council. They claim that the crackdown on the galactic slave trade is a violation of their culture. Apparently slaves are a crucial part of the batarian caste society.
 * After the completion of Mordin's recruitment mission, there will be a story about the fears of the plague have been layed to rest.
 * If you didn't kill Dr. Wayne during the UNC: Dead Scientists assignment in Mass Effect, then there is an investigation under way into Cerberus. The testimony of Dr. Wayne, who was promised immunity, also linked the death of Admiral Kahoku as well.
 * If you didn't get Chairman Burns killed during the UNC: Hostage assignment in Mass Effect, then he came through on his promise in getting reparations for biotics suffering from the L2 implants.
 * After the completion of Jack's recruitment mission, there is a news story about Purgatory being destroyed and how ships are moving in to recover prisioners and guards from life pods.
 * A story talks about how Sirta Foundation is likely to close by the end of the fiscal year. Apparently the company never recovered from an attack, on one of its outposts two years ago.
 * Another ExoGeni survey team has disappeared in the Rosetta Nebula's Enoch system. Apparently there are a lot of pirates in the area.
 * After the Completion of N7: Archeological Dig Site mission on Joab, you will hear a news story about how Shipping lanes near Omega have been hit by raiders. All ships are being asked to resync their IFF protocols.
 * The asari Sha'ira, or the Consort, will be leaving the Citadel after rumors of intelligence leaks and years of bad press.
 * After the mission on Neith, you will hear a news story about how all corporations using Security Mechs to check their systems for a virus that causes their IFF protocols to become corrupted and disables their targeting safeties.
 * If the Zhu's Hope colony on Feros was saved, it has announced plans for an expansion.
 * After the mission on Horizon, you will hear a story about how other species are looking to their own borders for security. The turians are bolstering their crew complements, and the salarian Special Tasks Group is reportedly investigating the colony attacks.
 * After the mission aboard the MSV Strontium Mule, you will hear a news story about how the Blue Suns suffered heavy losses fighting an unknown merc group.
 * After the mission aboard the abandoned Jarrahe Station, you will hear about the VI virus has spread and mech attacks have increased. Companies are being asked to fortify their security systems. Synthetic Insights, released a statement that it is a VI programming error and not an AI threat similar to the geth.

Rachni Decision

 * If you allowed the Rachni Queen to live in Mass Effect, you will hear a news story about how a lot of ships have been seen recently but retreat quickly when approached. They resemble ancient rachni ship profiles.
 * If you killed the Queen, you will hear a story about how the Noveria Development Corporation revealed a report about what happened at Peak 15.

Background Stories

 * Spacer: You will hear a news story about how Captain Hannah Shepard, Shepard's mother, has turned down an admiral's star and will remain in command of the Dreadnought Orizaba. She said that her promotion was a political ploy and that she can best honor her child's memory is to be the captain of a ship.
 * Colonist: You will hear a story about how Shepard's home colony of Mindoir has won the rights to use Shepard's likeness on its Colonial Seal. While Shepard hasn't been to the colony recently, Shepard maintains strong relations with the colony.
 * Earthborn: You will hear a news story about how the Shepard Memorial Scholarship is sending disadvantaged kids from places on Earth to the serve in the Systems Alliance.

Psychological Profile Stories

 * War Hero:You will hear a story about how Shepard Memorial Plaza on Elysium has become the hottest wedding location. Under the orders of Admiral Hackett, funds raised from wedding fees goes to a fund for Alliance Veterans.
 * Sole Survivor: You will hear a story about how the Shepard Memorial on Akuze is almost ready. The opening ceremony will be hosted by Admiral Hackett in 2186.
 * Ruthless: You will hear a story about how the Shepard Memorial Flame on Torfan has had a rush of attempts to extinguish the flame. Hackett has ordered the site locked down until further notice.

Terra Nova

 * If you saved the hostages during the Bring Down the Sky mission, then you will hear a news story about how celebrations are planned across the planet. Kate Bowman will read a thank you message to the soldiers who rescued her. The batarian merc leader Balak, is still at large.
 * If you killed the hostages during the Bring Down the Sky mission, then you will hear a news story about how celebrations are planned across the planet. Michael Bowman, Kate's father, is holding a prayer service for the ones who were lost.

Virmire Decision

 * If Kaidan Alenko was left to die on Virmire, then you will hear a story about how the Kaidan Alenko Memorial Scholarship is sending gifted biotic children to the Ascension Project.
 * If Ashley Williams was left to die, then you will hear a story about how she has become the first human to earn high honors from the turian and salarian governments.

Sightings of Shepard

 * After completing Freedom's Progress (mission), there will be a news article on witnesses reporting sighting Shepard alive on Omega (this news may be heard on the Citadel even if Shepard has yet to set foot on Omega).
 * After completing Horizon (mission), further sightings of Shepard being on Horizon during the attack will be reported, with Council officials denying that Shepard was either alive or working as a Spectre.
 * After completing Collector Ship (mission), there will be a news article on mixed reactions to the relevation of Shepard being alive.
 * After the conclusion of Stop the Collectors, there will be a news article on Shepard associating with criminals, killers, mercenaries and other dangerous elements, and that Galactic News expressed a hope that Shepard would grant an interview. Another news article states that strange readings from the Omega 4 replay suggested that it has been used recently.

Illium News
While walking around on Illium, you can hear various news stories about what is happening on the planet.
 * While walking around, you can hear a story about Blasto: The Jellyfish Stings. A fictional movie about Blasto, the first hanar Spectre.

Omega News
While walking around on Omega, you can hear various news stories that are usually modifications of Galactic News Stories. These stories however have a darker tone and are delivered by a male voice.
 * After the attack on Horizon, the story will talk about how another human colony was attacked and how the humans deserved it. The story also congratulates the people who attacked the colony.
 * After Garrus' recruitment mission, the Blue Suns try and take credit for his death. However the Blood Pack and the Eclipse contest this as there is no corpse, or at least none identifiable so no one can take credit for Archangel's death.