I'm running on Windows Xp sp3 because I switched to Ubuntu when XP expired.

The start date for news is 2495.0.

The error happens when the date reaches 2496.0 or higher. The text for the news names goes blank. most of the time and might periodically show. The dates are bugged. Below is what it looks like

It starts like this
2496.0 - (blank)
2496.0 - (blank)
2496.0 - (blank)
2495.358 - (blank)
2495.351 - Pirates attack blahblah

Everything in the 2496 range is blank -- but I CAN click on it for information.

When the 2497 year comes around, it looks like this:
2497 -730 - Invasion at blahblah
2497.-722 - Medicals needed at blahlah
2496.0 - (blank)
2496.0 - (blank)
2496.0 - (blank)

Everything at 2497 and after is in this format: 2497.-#### - News name

The negative number are the days since the start of the game.

This isn't game ending but it's annoying. Anyone else experience this:

I also get trouble where if I click on unavailable skills/abilities in combat (like from EMP), a error window popup displays. I can resume the combat, but it's unsettling, esp at first.

EDIT: I got this game last year but haven't played it until now. I mostly like it.