New countries recognised by the Empire

Parliament yesterday passed a Foreign Affairs Act granting recognition to Ashukovo, Wyvern, Sabovia, Leylandiistan, and Volfa.

Ashukovo, officially the Ashukov Federation, was founded in May last year, and has a population of 48 with land in North America and Europe. Joseph Kennedy, who is Governing Commissioner of the Austenasian Crown Dependency of New Richmond, is Prince of the Ashukov state of Montania and a leading political figure within Ashukovo.

The Kingdom of Wyvern, well-known for controversial behaviour of its leaders in the past, was founded in October 2009 when it became independent from the Netherlands. Despite being a prominent member of the MicroWiki community for some years now, Wyvern has only now been granted recognition by the Empire, the two having often held differing diplomatic views in the past. Recent discussions between the Austenasian and Wyvernian governments have led to efforts for there to be friendlier relations between the two states, and a formal treaty with Wyvern is expected to be signed within the next few weeks.

The Principality of Sabovia was founded in April 2013 (although has its origins in an entity founded in May 2012) and is located near to the Austenasian Territory of Corinium Terentium, with its governor ruling Sabovia as HM Prince Andrew I. Sabovia has been accepted as a protected state of Austenasia, meaning that the Empire will protect it from any attackers.

The Democratic Republic of Leylandiistan became independent from Ireland in November 2012. It has a population of 18 and is led by its president, Fionnbarra Ó Cathail.

The four countries already listed have been recognised as sovereign states. However, Volfa, based in Malta, has been recognised as a sovereign nation and not a sovereign state, as, while a group of people with their own culture, it is neither tied to nor controls land claims. It is led by two Sultans, one of whom is the Austenasian ambassador to Malta.

Imperial Ascension Day celebrated

Chocolates distributed by the Emperor to fellow residents of Roehampton University campus in celebration of his Cotton Jubilee.

A year since the ascension to the Throne of Emperor Jonathan I was yesterday celebrated throughout the Empire of Austenasia.

Yesterday marked one year since Jonathan I became Emperor after the abdication of his predecessor – his “Cotton Jubilee”.

The Emperor marked the occasion with lunch out at a restaurant with the Prime Minister, Countess Eritoshi.

The day was celebrated across the Empire. The two units of Legio I Virginia in the Austenasian Army held parades in New Richmond and in Terentia, and a public holiday was announced in New South Scotland.

Joseph Kennedy becomes Pope

A stylised portrait of Joseph Kennedy, the new Pope Alexander IV of the Divine Church of the Parva-Religions.

Joseph Kennedy yesterday assumed the role of Pope of the Parva-Religions.

The Pope leads the Divine Church of the Parva-Religions, an institution designed to promote the culture (specifically religious aspects) of small nations.

Kennedy, who is Governing Commissioner of the Austenasian Crown Dependency of New Richmond, has taken the papal name of Alexander IV. He is the eleventh individual to hold the office, which derives its origins from a cat-worshipping cult founded in 2004 in a predecessor state of New Wessex.

Kennedy’s predecessor, Pope Ezekiel I (better known as Richard Cunningham), founded the Church of the Parva-Religions together with Bradley of Dullahan last June. Formerly, the Pope was a spiritual advisor to Declan I, King of New Wessex, chosen by him from the members of the Orlian College of Cardinals, a body which was theoretically meant to advise him on the culture of Orly but only ever contained foreign leaders who he had appointed to the group as an honour.

After the liberation of Orly from his rule last year, an argument between Declan and the cardinals resulted in them breaking away from his control under the leadership of Bradley of Dullahan, who together with the then pope founded the Divine Church by merging the Papacy with the College of Cardinals to create a single and independent institution.

Currently, the Divine Church is in somewhat of a state of disarray. The responsibilities and functions of the former cardinals within the new system are not thought to be precisely delineated, and Kennedy was not elected to the position but was simply nominated by two former popes after the office had been left vacant for over two weeks after the resignation of his predecessor.

Kennedy has stated that he wishes to reform the governing body of the church, and to make its “presence in the [MicroWiki] community more known”.

Floods in Copan as old source of Wandle flows

Westcroft Canal in Carshalton Park, flowing again for the first time in fifteen years.

The capital of Copan has flooded after heavy rain caused an old source of the River Wandle to start flowing again.

Westcroft Canal, which runs from the Grotto in Carshalton Park to the Secluded Place (or “Smokers’ Wall”), capital of Copan, has been dry for many years now, but over the past few days it has become full of water after heavy rain.

The canal is now flowing over the entrance to the Secluded Place (a large depression in the ground surrounded by trees), creating a waterfall and stream in the capital. It is thought that the Secluded Place would once have been totally underwater – there is a grated pipe at its other end, through which the water has flowed and made a large part of the Plain of Copan completely waterlogged.

Located in Carshalton Park, the Grotto was the original source of the Wandle before drying up late last century, and fed the current source, Carshalton Ponds (another source of the river arises in Croydon). According to the Sutton Guardian, this is the first time in 15 years that heavy rainfall has caused the water-table to rise sufficiently for the source at the Grotto to flow, filling Westcroft Canal with water.

Queen Emma of Copan has expressed dismay at her capital being flooded, but reflected on the fact that Westcroft Canal has prevented the water it now holds from flooding other areas. A short video of the flooding of Copan can be seen here – to reclarify, everything shown in the video would usually be dry.

UPDATE 19 JANUARY 18:00 – Water continues to flow over the entrance to the Secluded Place, with the flow if anything having increased. Large parts of the Plain of Copan are now completely waterlogged.

New Richmond expands

New Richmond, one of the two North American Crown Dependencies of Austenasia, has gained two residents and thousands of square feet of land.

New Richmond – red indicates the new territory annexed yesterday. (Image rights belong to Google and the Commonwealth of Virginia)

The Crown Dependency, officially titled the Dominion of New Richmond, yesterday grew by over 120% by annexing an adjacent piece of land.

This land is lived on by the Lord Lieutenant of New Richmond, who administers the Crown Dependency on a day-to-day basis on behalf of the Governing Commissioner Joseph Kennedy (who in turn represents the Emperor), and his wife, giving New Richmond a population of two.

While precise measurements are very difficult, this territorial acquisition by New Richmond – first annexed by Austenasia on 16 August 2013 – is thought to have increased the size of the Empire to over one and a half million square feet for the first time.

There are also plans for the newly acquired population of New Richmond to be given powers to propose legislation for the Governing Commissioner to consider.

Consuls appointed as New Year heralded

Today begins the year of the consulship of Eritoshi Augusta and Imperator Caesar Jonathan Augustus.

Relatives and friends of the Emperor in heavy rain on the traditional New Year’s Day walk on Wimbledon Common.

The Prime Minister, Countess Eritoshi of Memphis, has appointed herself and Emperor Jonathan I as this year’s consuls, Austenasia’s highest judicial authorities after whom the year is named in formal documents.

In Wrythe, the New Year was brought in with the immediate Imperial Family playing party games and watching coverage of the fireworks display in the British capital. The two consuls wished each other a happy new year over Skype mere seconds after the clock struck twelve, with the Emperor then joining his family in singing Auld Lang Syne.

It is traditional for the Imperial Family to join their relatives the Boxalls and some members of Raynes Park Methodist Church (formerly attended by the family) on a walk around Wimbledon Common on New Year’s Day. Despite torrential rain, the turnout of twelve was the same as last year’s, although the walk was considerably shortened.