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MicroWorld Newsbites – December 2016
DELVERA
- On 19 December, the Delveran Ministry of State released a document claiming some half a million square miles of the United States of America around their territorial claims as a “sphere on influence” in which they claimed to have exclusive rights to cultural, military, political, and economic development and expansion along with the US, to the exclusion of any other small nations that may arise.
FLORENIA
- On 23 December, King Eran passed a decree ordering the foreign ministry “to resume and expand the diplomatic efforts” of Florenia.
JUCLANDIA
- On 20 December, the state owned media service Scânteia was transitioned into an independent news agency, Telenot, funded but not administered by the government. Reforms were also made to the nation’s public broadcasting service.
SANDUS
- On 21 December, the five citizens of Sandus unanimously voted for the Sôgmô’s reign to continue in the annual solstice election.
- Earlier today, Sôgmô Soergel added two new days to the already famously busy Sandum calendar; African Diaspora Recognition Day on 12 February to reflect on the effects of slavery and imperialism on African people around the world, and Religious Tolerance Day on 24 August to reflect on religious violence.
VIKESLAND
- On 26 December, Vikesland was hit by a snowstorm which blocked the roads into the small country.
WILDFLOWER MEADOWS
- On 25 December, Princess Hannah appointed her sister, the now Lady Stephanie, as Marchioness of Wandleside, the most recent territorial acquisition of Wildflower Meadows. Two days later, the neighbouring UK had set up security cameras around the Marquessate, although whether or not this was in response to the claim is yet to be seen.
Imperial Engagement Party held
The engagement party in full swing.
Emperor Jonathan I and Princess Consort Hannah yesterday held an engagement party in Wallington.
The couple had announced that they had become engaged to be married on 5 September earlier this year.
The party was held at the Trinity Centre in Wallington.
Emperor Father Terry led the toasts towards the end of the night, and a large buffet was available.
The party was attended by the entire population of Greater Wrythe, members and friends of the extended Imperial Family, family and friends of the Princess Consort, and dignitaries such as the ex-Emperor Esmond III and Wildflowerian nobility.
Christmas 2016 celebrated by the Imperial Family
A buffet meal laid out in the Imperial Residence on Boxing Day.
Christmas has been celebrated by the extended Austenasian Imperial Family over the past few days.
Christmas Day (Sunday 25th) begun with the immediate Imperial Family opening presents in Parliament Hall, then joining the population of Zephyria and the Boxall family (the relatives of Emperor Mother Margaret) for a morning service at Carshalton Methodist Church. Emperor Jonathan I spent the rest of the day with his fiancée Princess Consort Hannah at her house, while the rest of the Imperial Family spent the day at the Boxalls’ house.
Emperor Jonathan I released his Christmas broadcast on YouTube, which can be heard here.
On Boxing Day (Monday 26th), the Imperial Family hosted the Boxalls and Princess Consort Hannah in the Imperial Residence for the afternoon and evening. A buffet was provided and parlour games enjoyed.
Finally, yesterday (Tuesday 27th), the Princess Consort again joined the Imperial Family as they hosted the Allens, family friends of the Imperial Family, for an evening meal.
The Austenasian Times hopes all its readers have had a Merry Christmas, and wishes you all a happy 2017.
Adam takes charge of GUM
[Disclaimer: The Austenasian Times does not by publishing this article recognise the claim of Thomas of Zenrax to imperial rank.]
ROSEWOOD – King Adam of Überstadt is the 25th Chair of the Grand Unified Micronational after winning half the vote in a three-way race. He assumed office on 25 December at 00:01 UTC, relieving Acting Chair Jonathan I of Austenasia.
Adam received nine of 18 votes, with three member-states not voting. King Eden of Edenopolis placed second with six votes, and Emperor Thomas of Zenrax came in third with three votes. Seven votes were sufficient to guarantee victory, which Adam attained two days into the week-long voting period.
Eden found some of his strongest support among younger members, while nations often counted among the so-called “old guard” of the MicroWiki community tended to favor Adam. Such preferences were not without exception. Paravia, Roseland, and Shorewell, all founded since 2014, voted for the winner. The new chair will still face a generational gap in the organization, and will have to avoid…
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Changes to New Richmond
An Act of Parliament was passed this morning which ceded some areas of New Richmond to the United States of America whilst annexing some to it back from the USA.
North New Richmond and the western half of Saint Josephsburg were ceded to the USA, while two new areas of land were annexed to New Richmond. These two new areas are yet to be named by its town council.
As a result of these changes, New Richmond (and therefore the Empire as a whole) has made a net gain of roughly 23,895 square feet and a net loss of one resident.
New Richmond is set to gain the status of a city on 9 January next year, meaning that they will elect a Mayor in their next local election.
Recognition of Monovia revoked
National flag of Monovia
The Empire revoked recognition of the Principality of Monovia today after over five years of close diplomatic relations.
Monovia yesterday renounced its claim to independent statehood, leading to an Imperial Decree being published earlier this evening which revoked recognition of the principality.
Monovia – formerly known as Adjikistan and as Libertas – had been a protected state of Austenasia since October 2011, with the Empire responsible for its defence.
Situated near the British city of Sheffield, Monovia’s leader, Harry Fitzpatrick, held the rank of Caesar between August 2012 and June 2016.
This leaves Austenasia with three protectorates: Orly, Wilcsland, and Wildflower Meadows.
Tourist visit to Austenasia
Emperor Jonathan I with tourist Mike Lewis in Parliament Hall, Imperial Residence.
The Austenasian capital of Wrythe yesterday saw its second tourist visit.
His Imperial Majesty Emperor Jonathan I met Mike Lewis at Carshalton railway station, from which he gave him a guided tour of the Carshalton Nations which concluded at Wrythe.
Princess Consort Hannah joined the Emperor and Mr Lewis towards the end of the tour.
Mr Lewis was shown Orly, the site of Rushymia and the Midget Empire, and Muschamp Alley, all sites which are relevant to the Carshalton Nations and their history, with the Emperor giving commentary as they went.
They then walked to Wrythe, where – by this point joined by Princess Consort Hannah – the tour concluded with lunch.
At the Imperial Residence in Wrythe, Mr Lewis met with Emperor Father Terry, Emperor Mother Margaret, Crown Princess Caroline and the imperial pets Edd the bullmastiff and Rosie the kitten.
He was also shown various documents and artefacts of historical interest, presented with a gift of an Austenasian postcard, and signed a guestbook newly acquired for the Imperial Residence.
This is the second time a tourist has visited Wrythe, the first having been Jonny Blair in March last year.
Rosie arrives at the Imperial Residence
Rosie being held by Crown Princess Caroline.
Yesterday evening, Emperor Father Terry and Crown Princess Caroline arrived back home at the Imperial Residence with Rosie, the new pet cat of the immediate Imperial Family.
Rosie was acquired from a friend of Emperor Father Terry who lives in Yorkshire.
Updates will be posted as Rosie continues to settle in.
UPDATE 5 APRIL 2017 – After initial disputes about the name, the Imperial Family’s pet cat has now been renamed Baby.
Cities Act passed
His Imperial Majesty the Emperor earlier this morning granted Imperial Consent to the Cities Act 2016.
The Act of Parliament allows certain towns to be given the status of cities, and designates Wrythe (the capital) and New Richmond (Austenasia’s largest and most populous town) as the Empire’s first two cities.
Wrythe and New Richmond will officially become cities in January.
Cities will not only elect a Representative to elect them in Parliament, but a Mayor to oversee their local government.
The Cities Act specifies that Mayors will be elected alongside Representatives in local elections, but forbids the two offices from being simultaneously held by the same person.
MicroWorld Newsbites – November 2016
FLANDRENSIS
- On 4 November, Flandrensis announced its withdrawal from the Antarctic Micronational Union, an organisation it founded in 2008 which has been hugely successful in regulating the territorial claims by various small countries and micronations to land in Antarctica. Grand Duke Niels I explained his decision by stating the AMU had “almost no interest in the ecological problems of today”. However, AMU Administrative-General Yaroslav Mar disputed this, publishing an e-mail in which he had offered the Grand Duke the chance to draft a new, more ecologically-focused charter for the organisation.
FLORENIA
- On 25 November, King Eran – who had previously held a ceremonial role – published a declaration in which he suspended Parliament and instituted temporary personal rule, instructing his son Prince Nathan, the Prime Minister, to draw up plans for reform. This comes after several months of apparent inactivity in the Florenian government.
LADONIA
- On 24 November, an arson attack burnt down the Tower of the Winds, a quarter of the sculpture “Nimis”, one of two over which Ladonia declared independence from Sweden due to planning permission disputes. There have been no claims to responsibility for the attack. Queen Carolyn I promised that “Nimis will be repaired, and grow to be even larger than before… rising like a Phoenix from the ashes.”
MOLOSSIA
- On 27 November, Molossia unveiled a Little Free Library on its north-western border with the US, full of books to be swapped for free by passing readers in Molossia and in the United States.
RUDNO
- On 13 November, Rudno adopted a new theocratic constitution, declaring that it would have no King but Jesus Christ, and renaming the office of Ambict, head of government, to Steward.
ZEALANDIA
- On 12 November, the State Bank of Zealandia announced the creation of a new Zealandian currency, the Credit, pegged to equal value with the Australian dollar.
- On 23 November, Chairwoman Charlotte Lindstrom signed into a law guaranteeing the right of Zealandians to practice “the magickal arts” so long as such are not inconsistent with the law or “good proletarian morals”.
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