MicroWorld Newsbites – February 2017

FLORENIA

• On 9 February, Florenia expanded for the first time in its nearly six-year history. King Eran I annexed his personal residence – which until now had been in the United States of America – as the Dominion of Lexington. Afula, which prior to this was Florenia’s only land claim, remains the nation’s capital.

LANDASHIR

• On 10 February, James von Puchow as Chief Minister of Landashir released a declaration ceding Landashir’s final land claim – a residential property now in the UK – and having it assume the status of a non-territorial nation as opposed to a nation-state. From now on, Landashir’s government “shall operate as a general council of all registered Landashir’n nationals.”

MOLOSSIA

• On 12 February, the Molossian Navy conducted a weapons test, successfully launching two rockets from a newly acquired RC1 Rocket Cannon.

WILDFLOWER MEADOWS

• Princess Hannah celebrated her 21st birthday on 27 February with a meal and drinks out with her fiancé Emperor Jonathan I and several friends from the University of Chester.

ZEALANDIA/USKOR

• Zealandia, while well-known for its frequent changes of governmental system, has always retained its actual name; that is, until now. The country has changed its name to Uskor after the results of a referendum were announced on 24 February. Charlotte Lindstrom, founder of the nation and its paramount leader throughout its history, was sworn in as Chairwoman of Uskor on 27 February.

Emperor Father Terry and Countess Victoria elected Mayors

HIH Emperor Father Terry, newly elected Mayor of Wrythe (photographed in July last year).

Apologies for the delayed publication of this news due to technical difficulties.

Local elections on Thursday 9th February in Wrythe and New Richmond saw HIH Emperor Father Terry and Victoria Hathaway, Countess of Sidney elected as the respective Mayor for each city.

The local elections also saw – as expected – the incumbents Emperor Jonathan I and Lord Admiral Joseph Kennedy re-elected as Representatives of Wrythe and of New Richmond respectively.

An Act of Parliament passed last month created city status to be granted to various prominent towns. The Emperor called local elections in the two towns granted city status in order for them to elect a mayor.

Mayors have the power to chair their city council, veto changes to the city arms, and unilaterally implement bye-laws in relation to local governance.

Since his abdication as Emperor in February 2010 up until now, the now Emperor Father Terry has not been involved in politics, but enlisted in the Austenasian Army in August 2011 and served as a consul in 2013.

Victoria Hathaway, Countess of Sidney is a resident of a new area of New Richmond annexed to the city in December 2016, and was appointed one of this year’s two consuls on New Year’s Day.

New embassy and ambassador to the United Kingdom

Mr Cant, new Ambassador to the UK, outside the embassy.

A new Austenasian Embassy to the United Kingdom was officially claimed this morning, the residence of the newly appointed Ambassador to the UK.

Lee Cant, a retired accountant who volunteers as an anti-corruption activist, was appointed Austenasian Ambassador to the United Kingdom by Emperor Jonathan I on 4 February.

The position had previously been held ex officio by the Chief Ambassador, a remnant of the time when the United Kingdom was the only country bordering the Empire. As of September last year, however, the Chief Ambassador has been Lord Rear Admiral Alastair Cranston of Shineshore; as Shineshore is an exclave of Canada, it was thought time that the offices of Chief Ambassador and Ambassador to the UK were separated, which was done by an Act of Parliament last month.

The university accommodation rented by the Emperor during his time at the University of Roehampton was previously claimed as Austenasia’s Embassy to the UK between September 2015 and June 2016.

The new embassy – officially claimed this morning – consists of Mr Cant’s own residence in Hackney, London.

As Austenasia holds no diplomatic relations with the UK, both ambassador and embassy are primarily ceremonial, with their main function currently being to raise awareness of the Empire rather than to maintain actual diplomatic relations.