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Austenasian Times

Online news for the people of the Empire

Prince Dionisiy elected Prime Minister

HSH Dionisiy I, Prince of Montescano and Duke of Lycaonia, has been elected the fourth Prime Minister of Austenasia with 52.27% of the vote in a closely-fought election. His rival candidate, Lord John Gordon, received 40.91% of the vote, whereas an option to Abstain – which, if it gained a majority, would have forced fresh elections – received 6.82% of the vote. This translates to twenty-three, eighteen, and three votes respectively from the forty-four Austenasian subjects who voted yesterday. With fifty-nine of Austenasia’s population eligible to vote, this was a 74.58% turnout. Lord Gordon campaigned on a platform of social democracy and progressivism, but also pledged to nationalise private businesses. Dionisiy’s campaign promises focused on promoting the Romano-Christian culture of the Empire, as well as implementing internet-based referenda on important legislative issues. Despite criticism from some quarters for referring to “climate change hysterica”, the Prince has also pledged to minimise Austenasia’s carbon footprint, and is currently overseeing the construction of a solar farm in Seleucia ad Cilicia. Prince Dionisiy is expected to release a Prime Minister’s Broadcast tonight detailing his plans for the rest of the year. As well as the general election, local elections for Representative took place in the towns of Palasia, Gebirgspark, Chalcedon and Nahona. Palasia saw its incumbent, Dionisiy’s rival Lord Gordon, re-elected, whereas the other three towns had the Acting Representatives appointed upon their annexations (Lord Kristof Fondrk, Lord Ismetcan Sarac, and King William I, respectively) elected to the position proper.

Ecosystem restoration begins in Oregonia

Governing Commissioner Adam von Friedeck, Duke of Washington, has declared the Crown Dependency of Oregonia to be a site of ecosystem restoration in a proclamation issued yesterday. The Duke of Washington – who is more commonly known as King Adam I of Überstadt but prefers not to use his royal title when acting as Governing Commissioner – ordered the Imperial Oregonian Militia to uproot invasive species and plant native flora in its place. Oregonia consists of an uninhabited area of woodland and is bordered by Überstadt and by the U.S. state of Washington. The Governing Commissioner explained that the “area around Oregonia is overrun by noxious weeds and neglected by American authorities, despite their recognizing it as a critical habitat area. I hope that fighting invasive plants in Austenasian territory can contribute to solving the problem in some small measure.”

MicroWorld Newsbites – May 2017

ASHUKOVO On 19 May, President Edward Jacobs announced an election to be held on 18 June, with the victor to take office the following week. One week later, a poll showed 56% of those polled supporting the Conservative Party candidate Manolis Afentoulis, who is running against Orthodox Party candidate Jacob Huff. On 22 May, Akebar – an enclave of Yorkshire with a population of 16 – was annexed by the Ashukov Federation. Akebar had previously been a part of Ashukovo before the collapse of the first incarnation of the Federation in 2015. FLANDRENSIS On 22 May, Flandrensis updated its Constitution for the ninth time since the Grand Duchy’s foundation in 2008. Two major changes concern the country’s monarchy: from now on the Grand Duke will be elected rather than inherit the throne, and the new position of Chief Magistrate replaces the monarch as head of the judiciary. The Flandrensian constitution was last replaced in July last year. GRAND UNIFIED MICRONATIONAL From 6-7 May, the GUM held its second 24 Hour Quorum, a charity event during which a conversation between at least five people was sustained for twenty four hours over Skype. Thirty three people took part, and roughly £158 ($203 USD) was raised for various charities via participants being sponsored. The first 24 Hour Quorum, on which this event was based, took place in August 2012. MERCIA On 23 May, an Act was signed granting autonomy to the Mercian territory of Uberquiesenberg, which is politically left-wing in comparison to the other areas of the country. MOLOSSIA On 26 May, Molossia celebrated its 40th anniversary; the following day, a celebration attended by over 50 people – including Grand Duke Travis of Westarctica – was held in the Republic’s Red Square with a tour, barbecue, and speech by President Baugh. A commemmorative coin and stamp have been released. SANDUS On 22 May, Sôgmô Gaius Soergel decreed that the academic robes worn at his recent university graduation will be henceforth used as his official regalia, which had previously been plain blue robes. USKOR On 23 May, Uskor implemented a policy whereby all plastic bags must be collected and recycled as part of an effort to make the country more environmentally friendly. WESTARCTICA On 24 May, Duke Wolf Tulier of Waesche stepped down as Prime Minister, a position he has held since 2010, to become Minister of Defence. Grand Duke Travis credited Tulier with “quite literally saving Westarctica from destruction”, referring to his role in combatting the instability that plagued the nation at the turn of the decade. WILDFLOWER MEADOWS On 12 May, Wildflower Meadows celebrated a year since its foundation. Princess Hannah and her fiancé Emperor Jonathan I celebrated with a meal out in Deva Victrix the previous evening, and visited Chester Meadows – the site of the principality’s foundation – on the anniversary itself.

First IGS Expedition held under new rules

The extended Imperial Family yesterday embarked on their annual New Year’s walk on Wimbledon Common, classified as an Imperial Geographical Society expedition under new rules for the organisation. In an Imperial Edict, Emperor Jonathan I laid out rules for the Imperial Geographical Society (IGS) in regards to its structure and the launching of expeditions. Any excursion in which two or more IGS members are partaking may be made an official IGS expedition after obtaining authorisation from the Director of the IGS. Yesterday’s walk, led by Lord Michael, was designated an IGS expedition with four of the eight taking part being members of the society. It is traditional for the immediate Imperial Family to have a walk on Wimbledon Common with the Boxalls (the family of Emperor Mother Margaret) on New Year’s Day, with the walk moved to 2nd January should the 1st be a Sunday. The expedition first explored woodland north of the famous Wimbledon Common Windmill, passing by the Queensmere and Kingsmere ponds, and then traversed the golf course and woodland south of the windmill. In the Imperial Edict, Jonathan I also directed that IGS expeditions “must do everything that is reasonably possible to refrain from damaging the natural environment”. The Imperial Geographical Society was founded in 2009. Yesterday’s expedition was the fifteenth since its foundation, and the third to Wimbledon Common.

Environmental Office downgraded to Home Office department

An Act of Parliament, granted Imperial Consent this morning, has downgraded the Environmental Office from a government ministry to a department of the Home Office, renaming it to the Environmental Agency in the process. The Environmental Office was founded in February 2009, administered by the Minister for the Environment. This office has now been renamed to the Under-Secretary for the Environment, and the holder of the position will be appointed by the Home Secretary. The Environmental Agency retains all the powers and functions that were held by the Environmental Office. Emperor Jonathan I, who appointed himself Minister for the Environment after the resignation of Lord Charles Clarke in September, has remained as Under-Secretary for the Environment. Speaking to the Austenasian Times, His Imperial Majesty said that “the care of Austenasia’s natural environment should not be seen as an issue separate from others, but as an intrinsic part of our government’s care for the Empire as a whole. All policy decisions made in regards to the internal affairs of Austenasia must be taken with the natural environment constantly in mind, not as an issue to be dealt with by another ministry, and so we felt it appropriate to merge the Environmental Office into the Home Office at the suggestion of His Imperial Highness the Prime Minister.”

King of the Grove outlaws feeding bread to the birds

His Majesty King Calum I of the Grove has issued a decree forbidding the feeding of bread to wildfowl. The Kingdom of the Grove, through which part of the River Wandle runs through, is home to many ducks, geese, moorhens and swans, and many visitors to the Grove often feed the birds. Despite there already being signs up warning visitors that feeding bread to wildfowl is bad for their health, these warnings are often ignored. King Calum has therefore banned the practice outright. Copies of the King’s decree have been placed up around the Grove. Information on the damage to birds’ health and to the ecosystem that can be caused by feeding bread to wildfowl can be found at this Guardian article and this page on the British Bird Lovers website.

Palm oil banned in Austenasia

Austenasia has become the first government in the world to ban the importation and trade of palm oil. Palm oil is a vegetable oil which is produced in a way which is extremely damaging to the environment, with mass deforestation leading to huge amounts of carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere and to the loss of precious habitat for critically endangered species such as the Sumatran rhinoceros and orangutan. Under new legislation passed this morning, the intentional importation or trade of palm oil is now punishable by a fine of between £5 and £15. An Imperial Decree passed shortly afterwards made an exception for importing palm oil to be used for medical reasons, but this can only be done with the permission of the Representative of one’s Town. Palm oil is in many products, such as several brands of peanut butter. However, because only the intentional importation and trade of palm oil is banned, negligent importation and trade of products containing it (e.g., not checking ingredient labels) would not be prosecuted. The main aim of this legislation is to raise awareness of the environmental damage caused by the production of the oil. The ban only applies to Austenasian Towns and Territories, with Crown Dependencies free to choose whether or not to implement it. Palm oil has already been banned in the Crown Dependency of New Richmond since last year. The Palm Act 2014 was passed by three votes to two in the House of Representatives after having been written and proposed by newly appointed Minister for the Environment, Lord Hengest Crannis, yesterday evening. Lord Hengest has written a message concerning the reasons behind the ban, which can be read here.