General Election called for 28 February

His Imperial Majesty the Emperor has called a general election for 28 February 2019. Under the Constitution, the election would have had to have taken place on or before 3 March, which will be four years since the previous general election in 2015. Until 31 January, Representatives will be able to apply to the Monarch to be appointed Candidates for the election. The Monarch is obliged to appoint at least two Candidates from those who apply, with any others being appointed at his discretion. The month of February will be spent by the Candidates campaigning for election, with votes being cast on the 28th and the victorious candidate taking office on 1 March. The incumbent Prime Minister, HIH Lord Admiral Joseph Kennedy, is expected to run for a second term, and Lord Anthony Clark of Amerdansk announced on 31 December an intention to also stand for election. No other Representatives have so far publicly announced an intention to run, although Lady Vice Admiral Eryn Lewis of Terentia has indicated a desire to stand if Lord Admiral Kennedy decides not to do so.

IGS Expedition to Dorking

The Emperor, Emperor Father, and Crown Princess earlier today embarked on the Imperial Geographical Society’s nineteenth expedition. The Expedition travelled to the British town of Dorking. An initial plan to explore the town’s high street had to be cancelled due to a lack of parking spaces, and so the three instead went to a nearby pub for lunch. While driving near the town, the expedition encountered a large statue of a cockerel, a famous local landmark. The expedition was undertaken at the suggestion of Emperor Father Terry, primarily to give Crown Princess Caroline practice at driving her new car. Despite the relatively uneventful trip, the expedition (and lunch out) was enjoyed by all.

Imperial Family celebrates Christmas

Christmas Day was yesterday celebrated across the Empire. His Imperial Majesty supported UNICEF in his annual Christmas message. In the morning, the Imperial Family attended a service at Carshalton Methodist Church, joined by the Boxall family (the maternal relatives of the Emperor) and other Austenasians. The Imperial Family later hosted the Boxalls at the Imperial Residence for Christmas dinner, presents, and parlour games. Emperor Jonathan I published his yearly Christmas speech on YouTube, quoting from a work which reflects on the contrast between traditional, peaceful views of the Nativity and the grim story of the Massacre of the Innocents, asking his listeners to consider areas of the world today where children are under threat and asking for support for UNICEF, a charity currently working to alleviate suffering in Yemen. Christmas Day has been a public holiday in Austenasia since the country’s foundation. An Imperial Edict was published last year designating Christmas Eve as a day which local authorities can choose to also make a public holiday.

Cool Barbie finale published

Earlier today, Cool Barbie XV – The Final Battle was published on YouTube by Austenasian Television Productions (ATP), bringing to an end a series of short films which began in 2009 and had their roots in a home movie made in 2005. The Cool Barbie series produced by ATP consisted of fifteen full episodes and three “minisodes”, set in a fictional world in which toys are alive and chronicling the eponymous Barbie doll’s encounters with various aliens and villains. The majority of characters were played or voiced by Emperor Jonathan I and Crown Princess Caroline, but others have played minor roles, and in today’s final installment both Princess Hannah and Lord John Gordon provided voice acting for two minor characters. The previous episode ended on a cliffhanger, with the antagonist Dominus having absorbed enough magical power to conquer Earth. Cool Barbie XV sees Cool Barbie (voiced by Crown Princess Caroline) and Commander Xeaphon (played in person by Jonathan I) work together to defeat the villain. The Cool Barbie series is based on three home movies made between 2005 and 2008 by the now Jonathan I, Crown Princess Caroline, and their cousin Lord Timothy. Upon the foundation of ATP, the broadcaster remade the three original films and produced twelve sequels. With the series now over, there are no immediate plans for any future Cool Barbie productions, although ATP has not ruled out the possibility of stand-alone specials in the future.

Parkland annexed as new Crown Dependency

On Wednesday 5th, the most recent expansion of the Empire took place with the annexation of the Crown Dependency of Kingeston. Kingeston, which consists of just over two and a half acres of parkland bordered by the Canadian province of Ontario, was claimed for Austenasia by Austin Jaax, who has been appointed Governing Commissioner of the new claim and given a position in the Privy Council. As a Crown Dependency, Kingeston will not be represented in Parliament but will be administered by Jaax autonomously from the central government. In other news, on 4 December, the Emperor announced the official start of winter in the Austenasian calendar.

Emperor Grandmother Joyce passes away aged 96

Yesterday evening, HIH Emperor Grandmother Joyce passed away aged 96 after a short illness. Grandmother to Jonathan I and mother-in-law to former Emperor Terry I, Joyce was born in Essex in 1922. Her family moved to London in 1940, and from 1943-46 she served in the Auxiliary Territorial Service. On Boxing Day 2008, soon after Austenasian independence, Joyce was given a knighthood by then Emperor Terry I – only the fifth person to be awarded such – after expressing interest in the new Empire. She was also appointed one of the two annual Consuls in 2016, but otherwise had very little actual involvement in Austenasia and never became an Austenasian subject. Emperor Jonathan I has requested that a state of mourning be observed through the Empire until the Emperor Grandmother’s funeral, and for the privacy of the Imperial Family to be respected during this time.

“MicroWiki schism” comes to an end

The dispute which began in 2012 over which website should be considered the “true MicroWiki” came to an end yesterday evening, when Wikia staff officially renamed micronations.wika to MicroNations Fandom. The website generally considered MicroWiki is at micronations.wiki, but another, smaller wiki at micronations.wikia – known by most as “MicroWikia” – has for six years now claimed to be the “true” MicroWiki due to being the original domain at which the community was founded. The MicroWiki community left the Wikia site in 2010 in order to create a website independent from the Wikia corporation, but two years later some younger users left MicroWiki and reactivated the original website in a successful attempt to start their own community. Attempts to heal the rift were rejected by Wikia staff, who encouraged the new community in order to maximise advertisement revenue. It had been intended for the original Wikia site to be left as an archive, displaying a “snapshot” of the community as it had been in 2010. However, subsequent editing and deletions by the break-off community lost a substantial amount of community and micronational history. Poor leadership and generally immature users at MicroWikia prevented it from being seen by most as a serious alternative to the independent MicroWiki, but the very existence of the break-away community remained a sad reflection on the inability of some members of the wider community to work together. Over the past few months, Emperor Jonathan I was able to get himself appointed as a leading administrator on the Wikia site, and lead the way in petitioning Wikia staff to rename the website. With micronations.wikia no longer officially claiming the MicroWiki “title”, the rift between the two communities is formally at an end. Although the community remaining at MicroNations Fandom is very small compared to that of MicroWiki, the fact that the former no longer claims the same name will make it far easier for its users to co-operate and interact with the main MicroWiki community.

Independence Day party held at Imperial Residence

A celebration attended by various dignitaries was held yesterday at the Imperial Residence in celebration of Austenasia’s tenth Independence Day. The party, hosted by Emperor Jonathan I and his parents, was attended by Princess Hannah of Wildflower Meadows, Adam I of Adammia, Lord John Gordon of Palasia, the two leaders of Lundenwic (a nation with which Austenasia does not currently have diplomatic relations but is in the process of negotiating), and Lord Michael and Dame Rosalind (uncle and aunt of the Emperor). For most of the guests, it was their first time meeting each other in person, and so plenty of friendly discussion was able to be had. Various parlour games were also played towards the end of the evening. Several of the guests took the opportunity to sign the Wrythe Convention, an international treaty condemning falsehoods, deception and sockpuppeting within the community of small nations. The very first physical Austenasian flag to be made was hung up in Parliament Hall, having been taken out of storage for the occasion. Each attendee received a complimentary commemorative coin, and several guests were also granted peerages and knighthoods by the Emperor.

First Austenasian coins released to mark 10th anniversary

For the first time in Austenasia’s history, a set of coins has been minted by the Treasury. One hundred zinc-alloy coins, each 3.8 cm in diameter, have been produced in celebration of the upcoming tenth anniversary of Austenasian independence, which will be celebrated on Saturday 15th September. The coins each have a face value of £3, and are legal tender within Austenasia, but are intended to be of a commemorative nature. One side of the coin has a portrait of Jonathan I, whereas the other has the inscription “Ten years since the Declaration of Independence”. Both sides are circled by an inscription of the name and Latin title of the Monarch, together with the civic (2018) and ecclesiastical (7527) year. Many of the coins will be gifted to Austenasian dignitaries and friendly foreign heads of state. Members of the public are able to buy the coin while stocks last via this link, for its face value plus a set postage and packaging charge.

Rushymia re-founded as Crown Dependency

The Kingdom of Rushymia was re-established as a territorial entity yesterday as 35 acres of land were annexed to Austenasia as the Empire’s newest Crown Dependency. Rushymia originally existed as a playground-based micronation between 1995 and 2000. In October 2010, the right to the Rushymian crown was gained by the Austenasian Throne, and an Act of Parliament was passed last year authorising the re-creation of Rushymia as an Austenasian Crown Dependency. The new site of Rushymia, claimed by Imperial Edict, was provisionally selected in April earlier this year. Notices announcing the government’s intention to claim the land were placed around the site, asking any objections to be voiced, but as no reply was forthcoming, it is assumed that the land is unwanted. The new site of Rushymia is comprised of a large area of grassland, bordered by wooded areas to its south and south-west. Prior to its annexation, the identity of its owners was unable to be verified. The land borders Mitcham Common, although not a part of the Common itself, and is often used by dog walkers, joggers, and amateur quadbike drivers. Unlike other Crown Dependencies, which are administered by a Governing Commissioner appointed by the Monarch, Rushymia is to be governed directly by Emperor Jonathan I in his capacity as King of Rushymia. In a reference to an extremely controversial incinerator being built relatively nearby, notices placed yesterday on the site announcing the annexation also stated that the building of incinerators (as well as the felling of trees used by nesting birds, in reference to another recent environmental controversy) is forbidden within the new Kingdom. Having been claimed on 29 August, a feast day of St John the Baptist, Jonathan I has declared St John to be patron saint of Rushymia. The new Crown Dependency is now Austenasia’s second largest land claim, with only Corinium Terentium covering a larger area.