Deal for overseas seats struck
Today the coalition have today agreed to support an Overseas List system based on STV to fill seats in a new Overseas Constituency to represent the 10.7 million Duchians who live abroad. The bill amendment to electoral laws has been going through parliament being scrutinised with a vote expected on Friday. It has also been scrutinise in the House of Duchies where it will be voted on soon after unless there are changes before a vote in the House of Commons.The current plan calls for 72 seats in the House of commons overseas constituency which would make up 9.9% of that house and 30 seats in the House of Duchies for the overseas constituency for that.The main possible change that might delay implementation and voting is potential for some countries to have local seats to respresent specific interests for expats in that nation under an MMR system like the domestic system.

Once passed an election will be held within 3 months of passage for the seats for the remainder of the current term. The move has been criticised by some as essentially "political gerrymandering". All polling of overseas residents has regularly shown citizens living abroad arem ore likely to vote for the PSD , Liberals , Moderates at the expense of more extreme parties like Unus ,New Dawn and The Left and to a degree parties the UoD.The latest polling showed support being highest abroad for the Moderates at 36% with PSD next at 22.4% Liberals Next at 22% and UoD at 14.7%. At current polling the coalition would gain seats.

USING THE SYSTEM TO GAIN AN ADVANTAGE
Opinion piece by Estefanía Molina

Aguilar, in a press conference this morning announcing his call for a general election on July 24th

Etta James' ‘At Last’ plays in the background. We are in the Palacio de la Moncloa, more exactly in the Consejo de Ministros building, first floor. It's Thursday, June 16th; and Jesús Aguilar has given the task to his Vicepresident, Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría, of preparing the royal visit to the Empire of Inimicus. His secretary, Carlos, has been ordered not to transfer any call to him for 2 hours. The door is closed, only Aguilar has the key to open it. He is not furious, he is not mad at anyone; he needs silence and to think what is over the table carefully. The balcony is open, even though the heat wave Madrid is undergoing is exhaustive to any human. Not even a single breeze can be felt.

Sounds like a novel, right? Well, it is not. According to sources close to the now Acting President of the Kingdom of Spain, Aguilar had been planning this for a week, and if things in Andalucía went alright, he would give it the green light. The polls are favourable to him, with all of them saying he would regain the absolute majority he lost 2 years ago, reduce Ciudadanos to ashes and ending with all those ridicolous parties that his first reform brought to the Congreso de los Diputados. The plan was perfect, he just needed the ideal excuse to call the election.

Ciudadanos, whose relationship with the Partido Popular has turned for the worse in the last year and a half, fell for the trap Aguilar prepared for them; and was planning a non-confidence motion at the backs of the President, without being aware that several loyal deputees were warning the Spanish President about what they were going to do. They failed in Murcia, in Madrid and now, they failed to kick Aguilar out. Ayuso, the President of the Autonomous Community of Madrid, warned the President that he had to act like if he "didn't know it" and "call the election as soon as the electoral law was passed". He did exactly what she suggested.

Yesterday night, the reform was passed, and Ana Beltre us dismossed the critics that said it was going to be used for meeting the "Partido Popular's electoral interests". This morning, Aguilar summoned the press for a conference, and told us what he had been warned of, before confirming he was indeed calling a general election. He says he is saddened for having to do things this way, but that he cannot risk the will of the Spanish people to be kidnapped by unwanted parties. Ciudadanos called him a "traitor", and the Socialist Party said that "they have told everyone what would happen if the law passed". Will anyone get him out of Moncloa? Only time will tell. But one thing seems clear: Aguilar used the system, and he gained the hugest advantage ever given to a President that calls for an early election.

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21 June 2022
International Edition

In this edition:

The Customary Logistics Council is currently considering a new law that would require mandatory separation and rehabilitation for soldiers diagnosed with PTSD or other syndromes related to wartime stress.

This comes as many veterans of Sertia's war, primarily that with the People's State of Precia in 1988, continue to suffer from wartime trauma, the symptoms of which can range from simply bad dreams to extreme, violent behaviour.

According to a study composed by the University of Galaetha, rates of family trauma in Gadalland and Aspern are much higher, 78%, with returned veterans than with normal families.

The scheme would entail a returned veteran residing in public housing with support staff, therapists, and doctors until they are deemed safe to rejoin their families. Under the law, soldiers would be allowed to go out and conduct their daily routine, but they would not be allowed to stay with their families overnight.

The time it takes for a soldier to be deemed 'safe' can take anywhere from 6 months to a lifetime, but the law caps the amount of separation time at 2 years, at which point they must be released.

This law, according to its supporters in the government, would also help soldiers receive the assistance they need to overcome wartime trauma, while promoting the safety of their families.

There is a considerable amount of controversy in the CLC regarding this proposal, and opponents, like Mr. Norton Reow, say "sometimes, what a soldier needs to cure his trauma...is to be home with his family".

Travellers have been left stranded at airports across Sertia and the rest of Europe as the United Duchies announced that their airspace would be closed for an entire week. This follows the tragic plane collision that cost 400 lives today.

Summer holiday travellers have just started packing their bags when the announcement was made that it would be another week until they reached their destination.

Sertians going on holiday to the United Duchies were stranded at the airports yesterday as they scrambled to rearrange travel plans.

Amory Yedman, 56, of Herebanden says:
I was on my way to see my son, who moved there five years ago. I haven't seen him in two years, and now I have to wait another week.

Poria Glessic, 5, of Cownin, says:
I was going to meet my pen pal today from United Duchies. He was so excited and I was too but now I don't know if I'm ever going to meet him.

"We understand that this is a result of that awful tragedy," said Glessic's mother, Awarain, "but it doesn't stop Poria being, and me as well, quite frankly, a little disappointed and upset. We hope Poria will be able to meet her pen pal as she was really excited about it".

United Duchies is the 7th most popular destination for Sertian travellers, preceded by Spain in 4th and Nofoaga in 1st. UD is also a popular spot for Sertian expats, which means those visiting home will be slightly delayed in doing so. However, most travellers to the United Duchies are in good spirits, some setting up tents in airports, and many, many others in queues, chatting, texting, and even singing little songs to pass the time.

Strathae Football Assocation considers stopping playing of Strathaen anthem at games
The Strathae government has said it is considering stopping the playing of its anthem at its international games in Strathae and putting in a request to UEFA to do the same at its foreign games. The anthem has been mired in controversy and it is thought that Strathae sports authorities are worried Blairites will sing the old anthem and lyrics inciting hate and offending catholics and making them feel uncomfortable, there is also growing concern over the lines about routing the foreigners and how Grace O'Malley was sold to foreigners with concern this could offend foreigners in the nation with at least 5 having complained triggering a review into the national anthem again and whether it is racist or hate inciting.

The government is understood to be considering a few options such as ammending lyrics again, making the anthem purely instrumental , composing a new anthem more inclusive of all Strathaens including foreigners and immigrants or just keeping it the same if they find little offense in the community of foreign expats in Strathae. There has been criticismby some suggesting the countries government is "pandering to foreigners too much" with suggestions the current course rather than reducing tension is causing a bigger divide between Strathaen natives and immigrants or foreigners. The government is also considering banning the word foreigner as a "racist slur " to avoid foreigners facing offensive speech to them following a review and survey asking if the word foreigner is offensive to them. The goverment plan a survey of the non-native population on issues such as racism and issues like whether the anthem should change or the word foreigner should be banned and is offensive to them.

Lusitania and Vettonia woke up yesterday with the new that the government was going to revoke decree 200/1900, by which any member or close relative of the royal house, deposed in that year, was forbidden to enter the country.

In 1900, Colonel Cano overthrew the monarchy of the young King Hugo II. He was forced to sign his abdication and immediately went into exile. The government of the First Republic of Lusitania and Vettonia signed a decree preventing any member of his family from returning, for fear of restoration.

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Hugo II in 1889

This decree was never rescinded. Hugo II died in exile in 1972, during the communist dictatorship. After 72 years of claiming to be the legitimate head of state, he died without honours or remembrance. He only received a posthumous condemnation from Macaobado, Comrade President in those years.

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Hugo II in exile in 1944

Despite this, his son, Fernando Manuel Ágrara, was proclaimed King in Exile from abroad. A position he has maintained to this day, when, thanks to the efforts of the government, he has landed at the age of 94 in a country he has never known and which has always repudiated him.

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Fernando Manuel Ágrara (right) during an act in honor of his father in 1974

This act is a reconciliation of Lusitania and Vettonia with their own past. Fernando Manuel was welcomed by Elisa Ubrique and Jose Miguel Orato. He drove through the main streets of Emérita Augusta under the watchful eye of a few dozen royalists, a minority in the country.

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Fernando Manuel in a recent image

The self-proclaimed King of Lusitania and Vettonia was accompanied to the Palace of Grandil, the seat of the Head of State. There, in a private ceremony, he swore in the Constitution and the Republic. He is expected to attend a dinner in his honour at the palace this evening. He is not expected to speak to the press until his situation is regularised. If he wants to, he can stay in the country now with his large family.

It is expected that in the coming days the government could anounce a constitutional reform in order to allow the Royal Family to participate in political affairs in spite off the opposition from the left parties. But after the swearing of the Constitution it would not be a problem, according to government sources.

Bruna Schuster

The Ripple Sustainable Development Plan, which aims to achieve a carbon-neutral status and a sustainable economy, is sparking concerns within the high ranks of the largest automobile group in Brickston. The Walksweagan Group is the second-largest company on the mainland after the Nestlé Co. and the largest employer. The company hires more than 700,000 people and is worth more than 150 billion euros.

The concerns are about the systematic prohibition of petrol and diesel vehicles through the implementation of the plan, thoroughly mandating the use of electric vehicles across the mainland and the islands. 89% of vehicles produced by the company are fuel-dependent, although that figure is steadily decreasing. The Walksweagan Group, either way, has urged the government of Brickston to ease automobile laws in the development plan.

The Walksweagan Group has also always had a monopoly over the automobile sector. However, it entered the electric vehicle market much later. The Marcar Automobile Company had already dominated the electric car market. This is another reason why the Walksweagan Chairman met the Government of Brickston for negotiation.

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Government Supports Farming

The government is setting committee scrutiny of farming policy. Usually, the CWP has the upper hand on this issue. But the CLP has seized the centre ground. Chancellor Albanese wants to make sure the farming proposals are environmentally sustainable.

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The country is experiencing a cooler shortage in the middle of a heatwave
June 6, 2022

For Elthize, the month of June brings the summer, the pride, the rainbows, and, the most detested, scorching heat. As the first week of June brings temperatures all around the country to above thirty degrees Celcius, Elthics are desperate, trying to find a way to cool off by any means possible. If they want an air conditioner, though, chances are they won't find one. That's right, Elthize is now experiencing an air conditioner shortage. Especially in big cities, where all the retail stores and online shops have run out of ACs, and other cooling technology, like fans, are also in dire supply.

“I went through like six stores with my wife,” says Hassan, a St. Lucas resident, whose city is experiencing consistent 35-degree weather, with no cloud in near sight. “There’s not even a fan! They took it all, my house takes so much heat I feel like we’re gonna burn in it!”

The heat is not only affecting St. Lucas, either. Throughout Elthize, particularly along the coast, the temperature is rising to levels never seen in decades.

“It is definitely concerning,” says Bree Garnett, a meteorologist based in Port Nelson. “Like here, in Port Nelson, for instance, it’s hit a high of thirty-five degrees. That’s something you used to see in late July-early August for three days max, now it's average June weather, like, it's the new normal and it's definitely gonna get worse in the coming years."

"We are expecting the heat to cool off a little in the coming weeks, but we're not sure if it'll be enough," claims Harrison, Bree's friend, also a meteorologist. "There doesn't seem to be any precipitation coming soon."

A heat warning has been issued in the southern provinces of Elthize due to the rising temperatures, and a warning for the rest of Elthize is expected to follow suit. Citizens are advised to not go outside unless absolutely necessary. If you have to go outside, you should wear sunscreen [Remember: the higher the SPF value, the better!] and have a bottle of cold water with you at all times. Fair coloured, loose-fitting clothing will also help you endure the heat better.

In addition, you may see a rise in your water bills. The Venée Water Company, which controls around 35% of the Elthic water market, announced that their customers would pay at least 30% more for their bills in June, July, August and September. Such price rises are common for Venée customers. NEWC also issued a similar statement. You are advised to check for updates from your water supplier, just to be safe.

Defenestrated and Renegade Imperial Guard Commander Rosenfield Barges into House of Commons, Presents Former Diessenar President Mueller in Chains

Albert Rosenfield (left) and Ekrem Mueller

Telum, 1st June 2022 -- The Opening Session to the Tenth Parliament of Inimicus was almost immediately disrupted this morning as long lost Imperial Guard Investigation Unit Commander Albert Rosenfield, who was infamously defenestrated in North Diessen earlier this year, appeared on the House of Commons floor, escorted by the battered former Diessenar President Ekrem Mueller. Having apparently convinced Parliamentary security officials of the need of his affair, Rosenfield declared "I got him", to wild spectacle among MPs. His Imperial Majesty, traditionally present at the Opening Session, was instantly approached by several of His Guardsmen for an immediate security exfiltration, but He refused to leave the Chamber, seeing Rosenfield as no threat at all.

The Investigation Unit Commander, who went missing after the fateful end to his post as Imperial Special Envoy to North Diessen which saw him thrown out of an office window by Mueller and his staff, appears to have hunted for Mueller for several months, before finally capturing him near the border of Terra Quaestoris. Rosenfield declared: "Your Imperial Majesty, here he is. Do with him as You like." Following this brief yet powerful statement, Members of Parliament approached Rosenfield, congratulating him on his efforts. However, People's Movement MPs remained quiet throughout, and Judy Speller, Progressive Front leader and daughter of convicted would-be green soap assassin Jeff Speller, was seen gazing around in confusion.

Deputy Speaker Birch eventually called the House to order, but was interrupted by His Imperial Majesty, who commended Rosenfield's "utter and complete devotion to the Imperial cause." The Emperor addressed Mueller, claiming the former Diessenar President was "a war ciminal, a usurper of the most base sort imaginable, and now rightfully in the hands of the law." Cheers from Emperor's Finest MPs, who now make up the majority of the Commons, escorted Mueller and Rosenfield from the Chamber, where the latter was handed over to law enforcement.

Reports from Telum Parliamentary Constabulary suggest Mueller has been formally arrested on grounds of "aiding the enemies of the Emperor, intentionally defrauding the Emperor, conspiracy to commit murder, attempted murder of an Imperial Official, obstructing the Emperor's Armed Forces, and conspiracy to inflict harm on, or otherwise impair, operations of the Emperor's Armed Forces". It is yet unclear whether Mueller will be extradited to North Diessen, as a formal extradition treaty is not yet in place between the Confederacy and Empire. Imperial Councillor Basil Lawson, whose experience in international judicial affairs has been the cornerstone of the Emperor's policies for years, commented "Given the extremely close relationship between His Imperial Majesty and the new Confederal President of North Diessen Nestor Karaman, I am in no doubt that a sensible agreement shall be decided upon in no time at all."

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Prime Minister Lahaye Introduces Project Wayside

This afternoon the National Congress passed a bill presented by Prime Minister Lahaye and supported by many of her party and the United People's Front called the Project Wayside Act (with 62 Senators Vote in comparison to 39 Against including the Governor-General and while the House of Councilors had 291 Councilors voting FOR as 241 votes AGAINST and the rest abstained), which encompassed many new infrastructure projects that were debated within the National Congress after the negotiations between President Mouri-Kudo and Yosai recently over a rail-line connecting Tokyo to Tullion. In the Project Wayside Act, projects such as a construction of a new port city in the State of Arlick would be able to hold more shipping and industry than Port Hilson. This new port city would also include a rail-line that connects it and Port Hilson to Montgomery in Elthize, which a source close to the President confirmed that it was something that was discussed between President Grimwald of Elthize and Mouri-Kudo in the recent summit that the two leaders held. Project Wayside, according to Prime Minister Lahaye, would have this new Port City constructed not far from the Elthize border and within a time span of at least 5 months for the residential and commercial sectors under the right investment moves with construction companies in Leagio and possibly even Elthize, where Prime Minister Lahaye explained that the project would Elthic workers to help build the city with good pay of above the Arlick Minimum Wage of 19 Sulias an Hour or around 29 Euros per hour with benefits provided throughout the duration of the work program. Once the residential and commercial areas are finished, Mouri-Kudo explained in a press conference that the naval base part of the project will be the next focus. In addition, the President explained that the Arlick State Government will have the right to decide the name of the town once it is completed.

However, the project did not have unanimous support as obviously seen from the National Congress as some members of the President's and Prime Minister's Party voted against the Project Wayside Act. The reason for the opposition to the Act was a mixture with Conservatives saying that the Project should not be done with the work of people from Elthize as it is a Leagioan Project not a Elthize one. However, another piece of critism is that the project allowed for workers in the project to Unionize even as a Common Government Project. However, the Act passed with the help of not only the members of the United Workers Front alliance but the Social Democratic Party which surprisingly broke away from its long-term alignment with the Civil Populist Party as rumors of a possible alliance between the Social Democrats and Progressives began to circulate in the news for the coming National Congress Election this year in December.

Focusing more on the package that is included on the Project Wayside Act, the bill gives more governmental investment within the Shipbuilding industry in producing ships for a larger Leagioan Merchant MArine Fleet that is run by electric engines and complete in the new shipping regulations in Nofoaga. Although, many question this move, there are some members of the National Congress particularly of the Government Majority led by Prime Minister Lahaye that Leagio has a chance to have some power in this transition that will be enforced by 2025.

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PORT BEAUHARNAIS- The government in Port Beauharnais is stepping up the fight against the degradation of the natural habitat of local marine life. For a year and a half, cruise ships are no longer welcome in the national waters of the island state. A while ago, the traditional way of fishing was also restricted to protect the brittle coral around the island. This traditional way of fishing uses long iron harpoons with which fishermen ford the coral and prick it in the coral.

The government is now going a step further and from 2025 prohibit the use of boats and ships that run on diesel, oil and gas that cannot be collected within the ship itself in case of a leak. In practice, this means that only ships powered by electricity or hydrogen can pass through the national waters of Nofoaga.

The measure applies to ships registered in Nofoaga as well as to all other ships from outside Nofoaga.

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Government Mandates Dental Care

LONDON---The Conservative Party wants to make sure dental care in the NHS and ensure funding for it. The legislation just made it to the Commons for second reading. The bill wants to include dental in the NHS and private insurance.

Breaking: Ineland officially ascends to ECON

Cair Para, May 13 2022 | Following a quite long journey, the United Principalities of Ineland has officially ascended to the ECON after the application has received approval and the decision was announced by the General Council of the said organization. The issue of ECON membership was one of the primary parts of the campaigns of candidates during the recent Inelandic General Election, and with the election of Kasper Merckx as the new Minister-President came with the immediate delivery of his promise to bring the country into the organization. Decorations are underway along with arrangements to the ECON Headquarters in Cair Para to celebrate the entry of a new member and their occupation of office spaces for representatives and delegates to the organization. More updates coming up in this progressing story.

The Anastasian Democratic Assembly's Plan of Action

The Anastasian Democratic Assembly has announced a new plan of action, which will guide their activity in parliament. It is as follows:

COST OF LIVING MEASURES

We will work to reduce prices in Anastasia City. We will focus on establishing internal agricultural production, which will be managed by the workers through state-owned labor organizations prevented from joining the agricultural cartels. We will further seek to set price ceilings on basic goods, in particular foodstuffs and fuel. In order to reduce the burden elsewhere, we also will work for a significant reduction or wholesale elimination of consumption taxes, as well as on taxes on social enterprises, small businesses, and cooperatives.

We will work to generally increase industrial production within Anastasia City. We want the city to establish a Development Planning Board which will be tasked with constructing new, green industry, particularly for consumer goods but not ignoring heavy industry. Ideally, these new industries will be managed by the workers through state-owned labor oragnizations. Our goal is to reduce the dependence of the city on imports, increase employment, and also to ameliorate the high cost of living by allowing for a higher degree of control over the price of consumer products.

We will work to increase the minimum wage to at least 15 Dux Libra an hour, with compensation for social enterprises, small businesses, and cooperatives as a result of possible losses to revenue.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MEASURES

We will work to develop the economy in Anastasia City in general; in every sector we will establish labor organizations which will be tasked with establishing self-managed firms in their respective sectors; the organizations will be responsible to the state and will have full ownership over the enterprises they establish. In this way, employment is increased, the economy is stimulated, social responsibilities in the economy are emphasized, finance is made fairer and more equal, and democracy is expanded.

We will work to encourage social entrepreneurship and the development of the social and solidarity economy, by establishing subsidies for social enterprises and cooperatives. We see this as discouraging abuse while increasing democracy in the workplace and the fair distribution of both goods and wages to the people. Our final goal is the development of a new economic conception, in which the economy is made to serve the public and which profit is secondary to social responsibility.

We will work to establish an Anastasian Investment Board, which will purchase and sell stock from companies operating in Anastasia City. The revenue will be distributed as an equal payment to all residents of the city over the age of 18, while control over investments will be exercised by the municipal council. We want to encourage investment in Anastasia City while maintaining local control, all the same continually advocating for a more equal and fair economy.

LABOR MEASURES

We will work to establish economic associations which will bring together employees and employers in different sectors, for the purpose of establishing norms for competition, workplace relations, the labor market, and benefits, reducing the constant state of warfare which characterizes most modern economies. We want Anastasia City to be a much more harmonious place in this regard.

We will work to continuously increase the power of workers in Anastasia City. We want workers to be able to veto major decisions made by a company's board; we also want to work to establish co-determination within internal management, eventually leading to completely democratic "day-to-day" management.

Through the state labor organizations, we will seek to establish an employment guarantee in Anastasia City.

HOUSING MEASURES

We will work to assess the safety of housing in Anastasia City, which has been put into question by a series of suspicious gas explosions occurring since the attacks of January. We want every house fo be insulated, structurally sound, and well-serviced by all utilities.

We will work to ban absentee landlords, to encourage the development of independent housing cooperatives, to allow for the continuous construction of new social housing in Anastasia City, and to establish rent controls in order to reduce costs and improve autonomy and democracy.

POLICE AND ANTI-TERRORISM MEASURES

We will work to establish public vigilance committees in every neighborhood of Anastasia City to decentralize and thus increase the efficiency of law-enforcement, while at the same time allowing for a higher degree of citizen participation, making it more likely for criminals and terrorists to be apprehended.

We will work to significantly expand the size of the police while decentralizing it. Police command will be placed under the control of neighborhood committees, although centralized command will be retained, while the police itself will be at least doubled in size. The police therefore becomes more efficient by working "closer" to communities while being expanded in size.

We will seek to allow for the establishment of a specialized anti-terrorism corps in Anastasia City, which will be armed and which will continuously patrol the city. These corps will be militarized but placed under the control of a special Anastasian ministry. We want, by this, to increase enforcement while also increasing Anastasian autonomy over Anastasian affairs.

MEASURES FOR AUTONOMY

We recognize that independence is infeasible and not a possibility at this time; we therefore will merely seek greater autonomy under the terms of the Treaty of Porterdam. We will therefore demand that our full rights as stated in the Treaty are given; namely, full control over "public services, education, utilities, transport, policing , emergency services, social laws, and local economic laws," with "local economic laws" being interpreted as the right to pass any economic laws so long as they do not heavily conflict with Duchian law.

We will further continue to call for the detachment of Anastasian surveillance from the Duchian central system, in order to increase Anastasian control over Anastasian data and Anastasian lives.

We will continue to call for separate Anastasian ID and passports

Republic: Crisis over socialization

The project of socialization has been met with intense resistance from the population, and has not been enforced to a significant degree. The collectives and "production syndicates" that the Second Act on Socialization wills into existence have not yet been created; in effect the economy continues to function according to the system created by the first law on socialization from February, which the government had hitherto sought to implement since late November. The sole implemented provisions were the creation of additional workers' associations and the establishment of the Central Planning Board.

With over a month having gone by without any discernable progress, the Directory ordered representatives of the workers' associations, tasked with the implementation of the act, to appear before them for questioning as to why several of the most integral provisions of the Second Act on Socialization had not yet gone into actual effect. No representatives ever arrived to speak; the Directory then attempted to convince a number of legal authorities in Kirelesile to order their arrest, all of which refused, before turning to the Helétek, who would refuse before making an address to the public.

"Comrades," he said, "the cliques of old are trying again to seize power, to stop their elimination by the progressive forces of our nation, to stop our inexorable progress towards a true and full democracy and socialism of our style. Our common goal remains unchanged - to establish in Istkalen a government of workers' associations, against the bureaucracy and the old politicians, against the political establishment. They tremble in their boots at our determination, at our every success, and at every turn they try to subvert our movement for their own causes."

"The ongoing socialization was a national and democratic movement of the workers that was threatened by these reactionary forces. I do not want to admit this, I wish I did not have to say this, I wish I and the revolutionary forces in our government were not so weak - but we failed to protect our Democratic Revolution. We feared that they would destroy what we had accomplished, and therefore we compromised."

"But we see, now, that they have no power anymore. They tried with Ms. Malk's 'uprising,' and exhausted their forces. We have nothing to fear, no excuse, in the face of your determination, your unity, behind the Democratic Revolution. There will be no compromise from now on..."

The workers' associations used Rikkalek's speech as an opportunity to call for a constituent assembly, which they argue is overdue.

"The Helétek has made his position clear. Power must be transferred to the institutions established by the people," said Makketis Ikalsser, a dissident member of the Independent Workers' Faction and director of the Cultural Association who has since founded the new faction the "New Syndicalists." "There can be no waiting," he continued. "A constituent assembly must be held immediately so that democracy can quickly be established in our Istkalen."

They further underlined their opposition to the Second Act on Socialization. Ursula Korhonen, the director of the Agricultural Association, said that "there is no support for the law among the farmers of our country...it does not protect them, it only takes away, giving power to those we sought to remove. There is no issue with the socialization of the land, nor with the labor-duties; the issue is with the concept of the collectivization itself. We want to protect the sacred independence of the farmer, and we see this as taking away from that."

Similar sentiments were echoed by most other directors. However, all of the directors, as well as Rikkalek himself, have made it clear that they are not calling for an overthrow of the government; merely for legal reforms.

"The ongoing revolution is a social revolution, not political," said Kalju Ilves, the director of the Association of Engineers. "It can be accomplished through peaceful reform alone. What we call for is merely for a speeding up of the reform progress; the 'compromise' of the Second Act on Socialization clearly shows that we clearly can't afford to keep the remaining elements of aristocracy in our government. We can't be forced to adopt these deeply unpopular motions, to support them in public, anymore. Democratic change must happen immediately."

The speech was opposed by several on the left and the right.

"This is an act against the proletariat!" shouted Grete Reiner, the leader of the Independent Workers' Faction, earlier today. "This is a crime! Even this tiny step is rejected by the government of compradors! Look at it, comrades! Look at the futility of reform! The leader that the stupid uphold is a reactionary idiot who must be hanged!"

Ilest Kerel, who leads the Unity faction of the National Democrats, criticized the speech on very different lines.

"We need to have a government and economy managed by the competent," he said. "In the West, idiots can run the economy into the ground so long as they are convincing; if we were to reject this reform it would be the same here. The point of socialization is to allow the economy to come under the rational and scientific management of the best in a way that remains open to the input of the people. Rikkalek isn't unintelligent, he knows better, he knows what is needed to rule the country, I will concede that, but calls are completely populist in nature. They may sound good, but they are not the best path forwards for the country."

The National Assembly will likely convene again, beginning next week, to discuss the Act and other reforms.

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May 4, 2022

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The Archbishop's Palace announced the adoptions today

The Archbishop's Palace has announced that Archbishop Mikaela Kligenberg has adopted two more children today.

The first of the new adoptees, a boy now-named named Tyceon, has been adopted from Nofoaga. According to the statement released by the Archbishop's Palace, Tyceon was born shortly before the volcanic disaster that destroyed much of the Nofoagan island in 2021, which led to him becoming an orphan. According to the adoption papers obtained from Tyceon's orphanage in Nofoaga, he is 14 months old, and is of mixed Black-Nofoagan background. Tyceon's birthname has been redacted in the released adoption papers.

The second new adoptee, Cyran, also a boy, is of Sahrawi background. According to Cyran's orphanage, Cyran was born to a Sahrawi war-widow in the Sahrawi Union, who fled to Inquista as a refugee in late 2019. Cyran became an orphan shortly after, when his birth mother passed away from an undisclosed illness in a refugee transition centre. According to Cyran's refugee claim, his birthdate is unknown and is simply listed as January 1st, but he is believed to be born in early 2019, and is 3 years old. The Archbishop and her fiancé were spotted visiting Cyran's orphanage several weeks ago.

The Archbishop's two new sons join her growing family, which includes her first adopted child, her daughter Alexandria, who is now 7 years old. The Archbishop adopted Alexandria in her capacity as her godmother when Alexandria's birthparents passed away in 2020, which at the time also required amendments to the Fundamental Laws of the Inquistan Orthodox Church, which previously prevented the Archbishop from having children, including adopted children, without being married.

The Archbishop has promoted adoption and concepts of a non-nuclear family throughout her time as Archbishop. Archbishop Kligenberg has spoken publicly many times in favour of adoption as a legitimate form of parenthood and against stigmas surrounding the practice. The process of adopting children has been greatly eased by the current Church administration, which has made substantial effort to simplify adoption regulations. Adopting children abroad, which was previously made almost impossible by Archbishop Cratius, has beeen equalised alongside local adoptions laws. Since legalising same-sex marriage and adoption by same-sex couples in 2020, the Archbishop and the Church have also marketed adoption to the LGBTQ community as a means to parenthood.

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Hugo METTERNICHT (Hautcour) | After a lengthy debate in the Commons floor, the Chamber passed the resolution introduced last weekend by the government allowing for the cabinet to negotiate admission into the European Coalition of Nations grouping. The resolution gathered the support of more than two thirds (117) of the chamber with the whole government plus the Alliance Ouvrière, the Arbeiterpartei, the far-right and the republican party supporting it, the Greens, Arbeiderpartij and the far-left rejecting it, and 2 leftist independent members of the chamber abstaining.

After this legislative success, foreign minister Böhnermann will get in touch with the Reitzmic government in its role of depositary of the Cair Para treaty in order to kickstart the admission procedure which is expected to be quick.

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