Shireroth Denies Involvement in SPEAR Alliance

SHIREKEEP, SHIREROTH - Controversy erupted in Shireroth today when an official statement was issued denying any involvement in the SPEAR alliance announced by Attera two days ago.

The Atteran Prime Minister, Johanns fonn Klosso had announced that Attera had signed "the Skiron Pact for Economic and Armed Reinforcement, an agreement between Attera, Shireroth, Natopia, Antica, and the Union of Atteran Monarchies." However, it appears that Attera is the only nation to have actually signed the Pact at the time of press.

Earlier today, the Shirerithian Minister of the Exterior issued the following statement:
"Yesterday, the Prime Minister of the Atteran Empire, HH Johanns fonn Klosso, announced the formation of an organisation called the SPEAR Alliance, apparently an economic and military alliance of which Attera, Shireroth, Natopia, Antica, and the Union of Atteran Monarchies are allegedly members. This announcement was also reported in the news publication Atteran Chronicle World.

"The Imperial Republic of Shireroth categorically states that, contrary to the statement issued by Prime Minister fonn Klosso, it is not a member of the SPEAR Alliance, and that no agreement to join it has either been decreed by His Imperial Highness Kaiser Alejian I, nor approved or even proposed to the Government of Shireroth. Neither has the Shirerithian Minstry of the Exterior received any diplomatic communciations from the Atteran Empire concerning this matter.

"The Imperial Republic of Shireroth therefore requests that the Atteran Empire retracts the issued statement immediately and issues a corrected statement, apologising for the error."

The SPEAR Pact is in for a rough ride in Shireroth if and when it is finally presented there, as it has been designed, through military alliances and a single economic system, to pave the way for potentially closer political ties for the members with the Atteran Empire. This is highly likely to conflict with a number of treaties that Shireroth currently holds with other nations, which is guaranteed to upset a significant proportion of Shirerithians.

Aerlig to hold Elections

ADELWIN, AERLIG - Aerlish Protector Lachlan Powers early this evening prorogued the Parliament on request of the citizens, calling for nominations for the twelfth parliament of the Republic.

The Protector has called for nominations to the new Parliament, which is to be made up of five members. With eight currently active citizens in the Republic, there is a strong chance of an election occurring for the available seats. During the election period, Prime Minister Carson Smith will continue to head the caretaker government.

Should an election be called, it is expected that the newly renamed Labour Party, led by Peter Krembs, will fight a strong campaign for seats in the Parliament. The new Aerlig National Party should secure at least one seat under original Aerlig citizen Joe Sendler, while the eXpansionist Party will look to gain up to three seats in the election. The Liberal Republican Party, led by former citizen and Prime Minister Kevin, is expected to lose all representation in the Parliament and consequently be stripped of party status.

Nominations are being accepted by the Protector for ten days until June 2.

More the latest news from Aerlig, keep reading the Apollo Inquisitor.

Chaos in Shireroth!

SHIREKEEP, SHIREROTH - Shireroth descended into anarchy this afternoon with protests raging of the reorganisation of the nations forums.

All PRH has broken loose as the commoners of the Republic have taken to streets demanding that the archives of their former Duchies and Baronies be opened to the public. Minister of the Interior Joseph Strong stood by his decision to lock the forums, stating that the new duchies created under the Duchy Reorganisation Act do not in fact exist until the Kaiser appoints three new Dukes.

This legal basis was not a good enough argument for the Shireroth commoners, who continued bickering until the Minister was forced to bow to the pressure and open up the new forums to the public. Arguments continue to rage, however, over the Ministers use of codenames and images for the new forums, which have quite obviously been put in place temporarily to reorganise the forums. Some citizens, however, appear to believe the Minister has taken it upon himself to rename parts of the nation.

Some visitors to the nation have suggested that the internal brawl may be the work of secret Grand Commonwealth forces infiltrating the Republic to destabilise it, although these rumours appear to be completely unfounded.

More news from Shireroth as it comes to hand, only in the Apollo Inquisitor.

Taoiseach Condemns Illegal Activities

COMMONWEALTH CAPITAL TERRITORY, GC - The Taoiseach of the Grand Commonwealth, Lachlan Powers, today released a statement to the peoples of the Commonwealth condemning the actions of any nation who violates macronational laws.

While not specifically mentioning any nation, or condemning any nation, the Taoiseach's declaration was clearly pointed at the comments made by the Atteran Emperor late yesterday.

Taoiseach Powers made it clear that the Commonwealth would condemn any nation which

"...wilfully participates in the destruction of National Documents and Electronic Data, attempts to access documents or data to which they are not privileged, attempts to deploy codes and ‘weapons’ against the hosting and email services of anyone [and] threats to level the abovementioned means and weapons against any person or nation."

He also stated that:

"The Grand Commonwealth does not wish to seek relations with any community who acts, or supports nations who act, in a manner that is uncivilised and considered illegal in marcronational countries (including, but not limited to, the United States of America, the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth of Australia), and condemns the actions of any persons who do act in such a manner. Disputes between nations should be rightfully settled through negotiation and diplomacy, not through the threat of illegal actions."

The inclusion of the phrase "from this day forward" and the lack of an official condemnation of Attera indicates that the Taoiseach may be willing to forgive the actions and comments the Emperor yesterday and work towards a peaceful outcome of the situation surrounding Santa Gertrudis.

For the latest information on the Grand Commonwealth, stay tuned to the Apollo Inquisitor.

Aerlig Appoints New Ministers

ADELWIN, AERLIG - Aerlig’s new Prime Minister Carson Smith has appointed his first Cabinet to help him run his new Government.

Along with the new Ministers, the Prime Minister also adjusted the ministries to reflect Aerlig’s new position as a member of the Commonwealth. The Internal Affairs ministry has gained control over the nations defence until the Commonwealth requisitions it, while the External Affairs Ministry has become the Ministry for Extragovernmental Affairs, or specifically, dealing with the Commonwealth.

The new ministers for the Republic are Lachlan Powers as the Minister of Extragovernmental Affairs and returning citizen Peter Krembs as Internal Affairs Minister. Dugobert Wurmser has been appointed as the Deputy Prime Minister.

Attera Threatens the Commonwealth

ADELWIN, AERLIG, GC - After a certain talking dog publicised this week plans by the Grand Commonwealth to launch a protection force to the former San Martin territory of Santa Gertrudis, tempers have reached boiling point between the Commonwealth and Attera.

Late this afternoon Atteran Emporer Mik'el Tzion I made a statement at the MNN Forums threatening to "take out" the Commonwealth if it entered the Santa Gertrudis territories. Earlier in the week, Attera entered into an agreement with the one-person state to protect its colonies from any invasion of their territories.

The Grand Commonwealth is yet to make an official comment on the matter, but it is sure to not look to kindly upon being threatened by the Atteran menace. Attera’s suggestion of undertaking illegal activities to make its point, as has been done in the past, appears to only have further enraged some Commonwealth citizens.

For the latest information from around Micras, keep reading the Apollo Inquisitor.

Taoiseach Appointed

ŠÂHANŠÂHI-TARA, CCT, GRAND COMMONWEALTH - The elections for the first Taoiseach of the Grand Commonwealth has completed, with Aerlig citizen Lachlan Powers being elected.

The Majlis-i-Shahan-Ri voted unanimously to install Mr Powers as the nations first Premier, after the Babkhan nomination, Darius Rugahi, stated that he did not feel he would be able to contribute the amount of time needed to properly occupy the office.

Mr Powers has been quick to use his mandate to begin forming an Executive Cabinet of the Commonwealth, calling for citizens to apply for the positions of Foreign Affairs Advisor, Defence Advisor and Director of the Secretariat. As the Taoiseach, Powers has been given a large amount of power over the affairs of the nation, but through these actions it appears that he is prepared to share out a large proportion of the workload between the citizens.

Applications for the Cabinet positions are set to close next Wednesday, before Powers announces his Cabinet at the end of the week.

Commonwealth Territory under dispute

MCS HQ, MNN - The management of the Micronational Cartographic Society are continuing to receive flack from the recent decision to grant the former lands of Audentior to the Grand Commonwealth when it joined the map this week.

Many individuals have expressed their disapproval of the decision by MCS staff to include the extra land on the map, with the largest argument now finally winding down in Shireroth. Led by Bill Dusch, a number of Shirerothians have claimed that the Grand Commonwealth has no right to claim the historically important lands, and that the GC should move its territory elsewhere or face the power of Shireroth. Others have called for the removal of Cartographer Ardashir Khan, claiming he is too biased to be in the position.

The Commonwealth has been yet to formally reply to the allegations made by individuals, and no Government has yet formally approached the Commonwealth about the issue. Only time will tell the outcome of this contentious issue.

Kaiser Abdicates!

SHIREKEEP, SHIREROTH - Kaiser Ari I of Shireroth abdicated the throne early this morning in a move that shocked the nation.

The move came with the Kaiser citing a lack of time to tend to Shirerothian Affairs as the reason for giving up the throne. With Imperial Decree 173 he relinquished the throne and appointed the Imperial Steward Scott of Hyperborea to choose an heir of to the throne, strongly recommending that the Steward install himself.

Instead, in Decree 174 Scott declined the throne and announced that Gregory Russell would be the successor to the Shirerothian throne. The response was one of surprise from around the nation, including from Russell himself who was recorded as responding “Holy St. Francis on a Pogo Stick!�

Mr Russell will be sworn in as the Kaiser later this week, after choosing his Imperial name.

For the latest in news from around the globe, keep reading the Apollo Inquisitor