Elwynn, Land of Princely Elections and a People's Academy

ELIRIA, ELWYNN - Once upon a time, a long long time ago, Princes were born of nobility and generally ended up as Kings, or came to a tragic end. However, in the twenty-first century, Princes are not only not noble, but elected! Sometimes public opinion can be divided over whether such a contemporary development is a Good Thing or not. All we know is that in the Union of Elwynn, Amokolia and Hurmu, it's constitutional, and right now, nominations are being received, and occasionally withdrawn. 

We can tell you that the current candidates are the very keen Elijah Ayreon, recently abdicated Kaiser of Shireroth, Patrick "Prometheus" Monticaeae, recent immigrant, and Lord Erion, currently President of the Senate and Steward of the Elwynn Free State.

Candidates who have so far withdrawn from the princely race include another recent immigrant, Aaden Allot, and the current Regent, none other than the infamous Ardashir Osmani, Emir of Raspur.

Regent Osmani, in the face of his regency facing imminent termination upon the election of a new Prince, has already taken the opportunity to create a new job for himself, in the form of the Dean of Rhetoric at the newly recreated People's Academy of Elwynn. The Academy, comprising a remarkably swift yet extensive makeover of the former Temple of the Winds, was authorised yesterday by the erstwhile Regent in the form of an appropriately wordy Instrument of Government.

It is worth noting that, in the cultural spirit of the times, the Academy is officially called Alôqoqar Etâqon Adurellion. We don't know how that's actually pronounced, but we can guarantee that it's not as easy as it might look.

In other news...

Thanks to our recent timely intervention, the extremely moribund Benacian Conference on Standardization might actually be put out of its misery shortly, thus potentially saving it from an even more protracted death that it might otherwise have experienced. Even its creator, one Elijah Ayreon, has now reluctantly admitted that he might finally be giving up on it.

And finally...

Carl Jackson Miller, recently-elected Praetor of the Republic of Shireroth, and even more recently-rejected uncitizen of the Union of Elwynn, Amokolia and Hurmu, has nevertheless just been rather speedily accepted as a citizen of the Bovic Dominion of Natopia, even though it is still a protectorate of the Union of Elwynn, Amokolia and Hurmu. As the ancient proverb goes, may we live in interesting times.

Shireroth Not At All Embarrassed by Failed Benacian Conference

BENACIA - It seemed such a good idea at the time. All the important flunkeys, politicians and heads of state on Benacia were invited to an all-expenses-paid week away in a secret Benacian hideaway to discuss standardization and "matters of common purpose", set up as an apparent distraction from the ongoing controversies surrounding the marriage of Kaiser Ayreon II of Shireroth.

Only two people turned up. And one of those was chairing the conference. That was Kaiser Ayreon II of Shireroth. The other attendee being the slightly embarrassed King of Batavia, Willem V.

As for the "matters of common purpose"? The history, the geography, the languages and the peoples of the Benacian continent. Not being ones to shy away from embarrassing failures at times, here's our take on how the conference should have gone.

History: It happened to every nation and the ones that survived are still here.

Geography: Most nations have it, from tiny islands to a few mountains, with some rivers and oceans just to give all the water somewhere to go.

Languages: Everyone speaks English, so that's alright then. Not everyone can spell it, though, which isn't.

People: "Everyone's a citizen!" Just not of every nation. 

And in other news...

After rapidly losing interest in the conference, Kaiser Ayreon II decided to abuse his newly-appointed position of Honorary Senator in the Union State by denouncing another version of himself over his previous pretend "death" as another another version of himself, thus instantly contributing to the already highly controversial use of micronational papels.

Hyperborean Ice-Demon Freezes Ireland

HYPERBOREA, SHIREROTH - It seems that, when you are researching micronational myths and legends, it may not be best to speak aloud the name of any sensitive deities or demons, just in case they see it as open invitation to wreak havoc shortly afterwards.

This unfortunate sequence of events occurred last week, apparently as a consequence of a meeting between two Hyperboreans, Scott of Hyperborea and Eoin Dornan, which took place somewhere is deepest, darkest Ireland.

It has been admitted that, during the meeting, the name of Jogri Temyyyutsion, King of the Ice-Demons, was forgetfully spoken aloud in place of his safer winter pseudonym "Oin Suilar", which was effectively an invitation for him to expand his "icy reign" across the seas to all of Ireland.

Banishment of the Ice-Demon may prove to be troublesome, as the only potential rituals are to be found in the legendary "Cold Rain Book", which itself has proven to be entirely imaginary.

In the meantime, climate experts have warned that the anticipated duration of the supernatural freeze of "three times three times three days" may prove to be rather optimistic.

FNORD! Again

2009 was a year of changes and consolidation. It saw the end of Babkha, a micronation that served as a pillar of our sector since before the MCS even existed. It saw the end of the hated MicroHub, which for all of its flaws served as a continuation of the MNN tradition and one of our last links to the larger micronational world. It saw the organization of large chunks of the world into the Small Commonwealth and its Small Economy, which have escaped the pitfalls of so many other organizations by expecting less.

And thus commenced the 2009 FNORD Awards earlier this evening, hosted by its eponymous and erstwhile founder, Scott of Hyperborea.

The awards, held, as ever, in honour of Emperor Norton Day and inspired by Molossia's original Norton Awards, were judged this year by Bjorn Ironfist of Stormark, Ryan Caruso of Shireroth, Emperor Edgard of Alexandria, and Guido Zambelis of Lovely.

A traditional mix of categories has been continued, with the winners of each as follows:

• Most Promising New Micronation: Victoria
• Award for Graphic Arts: Victoria
• Award for Leadership: Chris Mules (Antica)
• Jeremy Bellamy Award for Literature: Ben Kern ( Rauðbjörn's Saga, Stormark)
• Bill Dusch Award for Cultural Development: Aryeztur Mejorkhor (Wiki of Aryez)
• Joshua Coales Award for Best New Idea: The Small Commonwealth
• Tony Au Award for Economics: The Small Commonwealth
• Iain Jacobson Award for Journalism: Max Edwards (Litovsker Tagblatt, Ashkenatza)
  
• Liam conToketi Award for Most Promising Micronationalist: Andrew Allot (Elwynn, Shireroth)
• Shane Odlum Award for Overall Achievement: Nathan Shepard (Natopia)

The winners, will, for the first time, receive real medals instead of virtual ones, courtesy of Dr. Spangle.

Natopia to Celebrate Cowmas

LINDSTROM, NATOPIA - The Dozan Bovic Church will be officially celebrating Cowmas for the first time this year, on December 22nd.

Last year it was unofficially observed to mark the restoration of the county of Smjorkr in Shireroth, a place where Dozan Bovinism successfully sought refuge during the period known as the Natopian Dark Ages. 

At Cowmas, the faithful are expected to offer a sacrifical dairy product to the Butter Spirit, with a glass of milk generally being  favoured. His Holiness, Nathan, Pentheros of the Dozan Bovic Church, said:

"Cowmas is a time to celebrate our faith through the darkness. We celebrate this by stringing lights upon our houses and candles in our windows, to let our faith shine through the dark as those brave Natopian refuges let their faith shine through the Dark Ages. "

Hyperborea to Secede from Shireroth?

SHIREKEEP, SHIREROTH - In an unexpected turn of events, a three-way battle has broken out in Shireroth's Imperial Judex over the future of the County of Hyperborea. Hyperborea was annexed to Shireroth in May 2002, but earlier today, it was revealed that it was suddenly no longer a subdivision of Shireroth (along with Yardistan) by Scott of Hyperborea, in his response to a case brought by Steward Malliki Tosha against an allegedly illegal alliance between Hyperborea and Yardistan.

Steward Tosha was subsequently obliged to drop that case after he then submitted a new case against Scott of Hyperborea for treason as secession is illegal. The latter then responded with a counter-case against the Steward for an allegedly illegal alliance between Tosha's own Duchy of Brookshire and Harvey Steffke's newly recreated Duchy of Goldshire.

Although a number of historical records from the first half of 2002 no longer exist, the Hyperborean Incorporation Act is still intact. Unfortunately, following the fashion of that time, it consisted of a single unqualified line:

The former Tymarian state of Hyperborea will be incorporated into the Duchy of Elwynn.

Arbiter Leo Dine, Duke of Elwynn, called the situation an "ordeal" and decided to adjourn both cases until tomorrow in order that a single, unified, case can be prepared.

Demolished! The Great Geocities Rescue...

Geocities, Yahoo!'s "$4bn dotcom relic" has stopped accepting new hosting accounts and will be closed later this year. For the micronational community, this means that a number of micronational sites, some quite old and of historical interest, will need to find new homes sometime soon.

Fortunately the erstwhile Apollo Foundation has just launched a campaign to gather information on sites that will need to be relocated, with the intention of archiving many of them itself. It is hoped that, for some sites, other parties will also be interested in offering ongoing hosting arrangements.

An initial list of micronational sites currently hosted on Geocities has been published by Imperium Incognita, while the issue has also been publicised on the widely-visited micronational forums aof Microhub, Micronations.EU and Shireroth.

The Norton NewsBlink: Awards, Abdications and Sealand

It's been an Emperor Norton Day to remember this year, with all sorts of interesting things happening...

Some Awards
As is the custom on this day, the FNORD Awards were presented in the Norton Lounge, this year by Sander Dieleman of Lemuria. As usual lots of people won various medals, while even more didn't, but that's just how such things go.

This year is the 127th anniversary of Emperor Norton's untimely death, and the fourth anniversary of the FNORDs themselves, which were created by the omnipotent Scott Alexander of many, many places as an alternative to the original Norton Awards, which seem unfortunately to have been carelessly forgotten about this year.

And then for those of you like less serious awards, you might like to check out the first ever Paper Plate Awards...

... and an Abidication
Shireroth's Kaiseress Carol abdicated today in favour of her daughter, Hypatia. Clearly disappointed at the lack of general support by most of the populace for keeping the nation going, she ended her remarkable reign with a mercifully brief yet moving speech which promised a great renaissance in the hands of the new Kaiseress.

Other than the Royal Family and President Jacobus of the FRC, we think that two ordinary Shirerithians attended the ceremony, which is probably some kind of record.

... and then there's Sealand...
which is offered now for sale, or for rent, depending on who you want to believe, as long as you have many millions of something to pay for it. NewsNow has lots of reports in many tongues, so read them while you can, before everyone gets bored and finds something else to waffle about.

And finally...
Someone from NationStates has joined the Grand Commonwealth's Babkha. In return, the Shah , who has long bound himself to join NationStates in return, will finally discover a place that's worse than the infamous salt mines...

NewsBlinks: blink and you'll miss 'em ^MTM

NewsBlink #1: Stormark Stalks, Cyberias Cogitate, Shireroth Snoozes

NewsBlink #1

Stormark Stalks State
Stormark is living up to its Viking heritage and trying to claim the territory of Oscland, even though the latter merely suffered an abdication and change of government. The Duchess of Romsdal has described the situation as a "Complex and Vexing Problem", but we all know there can only be one "satisfactory solution".

A Couple of Cyberias Cogitate
The VCC is discussing spam e-mail and looking for an electoral commissioner. Meanwhile the FRC is playing a new word game, which is more fun. Probably.

Shireroth Snoozes Serenely
Shireroth's forum is on the blink - the challenging colour scheme is too much even for PHPBB it seems, so it's moved to a temporary location with a readable colour scheme, so now's a good opportunity to catch up on all the stuff you couldn't read before, and discover that they've run out of things to do. Again.

And Finally...
Let sleeping micronations lie. Especially ones like Attera.

NewsBlinks: blink and you'll miss 'em ^MTM

From Shirefox to Moogle, and iGlobe

Shireroth Plans New Search Engine

SHIREKEEP, SHIREROTH - Hot on the heels of Shirefox, the Shirithian toolbar for Firefox created by Fax Celestis, we can exclusively reveal the development of a new micronational edition of Google, to be called Moogle.

Based on the Google Web API for developers, the Moogle home page will feature special search features for micronations, based on those already included in Shirefox, and some other unique features that are still under development.

Moogle will also continue Google's tradition of displaying special versions of its name banner to celebrate special days. The banner system will initially be tested with Shirithian holidays, but will be expanded to show the holidays of other micronations that want to be included at an appropriate milestone during beta testing.

MCS To Go Global With iGlobe

THE MCS - News of other technical innovations has also come from the MCS, where an insider has informed us that the new activity index formulae are but the first part of a more ambitious plan for the MCS Map to accurately reflect the sizes of its members on a daily basis.

The MCS will set up an interactive database called iGlobe with special software that will allow each nation to be redrawn every day to an appropriate size, based on its citizen and activity levels. To achieve this, each nation will be required to include a very complex piece of javascript on its forum for the software to recognise, so that it can automatically monitor board activity and census statistics. At the end of each day the MCS map will then be updated with the amended borders and republished. This system will also allow random skins to be applied to the map each day. Apparently suggestions received for them so far include skins in the style of Shireroth, Aronphei, the People's Republic of Hell, and Pokey the Penguin.

It also is believed that the MCS will work in partnership with intelligence agency SHINE to include a more efficient way to remove unwanted nations. This will include reclassifying these nations as non-nations, and recalibrating their activity with a negative activity index number. That way, when an official non-nation is inactive, only a small land area for it will appear on the map, and when it is actually active, it will disappear altogether. It is believed that a preliminary test of this system has already been used on parts of the latest version of the map against unspecified "enemies of the Republic".

It is understood that the iGlobe database will be very resource intensive and as a result require external funding to secure its long-term survival. To do this the MCS will trademark iGlobe as a brand and develop a number of commercial services, which would include applying the system to the mapping of Planet Earth (ultimately being linked to surveillance satellites and cctv systems for an comprehensive automated global census) and producing pulsating luminous globes, which will be sold through IWOOT and also called the iGlobe, and that people would be able to customise with their own real or fictional maps, and set to interact with a selection of external influences, such as music or clapping, as well as real-time population data.

Experiments with producing "real maps" of Planet Earth have already begun, although apparently there is some way to go before the MCS will be able to put actual countries on them.

In Other News...

- Shireroth has denied that the MCS's ruthless reduction of land claims was the only way it could be guaranteed enough land for the anticipated expansion it will undergo as a result of a secret new recruitment plan and its subsequent effect on its MCS activity index rating.

- MCS Head Cartographer Bill Dusch has rubbished claims that he has followed Ryan Caruso's example and registered the entire copyright of Shireroth in his name with the State of New York, as part of a plot to revitalise the ailing nation as a new home for Soloralism and to create a fourth incarnation of Menelmacar.

- Film director Mike Newell has stated that allegations that his latest production, "Sealand the Movie", is an elaborate April Fool, are completely unfounded.

Chancellor Vembria Speaks!

SECURE UNDISCLOSED LOCATION, SAHANSARI-TARA; The Apollo Inquisitor is pleased to announce that it has secured an exclusive interview with the Chancellor of Internal Affairs, Sir Iain Vembria, the saviour of Treesia and scourge of Shirerithian Imperialism.

Apollo Inquisitor: Now, Sir Iain, how do you feel now that you are returned to the office of Chancellor of Internal Affairs?
Sir Iain: I am flattered by the honour and will continue to serve the Grand Commonwealth to the best of my abilities.
Apollo Inquisitor: Sir Iain, what plans do you have to raise the profile of your department compared to say defence or external affairs?
Sir Iain: I will continue to ensure that my department's creations are seen by each and every visitor to the Grand Commonwealth, and to encourage innovative contributions from all citizens.
Apollo Inquisitor: Do you consider the creation of a synthesis culture based on contributions from GC citizens to be a priority for your department?
Sir Iain: That has indeed been the inspiration behind all that we've done so far, and we anticipate that will continue in the foreseeable future, not least because that is one of the fundmental facets of the Grand Commonwealth itself.
Apollo Inquisitor: Ok and finally, it is being reported in Shireroth that a dipcorps are looking to make you an offer to renounce Treesia, and by extension the Grand Commonwealth's, wholey legitimate claim to Lac Glacei. What is your stance on the matter?
Sir Iain: I have not been made aware of any such plans, but in any case, such a matter would have to go through the normal diplomatic channels first.
Apollo Inquisitor: Herr Chancellor, thank you for your time.

We at the Apollo Inquisitor have every confidence that with Sir Iain as part of the Taoiseach's team the Grand Commonwealth will continue to assert its dignity and sovereignty across Micras.

Elwynn Pays Tribute to Babkha's Anniversary

Today the Shah of Babkha was honoured as a new Count in Elwynn as tribute to Babkha's fifth anniversary celebrations. Elwynn is a Barony of Shireroth, and the Shah was created the Count of Lesser Zjandaria by the Baron of Elwynn, RicLyon, and was bestowed a new County of the same name, incorporating three detached communes within Elwynn.

In his decree, the Baron of Elwynn said: "In honouring the foundation of the Babkhan nation and recognizing that so many people of this great Land of ours feel affection for their Babkhan nationhood and ethnicity, the Baronial Authority of this State feels that it is with all right that a county shall be created for them in the areas in which they form a distinct majority."

Shah Ardashir Osmani, in an exclusive interview with the Apollo Inquisitor, said: "We have been pleasantly surprised and honoured by this unexpected and most generous award from the Baron of Elwynn. As Count we promise to rule wisely and firmly with traditional Babkhan humour and fair play, and also to demonstrate the respect and hospitality towards our neighbours for which we are so rightly famous."

Shireroth Gets Paranoid Over and Suspends Immigration

SHIREKEEP, SHIREROTH - Shireroth's much-vaunted recent recruitment campaign seems to have spectactularly backfired this evening, when the entire immigration process was suspended indefinitely as a result of the growing realisation that acquiring as many new citizens as it did was useless if they had nothing to do and kept disappearing as a result.

The unprecendented panic measure was introduced this evening by Minister of the Interior and
Director of Tourism, and Steward, Fax Celestis, who in a statement, said: "Due to the large influx of new immigrants who have yet to show their faces more than twice, and due to the recent additions of citizens for the express purpose of obtaining a means to an end, instead of the betterment of the nation, there is now a freeze on all immigration to Shireroth."

The Minister's statement also hints at Shireroth's first rejection of an immigrant application for many months, if not years. This evening he denied citizenship to Stormarkian Lady Vesteralen, on the grounds that he feared that she was only wanting to join in order to "join the nation simply [to] fight in the War of Vengeance and then become inactive." However, vigourous lobbying by the RicLyon, Baron of Elwynn and Lac Glacei, later convinced the Minister to make an exception to the new immigration regime, by permitting a decree by the Baron allowing her a "chance of proving herself", who explained that the decree "has no legal effect anywhere else. The decree simply states that in Elwynn she is to be regarded as a companion. That means that she can engage with us other Elwynnese on an equal basis in our community".

Both decisions were roundly condemned by many fellow Shirerithians, but it highly unlikely that the situation will be resolved until after the true Kaiser (who unfortunately is ill) is able to return.

Istvanistan takes over the Grand Commonwealth and Shireroth?

VLADAGRAD, CHAOCRACY OF ISTVANISTAN - After an unprecendented display of diplomatic showmanship, no-one now is certain whether Istavnistan controls the Grand Commonwealth, or the Grand Commonwealth controls Istvanistan.

Whatever the conclusion might, it is certain that there is no doubt that yesterday, the Cause of Istvanistan, Stjepan Veliki, issued a statement in which he granted "the Grand Commonwealth and the Imperial Republic of Shireroth the status of Autonomous Oblasts, under the ultimate sovereignty of the Chaocracy. This status entails that they shall have the the right to hate and kill each other, as well as to print their own postage. "

In response, the Protector of the Grand Commonwealth, Ardashir Osmani, decreed that: "As a Oblast of the supreme Chaocracy of Istvanistan the Grand Commonwealth in obedience to the precepts of the primordial hereby declares Istvanistan overthrown and to be an Oblast of the Oblast and accordingly the Grand Oblastoblast Commonwealth hereby annexes the Oblasts of Istvanistan and Shireroth to be held for all eternity, backdated to the beginning of time until this decree is countermanded by one even more ridiculous. May all who disobey be chewed for a millenia by a sandworm with chronic indigestion."

No response from Shireroth has yet been received, as they are believed (at time of press) to still be asleep and blissfully unaware of their unexpected fate.

Shireroth: Future Less Ugly

Shirekeep, Imperial Republic of Shireroth:

Kaiser Los III's brave and controversial decision to overturn a long standing Shirerithian tradition of horrendous forum designs has met with partial success with a new and undeniably beautiful banner replacing the old and rather unsightly Shirerithian 'jack' - the flag of a globe spanning empire that looked as though it was drawn by an eight year old on ritalin when in fact it was designed by Erik, the founder of Shireroth, sometime in the dim and distant past though presumably not when he was eight and on ritalin (disclaimer).

The Shirerithians have also enaged robustly with their infamous forum background replacing the infamous tiled Malabor effect with a stretched forest village scene that while not exactly pretty is at least not quite as queasy and unsettling as its predecessor.

However Kaiser Los, for his efforts to prevent foreigners and new citizens (of whom there are now a considerable number thanks to a recent advertising campaign) being physically sick whilst they browse, has come under a certain amount of criticism from Shirerithian traditionalists, of who there is, predictably, a substantial minority that considers an alteration to the appearance of the forum to be an unpardonable slight against all that is right and holy in Shireroth. However it is hard to tell whether the Yardistanis have oppossed the redesign just to be bloody-minded and eccentric.

So controversial has the thorny issue of removing Malabor been that Kaiser Los, who is blessed with a degree of absolute authority that Anticans can only dream of, has had to resort to finding consensus (the Kaiser incidentally says that he always favours reaching a consensus, but then he would say that wouldn't he) via opinion polls in the Temple of Lumina. The result of the poll appears to have given a landslide in favour of the redesign but rumours persist that the result was slightly skewed on account of a certain unnamed member of the Almagro family voting a dozen times.

It seems likely that the new forum design will survive the reign of Kaiser Los III though whether it will do so without bloodshed is entirely another matter.

Shireroth Convulses the World

These are strange days, and things have just gotten a whole lot stranger. Shireroth has now done something that it has always vowed never to do (i.e. consider changing its forum design), while simultaneously a semi-senior micronationalist was last seen turning into a goose and subsequently plotting a campaign against some of his allies. Coincidence, or consequence?

So just what is going on? The Kaiser of Shireroth has apparently cracked under the overwhelming pressure of foreign opinion and published not one, but two polls regarding the future look of the Imperial Republic's message boards.

Shirerithians have resisted for many years any changes their look, inspite of some brave but (in hindsight) foolhardy attempts to do so (resulting in people being exiled, for example), relying instead on potential visitors and citizens to be of strong enough mind to overcome such visually-challenging issues as under-contrasted (blue on blue) and over-contrasted (red on blue) text (and sometimes both together), uncoordinated background patterns, over-enlarged (and thus horribly pixelated) background images, decorative images in a cornucopia of differing styles and quality, and various banners that take up almost as much screen space as the boards themselves. The national symbols have been subtly improved in recent months, although a garish anti-aliased flag has only been replaced by one just as garish (although at least aliased now), but with most un-flag-like 3-dimensional bevelled edges.

Such fundamental changes are never without unforeseen consequences, and the global convulsions resulting from this improbable change in the status quo have seemingly been so great that they have managed to turn the mind of a once-respected micronationalist, so that he is convinced that he is a goose on a one-bird crusade to rule the world, making everyone a vegetarian on the way and creating a glut of fermented apples in the process, while allegedly accompanied by an army of pecking moorhens.

In the meantime, new forum designs are being tested in a new Temple of Lumina, surreptitiously hidden away in an isolated corner of Shireroth. The current proposal is a rather smarter design full of reds and blues, but the opinion polls remain divided on the subject. Malarbor, as yet, doesn't seem too bothered about it though, preferring to bask in the glory of making public appearances instead.

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.

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.

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