Institute for Central Smalik Affairs • Rik Hə ti ƿɛPəə kə Em Hək Slt • Dillouh Sis-Smaliha Cowdee

Kencari elections: KMC remains largest party despite loss
DDAMBBAC (Kencari), 14/02/324 (17 Bovis 324) || In parliamentary elections last Sunday, the ruling Kencari Movement of Citizens (KMC) of Prime Minister Alonis Ggowrun-Ceess has emerged once again as the largest party in the Parliament of Kencari and is most likely to take the lead in the next government. The KMC lost 15 seats however and ends up with 173 of the 444 seats in parliament. Its junior coalition partner, the Progress Party (PP) took an even heavier loss; the party of outgoing Vice Prime Minister and Justice Minister Ëkiris Ggästerin-Skowduff lost more than half of its 65 seats and will enter the new parliament with only 28. This means that the KMC will have to look for a different coalition partner to reach the 223 seats that are required for a majority.

The winners are the conservative religious party Direction Orthodoxy (DO), which won 17 seats and remains the second largest party with 115 seats; the Kencari Burovianist Party (KBP), which ends up with 49 seats after winning 6; and the new Nature Party (NP), which enters parliament with 79 seats. Buhowdiff Strëturin, a controversial faith healer and the NP's leader, modelled the Nature Party after Tak's Nature Party, and it is rumoured that it is heavily sponsored by Tak organisations; its popularity in the area that hosts the largest industrial centre of former Bowdani may not be surprising, as especially many younger voters are attracted by the NP's promises for a cleaner and healthier environment. It is important to note that this party now seems the KMC's most likely coalition partner.

Minor parties Kencari for a Planned Future (KPF), Freedom for All (FfA), and the Expansion Party (EP) didn't reach the 2.5% threshold and lost all of their seats.

Parliament will convene in its new composition on Wednesday 21 February; it will elect its chairperson and then give someone, probably Prime Minister Ggowrun, the task to form a government.

Thousands of protesters disrupt daily life in South Watch
SOUTH WATCH (Both Watches), 03/02/324 (6 Bovis 324) || An enormous crowd of thousands of disgruntled citizens of the country of Both Watches gathered on the David Leah Square in front of the City Hall today to protest against the nation's derelict economic situation and the lack of democracy. Protests occurred in other cities too; in Sarimiow the city hall was ransacked and put on fire, while in North Watch a number of police stations were besieged.

Since Both Watches seceded from the Lectern of United Kencari Peoples, the main successor state of the Republic of Bowdani, in 318, government of the country has been in the hands of Mayor Everett Sawxon-Thwyte of South Watch, who has been ex officio Plenipotentiary for the whole territory since that moment. Political parties have been outlawed and no parliament has held session at the national level of Both Watches since its creation. The police have permission to use force against any insurrection, but have had trouble lately to maintain order. Unemployment lies at an estimated 15.7% and many citizens are prospected to fall below the poverty threshold this year. The country's position against the nations that have gathered in the Smalik Treaty Organisation for Industrous Cooperation (STOIC) as well as its economic situation have isolated it from the rest of the world.

The person who is mysteriously seen as the country's door to salvation, is Jasper Culpepper-Sallow, son of former Bowdani and LUKP business tycoon Dagobert Culpepper-Sallow and husband to Queen Emma, member of the Royal Council of Kemedal and former Queen in her own right of the now defunct kingdom of Ansonia that merged into Kemedal two years ago. Sawxon-Thwyte's government has therefore accused Culpepper of high treason and ordered his arrest. While Queen Emma is reported to be in Kemedal, her husband is rumoured to have been unable to leave Both Watches and gone into hiding.

The police of South Watch has left the protesters alone so far. Sawxon-Thwyte is said to have sent his family to safety abroad.

Tak to attend airshipping conference in Estontetso
MƟG (Tak), 02/02/324 (5 Bovis 324) || A delegation from the Free States of Tak will attend an airshipping conference in Duceta, Estontetso, Traffic and Transportation Minister nDuuɣu As has confirmed today. The invitation to all nations and companies in the business of airshipping emerged earlier this week, potentially following the Tak announcement last month that airship production will resume after it was halted in the former Republic of Bowdani (of which Tak used to be a part until 308) almost 90 years ago.

"There are several countries that employ airships although it is still a niche in the world of transportation that could be explored further", the Minister explained.

The purpose of the conference, a date for which is yet to be announced, is to establish an international airshipping organisation, possibly to avoid hostile competition situations; foreign airshipping companies like the Estontetsan Airshipping Company and the Feniz Airshipping Company have been rumoured to fear rivalry. Names for this organisation have been suggested, including the International Airshipping Society, the Society of Airship Running States, and the Airshipping Collaboration and Regulation Organisation for States and Societies.

Tak to produce first airship in 90 years
SYYK (Tak), 06/01/324 (6 Aries 324) || For the first time in almost 90 years, airships will be produced again in Tak. Initially, a test connection by air will be established between the towns of Syyk and ƿnVɵɵl Nnt, but the intention is to connect more cities in the rest of Tak, Smalik, and beyond.

Entrepreneur Qe ob Ɣeŋ of Ŋod kə Ɣeŋ (Ɣeŋ Enterprise) thinks that the time is right: "Tak has been trying to finding alternatives for domestic flights for decades, as aircraft are considered bad for the environment and therefore frowned upon by the ecologically minded Tak." Ŋod kə Ɣeŋ has produced engines that are partially powered by solar and wind energy, which also provides heating of the passenger and crew space.

The production of airships used to be popular in Bowdani from the 20th to the 24th decades. The deadly crash and subsequent explosion of the BAS-129 Beneckthorp in North Watch in 237 however caused severe damage to the general image of airships and a decline of passenger rates until production was halted and airship companies went bankrupt.

Sarigis formalises annexation of The Lectern
SARIGIS (Sarigis), 29/12/323 (27 Mantis 323) || The state of The Lectern will cease to exist on 1 January/Aries 324 and become an integrated part of the Lands of the Lady of Sarigis as of that moment. This was announced by the man known as Mr Stone, who has acted as Sarigis's Minister of Foreign Affairs since 319. Exactly one year ago, security forces of Sarigis entered the territory of The Lectern and ousted its government, bringing the nation under control of the Lady of Sarigis, Emma Gough.

Although The Lectern, the territory around the former capital of the Republic of Bowdani, Sky City, has twice the amount of inhabitants of Sarigis, negotiations between representatives of The Lectern's citizens and the Lady of Sarigis have lead to an agreement that will include the peaceful integration of The Lectern into Sarigis in exchange for the latter to abandon Ms Gough's autocratic rule and the introduction of institutes representing the people of the new unified country. Elections for this yet to be named parliament will take place in 324, possibly in June.

Apart from the towns and their immediate surroundings in Sarigis, the territory has been the personal property of the Gough family for many decades. The family has been one of the wealthiest in at least the old hemisphere and their business has provided some stability to the continent even in times of war. Sarigis has also been subject of ongoing rumours about underground laboratories where secret scientific experiments are alegedly conducted. Loyalty to successive governments of Bowdani until 316, then The Lectern of United Kencari Peoples (LUKP) from 316 to 318, and then The Lectern from 318 to 322, kept Sarigis safe from being invaded (de iure it was still an autonomous part of The Lectern), but the fall of the LUKP and the continuous disarray of its successor state The Lectern started to harm business and so Ms Gough decided to intervene. The annexation (legal experts prefer to call it a 'coup d'état', as it is not one country invading another country but a change of government organised from the inside) will give Sarigis access to the Cislendian Ocean.

A spokeswoman of Both Watches, Sarigis's southwestern neighbour, emphasises that the developments are an internal matter of The Lectern and repeated hope that Ms Gough will address the border issues between the two nations that are still ongoing, according to at least Both Watches. A representative of the Smalik Treaty Organisation for Industrious Cooperation (STOIC) hailed however the merger of the two territories and expressed the hope that this will create more stability in the region.

Citizens of Three Cities and the Cove vote for change
MÁTIN (Three Cities and the Cove), 17/12/323 (15 Mantis 323) || Parliamentary elections were held today in Three Cities and the Cove, which resulted in a victory for the Independence Party (IP). According to exit polls, the party grew from 43 to 74 seats out of the 201 that make up the parliament. IP leader and presumptive next Prime Minister Ms Ilona Bbucet addressed the crowds, thanking the people for their trust in the party and in her, and announcing a change of wind for the country.

Happy faces also at the headquarters of the Party for Individual Liberties (PIL), where party leader Peter N. Cable congratulated his party with a win of 6 seats, ending up at 27, which means that it is the most likely coalition partner for the IP. Although there are several differences between IP and PIL, most notably on taxes, which IP wants to increase and PIL wants to lower, the formation of a coalition of these two parties may be bad news for the international organisation STOIC (the Smalik Treaty Organisation for Industrious Cooperation), of which Three Cities and the Cove has been a member since 320: both parties are sceptical regarding STOIC's regional intentions and claim that it wants to reduce the member states' sovereignty. Cable has suggested that Three Cities and the Cove should leave STOIC at the earliest opportunity. On other areas, both parties intend to increase the defence and education budgets, but whereas IP wants to invest more in the country's infrastructure and social services, PIL wants to cut down on those significantly.

Incumbent Prime Minister Frithwold Boudham of the Union for the Future of the Three Cities (UFTC), which lost 11 seats and is now the second party with 55 seats left, announced his resignation as party leader. He will remain in office as Prime Minister until the new government has been formed. Boudham sees an important role for the UFTC, either as the largest opposition party or as a minor government coalition partner. "We acknowledge the loss of the UFTC, but if there is a chance to avoid an IP-PIL coalition, we must grab it with both hands to avoid disaster for our country!"

The other three parties won't be able to play any major roles in the next parliamentary composition: the conservative-religious party Direction Orthodoxy (DO) also gained 6 seats but ends up at 23; an IP-DO coalition would be 4 seats short of a majority in parliament. The current junior coalition party PPP (Party for Peace and Prosperity) of former transitional Prime Minister Skinowda Ggëre lost 23 seats and enters the new parliament with only 16, and the leftist Union of Workers' Interests (UWI) of Barney Barnstable lost 9 seats and ends up with 6. A new party that fell just short of the threshold to enter parliament is the Forum for Social Development (FSD) of entrepreneur Anthony Nerf, who proposes to include citizens in parliamentary decisions via social media platforms.

The new parliament will be installed in two weeks, after the official results have been announced by the electoral committee. The Mayors of Disky, Gúsmin, Mátin, and Urbana Ozust will then appoint the new Prime Minister, who will appoint the rest of the government.

Druids ask Natural Resources Minister Or ob Gys to form a government
MƟG (Tak), 01/11/323 (25 Korax 323) || A delegation of Druids who paid a suprirse visit to the capital today, have asked Or ob Gys, the Minister of Natural Resources, to form a new government. Once formed, this will mean an end to the interim government of the Minister of Domestic Affairs Ƕɵɵk ob A, who temporarily took the leadership of the government after former Prime Minister Fəs ob Sin died in a car crash in August/Hystrix.

Commentators have described Or ob Gys as a surprising choice to head the government; although he was a known supporter of Fəs ob Sin's policies, he cannot be considered to belong to the former Prime Minister's inner circle. As Minister of Natural Resources, he mostly kept out of sight and out of trouble - which may be what prompted the Druids to choose him. Or ob Gys has been part of the government already since 311, when he started as Minister of Traffic and Transportation under Mar ob Qaat. She moved him to Natural Resources five years later, and Fəs ob Sin kept him there in 320. Or ob Gys is not married; he is the owner of an alpaca farm west of the city of Tuut and likes wandering in the nation's many lush forests.

Tak Prime Minister Fəs ob Sin dies in car crash
MƟG (Tak), 07/08/323 (23 Hystrix 323) || Prime Minister Fəs ob Sin of the Free States of Tak has died in a car crash this morning, it has been confirmed by Minister of Domestic Affairs Ƕɵɵk ob A. The Prime Minister was on his way to a meeting in Lp when his motorcade encountered a large object on the road, which the front car managed to circumvent. The Prime Minister's driver was not that lucky and collided with it. Emergency services are still investigating the scene of the accident. The driver survived, but the Prime Minister seems to have hit his head hard. Speculation that he was not wearing his seatbelt cannot be confirmed at this point. His wife and children have been informed.

Minister Ƕɵɵk ob A will temporarily assume the leadership of the government until such time as the Druids will be available to appoint a successor.

Apthuwkist monks elect Sewtsats VII as the new Carabine
WOSTSA (Bëltse), 14/05/323 (22 Equis 323) || As usual during the annual gathering of Apthuwkist monks, their next religious leader known as the Carabine was elected yesterday. The election proceeded rather quickly this time, as a majority of the monks had made their decision weeks ago already, according to sources: the charismatic 62-year old monk Kiwen Stoworestn of the Monastery of the Three Frowns (Den Kerwettre Khontsa in the Bëltse language), located in the mountaineous north of the country, near the border with Vaara. Stoworestn adopted the Carabinal name Sewtsats VII as a reference to the illustrous Carabine Sewtsats I, who held the title in the 274-275 term. Carabines are usually elected for a period of one year; so far there have been two exceptions: in the year 269, four Carabines were elected, whereas the 319-320 Carabine Ruthunla V was asked to serve another term from 320 to 321.

The Carabine-elect Sewtsats VII held an acceptance speech in which she focused on ways to avoid being controlled by the four evil deities Kor (exuberance), Suthn (avarice), Bests (wild thoughts), and Egin (indifference). These four evil deities are the main reason that Apthuwkism exists next to the original Thuwkism: while the former recognises four good deities (Aro (modesty), Keldwn (generosity), Ithar (clear thought), and Billar (compassion)) next to the aforementioned evil deities, the latter recognises only the good deities. Thuwkists also don't recognise the Apthuwkist Carabines.

Sewtsats VII will succeed the incumbent Carabine Thuabak III on 1 July.

Sarigis security troops take control of Lectern
SARIGIS (Sarigis) / SARISSEST (The Lectern) 29/12/322 (26 Mantis 322) || Security troops of Emma Gough, the self-styled Lady of Sarigis who controls a land-locked area in former Bowdani that, according to persistent rumours, are filled with secret laboratories, have invaded and succesfully taken control of The Lectern today. The Lady of Sarigis herself announced on television the arrest of members of the government as well as several other prominent citizens of The Lectern and the installation of a new First Citizen, Mr Selwyn Warrington.

The Lectern is a small area around Sky City, which further contains the city of Sarissest and some surrounding suburbs and villages. It is the last remnant of the former Lectern of United Kencari Peoples (LUKP), which was the main successor state of the Republic of Bowdani from 316 to 319 when a civil war tore it apart. De iure the lands of Sarigis were still a part of The Lectern as well, as it had never declared independence, so experts in various other nations in Smalik hastened to declare that today's events are in fact a coup d'état and not an invasion. In practice, Sarigis has been de facto independent since before 319, with Emma Gough's leadership running the territory without interference of other nations.

The Lady of Sarigis explained however in her televised address that she had grown increasingly impatient with The Lectern's leadership, which was subject to change every odd month, and that she needed the port of Sky City to be reconstructed for her business purposes. "The Lectern's government in Sarissest is too self-centred to care for its citizens", she said. "Sky City has been falling apart for the last six years and nobody seems to do anything about it. I need the city to grow and become attractive for business again; the previous leadership of The Lectern was unsuitable to obtain these goals."

The governments of both Both Watches, to the south of The Lectern, and Kencari, to its north, in the meantime are watching the developments with raised eyebrows. "We still have unresolved matters with The Lectern, most notably the determination of our common borders", Everett Sawxon-Thwyte, the Mayor of South Watch and ex officio Plenipotentiary for the whole territory, explained. "Let's hope that Lady Gough is willing to give this a practical approach."

Heir to former Culpepper business imperium to marry Queen of Ansonia
SOUTH WATCH (Both Watches) 01/11/322 (25 Korax 322) || Jasper Culpepper-Sallow, son of former Bowdani and LUKP business tycoon Dagobert Culpepper-Sallow, is engaged to Queen Emma, a current member of the Royal Council of the Eras kingdom of Kemedal and former Queen in her own right of the kingdom of Ansonia, which merged into Kemedal earlier this year. Although Dagobert chose the losing side of the LUKP and saw his business empire crumble as a result, Jasper fought against LUKP together with Albert Sawxon-Thwyte, the current South Watch mayor's son, and is now considered a more popular member of the family than his father. He holds the rank of lieutenant in the army of Both Watches.

Before the War of Liberation, Jasper had been enrolled as an astronomy student in the State University of South Watch from 315 to 317, when it was closed because of the war. It has been announced that Jasper will move to Kemedal to help prepare the wedding and to enrol in the University of Bala, where he intends to finish his studies. The wedding is scheduled to take place in the former Ansonian capital of Sub Marina on 22 March/25 Castor 323.

Qur ob Mɛɛk reelected as Secretary General of STOIC
BBICOBES (Western Shore) 25/08/322 (13 Ibex 322) || Incumbent Secretary General of the Smalik Treaty Organisation for Industrious Cooperation (STOIC) Qur ob Mɛɛk from Tak was reelected today for a second term and will hold office until 1 September 326. The diplomat, who also serves as his country's member of the Board of Governors of STOIC, was however confirmed as the winner of the election only after the elimination of all five other candidates, indicating that the Supervisory Council, STOIC's legislative assembly, was rather divided. Qur showed no sign of annoyance by this fact and thanked the Council for their renewed trust in his leadership of the international organisation.

Qur ob Mɛɛk has promised to intensify the negotiations with the Kingdom of Nucani about accession to STOIC; that country applied for membership in 320 together with the Republic of Kencari and the Three Cities and the Cove, but whereas the latter two were admitted in the same year, Nucani was told to deal with several legal incompatibilities first before the accession could take place. Two years later, analysts have observed no real progress from Nucani side. The accession of Nucani is seen as an important step in the development of STOIC, as the move will connect the northern and southern parts of STOIC territory, which are currently separated by non-members.

Following positive developments in the nation known informally as Black Bowdani, Qur ob Mɛɛk also indicated that he would want to warm up this country for a possible membership.

Opponents of Qur ob Mɛɛk showed disappointment when the news of his reelection came out. Qur is known as a strict leader and some have accused him of wanting to turn STOIC into a military dictatorship.

Since 318, the Secretary General of STOIC is elected by the Supervisory Council by the Single Transferable Vote system. The other five candidates were Yykaitir Paa, the incumbent STOIC Governor for Vaara who came in second, Doasyt Gcaes, a diplomat from the Coare Republic, Fiona Ysendraed, a defence specialist from the Three Cities and the Cove, Kavarn Esnthanar, the incumbent STOIC Governor for Bëltse, and Kenneth Irving, former Prime Minister of Western Shore.

June elections see changes in Coare, continuation in Nucani
COARNIGG (Coare)/, NUCANI (Nucani) 15/06/322 (27 Felis 322) || Several elections took place in ICSA member states on 1 June. Apart from parliamentary elections in the Coare Republic and in the Kingdom of Nucani, presidential elections occurred in Black Bowdani, the official name of which was changed to the Republic of Bowdani in the course of May.

The newly elected parliament of Black Bowdani chose the provisional president, Colonel Scott Winsleigh Woke, as their first President. In December, Winsleigh Woke arrested the previous leader, dictator Colonel Marcus Baycon, and ushered in an era of democratic reforms. The form of government of Black Bowdani is closely modelled to that of the Coare Republic and the President of the Republic is therefore a mostly ceremonial office. Political power resides with the Prime Minister; since 29 April, the first Prime Minister of Black Bowdani has been Raphael De Longis, the leader of the Progress Party, which gained four seats short of an absolut majority in the parliamentary elections of 23 April and thus formed a coalition government with the Union for Worldly Orthodoxism (UWO).

The Coare Republic had their third elections since the country became independent six years ago. The victory befell Coare's Civil Connection Party (CCCP), like the elections in 317, but more convincing. Instead of the fragile compromise coalition of CCCP and the Movement of Trade and Prosperity (MTP) that had been in office since that moment, the CCCP swiftly formed a coalition with The Blue Party (TBP), with CCCP leader Patricia Walford-Thennys as Prime Minister.

The Kingdom of Nucani held parliamentary elections as well on the 1st of June. Former Nucani city mayor Rass Bbaugust, who had been in office as Prime Minister since the country's independence, secured a new victory with his Parti ppe Bbueduc laem Nucani ha (Party for the Rise of Nucani), which secured 74 of the 125 seats.

New Apthuwkist Carabine will be Thuabak III
WOSTSA (Bëltse), 15/05/322 (23 Equis 322) || During their annual gathering, Apthuwkist monks elected their next religious leader, the Carabine. Although attempting to elect a moderate candidate again, the newly elected Carabine surprised many of the monks by choosing the name Thuabak III, which indicates that he may be a supporter of the previous Carabine who bore that name, Thuabak II, who was Carabine in the 316-317 period and who was in conflict with another prominent monk, Rubwnar Thortsin about the organisation of the cult. The upcoming Carabine held a speech however that emphasised the spirituality of Apthuwkism and managed to avoid a new crisis for the time being. Thuabak III will succeed the incumbent Carabine Hithar III on the 1st of June and hold the position until 31 May 323.

Progress Party four seats short of majority in first ever legislative elections in Black Bowdani
FORT URBAN (Black Bowdani), 23/04/322 (1 Equis 322) || Seven parties competed in the first parliamentary elections held in the nation known as Black Bowdani today. Although the territory seceded from the Lectern of United Kencari Peoples already in 318, a subsequent military dictatorship headed by Colonel Marcus Baycon ruled the country until December last year, when Baycon was deposed and arrested by Colonel Scott Winsleigh Woke, who is currently serving as provisional president of the nation. In the last couple of months, a draft constitution has been written, which will have to be approved by this new parliament, which is a unicameral parliament, simply known as the Parliament, of 120 members.

The Progress Party, lead by the charismatic entrepreneur Raphael De Longis, came in first, scoring 57 of 120 seats, four short of an absolute majority. "This means that we will have to find a suitable coalition partner or form a minority government that will seek flexible support for our bills", De Longis said. Rumours suggests that the PP already contacted the left-leaning religious Union for Worldly Orthodoxism (UWO) to start talks in this regard. UWO won 11 seats and could therefore help the PP to a majority.

The largest opposition party (22 seats) is the Movement for Cruisan Values (MCV), lead by Nancy Enberg. "After what this country has been through, we need God's guidance to establish a government that will help our nation and our people to find the light, and we will conduct parliamentary opposition in this manner", she said. The other three parties that entered parliament are the Independence Party (IP, 12 seats), the Bowdanian Burovian Party (BBP, 10 seats), and the People's Foundation (PF, 8 seats). A seventh party, Bowdani Values (BV) didn't reach the 5% threshold to enter Parliament.

After stalemate of 17 months: Council of Bishops of Orthodox Church of Bowdani elects new Patriarch
NORTH WATCH (Both Watches), 04/02/322 (7 Bovis 322) || After a transitional period of more than seventeen months, the Council of Bishops of the Orthodox Church of Bowdani gathered in the Monastery of the Vague Appearance of Saints in the city of North Watch to elect a successor for Patriarch Kevin, the primate of the Orthodox Church of Bowdani, who went missing in 319 and was therefore dismissed by the Council in August 320. Cuthbert, the Metropolitan of South Martin, was appointed as locum tenens until the next Patriarch would be elected. Initially, this should have been done within six months, but disagreement about suitable candidates caused a large minority of the around 650 members of the Council of Bishops to boycott the scheduled election in February 321, which was subsequently cancelled due to lack of quorum. A second attempt in August 321 met the same fate.

Today, the 76 year old Archimandrite of Ecboven (Kencari), Waldemar Thorpe, was elected Patriarch. The new primate of the church has announced that he will adopt the name Elvis as his Patriarchal name, after Saint Elvis the Handless, who lived several centuries ago and demonstrated his profound generosity by giving away his own hands (and subsequently dying from it after the wounds became infected). It is the task of Patriarch Elvis to recreate the Church as a unifying force of stability in the successor nations to Bowdani. In his first address to the small crowd that was gathered before the Monastery, the Patriarch called upon the nations of Smalik to overcome their differences and open their borders again. (SOUTH MARTIN HERALD) (SOUTH WATCH HERALD)

Tak to increase navy patrols in Tenia Strait after provocations by West-Uhlan
LP (Tak), 27/01/322 (27 Aries 322) || The navy of Tak will increase patrols in its (small) part of the Tenia Strait, Defence Minister Paat ob Kom has confirmed. The move follows incidents in the waters around nearby West-Uhlan that saw the navy of that Longerathian country perform unprovoked attacks on international vessels, including ships registered with the Trade and Development Corporation; the latter filed an official complaint against West-Uhlan at the address of the Secretary General of the UNV, George Okarvits.

Tak's navy is not very large, as the country has only a small coastline on the eastern shore of Smalik. Other member states of STOIC, such as the Coare Republic, the Three Cities and the Cove, and White Bowdani, have more substantial navies, but their coast is faced towards the Cislendian Ocean. (REG AK MƟG)

Black Bowdani to hold elections in April
FORT URBAN (Black Bowdani), 27/01/322 (27 Aries 322) || Parliamentary elections will be held in Black Bowdani on 23 April (1 Equis) this year. This was announced by Provisional President Col. Scott Winsleigh Woke this morning. Since Winsleigh Woke's predecessor, Col. Marcus Baycon, was arrested in December, the Provisional President has worked together with most factions in the country to agree on a provisional constitution and form of government. Initially, the form of government of the Coare Republic, Black Bowdani's neighbour to the north, will be copied for the most part, but instead of the bicameral parliament that is in place in Coare, Black Bowdani's parliament will have only one chamber of 201 members. The party or parties that have a majority (alone or in a coalition) will propose a Prime Minister, who will then compose a government. A ceremonial president will be elected by parliament by a single transferable vote system.

Winsleigh Woke urged that the formation of political parties would be as inclusive as possible. "We have seen in the past six years what will happen on this continent when different ethnic groups exclude each other", he said. "Cooperation is what I would like to see in this nation!" Whether that will be easy, remains to be seen: representatives of indigenous people already complained several times about the arrogance of the Ingallish and the fact that they prefer to ignore their non-Ingallish compatriots. (THE URBAN CRYER) (OBAT NO'MEOG)

STOIC member states to merge foreign representation
BBICOBES (Western Shore), 26/01/322 (26 Aries 322) || The nine member states of the Smalik Treaty for Industrious Cooperation (STOIC), the Kingdom of Bëltse, the Coare Republic, the Duchy of Gen, the Republic of Kencari, the Free States of Tak, the Three Cities and the Cove, Vaara, the Free Republic of the Western Shore, and White Bowdani, will join their foreign representation in situations where foreign nations have diplomatic relations with more than one STOIC member state, Secretary General Qur ob Mɛɛk has confirmed.

The move should increase both the visibility of STOIC internationally and the efficiency of the representation, as only one instead of several diplomatic missions will henceforward be needed in a partner country. The Secretary General presented the new diplomatic seal that will be used in combination with the national diplomatic seals of the member states. Superfluous embassies in nations where more than one STOIC member states are currently represented, will be closed before the end of the year, while the remaining embassy will be replaced by a STOIC embassy. Foreign nations that have representation in several STOIC member states can however choose to maintain that situation or merge their embassies into one remaining embassy of choice. (REG AK MƟG) (OBAT NO'MEOG) (NŎT ĐAMI RIPABLIC SA) (SORRE PWEDUM RREWOKN) (DDAMBBAC DISPATCH) (SOUTH MARTIN HERALD)

Tak parliamentarians demand international investigation into crimes against Novoyoakes population
MƟG (Tak), 17/01/322 (17 Aries 322) || Members of the parliament of Tak have urged the government to call for an international investigation into possible crimes against the population of Novoyoakes, after a coalition of indigenous tribes in the Gronk ruled nation issued an appeal to the people of Novoyoakes and the peoples of the world last Friday. According to it and other reports, the Gronkian minority has recently increased their policy to oppress the indigenous inhabitants of the country, by means of intimidation, unlawful actions, and even massmurder.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Qe ob Ƕəg responded that he will discuss the matter with the fellow STOIC member states as well as with the governments of the Greater Burovian Realm and Eastern Delgamia, the latter being the only independent nation on the continent of Delgamia with which Tak and other STOIC members are having active diplomatic relations at the moment. "We don't have any representation in Novoyoakes or any significant trade with this nation, so we cannot put any direct pressure on the government of Novoyoakes if we wanted to", he said. "But as people who used to be oppressed by a foreign minority, the Tak and the other peoples of STOIC must be keen on preventing the same thing from happening elsewhere. An investigation would be a wise course of action, as it must be confirmed that what the tribes are saying is indeed true. Any international action also needs to be coordinated with the United Nations." (REG AK MƟG)

Apthuwkists elect Carabine 321 – 322
WOSTSA (Bëltse), 23/05/321 (3 Felis 321) || Like every year, Apthuwkist monks gathered yesterday to elect their next religious leader, the Carabine. The election comes after the incumbent leader, Carabine Ruthunla V, was controversially reelected for a second term last year after no other candidates put themselves forward. Rumours state that previous Carabine Ildar IV (318-319) pressured potential candidates into withholding any potential candidacy until Ildar IV was sure that the faction war that he brought to an end would not emerge again under the leadership of another Carabine.

With the election of the monk Karthworn Brewarthwnater as the next Carabine however, Ildar IV doesn't need to worry: Brewarthwnater has established himself in the past two years as a staunch follower of Ildar IV and Ruthunla V's policies and no significant change in the Apthuwkist leadership is therefore expected. Brewarthwnater has chosen the name Hithar III; his term will commence on the 1st of June and last until 31 May 322. (SORRE PWEDUM RREWOKN)

nɛKɛl Ltens winner of parliamentary elections Tak
MƟG (Tak), 15/02/321 (18 Bovis 321) || The parliamentary elections that were held in Tak yesterday have, as expected, been won by the Party of the Present (nɛKɛl Ltens), which increased its number of seats from 17 to 19 out of 61. The Nature Party (noŋOŋ Ltens) also won two seats, ending up at 10 in total. The Smalik Party (ŋHəəh Slt Ltens) and the Society Party (nəRtəp Ltens)
won three resp. one seat, reaching six seats each. The Unity Party (naVaater Ltens), the States' Party (ƿnuBus Ltens), and the Method Union (Root Hə) all lost and ended up with 8 (-6), 7 (-1), and 5 (-1) seats respectively.

Prime Minister (Zɵ Pŋ) Fəs ob Sin said that he was glad that the democratic process in Tak proved successful yet again, although ƿnuBus Ltens leader Ƿɵŋ ob Ƕəg called this a preposterous thing for the Prime Minister to say, as the Prime Minister is not democratically elected but appointed by the nation's Council of Chief Druids. As he did during the campaign, Ƿɵŋ ob Ƕəg criticised the government's slow crackdown on civil and political liberties since Fəs ob Sin took over as Prime Minister last year, saying that the Tak people won't tolerate everything. The new parliament will however form a more solid support for the government's policies than the old one, and the Prime Minister therefore announced that he will discuss with the new parliament the implementation of further reforms. (REG AK MƟG)

Nucani Princess Iwienis to marry Black Bowdani economist Cpt Lesley Winsleigh Woke
NUCANI-CITY (Nucani), 6/11/320 (3 Lupis 320) || Her Royal Highness Princess Iwienis-Ppiobah-Auss of Nucani and the Black Bowdani economist Cpt Lesley Winsleigh Woke will marry each other in the spring of 321, it has been announced. The couple have been romantically involved since 320 and recently decided to make the next step. The news caused Nucani monarchists to respond with delight.

Although the relationship seems serious, some tongues mention that the Princess, who is 20 years of age, is still rather young to marry, and suggest that she is using the marriage to secure her claim on the Nucani throne: King Moeh I's eldest son Prince Ariss is a republican who has said on numerous occasions that he will turn the country back into a republic when he inherits the throne. The King may therefore decide to appoint another close family member as his heir instead, but whether that will be Princess Iwienis or His Majesty's second son Prince Dzaugiriff remains to be seen. It is rumoured that the incumbent monarchist government wants to force the King to make a decision soon, and even that they have a preference of their own.

The uncle and legal guardian of the groom in the meantime is Colonel Scott Winsleigh Woke, who is involved in some kind of civil war with the official ruler of Black Bowdani, Colonel Marcus Baycon. Although this situation has caused some concern in Nucani, Prime Minister Rass Bbaugust said that as Captain Winsleigh Woke does not hold any official position in Black Bowdani, diplomatic consequences of this marriage are limited - partially also because there are currently hardly any diplomatic relations between Nucani and Black Bowdani to speak of. (SMALIK PRIVATE MATTERS)

Three Cities and the Cove, and Kencari accepted as members of STOIC
LEERTOSSOIRRA (Vaara), 15/09/320 (7 Junix 320) || The nations of the Three Cities and the Cove and the Republic of Kencari have been accepted as members of the Smalik Treaty Organisation for Industrious Cooperation (STOIC). In the Vaara capital representatives of both nations signed the STOIC foundation treaty today. The membership of both countries will however become effective only if the respective necessary procedures to ratify the treaty will have been followed; this may take a couple of weeks or even months. The Kingdom of Nucani, who also received the invitation to join last January, will do so at a later moment; spokespersons of both STOIC and the Nucani government cited a number of incompatibilities in existing Nucani legislation that would have to be changed or removed to make a Nucani accession to STOIC legally possible. (REG AK MƟG) (OBAT NO'MEOG) (NŎT ĐAMI RIPABLIC SA) (SORRE PWEDUM RREWOKN) (DDAMBBAC DISPATCH) (SOUTH MARTIN HERALD)

Council of Bishops dismisses Patriarch Kevin as primate of the Orthodox Church of Bowdani
NORTH WATCH (Both Watches), 26/08/320 (15 Ibex 320) || The Council of Bishops of the Orthodox Church of Bowdani gathered in the Monastery of the Vague Appearance of Saints in the city of North Watch have unanimously dismissed Patriarch Kevin as primate of the Orthodox Church of Bowdani, following his disappearance last year and presumed death. Although the primateship is an appointment for life in theory, the Council of Bishops have the right to decide on the retirement or dismissal of the primate in certain particular circumstances.

Patriarch Kevin, born in 230 AP, was elected primate in 296 in the time that Bowdani was still ruled by president Andrew Urban. Kevin saw the revolution that brought the end of his government and the subsequent decline of Bowdani's stability, the unilateral independence of Tak in 308 and, eight years later, the formal dissolution of Bowdani as a nation. During the ongoing instability that followed, Kevin was unable to present the Church as force of unity and stability. It was rumoured that he left the continent in 319, together with the exodus of many other upper class Ingallish, but so far he hasn't emerged elsewhere on the planet and he is therefore presumed dead.

The Council of Bishops has appointed Cuthbert, the Metropolitan of South Martin, as locum tenens and declared that the new primate shall be elected within six months. The election process is rather straight forward: there are two rounds of voting, in the first of which the members of the Council of Bishops can indicate their preference. The three candidates with the most preferences will go on to the second round, during which the candidate with the most votes is considered elected. Currently the Council of Bishops has around 650 members. (SOUTH MARTIN HERALD) (SOUTH WATCH HERALD)

STOIC extends formal invitation to Kencari, Nucani, and the Three Cities and the Cove to join
STRYCYSEEN (Coare), 12/03/320 (16 Castor 320) || At an international summit in the Coare city of Strycyseen attended by representatives of the organisation STOIC as well as by officials of Coare, Tak, Western Shore, Vaara, Bëltse, Gen, and White Bowdani, and invitees from Kencari, Nucani, and the Three Cities and the Cove, the latter three were formally invited to join STOIC as member states. The necessary paperwork will be drafted and presented at the next summit for the three nations to sign.

The invitation was welcomed by the governments of the three countries, who had been urging STOIC to make work of earlier promises to let them join for some time now. When the nations have signed and ratified the Treaty of Er Qeet, STOIC will cover an almost entirely continuous territory that touches Lake Pearyt as well as seas and oceans on the eastern, western, and southern sides of Smalik.

"Well, you can make a point of that of course, but it sends a false signal", STOIC Secretary General Qur ob Mɛɛk (Tak) explains; "And not to mention an aggressive one at that! It is true that Nucani, Kencari, and the Three Cities and the Cove joining STOIC will significantly expand STOIC's territory, but the organisation won't even cover half of the former territory of Bowdani at its heydays, nor will these countries joining STOIC give it significantly more strategical exit points than it already has. What is important however is that the STOIC sphere of influence won't be interrupted anymore by non-members as it is currently the case. This will help the organisation to create a safe environment for its member states."

The government of Both Watches is observing the rapid expansion of STOIC (formerly SUECS) with concern however. "This alliance is an attempt by the Tak and the Kencari to rid the continent of Ingallish influences", warns Annabel Fennighay-Solourn, the councillor of foreign affairs of Both Watches. "The Ingallish in the territory of Both Watches have been traumatised by the events since 316 and need a clear message that it will remain safe for them to continue to live on this continent. In the meantime Both Watches is dealing with Ingallish refugees from former Bowdani lands that are now part of other nations that are hostile to the Ingallish. While many of them only come here to try to move to Ingallish countries elsewhere on the planet, they put a strain on our already fragile economy. Davenport has closed its borders but we already warned their government that as soon as they have chased all Ingallish from former Bowdani, STOIC will come for Davenport!"

"That woman has some fantasy!" muses Qur ob Mɛɛk. "STOIC is there for nations who want to join it. At the same time nations cannot join it unconditionally; we do have standards after all! So Ms Fennighay has nothing to worry about." (REG AK MƟG) (OBAT NO'MEOG) (NŎT ĐAMI RIPABLIC SA) (SORRE PWEDUM RREWOKN) (DDAMBBAC DISPATCH) (SOUTH MARTIN HERALD) (SOUTH WATCH HERALD)

Kencari government confirmed after country's first elections
DDAMBBAC (Kencari), 06/03/320 (10 Castor 320) || Last Sunday's first parliamentary elections of the Republic of Kencari have been won by the Kencari Movement of Citizens of transitional prime minister Ms Alonis Ggowrun-Ceess. The party received 188 of 444 seats. In the last couple of days it has formed a coalition government with the Progress Party, which came in third with 65 seats and whose leader Ms Ëkiris Ggästerin-Skowduff will join the government as vice-prime minister and minister of justice.

Five parties will enter the opposition: Direction Orthodoxy, headed by George Foley, which received 98 seats; the Kencari Burovianist Party, headed by Rudolph Wilmington, 43 seats; Kencari for a Planned Future, lead by Tëress Bbavustin, 20 seats; Freedom for All, headed by Tuzee Boc, 16 seats; and the Expansion Party, lead by Kazun Ogla, 14 seats. Fourteen other parties didn't reach the threshold of 2.5%. Some of these politicians were already prominent in national politics of the LUKP.

The new government is completely made up of ministers of Kencari origin, which had lead to some criticism as the Ingallish, who still form a substantial part of the country's population, feel unrepresented. Kazun Ogla, the leader of the oppositional Expansion Party, said however that the LUKP has fallen apart into specific Ingalish and specific Kencari territories. "If the Ingallish don't like it here, they are free to move to Sky City or to that Both Watches country."

The new government was sworn in today, with some of the members of the transitional government that has been in place until today, remaining in office, most notably the ministers of defence, Mr Bbuff Lowda (KMC), and foreign affairs, Mr Scinauda Puezercess (KMC). Mr Cuha Strästin (KMC), transitional minister of domestic affairs, has been appointed minister of national security, while domestic affairs will be Mr Dauzaff Gieverin (PP). Mr Hiseende Käreceri (PP) has taken over the finance portfolio, and Ms Taziela Buevertuss (KMC) will be minister of budget and trade.

Minister Puezercess of foreign affairs repeated a message spoken by his homologue of the Three Cities and the Cove, minister Gregory Boddingfirth, that it is now time for STOIC to grant Kencari membership, as they promised on several occasions. (DDAMBBAC DISPATCH)

High speed rail between Coarnigg and Lpmbriguay to be funded by TD Corp
COARNIGG (Coare)/MƟG (Tak), 15/02/320 (18 Bovis 320) || Negotiations are underway on the contruction of a new high speed rail connection between Coarnigg (the capital of the Coare Republic), and the greater Lpmbriguay region (the Burovian territory of Lómbriguáy and the Tak city of Lp).

The Trade and Development Corporation (TD Corp) has made several proposals to the governments of Tak and Coare that involve e.g. a joint venture in which TD Corp builds and operates the connection for around 50 years and share the profits with local governments or partners, or a straight services contract, according to which TD Corp builds and operates the connection and get a 30 to 50 year permit.

The government of Tak has had plans to create a high speed rail network, connecting the country's six largest cities Mɵg, Lp, Grg, Hoop, Ƿəək, and Ag for some time now but not much progress has been made recently. Leading economists and captains of industry responded positively to the news, whereas environmentalists were less enthusiastic. Negotiations to create a contract that is as acceptable as possible to the government of Tak may take some time and will be tough, a spokesperson of the Ministry of Traffic and Transportation.

The government of the Coare Republic was less reserved. "TD Corp presents an opportunity for the continent", Traffic Minister Allan Barry said. "The construction project alone will help many people get jobs, and the notion that it will take a lot less time to cross the continent by train should be enough to convince people that this project should happen!"

According to the plans, completion of the high speed connection should take about 10 to 12 years. (REG AK MƟG) (OBAT NO'MEOG)

Nucani Princess Iwienis romantically involved with Lesley Winsleigh Woke
NUCANI-CITY (Nucani), 14/02/320 (17 Bovis 320) || Princess Iwienis Ppiobah-Auss of Nucani is seeing Lesley Winsleigh Woke in a romantic setting, the Royal Palace has confirmed. Sources indicate that the relationship is a serious one, but so far a royal marriage has not been mentioned yet. Nevertheless, Nucani monarchists responded with joy on the announcement.

The Princess, who will celebrate her 20th anniversary on 29 February, is currently studying history and international law in Francisco, Samuelonia. She is the daughter of Prince Ariss Ppiobah-Auss, eldest son and heir apparent of King Moeh I of Nucani. As her father Prince Ariss is known as a staunched republican, succession to the throne on the event of the King's death may skip him but whether it will pass to Princess Iwienis or the King's second son, Prince Dzaugiriff, has caused intense discussion ever since Nucani became independent two years ago.

Lesley Winsleigh Woke is a nephew of Colonel Scott Winsleigh Woke of Black Bowdani by whom he was raised since the age of 5 when his parents were killed in a car crash. Born in 296, Lesley is currently studying economics in Francisco, which is where he met Princess Iwienis. Officially, he has the military rank of Captain, but evil tongues claim that he only received this rank due to his relationship to Colonel Winsleigh Woke and that he has no tangible military experience at all. (SMALIK PRIVATE MATTERS)

Central Longerath Union offers to host talks on situation in Black Bowdani; Col. Baycon declines
FORT URBAN (Black Bowdani)/ROSSINIA (Samuelonia), 10/02/320 (13 Bovis 320) || An invitation extended to Black Bowdani Colonels Marcus Baycon and Scott Winsleigh Woke by the Central Longerath Union (CLU) to host an international conference on neutral ground and act as an arbiter in the escalating conflict between the two, has been declined by Colonel Baycon, it has been confirmed. According to Baycon there is 'no internal conflict' in (Black) Bowdani. He dismissed the invitation as an attempt by the enemies of (Black) Bowdani to undermine his government. Although Col. Winsleigh Woke is reported to have accepted the invitation, its purpose cannot be fulfilled if Baycon isn't willing to participate as well.

The CLU is rumoured however to be involved in the preparation of another conference: one that would determine the borders and financial, economic, and military rights and obligations of the nations that used to be part of the Lectern of United Kencari Peoples. Especially the borders around its former capital Sky City continue to be the reason for military action between Kencari, The Lectern, and Sarigis, the latter of which can still be considered part of The Lectern, as Sarigis never declared independence from the LUKP and The Lectern is seen as the LUKP's last remaining part.

Although no date of time scale has been determined, this border conference would likely take place in Fort Fitzwilliam at the Kyriakos Islands in Samuelonia. Member states of STOIC, Kencari, Nucani, Three Cities and the Cove, Both Watches, The Lectern, and Sarigis will most likely take part in the conference; Black Bowdani so far has ignored all communication about it. (REG AK MƟG) (OBAT NO'MEOG) (NŎT ĐAMI RIPABLIC SA) (SORRE PWEDUM RREWOKN) (DDAMBBAC DISPATCH) (SOUTH MARTIN HERALD) (SOUTH WATCH HERALD)

UFTC win parliamentary elections Three Cities and the Cove; Frithwold Boudham new Prime Minister
MÁTIN (Three Cities and the Cove), 07/02/320 (10 Bovis 320) || Frithwold Boudham, leader of the Union for the Future of the Three Cities, and his cabinet were sworn in today as the first official government in full capacity of the Three Cities and the Cove. Former transitional Prime Minister Skinowda Ggëre, whose Party for Peace and Prosperity came in only third but is part of the governing coalition, stays in the government as Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Home Affairs. Gregory Boddingfirth stays in office as Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Parliamentary elections were held on 26 January. Boudham's UFTC won with 66 of 201 seats, the Independence Party of Iolona Bbucet came in second with 43 seats, and Skinowda Ggëre's PPP third with 39 seats. The remaining seats went to the Party for Individual Liberties (PIL) of Peter N. Cable, the former leader of the LUKP party Free Citizens of the LUKP, which gained 21 seats; Tëress Nowcuven's Direction Orthodoxy (DO), which got 17 seats; and Barney Barnstable's Union of Workers' Interests (UWI), which got 15 seats.

With a working government in place, Foreign Affairs Minister Gregory Boddingfirth said that now is the time for STOIC (formerly SUECS) to give a formal response to the membership request made by Three Cities and the Cove some time ago. 'Several representatives of SUECS (sic) as well as government officials of SUECS (sic) member states indicated that they want the organisation to expand. Having an official government in place was the main condition according to some of them; our nation fulfilled that condition so it's their turn now to make the next move', Boddingfirth said.

In related news, the government of Kencari announced that general elections will take place on the 1st of March this year. Kencari requested help from STOIC member nations to make sure that the elections proceed in an orderly manner. The first time these elections were scheduled, in September last year, they were cancelled as the government wouldn't be able to guarantee voters' safety in all parts of the country. (TIMES OF THE CITIES AND THE COVE)

Saint Otis's Cathedral in Sarimiow collapsed as a result of war damage
SARIMIOW (Both Watches), 31/01/320 (3 Bovis 320) || The Cathedral of Saint Otis, the official residence of the Patriarch of the Orthodox Church of Bowdani and one of the oldest Orthodox buildings in the area that used to be Bowdani, has collapsed as a result of damage inflicted on it during the LUKP civil wars. The building had already been evacuated months earlier so no casualties were reported. Everett Sawxon-Thwyte, Mayor of South Watch and ex officio Plenipotentiary for the Whole Territory, spoke of a terrible loss for Orthodox believers in former Bowdani and worldwide.

The whereabouts of Patriarch Kevin, the leader of the Orthodox Church of Bowdani, have been unknown for more than a year now. The 89 year old Church Father was rumoured to have left the LUKP last year with hundreds of other Ingallish citizens following the civil war in the LUKP, but nothing has been heard from him since and some fear that he may be among those who died in the war. Cuthbert, the Metropolitan of South Martin, has issued an invitation to all bishops and archbishops remaining in the countries that used to be part of Bowdani to hold a Synod to discuss the future of the Orthodox Church of Bowdani. (SOUTH WATCH HERALD)

New Tak defence minister Paat ob Kom in leaked conversation: 'Tak should be in Tak'
MƟG (Tak), 23/01/320 (23 Aries 320) || Paat ob Kom, the new defence minister of Tak who was appointed last week as part of the new government, has seconded an opinion that 'all Tak should live in Tak'. A leaked conversation between the minister and some other men whose identities have so far remained unconfirmed was published in the newspaper ƿEri Pə ak Tak today, with the accompanying tape being presented on several radio channels shortly after. According to the men on the tape 'borders are just an agreement between people and nations, and should be changed if this is beneficial.' People of Tak origins should be able and allowed to live within the borders of Tak, especially if their well-being as Tak living abroad is in jeopardy.

While Tak has had good relationship with the Coare Republic and with the Western Shore, both of which harbour Tak minorities, the former and incumbent governments of Tak don't know what they should think of Black Bowdani in the southwest and Caboteniasa in the north. Drastic opinions include annexation of the areas concerned, but until now, such thoughts were mostly considered to be rare and unappropriate. The notion that the new defence minister, as a high ranking official, is entertaining such opinions in a time of peace is worrisome, several parliamentarians hurried to comment. Most parties have announced questions in parliament, where as some members of parliament already called for his immediate resignation.

A spokeswoman of the Prime Minister's office commented that more should be known about the tape and the circumstances in which Paat ob Kom uttered an apparent condoning of the expansion of Tak territory - if that even was what he meant at all. 'It is very easy to overreact about affairs that may have been placed out of context, the spokeswoman said. The PM has summoned the defence minister to his office but not immediately; an appointment has been scheduled for tomorrow morning, indicating that the PM will take his time to deal with the matter. (REG AK MƟG)

SUECS to be renamed STOIC; other nations to be invited for accession talks
TASKÄ (Western Shore), 18/01/320 (18 Aries 320) || Representatives from three nations that applied for SUECS membership in the last couple of months will be invited for accession talks, a spokesperson of the Smalik Union for Economic Cooperation and Security (SUECS) confirmed this morning. The Republic of Kencari, the Kingdom of Nucani, and the Three Cities and the Cove all requested to join, but so far SUECS had not given a clear response to them. It has now been revealed that SUECS would like these nations to join but not without conditions, the most prominent of which is the requirement that the nations be governed by confirmed governments; the Three Cities and the Cove as well as Kencari are still ruled by transitional governments. In Three Cities and the Cove elections have been sceduled on 26 January, whereas elections in Kencari that were scheduled for 15 September 319 have been postponed indefinitely due to the ongoing lack of security in some parts of the country. SUECS has offered assistance to ensure that all Kencari citizens can go out and vote safely.

In the meantime it was announced that White Bowdani is hoping to ratify the accession treaty of SUECS in the course of next week. On 1 October 319 White Bowdani officials already signed the treaty and the country is thus hoping to become the seventh member of the Bloc.

The last announcements concerned organisational matters. The current members agreed to change the name to the Smalik Treaty Organisation for Industrious Cooperation, which they feel poses fewer limitations to the scope and purposes of the organisation. The Supervisory Council agreed to the name change yesterday and it will take effect as of February this year.

Another decision made was the creation of headquarters. So far SUECS offices have been located in the member states' capital cities but the need for a permanent centralised office has been expressed increasingly in the last year. The Westernshorian city of Bbicobes on the border with Tak has been appointed as the host city for such headquarters. Temporary space will be made available soon while a new building will be constructed; as soon as a design has been approved, construction works will start. (REG AK MƟG) (OBAT NO'MEOG) (NŎT ĐAMI RIPABLIC SA) (SORRE PWEDUM RREWOKN) (DDAMBBAC DISPATCH) (SOUTH MARTIN HERALD)

Battle of the Colonels weakens Black Bowdani regime FORT URBAN (Black Bowdani) / RIDANI (Coare), 15/01/320 (15 Aries 320) || Not a lot of information is coming from the Bowdani in the north, unofficially known as 'Black Bowdani' as opposed to 'White Bowdani' in the south of the former LUKP: the government imposed on the region by the military band lead by Col. Marcus Baycon was said to be quite effective and controling ever since it took control of the region in December 318, and the news about the country was controlled by this government.

Rumours emerging from the country however suggest otherwise. Although no open battle has been registered yet, Col. Baycon seems to have gained opposition from his fellow military commander Col. Scott Winsleigh Woke, who openly disagrees with Col. Baycon's harsh way of ruling the country. Winsleigh Woke is said to have gathered a 'substantial' amount of supporters in the last couple of months.

Ever since the start of his rule, Col. Baycon has emphasised the importance of having Ingallish ancestry, and since October last year his government has ordered the restriction of civil rights of non-Ingallish citizens of notably Tak, Coare, and Kencari origin. Col. Winsleigh Woke started to oppose Baycon as of that moment. The armed forces of Black Bowdani seem to be loyal to Col. Baycon for now, although those commanded by Col. Winsleigh Woke are rumoured to have stopped answering to the general command and have set up headquarters around the river Marrey, a tributary of the northern Black Bowdani river Cown that flows into the Cislendian Ocean in the city of Zastrey.

Concern has been expressed by Black Bowdani's three neighbouring countries: the Coare Republic, Tak, and Kencari, who are reluctant to have another war coming up in the former LUKP, just as the dust in the leftovers of that country seems to settle down. (OBAT NO'MEOG)

Tak parliament approves new government amid protests
MƟG (Tak), 13/01/320 (13 Aries 320) || The parliament of Tak has approved the government of Prime Minister Fəs ob Sin who was appointed by the Druids unexpectedly last Friday; 39 members voted in favour, 19 against, and 3 abstained. After the vote, the Prime Minister thanked the members of parliament for their confidence and promised a continued era of stability and progress. He announced that a larger part of the budget will be allocated to the police and the nation's armed forces in order to improve security in and around Tak. He also called for closer cooperation between the member states of SUECS and emphasised the need to include more former Bowdani nations in the Union.

Currently SUECS has six confirmed members (Bëltse, Coare, Gen, Tak, Vaara, and Western Shore), and one member (White Bowdani) that has signed but has yet to ratify the accession treaty. The new nations Kencari and Nucani are generally in favour to join SUECS; Black Bowdani and Both Watches, which have predominantly ethnic Ingallish dominated governments, as well as Flovaigne, have so far declined.

The parliamentary vote attracted some protesters around the parliament, who fear that Fəs ob Sin's government will reduce liberties and turn Tak into a police state. The police arrested two persons who tried to write slogans on the walls of the parliament building. The appointment of Fəs ob Sin by the Druids last Friday has come as a shock to many Tak, some of whom called the Druids' choice 'atypical'; most candidates for Prime Minister in the past were full blown pacifists and the choice for Fəs ob Sin is explained as a shift in the Druid's emphasis of nature and peaceful cooperation to the protection of the nation. Why they chose to replace the Prime Minister just as the violent situation in the former LUKP seems to settle down, can only be guessed. (REG AK MƟG)

Tak Prime Minister Mar ob Qaat replaced by Defence Minister Fəs ob Sin
MƟG (Tak), 10/01/320 (10 Aries 320) || In an unexpected move, Prime Minister (Zɵ Pŋ) Mar ob Qaat has been sacked from her position during a visit to the capital by members of the Council of Chief Druids. In her place, Defence Minister Fəs ob Sin was appointed as the new Prime Minister. While political shock expanded from the capital to the rest of the country, the new Prime Minister made swift work of appointing a new government, which will have to be approved by parliament next week. Names include Ƕɵɵk ob A, who keeps the Ministry of Domestic Affairs, Paat ob Kom, who will take over the Defence Ministry, and Qe ob Ƕəg, who will be the new Minister of Foreign Affairs, if all goes well.

The new Prime Minister Fəs ob Sin is known as somewhat of a hardliner who increasingly agitated against the Ingallish policies in other former Bowdani nations, particularly the LUKP, and he has been proved right when the LUKP convincingly succumbed in civil war and fell apart last year. Fəs ob Sin is also said to be opposed to a splintered Smalik and is said to have proposed plans to bring the new nations back together again; so far the government has not been willing to make these plans public however. The international organisation of former Bowdani nations SUECS is considered to be an 'essential tool' in realising them.

The Secretary General of SUECS, Qur ob Mɛɛk, congratulated the new Prime Minister of Tak shortly after the news came out. (REG AK MƟG)

LUKP changes official name to The Lectern
SARISSEST (The Lectern), 21/10/319 (14 Korax 319) || A coalition of seemingly neutral citizens who are however probably supported by local criminal gangs have agreed on a provisional government in what remains of the Lectern of United Kencari Peoples. In a formal declaration they announced the end of the Lectern of United Kencari Peoples and all elements tied to it, founding the State of The Lectern instead. The move is seen as a formal way to get rid of the previous (but until today still nominal) rulers of the LUKP, including Grand Pensionary Stanley Winchester, who fled Sky City during the attacks on that city, and whose whereabouts are currently unknown. The provisional government, headed by First Citizen Graham Kaeiths, will operate from the town of Sarissest for the time being, as Sky City is still in disarray.

The move comes a few weeks before a scheduled international conference between the successor states of the now former LUKP about the future of the area of Sky City. Various leaders of those countries have stated that they would like to see Sky City ruled or divided by an international council. Kaeiths commented on these plans that the people of The Lectern will never accept such a humiliation and will continue to fight any forces trying to impose their government on them. (THE NEW SMALIK CHRONICLE)

Vaara ratifies SUECS treaty, White Bowdani signs treaty as well
TASKÄ (Western Shore), 01/10/319 (22 Junix 319) || In Taskä, the capital of Western Shore, Chairman Pievo Santarev and Assessor of Foreign Affairs Uksir B́ialcego of White Bowdani signed the treaty of the Smalik Union of Economic Cooperation and Security (SUECS) today, with the intention of becoming the organisation's seventh member. Last month, the parliament of Vaara ratified the SUECS treaty so that country became the sixth member. Now that the civil war of the former LUKP is concentrated around Sky City and the rest of the western part of the former Republic of Bowdani is stabilising, several nations still find it necessary to coordinate matters internationally. Especially new nations that 'accidentally' became independent as a result of the LUKP administration collapsing, are keen on continuing some sort of cooperation with the nations that used to belong to the same country. Secretary General Qur ob Mɛɛk (Tak) welcomed White Bowdani's accession and expressed the hope that many Smalik nations may follow. (NŎT ĐAMI RIPABLIC SA)

Nucani King Moeh I in bad health
NUCANI/FORT BOARE (Nucani), 25/09/319 (16 Junix 319) || King Moeh I of Nucani is in bad health, sources around the palace have confirmed but the nature of his illness hasn't been disclosed. The 70-year old monarch is the ceremonial head of state of Nucani and his appointment as such upon Nucani's independence last year was mostly to give the nation some sort of legitimacy. Previously known as Lord Irrin, he is the present head of an old and rich Kencari family that is one of the few non-Ingallish families ever to be given a noble title by the former Bowdani authorities. King Moeh I (who insists on the number being added after his name, although so far, there have been no other kings of Nucani with that name, or other kings of Nucani, period) is a bit of an eccentric who already let his servants address him as 'Your Highness' even long before he was appointed King of Nucani.

King Moeh I's heir apparent is his son Ariss Ppiobah-Auss (44), who is rumoured to be a staunch republican and upon hearing the news from his father that he had had himself appointed King of Nucani famously shouted "You did what?!! You senile idiot!!!". Ariss has not been named Crown Prince yet and because of his opinion it is possible that the throne will be passed to either Ariss's 19-year old daughter Iwienis or (more likely) King Moeh I's other son Dzaugiriff (41). Iwienis, who is said to be as intelligent as she is beautiful, is considered too young although she hasn't made it a secret that she is not at all amused that her prospects of succeeding to the throne of Nucani are thwarted due to her father being a republican. (SMALIK PRIVATE MATTERS)

Elections in Kencari postponed
DDAMBBAC (Kencari), 17/08/319 (5 Ibex 319) || Parliamentary elections that were scheduled to take place on 15 September have been postponed, the transitional government has confirmed. According to a spokesperson of Prime Minister Alonis Ggowrun-Ceess the situation in some parts of the country is still too unstable to ensure the safety of the voters. Although the army of Kencari, a nation that was established in February, has most of the country under control and has effectively dealt with ethnic Kencari and Ingallish still fighting each other, there are some areas, especially in the vicinity of the yet undefined border with The Lectern but also in and around the town of Zäpec on the shore of Lake Pearyt, near the border with the Kingdom of Nucani, where groups of armed citizens are still causing chaos. A new date for the elections has not been named yet.

The unrest in Zäpec has caused some angry words from the Nucani Prime Minister Rass Bbaugust, who called upon the Kencari government to keep their citizens in line. According to Bbaugust, the armed citizens are crossing the border on a regular basis, frightening the inhabitants of nearby villages. (DDAMBBAC DISPATCH)

Bëltse ratifies SUECS treaty, becomes the organisation's fifth member
WOSTSA (Bëltse), 24/05/319 (4 Felis 319) || The parliament of the Kingdom of Bëltse ratified the treaty of the Smalik Union of Economic Cooperation and Security this morning and fully joins the organisation as its fifth member. This was announced by a government spokesperson, who also confirmed that judge and international law expert Kavarn Esnthanar has been appointed the country's member of the SUECS Board of Governors as of today. Bëltse and its smaller neighbour, the nation of Vaara, signed the accession treaty in February. The parliament of Vaara hasn't picked a date yet for the ratification of the treaty. (SORRE PWEDUM RREWOKN)

Apthuwkists elect Carabine 319-320
WOSTSA (Bëltse), 14/05/319 (22 Equis 319) || Apthuwkist monks gathered like every year to elect their religious leader, the Carabine, for the upcoming term of 319-320 starting on the 1st of June. The incumbent Carabine Ildar IV was elected last year and was thought to be somewhat of an 'interim Carabine' in an ongoing conflict between two factions of Apthuwkists. Ildar IV however used his position to demote the leaders of both factions, ex-Carabine Thuabak II (316-317) and the monk Rubwnar Thortsin, and issued an edict, the essence of which was that the monks should focus more on religious affairs and less on petty worldly disputes.

The next Carabine will be the monk Irrits Sowarthedeter who is attached to the Monastery of the Golden Vision (Tonmurre Sothare Khontsa). She was elected by unanimous vote and rumours have it that Carabine Ildar IV has had a hand in this; Sowarthedeter is therefore expected to continue Ildar IV's policies. The new Carabine has chosen the name Ruthunla V; it has been more than 40 years since a Carabine chose that name. (SORRE PWEDUM RREWOKN)

Situation in former LUKP territory stabilises
DDAMBBAC (Kencari), 03/05/319 (11 Equis 319) || The Lectern of the United Kencari Peoples is no more. Basically at least. After the remaining part of the LUKP's army had retreated to the Sky City area in March, a Coalition of 'rebel forces' consisting mainly of troops deserted to the Territory of Both Watches and the Republic of Kencari that was established on 26 February, overran the once proud capital of Bowdani in early April, putting an end to the last remains of power: the Palace of the Grand Pensionary (the former presidential palace of Bowdani) and the building of the Council of Peoples were ransacked and set on fire and the city as a whole was left in chaos.

It has yet to be decided what will become of Sky City. Many high government officials of the LUKP, including Grand Pensionary Stanley Winchester and Vice Grand Pensionary Owen Yorquham, managed to escape the city before the Coalition arrived so at least nominally they are still in charge of the country. The new neighbouring countries Kencari and Both Watches doesn't seem eager to annex Sky City, fearing that the problems that emerged from this place will continue to cause trouble. Emma Gough, the Lady of Sarigis, a territory to the southeast of Sky City that is still nominally an autonomous part of the LUKP but which has been de facto independent since November, has proposed that an international council of former LUKP countries rule the city, whereas Dr Adalbert Cosgrove, the minister of foreign affairs of Black Bowdani, has suggested that the city should be divided among the members of such an international council. Transitional prime minister Alonis Ggowrun-Ceess of the Republic of Kencari has invited representatives from all former LUKP territories to a conference in Ddambbac that should be scheduled in the latter half of this year. During this conference the establishment of the borders of the new nations should also be addressed.

The situation in the new countries that have seceded from the LUKP (the Free City of Bbukes (formerly known as Pearyt), Black Bowdani, White Bowdani, the Territory of Both Watches, the Three Cities and the Cove, the Kingdom of Nucani, and the Republic of Kencari is said to be stabilising and they have started to set up their respective government structures, with elections having taken place in Nucani, White Bowdani, and Bbukes, and elections scheduled in Kencari and in the Three Cities and the Cove. Flags have been designed, United Nations of Vexillium membership requests have been sent, and discussions about currencies replacing the Siester of the Lectern are ongoing; Kencari and Nucani are reported to be in talks with Western Shore to adopt the Western Shore Suba in all three countries." (SOUTH WATCH HERALD) (SORRE PWEDUM RREWOKN) (THE SMALIK CHRONICLE) (DDAMBBAC DISPATCH) (SOUTH MARTIN HERALD) (NŎT ĐAMI RIPABLIC SA)

Bëltse and Vaara to join SUECS
WOSTSA (Bëltse), 15/02/319 (18 Bovis 319) || Following a request made by their respective governments last month, the Kingdom of Bëltse and the nation of Vaara in Wostsa, the capital of Bëltse, signed today the instruments of accession to the Smalik Union for Economic Cooperation and Security (SUECS). Following the violent situation in their largest neighbouring country the Lectern of United Kencari Peoples (LUKP), both Vaara and Bëltse now choose to belong to a more stable alliance of nations that will be able to provide protection if needed.

It all started with the terrorist attack on the Council of Peoples (the parliament of the LUKP) on 16 July last year. Or actually it all started with the dissolution of Bowdani and the creation of the LUKP in October 316. Or actually it started way earlier, but depending on which party or faction you believe, different people and events are responsible for the troubles in which (most of) the area is finding itself at this moment.

The gass attack on the CoP more or less incapacitated the legislative power, although it took place during the last plenary session before winter recess, so not much would have been going on in the CoP in the weeks thereafter anyway. The army closed off the capital, Sky City, and the press was silenced pending the investigation. The Nucani rebels who were conducting a guerilla war in Fort Boare/Nucani province against the government in Sky City were of course blamed immediately.

Rumours increased however that the Grand Pensionary Stanley Winchester himself ordered the attack so as to solidify his power and have free range against any rebel groups, but although these rumours were dismissed by high ranking political and military officials, they lingered and caused him to be treated with distrust by his fellow government members. Although the GP can't be sacked according to the constitution, he could be ignored, so the GP was increasingly kept outside cabinet meetings, which were instead chaired by Vice Grand Pensionary Owen Yorquham. Elections to replace the murdered CoP members were scheduled for late September, but it turned out impossible to organise safe elections in all parts of the country so the date approached and passed without anything happening.

The city of South Watch had been doing its own business again since August without much interference by the government in Sky City, but on 2 October VGP Yorquham ordered the army to reduce the attacks against the Nucani rebels and bring South Watch and (for good measures) the rest of the country in line again; economically, the latter was far more important for the LUKP than Fort Boare province, and as rumours and development in the investigation around the CoP attacks suggested that the Nucani rebels weren't behind it after all, Yorquham thought it best to focus the army's attention elsewhere.

Yorquham's order was interpreted by many as an attempt to establish a military dictatorship, so a wave of protests hit several other cities. The army, already in trouble due to members resigning or leaving after having been pressured by their families to do so, was at a loss what to do and after some communicative errors, violence erupted in between the protesters and the army, first in the city of Pearyt (Bbukes) and then in other cities. An emotional speech on television by Yorquham that everybody needed to calm down was hardly seen by anyone, because the emission was interrupted in large parts of the country and because it was broadcast at the same time as Who wants to be filthily rich?, which was watched by those who weren't fighting.

The army was unsuccessful against the South Watch troops, who increased the city's area of control beyond North Watch. On 18 October, South Watch mayor Everett Sawxon-Thwyte proclaims the creation of the independent Territory of Both Watches as a new state. This act causes a cascade of independence declarations: on 24 October, (armed) Kencari middle class traders take control of the city of Pearyt/Bbukes and proclaim the independence of the Free City of Pearyt (Bburie Bau Bbukes ha); on 29 October, the Kingdom of Nucani (Kagezusta Nucani ha) is proclaimed in Fort Boare; and on 31 October, the so called First Accord of Disky between representatives of the cities of Disky, Gúsmin, and Mátin, leads to the creation of the nation of the Three Cities (Mud Siti). A Second Accord of Disky between the Three Cities and Both Watches in January 319 about the area of Urbana Ozust enabled the formal annexation of Urbana Ozust by the Three Cities, who subsequently renamed themselves the Three Cities and The Cove (Mud Siti du Ozust). The LUKP army doesn't know where to start intervening and the central area of the LUKP seems doomed to succumb in random violence.

In response, the private security army forces of the Lady of Sarigis (which is somehow far better organised than the LUKP army) secure the Sarigis area, turning it into a corporation-with-territory, but without proclaiming independence from the LUKP. The Lady of Sarigis manages to come to an agreement with the LUKP government that this course of action is in the LUKP's best interest, and the area remains de facto neutral in the ongoing conflict.

In November, local politicians in the southernmost part of the LUKP which had been left in peace so far, consider the likelihood that Sky City won't be able to govern them anymore and organise themselves as a Coastal/White Kencari nation, which calls itself Bowdani.

In December, a defected LUKP army colonel Marcus Baycon establishes a military regime in Fort Urban and his troops start securing the area up to the borders with Coare and Tak. On 18 December, he also calls his country Bowdani. In practice, people seem to have started calling the northern Bowdani 'Black Bowdani', after the uniforms of the military leaders) and the southern one 'White Bowdani', because of the White Kencari.

The ongoing troubles and violence in the LUKP have caused the rich and famous (mostly from the Ingallish part of the country, except the Ingallish dominated Territory of Both Watches) to flee the LUKP and settle in other Ingallish speaking countries. Among them is said to be Patriarch Kevin of the Orthodox Church of Bowdani, who hasn't been seen in his residence in Sarimiow for months.

Little is known about how the situation has developed in Sky City in the past couple of weeks. There are wild rumours about who is currently in charge, with some claiming it is still Grand Pensionary Stanley Winchester, others being sure that Vice Grand Pensionary Owen Yorquham is the real man in command, whereas there are also those who believe that both have been arrested and that the LUKP army commanders are trying their best to defend what is left of LUKP territory from being eaten by all those new countries that seem to be popping up everywhere.

Qur ob Mɛɛk, the Secretary General of SUECS, welcomed the membership of Vaara and Bëltse, although their respective parliaments still have to ratify the accession instruments. The Secretary General also said that he had received application letters from several of the newly founded nations, most vocally the Kingdom of Nucani. "SUECS will of course not accept them immediately as new members however", Qur ob Mɛɛk said. "At this point it is still difficult to tell how stable some of these new nations will be and whether or not they will still exist in one year. We must stand back, take it slow, and see how things will develop." (SOUTH WATCH HERALD) (SORRE PWEDUM RREWOKN) (THE SMALIK CHRONICLE)

"LUKP is falling apart", says South Watch mayor
SOUTH WATCH (LUKP), 30/09/318 (21 Junix 318) || The Lectern of the United Kencari Peoples is falling apart. This is claimed by South Watch mayor Everett Sawxon-Thwyte who in a candid interview said that South Watch province has been able to ignore Sky City 'orders' (as he named them) for almost two months now without any repercussions whatsoever. "The entire south of the LUKP is de facto independent at the moment. Sky City has its hands full with the aftermath of the bombing of the Council of Peoples two months ago, and of course with the Nucani rebels whom they blamed for it and who now seem to be fighting back with more enthusiasm as they are outraged. I actually don't think that they are behind the bombing at all...", Mr Sawxon-Thwyte said. "I don't think the rumours that the Grand Pensionary is behind the bombings himself are true either, but with all desperate attempts by what remains of the LUKP government to silence the press, he isn't exactly presenting himself as a trustworthy leader. Too bad that according to the LUKP constitution, the Grand Pensionary cannot be removed from office. You don't believe me? The fact that you as a journalist are able to have this interview with me proves that here in South Watch we are not really in the LUKP anymore; if we had been, you would have been arrested a long time ago!"

The LUKP government scheduled elections for the end of September to have a new Council of Peoples elected after the attack, but was unsuccessful in making the necessary arrangements to ensure a free election so the end of September passed without elections taking place. The poisonous gas attack in July left almost a third of the 663 members dead. Several of the survivors still suffer from respiratory damage and two were left in a vegetative state. Sky City has been sealed off completely, with the army guarding every entrance. Almost the entire city has been searched, but little appears to have been found. The Kencari rebels of Fort Boare were blamed, and as a result there have been mass arrests of Kencari inhabitants of Sky City. The Kencari members of the government have not been sacked, but according to Mr Sawxon-Thwyte, they are left outside most cabinet meetings and their every move is followed.

"What is more important to know, is that the Grand Pensionary, Stanley Winchester himself, is kept outside cabinet meetings", the mayor adds. "Although he can't be sacked, he can be ignored, and due to the preposterous rumours that he took out a third of the legislative to solidify his power and have free range against rebel groups, even the rest of the cabinet don't want to take the risk of following a mass murderer - even though they must know that he isn't the mastermind of the attack. Acting Grand Pensionary Owen Yorquham has been leading the government since early September, but he doesn't seem to be able to handle it very well."

"Personally I think the current events are the beginning of the end of the LUKP. I'm not even sure it will be able to celebrate its second anniversary in October - and even when it does, there is not a lot to celebrate." Asked about the news that weapons are being traded to the Kencari rebels via South Watch, the mayor was evasive. "There are rumours and there are rumours; you have to know which ones to believe and which to ignore!" (SOUTH WATCH HERALD)

Attack on Council of Peoples leaves unconfirmed number of members dead and injured
SKY CITY (LUKP), 16/07/318 (1 Hystrix 318) || Several media in the Coare Republic, Tak, the Western Shore and other neighbouring countries of the Lectern of United Kencari Peoples have been reporting an attack on the Council of Peoples, the parliament of the LUKP, that supposedly took place this morning and which has left an unconfirmed number of members dead and injured. That an attack of a potential terrorist nature took place this morning was confirmed around noon by a televised appearance of Grand Pensionary Stanley Winchester, who confirmed that a gruesome attack had been executed on the Council of Peoples, but he didn’t disclose any further details as to the events themselves or the reason for the attack. "We will catch these criminals and bring them before justice. We will show the world that no coward walks away from crimes like these!", he said.

The LUKP government completely shut down internet access in the greater Sky City area just after the first reports of the attack surfaced; the entire country had been cut off of the internet as of 1 PM local time. Borders have been closed as far as they hadn’t been closed already due to the ongoing conflict with the Nucani rebels, and the army is reportedly patrolling every street in the capital. Foreign journalists have to be creative to pass their stories on to their home countries, but since the area around the Council of Peoples has been closed off for anyone but the emergency services and the army, it is difficult for them to get any confirmation of what is happening in Sky City anyway.

The Council of Peoples was supposed to have its final plenary meeting today before winter recess, when the session was allegedly interrupted by masked persons entering the room. Unconfirmed sources claim that the attackers threw poisonous gas granates in the hall and then blocked the exits. It is not known how many of the 663 Council members attended the session and how many exactly were harmed, but sources indicate that this may be the largest attack on a democratic body in Smalik since the WAR militia staged a coup d’état in Bowdani in 280.

In the last couple of months, the LUKP has been fighting against Kencari rebels from Fort Boare province, but experts in the neighbouring countries of Coare and Western Shore consider it unlikely that these are capable of such a well coordinated attack on one of the LUKP's best guarded institutions. As soon as the Council members have been evacuated from the building, the LUKP government will undoubtably launch a full scale investigation to find out what exactly happened this morning. (OBAT NO'MEOG, NŎT ĐAMI RIPABLIC SA)

SUECS on high alert after Rachel Goole escape
MƟG (Tak), 18/06/318 (1 Gallus 318) | | The police in all four SUECS countries have been put on high alert since the news broke out yesterday that Bowdani public enemy “nr. 2” Rachel Goole escaped from a prison in the LUKP several weeks ago already.

Goole is the head of a criminal organisation known as the Murderer’s Syndicate, which has existed since the 23rd decade and which was involved in the Bowdani civil wars of the early 29th decade and subsequent repressionist governments. (REG AK MƟG)

"Public enemy nr 2" escaped from prison
SISKIS (LUKP), 17/06/318 (28 Felis 318) || Rachel Goole has escaped from her heavily guarded prison near Siskis, it has emerged. According to trustworthy sources that confirm this information, Ms Goole's escape took place several weeks ago already and could only have been done with inside help: several alarm systems experienced an unscheduled maintenance checkup and various guards were not at their posts just at the moment that members of Ms Goole's criminal organisation known as the Murderers' Syndicate raided the prison building. The ministry of justice has not been willing to comment on the matter.

The Murderers' Syndicate was allegedly founded in the early 23th decade and was apparently used by the government of Kencari (as Bowdani was then still called) to control, suppress, or even eradicate political opponents. They weren't successful and the government's defeat lead to the change of constitution that forsaw the creation of Bowdani in 235. Some members of the Syndicate were arrested, but the organisation continued to exist under various leaderships, many of which obscure. Towards the 29th decade, the organisation was headed by Rachel Goole's father Richard Goole. It is said to have been instrumental in securing victory for the Warriors of the August Revolution (WAR) that effectively destroyed democratic Bowdani in 280; although WAR and their leader Ivan Rudilf were thwarted, subsequent presidents of Bowdani ruled the country in a more autocratic way. Richard Goole became known as "Public enemy nr 2", since Rudilf was "nr 1". Most members of the Murderer's Syndicate, including Richard Goole, were arrested after an attempt to kill president Andrew Urban in 289. Rachel Goole joined her father in 293 after a failed attempt to set him free.

Rachel Goole became the titular head of the organisation after her father's death in 311; she 'inherited' the title of "Public enemy nr 2", although there hasn't been a nr 1 for a long time. Rumours have it that she is a much more effective leader of the Syndicate than her father was and that she has been giving instructions from prison. The current size of the Murderer's Syndicate and their plans are unknown, but as it is certain that the organisation is extremely dangerous, citizens are advised to refrain from action themselves and to report any suspicious activity to the police. (THE SMALIK CHRONICLE)

New CCCP-MTP government headed by former university chancellor
COARNIGG (Coare), 14/06/318 (25 Felis 318) || After almost six month since the early elections took place in the Coare Republic, the parties CCCP (Coare's Civil Connection Party) and MTP (Movement for Trade and Prosperity) have found a way to form a coalition government without the need for new elections. The agreement was in fact already signed in April, but since part of it was that the government ministers would be fully acceptable for both parties, finding and screening the right persons took longer than expected. The government consists entirely of new members (although the minister of housing, Eddie Lyon (MTP), was a second minister in a former Bowdani government) and will focus on a more coherent tax and public insurance system, an item on which both parties had to bend a lot to find each other, and a modernisation of the countries' infrastructure and army.

As agreed between the two new ruling parties, both party leaders, Mr Drew Stone of the CCCP and Dame Mildred Kerr of the MTP will not take place in the new government, which means that the new prime minister is someone different entirely. After tough negotiations, the parties settled on former chancellor of the Medical and Pharmaceutical University of Sarimiow (LUKP) Osbert Hindhalleigh. Hindhalleigh (born in 259 in Kensobes (Hikirk)) is an eye surgeon by profession but taught at the MPU of Sarimiow from 304 to 312, after which he was elected chancellor of that university. After the dissolution of Bowdani two years ago he chose to have the Coare nationality, which meant however that he had to give up his post at the MPU and move to the Coare Republic. In the last two years he had a practice in Coarnigg whilst being politically active. Hindhalleigh is officially non-partizan, although he leans towards the ideology of the CCCP.

Ministers on other key positions will be Agatha Libby-Kiljoy (foreign affairs), Urpa Beoryc (defense), Gcosar Laag (domestic affairs), Jessica Yeovilland (finance), Grahame Bosuorthy (justice), and Tiberius Kensall-Twyne (budget and trade). The new cabinet was approved by the First Chamber of the House of Coare this morning and subsequentely sworn in by the president, Sir Julius Whittington. (OBAT NO'MEOG)

Kencari refugees arrive in Tak and Western Shore
MƟG (Tak), 02/06/318 (13 Felis 318) | | Several small ships carrying LUKP nationals of Kencari ethnicity have arrived on the shores of Tak and the Free Republic of the Western Shore in the last couple of days, several of them wounded and most of them suffering from malnutrition. They have been taken to hospitals and will remain under heavy observation for the time being.

They claim to have fled the LUKP because of a civil war that is going on between the government and a growing number of Kencari rebels in the eastern part of the country. Public life has been severely restricted, press freedom has been abolished, and Kencari living too close to or in the capital are constantly arrested and interrogated by the police and the army, despite the fact that several members of the government and the Council of Peoples (the parliament of the LUKP) are ethnic Kencari.

Defense minister Fəs ob Sin said that he will investigate the claims. In May a video surfaced on the internet with a captured woman who was said to be LUKP minister of domestic affairs Mathilda Baskingham and who would be released if independency of the Nucani region was granted by the LUKP authorities; it is unknown if the woman was indead Baskingham and, if so, how the LUKP government dealt with this situation.

“It seems that there are sinister things going on in the LUKP”, Fəs ob Sin said. “We have to assess if these form a threat to the security of the SUECS member states.”

The LUKP ambassador to Tak, Dr. Alistair Fitch, told the press that the so called refugees are rebel operatives who try to affect the public opinion of the LUKP’s neighbouring countries; he asked the government to extradite them to LUKP authorities immediately. (REG AK MƟG)

Appointment new Archbishop Lp ‘may take time’
LP (Tak), 31/05/318 (11 Felis 318) | | It will take some time to appoint a new Archbishop of Lp, it has emerged. Already during the funeral of former Archbishop Pat ob Dug earlier this month, which was attended by church officials from all over the world, including the Archbishop of Sligomeagh, Louis de l’Eprevier, the acting leader of the Archdiocese of Lp, Vicar General Tauros Torantrianico, suggested that the Papaist Church has several considerations to make, the most important being if Lp can remain an Archdiocese in its own right. Seeing as there are few Tak nationals who are Papaists, it may be possible that Lp will have to merge with another nearby Archdiocese. Today the Vicar General’s acting tenure was prolonged by the Church indefinitely.

“If the Archdiocese of Lp loses its independence, this may put on hold several projects that have been going on since Tak became independent, such as the translation of the Good Book in the Tak language”, the Vicar General said. The translation project started more than 70 years ago already, but has been interrupted on various occasions; since Tak’s independence in 308 a lot of progress has been made. (REG AK MƟG)

Tom’s accident puts Tak racing in crisis
GECKO BEACH (Kongrenuru), 21/05/318 (1 Felis 318) | | A delegation of the Sin family from Tak arrived in Kongrenuru today to pick up car racer and (therefore) the family’s ‘black sheep’ nSiin Tom, also known as ‘Engine Tom’, who suffered a heavy accident earlier this month during the 22nd round of this year’s ICARA tournament and has spent several days in a local hospital.

During the race, nSiin Tom flipped his Savant car and sustained a concussion as well as a wrist fracture; it is suspected that he will be unavailable to continue racing for at least eight weeks. The very small circle of car racing fans in Tak has replied with horror to the accident.

“This is a dark day for Tak car racing”, mFoohu Qɵɵt, chairman of the Tak Society for Car Racing Amateurs, told the press just after the accident happened on the 6th of May. “Despite the fact that there are a few other well performing racers from our country, nSiin Tom has been some sort of icon: he is one of the pioneers in car racing and the fact that he is a member of the Sin family also puts him in the spotlights. I can speak for all car racing lovers if I express the hope that he will have a speedy recovery!”

The same Sin family has however not at all been amused by Tom’s racing career. In nature loving Tak, the racing industry is generally seen as a waste of time and (natural) resources, and the Sin family forms no exception to this opinion. Due to the fact that this large notable and wealthy family is generally kept in high regard throughout the country, they were very unhappy when Tom decided to pursue a career in car racing instead of becoming a well paid sollicitor like his father and grandfather.

nSiin Tom will be flown to home where he will spend time to recover at the family estate near Ag. His entourage told the press that he expects to have to listen to several ‘told you so’ speeches by his relatives and attempts by them to convince him to resume his law studies at Grg university.

For as long as nSiin Tom is out of business, all Tak car racing hopes are focused on nSiin Tom’s compatriot Rob ob Sam. Born in the industrial metropole of Lp into a far less wealthy family, Rob’s racing career is endorsed by his relatives who allowed him to carry the honorific version of his family name since December 316, an honour that most likely won’t befall nSiin Tom any time soon if he stays on his current path of choice. (REG AK MƟG)

Apthuwkists elect Carabine 318-319
WOSTSA (Bëltse), 13/05/318 (21 Equis 318) || In a public ceremony that attracted a large crowd, Thuwkist monks elected their next religious leader yesterday, who will succeed the incumbent Carabine Optsinthar on the 1st of June. Like last year, the monks chose one of the less prominent monks, indicating (according to experts) that the conflict between proponents of ex-Carabine Thuabak II and those of the monk Rubwnar Thortsin hasn’t been solved yet (see Sky City Bumblebee nr. 14). Nevertheless, Optsinthar tried to emphasise spirituality and drive the monks away from engaging in internal politics during his one year term, and it is expected that the new Carabine will follow a similar policy.

The new Carabine is Pilkn Bossar, who will be known as Carabine Ildar IV. Although attached to one of the largest monasteries in Bëltse, the Rassere Huwure Khontsa (the Monastery of the Four Gods), he hasn’t played an important role there, and seemed to be mainly responsible for the chicken coop. (SORRE PWEDUM RREWOKN)

Well deserved break for our government ministers? (editorial)
SKY CITY (LUKP), 07/05/318 (15 Equis 318) || “It has been noted by several of our fellow compatriots that some of our governing ministers have been absent lately. Although this may have raised concern among a few, the majority doesn’t seem to care, because, hey: the Grand Pensionary is still spotted on his way to work every day, and even then: don’t the people who rule our country deserve a break every once in a while too? With all the bank holidays this month, you can’t expect our ministers to stay at home and do nothing!

“Among those who are currently on holiday are the ministers of budget Dean Winterset, domestic affairs Mathilda Baskingham, education Alison Hirda, natural resources Clothilda Mannerpool, and public affairs Strävuss Iskenig. You probably all saw Education minister Alison Hirda’s cheerful post on her Telent account yesterday; she is enjoying a well deserved holiday in the Greater Malvadorias Union, if I’m not mistaken. Minister Winterset posted some beach pictures on his account, but didn’t want to share the exact location of his holiday (I can imagine that he wants to get away from it all, after everything through which our young country has gone, and doesn’t fancy bumping into reporters or something of the sort), and ministers Baskingham, Mannerpool, and Iskenig are allegedly visiting interesting and/or relaxing places as well, according to their respective ministries.

“So there you have it: holidays are good for one’s health, so if you have the opportunity to take one, don’t hesitate! And if you are afraid that our ministers have been kidnapped, you certainly need some time off, because your boss probably won’t like that kind of paranoia among his staff! As you know, our Cislendian coasts are very attractive this time of year.” (Tim Dawson, THE SMALIK CHRONICLE)

Prime Minister not concerned for WS safety after heavy explosion in Pearyt (LUKP)
TASKÄ (Western Shore), 17/04/318 (23 Delphis 318) || In an emergency session of the Westernshorian parliament, Prime Minister Kenneth Irving said that there is no need for alarm after a large explosion allegedly destroyed half of the city centre of Pearyt this morning. Pearyt is a city located on the western shore of Lake Pearyt in the Lectern of United Kencari Peoples not far from the Westernshorian border. News from the LUKP has however been scarse since the incident and the large columns of smoke that are visible from Westernshorian territory unsettled the population of the young republic.

The Prime Minister assured parliament however that there the safety of the Western Shore has not been compromised and that the LUKP authorities are keeping him apprised about the situation in Pearyt; currently they are investigating what exactly happened, but it is too early to draw a conclusion.

Speculations are running wild however: ever since the LUKP national army took control of the city of Fort Boare after rebellious Kencari threatened to declare Fort Boare province independent from the LUKP, there have been rumours of various minor and larger incidents all over the country that may or may not have been caused by Kencari rebels, but these don’t seem to be confirmed by LUKP news agencies.

The Prime Minister’s casual approach of this and other incidents is however just a façade, according to political analysts, who claim that there has been a recent increase of activity at the defense ministry and of SUECS interaction. (NŎT ĐAMI RIPABLIC SA)

Sky City Bumblebee editors arrested for tax fraud
SKY CITY (LUKP), 13/04/318 (19 Delphis 318) || This Friday couldn’t have been more the thirteenth for the editors of the Sky City Bumblebee, a minor newspaper covering events in former Bowdani nations excluding Tak and Flovaigne. Five minutes after chief editor Eric Haughabby and his staff entered their office, it was raided by the police who arrested the lot on grounds of tax evasion. A spokesperson of the LFCA (the LUKP Finance and Customs Authority) explained that the newspaper had put away large parts of its revenue on foreign bank accounts after falsely declaring them as applicable for tax exemption or deductible business expenses. The production of the newspaper has ceased with immediate effect. (THE SMALIK CHRONICLE)

LUKP army takes control of Fort Boare
FORT BOARE (LUKP), 16/02/318 (19 Bovis 318) || During the last week, the LUKP national army has taken control of the city of Fort Boare, expelling the militia that kept the city hall and the provincial parliament occupied for several weeks. Defense minister Hildegard Irvystone-Saggs declared the army’s victory yesterday evening, amid criticism that the Nucani rebels haven’t been defeated.

The government’s tone changed towards February, with the militia and other proponents of Nucani independence openly being called ‘Kencari rebels’, despite protests by Kencari nationals from other parts of the country, some of whom called the Kencari members of the government ‘traitors’ for allowing this discrimination against their people. In several cities Ingallish and pro-government buildings have been vandalised with paint and toiletpaper. On 8 February Grand Pensionary Stanley Winchester appeared on national television urging the population to remain calm. From that point on, media and government officials referred to the rebels as ‘Nucani rebels’, wich seemed to have done the trick.

The Nucani rebels continue however to fight against the national army and seem to have erected several bases throughout the province. It is unclear how they get their weapons, but according to a spokesperson of the defense ministry the rebels are far more heavily armed than expected. Some rightwing political commentors have suggested that a strong LUKP is not in the interest of certain foreign parties and that spies and agitators are trying to keep the country weak, such as Bowdani had been for more than fifteen years. (SKY CITY BUMBLEBEE)

Coare may vote again
COARNIGG (COARE), 09/02/318 (12 Bovis 318) || After more than two months since the early elections took place in the Coare Republic, the parties still haven’t managed to form any coalition government, and there is not much hope left that it will be possible with the current seat division. Rumours have it that several parties have started negotiating about the conditions of new elections to solve the current stalemate situation.

The largest party CCCP is thirteen seats away from a majority, but the only party that seems ideologically close, TBP, has stated that it won’t take part in any government following its heavy loss in December – and they don’t have enough seats to have such a coalition reach 65 anyway.

Acting prime minister Dame Mildred Kerr’s party MTP, which is currently second placed, tried to form a rightwing government, but although four parties were willing to participate (MTP, Bowdani Values, the Burovians, and the Party for an Orthodox Foundation), they ended up three seats short as Dr Greg Ford’s Cruisan Values Party refused to participate or to support such a coalition.

“The only thing that we haven’t really given much thought yet, is a grand coalition of CCCP and MTP, which would have 86 seats in the House”, Dame Kerr said yesterday, “but both Mr Stone, the leader of the CCCP, and I feel that there are too many differences between our parties to make such a coalition work. We would end up with the same sort of government that was in place until now and which wasn’t able to continue, due to which we are now in this situation”.

The final decision lies with the president, Sir Julius Whittington. If the parties agree on the fact that they don’t agree and propose new elections, the president can either accept this point of view and call early elections again, or he can refuse and ask the parties to continue negotiating. In that case, there will be a time limit however: if no government agreement is concluded within a month after the president’s decision, the only thing he can do is call for new elections. (SKY CITY BUMBLEBEE)

LUKP Council of Peoples ratifies ITCV charter
SKY CITY (LUKP), 05/02/318 (8 Bovis 318) || The Council of Peoples, the parliament of the LUKP, has ratified the charter of the International Trade Council of Vexillium today, with the parties Direction Orthodoxy, Lectern for a Planned Future, Party for a Glorious History and Future, and the Union of Workers’ Interests voting against (252 of 663 members) voting against and Best Choice For You (28 members) abstaining. Grand Pensionary Stanley Winchester hailed the ratification as a new chapter in the economic history of Central Smalik.

Directly after he was elected Grand Pensionary last May, Winchester announced his intention to have the LUKP apply for ITCV membership. In the last couple of months the government has initiated radical economic reforms in order to make the LUKP’s economy viable again, after successive Bowdani governments all but destroyed what was once one of the planet’s strongest economies.

Together with the ratification of the ITCV charter, the Council of Peoples approved government plans to gradually reduce monetary tarrifs on the importation of goods from ITCV member states for which this doesn’t apply already. Apart from this, the ministry of economic affairs announced a complete review of the monetary import tarrifs for ITCV non-members. This has caused some alarm in neighbouring nations, including the SUECS countries, who fear that trade with the LUKP may be subject to more unfavorable regulation.

In the upcoming months, the Council of Peoples is expected to vote on the initiation of subsidy reduction on products, although minister of economic affairs Bola Cibih said that negotiations with ITCV are still in progress about the possibility to keep some subsidies in place for now, as a transitional measure. The LUKP laws regarding the protection of intellectual property are mostly in alignment already with ITCV requirements, whereas the freedom of transportation requirement that applies to some ITCV member states already, will be extended to all of them.

The small state of Vaara in the meantime is preparing ITCV membership as well, although its government stated that it would only do so if one of its neighbours applied as well, fearing that it would be too small to benefit from the organisation.

ITCV membership of the LUKP and Vaara will have to be approved by a majority of the Trade Council of the ITCV. These countries joining may however be a small boost for the ITCV that saw several member states leave in the past few years. (SKY CITY BUMBLEBEE)

Three dead in explosion Nucani
FORT BOARE (LUKP), 19/10/316 (13 Korax 316) || An explosion in the town of Fort Boare (Nucani, LUKP) has killed three people and injured several more, local reporters say. The explosion took place in a restaurant known as a popular meeting place for the Kencari community, which has immediately pointed fingers to local Ingallish extremists. The police are doing their investigations and haven’t been willing to comment on the matter yet.

According to unofficial figures, only 13% of the Fort Boare population is registered as Ingallish, whereas 71% is of Kencari origin. Acting Grand Pensionary Duncan Fairweather has called for an immediate stop of ethnically motivated violence. The major of Fort Boare, Rass Bbaugust, said that the government should take more action to prevent the country from succumbing into civil unrest. (SKY CITY BUMBLEBEE)

Coare Republic asks for recognition, UNV membership
COARNIGG (Coare), 19/10/316 (13 Korax 316) || The first former Bowdani non-monarchy with an (acting) government up and running, the acting minister of foreign affairs of the Coare Republic Mr Meocyn Peec has spoken out to the world, asking other nations to recognise his country and announcing that his country formally applied for membership of the United Nations of Vexillium.

The Coare Republic is located in the far northwest of former Bowdani, bordering Caboteniasa to the north and Tak to the east, with an ‘I must say splendid!’ (according to the minister) view on the Cislendian Ocean in the west. The Coare Republic wants to present itself as a neutral partner, a safe alternative in case other countries on Smalik aren’t able to answer demands or fulfill expectations. It is calling on foreign investors to come to Coare and benefit from ‘very lucrative tax rules’ that it intends to put in place.

Earlier, acting prime minister Dame Mildred Kerr told the press that parliamentary elections will be hold on 10 and 17 December. ‘It is of utmost importance that we get a legally elected government to run this country’, she said. ‘The members of the House of Coare shall be elected on 10 and 17 December; the election of the 129 members of the First Chamber will take place on 10 December, the election of the 51 members of the Second Chamber on 17 December.’

The president will be elected by the House of Coare somewhere in February 317, but a date for that hasn’t been set yet. ‘First things first; it is essential that the people of this Republic have themselves represented as quickly as possible.’ (SKY CITY BUMBLEBEE)

Acting Grand Pensionary composes government
SKY CITY (LUKP), 18/10/316 (12 Korax 316) || After the dissolution of the Republic of Bowdani, acting Grand Pensionary Duncan Fairweather of the Lectern of United Kencari Peoples (LUKP) has composed a government that is almost exactly the same as the last government of Bowdani apart from one major difference: the minister of foreign affairs. Eleanor Carlisle, the previous foreign affairs minister and now a citizen of the Coare Republic, was replaced by Kaddör Beess, the former mayor of Ecboven (Twobridges), who is of Kencari origin and as such a first important step in a more equal division of power over the nation’s peoples.

One of the first actions of the new government will be to call for general elections. The new parliament, the Council of Peoples will have to confirm the administrative division of the LUKP, after which elections can be hold there; only then the provincial Electors can be appointed who will elect the first Grand Pensionary. ‘There is a lot on the agenda, but with patience and diligence we will accomplish all those tasks’, AGP Fairweather said after he presented his government.

Opposition parties and groups criticised the new (acting) government, claiming that the fact that only one member had to be replaced because she now has a different citizenship than the remaining members of the government, shows how unjustly Bowdani was ruled. ‘Only one minister ended up as a citizen of one of the other new countries; and to the acting government this appears to be no sign at all that perhaps there is something wrong with them to begin with! At least half the government should have been replaced!’ according to Hok Ceren, leader of the Kencari Movement of Citizens; according to them, one Kencari minister in an overall Ingallish cabinet is far from enough.

In several larger cities protests have been organised by Ingallish groups who fear that the power shift may cause them to become second rate citizens in their own country. In the city of South Watch these protests have been the strongest; houses and businesses of non-Ingallish citizens were targeted and in some cases severe damage has been reported. The acting government has expressed their intention to send an investigator. (SKY CITY BUMBLEBEE)

‘Train schedule schould resume’
COARNIGG (Coare), 17/10/316 (11 Korax 316) || Acting foreign affairs minister of the Coare Republic Mr Meocyn Peec asked the acting government of the Lectern of United Kencari Peoples to resume the railway schedule between Zastrey (LUKP) and Coarnigg; since 16 October, the line was suspended for unknown reasons.

‘Although we are now talking about an international railway line and the exact agreement between our countries has yet to be determined, it was arranged before the dissolution of Bowdani that this wouldn’t affect transport connections for the time being; we have to maintain a certain normality in these complex times’, the minister said.

A spokesman of the LUKP ministry of transport replied that it hasn’t been specified how long a period “for the time being” should be. ‘The LUKP’s priority is to establish the new borders. This period is of course transitional, but we want to avoid that it is used by criminals to intensify their smuggling activities. As long as it isn’t clear what the new countries’ new external connections will be, we will proceed with caution.’

Minister Peec replied that is government will register a complaint with the LUKP authorities. (SKY CITY BUMBLEBEE)

Last day of the Republic of Bowdani
SKY CITY (LUKP), 15/10/316 (9 Korax 316) || During a sober ceremony that attracted a lot of attention from the national and international press nevertheless, and in the presence of numerous (still) Bowdani officials as well as the minister of foreign affairs of the Free States of Tak, acting president Duncan Fairweather, appointed after former president Sir David Leah stepped down earlier this year, signed a small pile of official documents and thus handed over the authority over parts of the Bowdani territory to the newly established Kingdom of Bëltse, the Coare Republic, the Republic of Flovaigne, the Duchy of Gen, and the state of Vaara, effective tomorrow, 16 October 316. The president also signed the document by which the Republic of Bowdani retroactively recognised the secession of the Free States of Tak, an important step in the international diplomatic recognition of that country.

Although the ceremony signals the end of the Republic of Bowdani, numerous issues have yet to be resolved, such as the dismantling and transfer to the successor states of the Bowdani armed forces. What remains of Bowdani will be continuing as the Lectern of the United Kencari Peoples (LUKP), named after the most prominent minority peoples in the western part of the country. The most prominent public office in the LUKP will be the Grand Pensionary. Until the first Grand Pensionary can be elected, Duncan Fairweather will assume the office in an interim capacity, heading a provisional government.

The proposed government system of the LUKP provides a substantial increase of power for the Kencari and Pocari peoples, who under Bowdani rule played a subordinated role under the Ingallish elite. Not everybody is happy with these changes though and especially in the larger cities Ingallish opposition to the new situation is strong. According to the acting president however, "what these countries need is time: time to adjust to the new situations, time to forge new friendships, time to find our separate ways together".

In the Coare Republic and the state of Vaara provisional governments will start working tomorrow as well, whereas the new King of Bëltse, Krethn III Terirn-Ëkmol (descendant of the family that ruled the Bullocks more than thousand years ago; the last ruler Hahnts V betrayed his own people and sold them out to the Kencari in 643 BP), and the Duke of Gen, Tober-Bas Aag, will appoint governments first thing tomorrow. Although representatives of each new nation expressed their intention to give their respective peoples a great say in the government system, it is feared that the king of Bëltse may be less willing to cooperate with others than himself.

The people of Bowdani in the meantime are both exited and anxious, unsure of what this new chapter in the history of Smalik will bring.