Website of the Kingdom of Kemedal • Gwefan y Frenhiniaeth y Cymoedd

International news about Kemedal appears here:
 
Y Llywodraeth i fynychu cynhadledd ar longau awyr yn yr Estonteits
Government to attend conference on airshipping in Estontetso

ABERBAN, 2 February 324 | 5ed o Fofis 324 || Traffic and Transport Minister Mari Traharn-Beynon confirmed today that the government is looking into the introduction of airships in Kemedal, following an international invitation by the government of Estontetso to a conference that should see the creation of an international organisation regulating airship construction and traffic. The long-distance transportation method, which is considered friendlier for the environment than aircraft, would have potential to be deployed in our country as well.

Previous governments significantly reduced domestic flight connections in favour of highways and railroads, which has not been beneficial for the country's nature and scenery. "Roads and railroads have their disadvantages of course", the Minister explained. "They affect the ground space between two points, whereas with airships, only airshipping points on the locations of departure and arrival have to be constructed, much as is the case with aircraft."

The Minister is curious what she can learn from the airshipping conference. "If airshipping has solutions for heavier cargo as well, it could be a very interesting form of transport; if it's only intended for passenger transport, its effects will be limited as we will still need roads, railroads, or aircraft to do the heavy work."
 
Y Frenhines Emma i briodi Jasper Culpepper-Sallow
Queen Emma to marry Jasper Culpepper-Sallow

PONTEGOCH/SUB MARINA, 1 November 322 | 25ain o Goracs 322 || Her Majesty Queen Emma of the royal house of former Ansonia and current member of the Royal Council of Kemedal is engaged to be married to Jasper Culpepper-Sallow, the former astronomy student from Both Watches whom she has been seeing for several months now. This was announced by a spokesperson of the Royal Council. The wedding will take place in Pontegoch/Sub Marina, the former Ansonian capital, on 22 March / 25 Castor 323, but further details have not been announced yet.

The news about the engagement is the first real good news in several years for the distaster struck royal family of former Ansonia after Queen Emma's father and older brother, former King Edward V and Crown Prince Edward, found their deaths in a suspicious hunting accident in 320, and her mother and younger sister, Queen Mother Angela and Princess Eleanor, died in an explosion on the boat a year later, leaving her and the Queen Dorothea, the Queen Grandmother, as the only remaining members of the royal family of former Ansonia.

It has been announced that Jasper will move to Kemedal and enrol in the University of Bala to finish his astronomy studies that were interrupted by the civil wars that lead to the dissolution of the Lectern of United Kencari Republics three years ago.
 
Llywodraeth newydd wedi'i sefydlu o'r diwedd
New government finally installed

ABERBAN, 21 October 322 | 14eg o Goracs 322 || After more than half a year of negotiations, the new government of Kemedal, its first one post-merger, has finally been installed. Prime Minister James Hillmere and Queen Emma (as head of the Royal Council in the even months) presented the new team to the press at the royal palace in Pontegoch/Sub Marina. Apart from the Prime Minister, the new government is composed of 20 ministers: 11 from the monarchist party UBC, 5 from the liberal party PRh, and another 4 from the Democratic Party PD. Seven ministers are women.

There are some familiar faces in the new government, both from Kemedalian and Ansonian origin: apart from Prime Minister James Hillmere, e.g. Terwyn Walsh (Defence), Mabel Harlow-Parry (Finance), Adam Llyfachan (Domestic Affairs), and Gareth Beddoe (Education) were also part of the last pre-merger Kemedalian government, while Ceinwen Palin-Hier (National Security), Cadeyrn Grifith (Agriculture), and Ithel Ffaunas (Natural Resources) were ministers in previous Ansonian governments. New faces include Andreas Bithell (foreign affairs), Sawyl Siwthern (Research and Development), and Glenys Brodd-Ofaerth (Health and Social Affairs).

The delay of the government formation was caused by differences of opinion between Kemedalian and Ansonian members of the three parties, especially about the division of budget and the allocation of money to the different parts of the new country. Ansonian politicians claimed funding for the reconstruction of its part of the country after the Salmon dictatorship, whereas Kemedalian politicians didn't think that Ansonia hadn't suffered that much material damage from the dictatorship. Especially the liberal party PRh gained a lot of new Ansonian members after the merger and according to political experts, the party leadership will have a lot of whipping to do to make sure that everyone follows the party line.
 
Uno Answnia â'r Cymoedd yn swyddogol
Merger Ansonia into Kemedal official

ABERBAN, 25 April 322 | 3ydd o Ecwys 322 || As scheduled, Ansonia has officially merged into Kemedal last Saturday 1 Equis 322 (23 April), reuniting the two nations into one country after having existed apart for twenty years. The new nation's parliament, at least its Lower Assembly, which was elected already on 3 April, held its first session today. Leader of the Monarchist Union, departing Grand Minister of Kemedal, and the prospective Prime Minister of the new Kemedal James Hillmere, who won the elections, spoke of a pivotal moment in the history of Kemedal as for the first time, Ansonians and Kemedalians were joined together out of their own free will instead of one dominating the other.

The elections on 3 April saw a victory for the Monarchist Union (UBC), which won 225 of 601 seats. The Progressive Democratic Party (PBD) lead by the departing Ansonian Prime Minister Talfryn Bugall came in second with 163 seats. Additional parties that won seats were the Liberal Party (PRh, 64 seats), the Republican Party (PG, 58), the Democractic Party (PD, 37), the Burovian Party (PB, 26), the right-wing Socialist Party (PS, 13), the Green People's Party (PPW, 8), the Union for Solidarity (UU, 3), the Justice and Development Party (PCT, 3), and the Anti-Nuclear Party (PG, 1). The 601 seats are split in a nation-wide elected proportional part of 251 seats + 350 semi-district seats with 25 seats for each of the 14 new States.

Much remains to be put into place however. The 69 members of the Higher Assembly will be appointed by the Royal Council (consisting of King Iestyn III of Kemedal and Queen Emma of Ansonia, who will rotate the presidency of this council) in the months that will follow, and several State legislatives and governments and national government institutions, including the diplomatic office, need to be confirmed as well.
 
Etholiadau ar gyfer y senedd gyfun ar y 9fed o Ddelffis 322
Elections for combined parliament on 3 April 322

ABERBAN (KEMEDAL)/SUB MARINA (ANSONIA), 28 January 322 | 28ain o Aries 322 || Elections for the new parliament of the merged nation of Kemedal and Ansonia will take place on 3 April (9 Delfis) this year, Grand Minister James Hillmere of Kemedal and Prime Minister Talfryn Bugall of Ansonia confirmed in a joint press conference this morning. The merger will be official on 23 April (1 Equis) ; as this will be a Saturday, the first session of the new parliament will take place after the weekend, on Monday 25 April.

The chiefs of government also elaborated some more details of how the new nation is going to be organised. There will be a bicameral parliament, consisting of the Lower Assembly (Y Cynulliad Isel) and the Higher Assembly (Y Cynulliad Uchel). The Lower Assembly will have 601 members, 251 of whom will be elected directly through proportional representation, and 350 through the States; there will be fourteen States, each of which will send 25 members of parliament, which are also elected through proportional representation. Voters will be able to give two votes: one for a national candidate and one for a State candidate, or one for a party on the national level and one for a party on the State level. The Higher Assembly in turn has 69 members, which are appointed by the King after being nominated by the fourteen combined State governments.

The official name of the new government will be the Council of Ministers (Y Cyngor y Gweinidogion), which will be headed by the Prime Minister (Y Prif Weinidog). As mentioned, there will be fourteen States (Taleithiau, sg. Talaith), which will have Provincial Assemblies (Cynulliadau Taleithiol and provincial governments that are headed by Rhaglowiaid (sg. Rhaglaw), which in this case can be translated as 'governor'. The fourteen States are the result of not only the addition of the Ansonian territories, but also some planned border changes on the Kemedalian side: the State of Aberban will be split in two: the city of Aberban and direct surroundings, and the remainder, which will be known as Ban a Chyffyr. Bala will also be split in two, with the city of Llanfarc and surroundings forming its own State. The cities of Porthlong Danfor and Sub Marina will also get their own city States.
 
Cariad gwrthryfelgar i'r Frenhines Emma?
Rebel lover for Queen Emma?

SUB MARINA (ANSONIA)/SOUTH WATCH (BOTH WATCHES), 31 December 321 | Ffenics 321/322 || Videos on social media of a Newyear's Eve party in the Smalik city of South Watch that were posted in the course of this evening, show none other than Queen Emma of Ansonia having a good time with a young man who, according to some of his online profiles, is Jasper Culpepper-Sallow, who was an astronomy student at the State University of South Watch between 315 and 317 when it was closed because of the civil war that ended the Lectern of United Kencari Peoples. During the civil war, he served in the ad hoc assembled army of South Watch, with the rank of lieutenant.

The Culpepper-Sallow family used to be one of South Watch's most influential families before the civil war, but as Jasper's father Dagobert Culpepper-Sallow sided with the LUKP government, the relationship between him and the rest of the city's elite cooled down, and Dagobert eventually had to abandon his family and his business and fled to the north. Jasper served however with the current Mayor of South Watch Everett Sawxon-Thwyte's son Albert, and is often seen at the latter's parties in his penthouse on top of a skyscraper in the centre of South Watch.

Queen Emma visited Both Watches before and may have met Culpepper on that occasion. The online video suggests that the two get along quite well, but the Palace was not available for further comments.
 
Protestiadau treisgar ar ôl i fwyafrif bleidleisio o blaid uno'r Cymoedd a Answnia
Violent protests after majority votes in favour of merger Kemedal and Ansonia

ABERBAN (KEMEDAL)/SUB MARINA (ANSONIA), 17 December 321 | 15fed o Fantis 321 || The larger cities of both Kemedal and Ansonia were the scenes of celebration but also of protests, after voters in the two nations voted in favour of a merger between the two countries in a double referendum yesterday. While a staggering majority of 94% of the Ansonian voters expressed its approval of the government plan to have Ansonia join Kemedal however, the required two-third majority was only just obtained in neighbouring Kemedal, where 67-69% voted in favour of the merger (the final results are still pending).

Most satisfied with the result was the Ansonian Prime Minister Talfryn Bugall, who was the first to call for the referendum. "Ansonia and Kemedal will be stronger and prouder as one nation! Our culture and history come from the same source; this referendum has done justice to this source!", he said. Grand Minister of Kemedal James Hillmere gave a more neutral speech: "The people have spoken and our nations will be one", he said. "We were one once before, but then we weren't equals; now we will be equals!"

Opponents in Kemedal mostly fear that Kemedal will inherit Ansonian problems, including a now no longer ruling Ingallish minority that doesn't want to be part of a large Kemese dominated nation. The impression that the violent protests in Ansonian cities (mainly those on the west-coast, where the Ingallish minority is concentrated) gave following the result of the referendum, show that the Kemedalian sceptics could be right about their reservations. In the Ansonian capital of Sub Marina, the parliament building was attacked by protesters, but the police managed to fend them off. Less lucky were the City Hall of the town of Bercoth, further to the north, which was set on fire, as well as several shopping malls. Here it took all night and a large part of the morning for the police to restore order. One person reportedly died when shelves were pushed over and fell on top of him.

With both Kemedal and Ansonia now in favour of joining each other, the governments have to set up the time schedule for this to happen. It is almost certain that the new state will be a federal state such as Kemedal already is: the Ansonian regions will obtain the same level of (in)dependence as the Kemedalian States currently already have, although the opportunity may be taken to make some changes in Kemedal as well. Political parties may have to merge on the national level. Elections for a new combined national parliament will have to be held. The countries' monetary policies have to be merged. Less urgent issues such as the creation of new national symbols are being discussed on social media, with hundreds of suggestions for new flag and currency designs being shared.

The big elephant in the room remains the status of the two monarchies. Both Aberban and Sub Marina already agreed that one of the monarchies will have to go, but no agreement has been reached about which one it should be. Following last year's palace dramas, not much is left of the Ansonian monarchy; the only members are the 21 year old Queen Emma and her grandmother, Queen Dorothea, the widow of the late King Edward IV. While some politicians are claiming that the Ansonian Royal Family is too fragile to lead a new nation, others say that the new nation could use the money not spent on an extended royal family. Sources close to the government state that representatives of the Kemedalian Royal Family have started a campaign on both sides of the border, according to which the joint crown should be worn by King Iestyn III and that Queen Emma will be adopted into the Royal Family and retain her current title for the rest of her life.
 
Y Brenin Iestyn III yn dathlu ei ben-blwydd yn 70 oed
King Iestyn III celebrates 70th birthday

ABERBAN, 25 September 321 | 16eg o Iwnics 321 || Grand festivities took place in the capital and throughout Kemedal today as King Iestyn III is celebrating his 70th birthday. Although his actual birthday is the 26th of September, he has decided to take that day for himself to celebrate with his family and friends. The 25th was for the people of Kemedal and included a military parade after which King Iestyn and Queen Llinos made a carriage tour through the capital. The whole royal family, including surprisingly the King's 96 year old mother, Queen Rhiannon the Queen Mother, presented themselves at the balcony of the royal palace. The Queen Mother has not appeared in public for more than five years but although she looked fragile, she appeared to be in good health.

King Iestyn III nominally became King of Kemedal after the death of his father King Iestyn II in 299; as Kemedal was then under foreign occupation, the formal accession to the throne didn't happen until 302. Iestyn married Llinos, the current Queen-consort of Kemedal, in 378; they have three children, including Crown Prince Iestyn (the Grand Duke of Aberban), and nine grand-children.
 
Prif Weinidog Answneg, Bugall, yn cyhoeddi refferendwm ynghylch uno â'r Cymoedd
Ansonian Prime Minister Bugall announces referendum on merger with Kemedal

SUB MARINA (ANSONIA), 26 May 321 | 6ed o Ffelis 321 || The newly appointed Prime Minister of Ansonia, Talfryn Bugall (Unification Party), has announced a referendum calling for the dissolution of Ansonia and a merger of the country with Kemedal. This referendum will most likely be held in December of this year, possibly in January or February 322. According to Bugall, this decision was made after discussion with his Kemedalian counterpart, Grand Minister James Hillmere, and would require a referendum on the other side on the border as well. "We can't just dissolve our nation and expect them to receive us with open arms", Bugall said; "If Kemedal doesn't want us, there will be no other solution than that Ansonia continues to exist."

To smoothen the merger, the unified nation will most likely be a federal one, such as Kemedal already is to a certain extent. A question that has also risen is what to do with the 'spare royal family' in the event of Kemedal and Ansonia joining each other: both countries are monarchies, but although it has been suggested that the new nation could be a 'monarchy with two crowns', this may cause some objection, as someone has to pay for it all. Since the royal family of Ansonia currently has only two members and King Iestyn III of Kemedal is the heir presumptive of the young Queen Emma of Ansonia, who isn't married yet, the logical solution would be to have King Iestyn III inherit it all. Another proposal asks for the abolition of both monarchies altogether and the creation of a federal republic, but especially in Kemedal this would not be a popular move.

A lot has to be agreed upon before the two countries could join. So far however, the Kemedalian government has made no mention yet of a referendum and the pressure on Grand Minister Hillmere is increasing to define the next steps.
 
Plaid Uno newydd yn fuddugol yn etholiadau Answneg
New Unification Party victorious in Ansonian elections

SUB MARINA (ANSONIA), 7 May 321 | 15fed o Ecwys 321 || According to exit polls, the new Unification Party decisively won the snap parliamentary elections that were held in Ansonia today, following former Prime Minister Salton's unexpected death two months ago. Salton's successor as leader of his Restoration Party, acting Prime Minister Robert Wynne, had not been able to convince the electorate to continue the party's now 17-year rule and the Restoration Party is set to be reduced from the country's only ruling party to the very margins of the 353 member People's Council.

Early seat projections predict around 193 seats for the Unification Party (UP, Kemese leftist populist party), 101 for the Union for Solidarity (UfS, centre-left), 42 for the Law and Justice Party (LJP, libertarians), 10 for the also new National Defence Party (NDP, cruisanist-conservatives), and 7 for the Restoration Party (RP, conservatives, monarchists). As soon as the official results have been published, UP-leader Talfryn Bugall will head to the Queen who will likely appoint him as the new Prime Minister.

Kemedalian Grand Minister James Hillmere already congratulated Bugall with his election victory, his office confirmed, with Hillmere expressing the hope that a bright new chapter of Ansonian history will begin, after the country's recent tragic events. The Prime Minister's office didn't want to respond to rumours that the new Ansonian government, which will be dominated by ethnic Kemese, plans to hold a referendum on dissolving Ansonia and joining Kemedal.

Approximately 79% of the inhabitants of Ansonia are ethnic Kemese, just like the majority of the Kemedalians. The Restoration Party was however dominated by Ansonian Ingallish who treated the Kemese like strangers in their own country. Salton's machinations had kept the RP in power after several successive elections, but the confusion in the party following his death seems to have reduced the rigging of the elections to the benefit of other political parties.

A recent opinion poll conducted in Kemedal shows that approximately 63% of Kemedalians is in favour of a merger of both countries, with 20% opposed to such a move, and 17% unsure. The question that Kemedalians ask themselves most often is how the addition of the 28 million inhabitants of Ansonia to Kemedal's 54 million will affect the nation.
 
Llywodraeth newydd wedi'i ffurfio ar ôl llwyddiant sydyn
New government formed after sudden breaktrough

ABERBAN, 23 June 320 | 7fed o Allus 320 || The new government may be sworn in before the end of the week, Cynghorydd y Brenin James Hillmere has confirmed. The leader of the monarchist party UBC said that a sudden breakthrough took place in the negotiations yesterday evening and that the final details are being discussed about the composition of the new government.

"It turns out that not all parties had all the necessary information to make a deal possible", Hillmere said. "Now that a very important misunderstanding is out of the way, my homologues Balthasar Cwrynnau of the PD and Ieuan Gafr-Ddanas of the PRh were able to conclude the government agreement, the full details of which are being presented to the Siambr as we speak and to the press in a few hours. In short, we will be funding families, education, and defence, and attract foreign business and investment by simplifying our tax rules and procedures. Several social measures will be made stricter; in the end it is our view that as many Kemedalians as possible should have jobs and our plans aim at creating these jobs".

Hillmere didn't want to comment in much detail on the explosion in an Ansonian factory that took place yesterday. "As for now, that is still the incumbent government's business; who knows what those Ansonians are up to! I may have more for you once we have been sworn in."

On the composition of the new government there are still many speculations. The portfolios have been divided amongst the parties but not all positions have been filled yet. It is almost certain that Defence will go to the current minister of culture and sports, Owen Price (PRh), although this portfolio had been promised to the PD so far. According to PD-leader Cwrynnau, his party is very satisfied with Finance, Foreign Affairs, Agriculture, Housing, IT and Social Media, Petroleum and Energy, and Transport and Communications. Padrig Tudor, the incumbent Finance Minister, will almost certain remain on his post. For Foreign Affairs the PD is said to have Nancy Cameron in mind, a diplomat and firm negotiator whose allegedly has the reputation of making her opponents feel ashamed for being on the other side of the table in the first place. Sophia Dancion, Gareth Beddoe, and Myfanwy Isylloe are likewise said to continue in their current positions.

For the Liberal Party PRh, both Pedr Wiegold and Owen Price will continue as ministers, but for different portfolios. Wiegold moves from Domestic Affairs to Justice, while Price, as said, will get Defence. The third portfolio that the PRh as junior coalition member will get will be Education and research, for which former Aberban University director Adam Llyfachan has been approached.

The UBC will get Domestic Affairs, State Development, Labour and Social Inclusion, Religious Affairs, Regional Planning, Trade and Industry, Health and Care Services, and Culture and Sports, so with the Grand Minister included, nine government ministers. Apart from James Hillmere being the next Grand Minister, the only other position for which a name has been mentioned with some certainty, is Domestic Affairs, which Hillmere's close ally Terwyn Walsh will get.
 
Ffrwydrodd ffatri Answneg
Ansonian factory explodes

LASBRIDGE (ANSONIA), 22 June 320 | 6ed o Allus 320 || A large factory near the town of Lasbridge, Ansonia, has exploded, according to confirmed reports. Like in early March, a loud sound emerged from the northern side of the river Sioned but unlike the first time, a spectacularly large column of smoke erupted soon after, which could be seen from quite distance. There has been no official communication from the Ansonian government so far, but conflicting messages from Ansonians suggest that the explosion may have been anything between a minor event and large-scale mayhem, in which an entire industrial area as well as an adjacent residential area were destroyed; unconfirmed reports mention a couple to dozens of casualties.

"Doing anything with social media in Ansonia is, as we know, rather complicated. As far as social media are allowed in the first place, genuine messages drown between the governmental bots with incorrect news that flood the social media, not only to disinform their neighbours but also to suppress any attempt by the Ansonian people to undermine the government or stand up against them", Minister of Foreign Affairs Pedr Laugharne commented. "It's like trying to make a jigsaw puzzle but more than half of the pieces look a lot like pieces of the original puzzle but don't actually belong to them. Something has however happened that we cannot ignore, so we asked our Ansonian counterparts what happened and if they need assistance."

According to the government, an investigation is going on as to what the factory could have been producing. According to some experts, in order to be able to cause such a large explosion, the factory must have produced weapons and/or explosives. Laugharne didn't want to respond to these or other suggestions.
 
Brenhinwyr, Gwyrddion a Rhyddfrydwyr yn enillwyr yr etholiad
Monarchists, Greens, and Liberals win elections

ABERBAN, 7 June 320 | 19eg o Ffelis 320 || A landslide victory for the Monarchist Union UBC in today's early elections, which were called following the implosion of the government coalition last month, when the Democrats (PD) and the Liberals (PRh) pulled the plug on their coalition with the Progressive Democrats (PBD). Of this coalition, only the Liberals managed to benefit from this somewhat opportunistic action; they seem to have won four seat on their current eight according to the preliminary results with 99.4% of the votes counted. The result can be seen as a true earthquake having hit the Siambr y Taleithiau, with the PBD and the PD in shambles and the Monarchists winning 30 seats, probably entering the new Siambr with 42, almost twice as much as the projective 24 seats that the Green People's Party (PPW) have won.

Only seven parties of the ten that participated in the elections will return: the conservative Socialist Party (PS), the True Kemese Party (PCC), and the Anti-Nuclear Party (PGN) all lost their seats. The UBC is projected to have 42 seats (12 in the previous Siambr), PPW 24 (15), PD 19 (30), PBD 18 (33), PRh 12 (8), the Burovian Party PB 8 (15), and the Republican Party PG 2 (6). The result marks a return of the UBC to the political establishment after outright meagre results in the last decade, with some analysts suspecting that the party has assumed its place as the country's true conservative party for some time to come.

"This is a miraculous achievement of the citizens of Kemedal", UBC leader and likely the next Grand Minister James Hillmere told his supporters. "After the chaos that has determined our national politics for the past decade, the people have once more chosen for stability, security, and prosperity. Kemedalians need better guaranties for their future, to be assured that when they determine their life paths, they will be supported in their endeavours by the government."

Trahaearn Price, the leader of the PPW, also lauded the increase of nine seats for his party. "We have shown the people of Kemedal that we are the better alternative to the PBD!" he said. "But now is not the time to rest and be complacent; the Monarchists have lured a frightingly large amount of our fellow citizens into voting for them. They say they will support Kemedalians? Rest assured that it will be only the Kemedalians that live up to their values. The PPW will need to be there for the rest!"

"We lost big time." Eddie Otterburn, the incumbent Grand Minister stated matter-of-factly when he addressed his party already when the first published results made it clear that this would not be a glorious day for the PBD. "Congratulations are in order for the big winner of these elections, the Monarchist Union, and for the PPW. Let's also - reluctantly and through gritted teeth! - congratulate the PRh; at least they seem to have gained some positive result out this journey that they started. Now is the time to regroup so that the citizens of Kemedal will once more consider the PBD the 'place to be' when the next elections take place - we must work hard and fast, because for all we know these next elections could take place within a few weeks if the UBC is foolish enough to accept the PRh as their coalition partner!" Otterburn didn't address his position as party leader yet, although it will be expected that he will step down this week; he will remain in office as Grand Minister until the new coalition is ready to take over.

The composition of the next coalition government isn't a done deal however. Cooperation between the two biggest winners of the election UBC and the PPW would result in a majority of 66 of 125 seats but it is unlikely that such a coalition will be formed due to the large differences between the parties. Instead, UBC may look for support from the current coalition parties DP and PRh, which will have a majority of 73 seats. Alternatively, UBC could seek support from the PD and the Burovian PB, which would have a majority of 69 seats, but as both PD and PB are among the losers of this election, it may not be a signal that the UBC will want to send to the people of Kemedal. As soon as the official results have been published, the party leaders will visit King Iestyn III to discuss the possibilities. It is likely that James Hillmere (UBC) will then be appointed as Cynghorydd y Brenin (King’s Advisor), responsible for the government formation.
 
Bydd y cyfarfod dwyochrog â'r Feirth Orllewinol yn digwydd er gwaethaf argyfwng y llywodraeth
Bilateral summit with Wesmerité will go ahead despite government crisis

ABERBAN, 2 May 320 | 11eg o Ecwys 320 || An official meeting between the ministers of foreign affairs of Kemedal and Wesmerité that is scheduled on Friday 8 May will go ahead as planned, the Foreign Ministry has confirmed. Minister Pedr Laugharne and his Wesmeritean homologue Michelle Maîtriser will discuss matters of mutual interest regarding our two countries like the open flow and promotion of trade, education and scientific exchange, free and open navigation, and the environmental management of the Bay of Merité, including a more regulated regime for fisheries, search and rescue, and phosphate management.

"The fact that the PD and PRh have terminated our cooperation yesterday doesn't mean that we can forego on our formal agreements and obligations to our partners", the Minister said. "It is in the interest of Kemedal that this meeting takes place; it would be irresponsible to postpone it because of our internal situation."

The Minister confirmed that the meeting, which will take place in the Bryn Mawr estate near Llandomos (State of Bala), will consist of preliminary talks only, which may include discussion about cooperation between Kemedal and the Merité Union and the Merité Pact, economical resp. military organisations of which Wesmerité, Cimera and Ulanovabad are members. The Minister said that the government of Kemedal shared the need of Wesmerité to boost trade and security in the northwestern part of Eras.
 
PD a PRh yn tynnu cefnogaeth i'r llywodraeth yn ôl
PD and PRh withdraw government support

ABERBAN, 1 May 320 | 10fed o Ecwys 320 || In a surprise move, both the Democratic Party (PD) and the Liberal Party (PRh) have publicly withdrawn their support to the coalition government today, citing 'serious concern about the professional suitability and expedience of several government ministers' of the Progressive Democratic Party (PBD), the largest of the three coalition parties. This means that early elections are suddenly very likely, unless the PBD of Grand Minister Eddie Otterburn manages to form a new coalition government with the Burovian Party (PB) and the Green People's Party (PPW) over the weekend, which seems highly unlikely. Any other combination would need the participation of at least four parties, which has even less probable chances of success.

"In the last two months it has emerged that several government ministers of the PBD hardly know their dossiers, or simply lack the general knowledge to make sound decisions in their fields", minister of Culture Owen Price (PRh) explained, backed by his party leader Ieuan Gafr-Ddanas as well as PD leader Balthasar Cwrynnau. "Although especially the Ministers of Defence and Labour are extremely likeable people, we consider it not in this country's interest that they occupy leading positions in the Kemedalian government." Asked what the parties think of Grand Minister Otterburn, Price was slightly evasive. "Not everybody of the PBD is equally incompetent but if Otterburn was aware of what his fellow party members should or shouldn't have done, he kept silent about it - which was of course rather frustrating for my esteemed colleagues of the PD as well as my own party."

Grand Minister Otterburn responded with anger to the 'betrayal' of PD and PRh. "It will come as no surprise to you all that I am outraged - outraged!- by this show of irresponsibility", he fumed in front of the cameras. "Our country is facing numerous challenges at the moment but to them, it is more important to abandon ship and to cause a political crisis over personalities than to ignore the potential unpleasantnesses of working together and governing the country. This is unacceptable!"

The announcement by PD and PRh shook up the traditionally quiet Friday that follows Liberty Day when it falls on a Thursday like this year; a lot of people take the day off to have a long weekend so the news emerged only slowly due to the absence of staff at the editorial offices of newspapers and broadcasting organisations.
 
Dylai Aberban a Phorthlong ddod yn Daleithiau eu hunain
Aberban and Porthlong should become States of their own

ABERBAN, 24 April 320 | 5ed o Ecwys 320 || According to leaked plans proposed by the Ministry of Domestic Affairs regarding the potential administrative redivision of the States, the metropoles of Aberban and Porthlong Danfor should be cut off from their current States to form two new States of their own. This was confirmed by a spokesperson of the Ministry, who added that research done by the Ministry in the last couple of months reveiled that more drastic plans would be unacceptable for a larger than expected amount of citizens and officials. Especially in the State of Corwn, which consists almost entirely of the historic region of the same name (a small part of it ended up in Ansonia when the borders were confirmed in 302), the suggestion to split up the State in smaller entities met with a lot of resistance.

Regarding the 'independence' of Porthlong Danfor, the nation's submarine harbour, the government shows little flexibility however. "It is however necessary to split off Porthlong Danfor from Corwn; it may be located in the historical region but the city is hardly a century old and its main purpose and economic interests are completely different from the rest of Corwn", Minister Pedr Wiegold of Domestic Affairs (PRh) already said earlier this month. "Competencies that lay with the State Government of Corwn should be in the hands of a separate Porthlong government; the government of Corwn has shown increasingly over the years that it is ill equipped to handle the affairs of the city. We must sever the connection!"

The government research showed that few citizens in the more densely populated west seem to be bothered by the fact that they have less electoral power than their compatriots in the less populated east; the five current States are each represented by 25 seats in the Siambr y Taleithiau.
 
Mae ffrwydrad dirgel ar ffin Answneg yn cynhyrfu'r trigolion Llangerafon
Mysterious explosion at Ansonian border unsettles inhabitants Llangerafon

LLANGERAFON, 6 March 320 | 10fed o Gastor 320 || The sound of an explosion on the Ansonian side of the river Sioned has baffled and unsettled inhabitants of the village of Llangerafon in the eastern exclave of the State of Corwn. According to earwitnesses (which include most of the villagers), a loud noise sounding like an explosion or perhaps a collapsing building started just before 7 o'clock in the morning and continued for several minutes. The sound emerged from Ansonia but as the border region on the other side of the river contains just heath and marshlands as far as can be seen from the church tower, the event keeps everybody wondering what could have caused it.

"We don't have much contact with the adjacent community in Ansonia", Llangerafon mayor Iago Price Costoedd explained. "But as far as we can tell, there is nothing there that could have made such a racket. We checked with our neighbouring municipalities in Kemedal as well in case we misheard from where the sound came, but no explosion has been registered anywhere."

The mayor alerted the State and national authorities who said that they will investigate the matter.
 
Archddug a Archddugiaeth Aberban yn disgwyl eu pumed plentyn
Grand Duke and Duchess of Aberban expecting their fifth child

ABERBAN, 3 March 320 | 7fed o Gastor 320 || Prince Iestyn and Princess Winnifred, the Duke and Duchess of Aberban, are expecting their fifth child, the Palace has announced. Birth is expected in October/Korax. Grand Minister Eddie Otterburn congratulated the royal couple as well as King Iestyn III and Queen Llinos on the happy occasion.

Some political parties have taken the opportunity to propose a change in the line of succession. Currently a male-preference primo-geniture system is applied, which means that if the Duke and Duchess of Aberban's fifth child will be a boy, he will become second in line to the throne, before his four older sisters, the Princesses Rhiannon, Adara, Meridith, and Gwenfrewy. The Green People's Party PPW is the most vocal party in favour of changing the system to a full primo-geniture system, but the Democratic Party PD and the Progressive Democratic Party PBD seem to be in favour of a change as well. Changing the line of succession would mean that Princess Rhiannon, who will be nine years old at the end of March, would become second in line after her father, a position she currently already holds and which will remain unchanged should her fourth sibling turn out to be another girl.
 
Llywodraeth yn ystyried newid gweinyddol
Government considering administrative reorganisation

ABERBAN, 17 January 320 | 17eg o Aries 320 || The government is considering implementing a reorganisation of the administrative subdivision of Kemedal, it has emerged. Minister of Domestic Affairs Pedr Wiegold (PRh) said that the current division in the five States of Aberban, Bala, Corwn, Gwaun, and Llidiard may have historical value but generates organisational problems and gives more or less equally large entities by area but the number of inhabitants of each state differs greatly: the State of Aberban for instance has a lot more inhabitants than the other four. "Too much is going on in the State of Aberban and in recent years it has become clear that the State government of Aberban is increasingly less equipped to deal with all of that", the Minister said. He proposes to create an administrative division that focuses not only on the number of inhabitants that the new States should be able to handle but also on actual areas of competence.

The oppositional UBC (Monarchist Union) has responded with anger to the plans. "The five States are the historical regions of Kemedal; you can't just abolish them and pretend they never existed! They are part of our nation's - of our citizens'! - heritage!" UBC spokesman Siôn Bauffarddyn said. His homologue of the PPW (Green People's Party) Carys Baugh-Driscoll disagreed with him: "There are numerous reasons to abolish the current divison", she said. "A very important one I find is the fact that the States also serve as electoral constituencies, which gives the inhabitants of the scarsely populated States suchas Llidiard and Gwaun a huge advantage over those of the coastal areas."

The plans obviously need more discussion before they will be implemented. According to Minister Wiegold there is still enough time before the next elections, which should take place in 323 at the latest, to talk about the plans informally as well as in the Siambr y Taleithiau.
 
Protestiadau yn erbyn cynlluniau adeiladu cyfleuster niwclear
Protests against construction plans nuclear facility

BROGARW, 29 March 319 | 4ydd o Ddelffis 319 || Thousands of people from all over the country gathered today in the town of Brogarw to demonstrate against government plans to construct a new nuclear powerplant in the vicinity. The number of protesters was significantly larger than local authorities had expected and police and emergency services from neighbouring communities and even from Bala were rushed to Brogarw to stand by in case of chaotic situations. In the end the protests were however conducted in an orderly manner and no intervention was necessary.

The government plans have been controversial from the start: plans to construct a new nuclear powerplant had been lying on the table already under previous governments, but according to Energy Minister Nerys Foulkes (PRh) the best suitable location is near Brogarw at the shores of the lake Llyn Ffws. "The area is accessible and can be easily turned into a construction site without the need to flatten the terrain or to remove natural obstacles", she said. "The Siambr already approved these plans after a lengthy discussion; the representatives of the people gave this government the mandate to continue with these plans, so I don't quite understand why these protests are going on."

According to the protesters however, the discussion in the Siambr y Taleithiau was one of the shortest in the history of parliamentary debates in Kemedal. "The information presented to the members of the Siambr was incomplete and contained a number of errors", says protester Dr. Siôn Curwydd-Hines, a professor of physics at the university of Aberban. "In addition, the discussion was cut short by the government parties who after barely one hour had filed a point of order to proceed to voting immediately; I'm not sure what the Siambr did there, but representing the people wasn't it!"

The protests were organised and announced via various social media platforms, which is probably why many more participants turned up than expected. "We will keep protesting until the Siambr and the Minister reconsider", Curwydd-Hines announced. "Many protesters are against the use of nuclear power; nuclear power can however be cleaner than traditional energy sources so I myself am not necessarily against it. I am not even necessarily against this location for a new nuclear facility. I just want that the proper procedures are observed by parliament and government, which in this case they very clearly weren't."
 
Ar ôl etholiadau: Mae'r PBD yn ffurfio llywodraeth
After elections: PBD forms government

ABERBAN, 27 September 318 | 18fed o Iwnics 318 || The new government coalition of PBD, PD, and PRh was installed today following the early elections of 2 September. Those became necessary after a power struggle broke out in the previous largest government party PD as a result of the sudden illness of Grand Minister Cadfael Dacus. Although acting Grand Minister Winnifred Owens temporarily won that power struggle, it turned out to have been not so beneficial for its performance in the elections: the PD lost four seats, while its largest coalition party PBD managed to win eight seats, ending up with three seats more than the PD and thus becoming the largest party in the Siambr.

Although PBD and PD together already had 63 seats, which would have been sufficient to form a two-party government, they chose to continue the coalition with the liberal PRh. A lot of people called this outrageous, as the PRh had lost three seats as well, giving the coalition the nickname 'coalition of losers' - despite the fact that the PBD had won a great victory.

Housing minister Eddie Otterburn, who had replaced former Grand Minister Alyn Hoells (313 - 317) as PBD party leader, formed a coalition which was confirmed by the Siambr y Taleithiau today. The new cabinet has few changes compared to the previous one: Otterburn is the new Grand Minister, Pedr Wiegold and Pedr Laugharne keep their posts on Domestic respectively Foreign Affairs, Padrig Tudor remains on Finance, Rhobert Proger moves from Labour to Defence, replacing outgoing acting Grand Minister Winnifred Owens, and Esyllt Glyn-Morgan remains on Justice. Controversial Transport minister Ffransis Costellon, who left the government in June already, was replaced by fellow PD member Myfanwy Isylloe. Taking its disappointing ending in second place seriously, the PD is keen on showing that it remains a stable party: the four ministers with too strong links to either Winifred Owens or Ffransis Costellon were replaced accordingly.

The opposition parties experienced a couple of small changes in size: the Burovian Party PB lost three seats and will have to share its third place in the Siambr with the greens, who won a seat; both now have 15 seats each. The Monarchist Union UBC won three seats, entering the new parliament with twelve seats. Both the Liberal Party PRh and the Republican Party PG lost three seats, ending up at eight resp. six seats; the moderate conservative Socialist Party PS gained two seats to its one seat, the Anti-Nuclear Party keeps its two seats and the True Kemedalians keep their one seat. The Justice and Development Party PCT lost its one seat and won't be represented in the Siambr anymore.

Among other key points, the new government will invest 'a great deal more' in defence, the new Defence minister Rhobert Proger confirmed. “Despite the relative tranquillity of the last couple of years, our part of Eras is not stable and we should be prepared for an escalation at all times, whatever that escalation may be and whereever it may come from”, he explained. “The wars in Aryantstsumbi are moving to the north, and intelligence reports suggest that there is a considerable possibility that they may at one point destabilise the entire region. Kemedal should at least be ready to defend its borders, but this government will explore possibilities of international cooperation to prevent any escalation to happen in the first place.”
 
Y bedwaredd ferch i'r Archddug Aberban
Fourth daughter for Grand Duke of Aberban

ABERBAN, 2 August 318 | 18fed o Histrics 318 || Princess Winnifred, the Grand Duchess of Aberban, has given birth to her and her husbands fourth daughter yesterday evening. The Grand Duke confirmed the news himself in a press conference this morning, saying that his wife's doctor and midwife were summoned to the palace a few minutes before 8 o'clock. He announced that his youngest child will be called Gwenfrewy Aerona Mari Nerys, princess Gwenfrewy for short. There were no complications during the delivery and both the Grand Duchess and princess Gwenfrewy are in excellent health, which was confirmed by the Grand Duchess's brief appearance at one of the palace windows around lunch time. Acting Grand Minister Winnifred Owens congratulated the royal family via her social media account.

The birth of another daughter means that the order of the line of succession won't change too much. The Grand Duke remains, as oldest son of King Iestyn III, first in line, followed by his now four daughters, the princesses Rhiannon, Adara, Meridith, and Gwenfrewy. The King's youngest son prince Eurig and his two daughters, the princesses Eira and Aerona, come next, and thereafter the King's daughter princess Gwendolen, the Duchess of Gwaun and her two children Marc-Idwal, Duke of the Realm, and Llinos, Duchess of the Realm.
 
Mae'r Siambr wedi cymeradwyo etholiadau cynnar ar 21ain o Ibecs
Siambr approves early elections on 2 September

ABERBAN, 21 June 318 | 4ydd o Allus 318 || With the smallest possible majority the Siambr y Taleithiau approved acting Grand Minister Winnifred Owens's request to schedule early elections on the 2nd of September this year. As expected, there was some opposition from those within her own party PD who were lobbying to have transport minister Ffransis Costellon succeed as Grand Minister. This course of action can now be put on the shelves; a PD party congress that will be held in early July will probably elect Owens as party leader with a comfortable majority.

Ffransis Costellon in the meantime announced that he will step down as government minister. “It is clear that there are some great differences of opinion between myself and other members of the cabinet, so for the sake of the country I will step down so as to not frustrate the cabinet proceedings any further”, he said. “I will use the spare time that this move will give me to prepare for the PD leadership election for which I will indeed be a candidate.”
 
Mae Owens wedi galw am etholiadau cynnar wrth i Gostellon herio ei harweinyddiaeth
Owens calls for early elections as Costellon challenges her leadership

ABERBAN, 2 June 318 | 13eg o Ffelis 318 || Acting Grand Minister Winnifred Owens has called for early elections that should end the political uncertainty following Grand Minister Cadfael Dacus's stroke on Whitsun, which left him unable to lead the government any further. The leaders of both coalition partners PBD and PRh seem to agree to schedule the elections in early September, but there is some opposition to early elections within Owens's own party, the PD. “Holding elections now will only prolong the political instability in which this country has found itself in the last couple of weeks”, Gwlithen Harris-Gofaint, PD-member of the Siambr for Llidiard, told the press.

Political analysts say that early elections will probably mean that Owens can secure party leadership: before elections the party leader is elected by a party wide vote and Owens seems to have a comfortable majority of PD members backing her. In the current situation however when an incumbent party leader (which is still Cadfael Dacus) has to be replaced due to illness, the choice of a successor as Grand Minister (and therefore normally ex officio as party leader, although this isn't written in stone) lies with the elected members of the Siambr and the party's ministers who are represented in the cabinet. It is a public secret that transport minister Ffransis Costellon has been lobbying intensively in the past two weeks to secure a majority behind him. Although he is not so popular within the government, he might be backed by a majority of PD-members in the Siambr. According to the analysts however, Costellon hasn't succeeded yet to convince the necessary amount of people to support him and it would be disastrous for him should the Siambr approve early elections before he can make his move.

Early elections pose a risk of a different kind for Owens however: in order to become Grand Minister in her own right, she has to win them. Opinion polls suggest that a lot of work has to be done to make that happen.
 
Cyflwr Dacus yn sefydlog; bydd Owens yn arwain y llywodraeth
Dacus' condition stable; Owens to lead government

ABERBAN, 22 May 318 | 2il o Ffelis 318 || Cadfael Dacus won't be back on his feet soon, an official statement from his doctors read this morning. Although his condition is stable, Dacus apparently suffered a stroke that left him partially paralyzed. Deputy Grand Minister Winnifred Owens, the PD party leadership, and the two senior ministers of the coalition partners PBD and PRh held a joint press conference following the statement: “Our thoughts are with Dacus and his family at this difficult moment,” Owens said. “Together with my esteemed colleagues Proger of the PBD and Wiegold of the PRh we discussed the situation with PD leadership. We decided that I will lead the government for the time being in addition to the defence portfolio until a more permanent solution can be found. The government will continue to work as usual for the most part. We also agreed that now is not the time for elections: the mandate of this government lasts until 322 and we intend to finish our term.”

Some leaders of opposition parties criticised the move; “Despite their words trying to reassure us that everything is OK, we now effectively have a paralyzed government that doesn't know what to do”, PB leader Sonya Griffith said. “As far as my party is concerned, this is a really bad situation and the people should decided how to solve it: they elected Dacus and Dacus isn't available anymore. Owens wasn't even on the list so although it is perfectly fine for her to be part of the government on the invitation of the Grand Minister, the fact that she actually gets to lead the government without being elected, is outrageous.” Griffiths was backed by Caerwyn Bennion of the Republican Party (PG).

Transport minister Ffransis Costellon (PD) replied that he agrees with his party leadership that now is not the time for elections and that the country needs a stable government under a stable leader. According to him, his party will likely hold elections to formally replace Dacus as party leader, but didn't want to confirm or deny whether or not he would be a candidate.
 
Prif Weinidog ‘yn ddifrifol wael’
Grand Minister ‘gravely ill’

ABERBAN, 20 May 318 | 28ain o Ecwys 318 || Grand Minister Cadfael Dacus (80) was rushed to a hospital this morning, transport minister Ffransis Costellon confirmed on behalf of the cabinet. Details about the Grand Minister's condition have yet to emerge, but the severity of his condition is alarming, according to Costellon. Deputy Grand Minister Winnifred Owens (PD) and the senior ministers of the two coalition partners Rhobert Proger (PBD) and Pedr Wiegold (PRh) broke off their holidays (the members of the Siambr and the government are in recess this week due to Whitsuntide) and are on their ways back to Aberban.

The first official reactions by party leaders included their hope that the Grand Minister may soon recover. Sonya Griffith-Sampson, leader of the Burovian Party (the third largest party in the Siambr), took the opportunity to call for new elections. “With all due respect towards the Grand Minister in this difficult moment, I don't think that I have to underline the importance of having a stable government; despite his qualities as a politician, Grand Minister Dacus is 80 years old and the possibility that he wouldn't finish his term for non-political reasons is significant. If Dacus is incapacitated, it is likely that the PD will succumb in a leadership battle between Owens and Costellon, paralyzing the government. We should have new elections soon”, Griffith said. Minister Costellon responded that Griffith is trying to politicise the Grand Minister's illness, an act he called ‘appalling’. He denied that a power struggle is going on in the PD.
 
Archdduges Aberban yn feichiog eto
Grand Duchess of Aberban pregnant again

ABERBAN, 26 January 318 | 26ain o Aries 318 || The Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of Aberban are expecting their fourth child, the Royal Palace confirmed. The child is expected in July or August this year. The oldest son of King Iestyn III and his wife already have three daughters: the Princesses Rhiannon, Adara, and Meridith who are currently second to fourth in line of succession after their father. Should a boy be born, he will automatically precede his older sisters.

Several political parties claim that the current system of sucession that gives priority to brothers over sisters, is outdated and should be changed and with the Grand Duchess’s most recent pregnancy the discussion is likely to intensify again. According to Grand Minister Cadfael Dacus however, there is no ‘political urgency’ to change the law.
 
‘Gweinidog cludiant yn rhy bossy’
‘Transport minister too bossy’

ABERBAN, 22 January 318 | 22ain o Aries 318 || Minister of transport and communication Ffransis Costellon is ‘bossy, impolite, and often even rude’, sources around the cabinet claim. Costellon (PD, democrats) is apparently treating ministers of the minor coalition parties PBD (progressive democrats) and PRh (liberals) like inferior beings that have no idea what they are doing. Some PBD and PRh ministers allegedly even threatened to stop attending cabinet meetings if Costellon isn’t sacked. The 80 year old Grand Minister, Cadfael Dacus (PD), either has no idea what is going on or is unable to something about it; PBD and PRh party leaders apparently tried to discuss the situation with him, but without result.

Costellon himself denies every wrongdoing. “I can’t verify if these alleged complaints are true, but politics are rough business, we are all adults; whoever can’t handle the pressure of being a minister, should of course resign”, he said, adding that he was disappointed that the press jumped at this story without giving proper sources. “If there turns out to be any truth in this story after all, the ministers concerned should have kept this within the cabinet instead of leaking it to the press, which is very unprofessional.”
 
Lladdodd dyn gydweithiwr siaradus
Man kills talkative colleague

CASTELL GRONC, 11 January 318 | 18fed o Aries 318 || Police arrested an office clerk of a cigar factory this morning after he fatally stabbed one of his co-workers in his neck with a letter opener. According to some of their other colleagues who saw it happen, the man suddenly jumped up and started stabbing the victim whilst shouting ‘Will you please shut up!?’. They confirmed that the victim had been talking endlessly all morning about his children and his pets, which he apparently did on a regular basis. The employees have been given counsel.

The perpetrator, a single man of 46 named Gareth, was set to leave the cigar factory and start a new job as an administrator at a secundary school in February. The victim, a 32 year old man named Siôn, was his direct co-worker and a father of three young children as well as owner of two large dogs and some cats whom he loved so much that he couldn’t stop talking about them. Gareth seemed to have been working on a project and repeatedly asked Siôn to be quiet so that he could concentrate.

The police have asked users of the social network Diarİ to remove any supposedly funny posts claiming that smoking kills, out of respect to the victim’s relatives.
 
Enillodd Hywela Saffir Fwgwd Aur
Hywela Saffir wins Golden Mask

ABERBAN, 16 December 317 | 14eg o Fantis 317 || Actress Hywela Saffir has won the Golden Mask, the biggest prize for Kemedalian actors and actresses that is awarded every year in the week before Cruismas. Saffir won the prize according to the jury because of her ‘splendid performance’ of the leading role in the film Swamp Dancers (Dawnswyr y Gors) about a woman who can’t get the idea out of her head that her sister’s death of 30 years ago was not an accident. It is the first time that Saffir has won the Golden Mask; with 14 nominations (including this year’s) she holds however the record of most nominated actress. According to some, Saffir won because ‘it was time that she finally got that mask’ and because the other nominated actors were much younger than she and still have many chances to win in the future.

Other actors who were nominated for the prize were Sioned Nevett for her role as Eleonora in the fantasy film of the same name, and Alun Giryth for his performance in the popular drama series Wild Boys (Bechgyn Gwyllt) about a fictional crime syndicate in Aberban.
 
6ed Symffoni Rhys Cadogan yn ‘rhy anodd’
Rhys Cadogan’s 6th symphony ‘too difficult’

LLANFARC, 26 May 317 | 6ed o Ffelis 317 || Yesterday evening the world premiere of Kemedalian composer Rhys Cadogan’s sixth symphony took place in the Royal Music Arena in Llanfarc. The concert consisted of three works, performed by the Royal Western Bala Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Talfryn Hobbs. Before the intermission the Pastoral Overture for orchestra by Meinwen Pembroc and the Overseas Symphony by Somerish composer Ennan Caurtner were performed, and the remainder of the program was filled by Cadogan’s sixth symphony, which lasted about 45 minutes.

The work, subtitled Towards the Horizon, opens in a pointillistic manner, with the strings playing almost unaudible pizzicato rhythms that are occasionally interrupted by short woodwind expressions. Gradually the sound increases in volume and density until a tapestry of repetitive rhythms culminates in the brass putting a forceful end to this introduction. The woodwinds now take the lead into a playful scherzo-like section, at first shy, but increasingly self assured. The strings, brass, and percussion join the woodwinds and create a whirlpool of sounds in which Hobbs seemed to have been lost a few times. A short recitative for piano and percussion follows, after which the work is concluded by a slow multi-layered final section of almost half an hour.

Overall, the sixth symphony is a far more serious work than its five predecessors, which all contain a dominating festive element. In their first reactions critics agreed that the sixth is also more personal: while the first five symphonies were clearly written for the general public, the sixth seems to have the character of a diary that has now been read by others without permission.

The performance was not without flaws. Cadogan himself admitted afterwards that the work may have been more difficult to perform than he intended. Members of the orchestra said that it was too difficult to prepare in four months that they were given and that they had strongly considered cancelling the performance.
 
Adolygith y Siambr yr anghytundebau
Siambr to review incompatibilities

ABERBAN, 16 May 317 | 24ain o Ecwys 317 || The Siambr y Taleithiau, Kemedal’s parliament, has admitted a proposal today to review the incompatibilities of people’s representatives. The proposal, which was filed by Gwyneira Beddow of the Plaid Fwrofwr (PB, Burovian Party), follows a series of incidents in which local and State representatives were suspected of acting with conflict of interests as a result of side activities as board members of certain public organisations. Most of these incidents took place in the State of Corwn, the most prominent incident elsewhere being John Jones, the leader of the Plaid Weriniaethol (PG, Republican Party) of Abercyffyr who is currently under investigation by his own party following a series of decisions that benefited a local hospital where he is a member of the board of supervisors.

According to the law that is currently in place, people’s representatives are allowed to receive payment for side activities if these take place in organisations that serve the interest of the greater public, such as hospitals, national insurance companies, and state owned energy and public transport companies. These organisations often deal with a number of external companies and Jones is suspected of adapting legislation in such a manner that his hospital can more easily get rid of hospital waste. A judge refused to accept this as an example of corruption as ‘all bills that were accepted are in order and could have been filed by any other political party, with or without connections to the hospital.’

“Kemedalian law accepts that our elected representatives have side activities, but if they cannot separate their activities, we have a problem”, Beddow explains. “In some of the cases that we saw in the last couple of years, important security measures were effectively circumvented. In Porthlong Danfor at least two near-accidents were caused by this.”

A spokesman of the ruling Plaid Ddemocratiaid (PD, Democratic Party) said that the Siambr should discuss this matter with care. “It is not my party’s intention to abolish the existing compatibilities. Rather should we put in place a system to prevent these conflicts of interest. The various examples that Ms Beddow gave of misinterpretations of the current law did convince my party to vote in favour of accepting the admittance of the review proposal; of course the PD considers the safety of the Kemedalian citizens of utmost importance.”
 
Cysylltiadau diplomyddol Cymig
Kemedalian diplomatic relations

ABERBAN, 1 March 317 | 4ydd o Gastor 317 || The new minister of foreign affairs, Pedr Laugharne, announced that the ministry will appoint and replace several ambassadors in the course of this year. Kemedal is hoping to establish more intensive relations with a number of nations that have been part of the establishment for many years as well as open new relations with the countries that recently became independent. Kemedal is also hoping to boost relations with our neighbour to the south, Albion-Merité.

“The previous government had a laissez-faire attitude when it came to foreign contacts, but this government would like to be more internationally active”, minister Laugharne explained. “Friendly cooperation is important to preserve peace and to stimulate trade, so we are willing to put our shoulders to the wheel if other nations are too.”

The new government also intend to discuss with the neighbours expansion and improvement of border crossing infrastructure (both roads and railroads) in order to stimulate trade and other economic movements in the northwestern part of Eras.
 
Mae’r Llywodraeth newydd wedi tyngu llw
New government sworn in

ABERBAN, 22 February 317 | 25ain o Fofis 317 || After more than one month of negotiations, the new government, headed by the new Grand Minister Cadfael Dacus, was sworn in by king Iestyn III this morning. Already controversial, as the coalition includes the previous ruling party PBD (the Progressive Democrats) that lost a substantial amount of seats in last month’s elections, the government will focus on reducing unemployment and expanding the country’s military forces – two problems that have the potential to solve each other, according to the ruling parties.

The new coalition is made up of three parties: the Democratic Party PD that won the elections, the Progressive Democrat PBD, and the Liberal Party (PRh), which have a majority of 70 seats in the 125 member Siambr y Taleithiau. Initially a coalition between the PD, the PRh and the Plaid Fwrofwr (PB, Burovian Party) was attempted, but the latter left the talks when it turned out that PD and PRh weren’t inclined to make any changes to the electoral system nor invest in the education proposals the PB had done during their campaign, including a controversial introduction of ‘flexible school years’ in which secundary school students would be allowed to finish a ‘year’ in their own speed, even if it takes several more months.

“I am very disappointed to say that neither the PD nor the PRh have shown any willingness to accept the necessary changes that we proposed and that our country needs”, PB leader Sonya Griffith-Sampson told the press shortly after the talks between the parties broke up earlier this month. “We will make our points as part of the opposition and the future will prove to them that they were wrong to refuse collaboration with us.”

Some right-wing media immediately took Griffith’s words as a threat that she will ask the Greater Burovian Realm to interfere in the politics of Kemedal. Others were milder, but suggested that the PB to be taken seriously as a national party and not as some Burovian fifth column, it should change its name and some of its terminology.

The public opinion on the new government is moderately positive, although many are sceptical that this government will bring any change. Grand Minister Dacus is 79 years old and although the almost 2 m (6.5 ft) tall former rugby player isn’t a fragile kind of person, many think that he has lost his connection with the modern world a long time ago.
 
Colled ddramatig i bartïon llywodraeth
Dramatic loss for government parties

ABERBAN, 8 January 317 | 8fed o Aries 317 || The people of Kemedal voted for change in yesterday’s elections, with the government coalition of the Plaid Flaengar Ddemocrataidd (PBD, Progressive Democrats) and the Plaid Pobl Werdd (PPW, Greens) losing 29 seats and thus their majority in the Siambr y Taleithiau. Although the Plaid Ddemocrataidd (PD, Democrats) won the elections, they got only 34 out of 125 seats, meaning that a coalition with less than three parties will be impossible. The overall winner of the elections is however the Plaid Fwrofwr (PB, Burovians) that will enter the Siambr for the first time with 18 seats, which makes them the third largest party.

PD leader Cadfael Dacus, despite his old age, held a powerful victory speach when a substantial part of the votes had been counted. He promised to ‘undo the damage of four years of PBD&PPW’ without addressing the certainly difficult coalition talks that lie ahead.

Indeed, there are not many possibilities to form a stable government with only three parties. Avoiding PBD and PPW, PD could form a coalition with the Burovians and the Plaid Ryddfrydol (PRh, Liberal Party), which will however have a very meagre majority of only 63 seats. It is possible that these parties may ask the Plaid Weriniaethol (PG, Republicans) or the Undeb y Brenhinwyr y Cymoedd (UBC, Monarchists) for additional support, but although these two parties saw their number of seats increase, it is far less than they hoped, despite Alis Abrynmor’s controversial campaign for the Aberban Republicans and the Monarchist’s change of program that saw them developing from a one issue party to a somewhat social conservative party.

As soon as the final results have been published by the electoral committee, the party leaders will visit king Iestyn III to discuss the possibilities; this will almost certainly result in PD leader Cadfael Dacus being appointed as Cynghorydd y Brenin (King’s Advisor), responsible for the government formation.

PBD leader and incumbent grand minister Alyn Hoells so far hasn’t accepted defeat, suggesting that the elections may have to be repeated, as ‘an unbiased vote could not be cast in the light of the recent bombing in Porto Capital’. He remains however the only one refusing to accept the election results, which, according even to members of his own party, ‘is kind of sad’.

The five States of Kemedal (Aberban, Bala, Corwn, Gwaun, and Llidiard) are each represented by 25 seats in the Siambr; within these States, elections take place through proportional representation. The States represent historical duchies, but although the fact that the current political system causes the votes of inhabitants of lesser populated areas to have a far bigger value, changing this system is a somewhat controversial subject – even in the State of Aberban that is disadvantaged by this system – as many inhabitants of Kemedal identify very strongly with their native State.
 
Neuadd y dref newydd Aberban ei gorffen
New Aberban Town Hall completed

ABERBAN, 20 December 316 | 19eg o Fantis 316 || The new town hall of the city of Aberban was completed today. This was announced by a spokeswoman of the City Council. The construction of a new town hall was ordered after toxic asbestos was discovered in the walls of the old one six years ago, after which the City Council had to move into a temporary building as the old town hall was scheduled for demolition.

The new building follows a design of well known Kemese architect Cystennin Urian and is a modern and transparant structure with lots of glass and light woodlike materials. According to Urian it is very energy friendly. Not everybody is happy with the design though; two aldermen already complained that they won’t be able to concentrate if they have the idea that they are being watched during meetings. Urian however said that the city council is a public body, so the public should be able to see what is going on.
 
Dyn anhysbys ei ddarganfod yn Llyn Byw
Unknown man found in Llyn Byw

GLYNMELYN, 9 December 316 | 8fed o Fantis 316 || The local police of the town of Glynmelyn are investigating the circumstances involving the dead body of an unknown man that was found by an old woman at the shore of the lake of Llyn Byw last week. According to the police, the man received several strokes in the back of his head with an axe, which may however not be the course of death, as the body is further examined. The police are treating the case as a murder case, and have asked the public to come forward with any information that they may have. Seeing as Llyn Byw is shared with Albion-Merité, there is a possibility that the victim is not from Kemedal at all.
 
Alis Abrynmor yn noeth ar boster ymgyrch
Alis Abrynmor nude on campaign poster

ABERBAN, 1 December 316 | 28ain o Lwpis 316 || Alis Abrynmor, candidate for the republican party Plaid Weriniaethol (PG) in the state of Aberban, has issued a campaign poster featuring a picture of herself on which she is wearing no clothes. Despite halfhearted actions issued by the PG leadership to remove the posters (the PG receives a lot of attention because of them), copies seem to have been made, which pop up all over the capital and even in other places outside the state of Aberban. Several parties replied that Ms Abrynmor’s nudity is a breach of public decency and called upon the election committee to bar the PG from participating in the elections that will take place on 7 January; the election committee replied that it will take the complaint in consideration – as they do with all complaints. Ms Abrynmor replied that the other parties are just jealous that they don’t have members with bodies that would attract any voters.

Alis Abrynmor (34) is a former actress turned politician and the colourful exception to the otherwise rather grey and boring republicans. Her controversial behaviour since she rose to prominence within the PG has given her party some momentum in opinion polls, so most conservative party members tolerate her for the time being, although it has been clear that not everyone likes the way she presents the party. Abrynmor is currently seventh on the Aberban list, but could receive a lot of preference votes.
 
Mae’r clefyd ieir yn lledaenu
Chicken disease spreading

ABERBAN/LLANGORMAC, 28 November 316 | 25ain o Lwpis 316 || The disease that has caused the deaths of numerous chickens at farms in and around the town of Llangormac is spreading, the ministry of agriculture has confirmed. Similar cases have popped up in Llanlyfrda and Brogarw. It also seems that not only chickens are affected by the illness; several dead wild ducks were found last Friday in the same area.

‘The fact that the illness seems to be contagious to ducks is bad news’, a spokesperson of the ministry said. ‘This means that it can easily spread to larger areas. Minister Baugh already informed her colleagues in Ansonia and Albion-Merité who most likely will have to deal with it as well – if the illness doesn’t originate in one of those countries, a possibility that the ministry doesn’t exclude either’.
 
Etholiadau cynnar ar 7fed o Aries 317
Early elections on 7 January 317

ABERBAN, 18 November 316 | 15fed o Lwpis 316 || The governing parties PBD (progressive democrats) and PPW (greens) agreed to hold early elections on 7 January next year following the government crisis earlier this month. This was announced by the leaders of both parties, although the date still has to be approved by the Siambr y Taleithiau; although PBD and PPW have a majority, the 7 November vote proved that the PBD whip is not in control of all of his party colleagues.

The agreement means however good news for the PPW, which are currently doing well in opinion polls; a more negative scenario had been that PPW left government in which case they could have been replaced by the opposition party PD (Democrats) as a governing partner. Rumours that PBD leaders met with PD officials last week to discuss exactly such a scenario were denied by Grand Minister Alyn Hoells (PBD), and if this meeting did take place, it obviously wasn’t successfull.
 
Dyn ei arestio am ddynwared yr Archddug
Man held for impersonating Grand-Duke

Y TŴRGLAS, 14 November 316 | 11eg o Lwpis 316 || A man from Y Tŵrglas was arrested today for impersonating the Grand-Duke of Aberban on the popular social media site Diarİ, the police confirmed. The eldest son of king Iestyn III filed a complaint after the man announced a benefit concert for children that were orphaned by the nuclear attack on Surina a few weeks ago, suggesting that money could be donated on a special bank account. Several donations were made, some of them substantial, by people who thought that they were dealing with the real Grand-Duke.

A spokesman of the police said that the man will be charged with fraud, embezzlement, and identity theft. Redistributing the money to its former owners will be problematic, the police confessed, as most of it seems to have been transferred to an offshore bank account that seems difficult to access.

It is not the first time that a well-known person from our country is impersonated on Diarİ; in 313 actress Olivia Owen Hughes went through a rough period after several colleagues were insulted on a fake Diarİ profile; people believing that it was she who wrote the messages exposed the fact that she was secretly having relationships with two other men, after which her husband of ten years filed for divorce.
 
Argyfwng y llywodraeth wedi methiant bil tai
Government crisis after housing bill fails

ABERBAN, 8 November 316 | 5ed o Lwpis 316 || The rejection of a bill introducing stricter energy rules for new houses yesterday afternoon has caused a crisis in the government coalition. The fact that several members of the progressive democratic PBD voted against the bill angered the junior government party PPW (green party), who are now threatening to pull the plug and call for new elections. Without PPW, PBD wouldn’t have a majority in the Siambr y Taleithiau anymore.

According to anonymous sources, there has been friction between the two governing parties for several months now and experts say that the voting result of the housing bill may just be the last straw for the PPW. Grand minister Alyn Hoells (PBD) and the PPW party leader in the Siambr Deiniol Abdrystan have been add odds regularly in the last couple of weeks, although so far they managed to express their differences in a civil manner.

‘The passing of this bill would have meant that future houses would have to be constructed according to energy friendly and environmentally safe standards’, Abdrystan said. ‘It was agreed with the PBD that this would be in the best interest of Kemedal and its people, but so far the PBD has not given a satisfactory explanation why it allowed a number of their members in the Siambr vote against it.’

Leaving the government could however be risky for the PPW; if the PBD manages to form a coalition government with the Democratic Party (PD), elections may be postponed until the end of the parliamentary session in 318 in which case the PPW may lose their momentum; in opinion polls they are doing fairly well, unlike the PBD that may lose up to half of its current 42 seats in the 125 member Siambr y Taleithiau.
 
Ieir yn marw o glefyd anhysbys
Chickens die of unknown disease

LLANGORMAC, 2 November 316 | 27ain o Goracs 316 || The ministry of agriculture has started an investigation in and around the town of Llangormac, where farms have been hit by mass chicken and other poultry mortality caused by an unknown disease. At least four chicken farms have been severely hit, with an estimated damage of millions of Kem. Without insurance backup some farmers may very well go bankrupt, but insurance companies didn’t want to comment on the matter yet, pending the investigation.
 
Bu farw Samantha Hier yr awdur yn 93 oed
Author Samantha Hier dies at age 93

PONTELYNOR, 22 October 316 | 16eg o Goracs 316 || Famous Kemedal crime novelist Samantha Hier died this morning at age 93, her family has announced. Hier was the author of more than twenty novels featuring inspectors Baugh and Anwyl and set in and around her native town of Pontelynor. Some titles were adapted for television, most famously Llofruddiaeth ar Lwyfan (Murder on Stage) in 272, with actors Cadwgan Gadarn and Tomos Prhys. Samantha Hier was married six times, with one son from her third marriage.
 
Pryder am sefyllfa yn GPG
Concern about situation in PROG

ABERBAN, 21 October 316 | 15fed o Goracs 316 || Following the most recent Vexileak report on the People’s Republic of Gronk, which prompted the army of the Lysonian Empire to assume Bravo status, ministers of defence Trahaearn Price and domestic affairs Pedr Laugharne issued a short statement saying that there is no cause for immediate alarm.

‘Our ministries are in direct contact with our friendly neighbours while our intelligence service is working around the clock to verify if the leaked documents are at all trustworthy’, minister Price said. ‘If a power change in PROG is indeed imminent and poses a danger to its neighbours, our armed forces are fully up to the task of defending our nation.’

Nevertheless, not a few people in our country are worried and supermarkets noted a slight increase in the purchase of products with long shelf lives. ‘This news, in combination with rumours that the anti-nuclear shield Electra Mundi was compromised, makes many people uneasy’, leader of the Justice and Development Party Rhys Bennett told our reporter. ‘If it’s true that PROG possesses nuclear weapons, this is indeed cause for extreme concern and we call upon the government to be completely transparant about this; the people need to know the risks!’

According to domestic affairs minister Pedr Laugharne however, Bennett is just contributing to an atmosphere of unease among the people. ‘If there is a PROG threat, causing panic among our society is just going to destabilise Kemedal’, he said.
 
Mae’r Cymoedd yn cydnabod y Dac
Kemedal recognises Tak

ABERBAN, 18 October 316 | 12fed o Goracs 316 || As of today, Kemedal recognises the independence of the Free States of Tak, a nation on the continent of Smalik. Tak has been acting as an independent nation since 308, a fact that the government of Bowdani never acknowledged. Last weekend however, the Republic of Bowdani was formally dissolved, taking away the last obstacle for a formal recognition of Tak.

‘The recognition of Tak has been prepared long ago and we were just waiting for this moment’, foreign affairs minister Llewelyn Beynon explained. ‘Ambassadors can now be exchanged between our countries very soon. As for the other successor states of Bowdani, most notably the Republic of Flovaigne and the Lectern of United Kencari Peoples, we will investigate the matter of their stability, but normally their recognition by Kemedal shouldn’t be an issue. The government of Kemedal is happy that the former Bowdani nations have set such a fine example of the possibility to dissolve a problematic nation in a peaceful manner.’
 
Mae’r Brenin yn dathlu ei ben-blwydd yn 65 oed
The King celebrates his 65th birthday

ABERCYFFYR, 15 October 316 | 9fed o Goracs 316 || A national holiday took place today on the event of the 65th birthday of his majesty the King on 26 September. Apart from festivities all over the country, King Iestyn III and Queen Llinos and their three children and their families visited the coastal town of Abercyffyr where they hosted a large garden party for 492 invites. In the evening a concert in honour of his majesty was organised in the ruins of Abercyffyr Castle.

Although King Iestyn III has been the titular King of Kemedal since the death of King Iestyn II in 299, the Royal Family was living in exile at that time, following the collapse of the Gronk Empire. In 302 Kemedal became independent and the present King ascended the throne.