NEWS
Protesthe os haghe ab "Corris lil Ceurf" paevenu po boon
Protests against "Western Motorway" plans end in violence
HREAWIRC, 10 JULY 2020 | A sizeable crowd of environmentalist
and leftist protesters gathered in front of the Higurstat Baan
(the Assembly of the Realm) at the Bric Warh in the capital
today to protest against government plans to construct the infamous
Corris Iil Ceurf (Western Motorway), which should create a
better connection between Emersenc and Saent Lovus noo Coviryth,
but which the protesters fear will destroy large amounts of nature
in three counties. The event ended in violence and the crowd was
dispersed by the police. 12 people were arrested.
The construction of the Western Motorway has been discussed for
several decades already. Especially the city of Saent Lovus is
in favour of the construction, as it currently has very few
connections to the rest of the country despite its regional
importance. Earlier plans to create or upgrade a more direct
route from Saent Lovus to Saent Ogist ec Alh were rejected
as studies found that the ground in the counties of Oscyr
Leud and the north of Coviryth was not stable enough such a
large scale project.
"The environmentological effects of the western route have been
investigated extensively", Rutsjyrd Baad, the minister for Regional
Planning, explained. "Ecological damage will be minimal in
comparison to the economic benefit that the existence of the Western
Motorway will have and such damage will of course be compensated."
"That is nonsense", Lova Caarc, one of the leaders of the
demonstration, replied. "You can't just 'compensate' the destruction of
a natural environment that has developed over many centuries. Planting
a few extra trees somewhere else is not going to help. For the sake of
this country and ultimately of this planet, this motorway should not
be built."
After an hour or so, the protests grew more violent in character as
some people in the crowd started to throw paint bombs to the doors of
the Assembly. The police tried to intervene but encountered a large
than expected resistence, after which they used tear gas to disperse
the protesters. 12 of them were arrested.
Thrae Mearh virvynu: gaen hert scieh sear irryfnu murrowyn
King Maerh dies: ten days of national mourning declared
HREAWIRC, 5 DECEMBER 2017 | King Mearh I has died this morning. The
96-year old monarch passed away sitting down in his favorite reading
chair after breakfast, according to Prime Minister Cillyh Ocurmen,
who addressed the nation shortly after noon. The Prime Minister
praised Mearh's many years of service to the country, more than 47
of which as king. Funeral arrangements will now be discussed with
the new Queen, Mearh's oldest daughter Atheanne, and the rest of
the royal family. The Prime Minister declared ten days of national
mourning, during which public life in Wyster will have a sober character.
Mearh I sie Soormeth was born at Fryhaec Castle, near the village of
Bocyme in county Orsearre on 27 February 1921. His father was Hrevyn
sie Soormeth (later king Hrevyn III), his mother Rynne Countess Caen.
Wyster was just experiencing its Fourth Republic under Chairman Peus
Ghaarn, a brilliant political strategist who turned out to be
increasingly ruthless and paranoid as he got older; he was elected
in 1915 under the Third Republic, but he managed to gain such
political dominance that he changed the constitution in 1920 and
establised the Fourth Republic, in which it was almost impossible to
depose him without force. Force came in the form of a six year civil
war. At the end of this war, the Wystrian monarchy was restored under
King Hrevyn III, a grandson of the previous king Hrevyn II (1859-1860
and 1895-1902). As his father became king, Mearh became Crown Prince.
Mearh studied political history and diplomatic studies, both in Wyster
and abroad. In 1947 he married Soor Countess Meerwyth (1924 – 2008),
with whom he had two daughters, Princess Atheanne (*1949, who is now
the Queen of Wyster) and Princess Learre (*1955). When Mearh
succeeded his father as King of Wyster in 1970, Princess Atheanne
became his heir apparent. Mearh's life as Crown Prince was not without
problems. As a student he got into trouble already for driving under
influence and getting involved in a mass fight that damaged several
houses and shops in Hreawirc. His marriage was tumultuous and Crown
Princess Soor is said to have been ready to leave the country on
more than one occasion. In 1961 he was essential in closing a
lucrative arms deal between Wyster and Karolia, which gained him a
lot of praise initially until it emerged six years later that he
mediated for two other parties as well at the time of the
Wyster-Karolia deal and facilitated illegal arms trade in the
process. Several politicians of Wyster then demanded that Mearh
be excluded from succession and that the throne should pass directly
to Mearh's daughter Atheanne after Hrevyn III's death. According to
sources, Hrevyn III threatened to abdicate on the spot if this
proposal was put into practice and Atheanne (who was barely 18 years
old at the time) refused to step in.
Hrevyn III died in 1970 and Mearh succeeded him as King of Wyster.
Although he was initially unpopular in political circles, a large
part of the population considered him a 'man of the people', for
taking risks and putting protocol aside. His marriage calmed down
a bit and under influence of his wife Queen Soor, the new King
slowly discovered his role as monarch. He showed that he was
there as King not only to party but also to support the people,
for instance when a landslide all but destroyed two villages
in county Troc in 1984 and after the shooting attack in the
Promynad Stadium in Hreawirc that left nine visitors dead and
several dozens injured in 1991.
The new millennium saw a calmer agenda for the King, with his
daughters taking over several official tasks. Queen Soor
died in 2008. Although the King's health remained good until
the very end, he became frail, with a faltering voice. His
last public appearance was in June 2014; after that, he only
made a couple of appearances on television.
Queen Atheanne (68) is the new head of state of Wyster, although
her coronation will be scheduled after the ten days of mourning
only. The Queen doesn't have any children, so her younger
sister Princess Learra is the heir presumptive; Learra's eldest
son Prince Thyllyn (35) is second in line.
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