The Xaethoon Imperial Broadcasting Service

[Xaeth]

The Beginning of a New Era

It has been nearly a month since the untimely death of our dearly beloved Empress Yphaa, meaning that the month of state mourning has nearly run its course. Yphaa xy Thælyrn drifted from this world at a mere 41 years old, victim of long-outstanding medical problems only a scant few weeks after the death of her most cherished Consort. In the interim month her sister and Prime Minister, Llyri xy Thælyrn, has headed the government as Regent. But a Regency cannot last forever, and Llyri only rules from the Imperial until her niece is enthroned as the Most Serene and Celestial Empress. And such a time is now. Once the mourning period has ended, Crown Princess Ælirn xy Thælyrn, will be officially enthroned upon the Radiant Throne and take her rightful place as Xæth's ruler.

The ceremony is to begin the morning of November 2*, with prestigious and well-respected guests from all over Xæth in attendance. However, Crown Princess Ælirn herself has publicly announced that she desires to invite foreign dignitaries from states all over the world to attend the enthronement. The Crown Princess claims this is the first step in correcting the laxity in Xæthoon diplomacy during her mother's reign. While Regent Llyri has made no public comment on her niece's announcement, it is unlikely that she would refuse a public request of the soon-to-be-Empress. This would make it the first time since the enthronement of Crown Princess Ælirn's great-grandmother 69 years ago that foreign dignitaries will be present for the ceremony. Regardless, the entirety of the country is looking forward to the new Empress' ascension as the beginning of a new era for Xæth.

[Xaeth]

Empress Appoints New Cabinet Ministers

Following the enthronement of Her Imperial Majesty Ælirn XIX xy Thælyrn as the Most Serene and Celestial Empress in Jiloola, she has made quick work of setting up her own governing cabinet. In a move unsurprising to some and shocking to others, nearly the entirety of the Cabinet has been replaced from that of Ælirn's mother. One of the few exceptions being Crown Princess Llyri, who will continue to serve as Xæth's Prime Minister. The choices have drawn a small measure of criticism from more conservative elements of Xæth, as many of the chosen Ministers are in favour of a more international course for Xæthoon foreign policy. Queen Tæ of Ilanry is quoted as having said, "I have said my oaths and owe my absolute and unwavering loyalty to my Empress, and I would die before betraying my word. I merely hope that the Empress remembers that we do not wish others to meddle in our affairs, and that we should afford the other nations of Mundus that same courtesy". There was a minor backlash in regards to the appointment of our new Minister of Technology. There were those who worried about potential conflicts of interest regarding Kallax xy Ool's status as Founder and CEO of Xæthoon tech giant Phaaza. However, within hours the Kallax announced she would be stepping down as CEO in order to assume her station as her niece's Minister. The newly appointed Ministers are expected to begin their work within the week, after being given a full briefing by their predecessors.

[Xaeth]

Empress Announces Environmental Reforms

Several days ago the Environmental Treaty of Wellow was signed on behalf of Xæth and Empress Ælirn. The treaty, seeking to protect the environment of Mundus on the global scale and the first of its kind, has been embraced openly and emphatically by the Empress. "Mankind's ability to permanently alter and effect the world around it is at a level unprecedented throughout all of history. And with such power comes with an equal responsibility; we cannot sit idly by and allow the destruction and pollution of the environment. We are overjoyed that an effort to preserve the natural world now exists on an international scale, as we had planned on making such policies in Xæth itself and now we are able to coordinate with nations all around Mundus." Ælirn announced a series of reforms aimed at accomplishing the terms of the treaty as soon as possible, particularly with an emphasis on reducing food waste and embracing sustainable transport and energy. The Empress has announced planned tax breaks for automobile corporations willing to develop green cars among other such strategies as well as announcing her full support for the expansion and further development of nuclear energy within Xæth.

[Xaeth]

Vicereine of Maryryn Resigns

In Ootarana earlier this morning Vylæ Talala, the Vicereine of Maryryn, made the announcement that she would be resigning from the post she has served in for nearing 3 decades. Appointed in 1989 by Her Imperial Majesty Ælirn XVIII, Vicereine Talala has a deserved reputation as a loyal and able administrator however she was often decried by more liberal members of the administration. A stalwart defender of the status quo, while Talala enforced those rights granted to the Maori citizens of Maryryn she was often accused of stonewalling discussions between the government and the local Iwi, such as on the legal recognition of tribal land ownership in Maryryn. Hoping to quell any rumours that might arise on the coinciding of her retirement and the enthronement of Her Imperial Majesty Ælirn XIX, the 70-year old Vicereine Talala has revealed that she suffered a heart attack scare last November and wishes to retire so as to concentrate on her health and family. Her Imperial Majesty Ælirn XIX is expected to make an announcement regarding Talala's successor within the week.

[Xaeth]

A New Viceroy

With the announcement of Vylæ Talala's resignation as Vicereine of Maryrn, many have been awaiting HIM Ælirn XIX's appointment of a successor to the position. In a week's time Ata Hau, a prominent Maori politician, will be sworn in as Viceroy. Born to a Maori father and Xæthoon mother, Hau is the first individual of Maori descent to hold the title of Viceroy. "I am honoured that our esteemed Empress would see fit to appoint me as Viceroy, and I swear to govern Maryrn with honesty and integrity. The Empress and I hope to began a bright new era for Maryrn and all who call it home," came a statement from Hau himself. The move has been applauded by progressives across the Empire, however some conservative elements of Xæth point to his pro-Maori stance on many issues and worry that he may show unfair favourtism to the minority group.

[Xaeth]

Empress Responds to the Crisis in Midaranye

The Throne has so far been utterly silent on the situation currently developing in Midaranye, but as of today it appears as though that period of quiet was merely an assessment of Xæth's options, and not a tacit ignoring of the crisis such that it would have been during the previous regime. With the food shortages and potential for another Cultist genocide in Royal Seleucid, Slava Lavosk's internment of citizens of Tamoran descent and brutal murder of Dilara Haghighi, and Tamora's ultimatum to Slava Lavosk and ongoing institution of chattel slavery, as well as the numerous fleets now off the coast of Midaranye point to the potential for a violent escalation in the region. But earlier this morning HIM Ælirn spoke publicly on the situation, as well as the Empire's responses.

While it was reiterated that Xæth currently has absolutely no plans for the Xæthoon military to become involved, the Empress expressed her "support for the seven nations and their fleets who have taken the defense of Midaranye's minorities upon their shoulders". However, in accordance with the Empress' policy of greater involvement in international affairs she has declared that Xæth shall not merely stand by. The Throne has declared its intention to place embargoes on Tamora, Slava Lavosk, and Royal Seleucid all. But "in light of the food shortages cased by the locusts swarms within Royal Seleucid, Xæth will not be banning trading in foodstuffs with Royal Seleucid. To do so would be to bring undue suffering upon the people of Royal Seleucid for the actions of their government in these times of difficulty. And so I declare that Xæth is also working on a plan to bring in food relief to the peoples of Royal Seleucid."

[Xaeth]

Friendship Treaty Passes Through National Assembly

Late last year, a treaty was drafted and presented to the Xæthoon government by Empress Beatrice of Rokkenjima for an official 'friendship' between the two Empires. The treaty included such provisions as lowered economic barriers, ease of travel, and intelligence sharing and was presented before the National Assembly at its most recent session. While HIM Empress Ælirn XIX has been eager to steer Xæth's foreign policy away from the near-isolationism of her predecessor, the treaty would represent a hard shift in the official policy of the government as a whole. And as such many believed that it would be quickly shot down by the ruling Nationalist-Conservative coalition. However the treaty ended up being hotly debated on the floor of the Assembly, with more Assemblymen of the People's Conservative Party wishing to vote in favour of the treaty than expected. In the end, the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation Between the First Empire of Rokkenjima and the Most Serene and Celestial Empire of Xæth passed with a 151:149 vote.

Today marks an official start to a new era of Xæthoon foreign policy, if the Empress' actions had not already began to do so. But almost as important, if not moreso, is that today's vote revealed the cracks in the coalition between the People's Conservative Party and the National Integrity and Unity League. What was expected to be a quick and solid victory turned into a humiliating defeat for the Nationalists, and with a new round of elections in a scant few months many are wondering if the coalition will survive or if the Nationalists will even continue their tenure as the largest party in the National Assembly.

[Xaeth]

Xæth to Provide Aid to Royal Seleucid

As her Imperial Majesty Ælirn XIX had mentioned last month, the Most Serene and Celestial Empire of Xæth had plans in development to provide aid to Royal Seleucid. Today, she was proud to announce that "today there is no more discussions and no more planning; within only a scant few hours the first Xæthoon ships laden with food will be departing for the Celtic Protectorate, so that their bounty might be districuted across the whole of the famine-stricken nation. We hope only that as many Seleucids are able to survive and even thrive as possible, despite the ongoing crisis. The hearts of the Xæthoon people are with those of Royal Seleucid." The Throne has been quiet on the issue of the recent ascension of Prince Heydar to the Throne of Royal Seleucid, and it is expected that it shall have no effect on the sending of aid to the nation.

However in addition to the foreign aid sent to Royal Seleucid, the Throne has made official statements that despite the lack of a Tamoran diplomatic mission in Xæth to officially petition them, that some of the sanctions upon Tamora will be lifted. Citing concerns over the 'deteriorating conditions of the food supply in Tamora' any and all trade sanctions in regards to foodstuffs with Tamora have officially been lifted until December 31st, 2019. The possibility of foreign aid has been brought up, however at this point there are no official statements in regard to such matters regarding Tamora.


Other News
-Gas prices in Xæth begin to rise in the month following the Midaranye embargoes.
-The owner of a major investment bank in northern Xæth is under investigation for fraud and embezzlement.
-After only two days of searching, a 12-year old boy lost after wandering into in the forests of northern Oova is found alive, having fallen into a ravine and twisted their ankle.
-A bill proposed by the Progressives and supported by HIM is shot down by Conservatives and Nationalists in the National Assembly; the purpose of the bill was to extend anti-profiteering laws to instances of international commerce.

[Xaeth]

Xæth Condemns Self-Proclaimed Soviet Republic of Kaitaine Over Seitch Chemical Incident

A few days ago the self-proclaimed Soviet Republic of Kaitaine released massive quantities of the chemical Endosulfan into the air around the area of Bene Gesserit occupied Seitch in an "environmental cleansing" effort. The Most Serene and Celestial Empire of Xæth has never taken sides in the Kaitaine Civil War; neither the self-proclaimed Soviet Republic of Kaitaine and the self-proclaimed Theocracy of Kaitaine have ever been accepted as the rightful government of Kaitaine, and Xæth has been unwilling to make comments on the war raging in Kaitaine. However, the Throne has condemned the recent incident perpetrated by the self-proclaimed Soviet Republic stating that while "there is not enough information to decisively label the incident as a chemical attack, it is at best a grossly irresponsible action". The health risks that might be associated with the airdropping of, in the self-proclaimed Soviet Republic's words, "a massive amount" of endosulfan in an uncontrolled environment near a city are unacceptable. Endosulfan and its byproducts have the ability to last for years in the environment before degrading, and can travel immense distances from their point of origin, and most studies regarding its harmful effects are based on agricultural usage as opposed to directly applying them to inhabited areas. In addition there is no way for the chemicals to discriminate between the worms and various other species in the region around Seitch, so one can only wonder at the damage this 'environmental cleansing' will have on the environment. In the words of Her Imperial Majesty Ælirn XIX, "those pointing out that endosulfan is not the most toxic of chemicals should make certain not to forgot that it is still a toxic chemical. One that was dropped near a city, with no controls in place to protect its citizens from exposure". However, as mentioned prior, until a proper investigation has been undertaken the Throne shall not go so far as to refer to the incident as a chemical attack.


Millennia-old Ruin Believed to be a Mosque discovered in Eastern Xæth

Archaelogists studying the ruins of a settlement in Eastern Xæth have come across a startling discovery; one of the structures unearthed is now believed to have functioned as a mosque. This serves an a massive upset among Xæthoon historians as this would serve as the first physical evidence of Islam's presence in Xæth. The only evidence prior to this was fragmented scraps of a legend in which a Muslim king demanded that the Queens of the Aava Confederation "accept the Words of the Prophet and become his wives, else they shall become his concubines", a story which ended with the Queens sacking his city and having the men of his family castrated and made into their own concubines. Because of the total lack of evidence of any major Islamic presence in Xæth, historians have long considered the tale to be a mere myth or parable with little to no historic basis. But the structure in question carries many hallmarks of a mosuqe; although built in a style more reminiscent of late Noniam architecture, the structure is oriented in the general direction of Mecca, it carries no images of human figures which are common in both the temples of the Xæthoon pantheon and Solar Christianity, and most tellingly there are intricate carvings and inscriptions that were recently realized to be the Shahada. The mosque itself was a curiousity even before the discovery of its purpose, as it dates to the 9th-10th century which is several centuries after the rest of the somewhat preserved structures in the settlement. Despite the obvious importance of the discovery, some historians have begun to propose that this might prove evidence of independent proto-Noonyan or even outright Noniam polities long after the native peoples of the region were believed to have been conquered by Xæthoons,

[Xaeth]

IAIA to Assist in Archaeological Dig in Eastern Xæth
Last month the ruins of what appeared to have been a mosque were discovered in an archeological dig site in eastern Xæth, a monumental find as it remains the only physical evidence of any Islamic presence in the area of modern-day Xæth. Not long afterwards, Xæthoon authorities were petitioned by the Islamic Archaeological Institute of Altai to be allowed to send researchers to work alongside local crews in the dig. Yesterday it was publicly announced by the Imperial University at Zyrva, the sponsor of the dig, that the request was accepted and that Altaians lead by Dr. Ramin Panahi will be arriving into the country as soon as possible to begin their work alongside local archaeologists. Dr. Allyx Nytaal, the man in charge of the dig site, is hopeful that the assistance of archeologists from a Muslim country will be invaluable, stating that "whilst all of us currently working on the dig are certainly knowledgeable, there's only so much one can learns from books. Not only is this find just as significant to the history of our great nation as it is to the history of their Islamic faith, but I am certain that there are details more easily noticed by those who have lived and breathed Islam for the whole of their lives. I am very eager to met Dr. Panahi and get started on our work.". There has been some measure of opposition to Xæth's decision to allow citizens of the Empire of Tamora into the nation, however a representative of the government was quick to point out that the only measures taken against Tamora by Xæth are sanctions on goods without the Freestone Mark and that there are no travel bans. Dr. Nytaal had no comment when asked about this matter, stating that he "was an archaeologist, not a politician.".

New Session of the National Assembly Begins
In only a few weeks time the National Assmebly of Xæth will convene in the capital city of Jiloola once more to begin the debate on various proposed laws. There are a number of laws to be discussed, ranging from the tax breaks proposed by the Liberals to the declaration of lootboxes in video games as gambling brought forth by the Empress herself to welfare reforms from the Traditionalists. However, the most important and talked about law is, without a doubt, a comprehensive reform of Xæth's immigration laws that has been proposed by the Progressives. While laws governing who may travel to and from the nation are not strict, the nation's immigration laws are notorious for how difficult it is for foreigners to make their home within Xæth. This is something the Progressives wish to change, making it easier to allow foreigners to immigrate to and become citizens of Xæth. At present immigrants are unable to become citizens themselves unless they can prove they are of Xæthoon descent or are married to a citizen of the country, with the only exception being through Imperial dispensation such as that given to Attican refugees taken in after Tamora's invasion of their homeland. So far the proposed reforms have received mixed reactions from the general public, although the Throne itself has yet to comment on the proposition.

Xæth to Return Maori Artifacts
Throughout the many years of its colonization and occupation of what is today Maryrn, a great many artifacts have made their way from the Maori's hands into those of museums and private collectors in Xæth proper. There have even been allegations of theft in more recent years, although few of those cases made their way into the court room. However in a statement a few days ago, it was announced that the government would be making a concerted effort to return many of the objects currently held in imperially funded museums and universities to the Maori themselves. Experts from Maryrn have already been brought in to assist in identification and the government has also announced that it will make overtures to the United Commonwealth of the Iwi as well for their assistance, stating that some of the objects currently in their possession could have potentially originated from outside what is today Maryrn.

Maori to March on Mootyry
Prominent leaders in Xæth's Maori community have recently announced that they have begun the planning of a march on Maryrn's capital to protest against the Xæthoon government's treatment of the Maori minority. Despite having become full citizens of the nation when Maryrn was promoted from a colony to a region of the Empire proper, many Maori living in Maryrn today remain trapped in poverty and subject to discrimination. There have been many reports of police brutality towards the Maori by non-Maori police officers, anti-discrimination laws are often insufficient and loosely enforced, and there remain no public Maori-language schools in the whole of Xæth. There had been hope with the appointment of the half-Maori Ata Hau as Vicereoy of Maryrn but many view him as not having accomplished enough in his months in office, and galvanized by comment members of the government of the United Commonwealth of the Iwi have stated in regards to Xæth many have decided to make a statement. When asked about the recently announced plan to return Maori artifacts in Xæthoon possession, they stated that the march had been planned prior to said announcement and that despite their gratitude it was not enough to cancel the march. The march is planned to take place a month from today on May 16, and will end before the Viceregal Palace in Mootyry. So far there have been no comments from the Throne.

[Xaeth]

"The Truth" Under Investigation

An online news website known as 'The Truth' is currently being investigated by Xæthoon authorities following their posting of potentially sensitive information regarding the East Morelander company 'SmartWar' and their dealings with the East Morelander government. The data included secretly taken video footage of the inside of a SmartWar factory and correspondence between SmartWar and the East Morelander Minister of Defense. Not long after the posting were brought to the attention of the Imperial government an investigation was launched into how the company had acquired such data, and 'the Truth' was forced to take the data in question down. While many details are being withheld due to the ongoing investigation there are confirmed reports that the company's owner and operator, Vyln Larn, had disappeared from his home in Ilanry. He is believed to be continuing to share leaked foreign secrets as well, as a document detailing potential bribes by the Tamoran government to a Zimalian labour union recently surfaced online with complete Xæthoon translations. His involvement in that incident has yet to be confirmed, however authorities are offering a reward to any information that leads to Larn's arrest.

Assemblywoman Slams Progressive Immigration Reforms

Yla xy Laxka, the Assemblywoman for the Queendom of Ilanry, made her negative opinions of the Progressive's proposed laxing of immigration restrictions in the National Assembly today. In her nearly hour-long speech Assemblywoman Laxka, one of the only three members of the National Assembly to be a part of the far-right Golden Legion, decried the Progressives as "traitors to their nation" and "whores to foreign powers". She also claimed that if the bill passes then Xæth would be inundated with "mongrel barbarians" who would "erode the blessed culture of our great Empire". It is too soon to see how this might effect public opinion of the reforms or of Assmeblywoman Laxka herself, however this would not be the first time she has made what might be construed as inflammatory comments; she was vocally opposed to HIM Ælirn XIX's visit to the weddings of Lodja's Queen Klara, stating that her marriage to Lady Roksana was "an affront to the very concept of morality and dignity" although she made no statements against her Empress. Such outbursts have, in the past, had little effect on her popularity in her home of Ilanry and this is not expected to change with her most recent statements.

Preparations Begin for Hyllaræ

As the month of May starts to come to a close much of Xæth has begun preparations for the holiday of Hyllaræ, the Harvest festival throughout almost the whole of Xæth. The celebration lasts throughout the whole of the month of May and is held in celebration and honour of the Hylla, the Xæthoon goddess of the Harvest, Fertility, and Beauty. Though the festival officially last through the whole of the month much of the festivities occur during a single day of the month, during which there are grand public festivals all throughout the nation. The most well-known part of these festivities are the 'Trials', where numerous men will engage in various physical competitions such as wrestling, archery, mock battles, and races wherein the winner will be chosen by the local Priestess of Hylla to be ceremonially 'married' to Hylla for the year. For the young men, 'winning is not a simple case of actually winning as many competitions as one can as the Priestess takes into account things such as good sportsmanship and attitude to determine who is to 'wed' Hylla. The date on which the grand festivals will be held is not known however as the High Priestess of Hylla communes with the Goddess prior to the start of Hyllaræ, revealing the date on which is shall be held upon the first day of the month.

[Xaeth]

Immigration Reforms Fail Following Deadlock

Early last week the series of reforms to Xæth's immigration system were finally put to a vote following an extensive period of debate in the National Assembly. members of the Assembly debated with one another over the proposed reforms for nearly a solid month before they were finally put to a proper vote. A vote which, surprisingly, resulted in a political deadlock with 147 in favour, 147 opposed, and 6 abstaining votes. And as a result for the first time since the legislative body's creation in 1840 the Most Serene and Celestial Empress of Xæth exercised her powers as a legislative tiebreaker. And with HIM Ælirn XIX's vote against the reforms, the Progressives will need to wait for the next session to begin before proposing them again. There were a great many individuals surprised by the Empress' vote; prior to her enthronement HIM Ælirn XIX had kept her own political beliefs out of the public eye and her actions afterwards have aligned neatly with the Progressives' agenda, so her voting against some of the Progressives' most ambitious legislation to date came as a shock to many. Sources from inside the Party itself say that the Progressive's are currently in an uproar as their political strategy to date relied on the assumed support of the Empress, something which they now know they cannot take for granted. The move, however, has pleased many politicians in more traditional circles, a group which has not agreed with much of what the Empress has done in her reign.

Hyllaræ Preparations Continue as Empress Invites Foreign Dignitaries to Experience Xæthoon Culture and Traditions

On the first of May the High Priestess of Hylla declared that on this year the great festivities would take place on the 21st of May. And as preparations for the festivals continue all around the nation, HIM Ælirn XIX has come forth with a declaration that she will be inviting foreign dignitaries Xæth to take part in the festivities. This move is not wholly unexpected, considering the Empress' clearly stated desire to engage with the various nations across Mundus, though there remain some who respectfully disagree with the notion. At present it is not known how much of the festivities the Empress' guests will be permitted to take part in although the High Priest of Hylla herself has given her explicit approval of the idea, with the addendum that she does not believe that the dignitaries should be permitted to take part in any of the strictly religious portions of the festival. Where this might be is also currently unknown, as tradition dictates that the Empress not attend the festival in the capital of Jiloola but rather the festivities in a town or city elsewhere in the nation and the Throne has yet to publicly reveal where HIM Ælirn XIX will be gracing with her presence.

[Xaeth]

Empress Announces Reforms During Maori March

On the 16th of this month, prominent leaders in Xæth's Maori community organized a march in order to protest the government's treatment of the nation's Maori minority. Following the ascension of HIM Ælirn XIX to the throne and her appointment of the half-Maori Ata Hau as Viceroy of Maryrn many had hoped for an improvement in the nation's policies towards the minority, an improvement which had not come when the Maori undertook the march. Last Thursday thousands of Maori from all across Maryrn to the Viceroyalty's capital of Mootyry, gathering in front of the Viceroy's palace in the middle of the city. Many across the Empire had worries that the protest might turn turn unruly, however those fears proved unfounded as with the exception of a few isolated incidents the march proceeded without incident. There was expected to be speeches from several prominent Maori politicians and potentially Viceroy Hau, but all present were shocked to discover that HIM Ælirn XIX had made her way to Mootyry unbeknownst to the public when she made an appearance to deliver a speech to the assembled Maori.

The Empress' speech started with her acknowledgement of the horrendous treatment that the Maori had suffered at the hands of the Xæthoons throughout history as well as an acknowledgement that bias and unfear treatment even considered into the modern day, it was then that she laid out the Imperial government's plans in regards to the Maori moving forward. Her Imperial Majesty espoused belief that Xæth was composed of "Three Peoples in One Nation", and that despite the population imbalance the Maori of Maryrn and Nonians of Eastern Xæth are just as integral pieces of the nation as the Xæthoon majority. She announced that in addition to tightening of anti-discrimination laws the Throne would be taking even greater steps to assure that the rights of its native minorities were protected, including the expansion of the Heritage Schools and the creation of several seats in the National Assembly to represent the nation's minorities. The Heritage Schools refer to schools founded in the early 1900s to preserve the dozens of native Xæthoon languages and dialects through language immersion in primary and secondary schools; prior there were no Heritage Schools for the Maori or Nonian language and members of the minority were forced to attend private schools to be taught the language in school, leading to a decline in the usage of those languages that the Empress deeply regrets. Details on the additional seats in the National Assembly were scant, however it is expected that before next year there will be 3 seats devoted to the ~2,000,000 Nonians and 2 seats devoted to the ~1,600,000 Maori in the nation.

Reactions to the announcement have been mixed, though mostly negative outside Progressive circles. Spokesmen for the Traditional and Conservative parties have jointly stated that they will reject any attempt to get such measures passed through the National Assembly, presenting a unified front despite recent upsets in the unity of the governing coalition. The Progressives are majorly in favour whilst some prominent Liberals have stated that a less drastic course of action is preferable. The Throne has yet to release any further statements on the matter and the public, especially those of the Maori population, is waiting for any further word from the Empress on the matter.

[Xaeth]

Empress Proclaims First Imperial Edict of Her Reign

Today serves as a landmark in Her Imperial Majesty Ælirn XIX's reign as the Most Serene and Celestial Empress of Xæth as she proclaimed her first Imperial Edict, officially known as the Three Peoples Edict. The Imperial Edicts are primary vehicle for Xæthoon Empresses to have a direct influence upon the governance of their nation; the terms set forth in an Imperial Edict are limited solely by the Constitution of Xæth, with no input from the National Assembly of Xæth nor the Council Most Eminent required. The contents of the Three Peoples Edict consist of the promises made nearly a month ago at the Maori March in Mootyry for the "elevation of Xæth's two largest minorities, the Maori and Nonians, to a status on par and equal to that of ethnic Xæthoons". These include a major tightening of anti-discrimination laws in Xæth with discrimination based upon ethnic background or names being explicitly outlawed and penalties increased from mere fines to, in some cases, jailtime; the Empress has also declared, separate from the Edict, that a major investigation will be conducted into the numerous accusations of police misconduct towards the Maori of Maryrn. In addition, Heritage Schools will be expanded to include Maori and Nonian schools and any laws that refer specifically to those of ethnic Xæthoon ancestry will be rewritten to include both Nonian and Maori. The most major of such laws being the right for immigrants who are able to prove Xæthoon ancestry to be able to claim citizenship. When asked if she believed any Maori would ever want to immigrate to Xæth, HIM Ælirn XIX stated that "In all likelihood, no. No I do not. However, I do believe that true equality brooks no exceptions". However these were far from the most extreme reforms present in the Edict, as the Edict also includes a restricting of the Xæthoon legislature itself. The Three Peoples Edict will redraw the districts for the National Assembly, with the Maori and Nonians receiving a number of seats in the Assembly proportional to their population. This means that there will be 9 Assemblymen elected solely by the Nonians and 6 Maori-elected Assemblymen; these seats will not be in addition to the already existing seats, and will instead be taken from those regions in which the minorities currently dwell. Within the next few days we will see how the population of Xæth responds to this new Edict.

[Xaeth]

National Assembly in Deadlock

There was much discontent in the National Assembly of Xæth following the announcement of Her Imperial Majesty Ælirn XIX's Imperial Edict two weeks ago, detailing a series of reforms to bring the Maori and Nonian minorities every right enjoyed by the Xæthoon majority. Many Conservative and Traditional members vocalized their displeasure with the reforms, stating that they disagreed with "showering people with favouritism for no reason other than their ethnic group". Such displeasure even extended to Liberal members of the Assembly, with some stating that the Edict was "potentially detrimental to Xæthoon democracy". An Imperial Edict is limited only by the Xæthoon Constitution, and has existed in practice since before it was codified in that document. However the predecessor of HIM Ælirn XIX, her mother Yphaa X who reigned for nearly two decades from 1999 to her recent death late last year, did not issue a single Imperial Edict during her reign and at the time of her ascendance it had been several years since the last Imperial Edict of her mother, Yphaa IX. And so this response is likely due, in part, to the legislature having operated for over 20 years without an Imperial Edict to guide them.

Recently, however, this discontent has evolved. Last week a coalition of Conservative, Traditionalist, and Liberal members of the National Assembly made a statement that they would do everything in their power to stall talks in the National Assembly until the Empress revokes her Imperial Edict and allows her laws to be talked through and voted upon in the National Assembly itself. So far the members' political parties have made no statement on the subject and it is unknown just how many members of the National Assembly are taking part in this 'protest'. But all talks in the National Assembly have, since then, stalled as members take the podium and filibuster on every talking point that comes up.

Rokkenjiman Destroyer Dispatched to Xæthoon Waters

Following the development of nuclear weaponry by Slava Lavosk, a nation sanctioned by Her Imperial Majesty Ælirn XIX for humanitarian crimes late last year, the Empire of Rokkenjima has dispatched the IRN Defiance to the waters around Xæth to assist in ballistic missile defense in case the worst should come to pass in regard to Kravec's regime. The deployment shall not be a permanent one, however, as the Imperial Navy has begun a program of modifying its three Thyrvana-Class Destroyers with anti-ballistic missile capabilities. In addition another pair of Thyrvana-Class Destroyers have been ordered by the Imperial Navy, built with ballistic missile defenses already installed. At present there is no estimated end date for the project made public.

[Xaeth]

Restoration of the Former XINS Mariam Complete

The Attican Advancement Association (AAA) announced today that it has finished its restoration of the Mariam, a vessel which served for nearly four decades, first as the flagship of the Royal Attican Navy prior to the nation's invasion and subsequent annexation by the Empire of Tamora and then as a vessel in the Imperial Xæthoon Navy. The vessel was first acquired by the AAA in late 1984, several years after the Mariam's decommissioning, after several years of negotiating during which the ship was mostly left to rot as the ship was slated to be used as target practice should the deal have fallen through. The architect of the deal was Davit Demirjian, one of the founders of the AAA and husband to Tyryla Aaryn, the scion of a wealthy Xæthoon family. As the former flagship of the Royal Attican Fleet many Atticans in the nation saw the vessel as a prominent symbol of the Attican people in the Empire and their refusal to submit to Tamoran rule, and none wished to see the once-proud vessel reduced to nothing more than glorified target dummy. The deal took several years thanks to the legal issues with a former military vessel being transferred into the hands of a private owner, but eventually the AAA acquired the ship as considerable cost. However, the several years of neglect had not left the ship in the greatest of conditions and several setbacks lead to the restoration having taken nearly as long as the ship's service itself.

But Hayk Demirjian, head of the AAA and son of Davit Demirjian, announced that not only has the restoration been fully finished but that its completion comes just in time as the AAA plans to apply to the Festival of Sail in East Moreland. The ship itself has been converted into a floating museum focusing upon Mundus' Attican diaspora, which will be open to the public at the Festival of Sail. Rumours also abound that Foreign Minister Ithana Tyraa, who is herself the granddaughter of Attican refugees, will be present in an unofficial capacity however this has yet to be confirmed. But there are also those who worry that the AAA's decision is unnecessarily antagonistic to the Empire of Tamora, especially with Xæthoon sanctions still in place. The AAA officially refers to the ship as the "ANS Mariam", utilizing the prefix of the defunct Attican Navy, and images show it flying the Naval Jack of the Attican Navy; moves that would be illegal under Xæthoon law were it not for the fact that the Attican Navy no longer exists. Much of the concern also stems from the AAA's history; while the organization officially exist only to protect the interests of the Attican diaspora in Xæth, many of the organization's founder were 'Warhawks' who advocated a Xæthoon invasion of Tamora to liberate Attica throughout the 60s. While outright war has become a fringe idea amongst the diaspora, it is no secret that much of the AAA's leadership and the Attican diaspora in general have no love for the Tamorans. However, it is not believed that the government will make any attempts to intervene in the AAA's attempts.

[Xaeth]

Assemblymen Criticizes National Integrity and Unity League

Late last month numerous members of the National Assembly declared their intention to keep the legislature in deadlock as a form of protest against HIM Ælirn XIX's Three Peoples Edict, for reasons that ranged from dissatisfaction with the stated goal of the Edict to opposition to the exclusion of the National Assembly in the deciding process. While those in protest do not form a majority of the National Assembly, there are enough to block the passage of any nonpartisan bills brought to a vote. At present the protesting members are predominantly members of the National Integrity and Unity League, the People's Party, and the Unity Party (colloquially known as the Traditionalist, Conservatives, and Liberals) and at present the Unity Party is the only party to release a statement on the protests, stating that the protest is 'the legal right of the Assemblymen in question'. However, not all members of the aforementioned parties are happy with these developments; Traditionalist Assemblymen Ixidala Naxar has denounced the leadership of her party for their lack of action, stating:

"When these so-called protests began, I stayed silent. I stayed silent because I trusted the League's leadership. I trusted them to do what is right. I did not expect an answer immediately; this is politics after all, and nothing happens immediately in politics. But it has been nearly a month and while some say that the League leadership has not made a statement on these 'protests', I disagree. Their silence is a deafening statement of their tacit support for these women and men. Some may wonder if this means I agree with Her Majesty's Three People's Edict, to which I say that my opinion on the Edict does not matter. These women and men in the National Assembly have forgotten that Xæth is not a republic. Xæth is an Empire, and not a republic wearing the skin of a monarchy like some nations. The Empress rules Xæth today just as she has for nearly a thousand years, and these women and men spit in the faces of centuries of tradition with their 'protest'. So I, and the numerous league members that stand behind me, demand that those in charge of the League do what is right and proper and just. We demand that they denounce the 'protest' and demand an end to them lest those taking part be expelled from the League."

Her Imperial Majesty Ælirn XIX has officially come out in support of Ixidala, thanking her and her supporters for their "continued loyalty to the Throne". At present the National Integrity and Unity League has not released an official statement in regard to Ixidala's demands.

Imperial Investigation into Police Abuses Begins in Maryrn

The Viceregency of Maryrn has oft been accused of having its local police commit acts of racial prejudice and discrimination against its Maori minority, and although there have been investigations into these allegation previously they have never produced much evidence. It has been over a month since Her Imperial Majesty Ælirn XIX declared that there was to be a large-scale investigation into these reported abuses conducted exclusively by the Imperial Police, with Her Majesty declaring that "there will not be a single Maryrnoon officer exempt from this investigation. From the lowest rank to the highest, the Imperial Police will not cease their investigation until they discover the absolute truth of these investigations". There have been many objections to the investigation, with local police officers stating that it is a breach of trust and a waste of Imperial funds. But the investigation has begun regardless of these objections, with the police of Maryrn's major cities being the first to face the Imperial Police's scrutiny.

[Xaeth]

Four Tamoran Tourists in Custody

Last night the Zyrva Police Force released news that four tourists have been taken into custody after illegal narcotics were found in the hotel room where the group has been staying. Two nights ago police in Zyrva were alerted to a man wandering the streets in a state of delirium, who attacked police upon their arrival on the scene. The man was quickly subdued and taken into custody, upon which small amount of marijuana were discovered in his person. With this information the police found the hotel where the man was staying with three other Tamoran tourists, upon which the police searched their hotel rooms. There the police discovered illegal narcotics in their rooms; predominantly marijuana but also small amounts of LSD and red-hued crystal methamphetamine as well as several Datura seeds. At present the first tourist remains under observation in the hospital and the names of the tourists in custody have not been made public, however the Zyrva Police Force is taking steps to contact the proper Tamoran authorities to inform their families of the current situation.

Typically the charges for a first offense such as this would be a steep fine and expulsion from the country, however the possession of the Datura seeds increases the severity of the crime immensely. The local species of Datura has been used in certain religious rituals and ceremonies for centuries and as such is considered to be sacred by law, increasing the potential severity of the punishment up to and including jail time. Such incidents are, while not a common occurrence, also neither rare nor unheard of. Numerous tourists have come to Xæth and, upon hearing about the psychoactive properties of the local plant, wish to acquire samples for recreational usage. However not only is this illegal by Xæthoon law but also exceptionally dangerous as the Datura plant, unknown to many of these tourists, is also highly poisonous. Local priests have over a millennia of knowledge and collective experience in administering the plant safely, something which these tourists lack. And in addition the plants used ritualistically are typically of varieties bred over the centuries to reduce their toxicity which are tightly controlled by the Temple, and so most illegally acquired Datura is harvested from the more toxic wild varieties of the plant.

Temple of the Sun Undergoing Repairs

The Grand Temple of the Sun in the capital city of Jiloola will, starting next week, being undergoing scheduled repairs to it's southern staircase. The Temple began construction in the mid 1300s and took several decades to complete, owing to the size of the structure. Standing over 300ft tall the Temple would remain the tallest structure in the country for several centuries after it was completed. The structure endures as one of the most recognizable icons of the Xæthoon faith and so the Imperial government places great importance on keeping the temple in working order, which is an ever ongoing battle due to its advanced age. Routine inspections of the temple last month noticed several potential issues in regards to the structural integrity of the southern staircase, and a more recent and detailed inspection determined that there were major repairs necessary. While the staircase was not in any "imminent danger of collapse" according to one inspector, several large sections will need to be removed and replaced for the staircase to meet safety standards once again. No expected date of completion has been provided, however the repairs are expected to take "several months at least".

National Integrity and Unity League Responds to Criticisms

Following Assemblywoman Ixidala Naxar's scathing criticism of the National Integrity and Unity League's continued silence on the matter of the Assemblymen protesting Her Imperial Majesty Ælirn XIX's 'Three People's Edict' last week, prominent members of the party have finally released a statement. They claim that the actions of the protesting Assembly members are "well within their rights as distinguished members of the National Assembly" and that "the League does not condone nor condemn their actions; these protests are representative of the Assemblymen's views and they do not at present conflict nor align with those of the League". Ixidala Naxar and those Traditionalist members of the Assembly which support her are expected to make a statement within the next few days. However Assemblywoman Yla xy Laxka of the far-right Golden Legion released a statement only a few hours after the League's leadership, decrying the League as "corrupt and morally bankrupt" and "willing to spit upon the very traditions they claim to represent" as well as referring to them as 'traitors' and stating that she would not be surprised if they were "whores to foreign powers, intentionally weakening our government from the inside". There have yet to be any responses to her comments.