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Princess Louise pregnant

APRIL 27, NOBLE CITY - Princess Louise of Lovia, who got married to Sebastian, and who was before that known as Louise Wilson, has today announced her pregnancy. The young couple is expecting a child in January 2011. Prince Sebastian was "outrageously happy" and received naranjas from many Lovians. King Dimitri was delighted to hear of his cousin's great news, he said.

Liberals to blow up government? What are the options:

APRIL 24, NOBLE CITY - If Latin and his Liberals are to leave the Medvedev government, then what are their options, and what are Lovia's?

• Vote a motion of distrust against Communists: If the Liberals propose a motion of distrust against Medvedev as Finance Secretary and Alyssa C. Red as Justice Secretary, they will need a normal majority in Congress. It is considered unlikely that this will work.
• Vote a motion of distrust against government: The Liberals can propose to legally topple the government, of which they are the majority party. It might work out, but is unlikely that their share in the next government will grow, whereas the CPL-NM expects member growth.
• Resign: If four Members of the Congress resign from Congress, the Liberals will put great pressure on the remaining Congressmen. Still, there are no guarantees. In fact, a center-leftist Congress without LD interference might do exactly what the Liberals don't want it to do.
• Get Medvedev to resign: Persuading Medvedev into resigning, will lead to the same result as the government motion of distrust.
• Get to work: With four out of ten MOTCs being member of the Liberal Democrats, they could easily get some proposals through that protect government from "extremists". Though the most constructive option, there is little support for it in the Liberal camp.

McCarthy pops up

APRIL 24, NOBLE CITY - Only four days ago The Noble City Times wrote that there was "no McCarthyism in Lovia". It seems however that The Noble City Times was wrong. Alexandru Latin, LD MOTC and former chairman, sent around a message to the party's members, asking them for their opinion on the "extremist" Communist Party of Lovia (Neo-Marxist). Actually, Latin urged them to consider whether they have to "step out the government so new elections will be held and a new government will be created." McCarthy has arrived.

No McCarthyism in Lovia

APRIL 20, NOBLE CITY - Some political analysts and commentators had expected a growing anti-government and anti-communist movement after the re-birth of Medvedev's socialists. This however has not happened. Yuri Medvedev's Communist Party of Lovia (Neo-Marxist) is not particularly strong in Congress, with only two members, little compared to the Liberals' four. Nevertheless, the party's base seems to be much stronger than those of its opponents. Walden Libertarian has slipped away since Hannis announced to back down and McCrooke resigned. The Liberals, on the other hand, are more powerful than ever, but seem terribly divided. Ever since the 2010 Elections, the Liberals have suffered from a huge lack of loyalty or party feeling. It is most clearly that neither party chairman Harold, nor founder Latin have power over their members. Due to this lack of unity, the Liberal Four are nothing than the Four Central Independents. The strong CPL-NM support comes from some of its loyal followers, including Marcus Villanova and Jon Johnson, who both seem very eager to run for Congress.

Unlike in the United States, where McCarthyism blocked all political association with the left for decades, Lovia seems to be open to a general social-democratic or even far-leftist approach to everyday politics. Some still expect the center-rightist Lovians, especially Alexandru Latin who earlier tried to prevent August Magnus Donia from getting a seat in the Congress, to make some kind of row of the Communist shift.

Progressives turn Marxists

APRIL 18, NOBLE CITY - The Progressive Democrats, winner of the 2010 Federal Elections, yesterday announced to make a shift toward the left. No more "progressive". The party's new name is the "Communist Party of Lovia (Neo-Marxist)". Yuri Medvedev, Prime Minister and important figure in the CPL-NM, explained that this change is more an update than a shift. According to Medvedev, the image of the party is finally adjusted to its members' opinions.

First unemployment rise since King's crowning

APRIL 16, NOBLE CITY - Unemployment figures are on their way up for the first time since November 2009, when the Lovian economy started thriving again. Estimates show that unemployment began to rise by the second week of April. Especially Newhaven and Train Village are suffering badly. In Noble City, Sofasi and Kinley, figures remain normal. In the meanwhile, there is a minor economic boom in Hurbanova and the East Hills hamlet. The cause for the rising unemployment rates is unknown.

Will left wing fuse as well?

APRIL 3, NEWHAVEN - Rumor has it that leftwingers in Lovia also think about fusing, as the center-rightist Liberal Democrats fused with the one man party LOWIA to become the largest faction in Congress. Yuri Medvedev (PD) would try to move his party to the left, and gather other leftists in a new superparty. However, these are but speculations.

An interesting thing to notice, is how the political scattering that we saw during the 2010 elections, is fading again. Five parties were elected to Congress, and if all goes well, there will only be three left. What to make of this? Politicologists have no clue.

Oceana to be recognized as minority language

APRIL 3, NOBLE CITY - The language Oceana only has some hundred native speakers left, and it is about time the language is fully recognized as a regional minority language. Today HRH King Dimitri I of Lovia proposed to rewrite Article 11 of the Constitution, and to recognize Oceana hereby as minority language. There has been no reaction yet from the Oceanan people and their spokesman Oos Wes Ilava.

Percival E. Galahad to write book about Hurbanovan mysteries

APRIL 3, HURBANOVA - Percival E. Galahad, writer of the Nicomedia novels and best known for his alternative history stories, is writing a book about the Oceana Holy Week. The novel Swattushden, to be published in May, will be a thrilling story about the suspicious disappearance of a young boy on Palm Sunday. As the days of the Holy Week go by, another child is found murdered, a fire breaks out in the center of Drake Town, etc. The people of Hurbanova, frightened by the events during their Swattushden, have to dig in their own histories to find what causes this to happen...

Ilava joins Liberals: Will the rightist opposition finally wake up?

APRIL 2, NOBLE CITY - Oos Wes Ilava, the only member of the List Oos Wes Ilava (LOWIA), now formally joined the Liberal Democrats. The Liberals, theoretically led by Harold Freeman, are now the largest faction in Congress, with four members. Liberals all over Lovia hope this merger will cause the LD to get moving. The party has abstained from any policy-making, and seems to be ideologically scattered. Chairman Freeman is the stereotypical free market Liberal, whereas the former leader Alexandru Latin is still the one who controls the party. With the merger, the center-conservative Ilava is added to the list. The major problem seems to be that the Liberals don't use their power. The people who chose to vote for the Liberals - and there were many Liberal-voters - have not yet seem any action from their side. Especially former chairman Latin is non-constructive in Congress. On the other hand, it should be noted that many appreciate his criticism of the proposed bills (though in vain).

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REAC being composed: first members are known

MARCH 30, NOBLE CITY - The Lovian government wants the Royal Educational Aims Council to get working. This council was legally erected with the approval of the Primary Education Act in late 2009 and wants to control the quality of the given education. According to that Federal Law act, five people with top government or education functions each appoint one member to the council. Beside the monarch and the Prime Minister, the Secretary of Welfare and the Secretary of Culture, Heritage and Education can appoint a Lovian. Finally, the Rector of BBU appoints the fifth member. Accidentally, the Rector and the Prime Minister are - at this moment - one and the same person, Yuri Medvedev. He will thus have to appoint two representatives.

Currently, Andy McCandless has been appointed by King Dimitri. McCandless is best known as the Waldener behind the 2010 Highway Plan, but he is also engaged in educational matters. He is a professor of literature at Blackburn and the principal of Walden Elementary.

Oos Wes Ilava's preference went to August Magnus Donia, who described himself as a real family man. Yet, the choice is a bit controversial, certainly in Ilava's home state Oceana, where Donia has quite a dubious reputation. The man however seemed very pleased with his appointment and will make the best of it.

Who Yuri Medvedev and Secretary of Welfare Edward Hannis will appoint, is still unclear. Some suggest Jon Johnson and Martha Van Ghent, two relatively new politicians in the country.

Highway constructions: Biggest construction plan since foundation of Lovia kicks off

MARCH 28, NEWHAVEN - After Congress accepted Andy McCandless' 2010 Highway Plan, the construction of two entirely new highways will begin April 1st. Highway 3 is the name that will be given to the highway running from Beaverwick to Newhaven. On Asian Island, Highway 5 will connect Adoha, the Clymene State Airport and Sofasi. Also, the Old Highway 1 will be reorganized into three smaller stretches. These works also commence in April, and will probably only take two weeks. All together, the construction plans will take exactly one year. Therefore, this is one of the most ambitious building projects ever in Lovia.

LD shifts to the right

MARCH 23, NOBLE CITY - The changes made today in the program of the Liberal Democrats could possibly be the beginning of a small shift of the Liberal Democrats to the right. This sudden unexpected change could divide the major political party in two parts, a conservative rightist and a progressive leftist part, is the opinion of several Hurbanovan analysts.

After the publishing of this shift, the Liberal Democrats started to grow in the State of Oceana and Seven, while its popularity decreased in Clymene, Sylvania and especially Kings where the PD and the LCP are the largest parties.

It remains still unclear how the leftist LD party members will react. The socialist parties in Congress are hoping for a complete exodus.

Highway plan in First Chamber

MARCH 6, NOBLE CITY - The McCandless highway plan is proposed to the Members of the Congress in the First Chamber today. Secretary Andy McCandless laid out his plan to renew and resystemize the current highway system, that was actually limited to only one highway.

Hurbanovans renounce LCP blunders

MARCH 3, HURBANOVA - The Hurbanova Novine yesterday published an article on August Magnus Donia, former leader of the Lovian Communist Party and the party's only MOTC. The Novine, known as the mouthpiece of center-right Lovians and followers of Oos Wes Ilava, noted that "most of [the Hurbanovans] would certainly like to see Donia step down. Not because he has a criminal record [...] but because of the differences of thoughts between the communists and Hurbanovans." The Novine claimed Hurbanova had become "a rightist island in a leftist nation."

Though especially the last phrase is not to be taken too seriously, the people do seem to find it hard to have Donia in the Congress and government. This phenomenon is not restricted to Hurbanova. In Train Village and the Emerald Highlands, where Donia lives like a Godfather in his castle, opposition is growing.

In political circles, opposition to Donia's membership is a marginal thing. Most MOTCs accept him being in Congress for he was elected democratically. Whether his viewpoints are acceptable, matters little - Lovia is a pluralist nation by law.

A most interesting question concerns the political ideology of August Donia. He is a member of the LCP, and claims to be a monarchist communist. His viewpoints however are often conservative or liberal - not communist; that is what scholars noted. Is the whole opposition to Donia just in the name of his ideology? Or is he - regardless of his "communism" - evil by nature; that is the question.

Transportation gets moving

MARCH 2, NOBLE CITY - Andy McCandless (WLP), the current Secretary of Energy, Environment and Transportation, has a plan for our highways. The current system only had one (!) highway: Highway 1 from Hurbanova through Sylvania to Newhaven. Secretary McCandless is about to propose a new system in his 2010 Highway Plan. This is what McCandless will propose to Congress:

• Lovian highways will be named according to their direction: north-south oriented highways have odd numbers, west-east routes get an even number.
• The Highway 1 is split up in a section between HU and NC (Highway 2), between NC and TV (Highway 1) and between TV and NH (Highway 4).
• A new highway will be constructed in Kings, Highway 3. A Clymene Highway 5 is also to be constructed in 2010.
• Several parts of the highways on Peace Island will be extended to reach more areas sufficiently.
• All highways get a pretty, new road sign, as shown here.

McCandless is expected to propose his plans to Congress very soon.

Congress accepted three Constitutional amendment clusters

MARCH 2, NOBLE CITY - The 2010 Lovian Congress has approved at least three of the proposals in the Second Chamber. Three proposals were made by Prime Minister Yuri Medvedev (PD), and one by King Dimitri I of Lovia. The proposals were all amendments to the Constitution. The first cluster concerned the re-assessment of the direct influence of both the Prime Minister and the King. The proposal, supported by exactly those two (!), is being opposed by only Alexandru Latin (LD), who has given himself the role of informal opposition leader, thus not actively working on legislative reform. Currently, eight out of twelve MOTCs have shown their support for the proposal.

Where are the reform candidates when you need them?

A second successful proposal concerned the Lovian citizenship. The original First Chamber bill was written by the Prime Minister. King Dimitri I however edited it heavily and added new elements to it, as well as scrapped worthless paragraphs. The proposal showed to be popular, and successful. All twelve MOTCs back the amendment!

The third proposal was fully written by HRH and concerns changes in Article 1.B about the monarchy. Besides formalizing the text, several items were seriously rewritten or simplified. The Congressial membership by right, originally also for the queen, was restricted to the ruling monarch only. Financial support to the ruling monarch is ceased and the king's rights to grant Royal Warrants and extra citizen residences were both deleted. The proposal is thought to be the king's sign that he does really support Constitutional reform. In fact, he and Medvedev (the so-called leading elite) are the only Congressmen rewriting the law at this very moment.

A proposal by Yuri Medvedev concerning the abolishment of state and local legislation is still in the Second Chamber, but is likely not to make it. A 75% majority is needed to implement this bill. Arthur Jefferson (PD) already announced to be willing to write a new, compromising bill.