Fränkischer Rundfunk Europa

[Großlausitz]

Der Fränkische Rundfunk (FR) or Franconian Broadcasting Corporation is a state-owned yet independent with regards to reporting and broadcasting, broadcasting company. It was founded in the 1950s after a forced merger of three regional state radio companies and one national tv station. Today it encompasses several radio and tv stations, maintains a state-of-the-art internet presence and a large network of correspondents. Its subsidiary Fränkischer Rundfunk Europa is its more internationally focused outlet.

 

[Großlausitz]

FRÄNKISCHER RUNDFUNK EUROPA
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ÜBER ALLE GRENZEN HINAUS :: Week of November 9​

Slavische Grippe verbreitet sich in Międzymorze
Slavic flu is spreading in Międzymorze

Misłika - The Slavic flu crawls through the east: These worrying news have reached the immediate and farer neighbours of the kingdom of Międzymorze, as local authorities have reported 74 new cases of the H3N2 virus. In Franken health experts do not yet see a looming danger for the people or the public life in general. However, the health, foreign, interior and economic affairs ministers and their senior officials have announced they will discuss mid-term solutions for the problem tomorrow. On short notice the Foreign Office has issued a travel warning for the concerned areas of Międzymorze. Another response likely to come will be quarantine for travellers from this area with suspicious health status as well as a more careful check of any imported goods from the region. Ministerpresident Graf Solms told journalists His Majesty's Government will provide a suitable and feasible solution to the problem and fend off any plight from Franken.

At the news of the renewed outbreak the prime stock index of Franken plummeted by 10 points and Hofmeier AG, a Europewide operating conglomerate, had to bear the greatest losses from the piece of news. Shares of the two pharmaceutical-medical-related corporations in the index even rose by a few points.

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Nachrichten in Kürze
News in brief

The Monarchy is about to prepare for the 68th birthday of King Alfred IV come next week on November 22. Whereas the official celebrations are in June, the actual party is of a relatively private nature. Nevertheless, it's quite an event, as His Majesty likes to have many of his friends and family around him, if their own busy schedule permits it.

In the middle of next month Nuremberg will have the honour of hosting the EDF Winter Summit again. Whereas the daily business of the EDF is run through the permanent missions and the ministerial bureaucracies, the top officials of the EDF will gather twice a year, once in spring and once in winter. The role of host city rotates among the memberstates.
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OOC: Credits to coro for the template.

 

[Großlausitz]

Nachrichten in Kürze
News in brief

The plans and preparations for the expansion of oil exploitation at the coasts of the duchies of Würzburg and Rhönland have drawn the chagrin of environmental activists. Due to an information leak environmental pressure groups learned about the railroad route a transport convoy with oil exploration devices would take. Peaceful yet stubborn human blockades stalled the convoy's way and could only be dissolved by riot police. A prominent demonstrator was a Green Party senator from Rhönland itself. Thanks to the blockers the train is scheduled to arrive at Würzburg's industrial port much later than planned. Tomorrow FR Europa will cover the search with a more explicit story.

Mayaland's new and old prime minister to visit Franken: Following his inauguration, the southern kingdom's Prime Minister Weatherby Swann will pay his first official visit back in office to the Kingdom of Franken, an old EDF ally. According to the Staatskanzlei several general items will be on the agenda, i.e. to define the guidelines for the years to come. A confirmed topic is the role of both states in this bipolar world.

Several Ozgurians do face the expiration of their asylum grants, authorities told journalists. As announced by the national office for migrants results of recent controls of asylum claims led to the conclusion 3000 to 6000 Ozgurians may have to prepare to return to their homelands. Citing national legislation on asylum affairs and dismissing accusations of inhumanity, the spokesman for the immigration office confirmed the final assessments will take another two months. Henceafter all Ozgurians without a valid claim will be sent back at the government's expense.

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[Serbovia]

Ministry of External Affairs
Federated Social-Nationalist Republics of Serbovia

Those persons of Ozgur origin who are registered after 1990 as homeland residents by the Ministry of Minorities and without citizenship of Franken or a third country will be received and appropriately treated by the Serbovian government and their respective homelands.

Regards,
Daniel Nemanjic,
Ministry of External Affairs

 

[Skånskige Statsunionen]

Chancellory for Immigration

The Government of Skånskige Statsunionen has decided to grant permanent asylum status to those who face deportation to Serbovia. Franken is permitted to deport them to Målmöholm International and they shall be processed and settled.

 

[Mergogne]

USSK Office of Foreign Affairs

The Kryobaijani government would likewise, be willing to accept Ozgur refugees.

 

[Großlausitz]

FRÄNKISCHER RUNDFUNK EUROPA
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ÜBER ALLE GRENZEN HINAUS :: Week of November 9​

Fränkische Nordöl sucht verstärkt nach Erdölvorkommen
Fränkische Nordöl increases oil reservoirs exploration efforts

Würzburg – With two days delay the train carrying the exploration equipment commissioned by Fränkische Nordöl (FNO) has finally arrived at the industrial port of Würzburg, where it will be loaded on two company-chartered ships. Those will then go on a journey to explore the possible oil reservoirs behind and somewhat beyond the Franconian maritime boundaries. FNO experts told FR Europa they suspect a sizeable amount near the northern corner of the bay of Würzburg. As to possible conflicts of interest between Fjäderholmarna Economic Affairs Minister Franziska Unsteet, who also witnessed the departure of the exploration vessels, told journalists His Majesty's Government will fairly inform and bargain with the befriended government, if there are any potential disputes at all. FNO, which runs two oil rigs and one gas exploitation field before Schlesitz' shores, thereby seeks to increase its business standing in Central Europe and in Franken in particular. At home FNO vies with Fränkische Mineralölverarbeitungsgesellschaft (FMV) for the fuel and energy business. Much to FNO's envy it is the FMV which runs the lucrative pipelines from Würzburg and Erlangen to Wiese.

Nevertheless, environmental pressure groups have continued to demonstrate against the exploration and the planned expansion of oil drillings, claiming there will be invaluable natural sites be lost in the course. Some demonstrators even tried to chain themselves to the railroads to block the train's way. Led by charismatic environmentalist politicians and senators Johanna Merkele (Schlesitz) and Piotr Potrov (Rhönland), the protesters have vowed to beleaguer the industrial port till the return of the FNO ships. Minister Unsteet expressed sympathy for the environmentalists' concerns and worries, but she also asked them to consider both FNO's and FMV's known R&D efforts for alternative energy sources. „This research is invaluable for our future, ladies and gentlemen. Yet we need to be realistic. I'm afraid, we will have to face at least eight to twelve years of further developments and tryouts until alternative energy sources will be a reasonable option for us.“

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[Großlausitz]

FRÄNKISCHER RUNDFUNK EUROPA
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ÜBER ALLE GRENZEN HINAUS :: Week of November 16​

Nachrichten in Kürze
News in brief

The preparations for the birthday celebrations of King Alfred on November 22 have entered the final phase as of today. A spokesman for the royal media office told journalists Alfred's nephew, the crown prince of Eiffelland, will attend the celebrations on behalf of his father, Alfred's brother-in-law. It's an open secret in Trier and Nürnberg that both monarchs are sometimes at odds, because they interprete the idea of a constitutional monarchy differently. Further notable guests include at least one confirmed senior Wieser royal - King Karl leads the list of speculations, ambassadors and ministers of Franken's EDF allies, the Ministerpresident and some Franconian aristocracy.

The Kingdom of Franken could welcome the first permanent papal states ambassador to the royal court since the rise of Lutheranism and the subsequent elevation to kingly status. When he received Bishop Bernhard von Grosshausen to be presented with the diplomatic credentials, King Alfred praised the papal states' fresh diplomatic initiave as a great sign for mutual understanding in this difficult era. "As the Holy Father's office requires him to think internationally, even as a head of state, since the papal states will automatically associated with the Catholic Church itself, ignoring the very fine differences, he, the Pope, is best suited to assume the role of an international voice of reason and moderation."

Despite attempts by national environmentist groups to hinder and stall progress, FNO exploration efforts have begun in the Northern bay of Würzburg. FNO representatives estimate it will take one to two week until they can safely say whether there's oil and/or even gas to exploit and how much there is up for grabs.
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[Großlausitz]

FRÄNKISCHER RUNDFUNK EUROPA
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ÜBER ALLE GRENZEN HINAUS :: Week of November 23​

Nachrichten in Kürze
News in brief

Busy party: Many invitees accepted their invitations to King Alfred's private celebrations of his 68th birthday. Two guests addressed the royal birthday boy. First his nephew, the Crown Prince of Eiffelland, expressed his congratulations on behalf of the family and friends, then Ministerpresident Graf Solms added his best wishes in the name of the kingdom's people. As every year, the royal ball was accompanied with the music performance by the Royal Philharmonic and Chamber Orchestra, one of the King's many ceremonial patronages.

Hunting for fresh oil resources, no news from the front yet. Up to now the FNO exploration boats have not been able to deliver a successful drilling. However, a spokesman for FNO told FR Europa that oil exploration is a time-consuming business and they are still well within the limits of their schedule.

To hammer out the last details on a new pipeline between Wiese and Franken, FNO company representatives (FNO beat its rival FMV in the bidding competition) and HM Government envoys have gone to Wiese, where they will meet their counterparts of KIW Erdöl and the imperial government. The expected start for constructing the pipeline is the middle of December.
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[Großlausitz]

FRÄNKISCHER RUNDFUNK EUROPA
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ÜBER ALLE GRENZEN HINAUS :: Week of November 30​

Nachrichten in Kürze
News in brief

EDF Winter Summit draws near: Starting on Saturday the leaders of the European Defence Federation will gather in Nuremberg to deliberate the most important issues of the day. In his capacity as host of the meeting Ministerpresident Graf Solms will have the privilege to open the floor, which will be at the EDF conference compound in Northern Nürnberg. What is certain is that the EDF chiefs will announce a successor to outgoing General Secretary Valerian von Goswein from Franken. Pundits have put their bets on a candidate from Mayaland. Furthermore, the alliance is rumoured to present a modernised several-tier-association system.

The Blue Cross project advocated by Životinje has attracted the interest by Franken's nationally organised rescue associations such as the Red Cross, the Georgians (named after Franken's patron saints) and Samaritans (closely associated with the Lutheran and Catholic Churches). If His Majesty's Government ratifies the Blue Cross accords, the rescue organisations voiced their intent to join the Blue Cross. Ministerpresident Graf Peter Solms told the press his cabinet will carefully review the Blue Cross' set up and then come up with a decision. To be treated as neutral rescue agents on a battlefield by the Royal Armed Forces, the Blue Cross will require the government's thumbs up.

Nürnberg's famous Christkindlesmarkt (Christchild's Market) was inaugurated this weekend by the new Christchild's renown prologue from the Church of Our Lady on the central square. The capital's christmas market is the nation's most visited market and attracts tourists from Franken and beyond. Up to Christmas the old city of Nuremberg, including the Königsburg, is illuminated and is a picturesque sight for any guest of the city. As every year King Alfred, his wife Margarethe and the Crown Princely couple were among the first to stroll over the market to their subjects' delight.


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[Großlausitz]

FRÄNKISCHER RUNDFUNK EUROPA
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ÜBER ALLE GRENZEN HINAUS :: Week of December 14​

Nachrichten in Kürze
News in brief

New EDF Secretary General Edwin Wolfe of Mayaland concluded his first week in office. After the usual introduction procedure - Moore held several long staff meetings with his respective subordinate offices, ordinary business will begin for the alliance's 'managing director'. His first important job will be to negotiate the conditions for the yet-to-be-founded Alliance of European Defence Industries. According to pundits he will also have to reconcile Wieser concerns with the ideas of the rest of the bloc.

New Year's Concert in Wiese: Today the Royal Household confirmed Their Majesties King Alfred and Queen Margarethe will attend the prestigious New Year's Concert in the imperial capital. Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Streslitz will come to Wiese in the night of December 30, together with their children. Crown Prince Jakob and his wife Isabelle want to spend this Silvester in Isabelle's home country.

The conflict between Životinje and Volga, escalated by a shot down Ziv plane that flew over Volga's capital, continues to dominate foreign political discussion in Central Europe. Following a meeting with a Ziv envoy that ended non-committal, Foreign Minister Robert Beaumont answered the opposition's inquiry about the issue during question time in the House of Representatives. "The fear expressed by the opposition is hardly justified: Franken has never and will never jump to hasty declarations of support for any nation. We decided to accept the request for a meeting by the Zivs to give them the opportunity to present their cause. Our judgement is clear for now: It's a regional affair."

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[Großlausitz]

FRÄNKISCHER RUNDFUNK EUROPA
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ÜBER ALLE GRENZEN HINAUS :: Week of December 14​

Nachrichten in Kürze
News in brief

"Bad weed grows tall", the saying goes: Valerian von Goswein has taken over as the new Franconian ambassador to the Council of Nations this week, after he received his letter of appointment by His Majesty King Alfred. At the Council of Nations in Wiese Goswein is in charge of seeing to daily Franconian business in the multi-national organisation. About 130 permanent staff members support him with this vital job. Goswein himself reports to the General Directorate for European Issues (GDEA), led by the State Minister of Foreign Affairs Josef Gottauf. In a statement to the press the ambassador assured the Council will see a watchful Kingdom of Franken.

Last night the Fränkische Nordöl (FNO) exploration mission to seek new oil fields in the northern, north-western and north-eastern sections of the Würzburg bay was concluded as the ships returned to their home port of Würzburg. Under the environmentalists' loud clamour and with huge police protection the mission's equipment including the exploration examples were loaded onto lorries and brought to the FNO research and development facilities. A spokesman for the company said final results will be announced next week.

This morning a seemingly proud Secretary General Edwin Wolfe and the ambassadors of all EDF members introduced the concept of the Partnership for Stability (PAS) to the press at the EDF headquarters in Nürnberg. Access to the PAS is available to nations which seek to formalise ties to the EDF and vice-versa, but whose foreign policy forbids the entrance into an alliance or which are considered not yet ready for membership levels tier three up to tier one (full member). The procedure is the same as for all other three tiers: Either the Council reaches out to a prospective candidate and/or an interested state expresses its interest. "With the Partnership for Stability we hope to provide a useful means to strengthen and maintain stability in the 'EDF outskirts'; with mutual benefit, of course.", Wolfe told journalists.

A royal romance carries on: Hereditary Prince Friedrich, second in line to the throne of Eiffelland, and Princess Laura, a daughter of Duke Sebastian III von Bamberg, will spend Silvester with Laura's family at the house ancestral home nearby Bamberg. Laura and Hereditary Prince Friedrich, who is also a grand-nephew to King Alfred, have had a relationship for about two years. Pundits forecast an engagement in the next few weeks.


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[Großlausitz]

FRÄNKISCHER RUNDFUNK EUROPA
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ÜBER ALLE GRENZEN HINAUS :: Week of December 28​

Nachrichten in Kürze
News in brief

Joliet not so jolie anymore: Heavy debt obligations by the Marquette government have put their currency under quite some pressure. In the days before the markets' Christmas break the international value of the Joliet crumbled significantly. Analysts consider the loss of trust in the liquidity of the member of the Francophone bloc a major reason. While their national government is busy with rebuilding domestic credit and may succeed in doing so on the middle run, resurrecting international trust is a more complicated affair. A contribution to the assistance efforts by Marquette's may come from Franken, too. After a meeting with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who was not at all pleased with the Marquettes' fiscal restraint - at least behind closed doors - the three major banks of Franken led by the Fränkische Bank agreed to establish a joint investment fund for ventures in Marquette designed to attract risk-happy investors.

Franken's retailers expressed their satisfaction with this year's Christmas business revenues. Although the sales did not sour significantly, a spokesman for the national association of retailers called it a proper end to average year for retail businesses.

Following the more or less calm Christmas holidays the Royal Family is about to prepare for the upcoming Silvester and New Year's celebrations. Whereas Their Majesties King Alfred and Queen Margarethe will spend Silvester at Königsburg Nürnberg presiding over a small banquets with friends and a few hand-picked guests. For example, every year four volunteers of various backgrounds (voluntary firemen, local football club members, Red Cross voluntary staff, YMCA staff et cetera) and their respective spouses are invited to spend Silvester with the royal couple. Meanwhile, the Crown Princely couple and their children have departed Franken for Wiese, where they will spend an extended Winter vacation. In Augsburg they will celebrate Silvester with their Wieser hosts and on New Year's Day they'll attend the famous concert, where the King and Queen will join them.

Just before Silvester the Auswärtiges Amt confirmed a delegation from Franken will go to Belmont in the new year. Upon the invitation by his Belmontien colleague Foreign Minister Robert Beaumont will engage in general negotiations with the government of the Francophone kingdom. Topics may include economic cooperation in the light of Marquette's malaise, how to help Marquette and - pundits consider this likely - a Partnership for Stability (PfS) accord for Belmont. A PfS is the lowest ranking tier of EDF association. It requires an application and the EDF Council's approval by absolute majority.

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[Großlausitz]

FRÄNKISCHER RUNDFUNK EUROPA
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ÜBER ALLE GRENZEN HINAUS :: Week of January 11​

Nachrichten in Kürze
News in brief

Marquette’s financial malady mends only slowly, nevertheless steadily. Whereas Franken’s EDF partners have already made their contributions and/or announced them, His Majesty’s Government, i.e. the Chancellor of the Exchequer, stressed the government will focus on rescuing promising companies via the Treasury’s subordinated Kreditanstalt für Wirtschaftsförderung . The Credit Corporation for Economic Support is Franconia’s official vehicle to promote and support domestic as well as certain foreign companies by loans or purchasing shares. The Chancellor told the press the KfW Auslandsförderung currently reviews Marquettian company dossiers. Likewise, the Guttenberg Gruppe and the Faber-Castell Gruppe, both the largest and second largest privately controlled conglomerates of the kingdom have announced they will purchase enterprise with good chances to survive with foreign help.

Postponed by internal technical difficulties the results of the winter exploration launched by the Fränkische Nordöl (FNO) were released by the FNO company labs. Other than originally expected, the natural gas reservoir in the northern part of the Franconian “Würzburg Bay” is far larger than the oil reservoir. With the originally predicted oil supplies FNO wanted to take a the leader position in Franken. Far from being disappointed, FNO will start the construction of the natural gas platform as soon as possible.

This week’s session of the House of Representatives is dominated Meribia, Scania and Batavia as to foreign affairs. Lawmakers of both the government and opposition probed His Majesty’s Government on the three states’ status quo and what Franken can and will do about it. Addressing Meribia’s renegade demeanour in the Abgeordnetenhaus today, Defence Minister Graf Eulenburg warned the authoritarian regime not to overstep its sovereignty’s natural boundaries. The earl assured the members of parliament and the ambassadors of Mayaland, Guiana and Acquitania that Franken knows and helps its friends. “Since Meribia continues to disrupt regional stability, we are forced to consider more concrete answers to uphold stability in that actually picturesque region of Europe.” Pertaining Batavia and Scania Foreign Minister Beaumont told the assembly His Majesty’s Government will observe the events closely and carefully for the time being.

Yesterday VFS Shipbuilding proudly launched the first submarine of the first batch of the Poseidon class. It was baptized KMS Heinrich Dallas, after the famous 1950’s Royal Navy admiral, by Crown Prince Jakob, who holds the rank of Konteradmiral (Rear Admiral). The Poseidon class is a nuclear-powered submarine capable to carry several ICBMs with nuclear warheads. Six of the sixteen commissioned submarines will be fit to carry conventional ICBM warheads only.
The Poseidon class is a joint project by a consortium of European Defence Federation shipbuilders and is being built in two batches à eight vessels. The second batch is about to be built Mayalandian dockyards according to a VFS spokesman. For the time being the Poseidon class will only be available to the Königliche Marine, which ordered six ones (one conventional), the Mayalandian, Eiffellander, Montelimarian and Guianan navies, which commissioned the other ten submarines. Nevertheless, VFS and its fellow Franconian partner company Königliche Waffenmanufaktur (KWM) will bring a number of ‘interesting’ items to showcase at the IMEX, VFS’ Foreign Sales head assured the press.

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[Großlausitz]

FRÄNKISCHER RUNDFUNK EUROPA
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ÜBER ALLE GRENZEN HINAUS :: Week of January 11​

Nachrichten in Kürze
News in brief

On to Belmont! Franken’s two mining corporations, Pegnitz Vereinte Bergbau (PVBB), a division of Pegnitz Commerzgruppe (PEGCOM), and Fränkische Rohstoffe AG (FRO), a subsidiary of the Fränkische Nordöl (FNO), have announced they have struck a deal with the Belmontien government to start coal exploitation in the south of Belmont. Throughout the next five years RO and PVBB will establish and run several mines via Belmontien subdivisions. In five years both the Belmontien government and the two companies will review the conditions of the contracts and decide on renewing it.

Meribia, Europe’s naughty nation, and its recent nuclear track record are now subject to discussion in the Security Council with the goal of enacting a resolution against Meribia. The petition was submitted by the Austurlander delegation and was first answered by Franken’s CoN ambassador Valerian von Goswein. The ambassador stated Franken wants to install a system of incentives to influence regimes like Meribia to take less internationally dangerous routes.

Fox hunt disputes carry on: In the Duchy of Rhönland a fox hunt ended with broken legs and arms for two animal rights activists, who lurked in the forest beside the local fox hunt’s usual road. A freshman hunter lost control of his horse when he saw the two activists suddenly coming out of the wood. The young hunter and the two activists were rushed to the hospital, the horse remained uninjured and the hunt had to be aborted. The local earl and head of the fox hunt, on whose estates the fox hunts are held, expressed his regret about the injuries and wished the animal rights advocates a speedy recovery. Nevertheless, he warned them to refrain from this kind of activities. “Next time someone could be gravely injured or worse. Next time we find them on our private grounds, they will face legal action.” In Franken the fox hunt is a favourite pastime of nobles and affluent people in the countryside, while the inhabitants of the cities either don’t care or are engaging in animal rights groups. To this day His Majesty’s Government refused to amend the law, because animals are legally considered objects and anyone is free to do as he pleases with his property.
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[Serenierre]

Joint Statement by the Foreign Office & the Ministry of Energy

We welcome Pegnitz Vereinte Bergbau (PVBB) & Fränkische Rohstoffe AG (FRO) in Belmont with open arms. We hope that business ties, and ties in general, get stronger and improve in the future.

 

[Großlausitz]

FRÄNKISCHER RUNDFUNK EUROPA
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ÜBER ALLE GRENZEN HINAUS :: Week of January 18​

Nachrichten in Kürze
News in brief

Bienvenue, Belmont&Aquitania! Belmont was granted membership of the Partnership for Stability (PS) program, while Aquitania will join the EDF’s third tier of membership, which is one level above the PS. The Grand Duke himself will come to Nürnberg to sign the papers to make the southern realm a close associate of the European Defence Federation. Beforehand Jean of Aquitania will have a meeting with his fellow monarch King Alfred and Ministerpresident Graf Solms. It is not yet known which Belmontien official will sign the PS on their behalf.

Today the Fränkische Nordöl (FNO) unveiled the plans for the natural gas and oil platform they want to construct to exploit the reservoir discovered in last December. It will be called Hoffenheim Platform in honour of the founder of Franken’s first natural gas exploitation company and is projected to take a little more than a year to be finished. To cover the forecast costs FNO announced it will issue additional industrial bonds at the Nürnberg securities exchange (NWB). Due to the probably high demand it is expected FNO will offer a relatively high nominal interest to reach a reasonable real interest rate.

Tomorrow the Poseidon Class consortium is scheduled to gather for its biweekly meeting at the EDF compound in Nürnberg. Renowned suppliers from nearly all EDF countries as well as the top shipbuilders, among them VFS shipbuilders, are members of the prosperous group of manufacturers. The most important discussion item will be the recent launch of the first Poseidon class submarine, whether there were any major mistakes in the last pre-launch phase and what to learn from them.

This week Their Majesties King Alfred and Queen Margarethe added another princeling to their bouncing host of royal grandchildren. The royal couple’s youngest daughter and Archduchess Consort of Austurland, Franziska, gave birth to her first son. The prince was named Hakon Alfred Austur in honour of his maternal grandfather and will be known as the Prince of Guyenne as heir apparent of Austurland. The Royal Household announced that the King and Queen will go to Austurland to attend the baptising of their youngest grandchild. Pundits suggest their oldest grandchild, Hereditary Prince Sebastian, is to join his grandparents on the journey to become one of the Austurian prince’s godparents.

New shepherd needed: Dr. Johannes Meyr, Lutheran Archbishop of Nürnberg, is to leave office end of January. After two terms of eight years the senior clergyman of Franconia’s Lutheran Church may not be re-elected by the regional synod of the Duchy of Nuremberg. Therefore, the Lutheran clerical parliament starting next weekend will have an important decision to make. Who will become archbishop and Prior des Reiches ? Prior of the Realm is the title and mostly ceremonial office, which puts the Archbishop of the Franconian capital on top of Lutheran hierarchy. In his capacity as the Prior he is the king’s senior clerical ceremonial advisor and – more importantly – crowns the king of Franconia.
In the light of this noble privilege it is no surprise that a small faction of traditionalists have doubts whether the favourite candidate, Anna von Faber-Castell, would be appropriate for the job. Nevertheless, the influence and repudiation of Faber-Castell, a sister-in-law of the Duke of Faber-Castell, among Protestants make her election very likely. Moreover, the large Lutheran archdiocese of Rhönland already has a female presiding bishop.​

 

[Serenierre]

Foreign Office

To sign the the PfS, HRH Prince Nicolas of Montaigne shall be in Franken representing the Government of Belmont

 

[Großlausitz]

FRÄNKISCHER RUNDFUNK EUROPA
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ÜBER ALLE GRENZEN HINAUS :: Week of February 1​

Nachrichten in Kürze
News in brief

New shepherd found: After her election by the regional synod at Nürnberg, Anna von Coburg und Gotha, was solemnly inaugurated as Archbishop of Nürnberg, i.e. the spiritual head of about four million Lutherans in the metropolitan area. Because the Archbishop is also the Prior des Reiches (Prior of the Realm), the Lutheran church has its first female ceremonial leader in its history. At the service Faber-Castell received her insignia as Prior from a seemingly delighted King Alfred. Pundits suggest the king prevented the traditionalists from obstructing her elections behind closed doors.

After a period of relative multilateral silence, the AGE surprised the international community with the appointment of a new secretary-general from Austurland. Foreign affairs experts forecast the next few months will show whether the members of the grand old alliance remain dedicated to their common cause or whether the alliance will silently fade away.

Trouble in the jungle: A faithful ally of Oikawa, the kingdom of Ratomkira, suffers from a fully fledged civil war between the royalists and the communists. This week the royalists suffered a major blow by losing the city of Na Treng to the reds. Furthermore, the kingdom’s economy has been reduced to ruins because of the war’s highly negative effects. While His Majesty’s Government is said to have advised its Marquettian allies against a support expedition to their former colony, Franken has only responded to the Ratomkira conflict by arranging evacuation flights for Franconian civilians and raising the travel warning to the highest level. Nevertheless, the Franconian embassy will stay open for the time being.
Gas platform construction progresses according to plan: FNO’s new gas platform construction project is going well and is likely to observe its schedule. According to a spokesman for the FNO the project’s status is at 20%.

In the light of Kryobaijan’s opening to the rest of the not-so-red world, the Franconian industry confederation (BFI) suggested to promote the idea of a Franconian-Kryobaijan chamber of commerce. “A chamber of commerce would be a useful tool to coordinate efforts by Franconians to invest in Kryobaijan and to get the Kryobajianis interested in buying our excellent goods.”, BFI vice-president Herzog Friedrich von Faber-Castell explained journalists at a meeting on East European commerce yesterday.​

 

[Großlausitz]

FRÄNKISCHER RUNDFUNK EUROPA
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ÜBER ALLE GRENZEN HINAUS :: Week of February 8​

Nachrichten in Kürze
News in brief

Deliberating Batavia’s situation the CoN Security Council seems to be effectively in a limbo. Whereas the Franconians proposed a shorter and more general resolution paper, the Oikawans dismissed the suggestion and re-assured the council they would present a resolution bill themselves. Neither Ministerpresident Graf Solms nor Foreign Minister Robert Beaumont were available to comment on the issue. Anonymous sources from within the Foreign Office told FR Europa Beaumont currently discusses pragmatic and regionally dedicated approaches to the Batavian affair with the General Directors for Central Europe and European Affairs&EDF. “If the Security Council is too slow, His Majesty’s Government ponders a regional and fast solution to help the Batavians to regain stability and peace.”, one pundit told us.

Regardless of what the Security Council will decide and how fast it will come to a conclusion, the Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development Aid will ready an aid package of 40m Taler from its special emergency funds to support the re-construction once the civil war scenario has been ended by a peace accord. Furthermore, the service of the Technical Relief (THW) will be available to the Batavian authorities, the Interior Ministry confirmed.

Going to the island: Crown Prince Jakob and his wife Isabel will travel to Austurland for a goodwill-visit. The Royal Household, which coordinates the foreign visits by any member of the royal family, confirmed Prince Jakob will visit Austurland for official and private purposes. Officially he will represent his father and meet with the Archduke and the archducal government; privately Their Royal Highnesses want to see their nephew and Jakob’s sister, the Archduchess. Moreover, Foreign Minister Robert Beaumont is scheduled to accompany the Duke and Duchess of Schlesnitz. A top item of discussion will be Austurland’s de-facto leadership of the AGE and where the grand old alliance will head. The time of the trip, however, is not yet completely fixed.

“Fastnacht in Franken” – Franconian carnival, tis the season to be jolly! While the Franconians are usually said to be sober and calm during other times of the year, they are quite fun-loving during the fifth season of the year. Yesterday the Schlesnitz carnival association, the kingdom’s largest, held its annual grand meeting in Erlangen. As every year the top notch carnival comedians and artists performed there to the joy of the local and tv audience. Since the Fastnacht comedians have de facto taken over the role of court jesters – the last real one died in 1722 – the regional and national political leadership have to bear their share of the satire and mockery. King Alfred, who is almost notorious for his eccentric costumes, is naturally treated in a milder way than His Majesty’s elected governors and ministers. This year he masqueraded as a Hajri Bedouin prince.
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