So to get me back into the swing of things, here goes (credit to
@Turquoise Blue for the Labour party candidates):
BBC News Brief - Weekly Round Up
- British Prime Minister Sylvia Lim (
Social Democrat) met with her French counterpart, Ségolène Royal (
Socialist), this week to discuss, amongst other things, the Franco-British Alliance, the ongoing conflict in West Africa, the accession of Accra to the United Empire, and the Breton independence movement. The meeting came at the start of a five-day working trip across Europe and Scandinavia, and ended with both prime ministers issuing a joint statement in support of the alliance between the two countries, as well as the rights of people to self-determination. Lim also visited Savoian Prime Minister Ignazio Marino (
PSL) in Milan, where they discussed the Mediterranean migrant crisis, and held high-level talks with European Commission President Angela Merkel (
European People's) in Saarbrücken, before travelling to Gothenburg to meet with Nordic Chancellor Jyrki Katainen (
Nordic People's).
- Dominion Secretary Justin Trudeau, 2nd Earl of Saint-Rémi, (
Liberal) has been in Accra this week to begin formal negotiations with the Accran government on their country's accession to the United Empire. The State of Accra, a Commonwealth realm in West Africa, voted by a majority of 20% in favour of joining the Empire in a referendum in January but progress has been slow, with the High Commissioner in London having unofficial talks with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for the last two months. Trudeau's presence in the country suggests a high level of support within the government for Accra joining the Empire. Accran Prime Minister Catherine Afeku (
Liberal) has welcomed the cross-party delegation to the capital Victoriaborg, and in a speech on Thursday said she looked forward to "productive talks" and hoped that Accra would be ready to join the Empire in March 2019, only sixty-two years after it gained independence.
- First Minister of Virginia Joe Manchin (
Labour) has announced that he will step down as leader of the Labour Party of Virginia when a new leader is elected at the party conference in August. Manchin, who has led the party since 2010, having previously served in the governments of Douglas Wilder and Steve Beshear, and has been First Minister since the 2012 election, has yet to confirm the reason for his resignation, but many pundits and party insiders believe he has either been offered a place on SDP party list at the upcoming imperial election, or that he will be nominated as an Imperial Councillor from Virginia to replace Ken Lucas, Baron Lucas of Crossroads, when he retires on 22 August at the mandatory age of 85. Several members of the party have already confirmed their intention to stand in the election, including Ralph Northram (Virginia Minister for Health, and MGA for Eastern Shore), Tom Perriello (MGA for Alexandria), Richard Ojeda (List MGA), and Alison Lundergan Grimes (MGA for West Richmond—Elkhorn).
- The Prince and Princess of Appalachia welcomed their third child on Monday this week. Prince Louis Arthur Charles is the fifth in line to the British and Commonwealth thrones, after the change in succession law in 2013. His sister, Princess Charlotte, is the first female member of the British Imperial and Royal Family to not lose her place in the line of succession due to the birth of a younger brother. William's brother, Prince Harry, who is due to marry the Anglo-Californian actress Meghan Markle on 19 May, is said to be "ecstatic" at his new position in the line of succession.