Kudriavy denies rumours of ill-health
Dateline New Venus Q0, 3210.310
Cody Fiddler, Senior Venerian Correspondent
Venerian President Kudriavy has moved to scotch rumours of ill-health after not being seen in public for several octants. He appeared for the first time this year to take the salute at the Revolution Day parade here on New Venus, and seemed to be in good health, although rumours had been flying in the governing Republican Executive Committee (RExCom) that Vice President Admiral Erica Von Daniken was about to be sworn in as President-Designate, while Kudriavy recovered in isolation at “an undisclosed location”. However, official Venerian government spokespeople were characteristically tight-lipped on the subject, and would only tell me: “the health of the president is always a matter of state security, and not for public discussion.”
Admiral Von Daniken, an outspoken decorated veteran of the Exterminator War and a rapidly rising star on the right of Venerian politics, has been active in recent octants to try and claim the mantle of ‘inheritor’ of the policies of the late President Heinlein, an immensely popular figure here in the Republic, and of course himself a former Admiral and war hero, and some have suggested she was angling to take the top job herself. I spoke to a seasoned RExCom watcher – who wishes their identity to remain secret – about this development;
“Well of course it is always hard to know exactly what is going on in Venerian politics, but Kudriavy faced a major challenge – after Heinlein’s disappearance – in securing his position, against strong opposition from some of the Quadrant representatives, especially Nikolai Stoliarova – who went on to try and lead what was by all accounts a coup d’etat against Kudriavy in Q4 – and it was Von Daniken who swung the military behind him. In return she got her own people into key positions like the Vice Presidency, Foreign Affairs and Defence.
“Kudriavy of course himself has a strong power base, with the support of the Venerian intelligence agencies and various industrial and civil service interests, but the election of First Minister Ashanti on Earth has rattled the Republic, with the Amoss affair especially very much strengthening the hand of the hard liners. The watchword is: ‘today Sirius, but tomorrow New Venus.’ To a critical eye, this looks like the military flexing its political muscles in uncertain times.”
Mass arrests on Romulus
Late breaking news just reaching us is that 254 people have been arrested just 10 parsecs away on the Venerian world of Romulus III – the cradle of the Venerian Revolution. According to local authorities the people are all illegally unchipped, and therefore will not face trial, as being unchipped is already a prima facie breach of Venerian law, punishable by a period of imprisonment, followed by compulsory chipping or exile. Whether this is tied in with the political manuvering here on New Venus I have yet to determine. More on this story to follow.
Mars, Xyon called to account for human rights violations
NEW MARS, Q0
The New Mars-based human rights charity ‘Reprieve Interstellar’ has published its annual list of ‘worst human rights abusers’. Topping the list once again this year is the independent world of Nebok in Q7, where eccentric dictator Angmar Arcadius is described as running “an apparatus of institutionalised state terror.”
The Wolf 359 Commonwealth and Venerian Republic as usual come in for criticism over state surveillance of citizens and – for the Wolfers – the unrepresentative nature of their electoral system as compared with – for the Venerians – the alleged bias inherent in their legal system, but more unusually a Xyonist and a Martian world come in for particular scrutiny this year. The Xyonist world of Deadwood in Q8 has been cited for extra-legal activities by authorities, in the wake of the state of emergency caused by the Genesplice 9 outbreak there five years ago, while the MAFC colony of Estreham in Q2 faces particular criticism for partial treatment of the minority Yendorian Clewgists on-planet by the Estreham Clewgist majority. Reprieve Interstellar says that these abuses date back over several years and is calling on the Martian and Xyonist governments to tackle these issues as soon as possible.
Planetary authorities in crisis as neo-fascists near election win
911RPU, Q6
Esteeler authorities here are in disarray as the extreme right-wing Third Force Party looks set to take local elections by storm. Bolstered by economic difficulties and allegations of corruption miring the local branches of the two main political parties of Asteel – the Star and Reform parties – 911RPU has seen a third party rise to prominence, in some ways mirroring developments across the GFA, yet here clearly taking their inspiration from the Social Responsibility Movement that has swept Q6, particularly in the Earth Empire, but also notably on Douglas and Amoss. Third Force leader and local media mogul Charles Kane said that he was a “new broom” that would “sweep away” the government which was “holding back” the people of 911RPU.
Colonial Referenda and Memberships – from our colonial correspondent
The following colonial worlds are planning referenda: Scully Q6, Rotnart Q6, T361 Q1, T411 Q1, Express Sector AI, Brassil Sector AH, Darwin Q8. WInner Q7, Pete Q5, Chaitra Q4, Akdor Q3, Hush-Bush Q2
Referenda have been held on the following worlds:
World
date
Result – voted to apply to join:
Tosti Q6
T91
Earth Empire
The following worlds have voted against holding a referenda on giving up their independence: None.
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