Griffindor's 26th Fortnightly Update

This dispatch was originally sent as a Regional Telegram on September 25th, 2024:

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[b]Greetings, my fellow South Pacificans![/b]

It has been [i]13 days[/i] since my last Fortnightly Briefing! So, you know what that means...? It's obviously time for another Fortnightly Briefing! There is much to report in this fortnightly briefing, so let's not waste any time! Without further ado...

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[b]First:[/b] In a bit of late-breaking news... [b][nation]Differences-In-Differences[/nation]/Lordnwahs[/b] resigned as [b][i]Prime Minister[/i][/b] in what was an unexpected surprise announcement.

[spoiler= What Does That Mean To Me?]
The resignation immediately triggered a special election to fill the now-vacant position. As of writing, voting has begun, and [b]Deputy Prime Minister [nation]Sporaltryus[/nation]/ProfessorHenn[/b] is the only candidate on the ballot. Barring an unexpected victory from our old nemesis [b]RON[/b], we will have our next Prime Minister in a few short days. The elected Prime Minister will serve the remainder of the unexpired term and the following three-month term. This places the next (planned) election in January and the next Delegate election!

Don't be alarmed, though; our government is currently in the capable hands of our [i]caretaker[/i] Prime Minister, [b][nation]Esfalsa[/nation]/Pronoun[/b], and will leave office upon the winner being declared!
[/spoiler]

[b]Second:[/b] We will now turn to Assembly business!
[Spoiler= More or Less Than Last Report?]
Less, much less!

[i]First:[/i] Discussion over reforms to the Sunshine Act continued, albeit at a much slower pace. Discussion turned to the High Court's ability to review failures to release information and an amendment to require some sort of response from the petitioned body.

[i]Second:[/i] Discussion over the potential end of the Citizenship Committee also slowed down, but not before discussion moved to give the Council on Regional Security (CRS) the power to suspend/revoke citizenship after being reviewed by the Court. Additionally, the open question of who would process routine applications and security checks has yet to be answered, but hopefully, it will be in the coming days.

[i]Third:[/i] Please give a hearty congratulations to our favorite slab of concrete, [b][nation]Concrete Slab[/nation][/b]! The Assembly confirmed his nomination to the Admiralty by an overwhelmingly large margin, and he has since entered the position.
[/spoiler]

[b]Third:[/b] Speaking of the Assembly (and this is completely ripped from the last Fortnightly Update), we are approaching the end of the Chair of the Assembly's term!
[spoiler= ELECTION TIME!!!]

HOLD your horses, kid! There will not be a formal election for this position. At the beginning of this year, the Assembly changed how the Chair was selected. It used to be that the legislators would vote on candidates in elections, but since January, the Chair has been nominated via a resolution that will state how long, up to one year, the term will be. This will mark the first undisputed official time the resolution needs to be adopted, and it is unknown, as of yet, whether the incumbent Chair will seek another term of office. If you are interested in running for the Chair of the Assembly position, you need only be a legislator! Legislators are required to be citizens, so if you have any interest in running, submit your citizenship application now so you have enough time to get it processed by the lazy bureaucrats on the Citizenship Committee!
[/spoiler]

[b]Fourth:[/b] We now turn to the proceedings before the High Court! Surprise! There is yet another new case before the High Court!
[spoiler= Another Case?!]
Indeed, another case!

The new case submitted is known by the designation [i][2407.HQ] Resigning with Pending Nominations[/i] and seeks to determine whether or not the nomination of [b][nation]Concrete Slab[/nation][/b] was invalidated by the resignation of then Prime Minister [b]Lordnwahs[/b]. The petitioner argues that the nomination was invalidated since the Assembly had not yet confirmed the nominee, so the appointment was automatically canceled. You can follow the trial here: https://thesouthpacific.org/t/2407-hq-resigning-with-pending-nominations/6416

The other case, [i][2404.HQ] Constitutionality of the Resolution to Restore Regional Accountability 2[/i], is still ongoing and oral arguments appear to have concluded. It is now up to the Presiding Justice to finish their opinion and release it to the region. Hopefully, this is done before the next Fortnightly Briefing! You can follow the case here: https://thesouthpacific.org/t/2405-hq-constitutionality-of-the-resolution-to-restore-regional-accountability-2/6084
[/spoiler]

[b]Fifth:[/b] Don't forget to endorse the Coral Guard and me, your favorite Delegate ever!

[spoiler= Click This If You Dare]
Here are the nations you need to endorse: 

[b][nation]Aidenfieeld[/nation]
[nation]Amerion[/nation]
[nation]Ebonhand[/nation]
[nation]Land Without Shrimp[/nation]
[nation]PenguinPies[/nation]
[nation]Tepertopia[/nation]
[nation]Tsunamy[/nation][/b]

https://www.nationstates.net/page=dispatch/id=1398091

And of course, I'll never forget the cake for doing that! 🍰🍰🍰
[/spoiler]

[b]Sixth:[/b] I accidentally pressed a blinking red button on my desk...
[spoiler= WHAT Did I Do, You Ask?]
Well, I don't know for sure what I did... but I find it awfully convenient that I suddenly got notified that all the nuclear missiles within the South Pacific went live and are primed for launch. I was then informed that a Jellyfish named JEFF wanted me (and thus us) to join them in an upcoming nuclear war.

To translate: I am pleased to announce that our region will join the JEFF faction during our bi-annual N-Day festivities! Follow the instructions in the dispatch below and you can maximize your (and our) odds of winning the upcoming nuclear war! See you on the flip side (and maybe a little bit more green and glowing).

https://www.nationstates.net/page=dispatch/id=2559384
[/spoiler]

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Well, that is all for this fortnightly update! For making it to the end of this Telegram, you all get the traditional end-of-update slice of cake! 🍰

I look forward to updating you all again in a Fortnight and talking with you all in the interim! Remember, my Telegram box is open to those who want to talk!


[i]Always and eternally yours,[/i]

[b][nation]Ebonhand[/nation]/Griffindor

His Most Benevolent Cakeness, Your Lord and Savior, the Emperor, Mother, and Delegate of the South Pacific[/b]
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