This issue draft was simultaneously posted on the Got Issues? forum.

Diplomatic Impunity
Validity: Nations with foreign relations, nations with cars, nations with police.

As you are walking down @@CAPITAL@@'s Embassy Row en route to a 'diplomatic reception' at the Brancalandian Embassy, you see a heated argument between a police officer and a well-dressed man gesturing angrily at the diplomatic license plates on a sleek sports car. You approach to see what the commotion is...

1. "I clearly have diplomatic immunity!" yells aggrieved Maxtopian diplomat @@RANDOMNAMEMALE@@. "I am a diplomat, from the proud nation of Maxtopia. In order to prevent me from being arbitrarily arrested in foreign nations, I am granted immunity from persecution. Uphold my rights, and send this intrusive police officer away. What's more, I have been so impeded by this illegal investigation, I demand an official statement from your government, upholding my rights as a diplomat. Some trade concessions would be nice, too."

Effect: Gangs of off-duty foreign diplomats go on crime sprees while the police are forced to look on.

2. "He's parked illegally, so I'm just giving him a parking ticket, @@LEADER@@," says earnest young police officer @@RANDOMNAME@@. "I need to lay down the law on him. Look, I get that he's from a foreign nation, but we can't let people get away with crimes like this! We should punish him just as the law demands."

Effect: Foreign nations' diplomats have placed @@NAME@@ in the same category of danger as war zones.

3. "Why do we need diplomats, anyway?" asks @@RANDOMNAME@@, a violent isolationist who has just crawled out of the car's trunk with a knife in @@HIS@@ hand. "They just make more problems for us, anyway. @@NAME@@ should focus on itself, not those pesky foreigners! Deport all those foreign diplomats! @@NAME@@ First!"

Effect: @@CAPITAL@@'s Embassy Row is strikingly empty.

4. "I spy an opportunity..." says your seldom-seen Minister of Whispers, who has apparently been following you this entire time. "If diplomats can't be arrested by foreign law enforcement, then we can establish an elite team consisting entirely of diplomatic personnel for- specialized operations - in foreign nations. Imagine that- our national enemies- um, neutralized, and enemy law enforcement unable to life a finger. Imagine that- I'll be waiting for your decision."

Effect: @@NATION@@'s ambassadors all have steel-gray eyes and an empty soul.

Howdy Y'all,

as I am freshly deployed to the IDU as Texas Ambassador I wanted to make myself known to all here.

I am glad having been appointed to this post and look forward serve both the IDU and Texas in developing this partnership further.

Brunhilde Emerges Victorious in Record-Breaking Presidential Election
By Writinglegend, Edited for Distribution by Izzy
(Europeia ? November 5, 2017) ? Vice Chancellor and former Minister of Foreign Affairs Brunhilde has been elected as the fifty-third president of Europeia in what was a whirlwind race. One-hundred and one total votes were cast this election, breaking the prior voting record of ninety-one. Both the Brunhilde/Rach and Darcness/Sopo campaigns ran energetic Get Out to Vote (GOTV) messaging, causing the record-breaking number of electoral votes.

The Brunhilde/Rach campaign, titled 'Europeian Voice', saw its fair share of drama during the electoral cycle. Former Minister of Communications JayDee was the original choice to fill the vice presidential spot on the ticket, however, due to drama regarding possible poll tampering, he later dropped his name from the ballot. Brunhilde would later pick Rach to fill the vacancy, leading to several platform readjustments. Many predicted the Brunhilde/Rach ticket would face defeat at the ballot, due to pre-election poll results showing a massive lead by the Darcness campaign.

The Darcness/Sopo campaign, titled 'Inch by Inch', focused on building the next generation of Europeian leaders through basic, regional service. While the former Minister of Foreign Affairs received forty-three votes this electoral cycle, ten behind the Brunhilde ticket, he remained in high spirits. "I will continue to enthusiastically work within Europeia's executive system this upcoming term," he stated in a private quote provided to the EBC. "What will define my career is not the defeat, but my response to it."

The newcomer ticket of Oak/Dark Templar provided an avenue for them to get their names out to the wider citizenry. While they only received five votes, they perhaps laid the groundwork for greater Executive opportunities in their future.

Following her victory, Brunhilde released an inspirational inaugural address which encouraged the Europeian citizenry to grasp the leadership opportunities before them. "Will you be the next leader who those of the future look to as someone who pushed us to stand even when our knees became weak?" Brunhilde rhetorically questioned. "Join with me as I seek to push Europeia forward."

Brunhilde's nominations for the Cabinet were confirmed in their hearings before the Europeian Senate. Her nominations were as follows:

HEM - Minister Without Portfolio
Rand - Attorney General
Cat - Minister of Radio
Drexlore - Minister of Culture
Writinglegend - Minister of Communications
Izzy - Foreign Affairs
Sanctaria - Minister of World Assembly Affairs
Le Libertie - Minister of Interior
Calvin - Grand Admiral

The Cabinet features several returning and new names. President Brunhilde gave a strong message to those not nominated, and others who did not vote for her ticket.

"Seek to erase the inadequacies you see in the region. It is that fight, that work ethic, that will allow Europeia to control its own destiny."

This will be Brunhilde's first term as President of Europeia. The pressure is heavy on the new president to achieve the goals set out in her ambitious platform.

President Brunhilde's inaugural address can be found in the spoiler below:
Spoiler: click to toggle
Time of Opportunity
Inaugural Address
For 10 years, 7 months, and 29 days, Europeia has stood. It has stood as a Monarchy, through a forum deletion, in the midst of chaos, through bouts of inactivity, and as people feared for its future. It's easy to say that the fortitude shown by those standing through our pain, and our struggles, are those of the past. Afterall, it was they who led us through the dark paths and pushed us through our struggles into our successes. Yet, it is not they who will lead us forward, through the struggles and doubts of tomorrow. Nay, it is the citizen who doesn't know where to get started in the region, the politician who thinks they are down and out, the newcomer that hasn't had the chance to shine, and, most importantly, those who wish to see their ambition come to fruition. Europeia is not made purely by the grand sum of its history, but by those willing to strive for greatness. Just as the leaders of our past sought to see a Europeia that prospered and shined as the lights were cast on it, so can you strive to see Europeia be made greater by the effort you put into making it so.

The question that remains is: will you? Will you seize upon the opportunity provided to you by our stability and by our struggles to push Europeia forward? Will you show your resolve and put in the effort it takes to see your ambitions become more than simple thoughts? Will you be the next leader who those of the future look to as someone who pushed us to stand even when our knees became weak? I believe that there are many who have that ability in them, that ability to say that they won't be frightened by inconvenience and will instead seek to create a Europeian future that sees us shine in the light as we once did. It's this belief that leaves me to urge you, each one of you, to join with me as I seek to push Europeia forward, for it must go forward.

For Europeia, forward must never be limited. We must not limit ourselves based on what is said to be possible, nor should we limit our forward progress based on previous success. No, we must reject the sentiments that would have us stay in our place. Europeia has the fortitude to constantly strive for its own betterance. Whether that be through improved media efforts that intwine radio with the written word as each seek to reach outsiders with our voice or efforts to integrate gameside players with our forumside governance, we can grow better. Whether it be through taking the name of the Navy to new highs or asserting our opinion in the World Assembly, we can grow better. It can be something as large as a total change in policy or as small as a new newspaper article that changes the way that we think. It matters not the size of the effort so long as it is focused towards never allowing ourselves to be limited by doubt and negative expectations.

This term will be about never allowing ourselves to be limited. We find ourselves being a strong World Assembly region that doesn't vocalize its opinions abroad as a result of a traditional lack of emphasis. Europeia is at a crossroads in which we find ourselves coasting on the success granted by our past efforts in foreign affairs. Different branches of media have found themselves far too separate while our culture has found itself relying on old faithfuls rather than seeking new tomorrows. Our newcomers find themselves faced with a Europeia that can be hard to understand. This administration must not allow these difficulties to limit what it can be for we decide what our tomorrow will be.

I ask only for you to join us in refusing to let our difficulties limit you. Pushback in the face of our struggles, fight in the face of any doubt. Seek to erase the inadequacies you see in the region. It is that fight, that work ethic, that will allow Europeia to control its own destiny.

Sincerely,

With embassy construction underway, I figured I should create an account on the IDU Forum. Looking forward to strengthening ties between our two great regions.

Hello from the great country of Nekodemus! i am not new to the IDU but have recently joined the forum.

Greetings from the nation of Solmarne!

I joined this region in the hope of learning more about the WA and RP in general. I have some experience in Nationstates under various other nations, though mostly in gameplay.

Obviously these are only suggestions, and you're free to reject any of them -- or to say that some of these species were present within [what's now] your nation but have been hunted to [local] extinction -- but anyway...

______________________________________________________________________


Any species that in RL is native both to Eurasia and to North America is probably native to at least part of the IDU as well: e.g. Brown Bear, ['Gray'] Wolf, [European] 'Elk'/[American] 'Moose', Barn Owl, Golden Eagle, Peregrine Falcon, Osprey.

Any basic type of animal with one or more species native to RL Eurasia and another one or more native to RL North America probably also has at least one of those species native to at least part of the IDU, too, or has one or more other species 'endemic' to (i.e. native only to) at least part of the IDU; e.g. Black Bear, Red Fox (if that isn?t just one single species, in RL, anyway), Lynx, Beaver, [European] 'Red Deer'/[American] 'Elk', Bison, [European] Otter/[American] River Otter, White-tailed Eagle/Bald Eagle.

Smaller species tend to have shorter generations than larger ones, allowing faster evolution, so are more likely to be endemic.

______________________________________________________________________


Considering both latitudes and ocean currents, I would expect climates in these nations to range from 'arctic' [in the most northerly parts of mainland Legionas] through sub-arctic and cool temperate to [in the more southerly parts of Laeral] warm temperate. The interior would experience more extreme seasonal changes than the coasts, as is normal. There are extensive mountain ranges along most of the overall area?s western edge, with some uplands further east as well. Woodlands would therefore range from boggy scrub [furthest north] through coniferous and mixed forests into [in the more southerly parts of the lowlands] predominantly broad-leaved ones. Where the former nation of Antrium bordered Dommonia there was also an area of prairie, a westwards extension of the larger area belonging to that ecosystem which is situated within the latter country - although that situation might now have changed?

______________________________________________________________________

From an earlier discussion about part of this area

Antrium's original player said: "I see Antrium's fauna as being very North American. (I do live there, after all.) Rabbits, raccoons, squirrels, deer, maybe some buffalo in the eastern plains. Lots of forest-dwelling birds. Obviously, most of the country's fauna would have to be more mountain-oriented, like mountain goats, types of birds, the Antrian Hare, etc. I'd probably go along with anything that's proposed for the area, as long as I can have rabbits/hares and the GranvéoSnowfinch."

Ireplied: "Sure, that fits in with your neighbour Domnonia's ecology... and your "buffalo" would probably be the same species as (although quite possibly a different sub-species from) my "bison"...
As far as montane fauna is concerned, I'm giving the region a feline species called the 'SnowCat? that isn't quite the same as the RL 'Snow Leopard' but is along similar lines to that: It's present in the range of mountains running [basically] east-west that form the barrier between Malabra on the hand and Bears Armed/(what's left of "the Unknown Territories") on the other, so its range could plausibly extend into your lands too... Okay?
How do you feel about a few Tigers?"

Antrium replied: "Snow Cats would be fine.

Tigers might be too, if the climate's right. I'd never really thought about it, but it would be fine."

______________________________________________________________________

I would expect the overall area's species of large mammals[on land] to include Brown Bear, Polar Bear (although only in the furthest north of Legionas), probably [Iduvian] Black Bear (in the densest woods in the southerly parts of Laeral&maybe High Fells), Puma/Cougar/'Mountain Lion', IDU endemic the 'Snow-Cat' (in mountainous areas, above the tree line), Lynx (in the more open areas elsewhere, especially in the north), possibly Tiger (in some of the woodlands, within which it ?replaces? the Puma), 'Gray' Wolf, possibly either Coyote (which was present in Dommonia) or Golden Jackal (which occurs, now, in what was the western section of the former nation Keeslandia?) but probably not both of those, an endemic species called the 'Summer Dog' (so-named because it hibernates; related & similar to the RL Raccoon Dog that?s native to parts of eastern Asia & has also been introduced into north-eastern Europe for its fur?) in the subarctic & maybe even parts of the cool temperate belt, possibly Wolverine (in the colder & boggiest bits of the north); Wild Pigs, Bison (of both 'plains' & 'woodland' forms), Musk Ox (but only in the furthest north of Legionas), Sheep/Goats/Goat-antelopes of several species (in the mountainous areas), possibly Musk Deer [ditto], [American] 'Moose' (in the boggier parts of the northern woods, at least), [Iduvian] Red Deer, probably the IDU-endemic 'Spotted Deer' (Cervus maculatus; a bit smaller than the Red Deer/[American] 'Elk', filling a similar ecological niche to RL North America's White-tailed Deer), probably Roe Deer (either the same species as in RL Eurasia or an endemic relative), Iduvian Water Deer (related to the RL Chinese species); possibly wild Horses/Ponies of one or more kinds, possibly a 'Hairy' [non-tropical] species of Rhinoceros, and maybe even a surviving species of Chalicothere. The section of the former ?Antrium? into which prairie extends from Dommonia (if that's still the case) might also be home to the latter nation's native 'Arcuile Antelope', which is a close relative of the RL [North American] 'Pronghorn'.
Although we tend to think of Monkeys as tropical, some RL species do live in more temperate climates instead: This area could plausibly have a species of 'Macaque' (similar to the 'Barbary Ape' & the Japanese Macaque of RL) and/or a species of leaf-eating 'Snub-nosed Monkey' (as one such species in RL manages to survive in montane woodland in central China), even in areas where the winter weather may include snow.

Turning now to the question of marine mammals:
The region's Whales would all belong to RL species, and most of the larger RL species are probably present at least sometimes somewhere in the region's seas although the one RL species of 'baleen' whale that has a purely Antarctic range is presumably absent and some of the 'Beaked Whales' from RL might find the neighbourhood too cold: However, I think that the Gray Whale's migration routes through IDU waters keep it outside the seas around these nations. Most of the Dolphin species present within the region are probably also ones that can be found in RL, apart from one or more species of 'River Dolphin' which are limited to warmer waters in the Malabra/Iapetus area, but with a lower proportion of those RL species present here, and for Porpoises we probably have one or two endemic species with no RL ones.
Another player described three species of Sea-Lions as endemic to the IDU, but that was years ago and the details seem to have been lost. Whether or not we have those, we have several types of Seals as well, and in some of the region's more northerly waters - for example, around Legionas - the Walrus too.
Also in region?s more northerly waters, we have a species of 'Sea-Cow' (related to the RL [extinct] Steller's Sea-Cow, to RL's Dugong, and more distantly to the Manatees...) which is a herbivore that feeds on kelp.
Also, Sea Otters?

Voting is now open.
Feel free to explain who your nation's judges are & how they were chosen for the job.

Entries, by category

Best New IDU Film:
Brushstrokes, by [nation]Laeral[/nation]
Damnation Creek, by [nation]Verwood Island Archipelago[/nation]
Stalingrad, by [nation]Legionas[/nation]
The Economics of Love, by [nation]Lauchenoiria[/nation]
Seaside, by [nation]Gnejs[/nation]
The Golden Mirror, by [nation]Russian Mafia Government[/nation]
The Stapler and several other joke entries, by [nation]Separatist Peoples[/nation]
RBP by [nation]Bears Armed[/nation]

Best Actor/Actress:
Aurelie Liao, from [nation]Laeral[/nation]
Melisa McDade, from [nation]Libertas Omnium Maximus[/nation]
Barrwen ?Evenstar? vah-Bearren, from [nation]Bears Armed[/nation]

Classic Film:
Tops and Tips, by [nation]Libertas Omnium Maximus[/nation]
Snowfall, by [nation]Skoden[/nation]
Come Home, by [nation]Russian Mafia Government[/nation]
The Silent Heroes, by [nation]Comhar[/nation]
Bearren and Lursienne, by [nation]Bears Armed[/nation] (Not the same movie as last year)

Foreign Film
Discovery, by Forodwaith

Quote: 
The North Pacific
Ministry of Culture
Magicality City, 25 October 2017

Dear Delegate Laeral,

On behalf of the Government of the North Pacific, I am delighted to extend an invitation to attend a Friendship Fair to be hosted on the North Pacific forum and in our special event discord server here. Please find the invitation enclosed with this letter.

The governments of The North Pacific and the International Democratic Union entered into our security treaty on June 17 2012. The treaty, which is the North Pacific's second oldest bilateral treaty, represents a strong recognition and endorsement by our respective governments and legislatures of the mutual trust and friendship between our two regions. With the passage of time has come greater challenges that we have faced together, and moments of great success and celebration that we have shared side by side.

It is in this spirit that we invite you to participate in our Friendship Fair to celebrate all that has been achieved in the years past, and all that will be achieved in those to come.

We sincerely hope to see you there.

Yours faithfully,

Minister of Culture[/quote]

I'm sorry, but I am now drafting something here. I know there are a lot of good GA writers, and I'd like to take advantage of you take your advice to become a better writer. So, please, comment away.
Quote: Right of Reproduction
Human Rights | Mild
By: Fauxia, probably

Committed to individual civil freedoms,

Wishing to further advance this noble cause fought for continually,

Understanding the reservations nations may have in regards to allowing individuals to reproduce,

Disgusted, however, that nations may use these reservations as a basis to force individuals not to reproduce,

The World Assembly,

1. Defines "abortion" as the intentional destruction of an unborn child prior to birth,

2. Mandates that no nation may prevent, an individual from reproducing before pregnancy, nor discriminate against said individuals, except as a punishment for serious sexual crimes, such as rape,

3. Mandates that no nation may force a pregnant individual to have an abortion, nor discriminate against said individuals, without exception,

4. Clarifies that this resolution does not prevent nations from offering incentives to individuals not to reproduce,

5. Further clarifies that nothing in this resolution prevents an individual from consensually choosing not to reproduce,

6. Bans marriage, abortion, and nuclear weapons in all of their respective forms[/quote]

Alright, what are your thoughts? Be gentle, I'm still pretty new. Or don't be gentle and be honest, that's fine too.