Prince Mark has reconfirmed the last Monday in August as Meat Day - a day to celebrate meat. The day has been chosen to coinside with the Summer bank holiday in Britain.

In an unexpected move the Government has announced the creation of the Markonian Space Commission which will operate as an executive agency of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Minister said, "The MSC has been set up to progress the search for extra-terrestrial life and the timing is completely unrelated to the recent UFO sightings." Sources at the Commission are reported to have said that they have been tasked with investigating the posibility of aliens using new telescope technology.

Scientists were excited by the discovery of the rare and endangered Lesser-Bearded Scrongle deep in the lush southern forests of Markonia. Measuring only 4cm tall these elusive and verocious creatures were believed to be extinct in Markonia with only a few scattered groups elsewhere. The area where they were found has been renamed Scrongle Forest and designated a Special Protection Zone. The Scrongle feeds on juicy glurg worms and other small insects.

Following the annual budget-setting meeting of the Cabinet, the Prince has announced that the National Tax Code remains unchanged meaning there continues to be no tax in Markonia. Taxes were effectively abolished in Markonia after Minister Bobbard was appointed to head the Ministry of Commerce and adopted the policy of government self-sufficiency.