52 Tales of 2019 - Brave New World 2040

[fardell24]

Americas
Canada
There is a standoff between a Canadian patrol boat, and a Russian ship off Baffin Island. Cooler heads prevail.

United States
Again, no candidate gets more than 270 Electoral Votes (not even close). The election is thrown to Congress. The House elects Lauren Underwood (D-IL) as President. The Senate selects Lee Carter (S-VA) as Vice President.

Earlier in the year, Congress begins debating a Devolution Amendment, that would allow Congress to delegate powers to States, or groups of States...

More Cuban Refugees flood into the Southern States (particularly Florida, Georgia and Alabama).

In many cities across the United States, private lawns are banned. (There is of course, a large outcry about this...)

Mexico
Rioting continues from the previous year...

Caribbean
The Cuban Civil War continues, with the communists regaining areas in the west of the island.

South America
Chameleon outbreak occurs in Santiago, causing Chile to quarantine the city. The outbreak is contained, but the country is destabilised. Many suspect Brazil to have been involved in the situation... Truth is, the initial outbreak of Chamelion in the city was accidental, but someone in Brasilia or Rio had taken advantage...

Europe
In the United Kingdom, the Commission on Further English Devolution releases a Boundaries Report. The new regions are: Kent, Wessex, Cornwall, Mercia, East Anglia and Greater Yorkshire (aside from the existing Greater London). Referenda for Regional Assemblies for Greater Yorkshire, Cornwall and Mercia are scheduled for the next year.

Western Europe
The Revivalist Manifesto continues to grow more popular.

Those nuclear weapons are still missing...

Eastern Europe
The Revalist Manifesto continues to grow more popular here too.

Africa
West Africa
Attempts at diversifying the income stream from Oil for Nigeria continue to fail.

East Africa
Ethiopia continues to boom. In related news, a Status Referendum for Eritrea is scheduled for early 2042. (Either Remain Independent or re-join Ethiopia.)

Asia
Middle East
The Crescemt Society continues to spread.

China
The Civil War continues... (There aren't enough North Korean troops.)

Japan remains isolationist.

Oceania
Australia
The OLFA Government puts in policies to encourage ecological recovery in areas hit by climate change and excesses in various agricultural industries (Cotton -cough- Cotton!). Especially in the Great Barrier Reef and the Murray-Darling Basin...

In related news, Brisbane reaches its hottest ever temperature at 43.7 degrees Celsius in late January.

The last few years, a New State Movement had been growing in the New England region of New South Wales. Thus a referendum is held in March on whether a New State should be established in the region with its capital in Armidale. It succeeds. The New State is set up with it's first election being held in early December...

This emboldens New State Movements in other parts of Australia, particularly elsewhere in New South Wales, and in Far North Queensland...

New Zealand
Refugees continue to flood in from flooded Pacific Islands...

Pacific Islands
The effects of climate change become more severe, with many atolls sinking beneath the waves.

Space
SpaceX lands a Habitation Module on the Lunar surface near the North Pole. "Just for testing purposes," Musk says.