Clockwise Capital

BREAKING: IRGC SPOKESMAN: In recent days, the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran have not carried out any missile or drone operations against the United Arab Emirates. Had any such action been taken, we would have announced it with full firmness and clarity. Therefore, the report from that country's Ministry of Defense is categorically denied and is entirely devoid of truth. Should any measures be taken against Iran from Emirati territories, our response will be severe.

Mark Levin says it’s time to ban “Nazis” and “Jihadis” from social media, saying free speech has gone too far and is “overprotected.” He wants them immediately removed from all platforms because they are “inciting” violence. Levin is trying to put people who disagree with his politics in the same category as an assassin. “Get off our platform.”

In 1970, an Australian wheat farmer got into a dispute with his government over how much wheat he could sell. So he declared his farm an independent country. The government ignored him. He ruled it as a prince for the next 50 years. His name was Leonard Casley. He owned a 75 square kilometre property in Western Australia, several hours north of the city of Perth. The Australian government had set new wheat quotas that would let him sell only about one percent of his crop. When he protested, he claimed officials threatened to forcibly take his land. So he found an obscure British law from 1495 called the Treason Act, which said a “de facto king” of any territory could not be charged with treason. He declared his farm a sovereign nation, named himself Prince Leonard, and notified Australia. Under Australian law at the time, the government had two years to formally object. They didn’t. Leonard took the silence as legal recognition. He went all in. He printed his own currency. He printed his own stamps. He issued his own passports. He gave his wife and seven children royal titles. He built a tiny stone palace. He set up embassies in nine countries. In 1977, when the Australian Tax Office kept demanding taxes, he formally declared war on Australia. A few days later, having received no military response, he declared a ceasefire and announced victory. The tax demands stopped. Tourists started showing up. At its peak, his “country” had 40,000 visitors a year. He stamped their passports for them. He sold them his stamps and coins. In 2016, on the principality’s 46th anniversary, Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom personally sent him a letter wishing his country a happy birthday. Leonard ruled for 47 years. He passed away in 2019 at 93. His son Graeme took over, but the tax bill had grown to over three million Australian dollars and Covid had stopped the tourists. In August 2020, the Principality of Hutt River formally rejoined Australia.