Cojedes 24

Good evening and welcome to Cojedes 24! My name is Nico Alvarado and here is the top stories from Cojedes!

Our top story this evening, cleanup efforts are still underway in the Provinces of Corrientes and Entre Ríos from the deadly flooding the occurred late last month and into the first few days of this month. The Cojedan Blue Cross Organization and the Blue Star Organization have taken the lead on the recovery projects and are building houses and leading trash and debris pickup efforts throughout the two provinces. Several Senators and Representatives from both provinces have returned to their home regions to help in reconstruction efforts and both Vice Presidents are in Corrientes Province, their native province, to help in relief efforts. It has been reported that several projects that were going on in both province have been put on hold during the cleanup efforts so that the funding and manpower can be put to better use. According to original projects, the death toll, which was expected to reach 1,100, has not been met and will not be met. The amount of deaths has been verified at 940 and has not risen in the past week. Hospitals have also announced they have released several patients who have recovered from their injuries. Government expenditures on the entire project will be roughly 48 billion pesos. A press release from the Governor of Corrientes has revealed that local elections in the province will be postponed by two months due to the flooding, with the elections being rescheduled to late September.

In other news, President Andrea Lacasa and several members of cabinet will be hosting a forum this coming Friday to discuss future development plans throughout the country. The forum, which will take place at the Casa Rosada and will be open to the public and the press, will feature Secretary of Human Services Adrian Zorita, Secretary of Urban Development Juan Cozallo, Secretary of Transportation Victoria Barrios, and Secretary of Energy Sofia Covarrubias, all of whom are the principal secretaries for the Rosario Intiative and the Cojedes Renewal 2050 Project. According to the President, the forum will be to allow people to give their opinion on what they believe needs to be done and the strategies the government should take to complete the projects it has planned. "We are really looking for the input of the people of our great nation on how they believe our plans should be put into place. We don't want to do anything that goes against the will of our great citizens and we are going to do whatever we can to ensure that they requests are met to the fullest." Several members of the press, including for our own team, will be in attendance of the meeting and will bring coverage of the meeting later that same day.

That is all we have for now. Thank you for joining us here at Cojedes 24!

Good evening and welcome to Cojedes 24! My name is Nico Alvarado and here is the news from Cojedes!

Our top story this evening, President Andrea Lacasa and members of cabinet held a meeting this morning to discuss the continuing cleanup efforts in southern Cojedes. According to the minutes of the meeting, the cleanup in Corrientes Province has gone far smoother than in Entre Ríos Province, mostly due to fighting between members of the provincial government. The report read, "We are deeply troubled by the lack of care in the Entre Ríos Province and the fact that the Legislature of the Province cannot get over their own petty political disagreements and come together to help the people of their province." Following the meeting, President Lacasa, joined by her Vice Presidents and Cabinet Members, announced the decision that the federal government would officially take over relief efforts in the province and would exercise control of the money the Province had allotted to the recovery efforts. "We are saddened that we have had to come to this decision but we know that it was the only decision that could be made. The province is suffering and the people are without homes, food, water. If the province can't get it done, we must do our duty and take over!" Several members of government, including two cabinet members and several legislators, are heading to Entre Ríos to oversee cleanup efforts.

"Sold!". Those were the words that echoed throughout the ball room of the Le Parc Tower in downtown Rosario during the auction of several musical instruments. Several instruments were auctioned off, including trumpets, trombones, flutes, harps, violins, violas, guitars, as well as several others. Many pieces ranged from 10,000 pesos to upwards of 1.2 million pesos. But the most fantastic sale of all was that of the Grand Piano of Alexander Leguizamo, the most famous composer in all of Cojedes. The piano, which was built in the early 1840's by Blossom and Buck Co., was the most notable item in the entire auction. The piano was used by the composer in his nearly 40 concerto's and 20 sonatas. Leguizamo is also notable for having written the Cojedan National Anthem, which was first performed for the President on said piano. After a fierce bidding war, the piano was sold for 2.8 million pesos, a record throughout all of Cojedes. The piano was sold to Carmelo Espinar, one of the top neurosurgeons in Cojedes and a minority shareholder in Technit, Cojedes primary healthcare company. Espinar told Cojedes 24 that he intended to put the piano in his home, as he is an avid piano player and told us he issued an arrangement to where, when he dies, it will be given over to the State to be in the Casa Rosada. The piano was reported as delivered early this morning to the house of Espinar, which is in an undisclosed location, however, it is known that he has round the clock security guards, as well as a few retired members of special forces as bodyguards.

In other news, Cojedan Premier League Football season has begun again and thousands of fans are already streaming to game throughout the country. The highest attendance match of the week went to Rosario FC vs Mendoza FC, with 82,000 people in attendance at the Mendoza Super Stadium. The match ended in a 4-3 victory for Mendoza FC, a major upset for fans of Rosario FC, who was undefeated last year. Another favorite match throughout the week was Heravion FC and Santa Fe FC that ended in the victory of Santa Fe, with the final score being 5-2. In the current rankings of the Premier League, Mendoza ranks in first place, Corrientes in second, and San Luis in third. Rosario FC comes in at 7th place currently and Santa Fe FC comes in at 8th. This coming weekend, the major matchups will be Corrientes vs Mendoza, San Luis vs Rosario, Santa Fe vs San Juan, and La Rioja vs Heravion.

That is all we have for now. Thank you for joining us here at Cojedes 24!

Good evening and welcome to Cojedes 24! My name is Nico Alvarado and here is the latest from Cojedes!

Our top story this evening, Cojedes Television and Radio 1 (CTR1) most popular tv show, "Cojedes Next Best Singer" began airing its 17th season last night and fans are going crazy over the singers that were showcased. The night started off with one of the most amazing renditions of "Aleluya" (Hallelujah) which was preformed by Allison Mariano. All 4 of the judges voted yes in the favor of this amazing singer. The show continued with some impressive and some dull acts, but then an amazing act that wowed the crowd and judges and was, in the words of judge Dante Espinar, "The most amazing act of all time", appeared towards the end of the contest. Mateo Andrade, son of former Second Vice President Diego Alejandro Andrade, stunned the crowds with his performance of an original song called "Don't Break Me". The entire room gave him a standing ovation and he was given the golden buzzer, allowing him to go to the live rounds of the show immediately. Speaking to a reporter from Cojedes 24, Mateo said that it was the best night of his life and he was so happy to have received the positive feedback he did. Mateo is only 14 years old and is the youngest singer to make it to the live shows on Cojedes Next Best Singer. The winner of the show will take home 2.5 million pesos, while the runner up will take home 1 million, with third place taking 500,000 pesos.

In other news, President Andrea Lacasa has officially lifted the disaster declaration for Corrientes Province following reports that cleanup from the flooding has gone very well and that the rebuilding process is actually ahead of schedule due to international support and the overwhelming amount of volunteer support from Cojedans across the nation who has traveled to the south to help in relief efforts. President Lacasa, in announcing her removal of the disaster declaration, signed Executive Order 1582, declaring that housing in the affected areas must be built in higher standards and that the river will have walls put in normal hot spots where it typically floods. In declaring Order 1582, houses that are in the immediate vicinity of the river will be required to be elevated on stilts or beams to ensure the flood damage will not be major to most structures. In response to questions regarding cost of this upgrade, the President said the Federal Bank and the Provincial Government of Corrientes will be supplying funding to those who live along the river. "We are committed to the safety of the Cojedan people throughout our nation. We realize that some people live in harmful areas where natural disaster occur all the time. We know that not all Cojedans can afford to do these upgrades and, since we realize this, we are committing ourselves to helping the people of our country be safe and securely live in their homes." The National Assembly is expected to pass a spending bill to aid in these housing upgrades in the coming days before the summer recess.

That is all we have for now. Thank you for joining us here at Cojedes 24!

Good evening and welcome to Cojedes 24! My name is Nico Alvarado and here is the latest news from Cojedes!

Our top story this evening, President Andrea Lacasa has declared the lifting of the Disaster Declaration for the Province of Entre Ríos, following weeks of intense cleanup efforts and rebuilding throughout the province. The decision was announced in the capital of the province and was accompanied by a parade throughout the city. President Andrea Lacasa stated that her decision to lift the declaration was one that she didn't take lightly and that she would still be working alongside the Governor and Legislative officials in the province to get the job done. "This has been a rough time for our nation and the people of Entre Ríos have been resolute in their desire to get the job done and get back to regular life. We are proud of what they have accomplished and look forward to what will be continuing in the future. The decision to lift the disaster declaration was made with the consideration of the fact that the water has receded and the fact that property damage has, for the most part, been eradicated by the efforts of many throughout the nation and throughout the world to help our hurting province. For the time given, a local emergency declaration will remain for the capital city of Entre Ríos." There has been no new reported deaths from the flooding and 92% of those injured have been released from the hospital.

In other news, elections were held in the city of Heravion, the second largest city and historic capital of Cojedes and the result came as a surprise to many. Heravion, which has been a stronghold of liberal views for many years, actually gave a huge upset to the Liberal Party of Cojedes, who lost a record 42 seats in the city council and lost the mayoral position for the first time in nearly four decades. The National Conservative Union went from having 15 seats in the City Council to having a record total of 82 seats, beating out all other parties to gain a majority of seats, as well as taking the mayoral position. Newly elected mayor Lorenzo Andrés Belmonte, a descendant of the first President of Cojedes Sebastian Belmonte, addressed a crowd of 45,000 supporters in which he thanked the city for its support of the National Conservative Union and for making the right decision for the future. "The people have spoken and they have given us a mandate to make the changes that are needed for this great city. Let us get to work!" The outgoing mayor and former leader of the Heravion Labor Party Alexis Carrabal, gave his best wishes to the new mayor and said he looks forward to working with the mayor in the city council. "Sure I am disappointed that we lost our majority and that our opponent has taken over, but, I am going to support the will of the people and support the government the people have elected."

That is all we have for now. Thank you for joining us here at Cojedes 24!

Good evening and welcome to Cojedes 24! This is Nico Alvarado and here is the latest from Cojedes!

Our top story this evening, the Province of Santa Fe de la Vera Cruz, and its capital city Santa Fe, have reached an agreement to allow for the expansion of the city into unclaimed land owned by the Province. After years of argument between city officials and the provincial government, Governor Morena Isidora Zorital officially declared that the land, totaling roughly an additional 300 square miles, would be added to the city. "We are proud this day to announce the agreement to make the land become part of our great capital city and turn it over to the city administration beginning on the First of August. This land will be used to help the people of the great city in many different ways and we look forward to what the city comes up with in their planning." Representative Valentina Perón, who is from Santa Fe de la Vera Cruz, was said to be very influential in having the land handed over to the city. In a press release from her office, "We are very pleased to see how this has gone and we look forward to the future involving the city. Part of the plans that the city has put forward is to build a new hospital, as well as a new division for the University of Santa Fe." The city said they also have plans to develop a new tourist center in the area, as well as building a new set of apartments in the area.

In other news, two new songs by Cojedan singer Zarina Luque are sweeping the nation and the music videos are trending on social media and on music television, who has played the songs several times throughout the past few days. The first song is "Antes del Amanecer" (Before Dawn) and the second is "La Bendición" (The Blessing). The first song is a love song detailing the story of two lovers separated for a long time, but they find a way to come together "Before Dawn" on the day he is sent to fight the war. The second song is a gospel song that takes words straight from the Word, especially where it says, "The Lord bless you and keep you, Make His face shine upon you." The song has become immensely popular among the Cojedan people and churches are singing the song very often. Zarina said she was amazed at the response to the music and thanked everyone for their support and love. Zarina will be performing at the Cojedes Performing Arts Center in Rosario tomorrow, with President Andrea Lacasa and the two Vice Presidents in attendance.

That is all we have for now. Thank you for joining us here at Cojedes 24!

Good afternoon and welcome to Cojedes 24! This is Nico Alvarado and here is the latest news from Cojedes!

Our top story, an emergency situation was declared at the Cojedes Medicine Manufacturing Center in central Cojedes this morning after an anonymous call came in threatening to blow up the facility, stating the several bombs had been planted. The call, which came in around 8 AM, the usual high time for shift change at the company, immediately caused a response by members of the Provincial Police of San Juan, the National Guard, the National Police Force, and the Cojedan Army Special Forces 4th Division. All workers in the facility were evacuated to nearby safe zones while military and law enforcement discovered that two pipe bombs had been placed earlier in the day. The Special Forces immediately disarmed the two bombs and cleared the remainder of the area for workers to be able to return. Not long after, members of the Special Forces and San Juan Police were spotted at a house in the city of San Juan with an arrest warrant for a former worker who was fired earlier in the week for inappropriate comments made to several workers and was under investigation for possibly contaminating several units of blood and plasma. The worker, who has not yet been named, was arrested by police after a high speed chase and has been charged with terrorism, conspiracy to commit terrorist acts, medical malpractice, resisting arrest, and endangering the public welfare. If convicted, he faces life in prison or potentially the death sentence.

Secretary of Education and former Second Vice President of Cojedes Diego Alejandro Andrade has been appointed by President Andrea Lacasa to lead a special task force to evaluate the needs of schools nationwide following protests in Santiago del Estero, Santa Cruz, and San Luis Provinces following several defunding efforts in the three provinces. According to a government report, quality of education in the provinces has fallen in the previous ten years and the major cause is government efforts that have been prioritized elsewhere. Andrade, upon accepting the position as the head of this new task force, announced that he will do whatever he can within his power to ensure that the money the provinces used to spent on education is restored within the next coming months. "While we cannot direct each province on how they should spend their money, the federal government can determine where we appoint our funding. We will no longer continue to carry the burden if the provinces are not willing to do their part. I will be traveling to the three provinces over the course of the next week to ensure that the need of our students are met."

Our final story, a special election held in the 42nd Ward of Rosario resulted in Fernando Manuel Epsina of the National Conservative Union being declared the victor. This is the first time in the history of Rosario that the 42nd Ward has not been held by the Liberal Party of Cojedes and also paved way for the National Conservative Union to gain an absolute majority in the Rosario Municipal Council. The victory came as a shock to the Liberal Party, which has now lost the past three elections in Rosario and has begun to see a decline in results nationwide. Micaela Saavedra, the Mayor of Rosario, praised the National Conservative Union for its abilities over the past several months and declared that Rosario will be working towards the goals that it has set under its current government. Espina also set another record by becoming the youngest member of any municipal council ever, being only 19 years old at the time of his election.

That is all we have for now. Thank you for joining us here at Cojedes 24!

Good afternoon and welcome to Cojedes 24! My name is Nico Alvarado and here is the latest from Cojedes!

Our top story this afternoon, Mayor Micaela Saavedra announced this morning the forming of a commission to look into the cities hospitals after nearly 15,000 people have complained of longer than normal wait times, price gouging, inadequate healthcare, and procedures that shouldn't have been completed occurring. In her press conference held this morning, the mayor said that these complaints are troubling and that the city must taking better measures to insure people are getting proper medical care. "Cojedes has always been a country that wishes to see the highest standard of medical professionalism and the best treatment for the people who call our nation home or for people from abroad that come here for treatment. When we hear reports like this, it makes us need to reconsider everything that our hospitals have done over the past months and reevaluate how treatment is given and received. In the matter of price gouging, we have not yet seen a higher amount than normal, however, we do know for fact that several hospitals in our area and also throughout the country, have been adding extra fees to hospital bills. Our commission will evaluate whether or not the hospitals additional fees have violated the law and determine the best course forward." The commission will consist of the Mayor, along with thirty members of the City Council of Rosario, five members of the medical community in Rosario, as well as twelve members of government from the other provinces, one from each region, to assist and take their findings back to their own provincial government. Mayor Saavedra stated that of the thirty members of the city council, seventeen will be from the National Conservative Union, five will be from the Liberal Party, four representing the independents, and 4 representing the Christian Democrats of Cojedes.

In other news, it is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of Alejandro Sancho, Co-Commander of the Cojedan Rebels during the Socialist Civil War, and the first Vice President of the 5th Cojedan Republic. In a statement released earlier this morning, his family informed the nation that Sancho passed away at the age of 92 following years of heart and lung issues. The family thanked the doctors and nurses at Heravion Medical Center for their care over the past few years and for ensuring their patriarch was comfortable during his last few months. President Andrea Lacasa ordered the flags to be lowered to half-mast to honor Sancho. Sancho will be given a state funeral in Rosario and then another state funeral in Heravion with a private internment to follow in his native town of Resistencia. Sancho was known for leading the attack on Heravion during the Socialist Civil War, that led to the fall of the capital city and the restoration of the Cojedan Republic. He was also influential in the building of Rosario and the new constitution being written. Sancho served in the Senate as a life member from 2003 until 2010, at which time he resigned from the public life entirely, expect for a few public events here and there, including being at the inauguration of every President since 2003.

That is all we have for now. Thank you for joining us here at Cojedes 24!

Good afternoon and welcome to Cojedes 24! My name is Nico Alvarado and here is the news from Cojedes!

Our top story this evening, President Andrea Lacasa has declared a state of emergency for the entire nation, and approved Federal Disaster Emergencies for the city of Rosario, the Province of Mendoza, the Province of La Rioja, and the Province of San Juan after a derecho swept over the land. The storm caused damage to power lines, property, crops, and several buildings. The storm, which follows weeks of temperatures ranging from 85 F to 100 F, has also caused a dramatic loss of life with at least 157 reported deaths thus far. The city of Mendoza declared the city a disaster after the entire city of nearly one million lost power when the storm knocked out transformers at the main power supply to the city. Winds from the storm have reached 114 mph and it is reported that some areas have seen up to a foot of rain. According to a press release from the office of the Mayor of Rosario, the beaches have been shut down effective immediately as the storm was also causing a rise in currents. The National Weather Service in Heravion is reporting that the storm will continue to cross the remainder of the nation and that the worst is yet to come. Secretary of Emergency Situations Adelgonda Cabello, who also is head of the NWS, stated that the storm is slowly moving over Tucumán Province but that it is heading to strike San Luis and Heravion, while also causing damage to Santa Fe de la Vera Cruz and San Luis provinces. Rain is also expected to fall in several other provinces due to the storm. "We are very surprised to see that the storm has slowed down and that is a very scary thing for our nation as derechos in the past have been fast-moving, as they typically are. We are asking people to please stay inside and if necessary, seek shelter in higher locations. Please take note of any damage that you can see and report it to the proper authorities whenever you can. We are ordering the Department of Emergency Situations to prepare all of our emergency supplies to be sent out." It is currently unknown the amount of supplies actually in storage due to the flooding that occurred only a few months ago.

In other news, Former President and current Chairman of the Senate Nestor Estávez has been appointed by President Andrea Lacasa to chair a special commission on the drug crisis in Heravion Province. According to the President, even in the midst of the storms our nation has faced, the drug crisis is still a real challenge that needs to be tackled. "We are in the middle of the worst season for Cojedes. While the temperature rises, we typically see a huge increase in the number of storms that occur in our country, especially in the Southern provinces. This has been very true this year and our nation has been best prepared to face it this year. The storms this year have caused so much damage and the storms are expected to get worse. We are expected to have a major extratropical storm this year and we believe it will be only a few more weeks before this storm comes. But during this time, we must not allow it to take precedence over the Heravion crisis. The crisis is a major situation for Cojedes and it must be taken into account and dealt with before things get worse." The commission will meet three times a week and will be formed by the end of this coming week, with Chairman Nestor Estávez choosing his fellow members, which he expects to extend from cabinet members, to senators and representatives.

That is all we have for now. Thank you for joining us here at Cojedes 24!

Good afternoon and welcome to Cojedes 24! This is Nico Alvarado and here is the latest from Cojedes!

Our top story this afternoon, recovery efforts are underway across the nation following the massive derecho that affected all but two provinces in the country. The surprising storm, which began on Saturday and ended in the early hours of Sunday, was accompanied by record highs of rain in certain areas, including in Heravion, which saw a total of 17.28 inches of rain throughout the duration of the storm. According to recent reports across the nation, the death toll has surpassed 325, with total injuries nearing 500 according to hospital reports. Throughout the nation, roughly 1,000,000 people are without power and another 240,000 are reported to have no access to water. In economic damage, it has been reported that two Cojedan cargo ships off the coast of Rosario were damaged and several of their containers fell overboard in the harsh winds. It is reported that wind gusts reached up to 130 mph in Heravion, the last province to be affected by the storm. President Andrea Lacasa has approved federal emergency declarations for all Cojedan provinces, except for Santa Cruz and Córdoba, both of which were unaffected by the storm. Estimated damages have so far totaled roughly 2 billion Cojedan pesos. It is unknown if President Andrea Lacasa has discussed receiving aid from foreign nations. Secretary of Emergency Situations Adelgonda Cabello has traveled to Heravion and Santa Fe de la Vera Cruz since the dissipation of the storm, however, rain is still falling in these areas due to systems that are still in the area, making it hard to assess real damage.

Secretary of Urban Development Juan Collazo and Secretary of Transportation Victoria Barrios have visited several different cities to discuss the furthering of the Rosario Initiative in several different regions, especially in regards to road and metro systems, but also including construction of parks, rec facilities, urgent care facilities, and much more. Secretary Collazo stated that their primary focus is to help the provinces stay on track with the Rosario Initiative and to also help create jobs throughout the country. Secretary Barrios held a press conference with the Governors of Mendoza and San Luis last week, in which they jointly announced that each province would begin expansion of the rail system, as well as the metro system in their respective provinces. "We are proud with the commitment from these two governors and we look forward to working with them in these projects. We hope that over time, we will be able to also aid in the expansion of the airports in the regions to increase tourism." Collazo and Barrios are expected to travel to Corrientes later this week to observe damage from the derecho and determine what repairs to public systems need to be made. Barrios has stated that she spoke with the Governor of La Rioja over the weekend and the province has agreed to build a new, state of the art international airport to help bolster tourism to this mountainous area, which has for years been welcoming to skiers and people who love to enjoy peaceful, scenic views.

In other news on this short day, Secretary of Defense Joel Andino has announced that the Department of Defense will not ask for an increase in funding for next years budget, but will instead ask the government for the same amount of money as this year. According to a dossier released by the Department, the Secretary declared that he wouldn't be asking for an increase due to an excess of funding for this year. "The government has granted the military a decent amount of funding for new weaponry, for payment, and for the ability to ensure the health and wellbeing of our soldiers and our veterans. We have also reached several deals this year at discounted rates and we are proud to be able to hold on to additional funding that can be used for next year. We plan to use this additional funding to be put towards helping our veterans and in our community outreach programs, including being used in the annual clothes and toys drives that occur every Christmas." The Secretary also announced that due to damage caused by the flooding and derecho, the majority of equipment has been sent to other provinces to be completed, with Silver Defense Industries revealing that they are currently only operating with 50% of its workforce and with half of its equipment having been sent off to other provinces to be built in safer areas.

That is all we have for now. Thank you for joining us here at Cojedes 24!

Good evening and welcome to Cojedes 24! My name is Maria Graciani and here is the latest news from Cojedes!

Recovery efforts are underway nationwide from the massive storm that hit Cojedes this past weekend. Efforts that were temporarily hindered in the west have now been given the greenlight after a series of rain storms in Heravion and Santa Fe de la Vera Cruz passed on through the sea. The Cojedan Navy has announced that in an effort to aid hospitals that might receive many patients, all four Cojedan hospital ships will be deployed to various port cities. The RCN Esperanza del Mar (Hope of the Sea) will be deployed to Rosario, the RCN Misericordia will deploy to Heravion, the RCN Fortuna will deploy to Santa Fe de la Vera Cruz, and the RCN Comodidad will deploy to Mendoza. President Andrea Lacasa has announced that Goyanes has offered aid to our nation and that it will be greatly accepted by the country. "We are thankful to our Gojan allies for their continued support. There is yet to be any deicison on how long their hospital ship and engineers will be here, but we know they will be put to use greatly in the hardest hit areas." After meeting with President Lacasa in Rosario, Secretary of Emergency Situations Adelgonda Cabello revealed that the Cojedan state did have plenty of resources left its disposal and that it would not seek any further international aid than what has been granted already. The death toll has not further risen, but the number of injures has nearly doubled. According to the government, there are 35 people missing, the majority of whom are in Mendoza province.

In other news, recently released court documents have revealed information regarding the foiled terrorist attempt at the Cojedes Medicine Manufacturing Center in San Juan. The name of the assailant was revealed to be Rafael Tafalla, a former employee of the company who was fired for inappropriate workplace conduct and due to an investigation on potential contamination of blood and plasma. It was revealed that the investigation into the contamination discovered that Tafalla infected the blood and plasma with HIV and MRSA. Rolando Reyes, an investigator for the Province of San Juan, announced that the province also had intention to charge him with attempt to spread infection and conspiracy to commit murder. "This man not only plotted and planted bombs, but he also planned to expose patients to HIV and MRSA infected blood and plasma. Had it not been for a coworker who had noticed his former coworkers actions, this situation could have been much worse and many lives could have been lost. We are grateful to this employee and we wish the CMMC the best of success in restoring their company and their resources in the coming weeks and months." Court documents have revealed that Tafalla is being held without bond in solitary confinement in a prison in San Juan. He is expected to appear before a judge later this month for his first hearing.

That is all for now. Thank you for joining us at Cojedes 24! We will see you next time.

Good evening and welcome to Cojedes 24! This is Maria Graciani and here is the latest from Cojedes!

Our top story this evening, First Vice President Aitana Morterero has given birth to a healthy baby boy! Earlier this morning, a message was given to the press informing that Vice President Morterero had gone into labor. Around noon, it was announced that she had given birth to a son and named him Luca following an emergency caesarean section. In giving birth, she set a national record, becoming the first member of the Executive to have a child while serving in official capacity. She also set another record by becoming one of the oldest women in Cojedan history to have a child, being 51 as of today. In a release from the hospital where she gave birth, doctors said that the pregnancy was a true act of God and that Aitana must have had much faith. It is also noted in several interviews the VP gave that she had undergone in-vitro fertilization with an egg she had previously frozen in the past, but had originally intended to use a surrogate to deliver their final child. President Andrea Lacasa and Second VP Antonia Navarro went to the hospital to congratulate the FVP in person and hold baby Luca. VP Morterero has declared President Lacasa and her husband, as well as VP Navarro and her husband to be godparents of Luca. We at Cojedes 24 congratulate Her Excellency and wish her and Luca the best.

Secretary of Internal Affairs Valentina Marquez released a statement today informing the nation that the National Guard of Cojedes, of which she is head of, had foiled a terrorist plot that planned the bomb Independence Square in Rosario. During a press conference held this morning, Marquez stated that members of the National Guard received a tip from an informant that an attack on the square was imminent and that all efforts to prevent the attack must be taken immediately. The Cojedan National Guard then mobilized a force consisting of 120 members, as well as several tanks and armor personnel carriers. Using infrared technology, the force was able to monitor the groups whereabouts before seizing the warehouse they were storing their weapons in. After a battle that lasted nearly two hours, the group was taken out, with 14 of its members being killed and 6 being arrested. The National Guard sustained no losses, but two soldiers were wounded in the fighting. "We are very proud of the efforts that our great National Guard made in defending our territory and its people. Had they been able to carry out this attack, many people could have died and we believe it could have left a devastating impact on the great capital city. For this decision, we have decided to ramp up security in Rosario and will be increasing the number of National Police Force and National Guard members in the capital city." Marquez stated that up to 500 members of each force will be added to the Rosario Region.

In other news, recovery efforts are still going on across the country from the massive series of storms that hit Cojedes this past weekend. Damage estimates now total 2.5 billion pesos after several days of data collection. It is expected that insurance companies throughout the nation will pay out nearly 3 billion pesos to policy holders over the course of the next couple of months. While recovery efforts have made major ground, the biggest issue has been being able to transport supplies across the country, which had been hindered due to road and railway damage. Secretary of Commerce Marcela Pardo and Secretary of Labor Evangelina Maroto have called on truckers, workers, and farmers throughout the nation to ensure that these supply chains continue to operate and that people can get their goods in a timely manner. Maroto was quoted as saying, "If there has ever been a time for the people of our great nation to come together, it is indefinitely now." Pardo has stated that the government will be giving some incentives for people who do extra work in this time, especially in the shipping and health fields. President Lacasa is expected to travel across the country to survey the damage with the Secretary of Emergency Situations and is preparing to call a special meeting of the National Council, which consists of several legislative members, several executive cabinet members, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, as well as the 13 provincial executives, to determine the path ahead. The House of Representatives is preparing to vote to pass an emergency spending bill in the amount of 6.2 billion pesos in recovery efforts from the storm.

That is all we have for now. Thank you for joining us here at Cojedes 24! Have a good night!

Good evening and welcome to Cojedes 24! My name is Leonardo Alcocer and here is the latest from Cojedes!

Our top story tonight, Second Vice President Antonia Navarro has temporarily assumed the duties of First Vice President due to the birth of Luca Morterero, son of First Vice President Aitana Morterero. The announcement came from the Office of President Andrea Lacasa this morning following a phone conversation between Lacasa and Morterero, who stated she would be taking a temporary leave of absence due to the birth of her child. According to President Lacasa, the appointment of Navarro to hold the office of First Vice President will last for two months, at which time Morterero is expected to return to fulfill her duties. In a surprise twist, President Lacasa stated that no temporary Second Vice President would be appointed, a move which some political commentators have called shocking. Lacasa stated, "Many people may be surprised with my decision to not name a temporary Second VP. I know that more pressure will be put on Antonia and I plan to step up to the plate and do whatever I can to aid her in her duties, while also holding up my duties as President." Navarro's first duty as First VP will be to chair a meeting of the National Council of Defense and State Security, which will take place on Tuesday.

Former Interim President and current Deputy Chairwoman of the Senate Irene Molina has revealed her intention to step down from the Senate at the end of the year. The shocking decision was revealed in an interview yesterday with "Wake Up Cojedes" where Molina told host Nazarena Fernandino that the decision was not one that she took lightly but said she felt it was time to step back from politics and live the remainder of her life focusing on the things important to her, which include her family and volunteer work in her native province. When Molina resigns, she will be the longest serving female legislative official in Cojedan history, having served a total of 38.4 years, including time spent in office during the Socialist period in which she was a member of the opposition. Chairman Nestor Estávez thanked Molina for her amazing service to the country and for all she has done in the past year during her service as Deputy Chairwoman. President Lacasa gave her gratitude and announced that she will be awarding Molina with the Order of the Blue Star and the Order of the Blue Cross, the nations two highest honors, at the end of the year. Mayor Micaela Saavedra stated she will propose to the city council that a street be named in honor of Molina for her years of service to the country, especially to the people of Rosario.

Our final story for the evening, Vanessa Pardo, Chief of Staff of the National Guard and National Police Force, announced that she is mobilizing 4,000 members of the National Guard and 3,250 members of the National Police Force to be deployed in Central and Western Cojedes to aid in the response to the storm that has ravaged the nation. The announcement came following the declaration by the Secretary of Internal Affairs that 500 troops from each force would be added to Rosario, which has come under scrutiny by members of the Joint Chiefs and the National Council of Defense and State Security, who say these forces could be better used elsewhere. The members of the Guard and Police Forces will be mobilized by Tuesday and fully deployed by Thursday. The decision to deploy mobilize these forces marks the first time in history that the Chief of Staff has claimed authority over the Secretary of Internal Affairs and has received support from all higher ranking members. President Andrea Lacasa gave her support in the decision, saying that the forces could be vital to the cleanup efforts in other regions. Secretary Marquez stated that she will not stand in the way of the deployment of the forces to these regions and also said that she supports the Chief of Staff in her decision.

That is all we have for now. Thank you for joining us here at Cojedes 24!

Good evening and welcome to Cojedes 24! This is Leonardo Alcocer and here is the latest from Cojedes!

Our top story this evening, it has been a scorcher this past week across the nation and millions of Cojedans are flocking to the beaches on every coast to stay cool in this warm weather. For the first time this year, temperatures have soared past 100, with maximum temperatures in Rosario reaching 105 yesterday. Paramedic services across the nation have reported an increase in the number of calls for heat exhaustion and heat stroke, but there have been no severe cases reported at this time. President Lacasa has declared a public health emergency due to the heat wave, mobilizing members of the Federal Emergency Medical Service and members of the Military Medical Service to deploy throughout the nation to assist paramedics and other medical workers. Mayor Micaela Saavedra of Rosario and Governor Adán Pomar of Mendoza have actively encouraged people to not spend much time on the beach, but rather to drink plenty of water and spend time in pools and well air conditioned areas. Weather specialists are saying that this heat wave will continue for at least the next week and may continue through the rest of the month.

Former President Juan Andrés Berrocal has left the hospital from where he was recovering from his attempted suicide and is currently in a mental hospital awaiting a judge to determine his fate. Prosecutor General of Santa Fe de la Vera Cruz Estefania Cadaval, who is handling the case, announced that she intends to request the judge to either keep Berrocal in the hospital or to place him on house arrest. We spoke to the Department of Justice who stated that, even though there is still great animosity against Berrocal, that they believe his crimes should not equal up to his loss of life. According to a spokesperson, "We believe that Berrocal would be much better off if he was allowed to either remain in a mental hospital for the time given or to return to his family and be under house arrest for the remainder of his sentence. President Andrea Lacasa is considering issuing a commutation of his sentence, but has not gone as far as to grant a Presidential Pardon." In a survey of roughly 200 people throughout the country, 49% said they would rather he return to prison, while the remainder supported either staying in the hospital or being returned to his family. The decision will be made by a judge next Monday.

Our final story for the evening, former Vice President and current Representative Valentina Perón has been officially elected by her peers as the Deputy Speaker of the Cojedan House of Representatives, elevating her to the fourth highest position in the entire nation. In a vote of 354-10, the members of the House voted to install her as the Deputy Speaker following the resignation of the former. Perón, who took a break from politics in 2018 due to cancer, was re-elected in 2019 to serve in the House of Representatives and is intending to run for the Presidency in 2023, something even President Andrea Lacasa stated she supports. According to many reporters, Perón enjoys a greater amount of support than Lacasa, having a popularity rating of 87% against Lacasa's 82%. President Lacasa called Perón and congratulated her on her election to Deputy Speaker and announced she looks forward to working with her in the National Council of Security and Defense, as well as in the National Council of Health. Perón will be appointed to head a special commission on oncology and neurology, which will look into the effectiveness of Cojedan cancer treatment and care. Perón stated she was thankful to be elected to this position and stated she was looking forward to the new opportunity.

That is all we have for now. Thank you for joining us at Cojedes 24! Good night.

Good evening and welcome to Cojedes 24! This is Leonardo Alcocer and here is the latest from Cojedes!

Our top story, the Supreme Court of Santa Fe de la Vera Cruz Province has voted to sentence former President Juan Andrés Berrocal back to prison to serve out the remainder of his 50 year sentence. The decision, which was met with support throughout the nation, was made on a 7-2 vote by the panel of justices, with two justices being absent due to health reasons. Writing for the majority, Chief Justice Sebastián Arnal stated that the best course forward would be to return the disgraced former leader to jail, but to also order psychiatric evaluation to take place throughout the duration of the sentence. As well, the minimum years before parole would be considered was lowered by five years, meaning Berrocal will only have to serve twenty-five years before being eligible for parole. The verdict rendered by the court received praise in several corners, and dissent in many others, but was seen to be favored by President Lacasa, who has reversed her decision to issue a commutation of the sentence due to protests that took place last week. Former Second Vice President and current Education Secretary Diego Alejandro Andrade, who served under Berrocal, stated that he fully supported the decision of the court and was ashamed that he was ever associated with Berrocal. Berrocal will return to jail later this week.

President Andrea Lacasa has signed an emergency declaration, ordering the calling up of reserves in the response to the derecho that struck the country only a few weeks ago. According to the executive order issued this morning, Lacasa has called up roughly 10,000 members of the military reserve to be assigned to the most affected areas of Cojedes, including Santa Fe de la Vera Cruz, Heravion, Mendoza, La Rioja, and San Juan. The decision came after reports that recovery efforts are being hindered by inter fighting in the National Guard, which was originally tasked with the recovery efforts. President Lacasa stated in her order that she will be looking in to the reports from locals about the National Guard leadership and, if necessary, will replace those who are the root cause of the fighting. The troops are expected to mobilize within the next 48 hours and be on the ground by weeks end.

Our final story for the evening, the Cojedan Premier League season has come to an end and a new champion has been crowned. For the first time in the 50 years history of the CPL, FC Corrientes has won the championship and has been given the right to host the opening and closing match of the 2021 season. After a long and fierce competition, the final matchup came down to FC Corrientes and FC Rosario, the champions for the past eight years. After a long 90 minutes, FC Corrientes won the cup in a 4-2 victory, the first defeat that FC Rosario has suffered since 2012. Fans of FC Corrientes and several other terms, cheered as the result was announced, as so many people finally saw the collapse of the team that all have feared for such a long time. Corrientes Governor Alexander Amengual declared a day of celebration in the province and said that the team would be receiving the provinces highest honor that can be bestowed upon citizens. A celebratory parade will also take place in the city of Corrientes.

That is all we have right now. Thank you for joining us here at Cojedes 24!

Good evening and welcome to Cojedes 24! My name is Nico Alvarado and here is the latest from Cojedes!

Our top story this evening, after waiting nearly a year to host the Cojedan National Song Contest, the City of Córdoba has finally rolled out the red carpet and the events are getting underway. Tonight, the acts from the 12 provinces and the cities of Rosario, Heravion, and Corrientes arrived to compete in the contest, where they were met with cheers and applause from fans who have long awaited the contest to occur. This afternoon, Governor Jonathan Correa and President Andrea Lacasa, joined by members of the planning committee, rolled out the red carpet and the contest officially began. After contestants arrived, Cojedan band Tempest preformed the theme song of the contest, which they wrote, entitled "Champion", before preforming an entire concert for all the guests in attendance. The Córdoba National Arena, which will host the contest, has undergone expansion in the past year in preparation for the contest and is now capable of hosting 30,000 people. Tomorrow, the contest will have a special dinner for all contestants and their representatives. Saturday night, the contestants will take to the stage during primetime and battle for the victory, which will this year include a 2 million peso check and a trophy, along with the right of bringing the contest to their province or city next year. Currently, the favored contestant to win is the group Winter Avenue from Mendoza Province, who are competing with their song "A Million Voices". Betting odds place the chance of victory for Winter Avenue at 7 to 1.

After at least two weeks of warm weather conditions, meteorologists are reporting that temperatures will soon begin to ease to normal levels due to a low pressure system that is moving across the nation, which promises to bring rain and cool air to the area. According to reports from hospitals in Rosario and Mendoza, the areas most affected by the hot weather, no one has yet died but hospitals have treated over 1,000 people for heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Local hospitals in Mendoza reported being overwhelmed at one point due to the number of people coming in. A nurse, who wished to have their name kept secret, revealed that the hospital in one day saw over 200 patients and once had a full ER, which went into Code Yellow and lockdown within hours. Rosario hospitals faired much better, but still reporting seeing more patients that normal for this time of year. President Lacasa stated the discussions with insurance companies would be ongoing to ensure that insurance companies paid enough to where people wouldn't have to worry about being able to pay their bill and stated she will ensure the hospitals do interest free payment plans. According to weather reports, changes in temperature in and around the capital should be notice by the end of the week.

In other news, after nearly a year of mystery surrounding a double homicide in North Corrientes, police have announced they have made an arrest in the death of the wife and child of Doctor Nicolás Cadaval. Early this morning, police raided an apartment complex nearby where intelligence officials had revealed the names of suspects in the murder. Upon entering the apartment in question, weapons similar in style to the ones used in the murder were discovered. After an extensive search, jewelry that had been owned by the wife was discovered and the men in the apartment were arrested. A lineup soon followed and Doctor Cadaval was able to identify all three of the men involved in the crime. Cadaval, who has since recovered well following a long stay in the intensive care unit, stated that he was pleased that his wife and daughter would soon be brought to justice. Cadaval thanked the National Police Force and the National Intelligence Agency of Cojedes for their valiant efforts in tracking down the perpetrators and ordering for their arrest.

That is all we have for now. Thank you for joining us here at Cojedes 24!

Good evening and welcome to Cojedes 24! My name is Leonardo Alcocer and here is the latest from Cojedes!

Our top story this evening, the Cojedes National Song Contest took place this past weekend and we will be traveling to Mendoza Province next year for the 3rd edition of the show! Mendoza band Winter Avenue and their song "A Million Voices" won with 1,257,825 votes, far surpassing the second place Rosario based singer Mercedes Vera by nearly 300,000 votes. The song won such great praise throughout the nation that President Andrea Lacasa insisted on inviting the band to come to the Casa Rosada to meet her and also granted them a spot to perform at the National Patriotic Day Parade that will take place at the end of the month. Winter Avenue received the 2 million peso prize and will also be given a record deal with Estavez Records, a leading recording company in Rosario. The band appeared on Wake Up Cojedes where they performed the hit song and announced that they would be going on a national tour soon.

Acting First Vice President Antonia Navarro will be traveling to the province of Santa Fe de la Vera Cruz tomorrow to begin a week long meeting with provincial level officials, primarily the governors of the 12 provinces and the mayor of Rosario. The meeting, which was originally to take place in Rosario but was changed due to the heat wave in the city, will focus on the recovery efforts from the recent storms, the ever expanding Rosario Initiative, and will begin discussions on host cities for the next Cojedes Games. Navarro has stated that she is very excited to head up the convention and will arrive early to ensure that everything is in order and that the other representatives have the time to get themselves prepared for the discussion. Our very own Nico Alvarado will be on the scene to report live for Cojedes 24 on the decisions made by the committee. On Sunday, all representatives will attend a church service at the First Cojedan Church of Christ in downtown Santa Fe. President Andrea Lacasa is expected to potentially join the committee during the middle of next week.

In other news, the Cojedan Constitutional Court has declared the results of the Municipal Election of the city of San Luis, following legal action that claimed the city was not allowing people aged 16-18 to vote. This is the second case this year that the Constitutional Court has heard on the voter law and it is not expected to be the last. This is, however, the first time that the Court has nullified the results of the elections and the city will be forced to hold another election in the coming months. The Court ruled that the city violated the Right to Vote law by refusing to allow people aged 16-18 to vote. According to the Cojedan Constitution, anyone above the age of 16 that has not been convicted of a crime, is legally allowed to vote and no local government is allowed to impose any restriction on the law. Chief Justice Nikolai Rodriguez told the press that the court would fight any challenge to decision to their fullest and that the court was going to stick to the rule of law. "We are not changing the constitution of our great country and if any city believes they have they right to circumvent the law, then the court will come at them with full force."

That is all we have for now! Thank you for joining us here at Cojedes 24!

Good evening and welcome to Cojedes 24! My name is Leonardo Alcocer and here is the latest from Cojedes 24!

Our top story this evening, First Vice President Aitana Morterero has officially returned to her position after being off for several weeks due to the birth of her latest son. Earlier this morning, Morterero returned to the Casa Rosada (Rose Palace/House) where she was re-sworn into her position by Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court Nikolai Rodriguez. The oath of office was attended by President Andrea Lacasa, Second Vice President Antonia Navarro, as well as all members of the cabinet and several members of the National Assembly. President Lacasa welcomed her dear friend back to her position, as well as thanked Second VP Antonia Navarro for her role as interim First VP. Morterero told the press that she was very excited to return to her position and that she was ready to get to work for the Cojedan people. "The Cojedan people have been my strength and I will be here for them throughout the rest of my tenure. I am prepared to do whatever I can for the Cojedan people. I am planning to meet with our regional governor leaders in the coming weeks, as well as potentially meeting with several foreign ambassadors to discuss trade. We will make sure we put the Cojedan people at the forefront of all our trade deals!" Morterero will meet with the members of the Rosario Municipal Council and the leaders of the Mendoza Province Legislators to discuss the constructions of a hydroelectric plant on the Aires River, which divides the two provinces.

The Department of Human Services has officially released the results of the 2020 Cojedan Census. According to reports given at a press conference today, the population of Cojedes is officially 52,863,597, with the major populated areas being Rosario (8,000,000), Corrientes (2,500,000), and Heravion (1,685,000). Secretary of Human Services Adrian Zorita stated that the majority of Cojedan households consisted of two parents with typically two to three kids, however they had discovered more unmarried couples living together, as well as more people living by themselves in apartments in the cities. "The results are far different from the last time we took the census in 2020", declared Zorita. "We have noticed that the amount of people living by themselves has increased by 8.5% and that the amount of unmarried couples living together has nearly doubled. We also note that many adoptions have taken place throughout the country. We notice this when we counted the adoption facilities throughout the country, they were down nearly 72% compared to the 2010 census." The government is projecting that by the next census, that the population will have increased by nearly 15,000,000. The difference between the 2010 and 2020 census was that the population had increased 12,575,000 since 2010.

The Cojedan government has announced that major cleanup efforts from the derecho that struck Cojedes at the end of July are currently underway and the government has approved an emergency fund of 8.5 billion pesos to aid in these cleanup efforts. Insurance payments given to homeowners are amounting to well over 18.7 billion pesos, and that number is expected to rise in the next month as more claims will be made. The President has travelled to the provinces greatly affected by the storm, including Mendoza Province, Santa Fe de la Vera Cruz Province, and Heravion Province. In a speech made in Heravion, the President declared valiantly that she will do whatever she needs to do to ensure the people get the money they need and that funding is granted where its needed. President Lacasa was spotted by several people helping rebuild houses and other buildings in the Heravion Province and again in Mendoza Province. President Lacasa also donated 12.5 million pesos in funding to victims and has also donated 1.5 million to charities in Heravion Province for food, water, and other necessities to be distributed to those most affected. In total, members of the federal government and representatives from Corrientes, Rosario, and San Luis Province have donated over 32.5 million pesos and donations are continuing to roll in. PharmaCojedes and Technit have donated roughly 120 million pesos and have donated medical equipment and supplies, such as vaccines and medications free of charge to all affected.

In other news, Aaron Francisco Quesada, Secretary of Veterans Affairs declared today two new additions to the medical rules for Cojedan Veterans and active soldiers. In a press conference held early this morning, the secretary proudly declared the following to the nation: "After several months of debate, we are finally being able to get things done for the Cojedan heroes. First, we are removing the mandate that they must go to government run veterans hospitals to receive free medical care. Under the new rules passed by the House and Senate, Veterans and active duty soldiers will now be able to choose their own hospital and doctor. To ensure payment is covered, all they will have to do is submit the documents to the government for it to be taken care of. This has been a major pathway forward with the nation's medical care. Second, the government will be putting forward new health programs for all members of the military to take part in. These health programs will involve free consultations with dietitians, nutritionists, psychiatrists, and several other doctors if necessary, as well are providing fitness and wellness programs for all military members, including those in the reserve forces. Quesada also declared that the House of Representatives and the Senate of the Republic have agreed to expand the rules to apply to the National Guard and the National Police Force, a decision met with mass supports across all the branches of the military, as well as in the National Guard and Police Force. The National Assembly has approved a funding of 22.3 billion pesos to support these plans, with several charities collecting a total of 14.8 billion in aid.

That is all we have for now. Thank you for joining us here at Cojedes 24!

Good evening and welcome to Cojedes 24! My name is Nico Alvarado and here is the latest from Cojedes!

Our top story this evening, President Andrea Lacasa has revealed to the nation that her 16 year old son Xavier has recently undergone surgery for the removal of a brain tumor. In a statement released by the Office of the President to the Cabinet of Ministers and then to the public, Lacasa revealed that her Xavier would undergo surgery today in a 13 hour procedure for the removal of a malignant brain tumor. We later learned, through several channels, that Xavier came out of surgery around 7 PM tonight and was said to have perfect cognitive function and was in good spirits, while being in much pain. In a public post given on Cojedan social media site YouVision, the President declared her thanks for the public support in this trying time and informed the nation that, while her son goes through weeks of recovery, First Vice President Aitana Morterero would be declared Acting President. According to the Political Board of Directors at the University of Rosario, this is the first time in Cojedan history that a President has had to ask their Vice President to step into an acting role. "This is unprecedented, but there are extenuating circumstances in which I believe it is for the best", says Chairwoman Magdalena Noboa. The House of Representatives and the Senate held a prayer this morning and many have joined with people at the First Church of the Messiah in Rosario to join together in praying for the President's family. We at Cojedes 24 wish Xavier a speedy recovery and wish him all the best going forward.

In other news, the City of San Luis has officially held their second municipal election of the year, after the Constitutional Court nullified the first elections results due to violation of the constitutional rights of voters. In late August, the Constitutional Court ruled that the first election was invalid because the city had refused to allow people between the ages of 16 and 18 to vote, even though the constitution recognizes the legal voting age as 16. Following this decision, the City attempted to get an election on the docket soon and they were able to do so on Tuesday. In the election, the National Conservative Union and its coalition partner New Democracy won a majority of the seats on the Municipal Council, taking 72 of the 112 seats, as well as securing the position of Mayor and Vice Mayor, which had long been held by the Liberal Party of Cojedes. The results were met with cheering in the streets, while others also booed the results and the Liberal Party announced they would contest the results in court because they didn't recognize the legitimacy of the Constitutional Courts decision. Governor of San Luis Province Benito Campos, a member of the Liberal Party, has announced that he will not support contesting the results of the election and will instead move to inaugurate the newly elected government as soon as possible

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Good afternoon and welcome to Cojedes 24! This is Michaela Juarez and here is the latest from Cojedes 24!

Our top story this evening, the National Assembly has begun debate on the 2021 Cojedan Budget. First Vice President, and current Acting President, Aitana Morterero called the Senate to order this morning to begin the debate, while Second Vice President Antonia Navarro opened the House of Representatives debate. Both Vice Presidents chaired the early hours of the debate, before handing it over to the Chairman of the Senate and the Speaker of the House. Opinions and arguments were flying on each side of the aisle, with VP Morterero having to call for order several times. Major topics of debate included funding allotted for education, military, and healthcare, with the largest debate being on education spending. The National Conservative Union issued a statement before the debate that they would be supporting increasing funding for education and healthcare, while respecting the wishes to not increase the military budget for the year. The Liberal Party declared that they would fight against keeping the military budget at the same level, calling for a decrease in funding and for said funding to be given to Disaster Relief. Former Liberal Party Leader and current Secretary of Transportation Victoria Barrios has blasted the Liberal Party for its actions and said she was disappointed in how wayward the party has gone. "The Liberal Party isn't like it used to be. The party manifesto was that they were for the people. The actions that they are taking do not serve the people and their methods of intimidation are going to cause a major crisis." The House of Representatives debate did not have as much fighting as the Senate and a motion of cloture was approved overwhelmingly, with several Liberal Party members defecting.

President Andrea Lacasa gave an update on her son Xavier earlier today from their home in Corrientes Province, informing the nation that he is recovering well and will soon begin doing physical therapy three days a week. In her message to the nation, she thanked everyone who has sent cards, texts, emails, and phone calls, saying that the support of the nation meant the world to her. "I am so thankful we live in a nation where there is a strong relationship between the people and its leaders. I thank you all for your thoughts and prayers in these hard times. I am pleased to say Xavier is doing well and is recovering at a faster rate than the doctors originally expected. I am pleased to inform the nation that I have submitted a letter to the House of Representatives that I will be returning to my role on the 12th of October. I would like to thank Aitana Morterero for her service as Acting President and for Antonia Navarro stepping up the plate to continue strengthening the executive office." Xavier, who is 16, released a statement through his mother's office, thanking the nation for their prayers and support as he goes through this and told the nation he is getting stronger every day and is going to be ready to get back to his humanitarian work soon. Xavier is known for having gone to several hospitals, as well as visiting nursing homes to cheer up the elderly.

In other news, the Secretary of Emergency Situations Adelgonda Cabello announced today the lifting of all disaster orders across the country from where the nation suffered with the derecho in late-August, early-September. In the announcement, Secretary Cabello declared that she was lifting the orders because the majority of the damage has been cleaned up and major repairs are underway in the major regions where disaster struck. "We are pleased of the efforts that have been made throughout our country and in the major regions across Cojedes. The country has really rallied together through this and I have to give a big thank you to all our workers and to volunteers, especially from the churches and from the Blue Cross Humanitarian Organization. Everyone has done such an amazing job and we are working on getting relief to the people who really need it." According to the Department of Emergency Management, over 3.78 billion pesos have been paid out in relief efforts by insurance companies and the government has given roughly 42.7 billion pesos in emergency aid to all provinces this year that saw massive destruction. The Department of Labor has reported that a majority of people have returned to work, with roughly only 328,000 people still on unemployment benefits due to the storms. Secretary Cabello will travel to Santa Fe de la Vera Cruz later this week to meet with the Governor of the Province to discuss rebuilding the province following the damage inflicted on the province.

That is all we have for now. Thank you for joining us here at Cojedes 24!

Good evening and welcome to Cojedes 24! This is Nico Alvarado and here is the latest from Cojedes!

Our top story this evening, First Vice President Aitana Morterero held a press conference this morning immediately following vacating her position as Acting President. The First VP thanked the nation for their support as she was in the acting capacity for two weeks, as well as thanking the Senate and House for their unwavering support during her temporary status. Morterero further thanked President Lacasa for placing her trust in her during the two week time period and declared that she would do it again any time that the President needed it. The most surprising moment came towards the end of the press conference when Morterero made a shocking statement to the nation. She said as follows: "In 1998, I was approached by a young woman in Corrientes Province who was pregnant and was considering having an abortion. I, being a member of the First Church of Cojedes and a devout follower of the faith, prayed with her and asked her if she would consider carrying the child to term and allowing me to adopt her unborn baby. After several days of thinking about it, she finally agreed and later gave birth to a son named Alexander. Since then, I have been raising him and today would like to formally acknowledge him before the nation as my son." Immediately, the Vice President was hounded with questions, to which she responded gracefully. President Lacasa stated that she was proud of Morterero for coming to the decision to reveal her great act of charity. Sources close to the Vice President have said that Alexander is a medical student at the Medical University of Rosario, studying to become a doctor.

Deputy Chairwoman of the Senate Irene Molina officially resigned this morning after announcing her intent to resign earlier this year. Molina, who has served in the Legislature for nearly 40 years and was Acting President for a total of one year (in 3 different terms), decided she would resign her position to be able to spend more time with her family, especially her husband and grandchildren. President Andrea Lacasa, in accepting the resignation of the former Senator, thanked Molina for her many years of service and awarded her the title of Order of the Blue Cross and gave her the honorary title "Servant of the People". Molina delivered her final speech before the Senate today, declaring her unwavering support for the country and offering her support to the Rosario Initiative, which will enter phase 4 at the beginning of 2021. The members of the Senate gave her a fifteen minute standing ovation, with many Senator cheering and hollering her name. Members of the House of Representatives also joined in giving their thanks for her many years of service. Chairman Nestor Estávez announced that he would not seek to replace Molina's position as Deputy Chairwoman until after the special election for her seat took place to honor her status.

In other news, students at the University of Central Cojedes were told to shelter in place this morning following reports of an active shooting at the school campus. The message was broadcast over the schools loudspeakers, as well as being sent out via text and phone call. For several hours, the school was in lockdown while police and members of the National Guard surveyed the area, as well as checking many dorms to see if there were any injured students. Following their search of the premises, it was determined that there was no active threat and they found that it was actually a prank by a fraternity. Several students of the fraternity, which has not been named, are being charged with making false threats, as well as potential charges of conspiracy to commit mass murder. The Dean of the University sent out a message of apology to all students and announced that the fraternity will be suspended and all students involved will be expelled effective immediately. Students will also be receiving free counseling if they so wish. The school also revealed that they will be launching an independent investigation into all fraternities so that an incident like this will not happen again.

That is all we have for now. Thank you for joining us here at Cojedes 24!

Good evening and welcome to Cojedes 24! My name is Nico Alvarado and here is the latest from Cojedes!

Our top story this evening, President Andrea Lacasa has announced a short-list of names of nominees that she is considering for the Life Senate seat that was left vacant by the resignation of Irene Molina, O.B.C. The list, which was released to the public only a few short hours ago, included the names of ten people, six of whom are considered Conservative, three of whom are considered Liberal, and the remaining being considered Independent. The names that were revealed are as follows: Governor Antonio Suarez (NCU), Governor Morena Isidora Zorital (JP), Governor Benito Campos (LP), Governor Jonathan Correa (INDP), Dr. Felix Mariano (LP), NP Juliana Elvira (NCU), Representative Ana Zorita (LP), Representative Octavia Berrocal (NCU), Representative Javier Santángel (JP), and Sebastian Morterero (NCU). The announcement came as a shock to many, as it included the eldest son of the current First VP Aitana Morterero. Presidential Spokesperson Isaac Quesada stated that the nomination of Morterero would be considered by the President but that she was not going to show any bias in this nomination. The two current frontrunners for the seat are considered to be Governor Zorital and Representative Berrocal, who is a distant cousin of former President Juan Berrocal.

In other news, the House of Representatives and the Senate of Cojedes have both officially given their approval for the 2021 Cojedan budget. Earlier today, the House and Senate held simultaneous votes on the budget approved by the Joint Budget Committee of the National Assembly. The budget was approved overwhelmingly in the House of Representatives, while the Senate saw much fighting during the voting procedure. In a surprise twist, many members of the Liberal Party defected and voted with the National Conservative Union in passing the budget bill. Notable defectors included Reps Ana Zorita and Cristobal Botin, as well as Senators Paolo Alcocer and Adriana Alguacil. These were notable defections as these four members were elected to their respective seats in the previous election and were considered by many to be hard-line liberal party members. Political commentator Juan Illescas told Cojedes 24 that this may mean that the Liberal Party may begin dividing into separate political parties, one for far-left liberal party members and one for more moderate liberal party members. "We could see in the remainder of the term of President Andrea Lacasa, who is considered by many to be the most conservative President ever elected, that the Liberal Party would fall. This would be considered a major victory for the National Conservative Union, which now enjoys majorities in every Province since the elections early this year." Illescas also noted that the NCU holds 9 governorships, with 3 additional governors being aligned to the NCU, and the other belonging to a more moderate Liberal Party member.

That is all we have for now. Thank you for joining us here at Cojedes 24!

Good evening and welcome to Cojedes 24! My name is Nico Alvarado and here is the latest from Cojedes 24!

Our top story this evening, President Andrea Lacasa has officially declared her new appointee to the Life Seat of the Cojedan Senate following the resignation of Irene Molina, OBC. Earlier today, President Lacasa held a press conference in the Rose Garden at the Presidential Palace where she announced that Sebastian Morterero, the son of First Vice President Aitana Morterero, would be appointed to the Senate effective immediately. The announcement came as a surprise to many as Governor Morena Zorital was considered the favorite, as well as the fact that Moterero is appointed while his mother is a sitting member of the executive. Following the announcement, members of the Liberal Party issued a challenge to the Constitutional Court of Cojedes, stating that they believed it violated the ethics of the office of the Presidency. The Constitutional Court responded quickly in declining the case, saying, "The Constitution is clear. The law states that the President has the supreme authority to appoint whomever he/she chooses. We support the President in her nomination of Sebastian Morterero and will thusly decline the case by the Liberal Party." Supreme Court Justice Stefania Magrina swore Senator Sebastian Morterero in before the entire Senate this afternoon and wished him the best of luck in his position.

In other news, the Supreme Court of Santa Cruz Province has declared the election results in the province null and void following a massive scandal that involved vote-buying, ballot stuffing, and voter intimidation. In a 7-0 decision by the Supreme Court, the court declared valiantly that there was a massive undertaking of voter fraud and the election results. Chief Justice Cristian Aguinaldo stated in his majority opinion that he was disgusted by the actions taken by certain parties, which he did not name, and the actions taken by election officials. "It is a sad day in our province that the people who are supposed to stand up for the rights of the Cojedan people are abusing their position and caused us to come to this." Associate Justice Antonella Manzanedo stated that she knew the election was a farce when the district she lives in, which has roughly 9,000 registered voters, showed that over 14,000 people had voted in the district. "This is not a large district by any means. If it was in a larger city, it would not be as easily spotted, but in our district, that is not the case. I am saddened and horrified that certain people took these actions and we will be working with the Central Electoral Commission and the National Police to hold another election." The court decided to remove some 400 election officials, with roughly 225 of them currently charged with election tampering.

That is all we have for now. Thank you for joining us here at Cojedes 24. Have a good night.

Good evening and welcome to Cojedes 24! This is Nico Alvarado and here is the latest from Cojedes!

Our top story this evening, as people in Santa Cruz Province began to process the announcement that they would be going back to the polls, situations in other regions were becoming exacerbated. The Supreme Courts of Santiago del Estero and Tucumán have ruled certain elections in their respective provinces invalid following mass reports of voter fraud in several districts. In Santiago del Estero, results for Senate Districts 3, 8, 13, 17, 22, as well as House Districts 5, 11, and 18 were declared invalid due to discrepancies in election results. The Supreme Court declared the results void after discovering that in Senate 3 and 17, and in House 18, that there were more votes cast than there are registered voters. In Tucumán Province, the Supreme Court declared that the elections for House seats in Graneros (2 seats), La Cocha (3 seats), Bella Vista (2 seats), and Monteros (1 seat) were declared invalid, while Senate seats in Aguillares (2 seats) and Yerba Buena (2 seats) were also ruled invalid. In a statement released by the Court to the media, the chief justice valiantly declared, "We will not allow electoral fraud to continue across our great nation. We are the fourth province in two years to deal with electoral fraud. Our entire countries electoral system may be at stake and it is time the government in Rosario takes action". President Andrea Lacasa released a statement in which she said she was saddened to hear about the reports coming out from the provinces. President Lacasa stated that she will be in discussion with the Central Electoral Commission to ensure that the House of Representative Elections in 2021 will not see as much widespread corruption as the provinces are seeing now.

Representatives Emilia Feijoo and Jonathan Mendoza have announced that they will be resigning from the House to pursue careers outside of the political landscape in Rosario. The announcement came as a shock to many as the two are part of the thirteen life members appointed to the House of Representatives by the President. There has been no immediate response from the Office of the President to the surprise announcement from two valuable members of the House and of the President's party elite. We spoke to Rep. Mendoza who had the following to say: "It has been a long time coming for me to announce my resignation. I am honored that President Lacasa had decided to keep me in my position after all that had occurred under the previous three administrations and I look forward to seeing what will occur next. I wish my colleagues in the House the very best in their continuing service to the country and hope that my successor will carry out their duties to the very best." Feijoo did not respond for immediate comment, but her press secretary did state that the Representative was very thankful for the support of the President while she carried out her duties. The two will officially cease to be members of the House effective 31 December.

In other news, newly appointed Life Senator Sebastian Morterero is getting to work fast in the Senate and has already presented a bill to call for additional pay for teachers, healthcare workers, and workers in high-risk jobs across Cojedes. The bill, which has been called the "Fair Wage Act", seeks to increase the pay of teachers by roughly 20% per year, as well as increasing the pay of healthcare workers by 25% per year. The bill also seeks to increase the pay of Cojedan coal miners, oil workers, and other high-risk workers by 15% to 20% over the course of the next two years. Moterero, in his first address to the Senate, stated that he was surprised legislation such as this had never been presented before and that now, during an economic boom across Cojedes, that the time was now to increase the pay for many of our workers. We have just come across the second-largest quarter increase in our GDP in history. The time is now to get Cojedan workers the pay that they deserve." As the bill is coming from a Life Senator and does not require a committee hearing, Morterero is expected to present the bill to the full Senate for the first reading and debate on Monday. Several Senators have given their support for the bill and said the timing of the growth in GDP is perfect. Senator Justin Mata Campos (NCU-Mendoza) stated, "Sebastian has chosen a perfect time to present this bill and it is definitely highly supported among the Senate. Cojedes has just seen massive GDP growth of 27.5% in the previous quarter, the second-largest growth in Cojedan history and this is due to the many great workers across Cojedes. We want them to know that we stand with them and we are working for them to create an even greater nation."

That is all we have now. Thank you for joining us here at Cojedes 24!

Good evening and welcome to Cojedes 24! This is Nico Alvarado and here is the latest news from Cojedes!

Our top story this evening, the Supreme Court of Cojedes has ruled in a legal dispute between the Province of Mendoza and the City of Rosario. Earlier this year, the City of Rosario filed a challenge to the Supreme Court after Mendoza Province officials began waging taxes against people living on the borderline between the province and the city. Mendoza Province stated that they were by no means violating the law as the properties they were taxing were immediately on the border and some of the properties extended into Mendoza. Rosario, defending the people of its city, argued that it was not legal for the Province of Mendoza to collect taxes on the properties if the Master Bedroom of the property was legally marked as being in Rosario, which is current Cojedan property law. The Supreme Court ruled in an 11-4 vote that the Province of Mendoza had intentionally undermined Cojedan law and was in violation of the Cojedan Law on Provincial Rights. The Court also ruled in a unanimous vote that Mendoza must pay back all the property tax they collected, amounting to some 10,3 million Cojedan pesos to the citizens of Rosario they collected from. Rosario Mayor Micaela Saavedra stated in a press conference that she was pleased that the courts had stood by the people of Rosario and declared that she would always stand up for the rights of the citizens of Rosario. Governor Pomar of Mendoza stated that he was unaware that the provincial tax officials had collected these taxes and offered his apologies to all affected.

The "Fair Wage Act" proposed by Senator Sebastian Morterero has officially passed the final legal hurdles before being sent to President Andrea Lacasa. The Senate passed a motion of cloture and a vote on Monday evening, with the bill having a near-unanimous passage. The House, which ended debate yesterday, approved the bill early this morning, with all but 18 members voting in favor. During a cabinet meeting this afternoon, the Secretary of the Treasury approved the bill and stated she would have it on the desk of President Lacasa tonight. Later this evening, the President will host a signing ceremony with members of the industries involved, along with Senator Morterero. The Fair Wage Act has been met with major support throughout the Cojedan state but has also met some opposition from provincial politicians who say it will give Cojedan Unions much more power. Transportation Secretary Victoria Barrios, who has been considered to be a strong supporter of Union, said she is against the "Fair Wage Act". "I am not saying I do not support the increase in wage for the people in these different fields. I believe that they do deserve the pay that the Act will give them. However, I am concerned about the power that it will give to unions across Cojedes and I will be appealing to the Constitutional Court to ensure that the unions are kept in check." Lacasa responded to the comments Barrios made by stating she would read the entire bill and make a line-item veto on the areas if necessary.

In other news, Cojedan businesses will officially kick off the largest holiday sale season in Cojedan history effective midnight tonight. The sale, which is kicking off a little bit earlier this year compared to last year, will likely see a record spike of money being pushed back into the economy, following a year of massive wage increase and an increase in jobs. Secretary of Treasury Celeste Romero stated that she was excited to see how this year would turn out. "This is always the largest sale season of the year and it is almost being coupled with an amazing year of economic recovery." After speaking with us, the Treasury Department released the following statement: "After major discussions with President Lacasa, we have decided to grant a tax break from the collection of federal income taxes from 15 November until 25 December. This has been decided to help Coejdans take more home in their paycheck and be able to support their families better during the holidays and into the new year." In response to the tax holiday, the Cojedan stock market saw a massive increase in its two major indexes, both reaching a 5% increase over the day, with a projected future showing a possible 10% increase over the next week. Much of the latest tech will go on sale during the week, as will several appliances and even vehicles. Automobile factories have been working around the clock to make sure that cars are available for the massive sale. It is predicted that the sale will generate anywhere from 10 billion to 20 billion more pesos than last year's totals.

That is all we have for now. Thank you for joining us here at Cojedes 24!

Good afternoon and welcome to Cojedes 24! My name is Nico Alvarado and here is the latest from Cojedes!

Our top story this evening, the Constitutional Court has agreed to hear a case against the Fair Wages Act following protests that occurred over the weekend. Six members of the Cabinet have been named as the plaintiffs in the suit, while two other cabinet secretaries are supporting their legal actions. The announcement to take up the case also followed President Lacasa backing out on her promise to line-item veto the portions that would give unions more power. Secretaries Victoria Barrios (Transportation) and Axel Manzanedo (Justice) held a joint press conference this morning, where they stated they were saddened by the decision of President Lacasa to break her vow to the nation, and would pursue the case to the strongest. Manzanedo stated that he would not defend the Republic in the upcoming case, but would serve as plaintiff alongside Barrios in the case. We reached out to the Presidential Office, which stated that there would be no repercussions against the secretaries for pursuing the case. The Constitutional Court issued a temporary order blocking the enforcement of the bill. According to reports from press agencies across the country, protestors are still out in full force today to ensure the bill is either nullified completely or that the bill is forced to be re-written. The Constitutional Court will begin its first hearing tomorrow.

In other news, Secretary of Education Diego Alejandro Andrade announced earlier this morning that the government will be freezing all payments on student loans through next June. The announcement came after several students have had to deal with the loss of jobs or property damage in response to the storms that occurred earlier this year. In a press conference this morning, Andrade stated that the Department of Education will continue to collect student loan payments, but they will not be required and there would be no late fees if students chose not to pay until then. "We realize that this year has been hard on several people throughout our country, and students are especially being marginalized during these times. We want to ensure that our students are capable of having a livelihood and don't have to currently worry about paying this debt back. We will also not charge interest on student loans until the end of next year." The announcement was met with widespread support and many companies have agreed to step in and cover several of the student's payments so that they will not have to worry about it in the future. Rosario Medical Center and the Mendoza Province Hospital System both announced that they would be paying student loans of medical students, including nurses and doctors.

That is all we have for now. Thank you for joining us here at Cojedes 24!

Good evening and welcome to Cojedes 24! My name is Nico Alvarado and here is the latest from Cojedes!

Our top story this evening, the Constitutional Court has already ruled in the cast of Barrios et al. vs. Republic of Cojedes, only three days after the initial hearing began. After listening to oral arguments for the past three days, the Constitutional Court has ruled in favor of the plaintiffs, declaring that the "Fair Wage Act" is unconstitutional and immediately declared it invalid. In a surprise 9-5 ruling, the Court declared that it was protecting the rights of the Cojedan workers by keeping them safe from the powers of unions. Chief Justice Nikolai Rodriguez had the following to say: "While many will be shocked and angered by our ruling, we made the decision based on constitutional law and the desire to protect our citizens from criminal activities, which typically occurs within many of our nation's unions. We are not saying that we do not support the pay increase for the honorable workers who toil each and every day, rather we are declaring our wish to protect them from the unions levying unjust fees against them and fighting for their own gain, not for the workers." The Cojedan Nurses Union, the largest union for nurses in the country, declared their support for the court decision in a surprise twist, while most other unions decried the court ruling as a sham. Aurora Fernandino, who is the Chairwoman of the Cojedan Nurses Union, said that she was proud of the decision of the court because it would protect the Nurse's rights in their duties, as well as protecting their assets. "The purpose of Unions is to help the workers that we represent, not to harm them in any way. This law would have undone the years it has taken to get to where we are today." President Lacasa declared she would stand by the decision of the Constitutional Court and has put the challenge of drafting a new bill to the Cabinet. Sebastian Morterero, the Senator who proposed the law, had the following to say, "While I am disappointed in the decision of the Constitutional Court, I now understand how much damage the bill could have done. I look forward to seeing and presenting the legislation that the Cabinet will propose." President Lacasa has tasked Secretaries Victoria Barrios, Axel Manzanedo, Marisol Manzanedo, and Adrian Zorita with drafting and proposing the new "Fair Wage Act".

Defense Secretary Joel Andino was at the Solar Defense Industries HQ in Mendoza Province today to announce the procurement of a deal with the company to build a new Cojedan tank. The tank, which has been dubbed the MZ-2 Volcano, will be the latest of upgrades in the Cojedan military, after several years of focus being given to the Navy and the Air Force. According to Andino, who gave a press conference following the signing of the agreement, Solar Defense Industries will have a prototype unveiled by 2022 and, if all goes as planned, the nation plans to order roughly 800 of the tanks to phase out older pre-Socialist Civil War tanks. Adino also had the following to say: "We are very proud to announce our intent to once again work with Solar Defense Industries in building a new line of defensive weapons for Cojedes. Our nation's Army has been lacking in producing new tanks over the previous few years and we must not allow that to continue. We will ensure that our nation is defended from any threat, foreign and domestic, and this will be a major milestone in that fight." No information on the design or the cost of the tank has been released to the press at this time, but many sources say the cost may be between 5 and 6 million for each tank.

In other news, the Cojedan National Assembly has officially passed the budget for the upcoming year. Following several weeks of debate and many changes to the initial proposal, the Assembly voted with near minor opposition in both houses to pass the bill to fund the government over the course of the next year. The changes that were made to the original proposal by the cabinet included an increase in funding for the military, as well as increased funding for hospitals, schools, and public works. Senator Esparanza Xirau, one of the most popular members of the Assembly, stated she would not vote in favor of the bill unless there was increased funding for hospitals throughout the country. "Our hospitals and our medical staff are overwhelmed. We must not pass this bill until they have the funds they properly need and are able to accomplish the goals that they have worked so hard to meet." Eventually, after three adjustments by the Cabinet of Secretaries, the Senate and the House passed the bill early this morning and President Lacasa signed the bill into law, effectively avoiding a government shutdown. Senator Xirau, joined by several Senators from both sides of the aisle, has presented other legislation to increase funding for Cojedan hospitals and schools. The budget bill that was approved will see an increase of roughly 2 billion pesos for the military, while hospitals and other medical companies will see a 5 billion pesos increase.

That is all we have for now. Thank you for joining us here at Cojedes 24!

Good evening and welcome to Cojedes 24! My name is Nico Alvarado and I thank you for joining us tonight. We have much to cover, so let's just get to it!

Our top story this evening, the nation is reeling from a deadly terrorist attack that has claimed the lives of over 1,200 and injured several thousand more. The tragedy, which occurred in Rosario, Heravion, and Corrientes, is the deadliest attack in all of Cojedan history, as well as being the costliest with reported damages upwards of 1 billion pesos. While the nation was in shock at what had occurred, the government was trying to figure out what occurred. President Andrea Lacasa declared she was horrified by the attack that occurred and would be doing whatever they could bring those who committed the atrocities to justice. It wasn't long before the perpetrators revealed who they were and it has sent shockwaves through the nation as to what is next. The Organization of Cojedan Nationalist (OCN), a group that has been inactive since the end of the Socialist Civil War, declared that they were responsible for the attacks and that they were prepared to strike again. Their leader, Christian Sancho, stated on national television that their attack was in response to the years of inactivity by the government to fulfill its promise to issue capital punishment on the Socialists who were the enemies in the past, while also saying that they were angered they weren't given a role in the government as they were promised when Evita Arias won the Socialist Civil War. The National Police Force has already launched a sting operation to arrest members of the OCN, with roughly 85 being arrest so far, including Sancho and two of his deputy leaders. The Mayors of Rosario, Corrientes, and Heravion have all declared state of emergencies and have requested federal assistance in restoration work.

We regret to inform our viewers of the passing of former First Lady Irina Fernandez, wife of the late Cojedan President Caleb Fernandez. Fernandez, who served in the House of Representatives for fourteen years during and after her husbands rule, died at the age of 72. During her tenure in the House, she was influential in passing several key pieces of legislation, including the Federal Gun Law of 2012, which she wrote and presented to the House along with 14 other co-sponsors. Her passing came as a shock to the nation as she was expected to be appointed to the Constitutional Court of Cojedes in January. President Lacasa joined members of the National Assembly in holding a moment of silence for Fernandez, and then later declared she will be awarding Fernandez the Order of the Blue Star, the highest honor in Cojedes, posthumously. House Speaker Catalina Estavez met with the family and offered her deepest sympathy on the passing of the honorable representative. In a statement released this afternoon, speaker Estavez said, "We are saddened that our colleague and friend has been taken from us so soon. To many, she was a friend, a mother, a grandmother. To me, she was like a sister, and I will miss her dearly. We offer our deepest condolences to the family." Fernandez will be given a state funeral on the 3rd of December.

In other news, malls and department stores across Cojedes were flooded with people as the annual holiday sale has seen some of the best deals ever in the history of the sale ongoing. A record number of 10,4 million people took part in the first two weeks of the sales, with more expected to take part in the next couple of weeks. Several stores, including Technit, the largest electronics dealer in Cojedes, reported selling out of most of their electronics, mostly the newest gaming systems and laptops. Car dealerships also reported a higher uptick in the number of sales this year, with the most popular car being sold this year being the 2020 Eos Crusader, a truck that has surpassed all others in terms of reliability. According to a representative for the Treasury department, the number of car sales in the first two weeks of the holiday sale was up by 10,000 compared to last year, and 25,000 compared to 2018. Technit, which produces its own electronics, stated they were having to put several customers orders on backorder, but guaranteed that they would have them to customers by Christmas Day. Trekords, the largest company for hiking gear in Cojedes, stated that they would be operating in three shifts to ensure they could get items out to shoppers quicker, but also put out a statement on their website that some things may not arrive until Epiphany (6 January).

That is all we have for now. Thank you for joining us here at Cojedes 24!

Good afternoon and welcome to Cojedes 24! My name is Nico Alvarado and here is the latest from Cojedes!

Our top story this evening, the nation has come together and launched a massive effort to recover from the terror attacks last week. The total amount of deaths from the attack has reached nearly 2,000 and the number of those in the hospital has started to decrease except for severe injuries. The people of Cojedes have joined together in doing massive search and rescue operations, as well as clearing debris from the buildings that were blown up in the attack. In an unplanned speech that was given before the National Assembly, President Andrea Lacasa declared that the government would be launching a massive reprisal campaign against the Organization of Cojedan Nationalists and would be launching a massive rebuilding campaign in the areas affected. "We are resolved today that we will not rest until justice is served for the near 2,000 people who have lost their lives in these attacks and all the families who have been torn apart. To the members of the Organization of Cojedan Nationalists I have this to say, no matter where you hide, no matter where you go, you will not be free from the grip of the Cojedan Armed Forces. Cojedan forces are currently undertaking a massive effort to find those who are members of the OCN and we have had great results. The government has also issued warrants and restricted flight to known and suspected members of the OCN. This is only the beginning and we will go to great lengths to protect our people and our nation." President Lacasa also declared that the government is approving a 9.2 billion peso bill to help recover from the destruction.

The Supreme Court of Cojedes has finally ruled in the case of Juan Beldad Lain, et al. vs. San Juan Medical Center, ending the crisis that began almost over a year ago. The case began after Juan Beldad Lain, a patient who had a heart transplant done at the San Juan Medical Center, was charged almost double what he was supposed to be charged. After bringing it to the attention of the hospital, the hospital refused to issue a remittance for the extra portion charged and stated that if he were to bring it up again that they would issue a lawsuit against him for harassment. After consulting members of his family, Lain, age 32, decided he would challenge the hospital in the Supreme Court of San Juan, which ruled in his favor and ordered the hospital to repay the full amount, totaling nearly 500,000 pesos, not including the legal fees and other damages incurred by the hospital. After finding that there were many others in San Juan who had dealt with the same issue, Juan and a group of 18 other citizens took the case to the Supreme Court and were officially successful today. The Supreme Court ruled unanimously that San Juan Medical Center had committed fraud and theft and ordered them to immediately repay a grand total of 12,500,000 pesos to all those affected. The Supreme Court also declared that the Medical Center must pay for the legal fees of the plaintiffs. The Supreme Court also announced that they were ordering the Department of Justice of San Juan Province to launch an inquiry into the hospital and charge them appropriately if they have committed offenses that have not yet come to light. After the decision of the court was made known, Juan Lain declared that he was proud and pleased that justice had prevailed. "We took our case to the nation's highest court and we have won. We are proud of all we have accomplished and we are just happy to finally be able to get on with our lives."

That is all we have for now. Thank you for joining us here at Cojedes 24!

Good evening and welcome to Cojedes 24! My name is Nico Alvarado and here is the latest from Cojedes!

"This body is now in recess!". These were the words echoed across the nation in the halls of the Provincial and National Assembly, as the bodies will now be in recess until the 8th of January. With the announcement that the bodies are now in recess, Cojedes has officially entered the period where the President and the Provincial Governors will rule by decree. This became apparent early on when President Andrea Lacasa made a public announcement declaring the extension of the Cojedan holiday season. In a statement released by the Presidential office, President Lacasa has officially extended the federal holiday period to include Epiphany, celebrated on 7th January, mandating it as a public holiday. "I am proud to finally be the first President to recognize the true importance of Epiphany and declare it the public holiday it should have been long ago. With this declaration, the government hereby extends the period of holiday from 10 days to 15 days, spanning from 24th December to 8th January. Companies will have the decision on whether or not their employees will work, and if they do, they will be required to pay their workers double pay for missing the holiday with family." The stock market responded greatly to the announcement, with the majority of the stock market seeing massive gains. The public also responded well with over 92% of the public saying they supported the initiative.

In other news, Cojedes has begun a massive project aimed at upgrading Cojedan infrastructure, including roads, railroads, and telecommunications. The project, named Renewal Cojedes, which is an extension of the Rosario Initiative, began earlier this week and is expected to take place over the course of the next five years, with the total cost expected to be between 25 and 30 billion pesos. According to a government website on the project, the nation is expected to create around 70,000 jobs to complete the project and will mostly focus on roads and railroads in the early stages of the project. Phase II of the project, which will begin around 2022-2023, will involve more of a focus on telecommunications, bridges, and water supply. Secretary of Human Services Adrian Zorita and Secretary of Urban Development Juan Cazallo have been appointed by President Lacasa to lead the project, with First Vice President Aitana Morterero being appointed as the Deputy Chairwoman of the project. In the first meeting of the committee, it was determined that they will focus first on the Provinces of San Juan, La Rioja, and Mendoza, with La Rioja being the Province with the most need of road repairs due to damage suffered during the derecho and earthquake of 2019. Plans are also underway for more renewable energy stations being built in the coming month under the project.

That is all we have for now. Thank you for joining us here at Cojedes 24!

Good Evening and welcome to Cojedes 24! My name is Nico Alvarado and here is the latest from Cojedes!

Our top story this evening, President Andrea Lacasa has signed Executive Order #18742.02.2020., also titled "The Royal Decree", officially restoring some rights and privileges to the former Cojedan Royal Family. In a speech given on live tv earlier today, President Lacasa stated that, after much thought and lobbying from many parties, she had decided it was in the interest of the nation to restore certain rights to the Corazón Family, who ruled Cojedes until 1002 AD and have played an active role in Cojedan politics even to today. In her speech, the President outlined the historical contributions of the Royal family and thanked them for their many efforts over the years to advance Cojedan society. "I think back to Queen Maria Corazón IV, who revolutionized Cojedes in the late 1890s, by convincing the legislature to give women the right to vote. In 1901, she later became the first woman to hold political office. Her efforts have made it possible for us to now have three female Presidents and many more legislators, judges, lawyers, governors, and many more positions held by women." The decree issued by the President restores the Imperial Palace of Heravion, as well as royal properties in San Luis and San Juan, to the Royal Family, gives them 1,5 million pesos, the equivalent to what was taken from them in the early 1500s, and guarantees the Royal Family two seats in the House of Representatives and one seat in the Senate, to be chosen by the President. The decision was met with overwhelming support, with nearly 87% of respondents saying they favored the President's decree.

Governor Antonio Suarez of San Juan and Governor Miguel Zoido Covarrubias of Tucumán Province have signed an Economic Pact, officially creating the Mountain Economic Pathway, a long-sought plan of the National Conservative Union. The agreement, which was signed this morning at the border between the two provinces, officially creates stronger economic cooperation between the two provinces and opens the Solar Mountain Corridor to be expanded from its current confines in San Juan. The Corridor, which is known as the Golden Corridor, is notable for being the largest region for technology, medicine, and innovation in Cojedes. Governor Covarrubias said in a statement that, "Tucumán has long played a vital role in the production of parts for electronics, medical equipment, and almost everything you can think of. This will solidify our position in the Cojedan Republic and will unlock key support from the San Juan Province." Under former law, even though the parts were produced in Tucumán, San Juan was the only province entitled a tax stipend from it. Under the Economic Pact, Tucumán will take 60% of the tax stipend, while San Juan will take 40%. Both provinces will also promote job growth in each province, with expected 28,000 jobs to be created in Tucumán, and 35,000 to be created in San Juan. The law will also protect the personal property and ideas of people in each province and will open both provinces to better patent protection under Federal law. President Lacasa hailed the agreement as one of the greatest of our age.

The University of Rosario, the largest University in Cojedes by the number of students, has announced that it will be expanding its campus yet again, this time for its School of Medicine and the University of Rosario Medical Center. Chancellor Lilian Amengual, who has been in charge of the school for the past decade, announced the decision after it was revealed that the school had received an 18,5 million peso donation from an anonymous source. "We are very grateful for this donation and we are thankful to the person who gave it to us", Amengual said in her statement. "The request from the donor was that we put the funding into our medical program and we have decided we will honor their request." Amengual went on to say that, "We will be focusing the majority of the donation to funding hospital expansion, with 10,25 million of the finding expected to go to the Medical Center. We plan to increase the size of our ICU and our ER, as well as giving more funding to research in the Oncology, Neurology, and Cardiology Departments. The remaining 8,75 million pesos will go to our School of Medicine and will have three primary functions: the newest and latest in medical technology for our students to train with, hiring more staff and helpers to be able to aid our students and teachers better, and to put money into grants and scholarships to help students who may be struggling to pay for classes." Amengual, who would not name the donor, did state that the person had appeared in the Top 10 Richest Cojedans list several times, 6 of whom are Cojedan billionaires, and that this person was an alumnus of the school, of which 4 on the list are.

To close out tonight, Human Services Secretary Adrian Zorita and Urban Development Secretary Juan Cozallo met with members of the Renewal Cojedes Commission for the first time today to go over the plans for the three-phase project that is part of the Rosario Initiative. The Commission, which consists of the two Secretaries, the First Vice President, and two representatives from each Province, will be responsible for carrying out the project nationwide and ensuring that the deadlines set out by the Rosario Initiative are met. The project is slated to get a major takeoff in January, with the remainder of this month to be used for planning and hiring workers to complete the project. We spoke to Secretary Zorita after the meeting and he was very positive about how things went. "We are very pleased with all the progress we have made so far in the Rosario Initiative and we are looking to further that with Renewal Cojedes. Today, we held the first major vote of the Commission, in which we decided unanimously that we will focus first on the provinces more internal to the country, rather than those on the coast or on the border with our neighboring nations. We have decided we will begin in Tucumán, San Juan, and La Rioja Province, and then work our way out. We also voted today to request 14,5 billion pesos from the government to be used to aid in our efforts. We will begin the hiring process tomorrow morning and we are very excited to announce that we will be hiring roughly 50,000 people to complete the job in these three provinces." Renewal Cojedes is considered to be the major portion of the Rosario Initiative, a project which has now been extended until 2035.

That is all we have for now. Thank you for joining us here at Cojedes 24!

Good afternoon and welcome to Cojedes 24! This is Isidora Venegas and here all the latest news from Cojedes!

Our top story, kids in Northern Cojedes are enjoying a snow day as a massive snowstorm has shut down the provinces of Heravion, Santa Cruz, and San Luis. The storm, which began over the weekend, has dumped nearly 4 feet of snow across the provinces, with another 2-3 feet in the forecast for Friday. Governor Diego Alejandro Sarmiento of Heravion has so far been the only one to declare a state of emergency, as several roads have become impassable and black ice has begun forming on the roads. In a press release, Governor Sarmiento said that the province was entirely unprepared for the winter storm and declared schools would have to switch to virtual learning to finish out the week. "The storm appeared with almost no warning. We did not expect it to be this strong, but now we have realized how wrong we were." In San Luis and Santa Cruz, the Governors have not yet declared a state of emergency, but have issued orders that people should stay at home unless it is absolutely necessary to go out. Governor Pascual Ruiz of Santa Cruz went as far as to say that he would be issuing a state of emergency until the storm passes if people did not heed the warnings. "While it is something I would not like to do, we cannot be risking the lives of our EMT's, police, and firefighters. Please, stay at home unless it is fully necessary to go out. Only go out for food and medical attention." President Andrea Lacasa has not yet made a statement about the snowstorm but has sent a convoy of snowplows and brine trucks to the Northern Provinces from Rosario.

In other news, the National Guard and National Police Force have both stated that they will be hosting a massive hiring event to increase their numbers, which has been steadily decreasing over the past few years. Secretary of Internal Affairs Valentina Marquez, who is Commander of both forces, announced the decision early this morning to begin the hiring event as she has noticed a lack of interest in joining. "We have seen a steep decline in the past few years of interest in joining our forces and we are prepared today to make a change. After securing the support of the Government and Department of Treasury, we are prepared to offer 30,000 peso sign-on bonuses to anyone who is interested in joining the force. On top of this, current members of the National Guard and National Police will be receiving an increase in pay, plus a 4,000 peso Christmas bonus across the board. Current members will also be eligible for a 2,000 peso bonus if they are influential in recruiting a new member to the force who remains for over 6 months." Recruiting centers will be open in high schools, colleges, and in every major city across the nation. According to President Lacasa, the government will also be paying for the tuition of college students who join the National Guard or National Police.

That is all we have for now. Thank you for joining us at Cojedes 24!

Good evening and welcome to Cojedes 24! My name is Isidora Venegas and here is the latest from Cojedes 24!

Our top story this morning, people across the country are taking sides after former President Irene Molina conducted an interview with Cojedes 24's own Nico Alvarado. The interview, called "The People's President Tells All", shocked the nation when the former leader came out against current President Andrea Lacasa, as well as the current Cabinet, saying it was the reason she decided to resign her position from the Senate. "It was for this reason that I determined I could no longer sit in the Senate. I knew it would be better to resign with my integrity intact, rather than to allow the nation to find out all that was going on at the time." According to Molina, she and President Lacasa had a strong and very vocal exchange during a private meeting between the two in regards to the Rosario Initiative and the President's stance on wanting to remove the Life Senators and the Life Representatives. "President Lacasa made it very clear to me and to others that she was intending to remove the Life Senators and Life Representatives from their positions and would not be appointing any new ones. I told her directly that this would violate the Constitution and the ages of tradition in our country. She immediately flew into a rage and told me that I better check my loyalty. I responded in kind by saying my loyalty was to the nation, not to her or any President." We reached out to President Andrea Lacasa who replied by saying that the meeting had occurred and that there was a blow-up between the two women. The President also stated that she would not be removing the Life Members from either House of the National Assembly after having thought about the response from the former President. Former President Molina stated that she would be resigning from the National Conservative Union and would potentially be contesting a Governor's seat in the next Gubernatorial election. She also stated that she knew of many Senators and Representatives that didn't support Lacasa and could potentially protest her position also. We asked 187 people today how they felt and the majority (68%) gave their support to former President Molina, saying that the sanctity of the Constitution must be upheld.

The snowstorm that has been hammering the North has moved into the Province of Mendoza and will soon make its way towards Rosario. Students, who were originally told they would be going on holiday Monday, were surprised to hear that they would instead begin holiday today and wouldn't be returning to school until 11 January. President Andrea Lacasa has granted a federal emergency for Heravion and for Mendoza Province as the Governor of Mendoza and the Mayor of Rosario have both issued State of Emergency before the storm reaches the major cities in the region. Mayor Saavedra of Rosario has issued for the cities roads to be brined and has also stated that people must be off the roads by 10:30 pm tonight so that the roads can properly be treated. "We are asking people to do this, but we cannot force anyone to do this. People, please heed our warnings and stay off the roads so we can properly treat them before this snowstorm hits." The City of Mendoza has also issued similar warnings, with Mayor Efraim de Mina issuing for restaurants to close by 11 pm and the brining of roads to occur in the overnight hours. Traveling to the city of Mendoza is also being limited as the roads could become very slippery and icy, which has been seen in Northern Cojedes. As of this morning, the government has reported nearly 253 accidents in Heravion Province alone, while San Luis and Santa Cruz has seen over 400 combined. Casualties from the snowstorm currently sits at 7, including a 21-year-old who was killed when his car lost control and hit a tree off Interstate 42 in Heravion. The Department of Emergency Situations has allocated 4,2 million pesos to relief from the storm but has stated it will be requesting the Treasury Department for more if necessary.

In other news, the Cojedan Premier Hockey League has announced it will be expanding the league as of next year! For the first time in nearly two decades, the league will be expanding from 12 teams to 20 teams, with 4 teams added to the Eastern Conference and 4 teams added to the Western Conference. League President Felix Facundo Maroto announced that the cities of La Plata, San Salvador de Jujuy, Formosa, and Comodoro Rivadavia would be the four cities for the Eastern teams, while Posadas, Salta, San Rafael, and Villa Mercedes will become the four homes for the Western Conference teams. "We are very excited about the expansion of our league and we can't wait for the people to be able to go and enjoy their games. We hope that the response will be overwhelming and that the teams will become part of the cities culture." The League said they would be putting up 40,5 million pesos to the expansion project, while local governments will be contributing a combined 40,5 million pesos as well. The Mayor of San Salvador de Jujuy stated that they would be putting out bonds issued by the local city council and by the municipal bank to allow the people to take a more active role in the team and expanding their city culture.

That is all we have for now. Thank you for joining us here at Cojedes 24!

Hello and welcome to Cojedes 24! My name is Isidora Venegas and here is the latest news from Cojedes!

Our top story this morning, former President Irene Molina has declared her candidacy for the 2021 Gubernatorial election in the Province of La Rioja. The announcement came this morning from her campaign headquarters in the city of La Rioja, where she stated she will stop at no cost to ensure that she can unseat the current governor, Jeremías Freixa. In announcing her candidacy, Molina stated that she was running as an Independent and as the "Candidate For the People". "My job is to ensure that the people get the due representation that they deserve. As Governor, I will ensure that the voice of the people is heard here in our province and in the Governor's Council. We will make sure that our province is not last among the nation and we will have our province respected by the people of Cojedes." In response to the announcement, Governor Freixa stated that he was ready to face off against Molina in the election and would look forward to debating her in the upcoming 27 December debate. "This election will determine the course of the province and the course of politics in our country. La Rioja may not be pivotal overall, however, whoever the Governor of our province would be the one that casts a swing vote in the Governor's Council. The people must decide if they would rather have a person loyal to the Conservative values they hold or a person who resigned from the party for their own selfish gain." According to a poll generated by La Rioja News Now, Molina is leading in the polls by a solid 15% and is considered to be the one to win when the election occurs on 5th January 2021. Molina has been endorsed by the Governors of Corrientes, Mendoza, Santa Cruz, and San Juan, as well as former Governor of Santa Fe de la Vera Cruz Javier Santángel, all of whom are members of the National Conservative Union.

In other news, the House of Representatives and the Senate have announced a response to former President Irene Molina's "Tell All" interview. Earlier this morning, Senate Chairman Nestor Nestor Estávez and House Speaker Catalina Jose Maria Estavez issued a joint statement that members of the House and Senate will be recalled to a special session on 28th December, to pass legislation to block President Andrea Lacasa from being allowed to undermine the Constitution by removing the Life Members of the two chambers. In her portion of the statement, Speaker Estavez said she was shocked and disturbed by President Lacasa saying that she would even consider doing this. "I have received phone calls from many members of the House and Senate, from both sides, and everyone is in an uproar. We cannot allow the President to usurp the Constitution and begin making decisions that are outside the scope of the Presidential powers. We will be proposing that the Governor's Council be required to grant approval to the President on who to appoint and that, if the President chooses not to appoint anyone, the Governor's Council be required to step in their place to ensure that the Legislative process may continue in accordance with the law." The President has not made a response to the decision, but if the President chooses to veto the bill, the House and Senate have already recorded enough votes to overturn the veto, making the veto a formality. The two heads of the Federal Courts have stated that they will not take a case in regards to the bill unless the President does not appoint members, at which point they will proceed with legal proceedings against the President for neglect of office.

That is all we have for now. Thank you for joining us here at Cojedes 24!

Good morning and welcome to Cojedes 24! My name is Isidora Venegas and here is the latest from Cojedes!

It's Christmas Day in Cojedes and celebrations are already beginning to take place all across the country! Soon, children and their parents will be waking up to discover that Papá Noel has made a visit and left presents for children across our great nation. Celebration for the major religious holiday began last night when Patriarch Lucas IV Karantenos, head of the Church of Cojedes, lead a Christmas Eve mass at the San Mateo Golden-Domed Cathedral in Heravion. During his service, Patriarch Karantenos called for us to be more like the Messiah and to share joy and peace during this holiday season. "Lowly He came to the earth to save us from our sin. He came in the form of a baby. Humble and peaceful. We should imitate these qualities all the days of our lives, not just during the Christmas season." President Andrea Lacasa, in her second Christmas speech, praised the nation for its response this year to the many crises that we have faced, including the massive flooding and derecho that damaged over half the country earlier this year. "Cojedans, beyond any doubt, are a willful people. We are very proud of the efforts that have been made over the course of the previous year, especially in response to the major disasters that took place only a few short months ago. I thank the Cojedan people for their resolve this year and look forward to the New Year and the new challenges that lie ahead. To all Cojedans everywhere, I wish you a very blessed Christmas and a Happy Near Year." In a surprise portion of her Christmas speech, President Lacasa stated that the Treasury Department would be adding additional payments up to 300 pesos per person in the annual tax return.

Surgeon General Juan Manuel Bienvenida issued a public health announcement earlier, asking all people to be safe over the holiday season, especially as it is a time where the roads are slicker and weather conditions can cause more accidents. "The last thing we want to see is families being torn apart because a loved one is killed in a car accident, either by slick weather conditions or by a drunk driver. We are asking all Cojedans to do the right thing and stay home if you are intoxicated. If you are traveling to see your family, please do your due diligence and keep a watchful eye on the roads and on the weather patterns. Plan accordingly on the best times to travel and ensure you are prepared to be able to drive." Bienvenida, who is the top health spokesperson for the Cojedan Government, stated that he wishes people will listen closely to the warnings this year, as weather conditions are much worse than they typically are at this time of year. "Usually, we don't see much rain, snow, and ice mix until the middle of January. This is one of the first times in years that we have seen a major wintry mix this early in the year and we caution all drivers to be safe and watchful." According to a government statistic, DUI's and drunken related car accidents increase around the holiday season, and the likelihood of being killed by a drunk driver more than doubles.

In other news, Andre Navarro, the 26-year-old son of Second Vice President Antonia Navarro, was admitted to the hospital earlier this week following a massive injury to the abdomen during football practice at the University of Rosario. Andre, who is the star quarterback for the team, was practicing with several teammates when an unidentified person slammed right into his stomach with his helmet on. According to reports gathered by the Rosario Police, Andre was quickly rendered unconscious and experienced a massive loss of blood. He was transported immediately to the University of Rosario Medical Center, where it was discovered that his spleen had ruptured. Doctors began a 10-hour procedure to remove the spleen and stop the internal bleeding caused by the rupture. According to Rosario PD, an active investigation is going on in regards to the assault and any leads are greatly appreciated. According to members of the team, the person who assaulted Andre Navarro wasn't a player on the team and they believe he may have been from a rival school, as the colors of the helmet he was wearing did not match that of any in the Rosario region. Second Vice President Navarro thanked the nation for their prayers and said that Andre is doing well, but has a long road to recovery.

That is all we have for now. Thank you for joining us here at Cojedes 24! Merry Christmas Everyone!

Good afternoon and welcome to Cojedes 24! My name is Isidora Venegas and here is the latest news from Cojedes!

Our top story this afternoon, people across the nation are partying it up as we have officially entered a new year! The parties started around 7 pm in Rosario and Heravion when people began gathering to watch the ball drop in Independence Square and Almago Square, respectively. While people were gathering in the major cities, much smaller parties were taking place throughout the country and several people were gathering to prepare to ring in the new year. For the first time, President Andrea Lacasa hosted a New Years Party at the Presidential Palace and was joined by other members of the executive, as well members of the Legislature, Judiciary, and the former Royal Family. At the party, President Lacasa delivered her annual New Years Address, applauding the nation for their courage this past year in the face of adversity. "The people of Cojedes have faced great trials throughout 2020 and they have persevered throughout the course of the year. As President of this great nation, I am proud of the efforts that the Cojedan people have made and look forward to seeing what the New Year holds. Hopefully, 2021 will be a greater year for our nation and it will be a time where Cojedans come together as one and work to help each other." House Speaker Catalina Jose Maria Estavez wished many blessings for 2021 in her address to the nation and called on national unity. "We are a great people who have gone through several challenges throughout the last year. Something I hope we see in 2021 is more unity and more people getting together with their families. Forgive people where they have wronged you and let us move forward with clear hearts and clear minds." The ball drop in Rosario was attended by nearly a million people, while the ball drop in Heravion was attended by a quarter of a million people.

With the New Year now here, several new laws have now gone into effect across Cojedes. Of the new laws that have gone into effect, the two major ones involve the new minimum wage law and the new driver's law. As of midnight today, 12 AM today, the new minimum wage across Cojedes has been raised to 10.50 an hour, the largest hike in the minimum wage since 2006. In regards to the driver's law, it is now officially illegal in Cojedes to drive with your phone in your hand. Drivers will be required to either have a speaker in the car to be able to talk while driving or will be required to have their phone in their lap or in a cup holder while on the move. The two new laws have been met with major support by all parties and are expected to help people across the nation. One of the most controversial bills that came into effect today was that the Republic of Cojedes will officially recognize same-sex civil unions. According to members of the National Conservative Union and the Liberal Party, this was agreed to during the final days of the National Assembly being in sessions before going into recess for the holidays. The bill is controversial as it has not been met with much public support and has been blasted by many church leaders, including Patriarch Lucas IV Karantenos, who said the government has offended God by making their decision. The government stated that they will not recognize same-sex marriages and that any decision on same-sex marriage will be made by popular referendum, which will require 67% voting in favor of the referendum, with at least 58% turnout. Several provinces have also passed new laws, with the most well known being the Economic Corridor Act of San Juan.

Our final story for the day, early voting has begun for the Gubernatorial election in the province of La Rioja and early polls are showing that former President Irene Molina is ahead by nearly 12.5 points. While the election is still 4 days away, with 3 more days being allowed for campaigning, many are believing there is a clear victory ahead for the former President and that Governor Freixa will become the first NCU governor to be unseated for the first time. Several Governors have taken to the support of the former President, including several high profile governors like Morena Zorital, Antonio Suarez, Esperanza Manzanedo, Alexander Amengual, Pascual Ruiz, Miguel Covarrubias, and Jonathan Correa. Several members of the Cabinet broke ranks with the Presidency and also threw their support behind Molina. Secretaries Axel Manzanedo, Marisol Manzanedo, Diego Alejandro Andrade, Mateo Carvallo, Jairo Manzanares, and Evangelina Maroto have all given their support to Molina. Aynia Timolova, Celeste Romero, and Marcela Pardo have all thrown their support behind Freixa, with the remaining members of Cabinet not granting their support to either side. The most prolific nomination of all came from Rosario Mayor Micaela Saavedra, who is largely considered to be the leader of the Governor's Council. Saavedra announced that she would be supporting Irene Molina for the position of Governor and would campaign for her over the next three days. The Former President has said that if she is elected she will lower taxes for middle and lower class workers, that she will increase funding for healthcare and education, and that she will work to create more jobs in the province, especially with the Renewal Cojedes project. We will announce the election results after polls close at 8pm on Tuesday.

That is all we have for now. Thank you for joining us here at Cojedes 24!

Good evening and welcome to Cojedes 24! My name is Isidora Venegas and here is the latest from Cojedes!

Our top story this evening, the Gubernatorial election in La Rioja Province is finally over and we can declare that the province will now have a new governor! Former President Irene Molina has won the election with 62% of the vote, taking roughly 1,2 million votes, while incumbent Governor Freixa received only 735,483 votes. This is a devastating blow to the National Conservative Union as it is the first time that a member of their party has been unseated and the first time since 1992 that La Rioja has not been governed by a member of the Conservative party. Electoral Commissioner Diego Alcocer, who is the federal electoral commissioner for the provinces, certified the election results and declared that Molina would be sworn in on the First of February and will be received in Rosario by President Andrea Lacasa later this week when the President will swear her into the Governor's Council, the first step in becoming a Governor. Incumbent Governor Freixa called Governor-Elect Molina and congratulated her, as did several politicians including most members of the Governor's Council and House of Representatives. Governor-elect Molina thanked the people for supporting her and promised that she would begin forming her cabinet and getting to her campaign promises, which included lowering taxes and creating more jobs. The Governor-elect also stated that President Lacasa had called her and congratulated her on her victory, which came as a surprise to many politicians and members of the press.

In other news, The National Council of Security and Defense have convened to discuss how the nation will respond following the terrorist activities that took place in the major cities of Cojedes. The NCSD began discussions this morning on how they will respond and the first proposal was to declare the OCN as a terrorist organization and to put its major members on a no-fly list. This proposal was met with major support in the Cojedan Legislature and the executive, with many saying that it should be brought to a vote now. NCSD member and Secretary of State Security Jairo Manzanares gave the proposal that more in-depth background checks should be done, that security should be ramped up in major cities, and that the people of Cojedes need to report things that seem suspicious. "While it may come as a surprise to many, this may become a very common issue in Cojedes. We are calling on all people to say something if you see something that isn't right." The Judiciary has announced that they will be pursuing terrorist and treason charges against members of the OCN connected to the attack, which could carry the death penalty.

That is all we have for now! Thank you for joining us here at Cojedes 24!

Good evening and welcome to Cojedes 24! My name is Nico Alvarado and here is the latest from Cojedes!

Our top story this evening, President Andrea Lacasa received Governor-Elect of La Rioja Province Irene Molina at the Rose Palace this morning to swear her into the Governor's Council, the body tasked with the duty of declaring the will of the Provinces and protecting the country from the President usurping power. The swearing-in ceremony took place with all current sitting Governors, plus the Mayor of Rosario, being in attendance and was presided over by the Chief Justices of the Supreme Court and Constitutional Court. The ceremony was also attended by several members of the National Assembly, including Leader of the House of Representatives Juan Manzanedo and Chairman of the Senate Nestor Estávez. Following the administering of the oath to the Governor's Council, the Governor-elect gave a speech in which she called for national unity and pledged to support the government that is elected by the people. She went on to say, "The election result in La Rioja may be a sign to the nation that there is a need for great change in our nation. The people of La Rioja are tired of being looked over by the federal government and I am here to ensure that our voice will be heard." Governor-elect Molina will be sworn in as Governor of La Rioja on the First of February.

President Andrea Lacasa has called on the National Assembly to vote on a proposed ₳125 billion peso infrastructure bill that is to be incorporated into the Rosario Initiative as part of the Renewal Cojedes project. The bill, which constitutes roughly 10% of the entire Cojedan GDP, will provide the funds necessary to rebuild roads, a new high-speed rail running from Rosario to Santa Fe de la Vera Cruz, upgrades to major highways and rail lines, as well upgrades to Cojedan airports, telecommunications, electrical grids, water supply, and sewer systems. 35% of the bill is dedicated directly to the major public services, ensuring that freshwater, communication, and ample electricity is available for all Cojedans. President Lacasa, along with all members of the Cabinet and Governor's Council, has given their written support for the legislation and declared that they will be speaking with members of the House and Senate to convince them of the importance of passing this legislation. Several members of the Senate and House have called for a unanimous vote, but these attempts have been blocked by members of the Liberal Party and some of the National Conservative Union. The debate will begin tomorrow, with a vote expected to be held on Wednesday or Thursday.

In other news, Governor Diego Alejandro Sarmiento of Heravion announced earlier this morning that he was granting permits for the city of Heravion to build a new International Business District, becoming the third city (after Rosario and Corrientes) to take this step, which has been considered part of the economic renewal under the Rosario Initiative. The announcement came as a massive surprise to the people of Heravion, who voted two years ago in a referendum to allow the construction of the IBD, but never saw any change taking place. According to an official close to the Governor, the decision came after many weeks of lobbying by local government officials and members of the Heravion Delegation to the National Assembly. It is expected that the International Business District will compose anywhere from 50 to 60 hectares and will be approximately 8km from the city center. According to the Governor, plans that have been drawn up include expanding two metro lines, a rail line, several pedestrian walkways, and a center for the electric rail. There will be many buildings throughout the IBD, with many being high rises for businesses, restaurants, and apartments. The plans state that anywhere from 250,000 to 300,000 people will be able to work, live, or visit the area at any given time. A special contractor will be set up and the financing for the building of the district will be done through the sale of bonds, donations, and tax revenue.

That is all we have for now. Thank you for joining us here at Cojedes 24!

Good evening and welcome to Cojedes 24! My name is Isidora Venegas and here is the latest from Cojedes!

Our top story this morning, current Secretary of Transportation Victoria Barrios, who is also the former House Minority Leader and the only member of the opposition currently in the cabinet, has announced that she has formed a new party and will be contesting seats in the by-elections that will take place later this year. Her announcement came as no surprise to people, as the former Leader of the Liberal Party, had, in recent times, decried the radicalization of the party and had taken measures to distance herself from the party, including by resigning as leader and by stepping down from House Minority Leader, a position still yet to be filled. Secretary Barrios stated in a press conference that she had received papers from the Electoral Commission, who has approved her request to form the National Liberal Coalition, a party that Barrios says will be left-wing to centrist. "I am very excited to form this new party and to be able to possibly bring more moderate views back into the House of Representatives. I have spoken with the President and we have agreed that I will remain in my position as Secretary of Transportation as long as the President and the National Assembly wills." President Lacasa released a memo saying that she welcomed the formation of the new party and said she looks forward to seeing how the party will do in the upcoming by-elections.

Governor-elect Irene Molina has been busy over the course of the past few days, according to members of her public affairs team. In a memo released earlier today, the Governor-elect has been reported to be busy choosing members of her cabinet and a nominee for Lieutenant Governor, as well as to whether or not she will keep the La Rioja Province Life Delegates to the House and Senate of Cojedes or choose to replace them. According to the same memo, Molina has fielded five nominees for the position of Lieutenant Governor, and the one that comes as a shock to many is that outgoing Governor Jeremías Freixa has made the shortlist. The memo also revealed several of the Governor-elects plans for her first 30 days in office, which includes proposing a bill to halt all medical debt payments in the province for a period of 7 months, giving people the time to collect more money towards paying the bill. Molina has also been considering signing an executive order lowering the income tax rate from the current 10%, the highest in the country, to a more moderate 6.5%, bringing the tax rate on par with the rest of the country and possibly attracting more people to work in the area. She has also called for an expansion of healthcare benefits in the province, requesting the Regional Assembly of La Rioja to craft a new state budget that gives more funds to hospitals and to also expand financial aid for people in debt to hospitals. So far, many members of the Regional Assembly have agreed to meet to craft a new budget, but the Speaker of the House of Peoples of La Rioja has not yet made any promises on honoring the request of the soon to be inaugurated Governor.

The University of Mendoza, one of the nation's top schools for law and for the arts, has announced that it will be creating a School of Medicine, which many believe is to compete with the University of Rosario, which is the country's top school for medicine. The announcement was made by Chancellor Florencia del Pozo, who has been in charge of the school for the past decade, during a convocation welcoming students back for the Spring semester. "We are very excited to announce that beginning in Fall 2021, we will be accepting applications for our new School of Medicine, which is expected to open in January of 2022. This is exciting news for our great institute and we look forward to being a welcoming home for many of our future doctors and nurses." While not many details are currently known about the School of Medicine, it is known that they will be offering programs for RN's, LPN's, NP's, PA's, MD's, and many other medical professions. Chancellor Lilian Amengual, who is the head of the University of Rosario, said she was thrilled to see that Mendoza was finally opening a school of medicine and would work alongside the university if they so asked. Secretary of Education Diego Alejandro Andrade released a statement saying that the Education Department would be signing a ₳10 million grant to the school to assist in building the facility or for acquiring necessities for the department.

The Cojedan Centers for Disease Prevention and Control released a statement earlier this week that it will begin clinical trials on a potential vaccine, as well as better treatments, for HIV. The trials, which will be conducted with aid from the Institute of Immunology, are slated to begin in the coming months, with the government having already posted a website to sign up for the clinical trials. According to the Head of the CCDPC Leonardo Chicote, the institution is looking for roughly 60,000 people to take part in its clinical trials, which could last up to two years. "We are looking for people who are healthy and who aren't infected with HIV to go through the vaccine clinical trials, but that doesn't mean that those already infected with the disease cannot take part. They will, however, be required to be under closer monitoring as there may be more severe side effects." Director of the Institute of Immunology, Nazaret Arboleda, stated that her department had been working on a vaccine, but has also been working on stronger treatment options. "The clinical trials will be separated into two categories. The 60,000 people that the CCDPC is looking for will focus on testing the vaccine. We will be launching our own link to sign up for the HIV treatment clinical trials, but it will fall under the jurisdiction of the CCDPC, just as the vaccine clinical trials will come under our jurisdiction." HIV is currently not a major health crisis in Cojedes, but there are sporadic outbreaks of the disease every few years.

In other news, the Renewal Cojedes Commission has met for the second time this year and has begun to craft the beginning plans for the massive project that is ahead. Secretary of Transportation Victoria Barrios, who is Deputy Chairwoman of the Commission, stated that the project would officially begin on Monday with a groundbreaking ceremony in San Juan Province, marking the beginning of the building of a new interstate system running from the city of San Juan to the city of Corrientes in the south of Cojedes. Several other projects will begin over the next two months, including a new wind power station being built in Mendoza, a hydroelectric power plant in Santa Fe de la Vera Cruz, and the construction of a regional airport in Entre Ríos Province. Chairman Adrian Zorita, who is Secretary of Human Services, said that phase one of the Renewal Cojedes Project will focus on repairs and construction of hard infrastructure, while phases two and three will focus on both hard and soft infrastructure. "We understand how important it is for our people to be able to travel throughout our country and abroad, as well as to receive the basic necessities such as electricity, water, and heat, but some of our major necessities are also in our school systems and our hospitals. All these things are in desperate need of upgrades and we will focus on ensuring the needs of our people are met. To ensure that this is done, we have decided as a body that we will raise the number of necessary workers from 50,000 to 70,000, as well as hold local town halls to gather input from the people as to what they desire to see happen."

That is all we have for now. Thank you for joining us here at Cojedes 24! We will see you next time.

Good morning and welcome to Cojedes 24! My name is Isidora Venegas and here is all the latest from Cojedes!

Our top story today, Irene Molina has officially been sworn in as the 84th Governor of the Province of La Rioja, succeeding her former ally Jeremías Freixa. The inauguration ceremony, which was held on the steps of the La Rioja Legislature, was attended by over 75,000 people, who turned out to show their support for the incoming Governor, a person who has stirred up the Cojedan political arena in the past few months. The oath of office, which was administered by La Rioja Supreme Court Justice Luca Varela, who has been in his position since 1993 when Molina cast a tie-breaking vote in the La Rioja Senate to confirm him. Following her swearing-in, Molina gave a near half-hour speech before the public, in which she thanked the people of La Rioja for this opportunity to serve as their Governor and declared her loyalty to the people who put her in office. “Today is the beginning of a new age in our great province. In the coming days, I will be meeting with members of the Regional Assembly to form a new cabinet and to begin working on key pieces of legislation to help the people of our province. I will also declare an executive decree in the next few days officially lowering the tax rate in La Rioja Province to 6.5%, bringing us on par with the rest of the country.” Lieutenant Governor Pastora Mancebo, an endocrinologist and former MP from La Rioja, was sworn in before the Governor and will serve as President of the La Rioja Senate. President Andrea Lacasa was notably in attendance of the ceremony, as were Secretary of Transport Victoria Barrios, a native of La Rioja, and Senate Chairman Nestor Estávez.

The National Assembly of Cojedes has approved the ₳125 billion Infrastructure Spending Bill that was proposed earlier this month by President Andrea Lacasa. Both the House and Senate approved the bill in a near-unanimous vote, with many members of the Liberal Party joining their NCU counterparts in voting for the bill. Paola Ferrant, who is the Senate Opposition Leader, spoke out in favor of the bill and called on her colleagues in the Liberal Party and other Opposition parties to support the legislation. “President Lacasa has proposed a bill that will seek to undo years of neglect in some of our most underserved areas. Now is the time for all of us to join together in taking action that will effectively change the course of the Cojedan nation for years to come.” President Lacasa immediately signed the bill upon its arrival at her desk, declaring that it was time for the nation to get to work if the nation wants to ensure a future for our children and opportunity for us all. President Lacasa has also called on regional governments to pass similar spending proposals, with Governor Molina of La Rioja proposing a ₳500 million spending bill for her province, while Mayor Micaela Saavedra of Rosario has announced she will put forth a ₳2.4 billion spending bill before the Rosario City Council.

People across the Republic of Cojedes are commemorating the 20th Día de la Memoria por la Verdad y la Justicia (Day of Remembrance for Truth and Justice), a holiday commemorating the victims of the Socialist purges before and during the Third Civil War. The holiday has been commemorated every year since 2001 when an executive decree was signed by President Evita Arias to honor the victims of the purges. In a speech given at the time, then-President Arias stated before the country that “we must never forget those who lost their loved ones during the purges and those who are still grieving because their child, parent, spouse, or other relative never came home or hasn’t been found to this day. We must never forget their names and the many heroes who rose up during those times to fight against the injustices that occurred.” President Andrea Lacasa held a service at the Memorial to Victims of Socialism, in which she laid a wreath and held a moment of silence, followed by a 21 gun salute done by members of the Presidential Guard. In a speech afterward, President Lacasa said “We must not forget what has happened during these tragic times. We must continue to work to find the victims of this deep oppression.” President Lacasa declared that she will form a committee consisting of historians, scholars, archeologists, and other politicians to continue to search for the bodies of the lost and give them the proper burial they deserve.

Representative Paloma Noboa, a member of the Liberal Party and Representative for the 17th District of Corrientes, was officially appointed by the major opposition parties as the Leader of the Liberal Party and the Leader of the Opposition. Following several months of debate between members of the Liberal Party, the party held a vote and agreed to appoint Paloma Noboa, the party's most senior member, as the Leader of the Party, thus conferring on her the status of Leader of the Opposition. Noboa, who is 74, has served in the House of Representatives since 2000, making her the second most senior member in the House, behind the Speaker who has served since 1997. Noboa accepted the position with the utmost joy and stated she looked forward to the future ahead. “This year has been an amazing year for the Cojedan nation. This has been a great time of bipartisan legislation being passed and we are looking forward to working with our counterparts across the aisle to make the future better. I look forward to my weekly meetings with President Andrea Lacasa and with Speaker Estávez.” President Lacasa praised the appointment, as did former Liberal Party leader and current Secretary of Transportation Victoria Barrios.

In other news, the Cojedes Medicine Manufacturing Center in San Juan Province has gone into lockdown as there are reports that a shooting has taken place. An emergency call from the plant to emergency responders reported that at least 5 people have been shot and that the building has gone in to complete lockdown. The San Juan National Guard has been deployed to the scene, as have members of the State Police of San Juan and the Federal National Guard. President Andrea Lacasa and members of the National Council for Security and Defense have called an emergency meeting in the Casa Rosada. Vanessa Pardo, Chief of Staff of the National Guard and National Police, has revealed that special forces will soon be sent in to remove the threat and restore order to the facility, as well as evacuate the victims of this horrendous attack. This is the second attack on the plant, but the first one to actually result in injuries and potential casualties. We will bring you the latest updates as they are revealed to us.

That is all we have for now. Thank you for joining us here at Cojedes 24!

Good afternoon and welcome to Cojedes 24! My name is Isidora Venegas and here is the latest from Cojedes!

Our top story today, the Renewal Cojedes project is underway in full force across the country and many jobs are already being created in some of the nation's less opportune provinces. In La Rioja Province, which is where the majority of the Renewal Cojedes projects are taking place currently, employment has skyrocketed in the past several weeks, with the province now reporting its unemployment to be down 1.8%, making it have the second-lowest in the entire country, behind the Rosario Province. Governor Irene Molina of La Rioja has been holding a series of meetings with Secretary of Urban Development Juan Cazallo and Secretary of Energy Sofia Covarrubias on how to further develop the province to become one of the top provinces in the country. During a press conference held yesterday, Governor Molina had the following to say, "La Rioja is renowned across our great nation for being a province full of opportunity but many have just been too afraid to pack up and set up here in our province. With the Renewal Cojedes Project, we will become one of the top provinces in our nation for people wanting to build a company and make start-ups here. We will also transform our renewable energy sector, our education, and our healthcare." Governor Irene Molina has posited that her province will lead the charge in the project and will also lead the way for universal healthcare in Cojedes. The Regional Assembly of La Rioja has approved a ₳500 million spending bill to assist in the Renewal Cojedes Project.

President Andrea Lacasa held her first cabinet meeting of the month earlier this week and highlighted the importance of ensuring Cojedan healthcare be available to people across the nation. In documents obtained by the press, President Lacasa reportedly told the cabinet members that healthcare in rural areas needs to become a top priority for their government and that, by fulfilling this, healthcare will be readily available to people of all areas. According to a recent study, roughly 13% of the nation suffers from healthcare instability as they live in rural areas that do not have readily available healthcare. Secretary of Health Marisol Manzanedo told the press that she would be meeting with regional health department chairs, as well as with doctors and other medical staff, to determine ways to get the country into the best possible situation for healthcare. President Lacasa released a statement that healthcare is a basic right of all Cojedan people and that when people do not have access to the healthcare they need, their rights are being violated. "We must work to ensure that all Cojedans have the healthcare that they deserve. Our government must work to further the pledge we made when we were elected. We will fulfill our promises to the Cojedan people and we will see to it that our people have every access to the healthcare they so desperately need."

In other news, the Cojedan Department of Wildlife and Inland Fisheries has announced the expansion of a ban on the hunting and catching of certain animals. After calls by local wildlife experts, the Department has agreed to expand the ban to include the Western Cliffs Hare and the Moreno Ground-Dove. Both animals have been declared critically endangered, leading the department to issue a ban on their capture. Both animals play a major role in Cojedan culture and it is said in legend that the Western Cliffs Hare was used by Cojedan soldiers in the Third Civil War to detect areas where landmines may have been planted. Since this time, many have captured the Western Cliffs Hare and have used them to find remaining landmines, killed them to us for food, or have also tied torches to their tails and sent them running through their farmland to burn the ground for the next year. The Moreno Ground-Dove on the other hand has become a popular bird in terms of sport, especially in regards to skeet shooting. Animal rights activists have stated that these practices are unethical and should be outright banned by the CDWIF. The department has said that any attempts to kill or harm these two animals will result in the suspension of licenses, fines up to ₳25,000, and potential jail time. The Department has also stated that they will be removing some of the Western Cliffs Hare from the wild to be put into captivity so that they may potentially help in the increase of the population.

That is all we have for now. Thank you for joining us here at Cojedes 24!