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Family Court Makes First of a Kind Ruling
By Priscila Albareda, news reporter

Today in a shocking ruling the family court in Orilla gave full custody of a 6 year old girl, who can not be named for legal reasons, to her biological mothers former same-sex partner. The two women, who had been raising the child together until the ruling, are understood to have split around 9 months ago. The girls biological mother was understood to be trying to emigrate from the country without the permission of her former partner.

The former partner of the biological mother, named as Dr Anita Robledo, took the case to the family courts despite the high chances that she would lose her child due to a lack of protections for parents in same-sex relationships. Over two days of proceedings the legal team of Dr Robledo managed to convince the judge that their client was the best person to look after the young girl. The case is also understood to be unique in that the two mothers, who both currently work at the Santa María Hospital in Orilla, shared the same witnesses.

Outside the family court Dr Robledo was in tears as her lawyer read a statement. "Dr Robledo has been attached to this child since its conception and the attempts by her former wife to make her seem as lesser of a parent due to her lack of genetic relationship only furthered her resolve. Dr Robledo intends to allow for her daughters other mother to see her child whenever she wants to, however my client was not prepared to stand by as her partner took her child out of the country and possibly made it so that she could never see her again."

It is also understood that the main reason for Dr Robledo being able to gain full custody is due to a document signed when the child was born by the child's biological mother and father granting Dr Robledo guardianship rights over the child. LGBT activists have hailed the result as finally making it so that parents in same-sex relationships are protected against having no parental rights to their children.

Other News:
‣ Entertainment: 10.6 million viewers tune in for the season finale of Canal Uno's new medical drama, Cirujanos.
‣ Politics: President Marcelo Carrasco Díaz arrives in Corazón to meet with the mayor and local entrepreneurs.
‣ Lifestyle: More and more Riparians are taking up a sport as a hobby according to a recent poll.

 

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Questions over decision to give contract to Iorusahn company
By Priscila Albareda, news reporter

The leader of the Partido Laborista has raised questions over the handing of the project to build a rail tunnel under the Cordillera de Shungu to the Iorusahn company Thelrodani s.c. Guillermo Hierro has alleged that the company used unethical means to secure the contract such as paying for the travel and accommodation expenses of government officials they met with. He also added that some of these expenses ran close to $100,000.

The office of President Marcelo Carrasco Diaz claimed that "when the current administration came into power the deal was all but done. We simply signed the dotted line on an agreement that had already been reached". However, at the time it was understood that the government had narrowed down the decision to between a group of 3 Riparian companies and Thelrodani. In addition to this it has taken the government almost 2 years to finish off the deal.

If the accusations of bribery are true this would not be the first such case under the current administration. Independent organisations have alleged that only 2 years into President Carrasco Diaz's term close to $1 billion has been given in gifts to members of the government. A notable example was the case of Ganza-Losa Construction, which is thought to have given close to $35 million in gifts over a period of just 1 and a half years.

If evidence to prove the PL's claim is brought forward this could cause severe distrust in a President who has already done many questionable things. Despite this many people currently approve of him with the President having 62% approval at present. However, as has been seen with President Francisco Orsini in 2011, corruption can completely wipe out a President and political party.

Other News:
‣Local: Car crash in Sagrada kills 7, including 3 siblings.
‣Entertainment: Canal Uno confirms season 2 and 3 of Cirujanos.
‣Economy: Poorer citizens of Orilla claim they are being priced out of their communities.

 

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Orilla mayoral race tightens as election nears
By Jorge Bermúdez Sosa, chief political correspondent

The most recent polls have shown that the race for the Mayor's office in Orilla has tightened. The Alianza Popular candidate, Guillermo Mendoza, is currently polling at 38% compared to the 42% of the Partido Laborista candidate, Raúl Trujillo. The election is due to take place on the 8th of December to replace the current mayor, Miguel Zavala, who has served as the Mayor for the past 15 years.

The Alianza Popular has worked hard over the past few years to try and end the Partido Laborista's monopoly over Orilla. The capital is home to close to a third of the nations population so performing well in the Mayoral elections would be seen as a major vote of confidence in the incumbent government. The party has not held the office of Mayor in the city since 1995.

The boost in support for the Alianza Popular is mainly coming from the poorer citizens of the city as many have struggled with rising rents. Attempts by Mayor Zavala to cap rents only made the situation worse with many landlords instead deciding to sell their properties for profit. The population of Orilla has grown faster than the national rate of population growth due to the ongoing economic boom in the city.

Another reason for the boost in support has been the government with the approval of President Carrasco Diaz reaching record levels of 52% in Orilla. The President is known to enjoy going out in the city with his wife and also helps with charitable efforts by the Church in poorer neighbourhoods. On top of this his economic measures have been popular with the middle and upper class in the city.

If Mr Mendoza can maintain the current pace of momentum then he could overturn 23 years of Partido Laborista rule in Orilla.

Other News:
‣International: All-Citizens Congress no more in Touyou.
‣Entertainment: Outraged fans react to news that Jhonen Stellaris is gay.
‣Opinion: Why the Partido Laborista's cries about alleged corruption will backfire.

 

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OPINION: Riparians, it is time to confront the crimes of the 'Silent Decade'
By Josemaría Araya, guest columnist

December 2nd 1985 will forever be ingrained in the memories of the people of Rio de Oro. I remember well the jubilation that filled the streets of Orilla as the junta that had ruled the nation for 16 years came to an end. Families thought they would finally get justice for their missing mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, daughters, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Instead, they were betrayed by those who claimed that they had liberated us from the dictatorship. However, they never liberated us from the grief of losing our loved ones, never finding out their fate, and being forced into silence.

Some would say that it is distasteful to confront the past while those who committed the atrocities are mostly dead but the pain of families is still alive and constantly lingering. I remember the day that my mother and father were taken away very well. It was June 24th 1975 and I was just 13 years old, we had been living in my grandmothers cramped apartment with my mother, father, 2 siblings, 8 cousins and my grandmother. At 23:36 there was a loud bang on the door, my father jumped up off the battered sofa he slept on and went to answer the door. As soon as he answered the door, 7 armed soldiers stormed in, handcuffed him and my mother, and led them off. We never received a call, a letter, or anything else.

For all my life I have wondered about my parents fate. Did they die in Pain? Were they tortured? Are they buried at the slopes of the Shungu Mountains or in the vast Sechama desert? Or, did they live a long life but never managed to find their family again? These are the questions that the families want, and deserve, the answers to. I don't want to die never knowing what happened to the people that brought me into the world, raised me to be who I am, and lost their lives fighting for the freedom my children and I enjoy today. My grandmother died never knowing what happened to her son and daughter-in-law, and I know that in her final moments that was all she wanted to know.

The government needs to listen to the masses that want answers instead of the minority who want to protect their departed family members from further tarnishing of their already disgraced record in power. 33 years later I think it is finally time for the Riparian public to know the horrific detail of what their leaders did, and what they must never do again.

Other News:
‣International: Monarchist nations create the ECONAMS organization.
‣International: Rio de Oro only ranked as Partly Free according to 2018 Freedom Index.
‣Politics: Orilla Mayoral race continues to tighten with candidates both on equal numbers in polls.

 

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Protests in Orilla as Mayor announces plans to demolish 'slums'
By Mireya Alvarado-Hernández, news reporter

Raúl Trujillo, the Mayor of Orilla, is facing the first test to his mayoralty since he took office just 9 days ago. Yesterday, the Mayor announced plans to demolish 6,000 homes in the 'slums', as he called them, to make way for new housing developments. It is thought the new housing developments will primarily be for more middle class families rather than social housing for the poor. To many of the city's poor this only confirmed there worst fear about allowing the Partido Laborista to remain in power in the city.

Guillermo Mendoza, the Alianza Popular candidate for mayor in December's election, called out Mr Trujillo in a public statement. "Raúl Trujillo has no mandate. He won the election by 704 votes and there was no chance for a recount, especially in poorer neighbourhoods where the electoral watchdog reported concerns regarding vote counting. He has decided to hurt the poor as revenge for them rejecting his party. There is only one word to describe this whole plan, and that word is disgusting."

The 6,000 'slum' homes the city of Orilla plans to demolish are home to almost 30,000 people. What makes the plans even more suspicious is the decision to demolish homes in the city's 9th district, which is the cities 3rd poorest and voted overwhelmingly against the Partido Laborista in the election. The plans of Mr Trujillo's administration were previously deemed too radical under the mayoralty of Miguel Zavala who shelved them permanently.

Mr Trujillo's own party has come out against the plans as well. Mariana Espinoza, a member of the Congress who grew up in those slums, criticized the Mayor. "I grew up in this community and it holds a special place in my heart just like it does to many of its residents. I still have around 40 extended family members living there and it saddens me that they are being thrown out of their longstanding community. I sincerely hope the Mayor has plans to give them better housing and to help retain their sense of community. If not then he will have betrayed the values all Partido Laborista members should stand for."

In the meanwhile we will have to see how the Mayor reacts to the display of anger by the residents of the 9th city district.

Other News:
‣International: Elections in Crotobaltislavonia due in february.
‣Local: 8 killed in crash on Sechama highway.
‣Economy: Tourism groups request government help in attracting new foreign visitors.