Puerto Rico

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A Famous Cat Population Faces a Crackdown

NPS wants some 200 strays removed from historic site in Puerto Rico

(Newser) - Hundreds of stray cats that roam a historic seaside tourist area of Puerto Rico's capital, where they're considered both a delight and a nuisance, will be removed over the coming year under a plan unveiled Tuesday by the National Park Service. The NPS says it will contract an...

Puerto Rico Just Made a Big Change to Its Driver's Licenses

The territory is adding 'USA' to make citizenship clear, curb discrimination against residents

(Newser) - Puerto Rican driver's licenses are getting three new letters to help educate other Americans, who are overwhelming unaware of their citizenship. The New York Times reports that licenses will now have "USA" right up top, a move that aims to deter practices on the mainland that deny Puerto...

Lee May Soon Become 'Extremely Dangerous'

Tropical storm is set to evolve into a Category 4 or 5 hurricane by the weekend in the Caribbean

(Newser) - At the moment, Lee is a mere tropical storm churning its way through the Atlantic. By later Wednesday, however, it could be upgraded to a hurricane, and by Friday, it's expected to transform into an "extremely dangerous" one, reports Axios . "There is high confidence that Lee will...

Félix Verdejo-Sánchez Guilty in Pregnant Woman's Death

Puerto Rico Olympic boxer drugged victim, threw her into lagoon

(Newser) - Félix Verdejo-Sánchez, a boxer who competed in the 2012 Olympics for Puerto Rico, has been convicted of federal charges in the 2021 death of a 27-year-old pregnant woman. The US attorney's office in the District of Puerto Rico announced that a federal jury found Verdejo-Sánchez guilty...

On Family Trip to Scatter Ashes, a Double Tragedy

Husband drowns trying to save wife; his dad drowns trying to save him

(Newser) - An unimaginable tragedy took place during a family's trip to Puerto Rico to scatter ashes, leaving the family to return home missing two members. While scattering his grandfather's ashes in the ocean, Damian Walker jumped into the water to save his wife when she was swept away by...

Someone Celebrated His Baseball Win a Little Too Hard

Mets closer Edwin Diaz may be out for season after hurting knee in World Baseball Classic celebration

(Newser) - New York Mets closer Edwin Diaz suffered a possibly season-ending injury Wednesday at a World Baseball Classic game, but it wasn't during the game itself. The Wall Street Journal reports that Diaz, 28, finished off the ninth inning during the international tournament in Miami for Puerto Rico's 5-2...

Woman Declared Dead Decades Ago Suddenly Turns Up

Patricia Kopta, who vanished from Pennsylvania in 1992, found in Puerto Rico nursing home at age 83

(Newser) - A Pennsylvania woman who went missing more than 30 years ago in a case that stumped authorities who later declared her legally dead has been found living in a nursing home in Puerto Rico. Patricia Kopta left behind a husband and siblings and meandered through northern Puerto Rico for a...

3 Mainland US Tourists Stabbed in Puerto Rico
3 Tourists Stabbed
in Puerto Rico

3 Tourists Stabbed in Puerto Rico

Police say visitors from mainland US had been told to stop filming in San Juan neighborhood

(Newser) - Three tourists from the US mainland were stabbed in Puerto Rico early Monday after someone told them to stop filming in a renowned seaside community known as La Perla that is popular with visitors, police said. The confrontation began when one of the tourists, who lives in South Carolina, began...

Miss Argentina Marries Miss Puerto Rico

Beauty queens Mariana Varela, Fabiola Valentin dated secretly before tying the knot Friday

(Newser) - Mariana Varela and Fabiola Valentin were rivals at the 2020 Miss Grand International competition, as representatives of Argentina and Puerto Rico, respectively. But the beauty queens remained close after finishing in the top 10. Very, very close . As the pair revealed Thursday, they've not only been secretly dating but...

Puerto Rico Will Be Rebuilt, Biden Promises on Visit

FEMA chief acknowledges issues 'in the previous administration'

(Newser) - President Biden promised to "rebuild it all" while visiting Puerto Rico on Monday, as tens of thousands of people remain without power two weeks after Hurricane Fiona struck and residents worry that Washington's dedication to their recovery could prove fleeting. "I'm committed to this island,"...

Biden Takes Another Emergency Step for Puerto Rico

Major disaster declaration unlocks federal funding to be administered through FEMA

(Newser) - Days after approving an emergency declaration as Hurricane Fiona whomped Puerto Rico , President Biden has now issued a major disaster declaration to help the island recover. Gov. Pedro Pierluisi thanked the president and the Federal Emergency Management Agency for the expedited declaration Wednesday, saying it ensures Puero Rico "will...

5 Years After Maria, Puerto Rico Faces Another Power Crisis

It's not clear when electricity will be restored after Hurricane Fiona, though government says not long

(Newser) - The damage to Puerto Rico after it was slammed over the weekend by Hurricane Fiona is said to be "catastrophic," with landslides, severe flooding, and power getting knocked out for all of the island's residents. The storm is set to continue to dump rain on the US...

After 'Catastrophic' Damage in Puerto Rico, Hurricane Fiona Isn't Done

'This is not over,' meteorologist warns

(Newser) - Hurricane Fiona bore down on the Dominican Republic on Monday after knocking out the power grid and unleashing floods and landslides in Puerto Rico, where the governor said the damage was “catastrophic." No deaths have been reported, but authorities in the US territory said it was too early...

All of Puerto Rico Loses Power
All of Puerto Rico Loses Power

All of Puerto Rico Loses Power

Hurricane Fiona has made landfall

(Newser) - The tropical storm became a hurricane Sunday, as winds and rain intensified and electricity was knocked out to all of Puerto Rico. Hurricane Fiona caused the power grid to fail, officials said, imposing a blackout on all 1.4 million customers. At the same time, the National Hurricane Center advised...

Puerto Rico Prepares for Landslides, Flooding

Forecasters expect tropical storm to become a hurricane

(Newser) - Tropical Storm Fiona was expected to become a hurricane as it neared Puerto Rico on Saturday, threatening to dump up to 20 inches of rain as people braced for potential landslides, severe flooding, and power outages. The storm previously battered various eastern Caribbean islands, with one death reported in the...

Book: Trump Wanted to Trade Puerto Rico for Greenland

Idea to purchase Danish territory wasn't actually his, according to reporters

(Newser) - In an interview for a new book, Donald Trump insisted the idea to buy Greenland from Denmark was all his. Looking at a map, the president wondered, "Why don't we have that?" Trump told husband-and-wife journalists Peter Baker of the New York Times and Susan Glasser of the...

Ricky Martin's Nephew Lobs Wild Accusation
Nephew
Withdraws
Claim Against
Ricky Martin
UPDATED

Nephew Withdraws Claim Against Ricky Martin

Case in Puerto Rico is dismissed in victory for the entertainer

(Newser) - Updated: A disturbing court case against Ricky Martin has been dismissed, reports People . The singer's nephew, who had accused Martin of sexual abuse, requested that his case be dismissed, and a judge in Puerto Rico agreed to the request. As a result, a restraining order issued against Martin also...

11 Dead, 31 Rescued After Helicopter Spots Capsized Boat

Boat loaded with suspected migrants overturned near Puerto Rico

(Newser) - A boat loaded with suspected migrants capsized north of an uninhabited island near Puerto Rico and 11 people had been confirmed dead while 20 men and 11 women were rescued Thursday, authorities said. It wasn't immediately clear how many people were aboard the boat when it turned over, said...

Supreme Court Shuts Puerto Ricans Out of Benefits

Majority notes federal income tax doesn't apply to the territory, either

(Newser) - The Supreme Court has upheld the differential treatment of residents of Puerto Rico, ruling that Congress was within its power to exclude them from a benefits program that's available in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The court held by an 8-1 vote Thursday that making Puerto...

Puerto Rico's 'Fragile' Grid Sees Major Blackout After Fire

More than 1 million customers are without power across the island

(Newser) - More than a million customers in Puerto Rico remained without electricity on Thursday after a fire at a main power plant caused the biggest blackout so far this year across the US territory, forcing it to cancel classes and shutter government offices. The blackout also left some 160,000 customers...

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