PUERTO RICO

"The pain is unthinkable," Edgar Garay's brother said.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — (AP) — Jamaica’s prime minister said his government is willing to send soldiers and police officers to Haiti as part of a proposed multinational security assistance deployment. The U.N. Security Council has mulled the request but taken no action, opting instead to issue sanctions on people including Jimmy Chérizier, a dominant gang leader and former police officer blamed for masterminding multiple massacres. Meanwhile, Holness said Jamaica is ready to offer bilateral support if needed. Haiti was stripped of all democratically elected institutions when the terms of the remaining 10 senators expired in early January. Prime Minister Ariel Henry has promised to hold general elections for more than a year, but a provisional electoral council has yet to be chosen, which some critics say has led to a de-facto dictatorship.

A 5.0 magnitude earthquake has struck just south of the Dominican Republic and jolted people from their beds

A 27-year-old Indiana man died in Puerto Rico over the weekend after he fell 70 feet off a coastal cliff while trying to film a video for social media outlet TikTok.

Also charged is Christian Emmanuel Sanon, an elderly pastor, doctor and failed businessman that authorities have identified as a key player. The fourth suspect was identified as Colombian citizen Germán Rivera García, who is among nearly two dozen former Colombian soldiers charged in the case. A total of seven suspects in the case are now in U.S. custody. A day before the killing, Solages falsely told other suspects that it was a CIA operation and that the mission was to kill the president, according to the documents. About a year after the killing, U.S. authorities say they interviewed Solages, Vincent and Rivera while they were in Haitian custody and that they agreed to talk.

SALINAS, Puerto Rico — (AP) — Shuttered windows are a permanent fixture in Salinas, an industrial town on Puerto Rico’s southeast coast that is considered one of the U.S. territory’s most contaminated regions. Six of the top 10 municipalities in that category are in Puerto Rico’s southern region, with Salinas ranked sixth, according to data obtained from the EPA’s Toxics Release Inventory. Salinas also has one of the highest incidence rates of cancer in Puerto Rico, with 140 cases reported in 2019, the newest figures available from the island's Central Registry of Cancer. Overall, styrene and ethylene oxide, a carcinogenic gas, are the top two chemicals released into the air and water in Salinas, officials say. That has been hailed by many in Puerto Rico, which has one of the highest asthma rates in a U.S. jurisdiction and whose power generation system is 97% based on fossil fuels.

Puerto Rico’s southeast coast has long been considered one of the U.S. territory’s most contaminated regions

Puerto Rico’s southeast coast has long been considered one of the U.S. territory’s most contaminated regions.

Bolt also said he has fired his business manager, adding that it was not an amicable split. He told the Jamaica Observer newspaper that the public should anticipate the “expected and the unexpected” in the case. Earlier on Friday, Bolt spoke at a sponsored luncheon for an upcoming relay and referred to the alleged fraud. The company contacted authorities earlier this month to alert them that a manager had apparently committed fraud. Earlier this week, Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness announced that his administration would not bail out the company.

Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt told reporters Friday that he is baffled over how $12.7 million of his money has gone missing from a local private investment firm that authorities are investigating as part of a massive fraud that began more than a decade ago. When asked if he was “broke,” the retired star athlete laughed. Bolt’s attorneys have said the athlete’s account with Kingston-based Stocks and Securities Limited dwindled from nearly $12.8 million to some $12,000.

About half of American marriages unite people born in the same state. But in some places, the marriage market is even more insular.

Clarke said clients were given false statements regarding their balances as part of the alleged fraud. Jamaica’s Financial Services Commission began investigating after the company alerted authorities this month that a manager had apparently committed fraud. “Despite this most unfortunate development, Jamaica’s financial sector remains strong.”The company has not returned emailed requests from The Associated Press seeking comment. “They will unearth exactly how funds were allegedly stolen, who benefitted from such theft and who organized and collaborated in this,” he said. Clarke said the government also will seek forfeiture of any assets that might have been bought with the alleged stolen funds.

U.N. Secretary General António Guterres is insisting on the deployment of an international specialized armed force to Haiti and calling on governments to consider halting deportations as the country’s situation spirals

Government officials vowed to ramp up from 3% to 40% renewable energy by 2025, and 60% by 2040. Amid the threat of powerful hurricanes, Puerto Rico has suffered from chronic power outages blamed on a disintegrating power grid following decades of neglect and lack of maintenance. A senior official at the U.S. Department of Energy said the $1 billion approved by U.S. Congress in December to help restore Puerto Rico’s grid is not sufficient. "The urgency has only grown after Hurricane Fiona…wreaked so much havoc," said Granholm, who is expected to visit Puerto Rico this month. This year, scientists expect to study the possibility of using marine, hydropower and pumped storage hydropower as additional sources of renewable energy, among other things.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — (AP) — The U.S. Coast Guard has detained a boat carrying 396 Haitian migrants near the Bahamas in one of the biggest human smuggling incidents in the region, Bahamian officials said. The migrants were detained close to the far-flung Cay Sal island located between Florida and Cuba, immigration officials in the Bahamas said in a statement Sunday. They said the migrants will be processed on the Bahamian island of Inagua and later repatriated. Nicole Groll, a U.S. Coast Guard spokeswoman, told The Associated Press on Monday that the interdiction happened Saturday afternoon and involved a 50-foot boat. The voyages are often deadly, with migrants crowding into makeshift vessels that have capsized in recent months.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — (AP) — The U.S. Coast Guard has detained a boat carrying 396 Haitian migrants near the Bahamas in one of the biggest human smuggling incidents in the region, Bahamian officials said. The migrants were detained close to the far-flung Cay Sal island located between Florida and Cuba, immigration officials in the Bahamas said in a statement Sunday. They said the migrants will be processed on the Bahamian island of Inagua and later repatriated. A U.S. Coast Guard spokeswoman said she did not have information on the incident. The voyages are often deadly, with migrants crowding into makeshift vessels that have capsized in recent months.

Officials say the U.S. Coast Guard has detained a boat carrying 396 Haitian migrants near the Bahamas in one of the biggest human smuggling incidents in the region

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — (AP) — Solar panels should be installed at airports, brownfields or industrial areas since there's not enough available land for large-scale installation of wind generators, the preliminary results of a U.S. government study aimed at helping Puerto Rico shift to clean energy said Monday. Amid the threat of powerful hurricanes, Puerto Rico has suffered from constant power outages blamed on a disintegrating power grid. Hurricane Maria razed Puerto Rico's power grid in September 2017 when it struck the island as a Category 4 storm and Hurricane Fiona battered it when it hit in September last year as a Category 1 storm. A senior official at the U.S. Department of Energy said the $1 billion approved by U.S. Congress in December to help restore Puerto Rico's grid is not sufficient. U.S. President Joe Biden had sought $3 billion, and federal lawmakers had requested $5 billion for solar rooftop panels and storage installations.

The U.S. has released the results of an ongoing study to help Puerto Rico shift to clean energy amid the threat of powerful hurricanes and constant power outages blamed on a disintegrating power grid

A U.S. government study aimed at helping Puerto Rico shift to clean energy has found there’s not enough available land for large-scale solar farms and installation of wind generators.

FOX Bet has released World Baseball Classic odds, and MLB betting analyst Edward Egros offers up his three best futures bets to make now.

Attorney Linton P. Gordon provided The Associated Press with a copy of a letter sent to Stocks & Securities Limited demanding that the money be returned. Gordon said Bolt’s account once had $12.8 million but now reflects a balance of only $12,000. Stocks & Securities Limited did not immediately respond to a request for comment. On its website, the company asked that clients direct all urgent queries to Jamaica's Financial Services Commission, which is investigating the firm. The company has said that it discovered the fraud earlier this month and that several of its clients may be missing millions of dollars.

A magnitude 6.2 earthquake has struck near the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe and was felt as far away as Puerto Rico

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — (AP) — Nearly two hours after meeting behind closed doors, the governing board of Puerto Rico’s power company emerged Thursday to briefly announce it was approving a plan to privatize electric generation in the U.S. territory. Critics like Torres also oppose the contract given the problems that arose after Puerto Rico’s power company privatized the transmission and distribution of electricity on the island nearly two years ago. Board president Fernando Gil said only that the contract is for 10 years and can be revised in the fifth year. The contract was previously approved by Puerto Rico’s Public-Private Partnerships Authority on Sunday in a unanimous vote, including by members who represent the public’s interest. Puerto Rico’s power grid has long been unstable given a lack of maintenance and investment, but it was crushed after Hurricane Maria hit the island as a Category 4 storm in 2017.

The governing board of Puerto Rico’s power company says it has approved a plan to privatize electric generation in the U.S. territory after meeting for nearly two hours behind closed doors.

Two suspected drug traffickers have been killed and four have been arrested following a shootout with U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents off Puerto Rico, officials say.

Authorities in Puerto Rico say two suspected drug traffickers have been killed in a shootout with federal agents off the U.S. territory’s northeast coast

The Cayman Islands says it will start culling feral cats to help save a dwindling colony of brown booby birds

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — (AP) — Lizards that once dwelled in forests but now slink around urban areas have genetically morphed to survive life in the city, researchers have found. As urbanization intensifies around the world, it's important to understand how organisms adapt and humans can design cities in ways that support all species, Winchell said. Winchell said the lizards’ physical differences appeared to be mirrored at the genomic level. The changes in these lizards, whose lifespans are roughly 7 years, can occur very quickly, within 30 to 80 generations, enabling them to escape from predators and survive in urban areas, Winchell added. The scientists chased after dozens of lizards for their study, catching them with their hands or using fishing poles with a tiny lasso to snag them.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — (AP) — Lizards that once dwelled in forests but now slink around urban areas have genetically morphed to survive life in the city, researchers have found. As urbanization intensifies around the world, it's important to understand how organisms adapt and humans can design cities in ways that support all species, Winchell said. Winchell said the lizards’ physical differences appeared to be mirrored at the genomic level. The changes in these lizards, whose lifespans are roughly 7 years, can occur very quickly, within 30 to 80 generations, enabling them to escape from predators and survive in urban areas, Winchell added. The scientists chased after dozens of lizards for their study, catching them with their hands or using fishing poles with a tiny lasso to snag them.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — (AP) — Authorities in Puerto Rico arrested Randy Ortiz Acevedo of the popular reggaeton duo Jowell & Randy on domestic violence charges after a judge on Monday ruled there was sufficient evidence against the singer. Ortiz, who is not required to enter a plea yet, was detained on a $15,000 bond, prosecutor Anthony Oyola told reporters. Oyola said the charges stem from a Jan. 7 incident but declined to provide further details given that it's a domestic violence case. He added only that Ortiz's mother testified on behalf of the singer before he was charged. Jowell & Randy are considered reggaeton pioneers that began their careers 20 years ago.

But they also asserted that even in the 1990s, scientists had not established links between chlordecone and illnesses in people. “How dare they write such a historical and scientific untruth,” Christophe Lèguevaques, an attorney involved in the case, said in a statement issued Thursday. The French government estimates that more than 90% of adults were exposed to chlordecone on both islands, whose combined populations total some 750,000 inhabitants. Other French research links chlordecone exposure to preterm births. Meanwhile, officials continue testing the islanders for free to detect possible traces of chlordecone in their blood.

Five years after Hurricane Maria, PRoTechos, a local nonprofit, helps repair damaged roofs the government overlooked or that were fixed poorly. It also trains people to make future repairs themselves.

Not all destinations require U.S. tourists to carry a passport. Here are 6 places to travel without a passport.

Valentina Valldejuli and her partner live in Hato Rey, the financial district in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

A 23-year-old man was arrested in Puerto Rico after being accused of murdering his brother in Polk County on Christmas Eve, according to the sheriff's office.

Team USA is the early favorite on FOX Bet to win the 2023 World Baseball Classic, but other talented teams loom not far behind. Get your first look at the tournament odds here!

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Orlando Health just announced plans to build a new emergency room in east Orange County. Read: Orlando Health adds new hospital in Puerto Rico, helps improve health careThis is where a Harley Davidson dealership was located before it was closed. Read: ‘No room for error’: Team of 11 Orlando Health doctors perform back-to-back surgeries on mom, babyOfficials released a rendering of what the new emergency room should look like. Watch: Three generations of women work together at Orlando Health hospital in OcoeeOrlando Health said it picked this area, because of the rapid growth seen in east Orange County. Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.

NEW YORK — A Massachusetts man was convicted on Tuesday for his role in trafficking 4 tons of cocaine from Puerto Rico to at least four continental U.S. states by concealing the narcotics in hollowed-out furniture. Massachusetts man convicted of trafficking four tons of cocaine hidden inside furniturehttps://t.co/Bt9MbM2VNv pic.twitter.com/saTjrzWbd3 — US Attorney SDNY (@SDNYnews) December 20, 2022Prosecutors alleged that the drug trafficking organization sent approximately 27 shipments of cargo from Puerto Rico to the U.S. The shipments were manifested as furniture, but the individual pieces were hollowed out to conceal 100-kilogram quantities of cocaine. “The unanimous jury verdict holds Abel Montilla accountable for his role in a widespread cocaine trafficking organization that flooded the streets with four tons of cocaine,” U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said in a statement. “Montilla was a coordinator of the drug trafficking organization who traveled around the country to manage the delivery of the organization’s cocaine-filled furniture.

A man arrested in Puerto Rico is now awaiting extradition back to Orange County to face charges in a deadly shooting, according to the sheriff's office.

The U.S. Coast Guard reported 34 Haitians abandoned by smugglers on a Puerto Rico cliff were rescued by crews on cutter Heriberto Hernandez, which is homeported in San Juan.

“It is crucial to me that any proposal in Congress to decolonize Puerto Rico be informed and led by Puerto Ricans,” said Rep. Raúl Grijalva, D-Ariz., chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, which oversees affairs in U.S. territories. The proposal would commit Congress to accept Puerto Rico into the United States as the 51st state if voters on the island approved it. “For far too long, the people of Puerto Rico have been excluded from the full promise of American democracy and self-determination that our nation has always championed,” the Maryland Democrat said. Puerto Rico Gov. ___Coto reported from San Juan, Puerto Rico.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The people of Puerto Rico are one step closer to deciding whether the island should be a state. The House of Representatives passed the “Puerto Rico Status Act” on Thursday. If it passes through the Senate, Puerto Ricans will get to vote on statehood next November. Read: ‘It changed my life’: School supports students who fled Puerto Rico after Hurricane MariaThose against the bill took issue with the fact that giving Puerto Ricans the choice to stay a territory wasn’t an option. Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico Jeniffer Gonzalez-Colon said after residents feeling like second-class citizens, the island deserves to be a state.

The House passed a bill that would allow Puerto Ricans to decide their future governing status, a long-sought goal on the island territory.

The proposal would commit Congress to accept Puerto Rico into the United States as the 51st state if voters on the island approved it.

“It is crucial to me that any proposal in Congress to decolonize Puerto Rico be informed and led by Puerto Ricans,” said Rep. Raúl Grijalva, D-Ariz., chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, which oversees affairs in U.S. territories. The proposal would commit Congress to accept Puerto Rico into the United States as the 51st state if voters on the island approved it. Puerto Rico Gov. “Many of us are not in agreement about how that future should be, but we all accept that the decision should belong to the people of Puerto Rico,” she said. ___Coto reported from San Juan, Puerto Rico.

The U.S. House has passed a bill that would allow Puerto Rico to hold the first-ever binding referendum on whether to become a state or gain some sort of independence.

The U.S. House passed a bill Thursday that would allow Puerto Rico to hold the first-ever binding referendum on whether to become a state or gain some sort of independence, in a last-ditch effort that stands little chance of passing the Senate. “It is crucial to me that any proposal in Congress to decolonize Puerto Rico be informed and led by Puerto Ricans,” said Rep. Raúl Grijalva, D-Ariz., chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, which oversees affairs in U.S. territories. The proposal would commit Congress to accept Puerto Rico into the United States as the 51st state if voters on the island approved it.

House Democrats are making a late push to give Puerto Rico the option of ending its political status as a U.S. territory, with just days left before the year's end.

The U.S. Coast Guard says it has rescued 34 Haitian migrants abandoned by smugglers on an uninhabited island near Puerto Rico

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — (AP) — A top court in Barbados has struck down colonial-era laws that criminalize gay sex, becoming the third nation in the conservative Caribbean region to do so this year. While the laws were rarely invoked, they signal that LGBTQ people are criminal and lesser citizens, Braun said. Earlier this year, Caribbean courts have found such laws in Antigua & Barbuda and St. Kitts and Nevis unconstitutional. The Barbados High Court issued only an oral ruling saying it found such laws unconstitutional, and won’t release a written judgment detailing its reasons until late January. “The dismantling of these laws is the first major step, but not the last step.”Copyright 2022 The Associated Press.

Orlando Health has built a brand-new hospital in Puerto Rico, which is still trying to rebuild after recent hurricanes. Doctors’ Center Hospital Orlando Health in Dorado, Puerto Rico has started a new chapter for health care in Puerto Rico. “We’re committed to making health care better in Puerto Rico,” said Dr. Luis Herrera of Orlando Health. With the Puerto Rico location, Orlando Health plans to provide interconnected health care to the thousands who travel between Orlando and Puerto Rico constantly. Orlando Health and Doctors’ Center Hospital have agreed to partner on four additional hospitals on the island: San Juan, Bayamón, Doctors’ Center Hospital Manati and Carolina Puerto Rico.

Dominica’s Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit is expected to remain leader of the eastern Caribbean island after snap general elections that the main opposition party and its supporters boycotted

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — About 30 businesses from Puerto Rico are in Central Florida now to attract investors to expand as part of Expo Puerto Rico. It marks the expo’s first time in Central Florida since Hurricane Maria. Pedro Pierluisi opened this year’s expo for businesses, excited for what he calls a homecoming of sorts. READ: 40% chance that Central Atlantic system could develop into subtropical cycloneMonday marks the educational portion for businesses, centered around panel discussions. READ: Florida couple murdered over HOA dispute, sheriff saysVideo: 40% chance that Central Atlantic system could develop into subtropical cyclone There’s a 40% chance that a system in the Central Atlantic could develop into a subtropical cyclone.

The Atlantic hurricane season has ended with 14 named storms, but residents of Florida and Puerto Rico will continue to deal with damage caused by Hurricanes Ian, Nicole and Fiona.

MIAMI — (AP) — An Atlantic hurricane season with 14 named storms officially ended Wednesday, though residents of Florida and Puerto Rico will continue to deal with damage caused by Hurricanes Ian, Nicole and Fiona. The 2022 period had an unusually calm first half but made up for that with the three destructive hurricanes in the second half, ending with an average number of named storms. An average hurricane season has 14 named storms, seven hurricanes and three major hurricanes, forecasters said. Since 1950, only 1997 and 1961 had no named storms in August. With 150-mph (241-kmh) maximum sustained winds, Hurricane Ian tied for the fifth-strongest hurricane ever to make landfall in the U.S., officials said.

Anthony Steven Lobos-Ruiz was sentenced to 33 month in prison after admitting to his involvement in assaulting a transgender woman Puerto Rico.

A developing late season area in the tropics could become a subtropical or tropical storm in the next couple of days.

An attorney for Harvey Weinstein repeatedly challenged a woman over why she didn’t raise more objections or leave the hotel room in Puerto Rico where she said he sexually assaulted her during a 2003 film shoot.

The Tropics are stirring once again.

The Environmental Protection Agency says it has reached a settlement with United Parcel Service to resolve violations of hazardous waste regulations at more than 1,100 facilities across 45 states and Puerto Rico.

Puerto Rico's agriculture minister says Hurricane Fiona destroyed $159 million worth of crops in Puerto Rico when it hit a month ago, decimating fields of plantains, bananas and other crops.

The National Science Foundation has announced it will not rebuild a renowned radio telescope in Puerto Rico, which was one of the world’s largest until it collapsed nearly two years ago.

President Joe Biden promises to “rebuild it all” after visiting Puerto Rico on Monday to survey damage from Hurricane Fiona, as tens of thousands of people remain without power two weeks after the storm hit.

The Bidens will tour Puerto Rico on Monday and Florida on Wednesday.

Canada has advanced to its first World Cup semifinals since 1986 as Kia Nurse scored 17 points in a 79-60 win over Puerto Rico.

Puerto Rico’s governor requested that the U.S. government waive a federal law to allow for more fuel shipments to the island amid concerns over a dwindling supply of diesel in the wake of Hurricane Fiona.

Ezi Magbegor had 16 points and five blocks to help Australia beat Canada 75-72 in the women’s World Cup.

Officials are fanning out across Puerto Rico to gauge the damage inflicted by Hurricane Fiona.

Nirra Fields scored 17 points and Shay Colley added 11 to help Canada beat France 59-45 in the women’s basketball World Cup.

A growing number of businesses including grocery stores and gas stations are temporarily closing across Puerto Rico as power outages caused by Hurricane Fiona drag on in the U.S. territory, sparking concern about the availability of fuel and basic goods.

Thousands of Puerto Ricans continue to struggle after Hurricane Fiona hit the island earlier this week.

Lauren Jackson had one basket in her first game for Australia in 12 years as the Opals lost to France 70-57 on the opening day of the women's World Cup.

Osceola County residents are lending a helping hand for the victims of Hurricane Fiona.

While thousands remain without power in Puerto Rico, residents in Central Florida are getting results for those in need after Hurricane Fiona.

The impact of hurricane Fiona on Puerto Rico left most of the island without power and thousands of damaged homes, buildings and overflowed rivers.

A relief drive at a Kissimmee church will collect items to send to Puerto Rico after Hurricane Fiona left the island without power.

Long-range computer models suggest a tropical wave could end up in the Gulf.

Hurricane Fiona is blasting the Turks and Caicos Islands as a Category 3 storm after devastating Puerto Rico, where most people remain without electricity or running water.

The festival, which will feature performances by hit songwriters across different downtown St. Augustine venues, runs from Friday, Sept. 23 to Sunday, Sept. 25.

Less than 24 hours after Hurricane Fiona hit Puerto Rico, local faith leaders and organizations are gathering together resources to help.

Keep up with the latest on the tropics.

A 21-year-old man is dead following a rollover crash in Orange County, according to Florida High Patrol.

Meteorologist Jonathan Kegges discusses the threats Puerto Rico faces in its latest hurricane.

Local organizations and faith leaders are on standby here in Central Florida to help the people of Puerto Rico impacted by Hurricane Fiona.

Nearly five years have passed since Hurricane Maria struck Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory of 3.2 million people.

Time to track the Tropics!

All eyes are on the projected path of Tropical Storm Fiona.

More rain will saturate Central Florida.

Get the latest info on the tropics.

News 6 traffic safety expert Trooper Steve Montiero answers viewer questions about the rules of the road every week, helping Central Florida residents become better drivers by being better educated.

With Earl now post-tropical in the North Atlantic, the Atlantic Basin remains quiet.

Kennedy Space Center announced the expansion of its Educator Study Pass Program that would give teachers complimentary admission to the visitor complex.

Former Puerto Rico Gov. Wanda Vázquez has been arrested on bribery charges related to the financing of her 2020 campaign, the latest hit to an island with a long history of corruption that brought fresh political upheaval to the U.S. territory.

The Environmental Protection Agency is warning residents who live near medical sterilizing plants in 13 states and Puerto Rico about potential health risks from emissions of ethylene oxide, a chemical widely used in their operations.

Authorities say at least five Haitian migrants have drowned and 68 others have been rescued after a suspected human smuggling boat dropped the group off in waters near an uninhabited island west of Puerto Rico.

World Cup qualifying resumes Thursday for USA Basketball.

Haitians are fleeing in greater numbers to the neighboring Dominican Republic, where they step onto rickety wooden boats as they attempt to reach Puerto Rico — a trip in which 11 Haitian women drowned this week, with dozens of other migrants believed missing.

Coast Guard rescue crews sprang into action to rescue passengers of a capsized vessel near Desecheo Island in Puerto Rico, according to the agency.