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Puerto Rico, Saint Lucia and the Bahamas report their first cases of monkeypox.
2022-07-1

Citing safety concerns, the National Science Foundation announces that the 57-year-old Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico will be decommissioned. Earlier this month, a second cable supporting the 900-ton instrument platform snapped. The platform is suspended 450 feet (137 meters) above the fixed radio dish, which is 1,000 feet (305 meters) in diameter.
2020-11-19

Amid growing disillusionment with Puerto Rico's territorial status, Governor Wanda Vázquez Garced announces a referendum in November to decide whether Puerto Rico should be made a U.S. state.
2020-05-16

Hurricane Maria makes landfall on Puerto Rico as a Category 4 hurricane. Effects are disastrous and the entire island loses power. Seven deaths are reported on Puerto Rico, along with two on Guadeloupe. Puerto Rican Governor Ricardo Rosselló declares a 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. curfew through Saturday. [http:--www.nhc.noaa.gov-archive-2017-al15-al152017.public_a.017.shtml (NHC)] [https:--www.reuters.com-article-us-storm-maria-hurricane-maria-slams-puerto-rico-with-high-rains-storm-surge-idUSKCN1BT1RW (Reuters)] [https:--www.telegraph.co.uk-news-2017-09-20-hurricane-maria-path-latest-news-live-puerto-rico-virgin-islands- ("The Telegraph")] [https:--www.washingtonpost.com-news-post-nation-wp-2017-09-20-hurricane-maria-takes-aim-at-puerto-rico-with-force-not-seen-in-modern-history- ("The Washington Post")] [https:--www.nytimes.com-2017-09-20-us-hurricane-maria-puerto-rico.html ("The New York Times")]Now a Category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 110 mph, Maria is moving toward the northeastern coast of the Dominican Republic, and is forecast to affect the Turks and Caicos Islands and the southeastern Bahamas Thursday night and northern Haiti Friday. [http:--www.nhc.noaa.gov-text-refresh-MIATCPAT5+shtml-202038.shtml? (National Hurricane Center)]The National Hurricane Center predicts Puerto Rico's total rainfall through Saturday will be 20 – in inches with 35 in in isolated areas. The Virgin Islands will receive an additional 3 to in. [http:--www.nhc.noaa.gov-text-refresh-MIATCPAT5+shtml-210259.shtml? (National Hurricane Center²)] Hurricane Maria
2017-09-20

Hurricane Maria makes landfall on Puerto Rico as a Category 4 hurricane. Effects are disastrous and the entire island loses power. Seven deaths are reported on Puerto Rico, along with two on Guadeloupe. Puerto Rican Governor Ricardo Rosselló declares a 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. curfew through Saturday.
2017-09-20

The United States declares a public health emergency in Puerto Rico over an outbreak of the Zika virus which has infected nearly 11,000 people.
2016-08-12

Puerto Rico defaults on a $422 million debt payment. The Governor of Puerto Rico Alejandro García Padilla calls the situation a "humanitarian crisis". This is the third time Puerto Rico has defaulted on bond payments.
2016-05-2

Puerto Rico Governor Alejandro García Padilla says the Commonwealth will default on a $422 million bond payment due Monday. García Padilla says debt payments have been suspended in order to pay for essential services for the 3.5 million American citizens. Congress has been unable to pass a debt restructuring bill for Puerto Rico.
2016-05-1

Puerto Rican Governor Alejandro García Padilla announces he declared a state of emergency at the Commonwealth's Government Development Bank yesterday, which allows withdrawals only to fund necessary costs for health, public safety, and education services. Without this measure and debt restructuring, the United States territory would be forced to default as it faces nearly $2.5 billion in bond payments from May through July.
2016-04-9

Governor Alejandro García Padilla indicates Puerto Rico will default on bonds issued by the island’s Infrastructure Financing Authority and Public Finance Corporation.
2015-12-30