Roberto Viqueira Ríos was a marine biologist and director of the environmental organization Protectores de Cuencas. (Facebook via Departamento de Recursos Naturales y Ambientales) By THE STAR STAFF The Puerto Rico Department of Justice announced Wednesday that it will not appeal a Feb. 6 ruling issued by Judge Ángel Llavona Folguera, in which he acquitted a nurse who argued he killed his neighbor, Roberto Viqueira Ríos, in self-defense. The decision against appealing the Pueb

By THE STAR STAFF In response to the most recent cases of sexual exploitation of minors using social networks and online video game platforms, Rep. José Aponte Hernández on Wednesday called an emergency meeting with several agency heads, as well as personnel from the FBI. The purpose of the meeting is to evaluate the protocols for prevention, detection and intervention in cases of sexual approaches by adults to children through electronic means. Those cited would include Fami

Bad Bunny’s casting as the lead in the upcoming film “Porto Rico,” a historical epic centered on the island’s origins, follows his widely praised Super Bowl performance, which attracted more than 128 million viewers. (Doug Mills/The New York Times) By THE STAR STAFF Some 10 days after delivering an all‑Spanish Super Bowl halftime show celebrating his Puerto Rican heritage, global music star Bad Bunny has been cast in the lead role of the upcoming film “Porto Rico,” a historic

The home page of the new digital dashboard for the Puerto Rico Violent Deaths Reporting System. By THE STAR STAFF The Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics, in collaboration with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), announced on Tuesday the official launch of the digital platform for the Puerto Rico Violent Deaths Reporting System (PRVDRS). The new public and interactive tool facilitates transparent and timely access to data on violent deaths in Puerto Ric

Rep. Elinette González Aguayo, chairwoman of the Committee on Natural Resources in the Puerto Rico House of Representatives By THE STAR STAFF The Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (DNER) has endorsed House Bill 908, a measure that would impose fines of up to $5,000 on boaters who disregard official warnings during emergency conditions and continue operating recreational vessels or similar vehicles. During a public hearing Tuesday before the Committee on Natura

Gov. Jenniffer González Colón, seated at center left, said at a press conference that her housing secretary, who has faced a wave of scrutiny following allegations tied to a family‑owned vehicle inspection center in Yabucoa, “is doing an excellent job,” emphasizing that under Ciary Pérez Peña’s leadership the agency has safeguarded federal funding and strengthened oversight of key programs. By THE STAR STAFF Gov. Jenniffer González Colón on Tuesday reaffirmed her confidence i

Speaker of the Puerto Rico House of Representatives Carlos “Johnny” Méndez Nuñez By THE STAR STAFF Speaker of the Puerto Rico House of Representatives Carlos “Johnny” Méndez Nuñez, along with House Government Committee Chairman Víctor Parés Otero, announced on Tuesday that the Puerto Rico Energy Bureau (PREB) made a historic allocation of $1.2 billion in federal funds for the repair of streetlights. The announcement was made after the House speaker insisted that the largest a

Police stated that upon their arrival at Bravo Boston Beach in Vieques, a person had already been pulled from the water and was receiving medical attention from paramedics, who later confirmed the absence of vital signs. By THE STAR STAFF The Puerto Rico Police reported Tuesday that they were investigating a drowning incident reported Tuesday afternoon at Bravo Boston Beach in Vieques. According to authorities, a call to the 911 Emergency System alerted them to the situation,