An emperor penguin on Antarctica’s Ross Sea ice shelf, Jan. 16, 2011. Populations of emperor penguins are declining as climate change causes the sea ice the birds need for survival to retreat, according to researchers. (Andy Isaacson/The New York Times) By RACHEL NUWER Emperor penguins, the world’s largest and perhaps most recognizable penguin species, have joined the list of wildlife endangered by global warming, the International Union for Conservation of Nature announced

By THE STAR STAFF A new regional study by Mastercard and Payments and Commerce Market Intelligence (PCMI) highlights a strong trend of merchants and small businesses across Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean increasingly accepting digital payments. The report illustrates how the shift helps merchants reach more customers, operate more efficiently and support stronger local economies. As commerce becomes more digital, connected and data-driven, the acceptance infrastruc

Banesco USA headquarters in Miami. Banesco USA has launched BanescoSelect, a new premium banking tier, in Puerto Rico. (banescousa.com) By THE STAR STAFF Banesco USA has launched BanescoSelect, a new premium banking tier, in Puerto Rico, expanding a service it says has been successful in South Florida and international markets. The Florida-based bank described the offering as a more customized option for individuals, families and businesses seeking relationship-driven service

Gabriel Lower at the Derecha Fest, a large right-wing gathering, in Mar del Plata, Argentina, Jan. 27, 2026. Argentina’s right-wing president, Javier Milei, has tamed the country’s runaway inflation. Now he wants to transform its values. (Sarah Pabst/The New York Times) By EMMA BUBOLA Draped in a yellow cape and black mask, Javier Milei stepped onto a Buenos Aires stage as a makeshift superhero. Brandishing a salvaged scepter and wearing kitchen gloves, he announced his missi

By AMELIA NIERENBERG The International Criminal Court ruled on Thursday that the trial of Rodrigo Duterte, the former president of the Philippines, on charges of crimes against humanity could proceed. The case would be a milestone for the country, where there has been little legal reckoning for Duterte’s deadly crackdown against drug dealers and users. Rights groups say that roughly 30,000 people were killed during the crackdown, many of them gunned down by police officers, h

People pass near a mural of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s late supreme leader, in Tehran, Iran, on Thursday, April 23, 2026. President Trump said Thursday that he had ordered the U.S. Navy to “shoot and kill any boat” that is laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz, as the Pentagon announced that U.S. forces had boarded another sanctioned tanker that was carrying oil from Iran. (Arash Khamooshi/The New York Times) By LUKE BROADWATER, ERIC SCHMITT, EUAN WARD and MAX BEARAK Presi

U.S. stocks fell in choppy trading on Thursday as hopes dimmed for a quick end ​to the Iran war, while investors grappled with a mixed bag of earnings reports as concerns resurfaced about AI-driven disruption across the software sector. Equities had been holding near unchanged ‌after Iran tightened control over the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran released footage of its commandos storming a huge cargo ship they claimed to have seized, while demanding the U.S. lift its naval blockade

By PEGGY ANN BLISS Special to The STAR Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi first presented his “Requiem” on May 22, 1874, the first anniversary of the death of his idol, novelist and patriot Alessandro Manzoni, symbol of Italian unification. In fact, Italy’s greatest opera composer was so devastated at the departure of his country’s national hero that he was unable to go to the funeral. The work is a monument to the memory of Italy’s unification by that country’s greatest opera c

Puerto Rican tenor Rafael Dávila (rafael-davila.com) By PEGGY ANN BLISS Special to The STAR For opera fans, Giuseppe Verdi’s “Messa da Requiem” is a pathway to heaven via the miracle of the human voice. For the faithful, this 150-year-old masterpiece memorializing an Italian national hero is one of the greatest paeans ever created. For the living? For every vision, from every seat, the presentation cannot fail to have an impact. The show will take place on Sunday at 4 p.m. in

Por: Lcda. María E. Jacobo, Directora Ejecutiva En el corazón de Caguas, el Pavia Caguas Surgical Center continúa evolucionando para ofrecer a la comunidad una atención médica integral, donde la innovación quirúrgica se combina con servicios de apoyo esenciales que garantizan seguridad y respuesta inmediata. En un momento histórico donde la salud exige rapidez, precisión y humanidad, nuestro centro reafirma su compromiso con un modelo de cuidado accesible y confiable para tod