Cataño Mayor Julio Alicea Vasallo By THE STAR STAFF Cataño Mayor Julio Alicea Vasallo died on Thursday after battling a diagnosis of myelofibrosis -- a rare type of bone marrow cancer -- over the past few months, municipal press spokesperson Elliot Rivera confirmed. “With deep sorrow, and at a time of grief for my family, I inform our fellow residents of the passing of the mayor of Cataño, Julio Alicea Vasallo, who led our beloved town since December 2021 with fortitude, comm

By THE STAR STAFF The Public‑Private Partnerships Authority (P3A) and the Office of the Energy Czar announced Thursday that they have referred allegations involving the Power Expectations temporary generation contract to the Puerto Rico Department of Justice and to federal authorities for independent review. According to the agencies, the referral concerns questions about the legitimacy of the signature used to execute the June 10, 2026 contract between the Puerto Rico Electr

By THE STAR STAFF Extreme drought continued to expand across Puerto Rico over the past week and now covers 17% of the territory -- primarily in the island’s southern and eastern sectors -- according to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor update, with data valid as of Tuesday, Aug. 11. The new report reflects a further deterioration in drought conditions, with 72.2% of Puerto Rico falling into categories ranging from moderate to extreme drought. Of Puerto Rico’s territory, 36.9% i

The United States outblocked Puerto Rico 11-1 en route to a straight-sets win at the Men’s Pan American Cup in Mexico. By THE STAR STAFF The Puerto Rican men’s national volleyball team fell 3-0 (21-25, 24-26, 18-25) to the United States at the 2026 Men’s Pan American Cup in Morelos, Mexico on Tuesday. At the Poliforum 2 of the Autonomous University of the State of Morelos, the U.S. secured its second victory of the tournament, improving its Group A record to 2-0, while Puerto

Kamila Colón Ayala, center, gets encouragement from her Puerto Rico teammate Arianna Pantojas Padilla as Carinialys Kuilan Román looks on during their match against the Dominican Republic at the FIVB U17 World Championship in Los Andes, Chile on Tuesday. The Dominican Republic won, 3-1. By THE STAR STAFF Puerto Rico had its moments, but the Dominican Republic prevailed 3-1 (25-23, 25-12, 18-25, 25-17) at the Liceo Mixto in Los Andes, Chile during Group D play Tuesday at the F

Kiandraliz Vega of Bravas of Cidra was selected as the best defensive second baseman of the 2026 Women’s Premier Softball League season. (LPSF) By THE STAR STAFF The Women’s Premier Softball League (LPSF by its initials in Spanish) announced this week the nine players comprising the 2026 Defensive All-Star Team, an honor recognizing the best defensive players at each position during the regular season. The 2026 Defensive All-Star Team consists of Amanda Campos (catcher, Junco

A Brown Sugar Bakery employee dips ice cream in chocolate to make ice cream bars, before storing them in a freezer, at the bakery’s production facility in Chicago on Aug. 7, 2026. The bakery lost 500 ice cream bars when a storm knocked out power in June 2026. (Jamie Kelter Davis/The New York Times) By LYDIA DePILLIS In early June, the power went out at Stephanie Hart’s bakery on Chicago’s South Side, during an intense storm and a suffocating heat wave. Five hundred ice cream

President Donald Trump, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and other U.S. officials attend a dignified transfer for soldiers killed amid the conflict with Iran at an air base in Jordan, at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, July 22, 2026. The Iranian strikes that killed three U.S. soldiers in Jordan show how quickly Iran’s war-fighting skills have evolved, as the Pentagon runs low on interceptors. (Kenny Holston/The New York Times) By ERIC SCHMITT and HELENE COOPER During five int

First responders and volunteers search for survivors in a collapsed building after Monday’s earthquake in Cali, Colombia, on Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026. The 7.4-magnitude quake, which killed more than 100 people and damaged hundreds of buildings, was the strongest recorded in Colombia in a decade. (Federico Rios/The New York Times) By GENEVIEVE GLATSKY and JULIE TURKEWITZ The crowd chanted her name: “Diana! Diana!” As search and rescue efforts continued the day after a deadly ear