May 14 Watch 9:17 Beyond debt default and Zika, Puerto Rico struggles as trash piles up By Ivette Feliciano, Melanie Saltzman As Puerto Rico’s government grapples with an economic crisis, a Zika outbreak, and widespread landfill closures, another disaster is brewing -- trash on the island. Whenever it rains, several feet of black, contaminated water and trash flood the homes of… Continue watching
May 12 Watch 7:46 Its economy in shambles, Puerto Rico also stares down the Zika virus By PBS News Hour As if a crumbling economy and crippling debt weren’t enough to handle, Puerto Rico is also in the throes of a new looming crisis: the mosquito-borne Zika virus is gaining ground. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control predicts an astounding… Continue watching
May 06 Watch 8:24 Puerto Rican economic disaster leaves residents struggling By PBS News Hour For years, the Puerto Rican economy has been in decline, and the U.S. territory is now on the brink of disaster, with $72 billion of overall debt and an unemployment rate twice that of the mainland. As the island’s government… Continue watching
Apr 29 U.S. records first Zika death; Congress breaks without decision on emergency funds By Nsikan Akpan The United States has reported its first Zika-related death in Puerto Rico. The Zika virus also was spotted in tiger mosquitoes, a species with a broad range in the U.S. Continue reading
Apr 25 Attack ads complicate Congress' efforts to help Puerto Rico avoid default By Mary Clare Jalonick, Associated Press WASHINGTON — Debt-ridden Puerto Rico faces a $422 million bond payment deadline Sunday with no sign Congress will act in time to help. Continue reading
Apr 19 Congress unlikely to act on Puerto Rico ahead of deadline By Erica Werner, Associated Press Congress seems increasingly unlikely to take action to help Puerto Rico ahead of a May 1 deadline for the commonwealth to default on a nearly half-billion-dollar debt payment. Continue reading
Apr 14 Puerto Rico faces defaults as Congress stalls on way to help By Mary Clare Jalonick, Associated Press WASHINGTON — Puerto Rico is facing a deadline for a multimillion-dollar bond payment next month as House Republicans struggle to find a way to help the island deal with its $70 billion debt. Continue reading
Apr 06 White House to transfer $589M of Ebola funds to combat Zika virus By Andrew Taylor, Associated Press Congressional officials say the Obama administration has decided to transfer leftover money from the largely successful fight against Ebola to combat the growing threat of the Zika virus. Continue reading
Mar 29 Democrats reject GOP plan for Puerto Rico control board By Mary Clare Jalonick, Associated Press House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi says a Republican plan to create an oversight board for Puerto Rico would exert "undue and undemocratic control" over the U.S. territory. Continue reading
Mar 20 CDC issues travel advisory as Zika virus spreads to Cuba By Michael D. Regan Cuban health officials so far confirmed five instances of people infected with the virus, with an additional 130 people showing symptoms. Continue reading