Puerto Rico to lock down Sundays, close marinas for holidays

Puerto Rico’s governor on Thursday announced stricter measures to fight COVID-19, including a lockdown on Sundays and the closure of all marinas as the U.S. territory grapples with an increase in cases and deaths.

Gov. Wanda Vázquez also tightened an ongoing curfew, with businesses now ordered closed at 8:30 p.m. and no one allowed on streets from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. except for essential workers and those delivering food until 11 p.m.

Only gas stations, pharmacies and hardware stores will be allowed to open on Sundays, though restaurants can offer delivery or carry-out. In addition, alcohol sales will be banned from Saturdays at 5 a.m. until Mondays at 5 a.m.

The new measures run from Dec. 7 to Jan. 7, the height of the island’s holiday and tourism season. Beaches also will remain closed except to those doing exercise.

“We have to pause to save the lives of our old people mainly,” Vázquez said after she read the names and ages of those reported dead on Thursday.

The governor warned that if the number of cases and deaths keep increasing, she would implement a total lockdown, but she did not approve other recommendations from independent health experts, including opening beaches under certain requirements and closing commercial businesses and allowing them only to sell online.

The island of 3.2 million people has more than 52,000 confirmed cases, more than 41,600 probable ones and more than 1,150 deaths. More than 100 people are connected to an artificial respirator, the highest number since the pandemic began. November also was the month with the highest number of deaths, with at least one major hospital at capacity.

“This is not acceptable for any government the values life,” she said.

Health Secretary Lorenzo González said more than 500 new cases are being reported daily, adding that the new measures are needed because health care workers are exhausted and the island’s health system heavily burdened.

“We need to give them a breather,” he said.

Officials have said they expect the first of some 1 million vaccines ordered to arrive in mid-December, with health care workers and certain public employees taking priority.

LONDON (AP) — The British government said Sunday that it will unveil plans this week to create a new national police force, dubbed the “British FBI," to take charge on complex investigations such as counterterrorism, fraud, online child abuse and criminal gangs.

The National Police Service will bring under the same umbrella the work of existing agencies dealing with terrorism and crime, police helicopters and policing of the roads, and regional organized crime units in England and Wales.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the new body will lift the burden on the 43 local police forces in England and Wales, helping them focus solely on day-to-day crimes within their jurisdictions.

“Some local forces lack the skills or resources they need to fight complex modern crime such as fraud, online child abuse or organized criminal gangs," she said.

Mahmood said the current model was “built for a different century” and that the new body will attract “world-class talent” as well as helping to keep a lid on costs by moving procurement to one national force.

She said the full proposals will be unveiled to Parliament on Monday. Other changes expected include slashing the number of police forces in England and Wales and changes to how police officers are recruited and managed.

The prospect of change was widely welcomed within police circles, with London's Metropolitan Police, which takes the lead on counterterrorism, welcoming the creation of a single national service.

FILE - Police officers patrol the King's Cross train station, in London, Monday, Nov. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung, File)

FILE - Britain's Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood departs 10 Downing Street in London, Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, File)