Adrian Florido

Puerto Rico is in the middle of its second major blackout in less than a week, and Puerto Ricans are getting fed up.

The power outage was caused by heavy machinery that was being used to remove a collapsed transmission tower. Power is expected to be restored over the next day and a half.

A single tree plunged more than half of the island's population into darkness. It was a humbling reminder for some that power restoration is not yet complete in more remote parts of the island.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development is granting $18.5 billion to the Puerto Rico hurricane recovery effort. It's the largest disaster recovery grant the agency has ever given.

Puerto Rico's governor had been locked in tense negotiations with the U.S. Treasury over terms governing $4.7 billion in loans that Congress approved to help the island recover from Hurricane Maria.

Six months after Hurricane Maria devastated this island commonwealth, many families are unable to get crucial federal repair grants because they've been unable to prove they own their homes.

It's been six months since Hurricane Maria blasted Puerto Rico. One of the top reasons FEMA is denying people grants to repair their houses is that many can't prove they own their properties.

As of this week, many Puerto Ricans have been without power for six months. They've been waiting not since Hurricane Maria, but since Hurricane Irma, which struck two weeks earlier.

The island's government wants overhaul education, including by introducing charter schools and closing some public schools But critics say they're using Hurricane Maria damage as an excuse.

Many Mexicans deal with heartbreak by listening to rancheras, traditional songs from Mexico's countryside. One young woman found a connection to her ancestors through the sounds of guitars and tears.