International

US government cuts internet costs for low-income families

AFP

The United States government has reached agreements with 20 major telecom companies to cut costs or raise internet broadband speeds for tens of millions of eligible households, the White House announced Monday.

The “Affordable Connectivity Programme” (ACP) requires internet service providers who have signed up to give eligible households “high-speed, high-quality internet plans” for no more than 30 US dollars per month, the administration said in a statement.

“Lowering prices — including the cost of high-speed internet service — is President (Joe) Biden’s top priority,” said the statement, which added that the new program was part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed by Congress last year.

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Households are eligible for the program if their income is below twice the US federal poverty level, or if they already qualify for certain other federal poverty alleviation programs such as Medicaid or nutritional assistance.

The federal poverty level for a family of four in 2022 is $27,750 per year.

The Biden administration estimates more than 48 million households will qualify for the program, with more than 11.5 million households already signed up, the statement said.

Additionally, eligible households can receive a discount of up to 30 dollars per month on any internet service plan offered by a participating provider, with households on Native American tribal lands eligible for discounts of up to 75 dollars per month.

Several major US telecom companies were among those to sign up to offer services through the new program, including Comcast, AT&T, Spectrum, Verizon and Cox Communications.

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“We have been working on digital equity issues for over a decade and believe this new program offers even more support to achieve those goals,” said David N. Watson, chief executive and president of Comcast Cable, in a statement.

International

President Boric announces curfew following triple police homicide in Chile

Chile offers residency and Chilean nationality to Nicaraguan opponents

Chilean President Gabriel Boric has implemented a nighttime curfew in three municipalities of the Biobío region following the murder of three police officers. The Chilean leader emphasized that “criminals will answer to Chile and its justice system.”

In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Boric stated that he made the decision “after discussing with the General Director of the Carabineros, the Chiefs of Staff of the Armed Forces, the Head of National Defense, and the Chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, having also considered various alternatives and taking into account the needs of the ongoing investigation.”

He further detailed that “I have instructed to decree a curfew in the municipalities of Cañete, Contulmo, and Tirúa from midnight to 7:00 AM. Additionally, police and military presence will be intensified to our utmost capacity with joint patrols in the area.”

International

President López Obrador meets with Astros and Rockies ahead of Mexico City Series

Last Friday, before the 2024 Mexico City Series between the Astros and Rockies at Alfredo Harp Helú Stadium in Mexico City, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador met with representatives from both teams.

Through his social media, the President shared his interaction with executives from the Houston and Colorado teams, as well as with Astros’ Mexican pitcher, José Urquidy.

“Yesterday (Friday), before starting the tour, I had breakfast with executives and friends from the Houston Astros and the Colorado Rockies. There’s increasingly more baseball fever in our country,” López Obrador wrote.

The photos also featured former Mexican major leaguers Vinicio “Vinny” Castilla and Jorge de la Rosa, both of whom played for the Colorado team.

On Saturday night, the Houston Astros won the first game in the “capital inferno,” home of the Mexico City Red Devils, with a commanding score of 12 to 4.

This Sunday, the second game of the series will take place at AHH, with both teams arriving in Mexico on a losing streak. Another great Major League celebration is anticipated at the “fire diamond.”

International

Social media star Om Fahad fatally shot in Baghdad

An Iraqi TikToker, previously sentenced to prison last year for posting content deemed “indecent” on social media, was fatally shot in Baghdad on Friday, according to two security officials.

Om Fahad, who had tens of thousands of followers on TikTok and Instagram, gained fame for her videos featuring her in tight outfits dancing to Iraqi music, in a country that is predominantly conservative and patriarchal.

The young woman was shot by an assailant on a motorcycle while she was in her vehicle outside her home in central Baghdad, two security officials reported anonymously to AFP.

In February 2023, a court initially sentenced Om Fahad to six months in jail for “publishing various videos with indecent intentions that violate modesty and public morals.”