Google Workers Protest ICE Ties; Sudan Drone Attack Kills

Google Employees Demand ICE Divestment, While Other Global Events Unfold

In a week marked by international developments, Google employees are calling for their company to sever ties with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), while other events include a deadly drone attack in Sudan, business protests in Malawi, a diplomatic shift in China, and the opening of consulates in Greenland.

Nearly 900 Google employees demanded greater transparency regarding the company's technology use within the U.S. government, specifically concerning its contracts with federal agencies providing cloud services and links to immigration enforcement, according to BBC Business. An employee of seven years expressed their concern, finding it "mind-boggling" that Google was maintaining these ties.

Meanwhile, in Sudan, a drone attack by a paramilitary group resulted in the deaths of at least 24 people, including eight children, as reported by The Guardian. The attack targeted a vehicle carrying displaced families in central Sudan, according to a doctors group.

In Malawi, thousands of businesses closed in protest over new tax changes, as reported by The Guardian. Demonstrations across the country's four main cities led to a delay in the implementation of the new tax regime, which business owners feared would cripple their livelihoods.

In a sign of potential diplomatic thaw, China overturned the death sentence of Canadian Robert Lloyd Schellenberg, who was detained on drug charges in 2014, according to The Guardian. This move comes as Prime Minister Mark Carney seeks to boost trade ties with Beijing.

Finally, Canada and France opened consulates in Greenland, demonstrating support for Denmark and the Arctic island after U.S. efforts to secure control of the territory, as reported by The Guardian. The opening of these diplomatic outposts in Nuuk follows a hardening of opposition to the U.S. in Western Europe.