Prince William has been asked to intervene in the case of a detained Manchester man during his upcoming official trip to Saudi Arabia, while in Hong Kong, the leader celebrated the sentencing of a pro-democracy campaigner, and border closures continue to paralyze trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan. These events, alongside internal company discussions at Salesforce and Palantir regarding their work with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), highlight a complex landscape of international relations, human rights concerns, and corporate responsibility.
Amnesty International has written to Prince William, requesting he raise the case of Ahmed al-Doush, a Manchester man detained in Saudi Arabia, during his first official visit to the country, according to Sky News. Al-Doush, a father of four and senior banking analyst for Bank of America, was reportedly returning from a holiday when he was detained.
In Hong Kong, the city's leader, John Lee, celebrated the 20-year jail sentence given to British pro-democracy campaigner Jimmy Lai, as reported by Sky News. Lee stated that the media tycoon had "poisoned" the city, and his comments came in the face of criticism from Western nations, including the UK. Simultaneously, China released a white paper outlining plans to further enhance a national security law that has been used to suppress free speech and dissent.
Meanwhile, employees at Salesforce are circulating an internal letter urging CEO Marc Benioff to denounce recent actions by ICE, prohibit the use of Salesforce software by immigration agents, and support federal legislation that would reform the agency, as reported by Wired. The letter specifically cites the recent killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis as catalysts.
Palantir employees have also been seeking answers regarding the company's work with ICE. Palantir CEO Alex Karp recorded a nearly hour-long video conversation about the company's involvement with ICE, which was shared with employees, according to Wired. The video was prompted by internal conversations and calls from employees seeking to understand the company's stance.
Finally, the border closures between Pakistan and Afghanistan continue to disrupt trade along a key route, according to NPR Politics. The Torkham border has been closed for more than three months, leaving truck drivers stranded and impacting trade.
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