Dozens of Shia protesters ‘shot dead’ by Nigerian security forces, and Donald Trump & the Republicans launch racist campaign ad for midterm polls.
Google staff walk out in protest over inaction on sexual misconduct
Google staff around the world walked out of their offices in an unprecedented protest against the company’s casual approach to sexual misconduct, reports CNN.
From Tokyo and Singapore to London and Dublin, employees walked out of their offices Thursday, leaving a note on their desks that said, “I’m not at my desk because I’m walking out with other Googlers and contractors to protest sexual harassment, misconduct, lack of transparency, and a workplace culture that’s not working for everyone.”
The protest follows a recent expose by The New York Times, which revealed that male employees accused of sexual misconduct, including the ‘father of Android’ Andy Rubin, were not punished by the tech giant, and were often given fat severance packages if asked to leave.
The protesting employees are demanding changes in how the company handles complaints of sexual misconduct. The staff has also asked Google to address the gender pay gap within the company, and produce a sexual harassment transparency report.
Google CEO Sundar Pichai, in a statement issued Thursday, said the employees taking part in the walkout would have the support they needed, adding that the company was taking in all their feedback to turn their ideas into action.
Nigerian security forces ‘shoot dozens of peaceful Shia protesters’
Evidence collected by human rights organisation Amnesty International shows that as many as 45 supporters of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), a pro-Iran Shia group in Sunni-majority northern Nigeria, were shot dead by the country’s security forces over two days last and this week, reports The Guardian.
The victims were said to be peacefully protesting near Abuja against the imprisonment of their leader, Ibrahim Zakzaky, who has been in jail since 2015 over the alleged death of a soldier during another protest by the group. A raid reportedly carried out in retribution by the Nigerian army in 2015 killed hundreds of his supporters near Zakzaky’s home in Zaria.
According to Amnesty, soldiers deployed automatic weapons on the protesters in “a horrific use of force by soldiers and police”. At least six people were killed Saturday, with the toll reportedly rising to 39 Monday.
Defending the act, the Nigerian military said its troops were acting in self defence. Defence spokesman John Agim said, “They (the protesters) met the soldiers in the call of their duty and the soldiers tried to defend themselves.”
Osai Ojigho of Amnesty said, “It seems the Nigerian military are deliberately using tactics designed to kill when dealing with IMN gatherings. Many of these shootings clearly amount to extrajudicial executions.
Donald Trump launches racist poll advertisement before midterms
US President Donald Trump and the Republican party have come up with a new advertisement that has been labelled the most racially charged national political ad in 30 years, reports CNN.
The ad accuses Democrats of helping Central American “invaders” overrun the nation with cop killers. It comes as a caravan of Central American asylum-seekers makes its way towards the US border amid Trump’s insistence that they won’t be allowed in.
It is outrageous what the Democrats are doing to our Country. Vote Republican now! https://t.co/0pWiwCHGbh pic.twitter.com/2crea9HF7G
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 31, 2018
The video features Luis Bracamontes, a Mexican man convicted of killing two California policemen. Clips from his trial show Bracamontes saying, “I’m going to kill more cops soon.”
The ad is reminiscent of the Willie Horton ad financed by supporters of the George H.W. Bush campaign during the 1988 presidential election. African-American Horton is a convicted murderer who committed rape.
TV titans Trump and Oprah hit the campaign trail ahead of US midterm polls
Days before the US midterm elections, two titans of American television hit the campaign trail for their chosen candidates on two opposite ends of the ideological spectrum, reports Reuters.
While legendary talk show host Oprah Winfrey was seen campaigning in Georgia for Democrat Stacey Abrams, who aims to be the first black woman governor, while US President Donald Trump, a former reality TV star, appeared at a rally in Missouri for Josh Hawley, who is running for the Senate.
“I’m here today to support a change maker,” Winfrey told the crowd. “She is dynamic. She is so inspired and inspiring”, she added.
Meanwhile, Trump said of Hawley, “This election is a choice between Republican results and radical resistance.”