Google sacks 28 employees involved in protests over Israel govt contract
Tech giant Google has laid off 28 employees who were involved in sit-in protests at its offices over a Google contract with the Israeli government.
Google has indefinitely postponed even the digital-version of its largest annual conference, ‘Cloud Next’, amid the growing new cases of coronavirus pandemic.
The online event was set to take place in April in San Francisco.
Google had earlier planned to host the Google Cloud Next digitally titled as ‘Google Cloud Next ‘20: Digital Connect’. The company had promised “free, global, digital-first, multi-day event connecting attendees to Next ’20 content and each other through streamed keynotes, breakout sessions, interactive learning and digital ask an expert’ sessions with Google teams.”
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Now, the tech giant said it will be postponing the event indefinitely “out of concern for the health and safety of our customers, partners, employees and local communities, and based on recent decisions made by the federal and local governments regarding the coronavirus (COVID-19).”
The company says it is “fully committed to bringing Google Cloud Next ’20: Digital Connect to life, but will hold the event when the timing is right.”
The company has said it would refund attendees both the cost of tickets for the event and hotel stays.
According to The Verge, it appears the decision is related to “shelter in place” order instituted for the San Francisco Bay Area.
Previously Google cancelled its biggest tech event I/O developer conference in May owing to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
(With input from agencies)
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