New York: Employees of the tech giant Google staged sit-in protests at the company’s New York and Sunnyvale, California offices, lasting for over nine hours and resulting in their subsequent arrest.

The demonstrators asserted that they would not disperse until Google terminates its involvement in a $1.2 billion artificial intelligence and surveillance contract with Israel, along with Amazon.

Taking over the office of Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian in California, the protesters occupied the space for more than eight hours.

In a 'notech4apartheid' video, an individual informed the employees of their placement on administrative leave, urging them to vacate voluntarily. However, the protesters declined, leading to their arrest by law enforcement.

Google staff members have consistently voiced opposition to project “Nimbus,” with Palestinian employees highlighting what they perceive as "institutionalized bias" within the company.

Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes targeted the Maghazi refugee camp in central Gaza, resulting in the deaths of eleven individuals, including children, as part of the ongoing bombardment of the Palestinian territory.

Reports indicate that since October 7, Israeli attacks on Gaza have resulted in the deaths of at least 33,843 Palestinians, with 76,575 others sustaining injuries.

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Gorakhpur (UP) (PTI): A newly married man fled with the Rs 15 lakh given to him as dowry by the bride's family, and it came to light later that he was an alleged serial scammer, police said on Sunday.

The accused, identified as Pritam Kumar Nishad from Etawah, allegedly posed as an IAS officer to deceive the woman into marrying him. He is currently absconding with his sister, and a case has been filed against him for cheating, dowry harassment, and forgery, officials said.

According to the police, the woman's family claimed that they spent nearly Rs 30 lakh for the wedding that was solemnised on March 11.

The match was arranged through a matrimonial group, where the accused introduced himself as an IAS officer, sharing purported interview clips, office visuals, and photographs with politicians to gain the family's trust.

Despite initially claiming he would marry without dowry, the accused allegedly demanded Rs 15 lakh shortly before the engagement. The bride's family paid Rs 10 lakh in cash during the engagement and the remaining Rs 5 lakh on the wedding day, the police said.

The fraud came to light on Saturday after the woman reached Etawah, and a wedding attendee informed the family that the accused was not a civil servant. When her relatives visited the address provided by him, they found her in a small rented room, while the accused and his sister had fled, the police added.

The woman has also alleged that the accused planned to take her to Goa and sell her, and accused him of inappropriate behaviour.

The police suspect that the accused may have been involved in multiple such marriages in the past. Based on a complaint lodged at the cantonment police station, an FIR was registered on Saturday evening.

Senior Superintendent of Police Dr Kaustubh said efforts are underway to arrest the accused.