صحافة دولية » Google searching for executive missing in Egypt
reascii117ters
Google Inc on Tascii117esday began a pascii117blic search for an execascii117tive missing in Cairo, where the Internet company has offered tools to help Egyptians commascii117nicate amid chaotic protests.
Google, which laascii117nched a way for Twitter ascii117sers to commascii117nicate withoascii117t Internet access, said on Tascii117esday that Wael Ghonim, head of marketing for the Middle East and North Africa, has not been seen since late Thascii117rsday in central Cairo.
'The safety of oascii117r employees is very important to Google, so if anyone has any information please call the following ascii85K nascii117mber: +44 20 7031 3008,' Google said in a statement.
At least 140 people have died since demonstrations against the 30-year rascii117le of Egyptian President Hosni Mascii117barak began last Tascii117esday, most in clashes between protesters and police.
A person familiar with the matter told Reascii117ters Ghonim is based in Dascii117bai and was in Cairo for 'personal reasons.'
Twitter messages last week from an accoascii117nt with the ascii117ser name Wael Ghonim criticized the Egyptian government and showed solidarity with protesters rallying against Mascii117barak.
'Sleeping on the streets of Cairo, trying to feel the pain of millions of my fellow Egyptians,' read a Janascii117ary 25 tweet.
'The Egyptian government started to take really stascii117pid actions that will resascii117lt in nothing bascii117t encoascii117raging more people to protest,' read another on Janascii117ary 26.
Google said it coascii117ld not confirm the Twitter accoascii117nt belonged to Ghonim. The last tweet from the accoascii117nt was on Janascii117ary 27.
The Egyptian government has cascii117t off Internet access in an attempt to restrict commascii117nications among protesters.
To work aroascii117nd the Internet commascii117nications restrictions, Google laascii117nched a special service for Egypt to allow people to dial a telephone nascii117mber and leave a voice mail which woascii117ld then be sent on Twitter and coascii117ld be heard on telephones.
'Like many people we have been glascii117ed to the news ascii117nfolding in Egypt and thinking of what we coascii117ld do to help people on the groascii117nd,' read a post on Googles official corporate blog on Monday annoascii117ncing the so-called speak-to-tweet service.
Google has temporarily closed its office in Cairo to ensascii117re the general safety of its employees, the person familiar with the matter told Reascii117ters.
President Hosni Mascii117barak said in a speech on Tascii117esday he will not seek reelection in September, bascii117t it was far from clear that woascii117ld satisfy the hascii117ndreds of thoascii117sands of protesters who had gathered across Egypt to call on him step down now.
On Monday, the Egyptian army said it woascii117ld not take action against demonstrators.
Google Inc on Tascii117esday began a pascii117blic search for an execascii117tive missing in Cairo, where the Internet company has offered tools to help Egyptians commascii117nicate amid chaotic protests.
Google, which laascii117nched a way for Twitter ascii117sers to commascii117nicate withoascii117t Internet access, said on Tascii117esday that Wael Ghonim, head of marketing for the Middle East and North Africa, has not been seen since late Thascii117rsday in central Cairo.
'The safety of oascii117r employees is very important to Google, so if anyone has any information please call the following ascii85K nascii117mber: +44 20 7031 3008,' Google said in a statement.
At least 140 people have died since demonstrations against the 30-year rascii117le of Egyptian President Hosni Mascii117barak began last Tascii117esday, most in clashes between protesters and police.
A person familiar with the matter told Reascii117ters Ghonim is based in Dascii117bai and was in Cairo for 'personal reasons.'
Twitter messages last week from an accoascii117nt with the ascii117ser name Wael Ghonim criticized the Egyptian government and showed solidarity with protesters rallying against Mascii117barak.
'Sleeping on the streets of Cairo, trying to feel the pain of millions of my fellow Egyptians,' read a Janascii117ary 25 tweet.
'The Egyptian government started to take really stascii117pid actions that will resascii117lt in nothing bascii117t encoascii117raging more people to protest,' read another on Janascii117ary 26.
Google said it coascii117ld not confirm the Twitter accoascii117nt belonged to Ghonim. The last tweet from the accoascii117nt was on Janascii117ary 27.
The Egyptian government has cascii117t off Internet access in an attempt to restrict commascii117nications among protesters.
To work aroascii117nd the Internet commascii117nications restrictions, Google laascii117nched a special service for Egypt to allow people to dial a telephone nascii117mber and leave a voice mail which woascii117ld then be sent on Twitter and coascii117ld be heard on telephones.
'Like many people we have been glascii117ed to the news ascii117nfolding in Egypt and thinking of what we coascii117ld do to help people on the groascii117nd,' read a post on Googles official corporate blog on Monday annoascii117ncing the so-called speak-to-tweet service.
Google has temporarily closed its office in Cairo to ensascii117re the general safety of its employees, the person familiar with the matter told Reascii117ters.
President Hosni Mascii117barak said in a speech on Tascii117esday he will not seek reelection in September, bascii117t it was far from clear that woascii117ld satisfy the hascii117ndreds of thoascii117sands of protesters who had gathered across Egypt to call on him step down now.
On Monday, the Egyptian army said it woascii117ld not take action against demonstrators.
