V Day strike, Temu, and popular rom-coms.

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Big Stories

Ride-hailing driver stike on V Day

Ride-hailing and delivery workers in the US and the U.K. went on strike on Valentine's Day, demanding higher pay and better working conditions.

• In the US, Uber and Lyft drivers organized daylong strikes and midday demonstrations at airports in cities such as Chicago, Miami, and Austin. Meanwhile, U.K. delivery drivers for platforms like Uber Eats and Deliveroo refused deliveries between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. Uber said the strike didn’t hurt driver availability or customer demand.

• Uber and other companies that rely on contract workers say those workers appreciate the flexibility of the job. But many drivers want to unionize because it would give them the ability to negotiate compensation, safety measures, and other benefits. Courts have previously ruled that ride-hailing drivers can’t unionize because they aren’t actual employees of the companies.

• Advocacy groups like Justice for App Workers describe ride-hailing as a “mobile sweatshop” with some workers routinely putting in 60 to 80 hours per week. But ride-hailing companies argue they provide fair wages. Lyft recently introduced guaranteed minimum earnings and clearer fee structures while Uber said its US drivers make $33 per hour on average.

The US could release thousands of detained migrants to cut costs

Due to a severe budget crunch, a senior US immigration official announced plans to release between 4,000 and 6,000 migrants from detention.

• The failure of a $7.6 billion bipartisan border bill led ICE to consider cutting detentions from 38,000 to 22,000 to save money. If implemented, the proposal would see some migrants deported but many would be released into the US.

• The rejection of the border bill puts DHS's removal operations at risk and strains their already overworked staff. Without adequate funding, DHS might need to reprogram or pull resources from other efforts which will affect ICE's capacity to deport migrants.

• A CBS poll found that nearly half of Americans consider the situation at the border a crisis, with 63% wanting tougher policies. Under President Biden, more migrants have been held crossing the border illegally than under previous administrations. Of the 6.3 million total, about 2.4 million have been allowed into the US, mainly to await rulings from immigration courts.

What is Temu and should you order from it?

Temu, a Chinese-owned online discount marketplace, has rapidly expanded in the US and rocketed into the public eye after a series of catchy Super Bowl commercials.

• Temu offers super-cheap deals on clothing and home goods by skipping middlemen and delivering goods straight from Chinese manufacturers to US consumers. In less than a year, the company has created an online retail platform that makes 75% of the revenue that Target.com does.

• The company's use of an obscure US import tax law loophole allows it to ship packages directly to consumers, minimizing import fees and competition with other retailers. Temu is increasingly mentioned as one of the biggest threats to Amazon. However, it has been undercutting its competitor’s prices and absorbing the losses to win over customers, which will prove unsustainable if said customers aren’t repeat buyers.

• Temu has already been hit with a class action lawsuit for collecting user data and has faced criticism for counterfeit products, despite claims of anti-counterfeiting efforts. Some of its products are the same quality as other retailers, while others might have materials that wouldn’t pass US safety standards. Buy at your own risk.

Little Stories

• Ukraine's military claims to have sunk a large Russian landing ship in the Black Sea near occupied Crimea. The Ukraine Defense Ministry said it used six drones to attack the ship which was operating in Ukraine's territorial waters. Russia hasn’t confirmed the incident. (More)

• A shooting occurred just after the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl parade, resulting in one death and 10 to 15 injuries, according to the Kansas City Police Department. Police have two people in custody as part of the ongoing investigation. (More)

• Delta Air Lines is distributing $1.4 billion in profit-sharing to over 100,000 employees, more than double the previous year's amount. Each employee below mid-level management will receive about 10% of their annual salary, equivalent to over a month's pay. (More)

• Data from the retired NASA mission has enabled scientists to detect water on the surface of two asteroids. Researchers from the Southwest Research Institute utilized the data to distinguish between water and hydroxyl molecules on four silicate-rich asteroids, two of which had molecular water. (More)

• Israeli strikes in Lebanon killed seven civilians after Hezbollah rocket fire killed an Israeli soldier. A woman and two children in Souaneh, and at least four family members in Nabatieh, were among the casualties. Two Hezbollah fighters also died in the strike. (More)

Extra Credit

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