Best printers for Home

Best Mixer Grinder

Best wired Earphones

Best 43 Inch TV in India

Best Wi Fi Routers

Best Home Theatre in India

Smart Watch under 5000

Best Laptops for Education

Best Laptop for Students

<ul class="summary-list"><li>US Uber and Lyft drivers plan to protest on Valentine's Day over what they say is declining pay.</li><li>Drivers in roughly 20 cities are expected to participate. </li></ul>You might have a hard time finding a ride home from your <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fancy-date-night-slow-cooker-meals">Valentine's Day dinner</a>.That’s because some Uber and Lyft drivers across the country are planning not to drive on Wednesday to protest the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gig-economy-jobs-uber-lyft-driving-pay-tipping-doordash-instacart-2023-12">declining pay</a> they say they’ve experienced, in addition to concerns related to driver safety and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tips-for-avoiding-deactivation-or-firing-uber-doordash-lyft-2023-11">deactivations</a>.Organizers told Business Insider that drivers in roughly 20 cities, including San Francisco, Dallas, Chicago, Boston, Phoenix, Atlanta, Toronto, and Vancouver, British Columbia, planned to participate in the protest. Some drivers are planning not to work the entire day, while others will <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/uber-lyft-drivers-plan-airport-strike-cities-valentines-day-2024-2">hit pause for a few hours</a>."There has never been a global gig protest where drivers were unified around one cause," Torsten Kunert, a ride-hailing <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJBF1a25kUzTdcxbXs0j-XQ">YouTuber</a> who has helped organize the protest, told BI. "There have been many isolated protests by drivers in various cities over the last two years. This one is unique."Drivers gravitated toward Valentine's Day because there's typically high rider demand on the holiday. Organizers said it's difficult to estimate how many drivers would ultimately take part in the action. In Los Angeles, the driver-advocacy group <a target="_blank" href="https://www.drivers-united.org/">Rideshare Drivers United</a>, which has over 20,000 members across California, is organizing a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.drivers-united.org/2-14">gathering</a> outside Uber’s Greenlight Hub. Last Friday, the group conducted a two-hour phone bank to spread the word about the Valentine's Day protest. “We just see a lot of fares that are going way below what it costs us to drive,” Nicole Moore, a part-time Lyft driver and the president of Rideshare Drivers United, told BI. “There have been bubbling up actions all over the country.” <h2>Frustrated drivers have begun to take action </h2>Dissatisfaction among ride-hailing drivers has been on the rise. Over the past year, there have been isolated protests in US cities including <a target="_blank" href="https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/hundreds-of-rideshare-drivers-protest-near-san-diego-international-airport/">San Diego</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://nypost.com/2023/12/24/news/uber-lyft-drivers-stage-protest-at-hartsfield-jackson-atlanta-international-airport/">Atlanta</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://abc7chicago.com/chicago-shooting-uber-driver-killed-mohammed-al-hejoj-gig-alliance-protest/14184302/">Chicago</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://news3lv.com/news/local/uber-drivers-protest-uproar-over-lack-of-pay">Las Vegas</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.denverpost.com/2023/05/04/uber-lyft-drivers-protest-working-conditions-photos/">Denver</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.wdsu.com/article/standing-up-to-build-a-better-a-ride-share-foundation/44872698">New Orleans</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.dailynews.com/2023/05/04/uber-lyft-drivers-protest-low-wages-and-unsafe-work-conditions/">Los Angeles</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://sahanjournal.com/business-work/twin-cities-uber-lyft-drivers-strike-and-rally-at-airport/">Minneapolis</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/uber-lyft-drivers-in-miami-protest-for-better-wages/3024576/">Miami</a>, and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.wfla.com/news/hillsborough-county/uber-drivers-strike-during-taylor-swift-concert/">Tampa</a>, Florida.Protesters have used different tactics — including <a target="_blank" href="https://nypost.com/2023/12/24/news/uber-lyft-drivers-stage-protest-at-hartsfield-jackson-atlanta-international-airport/">gathering</a> around major airports during busy travel periods and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.wfla.com/news/hillsborough-county/uber-drivers-strike-during-taylor-swift-concert/">choosing</a> the day of a Taylor Swift concert — to make their absence felt. Most protests have centered on drivers’ complaints of declining pay. In recent months, several Uber and Lyft drivers have told BI that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-make-money-gig-worker-uber-lyft-doordash-delivery-driver-2023-12">ride-hailing</a> has become less profitable than it used to be. Many have blamed the rollout of “<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/uber-lets-drivers-see-earnings-before-accepting-trip-2022-7">up-front fares</a>” programs and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/uber-lyft-driving-rideshare-gig-economy-worker-arizona-virginia-pandemic-2024-1">high driver supply</a> for their reduced pay. They've also called for <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-much-uber-lyft-drivers-make-per-ride-2023-10">greater transparency</a> about how their pay is calculated.“The last four weekends, I made $21.50 per online hour before expenses in LA,” Sergio Avedian, a part-time Uber driver who's a senior contributor to the gig-driver-advocacy blog and YouTube channel <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/@Therideshareguy">The Rideshare Guy</a>, told BI. “Taking out my $6 per hour expenses, I might as well go flip burgers. I can make $20 an hour without risk.”An Uber spokesperson <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/uber-lyft-drivers-plan-airport-strike-cities-valentines-day-2024-2">told BI</a> that protests have typically had minimal impact on prices and driver availability — and that most drivers are satisfied with their pay.In an email to BI, Lyft wrote that it was working to improve the driver experience and pointed to new offers and commitments released in February, including a new minimum-earnings guarantee and an improved deactivation appeals process, that aim to increase driver pay and transparency.In February, Lyft said the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-much-lyft-drivers-make-uber-expenses-stock-gig-work-2024-2">typical US driver</a> earned roughly $23 per engaged hour after expenses. The company also announced it would begin <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/lyft-earnings-gig-driver-rider-payments-uber-hourly-pay-stock-2024-2">guaranteeing drivers</a> 70% of their weekly rider payments after external fees. In November, Uber said the typical US driver earned about $33 per engaged hour, not accounting for driving expenses.Calculating a driver's true earnings can be quite complicated. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-much-lyft-drivers-make-uber-expenses-stock-gig-work-2024-2">Engaged hours</a> are the time between when a ride is accepted and completed and don't include the time drivers spend relocating to a higher-demand area or filling up their gas tanks. Drivers also have to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/driving-for-uber-lyft-how-make-money-car-expenses-gas-2024-2">account for expenses</a> such as gas, maintenance, and vehicle depreciation — and estimate how much of these were tied to ride-hailing rather than their personal vehicle use. The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/uber-lyft-driving-retirement-social-security-taxes-gig-economy-drivers-2024-1">tax implications</a> of driving have to be factored in as well.Moore said the Valentine's Day protest could be the largest coordinated action since 2019, when protests took place in <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/uber-lyft-strike-drivers-explain-why-theyre-protesting-2019-5">several cities</a> in response to similar concerns regarding pay. <h2>Legislation could be the better path forward</h2>While Avedian supports the Valentine’s Day protest, he’s skeptical that it will have much of an impact. Relative to customer demand, he said, the ride-hailing drivers’ market is the “most oversupplied” it’s been in his eight years as a driver. That means plenty of drivers who aren't participating in the protest could be available to pick up riders. In November, Uber announced it had a <a target="_blank" href="https://s23.q4cdn.com/407969754/files/doc_earnings/2023/q3/transcript/Uber-Q3-23-Prepared-Remarks.pdf">record 6.5 million</a> active drivers and couriers.Avedian said pushing for new legislation was the best way for drivers to seek changes. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.vox.com/2018/12/5/18127208/new-york-uber-lyft-minimum-wage#:~:text=Starting%20in%20January%2C%20ride%2Dhailing,Via%20drivers%20in%20the%20city.">New York City</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://thehill.com/homenews/3256469-washington-passes-first-ever-state-law-creating-minimum-pay-for-ride-sharing-companies/#:~:text=Drivers%20operating%20in%20cities%20with,hailing%20workers%20in%20the%20city.">Seattle</a>, and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.uber.com/newsroom/prop-22-benefits/">California</a> have enacted minimum pay rates for drivers, and proposals are under consideration in <a target="_blank" href="https://www.axios.com/local/twin-cities/2024/02/07/minneapolis-minimum-pay-rates-uber-lyft-drivers">Minneapolis</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/2024/01/11/letters-uber-and-lyft-drivers-need-safety-protections-the-city-council-can-make-that-happen/">Chicago</a>, and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/uber-and-lyft-drivers-ask-state-for-better-benefits-and-minimum-wage-during-hearing-on-beacon-hill/">Massachusetts</a>.“What matters is that they'll bring attention that this is happening,” Avedian said of the protest. “And I don't think this is a one-and-done. I think this is going to happen a lot in 2024.”Are you a gig worker willing to share your story about pay, schedule, and tipping? Reach out to the reporter at <a target="_blank" href="mailto:jzinkula@insider.com">jzinkula@insider.com</a>.

Uber and Lyft drivers are staging a nationwide protest on Valentine's Day

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Massive protests have erupted in Israel over the government's failure to secure a hostage deal.</li><li>Public outrage followed the discovery of six hostages' bodies in Gaza over the weekend.</li></ul>Nearly 11 months have passed since the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/israel-gaza-tour-guides-pivot-october-7-tours-make-money-2024-6">October 7 Hamas terrorist attacks</a> on Israel that <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hamas-goal-october-7-attack-israel-gaza-war-2023-11">killed over 1,000 people</a> and resulted in 251 hostages being seized, triggering a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-military-aid-to-israel-since-october-7-gaza-bombs-2024-6">brutal retaliation against Gaza</a> that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians.Now, public sentiment in Israel appears to have reached a breaking point, with strikes across the country."It's a mix of grief and anger," Niv Keidar, who helped to block a major intercity highway in Tel Aviv on Sunday night, told Business Insider.He said the mood had resulted in hundreds of thousands of people taking to the streets all over Israel and making the demand: "There must be a deal that will bring back alive those people that are still possible to rescue."Sunday night saw the largest protests in Israel since the Hamas terror attacks, with many Israelis expressing anger at Prime Minister <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/biden-netanyahu-israel-hamas-war-ceasefire-plan-2024-6">Benjamin Netanyahu's government for failing to secure a hostage-ceasefire deal.</a>According to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/masses-protest-across-israel-in-flood-of-grief-anger-after-hamas-executes-6-hostages/">The Times of Israel</a>, some 280,000 gathered in Tel Aviv overnight. Large protests also took place in Jerusalem and Ra'anana.On Saturday, the Israel Defense Forces found <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/idf-recovers-bodies-6-hostages-gaza-us-citizen-2024-9">the bodies of six hostages</a> in an underground tunnel in Gaza.Israel said an <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/autopsy-finds-6-hostages-shot-multiple-times-at-close-range-in-last-48-72-hours/">autopsy showed that the hostages had been shot</a> at close range.A group representing the hostages' families criticized Netanyahu's government, claiming the hostages could still be alive if a deal had been reached.In <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/BringThemHome23/status/1830101720564658246?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1830101720564658246%7Ctwgr%5E91de83589ee8427249492a812119138820872494%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.timesofisrael.com%2Fliveblog_entry%2Fhostage-families-say-hostages-would-still-be-alive-if-it-werent-for-the-saboteurs-the-excuses-and-the-spin%2F">a post on X </a>on Sunday, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum said Netanyahu's government has failed to do what a government is expected to do — "return its sons and daughters home.""Netanyahu: Enough the excuses," it continued. "Enough with the spin. Enough of the procrastination! It is time to return our abductees home."The group called for a nationwide protest to demand the release of the remaining hostages — around 100 are believed to still be in Gaza, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.npr.org/2024/09/01/nx-s1-5097272/the-family-of-an-american-hostage-still-being-held-captive-by-hamas-speaks-out#:~:text=Around%20100%20hostages%20are%20still,now%20by%20Jonathan%20Dekel%2DChen.">according to Israeli authorities</a>, although it is unclear how many are alive.On Sunday, Israeli protesters blocked major roads and highways, while the country's largest labor union, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://img.mako.co.il/2024/09/01/histadrut040902.pdf?Partner=interlink">Histadrut</a>, called for a general strike.Arnon Bar-David, the head of Histadrut, which represents hundreds of thousands of workers, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/histadrut-labor-union-announces-nationwide-strike-over-failure-to-release-hostages/">said</a>: "We are getting body bags instead of a deal."The strike caused disruption to banks, schools, and transportation, and temporarily closed Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion International Airport on Monday.Hospitals were also functioning at a reduced capacity.Gili Roman, whose sister was kidnapped on October 7 but later released, and whose relative <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://img.mako.co.il/2024/09/01/histadrut040902.pdf?Partner=interlink">Carmel Gat</a> was found among the six bodies recovered by the IDF, participated in the protests.He told Business Insider he feels angry and concerned."We always need to remember that this anger is toward <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/open-criticism-hamas-building-gaza-israeli-offensive-continues-2024-7">Hamas</a> and their brutal tactics," he said.But he added: "Hamas is not our government, they're not accountable to us, and the people who are accountable to us should not be so disattached from the Israeli people, public opinion, and the world opinion that calls for a long time to prioritize human lives and the hostages."He said that Netanyahu and his cabinet were "prioritizing themselves and different military tactics and sacrificing civilians for this."

Israelis are fed up. After a night of protests, the country is going on strike, demanding a Gaza deal.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Some universities have gone hybrid or canceled graduation ceremonies amid pro-Palestinian protests.</li><li>During the Vietnam War, they did the same thing.</li></ul>April showers bring May flowers — and idyllic protest weather.Pro-Palestinian demonstrations have erupted at universities across the country in recent weeks, prompting <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/university-overreaction-pro-palestinian-protests-police-arrests-dissent-expert-2024-5">harsh responses</a> from some college administrators.The University of Southern California and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/columbia-cancels-university-wide-commencement-protests-israel-gaza-2024-5">Columbia University</a>, most notably, called in the police to clear protest camps. Police this week also took back a lecture hall occupied by pro-Palestinian protesters at the Univerity of California, Irvine.Some schools, including Columbia, canceled graduation and commencement ceremonies, citing security concerns.Ralph Young, an expert on American dissent, told Business Insider that it's not the first time colleges have made major scheduling adjustments to avoid a protesting crowd.While students nationwide protested the Vietnam War in the 1960s and 70s, colleges shut down their semesters prematurely — a decision that has impacted academic calendars to this day, Young said.The change came after the National Guard fired on student protesters at Ohio's Kent State University on May 4, 1970, killing four students and wounding others."One of the interesting things about Kent State is that after that happened, almost all the universities in the country closed down for the rest of the semester," Young said. "It used to be that college semesters usually ended in maybe the third week of June, and now they all end in early May."Before canceling its school-wide commencement ceremony, Columbia University also offered students <a target="_blank" href="https://provost.columbia.edu/news/guidelines-final-examsassessments-0">a virtual learning option</a> in late April. On Thursday, hundreds of faculty members passed a vote of no-confidence against university president Nemat Shafik, who previously authorized police to clear the student encampment on campus, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/16/nyregion/president-shafik-columbia-faculty-vote.html">The New York Times</a> reported."One of the thinkings behind closing the schools early back then was that May and June are good protest weather," Young said. "They're nice days and it'll get more people out and protesting, and that was one way to try to put a break on all that."

Colleges started ending academic years earlier in the 1970s to avoid 'protest weather'

New Delhi, The BJP on Friday accused the Aam Aadmi Party of peddling a bundle of lies on the issue of its leader Arvind <keyword id="19895701" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="kejriwal" source="keywords">Kejriwal</keyword>'s arrest, asserting that those who are corrupt will go to jail. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said politicians used to scratch each other's back to help each other while indulging in scams but this has changed in the last 10 years under the government headed by Prime Minister <keyword id="19895781" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="narendra-modi" source="keywords">Narendra Modi</keyword>. "Should he (Kejriwal) be let off because he is a chief minister and not a common man," he asked, alleging that the Delhi chief minister is a kingpin in the corruption case being probed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). With opposition parties, including the Congress, rallying to Kejriwal's defence and describing his arrest as part of the Union government's crackdown on their leaders, the BJP spokesperson said it is a case of thieves displaying brotherhood. He is the leader of the corrupt, Patra charged and added that <keyword id="19914482" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="aap" source="keywords">AAP</keyword> leaders have been peddling a bundle of lies on the matter. <keyword id="19935990" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sonia-gandhi" source="keywords">Sonia Gandhi</keyword> and <keyword id="19895780" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="rahul-gandhi" source="keywords">Rahul Gandhi</keyword> are also on bail in a corruption case, he said, adding mockingly that it is "bail bond" among them. They are also coming together as their ships are sinking, he said. Dismissing AAP leaders' allegation of political vendetta, Patra asked if people will believe courts or them and said every thief claims innocence when caught. With the AAP insisting that Kejriwal will remain chief minister, the BJP leader said it shows his greed for power and post while he and his colleagues rose in politics by claiming to disdain the very thing. As Delhi government minister Atishi questioned the arrest of a chief minister and expressed concern about his safety as he has 'Z plus' security, he hit back, saying it shows their sense of entitlement. She is saying how a CM can be arrested as he is not a common man, Patra said, noting that Kejriwal once named the likes of Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Lalu Prasad Yadav as corrupt and would ask when people will start going to the jail. The AAP leader then claimed he has entered politics to cleanse it but began living in a palace and moving around in a security cover, he said. "It is high time that people who are embroiled in corruption are arrested," Patra asserted. Patra also played a statement of Congress leader Ajay Maken in which the he had lashed out at Kejriwal for the alleged excise scam and accused him of using Rs 100 crore collected from it to harm the Congress in the Goa assembly polls in 2022. Even the Supreme Court has spoken about a money trail of over Rs 338 crore while denying bail to AAP leader <keyword id="19909124" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="manish-sisodia" source="keywords">Manish Sisodia</keyword> in the same case, he said. Following Kejriwal's arrest Thursday evening, the AAP had given a nationwide call for protest against the BJP. BJP leaders have called the protest a drama and "celebration of corruption".

Corrupt will go to jail: BJP on Kejriwal's arrest, AAP protest

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Joe Biden has tried to stake out a middle ground as protests spread across college campuses.</li><li>Polling shows that the protests are unpopular.</li></ul>As protests against Israel's war in Gaza have popped up on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nypd-columbia-university-students-protesters-hamilton-hall-arretsts-2024-4">college campuses</a> nationwide — at times devolving into chaos and violence — it's not surprising that President Joe Biden hasn't publicly embraced them.After denouncing some of the protests as being out-of-bounds on Thursday, Biden told reporters that the demonstrations haven't led him to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/biden-says-campus-protests-havent-made-him-reconsider-israel-policies-2024-5">reconsider his stance</a> on the war. That's not just because of his long-standing support for Israel, but because he has historically been skeptical of protest movements in general.Polling has shown that pro-Palestinian protests are unpopular in general, despite widespread concerns about Israel's conduct in the war. A recent <a target="_blank" href="https://pro.morningconsult.com/analysis/israel-palestine-hamas-war-colleges-polling-march-2024">Morning Consult</a> poll found that 47% of voters supported banning "pro-Palestinian demonstrations on campuses," versus 30% who were opposed and 23% who were unsure. Polling continues to show Biden running neck-and-neck with former President Donald Trump ahead of their November rematch, and the president and his campaign are likely trying to mitigate as much possible electoral damage as they can. It's also worth noting that the college-aged students taking part in these protests are part of a demographic that usually struggles to turn out on Election Day.Biden's weariness of the protests also fit within <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/joe-bidens-views-issues-abortion-afghanistan-education-race-police-crime-2022-9">his larger political identity.</a>The president is part of a generation of Democrats that viewed close ties to Israel as a bedrock part of American foreign policy. During the 2020 Democratic presidential primary, he also kept his distance from the progressive activists and lawmakers that now undergird much of the party's criticism of Israel.Compared to President Barack Obama, Biden was far more circumspect about criticizing Israel during its 2014 war, according to an NBC News report — and that conflict pales in comparison to the current one.Even Biden's roots come with a distance toward protest movements. Unlike other lawmakers of his generation, Biden largely stayed away from the Vietnam War protests that sparked upheaval on college campuses nationwide."I was in law school," Biden said of the Vietnam War protests, per The New York Times. "I wore sport coats."It remains to be seen whether Biden will pay the price at the ballot box for his positioning. He was already facing a growing electoral challenge from the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/uncommitted-democrats-biden-gaza-israel-trump-blame-michigan-2024-3">Uncommitted movement</a>, with progressives, young voters, and Arab and Muslim American voters withholding their support for Biden over his support for Israel.The race between Biden and Trump is so close that even the vocal minority of young voters staying home could be a big problem for the president.However, Americans traditionally don't peg their votes to foreign policy issues. Both historic and current polling shows voters are far more concerned about the economy.A recent<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://affiliate.insider.com?h=58da03d01c0ecac4f8440d04797ccd93e45ddc8d69ea91f0a7d7de1eef330666&amp;postID=6634eb1da7714381cef47892&amp;postSlug=biden-response-strategy-campus-protests-israel-polling-2024-5&amp;site=bi&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.scribd.com%2Fdocument%2F727317994%2FCbsnews-20240428-MI-SUN"> CBS News-YouGov poll</a> of Michigan likely voters found that of 10 potential issues, the war between Israel and Hamas was the least likely to be a major factor in which candidate a voter would support — the most important issues by far were the economy and inflation.Even among young voters, the trend remains the same. <a target="_blank" href="https://iop.harvard.edu/youth-poll/47th-edition-spring-2024#key-takeaway--id--1564">A Harvard Youth Poll</a> of 18-to-29-year-olds nationwide found that the war was far less important to voters than inflation or healthcare.

Biden isn't embracing campus protests. It's not just because he's staunchly pro-Israel.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>China has released a 10-point plan in yet another soft rollback of its zero-COVID restrictions.</li><li>A new memo outlined a key change: Individual households will be locked down instead of whole cities.</li></ul>China is releasing a 10-point plan that rolls back, with immediate effect, some aspects of the country's zero-COVID policy. On Wednesday, China's National Health Commission <a href="http://www.nhc.gov.cn/xcs/gzzcwj/202212/8278e7a7aee34e5bb378f0e0fc94e0f0.shtml" target="_blank" rel="noopener">released a memo outlining the main changes to its COVID-19 restrictions</a>, one of which involved having "scientifically and accurately" calculated lockdowns. The memo instructs all local governments to only quarantine high-risk "buildings, units, floors, and households," and not whole streets, townships, and cities.The memo further instructs local governments to not use temporary blockades — <a href="https://www.insider.com/daily-life-in-china-zero-covid-policy-lockdown-quarantine-protests-2022-11" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a common sight during lockdowns.</a>"It is strictly forbidden to block fire exits, unit doors, and community doors in various ways to ensure that the public's access to medical treatment and emergency escapes are unobstructed," the memo reads.Per the announcement, the Chinese government also intends to reduce the scope of mass COVID-19 testing. Antigen kits can now be used instead of <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-06-15/shanghai-to-mass-test-whole-city-every-weekend-up-to-end-of-july">having people line up en-masse to be swabbed</a>. As for its treating people who test positive for COVID-19, the government is rolling out a nationwide policy for home isolation. This means it's no longer mandatory for people to be taken to facilities for recovery, and those with asymptomatic infections and "mild cases" will be allowed to recover at home.Some of the Chinese government's other changes to the zero-COVID policy include instructions for pharmacies to remain open and not close down at will. Beijing also said it is committing to a renewed push to vaccinate as many elderly people as possible, in particular those over 80. <h2>A soft rollback</h2>These changes are a soft rollback in China's pandemic restrictions, Alfred Wu, an expert on China at Singapore's Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, told Insider. And while the relaxation of measures might be a departure from <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-11-11/these-are-the-20-measures-guiding-china-s-covid-easing-efforts">China's 20-point pandemic playbook released in November,</a> it's too soon to say if this marks the end of zero-COVID, Wu added."In comparison with the harshest iteration of the zero-COVID strategy, it is still a big step," Wu said. "But I would still consider this a soft rollback, considering Xi — China's most important person — has kept quiet so far about his plans." Wu added that the 20-point playbook and this 10-point tweak announced on Wednesday are all clear efforts by the Chinese government to reduce anger amongst the people. "The biggest change to one's daily life in China will likely be not having to do mass-testing," Wu said. "However, if cases were to spike after Chinese New Year, it is hard to say what will happen with the restrictions." <h2>China's policy changes come after protests erupted in every major city</h2><div type="image" title="Protesters took to the streets in multiple Chinese cities after a deadly apartment fire in Xinjiang province sparked a national outcry as many blamed COVID restrictions for the deaths." height="3323" width="4431" msid="96052535" hostid="261" sizebytes="645950"></div>China's zero-COVID policy adjustment comes after <a href="https://www.insider.com/rare-protests-erupt-across-china-over-covid-19-restrictions-2022-11" target="_blank" rel="noopener">thousands of demonstrators</a> took to the streets in every major Chinese city to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/protesters-in-china-are-trying-to-break-out-of-quarantine-2022-11" target="_blank" rel="noopener">protest government restrictions</a>. These protests, which <a href="https://www.insider.com/china-protests-covid-lockdown-explainer-stakes-2022-11" target="_blank" rel="noopener">swept cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, and Wuhan</a>, saw people holding up blank signs — <a href="https://www.insider.com/china-protests-covid-lockdown-explainer-stakes-2022-11" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a new anti-government symbol of dissent</a>— and clashing with the police. Two weeks later, the unrest <a href="https://www.insider.com/chinese-youth-lying-flat-wont-risk-lives-for-revolution-2022-12" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has largely died down</a> amid <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2022/11/29/china/china-protest-crackdown-intl-hnk/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a strong police presence</a> and Xi's <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/china-rolls-back-covid-restrictions-amid-rare-protests/a-63949123" target="_blank" rel="noopener">gradual removal</a> of pandemic restrictions. The anti-government demonstrations erupted after China refused to budge on its <a href="https://www.insider.com/what-is-chinas-zero-covid-policy-driving-mass-protests-2022-11" target="_blank" rel="noopener">zero-COVID strategy</a> and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/chinas-zero-covid-policies-anger-protestors-and-public-health-experts-2022-11" target="_blank" rel="noopener">failed to vaccinate older people</a> with <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-wont-use-western-covid-19-vaccines-protests-2022-11" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Western vaccines</a> during lockdowns, leaving them susceptible to serious illness. At the same time, Chinese cities <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/chinas-cities-running-out-cash-pay-huge-covid-lockdown-bills-2022-12" target="_blank" rel="noopener">struggled to pay the huge costs of having prolonged lockdowns</a>, and local governments across the country reported a budget deficit of more than $1.65 trillion between January and October, <a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2022/12/02/economy/china-zero-covid-sustainability-debt-woes-intl-hnk/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CNN</a> reported. With the changes in COVID policy, the health commission also appeared to tacitly acknowledge the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-covid-lockdown-protests-erupt-after-10-die-apartment-fire-2022-11" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tragic building fire in Urumqi, Xinjiang</a>, where 10 people died after being locked down in COVID quarantine, unable to escape their barricaded apartment complex. The fire in Xinjiang was one of the sparks that ignited the nationwide protests.

You Searched For "nationwide protest" and got 6 results

Uber and Lyft drivers are staging a nationwide protest on Valentine's Day

Jacob Zinkula

Israelis are fed up. After a night of protests, the country is going on strike, demanding a Gaza deal.

Joshua Nelken-Zitser

Colleges started ending academic years earlier in the 1970s to avoid 'protest weather'

Katie Balevic

Corrupt will go to jail: BJP on Kejriwal's arrest, AAP protest

PTI

Biden isn't embracing campus protests. It's not just because he's staunchly pro-Israel.

Brent D. Griffiths,Madison Ha…

China is making 10 changes to its zero-COVID policy in another rollback of the restrictions that sparked protests nationwide

Cheryl Teh

Popular Keywords

Buying Guides