An Ignoble Experiment: The 7: What to expect on Super Tuesday; an over-the-counter birth control pill; tumbleweed chaos; and more

2024/03/05

The 7: What to expect on Super Tuesday; an over-the-counter birth control pill; tumbleweed chaos; and more

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Hannah Jewell and Jamie Ross">

By Hannah Jewell and Jamie Ross

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Good morning. It's Tuesday, March 5, and it's a big day in the presidential race. To follow it closely, sign up here for The Campaign Moment newsletter. Now let's catch up.

Donald Trump is expected to dominate Super Tuesday.

What's happening? Fifteen states will vote today to award more than a third of the Republican Party's delegates in its presidential nomination contest.
What to expect: The former president is set for a clean sweep. That wouldn't clinch the nomination (see here), but could put pressure on his last challenger, Nikki Haley, to drop out.
What else to know: The Supreme Court ruled unanimously yesterday that states don't have the power to disqualify Trump from ballots.

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The U.N. said it believes Hamas raped and tortured hostages.

What to know: Some victims of the Oct. 7 attack in Israel were assaulted, a U.N. report said yesterday, and sexual violence "may be ongoing" against hostages. Hamas denies this.
In Gaza: The severe lack of food in the territory's north resulted in the deaths of 10 children, a U.N. agency said yesterday, although local officials report a higher toll.

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France enshrined the right to abortion in its constitution.

Lawmakers applaud after approving the bill in the Palace of Versailles. (Christophe Petit Tesson/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock)

It's a first: No other country has explicitly protected the right this way before. The amendment passed by lawmakers yesterday calls abortion a "guaranteed freedom."
Why? It's a reaction to the rollback of reproductive rights in the U.S. But abortion is legal in France only through 14 weeks of pregnancy — more restrictive than many U.S. states.

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The first over-the-counter birth control pill in the U.S. will be available soon.

What is it? Opill, approved by the FDA last summer. It's 98% effective and will be sold online and in stores in the coming weeks, its maker said yesterday, with no age restrictions.
Who it will help: Anyone with less access to health care, like poorer people in rural areas. The pill's maker will provide a cost-assistance program for low-income uninsured people.

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The U.S. plans to limit most credit card late fees to $8.

How? A rule, announced today, would cap fees that credit card companies charge people who fall behind on bills. It could take effect this spring, but banks are expected to challenge it.
Zooming out: It's part of Biden's effort to crack down on unfair or illegal pricing. Yesterday, the White House backed the Cookie Monster's complaints about "shrinkflation."

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The IRS's new free tax filing system is up and running.

What is it? Direct File, a government-run website that opened for business yesterday to compete with commercial software like TurboTax.
Who can use it? Taxpayers who live in one of 12 participating states and have simple taxes — but not those who itemize, are self-employed or have wages over $200,000 a year.

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Tumbleweeds are causing chaos in Utah and Nevada.

What to know: Thousands of spiky invaders appeared in towns this weekend, blocking highways and stacking up against houses. Some residents called it tumblemageddon.
Why is this happening? It's fallout from severe weather sweeping Western states. Heavy winds cause the ball-shaped plants to break from their roots and start rolling.

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Before you go … a heartwarming story: A man wanted to see "Dune 2" before he died — so the director sent his laptop.

And finally … test your news knowledge with The Post's daily quiz, On the Record. Click here to play. Or try our word game, Keyword.

You're all caught up. See you tomorrow.