5 things to know for March 15: Ukraine, Covid-19, Rideshare apps, Abortion, Australia

The US has crossed into year three of the Covid-19 pandemic, and while the numbers of cases, hospitalizations and deaths are heading in the right direction, health experts say the world is certainly not out of the woods yet. There are an average of about 1,200 Americans still dying from Covid-19 each day, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. However, over the next few weeks, the CDC forecasts a decrease in hospitalizations and deaths, particularly as the weather improves and people head outside, where it’s less likely that they’ll catch Covid. In China, though, 37 million people are currently in Covid lockdown as the country battles its worst coronavirus outbreak since the early days of the pandemic.

Rideshare companies Uber and Lyft have announced plans to add a small fee on rides to help drivers deal with rising gas prices across the country. Starting tomorrow, Uber users will pay an extra $0.45 or $0.55 per trip and an additional $0.35 or $0.45 for Uber Eats for at least the next two months, depending on the location. Uber said all of the money from the surcharges will go to drivers to help “soften the burden” of higher gas prices. Lyft did not specify how much extra passengers will pay or when the surcharge will go into effect. As of today, the national average price for gas is $4.31 a gallon, with California holding the highest price at $5.75 a gallon. 

The Colorado House of Representatives yesterday passed a bill supporting abortion rights. The legislation states that “every individual has a fundamental right to use or refuse contraception [and] every pregnant individual has a fundamental right to continue the pregnancy and give birth or to have an abortion.” The Democratic sponsor of the bill hailed its passage as a “big win for protecting access to abortion and reproductive health care.” Some Republicans, on the other hand, strongly disagree. This comes after restrictive abortion laws have been recently advanced by Republican state legislatures across the country. Florida, West Virginia and Arizona have all moved on 15-week abortion bans this session. And in Idaho, the state legislature gave final approval yesterday to a bill that would ban abortion after six weeks and allow the father, sibling, grandparent, aunt or uncle of the fetus to bring legal action against the medical professional who performed the abortion.

An Australian court has overturned a landmark climate ruling — spearheaded by a group of teenagers — that ordered the federal environment minister to consider the impact of carbon emissions on children when approving new coal mining projects. The case was brought by eight Australians under 18 years old. Outside the Federal Court in Sydney today, the lead litigant in the case said she was “devastated by the decision and so, so angry.” The Australian government is considered a laggard on climate action. In October, days before the COP26 climate talks in Glasgow, Prime Minister Scott Morrison finally announced the country would join other developed nations by aiming to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.

Well, having most of a car is better than no car at all, right?

The country superstar took herself out of the competition, saying she didn’t feel like she’d “earned that right.” Dolly is, and will forever be, a class act.

We’ve all fallen asleep with the TV on at some point… but is it really that bad? Learn why experts say you should close your curtains and turn the TV off.

The legendary band isn’t done rocking yet! They’ve scheduled 14 shows this summer in celebration of their 60th anniversary.

Sounds like a deep issue… Scientists say this is the result of a frozen layer of Earth’s surface thawing underneath the seabed.

That’s how many migrants arrived in the Florida Keys yesterday in a “smuggling event,” a Border Patrol official said. The migrants are believed to be Haitian and many were in need of medical attention. The arrival comes little more than a week after another boat carrying about 300 migrants, also believed to be Haitian, ran aground near Key Largo.

— Director Jane Campion, apologizing to tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams for a comment she made during her acceptance speech at Sunday night’s Critics Choice Awards. “The Power of the Dog” director received backlash after she acknowledged other best director nominees and then said, “Venus and Serena, you’re such marvels. However, you don’t play against the guys, like I have to.” In addition to being inaccurate (the tennis champions have faced off against men), some viewed Campion’s statement as dismissive of two successful Black women’s accomplishments.

Watch this hamster enjoy a feast — with a funny ending! (Click here to view)