Domestic:

U.S. President Joe Biden says doses of the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine could be available for the entire American adult population by the end of May 2021. Biden previously claimed it would not be until the end of July that there would be enough doses for this population; however on Tuesday, March 2, the President said the faster production of the vaccine – thanks to a deal between Merck & Co. and the White House – will allow for more rapid production.  

Texas governor Greg Abbott announced on Tuesday that the state will be lifting its state wide mask mandate and allowing businesses to fully reopen with no capacity limits. Abbott’s rollback will go into effect next Wednesday, March 10. In opposition to the order, some businesses such as Target and Macy’s announced that they will continue to require customers and workers to wear masks.

Stunning photos have been sent from the NASA Perseverance Rover. The rover landed on Mars on Feb. 18 after nearly seven months of travel and is sending photos from its voyage. Carrying advanced instruments to collect data about the planet’s geology, atmosphere, and environmental conditions, the Rover will continue to analyze the planet’s ecosystem and geological history.

International: 

Indonesian volcano Mount Sinabung erupted on Tuesday, March 2, sending ash clouds up to three miles in the air. The volcano was inactive for centuries and first began to spark up in 2010. No injuries have been reported from the eruption.

The UK government has stood by its decision to reduce Humanitarian aid to Yemen. The UK will rollback its £164 million contribution given in 2019-2020 to £87 million for the foreseeable future. Years of intense conflict in Yemen has left an estimated two-thirds of the population relying on humanitarian aid. 

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy was sentenced to three years in jail, with two of those years suspended, after being found guilty of corruption in his former role. Sarkozy’s lawyer says he will appeal the sentence, a process that itself could take years. If his appeal is unsuccessful, the French president could remain at home with an electronic bracelet for a year. Sarkozy is the first French president to be sentenced to jail in modern history.