Here's the biggest news you missed this weekend
Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine gets CDC thumbs-up, shipping starts
Johnson & Johnson began distributing its vaccine Sunday, adding a third weapon to the country's COVID-19 arsenal. An advisory committee to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention voted unanimously to recommend the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine on Sunday. CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky signed off on the recommendation soon afterward. The Johnson & Johnson shot was authorized Friday by the Food and Drug Administration for people 18 and older. It requires only one dose and does not have to be frozen. Johnson & Johnson said it began shipping its COVID-19 vaccine Sunday and expects to deliver enough single-shot vaccines by the end of March to enable the full vaccination of more than 20 million people in the U.S.
Dr. Anthony Fauci thinks easing COVID-19 restrictions could be premature: "It is really risky to say, ‘It’s over. We’re on our way out. Let’s pull back.'"
Donald Trump at CPAC: Ex-president tears into Biden
Donald Trump reentered political life Sunday by attacking President Joe Biden and condemning his Republican opponents. While Trump did not declare a 2024 presidential candidacy in his address to the Conservative Political Action Conference, he hinted at possibly running again while alluding to his false claims of Democratic vote fixing in 2020. "Who knows? I may even decide to beat them for a third time," Trump said to cheers from the CPAC crowd. Trump also mentioned plans to inject himself into the 2022 congressional elections, backing Republicans who subscribe to his "Make America Great Again" agenda. This will be done as a Republican, Trump added, denying reports that he is thinking about starting a new political party. He told fellow Republicans that he will "continue to fight right by your side."
Real quick
Hate crimes against Asian Americans are on the rise. Here's what activists, lawmakers and police are doing to stop the violence.
Virginia is the first Southern state to vote to legalize recreational marijuana use in nod to racial justice. Critics say the bill falls short.
Former Notre Dame and NFL player Louis Nix III was found dead Saturday night. His family had reported him missing three days earlier.
House passes Joe Biden's COVID-19 relief bill with $1,400 personal checks, legislation heads to Senate.
Golfers pay tribute to Tiger Woods, show support by wearing his Sunday colors.
Golden Globes: Best and worst moments, from Tina and Amy's jokes to Chadwick Boseman's emotional win
Kicking off the strangest awards season of all time, road drama "Nomadland" and mockumentary sequel "Borat Subsequent Moviefilm" took home big honors at Sunday night's glitchy Golden Globes. Hosted by Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, the Golden Globes were even more unpredictable and chaotic than usual, thanks in large part to the show’s hybrid virtual format. Amid the mayhem were some genuinely terrific moments, as “Nomadland” drove off with the night’s biggest award for best drama, and Jodie Foster (“The Mauritanian”) and Andra Day (“The United States vs. Billie Holiday”) appeared genuinely surprised by their unexpected acting wins. Here are more of the best and worst moments from the show.
Golden Globes' biggest losers: Glenn Close, Frances McDormand and the voters
Golden Globes winners: See the full list as 'Nomadland,' Chadwick Boseman, 'Borat,' 'The Crown' win
Jane Fonda calls on Hollywood leaders to improve diversity in powerful Golden Globes speech
Gov. Cuomo criticized for handling of sexual harassment probe
Gov. Andrew Cuomo apologized Sunday for any comments that have made female aides feel uncomfortable after accusations of sexual harassment have upended his administration, fueling an investigation and calls that he resign. The embattled Democratic governor issued a statement Sunday saying he intended his interactions with co-workers as playful and not aimed at being insensitive or flirtatious. The comments came after his office acquiesced Sunday to calls that Attorney General Letitia James select someone to conduct an independent investigation of the allegations against the governor. Cuomo was first accused Wednesday by former economic-development aide Lindsey Boylan of kissing her on the lips during a private meeting in 2018. On Saturday, 25-year-old former aide Charlotte Bennett told The New York Times she was repeatedly made to feel uncomfortable last year by Cuomo.
Second former aide accuses New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo of sexual harassment.
At least 18 dead as Myanmar police ramp up use of force, per UN agency
Security forces in Myanmar opened fire and made mass arrests Sunday as they sought to break up protests against the military’s seizure of power. A U.N. human rights official said it had “credible information” that 18 people were killed and 30 were wounded. The Democratic Voice of Burma reported that as of 5 p.m. in Myanmar, there had been 19 confirmed deaths in nine cities, with another 10 deaths unconfirmed. The mark of 18 deaths would be the highest single-day death toll among protesters who are demanding that the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi be restored to power after being ousted by a Feb. 1 coup. Confirming the deaths of protesters has been difficult amid the chaos and general lack of news from official sources. But in many cases, photos and video circulated showed circumstances of the killings and gruesome photos of bodies.
P.S. Like this round up of stories? We send it to inboxes every afternoon. Sign up for "The Short List" newsletter here.
This is a compilation of stories from across the USA TODAY Network. Contributing: Associated Press.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: COVID-19 vaccine, Trump, Cuomo, Golden Globes: It's the weekend's biggest news