Advertisement

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.

This Dec. 2, 2020, photo provided by Johnson & Johnson shows vials of the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine in the United States.
This Dec. 2, 2020, photo provided by Johnson & Johnson shows vials of the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine in the United States.

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."⁠

Former President Donald Trump addresses the Conservative Political Action Conference held in the Hyatt Regency on Feb. 28, 2021 in Orlando, Florida.
Former President Donald Trump addresses the Conservative Political Action Conference held in the Hyatt Regency on Feb. 28, 2021 in Orlando, Florida.

Real quick

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.

ADVERTISEMENT

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.

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.

Riot police arrest protesters Feb 27 in Yangon, Myanmar. The military government has intensified a crackdown on demonstrations.
Riot police arrest protesters Feb 27 in Yangon, Myanmar. The military government has intensified a crackdown on demonstrations.

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