Hi! It’s Monday, and my intern is not a fan of this weather. Here’s what you need to know today.

1. European countries halt some vaccinations, while the U.S. struggles to administer the doses it has

Germany, France, Italy and Spain today joined several other European countries in pausing their use of the AstraZeneca vaccine after several countries reported potentially serious side-effects like bleeding, blood clots and a low platelet count.

The news comes as the European Union, which is struggling to vaccinate 450 million people, is facing a deadly third wave of COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations. [AP]

The World Health Organization advised countries not to suspend use of the AstraZeneca vaccinations, which could soon be approved in the U.S. The WHO said “there is no evidence that the incidents are caused by the vaccine.” [Reuters]

In the U.S, about 2.43 million doses per day are being administered. However, states are still not able to use all the doses as quickly as they receive them. And most states still have less than 15% of their population fully vaccinated. [New York Times]

Illinois became only the fifth state to issue 4 million doses, and the first in the Midwest. [Chicago Sun-Times]

In Chicago, a growing number of employers are paying employees to get vaccinated. [Block Club Chicago]

And Gov. JB Pritzker could unveil a plan this week to gradually move the state into a full reopening. [Chicago Tribune]

2. Biden touts a 100 million payments and doses in “Help is here” tour

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are traveling across the country this week to promote their $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill, which includes direct payments of $1,400 for many Amercians plus extended federal unemployment benefits.

The “Help is here” tour began today with Harris heading to a COVID-19 vaccination site in Las Vegas and first lady Jill Biden touring a New Jersey elementary school. The president will visit Pennsylvania on Tuesday and Georgia on Friday.

The president said today that his administration will soon have issued 100 million stimulus payments and 100 million vaccine doses. “Shots in arms and money in pockets. That’s important,” he said. [AP]

Democrats hope the popular relief bill will help them avoid losses in the mid-term election. [New York Times]

Some people are already receiving checks. Use this handy calculator to figure out how much you might receive. [Washington Post]

3. The Vatican bans priests from blessing same-sex unions

The Vatican issued a decree today upholding that the Catholic Church won’t bless same-sex unions, saying God “cannot bless sin.”

The two-page document, approved by Pope Francis, distinguished between welcoming gay people and sacramental recognition.

As The Associated Press reports: “The note immediately pleased conservatives, disheartened advocates for LGBT Catholics and threw a wrench in the debate within the German church, which has been at the forefront of opening discussion on hot-button issues such the church’s teaching on homosexuality.”

Francis DeBernardo, who advocates for greater acceptance of queer people in the church, said the edict will be ignored because “Catholic people recognize the holiness of the love between committed same-sex couples.”

In a 2019 interview, Francis endorsed providing gay couples with civil legal protections, but not within the church. [AP]

4. Program led to affordable housing mostly in Chicago’s poor, Black areas

An assessment released today by the Chicago Department of Public Health found that affordable houses built using a tax credit program are primarily constructed in high-poverty Black neighborhoods — instead of throughout the city.

As WBEZ’s Natalie Moore reports, the results of the assessment is another sign of stubborn segregation in Chicago. More housing choices and opportunities throughout the city was a goal of the program, whether a renter desires to live in Roseland or River North.

“We wanted to see developments in high-income areas, we wanted to see housing in gentrifying areas where we were losing affordability, and we wanted to see vibrant investments in long-disinvested, lower-income areas,” said Marisa Novara, the city’s housing commissioner.

The city will now set new priorities to ensure that Black, Indigenous and people of color benefit, including adjusting how developers apply for the tax credits. [WBEZ]

5. The most diverse Oscars nominations ever include a Second City alum

Nine actors of color and two female filmmakers earned Academy Award nominations today, setting an Oscar record for diversity.

Among the nominees is Minari’s Steven Yeun, who was a member of The Second City in Chicago. He is the first Asian American ever nominated for best actor.

Riz Ahmed of Sound of Metal is the first person of Pakistani descent to be nominated for any acting Oscar. Only five women had ever been nominated for best director, but two more were added to the list this year: Chloé Zhoe — the first Asian woman nominated — and Emerald Fennell. [Tribune News Service]

The diverse Oscar slate comes after several years of all- or mostly-white nominations. The 93rd Academy Awards, delayed two months by the coronavirus pandemic, will be April 25. [AP]

Meanwhile, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and One Night in Miami … are among the snubs for Best Picture. [LA Times]

Here’s a full list of the nominees. [AP]

Here’s what else is happening

Two men have been charged with the assault of a Capitol police officer who died in the Jan. 6 riot. [AP]

An FBI report says the Nashville bomber intended to kill himself and was not an act of terrorism. [The Tennessean]

More than a dozen retailers have left Water Tower Place since Jan. 2019. [Chicago Tribune]

A protest movement in Britain is asking why police demand sacrifices of women rather than forcing men to change to end violence. [New York Times]

Chicago’s newest live music venue is putting on a socially distant indoor show. [Block Club Chicago]

Oh, and one more thing …

Dallas Seavey brought his 10 dogs across the finish line today of the famous Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. The 34-year-old needed 7 days, 14 hours, 8 mins and 57 seconds to complete the trek through the Alaskan wilderness.

This year’s race — shortened to about 850 miles because of the pandemic — was Seavey’s fifth win, matching the most wins ever by a musher. The race bypassed the rural villages usually used as pit stops and required competitors to sleep in tents or under the stars in temps as low as minus 55 degrees. [AP]

Tell me something good …

Speaking of sports, the NCAA tournament starts this week in Indianapolis in front of a reduced crowd. That got me thinking: What sports moment, past, present or future, would you want to have front row seats for?

I’d go back to the 1999 Women’s World Cup Final, when U.S. soccer greats Mia Hamm, Brandi Chastain and others defeated China in penalty kicks. For a 7-year-old female soccer player, seeing the women celebrated as top players — regardless of gender — was inspiring.

And yes, I still have this poster. (Although mine sadly isn’t worth $1,500.)

Feel free to tweet or email me your responses, and they might be shared here this week.

Thanks for reading and have a nice night! We’ll see you tomorrow.