5 things you need to know Monday
As he starts his final year in office, Obama plans action against gun violence
President Obama is expected to meet with Attorney General Loretta Lynch on Monday to discuss ways to use executive action to make it more difficult for a "dangerous few" to gain access to firearms. The president, who announced the meeting in his weekly radio address, didn't spell specific measures. He did recently direct staff members to look into potential executive actions, such as expanding background checks.
Men at center of Ore. militia standoff to report to prison
The two Oregon ranchers at the center of an anti-government protest that escalated into an armed takeover of a federal wildlife building are expected to peacefully report to prison Monday. Dwight Hammond Jr., 73, and his son, Steven Hammond, 46, were convicted of arson for fires they started on federal property, and a judge has ordered them to return to prison for four years to satisfy minimum-sentencing laws. After a rally Saturday to protest their sentences, armed militia members occupied the headquarters building of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, 300 miles southeast of Portland. Ammon Bundy, whose father Cliven Bundy was involved in a previous standoff with the government, said the group is "planning on staying here for years."
Puerto Rico is likely to miss another debt payment
For years, Puerto Rico's population has been going down amid an economic crisis, heavy taxation, inefficient government and soaring debt bills. The island, whose residents are U.S. citizens, is struggling with debt. Puerto Rico Gov. Alejandro García Padilla says the island will not pay $37.3 million owed to bondholders Monday and will begin withholding cash from a trust fund devoted to future payments. The move heightens tensions between the U.S. territory and its creditors. Puerto Rico first defaulted on $57.3 million in debt about five months ago.
With the NFL regular season over, Black Monday's pink slips are on the horizon
The dreaded Black Monday — and the coaching shake-ups that come with it — is upon us. The NFL regular season is over and, as is tradition, many coaches who've been in the hot seat are expected to be given their walking papers Monday. Two coaches didn't even survive the weekend, as the Cleveland Browns fired coach Mike Pettine Sunday night — and general manager Ray Farmer — and the San Francisco 49ers dropped Jim Tomsula after just one season.The Miami Dolphins and Tennessee Titans changed course during the year and will surely do so again as the interim tenures of Dan Campbell and Mike Mularkey wind down. .
McDonald's launches menu options geared toward the budget-conscious
McDonald's is launching its McPick 2 menu Monday, which will allow customers to choose two of the following items for $2: McChicken, McDouble, mozzarella sticks and small french fries. (The mozzarella sticks are a new item for McDonald's that the company began selling nationally last week.) The rollout of McPick 2 comes nearly three months after the company started serving breakfast all day. The company says the new menu, geared toward value-minded customers, will add additional steam to the restaurant chain's turnaround.
Bonus: CES 2016 kicks off Monday in Las Vegas. Here's a sneak peek at some of the new gadgets that will be on display.
And the essentials:
Weather: It's going to be a cold one for much of the nation on Monday, and a wet one for those in the West.
Stocks: U.S. futures plunged after Chinese stocks fell nearly 7%.
TV Tonight: Wondering what to watch tonight? TV critic Robert Bianco looks at Superhuman, Supergirl and Telenovela.
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