Stars step out for the Grammy Awards
There will be many familiar names and showdowns at the Grammy Awards on Monday, but there will also be a lot of fresh voices and new names in the mix. Taylor Swift and Kendrick Lamar with be battling it out, as the Bad Blood pair go head to head in several major categories, including album of the year. Swift will open the show with a song off her juggernaut 1989, Rihanna will likely make the TV debut of new Anti material and 10-time Grammy champ Adele will perform a track off her record-shattering 25. The broadcast will also feature Lady Gaga singing a medley honoring the late David Bowie, an on-air tribute to Lionel Richie and it will likely mark the red-carpet debut for Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani as a couple. And you never know if Kanye will storm the stage.
Hail to the chief! It's Presidents Day
Believe it or not, it isn't just about mattress sales. Celebrated on the third Monday in February every year,
Presidents Day was originally established in 1885 to recognize President George Washington. Though it was regularly celebrated on Feb. 22, the date of Washington’s birth, it was later moved in conjunction with the Uniform Monday Holiday, which President Lyndon Johnson signed into law in 1968 in an effort to create more three-day weekends for Americans. The act also included a clause that combined Washington’s birthday with Abraham Lincoln’s in the holiday.
Obama welcomes Southeast Asian leaders to Southern California
President Obama and Southeast Asian world leaders gather Monday at Sunnylands in Rancho Mirage, Calif., for a special gathering of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Although China wasn't invited, the military might and economic clout of the rising Asian power is likely to loom over the discussions. Among the top topics at the summit will be trade and the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the threat from the Islamic State, territorial disputes in the South China Sea and human rights. Presidential visits have become a routine occurrence in the Coachella Valley in recent years, but the summit will pose added security challenges given the numbers of leaders attending and the large number of protests anticipated.
America's 43rd president joins his brother on the trail
George W. Bush will join his brother, Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush, Monday at a rally in North Charleston, S.C., according to Bush's campaign. Jeb Bush, at first, distanced himself from his family's presidential lineage, even leaving his last name off his campaign's logo. That's changed in recent weeks, with Jeb Bush's mother, former first lady Barbara Bush, joining him on the trail in New Hampshire. After recently appearing in an ad supporting his younger brother, George W. Bush hopes to bolster the campaign's chances in South Carolina — where George W. Bush himself won 53.39% of the vote in 2000.
140th Westminster dog show begins
The fur will begin flying in New York City on Monday as America's top dogs descend on the Big Apple for the Westminster Kennel Club 140th Annual Dog Show. This year, there will be seven new breeds among the 2,752 top-pedigree pooches competing in the premier dog show for the coveted for Best in Show award. The hound, toy, non-sporting and herding groups kick off the competition in the live, two-day event, which begins at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CNBC.
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And the essentials:
Weather: A wintry mix is heading for the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic Monday.
Stocks: Japanese stocks rocketed Monday after dismal growth data raised hopes of extra stimulus. U.S. markets are closed for Presidents Day.
TV Tonight: Wondering what to watch tonight? TV critic Robert Bianco looks at Scandal (it's back!) and Big Bang Theory's Valentine's episode.
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Contributing: The Associated Press
