Hit the snooze button one too many times this morning? That’s OK because we’ve got all the morning news you missed. Here are the top stories everyone will be talking about today:
1. Let the wild rumpus start
Congress returns to work today after a week-long break, and there’s sure to be chaos. In the coming weeks, the Benghazi committee will finally get its chance to interrogate Hillary Clinton. Congress is also expected to vote on a budget that would defund Planned Parenthood and parts of Obamacare — a bill that would surely see the president executing his veto power. Oh, also? The house still needs a speaker and no one wants the job. Paul Ryan is expected to announce soon whether or not he’ll accept a nomination. Early rumors suggest he’s not really feeling it. John Boehner leaves at the end of the month, so the clock is ticking. It will be interesting to watch how this soap opera plays out. — USA Today
2. Unacceptable
The state of Virginia has outlawed Confederate flag license plates, but there seems to be one small problem: A bunch of people refuse to get rid of them. Virginia sent out 1,600 new flag-free license plates to everyone who needed to swap theirs out, but so far only 163 people have sent their old plates back. One man even told the local news he’ll “go to jail” before he’ll agree to change his plates. Driving with outlawed plates is a class II misdemeanor in Virginia, so it’s likely he’ll get his wish very soon. — Complex
More: The Confederate flag has got to go
3. So sad
A Texas high school football player has died after being injured during a game. Cam’ron Matthews allegedly told teammates he felt dizzy during a huddle on Friday night. Shortly after, Matthews had a seizure on the sidelines and was airlifted to the hospital, where he later died. He is the sixth high school football player to die since early September. — Fox News
4. More tragic gun violence
A manhunt is under way in Florida after a shooting at Zombicon left one person dead and five wounded. Zombicon is an annual zombie-themed festival that attracts about 20,000 people on average. After the shooting, the festival devolved into chaos with people running and screaming and trying to find places to hide. Police strung crime scene tape across the entrance and began trolling the streets with rifles, searching for the gunman. He fled and is still at large. This is the second shooting in the area within a week. — USA Today
More:America’s gun problem in 7 startling images
5. Liar, liar
Amazon is cracking down on fake reviews. The online retailer filed a lawsuit against more than 1,000 people for allegedly getting paid to post fake reviews on the site. Apparently people get paid — sometimes as little as five dollars — to give fake star ratings and post bogus product reviews. To combat these, Amazon is using new algorithms that base star ratings off of the most comprehensive and accurate reviews. They’ve also got a team working to remove the fake ones. The whole lawsuit thing should also help scare scammers away. — The Guardian
6. Excited we are
The final trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens will air tonight during the halftime portion of Monday Night Football. After the trailer runs, tickets will go on sale online for the Dec. 18 opening of the film. Also on sale will be tickets to a seven-movie Star Wars marathon at select theaters across the country the day before the opening. If you want any chance at all at scoring some of these tickets, you’d better be ready at your computer the second the trailer ends. Even then, may the force be with you. — CNN
More: 15 Star Wars Easter Eggs you probably never noticed
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