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Americans must respond to the suspected terrorist attack in New Orleans by "defiantly proceeding with their lives," national security expert Juliette Kayyem wrote for The Atlantic.

Authorities have identified the man who killed 10 during New Year's festivities in a vehicle-ramming attack as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old military veteran born in Texas. He reportedly had an ISIS flag on the truck used in the attack — and officials are treating the matter as terrorism, postponing the Sugar Bowl college game.

But that is a mistake, Kayyem warned — it doesn't make security sense, and it further gives terrorists what they wanted in the first place.

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"The decision should be based less on emotion and more on the level of ongoing risk, and the available security, for those who are asked to continue with their lives," she wrote. "First, can the situation legitimately be described as no longer posing a continuing danger? In 2015 in Paris, a wave of terror attacks over one long night resulted in 130 dead. The entire country was placed under what amounted to a 3-month lockdown, with most public events cancelled. That made some sense, given the sophistication and planning behind that attack, and the fact that a concert hall and sporting venue were targeted. As of this writing, though, New Orleans and federal officials have been insistent that they believe the immediate threat has passed."

Furthermore, it doesn't make sense to shut things down when there isn't a clear metric for when would be safe enough to reopen, Kayyem continued.

"This was the dilemma after the Boston Marathon bombings on a Monday in 2013, when the two terrorists initially evaded law enforcement ... European cities such as Brussels have faced the same issue after major attacks. It is easy to close down but harder to have metrics for what is perfectly safe, since that is an impossible standard."

And then there's the question of whether the required security to keep things open would be too stifling for the city's economic activity, which doesn't appear to be the case here either.

With all that to consider, Kayyem believes New Orleans should go about its business as usual — and do so with a mind for lifting and comforting one another.

"After the terror attacks of September 11, 2001, President George W. Bush tried to calm a grieving nation by telling citizens to still 'go shopping for their families,'" she noted.

While this quote received a lot of criticism at the time, "the for is often forgotten in the retelling. No matter how terrible an attack, we still need to be there for one another — whether gathering or grieving or just watching a football game."

A Tesla Cybertruck pulled up to the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas and exploded on New Year's Day, killing one person inside the vehicle, and authorities now say they're investigating the blast as a possible act of terror.

Video of the Cybertruck exploding into flames in the valet area quickly spread on the internet. The footage was captured both from guests checking into the lobby and at least one person who saw smoke from the window of a nearby hotel.

The driver of the vehicle died in the blast, which happened around 8:40 a.m., CNN reported. Seven bystanders suffered minor injuries, authorities said. The cause of the blast wasn't immediately known.

An official briefed on the probe told ABC News that fireworks-style mortars were in the truck. Police were reportedly treating the blast as a possible crime and act of terror.

"We believe everything is safe now," Sheriff Kevin McMahill told reporters.

The incident immediately prompted a reaction from commenters online — many of whom noted the intense symbolism given that President-elect Donald Trump, whose company owns the Vegas hotel, relied heavily on Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, both for campaign backing and now for advice as part of a high-profile task force to cut government spending.

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Eric Trump confirmed the incident on X.

"Earlier today, a reported electric vehicle fire occurred in the porte cochère of Trump Las Vegas. The safety and well-being of our guests and staff remain our top priority. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Las Vegas Fire Department and local law enforcement for their swift response and professionalism," he said.

The hotel issued essentially the same statement.

"Earlier today a reported electric vehicle fire occurred in the porte cochère of Trump Las Vegas," the hotel wrote. "The safety & well-being of our guests and staff remain our top priority. We extend our gratitude to the Las Vegas Fire Department and local law enforcement for their swift response."

Others highlighted the unusual circumstances given the tires to Musk and Trump.

"If you were going to choose a metaphor for our current state of politics, a Tesla Cybertruck exploding and burning in front of a Trump Tower in a city where millions of Americans go each year to lose their money, is pretty spot on," wrote New York Health Campaign executive director Melanie D'Arrigo.

"A Tesla Cybertruck on fire outside of Trump’s hotel in Las Vegas? This has to be staged," wrote Huffington Post commentator Yashar Ali.

"A Tesla Cybertruck is on fire and exploding outside of a Trump Hotel in Las Vegas," wrote left-leaning political YouTuber Jack Cocchiarella. "If you’re looking for a more perfect metaphor for the state of America right now you won’t find it."

"If a Tesla Cybertruck exploding at the entrance of trump International Hotel in Las Vegas this morning isn’t some sort of sign or foreshadowing of what we can expect in the near future, I don’t know what is," said singer-songwriter Ricky Davila.

"A Cybertruck exploding outside of Trump Tower is a bit too on the nose for my taste," said conservative talk radio host Joe Cunningham.

Pro-Palestinian activists who refused to vote for Vice President Kamala Harris in November because of the policies of President Joe Biden's administration are going into 2025 facing the prospect things will likely take a turn for the worse for their cause with Donald Trump in power.

According to a report from Politico's Irie Senter, the political director for Jewish Voice for Peace Action, Beth Miller, admitted, "“The Palestinian rights movement is very clear-eyed in understanding that it is very likely that this Trump administration will mean that things get much worse for Palestinians,” and then added, "This administration will likely be coming very quickly to try to take down the Palestinian rights movement."

As Senter explained, "The movement has tended to focus its efforts on who controls the White House and Democrats, whom its leaders view as more persuadable to soften support for Israel. But 15 months into the war in the Middle East, as the GOP trifecta prepares to control the White House and Congress, leaders in the movement find themselves with far less leverage — and much more to lose."

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Noting that the president-elect is a staunch defender of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and one of his key donors is Israeli billionaire Miriam Adelson, the report adds he likely will side with Israel in every dispute.

According to Arab American Institute and DNC veteran James Zogby, the leadership of the "Uncommitted" movement that refused to endorse Harris put themselves in the place they find themselves now.

“Some self-criticism is due in the pro-Palestinian movement because they boxed themselves into a corner following the convention by not enabling themselves to support Harris,” Zogby explained.

According to Uncommitted National Movement co-founder Layla Elabed, sister of Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), "Harris didn’t lose just because of Uncommitted or because she was unwilling to shift on Biden’s Gaza policy. But she could have really possibly won if she had turned the page away from Biden’s policy and brought in those voters, especially young voters, who were withholding their vote, or decided to do a protest vote in the general election because of that policy.”

The report adds the pro-Palestinian movement will now move on to "more local political tactics, including economic pressure campaigns like boycotts, supporting protests and community organizing."

You can read the Politico report here.

Hours after a man drove an F-150 truck through barriers in New Orleans' Bourbon Street district killing at least ten revelers and injuring at three dozen, Donald Trump weighed in on Truth Social.

The president-elect started off his social media post by attacking Democrats and the media while appearing to claim the driver, who was shot and killed by police, came from outside the country while providing no evidence.

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On Truth Social, Trump first wrote, "When I said that the criminals coming in are far worse than the criminals we have in our country, that statement was constantly refuted by Democrats and the Fake News Media, but it turned out to be true. The crime rate in our country is at a level that nobody has ever seen before."

He then got around to the victims and their families, writing: "Our hearts are with all of the innocent victims and their loved ones, including the brave officers of the New Orleans Police Department. The Trump Administration will fully support the City of New Orleans as they investigate and recover from this act of pure evil!"

You can see his post here.

Despite a Donald Trump endorsement on Monday for Republican Party members of the House to re-elect Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) as House Speaker, several GOP lawmakers are currently unpersuaded setting up yet another embarrassing scenario for the House majority party.

Trump's very long Truth Social post on Monday touched upon a multitude of topics before getting to he end where he wrote, “Speaker Mike Johnson is a good, hard working, religious man. He will do the right thing, and we will continue to WIN. Mike has my Complete & Total Endorsement. MAGA!!!” then adding, "LETS NOT BLOW THIS GREAT OPPORTUNITY WHICH WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN."

That "great opportunity" may have to be put on hold as several House Republicans have made it clear they either won't vote for the embattled Johnson, or will demand concessions from him before considering backing him.

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According to a report from Rolling Stone, that could cast a cloud over the second coming of president-elect Donald Trump.

Following Trump's Monday post, Rep. Tom Massie (R-KY) responded on X by writing, "I respect and support President Trump, but his endorsement of Mike Johnson is going to work out about as well as his endorsement of Speaker Paul Ryan."

That led Rolling Stone's Naomi LaChance to write, "it’s likely that Johnson can only afford to lose one vote from Republicans," before adding, "The situation suggests there could be more embarrassing disarray among House Republicans just as Trump gets ready to take back power. Johnson, of course, only became speaker last year because a handful of Republicans decided to oust Kevin McCarthy — and Democrats joined them."

According to one House Republican who spoke with Axios, "Not sure if they deny the first vote or he will be forced to negotiate prior. I think there are 4-8 ready to hold out at least until the vote."

Rolling Stone's LaChance added, "Some lawmakers are unhappy with the way things are shaping up," with moderate Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) complaining, "To oppose Johnson now weakens the GOP and strengthens Hakeem Jeffries. It also puts at risk the Electoral College Certification scheduled for 6 Jan. These guys serve as a ‘fifth column’ for the Dems.”

You can read more here.

Prosecutors are accusing an Austin, Texas, 17-year-old of animal cruelty after allegedly poisoning another student's pet goat, the Daily Mail reports.

Aubrey Vanlandingham, who often entered her own pet goat, Lacey, "in animal shows across the state for cash prizes and certificates," according to Daily Mail, is accused of using toxic pesticide to poison "Willie" the goat in the school's barn.

The Guardian reports that Willie "died about 21 hours later after convulsing and showing signs of respiratory distress," after the Vista Ridge High School student allegedly force-fed the goat pesticide, according to documents.

Vanlandingham told police, the news outlet notes, "that she deliberately poisoned the goat because she believed the animal’s owner was 'a cheater', according to the affidavit.

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This was not the first time she tried to kill the goat.

"We were there when he passed away," the mother of Willie's owner told the Daily Mail. "My daughter was actually holding him. So that was very traumatic."

She added, "We don’t believe there is any remorse there. We want justice served, we don’t want a slap on the wrist. We want to make sure that she is punished."

The Daily Mail reports Vanlandingham could serve up to two years in prison and a $10,000 fine if found guilty.

Daily Mail's full report is available at this link. The Guardian's report is here.