Photo: Science Photo Library RF
1 FBI Says New Orleans Terrorist Was "100-percent" Inspired By Isis, Las Vegas Bomber's Relative Says He Was Trump Supporter
More details began to surface yesterday about the two terrorist attacks on New Year’s Day. The person who drove a F-150 EV truck down a packed Bourbon Street in New Orleans on New Year’s Day just after 3 am has been identified as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, an American citizen from Texas and an Army veteran. Meanwhile, Las Vegas Metro Police Department Sheriff Kevin McMahill identified the suspect in the New Year’s Day attack during a press conference yesterday as 37-year-old Matthew Livelsberger of Colorado Springs, Colorado, an active-duty Green Beret on an approved leave from serving in Germany. Jabbar posted five videos to Facebook in the three hours before the attack, which the FBI has viewed and says contained details about his original plans to hurt family and friends and that he had joined ISIS before last summer. Officials said they found overwhelming evidence that the person in the vehicle was Livelsberger, including credit cards in his name, similar tattoos, a military ID, and the fact that the weapons found in the truck were legally purchased by Livelsberger Monday.
2 119th Congress Will Be Sworn In Today
The newly-elected 119th Congress will be sworn in today with Republicans in full control of both the House and Senate for the first time since 2019. The GOP’s control of the House is slim, with 220 seats to Democrats 215. With Rep. Matt Gaetz resigning after the election, that gives Republicans a 219-215 advantage. In the Senate, Republicans will control 53 seats to the 47 held by Democrats and others who caucus with them. All eyes will be on the House Speaker election today; Rep. Mike Johnson, who’s been endorsed by President-elect Donald Trump to keep the position, will need 218 of the 219 Republican votes to continue in the role. The Speaker election is expected to happen shortly after 11 am.
3 Apple To Pay $95-Million Settlement Over Siri Eavesdropping
No guilt is being admitted to, but Apple is willing to spend $95-million to settle a suit that accused the company’s Siri virtual assistant of eavesdropping on people through their iPhones. The lawsuit said that conversations were recorded without triggering Siri, and that some of the alleged recordings were then shared with advertisers. If the settlement is approved by US District Judge Jeffrey White, tens of millions of people who owned iPhones and other Apple devices from September 17, 2014 through the end of last year could file claims. Each consumer could get up to $20 per Siri-equipped device, depending on how many people file claims.