What's in store for the music, TV, and film industries for 2025? We don't know, but we're making some fun, bold predictions for the new year.

Listen now to the Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast from NPR.

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Corvick Coleman. The new session of Congress opens today.

The first task of the House is to choose a new

speaker. And it's not clear, current speaker Mike Johnson has enough support from fellow

Republicans to be reelected. President-elect Trump has endorsed Johnson, but NPR's Claudia

Grisala says that might not be enough. It's clearly a test for this new membership,

especially House Republicans, and whether they will face the same dysfunction, the same intra-party fighting that dominated the last Congress.

And it's also a test of the influence Trump will exert over these members.

In his endorsement of Johnson, he noted that this should get done quickly so Republicans

can also quickly get to the work on a very long to-do list. NPR's Cladier Grisales reporting.

The FBI now says the man believed to have driven into crowds of people in New Orleans early

on New Year's Day acted alone. 14 people were killed at the incident and dozens of

others were injured. Authorities say the driver also planted other explosive devices around the

area. He fired at police, wounding two of them before officers returned fire and killed him.

Authorities say the Bourbon Street area is now safe for people to return.

From member station WWNO, Hallie Parker has more.

Less than two days after the attack, live music sounded from local bars and clubs and tourists

quickly started to return. More police are stationed throughout the city's historic French quarter after

officials promised to heightened security. For some, the reopening was more somber. New

Orleans native Melvin Jackson Jr. knew one of the 14 victims.

It's still devastating. It's like it's still surreal to have terrorism happen here in little old New Orleans.

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