United News of Bangladesh

A year after a panel blew out of a Boeing 737 Max during flight, the nation’s top aviation regulator says the company needs "a fundamental cultural shift” to put safety and quality above profits. Mike Whitaker, chief of the Federal Aviation Administration, said in an online post Friday that his agency also has more work to do in its oversight of Boeing. Whitaker, who plans to step down in two weeks to let President-elect Donald Trump pick his own FAA administrator, looked back on his decision last January to ground all 737 Max jets with similar panels called door plugs. Later, the FAA put more inspectors in Boeing factories, limited production of new 737s, and required Boeing to come up with a plan to fix manufacturing problems. “Boeing is working to make progress executing its comprehensive plan in the areas of safety, quality improvement and effective employee engagement and training,” Whitaker said. “But this is not a one-year project. What’s needed is a fundamental cultural shift at Boeing that’s oriented around safety and quality above profits. That will require sustained effort and commitment from Boeing, and unwavering scrutiny on our part.” 2 dead and 18 injured in Southern California plane crash Boeing on Friday issued an update on steps it has taken to improve safety and quality, including addressing concerns raised by employees and reinforcing their confidentiality protection. Boeing, which couldn’t build new 737s during a seven-week strike by machinists last fall, said it has strengthened training for mechanics and quality inspectors. The company said it updated a system to display the names of employees who perform metal-stamping work. The company also said it has “significantly reduced defects” in 737 fuselages built by Spirit AeroSystems, but it declined to provide numbers. Spirit is a key supplier that Boeing is in the process of buying for $4.7 billion. The National Transportation Safety Board continues to investigate the door-plug blowout on an Alaska Airlines Max jet. Despite a gaping hole in the side, pilots landed the plane safely in Portland, Oregon, and no serious injuries were reported. A month after the accident, investigators said in a preliminary report that bolts used to help secure the panel were not replaced after work in a Boeing factory. SKorea to inspect Boeing as it struggles to find cause of plane crash Whitaker said the FAA will review any recommendations that the safety board makes to improve FAA's oversight work. Last summer, he admitted that FAA's scrutiny of Boeing wasn't good enough.

US President-elect Donald Trump is “strong and unpredictable,” and those qualities can be a decisive factor in his policy approach to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. However, Zelenskyy said it won’t be possible to end the almost three years of war in one day, as Trump claimed during his election campaign he could do. “The ‘hot’ stage of the war can end quite quickly, if Trump is strong in his position,” Zelensky said in a Ukrainian television interview late Thursday, referring to fighting on the battlefield. “I believe (Trump) is strong and unpredictable. I would very much like President Trump’s unpredictability to be directed primarily toward the Russian Federation,” Zelenskyy said. Trump, who takes office on Jan. 20, hasn’t publicly fleshed out his policy on Ukraine but his previous comments have put a question mark over whether the United States will continue to be Ukraine’s biggest — and most important — military backer. Zelenskyy is eager to guarantee that Washington’s support keeps coming, and he met with Trump in New York even before last November’s U.S. presidential election. With the war about to enter its fourth year next month, and with Trump coming to power, the question of how and when Europe’s biggest conflict since World War II might end has come to the fore. 2 dead and 18 injured in Southern California plane crash Russia controls about one-fifth of Ukraine and last year capitalized on weaknesses in Ukraine’s defenses to slowly advance in eastern areas despite high losses of troops and equipment. The war’s trajectory is not in Ukraine’s favor. The country is short-handed on the front line and needs continued support from its Western partners. Trump responded favorably to the possibility raised by French President Emmanuel Macron of Western peacekeepers being deployed in Ukraine to oversee an agreement that stops the fighting, Zelenskyy said. He met with Trump and Macron in Paris last month. “But I raised an issue, saying we didn’t hear what specific countries will join this initiative, and whether the US will be there,” Zelenskyy said. The Ukrainian leader is determined for his country to become a NATO member. The alliance’s 32 member countries say Ukraine will join one day, but not until the war ends. “The deployment of European troops (to keep the peace in Ukraine) should not rule out Ukraine’s future in NATO,” Zelenskyy said in the television interview. Zelenskyy described the incursion by Ukrainian forces into Russia’s Kursk border region as a “very strong trump card” in any future peace negotiations. In a bid to counter glum news from the front line, Ukraine seized part of Kursk last August in what was the first occupation of Russian territory since World War II. US restricts Russian and Iranian groups over disinformation targeting American voters But the incursion didn’t significantly change the dynamic of the war, and military analysts say Ukraine has lost some 40% of the land it initially captured. Nevertheless, Zelenskyy said the achievement impressed countries in Asia, South America and Africa and tarnished Russia’s military reputation.

The Biden family and top US officials were showered with extravagant gifts from foreign leaders in 2023, according to the State Department’s annual accounting. The disclosures include high-value items such as a $20,000 diamond gifted to First Lady Jill Biden and luxurious timepieces destroyed by CIA officials. Glittering Gifts to the First Family The 7.5-carat diamond, presented to Jill Biden by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was the most expensive gift received by any member of the first family. Alongside this, Jill Biden also accepted a brooch valued at $14,063 from Ukraine’s ambassador to the US and a bracelet, brooch, and photograph album worth $4,510 from Egypt’s president and first lady. President Joe Biden himself was not overlooked, receiving: A commemorative photo album worth $7,100 from South Korea’s impeached president Yoon Suk Yeol. A $3,495 statue of Mongolian warriors from Mongolia’s prime minister. A $3,300 silver bowl from the Sultan of Brunei. A $3,160 sterling silver tray from Israel’s president. Biden vetoes once-bipartisan effort to add 66 federal judgeships A $2,400 collage from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Official Use and Archiving US law mandates that executive branch officials declare foreign gifts exceeding $480 in value. Expensive items are typically transferred to the National Archives or used in official displays. The $20,000 diamond is retained for official use in the White House East Wing, while most other gifts to the Bidens have been archived. Recipients may purchase gifts at market value, though this is rare. CIA’s Costly and Confidential Gifts The report also revealed that CIA employees received lavish items, most of which were destroyed. CIA Director William Burns reported receiving an $18,000 astrograph – a telescope and astrological camera – from an undisclosed source, which has been transferred to the General Services Administration. However, Burns also destroyed an $11,000 Omega watch, in line with federal protocols. In total, CIA officials destroyed gifts worth over $132,000, including luxury watches, perfume, and jewellery. Transparency and Accountability The disclosures, published in the Federal Register, underscore the importance of transparency in diplomatic relations. While some gifts, like the $20,000 diamond, highlight the pomp and ceremony of international diplomacy, others emphasise the strict measures in place to ensure accountability for high-ranking officials. This annual accounting offers a fascinating glimpse into the intersection of protocol, politics, and the allure of luxury.

An 18-year-old woman dreaming of becoming a nurse, a single mother, a father of two and a former Princeton football star were killed when the driver of a white pickup truck sped down Bourbon Street, packed with holiday revelers. Officials have not yet released the names of the 14 people killed in the New Orleans New Year's Day truck attack, but their families and friends have started sharing their stories. New Orleans Coroner Dr. Dwight McKenna said in a statement late Wednesday that the names of the dead will be released once autopsies are complete and they’ve talked with the next of kin. A spokesperson for the coroner said Thursday that there were no updates. About 30 people were injured. Billy DiMaio Billy DiMaio, 25, was humble and gentled-hearted, so devoted to family that he had a tattoo featuring all of his cousins’ names, his parents told NOLA.com. A New York City-based account executive for the media company Audacy, DiMaio was in New Orleans to celebrate New Year’s Eve and see friends who planned to go to the Sugar Bowl, Tracie and Bill DiMaio, of Holmdel, New Jersey, told the news site. His friends escaped injury. “He was a good, humble kid,” Bill DiMaio said. “He loved life.” Billy DiMaio grew up on Long Island, New York, before the family moved to New Jersey. He graduated in 2022 from Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia, where he was on the lacrosse team and earned a master’s degree. “He was a pure, gentle-hearted soul," his mother said. “He will be truly missed.” He had worked for Audacy since 2023. “Beyond his professional achievements, Billy will be fondly remembered for his unwavering work ethic, positive attitude, and kindness," Audacy said in an emailed statement. “He was a true asset to the Audacy team, and his contributions and presence will be deeply missed.” Hubert Gauthreaux Archbishop Shaw High School, in Marrero, Louisiana, posted on Facebook that class of 2021 alum Hubert Gauthreaux, was among the victims. Gauthreaux “was tragically killed in the senseless act of violence that occurred early this morning in the French Quarter. He was 21 years old,” the Catholic boys school posted Wednesday evening. “We are asking the entire Archbishop Shaw family to pray for the repose of Hubert’s soul, his family and friends during this difficult time, and all those affected by this tragedy.” Kareem Badawi University of Alabama freshman Kareem Badawi was among those killed in the attack. A native of Louisiana and a graduate of the Episcopal School of Baton Rouge, Badawi had started at the Alabama university this fall. Back home in Baton Rouge for winter break, Badawi had gone to New Orleans with friends to celebrate the new year, his father, Belal Badawi said in an interview. “He is a lovely boy. I lost my son. He’s a good boy,” he said of his son. “Unfortunately, his life ended that quick and with no reason. Just nothing he did to deserve for somebody to come and kill him.” Read: Who is Shamsud-Din Jabbar, the New Orleans truck attack suspect? Belal Badawi had posted in May celebrating his son’s high school graduation and plans to attend the University of Alabama. The university issued a statement confirming the freshman's death. “I grieve alongside family and friends of Kareem in their heartbreaking loss,” University of Alabama President Stuart R. Bell said. Drew Dauphin Christopher B. Roberts, president of Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama, said on the social platform X that 2023 graduate Drew Dauphin died in the attack. “Words cannot convey the sorrow the Auburn Family feels for Drew’s family and friends during this unimaginably difficult time,” Roberts said. “Our thoughts are with the Dauphin family and the families of all the victims of this senseless tragedy.” Dauphin was a supplier process engineer at the American Honda Motor Company in Birmingham, Alabama, according to his LinkedIn profile. Matthew Tenedorio The parents of Matthew Tenedorio told NBC News that their son was one of the people killed in the attack. “He was 25 years old. He was just starting life. He had the job of his dreams,” Cathy Tenedorio said. “It’s just very sad.” A GoFundMe page created by a cousin says he was an audiovisual technician at the Superdome. “He was a wonderful kid,” Louis Tenedorio added. “He loved people. He loved animals. He always had a smile. So many friends. He had so many friends.” Cathy Tenedorio said she had spent New Year’s Eve with Matthew and another one of her sons. “We had dinner and we did fireworks outside, and just laughing and hugging each other and telling each other we loved each other,” she said. She added that they had tried to dissuade him from going into the city. “They don’t think about risk,” she said. Nikyra Dedeaux Zion Parsons, of Gulfport, Mississippi, had been celebrating New Year’s Eve at his first night on Bourbon Street when a vehicle appeared and plowed into his friend, 18-year-old Nikyra Dedeaux, who he said had dreamed of becoming a nurse. “A truck hit the corner and comes barreling through throwing people like in a movie scene, throwing people into the air,” Parsons told The Associated Press. “It hit her and flung her like at least 30 feet and I was just lucky to be alive." As the crowd scattered in the chaos he ran through a gruesome aftermath of bleeding and maimed victims, hearing gunshots and explosive sounds. “Bodies, bodies all up and down the street, everybody screaming and hollering” Parsons said. “People crying on the floor, like brain matter all over the ground. It was just insane, like the closest thing to a war zone that I’ve ever seen.” Dedeaux was a responsible daughter who helped take care of her siblings, Parsons said. Dedeaux had a job at a hospital and was set to start college and begin working towards her goal of becoming a registered nurse. “She had her mindset — she didn’t have everything figured out but she had the plan laid down,” Parsons said. Reggie Hunter A 37-year-old father of two from Baton Rouge, Reggie Hunter had just left work and headed to celebrate New Year’s with a cousin when the attack happened, his first cousin Shirell Jackson told Nola.com. Hunter died and his cousin was injured, Jackson said. Tiger Bech A former high school and college football player from Louisiana was among those who died, according to an education official. Read more: Psychedelic therapy begins in Colorado, causing tension between conservatives and veterans Tiger Bech, 27, died Wednesday morning at a New Orleans hospital, according to local media outlets citing Kim Broussard, the athletic director at St. Thomas More Catholic High School in Lafayette. Bech attended the high school, where he played wide receiver, quarterback, punt returner and defensive back, NOLA.com reported. Bech played football at Princeton University before graduating in 2021. Most recently he was working as an investment trader at a New York brokerage firm. Marty Cannon, STM principal and former coach of Bech, said he was charismatic, intelligent and an incredibly talented football player. He regularly returned home to visit his tight-knit family, close friends and people at the school. He was home over Christmas. “We live in a relatively small community here where not a lot of people leave but many do," Cannon said. “I'm not surprised at all that Tiger could take off from south Louisiana and go off and get an amazing education at a place like Princeton and then lock himself into a community up there and just flourish. He’s that kind of guy.” Princeton football coach Bob Surace said Wednesday that he had been texting with Bech’s father, sharing memories of the player, who was a school kick returner and receiver from 2017 to 2019. He earned All-Ivy League honors as a returner. “He might be the first Tiger to ever play for us, and that nickname kind of described him as a competitor,” Surace told ESPN. The school’s mascot is the tiger. “He was somebody that somehow, like in the key moments, just excelled and was full of energy, full of life.” Bech has been working at Seaport Global, where company spokesperson Lisa Lieberman could not confirm his death. She told the AP, “He was extremely well regarded by everybody who knew him.” Bech’s younger brother, Jack, is a top wide receiver at Texas Christian University. In a response to a KLFY-TV report posted on X about Tiger Bech’s death, a post from an account for a Jack Bech on the social media site said: “Love you always brother ! You inspired me everyday now you get to be with me in every moment. I got this family T, don’t worry. This is for us.” Nicole Perez Nicole Perez was a single mother to a 4-year-old son working hard to make life better for her family when she was killed, according to her employer. Perez, who was in her late 20s, was recently promoted to manager at Kimmy’s Deli in Metairie, Louisiana, and “was really excited about it,” deli owner Kimberly Usher said in a phone interview with the AP. Usher confirmed Perez’s death through her sister, who also works for her. Usher said Perez would walk in the morning to the deli, which opened at breakfast time, and ask lots of questions about the business side of the operations. She also was permitted to bring her son, Melo, to work. “She was a really good mom,” said Usher, who started a GoFundMe account to cover Perez’s burial costs and to help with expenses for her son that “he will need to transition into a new living situation,” the donation request says. Injured in the Attack — Heaven Sensky-Kirsch said her father, Jeremi Sensky, endured 10 hours of surgery for injuries that included two broken legs. He was taken off a ventilator Thursday. Jeremi Sensky was ejected from the wheelchair he was using and had bruises to his face and head, Sensky-Kirsch said in a phone interview from a hospital intensive care unit. “He’s talking right now,” Sensky-Kirsch said late Thursday morning. Sensky, 51, who works in the family’s tree service business, had driven from his home in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, to New Orleans to celebrate the holiday. Before the attack, Sensky and the two friends had been having pizza, his daughter said. Sensky left them to return to his hotel on Canal Street because he felt cold, she said. Sensky-Kirsch said others could see the attacker coming and were able to run out of the way, but her father “was stuck on the road.” His wheelchair can be seen in some images lodged against a crane. When he didn’t return to the hotel, they went to look for him, she said. “We thought he was dead,” Sensky-Kirsch said. “We can’t believe he’s alive.” — Ryan Quigley, who was a teammate of Bech’s at Princeton, was with him when they were struck by the truck. Quigley was injured, according to family and friends. “Ryan is doing okay. He is stable and resting in the company of his family and friends,” the Quigleys said in an update on a GoFundMe page set up by his friends. “Ryan loves you all. Please keep the Bech family, the other families, and all of those affected by this tragedy in your prayers. Thank you all.” — University of Georgia President Jere W. Morehead said on X that a student was critically injured in the attack and is receiving medical treatment. He did not name the student. — The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on X that two Israeli citizens were injured in the attack. — University of Mississippi Chancellor Glenn Boyce said Thursday that one of the university’s students was critically injured in New Orleans. Boyce did not identify the student.

Two people died and 18 were injured Thursday when a small plane crashed through the roof of a sprawling furniture manufacturing building in Southern California where at least 200 people were working, police said. The identities of the people who died, and whether they were in the plane or on the ground, was not yet known, said Kristy Wells, a Fullerton police spokesperson. The plane crashed less than two minutes after taking off from the Fullerton Municipal Airport in Orange County, located just six miles (10 kilometers) from Disneyland, according to the flight-tracking website FlightAware. Security camera footage from Rucci Forged, a wheel manufacturer across the street, shows the plane was tilted on its side as it dove into the building, causing a fiery explosion and black plume of smoke. Firefighters and police arrived on scene and battled the blaze and evacuated surrounding businesses, Wells said. Chris Villalobos, an airport operations worker, came to the warehouse to see what had happened after receiving a phone call about a plane going down nearby. He said the owner of the aircraft was a regular at the airport and has frequently taken off from there. Read: SKorea to inspect Boeing as it struggles to find cause of plane crash “He has a hangar here and everything,” Villalobos said. Villalobos said that after taking off, the pilot told air traffic control he was going to turn around to make an emergency landing, but it was unclear what the issue with the plane was. The building was occupied by Michael Nicholas Designs, a furniture upholstery manufacturer, according to a sign on a door, and there appeared to be sewing machines and textile stock inside. Ten people were taken to the hospital, while eight were treated and released at the scene, police said. There were two confirmed deaths, according to Wells. The Federal Aviation Administration said the plane was a single-engine Van's RV-10, a four-seat aircraft. The airport in Fullerton has one runway and a heliport. Metrolink, a regional train line, is nearby and flanks a residential neighborhood and commercial warehouse buildings. Read more: Kazakhstan Reports 42 Feared Dead in Azerbaijan Airlines Plane Crash Another four-seat plane crashed into a tree a half-mile from the airport last November while making an emergency landing right after takeoff, the Orange County Register reported. Both people on board suffered moderate injuries. Fullerton is a city of about 140,000 people some 25 miles (40 kilometers) southeast of Los Angeles.

Ten people were wounded in a shooting outside a New York City nightclub while they were waiting to get into a private event, police said. About 15 people were standing outside Amazura nightclub at 11:15pm on Wednesday in Jamaica, Queens, when four men on foot approached the group of 16 to 20 year olds. Three or four men opened fire on the group, New York Police Department Chief of Patrol Philip Rivera said during an early Thursday news conference. A gunman who killed 12 people in Montenegro dies by suicide About 30 shots were fired before the gunmen fled on foot. They were then seen getting into a sedan with out-of-state plates. There is “zero tolerance for these senseless shootings," Rivera said. Six women and four men were taken to hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries, he said. A massive police presence and several ambulances could be seen outside Amazura in footage posted on social media. The motive was not immediately known but Rivera said: “This is not terrorism.”

The suspect involved in the car-ramming attack in New Orleans has been identified as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old US military veteran from Texas. According to the FBI, Jabbar deliberately drove a pick-up truck into a crowd of New Year’s revellers on Bourbon Street, killing at least 15 people and injuring many others. The suspect was killed in a subsequent police shootout. The FBI is investigating the attack as a potential act of “terrorism” but has not specified the evidence behind this classification. Authorities believe that Jabbar may not have acted alone in the attack on this popular tourist destination. Jabbar, a US citizen, rented the F-150 Lightning electric truck used in the attack through the car rental website Turo. This website was also connected to another incident in Las Vegas, where a Tesla Cybertruck exploded outside a Trump hotel, though it remains unclear whether the two incidents are linked. 15 killed in US truck attack Jabbar served in the US military from 2007 until 2020 and had a deployment to Afghanistan from February 2009 to January 2010. He earned a degree in computer information systems from Georgia State University in 2017. The FBI discovered an ISIL (ISIS) flag inside the truck, prompting an investigation into any potential links between Jabbar and terrorist organisations. New Orleans City Council President Helena Moreno stated that Jabbar was wearing full military gear, and police described his actions as intentional. Court records show Jabbar had financial troubles in 2022, including falling behind on house payments by $27,000 and accumulating $16,000 in credit card debt, while going through a divorce. He expressed a desire to quickly finalise the divorce and avoid foreclosure. Jabbar had worked for consulting firm Deloitte, earning around $10,000 a month. The company confirmed that he served in a staff-level role since being hired in 2021 and is cooperating with authorities. Colin Clarke from the Soufan Center remarked, “There’s a number of red flags when you look at this [attack], including the attacker’s age – not really the kind of prototype for an individual to be radicalised. The fact that he was in the US military, so I think it bears caution for sure.”   Source: With inputs from Al Jazeera  

A gunman who fatally shot at least 12 people, including two children, in Montenegro has killed himself while surrounded by police, officials said Thursday. At least four others were wounded in the shooting rampage in the western town of Cetinje on Wednesday that followed a bar brawl, officials said. The shooter, identified as 45-year-old Aco Martinović, killed the owner of the bar, the bar owner's children and his own family members, Interior Minister Danilo Šaranović said. The attacker, who was fled after the rampage, was later located and surrounded by police. He died after shooting himself in the head, Šaranović said. Police had dispatched a special unit to search for the attacker in the town, which is located about 30 kilometers (18 miles) northwest of the capital, Podgorica. All the roads in and out of the city have been blocked as police swarmed the streets. Šaranović said that Martinović had died while being taken to a hospital in the capital and succumbed from the “severity of his injuries.” Read: Serbian president cancels visit to Serbs in Montenegro The government has declared three days of national mourning starting on Thursday, with Prime Minister Milojko Spajić describing the shooting as a “terrible tragedy.” “The level of rage and brutality shows that sometimes such people ... are even more dangerous than members of organized criminal gangs,” Šaranović said. Martinović was at the bar throughout the day with other guests when the brawl erupted, Police Commissioner Lazar Šćepanović said. He said that Martinović then went home, brought back a weapon and opened fire at around 5:30 p.m. “He killed four people” at the bar before heading out, and then continued shooting at three more locations, Šćepanović said. He said that the suspect received a suspended sentence in 2005 for violent behavior and had appealed his latest conviction for illegal weapons possession. Montenegrin media have reported that he was known for erratic and violent behavior. The small country of Montenegro, which has a population of around 620,000 people, is known for its gun culture and many people traditionally have weapons. Wednesday’s shooting was the second shooting rampage over the past three years in Cetinje, Montenegro’s historic capital. An attacker killed 10 people, including two children, in August 2022 before he was shot and killed by a passerby in Cetinje. Read more: Montenegro adopts law on religion amid protests by pro-Serbs President Jakov Milatović said that he was “shocked and stunned” by the tragedy. “Instead of holiday joy ... we have been gripped by sadness over the loss of innocent lives,” Milatovic said in a post on X.

Authorities say the driver of a pickup truck sped through a crowd of pedestrians gathered in New Orleans’ bustling French Quarter district early on New Year's Day, killing 10 people and injuring more than 30 other revelers. The suspect was killed in a shootout with police. Wednesday's attack unfolded on Bourbon Street, known worldwide as one of the largest destinations for New Year’s Eve parties, as crowds gathered in the city in anticipation of the Sugar Bowl college football playoff game later Wednesday at the nearby Superdome. Here’s what we know about the attack: What happened? Police said the driver sped through a crowd along Bourbon Street around 3:15 a.m. Wednesday as revelers had gathered to celebrate the New Year. Ten people were killed and 33 were injured and taken to five local hospitals. Two police officers wounded in the shootout with the suspect were in stable condition. Who is the driver and what was his motive? The FBI said the driver was 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar, a U.S. citizen from Texas. A flag representing the Islamic State group was found in the truck and the FBI is trying to determine if he was associated with any terrorist organizations, the agency said in a statement. 10 killed, 30 injured as car drives into crowd in New Orleans The FBI is investigating the attack as an act of terrorism. Police Commissioner Anne Kirkpatrick said the driver was “hell-bent on creating the carnage and the damage that he did” and he tried “to run over as many people as he could.” What have authorities found in their investigation? Weapons and a possible explosive device were found in the pickup truck and other possible explosive devices were found elsewhere in the French Quarter, the FBI said. Who was in the crowd? Authorities said Bourbon Street was filled with revelers toasting the start of 2025 and attending New Year’s Eve parties when the attack occurred. Crowds in New Orleans have been ballooning in anticipation of Wednesday night’s Sugar Bowl college football playoff game between No. 2 Georgia and No. 3 Notre Dame. Officials said that game would go on as scheduled. What protections are there for pedestrians on Bourbon Street? City documents show New Orleans has been in the midst of a major project to remove and replace post-like barriers called bollards designed to prevent vehicle attacks along Bourbon Street. That project began in November and involves replacing old bollards with new removable stainless steel bollards. Have there been similar deadly attacks involving vehicles? Wednesday's attack in New Orleans is the latest example of a vehicle being used as a weapon around the world to carry out mass violence. The trend has alarmed law enforcement officials because such attacks can be difficult to protect against. Last month, a 50-year-old Saudi doctor plowed into a Christmas market teeming with holiday shoppers in the German city of Magdeburg, killing four women and a 9-year-old boy.  

Aaron Brown, a veteran television news anchor whose steady hand helped guide CNN viewers through the unfolding tragedy of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks has died. CNN, citing a statement from Brown's family, reported that he died Sunday. A cause of death was not given. He was 76. Brown began his career in Minneapolis as a radio talk show host. His career in TV began in Seattle before he was named the founding anchor of ABC's “World News Now.” He also anchored “ABC's World News Tonight Saturday,” and was a reporter for “World News Tonight with Peter Jennings,” “Nightline," and other ABC news programs. But it was at CNN where he made a lasting mark — even before he was supposed to be on the air. On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, Brown started his career at the network earlier than expected, anchoring from a Manhattan rooftop as the attacks were happening. When the second tower fell that morning, Brown responded with the horror most viewers no doubt felt. “Good lord,” he said. “There are no words.” His coverage of the attacks earned Brown the Edward R. Murrow Award. He also won three Emmy awards during his career, along with other honors. Brown’s quirky, cerebral 10 p.m. CNN newscast “NewsNight” had a following with fans who enjoyed his commentaries and “The Whip,” a quick review of top international stories, but he lost ratings ground to Greta Van Susteren of Fox News. Read: Jimmy Carter: Many evolutions for a centenarian ‘citizen of the world’ Brown left CNN during a shakeup in November 2005, when his time slot went to rising star Anderson Cooper. Looking back at this time at CNN, Brown said he was confronted by the challenge of doing serious journalism while also being in a “very ratings-driven environment.” “I don’t want to get into the business of indicting cable TV, but some of what went on was just television, not journalism,” he told The Associated Press in 2008. “I didn’t practice the ‘high church’ of journalism all the time, but I think there was some sense that I was uncomfortable in that other, tabloidy world, and I think viewers knew that and I couldn’t pull it off," Brown said in that 2008 interview. After leaving CNN, Brown taught for years at Arizona State University as its first Walter Cronkite professor of journalism. In 2008, he came back to TV on PBS’ "Wide Angle," a weekly public affairs show. “Aaron got to do the work that he loved - and he felt lucky to do that work as part of a community of people who were dedicated to good journalism and who became good friends,” Brown’s wife, Charlotte Raynor, said in a statement. Read more: 39th US President Jimmy Carter dies at 100 She noted that Brown worked varying shifts over his career, but “he always found a way to make both ordinary and special times with our daughter Gabby and me."