Questions remain after a driver sped through a crowd of pedestrians on Bourbon Street in New Orleans' French Quarter as people were celebrating the New Year. The FBI is investigating the assault as an act of terrorism.
The National takes a look at what we know so far about the attack:
What happened?
Police said the driver steered around a police blockade and raced through a crowd along Bourbon Street at about 3.15am on Wednesday as revellers celebrated the New Year. At least 14 people were killed and dozens were injured. Two police officers were wounded in a shootout with the driver, who was killed.
Suspected explosive devices were also discovered in the French Quarter, the FBI said. Surveillance footage showed three men and a woman placing one of several improvised explosive devices in different locations, according to a Louisiana State Police intelligence bulletin obtained by AP.
The FBI had previously said it believed Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar had not acted alone, but it reversed its opinion on Thursday.
"Today, the FBI briefed me that, as of now, we have no information that anyone else is involved in the attack," President Joe Biden told reporters.
Who is the driver and what was his motive?
The FBI said Jabbar was a US citizen and army veteran from Texas. An ISIS flag was found on the pick-up truck's tow bar, the FBI said. The agency said Jabbar had posted five videos on his Facebook account in the hours before the attack, in which he aligned himself with ISIS and said he had joined the militant group last summer.
In one video, the FBI said the attacker expressed a desire to kill his friends and family, but wanted to attack Bourbon Street so the media headlines would focus on what he called the war between “believers and disbelievers".
“He was 100 per cent inspired by ISIS,” FBI deputy assistant director Christopher Raia said.
Mr Biden later said that federal authorities and the intelligence community "are actively investigating any foreign or domestic contact connection" that may be relevant to the attack.
Jabbar served more than 10 years in the military as a human resources specialist and an IT specialist, according to the Pentagon, which said he had been posted to Afghanistan from 2009 to 2010. He then transferred into the US Army Reserve in 2015, the service said in a statement. Jabbar served until July 2020, leaving the military with the rank of staff sergeant.
He held a degree in computing from Georgia State University and lived in Houston, Texas, where he had worked as a real estate agent.
Court records show Jabbar faced a deteriorating financial situation in 2022 while separating from his then-wife. He was reportedly $27,000 behind on house payments, had accumulated $16,000 in credit card debt and wanted to quickly finalise the divorce.
At the time, court documents showed he made about $10,000 a month doing business development and other work for the consulting firm Deloitte.
What have authorities learnt in their investigation?
Guns and pipe bombs were found in the suspect's vehicle, according to the state police bulletin. The devices were concealed inside coolers and wired for detonation with a remote control that also was found in the vehicle.
Where did the attack occur?
The car-ramming took place in the heart of the French Quarter, a historic district known for its vibrant nightlife with many bars, restaurants and jazz venues.
The city was at the time hosting tens of thousands of people who had come to see a major American university football game called the Sugar Bowl, which has now been postponed.
City documents show New Orleans has been in the middle of a major project to remove and replace bollards designed to prevent vehicle attacks along Bourbon Street. That project began in November and involves installing removable stainless steel bollards.
Wednesday's attack in New Orleans is the latest example of a vehicle being used as a weapon to carry out mass violence. The trend has alarmed law enforcement officials because such attacks can be difficult to protect against.
Last month a Saudi doctor, 50, ploughed into a Christmas market teeming with holiday shoppers in the German city of Magdeburg, killing four women and a nine-year-old boy.
SERIES SCHEDULE
First Test, Galle International Stadium
July 26-30
Second Test, Sinhalese Sports Club Ground
August 3-7
Third Test, Pallekele International Stadium
August 12-16
First ODI, Rangiri Dambulla Stadium
August 20
Second ODI, Pallekele International Stadium
August 24
Third ODI, Pallekele International Stadium
August 27
Fourth ODI, R Premadasa Stadium
August 31
Fifth ODI, R Premadasa Stadium
September 3
T20, R Premadasa Stadium
September 6
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Mumbai Indians 213/6 (20 ov)
Royal Challengers Bangalore 167/8 (20 ov)
What is Reform?
Reform is a right-wing, populist party led by Nigel Farage, a former MEP who won a seat in the House of Commons last year at his eighth attempt and a prominent figure in the campaign for the UK to leave the European Union.
It was founded in 2018 and originally called the Brexit Party.
Many of its members previously belonged to UKIP or the mainstream Conservatives.
After Brexit took place, the party focused on the reformation of British democracy.
Former Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson became its first MP after defecting in March 2024.
The party gained support from Elon Musk, and had hoped the tech billionaire would make a £100m donation. However, Mr Musk changed his mind and called for Mr Farage to step down as leader in a row involving the US tycoon's support for far-right figurehead Tommy Robinson who is in prison for contempt of court.
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Various Artists
Habibi Funk: An Eclectic Selection Of Music From The Arab World (Habibi Funk)
THREE POSSIBLE REPLACEMENTS
Khalfan Mubarak
The Al Jazira playmaker has for some time been tipped for stardom within UAE football, with Quique Sanchez Flores, his former manager at Al Ahli, once labelling him a “genius”. He was only 17. Now 23, Mubarak has developed into a crafty supplier of chances, evidenced by his seven assists in six league matches this season. Still to display his class at international level, though.
Rayan Yaslam
The Al Ain attacking midfielder has become a regular starter for his club in the past 15 months. Yaslam, 23, is a tidy and intelligent player, technically proficient with an eye for opening up defences. Developed while alongside Abdulrahman in the Al Ain first-team and has progressed well since manager Zoran Mamic’s arrival. However, made his UAE debut only last December.
Ismail Matar
The Al Wahda forward is revered by teammates and a key contributor to the squad. At 35, his best days are behind him, but Matar is incredibly experienced and an example to his colleagues. His ability to cope with tournament football is a concern, though, despite Matar beginning the season well. Not a like-for-like replacement, although the system could be adjusted to suit.
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
MATCH INFO
RB Leipzig 2 (Klostermann 24', Schick 68')
Hertha Berlin 2 (Grujic 9', Piatek 82' pen)
Man of the match Matheus Cunha (Hertha Berlin
In The Heights
Directed by: Jon M. Chu
Stars: Anthony Ramos, Lin-Manual Miranda
Rating: ****
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Best Foreign Language Film nominees
Capernaum (Lebanon)
Cold War (Poland)
Never Look Away (Germany)
Roma (Mexico)
Shoplifters (Japan)
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How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
BORDERLANDS
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jamie Lee Curtis
Director: Eli Roth
Rating: 0/5
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
ANDROID%20VERSION%20NAMES%2C%20IN%20ORDER
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Winners
Ballon d’Or (Men’s)
Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain / France)
Ballon d’Or Féminin (Women’s)
Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona / Spain)
Kopa Trophy (Best player under 21 – Men’s)
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona / Spain)
Best Young Women’s Player
Vicky López (Barcelona / Spain)
Yashin Trophy (Best Goalkeeper – Men’s)
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City / Italy)
Best Women’s Goalkeeper
Hannah Hampton (England / Aston Villa and Chelsea)
Men’s Coach of the Year
Luis Enrique (Paris Saint-Germain)
Women’s Coach of the Year
Sarina Wiegman (England)
The biog
Age: 23
Occupation: Founder of the Studio, formerly an analyst at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi
Education: Bachelor of science in industrial engineering
Favourite hobby: playing the piano
Favourite quote: "There is a key to every door and a dawn to every dark night"
Family: Married and with a daughter
MATCH INFO
Euro 2020 qualifier
Fixture: Liechtenstein v Italy, Tuesday, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match is shown on BeIN Sports
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
