Gaza not covered in announcement and will be handled on separate track, says US state department official

The United States on Monday pledged $2bn in assistance to tens of millions of people facing hunger and disease in more than a dozen countries next year, part of what it said was a new mechanism for the delivery of life-saving assistance following major foreign aid cuts by the Trump administration.

The US slashed its aid spending this year, and leading western donors such as Germany also pared back assistance as they pivoted to increased defense spending, triggering a severe funding crunch for the UN. The billions of dollars in assistance pledged by Washington on Monday will be overseen by the UN office for the coordination of humanitarian affairs, the state department said, under what it described as new model of assistance agreed with the UN that aims to make aid funding and delivery more efficient and increase accountability for the spending of funds.

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© Photograph: Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images

• Morocco 3-0 Zambia | Mali 0-0 Comoros

• South Africa and Egypt through, Angola face wait

The Morocco forward Ayoub El Kaabi netted a double and the midfield maestro Brahim Díaz added another as the Africa Cup of Nations hosts turned in a convincing performance in outclassing Zambia 3-0 on Monday to top Group A.

El Kaabi powered home an early headed goal and then scored with one of his trademark bicycle kicks while Díaz netted for the third successive game as Morocco swept their opponents aside to finish on seven points, ahead of second-placed Mali on three.

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© Photograph: Reuters

© Photograph: Reuters

© Photograph: Reuters

Albin Kurti’s emphatic victory strengthens mandate for domestic reforms including welfare expansion

Kosovo’s prime minister, Albin Kurti has won an emphatic election victory, marking a resurgence for the nationalist leader and ending a political deadlock in Europe’s youngest state.

The win in Sunday’s snap election strengthens Kurti’s mandate to push through domestic reforms, including welfare expansion and higher salaries for public workers, although he faces significant problems including tensions with Serbia and health and education systems that lag behind Kosovo’s Balkan neighbours.

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© Photograph: Georgi Licovski/EPA

© Photograph: Georgi Licovski/EPA

© Photograph: Georgi Licovski/EPA

LeBron James was forced off in the final quarter of Los Angeles Lakers’ win over Sacramento Kings on Sunday night

© AP

It comes two years after Croatia joined in January 2023

© Reuters

Louis Gerstner, the former CEO and chairman of IBM, died on Saturday, aged 83.

• Bangal, Catamo and Calila score in 3-2 victory

• Diallo on target as Côte d’Ivoire draw with Cameroon

Mozambique ended a 40-year wait for victory at the Africa Cup of Nations as they beat Gabon 3-2 in Agadir.

Goals from Faisal Bangal, Geny Catamo and Diogo Calila earned the southern African side a deserved victory in which they were led by 42-year-old winger Elias Pelembe. It is their first win at the continental finals since their debut in 1986 in what was their 17th game.

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© Photograph: Franck Fife/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Franck Fife/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Franck Fife/AFP/Getty Images

The search was continuing on Sunday morning, Fathur Rahman, mission coordinator for Indonesia's search and rescue agency in the area, told Reuters.

California has dropped a lawsuit challenging the decision by the administration of President Donald Trump to cancel more than $4 billion in federal grants for the state's high-speed rail project, the state said late on Friday.

Russia attacked Ukraine with missiles and drones on Saturday, ahead of what President Volodymyr Zelensky said would be a key meeting with US President Donald Trump to work out a deal to end nearly four years of war

The victims were attacked at Republique, Arts et Metiers and Opera at around 4 p.m. local time on Dec. 26.

Gov. Hochul compared the social media labels to warnings on other products like tobacco, where they communicate the risk of cancer.

The ceasefire broke down in early December, with at least 98 people killed on both sides and more than half a million on displaced.

The measures freeze any assets the companies and individuals hold in China and bar domestic organisations and individuals from doing business with them, the ministry said.

Groq more than doubled its valuation to $6.9 billion, from $2.8 billion in August last year, following a $750 million funding round in September.

The investigation was opened on Tuesday after the agency received a defect petition alleging that the vehicles' mechanical door release is hidden, unlabeled and not intuitive to locate during emergencies.

Three people were killed by a bomb in Moscow on Wednesday after two police officers approached a man acting suspiciously near the site where a senior general was killed two days ago by a car bomb that Russia said was planted by Ukrainian intelligence.

Bacon and Nygard were neighbors in an exclusive gated community in the Bahamas and became embroiled in a bitter dispute over Nygard’s efforts to expand his property, which Bacon opposed.