President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. They aim to boost a U.S.-brokered ceasefire in Gaza, which faces challenges as it looks to move into a more complicated second phase. Trump hopes to leverage his relationship with Netanyahu to speed up the peace process. The ceasefire began in October and has mostly held, but progress has slowed lately. The second phase involves rebuilding Gaza under international supervision, creating an international security force and normalizing relations between Israel and the Arab world.

Zohran Mamdani has promised to transform New York City government when he becomes mayor. Can he do it? Mamdani, a 34-year-old democratic socialist, already faces intense scrutiny, even before taking office in one of the country’s most scrutinized political jobs. Republicans have cast him as a liberal boogeyman. Some of his fellow Democrats have deemed him too far left. Progressives are closely watching for any signs of him shifting toward the center. On Jan. 1, he will assume control of America’s biggest city under that harsh spotlight, with the country watching to see if he can pull off the big promises that vaulted him to office and handle the everyday duties of the job.

Kawhi Leonard scored a career-high 55 points, James Harden added 28 and the Los Angeles Clippers extended their winning streak to a season-high four games with a 112-99 victory over the Detroit Pistons. Leonard went 17 of 26 from the floor, including 5 for 10 from 3-point range, and made 16 of 17 free throws. Nicolas Batum scored 12 points, while Leonard added 11 rebounds and five steals for Los Angeles, which lost 10 of 11 games before its four-game run. Cade Cunningham finished with 27 points for the Pistons after being held scoreless in the first half while in foul trouble. Jalen Duren had 18 points and 14 rebounds, and Jaden Ivey added 11 points for Detroit, which lost back-to-back games for just the second time.

At least four people have been killed and dozens wounded in clashes on Syria’s coast. Health officials said that the violence erupted Sunday between Alawite protesters and counterdemonstrators. This follows a bombing at an Alawite mosque in Homs on Friday that killed eight and wounded 18. Thousands protested in Latakia and Tartous. A group called Saraya Ansar al-Sunna claimed responsibility for the mosque attack. Security forces tried to break up the clashes by firing into the air. Syria’s state-run television reported injuries to security forces and damage to property. The country has faced sectarian clashes since the fall of former President Bashar Assad.

The moon and sun share top billing in 2026. Kicking off the year's cosmic wonders is the moon, drawing the first astronauts to visit in more than 50 years. A caravan of robotic lunar landers also will be launched, including Jeff Bezos' new supersized Blue Moon. The sun will generate buzz, too, with a ring-of-fire eclipse at the bottom of the world in February and a total solar eclipse at the top of the world in August. Each of those will be followed closely by lunar eclipses. The stargazing fun begins with a supermoon on Jan. 3.

The man accused of placing two pipe bombs in Washington on the eve of the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol told investigators after his arrest that he believed someone needed to “speak up” for people who believed the 2020 election was stolen. He also said he wanted to target the country’s political parties because they were “in charge." That's according to a memo filed by the Justice Department on Sunday that argues that Brian J. Cole Jr. should remain jailed as the case moves forward. Cole was arrested earlier this month on charges of placing pipe bombs outside the headquarters of the Democratic and Republican national committees.

Kyle Whittingham was barely two weeks into retirement after 21 years at Utah when he found an offer he couldn't turn down. Whittingham is the new head coach at Michigan. It's a proud program in disarray after the firing of Sherrone Moore for an extramarital relationship with a staffer. Michigan also was punished for a sign-stealing scandal. Whittingham says that didn't deter him from what he calls one of the best jobs in the country. He says the players are solid and the issues will work themselves out. Whittingham says he brings a style of play familiar to Michigan.

CAUCAGUA, Venezuela (AP) — Hundreds of people in northern Venezuela took to the streets for the annual Bandos and Parrandas of the Holy Innocents of Caucagua, a celebration rooted in Afro-descendant cacao-growing communities. Marked on Dec. 28 alongside the Catholic…

One person was killed and another was left critically injured after two helicopters crashed in southern New Jersey on Sunday, officials said. The Federal Aviation Administration described the crash as a midair collision. Hammonton Police Chief Kevin Friel said rescuers responded to a report of an aviation crash at about 11:25 a.m. on Sunday, and police and fire crews subsequently extinguished flames that engulfed one of the helicopters. One person was killed and another was transported to a nearby hospital with life-threatening injuries. Video from the scene showed a helicopter spinning rapidly to the ground. Friel said the FAA and National Transportation Safety Board have been notified and will be investigating the crash.

The New York City transit system is retiring the MetroCard after more than 30 years. The gold-and-blue swipeable card was introduced in 1994 to replace the subway token, which had been used for half a century. The last sales and refills on MetroCards will be Dec. 31, though existing cards will still work for some time into 2026. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is fully transitioning to OMNY, a contactless payment system rolled out in 2019. The system allows riders to tap their credit card, phone or other smart device to pay their fare, much in the same way they do for other purchases.

IBI, Spain (AP) — Revelers take part in the Els Enfarinats festival, a battle using flour, eggs and firecrackers in the Spanish town of Ibi. This is a photo gallery curated by Associated Press photo editors.

Derrick Henry rushed for a season-high 216 yards and matched a career high with four touchdown runs as the Baltimore Ravens kept their playoff hopes alive by defeating the Green Bay Packers 41-24 on Saturday night. Henry had three touchdown runs in the first half and then scored again on a 25-yard run with 1:56 left in the game. His seventh career 200-yard rushing performance moved him ahead of Adrian Peterson and O.J. Simpson for the most in NFL history. His 36 carries represented a career high.

Brigitte Bardot, the French 1960s sex symbol who became one of the greatest screen sirens of the 20th century and later a militant animal rights activist, has died. She was 91. This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo…

Winter rain has lashed the Gaza Strip, flooding camps with ankle-deep puddles as Palestinians displaced by war try to stay dry in fraying tents. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is traveling for an expected meeting on Monday with U.S. President Donald Trump about the second phase of the ceasefire. The first phase that took effect on Oct. 10 was meant to bring a surge in humanitarian aid for Gaza, including shelter. Though the ceasefire agreement has mostly held, its progress has slowed. Its second phase is expected to be even more challenging, with issues including Gaza's security and governance.

A powerful winter storm driven by a rapidly intensifying cyclone was sweeping east from the Plains on Sunday, bringing heavy snow, ice, rain and severe weather expected to affect much of the country. Forecasters warned of possible blizzard conditions and whiteouts in parts of the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes, where snowfall could exceed a foot and reach 2 feet near Lake Superior. The system is expected to deliver freezing rain in New England, thunderstorms across the South and East, and widespread strong winds. The storm follows some flight disruptions during the busy holiday travel period.