The New Orleans attacker who killed 14 people by ramming a pick-up truck into a crowd built two bombs with a &very rare explosive compound,& senior law enforcement officials have said.

Israeli airstrikes killed at least 14 Palestinians in three separate attacks in the Gaza Strip yesterday, taking the weekend death toll to 102, Palestinian medics said, as US and Arab mediators stepped up efforts to conclude a ceasefire deal.

Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni made a surprise trip to Florida to meet with Donald Trump late on Saturday, as the key European leader sought to strengthen ties with the president-elect before his inauguration on January 20.

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli air strike last year while inside the militant group's war operations room, according to new details disclosed by a senior official.