19+ min ago (377+ words) Some residents of the flood-hit Indonesian island of Sumatra have resorted to stealing food and water to survive, authorities said Sunday, while Sri Lankan officials said deaths from floods and mudslides in that island nation have risen to 193. The floods, which hit Indonesia nearly a week ago, have killed 303 people " with the number expected to rise as more bodies are recovered " and displaced thousands. The deluges triggered landslides, damaged roads, cut off parts of the island, and downed communication lines. The challenging weather conditions and the lack of heavy equipment also hampered rescue efforts. Aid has been slow to reach the hardest-hit city of Sibolga and Central Tapanuli district in North Sumatra. Videos on social media showed people scrambling past crumbling barricades, flooded roads and broken glass to get their hands on food, medicine and gas. Some even waded through…...

45+ min ago (560+ words) Ukrainian naval drones hit two sanctioned tankers in the Black Sea as they headed to a Russian port to load up with oil destined for foreign markets, an official said on Saturday, as Kyiv tries to pile pressure on Russia's vast oil industry. The two oil tankers, identified as the Kairos and Virat, were empty and sailing to Novorossiysk, a major Russian Black Sea oil terminal, the official at the Security Service of Ukraine told Reuters. Naval drones could be seen speeding towards hulking tankers followed by powerful explosions that caused fires on the vessels, video footage shared by the official showed. Reuters could not independently verify the identity of the tankers in the clips or the location and date of the footage. "Video shows that after being hit, both tankers sustained critical damage and were effectively taken out of…...

4+ hour, 24+ min ago (594+ words) FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. " Lionel Messi will play for another trophy. Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets clearly aren't ready to begin their retirements, either. Tadeo Allende scored three goals " Alba and Busquets, a pair of longtime Messi teammates who will retire when this season ends, had the assists on his first two " and Inter Miami topped New York City FC 5-1 on Saturday night for the Eastern Conference title and a berth in the MLS Cup final. Mateo Silvetti scored in the 67th minute for Inter Miami, with Messi setting up that goal " the 405th assist of his career for club and country, which is generally believed to be the most in soccer history. Telasco Segovia scored off a heel pass from Alba in the 83rd minute to turn it into a runaway, and Allende finishing off the hat trick in the 89th minute was the…...

4+ hour, 54+ min ago (238+ words) BREAKING: 4 killed, 10 injured in shooting during family celebration in California banquet hall Four people were killed and 10 others were hospitalized with injuries following a shooting at a California banquet hall where a family was hosting a celebration Saturday night, authorities said. Gunfire erupted shortly before 6 p.m. at the location on the 1900 block of Lucile Avenue in the city of Stockton, San Joaquin County Sheriff's spokesperson Heather Brent said at the scene. Brent characterized the event as a family celebration. Jason Lee, vice mayor of Stockton, said in a statement that the violence erupted at a children's birthday party. Brent said the victims included children and adults. "It's unfathomable that there were young children that were harmed," she said. The exact conditions, ages and genders of the victims were unavailable, and sheriff's investigators were working on identifying the gunman, the sheriff's spokesperson…...

6+ hour, 40+ min ago (480+ words) Both the House and Senate have started inquiries into a reported second strike on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean last September which killed the survivors of an initial strike. The Post reported that after an initial strike showed two survivors, the commander overseeing the attack reportedly ordered a second strike to kill them. NBC News has not independently confirmed The Washington Post's reporting. The top Republican and Democrat on the GOP-led Senate Armed Services Committee said in a statement Friday that the committee was aware of recent reports. "The Committee has directed inquiries to the [Department of Defense], and we will be conducting vigorous oversight to determine the facts related to these circumstances," Sens. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and Jack Reed, D-R.I., said in the statement. The Republican-led House Armed Services Committee followed suit Saturday, with Reps. Mike Rogers,…...

9+ hour, 12+ min ago (1241+ words) Before Rahmanullah Lakanwal settled in a quiet part of Washington state, he was part of a secret unit of Afghans who operated under CIA direction and hunted down Taliban commanders in highly dangerous missions. They "took malignant actors off the battlefield and saved American lives, period," said Andrew Sullivan, who served as an officer with the Army's 1st Division in Afghanistan and is now executive director of No One Left Behind, a nonprofit that helps resettle Afghans who worked for the U.S. military during the war. These members of "Zero Units," also known as National Strike Units, were among the most extensively vetted of any Afghans who worked with American forces. CIA officers hailed their bravery, skill and loyalty, and the agency prioritized their evacuation from Afghanistan following the fall of Kabul in 2021 because they were prime targets for the Taliban. Lakanwal,…...

10+ hour, 35+ min ago (235+ words) Several protesters were arrested in New York City after they blocked streets and exits in an apparent attempt to prevent federal agents from carrying out an immigration raid, according to police and video footage from the scene. The incident unfolded just before noon on Saturday in the area of Centre Street and Howard Street in lower Manhattan, the New York City Police Department said. Officers responded to a call for a disorderly group and found multiple people "blocking the street and exits at different locations." Some were seen throwing debris, police said. The protesters were ordered multiple times to disperse, but police said several individuals were taken into custody after they refused to comply. Some protesters at the parking garage carried signs that said "Stop the Deportations" and "ICE out of New York." A speaker in the background said: "This…...

12+ hour, 37+ min ago (356+ words) Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, on Saturday announced he would not seek re-election after the conclusion of his term. Nehls, a close ally of President Donald Trump who co-sponsored legislation proposing putting the president on the $100 bill and renaming Washington's Dulles International Airport after Trump, said he came to his decision after consulting his family during the Thanksgiving holiday " and said he intends to "focus on my family and return home after this Congress." Nehls said he called Trump to let him know of his plans. "President Trump has always been a strong ally for our district and a true friend, and I wanted him to hear it from me first," Nehls wrote on X. "Serving this country in the military, serving our community in law enforcement, and serving this district in Congress has been the honor of my life. Thank you…...

14+ hour, 2+ min ago (660+ words) Despite wider economic uncertainty hovering above this year's holiday season, shoppers turned out in big numbers for Black Friday " spending billions of dollars both in stores and online. Adobe Analytics, which tracks e-commerce, said U.S. consumers spent a record $11.8 billion online Friday, marking a 9.1% jump from last year. Traffic particularly piled up between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. local time nationwide, when $12.5 million passed through online shopping carts every minute. Consumers also spent a record $6.4 billion online on Thanksgiving Day, per Adobe. Top categories that saw an uptick in sales across both days included video game consoles, electronics and home appliances. Shopping services powered by artificial intelligence and social media advertising have also particularly influenced what consumers choose to buy, the firm said. Meanwhile, software company Salesforce estimated that Black Friday online sales totaled $18 billion in the U.S. and $79 billion globally. And e-commerce…...

14+ hour, 34+ min ago (846+ words) Hong Kong's deadliest fire in decades has raised questions about corruption and negligence in the renovations of the apartment complex where at least 128 people died. An intense fire broke out at Wang Fuk Court complex in Hong Kong's northern suburbs Wednesday afternoon, with flames covering seven of eight of the towers. The complex was home to some 4,800 residents, some of whom had raised safety concerns about the renovations more than year before the fire. Police on Wednesday arrested three men from a construction company on suspicion of manslaughter and gross negligence. They were released on bail but then arrested by the Independent Commission Against Corruption, the authority said Saturday night, pointing to their leadership role in the renovations. ICAC had also previously arrested seven men and one woman associated with the project. Police have not identified the company where the…...