39+ 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,…...

4+ 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…...

6+ hour, 36+ 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…...

8+ hour, 1+ 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…...

9+ hour, 17+ min ago (812+ words) The director of the Food and Drug Administration's vaccine division told agency staff in a memo that an internal review found that at least 10 children died "after and because of receiving" the Covid vaccine. The memo, sent Friday, did not include the children's ages or medical histories, timelines or documentation for the deaths he references and does not identify the manufacturer of the vaccine. The FDA's findings have not been published in a peer-reviewed journal. Experts who reviewed the memo say it is misusing information from VAERS, an unverified reporting system that allows anyone, including doctors, patients and caregivers, to submit entries about adverse events they believe are linked to vaccines. The system's own website warns that submissions can contain inaccurate, incomplete or biased information. "This is sort of science by press release," said Dr. Paul Offit, a pediatrician and…...

9+ hour, 17+ min ago (828+ words) BREAKING: Tom Stoppard, playwright who won an Oscar for 'Shakespeare in Love,' dies at 88 The director of the Food and Drug Administration's vaccine division told agency staff in a memo that an internal review found that at least 10 children died "after and because of receiving" the Covid vaccine. The memo, sent Friday, did not include the children's ages or medical histories, timelines or documentation for the deaths he references and does not identify the manufacturer of the vaccine. The FDA's findings have not been published in a peer-reviewed journal. Experts who reviewed the memo say it is misusing information from VAERS, an unverified reporting system that allows anyone, including doctors, patients and caregivers, to submit entries about adverse events they believe are linked to vaccines. The system's own website warns that submissions can contain inaccurate, incomplete or biased information. "This…...

9+ hour, 44+ min ago (123+ words) British playwright Tom Stoppard, who won an Academy Award for the screenplay for 1998s "Shakespeare In Love" has died. BREAKING: Tom Stoppard, playwright of Oscar-winning 'Shakespeare in Love,' dies at 88 British playwright Tom Stoppard, who won an Academy Award for the screenplay for 1998s "Shakespeare In Love" has died. He was 88. In a statement Saturday, United Agents said Stoppard died "peacefully" at his home in Dorset in southern England, surrounded by his family. "He will be remembered for his works, for their brilliance and humanity, and for his wit, his irreverence, his generosity of spirit and his profound love of the English language," they said. "It was an honor to work with Tom and to know him."...

11+ hour, 1+ min ago (197+ words) Ben Savage and his wife, Tessa Angermeier, are first-time parents. The actor's gallery included a sweet pic of his baby girl wearing a pink and gray striped beanie while lying in her mother's arms. In another shot, the actor is seen pushing the newborn in a bassinet while wearing a "Girl Dad" shirt. In the final image, Savage's daughter rests in his arms while swaddled in a pink blanket. Several of Savage's famous pals congratulated the couple in the comments of his post. "Wow bro!! A very happy Thanksgiving," wrote his "Boy Meet World" co-star Matthew Lawrence, adding baby duck and pacifier emoji. Former "Wonder Years" star Danica McKellar added, "Congrats!!!" with smiling face with heart emoji. Savage announced he and Angermeier were expecting a baby in May. Next to two pics of the couple holding their sonogram images on…...

11+ hour, 37+ min ago (1453+ words) Black Friday may be over, but Amazon is still hosting thousands of notable deals during its massive Black Friday Week sale. You'll find some of the best deals of the year on tech, kitchen appliances, beauty essentials and more, many of which run through Cyber Monday. But don't wait to shop: Some popular items are already selling out. The Apple AirPods 4, currently at their lowest price ever, have a semi-open ear design, so you can hear sounds around you more clearly than with traditional earbuds. Like the previous AirPods versions, you can control audio and calls by pinching the stem of either earbud. Use this smart plug to control gadgets around your home like air purifiers, fans and more using voice commands or the Alexa app. The plug fits into any standard outlet and is compact enough to free your…...

11+ 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…...