This is your twenty four to seven use update the latest use this hour in just four minutes.

The redactions in the first batch of released Epstein files are being defended by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche.

Appearing on NBC's Meet the Press, Blanche says the focus remains on protecting victims, with hundreds of lawyers going over every single document prior to releasing them.

Correspondent Mitch McCann reports that two members of Congress who pushed for the release of the files are unhappy with the Justice Department's handling of the matter.

After the Department of Justice released only some of the documents related to Jeffrey Epstein, lawmakers are now working to pile pressa on Attorney General Pembondi to release all of the documents.

The initial release of the files related to the convicted sex offender has drawn criticism from lawmakers on both sides of the Aisle.

A third vessel off the coast of Venezuela is reportedly being actively pursued by the US Coast Guard.

Pentagon officials confirm military forces inter addicted at tanker carrying sanctioned oil in the Caribbean on Saturday.

More from correspondent Garrett hak.

This pressure campaign against Nicholas Maduro and Venezuela's economy was really ratcheted up over the course of the weekend.

We went from one oil tanker seized by the United States a couple of weeks ago to now three either seized or in active pursuit.

Tensions have escalated in the region, with the Trump administration conducting strikes on alleged drug boats linked to Venezuela.

A major rainstorm that will peak during the Christmas holiday is expected to arrive in southern California tomorrow.

In Los Angeles Daniel Martindale.

The National Weather Service is now calling for rain Tuesday through Saturday, with heavy rainfall likely for several days.

Four to eight inches of rain is expected in the valleys and along the coast.

Eight to twelve inches of rain is expected in the foothills and mountains.

Some areas could see more than a foot of rain total, with rainfall rates of up to an inch and a quarter per hour.

Forecasters are also warning of dangerous mud and debris flows and gusty winds during the storm.

This comes during one of the busiest travel periods of the year, with ten point two million Southern Californians expected to travel, most of them driving.

I'm Michael Kassner.

Do you ever wonder why and how Norad tracks Santa every Christmas Eve?

As Sarah Walters reports, it was started by accident.

In nineteen fifty five.

The folks at Norad in Colorado were working a typical night shift when Air Force Colonel Harry Shop received a phone call from a child.

The boy had called a number he saw in a newspaper ad, promising he'd reached Santa directly, but the number was wrong, and instead he called the military.

Shup was no Scrooge and entertained all calls from kids that night, beginning a new tradition.

I'm Sarah Walters.

Honka comes to a close at sundown.

More from Tammy Treheo.

Last night in Clearwater, Florida, what's believed to be the world's largest manora was lit.

It's over sixty one feet tall.

The event, marking the last night of Honkkah, was also held to pay tribute to the victims of the deadly mass shooting of Jews in Australia that marred the start of this year's I'm Tammy Trihio.

I'll look back at some of the top business stories of this year.

Here's Monica Nelson.

Twenty twenty five was the year of AI.

Everyone is talking about artificial intelligence.

President Trump in July talking about his plan for the US's dominance in the artificial intelligence race.

As AI giant Nvidia became the first company to surpass the five trillion dollar market value mark in twenty twenty five, Several studies show AI's potential to take and eliminate jobs.

President Trump stuck to his promise and imposed new tariffs on dozens of countries, including many of our allies.

Historic Executive Order instituting reciprocal tariffs.

Reciprocal that means they do it to us, and we do it to them.

Affordability emerged as the go to issue in politics, with Democrats socialist Mamdani winning the New York City's mayor's race on a platform of making the most expensive US city affordable for a city uniform.

In Monday in the Monday in.

The US stock market was gangbusters in twenty twenty five.

I'm Michael Cassner.