NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt Season 2025 Episode 350 Dec 21, Sun

The U.S. Coast Guard "is in active pursuit" of a sanctioned vessel in international waters off the coast of Venezuela, two U.S. officials with knowledge of the matter tell NBC News. NBC News' Daniele Hamamdjian reports. With the Christmas holiday travel rush officially underway, messy weather is expected to cause headaches for millions of travelers trying to get home. NBC News' Ryan Chandler has more on what to expect. Reps. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., and Thomas Massie, R-Ky., on Sunday said they are committed to holding Justice Department officials accountable for their failure to release all eligible Epstein files by Friday's deadline, saying they're speaking with members of Congress about holding Attorney General Pam Bondi in contempt. NBC News' Julie Tsirkin reports. Some survivors of the abuse by Jeffrey Epstein, and the survivors' families, are speaking out after the Justice Department released the Epstein files. NBC News' Hallie Jackson spoke with Sky Roberts, brother of Virginia Roberts Giuffre, along with Annie Farmer, to hear their reaction to how the release was handled. A massive power outage impacting thousands of people created chaos in San Francisco, with robotaxi Waymo cars seen blocking intersections in the middle of traffic after stopping mid-ride. NBC News' Liz Kreutz reports. A school district in upstate New York is facing growing backlash over photos of wooden boxes. Parents allege they were allegedly used to punish students. NBC News' Valerie Castro reports. Soccer fans are already locking in their plans for the 2026 FIFA World Cup - with AirDNA data showing a jump in short-term rental bookings during group stage games in U.S. host cities. NBC News' Jesse Kirsch has the story. In Washington County, Pennsylvania, Laura Magone is making her second attempt at a world record. This time, it's for the world's largest Christmas cookie exchange, with Magone gathering hundreds of bakers from across the country and around the world. NBC News' Hallie Jackson has the story.