Venezuelan tanker, Epstein files, Absentia removals : NPR

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Today's top news

The Trump administration says the US Coast Guard is pursuing an oil tanker with ties to Venezuela. The action is the latest in the Trump administration's pressure campaign against the government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. The move is also part of the administration's efforts to enforce a blockade of sanctioned oil tankers traveling to and from Venezuela.

• 🎧 A U.S. official, not authorized to speak publicly, told NPR yesterday that the Coast Guard is “actively pursuing the ship.” The official called the tanker a dark fleet vessel trying to illegally evade sanctions. Dark fleet ships use deceptive methods such as flying false national flags to hide where they've been and where they're going, NPR's Carrie Kahn reports. Up first. Last week, President Trump threatened Venezuela with a full blockade and said military pressure would be stepped up unless it returned assets, including oil, that it stole from the United States. Venezuela denies stealing anything and says Trump simply wants the country's natural resources and vast oil reserves.

Over the weekend, the Justice Department continued to partially release the files of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.revealing some previously redacted information. Lawmakers have criticized the Justice Department for missing its full publication deadline, with some threatening prosecute Attorney General Pam Bondi.

• 🎧 The Justice Department has released two more sets of data, but NPR's Luke Garrett says that after a careful reading of the 119-page documentthere were no serious revelations. Names of accomplices remained largely editeddespite Epstein's crimes and conspiracy being described in brutal detail. Over the weekend, the Justice Department removed more than a dozen files from their initial release. It comes as a New York judge asked the agency to listen to victims and victims' rights groups on what content should be made available to the public.

Thousands of immigrants without legal status have avoided immigration court this yearand NPR found that these absences lead to surge in “absentee” deportations. This comes amid intense pressure on the immigration courts: The administration has fired judges, the government has deported some people to countries they have never lived in, and more.

• 🎧 If someone who is in the country illegally misses an order to appear in immigration court, the government can order their deportation “in absentia.”According to NPR's Jimena Bustillo. Based on early analysis from January to November, NPR found that nearly every U.S. immigration court issued more of these failure-to-appear orders, Bustillo said. The number of orders spiked around June, coinciding with the time ICE officers began making arrests at courthouses. The immigrants were I don't dare go to court learned of the arrests, says Ruby Powers, an immigration lawyer in Texas.

Today's audition

When you imagine New Orleans music, Christmas carols probably aren't the first genre that comes to mind. You probably associate the Big Easy with brass bands and bounce music, but many local musicians have deep roots in the church. This Christmas, NPR Network WWNO's Rosemary Westwood spoke with some of the city's favorite starsfrom jazz singer John Boutte to New Orleans jump queen Big Freedia on what holiday songs they like to listen to during this time. Listen excerpts from these songs or read the transcript Here.

Life advice

Anxiety, distraction, and vulnerability can increase during the frenzy of holiday gift shopping and last-minute travel. In a recent AARP poll of nearly 2,000 American adults, nearly 9 in 10 reported that someone stalked them or that they fell for some type of scam during the holiday season last year. Common schemes include fake shipping notifications, package theft, and fake donation requests. Amy Nofziger, AARP fraud specialist, shares with Life Kit the best patterns she's seen this season and tips on how to protect yourself.

• 🎁 Before you contact a new vendor, search for their name, as well as the words “scam,” “fraud,” and “complaint” to see other customers’ experiences. Use this information as a guide.
• 🎁 Avoid fake gift cards by buying those that are closer to the front of the store and have more attention to them. You can also purchase electronic gift cards instead of physical ones.
• 🎁 If an unexpected message from UPS or FedEx asks for your personal information, contact the company's customer service separately and confirm that the package has actually been delivered to you.

To learn more about what holiday scams you should be aware of this season, listen to this NPR episode Life Kit. Subscribe to That Life Kit newsletter for expert advice on love, money, relationships and more.

3 things you need to know before your trip

1. The U.S. government granted the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina full federal recognition. Its members have have been looking for this historical milestone since 1888.
2. Cartagena, Colombia, a city famous for its horse-drawn carriages. are going to ban iconic carriages. The move has divided the city over concerns about tradition, tourism and animal welfare.
3. Comedian Bowen Yang has left Saturday Night Live midway through its eighth season. This weekend, he made his final appearance on SNL in an episode hosted by Wicked star Ariana Grande.

This newsletter has been edited Suzanne Nuyen.