NPR News Now - NPR News: 01-19-2025 11PM EST

Episode Date: January 20, 2025

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Okay, so does this sound like you? You love NPR's podcasts, you wish you could get more of all your favorite shows, and you want to support NPR's mission to create a more informed public. If all that sounds appealing, then it is time to sign up for the NPR Plus bundle. Learn more at plus.npr.org. Live from NPR News, I'm Dale Willman. President-elect Donald Trump and his supporters celebrated the day before his inauguration with the rally in downtown Washington, D.C. Trump supporters lined up for hours on the cold Sunday to attend the event.

NPR's Danielle Kurtzleben was there. The rally celebrated Trump's November win while also maintaining the MAGA identity of a movement that's continually fighting. Once and for all we're going to end the reign of a failed and corrupt political establishment in Washington, a failed administration. We're not going to take it anymore. The hours-long rally featured performances from Kid Rock and the Village People, as well as appearances from actor John Voight and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. Supporters will return on Monday to the arena, where they will be able to watch a live stream of Trump's inauguration after it was moved inside due to cold weather.

The inauguration parade has also been moved inside the arena. Danielle Kurtzleman, NPR News, Washington. Trump says he'll sign an executive order to pause the ban on TikTok. A federal law requires the sale or ban of the video app. NPR's Luke Garrett has more. TikTok went dark and then came back online this weekend following Trump's promise to sign an executive order Monday

that would pause the ban. Trump's incoming national security adviser, Mike Walz, tells CNN. It is a fantastic app. It's something that 170 million Americans enjoy. And we're confident that we can save TikTok, but also protect Americans' data and protect them from influence. Federal law requires that TikTok be split from its Chinese-based owner, ByteDance, or

be banned because of national security concerns. Despite Trump's support for the app, Republican Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas defended the TikTok ban on Sunday. Luke Garrett, NPR News, Washington. About 90 Palestinian prisoners and detainees were released today from Israeli jail and into the occupied West Bank. They were released in exchange for three Israeli hostages being held in Gaza as part of the ceasefire deal that went into effect this morning. MPR's Kat Lonsdorf reports from Ramallah.

Hundreds of Palestinians gathered at a traffic roundabout in a Ramallah suburb where detainees were set to be released. The mood was celebratory. Families bundled up in winter coats waving Palestinian flags and vendors selling sweets and balloons. The crowd waited in the cold for hours, long into the night, when finally buses pulled up and the detainees got out. Several young men, still wearing what appeared to be Israeli prison uniforms,

were hoisted onto other men's shoulders. Onlookers chanted, God is great, greeting them. This was the first of several hostage and detainee exchanges set to take place during an expected six-week ceasefire in Gaza. Negotiations to extend the deal should begin in coming weeks. Kat Lonsdorf, NPR News, Ramallah. And you're listening to NPR News. Ukraine Security Service says it's detained a Ukrainian lawyer accused of recruiting agents to spy for Russia. NPR's Joannica Kissis

reports from Kyiv that the arrest comes as Russia continues to capture Ukrainian land. Writing on the social media app Telegram, Ukraine Security Service says its investigation shows Russia recruited the unnamed lawyer in 2015 and paid him for various tasks. He recruited more Ukrainians to spy for Russia, defended those spies in court, and also gave Russia information about Ukraine's domestic spy agency. The suspect is charged with high treason and faces life in prison. On Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also signed a decree implementing sanctions

against several Ukrainian politicians accused of spreading Russian propaganda. Meanwhile, Russian forces say they have occupied two more villages in eastern Ukraine's Donetsk region. Joanna Kekesis, NPRU. Heavy snow continues to fall in portions of the eastern U.S. tonight. Up to six inches is expected in areas from Maryland to Maine and that will be followed by dangerously low temperatures for the next few days. Saquon Barkley ran through the snow in Philadelphia today to score two touchdowns and he helped lead the Philadelphia Eagles to a 28 to 22 win over the Los Angeles Rams. Parkley finished with 205 rushing yards. The Eagles will now host the Washington

Commanders next weekend in the NFC Championship game. The Buffalo Bills meanwhile held off the Ravens during a snow-filled game in Buffalo tonight. They won that 27 to 25. I'm Dale Willman, NPR News. This is Eric Glass. In this American life, sometimes we just show up somewhere, turn on our tape recorders, and see what happens. If you can't get seven cars in 12 days, you gotta look yourself in the mirror and say, holy sh- what are you kidding me? Like this car dealership, trying to sell its monthly quota of cars, and it is not going well. I just don't want one balloon to a car.

Balloon the whole freaking place so it looks like a circus. Real life stories, every week.