NPR News Now - NPR News: 01-19-2025 5AM EST

Episode Date: January 19, 2025

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Donald Trump promised to change Washington, D.C., a place where there's an old saying that personnel is policy. That's why we have created a new podcast called Trump's Terms, where you can follow NPR's coverage of the incoming Trump administration, from his cabinet secretaries to political advisors and top military leaders, to understand who they are, what they believe, and how they'll govern. Listen to Trump's Terms from NPR. Live from NPR News, I'm Giles Snyder.

A roadblock that delayed a ceasefire from taking effect in Gaza has been lifted. The pause in fighting began a short time ago after the Hamas militant group released the names of the three hostages it plans to release today. Israeli officials had said they did not consider the ceasefire valid until Hamas did so and continued to attack targets in Gaza after the deadline passed. Palestinian medics say at least 19 people were killed in Israeli attacks this morning. TikTok has gone dark for users across the U.S., a service no longer available following the Supreme Court upholding a law banning it. Here's more from NPR's Bobby Allen.

Users started reporting it around 10.30 p.m. Eastern time when people tried to open their TikTok apps. They received a pop-up that said, sorry, TikTok isn't available right now. The message stated the company took the app offline following a law banning the viral video app. The blackout follows the Supreme Court last week upholding the law. Justice has found that TikTok's China ties posed a national security threat that does not supersede the free speech of millions of Americans who use the app. It's unclear how long TikTok will be unavailable to its 170 million US users, but President-elect Donald Trump has promised to rescue the app. It's unknown how he might accomplish that. Bobby Allen, NPR News.

Thousands of National Guard troops from dozens of states are in Washington DC ahead of tomorrow's inauguration ceremony of President-elect Donald Trump. Major John Andani is the commander of the DC Guard. Right now we have 7,800 guardsmen from all across 40 states supporting this effort. They are all here with one intent and one purpose and that is to ensure a safe and successful and peaceful transition of power. General Andoni says the Guard troops will assist state and federal law enforcement and that he remains confident in security plans despite the decision to move the inauguration ceremony indoors because of the expected plunge in temperatures.

The ceremony is to be held inside the U.S. Capitol for the first time since President Ronald Reagan took the oath of office in 1985 for a second term. A number of religious leaders who have supported President-elect Trump are among those slated to offer prayers during his inauguration. Empress Jason DeRose has more on that. Franklin Graham, the son of famed evangelist Billy Graham, is scheduled to give the invocation before Trump swearing in. Graham has been a vocal supporter of Trump during each of his runs for office. Also praying at the beginning of the ceremony, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the Catholic Archbishop of New York.

Scheduled to offer the benediction at the end is Rabbi Ari Berman, the president of Yeshiva University, along with several other clergy from around the U.S., including Imam Husham al-Husseini from Dearborn, Michigan. Al-Husseini is among the Muslim leaders who campaigned for Trump last year, in part to punish Democrats for supporting Israel's war against Hamas. Jason DeRose, NPR News. And you're listening to NPR News. Declassified as Imperial's Lauren Freyer reports from London. In 1964, one of Queen Elizabeth's senior courtiers, her private art collector, confessed to being a Soviet spy. But the monarch wasn't told for nine years. Aides apparently saw no advantage and didn't want to worry her. The man was later stripped of his knighthood.

This is one of several tidbits and a trove of documents declassified ahead of an upcoming exhibition at Britain's National Archives. Other documents show how British secret agents lobbied for an honorary knighthood for J. Edgar Hoover, the notorious FBI director, and then tried to get him listed in a who's who almanac to boost his ego and US-British relations after another Cold War spy scandal. Lauren Freyer and PR News, London. On the way to the NFL Super Bowl, the Conference Championships are taking shape this weekend. Two more games are on tap today after the Kansas City Chiefs and the Washington Commanders

advanced. The Chiefs beat the Houston Texans last night and will play the winner of today's game between the Buffalo Bills and the Baltimore Ravens. The Commanders who will play for the NFC title for the first time in more than 30 years. After beating the Super Bowl favorite Detroit Lions, Washington will play either Los Angeles Rams or the Philadelphia Eagles. I'm Jai El Snyder, MPR News.