NPR News Now - NPR News: 01-25-2025 4PM EST

Episode Date: January 25, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Louise Schiavone. President Trump's embattled nominee for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has been approved by the Senate by the narrowest of margins. Hegseth needed Vice President J.D. Vance to break a 50-50 tie in a vote on his nomination late last night. He was dogged by doubts about his qualifications, as well as allegations of sexual misconduct, public drunkenness and financial management of two veterans nonprofits. NPR's Tom Bowman has more. Three Republicans, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine,

and Mitch McConnell of Kentucky voted against him, citing his alleged misconduct and his lack of experience. Hegseth is an Army National Guard combat veteran and former Fox News host, but he calls himself someone with dust on his boots, who will be a change agent at the Pentagon, a place he claims has focused on woke politics and diversity at the expense of warfighting. Hegseth has changed his long-held stance against women in ground combat, saying women can serve in those roles as long as they meet the standards. But he says the fitness requirements are lower for women and has vowed a review. Tom Bowman, NPR News. He was sworn in this

morning. The Trump administration's new leadership at the Justice Department is instructing federal prosecutors to limit their enforcement of a law that protects reproductive health care providers and facilities. NPR's Ryan Lucas has more. This relates to enforcement of what's known as the FACE Act, which prohibits threats of force, obstruction of property damage that interferes with reproductive rights services, including clinics that perform abortions and pregnancy facilities that don't. Now Justice Department Chief of Staff Chad Mizzell says in an internal memo obtained by NPR that new prosecutions

and civil actions under the FACE Act will only be permitted in extraordinary circumstances or when there are significant aggravating factors such as death or serious bodily harm. The memo says cases lacking such factors can be handled by state or local law. Ryan Lucas, NPR News, Washington. Larry Albag saw her family for the first time in 15 months today. As she and three other female Israeli soldiers were released by Hamas and returned to Israel after a 15-month hostage ordeal in Gaza.

Israel in turn released 200 Palestinians from prisoner as part of a hostage-for-prisoners swap in the framework of a ceasefire deal with Hamas that went into effect last Sunday in the Gaza War. NPR's Greg Meyery has more. There are some very hard questions that are still ahead. The first phase of the ceasefire lasts six weeks. The two sides will then have to negotiate some very hard questions like when will all the Israeli troops leave Gaza and will Hamas be allowed to remain in charge of Gaza? NPR's Greg Meyry, this is NPR News in Washington.

President Trump has fired multiple independent watchdogs at federal agencies, including Inspectors General at the Departments of State, Defense, and Transportation. Federal law requires 30 days' notice to Congress, which was not provided. The Washington Post was first to report the dismissals. Inspectors General hold agencies responsible to taxpayers. American Madison Keys has claimed her first Grand Slam tennis title with a three-set win over world number one Belarusian Irina Sabalenka in Melbourne. Christina Kokolia reports. Madison Keys started strong with an early break against the two-time defending champion Irina Sabalenka to claim the first set of the final in Melbourne. Sabalenka won the second with Keys regaining momentum to take out the match 6-3 2-6 7-5 in just over two hours.

Both women brought a powerful game to the court before Keys caused a major upset to claim her maiden Grand Slam title more than a decade after her first appearance at Melbourne Park. She spoke to Australia's Channel 9 after the match. And I just kept telling myself, just try to get the next point, just try to get the next point. Yeah, so it was really just try to walk off the court no matter what and be proud of yourself. For NPR News, I'm Christina Kukola in Melbourne.

Cleanup work began this weekend across to Ireland and parts of the UK. In the aftermath of Storm Eowyn, which packed wind gusts of over 100 miles an hour, more than a million people lost power, at least one person died, and there was extensive damage. I'm Louise Schiavone, NPR News, Washington.