NPR News Now - NPR News: 01-26-2025 12PM EST

Episode Date: January 26, 2025

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On NPR's Wild Card podcast, comedian Michelle Butoh says she's glad she ignored the people who told her to lose weight. I'm just going to show you what it looks like to love my body, my double chin, my extra rolls, okay? My buckets of thighs. Sauce on the side, you can't afford it. I'm Rachel Martin. Michelle Butoh is on the Wild Card podcast, the show where cards control the conversation.

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Louise Schiavone. A busy first week for the new Trump administration, including new efforts to deport hundreds of migrants using for the first time military aircraft to transport them back to their home country in a crackdown on illegal immigration. Trump's new border czar, Tom Homan, told ABC's This Week that any migrant who enters the country illegally will be on the table for deportation, and he expects congressional support when the federal government enforces the law. I find it hard to believe any member of Congress has told us not to enforce law, that they enacted and they fund us to do.

But opening up to anyone who's in the country illegally and going into schools and grabbing them, does that, kids, adults? The message needs to be clear, there's consequences entering the country illegally. Homan added that as the effort expands, he expects other federal agencies to get involved, including the departments of justice and defense.

A deal to save TikTok is being negotiated and PR's Bobby Allen reports software company Oracle and Microsoft are among the American investors involved. Sources close to talks in the White House about TikTok's future say Oracle is planning to offer tens of billions of dollars for a sizable share of TikTok's global operation. Microsoft and other U.S. investors are expected to also be part of the deal. NPR has agreed to not name the sources who aren't authorized to speak publicly about the talks. White House negotiators say China-based ByteDance will lose control of TikTok but would remain

a minority investor in the app. For years, TikTok has been a national security concern over fears that the Chinese government could use the app to spy or push disinformation. The discussions are in flux, but a senior staffer in Congress says if ByteDance doesn't have access to TikTok's data or algorithm, it could satisfy the law. Neither the White House nor any of the companies return a request for comment. Bobbi Allen, NPR News. President Trump says he has not spoken to Oracle CEO Larry Ellison, but that he has spoken to many people about TikTok and there's in his words great interest in TikTok. He says he'll make a decision on a U.S. buyer for part of the company over the next 90 days.

Israel is blocking thousands of Palestinians from returning to their homes in northern Gaza in a dispute over the order of hostages Hamas has released after a ceasefire agreement. Speaking on Air Force One, President Trump told reporters that Arab countries, including Jordan and Egypt, should take in the refugees and build housing for them while war ravaged Gaza is restored. NPR's Kat Lonsdorf says that the precedent suggestion has not been embraced by those most affected. This is not U.S. policy right now. He said this in the context of talking about how destroyed Gaza is and that Palestinians should be removed in order to rebuild it. And in answer to a

question he said that it could be a permanent move. Much of the Israeli government has been pretty quiet about this idea this morning. Hamas on the other hand strongly rejected it saying that the whole reason Palestinians endured this war was to stay on their land. NPR's Kat Lonsdorf, this is NPR News in Washington. In South Korea, prosecutors have indicted impeached President Yoon Song-yol on charges of rebellion in connection with his turmoil creating martial law decree. Yoon remains jailed and faces a trial expected to last up to six months.

The former Soviet Republic of Belarus holds controversial presidential elections today. The vote is expected to see longtime ruler Alexander Lukashenko and Kremlin ally extend his 31 year old hold on power. NPR's Charles Maines reports. The question is not whether strongman Alexander Lukashenko will win a seven straight term in office but by how big a margin. Four other candidates are on the ballot, but they say they want to see Lukashenko win another five-year term. More serious would-be rivals and their followers are either in exile or jail. The environment is a far cry from Belarus' last election in 2020.

When mass protests broke out amid allegations of vote-rigging in Lukashenko's favor, Lukashenko's regime survived thanks to a brutal crackdown by security forces and political backing from the Kremlin. Since then the West has refused to recognize Lukashenko's legitimacy. It has also joined Belarus' opposition in exile in calling the current vote a sham. Charles Maynes in PR News, Moscow. The forecast is rain in Southern California and it is a welcome assist to firefighters battling lingering blazes in Los Angeles County.

However, local officials are keeping an eye on the threat of localized downpours and potential resulting mudslides in fire-scarred areas. Rain's expected to intensify through the day and last till Tuesday. I'm Louise Schiavone, NPR News, Washington. Wait, wait, don't tell me. Fresh air? Up first. NPR News Nowiavone, NPR News, Washington.