24/7 News: The Latest
The Latest: 01/25/2025 10:59am ET
This is your 24/7 news update, the latest views this hour at just 4 minutes. Four Israeli soldiers are being treated at a hospital after being held captive by Hamas for 15 months. The four women are now back in Israel following their release earlier today in Gaza as part of the latest ceasefire agreement. In return, Israel released 200 Palestinian prisoners. The IDF says the four women were taken to a hospital in southern Israel to be reunited with their parents. The exchange brings the number of Israelis released to seven, including three civilians released last weekend under the new agreement. At least a dozen federal inspectors general are out of a job. White House sources say President Trump sent emails informing them of their immediate terminations on Friday. Inspectors general provide oversight to government agencies and watch for fraud, waste and violations of the law. Trump's firings may violate federal law because in order to remove a Senate confirmed inspector general, a 30-day notice of any intent to fire must be sent to Congress first. Many of those fired were initially appointed by President Trump during his first term. Vice President J.D. Vance is confirming Pete Hegseth as the Secretary of Defense. Jim Forbes has more. A tense vote in the Senate Friday night ended in a tie after three Republicans voted against his confirmation. Vice President Vance had to act as a tiebreaker and voted Hegseth in. The Senate being equally divided, the vice president votes in the affirmative and the nomination is confirmed. This is only the second time in history that a vice president has had to act as a nomination tiebreaker. Republican senators Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins and Mitch McConnell voted against the former Fox News host. The NFL's championship Sunday will determine which teams will face off in Super Bowl 59. At 3 p.m. Eastern, the Washington commanders will take on the Philadelphia Eagles for the NFC championship. Then the Kansas City Chiefs will host the Buffalo Bills for the AFC Championship at 6.30 p.m. Eastern. The Bills and Chiefs played each other in November with Buffalo walking away with the win. I'm Rob Martier. The CDC is releasing new flu data. That's despite the Trump administration putting a halt this week on virtually all scientific communication coming from the federal health agencies. The new data was not reported as it usually is on a CDC webpage called "FluVue." The data shows flu activity remains high and is on the rise in many parts of the country. Earlier this week, the Trump administration instructed all federal health agencies to temporarily stop public messaging pending a review. Schools in Northern California are reminding families and their students of their rights amid President Trump's immigration orders. A San Jose Unified School District letter sent to parents breaks down students' rights and campus guidelines to help ease concerns. The district is also seeing concern among students. Because unfortunately, as adults, we're able to process information, but our children, when they hear something, they think of the worst. The SJUSD letter aims to assure parents that every child has the right to a free public education, and that immigration officers can only enter schools if the law requires it. A disturbing end to an argument in the Bronx Friday over a barking dog, Andrew Whitman reports. A man was walking his dog near the Bodega at the corner of Southern Boulevard and east 178th Street in the West Farm section of the Bronx around noon Friday. His dog began barking at another man who police say didn't like it. He got so angry they say the man pulled out a machete and tried to attack the dog. The dog's owner stepped in front as the man swung the machete, slicing four fingers off the dog owner. Machete man ran no arrests. Witnesses say they think three of the four fingers were located. This weekend at the Sonoma Raceway, you can drive your own car on the racetrack while supporting a good cause. The Kaiser Speedway Children's Charity. Today, registered participants can take their street legal vehicles around the track. Walk-ins may be allowed if there's space. Proceeds will benefit the children and families in need in Sonoma County. Rob Bartier, NBC News Radio.