Axios

On Sunday, millions of U.S. TikTok users were sent a message less than 24 hours after the app went dark: "As a result of President Trump's efforts, TikTok is back in the U.S.!"

Yes, but: While Trump's vow to delay the app's divestment deadline might earn him some likes online, key GOP lawmakers who pushed for a ban over national security concerns could be a bit ticked off.

• And despite Trump's vow to issue an executive order on day one to delay the enforcement of a bipartisan law, TikTok still might be racing against the clock to strike a deal.

Here's what you may have missed when newsmakers hit the airwaves this Sunday, Jan. 19.

Three Israeli female hostages were released by Hamas on Sunday, six hours after the Gaza ceasefire came into effect.

Why it matters: This is the first hostage release since November 2023, when the first deal led to the release of more than 100 people.

After a three hour delay, the ceasefire in Gaza began at 11:15 a.m. local time (4:15 a.m. ET) with Israel and Hamas agreeing to stop the fighting for 42 days.

Why it matters: This is the first ceasefire in the Gaza war since November 2023, when the first hostage deal led to an 8-day pause in the fighting.

Most U.S. adults (9 in 10 Republicans and close to half of Democrats) say they support mass deportations of immigrants living in the country illegally — but that enthusiasm quickly erodes when presented with options over how to carry them out, according to a new Axios-Ipsos poll.

Why it matters: President-elect Trump has vowed to initiate one of the "largest mass deportations in U.S. history" starting early in his return to the White House. Beyond the logistical obstacles, costs and possible pain to the U.S. economy, the survey suggests Americans could quickly sour on deportations depending on how they are carried out.

TIkTok's 170 million users started receiving a "services temporarily unavailable" notice late Saturday night and the app was no longer available in Google and Apple's app stores as a law to ban the app was set to take official effect at midnight.

Why it matters: It's the first time the U.S. has banned a major online platform of this scale.

President-elect Trump's national security adviser Mike Waltz on Saturday told the families of American Israeli hostages being held by Hamas that the Trump administration is committed to making sure all phases of the hostage-release and ceasefire in Gaza deal are implemented by Israel and Hamas, three sources who attended the meeting told Axios.

Why it matters: The families whose relatives are not expected to be released during the first phase of the deal told Waltz they're concerned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu won't move forward to implementing the next two phases of the deal because of domestic political considerations.

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change will mark MLK Day on Monday with "moral reflection and prophetic response" amid uncertainty as President-elect Trump retakes office.

Why it matters: This year, the King holiday and the presidential inauguration fall on the same day — a paradox that civil rights leaders say underscores the nation's deep divide.

Hostages and Palestinian prisoners held in Gaza will be released on Sunday following Israeli cabinet approval Friday of a hostage and ceasefire deal.

Why it matters: Cabinet approval, after seven hours of deliberations, was the final hurdle before the deal could be implemented, beyond a 24-hour period to allow for legal challenges.

Jake Sullivan — with three days left as White House national security adviser, with wide access to the world's secrets — called us to deliver a chilling, "catastrophic" warning for America and the incoming administration:

• The next few years will determine whether artificial intelligence leads to catastrophe — and whether China or America prevails in the AI arms race.

Years of debate, months of procrastination and weeks of panic have brought the U.S. to the brink of banning TikTok — a bipartisan achievement that top politicians suddenly want nothing to do with.

Why it matters: On the eve of his inauguration, President-elect Trump is facing an enormous challenge to his popularity, his executive power and his word. He has vowed to save TikTok — but failed to explain how he can do so without violating U.S. law.

The incoming Trump administration wants regime change in Venezuela, where dictator Nicolás Maduro stole his election, jailed a rival and this month even threatened to invade the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico.

Why it matters: Venezuela under Maduro has been a massive problem for Latin America and the U.S. It's accounted for the largest modern-day migration in the Western Hemisphere — nearly 8 million people have fled Maduro's regime in the past decade.