NPR News Now - NPR News: 05-11-2025 9AM EDT

Episode Date: May 11, 2025

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This is Ira Glass, the host of This American Life. So much is changing so rapidly right now with President Trump in office. It feels good to pause for a moment sometimes and look around at what's what. To try and do that, we've been finding these incredible stories about right now that are funny and have feeling and you get to see people everywhere making sense of this new America that we find ourselves in. This American Life, wherever you get your podcasts. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Giles Snyder. Russian President Vladimir Putin is proposing

direct talks with Ukraine aimed at ending the war between the two countries. His initiative appears to be the Kremlin leader's response to demands by European powers in Ukraine that Russia agree to an immediate 30-day ceasefire from Moscow. MPR's Charles Maines has details. Reading from notes in a late-night appearance before reporters, Putin proposed Russian and Ukrainian negotiators meet for talks in Istanbul, Turkey later this week. Putin said Russia would enter

the negotiations without preconditions but wanted a lasting peace settlement that addressed the root causes of the conflict that in the past has included Russian demands Ukraine demilitarized and formally end its NATO ambitions. Putin's proposal came hours after European leaders threatened massive new sanctions. Should the Kremlin refuse to agree to an immediate month-long ceasefire endorsed by Kiev, President Trump welcomed the prospect of direct talks, calling it a potentially great day for Russia and Ukraine. Charles Mainz, NPR News, Moscow.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky calls Russia's overture a positive sign, but says there must be a ceasefire before peace talks can start. Zelensky posted a statement on social media calling a ceasefire the first stop, the first step rather, in truly ending the war. At the Vatican, newly elected Pope Leo XIV called for peace from the balcony overlooking St. Peter's Square today, and Pius Jason DeRose is in Rome. Speaking in Italian, Pope Leo noted the 80th anniversary of World War II and said the world is currently experiencing a third world war in pieces, something the late Pope Francis

often said. He called for an authentic, just and lasting peace in Ukraine, that prisoners be released and children be returned to their families. And he said he was saddened by the continuing conflict in Gaza, calling for all hostages to be released and aid to be sent to the suffering civilian population. Leo gave thanks for the ceasefire between India and Pakistan and said he hopes it leads to a lasting accord. He also closed his remarks by offering a greeting to all mothers, since many countries today are celebrating Mother's Day. Jason Derose, NPR News, Rome. Even though India and Pakistan have blamed each other

for violating a US mediated ceasefire, witnesses say the fighting and dispute at Kashmir has died down. NPR's Diya Hadid reports of fighting over the past few days being called the worst in decades. The fighting was ongoing until about 3 p.m. India time. Then the ceasefire was announced a little bit later. More than 70 people have been killed on both sides, most of them in Kashmir.

And these hostilities were the most serious between the two countries since 1971. The fighting erupted two weeks after 26 civilians were killed in an attack in Indian-controlled Kashmir. This is NPR. Tufts University student Rameza Ozturk says she is relieved to be back in Boston. She spoke to reporters at Logan Airport last night after spending six weeks at a Louisiana detention center following her arrest by immigration agents. She says she believes in the American justice system though. America is the greatest democracy in the world, and I believe in those values that we share.

I have faith in the American system of justice. A federal judge ordered Ozterk's release pending a final decision in her case. Her lawyers say she was illegally detained following an op-ed she co-wrote last year that criticized her school's response to the war in Gaza. Forty-nine years after her death, the writer known as the Queen of Crime has been brought back to life through artificial intelligence. Vicki Barker reports from London.

Vicki Barker I must confess that this is all rather new to me. Agatha Christie recreated using AI for the online masterclass series BBC Maestro. Her great-grandson James Pritchard told a BBC promotional video. At the heart of this was my father who knew Agatha Christie better than any person alive. At times he was astounded by how similar to his grandmother this version was. The crime writers family set a condition that all the words used be Christie's own. Christie scholars combed her published

and unpublished works and private letters to assemble this masterclass. For NPR News, I'm Vicki Barker in London. And I'm Giles Snyder. This is NPR News from Washington. Sean Combs was at the forefront of hip hop music and fashion, This is NPR News from Washington.