NPR News Now - NPR News: 08-16-2025 5AM EDT

Episode Date: August 16, 2025

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Live from NPR News in New York City, I'm Dula Lisei Kautau. President Trump says he had a very productive meeting with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin. At the close of their Alaska summit, he suggested it's up to Ukrainian President Volodymer Zelensky to close the deal. And Piers Franco Ordonez has the latest. After meeting with Vladimir Putin, President Trump sat down for an interview with Fox's Sean Hannity. Trump reiterated that there were still some sticking points to reaching, an agreement, but that they made some progress. Now it's really up to President Zelensky to get it done and I would also say the European nations, they have to get involved a little bit.

Trump suggested there could be follow-up meetings between the Russian and Ukrainian leaders and that he could be there. Trump characterized the talks as a 10 out of 10 because of how the two sides got along. And he added that he was pleased with Putin's remark that he would not have invaded Ukraine if Trump had been president. instead of Joe Biden, Franco, Ordonias, NPR News. Washington, D.C.'s police chief Pamela Smith will continue to control the Metropolitan Police Department after D.C. sued the Trump administration for what it saw as a hostile and unlawful federal takeover of its police force. Attorney General Pam Bondi has now rescinded the appointment a day earlier of the DEA chief, Terry Cole, as emergency police commissioner.

And in a new two-page directive, Bondi says, Terry Cole is now a designee who will assist in services such as federal immigration enforcement. Here's D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser. Chief Smith's job during this week has been to make sure that if we have and while we have federal officers, that they are being used strategically. For the first time in years, through a video, the world got a glimpse of one of the most famous Palestinian prisoners in Israel. Marwan Barguti. NPR's Emily Fink reports. In the video, Barguti is pale, white-haired, and shrunken, nearly unrecognizable from the dark rotun man he once was when he was tipped to be the next leader of the Palestinian Authority.

Instead, he is serving five consecutive life sentences after being convicted in 2002 by an Israeli court for helping plan attacks on civilians during a Palestinian uprising that came to be known as the Second Intifada. And the minister lecturing Barguti in the video is Itamar Ben-Givir, himself convicted in Israel on at least eight criminal charges, including supporting a terrorism organization, and who is now the country's national security minister. Ben-Givir says, anyone who murders are women or children, we will wipe them out. Emily Fang and Pier News, Tel Aviv. Tropical storm Aaron is strengthening into a hurricane and approaching Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. You're listening to NPR News. The NCAA is handing out mostly monetary fines to the University of Michigan football program

for a sign stealing scandal. As Alex McClennan of Member Station WDET reports, this comes after a multi-year cheating investigation. The scandal stems from the actions of former Wolverine football staffer Connor Stallions who ran an illegal in-person scouting ring to steal other team's play calls over a three-year period leading up to Michigan's 2024 national title. However, the NCAA stopped short of taking away that championship or any

other wins, instead finding the program roughly $20 million. Head coach Sharon Moore will be suspended for a yet-to-be-named game, in addition to Michigan's week three and four games that the school already volunteered him to sit out. The university will also not be allowed to make money off post-season football games for two years. For NPR News, I'm Alex McLennan in Detroit. In India and Pakistan, torrential rain continues to cause daily, deadly, flush floods, and landslides. The Associated Press reports the death toll from rain-related incidents has climbed to 220 in the Northwest Booneer District of Pakistan. Local officials say dozens of people are still missing in nearby villages. In California, Governor Gavin Newsom is

asking voters to approve new congressional map that could give Democrats up to five new seats. The process usually takes place at the start of a new decade, but Newsome is asking voters to decide on the plan during a November special election. This is NPR News.