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Today's top stories
President Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin for over two hours yesterday, part of a flurry of phone calls to negotiate a ceasefire in the war in Ukraine. Trump also spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other European leaders. An immediate ceasefire was not agreed upon. However, Putin and Trump said after the call that Russia and Ukraine would begin talks toward a future of peace.
- 🎧 NPR's Charles Maynes tells Up First that Trump and Putin seemed at odds over what the call achieved. Trump stated on social media that Russia agreed to ceasefire talks. In statements to journalists, Putin said he agreed to work with Ukraine on a memorandum but details would need to be worked out before they could lead to a ceasefire. Zelenskyy said his country fully supports a full and immediate ceasefire, but made it clear he does not trust Putin's motives. Ivan Timofeev of the Russian International Affairs Council says that if Europe imposes more sanctions on Russia, the harm won't be critical for macroeconomic stability.
Negotiations in Doha between Israel and Hamas are at an impasse, according to three people briefed on the negotiations who spoke to NPR. Israel is facing pressure from the leaders of the U.K., France and Canada to end the war or face consequences. In a letter from the countries' leaders, they stated that the denial of essential supplies to civilians in Gaza risks breaching international law.
- 🎧 The prime minister of Qatar, who is hosting the talks, says the ceasefire talks haven't gone anywhere because of fundamental differences between Hamas and Israel. Israel wants a temporary ceasefire and the release of some hostages, according to NPR's Daniel Estrin. Hamas wants international guarantees that a temporary ceasefire will lead to the end of the war. The people briefed on the situation say the U.S. refused to promise Hamas those guarantees. On Monday, Israel relented to international pressure and said it allowed a small number of trucks into Gaza with baby food after nearly three months of a blockade. The United Nations says that's not enough.
- 🎧 In this State of the World episode, a writer based in Gaza shares what life is like amid Israel's latest offensive.
Much of southern Kentucky is at high risk of a significant tornado, just days after a burst of storms killed several people in the state, Missouri and Virginia. Earlier this spring, tornadoes ripped through eight states in the Midwest. The U.S. has seen over 850 tornadoes this year, far above the usual 600 by mid-May, according to the National Weather Service.
- 🎧 Big outbreaks of tornadoes, like the ones in Kentucky and Missouri over the weekend, are becoming more common, tornado expert Melissa Widhalm told NPR's Rebecca Hersher. The outbreaks are when lots of storms move across a large area in a short period of time. Widhalm says warning people about the clusters is labor-intensive, as it requires a lot of weather forecasters and radar data to track the storms as they move. Hershey says this is notable at a time when the Trump administration is cutting weather forecasting budgets and there are many vacancies in the NWS.
Living better
Living Better is a special series about what it takes to stay healthy in America.
Many believe that eating meat is essential for muscle growth because it's rich in essential amino acids. However, plant-based foods also have all the essential amino acids, but have lower concentrations of some that are important for protein synthesis. Recent studies have challenged previous assumptions, showing that plant protein can be comparable for putting on muscle.
- 🥦 A recent trial run by exercise researcher Nicholas Burd shows that both diets offered the same "muscle-building potential" and suggests that long-term muscle gains would be the same.
- 🥦 No difference was found in the study based on the timing at which people had their protein.
- 🥦 Meat is more protein-dense, so matching it with plants may require more calories.
- 🥦 One caveat: the study was short-term and didn't measure muscle growth or strength.
Picture show
The National Bonsai and Penjing Museum in D.C. recently welcomed many visitors who celebrated the 400th anniversary of the Yamaki Pine. It's the oldest tree at the museum, itself nestled at the National Arboretum. Known as the "Peace Tree," it survived the 1945 U.S. atomic bomb attack on Hiroshima and was gifted to the U.S. in 1976 as part of a bicentennial gesture. Take a look at the exhibit showcasing the bonsai.
3 things to know before you go
- Sesame Street will begin airing new episodes on Netflix later this year. The platform will also run 90 hours of previous episodes from the series' library.
- CBS News President and CEO Wendy McMahon announced her resignation yesterday, stating that "the company and I do not agree on the path forward." CBS' parent company Paramount Global is currently attempting to settle a lawsuit involving Trump.
- Yesterday, Vice President JD Vance met with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican. During their meeting, the vice president presented the first U.S. pontiff with a Chicago Bears jersey that featured "Pope Leo XIV" in white and orange letters on the back.
This newsletter was edited by Majd Al-Waheidi.
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