NPR News Now - NPR News: 03-01-2025 12AM EST

Episode Date: March 1, 2025

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Live from NPR News, I'm Dale Willman. President Trump called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky disrespectful during a meeting at the White House on Friday. The comment came during a heated discussion between the two leaders as well as Vice President Vance. Speaking later on Fox News, Zelensky explained his frustration with the Trump administration. Just ceasefire without security guarantee, this is so sensitive for all our people. I'm speaking like a president of a people

who are in this struggle three years and they just want to hear that America on our side and that America will stay with us, not with Russians, with us. A signing ceremony for a deal allowing US access to rare earth minerals in Ukraine was canceled after the White House meeting. About 200 workers at the EPA's Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights

were put on leave earlier this month. On Friday, a group of senators called on EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin to reinstate them. MPR's Nate Perez reports. The Office of Environmental Justice is tasked with ensuring that communities have equal protections from environmental harms. In the letter to the head of the EPA, 17 Democratic senators say there is nobody left to do that now that the office is, quote, on life support. The Senate's Environmental Justice Caucus co-chair Tammy Duckworth spearheaded the letter.

She says if the letter doesn't get the attention of the administration, she plans to find funding to bring employees back. I'm going to work very hard to make sure that, you know, my colleagues, whom I would assume care if their constituents breathe safe air and drink clean water, will join on board and work with me on this. An EPA spokesperson says the agency is reviewing the letter. Nate Perez, NPR News. President Trump is expected to issue an executive order soon that for the first time in the nation's history Would designate English as the official language of the United States and Perez Osma hallowed has our details

This executive order will rescind a directive from the Bill Clinton administration that requires agencies and organizations that receive federal funding To provide language assistance to people with limited English proficiency funding to provide language assistance to people with limited English proficiency. That's according to a White House fact sheet that also indicated agencies will still be allowed to provide services in other languages if they so choose. The White House says this change will promote unity and create a pathway for civic engagement. The United States has never had an official national language, though a number of states have formally established English as their official language.

Asma Khalid, NPR News, The White House. Consumer spending dropped in February. It's the largest drop in spending since February of 2021. Economists say ongoing tariff threats from Washington and sweeping government job cuts are in part to blame for the drop. They say the tariffs, in particular, will likely push prices higher. The drop comes even though incomes continue to rise across the country. Wall Street finished the day higher across the board on Friday.

And you're listening to NPR News. The World Health Organization says it's carrying out more investigations to understand the cause of an illness that's been spreading in communities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. And Peris Vatmatanis has our report. Since the beginning of the year, the DRC has recorded over 1,000 sick people and 60 deaths from an unnamed disease. The symptoms include fever, headache, chills, body aches and nosebleeds. The WHO says it's deployed emergency experts to step up disease surveillance and determine what's causing these symptoms. Initial lab results were negative for Ebola and Marburg, two viruses that can cause similar symptoms. Areas where the illness has spread are remote, adding transportation and communication challenges for the emergency

team. Fatma Tanis, NPR News. The 24-hour economic blackout promoted on social media for Friday is just about over. So far, there's been no clear indication as to its effect. The activist group, the People's Union USA, encouraged Americans not to spend any money for 24 hours to resist what they describe as the evil influence of billionaires, big companies, and both major political parties. A stretch of Interstate 40 in the western mountains of North Carolina is scheduled to

be reopened this weekend. Historic flooding from the remnants of Hurricane Helene last September collapsed portions of the road, while the major route connecting with Tennessee will be reopening on Saturday, officials say the road's four lanes will not be fully open until at least sometime late next year.