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

Episode Date: March 1, 2025

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Noor Aram, NPR News. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Noor Aram. A potential deal between the U.S. and Ukraine to pave the way for an end to its war with Russia is now up in the air. As NPR's Osma Khalid reports, this follows a heated public discussion between President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Trump accused Ukraine's president of being disrespectful and unthankful for American support. The meeting became so heated that Zelensky left the White House earlier than expected.

Zelensky was in town to finalize a deal that would give the U.S. access to Ukrainian minerals, but that deal was not signed. And Trump later told reporters that Zelensky does not want to make peace. But after Zelensky left the White House, he did an interview with Fox News' Brett Baer and insisted he does. We want peace. That's why I'm in the United States. That's why I visited President Trump.

But he also repeatedly made it clear he wants security guarantees from the U.S. so that Russia will not reinvade Ukraine. Asma Khalid, NPR News, The White House. Late last night, federal employees received another email from the Office of Personnel Management instructing them to provide five bullet points on their accomplishments last week. It's part of billionaire Elon Musk's efforts to cut the federal workforce. The latest message also said to expect to provide a similar list every Monday night.

NPR has learned that a long-time former director of the National Institutes of Health has retired. As NPR's Rob Stein reports, the retirement comes as the world's largest funder of biomedical research is in turmoil under the Trump administration. Dr. Francis Collins, who led the NIH for 12 years, is leaving the agency. Collins stepped down as the NIH director in 2021 after heading the NIH under three presidents of both parties and returned to his lab at the agency. Collins, a guitar-playing geneticist, was a rare figure in the scientific world. An evangelical Christian, Collins

espoused that science and religion could coexist. But Collins and the NIH's Dr. Anthony Fauci were bitterly criticized by some during and after the pandemic. He stepped down on Friday according to his resignation letter obtained by NPR. Rob Stein, NPR News. The measles outbreak in Texas is growing. Doctors now report 146 cases of the disease. Kirk Watson is the mayor of Austin. He says this is a preventable disease. I want to emphasize to everyone listening

that vaccination remains the best defense against this highly contagious and deadly disease. Officials say Austin has now had its first measles case since 2019, an unvaccinated toddler and a fully vaccinated family. This is NPR News in Washington. The White House says the FBI has returned documents seized from President Trump's Marlongo Resort during the investigation of classified materials kept by Trump after his first term ended.

Trump was criminally charged, but the case was dismissed last summer. A militant Kurdish party that has been at war with Turkey for four decades says it has agreed to a call by its founder to disarm and dissolve the party. NPR's Jane Araf has details. The PKK, the Kurdistan Workers' Party, has declared a ceasefire with Turkey after a call by its founder Abdullah Ocalan. Ocalan has been in solitary confinement for 26 years in a Turkish prison. This week he told Turkish politicians it was time for his followers to abandon armed struggle.

The PKK is considered a terrorist organization by Turkey and the US. Its guerrilla fighters have battled the Turkish military from mountain bases on the border with Iraq. The group has come under increasing pressure in Syria where Turkish-backed militias are playing an increasing role since the fall of the Syrian regime. Jane Araf and Pyrrha News, Damascus.

The Vatican says Pope Francis had a peaceful night after suffering a setback yesterday. He's been hospitalized with respiratory problems since February 14th that turned into double pneumonia. Doctors say the 88-year-old pontiff was placed on a non-invasive ventilator yesterday after a sudden worsening of his respiratory condition. They say his prognosis remains guarded. I'm Nora Rahm, NPR News in Washington.