NPR News Now - NPR News: 03-01-2025 2PM EST

Episode Date: March 1, 2025

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Noor Aram, NPR News. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Noor Aram. Reactions continue to pour in from around the globe over yesterday's argument between President Trump and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office. As NPR's Charles Maynes reports, Trump is finding plenty of support in Moscow. The Kremlin has yet to weigh in directly on the White House meeting, but prominent government officials took to social media to praise Trump for giving Zelensky what one called a public beatdown. While Zelensky has been largely lauded in the West for his

leadership amid the Russian invasion, propagandists in Moscow have long depicted him as both fascist and corrupt. Russia's foreign ministry issued a statement seemingly designed to appeal to Trump's argument it was Kiev, rather than Moscow holding up a potential peace deal. The ministry claimed that Zelensky had quote, used lies and manipulation to continue fighting and bilk Western military aid, a view the current White House appears to share. Charles Maynes, NPR News. Federal employees received another email last night directing them to provide five bullet

points on their accomplishments last week and to expect a similar request every week. It's part of billionaire Elon Musk's effort to cut the federal workforce. The new leadership in the Trump Justice Department continues to take actions against career prosecutors. The acting U.S. attorney in Washington, D.C. has demoted at least seven top prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney's Office. NPR's Ryan Lucas res more. One of them is John Crabb. He was a supervisor in the office. He was involved in the cases against Trump allies Steve Bannon and Peter Navarro. Greg Rosen, he led the Capitol Seeds Unit that

prosecuted January 6 cases. Two of the other attorneys worked on two of the most high-profile cases to come out of the Capitol riot investigation, the prosecution against Stuart Rhodes. Two of the other attorneys worked on two of the most high-profile cases to come out of the Capitol riot investigation, the prosecution against Stuart Rhodes. He's the leader of the far-right Oath Keepers Extremist Group. Rhodes was convicted at trial of seditious conspiracy. One of the other attorneys helped spearhead the case against Enrique Tario, the former head of the Proud Boys Extremist Group. NPR's Ryan Lucas. NPR has learned that a long-time former director of the National Institutes of Health has retired. It comes as the world's largest funder of biomedical research is in turmoil under the Trump administration.

NPR's Rob Stein reports. 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. This is NPR News. Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo

announced today he's running for mayor of New York City. The Democrat is attempting a political comeback after resigning from the governor's office in 2021 because of sexual harassment allegations. Ten films are vying for best picture at tomorrow night's Academy Awards. NPR's Mandolita Labarco reports. Among the contenders is Enora, starring Mikey Madison as a Brooklyn sex worker who marries the son of a Russian oligarch. Hi, I'm Annie.

Anora is up against the brutalist with Adrian Brody as a Jewish-Hungarian architect, also conclave with an ensemble cast of cardinals electing a new pope. The Brazilian film I'm Still Here, set during the 1970s military dictatorship, is a contender. So is the body horror film The Substance with Demi Moore. Timothee Chalamet plays Bob Dylan in a complete unknown, another film in competition. Denis Villeneuve's Dune Part II is on the list. So is Nickel Boys about a brutal reform school and Amelia Perez about a Mexican drug lord. Then there's Wicked who stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Rivo are performing at the

Oscars. Mandelita Del Barco, NPR News, Los Angeles. The ceremonial start to the Iditarod sled dog race is being held today in Anchorage. The actual start will be Monday to give the mushers and their dogs time to get to Fairbanks. The route has been changed this year because of a lack of snow. The winning team is expected to reach the finish line in the gold rush town of Nome about 10 days later. I'm Nora Rahm, NPR News in Washington.