NPR News Now - NPR News: 03-01-2025 3PM EST

Episode Date: March 1, 2025

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Noor Rahm Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Noor Rahm. European leaders are still reeling from the contentious meeting at the White House yesterday between President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Terry Schultz reports about a dozen heads of state and government will gather tomorrow in London, where they'll brainstorm about what to do next. Terry Schultz European leaders came out strong for Ukraine after the demise of the White House meeting.

A coordinated message between the presidents of the European Union institutions urged Zelensky to be strong, be brave, be fearless, saying the EU will keep working with him for a just and lasting peace. EU foreign policy chief, Kaya Callis, had a more provocative message saying the free world needs a new leader and that Europe should step up. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the Sunday summit to focus on how to strengthen Ukraine's position for eventual negotiations with Russia and what security guarantees Europe

may be able to offer for a peace deal. But the new crisis between Ukraine and the US is overshadowing all else. For NPR News, I'm Terri Schultz in Brussels. The Pentagon is deploying as many as 3,000 additional troops to the U.S.-Mexico border as part of President Trump's efforts to prevent illegal crossings. NPR's Scott Newman has more. The Pentagon says the active-duty troops being sent are part of a striker brigade combat team and a General Support Aviation Battalion.

They will join others sent shortly after Trump took office in January and some 2,500 National Guard troops already there since the Biden administration. The latest deployment comes despite a sharp drop in border crossings. Meanwhile, a U.S. official who spoke to NPR in condition of anonymity because they are not allowed to talk about troop movements said site inspections have wrapped up at Fort Bliss, Texas, where thousands of migrants are expected to be detained. Scott Newman, NPR News, Washington. Late last night, federal employees received another email from the Office of Personnel

Management. It instructed 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 by 1159 p.m. Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is attempting a political comeback. It won't be easy, but I know we can turn the city around. And I believe I can help. And that is why I announced my candidacy today

for mayor of New York City. He resigned as governor in 2021 because of allegations of sexual harassment. He said he's learned from his mistakes and he's a better person for it. Cuomo joins a large field of candidates for the Democratic nomination, including the incumbent, Mayor Eric Adams. You're listening to NPR News from Washington. A FedEx cargo plane made an emergency landing at Newark Liberty International Airport this morning after an engine caught fire.

It had taken off from the airport on a flight to Indianapolis when it encountered a bird strike. It returned to the airport and landed safely. There were no reported injuries. Mardi Gras celebrations are underway in New Orleans, and this year more parades are banning plastic beads in an effort to cut down on waste. From member station WWNO, Matt Bloom has more.

["The Star-Spangled Banner"] At least two major Mardi Gras parades have stopped using plastic beads because they can end up in landfills or clog the city's drainage system. Instead, they're throwing more useful things like jambalaya seasoning. It's delicious.

Sivia Hebert is on the sidewalk with her husband, Tommy, and daughter Lucy. The family's keeping an eye out for chocolate-covered moon pies. And I got a cookie. What kind? I like a marshmallow cookie. It's only one kind.

It's moon pie. Mardi Gras typically produces more than two million pounds of waste, but organizers hope the V-Bands can start to help cut down on that. For NPR News, I'm Matt Bloom in New Orleans. The Florida Man Games are back. The first one last year was so popular,

it's been moved to a larger venue. Teams from around the state are competing in events such as Beer Belly Sumo Wrestling and the Evading Arrest Obstacle Course. A new one this year is Hurricane Party Prep grocery aisle brawl. The games are a play on the state's reputation for bizarre stories that begin... A Florida man.

I'm Nora Rahm, NPR News in Washington.