NPR News Now - NPR News: 03-01-2025 5PM EST

Episode Date: March 1, 2025

NPR News: 03-01-2025 5PM ESTLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janene Herbst. Reactions continue to pour in from around the world 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 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. 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. And here's Ryan Lucas has more. One of them is John Crabb. He was a supervisor in the office. He was involved in the cases against Trump ally Steve Bannon and Peter Navarro. Greg Rosen, he led the capital siege 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.

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. And here's Ryan Lucas reporting. Former New York governor, Andrew Cuomo, a one-time Democratic star during the pandemic who resigned after multiple allegations of sexual harassment

is trying for a comeback in politics. This time it's for New York City mayor. Michelle Bocanegra from member station WNYC has more. After months of flirting with a mayoral run in New York City, Cuomo is in. Today it is necessary to launch a bold action plan to turn New York City around, to save our city. And his chances are looking good. Cuomo was leading among Democratic candidates and public polling even before he said he'd run. He's joining the race as a corruption scandal closes in on Mayor Eric Adams, who has

more recently been accused of a quid pro quo with President Donald Trump. Some say Cuomo will stand up to the president as many New Yorkers feel under siege. But Cuomo is re-entering the spotlight with a lot of baggage, from COVID policies that contributed to deaths in nursing homes to allegations that he sexually harassed several women, which he denies. For NPR News, I'm Michelle Bocanegra in New York. This is NPR News from Washington. President Trump says he will issue a pardon for the late Cincinnati Reds great Pete Rose. Major League Baseball's controversial hit king died last year, never having been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Tana Weingartner of member station WVXU reports the idea is a home run for many fans. Pete Rose remains MLB's all-time hits leader, but his legacy is tainted by betting on baseball, which earned him a lifetime ban from the sport and the Hall of Fame. Reds fan Adam Rydell likes the pardon idea and sees it as moving Rose a step closer to finally being inducted into the Hall of Fame. He is guilty of betting on baseball. He admitted it. But we live to forgive and forget, especially our sport heroes. The president can only pardon Rose's federal conviction. Rose pleaded guilty to tax evasion

in 1990 and served five months in a low-security prison. For NPR News, I'm Tanel Weingartner in Cincinnati. In Alaska, a ceremonial start to the Iditarod Dog Sled race got underway today, but the number of mushers in this year race, 33, is down, and it's tied with 2023 as an all-time low. Once again, also, the starting line had to be moved to Fairbanks because of a lack of snow near Anchorage

or elsewhere on the trail. It's the fourth time that that's happened. The drop in the number of participants is raising concerns about the viability of the iconic race, which suffers from inflation, climate change, and pressure from animal rights groups. The official start of the race is Monday. I'm Janene Herbst, NPR News in Washington.