NPR News Now - NPR News: 03-01-2025 6AM EST

Episode Date: March 1, 2025

NPR News: 03-01-2025 6AM ESTLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

There's been a lot of attention on loneliness lately. 16% of Americans report feeling lonely all or most of the time. The former Surgeon General even declared a loneliness epidemic. On It's Been a Minute, we're launching a new series called All the Lonely People, diving deep into how loneliness shows up in our lives and how our culture shapes it. That's on the It's Been A Minute podcast on NPR. J.L. Snyder Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm J.L. Snyder. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky owes President Trump an apology following yesterday's blow up in the Oval Office. Marco Rubio Apologized for turning this thing into the

fiasco for him that it became. There was no need for him to go in there and become antagonistic. J.L. Snyder Rubio speaking to CNN last night casting doubt over whether Zelensky wants to negotiate a peace agreement with Russia. Zelensky told Fox News that he can't change Ukraine's attitude toward Russia and that the heated exchange with President Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance was not good for either side. However, he said he thinks the relationship can move forward. European leaders are coming to President Zelensky's defense after that overall office crash. NPR's Eleanor Beardsley reports that Europe is pushing back against Washington's increasing

alignment with Russian President Vladimir Putin. There's an aggressor which is Russia and a people attacked, which is Ukraine's, said French President Emmanuel Macron, speaking shortly after Zelensky left the White House. In a statement, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer says his nation retains unwavering support for Ukraine and a lasting peace based on sovereignty and security for Ukraine and Europe. Both Starmer and Macron met with Trump this week to try to hammer home that point, and to keep the U.S. aligned with Europe.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbach called Ukraine's defense of democracy our fight. EU foreign policy chief and former Estonian President Kaya Callas went further, saying, it became clear that the free world needs a new leader. It's up to us Europeans to take this challenge. Eleanor Beardsley in Pear News, Paris. Federal employees have received a second email from the Office of Personnel Management asking them to detail what they did in the previous week. The email hit inboxes late last night and said that similar lists of accomplishments will be due weekly.

The demands are facing legal scrutiny. As the measles outbreak continues in West Texas, the state's capital city of Austin just announced its first confirmed case of the disease since 2019. Olivia Aldridge, member station KUT, reports. Austin Public Health announced an unvaccinated infant had contracted measles after traveling overseas with family. The case did not appear to be connected to the larger Texas outbreak, which has sickened dozens of people, most of them unvaccinated children. One child has died, the first U.S. measles death since 2015.

Austin officials said the infant's case does not have any known exposures outside family, but they urged travelers to ensure they are vaccinated against measles before visiting the city for the annual South by Southwest Conference, which begins next weekend. I'm Olivia Aldridge in Austin. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that so far this year, measles cases have been reported in nine jurisdictions, from Texas and Alaska to New York City and Rhode Island.

This is NPR News. The Trump administration has approved a nearly $3 billion arms sale to Israel using emergency powers to bypass a congressional review. The State Department notified Congress late yesterday the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal ends today. In New Mexico, authorities are continuing their investigation into the death of actor Gene Hackman. He and his wife bodies were found on Wednesday. One of the couple's dogs also found dead. Steve Futterman reports. Plenty of questions still remain, but some details are being released. The Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza told reporters that the coroner has now ruled out a key possibility as the cause of death.

Both individuals tested negative for carbon monoxide. When the bodies were recovered, investigators said it appeared both Hackman and his wife had been dead for some time. Based on information from Hackman's pacemaker, it may have been closer to 10 days. This revealed that his last event was recorded on February 17th. Detailed toxicology tests have not been completed. The coroner has requested those be expedited. At this point, officials still say there is no indication of foul play. For NPR News, I'm Steve Futterman in Los Angeles.

Alaska's Iditarod Sled Dog Race gets underway today with the usual ceremonial start in Anchorage. Angeles. Giles Snyder, NPR News. James Baldwin was an activist, an orator, a style icon. But on NPR's Book of the Day, we'll discuss the history of the race in the Los Angeles area. The NPR is a major city in the Los Angeles area. The city is a major city in the Los Angeles area. The city is a major city in the Los Angeles area. The city is a major city in the Los Angeles area. The city is a major city in the Los Angeles area. The city is a major city in the Los Angeles area.

The city is a major city in the Los Angeles area. The city is a major city in the Los Angeles area. The city is a major city in the Los Angeles area. The city is a major city in the Los Angeles area. The city is a major city in the Los Angeles area. The city is a major city in the Los Angeles area. The city is a major city in the Los Angeles area. The city is a major city in the Los Angeles area.

The city is a major city in the Los Angeles area. The city is a major city in the Los Angeles area. The city is a major city in the Los Angeles area. The city is a major city in the Los Angeles area. The city is a major city in the Los Angeles area. The city is a major city in the Los Angeles area. The city is a major city in the Los Angeles area. The city is a major city in the Los Angeles area. The city is a major city in the Los Angeles area. the trail. I'm Jyle Snyder, NPR News.