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Episode Date: March 2, 2025

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On the ThruLine podcast, the myth linking autism and vaccines was decades in the making and was a major moment for vaccine hesitancy in America, tapping into fears involving the pharmaceutical industry and the federal government. No matter how many studies you do showing that this is not a problem, it's very hard to unring the bell. Listen to ThruLine from NPR, wherever you get your podcasts. Live from NPR News, I'm Dale Willman. European leaders are still reeling from the contentious meeting at the White House Friday

between President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. As Terry Schultz reports, about a dozen heads of state and government will gather later today in London where they'll discuss what to do next. 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 Calles 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. A federal judge is blocking President Trump from firing the head of a federal watchdog agency. As NPR's Bobby Allen reports, the judge issued a permanent injunction against the government. Judge Amy Berman Jackson ruled that the leader of the Office of the Special Counsel must

keep his job despite Trump's attempt to remove him. Hampton Dellinger is a Senate-confirmed official appointed by former President Biden who leads an office that investigates whistleblower complaints filed by federal workers. Jackson wrote, quote, it would be ironic to say the least, anonymical to the ends furthered by the statute, if the special counsel himself could be chilled in his work by fear of arbitrary or partisan removal. The Justice Department filed papers to the court indicating it planned to appeal the decision and could ultimately be decided by the Supreme Court. Bobby Allen, NPR News.

President Trump has signed two actions he says will increase domestic lumber production. The first is a directive for the Commerce Department to investigate the possible harms that lumber imports pose to national security. He has also signed an executive order to increase the possible supplies of lumber imports pose to national security. He has also signed an executive order to increase the possible supplies of lumber in order to potentially lower the cost of housing and construction in the U.S. Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is running for Mayor in New York City. Cuomo resigned as Governor in 2021 following sexual harassment accusations. In an announcement video that was released on Saturday,

Cuomo says his knowledge of federal government will be a huge benefit to everyone in the city. I have worked with President Trump in many different situations, and I hope President Trump remembers his hometown and works with us to make it better. But make no mistake, I will stand up and fight for New York. I have done it before and I will do it again.

Cuomo is well known in the city, but he'll be facing a large pool of candidates in the city's Democratic primary, which takes place later this year. You're listening to NPR News. President Trump said this weekend he'll issue a pardon for the late Cincinnati Reds baseball star Pete Rose. Major League Baseball's controversial hit king died last year and has never been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Tana Weingartner from Member Station WVXU has more. Pete Rose remains MLB's all- 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 Tana Weingartner in Cincinnati. Lifelong civil rights advocate Hazel Dukes has died. She passed away on Saturday at her home in New York City. She was 92 years old. She served as a member of the NAACP National Board of Directors. In a statement, the NAACP called Dukes

the living embodiment of the group. The World Health Organization says a four-year-old child has become the second person to die of Ebola in Uganda. Health officials had hoped for a quick end to the outbreak that began at the end of January. The child had been hospitalized at a hospital in the capital of Kampala. The first victim was a male nurse who died the day before the outbreak was declared on January 30th. I'm Dale Willman, NPR News.

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