NPR News Now - NPR News: 03-02-2025 3AM EST

Episode Date: March 2, 2025

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NPR informs and connects communities around the country, providing reliable information in times of crisis. Federal funding helps us fulfill our mission to create a more informed public and ensures that public radio remains available to everyone. Learn more about safeguarding the future of public media. Visit ProtectMyPublicMedia.org. Live from NPR News, I'm Dale Willman. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to London

on Saturday. Well, let me just say that you're very, very welcome here in Downing Street. And as you heard from the cheers on the street outside, you have full backing across the United Kingdom. And Zelensky said that he was happy to be there. I saw a lot of people and I want to thank you, people of the United Kingdom, such big support from the very beginning of this war. Thank you, your team.

Zelensky's visit to London was quite different from Friday's disastrous meeting with President Trump at the White House. Zelensky was in Washington to sign quite different from Friday's disastrous meeting with President Trump at the White House. Zelensky was in Washington to sign a deal between the two countries that would have given the U.S. access to Ukraine's rare minerals, but he left without that deal. European countries are now trying to work out a way to support Ukraine in its war against Russia. A summit of European leaders begins today. Vice President J.D. Vance is in Vermont this weekend for a ski trip with

his family. For Member Station WBUR, Rob Lane reports that hundreds of protesters, most of whom were supporting Ukraine, gathered near Sugar Bush Resort Saturday to demonstrate. Protester Martha Maxim held a sign. It says JD Vance, liar, traitor, utter disgrace, next time ski Russia. Linder Chinsky also had a message for the vice president. I'm glad he came so he could see at least people care because he probably thought we're you know we're very quiet in Vermont. He could just come here and he wouldn't see people like this. A few people came out in support of Vance too and displayed Trump signs.

The Trump Vance ticket lost Vermont by a wider margin than any other state in last year's election. For NPR News, I'm Rob Lane in Waitsfield, Vermont. The acting US attorney in Washington, DC has demoted several senior prosecutors, including those who worked on cases against President Trump's political allies and against January 6th rioters. The punitive action is the latest by the Trump administration

to target career attorneys at the Justice Department. NPR's Ryan Lucas has more on our story. Sources tell NPR that the acting U.S. Attorney in Washington, D.C., Ed Martin, has demoted at least seven top prosecutors in his office, one of the most important U.S. attorney outposts in the country. One of the demoted prosecutors worked cases against Trump allies Steve Bannon and Peter Navarro. Another oversaw all Capitol riot cases and two others led the prosecutions of far-right extremists convicted of seditious conspiracy in connection

with the January 6th Capitol attack. The prosecutors have been reassigned to entry-level jobs, usually filled by either brand new hires or junior staff. The demotions are viewed as a retaliatory action for working cases the Trump administration doesn't like. Ryan Lucas, NPR News, Washington. In another round of federal worker, this is NPR News. In another round of federal worker layoffs, more than 800 employees at the National Oceanic and Atmospherist Administration have been cut this week. Among those cuts, there is staff from the National Weather Service, Molly Nking of Maine Public spoke to some commercial fishermen about how this is going to affect them. Weather data, including wind and wave height, is essential for fishermen's safety and their

bottom line. The Coast Guard also relies on National Weather Service reports for in-the-moment updates on hurricanes or high winds sent out to boats via radio. At an annual conference for fishermen, Eric Hess of West Barnstable, Massachusetts says fishermen like him need access to more weather data, not less. All these things, you know things are structured and are part of our daily life on the water and to suddenly lose part of that could really disrupt our fisheries. Details on who exactly was laid off are still emerging, although various reports say meteorologists, space weather forecasters and computer modelers are some of those affected.

For NPR News, I'm Molly Nking. The ceremonial start for the 53rd annual Iditarod Sled Dog Race took place at Anchorage on Saturday. Despite a lack of snow, the mushers were able to drive their sleds away from the city after the kickoff event. Lisa Nackfor says she left behind the warmth of Florida to fulfill a lifelong dream of taking part in the events. I just have always been fascinated by the endurance of the mushers and the dogs. So it's fantastic to be here. There are 33 teams competing in this year's event.

11 of those teams are headed by women. I'm Dale Willman, NPR News. Here on Shortwave, we believe that science is for everyone NPR News.