NPR News Now - NPR News: 03-03-2025 12PM EST

Episode Date: March 3, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Nora Rahm. President Trump is set to deliver an address to a joint session of Congress tomorrow night, but a new NPR-PBS Marist poll finds Americans are against many of the things that Trump is trying to do. NPR's Domenica Montanaro has more. President Trump has claimed a mandate several times since being elected and has tried to do a lot in the little more than a month since he was sworn in. But a majority of the nearly 1,700 respondents in the survey said they think Trump is moving

too quickly and not considering the consequences of what he's doing in trying to reshape the government. Trump gets a 45% approval rating and just 34% from independents. When it comes to Doge, the informal Department of Government efficiency headed by Elon Musk, just 39 percent have a favorable opinion. It raises the stakes for Trump's speech tomorrow, but it also could be a warning sign for next year's midterm elections for Republicans, especially if independents continue to say they oppose what Trump is doing.

Domenico Montanaro, NPR News, Washington. The Kremlin is offering its first comments on last week's blowup between President Trump and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office. NPR's Charles Maynes has details. Speaking to reporters, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the incident between Trump and Zelensky displayed the fragmentation of the West towards Russia, with the US pursuing a policy of peace and Europe still intent on war. The spokesman also noted that Russian President Vladimir Putin was of course familiar with the event in the Oval Office, and said it proved Putin correct in blaming Kiev for the lack of a negotiated settlement to end the war.

Zelensky doesn't want peace, claimed Peskov, calling on others to force a change in the Ukrainian leader's position. Left unspoken, Moscow's position for a negotiated settlement involves Ukraine capitulating on nearly all of Russia's terms. Charles Mayne's NPR News. German authorities say one person was killed and others injured when a car rammed into a crowd of people today in the city of Mannheim. NPR's Rob Schmitz reports. A police spokesman said that the driver plowed into a group of people in a pedestrian street in Manheim city center. Police say they've arrested one suspect and can't give information

on whether there were other perpetrators. Across Germany, many people have taken a long weekend off to celebrate Carnival. The holiday is taking place under increased police presence after Islamic State called on its followers to carry out attacks during the celebrations. Authorities have asked people in Monheim to avoid the city's downtown area due to today's incident. Rob Schmitz and PR News, Berlin. A 23-year-old man pleaded guilty this morning to a mass shooting at a Fourth of July parade near Chicago in 2022. Seven people were killed

and more than 40 were wounded. Opening statements in his trial were to begin today. The judge has sent sentencing for April 23rd. On Wall Street, the Dow is down 184 points. This is NPR News. The governor of South Carolina has declared a state of emergency after wildfires over the weekend burned more than 4,000 acres. Several neighborhoods in the beachside city of Myrtle Beach were evacuated. No injuries or structural damage have been reported. The National Weather Service warns of more wildfire threats today because of dry conditions

and strong winds. Performers playing a troubled architect and a boy in Sex Worker took home the top acting honors at last night's Academy Awards. NPR's Bob Mandello has details. In the film, Anora, Mikey Madison feels like Cinderella when she marries the son of a Russian oligarch. Are you happy?

Very happy. At the Oscars, she got her own Cinderella moment, winning Best Actress, one of five Oscars her film took home, including Best Picture. Adrienne Brody won Best Actor for playing a Jewish immigrant in The Brutalist, who gets a taste of both the American Dream and American Prejudice. As had been happening all awards season, Zoe Saldana's singing lawyer in Amelia Perez won Best Supporting Actress and Kieran Culkin's unpredictable live wire, In a Real Pain,

took Best Supporting Actor. Bob Mandelo, NPR News. The Senate is expected to vote this evening on whether Linda McMahon should be the next Secretary of Education. President Trump nominated her to head the department he wants to shut down. McMahon had spent a year on the State Board of Education in Connecticut and was CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment. She also served as leader of the Small Business Administration.

I'm Nora Rahm, NPR News in Washington.