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

Episode Date: March 3, 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. Israel is facing major criticism after announcing Sunday that it's stopping the movement of

all aid into Gaza. The news follows the end of the first phase of the ceasefire. Israel says they want to extend that first phase, despite the earlier agreement saying both Israel and Hamas would negotiate a second phase now that would bring an end to the war. NPR's Adil Al-Shalchi was says Hamas would negotiate a second phase now that would bring an end to the war. NPR's Saddam El-Shalchi says Hamas quickly responded. Hamas also issued a statement. The militant group rebuffed Israel's extension proposal. It said that Israel is trying to sabotage, evade the ceasefire agreement.

Hamas also described Netanyahu's decision to stop humanitarian aid as, quote, cheap blackmail and a war crime. But while Hamas sounded defiant, the group stopped short of outright rejecting an extension. That's NPR's Hadil Al-Shalchi. Top Republicans are questioning President Volodymyr Zelensky's leadership of Ukraine following his heated meeting with President Trump at the White House last week,

but not all of the GOP is on the same page, as NPR's Luke Garrett reports. House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana, through his support of Zelensky into doubt on Sunday. He told NBC News, Either he needs to come to his senses and come back to the table in gratitude, or someone else needs to lead the country to do that. On Friday, following the tense Trump-Zelensky meeting, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina suggested Zelensky should resign or change.

But on Sunday, GOP Senator James Lankford of Oklahoma told NBC News he disagrees. I'm not interested in calling on the resignation of other world leaders. Independent Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont defended Zelensky outright on NBC News. Zelensky is leading a country trying to defend democracy against an authoritarian dictator Putin who invaded his country. Luke Garrett, NPR News, Washington. Eight people were hurt late Sunday night meanwhile when a Russian drone hit a multi-story apartment building in Kharkiv. None of those injured required hospitalization. The Ukrainian city's mayor said the drone strike also started

a fire which spread to several apartments on the building's top floor Three other buildings were also damaged in that strike Severe weather is forecast to bring a mix of tough weather conditions from coast to coast in the coming days NPR's Kristen Wright has our reports National Weather Service forecasters say a system from the west will trigger a severe weather outbreak that will affect much of the country and bring potentially damaging and dangerous weather including destructive winds across the plains and upper Midwest in addition to significant snowfall thunderstorms and hail from Texas to Ohio and the threat of tornadoes in the

southeast. Cities along the East Coast could also see storms. Tuesdays expected to be the worst of the intense storms and the Weather Service is warning of severe weather during Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Kristen Wright, NPR News. I'm Dale Willman and you're listening to NPR News. Performers playing a troubled architect and a buoyant sex worker took home the top acting honors at this year's Academy Awards. NPR's Bob Mondello has our 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 award 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. Teams are fighting wildfires in both North and South Carolina overnight.

The National Weather Service is warning of increased fire danger throughout the region because of a combination of very dry fuels and very low relative humidity. A statewide burning ban remains in effect in South Carolina where the Governor has declared a state of emergency for some parts of that state. Factory activity in Japan shrank for an eighth consecutive month in February. That's according to a private sector survey that was released on Monday. The survey also shows that President Trump's terror threats against key trading partners are sparking fears by investors and policymakers that a trade war could damage the global economy.

I'm Dale Willman, NPR News. On the Throughline Podcast, the myth linking autism and vaccines was decades in the making NPR News.