NPR News Now - NPR News: 03-03-2025 7AM EST

Episode Date: March 3, 2025

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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. Live from NPR News in WashingtonFETT COLEMAN, NPR NEWS ANCHOR, NPR NEWS ANCHOR, NPR NEWS ANCHOR, NPR NEWS ANCHOR, NPR NEWS ANCHOR, NPR NEWS ANCHOR, NPR NEWS ANCHOR, NPR NEWS ANCHOR, NPR NEWS ANCHOR, NPR NEWS ANCHOR, NPR NEWS ANCHOR, NPR NEWS ANCHOR, NPR NEWS ANCHOR, NPR NEWS ANCHOR,

NPR NEWS ANCHOR, NPR NEWS ANCHOR, NPR NEWS ANCHOR, NPR NEWS ANCHOR, NPR NEWS ANCHOR, NPR NEWS ANCHOR, NPR NEWS ANCHOR, NPR NEWS ANCHOR, NPR NEWS ANCHOR, NPR NEWS ANCHOR, NPR NEWS ANCHOR, NPR NEWS ANCHOR, NPR NEWS ANCHOR, NPR NEWS ANCHOR, NPR NEWS ANCHOR, NPR NEWS ANCHOR, NPR NEWS ANCHOR, NPR NEWS ANCHOR, NPR NEWS ANCHOR, NPR NEWS ANCHOR, NPR NEWS ANCHOR, NPR NEWS ANCHOR, NPR NEWS ANCHOR, NPR NEWS ANCHOR, NPR NEWS ANCHOR, NPR NEWS ANCHOR, NPR NEWS ANCHOR, NPR NEWS ANCHOR, NPR NEWS ANCHOR, NPR NEWS ANCHOR, NPR NEWS ANCHOR, NPR NEWS ANCHOR, NPR NEWS ANCHOR, NPR NEWS ANCHOR, NPR NEWS ANCHOR, NPR last Friday collapsed into raised voices and finger pointing. The British leader has now proposed a new framework to end Russia's war in Ukraine. He says Europe will need strong U.S. backing for this, but he adds European nations will

lead the effort to secure peace. Those willing will intensify planning now with real urgency. The U.K. is prepared to back this with boots on the ground and planes in the air. Together with us, Europe must do the heavy lifting. The British leader says he agrees with President Trump for the urgent need for a durable peace in Ukraine. President Trump will give an address to a joint session of Congress tomorrow night. NPR's Mara Liason has this preview.

New presidents often use these big set piece speeches to Congress to lay out their agenda. But Trump has already done that. In just a little over a month, he's shaken up American politics. He's well on his way to drastically shrinking the federal government and dismantling the administrative state. And he's upended world politics by breaking with America's erstwhile allies and pressuring Ukraine instead of Russia. When he speaks to Congress this week, Trump is expected to talk about his victory in November

and his plans for tax cuts and more deregulation. He'll also talk about how he's ended DEI and had the most productive five weeks in American history. Michigan Senator Alyssa Slotkin will give the Democratic response. Mara Eliason, NPR News. A new survey of business economists finds deep skepticism of the president's trade policies. NPR's got Horsley reports on the findings from the National Association for Business Economics. The Association surveyed more than 150 business economists and found widespread concern that taxing imports from Mexico, Canada, and China will lead to slower growth in the U.S. and

higher inflation. Most of the economists surveyed want to see more free trade agreements, not backsliding on existing deals. Just 2 percent of those polled back President Trump's call for a 25 percent tariff on imports from the country's northern and southern neighbors. Nearly seven out of ten economists warn the president's tax and spending policies will lead to a larger federal deficit. Survey participants overwhelmingly said the president should play no role in steering

the Federal Reserve's policy on interest rates. Scott Horsley in Pear News, Washington. A senior official at the U.S. Agency for International Development was suddenly put on leave yesterday. Nicholas Enrich had just issued a memo in it. Enrich contradicted claims by the Trump administration. He says political leadership will make it impossible to deliver life saving U.S.

aid around the world. You're listening to NPR. There are blizzard warnings up for parts of Colorado and Nebraska today. These come ahead of a major winter storm that's plowing into the plains. Some areas in the upper Midwest could see as much as a foot of fresh snow this week. Billionaire Elon Musk's Doge Initiative is being felt in national parks all around the country. That includes one in San Antonio. Texas Public Radio's Jack Morgan reports.

San Antonio's missions in National Park features four missions, the oldest dating back to the 1700s. Ranger Sonia Marin was hired there last April, but on Valentine's Day got a cryptic email. I received an email basically saying that I was terminated because I was a probationary employee Doge terminated National Parks employees still on probation and since my Dean hadn't been there a year She was still probationary. She says her evaluations have been quite positive I've received nothing but positive remarks and I was actually checked off as what's known as fully successful

The National Park Service hasn't responded to a request for comment and Marie is looking for work. I'm Jack Morgan in San Antonio. The independent film, Anora, scored big last night at the Academy Awards. It claimed five Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director. It also had the best actress, Mikey Madison. The Best Actor award went to Adrian Brody for his role in The Brutalist. The best supporting actor award went to Karen Culkin.

That was for a real pain. The best supporting actress winner last night was Zoe Saldana for the film Emilia Perez. I'm Korva Coleman, NPR News in Washington. James Baldwin was an activist, an orator, a style icon. But on NPR News in Washington.