NPR News Now - NPR News: 03-03-2025 8AM 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 Washington, I'm Korova Coleman. Nearly 20 European leaders have wrapped up a summit with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in London. It was hastily called by

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer after last Friday's disastrous meeting between Zelensky and President Trump. NPR's Lauren Freyer reports the British prime minister says Britain is willing to put troops in Ukraine as part of a larger peace effort for Ukraine and for Europe. Since World War II, the U.S. has basically guaranteed Europe's security. But if that's no longer the priority under President Trump, European leaders say they're going to have to step up. Stammer has hiked British defense spending. He said other countries have pledged to do the same. Yesterday, Starmer also announced another $2 billion in financing for Ukraine to buy more air defense missiles. And Pierre's Lauren Freyer reporting.

President Trump has signed two executive orders aimed at increasing American lumber production. He's also considering boosting tariffs on lumber imports. And Pierre's Danielle Kurtz-Leibman reports these are some of the tariffs the administration is currently threatening. One order directs agencies to find ways to increase lumber production. Another directs the Secretary of Commerce to investigate possible lumber tariffs. The White House says the goal is to reduce the cost of building housing. Tariffs are

taxes American businesses pay to import products from abroad. Trump has also threatened tariffs on an array of other goods in countries. Canada accounts for around 40% of American lumber imports, by far the largest of any country. Trump has also threatened blanket 25% tariffs on Canada as well as Mexico, saying those could take effect as early as March 4th. Danielle Kurzweil, NPR News, West Palm Beach, Florida. More than 100 members of Congress are asking for details on Doge action at the federal

housing agency HUD. NPR's Jennifer Ludden reports the top Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee will hand deliver a letter to HUD today. The letter to HUD Secretary Scott Turner notes record high housing costs and homelessness and deep concern that major downsizing by DOJ could make that worse. The signers also worry about conflicts of interest. They say two DOJ people at HUD come from housing-related industries that could benefit from less oversight. Among other things, the members of Congress want to know all political

appointees with access to HUD records, the names of staff already let go and a breakdown of the plan for more cuts, and a list of contracts that have been canceled or could be. Turner says in his first month he has carried out an audit and cut waste. An agency spokesperson says HUD continues to deliver on its critical missions. Jennifer Lutton, NPR News, Washington. Jennifer Lutton, NPR News, Washington. Wildfires are burning in South and North Carolina. The largest is near South Carolina's coastal city Myrtle Beach.

Some residents were told to evacuate, but many have been allowed to return. Another fire is in North Carolina, near the border with South Carolina. It's NPR. Israel has halted any further aid shipments to Gaza. This comes as the Israeli government seeks a new variation to the ceasefire deal with Hamas. The militant group has not accepted this. Israel is pressuring Hamas to release more Israeli hostages without agreeing to permanently end the war. Relief groups say two million people in Gaza

desperately need the relief aid to survive. A joint Palestinian-Israeli film about activists fighting Israeli demolitions in the occupied West Bank has won an Oscar for best documentary feature film. As NPR's Daniel Estrin reports from Tel Aviv, Israel's culture minister is criticizing the film's Oscar win.

The film No Other Land highlights the friendship between the Palestinian and Israeli filmmakers. Palestinian residents from the community that's featured in the film tell NPR they hope the film can help prevent Israeli attempts to displace them. Israeli culture minister Miki Zohar is calling it a sad moment for the world of cinema. He says the film distorts Israel's image internationally. The head of Israel's documentary film forum praised the film and called the Culture Minister's comments shameful. Israel recently changed the way it grants public funds to film projects, minimizing

funding to independent films the Culture Minister says contribute to quote, slandering Israel on the global stage. Danielle Estrin, NPR News, Tel Aviv. The big winner at last night's Academy Awards was the film Anorah. It captured five Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director for Sean Baker. Anorah also won for its best actress, Mikey Madison. I'm Korva Coleman, NPR News. Planet money is there. From California's most expensive fires ever. I'm Korva Coleman, NPR News.