NPR News Now - NPR News: 04-05-2025 5PM EDT

Episode Date: April 5, 2025

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When Malcolm Gladwell presented NPR's Throughline podcast with a Peabody Award, he praised it for its historical and moral clarity. On Throughline, we take you back in time to the origins of what's in the news, like presidential power, aging, and evangelicalism. Time travel with us every week on the Throughline podcast from NPR. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janene Herbst. Countries around the world are reeling from President Trump's imposition of 10% tariffs on goods from most countries that take effect today.

And Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is heading to Washington next week to meet with Trump to try to get the Israeli tariffs reversed. And here's Danielle Estrin has more from Tel Aviv. A lawyer for Netanyahu says President Trump invited the Israeli leader to the White House this coming Monday, the first world leader scheduled to meet Trump since the U.S. imposed tariffs on many countries. Netanyahu wants Trump to reverse the new 17 percent tariff on Israeli imports. Netanyahu is currently in Hungary.

When he arrived this week, Hungary withdrew from the International Criminal Court. The court has an arrest warrant out for Netanyahu for alleged crimes in the Gaza War. Danielle Estrin, NPR News, Tel Aviv. Across the country, protestors took to the streets today demanding an end to federal cuts on health care programs and government workers. The hands-off protests were set to take place in every state. Blue Ridge Public Radio's Laura Hackett has more from Asheville, North Carolina where thousands showed up. The crowd in Asheville chanted, held signs and banged on drums at a large park downtown in protest of the Trump administration's cuts to public health, education, and other federal

programs. Former USAID employee Kate McCarthy was one of several to speak at the rally. She said public servants and agencies are here to help feed, protect, and support Americans and are not a waste of money. We are not the enemy. We are your neighbors. We are public servants. We are not the enemy. We are your neighbors. We are public servants. We are not politicians. We do this for love of country. Organizers say more than half a million people signed up to take part in the protests nationwide. For NPR News, I'm Laura Hackett in Asheville, North Carolina.

Flooding is being blamed for two deaths in Kentucky this week. Karen Czar with Member Station WUKY reports the rain keeps coming down. Norman Jenkins has lived in central Kentucky for more than five decades and has seen his share of flooding. He surveyed what I thought was the nearby creek. No, no, no, no. This is the runoff across the road. That road now submerged by rushing water

is the only way in and out of a nearby subdivision. And Jenkins thinks this is just the beginning. I'm looking forward tonight to get really bad. Earlier in the week, a nine-year-old boy was swept away by floodwater and the body of a 74-year-old was found in a submerged vehicle. The state remains under flood watches and warnings.

For NPR News, I'm Karen Zarr in Lexington. And the National Weather Service has issued flash flood warnings for parts of several states. You're listening to NPR News from Washington. Americans have a lot of health care debt. A blockbuster debt relief deal will wipe out billions of dollars, but even backers say it's not enough. Noam Levy with NPR's partner KFF Health News has more.

A decade ago, a New York charity pioneered a strategy to use private donations and government funding to buy up bold medical debts and relieve the burden on patients. The group, called Undo Medical Debt, just made its biggest purchase ever, a deal worth $30 billion. Allison Sesso leads the charity, which used to be called RIP Medical Debt. You've got to help people who are under the weight of the broken systems today. These individuals cannot wait for change. The deal with debt trading company Pendrick Capital Partners will retire unpaid bills

for an estimated 20 million people. But America's medical debt problem is huge, and even a debt purchase this big will make only a small dent. One recent survey estimated that in the past year alone, Americans borrowed $74 billion to pay for health care. Noam Levy with NPR's partner KFF Health News reporting. Washington Capitals' Alex Ovechkin has tied Wayne Gretzky's NHL all-time goals record with his 894th goal after scoring twice yesterday against the Blackhawks.

Gretzky, the Hall of Famer, was in the stands as the 39-year-old made his first goal in the first four minutes of the game. Eventually has a chance to beat Gretzky's record when the Caps play the New York Islanders. That game takes place tomorrow. I'm Janene Herbst, NPR News in Washington.