NPR News Now - NPR News: 05-03-2025 11PM EDT

Episode Date: May 4, 2025

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Does the idea of listening to political news freak you out? Well, don't sweat it. The NPR Politics Podcast makes politics a breeze. Every episode will break down the day's headlines into totally normal language and make sure that you walk away understanding what the day's news might mean for you. Take a deep breath and give politics another chance with the NPR Politics Podcast, available wherever you get your podcasts. Live from NPR News, I'm Dale Willman.

A 25% tariff on imported auto parts is now in effect. President Trump had initially offered automakers a partial reprieve, but as NPR's Kamila Dominovski reports, the tariffs are still expected to have a major effect on the auto industry. This week, President Trump announced that automakers importing foreign parts for U.S. built cars could get reimbursed for some tariffs, temporarily, in recognition of the fact that it's not possible to build a car with exclusively U.S. parts right now. The industry welcomed the changes, but the tariffs are still expected to cut profits and drive up prices.

The reprieve doesn't extend to anyone buying parts for repairs, so the tariff will make it more costly to maintain existing cars, as well as sending insurance prices, which have been rising for several years, up even higher. Kamila Dominovski, NPR News. Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin appears to be backing down on replacing his party's nominee for a top post in this fall's election. As Chad Khalil of VPM News reports, the candidate is also Virginia's first openly gay one. Since last week, John Reid has resisted efforts to get him out of the race for lieutenant governor. Yonkin called Reid concerned about a social media account posting explicit

photos of men. The conservative radio host said Republican opposition to him at large was driven by his sexuality, but many GOP groups and officials stuck with Reid. Friday, Yonkin seemed to accept that. He has clearly made up his mind that he's going to stay in. And so he is the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor. And I think the debate can stop there. Observers across the country look at Virginia's statewide elections as a sort of temperature check on national politics, since they occur right after a presidential election.

Democrats are hoping to take back the executive mansion from Youngkin, who won four years ago in an upset. For NPR News, I'm Jad Kalil in Richmond. European Union regulators are fining TikTok $600 million for sending users' personal data to China, as NPR's Bobby Allen reports. It's the largest-ever penalty imposed under EU digital privacy laws. Regulators in Europe say TikTok has weak safeguards in place to protect millions of users across

the 27-nation bloc from having their sensitive data sent to Beijing. The $600 million fine came under the EU's General Data Protection Regulation. TikTok responded by saying the EU is focused on a select period before new data safety measures were enacted. Tick Tock says it has never sent Europeans data to Chinese officials. The crackdown in Europe comes as Tick Tock's future in the U.S. remains uncertain. The video app is now banned under federal law, but the Trump administration is not enforcing it, and said it's pushing for a deal that would have American investors take over Tick Tock's U.S. operations. Bobby Allen, NPR News.

Warren Buffett says he'll retire by the end of the year. The 94 year old investor has said for years that he had no plans to retire. Speaking at a shareholder meeting today, Buffett recommended that Greg Abel should become the company's new CEO. Abel already works for Berkshire Hathaway. This is NPR News. Singapore's long-ruling People's Action Party has won another general election to extend its 66-year-long rule. The result was a landslide, with the PAP winning 87 of the 97 available

seats in parliament. Prime Minister Lawrence Wong had appealed to voters for a strong mandate to help Singapore, which is reliant on trade through the economic turbulence caused by President Trump's tariffs. After being closed for nearly five years of renovations, a major historic landmark in St. Louis reopened to the public today. Alex Hoyer of St. Louis Public Radio reports. Many years before the Gateway Arch dominated the St. Louis skyline, it was the old courthouse, with its green dome reminiscent of the U. Louis skyline, it was the old courthouse with its green dome reminiscent of the U.S. capital.

Built in the mid-1800s, the old courthouse is known as the place where Dredd and Harriet Scott sued for their freedom. Their case ultimately reached the U.S. Supreme Court, which in 1857 upheld slavery and pushed the country closer to civil war. The courthouse now includes a permanent exhibit to the Scots. Lynn Jackson is their great-great-granddaughter. For them to have their own gallery is just an incredible, huge honor and a great leap forward.

The old courthouse is part of Gateway Arch National Park, and its reopening concludes a $380 million renovation that lasted more than a decade. For NPR News, I'm Alex Hoyer in St. Louis. Trainer Bill Mott won his second Kentucky Derby today when Sovereignty outlasted the favored journalism at the 151st run for the Roses. The race conditions were sloppy and journalism ran into difficulties in the first turn. The two horses were even at the eighth pull before Sovereignty and Jockey Jr. Alvarado pulled away for the win.

I'm Dale Willman and you're listening to NPR News. The scary new movie Sinners from the director of Black Panther finds Michael B. Jordan playing I'm Dale Willman and you're listening to NPR News.