NPR News Now - NPR News: 05-03-2025 5PM EDT

Episode Date: May 3, 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. Janine Herbst Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janine Herbst. Warren Buffett says he plans to step down as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. As NPR's Maria Aspin reports, the billionaire investor also gave a sharp warning at the company's shareholder meeting today, telling the Trump administration to knock off its trade war. Maria Aspin Tariffs are a hot topic in Omaha, where Berkshire Holder meeting today telling the Trump administration to knock off its trade war.

Tariffs are a hot topic in Omaha, where Berkshire Hathaway's CEO answered investors' questions for more than four hours. The very first question was about President Trump's sweeping new taxes on imports. And Buffett had a strong warning as broadcast by CNBC. In the United States, I mean, we should be looking to trade with the rest of the world and we should do what we do best and they should do what they do best. Trade should not be a weapon. At age 94, the billionaire investor is one of the most powerful people on Wall Street and beyond. He ended the meeting by announcing that he would be resigning as CEO at the end of the year.

Maria Aspin and PR News Omaha. Scientists funded Maria Aspin, NPR News, Omaha. Maria Aspin, NPR News, Omaha. Maria Aspin, NPR News, Omaha. Maria Aspin, NPR News, Omaha. Maria Aspin, NPR News, Omaha. Maria Aspin, NPR News, Omaha. Maria Aspin, NPR News, Omaha. Maria Aspin, NPR News, Omaha. Maria Aspin, NPR News, Omaha.

Maria Aspin, NPR News, Omaha. Maria Aspin, NPR News, Omaha. Maria Aspin, NPR News, Omaha. Maria Aspin, NPR News, Omaha. Maria Aspin, NPR News, Omaha. Maria Aspin, NPR News, Omaha. Maria Aspin, NPR News, Omaha. Maria Aspin, NPR News, Omaha.

Maria Aspin, NPR News, Omaha. Maria Aspin, NPR News, Omaha. Maria Aspin, NPR News, Omaha. Maria Aspin, NPR News, Omaha. Maria Aspin, NPR News, Omaha. Maria Aspin, NPR News, Omaha. Maria Aspin, NPR News, Omaha. Maria Aspin, NPR News, Omaha. Maria Aspin, NPR News, Omaha. some of those funds to researchers in other countries where it makes more sense to study certain conditions. Approximately $500 million of NIH's $47 billion budget falls into this bucket. It funds a wide range of research, from vaccine trials on tuberculosis to cancer studies. Now the NIH is stopping those kinds of grants.

Instead, the agency will require foreign labs to apply directly for funding, a change it says is necessary for national security. Scientists say the move could drastically reduce research on diseases that aren't currently common in the U.S., but still pose a threat, such as malaria and untreated AIDS. Jonathan Lambert, NPR News. The U.N. envoy is condemning the intense wave of Israeli strikes on Syria. Israel says its forces are on the ground in that country, protecting the Druze minority sect after days of clashes with Syrian pro-government gunmen. And Pierce Jane Aruff has more.

Syria's state news agency says Israel carried out attacks in the countryside of Damascus in Enhama province. The Israeli military said it bombed what it called military sites. The attacks followed an Israeli airstrike near the Syrian presidential palace in Damascus this week, which Israel said was a warning not to harm the Druze minority. Druze are also present in Israel, where they serve in the army. Clashes involving Druze militias, tribal fighters, and Syrian government forces killed dozens of people this week. Druze leaders are divided over whether to integrate their militias with Syrian government forces. Jane Araf, NPR News, I'm on. News from Washington.

In Australia, Anthony Albanese has claimed victory as the first prime minister to win a second consecutive term in 21 years. And in doing so, he achieved a turnaround for his center-left party that trailed in the polls for months as prices rose as he beat Peter Dutton of the conservative opposition. Our government will choose the Australian way because we are proud of who we are and all that we have built together in this country. Speaking there at a victory celebration, the global financial turmoil from Trump's, President Trump's tariffs weighed on voters. Albanese says his government won by not modeling itself on the Trump administration.

The 151st running of the Kentucky Derby takes place tonight at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. 19 thoroughbreds are expected to run. The Derby claims to be the longest continually held sporting event in American history dating back to 1875. Louisville Public Media's Amina Elahi has more. 3-year-old Bay Colt journalism is coming off a string of back-to-back victories. He's considered the favorite for this year's Derby. But he's not the only industry-named contender. Publisher is more of a long shot. A key feature of the Derby experience is betting on the race. Churchill Downs says Wagers topped $200 million last year. In this first race

of the Triple Crown, $5 million are up for grabs for the top five finishers. Post time for the Kentucky Derby is 6.57 p.m. Eastern. For NPR News, I'm Amina Elahi in Louisville. And I'm Janine Hurst, and you're listening to NPR News from Washington.