NPR News Now - NPR News: 05-04-2025 12AM EDT

Episode Date: May 4, 2025

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On the next Thru Line from NPR. For the presidency, I'm indebted to Almighty God. I'm in charge of the country and I need to serve all the American people and not just the political machine. The origins of the modern civil service. Listen to Thru Line wherever you get your podcasts. Live from NPR News, I'm Dale Willman. 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 Saturday telling the Trump administration to knock off its trade war. Tariffs are a hot topic in Omaha where where Berkshire Hathaway's CEO answered investors' questions for more than four hours. The very first question was about President Trump 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, NPR News, Omaha. Top officials in the Trump administration are criticizing a German government agency that's charged with protecting the government's Constitution.

The agency has designated the Alternative for Germany party a right-wing extremist entity which paves the way for monitoring of the party. NPR's Ram Schmitz has more on that story. Vice President JD Vance called the decision by Germany's federal office for the protection of the Constitution akin to rebuilding the Berlin Wall. Trump adviser Elon Musk warned Germany's government about the possibility of banning the alternative for Germany party known as AFD in Germany and labeled the party centrist despite prominent AFD members routinely using Nazi-era slogans and speeches.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the decision is quote, not democracy, it's tyranny in disguise. That post spurred Germany's foreign ministry to reply quote, we have learned from our history that right-wing extremism needs to be stopped, adding this is democracy. Rob Schmitz, NPR News, Berlin. The US state broadcaster Radio Free Asia has announced it's laying off about 90 percent of its staff. It says it can no longer pay people after access to its funds was cut off by the Trump administration. And Piers, Emily Feng has more. Since 1996 Radio Free Asia or RFA has broadcast in languages like Burmese and Chinese to a weekly audience of around 60 million listeners, many of whom

live in repressive or authoritarian societies. In March, President Trump ordered the federal agency that distributes RFAs funds to wind down operations and cut off its congressionally appropriated funds, a move a federal judge overturned last month, ordering their funds reinstated. But another appeals court put an administrative stay freezing that order this week. And now Radio Free Asia has laid off many of its staff who are already on unpaid leave, leaving only a skeleton crew to update RFA's pared-back programming. Emily Fang, NPR News, Washington.

And you're listening to NPR News. Preparations are underway at the Vatican for the conclave, which is scheduled to begin on Wednesday. NPR's Jason DeRose reports from Rome that one of the most recognizable signs of the papal election is now visible from St. Peter's Square. The Vatican Fire Brigade has installed the famous chimney atop the Sistine Chapel. After Cardinals vote for the next pontiff, their ballots are burned. If the smoke from the chimney is black, it means no one reached the required two-thirds majority to be named pope. If the smoke is white, it means they've elected the next leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics.

This Wednesday, the Cardinal electors will begin their day with a morning mass in St. Peter's Basilica. They'll then process to the Sistine Chapel. Once there, a master of ceremonies commands extra omnis, sending out everyone except the voting cardinals. Jason DeRose, NPR News, Rome. Officials with the medical group Doctors Without Borders say their facility in central South Sudan was hit by an aerial strike this weekend. At least seven people were killed in that attack and 20 others were injured.

The clinic is the only source of medical care for 40,000 residents in the area. The organization calls the attack a clear violation of international law. Health officials in Gaza say malnutrition and hunger continue to grow there. An Israeli blockade on aid deliveries to the region has now entered its third month, and officials say a shortage of supplies to treat and prevent malnutrition are running out. According to Gaza health officials, some 3,600 children have been treated for acute malnutrition in the last month. I'm Dale Willman, NPR News.

Does the idea of listening to political news freak you out? Well, don't sweat it. I'm Dale Willman, NPR News.