NPR News Now - NPR News: 05-21-2025 8PM EDT

Episode Date: May 22, 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 Jack Spear. South African President, Sewell Ramaphosa was in the Oval Office today where President Trump accused South Africa

without evidence of allowing a genocide of white farmers. NPR's more live, Sen. Moore. Trump played a video for Ramaphosa that he said proved his point. But Ramaphosa pushed back saying that the majority of crime victims in South Africa are black, not white, and he brought up some white friends who would vouch for him. I would say if there was an Afrikaner farmer genocide, I can bet you these three gentlemen would not be here, including my Minister of Agriculture. They would not be with me.

In addition, Ramaphosa also brought some friends of Trump, South African golfer Ernie Ells and billionaire Johan Rupert. Ramaphosa said his country does have a crime problem and he asked Trump to help solve it by making a deal, selling South Africa drones and other security equipment. Mara Laiassen and NPR News. The Trump administration announced it will end investigations into six law enforcement agencies, including the Oklahoma City Police Department.

Grayson Wheeler with member station KOSU has more on what that means for the department and for residents. The Justice Department announced its investigation into the Oklahoma City Police Department in 2022. Earlier this year, initial findings found the department violated federal laws and its treatment of people with behavioral health disabilities. Now, the Trump administration is rescinding those findings and shuttering the investigation.

Tisha Rhea Moore-Dickerson is the executive director of the city's Black Lives Matter chapter, which participated in the investigation. We're going to have to recenter and focus on removing this violent act against reducing state sanctioned harm. An Oklahoma City Police Department spokesperson says the city will continue working to improve its practices. For NPR News, I'm Grayson Wheeler in Oklahoma City. Retailer Target today unveiled first quarter earnings numbers that showed lower than expected sales.

The company also revising down its forecast for the entire year. Target cites some customer boycats over the company's bullbacks of policies on diversity, equity and inclusion. Stock slump today as bond yields rose. NPR's Scott Horsley reports the Dow fell more than 1%. Investors are getting jumpy as House lawmakers move closer to passing a tax cut and spending bill that threatens to add trillions of dollars to the federal debt over the next decade. Policymakers' indifference to rising debt levels have already cost the government its

triple-A bond rating. Bondholders are demanding higher returns, and that means both the government and private borrowers will have to pay higher interest rates. Markets have also been rattled by lackluster retail results, suggesting U.S. consumers are growing cautious about spending money. Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington. Looking at the numbers, the Dow fell more than 800 points today. The Nasdaq dropped 270 points. You're listening to NPR. A large number of Americans are consulting non-traditional spiritual practices. That's according to a new survey, Catherine Post of Religion News Services, as more. According to a new survey from Pew Research Center, three in ten American adults consult

a fortune teller, tarot cards, or astrology at least once a year. Those practices are especially popular among younger adults and women. And the survey finds nearly half of LGBTQ Americans consult astrology at least once a year. Chip Rotolo of Pew says this isn't surprising. These practices sometimes emphasize things like fluidity and openness. Still, just 6% of U.S. adults say they rely on these practices when making major life choices. According to Pew, for many, it's just for fun. For NPR News, I'm Katherine Post.

It's a problem an increasing number of zoos are grappling with. What to do with aging elephants who get to be too large for their enclosures? Two elephants, Billy and Tina, were quietly moved from the Los Angeles Zoo to a zoo in Oklahoma, despite lawsuits seeking to have the animals transferred to a sanctuary where they'd have more room to roam. The announcement that 40-year-old Billy and 59-year-old Tina would be sent to the Tulsa Zoo angered animal rights activists who say the elephants should be able to live out their lives in final days outside of a zoo.

Crude oil futures prices moved lower amid continued global uncertainties, including talks with Iran about its disputed nuclear program. Oil fell 47 cents a barrel to settle at $61.57 a barrel in New York. Here NPR News in Washington.