NPR News: 05-03-2025 4PM EDT

Summary

NPR News Now: May 3, 2025, 4PM EDT

Hosted by NPR
Release Date: May 3, 2025

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U.S. Economic Overview: Mixed Signals

Reporter: Nora Ram

The U.S. economy presents a complex picture this week. While the economy contracted in the first quarter of the year and consumer confidence has plummeted to its lowest point since the onset of the pandemic, there are signs of resilience in the job market.

Job Market Strength

Reporter: Scott Horsley
Timestamp: [00:44]

Employers added 177,000 jobs in April, surpassing forecasts despite a slight decrease from the previous month. The unemployment rate remained steady at a low 4.2%, indicating sustained hiring activity even amidst recent trade tariff disruptions. Additionally, wages continue to rise, suggesting that increased employment and higher paychecks are helping to buoy economic momentum.

“With more people working and paychecks getting bigger, that should provide some juice to keep the economy moving forward.”
— Scott Horsley ([00:44])

Warren Buffett's Bold Statements

Timestamp: [01:12]

During Berkshire Hathaway's shareholder meeting, renowned investor Warren Buffett cautioned against engaging in trade wars. He emphasized the detrimental impact of such conflicts, noting, "It's a mistake when seven and a half billion people don't like you." Furthermore, Buffett announced his intention to step down as CEO by the end of the year, signaling a significant leadership transition for the conglomerate.

Legal Challenges to Presidential Executive Orders

Headline: Federal Judge Strikes Down Executive Order Targeting Perkins Coie

Reporter: Ryan Lucas
Timestamp: [01:44]

U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell invalidated President Donald Trump's executive order aimed at the law firm Perkins Coie, marking a significant setback in Trump's efforts to penalize firms he perceives as political adversaries. Judge Howell highlighted the unprecedented nature of the order, drawing parallels to Shakespeare's "Let's kill all the lawyers," and condemned it as an attack on the legal profession's independence and the judiciary's foundational principles.

“Punishing lawyers for representing clients or causes the president doesn't like is unconstitutional.”
— Judge Beryl Howell ([01:44])

Perkins Coie is the first law firm to have Trump's order permanently blocked by a court, with three other firms currently pursuing similar legal challenges.

Australian Political Landscape: Labor Party Secures Second Term

Reporter: Scott Maiman
Timestamp: [02:40]

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Australia's ruling Labor Party achieved a decisive victory in the general election, securing a second term in office. The opposition coalition faced a significant defeat, with Conservative leader Peter Dutton’s alignment with President Trump's policies contributing to the loss. Following the election, Dutton's party is currently leaderless, setting the stage for a potential realignment within Australian politics.

“We take up this task with new hope, new confidence.”
— Scott Maiman ([02:46])

Vatican Conclave and Historic Renovations in St. Louis

Reporter: Ryan Lucas and Alex Hauer Hoyer
Timestamp: [03:20 - 04:25]

Vatican Conclave Preparations

Workers at the Vatican have installed a new stove in the Sistine Chapel to burn ballots cast by cardinals in the upcoming conclave to elect a new pope. The newly installed system uses white smoke signals—traditionally emitted when a pope is elected—to communicate the results to the public. The conclave is set to begin on Wednesday.

Reopening of St. Louis's Old Courthouse

After nearly five years of extensive renovations, St. Louis's historic Old Courthouse has reopened to the public as part of the Gateway Arch National Park. The mid-1800s building, recognized for its distinctive green dome, is renowned as the site where Dred and Harriet Scott fought for their freedom, leading to a landmark Supreme Court case in 1857 that unfortunately upheld slavery and escalated tensions toward the Civil War. The courthouse now features a permanent exhibit dedicated to the Scotts, with Lynne Jackson, their great-great-granddaughter, expressing pride in their gallery.

“Is just an incredible, huge honor and a great leap forward.”
— Scott Horsley ([04:18])

The $380 million renovation project, spanning over a decade, has concluded, restoring an essential piece of American history for public education and remembrance.

Community Highlights: Free Comic Book Day and World Naked Gardening Day

Timestamp: [04:36]

Today marks the first Saturday in May, celebrated as both Free Comic Book Day and World Naked Gardening Day. Participating stores across the nation are offering free comic books to all customers, believing that every person can find a comic they love. Simultaneously, World Naked Gardening Day encourages individuals to embrace nature by gardening without clothes, promoting a unique way to reconnect with the outdoors.

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Transcript

[Malcolm Gladwell]

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.

[Nora Ram]

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Nora Ramm. This week saw mixed news on the US Economy. It shrank in the first three months of the year, and consumer confidence has fallen to the lowest level since the beginning of the pandemic. But there was encouraging news unemployment. NPR's Scott Horsley has more.

[Scott Horsley]

Employers added 177,000 jobs in April, not quite as many as the month before, but more than forecasters had expected. And the unemployment rate held steady at a low 4.2%. That suggests that even with all the tariff chaos of the recent weeks, employers are still hiring. Wages are also still going up. So with more people working and paychecks getting bigger, that should provide some juice to keep the economy moving forward.

[Nora Ram]

NPR's Scott Horsley. Warren Buffett warned against trade wars today at the shareholder meeting of his company, Berkshire Hathaway, saying it's a mistake when seven and a half billion people don't like you. He also said he plans to step down as CEO at the end of the year. A federal judge has struck down President Trump's executive order targeting the prominent law firm of Perkins Coombs. The ruling deals a blow to Trump's campaign to punish law firms he views as political enemies. NPR's Ryan Lucas reports.

[Ryan Lucas]

In her ruling, U.S. district Judge Beryl Howell says that no American president has ever issued an executive order like the one against Perkins Coie. But Howell says in purpose and effect, it draws from a playbook that dates back to Shakespeare. In his famous phrase of quote, the first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers. Howell's ruling framed Trump's executive order as an attack on the independence of the legal profession and the broader judicial system and their foundational principles. She said punishing lawyers for representing clients or causes the president doesn't like is unconstitutional. Three other firms have sued to challenge Trump's orders targeting them. Perkins case is the first to be permanently blocked by a court. Ryan Lucas, NPR News, Washington.

[Nora Ram]

Several law firms have reached settlement agreements with the president to avoid being targeted by him in an executive order. Australia's ruling Labour Party has won the general election, delivering a second term to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Scott Maiman reports.

[Scott Maiman]

A clear win for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. His Labor Party has won a second term in office.

[Scott Horsley]

We take up this task with new hope, new confidence.

[Nora Ram]

Together we are turning the corner and together we will make our way forward with no one held back and no one left behind.

[Scott Maiman]

For the opposition, it's a mess of loss for the coalition. Conservative leader Peter Dutton had been campaigning with President Trump's style policies. We'll rebuild from here because we know our values. But after Dutton was voted out, his party is leaderless for now. For NPR News, I'm Scott Maiman in Canberra, Australia.

[Nora Ram]

This is NPR News. In Washington. Workers at the Vatican have installed a stove in the Sistine Chapel that will be used to burn the ballots cast by cardinals selecting the new pope. It's connected to a chimney to convey signals to the public. White smoke means the pope has been elected. The conclave begins Wednesday. After being closed for nearly five years for renovations, a major historic land park in St. Louis is reopening to the public today. Alex Hauer Hoyer of St. Louis Public Radio reports.

[Alex Hoyer]

Many years before the Gateway arch dominated the St. Louis skyline, it was the old Courthouse with its green dome reminiscent of the US Capitol. Built in the mid-1800s, the Old Courthouse is known as the place where Dred 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 Scotts, Lynne Jackson is their great great granddaughter.

[Nora Ram]

For them to have their own gallery.

[Scott Horsley]

Is just an incredible, huge honor and a great leap forward.

[Alex Hoyer]

The old courthouse is part of Gateway Arch national park, and its reopening concludes a $380 million renovation that more than a decade. For NPR News, I'm Alex Hoyer in St. Louis.

[Nora Ram]

Today is the first Saturday in May, free Comic Book Day. Participating stores will give a free comic book to anyone who walks in the door. The theory is that for every person out there, there is a comic book they'll love. For people who want to get outside, today is also World Naked Gardening Day to encourage everyone to step outside, soak up the sun and reconnect with nature in the most natural way possible. I'm Nora Ram, NPR News, in Washington.

[Scott Horsley]

Listen to this podcast sponsor, free on Amazon Music with a Prime membership or any podcast app by subscribing to NPR newsnow +@ +npr.org that's +npr.org.