NPR News: 04-04-2026 3PM EDT

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janine Herbst.

President Trump is again threatening Iran over the strait of Hormuz, saying on social

media today, it has 48 hours to open the strait or, quote,, all hell will rain down.

This is the search for a missing U.S. service member in Iran continues after Tehran shot

down two U.S. military planes yesterday.

To other crew members were rescued.

Meanwhile, the U.S. and Israel continue to strike Iran, and Piers-D Parvaz has more.

The U.S. and Israeli strikes have been hitting many targets, including a weapons depot

and a nuclear power plant.

But some strikes have also hit targets like the B-1 bridge between the cities of Tehran

and Kat-Aj in response to that strike.

Iran released a list of bridges in the region that they could destroy.

And there was also a strike on a red crescent warehouse in Boucher.

Iranian media also had reports that U.S. and Israeli strikes hit the Azo-D-Sport Stadium

in Tehran, as well as cause damage to Shahid Bihashji University.

Piers-D Parvaz reporting, it's the first time U.S. military personnel and aircraft have

been shot down over Iran in this war.

The CDC is warning of an illicit drug that's often found alongside fentanyl and some parts

of the country.

And Piers-Pingwang reports it can cause dangerous withdrawal symptoms.

Dr. Michael Lynch is an ER physician based in Pittsburgh.

He started seeing overdoses involving metatomidine some two years ago.

The powerful sedative is often mixed with fentanyl that fentanyl overdose drugs don't

work on it.

So people would start breathing again, but they wouldn't wake up even after people got

naloxone or narkan.

Patients also came in delirious, agitated with very high heart rates and not responding

to typical medications.

So what we're seeing is tenfold increases in people needing ICU care for withdrawal.

According to the CDC, the drug is most prevalent in the Northeast U.S., though it's also showing

it more in the Midwest and the South.

Pingwang and PR News.

It was a holiday-short and trading week on Wall Street, with markets closed for a good

Friday, and Piers-Maria Aspen reports all of the major indices posted losses.

The war in Iran and the resulting energy crisis has had investors swinging from panic

to relief and back again.

Stocks had their best day of 2026 on Wednesday.

As investors hoped President Trump would do more to end the war.

But then his address to the nation that evening left room for doubt and sparked another

if temporary sell-off.

The war has already sent oil prices soaring and damaged some of the refineries and other

infrastructure needed to produce more.

Consumers are paying more at the gas pump, while companies are paying more for shipping

and trucking.

The longer the war continues, the longer this oil shock risks fueling inflation and wider

economic damage.

Maria Aspen and PR News.

And you're listening to NPR News from Washington.

Some two dozen states are suing to stop President Trump's latest executive order placing new

restrictions on voting by mail from going into effect.

The suit was filed by a group of Democratic states, along with a separate suit by a coalition

of voting rights groups.

The Constitution is clear that voting administration belongs to states, although Congress can set

federal rules for federal elections as well.

Women's College basketball is set for its national championship game.

It will be South Carolina and UCLA, battling for the title after both won their semi-final

matches.

Steve Futterman has more from Phoenix.

In the first semi-final, South Carolina handed undefeated Yukon its first loss of the

season, 62-48.

In the other semi, UCLA beat Texas 51-44.

The most memorable moment on semi-final night came just off the court.

When Yukon coach Gino Oriemab and South Carolina coach Don Staley exchanged angry words just

as the game was ending.

Afterwards Oriemab said it stemmed from Staley, refusing to shake hands just before the

game.

At one point, the exchange became so heated both coaches had to be held back by their

assistants.

For NPR News, I'm Steve Futterman in Phoenix.

And tonight in men's final four play, Yukon takes on Illinois and then Michigan plays

Arizona.

The winners of each game will meet in the finals on Monday.

I'm Janine Herbst, NPR News in Washington.

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