NPR News: 04-04-2026 11PM EDT

Tensions in the Middle East dominated this NPR News Now broadcast, with updates on U.S.-Iran friction over the Strait of Hormuz, a downed U.S. warplane, and escalating concerns at Iran's Bushehr nuclear plant amid U.S.-Israeli strikes. Domestic stories included a court adjustment to college admissions data rules, a space mission glitch, injuries from a parade accident, a contained wildfire, and an upcoming basketball championship.

Strait of Hormuz and U.S. Military Search

U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated warnings to Iran over a Monday deadline to reopen the Strait of Hormuz for ship traffic. The strait remains critical for global oil flows, and its closure has heightened economic pressures. Separately, the U.S. military continued searching a remote area in Iran for a second day after a warplane was shot down there on Saturday. These developments underscore ongoing military confrontations, with Iran also signaling through its top diplomat a willingness for talks with Pakistan, describing those efforts as on the right track. No further details were given on the talks' scope or Pakistan's role.