NPR News: 04-05-2026 2AM EDT

0:00Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Dan Runman. President Trump says the military has rescued a U.S. airman whose fighter jet was shot down over Iran Friday. NPR's Greg Meyry reports the airman evaded capture for well over a day before the Americans found him alive. President Trump described the dramatic rescue in a lengthy post on truth social. The president said dozens of military aircraft were sent to search for the airman, a colonel. It was one of two crew members who ejected when their F-15 fighter jet was struck Friday over Western Iran. The pilot was rescued shortly after the shootdown, but the colonel, a weapons officer who was injured, could not immediately be reached. Trump wrote, this brave warrior was behind enemy lines in the treacherous mountains of Iran. The Iranians were closing in on him, but U.S. forces found him first. Trump said the airman was safe and sound, adding, we will never leave an American war

1:01fighter behind. Greg Meyry, NPR News, Washington. Russia says it's continuing to evacuate its staff from Iran's lone nuclear operational power plant amid the ongoing U.S. Israeli and its U.S. and Israeli attacks. The latest exit comes as Tyran said the nuclear facility had come under attack, killing one person. NPR's Charles Mainz has details. The head of Russia's nuclear energy agency, Ross Adams, Alexei Likacholv, said nearly 200 Russian workers departed the Bush Air nuclear facility by bus minutes before the plant was hit. And we're now on route out of Iran, like a cholv who's been slowly pulling his staff of 700 Russian workers from the nuclear plant since the U.S. Israeli attacks began over a month ago, suggested a full withdrawal was now imminent. Iran has accused the U.S. and Israel of repeatedly targeting Bush Air, and there have been no registered spikes in radiation levels. The United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency says it's deeply concerned over continuing fighting near the facility. Charles Mainz and P.R. News, Moscow.

2:03The four astronauts onboard the Artemis-2 mission are getting closer to the moon. Monday, they will fly around the far side of the moon. The trajectory could take them deeper into space than anyone has ever been, even beyond the Apollo 13 crew that began its return to Earth back in 1970. Meanwhile, NASA reports the spacecraft's waste management system is acting up and could be frozen until it's fixed. The astronauts are using the backup urine collection bags. NASA's space manager, John Honeykut, said the crew is handling the setback he said in stride. It's a little bit of camping in space already, but then it makes it camping a little bit tougher when you don't have the full capability of the toilet. The toilet has been working sporadically since Wednesday's mission began. Markets will be open on Monday after the good Friday holiday. You're listening to NPR news. The men's basketball team at Yukon has advanced to the NCAA Championship Camp Monday.

3:05For the third time in the last four years, they'll play Michigan. Greg Eklon reports on the results of Saturday night semifinals. Yukon Center, Teresary Juner, capped the Huskies scoring in the 71-62 victory with key free throws in the game's final seconds. This season, Reed has shot a below average 59 percent from the line, but was determined to change that. Reed played the first two years of his collegiate career at Michigan. The Michigan Wolverines now 36 and 3 defeated Arizona in the second semifinal, 91 to 73. Greg Eklon, NPR News, Indianapolis. Meanwhile at the NCAA Women's Basketball Final Four in Phoenix, South Carolina will play UCLA Sunday for the national championship. Tip off is at 330 Eastern. In Friday semifinal contest, South Carolina defeated the defending champ Yukon to advance.

4:10UCLA defeated Texas. The Trump administration appears to have scaled back its plan to nearly close the federal government's consumer financial protection bureau, but the agency would be significantly reduced from 1,700 employees at the end of the Biden administration to about 550 employees. At one point, the White House wanted to cut the agency to about 200 total staff members. I'm Dan Ronan, NPR News in Washington. Report free, listen to this podcast sponsor free on Amazon Music with a prime membership or any podcast app by subscribing to NPR News Now Plus at plus dot NPR dot org. That's plus dot NPR dot org.