NPR News: 04-04-2026 6PM EDT
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What recent events have occurred at Iran's nuclear power plant?
Live from NPR News in New York City, I'm Midoa Halisa-Kautel. For the fourth time since the start of the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran, a nuclear power plant on the southwestern coast of the country has been struck, according to Iranian media. NPR's Deep Harvaz reports the plant remains functioning and a possible radiation leak would not be limited to Iran.
The nuclear power plant in Bushehr, which is on the country's coastline on the Persian Gulf, was struck by a projectile from a strike to its perimeter on Saturday, killing one of the plant's security personnel. The International Atomic Energy Agency says that no increase in radiation levels have been detected in the area. But in a statement posted on X, the agency's director general, Rafael Grossi, said that the nuclear power plants and surrounding areas must never be attacked. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Arochi noted on X that any radioactive fallout from the plant will, quote, end life in neighboring Gulf Arab countries.
How are airport staffing issues affecting travel in the U.S.?
Radioactive material from the damaged plant could leak into the Gulf, contaminating waters vital to states like Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. Deep Harvaz, NPR News, Van, Turkey.
Staffing at airports across the country are beginning to improve, but NPR's Windsor Johnson reports wait times remain uncertain.
Hundreds of TSA workers resigned during the recent pay disruption, and experts say it can take months to hire and train replacements. That means staffing levels can vary by airport and even by the time of day, creating unpredictable wait times for travelers.
What does the latest job report indicate about the U.S. economy?
Aviation analyst Henry Hardvelt says the progress so far is uneven.
Some of the airports where we saw the worst lines, such as at Houston Bush Intercontinental, Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson International, are performing much better. But this is a day-to-day situation.
President Trump signed an executive order on Friday to pay all DHS workers, as Congress remains deadlocked over how to fund the agency. Windsor Johnston, NPR News, Washington.
The unemployment rate is down a tenth of a percent in March, and the Labor Department says about 178,000 jobs were added.
How is AI investment impacting job availability?
However, revisions from February show a loss of more than 100,000 jobs. Heather Long is author of the Everyday Economics newsletter and chief economist with the Navy Federal Credit Union.
Companies are spending so much money investing in AI and the latest technology that there simply isn't a lot of money left to hire. are to give big pay raises anymore. And so it's almost like the AI investment is eating the jobs. And now there's concern with the war in Iran that as these gas and diesel prices rise, if they stay high and stay elevated, that's also eating into company budgets. And does that force even less hiring or potentially layoffs later this year?
This is NPR. US museum attendance in 2025 was impeded by natural disasters and political instability. NPR's Chloe Veltman reports the art newspaper's annual survey also reveals signs of modest growth.
Attendance at American museums was heavily impacted by two external factors. One, the January 2025 wildfires in Los Angeles.
What factors influenced museum attendance in 2025?
The Getty Villa was hit particularly hard. Attendance dropped nearly 60% due to it being closed for almost half the year. And two, last fall's federal government shutdown. It crippled DC museums like the National Gallery of Art, which lost more than a quarter of its audience compared with 2024. Despite the volatility, the country's most visited museums remained relatively stable. Visitorship at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art was up slightly, and some regional museums also saw big gains. The San Diego Museum of Contemporary Art nearly doubled its attendance. Chloe Veltman, NPR News.
A niece and grandniece with ties to Iran or its Islamic Revolutionary Guard are now in federal custody. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said they, along with two other Iranian nationals, are no longer eligible for re-entry into the U.S. or lawful permanent resident status. In a statement, the State Department said Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter are in the custody of U.S.
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Chapters
6 chapters
1
What recent events have occurred at Iran's nuclear power plant?
0:01–0:59
2
How are airport staffing issues affecting travel in the U.S.?
0:59–1:36
3
What does the latest job report indicate about the U.S. economy?
1:36–2:13
4
How is AI investment impacting job availability?
2:13–3:24
5
What factors influenced museum attendance in 2025?
3:24–4:37
6
Who are the individuals in federal custody related to Iran?
4:37–5:04