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Today is Monday, April 6th. What to know about the dramatic rescue of two American servicemembers shot down in Iran, as well as President Trump's explicit threat to the Iranian government. Also, what the White House wants to cut to make up for the largest ever increase in military spending. Plus, the milestone astronauts in space are aiming for today, the FBI's warning about some of the most popular apps and a new national champion as March Madness comes to an end. Those stories and even more news coming up. Welcome to the Newsworthy. All the day's news in less than 15 minutes. I'm Erica. Mandy. Thanks so much for being here. Let's do this. For the first time in more than two decades, an American warplane was shot down by enemy fire in combat and two American service members were brought down with it, leaving them stranded in enemy territory. A US Military team was able to quickly rescue the pilot, but the other aviator was left stranded. While seriously wounded, he was able to make it to a remote mountain crevice where he hid for nearly two days with a bounty on his head. In Iran, of course, American rescue crews were searching, but the aircraft they were in also got targeted. In fact, the first rescue mission had to be aborted when US Helicopters were attacked. Both crews were hurt and had to make an emergency landing in Kuwait, but are expected to survive their injuries. The final mission came yesterday. It's been described as a sprawling, high risk rescue operation involving about 100 special forces, dozens of American warplanes and helicopters, and a last minute CIA deception campaign. The US Military bombed areas nearby and attacked suspected fighters who approached within miles of the aviator's hiding spot. But eventually the injured American service member was rescued and and President Trump says he'll be okay. The US Military also blew up two aircraft left stranded on the ground, figuring it was better to destroy them than to let them fall into Iranian hands. They cost $100 million each. Now, this raises a lot of questions about Iran's military capabilities. President Trump is expected to talk about all of this and give more details at a news conference today. The US Will start bombing Iran's power plants and bridges tomorrow unless the Iranian government opens the Strait of Hormu. That's at least President Trump's latest threat, although on social media he used combative, profanity laced language. In response, Iran accused the US of planning to commit war crimes, since attacks on power grids and bridges could be seen as attacks against civilians. At the same time, Iran is also threatening to do the same in Israel and other Gulf states. In fact, it already started yesterday, with the Iranians hitting infrastructure targets in nearby Gulf Arab countries. Other attacks have also been reported in Israel this morning, while in Iran, airstrikes seem to have hit an Iranian university, residential buildings, and a petrochemical complex. Iran has also threatened to not only keep up the Strait of Hormuz closed, but to also restrict another waterway off the Arabian Peninsula that's heavily used for trade. Meanwhile, analysts and some allies are accusing President Trump of sending mixed messages. Just last week, he said he believed the US Was close to making a deal with Iran. Now there's no sign of a deal happening, despite mediators continued efforts. Stay tuned. President Trump is now asking for a record one and a half trillion dollars in defense spending. That's by far the largest dollar amount in modern history, a more than 40% increase from the Pentagon's already record high spending plan for this year. The historic request came as part of the White House's official budget proposal for the 2027 fiscal year. The money would be spent on raises for military personnel, as well as more munitions and construction on President Trump's planned Golden Dome missile defense system. To offset that increase, Trump is asking for a 10% cut in non military spending, followed by more cuts each year. And specifically, his budget would cut money for healthcare, social services and housing. It would cut the Environmental Protection Agency's funding in half. And it would cut billions of dollars for fema, NASA, the irs, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, which would end its election security work. And the list goes on. Now, to be clear, actually passing a budget is up to Congress. So far, the reaction from lawmakers has been split among party lines, with Republicans saying the money will keep America safe and Democrats saying it would put America last. Either way, they still need to work out the rest of this year's spending before formally considering next year's, since remember, at this point, the Homeland Security Department still is not fully funded. To be continued. An internal ICE report found dozens of serious safety and security violations at America's largest immigration detention center. We're talking about Camp East Montana in El Paso, Texas, that houses nearly 3,000 detainees a day. Most of them are men who have not been convicted of crimes. They typically live there for days or weeks while they wait to be either transferred or deported. Three people have died there since it opened last summer. Many of the violations reported in this initial review have to do with use of force and restraints, like handcuffs. It notes how not all incidents were documented or recorded on video. And it found some medical issues, including medical emergencies, weren't addressed Within a week, inspectors did randomly interview nearly 50 people in detention, and none of them made allegations of abuse. But the number of deficiencies found at this facility is still unusual, and some critics say what it turned up was really a drop in the bucket of what's actually happening inside. In response, the Homeland Security Department said it will make improvements and that the facility will stay under strict oversight. Today, astronauts on NASA's Artemis 2 mission are set to reach the farthest point any human has ever been from Earth. They're making the loop around the moon without landing before starting the journey back home. The roughly six hour flyby promises views of the moon's far side that have been too dark or too difficult to see in the past. The crew will take turns capturing the views out their windows and will, of course, take pictures. Those images will then be used to help scientists back home understand how the moon and the solar system formed. Then, after seeing the moon, the astronauts will get to see a solar eclipse that will not be visible here on Earth, and they'll be on the lookout for any unusual solar activity. The flight back will take another four days. So far, the astronauts have said the flight has been emotional, full of joy, happiness and disbelief. If you want to see pictures of their moon mission so far, we've added a link in today's Episode notes on thenewsworthy.com Much more news still ahead. But first, this episode is brought to you by Quints. I finally paid for a service to help me organize my closet and I have to tell you, it's made such a huge difference. She put labels in there and everything. But one of the other reasons I'm going to maintain this is because this spring I'm focusing more on quality over quantity. 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Go to Q U I n c e.com newsworthy for free shipping and 365 day returns. Quince.com newsworthy now back to the news. For the first time in history, the UCLA Bruins are the women's basketball national championship. The Bruins dominated the South Carolina Gamecocks 7951 in yesterday's title game. In fact, all five Bruins starters scored in double figures. This win means they'll be taking the championship trophy back to Westwood, California, where the men's team already has a record 11 basketball titles. But the UCLA men aren't up for one this year. Instead, tonight's NCAA men's basketball national championship game features Michigan and UConn. They both won their final four matchups over the weekend. Michigan is considered the clear favorite since they've blown out opponents all tournament. In fact, the Wolverines have won by more than 20 points on average. But UConn still has a shot since historically the Huskies have been one of the most difficult teams to beat late in the tournament. The national championship game airs On CBS at 8:50pm Eastern. This morning, Today show host Savannah Guthrie is set to return to the anchor desk for the first time since her mother's disappearance. Remember, it's believed 84 year old Nancy Guthrie was abducted nearly eight weeks ago and there's still an active investigation as authorities sift through thousands of leads. But so far they have not released information about any suspects, where she may have been taken or why. Savannah Guthrie has spoken about the ordeal, saying she is crushed and heartbroken, but she also says she wants to be around her Today show colleagues during this difficult time and has described her work as part of her purpose right now. She told her former co worker Hoda Kotb that she doesn't actually know if she can do it, but that she'd like to try and that she doesn't want to let the evil person steal her joy. So with that Today's show viewers can expect to see her back in front of the camera at 7am Eastern. American troops are now allowed to carry personal weapons onto military bases. Since 1992, military personnel have only been able to have privately owned firearms on base in rare instances after getting permission from a senior commander. So outside of shooting ranges, hunting areas or in training, military police are often the only armed personnel on base. But Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says he changed that. He cited recent shootings on bases, saying they would have been stopped sooner if service members were allowed to be armed. But some gun violence prevention organizations say shootings are a reason the policy should not be relaxed. They also note how most active duty service members who die by suicide do so with a personal weapon. Either way, Hegsest says the change has already gone into effect. The FBI is now warning about some popular apps offered to both Apple and Android users. It put out a new public service announcement pointing out how many of the most downloaded and top grossing apps are developed and maintained by foreign companies, mostly in China. As the New York Post reports, the warning could apply to apps like video editing platform capcut, shopping, apps like Temu and Shein, social media platforms like Lemonade, and more. Because of China's infamous national security laws, the FBI says there's a real concern for data security and that if you use a Chinese app, you could be handing your information to the Chinese government. The bureau also warns China could even get your name, email address or phone number from someone else's contact list if a friend or family member grants a foreign app access to their device. So it suggests Americans limit unnecessary data sharing, download apps only from official app stores and regularly review permissions granted. Of course, this comes after years of scrutiny over TikTok's ties to China, but the FBI now says the concerns extend well beyond just one app. America's favorite lovebirds have once again become parents. We're talking about bald eagles, Jackie and Shadow, who have been mating since 2018. Their nest in Big Bear, California has been broadcast live daily to devoted viewers who for years have been excited to see the birds go about their lives. And over Easter weekend, two new eaglets hatched in front of about two and a half million social media followers. Both now appear healthy. Jackie and Shadow are expected to care for the eaglets for the next 10 to 14 weeks, and then it will be time for the babies to leave the nest as worldwide celebrities. That's it for the Maine news. So now it's time for Money Monday, when we talk about one interesting Money related news story. But first, thanks to our sponsor, Home Chef, one of the biggest daily decisions that still somehow catches me off guard is what's for dinner. Even when I think I have a plan, the day gets pretty busy and suddenly I feel like I'm scrambling. That's why having Home Chef is a game changer. Home Chef makes cooking simple, fresh food delivered, easy recipes to follow, and meals that actually taste great. And what I love is the variety. You're not stuck in a rut. There are over 30 meal options each week from quick microwave lunches to oven ready trays and full meal kits. We've had some really great meals from Home Chef like One Pot pork ragu farfalle with kale and Asiago and chicken gyros with tzatziki and lemon garlic naan. And it's not just me. Home Chef is rated number one by users of other meal kits for quality, convenience, value, taste and recipe ease. Plus, customers save an average of $86 per month on groceries. For a limited time, Home Chef is offering my listeners 50% off and free shipping for your first box, plus free dessert for life. So go to homechef.com newsworthy that's homechef.com newsworthy for 50% off your first box and free dessert for life. Homechef.com newsworthy you must be an active subscriber to receive free dessert. Okay, now back to Money Monday. Reselling clothing has become a booming business. In fact, this year's secondhand sales are expected to be twice what they were in 2021. And this year alone, the resale business is expected to grow twice as fast as the overall clothing market. At least that's according to the consignment platform Thredup, and retail analytics firm Global Data Technology has a lot to do with it. There are now websites like Thredup, Depop, Whatnot and many more that make it easier to buy used than it was in the past, when treasure hunters would have to go from flea markets to thrift stores to garage sales and so on. And artificial intelligence makes it easier for them to sort through and catalog items so potential buyers can find their treasures. The appeal is clear, since secondhand items can be less expensive, more unique and more sustainable than buying new. But there are also drawbacks. Critics say online platforms inspire middlemen to scoop up cheap items from places like Goodwill, then sell them online for much more than they're worth. Then another reseller could buy those items and mark them up even more. Love it or hate it, the resale business is only expected to grow from here. Well, thank you so much for joining us today and for supporting our show. We'll be back with even more news tomorrow. For now, have a great day.
Episode: American Aviators Rescued, NASA's Lunar Flyby & NCAA Title Game
Date: Monday, April 6, 2026
Host: Erica Mandy
This episode covers major national and international headlines of the day, including the high-risk rescue of two American aviators in Iran, significant developments in U.S.-Iran relations, President Trump’s record-breaking request for military spending, milestone moments for NASA’s Artemis 2 mission, a historic NCAA Women's basketball championship, and other key updates from technology, security, and lifestyle news. Host Erica Mandy delivers the news in her signature concise, friendly, and balanced style, emphasizing both the facts and their broader implications.
On the Iran rescue operation:
"The final mission came yesterday. It's been described as a sprawling, high-risk rescue operation involving about 100 special forces, dozens of American warplanes and helicopters, and a last-minute CIA deception campaign." – Erica Mandy ([02:00])
On the President’s warning:
"The US Will start bombing Iran's power plants and bridges tomorrow unless the Iranian government opens the Strait of Hormuz. That's at least President Trump's latest threat, although on social media he used combative, profanity laced language." ([03:30])
On NASA’s Artemis 2 mission:
"The astronauts have said the flight has been emotional, full of joy, happiness, and disbelief." ([08:45])
On Savannah Guthrie’s return:
"She told her former co worker Hoda Kotb that she doesn't actually know if she can do it, but that she'd like to try and that she doesn't want to let the evil person steal her joy." ([12:50])
Erica Mandy maintains a balanced, engaging, and conversational tone, emphasizing clarity, fairness, and key facts—always striving for a “fast, fair, and fun” approach to complex and fast-moving news.
This episode delivers headline news across politics, global affairs, science, sports, and pop culture, equipping the listener with a well-rounded sense of the day's top stories and why they matter.