NPR News Now: June 26, 2025, 8AM EDT

Host: Korva Coleman

1. US Military Strikes in Iran and Assessments

Korva Coleman opens the episode by highlighting the imminent news conference involving Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and other Pentagon officials. They are set to address the recent US military strikes in Iran, which occurred last weekend. The controversy centers around conflicting reports regarding the extent of the damage inflicted on Iran’s nuclear facilities.

A CIA report released yesterday aligns with President Trump’s assertion that Iran’s nuclear sites have been "obliterated". However, this is juxtaposed with findings from another US Intelligence agency that emerged earlier in the week, suggesting the damage was "limited".

Adding another layer to the discourse, Israel's Atomic Energy Commission has released its own assessment. Daniel Estrin of NPR reports from Tel Aviv that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office stated the US and Israeli strikes have "set back Iran's ability to develop nuclear weapons by many years". Specifically, the strike on Iran's most fortified nuclear enrichment site, Fordow, "destroyed the site's critical infrastructure and rendered the enrichment facility inoperable" [00:57].

President Trump further emphasized the severity of the strike, mentioning, "they have guys that go in there after the hit and they said it was total obliteration" [01:15]. This statement underscores the administration’s stance on the effectiveness of the military action.

2. CDC Vaccine Advisory Committee Re-examines Vaccine Schedule

Shifting focus to public health, Korva Coleman announces that the Vaccine Advisory Committee for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is re-evaluating the number of vaccines administered to children. Ping Huang from NPR elaborates on this development, noting that the number of vaccines children receive in the US "exceeds what children in most other developed nations receive" [02:01].

The committee, now under the leadership of Martin Kulldorf, a biostatistician and the group’s chair, is considering major changes to the vaccine schedule [01:49]. Kulldorf emphasizes the significance of these recommendations, stating they are "critical in guiding state and local vaccine policies along with what insurers cover" [02:09]. This potential overhaul aims to balance vaccine efficacy with the number of administrations, responding to growing public discourse on vaccine schedules.

3. Aging Population Trends in the United States

Korva Coleman next addresses demographic shifts in the US, referencing new estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau. Hansi Lo Wang reports that adults aged 65 and older now outnumber children in 11 states and nearly half of the country's counties [02:18]. This change is primarily driven by the aging baby boomer generation.

Nationally, children under 18 still outnumber older adults, but the trend is rapidly changing. States like Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Montana, and Oregon are experiencing this demographic reversal. Moreover, about 45% of counties now have more older adults than children, up from roughly a third in 2020. Hansi Lo Wang highlights that most affected counties are in rural areas, contributing to the national median age climbing to over 30. The Northeast region boasts the highest median age at nearly 41, while Utah remains the youngest with a median age of about 32 [02:33]. This shift has significant implications for healthcare, housing, and economic policies nationwide.

4. National Weather Update and NSF Headquarters Move

In a weather update, the National Weather Service informs listeners that the prolonged heat wave affecting much of the Midwest and East Coast is expected to ease today, bringing relief after several heat records were broken this week. Nonetheless, about 130 million people remain under some form of heat advisory [03:11].

Transitioning to federal developments, Korva Coleman reports that the National Science Foundation (NSF) will relocate from its Virginia headquarters as the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) moves in. Nell Greenfield Boyce provides further details, explaining that NSF’s approximately 1,800 employees are facing uncertainty regarding the timing and future location of their offices following this transition [03:46].

Michael Peters, Commissioner of the Public Buildings Service at the U.S. General Services Administration, stated, "We are going to continue to support the National Science Foundation as we support..." [04:13]. The move is attributed to HUD’s current facilities being "dilapidated and require too much money to maintain", aiming to "improve life for HUD staffers" [04:15]. The NSF had already been under pressure earlier this year when its head resigned amid proposals by the Trump administration to "axe more than half the agency's budget" [04:13]. The full impact of this relocation on NSF operations and staff remains to be seen.

5. Kenyan Runner Attempts to Break Four-Minute Mile

Concluding the episode, Korva Coleman shares an exciting development in the world of athletics. Faith Kipyegon, a Kenyan runner and three-time Olympic gold medalist, is set to attempt breaking the four-minute mile in Paris today [04:26]. To achieve this historic feat, Kipyegon must cut nearly eight seconds off her current world record time. This attempt not only aims to set a new personal and world record but also aspires to make Kipyegon the first woman ever to break the four-minute mile, marking a significant milestone in women's athletics.

This summary encapsulates the key discussions and insights from the June 26, 2025, episode of NPR News Now, providing a comprehensive overview for listeners and those who did not tune in.