News from around the nation.

Centcom launches a “heavy wave” of missile strikes as Iran war expands across the Middle East; California health experts say it’s time to book your annual well-child visit; In Minnesota, what does adapting to extreme heat look like? Use of cannabis is on the rise among pregnant Ohioans.

Transcript

The Public News Service Thursday afternoon update.

I'm Mike Clifford.

President Donald Trump told reporters Wednesday that we're going to be hitting them very hard, and overnight, CENTCOM said, it hit dozens of Islamic Revolutionary Guard targets in response to Iran's firing on U.S. bases in Jordan and at chips in the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran said U.S. strikes killed three of its soldiers Thursday as the latest round of attacks threatened to engulf more countries in the region.

CBS News notes, Jordan said it had intercepted Iranian missiles for a second consecutive day, while Kuwait said a strike there killed one person.

Drone strikes at Egypt's Mediterranean port of Demetria sparked fires on two natural gas vessels Wednesday in what appears to be the first time Egypt has been targeted.

Meantime, the beginning of the fall semester is just weeks away, and California health officials say it's the ideal time to book an appointment for a wellness visit.

Your pediatrician will monitor your child's growth and development, check vision and hearing, Make sure they're up to date on the required immunizations and screen older children for problems with friends, mental health, or addiction.

Dr. Rhonda Randall, chief medical officer with UnitedHealthcare Employer and Individual, says doctors can recommend other preventive screenings as well.

Many people think of it as a yearly physical, but it's so much more comprehensive than that.

And when everyone's in that back to school rush, you want to make sure that you're getting on the schedule with your pediatrician or family doctor.

California schools require proof of vaccination as each child enters kindergarten and seventh grade with no personal or religious exemptions.

I'm Suzanne Potter.

And another stretch of hot summer weather is winding down in Minnesota.

There might be relief now, but some local governments are looking to the future to protect residents from heat waves likely to become more common.

Climate researchers with the University of Minnesota say by the year 2060, some parts of the state could see more than 50 days with temperatures above 90, depending on how greenhouse gas emissions play out.

Hennepin County is finalizing strategies so that the public isn't in as much danger when heat domes park over the Midwest.

The county's Jessica Spanswick says data collection is a big part of that effort.

And that we're also with the Minnesota Department of Health building out a dashboard to understand where are heat-related illnesses occurring in the county.

Protecting outdoor workers is another priority.

I'm Mike Moen.

Next, the use of marijuana is increasing across Ohio.

Experts say many pregnant women who are using cannabis may not be aware of the risks.

The assumption that legal products are safe has become prevalent, says One Ohio Recovery Foundation Executive Director Alicia Nelson.

We know that there is no safe use of cannabis during pregnancy for the baby and we wanted to make sure that that message made it through.

Folks in Ohio spent more than $836 million on non-medical marijuana products in 2025, the first full year of legal non-medical sales.

This is Public News Service.

Older voters in Georgia are highly motivated to vote this November, and their top concerns are the cost of everyday items, health care, and protecting Social Security.

That's according to new polling from AARP.

To get a pulse for what's top of mind for older voters here in the Peach State, some issues remain constant while others reflect the realities of today.

Adrian Bell is associate state director for AARP Georgia.

He says these issues cut across party lines.

Affordability, the cost of groceries, the cost of health care, cost of housing, cost of gasoline, that is all among the top concerns and issues that we feel may drive this election.

The poll found that 88% of voters 50 and older rated themselves a 10 out of 10 in motivation to vote, compared to 62% of voters under 50.

In the Senate race, 52% of all voters preferred incumbent John Ossoff.

But among voters 50 and older, 53% support Republican Mike Collins.

In the governor's race, Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms leads overall, but Republican Rick Jackson leads among older voters.

I'm Tramiel Gomes.

And autistic students are attending college in far greater numbers than previously believed, according to researchers at Michigan State University.

Earlier estimates placed the population of autistic college students as low as 60,000 nationwide.

Those figures were based on old and limited data, including a sample form more than 25 years ago.

MSU associate professor Brad Cox began studying autism in higher education after his son was diagnosed at age four.

He says the new numbers are dramatically higher than what was previously estimated.

Our latest study is one that suggests that there may be almost 300,000 autistic undergraduates currently attending college in the United States.

That means that it's a population worth paying attention to.

Crystal Blair reporting.

Finally, as anti-immigrant policies are enacted and intolerance for diversity spreads, Groups that are representing Indian Americans say they're well-positioned to help heal America's divide.

Research shows a dramatic rise in anti-India rhetoric on social media, fueled by false accusations that Indians are stealing American jobs.

Ramesh Vishwanath Kapoor is president of the U.S.-India Security Council.

He says even former President John F. Kennedy saw India as an example for the U.S. on how to get along.

We need a beacon of hope, and I think the Indian-American community, with their culture and religion, can put that together.

India has done that.

There are so many different groups that are there.

Kapoor says Indian-Americans played a large role in the 2008 U.S.-India nuclear deal, in which India volunteered to stop testing nuclear bombs.

I'm Catherine Carley.

This is Mike Clifford for Public News Service, member and listener supported.

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