04/27/2025: NIH, Evidence, The Land of Declining Sons

In its ongoing mission to shrink the federal government, the Trump administration has cut more than a thousand jobs and billions in research grants from America’s crown jewel of medical research - the National Institutes of Health. While other administrations have tried to downsize the NIH before, leaked Trump administration documents show plans to reduce the NIH budget by more than 40 percent, sending shockwaves throughout the scientific community. Correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi sits down with the former director of the NIH, Dr. Francis Collins, as well as a researcher and an NIH insider who all say these measures could jeopardize the health of Americans for generations to come. Evidence has emerged that could change our understanding of the 9/11 terrorist attacks more than two decades ago. A 60 Minutes investigation has found that crucial information, initially turned over to the FBI shortly after the attacks, was never shared with the bureau's own field agents or senior intelligence officials. Correspondent Cecilia Vega reports on this evidence, which has come to light amid a lawsuit against the Saudi government filed by families of the nearly 3,000 victims and includes a video of a Saudi national filming the U.S. Capitol, thought to be al-Qaeda's fourth target. The world’s population may have recently surpassed eight billion, but it’s a misleading figure. Growth is unevenly distributed, and many countries are experiencing a decline in population—in some cases, steeply. Consider Japan. The country with the fourth largest economy is now facing a rapidly declining birth rate, and a population projected to shrink in half by this century's end. Correspondent Jon Wertheim reports from Japan, examining how these demographic changes are affecting the country and its culture. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices