William Brangham:
Meantime, Russian authorities say a barrage of Ukrainian drones hit homes and buildings in its cursed border region. One person was killed. Nine more were hurt. It comes days after a devastating Russian attack on Ukraine’s Sumy region that killed dozens.
New data from the CDC shows nearly one in 31 children in the U.S. has autism. That’s up from the last count in 2020 that showed one in 36 children suffered from the disorder. The data shows boys are diagnosed at a higher rate than girls, and it’s more common among children of color. The report said the recent increase was likely due to better screening and awareness. The causes of autism are still unknown, but ample studies have ruled out childhood vaccines as a factor.
Also on public health, both Arkansas and Indiana have moved to ban soda and candy from the food stamp programs in their states. They’re the first to ask the Trump administration to remove those items from SNAP, which helps low-income Americans pay for groceries. Indiana’s Republican governor made his state’s announcement alongside Dr. Mehmet Oz, who heads the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, as well as Trump’s health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
