Measles vaccination rates drop after COVID-19 pandemic in counties across the US

(AP) — Childhood vaccination rates against measles fell in the years after the COVID-19 pandemic in nearly 80% of the more than 2,000 U.S. counties with available data. That includes counties in states that are battling outbreaks this year. The Johns Hopkins University study was published in JAMA this week. It illustrates where more vulnerable communities are located. The results mirror trends established at state and national levels: Routine childhood vaccination rates are dropping. Most of the measles cases in the U.S. this year — 1,088 nationally as of Friday — are in unvaccinated people. Three people have died.

Man charged with supplying chemicals to bomber of Palm Springs fertility clinic

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Federal authorities say they arrested a Washington man who provided chemicals to make explosives that were used to bomb a California fertility clinic in May. Authorities arrested 32-year-old Daniel Park on Tuesday night in New York upon his extradition from Poland. U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli say Park shipped 180 pounds of ammonium nitrate to Guy Edward Bartkus, who bombed the clinic. The chemical compound is an explosive precursor that can be used to make homemade bombs. Park also traveled to California in late January to experiment with explosives with Bartkus for about two weeks. Bartkus was killed in the explosion.

Trump says Putin told him that Russia will respond to Ukrainian attack on airfields

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump says he spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday and that the Russian leader told him “very strongly” that he will respond to Ukraine’s weekend drone attack on Russian airfields. The conversation played out as the deadlock over the war drags on and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is dismissing Russia’s ceasefire proposal. Trump said in a social media post that his lengthy call with Putin “was a good conversation, but not a conversation that will lead to immediate Peace.” It’s the first time Trump has weighed in on Ukraine’s daring attack inside Russia.

1 dead after severe weather tears through central US

DALLAS (AP) — Dallas authorities say one man has died there after his vehicle became stuck in high water during heavy rain. His death early Wednesday morning came after a tornado touched down Tuesday in the Kansas City area and flash flooding in Kansas forced firefighters to rescue dozens of people, including stranded motorists. The Dallas Fire-Rescue Department said that the man who died was in one of two cars submerged under a bridge on Interstate 635 and that early reports indicated two people were seen getting out of the other vehicle. A National Weather Service meteorologist in Wichita, Kansas, said firefighters made about 70 water rescues in the area.