Latest news with #UniversityOfIllinois
CBS News
3 days ago
- Climate
- CBS News
With weather warming, another warning about ticks all around Illinois
It was a beautiful day in Chicago Monday with plenty of opportunities to get fresh air, but everyone was advised to make sure to prepare for ticks ahead of their relaxing walks. Every few weeks, the Cook County Forest Preserve District posts a reminder about ticks on social media. This year, the minuscule arachnids may be more prevalent than ever — all across Illinois. Scientists told CBS News Chicago the relatively mild winter this year did not kill as many ticks as usual. Warming temperatures due to climate change also help the arachnid survive. Tracking just how many ticks are out there is not easy, but the public can help assess the threat with something called The Tick App. Users can report a tick sighting, and an expert from the University of Illinois can identify the tick. There is also the Ticks of Illinois Project, where users upload pictures, locations, dates, and times of tick encounters. What's all the fuss about ticks? Most people have probably heard about Lyme disease, but there are other risks besides that. "We have four vector ticks, so four ticks that can spread disease across the State of Illinois — and all four of those can carry multiple diseases, and sometimes at the same time," said Dr. Becky Smith//University of Illinois Pathobiology Department. "So we are really concerned about human health — because some of these, some of the viruses, we can't even treat." One of ticks' favorite spots to hang is on deer, which are abundant in the Chicago area. But when a deer was spotted among the walkers and bicyclists in south suburban Matteson on Monday, no one seemed particularly nervous about ticks. However, most of the walkers and bicyclists in question planned to stay on the pavement, and were not planning to go off-roading in the tall grass where the ticks might be hiding. The Will County Health Department explained to CBS News Chicago how it handles ticks. Its environmental health division conducts six drags a year to collect ticks through a grant program from the Illinois Department of Public Health. Any ticks collected are sent to the state's public health department to be identified. The Will County Health Department noted that Illinois typically sees black-legged or deer ticks, lone star ticks, Gulf Coast ticks, and American dog ticks. Once identified, the ticks are tested for any pathogens. The Will County Health Department said in 2024, its Environmental Health Division conducted six tick drags and collected 47 ticks for testing. The Illinois Department of Public Health also has a surveillance map that tracks the type of ticks found in the state and any pathogens associated with them.
CNA
4 days ago
- Politics
- CNA
To stay or to go? Chinese students in the US mull future amid Trump's visa crackdown
SINGAPORE: Like many of his peers from China who have been grappling with increasing pressure and uncertainty in recent weeks over their studies in the United States, Christopher has found himself in limbo. Speaking to CNA under a pseudonym due to an ongoing clampdown on foreign students, especially those from China at US universities, the 23-year-old international student from Hangzhou shared his account of studying at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where he has been pursuing his master's in computer science. 'The US is undeniably the world leader in this industry,' said Christopher, adding that American computer science programmes were 'among the best'. Currently home in China on a three-month summer internship with tech giant Alibaba, he is slated to return to the US for the new school semester beginning in September. 'It's extremely absurd that the US government has taken the most extreme step backwards,' Christopher said. 'Their actions have betrayed everyone who had high hopes and expectations for the country.' EDUCATION CRACKDOWN According to official data, nearly 280,000 students from China made up a quarter of all international enrollments in the US last year. But rising anti-China rhetoric and the looming threat of Trump's sudden policy shifts have reportedly prompted many students and their families to rethink their higher education plans in the US. The situation escalated to new highs in May, unfolding against the backdrop of rapidly deteriorating Sino-US relations when the Trump administration moved to block Harvard University from enrolling international students and issued new measures targeting Chinese nationals - who made up a fifth of its foreign student intake in 2024. Beijing has condemned the recent actions, saying it had lodged protests with Washington and 'consistently opposed the politicisation of educational cooperation'. 'The US has unreasonably cancelled Chinese students' visas under the pretext of ideology and national rights,' foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said during a routine press briefing on Friday (May 30), adding that it had also urged the US to be more constructive towards stable bilateral relations. That same day, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio instructed the immediate start of 'additional vetting of any non-immigrant visa applicant seeking to travel to Harvard University for any purpose'. The top US diplomat earlier said that Washington would start revoking the visas of Chinese students with links to the ruling Communist Party and those who are studying in critical areas. The Trump administration has also ordered its missions worldwide to stop scheduling new appointments for student and exchange visitor visa applicants. "SUPER DISRUPTIVE" Chinese international students are continuing to voice fears and uncertainties over their dreams of enrolling into top US universities following recent actions by President Donald Trump. Many on social media said they had been reconsidering studying in the US and were looking at alternative plans instead. 'Policies are changing every day,' wrote a user named Bo Lo on Xiaohongshu, who shared that he had been 'back in China for two weeks and feeling really anxious'. 'Should I go back? I'm still undecided on whether to buy a plane ticket to return to the US immediately,' he said, without giving any details on where he is studying in the US. A Chinese postgraduate student from Beijing who spoke to Reuters said she would defer enrollment for a year if the visa appointment system is not resumed. "We feel helpless and unable to do anything," said the 24-year-old sociology student, who was identified as Lainey but declined to give her surname for privacy reasons. "The situation in North America this year is not very good. From applying for my PhD until now, this series of visa policies is not very favourable to us. But we have no choice but to wait." Global education industry experts like David Weeks, co-founder of Beijing-based international student consultancy Sunrise International, have echoed ongoing concerns from Chinese parents following ongoing developments. 'Their kids got into Harvard and were about to start this amazing journey but now they are being told they may have to transfer overnight,' Weeks told CNA. 'It's super disruptive and disturbing for the families particularly because of the nature of the indictment against Harvard,' he said. AMERICA'S LOSS, OTHERS' GAIN? As the Trump administration makes moves to block foreign student enrollments, rival institutions like prestigious universities in Australia, the UK, Singapore and Hong Kong are moving in, experts noted, and have been 'benefiting a lot' in the past year. Hong Kong, with five universities ranked in the top 100 of the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, said it was seeking to attract top talent following the Harvard ban on enrolling foreign students. Hong Kong's University of Science and Technology (HKUST) announced an open invitation on May 23 to international undergraduate and postgraduate students at Harvard University, as well as those holding confirmed offers to continue their studies at HKUST. 'We will continue to keep a close eye on the needs of students whose studies have been affected by the shifting global education landscape,' said Hong Kong's Education Bureau, adding that it would consider support measures as part of the city's role as an 'international education hub'. China's Xi'an Jiaotong University has appealed for students at Harvard, promising 'streamlined admissions and comprehensive support'. Osaka University, one of the top-ranked universities in Japan, has offered tuition fee waivers, research grants and help with travel arrangements for students and researchers who wished to transfer from US institutions. Kyoto University and Tokyo University also said they were considering similar schemes. Weeks told CNA that rival universities like Cambridge and Oxford 'had already benefited from a lot of America's skepticism in the last year'. The total number of Chinese students enrolled in US Ivy League universities, as well as other top schools, would add up to losses of up to tens of thousands of students, Weeks said. But even with good intentions, rival top universities outside the US may not have the capacity to take in students from Harvard and other schools who wished to transfer, Weeks said, adding that many Chinese students would also not want to leave Harvard or abandon offers because it was still a top school. 'International students who go to Harvard are some of the best and brightest in the world,' Weeks said. 'These are not students who are willing to accept a university outside of the top five, or even in the group of eight in Australia, outside of the top two or three in Ireland or New Zealand, at least over the Russell Group (universities) in the UK.' International students, more likely to pay full tuition fees, also remain a lucrative source of income for universities, experts said, also noting that the Trump administration was hitting a major source of revenue for hundreds of schools across the US. Data released by the Association of International Educators (NAFSA) revealed that more than 1.1 million international students studying in the US in 2024 contributed nearly US$44 billion to the US economy during the academic year. On the Sina Weibo microblogging site, one Chinese student shared her rough experience over the past week, saying she still remained optimistic about her future and might choose to look to schools in the UK or Singapore instead. 'Everything will be okay, all things considered,' said the Weibo user who went by the name Fan Chang, adding that international students like her from China had 'plenty to offer'. 'We have skills in (fields like) language, mathematics, engineering and sciences so it's really (America's) loss. There are many other great universities in other countries that would readily welcome our talents instead,' she said. Similarly, Beijing student Lainey told Reuters she was mulling other options elsewhere. "Although everyone says the US admissions system may be biased against Chinese students, in reality, US schools are indeed the top in terms of academic quality," she said. "I may also consider (applying to) some places outside the US, such as Europe, as well as Hong Kong and Singapore." But in Christopher's case, he ultimately plans to stay on to obtain his master's degree even despite ongoing developments. The recent actions of the Trump administration have, however, also served as an important reminder - 'that (the US) is not as great as it promotes itself to be'. 'As I learnt during my six years studying here, this land does not belong to me, and I will always be a foreigner.'
CBS News
22-05-2025
- CBS News
D.C. shooting suspect graduated from UIC, was part of Chicago activist scene; What we know about the suspect
A large part of the investigation in the fatal shooting of 2 Israeli Embassy employees in Washington, D.C. is focused on Chicago, where the suspected gunman lives. Federal agents converged on 30-year-old Elias Rodriguez's apartment in Albany Park early Thursday morning, shortly after he was taken into custody in D.C. It's clear they wanted to know anything they could find out about the suspect. Nearly a dozen agents left his apartment late Thursday afternoon carrying boxes, luggage, and backpacks. At one point, agents were seen towing away a Hyundai Accent registered to Rodriguez. Rodriguez has been charged with murder of foreign officials, two counts of first-degree murder and other counts. CBS News Chicago Investigators have learned that Rodriguez attended the University of Illinois at Chicago, graduating in spring of 2018 with a bachelor's degree in English. According to a LinkedIn page, for a short time he worked as a production and oral history researcher at History Makers, a non-profit that documents the lives of Black Americans. He is currently employed at the Chicago-based American Osteopathic Information Association. The agency and its sister organization, the American Osteopathic Association, released a statement Thursday saying, "We were shocked and saddened to learn that an AOIA employee has been arrested as a suspect in this horrific crime. Both the AOIA and AOA stand ready to cooperate with the investigation in any way we can. As a physician organization dedicated to protecting the health and sanctity of human life, we believe in the rights of all persons to live safely without fear of violence." Chicago Police Supt. Larry Snelling said Rodriguez does not have a criminal background. A local organizer with Black Lives Matters identified a social media post of Rodriguez – titled "Chicago Demand Justice for Laquan, Not Money for Amazon," and said Rodriguez was a supporter of the organization, who attended several protests that Black Lives Matters organized after the shooting death of Black teenager Laquan McDonald in 2014. That organizer for Black Lives Matter expressed sadness over the shooting in D.C., and called it an unfortunate incident. Meantime, CBS News has identified other social media accounts where Rodriguez expressed frustration over media coverage of the Israel-Hamas war. A social media post dated May 20, which is best described as anti-Israel, stating that non-violent protests have not worked, and ending with the phrase ''Free Palestine." A person familiar with the investigation said Rodriguez surrendered to police without incident and admitted to the shooting. The person familiar said he appeared to want to claim responsibility for the crimes. He had a handgun at the time of his arrest. People interviewed who knew Rodriguez told investigators that he had been known to be outraged and rattled by the killing of 6-year-old Wadee Alfayoumi in Plainfield. Wadee's landlord was later convicted of murder and hate crime charges accusing him of killing the boy because he was Muslim and Palestinian. Rodriguez has a photo of the boy in the window in his Chicago residence and was described to investigators by people who knew that Rodriquez felt a need for vengeance for Wadee's death. It is unclear if Rodriquez knew the boy. His apparent desire for revenge heightened with the Israel-Hamas war over the plight of the Palestinians. Rodriquez posted Palestinian writings on X and posted on pro-Palestine forum sites, angry over the plight of the Palestinian people. He wanted to avenge what he felt was atrocities by Israel against the Palestinians. Investigators were still working to determine on Thursday if the suspect was directed or connected to a terrorist group. So far, they have not found any link, and it appears Rodriguez was acting alone. Dorothy Tucker Dorothy Tucker is a Chicago native, raised in Chicago's Lawndale and Austin communities. She has been a reporter for CBS2 Chicago since 1984. She is a reporter on the station's 2 Investigator team and is also president of the National Association of Black Journalists. contributed to this report.
CBS News
21-05-2025
- Climate
- CBS News
Windblown dirt from Illinois farm fields caused Illinois dust storm, expert explains
Chicago has been hit with some strange weather this month, in particular the historic dust storm on Friday evening. Now that the dust has settled, many are wondering just how and why such an out-of-the-ordinary weather phenomenon happened. The dust blanketed downtown Chicago last Friday — leaving people with filthy cars and with big questions on social media. "A dust Strom in Illinois? I don't know," said Ana Ibarra in a TikTok video. "I feel like in my 29 years of life, I've never heard of a dust storm in Illinois." The dust that hit Chicago was windblown from farm fields in Central Illinois. Video shot by University of Illinois Extension farm management educator Kevin Brooks along Interstate 74 showed motorists cautiously pulling over before driving into near-blackout conditions. "Yes, it was dry. Yes, it was windy," Brooks said. "But those winds weren't that unusual." Brooks has been cautioning the farming community about some of the factors that contribute to such powerful dust storms. "What's changed in the last 10 years is the speed of farming," he said. Brooks said the severity of dust storms is increasing, and can be traced back to technological advances in farm machinery and the speed of tilling soil — which leaves fields bare and dirt loose. "It creates a powder, and if you put powder in your hand and blew it, you'd have powder all over the place," said Brooks, "and that's what's happening with the dust storm." Not only are dust storms a risk to air quality — they can also be deadly. In 2023, eight people were killed when dust from farm fields blew onto I-55 near Springfield, causing dozens of cars to pile up. As for this most recent dust storm, Brooks said it is significant that dust made its way all the way to the city. "With those winds, I found it absolutely amazing that it could do that," he said. Brooks, who also manages farms, admits that it can be hard to get farmers to change their ways — especially when it comes to their bottom line. But he encourages farmers to consider reducing or even eliminating tilling, and also to consider adding cover crops to help the soil.
