In the Loop with Sasha-Ann Simons

More and more kids are showing up in emergency rooms with suicidal thoughts and self-harm. According to the Centers for Disease Control, suicide is the second-leading cause of death for children and young adults in the U.S., with rates among Black youth rising faster than any other demographic. Yet only about 10% of Illinois hospitals have psychiatric beds for children and teens. On today’s In the Loop, how are communities and hospitals dealing with the rise in suicidal behaviors among kids? GUESTS: Dr. Audrey G. Brewer, pediatrician and a researcher in the Department of Pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of MedicineRafiah Maxie-Cole, a licensed social worker and founder of Soul Survivors of ChicagoFor a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.

This fall students at Northwestern can declare a major in A.I., while UIC offers Artificial Intelligence as a concentration.In the Loop learns more about what it means to pursue this course of study, particularly as A.I. leaders are urging government oversight and caution.  GUESTS: Samir Khuller, chair of computer science at Northwestern Engineering  Michael Bennett, associate vice chancellor for data science and AI strategy at UICFor a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop. 

Chicago journalists reflect on covering Operation Midway Blitz one year after the aggressive immigration crackdown began. Illinois House Republicans call for ethics reforms after the state’s legislative watchdog resigned. Plus, a proposed plan to move the White Sox into a new South Loop stadium is unveiled.In the Loop breaks down those stories and more.GUESTS: Olivia Olander, Chicago Tribune state government reporter Simone Alicea, City Cast Chicago executive producerViolet Miller, Chicago Sun-Times general assignment reporter For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop. 

In the Loop talks with the executive producer and a Chicago physician featured in the new documentary American Doctor, which follows three American physicians working alongside Palestinian healthcare workers in besieged southern Gaza amid war. GUESTS: Hamza Ali, co-founder of Watermelon Pictures, and executive producer of the American Doctor documentaryDr. Thaer Ahmad, emergency physician on Chicago's South Side and humanitarian who has worked in conflict zones including Gaza, Syria and KenyaFor a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop. 

During the aggressive 10-week campaign, around 4,000 people in the Chicago area were detained, and 2,700 were deported. Reporters from the WBEZ and Chicago Sun-Times newsroom reflect on the anniversary of the launch of Operation Midway Blitz. GUESTS: Mariah Woelfel, WBEZ city government reporter Araceli Gomez Aldana, WBEZ news reporter Candace Dane Chambers, visual journalist, Chicago Sun-Times