Author: Darnell Thompkins

Scientists are probing whether the trillions of microbes in our guts help steer cravings by talking to the brain, while reward circuitry, learned habits, hunger hormones, and highly processed foods all play roles in why salty, sweet, or fatty items pull us in. Cravings hit everyone, sometimes as a fleeting urge and sometimes as a stubborn demand. They feel personal, but the forces behind them are a mix of biology, environment, and behavior. Researchers now suspect the gut and its microbial residents are another player in that mix, sending signals that may nudge what we reach for at the snack…

Maine’s Democratic Senate nominee, Troy Jackson, faces a widening set of questions about family ties, financial transparency, residency and conduct as he steps onto the ballot. Troy Jackson, 58, won the Maine Democratic nomination after securing 566 delegates at the party convention in Bangor. He was tapped to replace Graham Platner, who exited the race this month after a former girlfriend accused him of sexual assault, an allegation Platner denied. Jackson is now the party’s nominee to challenge Republican Sen. Susan Collins. Genealogical records cited by reporter Steve Robinson say Jackson and his longtime partner, Lana Pelletier, share a set…

The Migration Policy Institute’s recent analysis finds the unauthorized population climbed to 15.8 million by mid‑2024, driven by record border crossings and expanded humanitarian parole programs, shifting the demographic mix away from a long-standing Mexican majority toward more Central and South American arrivals. The Migration Policy Institute released a report titled “Following Years of High Border Arrivals, the U.S. Unauthorized Immigrant Population Hits New Peak,” estimating undocumented populations “reached a new peak of 15.8 million as of mid-2024, after holding steady at around 11 million throughout the 2010s.” “This increase was driven largely by record border arrivals and expanded Biden-era…

Oprah Winfrey has said she will close the school for underprivileged girls she established in South Africa two decades ago, with the shutdown scheduled for the end of next year, a move that will affect students, staff and long-term plans tied to the institution. Oprah Winfrey announced that the school she set up in South Africa two decades ago will close at the end of next year. The decision comes after years of running the program and supporting generations of students from underserved communities. The announcement has already prompted questions about what happens next for those connected to the school.…

Fire crews in southwestern France battled persistent hot spots from a vast wildfire that scorched an area reported to be four times the size of Paris and forced thousands of residents to leave their homes. Firefighters spent Friday focused on containing the final active zones of a blaze that grew into a massive threat across the region. Crews moved cautiously, working to prevent flare-ups while stabilizing perimeter lines and protecting nearby communities. Officials described a landscape still smoldering in places even as cooler, more favorable conditions slowly reduced immediate danger. Teams used a mix of ground crews and aerial resources…

The administration let a 25-day window to ask the Supreme Court for a rehearing close without filing, shifting the fight over birthright citizenship from the courtroom to Congress. The White House publicly vowed immediate action after a 6-3 Supreme Court decision struck down the president’s executive order on birthright citizenship, yet the Justice Department filed nothing before the 25-day rehearing deadline. That silence effectively ends any prompt judicial reversal and forces the dispute back into the political arena. No formal explanation came from the DOJ or the White House about why the deadline was allowed to pass unused. The mismatch…

CNN correspondent Kaitlan Collins told Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” that President Trump has little tolerance for reporters who challenge him directly, and the exchange highlights the fraught relationship between a combative press corps and an administration that answers back hard and fast. Kaitlan Collins spoke on a late-night program about the kind of pushback that comes when reporters press the president on tough topics. Her observation captures a broader pattern: when questions are framed as confrontations instead of information gathering, the White House often responds with sharp rebuttals. That dynamic has been a defining feature of recent coverage and…

The WNBA fined and suspended Seattle Storm co-owner Celeste Keaton for five home games, according to the league, after she allegedly cursed at two teenage fans of Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham. The league announced a punishment that combines both a monetary fine and a multi-game suspension for a team owner, an action that highlights how professional sports organizations are policing conduct at games. Fans and team officials noticed the incident during a recent matchup, and the WNBA opened an inquiry that led to the penalty. The decision underscores the league’s stated commitment to maintaining a safe and respectful environment…

Ukrainian troops improvised with Cold War trainers, Russian and Ukrainian strikes escalated across borders, and U.S. politics and policy — from Trump to Graham — shaped the diplomatic and military backdrop. Video released by Ukraine’s 11th Separate Army Aviation Brigade shows a soldier firing from the rear cockpit of a Yak-52 trainer to take down Iranian-designed Shahed attack drones over Odesa. The two-person crew used a piston-engine, open-cockpit plane decades old, with the pilot identified only as “Stanislav” in the front seat while a soldier leaned out and engaged incoming unmanned threats. The footage underlines a hard truth: when missiles…

The Senate confirmed Jay Clayton as Director of National Intelligence in a 51-47 party-line vote, ending a prolonged standoff rooted in disputes over his testimony about the 2020 election and replacing an acting leader whose tenure stirred controversy. The Senate vote split cleanly along party lines, with every Republican backing Clayton and every Democrat opposed, producing a 51-47 confirmation that hands President Trump a Senate-confirmed DNI for the first time since Tulsi Gabbard left the post in May. Republicans pointed to Clayton’s prosecutorial record and prior government service as proof of competence, while Democrats framed their opposition around his refusal…