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The Department of Justice has secured a two-count indictment against former FBI Director James Comey. The DOJ is accusing him of threatening President Trump in an Instagram photo he posted and then deleted last year. This is the second time Trump's Justice Department has gotten an indictment against Comey. The photo Comey posted showed seashells on a North Carolina beach arranged to read "8647" — 86 being old slang for "get rid of," and "47" seen by some as a reference to Trump, the 47th (and 45th) president. The grand jury has issued a warrant for Comey's arrest, according to court documents.

Former Federal Bureau of Investigation Director James Comey leaves the Rayburn House Office Building after testifying on Capitol Hill Dec. 7, 2018, in Washington, D.C.

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

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The Supreme Court hears two cases today that could allow the Trump administration to proceed with mass deportations of two large groups of people who have been living legally in the U.S., many of them for more than a decade. At issue is the Temporary Protected Status program, which permits eligible individuals to live and work in the U.S. if they cannot safely return to their home countries due to natural disasters, armed conflicts or other "extraordinary or temporary conditions." Congress established the TPS program in 1990.

Jerome Powell is set to have what is likely his last policy meeting as Federal Reserve chairman today. The central bank is expected to leave its benchmark interest rate unchanged. Powell led the Fed for more than eight years, and his term expires next month. A key Senate committee is set to vote today on Trump's pick to replace Powell, Kevin Warsh. This could set the stage for a confirmation vote by the full Senate in time for Warsh to take over upon Powell's departure. Warsh has argued that there's room to cut interest rates without risking inflation, partly due to productivity gains from artificial intelligence. But he's also vowed to maintain the Fed's independence and not take marching orders from Trump, who wants lower interest rates.

King Charles III used a joint address to Congress yesterday to emphasize the vital transatlantic relationship between the U.S. and the U.K. His speech comes at a tense moment in the U.S.'s relationship with Europe's leaders. It also marks the first time a British monarch has addressed a joint session of Congress in nearly 35 years.

Everyone has a mental load, otherwise known as the never-ending to-do list you have to keep track of in your head. But women carry the greatest burden, according to sociologist Leah Ruppanner. In one study of survey data from more than 3,000 U.S. parents, researchers found women carried more than 70% of the domestic mental load. This includes tracking schedules or delegating tasks. Ruppanner unpacks some assumptions that keep a woman's mental load heavy and discusses what it takes to reclaim your headspace in a conversation with Life Kit.

For tips on how to lighten your mental load, listen to this episode of NPR's Life Kit. Plus, read this practical guide on how to split up chores fairly, and subscribe to the Life Kit newsletter for expert advice on love, money, relationships and more.

Title: Joburg Ballet School

Credit: © Ihsaan Haffejee, for GroundUp

Caption: Young dancers from the Joburg Ballet School backstage at the Soweto Theatre during their year-end performance. Soweto, South Africa, 7 December 2025.

Story: In apartheid South Africa, ballet was the preserve of white culture, inaccessible to people of color. Today, the Joburg Ballet School offers subsidized training to children from historically disadvantaged backgrounds, with locations in Soweto, Alexandra, and Braamfontein. Parents describe seeing their children learn ballet as something they never thought possible.

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The winning images in the 2026 World Press Photos contest capture the pain of the past year, but also focus on moments of strength, determination and joy. NPR highlighted the Photo of the Year honoree — Separated by ICE, taken by Carol Guzy for Miami Herald. The image captures the pain of a family being separated in a New York court. Other award winners, like the Johannesburg-based photographer Ihsaan Haffejee, snapped happy moments, as in his photo of young ballet students pausing before their performance. The image is particularly moving because ballet was historically an art form reserved for white South Africans before the end of Apartheid. Check out this selection featuring more photos recognized for distinction in regional categories, focusing on countries of the Global South.

Workers paint a corner of the reflecting pool blue on Monday morning.

Rachel Treisman/NPR

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This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.