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The Department of Justice has won a two-count indictment against former FBI Director James Comey, accusing him of threatening President Trump in an Instagram photo he posted and later deleted. The image showed seashells on a North Carolina beach arranged to read “8647” — slang interpreting “86” as “get rid of” and “47” read by some as a reference to Trump as the nation’s 47th (and 45th) president. Court documents say the grand jury issued a warrant for Comey’s arrest. This marks the second indictment of Comey by the Trump-era Justice Department.
NPR’s Carrie Johnson reports some lawyers wonder whether the case will reach trial. Supreme Court precedent requires prosecutors to prove Comey understood his post to be threatening. So far, the record shows Comey treated the post as political speech protected by the First Amendment. The Justice Department says it is treating Comey like any other defendant; critics note that President Trump has publicly demanded prosecutions of officials who investigated him.
The Supreme Court is hearing two cases that could allow the administration to terminate Temporary Protected Status for large groups of people who have lived legally in the U.S. for years. TPS, created by Congress in 1990, permits eligible individuals to live and work in the U.S. when returning home would be unsafe due to natural disasters, armed conflict or other extraordinary conditions. The cases before the justices involve Haiti and Syria — countries that were granted TPS after major crises (Haiti’s 2010 earthquake and ongoing instability; Syria’s civil war). TPS beneficiaries must re-register periodically.
NPR’s Nina Totenberg notes that every president before Trump supported TPS. The administration contends the 1990 statute shields its TPS termination decisions from judicial review. Lawyers for recipients argue the government failed to follow required procedures under federal law before ending protections, and that many recipients have lived and worked in the U.S. for years.
Also at the Supreme Court: justices will hear a dispute over drug patents that could affect how generic drugmakers operate and potentially raise prescription costs.
At the Federal Reserve, Jerome Powell is expected to preside over what is likely his last policy meeting as chair. The Fed is widely expected to hold its benchmark interest rate steady. Powell’s term ends next month; the Senate Banking Committee is scheduled to vote on President Trump’s nominee to replace him, Kevin Warsh. Warsh has argued there’s room to cut interest rates without reigniting inflation, citing productivity gains from AI, while also promising to uphold Fed independence.
King Charles III addressed a joint session of Congress, emphasizing the U.S.-U.K. and transatlantic partnership amid strained relations between the U.S. and some European leaders. It was the first time a British monarch had addressed Congress in nearly 35 years. Charles urged building on the post–World War II alliances that have sustained Western security for decades. NPR’s Elena Moore says the speech countered growing isolationist sentiment in the U.S.; President Trump has criticized NATO and some European leaders while praising the king personally.
Life advice: everyone carries a “mental load” — the ongoing list of tasks and planning that occupy your head. Sociologist Leah Ruppanner found women shoulder more than 70% of domestic mental load in a study of over 3,000 U.S. parents. Myths that women are naturally better household managers or that men simply can’t see mess are challenged by research showing men and women rate household mess similarly and that men who share childcare and housework are healthier and happier. Practical steps include clarifying priorities so you can say no to less important demands. NPR’s Life Kit offers tips and guides for splitting chores more fairly.
Picture show: winners of the 2026 World Press Photo contest reflect pain and resilience from the past year. Photo of the Year honoree “Separated by ICE” by Carol Guzy (Miami Herald) captures a family separated in a New York court. Other winners include joyful images like Ihsaan Haffejee’s photo of young dancers at the Joburg Ballet School, meaningful in a country where ballet was once reserved for white South Africans. NPR highlights a selection of winning images focused on the Global South.
Three things to know before you go:
1) The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is being resurfaced in a blue shade, prompting mixed reactions from passersby who see the change as either welcome or an unnecessary expense.
2) The Federal Communications Commission has ordered Disney’s ABC to seek early renewal of broadcast licenses for its eight stations amid backlash over a Jimmy Kimmel joke about first lady Melania Trump.
3) Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha ran the London Marathon in 1:59:41, breaking the two-hour barrier, but finished second; he says he aims to shave a minute off his time in his next race.
This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.