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US News

Former FBI Director James Comey Indicted

What's going on: A federal grand jury indicted former FBI Director James Comey on two counts Thursday — one for making a false statement to Congress and another for obstructing a criminal proceeding, according to the Justice Department. The charges make Comey the first former senior government official indicted over the 2016 probe into Trump’s campaign and its possible ties to Russia, according to CNN. In a video posted to Instagram, Comey declared his innocence and vowed to keep standing up to Trump, saying his family knew “the costs” but would “not live on our knees and you shouldn’t either.” Reactions split quickly: Democratic lawmakers denounced it as a misuse of the justice system, while Attorney General Pam Bondi insisted, “No one is above the law.”

What it means: Legal experts say the indictment of a former FBI director is unprecedented and highlights the years-long feud between the two men. Trump abruptly fired Comey in 2017, first citing his handling of Hillary Clinton’s private email server but later admitting he wanted to end the Russia probe. The move also raises questions about political pressure on the Justice Department. Earlier this month, Trump ousted a federal prosecutor for failing to indict Comey and urged Bondi to act “without delay” against his political foes. Comey is expected to be arraigned in federal court in Virginia in the coming days. He could face up to five years in prison if convicted, according to the DOJ.

Related: Pete Hegseth Summoned Hundreds of Generals and Admirals — And Nobody Knows Why (ABC News)

Health

Telehealth Abortions Face a New Hurdle: The FDA

What's going on: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says it will conduct its own “study” of the safety protocol for the widely used abortion pill mifepristone. This comes despite decades of research and more than 100 studies already showing abortion medications to be safe and effective. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the FDA commissioner sent a letter to 22 Republican attorneys general last week, promising a safety “review” — a commitment made in June. The letter went further than expected, casting new doubt on a medication the US first approved in 2000, which millions have used safely for nearly 25 years. In the letter, Kennedy cited a study (which wasn’t peer-reviewed or published in a scientific journal) that claimed mifepristone had a higher percentage of adverse events than the accepted 0.3% complication rate. Health experts have called the report “junk science.”

What it means: If the FDA imposes new rules, it could limit access to telehealth abortion — the only practical option for many patients in states with bans post-Roe. While it’s unclear what changes, if any, the agency might make, one possibility stands out: requiring in-person prescriptions again. That would effectively cut off telehealth providers from prescribing and mailing abortion pills, which now account for more than 60% of documented abortions. Health experts say such a move would defy public opinion and contradict President Donald Trump’s campaign promise to leave abortion policy to the states.

Related: Tylenol Addresses the Trump Admin’s Use of an Eight-Year-Old Tweet (The Hill)

Science

Why Your Memory Might Be Failing You — And How To Change It 

What's going on: Ever wonder why you can replay a middle school sleepover in detail but not recall what you ate last Tuesday? A new study of nearly 650 people across 10 experiments offers an answer — something researchers call “memory enhancement.” It’s the brain’s way of strengthening or weakening memories in real time, especially fragile, routine ones that typically fade. Think of your brain as a picky editor: Fleeting moments are more likely to stick if they happen right before a positive or negative trigger, especially if there’s a similar visual cue. You know, like remembering where you parked because Taylor Swift’s “All Too Well” was blasting and the row sign had a giant red “X”.

What it means: Experts say memory is fallible but also malleable — which is good news. The basics still matter (sleep, exercise, stress management, social ties), but this study adds a new dimension: everyday moments may stick if tied to meaningful experiences. That could help teachers weave lessons into rewarding activities or caregivers anchor a memory with a favorite song or photo. For now, the evidence comes from simple lab tests with images of animals and tools, without a direct look at brain mechanisms — so researchers hope future studies prove the same strategies work in real life.

Related: These Common Foods Might Be Impacting Your Focus (Real Simple) 

Settle This

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