Trump's arraignment; NCAA championships; your brain on art

Plus, politicians and journalists condemn a 'Wall Street Journal' reporter's arrest in Russia. [View this email online]( [NPR]( by Suzanne Nuyen Good morning and welcome to the new Up First newsletter. Sen. John Fetterman has been released from the hospital where he was being treated for major depression and will [return to the Senate]( later this month. Here's what else we're following today. Former President Donald Trump is expected to appear at a Manhattan courtroom tomorrow after he was indicted last week by a grand jury on charges related to hush money payments made to cover up an alleged affair. It will be Judge Juan Manuel Merchan's most notable case yet. NPR's Barbara Sprunt tells the Up First podcast this morning House Republicans leadership is "[squarely behind Trump]( Speaker Kevin McCarthy called it an "unprecedented abuse of power," and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene will be in Manhattan tomorrow for what she calls a "peaceful protest." ➡️ Political science professor James D. Long will talk to [Morning Edition]( today about what the United States can learn from other countries that have had experiences prosecuting crimes committed by former leaders. ➡️ While Trump may be the first president in U.S. history to be indicted, he's not the first to be [mired in legal woes](. [Former President Donald Trump at the Conservative Political Action Conference. ]( Brandon Bell/Getty Images Louisiana State University's women's team beat the University of Iowa's Hawkeyes last night in a record-breaking, triple-digit point game, earning them their first national basketball title in the school's history. The women’s tournament overall has [smashed viewership records]( and has had arguably more interest than the men’s tournament. The Wall Street Journal's Rachel Bachman says "longtime fans of women's basketball are thrilled" with the attention on the sport, and calls it a "[new high water mark]( that's kind of part of a larger flood of women's sports." [San Diego State will play the University of Connecticut]( in the men’s final tonight. Basketball star Brittney Griner has joined calls for the release of a Wall Street Journal reporter who was detained in Russia last week on charges of espionage. Griner herself was detained in Russia for nearly 10 months last year. The Biden administration says [Russia's charges against Evan Gershkovich]( are "ridiculous." Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with his counterpart Sergey Lavrov and expressed "grave concern" over Gershkovich's arrest. Lavrov maintains that the reporter was "caught red-handed." The WSJ denies Gershkovich was involved in espionage, and editors at news organizations worldwide have signed a letter condemning his arrest. --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- [A colorful illustration of silhouettes of heads filled with gears and clouds.]( DrAfter123/Getty Images This is your brain on art. A growing number of scientific research support the idea that art has a measurable impact on the brain and its structure, resulting in a [brain that can be better at math and science](. 🧠 Making art increases brain plasticity — the ability of the brain to adapt to new situations. 🧠 Susan Magsamen, director of the International Arts and Mind Lab at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, suggests that children who participate in the arts are better learners and less likely to drop out of school. 🧠 Despite the growing evidence, arts education has fallen out of favor in our culture, according to Ivy Ross, VP of hardware design at Google. "We optimize for productivity and push the arts aside," she says. --------------------------------------------------------------- [ A screenshot of NPR intern Teresa Xie's spotify playlists. ]( Screenshot by Teresa Xie NPR intern Teresa Xie has been making monthly Spotify Playlists since the age of 13, but her playlists are anything but typical. While most tend to be cohesive and themed, Xie's playlists have always been more about documenting whatever stuck out to her that month in the form of a sonic diary. She writes about [creating without intention]( and how "re-engaging with art that meant something in the past redefines the way we look at the present." --------------------------------------------------------------- [Three lone star ticks on a person's hand]( Getty Images Beware the Lone Star tick, especially if you love summer grilling. As people begin to spend more time outdoors this season, ER visits for tick bites will also increase. The little bugs can cause Lyme disease, babesiosis, and even [make you allergic to red meat](. Ryuichi Sakamoto, a pioneering composer and producer known for [incorporating electronic production into popular music]( has passed away at 71. Last night's Succession episode took us to the night before Connor's wedding, as [his siblings grow restless and Logan becomes more ruthless](. Greg is in over his head, and Shiv's divorce is getting ugly. (Beware: spoilers lie ahead.) --------------------------------------------------------------- Stream your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. [Find a Station]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can [sign up here](. Looking for more great content? [Check out all of our newsletter offerings]( — including Music, Politics, Health and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Best of NPR emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Policy]( [NPR logo]