Emily Bogle

There have been inaugurals in times of national crisis, in times of war and in times of bitter dissension. But much about the 59^th Inauguration was nonetheless unique: The small number of attendees seated far apart in masks; the absence of the incumbent president two weeks following an insurrection he encouraged; the first woman elected as vice president. And yet much was still familiar: The new president recited the oath of office as it appears in the Constitution, as has been done every four years since 1789.

Updated at 6:47 a.m. ET

Pro-Trump extremists stormed Capitol Hill on Wednesday, halting the Electoral College certification and sending the U.S. Capitol into lockdown.

Artist and photographer Nadiya Nacorda has been documenting her siblings for nearly a decade. Her new photo book, A Special Kind of Double, features images of her brother Khaya and sister Thandiswa growing up. Time isn't marked by special occasions or birthdays, but instead the in between moments of life.

Updated at 9:50 a.m. ET

An enormous explosion shook Beirut, Lebanon, on Tuesday. At least 100 people are dead and thousands more people were hurt, according to officials. The death toll is expected to rise as searches are underway for people who have been reported missing.

Buildings collapsed and glass shattered as helicopters and firefighters doused the flames in the city's port. On Wednesday, residents are assessing the damage and beginning to clean up the debris in the Lebanese capital.

"Pete had just got his test results: positive for COVID-19. At the clinic, he was given just one mask. He was so scared of infecting me and his parents, that he insisted on wearing it to talk, even though we were separated by a window."

— Kasia Strek

When Philadelphia-based freelance photographer Hannah Yoon heard about schools shutting down in her area, she was checking in on her neighbors who have families. She was interested to hear the experiences of parents who were staying home with their kids full time — many who are juggling work and their children's online education. She wanted to see how families were reacting as everything in their lives was changing.

Since March 9, Italy has been on government-ordered quarantine to slow the spread of the coronavirus. There are currently over 140,000 cases throughout the country.

Brian Adams has spent his photography career reconnecting with his own Inuit culture. Raised in Girdwood, Alaska, Adams is half Iñupiat but grew up largely disconnected from his indigenous culture. Iñupiat people are part of an Inuit group, which includes indigenous people in northern Alaska, arctic Canada, Greenland and Russia.

"Since 2007, [I am] really just trying to reconnect to my roots, my family and my culture," Adams said.

This year NPR created and commissioned photographs and illustrations for stories focusing on politics to education to global health to national and international news. The Picture Show featured projects ranging from climate change to cultural identity to otherworldly portraits.

Put a cone around a dog's neck and watch its personality totally transform.

Orienting to life with a blocked view can mean a carefree pup acts confused, a wiggly dog turns stoic and a laid-back dog seems embarrassed.

Sometimes called Elizabethan collars, cones are designed to limit access to a wound. But for the dogs who leave the vet's office wearing them, the protective device hardly seems regal.

John and Grace Slaby met 19 years ago on an animal preserve much like the one they own and operate now. The 5-acre Kowiachobee Animal Preserve in Naples, Fla., holds more than 100 animals — from a 6-year-old African lion named Shaumbay to a raccoon named Dexter.

Last month, Kowiachobee was hit by the eye of Hurricane Irma, a Category 3 storm. After an already wet season, the hurricane created more flooding on the property. Grace and John, along with many volunteers, are now repairing cages damaged by the storm.

This is the conclusion of our three-part series. Read Part 1 here and Part 2 here.

May 7: Race Day