Thousands Still Without Power After Storms

The June 2023 Supreme Court decision banning colleges from considering race in admissions is having repercussions beyond who gets into college. The ruling has spurred a wave of state laws that curb or end campus diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts — and race-based scholarships are coming under fire, too. The University of Alabama is one of several schools that has stopped using race as a consideration in some scholarships.

[time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] Every dramatic development in the Middle East this year has left Iran weaker. In 2024, the Islamic Republic lost in Gaza, in Lebanon, and, most spectacularly, in the Syrian Arab Republic, the linchpin of the “Shiite Crescent” collapsing so quickly this month that Tehran had to scramble to evacuate its officers of the Revolutionary Guards’ Qods Force.

David Bonderman, the founder of private equity firm TPG, and the founding owner of the Seattle Kraken, died on Dec. 11. Bonderman was my mentor, and his passing has led me to reflect on the key lessons I have learned from him. What’s striking is Bonderman’s willingness to take the time to mentor—not just me, but many others—and leave a profound impact on our lives.

(MADISON, Wis.) — A teenage student opened fire at a private Christian school Monday morning in Wisconsin, killing a teacher and another teenage student in the final week before Christmas break. The shooter also died, police said. Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes did not give details about the age or gender of the suspected shooter who also wounded six others at Abundant Life Christian School, a K-12 school with about 390 students.

Donald Trump’s sweep of the swing states and popular vote victory have left Democrats wondering why economic pessimism drove voters away from Kamala Harris, despite a “strong” economy. They’re also desperately trying to figure out how Trump managed to make inroads into Black and Hispanic working-class communities. Answering these questions is critical for the party to bounce back in 2026 and 2028.

(BERLIN) — Chancellor Olaf Scholz lost a confidence vote in the German parliament on Monday, putting the European Union’s most populous member and biggest economy on course to hold an early election in February. Scholz won the support of 207 lawmakers in the 733-seat lower house, or Bundestag, while 394 voted against him and 116 abstained.