UNC race conscious admissions process upheld by judge

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill can continue its race conscious admissions process, a federal judge ruled on Monday.Why it matters: The case could end up in the Supreme Court after the conservative nonprofit Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) vowed to appeal the judge's ruling that UNC didn't discriminate against against white and...

43m

SEC debunks conspiracy theories about meme stock mania

The SEC issued its long-awaited report on the meme stock mania, which downplayed the narrative that a "short squeeze" was the primary driver behind GameStop's historic stock moves — and shot down conspiracy theories about the event.Why it matters: The postmortem was highly anticipated, largely because of what it could hint about what the regulator thinks...

1h

Biden’s ambassador logjam is finally starting to break

Data: Center for Presidential Transition via Congress.gov; Chart: Will Chase/AxiosThe logjam for reviewing and confirming President Biden's ambassadorial picks is finally starting to break.Why it matters: Biden is far behind his predecessors in the rate at which his ambassadorial picks have been confirmed. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee will...

2h

House Democrats brace for Senate staredown over paid family medical leave

Senior House Democrats are braced for battle with the Senate over whether paid family medical leave — a key priority for progressives — will be included in President Biden’s final budget reconciliation bill, lawmakers and aides tell Axios.Why it matters: Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) has indicated he wants to cut the program to reduce the bill's price...

2h

Poland showdown is EU's Jan. 6 moment, top official says

Poland and Hungary have forced a moment of reflection on the European Union — similar to the one in the U.S. after the Jan. 6 insurrection, EU Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders told Axios.What he's saying: "During many years, we have had in our minds that it was granted that if you are a member of the EU, of course you apply the rule of law; you...

3h

Investors push retailers to split their E-commerce divisions

Retailers have gotten really good at selling stuff online. So much so, investors want them to separate from the business units that do just that.Why it matters: Spinning off these crown jewels may jeopardize both the physical and e-commerce sides of the companies in the long run by breaking the benefits of hybrid operations, analysts say.Driving the...

4h

U.S. envoy to visit Sudan as "most dangerous" crisis intensifies

U.S. envoy for the Horn of Africa Jeffrey Feltman will visit Khartoum this week amid what Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok has called the “worst and most dangerous" crisis of Sudan’s transition to democracy, two sources with direct knowledge tell Axios.Driving the news: Roughly 2,000-3,000 people had joined a sit-in in Khartoum as of this afternoon, per...

5h

Trump sues National Archives, Jan. 6 committee to block records request

President Trump filed a lawsuit Monday seeking to block the National Archives from releasing White House records to the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection, citing executive privilege.Why it matters: It's the latest escalation in Trump's campaign to disrupt the committee's sweeping probe into the circumstances surrounding...

6h

Obama says Colin Powell exemplified what America "can and should be"

Former President Obama called Colin Powell an "exemplary soldier and an exemplary patriot" in a statement honoring the former general following his death from COVID-19 complications on Monday.Why it matters: Powell, the first Black U.S. secretary of state, was known as a Republican but played a critical role in helping Obama get elected in 2008.What...

9h

Justice Department asks Supreme Court to block Texas abortion ban

The Justice Department on Monday asked the Supreme Court to temporarily block Texas' near-total ban on abortions while federal courts consider its constitutionality.The big picture: The court last month allowed the ban to take effect, rejecting an emergency application by abortion-rights groups. The law bars the procedure after cardiac activity is detected,...

10h