The North Carolina power station attacks

The FBI is investigating attacks on North Carolina power stations; Iran strikes over the future of the "morality police."

Tonight's Sentences was written by Jariel Arvin.

What we know about the North Carolina power outages

Karl B. DeBlaker/Associated Press

• The FBI is investigating seemingly deliberate attacks at North Carolina electricity substations that could leave tens of thousands without power until Thursday. [CNN / Nouran Salahieh and Hannah Sarisohn]
• On Saturday evening, someone opened fire on two substations in Moore County, about 100 miles northeast of Charlotte, in targeted attacks that damaged electrical equipment. [News & Observer / Martha Quillin and Dan Kane]
• While some social media users suggested the attacks were intended to interrupt a local drag show from happening, officials are still working to determine a motive. [Guardian / Gloria Oladipo]
• Schools are closed; 35,000 people were still without power amid near-freezing temperatures Monday morning. Officials warn that repairs could take days. [AP / Hannah Schoenbaum]
• Authorities extended a 9 pm to 5 am curfew through Monday night as part of an emergency declaration. State and local officials are also investigating the attacks. [ABC News / Bill Hutchinson, Aaron Katersky, and Matt Foster]

Iran begins mass strikes over "morality police"

• On Monday, shopkeepers and truck drivers in dozens of cities across Iran began three days of strikes amid continuing anti-government protests — and as uncertainty grows over the potential disbandment of the so-called morality police. [Guardian / Patrick Wintour and Maryam Foumani]
• On Saturday, a senior Iranian official suggested that the morality police, who enforce religious dress rules, had been abolished. [BBC / Siavash Ardalan and Marita Moloney]
• The claim came as protests sparked by the death of a young woman after being in morality police custody approach their third month. The government has not confirmed the disbandment, prompting activists to call for further unrest. [NBC News / By Alexander Smith]
• Hundreds have died and thousands have been arrested during the protests, which have grown into broader calls for regime change. [NYT / Vivian Yee and Farnaz Fassihi]

📍 If you read just one story

Vox’s Ellen Ioanes explains why the Iranian government has failed to quash protests despite using brutal tactics. [Vox / Ellen Ioanes]

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Advocates for the 2021 child tax credit expansion are working to include the measure in a must-pass end-of-year tax package. [Vox / Rachel Cohen]

• Goblin mode — “a type of behavior which is unapologetically self-indulgent, lazy, slovenly, or greedy” — is the first Oxford word of the year chosen by the public. [BBC / Imogen James]
• The Supreme Court on Monday heard oral arguments in one of the most significant anti-discrimination challenges in recent history. [Vox / Ian Millhiser]
• ABC pulled Good Morning America hosts T.J. Holmes and Amy Robach from the air on Monday amid reports that they had a romantic relationship while both being married to other people. [Washington Post / Jeremy Barr]

“People know Iran has no future with this government in power. We will see more people from different factions of Iranian society, moderate and traditional, coming out in support of women to get more of their rights back.”

[An unnamed Iranian woman on the future of anti-government protests / BBC]

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