  Highlights of recent results from the STAR collaboration focusing on hard
probes of the initial and final state are presented. New results at forward
rapidities in d+Au collisions at low $x$ are utilized to study the possible
onset of saturation effects at RHIC energies. New reference measurements,
$\Upsilon$ production, nuclear-$k_T$ via di-jets in d+Au collisions, and jet
quantities in p+p collisions will be discussed. Final state nuclear
modifications of $J/\psi$ and identified hadrons in heavy-ion collisions will
be presented. In addition to di(multi)-hadron and direct $\gamma$-hadron
correlations, new results from full-jet reconstruction in Au+Au collisions will
be discussed with respect to the p+p reference measurements. These measurements
can be used to put further constraints on the underlying mechanisms of partonic
energy loss in heavy-ion collisions at RHIC.
