Nova Newsletter
November 6, 2025
☕ Good morning. 1,797 words for you today - 9 minute read.

The Spotlight

1. At Least 9 Dead in UPS Plane Crash at Louisville Airport

Fire and smoke mark where a UPS cargo plane crashed near Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in Louisville, Kentucky, on Tuesday. Photo: Stephen Cohen/Getty Images

A UPS cargo plane crashed shortly after takeoff from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, killing at least nine people and injuring several others, officials confirmed Wednesday.

Takeaways:

  • The death toll rose from 3 to 9, with 16 families reporting loved ones missing.

  • The UPS flight 2976, bound for Honolulu, carried 280,000 gallons of fuel.

  • Two nearby businesses were hit, and an initial shelter-in-place was later reduced to a one-mile radius.

  • NTSB and FAA will jointly lead the investigation.

Governor Andy Beshear said some victims sustained serious injuries, while Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg thanked first responders battling the massive blaze. Officials added that while the plane carried no hazardous materials, the crash may still pose environmental concerns.

The Louisville hub, UPS’s largest worldwide facility, handles two million packages daily. Read More

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2. Trump Administration Confirms 16th Deadly Strike on Alleged Drug Boat

The U.S. military carried out another fatal strike on a vessel accused of drug trafficking in the eastern Pacific, killing two people, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Tuesday.

Takeaways:

  • The strike marks the 16th attack under the Trump administration’s anti-cartel campaign, with at least 66 deaths total.

  • USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier is now heading to the Caribbean to expand U.S. military presence.

  • UN human rights chief Volker Türk has urged Washington to halt the extrajudicial killings.

  • Lawmakers from both parties are pressing for legal justification for the strikes.

President Donald Trump has defended the operations, calling the smugglers “unlawful combatants” and labeling the campaign part of an “armed conflict” with drug cartels. Critics argue the moves lack congressional authorization and could spark regional instability. Read More

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3. Mexico President Groped During Street Visit, Sparks Outrage

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum gives a morning press conference at the National Palace in Mexico City, Monday, Nov. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum was groped by a man while greeting citizens in Mexico City, an incident caught on video that ignited national debate over security lapses and sexual harassment in the country.

Takeaways:

  • A drunk man tried to kiss and embrace Sheinbaum, before being restrained by an aide.

  • Police arrested the suspect, and Sheinbaum confirmed she will press charges.

  • The president said the act reflects the harassment all Mexican women face.

  • Analysts warn the event exposes a serious presidential security gap.

“Sheinbaum’s reaction was calm but firm,” analysts noted, adding that her comment “If they do this to the president, what happens to other women?” resonated widely across Mexico.

The assault comes amid rising political violence, including the murder of Mayor Carlos Alberto Manzo Rodríguez just days earlier. Read More

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Quick Headlines

Afghan earthquake survivors searching through the remains of a damaged house at a village in Tashqurghan, in the Khulm district of Samangan province on November 3, 2025
ATIF ARYAN/AFP via Getty

  • Survivors of a 6.3 magnitude earthquake in northern Afghanistan that killed at least 27 people and injured nearly 1,000 spent a freezing night outdoors before resuming rescue efforts Tuesday. The quake struck near Khulm in Samangan province, damaging homes and major landmarks, including Mazar-e-Sharif’s famed Blue Mosque and the 19th-century Bagh-e Jahan Nama Palace. Officials warned rain and aftershocks could worsen conditions as rescuers continued searching the rubble for belongings and survivors. Read More

  • President Trump said the ongoing government shutdown hurt Republicans in Tuesday’s elections and urged his party to end it by scrapping the Senate filibuster. He acknowledged GOP losses in key races and called the situation “a tragic mistake,” as the record-breaking shutdown deepened partisan gridlock. Read More

  • Authorities in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore seized hundreds of millions in assets from Chen Zhi, a Cambodian businessman accused by the U.S. of running a global cyber-scam network. Raids uncovered luxury cars, properties, and cash worth billions. Chen, founder of Prince Holding Group, allegedly made $30 million a day from online “pig butchering” scams. Read More

  • President Donald Trump has re-nominated billionaire astronaut Jared Isaacman as NASA administrator after previously withdrawing his pick. Trump praised Isaacman’s space experience and leadership, calling him ideal to guide NASA into a new era. Read More

  • A German court sentenced a 44-year-old nurse to life in prison for murdering 10 patients and attempting to kill 27 others with lethal injections. The nurse, described as lacking empathy, gave overdoses to reduce his workload and showed no remorse. Prosecutors said more victims may be uncovered through ongoing exhumations. Read More

  • Egypt’s new $1 billion Grand Egyptian Museum has opened near the Pyramids of Giza, showcasing 50,000 artifacts, including all of King Tutankhamun’s treasures together for the first time. Officials expect up to 7 million visitors a year, seeing the museum as a boost to Egypt’s tourism and economy. Read More

Deep Dive

4. Democrats Seize Momentum in 2025 Elections

New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani at an election night event Tuesday at the Brooklyn Paramount Theater .(John Taggart for NBC News)

Democrats scored sweeping victories in Tuesday’s state and local elections, winning key governorships and ballot measures by wide margins and signaling that Donald Trump’s political grip may be slipping ahead of next year’s midterms.

Takeaways

  • Democrats dominated in Virginia, New Jersey, and New York City, while California voters approved a Democratic redistricting measure.

  • Exit polls showed Trump remained a central factor, with most voters citing opposition to him as motivation.

  • Economic messaging powered Democratic campaigns, resonating with voters frustrated by inflation and affordability issues.

  • Republicans struggled to recreate Trump’s 2024 coalition, especially among Latino and working-class voters.

  • The results give Democrats momentum and new congressional map advantages heading into 2026.

Virginia’s Abigail Spanberger and New Jersey’s Mikie Sherrill won decisive gubernatorial victories by framing their opponents as extensions of Trump and focusing on everyday economic struggles. In New York, progressive Zohran Mamdani captured the mayoralty on a platform targeting cost-of-living pressures.

National exit polls showed majorities of voters viewed their ballots as a statement against Trump, underscoring his continued dominance — and liability — for Republicans. More than 60 percent of voters in Virginia and New Jersey said they were “dissatisfied or angry” about the nation’s direction, with most backing Democrats.

In California, voters approved Proposition 50, a Democratic-backed plan to redraw congressional maps, potentially flipping up to five U.S. House seats. The move offsets GOP redistricting gains in other states and positions Democrats for stronger midterm footing.

Republicans are alarmed. New Jersey GOP strategist Mike DuHaime called the results “a bloodbath,” warning the party cannot rely on Trump’s coalition without him on the ballot.

The 2025 outcomes show that candidates who talk about affordability, not ideology, are winning and that Trump’s shadow remains both a mobilizer and a burden. Read More

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On Our Radar

5. Adam Sandler to Receive AARP’s Career Achievement Award

AP Photo/ Chris Pizzello

Actor Adam Sandler will be honored with the AARP Movies for Grownups Career Achievement Award, marking his second AARP recognition, the group announced Tuesday.

Takeaways:

  • Sandler, 59, previously won Best Actor from AARP in 2020 for Uncut Gems.

  • The award celebrates his three-decade career spanning comedy and drama.

  • Alan Cumming will host the Jan. 10 ceremony in Beverly Hills, airing on PBS in February.

  • AARP praised Sandler as a “Hollywood legend” whose work “resonates across generations.”

From Saturday Night Live and Happy Gilmore to his acclaimed dramatic roles in Punch-Drunk Love and Uncut Gems, Sandler continues to reinvent himself. His recent projects include reprising Happy Gilmore on Netflix and starring with George Clooney in Noah Baumbach’s upcoming Jay Kelly. Read More

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6. Miss Universe Contestants Walk Out After Official Insults Miss Mexico

Miss Universe Mexico 2025 Fatima Bosch says a top pageant official insulted her and told her to “be quiet” during a preliminary event in Bangkok on Nov. 3, prompting several contestants to walk out in protest.

Key details:

  • The confrontation with Nawat Itsaragrisil, Miss Universe’s Asia and Oceania president, was captured live and has gone viral on social media.

  • Itsaragrisil reportedly called Bosch “stupid” and demanded she sit down after questioning her about missing a sponsor photoshoot.

  • Bosch told reporters, “We are empowered women, and this platform is meant to give us a voice — no one can silence us.

  • The Miss Universe Organization (MUO) later reaffirmed its commitment to delegates’ dignity and safety, announcing that CEO Mario Búcaro will travel to Thailand to address the issue.

  • Itsaragrisil issued a public apology on Nov. 4, saying, “If someone felt uncomfortable, I apologize to each of those people.”

The incident has fueled discussion about respect and empowerment in beauty pageants, with Bosch posting on Instagram:

“Respect is not optional. Empowerment is not a trend. It is our right.”

The Miss Universe 2025 final is set for Nov. 20, airing live on Telemundo and Peacock. Read More

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8. 🎉 This day in history

On This Day — November 6

  • Lincoln Elected 16th U.S. President, 1860 – Abraham Lincoln wins the presidency as the first Republican to hold the office, setting the stage for the Civil War and the abolition of slavery.

  • First College Football Game, 1869 – Rutgers and Princeton face off in the first-ever college football game, kicking off a tradition that would grow into one of America’s most beloved and lucrative sports.

  • Schick Patents Electric Razor, 1928 – Colonel Jacob Schick revolutionizes grooming by patenting the first electric razor, paving the way for modern shaving convenience.

9. Poll

Would you visit Egypt’s new Grand Egyptian Museum?

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Life Hack of the day

🧊 🏠 Ice Cube on Carpet Dents

Notice dents in your carpet from heavy furniture? Place an ice cube on each dent and let it melt slowly. As the carpet fibers absorb the water, they’ll rise and fluff back to shape. Gently blot the area dry the next day for a smooth, refreshed look.

That’s your morning brief. Now go show someone how smart you are. 🧠

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