Nova Newsletter
November 19, 2025
☕ Good morning. 1,801 words for you today - 10 minute read.
The Spotlight
1. Honda Recalls 256,600 Accord Hybrids Over Software Failure
Honda Logo
Honda is recalling 256,600 Accord Hybrids in the U.S. after a software error was found to cause sudden loss of drive power.
Takeaways
• Recall covers 2023–2025 Accord Hybrid models.
• Faulty programming can reset the integrated control module CPU while driving.
• Fix requires dealer software reprogramming, provided at no cost.
• 832 warranty claims filed; no injuries reported.
Honda learned of the problem in March 2024 and traced it to improper supplier programming. Owner notification letters will be sent Jan. 5, though the timing of the fix's availability remains unclear.
Drivers can check their VIN on the NHTSA recall site or contact Honda’s customer service to confirm eligibility.
More updates are expected as Honda finalizes the software remedy. Read More
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2. Nigerian Schoolgirl Escapes Mass Abduction In Kebbi
A kidnapped student from a Kebbi state boarding school has escaped and returned home safely.
Takeaways
Two students escaped, including one of the 25 abducted.
Attackers killed a school staff member during the pre-dawn raid.
The army chief ordered nonstop pursuit of the kidnappers.
Gangs in the region often abduct students for ransom.
The girl reached home late Monday, hours after gunmen stormed the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School. Another student escaped in the immediate chaos.
Security forces have deployed intelligence-driven operations as they search for the remaining missing girls. No group has claimed responsibility, though analysts cite armed gangs and ex-herders who frequently target schools.
Northern Nigeria continues to face widespread school abductions fueled by corruption, weak prosecutions, and porous borders.
Authorities expect intensified pressure on the abductors in the coming days. Read More
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3. Trump Welcomes MBS In First U.S. Visit Since Khashoggi Killing
President Donald Trump greets Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman on the South Lawn at the White House in Washington, November 18, 2025. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman returned to the U.S. for the first time since Jamal Khashoggi’s murder, receiving a lavish welcome from President Trump.
Takeaways
Trump staged a high-profile reception with horses, cannons and a military flyover.
MBS arrives seeking major defense, tech and investment deals.
Trump confirmed plans to sell F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia.
The visit feeds into a potential regional security pact and talks on normalization with Israel.
MBS and Trump met at the White House after a grand ceremony featuring Saudi and U.S. flags and an extended photo op on the South Lawn. The crown prince continues to deny directing the Khashoggi killing but accepts responsibility as the kingdom’s ruler.
The trip centers on oil, security and massive economic agreements, including a previously announced $600 billion Saudi investment plan and U.S. defense contracts. Experts say the F-35 sale could ignite Israeli concerns over preserving its qualitative military edge.
Saudi officials are pressing for U.S. security guarantees and a credible pathway to Palestinian statehood, even as Israeli leadership rejects it.
More clarity on military and AI-focused deals is expected in the coming weeks. Read More
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Quick Headlines
Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is investigating new allegations that Sean Combs sexually assaulted a Florida man in 2020, with the report tied to earlier civil claims and disputed by Combs’ legal team as defamatory. The case unfolds as Combs serves a 50-month federal sentence. Read More
The U.N. Security Council approved the Trump administration’s Gaza plan in a 13 to 0 vote, authorizing an international stabilization force and a transitional authority led by Trump while outlining a conditional path to Palestinian statehood after reconstruction and reforms. Russia and China abstained as Hamas rejected the proposal. Read More
A Russian drone struck a Turkish-flagged tanker unloading liquefied petroleum gas at Ukraine’s Izmail port, sparking fires but causing no injuries. The attack damaged multiple vessels and energy infrastructure a day after Ukraine signed a deal to route U.S. LNG through Odesa. Romania evacuated two nearby villages as a precaution. Read More
Federal immigration agents will expand enforcement to Raleigh after arresting over 130 people in Charlotte, North Carolina, over the weekend, targeting those who violated U.S. immigration laws. The actions follow Trump administration crackdowns in other blue cities and have sparked local protests and political clashes. Read More
Maryland’s Francis Scott Key Bridge rebuild is now projected to cost $5.2 billion, more than double the original $1.9 billion estimate, with completion delayed to 2030 due to market factors and rising material costs. The announcement follows the 2024 collapse that killed six people and heightens scrutiny from federal and state officials. Read More
Researcher Michael Donnellan claims stone structures off Spain’s Salmedina Island date back 11,000 years and may match Plato’s account of Atlantis, spanning 11.6 square miles with walls up to 23 feet high. Read More
Deep Dive
4. House Heads Toward Vote on Bill Forcing Release of Jeffrey Epstein Files
The House of Representatives is set to vote Tuesday on legislation compelling the Justice Department to release all federal records on Jeffrey Epstein, marking the culmination of a monthslong bipartisan push despite opposition from President Donald Trump and Republican leadership.
Takeaways
Trump reversed course, saying he will sign the bill if it passes the Senate, ensuring strong House support.
The vote represents a rare bipartisan success in a deeply divided chamber and underscores pressure from survivors and the public.
House Republicans, including longtime Trump allies, faced mounting pressure from constituents and abuse survivors to back disclosure.
Speaker Mike Johnson acknowledged concerns over privacy and federal procedures but still plans to vote for the bill to signal support for transparency.
The legislation could force the Senate and Justice Department into a politically sensitive decision, especially on redactions for victims and officials.
The vote follows a strategic maneuver by Reps. Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna using a discharge petition to bypass Speaker Johnson’s control over the floor. Democratic Rep. Adelita Grijalva provided the crucial 218th signature, giving the petition majority support.
Survivors of Epstein’s abuse rallied at the Capitol, emphasizing accountability. Jena-Lisa Jones, a survivor, told Trump directly: “I beg you Donald Trump, please stop making this political.” The effort frames disclosure as a measure of justice after years of federal inaction.
Trump had previously attempted to downplay the files as a “hoax” and warned Republicans against supporting them. By Sunday, he publicly urged GOP lawmakers to back the bill, signaling that political momentum had overtaken resistance.
Johnson’s approach balances support for transparency with caution over sensitive federal materials. He called the vote a political exercise but argued that lawmakers could not risk appearing opaque to the public.
The House vote sets up a crucial test for the Senate and could pressure the Justice Department to provide unprecedented insight into Epstein’s networks, his death, and related federal investigations. Read More
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On Our Radar
5. Danny Masterson Seeks to Overturn Rape Convictions
Danny Masterson appears at the CMT Music Awards in Nashville, Tenn., June 7, 2017. (Photo by Wade Payne/Invision/AP, File)
Actor Danny Masterson asked a California appeals court to throw out his two rape convictions, citing lawyer errors and judicial bias.
Takeaways
Masterson claims the trial attorney failed to call key witnesses and present exculpatory evidence.
He alleges the judge showed bias against the Church of Scientology, which played a role in his trial.
Convicted in 2023 for raping two women, he is serving 30 years to life in prison.
The motion is separate from his ongoing main appeal.
The petition argues trial counsel Philip Cohen ignored dozens of potential witnesses, including experts on alcohol and drug effects on memory. It also claims prosecutorial and judicial missteps prevented the jury from hearing Masterson’s side.
Masterson’s first trial ended in a mistrial, leading to a retrial that produced the convictions. He remains in the California Men’s Colony and will not be eligible for parole for more than 20 years.
The court will now decide whether the alleged errors merit a new trial. Read More
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6. Kessler Twins Die by Assisted Suicide at Age 89
German entertainment duo Alice and Ellen Kessler died by joint assisted suicide at 89, advocacy group DGHS confirmed.
Takeaways
The twins planned their deaths together and were members of the German Society for Humane Dying.
Their decision was long-considered and free from psychiatric crisis, according to DGHS.
The sisters rose to fame in the 1950s and 60s as dancers, singers, and TV stars, appearing on The Ed Sullivan Show and representing Germany at Eurovision.
They lived intertwined lives, sharing mirrored apartments and a decades-long public career in Germany and Italy.
The Kessler twins fled East Germany in 1952 and built careers spanning cabaret, television, and theater. They made history on Italian TV as the first female stars to show their legs and were widely celebrated for their charisma and talent.
Their legacy is remembered globally through television tributes and ongoing cultural influence in Europe. Read More
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8. 🎉 This day in history
On This Day — November 19
Apollo 12 Moon Landing, 1969 – Astronauts Charles Conrad and Alan Bean touch down on the Moon, marking NASA’s second crewed lunar landing and expanding the scope of Apollo exploration.
Van Gogh Auction Record, 1998 – Vincent van Gogh's "Portrait of the Artist Without Beard" sells for $71.5 million, setting a major milestone in art auction history.
Harry Potter Film Release, 2010 – "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1," the seventh film in the franchise based on J.K. Rowling’s books, premieres worldwide, continuing the saga of the Boy Who Lived.
9. Poll
Life Hack of the day
🛠️🧰 Use silica gel packets in toolboxes or drawers to prevent rust
Want to keep your tools in top shape? Toss a few silica gel packets into your toolbox or drawers. They absorb excess moisture, helping prevent rust and corrosion. It’s a small, low-effort trick that keeps your gear lasting longer.
That’s your morning brief. Now go show someone how smart you are. 🧠
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