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Nova Newsletter
May 12, 2025
☕ Good morning. 1,729 words for you today - 8-minute read.
The Spotlight
1. Lawsuit Blames OpenAI In Florida State Shooting
A lawsuit filed in Florida accuses OpenAI of contributing to the 2025 mass shooting at Florida State University through its chatbot, ChatGPT.
Takeaways
The widow of a victim claims ChatGPT helped gunman Phoenix Ikner plan the attack.
Prosecutors allege the bot answered questions about timing, weapons and victim impact.
OpenAI denies wrongdoing, saying the chatbot provided publicly available factual information.
The case adds to growing legal scrutiny over AI platforms and user harm.
The lawsuit says OpenAI prioritized growth over safety safeguards. Victim Tiru Chabba was one of two people killed in the April 2025 shooting in Tallahassee.
Ikner has pleaded not guilty to murder and attempted murder charges, while prosecutors seek the death penalty. Florida authorities are also conducting a criminal investigation into ChatGPT’s alleged role.
The case could become a major legal test for how far AI companies are responsible for user actions tied to chatbot interactions. Read More
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2. Hantavirus Cases Rise Aboard Stricken Cruise Ship
A deadly hantavirus outbreak tied to the cruise ship MV Hondius expanded Monday as a French passenger and an American traveler tested positive after evacuation flights from Spain.
Takeaways
Three passengers have died and at least six cases are confirmed, according to the WHO.
U.S., France and other nations are isolating or monitoring passengers after emergency repatriation flights.
Health officials stress the outbreak is “not another COVID” and say public risk remains low.
The rare Andes strain may spread person-to-person through close contact.
Passengers disembarked in Tenerife wearing full protective gear before boarding military and government aircraft home. One French patient’s condition worsened overnight in Paris, officials said.
In the U.S., 18 evacuees landed in Nebraska for evaluation at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, home to a specialized federal quarantine unit previously used during Ebola and COVID-19 responses.
WHO officials are urging daily monitoring for former passengers during the virus’s six-week incubation window as countries race to contain further spread.
The next few weeks will determine whether containment efforts can stop the outbreak from widening beyond the ship. Read More
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3. Trump Rejects Iran’s Latest Ceasefire Terms
US President Donald Trump rejected Iran's peace proposal response via social media. Source: AAP / Jen Golbeck / Sha Dati / Sipa USA
President Donald Trump rejected Iran’s latest response to a U.S. ceasefire proposal, calling it “TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE!” as tensions surged across the Strait of Hormuz.
Takeaways
Iran demanded war reparations, sanctions relief, and full control over the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump signaled diplomacy may be nearing collapse as threats of renewed military action grow.
Drone incidents near Qatar, Kuwait and the UAE heightened fears of wider regional escalation.
Iran says its forces are on “full readiness” to defend nuclear facilities and shipping routes.
Iran’s response, delivered through Pakistani mediators, rejected U.S. conditions tied to reopening the strait and scaling back Tehran’s nuclear program. Trump accused Iran of “playing games” after reviewing the proposal.
Meanwhile, the U.S. military said it disabled Iranian oil tankers and turned back dozens of vessels since launching its blockade in April. Iran warned any further attacks would trigger a “heavy assault” on U.S. bases and allied ships.
Global markets remain on edge as shipping disruptions and military threats intensify across the Gulf. Read More
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Crash Expert: “This Looks Like 1929” → 71,105 Diversifying Here
Mark Spitznagel, who made $1B in a single day during the 2015 flash crash, warned markets are mimicking 1929. Seems extreme but we did just see the worst quarter for the S&P since 2022.
So it’s not so surprising that Vanguard and Goldman Sachs forecasted 5% and 3% annual S&P returns respectively for 2024-2034.
Late last year, Apollo’s chief economist Torsten Slok put it this way: "expect zero in return in the S&P 500 over the coming decade."
Almost no one knows this, but postwar and contemporary art appreciated 10.2% annually with near-zero correlation to equities from 1995–2025 overall.*
And sure… billionaires like Bezos can make headlines at auction, but what about the rest of us?
Masterworks makes it possible to invest in legendary artworks by Banksy, Basquiat, Picasso, and more – without spending millions.
29 exits. Net annualized returns like 16.5%, 17.6%, and 17.8% on works held over 1 year+. $1.3 billion invested. 500+ offerings.*
Shares in new offerings can sell quickly but…
*According to Masterworks data. Past performance is not indicative of future returns. Investing involves risk. Important Reg A disclosures: masterworks.com/cd.
Quick Headlines
Google warns AI-assisted hacking has rapidly escalated into a global industrial-scale threat, with criminal and state-linked groups using models like Gemini and Claude to speed attacks, find vulnerabilities, and potentially exploit zero-day flaws across major systems. Read More
The body of 27-year-old U.S. Army 1st Lt. Kendrick Lamont Key Jr. was recovered from the Atlantic Ocean after he and another soldier went missing during an off-duty hike near a Morocco training area, with search efforts still underway for the second servicemember. Read More
Workers began repainting the leaking Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool “American Flag Blue” under a Trump-led $6.9M renovation plan ahead of America’s 250th anniversary, replacing a previously projected $300M overhaul amid questions over structural fixes. Read More
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered a second Pentagon review of Sen. Mark Kelly over comments on depleted US weapons stockpiles during the Iran conflict, escalating an ongoing political and legal clash tied to classified briefings and military readiness concerns. Read More
Donald Trump and Xi Jinping are set for rare face-to-face talks in Beijing covering Iran, Taiwan, AI, nuclear arms, and trade as the US and China seek to extend a critical minerals truce and stabilize tensions after months of geopolitical friction. Read More
Cole Tomas Allen, 31, pleaded not guilty in federal court to attempting to assassinate President Trump after allegedly breaching security and opening fire at a White House Correspondents’ Dinner event in Washington, D.C., injuring a Secret Service agent during the April 25 attack. Read More
Deep Dive
4. Trump Food Stamp Cuts Push More Families Toward Hunger Crisis
Families across the U.S. are losing food stamp benefits under President Donald Trump’s sweeping domestic policy law, forcing many into food bank lines as states tighten eligibility rules and paperwork requirements.
Takeaways
More than 3.5 million people have fallen off SNAP rolls nationwide since Trump signed the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” last summer.
Arizona became the clearest warning sign, with SNAP enrollment down roughly 50% year over year as the state aggressively enforced new work requirements.
Many recipients losing aid appear to still qualify, but are trapped in bureaucratic delays, documentation disputes, and overloaded state systems.
Food banks report record demand, while health experts warn hunger-related medical crises could follow within months.
Critics say the law’s deeper goal is reducing federal spending, while the White House frames it as cracking down on “waste, fraud, and abuse.”
The fallout is becoming visible far beyond government spreadsheets. Outside Arizona welfare offices, lines now form before sunrise as parents, retirees and disabled residents scramble to restore canceled benefits. Some applicants report being asked to explain small Zelle transfers or resubmit stacks of paperwork multiple times.
The law cut $187 billion from SNAP over a decade, while expanding work requirements for adults up to age 64 and increasing pressure on states to reduce payment error rates. Arizona, facing possible federal penalties, intensified verification rules even as staffing shortages slowed processing.
Food banks say they cannot absorb the losses. St. Mary’s Food Bank in Arizona now distributes roughly 250,000 meals daily, with some counties seeing demand jump 25% in a year. Healthcare providers warn malnutrition and chronic illness complications may soon rise as families cut groceries first.
The political backdrop is equally stark. The cuts arrive as inflation, housing costs and energy prices continue squeezing lower-income Americans, widening the country’s already historic wealth gap.
The emerging reality: anti-poverty programs are becoming harder to access precisely as economic pressure intensifies for working-class households. Read More
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On Our Radar
5. Dua Lipa Sues Samsung Over Image Use Claim
Pop star Dua Lipa filed a lawsuit in U.S. federal court accusing Samsung of using her likeness on TV packaging without consent, seeking at least $15 million in damages.
Takeaways
Lawsuit alleges unauthorized commercial use of Lipa’s image on U.S.-sold TV boxes.
Claims include copyright infringement, trademark violations, and right of publicity breach.
Filing says packaging created a false impression of endorsement by Lipa.
Samsung declined comment, citing ongoing legal proceedings.
The complaint argues Samsung benefited by implying Lipa was a brand sponsor, despite no agreement in place. Her legal team says repeated cease-and-desist demands were ignored.
Lipa, one of pop’s biggest global stars, has major endorsement deals with brands including Versace, Puma, and Yves Saint Laurent.
The case adds to rising legal disputes over celebrity likeness rights in commercial AI and marketing use. Read More
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6. Neon Eyes Seventh Straight Palme d’Or Win
Neon arrives at the Cannes Film Festival with more than a quarter of the competition slate and a historic streak of six consecutive Palme d’Or winners.
Takeaways
Neon has won the top Cannes prize every year since 2019 with films like “Parasite” and “Anora.”
The indie distributor has nine films at Cannes this year, including “Hope,” “Paper Tiger,” and “All of a Sudden.”
CEO Tom Quinn says the company bets on filmmakers, not franchises or algorithms.
Major Hollywood studios are largely absent from this year’s festival lineup.
Neon, founded in 2017, has become one of the most influential forces in prestige cinema despite having only about 60 employees. The company often acquires or backs films long before Cannes invitations arrive.
Its filmmaker-first strategy has helped launch multiple Oscar contenders and expand U.S. audiences for international films with subtitles.
The festival could cement Neon’s status as the dominant power in modern arthouse cinema. Read More
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8. 🎉 This day in history
On This Day — May 12
Roadometer Perfected, 1847 – William Clayton refines the “roadometer,” an early mechanical device used by Mormon pioneers to measure travel distance during westward migration.
Z3 Computer Presented, 1941 – Konrad Zuse demonstrates the Z3 in Berlin, one of the first functional programmable computers and a major milestone in computing history.
First Female Foreign Ambassador to the U.S., 1949 – Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit becomes the first female foreign ambassador received by the United States, representing India and advancing women’s roles in international diplomacy.
Life Hack of the day
🍽️ 🔥 Use Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Want a healthier cooking oil option? Use extra virgin olive oil in your meals. It is rich in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and contains powerful antioxidants that support overall wellness. It also has natural anti-inflammatory properties, making it a simple upgrade for everyday cooking.
That’s your morning brief. Now go show someone how smart you are. 🧠
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