Nova Newsletter
December 9, 2025
☕ Good morning. 1,753 words for you today - 9 minute read.
The Spotlight
1. Nigeria Frees 100 Abducted Students, Others Still Held
A dormitory at St Mary’s school in Papiri, Niger state, Nigeria. Photograph: Catholic Diocese of Kontagora/Reuters
One hundred children kidnapped from a Catholic school in Niger state have been released, while more than 100 remain in captivity.
Takeaways
At least 303 students and 12 teachers were abducted on Nov. 21.
Fifty students escaped within hours of the attack.
Officials have not said how the 100 children were freed.
Armed gangs targeting schools are blamed for the kidnappings.
Church officials said they learned of the release over the weekend and expect the children to arrive in Minna to meet state leaders.
No group has claimed responsibility, though locals point to ransom-seeking armed gangs active across northern Nigeria.
The abduction was one of several recent mass kidnappings, including the seizure of 25 students in Kebbi and 38 worshippers in Kwara.
President Bola Tinubu, under domestic and U.S. pressure, has vowed to secure all remaining hostages.
More than 100 kidnapped schoolchildren are still unaccounted for. Read More
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2. Louvre Staff Launch Strike After $102M Jewel Heist
Louvre Museum workers will strike next week over deteriorating work conditions, security failures and a ticket-price hike for non-European visitors.
Takeaways
Three major unions say the museum is in “crisis.”
Workers cite severe understaffing and rising visitor strain.
The move follows an October heist of France’s Crown Jewels worth $102 million.
Thieves escaped in under eight minutes; the jewels remain missing.
In a letter to Culture Minister Rachida Dati, unions said visiting the Louvre has become an “obstacle course” for millions of tourists. They argue staff resources have fallen even as crowds grow.
Unions say the October robbery exposed long-reported security failures. The thieves used angle grinders, a freight lift and motorbikes to break in and flee.
The stolen trove includes jewels linked to French empresses and queens, none yet recovered. Read More
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3. Musk Pushes to Scrap EU After X Hit with $140M Fine
Elon Musk, Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have slammed the EU's $140 million fine against X. (Nathan Howard/Reuters; Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images; Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images / Getty Images)
Elon Musk called for the European Union to be abolished after regulators fined X 120 million euros for violations under the Digital Services Act.
Takeaways
EU cited X for a “deceptive” blue checkmark and weak ad transparency.
U.S. officials blasted the ruling as regulatory overreach.
X faces 60–90 day deadlines to fix compliance gaps.
Noncompliance could trigger additional penalty payments.
The European Commission said X misled users with its verification design and withheld key public data from researchers. The fine followed a two-year investigation into X under the bloc’s online-platform rules.
Musk escalated his criticism over the weekend, saying sovereignty should return to individual nations. U.S. diplomats, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, defended X and framed the ruling as an attack on American tech.
X must now submit plans to correct the flagged issues or face further penalties. Read More
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Quick Headlines
Iranian flags flutter in northern Tehran on January 9, 2025. Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto/Getty Images
The Trump administration plans to deport dozens of Iranians Sunday under a rare US Iran agreement, despite rights groups warning many face severe persecution, including one asylum seeker fearing death; the flight will route through Kuwait and follows a first run in September. Read More
A 51-year-old UCSF social worker died from stab wounds after a patient attacked her with a kitchen knife in Ward 86 of Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, and 34-year-old Wilfredo Tortolero Arriechi faces murder charges. The stabbing raises safety concerns amid recent cuts to hospital security. Read More
President Trump raised antitrust concerns over Netflix’s $72bn deal to acquire Warner Bros Discovery and HBO, citing the combined companies’ “big market share” and pledging personal involvement in approval. Industry and union groups warn the merger could reduce competition, raise prices, and threaten jobs. Read More
China’s trade surplus hit a record $1 trillion in 2025, driven by strong exports to Europe, Africa, Latin America, and Asia despite U.S. trade plunging nearly 29% under Trump’s tariffs. Overall exports rose 5.9% in November while imports edged up slightly. Read More
Four Russian soldiers were sentenced in Donetsk for torturing and killing 64-year-old American Russell Bentley, a pro-Moscow fighter, in April 2024, with two receiving 12-year terms. Bentley’s body was blown up in a car after being mistaken for a U.S. spy. Read More
Oscar Solarzano, an undocumented migrant previously deported twice, is charged with attempted first-degree murder after stabbing a passenger on a Charlotte light rail, prompting Trump to criticize local Democrats. The victim is in critical but stable condition. Read More
Deep Dive
4. Marjorie Taylor Greene Defiant After Resignation Amid Trump Feud
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene presides over a hearing of the House Oversight Subcommittee in the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on February 26. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene spoke out for the first time since announcing her resignation from Congress, making clear she is unafraid to challenge President Trump over issues that sparked his ire, including her push to release all Justice Department files on Jeffrey Epstein.
Takeaways
Greene says Trump was “furious” over her support for the discharge petition to release Epstein files, citing survivors’ rights as her motivation.
Her resignation follows a public falling-out with Trump, who has called her a “traitor” and vowed to back a GOP primary challenger.
She claims most Republicans remain loyal to Trump out of fear of retaliation, particularly through social media attacks.
Greene has endured 773 reported death threats to her office since 2021, with threats shifting from left-leaning to right-leaning sources after her conflict with Trump.
She says she has no plans for future political office beyond leaving Congress.
Greene told CBS’ “60 Minutes” that she supported transparency on Epstein’s case because survivors “deserve it,” despite Trump warning that disclosure could “hurt people.” She was one of only four Republicans to sign the petition forcing the transparency bill to the floor.
Her disagreements with Trump reflect a broader pattern of challenging party orthodoxy, including on health care, Israel, and the House’s role in the 43-day government shutdown. She said loyalty in the GOP is often motivated by fear, noting colleagues quickly pivoted to full MAGA support after the 2024 primary.
Greene also detailed personal threats, including a pipe bomb at her home and targeted death threats against her son, attributing some of the escalation to Trump’s public denunciations.
She concluded that retirement marks a final exit from politics, saying she has “zero desire” for any future campaigns, from governor to president.
Her resignation underscores the growing tension between Trump-aligned Republicans and those willing to challenge him from within. Read More
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On Our Radar
5. DiCaprio’s One Battle After Another Tops Golden Globe Nods
The rapturously received film, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, could win one Globe after another
Leonardo DiCaprio’s film One Battle After Another leads this year’s Golden Globe nominations with nine nods, including acting and best musical/comedy film categories.
Takeaways
Co-stars Sean Penn, Teyana Taylor, Benicio Del Toro and Chase Infiniti are also nominated.
Sentimental Value follows closely with eight nominations, while Sinners and Hamnet earned multiple nods.
British drama Adolescence earned four acting nominations and is up for best limited series.
Wicked: For Good was snubbed in the best musical/comedy category but made the box office achievement shortlist.
Other notable nominations include Dwayne Johnson, Timothée Chalamet, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. Chloe Zhao joins the shortlist of female directors with multiple nominations. The Globes will be hosted by Nikki Glaser on January 11 in Los Angeles.
One Battle After Another is the early frontrunner as awards season heats up. Read More
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6. Jeremy O. Harris Arrested in Japan for Alleged Ecstasy Possession
Tony-nominated playwright Jeremy O. Harris was arrested in Okinawa, Japan, on suspicion of smuggling 0.78 grams of ecstasy, officials said.
Takeaways
Harris, 36, was detained at Naha Airport after arriving from London via Taiwan.
Authorities found no other drugs and believe the MDMA was for personal use.
Japanese law allows suspects to be held for up to 23 days before indictment, and convictions can result in multiyear prison terms.
Harris is known for the controversial Broadway play Slave Play and has appeared on Gossip Girl and Euphoria.
Harris was immediately taken into custody by local police, and prosecutors are investigating for possible indictment. Pretrial detention could be extended if he exercises his right to remain silent.
The case underscores Japan’s strict drug laws and high-profile scrutiny of foreign nationals. Read More
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8. 🎉 This day in history
Noah Webster
On This Day — December 9
American Minerva Debuts, 1793 – The first edition of the American Minerva, New York's first daily newspaper edited by Noah Webster, is published from Wall Street.
Bank of America Opens New Headquarters, 1941 – 300 Montgomery in San Francisco opens as the new headquarters of Bank of America.
Jim Morrison Arrested On Stage, 1967 – Jim Morrison is arrested during a live performance at the New Haven Arena in Connecticut for disturbing the peace, making him the first rock star taken into custody while performing.
9. Poll
Life Hack of the day
🥣 Revive a Grimy Baking Sheet
Got a baking sheet that looks beyond saving? You can revive it with a simple homemade cleaner. Sprinkle a layer of baking soda over the surface, pour hydrogen peroxide on top, then add another dusting of baking soda. Let the mixture sit for a couple of hours, then wipe it away with a sponge to reveal a much cleaner, brighter baking sheet.
That’s your morning brief. Now go show someone how smart you are. 🧠
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