Nova Newsletter
January 14, 2025
☕ Good morning. 1,807 words for you today - 10 minute read.
The Spotlight
1. Trump Slaps 25% Tariffs On Iran Partners
President Donald Trump
President Donald Trump announced an immediate 25% tariff on countries that do business with Iran, a move that could sharply hit China and other major trade partners.
Takeaways
The order applies immediately and targets any country trading with Iran.
Goods from China could face a minimum 45% total tariff, up from 20%.
The White House has not clarified enforcement or scope, including services.
China warned there are no winners in a tariff war.
Trump made the announcement on Truth Social, calling the order final and conclusive. He did not define what qualifies as doing business with Iran, raising questions for global trade and supply chains.
China exported $6.2 billion in goods to Iran in the first 11 months of 2025 and is believed to account for over 90% of Iran’s oil trade through intermediaries. Other exposed partners include India, Turkey, and the UAE.
Legal challenges to Trump’s tariff authority are pending at the Supreme Court, adding uncertainty.
The move escalates economic pressure as geopolitical tensions with Iran intensify. Read More
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2. Trump Ends Legal Protections For Somali Immigrants
The Trump administration is ending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Somali nationals in the United States, making roughly 2,500 people eligible for deportation by March 17, 2026.
Takeaways
Somali TPS holders will lose legal status and work permits when protections expire March 17.
Homeland Security says conditions in Somalia have improved and no longer meet TPS criteria.
Many affected individuals live in Minnesota’s large Somali community and nationwide.
The policy shift is part of a broader effort to curtail TPS programs for multiple countries.
The Department of Homeland Security notified beneficiaries that their legal protections and work authorizations will lapse, and individuals will be expected to depart or face enforcement.
Secretary Kristi Noem said the termination reflects improved conditions in Somalia and aligns with the administration’s focus on national interests, though critics argue the country still faces instability.
Immigrant rights advocates warn this could disrupt families and local economies, and legal challenges are likely. Read More
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3. Iran Targets Starlink To Silence Protest Leaks
Fires are lit as protesters rally on January 8, 2026, in Tehran, Iran. (Getty Images)
The Iranian government is targeting Starlink users to stop the flow of protest footage as authorities intensify an internet blackout amid nationwide unrest.
Takeaways
Starlink is one of the few remaining tools for Iranians to share protest images.
Rights groups say thousands of terminals were smuggled into Iran despite the ban.
At least 646 protesters have been killed, with higher estimates reported.
President Donald Trump is weighing steps to expand Starlink access.
Iran cut public internet access last week as demonstrations spread, leaving satellite connections as a workaround. Human rights groups say authorities are actively hunting Starlink users to disrupt uploads.
Trump said he plans to speak with Elon Musk, whose company SpaceX operates Starlink. The service was previously used during Iran’s 2022 protests.
The unrest is driven by economic anger and demands to end Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s rule, escalating international pressure.
The information battle is now central to how the protests are seen beyond Iran’s borders. Read More
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Quick Headlines
Greenland’s prime minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen (left), and his Danish counterpart, Mette Frederiksen, at their press conference in Copenhagen. Photograph: Tom Little/Reuters
Greenland’s prime minister said the island will not be owned or governed by the U.S. and reaffirmed alignment with Denmark, Nato and the EU. Danish leaders backed the stance, saying Greenland is not for sale and borders cannot be changed by force. Read More
Six senior Justice Department supervisors resigned this week after leadership blocked a civil rights probe into the fatal shooting of a Minneapolis woman by an immigration agent. This exodus follows a 75% staff loss in other divisions last year as veteran attorneys protest the sidelining of excessive force cases Read More
Apple signed a multiyear, $1 billion-per-year deal with Google to integrate Gemini 3 into a long-delayed Siri overhaul launching this spring. The partnership shifts OpenAI's ChatGPT to a secondary role as Google's market cap recently eclipsed Apple's for the first time since 2019, crossing the $4 trillion threshold. Read More
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison filed a lawsuit Monday to halt a militarized immigration crackdown involving 2,000 federal agents following the fatal shooting of Renee Macklin Good. The complaint alleges unconstitutional stops of U.S. citizens, racial profiling, and the use of chemical irritants at schools, while DHS officials maintain the operations are lawful. Read More
The death toll from the January 8 landslide at the Binaliw landfill in Cebu City rose to 13 on Tuesday as rescuers recovered two more bodies from the debris. Mayor Nestor Archival declared a state of calamity and a day of mourning for the 23 workers still missing under 20 storeys of collapsed waste. Read More
Mayor Zohran Mamdani and city leaders are demanding the release of a City Council data analyst detained by ICE during a routine immigration appointment on Long Island Monday. While the city maintains the Venezuelan staffer holds valid work authorization through October, DHS officials allege he is an undocumented criminal with a prior assault arrest and no legal right to remain in the country. Read More
Deep Dive
4. 4 Migrants Die in ICE Custody over First 10 days of 2026
(Image: Tyrone Siu / Reuters)
Four migrants died in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody between Jan. 3 and Jan. 9, marking a grim start to 2026 amid the Trump administration’s push to expand detention and deportations.
Takeaways
Four deaths in 10 days: Migrants from Honduras, Cuba, and Cambodia died while detained by ICE, according to agency statements.
Record pace: The deaths follow at least 30 in-custody deaths in 2025, the highest total in two decades.
Detention spike: ICE was holding about 69,000 people as of Jan. 7, with numbers expected to rise after a major funding increase.
Mounting scrutiny: Advocacy groups called the deaths “truly staggering” and renewed calls to close detention centers.
Ongoing investigations: ICE says it is reviewing each case, though details remain limited.
The deaths occurred as the administration accelerated enforcement and sharply curtailed humanitarian releases. Critics argue the policy shift is driving migrants to accept deportation rather than remain detained under increasingly harsh conditions.
One case involved Geraldo Lunas Campos, a 55-year-old Cuban man who died at Camp East Montana, a detention site opened at Fort Bliss, Texas. ICE said he was placed in isolation after becoming disruptive and later found in distress.
Two Honduran men, Luis Gustavo Nunez Caceres, 42, and Luis Beltran Yanez-Cruz, 68, died in hospitals after reported heart-related issues. A fourth detainee, Parady La, a 46-year-old Cambodian man, died in Philadelphia following severe drug withdrawal symptoms.
The deaths coincided with national protests after an ICE officer fatally shot a Minnesota mother of three, further intensifying public anger over enforcement tactics.
The early toll signals how expanded detention capacity is colliding with medical care, oversight, and accountability. Read More
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On Our Radar
5. Former Disney Actor Matt Prokop Arrested In Texas
Matt Prokop (Shutterstock)
Former child actor Matt Prokop, best known for High School Musical 3, was arrested in Victoria County, Texas, on multiple charges including child pornography and aggravated assault.
Takeaways
Prokop, 35, was taken into custody on Dec. 24 and remains jailed.
Charges include second-degree felony possession of child pornography.
He also faces aggravated assault with a weapon, bond violation, and resisting arrest.
A court date has not yet been scheduled.
Authorities say Prokop is charged with two felonies and four misdemeanors, including evading detention and violating a protective order. He is being held at the Victoria County Sheriff’s Office Jail.
The arrest follows prior abuse allegations by ex-girlfriend Sarah Hyland, who obtained a restraining order in 2014 after alleging physical and verbal abuse. Prokop has not publicly commented on the new charges.
The case renews scrutiny of a troubled post-Disney history now entering the criminal courtss. Read More
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6. BTS Returns With Album And Global Tour
BTS announced a new album and massive world tour beginning this spring, marking their first full-group comeback in nearly four years after a military hiatus.
Takeaways
The group will release a new album in March, their first since 2022.
A world tour spans 34 regions across Asia, the Americas, Europe, and Australia.
All seven members completed mandatory military service by 2025.
The comeback lands in a more crowded, globalized K-pop market.
The tour kicks off in South Korea and Japan in April, with shows planned through March 2027, including a finale in Manila. Additional dates in Japan, the Middle East, and other regions are expected.
Fans reacted instantly, with ticket demand expected to surge worldwide. Industry analysts say BTS returns with unmatched cultural weight, even as K-pop has fully entered the global mainstream.
For Hybe and the wider industry, BTS’ return could reset momentum after years of disruption. Read More
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8. 🎉 This day in history
Conscripted in 1958, Elvis Presley served two years in the U.S. Army
On This Day – January 14
Elvis Promoted, 1960 – The US Army promotes Elvis Presley to Sergeant while serving in Germany, marking a milestone in the military career of the iconic singer.
Ted Turner Braves CEO, 1976 – Media mogul Ted Turner assumes leadership of the Atlanta Braves, combining sports ownership with his growing broadcasting empire.
Mexico Oil Pledge, 1995 – Mexico offers profits from state-owned Pemex’s $7 billion annual oil revenue to secure US congressional approval of loan guarantees, prompting President Clinton to authorize a $20 billion aid package.
9. Poll
Life Hack of the day
🚽 📱 Don't Sit Too Long in Toilet
Spending too much time on the toilet can cause strain and discomfort. Try to keep your bathroom breaks short and avoid sitting for extended periods. It helps reduce pressure on veins and lowers the risk of issues like hemorrhoids. A little mindfulness goes a long way for your health.
That’s your morning brief. Now go show someone how smart you are. 🧠
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