Nova Newsletter
October 6, 2025
☕ Good morning. 1,634 words for you today - 8 minute read.
The Spotlight
1. Two Dead, 12 Injured in Montgomery Shooting
A mass shooting in downtown Montgomery, Ala., left two people dead and a dozen others injured, on Saturday.
A late-night shooting in downtown Montgomery, Alabama, left two people dead and 12 others wounded Saturday near the Alabama National Fair.
Takeaways
Police said two shooters exchanged fire “in the middle of a crowd.”
Three victims suffered life-threatening injuries.
No suspects were in custody as of early Sunday.
Authorities recovered high-capacity firearms at the scene.
Police Chief Jim Graboys said officers responded around 11:30 p.m. and vowed to use every resource to find those responsible. Detectives are interviewing witnesses and reviewing video evidence.
Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed called the incident “unacceptable,” saying thousands had gathered peacefully at the fair before the violence erupted.
Officials said the fair will continue as planned but with heightened security.
Violence turned one of the city’s busiest weekends into a crime scene. Read More
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2. Former NFL QB Mark Sanchez Arrested after Stabbing Incident in Indianapolis
Former Jets quarterback and Fox Sports analyst Mark Sanchez was arrested Saturday after being stabbed during an altercation in downtown Indianapolis, police said.
Takeaways
Sanchez, 38, was hospitalized in stable condition and charged with three misdemeanors, including battery with injury.
The confrontation occurred around 12:30 a.m. in the city’s busy Wholesale District.
Police described it as an “isolated incident” between two men, neither local residents.
The Marion County prosecutor’s office will determine final charges.
Sanchez was reportedly in Indianapolis to call Sunday’s Raiders-Colts game. Detectives reviewed surveillance footage showing the fight that left both men injured.
Fox Sports confirmed Sanchez’s condition and asked for privacy, saying they were “deeply grateful” to hospital staff for their care.
Support from the NFL community poured in online, with the Jets and former teammates offering prayers for his recovery. Read More
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3. Two Girls Killed in New York ‘Subway Surfing’ Tragedy
A train conductor walks between subway cars at a station in the Coney Island section of New York, Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)
Two girls were found dead early Saturday after an apparent “subway surfing” attempt on a Brooklyn train, New York police said.
Takeaways
The victims were discovered around 3 a.m. at the Marcy Avenue stop.
Transit officials called the deaths “heartbreaking” and warned the public against the dangerous trend.
At least six people died surfing the subway in New York last year.
Police said arrests tied to the practice jumped 70% in 2024.
Authorities believe the teens were riding outside a moving subway car when they fell to their deaths. The MTA said social media has fueled the rise of subway surfing videos, often targeting young thrill-seekers.
Transit chief Demetrius Crichlow urged parents and schools to confront the issue directly, calling it “not surfing, it’s suicide.”
The NYPD continues to investigate. Read More
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Quick Headlines
Demonstrators march in Chicago, Oct. 4, 2025, in protest of the Trump administration's immigration crackdown.
A Border Patrol agent shot and wounded protester Marimar Martinez during a Chicago confrontation agents called an “ambush,” prompting outrage as DHS labeled protesters “domestic terrorists” and Trump ordered 300 Guard troops. Read More
President Trump celebrated the Navy’s 250th anniversary in Norfolk despite the ongoing government shutdown, blaming Democrats for the impasse as military personnel worked without pay. Read More
Bad Bunny launched “Saturday Night Live’s” 51st season with jokes about his upcoming Super Bowl halftime show, Latino pride, and sketches skewering Trump officials and Pentagon culture. Read More
Russia fired nearly 550 drones and missiles across Ukraine overnight, killing at least five and damaging energy sites in Lviv and other cities, Zelenskyy said. NATO jets scrambled in response. Read More
A federal judge halted the Trump administration’s plan to federalize Oregon’s National Guard, ruling the move unjustified by small local protests and harmful to state sovereignty; the White House plans to appeal. Read More
Tropical Storm Priscilla is gaining strength off southwestern Mexico, with winds reaching 65 mph and expected to become a hurricane by late Sunday. A tropical storm watch is in effect from Punta San Telmo to Punta Mita, with up to 6 inches of rain and dangerous surf possible. A second storm, Octave, remains far offshore with no threat to land. Read More
Deep Dive
4. National Parks Face Closures, Confusion, and Damage Amid U.S. Shutdown
An empty fee station at the eastern entrance to the Yosemite national park / Getty Image
National parks across the United States are shuttering or scaling back operations as the federal government shutdown enters its fourth day, leaving visitors stranded and states scrambling to fill the gap.
Takeaways:
The National Park Service (NPS) halted or limited operations at dozens of sites due to a lack of federal funding.
Some states, including Utah and Hawaii, are funding parks temporarily to keep them open.
Visitor confusion and safety risks are rising as limited staff struggle to maintain facilities.
Conservation groups warn of vandalism and ecological damage, echoing 2018’s record-long shutdown.
Advocates urge full closures to prevent harm to parklands and visitors.
With no congressional agreement on federal spending, the NPS has implemented a patchwork approach. Some parks remain accessible but with “no visitor services, maintenance, or emergency operations,” according to contingency plans. Others have closed outright, including White Sands National Park in New Mexico, leaving travelers locked out after cross-country trips.
State governments and private donors have stepped in to preserve access at a handful of sites. Utah’s governor authorized emergency funding to keep Arches and Zion open, while Hawaii secured donations to sustain Haleakalā operations through next week.
Yet park advocates warn the partial openings could backfire. “We’ve seen irreparable harm when parks go understaffed,” said Stephanie Kurose of the Center for Biological Diversity. “Trash, vandalism, and human waste will tarnish natural treasures.”
During the 2018 shutdown, Joshua Tree National Park suffered illegal road construction and tree destruction damage that took years to repair.
The longer the shutdown drags on, the more fragile America’s protected landscapes become. Read More
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On Our Radar
5. Diddy Plans Appeal after 4-year Prison Sentence
In this courtroom sketch, Judge Arun Subramanian sentences Sean Diddy Combs in Manhattan federal court, Friday, Oct. 3, 2025, in New york. (Elizabeth Williams via AP)
Sean “Diddy” Combs’ attorneys will appeal his four-year prison sentence for transporting people across state lines for sexual encounters, following his conviction under the federal Mann Act.
Takeaways:
Combs, 55, was fined $500,000 and sentenced to 4 years and 2 months in prison.
He has already served one year and could be released in about three.
Prosecutors sought 11 years, citing years of violence and coercion.
He was acquitted of sex trafficking and racketeering charges.
The Grammy-winning mogul’s trial featured graphic testimony from ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura and others who accused him of abuse, threats, and forced sex acts. His lawyers argued the government was punishing consensual behavior.
The verdict caps a dramatic fall for Combs, whose empire has unraveled since Ventura’s 2023 abuse lawsuit and subsequent federal raids.
His legal team now faces a steep challenge in overturning a conviction rooted in decades-old federal law. Read More
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6. Taylor Swift’s New Film Tops Box Office with $46M Debut
Taylor Swift’s The Official Release Party of a Showgirl stunned the box office this weekend, earning $46 million globally in just three days.
Takeaways:
The album-debut film made $33 million domestically and $13 million overseas.
It played in over 7,000 theaters worldwide, including 3,700 in the U.S. and Canada.
It’s now the highest-grossing album-debut movie ever, per AMC.
Swift’s fanbase once again proved their power in driving theater turnout.
The pop star’s release party film coincided with her new album The Life of a Showgirl, drawing thousands of fans for communal viewing experiences.
Analysts called the movie’s performance “unprecedented,” with experts saying no other artist could replicate it.
Swift’s box-office dominance continues to blur the lines between music, film, and fandom. Read More
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8. 🎉 This day in history
German Fuhrer Adolf Hitler doing a Nazi salute (photo credit: Wikimedia Commons)
On This Day — October 6
Hitler’s Hollow Peace Offer, 1939 – Adolf Hitler addressed the Reichstag celebrating Poland’s defeat, proposing “peace” with France and Britain while hinting at a “settlement of the Jewish problem,” foreshadowing darker plans ahead.
Yom Kippur War Begins, 1973 – Egypt and Syria launched a surprise attack on Israel during Yom Kippur, sparking a fierce conflict that left heavy casualties on all sides before ending without a clear victor.
Jordan Steps Away, 1993 – Michael Jordan stunned fans by retiring from basketball, saying he had “nothing else to prove”, a pause that lasted only until his dramatic comeback in 1995.
9. Poll
Life Hack of the day
🍳🧂 Salt Grease Cleaner
Dealing with a fresh grease stain? Sprinkle a generous amount of salt over it right away. The salt absorbs excess oil and makes scrubbing easier, helping lift the stain before it sets in.
That’s your morning brief. Now go show someone how smart you are. 🧠
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