Nova Newsletter
December 12, 2025
☕ Good morning. 1,687 words for you today - 7 minute read.
The Spotlight
1. U.S. Seizes Oil Tanker Off Venezuela Coast
This screen grab from a video posted by Attorney General Pam Bondi, shows what Bondi says is the execution of "a seizure warrant for a crude oil tanker used to transport sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran" off the coast of Venezuela, Dec. 10. 2025. @AGPamBondi/Xs
The United States seized a large crude oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, President Trump said Wednesday, escalating tensions with the Maduro government.
Takeaways
The vessel is a VLCC capable of carrying 2 million barrels of oil.
Officials say it transported sanctioned oil linked to illicit networks.
The operation involved the Coast Guard, FBI, and DHS Investigations.
The tanker was reportedly bound for Cuba.
Attorney General Pam Bondi posted video on X showing the seizure, describing the tanker as part of a network supporting foreign terrorist organizations. FBI Director Kash Patel said agents executed a search warrant tied to sanctioned oil shipments from Venezuela to Iran.
Trump declined details but said there was “very good reason” for the action and that the U.S. will likely keep the oil.
The move marks a sharp escalation in U.S. pressure on Nicolás Maduro’s regime. Read More
Share this story.
Share on Facebook · Tweet this Story · Post to LinkedIn · Email this Story
2. Doctors Deliver Baby While Removing 22-Pound Tumor
Doctors at Cedars-Sinai delivered a healthy baby boy while removing a 22-pound ovarian tumor from mother Suze Lopez, a case they call a “medical miracle.”
Takeaways
Lopez learned she was pregnant during pre-op testing for tumor surgery.
Imaging revealed a rare abdominal ectopic pregnancy, nearly full-term.
A team of 30 specialists delivered the baby and removed the tumor.
Lopez survived a severe hemorrhage, receiving 11 units of blood.
Lopez, 41, arrived at Cedars-Sinai with abdominal pain just days after learning she was expecting. Doctors discovered a nearly full-term baby positioned near her liver, far outside the uterus — a scenario experts say is almost unheard of.
Surgeons lifted the tumor to deliver baby Ryu, who weighed 8 pounds and had minimal complications. Lopez recovered in the NICU and credited staff as “guardian angels.”
Abdominal ectopic pregnancies are extremely rare and often life-threatening. Read More
Share this story.
Share on Facebook · Tweet this Story · Post to LinkedIn · Email this Story
3. Suspect in Charlie Kirk Killing Set for First In-Person Hearing
Tyler James Robinson attends a virtual court hearing from Utah County Jail, September 16, 2025 in Spanish Fork, Utah. Utah County Jail/Getty Images
Tyler Robinson, accused of killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk, is scheduled for his first in-person court appearance on Thursday.
Takeaways
Robinson, 22, is charged with aggravated murder and multiple felonies.
Kirk, 31, was shot during an outdoor event at Utah Valley University.
Robinson allegedly fled the scene and surrendered the next night.
He has not entered a plea and could face the death penalty.
Kirk was killed Sept. 10 during the first stop of his American Comeback Tour, which drew more than 3,000 attendees. Robinson previously appeared in court once virtually and once via audio from jail.
He is also charged with firearm discharge, obstruction, and witness tampering.
The case now moves into a more public phase as Robinson appears before a judge in person. Read More
Share this story.
Share on Facebook · Tweet this Story · Post to LinkedIn · Email this Story
Quick Headlines
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-SD. speaks to reporters at the U.S. Capitol on December 09, 2025 in Washington, DC. Heather Diehl/Getty Images North America
The Senate votes Thursday on dueling health care bills as ACA subsidies for 24 million expire this month, with Democrats pushing a three year extension and Republicans backing a savings account plan that omits tax credits, leaving both proposals expected to fail. Read More
Time magazine named the “Architects of AI” its 2025 Person of the Year, highlighting the individuals and groups who imagined, designed, and built AI as it became mainstream and transformed society. The selection reflects 2025 as the year AI’s potential “roared into view.”. Read More
The iconic painting by Tom Jung that introduced “Star Wars” in 1977 fetched $3.875 million at auction, setting a record for franchise memorabilia and movie poster art. The work, once owned by producer Gary Kurtz, depicts Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, and Darth Vader. Read More
Over 600 culturally significant artifacts, including East India Company military badges, carved ivory, and jewellery, were stolen from Bristol Museum’s archive in the Cumberland Basin on Sept. 25. Police released CCTV of four suspects and urge public tips to recover the items. Read More
At least 34 people, mostly patients, died and dozens were injured after Myanmar military air strikes hit a hospital in Mrauk-U, Rakhine state, amid ongoing conflict with the Arakan Army. The attack comes ahead of Myanmar’s December 28 election and follows a pattern of intensified military bombardments. Read More
The Trump administration has designated a new militarized zone along California’s border with Mexico, transferring jurisdiction to the Navy to bolster security and immigration enforcement amid broader troop deployments and emergency declarations. The move covers the Imperial Valley and Tecate, expanding a strategy already in New Mexico, Texas, and Arizona. Read More
Deep Dive
4. Trump Launches $1m 'Gold Card' Immigration Visas
@realDonaldTrump/Truth Social
President Donald Trump has launched a new one million dollar visa program that promises accelerated US residency and a direct path to citizenship for affluent foreign buyers.
Takeaways
The Trump Gold Card targets wealthy individuals who can show they offer a substantial benefit to the United States.
Fees can reach five million dollars for a forthcoming platinum tier that includes tax incentives.
Critics say the scheme favors the rich while the administration tightens broader immigration rules and ramps up deportations.
The rollout coincides with sharp increases in work visa fees and a pause on immigration applications from 19 countries under the travel ban.
The program offers residency in what the website calls record time, anchored by a mandatory one million dollar entry fee that serves as proof of economic value. Applicants must also pay a non refundable fifteen thousand dollar processing fee before their case is reviewed. Sponsoring companies face even steeper costs, including a required two million dollar contribution to enroll employees.
A platinum version priced at five million dollars promises special tax breaks and elevated privileges, underscoring the administration’s attempt to court high net worth professionals. Trump framed the initiative as a magnet for elite talent, saying, “The people that can pay five million dollars, they are going to create jobs.”
The plan lands amid an aggressive tightening of immigration. The administration has halted all asylum decisions, ordered a review of Biden era approvals, and imposed a one hundred thousand dollar fee on H 1B visa applicants abroad, a move that rattled students and tech firms.
Trump’s immigration strategy is increasingly defined by exclusion for many and expedited access for the wealthy. Read More
Share this story.
Share on Facebook · Tweet this Story · Post to LinkedIn · Email this Story
On Our Radar
5. Powerball Jackpot Surges to $1 Billion
Juliana Yamada/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
The Powerball jackpot climbed to $1 billion after no ticket matched all numbers in Wednesday night’s drawing.
Takeaways
It is the seventh largest Powerball prize ever.
The cash value stands at $461.3 million.
This is the second billion-dollar Powerball jackpot of 2025.
The next drawing is set for Saturday.
Wednesday’s winning numbers were 10, 16, 29, 33, 69 with Powerball 22. The jackpot was last won on Sept. 6, when Missouri and Texas tickets split $1.787 billion. There have now been 40 consecutive drawings without a grand-prize winner.
The largest Powerball jackpot on record is $2.04 billion, won in 2022.
Players face 1 in 292.2 million odds for the top prize. Read More
Share this story.
Share on Facebook · Tweet this Story · Post to LinkedIn · Email this Story
6. Disney Plans $1 Billion Investment in OpenAI
Disney said Thursday it will invest $1 billion in OpenAI and allow Sora users to generate AI videos featuring Star Wars, Marvel, and other major Disney characters.
Takeaways
The deal gives OpenAI licensed access to Disney’s copyrighted IP for Sora.
Disney calls the partnership a “responsible” expansion of its storytelling through AI.
The move underscores Hollywood’s shift toward generative AI tools.
CEO Bob Iger said the collaboration will broaden Disney’s creative reach while protecting creators’ rights. The agreement hands OpenAI one of the largest entertainment libraries ever licensed for AI video generation.
Disney is the parent company of ABC News.
The partnership signals a new frontier in studio-AI collaboration. Read More
Share this story.
Share on Facebook · Tweet this Story · Post to LinkedIn · Email this Story
8. 🎉 This day in history
part of page one of the original copy of the Constitution of the United States
On This Day — December 12
Pennsylvania Ratifies Constitution, 1787 – Pennsylvania becomes the second state to ratify the United States Constitution, helping to solidify the framework of the new federal government.
Chuck Yeager Breaks Speed Record, 1953 – Test pilot Chuck Yeager reaches Mach 2.43 in the Bell X-1A rocket plane, setting a new record for manned supersonic flight.
Assassination Attempt on President Ford, 1975 – Sara Jane Moore pleads guilty to attempting to assassinate President Gerald Ford and is later sentenced to 32 years in prison.
9. Poll
Life Hack of the day
🧴 🧼 Baby Powder and Dish Soap to Remove Oil-Based Stains
Struggling with stubborn oil-based stains? A simple mix of baby powder and dish soap can break them down fast. Combine equal parts of both to form a paste, then gently work it into the stain. Let it sit for a few minutes before rinsing or washing, and you’ll see the oily spot fade away with ease.
That’s your morning brief. Now go show someone how smart you are. 🧠
Share The Nova: Forward this email!
Let us know how we did on the newsletter today!
Thanks for reading and have a great day!
