Nova Newsletter
March 10, 2025
☕ Good morning. 1,706 words for you today - 10-minute read.
The Spotlight
1. Uber Expands Women-Only Ride Option Nationwide
Uber is rolling out a nationwide feature that lets women riders and drivers request matches with other women across the United States.
Takeaways:
he Women Drivers option lets riders request female drivers, reserve trips, or set a preference in app settings.
Women drivers can also choose to accept rides primarily from female passengers.
The feature expands a pilot launched in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Detroit and later expanded to 26 cities.
A California class-action lawsuit claims the policy discriminates against male drivers.
Uber says the feature responds to long-standing requests from women who want greater safety and comfort on the platform. About 20 percent of Uber drivers in the U.S. are women, though the share varies by city.
The move comes as ride-hailing companies face ongoing scrutiny over sexual assault reports and platform safety.
Expect safety-focused features like this to become a key battleground in ride-hailing competition. Read More
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2. Mojtaba Khamenei Named Iran Supreme Leader After Strikes
Mojtaba Khamenei has been appointed Iran’s new supreme leader, succeeding his father Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in recent U.S.-Israeli strikes, according to Iranian state media.
Takeaways:
Iran’s Assembly of Experts selected the 56-year-old cleric as the third supreme leader of the Islamic Republic.
Mojtaba is widely viewed as a hard-line figure with close ties to the Revolutionary Guard.
President Donald Trump previously called his potential appointment “unacceptable.”
Israel warned any successor to the late Khamenei could be considered a target.
The younger Khamenei had long been seen as a powerful behind-the-scenes figure in Iran’s leadership circle. U.S. diplomatic cables once described him as “the power behind the robes.”
His appointment comes amid escalating conflict and leadership uncertainty after the death of Iran’s former president Ebrahim Raisi in 2024.
The leadership transition signals Iran’s attempt to project stability despite mounting external pressure. Read More
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3. U.S. Strike Kills Six On Suspected Drug Boat
The U.S. military killed six men in a strike on an alleged drug-smuggling vessel in the eastern Pacific, part of the Trump administration’s campaign against cartel traffickers.
Takeaways:
Sunday’s strike raises the reported toll to at least 157 deaths since U.S. attacks on suspected “narcoterrorists” began in September.
U.S. Southern Command said the boat was targeted along known smuggling routes but offered no public evidence of drugs onboard.
President Donald Trump argues the U.S. is in “armed conflict” with Latin American cartels.
Critics question the legality and effectiveness of military strikes against small vessels at sea.
The Pentagon has confirmed more than 40 strikes in the eastern Pacific and Caribbean tied to anti-cartel operations. The U.S. also recently conducted joint operations with Ecuador against organized crime groups.
The escalating campaign signals a major expansion of U.S. military involvement in the regional drug war. Read More
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Quick Headlines
(AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Fox News apologized after mistakenly airing archival footage of a hatless Donald Trump during coverage of a Dover Air Force Base ceremony honoring six U.S. troops killed in the Middle East war. The network said a staffer accidentally used old video during two broadcasts. Read More
The Justice Department reached a tentative settlement with Live Nation, requiring up to $280 million in fines and divestment of 13 amphitheaters to open ticket sales to competitors, though several states including New York will continue litigation to challenge the monopoly. The deal aims to lower ticket prices and protect venues. Read More
President Trump said he will withhold his signature on all legislation until Congress passes the SAVE America Act, requiring proof of citizenship and photo ID to vote, escalating tensions ahead of the 2026 midterms as Democrats vow to block the bill. The threat could create Senate gridlock and stall key legislation. Read More
Travelers faced hours-long waits at Houston and New Orleans airports as TSA agents worked without pay amid the partial DHS shutdown, with Hobby Airport reporting up to three-hour lines and New Orleans checkpoints reaching two hours. Officials warned delays could persist through the week during peak spring break travel. Read More
Hims & Hers will stop selling compounded versions of Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy and Ozempic, ending a patent lawsuit, and will now offer the branded drugs on its platform, boosting Hims shares 36%. Novo Nordisk reserves the right to refile the case in the future. Read More
A new video from Iranian state media appears to show a U.S. Tomahawk cruise missile hitting a compound in Minab, Iran, killing around 175 students and staff at a girls school and nearby clinic. Satellite imagery confirms seven buildings were struck in the former IRGC naval base. Read More
Deep Dive
4. Oil Prices Surge as Iran War Chokes Global Energy Routes
The widening war between the United States, Israel, and Iran has pushed global oil prices sharply higher, threatening energy supply routes and fueling market turmoil.
Takeaways
Oil spike: Brent crude surged to $119.50 per barrel before settling just above $101, while US crude briefly crossed $119.
Hormuz choke point: About 20% of the world’s oil supply normally flows through the Strait of Hormuz, where tanker traffic has nearly halted.
Regional damage: Strikes on refineries, storage facilities, and desalination plants are disrupting both energy and civilian infrastructure.
Global ripple effects: Asian markets plunged, fuel prices jumped, and inflation fears returned across major economies.
The market shock comes as Iran installs Mojtaba Khamenei as successor to slain Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, signaling defiance amid heavy US-Israeli bombardment. Attacks on oil depots in Tehran and refinery fires in Bahrain are amplifying fears of prolonged supply disruptions.
Energy flows across the Persian Gulf are under severe strain. Iraq, Kuwait, and the UAE have begun cutting production as storage fills up because tankers cannot safely transit the Hormuz corridor. Roughly 15 million barrels per day normally pass through the strait.
Governments are weighing emergency responses. The Group of Seven discussed tapping strategic oil reserves but decided conditions had not yet reached crisis levels. President Donald Trump similarly downplayed releasing US reserves, arguing domestic supply remains sufficient.
Meanwhile, energy-importing economies across Asia are already feeling the shock, with long lines forming at gas stations and stock markets tumbling.
Bottom line: A war centered on Iran has quickly become a global energy crisis risk, with the world’s most important oil corridor under threat. Read More
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On Our Radar
5. Woman Arrested After Shooting At Rihanna Los Angeles Home
An aerial view of Rihanna's house in the Beverly Crest district of Los Angeles
Los Angeles police arrested a 35-year-old woman after gunfire struck Rihanna’s home in Beverly Crest, where the singer and her family were inside Sunday afternoon.
Takeaways:
Ivana Lisette Ortiz was booked on suspicion of attempted murder after allegedly firing an AR-15-style rifle.
Rihanna, A$AP Rocky, and their children were inside the property but no injuries were reported.
Police say four rounds hit the home during the shooting around 1:15 p.m.
Ortiz’s bail was set at $10.225 million, according to jail records.
Authorities say the suspect opened fire on the property just outside Beverly Hills, prompting a rapid police response. Investigators have not yet detailed the motive or circumstances leading to the shooting.
Rihanna, a nine-time Grammy winner, has not publicly commented on the incident.
The case adds to growing security concerns surrounding high-profile celebrity residences in Los Angeles. Read More
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6. Paris Hilton Launches Disaster Fund For Women Businesses
Paris Hilton unveiled a new national recovery fund to help women-owned small businesses rebuild after disasters, expanding efforts that began after the 2025 Los Angeles fires.
Takeaways:
Hilton pledged $350,000 to launch the Back in Business Recovery Fund, targeting $1 million in total donations.
The initiative partners with 11:11 Media Impact and GoFundMe.org, which added $100,000 to the fund.
Grants of up to $25,000 will support rebuilding costs like rent, payroll, and equipment replacement.
A pilot program after the Los Angeles fires helped 50 women-owned businesses, with 90 percent still operating today.
Hilton says the program aims to support entrepreneurs who lose both homes and livelihoods after disasters. The grants will be distributed with help from local women’s business centers across the U.S.
The initiative highlights a broader challenge as women-owned businesses remain among the most underfunded in the U.S. economy.
Expect the fund to expand as disasters increasingly threaten small business survival nationwide. Read More
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8. 🎉 This day in history
Bell demonstrates the new telephone connection
On This Day — March 10
First Telephone Call, 1876 – Alexander Graham Bell makes the first successful telephone call, saying "Mr. Watson, come here, I want to see you" to his assistant Thomas Watson, marking the birth of modern voice communication.
Tokyo Firebombing, 1945 – The deadliest air raid of World War II strikes Tokyo with nighttime B-29 bombings, killing over 100,000 people, mostly civilians, in one of the war’s most devastating attacks.
Carlos Slim Tops Forbes, 2010 – Mexican businessman Carlos Slim becomes the first person from Mexico and an emerging economy to top the Forbes Richest Person list with a net worth of $53.5 billion.
Life Hack of the day
⏳🛒 Wait 24 Hours Before Non-Essential Purchases
Want to avoid impulse buys? Wait 24 hours before making non-essential purchases. Giving yourself a day to think it over helps you make more intentional spending decisions and reduces buyer’s remorse. It’s a simple trick to save money and shop smarter.
That’s your morning brief. Now go show someone how smart you are. 🧠
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