Nova Newsletter
December 4, 2025
☕ Good morning. 1,796 words for you today - 9 minute read.
The Spotlight
1. US Deploys New One-Way Attack Drones to Middle East
Low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System (LUCAS) drones are positioned on the tarmac at a base in the U.S. Central Command operating area, Nov. 23, 2025. U.S. Central Command Public Affairs
The US military rolled out a new one-way attack drone to the Middle East, using a design reverse-engineered from Iran’s Shahed platform, according to CENTCOM.
Takeaways
The LUCAS drone costs $35,000 and can fly long distances autonomously.
CENTCOM created Task Force Scorpion Strike to run the first operational deployment.
The drone is based on a captured Shahed-136, used by Iran and Russia in recent conflicts.
The rollout supports Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s “drone dominance” push.
The drones, built by SpektreWorks, can launch from catapults, mobile systems, or rocket-assisted takeoff. Officials did not disclose how many are being deployed.
CENTCOM says the system offers a cheaper, lower-risk deterrent compared to manned aircraft, especially after Israel’s recent strike degraded Iran’s air defenses.
More deployments across the region are expected as the US leans into low-cost drone warfare. Read More
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2. Family Accuses US of Murder in Caribbean Boat Strike
The family of Colombian fisherman Alejandro Carranza filed a complaint accusing the US government of killing him illegally in a Sept. 15 military strike in the Caribbean.
Takeaways
The filing, submitted to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, alleges the strike was an extrajudicial killing.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro publicly accused the US of murder and violating sovereignty.
The strike was part of more than 20 operations ordered by President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth since September.
Critics say a follow-up strike that killed survivors may constitute a war crime.
Carranza’s family claims they cannot obtain justice in Colombia and are seeking international review. The commission can investigate but cannot issue binding rulings against the US.
US officials say the strikes targeted suspected drug boats, a claim Colombian officials dispute. The broader campaign has killed more than 80 people.
Congressional leaders are now questioning whether the president had the legal authority to order the operations.
More scrutiny is expected as investigations continue. Read More
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3. Waymo Taxi Drives Into LA Police Standoff
In this Apil 24, 2025, file photo, Waymo, a self-driving car, drives down Santa Monica boulevard in Los Angeles. STOCK IMAGE/Getty Images
A Waymo driverless taxi briefly entered an active police standoff in downtown Los Angeles early Friday, according to video posted online.
Takeaways
The incident occurred during a high-risk felony arrest following a stolen-vehicle pursuit.
Waymo says the vehicle was near the scene for no more than 15 seconds.
LAPD said officers had not yet blocked traffic, and the vehicle did not affect police tactics.
Waymo reiterated safety as its top priority and said it will review the event.
The taxi encountered police vehicles blocking one street and turned into a lane still open to traffic. Other cars were also passing through at the time.
The LAPD later closed the intersection and noted it maintains a 24/7 hotline to coordinate with Waymo on emergencies.
Waymo launched driverless service citywide in 2024 and continues expanding operations.
Further scrutiny of autonomous vehicle behavior in unpredictable situations is likely. Read More
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Quick Headlines
FILE - Flight officer Rayan Gharazeddine scans the water in the southern Indian Ocean off Australia from a Royal Australian Air Force AP-3C Orion during a search for the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 on March 22, 2014. Rob Griffith/AP
Malaysia will relaunch the hunt for missing Flight MH370 on Dec. 30, tasking U.S. firm Ocean Infinity with a 55-day, no-find-no-fee search across a new 15,000-square-kilometer zone in the southern Indian Ocean, more than a decade after the jet vanished with 239 people. Read More
President Trump announced a pardon for Texas Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar and his wife, clearing them of 2024 bribery charges involving $600,000 from foreign interests, with Cuellar set to attend the White House Christmas Party to thank Trump personally. Read More
The Trump administration launched immigration enforcement operations in New Orleans and Minneapolis targeting criminal aliens and alleged immigration violators, sparking fear among local immigrant communities, particularly in Louisiana and the Somali population in Minnesota, days after Trump criticized Somali residents and planned National Guard deployments. Read More
House Democrats unveiled previously unseen photos and videos from Jeffrey Epstein’s private Caribbean island, showing opulent rooms, a dentist chair, and a blackboard with notes on “power” and “deception,” as part of ongoing investigations into his sex-trafficking and financial network. The release follows Trump signing a law compelling Justice Department disclosures. Read More
The Trump administration warned it may withhold SNAP administrative funds from 22 Democratic-led states unless they share recipients’ personal and immigration data, citing fraud prevention, while benefits for 42 million Americans remain untouched and several states have sued to block the request. Compliance is due by Dec. 8. Read More
Dr. Salvador Plasencia, who pleaded guilty to four counts of distributing ketamine to Matthew Perry weeks before the actor's 2023 overdose in Los Angeles, is set for sentencing Wednesday with prosecutors recommending 36 months in prison. Plasencia supplied 20 vials to Perry and his assistant, sparking family outrage over his profit-driven actions. Read More
Deep Dive
4. U.S. Halts Immigration Processing for Applicants From 19 Countries
Police officers block a street as demonstrators march at a protest opposing "Operation Midway Blitz" and the presence of ICE, Sept. 9, 2025, in Chicago. Erin Hooley/AP
The Department of Homeland Security has paused all green card, citizenship, and asylum reviews for immigrants from 19 previously banned or restricted countries after two National Guard members were shot by an Afghan national in Washington.
Takeaways
USCIS froze all pending applications and will re-review previously approved cases, potentially back to 2021.
Policy targets immigrants from 19 “Countries of Concern”, including Afghanistan, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Haiti, and Venezuela.
DHS says the move protects national security, calling citizenship “a privilege, not a right.”
The pause expands earlier actions that reopened all Biden-era refugee approvals for potential revocation.
The shooting near the White House accelerated a broader immigration crackdown already underway.
USCIS said the freeze applies to green cards, naturalization, and asylum claims from the same countries included in President Trump’s June travel ban. Seven other nations face partial restrictions, yet immigrants from all 19 are subject to the pause.
The agency plans to re-interview applicants, re-check past approvals, and reassess whether individuals should retain their legal status. Officials say the review covers cases issued under both the Biden and Trump administrations.
DHS framed the decision as a security necessity following the shooting of two National Guard members. The suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, had received asylum earlier this year after entering under a humanitarian parole process.
The move builds on a November directive ordering a full re-review of all refugees admitted under Biden, with some possibly losing their status entirely.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said asylum processing will remain paused indefinitely as the agency confronts a backlog of one million cases.
The freeze signals the most sweeping federal immigration slowdown in years, affecting thousands already in the legal pathway. Read More
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On Our Radar
5. Sabrina Carpenter Blasts White House over Music Use
Sabrina Carpenter condemned the White House for using her song “Juno” in an ICE detention video without permission.
Takeaways
Carpenter called the ICE video “evil and disgusting.”
The White House fired back, invoking lyrics from her song “Manchild.”
She is the latest pop star, after Olivia Rodrigo, to protest federal agencies using their music.
Carpenter posted on X, telling officials to “never involve me or my music” in what she called an “inhumane agenda.”
White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson dismissed the criticism, citing the deportation of “dangerous criminal illegal offenders.”
In November, Rodrigo criticized DHS for using her track “all-american bitch” in a self-deportation campaign. DHS responded with its own lyric-inspired message.
Carpenter has long been vocal politically, telling fans she was “sorry about our country” after the 2024 election.
More artists may push back as federal messaging leans on pop culture. Read More
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6. Bad Bunny Dethrones Taylor Swift in Spotify Wrapped 2025
Bad Bunny reclaimed the title of most-streamed global artist, topping Spotify Wrapped 2025 with 19.8 billion streams.
Takeaways
Swift falls to No. 2 globally after two years at the top.
Most-streamed song worldwide: “Die with a Smile” by Bruno Mars & Lady Gaga.
Top global album: Bad Bunny 's “Debí Tirar Más Fotos.”
Spotify added new features, including Top Albums, Listening Age, and Wrapped Party.
Bad Bunny last held the global crown from 2020 to 2022 before Swift took over.
In the U.S., Swift leads, followed by Drake, Morgan Wallen and Kendrick Lamar, with Bad Bunny at No. 5.
Spotify says streaming remains the industry’s main revenue driver, accounting for 84 percent of U.S. music income.
Expect Wrapped rankings to keep reinforcing the dominance of major global stars. Read More
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8. 🎉 This day in history
Carl Djerassi / Best known for his role in developing the oral contraceptive pill
On This Day — December 4
Birth of the NHS Contraceptive Pill, 1961 – The female birth-control pill becomes available through Britain’s National Health Service, transforming reproductive autonomy and marking a major milestone in modern public health.
First Computer-Assisted Pizza Order, 1974 – Using an early speech-synthesis program, Donald Sherman places the first pizza delivery order via computer, showcasing the emerging power of assistive technology and paving the way for digital ordering decades later.
US Expands Satellite Communications, 1986 – The United States launches Fltsatcom-7, strengthening military satellite communications and advancing the nation’s secure global communication network.
9. Poll
Life Hack of the day
🧴📿Rub Baby Powder on Necklaces
Dealing with a stubbornly tangled necklace? Sprinkle a little baby powder over the knot. The powder reduces friction between the chains, making it much easier to loosen and untangle. With a few gentle pulls, your jewelry will be knot-free again.
That’s your morning brief. Now go show someone how smart you are. 🧠
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