Show Notes
Become An Insider Jenna of SmartHER News highlights three key stories: Jobs Report Miss, U.S. Pulls Bombers from UK Base After Alleged Plot, and Russian Lab Plague Concerns
September's U.S. jobs report disappointed, showing 29,000 jobs added versus expectations about three times higher (with the next jobs report arriving just before Election Day).
She then discusses RAF Fairford in the UK, a strategically important base hosting U.S. B-1 bombers; the U.S. has since pulled the bombers back to the United States, signaling concern despite limited public details on a suspected terrorist plot near the base reportedly tied to Iran (which Iran denies)
Finally, she covers reports from Russia of a lab worker dying of a pneumonia-like illness, quarantines at a hospital, and concerns about pneumonic plague.
00:00 Plague Headlines Tease 00:55 Jobs Report Miss
02:17 Why Jobs Data Matters
03:58 US Base UK Plot
06:26 Bombers Pulled Back
07:23 Russia Lab Plague Fears
09:01 What Pneumonic Plague Is
10:08 US Response and Monitoring
11:29 Wrap Up and Thanks
More from SmartHER News
Some describe this exchange as the "most viral moment" fo the 2026 election cycle.
The latest on a rare owl nest in NYC, the shortest White House press secretary tenure in recorded history and how much the war in the Middle East has cost the average American household. Your news update in 15 minutes! Quick. Concise. Nonpartisan. SmartHER.
What do the cases of Lindsay Clancy, Nolan Wells and Cornell have in common? They highlight the importance of a legal procedure often forgotten in our justice system that's critical to whether or not a case heads to court: a grand jury. Join a wide-ranging conversation with attorney and founder of Unbiased, Jordan Berman, who uses her legal expertise to explain the importance of the grand jury process, why it matters and what it means in these 3 stories. 00:00 The Missing Link in Three Legal Cases 00:57 Finding Common Ground in Nonpartisan News 03:20 Meet Jordan Berman, Founder of Unbiased 06:12 What Gets Lost in the Headlines 08:37 Why Grand Juries Matter 09:45 Inside the Grand Jury Process 14:15 Nolan Wells: What No Indictment Means 18:29 Lindsay Clancy: Indictment vs. Trial 22:32 Cornell: The Decision Not to Pursue Charges 30:07 How Media Coverage Shapes Public Opinion 33:04 Ilhan Omar: Questions About the Search Warrant 37:17 What We Don't See Behind the Headlines
Your catch-up on news after a holiday weekend! **As we published this report, news broke of Ambassador Guilfoyle's resignation.
What does justice look like—and who decides? Jenna and podcast host Mary Katharine Ham discuss Christa Pike's case in Tennessee and the broader questions it raises about the death penalty, including the time between sentencing and execution. They also reflect on three years since the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks on Israel, the changing Middle East and the words news organizations use to tell these stories. Along the way: the court of public opinion, a brief look at media coverage of the Cornell case, and how the information we receive shapes our understanding. Plus, parenting styles, a favorite hydration drink and making more time to read with our kids. Want to go beyond the headline? Become a SmartHER News Insider and join the conversation — with our private community, exclusive podcast feed and more. In this episode: 00:00 Welcome to SmartHER News 01:03 Real Life, Parenting & Consequences 04:34 What Does Justice Look Like? 07:01 Christa Pike & the Death Penalty 12:21 Fort Hood & the Execution Debate 14:45 The Eighth Amendment: Cruel & Unusual Punishment 16:29 Public Opinion, Cornell & Media Coverage 19:57 Three Years After Oct. 7 23:49 How the Media Describes Hamas 26:51 Israeli Politics & the Language of War 28:52 The Nova Exhibition & Remembering the Victims 32:01 Marco Rubio's Speech in Greece 35:24 Iran & the Ripple Effects Across the Middle East 37:08 Something SmartHER: Hydration 39:49 Less Scrolling, More Reading 43:11 Wrap-Up Show Notes: Jocko Fuel Hydrate (commissionable link)