SmartHERNews

American journalist Evan Gershkovich will mark his 32nd birthday locked away in a Russian prison. Russian authorities arrested Evan on March 29, 2023 on charges of espionage, claims vehemently denied by both The Wall Street Journal, Evan's employer and the United States government. Evan worked as an accredited reporter in Russia – a country his family says he loves, and the birthplace of his p...

Did "The Press" change the course of world events? Just one of the many questions we ask in this week's SCOOP. Plus ~ The important developments in the war between Israel and Hamas that matter; the latest in the evacuations at U.S. diplomatic outposts; and what do the Hamas tunnels really look like?  Thank you for supporting SmartHER News! If you notice this podcast as AD-FREE, help ke...

Monday, October 16, 2023, just after noon Central Time:  A time-stamp for our coverage of two developing stories, the Israel-Hamas War and the race for a new House Speaker. 0:00 The Israel-Hamas War: Why is covering this story different and a few recent developments on the war.  10:50 The one thing we shouldn't lose sight of, that is fundamentally at the core of this particular chapter of the...

What makes Hamas unique? What is their ultimate goal? Why did Hamas plan this attack now? What should we watch for next?  We explore these questions with leading terror expert and author Jonathan Schanzer, Vice President of Research at the nonpartisan think tank - Foundation For The Defense of Democracies.  A Hebrew and Arabic speaker, Jonathan has spent his career researching terror groups, terro...

A new look at a 100+ year-old holiday.   0:00: Taking a closer look at Columbus Day / Indigenous Peoples' Day.   3:40: When did we start celebrating Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples' Day?   6:25: The line that sparked today's Special Report: " In fact, Columbus Day was created by President Harrison in 1892 in response to the anti-Italian motivated lynching of 11 Italian American...

Unbridled chaos OR creative disruption?  We consider both possibilities during a special live Coffee Talk broadcast on SmartHER News with an overview of the historic house vote that ousted the current speaker. We include: the background to what happened, why it matters and what to watch for next. "The old days of pounding on the desk and giving people hell are gone. A man’s got to lead by pers...

Thank you for your support of SmartHER News! Notice our ad-free broadcast? Consider suppporting us for less than a cup of coffee per month by joining SCOOP -------- Our Top Three: What happened on Capitol Hill that averted the shutdown –  Why the next spending debate will highlight bipartisanship on two BIG issues: Ukraine & the U.S. Border. And... who to thank for an economic stimulus (Hint: an &...

A looming government shutdown (and why it's happening), history-making numbers on the U.S. borders (North and South) and an exchange with Rupert Murdoch. 0:00: A lesson from Larry McMurtry's book, "Lonesome Dove": When a critique leads to celebrity.  4:00: What to know about the potential government shutdown.  14:00: A closer look at what's happening at the U.S. border – both t...

A major annual event at the United Nations, a first-of-its-kind strike and the nearly-missed-it history of the Pumpkin Spice Latte! 0:00: Welcome to Fall: The Fall Equinox happens on Saturday. What is it and why does it matter? 2:00: The origin of the Pumpkin Spice Latte #psl 5:00: Big news at the United Nations and why it matters. 13:00: China sends warplanes to Taiwan. 15:00: Prisoner swap betwe...

We share our LIVE Coffee Talk broadcast to our SCOOP insiders! Did you know that critics of the Star Spangle Banner felt the song sounded too close to a song related to a "gentleman's" club?  🇺🇸   We start our LIVE broadcast marking this day in history and move to tackling headlines related to two state sponsors of terrorism, Iran and North Korea, on the veyr same week we mark the wors...

An overview of stories to watch in the week ahead and taking time to reflect on the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks.   0:00 Remembering September 11, 2001: What does "Never Forget" mean 22 years later?  7:48 Before diving deeper into reflecting on 9/11, here's what you should know going into this week, stateside and abroad.  10:20 Bringing you behind the scenes to a newsroom setti...

As we reset after Labor Day, we take a look at the road ahead in the pandemic, politics, and potential peace in Ukraine. 0:00 - 5:00 A little known fact about Jimmy Buffett as we honor his passing. 5:00 - 10:00 The First Lady tests positive for COVID: We take a look at the bigger picture and a question we asked of the CDC. 11:00 Lawmakers return to Washington D.C. with lots of work ahead regarding...

A historic speech, a reported assassination and why all roads lead to the economy. "I have a dream ..." Did you know some of the famous words in American history are ad-libbed? Did you know eyewitnesses describe "kegs" at one of the first Labor Day celebrations? Can you use a presidential mug shot free of charge?  What does the potential assassination of a potential Putin rival mea...

An invite inside the SmartHER newsroom to kickoff the debate season!   Republican candidates crowded the stage but did any truly stand-out?   Jenna discusses why this debate matters and our three key takeaways, plus what's next!   Contribute to SmartHER News and receive SCOOP in your inbox!   Watch The Debate Here   WATCH: An Exchange That Stood Out to Us     Support this podcast at — https://...

We take a closer look at the acronym center-stage for the first presidential debate of the 2024 election season – plus: the storms to watch, and a new way to look at the moon (and why it matters). 0:00 New data shows that for the first time, more content is being consumed through streaming than through cable or broadcast channels. Here's why this matters as we wonder if this trend will continu...

"This is really happening ... (and) we just watched Lahaina burn." Maui resident and mother Pamela Reader recalls the moments before and after one of the deadliest wildfires in American history – a fire she describes moving at an almost incomprehensible pace, leaving only minutes to evacuate her family, including her husband, Keenan and their two daughters, 14-year-old Kaia and 12-year-old...

Journalist Hollie McKay joins us to discuss Afghanistan as we reflect on the nation now under Taliban control as we mark two years since the fall of the country and the U.S. withdrawal. Hollie shares her experience reporting in a city suddenly taken over by the Taliban in August 2021, effectively trapping her with no escape. She eventually finds her way out of the country only to return and stay a...

0:00 Excitement on our frontier in Texas over the weekend (hint: it has to do with snakes!) and a tie to this week's news!  6:16 A few stories we're watching and why, from weather on the East Coast to the bankruptcy of U.S. trucking company, Yellow.  10:32 On this day 241 years ago, George Washington established what we now know as the Purple Heart award. These are the sort of historic sto...

From enjoying alcohol without the "hangover" to a report on sinister code from China, to what's happening in Congress and overseas, this week, we cover a sampling of stories that all have the potential to become bigger! 0:00 Where does "the dog days of summer" phrase come from? 3:54 Enjoying alcohol without the "hangover" ~ With rising sales of non-alcoholic beverages,...

As the stars of HGTV's hit show "Home Town," Erin and Ben Napier have created a variety of ways to enrich the lives of others - from taking "sad homes and making them happy" as their daughter Helen describes their home renovation television program, to building a business highlighting American-made craftsmanship called "The Laurel Mercantile." But now the Napiers are ad...

From the threat of one of the largest union strikes in American history to "Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena," to a nuclear state with nuclear threats and the bigger picture about why the current investigations into Hunter Biden and former President Trump REALLY matter. Considering joining SCOOP and keeping us ad-free and independent!  HERE'S A QUICK LINK . Visit  LizJames.com  to see...

Police make a surprising arrest in a murder mystery spanning more than a decade. Is the man currently in custody responsible for one of the most infamous crimes in America today? Hear from an investigative reporter who spent 8 years traversing the area central to these crimes. Alexis Linkletter's personal perspective will illuminate one of the darkest cases to date and provide hope that this a...

From stories to keep on your radar (incl. a potential strike of UPS workers) to one of the most infamous murder cases in America, this week's SCOOP takes on some mystery as we discuss the news coverage of crimes. Stories To Watch: What's going on in the Black Sea (an important body of water that borders Ukraine and Russia)? Back at home, the National Defense Authorization Act (annual milit...

From "Bomblets" to enduring love and a few trips in between: The holiday week comes to a close and Congress returns to work. A cooler than expected job number may still be too hot for some. The President closes the door to Ukraine NATO membership before traveling overseas. Meanwhile, U.S. cluster bombs ("bomblets") head to Ukraine. Clarifying the Supreme Court decisions by answerin...

**Please refresh this episode before you launch as we had some upload issues on several podcast platforms - should be fixed!** "Dear Soldier, ..." and so begins a letter penned to those who made the ultimate sacrifice for the birth of a new nation. The author? Air Force veteran, Stacey Ferguson of the Camden Historical Foundation. Stacey felt compelled to write this letter after joining a...