Oct 15, 2026 · 7 min listen · Last updated October 15, 2026
From storyflo. This is your daily audio brief. It's Jessica, October 15th. Ten stories from overnight — sourcing first, takes second. Let's get into it. First, from TheWrap. Trump’s New Press Secretary Katie Zacharia Didn’t Pass the Bar Exam Despite President Calling Her an Attorney.
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Trump’s New Press Secretary Katie Zacharia Didn’t Pass the Bar Exam Despite President Calling Her an Attorney
Katie Zacharia has just stepped into the White House as the new press secretary, and the buzz around her credentials is heating up. She graduated from Pepperdine law school back in 2011 and sat for the California bar exam, but she didn’t pass the test that would give her a license to practice law. She did clear the professional responsibility exam, which shows she’s familiar with legal ethics, but she never earned the official attorney badge.
The confusion started on her first day when she told reporters she passed the bar after moving to China, then added that she practiced international transaction law with all the right credentials. In reality, she moved to China with her husband around the time she was preparing for the bar and his job at a private‑equity firm. While there she worked as an associate at a local law firm, handling cross‑border deals, which gave her practical experience even without a license.
Trump announced her appointment with high praise, calling her an attorney and highlighting her work at his media company and a stint at Homeland Security. The administration says she’s not hired for legal work, just to handle communications, but she’s been referring to herself as a lawyer in media appearances for years, even describing herself as a legal strategist on a Fox News segment.
So the bottom line: Zacharia has a law degree and international transaction experience, but she never passed the bar. The White House is counting on her communication chops and loyalty to the president, while the public and the press are sorting through the mixed messages about her legal status.
Trump says ‘leakers should be shot’ at Arizona rally, days after approving firing-squad execution
During a rally in Bullhead City, Arizona, President Trump expressed strong views on leaking classified military information, suggesting that those responsible should face severe consequences, even stating they should be shot. This came just days after he approved the execution of Nidal Hasan, the Fort Hood shooter, by firing squad, a decision that has stirred debate. Trump recounted how a leak about a planned military operation against Iran forced him to alter the timing of an attack, emphasizing the potential risks of such disclosures.
He also joked about the challenges of negotiating with Iran, claiming the U.S. has eliminated many of its leaders, making it hard to find someone to talk to. Trump framed these military actions as necessary to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, arguing that the economic impact, like rising gas prices, is a small price to pay for national security. He concluded by asserting that U.S. control over the Strait of Hormuz would lead to lower fuel prices in the future.
KDE Plasma 6.8 Released, Marks 30 Years Of The KDE Project
The feature-packed and polished Plasma 6.8 KDE desktop is now available. Making this release all the more special is that it coincides with the 30th anniversary of the KDE project. KDE Plasma 6.8 ships many exciting improvements including vRAM usage optimizations, dwell clicker support on Wayland, Wayland commit-timing protocol support for KWin, improvements for the Union theme engine, better remote desktop support, multi-GPU handling improvements, the new kscreenctl tool, server-side drop shadow support, multi-monitor improvements, and a lot of other polishing throughout.
Trump says leakers should be shot, straying from economic pitch
- Trump said leakers should be shot at an Arizona rally, calling them “the scum of the earth” and blaming a leak for delaying a strike against Iran. - His remarks shifted attention from his economic pitch, even as voters focus on rising prices, fuel costs and weak approval ratings before the midterm vote. - He also stepped up attacks on the press, blocked some outlets, and backed leak probes, raising fears of a chilling effect on whistleblowers and accountability.
Eight US States Sue OpenAI, Claiming ChatGPT Harms Young Users
Eight US states, including Kansas, Arizona, and Montana, have sued OpenAI, alleging that ChatGPT encourages children to harm themselves. The states are seeking changes to how the company's products interact with young users and the forfeiture of profits generated from their activity. Reuters reports: Attorneys general from the states, which include Iowa, Kansas and Arizona, filed the lawsuits independently in state courts, claiming ChatGPT is designed to be agreeable and engaging to earn the trust of users.
Katie Zacharia’s first White House briefing Tuesday, her second day as press secretary, lasted 14 minutes. “I have wanted to work for him for a very long time,” a plainly nervous Zacharia told reporters, then spent most of the appearance reading from a thick briefing book. She opened by lavishing praise on Trump, noting that we are “in the middle of the midterm blitz” and insisting there is “energy and excitement never seen before in the history of midterms, thanks to President Trump.” Huh.
Trump says leakers should be shot: ‘They’re the scum of the earth’
President Trump suggested Wednesday at a campaign rally in Arizona that leakers should be shot, in an apparent reference to leaks surrounding U.S. airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities. “Somebody leaked, some sleazebag. They ought to go to jail and be shot. For the rest of their life, they should be in jail,” Trump said at…
Eight US states sue OpenAI, claiming ChatGPT harms young users
Oct 14 : A bipartisan group of eight states said on Wednesday they had sued OpenAI in courts across the country over harms they say ChatGPT has caused to their residents, alleging the chatbot has coached its users — including teenagers — to harm themselves or others. Attorneys general from the states, which include Iowa, Kansas and Arizona, filed the lawsuits independently in state courts, claiming ChatGPT is designed to be agreeable and engaging to earn the trust of users.