Saturday, April 18, 2026

She remained a virgin until 41. She says limerence is to blame.

Amanda McCracken says limerence sabotaged her relationships and kept her a virgin until her 40s. Now, she's speaking out in a new book.

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The Daily Briefing

YOUR MORNING NEWS ROUNDUP

Fri Apr 17 2026

Nicole Fallert
Newsletter Writer & SEO Editor

Welcome to the Daily Briefing. Kick off Friday with these stories:

•	The Trump-Pope Leo feud continues.
•	A Trader Joe's settlement could pay you $102.
•	Fact-checking "The Pitt" finale's emergency C-Section.

Nicole Fallert here, bringing you the news to know on Friday, from a progressive headed to Washington and why Pittsburghers are hoisting traffic cones.

⚑ America's flag is not just a design, but an idea. Now, it’s time for students to weigh in. As we approach the 250th anniversary of the United States, you're invited to step into the story of our democracy with the “Fly Your Flag” contest. Details here.

Democrat Analilia Mejia wins New Jersey special election

Progressive Democrat Analilia Mejia delivered a fiery, defiant speech from Montclair, New Jersey, after she clinched a decisive win in a special election for the U.S. House of Representatives, casting her victory as the start of a long crusade against power that has a “stranglehold over every aspect of our lives.”

She will serve out the remainder of now-Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s term through the end of 2026. Her win will shift the scales in the U.S. House, narrowing the GOP majority down to three seats.

More news to know now

•	Trump says Iran war is going "swimmingly." President Trump used a rare visit to Las Vegas to tout his no tax on tips policy, and also gave promising predictions on the Iran war. In Nevada, the price of gas is nearly $5 a gallon.
•	A tariff refund system is coming. Despite a coming refund, Trump continues to push to implement tariffs. And if tariffs continue, consumers could continue to pay the price.
•	Does diet soda kill cancer cells? The president claimed diet soda can fight cancer. No data or evidence suggests that diet soda has a therapeutic impact on cancer cells, treatment or prevention. Some studies have even suggested the opposite.

NCAA Gymnastics

Jordan Chiles' final floor

Ncaa Womens Gymnastics Womens National Gymnastics Championship

UCLA Bruins gymnast Jordan Chiles performs on floor exercise during the 2025 Women's National Gymnastics Championship at Dickies Arena on April 19, 2025 in Fort Worth, Texas.

Jerome Miron, Imagn Images

Olympic gold medalist Jordan Chiles saw her collegiate career come to a close Thursday, but the UCLA gymnast, of course, went out with a stellar performance at the 2026 women's college gymnastics national championship semifinals. Chiles' best events of the night came in the floor exercise and balance beam with scores of 9.9750 and 9.9500, respectively. Let's see how to score a perfect 10.

MLB

The traffic cone: A symbol of a resurgence

The Pittsburgh Pirates, tied for first place in the NL Central division with an 11-7 record, are one of baseball's most pleasant surprises of the 2026 season so far. How are they doing it? Since the beginning of the season, an orange traffic cone has been a constant presence inside the Pirates dugout. And when good things like a walk-off win happen, it's usually part of the festivities.

Before you go

•	James Franklin turned down a $49 million vacation to coach again.
•	Amanda Peet’s character in “Your Friends & Neighbors" talks menopause.
•	Why did Elle Fanning and Michelle Pfeiffer get pulled over?

Have feedback on the Daily Briefing? Shoot Nicole an email at NFallert@usatoday.com.

ICE acting director Todd Lyons will resign, Homeland Security says

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Todd Lyons testifies before a U.S. House Homeland Security Committee hearing entitled "Oversight of the Department of Homeland Security: ICE, CBP, and USCIS", on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., Feb. 10, 2026.

Acting Director Todd Lyons will leave the job May 31, DHS said. The announcement comes within hours of a public hearing on the record number of detainee deaths in ICE detention centers.

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