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The NewsWorthy
New Ceasefire, 'Pulp Fiction' at the Pentagon & Boomers to Zoomers - Friday, April 17, 2026
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Today is Friday, April 17th. There's a new ceasefire that just went into effect. We'll tell you what it means for a potential peace deal in Iran. Also, why an ICE agent is facing a rare criminal charge and where a severe weather outbreak is expected to peak today. Plus, what to know about the new person chosen to lead the nation's top health agency, what a recent Pentagon prayer event had to do with the movie Pulp Fiction and big time movie reveals and surprises from Toy Story 5 to Top Gun 3. Those stories and more news to know coming up. Welcome to the Newsworthy. All the day's news in less than 15 minutes. I'm Erica. Mandy. Thanks so much for being here. Let's do this. There's a breakthrough in the Middle East. A 10 day ceasefire went into effect at midnight this morning in Lebanon. The truce pauses fighting between Israeli forces and Iranian backed Hezbollah forces. Remember, Hezbollah has been designated a terror group by the US as well as several other countries and international organizations. It's Iran's most powerful proxy and is even considered more powerful than the Lebanese military. Hezbollah did acknowledge the ceasefire but did not directly address whether it would abide by it, just saying its actions would be, quote, based on how developments unfold. And the US Said Israel also still has the right to defend itself. Israel and Hezbollah continued to trade strikes right up until the time the ceasefire was set to take effect. That conflict has also been a key sticking point in negotiations to potentially end the war in Iran. And the ceasefire between the US And Iran is set to expire next week. But President Trump says he's confident a deal with the Iranians could also come soon. In fact, he says another round of talks could happen this weekend. Meanwhile, American officials say U.S. troops in the Middle east are rearming and stand ready to resume combat in case the negotiations fail. The US Is also keeping up with its naval blockade that's now expanded. The American military now says it will target any vessel linked to Iran anywhere in the world. Back in Washington, hundreds of lawmakers mostly Democrats are still voicing their disapproval of the war, while hundreds of others, mostly Republicans, are defending it. Once again, the US House took up a resolution that would have required President Trump to withdraw all U.S. forces from the war in Iran unless Congress authorized military action. And once again, the vote failed by just one vote. This time, of course, even if a war powers resolution were to pass the House, it would still have to pass in the Senate, where a similar vote also failed this week. There is now a nationwide warrant out for the arrest of an ICE agent. He's been charged with assault in Minnesota over an incident earlier this year. Prosecutors say he was driving on a state highway when another driver apparently cut him off. In response, they say the ICE agent drove alongside the car, yelling and pointing his gun out the window directly toward the people in the other car. Those people called 911, apparently not realizing he was an ICE agent, just saying there was someone driving erratically and pointing guns at people on the highway. At the time, the ICE agent told state investigators he feared for his safety and the safety of others after being cut off. Now he faces two counts of second degree assault and could spend three years in prison if found guilty. So far, no comment from him or the Homeland Security Department. This is a rare instance of state prosecutors charging a federal agent for on duty actions, and it's the first such case connected to the federal government's 10 week operation in Minnesota. But it might not be the last. The local prosecutor says this is just one of 18 incidents involving federal agents that's now under investigation. By the way, the person who's been defending agents in Congress and in courtrooms submitted his resignation yesterday. Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons says he's resigning to take a job in the private sector, but he will stay on until the end of next month to help with the transition. And at this point, it's not clear who might take over for him. President Trump has chosen Dr. Erica Schwartz to lead the country's top public health agency. We're talking about the cdc, and Schwartz is seen as a highly qualified, traditional choice to lead it. Schwartz has several degrees, including a medical degree from Brown University. During President Trump's first term, she was deputy surgeon general. She's also been chief medical officer at the U.S. coast Guard. On Instagram, her video posts have addressed loneliness, the importance of getting regular sleep and health screenings and health priorities at different ages. She's also praised vaccines as a cornerstone of preventative care. If the Senate confirms her, she'll work under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Yesterday, RFK Jr. Voiced his support, saying Schwartz and other CDC leaders will be able to revolutionize the agency and, as he said, get it back on track. For the last couple of months, the CDC has been led by Dr. Jay Bhattacharya in an acting capacity. He's also director of the National Institutes of Health and is expected to continue doing double duty during the Senate confirmation process, which can take several months. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's most recent Pentagon prayer meeting has now gone viral. People are sharing video of Hegseth reading a prayer, and during it he almost word for word quoted a fake Bible verse used in the movie Pulp Fiction. It was originally delivered by Samuel L. Jackson as part of a pretty violent monologue, though in the Defense secretary's version, the last two lines did resemble language from the actual Bible. Hegseth used it to frame the war in Iran as an act of divine justice. That sparked plenty of ridicule online from people who assumed Hegseth believed he was reading actual scripture. But a Pentagon spokesperson says Hegseth knew where the prayer came from and that he chose it because it was also said by service members who led a heroic rescue mission in Iran. No matter where it came from. Though the message behind the quote is also facing some criticism, Pope Leo put out another statement that did not specifically mention Hegseth or Pulp Fiction, but did warn against military leaders conflating war with divinity, basically saying they shouldn't use religion for their own military gain. The prayer services are not mandatory, but some military sources have told news outlets attendance is highly encouraged. Much more news is still ahead, but first let's take a quick break to talk about our sponsor. There's something about spring that gives me more energy. Maybe it's the additional daylight or the blooming flowers, but it's that time where I start to really feel motivated to do a bit more for myself. And this year, learning a language is on my list for several reasons. First, it's just an interesting hobby. Plus, my son seems really interested in learning some Spanish, so it's something we can learn more of together. And it's good for my brain health and for future travel. So I'll be turning to Rosetta Stone. With 30 years of experience, millions of users, and 25 languages to choose from, including Spanish, French, German, Japanese and more, Rosetta Stone is the go to tool for real language growth. They use an intuitive method that helps to immerse you in your new language naturally, helping you think and communicate with confidence. Plus it allows you to learn anytime, anywhere, in a way that will fit into your busy lifestyle with on the go learning Ready to start learning a new language this spring? Visit rosettastone.com newsworthy to explore Rosetta Stone and choose the language that's right for you. Go to Rosetta Stone.com Newsworthy and begin your language learning journey now. Now back to the news. Millions of people from Texas to Wisconsin are now in the path of severe weather. Much of the same region has been dealing with back to back storms all week, but meteorologists say today could bring the most dangerous conditions yet. The forecast say severe thunderstorms are likely complete with strong tornadoes, large hail, damaging winds and flooding rain. They're expected to start in the middle of the day today and could last well into the night. Then there could still be some isolated storms tomorrow, especially in Ohio, but they're not expected to be nearly as widespread. After that, the country is expected to get a break from severe weather for a few days. A former Virginia lieutenant governor killed his estranged wife and then himself. The couple had been going through a divorce and police say the horrific crime happened while their two teenage children were home. It came as a shock to a lot of people since it wasn't long ago that Justin Fairfax was actually considered a rising star in the Democratic Party. But while he was still in office, two women came forward accusing him of sexually assaulting them. Fairfax strongly denied the allegations and still tried to run for governor, but he was never able to make a comeback. Court documents say at that point, Fairfax started drinking heavily and withdrew from his family. He still lived with them, but had actually been ordered to move out by the end of this month. Now people from across the political spectrum have said they're praying for the family and are encouraging anyone who's struggling with that kind of darkness to reach out for help. The rapper and singer David has now been arrested for murder. His real name is David Burke and he's been under investigation ever since. Celeste Rivas Hernandez's body was found last year in his apparently abandoned Tesla in the Hollywood Hills, though it's believed she died long before she was found. Celeste's family first reported her missing back in 2024 when she was a 13 year old seventh grader living 70 miles southeast of Los Angeles. It's not clear exactly what led to Burke's arrest, but the case will be presented to the LA District Attorney's office on Monday. The artist's lawyers say evidence will show he did not murder Celeste and they plan to defend his innocence. When the girl's body was found, David had been on tour in support of his first full length album. He has been especially popular among Gen Z fans and is known for some high profile collaborations and the anthem he created for the game Fortnite and his viral hit called Romantic Homicide. The co founder of Netflix, Reed Hastings, says he's stepping down from the company's board this summer, ending a nearly three decade run at one of the most powerful media giants in the world. Under his leadership, Netflix transformed from a DVD by mail business to a streaming powerhouse, the whole time changing how people consume and make entertainment his Hastings is now handing the reins to longtime partner and co CEO Ted Sarandos and Chief Operating Officer Greg Peters. In announcing his resignation, Hastings said their commitment to the company is so strong that he's now able to focus more on philanthropy and other pursuits. Already he serves on the boards of Bloomberg and Anthropic as well as several educational nonprofits. The parent company of TV shopping channels QVC and HSN has now filed for bankruptcy. It comes in the face of declining viewership and a shift to online retail. More customers are apparently tuning into digital live streams on TikTok or online marketplaces like Shein instead of watching for deals on tv. President Trump's tariffs also impacted QVC Group's supply chain, and the network has been trying to rely less on goods from China. Now it says bankruptcy is just part of its plan to cut more than $5 billion of debt and this way it will be able to keep operating. Earlier this week we told you about Hollywood heavy hitters gathering for Cinemacon. Well, since then they've made plenty of announcements and previewed tons of upcoming releases. For example, Disney unveiled its first trailer for Toy Story 5 with the help of stars Tom Hanks and Tim Allen, who talked about the theme of the movie being toys replaced by technology. Also, movie stars Robert Downey Jr. And Chris Evans were on hand to debut the first trailer for Marvel's Doomsday. They played Dr. Doom in Captain America. Disney actually played the first 17 minutes of the highly anticipated movie the Mandalorian and Grogu that hits theaters next month. And Paramount announced a Top Gun 3 now in development, again starring Tom Cruise as Maverick. Plus, there were plenty of big franchise revivals and reboots like a new Spaceballs, Paddington 4, Supergirl, and so on. Of course, those are just a few of the most talked about reveals. If anything, the event revealed the entertainment industry is plenty busy and excitement is building for the next year in theaters. That's it for the main news today. So now it's time for Feel Good Friday, where we bring you one extra feel good or positive news story before the weekend. But first, the newsworthy is brought to you by Gainbridge. We hear a lot about building wealth or planning for the future, but for a lot of people, the hardest part is just figuring out where to start. Gainbridge makes it simple. Gainbridge is a digital platform that offers financial products with a guaranteed rate over a term you choose, which means you're not constantly wondering what's happening with your money. You set the amount, pick the timeline, and from there your money grows at a fixed rate. There are no hidden fees or commissions, and the whole process is designed to be straightforward, more like setting a plan than managing an ongoing strategy. They offer two main options. One that works well for shorter term goals like saving for something specific, a home, travel or a big milestone, and another built for longer term planning like retirement. It's really designed for people who want a clear, predictable way to move toward their goals. If you're looking for a more straightforward approach to saving, you can learn more@gainbridge.com gainbridge let your money work for you. Now back to Feel Good Friday. A new social experiment has brought people together across generations and across the country. Outside of a busy coffee shop on Boston University's campus, there's a payphone that says call a boomer. 3,000 miles away at a senior housing facility in Reno, Nevada, a similar payphone reads Call a Zoomer. When someone on either end of the line picks up the phone, it automatically places a call to the other phone, and calls are free for both users. The biotech startup Matter Neuroscience installed the phones to connect Gen Z with older adults since studies have shown the two age demographics have the highest levels of loneliness. And hundreds of conversations have happened since, with the calls mostly coming from the younger generation. Reaching out to older people. They've apparently talked about everything from the weather to movies to college courses and even dating. Many young people have asked for advice or words of wisdom. Now Matter Neuroscience says it hopes it's been able to prove that humans need each other and have more in common than they might think. And it says it will be doing more fun things in the future to help people learn a little more about themselves and their fellow humans. Thank you so much for listening today. We'll be back tomorrow with our special Edition Saturday episode explaining the impact of the war on everyday prices and offering very specific ideas of ways to save money in several areas of your life. Then we'll be back on Monday with the latest news. For now, have a great weekend.
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