Fox News Hourly Update – 11AM ET 02/01/2026 Newscast
Date: February 1, 2026
Host: Paul Stevens, FOX News Team
Episode Overview:
This hourly newscast delivers updates on severe winter weather ravaging the East Coast and South, major international tensions between the U.S. and Iran, immigration developments involving a detained child, NASA's lunar mission rehearsal, and a country music response to the cold snap. The tone is brisk and urgent, blending serious reporting with moments of cultural commentary.
Severe Winter Weather Hits Eastern U.S.
[00:02 – 00:50]
- Paul Stevens opens on heavy winter storms slamming the Carolinas and Virginia, warning of "blizzard conditions in spots."
- Meteorologist Adam Klotz details:
- The nor’easter spreads freezing temps, with wind chills making it feel much worse.
- Key regional impacts:
- Portions of North Carolina: Slippery conditions, not major snowfall but big wind and cold.
- I-95 corridor: No snow, but biting winds and chill.
- New York City: Feels like -6°F.
- Chicago: 9°F.
- Atlanta: Feels like -1°F.
- Florida (notably Orlando, Jacksonville, Miami): Wind chills plunge as low as 12°F, “26 degrees, that’s what it feels like in Miami this morning.”
Adam Klotz [00:40]: “Yesterday…50, 60 degrees, here this morning your wind chills 13 degrees in Orlando, 12 degrees in Jacksonville. It is 26 degrees. That’s what it feels like in Miami this morning.”
- Winter weather alerts: From southern Georgia through Maryland for rest of the day.
U.S.–Iran Tensions High
[00:50 – 01:43]
- Paul Stevens shares the latest from Iran's Supreme Leader, who warns, “any US Attack would spark a regional war, quote, unquote.”
- President Trump confirms ongoing negotiations with Iran but keeps military options open.
- Ainsley Earhardt notes Trump’s insistence that Iran cannot develop nuclear weapons.
Ainsley Earhardt [01:10]: “If they don't come to a deal soon, what happens next could be worse than Operation Midnight Hammer in June.”
- John Rich expresses hope for productive negotiations:
John Rich [01:21]: "I hope they negotiate something that's acceptable."
- Regional skepticism:
- A senior Gulf official tells FOX’s Jackie Heinrich that the U.S. “has not shared its plans with Gulf allies.”
- Saudi Arabia has not authorized U.S. use of their airspace or bases.
Ainsley Earhardt [01:24]: “Whatever comes next likely won’t involve Saudi airspace or bases… Saudi officials have not authorized the US to use them.”
- Further escalation:
- Paul Stevens relays that Iran’s parliament has labeled European Union militaries as “terrorist groups” following the EU branding Iran’s Revolutionary Guard similarly.
Immigration Policy & Family Detention
[02:16 – 03:02]
- Federal ruling: U.S. District Judge Fred Beary orders ICE to release a five-year-old Ecuadorian boy, Liam Conhejo Ramos, and his father from a Texas detention center.
Carmen Roberts [02:23]: “Judge Fred Beary sharply criticized the Trump administration's immigration crackdown, writing it appears to be driven by daily quotas, even at the cost of traumatizing children.”
- Public reaction:
- Images of Liam in a bunny hat and Spider-Man backpack “being surrounded by ICE agents in Minneapolis” fueled outcry.
- Protests erupted at the Dilley, Texas, family detention center, met with tear gas by state troopers.
NASA’s Next Lunar Mission Preparation
[03:02 – 03:47]
- Key development: NASA begins a two-day simulated countdown for its new moon rocket at Kennedy Space Center—a “dress rehearsal” before the first crewed lunar mission in over 50 years.
- The Space Launch System will be fueled, but not fired.
- If successful, launch could be as early as February 8.
- Astronauts to circle the moon in the Orion capsule, return after ~10 days.
Pop Culture Moment: Country Music Meets Climate
[03:47 – 04:03]
- Country singer John Rich releases a new song ribbing Al Gore amid the deep freeze, Global Warming Is Freezing Us to Death.
John Rich [03:47]: “Hey, Al Gore, you still sure the planet’s burning up? Cause everywhere I go it’s awfully cold and the pipes are freezing shut. And in my house when I lay down I can almost see my breath now.”
- The video, featuring Rich “bundled up with a snowy backdrop,” has gone viral with over 1 million views.
Notable Quotes & Moments
-
On extreme weather:
“The wind plus these cold temperatures gonna make it feel a whole lot worse.”
— Adam Klotz [00:27] -
On possible war escalation:
"Any US Attack would spark a regional war, quote, unquote."
— Paul Stevens, summarizing Iran’s Supreme Leader [00:50] -
On negotiations with Iran:
“If they don't come to a deal soon, what happens next could be worse than Operation Midnight Hammer in June.”
— Ainsley Earhardt [01:10] -
On immigration policy criticism:
"...appears to be driven by daily quotas, even at the cost of traumatizing children."
— Judge Fred Beary, via Carmen Roberts [02:23] -
On the cultural cold snap:
“Hey, Al Gore, you still sure the planet’s burning up?...”
— John Rich [03:47]
Timeline Highlights
- 00:02: Winter storm update—severe impacts across Eastern U.S.
- 00:50: Iran’s warning and U.S. negotiation stance
- 01:21: Regional skepticism of deal; Saudi position on U.S. military use
- 02:16: Federal judge criticizes ICE, orders child/family release
- 03:02: NASA moon mission practice
- 03:47: John Rich’s viral song satirizes global warming
Summary prepared for listeners seeking a brisk, informative digest of current major news with topical commentary and cultural context.