11PM ET 06/18/2026 Newscast

Summary

Fox News Hourly Update – 11PM ET 06/18/2026 Newscast

Brief Overview

This Fox News Hourly Update (11PM ET, June 18, 2026) delivers concise, fast-paced coverage of developing national and global events. Major topics include the postponement of U.S.-Iran nuclear negotiations, the escalation of Israeli military actions in Lebanon, record-breaking Ukrainian drone attacks on Moscow, a high-profile legal case involving Carlos Mencia, and updates on domestic crime, labor market trends, and public celebrations in New York.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. US-Iran Nuclear Negotiations Postponed

• [00:02] Lisa Lucera breaks the news that Vice President J.D. Vance has delayed a diplomatic trip to Switzerland aimed at leading a new round of nuclear negotiations with Iran.

• The delay follows an Arab TV channel, aligned with Hezbollah, reporting that Iran is holding back its delegation due to Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Lebanon.

• V.P. Vance’s Statement: He underscores the importance of restraint:

  “The Israelis, just like everybody else, have to respect this peace that is fundamentally good for them and good for the entire region.” — Chris Foster & Kevin Cork, paraphrasing Vance [00:28-00:33]

• President Trump is reportedly frustrated by bombings in Lebanon harming civilians unaffiliated with Hezbollah.

2. Congressional Oversight on Pentagon Actions

• [00:35] Lisa Lucera: Reports that Senate Democrats are attempting to block travel funds for War Secretary Pete Hegg due to a delayed Pentagon investigation report.
• The report centers on a deadly strike on an elementary school in Iran at the outset of the US-Iran conflict. Preliminary findings attribute the strike to outdated US intelligence.

3. Ukraine’s Largest Drone Strike on Moscow

• [01:11] Kevin Cork: Ukraine conducted a record drone attack on Moscow, targeting the city’s main oil refinery.
  • “The drone barrage torching the city’s main oil refinery for the second time in a week… just 10 miles from the Kremlin.” — Kevin Cork [01:11-01:19]
  • Russia claims to have shot down over 500 drones overnight, with significant disruption to Moscow’s airports and 17 injuries reported (including two children).

4. International Community’s Support for Ukraine

• [01:40] Lisa Lucera: Notes that G7 summit leaders in France, including the US, have agreed to increase support for Ukraine amidst ongoing conflict.

5. Carlos Mencia Charged with Tax Evasion

• [01:59] Lisa Lucera: Comedian Carlos Mencia faces 12 felony counts for failing to report or pay taxes on more than $8 million in earnings.

6. Military Crime in Georgia

• [02:52] Lisa Lucera & [02:57] Chris Foster: Army Sergeant Cornelius Radford was convicted of attempted murder for a mass shooting at Fort Stewart, Georgia that wounded five.
  • Radford pled guilty to aggravated assault and domestic violence, but denied intending to kill.
  • “Defense attorneys say he was suicidal and hoping he’d be killed by police… One victim was shot in the face…” — Chris Foster [03:07-03:24]
  • Sentencing is scheduled for Monday.

7. Chicago Hate Crime and Arson

• [03:29] Lisa Lucera: Merlin Liu (21) charged with hate crime, arson, and related offenses for burning a cross in Chicago’s Grant Park, claiming protest against President Trump, not racial animus.
  • Site significance: Grant Park was the location of President Obama’s 2008 acceptance speech.

8. U.S. Labor Market Update

• [03:56] Economic Reporter:
  • New unemployment claims declined to 226,000 last week.
  • Continuing claims rose to 1.8 million, indicating increased job search duration for some.
  • Fed Chair Kevin Warsh assesses labor market as “stable,” noting a positive medium-term trend:

    “The three to six month trend, which he considers more important than a one month report, is moving in a good direction.” [04:25-04:30]

9. Knicks Championship Parade

• [04:33] Lisa Lucera: NYPD estimates 2 million at the Knicks parade; several arrests reported, details pending.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• [00:29] Chris Foster:

  “The Israelis, just like everybody else, have to respect this peace that is fundamentally good for them and good for the entire region.”

• [01:11] Kevin Cork:

  “The drone barrage torching the city’s main oil refinery for the second time in a week… just 10 miles from the Kremlin.”

• [03:07] Chris Foster:

  “Defense attorneys say he was suicidal and hoping he’d be killed by police.”

• [04:28] Economic Reporter:

  “The three to six month trend, which he considers more important than a one month report, is moving in a good direction.”

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Key Timestamps

• 00:02: White House & Iran nuclear negotiations postponed
• 00:28: VP Vance on Israel-Lebanon situation
• 01:11: Ukraine drones target Moscow oil refinery
• 01:40: G7 increases Ukraine support
• 01:59: Carlos Mencia indicted
• 02:52: Army sergeant guilty in Georgia shooting
• 03:29: Chicago cross-burning hate crime charges
• 03:56: Labor market & unemployment update
• 04:33: Knicks championship parade turnout & arrests

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Summary

This newscast encapsulates a turbulent day in global and national affairs: major diplomatic setbacks in nuclear talks, dramatic battlefield developments in Ukraine and Russia, pressures on U.S. military accountability, high-profile legal troubles for a celebrity, and lively national events such as the Knicks’ historic parade. Throughout, the coverage balances breaking news urgency with brief, insightful commentary—emphasizing implications and official reactions while marking pivotal developments across key issues.

Transcript

[Lisa Lucera]

This is a FOX News alert. It's postponed. I'm Lisa Licera. The White House Says Vice President J.D. vance is delaying a trip to Switzerland where he was to lead a new round of negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program. The announcement coming after an Arab TV channel that's aligned with Hezbollah reported that Iran is delaying sending its delegation over Israel's ongoing military campaign in Lebanon. The vice president said this this afternoon

[Chris Foster]

the Israelis, just like everybody else, have

[Kevin Cork]

to respect this pe that is fundamentally

[Chris Foster]

good for them and good for the entire region.

[Lisa Lucera]

And Vance said President Trump is frustrated over the continued bombings in Lebanon that are injuring and killing people that have no ties to Hezbollah. Democrats on the Senate Armed Services Committee seeking to block War Secretary Pete Hegg says travel funds until the Pentagon submits reports to lawmakers, including its investigation into a deadly strike on an elementary school in Iran at the start of the U. S. Iran conflict. Officials have preliminarily said the US Was responsible for the strike, which was on outdated intelligence. Ukraine has targeted Russia's capital city in its largest drone strike since the start of the war.

[Kevin Cork]

The drone barrage torching the city's main oil refinery for the second time in a week. This all by the way, happening just 10 miles from the Kremlin. Those strikes disrupting commercial flights across Moscow overnight. And while Russia claims it shot down more than 500 drones overnight, nearly 200 over Moscow alone and four airports going dark in the process. Seventeen reported injuries, including a pair of kids as debris rained down on apartment buildings, a mall, a fitness center.

[Lisa Lucera]

Fox's Kevin Cork in Washington. Zelensky sang World leaders at the G7 summit in France, including the US have agreed to further support Ukraine. Stand up. Comic Carlos Mencia facing 12 felony charges for failing to report or pay taxes and more than $8 million in earnings. America's listening to Fox News.

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[Lisa Lucera]

An army sergeant found guilty of attempted murder for a mass shooting at a base in Georgia.

[Chris Foster]

Sergeant Cornelius Radford is found guilty by a military judge at for Stewart, Georgia, where he shot and wounded five people last August. His ex fiance who'd followed him to the base, then four soldiers before being subdued by a group of other soldiers. It's six counts of attempted murder, including someone Radford shot at and missed. He pled guilty in March to aggravated assault and domestic violence charges, but says he never intended to kill anyone. Defense attorneys say he was suicidal and hoping he'd be killed by police. One victim was shot in the face, one in the chest, the others in the back and abdomen. A sentencing hearing is scheduled Monday. Chris Foster, fox news.

[Lisa Lucera]

A 21 year old man has been charged with a hate crime, arson and other offenses after authorities in Chicago say he burned a cross in a popular park. Merlin Liu admitted to a local TV station this week he was responsible for the cross burning in Grant Park June 9, but said he was protesting President Trump and not using the burning cross as a historical symbol of hate. Grant park is where President Obama delivered his acceptance speech in 2008. The latest numbers on the job market are mixed.

[Economic Reporter]

Fewer people signed up for unemployment benefits in the most recent report. New claims declined to 226,000 last week, down 4,000 from the previous week, though continuing claims, those remaining on Benefits rose to 1.8 million, an increase of 24,000, suggesting some people were taking longer to find a new position. That report is from the week of June 6th. Fed Chair Kevin Warsh wrapped up his first news conference assessing the labor markets as stable. He says the three to six month trend, which he considers more important than a one month report, is moving in a good direction.

[Lisa Lucera]

Fox's Jenny Casola the NYPD says 2 million people attended today's Knicks championship parade and also says multiple people were arrested, though exact numbers have not yet been released. I'm Lisa Lucera. This is FOX News.

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