Fox News Hourly Update – 9PM ET 02/18/2026 Newscast

Host: Lisa Licera (Fox News Podcasts)
Date: February 19, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode provides top national news headlines as of 9PM ET, focused on high-impact legal cases, major safety investigations, domestic politics, and corporate controversy. Key topics include social media addiction lawsuits, a tragic avalanche in California, a major crackdown on commercial driving schools, NYC's shifting homelessness policy, Democratic Party polling after the 2024 election, and controversy over Reese’s brand changes.

Key Segments & Discussion Points

1. Social Media Addiction Lawsuit – Mark Zuckerberg Testifies

[00:03–00:59]

• Main Point:
  Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, takes the stand in a Los Angeles trial accusing Meta and YouTube of designing addictive features that may contribute to teen depression and suicidal thoughts.

• Discussion Highlights:

  • Plaintiffs allege Meta and YouTube have not done enough to keep underage users (under 13) off their platforms.
  • Zuckerberg claims, “Users under that age are not allowed on the app and reps work to remove them. Admitting verifying ages is challenging, but efforts to do so continue to improve.” [00:23]
  • Plaintiffs question if Meta used research on 8–12-year-olds’ digital behavior to target younger users. Zuckerberg asserts, “This was outside research that I never received.” [00:40]
  • Claims that “teens are not valuable to advertisers and make up less than 1% of Meta's revenue,” emphasizing safety priorities. [00:50]

• Notable Quote:

  “Verifying ages is challenging, but efforts to do so continue to improve.”
  —Mark Zuckerberg [00:23]

• Context:
  TikTok and Snap have already settled and are no longer defendants. The lawsuit continues against Meta and YouTube.

2. California Avalanche – Eight Dead, Search Ongoing

[00:59–01:42]

• Main Point:
  Avalanche near Castle Peak, CA claims eight lives during a backcountry ski expedition; one person remains missing.

• Discussion Highlights:

  • Sheriff Shannon Moon: Details challenging search and rescue due to weather and conditions.
  • Ainsley Earhart: “Still looking for one of the members at this time due to the ongoing challenges of the weather, the avalanche conditions. The effort remains ongoing.” [01:14]
  • The group was near the city of Truckee, six people survived after six hours trapped.

• Notable Quote:

  “An avalanche warning went into effect Tuesday morning as the group of four guides and 11 skiers were finishing up a three-day skiing expedition…”
  —Sheriff Shannon Moon [01:28]

3. U.S. Foreign Policy – Secretary of State Rubio’s Trip to Israel

[01:42–02:02]

• Main Point:
  Secretary of State Marco Rubio preparing to visit Israel to update Prime Minister Netanyahu on U.S.-Iran nuclear talks.

• Context:
  Compact headline with few details, but notable as a diplomatic development.

4. Department of Transportation Closes Hundreds of Trucking Schools

[02:30–03:17]

• Main Point:
  The DOT is shutting down over 550 commercial driving schools after investigations reveal widespread safety and compliance failures.

• Discussion Highlights:

  • 1,400 sting operations found many schools used unqualified instructors and skipped essential safety instruction.
  • 448 schools failed to meet safety standards; 109 de-listed themselves upon learning of upcoming inspections.
  • Jill Nadeau: “The feds have been cracking down on the schools since last summer, when a truck driver from India made an illegal U-turn in Florida and killed three people.” [02:46]
  • Safety concerns address both training quality and hazardous material handling.

5. NYC Shifts Policy on Homeless Encampments

[03:17–03:39]

• Main Point:
  Mayor Zoran Mamdani announces resumption of homeless encampment removals in NYC, promising a more humane approach.

• Discussion Highlights:

  • The mayor paused the policy upon taking office in January but now says cleanups will continue with new procedures.
  • The mayor had previously criticized the practice.

6. Democrats’ Post-Election Polling Malaise

[03:39–04:09]

• Main Point:
  An AP-NORC poll shows continuing Democratic disillusionment after losing the 2024 election.

• Key Statistics (per Chris Foster):

  • “About 3 in 10 Democrats say they do not [have a positive view of the Democratic Party]. The 7 in 10 saying yes is a little higher than it was in October, but still down from the 85% favorability in September 2024 before President Trump beat Vice President Harris in the election.” [03:44]
  • 1 in 4 Americans have a negative view of both major parties, with negativity strongest among independents and under-45s.
  • Only 1 in 10 Americans feel good about both parties.
  • Republican enthusiasm is reportedly higher than Democratic.

• Notable Quote:

  “Roughly a quarter of Americans surveyed have a negative view of both parties. That's especially the case among independents and people under 45.”
  —Chris Foster [03:52]

7. Reese's Brand Controversy – Family Member Criticizes Hershey

[04:09–04:28]

• Main Point:
  Brad Reese, grandson of the inventor of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, accuses Hershey of damaging the brand by using cheaper ingredients.

• Discussion Highlight:

  • Brad Reese’s claims were aired on LinkedIn, sparking debate over Hershey's ingredient choices.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Mark Zuckerberg on Underage Users:
  “Verifying ages is challenging, but efforts to do so continue to improve.” [00:23]

• Ainsley Earhart on Avalanche Rescue:
  “Still looking for one of the members at this time due to the ongoing challenges of the weather, the avalanche conditions. The effort remains ongoing.” [01:14]

• Chris Foster on Democratic Sentiment Post-2024 Election:
  “About 3 in 10 Democrats say they do not [have a positive view of the Democratic Party]... only 1 in 10 feel good about both parties.” [03:44]

Segment Timestamps Reference

• 00:03 – Meta social media addiction lawsuit, Zuckerberg testimony
• 00:59 – California avalanche deaths and rescue update
• 01:42 – Secretary Rubio’s Israel trip headline
• 02:30 – DOT crackdown on commercial driving schools
• 03:17 – NYC mayor on homeless encampment cleanups
• 03:39 – Poll: Democrats post-election mood; general party favorability
• 04:09 – Reese's family vs. Hershey ingredient controversy

Summary prepared for listeners who want all critical headlines and context from the Fox News Hourly Update, 9PM ET, February 18, 2026.