NPR News: 02-18-2026 12PM EST

Summary

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NPR News Now – February 18, 2026, 12PM EST

Host: Lakshmi Singh
Duration: ~5 minutes

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Episode Overview

This episode delivers NPR’s top news stories for midday February 18, 2026. Topics include testimony from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, the deposition of Les Wexner linked to Jeffrey Epstein, updates on Moderna’s mRNA flu shot, a new Lent campaign by the National Council of Churches, China’s denial of US nuclear testing allegations, and the state of peace talks regarding Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg in Court over Social Media Addiction

(00:17 – 01:04)

• Focus: Zuckerberg testifies in a California trial considering whether social media companies can be held liable for youth addiction to platforms.
• Context: Meta (Instagram & Facebook) and Google’s YouTube are under scrutiny for features like infinite scroll and auto-play.
• Arguments:
  • Plaintiffs liken these apps to “digital casinos” that affect developing brains similarly to slot machines.
• Notable Quote:
  • “They argue that Instagram and YouTube affect kids' brains no differently than a slot machine.” — Bobby Allen (00:58)

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2. Les Wexner Deposed about Jeffrey Epstein Ties

(01:04 – 01:40)

• Focus: Billionaire L Brands founder Les Wexner questioned in Ohio about connections to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
• Context: Wexner’s name is mentioned over a thousand times in DOJ documents about Epstein.
• Wexner’s Position: He denies any knowledge of Epstein’s crimes.

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3. FDA to Reconsider Moderna’s mRNA Flu Shot

(01:40 – 02:24)

• Focus: FDA reverses earlier decision; will review Moderna’s application for an mRNA-based flu vaccine.
• Background:
  • FDA initially refused to review, citing lack of comparison to existing high-dose flu shots for older adults.
  • Moderna now agrees to an age-focused, post-marketing confirmatory study.
• Timeline: Vaccine could be available for the next flu season if approved.
• Notable Quote:
  • “Moderna says the new vaccine would be ready for the next flu season pending FDA approval.” — Sidney Lupkin (02:19)

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4. Ash Wednesday and New National Prayer Campaign

(02:24 – 03:12)

• Focus: Launch of the “Deliver Us From Evil” prayer campaign by the National Council of Churches for the season of Lent.
• Campaign Details:
  • Participants wear black on Ash Wednesday.
  • Daily noon prayers throughout Lent.
  • Social media posts calling for justice, compassion, and protection of the vulnerable.
• Outreach: The campaign spans 37 denominations and more than 30 million Christians.
• Notable Quote:
  • The campaign calls for people of faith to “raise their prophetic voices for justice, compassion and protection of the vulnerable.” — Jason DeRose (03:07)

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5. China Denies US Allegations of Illicit Nuclear Testing

(03:12 – 04:14)

• Focus: China rebuffs US claims of secret nuclear weapons tests, labeling them as pretexts for renewed US testing.
• Details:
  • US points to 2020 seismic activity in Kazakhstan as evidence.
  • China calls this an attempt by America to assert nuclear dominance.
• Notable Quote:
  • “Chinese officials say this allegation is part of America’s attempt to seek nuclear hegemony.” — Jennifer Pak (04:10)

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6. Ukraine-Russia Peace Talks Stalled

(04:14 – 04:55)

• Focus: On the eve of the fourth anniversary of Russia’s invasion, peace talks in Geneva see no breakthrough.
• Statements:
  • Ukrainian Defense Minister: Talks were “substantive.”
  • President Zelensky accuses Russia of stalling talks while maintaining military pressure.
• Market Update:
  • US stocks trading higher; Dow Jones up 280 points to 49,813.

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Notable Quotes

• Bobby Allen, on social media companies:
  “They argue that Instagram and YouTube affect kids' brains no differently than a slot machine.” (00:58)
• Sidney Lupkin, on mRNA flu shot:
  “Moderna says the new vaccine would be ready for the next flu season pending FDA approval.” (02:19)
• Jason DeRose, on Lent campaign:
  The campaign calls for people to “raise their prophetic voices for justice, compassion and protection of the vulnerable.” (03:07)
• Jennifer Pak, on nuclear tensions:
  “Chinese officials say this allegation is part of America’s attempt to seek nuclear hegemony.” (04:10)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Meta & Social Media Addiction Trial: 00:17 – 01:04
• Les Wexner Deposition: 01:04 – 01:40
• Moderna mRNA Flu Shot: 01:40 – 02:24
• NCC Ash Wednesday Campaign: 02:24 – 03:12
• China Nuclear Test Denial: 03:12 – 04:14
• Ukraine Peace Talks & Markets: 04:14 – 04:55

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Transcript

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[Lakshmi Singh]

Live from NPR News, I'm Lakshmi Singh. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg takes the witness stand today in California in a state court trial over whether social media companies are are legally responsible for young people's addiction to their products. In Meta's case, platforms such as Instagram and Facebook are under scrutiny. NPR's Bobby Allen reports on the proceedings in Los Angeles.

[Bobby Allen]

The trial so far has focused on whether Meta's Instagram and Google's YouTube should be considered defective products for unleashing into the world all sorts of features that we all know by now, like Infinite Squirrel. You keep scrolling, scrolling, scrolling, autoplaying features, being able to like posts. So the lawyers battling the tech company say the apps are like digital casinos. They argue that Instagram and YouTube affect kids brains no differently than a slot machine.

[Lakshmi Singh]

NPR's Bobby Allen. Billionaire Les Wexner, founder of L Brands, is being deposed in Ohio today about his close relationship with late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The 88 year old's name appears more than a thousand times in the reams of documents the Justice Department released on Epstein. Wexner denies he knew anything about the wealthy financier's sex crimes involving the sexual abuse of children and rape, the Food and Drug Administration's reversing course and will consider approving Moderna's experimental flu shot after all. The decision coming a little more than a week after the agency refused to review the jab. Here's NPR's Sidney Lupkin.

[Sidney Lupkin]

The FDA rattled the biotech industry when it said it wouldn't even look at Moderna's application to market the first MRNA flu shot. Moderna used its MRNA technology to swiftly create and manufacture its COVID 19 shot during the pandemic. The company wants to use the same technology to make a flu vaccine. Initially, the FDA said it wouldn't review the new shot because the company didn't compare it to a high dose flu vaccine in older people. Now Moderna says it will take an age based approach and agreed to add a confirmatory study after marketing begins that will focus on older adults. The company says the new vaccine would be ready for the next flu season pending FDA approval. Sidney Lupkin, NPR News.

[Lakshmi Singh]

Today is Ash Wednesday, when many Christians begin to observe the season of Lent. NPR's Jason DeRose reports. The National Council of Churches is launching a new prayer campaign.

[Jason DeRose]

The campaign is called Deliver Us From Evil, which is a phrase from the Lord's Prayer as described in the Gospel of Matthew. The campaign asks participants to wear black on Ash Wednesday as a visible sign of witness and unity, to pray daily at noon throughout Lent, and to post photos of themselves on social media with a sign saying Deliver us from evil. The largely progressive National Council of Churches represents more than 30 million Christians from 37 different denominations. It's calling on people of faith to, quote, raise their prophetic voices for justice, compassion and protection of the vulnerable. Jason desrose, NPR News from Washington.

[Lakshmi Singh]

This is NPR News. The Chinese government is denying US Allegations that it had conducted illicit nuclear tests in recent years. It calls the accusation unfounded. NPR's Jennifer Paak has the latest from Shanghai.

[Jennifer Pak]

The U.S. is fabricating a pretext to resume nuclear testing, according to a statement from the Chinese Embassy in Washington emailed to the media. Most of the world's nuclear powers haven't done nuclear testing since the 1990s. But but on Tuesday, the US government shared new details to bolster its claim that China conducted a secret nuclear weapons test back in 2020. It points to a remote seismic station in Kazakhstan that detected a tiny earthquake, which the US Says was really an explosion coming from China's main nuclear testing site. Chinese officials say this allegation is part of America's attempt to seek nuclear hegemony. Jennifer Pack, NPR News, Shanghai.

[Lakshmi Singh]

Ahead of the fourth anniversary of Russia's full scale invasion of Ukraine, still no sign of a breakthrough in the latest US Brokered peace talks in Geneva. Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umarov told reporters that talks were substantive. But Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of trying to drag out negotiations while continuing its military assault on his country. US Stocks are trading higher this hour. The Dow Jones industrial average is now up 280 points, more than half a percent at 49,813. This is NPR News.

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