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Meta Head to Stand at the Social Media Addiction Trial; Adidas Track Top Goes Viral; Christian and Muslim Communities Mark the Start of Two Important Religious Observances Worldwide. Aired 3-3:45a ET

Aired February 18, 2026 - 03:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

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ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world. I'm Rosemary Church, Just ahead.

The last day of Ukraine-Russia peace talks picks up today in Geneva as President Zelenskyy refuses to give up the Donbass region to Russia.

Mark Zuckerberg will take the stand later today as Meta is accused of harming children by making their apps intentionally addictive.

And what a viral Adidas jacket says about young people's growing embrace of all things Chinese.

UNKNOWN (voice-over): Live from Atlanta, this is "CNN Newsroom" with Rosemary Church.

CHURCH: Good to have you with us.

A third round of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine with the U.S. mediating will resume today. It's unclear how much of any progress has been made.

Russian state media called the talks very tense and Ukraine's lead negotiator said the discussions have focused on practical issues. U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff posted, quote, "President Trump's success in bringing both sides of this war together has brought about meaningful progress. Both parties agreed to update their respective leaders and continue working towards a deal."

Well during an interview with Axios, the Ukrainian President said a leader level meeting with Russia's Vladimir Putin is the best way to make headway. Volodymyr Zelenskyy also said it was not fair of the U.S. president to publicly pressure Ukraine but not Russia to make concessions.

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VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): The team must definitely raise the issue of these strikes, first and foremost with the which have proposed to both us and Russia that we refrain from attacks. Ukraine is ready.

We do not need this war. We always act in a mirror response. We defend our state and our independence.

At the same time, we are ready to move quickly toward a just agreement to end the war. The only question is for the Russians. What do they want?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: CNN's Fred Pleitgen has a closer look at the talks in Geneva.

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FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it certainly doesn't seem as though very much in the way of progress was achieved during the talks. I mean, there was no press conference. There was actually supposed to be a press conference by both the Russians and the Ukrainians separately.

Obviously, both of those were canceled and the negotiations ended at some point in the, I wouldn't say even too late evening hours. So it does appear as though the talks progress appears to have been quite difficult. It's unclear what exactly the Russian strategy is.

Of course, we have heard in the past from the negotiators, especially from Steve Witkoff, that he believes that progress was being achieved. But of course, a lot of that progress is also very hard to come by, especially if you look at some of the most difficult issues that are on the table. I would say one of them being security guarantees for the Ukrainians, what the Russians would be willing to accept as far as Western security guarantees for the Ukrainians.

And then, of course, that huge topic of territories, which and if territories the Ukrainians would see to the Russians as part of any peace agreement. And so today, it seems as though the negotiations went on for a very long time. One of the things that I thought was quite interesting is that as they were wrapping up today, the political part of the talks apparently wrapped up earlier than the military part of the talk.

So they went on for a little bit longer still, though, it seems as though progress, not sure how much was actually achieved today.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: Iran and the U.S. walked away from Tuesday's nuclear negotiations with guiding principles for future talks. That is according to Iran's foreign minister.

He says this round of indirect negotiations with U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, in Geneva were more serious than the first set of talks in Oman. But in the run up to the talks, the United States has been building up its military assets in the Middle East. Vice President J.D. Vance explains why.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

J.D. VANCE, U.S. VICE PRESIDENT: Everything is on the table. We certainly want Iran to stop being a state sponsor of terrorism. They're one of the world's largest state sponsors of terrorism.

There are a lot of ways in which they endanger America's national security. But the most important way they could is if they acquired a nuclear weapon. And that is the red line the President of the United States has consistently said.

Yes, of course, the Iranians say that they're not interested in a nuclear weapon. We know, in fact, that's not true. They have shown a number of things that make it clear that they're interested in acquiring a nuclear weapon.

Our goal is to make sure that doesn't happen.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

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CHURCH: CNN's Natasha Bertrand has more now on the negotiations.

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NATASHA BERTRAND, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: U.S. officials struck a cautiously optimistic tone coming out of talks with Iran in Geneva on Tuesday, telling CNN that, quote, "progress was made," but that there are still outstanding details to be worked out to address, quote, "some of the open gaps in our positions."

Now, a U.S. official said the Iranians said that they would come back to the U.S. in two weeks with more detailed proposals. But a key sticking point between the U.S. and Iran has been the question of Iran's uranium enrichment and what to do about its enriched uranium stockpile, which could be used to make a nuclear weapon.

Sources said that Iran has expressed an openness to shipping its enriched uranium to Russia and pausing its enrichment activities for a period of time. But the U.S. has demanded that Iran stop enriching uranium altogether.

It's worth noting as well that these talks also come as the U.S. has been building up its military presence in the Middle East, with a second aircraft carrier en route to the region and multiple fighter jet squadrons and other air and naval assets also being moved there. And several U.S. military units that were deployed to the region and were expecting to rotate out in the coming weeks have also had their orders extended, in a sign that military action is being planned.

President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened military action against Iran and warned Tehran of a, quote, "very traumatic outcome if they don't agree to a deal in the coming weeks." Iran on Tuesday announced that it would be conducting naval drills that would include closing parts of the Strait of Hormuz, adding that the exercises would simulate, quote, "real maritime threats." The administration still does not appear to have a clear

understanding, though, of what would actually come next if it removed the Iranian regime by force, according to multiple sources. And Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed that during a congressional hearing late last month, telling lawmakers that, quote, "no one knows who would take over if the Iranian regime fell."

Natasha Bertrand, CNN in Washington.

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CHURCH: Earlier, I spoke with Fawaz Gerges, a professor of international relations at the London School of Economics. I asked him what he thought about the U.S. military buildup in the Middle East and where it could lead.

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FAWAZ GERGES, PROF. OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS, LONDON SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS: Well, I mean, I think the good news is that Iran and the United States continue to talk to each other. This provides a glimmer of hope.

The alarming news is that the next phase of the talk is very alarming because the divide between Iran and the United States is so huge. And my own reading is that the odds are against a diplomatic breakthrough. The first question is that what does Iran want?

Iranian leaders have reiterated their readiness to really make painful concessions in order to reach a deal, a nuclear deal with the United States in return for lifting the American sanctions. This is what Iran wants to focus basically on the nuclear deal.

The United States, President Trump has expanded his demands from Iran. He wants to basically shatter or basically destroy the Iranian nuclear program permanently, he wants to limit Iran's ballistic missiles program, and he also wants to end Iran's support for its local allies in the region, which really means translation is he wants Iran to submit to surrender.

And that's why I fear if the United States insists on really Iranians and Iran's submission or surrender, I doubt it very much whether we're going to see any diplomatic breakthrough in the next few weeks.

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CHURCH: Peru's interim president has been removed from office following a political scandal just four months after he was sworn in. Congress voted to censure Jose Jeri following accusations that he held off the record meetings with Chinese business people; he apologized for the meetings, but denies any wrongdoing. His ouster marks Peru's eighth change of leader in nearly a decade.

Meantime, lawmakers are set to vote on the next interim president. A general election is expected to take place in April. The U.S. military has struck three more alleged drug trafficking vessels in the eastern Pacific and Caribbean. U.S. command reports all 11 people on board were killed, that brings the total death toll from the U.S. campaign against international drug trafficking to 135. Democrats and legal experts say the strikes amount to murdering civilians since the U.S. has not declared and Congress has not authorized a war on drug cartels.

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Venezuela appears to be a different country since the U.S. captured its longtime authoritarian leader, Nicolas Maduro, less than two months ago. CNN's Stefano Pozzebon looks at the warming ties between Washington and Caracas.

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STEFANO POZZEBON, CNN CONTRIBUTOR (voice-over): The threats, the pressure, the daring night raid, it all led to this. The United States is getting what it wants from Venezuela, but it wants more of it. And this visit by Energy Secretary Chris Wright is conveying that message.

POZZEBON: Now, all of the oil that is stored in this massive tank already goes directly to the United States. It goes to Houston. But that is just a tiny fraction of what this country could produce.

POZZEBON (voice-over): Wright and acting President Delcy Rodriguez touring this facility, a partnership between U.S. major Chevron and Venezuela's PDVSA.

It pumps out 40,000 barrels a day, and it could produce 7.5 times more. But obstacles remain.

CHRIS WRIGHT, U.S. ENERGY SECRETARY: It's just to get the political and economic arrangements as smooth as possible between our countries.

POZZEBON (voice-over): The arrangements the U.S. wants don't seem to align with those of student protesters in Caracas.

Oil is secondary here. They want the Trump administration to finish what it started and to see hundreds of political prisoners being released.

UNKNOWN (through translator): They can't release one, two, three. They must all be freed immediately.

POZZEBON (voice-over): Six weeks since the U.S. forces stormed Caracas, capturing and taking President Nicolas Muturo, things have changed in Venezuela. Relations with the U.S. are on demand, and a new hydrocarbon law was passed to attract investment. Prices are dropping, and the country's National Assembly is discussing an amnesty bill for political prisoners.

At Miraflores, where Muturo used to live, another sign of change. The stars and stripes now hoisted on the doorstep.

WRIGHT: We want to set the Venezuelan people and the economy free.

POZZEBON (voice-over): But as time goes by, many wonder if the U.S. is actually interested in change or just wanted a more cooperative leader in Caracas.

Stefano Pozzebon, CNN, Caracas.

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CHURCH: More fallout for a former British royal with ties to Jeffrey Epstein. Up next, why the former Duchess of York is shutting down several companies.

Plus details on the French President's visit to India and what's been called a special and strategic partnership.

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CHURCH: The fallout of the Epstein files continues to impact the British royal family and some former royals. The latest furor involves companies connected to Sarah Ferguson, the former Duchess of York. Max Foster reports from London.

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MAX FOSTER, CNN ROYAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Six companies listing Britain's Sarah Ferguson as sole director are set to shut down as the Epstein firestorm rolls on. The former duchess and her ex- husband, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, are under renewed scrutiny over their ties to the late financier after Epstein pleaded guilty to prostitution charges involving an underage minor.

Last year, Ferguson's spokesperson said she'd cut off relations with Epstein, quote, "as soon as she was aware of the extent of the allegations against him." DOJ files suggest otherwise. Epstein's crimes were publicly reported in 2006, the year he was also first arrested.

The latest tranche of files released by the Department of Justice revealed the depth of Ferguson's friendship with the late financier, with one email thread discussing a lunch date in Palm Beach.

This was 2009, just five days after Epstein was released from jail after serving 13 months. It'll be myself, Beatrice and Eugenie, Ferguson tells him, referring to her daughters at the time, aged 20 and 19 years old. Cannot wait to see you, she tells Epstein in a subsequent email.

Another exchange between Epstein and his assistant shows that he paid more than $14,000 to fly the duchess and the two princesses to the U.S. on that trip.

Just days later, Ferguson thanks him for being the brother I've always wished for.

And the following year, she goes as far as saying, you're a legend. I'm at your service. Just marry me.

Then in March 2011, Ferguson publicly apologizes for being associated with Epstein, saying in an interview, quote, "I appall pedophilia and any sexual abuse of children and know that this was a gigantic error of judgment on my behalf."

Except that in private, she appears to apologize to Epstein for publicly denouncing him, calling him a supreme friend. Ferguson's spokesman told British media this email was sent in the context of advice the duchess was given to try to assuage Epstein and his threats.

Now, publicly available documents show that in the past few days, six companies, which lists Ferguson as the sole director, all filed an application to strike the company off the U.K.'s official companies house register. It's not clear exactly what services those companies provided or whether they were active at all.

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We reached out to Ferguson's representatives multiple times for comment on the exchanges seen in the Epstein documents. CNN has also requested comment from princesses Beatrice and Eugenie.

Max Foster, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: The French President is on day two of his three day swing through India. During the next few hours, he is expected to arrive in the capital, New Delhi, for a conference on opportunities for scientific cooperation. Emmanuel Macron's visit is aimed at boosting defense, trade and tech ties.

The Macrons received a warm welcome from the Indian prime minister in Mumbai on Tuesday and attended a special light show. The French President's talks with Narendra Modi appear to be focused on A.I. cooperation and a possible multibillion dollar deal for more French warplanes.

In the coming hours, Mark Zuckerberg faces a jury. We will have more on the landmark social media trial next.

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Welcome back to "CNN Newsroom," I'm Rosemary Church. I want to check today's top stories for you.

DNA from the glove found about two miles away from Nancy Guthrie's home will now be sent for genetic genealogy analysis. On Tuesday, the Pima County sheriff announced it did not find a match in the FBI's national database or any links to DNA evidence from the missing 84 year old's home.

The U.S. and Iran both say that Tuesday's nuclear negotiations in Geneva were positive, but the two countries acknowledge there's still a lot of ground to cover. This comes as the U.S. ramps up its military buildup in the Middle East. Vice President J.D. Vance says the Trump administration is keeping every option, quote, "on the table" if negotiations break down.

The third round of talks between Ukraine, Russia and the U.S. will wrap up later today. So far, there's no sign of a breakthrough. But the U.S. special envoy insists meaningful progress has been made, he says all sides will update their leaders and keep working towards a deal.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is preparing to face grieving families in a few hours when he takes a stand in the landmark social media addiction trial in Los Angeles. CNN's Clare Duffy has a preview.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CLARE DUFFY, CNN TECH REPORTER: Yes, this is absolutely going to be one of the biggest days in this trial. Mark Zuckerberg taking the stand to testify for the first time before a jury about these claims that his platforms have harmed young users and also in the audience tomorrow are going to be families, parents who say their children were harmed or died as a result of social media.

And what I think is really remarkable is that among the parents that are flying from around the country into L.A. and hopes of securing a seat in this courtroom are parents who are also in the audience in 2024 on Capitol Hill in that moment that you'll remember where Mark Zuckerberg turned around to face families and apologize for the harms that they say their children experienced online.

Now, we expect that Mark Zuckerberg tomorrow will be asked questions that try to get at the reasonableness of the steps that this company has taken to try to protect teens and children on the platform. These questions that are going to ask what the company knew about the potential risks to young people and whether it did enough. And we know that there are internal Meta documents that have come out in the course of this litigation that suggest, for example, that only a small number of teen users as of around this time last year were actually enrolled in parental oversight tools. So those are the kinds of things that we think that Mark will get asked about during his testimony.

I'm also told by legal experts that it's going to be very important how Zuckerberg presents on the stand. Does the jury find him likable and trustworthy? So lots to watch there.

And just a reminder of what the stakes are here for both Meta and YouTube, which are the defendants in this case. If the jury sides with the plaintiff here, that could set a precedent for hundreds of other similar cases to be resolved in a similar way and potentially put these companies on the hook for billions of dollars in damages and also require them to make changes to their platforms.

Now, this moment is especially critical for Meta, given that at the same time that this L.A. trial is going on, the company is also standing trial in a separate case in New Mexico, accusing the company of being complicit in child sexual exploitation on its platform.

So two really critical trials happening at the same time. Meta has denied the claims in both of them. And with regards to this L.A. trial, the company says it strongly disagrees with these claims and that it thinks that its record of protecting young users online will speak for itself.

Of course, ultimately going to be up to the jury to decide. Back to you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: We are seeing an increased interest in Chinese goods and culture, and nothing seems to exemplify that more than the viral Adidas Tang jacket. Why it's making a fashion statement, just ahead on "CNN Newsroom."

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[03:30:00]

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CHURCH: Time for your Business Breakout. Let's check the headlines for you.

Warner Bros. Discovery is briefly reopening takeover talks with Paramount Skydance. The media giant and parent company of this network says it's moving forward with its deal struck with Netflix but the streamer granted Warner Bros. Discovery a seven-day waiver to negotiate a possible deal with Paramount. Shareholders are scheduled to vote on the Netflix bid on March 20th.

Officials in Europe have launched an investigation into Elon Musk's social media site X. The E.U.'s data privacy watchdog says it's looking into the spate of unwanted sexualized images that have been generated by X's A.I. chatbot Grok.

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X also faces probes in France and the U.K. over the image scandal.

Meta is announcing a massive new chip deal with NVIDIA, Meta says it will use millions of NVIDIA's next generation chips to build out its network of AI data centers. It says the deal will quote "deliver personal superintelligence to everyone in the world." Meta said recently that it will spend as much as $135 billion this year to remain competitive in AI.

An Adidas Chinese track top is going viral. The jacket was not originally a Lunar New Year release, but it's been dubbed the Chinese New Year or Tang Jacket on Instagram and TikTok. It resembles the Tang suit and historic garment tracing back to China's Qing Dynasty.

It features ornamental knotted toggles known as frog buttons or panko and a standing mandarin collar. This newest fashion release comes at a time when young people are embracing Chinese culture, food, wellness and technology.

Joining me now from Shanghai is Bohan Qiu, the founder of the communications and creative agency Boh Project. Great to have you with us.

BOHAN QIU, FOUNDER, BOH PROJECT: Great to see you as well, Rosemary. Thank you for inviting me.

CHURCH: Absolutely.

So of course, the year of the horse arrives at a time when we've been seeing this increasing interest in Chinese goods and culture. And now the Adidas Tang Jacket is a big part of that viral moment. What is it about this Chinese New Year jacket that's capturing everyone's attention inside China and right across the globe?

QIU: Well, as you rightly mentioned, the Tang Jacket, or we also call it the Mandarin Jacket, is a very iconic piece of design that originated from 150 years ago. It has throughout history been something that we can wear formally or also casually.

And actually within China in the past decade and two decades, there has been a generation of Chinese designers that have worked very hard to incorporate this iconic piece of clothing into contemporary fashion and streetwear.

And we're seeing a growing number from young Chinese consumers to also more mature audiences now proudly incorporating this piece of clothing into how we dress, not just during Chinese New Year, but also on a day-to-day life. So this neo-Chinese style, I would say, the Tang or Mandarin Jacket is an iconic symbol of the trend.

CHURCH: Right. And of course, it's worth noting it has sold out pretty much, hasn't it, right across the globe.

So people around the world are not just excited about this Tang Jacket. They can't seem to get enough of Chinese culture in general with the phrase becoming Chinese trending on social media. What's driving this new excitement, do you think, in all things Chinese and why now?

QIU: Well, I personally find it super fascinating to watch people around the world drinking hot water and also taking hot foot baths. And I think all of this is happening at a time where culture exchanges are taking place through tourism, through social media content, through fun reels and videos shared on the internet that really present a different side of Chinese modern life from our food, our culture, how we live, dress.

We're seeing a trend of also Chinese beauty. Chinese fashion are going global. So I think all of this is promoting or showcasing more the creative side of China to the world. And I think the young generations around the world are increasingly fond of this culture phenomenon.

CHURCH: Right, and of course, the Tang Jacket was originally designed for China's domestic market. How did it suddenly become so global? And is it more popular outside China than inside the country, do you think?

QIU: Well, I think inside China, we've kind of gone through this new Chinese style movement. And I think now this style has been very popularized and also gone into the mainstream within China.

I find it very welcoming to see also the Chinese diaspora, but also non-Chinese people around the world embracing this very iconic piece of design, wearing it, understanding what it represents for the Chinese people, its historic element, but also how it can be styled in such a modern way and incorporating into their own lives and their own sense of style. So I think it's generally a very welcomed idea for Chinese people.

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CHURCH: And Gen Z seems to be really driving this. Do you think the young people of the world are going to be this great bridge between China and the Western world?

QIU: Certainly. I think Gen Z grew up in a time when China is rapidly developing. They grew up with an influx of both international fashion, but also local fashion and style trends merging together. So then they kind of see no difference or superiority between one another.

And they're much more free to incorporate traditional elements. They're much more interested to dive back into their own cultural heritage and craftsmanship and history than the previous generations. So they're doing extensive research into how different people across dynasties used to dress and then using those elements into creating new design, new clothing elements, and to wear them on a day-to-day basis.

CHURCH: Bohan Qiu, it's been a pleasure talking with you. Thank you so much for joining us.

QIU: Thank you very much.

CHURCH: Of course.

Well, communities around the world are preparing for Lent and Ramadan.

Ramadan is the Islamic holy month of fasting, which begins with the first sighting of the crescent moon. The start date can vary based on when the moon appears in different countries. It marks when Muslims believe the Prophet Muhammad received the first of the revelations that make up the Quran.

Meantime, in the coming hours, Pope Leo will lead his first Ash Wednesday Mass as Ponte. The service is set to take place at the Basilica of St. Sabina. The Vatican previously released his message for Lent. Pope Leo emphasized listening and fasting as tools of true conversion, he also urged believers to challenge what guides their desires, whether it be in their faith or in humanity's search for justice and reconciliation.

Well, dozens of pancakes were tossed into the air and races across London on what is known as Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Day, it marks the final day before the start of Lent. Crowds gathered to watch participants dressed in unique costumes, flip pancakes and pans as they competed.

Winners were presented with frying pans and trophies. Organizers say the race isn't just for fun, it also raises funds for local charities. Very important.

I want to thank you so much for your company, I'm Rosemary Church. Have yourselves a wonderful day. "World Sport" is coming up next.

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