11AM ET 12/25/2025 Newscast

Summary

Fox News Hourly Update — 11AM ET 12/25/2025 Newscast

Host: Paul Stevens (FOX News Podcasts)
Date: December 25, 2025
Duration: ~4:30 min (excluding ads & promos)

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Overview

This Fox News newscast provides a succinct rundown of major international and domestic stories for Christmas Day 2025. Key updates cover the Pope’s Christmas peace message, tentative progress in Ukraine peace talks, new developments in the Jeffrey Epstein case, a destructive winter storm underway in the northeastern U.S., recognition of heroism following a mass shooting in Sydney, Australia, and historic new data showing a drop in the U.S. murder rate.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Pope Leo XIV’s Christmas Message: Plea for Peace in Ukraine & Gaza

• [00:02] Paul Stevens reports on Pope Leo XIV’s first Christmas at the Vatican, highlighting his prayers for peace, especially regarding Ukraine and the plight of Palestinians in Gaza.
• [00:14] Pope Leo XIV: “May the clamor of weapons cease and may the parties involved with the support and commitment of the international community find the courage to engage in sincere, direct and respectful dialogue.”
• The Pope also expresses deep concern for Palestinians suffering in Gaza due to ongoing conflict.

2. Ukraine Peace Negotiations: New Proposal from Zelensky

• [00:35] Chanley Painter explains Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's new compromise offer:
  • Both Russian and Ukrainian troops to withdraw from the eastern Donbas region, turning it into a demilitarized zone.
  • Similar arrangements proposed around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, to be enforced by an international force.
  • Includes security guarantees from the U.S. and European allies.
  • A framework for Ukraine’s recovery and economic strategy has been drafted, though more meetings are required for sensitive details.
• Quote: “He stresses more meetings are needed to address sensitive issues.” — Chanley Painter ([01:08])

3. Jeffrey Epstein Case: DOJ Discovers More Documents

• [01:16] Ryan Schmell details that the Justice Department has discovered over a million new documents linked to the Epstein case.
  • Republican Congressman Thomas Massie voices skepticism about the limited scope of convictions:
    • Quote: “And they still expect you to believe this involves only two guilty people.” — Rep. Thomas Massie ([01:19])
  • Massie co-sponsors legislation demanding all documents be released.
  • The DOJ claims victims’ privacy must be protected, thus full release will take more time.

4. Severe Winter Storm Threatens U.S. Northeast

• [02:31] Meteorologist Brian Hurley from the National Weather Service shares a forecast:
  • Central NY, Syracuse, Long Island, and NYC could see 5–7 inches of snow or more.
    • Quote: “Looking at an area 5 to as much as 7 inches of snow, maybe a little bit more in that corridor from central New York, Syracuse, all the way down into much of Long island and the New York City metro region.” — Brian Hurley ([02:46])
  • State College, PA, to Frederick, MD, may experience significant ice (1/10 to 1/4 inch).

5. Sydney Hanukkah Attack: Calls for Heroic Civilian Awards

• [02:58] Eben Brown reports that Australia’s PM Anthony Albanese wants to posthumously honor civilians and first responders who confronted two jihadist gunmen during a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach:
  • The attack killed 15, including a child and two rabbis.
  • Civilians, including Ahmed Al Ahmed (who disarmed a gunman and was shot), are to be recognized.
  • Albanese faces criticism over rising antisemitism and the government's formal recognition of a Palestinian state.
    • Notable Moment: “Ahmed Al Ahmed was seen on video wrestling away a rifle from one gunman, only to be shot and wounded himself.” — Eben Brown ([03:38])

6. U.S. Murder Rate Falls by Historic Amount

• [03:54] Paul Stevens shares new crime data:
  • 2025 saw the largest year-over-year drop in recorded U.S. murders—a 20% plunge.
  • 5,912 murders occurred from January to October, versus 7,369 in the same period last year.
    • “This following a Covid era spike in violence.” ([03:54])
    • Source: Real Time Crime Index

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Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• Pope Leo XIV: “May the clamor of weapons cease... find the courage to engage in sincere, direct and respectful dialogue.” ([00:14])
• Rep. Thomas Massie: “And they still expect you to believe this involves only two guilty people.” ([01:19])
• Brian Hurley: “Looking at an area 5 to as much as 7 inches of snow… from central New York, Syracuse, all the way down into much of Long island and the New York City metro region.” ([02:46])
• Eben Brown: “Ahmed Al Ahmed was seen on video wrestling away a rifle from one gunman, only to be shot and wounded himself.” ([03:38])

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Segment Timestamps (Approximate)

• [00:02] Pope’s message for Ukraine and Gaza
• [00:35] Ukraine peace talks progress
• [01:16] Epstein case—DOJ document release debate
• [02:31] Northeast blizzard and ice storm warnings
• [02:58] Sydney Hanukkah shooting heroism and fallout
• [03:54] U.S. murder rate historic drop

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Language & Tone

• Objective, concise, and news-focused; relays information briskly with direct quotes and reporting from correspondents.
• Maintains an urgent yet impartial tone befitting an hourly news update.

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For additional details, listeners are encouraged to follow ongoing coverage at FOX News.

Transcript

[Paul Stevens]

Prayers for peace. I'm Paul Stevens. Fox News. Pope Leo XIV delivering a message and blessing in Rome following his first Christmas Eve and Christmas Day masses today wanting peace in Ukraine.

[Pope Leo XIV]

May the clamor of weapons cease and may the parties involved with the support and commitment of the international community find the courage to engage in sincere, direct and respectful dialogue.

[Paul Stevens]

The pond of also lamenting living conditions for Palestinians in Gaza. The US And Ukraine, meantime, make some progress on a peace deal.

[Chanley Painter]

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky is now offering a compromise. He's proposing both sides withdraw their troops from the eastern Donbas region and turn it into a demilitarized zone. He wants the same done around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. They would be policed by an international force. The plan also includes security guarantees for Ukraine involving the US And European allies. So Zelensky says an agreement on his country's recovery and economic strategy has also been prepared. But he stresses more meetings are needed to address sensitive issues.

[Paul Stevens]

Fox's Chanley Painter. Lawmakers from both parties have concerns, they say after the Justice Department finds more Epstein documents.

[Ryan Schmell]

More than a million documents related to the Epstein case have been found, according to the Department of Justice. Republican Congressman Thomas Massie responding, saying, quote, and they still expect you to believe this involves only two guilty people. Massey co sponsored legislation to force the release of all files related to Jeffrey Epstein by the doj. While some have criticized the delays in releasing the documents, the DOJ says it's working to make sure victims information is protected. It also says the release of newly found documents could take a few more weeks because of the mass volume. In Washington, Ryan Schmell's FOX NEWS and.

[Paul Stevens]

America is listening to FOX News.

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[Paul Stevens]

Millions of Americans getting ready in the mid Atlantic and the Northeast to prepare for an intense winter storm this weekend, meteorologist Brian Hurley with the National Weather Service Weather Prediction center talks about which areas could get hit.

[Brian Hurley]

Looking at an area 5 to as much as 7 inches of snow, maybe a little bit more in that corridor from central New York, Syracuse, all the way down into much of Long island and the New York City metro region.

[Paul Stevens]

Areas from State College, Pennsylvania to Frederick, Maryland, could see between 1/10 and 1/4 of an inch of ice. Australia's prime minister is looking to give bravery awards to people who confronted a pair of jihadist gunmen who killed 15 people at a Hanukkah gathering on a Sydney beach.

[Eben Brown]

Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese plans to give awards for bravery to both first responders and civilians who rush towards the gunfire, even fighting gunman during the Hanukkah jihadist attack At Bondi Beach, 15 people, including a child and two rabbis were killed by those gunmen. One such civilian named Ahmed Al Ahmed was seen on video wrestling away a rifle from one gunman, only to be shot and wounded himself. Albanese has come under heavy criticism for growing anti Semitic sentiment in Australia and for formally recognizing a Palestinian state after the October 7 attacks. Eben Brown, FOX News.

[Paul Stevens]

New numbers say the nationwide US murder rate fell dramatically in 2025 and what's likely the biggest single year drop ever recorded killings in the US plunging nearly 20% compared to last year. This following a Covid era spike in violence. According to the Real Time Crime index, there were 5,912 murders recorded in the US between January and October of this year, compared to 7,369 during the same period in 24. I'm Paul Stevens. This is FOX News.

[Ainsley Earhart]

This is Ainsley Earhart. Thank you for joining me for the 52 episode podcast series the Life of.

[Podcast Narrator]

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