12AM ET 07/21/2026 Newscast

Summary

Fox News Hourly Update | 12AM ET 07/21/2026 Newscast
Host: Fox News Podcasts | Date: July 21, 2026

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Episode Overview

This newscast delivers critical updates on ongoing U.S. military action in the Middle East, escalating geopolitical tensions, a violent incident in New York City, significant economic decisions from the White House, a change in U.K. leadership, and a major cartel conviction in the U.S. The focus is on the repercussions of these events for national and international security, economy, and public policy.

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Key News Segments & Insights

1. U.S. Strikes on Iran & Escalating Tensions

Timestamps: 00:02–00:52

• Ongoing Strikes: The Pentagon has launched strikes against Iran for the tenth consecutive night, following the deaths of three U.S. service members in Jordan.
• Presidential Response: President Donald Trump mourns the loss but emphasizes U.S. resolve in preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
  • Quote (00:20):
    Donald Trump: “We feel very badly, but you know those great people, those great patriots were out there fighting that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon.”
• Regional Escalation: Iran is launching attacks on U.S. partners in the region, specifically Kuwait and Bahrain. Iranian public figures, including the foreign minister, remain defiant.
• Maritime Security: The British military reports at least two ships struck by projectiles in the Strait of Hormuz, while only five ships have managed to pass through, underlining the vulnerability of a critical energy choke point.
• Strait of Hormuz Attack: Iran attacked another oil tanker, resulting in the crew abandoning ship. The strait usually sees a fifth of all global crude oil and natural gas transit in peacetime, raising the specter of economic fallout.

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2. Deadly Incident in New York City

Timestamps: 01:17–01:55

• Incident: A man, Andrew Arabaca, set a fire and fired a pellet gun outside federal government offices hosting an immigration court in lower Manhattan. Three people were injured.
  • Quote (01:34):
    James Barnacle (FBI): “...directly targeting the building and he was okay if he hurt or killed people going in and out of the building.”
• Weapons & Training: Arabaca, a U.S. Army veteran, had knives and possibly tactical training.
• Motive: He carried a sign protesting ICE. He is now in federal custody.

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3. U.S.-Canada Trade Tensions

Timestamps: 02:23–02:48

• Tariffs Announced: President Trump imposes 50% tariffs on most Canadian goods, citing unfair discrimination against U.S. industries (autos, alcohol, dairy).
• Economic Risk: The steep import taxes extend to energy products, potatoes, fish, and critical minerals—risking a new surge in inflation.

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4. U.K. Leadership Change

Timestamps: 02:48–03:31

• Transition: Keir Starmer (Labour Party) resigns as Prime Minister after two years, succeeded by fellow Labour member Andy Burnham.
• New PM Promises: Burnham, former Manchester mayor and the seventh PM in a decade, pledges “the biggest political change in 40 years”—pushing for privatization of public utilities, increased public housing, and affordability measures.
  • Quote (03:13):
    Greg Falcon: “Burnham promised the biggest political change in 40 years.”

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5. Major Cartel Conviction in U.S.

Timestamps: 03:31–04:15

• Life Sentence: Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada, former Sinaloa cartel co-founder, is sentenced to life in federal prison, marking the end of a prolonged U.S. legal pursuit.
  • Quote (03:38):
    Tonya J. Powers: “Zambada’s sentencing in Brooklyn federal court marks an end to the US Government’s years long fight to bring the Sinaloa cartel co founder to justice.”
• Cartel Impact: Zambada and Joaquin ‘El Chapo’ Guzman grew the Sinaloa cartel into the largest drug trafficking syndicate, responsible for flooding the U.S. with cocaine, fentanyl, methamphetamines, and more.
• Legal Outcome: Zambada pled guilty in 2025 after facing the death penalty, which was subsequently dropped. El Chapo remains imprisoned for life in a U.S. supermax facility.

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• President Trump on service members' sacrifice (00:20):
  “We feel very badly, but you know those great people, those great patriots were out there fighting that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon.”
  (Donald Trump)

• FBI insight on NYC attacker’s intent (01:34):
  “Directly targeting the building and he was okay if he hurt or killed people going in and out of the building.”
  (James Barnacle, FBI)

• UK correspondent on new PM’s bold promises (03:13):
  “Burnham promised the biggest political change in 40 years.”
  (Greg Falcon)

• Reporting on Zambada’s conviction (03:38):
  “Zambada’s sentencing in Brooklyn federal court marks an end to the US Government’s years long fight to bring the Sinaloa cartel co founder to justice.”
  (Tonya J. Powers)

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Important Timestamps

• 00:02 — Update on U.S. strikes, President Trump reaction
• 00:52 — Tension in the Strait of Hormuz and service member killed in Iraq
• 01:17 — Manhattan attack: incident details, law enforcement response
• 02:23 — Announcement of Canadian tariffs and potential economic fallout
• 02:48 — UK Prime Minister transition and political implications
• 03:31 — Life sentence for cartel leader ‘El Mayo’ Zambada

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Episode Tone

The episode maintains a direct, urgent news delivery style with concise updates and authoritative sourcing from on-the-ground reporters and official spokespeople. The focus remains on the facts and immediate ramifications of each story.

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This summary captures all major stories and notable speaker contributions from the July 21, 2026, 12AM ET Fox News Newscast, excluding advertisements and promotional segments.

Transcript

[Sue Guzman]

Continued strikes. I'm Sue Guzman, Fox News, The Pentagon launching strikes against Iran for the 10th straight night. This is after three service members were killed in Jordan. President Trump reacting to their deaths.

[Fox News Anchor]

It was one ballistic missile attack from Iran on Friday. Here's what President Trump had to say.

[President Donald Trump]

We feel very badly, but you know those great people, those great patriots were out there fighting that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon.

[Fox News Anchor]

Iran, in the meantime, continues to lash out at US Partners, partners in the region launching attacks against both Kuwait and Bahrain. This as public figures in Iran, including the foreign minister, remain defiant. British military officials, meantime, say that at least two ships in the Strait of Hormuz have been hit by projectiles and that as few as five ships managed to pass through that critical strait.

[Sue Guzman]

Fox's Steve Harrigan, a fourth service member was killed in northern Iraq. And it also comes as Iran attacked another tanker in the Strait of Hormuz early Tuesday, forcing its crew to abandon ship. A fifth of all crude oil and natural gas traded typically passes through the Strait of Hormuz in peacetime. Authorities in New York City giving an update on the investigation after a man started a fire outside federal offices in lower Manhattan.

[James Barnacle]

Local and federal law enforcement say Andrew Arabaca lit gasoline and fired a pellet gun outside government offices where immigration court was held. Three people were hurt. He's now in federal custody. FBI special agent in charge in New York James Barnacle said Arabaca told them

directly targeting the building and he was okay if he hurt or killed people going in and out of the building.

Arabaca also had knives and other weapons on him. NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said he may have had tactical training.

[Sue Guzman]

He is believed to be a U.S. army veteran.

[James Barnacle]

He also had a sign protesting Ice Fox's Gerdal.

[Sue Guzman]

Scott, America's listening to Fox News.

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[Sue Guzman]

President Trump imposing 50% tariffs on most Canadian goods, declaring our neighbors to the north as unfairly discriminated against American autos, alcohol and dairy products. The move could unleash a new wave of economic chaos with risks of higher inflation. The new 50% import taxes would include energy products, potatoes, fish and critical minerals. UK Officially has a new prime minister

[Greg Falcon]

now after two years. The unpopular Labour Party figure Keir Starmer formally stepped out today as pm handing in his resignation to King Charles and promising full support to his Labour Party successor. Andy Burnham, the one time Manchester mayor asked and received permission from the king to run the next UK government. He is the seventh prime minister the country has had in the last 10 years. Speaking in front of the PM's residence at Number 10 Downing Street, Burnham promised the biggest political change in 40 years. Burnham is calling for the privatization of public utilities, an increase in public housing and help on affordability issues. In London, Greg Falcon, FOX News.

[Sue Guzman]

A former Mexican drug lord is sent to prison for life in New York

[Tonya J. Powers]

City, Ismael El Mayo Zambada's sentencing in Brooklyn federal court marks an end to the US Government's years long fight to bring the Sinaloa cartel co founder to justice. He was arrested in 2024 and is accused of plotting murders and ordering torture as he and his co founder Joaquin El Chapo Guzman grew the cartel into the world's largest drug trafficking organization. Prosecutors say they flooded the US with tons of cocaine, fentanyl, methamphetamines and other drugs. Zambada, who was 76, pleaded guilty in August of 2025 after the death penalty was taken off the table. Guzman was convicted in 2019 and is serving a life sentence at a federal supermax prison in New York City. Tonya J.

[Sue Guzman]

Powers, FOX NEWS I'm Sue Guzman. This is Fox News.

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