12AM ET 10/26/2025 Newscast

Summary

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Fox News Hourly Update – 12AM ET, October 26, 2025

Podcast: Fox News Hourly Update
Host: Deborah Valentine
Date: October 26, 2025
Duration: ~5 minutes (main content)

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Overview

This condensed Fox News Radio newscast covers breaking international and national headlines, with a focus on President Trump’s diplomatic trip to Asia, ongoing U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East, a severe hurricane threatening the Caribbean, and developments in New York City’s mayoral race. The episode moves quickly through key issues shaping the day, providing brief updates directly from Fox News field reporters and correspondents.

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Key Discussion Points

1. President Trump’s Asia Trip and Diplomatic Developments

• President Trump begins a major diplomatic tour in Malaysia.
• Focus on a U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Cambodia and Thailand, highlighting American diplomatic engagement in Southeast Asia.
• Upcoming stops include Japan and South Korea, with high anticipation for Trump’s summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
• Issues on the agenda with President Xi: tariffs, trade, the Ukraine war, grain shipments, and rare earth exports, amid rising U.S.-China tensions.
• First meeting set with Japan’s newly sworn-in first female prime minister.
• Potential outreach to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, though not confirmed.

Notable Quote:

“The pivotal talks come as tensions between the world’s two biggest economies continues to rise.”
— Chanley Painter (00:38)

2. U.S. Middle East Policy: Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Israel

• Top U.S. diplomats continue high-level engagement amid a government shutdown at home.
• Secretary of State Marco Rubio visits Israel, meeting with families of American-Israeli citizens whose remains are held by Hamas.
• Rubio promises continued U.S. efforts to recover hostages’ remains.
• Rubio tours a U.S.-supported coordination center in southern Israel, where American and Israeli military personnel are involved in enforcing a fragile Gaza ceasefire.
• Discussion on the creation of an international security force for the Gaza Strip, stipulating Israeli approval of its members.

Notable Quote:

“We will not rest until there and all remains are returned.”
— Marco Rubio, quoted by Stephanie Bennett (01:19)

3. Severe Weather: Hurricane Melissa Approaches the Caribbean

• Hurricane Melissa forecast to bring catastrophic, potentially Category 5 conditions to Jamaica and the Caribbean.
• The storm’s severity highlighted by its expected long duration, threatening to set a new standard for regional hurricanes.
• Reports of fatalities in the Dominican Republic and Haiti already, caused by the precursor tropical storm.

Notable Quote:

“So this is really setting up to be a whole different kind of a catastrophic hurricane event than we’re used to because of the duration.”
— Brian Norcross (03:25)

4. Domestic News: International Swatting Arrest and New York City Mayoral Race

• Update on a Minnesota police investigation into two “swatting” incidents linked to an international extremist cybercrime network, with collaborative arrests made with UK authorities. Details remain undisclosed.
• Early voting in New York City’s mayoral race begins.
• Zoran Mamdani, young state assemblyman, holds polling lead, endorsed by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
• Independent candidate/former governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa challenge Mamdani, with frequent focus on his past positions regarding the Israel-Hamas conflict and policing.
• Mamdani campaigns on affordability, claims Islamophobia in race.
• Vice President J.D. Vance criticizes Mamdani on social media for prior remarks on 9/11.

Notable Quote:

“According to Zoran, the real victim of 9/11 was his auntie.”
— Vice President J.D. Vance (04:50)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On U.S.-Asia diplomatic tensions:
  “The pivotal talks come as tensions between the world’s two biggest economies continues to rise.”
  — Chanley Painter (00:38)

• On hostages in Israel:
  “We will not rest until there and all remains are returned.”
  — Marco Rubio, as relayed by Stephanie Bennett (01:19)

• On Hurricane Melissa’s severity:
  “This is really setting up to be a whole different kind of a catastrophic hurricane event than we’re used to because of the duration.”
  — Brian Norcross (03:25)

• On New York mayoral race controversy:
  “According to Zoran, the real victim of 9/11 was his auntie.”
  — Vice President J.D. Vance (04:50)

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Segment Timestamps

• 00:02 – Malaysia hosts President Trump; overview of Asia diplomatic trip (Deborah Valentine, Chanley Painter)
• 00:53 – Government shutdown/state of U.S. politics, Rubio's Israel visit (Deborah Valentine, Stephanie Bennett)
• 03:12 – Hurricane Melissa update (Deborah Valentine, Brian Norcross)
• 03:35 – Swatting arrests in Minnesota; New York City mayoral race coverage (Deborah Valentine, CB Cotton)
• 04:12 – Focus on NYC mayoral candidates, endorsements, and controversies (CB Cotton)
• 04:57 – Summary of mayoral field; episode wrap (Deborah Valentine)

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Summary

This briskly paced newscast covers major global and domestic developments, framing President Trump's Asia diplomacy and U.S. crisis response abroad alongside urgent weather warnings and contentious city politics at home. While providing the latest facts and context from Fox News correspondents, the episode notably highlights the international reach of American policy and the intensity of local political contests, all under the looming threat of natural disaster and ongoing cybercrime investigations.

Transcript

[Deborah Valentine]

Malaysia hosting President Trump. I'm Deborah Valentine, Fox News President Trump in Malaysia. It's the first leg of his Asian trip. Fox's Chanley Painter.

[Chanley Painter]

While there, he'll witness the signing of a US Brokered cease fire between Cambodia and Thailand. The president will then make stops in Japan and South Korea. The main event? Trump's meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the summit in South Korea. The two leaders are expected to discuss several key issues, including tariffs, trade, the war in Ukraine, grain and rare earth exports. The pivotal talks come as tensions between the world's two biggest economies continues to rise. President Trump will also meet Japan's first female prime minister, who was just sworn in this week. He is also pushing for a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. It's still not clear if that will happen during this trip.

[Deborah Valentine]

Top congressional Democrats are accusing President Trump of skipping town as the government shutdown continues to Secretary of State Marco Rubio is in Israel meeting with families of U S. Israeli citizens as Hamas continues to hold the bodies of 13 deceased hostages. Here's Fox's Stephanie Bennett.

[Stephanie Bennett]

Before taking off from Israel, Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote on X. We will not forget the lives of the hostages who died in captivity of Hamas. Today I met with the families of American citizens Itai Hen and Omer Noutra. We will not rest until there and all remains are returned. Rubio toured the civil Military Coordination center in southern Israel, where around 200American troops are working alongside the Israeli military and delegations from other countries to oversee the fragile Gaza cease fire. The future governance in Gaza still needs to be worked out, but a major focus has been on creating an international security force to help stabilize the Gaza Strip. And Rubio said it will have to be made up of countries that Israel is comfortable with.

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[Deborah Valentine]

Hurricane Melissa forecast to bring catastrophic conditions to Jamaica and parts of the Caribbean through Tuesday. Fox Weather hurricane specialist Brian Norcross says Melissa is expected to reach a Category 5 hurricane status.

[Brian Norcross]

So this is really setting up to be a whole different kind of a catastrophic hurricane event than we're used to because of the duration.

[Deborah Valentine]

At least three people in the Dominican Republic are said to have died earlier this week due to severe conditions brought on by then Tropical Storm Melissa. Three more are believed dead in Haiti. Police in Red Wing, Minnesota say two swatting calls earlier this month are tied to an international extremist group. Investigators aren't naming the group, but they say they found ties to an organized cybercrime network. Minnesota police and authorities in the UK worked together, resulting in an arrest in the case on Friday. However, details about it haven't been released. Early voting now underway in New York City as a mayoral race heats up and national political leaders weigh in.

[CB Cotton]

34 year old new York State Assemblyman Zoran Mamdani continues to have a strong lead in most polls and he can hope to gain more momentum with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries endorsement. But independent candidate former governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa, they continue to remind voters of past controversies swirling around Mamdani's candidacy. Like Mamdani's past stances on the Israel, Hamas, war and policing, Mamdani has looked to shake up the political establishment since he entered the race, centering his campaign on affordability. Mamdani, who is Muslim, has alleged Islamophobia of entering the race. Vice President J.D. vance writing on X quote, according to Zoran, the real victim of 911 was his auntie.

[Deborah Valentine]

That's Fox's CB Cotton reporting from New York City. Zoran Mamdani defined as a socialist. Former Governor Andrew Cuomo also running. Curtis Leela running as a GOP candidate. I'm Debra Valentine. This is Fox.

[Will Kane]

It's Will Kane Country. Watch it live at noon Eastern Monday through [e-mail] or on the Fox News YouTube channel. And don't miss the show. Listen and follow the podcast five days a week at foxnewspodcasts.com or wherever you download your favorite podcasts.