12PM ET 05/13/2026 Newscast

Summary

Fox News Hourly Update – 12PM ET 05/13/2026

Host: Lisa Brady
Date: May 13, 2026
Summary prepared for listeners who haven’t tuned in—key news, political, and economic developments.

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Episode Overview

This episode provides timely national and international headlines with a focus on:

• President Trump’s summit in Beijing with President Xi
• U.S. inflation and CIA testimony on COVID-19 origins
• Alec Murdoch murder trial updates
• Alarming drops in U.S. student reading scores
• The continuing Gaza ceasefire challenge
• Major NFL international game announcements
• Midday stock market update

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. U.S.–China Summit in Beijing

• President Trump arrives in Beijing for a two-day summit with President Xi Jinping. [00:02]
• Discussion topics include tariffs, advances in artificial intelligence, chip production, and U.S. agricultural exports (specifically beef and soybeans).
• A high-profile American delegation of tech and business CEOs accompanies Trump.
• Trump has stated he'll discuss Iran at length, but does not require President Xi's intervention. [00:24]

“On the table, everything from tariffs to artificial intelligence, chip production, Taiwan, beef and soybean exports.”—Fox News Correspondent [00:12]

2. U.S. Inflation & Oil Prices

• Conflict-driven oil price surges are fueling inflation; wholesale prices rose over 1% in April and 6% year-over-year. [00:24]

3. CIA Whistleblower Testimony on COVID-19 Origins

• CIA whistleblower James Erdman III testifies to a Senate panel, alleging a cover-up.
• Erdman claims the CIA initially considered labeling COVID-19 a lab leak (as of Aug 12, 2021), but shifted to a neutral theory on Aug 17 during a revision allegedly influenced by Dr. Anthony Fauci. [00:48]
• Ohio Senator Bernie Marino stresses the need for "explicit accountability" for those who profited from alleged misinformation. [01:09]

“The CIA was considering calling this a lab leak August 12th of 2021 and then that changed on August 17th of 2021.” —Jared Max [00:48]
"Ultimately, where this all has to land is there has to be explicit accountability for individuals who profited off of the misinformation." —Sen. Bernie Marino [01:09]

• No Democrats attended the hearing. The CIA released a statement labeling the hearing "dishonest political theater," but acknowledged that its eventual conclusion was that a lab leak was the likely origin of COVID-19. [01:20]

4. Alec Murdoch Murder Trial Update

• South Carolina prosecutors confirm they will retry Alec Murdoch for the murders of his wife and son.
• The state supreme court overturned earlier convictions and life sentences due to jury influence and the volume of financial crime evidence permitted.
• Murdoch continues serving a separate 40-year sentence for financial crimes. [01:20–02:01]

5. U.S. Student Reading Score Declines

• New educational analysis reveals a worrying "recession" in reading achievement.
• Professors from Harvard, Stanford, and Dartmouth highlight that only five states and D.C. saw meaningful improvement in reading scores from 2022–2025.
• The decline in reading began pre-pandemic (since 2013 for 8th graders, 2015 for 4th grade).
• Math scores are improving in nearly every state in that period.
• Data are state-based rather than from the unified National Assessment. Over 5,000 school districts in 38 states were included in this analysis. [02:31–03:21]

“Professors at Harvard, Stanford and Dartmouth… found that only five states and Washington, D.C. had meaningful growth in reading from 2022 to 2025. And the slide predates the pandemic.” —Fox News Correspondent [02:41]

6. Gaza Ceasefire Stalemate

• U.S.-brokered ceasefire efforts in Gaza remain hamstrung by unresolved demands for Hamas disarmament.
• Progress on Gaza’s reconstruction is stalled as conflict enters its seventh month. [03:21]

7. NFL Announces Record Number of International Games

• NFL to hold an unprecedented nine international games in 2026. [03:47]
• Highlights include:
  • September 14: Rams vs. 49ers in Melbourne, Australia
  • September 27: Cowboys vs. Ravens in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
  • First-ever game in Paris: Saints vs. Steelers
  • Other games in Madrid, Munich, Mexico City, and three in London (featuring the Jaguars)
• Expected excitement among global football fans.

“Among the matchups: September 14 Rams vs the 49ers in Melbourne…The Saints and Steelers will play in the NFL’s first game in Paris, France.” —Jared Max [03:47]

8. Stock Market Update

• Dow is down 235 points.
• Nasdaq is up more than 200.
• S&P is also in positive territory. [04:17]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “None of the committee's Democrats are at the hearing. A written statement from the CIA says today's hearing amounts to dishonest political theater…” —Lisa Brady [01:20]
• “The slide [in reading scores] predates the pandemic… students are doing a little bit better in math.” —Fox News Correspondent [02:41]
• “Football fans find out the calendar for the new season tomorrow, but today the NFL rolling out the schedule for an unprecedented nine international games this year.” —Lisa Brady [03:21]

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:02 — President Trump lands in China; summit preview
• 00:48 — CIA whistleblower testimony; COVID origins cover-up claims
• 01:20 — Alec Murdoch trial retrial announcement
• 02:31 — U.S. reading achievement decline update
• 03:21 — Gaza ceasefire developments
• 03:47 — NFL international games schedule
• 04:17 — Stock market snapshot

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Tone: Straightforward, urgent, fact-focused—mirroring FOX News' fast-paced and direct headline-driven newscast.

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Summary provided for informational purposes: all major news highlights captured; non-content and ad sections omitted.

Transcript

[Lisa Brady]

A countdown in China and Lisa Brady, Fox News. After President Trump's arrival in Beijing earlier today, US Time for a two day summit with President Xi.

[Fox News Correspondent]

On the table, everything from tariffs to artificial intelligence, chip production, Taiwan beef and soybean exports. And there is a large delegation of tech and business CEOs arriving here to Beijing as well.

[Lisa Brady]

Fox's Aisha has me President Trump has also said he expects to have a long conversation about Iran, but that he doesn't need shock Xi's intervention. The conflict driven surge in oil prices taking a toll on inflation in the U.S. with wholesale prices rising more than 1% in April and 6% from a year earlier. A CIA whistleblower claims a cover up on the origins of COVID The CIA

[Jared Max]

was considering calling this a lab leak August 12th of 2021 and then that changed on August 17th of 2021.

[Lisa Brady]

James Erdman III telling a Senate panel the analysis was changed to a neutral theory during a midd rewrite influenced he says, by then top official Dr. Anthony Fauci. Ohio Republican Senator Bernie Marino.

[Jared Max]

Ultimately, where this all has to land is there has to be explicit accountability for individuals who profited off of the misinformation.

[Lisa Brady]

None of the committee's Democrats are at the hearing. A written statement from the CIA says today's hearing amounts to dishonest political theater, noting that the agency ultimately did assess that COVID 19 likely originated from a lab leak. Prosecutors in South Carolina just confirming they will retry former attorney Alec Murdoch for the murders of his wife and son after the state Supreme Court today overturned those convictions and life sentence over conduct by the court clerk influencing the jury and the amount of evidence of financial crimes allowed into the murder trial. Murdoch is serving a separate 40 year sentence for financial crimes. America is listening to FOX News.

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[Jared Max]

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[Lisa Brady]

Concern about a different kind of recession in the US After a new analysis of falling test scores for reading in the Assessment of Educational Progress, professors at

[Fox News Correspondent]

Harvard, Stanford and Dartmouth looked at state test scores from third to eighth grades and found that only five states and Washington, D.C. had meaningful growth in reading from 2022 to 2025. And the slide predates the pandemic. They say reading scores have been falling since 2013 for 8th graders and 2015 for 4th graders. Students are doing a little bit better in math, with almost every state improving from 2022 to 2025. The annual scorecard includes data from more than 5,000 school districts in 38 states and Washington, D.C. the data come from the state's own tests, as opposed to the nation's report card, which uses the same test across the country. Tonya J. Powers, FOX News an update on the

[Lisa Brady]

US Brokered ceasefire in Gaza from President Trump's top diplomat on the board of Peace. He says disarmament by Hamas remains a sticking point seven months in that has stalled progress on other fronts, including rebuilding in Gaza. Football fans find out the calendar for the new season tomorrow, but today the NFL rolling out the schedule for an unprecedented nine international games this year.

[Jared Max]

Among the matchups September 14 Rams vs the 49ers in Melbourne, Australia September 27 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Cowboys vs the Ravens. The Saints and Steelers will play in the NFL's first game in Paris, France. October 25 Falcons and Bengals in Madrid, Spain. November 8 Patriots and Lions in Munich, Germany. November 15 Vikings and 49ers in Mexico City. November 22. Also three games in London to that feature of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Jared Max, FOX News Stocks are mixed right now.

[Lisa Brady]

The Dow's down 235 points, but the Nasdaq's up more than 200. The S& P also in the green and Lisa Brady. This is FOX NEWS.