Fox News Hourly Update – 12PM ET (August 18, 2025)

Host: Lisa Brady
Main Theme: Breaking News on US Politics, International Relations, Hurricane Erin, Domestic Safety, Healthcare Access, and Stock Market Updates

1. White House Summit: Ukraine, Russia, and European Leaders

• [00:02] Lisa Brady: Announces a major diplomatic gathering at the White House, with several European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arriving following President Trump’s recent meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
• [00:13] Jared Halpern:
  • Context: President Trump met Putin in Alaska three days prior and is now receiving Zelensky along with European officials to discuss potential peace agreements.
  • Trump’s confidence on social media:

    “I’ll get it done. I always do.” (Trump, Truth Social, paraphrased at 00:20)

  • Trump additionally claims to have “settled six wars during his second term.”
  • Zelensky’s perspective:

    “Ukraine is ready to work productively to reach peace, but warns Russia can only be forced into peace through strength.” (00:27)

• [00:43] Lisa Brady:
  • Key focus: “Security guarantees for Ukraine” are central, as US officials indicate Putin may be open to NATO giving assurances to Ukraine, without full NATO membership.

2. Russian Attacks on Ukraine

• [00:59] Volodymyr Zelensky:
  • Zelensky on latest Russian strikes:

    “A demonstrative and cynical strike.”

  • Suggests Russia timed new attacks to coincide with White House meetings.
  • Regions impacted: Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Sumy, Odessa.

3. Hurricane Erin’s Latest Path

• [01:22] Lisa Brady (via Jonathan Savage):
  • Hurricane Erin: Upgraded to Category 4, passing east of Turks and Caicos. Not a direct US threat but causing dangerous rip currents.
• [01:33] Steven Canfield:
  • Warnings in Daytona Beach, FL.
• [01:36] Janice Dean (with practical advice):

  “Don’t swim out, don’t swim in, swim parallel, and that rip will cease to grab on you any longer.” (01:39)

• [01:41] Steven Canfield:
  • Erin expected near North Carolina later in the week; Outer Banks officials have already called for evacuations.

4. President Trump Proposes Executive Order on Mail-in Voting

• [02:15] Lisa Brady:
  • Trump signals an executive move to address mail-in voting.
• [02:20] Jessica Rosenthal:
  • Trump’s stance:

    “Elections can never be honest with [mail-in voting]…most countries do not allow mail-in voting.” (paraphrased, 02:23)

  • He promises an executive order to “bring honesty back into the process,” but the Constitution gives states the right to administer elections. Congress can legislate changes.
  • Context: 2020 mail-in voting peaked at 43%, now down to just over 30%.

5. Safety Incident in Times Square

• [03:01] Lisa Brady:
  • Evacuation: Active NYPD investigation due to a suspicious package in Times Square.
  • Additional officers called for crowd control; no further details provided yet.

6. Wider Availability of Weight Loss Drugs

• [03:19] Jenny Cosola:
  • Novo Nordisk partnership with GoodRx:
    • Wegovy (weight loss) and Ozempic (diabetes) now widely accessible via telehealth for $499/month at 70,000+ pharmacies.
    • GoodRx reaches 30 million consumers, 1+ million healthcare professionals.
    • Novo Nordisk will also sell Ozempic directly to eligible consumers via their own platforms.
    • Notable approval: Wegovy cleared by FDA to treat a form of liver disease.

7. Stock Market Update

• [04:01] Lisa Brady:
  • “Not much movement on Wall street right now. The Dow’s down 29 points. The S and P and the Nasdaq also in the red.” (04:01)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• President Trump:

  “I’ll get it done. I always do.” (Truth Social, 00:20)

• President Zelensky:

  “Ukraine is ready to work productively to reach peace, but warns Russia can only be forced into peace through strength.” (00:27)
  “A demonstrative and cynical strike.” (On Russian attacks, 00:59)

• Janice Dean (on rip currents):

  “Don’t swim out, don’t swim in, swim parallel and that rip will cease to grab on you any longer.” (01:39)

• Jessica Rosenthal (on mail-in voting):

  “Elections can never be honest with it…” “The states are merely an agent for counting and tabulating votes.” (Summarizing Trump, 02:23–02:30)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• White House Ukraine/Russia Summits: 00:02–00:59
• Russian Attacks in Ukraine: 00:59–01:22
• Hurricane Erin Update: 01:22–01:51
• Trump’s Mail-in Voting Order: 02:15–03:01
• Times Square Evacuation: 03:01–03:19
• Weight Loss Medications Expansion: 03:19–04:01
• Stock Market Brief: 04:01–04:13

This update delivers a fast-paced, news-packed rundown of top global and national stories, with a sharp eye on US politics, developing international crises, practical public safety advice, and consumer health developments. The tone is brisk and factual, with occasional direct quotes for emphasis.