12PM ET 10/21/2025 Newscast

Summary

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Fox News Hourly Update – 12PM ET, October 21, 2025

Episode Overview

The October 21, 2025, noon newscast from FOX News offers a concise yet packed news brief highlighting ongoing international developments, domestic political updates, crime reporting, weather advisories, and financial news. The main focus of this edition is on the ongoing ceasefire and emerging peace framework in Gaza, key political investigations in the U.S., a high-profile crime update from Florida, developing weather threats, and the status of stock markets.

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Ceasefire Holds in Gaza & Steps Toward Peace

• Optimism on Ground:
  Vice President J.D. Vance, speaking in Israel at the opening of a new civilian-military cooperation center, expresses cautious optimism about the ongoing ceasefire between Israel and Gaza.

  • Key Quote (00:07):
    “What we've seen the past week gives me great optimism. The cease fire is going to hold.” – Vice President J.D. Vance

  • Next Phases:
    Vance acknowledges that despite challenges ("hills and valleys"), the current situation is better than expected, pointing towards a "long term durable peace."
    Quote (00:16):
    “There are going to be hills and valleys. There are going to be moments where it looks like things aren't going particularly well. But given that and given the history of conflict, I think that everybody should be proud of where we are today.” – J.D. Vance

  • The cooperation center’s opening is seen as a tangible step forward, even as the search for remaining hostages and bodies continues.

• International Security & Reconstruction:
  President Trump’s Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff and former adviser Jared Kushner are also in Israel, helping facilitate the next stage: reconstruction and the formation of an international security force (ISF).

  • No Funds for Hamas-Controlled Areas (00:57):
    “No reconstruction funds will be going into areas that Hamas still controls. ... Once the ISF is up, there needs to be a security force that they can feel safe from that in order for the transition to be complete.” – Jared Kushner

  • Discussions continue around beginning reconstruction only in areas currently secured by Israeli forces. There's also an immediate focus on security, rebuilding, food, and medicine distribution before long-term governance is addressed.

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U.S. Government Shutdown – Political Developments

• President Trump & Senate Republicans (01:25):
  On day 21 of the government shutdown, President Trump meets with Senate Republicans as another short-term spending bill fails in the Senate. The impasse continues with no immediate resolution in sight.

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International News – Security at the Louvre

• Paris Jewelry Heist Update (01:36):
  French Culture Minister Rashida Dati updates lawmakers on the high-profile theft from the Louvre, defending the museum's security measures amid speculation about surveillance failures.

  • Quote (01:36):
    “The security apparatus did not fail,” – Rashida Dati
    Police reportedly arrived on the scene within “two or three minutes” after being alerted.

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U.S. Political Investigation – The Auto Pen Probe

• House Oversight Committee to Release Findings (02:15):
  A House panel readies its findings after probing the Biden administration’s use of the “auto pen” to sign official documents.

  • Behind closed doors, former White House officials, including the president’s physician and chief of staff Jeff Zients, were questioned. Zients notably chose not to plead the Fifth or decline testimony.

  • Cognitive Concerns (02:21):
    Zients reportedly acknowledged that President Biden’s decision-making "did slow down as he aged" and that questions were raised about proving his cognitive state.

    • Quote:
      "[Zients] reportedly told the committee the president's decision making did slow down as he aged and that he inquired as to how best to prove the cognitive state of President Biden."

  • White House Rebuttal:
    President Biden previously said he made all his own decisions and any suggestion otherwise is “ridiculous and false.”

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Crime Update – Florida Attempted Murder Case

• Bond Violation Sends Suspect Back to Jail (03:00):
  In Orlando, a judge revokes the bond of Kobe Tillman, accused of attempted rape and murder, after finding his social media posts violated bond conditions.

  • Quote (03:19):
    “This was a communication that was clearly intended to reach the person that the defendant was prohibited from contacting.” – Vice President J.D. Vance [quoted by the correspondent]
  • The case attracts attention due to Tillman's prior release on low bond despite a violent history and the shocking details of the attack.

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Weather Update – Tropical Storm Melissa

• Storm Threatens Haiti and Jamaica (03:39):
  Tropical Storm Melissa forms in the Caribbean. Forecasters warn of heavy rain, flooding, and strong winds for Haiti and Jamaica, with hurricane and storm watches issued.

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Financial News – Stock Market Update

• Stocks Up (03:54):
  The Dow is reported up 293 points, just shy of 47,000.

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Memorable Quotes & Soundbites

• “What we've seen the past week gives me great optimism. The cease fire is going to hold.” – Vice President J.D. Vance (00:07)
• “No reconstruction funds will be going into areas that Hamas still controls.” – Jared Kushner (00:57)
• “[Zients] reportedly told the committee the president's decision making did slow down as he aged and that he inquired as to how best to prove the cognitive state of President Biden.” – Jessica Rosenthal (02:21)
• “This was a communication that was clearly intended to reach the person that the defendant was prohibited from contacting.” – Vice President J.D. Vance (03:19, reported by Evan Brown)

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Key Segments & Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment | |-----------|---------| | 00:02 – 01:15 | Gaza ceasefire update, VP Vance, Jared Kushner remarks, peace & reconstruction efforts | | 01:25 – 01:36 | U.S. government shutdown update | | 01:36 – 01:50 | Louvre jewelry heist, French security discussion | | 02:15 – 03:00 | House investigation into Biden auto pen usage, cognitive questions | | 03:00 – 03:39 | Orlando crime update, bond violation, case details | | 03:39 – 03:54 | Weather update: Tropical Storm Melissa | | 03:54 – End | Stock market report |

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This newscast effectively covers a range of high-impact news stories, focusing on clarity, key voices, and timely updates for listeners seeking a rapid overview of current events.

Transcript

[Lisa Brady]

Reassurance about the cease fire in Gaza on Lisa Brady, FOX News.

[Vice President J.D. Vance]

What we've seen the past week gives me great optimism. The cease fire is going to hold.

[Jessica Rosenthal]

Vice President J.D.

[Lisa Brady]

Vance in Israel saying it's actually going better than he expected.

[Vice President J.D. Vance]

And if we get from where we were a week ago to a long term durable peace between Israel and Gaza, there are going to be hills and valleys. There are going to be moments where it looks like things aren't going particularly well. But given that and given the history of conflict, I think that everybody should be proud of where we are today.

[Lisa Brady]

He's at the opening of the new civilian military cooperation center as work continues on the next phases of the peace deal, even as the search for remaining hostages bodies continues in Gaza. The president's Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff and former adviser and son in law Jared Kushner are also in Israel, focusing in part on the upcoming reconstruction in Gaza and the formation of an international security force.

[Jared Kushner]

No reconstruction funds will be going into areas that Hamas still controls. And as far as the demilitarization goes, once the ISF is up, there needs to be a security force that they can feel safe from that in order for it to be the transition to be complete. So that needs to happen.

[Lisa Brady]

Kushner says beginning construction in areas that Israeli forces still control is being considered. As for long term governance of Gaza, Vice President Vance says the focus first is on security, rebuilding, food and medicine. President Trump having lunch with Senate Republicans on day 21 of a government shutdown. A Republican short term spending bill failing again yesterday in the Senate. A top French official defends the security at the Louvre.

[Rashida Dati]

Culture Minister Rashida Dati was updating lawmakers on Sunday's theft of some of France's most treasured historical jewelry. She said the security apparatus did not fail after speculation cameras might not have picked up what was going on.

[Lisa Brady]

Fox's Jonathan Savage police arriving two or three minutes after they were called by someone witnessing the scene. America is listening to Fox News.

[Will Kane]

It's Will Kane country. Watch it live at noon Eastern Monday through Thursday at fox news.com or on the Fox News YouTube channel. And don't miss the show. Follow the podcast five days a week at fox newspodcasts.com or wherever you download your favorite podcasts.

[Lisa Brady]

A House panel is set to release findings from its probe into use of the auto pen during the Biden administration.

[Jessica Rosenthal]

A number of former Biden officials were questioned by House Oversight Committee attorneys behind closed doors, including the former president's physician. The White House spokeswoman advisers and the former chief of staff, Jeff Zients, was one of those who did not simply plead the fifth and declined to testify. He reportedly told the committee the president's decision making did slow down as he aged and that he inquired as to how best to prove the cognitive state of President Biden. President Trump has questioned whether some of Biden's pardons or commutations can be upheld if there was an over reliance on the auto pen. But this past summer, Biden said in a statement he made every decision himself that any suggestion he did not is ridiculous and false. Jessica Rosenthal, FOX News.

[Lisa Brady]

The suspect in an attempted murder case in Florida originally freed on low bond, is now headed back to jail.

[Evan Brown]

A judge in Orlando says social media messages posted by Kobe Tillman are a violation of his bond condition in a case where he's accused of trying to rape and murder a woman along a walking trail.

[Vice President J.D. Vance]

This was a communication that was clearly intended to reach the person that the defendant was prohibited from contacting.

[Evan Brown]

Tillman was arrested just this past week for the attack, which happened in July, but a different judge set him free on less than $10,000 bond despite a lengthy history of violent crime.

[Lisa Brady]

Fox's Evan Brown in Miami. Prosecutors say the victim was grabbe choked until she passed out and left partially undressed. Tropical Storm Melissa newly formed, now churning in the Caribbean. Forecasters warning heavy rain, flooding and strong winds could hit Haiti and Jamaica later this week. There's now a hurricane watch up for parts of Haiti. The Jamaican government issuing a tropical storm watch for the island. Stocks are rising right now. The Dow is just shy of 47k, up 293 points. Alisa Brady, FOX News.