Fox News Hourly Update

Episode: 1PM ET 12/25/2025 Newscast
Host: Paul Stevens (FOX News Podcasts)
Date: December 25, 2025

Episode Overview

This newscast covers key developments from around the world on Christmas Day 2025. Major stories include holiday messages from Pope Leo XIV and King Charles III focusing on global peace, updates on US policy toward Venezuela, storm impacts in California, a mass shooting at a Hanukkah gathering in Sydney, and significant drops in the US murder rate.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Christmas Messages from World Leaders

Pope Leo XIV’s Christmas Blessing and Call for Peace

• [00:02] Pope Leo XIV delivers his first Christmas Eve and Day mass since assuming the papacy, focusing on peace in Ukraine and the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza.
• [00:13] Pope Leo XIV Quote:

  “May the clamor of weapons cease and may the parties involved with the support and commitment of the international community find the courage to engage in sincere, direct and respectful dialogue.”

• [00:27] The Pope also laments harsh living conditions in Gaza for Palestinians.

King Charles III’s Christmas Address

• [00:27] King Charles III broadcasts his annual Christmas speech from Westminster Abbey, emphasizing peace, unity across faiths, and recovery from cancer treatment.
• [00:42] King Charles III Quote:

  “As I meet people of different faiths, I find it enormously encouraging to hear how much we have in common, a shared longing for peace and a deep respect for all life. If we can find time in our journey through life to think on these virtues, we could all make the future more hopeful.”

• [01:05] The speech comes two weeks after King Charles shared positive updates regarding scaling back cancer treatments.

2. US Policy and Military Posturing Toward Venezuela

• [01:16] Ryan Schmells reports: US military is instructed to focus on a "quarantine" of Venezuelan oil for at least two months. The Trump administration prefers economic pressure but is not ruling out military action.
• [01:35] President Trump continues to pressure Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, suggesting he should step down, while launching strikes against alleged cartel boats in the Caribbean.
• [01:44] Venezuelan officials respond, claiming the US is the real threat.

3. California Christmas Storms and Fatalities

• [02:31] Jessica Rosenthal elaborates on severe Christmas storms in California, which brought multiple inches of rain and caused fatalities.
• [02:37] Three storm-related deaths are reported, including a San Diego man killed by a falling tree.
• [02:40] Fire crews conduct multiple rescues in and around Los Angeles—one man trapped in an RV had to be airlifted out by helicopter.
• [02:44] Rainfall totals range from 2.5 inches in downtown LA to over 12 inches in the San Gabriel Dam area.

4. Sydney Hanukkah Shooting and Acts of Bravery

• [03:10] Eben Brown: Australian PM Anthony Albanese plans to award both first responders and civilians for bravery during a Hanukkah attack on Bondi Beach.
• [03:19] Attack details: Two gunmen killed 15 people (including a child and two rabbis); a civilian, Ahmed Al Ahmed, attempted to wrestle away a weapon and was shot in the process.
• [03:33] Albanese faces criticism over rising antisemitism and his government’s recognition of a Palestinian state after the October 7 attacks.

5. US Murder Rate Sees Historic Drop

• [03:56] New Real Time Crime Index data shows a nearly 20% drop in US murders compared to 2024, possibly the largest year-over-year decline ever.
  • 2025 (Jan–Oct): ~5,900 murders
  • 2024 (Jan–Oct): ~7,300 murders
• The drop follows a spike in violence during the COVID era.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Pope Leo XIV ([00:13]):

  “May the clamor of weapons cease and may the parties involved with the support and commitment of the international community find the courage to engage in sincere, direct and respectful dialogue.”

• King Charles III ([00:42]):

  “As I meet people of different faiths, I find it enormously encouraging to hear how much we have in common, a shared longing for peace and a deep respect for all life. If we can find time in our journey through life to think on these virtues, we could all make the future more hopeful.”

• Jessica Rosenthal ([02:37]):

  “There have been reports of three storm related deaths, including a 60 man in San Diego who was hit by a falling tree Wednesday morning.”

• Eben Brown ([03:19]):

  “Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese plans to give awards for bravery to both first responders and civilians who rushed towards the gunfire, even fighting with the gunman during the Hanukkah jihadist attack at Bondi Beach.”

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:02 – Newscast opens; Pope’s Christmas Day message for peace in Ukraine and Gaza
• 00:27 – King Charles III delivers annual address with message of peace and hope
• 01:16 – US action on Venezuela; oil quarantine, pressure on Maduro
• 02:31 – California Christmas storms, damage, and rescue operations
• 03:10 – Hanukkah attack in Sydney; bravery awards and controversy in Australia
• 03:56 – US murder rate experiences historic drop

Summary

The 1PM ET Fox News Hourly Update for Christmas Day 2025 offers a rapid yet comprehensive roundup of important global and domestic news, balancing somber updates—such as storm fatalities and a mass shooting—with hopeful messages from religious and political leaders. Listeners are left with both the gravity of ongoing conflicts and crises, and a sense of optimism echoed by the Pope, King Charles III, and advancements like the sharp reduction in violent crime across the United States.