2PM ET 07/16/2026 Newscast

Summary

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Fox News Hourly Update – 2PM ET 07/16/2026

Host: Lisa Brady
Date: July 16, 2026
Duration: ~4 minutes
Theme: Fast-paced overview of the latest national and world news, featuring updates from government, weather, international affairs, and entertainment.

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Episode Overview

This episode delivers a rapid update on several key news events: upcoming presidential remarks on election integrity, new developments in U.S.-Iran relations, severe flooding in Texas, ongoing wildfire smoke in the northern U.S., a warning about political extremism from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, escalations in U.S. drug cartel policy, and clarification on the cause of actor Sam Neill's death.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. White House Previews Speech on Election Integrity

• Lisa Brady introduces an anticipated speech from the president regarding U.S. election security, signaling that significant revelations may be shared about current vulnerabilities.
• Caroline Levitt (presidential spokesperson) emphasizes the U.S. should have the "safest and most secure elections in the history of the world," and hints that evidence-backed findings suggest otherwise. She notes upcoming proposals for voting reform, such as proof of citizenship.
  • Quote: "We should have the safest and most secure elections in the history of the world. And what the president will be speaking about tonight will show you that perhaps that is not the case..." — Caroline Levitt [00:10]

2. U.S.–Iran Tensions Rise Over Maritime Attacks

• Caroline Levitt addresses recent U.S. strikes in response to Iranian attacks on commercial ships, asserting Iran "violated the memorandum of understanding."
• She iterates the president's openness to diplomacy, despite Iran’s public condemnation of the U.S. response as "criminal."
  • Quote: "The reason for the recent strikes... is because Iran violated the memorandum of understanding that we struck with them." — Caroline Levitt [00:40]

3. Texas Battles Catastrophic Flooding

• Severe flooding in Texas’s Hill Country has caused at least one death; the region is still recovering from previous catastrophic floods.
• Judge Shane Stelarczyk of Kendall County describes the current disaster as more severe than last year, citing 200,000 cubic feet per second of water through the Guadalupe River—a new record.
  • Quote: "We've taken on significant amount more water than last year's flood... about 200,000 cubic feet per second of water coming through the Guadalupe, which was significantly higher than last year." — Shane Stelarczyk [01:06]
• The National Weather Service has warned of deadly flood waves migrating down the river as water rescues persist in homes and on highways.

4. Wildfire Smoke Reduces Air Quality Across Northern U.S.

• Hazy smoke from Canadian wildfires leads to hazardous air from Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula down to New York City, Washington D.C., and New England.
• Fox Weather Update confirms a current "unhealthy range" for air quality impacting all groups.
  • Quote: "...the air quality is the worst in the country. But for folks in the Northeast, including New York City, we are now under that unhealthy range." — Fox Weather [01:37]

5. U.S. State Department Addresses Global Political Extremism

• Secretary of State Marco Rubio convenes diplomats from dozens of countries to discuss the threat of far-left political terrorism, acknowledging that counterterrorism efforts have largely neglected this issue.
• Tanya J. Powers reports on Rubio’s remarks asserting such violence is real and underestimated, noting only Israel represents the Middle East among attendees.
  • Quote: "We've been taught that this kind of political violence, it simply doesn't exist or it's being exaggerated. But it does exist, and we're actually underestimating it." — Tanya J. Powers [02:33]

6. U.S. Designates More Mexican Cartels as Terror Groups

• The U.S. designates two more Mexican cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, raising the total to eight.
• Coincides with the indictment of 10 Sinaloa state officials over suspected cartel ties, increasing pressure on Mexico’s government.

7. Sam Neill’s Cause of Death Clarified

• Monica DeLuca reports that actor Sam Neill died of pneumonia, not from his previously reported cancer (lymphoma, which was in remission).
• Correction follows family request after inaccurate media reports; a private family memorial is planned.
• Steven Spielberg and colleagues reflect on Neill’s legacy, highlighting his privacy and the strong bond of the "Jurassic family."
  • Quote: "We will always have our Jurassic family. And Sam will never be forgotten by us or his many millions of fans around the world." — Steven Spielberg (via Monica DeLuca) [03:19]

8. Market Update

• At the close of the newscast, stocks are trending downward: Dow is down 162 points, Nasdaq down 309.

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Notable Quotes & Moments

| Time | Speaker | Quote | |--------|-----------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:10 | Caroline Levitt | "We should have the safest and most secure elections... the president will be speaking about tonight..." | | 00:40 | Caroline Levitt | "The reason for the recent strikes... is because Iran violated the memorandum of understanding..." | | 01:06 | Shane Stelarczyk | "... 200,000 cubic feet per second of water coming through the Guadalupe, which was significantly higher than last year." | | 01:37 | Fox Weather | "...air quality is the worst in the country. But for folks in the Northeast... under that unhealthy range." | | 02:33 | Tanya J. Powers | "We've been taught that this kind of political violence... doesn't exist or is being exaggerated. But it does exist..." | | 03:19 | Monica DeLuca/Spielberg | "We will always have our Jurassic family... Sam will never be forgotten by us or his many millions of fans around the world." |

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:02] — Presidential Preview on Election Integrity
• [00:22] — U.S.-Iran Strikes and Diplomatic Response
• [01:06] — Texas Flooding Disaster Update
• [01:37] — Canadian Wildfire Smoke and Air Quality Alerts
• [02:15] — State Department on Political Extremism Abroad
• [03:00] — New U.S. Designations of Mexican Cartels
• [03:19] — Sam Neill’s Passing and Legacy
• [04:01] — Stock Market Update

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Tone & Style

• Direct, concise, and urgent, matching the signature FOX News radio newscast style.
• Mix of factual reporting, official quotes, and emotional notes (especially regarding Sam Neill’s passing).

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Summary:
This hourly update rapidly informs listeners about the president’s forthcoming focus on election security, heightened military engagement with Iran, major natural disasters, escalating international counterterrorism efforts, shifts in U.S. cartel policy, and the clarification of a beloved actor’s cause of death—all with expert attribution and real-time market impacts.

Transcript

[Lisa Brady]

It will shock you On Lisa Brady, FOX News that for the White House about what the president will say tonight on election integrity.

[Caroline Levitt]

We are the greatest country in the history of the world. We should have the safest and most secure elections in the history of the world. And what the president will be speaking about tonight will show you that perhaps that is not the case and we need to make some adjustments moving forward.

[Lisa Brady]

Spokeswoman Caroline Levitt also says the findings to be released are backed by evidence the president president has continued to challenge the 2020 election results while pushing for changes including proof of citizenship to vote. Levitt also saying moments ago that Iran made a tragic mistake by continuing to attack commercial ships.

[Caroline Levitt]

The reason for the recent strikes over the course of the last several days is because Iran violated the memorandum of understanding that we struck with them.

[Lisa Brady]

But she says the president remains open to diplomacy. Iran remains publicly defiant. One official calling the US Strikes criminal. Flooding in Texas after days of heavy RA now blamed for at least one death in Hill Country, a region still recovering from devastating floods that killed more than 100 last summer.

[Shane Stelarczyk]

We've taken on significant amount more water than last year's flood. This morning There was about 200,000 cubic feet per second of water coming through the Guadalupe, which was significantly higher than last year.

[Lisa Brady]

Kendall County Judge Shane Stelarczyk as water rescues continue in homes and on roads. The National Weather Service warning a large and deadly flood wave is heading down the Guadalupe river with other rivers all also still rising. Multiple states dealing with hazy smoke from wildfires in Canada, along the border of

[Fox Weather Spain]

Minnesota, Wisconsin and the U.P. of Michigan, areas where the air quality is the worst in the country. But for folks in the Northeast, including New York City, we are now under that unhealthy range.

[Lisa Brady]

For all groups, Fox Weather Spain, Phroni, those air quality alerts extend down to Washington, D.C. and up into New England. America is listening to FOX News.

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[Lisa Brady]

Diplomats around the world getting a warning about political extremism from Secretary of State

[Marco Rubio]

Marco Rubio hosting officials from dozens of countries. The State Department's event in Washington, D.C. was aimed at responding to far left political terrorism. And Secretary Rubio's remarks included claims that counterterrorism efforts have not addressed it.

[Tanya J. Powers]

We've been taught that this kind of political violence, it simply doesn't exist or it's being exaggerated. But it does exist, and we're actually underestimating it. And our nations bear the scars to prove it. And today we face a new wave of this old evil.

[Marco Rubio]

The countries taking part are mostly from Europe, but there are some from Asia and the Western Hemisphere. Israel is the only Middle Eastern country attending, according to the State Department. Tanya J. Powers, FOX News.

[Lisa Brady]

Two more Mexican cartels now designated as foreign terrorist groups by the US Joining six others and adding to pressure on the Mexican government following the indictment of 10 current and former officials from the state of Sinaloa over suspected ties to a cartel. Now we know what killed actor Sam Neill this week, and it's not blood cancer, which had been in remission.

[Monica DeLuca]

Sam Neill's rep confirmed the late Jurassic park actor died from pneumonia after successfully overcoming lymphoma with car T therapy. Neil's agent says the actor's family asked him to Clarify how the 78 year old died after several outlets published inaccurate accounts. He also said Neil, who was known for guarding his privacy, will be remembered with a private family memorial at his New Zealand farm at a later date. Steven Spielberg, who directed him as Dr. Alan Grant in the 1993 blockbuster Jurassic park, said, along with Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum, we will always have our Jurassic family. And Sam will never be forgotten by us or his many millions of fans around the world.

[Lisa Brady]

Fox's Monica DeLuca stocks turning lower. The Dow's now down 162 points. The Nasdaq stack down 309. Elisa Brady, Fox NEWS.