Fox News Hourly Update — 3AM ET, 12/24/2025: Episode Summary

Theme:
This episode delivers concise updates on major breaking news, public safety incidents, a high-profile health announcement, a cherished holiday tradition, and a record lottery jackpot, all within a tight, urgent newscast format.

Key News Stories & Insights

1. Bucks County, Pennsylvania Nursing Home Explosion

[00:03–00:45]

• Incident:

  • An explosion occurred at a nursing home in southeastern Pennsylvania, leading to emergency response.
  • Preliminary reports suggest a gas leak as the cause.

• Casualties and Damage:

  • Governor Josh Shapiro:

    "We believe preliminarily that it was a gas leak that led to that. The explosion was really quite catastrophic. We know that at this time there are at least two fatalities." (Granad Scott, 00:12)

  • Part of the facility, including the dining hall and admissions area, collapsed.
  • Multiple injuries and severe building damage reported.

• Eyewitness Account:

  • A woman on-scene:

    "Chaos, the dining hall, the admissions part to the hospital is going. All the windows are blown out. I'm just praying for everybody at the nursing home." (Nursing Home Witness, 00:35)

2. Delaware State Trooper Fatal Shooting

[00:45–01:27]

• Incident Location:

  • DMV office near Wilmington, Delaware.

• Sequence of Events:

  • Suspect approached a trooper on overtime duty and shot him (Corporal Rashawn Rich, 00:59).
  • Despite being shot, the trooper moved a DMV employee out of harm’s way before being shot again:

    "After being shot, the trooper pushed a DMV employee out of harm's way and the suspect shot the trooper again." (Corporal Rashawn Rich, 01:11)

• Outcome:

  • Both the trooper and the suspect were killed.
  • Motive remains undisclosed.

• Recognition:

  • The fallen officer was hailed as a hero:

    "Lives today while sacrificing his own." (Ryan Reynolds quoting Delaware State Police Superintendent, 01:24)

3. Former Senator Ben Sasse Announces Cancer Diagnosis

[01:37–02:00]

• Announcement:

  • Ben Sasse, former U.S. Senator from Nebraska, revealed he is battling advanced pancreatic cancer.
  • Disclosed via social media, diagnosis received the previous week.

• Background:

  • Age 53, served in Senate since 2014, re-elected in 2020.

4. NORAD Santa Tracker Marks 70 Years

[02:31–03:20]

• Tradition Highlight:

  • NORAD’s annual Santa Tracker celebrates its 70th year of following Santa's journey each Christmas Eve.

• Origins:

  • Started in 1955 when a child accidentally called military operations for Santa info, sparking the tracking custom.

    "The tradition of tracking Santa started in 1955 when a young child accidentally called... NORADS predecessor." (Tonya J. Powers, 02:39)

• Participation:

  • Over 1,000 volunteers answer public calls for Santa’s location updates.
  • Website and phone options available for tracking: noradsanta.org or 1-877-Hi-NORAD.

5. Powerball Jackpot Climbs for Christmas Eve

[03:20–04:13]

• Jackpot Details:

  • The Christmas Eve Powerball stands at $1.7 billion (no winner since September 6th).
  • Lump sum payout: approximately $781 million.

• Potential Records:

  • If no winner, the jackpot could approach or surpass $2 billion on Saturday.
  • "If your Christmas miracle happens tonight, you could take home a lump sum payment slightly more than $781 million." (Granad Scott, 03:30)

6. DOJ Labels Jeffrey Epstein Letter a Fake

[04:13–04:28]

• DOJ Statement:
  • A letter, purportedly from Jeffrey Epstein to Larry Nassar and referencing President Trump, is confirmed to be fake.
  • The letter surfaced with other files related to Epstein.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On the Nursing Home Explosion (Governor Josh Shapiro, via Granad Scott, 00:12):

  "The explosion was really quite catastrophic. We know that at this time there are at least two fatalities."

• Eyewitness Account (Nursing Home Witness, 00:35):

  "All the windows are blown out. I'm just praying for everybody at the nursing home."

• State Police Bravery (Corporal Rashawn Rich, 01:11):

  "After being shot, the trooper pushed a DMV employee out of harm’s way and the suspect shot the trooper again."

• Holiday Tradition (Tonya J. Powers, 02:39):

  "More than 1,000 volunteers will answer questions about Santa’s location."

• Powerball Hype (Granad Scott, 03:30):

  "That Powerball ticket in your stocking may be worth at least $1.7 billion."

Important Timestamps

• Nursing home explosion: 00:03–00:45
• Delaware trooper shooting: 00:45–01:27
• Ben Sasse cancer diagnosis: 01:37–02:00
• NORAD Santa Tracker: 02:31–03:20
• Powerball lottery update: 03:20–04:13
• Epstein letter declared fake: 04:13–04:28

Fox News’ update this hour blends urgent breaking news, seasonal features, and public service information while maintaining its straightforward, composed delivery style.