4PM ET 07/08/2025 Newscast

Summary

Fox News Hourly Update - 4PM ET 07/08/2025 Newscast Summary

Release Date: July 8, 2025

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1. Devastating Flash Floods in Texas Hill Country

Lisa Brady opened the newscast by reporting on the catastrophic flash floods in Texas Hill Country, marking the fifth day of ongoing rescue and recovery efforts.

• Death Toll and Missing Persons:
  • At least 109 people have been confirmed dead in the disaster.
  • 87 deceased have been recovered in Kerr County, including 56 adults and 30 children.
  • Five campers and counselors at Camp Mystic remain missing.
  • Tragically, a police officer from Odessa, Texas, who was on a family trip along the Guadalupe River for the Fourth of July, is among the fatalities.

Larry Letham, Kerr County Sheriff, emphasized the urgency of the situation:

"We are asking private boats to stay off the Guadalupe River to allow rescue and recovery crews to continue searching through miles of muck and debris without interference." [00:12]

Jeff Benasso highlighted the ongoing search efforts and the scrutiny faced by local officials:

"The search remains the priority for now as reporters push local officials for answers on who was in charge when the flood started." [00:42]

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2. Supreme Court Decision on Federal Workforce Layoffs

The Supreme Court recently made a pivotal decision affecting the federal government's staffing plans.

Key Points:

• The Court overrode lower court orders that had temporarily frozen mass layoffs initiated by the Trump administration.
• The ruling allows the Trump administration to proceed with its executive and administrative directives to downsize the federal workforce while the case is adjudicated on its merits.

Unnamed Justice expressed dissent:

"Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson accused the other justices of greenlighting legally dubious actions." [01:00]

David's Analysis:

"Today's unsigned order says no specific cuts were before the high court, only a Trump executive order and an administrative directive for agencies to downsize the federal workforce." [01:18]

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3. Legal Developments Involving Sean 'Diddy' Combs

The legal saga surrounding Sean Combs continues to unfold.

Details:

• Sentencing Date Set: October 3rd.
• Charges: Two federal counts related to prostitution.
• Outcome: Previously, Combs was acquitted by a jury on charges of sex trafficking and racketeering, which could have resulted in a life sentence.

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4. Mixed Performance on Wall Street

The financial markets exhibited varied performances during the session.

Market Movements:

• Dow Jones Industrial Average: Fell by 165 points.
• S&P 500: Decreased by 4 points.
• Nasdaq Composite: Increased by 6 points.

Hillary Barski provided a recap:

"The Dow is down 165, the S&P is down 4 points, and the Nasdaq finishes higher up 6." [03:26]

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5. AI-Driven Impersonation Threats Targeting US Diplomats

A concerning incident involving artificial intelligence has emerged, posing threats to US diplomatic communications.

Incident Details:

• An unknown individual created an account on the encrypted messaging app Signal in June.
• The impostor sent at least three voice messages mimicking Secretary of State Marco Rubio to:
  • Three foreign ministers
  • A governor
  • A member of Congress

Objective: The aim appears to be manipulating targeted individuals to gain access to sensitive information or accounts.

Marco Rubio commented:

"The unknown individual likely aimed to manipulate targeted individuals with the goal of gaining access to information or accounts." [02:23]

State Department Response:

"A warning to diplomats from the US State Department about AI-driven imposters after someone reportedly tried to impersonate the secretary." [02:16]

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6. Asbestos Regulation Controversy

A dispute has arisen over asbestos regulation between the Trump and Biden administrations.

Key Points:

• The Trump administration has dropped plans to continue allowing the last type of asbestos legally permitted in US manufacturing.
• Instead, the administration is now defending the Biden administration's ban following significant opposition from asbestos opponents.
• The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) contends that parts of the ban may have exceeded what is necessary to eliminate unreasonable risk, particularly concerning asbestos used in products like brake blocks and sheet gaskets.
• Industry Groups are suing over the Biden administration's asbestos ban.

Kristen Goodwin, Fox's senior official, provided insights:

"The EPA had said in a federal appeals court filing last month that parts of the ban may have gone beyond what's necessary to eliminate unreasonable risk." [02:48]

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7. Real Estate Market Shifts Favoring Investors

Recent trends indicate a significant shift in the real estate market dynamics, with investors increasingly outpacing traditional homebuyers.

Statistics:

• Investor Purchases: Accounted for 27% of all homes sold in the first three months of the year.
• Historical Comparison: This is the highest investor share in at least five years, compared to a 18.5% average between 2020 and 2023.
• Total Investor Purchases: 265,000 homes bought in the first quarter.

Implications:

• Surging and Borrowing Costs: These factors are making it more challenging for traditional buyers to enter the market, leading investors to seize a larger portion of available properties.

Unnamed Analyst explained:

"Real estate investors are snapping up a bigger portion of properties than potential home buyers. This represents more of a reflection of how traditional buyers are facing affordability issues." [03:26]

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Conclusion

The Fox News Hourly Update delivered comprehensive coverage of critical events impacting Texas, federal government operations, legal cases, financial markets, cybersecurity threats, environmental regulations, and the real estate sector. With detailed reports and expert insights, listeners are kept informed on the developments shaping the nation.

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Note: This summary omits promotional segments and non-essential content to focus on delivering a concise yet thorough overview of the key topics discussed during the newscast.

Transcript

[Lisa Brady]

They're searching for a miracle. I'm Lisa Brady, Fox News. Day 5 in Texas Hill country, where at least 109 are confirmed dead now and Friday's flash floods.

[Larry Letham]

Kerr County Sheriff Larry Letham asking private boats to stay off the Guadalupe river to allow rescue and recovery crews to continue searching through miles of muck and debris without interference.

[Unnamed Official]

87 deceased have been recovered in Kerr county, including 56 adults and 30 children.

[Larry Letham]

Five campers and counselors at Camp mystic are still missing. Police in Odessa, Texas, also confirming that one of their officers on a trip with family along the Guadalupe river for the Fourth of July holiday is among the dead.

[Lisa Brady]

Fox's Jeff Benasso Officials say the search remains the priority for now as reporters push local officials for answers on who was in charge when the flood started. The US Supreme Court has just paved the way for mass layoffs in the federal government, overriding lower court orders that.

[Unnamed Justice]

Temporarily froze the cuts, essentially saying that a San Francisco judge who put a stop to the Trump administration from cutting several federal agencies. They're saying that the Trump administration, in fact, right now can continue forward as the case plays out on its merits.

[Lisa Brady]

Fox's David spun today's unsigned order says no specific cuts were before the high court, only a Trump executive order and an administrative directive for agencies to downsize the federal workforce. The lone dissent is from Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson accusing the other justice of greenlighting legally dubious actions. The sentencing date is set for Sean Diddy combs October 3rd for his conviction in New York on two federal prostitution related counts. A jury found the rapper and businessman not guilty of sex trafficking and racketeering, which could have sent him to prison for life. A mixed finish on Wall Street. The Dow down 165 at the bell. America is listening to FOX News.

[Bret Baier]

Listen to the all new Bret Baier podcast featuring Common Ground in depth talks with lawmakers from opposite sides of the AIs, along with all your Bret Bear favorites like his All Star panel and much more. Available [e-mail] or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Lisa Brady]

A warning to diplomats from the US State Department about AI driven imposters after someone reportedly tried to impersonate the secretary.

[Marco Rubio]

Of state, the unknown individual creating an account on the encrypted messaging app Signal in June, sending at least three foreign ministers, a governor and a member of Congress voice messages mimicking Secretary of State Marco Rubio using artificial intelligence. This, according to a State Department cable obtained by several outlets, which alleges the actor likely aimed to manipulate targeted individuals with the goal of gaining access to information or accounts.

[Lisa Brady]

Fox's Kristen Goodwin, a senior official, says the State Department is investigating the Trump administration dropping plans to allow continued use of the last type of asbestos legally allowed in US Manufacturing, instead moving to defend a Biden administration ban following an outcry from asbestos opponents. The EPA had said in a federal appeals court filing last month month that parts of the ban may have gone beyond what's necessary to eliminate unreasonable risk. At issue is asbestos used in products including brake blocks and sheet gaskets. Industry groups are suing over the Biden ban. Would be Home buyers losing more ground to real estate investors with home prices.

[Unnamed Analyst]

Surging and borrowing costs spiking, real estate investors are snapping up a bigger portion of properties than potential home buyers. Around 27% of all homes sold in the first three months of the year were purchased by investors. That's the highest amount in at least five years, according to to real estate data provider batch data. Between 2020 and 2023, the share of homes bought by investors averaged 18.5%. Investors bought 265,000 homes in the first quarter of the year. Although it's a modest increase from the same period a year earlier, it represents more of a reflection of how traditional buyers are facing affordability issues.

[Lisa Brady]

Fox's Hillary Barski Recapping stocks The Dow down 165. The S&P also lower, down 4 points. The Nasdaq finishes higher up 6.

[Bret Baier]

Lisa Brady FO it's the will Kane Show. Watch it live at noon Eastern Monday through Thursday on foxnews.com or on the Fox News YouTube channel. And don't miss a show. Get the podcast five days a week at foxnewspodcasts.com or wherever you download your favorite podcasts.