Fox News Hourly Update — 5PM ET, December 25, 2025

Episode Overview

This newscast provides listeners with the latest national and international headlines on Christmas Day, focusing on severe weather in Southern California, evolving U.S. military policy on Venezuela, the British royal family's annual Christmas appearance, Christmas observances in the Middle East amid ongoing conflict, and other notable global updates.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Southern California Hit by Severe Rainfall

• Correspondents: Roger Stern, Ainsley Earhart, Jessica Rosenthal
• Los Angeles and surrounding areas experienced torrential rainfall, leading to flash floods, accidents, and critical rescues.
  • Casualties: Three storm-related deaths, including a 64-year-old man in San Diego killed by a falling tree (00:10).
  • Dramatic Rescues: Fire crews performed several rescues, notably airlifting a man trapped in an RV from a creek in Sunland (00:16).
  • Rainfall Totals: Ranged from just over 2.5 inches in downtown LA to more than 12 inches near the San Gabriel Dam (00:26).
• Quote:
  • “Fire crews affected several rescues in and around Los Angeles, including a man who was trapped in an RV in Sunland. He had to be lifted out of a creek by helicopter.”
    — Jessica Rosenthal (00:14)

2. US Military Tightens Focus on Venezuelan Oil

• Correspondents: Roger Stern, Ryan Schmelz
• The White House has ordered U.S. military forces to enforce a quarantine on Venezuelan oil for at least two months.
  • Shift in Policy: The Trump administration is prioritizing economic sanctions over direct military intervention (00:51).
  • Ongoing Pressure: President Trump urged Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to step down, while continuing strikes on alleged cartel vessels in the Caribbean (01:07).
  • Venezuelan Perspective: Officials from Venezuela claim the real threat comes from the U.S. government rather than their own regime (01:17).
• Quote:
  • “Military forces are being told to focus on a quarantine of Venezuelan oil for the next two months minimum… the Trump administration is more interested in using economic pressure as opposed to military force, though military options remain on the table.”
    — Ryan Schmelz (00:53)

3. British Royal Family’s Christmas Service

• Correspondent: Roger Stern
• The British royals attended the annual service at Sandringham, led by King Charles and Queen Camilla.
  • Who Attended: Prince William, Kate Middleton, and Prince Andrew's daughters.
  • Who Was Absent: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle (01:37).
  • Context: Prince Andrew remains stripped of his title due to the Jeffrey Epstein scandal (01:33).

4. Christmas Observances in the Middle East

• Correspondents: Roger Stern, Jessica Rosenthal, Pray Yinxed
• At the Vatican: Pope Leo presided over the first Christmas Day Mass since 1994 at St. Peter’s Basilica.
  • Focus of the Sermon: He lamented conditions in Gaza and called for aid to the poor and strangers (02:31).
• In Bethlehem:
  • Thousands marked Christmas Eve despite hardships since the October 7 attacks (03:08).
  • Quote:
    • “We want Christmas full of light because this is what we need after two years of darkness. We need light.”
      — Unnamed local speaker (03:23)
  • Only about 1,000 Christians remain in Gaza, but children still participated in Christmas celebrations (03:31).
  • The mayor of Bethlehem emphasized that Christmas means “resilience, hope, and great things for the Palestinian people” (03:42).

5. Other Notable Stories

• Brazil:
  • Former President Jair Bolsonaro underwent double hernia surgery while serving a 27-year sentence for attempting a coup. He has required multiple operations since being stabbed in 2018 (03:49).
• Arkansas Lottery Win:
  • A single Powerball ticket in Arkansas won the $1.8 billion jackpot, the second-largest in U.S. history. Winning numbers: 4, 25, 31, 52, 59 (04:11).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Southern California Storms:

  • “Fire crews affected several rescues... man who was trapped in an RV... He had to be lifted out of a creek by helicopter.”
    — Jessica Rosenthal (00:14)

• On U.S. Policy Towards Venezuela:

  • “Military forces are being told to focus on a quarantine of Venezuelan oil for the next two months minimum...”
    — Ryan Schmelz (00:53)

• On Christmas in Bethlehem:

  • “We want Christmas full of light because this is what we need after two years of darkness. We need light.”
    — Local speaker, Bethlehem (03:23)

• On Powerball Win:

  • “Talking about a Christmas present, someone in Arkansas won the massive Powerball jackpot of $1.8 billion. It was the second largest U.S. lotto jackpot ever.”
    — Roger Stern (04:11)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:02: Southern California storms and rescue efforts
• 00:44: U.S. military order on Venezuela
• 01:29: British royal family’s Christmas service
• 02:31: Pope Leo’s Christmas sermon, Christmas in the West Bank and Gaza
• 03:42: Updates on Jair Bolsonaro and Powerball win

Summary

This broadcast provides a snapshot of major world events on Christmas Day, focusing on meteorological emergencies in California, geopolitical strategy shifts in South America, traditional and disrupted holiday observances worldwide, and a life-changing lottery win. The tone is brisk and informative, with moments of empathy for those affected by adversity during the holidays.