Fox News Hourly Update – 6AM ET – August 18, 2025
Main Theme
This episode delivers a fast-paced roundup of breaking global and national headlines, focusing on major diplomatic developments regarding Ukraine and Russia, a police shooting in Utah, a significant deployment of troops to Washington, D.C., ongoing hurricane and airline strike updates, and a milestone in military technology.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
1. Ukraine Crisis & Diplomacy in Focus
- Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is scheduled to visit the White House, joined by seven European leaders, aiming for a unified peace negotiation stance with Russia. This comes immediately after high-level talks between Russian leaders and President Trump in Alaska.
- Steve Woodkoff (Special Envoy) touts the accomplishment:
- "This was epic, what we achieved." (00:14)
- Steve Woodkoff (Special Envoy) touts the accomplishment:
- Push for Peace & Security Guarantees:
- The U.S. and European nations are proposing security guarantees for Ukraine and are advocating for an end to the war.
- President Trump insists on Ukrainian concessions in peace talks, posting on Truth Social:
- "President Zelensky of Ukraine can end the war with Russia almost immediately if he wants to. Or he can continue to fight. Remember how it started. No getting back obama Given Crimea 12 years ago without a shot being fired and no going into NATO by Ukraine." (00:36)
- Notable Context:
- The show recalls earlier contentious meetings between Zelenskyy and Trump in February, suggesting complex negotiations and ongoing tensions.
2. Domestic Crime & Policing
Police Shooting in Utah
- Incident Details:
- Late-night shooting in Tremont, Utah—north of Salt Lake City—where three police officers were wounded while responding to a disturbance.
- Arrest of the suspected shooter followed.
- Memorable moment from police radio:
- "I got them. Officers down, still shooting. Copy, still shooting. Two officers down." (00:53)
- The last officer on the radio had also been shot; the severity of injuries is still unknown.
Reinforcing Security in Washington, D.C.
- National Guard Deployment:
- President Trump’s administration receives support from three red state governors, sending additional troops to assist with D.C. crime.
- West Virginia (300-400 troops)
- Ohio (150 troops)
- South Carolina (200 troops)
- These reinforcements join 800 D.C. National Guardsmen and hundreds of federal agents.
- Rebecca Castor reports:
- (01:30)
- D.C. city leaders push back, noting a drop in violent crime over the last two years.
- President Trump’s administration receives support from three red state governors, sending additional troops to assist with D.C. crime.
3. Weather & Travel Disruptions
Hurricane Erin
- Nature of the Storm:
- Powerful Category 4 hurricane, previously at Category 5, moving north of the Bahamas but causing heavy rain there.
- Erin is expected to turn away from the U.S. East Coast, but surf and coastal flooding risks remain – evacuation orders are in effect in North Carolina’s Outer Banks.
- (03:10)
Air Canada Strike
- Labor Dispute:
- Air Canada’s operations halted by a strike; plans to resume flights are stalled due to union resistance.
- The Canadian Industrial Relations Board has ordered staff to return to work, but the union is urging defiance, citing unfair pay practices (only compensated while moving, not during boarding, deplaning, or delays).
- Up to 100,000 travelers are stranded, with rebooking challenges due to peak travel.
- Jack Callahan reports:
- (03:34)
- "The union says they're only paid when their aircraft is moving and not compensated for time spent boarding and deplaning and flight delays."
4. Military Innovation: Autonomous Ships
- DARPA Milestone:
- The U.S. Department of Defense and DARPA christen the US X1 Defiant, a 180-foot autonomous ship.
- No crew on board; focuses on endurance and resilience in harsh test conditions.
- Greg Avicola (DARPA Program Manager) explains the challenge:
- "What can you do with a ship design where you don't have the constraints of the people? The other side of the coin, though, is how do you make it reliable? It's hard enough if there are people there to fix it. And really, the only way you can prove that is by giving it a hard test, giving it a test that requires resilience and endurance." (04:37)
- Rebecca Castor reports: (04:16)
5. Markets Update
- Wall Street Preview:
- Stocks futures are slightly down before the week’s trading, after recent gains.
- Dave Anthony closes: (05:00)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
“This was epic, what we achieved.”
— Steve Woodkoff on Ukraine peace talks (00:14) -
“President Zelensky of Ukraine can end the war with Russia almost immediately if he wants to. Or he can continue to fight.”
— President Trump, quoted from Truth Social (00:36) -
“I got them. Officers down, still shooting. Copy, still shooting. Two officers down.”
— Police radio from Utah incident (00:53) -
"The union says they're only paid when their aircraft is moving and not compensated for time..."
— Jack Callahan on Air Canada strike (03:34) -
“What can you do with a ship design where you don't have the constraints of the people?...”
— Greg Avicola, DARPA (04:37)
Timestamps for Important Segments
- Ukraine Peace Negotiations & Trump’s Stance – 00:02-01:00
- Utah Police Shooting – 01:00-01:30
- Troops Deploying to D.C.; Crime Discussion – 01:30-01:47
- Weather: Hurricane Erin – 03:10
- Air Canada Strike – 03:34-04:09
- Military Tech: Autonomous Ship – 04:09-04:54
- Markets Update – 05:00
Summary Takeaways
- The show highlights intense diplomatic maneuvers aimed at halting the Russia-Ukraine war, including direct White House talks and calls for Ukrainian concessions.
- U.S. domestic issues include increasing troop presence in the nation’s capital and ongoing violence against police.
- International travel is disrupted by labor unrest at Air Canada, while severe weather threatens coastal communities.
- The military breaks new ground with the launch of a fully autonomous naval vessel.
- The episode closes on a cautious note for financial markets.
This episode encapsulates the high-stakes, rapidly evolving news environment of the day, offering listeners a concise yet comprehensive catch-up on critical stories.
