6AM ET 10/23/2025 Newscast

Summary

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FOX News Hourly Update — 6AM ET, October 23, 2025

Overview

This episode of the FOX News Hourly Update delivers concise coverage of the morning’s top stories. The main themes include international tensions following new US and EU sanctions on Russia for its ongoing conflict with Ukraine, the status of Israel-Gaza relations, US military actions against suspected drug trafficking, historic moments at the Vatican, a prolonged US government shutdown and its consequences, rising health insurance costs, and updates on VA hospital performance.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Sanctions Against Russia for Attacking Ukraine

[00:02–00:34]

• Main Story: The US and its allies, particularly the European Union, are responding to Russia’s recent actions in Ukraine by increasing sanctions. The EU targets Russian natural gas, while President Trump imposes sanctions on Russia’s top oil companies.
• Trump cancels a planned second summit with President Putin as part of the response.
• Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy has requested advanced Tomahawk missiles from the US but has been unsuccessful so far.
• Russia responds provocatively by conducting nuclear exercises, test-launching missiles from land, sea, and air. The Kremlin claims these were planned drills.

Notable Quotes:

• "Hopefully he'll become reasonable and hopefully Zelensky will be reasonable, too. You know it takes two to tango." — Political Commentator [00:19]
• "President Vladimir Putin is pictured at the heart of things, monitoring events from a large white table." — Jonathan Savage [00:34]

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2. Diplomacy & Conflict in Israel and Gaza

[01:01]

• US Secretary of State Marco Rubio heads to Israel following Vice President Vance’s visit, focusing on preserving a fragile ceasefire in Gaza.

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3. US Military Strikes on Suspected Drug Boats

[01:01–01:37]

• The US targets another suspected drug boat in the Eastern Pacific, killing three, labeled as “narco terrorists” by War Secretary Pete Hegseth.
• In total, 37 people have been killed in this series of military actions; previous strikes occurred in the Caribbean.
• President Trump cites national security as justification, arguing that international waters make such strikes legal.

Notable Quotes:

• "We know the people coming in. We know the boats. We know everything else. We're allowed to do it. It's in international waters." — Political Commentator [01:37]

• Critics raise questions about the legality of these attacks.

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4. Historic Visit at the Vatican

[01:44]

• King Charles of Britain visits the Vatican, becoming the first British monarch in over 500 years to pray with the Pope.

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5. US Government Shutdown Continues

[02:13–02:50]

• The government shutdown reaches Day 23: most federal workers are furloughed and unpaid, while essential workers continue without pay.
• Republicans, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, blame Democrats for blocking another Senate vote on a funding extension.
• House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries ties reopening to Republican acceptance of continued cuts to Obamacare subsidies, warning these cuts drive up costs for millions.

Notable Quotes:

• "The Democrat shutdown is a glaring example of just how far the Democratic Party has strayed from common sense." — Dave Anthony [02:13]
• "We're ready, we're willing, we're able to reopen the government." — Doug Collins [02:35]

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6. Rising Health Insurance Costs

[02:50–03:23]

• Average family health insurance through employers now costs nearly $27,000 annually—a 6% increase from last year.
• Employers handle about three-quarters of this cost; employees contribute about $600/month.
• KFF cites rising prescription drug costs (including weight loss drugs), long-term illness, and increased healthcare usage as major causes for the uptick.

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7. VA Hospitals’ Ongoing Performance Improvements

[03:23–03:58]

• The shutdown does not affect VA hospitals, which are funded via pre-approved budgets.
• Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins highlights new, performance-tracking metrics across all facilities, aiming to improve the quality of care.

Notable Quotes:

• "We now have metrics that all of our hospitals can look at… KPIs that actually say here’s what we’re measuring, here’s how we’re doing it." — VA Official [03:34]
• "They're doing it better, faster and quicker and more quality than we've seen in years." — VA Official [03:53]

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8. Other Notes

[04:08]

• Wall Street futures are mixed following a substantial selloff the previous day.

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Memorable Moments

• The rare, symbolic moment of religious diplomacy as King Charles prays with the Pope ([01:44])
• The pointed exchange on leadership during the government shutdown, highlighting partisan deadlock ([02:13]–[02:50])

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:02 — Sanctions on Russia, US and EU response
• 00:24 — Ukraine’s request for Tomahawk missiles, Russia’s nuclear drills
• 01:01 — Jonathan Savage on Kremlin nuclear exercises; Rubio’s Gaza diplomacy
• 01:01–01:37 — US military anti-drug operations, legal questions
• 01:44 — King Charles visits Vatican
• 02:13 — Government shutdown developments and blame
• 02:50 — Health insurance cost increases
• 03:23 — VA hospitals’ performance, unaffected by shutdown
• 04:08 — Wall Street update

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This episode balances analysis of major international flashpoints, US domestic policy disputes, healthcare economic trends, and institutional news—all in a brisk newscast format, staying true to the urgent and opinionated tone of FOX News reporting.

Transcript

[Dave Anthony]

Punishing Russia for attacking Ukraine. I'm Dave Anthony. FOX News. Both the US and allies overseas are doing it. The European Union putting sanctions on natural gas. President Trump is sanctioning Russia's two biggest oil companies after canceling his planned second summit with Russia's leader.

[Political Commentator]

Hopefully he'll become reasonable and hopefully Zelensky will be reasonable, too. You know it takes two to tango.

[Dave Anthony]

As they say, referencing Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, who's been pushing for without success the US to provide more advanced Tomahawk missiles. Meanwhile, Russia is conducting nuclear exercises.

[Jonathan Savage]

Land, sea and air based nuclear capable missiles have all been test launched. The Kremlin tells us the drills were designed to hone the skills of nuclear command structures. President Vladimir Putin is pictured at the heart of things, monitoring events from a large white table. And while this follows the White House abandoning plans for Presidents Trump and Putin to meet and talk potential peace in Ukraine, Moscow insists these exercises were scheduled long ago.

[Dave Anthony]

That's fox's Jonathan Savage. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is going to Israel after a two day visit by Vice President Vance, trying to keep a fragile Gaza cease fire in place. The US Military's taken out yet another suspected drug boat, killing three people that War Secretary Pete Hegseth calls narco terrorists. This and the previous strike were in the Eastern Pacific. The first seven were in the Caribbean. Fox's Jill NATO reports 37 people have.

[Jill NATO]

Been killed in the series of US military strikes against boats believed to be carrying drugs from South America to the US President Trump says the vessels are a national security threat and that gives him the legal right to attack.

[Political Commentator]

We know the people coming in. We know the boats. We know everything else. We're allowed to do it. It's in international waters.

[Dave Anthony]

Trump critics question whether those attacks are legal history made at the Vatican. Britain's King Charles is there for a state visit and he will be the first British monarch to pray with the pope in more than 500 years. America's listening to FOX News Will kane country.

[Will Kane]

Watch it live at noon Eastern Monday through Thursday@fox news.com or on the Fox News YouTube channel. And don't miss the show. Listen and follow the podcast five days a week at Fox newspodcasts.com or wherever you download your favorite podcasts.

[Dave Anthony]

Snooze for a 23rd day. Most federal workers are not working furloughed and unpaid, while those deemed essential keep working. Also without paychecks for now. The Democrat shutdown is a glaring example of just how far the Democratic Party has strayed from common sense. House Speaker Mike Johnson and Republicans blame Democrats who blocked another Senate vote on a funding extension yet again yesterday.

[Doug Collins]

We're ready, we're willing, we're able to reopen the government.

[Dave Anthony]

But House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries says only if Republicans agree to extend cuts looming to Obamacare subsidies driving up the cost of coverage for millions of Americans. Now, costs are already rising.

[Chris Foster]

The average employer based family health insurance plan cost nearly $27,000 this year, up 6% from last year up, according to a survey conducted by the health research group kff. Employers are picking up about three quarters of that, with employees contributing nearly $600 a month. KFF's chief executive says he sees a wave of employees potentially being made to share more of the costs as they go up. Employers cite the biggest factors in rising costs as prescription drug coverage for some covering the use of GLP1, weight loss drugs, long term illness rates and more use of medical services. Chris Foster, FOX News.

[Dave Anthony]

Now, the government shutdown is not affecting VA hospitals. Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins visited.

[Doug Collins]

Secretary Collins spoke about changes that have been made over the last several months to better track performance.

[VA Official]

We now have metrics that all of our hospitals can look at. They can all look at 18 different metrics, KPIs that actually say here's what we're measuring, here's how we're doing it. So we can look at what not only is required statutorily, but also what our veterans require.

[Doug Collins]

He says this is part of his goal to put veterans first. And the most important part is that the quality of care has improved.

[VA Official]

They're doing it better, faster and quicker and more quality than we've seen in years.

[Doug Collins]

Collins also says that VA hospitals are operating normally despite the shutdown because they're running on pre approved funds. Kevin, you're at Ski FOX News.

[Dave Anthony]

On Wall street, stock futures are mixed the day after a big sell off. I'm Dave Anthony. This is FOX NEWS.