6PM ET 08/18/2025 Newscast

Summary

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Fox News Hourly Update – 6PM ET 08/18/2025

Host: Lisa Licera
Network: FOX News Radio
Date: August 18, 2025

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Episode Overview

This newscast delivers a concise roundup of major national and international developments as of the evening of August 18, 2025. Highlighted topics include President Trump’s push for a full peace deal between Russia and Ukraine, his executive order to end mail-in voting, severe weather impacts from Hurricane Erin, a major Venezuelan gang indictment in Colorado, expanded access to weight loss medications, and new additions to the Cambridge Dictionary.

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Key Points & Discussion Highlights

1. Russia-Ukraine Peace Negotiations (00:02 – 00:53)

• Main Theme: President Trump asserts he wants more than a ceasefire in Ukraine—he demands a comprehensive peace agreement, with lasting security guarantees and potential territorial negotiations.
• Key Participants: President Trump, Volodymyr Zelensky (Ukraine), Giorgio Meloni (Italy), EU leaders.
• Security Guarantees: European leaders advocate for NATO-like security for Ukraine.
• Memorable Quote:
  • “He wants a full peace deal.” – Lisa Licera (00:02)
  • “How to be sure that it won't happen again, which is the precondition of every kind of peace.” – Fox News Correspondent (00:20)
  • “This is a decision that can only be made by President Zelensky and by the people of Ukraine.” – Jimmy Phela (00:39)
• Important Moment: President Trump proposes a trilateral meeting with Zelensky and Putin.

2. U.S. Election Reform – Proposed Ban on Mail-In Voting (01:12 – 01:20)

• Trump’s Announcement: An executive order is being drafted to end mail-in ballots, which he deems “corrupt.”
• Ballot Context: About one-third of American voters use mail-in ballots. Constitutional provisions leave election procedures largely to individual states.
• Memorable Quote:
  • “We're going to start with an executive order that's being written right now by the best lawyers in the country to end mail in ballots because they're corrupt.” – Jimmy Phela, quoting President Trump (01:12)
• Further Context: Change could face substantial legal and political hurdles due to state control over elections.

3. Hurricane Erin Threatens U.S. Coast (01:20 – 01:48)

• Current Situation: Erin remains offshore but is affecting the Florida coast with dangerous surf and high swells, prompting red flags along beaches.
• Details:
  • The storm is “hundreds of miles away,” yet causing “seven to ten foot swells” (Jimmy Phela, 01:36).
  • Barrier islands on North Carolina’s Outer Banks face evacuations.
• Memorable Quote:
  • “This is a massive storm. So even though it's hundreds of miles away, the rough surf is likely to last all the way through Thursday.” – Jimmy Phela (01:36)

4. Organized Crime Indictment in Colorado (02:15 – 02:56)

• Headline: 30 members of a violent Venezuelan gang indicted for firearms, drug trafficking, and a gruesome murder-for-hire conspiracy.
• Law Enforcement Details:
  • Murder plot promised severed heads as “proof” for extra payment.
  • 24 arrested in the U.S., 2 in custody in Colombia.
• Notable Quotes:
  • “Barbaric murder for hire plot in which several defendants agreed to kill two people for $15,000 and return their severed heads as proof... for just an extra $5,000.” – U.S. Attorney Peter McNeely (02:31)
  • “One of the people who offered to commit murders in this case bragged... the very same people that we had seen committing crimes on the news in these apartment complexes in Aurora.” – U.S. Attorney Peter McNeely (02:45)

5. Weight Loss Medications to Expand Access (03:04 – 03:51)

• Novo Nordisk Announcement: Wegovy (weight loss) and Ozempic (diabetes) will be available for self-pay via GoodRx telehealth for $499/month at over 70,000 pharmacies nationwide.
• FDA Update: Wegovy now approved for a type of liver disease.
• Market Impact: GoodRx serves nearly 30 million consumers, streamlining access to medications.

6. Cambridge Dictionary Adds New Words (03:51 – 04:13)

• New Additions: Over 6,000 words updated, reflecting evolving language and internet culture.
• Examples:
  • “skibidi” – from YouTube, meaning “cool” or “bad.”
  • “tradwife” – traditional wives who document their lifestyle online.
  • “delulu” – short for “delusional.”

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Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• Lisa Licera: “He wants a full peace deal.” (00:02)
• Jimmy Phela: “We're going to start with an executive order... to end mail in ballots because they're corrupt.” (01:12)
• U.S. Attorney Peter McNeely: “Barbaric murder for hire plot... severed heads as proof for just an extra $5,000.” (02:31)
• Fox News Correspondent: “Wegovy has received approval from the FDA for treatment of a type of liver disease.” (03:45)
• Lisa Licera: “Skibidi... tradwife... delulu.” (03:51)

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Additional Notes

• Weather Advisories: Ongoing storm threats and evacuations, particularly in coastal regions.
• Legal Proceedings: High-level efforts against violent international crime networks.
• Healthcare Trends: Rise in direct-to-consumer telehealth and medical access.
• Language Trends: Digital and youth culture drive dictionary updates.

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Listeners receive a brisk yet detailed overview of major 08/18/2025 headlines, blending U.S. and global affairs, original reporting, and direct attribution from officials and reporters.

Transcript

[Lisa Licera]

He wants a full peace deal. I'm Lisa Licera, Fox News. President Trump says he won't be satisfied with just a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine.

[Fox News Reporter]

Several European leaders joined Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky here, calling themselves a coalition of the willing in pursuit of a just and lasting peace.

[Fox News Correspondent]

How to be sure that it won't happen again, which is the precondition of every kind of peace.

[Fox News Reporter]

Italian Prime Minister Giorgio Meloni and European leader say they support a security guarantee similar to NATO. President Trump says there must also be discussion of potential swaps of territory.

[Jimmy Phela]

Ultimately, this is a decision that can only be made by President Zelensky and by the people of Ukraine.

[Fox News Reporter]

President Trump says he is pushing for a trilateral meeting between himself, Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin talks as Jared.

[Lisa Licera]

Halpert at the White House. At the conclusion of the meeting, EU Commission President Ursula Van der Leyen said, we are here as allies and friends for peace in Ukraine and in Europe, calling it an important moment as we continue to work on strong security guarantees for Ukraine. President Trump is proposing an end to mail in voting.

[Jimmy Phela]

We're going to start with an executive order that's being written right now by the best lawyers in the country to end mail in ballots because they're corrupt.

[Lisa Licera]

Mail in ballots are used by about a third of all voters. The Constitution puts states in charge of the time, place and manner of elections, while allowing Congress to make or alter rules for federal elections. Even though it's expected to stay offshore, Hurricane Erin is impacting parts of Florida.

[Jimmy Phela]

This is a massive storm. So even though it's hundreds of miles away, the rough surf is likely to last all the way through Thursday. Seven to ten foot swells are expected in areas like St. Augustine, where they had the red flags ALREADY POST Fox.

[Lisa Licera]

Weather's Steve Bender in St. Augustine. Florida tourists on a couple of barrier islands on North Carolina's Outer Banks have been evacuated. America's listening to FOX News.

[Fox News Reporter]

It's the Will Kane Show. Watch it live at noon Eastern Monday through Thursday on fox news.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.

[Lisa Licera]

Thirty members of a violent Venezuelan gang have been indicted in Colorado.

[Law Enforcement Official]

At a press conference, multiple members of law enforcement noted that last year some people didn't want to talk about trend. Now, 30 members of the gang have been named in two separate indictments on firearms and drug trafficking charges and a.

[U.S. Attorney Peter McNeely]

Barbaric murder for hire plot in which several of the defendants agreed to kill two people for $15,000 and return their severed heads as proof of the murders for just an extra $5,000.

[Law Enforcement Official]

U.S. attorney Peter McNeely added, One of.

[U.S. Attorney Peter McNeely]

The people who offered to commit murders in this case bragged to the undercover officers that the people he would use to commit those murders were the very same people that we had seen committing crimes on the news in these apartment complexes in Aurora.

[Law Enforcement Official]

24 members are under arrest here in the US and two are in custody in Colombia. Jessica Rosenthal, FO Weight loss medications will.

[Lisa Licera]

Now be more widely available Pharma company.

[Fox News Correspondent]

Novo Nordisc is offering weight loss medication Wegovy and diabetes treatment Ozempic through telehealth service Goodrx. Eligible patients will be able to self pay for Ozempic or wegovy pens for $499 a month at more than 70,000 retail pharmacies nationwide. Goodrx says it is used by nearly 30 million consumers and more than 1 million healthcare professionals. Ann Also, Novo Nordisk will make Ozempic available directly to eligible consumers across its own platforms. And Wegovy has received approval from the FDA for treatment of a type of liver disease. Jenny Coselda, FOX News Britain's Cambridge Dictionary.

[Lisa Licera]

Has added over 6,000 new words, including skibidi, which comes from a YouTube series and can mean either cool or bad Tradwife, which refers to a traditional wife who shares her lifestyle online and delulu, which is short for delusional. I'm Lisa Licera. This is Fox News.

[Jimmy Phela]

This is Jimmy Phela inviting you to join me for FOX Across America where we'll discuss every single one of the Democrats dumb ideas. Just kidding. It's only a three hour show. Listen live at noon Eastern or get the [e-mail].