7AM ET 12/31/2025 Newscast

Summary

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Fox News Hourly Update — 7AM ET 12/31/2025

Host: Dave Anthony (FOX News Radio)
Date: December 31, 2025

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Main Theme

A brisk wrap-up of overnight national and international news, with a focus on New Year’s Eve security and celebrations, major crime and justice developments, government fraud inquiries, a major ransomware prosecution, and a quick look at the markets and sports.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

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Global New Year’s Celebrations & U.S. Security Measures

[00:02 – 00:37]

• New Year Already Rung in Across the Globe:

  • Fiji, parts of Russia, and New Zealand welcomed 2026 while the U.S. prepared for its largest celebration in Times Square, New York City.

• No Specific Threats Against New York City:

  • NYPD is prepared for the million+ crowd expected; security is tight but no credible threats reported.
  • Notable Quote:

    “At this time there are no known specific credible threats to the New Year's Eve celebration. In times s always, the men and women of the NYPD will be out there keeping everyone safe.”
    — Jessica Tisch, NYPD Commissioner [00:24]

• Post-Terror Attack Security in New Orleans:

  • National Guard assisting after last year's tragic truck attack on Bourbon Street, which killed 14 people in the early hours of 2025.

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High-Profile Legal & Crime Updates

[00:37 – 01:25]

• Update on Kilmar Abrego Garcia Case:

  • Migrant from El Salvador, mistakenly deported, then brought back and criminally charged in a human smuggling case that became a DOJ priority after deportation error.
  • Evidence has emerged on federal decision-making; a judge canceled the trial, ordering a hearing instead.
  • Attribution: Jared Halpern, Fox News

    “A federal judge says there is evidence a human smuggling case against Kilmar Abrego Garcia became a top priority for the Justice Department only after the migrant from El Salvador was erroneously deported and then ordered to return to the U.S.” — Jared Halpern [00:56]

  • ICE will not detain Abrego Garcia again post-release, per Trump administration filing.

• Texas Missing Person Case:

  • Body found during the search for 19-year-old Camila Mendoza Olmos; not immediately determined to be her but circumstances (matching clothes, presence of gun) detailed by Bexar County Sheriff.
  • Notable Quote:

    “Body that we found is that of Camila, but at this point we don't suspect foul play.”
    — Sheriff Javier Salazarque [01:42]

• California Hiker Deaths:

  • 19-year-old found dead after a 500-foot fall on Mount Baldy; two other deceased hikers found during the search.

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Political and Fraud Investigations

[02:05 – 03:11]

• Minnesota Daycare Fraud Scandal:
  • Republicans call for Governor Tim Walz’s resignation; federal probe into multi-billion-dollar fraud allegations involving daycare centers.
  • HHS freezes all federal child care payments to Minnesota, enforcing strict “Defend the Spend” protocols (states must provide justification, receipts, or photo evidence for payments).
  • Demands for a comprehensive audit of Minnesota daycare centers; Governor Walz maintains that the audit will clarify the situation.
  • Notable Quotes:

    “Care funds, we require a justification, receipt or photo evidence before we make a payment.”
    — Jim O’Neill, HHS Deputy Secretary [02:48]

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Major Cybercrime Pleas

[03:13 – 03:53]

• Miami Ransomware Case:
  • Two men with strong credentials at major U.S. cybersecurity firms plead guilty to working with the Russian-linked “Black Cat” ransomware group (implicated in 2024’s attack on Change Healthcare; $22 million ransom).
  • Notable Moment:

    “The bad software locks a company out of its own systems and demands payment to release it. But the two men had top careers and at top US Cybersecurity firms, even though they were working for or with the notorious hacker group known as Black Cat…”
    — Eben Brown, FOX News [03:13]

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Markets & Sports Snapshot

[03:53 – end]

• Market Update:

  • Stocks down premarket after a day of selling, but 2025 overall a strong year for both Dow and Nasdaq (double-digit gains).

• Sports:

  • College Football Playoff features defending champion Ohio State vs. Miami tonight; three more quarterfinals tomorrow on New Year’s Day.

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Memorable Quotes

• “2025 is almost over here. Well, they just rang in 2026 seconds ago in Fijian and parts of Russia.”
  — Dave Anthony [00:02]

• “We have updates on the most infamous illegal immigrant. Deported mistakenly in March, then brought back and then criminally charged.”
  — Dave Anthony [00:37]

• “The U.S. Justice Department says two men have pleaded guilty in a Miami federal courtroom to partaking in hacking schemes involving ransomware used to shake down corporations.”
  — Eben Brown [03:13]

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Timeline of Important Segments

• 00:02 — Global New Year's coverage, U.S. security, NYPD statement
• 00:37 — National Guard in New Orleans, last year’s truck attack
• 00:56 — Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s legal saga, new court developments
• 01:25 — Texas missing teen, body found
• 01:47 — California missing hikers, three found dead overall
• 02:05 — Political fallout and fraud investigations in Minnesota
• 02:28 — Details on HHS response, funding freeze
• 03:13 — High-level ransomware cybercrime plea in Miami
• 03:53 — Markets update, college football playoff slate

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Tone & Delivery

• Fast-paced, concise, serious: Headlines are rapid-fire, focused on critical events and escalating investigations, imbued with urgency and factual precision.
• Authoritative: Direct quotes from officials (police, government, legal) to drive home the gravity and immediacy of each issue.

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Transcript

[A]

Happy old year. I'm Dave Anthony, Fox News. 2025 is almost over here. Well, they just rang in 2026 seconds ago in Fijian and parts of Russia. And the new year is already an hour old in New Zealand. In the US the biggest celebration will be in New York City. Up to a million people will gather to watch the ball drop. And Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch says at.

[B]

This time there are no known specific credible threats to the New Year's Eve celebration. In times s always, the men and women of the NYPD will be out there keeping everyone safe.

[A]

The National Guard is helping secure New Orleans tonight, a year after the terror attack when a man drove a truck onto Bourbon street into a crowd, killing 14 people just three hours into 2025 until police shot and killed him. We have updates on the most infamous illegal immigrant. Deported mistakenly in March, then brought back and then criminally charged.

[C]

A federal judge says there is evidence a human smuggling case against Kilmar Abrego Garcia became a top priority for the Justice Department only after the migrant from El Salvador was erroneously deported and then ordered to return to the U.S. a newly unsealed order in Abrego Garcia's criminal case is offering new details about the decision making process of federal prosecutors. District Judge Waverly Crenshaw has canceled the upcoming trial and instead ordered a hearing next month.

[A]

That's fox's Jared Halpern. The Trump administration in a court filing says ICE is not planning to take Abrego Garcia into custody again after a judge ordered him released. They have found a body in Texas in the search for a missing 19 year old. Camila Mendoza Olmos, last seen Christmas Eve. It's too early to tell if the.

[C]

Body that we found is that of Camila, but at this point we don't suspect foul play.

[A]

Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazarque says clothes match what she was wearing, the gun found next to the body. In California, they found a 19 year old hiker dead on Mount Baldy. He'd fallen 500ft and while they searched for him, the crews found two other hikers also dead. America's Listening.

[B]

This is Ainsley Earhart. Thank you for joining me for the 52 episode podcast series the Life of Jesus.

[A]

A listening experience that will provide hope, comfort, understanding of the greatest story ever told. Listen and follow [e-mail] or wherever you listen to podcasts. While Republicans in Minnesota demand Governor Tim Walls, a Democrat, resign amid federal investigations into multi billion dollar fraud allegations, the Trump administration is withholding funding.

[D]

Allegations of Daycare fraud in Minnesota has led to increased national scrutiny of how federal dollars are spent. In a video posted to social media, HHS Deputy Secretary Jim o' Neill announced the freeze of all child care payments to Minnesota. The HHS defend the spend protocol has also been activated. That means when any state requests child.

[A]

Care funds, we require a justification, receipt or photo evidence before we make a payment.

[D]

HHS is also demanding Minnesota Governor Tim Walz audit daycare centers for data, including inspections, attendance and licensing. Governor Walz has defended his response to fraud allegations and says an audit due next month will give a better picture of what's transpired. Grinal Scott, FOX News.

[A]

Now, another fraud case.

[E]

The U.S. justice Department says two men have pleaded guilty in a Miami federal courtroom to partaking in hacking schemes involving ransomware used to shake down corporations. The bad software locks a company out of its own systems and demands payment to release it. But the two men had top careers and at top US Cybersecurity firms, even though they were working for or with the notorious hacker group known as Black Cat, a primarily Russian group blamed for the 2024 takedown of change Healthcare, which stole patient data and clogged up payment systems for providers. A $22 million ransom was paid. Eben Brown, FOX News.

[A]

On Wall street, stock futures are down after more selling yesterday. But 2025 has been a positive year. Going into the last day of trading, the Dow and the Nasdaq have had double digit percent increases. The College Football Playoff tonight, defending champion Ohio State versus Miami. There will be three more quarterfinal round games tomorrow, New Year's Day. I'm Dave Anthony. This is FOX News.