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Sky News — Sky News Today with Sam Washington
Saturday 4 July 2026 · 13:00 BST · 30m · 8 stories · 15 annotated moments · 27 of 30 min on news stories (91%)
Broadcast overview
An AI-generated overview based on this broadcast's transcript.
Iran has begun several days of public mourning and funeral processions for its former supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Hemene, who was killed in US and Israeli strikes in February. His body is lying in state at Tehran's Grand Masala, with Iranian authorities expecting up to 20 million mourners over six days. The ceremonies come as Iran and the US attempt to hold a fragile ceasefire after signing an initial deal to halt their conflict. FIFA has backtracked on a proposal to move England's World Cup match against Mexico forward by several hours, keeping the kick-off at 1am UK time on Monday despite concerns about storms and fan safety after four fans died following a previous match in Mexico City. Keir Starmer, set to leave Downing Street in two weeks with Andy Burnham expected to replace him, told the BBC he is leaving his successor a platform to build on and that Labour can win the next election. The NHS's top doctor has warned that misinformation online is becoming a real threat to public health, and the health service is launching a TikTok channel to counter it.
Festivities marking the 250th anniversary of American independence included fireworks at Mount Rushmore and a speech by President Trump, though the report noted deep political divisions over the celebration. Sky News and Goldsmiths University published exclusive research showing young people from black and racial minority groups see more racist content on social media than ever before, with AI-generated deepfakes and polarised political rhetoric blamed for normalising hate. Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, rejected Russian claims of capturing the strategically important eastern city of Kostantynivka, after Moscow released footage of President Putin hailing its capture. Taylor Swift and American football player Travis Kelsey married at Madison Square Garden in New York, with the ceremony officiated by actor Adam Sandler and attended by a star-studded guest list.
- 0:15
- 2:15
Contested quote Iran prepares for funeral of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei
who were also killed on that day and the smaller casket is that of Zafra, his granddaughter. There's a mood of sadness but also of anger here. A lot of these mourners have told us that they want vengeance for the leader that they say was martyred illegally by the Israelis on that day that then began this four-month war.
Sky News, Sky News Today with Sam Washington, 4 July 2026, 2:15-2:23
- 2:57
Contested quote Iran prepares for funeral of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei
And that's something the government wants to build on. There are those Iranians who will not feel that way. This is a deeply divided country. We've spoken to some particularly young Iranians who say they won't be coming to the funeral. But we are undoubtedly going to see a massive outpouring of grief, millions on the streets most likely,
Sky News, Sky News Today with Sam Washington, 4 July 2026, 2:57-2:59
- 3:18
- 5:17 Story begins Keir Starmer announces resignation as Prime Minister
- 5:24
Contested quote Keir Starmer announces resignation as Prime Minister
Keir Starmer is set to leave Downing Street in just a couple of weeks time, with Andy Burnham expected to replace him as Prime Minister. Well speaking to the BBC, Mr Starmer says he's leaving his successor with a platform to build on, which means Labour can and should go on to win the next election.
Sky News, Sky News Today with Sam Washington, 4 July 2026, 5:24-5:30
- 5:24
Claim Keir Starmer announces resignation as Prime Minister
Starmer said he is leaving his successor a platform to build on, meaning Labour can win the next election.
Sky News, Sky News Today with Sam Washington, 4 July 2026, 5:24-5:34
- 5:44
Charged quote Keir Starmer announces resignation as Prime Minister
It's quite a frank interview. It's also the kind of interview that leaders do when they're on their way out, when they're trying to highlight their successes over what people would see as their perceived failures. And I think that a lot of this interview is about Keir Starmer trying to remind people what he sees
Sky News, Sky News Today with Sam Washington, 4 July 2026, 5:44-5:51
- 6:11
Charged quote Keir Starmer announces resignation as Prime Minister
Saying things like he brought Labour back from the brink and that he's proud that he changed Labour. A nod to the past there. You'll remember back in 2015 to 2019 under the Jeremy Corbyn years, Labour was in real trouble, embroiled with anti-Semitism, and in the 2019 election got its lowest vote share since 1935.
Sky News, Sky News Today with Sam Washington, 4 July 2026, 6:11-6:15
- 6:15
Charged quote Keir Starmer announces resignation as Prime Minister
A nod to the past there. You'll remember back in 2015 to 2019 under the Jeremy Corbyn years, Labour was in real trouble, embroiled with anti-Semitism, and in the 2019 election got its lowest vote share since 1935. Then steps in to Keir Starmer and is credited, along with others, of bringing Labour back to that landslide victory in the last election.
Sky News, Sky News Today with Sam Washington, 4 July 2026, 6:15-6:20
- 7:08
Contested quote Keir Starmer announces resignation as Prime Minister
He called it really, really tough and he said he'd sought quite a lot of counsel from his wife and children in the sort of quiet surroundings of Chequers. And he also says he does like Andy Burnham and he wants and wishes him all of the success. And he also says that he will stay as MP until the next election.
Sky News, Sky News Today with Sam Washington, 4 July 2026, 7:08-7:14
- 7:14
Claim Keir Starmer announces resignation as Prime Minister
Starmer will stay as an MP until the next election.
Sky News, Sky News Today with Sam Washington, 4 July 2026, 7:14-7:19
- 7:43
Charged quote Keir Starmer announces resignation as Prime Minister
and has left, in his words, a foundation for Andy Burnham or whoever takes over in the weeks to come. But there is the big question about the £5 billion black hole that whoever succeeds the Prime Minister will inherit and that, I think, will carry on the huge problems that anyone who will want to run the country
Sky News, Sky News Today with Sam Washington, 4 July 2026, 7:43-7:46
- 7:43
Claim Keir Starmer announces resignation as Prime Minister
There is a £5 billion black hole that the successor will inherit.
Sky News, Sky News Today with Sam Washington, 4 July 2026, 7:43-7:49
- 7:58
- 7:58
Claim NHS top doctor warns online misinformation threatens public health, launches TikTok channel
NHS top doctor warned that online misinformation is a real threat to public health.
Sky News, Sky News Today with Sam Washington, 4 July 2026, 7:58-8:05
- 8:05
Claim NHS top doctor warns online misinformation threatens public health, launches TikTok channel
NHS is launching a TikTok channel to help fight misinformation.
Sky News, Sky News Today with Sam Washington, 4 July 2026, 8:05-8:09
- 11:18
- 22:51
- 27:28
- 28:11 Story begins Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce marry in New York
- 29:05
Contested quote Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce marry in New York
but still showbiz through and through. There are no photos yet, but the pair were both dressed in Dior. The cameras caught a few famous faces, but with privacy paramounts here, tinted vehicle after tinted vehicle turned up, heading for a tent which disguised a star-studded celebrity guest list, some a thousand people strong.
Sky News, Sky News Today with Sam Washington, 4 July 2026, 29:05-29:08
- 29:57
Charged quote Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce marry in New York
the sweltering conditions not enough to stop Swifties and spectators lining the streets. I came because I've been waiting like 20 years for this day, like everybody else, so I'm really excited. I heard you're calling on the megaphone. You need to calm down. Why do you gotta be so mean? She finally found her in law.
Sky News, Sky News Today with Sam Washington, 4 July 2026, 29:57-29:59
Source: Sky News, "Sky News Today with Sam Washington", Saturday 4 July 2026. Transcript excerpts and stills are shown only to support the analysis annotated alongside them. Search-result excerpts are distinct from the editorial annotations — see our copyright basis. The full broadcast is not reproduced.