Broadcast timeline
Sky News Today with Sam Washington
Friday 16 October 2026 · 10:00 BST · 30m · 8 stories · 15 annotated moments · 24 of 30 min on news stories (79%)
Broadcast overview
An AI-generated overview based on this broadcast's transcript.
President Zelensky arrived in Brussels on the second day of an EU summit, urging EU leaders to continue their support for Ukraine. He said energy needs were the first point on his agenda, along with air defence and funding for a winter package, and that Ukraine wanted to end the war as quickly as possible but saw no signals from Russia. EU leaders reiterated their support, while rising tensions between Zelensky and Donald Trump were expected to dominate discussions over intelligence sharing and a US diesel deal with Moscow; Trump had called the Ukrainian leader a disgrace for striking Russian energy sites. A correspondent said the Trump-Zelensky relationship had broken down again and the EU was now Ukraine's biggest single donor but could not match US provision of Patriot interceptor missiles. Scotland Secretary Douglas Alexander defended Zelensky and said the UK would continue to support Ukraine. Defence Secretary Wes Streeting, meeting US counterpart Pete Hegseth in Washington, said he was reassured Ukraine's access to Starlink had been restored, with a correspondent describing a meet-and-greet laced with awkwardness and a shifting US position.
An aircraft carrier, the USS George Washington, could soon play a critical role in the Middle East as Iran-backed Houthis intensified strikes in Saudi Arabia, with President Trump said to be weighing renewing strikes on Tehran; the ship was in the Arabian Sea within striking distance of both Iran and Yemen. A rare access report described planes launching and air assets providing overwatch for tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. Three children and a teacher were killed after a teenager opened fire at a school in Oregon; the 16-year-old suspect was shot dead by a bystander, and a seven-year-old and a teacher in their 50s were in a critical condition. Less than two weeks before John Healey presents his first Budget as Chancellor, former Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall said it was important to get more people back into work while slowing the growth of the benefits bill. Andy Burnham was making his first visit to Scotland as Prime Minister, expected to discuss devolution and local government reform, while the SNP conference in Aberdeen was due to discuss energy policy amid thousands of job losses and a delayed green transition; the SNP had U-turned to argue domestic supply was vital for energy security, and a report noted the oil and gas workforce was thought to have fallen by 70,000 to 115,000 people over the past decade.
Russell Brand arrived in court as his rape trial continued, calling the situation extraordinary and stressful and an exploration of truth and justice, and saying he prayed for everybody involved. A woman who claimed she was raped by Brand told the court yesterday she had nightmares about the possibility of being pregnant; Brand denies allegations of sexual assault, including rape, of six women. Tesla and SpaceX unveiled a new Tesla Roadster equipped with thrusters and a suction system that allows it to cling to a vertical ramp and hover safely to the ground. Tesla claims the car can go from zero to 60 miles an hour in less than a second, and it is going into production in 2028.
- 1:27
- 1:27
Claim EU leaders rally behind Zelensky as Macron vows Europe will not abandon Ukraine
Zelensky will meet NATO chief Mark Rutte and EU leaders in Brussels.
Sky News, Sky News Today with Sam Washington, 16 October 2026, 1:27-1:36
- 1:52
Claim EU leaders rally behind Zelensky as Macron vows Europe will not abandon Ukraine
Donald Trump called the Ukrainian leader a disgrace over strikes on Russian energy sites.
Sky News, Sky News Today with Sam Washington, 16 October 2026, 1:52-1:57
- 5:29
Charged quote EU leaders rally behind Zelensky as Macron vows Europe will not abandon Ukraine
In fairness, the Americans don't have that many Patriot missiles either because of their war with Iran. A lot of their stock has been used up but it is causing massive problems for the Ukrainians because they are now pretty much defenceless against any Russian ballistic missile attacks and that is doing a lot of damage.
Sky News, Sky News Today with Sam Washington, 16 October 2026, 5:29-5:42
- 6:49
Contested quote EU leaders rally behind Zelensky as Macron vows Europe will not abandon Ukraine
Well earlier the Scotland Secretary Douglas Alexander defended President Zelensky for standing up to Donald Trump and told Sky News that the UK would continue to support Ukraine. Vladimir Zelensky is fighting for democracy and it's in the nature of democracy that you have your own constituency. So it's for Vladimir Zelensky to account for what he says publicly and how he makes the case for the continuing action that Ukraine needs to take to …
Sky News, Sky News Today with Sam Washington, 16 October 2026, 6:49-6:55
- 9:01
Charged quote EU leaders rally behind Zelensky as Macron vows Europe will not abandon Ukraine
As the two men met at the Pentagon we were reasonably close. I took the opportunity to ask Pete Hegseth or to shout to him a couple of pertinent questions. Mr Secretary, are you Vladimir Putin's puppet on Ukraine? Mr Secretary, is Vladimir Putin playing you like a fiddle? Mr Secretary, are you selling your allies out on Ukraine?
Sky News, Sky News Today with Sam Washington, 16 October 2026, 9:01-9:20
- 10:02
- 12:28 Story begins Bend, Oregon elementary school shooting kills four
- 14:36
- 16:12
- 16:12
Claim Andy Burnham offers Scottish regions more powers in first visit as PM
Andy Burnham is making his first visit to Scotland as Prime Minister, coinciding with the SNP conference, and is expected to discuss devolution and local government reform while calling for Scottish councils to receive more powers.
Sky News, Sky News Today with Sam Washington, 16 October 2026, 16:12-16:21
- 16:59
Charged quote Andy Burnham offers Scottish regions more powers in first visit as PM
Well in many ways there are similarities between what England through Andy Burnham's vision and what Scotland want. But in other ways there is a huge cavern that divides them. Firstly just look at the timing. Andy Burnham is heading north of the border at the precisely worst time for the Scottish National Party.
Sky News, Sky News Today with Sam Washington, 16 October 2026, 16:59-17:03
- 17:04
Contested quote Andy Burnham offers Scottish regions more powers in first visit as PM
But in other ways there is a huge cavern that divides them. Firstly just look at the timing. Andy Burnham is heading north of the border at the precisely worst time for the Scottish National Party. Because it is their conference day, it's their big get together and nothing will overshadow that than a Prime Ministerial visit.
Sky News, Sky News Today with Sam Washington, 16 October 2026, 17:04-17:13
- 17:14
Claim Andy Burnham offers Scottish regions more powers in first visit as PM
Andy Burnham is making his first visit to Scotland as Prime Minister, coinciding with the SNP conference, and is expected to discuss devolution and local government reform while calling for Scottish councils to receive more powers.
Sky News, Sky News Today with Sam Washington, 16 October 2026, 17:14-17:20
- 17:37
Claim Andy Burnham offers Scottish regions more powers in first visit as PM
Andy Burnham is making his first visit to Scotland as Prime Minister, coinciding with the SNP conference, and is expected to discuss devolution and local government reform while calling for Scottish councils to receive more powers.
Sky News, Sky News Today with Sam Washington, 16 October 2026, 17:37-17:48
- 19:05
- 24:54
- 25:42
Claim Woman testifies Brand indecently assaulted her at MTV in 2001
Brand denies all charges.
Sky News, Sky News Today with Sam Washington, 16 October 2026, 25:42-25:46
- 26:00
Claim Woman testifies Brand indecently assaulted her at MTV in 2001
Jurors were shown a police video interview with a woman who alleges Brand raped her in 1999 after they met on the fringes of that year's Labour conference.
Sky News, Sky News Today with Sam Washington, 16 October 2026, 26:00-26:07
- 26:12
Claim Woman testifies Brand indecently assaulted her at MTV in 2001
Jurors were shown a police video interview with a woman who alleges Brand raped her in 1999 after they met on the fringes of that year's Labour conference.
Sky News, Sky News Today with Sam Washington, 16 October 2026, 26:12-26:16
- 27:00
- 27:23
Claim Tesla shows Roadster that can briefly fly with SpaceX thrusters
Tesla revealed a new Roadster with thrusters and a suction system that allows it to cling to a vertical ramp and hover safely to the ground.
Sky News, Sky News Today with Sam Washington, 16 October 2026, 27:23-27:35
- 27:52
Claim Tesla shows Roadster that can briefly fly with SpaceX thrusters
Tesla plans to begin production of the Roadster in 2028.
Sky News, Sky News Today with Sam Washington, 16 October 2026, 27:52-27:56
Source: Sky News, "Sky News Today with Sam Washington", Friday 16 October 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.