The idea of two princesses living in luxury while the King pays their rent may have seemed normal in days gone by – but surely not in 2026. Beatrice and Eugenie, the daughters of former prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, have been enjoying that very arrangement despite being non-working royals. So, who are Beatrice and Eugenie? How have they navigated the scandal over their parents' links to Jeffrey Epstein? And is it right the King still pays their rent? Niall Paterson is joined by Sky's royal c...
Jun 05, 2026•18 min
He was already the richest man on the planet. Now Elon Musk's wealth is about to go stratospheric. The SpaceX founder will become the world's first trillionaire when he launches the company on the US stock market next week. One trillion seconds amounts to a staggering 31,700 years. One trillion dollars would give Musk almost unimaginable influence. What are the dangers of him – and other tech giants – amassing so much wealth? Niall Paterson is on the money with Sky’s business correspondent Paul ...
Jun 04, 2026•18 min
Moscow may have hit Ukraine with one of its biggest attacks of the war so far - but is it Russia’s economy that’s starting to crack? Businesses are closing while bills and taxes are on the rise – as the growing cost of the conflict is felt on the high street and in homes as much as the battlefield. With his hometown under attack from Ukrainian drones, what does Vladimir Putin fear most - losses on the frontline, unrest over the struggling economy, or the possibility both could combine to threate...
Jun 03, 2026•18 min
Is the murder of 18-year-old Henry Nowak a new low for the police - or an excuse for political point scoring? Henry was handcuffed as he lay dying after being stabbed, having been falsely accused of racially abusing his Sikh killer, Vickrum Digwa. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage claims this is yet another example of 'two-tier policing', where white people are treated differently to ethnic minorities. Are those allegations justified? Do police forces in England have an institutional problem with ra...
Jun 02, 2026•22 min
A year on from publishing a plan to make the UK's military fit for purpose, the government still hasn't said where the money's coming from. It now admits the long-delayed defence investment plan is still weeks away from being published. The prime minister has committed to spend 3.5% of GDP on core defence by 2035 - but is Sir Keir Starmer willing to sanction cuts elsewhere, from welfare or the NHS, to pay for it? As the US seemingly turns its back on NATO and the threat from Russia increases, is...
Jun 01, 2026•15 min
A Blue Origin rocket explosion during a test launch at Cape Canaveral in Florida could have huge implications for Jeff Bezos' ambitions in space. His company had just won a big NASA contract to deliver lunar landers to the moon using his New Glenn rockets which are specifically designed to carry cargo. The failure will also affect NASA's moon plans, which already included little margin for error. Sky's science and technology correspondent Mickey Carroll joins Mhari Aurora to discuss what the exp...
May 29, 2026•13 min
At least eight teenagers have died after getting into difficulty in open water during the UK’s record-breaking heatwave. The tragedies have caused the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) to warn of the dangers of “cold water shock”, as many try to cool down in the baking heat. The deaths have also happened days before the official start of summer - so what can be done to keep people safe in the months ahead? Mhari Aurora discusses water safety with campaigner Beckie Ramsay, whose son drow...
May 28, 2026•15 min
The head of the GCHQ intelligence agency has warned that Russia is going after critical infrastructure and democracy in the UK. Anne Keast-Butler also used the inaugural GCHQ annual lecture at Bletchley Park to say the threat of this "daily hybrid activity" leading to a wider conflict is as "high as I’ve ever seen it". Her warning comes days after an RAF jet carrying the UK's defence secretary John Healey had its signal jammed near the Russia border. Why is Moscow allegedly carrying out these hy...
May 27, 2026•19 min
Three teenagers who avoided jail over the rape of two girls in Hampshire will now have their sentences reviewed after a judge initially said he wanted to "avoid criminalising these children unnecessarily". One of the victims described the ruling as being like a "rock straight in my face". The attorney general, Lord Hermer, has announced that the Court of Appeal will review the sentences. His office had received "multiple" requests for the sentences to be reviewed under the Unduly Lenient Sentenc...
May 26, 2026•15 min
In all corners of the United Kingdom, parties that back independence are now in charge. The SNP retained control in Scotland and Plaid Cymru took power in Wales for the first time following the May elections. And, with Sinn Fein becoming the biggest party in Northern Ireland back in 2022, it now means all three devolved legislatures in the UK are led by nationalist parties. So, what's behind their rise and are there similarities between them? Niall is joined by Professor Michael Keating, Emeritu...
May 25, 2026•19 min
Thomas Tuchel is England’s first German-born manager. He has led some of Europe’s biggest clubs, from Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich to Chelsea, where he won the Champions League. But he has rarely stayed long in one place; Tuchel has had fraught relationships with club owners and executives. Now, as he announces his squad for the 2026 World Cup in North America, some of his selection decisions have already sparked controversy. So what do they, and his career so far, reveal about the man ...
May 22, 2026•19 min
Since Russia invaded Ukraine, Britain has sanctioned Moscow’s economy in an attempt to weaken Putin's war machine. But this week, the UK introduced a new exemption allowing diesel and jet fuel made from Russian oil to enter Britain via third countries. So, has Britain quietly relaxed its sanctions on Russia? And more broadly, have Western sanctions actually worked? Niall is joined by Tom Keatinge, founding director of the Centre for Finance and Security at defence and security thinktank the Roya...
May 21, 2026•15 min
President Xi Jinping's hopes of putting China at the centre of a new world order have been given a boost by back-to-back visits of two of his fellow world leaders. Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump both had the red carpet rolled out but the US president left without securing any major deals, while Putin has signed at least 20 deals and significantly a joint declaration on establishing a multipolar world and a new type of international relations. Russia has arguably been weakened by its Ukraine war...
May 20, 2026•20 min
Tech titan and X owner Elon Musk has seen his high-profile lawsuit against the boss of OpenAI Sam Altman thrown out of court. Musk accused his rival of making OpenAI, which created the increasingly popular ChatGPT, a profit-making company after he had donated $38 million to it. The jury may have ruled against Musk, but the feud between the two tech tycoons is likely to continue – and could define the future of AI for years to come. Niall is joined by tech journalist Will Guyatt to discuss the ca...
May 19, 2026•15 min
A new strain of Ebola virus has been declared an international public health emergency by the World Health Organisation. More than 300 suspected cases have been identified – with at least 80 deaths reported. The outbreak is mostly confined to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, but two cases have already spread to Uganda. Plus, a number of American citizens have also been exposed to the virus. Niall speaks to Africa correspondent Yousra Elbagir and health correspondent Ashish Joshi about exact...
May 18, 2026•17 min
The constituency of Makerfield has been a Labour safe seat for generations, but in the May elections, Reform UK won nearly every seat that was up for grabs at the local council. So how much of a gamble is it for Andy Burnham to try to stage a Commons return here? In his favour is his personal popularity in Greater Manchester and the fact he grew up in the area. Against him is the momentum of Reform and the fact that Makerfield hasn't benefitted from some of Burnham's key policies as mayor of the...
May 15, 2026•21 min
On Thursday lunchtime, Wes Streeting resigned from Sir Keir Starmer’s government. The now-former health secretary said he had “lost confidence” in the PM’s premiership – the first cabinet minister to jump ship. But what he didn’t say (yet) is that he will challenge Starmer for the Labour leadership – and with it, the keys to Number 10. So, why hasn’t Streeting fired the starting gun on a contest his critics say he’s been desperate to fight? What sort of leader might he eventually be, and what’s ...
May 14, 2026•22 min
The UK is providing jets, drones and our only operational Type 45 destroyer – HMS Dragon – as part of a multinational mission to secure the Strait of Hormuz. Thousands of tankers and cargo ships remain stranded after the Strait was closed at the end of February due to the Iran war. Defence Secretary John Healey has stressed the deployment is a defensive measure to secure freedom of navigation – but will only be used once a ceasefire is in place. Will these military assets actually make a differe...
May 13, 2026•19 min
Keir Starmer is on the brink, as more and more Labour MPs and ministers call for his resignation – less than two years after he walked into Number 10. He remains defiant (for now), but whatever the fate of the prime minister, his predicament is one we've seen repeated over the past decade in a seemingly never-ending cycle of chopping and changing leaders. Since David Cameron's resignation in 2016 – after Britain voted to leave the European Union – no prime minister has served a full parliamentar...
May 12, 2026•18 min
Despite a disastrous set of local and national election results, the prime minister has vowed to carry on regardless. But dozens of Sir Keir Starmer's Labour MPs have now called on him to resign – or at least set out a timetable for when he will leave Downing Street. Surely choosing a replacement – or even triggering a leadership contest – should be straightforward? However, even though there are any number of potential challengers, the PM could well be safer than you think. Niall is joined by S...
May 11, 2026•17 min
The annual Victory Day parade in Moscow will be a much smaller affair this year, without an intercontinental ballistic missile in sight. Why? Well, the threat of a Ukrainian drone attack is certainly one reason. But is there any credibility in reports of another threat - this time against Vladimir Putin himself? An anonymous European intelligence agency has claimed the Russian president is spooked over the prospect of a potential coup or even a possible assassination attempt. The alleged plotter...
May 08, 2026•17 min
The emergence of the United States as an energy superpower has reshaped the global economy. Good news for its allies, right? Well, not necessarily... In Texas, fracking has turned America from a major importer into the world's biggest energy producer, effectively creating "another Saudi Arabia" almost overnight. But as Europe looks to the US to plug the energy gap caused by wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, the reality on the ground is more complicated. Ed Conway, our economics and data edito...
May 07, 2026•19 min
Millions of people are preparing to head to the polls across Britain on Thursday. They'll be voting for thousands of local council seats in England - while people in Scotland and Wales will elect members of their respective devolved parliaments. But the results could have a huge impact on national politics. So, what happens to the prime minister if Labour loses as badly as expected? And does a good night for the Greens or Reform UK really mean they are banging on the door of Number 10? Niall pre...
May 06, 2026•21 min
It's the small Baltic state that's no stranger to being invaded - having been occupied by both Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. But while many hope it will never happen again, there are fears in NATO and beyond that Estonia is next on Vladimir Putin's hitlist. So how is the country preparing for the threat from Russia? And could Estonia really be on the front line of a future war in Europe? Niall is joined by the outgoing UK ambassador to Estonia, Ross Allen.
May 05, 2026•15 min
With conflicts continuing in Ukraine, Africa and the Middle East, the global economy being held to ransom and the old world order seemingly up-ended, is there any role left for the United Nations? Founded in the shadow of two world wars, the UN used to be considered the guardian of international law and order. But is it now little more than a toothless talking shop? Niall is joined by Sky News' diplomatic editor Dominic Waghorn to help answer a query from a listener on whether the United Nations...
May 04, 2026•20 min
As The Devil Wears Prada 2 opens in cinemas, the former editor-in-chief of Vogue Anna Wintour is back in the news – but who is she? The sequel to the 2006 film is widely perceived to be based on Ms Wintour's formidable and abrasive management style. However, the world of fashion and the magazines that follow it has changed a lot since then. So, has she maintained her grip and influence on the multibillion-dollar industry? Niall is joined by Paula Froelich, senior story producer and on-air contri...
May 01, 2026•19 min
The war in Iran has led to fears of food shortages and fuelled forecourt price hikes – but is your summer holiday also in jeopardy? The price of jet fuel has soared higher than any other oil product, including petrol, since the Middle East conflict led to the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz. It means major airlines – including Qatar, Etihad and Lufthansa – have started cancelling flights. So how worried should you be about your summer holiday abroad? Niall Paterson is joined by Sky’s b...
Apr 30, 2026•15 min
The party drug ecstasy is usually associated with packed nightclubs and panicked politicians talking about the dangers involved in taking it. However, a former head of the UK’s armed forces believes the drug’s active ingredient, known as MDMA, could be key to treating veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. General Sir Nick Carter is now calling on the government to relax restrictions in order to reduce the crippling cost of clinical trials. What evidence is there to suggest this...
Apr 29, 2026•17 min
Iranian intelligence services are suspected of actively recruiting in the UK, using AI and social networks to entice potential sign-ups. Sky News has uncovered evidence of how apparent Iranian networks are using the chat platform Telegram to target recruits. It follows an increase in attacks on Jewish communities across the UK – with authorities suggesting that some perpetrators may have been taking orders from Tehran. But why might petty crooks or youngsters be tempted to become involved? How w...
Apr 28, 2026•18 min
Why keeping the King safe is Trump's top priority King Charles's trip to the USA is still going ahead, despite a gunman attempting to storm a dinner attended by President Trump on Saturday night. It's the first state visit to the country by a British monarch since Queen Elizabeth II in 2007. Charles is also due to emulate his mother by addressing Congress. Officials from both sides of the Atlantic are working closely on security arrangements. But has the tour been compromised by the assassinatio...
Apr 27, 2026•15 min
