Broadcast timeline
Mornings with Jones and Melbourne
Saturday 17 October 2026 · 06:00 BST · 30m · 7 stories · 15 annotated moments · 25 of 30 min on news stories (84%)
Broadcast overview
An AI-generated overview based on this broadcast's transcript.
President Trump used an executive order to pause a sweeping package of sanctions against Russia, despite having signed them into law last month, saying the move was in America's national interests and coming days after his plan to buy diesel from Putin. The report said Trump is facing difficult midterm elections, low personal popularity and high diesel prices, and that he is blaming Zelensky for problems linked to his war with Iran; Ukraine has run out of Patriot missiles while US stocks are low, and Trump has signed a deal to buy Russian diesel, limited Ukraine's Starlink capabilities and said Zelensky should resign. Separately, Defence Secretary Wes Streeting announced a major exercise in Poland next month to prepare a potential Ukraine peacekeeping mission if a ceasefire is reached, involving British, German, French and Polish soldiers and practice in moving troops and supplies. General Sir Roly Walker told soldiers at Catterick Garrison the nation would need them and that political leaders were about to begin a frank conversation about readiness for war and sacrifices needed to prioritise defence and security.
The broadcast also reported on the USS George Washington aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea, within striking distance of Iran and Yemen, as the US Navy seeks to keep the Strait of Hormuz open and push Iran back while Iran ramps up attacks on cargo ships and fewer commercial ships cross the strait. A US fighter jet from the carrier disabled the engine of a commercial vessel that US Central Command said was trying to leave Iranian waters and break a US blockade, causing no casualties. The report said the battle group could not police the strait forever and pointed to a strategic failure, with Iran still possessing a ballistic missile programme and resisting. White House press secretary Katie Zachariah resigned less than a week into the job after criticism of her first press conference and questions about her legal credentials; Trump told reporters she should reconsider, and the report noted she took only three questions from right-leaning outlets, faced questions about whether she passed the bar exam and that there were inquiries into whether a crime had been committed. Trump blamed the media, while the report noted his low approval ratings, upcoming midterms and criticism from some on the right over the Iran war and energy prices.
Scottish First Minister John Swinney was due to tell the SNP conference in Aberdeen that the stars are aligning for Scottish independence, after Prime Minister Andy Burnham offered to work with the Scottish government on more devolution and moving power from Holyrood to local communities, including employment support. The SNP focused on Burnham not explicitly ruling out a second independence referendum during this Parliament, and polls cited in the report showed Burnham with a net favourability rating of nine in Scotland compared with minus 90 for Swinney. In the Russell Brand trial, a second accuser, who worked at MTV in 2001, told the court Brand changed from jovial to a wild-eyed maniac and alleged he grabbed her forearm and tried to pull her into a bathroom while asking her to come in; she said she refused and wrenched her arm away, and Brand's defence lawyer suggested he had invited her. Brand vehemently denies the rape and sexual assault charges against him, and the trial is expected to continue for at least five or six weeks.
- 1:25
- 1:40
Claim Trump suspends new Russia sanctions after diesel deal
Trump announced an agreement with Putin for Russia to supply more than 300,000 tonnes of diesel to global markets immediately.
Sky News, Mornings with Jones and Melbourne, 17 October 2026, 1:40-1:49
- 3:00
Charged quote Trump suspends new Russia sanctions after diesel deal
Patriot interceptor missiles. Ukraine has run out of Patriot missiles, and US stocks are running very low because of their war against Iran. That war, Trump's war, is pushing up global fuel prices. But Trump is blaming Zelensky. Zelensky is not a good guy for us to deal with. I'm not a big fan of Zelensky. They've destroyed that country.
Sky News, Mornings with Jones and Melbourne, 17 October 2026, 3:00-3:05
- 4:18
- 6:45
- 9:39
- 9:42
Claim Katie Zachariah out as White House press secretary after five days
Reports said White House press secretary Katie Zacharia was leaving or had been removed from her role after five days, following backlash from her first briefing.
Sky News, Mornings with Jones and Melbourne, 17 October 2026, 9:42-9:46
- 10:13
Charged quote Katie Zachariah out as White House press secretary after five days
Good morning. So my president, excuse me, my husband, for his trust that he has placed in me. It was awkward. Kate Zachariah was the uncomfortable, underprepared press secretary. One week and one press briefing later, she's out. And I just spoke to her about it. I said, Katie, is this for you? Because, you know, she's been treated very rough.
Sky News, Mornings with Jones and Melbourne, 17 October 2026, 10:13-10:18
- 10:53
Charged quote Katie Zachariah out as White House press secretary after five days
He had tried to save her. Listen to Donald Trump's assessment of her press briefing. I thought she was very good. The truth is, the briefing was too bad to keep her in a job. She took only three questions from right-leaning media outlets, and it seemed that she hadn't done her homework. I'll have to get back to you on that.
Sky News, Mornings with Jones and Melbourne, 17 October 2026, 10:53-10:57
- 11:21
Charged quote Katie Zachariah out as White House press secretary after five days
She'd called herself a lawyer. Donald Trump said she was an attorney, but she hadn't passed the bar exam. There are now inquiries into whether or not a crime has been committed. The president was asked about her qualifications. Where did you pass the bar? Where did you pass the bar exam? Mr President...
Sky News, Mornings with Jones and Melbourne, 17 October 2026, 11:21-11:25
- 12:02
Charged quote Katie Zachariah out as White House press secretary after five days
I'm looking forward to working with all of you so much. On day seven, her last day, she was still looking forward, even as the president was looking no further. Katie's been treated very badly by the media. Very, very badly. Very unfairly, I think. Not for the first time, Donald Trump blamed the media. That same media might well ask,
Sky News, Mornings with Jones and Melbourne, 17 October 2026, 12:02-12:07
- 12:20
Charged quote Katie Zachariah out as White House press secretary after five days
Not for the first time, Donald Trump blamed the media. That same media might well ask, why did he appoint the candidates from nowhere? Reportedly, without consulting even his chief of staff. If she was a failure, so was his judgement. An extraordinary turn of events. I mean, probably likely to happen. I'm not sure how many Scaramuccis she made,
Sky News, Mornings with Jones and Melbourne, 17 October 2026, 12:20-12:24
- 13:08
Charged quote Katie Zachariah out as White House press secretary after five days
on various networks. Obviously, he felt that she was a good performer. But this hasn't worked out so well. But he's in trouble, because his approval ratings are really low at the moment. I think that's a good thing. His approval ratings are really low at the moment. I think the Fox News poll puts his approval at 36%
Sky News, Mornings with Jones and Melbourne, 17 October 2026, 13:08-13:13
- 13:30
Charged quote Katie Zachariah out as White House press secretary after five days
So, he'll be racing to find someone else who can make the case for him at that podium. And, of course, he's got the midterms coming up in about three weeks, a time where the Republicans are in deep, deep trouble in many places. And he's also had much of the intelligentsia on the right in America turn against some people like Tucker Carlson and Megyn Kelly,
Sky News, Mornings with Jones and Melbourne, 17 October 2026, 13:30-13:34
- 14:03
- 14:40
Charged quote Swinney says independence is 'very close' as SNP conference closes
What do you think of Andy Burnham? Is he a threat to the SNP? No. Is the sky blue? Thank you. The new Prime Minister has stolen the SNP's political limelight by turning up in Scotland in the middle of their annual conference with a big speech on his favourite subject, devolution, offering to work with First Minister John Swinney
Sky News, Mornings with Jones and Melbourne, 17 October 2026, 14:40-14:47
- 17:29
- 17:29
Claim Woman tells Russell Brand trial he was a wild-eyed maniac at MTV
A second complainant alleged that Brand tried to force her into a toilet at MTV in 2001, saying his demeanour changed and he grabbed her forearm to pull her into the bathroom.
Sky News, Mornings with Jones and Melbourne, 17 October 2026, 17:29-17:44
- 17:29
Claim Woman tells Russell Brand trial he was a wild-eyed maniac at MTV
A second complainant alleged that Brand tried to force her into a toilet at MTV in 2001, saying his demeanour changed and he grabbed her forearm to pull her into the bathroom.
Sky News, Mornings with Jones and Melbourne, 17 October 2026, 17:29-17:44
- 18:40
Claim Woman tells Russell Brand trial he was a wild-eyed maniac at MTV
A second complainant alleged that Brand tried to force her into a toilet at MTV in 2001, saying his demeanour changed and he grabbed her forearm to pull her into the bathroom.
Sky News, Mornings with Jones and Melbourne, 17 October 2026, 18:40-18:50
- 18:40
Claim Woman tells Russell Brand trial he was a wild-eyed maniac at MTV
A second complainant alleged that Brand tried to force her into a toilet at MTV in 2001, saying his demeanour changed and he grabbed her forearm to pull her into the bathroom.
Sky News, Mornings with Jones and Melbourne, 17 October 2026, 18:40-18:50
- 20:43 ~3 min without annotations
- 24:02
Source: Sky News, "Mornings with Jones and Melbourne", Saturday 17 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.