Sky News Daily

Matt Hancock took the stand at the COVID inquiry for the first of two days of giving evidence on Thursday. In 2021, the then health secretary was forced to resign after he admitted he broke the government's own coronavirus guidance to pursue an affair with an aide. On the Sky News Daily, Niall Paterson analyses what Mr Hancock said and the key questions he answered, with our political editor Beth Rigby. Producer: Soila Apparicio Promotions producer: David Chipakupaku Editor: Philly Beaumont

The sale of a new book about the Royal Family has been halted in the Netherlands after publishers of the Dutch translation of Omid Scobie's Endgame appeared to name a member of the Royal Family who allegedly questioned what colour skin the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's son would be born with. In the aftermath of Harry and Meghan's Oprah Winfrey interview in March 2021, where Meghan claimed a member of the family raised "concerns" about Archie's skin colour, Mr Scobie's book claims that Meghan wrote a letter to the King expressing concern about unconscious bias in the Royal Family. On the Sky News Daily, Niall Paterson and our royal correspondent Laura Bundock unpick some of the book's claims and the error behind the book's recall in the Netherlands. Producer: Alex Edden Editor: Philly Beaumont

The world's attention has been turned to the Israel-Hamas conflict, resulting in the war in Ukraine falling further down the news agenda. Not only does this impact keeping pressure on Putin but in Ukraine, momentum for the war is also running low. Independent reporting suggests the country is facing a recruitment crisis, with just 1 in 4 men joining the army voluntarily. On the Sky News Daily, Niall Paterson explores what this means for Ukraine’s defence against Russia with Dr Alexandra Walmsley, defence analyst at RUSI, and Sir David Manning, former UK permanent representative to NATO. Producer: Emma Rae Woodhouse Interviews producer: Melissa Tutesigensi Editor: Wendy Parker

The Revenge Porn Helpline has seen the number of phone calls it receives rise by nearly a third. It was set up when revenge porn was made a crime in 2015 – and this year alone, has handled more than 10,000 calls or reports online. The team in Devon has allowed our news cameras inside for the first time to see the work they do. On the Sky News Daily, Sally Lockwood speaks to our home news correspondent Dan Whitehead about the scale of the problem, and Sophie Mortimer, Revenge Porn Helpline manager, gives us an insight into what her team is doing to support victims. If you have been a victim of revenge porn, you can contact the helpline on 0345 6000 459 or click here. Podcast producer: Soila Apparicio Interviews producer: Melissa Tutesigensi Promotion producer: Jada-Kai Meosa John Editor: Philly Beaumont

The COVID inquiry is now into its second round of public hearings – examining how key decisions were made in Westminster as the coronavirus began to take hold around the world in early 2020. The evidence from those at the heart of Downing Street has certainly provided plenty of bombshell headlines but does the inquiry need to move quicker to make recommendations on how the country could be better prepared for the next pandemic? There is no specific timescale for how long the inquiry could last and it could be years before its final report is published. On this episode of the Sky News Daily, Niall Paterson speaks to our health correspondent Ashish Joshi about the lessons we've learned so far. Plus, what does it take to lead a public inquiry? Hugh Pennington, an emeritus professor of bacteriology at Aberdeen University, chaired a public inquiry about an E. coli outbreak in South Wales. He tells Niall what he makes of the COVID inquiry. Producer: Alex Edden Promotion producer: David Chipakupaku Editor: Wendy Parker

Qatar has announced key details of the planned pause in fighting and release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza by Hamas. In the first phase of the agreement, Hamas is due to release 50 hostages from Gaza and Israel will free 150 Palestinian prisoners. On today’s episode of the Sky News Daily, Niall Paterson sits down with James Alvarez, a hostage negotiator who’s worked in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Gaza itself, to talk about what it takes to negotiate with hostage takers. Plus, we hear from our Middle East correspondent, Alistair Bunkall, about the events that led up to this temporary truce. Producer: Sydney Pead Interviews producer: Melissa Tutesigensi Promotions producer: David Chipakupaku Editor: Philly Beaumont

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has revealed his autumn statement. Among the proposals National Insurance is to be cut by two percentage points, and NI payments for the self-employed have been abolished. There have also been increases to Universal Credit and the state pension. But the chancellor also announced new tougher measures for job seekers, saying those who fail to find work after 18 months of "intensive support" will be given mandatory work placements. Those who do not engage with the process for six months will lose their benefits altogether. On the Sky News Daily, host Niall Paterson sits down with Ed Conway, our economics and data editor, and Sam Coates, our deputy political editor, to analyse the chancellor’s statement and what it means. Producer: Emma Rae Woodhouse Promotions producer: David Chipakupaku Editor: Philly Beaumont

Police who investigated the disappearance of Nicola Bulley from beside a riverbank have been heavily criticised in a damning report. Lancashire Police's decision to reveal the mother-of-two's mental health issues was condemned as "avoidable and unnecessary". The College of Policing's chief executive officer Andy Marsh said there was "substantial learning" for the Lancashire force. On the Sky News Daily, host Niall Paterson is joined by former chief constable of Northumbria Police Sue Sim, who was the top officer at the force when gunman Raoul Moat shot his ex-girlfriend and killed her new lover, before shooting a police officer. She explains the criticisms and the difficulties when dealing with high-profile cases. Plus, Martin Brunt, our crime correspondent, details what the report says about Lancashire Police's investigation. Producer: Emma Rae Woodhouse Interview producer: Melissa Tutesigensi Promotions producer: David Chipakupaku Editor: Philly Beaumont

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has described al Shifa hospital in Gaza City as a "death zone" - it said there was a mass grave at the entrance and a "desperate situation" inside. A joint UN team led by the WHO assessed the hospital for one hour following its occupation by the Israeli military and as some patients and those seeking shelter there began to evacuate it. The team said they saw evidence of shelling and gunfire and observed a mass grave at the hospital's entrance. On the Sky News Daily, host Sarah-Jane Mee talks to our international affairs editor Dominic Waghorn and OSINT (Open Source Intelligence) editor Adam Parker to understand more about what's happening on the ground at the hospital and the challenges in reporting it. Producer: Emma Rae Woodhouse Promotions producer: Jada-Kai Meosa John Editor: Wendy Parker

Endometriosis is a disease in which tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus, causing pain and affecting fertility. It is estimated to cost the UK economy £8.2bn a year in treatment, loss of work and healthcare costs. Up to 30% of women who have surgery for endometriosis experience a recurrence within five years, according to the National Institutes of Health. There is still no cure for the condition. On the Sky News Daily, host Sally Lockwood is joined by Charline Bou Mansour, a Sky News reporter who has endometriosis, and Andrew Horne, Professor of Gynaecology and Reproductive Sciences at Edinburgh University, to explore the search for a way to relieve, or even cure, endometriosis. Producers: Emma Rae Woodhouse, Alex Edden and Soila Apparicio Promotions Producer: Jada-Kai Meosa John Editor: Wendy Parker

On 29 December 1969, Alick McKay returned home from work to his house in Wimbledon, southwest London, to discover that his wife, Muriel, was not at home. The lights were on and the contents of her handbag strewn all around the stairs. Then he received a phone call. "We are Mafia M3. We are from America. We tried to get Rupert Murdoch's wife. We couldn't get her so we took yours instead. You have a million by Wednesday night or we will kill her." Muriel was never found, her body never recovered. Now, after more than fifty years, the man guilty of Muriel's murder tells her daughter he will lead her family to where her body was buried. In this episode of the Sky News Daily, Niall Paterson sits down with our crime correspondent Martin Brunt to discuss the extraordinary bond killer Nizamodeen Hosein has formed with Muriel McKay's family in a final attempt to uncover her remains. Producer: Soila Apparicio Podcast promotions producer: Jada-Kai Meosa John Editor: Wendy Parker

The government's Rwanda plan, devised to tackle illegal migration, has been ruled unlawful by the Supreme Court, ending more than 18 months of legal battles in the UK. The prime minister has said he will introduce emergency legislation to make sure his Rwanda plan will work, and said "flights will be heading off in the spring as planned". On this episode of the Sky News Daily, Jayne Secker sits in for Niall. She’s joined by political editor Beth Rigby to unpick the fallout. Plus, Nicolas Rollason, the head of business immigration at Kingsley Napley, digs into the legal aspects of the case, and Madeleine Sumption, director of the Migration Observatory, joins Jayne to discuss the policy implications. Producer: Sydney Pead Promotions Producer: David Chipakupaku Editor: Paul Stanworth

There have been 16 housing ministers in the last 13 years of Conservative rule – seven of those in the last two years alone. With Lee Rowley taking over the housing brief after the prime minister’s latest reshuffle, on the Sky News Daily we’ll be exploring why there has been so many, and if any of them managed to make a difference to the housing crisis. Presenter Sally Lockwood is joined by Gurpreet Narwan, our political correspondent, on why there has been so much churn. Plus, Sally speaks to Lord Gavin Barwell, who was housing minister for a year under Theresa May, and Polly Neate, CEO of housing charity Shelter explains the challenges facing renters. Sky News Daily contacted the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities for a response to this episode. A spokesperson said: "We recently laid out an ambitious long-term plan for housing that includes speeding up the planning system, cutting bureaucracy, and reducing delays to ensure we deliver the homes that local communities want and need. "We are already on track to deliver one million homes this Parliament, and we have announced £10 billion investment to deliver more of the right homes in the right places without concreting over the countryside. "Our Renters Reform Bill will deliver a fairer private rented sector, abolishing Section 21 'no fault' evictions so that all tenants have greater security in their homes and are empowered to challenge poor practice without worrying about retaliatory eviction." Producer: Alex Edden Promotions Producer: David Chipakupaku Editors: Wendy Parker and Paul Stanworth

David Cameron is back in government as the new Foreign Secretary. Whilst many commentators had predicted that Suella Braverman would be sacked as Home Secretary, none predicted that the former Prime Minister would be walking down Downing Street into a new job and a place in the House of Lords. On this episode of the Sky News Daily, Sally Lockwood looks over Rishi Sunak’s reshuffle with political editor Beth Rigby. She’s also joined by former Tory MP, and cabinet minister during Mr Cameron's government, Anna Soubry, and deputy editor of Conservative Home, Henry Hill – to analyse if Mr Sunak has laid the foundations for his best chance at election victory – or is looking like a leader who might be out of ideas. Producers: Emma Rae Woodhouse, Soila Apparicio Interviews Producer: Melissa Tutesegensi Promotions Producer: David Chipakupaku Editors: Wendy Parker, Paul Stanworth

Sky News has spoken to more than 50 people who say they have witnessed or been on the receiving end of sexual misconduct and harassment within leading drama schools across the UK. Students have described their training as being "indoctrinated into this cult-like bubble, and the expectation was to say yes to everything". On the Sky News Daily, Niall Paterson is joined by correspondent Ashna Hurynag, who has been investigating these allegations. She shares more about her reporting, plus intimacy coordinator Robbie Taylor Hunt describes how to properly teach consent and intimacy in acting. This podcast contains descriptions of sexual misconduct and harassment. Podcast producer: Soila Apparicio Additional reporting: Luke Engelen Editor: Wendy Parker

Home Secretary Suella Braverman has come under fire for making controversial statements about Israel-Hamas war protests in the UK. In the Times she described pro-Palestinian protesters as "hate marchers". She also likened the protests to scenes from the past in Northern Ireland, prompting politicians there to accuse her of “deliberately stoking division”. Ms Braverman has also publicly slated the Metropolitan Police, which is allowing a pro-Palestinian march to go ahead on Armistice Day. She said the force was guilty of "double standards" and favouring left-wing protesters over those on the right of politics. So, how do the Conservatives solve a problem like Suella? The Sky New Daily’s Niall Paterson is joined by David Blevins, our senior Ireland correspondent, to find out why her comments haven’t gone down well there. Plus, Sir Peter Fahy, former chief constable of Greater Manchester Police, explains how the home secretary's comments are a serious breach of operational independence. And our deputy political editor Sam Coates looks at the fallout in Downing Street. Producer: Alex Edden Interviews Producer: Melissa Tutesigensi Promotions Producer: David Chipakupaku Editor: Paul Stanworth

'Free Palestine' has been painted across Rochdale’s Cenotaph ahead of Remembrance Sunday and is now being guarded by police support officers. It comes as a planned pro-Palestinian protest on Armistice Day in London on Saturday is to go ahead. Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak met on Wednesday to discuss how the protest will be policed. Mr Sunak said afterwards: “It is because that sacrifice is so immense, that Saturday’s planned protest is not just disrespectful but offends our heartfelt gratitude to the memory of those who gave so much so that we may live in freedom and peace today." On this episode of the Sky News Daily, Niall Paterson explores the balance between protecting the right to protest with Carol Turner, vice-chair for the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, one of the protest's organising groups, and respecting war commemorations with Philip Ingram, a former colonel in the British Army, now a security analyst. Plus, Danny Shaw, commentator on policing, crime and justice, joins Niall on the legalities of the protest. Podcast producer: Soila Apparicio Interviews producer: Melissa Tutesigensi Promotions producer: David Chipakupaku Editor: Paul Stanworth

The King has set out the government’s policies for the coming year in the first King's Speech for 70 years. It was also the first since Rishi Sunak became prime minister and will probably be the last before the next general election. Of the bills set out in the speech, it could be the law and order measures and ones on the environment which the Conservatives might hope provide the clearest dividing lines between themselves and Labour ahead of the election. On the Sky News Daily Niall Paterson speaks to political editor Beth Rigby for her assessment of the King's Speech and what it tells us about how the next election will be fought. Producer: Emma Rae Woodhouse Editor: Wendy Parker

Israel's military objective in the war against Hamas, constantly repeated by its politicians and commanders, has become a national mantra: "Hamas must be destroyed." But with Israeli forces targeting Gaza City and the number of people killed in the enclave more than 10,000, according to the Hamas-led health ministry, there's mounting international pressure on Israel to at least pause its military operations. So what will Israel do next? On the Sky News Daily host Sarah-Jane Mee speaks to security and defence editor Deborah Haynes, who was one of the few Western journalists who the Israeli army took to their frontlines in Gaza. Plus, military analyst Sean Bell speaks about what victory against Hamas would look like for Israel. Producer: Alex Edden Interviews producer: Melissa Tutesigensi Editor: Wendy Parker

As the world's attention turns to the Israel-Hamas war, Russia is ramping up its offensive on Ukraine. President Putin is seizing the opportunity of less attention, while Kyiv fears the West will stop providing aid as the war slips down the news agenda. On the Sky News Daily, host Leah Boleto is joined by defence and security analyst Professor Michael Clarke, with Melinda Haring, non-resident senior fellow at Atlantic Council's Eurasia Centre to discuss what is happening in Russia and Ukraine, while the world isn't looking. Producer: Alex Edden Interviews producer: Melissa Tutesigensi ​​​​​​​Editor: Wendy Parker