Tasmania Arts Minister Madeleine Ogilvie discusses how the state will be celebrating Crown Princess Mary’s ascent to the throne of Denmark. Tasmanian-born Mary Donaldson married Denmark’s Prince Frederik in 2004. “We’re going to light up some of our buildings in the Danish colours,” Ms Ogilvie told Sky News Australia. “I think there will be celebration right across the state – we’re having a viewing party in my house. “People love this story because this is a local girl who went to a local school … with that basis and that education has then elevated to the global stage.”

Frankston Mayor Nathan Conroy has thanked the Liberal members for “putting their trust” in him as he becomes the Liberal candidate for the Dunkley by-election. Mr Conroy is set to face off against Labor’s candidate for Dunkley Jodie Belyea. The by-election was prompted by the death of long-time MP for Dunkley Peta Murphy. Mr Conroy says he wants to focus on the cost of living as people are “choosing between bills and food”. “More and more people are becoming homeless because of this housing crisis due to the cost of living,” he said. “I want to hear from you, I want to listen to my community, the things that actually matter. “Over this election period please come up, please talk to me, because I want to take this fight to Canberra.”

Home ownership is getting tougher in Australia but there could be the possibility of moving or buying real estate in the United States with the latest housing hotspots revealed. Small and mid-size towns are proving to be the hottest options for first-time buyers. More Americans are optimistic about buying a home in 2024 with a new survey from realtor.com revealing 61 per cent of first-time home buyers believe now is a good time to buy. Realtor.com has released a list of the best markets for first-time homebuyers including places like New York’s Irondequoit, Arkansas’ Benton and Winterset in Iowa. All markets on the list are priced below the US national average.

The restaurant of the future is coming to Los Angeles using new technology. CaliExpress by Flippy is using Artificial Intelligence to flip burgers and crisp up chips. The restaurant boasts an automated burger grill with cameras monitoring the fries. The new technology could be the answer to traditional fast-food restaurants worried about rising wages and worker disinterest in their jobs. “There is usually the typical issue of the food safety … it’s also a gruelling tasking oriented job,” CaliExpress Robotics’ Vic Aulakh said. “People don’t want to work on the grill anymore.”

More details about Queen Elizabeth’s final moments before her death have been revealed. Queen Elizabeth II passed away in 2022 at the age of 96. Britain’s Daily Mail has seen new documents including a memo that states she slipped away without any pain. A new book by Royal Biographer Robert Hardman has made public the family’s private moments. The book features a memo written by the Queen’s private secretary detailing the Queen’s final moments.

A huge fire has broken out at a depot in the Russian city of St Petersburg. According to the country’s Emergency Ministry, more than 270 emergency workers and 57 vehicles responded to the fire. The local fire department says there were no casualties in the fire. The blaze destroyed around 70,000 square metres. Russia's Ministry of Emergency Situations says firefighters have contained the fire.

New Zealand's former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has married her long-term partner Clarke Gayford. This marks the couple's second attempt to wed after COVID restrictions got in the way. The New Zealand couple had been engaged for five years before finally tying the knot. A small group of anti-vax protestors gathered outside of the wedding venue which was quickly dealt with by police. High-profile guests included a number of former and current politicians, such as current Labor Leader Chris Hipkins, and New Zealand High Commissioner to Australia Annette King.

A smoke warning has been issued for parts of Melbourne after a warehouse was engulfed in flames. It's believed the fire broke out at the Broadmeadows recycling plant at around 5am. No one was inside the building when the flames began. It took crews about three hours to bring the blaze under control. Despite the fire being under control, roads around the area will remain shut for some time.

Donald Trump has cancelled a number of campaign stops in Iowa, ahead of the caucuses on Monday. The snow has eased off but record cold temperatures are threatening turn out. Iowa voters will be the first in the nation to cast a ballot to decide who will be the Republican nominee for president. Several candidates have cancelled or postponed their events, citing travel safety as a concern. This year, candidates have been working hard to unseat Donald Trump’s dominance in the field.

At least 23 people have been killed and dozens more injured after a mudslide in northwest Columbia. It was brought on by heavy rain which covered a busy highway connecting two major cities in the province of Choco. An unknown number of people are still missing. A search is now underway to try and find people trapped under the rubble. Choco Governor Nubia Cordoba says recovery operations have been suspended due to the instability of the earth and adverse weather conditions.

The US has launched a fresh round of strikes on Yemen in what they label "follow on action" from Friday's coordinated strike with the UK. Houthi militants say they have vowed to launch retaliation strikes, adding that they will continue their attacks on ships in the Red Sea. The place targeted is understood to be a Houthi radar facility. A statement from the US military spoke of strikes designed to degrade the Houthi’s ability to attack maritime vessels – following ongoing attacks occurring in the Red Sea. This follows UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s visit to Ukraine on Friday, where he mentioned taking “necessary, proportionate, and targeted action” against Houthi rebels for targeting his nation’s ships.

Taiwan's ruling party has won a crucial presidential election that it billed as a choice between democracy and authoritarianism. It's a setback for China, which had warned voters on the self-ruled island against re-electing the DPP — a party it views as dangerous separatists. The election has drawn global attention for how it will affect ties with China, which claims Taiwan as its own. Lai Ching-te received more than 40 per cent of the vote. He was followed by KMT candidate Hou Yu-ih with over 30 per cent, and TPP candidate Ko Wen-je with over 25 per cent.

Australia's republican movement has been dealt a major setback following the failed Voice Referendum. According to the Sunday Telegraph, more than half of voters believe there shouldn't be a new referendum on the movement. This is despite Labor hinting at the idea if it were to win a second term. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has confirmed he will not pursue the republican issue for the foreseeable future. Polling by the newspaper found 69 per cent of voters believed the Voice referendum should have been delayed or scrapped altogether.

The federal government is being forced to introduce legislation which will control artificial intelligence in high-risk settings. Labor says the advisory body will work with the government to create the best framework for the legislation in a bid to regulate safety of the technology. The new laws will ensure the safe and responsible use of AI, as many companies across Australia have responded for action to prevent the harms of artificial intelligence. It has been calculated that AI could add up to $4 trillion to the economy by the 2030s. This comes as many people feel artificial intelligence may have a negative impact on society.

Lai Ching-te has spoken in Taiwan on his victory for the Democratic Progressive Party in the country’s presidential election. He won the election by securing over 40 per cent of the vote in a three-way race. “The country will continue to walk on the right path forward. We will not turn around or look backwards,” Mr Lai said. “We want to thank President Tsai and the entire governing team for their unfaltering efforts over the past eight years – they have established a solid foundation for Taiwan’s reform and development. “On this foundation, Hsiao Bi-khim and myself – we will work even harder to move the country steadily forward and enhance the wellbeing of the people. “On the legislative elections, the DPP did not hold onto a majority. This means that we did not work hard enough, and there are areas where we must humbly review and look back on.”

Taiwanese Vice-President Lai Ching-te has won the country’s presidential election, securing a historic third term for the Democratic Progressive Party, who reject China’s territorial claim over the island. The election has drawn global attention for how it will affect ties with China, which claims Taiwan as its own. It is a setback for China, which views the Democratic Progressive Party as dangerous separatists. Lai Ching-te has received more than 40 per cent of the vote. He is followed by KMT candidate Hou Yu-ih with over 30 per cent, and TPP candidate Ko Wen-je with over 25 per cent.

The Nationalist Party of China (KMT) – the party which Beijing prefers – has conceded defeat in the Taiwanese elections. With well over half of the votes counted, Taiwan’s ruling party is set to declare victory in their presidential elections. It is a setback for China, which views the Democratic Progressive Party as dangerous separatists. The DPP’s candidate, Taiwanese Vice-President Lai Ching-te, is in the lead with 40.5 per cent of the vote, and is due to speak to the gathered press at 8:30pm (local time). He is followed by KMT candidate Hou Yu-ih with 33.3 per cent, and TPP candidate Ko Wen-je with 26.2 per cent.

Bitter cold temperatures are not stopping the fun at a zoo in Chicago. Brookfield Zoo’s one-year-old brown bears enjoyed the snow as they played outside for hours. And even Otto, the river otter, made the best out of the wintry conditions. The event came as a dangerous winter storm swept across the United States. Temperatures dropped to below zero on Friday across the country.

Roads are closed, and water restrictions continue in parts of Far North Queensland tonight as a monsoonal trough crosses the state, drenching communities from the Cape to the tropical coast. The rainfall is moderate but persistent and tipped to continue for several days, leaving residents on flood watch once again. 24-hour rainfall totals were highest around Cape York last night, with Dunbar receiving 201 millimetres of rain and Kowanyama 172 millimetres. “This monsoon trough looks to hang around for at least several days, potentially even until the end of next week,” Bureau of Meteorology’s Shane Kennedy said. “Potentially, we may get a few places in that 100 to 150 millimetres over the next few days.”

Former New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern and long-term partner Clarke Gayford are now married. The pair tied the knot in an intimate ceremony in Hawke’s Bay on New Zealand’s North Island. They first met at the Metro Restaurant Awards in Auckland in 2012, with Clarke later proposing to Jacinda in 2019. The bride and groom were engaged for almost five years. Their first attempt at a wedding in 2022 was halted by the COVID-19 pandemic.