Former Trump senior advisor Christian Whiton says Donald Trump would win with a “resounding endorsement from the people” if the US election were held today. In a recent national New York Times/Siena College poll, Donald Trump is leading Joe Biden by five percentage points. Mr Whiton says the former president is also leading Joe Biden in critical swing states such as Pennsylvania, Michigan and Arizona. “No Republican has won a majority of the popular votes since George W Bush in 2004,” Mr Whiton told Sky News Australia. “If these polls are correct, Trump might actually do it.”

Incredible scenes as anti-Semitism and pro-Palestinian protests sweep the globe. Early voting for SA Labor's state-based Indigenous Voice is underway. Plus, join Ringmaster Rowan for the Canberra Clown Show. See omnystudio.com/listener (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.

South Australia Legislative Council Opposition Leader Nicola Centofanti says the “hypocrisy and arrogance is alive and well” in South Australia with its Labor government. Ms Centofanti’s comments come as the South Australian government pushes for a state-based Voice to Parliament following the loss of the 2023 Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum. “64 per cent of South Australians voted against the federal referendum, but yet Peter Malinauskas and this state Labor government are continuing to press on with their state-based Voice,” Ms Centofanti said. “I think this government should really be looking into the reasons as to why the community didn’t want a federal Voice. “That is because they are the same reasons as to why people don’t want a state Voice – they don’t want a state Voice because it’s another layer of bureaucracy. “They don’t want further division based on race.”

A ship carrying aid is expected to head to Gaza from Cyprus after the European Union said a maritime corridor would be opened. Sky News UK Middle East Correspondent Alistair Bunkall says the primary objective of this is to get aid into Gaza “not to substitute the other routes” but to “supplement them”. “There are hundreds of tonnes worth of aid on board the ship, mainly food,” Mr Bunkall said. “They hope that multiple ships will follow, assuming this one is a success. “We’ve got aid drops … and then now a maritime route as well.”

The United States, United Kingdom and French military have shot down dozens of drones in the Red Sea. This comes as the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels target shipping in the area. US Central Command estimates it downed at least 28 un-crewed aircraft in the region. The Houthis have been attacking ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden in a campaign they claim is in solidarity with Palestinians. This comes as more than 30,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks on the region since the Hamas October 7 attacks, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

A series of aid drops have been made into Gaza in an effort to bring the population back from the brink of famine. More than two million people in the Gaza Strip are struggling to access food, particularly in the north. This comes as more than 30,000 Palestinians have been reportedly killed in Israeli attacks on the region since the Hamas October 7 attacks, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The UN estimates one in six children younger than two in the north are suffering from acute malnutrition. The aid agencies used to take in about 500 truckloads of aid per day and say this method is not going to be adequate. Jordanians, along with a growing list of countries, are getting increasingly frustrated at the lack of progress on a ceasefire and the high number of casualties.

Sky News can reveal that there have been approaches to the former NSW education minister Sarah Mitchell to run for the federal seat of Parkes at the next election. While Ms Mitchell has not ruled a run for the seat or federal politics out, Sky News Political Editor Andrew Clennell was told it is unlikely the NSW upper house MP will take up the offer. This comes after Perin Davey won the Nationals’ pre-selection battle for the party’s Senate. “Perin Davey clung on to her pre-selection for the Senate 42 votes to 37 on Friday against the party’s federal secretary Juliana McArthur,” Mr Clennell said. “Despite revelations on this program Ms Davey drank before appearing at a parliamentary committee last month – Ms Davey denied she was affected by alcohol at that appearance.”

Sky News Political Editor Andrew Clennell says the “next big front of attempted reform” from the Albanese government appears to be around the aged care sector. Labor has commissioned a review on the sector – the big debate is whether or not there will be a change to means-testing for paying for aged care or to the refundable deposits, which are currently capped at just over half a million dollars used to pay for people to be in aged care. “The government’s view is it will be difficult to get reforms up in this space if the Opposition opposes it,” Mr Clennell said. “The Opposition leader, Peter Dutton, indicated in his budget reply speech that he would support sensible reform in this space, but there are concerns in the Opposition about the approach of the government on aged care. “There was a briefing on Friday afternoon from Aged Care Minister Anika Wells to her opposition counterpart Anne Ruston, which was said to be short on detail.”

The Moomba Parade in Melbourne this Monday has been cancelled. Festival organisers were preparing to celebrate the event's 70th year. They made the decision to scrap it due to the severe heatwave alert. Parts of Victoria saw temperatures reach the high 30s or early 40s on Saturday. Melbourne Lord Mayor Sally Capp says the organiser had little choice but to prioritise the health and safety of attendees and those involved.

Obesity remains a primary health concern across Australia with over one third of adults reportedly obese. While the majority attempt and at times succeed to shed the weight, obesity presents complex challenges which often result in a relapse. The 1:1 Diet Registered Nutritionist Mark Gilbert says 67 per cent of people are overweight or obese. Mr Gilbert noted we are living in a “obesogenic” environment. “We have these low nutrition, high calorie foods and they’re everywhere,” he told Sky News Australia.

The 1:1 Diet Registered Nutritionist Mark Gilbert explains the difference between being overweight versus being obese. Obesity remains a primary health concern across Australia with over one third of adults reportedly obese. “It all comes down to BMI – which is body mass index,” Mr Gilbert told Sky News Australia. “It’s basically a measure of your height versus your weight. “If you’re over 25 BMI, you’re overweight. If you’re over 30 BMI, then you’re considered obese.”

Canstar Group Executive Steve Mickenbecker reveals some tips to avoid making poor financial decisions. “It’s easy to make a poor financial decision if you make it fast,” he told Sky News Australia. “It’s easy to make it fast online today because you just click the button and you’ve paid, and it’s gone. “Now if you’re out and about, don’t travel with your credit cards ... that will make you think about it. “The same thing applies online – you’ve got a second chance if you don’t buy the first time you see it.”

Canstar Group Executive Steve Mickenbecker reveals the most common financial mistake people make. “The most common one is almost half of people have made a mistake with an impulse purchase,” Mr Mickenbecker told Sky News Australia. “Now it’s really easy – I’m surprised it’s only half to be honest. “But the problem is, of course, that these people made quite a big mistake, they’re saying this cost us a lot of money. “It’s just easy to make that mistake these days because you’re carrying a card around or a phone; you don’t have to go and find cash.”

US President Joe Biden is optimistic interest rates will begin to decline soon. The US President spoke at a campaign event. Biden announced plans to reduce the cost of housing in the United States. Biden says although he can’t guarantee it, he is confident the Federal Reserve will be cutting rates. “I can’t guarantee it, but I bet you those rates come down,” he said.

Optus Director of Network Operations Lambo Kanagaratnam has stepped down. This comes four months after the telco suffered a nationwide outage. He is the second senior employee to leave after the incident. Chief Executive Kelly Bayer Rosmarin resigned in November last year. The company is also still recovering from a major data breach in 2022.

Cypress College Political Science Professor Peter Mathews says the 2024 presidential election will be the “most consequential election” because Joe Biden and Donald Trump will take the United States in “different directions”. A rematch between Donald Trump and Joe Biden for the 2024 US election is becoming more likely, as Trump’s only major challenger, former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley, dropped out earlier this week after his Super Tuesday triumph. “It’s going to look different to 2020 because, this time, you’re looking at the moment consequential election,” Mr Mathews told Sky News Australia. “The differences are stark: the paths these men will charter, in different directions for the United States, is very different from each other, and it will make people feel my voice is going to count. “Even though some Biden supporters may not be as enthusiastic as perhaps others, they will still go to the polls and vote for him.”

Russia’s propaganda machine is in overdrive ahead of the March election. That’s despite there being no doubt as to who the winner will be. One popular talk show in Russia featured Joe Biden tripping while boarding a plane. Other reports regularly show off the wreckage of Western weapons from the war in Ukraine. “Putin benefits from this picture of the outside world as something hostile so that people would unite around him,” Russian Writer Boris Akunin said.

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has inadvertently exposed the “unlivable” conditions of Premier House – the country’s official residence. It came as Luxon hosted the Australian and New Zealand cricket teams at the property. Luxon confided in Australian batsman Usman Khawaja that the residence is so bad he won’t live in it. The Prime Minister has now denied the comments, insisting there are “minor repairs” taking place. “That means I can’t go and move into there at this moment,” he said.

The newly elected Prime Minister of Tuvalu says he wants to rewrite his country’s landmark climate migration deal with Australia. The agreement would see up to 280 Tuvaluans per year migrating to Australia to escape rising seas. In exchange, the Australian government would be able to vet Tuvalu’s security arrangements, giving Australia a powerful voice in the Pacific to counter China. “That arrangement, which requires Australia and Tuvalu to mutually agree before Tuvalu embarks on discussing other security arrangements, is perceived generally as an encroachment on Tuvalu’s sovereignty,” Tuvalu Prime Minister Feleti Teo said. “I’m hoping that we will be able to agree on the way forward.”

Police shoot a Melbourne woman after she fatally stabbed her mother, Victoria's government is set to pay $67 million to delay construction on its airport rail, Australia's rental affordability drops to record lows, Optus' director of network operations steps down, three people have died in a helicopter crash in the US state of Texas, US President Joe Biden is confident the country's interest rates will begin to decline, and tens of thousands of Spaniards have taken to the streets to march for International Women's Day. See omnystudio.com/listener (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.