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Beforepay Chief Executive Jamie Twiss says Australians are “doing it tough” as consumer spending declined 10.2 per cent between December and January. The latest edition of the Beforepay Cost of Living Index shows spending decreased in all categories except utilities. “As part of the way that we do our business, we have a lot of transaction data about everyday Australians, and that’s for the artificial intelligence,” Mr Twiss told Sky News Australia. “What we’ve seen in January is that, like many years, we had a party in December, and now we’ve got the hangover. “Consumer spending fell more than 10 per cent between December and January. “It does decline every year, but that double-digit drop is higher than usual, and that shows everyday Australians are doing it tough these days.”

Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen has hit out at the car industry for their “silly scare campaigns” over vehicle efficiency standards because Australians deserve “better choices of better cars”. Last week, the federal government put the industry on notice after releasing a roadmap to improving fuel efficiency and reducing emissions. “The time for sort of silly scare campaigns is over,” Mr Bowen said at a press conference in Western Sydney on Saturday. “I say to the car industry, 85 per cent of cars sold around the world are sold under vehicle efficiency standards. “It’s time your Australian customers had the same rights. “If these rights are good enough for customers and motorists in the United States, Canada, in New Zealand, in Europe, in China, then they are right for Australian motorists as well. “Australians deserve better choices of better cars, and car manufacturers will be obliged to provide those better choices under these reforms.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin has called for negotiations with the West to end the war with Ukraine. Speaking to a Western journalist for the first time since Moscow invaded Ukraine, the Russian leader told US talk show host Tucker Carlson he has no interest in invading any other European countries. “Wouldn’t it be better to negotiate with Russia? Make an agreement,” Mr Putin said. “Already understanding the situation that is developing today, realising that Russia will fight for its interests to the end. “And realising this – actually return to common sense: start respecting our country and its interests.”

Government agencies and police are facing pressure to better handle a rise in anti-Semitism. Australian Jewish-linked businesses have been targeted following the October 7 Hamas attacks in Israel. Individuals and businesses have faced harassment online, as campaigners write bad online reviews and negative social media posts. Liberal MP Julian Leeser says the behaviour is unacceptable. “Right from the start of the vile terrorist attacks on the 7th of October, people have been allowed to get away with all sorts of conduct which I just regard as unacceptable,” Mr Leeser told Sky News Australia. “I would be saying the same whether we were talking about Jews, or Palestinians or anyone in Australia. “This is a great country; this is a free country.”

Washington Examiner White House Correspondent Christian Datoc believes there is a “mistake around the corner” for US President Joe Biden as he is “far behind” on public press conferences for every president since Reagan. The White House has come to the defence of US President Joe Biden after concerns were raised about his mental state. Biden held a national address to the nation in the Diplomatic Reception Room on Thursday (local time), rejecting criticism of his failing memory. “History would tell us that there is a mistake around the corner when it comes to President Biden,” Mr Datoc told Sky News Australia. “He lacks far behind former presidents Trump, Obama, George W. Bush, Clinton – everyone going back to Ronald Reagan when it comes to these public press conferences. “He is skipping the Superbowl Half Time Interview Show for the second year in a row, and, again, when you look back to 2020, the campaign that he ran … was almost entirely online.”

Washington Examiner White House Correspondent Christian Datoc says since US President Joe Biden “interacts with the press so infrequently”, his mistakes are “put under a magnifying glass”. Biden held a national address to the nation in the Diplomatic Reception Room on Thursday (local time), rejecting criticism of his failing memory. “The glare is there, but it’s almost a problem that the White House has inflicted upon itself,” Mr Datoc told Sky News Australia. “I think one thing President Trump – politics fully aside – did better than President Biden was that he was constantly interacting with the press. “Sometimes that was to his own detriment, but oftentimes when he would make these wildish, outlandish, off-the-cuff remarks, people would sort of look the other way because he does this three times a week. “Because President Biden interacts with the press so infrequently, these mistakes that he’s been making in recent days, weeks … they’re put under a magnifying glass. “It’s sort of a compounding problem that the White House isn’t helping themselves with.”

Washington Examiner White House Correspondent Christian Datoc expects President Biden to “be the nominee” at the Democratic Convention in August as switching candidate this late would “signal weakness”. Biden held a national address to the nation in the Diplomatic Reception Room on Thursday (local time), rejecting criticism of his failing memory. “The former first lady certainly has a couple of checks in her box as a potential nominee: one, she is younger; two, she is a black woman; and three, she remains one of the most popular figures in the Democratic Party, whether you’re in office or out,” Mr Datoc told Sky News Australia. “I think there is not necessarily a panic among Democratic donors and party leaders here in DC, but this is a narrative we’ve been hearing about since President Biden announced his campaign in April of last year. “Is he going to be the nominee when we get to the convention in August? I would still say he will be the nominee. “Of course, there is a lot of media fervour and panic surrounding this recent string of gaffes, but, again, President Biden is the only candidate that Democrats have who has defeated Donald Trump in an election before. “Switching courses this late in the race would signal weakness.”

Washington Examiner White House Correspondent Christian Datoc has criticised the White House for “trying to push back” on the story of Joe Biden’s “failing memory” and focus on the fact charges will not be brought against the president. The White House has come to the defence of US President Joe Biden after concerns were raised about his mental state. Special Counsel Robert Hur has described the US President as a “sympathetic, well-meaning elderly man with poor memory” and said he would bring no charges against him after his investigation into Biden’s classified documents scandal. “First things first, the White House was pleaded that Special Counsel Robert Hur did not bring charges in that classified document investigation, but that was quickly swept to the side because of what Hur included in his own report,” Mr Datoc told Sky News Australia. “Hur basically says that the president has a failing memory, has faulty mental faculties and because he can’t possibly be put before a jury. “I think the White House, what they’re doing in this press briefing that we watched right before we led into me, is, again, trying to push back on the idea that the sense of this story should be the lack of charges being brought against President Biden, not the fact that his memory appears to be failing us.”

Fire has engulfed an industrial factory in Perth’s south. Toxic black smoke billowed into the air yesterday afternoon. Crews battled the Kwinana blaze in temperatures over 40 degrees. The beachside warehouse is believed to contain agricultural products, including sulphur, which helped fuel the flames. A hazmat warning remains in place for Kwinana Beach and Rockingham.

Sky News host Steve Price says there are new figures out about “blowouts” in the NDIS. Mr Price said the number of participants on plans worth $1 million a year has more than doubled in the past two years. “NDIS costs have now blown out to $42 billion. “It can’t keep going. “That money is not going to an individual, that money is going toward the care of that individual.”

Liberal MP Julian Leeser says the issues going on in Israel and Gaza have “nothing to do with” Indigenous issues in Australia. The Aboriginal flag is often used at pro-Palestinian protests around Australia. Mr Leeser sat down with Erin Molan to discuss the use of the Aboriginal flag for an anti-Israel agenda. Mr Leeser told Sky News host Erin Moley that the deep friendship and respect between Jewish and Indigenous Australians “goes back decades”. “I’m quite upset by it.”

Melbourne Deputy Lord Mayor Nick Reece says the NDIS costs have “grown enormously”. Mr Reece told Sky News host Steve Price that it is on track to be the “biggest single expenditure item in the budget”. “I think Bill Shorten’s very across that and good operator. “So, they are taking moves to get it under control. “And that needs to happen.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese chooses to say “disharmony” rather than saying anti-Semitism, Author Rabbi Shmuley Boteach says. “He said people, he won’t say Jews, notice he says disharmony he won’t say anti-Semitism,” Mr Boteach told Sky News host Rita Panahi. “This kind of nebulous nonsense is why the problem never gets better.” Jewish residents in Melbourne’s northern suburbs are moving south due to fears of anti-Semitic attacks. Jewish owned businesses have reported doxing and boycotting attempts from members of the public.

Wall Street Journal editor-at-large Gerard Baker warns the “explosion” of illegal immigration in the United States is causing an “economic crisis”. A 2023 fiscal report by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) discovered the number of illegal immigrants entering the US grew year-on-year during Biden’s term. The fiscal year report of illegal immigrants grew from 3.7 million in 2021 to almost 4.8 million in 2022 to nearly 6.2 million in 2023. “It’s causing tremendous strain on cities who have to house many of the migrants, have to feed them and house them and give them basic welfare resources,” Mr Baker told Sky News host James Morrow. “It’s obviously a huge national security problem because millions of people are coming across the United States border.”

Author Douglas Murray explains how President Joe Biden and former president Donald Trump are “leaning on each other” with both parties fearing a “collapse”. Mr Murray said the Democrats don’t have a very good “bench” of candidates to replace President Biden. “They may have coming up, there's some talented younger congressmen and congresswoman in the Democratic Party, there's also some absolute left-wing nutters,” he said. “But the main thing is that it's not obvious who would replace Biden as the nominee. Particularly this relatively late stage.” It follows the President being found to have “willfully” retained and disclosed highly classified documents in the garage, offices and basement den of his home in Delaware.

 Immigration reporter Jennie Taer brings us the latest as the border chaos becomes the new Republican battleground. Nikki Haley downplays her embarrassing Nevada loss. Plus, Robert F. Kennedy Jr shows off his 'tough guy' tactics. See omnystudio.com/listener (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.

Daily Caller immigration reporter Jennie Taer says there are currently “a lot of loopholes” for illegal immigrants crossing the US border to gain access to the country. Ms Taer told Sky News host James Morrow that if someone came across and said they have a “credible fear” of returning to their country they “could still be released”. “If they come as a family unit, they will be released. “Those are big issues and people will adapt to those things. “Let’s say if they are not a family unit, maybe they’ll claim to be a fake family unit.”

Sky News host James Morrow says the border crisis, which has made itself felt in every major Democratic-run so-called “sanctuary city”, is now a national issue. A 2023 fiscal report by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) discovered the number of illegal immigrants entering the US grew year-on-year during Biden’s term. A 370-page bill has been rejected by House Republicans and is facing mounting Senate opposition. The bill would stem the record-setting pace of undocumented immigrants at the southern US border. “The chaos at the US southern border now has some competition from the chaos in Washington, DC, where the Biden White House's attempt to push through a phony try at ‘fixing the border’ has fallen over in a heap, after Republicans and a handful of democrats voted against it,” he said.

Former presidential envoy and terrorism expert Marshall Billingslea reflects on the horrific scenes he witnessed in the Israeli kibbutz after Hamas’ terrorist attack on October 7. Around 1,200 Israelis were killed during the October 7 massacre committed by Hamas. More than 240 hostages were taken by Hamas, with about half that number since released - the majority during a temporary ceasefire in November - but about 136 were understood to remain in Gaza. “They knew exactly where they were going and who they were out to kill because they had used Palestinian workers who had been provided work permits to work in the kibbutz – they used them as spies to map out the locations,” Mr Billingslea said. “They went in on a hunting expedition to commit genocide.”