Liberal Party Defence and National Security Policy Chair Lincoln Parker has called the decision by the Albanese government to not donate retired helicopters to Ukraine “insane” because it is equipment “we’re no longer using”. Ukraine is pleading with the Australian government to donate its fleet of retired Taipan helicopters instead of dismantling and burying them. It was revealed on Thursday morning that Defence Minister Richard Marles was yet to respond to a request from the Ukrainians which came more than a month ago. Acting Defence Minister Pat Conroy formally rejected the request on Thursday afternoon. “This time [the Ukrainians] have asked for Taipan helicopters that we’re no longer using and, again, Prime Minister Albanese has said no,” Mr Parker told Sky News host Erin Parker. “In fact, what we’re going to do with these helicopters is bury them – and I mean literally bury them in the ground instead of giving them to Ukraine who desperately need them. “It’s insane.”

Former Australian Special Forces commando Wes Hennessey “categorically disagrees” with the idea of recruiting non-Australians into the Defence Forces. “We have a retention issue; we have a recruitment issue,” he told Sky News host Erin Molan. “You would have read in the media that we are contemplating bringing in recruits who have non-Australian citizenship - which I categorically disagree with. “But it just gives you an idea of how desperate the Australian Defence Forces is to build the numbers that we require into the future.” Mr Hennessey’s comments come as the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Matt Keogh said the government are looking at how they might be able to grow the ADF from "friendly forces from other countries.”

China's Ministry of Commerce says it's keeping an eye on developments in the Red Sea. Beijing claims it's willing to provide assistance to affected foreign trade enterprises. A spokesperson for the ministry released a statement saying it hopes all parties will work together to ensure security along the major shipping route. Houthi - a militant group from Yemen - have been targeting Israeli-linked ships and disrupting a vital commercial waterway in retaliation for Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza. The United States launched strikes on the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in response.

There is "great concern" in the retail industry as consumers are urged to stock up on imported goods before prices "go up" and items entirely disappear, says Australian Retailers Association CEO Paul Zahra. Mr Zahra’s comments come after the federal government refused to mediate an industrial standoff between Dubai-based logistics company DP World and its employees. DP World employees are requesting a 16 per cent pay rise across two years which, after months of negotiations, has led to increasingly disruptive industrial action. “All consumers can do is right now is if they see something that is imported and they want it, they should buy it because it may not be there in the future,” Mr Zahra told Sky News Australia. “Until this is resolved, consumers get what they need also be very patient and tolerant towards retailers and retail staff.”

Former first lady Melania Trump has memorialised her late mother, Amalija Knavs, during her funeral. Amalija Knavs died on January 9 at age 78 and was honoured at the Episcopal Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea in Palm Beach. During an emotional eulogy, the former first lady spoke about her mother as “a ray of light in the darkest of days”. Melania also spoke about how she always found peace in her mother’s “nurturing spirit” and “unparalleled affection”. “She embodied the best mother, wife, grandmother, mother-in-law, a true beacon of love and luxury in our lives,” she said. The former model concluded her eulogy by saying, “Rest in peace, my beloved mummy”. Melania was seen supported by her father Viktor Knavs, son Barron Trump and husband Donald Trump, who skipped his New York defamation trial to attend the funeral.

Sky News Australia host Piers Morgan says US President Joe Biden’s problem is his “clear senility”. “I think the problem is not his age,” Mr Morgan said. “I think that Joe Biden’s problem is the clear senility that’s going with his age.” He said the Democrats decided to “finish” former president Donald Trump off with 91 criminal charges, but it’s had the “complete opposite effect”. “It has fuelled a resurge in Trump, and you cannot deny it,” Mr Morgan said.

Democratic strategist Jessica Tarlov says there is a “problem going on” with media coverage of the Biden presidency and campaign. “Everybody knows now that you want to print stories that get clicks, and negative stories are the ones that do,” she told Sky News Australia host Piers Morgan. “Even people who are huge supporters of the President focus on all the polls that are negative. “I think the President himself needs to be more visible. “He connects with people.”

The Iran-backed Houthi rebels have been relisted as a terrorist group by the United States. In response to their terrorist designation, the Houthi rebels attacked a US-owned ship with a bomb-carrying drone. The ship's captain said a fire broke out but was extinguished and that the crew were safe, according to ABC News. Houthi spokesperson Mohammed Abdul-Salam posted to X saying the terrorist designation is, “A badge of honour for Yemen for its support of Palestinian resistance in Gaza.” One of Donald Trump’s last acts as US president was designating the Houthis as global terrorists before it was reversed by Joe Biden early on in his presidency. President Biden's reason for overturning the designation was the “Humanitarian threat that the sanctions posed to ordinary Yemenis” as reported by ABC News.

Some of the biggest tech companies in the world are spending billions of dollars to meet Australia’s insatiable demand for data. New data centres which allow us to use web-connected devices are being built across the country However, there are concerns about how these massive facilities will keep the lights on. NEXTDC’s Steve Martin told Sky News Australia, “Data centres really are the centre of the universe”. “When it comes to everything that we as people are doing with technology.”

The 2024 election has kicked off in a huge way, with Donald Trump storming home to victory in the GOP caucus. Sky News All Star Megyn Kelly sits down with Sky News host Paul Murray to dissect the week that was in US politics.

Woolworths has announced it will fly the Indigenous flag at some of its key locations. The move comes despite calls for a boycott of the supermarket giant after its decision not to sell Australia Day merchandise. Woolworths has been forced to shut down claims it would be flying all three flags, the Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, and Australian flags, at all of its 1,400 stores. Instead, the supermarket will hoist the three flags at its key offices. They are already flying at its headquarters In north-west Sydney.

Severe weather conditions have stretched across the Northern Territory through the week with a slow-moving monsoon. The tropical low keeps bringing heavy rainfall, damaging winds and flooding across northern and central parts of the NT. The weather event has led to many road and highway closures, with roadways now waterways, leaving many people stranded and away from home. The water levels in Katherine have been below minor flood levels, but they have risen rapidly over the last few days. Flood watches have been in place for areas in the Victoria, Katherine, Daly and Adelaide River catchments as rivers, streams and creek levels rose in some areas up to moderate flood levels.

CommSec’s Craig James says the stock market in the US has “got some momentum happening”. “It really is the technology sector which is the driving force in terms of the United States,” Mr James told Sky News Australia. “Shares in Apple up 3.4 per cent on a broker upgrade. “We have also got Microsoft shares higher by about nine-tenths of 1 per cent. “And Nvidia shares up in the order of 1.7 per cent as well.”

Sky News Meteorologist Rob Sharpe has delivered a significant prediction for the second half of 2024. “There is a 65 per cent chance of La Nina developing after El Nino ends in Autumn with only a 30 per cent chance of neutral and only a 5 per cent chance of back-to-back El Nino events,” Mr Sharpe told Sky News Australia. “This is based primarily on historical observations on what happens when you are in an El Nino event and this current pattern in the Pacific Ocean. “El Nino is still active throughout the Pacific but this is a different El Nino to normal. “We have got these warmer-than-usual seas hugging the eastern Australian coastline.”

Donald Trump has hit the ground running in New Hampshire ahead of the state's Primary in the coming week but will have to juggle his campaign with tensions in a New York courtroom. After a dominant Iowa caucus victory, the former president is looking to continue his good momentum despite mounting legal woes. Mr Trump described the judge presiding over American author E Jean Carrol’s defamation case as a “Trump-hating guy” after several clashes in the courtroom. “I could care less – it is a rigged deal and it is a made-up story,” Mr Trump said about the defamation case. His comments come after Judge Lewis Kaplan threatened to throw the former president out of the courtroom for misdemeanors.

Tensions in the Middle East are rising after Pakistan has begun retaliating against Iranian air strikes. It follows the decision by the US Government to relist Iranian-backed Houthi Rebels as terrorists. A decision spurred by a spate of attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea. Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian has claimed the security of the Red Sea region is “intertwined” with Gaza. The US has accused Iran of stirring up trouble by funding terrorist groups like Hamas and the Houthis.

Prince William has visited his wife Catherine in hospital after she underwent abdominal surgery this week. Details surrounding the surgery are scarce but it is expected she will be away from royal duties for several months. Prince William was seen leaving the hospital on Tuesday as it was revealed Princess Catherine would remain inside for a fortnight. Earlier, the Queen gave an update on King Charles' condition after it was revealed he would undergo treatment for an enlarged prostate. Queen Camilla confirmed her husband the king was fine, however, he had cleared his diary.

Master Plumbers Association of NSW CEO Nathaniel Smith has raised concerns over Labor's strict new-car emissions standards that are set to come into effect in 2025. Mr Smith’s comments come as the federal government has announced new laws that will mandate stringent emission standards for petrol and diesel-powered vehicles. With utes and four-wheel drives to be the hardest hit. The regulations are set to be aligned with ‘Euro 6d’ standards. Mr Smith said he would like to see more consultations done by the government with the trade industry before the new emission stands come into place. “I would like to see some more consultation; obviously, they consult with motor groups and manufacturers, but we're the end user,” he told Sky News host Paul Murray. “And there seems to be a push towards hybrid and electric vehicles in the future, and that won't meet the needs of people who work in the maintenance industry - it’s a very spontaneous industry. "You could be doing a job here which is light work changing some washers, and then you're fixing a leak … so that could happen in one day and if eventually, you’re using an electric vehicle, when are you going to charge it.”

Sky News host Andrew Bolt has denounced the Albanese government for “trying to pretend” they are “even-handed” in Israel’s war against Hamas terrorists after Penny Wong refused to visit the sites of the October 7 massacres. Foreign Minister Penny Wong recently announced an additional $21.5 million in support for Gaza and its refugees. She cautioned Israel about its war in Gaza, advocating for the country to comply with international humanitarian law. “Foreign Minister Penny Wong is trying to pretend the Albanese government is even-handed in this war between democratic Israel and Islamist Hamas terrorists,” Mr Bolt said. “But, again, just now, Wong refused to visit the sites of the massacres of the Jews by Hamas that started this war – no time she said – but did visit sites where Palestinians told her Jewish settlers were violent. “Go figure that.”

US President Joe Biden has not yet had a public White House event since 2024 began. Fox News reporter Peter Doocy has labelled the decision as "very unusual" for any president. "We’re almost three weeks into the New Year, which is an election year, and President Biden still has not had any official events, any public events at all at the White House," Mr Doocy told Sky News host Andrew Bolt. "And I've been with him the whole time since inauguration day - that's very unusual. "He does have a few stops in swing states. We saw him pop up at a business in Pennsylvania; he's going to be here in North Carolina tomorrow to give remarks in an electorally competitive place this year, but nothing at the White House, despite everything that is going on."