An aircraft carrying nine people has collided into trees on an island in the Great Barrier Reef just before 7:30am this morning. Two of the passengers are reported to be injured. It’s believed the plane overshot the runway as it was coming into land, crashing into the trees on Lizard Island. A Royal Flying Doctor Service plane and two rescue helicopters have been sent to the scene. The severity of the crash is still unknown.

A powerful winter snowstorm has hit the states of New York, Connecticut and New Jersey in the US, bringing with it up to 35 centimetres of snow in some areas. Authorities are recommending residents stay inside – as the mix of snow, sleet and rain is making for dangerous road conditions. Snowploughs have been busy cleaning roadways, sidewalks and parking lots as the country’s northeast experiences blizzard-like conditions. The accumulation has proved dangerous for vehicles not equipped to handle the downpour. Residents are being urged to stay off the streets and wait out the storms inside their homes.

Hundreds of flood warnings and alerts remain in place across England, where property owners remain on high alert. River levels are continuing to rise in some places, threatening homes. After almost a week, parts of England have been submerged as Storm Henk and torrential rain compounded the wettest half-year on record. Amid criticism of a decade of cuts to environment agency budgets, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak surfaced in Oxford to offer his defence. “We’ve invested 5.2 billion pounds in flood defences over the period in question – that’s a record sum,” Mr Sunak said.

A 65-year-old woman has died after suffering burns to over 90% of her body in a fire at her home in the New South Wales, South Western Slopes region. The mother passed away at Sydney’s Royal North Shore Hospital at 3am on Monday. The lady was flown to the hospital in critical condition from a small town 430 kilometres away. Police say her 42-year-old son set her home on fire before running away, and spent several hours on the run armed with a bow and arrow before turning himself into a police station. He was then given several serious charges from the NSW Police Force including domestic violence, murder, grievous bodily harm, and damage to property by fire worth more than $15,000. If you or anyone you know needs help: 1800RESPECT or 1800 737 732 Lifeline: 13 11 14 Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has held a meeting with Qatar's Prime Minister to discuss easing tensions and negotiating a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war. Secretary Blinken emphasised the US' priority of preventing the spread of the conflict – noting an increase in Houthi attacks in shipping lanes as an effect of the war. He also thanked the Qatari government for its role in negotiating a previous ceasefire in November and stressed the importance of increasing the flow of humanitarian aid. The Qatari PM stressed Gaza and the West Bank must remain under Palestinian control, with international recognition as a state, for stable and lasting peace in the region. He says the two also discussed their shared opposition to any forced displacement of Palestinian civilians from Gaza or the West Bank.

CommSec’s Craig James says Australia is going to experience a “flat start” following a “mixed lead-in” from overseas markets. Mr James joined Sky News Australia to give the latest update on the stock markets in Australia and across the globe. “But the US markets were a smidgen higher,” he said. “Dow Jones was up by 26 points or one tenth of one per cent. “NASDAQ was also up by one tenth of one per cent … overall the share price index on the futures is pointing to a fall by just three points at the start of trade so a fairly steady start to the week.” Presented by CommSec.

Hollywood's awards season kicks off today as the 81st Golden Globes Awards are held. Hosted by Comedian Jo Koy, this will be the first ceremony since the dissolution of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Three Australian actors are up for awards: Margot Robbie for ‘Barbie’, Sarah Snook for ‘Succession’, and Elizabeth Debicki for ‘The Crown’. Greta Gerwig's 'Barbie' leads the film nominations with nine nods, closely followed by Christopher Nolan's ‘Oppenheimer’ with eight. 'Succession' is the most nominated television program.

A 90-year-old woman has been miraculously rescued from the rubble of her collapsed home 124 hours after the New Year's Day earthquake. The woman from Suzu City had survived more than 5 days after the 7.6 magnitude earthquake hit her area last Monday. The discovery of this elderly lady has spurred hope, as survival rates diminish greatly after 72 hours. More than 500 people were injured, at least 27 of them seriously. More than 200 people remain unaccounted for, following the quake.

Nationals Leader David Littleproud is calling for an inquiry into supermarket pricing. The Nationals Leader warned that if something isn't done soon, producers could soon send more overseas to try to survive. “Supermarkets are cleaning up and they are cleaning up not just at farmers' expense they're cleaning up at consumers' expense as well,” Mr Littleproud said. The federal government is reviewing the supermarket code of conduct, amid growing anger over the gap between food prices charged by big supermarkets and those paid to farmers. And a senate inquiry will look at the power and practices of supermarkets over the next few months.

Several areas of Victoria are under severe weather warnings- after heavy rain and flooding. Around 100 millimetres of rain has been forecast across northern regions, potentially flooding catchments already full from last week's rain. Victoria's State Emergency Service is warning flood-prone areas are at particular risk, reminding residents to take necessary precautions. Victoria SES State Agency Commander David Baker urging people to stay away from flood water and not to drive through. “You’re driving a car, not a boat, they don’t float,” Mr Baker told Sky News Australia. “So just stay away from flood waters, stay on higher ground and stay safe.” Mr Baker said the SES has already seen 20 flood rescues in the first seven days of 2024.

US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin has taken responsibility for the secrecy surrounding his ongoing week-long hospitalisation. He was admitted to Water Reed National Military Medical Centre in Maryland on New Year's Day for what the Pentagon says were procedural complications. The Pentagon has been accused of failing to inform Congress immediately as required by law. It is unclear how widely shared the information was. Mr Austin resumed his duties on Friday evening but remains in hospital.

SES Agency Commander Mark Cattel has warned Victorians who decide to drive into floodwater that it “could be the last decision you make” as the state faces heavy rainfall. Several areas of Victoria are under flood watch ahead of forecast rain and thunderstorms over the coming days. 150 millimetres of rain have been forecast but authorities predict there could be more than 200 millimetres of rainfall. Mr Cattel said the SES has already seen 20 flood rescues in the first seven days of 2024. “We’re certainly pleading for public not to be driving into floodwater,” he told Sky News Australia. “The decision you make to drive into floodwater could be the last decision you make.”

Australians may see an increase in the price of fresh food produce, as Queensland farmers threaten a walkout. Supermarket pricing problems may see up to 30 per cent of Queensland fruit and vegetable growers walk away from the industry. Farmers say they are not being paid a fair price for produce, with supermarkets selling produce such as melons for almost four times the price. National Party leader David Littleproud is calling for an ACCC inquiry into pricing in response. “The cost of living crisis was before Christmas, we could have had a better Christmas, and people could have made better choices at Christmas time because we could have had the ACCC look at the supermarkets and force them and the government to take action against them,” Mr Littleproud said.

A dog in the northwestern US is expected to recover after an alarming fall of almost 100 metres. An air, land and sea rescue was enough to pull the golden retriever from the water before flying him home to his family. Footage captured the dramatic helicopter rescue off the shores of Oregon. Coast Guard rescue found ‘Leo’ bloodied and bruised but conscious. Leo’s owners say he is doing well after spending the night at an emergency vet.

US-Mexico border crossings reached a record monthly high in December 2023. More than 220,000 migrants were found along the border by authorities, making it the highest monthly recorded total since 2000. Democratic Congressman Don Davis visited Eagle Pass, Texas on Friday to witness the issues the southern border is facing firsthand. It comes as the talks between lawmakers and the White House continue over the supplemental spending agreement where President Biden has requested $USD14 billion for additional border funding. Congressman Don Davis said they must act fast as the ongoing crisis is not sustainable.

An 11-year-old girl has died eight days after being involved in a multi-vehicle crash in the NSW Central Tablelands. The 5-car accident claimed the lives of two drivers on the Great Western Highway at Lithgow on December 29. The girl was among six passengers in the Kia – five of which were children aged from five to 15. The four other children remain in the hospital in stable condition. The woman who was in the vehicle has since been released from hospital.

Victorian Liberal MP Cindy McLeish discusses the growing concern among Victorian communities over the threat of flash flooding as the state experiences heavy rain. The state’s northwest and High Country regions are particularly expected to be hit hard by rain. Ms McLeish says there is particular concern around the threat of flash flooding as there is notable capacity in rivers and dams in the state. “We had some heavy rain and storm a week or so ago and a lot of that water got absorbed which was pretty good,” she told Sky News Australia. “So unless there’s drains that are blocked, there’s always drains on roads that are blocked and in streets, and that causes a lot of flash flooding – I expect that’s probably going to happen.” She applauded drivers who have been “sensible” on roads amid heavy rain. “That’s what’s required if you don’t need to be out – don’t be out.”

Alaska Airlines has been ordered to ground all of its Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft after a section of a plane blew out mid-flight. The plane departed from Portland, Oregon for Ontario, California but was forced to return to make an emergency landing. There were reportedly 171 passengers and four flight attendants onboard with two pilots. “Fortunately, all passengers deplaned – we are not aware of any serious injuries,” National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy said in a press conference. “We are aware of reports of minor injuries … I imagine this was a pretty terrifying event, we don’t often talk about psychological injury but I’m sure that occurred here.”

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The United States East Coast is preparing for its first major snowfall of 2024. The storm is expected to bring heavy snow to more than a dozen states. The National Weather Service has issued winter storm warnings for the Carolinas up through Maine. Parts of New York state and New England could see as much as a foot of snow. Emergency crews have spent the last few days chaining up their tyres and salting up the roadways.