Deniers and “apologists” have been undeterred by incontrovertible evidence of sexual violence by Hamas on October 7, Sky News Senior Reporter Caroline Marcus says. “About the groundbreaking New York Times investigation that revealed new details about mass rapes and mutilation of women and girls, that took place in Israel during the massacre on October 7,” Ms Marcus said. “The two-month investigation involved speaking to more than 150 people including eye witnesses, first responders and rape counsellors. “I speculated then that the usual deniers and apologists, who parade as activists these days and feminists would not be deterred by yet more incontrovertible evidence of sexual violence. “Annoyingly, that prediction would prove to be true.”

A Jewish community head member calls for Qantas to sack staff involved in a recent flight who wore badges with the Palestinian flag, Sky News Senior Reporter Caroline Marcus says. “Qantas is counselling cabin crew who were onboard a flight from Melbourne, who served passengers while wearing badges of the Palestinian flag,” Ms Marcus said. “One passenger – told me all the staff he saw onboard the QantasLink flight to Hobart on December 20 were wearing the badges. “The young man – who is not Jewish – says he felt intimidated by the stunt, given the extremism and aggressiveness of some pro-Palestinian protesters in recent months. “The incident has led to the head of one Jewish community group calling for all staff involved to be sacked.”

Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor says Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been “distracted” as his focus has been away from the cost of living crisis. “He hasn’t been taking this seriously – he's been asleep at the wheel,” he told Sky News Australia. Mr Taylor said taking pressure off inflation is the answer to a cost of living crisis – which Australia is currently facing. “But this is not a prime minister who’s been interested in that or focused on it,” he said. “He’s been distracted. He’s been asleep at the wheel. “This Prime Minister has failed.”

Storm Henk is the latest extreme weather system to hit southern UK. It comes after a new study confirmed 2023 was the United Kingdom’s second-hottest year on record. The first named storm of the year, Henk, brought gusts of up to 100 miles an hour. The storm has destroyed scaffolding, torn down trees and caused train delays. The developing El Nino in the Pacific means that 2024 is expected to be even warmer.

The New South Wales Police Force is saving millions of dollars in wages as officers quit without being replaced. The force's annual report shows staff turnover more than doubled last year as more than 1300 cops quit or retired. There were just under 1,000 new recruits in 2023, saving the police force more than $35 million. With staff shortfalls across many commands, the state government says it's looking to combat the declining numbers of officers. The first initiative, announced in October last year, sees recruits paid $30,000 for their 16 weeks of training at the Goulburn Police Academy. The report also shows community confidence in NSW Police has dropped as crime has increased across the board.

Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor says Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been “asleep at the wheel” when it comes to the cost of living. “He hasn’t been taking this seriously – he's been asleep at the wheel,” he told Sky News Australia. “He’s been focused on other issues. “He lacks any credibility saying that he’s going to solve this problem now.” Mr Taylor’s remarks come Mr Albanese indicated there will be more cost of living support in the May budget as Australians continue to grapple with soaring interest rates and inflation.

Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor says in area after area, the Albanese government has “made a bad situation worse”. Mr Taylor’s remarks come after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese indicated there will be more cost of living support in the May budget as Australians continue to grapple with soaring interest rates and inflation. “Australians have been waiting 18 months for the Prime Minister to take this seriously,” Mr Taylor told Sky News Australia. “And now he’s saying he might do something ... it’s not good enough. “What they should be doing – and should have been doing for the last 18 months – is taking pressure off inflation.”

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre has stated that ‘Bidenomics’ needs more time to take effect. Jean-Pierre believes that due to the pandemic, many voters are moving away from the Democratic Party and President Joe Biden. Recent polls have shown support is dropping among young voters, with many opting for former president Donald Trump. The Press Secretary also stated that ‘Bidenomics’ has helped out the Black and Latino communities, yet despite this, they’re also losing voters from those communities as well. The ‘Bidenomics’ term has grown unpopular among Democratic voters, leading some supporters to distance themselves from the party. A Democratic Strategist spoke to NBC News in November about the term and referred to it as a terrible messaging tactic. “Whoever came up with the slogan Bidenomics should be fired. It’s probably the worst messaging you could ever imagine,” he said.

New data shows thousands of Australians have ditched the NBN following recent price hikes approved by the federal government. According to the NBN’s own data, connections to existing properties fell by more than 30,000 in 2023, marking the first time the service has ever lost customers in that category. The NBN’s satellite business also lost 12 per cent of its customer base last year. It comes after retailers were given the green light to increase prices by up to 10 per cent. NBN customers can expect another price increase in July.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the government is aiming for Australia’s position to be “strengthened” with other countries. Mr Albanese went on to say the government will be focused on building Australia’s relationship with ASEAN and our Pacific neighbours. “But also of course the enhancements that we’re making to improve our trade relationships including the removal of any impediments to trade with China,” he said during a press conference on Wednesday. “We know that those impediments led to some $20 billion reduction in our trade. “We’ve seen that step up and we’ll see further advances in that this year.”

A woman has died in a rip off the New South Wales North Coast. The woman was swimming alongside two children when all three were pulled into the rip. The 50-year-old was swimming in Park Beach near Coffs Harbour with her family on Tuesday night. Only the two children, a little boy and a girl, were able to be rescued. The woman was found unresponsive in the water and unable to be saved.

The McGrath Foundation celebrates its 16th annual Pink Test, a woman has drowned in the NSW north coast, Melissa Hoskins' family speaks out about her death, Donald Trump appeals Maine ballot removal, Harvard President Claudine Gay resigns over criticisms of anti-Semitism, and Mickey Mouse horror films are set to be released following an end to a 95 year long copyright claim. See omnystudio.com/listener (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.

Women's World Cup star Jennifer Hermoso has testified the kiss with former Spanish football boss Luis Rubiales was at no point consensual. Mr Rubiales was congratulating his players on a successful Women's World Cup championship in Sydney when he publicly kissed Ms Hermoso in front of 75,000 fans. Ms Hermoso gave her version of the kiss to a Madrid court. Mr Rubiales' conduct was called into question immediately after the incident and, as other misdemeanours resurfaced, was told he should resign as head of women's football in Spain. The investigations against the former Spanish football boss now include sexual assault, which carries a prison sentence if found guilty. Mr Rubiales has denied the allegations.

Japan has dispatched its military to help in the disaster zone, with around 1000 soldiers on the ground. A series of powerful earthquakes hit the west of Japan, killing at least 55 people. Homes and vehicles have been damaged – water, power and mobile phone services are still down in many parts. People remain trapped and hundreds of homes have been destroyed in the country's northwest. Emergency supplies are being provided to residents who have been forced to evacuate.

At least 7,000 people are still without power in South-East Queensland as devastated families begin the cleanup from extreme weather which saw an entire summer's worth of rainfall in some regions since Christmas. An easing in the rainfall should see floodwaters start to steady and recede from Wednesday. 50 Australian Defence Force members have green-lit to assist with the recovery effort and will have their boots on the ground by Thursday. On Tuesday, 88 SES Victoria and 42 SES New South Wales joined 170 members of Queensland's SES in disaster recovery. 700 Energex crew members are working out in the field to restore power by Friday. But residents are skeptical power will be restored before the weekend.

At least 55 people have now been confirmed dead after a 7.6 magnitude earthquake devastated large parts of Japan on New Year's Day. People remain trapped and hundreds of homes have been destroyed in the country's northwest. Around 1,000 members of Japan's defence forces have been mobilised to assist with search and rescue efforts. Emergency supplies are being provided to residents who have been forced to evacuate. Tsunami warnings along the Sea of Japan have been lifted – but warnings of further tremors remain.

Australian researchers are a step closer to developing a cure for diabetes. Researchers from the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute in Melbourne have proven that they can rewire pancreatic cells that have been damaged by diabetes. They use two drugs already approved for use in the US to treat rare cancers. With donated stem cells from an adult with type 1 diabetes, an adult without diabetes and a child, they managed to regenerate insulin production after 48 hours of stimulation. Researchers hope they can start human trials in five years’ time, possibly spelling the end to regular insulin injections for diabetic patients.

Sky News contributor Everlyn Rae has slammed the ABC's coverage for serving "a side of guilt" with their New Year's Eve fireworks program. The government-funded network's program included Indigenous band 'Three Percent' aggressively rapping a political song while families were tuned in. "There's very few things left for children and for families to enjoy that's not infested with political messaging from these overrepresented, noisy minority groups," Ms Rae told Sky News host James Macpherson. "Nobody wants a side of guilt with their fireworks, their families and the music. "This is the problem with the ABC - when your salary is paid by taxes, you don't need to worry about what viewers might think."

Daily Mirror royal editor Russell Myers says the timing of Denmark's Queen Margrethe II abdication is "a little suspicious". It comes as there has been speculation that Queen Margrethe II abdication is a plan to cover up a recent cheating scandal surrounding Prince Frederick. In October the soon-to-be king was rumoured to be cheating with a Mexican socialite after the two were pictured seen together in Madrid. Socialite Genoveva Casanova has empathetically denied any romantic relationship between herself and Frederik. Mr Myers told Sky News Senior Reporter Caroline Marcus the timing of Queen Margrethe's abdication has been “a little suspicious".

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s New Year resolutions should be to look back at the “big mistakes” throughout 2023 and make sure they do not happen again, Sky News contributor Joe Hildebrand says. “John Howard made every single mistake you can make as prime minister, but he only ever made them once,” Mr Hildebrand told Sky News Senior Reporter Caroline Marcus. “My hope and prayer would be that Anthony Albanese looks back at the big mistakes that have happened this year. “And thinks right, I’m going to make sure that I do not let something like that happen again. “If he does that, could be one of the best governments in Australia.”