Israel's Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich is calling for a return of Jewish settlements to Gaza, which is illegal under international law. Opinion polling reveals most Israelis do not support the return of settlements to Gaza. He also says Palestinians should be encouraged to leave the enclave and emigrate overseas. Mr Smotrich’s views come in conflict with the official Israel government position that Gazans will be able to return home after the war. The call comes as the Gaza Health Ministry says at least 100 people have been killed by Israeli air strikes in the past 24 hours.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese wishes Australians a Happy New Year, two children pulled from Perth's swan river, toddler found dead in northern Queensland, pushback against desexing medical language, New Year brings in national vape crackdown, the New Year brings free kindergarten for Queensland and Queen Margrethe abdicates the Danish throne. See omnystudio.com/listener (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.

Former White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney says it's going to be a "nasty" year for US politics following Colorado and Maine's banning of Trump from state ballots. "There's going to be a chance that he may not be on a couple of different ballots going into the election," Mr Mulvaney told Sky News Australia. "I don't think it makes a real difference directly because these are not states that Donald Trump could win ... so it doesn't really change the outcome. "But it's just simply going to raise the temperature. "It's going to be a very, very interesting, very difficult year for electoral politics here in the United States."

The release of previously undisclosed cabinet papers from 2003 has highlighted the Howard government's internal deliberations shaping its decision to join the US invasion of Iraq. The ADF was deployed to Iraq to help locate and destroy suspected weapons of mass destruction, but an intelligence failure meant no weapons were ever found. Australia’s decision to follow the US into Iraq would come to define parts of former prime minister John Howard’s legacy. The cabinet papers reveal then-president Bush had requested that Australia assist the US in disarming Iraq of its suspected weapons of mass destruction. Cabinet noted the weapons were one of the greatest threats to Australia’s security at that time. Coincidentally, the very same cabinet meeting in which the invasion of Iraq was agreed to 20 years ago – cabinet also noted the desire for progress to resolve the conflict between Israel and Palestine.

Child Protection detectives are investigating the death of a toddler in North Queensland. Emergency services rushed to a home in Eungella, west of Mackay, but did not arrive in time. At the scene, a young girl was found unresponsive inside of a car. First responders did all they could but the two-year-old was unable to be saved. The tragic incident occurred around 2:20pm on Sunday afternoon.

The war on vapes is set to intensify starting from January 1. Authorities are beginning to crack down on imports. The federal government is vowing to destroy disposable single-use products, even those without nicotine, at the border. It comes as one in five 18 to 25-year-olds are becoming hooked, leading to a nicotine addiction. New data has also revealed the habit has landed 178 people in hospital since 2020.

The United States is officially in an election year, and it's shaping up to be a wild one. The leading Republican candidate Donald Trump is facing over 90 criminal indictments while President Joe Biden is the second oldest candidate to run for the White House in US history. If he wins, Mr Biden will be the oldest to ever assume office at 82 and will top out the record for oldest president when he leaves office at 86. There are virtually no historical precedents which show how Donald Trump’s legal cases will impact his re-election bid. Sky News Washington Correspondent Anneliese Nielsen says these facts render the upcoming presidential election “all the more extraordinary in just about every way imaginable”.

Denmark's Queen Margrethe II has announced she will formally step down from the throne. After 52 years, she made the announcement in her annual New Year's Eve address. The monarch will hand over the Danish crown to her eldest son Prince Frederik on January 14. Queen Margrethe's abdication would see Australian-born Princess Mary become Denmark's new Queen, 20 years after meeting the Prince in a Sydney bar. Margrethe is the longest serving monarch in Danish history and took over from her father King Frederik IX in 1972.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has posted on social media wishing Australians a Happy New Year. “I hope you've had the chance to celebrate with friends and loved ones,” Mr Albanese said on X. The PM said there is “no doubt” 2023 was a challenging year. “Yet, right around our country, Australians rose to meet those challenges – as they always do. “We have so much to cherish. “Let that guide us in 2024 as we make the greatest country on Earth even better.”

Millions of people have gathered around Australia to ring in the new year. In Melbourne, revellers arrived early to secure prime viewing spots along the Yarra River. Around half a million people turned out to catch a glimpse of the colourful display which was spread amongst 27 rooftops across the city. Half an hour later, it was South Australia's turn to celebrate the end of 2023 as thousands gathered at Adelaide's Elder Park for the first firework display there since the COVID pandemic. In Brisbane, around 85,000 people packed the city's river foreshore. More than 100 public firework displays exploded into life across Queensland.

Over a million people gathered around the shores of Sydney Harbour last night to witness one of the world's greatest firework displays. Millions of dollars' worth of fireworks coloured the city's skies on New Year's Eve, celebrating the start of 2024. All corners of the harbour city sparkled for 12 colourful minutes, putting on display one of the greatest shows on Earth. Around the world, 425 million people tuned in to watch from afar. 58,000 individual fireworks were set off from the Harbour Bridge, the Opera House and city rooftops.

Pakistan has rejected former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s nomination to contest in the country’s 2024 elections. Mr Khan is serving a three-year jail sentence for corruption during his time in office from 2018 to 2022. The sentence disqualifies Mr Khan from entering the race. The country’s election officials have also rejected nominations from other senior members of Imran Khan’s PTI party. Mr Khan has not been seen publicly since his incarceration.

New Zealand has welcomed in the new year, being the first to farewell 2023. The fireworks display marks the start of 2024 as celebrations are underway. The five-minute display is the highest in the Southern Hemisphere. Planning for the event has taken place over the last six months. New Zealand is one of the first nations in the world to welcome in the new year.

Psychologist, Nutritionist and Health Expert Leanne Hall says the problem with fad diets is they are “just not sustainable". Ms Hall’s comments come as people prepare for the New Year and have started to create their resolutions. “The vast majority of people that lose weight and succeed off these fad diets end up just back where they started and sometimes, they even just gain weight,” Ms Hall told Sky News Australia. She says it has to be something that fits within people’s lifestyles. “Urging away from those big grand goals of huge things that are a bit unattainable – to start by just creating those small healthy habits.”

Aussies are being urged to rethink their resolutions as many are about set unattainable goals they may struggle to maintain in 2024. Psychologist, Nutritionist and Health Expert Leanne Hall joined Sky News Australia to discuss New Year goals. “Over half find it really, really difficult to stick to these new habits,” Ms Hall told Sky News Australia. “Only around 11 per cent manage to stick to it for the whole year. “Not many of us are sticking to them.”

Two train drivers have died after a crash between a huge freight train and a truck. The incident was near the New South Wales-South Australian border. The crash occurred late morning at Bindarrah about 30 kilometers west of the border on the Barrier Highway. The highway is now closed in both directions. Police and emergency services encountered a shocking scene of damage with the double Decker freight carriages in ruins.

Motorists warned to expect heavy New Year's Eve traffic across the country, final preparations underway for NYE festivities in South Australia and Western Australia, 2023 is reportedly the worst year for road deaths since 2008, the NSW government will review the 1987 Discrimination Act, Boxing Day sales slower than expected, and a woman has given birth to a 7.1kg baby in Chile. See omnystudio.com/listener (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.

Former President Donald Trump maintains a commanding lead among Republican candidates with the countdown well and truly on until the Iowa caucuses. US Studies Centre Director of Research Jared Mondschein says it would be “unprecedented” for Donald Trump to end up not winning the Republican nomination. “No one has gone on to lose the nomination given the lead that he has,” Mr Mondschein told Sky News Australia. “At this point, it is all but a surefire thing that he will win the nomination.” Mr Mondschein said there is a lot of “intrigue” surrounding who the former president will select as his vice president.

Motorists are being warned it will be challenging to drive and park around capital cities today. In Sydney, the Cahill Expressway has now shut with rolling road closures in and around the city beginning mid-afternoon. Additionally, there are two closures of the Anzac Bridge and the Sydney Harbour Bridge will close at 11pm for the midnight fireworks. Meanwhile, in Melbourne, critical roads like Flinders Street, Collins and Swanston Street will all begin closing from 5pm. While in Brisbane, there are several road closures impacting South Bank, Kangaroo Point and the city. Authorities say traffic will be most affected after the celebrations.

Health experts say there are many benefits to abstaining from alcohol as many people consider ditching the bottle and committing to a ‘dry January’. Abstaining from alcohol for the first month of the new year is said to have benefits for health such as an increase in energy levels. People can also see an improvement in mood and sleep. Doctors say the improvement in sleep quality is particularly beneficial. Non-alcoholic bars are popping up around the United States. New drink options are also hitting the market offering complex flavours just like cocktails that contain alcohol.