A blend of office and home working is the most beneficial set-up, according to Edith Cowan University Centre Adjunct Professor Dr Ben Hamer. “A lot of the conversation at the moment is very much around is home better or is the office better,” he told Sky News. “The research overwhelmingly shows us that it’s a combination of the both of them.” Mr Hamer’s comments come as a top executive at Australian software giant Atlassian says companies mandating a return to office for its workers will regret it. An increasing number of companies are ditching the work-from-home option popularised during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Israel is pushing forward with its offensive in Gaza. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Biden administration are debating what will happen post-war. Netanyahu is rejecting US calls to scale back military operations in the Gaza Strip. He has said the offensive will not stop until Israel has a “decisive victory over Hamas.” On Thursday, the Israeli Prime Minister also dismissed the idea of a Palestinian state post-war, claiming it would impact Israel’s security.

Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisations Chair Stefan Romaniw has called out the Albanese government’s retired Taipan helicopter decision, which “doesn’t stack up” because Ukraine “needs support now”. 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. “On the Taipans, again, we want to see the best result – we want to see the best result for Australia; we want to see the best result for Ukraine,” Mr Romaniw told Sky News Australia. “We think there should be a bit of an inquiry into this and how all this came about because something really doesn’t stack up on this. “Our call out for the government now is this - it’s the same as it has been for the last two years … Ukraine needs support now; it needs military support now.”

Two teenagers in North Korea have been sentenced to 12 years of hard labour for watching South Korean films and dramas. Footage shows two 16-year-old boys handcuffed in front of hundreds of students at an outdoor stadium. Experts say the heavy sentence acts as a warning to North Korean residents about the risks of consuming South Korean content. North Korea has imposed tough sentences on anyone caught watching South Korean entertainment or copying the way South Koreans speak. This new "anti-reactionary thought" law was imposed in 2020.

At least 58 people across 10 US states have died in extreme cold weather in the last week. Another round of brutal storms and cold air is forecast to sweep the country this weekend. Major cities in the northeast are expecting heavy snow in the coming days, with Philadelphia preparing for its first major snowstorm in two years. On the West Coast, Oregon is under a state of emergency due to the ongoing severe ice storm. Wind chill alerts are stretching from the US-Canada border to Florida.

The Dutch Royal family may soon have to pay income tax. Lawmakers in the Netherlands are expected to put the motion to a vote next week. Support for the proposal is mixed and it would need a two thirds majority in both houses of Dutch parliament to pass. If it does pass, it would require amending the country's constitution. The Dutch Royal Family receives tax free money on top of its private income.

Curtin University Global Futures Dean Joe Siracusa says Foreign Minister Penny Wong is “in a tight spot” after donating an extra $21.5 million to UNRWA despite well-documented allegations their funds are siphoned by Hamas. “When you give money in that part of the world, you just kind of have to hold your breath and maybe hold your nose at the same time,” Mr Siracusa told Sky News Australia host Ortenzia Borre. "If you want to give money, you can give money but you have no idea where it is going." The Global Futures Dean used the billions of dollars Obama and Biden “turned over to Iran” as an example of how money could be handled. “You know where all that money is – that money has been given to Hamas and Hezbollah. “Palestinian authorities have their own reputation for embezzlement so it is not a safe investment.”

Founder of The Banyans Healthcare Ruth Limkin has revealed the trick to sticking to your 2024 New Year’s resolutions. “At the Banyans one of our mottos is a slip up doesn’t mean you give up,” she told Sky News. “Progress isn’t always linear - we have this perfect idea about what 2024 might hold. “It’s this idea of taking one step forward, and if its half a step back it’s ok - you can get up tomorrow and have another go.” According to research by nutrition and food tracking app MyFitnessPal most Australians - 51 per cent to be exact, believe they will give up on their New Year’s resolutions by mid-January.

NSW Police hunt an attacker who stabbed two people in Sydney's inner south on Friday, Victoria Police are investigating a suspected firebombing in Melbourne, Queensland buses could soon use Chinese security cameras, Ukraine appeals to France for more helicopters, North Korea sentences teenagers for watching South Korean films, and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak confronted by a heckler over the NHS. See omnystudio.com/listener (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.

Buses in Queensland will soon use Chinese-made security cameras which were previously blacklisted from public buildings. Chinese company Hik-vision will provide CCTV for 200 rail replacement buses. The company's products have been removed from Australian government buildings over national security concerns. Security analysts say the move could give the Chinese government direct access to the cameras. Government infrastructure in Europe as well as the UK and the US have also taken down Hik-vision cameras over security concerns.

A national campaign is aiming to get Australians moving after new research has revealed almost half of the population is at risk of chronic illness. A national survey of 3,000 Australians commissioned for the campaign has shown six in ten participants consider themselves overweight. 80 per cent conceded they need to become more active. The free program is designed to change Australia’s couch potato reputation and offers exercises and recipes to suit all different ages and abilities. Early access to Health of the Nation resources is now open as the official launch is set for February 5.

A grand jury in the US has indicted Alec Baldwin as a 2021 manslaughter case against the actor is renewed. The charges relate to the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film Rust in 2021. The charges against the Hollywood star were dismissed in 2023 after being informed the gun may have been modified and malfunctioned. However, new analysis now suggests the trigger was pulled. Mr Baldwin’s story has been he pulled back the hammer but never pressed the trigger.

A U.S. grand jury has voted to indict actor Alex Baldwin for a second time, the prime minister has called an emergency caucus meeting to fast track cost of living measures, The IMF warns Australia interest rates may go higher, disgraced ex-detective Roger Rogerson has life support switched off, a teenager who murdered Dr. Ash Gordon was on bail during the time of his death, Tuvalu could follow Nauru's stance on Taiwan, and hundreds of German truckers have descended on Berlin to protest the road tax. See omnystudio.com/listener (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.

Former Howard advisor Peter McGauran has branded Foreign Minister Penny Wong’s trip to Israel as a “failure” after her actions meant the Israelis “weren’t going to take her very seriously”. “She dismissed the potential for her trip … by refusing to go to the site of the initial invasion – a massacre of 1,200 Israelis in the most barbarous of circumstances,” Mr McGauran told Sky News Australia. “The Israelis weren’t going to take her very seriously after that. “She had to show the raw emotion – the unqualified condemnation of Hamas. “It was a failure I’m afraid but the chances of it moving the dial in any way or being a success were pretty remote anyway.”

The moment a building in Washington DC exploded has been captured on video. Emergency services responding to the scene of the blast say there are no reports of any casualties. Police say one man received minor injuries and around 16 children at a nearby daycare centre were safely evacuated. The footage captured onboard a fire truck shows the moment the fireball tears through the convenience store and damages two other buildings. Firefighters were on hand before the explosion took place responding to reports of a gas leak in the building.

The Duke of Sussex has withdrawn his libel claim against the publisher Mail on Sunday. Prince Harry was suing the company over an article written in 2022 about his legal challenge to the UK's Home Office on their decision to change his security funding. The lawsuit was based on Prince Harry claiming the article attacked his honesty and integrity as well as being inaccurate. The Prince’s legal team have joined him in dropping this particular case. The publisher has stood firm on the article being honest opinion.

Donald Trump has to “work on Wall Street” as global markets “are very keen” on the former US president being re-elected, says Curtin University Global Futures Dean Joe Siracusa. “In Davos right now, we have the world’s economic and political leaders there and they are not talking about climate change,” he told Sky News Australia. “They are talking about Donald Trump. “These guys never lost any money betting on the right horse. “They can see Donald Trump is a business-style president – he favours businesses over unions.”

Labor has been accused of being slow on national security. Albanese’s government has yet to register October 7 as a terrorist attack against Israel. With families of victims waiting for the announcement to trigger necessary support, the Coalition is suggesting it is time for Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil “to direct her department”. Labor has brushed away the suggestion, claiming support is being provided via other routes. The process taken to register an overseas terrorist attack has varied greatly in the past, sometimes taking months and other times dragging out for years.

A cargo flight has made an emergency landing in Miami after a reported engine failure. Footage from the ground shows the plane flying with a trail of sparks as a fire burns from the engine. Crew on board the cargo bound for Puerto Rico reported an engine fire three minutes into the flight before returning to Miami. Atlas Air has praised its crew for successfully following emergency procedures and landing safely back in Miami. Aviation authorities will investigate what caused the mid-air emergency.

Former Victorian premier Daniel Andrews has established two companies in the past week, signalling his post-political ambitions. Mr Andrews has kept a relatively low profile since retiring from his elected position in September 2023. Sources close to the former premier have confirmed he is focused on building investment-oriented businesses. The Glencairn Street Proprietary Company was registered Wednesday and holds nine out of the ten shares in Andrews’ other company, Wedgetail Partners – registered Thursday. The sole other share is held by Chinese businessman Zheng Mei.