Australian actress Sarah Snook has won her first Emmy for her role in the hit TV show 'Succession'. The HBO series along with 'The Bear' and 'Beef' dominated the 75th Emmy Awards, with 17 gongs between them. The ceremony was pushed back by four months as result of Hollywood strikes but that didn't take any shine off a glittering night for an Australian star. Succession also triumphed as Best Drama Series, scooping six Emmys from its 27 nominations. The Bear tied with Succession for most wins on the night, with Beef sitting in third place with five gongs.

Fresh water in New Zealand’s capital city is compromised as supply dwindles from thousands of leaking pipes. The city of Wellington has now begun promoting a set of tougher water restrictions which will be implemented on Wednesday. An estimated 3,000 leaks across the region have prompted stage two restrictions to be enforced. Authorities have expressed concerns over an impending water shortage as New Zealand’s summer warms up. Wellington Water blames the leaking pipes primarily on under-investment in an ageing network.

Thousands remain without power in Western Australia after the state was battered by severe storms. Wind gusts of 100 kilometres an hour brought down trees and powerlines across the Perth Hills and Wheatbelt region. Western Power says electricity was cut to 33,000 homes and businesses in both regions. Some areas went from sunshine to torrential rain in just half an hour as the temperature plummeted 15 degrees. The wet weather has helped crews to battle blazes in Perth's north which have been downgraded to advice level.

Donald Trump has been declared the clear winner of the Iowa caucuses, the first-in-the-nation vote to decide the Republican nominee for president. The result went resoundingly in the former president’s favour – winning every county in the state and just over 50 per cent of the vote. However, he's been denied a clean sweep of Iowa's 99 counties by one vote. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has claimed second place, giving his campaign an edge over Former UN ambassador Nikki Haley. The turnout in Iowa was down on previous years due to extreme weather.

A nationwide hacking scheme has reeled in thousands of unsuspecting victims. Customers with accounts to stores such as Guzman y Gomez, Dan Murphy's and Event Cinemas have had their data compromised. At least 15,000 people are believed to be affected. It is believed scammers bought stolen login details from overseas cyber criminals and accessed customers' online accounts to carry out fraudulent transactions. Authorities believe it is a targeted attack.

Sky News host James Macpherson has questioned the “strangest” of all the “flexes” a politician could do as New South Wales Premier Chris Minns bragged about his state having the longest escalator in the Southern Hemisphere. Chris Minns posted on X that ‘NSW is now home to the longest escalators in the southern hemisphere.’ “Of all the flexes a politician could do, this one was the strangest,” Mr Macpherson said. “When the electricity grid fails, does that mean we will have the longest stairs in the southern hemisphere? “And speaking of flexes, southern hemisphere: the people in Congo must really be kicking themselves that their escalators aren’t as big.”

Sky News James Macpherson says the FBI is eating “humble” pie after their post on X honouring Martin Luther King was flagged by X with a fact-checking community note. The FBI’s post on X read, "This #MLKDay, the #FBI honours one of the most prominent leaders of the Civil Rights movement and reaffirms its commitment to Dr. King’s legacy of fairness and equal justice for all," The post was hit with a community note fact check from the social media platform, pointing out that the King family believes the FBI was responsible for King’s death. "The FBI engaged in surveillance of King, attempted to discredit him, and used manipulation tactics to influence him to stop organizing," the note read. "King’s family believe the FBI was responsible for his death."

Sky News host Andrew Bolt says the “Bible of the Left” calling JK Rowling Britain’s nastiest novelist in a “huge rant” shows people are losing their ability to disagree without wanting them “treated like a leper”. The New Statesman ran an article on Monday titled ‘JK Rowling, Britain’s gloriously nasty novelist’ because of her views on transgender issues. “One of the worst things that has happened to us is that we are losing the ability to disagree with someone without now wanting them sacked or punched or abused or treated like a leper or even killed, ruined in some way. “JK Rowling: she has given huge pleasure to millions and millions of people with her Harry Potter books, where good children fight evil … but then she said, well actually, I think transgender women aren't the same as women born women, and women born women should now and then have their own spaces. “So now, the New Statesman, which is a magazine that was for years very serious, the Bible of the Left … has run a huge rant against her, calling her Britain's nastiest novelist, despite all her charity work, and also called her a liberal pariah and much more.”

Sky News contributor Joe Hildebrand has criticised the “most insane plan” requiring Australians to seek out prescriptions for nicotine vapes because it will “cripple” a stretched GP system and will make it easier for people to buy cigarettes. 450,000 more Australians are expected to get prescriptions for vapes each year, which will require almost a million new GP visits, according to a newly released Health Department analysis, which backs the government’s world-first vape reform. However, it is expected if the regime becomes too cumbersome, young people could turn to tobacco. “You’ve already got a situation where it’s impossible to find a bulk-billing doctor if you can find a doctor at all,” Mr Hildebrand said. “This is just the most insane plan I have ever heard in my life. “It will cripple an already stretched GP system; it will make it easier for people to buy cigarettes from a 7-Eleven, which we know will kill you – cigarettes will kill two-thirds of the people who smoke them. “Vaping – there is not much evidence there; there is a lot we don’t know, but it is almost certain, and the evidence we do have is maybe it’s about a 10th as bad for you as smoking tobacco.”

Sky News host Paul Murray says Donald Trump is so dominant in the Republican party that only a court is going to stop him. Mr Murray’s remarks come after Donald Trump claimed a record victory in Iowa, securing his comeback to United States politics. Mr Trump's win has further cemented his position as the frontrunner in the race for the party's nomination. More than 50 per cent of Iowa caucusgoers voted for Mr Trump. The Iowa caucuses mark the first contest in the 2024 GOP presidential nominating calendar.

NSW Minerals Council CEO Stephen Galilee discusses polling showing a majority of voters in three key electorates support a lifting of the nuclear ban – including Chris Bowen's own electorate. Mr Galilee said the strength of the support surprises him. “It was very consistent at around 70 per cent across McMahon, Bennelong and Wentworth,” he told Sky News host Steve Price. “And those three MPS have been outspoken against nuclear power, of course Chris Bowen in particular. “I was a little surprised that it was that strong but there’s certainly a message in that for those MPs and for Minister Bowen in particular, that perhaps they’re out of step with the voters in their own electorates.”

Sky News host Sharri Markson says Donald Trump has taken a “commanding” and historic lead in his Iowa win. “The vote is in; former president Donald Trump took a commanding and historic lead in the Iowa caucuses,” Ms Markson said. “It is thought he’s going to have won by the largest margin ever against a rival in that state. “Ron DeSantis, projected to win in the Iowa silver – coming in at second place – Nikki Haley a few points behind.” Ms Markson sat down with The Australian’s Washington Correspondent Adam Creighton to discuss Donald Trump’s win in the Iowa caucus.

Sky News host Rowan Dean says Visit Victoria's new tourism campaign called ‘Every Bit Different’ shows the state is after the “pick-haired” and “kale-eating crowds”. They say it aims to showcase the state as a place of incredible diversity, passion and creativity. “Clearly, they’re after the pink-haired mob with the café latte, kale-eating crowds,” Mr Dean told Sky News host Andrew Bolt. “They claim that Victoria is a bit different – there’s plenty of other places in Australia that can boast their progressive inner city coffee crowds. “What amused me about this ad is they start off with the claim there is something a bit different about Victoria – well, this is true. “What they then failed is to deliver … where are all the shots of those beautiful, kind of progressive, modern scenes of people delighting in the absence of public housing to live in doorways in the CBD.”

The Australian’s Washington Correspondent Adam Creighton says former United States president Donald Trump has done “better than the polls” had shown in his Iowa caucus win. “It just shows you that they have paid no attention to the mainstream media,” Mr Creighton told Sky News host Sharri Markson. “[They] ignored all the endorsements from various congressmen and governors of the other candidates, and they have done their own thing; they clearly don’t care about all the indictments. “His support’s just been extraordinarily resilient – he has done better than the polls.” Mr Creighton sat down with Ms Markson to discuss United States politics and Donald Trump’s win at the Iowa caucus.

South Africa’s claim that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza is “inverting reality on its head”, says Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council Executive Director Colin Rubenstein. Mr Rubenstein’s comments are in reference to South Africa taking Israel to the United Nations' International Court of Justice over accusations of genocide in Gaza. “This is inverting reality on its head, if anyone’s committing genocide here it’s absolutely Hamas," he told Sky News Australia contributor Steve Price. “It’s got genocide in its charter, written all over its face and in its actions. “To destroy Israel and kill as many Jews as possible.”

Donald Trump has won the Iowa caucuses just shortly after voting began, securing his comeback to United States politics. Mr Trump's win has further cemented his position as the frontrunner in the race for the party's nomination. With more than 50 per cent of Iowa caucus goers voted for Mr Trump. Sky News Washington Correspondent Annelise Nielsen said the win for Donald Trump in Iowa was a "resounding success" for the former US president. "When you look at the polling this is a resounding success for Donald Trump in Iowa, he's won every single county in the state and that's no small feat," she told Sky News contributor Steve Price. "It shows he still has that real capture of the Republican party."

Sky News host Steve Price says he has never seen someone lose their "self-confidence" as quickly as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. “Australians want – indeed demand – strong leadership, just think John Howard or Bob Hawke or Tony Abbot, no-one was ever in any doubt where people like that stood on an issue,” Mr Price said. “Tell me though as we enter what looks like being a tough 2024, tell me what does Anthony Albanese actually stand for? “Examples – Australia Day, January 26th. We have had some weasel words from the PM – basically he says Australia Day is on January 26 but where is his full throated support for our national day? “He’s embarrassed by his Yes vote failure where 60 per cent of us said we want no part of your Voice. The PM clearly doesn't want to be tied to the date of January 26th." Mr Price said Mr Albanese isn’t strong enough to even “prosecute the case for change”.

Australia was not approached by Nauru for more money to operate an immigration detention centre on the island. It's believed a funding spat with Taiwan contributed to Nauru's decision to sever diplomatic ties. Pacific Minister Pat Conroy said Nauru gave Canberra advanced notice it was establishing ties with China. There are now just 11 nations around the world that recognise Taiwan as an independent nation. Australia is not one of those 11 nations, also recognising Taiwan as a province of China.

Mining giant Rio Tinto expects China’s economy to gradually recover in the second half of 2024 due to Chinese policymakers continuing to provide stimulus to the infrastructure sector. Rio Tinto says the world’s second-largest economy began to stabilise in the fourth quarter, with an increase in the production of vehicles and consumer goods helping to offset the prolonged weakness in the property market. Rio Tinto posted its annual production update on Tuesday, with the company shipping 332 million tonnes of iron ore in 2023 – up three per cent on the year prior. During the December quarter, iron ore prices rose 17 per cent to an average price of $US129 per tonne. Rio Tinto will report its full-year profit results next month.

Indonesia was proven to be the top holiday destination for Australians in November, according to the latest ABS data. Tourism and Transport Forum CEO Margy Osmond has pointed out, however, that the flights would have been booked “well in advance”. Ms Osmond noted this means there wouldn’t have been a “great deal of spontaneity” in the destination choice. “So they were probably a reflection of cheap deals that were offered much earlier in the year when people made that decision,” she told Sky News Australia. “So when we asked people just before Christmas what their intentions were, for the first time in about longer than I can remember, Bali was not in the top five of places that people were intending to go.”