Solar Whisper Wildlife Cruises Owner David White says his “faith has been restored in the human race” following the “amazing community spirit” of people helping during the floods in Queensland. Mr White praised people in the community who helped out with some going around in “little boats” during the wild weather to help. “They worried about rescuing people. “They organised a big group of people … to try and help the others. “Everyone has been helping us … no concern for cost or anything – it’s just pitching and helping it’s really been great.”

Venezuela's government is expected to release dozens of prisoners as part of an exchange deal with the US. President Nicholas Maduro plans to release up to 36 people, including 10 Americans in exchange for the release of Colombian businessman Alex Saab. Mr Saab is accused of shipping hundreds of millions of dollars via the United States. He's been granted clemency by President Biden and sent back to Venezuela as part of the exchange deal. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, at a press conference, said that obtaining the release of American prisoners has been a priority for America as well as a “priority when it comes to Venezuela.”

Donald Trump's team says it is "undemocratic" to block him from appearing on ballot papers for the 2024 US presidential election in Colorado. The state's Supreme Court says the former president isn't allowed to stand because of his links to the storming of Washington's capitol in 2021. Trump’s campaign is appealing the decision to disqualify him from the 2024 ballot. But his team will have to act quickly as January 5 is the deadline for Colorado to print its ballots. If the Supreme Court in Washington disagrees with Colorado’s ruling, Mr Trump will be placed back on the ballot paper. If they do agree, however, there is a risk other states will follow in Colorado’s footsteps.

A vote on a resolution to pause fighting in the Gaza conflict has been delayed again as the UN security council continues to negotiate wording the United States can support. The postponing of the vote is said to be due to policy differences within the Biden administration. Residents in Gaza are faced with increasingly dire circumstances, with continued aerial drone attacks from the IDF. Gaza’s health ministry says at least 12 people have been killed by a series of explosions in the city of Rafah, near Egypt’s border. The attacks were carried out despite Palestinians being told by the IDF that Rafah was safe. Warning - this video contains distressing content.

Fox News contributor and former wrestler Tyrus reveals his prediction for who will be giving the inaugural address after next year’s US presidential election. “It’s one of two things,” he told Sky News Australia host Piers Morgan. “One, there’ll either be a representative for an incarcerated president Trump reading the inauguration speech, or two, there’ll be Kamala reading for Biden because he’s exhausted.” Mr Morgan said Trump will either end up “in prison or re-elected or potentially both”. “Because the Constitution would allow him to be president even if he’s incarcerated.”

NT Treasurer Eva Lawler will be sworn in as the Northern Territory’s new chief minister after the sudden resignation of Natasha Fyles. She released a statement saying she had been elected unanimously by her caucus colleagues. It is reported, however, there was bitter infighting within the party’s ranks as Ms Lawler rose to the top job. Ms Lawler will be formally sworn in on Thursday, and Chansey Paech will be also sworn in as her deputy. The incoming chief minister is the oldest member of the Northern Territory cabinet. Ms Fyles announced her resignation on Tuesday after it was revealed she had failed to declare shares she held in South 32, the company which operates the GEMCO manganese mine on Groote Eylandt.

A lost hiker has been rescued by helicopter near a volcano erupting in Iceland. The volcano is spewing lava in the country’s southwest after weeks of intense seismic activity. Police have warned curious tourists to stay away from the eruption after the hiker’s rescue. Camera operator Bjorn Steinbekk has captured spectacular footage of the volcano using drones. “The police have been really helpful with media, they’ve let us up to a kilometre away,” Mr Steinbekk told Sky News Australia.

Cameraman Bjorn Steinbekk discusses the spectacular footage he has captured with drones of a volcano erupting in Iceland. The volcano is spewing lava after weeks of intense seismic activity in the country's southwest. “With a drone, I can get pretty close … the police have been really helpful with media, they’ve let us up to a kilometer away,” Mr Steinbekk told Sky News Australia. “The beauty about the DTI drones which I use is that the system you have in place for obstacle avoidance actually detects heat. “It’s not meant to do it, but it actually detects the heat, so you start getting warnings on the remote so that sort of gives you an indication that you’re getting a little bit too close.”

QFES Far Northern Region Assistant Commissioner Brad Commens says it’s been a “very busy and difficult time” for Far North Queensland as communities deal with the repercussions of the recent flooding. He said to help them get back on their feet, there have been at least an additional 100 people from the Fire and Rescue Service, Rural Fire Service and SES deployed to assist in the affected areas. “As a result, our Fire and Rescue crews have completed more than 1,700 damage assessments following the flood and they’re assisting us to build our washout program,” he told Sky News Australia. He said a "washout" is when firetrucks are used to help wash out mud and debris from houses and businesses after a premises is flooded. “We’ve already washed out more than 50 houses and we’ve got more than 100 on the box to be done today."

The Colorado Supreme Court banning Donald Trump from the 2024 ballot will help him politically but will be “very challenging” electorally, says former White House principal deputy chief of staff Emma Doyle. “If he’s not able to be on the primary ballot, he’d have to be written in,” Ms Doyle said. “Politically, I think it galvanises him.” The former president’s disqualification is related to the January 6 Capitol Hill riots. The ruling ended 4-3 and the decision has stayed until January 4, with appeals over the decision expected from Trump’s team.

Piers Morgan has called out the BBC for awarding the Sports Personality of the Year Award to England goalkeeper Mary Earps, who this year “won nothing.” “This year was not the best for her, or the Lionesses,” the Sky News Australia host said in response. “They lost the World Cup final to Spain… the Lionesses then failed to qualify for the Olympic Games. “This is really a year they want to keep quiet isn’t it, rather than go out and accept awards. “Mary Earps this year won nothing. “It looks to me like that terrible scourge of virtue-signalling, box-ticking have crept into this once great award, it’s become the national equivalent of a participation medal.” The Sports Personality of the Year Award is voted for by the public and recognises the sports person who has achieved the most that year.

Former White House deputy chief of staff Emma Doyle says “a big part” of Nikki Haley’s appeal is that she is conservative but doesn’t carry any of the baggage Donald Trump does. “If you like the policies but you don’t like the way that he went about enacting those policies, she provides an alternative choice,” Ms Doyle told Sky News Australia. “This really shores up that argument for her and her campaign.” This comes as Donald Trump was disqualified from the 2024 ballot by the Colorado Supreme Court. The former president’s disqualification is related to the January 6 Capitol Hill riots.

China has welcomed Australia’s decision to decline the US navy’s request for a warship in the Red Sea. China's state-run newspaper The Global Times claimed it shows Australia is stepping out of “America's shadow”. The US navy requested Australian assistance in the Red Sea where Iranian-backed Houthi rebels have intensified attacks on shipping vessels. The Red Sea conflict came after the war between Israel and Hamas began on October 7. The Chinese paper says US intervention in the Red Sea could broaden the conflict beyond Gaza and labelled Australia's decision as “sensible”.

An emergency bushfire warning has been issued for the Shire of Toodyay – northeast of Perth and the Shire of Manjimup in the south. The emergency warning has been issued for West Toodyay, Coondle and Julimar. Authorities declared it too late for residents south of Julimar Road to leave and have told anyone in the north to evacuate immediately. The bushfire is moving fast in a westerly direction. Emergency warnings have been issued to parts of Callcup, Crowea and Meerup in the Shire of Manjimup. Watch and act alerts are in place for the western part of Lancelin in the Shire of Gingin.

A vital highway which serves Far North Queensland is likely to remain cut off for weeks. The Captain Cook Highway is predicted to remain closed off until late January in the wake of ex-Tropical Cyclone Jasper and the consequent flooding. Dozens of communities remain cut off after the record breaking floods. Authorities say they have been able to access 16 of 35 isolated areas so far. More than 100 residents from the town of Wujal Wujal have been evacuated to Cook Town after being left stranded for days. As weather conditions ease, home owners between Cairns and Ingham have commenced clean up efforts to begin salvaging what is left of their properties. River levels are still high near the Cape York Peninsula, particularly in the Mitchell River Catchment – prompting the evacuation of nearby residents. It comes as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese prepares to visit the region.

Far North Queensland communities still cut off after flooding, Brittany Higgins & fiancé move to France, ABC sacks presenter Antoinette Lattouf, China approves of Australia’s US Navy refusal, tourists warned to stay away from Iceland volcano. See omnystudio.com/listener (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.

Government slammed over foreign policy to make Australia a “deliberate small target” in Red Sea support debacle, Strategic Analysis Australia Director Michael Shoebridge says. “I also think the government foreign policy is to be a deliberate small target,” Mr Shoebridge told Sky News host Chris Kenny. “To pretend that just by focussing on our local area, South East Asia and the South Pacific somehow the rest of the world and its problems won’t crowd in on us. “But why are petrol prices going to go up at Christmas? “Why are food and energy prices already high? Because of the war in Ukraine, and now because of the threat to Red Sea oil transport.”

The New York Times has hit out at the Australian TV show, Bluey. “They’re kind of saying the dad in Bluey is so idealistic that it’s hard to live up to,” said Sky News host Chris Kenny. “Because he does all the housework, all the games with the kids. “And holds down a job apparently. “Is he the ideal dad?”

There is an “overwhelming sense of weakness” from the Albanese government concerning recent incidents with China and the UN resolution on the war between Israel and Hamas, Sky News host Chris Kenny says. “I’m deeply worried,” Mr Kenny said. “How surprisingly strong Penny Wong and Anthony Albanese were, they were standing up to China, they were saying and doing the right things when it came to AUKUS and the alliance. “But now when it comes to matters, foreign policy and national security, we’ve seen the absolute chaos. “We saw Anthony Albanese try and suppress the issue of the sonar attack against our sailors in an effort not to create a confrontation with Xi Jinping, and now we see the weakness on Israel, voting in favour of that UN resolution … there’s an overwhelming sense of weakness.”

Age verification platforms are set to be rolled out across Australia. Sky News host Chris Kenny reveals the new technology plans to age-restrict certain content in hopes of keeping kids safe online. “This is, I think, really encouraging news for a lot of parents,” Mr Kenny said. “You’ll be able to actually verify the age of users. “Presumably by facial recognition.”