US mining giant Alcoa announced on Tuesday that it will close its Perth alumina refinery over the coming months, leaving the future of 1,000 employees in limbo. Nationals MP Keith Pitt said the closure of the refinery is a “terrible start” to 2024. “What a terrible start to the year to 2024 for more than 700 … individuals who will lose their jobs, and potentially that’s 750 families," Mr Pitt told Sky News host Caleb Bond. “The reason are pretty straightforward that this is a legacy factory, a legacy refinery, it’s been around for a long time. “According to media reports it’s been underwater by more than $1 million in terms of the loss for the year, last financial year. “And you now have the impact of Labor government policies, like the safeguard mechanism, like changes to IR, like a massive increase in energy costs.”

Nationals MP Keith Pitt has backed Opposition Leader Peter Dutton's call for tougher hate speech laws. Peter Dutton has called for tougher hate speech laws to stop anti-Semitism, saying Jewish leaders shouldn't have to foot the bill to take radical hate preachers to court. "On this issue, he’s exactly right," Mr Pitt told Sky News host Caleb Bond. “I mean why on earth should the Jewish association have to go and take this action to prevent what shouldn’t be happening in the first place? “So, I think Dutton is exactly right, he is on the money here, action needs to be taken.”

Sky News host Andrew Bolt says Australia is fast becoming a "second-rate country" because of "stupidity" regarding global warming alarmism. This comes after 1,000 workers and contractors at Alcoa Kwinana aluminum refinery in Western Australia have been told they’re being sacked due to the plant closing. Mr Bolt said politicians keep babbling about global warming, with Victoria's Emergency Services Minister today blaming it for the recent flooding. "These politicians are so scientifically clueless. They'll say just anything," Mr Bolt said. "End this unreason before this country gets even poorer."

Sky News host Caleb Bond raises questions over Pope Francis calling for a “total ban” on surrogacy. “Pope Francis … has called for a global ban on surrogacy,” Mr Bond said. “He said the practice of carrying another person’s child is deplorable; he said it is a grave violation of the dignity of the woman and child and that a child is always a gift and never the basis of a commercial contract. “When he is talking about commercial surrogacy, which is illegal in every state in Australia, I totally agree. “I don’t know that a total ban on surrogacy … to help you have a child, surely that should be okay.”

A bill that would reform how Maine electors cast their votes in the US presidential election is being discussed by the state’s lawmakers. If the bill is passed, it would change how the state participates in the presidential election. The National Popular Vote Bill – which has already been passed in 17 other states – has the potential to reshape how voters cast their ballot in presidential elections. Currently, Maine casts its four electoral votes based on who wins in each of the state’s two congressional districts. If LD 1578 passes, all of Maine’s electors would vote for whoever wins the majority of the vote nationally. Critics say that it defeats the purpose of the Electoral College, but supporters claim that it would give voters more power.

German farmers are staging a week of nationwide protests by blocking roads with tractors against the government's planned phasing out of agricultural subsidies. Tractors and trucks gathered on German roads on Monday, including Berlin's main avenue leading to the Brandenburg Gate, causing major disruptions. A constitutional court ruling on unutilised pandemic funds left the German government facing a 60 billion euro ($US65 billion) financial gap, leading to a sudden budget crisis. The government backtracked partially, preserving the car tax exemption and staggering the reduction of diesel tax breaks over three years. Despite this, the German Farmers' Association insists on a complete reversal and said it would proceed with a "week of action" starting Monday.

Sky News Australia host Piers Morgan says it looks as though Hollywood may have finally gotten the “Ricky Gervais memo” following this year’s Golden Globe Awards. Mr Morgan said the ceremony was devoid of the “usual political pontificating and virtue-signalling sermons”. "It looks as if Hollywood might finally have got the Ricky Gervais memo," he said. "Even more amazingly, Gervais himself, who's currently running the cancel culture gauntlet once again for his supposedly unacceptable and distasteful jokes in his new Netflix special, Armageddon, actually won a top award for it,” Mr Morgan said. “Amid the conflict, disruption and a massive year for elections around the world, maybe 2024 has begun with a suggestion, just a suggestion, that the woke worm is finally turning."

Clinical psychologist and public intellectual Dr Jordan Peterson says there are “any number of reasons” to have New Year’s resolutions and he thinks it’s a good idea to have a vision. Dr Peterson said the idea of a New Year's resolution is a very “ancient” one and it can be traced all the way back to ancient Mesopotamia. “So it's the death of the old. That's the old year, often symbolised by an old man, and then the birth of something new. And you see a conjunction between that and the Christmas celebration as well,” he told Sky News Australia host Piers Morgan. “And so when you have the opportunity to start again, you can start fresh – you can lay a new vision on the world. “And that's how we cope with the world, is by laying a vision on it, consciously or unconsciously. Better to do it consciously – so there's any number of reasons for New Year's resolutions.”

Growing Families Australia Director Sam Everington says it’s “outrageous” that same-sex couples are still prohibited from applying for surrogacy in Western Australia. It’s the only state in Australia which bans male same-sex couples from using surrogacy. “It goes against federal and discrimination laws clearly,” Mr Everington told Sky News Australia. “We see that it’s outrageous that that ban is still in place, which is basically forcing that part of the population to go offshore to have their family. “It’s just not fair.”

Ukraine Ambassador to Australia Vasyl Myroshnychenko has accused Russia of a “war crime” as Vladimir Putin’s troops look to make the longevity of the war “unbearable” for Ukrainian civilians. “We see that Russia is intensifying their attacks on civilian infrastructure, on power generation and electricity distribution,” Mr Myroshnychenko told Sky News Australia. “They are putting more pressure on the Ukrainian civilian population and making it unbearable for Ukrainians to go through this winter. “This in itself is already a war crime by targeting civilian infrastructure. “We are now working very closely with our partners and allies to strengthen our aerial defence capabilities and strengthen the missiles we need to actually counter those attacks.”

A father, in a rush to get to his daughter in Brooklyn, has angrily stepped out of his vehicle to confront pro-Palestinian protesters blocking traffic on the Williamsburg Bridge in New York. On Monday, pro-Palestinian demonstrators blocked major routes in and out of the city, causing significant traffic disruptions. The father's SUV was halted by masked protesters who refused to let him pass. Frustrated, he pushed three male protesters standing in front of his car. "I'm going to have to start throwing fists at y'all," he said as he stepped out of the car. "Get out of the way; I have to get home... I have a daughter in Brooklyn."

Psychologist Dr Jordan Peterson predicts Donald Trump will defeat Joe Biden and win the 2024 presidential election. Dr Peterson sat down with Sky News Australia host Piers Morgan to discuss the upcoming US election, the Israel-Hamas war and political activism in the entertainment world. The public intellectual noted that no political figure has been more falsely and thoroughly “vilified” than Mr Trump. “I think personally – and this is just a guess because what do I know – I think the most likely outcome is that Trump is the next president,” Dr Peterson said. “That’s what it looks like to me so I think that is unfortunate because he is so divisive – that’s the problem.”

The Australian’s Washington Correspondent Adam Creighton says the United States National Defence Authorisation Act’s “fine print” may cause troubles for Australia when trying to receive the submarines in the future. Mr Creighton also said the president at the time the transfer of submarines occurs needs to state that it won’t undermine the capacity of the United States. “Congress passed legislation late last year that basically enables the transfer of the power of the nuclear-powered submarines to Australia,” he told Sky News Australia. “Of course, there was much enthusiasm, much excitement back home in Canberra about that and that is all fair enough. “I spoke to some Republican advisors, fairly senior guys who I imagine will be part of the next Republican administration, and they said it would be crazy to transfer the subs at the moment based on the trajectory of US submarine production which is well, well below where it should be.”

Psychologist Dr Jordan Peterson warns no political figure has been more falsely and thoroughly “vilified” than former president Donald Trump, noting that Richard Nixon could be a possible exception. Dr Peterson sat down with Sky News Australia host Piers Morgan to discuss the upcoming US election, the Israel-Hamas war and political activism in the entertainment world. The public intellectual pointed to the “idiot conclusion” of Russian collusion as evidence of the former president’s vilification. “Trump has no shortage of flaws, a statement that can be said of all of us, but apart from vicious criticism with regard to those faults, there has been an absolute surfeit of devastating criticism and persecution for faults that are not real,” he said. “It isn’t obvious to me how much a person can take without starting to feel continuously embattled.”

Golfing legend Tiger Woods and Nike have parted ways after a 27-year partnership. Tiger Woods signed on with Nike at age 20, in a deal estimated to be worth more than $700 million since then. He has since become one of the most recognised names in golf, winning 15 majors in his career. Nike, which has stopped manufacturing golf equipment, confirmed the news online – saying, “it's been a hell of a round, Tiger”. “Throughout the course of our partnership, we have witnessed along with the rest of the world, how Tiger not only redefined the sport of golf, but broke barriers for all of sport,” Nike said.

The first US mission to put a lander on the moon in 50 years has been hit by a technical problem. The operating company fears the issue could scupper the mission. The private company behind the launch says the craft has suffered an anomaly which experts are now trying to sort out. A statement alerted people to the concern of solar panels on the space craft not pointing towards the sun. The Peregrine Mission One aims to become the first US space craft to land on the moon's surface since Apollo 17 in 1972.

A female police officer has been found dead at Port Adelaide Police Station. The death is believed to have occurred between 2:00 and 3:00 pm on Monday afternoon. SA Police has not yet confirmed the cause but says it is not treating the circumstances as suspicious. Support is being provided to all SAPOL employees following the incident. A report will be prepared for the coroner and the incident will be subject to a Police Commissioner's Inquiry. If you or anyone you know needs help: Lifeline: 13 11 14 Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636 Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800

The creators of cartoon show Bluey have had a t-shirt which displayed its characters with a pro-Palestine slogan removed from an online marketplace. The 'Freedom Fighter Bluey' shirt, made by volunteer group Free Palestine Printing, shows Bluey and other characters wearing keffiyehs. The characters also hold up a banner which reads 'from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free'. The BBC, which owns the global commercial rights to the show, says it is a counterfeit and unauthorised product. Free Palestine Printing says all profits from its products go to supporting Palestine.

Israeli forces have killed another senior terrorist leader. The IDF has managed to assassinate senior Hezbollah commander Jawad Al-Taweel in Lebanon. The offensive from the IDF is now focused on central and southern Gaza. They claim to have eliminated most of Hamas in the north. However, Gazan civilians claim they are being deliberately targeted.

Sky News host Liz Storer says parents in the United Kingdom have “wisened” up to the public school system. “I tell you who has really wisened up on the public school system,” Ms Storer said. “And the absolute gip that it is. “A new poll came out today showing that one in three UK parents believe the pandemic proved children don’t need to go to school every day. “Some 28 per cent of parents said they felt that way and only 70 per cent are confident their child’s needs are being met.”