US Studies Centre Director of Research Jared Mondschein says Ron Desantis and Nikki Haley are trying to “knock the other” to be the presumed alternative to Donald Trump. “We are going to see, in just a few weeks from now, a winnowing of a field,” Mr Monschein told Sky News Australia. “You’ll likely see the smaller candidates … dropping out very soon, especially after Iowa in mid-January. Mr Monschein says despite lacking the polls, establishment GOP donors are a “big fan” of Nikki Haley as the primary candidate. Donald Trump is miles ahead of his Republican rivals in the polls with the countdown well and truly on until the Iowa caucuses.

Disney has suffered a devastating blow following multiple box office failures in 2023. The company has said it spent almost $1 billion on four of its biggest streaming and film flops this year. 2023 marks Disney’s 100th anniversary since it was founded by Walt Disney in 1923. The media conglomerate has received a drop in movie sales accredit to both the company’s streaming service Disney+ as well as a disinterest in its recent output. General audiences and filmgoers have shown a lack of interest in its live-action remakes of animated classics and release of sequels to older IPs.

Beer sales are set to plummet across the United States to their lowest levels since 1999. The major falloff has been attributed to Bud Light’s controversial tie-in with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney, according to insider experts. Only a month after the incident, Bud Light lost $27 billion in market value with sales down 30 per cent compared to the previous year. Throughout 2023, the Anheuser-Busch-owned company would lay off hundreds of employees and suffer sharp declines in sales across the US and North America. Due to boycotts against Anheuser-Busch and their other brands Budweiser, Michelob Ultra and Busch, competitors such as Modello and Molson Coor’s brands Coors Light and Miller Light see their sales increase. A Molson Coors spokesperson contacted the New York Post and said concerns for the beer industry are exaggerated. “It’s not so much a beer problem as it is a Bud Light problem,” they stated.

The New York Times has launched a federal lawsuit against OpenAI and Microsoft. The newspaper wants the companies to end their practice of using its stories to train chatbots. The lawsuit has been filed in the federal court in Manhattan. This comes following a breakdown in talks between the parties. The New York Times claims the practice is diverting traffic away from the paper.

Melbourne is on track to reclaim its title as Australia's most populated city by 2032. The population is set to swell by more than one million people over the next decade – blowing out to nearly six and a half million. Sydney, currently home to five and a half million people, is expected to grow to a population of 6.36 million. A swing in political power is being attributed to a migration of residents from areas such as Sydney and regional Queensland. The last time Melbourne held the title of most populous city was in 1905.

Sarah Ferguson has spoken out after making a surprise Christmas Day appearance at Sandringham this week. Fergie made an appearance at the royal event with ex-husband, Prince Andrew, and her two daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie at St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham alongside the Royal Family. She wore an all-green ensemble for the royal walk-about and accepted bouquets of flowers from well-wishers as she walked with senior royals. Fergie walked with King Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William and Princess Catherine during the Sandringham stroll. Fergie posted to social media after the Christmas Day service a picture of her and her daughters with the caption saying she was “feeling grateful” following the return to the royal fold. “We are enjoying each other’s company and feeling grateful today. I hope everyone has a wonderful day. Happy Christmas to anyone who celebrates and season’s greetings to all!” she wrote on Instagram.

Israel has expanded its airstrikes against built-up areas in central and southern Gaza, warning the bombardment will continue for months to come. The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry says more than 22,000 people have been killed and tens of thousands more remain injured. Israel has blocked all foreign press from reporting on the war from inside Gaza. There are reports that Israel’s war cabinet has met to discuss a three-step plan put forward by Egypt to end the war. Warning: this story contains content and images some may find distressing.

Authorities are warning people to be vigilant at Australian beaches this summer. It comes after four separate drownings along the New South Wales coastline in the past week. A father drowned at the newly-opened Penrith Beach in Sydney's west, after rescuing his children who had fallen off a paddle board, while two men were swept out to sea on the New South Wales Central Coast. Another man has also died after he and four people were pulled from the water at Anna Bay on the state's Hunter coastline yesterday afternoon. Two other people who were rescued from the water remain in hospital.

LawConnect owner and skipper Christian Beck says his team’s line honours win in the Sydney to Hobart yacht race was a “complete surprise”. 'LawConnect' crossed the finish line just after 8:00am on Thursday after being neck and neck up the Derwent River with Comanche. “They took the lead pretty close to the line – we thought there was no way we could get it back,” Mr Beck said. “We thought we’d definitely lost it 15 minutes before because they were three miles ahead of us.” Wild weather saw 11 yachts retire from the race.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has compared Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Adolf Hitler. Mr Erdogan said Israel's bombing campaign against Gaza is comparable to the persecution of Jewish people by the Nazis. Israel's PM said his Turkish counterpart is “the last person who can preach morality” to Israel – accusing him of committing genocide against Kurdish people in Turkey. He also accused Erdogan of holding the world record for imprisoning journalists who oppose his rule. While it supports a two-state solution to the conflict, Turkey has called for Israeli leaders to be tried in international courts.

‘LawConnect’ has just claimed the line honours victory in the Sydney to Hobart, beating defending champions ‘Andoo Comanche’ by seconds. 'LawConnect' crossed the finish line just after 8.00 am on Thursday after being neck and neck up the Derwent River with Comanche. 'Andoo Comanche’ crossed the line in second place. Wild weather has seen 11 yachts retire from the race. Experts predict the rough conditions could force the retirement of dozens of other contenders who are yet to clear the Bass Strait.

‘Andoo Comanche' and 'LawConnect' are making their final charge down the Derwent to the finish line of the Sydney Hobart race. ‘Andoo Comanche’ is leading with ‘LawConnect’ about 2 nautical miles behind. Both yachts are expected to arrive in Hobart around 8am eastern daylight time. Wild weather has seen 11 yachts retire from the race. Experts predict the rough conditions could force the retirement of dozens of other contenders who are yet to clear the Bass Strait

Two people have been killed in Ukraine after an overnight Russian drone attack, Ukrainian authorities said. The governor of the Odesa region said one was killed by debris from a falling drone, while another man died in hospital of his injuries. Ukrainian forces said 32 of 46 Iranian-built drones targeting the Kherson region were intercepted. One person was also reportedly killed by shelling in the city of Kherson on Wednesday. It comes just one day after Ukraine hit a Russian warship on a Crimean port in the Black Sea.

Paris' famous Eiffel Tower has been shut down to visitors as workers at the landmark go on strike. Industrial action began on the 100th anniversary of the death of the tower's creator Gustave Eiffel. It is unclear how long the strikes will go on. The unions claim the walkout is in honour of Gustave Eiffel's memory, ensuring maintenance and renovations are not neglected. Tourists can still access the esplanade beneath the tower.

'Andoo Comanche' and 'LawConnect' are locked in a tight battle for line honours in the 78th edition of the Sydney to Hobart yacht race. The two super maxis are just over an hour away from the finish line. Both yachts are expected to arrive in Hobart around 8am eastern daylight time. Wild weather has seen 11 yachts retire from the race. Experts predict the rough conditions could force the retirement of dozens of other contenders who are yet to clear the Bass Strait.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is investigating reports that an Australian man and his wife have been killed by Israeli air strikes in the south of Lebanon. DFAT is currently seeking confirmation of these reports after a residential building was hit by a suspected Israeli air strike. There are reports the Australian's brother was also killed in the strike. Local media in Lebanon claims the missile came from an Israeli war plane, however it has yet to be verified. When asked about the attack the Israeli military said one of its jets had struck a Hezbollah military site

DFAT investigates claim of an Australian killed in Lebanon, interstate crews to assist in Queensland cleanup, two bodies found in eastern Victoria flooding, more cocaine bricks wash up along New South Wales, two people killed in Russian drone strikes, strikes shut down Eiffel tower in Paris. See omnystudio.com/listener (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.

Former Speaker of the House Bronwyn Bishop says Hamas wants to push every Israeli out of Gaza and “wipe” out all Jewish people. “If you look at the world population now there is 16.5 million Jews in the entire world,” Ms Bishop told Sky News contributor Gary Hardgrave. “There are 2.3 billion Muslims in the world. “When they say ‘this is all we got’ and when they say ‘the river to the sea’ – they mean push the Jews out and wipe them off – they want them gone. “You can see what that statement means and you can see what they are fighting for.”

US President Joe Biden has come under fire for ordering air strikes on Iranian-aligned groups instead of focusing on the migrant crisis currently impacting his own country. “Pointing to a foreign foe is a time-tested, and trusty strategy for distracting away from poor performance domestically,” said Sky News contributor Kosha Gada. “It also reminds people of how in the wake of a week in America, Iran is stronger and is emboldened. “It also raises a bigger question many Americans are increasingly asking, which is ‘Why do we have so many bases and troops in that part of the world and elsewhere anyway’? “There is a shift in the domestic appetite back home towards non-interventionism and focusing more on the problems at home, instead of being all over the world.” Ms Gada sat with Sky News contributor Gary Hardgrave to discuss Joe Biden's decline in support, his actions overseas, and the migrant crisis plaguing his borders.

Free Speech Union of Australia’s Professor Andrew Timming says academics “have a right” to be “offensive and shocking”. Mr Timming sat with Sky News host Caroline Marcus to discuss the hate he receives when he comments on the Me Too movement and freedom of speech. “First thing I would say is that I have published and peer-reviewed journals on the Me Too movement before, so I have every right to comment publicly on this particular matter,” he said. “I understand that some individuals may have been offended by the tweet, I understand that there were a number of complaints that were made to the university. “But that’s neither here nor there.”