Hawker Britton co-founder Bruce Hawker discusses the “sharp division” developing along gender lines in the United States. New polling shows US Vice President Kamala Harris has pulled ahead in critical swing states just weeks after her ascent to the top of the Democrat ticket. “We are seeing amongst women, very strong endorsement of the Harris-Walz ticket and amongst men, still a lukewarm support,” Mr Hawker told Sky News Australia. “Her numbers amongst men for example are down in the low 30s ... but amongst women, it’s very high – it’s in the high 50s in some places.”

Hawker Britton co-founder Bruce Hawker says Peter Dutton is “not the man” to reunite the Liberal Party. Tensions flare across parliament, following Opposition Leader Peter Dutton calling for a complete ban on Gazan refugees in Australia. “When you look at the way in which Morrison left the Liberal Party – it is terribly divided,” Mr Hawker told Sky News Australia.

Hawker Britton co-founder Bruce Hawker says Australians have always been “anxious” about aspects of government immigration policy. Tensions flare across parliament, following Opposition Leader Peter Dutton calling for a complete ban on Gazan refugees in Australia. “The problem is now though for the Liberals – that landscape has changed a lot,” Mr Hawker told Sky News Australia. “In order to win the upcoming election, they really have to make inroads in those Teal seats – seven or eight seats held by once-were Liberals who are now firmly on the crossbenches and would not support Dutton. “This is just further evidence, I think, that Dutton doesn’t think he has got a path to government via winning Teal seats.”

Australian Strategic Policy Institute Senior Analyst Dr Malcolm Davis says the new Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar is “much more hardline” than Haniyeh was. Sinwar has taken over after the group’s previous leader, Ismail Haniyeh, was killed in Tehran. “He is much more aggressive, much more militarist so it’s going to be more difficult to actually come to a negotiated ceasefire with Sinwar than Haniyeh would have been,” Mr Davis told Sky News Australia. “But ultimately, Hamas also have to think about: can they win this war as well? There is no guarantee that they can.”

Australian Strategic Policy Institute Senior Analyst Dr Malcolm Davis says the “critical concern” for Israel – apart from the release of the hostages – is ensuring Hamas do not conduct further October 7-style attacks. This comes after US President Joe Biden said we are “closer than we have ever been” to seeing a ceasefire in Gaza. “They can’t afford to basically go through this entire war, all those 40,000 civilians dead, and then Israel is back where they started with the Hamas threat,” Dr Davis told Sky News Australia. “This is a difficult diplomatic situation – there is no guarantee that it will work.”

Australian Strategic Policy Institute Senior Analyst Dr Malcolm Davis discusses the latest round of Gaza ceasefire talks. This comes after US President Joe Biden said we are “closer than we have ever been” to seeing a ceasefire in Gaza. “Probably what we’ve seen with these talks is agreement on broad aspects of a ceasefire agreement,” Dr Davis told Sky News Australia. “The release of the hostages is central to this whole agreement.”

A motorbike rider has died after a two-vehicle crash in southeast Queensland. Emergency crews were called to Beenleigh around 7pm to reports of a collision between a motorbike and a car. Paramedics located the 29-year-old motorcyclist with critical injuries before he later died at the scene. The driver of the car escaped unharmed.

Former Howard government minister Peter McGauran has branded both Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance and Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz as “very average”. “I find both vice presidential selections not helpful to the candidate themselves,” Mr McGauran told Sky News Australia. “JD Vance has a fascinating backstory from poverty to success, all because of his own endeavours – Tim Walz is just your friendly uncle.”

The third week of August is typically the best week for Australia’s ski season, but warm air and unfavourable conditions have stalled the snow this year. While this year’s season is recoverable, it comes as climate change threatens to completely upend the industry. Year on year, Australia’s ski season is getting shorter amid the impacts of climate change. Modelling by Australian researchers suggests the ski season could be under threat if greenhouse gas emissions aren’t reduced.

More and more Australians are struggling to afford their power bills. Origin and AGL have released new data showing the number of customers in their hardship programs has risen by 35,000 – a 40 per cent increase in one year. Around 125,000 households now rely on bill relief from the two companies.

There are increasing signs La Nina could form during spring. Sky News Meteorologist Rob Sharpe explains how it affects Australia’s weather. “When La Nina arrives, it means more rain could be on the way,” he said. “La Nina has a minimal impact, however, on the west and the far south of the country but for the rest of Australia, as La Nina arrives, there’s a higher chance of rain and flooding.”

Bermuda and much of the United States’ Eastern Seaboard are preparing for the effects of Hurricane Ernesto after it pummelled Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Weather warnings are in place as winds from the large Category 2 system thrashed Bermuda on Friday. More powerful winds and torrential rain are expected for the weekend.

A Russian group opposed to President Vladimir Putin is calling on soldiers to surrender. This comes after Ukraine launched an incursion into Russian territory earlier this month, gained control of more than 80 settlements and captured more than 100 Russian troops. Ukrainian forces have captured Russian prisoners of war as they push deeper into Russian territory.

Democrats are converging on Chicago ahead of next week’s National Convention. The four-day event is expected to draw tens of thousands of people to the windy city in a show of enthusiasm for Vice President Kamala Harris’ surprise ascent to the nomination. The Democratic National Convention is set to kick off on Monday in Chicago, with Ms Harris expected to accept her nomination to be the Democratic presidential candidate. President Joe Biden will speak on day one of the convention, passing the torch to his Vice President and Barack Obama and Bill Clinton are expected to headline Tuesday and Wednesday before Tim Walz and Ms Harris take the stage to accept their nominations.

Sky News contributor Teena McQueen has criticised the AFL for its woke hiring policies. Her comments come as AFL CEO Andrew Dillon struggled to explain the code’s diversity requirements which will see a social inclusion provision included in its contracts for its latest broadcasting deal. “It’s just got to stop,” Ms McQueen told Sky News host Danica De Giorgio. “It’s not serving these companies well – I can tell you it’s not. “We’ve just got to have the best person for the position and cut all this rubbish out.”

Verve Communications’ Prue MacSween and Sky News host Danica De Giorgio discuss their winner of the weak, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton. “He is the only person, it seems, who is sticking up for us," Ms MacSween said. "And worrying about our national security."

Sky News host Danica De Giorgio slams Prince Harry for not attending the funeral of his uncle Robert Fellowes. "He is not travelling to the UK to go to his uncle Robert Fellowes' funeral … because he has lost his security privileges in the UK," Ms De Giorgio said. "However, he and wife Meghan, they're about to trot off to downtown Bogotá in Colombia, one of the most dangerous countries of the world."

Sky News contributor Teena McQueen has called for “federal intervention” after the NSW Liberal Party failed to lodge nominations for 140 candidates across the state. “There needs to be federal intervention now,” she told Sky News host Danica De Giorgio. “They can’t muck around with this – it’s just a disaster.”

Sky News host Danica De Giorgio slams the New South Wales Liberal Party for failing to lodge nominations for 140 candidates across the state, resulting in the sacking of NSW Liberal Party Director Richard Shields. "The NSW Liberal Party seems to be run by a bunch of incompetent dopes, it has truly descended into a farce," Ms De Giorgio said. "It also raises serious questions about how dysfunctional and in the wilderness liberal parties are in most states across the country."

Sky News host Steve Price has backed Peter Dutton’s “sensible and measured call” to halt any more temporary visas being issued to Palestinians from Gaza. This follows Independent MP Zali Steggall blasting Opposition Leader Peter Dutton – calling him a ‘racist’ on the floor of parliament in a fiery debate over people arriving from Gaza. “Don't import trouble, don't import ethnic tensions, don't import people who want to live off the Government,” Mr Price said. “Make Australia a safer, richer, better place to live – it's not rocket science and it's not racist.”