In this bulletin;
- The Australian government says it is monitoring the situation in Venezuela;
- Donald Trump says US will run Venezuela after Rubio downplays plans for regime change;
- And in sport, Australia's winter athletes primed for record breaking 2026 Olympics.
The Australian government says it is monitoring events in Venezuela and wants to establish all the facts before passing judgement on the legality of US actions.
Following the US kidnapping of Venezuelan President Maduro, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Australia had long held concerns about the Maduro government and human rights in Venezuela.
Nationals leader David Littleproud also voiced his opposition to Maduro's government but has warned against a prolonged military operation like the Iraq war.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers says the government has been briefed on the situation and wants America to make clear the legal basis for it's action.
"Our position is to encourage the relevant parties now to engage in dialogue and diplomacy and to ensure that there's not an escalation. We've expressed our concerns for some time about the Maduro regime in Venezuela. We are supporters of international law, and it's for the Americans to make clear the legal basis of the steps taken over the weekend."
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United States President Donald Trump has once again insisted that the US will be "in charge" of Venezuela, despite his Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying the US is not seeking regime change or elections.
Questions remain over the future of Venezuela after U-S forces kidnapped President Nicolas Maduro and his wife during a series of strikes on the oil-rich South American country.
Venezuela's interim leader Delcy Rodriquez says she is ready to work with the Trump administration, asking Mr Trump for a balanced and respectful relationship.
The US says it is willing to work with the remainder of Maduro's government as long as it's own goals, particularly opening access to US investment in Venezuela's enormous oil reserves, are met.
Pressed on the future leadership, Mr Trump told reporters that the US is in charge.
TRUMP: "We're dealing with the people, we're dealing with the people who just got sworn in. Don't ask me who is in charge because I'll give you an answer and it'll be very controversial"
REPORTER: "What does that mean?"
TRUMP" It means, we're in charge."
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Australian politicians are returning to Canberra before the end of January to pass laws responding to the Bondi terror attack.
Parliament is expected to return within the next fortnight, allowing for the passing of laws to address so-called "hate preachers" who vilify people of other religions.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is still defending his decision not to hold a commonwealth royal commission, with calls for the measure mounting steadily from the opposition, Jewish groups, and other high-profile Australians.
Shadow Home Affairs Minister Jonathon Duniam told Sky News that calls for a royal commission go beyond politics.
"I think, to continue to ignore these calls from all quarters of the community. It's not just political. It is those leaders out there, like former sporting greats and business leaders. But beyond the teals, you've got David Pocock, you've got Andrew Wilkie, you've got others who have very different views, to say myself or Sussan Ley saying we need to do this to actually take the issue seriously and deal with it."
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Police in the Northern Territory are insisting an Aboriginal mother-of-five who died in police custody suffered a medical incident, despite a post-mortem report listing the cause of death as undetermined.
44-year-old Kumanjayi Dempsey was found unresponsive in her cell at the Tennant Creek Watch House on December 27 after being charged with aggravated assault on Christmas Day.
A post-mortem report listed the cause of death as undetermined, with a pathologist to conduct toxicology tests before a formal cause can be revealed.
At watch houses in Darwin, Katherine, Palmerston and Alice Springs a custody nurse checks detainees' medical records and conducts health checks, but there is no nurse at the Tennant Creek watch house.
Ms Dempsey's death followed the recent refusal by the NT government to allow the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention to inspect NT detention centres, including watch houses.
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To sport now,
Australia's winter sport athletes are primed for a record-breaking Olympic medal haul at the Milan-Cortina Games.
The 2026 winter Olympics in Italy will commence in a month's time and Australian freestyle skier Jakara Anthony looks set to become the first Australian to win successive winter golds.
The superstar mogul skier will be well supported, with recent performances suggesting Australia could top their previous best medal haul of four at Beijing 2022, including Anthony's gold.
Matt Graham, who won silver in 2018 but was impacted by injury in China, joined Anthony on top of the podium at last month's World Cup event in Finland.
A dual moguls event has also been added to the Olympic program, doubling medal chances, with rookie Charlotte Wilson taking gold at the Olympic test event last year.
