Business NSW Chief Executive Daniel Hunter has welcomed Industrial Relations Minister Tony Burke’s move to meet with DP World over its dispute with the Maritime Union. Supply chains are facing major disruptions amid strikes from one of the nation’s largest port operators. Mr Burke’s involvement marks the Albanese government’s first intervention in the biggest industrial action on the ports for nearly a decade, according to The Australian. DP World is set to meet the minister on Thursday morning. “The union and the provider need to sit down and they need to sort this out and they need to progress it and solve it,” Mr Hunter told Sky News Australia. “If the government needs to intervene, the time is now.”

The Albanese government is yet to send additional personnel to assist Western allies in the Red Sea. Labor had promised to triple Australian defence personnel in the region recently. The Prime Minister says the help promised is what's required of Australia, which consists of operational support in Bahrain. Australians will play no part in supporting joint US-UK strikes against Houthi ­terrorists in Yemen. Defence Minister Richard Marles says Australia’s decision to support the strikes was ”not taken lightly”.

An Australian actor, who took a break from Hollywood to advocate for Israel in the wake of the October 7 attacks, has accused the local pro-Palestinian movement of “hypocrisy”. In his only Australian interview, The Vampire Diaries star Nate Buzolic told Sky News that “Palestinian propagandists” have the advantage of most of the country having “very little understanding about Israel and they want you to stay in that world of ignorance.” Buzolic starred in the hit US television series and its spinoff The Originals, gaining an online following of millions. The actor now uses his huge platform to counter rising antisemitism.

Australian actor Nate Buzolic is using his huge online platform to advocate for Israel in the wake of the October 7 attacks and to fight back against rising antisemitism. He has called the pro-Palestinian movement in Australia “hypocritical” and full of “hatred” for Jews. Mr Buzolic sat down with Sky News Senior Reporter Caroline Marcus for his only Australian interview on a visit to Sydney. “It’s a bizarre point in human history that we’re living in where we say racism is wrong in 2023 but racism towards Jews is going to be okay,” Mr Buzolic said. “We either support or be complicit in a radical ideology that has no desire for peace or we actually stand up and say enough is enough.” The Aussie actor travelled to Israel shortly after October 7 and spent weeks meeting survivors, the families of hostages, released hostages and political leaders.

Sky News host Liz Storer says Foreign Minister Penny Wong’s actions show she is just trying to “check the box” with her visit to Israel. “I don’t think it is inexplicable … it is very obvious what they are trying to do here,” Ms Storer said. “She is trying to check the box by having said ‘well we’ve been, I did it, I went to Israel’. “After the pressure that has been placed on them from those of us here in Australia. “Which are the vast majority who support Israel and their right to defend themselves and indeed to exist.”

Melbourne Deputy Lord Mayor Nicholas Reece has predicted Keir Starmer and Labour to win UK election in 2024. "I think Keir Starmer and Labour are going to win the election in Britain later this year," he told Sky News host Paul Murray. "It will be the first time the government has changed in that country for around 15 years. "And unlike the US I think it will be probably a good example of how in a democracy you can have a transferral of power between political opposing parties and do it without bloodshed."

Sky News host James Macpherson says Joe Biden is not faring well in the polls. With 28 per cent of Americans reckon he doesn’t have enough mental capacity to be president. It comes ahead as voters in Iowa will be the first in the nation to cast ballots in deciding who should be the Republican nominee for president at this year’s election. Former President Donald Trump has hit new highs in his polling lead over his opponents, with a recent poll showing his support among Republican-aligned voters at more than 70 per cent. His closest rivals, Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley, have a satisfaction rating of 61 and 48 per cent respectively.

Sky News host Sharri Markson says Cricket South Africa's decision to remove Jewish player David Teeger from his captaincy of the under 19s was to "punish" rather than protect him. Teeger had dedicated his Rising Star Award at a Jewish achiever ceremony to a South African family whose son was missing in Israel, sparking outrage and controversy. “There was an inquiry to see if he had breached any codes, with complaints claiming his words were provocative because Palestinians were being killed by the Israeli army,” Ms Markson said. “Teeger defended himself by saying it was his personal view that Israel has not committed genocide, war crimes or crimes against humanity. He was cleared of all charges and it seemed the matter was over." On Friday, South Africa stripped him of his cricket captaincy, claiming they were protecting him and were only worried about his safety ahead of protests at tournament venues. “They're not protecting Teeger, they're punishing him for being Jewish, for supporting a Jewish homeland – it’s clearly religious discrimination,” Ms Markson said.

Donald Trump has urged Americans in Iowa to brave the cold weather and to get out and vote for him ahead of this week's caucuses. "You can't sit home," Trump said. "If you're sick as a dog you say: God I gotta make it," he said. "Even if you vote and then pass away, it's worth it." According to a recent poll by the Des Moines Register and NBC News revealed 48 per cent of Iowa voters supported Trump, while 20 per cent backed Haley and 16 per cent picked DeSantis.

Sky News host Andrew Bolt has taken aim at Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s response to China’s latest “bully boy threats”. Mr Bolt said China Foreign Minister Wang Yi was “furious” over Taiwan DPP vice-president Lai Ching-te’s win in the country’s presidential election. Wang Yi particularly took aim at those who support Taiwanese independence during a scathing speech. “What is the Albanese government’s response to the communist dictatorship’s threats to us here and to the Taiwanese?” Mr Bolt added. “Nothing – silence.”

The Albanese government stays silent as China issues yet another threat, a victory against the woke race politics threatening Australia's economic future. Plus, Michael Kroger joins from Israel over Foreign Minister Penny Wong's Middle East trip. See omnystudio.com/listener (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.

Sky News host Andrew Bolt says King Frederik and Queen Mary sealed their proclamation “with a kiss”. “The Australian-born Mary Donaldson became Queen of Denmark as her husband Frederik replaced his mother to become King Frederik the tenth,” Mr Bolt said. “They sealed it, with a kiss. “The King got quite emotional, wiped away a tear and he promised Danes to do what kings should do, unite.” Mr Bolt sat down with TV2 Denmark’s Europe Correspondent Jesper Steinmetz to discuss the crowning of Queen Mary and King Frederik of Denmark.

History Lecturer and Author Stephen Chavura says Labor will “always be weaker” when it comes to China. Dr Chavura’s remarks come after China’s threats toward those who support Taiwan’s independence. “There’s nothing stopping Albanese from even the mildest rebuke in reminding China that we are actually a sovereign state and we can relate to other regions the way that we want,” he told Sky News host Andrew Bolt. “Labor will always be weaker when it comes to China because they’re divided on the AUKUS alliance. “And as long as Labor has a close arrangement with the Greens they will always have trouble being as close to America as the Liberal Coalition would like us to be.”

ASPI Senior Analyst in Defence Strategy Malcolm Davis says Australia "can do more" to help in the Red Sea as Houthi rebels continue to disrupt trade routes. "We certainly can do more and I think that this crisis in the Red Sea is not over yet," Mr Davis told Sky News host Peta Credlin. "Today the Houthi tried to launch an anti-ship cruise missile which was interrupted by a US Navy fighter jet. "I think this is likely to go on, you're likely to see the Houthi continue to fire missiles. "So what we could do for example is send aircraft into the region known as Wedgetails and could directly support the US Navy and Royal Navy operations by providing additional air defence cover. "So there is more that we can do."

Sky News host Caleb Bond says the government dropping stage three tax cuts would be to “rob the average Australian” of money they could spend on their families. “It is a tough year ahead for the Albanese government,” Mr Bond said. “The PM is kind of standing by those stage three tax cuts – due to come in on July 1 for Australians earning more than 45 grand. “You can’t exactly accuse the government of sticking to cost-of-living promises so far can you?” Mr Bond sat down with Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor to discuss the cost-of-living and stage three tax cuts.

Liberal Senator Claire Chandler says the West needs to be doing everything it can to hold the Islamic Republic of Iran regime to account. Ms Chandler says the regime is the “root cause” of funding of groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah in the Middle East. “We need to be looking at the root cause of funding of Hamas and funding of Hezbollah and funding of Houthis,” she told Sky News Australia. “We know that the country that is doing that is the Islamic Republic of Iran regime. “We in the West need to be doing everything that we can to hold that regime to account – only then do I hope we can see a situation where we don’t see these terrorist proxies of that regime spreading violence in the region.”

Liberal Senator Claire Chandler says the world needs to look at the “very prominent role” the Islamic Republic of Iran regime is playing in the conflict between Israel and Hamas. Ms Chandler says they need to be looked at for the role they play in “stoking the violence and terror and war” that the world is seeing in the Middle East. The Liberal Senator’s comments come as the world marks 100 days since the outbreak of war between Israel and Hamas. “What we need to be looking at … is understanding why this war is occurring … looking at the very prominent role that the Islamic Republic of Iran regime plays,” Ms Chandler told Sky News Australia. “The Australian government needs to be far clearer and far more impactful in how it deals with this regime.”

Judo Bank Chief Economic Advisor Warren Hogan reveals his predictions for Australia’s unemployment rate this year. Mr Hogan told Sky News Australia he believes the rate is “probably going to go up”. “The increase we’ve seen from the lows … has really been driven by strong population growth, a pickup in immigration. “I think the dynamic’s shifting – immigration slowing, population growth should slow, it’s all about what happens with employment. “Really to get the soft landing to take that pressure off the labour market and inflation, you’re going to need employment to be soft this year.”

Supply chains are facing major disruptions amid strikes from one of the nation’s largest port operators. However, there's been some reprieve after members at DP World terminals agreed to limit stop-work-actions to two hours instead of eight hours. ACTU Secretary Sally McManus says Dubai Ports are “playing a game” with the Australian government and the Australian people. “They’re trying to escalate this dispute with the hope that they can bully a government into backing them,” she told Sky News Australia. “And obviously, the union can see that that’s the game that they’re playing and they don’t want any part of it."

A new poll has found only 28% of Americans believe President Joe Biden has the mental sharpness to effectively serve for another term. The ABC News/ Ipsos poll revealed 47% think Donald Trump has the mental sharpness to effectively serve again. The poll also revealed Biden’s job approval rating has dropped to a record low. President Biden’s approval rating is now sitting at 33%, according to the poll. The poll was released days after First Lady Jill Biden claimed her husband's age is an “asset”.