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”.

At least 11 people have died following heavy rain and flooding in Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro. The heavy rain has also led to thousands of homes being inundated with water, as well as causing landslides. The rainstorms hit northern parts of Rio worst, resulting in the deaths of people from landslides, drownings, and electrocutions. Firefighters are still looking for one woman who is missing after her vehicle fell in a river. Federal support has been offered by the country's president.

Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong has left to visit the Middle East while trying to find a middle ground on the war between Israel and Hamas. Ms Wong has continued to walk the diplomatic tightrope in her travels to the Middle East; visiting Jordan, Israel and Palestinian territories. It was recently announced that Penny Wong will also not visit the sites of the October 7 attacks in southern Israel during her tour of the region. The move signals a further departure by the government from its Western allies, after voting in favour of an immediate ceasefire at the UN in December. Ms Wong will also visit Palestinian victims of settler violence in the West Bank during her visit – as calls mount from within Labor to pressure hardline Israeli settlers.

Subsidies for NSW healthcare students, pleas for pill testing trials continue, poll shows majority support Australia Day, King Frederik X takes the Danish throne, 11 people dead after floods in Brazil, 22 people killed in Tanzania landslide and five migrants die crossing the English Channel. See omnystudio.com/listener (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.

Monash University Associate Professor Oliver Nebel says the entire island of Iceland is “made out of volcanoes” as more residents evacuate from recent eruptions. A volcano in southwestern Iceland has sent lava streaming towards homes, with some of them bursting into flames. The eruptions mark the second time in as many months it has erupted in the small fishing town of Grindavik. “Iceland itself, the island is made up of volcanoes, in the order of 130 or so, whereas about 30 are active at the moment,” Mr Nebel told Sky News Australia. “So it’s not unusual really that you see lava coming out of the ground in Iceland per se, and once a volcano erupts, you basically have pulses of lava coming out of the ground, and there can be a little bit of time in between those eruptions and in this case we have multiple weeks of quiet in between.”