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In this bulletin;
- Anger builds ahead of the Israeli president's arrival
- Reports the coalition is poised to reunite
- Australia's first medal hope dashed at the Winter Olympics.
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An organiser of a Melbourne march against Israeli President Isaac Herzog's visit to Australia says the federal government's invitation to him made no sense.
Mr Herzog was formally invited to Australia by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, following an earlier invitation from the Zionist Federation of Australia.
Protests are planned across Australia from Monday, with writer and activist Noura Mansour saying the visit is problematic.
"I think his visit, extending an invitation to someone with statements that are problematic, someone who has signed missiles that have been dropped on Palestinian children, Palestinian hospitals, schools, someone who has blamed an entire population in Gaza for the actions of some, clearly generalisation fallacy."
While some groups welcome his trip as a moment of deep significance following the December 14 Bondi attack others want the invitation rescinded.
Mr Albanese says people have a right to express their views in a democracy — but he hopes they will be respectful in this difficult time.
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Reports are emerging that the Coalition is poised to reunite, with speculation Sussan Ley is set to accept a deal from David Littleproud to rejoin the Nationals.
An announcement confirming the reunion is expected on Sunday, which would see the coalition restored and all former Nationals frontbenchers reinstated to shadow cabinet.
The pair are also expected to sign an agreement codifying the convention of shadow cabinet solidarity, in which frontbenchers must step down if they vote against an agreed position of the joint party room.
Speaking to Nine's Today Show, Mr Littleproud says the Coalition is stronger together.
"Because of the timelines Anthony Albanese put on us to vote on a free speech bill, we couldn't get comfort in it, and we couldn't bring ourselves to vote for it. We had less than five hours to determine whether we wanted to vote for this bill or not, and I don't think that's good legislating. So we've been consistent all the way, we're back to with integrity and respect, and we'll continue to have those discussions with the Liberal Party, but I hope that in the near future, that there is a coalition because that's the only way to bring Anthony Albanese down."
United States President Donald Trump's so-called "Board of Peace" will meet for the first time in two weeks.
The first meeting is scheduled for 19 February and will reportedly also serve as a fundraising conference for the reconstruction of Gaza.
Many rights experts say that Mr Trump overseeing a board to supervise a foreign territory's affairs resembled a colonial structure, and they criticised the board for not including a Palestinian.
Secretary-general of the League of Arab States, Ahmed Aboul-Gheit, says he's hopeful that Palestinians can govern themselves.
"I hope for a continuous rebuilding of the cities that have been demolished and destroyed beyond recognition, and I hope that the Palestinian Authority would be allowed to emerge back in Gaza, aiming at the establishment of a Palestinian state ruled by the Palestinians themselves."
Polling has opened in Japan, where Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is hopeful the election will allow her to push new conservative policies.
Polls predict the election will hand Ms Takaichi's ruling coalition a resounding win, though record snowfall in parts of the country could keep many voters at home.
Opinion polls suggest the conservative coalition, led by Japan's first female prime minister, could win more than 300 of the 465 seats in the lower house of Parliament.
Ahead of the vote, some residents say they fear the direction Japan is heading.
“I feel Japan may have drifted too far to the right. I also want Japan to be protected, but things seem to be moving towards an extreme direction, that scares me."
Snowboarder Valentino Guseli has fallen short in his unexpected bid for Australia’s first medal at the Winter Olympics in Italy.
The 20-year-old reached the final of the men’s big air event — a single jump off a huge ramp — but couldn’t land two of his jumps, finishing 10th.
Japan’s Kira Kimura claimed gold ahead of compatriot Ryoma Kimata, with China’s defending champion Su Yiming taking bronze.
In other results, Alex Ferlazzo sits 20th after the first round of the men’s luge, while Rosie Fordham was Australia’s best in the women’s skiathlon, finishing 49th.
