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- The New South Wales Premier urges calm in the face of protests over the Israeli President's Sydney visit
- Sussan Ley denies speculation she will be removed as Opposition leader, as the Coalition reunites
- American skiing legend Lindsey Vonn has surgery after a crash at the Winter Olympics
Premier Chris Minns has called for calm as protesters criticising the Israeli president's visit say they plan to proceed with a protest route in what's been declared a restricted area.
New South Wales Police say more than 500 officers have been rostered to monitor the Sydney protest at Town Hall.
The Palestine Action Group filed a legal challenge with the New South Wales Supreme Court against the special powers given to police ahead of the rally.
Mr Minns says public order and community harmony must be managed in a respectful way.
"So I am calling on everybody involved in the protest to show some respect and calmness as they demonstrate their freedom of speech. And we want this 48-hour period to go off without incident. I think that is hugely important for our reputation. But also in terms of unity and civility in the weeks and months and years ahead - long after the president has left our shores."
The Jewish Council of Australia has today launched a major advertising campaign in the Sydney Morning Herald and the Age, to voice opposition to the official visit of Israeli President Isaac Herzog.
The full-page open letter, signed by over 1000 Jewish Australian academics, legal professionals, artists, and community leaders.
It calls on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to rescind the invitation.
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Liberal party leader Sussan Ley says she is confident she will retain her role in the face of poor opinion polling.
The latest Newspoll published in The Australian, has revealed Ms Ley is the least popular leader of a major party in 23 years, despite negotiating a reunification for the coalition following a bitter split lasting almost three weeks.
Ms Ley has told Channel Seven, MPs have drawn a line under weeks of fighting and she is optimistic the chapter has made the Coalition stronger.
"We said we've resolved our difference, we've strengthened our processes. They are even better going forward. And we are squarely focused on the Australian people. I understand, Nat, it's been a difficult week watching this and listening to some of the messages."
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Independent MP Rebekha Sharkie has introduced a bill to federal parliament to make it a criminal offence to burn or desecrate the the Australian National Flag, the Australian Aboriginal Flag and the Torres Strait Islander Flag.
The bill proposes a maximum penalty of two years in jail.
Ms Sharkie says there is recognition in a number of countries that burning the national flag should be banned.
"Burning a national flag is a criminal offence in many nations. In France, the home of protest; in Germany - up to three years. Switerzland, Spain, Poland. Across Asia. It's an offence in India, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea - or indeed Israel. Across the Americas, whether you're in Argentina, Brazil, Mexico or even Nicaragua."
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A new report has found there is a growing threat posed by so-called sovereign citizens, whose ideology is fuelled by online radicalisation.
The Lowy Institute's report says the phenomenon of people refusing to recognise governments and law enforcement has become a national security challenge, with the once fringe movement now present in more than 25 countries; and there is concern it is creating dangerous intersections with other conspiracy ideologies.
Sovereign citizens have allegedly been behind a number of high-profile murders, including fugitive Desi Freeman who is suspected of killing two Victorian police officers last year, and the 2022 Wiembella seige.
The Institute has called for a more structured police and intelligence co-ordination strategy; as well as a dedicated global database to track sovereign citizens.
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In sport, American ski great Lindsey Vonn has had surgery on a broken leg, after her bid to win Olympic gold ended in an horrific crash.
The 41-year-old had been competing in Italy only nine days after rupturing her ACL.
A source has told Reuters that she is being monitored in the intensive care unit, but that there is no threat to her life.
US teammate Jacqueline Wiles says she is devastated for Vonn.
"It's the absolute worst. I mean, we're such a tight group. Lindsey has really been, obviously, a huge friend and mentor for all of us. And yeah, just seeing her go down like that, it really sucks."
