Listen to the latest updates from ABC News

Support for a leadership challenge against Sussan Ley has continued to build momentum, with a wave of high-profile shadow cabinet ministers quitting their positions to support Angus Taylor

Liberal MP Dan Tehan is among those who've handed in their resignation today, with shadow cabinet members Michaelia Cash, Jonno Duniam, James Paterson, and James McGrath also quitting.

A party meeting will be held tomorrow morning to vote on a leadership spill, with Mr Taylor challenging Sussan Ley for the top job. Thousands of people have gathered outside Melbourne's Flinders Street Station to oppose Israeli President Isaac Herzog's visit to Australia.

Traffic outside Flinders Street Station has been bought to a standstill while Pro-Palestinian speakers have addressed the crowd.

There's been a significant police presence surrounding Mr Herzog during his time in Melbourne, the last stop on his four-day visit to Australia.Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding across parts of south-east Queensland today.

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for parts of Ipswich, Somerset, Western Downs, Toowoomba, Lockyer Valley, and the Scenic Rim.

Sandbagging stations have opened as councils across the region brace for the deluge.

Federal Liberal MP Angus Taylor has outlined his vision for the party, as he prepares to challenge Sussan Ley's leadership.

The Liberal party room will meet at 9 o'clock tomorrow morning to vote on a leadership spill.

Mr Taylor has confirmed he intends to run for the top job.  

In a 90-second statement in the House of Representatives to pitch his vision - he's said Australia needs less government, less spending, less taxes, and less regulation.

The Minister for Indigenous Australians Malarndirri McCarthy is urging states and territories to deliver on their commitments to closing the gap in health and social outcomes for First Nations people.

The federal government has announced new funding of $144 million to repair Aboriginal health clinics and nearly $300 million to create more jobs in remote communities.

But with only four out of 19 Closing the Gap targets on track, the Minister says she's considering penalties on states and territories that fail to meet their targets.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog has attended a Jewish community event in Melbourne, in the latest stop on his four day Australian tour.

A small group of pro-Palestinian protesters was kept well away from the President by a huge police and security presence as the Israeli leader arrived for the official event in Southbank.

The group chanted slogans including "arrest Herzog now" - while a small separate group waved Israeli and Iranian flags from the other side of the police barricade. 

Federal Liberal MPs and Senators will meet at nine o'clock tomorrow morning to vote on a leadership spill, with Angus Taylor challenging Sussan Ley for the top job.Mr Taylor's backers this morning requested the special party-room meeting, and several frontbenchers have so far quit the Shadow Ministry to support his challenge.

They include shadow finance minister James Patterson and senator Jonno Duniam.

Melissa Price has indicated she may nominate for the deputy leader's position.

The New South Wales Premier has double downed in his defence of the state's police force, following violent clashes at a protest against Israeli President Isaac Herzog's visit to Sydney on Monday night.

The head of the Lebanese Muslim Association has told the ABC there is now a fracture between his community and the police.

Chris Minns says he knows people, including members of his own party, aren't happy with the government's actions, but he believes the rally was a risk to community cohesion.

An emergency flood warning has been downgraded to a Watch and Act as waters begin to slowly recede in Alice Springs.

Severe thunderstorms caused rivers around Alice Springs to rise dramatically, cutting off several roads.

Many cars have been submerged in the floodwaters, and properties have been impacted.

Authorities are still warning people the danger remains with rivers still holding strong currents. 

The federal Liberal Party's infighting and fears over dire polling are coming to a head now that Angus Taylor's finally revealed he's challenging Sussan Ley for the leadership.

She's the first woman to lead the party and is less than a year into the job of opposition leader as the Coalition tries to find its way after being thumped at the last election.

There's been a flurry of front bench resignations and the vote's expected to take place either tonight or tomorrow morning, but it remains unclear whether moderates who previously supported Sussan Ley will defect to Angus Taylor who's more conservative.

US attorney general Pam Bondi has clashed with Democrats at a congressional hearing, where she was questioned over the censorship of names in the Epstein files.

She says she's "deeply sorry" for what victims of Jeffrey Epstein have gone through, but refused to apologise for errors and questionable redactions in the documents.

Survivors say they'll keep fighting to expose Epstein's alleged accomplices.

And Victorian premier Jacinta Allan has resisted calls for a royal commission, after a scathing report found billions of dollars were funnelled from taxpayers to bikies, gangland figures, and even killers on state-run construction sites where she was the responsible minister.

She says any allegations of corrupt behaviour were referred to the relevant authorities.

The premier says any misuse of taxpayer funds haven't been proven, and has refused to probe the matter further.

Actor James Van Der Beek, best known as the titular character in teen drama Dawson's Creek, has died at the age of 48.

Liberal leadership hopeful Angus Taylor's confirmed he's running for the top job, following his resignation from the front bench yesterday.

In a video posted to social media, Mr Taylor's outlined the reasons why he's running for the Coalition and opposition leadership.

He says the country's in trouble, and the Liberal party's lost its way.

Sussan Ley's expected to announce a party room meeting either tonight or tomorrow morning.

Dire polling that shows One Nation overtaking the Coalition means some MPs desperately want a new direction.

Meanwhile the race for deputy leader of the federal Liberal party is also underway.

Victorian senator Jane Hume will put herself forward, and shadow energy minister Dan Tehan is reportedly considering running.

Moderate Tim Wilson is also an option, with sources saying he may even be positioning himself as a third option for leader.

And Melbourne University says there's no place for racism and violence, after threatening remarks about the Israeli President were spray-painted at its Parkville campus.

The words "death to Herzog" were sprayed in black letters on a wall at the university, before it was quickly removed by cleaners this morning.

The university says it stands against anti-Semitism and will refer the matter to police.

Isaac Herzog's visit has sparked nationwide protests and even clashes with police in Sydney due to anger about Israel's conduct in Palestinian territories.

Federal Liberal MP Angus Taylor has confirmed he's running to be leader of the Liberal Party in a video posted on social media.

The shadow defence minister says the country is in "trouble" and the Liberal Party "has lost its way".

A spill's been requested for the federal Liberal leadership, but there's no confirmation about when the meeting will occur, amid a flood of speculation about who'll put their hand up to lead the Coalition.

Angus Taylor was first to quit his role on the front bench and is widely seen as Sussan Ley's most obvious challenger.

Polling that points to a catastrophic wipe-out of the Coalition has been placing intense pressure on Ms Ley.

The United States attorney general is facing heavy scrutiny by a House of Representatives panel, about her department's handling of millions of documents related to the late sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein.

In a heated exchange, Pam Bondi has refused to answer questions about why no other co-conspirators have been indicted so far.  

She told the panel US President Donald Trump's name appeared countless times in the files but he hadn't committed any crime.

She told survivors she was deeply sorry for Epstein's abuse.

And an emergency flood warning remains current for Alice Springs following intense rainfall overnight causing rivers to swell.

The Todd River that runs through the town is normally bone dry but locals say they've never seen it so high.

NT authorities say dangerous thunderstorms with locally intense flooding is currently occurring and it is too dangerous to travel.

A spill's been requested for the federal Liberal leadership, but there's no confirmation about when the meeting will occur, amid a flood of speculation about who'll put their hand up to lead the Coalition.

Angus Taylor was first to quit his role on the front bench and is widely seen as Sussan Ley's most obvious challenger.

Moderate inner-city MP Tim Wilson is also an option and it's also emerged Jane Hume will run to be deputy.

Polling that points to a catastrophic wipe-out of the Coalition has been placing intense pressure on Sussan Ley.

The United States attorney general is facing heavy scrutiny by a House of Representatives panel, about her department's handling of millions of documents related to the late sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein.

In a heated exchange, Pam Bondi has refused to answer questions about why no other co-conspirators have been indicted so far.  

She told the panel US President Donald Trump's name appeared countless times in the files but he had not committed any crime.

She told survivors she was deeply sorry for Epstein's abuse.

And an emergency flood warning remains current for Alice Springs following intense rainfall overnight causing rivers to swell.

The Todd River that runs through the town is normally bone dry but locals say they've never seen it so high.

NT authorities say dangerous thunderstorms with locally intense flooding is currently occurring and it is too dangerous to travel.

Federal Liberal MPs Phil Thompson and Jess Collins have requested a spill of the leadership of the Liberal party, after intense speculation at a time of devastating polling.

Last night, Angus Taylor resigned as shadow defence minister in what was widely seen as a precursor to a challenge.

Four Liberal MPs have now resigned from Sussan Ley's frontbench.

The ABC understands Jane Hume will nominate for deputy leader once a spill is declared.

The disgruntled moderate has sat on the back bench since being dumped from shadow cabinet by Sussan Ley in May.

Dire polling that shows One Nation surging past the Coalition has put pressure on her leadership.

It's a sad day for some older millennials who loved Dawson's Creek as teenagers in 90s.

The star of the show James Van Der Beek has died from colorectal cancer aged 48, leaving behind his wife and six children.

In the lead up to his death, he spoke about his diagnosis as a way to raise awareness of the type of cancer that's becoming more common in otherwise healthy middle age adults.

And Australia's Jakara Anthony has suffered heartbreak in her quest for back-to-back gold medals in women's moguls skiing .. finishing last in the final at the Winter Olympics in Italy.

But 2022 silver medallist Scotty James has reason to be happy, after he posted the best score in qualifying for the mens snowboard halfpipe final.

Fellow Aussie Valentino Guseli is also through to the 12-athlete final qualifying sixth.