New South Wales Premier Chris Minns is strongly defending the action police took last night to disperse thousands of protesters from Sydney's CBD, saying it was "proportionate".

Organisers have accused some police of "sickening violence" and the Greens want the state's police watchdog to investigate.

Footage has emerged online of officers appearing to throw punches while detaining some demonstrators, while in another clip police are seen physically moving men who'd been praying during the rally.

Protesters have been targeting a visit to Australia by Israel's president given the country's conduct in Gaza and the West Bank.

The federal government invited him to comfort Jewish people following the Bondi attack.

Calls are growing for Liberal MP Angus Taylor to challenge Sussan Ley for the Liberal leadership, as the reformed Coalition faces dire polling numbers.

Conservatives say they want an end to the speculation that's paralysing the party.

The challenge could come as early as Friday this week.

And in the Winter Olympics 41-year-old American ski star Lindsey Vonn says she'll "require multiple surgeries" after a tibia fracture, but she denies her previously ruptured ACL was the cause of the crash that ended her games and saw her airlifted to hospital.

Among the Australians, Tess Coady and Mela Stalker have missed the podium in the snowboard big air final, finishing 7th and 10th.

New South Wales police and the state's premier are defending allegations of heavy-handed tactics from officers arguing protesters in Sydney put them in an impossible position by trying to march in a restricted area.

Video's emerged of police punching protesters and a rally organiser's accusing officers of sickening brutality.

Dozens of people were arrested including ten for assaulting police.

The state's leaders say they wanted to keep protesters away from Israeli President Isaac Herzog and his Jewish supporters given his visit's purpose was to comfort people following the Bondi attack.

But they say protesters ignored a request for them to voice their criticism of the Israeli government's conduct in Gaza elsewhere in the city.

Meanwhile the United Nations says Israel's latest plans to make it easier for Jewish settlers to take over Palestinian land in the West Bank are in flagrant violation of international law.  

Britain has condemned the move and several Arab countries say it amounts to de facto annexation.

And a medical examiner in Los Angeles has revealed actor Catherine O'Hara died of a blood clot in her lungs.

When the Canadian star of “Schitt’s Creek” and “Home Alone" died late last month at the age of 71, her fans and Hollywood figures were shocked.

The death certificate has also listed rectal cancer ‌as an underlying ‌cause. 

The federal government's urging people protesting against the visit of Israel's president to be respectful, after clashes between police and demonstrators at a Sydney rally.

Nationwide demonstrations are targeting Isaac Herzog, while he's in Australia to comfort Jewish people following the Bondi terror attack.

While protesters weren't allowed to be at Sydney Town Hall due to restrictions, they still turned up anyway.

Police are also facing scrutiny over vision showing officers pushing people who are praying and punching a man multiple times.

New South Wales premier Chris Minns says police did their best to contain angry crowds.

The federal social services minister is calling the launch of the government's first plan to combat domestic, family and sexual violence against First Nations people 'historic'.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women are almost 30 times more likely to be hospitalised due to family violence.

The plan's bolstered by a $200 million dollar funding boost, to increase service delivery.

And it's been revealed actor Catherine O'Hara's shock death came from a pulmonary embolism blood clot, with cancer as the underlying cause.

The Canadian born comic actor was well known for her roles in Schitt's Creek and Beetlejuice.

She also starred as the mother in two Home Alone movies. 

A blame game's emerging between leaders and protest organisers in New South Wales over violent clashes between police and demonstrators at Sydney Town Hall.

Pro Palestine activists organised nationwide protests against a visit from Israel's president.

The prime minister says he's devastated by the scenes while the state's premier says police tried everything in their power to avoid confrontations.

The organiser of the Sydney protest says police were being aggressive.

It also comes as Palestinians and Arab nations condemn Israel for approving plans that will make it easier for Jewish settlers to take over Palestinian land in the West Bank.

The former girlfriend of Jeffrey Epstein, has declined to answer questions from US Congress in a deposition.

Ghislaine Maxwell has however indicated that if President Donald Trump ends her prison sentence, she's willing to testify he didn't do anything wrong in his relationship with Epstein.

Democrats say it's a brazen effort to have Trump end her prison sentence.

And Holly Harris and Jason Chan are through to the next round of the Ice Dancing competition at the Winter Olympics, after becoming the first Australians to compete in the event in 12 years. It's a dream come true after they narrowly missed out on qualifying for Beijing four years ago.

In the women's big air snowboard final, Tess Coady missed out on a podium finish along with Olympic debutant Mela Stalker.

Both will be back in the women's slopestyle event later this week.

There have been nationwide protests against a visit to Australia by Israel's president and video's emerged of violent scuffles outside Sydney Town Hall.

Protesters weren't meant to be there due to restrictions, but turned up anyway despite police telling them to rally elsewhere.

Police have arrested dozens of people and one video, shared by a Greens senator, appears to show a protester being punched multiple times by a group of officers.

New South Wales Premier Chris Minns insists police tried everything in their power to avoid confrontations with protesters.

Demonstrators are taking aim at a visit to Australia by Israeli President Isaac Herzog who's here to support the Jewish community following the Bondi attack.

Federal Liberal MP Angus Taylor's facing pressure from his conservative supporters to challenge Sussan Ley this week to lead the party and opposition.

A growing number of Liberals in the right faction want a spill motion to be called as soon as possible and it comes as dire polling shows the Coalition slumping further, even well behind One Nation.

But Sussan Ley's allies are confident she still has majority support in the party room.

And in the Winter Olympics Australian's Tess Coady and Mela Stalker have missed the podium in the snowboard big air final.

Coady came in with expectations on her after winning bronze in Beijing in slopestyle.

Meanwhile Holly Harris and Jason Chan have become the first Australians in 12 years to represent the country in ice dancing.

They've qualified for the final free dance. 

Dozens of people have been charged after scuffles between protesters and police broke out in Sydney, as demonstrators across the country take aim at a visit to Australia by Israeli President Isaac Herzog.

Police in Sydney says some protesters were violent and pepper spray was used to make people disperse.

Demonstrators turned up to Town Hall, determined to march to parliament house despite current restrictions not allowing them to do that, while police wanted them to rally elsewhere in the city.

The Federal Government invited Isaac Herzog to Australia to support Jewish people following the Bondi terror attack.

Tropical Cyclone Mitchell has been downgraded to a tropical low, after thrashing West Australia's Gascoyne region.

Cyclone Mitchell crossed the coast as a tropical low, east of Shark Bay, early this morning, drenching the popular tourist destination.

Authorities say the weather system is still bringing wind gusts up to 95 kilometres an hour.

And the federal government's written to the popular online gaming site Roblox over reports of children being groomed and exposed to explicit content on the platform.

Communications Minister Anika Wells is requesting an urgent meeting over concerns about sexually explicit and suicidal material.

Roblox is not included in the government's social media ban for under-16s, but rules focused on age-restricted material like pornography and self-harm come into effect in March.

Protesters have clashed with police, and some demonstrators have been restrained and led away in handcuffs, at a rally in Sydney against a visit to Australia by Israeli President Isaac Herzog.

New South Wales Police arrested dozens of people including some for assaulting officers.

Scuffles broke out after officers tried to stop protesters from pushing past barricades and marching through the city to State Parliament, which was banned under current restrictions.

Isaac Herzog spent the evening at an event honouring the victims of the Bondi terror attack.

The federal government has launched the first dedicated plan to address violence against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and children.

The new plan provides just under $220 million dollars over four years to fund Aboriginal community-controlled organisations to deliver specialist services.

These include crisis response teams, emergency accommodation, therapeutic supports, behaviour change programs, and planning to help victim survivors leave violence safely and receive ongoing support.

The federal communications minister and Australia's online safety regulator have put Roblox on notice, amid concerns children are being targeted by predators on the popular gaming platform.

Anika Wells has written to Roblox requesting an urgent meeting, and the minister's also seeking advice from Australia's eSafety Commissioner as to what more can be done to tackle harmful content on the platform.

Roblox is not included in Australia's social media ban for under-16s.

Cyclone Mitchell has crossed Western Australia's north west coast as a category-1 system and has now weakened below the strength of a cyclone.

The Bureau of Meteorology says the cyclone made landfall east of Shark Bay in a popular tourist area.

The Bureau is warning residents that damaging winds up to 100-kilometres an hour are possible, along with flash flooding.

And the Australian Government has joined the international criticism of a 20-year jail sentence handed to pro-democracy campaigner Jimmy Lai in Hong Kong.  

The former media tycoon is a vocal critic of China.

He was sentenced for national security crimes, which rights groups claim is a bogus case aimed at shutting down dissent against Beijing.

Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong says she's gravely concerned by the sentence, which she says has a chilling effect on free speech in Hong Kong. 

Listen to the latest updates from ABC News

Listen to the latest updates from ABC News

Listen to the latest updates from ABC News