This is The Loop, your quick catch-up for this morning's news as it happens.
Key events
Live updates
By Peta Fuller
That's it for The Loop today
Thanks for joining us this morning. If you're catching up, here's what we've covered:
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Medibank's CEO says they will 'not pay' any ransom over a data theft that saw 9.7 million current and former customers' data stolen;
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COVID cases are rising, particularly in Victoria and WA, the nation's Chief Medical Officer has said;
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Kyiv is bracing for a total power outage as Ukraine's president warns Russia is preparing for "mass attacks" on electricity infrastructure ahead of winter;
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Twitter's "blue tick" charge to be delayed until after the US mid-terms, New York Times reports;
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A plane crash in Tanzania has killed 19 people;
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And Nick Carter says addiction was the 'real villain' in his rapper brother Aaron's death, adding their relationship was 'complicated'.
You can keep up-to-date on other news on the ABC's website, by subscribing to our mobile alerts, and by watching News Channel or listening to local radio here.
By Peta Fuller
Coming up: US midterm campaigning hits final days
US Republicans are eyeing major gains in Tuesday's elections as both sides push through the last weekend of campaigning before the midterms.
President Joe Biden's midterm pitch centres on championing his achievements, while warning that abortion rights, voting rights, Social Security and Medicare are at risk should Republicans take control of Congress.
Former president Donald Trump has been addressing a rally in Florida to stump for Republicans — but correspondents say the atmosphere is less like a midterms rally and more like a build-up to the possibility of a Trump 2024 presidential run.
Speaking in Florida overnight, here's what Mr Trump said:
"If you support the decline and fall of America that you must go out and vote for the radical left Democrats and if you want to stop the destruction of our country and Save the American Dream, don't hear too much about the American dream over the last two years, then this Tuesday you must go out and vote Republican."
By Peta Fuller
Coming up: First blood moon for Aussies this year
One for the space lovers this morning — Australians will get to experience our first visible total lunar eclipse of the year tomorrow.
As an extra treat, Uranus will be visible just a finger’s width above the moon, resembling a bright star.
And here's a helpful reminder of what's happening, if you get the chance to see it:
Want to know when is best to catch it where you live? You can check out this excellent explainer:
By Peta Fuller
Twitter reportedly asking staff to come back
First it was reports of the "blue tick" delay, now Twitter is reportedly reaching out to dozens of sacked employees, asking them to come back.
Bloomberg says some were fired by mistake and others are now needed to build new features that the new owner, Elon Musk, wants.
Mr Musk recently bought the social media firm, and last week laid off about half of its staff.
By Peta Fuller
BREAKING: North Korea calls South Korea and US drill an 'open provocation'
North Korea's military has called last week's air exercises by South Korea and the United States were an "open provocation and dangerous war drill."
It vowed to continue responding with "resolute, overwhelming" military measures, state media KCNA said.
By Peta Fuller
Westpac's profit takes a hit, but earnings still at $5.28 bn
Westpac has reported a drop in annual profit — hurt by competition in its home lending business and a charge related to the sale of its life insurance unit.
The bank's full-year cash earnings came in 1.4 per cent lower at $5.28 billion for the year ended September.
Annual profit was hit by a $1.3 billion charge recorded in the second half, primarily because of a loss on the sale of its life insurance business.
By Peta Fuller
BREAKING: Medibank says they will 'not pay a ransom' over data theft that hit 9.7 million
Medibank CEO David Koczkar has told the ASX this morning that they will "not pay" ransom after a cyber attack last month saw the data of millions of customers stolen.
The company said their investigation so far had revealed around 9.7 million current and former customers had information including their date of birth, address and contact details taken.
That's around 5.1 million Medibank customers, about 2.8 million ahm customers and around 1.8 million international customers.
And here's what Mr Koczkar said about their decision not to pay ransom:
"Based on the extensive advice we have received from cybercrime experts we believe there is only a limited chance paying a ransom would ensure the return of our customers’ data and prevent it from being published.
In fact, paying could have the opposite effect and encourage the criminal to directly extort our customers, and there is a strong chance that paying puts more people in harm’s way by making Australia a bigger target.
It is for these reasons we have decided we will not pay a ransom for this event."
By Jessica Riga
Pope says women's rights fight is 'continuous struggle'
Pope Francis says the fight for women's rights is a "continuous struggle" and condemned male chauvinism as deadly for humanity and female genital mutilation as a crime that must be stopped.
Speaking to reporters on the plane returning from a four-day trip to predominantly Muslim Bahrain, he also praised the women he has appointed to managerial jobs in the Vatican, saying they had improved things there.
On the plane, he was responding to a question about women protesting in Iran but turned to the topic of women's rights in general.
"We have to tell the truth. The struggle for women's rights is a continuing struggle," he said, listing historic struggles such as the fight for the right to vote.
"We have to continue struggling for this because women are a gift. God did not create man and then give him a lapdog to play with. He created both equal, man and woman," he said.
"A society that is not capable of (allowing women to have greater roles) does not move forward," he added.
By Peta Fuller
Two states seeing COVID cases rise, Chief Medical Officer says
Let's get into some COVID news today — we've just heard from the Chief Medical Officer, Paul Kelly, on ABC's News Breakfast.
He says cases are rising, particularly in Victoria and WA, and it's time to take "sensible precautions" over the coming weeks.
"All of our early indicators over the last week or so have demonstrated that case numbers are rising.
It is probably related to this couple of new variants that we are seeing in Australia that have been seen around the world.
There is still a minority but they are more transmissible."
He said there hasn't been a rise in hospital cases, with most just in the community, and that rapid antigen tests are still effective in spotting this new variant.
By Peta Fuller
Australia's immigration under review after claims system facilitates human traffickers
Australia's immigration system will be reviewed, the federal government says, after allegations it's being exploited by international criminal syndicates.
Reports in Nine newspapers have alleged the visa system is being used to facilitate sex slavery and human trafficking.
Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil conceded the immigration system is broken, and the review will look to clean it up:
"We've got to make sure number one that we address the issues around criminality that are being alleged here by the media at the moment, but that we also get the oppotunty here, and this is a really important piece of the puzzle, we've got some of the best and brightest people around the world who want to come here and make Australia their homes."
By Peta Fuller
Some of your thoughts as COP27 starts up
Back in the 60’s you bought a fridge it came with a lifetime (50 year) warranty. But there is no money in that, just like car tyres that never go flat. We’ve adopted a throwaway society all for the riches of money despite the footprint we leave on an ever changing planet unable to consume our endless waste. I have little faith that government’s will turn the tide and look past their greed. It’s been written that 45 years ago we first heard about climate change and since then, very little has been done.
- Coffee Maker
World leaders are arriving for the major climate summit, but we know expectations will be low (you can read a bit on why with the ABC's Michael Slezak's story here).
By Jessica Riga
Britain given extra bank holiday for coronation of King Charles
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the crowning of King Charles III will be celebrated with an extra bank holiday across the country on Monday May 8, shortly after the coronation itself on 6 May.
Charles automatically became King after the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth in September, but the grand coronation ceremony for him and his wife Camilla is taking place next year.
The late Queen's coronation in 1953 was accompanied by an extra bank holiday and granting one in 2023 would follow that tradition, said the Prime Minister's office, giving time for families and communities to enjoy the historic event.
By Peta Fuller
Russia facing heavy losses in 'fierce' attacks, Zelenskyy says
Russia is suffering heavy losses in continuing "fierce" attacks in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, while preparing new assaults on Ukrainian energy infrastructure, Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Mr Zelenskyy said he believed Russia was "concentrating forces and means for a possible repetition of mass attacks on our infrastructure, energy in the first instance".
In his nightly address, the president said:
"Very fierce Russian attacks on Donetsk region are continuing. The enemy is suffering serious losses there."
By Jessica Riga
UK PM stands by minister accused of sending bullying texts
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is standing by minister Gavin Williamson despite his bullying allegations.
Williamson allegedly sent text messages to the former chief whip Wendy Morton, criticising her and using expletive-ridden language.
The allegations were reported by The Sunday Times newspaper only days after Sunak was criticised for reappointing Suella Braverman as interior minister, after she was fired for breaching email security rules.
The newspaper said Williamson was angry about not being invited to Queen Elizabeth's funeral and that Morton had made an official complaint to the governing party.
Deputy Opposition Leader Angela Rayner has criticised Sunak's pledge to restore integrity, saying it was "hollow".
By Peta Fuller
Happening today: The COP 27 climate conference is on
The UN's major conference starts in Egypt — so what's on the table?
We *now* know a financial compensation package (aka a "loss and damage" fund) will be discussed for the first time — it's for developing nations severely affected by climate change.
With rich countries resisting these calls, the issue has been stalled for years.
And the ABC's Allyson Horn is in Egypt for the conference —here's what she had to say:
"Previous attempts to have a compensation package on the COP agenda have been blocked by wealthy nations. The conference will start on Monday, with a two day global leaders summit. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will not attend – instead sending a delegation including senior ministers."
You can also get up to speed with this explainer on what to expect:
By Peta Fuller
One thing to know now: Kyiv braces for total power outages, told to 'prepare to leave'
The mayor of the Ukrainian capital Kyiv is asking residents to prepare to leave, in case there's a total collapse of power supplies.
Estimates suggest about 40 per cent of Ukraine's energy system has been damaged or destroyed in Russian attacks on vital infrastructure.
Mayor Vitali Klitschko says people should make plans for possible relocation to friends' or relatives' houses outside Kyiv.
"We are doing everything so that this doesn't happen, but let's be honest — our enemies are doing everything to keep the city without heat, electricity and water, and in general, they want us all to die," he said.
By Peta Fuller
More news while you snoozed: Twitter delays paid "blue ticks" and plane crash in Tanzania
At least 19 people have died after a Precision Air flight crashed into Tanzania's Lake Victoria — 43 people were on board.
A witness told the Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation (TBC) he saw the plane flying unsteadily as it approached the airport in poor visibility conditions, saying it took a turn for the airport but missed and went into the lake.
And the Twitter saga continues — the New York Times has reported the social media company is now *delaying* the rollout of its $8 a month subscription for those "blue tick" verification marks until after the US midterm elections on Tuesday.
By Peta Fuller
One more thing: Nick Carter's emotional tribute to rapper brother Aaron
The Backstreet Boys singer says their relationship was "complicated" but his love for his brother, who died yesterday aged 34, had "never, ever faded".
"Sometimes we want to blame someone or something for a loss, but the truth is that addiction and mental illness is the real villain here," Carter wrote.
