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National
Tom Williams and Bridget Judd

Minister warns of escalating cyber attacks, US says Ukraine could retake Kherson, and paintballs to be shot at wolves — as it happened

This is The Loop, your quick catch-up for this morning's news as it happens.

WARNING: This story features the names and images of deceased Aboriginal people, which have been used with the permission of their families.

Key events

Live updates

By Tom Williams

Stay in The Loop

That's all for The Loop this morning — thanks for being with us!

We'll be back next week, but in the meantime, you can stay up to date on the ABC News website and by subscribing to our mobile alerts.

If you're just joining us, here's what you need to know:

By Tom Williams

FBI warns of 'broad threat' to synagogues in New Jersey

In the US, the FBI in Newark, New Jersey, says it has it has received "credible information of a broad threat to synagogues" in the state.

"We ask at this time that you take all security precautions to protect your community and facility," the agency said in a tweet.

"We will share more information as soon as we can. Stay alert. In case of emergency call police."

In a second tweet, the FBI said it was taking a "proactive measure" with that warning as "investigative processes are carried out".

By Tom Williams

Outgoing Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro holds 'positive' meeting with successor's team

Brazilian president-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's running mate said his team have held a "positive" meeting with outgoing President Jair Bolsonaro, whose silence after his election loss fueled fears he would fight the result.

"It was positive. The president invited us into his offices, and reiterated… the federal government's readiness to give us all the information and assistance needed for a smooth transition in the public interest," vice president-elect Geraldo Alckmin told journalists.

AFP

By Bridget Judd

Brittney Griner 'well as can be expected' in Russian prison, White House says

US basketball star Brittney Griner is as well "as can be expected" in a Russian prison, the White House said, after embassy officials were able to visit her.

"She's doing as well as can be expected under the circumstances," White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters traveling with President Joe Biden.

Griner is serving a nine-year sentence handed down in August after she pleaded guilty to possession of a small quantity of cannabis oil in vape cartridges.

She said the cannabis was to treat pain from her sporting injuries, but Russia does not allow medical marijuana use.

The harsh sentence and Griner's failed appeal last month come against a backdrop of the worst relations between Moscow and Washington since the height of the Cold War.

By Tom Williams

Key Event

Nancy Pelosi's husband has been released from hospital, US media reports

US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's husband, Paul Pelosi, has been released from hospital after undergoing surgery for injuries suffered during an attack by an intruder at the couple's San Francisco home, according to US media.

He has reportedly returned home under the care of doctors.

David DePape, 42, has been charged with breaking into the home and attacking Paul Pelosi with a hammer.

The 82-year-old suffered skull fractures and injuries to his arms and right hand.

Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat who is second in the line of succession to the US presidency, was in Washington at the time.

According to court documents filed by prosecutors, DePape told police after his arrest that he had planned to kidnap the speaker, interrogate and break her kneecaps if she "lied".

DePape, who has been jailed without bond, pleaded not guilty to state charges of attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, burglary, elder abuse, false imprisonment and threatening a public official.

He could up to face life in prison if convicted.

US officials said on Thursday that De Pape is a Canadian citizen who was in the United States illegally 14 years after he entered as a visitor.

By Tom Williams

Key Event

UN watchdog says it found no evidence of 'dirty bomb' work at sites in Ukraine

UN nuclear watchdog the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) says it found no sign of undeclared nuclear activity at three sites in Ukraine that it inspected at Kyiv's request in response to Russian allegations that work was taking place on a so-called "dirty bomb".

Moscow repeatedly accused Ukraine of planning to use such a bomb — a conventional explosive laced with radioactive material — and said institutes linked to the nuclear industry were involved in preparations, without presenting evidence.

Ukraine's government denied the accusation.

Some Ukrainian and Western officials accused Moscow of making the allegation to give itself cover to detonate its own dirty bomb and pin the blame on Kyiv.

By Bridget Judd

NSW floods set to impact Forbes, where residents have evacuated

More than 1,000 residents in the Forbes area of central west New South Wales have been forced to evacuate as the town prepares for its worst flooding in 70 years.

The Lachlan River is predicted to reach 10.8 metres today, a similar level to the 1952 floods.

Thousands of people in Wagga Wagga, North Wagga Wagga and Gumly Gumly were also ordered to evacuate overnight as rising floodwaters were expected to peak this morning.

Major flooding has begun at Wagga Wagga for the first time since 2012.

Premier Dominic Perrottet is expected to visit the region today.

By Tom Williams

Key Event

Ukraine's president says 4.5 million people are without power

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says around 4.5 million people across the country are currently affected by power cuts caused by Russian strikes on energy infrastructure.

"Tonight, about 4.5 million consumers have been temporarily disconnected from energy consumption… the very fact that Russia is resorting to energy terrorism shows the weakness of our enemy," he said in a video address.

"They cannot beat Ukraine on the battlefield, so they try to break our people this way."

Zelenskyy said those affected were in Kyiv and 10 other regions.

He urged local authorities to save power, saying this was not the time for bright shop windows or signs.

By Bridget Judd

Key Event

Layoffs hit Silicon Valley as Amazon puts a freeze on hiring

Payments firm Stripe and rideshare company Lyft, two darlings of Silicon Valley, have announced major layoffs as the economy continues to darken for Big Tech.

The tough economic times are also hitting Amazon, which announced that it would freeze new corporate hires amid a highly uncertain economic environment.

It comes as the tech world awaits major layoffs at Twitter after the takeover by Elon Musk for $US44 billion.

Media reports said that Musk is preparing to eliminate thousands of jobs as early as Friday in an attempt to find ways to help pay for the massive buyout.

AFP

By Tom Williams

Key Event

As cybercrime reports jump, minister says Russia and China are involved in attacks

Australian officials say they're now receiving a report of a cyber-crime every seven minutes — as criminals use increasingly sophisticated techniques to defraud and blackmail households, governments and businesses

The Australian Cyber Security Centre's annual threat report comes in the wake of a string of high-profile breaches, including Optus and Medibank — which compromised the personal data of millions of Australians.

Minister for Home Affairs and Cyber Security, Clare O'Neil, has told ABC News Breakfast that state actors were among the perpetrators of hacking attacks in Australia, including Russia and China.

"These are really concerning things. I don't think it'll be news to any Australian watching today that the state of our world has changed a lot," she said.

"We've got the war in Ukraine, we've got threats in our region, and cyber is going to be a core part of this.

"It's not just about the frauds or the texts that you or I might receive, but real issues around the security of our country going forward.

"So this is a core national security focus of our government."

By Bridget Judd

Report finds 'fatal' errors after Manchester terror attack

A report has strongly criticised the emergency response to a 2017 terror attack in Manchester, saying that with better care, at least one of the 22 victims would have survived.

A suicide bomber targeted people attending an Ariana Grande concert at the indoor arena in the city in northern England on May 22, 2017.

John Saunders, a retired judge leading the public inquiry, presented the second part of his damning report on Thursday (local time).

It condemned a lack of coordination between emergency services and police, with paramedics located nearby unable to treat victims because police were slow to declare the area safe.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak responded with a tweet offering his "solemn commitment to the victims, survivors and their loved ones that we will learn from the lessons of the inquiry".

By Tom Williams

From overnight: Pakistan's ex-PM Imran Khan has been shot in an assassination attempt

Pakistan's former prime minister and cricketing great Imran Khan has been shot in the leg in an apparent assassination attempt in the country's east.

Khan was standing and waving to supporters from the roof of a container truck in Wazirabad, nearly 200 kilometres from Islamabad, when shots rang out.

"It was a clear assassination attempt," Fawad Chaudhry, a spokesperson for Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, told Reuters.

"Khan was hit but he's stable. There was a lot of bleeding," he said.

Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said a suspect had been arrested, but no group has yet claimed responsibility for the shooting.

Khan was leading a protest march to Islamabad to demand snap elections when he was shot.

Since losing a no-confidence vote in parliament in April, he has alleged it was a conspiracy engineered by his successor and the United States — claims that both the new prime minister and Washington have denied.

By Tom Williams

News while you snoozed

Former Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has won the country's latest election, according to final results, clearing the way for him to return to power leading a right-wing alliance.

Prime Minister Yair Lapid congratulated Netanyahu and instructed his staff to prepare an organised transition of power, his office said.

"The state of Israel comes before any political consideration," Lapid said.

"I wish Netanyahu success, for the sake of the people of Israel and the state of Israel."

Lapid, who has served as interim prime minister for the past four months, made the announcement just before the final results were released showing Netanyahu securing a parliamentary majority with his religious and ultranationalist allies.

Netanyahu expected to form the country's most right-wing government in history when he takes power, likely in the coming weeks.

Israel held its fifth election in four years on Tuesday, a protracted political crisis that saw voters divided over Netanyahu's fitness to serve while on trial for corruption.

US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin says Ukrainian forces can retake the strategic southern city of Kherson from Russian troops, in what would be a major defeat for Russia in its invasion of its neighbour.

Austin's remarks coincided with a Russian-installed official in Kherson region saying Moscow was likely to pull its troops from the west bank of the Dnipro River, signalling a significant retreat, if confirmed.

Ukraine said it was still fighting in the area and was wary of the occupying Russian forces setting a trap.

"On the issue of whether the Ukrainians can take the remaining territory on the west side of the Dnipro river and in Kherson, I certainly believe that they have the capability to do that," Austin told a news conference at the Pentagon.

"Most importantly, the Ukrainians believe they have the capability to do that. We have seen them engage in a very methodical but effective effort to take back their sovereign territory."

The region's capital and river port Kherson is the only big city Russia has captured intact since its invasion began on February 24.

By Tom Williams

Here's the news Australia is searching for online

  • Cassius Turvey. The man charged over the death of the 15-year-old Indigenous boy is due to appear in Perth Magistrate's court today — his first appearance on unlawful assault and stealing charges. Jack Steven James Brearley is due back in court on the murder charge on November 9. Rallies and vigils for Turvey were held across Australia on Wednesday
  • Zion Williamson. The American basketballer has received high praise from NBA legend LeBron James, after scoring a team-high 27 points, taking five rebounds and dishing out seven assists in the New Orleans Pelicans' 120-117 overtime loss to James's Los Angeles Lakers. "Zion is on the verge of being great — he's going to be great in this league for a long time. Tonight he showed why he's gonna be who he's gonna be," James said

By Tom Williams

Man sentenced after exposing himself on flight from Bali to Brisbane

Australian Federal Police say a 72-year-old New Zealand man has been sentenced after allegedly exposing himself and urinating on the floor while sitting in his seat as a flight from Bali descended into Brisbane on Wednesday.

Authorities say the man had consumed "a number of small bottles of wine during the flight", and was charged with offensive behaviour.

The man appeared in a Brisbane court on Thursday, where he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to a 12-month good behaviour bond, police say.

"Antisocial or illegal behaviour is unacceptable in any setting and the AFP will not tolerate it at Australia's airports," said AFP Airport Police Commander at Brisbane Airport, Mark Colbran.

"The AFP expects passengers to be responsible when consuming alcohol – families and other travellers have a right to feel safe.''

By Tom Williams

One more thing: Wolves in parts of the Netherlands will be shot with paintballs

The BBC reports authorities in the Netherlands have decided that wolves in parts of the country will be shot with paintballs by authorised rangers, in order to make them less tame.

It comes after a video posted on social media showed a wolf walking past a family in a national park, amid fears the animals are becoming too unafraid of humans.

Paintballs have apparently been chosen so that rangers can see which have been hit.

It's believed that wolves returned to the Netherlands in the last 10 years, after not being in the country for 140 years.

According to a report published in June there were around 20 adult wolves living in the country.

By Tom Williams

Let's set you up for the day

Hi there, I'm Tom Williams and this is The Loop live for Friday, November 4.

From a former PM returning to power in Israel to a former PM being shot in Pakistan and a potential retreat of Russian soldiers in Ukraine — here's what you need to know this morning.

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