Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday claimed his country's intelligence service has uncovered plans for a Russia-backed coup d'etat in the country set for next week that allegedly involves one of Ukraine's richest oligarchs.

Both the oligarch and the Russian government rejected the allegations.

At a news conference in Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital, Mr Zelenskyy said he received information a coup was being planned for next Wednesday or Thursday.

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He did not give many details to back up his allegation, but pointed to a suspected role of Ukraine’s richest oligarch, Rinat Akhmetov.

The president said Ukrainian intelligence has audio recordings of an alleged meeting between Russian and Ukrainian officials discussing a plan for a coup allegedly funded by Mr Akhmetov, whose fortune is estimated at $10.5 billion.

Mr Zelenskyy refused to disclose further details about the alleged coup, saying only that he doesn’t plan to flee the country.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov rejected the allegations in comments to journalists in Moscow on Friday.

READ MORE: Fears mount over Russian invasion of Ukraine

“Russia had no plans to get involved," Mr Peskov said. "Russia never does such things at all.”

Mr Akhmetov called Mr Zelenskyy's allegations "an absolute lie".

“I am outraged by the spread of this lie, no matter what the President’s motives are,” Mr Akhmetov said in a statement, relayed to the Associated Press by his spokeswoman Anna Terekhova.

Asked about the alleged coup plans, the US State Department’s top official for European and Eurasian affairs, Karen Donfried, said: “We are in touch with the Ukrainian government to discuss this further, and we’re working to obtain additional information.”

Volodymyr Fesenko, a Kyiv-based political analyst and head of the Penta Center think tank, told the AP that Mr Zelenskyy targeted Mr Akhmetov after a “proper information war” was waged against the president over the last two months on TV channels the oligarch owns.

A mass protest in front of the president's office is also being planned for December 1.

The analyst pointed to great discontent among Ukrainian oligarchs, including Mr Akhmetov, over a law pushed by Mr Zelenskyy that limits their influence on politics.

Mr Fesenko called Mr Zelenskyy's reference to Mr Akhmetov in connection with the alleged coup "a pre-emptive signal" for the oligarch not to get in involved in "risky political ventures, cross the ‘red lines' and negotiate with Moscow".

In recent weeks, Ukrainian and Western officials have expressed concern that a Russian military buildup near Ukraine could signal plans by Moscow to invade its ex-Soviet neighbour. The Kremlin insists it has no such intention and has accused Ukraine and its Western backers of making the claims to cover up their own allegedly aggressive designs.

Mr Zelenskyy said Ukraine has full control of its borders and is ready for any escalation of the conflict with Russia. But he noted that the media are engaged in fear-mongering over the possibility of such a conflict.

He also said that the head of his office, Andriy Yermak, will soon be in contact with the Russian authorities at the request of the European Council President Charles Michel and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

“They want contacts between our administration and the Russian administration. I think that in the near future Yermak will contact them. We are absolutely not against [this]," Mr Zelenskyy said.

Associated Press National Security Writer Robert Burns in Washington contributed to this report.

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A person has tested positive to COVID-19 in the Northern Territory after arriving from South Africa.

Genomic sequencing is underway to determine whether it is the Omicron variant, which has been classified as a "variant of concern" by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

"We don't have the genomic sequencing of that case yet but that would be undertaken in the coming days," Northern Territory Health Minister Natasha Fyles said, adding the person is in Howard Springs quarantine facility and poses a "low risk" to the community.

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The case is one of two in the Territory in the past 24 hours, with the other a man in his 50s from Katharine.

He is a household contact of previous cases.

Ms Fyles said fully vaccinated residents in Katherine will move from a lockdown into a lockout, with a mask mandate in place until at least December 7.

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"Katherine will be lifting, as of a midday today, to a lockout as opposed to a lockdown," she said.

"Anyone who is fully vaccinated in the Katherine region is now free to go about their daily business. They will need to wear a mask and we do encourage of course you do check-in as you go out and about."

Fully vaccinated residents are free to travel to Darwin and go to other high-vaccinated areas within the territory, but they will have to fill out an application.

The unvaccinated will remain in lockdown.

Binjari, near Katherine, will remain in hard lockdown with further testing to be completed on Monday.

Ms Fyles said a 27-year-old man who absconded from Howard Springs during a "significant storm" yesterday afternoon was caught around 10pm last night.

He has tested negative to COVID-19.

"I'm extremely disappointed in the incident that took place," Ms Fyles said.

"The man absconded on day 13 of his quarantine period, so he was extremely low risk, but nonetheless that is not acceptable and police are fully investigating the matter."

New COVID-19 cases in Queensland, South Australia

Queensland has recorded one new locally acquired COVID-19 case in the last 24 hours. It is one of six active cases.

The Sunshine State has also hit a major vaccine milestone, with 70 per cent of citizens now double-dosed.

South Australia has recorded three new COVID-19 cases, which marks an increase from yesterday's two.

80 per cent of citizens are now double vaccinated.

https://twitter.com/SAHealth/status/1464418283206053897

Cases drop in Victoria and NSW

Both Victoria and New South Wales have recorded a drop in COVID-19 cases, as vaccine rates continue to climb.

Five people have died with the virus in Victoria in the past 24 hours, as the state recorded 1252 new COVID-19 cases.

The five people who died in Victoria were aged in their 50s, 70s and 80s.

The cases mark a decrease from yesterday's caseload of 1362 new virus cases and seven deaths.

https://twitter.com/VicGovDH/status/1464352966480044035

There are 308 COVID-19 patients in hospital, 46 of those are in ICU, and 90 per cent of people aged 16 and over are now double vaccinated.

NSW recorded 235 new cases, a slight drop from the 261 recorded yesterday.

There are 174 COVID-19 patients in hospital, 26 of those are in ICU.

The vaccination rate continues to climb with 92.3 per cent of residents now fully vaccinated against the virus.

READ MORE: Flood warnings after NSW and Queensland lashed by wild weather

https://twitter.com/NSWHealth/status/1464353499072774144

The ACT has recorded seven new cases, with six virus patients in hospital. Five of those are in ICU and four are on a ventilator.

The territory continues to lead the way for vaccinations. To date, 97.6 per cent of residents aged 12 and over are fully vaccinated.

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US federal health regulators say an experimental COVID-19 pill from Merck is effective against the virus, but they will seek input from outside experts on risks of birth defects and other potential problems during pregnancy.

The Food and Drug Administration posted its analysis of the pill ahead of a public meeting next week where academic and other experts will weigh in on its safety and effectiveness.

The agency isn’t required to follow the group’s advice.

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The FDA scientists said their review identified several potential risks, including possible toxicity to developing fetuses and birth defects that were identified in studies of the pill in animals.

Given those risks, the FDA will ask its advisers next Tuesday whether the drug should never be given during pregnancy or whether it could be made available in certain cases.

Under that scenario, the FDA said the drug would carry warnings about risks during pregnancy, but doctors would still have the option to prescribe it in certain cases where its benefits could outweigh its risks for patients.

Given the safety concerns, FDA said Merck agreed the drug would not be used in children.

Other side effects were mild and rare, with about two per cent of patients experiencing diarrhea.

Regulators also noted Merck collected far less safety data overall on its drug than was gathered for other COVID-19 therapies.

“While the clinical safety database was small, there were no major safety concerns identified,” FDA reviewers concluded.

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Additionally, the FDA flagged a concern that Merck’s drug led to small changes in the virus's signature spike protein, which it uses to penetrate human cells.

Theoretically, FDA cautioned, those changes could lead to dangerous new variants.

FDA will ask its independent advisers to discuss all those issues and then vote on whether the drug’s overall benefits outweigh its risks.

All COVID-19 drugs currently authorised by the FDA require an injection or IV and can only be given by health professionals.

If authorised, Merck’s drug would be the first that US patients could take at home to ease symptoms and speed recovery.

It is already authorised for emergency use in the UK.

The meeting marks the first time regulators have publicly reviewed a new drug for COVID-19, reflecting the intense interest and scrutiny of a pill that could be soon used by millions of Americans.

The drug, molnupiravir, has been shown to significantly cut the rate of hospitalisations and deaths among people with mild-to-moderate coronavirus infections.

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Merck’s drug uses a novel approach to fight COVID-19: it inserts tiny mutations into the coronavirus’s genetic code to stop the virus from reproducing.

But that genetic effect has raised concerns that in rare cases the drug could cause birth defects or even spur more virulent strains of the virus.

Pregnant women were excluded from Merck’s study, and both women and men in the study were instructed to use contraception or abstain from sex.

For its part, Merck says results from two company studies in rodents show the drug does not cause mutations or damage to DNA at the doses studied.

FDA reviewers also confirmed previously reported interim results from Merck that the pill cut the rate of hospitalisation and death by about half among patients with early symptoms of COVID-19 who faced increased risk due to health problems.

However, on Friday morning Merck announced updated results from the same study that showed a smaller benefit from the drug.

The FDA said it is still reviewing the updated data and would present a new assessment of the drug's effectiveness next Tuesday.

Among more than 1400 adults in a company study, molnupiravir reduced the combined risk of hospitalisation and death by 30 per cent, less than the 50 per cent initially reported based on incomplete results.

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Nearly seven per cent of patients who received Merck’s drug within five days of COVID-19 symptoms ended up in the hospital and one died.

That compared to 10 per cent of patients hospitalised who were taking the placebo and nine deaths.

Merck didn't study its drug in people who were vaccinated for COVID-19.

But the FDA will ask advisers to recommend which patients may stand to benefit the most from the drug, based on vaccination status and underlying health problems.

While Merck’s drug is likely to be the first pill for coronavirus in the US, more are expected to follow.

Rival drugmaker Pfizer has submitted its own antiviral for FDA review after initial study results showed it cut the combined rate of hospitalisation and death by nearly 90 per cent.

Pfizer’s drug is part of a decades-old family of antiviral pills known as protease inhibitors, which revolutionised the treatment of HIV and hepatitis C.

They work differently than Merck’s pill and haven’t been linked to the kind of mutation concerns that have been raised with Merck’s drug.

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Four people have been rescued from floodwaters in the north of NSW.

Emergency services carried out two separate rescues when a car was swept away in floodwaters at Burrell Creek and Muswellbrook.

The first incident saw a Landcruiser swept from a small causeway by rising floodwaters in Burrell Creek about 3.30pm yesterday.

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The car was carried 200 metres downstream where it became wedged on rocks in the middle of the flooded creek.

Two men, aged 46 and 30, went into the floodwaters to try and help the trapped 35-year-old driver.

Five officers attended the incident.

One of the officers found a rope and threw it about 10 metres to the three stranded men.

Police rescued them by pulling them individually across the floodwaters.

All three were assessed at the scene by paramedics but didn't need further treatment.

READ MORE: Flood warnings after NSW and Queensland lashed by wild weather

In the second incident, a Toyota Hilux had attempted to cross the Rosebrook Spillway in Muswellbrook before being swept from the road into floodwaters around 10.20pm last night.

Police found the car about 400 metres from the spillway with floodwaters rising over the vehicle's bonnet.

Officers tried to winch the car from the water but were unsuccessful.

The 52-year-old driver climbed out of the car and tried to swim against the floodwaters but instead began drifting further downstream with the vehicle.

Police waded through the water to assist him before he was safely returned to shore.

He was treated by paramedics at the scene before being taken to Muswellbrook Hospital for observation.

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Assistant Commissioner Peter McKenna praised the officers involved in both the rescues.

"In the face of extreme danger, these officers acted quickly and courageously to ensure the stranded motorists were safely rescued," Assistant Commissioner McKenna said.

"Floodwater is extremely dangerous as it can have fast-moving undercurrents that can wash people and vehicles away."

The wild weather that has hit NSW has become dangerous, as a woman suffered spinal injuries after a tree fell on a car in Sydney's south overnight.

The NSW State Emergency Service (SES) received more than 850 calls for help overnight and performed 34 flood rescues.

Assistant Commissioner McKenna urged people not to drive, ride or walk through floodwaters.

More wet weather is forecast in the coming week with the state already saturated with rain.

The rain has caused Sydney's Warragamba Dam to hit capacity and begin to spill.

Further flooding is expected as a result of the deluge.

In a world first, astronomers may have detected light signals produced from the collision of two black holes deep in space.

A black hole is a region of space where the gravitational pull is so intense nothing, not even light, can escape it once inside a region known as the event horizon.

Now scientists using Caltech's Zwicky Transient Facility located at Palomar Observatory near San Diego think they may have spotted the first known light flare from a pair of colliding black holes.

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When two black holes collide they send out gravitational waves, which ripple across space and can be detected by sensitive instruments on Earth.

This was how the black hole merger was first identified on May 21, 2019.

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Two gravitational wave detectors — the National Science Foundation's Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory, and the European Virgo detector — picked up on the ripples.

One the merger was detected, scientists from the Zwicky Transient Facility facility were on the watch for light signals from the location were the gravitational wave signal originated.