Yevgeny Prigozhin, a Kremlin-linked oligarch known as "Vladimir Putin's chef," appeared to admit to Russian interference in US elections in a Telegram post on Monday.

Prigozhin said that Russia has interfered, is interfering and will continue to interfere in the US democratic process, in response to a journalist's question about Russia potentially meddling in US congressional elections on Tuesday (Wednesday AEST).

"I will answer you very subtly, and delicately and I apologise, I will allow a certain ambiguity. Gentlemen, we interfered, we interfere and we will interfere," Prigozhin said.

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about the midterm elections

"Carefully, precisely, surgically and in our own way, as we know how. During our pinpoint operations, we will remove both kidneys and the liver at once," he added.

Prigozhin has no post in the Russian government, but his statement appeared to be the first admission of a high-level Russian campaign to interfere in US elections from someone close to the Kremlin.

Prigozhin is reportedly one of Putin's trusted confidants – so close that the Russian press dubbed him the "chef" to the Russian President after he began catering events for the Kremlin. Prigozhin subsequently won lucrative catering contracts for schools and Russia's armed forces, and by 2010 he was a Kremlin insider with a growing commercial empire.

It was not immediately clear how serious Prigozhin was being in his comments, which appeared to have been made somewhat sarcastically. But the US has sanctioned Prigozhin for funding the Internet Research Agency, a notorious Russian troll farm accused of meddling in several recent US elections.

Prigozhin was also charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States in 2018 by special counsel Robert Mueller in relation to the alleged election meddling.

READ MORE: Donald Trump strongly hints at 2024 presidential bid

The Kremlin has been accused of interfering in US elections since at least 2016, when Russia-linked hackers successfully hacked emails from the Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta.

Those documents were released during the homestretch of the campaign to embarrass the Democratic nominee.

US officials and prosecutors warned of similar hacking attempts and disinformation campaigns by Russia ahead of the 2020 presidential elections and Tuesday's contest. Private researchers said Thursday that suspected Russian operatives have used far-right media platforms to denigrate Democratic candidates in Georgia, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

Russian government officials, including Putin, have consistently denied interfering in American politics.

READ MORE: Ukraine receives new air defence weapons

US officials appeared unsurprised by Prigozhin's admission of election interference.

State Department spokesperson Ned Price said it "didn't tell us anything we didn't already know".

"His full confession, if anything, appears to be just a manifestation of the impunity that crooks and cronies enjoy under President Putin and the Kremlin," Price said at a State Department briefing.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said it's "not surprising" that Russia is attempting to promote narratives "aimed at undermining democracy".

"We also know that part of Russia's efforts includes promoting narratives aimed at undermining democracy and sowing division and discord," she added.

"It's not surprising that Russia would be highlighting their attempted efforts and fabricating a story about their successes on the eve of an election."

READ MORE: Christchurch mosque terrorist fights conviction and sentence

She, however, did not weigh in on whether there are any ongoing attempts by Russia to influence the midterm elections, directing that question to the Director of National Intelligence.

Prigozhin for years operated mostly in the shadows and behind the scenes. In recent months, however, he has developed a more public persona, possibly due to shifting power balances inside Russia as losses in Ukraine piled up.

In September, Prigozhin admitted to founding the Wagner Group – a private mercenary group accused of war crimes in Africa, Syria and Ukraine – after years of denying involvement with the outfit.

More recently, US and European officials alleged that Prigozhin is attempting to use the faltering war effort to jockey for increased influence in the Kremlin. Prigozhin reportedly confronted Putin directly about his belief that the conflict is being mismanaged.

The Kremlin has denied that officials have criticised the management of the war.

A recall has been issued over a mislabelled Christmas treat.

Chocolatier Australia Christmas caramels and gingerbread chocolates are affected by the recall, the NSW Food Authority said.

The alert is for the company's plum puddings, which have been mislabeled as Christmas caramels or gingerbread chocolates.

READ MORE: Divers make surprising discovery near Titanic wreck

That means they contain an undeclared allergen – almonds – and an undeclared ingredient – alcohol.

Nut allergy sufferers and those who cannot drink alcohol shouldn't eat them.

READ MORE: Huge shark leaps on board fishing boat

The product has been available for sale at independent stores around Australia.

They have the best before July 2023 and October 2023

For more details contact the manufacturer on 02 9455 9000.

READ MORE: Map reveals NSW locations most at risk of Japanese encephalitis

Australians sick of the wet weather finally have an end in sight, as the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) has predicted the current La Nina will end earlier than the weather system typically does.

In its latest climate driver update, the BoM said La Nina – the conditions which contribute to above-average rainfall on the east coast and in Australia's north – will finish up in the opening months of 2023, earlier than the usual autumn ending.

"Six of the seven international climate models surveyed by the Bureau anticipate central Pacific sea-surface temperatures will continue at or close to La Niña thresholds (−0.8°C or cooler) during December," the weather bureau said.

READ MORE: Medibank customers urged to be vigilant amid 'distressing' data threat

"While all models anticipate a return to ENSO-neutral values during January or February, some of the surveyed models have not been updated since mid-October.

"ENSO events typically decay during the southern hemisphere autumn."

The Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) has also progressed towards drier conditions.

"While – for the first time since June – the latest weekly value of the IOD index is neutral (between −0.4°C and +0.4°C), cloud and rainfall patterns remain typical of a negative IOD," the BoM said.

"Models indicate that the IOD pattern is likely to return to neutral during December, consistent with the typical timing of an IOD breakdown."

A negative IOD also contributes to increased rain in Australia's east.

READ MORE: Two-year-old boy critically injured after being mauled by two dogs

Despite that, the BoM indicated that the east coast still looks set for its fair share of rainfall this summer.

"Sea surface temperatures around Australia have remained much warmer than average, with waters around Australia, in the northern tropics, and the Coral Sea setting new October records," it said.

"Warmer Australian waters, especially in the tropics, can result in greater evaporation, humidity, cloudiness, and rainfall."

The bureau's latest climate driver update comes on the back of weeks of heavy flooding across Victoria and New South Wales, while a number of areas across the country set records for their wettest October on record, including Sydney.

Some Melbourne beaches are currently unsafe to swim in after an increase in storm debris and sewage has contaminated the water, creating a bacterial infection risk.

Sewage has been reported at Seaford Beach and all beaches surrounding Port Phillip Bay may not be suitable for swimming.

This weekend's Ironman event in St Kilda is likely to be cancelled due to the contaminated water concerns.

READ MORE: Divers make surprising discovery near Titanic wreck

Environment Protection Authority (EPA) Victoria spokesperson Dr Paul Leahy said the situation had been fixed but there were still warnings in place.

"The risk from bacterial infections from gastro and stomach conditions are a little bit higher than normal," Leahy said.

"If you go to the beach, take a look at the water quality, take a look at the colour of the water. If it is discoloured, perhaps look at other options for swimming."

READ MORE: Map reveals NSW locations most at risk of Japanese encephalitis

Melbourne Water is strategically releasing waste from its Carrum Downs treatment plant, in an effort to allow waters to return back to normal.

All Victorian water quality alerts can be found on the EPA's website here.

A judge has slammed the conduct of an experienced defence lawyer who failed to send qualified counsel in his absence to the sentencing of his client in a “high-stakes” meth dealing case.Judge Tony Greig made clear his discontent…

A fisherman has captured the moment a shark circled his boat, while he was fishing off the coast of Adelaide.

The men were fishing about 500 metres from Taparoo, in South Australia, when they noticed the shark swimming beside him.

You can watch the video above.

READ MORE: Medibank hackers threaten to release data within 24 hours

They were just about to put their rods in the water when the shark swam past.

The men were in about seven metres of water at the time.

READ MORE: How to watch tonight's blood moon

It's the second shark sighting made in South Australian waters in recent days.

An Adelaide man filmed a great white shark trying to take a bit of his kayak paddle in Port Augusta over the weekend.

A paraglider has been airlifted to hospital after falling 30 metres down a cliffside at Sydney's Northern Beaches.

Emergency crews were called to Long Reef Point Look Out at Collaroy just before lunchtime today after reports a man had fallen down a steep cliff while attempting to paraglide.

The man, in his 40s, was found submerged in bushes when paramedics arrived.

READ MORE: Medibank hackers threaten to release data within 24 hours

"It was hard to first get a visual of the patient as he crash landed around 20 to 30 metres down an embankment," Ambulance NSW Inspector Andrew Wood said.

"All we could see was the canopy of his parachute.

READ MORE: 'Putin's chef' admits to US election meddling

"Police went down on foot to try and locate the man before critical care paramedics roped down to treat and assess him on the cliff face."

The patient was winched from the cliff edge using ropes and pulleys.

READ MORE: How to watch tonight's blood moon

The man has since been flown to Royal North Shore Hospital and is now in a stable condition.

Medibank is urging customers affected by its breach to be vigilant after a ransomware group threatened to release stolen data online.

Australia's leading private health fund called the development "distressing" in a statement released today.

"Customers should remain vigilant. We knew the publication of data online by the criminal could be a possibility, but the criminal's threat is still a distressing development for our customer," Medibank CEO David Koczkar said.

READ MORE: Actress Rebel Wilson announces birth of first child

"We unreservedly apologise to our customers.

"We take seriously our responsibility to safeguard our customers and support them.

"The weaponisation of their private information is malicious, and it is an attack on the most vulnerable members of our community."

Legal firms 'join forces' for class action

It comes as two legal firms call for people affected by the data breach to join a class action lawsuit.

Bannister Law Class Actions and Centennial Lawyers said in a press release they had "joined forces" to investigate the hack.

Medibank confirmed yesterday that 9.7 million customers, including ahm and international customers, had their data accessed.

This included names, dates of birth, driver's licence numbers and addresses.

Almost half a million people also had their medical records accessed.

Medibank has ruled out paying any ransom, after which the purported hackers this morning posted a threat to release all the data within 24 hours.

"We believe the data breach is a betrayal of Medibank Private's customers and a breach of the Privacy Act," the law firms said in a statement.

"Medibank has a duty to keep this kind of information confidential."

READ MORE: Residents say faith-based rehab facility was a cult

The two firms will investigate whether Medibank breached their privacy policy and the terms of their contract with customers.

The lawyers will also assess whether damages should be paid as a result of the breaches.

Affected customers can register with the class action online.

EXPLAINED: What to do if you have been hacked

A bowling club in Sydney's lower north shore will be handed back to Indigenous owners, after a New South Wales court upheld an Aboriginal land claim.

The Waverton Bowling Club began using the site in 1967 and was leasing it from Property NSW.

In 2019 the club went into administration, which led the North Sydney Council to lobby the NSW government to hand over the 5000-square-metre block of land for them to manage permanently.

READ MORE: Medibank hackers threaten to release data within 24 hours

The Waverton Park club was on Crown land but it was able to be used for public recreation.

The Sydney Morning Herald reports the government knocked back two Aboriginal land claims over the site in 2020, on grounds the council was lawfully occupying and using the site, and it was essential for public open space and recreation in the area.

The NSW Aboriginal Land Council launched an appeal against the decision, which led the court to decide the land was "not needed for essential public purpose".

READ MORE: Apple says iPhone supplies hurt by anti-virus curbs in China

The government's lawyers argued it was needed for recreational purposes and that they had carried out and paid for maintained work on the site.

The Aboriginal Land Council argued there was no evidence the local council had undertaken any work on the site apart from "sporadic mowing".

READ MORE: 'Putin's chef' admits to US election meddling

Justice Sandra Duggan upheld the appeal and said the site was claimable land.

Duggan said she was "unable to be satisfied" the land "was likely to be needed for the essential public purpose of open space for public recreation".

Duggan ordered the government to transfer the site to the Metropolitan Aboriginal Land Council as freehold land, preferably within six months.

Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council chief executive Nathan Moran told the Sydney Morning Herald it was the council's first successful claim in North Sydney.

Moran said the land council would seek to understand the previous and permitted uses on the "gobsmackingly beautiful" site, assess its assets and consult the community on potential future uses.

READ MORE: How to watch tonight's blood moon

North Sydney councillor Ian Mutton is concerned the ruling means the land will be lost to the community.

According to the National Indigenous Australians Agency, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' rights and interests in land are formally recognised in around 50 per cent of Australia's land mass.

A Napier builder has been ordered to pay more than $28,000 to an apprentice he fired via text message. Builder John Gemmell sent the text – which contained the phrases “I’ve had enough of you” and “you are no longer employed” -…