The World Today

Authorities in NSW say they're relieved no human lives have been lost in blazes over the weekend. Fire has gripped large parts of the state, and have so far claimed houses and livestock. Fire conditions have been described as the worst many areas have ever seen, with weather records broken across the state.

A broad coalition of industry, environmental and community groups is calling on all sides of politics to work together to develop long-term and sustainable energy policy, but it appears to have fallen on deaf ears for now. The Opposition says the Government doesn't have a policy for renewable energy beyond 2020, but the Prime Minister has again targeted the state Labor governments who have put ambitious renewable energy targets in place.

The Liberal opposition parties in South Australia, Victoria and Queensland have pledged to scrap state based renewable energy targets, arguing they've failed to deliver affordable and reliable power. But the South Australian government has hit back, saying abolishing state targets is dangerous for investment and electricity stability.

The West Australian Liberal party's decision to strike a preference deal with One Nation has made for an uncomfortable start to the parliamentary week for the Federal Coalition. The Premier of WA Colin Barnett has described it as practical and pragmatic but the Federal Nationals Leader Barnaby Joyce warns it could have dangerous consequences.

Labor has outlined a suite of measures to clean up the hazy world of political donations. The Opposition Leader Bill Shorten says his legislation, which includes banning foreign donations and reducing the disclosure limit to $1,000 dollars, will help fix the perception that politics is broken. But the Minister responsible for electoral reform Scott Ryan says the Opposition's proposal today is a stunt, claiming Labor didn't reform the system when they were in Government, and an expert on political donations says Labor should have proposed a cap on donations if it wants real reform.

The White House has launched a scathing attack on the appeals court judges who've blocked president Donald Trump's immigration ban - accusing them of trying to wrest power for themselves. The US President has said he may issue a new executive order to replace the original ban - rather than pursue a lengthy challenge in the courts. The latest development comes as thousands of people protest against the ban in Mexico - which faces the likely return of migrants living illegally in the US.

It's estimated that driver fatigue plays a role in up to a third of all fatal accidents on Australian roads. Now Victorian researchers are developing a roadside test to identify tired drivers and take them off the road.

Greater competition and an uncertain economic outlook is making life more difficult for Australia's banks. This morning the second tier Bendigo and Adelaide Bank reported a 209-million dollar half year profit - but that was up by just a tenth of one per cent. Things are getting tighter for borrowers as well, with chief executive Mike Hirst predicting there will be no more interest rate cuts.

Tens of millions of people are in urgent need of food as famine looms in Yemen, South Sudan, Nigeria and Somalia. But humanitarian aid experts are warning that the international aid system is ill-equipped to cope with the crisis, and part of the blame lies with international aid organisations, including the UN, who are unwilling to give up power and change the way they operate, says Sara Pantuliano, Managing Director of the Overseas Development Institute.

Extreme weather conditions have hit several Australian states, prompting concerns the heatwave could put a strain on hospitals and power supplies. Authorities are bracing for 'catastrophic' fire conditions in some areas with temperatures expected to soar above 40 degrees.