The World Today

As temperatures soar in South Australia again today, the political debate surrounding energy is heading towards boiling point. The Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, has continued his attack, labelling the state lazy and complacent. The South Australian Premier says he'll announce a plan in a few weeks for what he's labelled a 'dramatic intervention' in the electricity market. An energy expert says the state has no other options, thanks to a flawed national energy market.

Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation has posted a second quarter loss, citing impairments in its Australian newspaper business as a key factor. The struggling empire reported a loss from continuing operations of US$219 million compared to a profit of US$106 in the prior year. News Corporation chief executive Robert Thomson said the results were hurt by a continuing decline in advertising income and 'an impairment of the print-related fixed assets of our Australian newspaper business.'

The US President, Donald Trump, has been incensed by a court ruling which has upheld a suspension of his executive order that had put travel bans on refugees and people from seven Muslim-majority countries. The court found that, although courts show deference to the President's policy, they do have the right to adjudicate constitutional challenges to executive actions.

Details of US President Donald Trump's first phone call with Vladimir Putin have been leaked to the media. Mr Trump is alleged to have told the Russian president that the New START nuclear arms reduction treaty, which the two countries signed in 2010, was a 'bad deal' for the United States. But he also had to reportedly pause the call and ask his advisers what the treaty was.

Private health insurance premiums have gone up again, with the price hike more than three times the rate of inflation. The Federal Government has approved the 4.8 per cent rise, saying it's the lowest in a decade. The Health Minister does, however, seem to be gearing up for a battle with state governments about whether they're contributing to the rising premiums. In the meantime, the Consumer Health Forum of Australia says that private health insurance customers should consider whether they are getting value for money. They're urging customers not to 'set and forget' their health insurance and to shop around for a better deal.

The Reserve Bank says Australia will once again avoid a recession. The bank has just released its quarterly statement on monetary policy. The RBA is forecasting economic growth of between 1.5 and 2.5 per cent for the current financial year. There's little hope in the bank's forecasts, though, for workers looking for a pay rise, with wages growth expected to remain subdued.

A Russian warplane has accidentally killed three Turkish soldiers and wounded 11 others in an operation against Islamic State in Northern Syria. Russian President Vladimir Putin has apologised and expressed his condolences for the misdirected strikes. The attack comes at a time when Turkish troops are attempting to take back the town of Al-Bab, north-east of Aleppo.

South Africa's Parliament has descended into chaos, with punches thrown as opposition MPs tried to disrupt the annual State of the Nation address by President Jacob Zuma. Mr Zuma twice got to his feet to speak, but was shouted down by a left-wing opposition group. The President has been dogged by allegations of corruption and cronyism and widely criticised for his handling of the economy.

We've heard about the potential for drones to be used as delivery vehicles for everything from letters to vaccines and medical supplies, but researchers from Japan are investigating whether drones can deliver pollen to flowers, mimicking the role of bees. It comes as bee colonies around the world are increasingly threatened by viruses and pesticides.

There is mounting pressure for the Q fever vaccine to be subsidised in New South Wales, amid concerns that hundreds of people could be exposed to the potentially-deadly disease. There were 220 people across the state who last year contracted the disease, which is spread from animals. Doctors and farmers say the State Government needs to take urgent action.