Australia

The declaration, which gives the state and emergency services additional powers, was put into place last Thursday.

Mr Andrews said the extension was needed to manage what was likely to be a significant increase in bushfire activity over the next 48 hours.

The state of disaster covers East Gippsland, the Alpine region and the state's north-east.

Authorities are urging people to leave the Alpine region and all areas east of Bairnsdale, in East Gippsland, as the fire danger once again ramps up.

At least 24 people have died since the fires began in September. Air quality in the capital Canberra was this weekend rated the worst in the world.

Mr Morrison announced the creation of a recovery agency to help those who have lost homes and businesses in the fires.

He has faced fierce criticism over the speed of his response to the crisis.

The weekend saw some of the worst days of the crisis so far, with hundreds more properties destroyed. Rural towns and major cities saw red skies, falling ash and smoke that clogged the air.

New Zealand wilted in the Melbourne heat at the MCG, where Australia wrapped up a crushing 247-run win on day four of the second Test on Sunday.

Blundell rallied for the Black Caps, celebrating his second Test hundred in three matches with a resilient 121 runs, but he had no support from his team-mates after Nathan Lyon (4-81) and James Pattinson (3-35) starred.

Marnus Labuschagne (1-11) ended Blundell's unforgettable innings late in the evening as Australia only required nine wickets to skittle New Zealand for 240 – Trent Boult not batting due to a fractured finger.

The average temperature across the country was 40.9 degrees Celsius, breaking the mark of 40.3C set in January 2013, but it's a record unlikely to last for long.

Temperatures were well over 45C for much of the interior — the location record (50.7C at Oodnadatta) is still safe — but the wide spread of exceptional heat meant the national average record was broken.

The heat is expected to keep building over the next few days as the air mass moves across the country.

The current record of 50.7 degrees was set in January 1960 in the outback town of Oodnadatta in South Australia.

Temperatures have been high over the weekend in Western Australia.

Forecasters say the extreme heat is expected to affect the rest of the country in the coming week, with temperatures likely to exceed 40 degrees in many areas from Wednesday.

Australian firefighters are struggling with out of control bush fires as hot and dry weather continues.

Total fire bans are in place for parts of New South Wales with 100 bush fires currently burning.

Rugby Australia confirmed the trans-Tasman rivals will play at Marvel Stadium for the first time since 2010, while their female counterparts - the Black Ferns and Wallaroos - will also feature in the doubleheader.

"Our Wallaby and Wallaroo doubleheader events in Australia have been extremely popular with fans in Sydney in Perth," said chief executive Raelene Castle. "And we are looking forward to staging the first ever doubleheader in front of packed Marvel Stadium in Melbourne.

The two children, aged one and two, were found unresponsive by officers in Queensland on Saturday. It is unclear how long they had been inside the car.

The two girls showed evidence of being exposed to extreme heat, a police officer said.

Temperatures at the time they were discovered in the vehicle, in a town near Brisbane, were about 31C (88F).

Their mother, Kerri-Ann Conley, 27, is the first person to be charged with murder after Queensland state expanded the definition of murder to include "reckless indifference to human life".

Pakistan were bowled out for 335 in their second innings as Australia wrapped up victory inside four days in Brisbane.

Despite Babar Azam's brilliant century and a 95-run knock from Mohammad Rizwan, Australia were not to be denied – paceman Josh Hazlewood leading the way with figures of 4-63.

Pakistan resumed on 64-3 and faced a heavy defeat after man of the match Marnus Labuschagne and David Warner put Australia in a dominant position at 580, in reply to Pakistan's first-innings 240.

That'll do it!

Paramedics were called to a home on Logan Reserve Road in Waterford West about 1.35pm (4.35pm NZT) today, where they attempted to revive the two girls, aged one and two.

"Unfortunately, they were both declared deceased at the scene," Detective Inspector Mark White told reporters.

"The children exhibited evidence of being exposed to extreme heat."

Police arrived a short time later and a crime scene was declared around the vehicle, which was parked in the driveway at the front of the property.

Pell was granted leave to appeal the verdict in the High Court of Australia.

The ex-Vatican treasurer, 78, is currently serving a six-year jail term for abusing two boys in a Melbourne cathedral in the 1990s.

He lost his first challenge against his convictions in August and has consistently maintained his innocence.

Pell is the most high-ranking Catholic official in the world to be convicted of child sexual abuse.