Australia is bracing itself ahead of predicted 'catastrophic' bushfires

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A vast area of Australia's east coast - including Sydney - is bracing itself for one of the nation's worst ever bushfire threats; some schools and universities in Hong Kong remain closed on Tuesday over safety fears as protesters called for a day of traffic disruptions; and Evo Morales has accepted an offer of political asylum in Mexico a day after resigning as president of Bolivia amid election fraud protests.