'Catastrophic' conditions as bushfires rage in Australia December 20, 2019 at 08:19PM

Australia's eastern coast has been hit by a record-breaking heatwave, which has moved in from the west of the country, exacerbating hundreds of devastating fires in its path. Sydney was shrouded in toxic smoke as blazes flared to its north, south and west, some just 130 kilometres (80 miles) from Australia's largest city.