'Mysterious black balls' close Sydney beaches / Photo: Saeed KHAN - AFP
-
Leftist voices seek to be heard at Rio's G20 summit
-
Wales coach Jenkins urges players to 'get back on the horse'
-
Zverev reaches ATP Finals last four, Alcaraz out
-
Boeing strike will hurt Ethiopian Airlines growth: CEO
-
Springboks skipper Kolisi wary of England's 'gifted' Smith
-
End of a love affair: news media quit X over 'disinformation'
-
US finalizes up to $6.6 bn funding for chip giant TSMC
-
Scholz urges Ukraine talks in first call with Putin since 2022
-
Zverev reaches ATP Finals last four, Alcaraz on brink of exit
-
Lebanon rescuer picks up 'pieces' of father after Israel strike
-
US retail sales lose steam in October after hurricanes
-
Zverev reaches ATP Finals last four with set win against Alcaraz
-
Kerevi back for Australia against Wales, Suaalii on bench
-
Spate of child poisoning deaths sparks S.Africa xenophobia
-
Comedian Conan O'Brien to host Oscars
-
Rozner overtakes McIlroy and Hatton for Dubai lead
-
Mourners bid farewell to medic killed in east Ukraine
-
Gore says 'absurd' to hold UN climate talks in petrostates
-
Hamas says 'ready for ceasefire' as Israel presses Gaza campaign
-
Amorim says Man Utd is 'where I'm supposed to be'
-
Japan hammer Indonesia to edge closer to World Cup spot
-
Jeff Beck guitar collection to go under the hammer in January
-
Veteran Ranieri has 'no time for mistakes' on Roma return
-
Van Nistelrooy says he will 'cherish' Man Utd memories in farewell message
-
IAEA chief tours sensitive Iran nuclear plants
-
Pompeii rejects 'mass tourism' with daily visitor limit
-
Jailed Russian poet could be 'killed' in prison, warns wife
-
French court orders release of Lebanese militant held since 1984
-
Global stocks struggle after Fed signals slower rate cuts
-
UK economy slows, hitting government growth plans
-
Primary schools empty as smog persists in Indian capital
-
Palestinians turn to local soda in boycott of Israel-linked goods
-
Typhoon Man-yi bears down on Philippines still reeling from Usagi
-
UK growth slows in third quarter, dealing blow to Labour government
-
Chris Wood hits quickfire double in NZ World Cup qualifying romp
-
Markets struggle at end of tough week
-
China tests building Moon base with lunar soil bricks
-
Film's 'search for Palestine' takes centre stage at Cairo festival
-
Oil execs work COP29 as NGOs slam lobbyist presence
-
Gore says climate progress 'won't slow much' because of Trump
-
'Megaquake' warning hits Japan's growth
-
Stiff business: Berlin startup will freeze your corpse for monthly fee
-
Wars, looming Trump reign set to dominate G20 summit
-
Xi, Biden attend Asia-Pacific summit, prepare to meet
-
Kyrgios to make competitive return at Brisbane next month after injuries
-
Dominican Juan Luis Guerra triumphs at 25th annual Latin Grammys
-
Landslide win for Sri Lanka president's leftist coalition in snap polls
-
Australian World Cup penalty hero Vine takes mental health break
-
As Philippines picks up from Usagi, a fresh storm bears down
-
Tropical Storm Sara pounds Honduras with heavy rain
NYSE - LSE
| RYCEF | 0.44% | 6.82 | $ | |
| BCC | -0.31% | 139.915 | $ | |
| NGG | 0.26% | 62.53 | $ | |
| SCS | 0.23% | 13.3 | $ | |
| CMSC | 0.2% | 24.6 | $ | |
| RELX | -3.18% | 44.535 | $ | |
| RIO | 0.62% | 60.81 | $ | |
| BTI | 2.33% | 36.335 | $ | |
| RBGPF | 2.67% | 61.84 | $ | |
| GSK | -2.27% | 33.245 | $ | |
| BCE | -0.94% | 26.59 | $ | |
| JRI | -0.37% | 13.028 | $ | |
| VOD | 0.74% | 8.745 | $ | |
| CMSD | 0.09% | 24.38 | $ | |
| BP | -0.55% | 28.89 | $ | |
| AZN | -2.3% | 63.58 | $ |
'Mysterious black balls' close Sydney beaches
Hundreds of mysterious black tar-like balls have washed up on two popular Sydney beaches, prompting lifeguards to close the strands to swimmers.
"Mysterious, black, ball-shaped debris" began appearing on Coogee Beach on Tuesday afternoon the local mayor said, leaving flummoxed Australian authorities scrambling to find out what they might be, and where they may have come from.
Hundreds of golf-to-cricket-ball-sized spheres could be seen littering the coast, which is usually thronged with Sydneysiders and tourists.
Instead, a few seagulls wandered among the spheres, pecking and examining.
The balls were also spotted at nearby Gordon's Bay, an aquatic reserve popular for snorkelling and fishing, which was also closed.
"At this stage, it is unknown what the material is," Mayor Dylan Parker said in a social media post.
"However, they may be 'tar balls' which are formed when oil comes in to contact with debris and water, typically the result of oil spills or seepage."
O.Gutierrez--AT
