Nine of Sydney’s northern beaches have been closed after “marble-sized” debris washed ashore. Manly, Dee Why and North Narrabeen are among the spots off limits to beachgoers until further notice.
The Northern Beaches mayor, Sue Heins, said the balls “could be anything”, and that was making the coastal mystery “even more concerning”.
“There’s something that’s obviously leaking or dropping or whatever and floating out there and being tossed around. But who’s actually dropped it or lost it or leaked it is something none of us know,” she said.
It comes after mystery balls consistent with human-generated waste – or “likely lumps of fatberg”, according to experts – shut down Bondi, Bronte, Coogee and Tamarama last October.
Top news
Sydney festival refunds tickets after walkouts over pre-recorded pro-Palestinian message
Qantas South Africa flights delayed by falling debris from SpaceX rockets, airline says
ABC names Hamish Macdonald as new Sydney Mornings radio host after dumping Sarah Macdonald
Chinese officials reportedly discuss sale of TikTok in US to Elon Musk
MI5 files suggest queen was not briefed on spy in royal household for nine years
In pictures
Firefighters work to clear a firebreak as the Palisades fire, one of several blazes that have ripped across Los Angeles, burns in Mandeville Canyon. The fires have become the most expensive in US history, leaving at least 24 people dead.
What they said …
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“Our song YMCA is a global anthem that hopefully helps bring the country together.”
Village People’s lead singer, Victor Willis, has announced that the band are set to “participate in inaugural activities” for Donald Trump. The country singer Carrie Underwood is also performing at the US president-elect’s inauguration.
In numbers
Tennis Australia appears to have walked away from its non-fungible token (NFT), as the artworks, sold as part of the Australian Open’s Artball and once worth about $278 in 2022, plunge up to 90% in value.
Before bed read
Peter Dutton has recognised voters’ anxiety and pessimism, and his “greatest hits” just might get him elected. But he’s not immune to the bad democracy trap, writes Rebecca Huntley, and his solutions may intensify it.
Daily word game
Today’s starter word is: CREM. You have five goes to get the longest word including the starter word. Play Wordiply.
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