Blog

Hundreds of black balls mysteriously appeared along the shore of Sydney beaches. Photo: Supplied / Randwick City Council Facebook Sydney beaches that were closed earlier this week when thousands of black balls washed ashore are set to reopen this weekend, with NSW Maritime deeming it safe to do so. On Tuesday, hundreds of tar balls - which occur when oil combines debris, water and other pollutants - washed along Sydney's coastline, first appearing at Coogee Beach. These tar balls have since been confirmed as a mixture of chemicals consistent with those found in cleaning and cosmetic products as well as fuel oil. Those hundreds of tar balls eventually became thousands, as more washed along over the week, appearing at other beaches including Bondi, Bronte, Tamarama, Little Bay and Maroubr...

By Lucia Stein and Rebecca Armitage, ABC News Then Prince and Princess of Wales visit Auckland in 1983. Photo: Getty Images A 21-year-old on one of her first official tours abroad, Princess Diana landed in Alice Springs with one task: Shore up Australia's fealty to the crown. The newly minted Princess of Wales barely had time to adjust to married life before she became a mother - not to mention, the most famous woman in the world. And in 1983, the monarchy decided to use her youthful glamour to its advantage, sending her to Australia, where resentment still simmered over the dismissal of Gough Whitlam, and voters had recently elected an avowed republican as prime minister. Diana arrived in the Northern Territory in March that year with Prince Charles and their nine-month-old son, Pri...

By Eliana Raszewski for Reuters British singer Liam Payne performs at the HUGO label show in a hall in the Wriezener Karree. Photo: JENS KALAENE / dpa Picture-Alliance via AFP Warning: This story contains references to mental health issues and substance abuse One Direction pop star Liam Payne died of multiple traumas and internal bleeding after plunging from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, prosecutors said on Thursday, adding an initial search suggested the fall came after substance abuse. Payne, 31, who shot to global fame with the boy band, was found dead after he fell from a third-floor hotel room balcony in Buenos Aires on Wednesday, triggering an outpouring of fan tributes. In the first official details of the autopsy, the prosecutors office said coroners had found 25 injuries ...

By Clare Duffy of CNN Meta owns Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp among other services. Photo: Victor Okhrimets / 123RF Meta fired around two dozen employees from its Los Angeles office for misusing company meal credits for things like laundry detergent, wine glasses and acne treatment pads, a source familiar with the company confirmed to CNN. Many of the social media giant's corporate offices feature elaborate food services to provide employees with meals as a perk. Meta's two-year-old office near New York City's Penn Station, for example, features a cafeteria that feels like an upscale food court, with various stalls all free for staff. But for employees at smaller offices without food services, the company provides meal vouchers - $20 for breakfast and $25 each for lunch and dinner - ...

By Danielle Broadway, Reuters (From left) Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne and Harry Styles attend the New York premiere of "One Direction: This Is Us" at the Ziegfeld Theater on August 26, 2013 in New York City. Photo: Larry Busacca/Getty Images/AFP Liam Payne's One Direction bandmates say they are "completely devastated" by the news of his death. Payne, who shot to global fame with boy band One Direction, died at the age of 31 after falling from a third-floor hotel room balcony in Buenos Aires, triggering an outpouring of tributes from fans around the world. In a joint statement signed by singers Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik and Niall Horan, they said: "In time, and when everyone is able to, there will be more to say. But for now, we will take some ...