3 h. ago Fatberg the size of four buses likely birthed poo balls that closed Sydney beaches – and it can’t be cleared

Exclusive: Secret report suggests fats, oils and grease accumulate in ‘inaccessible dead zone’ at Malabar plant, then dislodge when pumping pressure ‘rapidly increases’Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA giant fatberg, potentially the size of four Sydney buses, within Sydney Water’s Malabar deepwater ocean sewer has been identified as the likely source of the debris balls that washed up on Sydney beaches a year ago.Sydney Water isn’t sure exactly how big the fatberg is because it can’t easily access where it has accumulated. Continue reading...

Politics

10 h. ago ‘Golden sands meld into the clear turquoise sea’: readers’ favourite beaches in Europe

Our readers bask in the memory of great beach discoveries, from Latvia to Sicily• Send us a tip on Scandinavia or Finland – the best wins a £200 holiday voucherForty miles east of Palermo, the magnificent Sicilian resort town of Cefalù juts out beneath dramatic cliffs. The town has a perfect half-moon beach of golden sands melding into the gorgeous clear turquoise sea. Medieval lanes of stones in a diamond pattern lead up to a lively square offering great Italian food. It’s fronted by a beautiful Norman cathedral with twin towers and Byzantine mosaics inside.David Innes-Wilkin Continue reading...

Politics

36 h. ago Beach town with 'best chance for sunshine' has 30C weather and £52 Manchester flights

Sharm El Sheikh offers sandy beaches, crystal-clear waters and stunning natural landscapes perfect for a winter sun escape

Society

7 d. ago The mediocre Ashes: England arrived as a rabble and Australia weren’t much better | Geoff Lemon

Australia were there for the taking but Brendon McCullum’s tourists were so poor and ill-prepared they never got closeAs far as endings go, it ended nicely. People streamed on to the Sydney Cricket Ground, wanting to get close to the trophy presentation and to have a canter on the turf. Nothing thrills an audience more than a chance to walk the stage. On a sun-kissed blue-heaven day, the match had finished early enough to leave plenty of afternoon to spare. Later Usman Khawaja soaked that up with his own crowd of family and friends, on his last day as a Test player.These endings are supposed to signal the close of something momentous. Another Ashes wrapped up, another chapter in the rivalry written. Still, once it was done, the whole thing felt like it had been more hole than doughnut. Continue reading...

Politics

8 d. ago Brendon McCullum insists he ‘won’t be told what to do’ after England’s heavy Ashes defeat

A five-wicket defeat in Sydney closed the book on a dreadful tour for England and head coach McCullum

Politics

8 d. ago Brendon McCullum open to ‘tweaks’ but keen to stand firm as Ashes fallout begins

A five-wicket defeat in Sydney closed the book on a dreadful tour that saw high hopes of bringing the urn back home dissolve into another heavy loss.

Politics

3 w. ago 'Europe's answer to Hawaii' is just 4 hours from UK with flights from £40

Often dubbed 'Europe's answer to Hawaii', this region boasts dramatic landscapes, volcanic black sand beaches and crystal-clear waters, making it perfect for a winter getaway

Economics

4 w. ago Winter sun destination with 25C weather and £1.75 pints is 5 hours from UK

If you're looking for some winter sun to soak up the rays on a golden sand beach engulfed with crystal-clear turquoise waters, there's an idyllic destination just five hours from the UK

Economics

4 w. ago Aussie fights to clear his name after being mistaken for alleged Bondi Beach gunman in photo

Another man is fighting to clear his name as false information over the identity of the alleged Bondi Beach shooters continues to circulate.

Culture

last month Jewish bakery in Sydney closes over safety fears after Bondi Beach terror attack: ‘It breaks our hearts’

Australian authorities are trying to push through gun reforms after gunmen killed 15 people

Events

last month Jewish Better Homes and Gardens star closes down his bakery in Sydney in the wake of the Bondi terror attack and posts heartbreaking note on the door

Better Homes and Gardens star Ed Halmagyi has announced the closure of his Jewish bakery in Sydney following the Bondi terror attack.

Events