Local stories, community first — Perth and beyond.
Perth's popular beaches are closed due to shark sightings after a whale carcass washed up at City Beach. Swimmers and surfers are taking a break, with some calling for more shark tagging and AI-powered drones to enhance safety.
US President Donald Trump's recent observation that American ventures into Iraq have been a "very expensive excursion into hell" may ring true for many, given the ongoing struggles in the region. The US military's withdrawal from Iraq has left a vacuum in the fragile state, which is already embroiled in the Iranian war.
The Western Australian government is exploring the possibility of converting a COVID-era quarantine centre into a prison to address the state's overcrowding crisis. Architects have been engaged to investigate the feasibility of repurposing the 500-bed facility in Bullsbrook.
The Town of Claremont has unanimously voted to explore council mergers, a move that could see the western suburbs council combine with neighbouring councils. The decision is a step closer to realising the state government's goal of encouraging local council mergers.
A 30-year-old Perth man has been charged with reckless driving after a video surfaced of a toddler steering a car while sitting on his lap. The video, which was allegedly posted to social media, shows the child in control of the vehicle as it drives through a residential area.
A notorious alleged drug kingpin, nicknamed 'The Kid', has been detained in Colombia and is awaiting extradition to Western Australia. Arash Ebrahimi Far, an Australian-Iranian national, had been hiding in Colombia since December 2018.
Renewed calls are being made for the construction of a heavy haulage bypass in Pinjarra, as the town struggles with the daily passage of hundreds of trucks through its main street. The project, first proposed in the 1990s, has stalled despite millions of dollars in funding being allocated.
Businesses in Western Australia's north are worried that recent changes to the Working Holiday Maker visa program will deter backpackers from choosing to work in remote regions where they are most needed. The changes, which include a ballot system and capped third-year extensions, may make it less attractive for backpackers to come to remote Australia.
The Western Australian government will pay up to $4 million to help a major brickmaker reopen a facility in the state, aiming to ease a brick shortage that's affecting the construction industry. The move is expected to increase production by up to 15 per cent.
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