Author: Press Room

A 12-year-old boy from Tom Price is embarking on a business venture around town to keep bins sparkly and new. 

DEALING WITH A CHANGED AMERICA From a wider perspective, Asian countries have options if the US decides to upend its economic and security role in the region. One, it has been suggested that countries in the US-led Indo-Pacific Economic Framework go it alone without the US, which is likely to ditch the deal. Second, regional countries will have to work with middle powers, such as Quad members Australia, India and Japan. In January, for example, Japan and Indonesia boosted bilateral cooperation in defence, energy and food security. Third, some countries eyeing China – say, the Philippines and Vietnam in the…

Its soldiers are underpaid and underarmed. Its ranks are riddled with factions pursuing their own interests. And successive presidents are said to have kept it weak for fear of a coup.The Democratic Republic of Congo’s army has appeared too weak and dysfunctional to stop a militia that has swept through the eastern part of the country in recent weeks. The militia, called M23, has seized two major cities, two strategic airports and large stretches of Congolese territory.Félix Tshisekedi, the president, tried to prepare for this moment, strengthening his military to squash the thousands of fighters roaming in the east. But…

Declaring that “we are at a crossroads in history,” Prime Minister Keir Starmer of Britain said on Sunday that European countries would ramp up their military spending and assemble a “coalition of the willing” to defend any peace declared in Ukraine.Speaking at a news conference after hosting a meeting of 18 European leaders, including President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, Mr. Starmer said that “a number” of other nations had indicated that they could join with Britain and France and deploy troops to Ukraine in the event of a cease-fire between Kyiv and Moscow. He did not name those countries.Mr. Starmer…

Rather than boycott President Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress, some Democratic lawmakers are inviting former federal workers to the speech on Tuesday as a way to protest the mass firings and funding cuts that have defined Mr. Trump’s first month back in office.Federal workers’ treatment by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency has energized constituents across the country in recent weeks, with many overloading lawmakers’ phone lines and showing up at town halls to voice their displeasure.“What the Democrats are showing with our guests is that it’s the American people who are being hurt by the actions…

A woman has been charged over the fatal hit-and-run of a Mandurah father after she was arrested at a home on the same street he was allegedly left for dead.

Assoc Prof Alfred Wu from the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (LKYSPP), highlighted that similar targets set across provinces reflect a top-down approach. “Everyone just tries to keep it between 4.5 to 5 per cent,” he said. “All local leaders now know the taste of central government, so they will not actually take any risk,” he added, noting that the “deviation is much smaller” in statistical terms. Meanwhile, China’s highly centralised system enables it to achieve around 5 per cent GDP growth “if there is political will to do so”, said Dr Lim Tai Wei, a professor at Japan’s…

More than 50 workers submerged under snow and debris after an avalanche hit a construction camp in Uttarakhand state.Rescuers recovered the eighth and final body from the site of an avalanche in a remote area of northern India, the army has said, marking the end of a marathon operation in subzero temperatures. More than 50 workers were submerged under snow and debris after the avalanche hit a construction camp on Friday near Mana village on the border with Tibet in the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand. Authorities had revised down the number of workers on site at the time of the…

President Donald Trump’s seventh week in office will spotlight his first joint session of Congress address since his return to the Oval Office in January. Trump is scheduled to speak before all members of Congress on Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET. The speech is not officially called the State of the Union, as Trump has not been in office for a full year, though it operates in a similar fashion. The yearly presidential address is intended to showcase the administration’s achievements and policies. Trump and his administration have been working at a breakneck pace to realign the federal government with the president’s Make…

A multi-agency operation in Dallas resulted in the arrest of eight alleged gang members in possession of guns, drugs, money and a reptilian accomplice. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) led the investigation resulting in the execution of “Operation Blue Laces” in South Dallas on Monday.Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad Meacham said the operation resulted in the arrest of eight members of the 42 Oakland Crips street gang.During the operation, agents reportedly seized 14 firearms, over a kilogram of methamphetamine pills, oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine, alprazolam, marijuana, hash and over $47,000 in cash. Investigators…