Updated July 27, 2026 — 11:37am,first published July 27, 2026 — 9:44am11.37amTributes flow for two men killed in Karratha crashBy Hannah MurphyAfter a spate of fatal crashes on WA roads this weekend, friends and family of two men killed in a horrific crash in Karratha say they’re grieving the “heartbreaking news”.Julius Ferrer and Ramil Yabut were involved in a crash near the Pilbara town in the early hours of Saturday morning.Julius Ferrer and Ramil Yabut.Facebook/Kc CruzA white Suzuki Vitara station wagon and blue Holden Commodore station wagon were travelling in opposite directions on the North West Coastal Highway when they crashed head-on near the De Witt Road intersection.The Vitara caught fire and the driver and passenger died at the scene.11.01amWoodside’s Browse plans given Significant Project status under new WA lawsBy Woodside’s plans to develop the nation’s biggest untapped gas resources off WA’s north-west coast has been given “State Significant Project” status under controversial new laws rushed through the state’s parliament at the end of last year.The status is the highest level of prioritisation under the WA government’s framework set up to guide proponents through an expedited approvals process.A statement from the oil and gas giant said the designation “reflects the proposed Browse to North West Shelf Project’s strategic importance to Western Australia while providing a framework for enhanced whole-of-government facilitation and support”.The statement pointed to economic modelling claiming the project could deliver a national “long-term uplift” of $141 billion in GDP, and about $56 billion in taxes and royalties, including $19.8 billion in petroleum resource rent tax.“By processing gas at the existing Karratha Gas Plant, the project would also help secure the ongoing operating future of this important infrastructure and sustain the highly skilled Pilbara workforce that has been built over four decades of reliable operations,” the statement read.The Browse project is currently being considered by the federal environment minister, while the submissions period for a separate proposal for a carbon capture and storage system as part of the broader Browse plans closed on Friday.9.44amPolice lash drink, drug-drivers after horror weekend on WA roadsBy WA Police are lamenting the continued flouting of road safety laws after dozens of drivers were caught with drugs or alcohol in their system in a synchronised operation targeting Perth’s entertainment precincts at the weekend.The operation on Saturday night came as the state reeled from six road deaths in the space of 24 hours.Commander Mike Peters of the Road Policing CommandCommander Mike Peters, from the Road Policing Command, said on Sunday it was “disturbing” to see so many people caught driving while drunk or under the influence of alcohol in a targeted “lockdown” in Joondalup and in a motorbike team operation in Northbridge.“There seems to be a small proportion of West Australians that still don’t think they’re going to get caught, and they still don’t think it happens to them,” he said.9.44amAcross Australia and around the worldBy Here’s what’s making headlines elsewhere today:World record holder Cam McEvoy blitzed his rivals with a scintillating start and showed why he is swimming’s greatest sprinter, but declared he can’t rest on his laurels if he wants to defend his 50m freestyle crown at the 2028 LA Olympics.Three years after stepping down as the airline’s chief executive, Alan Joyce has expressed regrets about its management during COVID – with some caveats.The suspect in the deadly Berlin Pride attack that left one person dead and 29 injured was shot and killed by police during a confrontation in a suburb of the city, authorities said.Australians have experienced the heat Europeans are starting to discover. Sadly, the lesson is that the best way to survive the heat is to stay well out of it.The Duchess of Sussex makes her much-hyped appearance on MasterChef and shares her not-so-famous cooking expertise with the giddy amateur cooks.9.44amToday’s weatherBy Perth had a showery start to Sunday, but it’s not going to be enough to stop this July as going down as one of our driest.Clear conditions this week until a couple of showers return on Friday afternoon.9.44amWelcome to our live news blogBy Good morning readers, and welcome to our live news blog for Monday, July 27.Making headlines today is the revelation that Perth will host two of the next three AFL State of Origin games, with WA Premier Roger Cook to join the league’s chief executive Andrew Dillon for the announcement at Optus Stadium this morning. Max Gawn (right) and his former Melbourne teammate Luke Jackson, now with Fremantle, after the Origin game earlier this year.AFL Photos via Getty ImagesThe next clash – between WA and South Australia – will be held in late February 2027, before WA and Victoria meet again in February 2029.AFL chief executive Dillon has made the re-introduction of state of origin one of his fixturing priorities, the league having abandoned the State of Origin concept (last played in 2008 for the 150th anniversary of Australian football) that the league created in 1977.1 of 1