Listen to Australian and world news, and follow trending topics with SBS News Podcasts.
TRANSCRIPT
Welcome to SBS News in Easy English. I'm Biwa Kwan.
The Grand Mufti of Australia has called for a transparent investigation into the conduct of New South Wales' Police officers at a rally in Sydney protesting the Israeli president's visit.
Video footage of Monday's rally shows officers physically moving two Muslim men who were kneeling in prayer outside Town Hall.
The men were reportedly undertaking a five-minute prayer that cannot be delayed or disrupted under Islamic practice.
Thousands attended the protest and charges laid against nine of the 27 people who were arrested.
Speaking to SBS Arabic, the Grand Mufti of Australia, Dr Ibrahim Abu Mohammed, described the events as an "ethical scandal".
"We are calling for a transparent investigation to prevent any violations. No one is above the law, and everyone is equal before it. The police are our police, and the young people are our own. We do not want confrontation between them. To achieve this, the boundaries of lawful conduct must be clear."
New South Wales Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon says he has apologised to senior members of the Muslim community for any offence caused and has committed to an investigation of all officers that will include a review of body-camera footage.
He earlier defended the police officers who said were attempting to prevent a breach of a police containment line.
---
In the United States, senior officials from immigration enforcement agencies have defended the tactics and actions of officers before a committee of Congress.
The commissioner of U-S Customs and Border Protection, Rodney Scott, was one of three officials to testify before a hearing in Washington, convened after the death of two civilians at the hands of federal officers.
He says the agencies remain committed to President Donald Trump's immigration policies, including mass deportation.
"We are only getting started. ICE remains committed to the fundamental principles that those who illegally enter our country must be held accountable. The president tasked us with mass deportation and we are fulfilling that mandate. Thanks to the resources provided by this Congress, we are ramping up detention facilities and removal flights daily. In the last year alone, we conducted over 475,000 removals."
---
Rental affordability in Australia has worsened at a rapid pace, with new data showing rents have increased more than two-and-a-half times faster than wages over the past five years.
The figures - from property data analysis company Cotality - finds tenants are now paying on an average a third of their pre-tax income on rent - a level which the firm says is the highest on record.
The data shows national rents climbed 43.9 per cent in the five years to September 2025, compared with wage growth of 17.5 per cent over the same period.
---
Australia's largest bank, the Commonwealth Bank, has reported a $5.4 billion profit in its half-year results.
The figure represents a five per cent increase compared to the same six-month period a year earlier.
Chief executive Matt Comyn says the bank is forecasting more interest rate rises this year, but he says there are reasons to be optimistic about the outlook for the Australian economy.
"The Australian economy has proven more resilient than many expected. Growth has picked up, households are spending again; and investment particularly in AI and energy is increasing; even in a volatile global environment. At the same time, strong demand and a tight labour market mean inflation pressure has returned. So supporting the financial resilience of households really matters."
