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Australia's Consumer Price Index rose 4 per cent in the year to August, with housing identified as the largest contributor. Qatar reported continued mediation efforts between the United States and Iran amid fears of regional escalation. Australia also announced new grants to address online technology abuse, particularly violence against women and the spread of manosphere content. Separately, Saudi King Mohammed appointed Fatima Zahra El Mansouri as the kingdom's first female prime minister and urban planning minister.
The latest figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show the Consumer Price Index rose 4 per cent in the 12 months to August, up from 3.5 per cent in the 12 months to July.
In the month of August, the CPI rose 0.7 per cent in seasonally adjusted terms. ABS head of price statistics, Rachael McCririck, says housing is the largest contributor to annual inflation in August, rising by 5.7 per cent. Qatar says mediation efforts between the United States and Iran are continuing, with messages exchanged between the two sides.
Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman, Majed al-Ansari, says there's concern about a possible escalation in the conflict and Qatar is actively trying to make sure that doesn't happen.
"So the question here is how long the international economy can withstand this. I don't think anyone has a number or a timeline in that regard, but every day that this war continues, every day that instability continues in our region, it makes it more difficult for the international economy.
" Communications Minister Annika Wells says a new round of grants to target tech abuse online are designed to address violence against women and the impact of the manosphere. Minister Wells says harm from the online world is quickly spreading into real life.
"Every Australian should feel safe when they are using their phone, a tablet or a computer but we know that's not the case for everybody and overwhelmingly it is women and girls that are targeted online. More than two-thirds of complaints to the e-Safety Commissioner about cyber-based abuse or image-based abuse are from women and girls and at the same time boys and young men are being fed content that pushes them towards the manosphere with lightning speed.
This needs to change.
"King Mohammed named Urban Planning Minister Fatima Zahra El Mansouri the Muslim kingdom's first female PM. El Mansouri’s centrist Authenticity and Modernity Party was the highest vote-getter in recent elections and is now tasked with forming a new coalition government. El Mansouri is only the second woman to serve as prime minister in the Arab world after Najla Bouden in Tunisia.
Goals by Alessandro Circati and Connor Metcalfe gave Australia the lead in the first half but the quality of Brazil showed as the game wore on. Australia led 2-1 at half time before the visitors scored three goals, including two late in the game, to take the win. Inquiry launched into suspected bomb plot against US linked UK air base | SBS News in Easy English 29 September 2026Sign up now for daily news from Australia and around the world.
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