World

New South Wales Deputy State Coroner Harriet Grahame has released findings from an inquest into the death of Gregory Merriman, a 58-year-old Yuin man and direct descendant of revered Yuin leader Umbarra, who died at the Metropolitan Reception and Remand Centre (MRRC) in Sydney in December 2022. In her findings handed down on Friday, Grahame stated that Merriman was found unresponsive in his cell 30 minutes after being exposed to CS spray (tear gas) deployed by prison officers to contain a fight in a common area of the facility.

In the dusty lanes of Damak, Nepal, an unprecedented political showdown is unfolding that could reshape the country's political landscape. The contest pits four-time former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli against 35-year-old rapper and current Kathmandu Mayor Balendra Shah, known as Balen. Balen emerged as a nationally popular and unifying figure following last year's Gen-Z protests, which were met with police brutality and live fire from the government, resulting in over 70 deaths.

New South Wales Deputy State Coroner Harriet Grahame has released findings into the 2022 death in custody of Gregory Merriman, a 58-year-old Yuin man, at the Metropolitan Reception and Remand Centre (MRRC) in Sydney. Grahame stated that Merriman was found unresponsive in his cell 30 minutes after being exposed to CS spray (tear gas) deployed by prison officers to contain a fight in a common area. The coroner noted that Merriman was not involved in the altercation and appeared on CCTV footage to have made verbal attempts to calm others.

Military investigators preliminarily believe that US forces were likely responsible for a strike on a girls' school in southern Iran's Minab city on Saturday, according to two US officials speaking anonymously on sensitive matters. The investigation has not reached a final conclusion, but the assessment points toward US involvement. Iran's UN ambassador in Geneva, Ali Bahreini, claimed the attack killed 150 students, though Reuters could not independently verify the death toll.

The Icelandic government has announced that a referendum on resuming accession talks with the European Union (EU) will be held on August 29, according to the foreign ministry in Reykjavik. The vote is scheduled somewhat earlier than previously planned, with the decision passing the Cabinet on Friday. The proposal, put forth by Prime Minister Kristrun Frostadottir's center-left coalition government, must be approved by Iceland's parliament, the Althingi, early next week before the referendum can proceed.

Tensions between Hungary and Ukraine have intensified after Budapest impounded two Ukrainian armored bank vehicles carrying millions of euros in hard cash and gold bars. Seven Ukrainian citizens accompanying the convoy were also arrested. Hungarian officials claimed the detained individuals had intelligence links and suggested the money could be of dubious origin, while Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha accused Budapest of "taking hostages and stealing money."

Australia’s antisemitism envoy, Jillian Segal, hand-picked Greg Craven to lead a controversial university report card process after receiving no response from five firms approached during an open tender. Documents released under freedom of information laws showed Segal’s office initially approached three independent consulting firms and two law firms to potentially conduct an assessment of Australian universities and how well they were dealing with antisemitism on campus, but all of them declined to bid on the tender.

Former US President Donald Trump issued a stark ultimatum regarding the joint US-Israeli offensive against Iran, declaring that only "unconditional surrender" by the Iranian government would end the conflict. Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform: "There will be no deal with Iran except UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER." This statement came as US strategic bombers were active over Iran and intensive Israeli strikes in Lebanon forced over a million people to flee their homes, highlighting the severe humanitarian toll of the escalating war.

Conservative peer Peter Gummer, known as Lord Chadlington, has announced his departure from the House of Lords after an investigation by standards commissioner Martin Jelley found he committed five breaches of conduct related to COVID-19 personal protective equipment (PPE) deals and failed to cooperate with prior inquiries. The findings highlight ongoing scrutiny of government procurement practices during the pandemic.

Australian radio host Jackie Henderson has broken her silence regarding her departure from the 'Kyle and Jackie O Show', stating she is 'deeply saddened by the events of the past week and the possibility of the show ending'. She emphasized that this development came as a shock to her and others involved.

Christopher Harborne, a Thailand-based cryptocurrency investor and major political donor, has told The Guardian he is "no longer" interested in a pact between Reform UK and the Conservative party ahead of the next general election, following his £12m donation to Reform. In an emailed statement, Harborne clarified: "In the past this was possibly the case, but it is no longer the case." This marks a significant shift from earlier discussions where sources indicated Harborne had urged Nigel Farage to remain open to such a collaboration.

The operation carried out by former US President Donald Trump's administration in Venezuela – ousting leader Nicolás Maduro through special forces and installing US-loyal Delcy Rodríguez in his place – is now being considered as a potential model for Iran. Trump has allegedly expressed his desire to be involved in selecting Iran's next leader in recent interviews, a move that experts assess as highly impractical and difficult to implement.