Morning Mail: air strikes in Iraq, March in August, Putin calls for 'statehood' in south-eastern Ukraine

An RAAF Globemaster recently used in the MH17 investigation. Photograph: DAVE HUNT/AAPIMAGE

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Iraq

Australian planes will help deliver weapons to Kurdish fighters in northern Iraq and participate in more humanitarian air drops, as the Australian Defence Force says arming Kurds is less risky than doing nothing.

The US military has conducted airstrikes against Islamic State targets, and dropped aid to the Iraqi city of Amirli.

In the US, both Republicans and Democrats say president Obama needs to take a tougher approach to tackling Islamic State militants, while John Kerry has called for “a world coalition” to defeat “genocidal” Isis militant group.

Ukraine

Vladimir Putin did not mean eastern Ukraine should gain independence, but that dialogue between Kiev and the separatists should begin, says a spokesman. Photograph: Guim

Vladimir Putin calls on Kiev to enter ‘statehood’ talks for south-east Ukraine, but a spokesman says didn’t mean eastern Ukraine should gain independence. 

European Union leaders have given Russia a week to back down in Ukraine or face a new round of sanctions, as Kiev warns it is on the brink of full-scale war. 

Retired US general and former Nato commander Wesley Clark writes, we need to tell the truth about what Russia is doing in Ukraine.

Australian news and politics

Demonstrators at the anti-government rally in Sydney on Sunday. Photograph: Guim

• March in August: Thousands of protesters have taken to the streets for the latest wave of protests against the federal government.

• George Brandis says Australia stays on ‘medium’ Despite the UK going to ‘severe’ terrorism alert level, George Brandis says Australia’s alert will only be raised from ‘medium’ if it is ‘deemed that a terrorist attack is likely to occur’.

• Keeping 157 Tamil asylum seekers at sea for a month then attempting to send them to India cost the government $12m, a cost analysis has found.

• Indigenous leaders have reacted angrily to Tony Abbott’s assertion that white settlement was the defining moment in Australian history.

• Muslim leaders say the 30 minutes they had to look at anti-terrorism legislation proposals at meeting with George Brandis did nothing to allay civil liberties concerns.

• Pussy Riot members at the Festival of Dangerous Ideas say Australian asylum detention centres are ‘similar to what is happening in Russia’.

Around the world

• 40 Filipino UN peacekeepers have escaped Syrian rebels in the Golan Heights after a seven-hour gun battle. 44 Fijian troops are still being held hostage by al-Qaida-linked insurgents.

• Pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong intensify after China says free leadership poll would lead to ‘chaotic society’.

• Israel estimates the cost of the Gaza conflict at $2.7bn.

• Iceland raises volcano warning to highest level over risk from ash to aviation after latest eruption in Bardarbunga volcano system.

More from around the internet

Joan Rivers in 2010. Photograph: Guim

• Among the most viewed on the Guardian this morning: 81-year-old comedian Joan Rivers remains in hospital three days after going into cardiac arrest.

• Clive Palmer is in battle with a disability pensioner over the right to use the name of his Palmersaurus dinosaur park, The Courier-Mail reports.

• Cigarette taxes will jump by a hefty 13.7 per cent on Monday, bringing the price of cigarettes for casual smokers close to $1 a stick, The Age reports.

• Welfare recipients are spending money quarantined for essentials on banned items and bartering groceries for cash and alcohol, ABC reports.

• The Newman Government has denied breaching one of its own rules relating to how it handles asset sales, The Courier-Mail reports.

One last thing

Emoji: growing in complexity all the time. Photograph: Guim

Has emoji become the first truly global language?

Have an excellent day – and if you spot anything I’ve missed, let me know in the comments here or on Twitter @earleyedition.

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