Morning Mail: Palmer on Chinese 'mongrels'; Assange to leave embassy

Federal MP Clive Palmer has made a series of colourful accusations against China. Photographer: Ron D’Raine/Bloomberg via Getty Images Photograph: Getty Images

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Police tackle a man who was walking down the street in front of McDonald’s on Monday in Ferguson. Police are making protesters keep moving or they are subject to arrest. (AP Photo/St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Laurie Skrivan)

Ferguson

We have live reports from Ferguson, Missouri this morning, where the governor has called in national guard troops after the most intense violence since the shooting of unarmed teenager Michael Brown.

Brown’s family says the autopsy shows the 18-year-old was trying to surrender, and was shot “at least” six times and was ultimately killed by a bullet to the head.

President Barack Obama has been briefed amid pressure for an urgent federal response, and is due to speak on the crisis this morning. Follow the live blog as it happens.

Reporters Rory Carroll and Jon Swaine write how Missouri’s days of unrest have exposed the stark reality of a segregated society, and the divisions at the heart of America’s cities.

Writing for Comment is free, Gary Younge says nobody in their right mind wants more violent protests, but in Ferguson the violence of the state created the violence of the street.

Finally, Hands up: the message from Ferguson - in pictures.

Clive Palmer launches into a tirade on China on Q&A. Photograph: ABC

Australian news and politics

• Clive Palmer launched an angry tirade against Australia’s biggest trading partner on the ABC’s Q&A program last night, describing the Chinese government as “mongrels” who shoot their own people.

• Asked on radio about the damage done to the NSW Liberal party by the Icac revelations, Tony Abbott says the ‘problem’ was Labor banning developer donations in the first place.

• The church’s response to abuse victims has been described as ‘a betrayal’ at the royal commission hearing on Monday, while David Marr writes from the hearings that it’s a telling detail: the abused don’t swear on the Bible.

• Clive Palmer has announced plans to host an unofficial “world climate change convention” at his Sunshine Coast resort the day after the G20 summit ends in Brisbane, but won’t reveal who would attend.

• It’s been revealed government scientists who ‘warned against’ dumping millions of tonnes of dredged sediment in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park were overruled.

• After it emerged yesterday that Tony Abbott is backing the closure of the renewable energy target for all new entrants, despite the impact it would have on the solar industry, plans for one of Australia’s largest solar power stations have been scrapped, citing uncertainty over the future of the RET.

• In Grogonomics, Greg Jericho says Joe Hockey’s fuel gaffe may see him excised from big policy debates, because “his seeming cluelessness regarding progressive taxation suggests little hope of his being able to handle any much bigger policy issues”.

• Writing for Guardian Australia, former prime minister Malcolm Fraser says Australians fighting overseas should be stripped of their citizenship, and could face treachery charges using a little known part of the Crimes Act.

Kurdish peshmerga special forces fire rockets at Islamic State positions near Mosul Dam on Monday. Photograph: John Beck/Demotix/Corbis

Iraq

In Iraq, a security spokesman say the crucial Mosul dam has been retaken from Isis jihadists, but fighting continues nearby. Follow our live blog for the latest developments.

There were more US air strikes to help the Kurds retake Mosul dam, but Iraqis are angry at perceptions the US is defending the Kurdish city of Irbil, but leaving Baghdad to its own fate as Isis closes in.

The US State Department has sanctioned senior Isis members, banning them from financial dealings in or with the United States.

An analyst whose Syrian home has seen some of its bloodiest excesses, explains the dramatic surge of Isis: “a portrait of the menace that is sweeping my homeland”.

Follow our live blog for all the latest updates from Iraq as they happen.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange at the press conference at the Ecuadorian embassy in London on Monday. Photograph: Xinhua/Landov/Barcroft Media

Around the world

• Julian Assange has announced he will leave the Ecuadorian embassy ‘soon’, but dismisses reports it is to give himself up to authorities.

•Gaza truce is set to end, but the Israeli delegation still pushing for demilitarisation of strip and hoping for an extension to the truce with Hamas.

• It’s been found an Indonesian ferry that sank had no navigation gear, aftersurvivors swam for six hours to safety and drank their own urine to survive.

• A young woman forced to give birth by caesarean section after being denied an abortion in Ireland became pregnant after she was raped.

• Jessica Valenti writes: A pregnant, suicidal rape victim fought Ireland’s new abortion law. The law won

‘I thought, you might as well be bold now, make some interesting choices and see where that takes you’ … Daniel Radcliffe. Photograph: QMI Agency/Rex

More from around the internet

• Among the most viewed on the Guardian this morning: Daniel Radcliffe says, ‘If people are speculating about your sexuality, then you’re doing OK’

• Australia and Indonesia have concluded an agreement to patch up differences over allegations of Australia spying on Indonesia, the Australian reports.

• The Commonwealth Bank has rewarded the bosses of scandal-ridden financial planning division, the SMH reports.

• Former treasurer Wayne Swan has described former friend and PM Kevin Rudd as ‘vengeful’ and ‘unstable’, the Courier-Mail reports.

Cambridge University is advertising for a PhD student to examine the qualities of chocolate in hot weather. Photograph: Getty Images

One last thing

This would be a sweet job for the right candidate. Cambridge University is offering a PhD in chocolate. How does more than three years of full-time chocolate sound? Delicious.

Have an excellent day – and if you spot something I’ve missed or any errors, let me know on Twitter @earleyedition and I’ll update this page.

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