Good morning, this is Eleanor Ainge Roy bringing you the main stories and must-reads on Monday 7 August. Top stories Five Liberal MPs have released an unprecedented joint statement in support of Dean Smith's marriage equality bill, attracting overwhelming support from advocates as the Liberal party prepares for a bruising debate in a special party-room meeting today. The outcome remains in play, as Malcolm Turnbull is under pressure from supporters of Smith's bill to allow a free vote and its opponents urge him to stick to the policy of of a plebiscite.
Smith's bill would redefine marriage as "a union of two people, to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life" and include all lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex people and relationships. The MP Trent Zimmerman said delivering marriage equality would strengthen family life. "We believe marriage to be a fundamental institution in Australian life and ensuring all couples have access to it will be beneficial to individuals, couples, families and the community." An apparent military uprising has been quashed in Venezuela after a small group of men dressed as soldiers were reported to have attacked an army base, declaring themselves in rebellion against the government of President Nicolás Maduro. The leader of Venezuela's ruling party, Diosdado Cabello, said the armed forces had quickly repelled the "terrorist, criminal and paramilitary" attack. But Phil Gunson, Venezuela analyst for the International Crisis Group, said observers were unsure whether the uprising was genuine. "There is considerable doubt as to whether this is promoted somehow by the government as an excuse for a crackdown," he said.
Water regulations due to be reviewed and updated on 1 September have been postponed for another year by the New South Wales government after the controversy over allegations of water theft in the Barwon-Darling region of the Murray-Darling basin. The Greens MLC Jeremy Buckingham has accused the NSW Coalition of running scared over the scrutiny of state water management in the wake of last week's Four Corners program. The British historian Mary Beard has faced a "torrent of aggressive insults" on social media after posting messages asserting the ethnic diversity of Roman Britain. Beard, a classicist at Cambridge University, entered the increasingly acrimonious debate that was sparked by a BBC schools video that featured a high-ranking black Roman soldier. Beard said the tone of the arguments had left her dispirited. "It feels very sad to me that we cannot have a reasonable discussion on such a topic as the cultural, ethnic composition of Roman Britain without resorting to unnecessary insult, abuse, misogyny and language of war, not debate." A leaked Google software engineer's polemic against diversity has left female staff "shaking in anger" and forced the tech giant to defend its patchy record on racial and gender equality. The manifesto argues that the lack of women in tech and leadership is the result of innate biological differences between the sexes. After a number of female staff described their disgust at the document on social media, Google sent out a company-wide memo saying it did not represent the company's views. Sport Arsenal have beaten Chelsea on penalties after a 1-1 draw in the Community Shield, the traditional opener to the UK season. After a sluggish start, the champions looked all set for a fifth Community Shield win when Victor Moses put them ahead, but Arsenal's summer signing Sead Kolasinac equalised with eight minutes to go after Pedro was sent off. It's that time of the AFL season when the repercussions of jumper punches, tummy taps and harsh tackles can have consequences well beyond a week's suspension, writes Craig Little, after a weekend of indiscipline in key games. The Football Federation Australia chairman, Steven Lowy, launched a withering attack on the "self-interest" of A-League club owners at the weekend, marking the conclusion of a phoney war that has been raging behind the scenes for months. With the arrival this week of a Fifa delegation to resolve longstanding governance issues, hostilities have been brought out into the open, writes Jonathan Howcroft. Thinking time | 
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Marriage equality advocates Tiernan Brady, Alex Greenwich and Anna Brown in Sydney on Sunday. Photograph: Brook Mitchell/Getty Images 
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