Good morning, this is Eleanor Ainge Roy bringing you the main stories and must-reads on Tuesday 21 November. Top stories Robert Mugabe faces being stripped of his office by parliament if he does not resign as president within days, as the political crisis triggered by a military takeover in Zimbabwe moves into a second week. The 93-year-old is clinging to power, despite being sacked as leader of the ruling Zanu-PF party. A draft impeachment motion has been published by Zanu-PF, labelling Mugabe a "source of instability" who had shown disrespect for the rule of law and is to blame for an unprecedented economic tailspin over the past 15 years. His rambling address offered no substantial concessions to the tens of thousands who have marched calling for his resignation, or the army commanders who led the military takeover last week. Chris Mutsvangwa, the leader of Zimbabwe's war veterans, who has been leading a campaign to oust Mugabe, said the veterans would call for further protests – including a sit-in outside Mugabe's Harare residence where he is being held under house arrest – if the president did not heed calls to quit. Students are threatening to boycott exams until Mugabe stands down. Most Australians think ministers of religion and celebrants should be allowed to refuse to officiate at same-sex weddings, according to the latest Guardian Essential poll. A solid majority – 63% – supported the protection, with 27% opposed. Asked whether businesses should be able to refuse service, 43% said yes, while 48% rejected that idea. When it came to the rights of parents to remove their children from classes which don't reflect a traditional views of marriage, 44% opposed the idea and 42% supported it. Interviewed on the ABC's 7.30 program on Monday, the treasurer, Scott Morrison, said he thought more Australians wanted to protect religious freedom than wanted marriage equality. "I say that figure is well over half the population and about probably the same level or greater than voted for same-sex marriage," Morrison said. A third of backpackers and a quarter of international students in Australia are being routinely ripped off by employers who pay them $12 an hour or less, a survey has shown. The research by three Sydney universities also points to criminal behaviour by employers such as confiscating passports or demanding wages back in return for keeping a job. Co-author Bassina Farbenblum said the "overwhelming majority" of workers were aware they were being underpaid but simply expected it. For one worker, it meant 55- to 70-hour working weeks and constant fear that he would face deportation if he did not pay back some of his wages.
Malcolm Turnbull has signalled the Coalition is ready to introduce income tax cuts for middle Australia and backed his own "measured" style of leadership in a time of crisis. In a speech on Monday night the prime minister told business leaders political uncertainty had underscored the need for his "steady hand at the helm". On Monday Coalition scrapped one of the two remaining parliamentary sitting weeks, sparking outrage and opposition claims the government was seeking to avoid a potential revolt over calls for a banking royal commission. After breaking the world record as the most expensive painting ever sold at auction, fetching US$4oom, Leonardo da Vinci's Salvator Mundi is at the heart of a hot debate among critics and historians who question whether this painting on wood of Jesus was ever touched by Leonardo's brush. The New York magazine art critic Jerry Saltz wrote: "I'm no art historian or any kind of expert in old masters. But I've looked at art for almost 50 years and one look at this painting tells me it's no Leonardo." Sport The former Wimbledon champion Jana Novotna has died of cancer at just 49. The Czech won 100 titles in a long career, but will forever be remembered for a defeat – the 1993 Wimbledon final when she broke down in tears and was consoled by the Duchess of Kent after losing a 4-1 lead in the final set against Steffi Graf. Tough guys and hard bastards, sledging and chuntering, flint-eyed glares and "broken fucken arms" have been an integral part of Ashes history, but ahead of the upcoming men's series, Australia and England look like teams that have realised they are better suited to another way – a way inspired by their respective captains, writes Geoff Lemon. The women's Ashes concludes tonight with the final T20 match in Canberra. Follow our live coverage from 7.20pm AEDT.
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