Monday, November 20, 2017

Morning mail: Mugabe clings to power in Zimbabwe

Morning Mail

Morning mail: Mugabe clings to power in Zimbabwe

Tuesday: The 93-year-old resists pressure from all sides to stand down. Plus: Malcolm Turnbull foreshadows personal tax cuts

Robert Mugabe
A mural of Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe in Harare. Photograph: Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi/AP

Eleanor Ainge Roy


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.

Thinking time

Florilegium
Pereskia Grandifolia (rose cactus, Cactaceae) Photograph: Courtesy of Thames & Hudson

The publishing deadline was missed by more than 200 years, but finally the work of one of the great men of the Enlightenment has been printed and distributed – the detailed botanical works of Joseph Banks on his journey aboard James Cook's Endeavour. The epic voyage began in 1768 and Banks amassed the largest collection of plants previously unknown to European science. But his plans to publish illustrations of almost 1,000 specimens never came to fruition. Now, 147 prints have been reproduced in the book Joseph Banks' Florilegium: Botanical Treasures from Cook's First Voyage, described as "a work of outstanding graphic achievement and a radiant revelation of natural beauty".

In the 1998 Queensland election, One Nation won 39.5% of the primary vote in Ipswich, a place forever linked to the rise of Pauline Hanson. Almost two decades later, Malcolm Roberts hopes history will repeat itself. Roberts says voters have responded well to One Nation's message, especially on power prices. "When we are doing roadside waving in the mornings, there's just been lots of toots, lots of thumbs up, vigorous thumbs up, a lot of energy behind it," he tells the Guardian's Amy Remeikis. But Roberts is considered a long shot for the seat, which has changed considerably since Hanson's initial heyday.

There are few who will genuinely mourn the passing of Charles Manson, who died yesterday at the age of 83, writes Alex Petridis. But for decades pop culture has had a dark fascination with the murderer and cult leader, who inspired works of art, literary novels, films and countless bands. Why did so many retain an interest in a white supremacist and misogynist who masterminded the murder of seven people?

What's he done now?

We have known for a long time that Donald Trump has a rather healthy ego - but now he's taken it a step further by referring to himself in the third person on Twitter. "Under President Trump unemployment rate will drop below 4%. Analysts predict economic boom for 2018!" Trump tweeted overnight.

Media roundup

The Australian says thousands of diggers will "remain at rest" after plans to build a giant windfarm at the site of their graves on a first world war battlefield in France were axed. The NT News reports that new Palmerston councillors have been gagged from posting on social media unless they get the express permission of the media team. But former Palmerston Council alderman Athina Pascoe-Bell thinks the stringent restrictions are unnecessary. "I used it to discuss very controversial issues," she said. And the ABC has a long look at Airbnb, whose co-found Joe Gebbia is in Australia and rejects suggestions the company is contributing to the housing crisis.

Coming up

Annastacia Palaszczuk is campaigning in Mackay as Queensland counts down to election day. The opposition leader, Tim Nicholls, will address the Queensland Media Club lunch before returning to Townsville.

Sydney FC will be looking for their second trophy this year when the A-League champions face 2014 winners Adelaide United in the FFA Cup final. Join Jonathan Howcroft for live coverage from 7.30pm AEDT.

Supporting the Guardian

We'd like to acknowledge our generous supporters who enable us to keep reporting on the critical stories. If you value what we do and would like to help, please make a contribution or become a supporter today. Thank you.

Guardian News & Media Limited - a member of Guardian Media Group PLC. Registered Office: Kings Place, 90 York Way, London, N1 9GU. Registered in England No. 908396

No comments:

Post a Comment