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Tony Barry and George Megalogenis (filling in for Barrie) examine the response to the horrific alleged attack on independent MP Helen Haines this week. While the prime minister pleaded for all to ‘turn the temperature’ down, it didn’t take long for many to dial it right up, particularly online. So can politicians from all sides tell their tribes to tone down the rhetoric? And what lessons can we learn from history to help us all navigate toxic public debate?

The mother of the youngest complainant wept on the stand after being presented with a note written by her son alleging ‘something happened’ at Alan Jones’s property at Fitzroy Falls. As the prosecution questioned the mother, she told the court she had ‘trusted’ Jones with her then teenage son. She was also asked why she stayed in contact with the broadcaster after her son told her about the alleged indecent assault. Guardian Australia’s media correspondent, Amanda Meade, joins host Nour Haydar to unpack an emotional week in the courtroom Mother of alleged Alan Jones victim ‘absolutely trusted’ the radio host, court told

One year ago, Sanae Takaichi became Japan’s first female prime minister, taking over a party in crisis. Since then, she’s defied the doubters, not just surviving as leader in a country that struggles with its gender politics – but winning convincingly at an election in February. She has faced President Trump, fraught relations with China over Taiwan and was even the subject of one of Anthony Albanese’s biggest controversies this year. But could Japan’s prime minister be at her most politically dangerous moment yet? Tokyo correspondent Justin McCurry speaks to Reged Ahmad about whether Takaichi can ride out what comes next

In this episode of Guardian Australia’s US politics podcast, co-hosts Jonathan Yerushalmy and Reged Ahmad look at how Katie Zacharia broke the record for shortest tenure as White House press secretary. They then examine the pattern of how women in the Trump administration are treated when they’re perceived to have made mistakes – versus how men seem to survive their missteps. They also look at how the US might be changing course on Russia’s war on Ukraine. Are relations between Donald Trump and Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelenskyy at their lowest point ever? And what happens if the US decides to take Vladimir Putin’s side in the war?

The bestselling author says her novels will no longer be supplied to British bookshops due to fears of prosecution. Zoe Williams and Haroon Siddique report

Helen Haines, the independent federal MP for the Victorian seat of Indi, is in a critical condition and has lost a leg after an alleged attack outside her electorate office in Wangaratta on Monday afternoon. On Tuesday the alleged attacker and driver of the car was named by police as 43-year-old Brendan Nugent. A major investigation is under way into the incident, with Victoria police, the Australian federal police, Asio and counter-terrorism investigators involved. Guardian Australian political editor Tom McIlroy speaks to Matilda Boseley about what happened and why this alleged attack on an independent MP is a watershed moment in Australian politics and political debate

The Greens senator for Western Australia, Jordon Steele-John, has blamed ‘nasty political games’ for the timing of allegations of misconduct towards women spanning nearly a decade. Steele-John has denied all allegations, but the scandal – and its subsequent handling – is fast becoming a test for the Greens’ leader, David Shoebridge, just three weeks into his new role. Political reporter Sarah Basford Canales speaks to Reged Ahmad about whether this is the Greens’ biggest political scandal, and whether the party’s factions are driving it

Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor on their new film interviewing Israeli military insiders on the vast, AI-assisted systems their sources say are being used to kill civilians in Gaza. They also talk about the political backlash against their documentary

From his remote property in rural Texas, the millionaire businessman Michael Samadi is plotting a new kind of civil rights movement – for the welfare and protection of AI systems. Guardian journalist Michael Safi spends an afternoon at the Double Six ranch, meeting Samadi’s AI chatbots and catching a glimpse of a possible vision of the future

Tony Barry and Niki Savva (filling in for Barrie Cassidy) examine the ‘festival of Josh’ that played out in the media this week as the former treasurer spruiked his new memoir. The two former Liberal party advisers weigh in on whether Josh Frydenberg should run again for Kooyong and whether he can live his dream of one day becoming PM. They also discuss what they see as the Labor government’s failure to sell an economic vision during a cost-of-living crisis

Former comedian Russell Brand is on trial facing multiple charges of rape and sexual assault against six women, spanning a decade from 1999 to 2009. On Thursday the court heard evidence from a woman who alleged Brand told her “it’s just fun” as he raped her at the 1999 Labour party conference. He denies all the allegations against him. Lucy Hough speaks to senior national news editor Aaron Sharp

After the youngest complainant began giving evidence, Judge Glenn Walsh placed a non-publication order on much of this week’s testimony. In this episode, Guardian Australia media correspondent Amanda Meade and host Nour Haydar answer your questions about the Alan Jones trial. They unpack why court reporters have to withhold certain details about complainants, and discuss the challenges of a high-profile trial being held in a local court. Finally, they tackle the question they are asked the most: will Alan Jones himself take the stand?

In this episode of Guardian Australia’s US politics podcast, co-hosts Reged Ahmad and Jonathan Yerushalmy take a special look at the midterms which are coming up in early November. All 435 House seats are up in this election as representatives only serve fixed two-year terms. In the Senate, 35 of 100 seats are up for grabs too as senators serve six-year terms. There are many predictions of a blue wave -– a big win for the Democratic party who are tipped to take back the House and Senate. But are pollsters being too optimistic? What are the factors that could instead allow the Republican party and the Trump administration to hold on to power in Congress? They also look at why US ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle has been ousted from her job – and whether criticism of new White House press secretary Katie Zacharia is fair

It was supposed to be an Australian business success story. Just over a week ago local AI company Firmus was preparing to hit the market with a value that would put the startup in the same league as Woolworths. But last Friday, everything fell apart. At the centre was Firmus co-founder Oliver Curtis, an entrepreneur trying to rebuild his reputation after spending time in prison for insider trading. Curtis said the collapse was down to Australia’s ‘mantra of disbelief around entrepreneurs’. Business editor Jonathan Barrett speaks to Matilda Boseley about the hubris of the firm’s founders and what this says about the future of the AI investment bubble

Are we really living through ‘end times fascism’? The authors Naomi Klein and Astra Taylor think so. In a new series from the Guardian, the pair speak to Radical Thinking with Aditya Chakrabortty in an extended interview. From Trump 2.0 and the rise of the tech billionaire to Gaza and the ongoing climate emergency, Klein and Taylor argue we are not just lurching from crisis to crisis, but are in a new and dangerous moment in history. However, they have not given up hope of a fightback. Radical Thinking will be published every Saturday in the Guardian UK’s Politics Weekly feed