Barack Obama has caused a frenzy after saying he thinks aliens are real during a podcast interview. The former US president was forced to release a statement clarifying he had not seen any evidence of extraterrestrials. There is a long-running conspiracy theory claiming the US government is hiding extraterrestrials at Area 51, a highly classified air force site in Nevada. Lucy Hough speaks to the host of the Guardian’s Science Weekly podcast, Madeleine Finlay

As Australians watch Donald Trump continue to crack down on immigrants, a private prison company used by ICE in the US is now running detention centres in Australia. In the US, the company faces allegations of ‘gross negligence’, and in Australia, staff inside the detention centres have highlighted safety concerns, including a rise in sexual assaults. Reged Ahmad talks to chief investigations correspondent Christopher Knaus and investigations reporter Ariel Bogle about the growing scrutiny over the Albanese government’s decision to put the company in charge of Australia’s detention regime

A recent survey has painted a damning picture of the bullying and abuse some of Australia’s coaches, referees and club officials face each week on the field – and parents are responsible for almost half of it. Sports reporter Jack Snape tells Reged Ahmad about the impact of poor parental behaviour on grassroots sport

Every Sunday, we’ll bring you some of the Guardian’s best stories from the week. Stories we loved, that made us feel happy, sad, or just made us think, read out by the people who wrote them. This weekend, unsettled by how angry our world has become, journalist and author Brigid Delaney explores what we can do to break the contagion of rage we’re seeing in our everyday lives

The Barries are back, and Angus Taylor has won the Liberal leadership battle against Sussan Ley. Speaking on Friday afternoon, the new leader said he did not seek to be ‘One Nation lite’ but he would ‘shut the door’ on people who don’t share ‘Australian values’. But the spill wasn’t the only story in Australian politics this week. Barrie Cassidy and Tony Barry unpack the challenge ahead for Taylor, the rise of One Nation and the visit of Israeli president Isaac Herzog

Angus Taylor has been elected the Liberal party’s new leader, ousting Sussan Ley in a party room ballot 34 votes to 17. Speaking shortly after the vote, Ley said she would quit parliament within weeks in a bid to provide clear air for Taylor’s leadership. In his first speech as opposition leader Taylor pointed to a greater focus on immigration policy, saying: “If someone doesn’t subscribe to our core beliefs, the door must be shut.” Political editor Tom McIlroy speaks to Nour Haydar about how it all went down and Taylor’s striking shift in tone on immigration

Protesters around Australia, including Nick McKim and other Greens colleagues, gathered to express opposition to the visit of the Israeli president, Isaac Herzog, this week. The Greens senator tells our political editor, Tom McIlroy, that the confronting scenes of police aggression towards protesters in Sydney were a ‘massive overreach’. McKim is the Greens spokesperson for economic justice and treasury, and is now leading a parliamentary inquiry into the 50% capital gains tax discount. Labor has not ruled out possible changes to the generous tax breaks for investors before the May budget. The Tasmanian senator argues that, with Greens support, the government can ‘marry up the politics and the policy’ to meaningfully addressing the housing crisis

After weeks of speculation, a Liberal leadership spill is set for 9am on Friday when Angus Taylor will challenge the opposition leader, Sussan Ley, for control of the party. Political editor Tom McIllroy speaks to Reged Ahmad about why Taylor is making his move now, whether he has the numbers to win, and what it all means for the future direction of the Coalition

Keir Starmer has seen off a challenge to his leadership after facing calls for his resignation over the appointment of Labour powerbroker Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the US – a man who enjoyed a close relationship to Jeffrey Epstein. Monday’s win could prove to provide only a temporary respite for the unpopular UK prime minister, as his critics continue to question his judgment and authority. Guardian Australia’s UK/US site editor, Jonathan Yerushalmy, speaks to Reged Ahmad about how the events of the week unfolded, whether Starmer can hold on to power and how the Epstein files have rocked British politics

Hundreds of jobs have gone at the newspaper that broke the Watergate scandal. Was profit or politics behind the decision? Jeremy Barr reports

In Lake Cargelligo in central west New South Wales, police are hunting for an alleged triple murderer. Julian Ingram, also known as Julian Pierpoint, is suspected of shooting dead his former partner Sophie Quinn, who was seven months pregnant, as well as her new partner John Harris and her aunt Nerida Quinn. He also allegedly shot and injured Kaleb Macqueen.Reged Ahmad speaks with Nino Bucci about the alleged murderer’s past domestic violence offences, and the questions that linger while he is still at large