Why is the tech billionaire owner of X spending millions on helping the Republican campaign? What does he get out of it? What’s at stake for him if Kamala Harris wins the US election on 5 November? Jonathan Freedland speaks to the Guardian US democracy reporter focused on misinformation, Rachel Leingang

Oritsé Williams of JLS and the Guardian’s head rock and pop critic Alexis Petridis reflect on the singer’s extraordinary success and his struggles with the fame that came with it

In Queensland, the state election has been dominated by one word: abortion. It follows an anti-abortion bill in South Australia that would force women seeking an abortion after 27 weeks and six days – an extremely rare occurrence – to be induced to deliver the child alive, and either to keep it or put it up for adoption. The bill was narrowly defeated by just one vote. As this conversation infiltrates state politics, conservatives have already begun putting it on the national agenda.Bridie Jabour talks to editor-in-chief Lenore Taylor and national news editor Josephine Tovey about what the consequences will be when we turn abortion into a culture war

In just under two weeks, Americans will choose their next president. Will it be Kamala Harris, a former prosecutor and the current vice-president, who would become the first woman and woman of colour to be president? Or will it be Donald Trump, a convicted felon and a legally defined sexual predator? Reged Ahmad speaks to Washington DC bureau chief David Smith about the stark choice facing voters and why no one can predict what will happen on 5 November

The Shincheonji church is an international Christian sect which started in South Korea. But the group is being accused of bizarre recruitment strategies at a number of Australian universities and former members have made allegations of ‘coercive control’ tactics that include love bombing and sleep deprivation. Medical editor Melissa Davey speaks to Reged Ahmad about the experiences of families of current members, as well as former members, about life on the inside of this alleged ‘doomsday cult’

A spate of more than a dozen separate attacks on gay men across Australia since July has sparked concern among the LGBTQ+ community. In some cases – but not all – police have alleged homophobic comments were made and several of the assaults were filmed. Reporter Josh Taylor speaks to Tamsin Rose about concerns some people online are promoting ‘methods of attack’ and how men are being targeted after agreeing to meetings via apps such as Grindr

Blue whales are the largest animals to have ever lived but they were once hunted to the brink of extinction. The international community only agreed to stop hunting them in 1965 when they numbered fewer than 200. Now scientists are using new methods to learn whether the number of blue whales in the wild is increasing – and they are seeing and hearing promising signs. Reporter Luca Ittimani speaks to marine mammal acoustician Brian Miller about the whale’s Antarctic resurgence You can support the Guardian at theguardian.com/fullstorysupport

In a compelling discussion, Richard Reeves, president of the American Institute for Boys and Men, and Gloria Oladipo, a Guardian US breaking news reporter, dive into the shifting political landscape for young men. They explore the Democrats' struggle to engage male voters, particularly young and Black men. The conversation highlights the party's challenges with economic issues and mental health, and contrasts their strategies with those of the Republicans. Ultimately, they question if current outreach efforts are enough as the election looms.

Since the beginning of its war in Gaza, Israel has been hunting one man in particular – Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar. For a year, Israeli soldiers have used drones, radar and ground troops to try to find him, while in Gaza the death toll among Palestinians grew unimaginably in the conflict Sinwar helped to ignite. Then came the news he had been killed. How could his death change the conflict in the Middle East? Julian Borger reports.

This week, news broke that Anthony Albanese bought a slice of paradise set on the clifftops of the NSW Central Coast. Forking out $4.3m on a property created some bruising headlines for the prime minister, but did he actually do anything wrong?Bridie Jabour talks to editor-in-chief Lenore Taylor, deputy editor Patrick Keanelly and national news editor Jo Tovey about what the anger around the PM’s beach house says about the state of the housing crisis