Barrie Cassidy and Tony Barry examine the return of federal parliament, the net zero debate and why Latham’s portrait is still on display in the Labor party room

Evidence shows urgent action is needed to prevent the climate crisis from worsening but political will is waning. As the Coalition takes the debate back to the future on the merits of net zero, questions remain about Labor’s willingness to act on its own policies. Reged Ahmad speaks to editor Lenore Taylor, head of newsroom Mike Ticher and climate and environment editor Adam Morton on what’s distracting Australia from acting on the climate emergency

Mark Latham came close to becoming an Australian prime minister, but it’s very different headlines being made now. After a career of controversy, the New South Wales upper house MP is being taken to a NSW local court by an ex-partner seeking an apprehended violence order. Separately, there have also been claims of inappropriate behaviour directed towards other female MPs. Latham will contest the allegations in the AVO matter in court and has otherwise denied any wrongdoing. Chief political correspondent Tom McIlroy speaks to Reged Ahmad about how this latest controversy has ricocheted to the upper echelons of federal Labor and sparked a debate about his portrait, which still hangs in Parliament House

The Late Show on CBS will come to an end next year after a 33-year run. The news came just days after the TV host referred to a $16m settlement between Trump and CBS parent company Paramount over an interview on their network as a “big fat bribe”. CBS has described the show’s cancellation as “purely financial”. But, as the Guardian’s Washington DC bureau chief David Smith tells Reged Ahmad, others are not so sure. You can support the Guardian at theguardian.com/fullstorysupport

As Australia’s federal parliament resumes, Reged Ahmad speaks to chief political correspondent Tom McIlroy and political reporter Krishani Dhanji about our new political reality Read more: New parliament seating chart shows how Labor’s election win shifted the tectonic plates of federal politics

The floods in Texas earlier this month swept away entire homes and holiday camps, claiming more than 130 lives. As authorities try to piece together how it happened, conspiracy theories have flourished, with some social media users blaming the government for causing the extreme weather event. Guardian contributor Ben Makuch tells Reged Ahmad why so many – including elected representatives – are turning to misinformation in an attempt to understand the tragedy Texas death toll reaches 134 as new flash flood watch issued

Barrie Cassidy and Tony Barry examine the optics of the prime minister’s lengthy visit to China. They also return to the fallout from Jillian Segal’s antisemitism plan and the recount in the federal electorate of Bradfield

Donald Trump really wants people to stop talking about Jeffrey Epstein, but his Maga base, including some prominent commentators such as Laura Loomer, want his administration to ‘release the files’. Jonathan Freedland speaks to Ali Breland of the Atlantic about the tricky situation the US president finds himself in

In Canberra there’s one book you must at least pretend to have read by the time parliament returns: Abundance by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson. In recent media interviews, the treasurer, Jim Chalmers, called the book – hailed by some in the US as a manifesto for the Democrats – “a ripper”. So why are so many Labor MPs excited by it?Nour Haydar asks editor Lenore Taylor and head of newsroom Mike Ticher if the Abundance agenda is right for Australia

This Saturday, Tasmanians will go to the polls again. The state election is the fourth in just over seven years, and many are hoping it will finally put to rest the chaos and animosity of successive minority governments. Climate and environment editor – and Tasmanian – Adam Morton speaks to Reged Ahmad about the issues front of mind for voters and whether whoever wins office will work across the aisle to get things done