On this week’s Friday Focus, Rudyard and Janice open the show with an analysis of where the candidates stand as we enter the final stretch of this US election campaign. Rudyard believes Trump is positioned to squeak out a win thanks to the importance of the Electoral College over the popular vote. And at a time of increased distrust of mainstream media, how and when will a winner be declared? How will a win be certified if there are challenges from the other party? In the second half of the show, Rudyard and Janice turn their attention to Ukraine, where North Korean troops are aiding the Russian army’s offensive. How much of an escalation is this development, and can untested North Korean troops really make a difference in this war? We are seeing the restructuring of alliances because of the Ukraine War, and a future where the threats in the Middle East and Asia are linked with the threats in Asia. In the final moments of the show, Rudyard and Janice talk about the Ayatollah of Iran instructing his military to prepare for a counter-strike on Israel for hitting its military targets – a surprise development that much of the foreign policy community did not expect.