Friday Focus provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving the news and current events. The show features Janice Gross Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and bestselling author, in conversation with Rudyard Griffiths, Chair and moderator of the Munk Debates.

Rudyard and Janice start today's show unpacking the intelligence information that has been released regarding the effectiveness of the US attack on Iran's nuclear sites. While centrifuges at Fordo have been rendered inoperable, a significant amount of enriched uranium has been moved from the site to an unknown location. Both hosts agree that a diplomatic solution is needed to prevent Iran from rebuilding their nuclear program. But will Iran trust the US and move towards non-enrichment, or go the way of North Korea and secretly sprint towards a bomb? In the second half of the show Rudyard and Janice turn to the surprising Democratic mayoral primary in New York where Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani upset former NY governor Andrew Cuomo. Mamdani's affordability message resonated with voters and showed that Trump and the Right do not have a monopoly on the public's growing frustration with economic inequality. This crushing defeat of an established politician reflects a powerful desire for change that party elites - on both sides of the aisle - ignore at their peril. Thank you to this week's Munk Curators and Supporters. Your contribution supports our efforts to bring back civil and substantive dialogue to the public square.

Curators

Dixi L
Vincent C
Frederic G
Bill M

Supporters
Mary G
James H
Cynthia S
Maria Jose M
Ashvini D
Theodora P
Tim C
Jacob K
Joslyn B
Eugene T
Alexander P
Hannah W
Victor N
stefan S
Kevin B
Kristin E
Sarah C
Ulrike H
Kurt J
Seth B
Dan W
Christine B
Jesse B
Ben R
Tilanthi J
Chris B
Trevor W
Ana R
Michael C
Neil M
Jim B
Jordan G
Frances A
Eric P
Karen B
JOSE A A
Lawrence C
Luke A
Natasha M
Robert C
Gintare M
Erin F
JOSIE W
Joe W
Rick C
Suzanne H
Jay N
florence M
Simon J
Paola L
Sylvia A
Jonathan W
Charles L
Katrina L
Dan B
Jake S
Sebastian T
Julia N
Mark A
Nouri C
Madeleine S
Nathaniel J
Thomas G
Michelle G
John L
Richard C
Ryan L
Braxley L
Patrice T
Aviva R
Alexis K
Cathy G
Matt M
Kevin J
Jocelyn N
Ben P
Mike L
David L
Arin K
Jordan H
Elena T
Stephanie H
Darren K
William K
Ron B
Andy D
Arvind S
Julie P
Patrick H
Juliane S
Omri G
John M
Colin H
Julie C
Linda A
Michael H

To support the Friday Focus podcast consider becoming a donor to the Munk Debates for as little as $25 annually, or $.50 per episode. Canadian donors receive a charitable tax receipt.

This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue.

More information at www.munkdebates.com.

The full version of today's Friday Focus is available to all members.

Rudyard and Janice begin today's special Friday Focus episode with the Trump initiated ceasefire that allows both Israel and Iran to claim some measure of victory. But does Trump have the power to make the truce hold? Bibi is learning that American help comes with a price, and the Israeli PM is no longer in the driver's seat. Pulling back to look at the bigger picture, Rudyard and Janice explain how America's involvement in this war is a game changer that has reinforced American power in the Middle East and beyond. Has this past week's events - including the notable absence of China and Russia in this conflict - challenged the idea that we are moving into a multipolar world? Have we underestimated American power in the 21st century? And finally, how will a weakened Iranian regime respond domestically to the penetration of its military and collapse of its nuclear program?

To support the Friday Focus podcast consider becoming a donor to the Munk Debates for as little as $25 annually, or $.50 per episode. Canadian donors receive a charitable tax receipt.

This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue.

More information at www.munkdebates.com.

The full version of today's Friday Focus is available to all members.

In this emergency Friday Focus episode, Rudyard and Janice assess what the US strike on Iran's nuclear facilities mean for the future of the Middle East. What are the big takeaways from this game changing moment in the region? Has Iran's capacity to enrich uranium been permanently disabled? And finally, and perhaps most importantly, how will Iran respond? Iranians are a proud people with a culture of resistance. Its leaders believe that Trump deceived them twice. If the US President is serious about peace he needs to open backchannels to Iran immediately, reign in Israel's regime change ambitions, and show he is committed to a deal.

To support the Friday Focus podcast consider becoming a donor to the Munk Debates for as little as $25 annually, or $.50 per episode. Canadian donors receive a charitable tax receipt.

This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue.

More information at www.munkdebates.com.