Podcast: Putin looks on as race for the White House tightens

With time running out to overtake Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump is visiting states seen as unlikely to vote for a Republican candidate such as New Mexico, Michigan and Wisconsin. This means there is less time to shore up support in what are seen as must-win states like Pennsylvania and Ohio.

Why? He claims internal polling shows he has a chance to win those states. But does he really, or is it a sign of desperation?

Ruadhán Mac Cormaic reports from Florida, a key battleground state for Trump, where many of the billionaire’s supporters say it is a question of choosing the lesser of two evils.

If Russian president Vladimir Putin had a vote in the election, his choice would presumably be a lot easier. Between the alleged involvement of Russia in leaking Democratic Party emails and the mutual appreciation of Trump and Putin, Russia and its president have played a huge role in this election.

But what does the campaign look like to the average Russian, who, journalist Isabel Gorst says feel “very hurt by the criticism they constantly face from America”?

There is however an element of schadenfreude that a pro-Russian candidate could have got so far, Gorst reports.

And last week at the UN general assembly, Ireland was among six nations to call for an international conference to negotiate a total prohibition on nuclear weapons. It was passed despite opposition from all known nuclear states.

UCD's Prof Ben Tonra talked to us about this new effort in the stalled campaign for nuclear disarmament and the evolution of Ireland's stance on nuclear weapons over the decades.