Thursday, October 29th

What happened

Israel’s partial election results show no bloc has won enough seats to form a government. Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc led with about 53 seats, ahead of Gadi Eisenkot’s opposition bloc and Arab-led parties, but still short of the 61-seat majority. Israel’s 120-seat Knesset is elected through a fragmented party system, so leaders must build coalitions after the vote. The election was the first since the October 7 attack and the wars that followed, making Netanyahu’s security record central. Netanyahu rejected dependence on Arab-led parties, while Eisenkot left conditional cooperation open. Turnout reached more than 77%. Coalition talks are expected next.

What happened

The New York Times reported that Democratic operatives helped recruit another Dan Sullivan to draw votes from Alaska’s incumbent senator. Trump then demanded ballot removals and prosecution over the reported recruitment effort. The race pits Republican Sen. Dan S. Sullivan against Democrat Mary Peltola, with Dan J. Sullivan also on Alaska’s ranked-choice general-election ballot. The Justice Department has sued to block certification if Dan J. Sullivan’s presence could have changed the result. Alaska officials and Peltola’s campaign said federal law does not allow that step, and the Alaska Supreme Court had allowed him to remain. Peltola’s campaign, the DSCC and Dan J. Sullivan deny coordination.

What happened

Flávio Bolsonaro fled Brazil with his family despite a court order barring his departure. Bolsonaro said he would lead opposition to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva from the United States. He left with his wife and two daughters, crossed into Argentina, flew to Ecuador, and arrived in Miami on Wednesday. Lula defeated Bolsonaro in Brazil’s runoff with about 51.8% of the vote, a margin of more than four million. Afterward, the Supreme Court ordered Bolsonaro to surrender his passports while investigations into alleged financial crimes continue; he denies wrongdoing and has not been charged. Trump said he approved their arrival, while his administration said it would issue visas.