Politics & World Affairs — October 31, 2026

U.S. approves Patriot sale to Ukraine. The State Department approved a possible $2.1 billion sale of Patriot interceptors Friday. Separately, Qatari mediators held marathon talks in Tehran seeking a U.S.-Iran deal, and Trump said the war will end soon.

According to BBC World, the American-built interceptors are the only weapon capable of effectively downing Russian ballistic missiles, underscoring Kyiv’s reliance on continued U.S. supplies. The approval came amid parallel diplomatic activity: Qatari-brokered negotiations in Tehran reportedly ran more than 12 hours as mediators pursued a U.S.-Iran ceasefire arrangement ahead of the midterms. Trump’s prediction of a near-term end to the fighting has not been accompanied by details on terms or timing.

BBC World · Read more ↗

Netanyahu’s bloc loses majority. Israel’s final election results confirmed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing bloc fell short of a 61-seat Knesset majority. Neither Netanyahu nor challenger Gadi Eisenkot can form a government without breaking campaign promises.

The certified count leaves Israel in political deadlock, according to AP News, with the path to a coalition blocked on both sides. Any government formed by either leader would require partners outside their stated alignments, meaning concessions that contradict pledges made to voters during the campaign. The 61-seat threshold in the 120-member Knesset remains the decisive hurdle, and the final tally confirms no bloc crossed it on its own.

AP News · Read more ↗