Netanyahu Leads Tight Israel Race

More than 10,000 people have been infected by the Ebola outbreak that began in May, according to the latest figures from the Democratic Republic of Congo. The epidemic is the largest in geographic reach on record, stretching from Nigeria to Kenya. Nearly 5,000 deaths have been recorded, making it the second highest death toll in history. Approximately one-third of the fatalities have been children.

In Israel, the national election remains too close to call after voters turned out in record numbers. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is locked in a tight contest with Gadi Eisenkot, a center-right former military chief of staff. Election officials told NPR they expect to finish counting votes by the afternoon of October 29. Whoever leads will have six weeks to build a governing coalition. The two sides are expected to compete for defectors from each other's camps.

Daniel Estrin of NPR reported that many Israelis went to bed believing Eisenkot held the advantage, but Netanyahu had pulled ahead by morning. Estrin noted that Eisenkot could win the backing of a majority of lawmakers thanks to a strong showing by Arab-led parties. However, his camp is wary of a coalition with those parties, citing mistrust and the demonization of Arab political leaders after the October 7, 2023 attacks. Neither candidate currently has a clear path to a majority coalition.

In the United States, the Federal Reserve met on October 28 as prices continued to rise faster than average wages. The Labor Department's latest cost-of-living report showed consumer prices rose 3.7% in September compared with a year earlier. This represents a bigger annual increase than the previous month. Fed policymakers already raised rates in September. Investors do not expect an increase at the current meeting and believe the central bank will keep a low profile ahead of Election Day.

U.S. midterm elections are seeing record financial support. Midterm ad spending has passed $11 billion, according to Ad Impact. An NPR analysis found that candidates in four major Senate races spent more than $15 million on fundraising ads during the 2025-26 cycle. President Trump has been campaigning in tight races in Texas, Mississippi, and Kansas.

Danielle Kurtzleben of NPR said Trump has strayed from his standard midterm pitch of promoting GOP tax cuts and attacking Democrats. His remarks about Ohio Senator Jon Husted's physique have entertained rally crowds but pulled attention from issues like the economy and gas prices. Kurtzleben noted that the Republican base still backs him, suggesting many MAGA votes are available. However, his need to rally support in very red states points to a possible problem for his party.

The next scheduled event is the completion of the Israeli vote count on the afternoon of October 29. If neither bloc wins an outright majority, party leaders may need days or weeks to assemble a governing coalition. The Federal Reserve may raise rates again in December. The U.S. midterm elections are scheduled for the upcoming Election Day.