US President Donald Trump’s approval rating remained close to its lowest level ahead of Tuesday’s congressional midterm elections, with a nationwide poll indicating that a significant section of American voters viewed their ballots as an opportunity to express opposition to the Republican leader.

According to the latest poll completed on Monday, November 2, only 32% of respondents approved of the job Trump was doing as President. The figure was unchanged from the previous week and just one percentage point above his record-low reading of 31%, recorded two weeks earlier.

The findings come as Republicans seek to retain their majorities in Congress, with all 435 seats in the House of Representatives up for grabs and several closely contested races expected to shape the Senate.

Although Trump himself is not on the ballot, his presidency has emerged as a significant factor in the midterm elections.

Democrats lead Republicans in nationwide congressional preference

The poll found that Democrats held an eight-percentage-point advantage over Republicans when respondents were asked which party they preferred to see in charge of Congress.

Around 46% of respondents favoured Democrats, compared with 38% who preferred Republicans.

However, the Democratic lead was narrower than the 11-percentage-point advantage recorded in a similar poll conducted a week earlier.

The so-called generic ballot question provides an overall indication of voters’ preferences between the two parties for control of Congress. However, it does not account for differences between individual states and congressional districts, which ultimately determine the composition of the House and Senate.

Political strategists from both parties believe Democrats have a stronger opportunity to take control of the House of Representatives. Their prospects in the Senate are considered more difficult, with the party facing challenges in states including Alaska and Michigan.

Half of independent voters see their vote as opposition to Trump

The survey also highlighted the extent to which Trump is influencing voters’ decisions despite not contesting the election himself.

Among registered independent voters, 50% said they viewed their congressional vote as a vote against Trump.

In comparison, 13% said their vote was in support of the President, while 33% said Trump was not a factor in their voting decision.

These findings indicate that voters’ views of the President are an important consideration for a section of the electorate heading into the congressional elections.

Rising cost of living emerges as a major election issue

Economic concerns, particularly the rising cost of living, featured prominently in the poll.

Around 78% of respondents said the cost of living would be either a very important or the most important issue in determining their voting decisions.

When asked which party was better equipped to handle the issue, 43% chose Democrats, compared with 32% who favoured Republicans.

The poll also pointed to concerns over rising fuel prices following the US military campaign against Iran, which began in February.

The increase in fuel prices has added to the economic challenges facing the Trump administration ahead of the elections.

Democrats report greater enthusiasm about voting

The survey also found a difference in voting enthusiasm between supporters of the two major political parties.

Around 49% of Democratic voters said they were very enthusiastic about voting in the midterm elections.

Among Republican voters, the corresponding figure stood at 33%.

The difference in enthusiasm is an important factor for both parties as they seek to mobilise their supporters and secure votes across the country.

The latest poll surveyed 1,765 US adults online and had a margin of error of two percentage points.

An Indian national was killed and another person injured after two helicopters collided while attempting to land at a high-altitude heliport in Nepal’s Solukhumbu district, near Mount Everest.

Nepal Police confirmed the incident in a post on X. The heliport is located around 250 km from Kathmandu, the country’s capital. The deceased was identified as Vasanth Kumar Balaramaramadu, an Indian national, according to a report by Kathmandu Post.

The accident came into public attention after a video purportedly showing the collision circulated on social media. The footage appears to show the rotor blades of the two helicopters striking each other shortly before landing, following which both aircraft fall onto the icy ground.

However, the authenticity of the video has not been independently verified by report.

Nabin Raja Budhathoki, who is in charge of Solukhumbu district police, told AFP that one foreign national had died at the scene, while another injured person had been taken to hospital.

Helicopters play an important role in Nepal, transporting tourists, mountaineers and supplies across its mountainous terrain. They are also used for emergency evacuations.

Nepal has eight of the world’s 14 highest mountains and receives thousands of foreign climbers and trekkers every year. Flying in these high-altitude areas presents considerable challenges.

At higher elevations, thinner air gives helicopter rotor blades fewer air molecules to push against, reducing the lift they can generate. Engines also receive less oxygen for combustion, which can affect their power output.

A similar high-altitude helicopter accident was reported just days earlier in India’s Uttarakhand. That helicopter crashed shortly after taking off from Badrinath, killing all six people on board, including the pilot and five passengers.

An Indian national was killed and another person injured after two helicopters collided while landing at a high-altitude heliport in Nepal’s Solukhumbu district, near Mount Everest. A purported video of the collision has surfaced on social media, but its authenticity remains unverified.

Arab political parties have emerged as crucial players in Israel’s government formation process after the country’s 2026 parliamentary election left both Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ruling bloc and the opposition short of the numbers needed to secure a majority.

According to the final vote count, Netanyahu’s right-wing bloc secured 53 seats, while the opposition bloc won 48 seats. Arab parties, meanwhile, secured a combined 19 seats, placing them in a potentially decisive position in negotiations over the next government.

Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, has 120 seats, and a coalition needs at least 61 to form a government. With neither major political bloc reaching that threshold independently, Arab parties could play an important role in determining the country’s political direction.

The figures were reported following the release of results by Israel’s Central Elections Committee on Thursday.

Netanyahu’s Likud remains largest party

Despite falling short of a parliamentary majority, Netanyahu’s Likud party is expected to emerge as the largest single party in the Knesset, with 27 seats.

However, the overall performance of his right-wing bloc has left him facing difficulties in securing enough support to form the next government.

The opposition bloc, led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, also failed to reach the 61-seat threshold with its 48 seats.

The outcome has made coalition negotiations particularly important, with the support of Arab-led parties potentially changing the parliamentary arithmetic.

How Arab parties could influence government formation

The combined 19 seats won by Arab parties have given them considerable influence in the post-election political landscape.

Even without formally joining a government coalition, Arab lawmakers could support Netanyahu’s opponents in important parliamentary votes.

One possibility involves supporting the opposition in the election of a new Knesset speaker. Such backing could give the opposition greater control over parliamentary proceedings and potentially allow it to advance legislation before a new government is formed.

Netanyahu’s main rival, Gadi Eisenkot, has indicated that he is open to working with Arab-led parties under certain conditions.

Ahmad Tibi, who is second on the Arab-led Joint List, also said that the opposition bloc had approached him about replacing the Knesset speaker. He indicated that his party would support the opposition’s candidate.

However, the possibility of cooperation remains politically complicated, given differences within the opposition over working with Arab parties.

Netanyahu faces corruption charges and October 7 scrutiny

The election outcome could also have significant implications for Netanyahu’s political future.

If he loses office, he would face accountability over long-standing corruption charges. A formal investigation would also almost certainly be launched into the security failures surrounding the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.

Netanyahu has faced sustained political pressure over the handling of the security lapses surrounding the attack.

Meanwhile, his party amplified allegations that Arab-led parties had stolen the election, potentially with foreign assistance, as the final results emerged.

The allegations were not substantiated in the report.

Opposition leaders accused Netanyahu of targeting and demonising Israel’s Arab population following the historic performance of Arab-led parties.

Another election remains a possibility

With neither political bloc securing an independent majority, Israel could face another election if negotiations fail to produce a government.

The next government formation process will therefore depend on whether the opposition can secure support from Arab parties or find other political arrangements to reach the required majority.

For now, the 19 seats won by Arab parties have placed them in a pivotal position, while Netanyahu’s 53-seat bloc remains short of the numbers required to govern independently.