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Netanyahu Basks in Trump Endorsement Week Before Election

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stands amid security personnel as he meets with voters at a mall in Ramle on October 19, 2026. (AFP)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stands amid security personnel as he meets with voters at a mall in Ramle on October 19, 2026. (AFP)
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Netanyahu Basks in Trump Endorsement Week Before Election

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stands amid security personnel as he meets with voters at a mall in Ramle on October 19, 2026. (AFP)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stands amid security personnel as he meets with voters at a mall in Ramle on October 19, 2026. (AFP)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu basked in Donald Trump's endorsement on Monday ahead of close-fought elections, airing a phone call in which the US president predicted he would win and suggested they may again attack Iran together.

A day after Trump publicly endorsed Netanyahu for the October 27 vote, Netanyahu put out a video of a telephone call in which the two right-wing leaders lavish praise on each other.

"I think you're going to have a tremendous victory, actually," Trump can be heard saying on speakerphone.

"You're the man I want by my side, Bibi," Trump said, referring to Netanyahu by his nickname.

Netanyahu -- while reminding the famously loose-lipped president that they were on an open line -- hailed Trump for joining Israel in attacking Iran in February.

"Donald, we have a job to finish," Netanyahu beamed. "We'll finish it together. We'll finish it, and no one else will do it."

Netanyahu did not elaborate but again described Iran's clerical state, which remains in power nearly eight months after the joint attack, as "the greatest danger".

Netanyahu appeared to be speaking to Trump from an air force base from which he earlier released a video warning that he had been assured of Israel's "capability to strike our enemies the moment it is required".

- 'Polarizing figure' -

Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving prime minister, had waited for years for a US president who would agree to attack Iran. But Trump abruptly switched course in April and reached a ceasefire with Tehran that is now in tatters.

Polls showed Trump's approval rating in Israel plunged afterwards.

An Axios report on Tuesday that US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth met Netanyahu in Israel the previous day added to speculation that US-Israeli attacks on Iran could resume.

The Pentagon declined to comment on the reported meeting.

David Makovsky, a fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, said it was unclear whether Trump's endorsement would have a "huge impact" on the Israeli electorate.

Netanyahu is "a polarizing figure. You either love him or hate him," Makovsky said. "How many undecideds are there? Not that many."

Trump went ahead with the endorsement despite open tensions involving top US officials. Vice President JD Vance has issued stinging criticism of Israel over the Iran war, saying it had no friends other than the United States and needs to get in line with US policy.

Makovsky said Trump's move may indicate that he secured an agreement from Netanyahu in return for the endorsement, although it was unclear on what.

The Israel Hayom newspaper -- in a report denied by the US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee -- said recently that the Trump administration was pushing Netanyahu to form a government that no longer includes his far-right allies, who have championed settler extremists in the West Bank and urged the expulsion of all of Gaza's Palestinians.

Netanyahu described Trump as "by far, the greatest friend Israel has ever had".

Since his first term, Trump has taken several major steps to back Israel, including moving the US embassy to Jerusalem, which most countries do not recognize as Israel's capital due to the dispute with the Palestinians.

Netanyahu's top challenger, former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, voiced respect for Trump after the endorsement, but insisted, "Only Israelis can choose their leader."

- 'Treated unfairly' -

Trump, 80, and Netanyahu, who turns 77 on Wednesday, have forged a close partnership at a time when both are vastly unpopular in public opinion in most democratic nations.

The pair have also managed to avoid prosecution while in power, with Netanyahu facing charges of corruption that could land him in prison.

Trump, who remains bitter over cases against him including over his attempts to overturn his 2020 election loss, told Netanyahu he was a "warrior" who had been "treated unfairly by your country and by some others."

Netanyahu faces an arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in the relentless Israeli offensive in Gaza in response to the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks.

Netanyahu has denounced the charges, while the Trump administration has tried to dismantle the court in The Hague through sanctions.

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World

Alberta Separatists Lose Vote on Leaving Canada

Supporters of the Forever Canadian group, who want Alberta to remain in Canada, react after Alberta residents voted to remain part of Canada in a non-binding referendum on Alberta sovereignty, according to CBC News, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, October 19, 2026. (Reuters)
Supporters of the Forever Canadian group, who want Alberta to remain in Canada, react after Alberta residents voted to remain part of Canada in a non-binding referendum on Alberta sovereignty, according to CBC News, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, October 19, 2026. (Reuters)
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Alberta Separatists Lose Vote on Leaving Canada

Supporters of the Forever Canadian group, who want Alberta to remain in Canada, react after Alberta residents voted to remain part of Canada in a non-binding referendum on Alberta sovereignty, according to CBC News, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, October 19, 2026. (Reuters)
Supporters of the Forever Canadian group, who want Alberta to remain in Canada, react after Alberta residents voted to remain part of Canada in a non-binding referendum on Alberta sovereignty, according to CBC News, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, October 19, 2026. (Reuters)

Canada's province of Alberta rejected a plan to hold a binding independence referendum, results showed Tuesday, a setback for separatists backed by allies of US President Donald Trump.

Public broadcaster CBC and leading private network CTV projected a comfortable victory for the federalist side, with official results showing more than 76 percent support for national unity with more than a third of ballots counted.

Prime Minister Mark Carney welcomed the result and said Albertans had made a "clear choice" in favor of unity.

"They chose unity, to build together, and to take care of each other," he said in a statement on X.

Carney had campaigned for national stability as the country faced Trump's trade war and annexation threats.

A somber mood took over the restaurant in the provincial capital Edmonton where a leading separatist group watched the returns.

Jeffrey Rath, a top leader of the separatist Alberta Prosperity Project, told reporters his push for an independent Alberta will "absolutely" continue, despite the result from Monday's vote.

"We've learned a lot of lessons from this fight," he said.

Separatist supporter Jour Dain said he was "disappointed in (his) fellow Albertans."

"Honestly, if this continues down this path of remaining in Canada, I'm just going to move," the 40-year-old said, expressing a desire to live in the United States.

At the federalist election night party in Edmonton before the results were announced, a band warmed up ahead of an anticipated positive result.

"It was amazing to see the enthusiasm and resolve among Canadians," said Thomas Lukaszuk, who heads Forever Canadian, the group that campaigned across the province for national unity.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, a conservative, said she voted against independence but called the referendum to settle an issue that has divided the province.

She has said a win for the federalists would close the secession question.

- Foreign influence? -

Alberta has the world's fourth-largest proven oil reserves, and much of the separatist momentum has been driven by anger over oil industry management.

Smith has blamed Carney's predecessor Justin Trudeau for igniting the separatist fire, accusing him of trying to crush oil production to advance his pro-climate agenda.

Alberta's independence push has also drawn sustained interest from Trump allies.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called Alberta a "natural partner" for the United States. Elon Musk, the world's richest person and a top Trump supporter, posted on X this month that Alberta "should separate."

Separatist leaders also held meetings at the US State Department and received advice from Republican political operatives.

- 'Rash decisions' -

Carney, who grew up in Alberta, has worked to improve relations between the province and Ottawa since taking office last year.

He has partnered with Smith on advancing a new pipeline to export more Alberta bitumen overseas, a project considered a nonstarter during Trudeau's tenure.

Alberta Prosperity Project leader Mitch Sylvestre told AFP earlier Monday that Carney had "threatened" the province in the closing days of the campaign.

Carney's message was "voting against Canada is dangerous," Sylvestre said, calling that "very unreasonable."

Haley Erdegard, a 44-year-old who voted in Edmonton, voiced discomfort with the idea advanced by some separatists that Alberta is forced to share too much of its oil revenue with the rest of Canada.

"I think we probably need to put some more work towards cooperation before making rash decisions about trying to start our own country," she told AFP.

World

Araghchi Says Russia, Iran Have 'Never' Worked so Closely

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi (R) and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrive for a joint press conference in Tehran, Iran, 19 October 2026. EPA/ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi (R) and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrive for a joint press conference in Tehran, Iran, 19 October 2026. EPA/ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH
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Araghchi Says Russia, Iran Have 'Never' Worked so Closely

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi (R) and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrive for a joint press conference in Tehran, Iran, 19 October 2026. EPA/ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi (R) and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrive for a joint press conference in Tehran, Iran, 19 October 2026. EPA/ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tuesday that Russia and Iran have "never" worked so closely, as Moscow seeks to play a mediating role in the Middle East war.

Araghchi hosted his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Iran on Monday, in his first visit since the outbreak of the conflict, AFP reported.

"We covered everything from Europe to West Asia, including Lebanon, Palestine, Ukraine and Yemen. Also focused on expansion of economic and nuclear cooperation," Araghchi wrote on X.

"Never in our history have Iran and Russia worked as closely as now."

Lavrov said ahead of the visit that Moscow's efforts "aimed at preventing the return of a large-scale war,” with talks stalled between the United States and Iran.

His visit came after Russian President Vladimir Putin told his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian this month that Moscow was prepared to contribute to mediation efforts.

Russia and Iran, two of the most heavily sanctioned nations in the world, maintain close ties.

The Russian foreign ministry said ahead of Lavrov's visit to Tehran that discussions were expected to focus on "ways to resolve the acute international crisis triggered by the unlawful aggression of the US and Israel" against Iran.

The ministry said the war had been a blow to stability and security "not only in the near and Middle East, but also on a global scale.”

World

France to Impose New Curfews Where Necessary, Says PM

Policemen patrol during an overnight curfew in Paris, Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026. (AP)
Policemen patrol during an overnight curfew in Paris, Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026. (AP)
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France to Impose New Curfews Where Necessary, Says PM

Policemen patrol during an overnight curfew in Paris, Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026. (AP)
Policemen patrol during an overnight curfew in Paris, Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026. (AP)

France will impose new curfews in areas where needed on Tuesday, Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said, adding that the measures introduced in several cities the previous day had "helped keep the night calm".

France was rocked on Saturday by some of its worst rioting in recent years, just six months before the country elects a successor to President Emmanuel Macron.

Accused of failing to anticipate and contain the street violence, the government has pledged to restore order, and had announced partial curfews in Paris and some other cities on Monday.

"Targeted curfews have contributed to calm overnight," Lecornu wrote on X.

"Tonight new curfews will be decided where the situation requires it. These decisions will be made on the ground, by the prefects, in coordination with the mayors," he said.

Police confirmed the night had passed without major incidents across France.

Several cities, including Paris, the southwestern city of Bordeaux and Nice on the French Riviera, introduced partial curfews on Monday in response to urban unrest that followed weeks of student demonstrations over poor learning conditions in high schools.

While some restrictions, such as those in Paris, initially applied only for the night from Monday to Tuesday, others, particularly in Bordeaux and Nice, were set to remain in force for several days.

During the night, a helicopter flew over the French capital's Place de la Republique, one of the epicenters of the unrest, sweeping a powerful searchlight across the square to monitor compliance with the curfew.

In Lyon, despite a ban on demonstrations, around 500 people gathered on Monday evening outside the tourism office that was set on fire, to show support for shopkeepers affected by looting, according to organizers.

The word "LYON" had been spelled out on the ground with candles.

A banner hung on a fence nearby read "Anti-Rioters Lyon" and "Doucet Resign", referring to Green Mayor Gregory Doucet, an AFP journalist said.

Under pressure, the government scheduled another series of emergency meetings on Tuesday, including talks involving representatives of major social media platforms.

Finance Minister Roland Lescure pledged support measures for shopkeepers and craftspeople.

Patrick Martin, the head of France's Medef business lobby group, on Tuesday accused the state of having "failed" during the urban unrest that hit at least 3,000 businesses, according to preliminary estimates.