International

The number of dead and the number of injured in the Israeli attack on downtown Beirut rises to 20

The number of people killed after the attack by the Israeli Armed Forces, in the early hours of Saturday, against an eight-story building in the center of Beirut rose to 20, while another 66 were injured, the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health updated in a new statement.

The ministry issued a fourth balance sheet of victims, in which it reported on the new number of people killed and injured in the attack against the area located in the capital’s Basta neighborhood.

According to the statement, volunteers and rescue teams continue to search for survivors with excavators and heavy equipment that clear the debris where they claim to have found “a large number of body parts.”

According to the Lebanese National News Agency (ANN), “a deep crater remained after the use of bunker bombs.”

The attack in that area of the city center occurred in the early morning, after Israeli Army planes intensified their actions against different parts of Lebanon, with special emphasis on Tyre and other southern areas, as well as in Baalbek-Hermel, in the northeast of the country.

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In Friday’s attacks alone, counts by Lebanese health authorities speak of 25 people killed throughout the country and another 58 who were injured.

The Lebanese Ministry of Public Health said in its report on Saturday that Israeli aggressions since the beginning of the conflict have caused the death of at least 3,670 people and left 15,413 injured.

At least two dead in an Israeli attack in southern Lebanon

In southern Lebanon, at least two people died in an attack perpetrated by an Israeli drone while driving motorcycles in the town of Tora, near the city of Tyre, capital of the demarcation of southern Lebanon that has suffered constant bombing since last night until this morning, official sources reported.

The Lebanese National News Agency (ANN) reported on Saturday that “Israeli attacks intensified against the towns of the Tyre and Ben Ybeil areas from last night until this morning” and detailed that “unmanned aviation bombed the town of Tora targeting two motorcycles causing two fatalities.”

Israel blames Hizbulá for the attack on the FINUL post

On the other hand, the Israeli Army held the Shii group Hizbula responsible on Saturday for yesterday’s attack on a post of the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon (UNFINUL) in the Shamaa area, in which four Italian soldiers were slightly injured.

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“Hezbulá fired a series of rockets from Deir Qanun that hit and damaged a FINUL post in the Shamaa area, in southern Lebanon, and injured several soldiers stationed there,” a military statement said today.

The Israeli Army also accused the Shiite group, with which it has been waging war for more than a year, of having attacked last Tuesday with projectiles that same FIUL post in Shamaa and another in Ramyeh.

International

Air Canada suspends JFK flights amid soaring fuel costs linked to Iran conflict

Air Canada announced on Friday that it will suspend its flights from Montreal and Toronto to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport from June through late October, citing rising jet fuel costs driven by the conflict involving Iran.

“Since the beginning of the conflict with Iran, some routes and less profitable flights have become economically unviable, so we are making adjustments accordingly,” the airline said in a statement.

Despite the suspension, the carrier confirmed it will continue operating 34 daily flights from six Canadian cities to New York’s LaGuardia Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport.

Air Canada expects to resume its JFK operations after October 25.

Meanwhile, Iran announced the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz amid a temporary ceasefire in the region. However, jet fuel shortages could persist even if the truce holds.

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Fuel accounts for between 25% and 30% of operating costs for most airlines, and carriers worldwide have responded to the crisis by raising fares and suspending select routes due to safety and profitability concerns.

International

UK braces for potential CO₂ shortage amid Middle East tensions

The government of United Kingdom is preparing contingency measures amid fears of a potential shortage of carbon dioxide (CO₂), which could impact the agri-food industry if the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, The Times reported on Thursday.

According to the newspaper, officials assessed this scenario during a recent crisis meeting aimed at evaluating the consequences of a prolonged conflict, triggered on February 28 by joint attacks from United States and Israel against Iran.

Under this scenario, CO₂ supplies—primarily a byproduct of fertilizer production using natural gas—could fall by up to 18%, affecting multiple sectors including agriculture and food production.

The gas is widely used in the slaughter of pigs and poultry, as well as in extending the shelf life of packaged foods. Breweries could also face disruptions due to reduced availability.

“I don’t want to comment on a leak, but now that the information is out there, I hope people feel reassured knowing we are working on it,” said Peter Kyle, Secretary of State for Business and Trade, in remarks to Sky News.

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While a drop in CO₂ supply is not expected to cause major shortages in supermarkets, it could limit product variety, The Times noted, citing access to internal government documents.

To mitigate the impact, authorities are considering prioritizing CO₂ supply for critical sectors such as healthcare and civil nuclear energy, where it is used in cooling systems for blood reserves, organs, vaccines, and electricity generation. The government may also request domestic producers to increase output.

Central America

El Salvador and Paraguay approve 2026–2028 cooperation program

The governments of El Salvador and Paraguay approved the 2026–2028 Cooperation Program, which includes six joint development projects, according to Salvadoran Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Adriana Mira.

Mira stated that El Salvador will act as the “main provider of cooperation,” contributing five initiatives focused on road infrastructure, tourism, and local development. She also noted that one of the projects will be led by the Paraguayan side, although no further details were disclosed.

The agreement was reached during the Second Meeting of the Joint Commission on Technical and Scientific Cooperation between both countries.

According to Paraguay’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the First Meeting of the Political Consultation and Bilateral Coordination Mechanism was also held, with the participation of Vice Minister Víctor Verdún.

In an official statement, the Paraguayan government reported that both delegations agreed to identify mechanisms to promote competitiveness, economic growth, and market access. They also committed to signing agreements related to air transport cooperation.