International

Mussolini’s granddaughter abandons Meloni for Forza Italia, “more moderate and centrist”

The granddaughter of the Italian dictator Benito Mussolini who until now played in the far-right Brothers of Italy (FdI) party, Rachele, has left the formation of the Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, to move to the conservative Forza Italia (FI), more in line with its “moderate and centrist sensitivity”.

The most voted councilor in the City Council of Rome with FdI considers that Meloni’s formation has too extremist positions particularly on civil rights and feels more comfortable in the party founded by Silvio Berlusconi and now led by the Vice President of the Executive and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani, revealed this Thursday the newspaper ‘Repubblica’.

“I thank FdI for having believed in me and having supported me during two candidacies, affection and esteem remain, but for me the time has come to turn the page and join a party that I feel closer to my moderate and centrist sensitivity,” Mussolini said succinctly to the Ansa agency after his decision was known.

The granddaughter of the ‘Duce’, twice elected councilor in the municipal elections in Rome, in the last as the most voted, maintains differences with the ultras of Meloni, as happened last August with the controversy surrounding the intersexual character of the Algerian boxer Imane Khelif and that she described as “a denigrating campaign,” according to the newspaper.

Khleif won the gold medal at the Paris Games and, after the withdrawal of his Italian rival Angela Carini, Meloni, who said that confrontation was not done on equal terms.

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Rachele, daughter of Romano, the dictator’s fourth son, and half-sister of former MEP Alessandra, had also been against maintaining the tricolor flame in the past, one of the emblems of the Italian Social Movement, heir to her grandfather’s fascist party, as a symbol of the FdI.

Last June there was talk of his candidacy for the European elections, which finally did not materialize by his own decision. Then she assured, in the ‘Corriere dell’, that although she was proud of her last name after her father, a prominent jazz musician, “they would only have talked about my name and they would have said: ‘Meloni puts the granddaughter of the Duce as a candidate’”.

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.