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Argentines celebrate ‘new stage’ in Messi’s career ahead of PSG move

AFP

Argentines reacted with joy and pride as their national idol Lionel Messi arrived in France on Tuesday ahead of his expected move to Paris Saint-Germain following two decades at Barcelona.

The South American country may be 11,000 kilometres from Paris but Argentines were glued to their screens following the latest developments of the world’s most famous No.10.

“Messi and the day of the 10: he’s arrived and revolutionised Paris!” said sports newspaper Ole, referring to the day of the month and Messi’s shirt number.

While Barcelona fans may be crying at the loss of their star and PSG diehards rejoicing, Argentines viewed the six-time Ballon d’Or winner’s move positively.

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“He’s come to the end of the cycle at Barcelona and it’s good to broaden your horizons,” Jose Iturria, a 60-year-old health worker in Buenos Aires, told AFP.

“The truth is he deserves the best because he’s the best player in the world.”

Messi is joining other stars in Paris such as France forward Kylian Mbappe, Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, Spain center-back Sergio Ramos and Brazil’s Neymar.

Dario Luque, 38, said his new club will give Messi “a change of air and as he’ll be surrounded by more stars… it will be good for him and the team.”

– ‘It won’t be the same’ –

Speaking to Argentine channel C5N, Argentina’s ambassador to France, Leonardo Constatino said amongst Argentines in France “there is great pride. Everyone is delighted and it’s very exciting.

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“We’re lucky to have the best player in the world in Paris.”

Constatino said he had received “many calls” from people wanting to meet Messi.

Argentina’s football association produced an emotional video that was circulating on social media called “Chin up champion” that began with Messi’s tears at his farewell press conference in Barcelona.

“The most incredible thing is that no Argentine will ever desert you, go where you go,” said the video that featured scenes from Messi’s career and family life.

Last month, Messi inspired Argentina to victory in the Copa America to end the country’s 27-year wait for a major trophy.

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“PSG is a team full of (major) figures and Leo keeps saying he wants to carry on achieving things, it’s the ideal team for him,” Elvio Paolorosso, a former physio with Argentina and Barcelona, told AM 550 radio station.

He said PSG’s Argentine coach Mauricio Pochettino would help Messi settle.

“The city, the language will be a problem for the family but for him it’s one of the best teams of the moment, as well as having an Argentine coach who will make things easier.”

“It won’t be the same seeing Barcelona without you,” Javier Mascherano, the former Argentina international midfielder who spent eight years at Barcelona alongside Messi, wrote on Instagram.

“It’s the start of a new stage and there’s no doubt you will leave your indelible mark wherever you want to go. Always the best.”

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Eight Killed in Series of Armed Attacks in Ecuador’s Manabí Province

At least eight people were killed in four separate armed attacks reported Sunday night in the cities of Manta and Montecristi, in Ecuador’s coastal province of Manabí, one of the areas hardest hit by the country’s escalating wave of criminal violence, local media reported on Monday.

The shootings occurred between 7:50 p.m. and 10:50 p.m. local time and affected several neighborhoods, as well as a family gathering, according to press reports. Police are investigating the incidents.

The first attack took place in the Los Artesanos sector of Montecristi, where a couple was shot dead in a public street.

Minutes later, in Manta’s 12 de Octubre neighborhood, a man was killed while sitting down. Police arrested a suspect at the scene and seized a 9mm magazine, authorities said.

A third incident occurred in the Bellavista area of Manta, when an armed assailant entered a home and shot a man during a family celebration. The attacker was captured by neighbors and sustained injuries.

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The deadliest attack was reported at 10:50 p.m. in the Leonidas Proaño parish of Montecristi, where gunmen opened fire from two vehicles on a group of people, leaving four dead and five wounded.

According to Jaime Salgado, acting chief of the Manta Police District, officers recovered seven 7.62mm shell casings, consistent with rifle ammunition, and 14 .40-caliber casings at the scene.

With these killings, the Manta police district, a port and tourist area on Ecuador’s Pacific coast, has recorded 51 violent deaths so far in January 2026, according to official figures.

The attacks occurred amid a state of emergency declared by the government in December due to serious internal unrest in Manabí, where military operations have been intensified this month, particularly in high-conflict zones.

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El Salvador Launches Fourth Year of Ocean Mission to Protect Marine Ecosystems

El Salvador’s Ministry of Environment has launched the fourth consecutive year of “Ocean Mission,” a permanent strategy focused on the protection, restoration, and responsible management of marine ecosystems, linking conservation efforts from inland mountain ranges to the coastline.

During an event held at the Los Cóbanos Protected Natural Area, Environment Minister Fernando López highlighted the ecological, social, and economic value of the site, which is recognized as the country’s eighth wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention.

“We are in one of the most valuable natural treasures of our country, not only because of its beauty, but also due to the enormous ecological, social, and economic importance that Los Cóbanos holds for El Salvador,” López said.

The minister emphasized that this volcanic-origin ecosystem is home to coral reefs and key coastal-marine systems that serve as refuge, breeding, and feeding grounds for emblematic species such as sea turtles, cetaceans, and a wide diversity of fish.

“Protecting Los Cóbanos means protecting biodiversity, community livelihoods, the local economy, and our natural heritage,” López stated.

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He also stressed that Ocean Mission goes beyond rhetoric, focusing instead on direct action framed within the National Environmental Education Policy. “We are not here to talk about environmental education; we are here to practice it,” he said, underscoring the guiding principle of moving from paper to action.

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Convicted gang member challenges Guatemala’s anti-gang law, citing Human Rights Violations

A member of a criminal gang currently facing sentencing for the crime of extortion has filed a constitutional appeal before Guatemala’s Constitutional Court against the recently approved and enacted Anti-Gang Law.

The appeal, submitted by Dylan Smaily Archila García, argues that the new legislation violates his fundamental human rights and claims there were procedural irregularities during its approval process, according to local Guatemalan media.

Archila García filed the motion just hours after the law took effect. The new legislation, passed by Guatemala’s Congress, increases penalties for crimes linked to gang activity and authorizes the construction of a mega-prison, modeled after El Salvador’s Center for the Confinement of Terrorism (CECOT).

Local outlets reported that in his petition, Archila García contends that the approval of the law did not comply with constitutional requirements and requests that the Court issue a ruling to annul the legislation, effectively halting its enforcement.

The appeal further claims that the Anti-Gang Law infringes on due process rights, as it allegedly fails to guarantee a fair criminal trial in which defendants can prove their innocence, undermining legal certainty and judicial security.

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Through this legal action, the petitioner seeks to have the law suspended and ultimately struck down by the Constitutional Court, preventing it from being debated again in Congress.