Lionel Messi is set to make his final appearance for Argentina on Tuesday when the world champions face Benin in a farewell friendly at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires.   After more than two decades in the national team, the 39-year-old is expected to hand over the captain’s armband as Argentina begins life without its most iconic player. The match will bring together around 85,000 supporters, members of Argentina’s 2022 World Cup-winning squad and a new generation of players who are expected to carry the team forward. Messi leaves behind an extraordinary international record. He is Argentina’s most-capped player and all-time leading scorer, with 125 goals and 207 appearances, alongside a record 68 assists. His major international honours include the 2022 FIFA World Cup, two Copa America titles and the Finalissima. The farewell comes less than three months after Argentina lost the 2026 World Cup final to Spain in New Jersey. Messi was visibly emotional after the defeat and later announced his decision to retire from international football. “I gave it my all; I have nothing left to give,” Messi said when announcing his decision in August, adding that younger players deserved an opportunity. A farewell with old friends Several members of Argentina’s 2022 World Cup-winning squad are expected to be present for Messi’s final international appearance, including former international teammate Angel Di María. Di María retired from international football in 2024 but will return to witness the occasion alongside other members of Argentina’s golden generation. Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni described the occasion as an unforgettable day. “It’s going to be an unforgettable day for everyone,” Scaloni said. “Everyone wants to be at this match, and now it’s just about enjoying it.” Scaloni will also bid farewell to veteran defender and vice-captain Nicolas Otamendi, while Rodrigo De Paul and Giovani Lo Celso were called up specifically for the Benin fixture. Argentina prepares for life after Messi Cristian Romero is expected to inherit the captain’s armband, with Emiliano Martinez and Lautaro Martinez also among the players in Argentina’s leadership group. Other key figures expected to lead the next generation include Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernandez, Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez. Argentina have already shown signs of moving forward without Messi. They defeated Bolivia 4-0 before recording a 7-0 victory over Burkina Faso, with young players including Franco Mastantuono and Gianluca Prestianni getting on the scoresheet. The future of Argentina’s famous No. 10 shirt, however, remains undecided. “We won’t give the number 10 to anyone until Leo’s match takes place. After that, we’ll see,” Scaloni said. Messi remains under contract with Inter Miami until 2028, although his future in club football is also uncertain following the death of his father, Jorge, earlier this year. The Argentina-Benin friendly therefore represents more than a final international appearance. It marks the closing chapter of Messi’s remarkable career with the Albiceleste and the beginning of a new era for the South American champions.

South Korea has warned that artificial intelligence may have been used in a series of cyberattacks targeting the country’s financial sector, as police launch an investigation into the breaches.   More than seven financial institutions, including some of the country’s biggest banks, have reported customer data breaches in the past week, affecting more than 68,000 people, according to the Financial Services Commission. President Lee Jae Myung raised the alarm during a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, saying there were signs that AI had been used in some of the attacks. “We have now reached a point where AI can make (hacking) easy for even those without special skills,” Lee said. He warned that advances in AI were making hacking methods increasingly sophisticated and expanding the potential scale of damage. “ The government, companies and our society as a whole need to recognise the seriousness of the current situation and remain particularly vigilant,” the president said. Shinhan Bank among affected institutions Shinhan Bank, one of the institutions targeted, said information linked to loan applications from about 25,000 customers had been leaked. The exposed information included customers’ names, phone numbers and annual income. Police said an investigation had been launched following President Lee’s directive. A South Korean government official told AFP that it was “highly likely” that Artex AI, an open-source security testing tool believed to be a Chinese AI system, was used in the attacks. However, officials stressed that the alleged use of the tool does not mean the hackers were Chinese. Park Sang-won, head of the Financial Security Institute, said attackers could operate through IP addresses in different locations, making it impossible to identify them based solely on an IP address. Japan also reports major data breaches The security concerns extend beyond South Korea. At least three Japanese companies have reported data leaks in recent days, while 10 others said their data may have been compromised following unauthorised access to servers and websites. Car-sharing company Times Car reported that data involving 6.6 million accounts had been leaked. A Japanese barbecue restaurant chain also said personal information belonging to more than 10 million app users had been exposed. The developments have intensified concerns over the growing ability of AI-powered tools to identify software vulnerabilities and potentially assist cyberattacks against banks, businesses and government infrastructure.

Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Jimoh Ibrahim, has presided over the first plenary meeting of the Fifth Committee of the 81st Session of the UN General Assembly in New York.   Ibrahim, who was elected Chair of the Fifth Committee for the 81st Session, declared the meeting open and thanked member states for their confidence in Nigeria. He reaffirmed the importance of transparency, accountability and effective oversight in strengthening trust in the United Nations. The Nigerian envoy said the Bureau, elected on June 2, would work collectively to ensure the committee’s responsibilities were discharged successfully and on time. Ibrahim also drew attention to the Secretariat’s note on the organisation of work, including provisions concerning the dates of the session and the submission of membership lists. During the deliberations, member states stressed the need for careful scrutiny of UN budget proposals and their implications for programme delivery. They also called for greater efficiency while ensuring that the United Nations retains the capacity to carry out its responsibilities effectively. The meeting further highlighted the need to give adequate attention and resources to the development pillar and the priorities of developing countries to support the implementation of agreed mandates. Member states also emphasised the importance of equitable geographical representation among UN staff, in line with the UN Charter, to ensure a representative and balanced Secretariat. The Fifth Committee is responsible for the administrative and budgetary affairs of the United Nations, making its work central to the financing and effective functioning of the organisation.

The pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has condemned the abduction of prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members travelling from Oyo State to the South-East and South-South.   About 20 graduates, carrying their NYSC call-up letters, reportedly left the Samonda area of Ibadan, Oyo State, on Wednesday, September 30, 2026. They were abducted near Umunoha in Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State the following day. The victims were travelling in buses from Ibadan towards Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, and Bende, Abia State. In a statement on Monday, Afenifere National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi, expressed sympathy with the families of those abducted and called for urgent action to secure their release. The organisation also renewed its call for reforms to the NYSC scheme, arguing that requiring graduates to travel long distances for national service exposes them to avoidable security risks. According to Ajayi, Afenifere has advocated since 2021 for corps members to be allowed to serve in their states of origin, residence or nearby areas. The group said the Federal Government should expedite amendments to the NYSC Act to provide legal backing for reforms already approved by the Federal Executive Council. Afenifere urged the NYSC, pending the amendment of the Act, to consider allowing graduates to serve within their states of origin or residence, or within their geopolitical zones, citing security concerns as justification. The organisation also called on security agencies, alongside the Oyo and Imo State governments, to intensify efforts to rescue the abducted prospective corps members. Afenifere further commended President Bola Tinubu for approving new Army formations in Zamfara, Kebbi, Oyo and Osun states, saying the move could reduce response times to security threats. It also backed the creation of four additional Army divisional headquarters announced by the Presidency in July, saying increased military presence could strengthen surveillance and improve responses to emergencies. For a long-term solution to kidnapping and banditry, Afenifere called for strict enforcement of the 2022 Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act. The organisation said stronger implementation of the law would help tackle terrorism, terrorist financing and the proliferation of weapons.