*) Argentina withdraws from Falkland Islands pact with UK


Argentina has walked away from a cooperation pact with the United Kingdom and demanded new talks with London over the sovereignty of the disputed Falkland Islands.

At the G20 summit in India on Thursday, Argentinian Foreign Minister Santiago Cafiero informed UK counterpart James Cleverly that his government was abandoning the pact.

Argentina believes the islands known as the Malvinas were illegally taken from it in 1833 and invaded the British colony in 1982.

The United Kingdom sent troops and Argentina lost the two-month war for the South Atlantic archipelago in a conflict that claimed the lives of 649 Argentines and 255 British soldiers.


*) More than 200 killed, nearly 700 wounded in Somaliland clashes


More than 200 people lost their lives in over 24 days of clashes between security forces and clans in a disputed part of Somalia's breakaway Somaliland region, an official has said.

The mayor of the contested town, Abdirahim Ali Ismail told a press conference on Thursday that 210 civilians were killed and 680 others wounded in the fighting.

Somaliland has claimed independence from Somalia since 1991 but has never been recognised internationally.

*) Gaza warns of 'environmental catastrophe' as landfill fire rages


Gaza officials have called for international help to extinguish a fire that started in a landfill in a village near the fence with Israel, saying it could last for days and cause an environmental catastrophe.

A large cloud of heavy smoke billowed into the sky as night fell on Thursday, and there was a strong smell of burning rubbish across Gaza City.

The fire started southeast of Gaza City, near the separation fence, for reasons that have yet to be confirmed, according to the Gaza municipality

*) 'Messi, we're waiting for you': Gunmen threaten football star Lionel Messi


Two gunmen on motorcycles have shot at a supermarket belonging to the family of Antonella Roccuzzo, wife of Lionel Messi, in Rosario, in Argentina's Santa Fe province, local media and the city's mayor reported.

A threatening hand-written message for 35-year-old Messi, Argentina's captain and seven-times World Player of the Year, was also left on the shop door on Thursday.

"Messi, we are waiting for you, (Pablo) Javkin (the mayor) is also a narco (drug trafficker), he is not going to take care of you," it read.
And finally…

*) Over 1,500 pets have been rescued so far since the twin earthquakes hit southern Türkiye

Over 1,500 pets have been rescued so far since the twin earthquakes hit southern Türkiye, a non-profit organisation has said.

More than three weeks after the deadly earthquake in Türkiye, the animal rescue team from Humane Society International is still finding dogs and cats alive in abandoned apartments, damaged buildings or wandering the streets.

The animal charity estimates that more than 1,500 animals including dogs, cats, rabbits, goldfish, a rooster, budgies, reptiles and more ― have been brought to receive medical care at the three main veterinary field clinics.