AFP News Agency

German police and protesters clashed across the country Saturday following massive youth-led protests, with authorities using water cannon and pepper spray as masked demonstrators hurled fireworks, stones and bottles. u.afp.com/SyW5

Carlos Alcaraz beat Daniil Medvedev 6-4, 7-6 (7/2) in the semi-finals of the Vienna Open on Saturday, progressing to the final where he will meet either new world number one Alexander Zverev or Alex de Minaur. u.afp.com/SyPb

Police fired tear gas and clashed with protesters in Paris and elsewhere on Saturday as hundreds of thousands -- some in Halloween costumes -- marched across France against soaring living costs and police violence. u.afp.com/SyPH

Brighton inflicted a second straight Premier League defeat on Manchester City with a 1-0 win to close within two points of the leaders on Saturday, while Manchester United slumped to another damaging defeat for Michael Carrick at Chelsea. u.afp.com/SyPV

Residents of the Russian-occupied city of Oleshky, ravaged by years of war, arrived in Ukraine on Saturday after being evacuated via Belarus during a rare truce brokered by US First Lady Melania Trump. u.afp.com/SyPa

The 2026 Youth Olympic Games, the first Olympics ever to be held on African soil, open Saturday in the Senegalese capital, marking an historic moment for the continent. u.afp.com/SyPL

Chanting and swishing a wooden wand, a Japanese priest blessed a cat, a shiba inu and several Yorkshire terriers at a shrine in Tokyo on Saturday, in a rite usually reserved for children. u.afp.com/SyPe

"We're going to act," says COP17 Executive Secretary Astrid Schomaker as the UN biodiversity conference closes in Armenia. "We are here at this COP going to adopt decisions that will change the course of this biodiversity trajectory," she adds. The summit saw nations commit to getting the UN's 2030 nature goals back on track, after recognising that they had missed opportunities to address humanity's destructive toll on nature.

Marc Marquez extended his lead in the MotoGP standings when he finished second in a thrilling Malaysian sprint race Saturday behind Pedro Acosta, with title rival Jorge Martin out injured. u.afp.com/SyPW

Leylah Fernandez hailed her "mental fortitude" after setting up a Pan Pacific Open title clash against Russia's Diana Shnaider on Saturday. u.afp.com/SyPM

The 2026 Youth Olympic Games (YOG), the first Olympics ever to be held on African soil, open on Oct 31 in the Senegalese capital marking a historic moment for the continent. u.afp.com/SyPg

Raids against online scam centres in Madagascar have exposed ties with a criminal group that ran similar operations in Cambodia, also duping African nationals via alleged human trafficking, authorities told AFP. u.afp.com/SyPx

Something spooky 🦇 Actors perform in Guatemala City ahead of Day of the Dead celebrations Pictures by @johanordonez 📸

Britain's King Charles paid homage to fallen soldiers and reflected on colonial atrocities in Guyana during a whistle-stop tour of the former colony on Friday Several heads of state of ex-colonies have requested an apology for colonization and the transatlantic slave trade, which profited British royals for centuries u.afp.com/Sydt

A total of 115 yachts will set sail on Sunday for the Route du Rhum, a daring dash from Brittany in northern France to the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe Every skipper will make the Atlantic crossing alone in the race that takes place every four years u.afp.com/Sydy

Poland's President Karol Nawrocki called off a visit to Africa mid-flight and returned to Warsaw, where police surrounded the constitutional court on Friday Protests have erupted after the chief justice was suspended, triggering a standoff between the centrist government and the nationalist right u.afp.com/Syd9

After backing Trump two years ago, Fernando Nunez says he won't be voting for candidates endorsed by the Republican president in next week's midterms Polls show the sense of disillusionment among Latino voters is widespread, offering hope for the Democrats u.afp.com/SydF

At a landmark Canadian trial focused on the government's obligations to fight climate change, the young plaintiffs suing Ottawa over alleged policy failures have sought to focus attention their mental health u.afp.com/SydV

US President Donald Trump and Argentina's Javier Milei faced mounting pressure Friday to explain the role their countries played in helping Flavio Bolsonaro flee Brazil after he had his passports cancelled u.afp.com/SydK

Distraught relatives of the 69 victims of Spain's second high-speed train collision this year endured growing anguish on Friday as the authorities worked to identify the bodies u.afp.com/SydR