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Fires and clashes broke out in several French cities on Saturday as protesters took to the streets against rising living costs and in support of students’ demands, with police using tear gas and water cannons to disperse violent groups. In Paris, a car and a newspaper kiosk were set on fire at Place de la République, while police used tear gas to push back masked protesters who threw fireworks and other objects at officers. In Lyon, France’s third-largest city, a fire broke out inside a tourist office, with smoke and flames rising from the building. In the southern port city of Marseille, several shops and a municipal police station were damaged, while some protesters briefly entered the lobby of City Hall before police dispersed them. Authorities recorded 140 protest actions outside the Paris region by midday, involving more than 30,000 people, according to the office of Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez. At least 166 people were arrested nationwide. The Interior Ministry reported violence involving masked protesters in Paris, Marseille, Rennes, Toulouse and Angers, including attempted looting, attacks on police, fires set to street furniture and damage targeting government institutions and media outlets. The demonstrations followed calls on social media to revive the “Yellow Vest” movement, which emerged in 2018 over social injustice. Student groups, staging school blockades since mid-September, urged supporters to join the protests. The CGT, one of France’s major labour unions, also backed the demonstrations, demanding higher wages and pensions, lower prices and protection of public services. President Emmanuel Macron called for calm on Friday, saying people had a constitutional right to protest and express themselves but must also respect others and public property. Police banned some proposed gatherings in central Paris, while several metro stations were closed at their request, including stations near the Champs-Elysées, the presidential palace, parliament and government offices. France has witnessed thousands of arrests, hundreds of injuries and fires at schools in recent weeks as student protests spread nationwide, influencing the country’s presidential election campaign and drawing international attention. Some teenagers have suffered serious injuries from police crowd-control weapons. Nuñez suspended the use of a type of police stun grenade against young demonstrators after a 15-year-old lost a hand. Climate and social justice activist Greta Thunberg joined students at a high school in the Paris suburb of Saint-Denis on Tuesday.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday urged support for new US sanctions against Russia after President Donald Trump suspended their implementation, raising concerns over Ukraine’s security ahead of winter. Zelenskyy said the sanctions legislation could put significant pressure on Moscow to end the war. However, Trump told Congress that pausing the restrictions was in the US national interest without providing further details. Senator Richard Blumenthal, a co-author of the bill, criticised the decision, saying it undermined US lawmakers and European allies. The legislation targets Russian officials, banks and tanker networks used to transport Russian energy. Meanwhile, Zelenskyy said Russia had launched a massive attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, targeting more than 15 sites. Ukraine’s air force said Russia fired four cruise missiles and 332 attack drones overnight, with all missiles and 289 drones intercepted or destroyed. Russian strikes killed three people in Sloviansk and an ambulance driver in the Kherson region, where at least 33 others were injured, Ukrainian officials said. In Russia, a woman was killed in a Ukrainian drone attack in the Belgorod region. Moscow said its forces shot down 610 Ukrainian drones overnight across several regions, Crimea and the Black Sea. More than 350 flights at Moscow’s airports were cancelled or delayed. The Kremlin also announced that Russian President Vladimir Putin had approved a programme to restore trade and logistics facilities damaged in drone attacks.

Protesters across France took to the streets on Saturday over rising living costs, joining high school students who have been demonstrating for better education conditions amid more than three weeks of school blockades. The latest mobilisation followed social media calls to revive the Yellow Vest movement, which emerged in 2018 to protest social injustice. Student groups involved in demonstrations since mid-September have urged others to join the protests. The CGT, one of France’s major labour unions, also backed the demonstrations, demanding higher wages and pensions, lower prices and the protection of public services that meet people’s needs. President Emmanuel Macron called for calm and respect for people and property on Friday as officials warned of possible violence. “There is a constitutional right to protest and to express oneself, and I have always been vigilant and attentive that that right is fully respected,” Macron said in Brussels. However, he stressed that the right to protest must be exercised with respect for people and property, and without insults or destruction. He described the potential presence of people intent solely on causing damage and unrest as “unacceptable”. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said hundreds of protest actions and more than 80 marches were expected nationwide, including spontaneous gatherings, street demonstrations and blockades. In Paris, a march was scheduled to begin in the early afternoon at Place de la République, northeast of the city centre. Police banned some other planned gatherings in central Paris. Several Metro stations were also closed at police request, including stations near the Champs-Élysées, the presidential palace, parliament and government offices. France has witnessed thousands of arrests, hundreds of injuries and arson attacks on schools in recent weeks as student protests spread nationwide following the start of the new school year. The demonstrations have also influenced the country's presidential election campaign and attracted international attention. Some teenagers have suffered severe injuries allegedly caused by police crowd-control weapons. Nuñez suspended the use of a particular type of police stun grenade against young demonstrators after a 15-year-old lost a hand. On Tuesday, climate and social justice activist Greta Thunberg joined students at a high school in Saint-Denis, a suburb of Paris.

An airstrike killed three children and wounded more than a dozen people in Yemen, with Iran-backed Houthi rebels blaming Saudi Arabia for the attack. Meanwhile, a journalist required surgery after being assaulted by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank. The following are the latest developments in the Middle East on Saturday. Airstrike kills three children in YemenIran-backed Houthi rebels said Saudi airstrikes killed three children in Yemen's southwestern province of Dhamar. The Houthi-run health ministry said Saturday that the strikes, carried out a day earlier, hit houses in al-Ar village in the Dawran Aness district. One eight-year-old child and two children aged 10 were killed, while more than a dozen people were injured. The Houthis blamed Saudi Arabia for the attack, which occurred amid escalating fighting between the rebels and Saudi Arabia and its Yemeni allies. Saudi authorities did not immediately comment. According to the Houthi-run ministry, the three children were among 124 people killed in areas under the group's control since fighting resumed in September. Journalist undergoes surgery after Israeli settler attackHeidi Levine, a photographer for The Washington Post, was undergoing surgery on Saturday for a finger that was nearly severed during an assault by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank, her daughter said. Ashley Milner told The Associated Press that the finger on her mother's left hand had been cut down to the bone, exposing a tendon. Levine also suffered a broken rib, multiple fractured vertebrae and cuts across her body. Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian villages across the occupied West Bank on Friday, setting fire to cars and trees and assaulting residents and Levine. The violence further disrupted the territory's annual olive harvest, which has faced repeated attacks this month. Levine said the attackers were armed with bottles and slingshots. She told the AP that they kicked her for about 10 minutes while she tried to protect her cameras and bag. She added that her helmet and protective vest bearing the word “PRESS” likely prevented more serious injuries. Violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians has increased this year, with attacks intensifying in the weeks before Israel's Oct. 27 election. Residents and human rights groups say Israeli authorities have taken little action to stop the attacks.

North Korea said Saturday that it had successfully tested a new torpedo system equipped with artificial intelligence capabilities for detecting and guiding weapons towards targets. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that the weapon, tested on Thursday, was a “super-speed, precisely guided” torpedo system named Zam-2.0. However, the report did not explain how artificial intelligence was incorporated into the system. KCNA said the test also verified the torpedo's propulsion systems, which were developed through more than 180 tests conducted over the past five years. South Korea's military, which has frequently accused Pyongyang of exaggerating its weapons capabilities, did not immediately comment on the report. North Korea has stepped up its weapons demonstrations in recent weeks, including its first underwater-launched missile tests in nearly three years. Leader Kim Jong Un has increasingly focused on strengthening the country's naval capabilities following years of developing ballistic missiles. Experts said the missile tests conducted on Wednesday likely involved a submarine that has yet to enter service. Pyongyang has said the vessel is designed to launch nuclear weapons. North Korea also tested hypersonic missile systems with different ranges on Sept 20 and Oct 3 as it seeks to expand its arsenal of weapons intended to overcome missile defence systems in South Korea and Japan. Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of the North Korean leader, claimed that the missiles tested on Oct 3 also incorporated artificial intelligence technology. However, some experts believe that although North Korea may be improving its missile guidance software, its weapons are unlikely to possess highly advanced digital capabilities, such as autonomous target identification. Kim has halted diplomatic engagement and cooperation with South Korea in recent years, describing the country as a permanent enemy, while nuclear negotiations with Washington remain deadlocked.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy has claimed that a supertanker carrying more than two million barrels of crude oil struck a sea mine while attempting to navigate the Strait of Hormuz through what it described as an unauthorised route. The incident triggered a massive explosion and a major fire aboard the vessel, the IRGC said in a statement carried by Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency. According to the IRGC Navy, the tanker had switched off its tracking and radar systems before attempting to cross the strategic waterway through what it alleged was a deceptive manoeuvre supported by the US military. Warning against unauthorised passage, the IRGC Navy declared that the Strait of Hormuz remained closed and cautioned vessels against violating Iran’s regulations. It also warned that ships attempting to transit the strait while relying on US military support would face serious consequences. The claims could not be independently verified, and no further details about the tanker’s identity, the extent of the damage or possible casualties were immediately available. Source: AL Jazeera

A teacher confronted a teenage gunman who killed four people at an elementary school in Oregon, throwing her phone at him before tackling and struggling with the attacker in an attempt to protect others, police said Friday. Her actions may have saved lives before a father who followed the shooter into the building shot and killed him. Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz described the teacher’s response as “heroic” during a news conference, confirming that she was not injured. He identified the shooter as 16-year-old Griffin J. John II and said all four victims were shot inside the same classroom. Authorities said John had previously attended Silver Rail Elementary as a student with special needs. He targeted a classroom attended by children with special needs, firing as many as 15 rounds from a 12-gauge shotgun. According to Krantz, the teenager still had approximately 44 rounds remaining when he was killed. “Everyone wants to know why, including us,” Krantz said, adding that investigators might never uncover the complete explanation but would continue searching for answers. Police are also investigating how the teenager obtained the pump-action shotgun. A law enforcement official familiar with the investigation told The Associated Press, on condition of anonymity, that the weapon had been purchased by his mother. The teenager’s mother, Shauntai Nickerson, spoke to reporters outside her apartment near the school, expressing sorrow over the incident and saying she wished she could have prevented it. “I miss my boy,” Nickerson said through tears, according to reports by The New York Times and CNN. She apologised to the victims’ families and said she regretted being unable to do anything to stop the tragedy. Nickerson declined to explain how her son acquired the shotgun and did not respond further when journalists later visited her apartment. In a 2020 interview with local television station KTVZ, Nickerson had described her son, then 10, as a participant in a school district programme for students with special needs. The programme, known as NEST — Nurturing Empathy, Safety and Trust — supports children facing significant behavioural and social challenges. She had also spoken about his difficulties with remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Gunman Killed Minutes After First Emergency CallAccording to Krantz, the first emergency call came early Thursday afternoon from the driver of a red pickup truck. The driver reportedly saw the teenager throw his gun over a fence outside the school before climbing over it himself. When the driver shouted at him, the teenager opened fire, striking the truck three times. The driver escaped without injury. Another motorist, 36-year-old Kaylub Giamanco, whose children attend Silver Rail Elementary, witnessed the teenager shooting at the pickup truck and moving towards the school. The gunman reportedly fired through locked doors to enter the building. Giamanco stopped in the parking lot, took his .40-calibre pistol and followed the attacker inside. He then encountered the gunman wrestling with the teacher and fired several shots at him, killing him. Police identified the four people killed as three children, aged 5, 8 and 11, and 25-year-old teacher Megan Lambert. A seven-year-old child who was wounded received emergency treatment at the scene and remains hospitalised. Another teacher, 54-year-old Becky Drury, was shot in the arm and hand. Her family said she was recovering following surgery. Authorities confirmed that no other children were inside the classroom during the attack. The youngest victim, Rhoam Summer, was remembered by his aunt, Swan Sheridan, as an energetic child who loved climbing, running and reading. She said he had a caring nature and was always eager to rescue and look after his stuffed toys. Father Who Stopped Gunman Is Described as a HeroIn a statement delivered to reporters on Friday, Giamanco’s mother, Kenda Freeman, confirmed that her son was the person who shot the attacker. She said he is the father of two girls attending the school. Freeman added that Giamanco did not want public recognition and instead expressed appreciation for emergency responders, school staff and community members who had offered support. The family also requested privacy as they dealt with the aftermath of the tragedy. Silver Rail Elementary serves children from kindergarten through fifth grade and enrolled approximately 450 students last year. Schools across Bend cancelled classes and other activities on Friday. The central Oregon city, surrounded by mountains and home to around 100,000 people, is known as a destination for tourism and outdoor recreation. The shooting marked the 28th mass killing in the United States this year, according to a database maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University. Trump Praises Man Who Stopped the AttackUS President Donald Trump praised Giamanco on Friday, describing him as a “great hero” who had taken action to stop the gunman. Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said the incident was horrific but credited the armed bystander’s intervention with potentially preventing an even greater loss of life. Makeshift memorials featuring flowers, balloons and stuffed animals appeared around the school, located in a densely populated neighbourhood of newly constructed homes. Brooke Olsen, whose daughter attends kindergarten at Silver Rail Elementary, said she was astonished that someone had pursued the gunman before law enforcement officers arrived. Speaking tearfully on Friday, Olsen said she was grateful that someone had intervened quickly and prevented the violence from escalating further, describing the outcome as miraculous.    

US President Donald Trump on Friday issued an executive order suspending a sweeping package of sanctions against Russia, informing Congress that the decision was in the national interest. The move comes just weeks after Trump signed the legislation into law. Named in honour of the late South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, the measure was designed to restrict the financial resources supporting Russia’s war against Ukraine. Trump’s unexpected decision follows his announcement last week that the United States had reached an agreement to purchase diesel from Russia in an effort to lower global energy prices. Critics have argued that such a deal could provide Moscow with additional resources to continue its war against Ukraine. An AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll released on Oct. 1 found that Americans disapproved of Trump’s handling of the Iran war and held him responsible for rising prices. His approval ratings have fallen close to historic lows, increasing political pressure on Republicans ahead of the Nov. 3 elections, as the party seeks to retain control of both chambers of Congress. Sanctions Were a Key Part of Graham’s LegacyGraham, a close friend and ally of Trump, died unexpectedly in July shortly after returning from Ukraine. He had strongly supported tougher economic measures against Russia to pressure Moscow into ending its war. Following his death, lawmakers from both parties rallied behind the sanctions legislation, which Trump subsequently signed. However, the president reversed course on Friday by putting its implementation on hold. The package was intended to deprive Russian President Vladimir Putin’s government of the financial resources needed to sustain its invasion of Ukraine, which began more than four years ago. Co-authored by Senator Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat from Connecticut, the legislation imposes sanctions on Russian officials and financial institutions, as well as a so-called shadow fleet of tankers used to transport Russian energy products. It also authorises Trump to impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent on the five largest importers of Russian oil or natural gas. An exception applies to countries that purchase less than 15 per cent of Russia’s natural gas exports and have made substantial efforts to reduce their dependence on Russian supplies. The White House did not immediately provide a detailed explanation of how suspending the measures served the national interest. The decision appeared on its official website late Friday, accompanied by a notification stating that a report explaining the action had been submitted to Congress. The suspension also comes amid Trump’s increasingly critical remarks about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, whom he has blamed for failing to reach an agreement with Putin to end the conflict. The Trump administration had largely remained silent after the legislation passed with strong bipartisan majorities in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, following Graham’s sudden death. Ukrainian officials had also encouraged US lawmakers to support the measure. Trump’s Decision Follows Diesel Agreement with PutinThe latest move comes after Trump announced an agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin to purchase substantial quantities of Russian diesel. According to Trump, Russia would initially supply more than 300,000 tonnes of diesel, followed by another 500,000 tonnes in November and 1 million tonnes shortly afterwards. He also said an additional 3 million tonnes would be delivered within a relatively short period. The proposed deal has drawn criticism from both Republicans and Democrats, who argue that buying Russian fuel could help finance Moscow’s military campaign against Ukraine. Critics have also questioned whether the arrangement would significantly reduce global fuel prices, which have risen largely because of Trump’s war against Iran. Meanwhile, the suspended sanctions had become an important political issue for Darline Graham, Lindsey Graham’s sister, who was appointed to serve the remainder of his Senate term and is now campaigning to retain the seat permanently. After Trump signed the legislation, Darline Graham expressed her pride in the achievement, saying she wished her late brother had been alive to witness what she described as a historic moment. During a debate earlier this week with Democratic nominee Annie Andrews, Graham, who has received Trump’s endorsement and is expected to campaign alongside him in South Carolina next week, said she was proud to have helped secure the legislation’s passage. However, she acknowledged that the decision on whether to enforce the sanctions rested with the president. Graham said during a debate in Columbia on Sunday that the legislation provided Trump with economic tools to pressure Russia into ending the war. She added that the ultimate objectives were to bring down fuel prices and end the conflict, arguing that global energy costs would decline once the war came to an end.    

Two missiles struck the airport in Yemen’s southern port city of Aden on Friday night, according to police. Authorities blamed the Iran-backed Houthi rebels for the attack, marking the second missile strike on the airport in less than 10 days. Police reported no casualties in the latest incident as fighting intensifies on another front in the wider Iran conflict. The Houthis have launched attacks against neighboring Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s internationally recognized government, which receives support from Riyadh. The attack came just a day after the rebels struck a palace complex in Aden, the government’s seat, killing at least five people. It was the second major assault on the city within two days. A military official affiliated with the Houthis, speaking to the rebel-controlled Saba news agency, said the group targeted a military installation near the airport. The facility reportedly contains a command center used by Saudi-led forces fighting the rebels, along with a weapons storage depot. The airport had previously been targeted by two missiles on Oct. 7, although that incident also resulted in no reported casualties. Yemen’s information minister said Friday’s missiles landed approximately 500 meters from a Yemenia Airways aircraft that was preparing for takeoff. A security official, who spoke anonymously because they were not authorized to address the media, said passengers were evacuated from the plane promptly. The country’s transport ministry condemned the strike, describing it as part of a “systematic Houthi escalation targeting vital facilities and state assets.” The ministry accused the rebels of deliberately putting civilian lives at risk. The latest surge in violence has reignited Yemen’s devastating civil war, which intensified months ago amid growing tensions surrounding the broader conflict involving Iran. The Houthis, angered by an attack on Sanaa’s airport and a prolonged blockade imposed on their territory, announced their own blockade against neighboring Saudi Arabia. Since then, the rebels have increasingly attacked airports, oil installations and military facilities across Saudi Arabia. These strikes have disrupted thousands of flights and killed 19 people, with most fatalities occurring in attacks on Riyadh’s international airport. The headquarters of Saudi oil giant Aramco have also been targeted, dealing another blow to the world’s leading oil exporter. Meanwhile, Houthi forces have advanced along Yemen’s Red Sea coast, seizing territory near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The strategic waterway provides an alternative shipping route to the Strait of Hormuz, where maritime traffic has faced threats linked to the Iran conflict. In response, the Saudi-led coalition launched a major military offensive this month to push the rebels away from the strategically important strait and reclaim territory. As the escalating conflict continues to unsettle global markets, Yemeni civilians are facing worsening humanitarian conditions, particularly in besieged areas such as the city of Taiz.    

The US Coast Guard rescued at least 16 people found floating in the Pacific Ocean off Mexico's Baja California coast early Friday and continued searching for several others in an area known for migrant smuggling by sea. The rescued people were being taken to hospitals in San Diego. Three were admitted to Scripps Mercy Hospital, including one treated for a suspected shark bite and two for cold exposure, hospital spokesperson Janice Collins said. The Coast Guard responded to a distress call about a vessel at around 1.00am, officials said. The people were found about 140 miles (225 kilometres) west of Ensenada, according to Petty Officer Chris Sappey. “There was no sight of a vessel in the water, just straight people in the water,” Sappey said. One survivor reported that as many as 27 people had been aboard a boat. Authorities had yet to establish how the people ended up in the water or what they had been doing. The Coast Guard and US Navy were helping Mexican authorities search with two helicopters, a fixed-wing aircraft and a cutter. Messages seeking information were left for San Diego's Fire-Rescue Department. Migrants increasingly use smugglers' small boats, known as pangas, to avoid heavily guarded land borders. These boats often depart Baja California at night and travel hundreds of miles north.