Sisters Martha Syrett, 6, left, and Etta Syrett, 4, right, measure one of Ian Paton's huge pumpkins at Pinetops Nurseries, Lymington, Hants, UK on October 5, 2025. An enormous pumpkin grown by a pair of green-fingered twins has smashed two world records – it is the heaviest and the longest pumpkin on the planet. Ian and Stuart Paton grew the pumpkin which weighed in at 2,819.8 pounds (1,278.8 kg) – the equivalent of about two bulls. (Photo by Ollie Thompson/Solent News & Photo Agency)

“I’d come to the Altai Mountains on an Adventure Sherpas tour. Our group of 12 was made up mostly of Minnesotans who’d left warm weather and falling leaves for frosty Mongolia. We’d come to sleep in cozy ger tents, the traditional yurt abode of the Mongolian steppe; sip mare’s milk tea; climb mountain glaciers; ride horses to an ancient battle site, and attend the annual Eagle Hunting Festival in Ölgiy...”. – Kathryn Kysar via The Star Tribune. Here: hunter Berek and his eagle outside his home. (Photo by Brad Ruoho/The Star Tribune)

Ivan, a tourist from Russia, takes a selfie at Mai Khao Beach as a plane takes off from Phuket International Airport in Phuket, Thailand, January 17, 2022. (Photo by Jorge Silva/Reuters)

Costumed children from the local Shade performance group perform their show during the annual Brixton Burn in Johannesburg, South Africa, 28 August 2021. The annual event is run by members of the “Afrikaburn” community which is a regional event of “Burning Man” in the United States. (Photo by Kim Ludbrook/EPA/EFE)

As the world marks the International Day of the Girl Child, women's rights activists point to progress on a wide array of issues but say more needs to be done to protect girls from child marriage, sexual assault and other forms of exploitation. Here is a selection of pictures showing the daily lives of girls across the globe, all taken by female Associated Press photojournalists. Here: In this December 14, 2015, file photo, a young clown rides in the back of a car following a procession to the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City. Hundreds belonging to various clown associations made their annual pilgrimage to the Basilica to pay their respects to the Virgin of Guadalupe, Mexico's patron saint. (Photo by Rebecca Blackwell/AP Photo)

A brown bear cub by the Khailyulya River in north-east Kamchatka, Russia on July 24, 2021. (Photo by Yuri Smityuk/TASS)

A camel is seen in front of the pyramids, which is one of the seven wonders of the world that was visited by 14.9 million tourists last year in Giza, Egypt on February 21, 2024. The pyramids were named after the tombs of fathers, sons and grandsons, including the largest pyramid Cheops (King Khufu), the middle pyramid Khafre (King Khafre) and the small pyramid Menkaure (King Menkaure). (Photo by Utku Ucrak/Anadolu via Getty Images)

An Indian girl student covers her face as a precaution against the coronavirus outbreak, in Mumbai, India, 12 March 2020. According to media reports, more than 70 people in India have tested positive for COVID-19. The World Health Organisation declared the novel coronavirus or COVID-19 as global pandemic. (Photo by Divyakant Solanki/EPA/EFE/Rex Features/Shutterstock)