Vatican City (AFP) – Pope Francis expresses his “concern” over the situation in Afghanistan and calls for “dialogue” to resolve the conflict. The Taliban are on the brink of total victory in Afghanistan, with their fighters ordered to wait on the outskirts of the capital and the government conceding it was preparing for a “transfer of power”.
Akámas (Cyprus) (AFP) – Newly hatched Loggerhead sea turtles dodge micro plastic pollution littering the beach as they head out to sea in a turtle conservation area at Lara Beach in the Akamas Peninsula, in the west of the Mediterranean island of Cyprus.
CNN gets a rare glimpse at the conservation work on Inner Farne Island, where rangers are trying to keep puffin populations afloat as global temperature rise disrupts their food chain and a growing frequency of extreme weather threatens their habitats.
Editor of The Long War Journal Bill Roggio says the US being unable to predict the Taliban's offensive was a failure in leadership, intel and the military.
FC Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman urges to avoid "living in the past" ahead of the first Liga match of the post-Lionel Messi era on Sunday 15 August against Real Sociedad.
CNN's Peter Bergen says that the collapse of the Afghan army against the Taliban was an "unforced error" by the Biden administration and predicts that President Biden will have to send a military presence back into Afghanistan.
CNN's Pamela Brown calls out GOP lawmakers for using their platforms to spread Covid-19 disinformation.
A New York Times story about a company's struggle to get its employees vaccinated noted one reluctant worker "was concerned because she thought a vaccine had caused the characters in the film 'I Am Legend' to turn into zombies." CNN's Oliver Darcy reports the anti-vaccine movement is using the film as a vehicle to drive coronavirus disinformation to a broader crowd.
CNN's Jim Acosta takes a look at the sports world's response to the coronavirus vaccine, with big name athletes making their stances known.
Two tropical disturbances are tracking through the Caribbean, including the remnants of Fred and Tropical Storm Grace, which could hamper recovery efforts after the deadly Haiti earthquake.
Fraser Island (Australia) (AFP) – A collar camera fitted to a dingo in Australia captures the dog's life on Fraser Island, as part of efforts to track and prevent interactions between people and the wild dogs. From posing for snap-happy onlookers to scavenging on the pristine sand of the world heritage site off Queensland's coast, the collar camera captured the daily life of the dog, also known as wongari, in close up detail for the first time, according to the Queensland Department of Environment and Science.
Plymouth (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Plymouth residents stage a candlelight vigil to pay tribute to the victims of Britain's first mass shooting in 11 years, after a 22-year-old gunman described as a 'troubled loner' shot dead five people including his mother and a three-year-old girl before taking his own life.
