An underwater archaeologist works at a Byzantine shipwreck near Polače on the island of Mljet, Croatia, where gold has been discovered. Igor Miholjek, head of research at the Croatian Conservation Institute's department of underwater archaeology, displays some of the gold found at the site.
Wildfires and Heatwaves
In Lacanau, France, boats are moored as a wildfire burns in a forested area in the Gironde after a heatwave and water shortages across much of France. Firefighters try to extinguish forest fires using a wildland water truck in Le Porge, Gironde. A virulent wildfire has swept through more than 2,000 hectares since 22 July near the Arcachon Basin, where nearly 12,000 residents and tourists have been evacuated.
Ukraine and Middle East
In Izium, Ukraine, a car drives along a road covered with anti-drone nets; in the background is the Holy Ascension Cathedral in the eastern Kharkiv region. In Sumy, a firefighter works at the site of a petrol station hit by a Russian drone strike. In Kfar Tebnit, Lebanon, smoke rises from the site of an explosion carried out by the Israeli military. The Israeli bombardment of Lebanon has caused widespread destruction, mainly in the south, though violence has declined since the signing of a US-Iran memorandum last month and the Lebanon-Israel framework deal.
Environment and Wildlife
In Arua, Uganda, Uganda Wildlife Authority rangers and veterinarians restrain a sedated Nubian giraffe during its translocation from Murchison Falls National Park to Ajai Wildlife Reserve. In Istanbul, Turkey, a gull mistakes floating polystyrene for food during a monitoring study by the Marine Life Conservation Society around the Princes’ Islands, highlighting the growing impact of plastic pollution and marine debris on coastal wildlife. In Malang, Indonesia, olive ridley turtle hatchlings swim out to sea upon their release, having completed the three-month quarantine process at Bajulmati Sea turtle conservation in East Java. The greatest threats to wild sea turtles are poaching for their shells and eggs, high levels of plastic waste in the oceans and coastal development.
UK News
In Harlow, UK, the prime minister, Andy Burnham, and the chancellor, John Healey, visit the Hare pub in Essex to highlight the work the government is doing to support the hospitality industry. In Woking, the artist Philip Colbert with artworks from his first UK museum exhibition, The Lost Gardens of Lobsteropolis, at the Lightbox Gallery in Surrey.
Protests and Demonstrations
In Tirana, Albania, people are sprayed with water from water cannons during a demonstration against the government, following weeks of protests against a planned luxury resort backed by a company linked to Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump, on an environmentally sensitive part of the Adriatic coast.
Cultural and Religious Events
In Jerusalem, Orthodox Jews pray to mark Tisha B’av at the Western Wall in the Old City. In Judaism, Tisha B’Av is an annual fasting day marking the destruction of the first and the second temple by the Babylonian and the Roman Empires in Jerusalem. During Tisha B’av, ultra-Orthodox Jews stay up all night and sleep at the Western Wall as they recite lamentations focusing on the destruction of the ancient temple that was located on the other side of the ancient wall on the Temple Mount. In Floriana, Malta, spectators enjoy the atmosphere at the Isle of MTV Malta 2026 summer festival.
Weather and Nature
In Tokyo, Japan, people rest in a park on a hot day. In Sivasagar, India, Indian women walk through flooded streets in Assam state. Continuous heavy rainfall over the past few days has caused severe flooding, leaving thousands of people affected and disrupting normal life. In Nanjing, China, tourists visit Xuanwu Lake Park in Jiangsu Province to view blooming lotus flowers. In Seoul, South Korea, apartment complexes are shrouded in rain clouds. In Chongqing, China, a keeper feeds a hippopotamus with watermelon at Chongqing zoo. The facility has taken various measures to keep the animals cool and comfortable during the summer heat.
