During a packed emergency Parliamentary debate on the crisis in Afghanistan, Prime Minister Boris Johnson faced criticism from MPs on all sides over the UK’s role. It was "incomprehensible", said his predecessor Theresa May, that the UK did not to do more to maintain a presence in Afghanistan where the Taliban took control of the capital Kabul, and the country, when its government collapsed. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer accused Mr Johnson - who argued Nato's "core mission" had succeeded - of "staggering complacency". US President Joe Biden also didn’t escape criticism during the debate, with one MP saying "he must be held to account for his actions". Mr Biden has since appeared in a TV interview again blaming the Afghan government and its military, and when he was asked if he would acknowledge any mistakes in the chaotic withdrawal, he replied with one word. "No".
However, he did say US troops may stay in Afghanistan beyond the 31 August withdrawal deadline. He admits they "don't have the capability to go out and collect large numbers of people", which stands at between 10,000 and 15,000 Americans and 50,000 to 65,000 Afghans such as former translators for the American military. The US, the UK and other countries are evacuating nationals and eligible Afghans from Karzai International Airport, which is temporarily controlled by 4,500 US troops.
But there are Taliban fighters and checkpoints around the perimeter. There are reports Afghans have been beaten by Taliban guards on their way to the airport. One interpreter, who worked for the British army and has permission to come to the UK, is in hiding and says he will "face death" if the Taliban find him. Meanwhile, Labour has since accused UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab of putting interpreters' lives at risk. There is a report he declined to make a phone call to get help evacuating them from Afghanistan. Mr Raab was making other calls, says the government, and this one was delegated to another minister. Keep up to date with our story by following our live page.

Covid-19 has evolved during the course of the pandemic, which we recognise when we hear, read or see terms like the Alpha variant, or the Delta variant - which is currently the most prevalent in the UK. The best way to protect yourself against that variant, which was first identified in India, is to have both doses of the Covid vaccine, according to a new study. The study, described as the largest of its kind, found the Oxford-AstraZeneca jab, though initially less effective, offers the same high protection as the Pfizer-BioNTech after four to five months. But it’s still not as effective as it is against the Alpha variant, which was responsible for most UK infections last winter. "Both of these vaccines are still doing very well against Delta," says Prof Sarah Walker, at the University of Oxford.

In the wake of criticism from the ex-chairman of Competition and Markets Authority who said PCR tests for travel have become "a predictable Covid rip-off", the competition regulator reveals it had warned the government of risks to consumers. Covid tests, which are required under current travel rules, have been criticised as costly as they can set people back an average of £75 but in some cases can be in the hundreds. The watchdog says in April and May it provided advice and market analysis to officials from the Department of Health about the fast-growing testing industry. It says it cannot disclose the details but the BBC has approached the government to find out more. It has not so far responded to the request.

Reaction from UK politicians during a packed Parliamentary debate on Afghanistan leads many of the papers this morning. "Parliament holds the president in contempt" splashes the Daily Telegraph, accusing Joe Biden of "throwing us and everybody else to the fire" by pulling US troops out of Afghanistan. Likewise, the Times says MPs "condemn" Mr Biden over the "shameful" withdrawal. The Guardian says Prime Minister Boris Johnson faced a "wall of fury from all wings of the Conservative party" over the UK's conduct, during what the paper describes as a "torrid session in the Commons". Meanwhile, the Daily Star asks "what did they do to deserve this?". It tells Mr Johnson to take a "long, hard look at the face" of the little boy it pictures and later says "shame on you - and that Joe Biden". Read the newspaper review in full here.

Dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva, the Ramappa temple in India has stood the test of time. Dating back to the 13th Century, the temple - which has intricate sandstone and basalt sculptures - is now a world heritage site. Curious about what it looks like? We’ve captured it for you.
Do you know or can you remember what VHS tapes look like? A film buff says they’re starting to make a similar comeback to vinyl and he’s rescued a collection of more than 20,000 tapes that would have ended up in landfill. Take a look.
And finally, did you see the story about the 3m python poking out from a supermarket shelf in Australia? It was like a scene from a Harry Potter film, says the woman who came face-to-face with it. Unlike the boy wizard, she can't speak Parseltongue to communicate with the serpent but she is a trained snake handler.

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