After months of capturing territory, the Taliban has claimed victory in Afghanistan. They began seizing more and more power as provincial capitals fell to the group following US President Joe Biden’s decision to withdraw troops earlier this year. Now the capital Kabul - the last major city to hold out against the Taliban - has been taken. The Afghan government has collapsed, President Ashraf Ghani has fled, and fighters were ordered into the capital on Sunday, they say, to prevent chaos and looting after security forces left. The presidential palace has been captured and a spokesman declared "the war is over" to news network Al Jazeera..
There are scenes of people fleeing. Roads were blocked when news of a Taliban takeover reached the capital and there is chaos at its international airport, with one video showing people scrambling on to a plane. The UK, like other countries, is focusing on getting its nationals out. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said his priority was also "all those who have helped the UK effort over 20 years". No-one wants Afghanistan to become a "breeding ground for terror" he says. Meanwhile the backlash is growing against Mr Biden, who defended the withdrawal, saying he could not justify the "endless American presence in the middle of another country's civil conflict”. Speaking to the BBC, a spokesman for the Taliban says they want a "peaceful transfer of power" in Afghanistan over the next few days. However, Mr Johnson urged any new government not to be recognised without agreement.

Anyone who has had two doses of a Covid vaccine or is under 18, and has been in contact with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus, no longer needs to quarantine. The rules have relaxed further in England and Northern Ireland so instead of self-isolation, a PCR test is advised – although that’s not compulsory. It’s part of a cautious "step back towards normality", says Health Secretary Sajid Javid. It’s hoped this step will significantly reduce the number of people who will be pinged by the NHS Covid-19 app, which at its peak in July resulted in just under 700,000 alerts being sent in a week in England and Wales. Scotland and Wales have already implemented changes to their self-isolation rules.

As questions remain over why Plymouth shooter Jake Davison had a shotgun licence, police forces in England and Wales are being asked to review their current firearm application processes. In a mass shooting in the Devon city on Thursday, he killed five people before turning the gun on himself. It’s the worst mass shooting in Britain since 2010, which was not terror-related. In the wake of this - and as police watchdog the Independent Office for Police Conduct received a mandatory referral from the Devon and Cornwall force which issued the licence - the Home Office is preparing new guidance. The aim is to ensure higher standards of decision making, with advice on carrying out social media checks. Before the shootings, Davison - who had his gun and permit revoked in December - wrote about mass shootings and made threats in social media posts.

A "lightning takeover" of Afghanistan by the Taliban leads the Daily Telegraph along with most of the other papers this morning. According to the Telegraph, the "West flees" as Afghanistan's capital Kabul falls to the Taliban. The Guardian describes how gunmen "poured" into the city, resulting in the West's 20-year mission collapsing in a single dramatic day. The Sun focuses on the "escape" of thousands of Britons who were being airlifted out. Meanwhile, the Daily Mail asks, "what the hell did they all die for?" and says ministers have been accused of presiding over the biggest foreign policy catastrophe in 65 years. Read the newspaper review in full here.

A masked man wearing a black hoodie sounds sinister but his aim is not to scare.That is unless you’re an anonymous troll or cyber bully. The Great Londini, a moderation vigilante, is taking social media back from bullies, paedophiles, scammers and trolls, says the man who spoke with an electronically distorted voice. Read more about the online movement which has become so popular on TikTok.
Staying with TikTok, meet the police officer whose dance videos have made him an internet sensation. Amol Kamble racked up millions of views on the social media app but when India banned the platform, he wasn’t sure what to do. Now he’s back, this time on Instagram. Check out his moves.
And finally, take a look at how cows inspired someone from Bangalore in India to find a solution to treat sewage using no power.

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