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Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi announced on August 19 the launch of an operation to retake the city of Tal Afar, a city west of Mosul and one of Islamic State militants’ few remaining strongholds in the country. Video from Rudaw, the Kurdish news organization, shows military movements near the city on August 20, as military police and Shia militias reported their operations getting underway. According to Arab 24, civilians were fleeing the city ahead of the offensive. Tal Afar, a traditionally Sunni Turkmen city, had a a population of about 200,000 people before the war, according to reports. The city was captured in 2014 by IS forces. Credit: Facebook/Rudaw via Storyful

Thousands of pro-democracy protesters took to the streets of Hong Kong on Sunday, August 20, to rally against the recent sentencing of three activists who were part of the “Umbrella Movement”. Joshua Wong, Nathan Law and Alex Chow were each sentenced to several months in prison, for their roles in the prolific pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong, against an ever-tightening political grip by China. Credit: Aaron Mc Nicholas via Storyful

Harley the cockatoo is done playing with the color blocks his owner had left stacked up for him. Harley knocks over all of the block towers with his feet, and when done, he walks back over to his tree to relax. Credit: Harley the cockatoo via Storyful

Harley the cockatoo is given a bike tour by his owner through a woodland near Utrecht. Harley’s owner recorded the video of them both enjoying an expedition around a forest with Harley standing on his cage getting a bird’s eye view. Credit: Harley the cockatoo via Storyful

Mount Bromo erupted and blew a column of ash into the sky in East Java, Indonesia, in April 2016. Teacher Jefri E Cahyono caught the impressive volcanic activity on camera while hiking. Credit: saminblora via Storyful

Families fled Islamic State controlled Tal Afar, with the assistance of Iraqi Armed Forces, as seen in this footage uploaded to YouTube on August 19. The UN has said an informal camp for internally displaced persons was set up in Badoush, about 25 miles from Tal Afar. The UN estimates 10,000 to 40,000 remain in Tal Afar under the Islamic State’s control, unable to leave. The Islamic State gained control of Tal Afar in 2014, an estimated 1,000 Islamic State militants remain in the town. Iraqi forces officially began their operation to retake Tal Afar in the early Sunday morning, as announced by Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi state television, according to the Washington Post. Credit: YouTube/Al Mawsleya via Storyful

Shoppers screamed and ran through Dolphin Mall in Miami on August 19, after reports of an active shooter situation at the shopping complex. Sweetwater Police officials said they don’t believe there is a shooter inside the mall but they were treating the incident as though there were, according to NBC Miami. Videos on social media show shoppers running through the mall and seeking cover inside stores. Dozens of officers and emergency services personnel were called to the scene. Credit: Twitter/Alejaja via Storyful

Bush fire warnings were downgraded in Caloundra and Sunshine Coast after firefighters spent Friday containing the blaze that forced hundreds of residents to evacuate on August 18. ABC reported that Queensland Fire and Emergency Service said properties were no longer under threat from the fires on Saturday morning. The bushfire had broken out south of Caloundra, reaching the Bruce Highway. The QFES said the fire had no damaged any structures and were still investigating how the fire started. This video, taken on Friday afternoon, shows helicopter buckets being flying over Sunshine Coast to contain the blaze. Credit: Instagram/lovephotos001 via Storyful

Protesters in Lome, Togo, gathered en masse on August 19 to demand the ruling Gnassingbe family surrender power and the country to return to the constitution of 1992, which re-established multi-party democracy in the country. Several people were reportedly killed and injured after large scale protests turned violent. These videos show protesters running as police fire tear gas to disperse the demonstration. President Faure Gnassingbe was elected in 2005 after the death of his father, Gnassingbe Eyadéma, who took control of Togo through two military coups in the 1960s and was widely regarded as a dictator. Credit: Twitter/Emmanuelle Sodji via Storyful

This deadly eastern brown snake was on the lookout for a mate in a pile of lego when his efforts were stymied by some horrified homeowners, who called in the services of Gold Coast and Brisbane Snake Catchers Tony Harrison and Brooke Smith. The experienced snake catchers moved quickly on the docile snake, who quickly became more animated, and was placed into the safety of a bag and relocated. Credit: Gold Coast and Brisbane Snake Catcher via Storyful

Several dozen protesters carrying Togolese flags and signs gathered in Lagos, Nigeria, on August 19, demanding for Togo’s ruling Gnassingbé family to surrender power and for the country to “return to the constitution of 1992.” Simultaneously in Togo’s capital city, Lomé, several people were reportedly killed after large scale protests turned violent. Video from a journalist on the scene showed protesters running as police fired tear gas to disperse a demonstration. President Faure Gnassingbé was elected in 2005 after the death of his father, Gnassingbé Eyadéma who took control of Togo in two military coups in the 1960s and was regarded a dictator. The constitutional referendum of 1992 re-established multi-party democracy in the country, but the Gnassingbé family has controlled Togo since the early 1960s. Credit: Twitter/@honwalexy via Storyful

Thousands of anti-fascist and Black Lives Matter protesters converged on a park in Boston, Massachusetts, on August 19, to confront a so-called ‘free speech’ rally by right-wing organizers in the wake of the recent rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. Footage shot from a view overlooking Boston Common captures the massive counter protest as it surrounded a pavilion occupied by the ‘free speech’ rally. The police cordoned off the area and kept both groups separated. Local media reported as many as 10,000 people marched from Roxbury to the common, where the much smaller ‘free speech’ rally gathered at the pavilion. Credit: Instagram/Christopher Marino via Storyful

Thousands of anti-fascist and Black Lives Matter protesters converged on a park in Boston, Massachusetts, on August 19, to confront a so-called ‘free speech’ rally by right-wing organizers in the wake of the recent rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. Footage shot from behind the police lines shows counter protesters chanting “Black Lives Matter” at the ‘free speech’ rally occupying a pavilion at the center of the park. Local media reported as many as 10,000 people marched from Roxbury to Boston Common where the much smaller ‘free speech’ rally gathered. Counter protesters formed a huge circle around the pavilion chanting and heckling. Credit: Instagram/RAPPING PRINCE via Storyful

Several Puri-Haridwar Utkal Express coaches derailed near the Khatauli train stop in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, India, on Saturday, August 19. According to reports, 23 people were confirmed dead and more than 40 injured. The derailment was reported at 5:46 pm, when one coach became unstable and rammed into a house beside the tracks, causing a pileup. Credit: Ashish Yadav, 101Reporters via Storyful

Thousands of anti-fascist and Black Lives Matter protesters converged on a park in Boston, Massachusetts, on August 19, to confront a so-called ‘free speech’ rally by right-wing organizers in the wake of the recent rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. This footage from Boston Commons shows an angry crowd mobbing some ‘free speech’ protesters and chanting “Black Lives Matter” as they pass through the counter-protest. Local media reported as many as 10,000 people marched from Roxbury to Boston Commons where the much smaller ‘free speech’ rally gathered at a pavilion. Counter-protesters formed a huge circle around the pavilion chanting and heckling. Credit: Twitter/WatchPresTrump via Storyful

Thousands of anti-fascist and Black Lives Matter protesters converged on a park in Boston, Massachusetts, on August 19, to confront a so-called ‘free speech’ rally by right-wing organizers in the wake of the recent rally in Charlottesville, Virginia In footage shot by a counter protester at Boston Commons, crowds are heard taunting the much smaller ‘free speech’ rally with chants of “Not in Boston.” Local media reported as many as 10,000 people marched from Roxbury to Boston Commons where the ‘free speech’ rally gathered at a pavilion. Footage shot from above showed the two sides being kept some distance apart by a police line around the pavilion. Credit: Twitter/@javier_salvo via Storyful

Thousands of anti-fascist protesters set out to march through Boston, Massachusetts, on Saturday, August 19, to confront a so-called ‘free speech’ rally put on by right-wing organizers in the wake of the recent rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. The counter-protesters feared that the rally would attract white supremacist demonstrators similar to the rally in Charlottesville. Local media reported that as many as 10,000 people gathered in Roxbury to march to Boston Commons to converge with the ‘free speech’ rally. The protest was organized by the Black Lives Matter movement and the Mass Community Actions Network. Footage by a reporter shows protesters at the “Fight Supremacy” protest listening to speakers ahead of their march. Credit: Twitter/Jessica Weiss via Storyful

Scuffles broke out between anti-fascist and neo-Nazis in Berlin on August 19 during a planned march to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the death of Hitler’s first deputy, Rudolf Hess. Heavily-armored police were present for the march through the Spandau neighbourhood, where Hess died on August 17 1987. Counter-protesters had earlier blocked the march route, preventing the rally from passing. Credit: Twitter/MartinAdam via Storyful

Casey Borgers is a resident of Texas who shared an August 11 video of his son, Luke, dropping a GoPro camera while playing in the ocean, panicking, and then recovering it with a look on his face that perfectly embodies complete and utter relief. The video features text across the scene that paints a picture of Borgers allowing Luke to play with the camera, but only if he’s very careful not to lose it. Unfortunately, a huge wave comes across and smacks the camera away from Luke. The camera, which is still recording, sinks to the ocean floor. Luke spends a few minutes anxiously looking for it, and is ecstatic upon recovering it. Credit: Casey Borgers via Storyful

A ‘caring’ brother in Wycombe, England, put his younger sister’s first date in jeopardy when he hilariously interviewed her potential suitor before and after their date. Twitter user Shaquille Jack shared a series of Snapchat videos to Twitter in which he lays the “ground rules” ahead of his sister’s first date with a man named Owen, before interviewing them both in a car the next day. In the first clip shared on August 16, Jack grills his sister’s date about his background and college plans, before teasing the pair about their planned night. In a second video shared the next day, Jack conducts a post-date synopsis, asking the pair about their night, the elusive first kiss, and whether they will meet again. Jack’s first video had earned 20,774 retweets and 48,846 likes at the time of writing. Credit: shaq_jack via Storyful

At least 1,500 people were evacuated from their homes as a wildfire burned closer to Sisters, Oregon, on Friday, August 18. The Statesman Journal reported officials also closed McKenzie Pass Highway 242 as the Milli Fire grew to 6,888 acres. A total eclipse will pass less than two miles to the north of Sisters on Monday, August 21. Credit: YouTube/garyeidsmoe.com via Storyful

A possible tornado was spotted over Rockledge on Friday, August 19, bringing with it strong winds that damaged several homes during the evening. Local media reported the dark swirling clouds was spotted over Rockledge, Brevard and Melbourne counties. A number of rooftops were damaged by the thunderstorm, but no injuries were reported. The National Weather Service is investigating if the clouds were, in fact, a tornado, according to Fox 35. Credit: Instagram/brasileight via Storyful

A possible tornado was spotted in farmland near Fellsmere, Florida, on Friday, August 18. E. L. Dillard captured this dramatic footage of the funnel cloud twisting near County Road 512. In the video he can be heard debating whether he should continue towards it or turn around. Credit: Facebook/E. L. Dillard via Storyful

Toxic foam continued to cover two lakes in Bengaluru, India, on Thursday, August 17, following weeks of heavy rain. Local media reported that residents near Bellandur Lake and Varthur Lake complained that they had to remain indoors due to the foam, which was reportedly created by “a stinking cocktail of chemicals and untreated sewage”. India’s National Green Tribunal, a public body that deals with environmental protection and conservation cases, has been critical of the government’s response to the incident. Video footage shows foam covering part of Bellandur Lake on August 17. Credit: Twitter/Nolan Pinto via Storyful

A funnel cloud was spotted over Rockledge, Florida, on Friday, August 18. The area was under a tornado warning, according to the National Weather Service, but a touch down was not confirmed. Strong winds associated with the storm caused damage to at least two homes and the local Red Cross was assisting one homeowner, according to reports. No injuries were reported. Credit: Facebook/Liz Glennon Agenjo via Storyful