It's been a chaotic week in Afghanistan, where the Taliban have retaken control. Thousands of people rushed to the international airport in Kabul, desperately trying to get out of the country, and some were wounded by Taliban fighters who used violence to control the crowd.

The scenes out of Afghanistan have dominated the week's headlines, but other prominent stories include the earthquake aftermath in Haiti and raging wildfires in the western United States.

Take a look at these 30 photos of the week from August 12 to August 19.

Editor's note: This gallery contains graphic images. Viewer discretion is advised.

Oxiliene Morency cries out in grief after the body of her 7-year-old-daughter, Esther Daniel, was recovered from the rubble of their home in Les Cayes, Haiti, on Saturday, August 14. <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2021%2F08%2F14%2Fphotos%2Fgallery%2Fhaiti-earthquake-2021%2Findex.html" target="_blank">A 7.2 magnitude earthquake hit Haiti that morning,</a> leaving more than 2,100 people dead and thousands more injured.
Oxiliene Morency cries out in grief after the body of her 7-year-old-daughter, Esther Daniel, was recovered from the rubble of their home in Les Cayes, Haiti, on Saturday, August 14. A 7.2 magnitude earthquake hit Haiti that morning, leaving more than 2,100 people dead and thousands more injured.
Joseph Odelyn/AP
A home is engulfed by the Dixie Fire near Janesville, California, on Monday, August 16. <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2021%2F07%2F19%2Fus%2Fgallery%2Fwestern-wildfires-2021%2Findex.html" target="_blank">Dozens of large wildfires</a> are raging across the western United States as the region experiences a historic and unrelenting drought.
A home is engulfed by the Dixie Fire near Janesville, California, on Monday, August 16. Dozens of large wildfires are raging across the western United States as the region experiences a historic and unrelenting drought.
Ethan Swope/AP
A cat rests on a protester's shoulders in Bangkok, Thailand, on Wednesday, August 18. Protesters, unhappy with the government's handling of the Covid-19 crisis, were calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.
A cat rests on a protester's shoulders in Bangkok, Thailand, on Wednesday, August 18. Protesters, unhappy with the government's handling of the Covid-19 crisis, were calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.
Lillian Suwanrumpha/AFP/Getty Images
Houston's Jake Meyers collides with the outfield wall while trying to make a catch during a Major League Baseball game in Kansas City, Missouri, on Monday, August 16.
Houston's Jake Meyers collides with the outfield wall while trying to make a catch during a Major League Baseball game in Kansas City, Missouri, on Monday, August 16.
Ed Zurga/Getty Images
A man carries a bloodied child as a wounded woman lies on the street after Taliban fighters fired guns and lashed out with whips and other objects to control a crowd outside the airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Tuesday, August 17. "The violence was indiscriminate," <a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2FAC360%2Fstatus%2F1427797623105327115" target="_blank" target="_blank">Los Angeles Times photographer Marcus Yam told CNN.</a> "I even watched one Taliban fighter, after firing some shots in the general direction of the crowd, smiling at another Taliban fighter — as though it were a game to them or something."
A man carries a bloodied child as a wounded woman lies on the street after Taliban fighters fired guns and lashed out with whips and other objects to control a crowd outside the airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Tuesday, August 17. "The violence was indiscriminate," Los Angeles Times photographer Marcus Yam told CNN. "I even watched one Taliban fighter, after firing some shots in the general direction of the crowd, smiling at another Taliban fighter — as though it were a game to them or something."
Marcus Yam/Los Angeles Times/Shutterstock
Damaged buildings are seen in Bozkurt, Turkey, on Saturday, August 14, after there were deadly flash floods along the country's Black Sea coast. More than 2,000 people evacuated the flood zones.
Damaged buildings are seen in Bozkurt, Turkey, on Saturday, August 14, after there were deadly flash floods along the country's Black Sea coast. More than 2,000 people evacuated the flood zones.
Stringer/AFP/Getty Images
US President Joe Biden walks away from the microphone after speaking at the White House about Afghanistan on Monday, August 16. Biden admitted that the collapse of the Afghan government and the Taliban retaking control <a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2021%2F08%2F16%2Fpolitics%2Fbiden-afghanistan-speech%2Findex.html" target="_blank">happened more quickly than the US government had anticipated.</a> But he refused to back away from his decision to end the American military's combat mission in the nation, where the United States had fought <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2021%2F04%2F14%2Fmiddleeast%2Fgallery%2Fafghanistan-war%2Findex.html" target="_blank">its longest war.</a> "I stand squarely behind my decision," he said in his speech. "After 20 years, I've learned the hard way that there was never a good time to withdraw US forces."
US President Joe Biden walks away from the microphone after speaking at the White House about Afghanistan on Monday, August 16. Biden admitted that the collapse of the Afghan government and the Taliban retaking control happened more quickly than the US government had anticipated. But he refused to back away from his decision to end the American military's combat mission in the nation, where the United States had fought its longest war. "I stand squarely behind my decision," he said in his speech. "After 20 years, I've learned the hard way that there was never a good time to withdraw US forces."
Evan Vucci/AP
Chaunda Lee, a single mother of eight who has five children living with her, prepares her youngest child, MiAsia Carr, for school in Louisville, Kentucky, on Monday, August 16. Lee and her family were facing eviction this week, but they were granted a reprieve as the <a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2021%2F08%2F13%2Fpolitics%2Feviction-moratorium%2Findex.html" target="_blank">federal eviction moratorium</a> was applied to their case. Lee lost her previous home to a fire on Christmas Day, <a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.courier-journal.com%2Fstory%2Fnews%2Flocal%2F2020%2F12%2F27%2Flouisville-woman-known-cooking-protesters-loses-home-fire%2F4053833001%2F" target="_blank" target="_blank">according to the Louisville Courier Journal.</a>
Chaunda Lee, a single mother of eight who has five children living with her, prepares her youngest child, MiAsia Carr, for school in Louisville, Kentucky, on Monday, August 16. Lee and her family were facing eviction this week, but they were granted a reprieve as the federal eviction moratorium was applied to their case. Lee lost her previous home to a fire on Christmas Day, according to the Louisville Courier Journal.
Amira Karaoud/Reuters
People observe social distancing measures as they take part in Friday prayers at a mosque in Surabaya, Indonesia, on August 13.
People observe social distancing measures as they take part in Friday prayers at a mosque in Surabaya, Indonesia, on August 13.
Juni Kriswanto/AFP/Getty Images
Boris Bryant, a Covid-19 patient, lies in his room at a hospital in Little Rock, Arkansas, on Monday, August 16. Bryant, 58, <a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fkatv.com%2Fnews%2Flocal%2Finside-a-covid-floor-as-arkansas-hospital-systems-are-strained-from-delta-variant" target="_blank" target="_blank">told KATV</a> that he had been at the hospital for a couple of weeks, in and out of intensive care. He hadn't been vaccinated, he told the TV station, but he said he would as soon as he got out. With lagging vaccination rates and the spread of the more transmissible Delta variant, Arkansas and some other states <a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2021%2F07%2F11%2Fus%2Farkansas-fights-delta-variant-vaccine-skepticism%2Findex.html" target="_blank">have been seeing a surge in Covid-19 cases.</a>
Boris Bryant, a Covid-19 patient, lies in his room at a hospital in Little Rock, Arkansas, on Monday, August 16. Bryant, 58, told KATV that he had been at the hospital for a couple of weeks, in and out of intensive care. He hadn't been vaccinated, he told the TV station, but he said he would as soon as he got out. With lagging vaccination rates and the spread of the more transmissible Delta variant, Arkansas and some other states have been seeing a surge in Covid-19 cases.
Shannon Stapleton/Reuters
A bear plays with a frozen watermelon to cool off as temperatures reached 37 degrees Celsius (98.6 degrees Fahrenheit) at a zoo in Rome on Monday, August 16.
A bear plays with a frozen watermelon to cool off as temperatures reached 37 degrees Celsius (98.6 degrees Fahrenheit) at a zoo in Rome on Monday, August 16.
Andreas Solaro/AFP/Getty Images
Arizona pitcher Tyler Gilbert, right, celebrates with catcher Daulton Varsho after <a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2021%2F08%2F14%2Fsport%2Fno-hitter-mlb-tyler-gilbert-first-start-spt%2Findex.html" target="_blank">throwing a no-hitter in his first Major League start</a> on Saturday, August 14. Gilbert is only the fourth pitcher in league history to throw a no-hitter in his first start, and he is the first to do so since 1953, according to MLB.com.
Arizona pitcher Tyler Gilbert, right, celebrates with catcher Daulton Varsho after throwing a no-hitter in his first Major League start on Saturday, August 14. Gilbert is only the fourth pitcher in league history to throw a no-hitter in his first start, and he is the first to do so since 1953, according to MLB.com.
Matt York/AP
Severely damaged homes are seen along a road in Rampe, Haiti, on Wednesday, August 18. It was four days after the country was devastated by a <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2021%2F08%2F14%2Fphotos%2Fgallery%2Fhaiti-earthquake-2021%2Findex.html" target="_blank">7.2 magnitude earthquake.</a>
Severely damaged homes are seen along a road in Rampe, Haiti, on Wednesday, August 18. It was four days after the country was devastated by a 7.2 magnitude earthquake.
Matias Delacroix/AP
Nice's Kasper Dolberg eyes the ball during a Ligue 1 soccer game in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France, on Saturday, August 14.
Nice's Kasper Dolberg eyes the ball during a Ligue 1 soccer game in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France, on Saturday, August 14.
Pascal Rossignol/Reuters
An Afghan soldier, who didn't want to use his name, is seen at an outpost in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Sunday, August 15. He looked at the city below and said, "This is like a quick death," referring to <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2021%2F08%2F16%2Fmiddleeast%2Fgallery%2Ftaliban-afghanistan%2Findex.html" target="_blank">the fall of Kabul.</a> He said it was going to be a hard moment for him when he removes his uniform permanently after 10 years of service.
An Afghan soldier, who didn't want to use his name, is seen at an outpost in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Sunday, August 15. He looked at the city below and said, "This is like a quick death," referring to the fall of Kabul. He said it was going to be a hard moment for him when he removes his uniform permanently after 10 years of service.
Marcus Yam/Los Angeles Times/Shutterstock
An 11-day-old Bornean orangutan is held by his mother, Suli, at a zoo in Fuengirola, Spain, on Sunday, August 15. The species is critically endangered.
An 11-day-old Bornean orangutan is held by his mother, Suli, at a zoo in Fuengirola, Spain, on Sunday, August 15. The species is critically endangered.
Jon Nazca/Reuters
People climb atop a plane at the international airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Monday, August 16. Hundreds of people were on the tarmac, <a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2021%2F08%2F16%2Fmiddleeast%2Fkabul-afghanistan-withdrawal-taliban-intl%2Findex.html" target="_blank">desperately trying to find a way out</a> after the Taliban retook control of the country.
People climb atop a plane at the international airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Monday, August 16. Hundreds of people were on the tarmac, desperately trying to find a way out after the Taliban retook control of the country.
Wakil Kohsar/AFP/Getty Images
People in Hof, Iceland, walk among chunks of ice Sunday, August 15, that originated from the Breidamerkurjokull glacier seen in the background. The glacier is melting because of global warming, annually losing 100-300 meters in length.
People in Hof, Iceland, walk among chunks of ice Sunday, August 15, that originated from the Breidamerkurjokull glacier seen in the background. The glacier is melting because of global warming, annually losing 100-300 meters in length.
Sean Gallup/Getty Images
Jace Land wrestles a steer during the Mount Isa Mines Rodeo in Mount Isa, Australia, on Saturday, August 14.
Jace Land wrestles a steer during the Mount Isa Mines Rodeo in Mount Isa, Australia, on Saturday, August 14.
Dan Peled/Getty Images
A child cheers during a Pride march in Bucharest, Romania, on Saturday, August 14.
A child cheers during a Pride march in Bucharest, Romania, on Saturday, August 14.
Vadim Ghirda/AP
This aerial photo shows people enjoying the water in Siracusa, Italy, as temperatures soared on the island of Sicily on Sunday, August 15. A few days earlier, authorities said Siracusa <a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2021%2F08%2F12%2Feurope%2Feurope-weather-heat-record-climate-intl%2Findex.html" target="_blank">may have set an all-time heat record for Europe,</a> hitting a temperature of 48.8 degrees Celsius (119.8 degrees Fahrenheit).
This aerial photo shows people enjoying the water in Siracusa, Italy, as temperatures soared on the island of Sicily on Sunday, August 15. A few days earlier, authorities said Siracusa may have set an all-time heat record for Europe, hitting a temperature of 48.8 degrees Celsius (119.8 degrees Fahrenheit).
Fabrizio Villa/Getty Images
Twin panda cubs Fleur de Coton (Cotton Flower) and Petite Neige (Little Snow) sleep inside an incubator at the Beauval Zoo in Saint-Aignan-sur-Cher, France, on Friday, August 13.
Twin panda cubs Fleur de Coton (Cotton Flower) and Petite Neige (Little Snow) sleep inside an incubator at the Beauval Zoo in Saint-Aignan-sur-Cher, France, on Friday, August 13.
Guillaume Souvant/AFP/Getty Images
Evacuees crowd the interior of a US Air Force transport plane as they travel out of Kabul, Afghanistan, on Sunday, August 15.
Evacuees crowd the interior of a US Air Force transport plane as they travel out of Kabul, Afghanistan, on Sunday, August 15.
Capt. Chris Herbert/US Air Force/AP
Firefighters use a hose to extinguish a wildfire near Le Luc, France, on Tuesday, August 17. Thousands of people fled homes, campgrounds and hotels near the French Riviera as firefighters battled a blaze that raced through nearby forests and sent smoke pouring down wooded slopes toward vineyards.
Firefighters use a hose to extinguish a wildfire near Le Luc, France, on Tuesday, August 17. Thousands of people fled homes, campgrounds and hotels near the French Riviera as firefighters battled a blaze that raced through nearby forests and sent smoke pouring down wooded slopes toward vineyards.
Daniel Cole/AP
Pope Francis plays table football, aka foosball, during his weekly general audience at the Vatican on Wednesday, August 18. The table was gifted to him by Sport Toscana Calcio Balilla, a table football association based in Altopascio, Italy.
Pope Francis plays table football, aka foosball, during his weekly general audience at the Vatican on Wednesday, August 18. The table was gifted to him by Sport Toscana Calcio Balilla, a table football association based in Altopascio, Italy.
Vatican Media/Reuters
Micaela Montelara plays in a fountain at the Georgetown Waterfront Park in Washington, DC, on Friday, August 13.
Micaela Montelara plays in a fountain at the Georgetown Waterfront Park in Washington, DC, on Friday, August 13.
Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images
A man walks Typique 2020, a young horse from the Haras d'Etreham farm, after she sold for 2,400,000 euros at a yearling sale in Deauville, France, on Sunday, August 15.
A man walks Typique 2020, a young horse from the Haras d'Etreham farm, after she sold for 2,400,000 euros at a yearling sale in Deauville, France, on Sunday, August 15.
Sameer Al-Doumy/AFP/Getty Images
Green Bay running back Kylin Hill celebrates with fans after scoring a touchdown during an NFL preseason game on Saturday, August 14.
Green Bay running back Kylin Hill celebrates with fans after scoring a touchdown during an NFL preseason game on Saturday, August 14.
Jeff Hanisch/USA Today Sports
The Milky Way is seen in the night sky as people camp in the Negev desert, near the Israeli city of Mitzpe Ramon on Thursday, August 12. <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2021%2F08%2F12%2Fworld%2Fgallery%2Fphotos-this-week-august-5-august-12%2Findex.html" target="_blank">See last week in 40 photos</a>
The Milky Way is seen in the night sky as people camp in the Negev desert, near the Israeli city of Mitzpe Ramon on Thursday, August 12. See last week in 40 photos
Menahem Kahana/AFP/Getty Images