Best photos of August 21: From Pope Francis to acrobats at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival

The National picks the most striking images from around the world

Pope Francis wears a red nose during the weekly general audience in the Paul VI Hall, Vatican City. EPA

A delegate cheers during the Democratic National Convention at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, US. Bloomberg

A person holds a sugar glider during Pet Fair Asia in Shanghai. AFP

Palestinians walk in an area damaged during the Israeli offensive in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip. Reuters

Afghan children stand at a scrap shop outside a World Food Program distribution centre in Kabul, Afghanistan. Reuters

A European Brown bear at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire, England. AP

Acrobats from The Black Blues Brothers show off their athletic prowess on Leith's Victoria Swing Bridge during the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. PA

A boy looks at a robotic dog during the World Robot Conference in Beijing. AFP

People watch the Test cricket match between England and Sri Lanka at Old Trafford cricket ground, Manchester, from the balconies of a hotel. AFP

Demonstrators clash with police near the Israeli Consulate during the Democratic National Convention. AP