Despite the overwhelming scientific evidence, some Republicans are still denying the realities of the warming climate. Last month, Utah Representative John Curtis announced he was forming the Conservative Climate Caucus in an effort to educate fellow members of his party. New York Times climate reporter Lisa Friedman joins CBSN to discuss how the debate over climate action is evolving. Source

While the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan is “not inevitable,” according to President Biden, there are fears that the country will collapse soon after the U.S. leaves. Charlie D’Agata reports from Kabul. Source

Here’s a look at the top stories making headlines on the “CBS Evening News,” anchored by Major Garrett. Source

President Biden says he will “deliver” a message to Russian President Putin over the massive global ransomware attack, believed to have originated in Russia. Maurice Turner, a cybersecurity fellow at the Alliance for Securing Democracy, joins CBSN’s Lana Zak for a closer look at the state of the U.S. ransomware deterrence. Source

An analysis by Georgetown University researchers found five significant clusters in the southern and lower Midwestern part of the U.S. Source

Tropical Storm Elsa is heading up the East Coast after it made landfall and carved a path of destruction. CBS New York chief weathercaster Lonnie Quinn has the forecast. Source

Teams are working around the clock to pull victims from the rubble of the Surfside condo collapse, despite the shift from rescue to recovery. Manuel Bojorquez reports. Source

As CBS News’ Janet Shamlian reports, the Delta variant of the coronavirus is fueling a rise in infections across the U.S. Experts warn those cases are expected to continue climbing in communities with low vaccinations. Dr. Amesh Adalja, an infectious disease expert and senior scholar at Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, joins CBSN’s Lana Zak to discuss the latest. Source

More than a dozen suspects have been arrested in the last 24 hours. Among them are two Americans from Florida. Source

The global death toll from COVID-19 has surpassed 4 million people, with the U.S. reporting the most deaths. The Delta variant is also spreading rapidly, almost exclusively to those who are unvaccinated. Janet Shamlian reports. Source