Monday morning news - July 5, 2021

For WORLD Radio, I'm Kent Covington. 

Tropical Storm Elsa takes aim at Florida » Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency in 15 counties as Tropical Storm Elsa takes aim.

DESANTIS: We’re preparing for the risk of isolated tornadoes, storm surge, heavy rainfall, and flash flooding. Now, the severity of the storm is still uncertain.

Forecasters on Sunday said there was still a small chance that Elsa could strengthen into a Category 1 hurricane tomorrow when it’s expected to impact Tampa and central Florida.

Andy Latto with the National Hurricane Center said the storm will hit Florida today.

LATTO: By midday Monday, you should expect tropical storm conditions in the Florida Keys and then begin to spread north, primarily along the western portion of Florida.

The storm bashed Cuba and several tropical islands on a northward track toward the Sunshine State. Current forecasts show Elsa trekking up the East Coast of the United States throughout this week.

Surfside rescue paused for demolition of remaining structure » The threat of the looming storm has complicated the ongoing search for survivors at the site of a condo collapse in South Florida.

Rescue crews made way for demolition teams over the weekend to bring down the portion of the 12-story condo tower that’s still standing before the storm strikes.

Rescuers had to halt operations on Saturday so workers could begin boring the holes to place explosives in the concrete.

Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava explained on Sunday...

CAVA: Bringing down this building in a controlled manner is critical to expanding our scope of the search and rescue effort and allowing us to explore the area closest to the building, which has currently not been accessible.

Officials are anxious to access parts of the garage area that they’ve been unable to get to. That could give a clearer picture of voids that may exist in the rubble that could possibly harbor survivors.

No one has been rescued alive since the first hours after the June 24th collapse.

Miami-Dade Assistant Fire Chief Raide Jadallah said the remaining structure was also extremely dangerous for rescuers. He said if they left it standing, it could come crashing down without warning.

July 4th celebration crowds return » After a year lost to the pandemic, July 4th celebrations returned across the country. In New York, the traditional Macy’s Fourth of July fireworks display returned over the East River.

AUDIO: [Fireworks]

And crowds were once again allowed to attend Nathan’s Famous July Fourth hot dog eating contest in Brooklyn.

Fireworks were also back over the National Mall in Washington.

And heading into the holiday weekend, President Biden hosted a naturalization ceremony at the White House on Friday.

BIDEN: It's dreams of immigrants like you that built America and continue to inject new energy, new vitality, new strength.

Twenty-one new U.S. citizens took the oath of allegiance.

Taliban continues advance in northern Afghanistan » As America celebrates its freedoms, millions in Afghanistan fear their liberties are slipping away as the Taliban continues its takeover mission.

The Taliban over the weekend captured several more districts in northern Afghanistan from fleeing Afghan forces. It now controls roughly a third of all 421 districts and district centers in the country.

The top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, Gen. Austin Miller, told ABC’s This Week...

MILLER: So as you watch the Taliban moving across the country, what you don’t want to have happen is that the people lose hope and they believe they now have a foregone conclusion presented to them.

U.S. Troops recently withdrew from Bagram Airfield, handing it over to Afghan forces.

Meanwhile, the Biden administration says it intends to relocate Afghan interpreters who have helped U.S. troops amid the drawdown.

GOP Congressman Michael McCaul said he agrees that’s the right thing to do.

MCCAUL: We made a promise to them. They served with our special forces, these interpreters. We told them we’d take care of them, and we can’t turn our backs and leave them to die. They will be slaughtered by the Taliban. They’re targeted by the Taliban. We have to get them out of there.

But McCaul, the top Republican on the Foreign Affairs Committee is one of many GOP lawmakers who disagree with the near total pullout of U.S. forces in Afghanistan. He warned of a humanitarian crisis and long-term consequences for the United States.

I'm Kent Covington. For more news, features, and analysis, visit us at wng.org. 

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