UNITED KINGDOM coalition forces, Turkish coalition forces, and U.S. Marines assist a child during an evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport, Kabul, Afghanistan, Aug. 20. U.S. service members are assisting the Department of State with a non-combatant evacuation operation (NEO) in Afghanistan. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Staff Sgt. Victor Mancilla)

The evacuation of Americans and Afghan allies from Afghanistan is becoming complicated by a violent radical Islamic group; it’s not the Taliban.

According to the Associated Press, the Islamic State, also known as ISIS, poses a potential threat to Americans seeking to leave through the capital city of Kabul. Therefore, AP reports, U.S. citizens and others eligible to be evacuated have been instructed to gather at certain “transit points” for extraction by military units.

There have been no attacks so far, but a “security alert” has been issued to head off such incidents.

As a way of taunting the U.S., a media photo event was staged with Taliban troops dressed in American army-style uniforms and with American-made weapons. The intent was to remind the world that much of billions of dollars of material given to the Afghan National Army is now in the hands of the new regime.

Florida’s battle against rising COVID-19

The Sunshine State of Florida is heating up as one the places where the latest surge of the coronavirus is becoming a major crisis.

MASKS, sanitizers and social distancing are weapons in the battle against the coronavirus, as are vaccines (Shutterstock).

According to USA Today, Florida had become the third U.S. state with 3 million cases and deaths last week reached an all-time high of 1,486 fatalities, topping the previous mark of 1,296 in a week in January.

“Jacksonville is kind of the epicenter of this,” Justin Senior, a hospital executive told the Associated Press. “They had one of the lowest vaccination rates going into July and that has probably really come back to bite them.”

In nearby Georgia, the Lamar County School System has cancelled classes for two weeks because of a surge in COVID-19 cases among pupils and employees, according to United Press International.

Hurricane Henri to hit northeast U.S.

SATELLITE image of Hurricane Henri (Colorado State/CIRA).

The Caribbean isn’t the only area that’s feeling the lash of hurricanes this summer. Hurricane Henri is nearing the Northeast and is expected to make landfall on Long Island on Sunday.

CNN is reporting that strong winds will hit along the New England coastline down to New York City. Local officials are urging people to leave low-lying areas prone to flooding and seek shelter on higher ground.

An estimated 35 million people are under flood watch, and  a state of emergency was declared in New York City.