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Rescuers found three more bodies in the rubble of the Surfside, Florida, condo collapse on Monday, bringing the total death toll to at least 27, officials said at a briefing Monday. 118 people are still unaccounted for.

The latest: Rescue teams discovered the bodies after resuming their search for victims following the controlled demolition of the remaining portion of Champlain Towers South on Sunday night.

1,037 members of the Afghan security forces fled into Tajikistan and dozens more were taken captive on Sunday after Taliban fighters made advances in northern Afghanistan, according to Reuters.

Why it matters: The crossings, which were permitted by Tajikistan, came after the Taliban took over at least six key districts in the northern province of Badakhshan, which borders Tajikistan.

Russia-linked hackers suspected in this weekend's mass attack on software provider Kaseya, which could affect thousands of companies worldwide, demanded $70 million to restore data they are holding for ransom, Reuters reports.

Why it matters: The hack is the latest and most dramatic in a series of high-profile ransomware attacks this year, exposing the pandemic-style threat that this type of cybercrime poses to companies and governments around the world.

Fewer Americans are trying to get out of jury duty, and legal experts say this may reflect people's growing desire to combat systemic racism.

Driving the news: Jury consultant Jason Bloom tells Axios that, historically, as many as one in four U.S. adults who are called for jury duty seek to be excused, citing hardships. But now, that number has shrunk to around only 5%-10%, he says.

Officials in Cuba evacuated 180,000 residents amid concerns about flooding from the deadly Tropical Storm Elsa, as it brushed along the nation's southern region on Monday, per AP.

The latest: Elsa was packing maximum sustained winds of 65 mph 245 miles southeast of Havana about 2a.m. Monday and was expected to weaken while passing over central Cuba later in the day before heading toward the Florida Straits in the evening, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Fireworks displays marking Independence Day returned with a bang across the U.S. after last year's cancelations due to the pandemic, as thousands of Americans turned out this July Fourth holiday weekend.

The big picture: Health precautions were in place at many events, though restrictions had eased at some, in a reflection of the huge COVID-19 vaccine rollout — like at a D.C. event with no social distancing, where "maskless actors dressed as George and Martha Washington" entertained maskless tourists, per the Washington Post.

Pope Francis is "doing well" after undergoing scheduled intestinal surgery, the Vatican announced Sunday night.

Details: The Pope left the Casa Santa Marta, his official residence, for the surgery concerning the symptomatic diverticular stenosis of the colon at a Rome hospital on Sunday afternoon local time.

President Joe Biden used his Fourth of July speech Sunday to declare that the U.S. is "closer than ever to declaring our independence from a deadly virus."

What he's saying: "This year, the Fourth of July is a day of special celebration," Biden said before a crowd of 1,000 essential workers and military families. "For we are emerging from the darkness of years. A year pandemic and isolation.

Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff, dropped off cookies at their neighborhood fire station in the Brentwood section of Los Angeles on Sunday.

The big picture: Harris is home in California after speaking in Las Vegas on Saturday. Meanwhile, President Biden is returning to the White House on Sunday afternoon for a barbecue with first responders and military families.

Lightning strikes in Western Canada have surged over the past few days, triggered in part by an unprecedented heatwave that also induced wildfires, Reuters reports.

The big picture: British Columbia, which usually accounts for about 5% of Canada's yearly lightning strike total, reported its annual number in less than 48 hours.

Anthony Fauci expressed sadness at the "avoidable and preventable" coronavirus-related deaths among unvaccinated people during an appearance Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press."

Why it matters: The Biden Administration missed its goal to have at least 70% of U.S. adults vaccinated with at least one dose by July 4.

One of Serbia’s five-member rowing team tested positive for COVID-19 upon arrival in Japan, an official said Sunday. This is the third visiting Olympian to test positive for the virus ahead of the games, which are set to begin later this month.

Why it matters: Japan's government has faced heavy criticism for deciding to host the Olympic Games in spite of rising cases.

Two Chinese astronauts on Sunday made the first spacewalk outside China's new space station core module Tianhe to set up equipment on a 15-meter robotic arm.

State of play: Astronauts Liu Boming's and Tang Hongbo's spacewalk was streamed on local media. They were supported by a third crew member, Nie Haisheng, who stayed inside the cabin.

Americans looking to enjoy their summer outside after a pandemic year now have other threats to worry about.

The big picture: Experts are warning that ticks are on the rise and poison ivy may be more abundant this year. That means hikers, campers and anyone else excited to get outside after months of pandemic confinement should take extra precautions to avoid both.

Americans may have fallen short of President Biden's July 4 vaccination goal, but by most measures, we should be thankful for how far we've come in the past year.

The big picture: Last July 4, many Americans were hunkering down in their backyards with small cookouts, and travel was way down. This year, most adults have at least some vaccine protection, travel is back up, and most Americans are ready to move on with their lives.

The Canadian Armed Forces are being called in to help combat dozens of wildfires in western Canada that have sparked evacuation orders and caused the deaths of at least two people, per CTV News.

What's happening: 172 wildfires are burning across British Columbia following the Pacific Northwest's record heat wave, per the BC Wildfire Service.

Thousands of protesters across Brazil called for President Jair Bolsonaro's removal Saturday, one day after a judge authorized opening an investigation into him over an alleged COVID-19 vaccine procurement scheme, per the Guardian.

Why it matters: The pandemic has killed almost 524,000 people in Brazil amid a slow vaccine rollout. This investigation, along with a Senate probe, may hurt Bolsonaro's re-election chances next year and could hamper his "ability to serve out the remainder of his term," the New York Times notes.

Massachusetts State Police said they took 11 men into custody Saturday after a standoff near Boston with a heavily armed group that saw Interstate 95 partially shut down during the holiday weekend.

Of note: State Police Col. Christopher Mason told a briefing after the nearly nine-hours-long standoff that several firearms were seized from the men, who said they belonged to the Rise of the Moors. The group's website describes members as peaceful Moorish Americans who don't recognize U.S. law.