The following are some of the headlines from today’s chosen news stories:
This is an open thread where everyone is welcome, especially night owls and early birds, to share and discuss the happenings of the day. Please feel free to share your articles and stories in the comments.
The Guardian
The US will soon see surges in cases of the highly infectious Delta variant of Covid-19 in areas where vaccination rates are low, Anthony Fauci has predicted, calling resistance to vaccination “sad” and “tragic”.
The Guardian
A 2016 internal document from the Sons of Confederate Veterans (SCV) organization lays out detailed tactics for members to use in preventing the removal of Confederate monuments and symbols, including lawsuits, rallies, media management and political campaigns.
The SCV is a neo-Confederate group dedicated to preserving what it sees as southern heritage, in particular Confederate statues and war memorials. That task has become far more controversial recently amid the rise of Black Lives Matter anti-racism protests, which frequently target such statues as memorials to racism and slavery.
The 18-page Sons of Confederate Veterans Heritage Defense manual also castigates perceived opponents of the SCV, accusing the NAACP civil rights group of spreading “hate and dissension” under the direction of “Marxists”.
C/NET
Carriers around the world have launched their 5G networks. Nationwide coverage is available in the US from the big three providers. Compatible smartphones are getting cheaper. The next-generation wireless technology is rapidly maturing.
So let's talk about the next-next-generation wireless technology. Yes, 6G.
Each wireless generation lasts about a decade, so 6G is a long, long way from becoming reality. Maybe in 2029 we'll get a hint of a deployment. Still, it's worth considering the technology that will be around the next corner and looking at what wireless researchers are thinking about in terms of its potential.
BBC
Pope Francis has been admitted to hospital in Rome for scheduled surgery to treat a colon problem.
Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said there would be more information after the surgery had taken place at the Gemelli University Hospital.
Earlier on Sunday, the 84-year-old Argentine Pope addressed thousands of visitors in St Peter's Square.
This is the first time the pontiff has been admitted to hospital since his election in 2013.
In its statement, the Vatican said he was being treated for "symptomatic diverticular stenosis" of the colon.
Diverticular disease is a condition that involves bulges in the wall of the large intestine. This can lead to a narrowing, of the colon.
Symptoms include bloating, recurrent abdominal pain and changes in bowel habits.
BBC
England will move into a period without legal restrictions where the public will have to exercise "personal responsibility" including on face masks, the housing secretary has said.
Robert Jenrick told the BBC's Andrew Marr people would "come to different conclusions" over masks, but he trusted people "to exercise good judgement".
All legal restrictions are expected to be lifted in England on 19 July.
A spokesperson said people could still be expected to wear face coverings on public transport and in shops even after other curbs lift in Scotland on 9 August.
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are in charge of their own coronavirus rules. On face masks and other measures, the Westminster government is working with counterparts in the other nations on a UK-wide approach.
Al Jazeera
A Palestinian human rights lawyer has been arrested by Israeli forces after taking part in a protest in the occupied West Bank against Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, his rights group said.
The Independent Commission for Human Rights (ICHR) said in a statement that Farid al-Atrash was arrested early on Sunday at an Israeli checkpoint east of Jerusalem while returning from a protest against the Palestinian Authority (PA) in Ramallah, where the PA is based.
DW News
The third wave of coronavirus infections is rolling through much of Africa — and it could be the most severe of the pandemic yet, experts fear. The conditions on the continent could not be worse: The more contagious delta variant of SARS-CoV-2, which has already wreaked havoc in India, is now spreading in Africa, where it is encountering a largely unvaccinated population.
According to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), just over 1% of people across the continent have been fully vaccinated and about 2.5% have received at least the first dose. By comparison, across the EU, at least 50% of people have now received the first dose, according to the website Our World in Data, and one in three already have full vaccination protection.
DW News
The leaders of Ethiopia's war-torn Tigray region said Sunday that they want a full withdrawal of "invading forces" before they can engage in talks with the federal government about a cease-fire.
The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), the regional authority that was driven out last year by Ethiopian forces and troops from neighboring Eritrea, said it would accept a "cease-fire in principle" if there were guarantees of no further invasions.
"Invading forces from Amhara and Eritrea must withdraw from Tigray and return to their pre-war territories," the TPLF said in the statement.
The rebels said they required "ironclad guarantees that the security of our people will not be compromised by a second round of invasions."
The TPLF also called for the restoration of "the government democratically elected in Tigray with all its powers and constitutional responsibilities."
NPR
Over the past 32 years, Morning Edition has broadcast a reading of the Declaration of Independence by NPR staff as a way of marking Independence Day.
But after last summer's protests and our national reckoning on race, the words in the document land differently.
It famously declares "that all men are created equal" even though women, enslaved people and Indigenous Americans were not held as equal at the time.
What then follows is a long list of grievances and charges against King George III that outline the 13 North American British Colonies' intentions to separate from Great Britain.
NPR
For as long as she can remember, Danita Bilozaze knew that the name on her birth certificate, "Danita Loth," didn't reflect her Indigenous identity.
From the stories her mother recounted to her, she knew that Catholic missionaries had changed her family's name. Her great-grandfather, a man known as Lor Bilozaze, was written into priests' logs as "Loth Bilozaze." Government record books in Canada ultimately dropped the "Bilozaze," and Loth became their surname.
She never felt a connection with that name. But "Bilozaze," which means "the makers" in her native Denesuline language, she said, is integral to the preservation of her identity and culture as a member of the Cold Lake First Nations.
Reuters
HAVANA, July 4 (Reuters) - Tropical Storm Elsa on Sunday arrived with force in eastern Cuba, whipping palms with strong winds and bringing a steady downpour along parts of the Caribbean island's southern coast, as others in the region were still grappling with the fallout.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said maximum sustained winds were near 60 miles per hour (95 km per hour) with higher gusts, having downgraded Elsa from a hurricane, on Saturday. read more
The crew of the Overnight News Digest consists of founder Magnifico, regular editors side pocket, maggiejean, Chitown Kev, eeff, Magnifico, annetteboardman, Rise above the swamp, Besame and jck. Alumni editors include (but not limited to) Interceptor 7, Man Oh Man, wader, Neon Vincent, palantir, Patriot Daily News Clearinghouse (RIP), ek hornbeck (RIP), rfall, ScottyUrb, Doctor RJ, BentLiberal, Oke (RIP) and jlms qkw.