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Wikimedia Blog/Drafts/News on Wikipedia: July 28

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Posted July 29 2015

Title ideas edit

  • New exoplanet discovered and Tour de France concludes: News on Wikipedia

Summary edit

Find out how Wikipedia is covering this week's current news events:

Body edit

 

Here are some of the global news stories covered on Wikipedia this week:

Kepler-452b unearthed edit

 

An artist's impression of the newly-discovered planet. Image by NASA, in the public domain.

On Wednesday (July 23), NASA announced the discovery of Kepler-452b, an Earth-like exoplanet orbiting Kepler-452. The discovery, made by the Kepler space telescope, is 1,400 light-years from our solar system—so at the speed of the New Horizons probe (37,000 mph/60,000 km/h), it would take 26 million years to reach. It is the sixth-most Earth-like exoplanet known to date, and the first potentially rocky (that is, not gaseous) superplanet orbiting in the habitable zone of its sun.

Learn more in these related Wikipedia articles: Kepler-452b

Controversy over Burundi election edit

 

Pierre Nkurunziza won a third term as President of Burundi in an election some claim was illegitimate. Image by the US Department of State, in the public domain.

In last week's Burundian presidential election, held on Tuesday (July 21), Pierre Nkurunziza won a third term as the President of Burundi. The election was unusual in that all but one of Nkurunziza's opponents withdrew from the ballot following the announcement that he would be nominated by his party, the National Council for the Defense of Democracy – Forces for the Defense of Democracy. US President Barack Obama, speaking to the African Union in Addis Ababa on Tuesday (July 28), criticised Nkurunziza's refusal to step down following the end of his term.

Learn more in the related Wikipedia article: Burundian presidential election, 2015

Froome claims Tour de France edit

 

Chris Froome won his second Tour de France this week. Image by Filip Bossuyt, freely licensed under CC-BY 2.0.

British cyclist Chris Froome won this year's Tour de France on Sunday (July 26). He wore the yellow jersey, which signifies the race leader, from Stage 7 (July 10) onwards, and successfully defended his overall lead all the way through Stage 21 on July 26. He also won the mountains classification. The young rider classification went to the Colombian rider Nairo Quintana, who finished second overall; the points classification and "green jersey" was won by Slovak Peter Sagan. Movistar Team won the team classification.

Learn more in these related Wikipedia articles: 2015 Tour de France, Chris Froome

Dentist kills Cecil the Lion edit

 

There are a number of lions at the Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe. Image by Flickr user Laura (cardamom), freely licensed under CC-BY 2.0.

A dentist from Bloomington, Minnesota, allegedly killed an iconic lion in Zimbabwe's Hwange National Park this month. The lion, named "Cecil", was a star attraction at the game reserve, and its death sparked a backlash against its apparent hunter. It was lured outside the park and wounded with a bow and arrow before being shot, beheaded, and skinned two days later. It is thought that the hunter paid around $50,000 in bribes to be able to access Cecil.

Learn more in the related Wikipedia article: Hwange National Park

Windows 10 launches edit

 

Windows 10 is the first new operating system released under CEO Satya Nadella. Image by Leweb Photos, freely licensed under CC-BY 2.0.

American computing giant Microsoft's newest operating system, Windows 10, officially launched to the public on Wednesday (July 29). It is the first operating system released under the reign of company CEO Satya Nadella, and aims to unify Microsoft's operating systems already in use on its Windows Phone and Xbox One devices. It follows their previous flagship operating system, Windows 8, and will available on both desktop and mobile under the same name.

Learn more in the related Wikipedia article: Windows 10

Photo montage credits: "Lion-hwange.jpg" by Flickr user Laura (cardamom), CC-BY 2.0; "Pierre Nkurunziza 2014 press conference (cropped).jpg" by the US Department of State, in the public domain; "Tour de France 2015, groep gele trui (20036329866) (cropped).jpg" by Filip Bossuyt, CC-BY 2.0; "Kepler-452b artist concept.jpg" by NASA, in the public domain; "Satya_Nadella.jpg" by Leweb Photos, CC-BY 2.0; Collage by Andrew Sherman

To see how other news events are covered on the English Wikipedia, check out the 'In the news' section on its main page.

Joe Sutherland, Communications Intern, Wikimedia Foundation

Notes edit

Ideas for social media messages promoting the published post:

Twitter (@wikimedia/@wikipedia): 

• The Kepler space telescope made yet another exciting discovery this week. #NewsOnWikipedia
• Burundi re-elected their president this week, but not without controversy. #NewsOnWikipedia
• British cyclist Chris Froome won his second Tour de France this week. #NewsOnWikipedia
• Zimbabwe's best-known lion, Cecil, was killed this week. #NewsOnWikipedia
• Windows 10 officially launched to the public this week. #NewsOnWikipedia

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Facebook/Google+ 

• Kepler-452b is now the sixth-most earth-like exoplanet we know about. #NewsOnWikipedia
• Barack Obama was among those less than impressed with Burundi's newly re-elected president. #NewsOnWikipedia
• The Tour de France ended this week—but who came out on top? #NewsOnWikipedia
• Cecil, a famous Zimbabwean lion, was killed this week to massive backlash. #NewsOnWikipedia
• Microsoft's newest operating system, Windows 10, officially launched to the public this week. #NewsOnWikipedia

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