Media
Wikimedia is a global movement whose mission is to bring free educational content to the world. Through various projects, chapters, and the support structure of the non-profit Wikimedia Foundation, Wikimedia strives to bring about a world in which every single human being can freely share in the sum of all knowledge. 1)
Wikipedia
Wikipedia is a project to build free encyclopedias in all languages of the world.
Wiktionary
Wiktionary is a project to create a multilingual free content dictionary in every language.
Wikiquote
Wikiquote is a repository of quotations taken from famous people, books, speeches, films or any intellectually interesting materials. Proverbs, mnemonics or slogans are also included in Wikiquote.
Wikibooks
Wikibooks aims to build a collection of free e-book resources, including textbooks, language courses, manuals, and annotated public domain books. It aims to help both (self-)instruction of students and teachers in high schools and universities.
Wikisource
Wikisource is a multilingual project to archive a collection of free and open content texts.
Wikispecies
Wikispecies is an open, wiki-based project to provide a central, more extensive species database for taxonomy. It covers living and fossil representatives of Animalia, Plantae, Fungi, Bacteria, Archaea, Protista and all other forms of life.
Wikinews
The Wikinews project was launched with the mission to report the news on a wide variety of subjects. Contributors from around the world write news articles collaboratively. Reports range from original reporting and interviews to summaries of news from external sources. All reports are required to be written from a neutral point of view.
- China resumes deportation of refugees back to North Korea (2021/07/26 23:37)
Monday, July 26, 2021
In an article published by Human Rights Watch late last week, over 1100 North Koreans living in China are described as being at risk of being sent back to North Korea. According to the article, around 50 North Korean defectors and escapees were recently sent back to their place of origin following their arrest by Chinese police and border authorities.
An anonymous witness told Radio Free Asia that "The Dandong customs office was opened just for today and they [Chinese border authorities] sent about 50 North Korean escapees back to North Korea on two buses." The witness also added that "dozens of police officers lined up in front of the customs office to block public access and ensure nobody was filming."
As a reaction to the sudden spread of COVID-19, North Korea closed its borders totally, which halted the repatriation of defectors. The recent repatriation was the first of its kind since January 2020, when North Korean authorities closed the Sino-Korean border as a way to protect the country from the pandemic. Repatriations of this kind were held routinely for the defectors who had crossed the Yalu and Tuman rivers into China before the pandemic occured.
This repatriation action caught the eye of the United States' Department of State, with an official spokesperson saying that "We are particularly concerned by recent reports that nearly 50 North Koreans were forcibly repatriated." The spokesperson said that the United States urges China to "fulfill its international obligations as a party to the 1951 UN Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol and the UN Convention Against Torture."
Radio Free Asia's article cites that some among the 50 repatriated were soldiers and pilots who had served in the North's Air Force.
Returning such refugees to North Korea, where they face imprisonment and torture from the authorities, is a violation of the United Nations' 1951 Refugee Convention, 1967 Protocol and the UN Convention against Torture. According to the article by Human Rights Watch, at least 1170 North Korean people are held in various prisons in China's Jilin and Liaoning provinces, where they face deportation after being charged with criminal offenses.
Both countries maintain a friendly relationship, with both leaders having exchanged greetings on July 11, as reported by state newspaper Rodong Sinmun. A 1986 bilateral border protocol signed by both nations warrants the deportation of any and all defectors and other North Koreans illegaly staying in China.
According to data reported by South Korea's Ministry of Unification, only two defectors from the North reached South Korea between April and June of this year, the lowest number ever recorded since the Ministry started recording the inflow of defectors. Such a decrease in the amount of defectors is mainly being attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic, as North Korea entirely stopped people from leaving or entering the country, while still claiming to have no cases of the virus.
North Korean defectors often transit through China to reach either South Korea or another safe country, as the Sino-Korean border is easier to cross than the North-South border. The closest defector-friendly country accessible by land to defectors is the South-East Asian country of Vietnam.
Sources[edit]
- Lina Yoon. "China Restarts Forced Returns of Refugees to North Korea" — Human Rights Watch, July 22, 2021
- "Concern About Fate of 50 North Korean Escapees Sent Home by China" — Radio Free Asia, July 19 2021
- "Respected Comrade Kim Jong Un Receives Greetings from President Xi Jinping" — Rodong Sinmun, July 11 2021
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"Respected Comrade Kim Jong Un Sends Greetings to President Xi Jinping" — Rodong Sinmun, July 11 2021
- Floods in central China kill 25 (2021/07/26 03:11)
Monday, July 26, 2021
Floods in Henan province in central China have left at least 25 people dead, and about 200,000 people have been evacuated as of Wednesday, with soldiers leading rescue efforts. The flooding caused landslides and the provincial capital Zhengzhou's metro system and roads were inundated with water.
Passengers of the Zhengzhou Metro posted videos of water up to their neck while clinging to handrails. At least twelve people were killed in the metro, with five more being injured, and more than 500 were rescued.
Among the dead were also four people in Gongyi who died from houses and walls collapsing, with more than 20,000 forced to leave their homes. Nine thousand hectares of crops were also damaged, causing US$11.3 million worth of damage.
There have been storms and torrential rain in Henan province since July 17. According to the National Meteorological Center of CMA, 622.7 mm (24.51 in) of rain fell in 24 hours, far surpassing the 24-hour threshold of 250 mm (9.84 in) considered extremely heavy rainfall. From Saturday to Tuesday, 617.1 mm (25.30 in) of rain fell in Zhengzhou, almost the equivalent of its annual average of 640.8 mm (25.23 in).
There are several reasons for the downpour. First, Typhoon In-fa is approaching Fujian province in southeast China, causing large amounts of water vapor to be pushed inland. Second, the Taihang and Funiu Mountains cause water vapor to converge and go up, causing large amounts of relief rain.
According to Zhang Ning, chief weather broadcaster of the Henan Meteorological Service, the torrential rain would continue until Wednesday night. From July 22 to July 26 there are forecasted dispersed thunderstorms, but no large amounts of precipitation.
Sister links[edit]
Sources[edit]
- "Central China: 25 dead in flooded Zhengzhou metro, landslides" — Al Jazeera, July 20, 2021
- Jessie Yeung, Nectar Gan and Zixu Wang. "Passengers trapped inside submerged subway as deadly floods sweep central China" — CNN, July 21, 2021
- Ryan Woo and Stella Qiu. "At least 25 dead as rains deluge central China's Henan province" — Reuters, July 21, 2021
- "What caused the heavy downpour in central China's Henan?" — CGTN, July 21, 2021
- "China floods: 12 dead in Zhengzhou train and thousands evacuated in Henan" — BBC News Online, July 21, 2021
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"Zhengzhou Henan: Chest-high flooding hits China trains and roads" — BBC News Online, July 20, 2021
- Australia: Wikinews interviews Reg Kidd, mayor of the City of Orange, about COVID-19 lockdown and local government (2021/07/25 09:13)
Sunday, July 25, 2021
After a seven-day lockdown began in three rural councils in New South Wales, Australia, Wikinews reached out to Reg Kidd, the mayor of the City of Orange. Orange is one of the three areas that is now currently under lockdown after a case of COVID-19 was recorded at the Nestlé Purina PetCare food factory in Blayney.
Since then, Orange City Council, along with the other two council areas now in lockdown, has been declared a COVID-19 hotspot, which unlocks support from the Australian Government such as access to the COVID-19 disaster payment, assistance with contact tracing, and provision of protective personal equipment from the National Medical Stockpile.
Kidd has been an Orange City Councillor for 28 years, and became Orange's first popularly-elected mayor in 2017, where he ran as an independent candidate. He has hosted talkback radio with ABC Radio since 1989. Wikinews reached out to Kidd via email about the COVID-19 lockdown in Orange, as well as the upcoming local government elections in New South Wales and his motivations for entering local government.
Interview[edit]
Do you think the New South Wales government has taken the right approach in managing the COVID-19 pandemic?
((Reg Kidd
)) Yes, lots of people love to play the "blame game", and unfortunately keyboard warriors cause more problems! Only 60 something deaths in NSW since Covid[-19.] Work this out as a percentage of NSW population. More people died on the roads, heart attacks, drugs etc, etc.
((WN)) How has the lockdown impacted council's activities and meetings?
((Reg Kidd)) No, we have been into live-streaming for the community for quite awhile, and we [have] Zoom meetings, and it has been very successful[.]
((WN)) What drove you to enter local politics?
((Reg Kidd)) I entered to [to] give back something to a community that had done so much for me. I also believe in being pro[-]active, and part of the solution, not part of the problem!
((WN)) Given the impact COVID-19 is currently having in New South Wales, do you think that any changes should be made to how the upcoming local government elections (scheduled for September 4) are held?
((Reg Kidd)) Yes[,] they should be put back to at least March next year (which they can do without full parliamentary debate etc). People because of shutdowns can not do electioneering "pressing the flesh" so to speak, also in our case there are more important issues at present.....Covid[-19] and vaccination.
((WN)) In the midst of a COVID-19 lockdown, is there any message you'd like to send to local residents?
((Reg Kidd)) Yes....work together, do not play the blame game, listen to the proper "expert" advice, get tested, and please get vaccinated......do not believe half the misinformation and media hype on AZ [AstraZeneca]. I and my family are done, and all the expert medical professionals in Orange are dismayed by how some sectors of the media are more interested in the politics, and not solutions[.]
Related news[edit]
- "Three rural councils in New South Wales, Australia enter 7-day lockdown" — Wikinews, July 21, 2021
Sources[edit]
- "Reg Kidd - ABC Radio" — ABC News (Australia), July 22, 2021 (access date)
- Antony Green. "Orange City - 2017 NSW Local Government Elections" — ABC News (Australia), July 22, 2021 (access date)
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"Declaration of Orange City Council, Blayney Shire Council and Cabonne Shire Council as a hotspot for Commonwealth support" — Department of Health (Australia), July 21, 2021
- Heavy monsoon rains kill over 100 in India, many thousands evacuated (2021/07/25 08:30)
Sunday, July 25, 2021
Heavy monsoon rains have killed at least 110 people in Maharashtra state in western India, with close to 90,000 evacuated. In Mahabaleshwar, Maharashtra, just under 60 cm (23 in) of rain fell in 24 hours from Thursday through Friday morning, according to the India Meteorological Department.
The deaths included 42 in the village of Taliye, near Mumbai in Maharashtra, which was destroyed in a major landslide. Chief Minister of Maharashtra Udhav Thackeray planned to visit the village on Saturday. He called for a meeting to address the emergency, and called for aid for those affected.
At least two people died and ten were injured in Mumbai on Friday when a residential building collapsed due to the rainfall. The total death toll in Mumbai numbered more than 30, including deaths from landslides and electrocution. More heavy rain is forecast. The Indian military and rescue crews are assisting as the death toll continues to rise.
In Goa, more than 1000 houses were seriously damaged. No deaths have so far been reported in the state.
Sources[edit]
- Agence France-Presse. "India floods: rescuers search for survivors among mud and debris" — The Guardian, July 24, 2021
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"India monsoon: 110 dead after heavy rainfall in Maharashtra" — BBC News Online, July 24, 2021
- Algerian judoka suspended from Olympics for refusing to face Israeli (2021/07/25 02:16)
Saturday, July 24, 2021
Today Fethi Nourine, an Olympic judoka representing Algeria at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, was suspended from the Olympics for refusing to compete against Tohar Butbul of Israel, Nourine citing his support for Palestine. Nourine was competing in the under-73 kg category. He also refused to face an Israeli opponent at the 2019 World Judo Championships, which also occurred in Tokyo.
Nourine said in a statement to the media, "We worked hard to reach the Olympics. But the Palestinian cause is bigger than all of this." His coach, Amar Benikhlef, was supportive of his stance in a separate statement to the media, saying, "We made the right decision." Countries that have previously refused to compete against Israel include Iran and Egypt. The Algerian Olympic Committee revoked its accreditation for the two and said they would be sent back home.
The International Judo Federation said in a statement concerning the withdrawal, "The IJF has a strict non-discrimination policy, promoting solidarity as a key principle, reinforced by the values of judo". A disciplinary commission is deciding on further sanctions.
Sources[edit]
- Sean Ingle. "Algerian judoka sent home from Olympics after refusing to face Israeli" — The Guardian, July 24, 2021
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"Judo-Algerian Nourine suspended, sent home for withdrawing to avoid Israeli" — Reuters, July 24, 2021
- According to recent study, deaths in India number roughly 4 million during COVID-19 pandemic (2021/07/24 20:40)
Saturday, July 24, 2021
In a paper published earlier this week, the US-based Center for Global Development wrote that excess deaths in India during the COVID-19 pandemic are believed to number between 3.4 to 5 million between May 2020 and June 21, 2021.
The figures in the paper were calculated using death certificates in seven states, international estimates of age-specific infection rates compared to data from antibody tests, and a consumer survey which records deaths. While not all of these deaths were necessarily caused by COVID-19, excess deaths can be used to help calculate the impact of the pandemic.
The researchers said the death toll was "likely to be far greater than the official count" and "likely to be in several millions". Arvind Subramanian, a co-writer of the report, said that "after the first wave, which was more spread out, there was a sense that India had escaped the worst because there was this undercounting of deaths, and that led to a culture of complacency. But in the second wave, with all the horrendous images that we saw, that really galvanised Indian society to get to the bottom of the numbers." Subramanian also added that the figures only went up to May and didn't include all of June or any of July, meaning the true death toll may still be undercounted.
More than 414,000 COVID-19 deaths have been officially recorded in India, the third-highest total in the world. There is no official record of excess deaths in India during the pandemic.
Sources[edit]
- Soutik Biswas. "Covid-19: India excess deaths cross four million, says study" — BBC News Online, July 20, 2021
- Hannah Ellis-Petersen. "India's excess deaths during Covid 'could be 10 times official toll'" — The Guardian, July 20, 2021
- Ankur Banerjee, Neha Arora. "India's excess deaths during pandemic up to 4.9 mln, study shows" — Reuters, July 20, 2021
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Abhishek Anand, Justin Sandefur, Arvind Subramanian. "Three New Estimates of Deaths in India during the Pandemic" — Center for Global Development, July 20, 2021
- 2020 Olympics opening ceremony takes place in Tokyo (2021/07/24 01:29)
Friday, July 23, 2021
The 2020 Summer Olympics opening ceremony took place today in Tokyo's National Stadium in Japan. Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka, 23, lit the Olympic flame. Out of a seating capacity of 68,000, only the media and 900 dignitaries were able to watch in person. Originally due to take place in 2020, the games were postponed by a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Japanese flag was carried in by athletes and healthcare workers. A moment of silence was then held to remember the victims of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, as well as Olympic athletes who had died, including the Israeli athletes who were murdered in 1972. The Olympic cauldron was represented as the sun on top of Japan's Mount Fuji, which then opened like a flower, symbolising "vitality and hope". The sky above the stadium was then lit by a revolving globe composed of 1,824 drones; this was followed by a performance of John Lennon and Yoko Ono's "Imagine" by singers John Legend and Keith Urban.
International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said, "Today is a moment of hope. Yes, it is very different from what all of us had imagined. But let us cherish this moment because finally we are all here together." Tokyo 2020 president Seiko Hashimoto said, "Here is a vision for the future, one that embodies 'unity in diversity', one of peace and respect for one another" .
There were protests outside the stadium against the Olympics taking place due to the ongoing pandemic. A recent poll by Kyodo News among the Japanese found 32.1% believed the Olympics should be cancelled, and 87% were concerned about it being hosted due to the pandemic.
Sources[edit]
- Katie Falkingham. "Tokyo Olympics: 2020 Games begin as Naomi Osaka lights Olympic flame in poignant ceremony" — BBC News Online, July 23, 2021
- Emma Thurston. "Tokyo 2020 Olympics: Naomi Osaka lights Olympic cauldron at Opening Ceremony" — Sky Sports, July 23, 2021
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Tom Schad. "Protesters among hundreds to gather at Olympic Stadium during opening ceremony" — USA Today, July 23, 2021
- South Australia enters week-long lockdown to contain COVID-19 Delta variant spread (2021/07/23 18:24)
Friday, July 23, 2021
Modbury Hospital, where the first case in South Australia's COVID-19 cluster presented.
Image: User:AussieHero.With five active cases of the Delta variant of COVID-19, South Australia begun a one-week lockdown on Monday. Announcing the lockdown, state Premier Steven Marshall declared "we have no alternative but to impose some fairly heavy and immediate restrictions".
The first case out of South Australia's active cases was presented to Modbury Hospital on Sunday night, having returned from Argentina earlier this month. The fifth, which Premier Marshall noted as "far more worrying", visited The Greek on Halifax restaurant at the same time as someone who was later confirmed to be carrying the virus. Chief Public Health Officer for the state Nicola Spurrier said "if anyone has been at The Greek on Halifax they need to get into quarantine and get tested".
In accordance with new regulations, there are only five reasons for South Australians to leave home: essential work, shopping for essential goods such as food, exercise, but only with people from the same household and within 2.5 kilometers (2 mi) of home, medical reasons (which includes testing and vaccination against the coronavirus, but excludes elective and cosmetic surgery), and caregiving.
Schools have closed for all but children of essential workers, with online learning having begun on Thursday. Face masks are also be mandated for those who leave home. ABC News reported that "support for businesses is expected to be announced...", with all non-essential retail required to close under the new regulations.
Sources[edit]
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Wikiversity
Wikiversity is a project dedicated to learning materials and learning communities, as well as research. Wikiversity is not limited to university (or tertiary) level materials, but is open to materials and communities of all learner levels. The way it can facilitate learning activities and communities is still being explored, but is centered around the model of 'learning by doing', or 'experiential learning'.
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Wikimedia Commons
Wikimedia Commons provide a central repository for free photographs, diagrams, maps, videos, animations, music, sounds, spoken texts, and other free media. It is a multilingual project with contributors speaking dozens of languages, that serves as a central repository for all Wikimedia projects.
- Wikimedia Commons picture of the day for July 28 (2021/07/28 03:00)
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Tavče gravče traditionally served with long hot peppers. - Wikimedia Commons picture of the day for July 27 (2021/07/27 03:00)
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Common lionfish (Pterois miles) at Shaab El Erg reef in the Egyptian part of the Red Sea - Wikimedia Commons picture of the day for July 26 (2021/07/26 03:00)
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Clementines – peeled and unpeeled - Wikimedia Commons picture of the day for July 25 (2021/07/25 03:00)
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Branches of a jade plant (Crassula ovata), potted in a teal glazed ceramic jar. - Wikimedia Commons picture of the day for July 24 (2021/07/24 03:00)
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Saint Christopher at the winged altar of the parish- and pilgrimage church Kefermarkt, Upper Austria. Anonymous master (called Master of the Kefermarkt Altarpiece), around 1497. - Wikimedia Commons picture of the day for July 22 (2021/07/22 03:00)
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Stairwell of the Water Tower in Vladimir, Russia - Wikimedia Commons picture of the day for July 21 (2021/07/21 03:00)
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Turk's cap lily (Lilium martagon) in the Tauern Valley near Mallnitz, High Tauern National Park, Carinthia, Austria - Wikimedia Commons picture of the day for July 20 (2021/07/20 03:00)
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The Christiansborg Palace, Copenhagen, Denmark. - Wikimedia Commons picture of the day for July 19 (2021/07/19 03:00)
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Mountain stream between S-charl in the Swiss Grisons and Piz Sesvenna on the border with South Tyrol
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Wikidata
Wikidata aims to create a free knowledge base about the world that can be read and edited by humans and machines alike. The data available in Wikidata is licensed under the Creative Commons CC0 License to allow third-party users to freely reuse the data available, unlike other Wikimedia projects.
MediaWiki
The MediaWiki open source community maintains several software projects.
Meta-Wiki
Meta-Wiki is a project used as a central hub for various coordination and organization tasks, such as discussions affecting multiple wikis or planning upcoming events.
Wikimedia Incubator
The Wikimedia Incubator is a wiki used for developing new wikis.
Wikimedia Labs
Wikimedia Labs 2) is a project aimed to help volunteers get involved in Wikimedia operations and software development, and to make it easier for system administrators and developers to try out improvements to Wikimedia infrastructure, including MediaWiki.