Weekend News in Tweets: Ronaldo moth, Serena Williams, South Sudan & more

nepartak

News moves at the speed of social media in today’s world, and that’s especially the case on the weekend. Take a look at the world news you might’ve missed this weekend through the 140-character lens of Twitter.

Welcome to the Weekend News in Tweets (8 July – 10 July 2016)

Serena Williams won her seventh Wimbledon singles crown and 22nd Grand Slam trophy Saturday, putting her level with German great Steffi Graf. Williams beat German Angelique Kerber 7-5, 6-3 in the final in London. Scotland’s Andy Murray won his second Wimbledon men’s singles crown Sunday too, beating Canadian Milos Raonic in straight sets.

Former UK PM Tony Blair gave his first public interview this week after questions about the legitimacy and legality of the UK’s involvement in the 2003 Iraq War were raised. “I accept full responsibility, without exception,” Blair declared.

Dutch rider Tom Dumoulin won Sunday’s ninth stage of the Tour de France, braving a hailstorm and wildly spectators in the Andorran Pyrenees. The race enters its first rest day Monday with Britain’s Chris Froome wearing the leader’s Yellow Jersey.

Snoop Dogg is the latest celebrity to break silence after the shootings that rocked the United States last week. “You can’t fight hate with hate,” the rapper told reporters at a Saturday press conference held alongside the Los Angeles Police Department.

Related: Alton Sterling, Philando Castile & Dallas shootings: celebrities weigh-in on America’s violent week

Trevor Noah, host of The Daily Show, also responded to the recent killings. “In America, it’s like, if you take a stand for something, you’re automatically against something else,” Noah remarks.

The world record for the “largest knitted blanket” was broken Saturday by the 67 Blankets campaign. Measuring in at 1378 metres squared, the blanket covered Nelson Mandela Square, Sandton in celebration of the upcoming Mandela Day.

India PM Narendra Modi visited South Africa this weekend, paying homage to Mahatma Gandhi and meeting other apartheid activists. He documented his journey through South Africa using his Twitter account.

Pamplona’s Festival of San Fermin kicked off late last week, but has been one of the most controversial. The annual event was met with increased protest this weekend from the likes of PETA, while reportedly seven tourists were injured in this year’s Running of the Bulls. Five men have also been held as suspects after a 19-year-old woman was reportedly raped.

Tropical Storm Nepartak (viewed below as a Super Typhoon) struck Taiwan and mainland China this weekend, wreaking havoc on the island nation and worsening China’s flooding crisis. The storm is the first named cyclone of the Pacific’s Typhoon Season and the most powerful storm recorded this year.

South Sudan, Africa’s youngest nation, marked its fifth independence day anniversary Saturday, but the date was marred by ongoing conflicts in its capital Juba. According to estimates, over 15 000 people have been killed in the country’s infighting since it gained autonomy in 2011.

Twitter saw through Cristiano Ronaldo’s Euro 2016 pain Sunday evening, when a moth landed on the injured and distraught striker’s face. Ronaldo was forced to leave the field after less than a third of the game. Since the incident, over 50 Twitter accounts have been made in the bold insect’s honour. Portugal beat France 1-0 in the same match to give the country its first European Championship.

Feature image: NASA Goddard MODIS Rapid Response

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