UN Adopts New Map to Accurately Represent Africa's Size > 월드뉴스

The United Nations has adopted a resolution to phase out the traditional Mercator map in favor of a more accurate representation of Africa's size. During a session at its New York headquarters, the UN General Assembly officially retired the 16th-century Mercator projection, opting for the 2018 Equal Earth design. The resolution received support from 164 countries, with only the United States voting against it, labeling the resolution as "superfluous," while six countries abstained. Although UN resolutions are non-enforceable, the decision is expected to influence educational curriculums and technology, where the Mercator projection has been widely used. Togo, which led the campaign for the resolution on behalf of the African Union, emphasized the historical inaccuracies of the Mercator projection, which has contributed to a diminished perception of Africa's size. Togo's Foreign Affairs Minister, Robert Dussey, stated that the discussion is grounded in scientific evidence. The Mercator projection, introduced by Gerardus Mercator in 1569, distorts the size of regions near the equator, making them appear smaller compared to high-latitude areas. A petition advocating for the change has garnered over 11,000 signatures, and France announced it will adopt the Eckert IV projection, aligning with the Equal Earth design.

Colombia's President Abelardo De La Espriella has sparked outrage after posting a video on social media featuring himself walking among white body bags that he claims contain the remains of 23 "neutralized" guerrillas. De La Espriella, who assumed office last month with a mandate for an "all-out war" against illegal armed groups, shared the footage on Thursday to demonstrate his commitment to this pledge. In the post, he stated, "I promised to confront terrorism without hesitation and I’m keeping that promise." The video, celebrating a military operation in the Colombian Amazon, has been condemned by human rights activists and political opponents. Iván Cepeda, a leftwing politician who lost to De La Espriella in the June election, criticized the display as lacking humanity, while Daniel Monroy accused the president of engaging in "necropolitics." Former President Gustavo Petro described the act as turning death into a trophy. De La Espriella responded to his critics by asserting that it is his job to send terrorists to meet their fate. The incident reflects a growing trend in the Americas, where rightwing populists are adopting aggressive stances against crime, often utilizing social media to amplify their messages.