Briefly

UNITED NATIONS

Equal Earth map gets near-unanimous nod

The United Nations General Assembly voted on Friday to adopt a non-binding resolution that encourages the use of the Equal Earth cartographic projection in maps worldwide to replace the Mercator projection widely used so far, which distorts the sizes of continental landmasses. The resolution of "Correct the Map" aimed at rebalancing global cartographic representation and promoting equitable representation of the world's regions, particularly Africa, was adopted with 164 votes in favor, 1 against, and 6 abstentions. The United States was the only member state that voted against it.

SERBIA

Ruling party names Vucic as PM candidate

The Main Board of Serbia's ruling Serbian Progressive Party, or SNS, unanimously decided on Saturday to nominate President Aleksandar Vucic as the party's lead candidate and candidate for prime minister in the upcoming parliamentary election. Vucic said at the session that he will step down as president after completing his scheduled state activities and foreign visits, and then run in the parliamentary election. Vucic said on Sept 4 that Serbia would hold a snap parliamentary election soon and that the election date would be announced no later than the morning of Sept 10.

DR CONGO

22 killed in fire at wedding party

A fire at a wedding party in the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kinshasa, left at least 22 people dead, the regional mayor said on Saturday. Several others were injured. The fire started on Friday night and continued into early Saturday in a building in Lingwala in northern Kinshasa. The building's narrow hallways were constricted by people trying to escape the fire. The mayor of Lingwala, Norbert Mushinga, told the Congolese Press Agency that the provisional death toll was 22. The exact cause of the fire was yet to be determined.

XINHUA-AGENCIES