Plans approved for archaeological excavation in historic part of mid Essex town
LAND in Halstead has been approved for an archaeological excavation with an Essex trust hoping to find evidence for post-medieval settlement.
M25, Dartford Crossing and A12 road closures taking place in Essex this weekend
Here are the road closures Essex drivers should be aware of this weekend on the A12, M25 and Dartford Crossing.
Essex WWII veteran, 99, still feels 'lucky to be alive' after surviving the Pacific War on VJ Day
The veteran said there are "not many of us left" on the anniversary of Victory in Japan Day today
African Union Urges Adoption of World Map Showing Continent's True Size
The African Union has endorsed the "Correct The Map" campaign, urging governments and global institutions to replace the distorted 16th-century Mercator projection with the Equal Earth map that more accurately represents Africa's true size. Reuters reports: "It might seem to be just a map, but in reality, it is not," AU Commission deputy chairperson Selma Malika Haddadi told Reuters, saying the Mercator fostered a false impression that Africa was "marginal," despite being the world's second-largest continent by area, with 54 nations and over a billion people. Such stereotypes influence media, education and policy, she said. Criticism of the Mercator map is not new, but the 'Correct The Map' campaign led by advocacy groups Africa No Filter and Speak Up Africa has revived the debate, urging organizations to adopt the 2018 Equal Earth projection, which tries to reflect countries' true sizes.
"The current size of the map of Africa is wrong," Moky Makura, executive director of Africa No Filter, said. "It's the world's longest misinformation and disinformation campaign, and it just simply has to stop." Fara Ndiaye, co-founder of Speak Up Africa, said the Mercator affected Africans' identity and pride, especially children who might encounter it early in school. "We're actively working on promoting a curriculum where the Equal Earth projection will be the main standard across all (African) classrooms," Ndiaye said, adding she hoped it would also be the one used by global institutions, including Africa-based ones. [...]
The Mercator projection is still widely used, including by schools and tech companies. Google Maps switched from Mercator on desktop to a 3D globe view in 2018, though users can still switch back to the Mercator if they prefer. On the mobile app, however, the Mercator projection remains the default. 'Correct The Map' wants organizations like the World Bank and the United Nations to adopt the Equal Earth map. A World Bank spokesperson said they already use the Winkel-Tripel or Equal Earth for static maps and are phasing out Mercator on web maps.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Jessica Biel shares rare photo of her and Justin Timberlake's two sons amid singer's shock health battle
The 7th Heaven alum recently opened up about raising her two sons with Justin and got candid about how it can be 'tricky' at times.
Teenage boy, 16, arrested on suspicion of raping and murdering 13-year-old girl
A teenage boy has been arrested on suspicion of raping and murdering a 13-year-old girl who was found dead at home.
Charity which asked children as young as five to write Valentine's Day cards for asylum seekers is reported to watchdog
Schools of Sanctuary, a small refugee-sector charity, launched the programme in primary schools across Britain last year. Sir Gavin Williamson has since asked for them to be investigated.
Fake doctor who became one of Interpol's most-wanted women after charging more than 600 patients for 'treatment' is arrested 5,000 miles away after going on the run
Catherine, a 37-year-old Colombian woman, posed as a doctor in her native country from 2020 to 2023, treating up to 655 patients.
Moment kidnap gang drive off with pregnant woman as they threatened to cut off her fingers if her partner didn't hand over cash and jewellery
Audi Johnson, Ahmad Ghiasi, and Nicholas Mitchell bundled their victim, 36, who was six months pregnant, into a van outside her home in Enfield, north, on May 10 of last year.
The surprising parts of Braveheart that were ACCURATE: From William Wallace's execution to Robert the Bruce becoming King of Scotland... after Brian Cox brands film 'b******s'
Ever since its release in 1995, Braveheart has been a whipping boy for scholars. All of its historical inaccuracies have been gleefully pointed out. But the film did get some things right.
Primark's 'stunning' £19 striped jumper shoppers say gives off '90's vibes'
The relaxed fit, ribbed cuffs and hem keep things comfy
Tencent doesn’t care if it can buy American GPUs again – it already has all the chips it needs
Sees AI costs rising but not certain revenue will match them
Chinese web giant Tencent doesn’t mind if Washington doesn’t let it buy more American GPUs, because it already has all the chips it needs.…
These are the flattering hair colours you should try for a fresher look... and the ageing ones you should skip, says top stylist ANNA LEE
Maybe it's September 'back to school' days being drilled into us since childhood or maybe it's the changing of the seasons.
The West must not be frightened by dictator Putin, warns Britain's head of Armed Forces
In a rare and hard-hitting intervention, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin - the head of Britain's Armed Forces - urged NATO to be 'assertive in every domain', from nuclear weapons to cyberspace.
Worker 'beats colleague to death and "eats his brain" on first day in job'
The brutal killing took place on August 12 at Fazenda Baixinha, a rural property in Ilheus, in the far south of the Brazilian state of Bahia.
British Airways pilot 'is suspended after breaking anti-terror rules for his family'
The pilot's grounding meant the return flight, BA174 to London, was cancelled last Friday, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded.
Ben Fogle makes the perfect guest - he never asks awkward questions! CHRISTOPHER STEVENS reviews New Lives In The Wild
Chatting to Ben Fogle in the Kalahari desert, the Norwegian conservationist and former teenage model Aleks Orbeck made an extraordinary claim.
Rachel Reeves is accused of 'living under a rock' as economic growth slows to just 0.3%
Output grew only 0.3 per cent between April and June - a sharp slowdown on the previous three-month period when the economy expanded by 0.7 per cent.
Nearly half of voters fear the Government will not be able to 'smash the gangs' after migrant count hits 50,000
While the poll applies to British governments in general, it indicates a lack of faith in Sir Keir Starmer's 'smash the gangs' policy to control the boats.
Emily Blunt debuts shock new hair color for Devil Wears Prada 2 that looks worlds away from original film
In the original, played Miranda Priestley's chic, perpetually harried senior assistant Emily Charlton, who hisses that she is 'one stomach flu away from my goal weight.'