Archaeologists are hoping to leave a different type of mark on a remote Borders valley destroyed by an English army almost 500 years ago.

During a single day in 1545, a 15,000-strong force burned and pulled down more than a dozen strongholds in the Rule Valley.

Fields of corn and smaller settlements were also destroyed.

Archaeology Scotland is now excavating Bedrule Castle to improve understanding of the raid and its aftermath.

With a second spell at the rural site coming to an end this week, project manager Phil Richardson is happy with the finds and discoveries that have been made so far.

He said: “Our intention was to leave behind a much clearer picture of what was here and what happened, and I feel we are achieving that.”

From historical records, at least a dozen towers and castles along the winding Rule Valley were destroyed during a 10-hour raid on 16 September 1545.

Historians and archaeologists agree that Bedrule Castle was the largest of the buildings which came under attack during the raid.

Officially Islamic Republic Of Mauritania

President: Mohamed Ould Ghazouani

It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean.

Area: 397,956 sq mi (1,030,700 sq km).

Population: (2022 est.) 4,371,000.

Capital: Nouakchott.

Languages: Arabic (official), Fula, Soninke, Wolof (all national)

Currency: Ouguiya

Mauritania is a republic with two legislative houses; its head of state and government is the president, assisted by the prime minister.

Most of Mauritania is made up of low-lying desert that forms the extreme western part of the Sahara.

Only a tiny fraction of its land is arable, but almost two-fifths is suitable for grazing, and the herding of goats, sheep, and camels occupies a significant portion of the largely nomadic population.

Oil, ocean fishing, and iron ore production are major sources of revenue.

Lake Togo is the largest part of an inland lagoon that is connected to the sea in the southern part of the small African Togolese Republic.

Separated by a narrow coastal strip from the Gulf of Guinea, the lake is shallow, which makes it quite attractive for water sports and it serves as a big tourist attraction in the country.

Being 15 km (9 mi) long and 6 km (4 mi) wide, it encompasses an area of about 64 square km (25 square mi), and with only about 45 minutes ride from the capital city Lomé, there are frequent visitors.

The water that feds Lake Togo is from the Sio River in the southwest, the Haho River which enters from the north, and various other smaller streams to the west and east.

The towns that prosper and can be found on the lake’s shores are Agbodrafo and Togoville, among the bigger ones, and definitely one of the most interesting ones.

Togoville is considered to be the center of the local voodoo cult, and as one visits the area, immediately it can be seen that there are displays of voodoo “fetishes”, not just in Togoville, but also the small villages around the city and the lake.

Offering plenty of boating opportunities to its visitors, the main transportation is carried out by a pirogue, which is a type of small boat with spikes that touch the bottom that “propel” the pirogue simply by hitting the bottom.

Nevertheless, the lake is also the food source for the locals, as carp, sole and turbot can be found in the waters, however, a historic event occurred on the shores, as on 5 July 1884, the explorer Gustav Nachtigal and the religious leader of Togoville signed what was once Togoland, better known as the German Protectorate of Togoland which existed until 1916.

Still, a little bit of history, a little bit of religion and more of fun activities for every single visitor, where certainly Lake Togo is definitely something worth visiting.

South Africa announced it was backing Saudi Arabia’s bid to host the World Expo 2030 on Monday in a statement issued after the visit of President Cyril Ramaphosa to the Kingdom.

According to the statement, Ramaphosa expressed his confidence in Saudi Arabia’s ability to host the expo “with the best levels of innovation, and to provide an unprecedented experience in the history of this global event.”

Saudi Arabia submitted its bid for the World Expo 2030 in October last year, in a letter sent by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), the international organizing body for the global event since 1931.

If Saudi Arabia is selected to host the event, authorities plan to turn Riyadh and the rest of the country into a world-class venue for global culture, connectivity and climate action.

The Kingdom has already earned significant support for its bid from more than 60 countries and organizations around the world, including China, France, Turkiye, Greece, Armenia, Cuba, dozens of other African nations, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.