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Iconic Lighthouse In Northern Germany Risks Collapse

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An iconic lighthouse at the northern German port of Bremen has tilted sideways and could soon topple over entirely, officials said.

Public broadcaster Radio Bremen quoted the head of the water police, Uwe Old, as saying that nothing could be done to save the lighthouse.

“Unfortunately, I think the tower is going to be history in the coming days,” he said.

Authorities have banned ships from entering the Geeste River at Bremerhaven because of the risk posed by the leaning lighthouse, which is located at the end of a stone jetty that has long required repair.

But port operator Bremenports said it planned to allow commercial ships entry again soon.

If the lighthouse doesn’t topple by itself, the company said it would tear it down over the weekend with the aim of replacing it with an identical structure.

Metal Detector Picks Lost Ring In Ocean

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A Massachusetts woman’s diamond wedding ring, a family heirloom, is back on her finger after a man with a metal detector responded to her social media plea for help and found it at the bottom of the ocean.

Francesca Teal said she was tossing a football with her husband this month at North Beach in Hampton, New Hampshire, when the ring that once belonged to her great-grandmother slipped off her finger.

They couldn’t find the ring in the water after hours of searching, the 29-year-old from Groveland said.

Teal posted about the ordeal on social media and asked anyone who might frequent the beach with a metal detector to be on the lookout.

Her post was shared thousands of times and got the attention of a man named Lou Asci.

Asci, 60 of Marshfield, put on a wetsuit and headlamp and went into the water searching for the ring with his metal detector. The first two days he went looking, he had no result.

“I don’t take failure all too well,” Asci siad. “I wanted to go back and give it one last shot.”

That’s when he found the ring buried beneath the sandy ocean floor, he said. He sent Teal a picture, writing in a message: “Please tell me this is the ring so I can finally get off this beach.”

Asci returned the ring to Teal’s home, and her husband got on one knee to place it back on her finger.

“I have been so overwhelmed by the kindness of strangers this past week,” Teal wrote on social media. “It has been so amazing to witness humanity in this positive way & has brought so much faith to myself & others.”

New South Africa’s Zulu King Enthroned

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The new king of South Africa’s Zulu nation Misuzulu kaZwelithini was enthroned in a colorful ceremony Saturday before hundreds of supporters in a rural part of KwaZulu-Natal province.

The king dismissed those challenging his right to the throne in his first public comments on the issue.

He was crowned as the traditional leader of the Zulu nation, although some members of the royal family dispute his right to succeed his late father King Goodwill Zwelithini.

Some members of the family prefer an older brother and a different group supports another brother.

The late king had six wives and several sons. After the king died last year, Misuzulu kaZwelithini’s mother served as the regent for just a month before she died but in her will she named her son to be the next king.

This is regarded by many as the strongest claim to the Zulu throne.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has recognized Misuzulu kaZwelithini as the rightful heir to the Zulu throne.

Ramaphosa is set to present him with an official certificate pronouncing him the king of the Zulu people at a ceremony later this year.

Misuzulu kaZwelithini addressed about 1,000 supporters after undergoing a traditional ritual known as ukungena esibayeni (entering the royal cattle enclosure) to mark the beginning of his reign as king.

“I know that you are aware of the state of the royal family in recent times. I request that whatever you hear in the media, and the comments being made by those disputing the throne, you should hear them but you should not listen to them,” said Misuzulu kaZwelithini.

He called for unity among the Zulu nation and thanked Ramaphosa for his support.

The ceremony and celebrations were colorful displays of Zulu culture where hundreds of people dressed in traditional regalia.

Women wearing beads, skirts and hats ululated and sang Zulu hymns and slogans as they awaited the arrival of the new king.

Cheers rose in the air as Misuzulu kaZwelithini entered the main enclosure at the palace where he was handed a sharp, gold-plated scepter and received congratulatory messages from elders of the Zulu nation.

Hundreds of male Zulu warriors known as amabutho wielded traditional shields, spears and sticks as they chanted and marched into the royal palace to pledge their allegiance to their new leader.

Valencia Wildfire: 35 Aircrafts Deployed To Fight Blaze

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A wildfire burning out of control in Spain’s eastern province of Valencia has become one of the country’s biggest fires this year, and 35 aircraft were deployed to fight it as the blaze entered its fifth day, authorities said.

The wildfire has already scorched more than 19,000 hectares (47,000 acres) along a 137-kilometer (85-mile) perimeter. Efforts to bring it under control Thursday failed and strong winds have made the fire “very aggressive,” the Valencian regional government said.

In neighboring Portugal, the government on Friday announced a nationwide three-day state of alert beginning Sunday.

Portugal is in the grip of a severe drought and has also seen devastating wildfires this summer.

The measure, which grants authorities special, temporary powers such as barring people from woodlands, is a response to forecasts of inland temps above 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) beginning Sunday in what could be the country’s third heat wave this summer.

China Drought: Factories In Sichuan Province Ordered To Shutdown Reservoirs

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Ships crept down the middle of the Yangtze on Friday after China’s driest summer in six decades left one of the mightiest rivers barely half its normal width and set off a scramble to contain the damage to a weak economy in a politically sensitive year.

Factories in Sichuan province and the adjacent metropolis of Chongqing in the southwest were ordered to shut down after reservoirs that supply hydropower fell to half their normal levels and demand for air conditioning surged in scorching temperatures.

River ferries in Chongqing that usually are packed with sightseers were empty and tied to piers beside mudflats that stretched as much as 50 meters (50 yards) from the normal shoreline to the depleted river’s edge.

Smaller ships sailed down the middle of the Yangtze, one of China’s biggest trade channels, but no large cargo ships could be seen.

Normally bustling streets were empty after temperatures hit 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit) in Chongqing.

State media said that was the hottest in China outside the desert region of Xinjiang in the northwest since official records began in 1961.

“We cannot live through this summer without air conditioning,” said Chen Haofeng, 22, who was taking pictures of the exposed riverbed. “Nothing can cool us down.”

The disruption adds to challenges for the ruling Communist Party, which is trying to shore up sagging economic growth before a meeting in October or November when President Xi Jinping is expected to try to award himself a third five-year term as leader.

Exploring Biggest Waterfall On The Island Of Mauritius, Chamarel Waterfall

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The Chamarel Waterfall is considered to be the biggest waterfall that are located on the island of Mauritius, in the Indian Ocean, which is formed by the River St. Denis, and have a height of 83 m (272 ft).

It is also surrounded by lush vegetation of the Black River Gorges, where you can have a vivid view of the waterfall from both, a lower and an upper viewpoint, from the Black River National Park.

There are three distinct streams of water plunging down from the St. Denis River into the gorge.

The St. Denis river flows through fields, gorges and green spaces seawards and makes alluring and splendid view.

Many people consider this the most beautiful waterfall on the whole island, which truly is magnificent and breathtaking.

However, you will also have the opportunity of seeing some wild monkeys when viewing the waterfall although if you get the chance to be there, do be aware not to leave your belongings unattended for the monkeys to take.

Tourists can choose to see the waterfall from the upper deck situated at the Chamarel Seven Colored Earth reserve, or, can head down the trail to enjoy shallow water swimming at the bottom of the Chamarel fall.

The waterfall has its biggest flow of water between December and April, when there are a lot of rains.

Maritime Security: United States Coast Guard Cutter Mohawk Arrives Nigerian Naval Dockyard, Lagos

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The United States Coast Guard Cutter Mohawk (WMEC 913) has arrived at the Nigerian Naval Dockyard in Lagos.

The ship will conduct two days of at-sea engagements with the Nigerian Navy to promote maritime security cooperation.

According to the consulate, during the visit, Mohawk officers will meet with Nigerian Navy leadership at the Western Naval Command Headquarters in Apapa, as well as host ship tours for Nigerian government and military officials.

Will Stevens, U.S. Consul General in Lagos noted that his country was committed to supporting the Nigerian Navy in its efforts to both secure its own territorial waters and those of the greater Gulf of Guinea.

“Cooperation and the ability to operate together in the maritime domain are necessary to enhance Nigeria’s capacity to counter piracy, oil bunkering, illegal fishing, and other sea-based illicit activities,” he said.

Stevens and Commander Andrew Pate, Mohawk’s Commanding Officer, met with Rear Adm. Yakubu Wambai, the Flag Officer Commanding of Nigeria’s Western Naval Command, to discuss the U.S. and Nigeria’s shared commitment to a safe and secure Gulf of Guinea.

The consulate said that following the port visit, Mohawk would conduct two days of at-sea engagements with the Nigerian Navy to promote maritime security cooperation.

“Nigeria is a participant in exercise Obangame Express, the largest multinational annual maritime security exercise in West Africa, and will host the next iteration in January.

“Obangame Express encourages countries to work together to address transnational maritime challenges.”

According to the consulate, the waters surrounding the African continent are crucial for Africa’s prosperity and access to global markets.

Anti-Open Grazing Law: Anambra State To Begin Implementation September

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Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo says his administration will begin implementation of the state Anti-Open Grazing Law next month.

Governor Soludo stated this during a meeting with members of Anambra State Cattle Menace Committee, held at the Government House, Awka.

According to the Governor, though the law has been in existence since almost one year, cattle rearers keep parading certain areas in the state in contravention of the law.

While applauding members of the Committee for their dedication to duty, the Governor said that Anambra promotes social harmony with everyone, including cattle rearers but the make clear that they must as other business owners in the state operate within the existing laws.

He explained that because his administration has launched initiatives to encourage tree planting, there is not enough land to accommodate open grazing.

The Governor pointed out that the initiative was geared towards salvaging the Anambra environment from erosion which is fast depleting the scarce land, urging them to consider gradual implemention of ranching as a modern way of cattle rearing because of its numerous advantages and money-making potential.

Lagos Light Rail: Government Shows Interior (Photos)

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Inside the Light Rail EMU for #Nigeria’s First Intracity Rail, which is rolled off at CRRC_global’s production line in China.

An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple-unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages using electricity as the motive power.

An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages.

The trains will serve the #Lagos Blue Line Rail Mass Transit project, which is constructed by a Chinese company CCECC8.

2023 General Elections: Results Will Be Collated Manually- INEC

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The Independent National Electoral Commission has said the collation of results of the 2023 general elections will be done manually despite the adoption of electronic transmission of results.

INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, stressed that the commission would transmit results from polling units to its result-viewing portal, IReV, as witnessed in recent elections, but that the Electoral Act was clear on how collation should be done.

Okoye said in an interview with news correspondent on Saturday, “There is a marked difference between the transfer/transmission of results and the collation of results. Section 50(2) of the Electoral Act, 2022 gives the commission the absolute discretion to determine the mode and procedure of voting in an election and the transmission of election results.

“Sections 60 and 62 of the Electoral Act govern post-election procedure and collation of election results. Section 60(1) of the Act provides that the presiding officer shall, after counting the votes at a polling unit, enter the votes scored by each candidate in a form to be prescribed by the commission.

“Section 60(5) of the Act makes it mandatory that the presiding officer shall transfer the results, including total number of accredited voters and the results of the ballot in a manner prescribed by the commission. Thereafter, the presiding officer shall after recording and announcing the results deliver the same along with election materials under security and accompanied by the candidates or their polling agents, where available to such person as may be prescribed by the commission.

“The implication of this is that the collation process of results is still essentially manual, but the collation officer must collate subject to his verification and confirmation that the number of accredited voters stated on the collated result are correct and consistent with the number of accredited voters recorded and transmitted directly from polling units.”

He explained that while the collation of results would “essentially” be done manually, where there was a dispute regarding a collated result or the result from any polling unit, the collation or returning officer would use the original of the disputed collated result, accreditation data from the BVAS device and the results transmitted directly from the polling unit to determine the correctness of the result.