UNESCO want to assign endangered status to the Great Barrier Reef, Australia does not agree

In the words of UNESCO, climate change and the warming of the oceans have affected the Great Barrier Reef GBR, the world's biggest coral reef ecosystem. Hence, it is in danger. Frequent bleaching events pose a threat to the reef. There have been four incidents of bleaching over the last seven years and the first this year during a La Nina phenomenon. This typically brings cooler temperatures. Bleaching happens when the water warms, the corals lose the colorful algae living in their tissues and turn white. The UNESCO report recommended shifting the Great Barrier Reef to endangered status. It was the outcome of a 10-day mission in March to the reef off Australia's northeast coast that was added to the World Heritage list in 1981. However, Australia does not agree. Its environment minister said her government would lobby against this recommendation by a UN panel. Australia argues against Great Barrier Reef's recommended endangered status. The GBR contributes to the economy of Australia. Its heritage status attracts tourists and in case of an endangered tag, it could lose the heritage status. Prior to COVID-19, it attracted two million tourists every year and provided employment to thousands of people.

Officials from the UN cultural agency and the International Union for Conservation of Nature reported that in the absence of an "ambitious, rapid and sustained" climate action, the GBR is in peril. Environment minister Tanya Plibersek said the new centre-left Labor party government that has come to power has already addressed several of the report's concerns, including action on climate change. She said the new government has legislated to commit Australia to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 43 percent below the 2005 level by 2030. The previous government had committed to a reduction of 26 percent to 28 percent by the end of the decade. As managing director Anna Marsden said - "The Great Barrier Reef is a wonder, she's got her challenges, but she's definitely not on her last legs in any case."

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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle might not attend this year’s Christmas celebrations in Sandringham

The Christmas celebrations in Sandringham this year will be the first celebration in absence of Queen Elizabeth II. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, were last seen together in public in the UK in September. That was when they attended charity programs prior to attending The Queen's funeral. It seems the couple may not be there for Christmas. Since 1988, it has been the tradition for the Royal Family to celebrate Christmas and the New Year at Sandringham. Those present will include Prince William and Kate Middleton, along their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. The Prince and Princess of Wales will be residing at the Queen's gift to them, Amber Hall, in Norfolk. Over the past couple of years, COVID-19 had forced a change in the celebrations. However, this year the Royal Family would assemble at the Norfolk estate as they do every year. A number of other Royal Family members would accompany King Charles III and his wife Camilla, the Queen Consort, as they walk to church on Christmas morning. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, despite being invited, may skip Christmas celebrations with Roya Family: Report

There are rumors that King Charles III has invited Harry and Meghan to spend Christmas at Sandringham. However, indications are there that the couple might not fly across the Atlantic. It will be the first time King Charles III will host both the Christmas break and the annual Royal Family get-together at the Norfolk country house. Incidentally, he is not eagerly anticipating the release of Prince Harry's new book, Spare. A Royal biographer Christopher Andersen says - The King views his son's narrative as a "betrayal".

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Tour operators are happy vis-à-vis trend of booking in hotels, resorts, homestays and the toy train across the hills

The Bengal tourism industry says nearly 90 per cent of the accommodation in homestays are booked until Diwali. These have mushroomed in different villages across the hills, both in Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts. Tour operators are happy at the trend of booking in hotels, resorts and homestays across the hills. Moreover, reservation for rides in the toy train of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) have also boosted their enthusiasm. In their opinion, these are indications about the revival of tourism in the hills, especially during the Diwali and Chhath Puja holidays. It is evident that after two years of the Covid-19 pandemic people are back in the travel mood. When compared to hotel bookings, homestays are doing better. As a veteran in the tourism industry explains - “Even in 2019, homestays were not so popular. But after the pandemic, people prefer to stay in isolated places instead of crowded ones. That is why bookings are so high in these accommodations.” Hill tourism on a festive peak.

The bookings reveal that during Diwali, tourists plan to go to prominent spots like Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong apart from locations like Sonada, Chatakpur, Mirik, Sitong, Lava and Loleygaon. Even lesser known homestays in Mirik like tea estates and orange groves are booked. Moreover, an official of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway DHR reveals there is a huge response from tourists for rides this season. The DHR conducts 12 daily joy rides from Darjeeling station. The return trip from Ghoom covers the Batasia loop and is the most popular ride in the DHR. The tourism industry suffered huge losses because of the pandemic and it hopes return of tourists can boost the industry.

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The Princess Royal made Daniel Craig a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George at Windsor Castle

Daniel Craig is an actor who made a name for himself by portraying the role of James Bond. He is a British spy codenamed 007 who has full authority to tackle anyone engaged in espionage activities against Britain. How he accomplishes it is his prerogative. It is a fictional character created by Ian Fleming and has been around since the 1960s. Craig has now received the same honor as his character James Bond. It was a CMG for services to film and theatre. Daniel Craig (54) starred in the last five Bond films. His first appearance as 007 was in Casino Royale in 2006 and the last one was No Time To Die in 2021. The versatile actor also appeared in Knives Out (2019) alongside Chris Evans, Ana de Armas and Jamie Lee Curtis. He will return in the film's sequel, due to premier at the end of next month. Daniel Craig receives same honour as James Bond.

Paul Greengrass, film director, producer and screenwriter also received honors. He has directed a number of Hollywood blockbusters. These included three of the Bourne franchise films and Captain Phillips (2013). Dame Emily Lawson will also receive recognition for services to the NHS. She headed the vaccine rollout scheme in the UK, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Another personality to receive recognition is street dancer and TV personality Ashley Banjo. He will receive an MBE for services to dance following his rise to fame following the win of his dance troupe Diversity's Britain's Got Talent in 2009 against Susan Boyle. Another person to win an MBE is six-time triathlon world champion Jonny Brownlee. He is the younger of the Brownlee brothers. He will receive an MBE alongside James Guy, two-time gold medal swimmer at Tokyo 2020. Yet another recipient of the MBE is tennis coach Louis Cayer. It will be for his services to sport. He is senior performance adviser for the Lawn Tennis Association. He has also worked extensively with men's doubles players including Jamie Murray, as well as Emma Raducanu.

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This year’s London Film Festival closed with ‘Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery’

“Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” is a sequel to the 2019 movie “Knives Out” starring Daniel Craig. He was in the role of detective Benoit Blanc. On the closing day of this year's London Film Festival, the stars expressed happiness at seeing the film industry return to form after the pandemic. While interacting with a section of the media Daniel Craig said – "It's just wonderful to be here at the London Film Festival on the closing night. Especially with the standard of film this year, which has been so amazing - to be in that number is just exceptional." Apart from Daniel, others in the cast include Edward Norton, Kate Hudson and Janelle Monae. Incidentally, Greece was one of the locations chosen for the shooting. That helped the actors to bond better. In the words of Craig - "I mean, it was an amazing experience. We were under lockdown, so we were kind of restricted in our movements so we couldn't really go very many places. It was about 150 degrees in the shade, but, you know, those are high class problems." Daniel Craig tells of filming new Knives Out movie in Greece during lockdown at London Film Festival. Kate Hudson, who portrays the role of a former supermodel turned designer, said the cast got on brilliantly. In her words - "It was good fun, with a lot of hard work in between, you know?" However, we were a good work-hard, play-hard cast, so we were very well suited for each other, we had really good times. It was COVID, so it kind of forced us to have to play with each other for three months, so we ended up getting really close and it was really fun."

Writer and director Rian Johnson had brought out the first “Knives Out” to the London Film Festival three years ago. About working with Kathryn Hahn, Edward Norton, Kate Hudson, Janelle Monae, he said, “it's absolutely kind of a director's dream, made my job very easy." Early reviews for the film are very positive and the attention now turns to the third. In 2021, Netflix concluded a deal for two Knives Out sequels. It was reportedly worth almost £400m. Rian Johnson says he and Craig are very happy to keep going. Audiences in the UK will have to wait a little longer for “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.” It will not hit the cinemas in the UK until November, and will come on Netflix the following month.

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Fort William restarts heritage walk for civilians

This is an 18th-century building and houses HQ, Eastern Command, Kolkata. There used to be a heritage walk around Fort William but COVID-19 led to its suspension for two years. This suspension is withdrawn. The building has a rich collection of army history starting from the Battle of Plassey. Visitors enjoy seeing parts of the 18th-century history and storing bits and pieces of information. There are various heritage buildings on the campus. These include a chapel-cum-library. It bears a strong resemblance to the chapel of the Trinity Hall in Cambridge, the Kitchener House and its grand dining table. There are also the Dalhousie barracks where Netaji was kept before being shifted to his Elgin House residence. While inaugurating the walk, Chief of Staff Lt Gen. K.K. Repswal, HQ, Eastern Command, said - “We used to have heritage walks in 2019 but because of the pandemic, it was stopped for two years. Today, we are resuming the walk. You will get to see a lot of war history, about life in Fort William and see the heritage structures here.” Heritage walk resumes at Fort William after pandemic break. Calcutta Heritage Collective arranged the inaugural walk. This is a group created to restore, revive and reuse built heritage in the city and the state.

The shape of Fort William is octagonal. Five of its sides face the land while the remaining three face the Hooghly. Moreover, there is a 9m deep and 15m wide moat. Incidentally, there used to be a fort built near where the GPO stands today. The British East India Company built it between 1698 and 1706. They named it after King William III. The current fort, too, gets its name. Anyway, in 1756, the Nawab of Bengal, Siraj-ud-daulah, attacked the old fort and took over the city. He renamed it Alinagar. Subsequently, the British constructed the new fort in the Maidan area in 1758. It was after the Battle of Plassey and completed in 1781. There are three layers of defense for the fort. These are the rampart walls, the moat (now dry) and a garden called Vatika. Incidentally, the fort has six gates, large enough for elephants to enter. Apart from these, there are nearly 500 cannons made dysfunctional after the British left. The Command Museum, built in 1956 and redesigned in 2010, narrates the story of the Eastern Command, World War II, the Burma Campaign, the Sino-Indian conflict and the Bangladesh Liberation War.

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Durga Puja and senior citizens of Kolkata

In the fast-paced world of today, most of the senior citizens belong to a neglected lot. Their families do not want to recognize their presence and they might even discover themselves in old age homes. It could have been forced upon them due to circumstances beyond their control. Or - they might have opted for such an existence in order to survive. During a major festival like the Durga Puja, old timers in this category deserve a better deal. It is not possible for them to negotiate crowded streets, serpentine queues at pandals and bumper-to-bumper traffic. Ultimately, many of them have no other alternative but to stay at home. This has led to the creation of groups who arrange to take them around and bring some cheer into their lives. Hand in hand with senior citizens for pandal-hopping. Many of these organizations arrange special packages for the elderly on special days. They offer visit to prestigious venues of the Pujas and these are not cheap.

Those who plan such outings have to keep in mind the safety and comfort of the senior citizens. Usually, they travel in air-conditioned buses with packed breakfast along with bottled water and beverages. The organizers keep ready nursing assistants, wheelchairs, medical kits etcetera and adhere to all COVID precautions. The itinerary avoids crowded and congested roads. There are also charity organizations that take around senior citizens and especially abled persons. Enthusiastic professionals from various occupations usually conduct activities of this nature. They arrange to distribute new clothes to the needy and try to bring some cheer in their dull lives.

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Kolkata gears up for Durga Puja rush with special buses for shoppers

The government of West Bengal wants people to forget the woes of Covid and its restrictions that had strangled businesses for 2 years. This year the focus is on enjoying the goodies that any festival can offer. In order to satisf ay the transportation needs of the common man the West Bengal government has introduced a special bus. The intention is to satisfy the desire for shopping spree that the festivities demand. This will help the shoppers to move about and give a push to the shopping. The special bus will operate in the commercial district of the city as announced by West Bengal's minister of transport. He said the buses would be available from September 4 through September 25. This will include weekends and public holidays. These would cover the commercial districts of Gariahat, Shyambazar, and Esplanade. Moreover, between 12 PM and 9 PM, there will be special air conditioned buses throughout the commercial areas of Kolkata. Other routes to be covered would be from places like Esplanade and Howrah to other destinations in all directions. Durga Puja 2022: Kolkata launches special shopping buses for Durga Puja season till September 25.

An official of the West Bengal Transport Department explained that the action of introducing special buses for Durga Puja shoppers was taken after the outbreak of pandemic had put a brake on the festivities in the city. The Covid since 2020 prohibited people from enthusiastically celebrating Durga Pujo. However, this year there are indications that things are much better. In view of the changed scenario, the transport department is taking action to support this. These special shopping buses will be parked in areas where people can utilize the service as a hop-on-hop-off in retail areas. There will not be any additional fees for individuals who use the service.

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Maddox Square puja returns in all its glory after two years due to Covid-19

The Durga Puja at Maddox Square in Ballygunge has always been a big draw for Kolkata. This year it will return after two years of Covid-19 curbs that discouraged gatherings. Threats of pandemic are gradually receding and the organizers are preparing to welcome back the pandal-hoppers. The area covered by the pandal would be large enough to accommodate the guests. Big time sponsors are also back to ensure that the festive mood remains. Construction work on the pandal has started. As one of the organizers said - “We are delighted that night-long adda sessions will be back this year.” Incidentally, the police authorities at Lalbazar informed that the state government had not yet issued any specific directives about curbs during the Puja this year. Therefore, they have granted provisional clearance for adda at the venue. In case the government issues specific directions on gatherings in public places, the organisers have to abide by those guidelines. Maddox Square adda set to bring buzz back to south Kolkata’s favourite Durga Puja. This puja in south Kolkata began in 1935 and remained a favorite get-together zone for Puja revelers. In fact, some of them would arrive from the suburbs just to be part of the lounging sessions beginning Sashthi.

In the past, Maddox Square used to be famous for its nightlong cultural programs where hundreds of thousands of visitors would continuously pour in and out of the park. This year, there are plans for a cultural program on Mahalaya. On this day, the idol would be brought to the pandal. That is what a member of the organizing committee revealed. He adds - “We don’t believe in theme-based puja celebrations. Just that this time the pandal will be done up with patachitras.” The major sponsors are also showing interest. The enquiries for stalls and banners are encouraging and the organizers expect to revive the charm. Obviously, the food stalls would be a main attraction. Those who have gone out of Kolkata and settled in other cities like Chennai, Bengalore etcetera could return to enjoy the Durga puja in Kolkata.

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Out of more than 20,000 Durga Pujas in West Bengal, some are hundreds of years old

It is difficult to believe that there are more than 20,000 Durga Pujas held in West Bengal. Durga Puja 2022: Big Plans in Bengal after UNESCO Heritage Tag, Covid Lull Out of these, many are hundreds of years old. The celebration of this festival of Bengal is usually on a large scale. Each year, the state government provides donations to the puja organizing clubs and plans to do that this year as well. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has announced a grant of Rs 60,000 for each puja to make it a success. Last two years, it was subdued because of restrictions put in place to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, with ease of protocols, the administration is planning a mega celebration. This is all the more important in view of the Cultural Heritage tag of UNESCO that the celebrations won last year.

The Mondal Bari Puja at Shyamdaspur in Bankura district has been celebrating Durga Puja in their ancestral home here for more than 500 years now. Its origin dates back to much before the city of Kolkata originated. It began as a private family affair and over a period has attracted people from far-off places and become an annual event for devotees and tourists. The joint family has disintegrated into fragments and members have moved to different corners of the country in search of livelihood. They try to return to their ancestral home during the pujas. Some other age-old pujas are given below –

1 Sabarna Roy Chowdhury Aatchala Durga – in 1626
2. Behala Jagat Ram Mukherjee Durga Puja – in 1769
3. Behala Roy Family Durga Puja - in 1756
4. Bhukailash Rajbari - in 1782
5. Sovabazar Raj Bari Durga Puja - in 1757
6. Pathuriaghata Khelat Ghosh Durga Puja - almost 170 years old
7. Purna Chandra Dhar Family Durga Puja - 157 years ago
8. Jhamapukur Chandra Family Durga Puja - in 1761
9. Badan Chandra Roy Family Durga Puja - year 1857
10. Ramgopal Saha Bari Durga Puja – 175 years old
11. Bagbazar Haldar Bari Durga Puja - in the year 1560
12. Shib Krishna Daw Family Durga Puja - in 1840
13. Narasingha Daw Family Durga Puja - in 1859
14. Laha Family Durga Puja - over two centuries old
15. Madan Mohan Dutta family Durga Puja - from 1794 AD
16. Chhatu Babu Latu Babu’s Durga Puja - in 1770
17. Maniktala Saha Family Durga Puja - almost 150 years old
18. Ghose Family Durga Puja of Ghose Lane - in 1856
19. Pataldanga Basu Mallick Family Durga Puja - in 1831
20. Thanthania Dutta Family Durga Puja - in 1855

These are based on Bonedi Bari Durga Puja in Kolkata (Updated in 2020 with Maps)

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Dahi Handi with human pyramids is a part of Krishna Janmashtami festival

India celebrates many festivals and the dahi handi festival is unique. It is to mark the birth of Lord Krishna. He is one of the most beloved Gods of Hindus and loves milk and all milk products, especially butter. To commemorate his birth, his devotees offer him butter. This is called ‘dahi’ in Hindi. They hide it in a pot (known as ‘handi’) and hang it high up. The festival is for his devotees to climb and get that pot of butter. It is difficult and the young men and women form human pyramids to get not just the butter but also the prize – nowadays, this incentive runs into a sizeable amount in lakhs of rupees. The festival has become popular because some Bollywood movies have used this theme in their movies. One of these is 'Govinda Aala Re' from "Bluffmaster" - the Shammi Kapoor film of 1963. This year, the dahi handi festival has been revived after two years – it was banned due to COVID-19. Dahi Handi Celebrations: 12 ‘Govindas’ Injured, 7 Remain in Hospital in Mumbai. The youngsters (called Govindas), dress in colorful attire and climb on each other to create human pyramids. This way they try to reach the ‘handi’ containing butter. It signifies victory through unity.

The government of Maharashtra had announced that there would be no restrictions on celebrating religious festivals this year. These include Dahi Handi and Ganesh Chaturthi. In the last two years, COVID-19 restrictions had played spoilsport. Incidentally, those who join groups and form the human pyramids are experienced and work as a team. It is not restricted to the boys but girls also participate and they practice regularly. The prizes carry handsome amounts and, at times, there are accidents. The participants treat these as a part of the game.

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