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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Democrats retain control of the US Senate

The Democrats now lead 50 seats to 49 in the upper chamber of the US Congress. Right now, the situation is in favor of the Democrats because even if Republicans win the remaining Senate race in Georgia, it might not help. This is because Vice-President Kamala Harris will be able to cast a tie-breaking vote. Obviously, the Democrats retain control of the US Senate. This paves the way for President Joe Biden to control the country in the way he sees fit. One advantage is that in case a Supreme Court seat become vacant due to whatever reasons, the Republicans would not be able to block the choice of the President. Incidentally, in 2016, then-Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell prevented Barack Obama's nominee from getting a hearing at all. The win in Nevada means the Georgia Senate run-off on 6 December is no longer a pivotal contest. However, President Biden said, "it's simply better" for Democrats to get to 51 seats. His logic is simple. The extra cushion will help to manage a majority and help in 2024 when the party might have to defend more at-risk seats. US midterm results: Why Democrats winning control of Senate matters

The win bolsters Joe Biden's standing within his party. His advisers are now more confident about his intention to seek a second term as president. Even his rivals are singing his praises. Liberal Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren is one of them. She said - "This victory belongs to Joe Biden. The president's leadership put us in a position - every candidate up and down the ballot - to talk about what Democrats fight for and what we deliver on." One thing appears certain. His win has damaged Donald Trump's political future. It seems a section of Republicans is placing the blame squarely at Donald Trump's feet. Most of them are the usual suspects who have been regular critics of the former president in the past. In short, the political landscape in the US appears to have changed within a week.

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Climate change has a direct impact on survival of insects who are necessary to maintain the ecological balance

The natural reaction when one sees an insect is of disgust. It reflects the feelings against the whole kingdom of insects. These include cockroaches, mosquitoes and creepy-crawlies of all kinds. However, ecologists say the decline in the population of insects is a matter of concern. It seems there are nearly 5.5 million species of insects on planet Earth. They are the most diverse group of animals on the planet and account for nearly 80 percent of animal life on earth. The worst part is that both the number and diversity of insects are declining around the globe. These are attributed to loss of habitat, pollution and climate change. A paper published before the ongoing COP27 commenced warns about possible consequences. These could include limiting the chances of a sustainable future with healthy ecosystems. A fading buzz: Editorial on impact of climate change on insects. The paper adds that fruit flies, butterflies, and flour beetles can survive heat waves, but are sterilised and unable to reproduce. They become zombies, the “living dead.”

The reasons for their disappearance are excessive use of pesticide by farmers, rising global temperatures, habitat fragmentation and destruction and so on. The consequences of their annihilation would be drastic. This us because insects enable plants to reproduce, through pollination, and form the base of the food pyramid. One of the fundamental mechanisms that made life on earth possible is insect-borne pollination among flowers and food crops. This is now in peril by this unfolding entomological disaster. Incidentally, species higher up the food chain get a greater attention of scientists, conservators as well as policymakers. Delegates at the COP27 will wrestle with funding, emission cuts, sustainable development goals etcetera. Their agenda should include reducing the use of pesticides.

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Sea level rise from Hurricane Nicole washes away many beachfront homes in Florida

Those who reside in beachfront homes in Florida witnessed the damages caused by Hurricane Nicole. The dangerous storm surge and powerful winds damaged or destroyed many of the homes in the neighborhood of Wilbur-By-The-Sea. The authorities deemed “unsafe” at least 49 beachfront properties in Volusia County. These included hotels and condos. Nicole was a Category 1 hurricane and videos showed homes that had crumbled and reduced to wreckage. These are the results of sea level rise due to global warming. Data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reveals that sea level in this part of Florida has risen more than a foot in the past 100 years. The worst part is that most of that rise has occurred in the past three decades. ‘We didn’t think it would be this bad’: Beachfront homes in small Florida community washed away by Hurricane Nicole. Scientists and researchers have been warning about the effects of sea level rise associated with erosion and high tide flooding. Florida is witnessing the results.

There are sea walls erected to protect coastal communities from high waves and water levels. Nicole destroyed many of these. In fact, one seawall put up recently, crumbled into the ocean. People evacuated with their essential belongings. They have to rebuild their lives. Just six weeks ago, it was hurricane Ian. It eroded parts of Florida’s eastern coast. This back-to-back nature of storms is making seawalls more vulnerable. As an expert explains - “it doesn’t really take a strong storm – you just need high tides or storm-agitated tides to wash away or put extra stress on the walls. Having these two storms six weeks apart, if you don’t give places any time to repair or replenish, each storm definitely leaves its mark.”

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Ganga Vilas cruise, the longest river journey of 50 days, will sail from Varanasi to Dibrugarh

The government of India will launch the world's longest luxury cruise. It will be a 50-day cruise and will sail from Varanasi to Dibrugarh through Bangladesh next year. This is an attempt of the government to push inland water development in the country. In an interview, the Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal said that the Ganga Vilas cruise will sail will cover 27 river systems and visit over 50 tourist sites including World Heritage Sites. The tentative date of starting is January 10 from Varanasi. The route will pass-through Kolkata and Dhaka and cover a distance of 4,000 km before reaching Bogibeel in Assam on March 1. This Ganga Vilas cruise will be the single largest river journey by a river ship in the world and will see both India and Bangladesh on the cruise map of the world. Govt to launch world's longest river cruise of 4,000 km from Varanasi next year.

The minister said development of coastal and river shipping, including cruise services, is one of the priorities of the government. He said – “besides promoting passenger traffic on rivers, the development of inland waterway systems would also facilitate trade and cargo services and give a boost to tourism around the areas along its route." The cruise will operate on a PPP model and the operators will decide ticket pricing. The route will cover almost 1,100 km in Bangladesh before re-entering India while sailing via the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route. This route has opened trade and transit channels between India and Bangladesh as it connects the Ganga and Brahmaputra rivers.

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Meghan Markle and Prince Harry went to their new post on their Archewell Foundation website to honor service personnel on Remembrance Day and Veterans Day. They shared a photo by Chris Allerton, their wedding photographer. It was a black and white photograph showing the couple facing military personnel. One of them was holding an American flag. They wrote - "On this Veterans Day and Remembrance Day, we honor service members across the world. These brave men and women, as well as their families, have made tremendous sacrifices and embody duty and service." They mentioned about the Invictus Games Foundation among other such groups. The couple went on to say -"We are proud to work with so many organizations that support veterans and military families, including: The Invictus Games Foundation, The Mission Continues, Team Rubicon, Scotty's Little Soldiers and The Greatest GENERATIONS Foundation. Today and every day, thank you for your service." Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Share Poignant Photo to Mark Remembrance Day and Veterans Day.

Last year, the two of them paid a surprise visit to a military base New Jersey to mark Veterans Day. At a luncheon for service members and their spouses at the base, Meghan and Harry discussed topics like mental health and the importance of community. The stop in New Jersey came the day after they attended the 2021 Salute to Freedom gala at the Intrepid Museum in New York City. In the remarks column, Harry discussed the feeling of isolation that service members endure when they return home and stressed the importance of supporting veterans. He served a decade in the British army and undertook two tours in Afghanistan. On Invictus Games he said – he created them "to honor the legacy of those who have given so much." He also said – “the men and women who have experienced service injuries, as well as their families, are the strongest people in the world...and they deserve a platform to be seen, a platform to be recognized, and a platform to be truly celebrated."

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An official in Kabul said the Taliban have imposed ban on women from using gyms in Afghanistan

This is the latest edict of the religious group's crack down on women's rights and freedoms. They have already banned girls from middle school and high school in spite of initial promises to the contrary. Moreover, they have restricted women from most fields of employment, ordered them to wear head-to-toe clothing in public and banned them from parks. A spokesman from the Ministry of Virtue and Vice said the introduction of the ban was because people were ignoring gender segregation orders. Women were also not wearing the required headscarf, or hijab. The latest ban on women relates to use of gyms and parks and it comes into force this week. This is as per a Taliban-appointed spokesman for the Ministry of Virtue and Vice. It seems the group has “tried its best” over the past 15 months to avoid closing parks and gyms for women. They even considered having separate days of the week for male and female or imposing gender segregation. However, there was violation of the orders and “… we have seen both men and women together in parks and, unfortunately, the hijab was not observed.” That led to “all parks and gyms to be closed for women." Taliban official: Women banned from Afghanistan's gyms. Taliban teams will monitor the establishments to check if women are still using them.

A female personal trainer told a section of the media that women and men were not exercising or training together before at the Kabul gym where she works. She insisted - “we were training separately.” She went on to add that two men claiming to be from the Ministry of Virtue and Vice entered her gym and made all the women leave. Taliban-appointed Kabul police chief spokesman Khalid Zadran said he had no immediate information about women protesting gym closures or arrests. Alison Davidian is the U.N. special representative in Afghanistan for women. She has condemned the ban. It seems hard-liners appear to control the Taliban-led administration. The country remains internationally isolated and the flow of foreign aid has reduced considerably. Sodaba Nazhand is a Kabul-based women’s rights activist. She says the bans are “not just a restriction for women, but also for children. Children go to a park with their mothers, now children are also prevented from going to the park. It’s so sad and unfair.”

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