Mass coral bleaching on Australia's iconic Great Barrier Reef may cost a whopping USD 1 trillion to the global economy and lead to a catastrophic annual loss of over 1 million visitors to one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the world, scientists warned on Wednesday.

Scientists this week announced that two-thirds of the Great Barrier Reef has been damaged by back-to-back severe bleaching events caused by record-breaking temperatures, adding that the reefs affected last year have zero prospect of recovery.

Intensifying climate change remains the biggest threat to coral reefs around the world, with rising sea surface temperatures driving widespread bleaching events, according to the latest report by Australia's Climate Council.

The report shows worsening bleaching events are also placing tourism and global economies at risk, with the loss of coral reefs potentially costing an astounding USD 1 trillion.

Extensive and ongoing mass coral bleaching and mortality on the Great Barrier Reef in 2016 and now in 2017 should be a wake up call, said Climate Councillor Professor Lesley Hughes.

“The extraordinary devastation being experienced on the Great Barrier Reef is due to the warming of our oceans, driven by the burning of coal, oil and gas. It would have been virtually impossible for this to have occurred without climate change,” Hughes said.

“Repeated events such as those seen in 2016 and 2017 mean that the opportunities for corals to recover are very limited,” she said.

The report also recognised coral reefs as significant economic assets, with research showing that ongoing severe bleaching on the World-Heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef alone could result in the catastrophic loss of more than 1 million visitors to the region annually a figure equivalent to at least USD 1 billion in tourism spending and 10,000 jobs.

“This isn't just an environmental issue. The Great Barrier Reef is one of Australia's greatest economic assets. It's responsible for bringing in more than USD 7 billion each year to our economy, while also supporting the livelihoods of around 70,000 people,” said Hughes.

“Some commentators pit the environment against the economy. A healthy Great Barrier Reef underpins the tourism industry and the jobs that it supports,” she said.

The longest global coral-bleaching event on record, ongoing since 2014, has led to widespread bleaching and death of reefs as pools of very warm water move around the globe, researchers said.

If severe bleaching continues, regions adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef risk losing more than 1 million visitors annually.

Bleaching events are likely to become more frequent and more severe in Australia over the next two to three decades, sparking potentially devastating impacts for the health of the Reef, Climate scientist Professor Will Steffen.

“The only way to protect coral reefs in Australia and around the world is to stop greenhouse gas emissions,” Steffen said.

Veteran Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh was on Wednesday named one of the eight ambassadors for the ICC Champions Trophy scheduled in England from June 1 to 18.

Pakistan's Shahid Afridi, Bangladesh's Habibul Bashar, England's Ian Bell, New Zealand's Shane Bond, Australia's Mike Hussey, Kumar Sangakkara of Sri Lanka and Graeme Smith of South Africa were unveiled as the other ambassadors for the tournament.

The announcement comes exactly 50 days before the first ball is bowled in the tournament-opener between England and Bangladesh at The Oval.

Harbhajan, who was a member of the India side which shared the 2002 trophy with Sri Lanka in Colombo, said he feels honoured.

“To be appointed as an Ambassador for a global event in which India will be the defending champion is one of the highs for me as a cricketer and something to be really proud of,” Harbhajan was quoted as saying by the ICC in a statement.

“I am confident that team India will achieve greater heights and am sure that millions of fans back home will be following the side's fortunes.”

The eight Ambassadors, between them, have played 1,774 One-Day Internationals, scoring 51,906 runs with 48 centuries, and taking 838 wickets.

The Champion Ambassadors will be involved in the Champions Trophy Trophy Tour and will also make appearances in the UK.

In addition to this, the eight cricketers will be part of an ICC editorial team and will provide match previews and match analysis through exclusive columns which will be available on the ICC website.

ICC Chief Executive David Richardson said: “The programme will connect these greats of the game with a new generation of fans and players through our Cricket For Good project and leave a real lasting legacy for the sport.”

Former Pakistan captain Afridi said it feels good to be part of an esteemed group.

“Three more Ambassadors and we would have made a tournament-winning side,” he quipped.

The centenary of Mahatma Gandhi's Sabarmati Ashram was celebrated in London with the screening of a documentary to retell Gandhi's story with some interesting visual elements to the Internet generation.

'Sabarmati Ashram: The Home of Gandhi's Experiments with Truth was screened at the Nehru Centre on Monday.

Written and produced by senior NRI journalist Vijay Rana, the film showed how Gandhi set up this ashram in 1917 on a 36 -acre wasteland on the banks of Sabarmati River. It was full of snakes, and the first thing Gandhi said was that none of them was to be killed.

This was going to be Gandhi's karmabhumi for next 13 years. Many of his revolutionary ideas were conceived in this ashram – economic liberation through spinning wheel and the home-spun Khadi, fight against social evils like untouchability, a boycott of foreign goods, non-cooperation, peaceful civil disobedience and the defiance of the oppressive Salt Law.

“Look at the sheer ingenuity, courage and perhaps the craziness of the man, said Rana.

“A hundred years ago, Gandhi was thinking of mobilising the poor, virtually naked and starving, to fight the worlds mightiest Empire without arms.”

The film shows how some pro-British newspapers ridiculed his idea of Salt March. People in England wondered what harm could be done to the powerful British Indian government by picking up some salt from a deserted seashore? Nobody could imagine that on Gandhi's call millions of Indians would come out on streets to defy the Raj and break the Salt Law.

The film sheds light on Gandhi's life in the Ashram. There was also an interesting eyewitness account of the famous Salt March by one of his disciples, Sumangal Prakash. He was one of the 78 Ashram residents whom Gandhi personally selected as his co-marchers.

After the screening of the documentary, AS Rajan, Minister Co-ordination at the Indian High Commission in London, said it appropriately reflected the values such as non-violence, peace, love and harmony that Gandhiji preached.

“While celebrating 100 years of Gandhi's Sabarmati Ashram, this small film is an attempt, in this age of social media when attention span is increasingly fractured, to retell Gandhi's story with some interesting visual elements to the Internet generation,” said filmmaker Rana.

In a major development to the self-styled godman Asaram Bapu case, the Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the Gujarat trial court to expedite proceedings urgently and finish the trail in a time-bound manner.

A bench comprising Chief Justice J S Khehar and Justices DY Chandrachud and SK Kaul asked the trial court to expedite evidence recording of prosecution witnesses in a sexual assault case against Asaram.

In February this year, the top court also slapped a fine of Rs.1 lakh on Asaram, and turned down his fresh plea for a bail on health grounds.

The apex court had in October last year sought response from the Centre as well as five states on a plea seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into attacks on ten witnesses in rape cases involving Asaram Bapu.

Asaram has been in jail since 2013 after a teenager accused him of sexually assaulting her during a celebration in a village near Jodhpur ashram.

The Lok Sabha was adjourned sine die on Wednesday by Speaker Sumitra Mahajan after working for around 176 hours during a month-long budget session.

Mahajan told the house that 8.12 hours were wasted due to disruptions. The Lok Sabha held 28 sittings during the session. 

Hailing the session as "very fruitful and productive", she said the house passed 24 bills including on Goods and Services Tax. 

Actor Ian McShane says his biggest regret in life is not starring in a film alongside his close friend John Hurt who died in January at the age of 77.

McShane and Hurt were friends ever since they studied at RADA (The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art) in London together.

“Johnny Hurt died before we got to make another film together. Johnny was two terms ahead of me (at RADA) and then he left and I got the lead in a movie he was already in. He suggested it for me. Then we did our first play together and we shared a flat. It's funny thinking of him as gone. We're the last of the breed, us lot.

“You know you move from TV, you go to theatre, you do film – that's what you were brought up to do. Proper acting. That's what you enjoy doing. That's what he did,” McShane says.

McShane also has an ambition to work with acclaimed English director Ken Loach, whose last movie I, Daniel Blake was awarded the Palme d'Or at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival.

A good monsoon that led to record sowing and production of pulses-especially tur dal (pigeon pea)-has almost halved their wholesale and retail prices in 2017, a year after dal prices skyrocketed to Rs.200 per kg in some cities at the end of 2015.

In many state-regulated agricultural markets of major tur-producing states such as Maharashtra and Karnataka, prices have fallen to Rs.4,000 per quintal in some markets, 20 per cent below the minimum support price (MSP) of Rs.5,050 per quintal (including a bonus of Rs.425) since December 2016.

A ban on exports, restrictions on stocking by private agencies in a bumper-crop year and absence of futures trading in agricultural commodities have been cited as key reasons for pulses to follow "the usual roller-coaster of high and low prices" in consecutive years, wrote Ashok Gulati, Infosys Chair professor for agriculture at the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations, in The Indian Express.

After two consecutive drought years, a good monsoon prevailed in most parts of India in 2016, barring some districts of Punjab, Haryana, Kerala and Gujarat, among the major states.

The situation turned after a good monsoon, even as a perfect storm around tur dal-monsoon failures, insufficient MSP, poor yield per hectare of dal and growing public preference to opt for eggs and meat for proteins — would keep its price high for a long time.

Monsoon in 2016 turned out to be above normal in Maharashtra, productivity increased from about 360 kg/ha to 760 kg/ha and farmers planted dal on a record area, since the previous year, 2015, fetched them record prices at above Rs.100/kg.

Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana and Gujarat are the major tur-producing states. Rural district markets connect with farmers directly and consumers indirectly, since they involve intermediaries. At large consumer markets in cities, such as Mumbai and Ahmedabad, pulses from district markets are sold to retailers and consumers.

The wholesale price in major district markets — Amravati, Gulbarga, Vadodara and Narsinghpur — in the four major tur-producing states surged in 2015 and saw an almost equal or worse decline in 2016.

Supply fell in 2015, reducing dal in the market, compared to 2014. Traders paid farmers more than Rs.100/kg for tur — a record- and middlemen and retailers increased the price to Rs.180/kg in grocery shops.

In 2016, the sowing area of tur in Maharashtra increased 25 per cent to 1.53 million hectare but production is estimated to have increased 160 per cent, from 444,000 tonne in 2015-16 to 1.17 million tonne in 2016-17. 

So, in 2016-17, the market is awash in dal, and traders are buying it from farmers at prices below the MSP.

To reduce the impact of the supply glut on farmers, the central government increased the buffer stock — produce that government buys directly from the farmer as a safety measure for farmers as well as market availability — for pulses ten-fold, from 0.2 million tonne to two million tonne.

Although the buffer stock has been increased, government agencies are not ready to stockpile pulses because storage space is limited, as is evident in Parbhani district, Maharashtra.

"Farmers with tur have been waiting at the district procurement centre of Food Corporation of India for more than a week as the Centre is running out of space," a regional agricultural officer, who did not wish to be named, told IndiaSpend.

"They will get a better price (MSP) at the centre, but the tractor with tur costs them around Rs.800/day, which is effectively reducing the price from MSP to the market price of around Rs.4,000 per quintal," he said.

In Karnataka, water shortage has imperilled the summer and winter (kharif and rabi) crops. The state government has responded with a special state bonus of Rs.450 per quintal, taking the procurement price of tur to Rs.5,500 per quintal, the highest ever by any state.

Not just government support, but having a sound marketing policy is equally important, Gulati argued in his article, a view he expressed in August 2016 as well. "Farmers should take planting decisions based on likely future prices and not last year's market prices," his March 2017 column said.

If farmers knew from futures prices that they would be paid below the MSP this season, they could have opted for cotton, which saw a reduction in area sown.

Pulses exports were banned in 2006, when record exports of 0.5 million tonne in 2005 aggravated domestic shortfalls. The ban has not been lifted, with some exceptions. Exports are about one per cent of total domestic production, according to government data.

The pulses shortage in 2015-16 saw imports rise to 5.8 million tonne, or a third of the production. In the oversupply year of 2016-17, exports remained banned.

Even when farmers are getting less than Rs.4,000 per quintal in domestic markets, pulses are still being imported at a price above Rs.10,000 per quintal, Mallikarjun Kharge, leader of the Congress parliamentary party said in Lok Sabha.

A government committee headed by Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian recommended in September 2016 that the MSP for tur should be increased to Rs.6,000 per quintal in 2017 and Rs.7,000 per quintal in 2018.

Singer Janelle Monae believes her poor upbringing has helped her to be more creative with her style.

The 31-year-old singer-songwriter says she did not have much money, which enabled her to be more innovative with her wardrobe choices, reported Contactmusic.

“Being poor helped me be more creative. It was my superpower,” Monae says.

The Hidden Figures actress says women need to redefine what sexy is and encourage people to feel unique and to embrace their own assets.

“It is important to redefine what sexy is. To redefine style … It is important for women to be (in control), especially when gender norms and conformity are pushed upon us.

“Women automatically are told that this is how you should look. This is how you should get a man. This is how you should get a woman. You need to fit into all these boxes to be accepted. I don't subscribe to that way of thinking. I don't think we all have to take the same coordinates to reach the same destination,” she says.

Gurgaon administration has started the process of measuring the motorable distance of 500 metres for pubs, bars and hotels from the national and state highways here.

The move comes in the wake of the apex court order banning sale and serving of liquor near the highways with effect from April 1.

Deputy magistrate Hardeep Singh has constituted a team lead by deputy excise and taxation commissioner (east) Aruna Singh for the said purpose.

The team on Tuesday has measured the distance for the 10 five star hotels and bars near the National Highway-8, said a senior excise official.

It has measured establishments, including hotel the Leela Kampinski situated in Ambience Mall, Oberoi and Trident in Udyog Vihar, Westin at Iffco Chowk, Crown Plaza at Signature tower Chowk, pubs and bars at Cyber Hub and at Sector-29.

"We have measured motorable distance from edge of the national highway to entry of the commercial establishments.The reports of measured areas will be submitted before the Hardeep Singh, who will recommend to state government for the final action," the officer said.

The team has used three wheelers for the task.

Rock band Foo Fighters have put the recording of their next album on hold to focus on their forthcoming performance at Glastonbury.

The Walk hitmakers were expected to spend a lot of time in the recording studio working on the follow-up to 2014's 'Sonic Highways,' but guitarist Chris Shiflett has said they will be concentrating all of their energy on their forthcoming headline slot at the music extravaganza, reported Contactmusic.

“We've got some shows coming up this summer. I'm not sure what the plan is for a new record. I'm sure there will be one at some point, but right now we've just got a bunch of gigs coming up this summer and some festivals.

“I'm sure that there'll be more coming down the pipe. And when the Powers That Be that manipulate this kind of information want the world to know, they're gonna tell everybody!” Shiflett said.

The upcoming Kannur International Airport after its inauguration in September will change the face of north Kerala — whether in tourism or business activities like handloom, textiles and floriculture.

Standing to gain through this new airport are the nearby located popular tourist destinations of Coorg and Mysore in Karnataka.

The Rs.1,892 crore airport located at Mattanur in a 2,000 acre area is billed as the fastest completed in the country.

Former Air India Chairman and Managing Director V Thulasidas, who is currently the Managing Director (MD) of the Kannur International Airport Limited (KIAL), said that work was progressing and commercial operations at the airport would be started in September this year.

"To start with, we expect an annual traffic of around 1.85 million passengers and expect to touch its maximum of around nine million in a few years' time," he said.

"The airport will be able to handle 2,000 passengers at a time," said Thulasidas, a 1972 Indian Administrative Service (IAS) Tripura cadre officer.

Elaborating on the boosting of the economy, he said the airport would rev up tourism activities in the hilly districts of Wayanad, Kannur and Kasargode.

There are numerous unexplored destinations in these districts that can be reached from Kozhikode and Mangalore airports. But these are far away and the connectivity is a problem, given the size of these two airports.

The handloom and textiles industry will be another segment to get a major boost as with the new airport, as exports through Kannur will be cheaper.

"Floriculture activity is another industry that's going to enter newer realms of business as the airport will have provisions for preserving and storage. This is also going to boost the local economy," said Thulasidas.

This airport will start off with a runway of 3,050 metres and within 18 months of its opening, the runway length will be increased to 3,400 metres and eventually it will touch 4,000 metres, making it one of the four biggest airports.

The first trial operation took place in February 2016 when an Indian Air Force aircraft landed for the first time at the airport.

The Kerala government has 35 per cent stakes, public sector undertakings have 25 per cent, the Airport Authority of India 10 per cent, and cooperatives, banks and other shareholders have the balance 10 per cent.

The Parliament on Wednesday erupted over a threat to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee with opposition members accusing the government of not protecting the country's women.

"Government must take steps for protection of women. You are protecting cows but atrocities are happening to women," Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan said in Rajya Sabha.

The uproar in the Parliament came in the wake of a Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) leader Yogesh Varshney threatening West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee by announcing a reward of Rs.11 lakh for her head.

The threat to the West Bengal CM followed a lathicharge incident by police at Birbhum district on Hanuman Jayanti.

“When I saw the video [of the police action], I only had one thought…that if anyone gets me Mamata Banerjee’s head, I will give them 11 lakh.” Varshney was quoted as saying by a news agency.

The Reserve Bank has imposed a penalty of Rs.20 lakh on Shriram City Union Finance and Rs.5 lakh penalty on Hinduja Leyland Finance for violating fair practices code guidelines.

The regulator had conducted scrutiny of sample loan ccounts of Shriram City Union Finance during November 2015 and found it to be in violation of various provisions of Fair Practices Code guidelines.

The RBI said it served a show cause notice to the company and also called for a personal hearing, but response to the notice was not satisfactory.

"After considering facts of case … RBI came to the conclusion that violations as observed during scrutiny were substantiated which warranted imposition of monetary penalty on the company. Accordingly, a penalty of Rs.20 lakh has been imposed on the company," the RBI said.

In the case of Hinduja Leyland Finance, an inspection of books and accounts of the company as on March 31, 2015, was conducted between December 30, 2015, and January 14, 2016.

"It was observed that charging of interest and its communication to the borrower was done in non-transparent manner which was in violation of the Fair Practices Code guidelines," the RBI said.

Based on show cause notice and personal hearing, company's response was not satisfactory and violations were substantiated which warranted imposition of monetary penalty on the company, the regulator said.

"Accordingly, a penalty of Rs.5 lakh has been imposed on the company (Hinduja Leyland Finance)," the RBI added.

Nicki Minaj is teaming up with American dance-rock band DNCE and she has given a glimpse into their new track, Kissing Strangers.

The 34-year-old hip-hop artist took to Instagram where she shared two pictures from the sets of the song shoot which will release on April 14.

“KISSING STRANGERS @dnce drops on 4/14,” wrote Minaj, along side a group picture with band, comprising of Joe Jonas, Jack Lawless, Cole Whittle and JinJoo Lee.

The songstress shared another photograph where she can be seen grasping lead vocalist, Jonas' jacket, which left him looking a bit surprised.

“Roughed him up a little bit on the set of the video. He'll live @joejonas #KissingStrangers 4/14 @dnce,” she wrote.

The FBI investigated Trump campaign advisor Carter Page last year over worries he could have been working for Russia, a major report said.

In the first confirmation that the government conducted surveillance on President Donald Trump's team, the Federal Bureau of Investigation obtained a rare warrant to monitor the Page's communications from the top secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, said a Washington Post reporter yesterday.

The so-called FISA warrant was issued after the FBI told the court that there was probable cause to believe the former Moscow-based banker was working for Russia.

FISA warrants are almost never made public, and the Post cited unnamed law enforcement and other officials in its report. The FBI did not respond to requests to comment on the report.

The warrant was granted as the FBI conducted a counterintelligence investigation into Russian interference in the election, an operation US intelligence later concluded was ultimately designed to help President Donald Trump to victory.

The FBI began its probe, which also is examining whether there was collusion between the Trump campaign and Moscow, in July.

Trump has repeatedly called the Russian interference story “fake news” while alleging, without offering evidence, that the previous administration of president Barack Obama spied on him and his campaign.

Sam Smith and Timbaland are working together on new music.

The 45-year-old music producer took to Instagram where he shared a picture with the Stay With Me singer at a studio suggesting that the duo have teamed up for a musical project.

“It was a pleasure working this man @samsmithworld #puretalent #goodvibes #makingmemories and #timeless #music,” wrote Timbaland alongside the photo.

Both Timbaland and Smith have not yet revealed what the two are working on, however rumours are rife that it may be a follow-up to the singer's 2014 debut In the Lonely Hour.

Congress leader and former Union Minister Akhilesh Das Gupta passed away on Wednesday after suffering a heart attack.

Prime Minister Narendra took to Twitter and expressed grief over his untimely demise.

"Saddened by the demise of former MP and Union Minister Akhilesh Das. His active contribution to public life will be remembered," PM Modi said in a tweet.

Known as a prominent educationist, professor and philanthropist, 56-year-old Das was a member of Rajya Sabha for 18 years serving three consecutive terms of 6 years each from November 1996 to November 2014.

A national level badminton player, Gupta also served as mayor of Lucknow between 1993 and 1995.

He was the President of Badminton Association of India, Vice President of Badminton Asia Confederation, Member – Executive Council of Badminton World Federation and Vice President of Indian Olympic Association.

With several degrees including LLB, MBA and PhD in Management, Akhilesh Das Gupta had also represented the country in various International Badminton Tournaments.

Apart from that, Gupta had founded the Babu Banarsi Das Educational Society (BBDES), Babu Banarsi Das National Institute of Technology & Management (BBDNITM). He had been an honorary technical consultant for Infinite Computer Solution Inc and was also a visiting professor (Business Management & Public Relations) to various management institutes.