A new UN study has revealed that over 90 per cent of the recent Rohingya refugee arrivals in Bangladesh are under-nourished despite receiving emergency food assistance.

The World Food Programme (WFP) Rohingya Emergency Vulnerability Assessment and food security sector partners study in November and December 2017 raised concerns over limited access to a well diversified and balanced diet, deputy UN spokesman Farhan Haq announced on Friday.

As a result, he said, the WFP will scale up its e-voucher programmes in 2018 to reach new arrivals in Cox’s Bazar district, reports Xinhua news agency.

Some 90,000 people are enrolled in WFP’s e-voucher programmes where they receive a monthly amount on a pre-paid debit card which can be used in allocated shops to buy 19 different foods, including rice, lentils, fresh vegetables, eggs and dry fish, Haq said.

The e-programmes contrast with WFP’s food distribution program for new arrivals which include rice, vegetable oil and lentils. It’s an emergency ration designed to provide basic calories, but lacking in dietary diversity, the spokesman said.

The study also recommends the scaling up of a livelihood support programme within host communities prioritising especially women who have no income, he said, adding that the WFP is providing food and food vouchers to more than 700,000 refugees.

More than 650,000 Rohingyas have fled Myanmar for Bangladesh since August 25, 2017, when rebel Rohingya militia launched deadly attacks against security forces in Myanmar’s Rakhine state.

The action allegedly triggered retaliation attacks by Myanmar vigilantes and government troops, forcing Rohingyas to flee into Bangladesh. There already were about 300,000 Rohingyas who had fled earlier into the neighbouring country.

The US government is asking the Congress for nearly $18 billion in a decade to expand the current US border wall with Mexico to nearly 1,000 miles (1,600 km), it was revealed on Friday.

The current barrier along the US-Mexico border is 654 miles (1,000 km) long. The new request, if granted, will bring more than 700 miles (1,140 km) of new and replacement barriers altogether over 10 years, reports Xinhua.

The plans are laid out in a document prepared by the Department of Homeland Security for a group of senators who asked the administration to detail its request for border security, a Wall Street Journal report said.

The non-wall requests include $5.7 billion over five years for towers, surveillance equipment, unmanned aerial vehicles and other technology; $1 billion over five years for road construction and maintenance, and $8.5 billion over seven years for 5,000 new Border Patrol agents and other personnel.

The document, which details only the border-security elements, is not meant to be a complete outline of the Donald Trump administration’s requests, which also involve changes to the legal immigration system and other enforcement measures.

The Trump administration has already requested $1.6 billion for new barrier in Texas and San Diego for the current fiscal year. Congress has not passed the spending bills for 2018, and wall funding is one of the hang-ups.

The White House has demanded that border security be included in the legislation.

An engineer of the Border Roads Organization (BRO) was killed and eight others were reported missing after an avalanche hit Jammu and Kashmir’s Kupwara district, police said on Saturday.

On Friday, the avalanche struck a cab at Sadhna Top in Tangdhar area.

Search teams rescued a child from the vehicle while six other passengers were missing.

A police official said that three BRO personnel were also in the area when the avalanche struck.

“Engineer Mangla Prasad Singh was killed. His body has been recovered while rescue operation to locate the eight missing people continued,” the official added.

Filmmaker Karan Johar says that there should not be a divide between the small and the big screen as television is a stronger medium than cinema.

Karan has been a part of the small screen with shows like “Jhalak Dikhla Jaa” and “India’s Got Talent” and will be now be seen co-judging a reality show titled “India’s Next Superstars” on Star Plus.

“I don’t think you should make a divide between television and film. Today as we know it television is a stronger medium than films, Karan told reporters in a group interaction on Friday.

The filmmaker, 45, says the digital platform and television has become huge.

“Today it reached out to at least nine times the audience… If three million people watch cinema and 27 million people watch television. So what is a bigger platform? Today digital and television is going to be huge. I respect those who earn name and money from television,” he added.

Karan will be seen in “India’s Next Superstars” along with director Rohit Shetty. The show will air from January 13.

Unfazed by the official data on Friday showing that the Indian economy will grow at a slower pace compared to the last fiscal, NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar has said the GDP growth will become more robust in 2018-19.

Kumar’s remarks came after Chief Statistician T.C.A. Anant announced that Indian economy was expected to grow at a slower 6.5 per cent in 2017-18 compared to the 7.1 per cent in 2016-17.

Reacting on the growth estimates, Kumar said the GDP growth in the second half of 2017-18 had risen to seven per cent bringing the annual growth rate to 6.5 per cent.

According to a statement issued by the NITI Aayog, Kumar pointed out that economic activity had been picking up over the last three quarters and can be expected to strengthen in the coming period “with the manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) now reading at a five-year high of 54 per cent, and FMCG demand picking up briskly”.

“Hence the GDP growth will become more robust in 2018-19.”

He added that the estimates assume significance in the wake of the fact that the higher second half growth had come despite a weaning of public sector expenditures which had peaked in 2016-17 on account of the implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission recommendations.

Flying embers from illegal hookah being served at Mojo’s Bistro was the cause of the massive fire in the Kamala Mills compound that claimed 14 lives on December 29, as per the preliminary investigation report by the Mumbai fire brigade.

The fire probably started at Mojo’s and spread to the adjacent rooftop pub “1 Above”, the report indicates. Most of the victims were trapped in the toilet of the pub and died of suffocation, the police had said earlier.

“It was revealed from most of the eye witnesses that hookah was served at Mojo’s restaurant at the time of fire…

There is every possibility that during removal of lighted charcoal from the segree (stove) and or transferring it into Hookah or during the fanning of the charcoal the flying burning embers came in contact with the combustible curtains/ decorative material nearby and started the fire,” the report stated.

The report has clarified that none of the two restaurants — Mojo’s and 1 Above — had permissions to serve liquor and hookah but still they served them.

Although there was an emergency exit, the pub staff seemed to be unaware of it, it said.

Beer kegs near the exit path also blocked the escape and the kegs eventually exploded and escalated the fire, the report said.

Use of bamboo and cloth to make the roof led to the quick spreading of the fire, while wind velocity and direction were the major contributors too, it said.

Mumbai municipal commissioner Ajoy Mehta said the action against illegal alterations and constructions at commercial establishments will continue.

“We will start taking action across the city against all commercial restaurants and pubs and those who have illegal alterations. They have respite for 15 days so that they have time to remove the illegal constructions on their own without damaging their reputation,” he said.

With the Rajya Sabha adjourned sine die on Friday, the controversial triple talaq bill was pushed to the budget session that begins on January 29.

Government sources ruled out any possibility of an ordinance on the bill, stuck in the Rajya Sabha.

The bill, already cleared by the Lok Sabha, could not be passed in the upper house due to a deadlock over opposition’s demand seeking its reference to a Select Committee for close scrutiny.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said he hoped that the Congress and other opposition parties would agree on passing the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights in Marriage) Bill, 2017. The legislation proposes to criminalise instant triple talaq and suggests up to three years in jail as punishment for a Muslim husband who divorces his wife by uttering “talaq” thrice.

Asked about a possibility of bringing in an ordinance till the bill cleared, Ananth Kumar parried a direct reply and said: “The dates for the budget session have already been announced.

“We hope the Congress will understand the public opinion on the issue, reconsider their stand and pass it in the budget session. There is anger among people on this issue.”

The minister slammed the Congress for stalling the bill. He said they were against the empowerment of Muslim women in India.

He said the government was committed to passing the legislation, also opposed by various Muslim groups.

“The intention of the (Narendra) Modi government is clear. We want equality and respect for the Muslim women, and the Congress is opposing it. They have just shown their double standard.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Friday hit out at the Narendra Modi government for not bringing in the Jan Lokpal, and asked how long will it lie.

“Beet gaye chaar saal, Nahi aaya Lokpal, Janta puche ek sawaal, Kabtak bajaoge jhuti taal (Four years have passed, Lokpal has not been implemented, People ask one question, till when will you play the rhythm of lies).,” said Gandhi on Twitter in a poetic dig at the government.

“Are the ‘defenders of democracy’ and ‘harbingers of accountability’ listening? #FindingLokpal,” he added attaching a December 18, 2013 tweet of then Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, saying: “Am very proud of the positive and proactive role played by BJP MPs under the leadership of @SushmaSwarajbjp and @Arunjaitley in passing Lokpal Bill.”

बीत गए चार साल
नहीं आया लोकपाल
जनता पूछे एक सवाल
कब तक बजाओगे ‘झूठी ताल’?

Are the ‘defenders of democracy’ & ‘harbingers of accountability’ listening?#FindingLokpal pic.x.com/v9Kc2Io3Ur

— Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) January 5, 2018

US stocks opened higher on Friday despite a negative report of the country’s non-farm payrolls.

US total non-farm payroll employment increased by 148,000 in December, missing market expectations of 190,000, the Labor Department reported Friday. The unemployment rate was unchanged at 4.1 per cent, Xinhua reported.

In December, average hourly earnings for all employees on private non-farm payrolls rose by nine cents to $26.63. Over the year, average hourly earnings have risen by 65 cents, or 2.5 per cent.

Meanwhile, the US Department of Commerce announced on Friday that the goods and services deficit was $50.5 billion in November, up $1.6 billion from October.

Analysts said that the recent solid gains in US equities have been buoyed by the prospect of a US corporate tax-cut package, rising commodity prices and robust corporate earnings.

Shortly after the opening bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 70.38 points, or 0.28 per cent, to 25,145.51. The S&P 500 added 9.59 points, or 0.35 per cent, to 2,733.58. The Nasdaq Composite Index gained 27.36 points, or 0.39 per cent, to 7,105.28.

All three major indices closed at record highs on Thursday, with the Dow shooting above 25,000 points for the first time, as investors cheered over strong US private-sector hiring data.

An ex-Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had pointed to the risks in the practice of political parties promising loan waivers during poll campaigns to the Election Commission, Parliament was informed on Friday.

In a written reply submitted to the Lok Sabha during Question Hour, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said that as a consequence of such poll promises, loan beneficiaries stopped making payments due even if they were in a financial position to do so.

While addressing a conference organised by NABARD and SIDBI, the former Governor in question had also said that loan waivers and subsidies “distort the credit discipline,” he added.

The Minister made the statement, however, without revealing the name of the former Governor concerned.

He said the Governor had written to the Chief Election Commissioner noting “the risk of promising loan waivers by political parties at election time, as beneficiaries stop making payment even if they are financially in a position to make them and that this affects the banking sector as well as the state finances.”

Last year, the current RBI Governor Urjit Patel had spoken of the damaging effects of farm loan waivers on the budgets of state governments.

Highlighting on bilateral co-operation to promote and foster trade and multilateral relations between Canada and India, its envoy to India said trade between the two countries was up by 30 per cent.

High Commissioner Nadir Patel was speaking at an event where an MoU was signed between the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the Indo Canadian Business Chamber (ICBC) in order to further enhance bilateral co-operation to promote and foster trade and multilateral relations.

Patel said that bilateral relation is booming with two-way trade up by 30 per cent.

Canadian investment in India has also exceeded by $15 billion. While there are about 400 active Canadian companies in India, many more have serious plans of investing in India, he said.

While three non-stop flights are already plying between India and Canada, there has been a major boost to tourism and educational ties between the two countries, he said.

Patel also indicated that West Bengal has enormous potential for Canadian companies who are already operating in India and also for such companies who would like to set up base in India.

Tata Steel on Friday said its provisional India production in the October-December 2017 period was marginally down at 3.24 million tonnes compared to 3.28 million tonnes in the corresponding quarter of 2016-17.

But in the first nine month period from April-December of the current fiscal, its India production was at 9.23 million ton compared to 8.34 million tonne production in the same period of the last financial year, the company said in a statement.

However, the steel maker’s European operation production in the quarter under review was slightly higher at 2.68 million tonnes as compared to 2.64 million tonnes in the comparable period in 2016-17, it said.

In terms of sales, both in India and Europe, operations registered higher sales during the quarter at 3.3 million tonnes and 2.41 million tonnes respectively.

Steel producer’s Kalinganagar plant ramped-up to 100 per cent capacity utilisation for commercial saleable steel production.

It achieved highest ever quarterly sales in aautomotive and special products’ segment with a growth of 6 per cent over last quarter and 26 per cent over last year.

India’s foreign exchange (Forex) reserves rose by $4.44 billion as on December 29, 2017, official data showed on Friday.

The Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) weekly statistical supplement showed that the overall Forex reserves rose to $409.36 billion from $404.92 billion reported for the week ended December 22.

India’s Forex reserves comprise of foreign currency assets (FCAs), gold reserves, special drawing rights (SDRs) and the RBI’s position with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Segment-wise, FCAs — the largest component of the Forex reserves — increased by $4.42 billion to $385.10 billion during the week under review.

Besides the US dollar, FCAs consist of nearly 20-30 per cent of major global currencies. It also includes investments in US Treasury bonds, bonds of other selected governments and deposits with foreign central and commercial banks.

The country’s gold reserves value remained stagnant at $20.71 billion, while SDRs inched up by $8.9 million to $1.51 billion.

Similarly, the country’s reserve position with the IMF rose by $12.1 million to $2.03 billion.

Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma on Friday accused the BJP-led NDA central government at the Centre of trying to legalise immigrants by proposing to amend the Citizenship Act.

“On one hand they wanted to push illegal immigrants, but on the other, they wanted to legalise immigrants by amending the Citizenship Act. This is not acceptable to the people of Assam, Meghalaya and the Northeast,” he told journalists after chairing a Cabinet meeting.

“If this Act is amended, the whole fallout will be on the Northeast. Do you think those immigrants from Bangladesh will go to Punjab, Kerala or Rajasthan? They will look at the Northeast as their destination,” Sangma said.

He said that the government has instructed all Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police of the state districts bordering Assam to take all necessary measures to address the issue following the publication of first draft of National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam.

He said steps were being taken according to mandate of the law including the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act, 2016 that has been passed by the state Assembly as part of the comprehensive mechanisms to check influx and illegal immigrants.

Despite a series of modifications being made in the controversial film “Padmavati” including its renaming as “Padmavat”, the Karni Sena on Friday again raised a demand for a complete ban on film.

Speaking to media here, Karni Sena observer Lokendra singh Kalvi said that filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali should forget dreaming about the film’s release.

“All efforts of Bhansali and CBFC (Central Board of Film Certification) shall go down the drain as we will never allow the screening of Padmawati anywhere in India or abroad.

“We are still adamant on our demand. Let there be a complete ban on the release of Padmawati,” he added.

Kalvi also demanded a complete ban on the “Ghoomar” song. “We don’t want any changes in the said song, however, we demand a complete ban on the same,” he said.

He also questioned the ‘authenticity’ of the panel formed by the CBFC to review the film.

Not all of them were historians, hence, their suggestions hardly make a difference, he said, adding that the CBFC proposed to bring in nine historians in the panel but ended calling only three historians “which speaks volumes on their seriousness to justify our demands”.

The Congress on Friday said that BJP was responsible for the “impasse in Rajya Sabha” due to which triple talaq bill could not be discussed, while alleging that BJP wanted to treat the Parliament as a “rubber stamp”.

“They (BJP) are squarely responsible for this impasse in Rajya Sabha. For the first time, the Union Ministers and the MPs were seen standing in Rajya Sabha and stalling the House,” Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad told reporters.

Azad also said the government was responsible for not being able to take up the bill in Rajya Sabha and sending it to Select Committee for closer scrutiny.

“We are totally in favour of the bill, but some provisions are objectionable. The government has not clarified about the sustenance of the victims. The government is also responsible for the chaos that was created in the Parliament,” he added.

Azad also said the delay in calling the winter session was for two reasons – first not to give the opposition a chance to raise the failures of the government in the House and second because the Prime Minister and the cabinet ministers were busy in the Gujarat election.

“From Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the all the ministers, they were all busy in Gujarat election.

“Be it election in any state, there is a new trend that union council of ministers are being converted to national election committee of BJP. All the ministers get involved in the election duty in that particular state,” he said, terming this “tradition” is not good for democracy and development of the nation.

“Just to win Gujarat election they didn’t let the Parliament to function. It has been proved they don’t believe in parliamentary democracy,” he added.

Congress leader Deepender Singh Hooda said that the government was not taking Parliament seriously and was treating it as a “rubber stamp”.

“They do not believe in Parliament. They only believe in Ordinances. They have given 10 Ordinances. They want to treat the Parliament as rubber stamp,” he said.

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Friday said it has arrested a Nigerian national from the city and recovered around 170 gram of cocaine valued at Rs 1 crore from his possession.

Acting on a tip off, the officials of the agency arrested Kevin Edward James, who was to hand over the consignment on behalf of his associates, who are running the drug racket from Mumbai.

“Preliminary enquiry revealed that James, 28 is indulging in trafficking of narcotic drugs in many cities in India including Kolkata,” NCB’s Zonal Director Dilip Kumar Srivastava said.

The accused revealed that the stuff were brought to India from the source country by swallowing and concealing inside the body cavities and sold to the customers and local peddlers in different cities in India, the agency said in a statement.

“Accused revealed that this type of delivery has already been done in past on two occasions in Kolkata. The ultimate recipient of these stimulant narcotics drug are the people from elite class of the society,” it said.

James usually sold the drug at Rs 60,000 per gram in the Indian market whereas he also revealed that the value of the seized cocaine in international illegal market is Rs. one crore, Srivastava added.