Bangladesh stepped up security on Saturday with thousands of army troops patrolling the streets along with paramilitary forces and police as Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina seeks a record fourth term in tomorrow's general election.

Over 600,000 security personnel including several thousand soldiers and paramilitary border guards have been deployed across the country to help conduct the election in which 10.41 crore people are eligible to vote.

Security agencies have been asked to keep an extra vigil on religious minority communities as media reports said at least three Hindu households were set on fire by miscreants between December 16 and 26.

Bangladesh's telecoms regulator also ordered the country's mobile operators to shut down 3G and 4G services until midnight on Sunday "to prevent the spread of rumours" that could trigger unrest during the election, the 11th since Bangladesh won independence from Pakistan in 1971.

According to the Election Commission, 1,848 candidates are contesting for 299 out of 300 Parliament seats. The polls will be held at 40,183 polling stations.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday accused previous governments of not being able to rejuvenate the Ganga despite spending thousands of crore of rupees and said to keep the river 'nirmal' (clean), the intentions also needed to be clean.

  

He said meaningful results are achieved when the government works with transparency and honesty.

"For maintaining the 'nirmaltaa' (cleanliness) of the Ganga, the power of money is not enough, clean intentions are also needed. We, with full honesty and clean intentions, have undertaken a campaign to clean river Ganga," Modi said while inaugurating the 'One District, One Product' summit in Varanasi.

"When the government works with transparency, honesty and public partnership, then the results are definitely meaningful," he said.

"Otherwise, you all have been witness to a number of schemes from Ganga Action Plan to Ganga Basin Authority being made," he added.

Citing a recent report on pollution in the Ganga, Modi said, "There has been a drop in pollution levels in river Ganga. As 'Namami Gange' campaign is moving ahead, the target of a clean and free flowing Ganga is becoming more clear. Aquatic animals including fish have started returning to the Ganga."

Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel on Saturday termed the upcoming movie, "The Accidental Prime Minister", as "nothing more than a gimmick" and alleged that the ruling BJP was "misusing" its money for such a film.

  

The film is based on the book of the same name by Sanjaya Baru, who served as then prime minister Manmohan Singh's media adviser from 2004 to 2008.

Directed by Vijay Ratnakar Gutte, the film stars Anupam Kher as Singh and Akshaye Khanna as Baru and is scheduled to release in theatres on January 11.

"It is nothing more than a gimmick. The BJP has a lot of money. It is busy ensuring how to misuse it or use it for a gimmick (like this). Let them do whatever they want to do. Such films come and go, are made and unmade...all these things keep happening. We do not want to comment on that," Patel told reporters.

The trailer of the film was released in Mumbai on Thursday and depicts Singh as a victim of the Congress's internal politics ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

Earlier, sharing the trailer on its official Twitter handle, the Bharatiya Janata Party had said the film was a "riveting tale of how a family held the country to ransom for 10 long years".

Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi has assured all assistance to a woman who was reportedly given triple talaq over WhatsApp by her husband, the first case of instant triple talaq to come to light after the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill was passed by Lok Sabha on Thursday.

  

Citing a media report which said a Bengaluru woman has allegedly been given triple talaq after 15 years of marriage by her husband through WhatsApp text and audio, Gandhi said her ministry has taken up the case on priority and assured all assistance to the woman.

"My ministry has taken up case of Triple Talaq on absolute priority. The first instance post the passing of the bill, criminalising the act of instant divorce in the Muslim community will be dealt with and we shall ensure that justice is done," she said in a tweet.

She said she has reached out to the brother of the woman and requested him for all details.

"We stand in complete solidarity with our sisters of the Muslim community. The WCD Ministry consistently endeavours to socially and legally empower Muslim women and has always taken a strong stand in support of them," she said in another tweet.

Gandhi's reaction comes days after Lok Sabha passed the bill which criminalises the practice of instant triple talaq, with the government rejecting the contention that it was aimed at targeting a particular community.

The Congress on Saturday accused the BJP-led government of using its agencies to put pressure on alleged middleman Christian Michel, arrested in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper case, to name a particular family as elections were near and it had no real issues.

  

The reaction of the opposition party came after a Delhi court, hearing the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper case, on Saturday imposed restrictions on Michel meeting his lawyers in Enforcement Directorate custody after the agency said he was misusing legal access by passing chits to lawyers, asking them how to tackle questions on "Mrs Gandhi".

Michel was produced before a special court which extended his ED custody by seven days.

Asked about the development, Congress spokesperson R P N Singh said: "We have seen what the BJP has been doing in this matter. In fact, one of the television channels showed how there is pressure on Christian to name a particular family."

On the ED's claim that Michel had spoken about the "son of an Italian lady" and how he was going to become the next prime minister of the country, Singh said, "The BJP scriptwriters are working overtime."

Attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Rafale fighter jets deal, Singh said action should be taken against him as there was "complete proof".

He alleged that the Modi dispensation was "trying to pressure government agencies to name a person".

"But the person who has done the biggest 'chori' (theft) cannot be spared," the Congress leader said, in an apparent reference to the opposition party's allegation against the prime minister of corruption in the Rafale deal.

"We know that elections have come and they (BJP) do not have any issues, so through the ED, they are trying to put pressure on people," he said.

Cricket is mourning the death of Ruth Strauss, the wife of Andrew Strauss, at the age of 46 following a battle with a rare form of lung cancer.

Ruth was diagnosed in December 2017, and Andrew stepped down as ECB's director at the start of October to spend more time with her and their two sons, Sam and Luca.

In a statement released by the ECB, Strauss said: "It is with great sadness and immense grief that we have to announce that Ruth passed away today as a result of her rare lung cancer. Sam, Luca and I will miss her terribly. 

"Anyone who has met Ruth will know how loving, caring and passionately protective she was of her family and it gives us huge comfort that she was in Australia, the land of her birth, surrounded by those who love her, in her final moments.

"We would like to send our heartfelt thanks to those that have helped with her treatment over the last 12 months, in particular the wonderful team at University College Hospital in London.

"Ruth desperately wanted to help those affected by this terrible disease and we will be launching a foundation in due course to raise much needed funds to aid research and also to offer support to patients and their families."

More details are awaited. 

To avoid repeat of the violence witnessed near the Koregaon Bhima war memorial in Pune district on January 1, 2018 one year later, police have taken preventive action against over 1,200 people.

The action includes barring some persons from entering the area and `externment' (eviction from the district) of some others, senior police officials said Saturday.

Those who have been prohibited from visiting Koregaon Bhima and the surrounding area, include right-wing Hindu leader Milind Ekbote and members of the left-leaning cultural group Kabir Kala Manch. 

Clashes had broken out on January 1, 2018 when Dalits visited Koregaon Bhima to commemorate 200th anniversary of the victory of the East India Company's forces -- which included Dalit Mahar soldiers -- over the Brahmin Peshwa's army. One person lost life in the violence.

Dalits, who look upon the defeat of Peshwa's army as a symbol of their emancipation, visit the Jay Stambh (victory pillar) at the site on January 1 every year. Right-wing organisations had opposed the celebration of the British victory on its bicentennial anniversary last time.

Calling Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy an "Accidental CM", the opposition BJP has taken a jibe at him over his Singapore visit to celebrate the new year, at a time when most parts of the state are reeling under drought.

  

"After new govt was formed 377 farmers have ended their lives 156 talukas declared drought-hit, loan waiver has still not been done, Karnataka has slipped to a debt ridden state & here we have the so called son of soil CM @hd_kumaraswamy celebrating new year in Singapore (sic)," the Karnataka unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party said in a tweet.

"If there was a movie titled #AccidentalCM who will play the role of @hd_kumaraswamy?," it said in another tweet.

Kumaraswamy will go abroad with family Saturday night on a personal visit and return on the night of January 1, 2019, the Chief Minister's Office said in a statement on Friday.

According to CMO officials, it has been a practice for the Janata Dal-Secular leader to celebrate the new year with family for the last few years.

The chief minister's foreign visit comes at a time when voices of displeasure have emerged from his own party, the JD-S, against the ruling alliance partner, the Congress.

Not more than 500 Sikh pilgrims will be allowed per day through the Kartarpur Corridor and a database of the pilgrims with their travel history will be maintained, Pakistan has said in a draft agreement that it plans to send to the Indian government for signing.

In the agreement, Pakistan government has also said that a three day prior information of the visiting pilgrims and security clearance by the Indian side will be needed before the entry of Sikh pilgrims through the planned Kartarpur Corridor.

According to the proposed agreement, which is widely circulated in the Pakistani media, Islamabad will reserve the rights to refuse entry into its territory, reduce the period of stay or terminate the stay of any pilgrim despite the grant of permit if it considers him/her a threat to the country or finds undesirable for security or other purposes.

The draft also underlines that entry in Pakistan territory will be permit based and a passport is compulsory and the pilgrims will not be exempted from the obligation to respect laws and regulations of Pakistan after entering in its territory. "All laws must be respected not just concerning entry and exit," the proposal stated.

The pilgrims will be subjected to several terms and condition including creation of a database which contains information about their names, travel history and other relevant information.

The draft added that while the purpose of the agreement is to facilitate a visa-free travel, still India will have to give three-day prior information of the visiting pilgrims and they will need to Indian passports and individual security clearance issued by Government of India.

The agreement also proposes establishment of infrastructure on the both sides, including facilitation centres and counters for running security check and issuance of permits for the facilitation of the pilgrims. The proposal states that the corridor will remain open from 8 am to 5pm ever day.

On November 28, Pakistan Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of the Kartarpur Corridor along the India-Pakistan border. Once opened, it would allow Sikh pilgrims a direct access to the historic Gurudwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, Pakistan, where Guru Nanak Dev died in 1539.

A team of British divers who helped save a junior football team stranded in a flooded cave in Thailand were awarded in Britain's traditional New Year Honours.

  

The seven underwater specialists involved in the remarkable rescue were also joined on the prestigious annual achievement list -- announced on Friday -- by Hollywood filmmaker Christopher Nolan, Jim Carter from "Downton Abbey", best-selling author Philip Pullman and leading Brexiteer lawmaker John Redwood.

Four of the divers were given awards for exceptional bravery while the three others were made Members of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. 

Richard Stanton and John Volanthen -- the first of the divers to reach the 12 stricken children and their coach -- were awarded the George Medal, the country's second highest civilian gallantry award.

Stanton had already been made an MBE in 2012 for his rescue services.

Fellow divers Christopher Jewell and Jason Mallinson receive the Queen's Gallantry Medal, while Joshua Bratchley, Connor Roe and Vernon Unsworth were decorated with MBEs.

"For me, after saving the boys, this is the icing on the cake," said Unsworth, who has also risen in fame after suing Tesla entrepreneur Elon Musk for labelling him a "pedo guy".

"This was a team effort and I'm very honoured to have been recognised, particularly as you don't engage in a major rescue expecting this outcome," he added.

The pilgrims visiting the famous Vaishno Devi shrine atop the Trikuta hills in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir is likely to cross 85 lakh this year the highest in the past five years.

  

"We are expecting to cross 85 lakh turnout of pilgrims by December 31 midnight. We have already crossed 84.50 lakh and an estimated 50,000 pilgrims are expected to visit the shrine during the next 48 hours," Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board Chief Executive Officer Simrandeep Singh said.

He said last year's figure of 81.78 lakh pilgrims was crossed almost 20 days ago.

The pilgrim arrivals dropped from 93.24 lakh in 2013 to 78.03 lakh in 2014 and further to 77.76 lakh in 2015 and 77.23 lakh in 2016.

Singh attributed the increase in turnout to various factors including the efforts of the board to make the pilgrimage pleasant by adding new facilities for a hassle-free journey. 

"The ropeway is functional while the seven-kilometre Tarakote track came up as an alternate route with better facilities," he said.

On Dec 24, Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik inaugurated the Rs 85-crore Bhawan-Bhairon passenger ropeway, which reduced the travel time between Bhawan and Bhairon Temple (one-way journey) from one hour to just about three minutes.

The board has decided to keep the tickets affordable, with the to and fro journey costing Rs 100 per passenger.

The alternate Tarakote Marg, which was completed in seven years at a cost of Rs 80 crore, was opened for pilgrims in May.

The Enforcement Directorate on Saturday told Delhi's Patiala House Court that the alleged middleman in the AgustaWestland case Christian Michel has named 'Mrs Gandhi', news agency ANI reported. 

The ED also told the court that Michel has identified how the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited was removed from the deal and was later offered to Tata instead.

The law enforcement agency has also sought a ban on the access of Michel's lawyer to him alleging that he is being tutored from outside.

Michel had been sent to Enforcement Directorate's custody for seven days on December 22. He was arrested on December 5 after being extradited to India from Dubai. 

The Rs 3,600 crore AgustaWestland VVIP helicopter deal, finalised during former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's tenure, was mired in allegations of kickbacks. 54-year-old Michel is an accused in the case along with former India's Air Force Chief, Air Marshal SP Tyagi, among others.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi continued on Saturday  with his attack on the Congress over its "unfulfilled" loan waiver promises.

 

Addressing a public meeting in Ghazipur, Modi said only a small number of loans were waived in Karnataka after the recent assembly elections in the state, where a Janata Dal-Secular-Congress government is now in power.

He laid the foundation stone of a medical college and released a commemorative postal stamp on Maharaja Suheldev.

"Several important steps have being taken to transform Purvanchal into a big medical hub and to strengthen the small industries of UP," he said.

The prime minister will also address a meeting in Varanasi later in the day.

There was slight respite from the intense cold conditions at most places in Kashmir Valley even as Leh and Kargil in Ladakh region of the state experienced the coldest night of the season, the MET office said.

The night temperature rose slightly across the valley, except in Kokernag, providing some relief to residents. However, the mercury went down in Ladakh region of the state, an official of the MET Office said.

Srinagar the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir which had experienced the coldest December night in nearly three decades on the previous night at minus 7.7 degrees Celsius, saw the mercury rise half-a-degree to settle at a low of minus 7.2 degrees Celsius last night.

However, the official said the night temperature in the city was still over five degrees below normal for this time of the season.

He said Qazigund the gateway town to the valley - in south Kashmir recorded a low of minus 6.2 degrees Celsius up from minus 6.7 degrees Celsius the previous night.

Kupwara in north Kashmir recorded a low of minus 6 degrees Celsius last night, the official said.

The night temperature in Pahalgam, which serves as one of the base camps for the annual Amarnath yatra in south Kashmir, settled at a low of minus 8.3 degrees Celsius last night up from minus 9.5 degrees Celsius on the previous night.

The official said the ski-resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir recorded a low of minus 7 degrees Celsius an increase of over two degrees from minus 9.3 degrees Celsius the previous night.

Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mevani has attacked the BJP-led governments in Centre and Maharashtra over their "misplaced priorities".

Addressing a meeting of Paryavarn Samvardhan Samiti at Vasai in Palghar district, Mevani took potshots at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the proposed bullet train project linking Mumbai with Ahmedabad.

"Modi is a bluffer, a 'natasamrat' (dramatist) who makes only tall claims on development", he said.

The MLA also appealed to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to improve suburban train services.

"What is the use of costly projects like Bullet Train when the common people cannot afford it? The government thinks of costly projects but not of common people", he alleged.

Without naming the BJP, Mevani alleged that the issue of construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya is being purposefully raised as Lok Sabha polls are approaching.

"Precious land of farmers is being acquired for projects like express ways and corridors", he said.

He also questioned the need for construction the statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in Gujarat.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday met Bhutan Prime Minister Lotay Tshering and the two discussed bilateral relations.

The Bhutanese prime minister is on a state visit to India and had earlier met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday. 

Tshering arrived in New Delhi on Thursday on his first foreign visit after taking charge as PM of the Himalayan nation last month following his party's victory in the general elections. 

Former US president Barack Obama has continued his tradition of publishing end-of-year lists, compiling the books, songs and films that the former US president has most enjoyed over the passed 12 months, with Zadie Smith, Beyonc and Jay Zs Apeshit and Armando Iannuccis political satire The Death of Stalin all included.

As 2018 draws to a close, Im continuing a favourite tradition of mine and sharing my year-end lists, Obama wrote on Facebook, adding that the list included work that he found thought-provoking, inspiring, or just plain loved. The lists which started in 2015, while he was still in office are meant to highlight work from famous and lesser-known writers, directors and musicians.

In 2018, Obama read biographies including David W Blights study of Frederick Douglass, the anti-slavery advocate and intellectual (Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom) and tennis star Arthur Ashe: A Life by Raymond Arsenault. Max Tegmarks cautionary examination of what human life might look like in a future with superintelligent AI, Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence, was also included, as was fiction in the form of Florida by Lauren Groff.

His film list was no less tasteful, with Palme dOr winner Hirokazu Kore-edas Shoplifters, sitting alongside Barry Jenkins James Baldwin adaptation, If Beale Street Could Talk and Alfonso Cuarns Oscar-tipped Roma. Alex Garlands shapeshifting sci-fi Annihilation was also included, as was Ryan Cooglers Marvel superhero epic Black Panther.

Music was dominated by pop, rap and R&B. The backpacker hip-hop of J Cole, sat alongside rappers from Obamas adopted hometown of Chicago in the form of Chance the Rapper and BJ the Chicago Kid. Irish singer Hozier found a space on the list as did indie darlings Courtney Barnett and Kurt Vile. 

The army on Saturday said they have averted a major terror attack with the seizure of a huge cache of arms and ammunition in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir. 

  

Two AK assault rifles, a hand grenade, four magazines with 256 rounds and 59 rounds of sniper ammunition were seized during a joint operation by the army and local police in the Billawar block early Saturday, a defence spokesman said. 

He said the security forces conducted the operation after receiving inputs from military intelligence and this recovery has averted a major terrorists strike planned in the Jammu region.

Defence sources said the arms and ammunition were wrapped in a polythene bag and dumped in an isolated area in a village for later use.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit Varanasi on Saturday, where he will announce 15 developmental projects worth Rs 180 crore in a big push ahead of Lok Sabha elections. 

The Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone for 14 new development projects worth Rs 98.74 crore. On his last visit to Varanasi, PM Modi had announced development projects worth Rs 2,400 crore.

Modis visit to his Lok Sabha constituency will be the second in as many months. He will inaugurate the International Rice Research Institute and South Asia Regional Centre on the campus of National Seed Research and Training Centre in Varanasi.

The centre will serve as a hub for rice research and training in South Asia and the SAARC region.

Modi will also attend the 'One District, One Product' Regional Summit at Deendayal Hastakala Sankul (Trade Facilitation Centre & Crafts Museum) in Varanasi.

A commemorative postal stamp on the Maharaja Suheldeo will be released by the prime minister in Ghazipur, where he will also address a public rally at the RTI Ground.

As controversy erupted over upcoming film The Accidental Prime Minister, a biopic on former prime minister Manmohan Singh, the movies lead actor Anupam Kher has said that after certification of a film by the censor board, nobody has the right to ask for showing the film before its release.

On Friday, Satyajeet Tambe Patil, president of the Maharashtra State Youth Congress, had sent a letter to the producer of the film demanding a special screening before it is released. He raised objections to "incorrect presentation of the facts" in the film, the trailer of which was released on Thursday.

Sharing his view on the issue, Kher, who plays Singhs role, told the media: "It's nobody's right to ask us to show our film to them before releasing it. The film is based on the book (by the same title), and it is based on facts. We have bought the rights and have followed all the legalities. Everything was in the public domain... Now, how can people have issues? Why should I screen it for anyone? We have shown it to the Central Board of Film Certification, that's enough."

However, he added: "If Dr Manmohan Singh asks us, we will show him for sure."

UPDATE Operations to rescue 13 trapped miners underway in Khelerihaat, Meghalaya for the 18th day.

S K Singh, Asst Commandant of National Disaster Response Force, says 'three helmets have been recovered'.

The three helmets were recovered from Ksan mine, near Lytein river. -- ANI  

A low-intensity explosion rocked the main bus stand in Jammu, with the police suspecting that a grenade was lobbed to target the police station building in the vicinity, police officials said on Saturday.

No casualties were reported in the explosion that occurred around midnight, the officials said.

Quoting preliminary investigations, they said it is suspected that the grenade was thrown from a moving vehicle to target the police station building, located near the main entrance of the bus stand.

The grenade fell short of the target and exploded in the air, without causing any damage or casualty, the officials said.

They said police immediately cordoned off the area and an alert was sounded to track the culprits. This was the second attack on the Jammu bus stand in over seven months.

Earlier on May 24, two policemen and a civilian were injured in a grenade attack on the under-construction bus stand along the B C Road.

The accused were subsequently arrested.  -- PTI

An encounter broke out between terrorists and security forces in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, police said.

Acting on specific information about the presence of terrorists in Hanjan area of Pulwama in south Kashmir, security forces launched a cordon and search operation, a police official said.

He said as the forces were conducting searches, the hiding terrorists fired upon them.

The forces retaliated, leading to the encounter, the official said. He said the gunfight is going on and further details were awaited.  -- PTI

Image only for representation.

JUST IN: Fire breaks out in an under construction building near Kamala Mills compound, Mumbai.

Five fire tenders at the spot.

More details awaited.

Last year on the same day -- December 29 -- at least 14 people were killed when a  massive fire swept through a pub located at the Kamala Mills compound in Lower Parel area in Mumbai.

Two days ago, a fire at a housing society in suburban Chembur killed five people.    -- with ANI inputs

Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad alias Ravan, would be holding a rally in the Jambori Maidan in Mumbai on Saturday, despite police orders that have denied from granting his request.

Azad will be visiting Chaitya Bhoomi in Mumbai, a memorial dedicated to Dr B R Ambedkar, after which he was scheduled to hold a rally ahead of the anniversary of the Battle of Bhima Koregaon on January 1.

Mumbai police has beefed up security in Chaitya Bhoomi ahead of the scheduled rally by the Bhim activists.

The Bhim Army chief, who was sent to jail, on June 8, last year in connection with 2017 Saharanpur caste violence case was released from the prison on September 14.

He was booked under National Security Act (NSA) charges.

Ravan was arrested by the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) from Himachal Pradesh's Dalhousie for inciting caste clashes in different areas of Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur district.

After coming outside the jail, Ravan had further said that he will urge people to oust the Bharatiya Janata Party from power in 2019.  -- ANI

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath distributed portfolios to his cabinet on Friday evening, keeping Public Relations, Industrial Policy and Investment Promotion Department and Employment Department among others with himself, an official said.

"Tribal MLA Bala Bachchan, who was minister in the previous Digvijay Singh-led Congress government, was given Home and Jail, while another senior MLA, Tulsi Silawat, got Health," the Public Relations department official said.

Govind Rajput was allocated Revenue and Transport Department, while Tarun Bhanot was given the Finance Department.

Nath also kept Public Service Management Department and the Technical Education with him, he said.  -- PTI