Police experts are examining the five explosive devices, which seem to be small “mines”, that were recovered from the river near a railway bridge at Kuttipuram in this Kerala district late on Thursday night, a police officer said.

Speaking to IANS, a police officer attached to the Kuttipuram police station said that they were informed about the presence of explosives near the bridge late on Thursday night.

“The police team soon reached the place and it was found out that these small ‘mine’ like materials was seen on the riverside about 40 metres from the pillar of the railway bridge,” said the official who did not wish to be identified.

Later higher police officials came to the scene and the explosives were taken to the police camp near here.

“Experts from the Indian Army and the National Security Guard are expected to arrive for further examination of it,” added the official.

Global PC and printer giant HP Inc has issued a worldwide voluntary recall of 50,000 Lithium-ion batteries sold as accessories or used as replacements through HP or an authorised HP service provider over the danger of fire and overheating.

This includes affected devices shipped between December 2015 and December 2017.

“The quality and safety of all HP products is our top priority. We recently learned that batteries provided by one of our suppliers for certain notebook computers and mobile workstations present a potential safety concern,” the company wrote in a blog post on Friday.

“We are taking immediate action to address this issue including a voluntary recall and replacement of the batteries. This action pertains to 0.1 per cent of the HP systems sold globally over the past two years,” the PC major added.

According to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, affected models include HP “ProBooks” (64x G2 and G3 series, 65x G2 and G3 series), HPx360 310 G2, HP “Envy” m6, HP “Pavilion” x360, HP 11, HP “ZBook” (17 G3, 17 G4, and “Studio” G3) mobile workstations.

Batteries sold as replacement or accessories for the HP “XBook Studio G4” mobile workstation are also named in the commission report.

At least five persons were killed on Friday when a school bus collided with a truck in Indore in Madhya Pradesh, officials said.

Those killed include four children besides the bus driver, Deputy Inspector General of Police Hari Narayan Chari Mishra said.

The school bus belonged to the Delhi Public School here. The injured children have been admitted to the local Bombay Hospital.

Madhya Pradesh Transport Minister Bhupendra Singh has ordered an enquiry into the accident.

Liverpool host Everton in a FA Cup third round clash at Anfield on Friday night and Jurgen Klopp has insisted that Anfield doesn’t require a team-talk when it comes to Merseyside Derbies.

“Sam (Allardyce) will have his team focused with the highest of motivation for this. His players will be extremely hungry to end our involvement in this season’s FA Cup,” Klopp wrote in his programme notes for ‘This is Anfield’.

Don’t miss: Sam Allardyce insists Everton will play for win against Liverpool at Anfield

“Derby matches are wonderful, intense occasions at the best of times – but add in that this is in a knockout competition and under the lights, so early in the New Year, and that means both teams will recognise the importance and emotion involved with a game like this one,” the German tactician continued.

Liverpool are the favoured of the two sides ahead of the 230th Merseyside Derby, but it won’t be an easy win for they are missing two of their biggest and most in-form stars—Philippe Coutinho and Mohamed Salah— for Friday’s clash.

“With such a big following coming from ‘across the park’, the atmosphere inside Anfield will be different as well. Their numbers are greater than for the league game, but I know that will only inspire our supporters even more for the job they have to do tonight.

Must read: Obiang, Son piledrivers highlights of Tottenham Hotspur-West Ham United draw

Considering Liverpool’s Premier League title aspirations have been put on hold for yet another season, the FA Cup is the most realistic chance of silverware and the Reds will be wary of a wounded Everton side who have lost their last two league games on the bounce.

“I think back to the Leicester game on the 30th and the away end at Turf Moor on the 1st of January and remembering the noise and encouragement the team got from our supporters sends a tingle down my spine. They gave our players the extra yard – the extra spring – you need when facing the highest quality opposition, against the backdrop of a schedule designed to test every facet you have,” Klopp penned.

“Anfield needs no team-talk tonight. It knows it can play its part in helping us get the job done – and for that we are always grateful,” the Liverpool boss added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Act East Policy” has led to faster work on infrastructure development projects in northeast India, including the extension of railway lines, Minister of State for Railways Rajen Gohain said here on Friday.

“Due to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Act East Policy’, the projects relating to infrastructure development of northeast India are being implemented on priority basis. The projects include roads and railways,” Gohain said after flagging off the “Humsafar Express” train from here to Bengaluru.

“By 2020 all the remaining state capitals would be linked by broad gauge railway line.”

The capitals of Agartala, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam are already connected by broad gauge railway lines. Works for extension of railway lines in Mizoram, Manipur and Nagaland are going on with top priority basis, while in Sikkim and Meghalaya, some land related problems have become a hurdle.

Tripura’s capital on Friday was linked with Bengaluru by “Humsafar Express”, becoming the second city in the northeast to get a newly introduced train, equipped with modern facilities.

Friday’s event was a formal inaugural and services for the public will start on January 9. The weekly train will link the two state capitals via Kamakhya, Howrah, Cuttack and Vijayawada.

The 3,030 km train service was launched from Kamakhya (near Guwahati) to Bengaluru on December 25, 2016. Now it has been extended to Agartala.

According to the Northeast Frontier Railways’ (NFR) General Manager Chahatey Ram, the train, the first connecting southern India with Tripura, will halt at seven stations between Agartala and Guwahati and at 28 stations in between Agartala and Bengaluru Cantonment station in its 3,614 km long journey across six states.

The Humsafar Express train, which is a fully AC 3-tier service, has 14 coaches, provided with on board Wi-fi and infotainment, he said.

“Better than the Rajdhani Express, ‘Humsafar Express ‘ train coaches are equipped with facilities like GPS (Global Positioning System) based passenger information system, and fire and smoke detectors,” said Ram, adding that they will also have mobile charging points and reading lights for each passenger along with easy upper berth climbing arrangement.

The Humsafar Express, promised in the budget, will also have facilities like baby nappy changing pads, and tea and coffeemakers.

The railway authorities since 2016 are operating the Kanchanjunga Express — between Agartala and Sealdah (Kolkata) via Assam’s Silchar and Guwahati twice a week, and the weekly Tripura Sundari Express between Agartala and Delhi’s Anand Vihar station besides Rajdhani Express.

The NFR is now extending the railway lines up to southern Tripura’s border town Sabroom, 135 km south of Agartala.

Gohain, in the presence of Tripura Transport Minister Manik Dey and other Members of Parliament, also flagged-off the passenger train services on the newly-laid 9.2 km track between southern Tripura’s temple city Udaipur and Garjee.

This new broad gauge section is a part of Agartala-Sabroom railway project being executed to get access the Bangladesh’s Chittagong sea port, which is just 72 km away from Sabroom.

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.

 Sharpening his attacks on the BJP and the RSS, Chief Minister Mukul Sangma on Friday called them “agents of devil”, and expressed confidence that the Congress party will retain power in Meghalaya, after the state polls slated for later this year.

The veteran Congress leader accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government at the Centre of being dictated to by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) headquarters in Nagpur who pick and choose who should be inducted into the Cabinet.

“Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) does not have power even to decide who should be a Minister (to be inducted into his Cabinet). This is how this NDA government is working and that is why you see what you see,” the veteran Congress leader said.

“That is why you see the government some times doing things to embolden the so-called fringe elements,” he added.

Sangma was addressing his party leaders felicitating Public Health Engineering Minister Celestine Lyngdoh, who has been newly appointed as the Meghalaya Congress President.

“What is the agenda of BJP and what is the agenda of NDA government? The agenda of the NDA government is the agenda of BJP and the agenda of BJP is the agenda of RSS. It is RSS who dictates, it is RSS who decides,” the Chief Minister said.

Exhorting Congress leaders and workers to fight against RSS agents in Meghalaya, Sangma said: “We have to fight against the ‘agents of devil’. They are agents of devil because they want to divide the people, to make people fight; they want to make people kill each other. Will agent of God engage in these kinds of agendas?”

On the recent attacks on the Christian missionaries, Sangma said he had to write a letter to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh after requests from the people of the state who have children staying in other parts of the country.

“I had to write a strong letter to the Home Minister, saying this is what is happening. It is a dangerous trend and there will be repercussions if our boys and girls there become victims of such elements. There will be spillover effect that can result in chaotic law and order situation,” he said.

On the Congress’ prospects in the upcoming assembly elections, Sangma voiced confidence that the ruling Congress would win as many as 38 seats.

“As of now, Congress will win in 38 seats. I am sure of that. We are far ahead (of others),” Sangma said.

However, the Congress has already suffered a major setback after seven of its legislators resigned as members of the assembly and joined the BJP and the National People’s Party (NPP) ahead of the state polls.

Moreover, veteran Congress legislator and state Congress president and four-time Chief Minister D.D. Lapang, incumbent Deputy Chief Minister Prof Roytre Christopher Laloo and Health and Family Welfare Minister Roshan Warjri have been declared “retired” from electoral politics.

The ninth Meghalaya Assembly comprising 60 members was constituted on March 1, 2013, and its term expires on March 6.

Seven persons were missing after their vehicle got buried under an  avalanche in the Kupwara area of North Kashmir on Friday. However, a 6-year-old boy was rescued.

The district authorities confirmed that the vehicle was buried in the Sadhna Pass in Jammu and Kashmir. Seven passengers, including it’s driver, are untraceable.

Rescue teams of the Army are conducting search operations in the area.

The area has witnessed series of avalanche incidents in the past two months.

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) on Friday condemned the food insecurity faced by the 655,500 Rohingyas who fled to Bangladesh from Myanmar since an outbreak of violence in August last year.

“Although more than 90 per cent of Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar (a district in southeastern Bangladesh where the refugee camps are located) have received emergency food assistance, a major concern is limited access to a well-diversified and balanced diet,” the WFP said in a statement.

A study carried out by the agency between November and December, titled “Rohingya Emergency Vulnerability Assessment”, revealed that 80 per cent of the overall refugee population was either highly or entirely reliant on life-saving assistance, Efe news reported.

“WFP’s food distributions to the new arrivals is rice, vegetable oil and lentils — an emergency ration designed to provide basic calories, but lacking in dietary diversity,” the WFP said.

It recommended the expansion of its e-voucher programmes, under which the refugees receive a monthly ration on a pre-paid debit card which can be used in allocated shops to buy different foods.

Some 90,000 people are currently enrolled in WFP’s e-voucher programmes.

According to the UN Inter Sector Coordination Group, some 655,000 Rohingya refugees have arrived in Bangladesh since August 25, 2017.

The exodus was triggered by the Myanmar security forces launching an operation in retaliation to an attack by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) on several security posts in Rakhine state.

The governments of Bangladesh and Myanmar earlier reached an agreement on the process of repatriation for the Rohingya refugees who fled to Bangladesh, which is expected to begin in the coming months.

Several human rights organisations, however, have repeatedly denounced that conditions were not appropriate for the safe return of the Rohingyas to Myanmar, where, according to recently-arrived refugees, the military campaign against them was still ongoing.

The UN and human rights organisations pointed out clear evidence that abuses were committed, while the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein described the situation as “genocide”.

Women are now eligible to serve in the Territorial Army as the Delhi High Court on Friday ruled that any provision of any Act that bars or discriminates women in the recruitment transgresses the fundamental rights of equality provided under the Constitution.

A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C. Hari Shankar gave the go-ahead to the recruitment of women in the TA, the second line of defence after the regular Army, saying “any person in section 6 of the TA Act, shall include both men and women”.

TA comprises volunteers who get military training in order to be mobilised for the country’s defence in case of an emergency.

The court’s order came on a PIL filed by petitioner Kush Kalra, who alleged institutionalised discrimination against women for not being recruited in the TA.

Kalra had contended that the government has a duty to ensure that there is no discrimination practised by anyone in the country and non-recruitment of female candidates who are gainfully employed is against the spirit of the Constitution.

The petition had sought that the provisions of the Act which prohibit the recruitment of women into the TA be either struck down or interpreted in such a manner that both sexes can join the organisation.

VHP leader Pravin Togadia on Friday alleged a conspiracy against him by a “higher up in the BJP” to implicate and jail him in a 1996 murder case by ensuring he did not get the summons issued against him by a court.

The Metropolitan Court on Friday cancelled a non-bailable warrant issued against Togadia, the International Working President of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP).

“Today the court cancelled the warrant and I will have to appear to the court whenever the case is taken up. The non-bailable warrant was issued to me because I did not respond to the earlier summons,” he said.

“The police did not make those summons available to me. I have received information that this was done purposefully by someone higher up, without the intervention of (state) Home Minister or Chief Minister.”

Togadia added: “Just like it happened during the Patidar agitation, when (then Chief Minister) Anandiben Patel said she did not order the lathicharge on agitators, this case is similar.

“(Deputy Chief Minister) Nitin Patel, (Chief Minister) Vijay Rupani wouldn’t do that. Why were the summons not made available to me despite my presence in Ahmedabad? Since some time I feel my voice is being gagged. I will later reveal who is behind it all,” he added.

In an attempt to murder case of 1996, non-bailable warrants were issued by the Ahmedabad Metropolitan Court against 39 people including Togadia, Babubhai Jamnadas Patel, a BJP leader, and Krishnavadan Bhrahmbhatt, a BJP corporator.

The complainant was former BJP MLA Jagrupsinh Rajput. Rajput contested as BJP candidate from Ahmedabad’s Bapunagar constituency last month and lost to Himmatsinh Patel of Congress.

“When there is a clear mandate given to the BJP in the general elections, why they are not fulfilling the poll promises?” Togadia asked. “I have been raising my voice against that and for that my voice is being deliberately gagged.”

The 1996 case was registered when then BJP stalwart Shankersinh Vaghela led a revolt in the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Vaghela supporters were then attacked by BJP leaders and loyalists. Vaghela’s loyal supporter Atmaram Patel was thrashed.

Recently, the BJP government had requested the Sessions Court to quash the case but the plea was rejected.

 Goa as a tourism destination should become so expensive that low-budget Indian tourists are discouraged from coming to the coastal state, a minister said on Friday.

Town and Country Planning Minister Vijai Sardesai also said Goa should re-orient its tourism to attract high-end tourists and focus on quality tourism rather than a tourism apparatus which focuses merely on footfalls.

He was responding to a question on overcrowding and inflow of tourists on a shoe-string budget to the coastal state during the Christmas-New Year week.

“I (had) said Goa should become so expensive for the tourists that they should say ‘I should not come to Goa. It is not worth going to Goa’. Which tourist — Indian tourist,” Sardesai said.

An opposition legislator in the last legislative assembly, Sardesai heads the regional Goa Forward party, which has three ministers in the 12-member Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar-led coalition government.

“It should also be a place which gives high-end facilities and gets high-end tourism, which benefits the sons of the soil,” he said.

Goa annually attracts more than six million tourists every year, which is four times its resident population of 1.5 million. Half a million foreign tourists also visit the coastal state every year.

The tourism rush peaks during the festive year-end week, when a bulk of domestic tourists visit the state, often putting pressure on the already inadequate public infrastructure, which Sardesai said needed to be upped.

“Today we are competing with Kerala, we are competing with Sri Lanka and mostly with South East Asia. Now South East Asia has a lot more to offer. They have got 500 golf courses, we do not have a single golf course and we still say we don’t want that,” the minister said, adding that high-end tourism-oriented facilities need to be created.

“(Need for) re-orienting tourism to get high-end and see that people who come to Goa is not just about quantity, but quality,” Sardesai said.

Everton will be the underdogs when they visit Merseyside rivals Liverpool for a FA Cup third round clash on Friday night, but Toffees manager Sam Allardyce has insisted that his players will be seeking a win and not be settling for a draw.

“We’ve got to try to win it on Friday night. The message is to do more in possession, do better in possession – but don’t lose your defensive qualities,” Allardyce told evertontv.

Don’t miss: Obiang, Son piledrivers highlights of Tottenham Hotspur-West Ham United draw

The last time the sides played, Everton somewhat fortuitously managed to nick a 1-1 draw in December, with Wayne Rooney’s late penalty cancelling out Mohamed Salah’s opener.

Most neutrals and Liverpool fans felt that ‘Big Sam’s’ pragmatic approach to the game had robbed the Merseyside Derby of its sheer entertainment value as it felt more like an attack vs defence training exercise more than anything else. However, considering the kind of offensive firepower Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has at his disposal, the decision to defend resolutely for large swathes of the tie was an astute one as they came away with a valuable point.

Everton’s unbeaten record since Allardyce took over from Ronald Koeman was shattered by a loss to Bournemouth on December 30 and the Toffees were beaten once again by Manchester United on New Year’s Day to bring back some of the gloom that had enveloped the Blue half of Merseyside in the early stages of the season.

Must read: Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho responds to speculation around his future

“It’s my job to continue to develop that. That transition is very important. That transition cost us the game against Manchester United,” admitted the veteran manager as he continued, “We’ve got to get better at getting back into a good defensive shape when we lose the ball. Then, when we win it, do better to create and try to score because we’ve got to win the tie to get through to the next round”.

Liverpool are the form team of the two sides, but Everton will take solace from the fact that it was a similar tale prior to their earlier meeting this season.

“Obviously, the team who wins it goes through – there are no points available. We managed to get a very valuable point there last time with a draw but a draw this time is not what we want and it probably won’t be what Jurgen (Klopp) wants, either, because we don’t want a replay with the number of games that we’ve both played this season,” Allardyce stated ahead of the 230th Merseyside Derby clash.

Liverpool have ruled out two of their most in-form stars— Mohamed Salah and Philippe Coutinho— from Friday’s clash but Big Sam shrugged off those reports as he stated, “We’ve played as many games this season as Liverpool have. Our injury problems that have occurred right the way through the season from the start to now, which means we’ve probably had more players missing than anybody else in the Premier League. That shows you the demand on the players there are today”.

“We’ll pick the best side to play Liverpool and go for it,” added the Everton manager.

Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone on Friday turned 32 and received birthday greetings from popular celebrities like Anupam Kher, Boman Irani and Shreya Ghoshal.

The stars wished her “love” and “happiness” in life.

Deepika, daughter of former badminton player Prakash Padukone, became an overnight star with her Bollywood debut film Om Shanti Om in 2007. She has also appeared in films like Love Aaj Kal, Housefull, Cocktail, Race 2, Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela, Bajirao Mastani and “Kochadaiiyaan”.

The actress made her Hollywood debut with xXx: Return of Xander Cage in 2017. She has gone through a lot of trouble regarding the release of her controversial film Padmavati, which is yet to hit screens.

Here’s what the B-town tweeted on her 32nd birthday:

Happy birthday dear @deepikapadukone. Love, Peace and Happiness always.:) https://t.co/9m2BpBg3ye

— Anupam Kher (@AnupamPkher) January 5, 2018

Wishing you a very Happy Birthday, my darling @deepikapadukone… May you be blessed with lots of Love and Happiness. Keep inspiring us always. pic.x.com/noq6AYmrgf

— Boman Irani (@bomanirani) January 5, 2018

Wishing the supremely talented and beautiful @deepikapadukone a very very happy birthday!#HappyBirthdayDeepikaPadukone ❤️❤️❤️

— Shreya Ghoshal (@shreyaghoshal) January 5, 2018

@deepikapadukone happy birthday DP! Brave the storms,stay strong, stay sweet !!! ❤️ pic.x.com/t6YOXbeA38

— TheRichaChadha (@RichaChadha) January 5, 2018

Sending virtual hugs your way @deepikapadukone! Have a very very Happy Birthday! Lots of love pic.x.com/2wbNmjW3B8

— Diana Penty (@DianaPenty) January 5, 2018

Happy Birthday @deepikapadukone.. you are the epitome of beauty and I’m sure you’re an even more beautiful person at heart. Hope I get to meet you in 2018 ‍♂️♥️

Love you.. have a great day and year ahead!!#HappyBirthdayDeepikaPadukone

— ARMAAN MALIK (@ArmaanMalik22) January 5, 2018

Happy Birthday @deepikapadukone..

— Shoojit Sircar (@ShoojitSircar) January 5, 2018

@deepikapadukone HAPPY BIRTHDAY Deepika. God bless you with all the Happiness always. Loads of love and blessings.

— Neil Nitin Mukesh (@NeilNMukesh) January 5, 2018

Happy birthday to one of our best – @deepikapadukone – wish you don’t have to deal with political BS (like you had to deal with in Padmavati )and can concentrate on perfecting your art ! Good luck ! Love and wishes.

— rahul dholakia (@rahuldholakia) January 5, 2018

Parliament cannot be an extension of politics in its typical sense which is marked by deep divisions and acrimony, Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu said on Friday.

“All of you would agree with me that though the Parliament is a political institution, it cannot be an extension of politics in its typical sense which is marked by deep divisions and acrimony,” Naidu, who also the ex-officio Chairman of Rajya Sabha, said in his valedictory remarks at the conclusion of the 244th session of the upper house.

“Parliament is an important institution for furthering the shared socio-economic goals of the nation which are critical to fulfilling the aspirations of the citizens who are the chief patrons of our parliamentary democracy,” he said.

Naidu observed that although the House could transact some important business, it “could have been better than what it proved to be”.

He said that India is steadily evolving towards realising its immense untapped potential and the legislatures of the country, including Parliament, need to “quickly evolve in the way we conduct our proceedings so as to meet the needs of our evolving nation”.

He mentioned that assertion of commitment by both government and opposition to respect and uphold the office of Prime Minister and former Prime Minister, was a high point.

Naidu also appreciated the way in which “all sections” of the House spoke, “in one voice and in a restrained way” regarding Kulbhushan Jadhav meeting his family members in a Pakistan jail.

However, the Chairman expressed concern over the lost hours during the session.

“Intense and passionate submissions and debates are the order of democracy, but disruptions are certainly not. I urge upon the Members to seriously introspect in this regard.

“It is a matter of deep discomfort that the House has lost 34 hours of valuable working time as against the period of 41 hours of business transacted,” he said.

Naidu also wished well to the three retiring members – Karan Singh, Janardan Dwivedi and Parvez Hashmi, and said that the upper House would be missing their contributions to the proceedings of the House.