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A developer accused of enlisting Australian politician Clive Palmer’s media advisor in a criminal conspiracy has returned to Australia to face charges.

Multi-millionaire Tony Smith is charged with being part of a conspiracy to kidnap a bank executive.

In December, police arrested Mr Palmer’s media advisor Andrew Crook over his part in the alleged scheme.

Police said Mr Palmer knew nothing about the alleged conspiracy.

Tony Smith, who is also a former Australian footballer, is alleged to have organised the « very elaborate » and « bizarre » scheme, police said.

Mr Smith allegedly threatened to use corrupt police to have his former manager at National Australia Bank (NAB) jailed for life in Indonesia, local media reported.

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The Australian government has urged citizens to « exercise a high degree of caution » in India because of the risk of terror attacks.

Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said the warning applied to all parts of India.

It also said that militants may be planning attacks against upmarket hotels in Mumbai in particular.

It comes a day after the government issued similar advice for Australians travelling to Indonesia.

The warnings were issued on the government’s Smart Traveller website on Tuesday.

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Police in Bangladesh have arrested the deputy leader of the main opposition party, as tensions rise over its calls for nationwide protests and blockades.

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir is being held on charges of arson, bombings and vandalism.

His arrest comes as opposition leader Khaleda Zia was confined by police to her offices for a fourth day.

The unrest comes on the first anniversary of disputed elections.

The vote – boycotted by the opposition who said it would be rigged – was won by the ruling Awami League.

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Islamist insurgents have attacked the Malian town of Nampala near the Mauritanian border, killing at least five people in a dawn raid.

Witnesses said the militants opened fire on soldiers after arriving in pick-up trucks. Other reports said they came on motorbikes and on foot.

One report said Malian soldiers fled the attack; another said troops fought back and clashes lasted several hours.

The militants have been fighting the Malian army for a number of years.

The latest phase of the insurgency began after a French-led military intervention in January 2013, aimed at driving out Islamist militants from towns they had seized in northern Mali and declared to be an « Islamic state ».

The French military action dispersed but did not destroy the extremists and sporadic attacks have continued.

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Turkish Airlines, the last foreign airline operating in Libya, has suspended flights to Misrata, the only city it was flying to in the country.

Airlines suspended flights to Libya in July after fighting broke out in the capital between rival militias at Tripoli’s main international airport.

Local companies began operating from Tripoli’s Mitiga airport and Turkish Airlines resumed a Misrata service.

The port city was hit by air strikes over the weekend.

Libya has been plagued by instability and infighting since the toppling of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, and violence has steadily increased in recent months.

The Misrata-led Libya Dawn militia alliance controls much of western Libya, including Misrata and Tripoli.

The internationally recognised government was pushed back into eastern areas last year – and its air force began strikes on Misrata a week ago.

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