Read the top six stories of the evening.
1) All you need to know about Rs 59,000 crore Rafale deal between India and France
India and France signed the Euro 7.87 billion (Rs 59,000 crore approx) deal for Rafale fighter jets, equipped with latest missiles and weapon system besides multiple India-specific modifications that will give the IAF greater "potency" over arch rival Pakistan. The Inter Governmental Agreement was signed by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and his visiting French counterpart Jean Yves Le Drian 16-months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced India's plans to buy 36 Rafale fighter aircraft in fly away condition during his trip to France. Read more...
2) Mumbai terror alert: Indian Navy says operation over
A high alert was sounded along the Mumbai coast and adjoining areas on Thursday after a group of men were spotted moving suspiciously near a naval base at Uran in Raigad district, leading to multi-agency search operations. The operation was ended around 7 PM IST. Defence PRO has said, "As far as Indian Navy is concerned, operations based on yesterday's sightings of suspected terrorists are concerned are over. Sanitisation of naval areas has been undertaken. Navy is maintaining close liaison with local police/other agencies for further updates/developments. Insofar as the state of alertness is concerned, IN maintains a high state of alert/ tight vigil at all times in consonance with the prevailing circumstances." Read more...
3) Cauvery dispute: Karnataka passes resolution to block release of water to Tamil Nadu
Karnataka's Legislative Council passed a resolution to only release water for the purpose of meeting basic concerns of Bengaluru and Cauvery basin on Friday. A special session of both Houses of Karnataka legislature was held to take a call on the Supreme Court's direction to the state to release 6,000 cusecs of Cauvery water per day to Tamil Nadu. Read more...
4) 'If tourists get murdered in Goa, they have no hope': Scarlett Keeling's mother shocked by acquittal
Two local men accused of drugging, sexually abusing and leaving British teenage girl Scarlett Eden Keeling to die on Goa's popular Anjuna beach in 2008 were let off by a children's court.
"I am shocked. I was not expecting acquittal. I was expecting conviction. I will challenge the order," said Fiona, the victim's mother. Read more...
5) At least 133 refugees' bodies recovered from capsized boat: Egyptian officials
At least 133 bodies had been recovered by Friday from a boat carrying hundreds of migrants that capsized off Egypt two days earlier, Egyptian officials said. he boat sank off Burg Rashed, a coastal village on the Nile Delta. Rescue workers and fishermen said they had rescued at least 169 people, but confusion remained over how many might still be missing. Health Ministry spokesman Khaled Megahed said 133 bodies had been retrieved from the Mediterranean, while Mohamed Sultan, governor of the Beheira region, said 148 had been recovered. Read more...
6) After MNS threat, Mumbai police promises protection to Pakistani actors
Amid tension in the wake of Uri terror attack, the MNS asked Pakistani artistes like Fawad Khan to leave immediately, failing which their shootings will be stalled. Actors like Mahira Khan (starring Shah Rukh Khan-starrer 'Raees') and "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil" star Fawad Khan are hijacking the opportunities of Indian artistes, Shalini Thackeray, MNS general secretary, told a press conference. Read more...
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