Widespread rainfall across Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh on Saturday brought miseries to farmers as untimely showers have affected the standing paddy crop in the agrarian states.

The French government and Dassault Aviation have denied their involvement in the choice of Indian industrial partners in the multi-million dollar Rafale jet deal.

Gitanjali Group owner Mehul Choksi, wanted in Rs 13,500 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case, on Friday moved a special CBI court claiming danger to his life after his return to India and sought cancellation of a non-bailable warrant issued against him.

Former Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Friday said women in India continue to be the "casualties of paternalistic traditions" and still suffer the brunt of discrimination and gender inequality. She said her party is striving to fight these forces and called for a "change in mindset".

The opposition BJP on Friday urged Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala to act against Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy for allegedly provoking the people to wage war against its state unit president B.S. Yeddyurappa.

Former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram on Friday took a dig at the government's flip-flop over talks with Pakistan which the government called off in the wake of abduction and killing of three policemen in Jammu and Kashmir by the Hizbul Mujahideen militants.

As many as six of the 11 Asiatic lions found dead during the last eleven days in their only abode, Gir forests, died fighting among themselves, according to Gujarat Forest Department officials. The cause of death of the other five is yet to be ascertained.

The Congress on Friday demanded a probe into the Narendra Modi-led government's much vaunted "Skill India", claiming that the scheme was a massive scam benefiting people within the "BJP eco-system".