Highlights at 1700 hours

Following are the top PTI stories at 1700 hours:

CAL3 4TH LD CYCLONE Cyclone 'Fani' bites Odisha, three dead

Bhubaneshwar/Kolkata: Cyclone 'Fani' rolled through Odisha on Friday, packing rain and windstorm that gusted up to 175 kmph, leaving at least three people dead, blowing away thatched houses, and swamping towns and villages.

ELN17 RJ-2NDLD MODI Over Rs 1,000 cr released in advance for states affected by Cyclone Fani: PM Modi

Hindaun City (Raj): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said over Rs 1,000 crore had been released in advance for the states affected by Cyclone Fani.

CAL4 CYCLONE-MAMATA Cyclone: Mamata cancels rallies, asks people to stay indoors

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee cancelled her public rallies scheduled for Friday and advised people not to pay heed to rumours and stay indoors as Cyclone Fani heads towards the state.

DEL18 CYCLONE-BABY 'Baby Fani' born in Odisha rly hospital as cyclone slams coast

New Delhi: A baby was born in an Odisha railway hospital as the extremely severe storm wreaked its havoc on Friday and her name came to officials in a flash -- she could only be Lady Fani for them.

DEL9 AVI-CYCLONE-KOLKATA AIRPORT Cyclone Fani: No flights to and from Kolkata airport between 3 p.m. Friday to 8 a.m. Saturday

New Delhi: No flights will depart or arrive at Kolkata airport from 3 p.m. Friday to 8 a.m. Saturday in view of the cyclonic storm 'Fani', which slammed into the Odisha coast in the morning, Indian aviation regulator DGCA said.

DEL10 JK-LD ENCOUNTER Three militants killed in encounter in J-K's Shopian

Srinagar: Three unidentified militants were Friday killed in an encounter with security forces in poll-bound Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir, the Army said.

ELX7 KL-LD RAHUL-NURSE I was witness to Rahul's birth, thrilled he contested from Wayanad, says retired nurse

Kochi (Ker): Rajamma Vavathil, a retired nurse and a voter in Wayanad, believes no one should contest Congress chief Rahul Gandhi's citizenship status. After all, she says, she was one of those on duty at Delhi's Holy Family Hospital on June 19, 1970 when he was born.

ELN11 MP-RAHUL In Cong rule, farmers won't face jail for loan default: Rahul

Rewa (MP): Congress president Rahul Gandhi Friday said no farmer will be jailed for not repaying loans if his party comes to power at the Centre.

ELN9 UP-PRIYANKA Protect farmers' fields as that is nationalism as well: Priyanka to PM

Rae Bareli (UP): Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra advised Prime Minister Narendra Modi to protect the fields of farmers on Friday, saying that is nationalism as well.

LEGAL LGD5 SC-LD OPPOSITION-VVPAT

Matching of VVPAT slips with EVMs: SC agrees to hear next week review plea by 21 Oppn leaders New Delhi: The Supreme Court Friday agreed to hear next week a review plea filed by 21 Opposition leaders seeking further increase in random matching of VVPAT slips with EVMs in the ongoing general elections.

FOREIGN

FGN25 PAK-LD AZHAR Pakistan issues order to freeze assets of JeM chief Azhar, impose travel ban

Islamabad: Pakistan has issued an official order to freeze the assets of and impose a travel ban on JeM chief Masood Azhar after the UN declared him a "global terrorist". By Sajjad Hussain PTI HMB