Russia said on Monday it would treat US-led coalition aircraft flying west of the River Euphrates in Syria as potential targets and track them with missile systems and military aircraft, but stopped short of saying it would shoot them down. In a move that will fan tensions between Washington and Moscow, Russia made clear it was changing its military posture in response to the US downing of a Syrian military jet on Sunday, something Damascus said was the first such incident since the start of the country's conflict in 2011. The Russian Defence Ministry said it was also scrapping a Syrian air safety agreement with Washington designed to avoid collisions and dangerous incidents with immediate effect. Moscow accused the United States of failing to honour the pact by not informing it of the decision to shoot down the Syrian plane despite Russian aircraft being airborne at the same time.

Small businesses have been given enough time to prepare for the July 1 rollout of Goods and Services Tax (GST), Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said on Tuesday, ruling out any further slippage in the timeline. Jaitley, addressing a news conference, said there would be initial challenges after launching the tax, which will require all but the smallest businesses to file three detailed returns online every month. But, with 6.5 million firms already registered for GST and more expected to sign up, there was no excuse for firms not to be ready for what has been billed as the biggest tax reform in India's 70-year history. A decade in the making, the GST would bring down barriers between more than 30 states and territories, unifying India's $2 trillion economy and 1.3 billion people into a single market. The government says it will boost both commerce and state revenues. "We have been saying for the last six months it would be July 1 - nobody has any business not to be ready," Jaitley told reporters. "If he's still not ready, then I'm afraid he does not want to be ready." To ease the transition, a GST coordination panel agreed on Sunday to allow companies to file simplified, aggregate tax returns in July and August before they have to comply fully with the GST from September. Any company generating a large number of invoices will need to adopt special software packages that enable them to format and reconcile invoices, then upload them to the GST Network, an IT system that will process up to 5 billion invoices a month. If companies struggle to comply, that could block the flow of input tax credits that are a new feature of the tax, experts and business groups say. This would force firms to pay tax on the full cost of an item rather than just value added, tying up working capital and cutting into profits.

After rumours were rife about Akshay Kumar returning on the small screen for upcoming comedy reality show ‘The Great Indian Laughter Challenge’, latest reports suggest that ‘Maatr’ actress Raveena Tandon too may join the judges’ panel for the same show. According to reports, Raveena has been approached to be a part of this stand-up comedy show. If things fall in place, the actress will be seen on the small screen along with her former co-star, Akshay. Raveena and Akshay made for one of the most popular jodis of the 90s. The duo has worked on several films together, including runaway hits like ‘Mohra’ and ‘Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi’.

Representing the state that houses more that hundreds of temples, fbb Colors Femina Miss India Odisha 2017 gets up-close with us. Christeena Biju always dreamt of winning a beauty pageant. Few years down the line, the ambitious diva saw her dream come true as she became the sole representative of Odisha. You won the crown from a sea of other participants, how are you feeling? Yes, of course, I feel amazing. I am in loss of words truly. I am proud to represent such a state with vibrant a culture. What motivated you to participate in Miss India? After seeing Aishwarya Rai and Sushmita Sen who were making our country feel proud, that is something motivated me to take part in Miss India and bring crown for the country. What sets your state apart from the other states? Not just the vibrant culture of Odisha but also it is the tribal population that makes the state stand apart. In addition to that, Odisha has been referred as the land of temples with beautiful coastline along. After being crowned to represent your state, what was the feedback you received from your family and state people? Post my win, at the east zone pageant, I got a lot of support from the family as well as the Oriya people for whom I won the crown. I got that love and respect. I believe it is time for me to pay them and make them proud by bringing the big crown home. Now as you arrive in Mumbai for the next stage of Miss India, how are you preparing for it? I am working hard for it, engaging myself fully with a lot of confidence and elegance to seize the crown. You have mentioned you like exploring new places, what are the places you have explored and wish to explore? I have explored most of the South, North, and Northeastern states I wish to explore few more places as well not just in India but other countries also starting from Switzerland.

BERLIN: "We are made for each other," PM Modi said in Berlin as India and Germany signed eight bilateral agreements on Tuesday. "We are looking at outcome-oriented momentum in India-Germany ties and a quantum jump especially in economic ties," PM Modi said while addressing a press conference with Chancellor Angela Merkel after holding the fourth round of the inter-governmental dialogue to set a roadmap for the bilateral strategic ties. PM Modi said that India is giving an impetus to next-generation infrastructure and this is an area in which "we want to work extensively with Germany". Merkel said that India has proved to be a reliable partner and both countries have been able to deepen cooperation. Earlier, Modi was accorded a ceremonial welcome with military honours at the Chancellery, the office of the German Chancellor, where he was greeted by Merkel and senior German officials.

A bomb struck a Bangkok military hospital on Monday and wounded 21 people, one seriously, three years to the day after the Thai Army seized power in the politically unstable kingdom. The small device, which police said was potentially deadly, went off near the VIP section of King Mongkut hospital as patients and their families waited for prescriptions, shattering glass and sending smoke into the corridors. Hospital director Saroj Keokajee said the "low intensity bomb" injured 21 people, among them retired military officers.

Union finance minister Arun Jaitley on Monday filed another defamation case of Rs 10 crore against Arvind Kejriwal over use of an "objectionable" word by Delhi CM's lawyer Ram Jethmalani in the Delhi High court. Jaitley, who holds the twin portfolios of finance and defence, filed the fresh suit after Kejriwal's counsel Ram Jethmalani allegedly abused him in open court during the proceedings of another defamation suit he had filed against the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief and five other party leaders.

To ensure that all government employees reach work on time, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath has instructed that a biometric attendance system be put in place in offices up to the block level. Adityanath's instructions came during a meeting with officials of the rural development department late on Saturday night. "Efforts should be made to ensure that a biometric system of attendance is installed up to the block level. Apart from this, a board be put up at every village panchayat, which will have information about contact details of the village pradhan and details of the ongoing works," Adityanath said as per an official statement. The chief minister said that the targets of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana should be achieved.