News brief: Big stories of the day

Escalating its attack on the Congress, the BJP Monday drew a parallel between the opposition party and Pakistani leaders, saying both want Prime Minister Narendra Modi removed from Indian politics.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi launched a one-line Twitter broadside against Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday. In his tweet, he wrote: "The sad truth about India's Commander in Thief".

The strongman leader of the Maldives on Monday conceded defeat in the presidential election, easing fears of a fresh political crisis in the archipelago at the centre of a battle for influence between India and China.

The Kremlin on Monday accused Israeli pilots of "premeditated actions" over the downing of a Russian plane in Syria last week, warning it will harm relations between the two countries.

She may be a name to reckon with in the acting world but Kajol admits that she learnt the craft hands-on, one film at a time.