Evening briefing: PM Modi urges donations for ‘nation building’; Kharge's advice to RJD on Nitish Kumar, more news
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday contributed ₹2,000 to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) via the NaMo app to strengthen efforts to build a ‘Viksit Bharat’. He shared a picture of the receipt on X (formerly Twitter), encouraging citizens to join the initiative for nation-building. The receipt indicated that the donations are eligible for Income Tax exemption under sections 80 GGB for companies and 80 GGC for others, per the Income Tax Act, 1961. PM Modi's call for donations coincides with the recent Supreme Court decision to abolish the electoral bonds practice, deeming it “unconstitutional”.
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Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, speaking at Patna's Jan Vishwas Rally on Sunday said when Nitish Kumar comes back again seeking an alliance with the RJD, the doors should be shut in his face. Even after back-to-back cases, Lalu Prasad Yadav never bowed down before the BJP, Kharge said adding, 'But your chacha (uncle) did' -- referring to Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar whom former Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi used to call uncle. Nitish Kumar's volte face ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha election was the major twist as he was one of the key forces behind uniting the regional parties and bringing them together under INDIA bloc. Dig deeper
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Global Matters
First Lady Jill Biden is actively supporting her husband's re-election campaign, making proactive efforts to win over women voters. During her visit to Tucson on Saturday, the second stop on her tour, she strongly criticized the Republican stance on abortion. However, her speech was interrupted by Pro-Palestinian protestors, accusing her and her husband of supporting genocide due to their backing of Israel's military actions in Gaza. Despite this disruption, she continued to rally the predominantly female audience against the leading Republican rival, Donald Trump, at the Fox Tucson Theatre. Dig deeper
Entertainment Focus
Pop icon Britney Spears tied the knot with Sam Asghari in June 2022, but they went their separate ways in August 2023. Speaking to People magazine, Sam spoke highly of Britney despite their brief marriage, expressing gratitude for their relationship. Although he initiated the divorce, he emphasised that he harbours no resentment. Rumours emerged in November of last year suggesting that Britney was considering releasing a memoir centred around her divorce from Sam. Dig deeper
Lifestyle and Health
Ramadan 2024: The eagerly anticipated month is on the horizon, marking one of the most significant periods of the year. Ramadan, also known as Ramzan, holds special significance as the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, observed by Muslims worldwide. The commencement and conclusion of Ramadan hinge upon the sighting of the crescent moon in Saudi Arabia, determining whether the month will span twenty-nine or thirty days. This year, Ramadan will commence on March 11 and conclude by April 9. Throughout Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn until sunset as a sacred practice. Dig deeper
Sports Goings
With the Test series final against England in Dharamsala still four days away, experienced off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, amidst his preparations for the match, has been closely monitoring the progress of the Ranji Trophy semifinal clash between Mumbai and his home state Tamil Nadu. Ashwin's engagement on social media platform X indicates his interest in the match. On Day 1, Tamil Nadu struggled, being dismissed for just 146 runs, but Mumbai seized the advantage on Day 2, propelled by Sai Kishore's impressive five-wicket haul in the opening session. Dig deeper