Feb 27 News Live | Go for ceasefire, China urges Pak, Afghanistan

Artificial intelligence presents a major opportunity to make development spending more efficient and job-oriented, a senior World Bank official said in New Delhi on Friday (February 27).

Talking to PTI at the World Sustainable Summit 2026, Valerie Hickey, Global Director for Environment at the World Bank, said technology today is where "innovation meets opportunity," and can help governments and households make better decisions through accurate, accessible, and affordable data.

She said artificial intelligence (AI) can strengthen early warning systems for droughts, floods and extreme heat, enabling policymakers and communities to prepare in advance and reduce losses.

"Technology today is where innovation meets opportunity. And this is particularly true when it comes to thinking about where we create jobs. How do we make sure scarce development resources and public budgets get the biggest bang for every single one," she said.

Highlighting the link between development and climate action, Hickey said the World Bank views climate as an "opportunity agenda" rather than a defensive one.

The Allahabad High Court on Friday (February 27) reserved its order on Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati's anticipatory bail plea in a case registered against him under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, lawyers said.

The court also stayed his arrest till the pronouncement of its order, which is expected in the third week of March, they added.

The spiritual leader has been accused of sexually exploiting two persons, including a minor. He, however, has denied the allegations and termed the case against him false.

Jammu and Kashmir inched closer to a historic maiden Ranji Trophy title triumph after taking a massive first-innings lead against Karnataka on the fourth and penultimate day of the summit showdown in Hubballi on Friday (February 27). Replying to Jammu and Kashmir's first innings total of 584, Karnataka were all out for 293 to hand the determined visitors a lead of 291 runs.

By stumps, Jammu and Kashmir, who decided not to enforce follow-on, consolidated their position and stretched their overall lead over Karnataka to 477 runs, having reached 186 for four in their second innings. Opener Qamran Iqbal was batting on 94 at close of play and Sahil Lotra was unbeaten on 16.

Karnataka's performance with the bat was a far cry from the collective effort by J&K as, barring seasoned opener Mayank Agarwal's defiant 160-run knock, none of the home team batters made any significant contributions.

Having rocked the star-studded home team with his pace on the third day, India's latest pace sensation Auqib Nabi ended with excellent figures of 5/54 in 23 overs to continue his superb run of form this season that has got the country talking and the national selectors take note of his exploits.

Brief Scores: Jammu and Kashmir 584 and 186 for 4 in 57 overs (Qamran Iqbal batting 94).

Karnataka 1st innings: 293 all out in 93.3 overs (Mayank Agarwal 160; Auqib Nabi 5/54).

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney arrived in Mumbai on Friday (February 27) at the start of a four-day India visit. He will meet business leaders in Mumbai.

Carney will fly to New Delhi on March 1 and meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi there on March 2, as per the official schedule.

He will also meet External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and address the India-Canada CEO Forum in the national capital before returning to Canada.

Benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty tumbled over 1 per cent on Friday (February 27) due to fresh foreign fund outflows and subdued global trends amid rising geopolitical risks.

The lack of progress in US-Iran nuclear talks has intensified concerns of further escalation of Middle East tensions, experts said.

The 30-share BSE Sensex tanked 961.42 points or 1.17 per cent to settle at 81,287.19. During the day, it dropped 1,089.46 points or 1.32 per cent to 81,159.15.

The 50-share NSE Nifty tumbled 317.90 points or 1.25 per cent to end at 25,178.65.

From the Sensex pack, Sun Pharma, Bharti Airtel, Bajaj Finserv, InterGlobe Aviation, Mahindra & Mahindra and Maruti were among the major laggards.

HCL Tech, Trent, Infosys and Eternal were the gainers.

Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) offloaded equities worth Rs 3,465.99 crore on Thursday, according to exchange data. Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs), however, bought stocks worth Rs 5,031.57 crore.

Rangbhari Ekadashi on Friday (February 27) marked the beginning of Holi celebrations in Vrindavan temples, with long queues of devotees seen outside major shrines and the town reverberating with traditional 'rasiya' hymns.

The festivities were also streamed live for devotees across the country and abroad, with the Shri Bankey Bihari temple launching a darshan live telecast service from Friday morning. The live streaming began at 7.55 am within the temple premises and from 1 pm on the temple's official social media platforms.

At the Bankey Bihari Temple, priests said the festivities began with Lord Bankey Bihari symbolically playing Holi with devotees.

Gyanendra Kishore Goswami, a 'sewayat' (priest) of the temple, said the ritual commenced with Thakur ji sprinkling saffron, rose water, tesu (flame of the forest) extract and perfume-filled water from a 'pichkari' on Radha Rani, followed by a playful exchange of colours.

Tracing the origin of the festival to the 'Dwapar Yuga', Goswami said it was believed that Radha first applied colour on Lord Krishna's cheeks, marking the beginning of Holi traditions in Braj.

After Ekadashi rituals, gujia and jalebi were offered to the deity as prasad. Bankey Bihari adorned white attire for the occasion and will continue to do so till Dhulandi, when he will wear pink garments, he added.

Holi celebrations will be held during both morning and evening darshans.

The BJP said on Friday (February 27) that though a court has acquitted AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal for "lack of evidence" in a case involving the Delhi excise policy, the people of the national capital have already given him a "political response on political grounds" and the probe agency will now decide its next course of action based on technical grounds.

Asked about the court acquitting Kejriwal, BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi also said it is a "technical matter" and the party will come up with a "structured response" on the court's judgment, after studying it.

"This is also true that hundreds of mobile phones and SIM cards, evidence in the case, were destroyed. Now, why were those destroyed and how that led to the lack of evidence in the case, the CBI will look into such technical issues and decide its next course of action," Trivedi said.

"It is also worth considering that if there was no evidence at all, how the court allowed the charges to be framed?" he asked, adding, "All the charges were baseless, yet those were framed. So there are certain technical issues and after studying the judgment in depth, the party will give a structured response." An emotional Kejriwal asserted on Friday that the corruption case against him was the "biggest political conspiracy" in the history of independent India.

China on Friday (February 27) called on Pakistan and Afghanistan to work out a ceasefire while expressing concern over the escalation of the conflict between the two countries.

China is closely following the developments of the situation in the conflict between Pakistan and Afghanistan, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told a media briefing, responding to questions on the current conflict between the two countries.

She said China supports combating all forms of terrorism and calls on both sides to exercise calm and restraint, properly resolve their differences and disputes through dialogue and consultation, and realise a ceasefire as soon as possible to avoid more suffering.

The de-escalation serves the fundamental interests of the two countries and peoples, and will help uphold peace and stability in the region, she said.