Feb 15 News Live: India right place to host AI summit, says UN Chief Guterres

Award-winning farmer ends life over debt in Kerala

A 62-year-old award-winning farmer allegedly died by suicide due to mounting financial debt at Cherupuzha in Kerala's Kannur district, police said.

The deceased was identified as Ambattu Elias, a native of Idavaram in Cherupuzha. According to family sources, he allegedly consumed pesticide and was found in a critical condition at his farm three days ago.

Elias had been undergoing treatment at a private hospital in the district, where he later succumbed. Financial liabilities to the tune of several lakhs of rupees are suspected to have driven him to take the extreme step.

Elias had been cultivating vegetables on a leased land for nearly four decades in the hilly regions of Kannur and neighbouring Kasaragod district. He had planted around 2,500 banana saplings this season also, but his income did not match the yield, leaving him in distress, sources added.

DJ killed in celebratory firing during wedding procession in UP

A DJ operator was killed in alleged celebratory firing during a wedding procession in Gorakhpur, UP, police said on Sunday.

The incident occurred in the Gagaha area, around 100 metres before the procession reached Guru Kripa Marriage Hall near Baba Baleshwar Nath temple.

The deceased was identified as Chhotu (18), a resident of Gaushala village under the Gola police station limits. He was operating the DJ system as the groom's procession moved towards the venue.

According to police and eyewitnesses, the 'baraat' of Shubhransh was heading to the marriage hall when the incident took place. As revellers danced to loud music, a youth accompanying the procession allegedly began firing a pistol in the air in celebration.

Witnesses said three shots were fired in quick succession. While two bullets went into the air, the third struck Chhotu in the head, causing him to collapse on the spot. He was rushed to the district hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead.

UP cough syrup smuggling case: SP youth wing's former state secy arrested

The Lucknow unit of the Special Task Force (STF) has arrested a man in connection with the illegal storage and smuggling of codeine-laced cough syrup for intoxicating purposes, STF officials said on Sunday.

The accused was identified as Amit Yadav, a resident of Maidagin in Varanasi, and was arrested late on Saturday night. According to STF officials, a case was registered against Yadav at the Sushant Golf City police station in Lucknow for cough syrup smuggling, and he was being sought in connection with the case.

During interrogation, Yadav revealed that he had previously served as the president of the student union of Harishchandra Postgraduate College, Varanasi, and the state secretary of the Samajwadi Party Yuvjan Sabha.

Amit revealed that he had met Shubham Jaisal, the alleged kingpin of the cough syrup racket, while studying at Harishchandra College.

Shaili Traders, the firm of Shubham's father Bhola Prasad was allegedly involved in smuggling Phensedyl cough syrup from Abbott.

Cough syrup containing codeine is used as an intoxicant and is in high demand in West Bengal and Bangladesh, making its smuggling highly profitable.

21 lakh devotees take holy dip in Ganga, Sangam on Magh Mela's last day

On the occasion of Mahashivratri, the last bathing day of the ongoing Magh Mela, 21 lakh devotees have taken a holy dip in the Ganga and Sangam by 10 am, an official said on Sunday.

A mela authority official said that devotees have been arriving at the fair area and bathing since late Saturday night. By 10 am on Sunday, 21 lakh devotees have bathed in the Ganga and Sangam, the official said.

District Magistrate Manish Kumar Verma said that adequate security arrangements have been made at all the ghats. SDRF and NDRF teams are deployed, along with boatmen and divers. Verma said that adequate changing rooms are available at all the ghats, and the fair area is being monitored through CCTV cameras and drones. 

Five held after encounter in connection with Dalit man's murder in UP's Ballia

Five men, including three named accused, were arrested following a police encounter in connection with the murder of a 30-year-old Dalit man in the Rasra area here, officials said on Sunday.

Two of the accused sustained bullet injuries to their legs during the exchange of fire, they said. According to police, Satya Prakash Ram, a resident of Gurgujpur village in Rasra, was returning home on Saturday afternoon when he was allegedly stabbed to death by three men near a liquor shop in Sawara village following an argument.

Based on a complaint lodged by the victim's brother, Om Prakash, a case was registered against Sundaram Singh, Raja Singh, and Umakant Pandey -- all residents of Sawara village -- under section 103(1) (murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and relevant provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Ballia Superintendent of Police Omvir Singh on Sunday said Pandey was arrested soon after the incident.

West Indies win toss, opt to bowl against Nepal

West Indies captain Shai Hope won the toss and opted to bowl against Nepal in their T20 World Cup match in Mumbai on Sunday. Both sides made one change each from their previous match playing XIs.

For the West Indies, Romario Shepherd will miss the match due to a niggle and Matthew Forde replaces him. Sompal Kami comes in for Nepal in place of Lalit Rajbanshi.

Teams: West Indies: Shai Hope (w/c), Brandon King, Shimron Hetmyer, Roston Chase, Sherfane Rutherford, Rovman Powell, Jason Holder, Matthew Forde, Akeal Hosein, Gudakesh Motie, Shamar Joseph.

Nepal: Rohit Paudel (c), Kushal Bhurtel, Aasif Sheikh (w), Dipendra Singh Airee, Aarif Sheikh, Lokesh Bam, Gulsan Jha, Sompal Kami, Karan KC, Nandan Yadav, Sandeep Lamichhane.

India right place to host AI summit: UN Chief Guterres

India is a "very successful" emerging economy with a bigger influence in global affairs, and is the “right place” to host the AI summit, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said.

In an exclusive interview with PTI at the UN Headquarters ahead of the India–AI Impact Summit 2026, Guterres underscored that Artificial Intelligence should benefit the entire world and not just be a privilege reserved for developed nations or two superpowers.

“I strongly congratulate India for organising this Summit. It's absolutely essential that AI develops itself to the benefit of everybody, everywhere and that countries in the Global South are part of the benefits of AI,” he said.

The high-powered event being held from February 16 to 20 will be the first-ever AI summit hosted in the Global South and is anchored in the three guiding principles of ‘People, Planet and Progress’.

Guterres, who will be travelling to India to attend the Summit, asserted “it would be totally unacceptable that AI would be just a privilege of the most developed countries or a division only between two superpowers”, an apparent reference to the US and China.

Father sells baby boy for Rs 1 lakh in Odisha; child rescued, 2 detained

Odisha Police have rescued a two-and-a-half-year-old boy who was allegedly sold by his father to a man for Rs 1 lakh, officials said.

Both the seller and the buyer have been detained. The incident, which took place at Barisahi village in Nilgiri Notified Area Council area, came to light after a video purportedly showing the father bargaining with a prospective buyer went viral on social media.

A local activist subsequently lodged a complaint at Nilgiri police station. PTI, however, could not independently verify the authenticity of the video.

"The baby was rescued from Chiminibhati area and handed over to the child welfare committee. Further investigation is underway," Nilgiri Sub-divisional Police Officer Pramod Kumar Mallick said, adding police have detained two persons in this connection.

Police identified the father as Rakesh Kumar Behera alias Kua, a mason, who allegedly received Rs 50,000 as the first installment.

Kochi father-daughter deaths: Autopsy reveals sexual assault, probe intensifies

The investigation into the deaths of a six-year-old girl and her father in Elamakkara was intensified after an autopsy report revealed the child had been sexually assaulted prior to her death in January, police said on Sunday.

On January 16, the girl was allegedly poisoned before her father died by suicide at the rented house in Kochi. Police officials said the autopsy report revealed that the deceased child was allegedly sexually assaulted for the past one year.

The child's mother has told investigators that the family was unaware of any such incident. According to police, she told them there was a quarrel over a financial matter with her husband on the day the father and daughter were found dead.

An officer at the Elamakkara police station said the statements of relatives and people close to the family would be recorded soon. The police will also speak to the teachers of the educational institution where the child was studying, the officer said.

PM Modi extends birthday wishes to Union minister Hardeep Puri

Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended birthday wishes to Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, praising his efforts to make India self-reliant in the petroleum and natural gas sectors and wishing him long life and good health.