A 38-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of racially aggravated criminal damage after the statue of Winston Churchill in Parliament Square was defaced with red paint and graffiti. Slogans including “Zionist war criminal”, “Stop the Genocide”, “Free Palestine”, and “Globalise the Intifada” were sprayed on the bronze monument in the early hours of Friday. Metropolitan Police officers arrived within minutes and made an arrest. Heritage wardens cordoned off and began cleaning the statue. Officials condemned the vandalism, noting the landmark has been targeted several times during past protests.

Afghanistan’s Taliban-led authorities say they have launched large-scale offensive attacks against Pakistan’s military positions and installations along the disputed Durand Line border in response to recent Pakistani airstrikes on Afghan territory. Kabul claims its forces hit multiple posts and inflicted casualties, while Pakistan insists its troops delivered an “immediate and effective response” and inflicted heavy losses on Afghan fighters. Both sides report conflicting casualty figures and accusations of aggression as tensions soar following repeated exchanges of fire and air operations. The violence marks a significant escalation in the long-running security crisis between the two neighbours.

Vijay, a leading Tamil cinema star and chief of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), faces a major personal development as his wife, Sangeetha Sornalingam, has filed a divorce petition in the Chengalpattu family court after over 25 years of marriage. In the petition, she alleged Vijay was involved in an extramarital relationship with an actress, seeking divorce on grounds of infidelity and cruelty. The couple married in 1999 and have two children. The legal process has just begun, and neither Vijay nor his representatives has publicly responded yet. (PC: Facebook)

Pakistani fighter jets carried out air strikes on Kabul and other Afghan cities after Islamabad declared an “open war” against Afghanistan’s Taliban government. The escalation follows days of intense cross-border clashes along the Durand Line. Pakistan says it targeted militant hideouts and Taliban positions responsible for attacks on its forces, while the Taliban claims civilian areas were hit and has vowed retaliation. Both sides reported casualties, though numbers remain disputed. The strikes mark one of the most serious flare-ups in recent years, raising fears of a wider regional conflict and prompting international calls for restraint.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney arrived in Mumbai on 27 Feb 2026 for his first official visit to India, running through 2 March, aimed at strengthening diplomatic and economic ties with Narendra Modi. The four-day trip includes business engagements with industry leaders, discussions on trade, investment, energy and technology, and delegation-level talks in New Delhi. Both sides plan to review progress under the India-Canada Strategic Partnership and launch negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement. The visit marks a diplomatic thaw after years of strained relations. (PC: Reuters)

A Delhi trial court on 27 Feb 2026 discharged Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and 21 others in the CBI’s excise (liquor)-policy case, saying evidence didn’t establish a criminal conspiracy. After the verdict, Kejriwal alleged the Central Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement Directorate were “weaponised” against him for political ends, demanding that Narendra Modi and Amit Shah apologise to the nation. The agencies said they will appeal the order in Delhi High Court, intensifying political and legal battle over the high-profile corruption probe.

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw emphasised that trust is essential in deploying artificial intelligence (AI) while addressing the Rising Bharat Summit 2026. He argued that India’s ongoing AI transition must be proactive, with trust, talent and innovation working together to ensure adoption in sensitive sectors like banking and finance. Vaishnaw also called for a strong talent pipeline and cooperation between government and industry to build reliable AI systems. He warned that deepfakes and misinformation threaten societal trust and said digital platforms must be accountable for content they host. (PC: Instagram)

Newly obtained FBI memos from the Jeffrey Epstein investigation include unverified but explicit allegations that former President Donald Trump sexually abused a minor in the 1980s—claims omitted from the Department of Justice’s public release of Epstein-related files. The DOJ says it’s reviewing whether documents were improperly withheld under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, amid accusations from Democratic lawmakers that key interview summaries were excluded. The missing pages relate to a 2019 accuser’s multiple FBI interviews. Trump has denied wrongdoing, while critics and members of Congress demand greater transparency over the omissions. (PC: EPA)

Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif has declared an “open war” against Afghanistan’s Taliban government, saying Islamabad’s “patience has reached its limit” after renewed cross-border attacks and deadly clashes. Pakistan launched air strikes on Kabul, Kandahar and Paktia provinces, responding to what it calls unprovoked Afghan firing on its forces along the Durand Line. Both sides report heavy casualties and destruction of military posts, with conflicting casualty numbers. Islamabad accuses the Taliban of sheltering militant groups, while Kabul denies this. The escalation marks a major deterioration in Pakistan-Afghanistan relations, raising fears of broader regional instability. (PC: AFP)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed strong displeasure over a controversial Class 8 NCERT Social Science chapter discussing alleged corruption in the judiciary. After the Supreme Court of India imposed a blanket ban on the textbook and ordered copies to be withdrawn, the Prime Minister reportedly asked how such content was cleared and who was responsible. Government sources said he stressed that accountability must be fixed. Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan expressed regret over the issue, while NCERT apologised and said the book would be revised following the court’s directions. (PC: NDTV)