Two US courts have stopped the deportation of Subramanyam “Subu” Vedam, an Indian-origin man who spent 43 years in prison for a murder he did not commit. Vedam, who moved to the US as a baby, was freed in October after his conviction was overturned. But immigration officials detained him again for an old minor drug case. His lawyers say it is unfair to deport him after decades of wrongful imprisonment. The courts have paused his deportation while his appeal is reviewed. Vedam’s family hopes he will finally be allowed to live freely in the country he calls home. (PC: India Today)

Canada rejected 74% of Indian student visa applications in August 2025, more than double the 32% rejection rate from a year earlier, as part of stricter immigration controls. Indian applications plummeted from 20,900 in August 2023 to just 4,515 in August 2025. The crackdown follows fraud concerns, with Canadian authorities uncovering nearly 1,550 fraudulent study permit applications in 2023, mostly from India, and detecting over 14,000 potentially fraudulent acceptance letters in 2024. Universities like Waterloo report two-thirds decline in Indian enrollment. The measures coincide with strained India-Canada relations following former PM Trudeau's allegations about India's involvement in Hardeep Singh Nijjar's killing, which New Delhi strongly denies. (PC: Firstpost & The Indian Express)

A disturbing viral video from Canada shows an intoxicated man violently assaulting an Indian national after accusing him of "acting superior." The unprovoked attack has sparked widespread outrage across social media platforms, with users demanding strict legal action against the perpetrator. The incident has intensified concerns about rising xenophobia and racism targeting immigrants in Canada. Many commentators have highlighted the growing frequency of hate crimes and discriminatory attacks against Indian nationals and other immigrant communities. The video has drawn attention to the challenges faced by immigrants in Canada, prompting calls for stronger hate crime legislation and better protection for vulnerable communities. Authorities have not yet confirmed whether charges have been filed in this case.

A senior Indian tech lead earning nearly ₹1 crore annually was denied a US B1/B2 visa in under a minute at the New Delhi embassy after just three questions. He planned to attend Kubecon + CloudNative Con 2025 in Atlanta, crucial for his Cloud Native platform work. Despite having an 11-year stable job, an eight-month-old daughter, confirmed conference registration, hotel bookings, and international travel history to Lithuania, Maldives, and Indonesia, he received a Section 214(b) refusal slip. The officer asked about his travel purpose, previous trips, and US connections before denying the visa. Section 214(b) applies when consular officers doubt applicants will return home after visiting America. (PC: The Economic Times)

A 36-year-old Indian national, Adarsh Behera from Odisha's Jagatsinghpur district, has been kidnapped by Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Al Fashir, located 1,000 kilometers from Khartoum. Behera, who moved to Sudan three years ago to work at Sukarati Plastic Factory, was abducted from the city recently captured by RSF after an 18-month siege. He is married with two sons aged eight and three. Sudan's ambassador to India, Mohammed Abdalla Ali Eltom, has pledged cooperation to secure his safe return, though described the situation as "unpredictable." The RSF, notorious for atrocities, has allegedly taken him to their stronghold in Nyala. Sudan's civil war has killed 150,000 and displaced 12 million people.

US authorities confirmed that Indian-origin driver Jashanpreet Singh was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs during a fatal crash in California that killed three people. The 21-year-old from Yuba City now faces charges of grossly negligent homicide and reckless driving. Eyewitnesses said Singh’s truck sped into stopped vehicles, causing a deadly multi-car collision. He remains in custody without bail. Officials said Singh entered the US illegally in 2022. This is the second such case involving an Indian-origin truck driver in recent months, raising concern over reckless driving incidents across the United States. (PC: India Today)

India has sent relief material and medicines to Afghanistan after a powerful earthquake hit the northern provinces of Balkh, Samangan, and Baghlan. External affairs minister S Jaishankar spoke to Afghan foreign minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi to offer condolences and support. He said more consignments of medicines will reach soon. The quake killed at least 20 people and injured over 640. The Taliban government thanked India for donating over 16 tonnes of medicines and diagnostic kits to help fight diseases like malaria and dengue. India said it will continue its humanitarian support to the Afghan people. (PC: X)

The US Treasury Department sanctioned dual Indian-Mexican national Anil Bhardwaj, his wife Indu Rani, three associates, and 16 companies for operating a sophisticated human smuggling organization from Cancun, Mexico. Bhardwaj's HSO smuggled thousands of undocumented migrants from Europe, Middle East, South America, and Asia into America using yachts, marinas, and the Tapachula-Cancun-Mexicali corridor. The organization also engaged in drug trafficking, bribery, and money laundering, generating thousands of dollars per individual while receiving support from Sinaloa Cartel operatives. OFAC designated India-based Veena Shivani Estates, Michigantap Hospitality restaurant, VVN Buildcon, and five other companies for facilitating criminal activities. All property and interests in the US are now blocked. (PC: NDTV)

Sudan's Ambassador to India, Mohammed Abdalla Ali Eltom, confirmed close coordination with India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to secure the release of abducted Indian national Adarsh Behera. The 36-year-old Odisha resident from Jagatsinghpur district was kidnapped by rebel Rapid Support Forces (RSF) from Al Fashir and reportedly taken to RSF stronghold Nyala in South Darfur. Eltom revealed MEA had previously contacted Sudan regarding another Indian enduring "extremely difficult conditions" for over 500 days. Sudan's civil war between government forces and RSF paramilitary has raged since April 2023, killing thousands and displacing millions. Over 36,000 civilians recently fled Kordofan region as fighting intensifies around strategic locations connecting Darfur with Khartoum. (PC: X & NPR)

Diplomatic representatives from seven nations including Japan, Indonesia, Denmark, Australia, United Kingdom, Bhutan, and South Africa attended Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally in Arrah, Bihar, during a two-day visit to study BJP's election campaign strategies. The delegation observed mass participation and grassroots door-to-door campaigning while meeting senior BJP leaders Ravi Shankar Prasad, Dharmendra Pradhan, and Vinod Tawde. They visited BJP State Headquarters in Patna, studying the party's organization, communication strategy, and election management system. Bihar elections occur in two phases on November 6 and 11, with results on November 14. The contest features NDA versus Mahagathbandhan, with Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj contesting all 243 seats independently.(PC:X)