Canada has rejected nearly 74% of Indian student visa applications in August 2025, government data shows. The drop comes as Ottawa tightens visa checks to stop fraud and limit temporary migration. Rejections for Indian applicants have more than doubled since 2023, when only 32% were denied. The number of Indian students applying also fell from 20,900 to just 4,515. Canada’s immigration office says stricter rules and higher financial proof are now required. Indian officials said Canada has long benefited from Indian talent. Universities across Canada report fewer Indian students enrolling in recent years. (PC: NDTV)

Police are investigating if Anthony Williams, 32, accused of stabbing passengers on a Cambridgeshire train, is connected to other knife attacks. Williams faces 11 charges of attempted murder, two for carrying knives, and one for causing harm. One possible link under probe is the stabbing of a 14-year-old in London on Friday. The BBC obtained an image of Williams in a barber’s shop the night before the train attack. A train worker remains in critical but stable condition. Footballer Jonathan Gjoshe was also injured. Huntingdon Station, closed since Saturday’s attack, has now reopened as police continue their inquiries. (PC: BBC)

India captain Harmanpreet Kaur recreated MS Dhoni’s iconic World Cup pose at the Gateway of India on Monday. A day after leading India to their first-ever Women’s World Cup title, she was seen holding the trophy at the famous Mumbai monument. The win ended India’s long wait for an ICC title, after heartbreaks in 2005 and 2017. Harmanpreet said the moment marked “the start of something big” and promised to make winning a habit. She thanked her team and fans, calling the victory a result of years of belief, struggle and destiny. (PC: India Today)

An Indian man from Odisha has been abducted by rebel forces in Sudan’s civil war. The victim, 36-year-old Adarsh Behera from Jagatsinghpur, was taken by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) from Al Fashir city in Darfur. Sudan’s Ambassador to India, Mohammed Abdalla Ali Eltom, said both countries are working together to secure his release. He called the situation “very unpredictable” but hoped Behera would return safely. The envoy praised India for its humanitarian aid to Sudan and said India could play a key role in rebuilding the country after the war ends. (PC: HT)

Three 22-year-old school friends, including Indian-Americans Adarsh Hiremath and Surya Midha, became the world's youngest self-made billionaires after their AI recruiting startup Mercor raised $350 million, valuing the company at $10 billion. They surpassed Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who became a billionaire at 23. Each holds approximately 22% stake in Mercor. Hiremath and Midha attended Bellarmine College Preparatory in San Jose, becoming the first duo winning all three major national policy debate tournaments in one year. Launched in 2023 connecting Indian engineers with US companies, Mercor achieved $500 million annualized revenue by September. All three founders are Thiel Fellows, receiving $100,000 grants for foregoing college. (PC: X)

The Supreme Court revealed Monday that fraudsters have scammed over ₹3,000 crore from victims through "digital arrests," primarily targeting elderly populations. A Bench headed by Justice Surya Kant, Chief Justice of India-designate, reviewed a confidential Union Government report describing the issue as a "very big challenge, much more than we thought." Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, acknowledged the digital arrest scam's scale exceeded initial expectations. The revelation highlights India's growing cybercrime crisis, where fraudsters impersonate law enforcement officials to intimidate victims into transferring money under fake legal threats. The Supreme Court's observations underscore the urgent need for enhanced awareness campaigns and stronger regulatory measures to protect vulnerable citizens from sophisticated online fraud schemes. (PC: Pinterest)

Fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi has appealed to Belgium's Court of Cassation, the country's highest judicial authority, challenging his extradition to India. Belgian official Ken Witpas confirmed the October 30 appeal, stating extradition execution is suspended during review. Choksi contests the Antwerp Court of Appeals' October 17 ruling declaring India's extradition request "enforceable" and rejecting fair trial concerns. Accused of siphoning ₹6,400 crore from the ₹13,000 crore Punjab National Bank scam, Choksi fled India in January 2018 before acquiring Antigua citizenship. Recently located in Belgium for medical treatment, he faces arrest warrants from Mumbai's special court issued in May 2018 and June 2021. India has assured Belgium regarding his safety and human rights. (PC: The Economic Times)

After leading India to their first ICC Women’s World Cup title, captain Harmanpreet Kaur said former legends Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami were the biggest support pillars in her career. She said Jhulan guided her during her early days, while Anjum Chopra also helped her learn the game. Harmanpreet shared that giving the trophy to Mithali and Jhulan was an emotional moment for the whole team. She also urged her players to stay calm and believe in themselves during South Africa’s chase. Harmanpreet praised Shafali Verma’s match-winning effort and called the victory a team result. (PC: X)

At least 20 people were killed and more than 500 injured after a powerful 6.3-magnitude earthquake hit northern Afghanistan early Monday. The quake struck near Mazar-e-Sharif at a depth of 28 km, causing buildings to collapse and power outages across several regions, including Kabul. Rescue teams are searching through debris as officials warn the death toll may rise. The Taliban government said most injuries occurred as people fled buildings in panic. The quake also damaged electricity lines from Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. Afghanistan often faces deadly earthquakes due to its location on active fault lines.

Vishwashkumar Ramesh, the only survivor of the Air India Flight 171 crash that killed 241 people in Ahmedabad, says he feels “lost and broken.” The British national told the BBC he has been living alone and not speaking to his wife or son since the tragedy. His younger brother died in the crash, leaving him deeply traumatised. Ramesh, who suffers from PTSD and physical injuries, has received limited support. Community leaders have criticised Air India for not doing enough to help victims’ families. The airline said it has reached out and offered compensation of £21,500. (PC: India Today)