NRI

Two thousand Jain manuscripts, collected by British entrepreneur Sir Henry Wellcome and held by the Wellcome Collection in London, are being returned to the Jain community. These 15th to 19th-century texts, believed to be the largest collection outside South Asia, will be transferred to the University of Birmingham.

New USCIS fingerprint checks are causing significant delays for immigration applications, including permanent residency and citizenship. Officials must resubmit biometrics for pending cases to the FBI's upgraded system, even if previously cleared. Attorneys warn this could lead to increased scrutiny of minor past interactions and disproportionately impact immigrants from certain regions.

The US has imposed visa restrictions on 13 individuals, including the owner of an Indian online pharmacy, KS International Traders, accused of selling illicit fentanyl-laced drugs to Americans. This action follows previous sanctions against Indian nationals and firms involved in trafficking fentanyl and its precursor chemicals, highlighting a joint effort between the US and India to combat drug networks.

Brampton's Central Peel Secondary School students, many of Indian origin, clinched the top prize in the 2026 Gerard K. O’Neill Space Settlement Contest. Their innovative 'Saoirse' project proposed a self-sustaining settlement for 10,000 residents at the Mars-Sun L2 Lagrange point. This marks a historic first for a Canadian team in this prestigious global aerospace competition.

An Indian-origin man in Singapore has been sentenced to 19 months in jail for molesting his friend's sister when she was a child. The victim, who was between seven and nine years old at the time, reported the abuse over a decade later. The man contested the charges but was convicted on two counts of molestation.

New Zealand minister Shane Jones defended his "butter chicken tsunami" immigration remarks, citing "hyperbole" for public debate impact. Despite criticism from Indian community leaders and opposition MPs labelling his comments "racist," Jones insists immigration is a key election issue.

US immigration routes for skilled Indian professionals are facing unprecedented uncertainty. Elite visa categories, including EB-1 and EB-2 NIW, have seen rejection rates nearly double and more than triple respectively. Even temporary visas like O-1 and L-1 are experiencing increased denials, signaling a significant tightening of pathways for top talent.