Psychology student Misbah Arshad crowned Miss Universe Pakistan

Students protesting alleged irregularities in Jharkhand's recruitment examinations have stepped up their agitation. The JPSC-JSSC Reforms March protesters burnt effigies of Chief Minister Hemant Soren and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Ranchi. The protest was held as part of the students' campaign demanding action over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission and the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission. The protesters have demanded cancellation of certain JPSC exams besides an independent probe into the alleged irregularities. They've also accused the ruling JMM Congress Alliance of failing to take concrete action on their demands. They've also accused the ruling JMM Congress Alliance. Their agitation has also targeted Rahul Gandhi after the Congress leader wrote to the Chief Minister urging him to personally meet the protesting students and address their concerns. Scaffold broke out between students and the police. The students' agitation has been continuing for several weeks although they have since temporarily suspended the broader protest after the state government accepted some of their demands. They also gave the government a two-month deadline to implement further reforms. In two separate but close incidents, two commercial vessels carrying a total of 22 Indian nationals were hijacked off the coast of Yemen and Somalia under the statement by the Ministry of External Affairs. Now, India's mission in Kenya has also reiterated that all the crew members are safe. On August 20th, the Eritrea-flagged oil tanker MT Sibhu 1 was hijacked by pirates in the Gulf of Aden near Yemen, stranding a 20-person crew that includes 16 Indian seafarers. This follows the August 17th hijacking of the Cameroon-flagged MV Lutuf off Somalia's Puntland coast, where six armed pirates seized control of the vessel and its six Indian crew members. In its response, the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson had stated that the MEA was actively tracking the hijacking and had spoken to concerned authorities for defusing the situation. Both the ships were foreign-flagged. Indian seafarers, 22 in total, were on board. All 22 Indians are safe and alive. We continue to speak with authorities for the safety of our nationals. According to the MEA's response, even India's embassy in Kenya confirmed that no casualties have been reported in the hijacking. The mission has affirmed that it is engaging with authorities in Somalia for the safe return of the 22 Indian seafarers. The twin hijackings come amid renewed security concerns for commercial shipping in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and wider Indian Ocean. Vessels in the region have faced both piracy threats and attacks linked to the conflict in Yemen. The Ford Seamen's Union of India recently voiced alarm over mounting regional tension and Indian casualties. As one of the world's largest suppliers of merchant seafarers, India faces high exposure to growing maritime conflicts, especially in West Asia. The 2026 DIMCOR ICS Seafarer Workforce Report ranks India second globally behind the Philippines, providing 311,936 seafarers to the global fleet.