Biggest Story In India Headlines 7th August 2025
A case has been registered against veteran actress and model Shwetha Menon in Kerala, accusing her of acting in obscene films and advertisements for financial benefit. The First Information Report (FIR) was filed by the Ernakulam Central Police following a court directive based on a complaint from a social activist.
Allegations and Legal Action
The complaint, filed by activist Martin Menachery, alleges that Menon acted in films with vulgar and obscene content that were later circulated on social media and adult websites. The specific works cited in the complaint include her roles in the critically acclaimed films Paleri Manikyam: Oru Pathirakolapathakathinte Katha, Rathinirvedham, and Kalimannu, as well as a condom advertisement she appeared in years ago.
The FIR includes non-bailable charges under several laws:
Section 67A of the Information Technology (IT) Act, which pertains to publishing or transmitting sexually explicit material in electronic form.
Sections 3 and 5 of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, which relate to offenses involving prostitution.
Menon’s Response and Legal Challenge
Shwetha Menon, 51, has strongly refuted the allegations, calling them baseless and a malicious attempt to tarnish her reputation. She has since approached the Kerala High Court seeking to quash the FIR. In her petition, Menon argues that the films mentioned are lawfully certified by the Censor Board and have been in the public domain for years.
She highlighted that her performance in Paleri Manikyam earned her the Kerala State Film Award for Best Actress, underscoring its artistic merit. Similarly, the film Kalimannu, which controversially included scenes of her actual childbirth, was also certified by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). The director of Kalimannu, Blessy, has defended the film, stating the case seems like a conspiracy and that the controversy is fueled by a “distorted mindset,” especially since the film was cleared by the censor board over a decade ago.
Timing and Context
The case has emerged at a critical time for Menon, who is a prominent candidate for the presidency of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA), with elections scheduled for August 15. Menon’s petition suggests the complaint’s timing is a deliberate attempt to sabotage her candidature. If elected, she would be the first woman to lead AMMA since its founding in 1994.
Menon has had a long and successful career in the Indian film industry, working across multiple languages and acting alongside top stars like Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, and Aamir Khan.
Following former US President Donald Trump’s decision to impose an additional 25% tariff on Indian goods, questions have arisen about the terms “secondary tariffs” and “secondary sanctions”. The move, which brings the total tariff on Indian imports to 50%, is a penalty for India’s continued purchase of Russian oil.
What are ‘Secondary Tariffs’?
A “secondary tariff” is a trade penalty imposed on one country to influence the actions of another. It’s a novel term used by the Trump administration to describe a specific pressure tactic.
In this instance, the United States is imposing tariffs on Indian goods, but the primary target is Russia. The goal is to pressure India into stopping its oil trade with Russia, thereby cutting off a major source of revenue that funds Russia’s war in Ukraine. By making Indian goods more expensive in the American market, the US aims to compel the Indian government to align with US foreign policy regarding Russia. This policy penalizes third-party countries or entities that trade with a nation the US opposes.
How Do They Differ from ‘Secondary Sanctions’?
While the concept is similar, “secondary tariffs” and “secondary sanctions” differ in their application and legal basis.
Primary vs. Secondary Sanctions To understand secondary sanctions, one must first understand primary sanctions. Primary sanctions are rules that directly prohibit American individuals and companies from doing business with a specific targeted country or entity. Secondary sanctions expand on this by targeting non-US individuals, companies, or banks in third countries that engage in business with a country already under US primary sanctions. They effectively force foreign entities to choose between doing business with the US or with the sanctioned country.
Key Differences The main distinction lies in their mechanism and scope:
Target and Mechanism: Secondary sanctions typically target specific entities (companies, banks) involved in prohibited dealings, often by cutting them off from the US financial system, freezing their assets, or placing them on a blacklist. In contrast, Trump’s “secondary tariff” is a blanket tax applied to all goods imported from a country like India.
Legal Basis: True secondary sanctions are built upon an existing primary sanction. However, in the case of India, there is no active US primary sanction that prohibits India from purchasing Russian oil. The US banned its own imports of Russian oil in 2022, but that ban does not extend to other countries. Therefore, Trump’s “secondary tariff” is not an enforcement of an existing sanction but rather a new form of economic pressure that adopts the logic of secondary sanctions.
In essence, Trump’s “secondary tariff” on India is a punitive measure designed as a foreign policy tool, but it functions as a broad import tax rather than the targeted financial restrictions characteristic of formal secondary sanctions. After imposing the tariff, Trump warned that “so much secondary sanctions” could follow, suggesting a potential escalation of these economic measures.
The West Bengal Joint Entrance Examination Board (WBJEEB) has postponed the declaration of the WBJEE 2025 results, which were scheduled to be released on August 7, 2025. The decision came after the Calcutta High Court ordered a stay on the announcement, initiating contempt proceedings against the state government and the examination board.
Why Were the Results Postponed?
The primary reason for the sudden postponement is a legal challenge related to the state’s Other Backward Classes (OBC) reservation policy.
Contempt of Court: Justice Kausik Chanda of the Calcutta High Court initiated suo motu contempt proceedings against the WBJEEB. This action was taken after the court received complaints from candidates alleging that the board was violating a previous court order from May 21, 2024, concerning the OBC reservation list.
Judicial Stay: The High Court has verbally ordered the WBJEEB to withhold the results and has stayed all subsequent processes, including counseling and admissions, until a division bench reviews the matter. A hearing was scheduled for August 7, where the Principal Secretary of Higher Education was directed to appear to clarify the state’s position.
A Timeline of Delays
This is the latest setback for the lakhs of engineering, architecture, and pharmacy aspirants who took the exam on April 27, 2025.
The results were originally expected by June 5 but were delayed for over two months due to the ongoing legal dispute over the state’s revised OBC list. Although the Supreme Court had previously stayed a High Court order, which had temporarily cleared the way for the results to be announced, the latest contempt proceedings have again put the process on hold.
Impact on Students
The repeated delays have left students in a state of confusion and anxiety. The postponement has disrupted the academic calendar, with concerns that an entire semester could be lost, affecting the start of the new academic session.
The official WBJEEB website, wbjeeb.nic.in, will provide updates on the new result date once it is finalized following the court’s proceedings.
Indian stock market indices Sensex and Nifty 50 experienced a sharp decline on Thursday, August 7, 2025, following former US President Donald Trump’s announcement of an additional 25% tariff on Indian goods. The move, which brings the total tariff burden to 50%, sparked widespread selling pressure due to concerns over its impact on Indian exports.
Market Performance as of Mid-day
By early afternoon, the markets had slightly recovered from their intraday lows but remained significantly in the red.
BSE Sensex: The Sensex dropped below the crucial 80,000 mark for the first time since May 2025, hitting a day’s low of 79,979.05. Around 1:00 PM IST, it was trading around 80,121, down approximately 422 points, or 0.5%.
NSE Nifty 50: The Nifty 50 fell below the 24,400 level, touching an intraday low of 24,344.15. It was later trading around 24,435, a decline of about 138 points, or 0.56%.
The Trigger: US Tariff Hike
The sell-off was directly triggered by the US imposing additional tariffs on Indian imports, citing India’s continued trade with Russia for crude oil. This move has created significant uncertainty for export-oriented sectors. Analysts note that while there is a 21-day window for negotiation before the new tariffs take effect, the situation remains tense.
Sectoral Impact and Stock Movements
The decline was broad-based, with most sectoral indices trading in the red.
Losers: Heavy selling was witnessed in the Metal, Realty, and Auto sectors. Top draggers on the Sensex and Nifty included Adani Ports, Tata Motors, Reliance Industries, Tata Steel, and Bajaj Finance.
Gainers: A few stocks managed to buck the negative trend, with ITC, HDFC Bank, Asian Paints, and HCL Technologies trading in the green.
Broader Markets: The Nifty Midcap 100 and Nifty Smallcap 250 indices also fell, trading lower by nearly 1% each, indicating widespread market weakness.
Acclaimed actress Divya Dutta is set to make her debut in Telugu with the political drama web series Mayasabha: The Rise of the Titans, which premiered on SonyLIV on August 7, 2025. After a career spanning three decades in Bollywood, Dutta is entering a new chapter by playing a powerful character in the much-anticipated series.
Set against the volatile political backdrop of 1970s and 1980s Andhra Pradesh, Mayasabha centers on the intense rivalry between two politicians, played by Aadhi Pinisetty and Chaitanya Rao. Dutta portrays Iravati Basu, a formidable political leader who navigates a male-dominated world. Describing her character, Dutta said she was immediately drawn to the layered writing and strength of her role.
Speaking about her foray into Telugu content, Divya Dutta expressed her excitement, stating, “I believe this role is absolutely apt to begin my innings in Telugu. What better than to play a woman in politics who holds her own while facing off men?”.
Despite her extensive career, Dutta admitted to feeling like a “newcomer” on the set of Mayasabha, embracing the “butterflies in my tummy effect” that came with working in a new language and industry. She found the experience creatively liberating, emphasizing the importance of stepping out of one’s comfort zone to learn and grow.
The series is directed by Deva Katta and will be available in Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, and Malayalam. Dutta praised Katta’s vision, calling him a “sensation” and a delight to work with. The star-studded cast also includes veteran actors Nassar and Sai Kumar. This role marks a significant milestone for Dutta, who has long admired the “amazing projects” coming out of South Indian cinema.
The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has imposed a hefty penalty of ₹5 crore on Policybazaar, a leading online insurance aggregator, for a series of serious regulatory violations. The action follows a remote inspection conducted in June 2020, with the final order issued on August 4, 2025.
The penalty addresses multiple breaches of the Insurance Act, 1938, and other regulations, highlighting significant lapses in corporate governance, transparency, and consumer protection.
Key Violations Cited by IRDAI
The insurance regulator detailed several major infractions that led to the fine:
Biased and Misleading Product Promotions: Policybazaar was found guilty of labeling certain insurance products as “best” or “top” on its platform without providing objective, third-party data to support these claims. IRDAI stated this practice was misleading to customers, created preferential visibility for select insurers, and restricted consumer choice. For example, the website displayed only five ULIP plans despite having agreements with more insurers offering similar products.
Conflict of Interest and Governance Lapses: A fine of ₹1 crore was specifically levied because the company allowed its principal officer and other key managerial personnel to serve as directors in other firms without seeking prior approval from the regulator. This was deemed a clear conflict of interest.
Delay in Remitting Premiums: The company failed to remit premiums collected from customers to the respective insurance companies within the mandated 24-hour window. An examination of sample policies revealed delays ranging from 5 to over 30 days, which violates the Insurance Act.
Poor Record-Keeping and Unmapped Policies: Policybazaar was unable to map nearly 98,000 policies to an “Authorised Verifier,” making it impossible to ascertain who concluded the sale for those policies. The company also failed to provide call recordings and other documentation for telemarketing sales when requested.
Irregular Outsourcing Payments: The platform received substantial payments from insurance companies for outsourced services, but the agreements often lacked specifics about the scope of work or fee justification, raising transparency concerns.
Regulatory Context and Next Steps
At the time of the inspection, Policybazaar was operating as an Insurance Web Aggregator (IWA), a role that requires strict neutrality in product comparison. The company obtained its composite broker license in February 2024.
In addition to the ₹5 crore fine, IRDAI issued several cautions and advisories for other compliance issues. Policybazaar, a subsidiary of the publicly listed PB Fintech, has been given 45 days to pay the penalty and has the right to appeal the decision before the Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT). The company has also been directed to present the findings to its board and submit a compliance report within 90 days.
New U.S. tariffs on Brazilian coffee, which took effect on August 6, 2025, are expected to cause a significant shake-up in the global coffee market, leading to higher prices for American consumers and a realignment of international trade routes. The Trump administration imposed a 50% tariff on various Brazilian imports, including coffee, a commodity for which Brazil is the world’s top producer and the largest supplier to the United States.
Impact on U.S. Consumers and Coffee Businesses
The 50% tariff is expected to directly translate into higher retail prices for coffee in the U.S. Industry experts predict that the cost of a bag of coffee could increase significantly; for instance, a $10 bag could now cost $15. This price hike will affect a wide range of businesses, from major chains like Starbucks to small, independent coffee shops, which often operate on thin profit margins of around 5%.
In response, U.S. coffee companies are under pressure to rethink their supply chains. Major roasters and distributors are looking to source more coffee from other regions like Central America, Africa, Colombia, and Vietnam to replace Brazilian beans. However, this shift is not a simple solution, as increased demand for coffee from these alternative sources is likely to drive up their prices as well.
Reshaping Global Trade Flows
The tariffs are set to dramatically alter global coffee trade dynamics. With Brazilian coffee becoming more expensive in the U.S., exporters from Brazil are actively seeking new markets.
Shift to China and Europe China and the European Union are expected to be the primary beneficiaries of this trade shift. China has moved quickly to authorize 183 Brazilian companies to export coffee, a move that will help satisfy its own rapidly growing demand for coffee. This builds on a pre-existing $2.5 billion trade deal between Brazil and China’s largest coffee retailer, Luckin Coffee. The European Union, which has no tariffs on Brazilian coffee, is another likely destination for the diverted beans.
Circumventing Tariffs Some trade analysts suggest that exporters may attempt to bypass the steep U.S. tariff by routing Brazilian coffee through other countries, such as Mexico or Panama, before it reaches the United States.
The United States has historically sourced about one-third of its coffee from Brazil, a trade relationship valued at $4.4 billion over the past year. The new tariffs, which were not applied to hundreds of other Brazilian products, are seen by many as a politically motivated move, using coffee as leverage in disputes between the two nations’ administrations. While the U.S. coffee industry lobbies for an exemption, the immediate future points toward a jolt for American consumers’ wallets and a significant reshaping of where the world gets its coffee.
The State Common Entrance Test (CET) Cell, Maharashtra, has released the provisional merit list for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test Undergraduate (NEET UG) 2025. This list is for candidates seeking admission to MBBS and BDS courses (Group A) in the state. The merit list was published on August 6, 2025, on the official website, medicalug2025.mahacet.org
According to the released list, a total of 60,021 candidates are eligible to participate in the state counselling process for admissions to government and private medical and dental colleges in Maharashtra. This counselling process will fill 85% of the state quota seats in government colleges and all available seats in private institutions.
How to Check the Merit List
Candidates can check and download the provisional merit list by following these steps:
Visit the official Maharashtra CET Cell website: medicalug2025.mahacet.org.
On the homepage, click on the link titled “Provisional Merit List of registered candidates for MBBS/ BDS Courses (Group A)”.
The merit list will open as a PDF file in a new tab.
Candidates can search for their name or roll number within the PDF.
Download and save the file for future reference during the counselling process.
Direct Link: The merit list is available for download on the official State Common Entrance Cell portal.
With the merit list now public, the next steps in the admission process are as follows:
Online Preference Filling: Eligible candidates can fill their college and course preferences online from August 8 to August 11, 2025.
Seat Allotment Result: The selection list for the Centralized Admission Process (CAP) Round 1 will be declared on August 13, 2025.
Physical Joining: Candidates who are allotted a seat must report to the respective institute for physical joining, document verification, and fee payment between August 14 and August 22, 2025 (excluding August 15 and 16).
The merit list contains important details for each candidate, including their name, NEET All India Rank, NEET roll number, gender, and category. The seat matrix, detailing the college-wise and category-wise seat availability for MBBS and BDS courses, has also been published on the official website.
Shares of National Securities Depository Limited (NSDL) surged, hitting the 20% upper circuit on Thursday, August 7, 2025, just one day after its strong market debut. The stock price locked at an intraday high of ₹1,123.20 on the BSE, a significant jump from the previous day’s close.
This rally marks a substantial gain for investors since the IPO. The total gain from the issue price of ₹800 per share now stands at over 40%.
A Breakdown of the Gains:
IPO Price: ₹800
Listing Price (August 6): ₹880, a 10% premium over the IPO price.
Day 1 Closing Price: The stock ended its first trading day with gains of 17% at ₹937.
Day 2 High: The share price jumped 20% to ₹1,123.20, hitting the upper circuit.
The consistent demand for NSDL shares, even as the broader market remained subdued, highlights strong investor confidence in the company’s solid fundamentals and its leading position in the depository services market. The company’s market capitalization surpassed ₹22,000 crore following the surge.
The West Bengal Council of Higher Education (WBSCHE) has released the first merit list for undergraduate (UG) admissions for the academic year 2025-26 on August 7, 2025. Candidates who applied through the West Bengal Centralised Admission Portal (WBCAP) can now check their seat allotment status on the official website, wbcap.in. The list determines admission to 460 government and government-aided colleges under 17 universities across the state.
How to Check Your Seat Allotment Status
Candidates can view their merit rank and allotted college and course by following these steps:
Visit the official WBCAP website: wbcap.in.
Click on the “Student Login” section on the homepage.
Enter your User ID and Password to log in to your dashboard.
Your seat allotment details, including the assigned college, course, and merit rank, will be displayed.
Download and print the allotment letter for future reference and the admission process.
Who is Eligible?
Eligibility for the merit list and the subsequent admission process is based on the following criteria:
Successful Registration: Only candidates who successfully registered on the WBCAP portal during the application window can view the merit list.
Academic Merit: Seat allotment is based on the candidate’s marks obtained in their Class 12 (Higher Secondary) or equivalent examination.
Basic Qualification: Any student who has passed the 10+2 or an equivalent examination from a recognized board or council was eligible to apply.
Key Dates and Admission Process
After the merit list is published, selected candidates must complete the admission process within the specified deadlines to secure their seats.
First Merit List Release: August 7, 2025.
Admission Confirmation Period: August 7 to August 14, 2025.
Commencement of Classes: September 1, 2025.
Steps After Seat Allotment:
Pay Seat Acceptance Fee: Candidates allotted a seat must pay the required seat acceptance fee online through debit/credit card, net banking, or UPI.
Download Admission Slip: After successful payment, download the provisional admission slip from your student dashboard.
Document Verification: Report to the allotted college within the specified dates for physical verification of documents. Necessary documents include Class 10 and 12 marksheets, admit cards, transfer certificate, migration certificate, and category certificate (if applicable).
For any assistance, students can contact the official WBCAP helpline at 1800-102-8014 or email support@wbcap.in.
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