China Tariff Evasion, India Exam Coaching, Bollywood Ad Notices & Indonesia Earthquake

The U.S. says China may be routing goods through India and other countries to avoid higher American tariffs. Washington describes this as a shadow transshipment network, where products are lightly processed, repackaged, or relabeled in a third country before entering the U.S. market. The goal is to make Chinese goods appear to come from another country and escape duties. The new White House report says this practice expanded after 2018, when the Trump administration first imposed Section 301 tariffs on China. India appears in the report because it can be one of the transit countries used in this supply-chain workaround.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation from the Red Fort on India’s 80th Independence Day and promised free government-backed digital coaching for competitive exams. He said the initiative will help poor and middle-class students and extend quality preparation resources to remote areas. PhysicsWallah founder Alakh Pandey welcomed the move, calling it a strong step for access and inclusion. The speech also drew sharp debate after Modi used the term “dimagi Naxal” for some critics. Supporters backed his warning against disruption, while critics accused him of targeting dissent from students, protesters and journalists.

Maharashtra’s Food and Drug Administration has issued notices to Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Tiger Shroff over their Vimal Elaichi advertisements. The agency alleges that the campaign indirectly promotes banned Vimal Pan Masala through surrogate advertising. FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe has asked the actors to remove the content from social media within 15 days and disclose full endorsement details. Officials warned that non-compliance could attract penalties of up to ₹10 lakh. The move reflects a wider crackdown on tobacco-linked promotions, following earlier criticism of similar endorsements by other Bollywood stars.

Abhijeet Dipke’s “School Thik Karo” campaign has exposed severe neglect in rural Maharashtra schools. Launched on Independence Day from Hingoli’s Santuk Pimpri, the drive urges parents to audit government schools for clean toilets, drinking water, electricity, and benches. In Limbala village, villagers allege the school has only two teachers for five classrooms and face complaints about the principal’s alcoholism. Dipke has warned of protests if authorities do not act by Tuesday. The campaign has drawn praise from economist Jayati Ghosh, who called it a vital push for the Right to Education.

7.7-magnitude undersea earthquake struck off Indonesia’s northern Flores Island coast, prompting tsunami warnings across several coastal provinces. The Indonesian Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency urged residents in vulnerable areas to evacuate immediately to higher ground and avoid beaches and shorelines. Emergency services and disaster-response teams began assessing damage, monitoring coastal conditions and searching for possible casualties. Multiple aftershocks continued to shake the region, raising concerns about further disruption. Officials asked people to follow verified government alerts, remain calm and avoid returning to coastal communities until authorities lift the tsunami warning and declare affected areas safe.