Here are the top 10 major news headlines from India on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, compiled from national updates:
1. Tragic Warehouse Collapse in Kolkata Leaves 5 Dead
The roof of an under-construction warehouse collapsed in Kolkata’s Taratala area on Wednesday afternoon. Rescue operations pulled out 21 people from the debris, but officials confirmed that 5 workers lost their lives and 20 others suffered injuries. West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari arrived at the site and cited a faulty building plan as the likely cause.
2. Mumbai Hit by 200 mm Rain Blast; Southwest Monsoon Officially Arrives
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) officially announced the arrival of the Southwest Monsoon in Mumbai as an intense overnight spell dumped more than 200 mm of rain within eight hours. The deluge led to widespread waterlogging, severe traffic snarls, and prompted early-morning red and orange alerts across Mumbai and Palghar.
3. India and U.S. Conclude Critical Two-Day Trade Talks
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer wrapped up high-level ministerial meetings in New Delhi. The two nations reviewed core elements—including digital trade, market access, and non-tariff barriers—aiming to secure an interim bilateral trade agreement (BTA) before Washington’s temporary 10% tariff deadline expires in July.
4. Politics Heat Up Over Alleged Ram Mandir Donation Discrepancies
Following a preliminary report by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) regarding the alleged misappropriation of donations at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, politics intensified. The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) demanded immediate FIRs and fast-track court hearings, while AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal publicly questioned the legal validity of the state-constituted SIT.
5. Supreme Court Lowers NEET-SS Cut-offs for Government Doctors
The Supreme Court ruled that the qualifying percentile for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test-Super Speciality (NEET-SS) must be eased for in-service government doctors. The bench stated that these doctors serve the public while studying, meaning their enhanced skills directly benefit the larger community rather than personal profit.
6. Political Turmoil in Maharashtra: Shiv Sena (UBT) Defections Explode
The political rift in Maharashtra deepened as Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs Anil Desai and Arvind Sawant met with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. The meeting followed a major shakeup where six out of the nine Lok Sabha members from the UBT faction announced a merger with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena camp.
7. India Slams Pakistan Over PoK and Jammu & Kashmir at the UN
At New Delhi and during a UN Arria-formula meeting, India strongly criticized Pakistan’s comments regarding the situation in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that the ongoing protests in PoK are due to decades of systemic economic exploitation by Islamabad, reiterating that J&K remains an internal matter.
8. Gold Prices Stabilize in India Following U.S.–Iran Diplomatic Breakthrough
Domestic gold prices saw a slight cooling trend, with 24-carat gold hovering around ₹14,433 per gram. The stabilization follows a temporary 60-day ceasefire extension signed between the U.S. and Iran, which reopened the Strait of Hormuz and eased global crude oil and safe-haven asset pressures.
9. Kerala High Court Invalidates Alternate Local Body Oaths
The Kerala High Court directed 20 councillors of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation to retake their official oath of office. The court found fault with members who modified the legal format to swear in the names of specific political martyrs or localized deities, ruling that oaths must strictly adhere to the constitutional format.
10. Heavy Rains and Flash Floods Ravage Arunachal Pradesh
Continuous heavy rainfall triggered severe flash floods and landslides in Arunachal Pradesh’s Keyi Panyor district. The sudden flooding submerged low-lying areas, severely damaged at least 18 houses, and blocked a major national highway, leaving hundreds of commuters stranded.
