US President Donald Trump has indicated that the US is preparing a “very big” trade deal with India, stating “we have one coming up, maybe with India... we’re going to open up India” during remarks at the “Big Beautiful Event” at the White House on June 26, 2025 . His comments coincide with a senior Indian delegation led by negotiator Rajesh Agarwal visiting Washington for high-level discussions. Trump emphasized that not all countries receive the same treatment—some will face steep tariffs if no deal is reached . Earlier, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal confirmed active efforts to forge a bilateral trade pact . With a July 9 deadline looming on reciprocal tariffs, both nations are pushing to finalize a mutually beneficial agreement soon. (PC: ET Now)

Former England cricketer Mark Butcher criticized Ravindra Jadeja's bowling in the first Test at Leeds, saying it was like “owning a hammer but punching nails…not landing the ball in the rough until it was too late” during India’s failed defense of 371 runs . Jadeja managed just 1 for 104 in 24 overs, allowing England’s batsmen, notably Ben Duckett, to exploit reverse sweeps . Butcher also faulted team selection, suggesting Kuldeep Yadav would have been preferable to Shardul Thakur, who underperformed with 2 wickets and low runs . India trails 0–1 in the Anderson‑Tendulkar Trophy after a five‑wicket defeat. (PC: ICC)

Cloudbursts and heavy monsoon rains on June 25–26 triggered flash floods across Kangra and Kullu districts, killing five people and leaving six to eight still missing . A hydroelectric project site near Dharamshala was hit hard, sweeping away workers; NDRF and SDRF teams continue search-and-rescue efforts . Over 40 roads were blocked by landslides, and approximately 270 labourers and 50 tourists stranded were safely evacuated . Chief Minister Sukhu has declared 24×7 emergency vigilance, urging relocation of vulnerable households and warning tourists to steer clear of rivers.

On June 26, 2025, SpaceX’s Crew Dragon “Grace” successfully docked with the ISS, carrying four crew members—including Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla as mission pilot—as part of the Axiom‑4 mission . Shukla becomes the first Indian to visit the ISS and second Indian in space after Rakesh Sharma, marking a historic milestone for India, Poland, and Hungary . Launching from Kennedy Space Center on June 25, the crew will spend two weeks conducting around 60 scientific experiments . The milestone underscores expanding international and private-sector roles in low Earth orbit missions.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in his first public appearance since June 19, claimed Iran was victorious in the recent 12-day war with Israel and warned the US of “great cost” if it attacks again. Criticising President Donald Trump for “showmanship,” he said Iran “slapped America’s face” by targeting a US base in Qatar, though no casualties occurred. Khamenei accused the US of interfering to prevent Israel’s collapse and warned of repeated retaliation. The US-Israel-Iran conflict left 606 dead and over 5,000 injured. Tehran has reopened airspace and resumed daily activities after a US-brokered ceasefire restored fragile calm. (PC: X)

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla became the first Indian to reach the International Space Station (ISS), 41 years after Rakesh Sharma’s 1984 mission. Shukla, mission pilot on Axiom-4 (Ax-4), launched aboard SpaceX’s Dragon from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center and docked with the ISS after 28 hours. He joins astronauts from the US, Poland, and Hungary for a 14-day mission to conduct over 60 experiments. In an emotional message, Shukla said, “Namaskar from space,” expressing pride in representing India. Prime Minister Modi hailed the mission as a symbol of India's growing space prowess and international collaboration in science. 

US President Donald Trump claimed Thursday that Iran did not move any nuclear material before last weekend’s American airstrikes on its nuclear facilities. Posting on Truth Social, Trump said workers at the sites were “concrete workers” sealing shafts, not removing uranium, which he described as “too heavy, too dangerous” to transport. He dismissed CNN and The New York Times reports that the strikes caused only minor, temporary damage, calling them “fake news.” Trump demanded reporters be fired. Meanwhile, General Dan Caine confirmed the Pentagon’s operation went as planned and that the 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs “functioned as designed.” (PC: Reuters)

Violent storms swept across France on Wednesday, killing 2 people and injuring 17 others, while also flooding streets and disrupting a parliamentary session. A 12-year-old child was killed by a falling tree in the southwest, and a man died in the northwest after crashing his quad bike into another fallen tree. The National Assembly's ceiling leaked during a session, prompting Vice President Roland Lescure to briefly suspend proceedings. Prime Minister François Bayrou remarked on the rain mid-speech. The French civil defence agency said one person remains critical, and around 110,000 homes lost power amid the post-heatwave chaos.

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha confirmed a 10.19% drop in Amarnath Yatra registrations after the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 people. Before the attack, 2.36 lakh pilgrims had registered. Sinha noted that over 85,000 pilgrims have since reconfirmed their participation. Helicopter services have been suspended due to safety concerns, but only 8% used them. The yatra, starting July 3, will proceed with three-layered security, widened tracks, and reinforced vulnerable spots. Sinha said the administration has taken “every precaution” and stressed coordination for private vehicles from Bhagwati Nagar base camp to ensure safety. (PC: PTI)

A Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorist was killed on Thursday during an ongoing encounter with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur district. Three others remain trapped in the dense Bihali forest of Basantgarh. The joint operation by the Indian Army and J&K Police began early morning based on year-long surveillance and intelligence inputs. Despite foggy weather, para commandos are continuing the search near Karoor nullah. The operation comes days before the Amarnath Yatra, raising security concerns. IGP Jammu Bhim Sen Tuti confirmed the contact with four terrorists around 8:30 am. A separate search in Samba’s Purmandal ended without incident. (PC: HT)