Rajya Sabha elections have just started. (File Image)India News Today: Voting has begun for 24 Rajya Sabha seats across 10 states, along with by-elections to one seat each in Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu. The seats fall vacant through June and July with the completion of incumbents’ terms, including those of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda from Karnataka. The contest spans four seats in Andhra Pradesh, five in Gujarat, four in Karnataka, three in Madhya Pradesh, two in Jharkhand, and one each in Manipur, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram.If you are just joining us, this is The Indian Express Realtime breaking news blog – where we bring you the latest India news updates of the day as they unfold. Scan the top headlines of the day here, or keep scrolling to see the latest updates stream in.US-Iran Sign 14-Point Deal, Hormuz ‘Reopens’Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian have signed a 14-point Memorandum of Understanding to end the conflict and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, with a senior US official confirming the agreement calls for Iran to dilute its enriched uranium stockpile in exchange for a waiver on US sanctions. The White House has confirmed the deal is now in effect, though questions remain on how quickly shipping through the strait will return to normal. At the G7 summit in France, PM Modi told leaders the Global South cannot bear the war’s economic burden alone and needs financial support.Story continues below this adMamata Banerjee’s Security Cover RemovedTrinamool Congress has alleged a “calculated move” after Mamata Banerjee’s security cover was withdrawn late at night, with the party pointing fingers at the BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari amid the ongoing political turbulence in Bengal.BJP’s ‘Ram Rajya’ Remark On TMC Leaders’ Parade Draws Court FrownThe political slugfest over Bengal sharpened as the BJP invoked “Ram Rajya” after TMC leaders were paraded following their arrest, a remark that drew disapproval from the court overseeing the matter.World Cup: Ronaldo Faces Questions, Messi Mania ContinuesCristiano Ronaldo, at 41, came in for scrutiny after Portugal’s 1-1 draw with Congo, with one piece arguing the ball has fallen out of love with him — though Ronaldo himself insisted “Portugal lacked nothing” in the result. Meanwhile, Lionel Messi’s hat-trick triggered scenes far beyond the stadium, with a spontaneous watch party erupting on the streets near Times Square.Live UpdatesJun 18, 2026 10:08 AM ISTDriver's sacking over remarks against Koli women upheld by Bombay High CourtOmkar Gokhale in Mumbai reports that the Bombay High Court has upheld the sacking of a driver of a cooperative society, Nitin Jaywant Mhatre, ruling that his insulting remarks against Koli fisherwomen demonstrated a mindset inconsistent with his role of serving the community. Justice Sandeep V Marne set aside a 2021 Industrial Court order that had previously reinstated the driver with back wages and compensation, effectively restoring a Labour Court judgment that originally upheld the firing. The High Court emphasised that the driver's abusive conduct, which occurred in the presence of those he was employed to support, was unpardonable.Jun 18, 2026 09:57 AM ISTMP High Court lifts stay on Abhishek Banerjee’s arrest warrantThe Madhya Pradesh High Court has lifted an interim stay on an arrest warrant issued against TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee. A special Bhopal court ordered stay on execution of arrest in November 2025 in a defamation case registered against him by former Indore MLA Akash Vijayvargiya. The suit alleged that Abhishek Banerjee had called Akash Vijayvargiya a ‘goon’ during a rally in November 2020. TMC National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee is already facing an investigation in an alleged money laundering case in the West Bengal teachers’ recruitment scam case.Jun 18, 2026 09:57 AM ISTUS-Iran sign deal to end warUS President Donald Trump formally signed an agreement, on Thursday, with his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian to end the war and to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has agreed to dilute its stock of enriched Uranium while the US committed to waiver sanctions for Iran. Both the countries have committed to reaching a ‘final deal’ within signing of the 14-points Memorandum of Understanding.Jun 18, 2026 09:56 AM ISTPM Modi arrives in France todayPrime Minister Modi arrived in Paris in France after he attended the G7 Summit in Evian-Les-Bains on June 17, where India was invited as a guest. In Paris, PM Modi will be addressing a VivaTech Summit. The Summit is Europe's largest technology and startup event. In a post on X, PM Modi said that the India-France partnership is essential to the progress of our planet. He received a warm welcome from the Indian diaspora in Paris.Je suis arrivé à Paris il y a peu, où j’ai été accueilli chaleureusement par la diaspora indienne. Je suis fier de ses efforts pour rapprocher l’Inde et la France. Le partenariat Inde-France est essentiel au progrès de notre planète. pic.twitter.com/Mzvs4HKggd— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 17, 2026https://platform.x.com/widgets.js© IE Online Media Services Pvt LtdTags:breaking newsIndia news