Breaking News Live June 9: 13 shops gutted in Poonch blaze; J&K administration initiates rehabilitation measures

Mamata meets Sonia amid rebellion in Trinamool

A day after an opposition INDIA bloc meeting stressed unity and better coordination among the alliance partners, Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday met senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi at her 10, Janpath residence.

Sources said the two leaders are learnt to have discussed the strategy between the two parties going forward after the opposition bloc meeting, and following an exodus of Trinamool members after the party's defeat to the BJP in the recent Bengal polls.

The meeting followed after Gandhi, the chairperson of the Congress Parliamentary Party, and Banerjee met each other warmly with a hug at the opposition bloc's meeting here on Monday.

The Congress shared pictures of the bonhomie between the two leaders.

The meeting comes in the wake of a rebellion within the Trinamool, with several party MPs deciding to form a separate group and align with the ruling NDA.

A majority of Trinamool’s 80 MLAs have already formed a separate group led by Ritabrata Banerjee as the leader of opposition in the state Assembly.

This was the first closed-door meeting between Banerjee and Gandhi after Trinamool's defeat in the polls, and alleged attacks on party workers and MP Abhishek Banerjee after the elections.

Indonesia's central bank unveils surprise rate hike as rupiah falters

Indonesia's central bank announced a surprise 25-basis-point interest rate hike Tuesday, citing "high global volatility".

More than a week before its next monthly monetary policy meeting, officials lifted borrowing costs to 5.5 percent, following an unexpected 50-point increase last month aimed at stabilising the weakening rupiah and battling inflation.

Six persons killed after speeding car collides with motorcycle in Maharashtra's Jalgaon district: Police.

Shimla Summer Festival begins with cultural celebrations at Ridge Ground

The five-day Shimla Summer Festival commenced at the historic Ridge Ground, attracting large numbers of tourists and local residents.

Himachal Pradesh Governor Kavinder Gupta inaugurated the annual event and urged visitors to adhere to administrative guidelines to ensure a safe and pleasant experience in the hill station. Addressing the gathering during the opening cultural evening, Gupta described the festival as a significant platform for promoting Himachal Pradesh’s rich culture, traditions and heritage. He also congratulated elected representatives, the Shimla Municipal Corporation and the district administration for successfully organising the event.

Taiwan detects PLA aircraft, 15 Chinese vessels around island

Taiwan’s ministry of national defence said it detected one sortie of a Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft, six People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessels and nine official Chinese ships operating around the island up to 6 a.m. local time.

According to the MND, the aircraft entered Taiwan’s southeastern Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ). The ministry said Taiwan’s armed forces closely monitored the activity and took appropriate measures in response to the developments. The latest incursion comes amid continuing military and maritime operations by China in areas surrounding Taiwan.

India slams Pakistan's ‘Fitna al-Hindustan’ narrative at UN as state-backed disinformation

India strongly criticised Pakistan at the United Nations, describing Islamabad’s use of the term “Fitna al-Hindustan” for groups operating within its own territory as “officially sponsored misinformation and disinformation dressed in religious terminology.”

Speaking during a UN Security Council meeting on the situation in Afghanistan, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Harish Parvathaneni, said Pakistan was attempting to shift blame for its internal challenges through a misleading narrative. The remarks marked a sharp diplomatic rebuke as India accused Pakistan of promoting disinformation under the guise of religious rhetoric.

J&K administration assesses losses after fire destroys 13 shops in Poonch village

District Development Commissioner (DDC) Poonch Ashok Sharma, along with senior police officials, visited Bufliaz village to assess the damage caused by a fire that gutted 13 shops on June 7.

Sharma said the affected shops were the primary source of livelihood for their owners and that the administration was working to facilitate their rehabilitation. Referring to directions issued by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, he said support would be provided for the rehabilitation and livelihood of those impacted. Officials conducted an on-ground assessment of the losses and reviewed measures to assist shop owners in coordination with the Public Works Department and other concerned departments.

Centre announces Rs 25 lakh compensation, jobs for kin after Vizag Steel Plant accident

Union steel minister HD Kumaraswamy announced a compensation package of Rs 25 lakh for the families of those killed in the accident at the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant and for workers currently undergoing treatment.

He said the assistance would be extended to both regular employees and outsourced workers, in addition to insurance, provident fund, gratuity and other statutory benefits. The minister also announced permanent employment for one family member of each affected household, free education for children of the victims, and permanent allotment of company housing to bereaved families.

Kumaraswamy said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had approved additional assistance of Rs 2 lakh for the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured through the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund. He added that affected families could receive around Rs 38 lakh in total benefits, including insurance and other entitlements. To determine the cause of the accident and recommend safety measures, the Centre has constituted a three-member expert committee drawn from other steel plants, which will visit the site on Wednesday and submit a detailed report.