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New Delhi, Jul 5  : 
Days after nine individuals linked to Khalistani outfits were declared as terrorists, the government on Sunday announced that 40 websites belonging to Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), an outlawed organisation, have been blocked for supporting secessionist activities.

The US-based Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) is a pro-Khalistan group.

"Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), an unlawful organisation under the UAPA, 1967, launched a campaign for registering supporters for its cause. On recommendation of MHA, MEITY has issued orders under Sec. 69 A of the I.T. Act, 2000, for blocking 40 websites of SFJ," a home ministry spokesperson said.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY) is the nodal authority for monitoring the cyber space in India.

Last year, the home ministry had banned the SFJ for its alleged anti-national activities.

The SFJ had pushed for Sikh Referendum 2020 as part of its separatist agenda.

It openly espouses the cause of Khalistan and in that process challenges the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India, another official said.

On July 1, the home ministry had declared nine individuals linked to separatist Khalistani outfits, including four based in Pakistan, as designated terrorists under the provisions of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

The individuals belonged to various terrorist organisations.

Among them were Wadhawa Singh Babbar, chief of Babbar Khalsa International (BKI); Lakhbir Singh, who heads International Sikh Youth Federation; Ranjeet Singh, chief of Khalistan Zindabad Force (KZB) and Paramjit Singh, who leads Khalistan Commando Force. All these four are Pakistan-based.

The home ministry had said these nine individuals were operating from Pakistan and other foreign soil and were involved in various acts of terrorism.

"They have been relentless in their nefarious efforts of destabilising the country, by trying to revive militancy in Punjab through their anti-national activities and through their support to and involvement in the Khalistan movement," it had said.

New Delhi, Jul 5  : 
 Twenty-one states and UTs, including Delhi, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh, have a COVID-19 recovery rate higher than the national average of 60.77 per cent, the Union Health Ministry said on Sunday as India's case count mounted to 6.73 lakh and the death toll rose to 19,268.

Collective and focused efforts for containment and management of COVID-19 by the government of India along with the states and union territories have led to the number of recovered COVID-19 patients to rise to 4,09,082 so far, it said.

Presently, there are 2,44,814 active cases of coronavirus infection in the country, the ministry's data updated at 8 am showed.

The recovered cases exceeded the active cases by 1,64,268 as of Sunday, the ministry said.

During the last 24 hours, a total of 14,856 COVID-19 patients have been cured.

"This takes the national recovery rate amongst COVID-19 patients to 60.77 per cent," the ministry said.

"There are 21 states and UTs with a recovery rate more than the national average," it stated.

These 21 states and UTs are Chandigarh (85.9 per cent), Ladakh (82.2 per cent), Uttarakhand (80.9 per cent), Chhattisgarh (80.6 per cent), Rajasthan (80.1 per cent), Mizoram (79.3 per cent), Tripura (77.7 per cent), Madhya Pradesh (76.9 per cent), Jharkhand (74.3 per cent), Bihar (74.2 per cent), Haryana (74.1 per cent), Gujarat (71.9 per cent), Punjab (70.5 per cent), Delhi (70.2 per cent), Meghalaya (69.4 per cent), Odisha (69.0 per cent), Uttar Pradesh (68.4 per cent), Himachal Pradesh (67.3 per cent), West Bengal (66.7 per cent), Assam (62.4 per cent), and Jammu and Kashmir (62.4 per cent).


Tokyo, Jul 4  :  
Heavy rain in southern Japan triggered flooding and mudslides on Saturday, leaving more than a dozen missing and others stranded on rooftops waiting to be rescued.

More than 75,000 residents in the southern prefectures of Kumamoto and Kagoshima were asked to evacuate following pounding rains overnight.

NHK television footage showed large areas of Hitoyoshi town in Kumamoto inundated in muddy waters that gushed out from the Kuma River. Many cars were submerged up to their windows.

Mudslides smashed into houses and floodwaters carried trunks from uprooted trees. Several people were standing atop a convenience store as they waited for rescuers.

NHK said about 13 people were reported missing. Kumamoto officials say they were still assessing the extent of damage.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe set up a task force, vowing to do utmost to rescue the missing.

The Japan Meteorological Agency earlier issued warnings of extraordinary rain in parts of Kumamoto, about 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) southwest of Tokyo, but later downgraded them as the rainfall estimated at 100 milimeters (4 inches) per hour subsided.

Kumamoto Gov. Ikuo Kabashima said he requested help from the Japan Self-Defense Forces.


New Delhi, Jul 4  : 
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday shared pictures of Sindhu Puja he performed in Ladakh, saying he prayed for the peace and prosperity of the nation.

The prime minister on Friday made a surprise visit to Ladakh amid the border standoff with China. He interacted with Army personnel and paid glowing tributes to 20 Indian soldiers who were killed in violent clashes with Chinese troops in the Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh.

Sharing the pictures on Twitter, Modi said, "Performed Sindhu Puja in Nimu yesterday. Prayed for the peace, progress and prosperity of our nation."

The puja is performed on the banks of river Sindhu (Indus).