L A T E S T      N E W S

UP Governor Joshi resigns, more on the way out 

New Delhi: 
Uttar Pradesh Governor B L Joshi today resigned as the Narendra Modi government started the process of removal of those appointed by the previous UPA regime but apparently there was resistance from some of those who were asked to quit.

Kerala Governor Shiela Dikshit and four more Governors are understood to have been asked to make way for new appointees in the wake of the change of government at the Centre.

Among those who are understood to have been called by Home Secretary Anil Goswami for the nudge are Maharashtra Governor K Sankaranarayanan, a Congressman from Kerala, Diskhit, a former Delhi Chief Minister who was appointed just on the eve of announcement of Lok Sabha polls, West Bengal Governor M K Narayanan, Nagaland Governor Ashwani Kumar, a former CBI Director.

Kamla Beniwal, who did not share good relations with Modi during his tenure as Chief Minister in Gujarat, may also be on the way out.

Sankaranarayanan and Dikshit are said to be holding out mulling their next move. There is also speculation that some of the Governors may be shifted to "insignificant" states in a bid to ease them out.

Karnataka Governor H R Bharadwaj, whose term is coming to an end this month, and Assam Governor J B Patnaik, who has three more months, have said they have not resigned.

The resignation of 78-Joshi, who was recently sworn-in for a fresh term in Uttar Pradesh and was known for his proximity to the Nehru-Gandhi family, was sent to President Pranab Mukherjee, who accepted it and asked Uttrakhand Governor Aziz Qureshi to discharge duties till further orders.

It came a day after the Centre made known to some of the Governors that they quit.

By a strange coincidence, a number of Governors were in the national capital and some of them met the President fuelling speculation that they could have resigned.

Besides the Governors, the Government is also working on removal of political appointees in bodies like National Disaster Management Authority.

While change of Governors has been routinely followed by new governments ever since the Janata party government unceremoniously removed Governors in 1977, ushering in a new practice, a judgement of the Supreme Court in 2010 has apparently circumscribed the government's hands now in going for the kill.

The judgement of a bench headed by the then Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan had said that while it was the prerogative of the government to remove Governors, it cannot be done in an arbitrary, capricious or unreasonable manner.

Hence, the Home Secretary's "persuasive" call to the Governors to step down, sources said.

The Centre's decision came under severe attack from from Congress and CPI-M, which termed it as as unconstitutional and unethical. But BJP leaders felt there was nothing wrong in such a decision.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh refused to be drawn into any discussion on the subject but merely commented that if he were in the place of these Governors he would have quit.

Karanatka Governor H R Bhardawaj, whose tenure is ending this month, denied that he has resigned. Similar was the stand taken by Assam Governor J B Patnaik, who like Bhardawaj is also a Congressman, said he has not resigned.

Bharadwaj, whose term is ending this month-end, said he has not got a call to put in his papers.

"When my innings is coming to an end, it is my duty to come call on the President. I have also sought an appointment with the Prime Minister," he said.

"If there is a rumour (about his resignation) I cannot help," Patnaik said and added that meeting the President, who is his friend, did not mean that he was resigning.

Dikshit said she cannot comment on media reports.

Meanwhile, Rajasthan Governor Margaret Alva met Prime Minister Narendra Modi which was described as a courtesy call.

She also called on the President.

Alva, who completes her five year term in August, is understood to have not been sounded out yet.

Slamming the move to remove Governors, Congress termed it as "political vendetta" and said the "dictatorial" step will have "serious repercussions".

Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad reminded the government about the May 2010 judgement of the Supreme Court and said the Centre does not have the brief to remove the Governors "in arbitrary and capricious manner with the change of power".

In a statement here, Azad called the "move to remove the Governors of various states as dictatorial".

CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechurry said the move to replace the Governors just because they have been appointed by the previous government was politically "not ethical" and unconstitutional. PTI 

FIFA World Cup: Dramatic win helps US exact revenge

NATAL (Brazil): The United States got a dream start to their World Cup campaign when Clint Dempsey scored the fifth fastest goal in tournament history but they needed an 86th minute winner from John Brooks to secure a dramatic 2-1 victory over Ghana on Monday.

Dempsey drilled the ball into the net with the goal officially timed at 29 seconds and it looked like being enough until Andre Ayew finally secured some reward for Ghana’s pressure with an equaliser seven minutes from the end.

The match then appeared destined for a draw until substitute defender Brooks rose to head Graham Zusi’s corner firmly into the back of the net and give the United States revenge over the team that ended their participation in the last two World Cups.

Juergen Klinsmann’s side will now go onto their next match against Portugal, beaten 4-0 by Germany in the Group G opener earlier on Monday, with renewed belief that they can reach the last 16 for the fourth time in the last seven tournaments.

“We knew it was going to be a grind and it was going to go down to the wire,” said German Klinsmann, who maintained his record of having won the opening match at every World Cup he has competed in as both a player and a coach.

The United States got a dream start to their World Cup campaign when Clint Dempsey scored the fifth fastest goal in tournament history but they needed an 86th minute winner from John Brooks to secure a dramatic 2-1 victory over Ghana on Monday.

Dempsey drilled the ball into the net with the goal officially timed at 29 seconds and it looked like being enough until Andre Ayew finally secured some reward for Ghana’s pressure with an equaliser seven minutes from the end.

The match then appeared destined for a draw until substitute defender Brooks rose to head Graham Zusi’s corner firmly into the back of the net and give the United States revenge over the team that ended their participation in the last two World Cups.

Juergen Klinsmann’s side will now go onto their next match against Portugal, beaten 4-0 by Germany in the Group G opener earlier on Monday, with renewed belief that they can reach the last 16 for the fourth time in the last seven tournaments.

“We knew it was going to be a grind and it was going to go down to the wire,” said German Klinsmann, who maintained his record of having won the opening match at every World Cup he has competed in as both a player and a coach.

“I was convinced we would win the game even after the equaliser. I knew two or three opportunities would come and we would have to take one. It is a good feeling to have the first three points.”

The Black Stars, quarter-finalists and heroes of an entire continent in South Africa four years ago, rued their profligacy in front of goal and now face a huge task if they are to get past the group stage for the third straight tournament.

“Any team you have beaten twice will come out very strong and I believe they came out very strong and they were determined not to lose a third time,” Ghana coach Kwesi Appiah said.

“We were unfortunate. I believe we played really well and had a lot of chances but couldn’t take our chances.”

Ghana’s problems started at the back and fears many had about the fragility of their defence were confirmed when Dempsey struck before many of the fans had sat back down in their seats after the anthems.

He took a pass from Jermaine Jones at pace, cut inside central defender John Boye on his left foot, controlled the ball with his right, then went back to the left for the finish across the goalkeeper and inside the far post.

“If you score after just a minute you think there can’t be anything better than that,” said Klinsmann.

“But after that it maybe wasn’t so good because we sat back and let them come to us. That is why I was screaming on the sideline to take control of the game.”

Ghana soon showed that whatever their defensive problems, they were an altogether different proposition at the other end with right winger Christian Atsu looking particularly dangerous in all but the delivery of the final ball.

Captain Asamoah Gyan squandered a string of opportunities for an equaliser but he was not alone with Jordan Ayew, son of three times African Footballer of the Year Abedi Pele, passing up an excellent chance just before halftime with a weak shot after Atsu had beaten the offside trap.

It was left to Ayew’s brother Andre to get Ghana back into the match in the 83rd minute, latching on to his skipper’s neat back flick and lashing the ball into the net with the outside of his left boot from almost the same spot Dempsey had scored from.

The Americans would not be denied, however, and three minutes later Brooks proved the unlikely winner to send the red, white and blue half of the stadium into raptures.

The victory came at a cost, though, with striker Jozy Altidore looking unlikely to play any further part in the tournament after limping off with a left hamstring injury.

Dempsey finished the match with a bloodied and swollen nose after taking a whack in the face from Boye’s boot, while Matt Besler was withdrawn at halftime with what looked like another hamstring problem.

It was Besler’s departure that allowed Brooks to win his fifth cap, however, and Klinsmann has been at enough World Cups to know that dealing with injuries is part of the job.

“Players need to be ready, we need the whole bench,” he said. “John showed his talent. What better stage to learn and grow than at a World Cup?” - Agencies

Iran, Nigeria play a goalless draw

BRAZIL: Iran and Nigeria laboured to the first stalemate of a scintillating World Cup on Monday with a dismal 0-0 draw that left both sides still chasing their first victory at a finals since 1998.

While Iran could take some small satisfaction in keeping a clean sheet for the first time since their debut in 1978, the bore at the Baixada arena stood out like a suit salesman on Copacabana beach.

With Lionel Messi’s Argentina, installed as clear Group F favourites, and exciting debutants Bosnia still to come, the other two look destined for an early exit unless they can raise their game considerably.

Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi warned on Sunday that the African sides were as good as any in Brazil and could win the tournament, but on Monday’s evidence they will not be celebrating.

Keshi said his side dominated but suffered from “nervousness and anxiety” in front of goal.

“We want to score and want to score and it’s not coming. We just have to calm everybody down and take it from there.”

Both teams were whistled and booed off the field by the largely Brazilian crowd of 39,000 after a first half that looked shockingly meagre compared to the goal feasts served up elsewhere.

Iran packed their defence as expected and Nigeria, with Emmanuel Emenike rarely posing a threat as the main target man for the African champions, squandered their chances with long balls to nowhere and passes straight to opponents.

The Super Eagles had the ball in the back of the net after seven minutes in a goalmouth scramble but Ecuadorean referee Carlos Vera, perhaps harshly, ruled it out for a push on goalkeeper Alireza Haghighi.

Ogenyi Onazi then drilled a shot wide two minutes later.

Iran came closest to breaking the deadlock in the 33rd minute when goalkeeper captain Vincent Enyeama produced a fine save to beat out Reza Ghoochannejhad’s header from their first corner of the game.

Nigeria defender Godfrey Oboabona made an early exit from the fray, replaced by former captain Joseph Yobo on the half hour after earlier receiving treatment on the touchline following a heavy tackle.

Next up for Iran is Argentina in Belo Horizonte on Saturday and coach Carlos Queiroz said: “The most important thing is that everything is open for us.” - Agencies

German media heap praise on Loew's team for Portugal rout

German media was full of praise on Tuesday for a sterling performance by Joachim Loew's team in their opening 4-0 World Cup win over Portugal that instantly wiped away fears they might have lost their edge. 

From the Black Forest in the south to the Baltic Sea in the north, newspapers and commentators expressed awe over the way hat-trick hero Thomas Mueller and his team mates destroyed Portugal - considered their toughest Group G opponents. 

"This is going to be our World Cup," wrote Germany's best-selling daily Bild newspaper. "Mueller is already talking about winning it all." Even though German newspapers are usually critical and tend to look for the fly in the ointment, they could find nothing to complain about with the dominant performance against Portugal. 

"Mueller destroys Portugal," read the headline in Die Welt. The conservative Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) said "everything went perfectly against Portugal" and added that everything Loew had wanted to happen had happened. "Everything Loew planned worked out well," wrote the FAZ. "Everything he wanted worked -- a lot of variety, quick attacks that originate in midfield and overwhelming the opponent with speed and shifting positions." The paper said Germany had "made Portugal dizzy with the way they played". 

It added: "This match was the way Loew wants Germany to play soccer, a style that had only succeeded in brief phases so far this year." BRILLIANT MUELLER The Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper in Munich said the only blemish was an injury to defender Mats Hummels. "Germany opens its tournament with other-worldly strength," wrote the Sueddeutsche. 

"The start of the World Cup could not have been any better for the Germany team. Mueller was brilliant with his three goals." Berlin's Der Tagesspiegel newspaper said Loew deserved credit for the daunting performance. "Eins, zwei, drei, vier! Germany beats Portugal 4-0 and Joachim Loew did everything right before the match," der Tagesspiegel said. 

"The injury to Hummels is the only downside but apparently that's not even as serious as first thought." ARD TV commentator Reinhold Beckmann also got caught up in the euphoria. "The 4-0 win over Portugal now makes it clear that Germany are among the top favourites to win the tournament alongside Brazil and the Netherlands," said Beckmann. "Germany showed a lot of courage in the match. But where was the self-appointed superstar named Ronaldo?" - Reuters

Dozens killed as militants take most of key Iraq town

KIRKUK (Iraq): Militants have seized most of a key Shiite majority town in northern Iraq, a government official said today, in fighting that has killed dozens of civilians and combatants.

Security forces and civilian fighters still hold parts of Tal Afar, in Nineveh province, along a strategic corridor to Syria, according to deputy provincial council chief Nuriddin Qabalan.

Qabalan said militants controlled most of Tal Afar and the surrounding area, adding there were pockets of resistance, and that soldiers, policemen and residents held on to parts of the airport.

Fifty civilians were killed in the violence, along with dozens of militants and members of the security forces, he said.

Mohammed al-Bayati, a Tal Afar native who heads the security committee on Nineveh provincial council, said between 500 and 700 militants were involved in the assault.

Militants in the past week took control of the vast majority of Nineveh province as part of a swift offensive that saw them seize provincial capital Mosul as well as parts of three other provinces. - Agencies

US deploying 275 military personnel to protect embassy in Iraq

WASHINGTON: The US is deploying up to 275 military personnel in Iraq to protect its citizens and property as the war-torn country battles a dramatic sweep by insurgents there.

Pentagon Press Secretary, Rear Admiral John Kirby said over the weekend, a number of teams totaling approximately 170 US personnel began arriving in Baghdad from within the US Central Command Area of Responsibility.

"We have also moved approximately 100 personnel into the region to provide airfield management, security, and logistics support, if required. All of these forces are trained to integrate with existing US Embassy security teams or operate as a standalone force as directed," he said.

"The safety of personnel serving in diplomatic missions abroad is among our highest priorities. The presence of these additional forces will help enable the State Department to continue their critical diplomatic mission and work with Iraqis on challenges they are facing," Kirby said in a statement.

Earlier in the day yesterday, Obama notified the Congress that this force is deploying for the purpose of protecting US citizens and property, if necessary, and is equipped for combat.

"This force will remain in Iraq until the security situation becomes such that it is no longer needed," he said.

Earlier in the day, Obama notified the Congress that this force is deploying for the purpose of protecting US citizens and property, if necessary, and is equipped for combat.

"This action has been directed consistent with my responsibility to protect US citizens both at home and abroad, and in furtherance of US national security and foreign policy interests, pursuant to my constitutional authority to conduct US foreign relations and as Commander in Chief and Chief Executive," Obama said.

"The personnel will provide assistance to the Department of State in connection with the temporary relocation of some staff from the US Embassy in Baghdad to the US Consulates General in Basra and Erbil and to the Iraq Support Unit in Amman," White House Press Secretary, Jay Carney, said.

Noting that these US military personnel are entering Iraq with the consent of Iraqi Government, Carney said the US Embassy in Baghdad remains open, and a substantial majority of the US Embassy presence in Iraq will remain in place and the embassy will be fully equipped to carry out its national security mission.

Meanwhile US Secretary of State, John Kerry, continued to reach out to his counterparts in the region to discuss the emerging situation in Iraq, wherein Islamic militants have gained control of a section of the country.

He called the foreign ministers of Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

Yesterday afternoon, Obama held meeting with his National Security Advisor, Suan Rice, to take an update in the situation. - PTI

Jessica murder case:Manu Sharma gets parole to 
appear in exams

NEW DELHI: Siddharth Vashisht alias Manu Sharma, undergoing life term for killing model Jessica Lall in 1999, has been granted parole for 15 days by the Delhi High Court so that he can appear for his post-graduation exams.

A vacation bench of Justice Sunita Gupta granted parole to 36-year-old Sharma on the condition that he shall furnish a personal bond of Rs 50,000 with one surety, for the like amount, who shall be a family member.

The court also directed that Sharma will not leave the National Capital Territory of Delhi for the duration of the parole, which shall be effective from the date of his release.

The other terms and conditions of the parole includes keeping away from the area around the residence of the deceased and her family members, the court said in its order which was made available today after it was reserved yesterday.

Sharma's exams are scheduled to commence from June 19 and will end on June 24. He is pursuing the course from Indian Institute of Human Rights here which is recognised by the United Nations.

Senior advocate S Nandrajog and advocate Arpit Batra, appearing on behalf of Sharma, had submitted before the court that their client's conduct has always been good while in prison and the same has been appreciated by the jail superintendents concerned.

They had also claimed that Sharma through his NGO, Siddharth Vashisht Charitable Trust, has done work towards the education of the children of jailed inmates and his efforts have been appreciated by the Lt Governor.

After hearing Sharma's counsel as well as the fact that the sole opposition by Delhi Police to his parole was his unsatisfactory conduct back in 2009 when he was granted a similar relief, the court granted him parole for 15 days.

"In view of the aforesaid, the petitioner (Sharma) is granted parole for a period of 15 days on the condition that he shall take his second year examination for the course in question," the court said.

Sharma, son of former Union Minister Venod Sharma, was sentenced to life imprisonment for killing Jessica Lall in 1999.

Reversing the trial court's acquittal order, the Delhi High Court had awarded life sentence to him in December 2006 in the murder case and the Supreme Court had upheld the high court order in April 2010.

Lall was shot dead by Sharma after she had refused to serve him liquor at the Tamarind Court restaurant owned by socialite Bina Ramani at Qutub Colonnade in south Delhi's Mehrauli. - PTI

SC vacates stay on trial of Jayalalithaa in DA case

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court today vacated the stay on trial proceedings against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa in a disproportionate assets case.

A bench of justices Vikramajit Sen and S K Singh also dismissed Jayalalithaa's petition for staying her trial till the lower court decides the plea of a company alleging that some of the properties, shown as part of the disproportionate assets of the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, actually belonged to them.

The apex court recalled its earlier order by which the trial against her was stayed.

The disproportionate assets case was shifted to Bangalore in 2003 following a Supreme Court directive on a petition alleging that a fair trial was not possible in Chennai during her tenure as Chief Minister then.

Jayalalithaa faces charges of accumulation of over Rs 66 crore worth of assets disproportionate to her known sources of income.

Besides Jayalalithaa, V K Sasikala, V N Sudhakaran and J Illavarasi are also facing trial in the case.

The Chief Minister had sought a stay on the trial till the lower court decides the plea of Lex Property Development (P) Ltd, a Chennai-based firm.

The company had claimed that the properties, which have been attached by the authorities as 'benami' holdings of Jayalalithaa, in fact, belonged to it and said this plea be decided first before the lower court proceeds with the trial in the assets case.

The court had allowed the company, which has separately challenged the attachment of properties, to cross examine the witnesses. - PTI