Seventeen India national football team members signed contracts with the All India Football Federation here on Tuesday, with the players who recently struck increased packages with new clubs getting almost a similar amount and others a 15 per cent hike on their existing salaries.

Railway minister Mamata Banerjee raised quite a few eyebrows by skipping Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting though she was in New Delhi, but chose to explain her absence by saying she had some “serious job” to do. In the evening, however, she did attend the UPA-2 report card release function at the Prime Minister’s 7 Race Course Road residence.

Tribal state Jharkhand on Tuesday once again came under Central rule after President Pratibha Patil accepted the recommendation of the Union Cabinet to this effect. Earlier in the day the Cabinet decided to recommend President’s Rule in the state, as the Congress and BJP gave up their efforts to form an alternative government following resignation of chief minister Shibu Soren.

Autumn Pearl is expected to win the Coonoor Cup, the main event of the races to be held here on Wednesday.
The selections:

Countering left-wing extremism remains high on the agenda of the UPA-II government with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh outlining the Centre’s anti-Naxal policy on Tuesday. Releasing a report prepared by the UPA-II government on the completion of one year, the Prime Minister said his government has adopted an integrated

Keeping the promise made to the Congress president, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, the Praja Rajyam Party on Tuesday unanimously decided to extend unconditional support to the ruling party in the ensuing Rajya Sabha elections.

Vishal Yadav-trained Killer Foot looks set to win the Chamundi Hills Cup (Division-I), the feature event of the races to be held here on Wednesday.
Vishal Yadav’s other ward Aryansh holds an edge over others in the Chamundi Hills Cup (Division-II).

A 20-year-old Merchant Navy student committed suicide at his hostel in east Delhi’s Uttam Nagar on Tuesday afternoon, apparently after allegedly facing harassment at his hostel.

With Union law minister and AICC in-charge of Andhra Pradesh M. Veerappa Moily refuting the claims made by MP from Kadappa YSR Jganmohan Reddy that he has been allowed by the central leadership to continue with his “Odarpu” yatra, the standoff between Congress and the young leader appears to have remained as it is.

The spectre of sealing of “unauthorised commercial establishments” from June 1 was on Monday deferred to at least June 30 with MCD officials telling members of its standing committee that there was no