Patna, Feb 21 (IANS) Bihar's opposition leader Abdul Bari Siddiqui has given up his security personnel and urged the government to deploy them to maintain law and order.

Ranchi, Feb 21 (IANS) The body of trader Gyan Chandra Jain, who was abducted Feb 14 while returning home from his factory, was recovered Thursday, police said.

Patna, Feb 21 (IANS) A poverty-stricken woman in this Bihar capital has claimed that she sold her two-month-old daughter for Rs.5,000 to a neighbour to raise money for her ailing husband's medical treatment.

Patna, Feb 20 (IANS) Normal life was hit in Bihar Wednesday, the first day of the two-day nationwide strike called by major trade unions to press for various demands, officials said.

Patna, Feb 20 (IANS) Bihar legislator Anant Singh of the ruling Janata Dal-United (JD-U) was named an accused in the kidnapping and murder of a farmer, police said Wednesday.

Ranchi, Feb 20 (IANS) A two-day countrywide shutdown called by 11 trade unions Wednesday affected mining, banks and railway services in Jharkhand.

Patna, Feb 20 (IANS) Thousands of people were stranded across Bihar Wednesday as trains were stopped and key highways blocked by activists affiliated to various trade unions that have called for a nationwide two-day strike.

Patna, Feb 19 (IANS) The opposition RJD Tuesday demanded the resignation of two BJP ministers in Bihar for allegedly terming the party as "Pakistani agents", after it opposed students performing 'surya namaskar' in state government schools.

Patna, Feb 19 (IANS) Over 78,000 criminals, including politicians and lawmakers, have been convicted and punished in Bihar, highest in the country, in the last seven years due to the fast-track courts, an official said Tuesday.

Patna, Feb 18 (IANS) The Bihar assembly's month-long budget session began here Monday on a stormy note as the opposition parties attacked the government over its liquor policy, poor law and order situation, and rampant graft in the state.

Patna, Feb 18 (IANS) Bihar's farmers have done it again. A farmer from Sohdih village of Bihar's Nalanda district has set a new world record in potato production through organic farming this year.

Dhaka, Feb 17 (IANS) Bangladesh's trade deficit was almost halved to over $3.5 billion in the first half of the current 2012-13 fiscal (July 2012-June 2013) as a slump in imports outweighed the impact of fewer exports, a Bangladesh Bank (BB) official said.

Dhaka, Feb 17 (IANS) Indian External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid Sunday handed over the keys of 20 buses to Bangladesh.

Ranchi, Feb 16 (IANS) The BJP Saturday demanded a high-level probe into the alleged police action seeking criminal records of former Jharkhand chief minister Arjun Munda.

Ranchi, Feb 15 (IANS) Three young men were Friday beaten to death by a mob for trying to molest a woman in a Jharkhand village, police said.

Ranchi, Feb 13 (IANS) The security of passengers on trains is a cause for concern in Maoist-infested Jharkhand, an official here said.

Patna, Feb 12 (IANS) A special provision of funds will be made in the union budget for the upcoming Nalanda University in Bihar, External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said Tuesday.

Ranchi, Feb 12 (IANS) A Ranchi court Tuesday allowed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to question jailed former Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda in a money laundering case allegedly involving businessman Anil Bastawade, a lawyer said.

Patna, Feb 12 (IANS) The ruins of the ancient Nalanda University in Bihar should be in the UNESCO list of World Heritage sites, External Affairs Minister Salman Kuurshid said Tuesday.

Patna, Feb 11 (IANS) After three of its girls went missing, a village in Bihar's Siwan district has barred girls from using mobile phones and wearing jeans and T-shirts, an official said Monday.

Patna, Feb 11 (IANS) An influential group of Hindu priests Monday objected to the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) projecting Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as a prime ministerial candidate in the next general election.

Dhaka, Feb 10 (IANS) Visiting Indian Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai Sunday conveyed India's assurance to Bangladesh that all pending issues, including the Teesta water sharing agreement, would be concluded "as early as feasible".

Ranchi, Feb 10 (IANS) Ranchi Rhinos defeated Delhi Waveriders 2-1 in a cracker of a game to win the first Hero Hockey India League at Birsa Munda Astroturf Hockey Stadium here Sunday.

Ranchi, Feb 11 (IANS) Four goals, including a golden goal from skipper Raghunath right in the last minute of extra time, earned Uttar Pradesh Wizards a 4-3 win over Jaypee Punjab Warriors in an absolute thriller of a third place play-off game of the Hero Hockey India League at Birsa Munda Astroturf Hockey Stadium here Sunday.

Patna, Feb 10 (IANS) Bihar will export organic mushrooms and vegetables grown by hundreds of farmers in Nalanda district to Japan, Ukraine, Saudi Arabia and Hungary among other countries, official said.

Ranchi, Feb 9 (IANS) Ranchi Rhinos made sure that they play in the first ever Hero Hockey India League (HIL) final in front of a home crowd, as they beat Uttar Pradesh Wizards 4-2 in the semi-final at Birsa Munda Astroturf Hockey Stadium here Saturday.

Ranchi, Feb 9 (IANS) The International Hockey Federation (FIH) and two-wheeler major Hero MotoCorp Ltd. Saturday announced a first-of-its-kind partnership which will be spread over the next four years.

Patna, Feb 8 (IANS) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Friday said he was "pained" by leaders of his Janata Dal-United (JD-U) putting his name as a prime ministerial candidate, and termed such people "not my well-wishers".

Ranchi, Feb 8 (IANS) Ranchi Rhinos would look to ride on the wave of home support when they take on the unpredictable Uttar Pradesh Wizards in the semi-final of the inaugural Hockey India League at Birsa Munda Astroturf Hockey Stadium here Saturday.

Ranchi, Feb 8 (IANS) Union Cabinet Secretary A.K. Seth reviewed the security and development work of Jharkhand with officials of various ministries in Ranchi Friday.

Bodh Gaya/Tirupati, Feb 8 (IANS) Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa Friday prayed at Buddhism's holiest shrine at Bodh Gaya and then flew to Tirupati amid scattered protests against his two-day Indian pilgrimage.

Bodh Gaya (Bihar), Feb 8 (IANS) Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa flew into India Friday and prayed here at a temple site where Lord Buddha attained enlightenment.

Bodh Gaya/Chennai, Feb 8 (IANS) Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa flew into Bodh Gaya Friday to pray at Buddhism's holiest shrine as protests erupted in parts of India against his two-day India pilgrimage.

Bodh Gaya (Bihar), Feb 8 (IANS) Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa arrived here Friday to pray at a temple site where Lord Buddha attained enlightenment, on the first day of a two-day trip to India.

Patna, Feb 7 (IANS) A Bihar court Thursday awarded the death penalty to a 45-year-old man for raping and killing a minor girl four years ago, a lawyer said.

Patna, Feb 7 (IANS) A 27-year-old woman is battling for her life, while her three minor children were killed after being set ablaze allegedly by her husband and in-laws on charge of stealing jewellery in a Bihar village, police said here Thursday.

Patna, Feb 5 (IANS) The Bihar government Tuesday suspended senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Alok Kumar for allegedly demanding Rs.10 crore from a liquor mafia, an official said.

Patna, Feb 5 (IANS) Singapore has decided to donate a library to the upcoming Nalanda International University in Bihar.

Patna, Feb 4 (IANS) Planning Commission deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia Monday said it was not possible to grant Bihar the status of a special category state but its special package can be improved.

Patna, Feb 2 (IANS) Within nine days of a crime, a Bihar court Saturday awarded the death penalty to a man who raped and murdered a three-year-old girl, a lawyer said.

Patna, Feb 1 (IANS) Eight architectural companies, including six from abroad, have shown interest in designing the upcoming Nalanda University in Bihar, the vice chancellor said Friday.

Patna, Feb 1 (IANS) A senior official of a Gurgaon-based telecommunication company was arrested here for harassing a woman on the Delhi-Patna Sampoorna Kranti Express, police said Friday.

Ranchi, Jan 31 (IANS) Ranchi Rhinos would look to catch up with Delhi Waveriders by handing them their first league defeat in the inaugural edition of the Hero Hockey India League when the two teams face off for the third and final time in the league stage at the Astroturf Hockey Stadium here Friday.

Ranchi, Jan 31 (IANS) Anil Bastawade, an aide of former Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda, who is now in jail and is accused of money laundering, was Thursday remanded to 10 days custody of Enforcement Directorate (ED) by a court.

Patna, Jan 31 (IANS) Activist Anna Hazare Thursday rejected the new draft of the Lokpal Bill with amendments proposed by the central government and announced that he would continue his fight for the Jan Lokpal Bill.

Patna, Jan 30 (IANS) Activist Anna Hazare Wednesday announced that he would form a 'Jantantra Morcha' to fight for and assert people's rights.

Patna, Jan 30 (IANS) As speculation mounts over BJP's Narendra Modi being the NDA's prime ministerial candidate in the next general election, a senior Janata Dal-United (JD-U) leader has said Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is the best man for the job.

Patna, Jan 30 (IANS) Following some senior BJP leaders backing Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as the prime ministerial candidate, a senior Janata Dal-United leader Wednesday made a strong pitch for Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for the post.

Patna, Jan 29 (IANS) Unhappy over delay in parliament passing the Lokpal Bill, Anna Hazare Tuesday accused the Congress-led UPA government of cheating him and people.

Patna, Jan 29 (IANS) Gandhi caps with "I am Anna" inscribed on them flooded Bihar Tuesday, a day ahead of activist Anna Hazare's rally here Jan 30.