Noida, Feb 21 (IANS) A day after violence rocked this suburb of the national capital, 400 of the 1,200 industrial units resumed work Thursday on the second day of a nationwide strike called by major trade unions to check inflation, ensure jobs and enforce labour laws, an official said.

Lucknow, Feb 21 (IANS) A two-member panel has been formed to probe the violence in Noida that broke out on the first day of the two-day countrywide shutdown, leaving many people injured and property worth crores gutted, said authorities.

Noida/Ghaziabad, Feb 20 (IANS) The two-day nationwide strike called by major trade unions partially affected life in the National Capital Region towns of Noida and Ghaziabad Wednesday.

Lucknow, Feb 20 (IANS) They'll cost the Utttar Pradesh government a whopping Rs.2,800 crore and their distribution is set to begin, but each of the 1.5 million recipients of the free laptops being given to school-leavers will have no doubt where they came from - what with tamper-proof images of ruling Samajwadi Party (SP) supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav and son and Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on their covers.

Lucknow, Feb 20 (IANS) Normal life was disrupted across Uttar Pradesh Wednesday on the first day of the two-day bandh called by 11 trade unions to oppose the "anti-labour" policies of the union government.

Agra, Feb 19 (IANS) The annual ten-day cultural extravaganze Taj Mahotsava was inaugurated by Uttar Pradesh's Tourism Minister Om Prakash Singh Tuesday evening in the absence of Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav for whom the festival was postponed for a day.

Allahabad, Feb 19 (IANS) After three days of partial blackout, electricity was restored in the Kumbh mela premises late Tuesday, officials said.

Lucknow, Feb 19 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav Tuesday accused the union government of not releasing funds of the centrally-aided projects and schemes in time, thus slackening the development process in the state.

Lucknow, Feb 19 (IANS) Amid a walkout by the main opposition Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav Tuesday presented a Rs.2.21 lakh crore budget, the biggest in the history of the state.

Ghaziabad, Feb 18 (IANS) Police Monday registered a criminal case against a woman who filed a false gang rape complaint against four men in Ghaziabad.

Allahabad, Feb 18 (IANS) After incessant rains that turned the Kumbh mela site into a swamp, rising waters of the Ganga and Yaumna rivers here have added to the problems of the mela officials.

Ghaziabad, Feb 18 (IANS) The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has threatened to prosecute the Uttar Pradesh irrigation secretary for contempt of court, for violating a stay order of the tribunal and allowing a section of the Hindon River bed to be filled with mud.

Lucknow, Feb 18 (IANS) Fearing further furore during the ongoing budget session of the state assembly, the Uttar Pradesh government late Sunday ordered a judicial probe into the stampede at the Allahabad railway station Feb 11, which left 37 dead.

Ghaziabad, Feb 17 (IANS) A three-year-old girl was raped by her neighbour here Sunday after being lured to his room with toffees, police said. The accused has been arrested.

Greater Noida, Feb 17 (IANS) Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) Order of Merit winner Shamim Khan and second placed Rashid Khan came up with a solid back nine performance to help Silverglades Delhi defeat DLF Gurgaon 3-0 to lift the second edition Louis Philippe at the Jaypee Greens Golf Resort here Sunday.

Varanasi, Feb 17 (IANS) It's nearly lunch time and homemaker Sangya Pandey is busy in the kitchen. An everyday routine for millions of women in India - but there's a difference here. People awaiting food cooked by Pandey are not family or even friends, but guests at a five-star hotel.

Agra, Feb 16 (IANS) Heavy rains disrupted life in the Taj city Saturday while farmers in the region were worried over the untimely showers that have damaged standing mustard and potato crops and threaten the wheat crop too.

Aligarh, Feb 16 (IANS) Congress chief Sonia Gandhi Saturday assured the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) community that she would lend support to the institution to preserve its historical character and its autonomy.

Allahabad, Feb 16 (IANS) Heavy rains that lashed the city Saturday created a crisis at the Kumbh mela premises, sending pilgrims, seers and journalists scurrying for cover as tents collapsed under the deluge.

Agra Feb 16 (IANS) As the deadline for filing objections to the draft notification for declaring the 10-km eco-sensitive zone around forest reserves ended Friday evening, builders fear the stalling of their projects in these areas.

Noida, Feb 15 (IANS) Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages Pvt. Ltd. (HCCBPL) has partnered with actor Salman Khan's Being Human foundation to empower rural, educated and underserved youth, a statement said Friday.

Greater Noida, Feb 15 (IANS) A lawyer was shot dead within the premises of a court in Greater Noida in Uttar Pradesh, adjoining the national capital, Thursday night. The shooting came to light Friday morning when a sweeper found the body with bullet marks on it.

Allahabad, Feb 15 (IANS) One person was killed and another injured as a fire swept through a cluster of tents at the Kumbh Mela in Allahabad, officials said Friday.

Agra, Feb 14 (IANS) Come Basant Panchami Friday, the Taj city will fondly remember one of Urdu poetry's earliest and greatest poets Nazeer Akbarabadi, a poet who sang of subjects like roti, kite-flying, love and romance, childhood and old age.

Greater Noida, Feb 14 (IANS) Speed enthusiasts will now have the option of enjoying a bird's eye view at the Buddh International Circuit (BIC) here when the Formula 1 track hosts an open track day Sunday, allowing general motorists to drive on the track.

Allahabad, Feb 14 (IANS) Marking Valentine's Day, several spiritual leaders Thursday urged people at the Kumbh Mela here to treat the Ganga as their valentine everyday.

Agra Feb 14 (IANS) The annual 10-day Taj Mahotsava will begin from Feb 19, a day late, to enable a busy Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav to inaugurate it, an official said Thursday. But the move has angered the tourism industry here.

Aligarh, Feb 13 (IANS) BRICS countries - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - are emerging as the world's fastest and most influential economies of the 21st century, Brigadier (retd.) S. Ahmad Ali, pro-vice chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University, said here Wednesday.

Ghaziabad, Feb 13 (IANS) Hundreds of lawyers Wednesday disrupted rail services here for about an hour to press for their demand of setting up a high court bench in western Uttar Pradesh.

Allahabad, Feb 12 (IANS) Cases were slapped on a helicopter pilot, flying a French photo-journalist, who had hovered dangerously low over the pilgrims at the Kumbh Mela here, police officials said Tuesday. The two have been detained and are being questioned.

Greater Noida, Feb 12 (IANS) Raymond Limited chairman Gautam Singhania is aiming to race in Europe's Ferrari Challenge.

Lucknow, Feb 12 (IANS) Four Kumbh Mela pilgrims, including a woman, were killed and over a dozen injured Tuesday when their bus overturned at Chitrakoot in Uttar Pradesh, police said.

Allahabad, Feb 12 (IANS) Action will be taken against officials if found guilty of lapses for the Feb 10 stampede due to the Kumbh Mela rush at the Allahabad railway station here, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav said Tuesday.

Lucknow, Feb 12 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and Governor B.L. Joshi Tuesday will visit those injured in the Allahabad railway station stampede, which has claimed 37 lives, an official said.

Lucknow, Feb 11 (IANS) Two people, including a convict, were Monday afternoon killed in firing by five car-borne assailants in Uttar Pradesh, police said.

Allahabad, Feb 11 (IANS) Even as the state government ordered a probe into Sunday's stampede at Allahabad railway station, sources said pressure on Kumbh officials to clear the town of millions of people led to the 36 deaths and injuries to over 24 others.

Lucknow, Feb 11 (IANS) The Uttar Pradesh Urban Development Minister Mohammad Azam Khan Monday quit his position as chairman of the Kumbh Management Committee, owning moral responsibility for Sunday's stampede at the Allahabad railway station that killed 36 people.

Allahabad, Feb 11 (IANS) At least 36 people were killed and over a dozen injured in an stampede following the collapse of an overbridge railing at the Allahabad railway station Sunday owing to the Kumbh Mela rush, an official said Monday.

Allahabad, Feb 10 (IANS) At least 10 people were killed and over a dozen injured when the railing of an overbridge at Allahabad railway station collapsed Sunday due to the Kumbh Mela rush, state government officials and Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal said. A probe has been ordered.

Allahabad, Feb 10 (IANS) Officials at the Maha Kumbh mela premises had a tough time Sunday as they found themselves caught between the incessant rush of devotees and the steady spin of rumour mills on Mauni Amavasya, the biggest bathing day.

Allahabad, Feb 10 (IANS) Amid blowing of conch shells, the biggest bathing day 'Mauni Amavasya' at the Maha Kumbh began early Sunday as millions of visitors walked to take a dip at the Sangam - the holy confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and the mystical Saraswati.

Lucknow, Feb 10 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav Saturday midnight undertook a major rejig of the state bureaucracy, transferring 56 Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and 60 Indian Police Service (IPS) officials.

Lucknow, Feb 9 (IANS) Two days after the first cabinet expansion of the 11-month-old Samajwadi Party-led Uttar Pradesh government, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav Saturday night allotted portfolios to new ministers and reshuffled the work of some colleagues.

Lucknow, Feb 9 (IANS) The Censor Board denied certification for release to 256 films in the past 12 years, an RTI query has revealed.

Lucknow, Feb 9 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav is finally walking out of father Mulayam Singh Yadav's shadow, carefully building the state's business profile, looking into the nitty-gritty of key government schemes and rejigging the bureaucracy and his council of ministers. As an aide put it, 'Bhaiyyaji' is finally calling the shots.

Allahabad, Feb 9 (IANS) Security at the Kumbh Mela, where millions of Hindus and others have congregated, was further tightened Saturday as Afzal Guru, convicted for his central role in the attack on the Indian parliament over 11 years ago, was hanged at the Tihar Jail in New Delhi.

Lucknow, Feb 8 (IANS) Anticipating a huge media presence from across the world to cover Mauni Amavasya, the most important royal bathing day, the Kumbh administration Friday issued fresh guidelines to journalists.

Allahabad, Feb 8 (IANS) A rare planetary configuration after 147 years, unprecedented security and a multitude of faithfuls has set the stage for the biggest of all holy 'shahi snans' (royal baths) at the Maha Kumbh Sunday. More than 30 million pilgrims were expected for Mauni Amavasya, officials said.

Agra, Feb 8 (IANS) Doctors at a super-speciality hospital in Agra have for the first time successfully implanted a bioresorbable vascular scaffold (BVS) or "vanishing stent" in a businessman for coronary artery disease (CAD).

Ghaziabad, Feb 7 (IANS) Three unidentified armed robbers looted cash, valuables and Samsung products worth over Rs.15 lakh from the warehouse of Samsung here, police said Thursday.