KOLKATA, Feb 12- The state government today decided to lift from tomorrow the ban on trading and transportation of chicken and eggs imposed on 5 February, except in the 48 blocks and five municipalities where the avian flu had broken out. Poultry products would be allowed in and out of Murshidabad and Birbhum - the first to have been hit by the flu - only from authorised farms, though the ban would continue to be in force in 22 affected blocks in the two districts.

GUWAHATI, Feb 12

New Delhi: In view of the upcoming Assembly elections, the BJP led Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has made a populist move by deciding not to increase the rate of taxes levied on pets and vehicles. Leader of House Subhash Arya made this announcement while presenting the final budget for the financial year 2008-2009. He also said that the civic agency would propose to the Delhi government that it should not increase the tax, which was proposed by MCD four years back.

Bird flu in Bangladesh Nearly 2,000 chickens have been culled in a village in northern Bangladesh after the H5N1 bird flu virus was detected at a poultry farm in the last week of December. This

The EU council of ministers has agreed to introduce electronic tags for millions of sheep and goats across Europe by the end of 2009. The move is part of a strategy to prevent epidemics of contagious

Conditions are ripe for an upturn in India's dairy sector. The government has lifted its ban on the export of milk powder at a time when increasing demand is sending prices of dairy products