Washington, Nov. 26 : Aides to US President-elect Barack Obama have said that they do not expect Vice-President Joe Biden to assume the kind of muscular role that Vice President Dick Cheney has played over the last eight years, although they will expect him to put out a number of fires.

“I’m sure that there will be discrete assignments over time. But I think his fundamental role is as a trusted counselor. I think that when Obama selected him, he selected him to be a counselor and an adviser on a broad range of issues,” the New York Times quoted,” David Axelrod, a senior adviser to the president-elect, as saying.

Kanmun (Mizoram)/Kanchanpur (Tripura), Nov. 26 : Mizoram, which is due to undergo Assembly elections for 40 seats just a few days from now, is not witnessing any posters, election rallies or road shows or campaigning through high-decible loudspeakers roaming all around the State.

Unlike other poll-bound States, there is no big hoopla about elections in any Mizo village. The skyline is rarely broken by big flex, poster or other publicity materials of candidates.

New Delhi, Nov. 26 : Indian organizations representing NGOs, farmers groups, trade unions, health groups and peoples’ movements today called for an immediate halt to negotiations between India and the European Union on a far reaching Free Trade Agreement (FTA) that will have an adverse impact on livelihoods, food security and access to healthcare.

According to a press release issued by the Centre for Education and Communication, the groups met with Members of the European Parliament in Delhi to place on record their grave concerns over the overarching scope of the FTA negotiations and the extreme and unwarranted secrecy surrounding them.

Kolkata, Nov. 26 (ANI): Kolkata''s jewellers are all smiles despite the global slowdown being suffered by markets across the world. The goldsmiths here didn’t shift to machine-made jewellery but adhered to their handmade process.

This decision, which was once believed as the main reason for their backwardness by several people, is today reaping them rich dividends.

When the US market was booming, jewellers in other parts of India and the world started mass production of low-carat gold jewellery, which was the craze in the United States. But now with the recession in the US there are no takers for that.

New Delhi, Nov 26 : Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Murli Deora’s announcement to cut fuel prices has created poll row between the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alleging violation of election code.

The BJP leaders Mukhtaar Abbas Naqvi and Ravi Shankar Prasad approached the Election Commission on Wednesday demanding action against the Petroleum Minister.

Deora had announced on Tuesday a probable cut in fuel prices towards the end of December.

New Delhi, Nov 26 : Accused of 1993 Mumbai serial blasts Abu Salem was produced in a court in New Delhi on Wednesday in connection with an alleged extortion call made by him to a businessman.

The court has allowed him to return to Mumbai for appearing before various courts in connection with other cases.

Salem is required to give a written undertaking that he would be present in New Delhi on December 12 for the next hearing in connection with the extortion case.