After MEA rebuff, Canada rejects report: 'no evidence linking PM, Jaishankar, NSA' 

In a significant move indicating an attempt to dial down tensions between Ottawa and Delhi, Canadian National Security Advisor Nathalie G Drouin has said the government of Canada "has not stated, nor is it aware of evidence linking" Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and NSA Ajit Doval to "the serious criminal activity" in Canada - a reference to the killing of Khalistan separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

The Canadian NSA's statement after India rejected the report in The Globe and Mail. "We do not normally comment on media reports. However, such ludicrous statements made to a newspaper, purportedly by a Canadian government source, should be dis- missed with the contempt they deserve," Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, had said. 

CARIBBEAN CONNECT

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Guyana and his summit meeting with leaders of the Caribbean basin point to Delhi's focus on a long-neglected region. 

The image of "West Indies" resonates in the Indian mind thanks to the intense cricketing connections. So do India's diasporic links to the region. 

Between the early 19th and early 20th centuries, colonial Britain moved Indian labour to the Caribbean to farm the sugar plantations. Nearly a million people of Indian origin live in the Caribbean today and in some states like Guyana, Trinidad and Suriname, they form a sizable section of the population and contribute to nation-building. 

Our gig firms set for global league says FM

Indian Innovations such as quick commerce could join the league of the biggest players in the international tech business space over time, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said, calling for a strong "Bharat Brand" in multiple sectors.

Speaking at the 8th India Ideas Conclave organised by India Foundation in Bengaluru, Sitharaman said India's start-ups and gig economy units, truly represent the kind of innovation that India is capable of. 

The minister said the country must capitalise on these ventures to establish "brand India" as a destination of innovative solutions to modern urban needs.

Quick commerce is a fast-growing consumer sector in India. Such companies have developed robust infrastructure and logistics networks to ensure rapid delivery of goods, she noted. 

Argentina considers Paris treaty pullout: What does that mean?

Argentina's far-right President Javier Milei is reportedly considering withdrawing his country from the Paris Agreement, which aims to curb global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. 

Milei's government asked Argentinian negotiators to leave the COP29 climate summit in Baku, Azerbaijan.

The reported review by Argentina of its participation in the landmark climate treaty comes as Donald Trump prepares to take office as President of the United States. 

Chhattisgarh's new tiger reserve, at heart of animal's contiguous home

The Chhattisgarh government notified the Guru Ghasidas-Tamor Pingla in the state as India's 56th tiger reserve.

What do we know about the reserve?

Guru Ghasidas-Tamor Pingla is the fourth tiger reserve in Chhattisgarh after Achanakmar, Indravati, and Udanti Sitanadi. With an area of 2,829 sq km, it is the third-largest tiger reserve in India. The reserve is spread across four districts in northern Chhattisgarh's Sarguja region: Manendragarh-Chirmiri-Bharatpur (MCB), Korea, Surajpur, and Balrampur.