The United States has dismissed reports saying that the diplomatic spat between India and Canada over Justin Trudeau's allegation against the Narendra Modi government will deteriorate relations between New Delhi and Washington.

Following an article in a Washington-based website titled "Why Biden's mum on the India-Canada spat," the US embassy released the denial, reports NDTV.

According to the article, US Ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti, informed his colleagues that India-US relations "could get worse for a time." According to the report, Garcetti stated that the US "may need to reduce its contacts with Indian officials for an undefined period of time."

According to a statement given by the US Embassy in India: “The U.S. Embassy dismisses these reports. Ambassador Garcetti is working hard every day to deepen the partnership between the people and governments of the United States and India. As his personal engagement and public schedule demonstrates, Ambassador Garcetti and the U.S. Mission to India are working every day to advance the important, strategic, and consequential partnership we have with India."

Since Trudeau accused the Indian government of involvement in the killing of a Sikh separatist from Khalistani movement, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, in June, New Delhi and Ottawa have been stuck in a diplomatic standoff. The claims have been described as "absurd" and "motivated" by India, the report added.

So far, the Joe Biden administration has insisted that the Canadian government's charges must be investigated, it said.

The issue was raised during a meeting between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken during the latter's visit to the US.=

According to John Kirby, coordinator for Strategic Communications at the National Security Council at the White House, the subject was also discussed when Jaishankar and US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan met.

"We'll certainly leave it to those two countries to talk about their bilateral relationship. We've been clear, these allegations are serious, they need to be fully investigated and of course, as we've said before, we urge India to participate actively in that investigation," Kirby said.

The Washington Post previously reported that Canadian authorities sought public criticism of Nijjar's murder from its friends, particularly the United States, ahead of the G20 conference, but were met with reluctance, the report concluded.

Source: UNB/NDTV

At least 34 people, including two babies were killed when a contraband fuel depot exploded into flames in southern Benin near the border with Nigeria on Saturday.

According to Beninese Interior Minister Alassane Seidou, “a serious fire occurred in the town of Seme Podji. Another 20 people were seriously wounded in the incident.”

"I can't really give you the cause of the fire, but there is a large gasoline warehouse here and cars, tricycles and motorcycles come from morning to evening,” he added.

Nigeria is a main oil and gas producer where fuel smuggling is very common along its borders, particularly when the government maintains a subsidy to keep fuel prices low.

The majority of the victims were burnt and they could not be not be identified.

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