New Delhi, Jan 13: India and Canada today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to further cooperation between the two countries in the field of agriculture and allied sectors.

The MoU was signed by Minister for Agriculture, Sharad Pawar and Canadian Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Gerry Ritz.

Ritz is leading a high level delegation to India.

The comprehensive MoU provides institutional mechanism for encouraging cooperation towards knowledge sharing on emerging technologies, agricultural marketing and animal development.

New Delhi, Jan 8 : Special Envoy to Prime Minister on the nuclear deal, Shyam Saran on Thursday hinted at restoring nuclear commerce with Canada.

Saran told reporters that along with the civil nuclear treaties with France, Russia and the USA, there could be cooperation with Canada also.

The health department of Canadian Government has allowed Aurobindo Pharma for submission of its abbreviated new drug, Gabapentin capsules in 100mg, 300mg and 400mg strengths.

Aurobindo Pharma is a Hyderabad-based manufacturer of generic pharmaceuticals and active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). The company is already supplying some generic drugs in the Canadian market. The recent approval by Canadian health body is the sixth approval received by Indian Pharmaceutical major.

A latest research conducted at the University Laval in Quebec has revealed that excessive thinking can add excess pounds.

The researchers observed the food intake of 14 students after they were assigned three different types of tasks. These included relaxing in a sitting position, reading and summarizing a text, and finally, completing a series of memory, attention, and vigilance tests on the computer.

It was found that despite the low energy cost of intellectual work, students consumed 203 more calories after summarizing a text, and 253 more calories after the computer tests as compared to the consumption of calories after relaxing in the sitting position.

Washington - Two separate avalanches have claimed the lives of a skier and snowboarder in British Columbia, just days after eight snowmobilers met a similar fate on the perilous slopes of Canada's westernmost province, the Toronto Star reported Friday.

The 26-year-old snowboarder died Thursday while snowboarding solo on a part of Whistler Mountain that was closed to the public. Whistler is to host events during the 2010 Winter Olympics.

A 37-year-old skier was buried in sliding snow late Wednesday on nearby Blackcomb Mountain, the newspaper reported.

Mexico City/Washington  - The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is completing 15 years as an economic crisis, with its epicentre in the United States, has shaken its three pillars: commerce, investment and employment.

The anniversary coincides with the worst moment in several decades for the world economy, and as the White House is set to be occupied by Barack Obama, a fierce critic of NAFTA during the US presidential campaign who has pledged to renegotiate it.

The pact between the United States, Mexico and Canada - the flagship of several free-trade agreements in Latin America - took effect January 1, 1994 when Carlos Salinas de Gortari and Bill Clinton were presidents of Mexico and the US.