Following are the top foreign stories at 2000 hours

FGN23 JAPAN-ENTHRONEMENT-KOVIND Prez Kovind attends enthronement ceremony of Japan's Emperor Naruhito

Tokyo: President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday attended the enthronement ceremony of Japan's new Emperor Naruhito who completed his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne after his father's abdication earlier this year.

FGN7 TRUMP-DIWALI Trump to celebrate Diwali at White House on Thursday

Washington: US President Donald Trump will celebrate Diwali at the White House on Thursday, three days ahead of the formal celebrations of the festival of lights in India. By Lalit K Jha

FGN29 MALAYSIA-MAHATHIR-LD KASHMIR Malaysian PM stands by Kashmir remark, says ‘we speak our minds’

Kuala Lumpur: A defiant Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad on Tuesday said he stands by his remarks on Kashmir, asserting that he speaks his mind and does not retract and change, days after India expressed regret over his statement.

FGN20 CANADA-POLITICS-SINGH Indian-Canadian politician set to emerge as 'kingmaker' as Trudeau poised to form minority govt

Ottawa: Indian-origin Canadian Jagmeet Singh-led New Democratic Party (NDP), which won 24 seats in the general election, is likely to emerge as the "kingmaker" where Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal Party held onto power in a nail-biting poll, albeit as a weakened minority government.

FGN11 ISRAEL-GOVT Netanyahu again fails to form government in Israel

Jerusalem: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has failed to form a government following an inconclusive repeat parliamentary election last month, opening the door for his main rival Benny Gantz to get a chance to become the country’s next leader. By Harinder Mishra

FGN21 PAK-SAEED In jail, Hafiz Saeed plays role of arbitrator to settle dispute between police and others

Lahore: UN designated terrorist and Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed is running the affairs of his banned Jamaat-ud Dawah (JuD) group from Lahore's Kot Lakhpat jail, where he recently played the role of an arbitrator in a high-profile case between the police and the family of a suspected ATM thief who died in police custody.By M Zulqernain

FGN4 US-PAK-HUMAN RIGHTS

Deeply concerned over reports of human rights abuses, religious discrimination in Pak: US Washington: Describing shrinking space for civil society and media freedom in Pakistan as "troubling", the US has said it remains "deeply concerned" over reports of human rights abuses and discrimination faced by people in the country because of their faith. By Lalit K Jha

FGN19 PAK-LOC-VISIT Pakistan says Indian officials did not join foreign diplomats visiting LoC

Islamabad: Pakistan on Tuesday said that Indian officials did not join a handful of foreign diplomats visiting the sectors along the Line of Control, where the Indian Army has destroyed three terror camps. By Sajjad Hussain

FGN31 PAK-LD SHARIF Ailing Nawaz Sharif may receive platelet transfusion: reports

Lahore: Nawaz Sharif is expected to undergo a platelet transfusion on Tuesday after the jailed former Pakistan prime minister's vital blood cell count dropped further, media reports said.

FGN30 PAK-ZARDARI-HOSPITAL Former Pak Prez Zardari admitted to hospital

Islamabad: Former Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari was on Monday admitted to a premier hospital here to undergo treatment and lab tests following an advise by a medical board, according to a media report.

FGN10 PAK-SAFDAR-ARREST Nawaz Sharif's son-in-law Capt (retd) Safdar arrested in hate speech case

Lahore: Pakistan's former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's son-in-law Capt (retd) Mohammad Safdar has been arrested for allegedly passing comments against the Army chief and the judges of the apex court. By M Zulqernain

FGN15 AFGHAN-LD ATTACK Afghan official: Taliban storm checkpoint, kill 15 policemen

Kabul:The Taliban stormed a checkpoint in northern Afghanistan, killing at least 15 policemen in the latest attack by insurgents, an Afghan provincial official said Tuesday.(AP) RUP

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