TOP FOREIGN STORIES AT 1700 HOURS

FGN18 LANKA-SPY-CHIEF

In a first, Sri Lanka appoints military officer as spy chief Colombo: For the first time in Sri Lanka's history, a military officer has been appointed as the chief of the country's top intelligence agency, which was blamed for failing to prevent the devastating Easter terror attack that killed more than 250 people in April.

FGN15 PAK-LD SHARIF

No improvement in Sharif's health, docs advise ex-Pak PM be shifted to US Lahore/London: Pakistan's ailing former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, who is currently undergoing treatment in London, has shown no improvement in his platelet count and the doctors have advised that he be shifted to the US for better medical care, a top PML-N official said on Monday.

FGN14 PAK-MARYAM

Pak govt given seven days by court to decide on removal of Maryam's name from no-fly list Lahore: A Pakistani court on Monday directed the federal government to decide within seven days about removing the name of PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz from the no-fly list so she can visit her ailing father in London, according to media reports.

FGN13 NZ-5THLD VOLCANO

Five dead, many injured after New Zealand volcano eruption Wellington: Five people were killed, 18 were injured and several more were left stranded after an island volcano popular with tourists erupted unexpectedly in New Zealand on Monday. (AFP)

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