Following are the top foreign stories at 2020 hours

FGN45: FRANCE-RAJNATH-LD TAX Paris: French multinational Safran, the manufacturer of the M88 state-of-the-art engines fitted in the Rafale fighter jets acquired by India, says it asked the Indian government not to "penalise" the company on tax and customs matters.

FGN39: CHINA-XI-SUMMIT

Beijing: As Chinese President Xi Jinping heads to India on Friday for his 2nd informal summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, official media here said their meeting would focus more on how to move beyond the historical and present differences to forge a cooperative partnership.

FGN40: PAK-JUD-ARRESTS Lahore: Pakistan's law enforcement agencies on Thursday arrested the "top four leaders" of the banned LeT/JuD on charges of terrorism financing, a move that authorities say would put the "entire core leadership" of these outfits on trial.

FGN36: NOBEL-2NDLD LITERATURE

Stockholm: Polish writer Olga Tokarczuk on Thursday won the 2018 Nobel Literature Prize, which was delayed over a sexual harassment scandal, while Austrian novelist and playwright Peter Handke took the 2019 award, the Swedish Academy said. (AFP)

FGN46: IMF-CLIMATECHANGE Washington: Finance ministers must play a central role to champion and implement fiscal policies to curb climate change, top officials from the IMF said on Thursday, warning that the longer the wait, the greater the loss of life and damage to the world economy.

FGN13: UN-INDIA-LD TERROR

United Nations: In a veiled attack on Pakistan, India has condemned any direct or indirect financial assistance to terrorists and terror groups by nations that enables them to pursue their activities, including in defending criminal cases against them.

FGN15: PAK-KARTARPUR Islamabad: Pakistan on Thursday said no date has been fixed so far for the inauguration of the much-awaited Kartarpur corridor, even as it assured that it will be open "on time" on the occasion of the 550th birth anniversary of Sikh faith founder Guru Nanak Dev next month.

FGN22: PAK-IMRAN-MIDEAST

Islamabad: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan is likely to visit Iran and Saudi Arabia later this month as part of Islamabad's efforts to defuse the increasing tensions in the Middle East, according to a media report.

PTI SCY

SCY