Following are the top foreign stories at 1700 hours

    
     FGN59 BHUTAN-INDIA-MISRI
* 'Close' bond with India must continue to flourish: Bhutan PM Tobgay tells FS Misri
     Thimphu: Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Friday met Bhutan Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, who asserted that the "close" bilateral bond "rooted in mutual trust and benefit" must continue to flourish. *
    
     FGN56 PAK-TERRORIST-LD ARREST
* Senior Al-Qaeda leader and close aide to bin Laden arrested in Pakistan's Punjab province
     Lahore: Pakistani counter-terrorism officials on Friday announced the arrest of Amin ul Haq, a senior Al-Qaeda leader and a close aide of slain terrorist Osama bin Laden, from Punjab province and foiling a "large-scale terrorism project" in the country. *
    
     FGN48 UK-OUTAGE
* UK airports, trains, London Stock Exchange, NHS impacted by global IT outage
     London: The UK’s airports and trains experienced delays, with the London Stock Exchange and the National Health Service among the other organisations in the country dealing with the fallout of a global IT outage on Friday that has grounded planes and caused chaos around the world. *
    
     FGN58 SAFRICA-LD RAMAPHOSA
* Conceding failure in his first term, South African President Ramaphosa vows renewed efforts under new coalition govt
     Johannesburg: Conceding that the African National Congress government had failed the people of South Africa in his first term as President, Cyril Ramaphosa has vowed to address all the challenges faced by the country as he leads an unprecedented 10-party coalition government in his second term. *

     FGN44 CHINA-MILITARY-CORRUPTION-PROBE
* Yet another chief of China’s strategic missile force under probe for corruption
     Beijing: China’s ruling Communist Party has announced an anti-corruption investigation against another head of its strategic missile force, which continues to be plagued by graft at its top echelons, a media report said on Friday. *
    
     FGN24 UN-BANGLA-VIOLENCE
* UN chief Antonio Guterres deeply concerned by ongoing violence in Bangladesh, says his spokesperson
    United Nations: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is following the developments in Bangladesh very closely and is deeply concerned by the ongoing violence, his spokesperson has said, urging authorities in Dhaka to work with its young population and find solutions to the ongoing challenges. *
    
     FGN50 PAK-HINDU POPULATION
* Hindus largest minority community in Pakistan with 3.8 million population
     Islamabad: The population of Hindus in Pakistan increased from 3.5 million in 2017 to 3.8 million in 2023 to make it the largest minority community in the Islamic nation, according to the official data of last year's census. *
    
     FGN34 US-INDIA-RUSSIA
* US highlights growing ties with India; Seeks support on Ukraine
     Washington: The US wants India to support its efforts to realise an enduring and just peace for Ukraine, the State Department has said, highlighting bilateral cooperation with New Delhi on several key areas. *
    
     FGN53 MALDIVES-INDIA-AIRPORT
* Maldives’ new airport being constructed with Indian assistance nearing completion
     Male: Maldives has said that almost 68 per cent of the Hanimadhoo International Airport, being built under Indian assistance, is now complete, a project that India said will have a transformative impact on the entire northern region of the archipelagic nation. *

    FGN23 US-RNC-LD TRUMP
* Eyeing White House, Trump calls for unity in his first major speech after surviving assassination attempt
     Milwaukee: In his first major public address since surviving an assassination attempt, Donald Trump gave a clarion call for unity as he accepted his Republican party's presidential nomination with a pledged to deliver a government that will begin four greatest years in American history if he is elected in November. *

     FGN18 US-RNC-TRUMP-LD PLEDGE
* Committed to deliver a government that serves American People: Trump says after accepting nomination
     Milwaukee: Expressing his gratitude to the American people for their outpouring of love and support following the assassination attempt on him, Donald Trump has said that his resolve is unbroken, and he is committed to delivering a government that serves the American people. *
    
     FGN9 US-BIDEN
* Biden expected to make major announcement about his re-election bid: media reports
     Milwaukee (US): US President Joe Biden is expected to make a major announcement on his re-election bid, with several senior Democratic leaders suggesting that he leave the race following his disastrous debate performance, a failed assassination attempt on his rival Donald Trump, his poor health, and falling poll numbers, according to media reports. *

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)