Following are the top foreign stories at 2000 hours

     FGN40 LAOS-EAS-JAISHANKAR-LD ADDRESS
     * Sea lines of communication passing through South China Sea critical for peace in Indo-Pacific region: Jaishankar
     Vientiane (Laos): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday stressed the need for a substantive and effective code of conduct to secure sea lines of communication in the South China Sea which he said are critical for peace and stability of the Indo-Pacific region, amidst growing concerns about China’s maritime coercion. *

     FGN53 ASEAN-JAISHANKAR-LD BILATERALS
    *Jaishankar discusses bilateral ties with Turkiye counterpart, meet scholars in Laos
     Vientiane (Laos): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday met his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan here during which the two leaders discussed bilateral ties and exchanged views on regional and global issues.
    
     FGN55 LANKA-ELECTION-WICKREMSINGHE
    President Wickremesinghe officially announces candidacy for Sri Lankan presidency
    Colombo: Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Saturday publicly declared his candidacy to contest the presidential election on September 21.
    
     FGN57 MALDIVES-INDIA
Maldives resume medical evacuations with India-gifted Dornier & helicopters; Prez Muizzu thanks Delhi
     Male:The Maldives has resumed using a Dornier aircraft and two helicopters gifted by India for medical evacuations after the two countries reached an understanding over the repatriation of Indian military personnel operating the three aviation platforms in the archipelagic nation, media reports said on Saturday.
    
     FGN41 LAOS-ARF-JAISHANKAR-TERRORISM
     * Be robust in combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations: Jaishankar
     Vientiane (Laos): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday called on the international community to be robust in combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and dismantle terror sanctuaries and UN-proscribed terrorism financing networks. *

     FGN37 ASEAN-EAS-JAISHANKAR-CONFLICTS
     * De-escalation & restraint and dialogue & diplomacy, Jaishankar invokes India’s mantra to end conflicts
     Vientiane (Laos): India on Saturday called for de-escalation and restraint in war-torn Gaza while maintaining the importance of dialogue and diplomacy to end the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. *
    
     FGN26 LAOS-INDIA-MOUS
     * Laos, India sign MoUs on Quick Impact Projects, digital solutions sharing during Jaishankar's visit
     Vientiane (Laos): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday held a meeting with his Laotian counterpart Saleumxay Kommasith during which they witnessed the exchange of MoUs on 10 Quick Impact Projects for Laos and cooperation in sharing successful digital solutions. *

     FGN23 LAOS-JAISHANKAR-LD SIPHANDONE
     * Jaishankar discusses bilateral cooperation, issue of trafficking of Indian nationals with Laos PM
     Vientiane (Laos): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday called on Laos Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone and raised the issue of trafficking of Indian nationals through cyber scam centres in the Southeast Asian country and discussed development partnership and cooperation in areas like defence and energy. *
    
     FGN21 MYANMAR-DOVAL
     * Myanmar PM, NSA Doval discuss measures for forging peace and stability in border region
     Naypyidaw: Myanmar Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlain has met National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and discussed measures for forging peace and stability in the border region. *
         
     FGN16 US-TRUMP-HARRIS
     * Harris will be most extreme radical liberal president in American history: Trump
     Washington: Kamala Harris will be the "most extreme radical liberal president in American history" if she is elected, Donald Trump has said, as he intensified his attacks on his Democratic rival in the presidential polls in November. *
    
     FGN10 US-TRUMP-LD FBI
     * FBI says Trump was struck by bullet in assassination attempt at campaign rally
     Washington: The FBI has said that Donald Trump was hit by a bullet, or a fragment from one, fired by the would-be assassin at the former US president and Republican presidential nominee at his Pennsylvania rally earlier this month. *
    
     FGN29 PAK-JI-PROTEST
     * Pakistan's JI party's sit-in enters second day as party protests against electricity price, tax hike
     Islamabad: Pakistan’s rightwing Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) on Saturday vowed to continue its protest in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi as the party's sit-in entered the second day to press the government to reduce electricity price and taxes on the salaried class. **

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