Following are the top foreign stories at 2000 hours

     FGN30 US-PRESIDENTIAL GIFTS-LD MODI
     * USD 20,000 diamond by PM Modi was priciest gift from any foreign leader Jill Biden received in 2023
     Washington: A USD 20,000 diamond presented by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to US First Lady Jill Biden was the most expensive gift given by any world leader to the Biden family in 2023, the US State Department has said here. *

     FGN3 US-H-1B
     *Ahead of Trump's inauguration, debate on H1B visas intensifies
     Washington: Three weeks ahead of Trump's inauguration here on January 20, the debate on foreign guest workers visas for highly skilled professionals, the H-1B, has intensified which has literally created divisions in both the Democratic and the Republican parties.
    
     FGN25 CHINA-FLU-OUTBREAK
     * China plays down reports of huge flu outbreak; says country safe for travel
     Beijing: China on Friday played down reports of a massive outbreak of flu in the country overwhelming hospitals, saying that cases of the respiratory diseases which occur during the winter were less severe this year compared to last year. *
    
     FGN21 CHINA-MILITARY-AI
    AI cannot replace human decision-making on battlefield, Chinese military warns its forces
    Beijing, Jan 3 (PTI) Investing heavily in modernisation, the Chinese military has cautioned its armed forces against banking heavily on artificial intelligence saying that AI should be a tool to guide but not a replacement for human decision-making in the battlefield because it lacks self-awareness capability.

     FGN22 PAK-DAR-INDIA
    'It takes two to tango,' says Pakistan's Foreign Minister on relations with India
     Islamabad, Jan 3 (PTI) Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has emphasised that normalising relations with India requires mutual willingness.
    
     FGN5 US-TRUMP POLICIES
    Silicon Valley now deeply enmeshed in all things Trump: Indian American venture capitalist
    Washington: The Silicon Valley is now deeply enmeshed in all things Trump, who has roped in some of the best brains and entrepreneurs from here, a top Indian American venture capitalist has said.

     FGN4 US-JABBAR
    New Orleans attacker acted alone, had strong support for ISIS: Biden
    Washington: New Orleans attacker Shamsud-Din Jabbar acted alone even though there are indications that he had strong support for ISIS, US President Joe Biden has said.

     FGN17 US-RANA
    Rana's attorney seeks review of US court's decision to extradite him to India, cites 'double jeopardy'
    Washington: An attorney for Mumbai-attack convict Tahawwur Rana has urged the US Supreme Court to review the lower court's decision to extradite him to India, citing the principle of double jeopardy which prevents a person from being tried or punished twice for the same offence. *
    
     FGN28 UK-ATOMIC CLOCK
     * UK lab develops 'groundbreaking' atomic clock using quantum technology
     London: A “groundbreaking” atomic clock built at a top-secret UK lab will make military operations more secure through experimental quantum technology over the years, the country’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) has claimed. *

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