Following are the top foreign stories at 1700 hours

    FGN31 VIRUS-AUS-INDIA-AID
Australia's Victoria state to send 41 million dollar worth of aid to India to tackle COVID crisis
    Melbourne: The Australian state of Victoria on Thursday announced 41 million dollar worth of aid and medical equipment, including 1,000 ventilators, for India to assist it to curb the devastating second wave of COVID-19. By Natasha Chaku

     FGN28 VIRUS-AUS-INDIA-TRAVEL-BAN
Australia's COVID-19 travel ban on citizens returning home from India challenged in court
    Melbourne: Australia's controversial temporary ban on citizens returning home from coronavirus-hit India was challenged in the federal court in Sydney on Thursday by a 73-year-old Australian, who has been stranded in Bengaluru since March last year.

     FGN27 VIRUS-US-IP-3RDLD WAIVER
US backs proposal of India, South Africa at WTO for patent waiver for COVID-19 vaccines
    Washington: The Biden administration has backed an initiative by India and South Africa at the WTO to temporarily waive patent rules on COVID-19 vaccines, seen as a breakthrough in the global fight against the deadly pandemic by potentially expanding the supply of the vaccines and more affordable doses for less wealthy nations. By Lalit K Jha
    
    FGN24 PAK-JADHAV
    Pak court asks India to cooperate in Jadhav case
Islamabad: A top Pakistani court hearing the case of death row convict Kulbhushan     Jadhav has asked India to cooperate in the legal proceeding over the matter, saying appearing before the court did not mean a waiver of sovereignty. Sajjad Hussain

    FGN33 UK-POLLS Britain votes in 'Super Thursday' local elections for mayors, councilors     
    London: Millions are voting in the so-called “Super Thursday” local elections for mayors and councillors in England, seats in the devolved Scottish parliament and Welsh Assembly as well as a by-election for the Westminster parliament. By Aditi Khanna

    FGN30 US-LD AMBASSADORS
Formal announcements on ambassadors soon: White House
    Washington: US President Joe Biden is soon expected to make formal announcements on several ambassadorial positions, the White House has said, amid a media report that Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti is under active consideration to be the next envoy to India. By Lalit K Jha    
    
    FGN20 VIRUS-US-MERCY-SHIP-INDIA
US lawmaker propose travel of a mercy ship to India to help address COVID-19 challenge
    Washington: A top American lawmaker has proposed sending a mercy ship to India to help the country which is struggling to deal with a deadly second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. By Lalit K Jha

    FGN12 US-5G-INDIA-CHINA
US lawmakers applaud India's decision to not allow Chinese companies to conduct 5G trials
    Washington: Top US lawmakers have applauded India's decision to not allow Chinese telecom companies to conduct 5G trials in the country. By Lalit K Jha
    
     FGN35NETHERLANDS-ICC-LD UGANDA
    Int'l Court sentences Ugandan to 25 years for war crimes
    The Hague: The International Criminal Court sentenced a Ugandan former child soldier who turned into a brutal rebel commander to 25 years' imprisonment Thursday, with judges saying that his own abduction as a schoolboy and history as a child soldier prevented him being sentenced to life. (AP) RUP
RUP

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