Following are the top foreign stories at 2040 hours

    
     FGN22: US-RUBIO-INDIA-LD PAK TENSIONS
* US Secretary of State Rubio speaks with EAM Jaishankar, Pak PM Sharif; urges de-escalation of tensions
    New York/Washington, May 1 (PTI) The US has encouraged India and Pakistan to "de-escalate tensions", reaffirming its commitment to cooperate with Delhi against terrorism and urging Islamabad’s cooperation in investigating the “unconscionable" Pahalgam terror attack.

    FGN54 US-INDOPAK-DIPLOMAT
* Pakistan's envoy to US urges President Trump to step in to defuse tensions with India
     Washington: Pakistan's envoy to the US has urged President Donald Trump to help ease tensions with India as he simultaneously strives to solve conflicts in Europe and West Asia, Newsweek reported. *
    
     FGN26: PAK-MALIK-LD NSA
* Pak's ISI chief Muhammad Asim Malik appointed as National Security Adviser
    Islamabad: Pakistan has appointed serving ISI chief Lt Gen Muhammad Asim Malik as the new National Security Adviser (NSA) amidst raging tension with India.*
    
     FGN48 PAK-ARMY-INDIA
* Any 'military misadventure' by India will be met with 'swift, resolute, and notch-up response': Pak Army chief
     Islamabad: Pakistan Army chief Gen Asim Munir on Thursday warned that any "military misadventure" by India will be met with a "swift, resolute, and notch-up response" as he visited a firing range to witness a high-intensity field training exercise conducted by the armed forces. *

     FGN53 PAK-RADIO-INDIAN-SONGS
* Pak FM stations stop airing Indian songs amid rising tensions
     Lahore: Pakistani FM radio stations on Thursday stopped airing Indian songs following tensions between the two countries over the Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 people were killed. *
    
     FGN50 UK-KING-LD CANCER
* King Charles speaks out about daunting, frightening aspects of cancer diagnosis
     London: Britain’s King Charles III hosted a special reception at Buckingham Palace in London to celebrate the work of the country’s cancer charities and spoke of his own cancer diagnosis while addressing the gathering. *

     FGN41 PAK-LD AIRSPACE
* Security concerns: Pakistan clamps restrictions on Karachi, Lahore airspace
     Islamabad: Citing security concerns, Pakistan has announced the closure of specific portions of Karachi and Lahore airspace for four hours each day during May and put all airports across the country on high alert, a media report said Thursday. *
    
     FGN49 LANKA-MAY DAY
* Communist parties of India, China represented at Lanka's ruling dispensation's May Day rally
     Colombo: The Communist Party of India and the Communist Party of China were both represented at the May Day rally held here by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s NPP on Thursday. *

     FGN45 BANGLA-HASINA-PROPERTY
* Deposed Bangladesh PM’s expat son decries family’s property seizure
     Dhaka: Deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s expatriate son Sajeeb Wazed Joy has sharply criticised the seizure of property of close family members in Bangladesh saying it was done without any proof of corruption. *

     FGN39 SINGAPORE-ELECTION-WONG
* World not changing back anytime soon, warns Singapore PM about Trump tariffs disruption
     Singapore: Amid the current climate of geopolitical uncertainty arising out of US President Donald Trump's tariffs, Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Thursday said the world has changed, and “it’s not changing back anytime soon”. *

     FGN52 US-IRAN-TALKS-POSTPONE
* Weekend round of nuclear talks between US, Iran postponed, Oman says
     Dubai: Planned negotiations between Iran and the United States this weekend over Tehran's rapidly advancing nuclear programme have been postponed, Oman announced Thursday. (AP) *
    
     FGN29: US-UKRAINE-2NDLD ECONOMIC DEAL
* US, Ukraine sign deal giving US access to country's valuable mineral wealth
    Washington: The US and Ukraine on Wednesday signed an agreement granting American access to Ukraine's vast mineral resources, finalising a deal months in the making that could enable continued military aid to Kyiv amid concerns that President Donald Trump might scale back support in ongoing peace negotiations with Russia. (AP)**
    

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