Following are the top foreign stories at 2030 hours

FGN31 UN-LD JAISHANKAR **** India to prioritise rule-based maritime order, says Jaishankar as he launches UNSC campaign United Nations: India will ensure that issues such as free, open and rule-based maritime order, including safety of seafarers, and countering terror financing get the “attention they deserve” at the UN Security Council, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said. **** FGN51 US-INDIAN-ASTRONAUT **** Nasa's Anil Menon, two Russians blast off for 8-month International Space Station mission Washington: Nasa astronaut Anil Menon and two Russian cosmonauts lifted off onboard a Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft from Kazakhstan on an eight-month mission to the International Space Station on Tuesday. **** FGN44 SINGAPORE-BLOOMBERG-COURT **** Singapore high court orders Bloomberg, its employee to pay nearly USD 178,000 in defamation lawsuit Singapore: The Singapore High Court on Tuesday ordered the Bloomberg news organisation and one of its reporters to pay SGD 230,000 (USD 177,853) in damages to two cabinet ministers in a defamation lawsuit, local media reported. **** FGN42 BANGLA-HASINA **** Bangladesh ‘welcomes’ Hasina’s announcement to return home, says she must face justice  Dhaka: Bangladesh on Tuesday said it “welcomes” deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina's plans to return home, asserting that she must face justice as a death penalty convict. **** FGN40 CHINA-INDIA-TRADE **** India, China trade rises to USD 91.72 bn in first 6-month, trade deficit widens to USD 67.1 bn Beijing: China's exports to India increased by 21.8 per cent in the first half of 2026 to USD 79.41 billion, while Indian exports to China rose 37.2 per cent to USD 12.31 billion, according to data released by Chinese customs on Tuesday. **** FGN23 UN-JAISHANKAR-GUTERRES **** Jaishankar discusses global developments, including West Asia, Ukraine with UN Chief Guterres United Nations: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar discussed global developments, including West Asia, Ukraine and Sudan, with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres here. **** FGN25 UAE-INDIAN-LD KILLED **** Indian crew member killed in Iranian strikes on UAE shipping tankers in Strait of Hormuz Dubai: An Indian crew member was killed while eight others, including six Indians, sustained injuries in Iranian strikes on UAE shipping tankers on Tuesday in the Strait of Hormuz close to Oman, in a major escalation of the conflict in West Asia. **** FGN30 VIETNAM-INDIANS-BOAT **** Bodies of 15 Indian tourists killed in Vietnam boat accident reach their home states Hanoi: The bodies of the 15 Indian tourists who were killed in a speedboat accident off Vietnam's Phu Quoc Island reached their home states on Tuesday, the Indian Embassy in Hanoi said. **** FGN29 CHINA-CPC-LD EXPULSION **** China expels senior Communist Party leader in anti-corruption crackdown Beijing: The ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) on Tuesday expelled its former chief of Xinjiang province, Ma Xingrui, from the party and dismissed him from public service for corruption and violating party discipline. **** FGN2 US-PAK-KASH PATEL **** Pakistan minister Naqvi meets FBI Director Kash Patel Washington: Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi met FBI Director Kash Patel here and discussed issues such as combating counterterrorism financing and cyber investigations. **** FGN32 UK-GROOMING GANG-DEPORT **** UK enacts law change to deport grooming gang leader to Pakistan London: Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has set a law change in motion in the UK Parliament that will remove the legal hurdle blocking the deportation of a grooming gang ringleader to Pakistan. **** PTI SKS SKS