Following are the top foreign stories at 2000 hours

FGN30 PAK-SAEED-2NDLD SENTENCE Pak court sentences Hafiz Saeed to 11 years in jail in terror financing cases

Lahore: Mumbai attack mastermind and Jamat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed was sentenced to 11 years in two terror financing cases on Wednesday, four days ahead of a crucial meeting of the Financial Action Task Force in Paris where Pakistan will present its case to get itself off grey list. By M Zulqernain

FGN42 CHINA-LDALL VIRUS Calls for freedom of speech on rise in China as coronavirus death toll soars to over 1,100

Beijing/Wuhan: The coronavirus outbreak in China has led to rare open calls for freedom of speech in the Communist nation amid growing public discontent over the handling of the epidemic, as the death toll continued to climb which prompted the government on Wednesday to announce fresh restrictions in top cities. By K J M Varma

FGN43 JAPAN-VIRUS-LD INDIANS Two Indian crew on board cruise ship off Japanese coast test positive for coronavirus

Tokyo: Two Indian crew on board a cruise ship off the Japanese coast have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, the Indian Embassy in Japan said on Wednesday as authorities confirmed that 174 people have been infected with the deadly disease.

FGN36 US-TRUMP-2NDLD INDIA Looking forward to first visit to India: Trump

Washington: US President Donald Trump has said he is looking forward to his first visit to India this month and signalled his willingness to sign a trade agreement with New Delhi "if we can make the right deal." By Lalit K Jha

FGN21 NEPAL-INDIANS-LD RESORT Nepal shuts resort where 8 Indian tourists died

Kathmandu: Nepal has suspended the licence of a mountain resort for three months after a probe found security lapses at the hotel for the incident that led to the death of eight Indians, including four minors, due to possible asphyxiation, a senior official said on Wednesday. By Shirish B Pradhan

FGN34 UK-CHAWLA Wanted bookie Sanjeev Chawla to be extradited from UK to India soon

London: Scotland Yard officers are preparing to hand over alleged bookie Sanjeev Chawla to their counterparts in Delhi Police by Thursday to face match-fixing charges in Indian courts.By Aditi Khanna

FGN11 US-PRIMARY-LD SANDERS Sanders and Trump win New Hampshire primary

Washington: US Senator Bernie Sanders has won the Democratic presidential primary in the key state of New Hampshire, giving a big boost to his campaign for the 2020 White House bid as the race to his party's nomination gathers momentum over the next few months. By Lalit K Jha

FGN41 OPEC-LD VIRUS OPEC chops global oil demand growth forecast over China virus

Paris: The OPEC oil cartel on Wednesday lowered its forecast for growth in global oil demand this year by nearly a fifth due to the impact of the coronavirus outbreak in China. (AFP)

FGN18 IRAN-SATELLITE Iran denies satellite programme has military dimension

Tehran: Iran's government on Wednesday rejected US allegations that the Islamic republic's satellite programme has a military dimension, days after the failed launch of its latest satellite. (AFP) RUP RUP