Following are the top foreign stories at 1700 hours

FGN51: CHINA-2NDLD PARLIAMENT Beijing: In an unprecedented move, China on Monday postponed the annual session of Parliament from March 5 due to the coronavirus outbreak, state media reported as the country grapples with the deadly virus that has claimed over 2,500 lives and infected more than 77,000 people.

FGN19: US-TRUMP-LD INDIA

On Board Air Force One: US President Donald Trump on Monday tweeted in Hindi on his way to India, saying he is eager to visit the country and would be soon meeting all.

FGN59: UK-INDIA-LD STATUE London: India has made a formal request for the return of a 15th century bronze idol of a Tamil saint believed to be stolen from a temple in Tamil Nadu and found its way to a UK museum at Oxford University through auction.

FGN34: AUS-INDIA-TRADE

Melbourne: Australia is open for business with India and it is time for the Australian businesses to develop long-term relations with the Indian partners, a senior minister has said.

FGN61: US-INDIAN-LD MURDER Washington: An Indian national has been shot dead by a masked assailant in Los Angeles with the police saying the suspect entered the grocery store with a semi-automatic handgun with the intent to commit a robbery.

FGN35: NEPAL-PM-BDAY

Kathmandu: Nepal Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli's birthday celebrations were marred by controversy after pictures of him cutting a 15-kg-cake with the country's map drawn on it went viral, according to media reports on Monday.

FGN20: PAK-CHINA-FLIGHTS Islamabad: Pakistan has again suspended flights to coronavirus-hit China till March 15 due to surge in the infected cases in that country, days after it resumed the air operations to and from Beijing, according to officials.

FGN60: MALAYSIA-3RDLD MAHATHIR

Kuala Lumpur: Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad resigned on Monday in a shock move after his political allies sought to form a new coalition in a bid to block the succession of leader-in-waiting Anwar Ibrahim. (AFP) SCY