Following are the top foreign stories at 1700 hours

FGN27 US-VIRUS-LD INDIAN Indian-American appointed key member of US COVID-19 task force Washington: Leading Indian-American health policy consultant Seema Verma has been appointed as one of the key members of the White House Coronavirus Task Force constituted by US President Donald Trump to combat the deadly disease that has claimed six lives in the country and infected over 90 others

FGN11 US-TALIBAN-PACT-ESPER Peace deal with Taliban is conditions-based agreement: US Defence Secretary Washington: The peace deal signed with the Taliban in Doha over the weekend is a conditions-based agreement, US Defence Secretary Mark Esper has said, reiterating that this is an important first step towards a political solution to end the war in Afghanistan

FGN29 ISRAEL-VOTE-3RDLD NETANYAHU Buoyed by exit polls, Netanyahu begins talks to form coalition government Jerusalem: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday began talks with lawmakers to form a coalition government led by him after the exit polls projected majority for his Likud Party in the country's unprecedented third parliamentary elections. By Harinder Mishra FGN37 US-BIDEN-2NDLD ENDORSEMENTS Ex-vice president Joe Biden gains ground with key endorsements ahead of 'Super Tuesday' Washington: Joe Biden appeared to be surging ahead in the heated Democratic Party's presidential race with the ex-US vice president picking up three key endorsements from former rivals on the eve of the "Super Tuesday" primaries, the most important day in the race for the White House. By Lalit K Jha FGN26 NEPAL-OLI-HOSPITAL Prime Minister Oli in hospital for 2nd kidney transplant Kathmandu: Nepal's Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has been admitted to a hospital in Kathmandu for his second kidney transplant after suffering from serious illness, hospital sources said on Tuesday. By Shirish B Pradhan FGN35 IRAN-VIRUS-TOLL Iran reports 11 new coronavirus deaths, total now 77 Tehran: Iran announced on Tuesday that 11 more people had died from the new coronavirus in the past day, bringing the Islamic republic's overall death toll to 77. (AFP) RUP