News brief: Big stories of the day

Ahead of this week's meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Indian counterpart Prime Minister Narendra Modi, China today reassured Pakistan that relations between both the nations would "never rust" and are as firm as ever.  

The US $60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project which is a part of Beijing's promising Belt Road Initiative (BRI) is now turning out to quiet a task in terms of security and in the economic front for China and Pakistan. 

The European signatories of Iran's nuclear deal with major powers should convince US President Donald Trump not to exit the accord as there is no "plan B" for the agreement, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted on Monday (April 23).

Government representatives of Bangladesh, India and Nepal launched the tri-nation trial bus service in Dhaka on Monday. Two buses from Dhaka set off for Kathmandu and would transit through Siliguri.

Tennis champion Sania Mirza and husband, former Pakistan cricket captain Shoaib Malik, announced on Monday that they are expecting a baby in a post shared by the couple on Twitter and Instagram.