News brief: Read the five big stories of the day

China's Xi wins denuclearisation pledge from North Korea's Kim, affirms friendship

China said on Wednesday it won a pledge from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to denuclearise the Korean peninsula during a meeting with President Xi Jinping, who pledged in return that China would uphold its friendship with its isolated neighbour.

Stormy Daniels row: White House defends Trump's silence

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders on Tuesday defended United States President Donald Trump's silence on allegations levelled against him by porn star Stormy Daniels.

North Korea willing to hold summit with US: Kim Jong Un

North Korea's supreme leader Kim Jong Un confirmed on Wednesday his willingness to hold a summit with Washington. Kim's statement came while he was on a surprise visit to China where he held talks with his Chinese counterpart President Xi Jinping in Beijing.

Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg to testify before US Congress: Source

Facebook Inc Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg plans to testify before US Congress, a source briefed on the matter said on Tuesday, as he bows to pressure from lawmakers insisting he explains how 50 million users’ data ended up in the hands of a political consultancy. 

NATO expels seven Russian diplomats, limits size of mission

NATO has expelled seven diplomats from Russia's mission to the alliance and blocked the appointment of three others over the nerve agent attack in Britain this month, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Tuesday.