ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has called a joint session of parliament tomorrow to achieve a consensus on the important issue of signing the CTBT. The House will have a three-day debate on the issue . Sharif, who is in London, made it clear that it was a matter to be decided by Islamabad and the final decision would be taken by the parliament. The decision about the signing of the CTBT would be taken keeping in view Pakistan's interest and would not be linked with the Indian decision, he said.

Nine injured in Shanghai

SHANGHAI: Nine passengers were injured when a Chinese jetliner taking off from Shanghai for Beijing made an emergency landing after its landing gear jammed, an airport official said today. The China Eastern Airlines plane had 137 passengers aboard when it returned to Hongqiao international airport on Thursday, said the official. None of the passengers was seriously injured.

UK diplomats leave Dhaka

DHAKA:Britain and Australia today began evacuating non-essential staff members of their diplomatic and aid missions from the flood-besieged capital of Bangladesh, which is reeling under the worst deluge to hit the country in decades. The British and Australian high commissions also asked their nationals in Dhaka to send their families out of the city.