Entertainment
Pakistan reaches critical environmental tipping point as forest cover shrinks by 18%
- Deforestation, climate change contributing to devastating floods.
- KP witnesses largest share in decline in biomass production.
- GB forest cover lower than 4%, making region vulnerable to floods.
ISLAMABAD: Experts have warned that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the rest of Pakistan have reached a critical environmental tipping point due to 18% decline in the country’s forest cover — exposing the environment, economy, and national security to serious threats, The News reported on Sunday.
Deforestation, the destruction of rangelands, forest fires, and climate change-related threats are directly contributing to devastating floods, landslides, and cloudbursts.
Since 1992, forest area has decreased by 18%, while rangelands are producing only 20-30% of their potential biomass, with KP having the largest share in this decline.
The catastrophic floods of 1992, 2010, and 2025 prove that the destruction of forests and rangelands has turned the watersheds of the upper regions into “flood factories”. Environmental experts say forests in Pakistan are not just trees but the country’s first line of defence for the environment, economy, and national security.
They absorb rainwater to prevent flash floods, recharge groundwater, protect agricultural land from erosion, and sustain soil fertility for farming.
They balance the climate by reducing temperatures, storing carbon, and regulating rainfall. The forests also provide fuel, fodder, fruits, medicines, and tourism opportunities while protecting biodiversity.
They shield the country from floods, landslides, and droughts, safeguarding infrastructure, agriculture, and human settlements. The conclusion is clear without urgent restoration and strict measures.
Pakistan faces severe environmental and economic risks but with effective policies and action forests can play a decisive role in securing the nation’s future.
In Pakistan, forest cover has dropped from 3.78 million hectares in 1992 to 3.09 million hectares in 2025 — an 18% reduction. Annual deforestation, which was on peaked at about 40,000 hectares in 1992, has declined due to government intervention to 11,000 hectares in 2025, but international organisations say that even today, Pakistan continues to lose about 11,000 hectares of forest annually.
Alarming situation
Rangeland area has fallen from 60% to 58% and rangeland biomass production has dropped from 100% of potential yield to just 20%.
According to official data, in Chitral, over 3,700 hectares of forest were lost between 1992 and 2009, and experts warn of a further 23% decline by 2030. In Arandu Gol, 1.6 million cubic feet of timber was illegally cut during timber theft — the largest case in Pakistan’s history.
In Kalam, Swat, massive logging in the 1980s and 1990s severely damaged the catchment area of the Swat River, making the floods of 1992 and 2010 far more destructive. Deforestation continues to weaken slopes and increase the risk of flash floods.
This destruction is not limited to a few districts. In Buner, the August 2025 cloudburst triggered a flash flood that destroyed homes, fields, and infrastructure. Deforested mountains failed to hold back the rainwater. In Battagram, fragile geological structures and deforestation caused landslides that blocked the Karakoram Highway, cutting off northern Pakistan’s road access.
In Bajaur, a deadly cloudburst flood in 2025 claimed lives and washed away roads and bridges. In Mansehra, repeated cloudbursts triggered flash floods and landslides, while in Gilgit Baltistan, forest cover has fallen to less than 4%, making the region highly vulnerable to forest fires and glacial lake outburst floods.
Dr Adil Zareef, Convener, Sarhad Conservation Net, warns that forests regulate rainfall patterns, recharge groundwater, and stabilise slopes. Without them, bare mountains heat 5°C to 8°C more than forested areas, causing monsoon winds to rise rapidly and trigger sudden cloudbursts instead of steady rain. Without roots to hold it, soil loses stability, increasing landslides and mudslides, while glacial lake outburst flood risks also grow.
This environmental destruction is directly impacting people.
In KP, about one-third of households rely on livestock, but rangeland productivity has dropped to just 20-30% due to overgrasing and mismanagement. Families that once depended on forests for fodder and fuel are now forced to turn to even more unsustainable means.
The experts stress that the plantation drives alone cannot solve this crisis unless there is strict action against timber mafias and accountability for the involved officials.
They urge the government to declare the destruction of forests and rangelands a national emergency and adopt a comprehensive policy that includes watershed management, grazing control, wildfire management systems, and community participation.
Recommendations include an environmental monitoring system based on satellite and local data, community-based rangeland restoration, promotion of alternative fuel sources, and special units to fight forest fires in mountain districts.
Dr Khalid Khan said that the forests and rangelands of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are the first line of defence against environmental disasters. Their destruction is weakening the country’s natural shield, endangering lives, livelihoods, and national security.
Without urgent leadership and coordinated action, Pakistan will continue to face more frequent and destructive floods, landslides, and environmental emergencies.
Entertainment
Teyana Taylor, Leonardo DiCaprio Golden Globes drama sees new twist
Teyana Taylor is clearing the air about Leonardo DiCaprio’s animated Golden Globes moment that took over social media, revealing that the viral clip didn’t quite unfold the way fans initially thought.
The actress and singer addressed the buzz during her appearance on The Tonight Show on Wednesday, Jan. 14, where she continued celebrating her first-ever Golden Globe win.
The clip in question, shared on the ceremony’s official TikTok page, showed DiCaprio laughing and gesturing enthusiastically during the broadcast, leading many viewers to assume he was chatting with Taylor.
She admitted she initially thought the same.
“Okay, so look, yesterday, I thought I broke the Da Vinci Code, right?” Taylor told Jimmy Fallon, referencing her earlier comments that suggested they were bonding over KPop Demon Hunters during the show.
Taylor explained that her excitement stemmed from the fact that her daughters, Iman “Junie” Tayla Shumpert Jr., 10, and Rue Rose Shumpert, 5, are huge fans of the Netflix animated film, which won Best Motion Picture (Animated) and Best Original Song that night.
At first glance, she assumed DiCaprio was reacting to her.
“So when I first seen it, I didn’t watch the whole thing. So I was like, ‘Oh you’re talking about Kpop Demon Hunters, he’s talking about me,’” she said.
But after watching the full clip, and seeing fans attempt to lip-read the exchange, Taylor realised she needed answers.
She picked up the phone and called her longtime friend.
“I was like, ‘You can’t be talking to me, were you talking to me?’ Because I already told people you was talking to me,” she admitted.
According to Taylor, DiCaprio had apparently discussed KPop Demon Hunters more than once that night.
“So apparently he had two KPop Demon Hunter conversations that night, so KPop Demon Hunters was just in his mouth all night,” she joked.
The situation sparked some playful jealousy on Taylor’s part.
“Who else is you chewing your invisible gum with?” she teased, adding that DiCaprio didn’t even remember who he had been talking to at the table.
Despite the confusion, the moment only added to the buzz surrounding their film One Battle After Another, which picked up four Golden Globe wins, including Best Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy) and Taylor’s award for her role as Perfidia Beverly Hills.
Both stars are now heading into the 2026 Actor Awards on March 1 with individual nominations, proving that even a misunderstood viral moment can end on a high note.
Entertainment
How A$AP Rocky and Rihanna fell in love?
A$AP Rocky is opening up about the unexpected person who helped steer him toward a life-changing romance with Rihanna, his mother.
During a recent appearance on the Jan. 15 episode of Popcast, the rapper, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, revealed that his mom, Renee Black, was the first to suggest he should date the global superstar long before their friendship turned romantic.
Looking back, A$AP shared that his mother was surprisingly direct about it.
“My mother used to say s–t like, ‘I know you like this girl that you with right now,’” he recalled, adding that she would then say, “‘But I want you with Riri.’”
At the time, he brushed it off, insisting they were just friends.
“‘Ma why you keep saying that? That girl don’t even want me like that. Like be cool, Ma. Like that’s just my friend. Chill,’” he remembered telling her.
But his mom didn’t back down. “‘I’m telling you, she real,’” A$AP said, before adding with a laugh, “And mothers know best.”
Their bond eventually evolved into a romantic relationship in late 2019, and since then, A$AP Rocky and Rihanna have built a family together.
The couple now share three children: RZA, 3, Riot, 2, and Rocki, who is just three months old.
For A$AP, the connection has always felt natural, even inevitable.
“It was just like we were on the same page,” he explained. “Born the same year. My dad is from her country. My family, when I go back, I get to see both sides of my family. It’s so many similarities, it’s just funny. We laugh about it a lot.”
Even before romance entered the picture, he admitted there was always something special there.
“She was always my boo, you know what I’m saying?” he said. “Like I always f–ked with her.”
Still, A$AP believes the timing mattered.
“I’m thankful that she was put in my life at that time,” he shared, explaining that neither of them was ready earlier.
Rihanna has echoed that sentiment, later saying the pandemic played a role in accelerating their relationship. “COVID sped up our relationship,” she told Interview Magazine in 2024. “There was no denying it… It just happened.”
In the end, it seems his mother saw the love story coming long before either of them did.
Entertainment
Princess Kate crowned England’s Great with fiery Lioness spirit
William’s wife Kate brought charm back to the royal family with her heartwarming gesture, receiving powerful titles after her latest royal engagement.
The Princess of Wales appears in the lioness spirit as she represented the modern monarchy with a reception at Windsor Castle for the England Women’s Rugby team, celebrating their World Cup win.
As the patron of the Rugby Football Union, Princess Kate led the way at her first solo royal engagement of 2026 with a celebratory reception.
She looked glam in a red pantsuit, seemingly sending a nod to the team’s Red Roses nickname.
Kensington Palce shared the stunning photo of Kate with the team on her and Prince William’s official Instagram page, which brought her England’s great title from fans.
The post garnered massive likes and hearts from fans, with some honouring the Princess with powerful titles.
One described the picture a “brunch of beautiful English roses,” calling Kate “beautiful princess.
“God bless them make England great.”
Another admired the future queen as “A perfect England Red rose in the middle.”
Kate previously wore the red ensemble, featuring an asymmetric jacket and wide-leg trousers, for the launch of her Shaping Us campaign in 2023.
While Kate was hosting the rugby team, her husband William had a solo engagement of his own on the same day in his role as patron of We Are Farming Minds, which works to support farmers’ mental health.
The heir to the British throne visited a farm in western England, where he took on tasks like pruning apple trees and feeding sheep.
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