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Body set up to develop strategies to boost resilience against extreme weather events

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Body set up to develop strategies to boost resilience against extreme weather events


A man stands near the remains of his damaged house following monsoon rains and rising water levels of the Chenab River, in Harsa Bhula village, Chiniot district, Punjab on August 30, 2025. — Reuters
  • Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal will head the 13-member committee. 
  • Body to review existing flood protection and drainage infrastructure.
  • Will form short, medium, and long-term plans for climate adaptation.

KARACHI: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has formed a 13-member committee to develop strategies to enhance Pakistan’s resilience to extreme weather events, including cloudbursts, flash floods, and urban flooding, The News reported on Sunday.

Chaired by the Federal Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives, Ahsan Iqbal, the committee comprises key federal ministers, secretaries, experts, and stakeholders from across the country.

The development comes against the backdrop of havoc wreaked by floods and torrential rains in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit Baltistan. 

More than 840 people have been killed in various flood-related incidents across the country since late June, while also causing widespread damage to infrastructure and properties.

In Punjab, at least 33 people have lost their lives, and more than 2 million have been affected as severe flooding continues to inundate vast areas of the province which include as many as 2,200 villages submerged in floodwaters.

Meanwhile, the mandate of the high-level body formed by the PM includes reviewing existing institutional arrangements for disaster preparedness and response. It will also evaluate critical infrastructure and recommend measures to address environmental and urban vulnerabilities.

A copy of the official notification, issued by the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, obtained by the publication, outlines the committee’s broad Terms of Reference (TORs).

They include assessing the current flood protection and drainage infrastructure, exploring financing options (including climate finance) for key Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) projects, and proposing legal measures to curb deforestation and environmental degradation.

It will also suggest targeted interventions to reduce urban flooding. It will evaluate early warning systems and recommend the installation of modern radars. Additionally, it aims to strengthen the capacity of federal and provincial disaster management authorities, particularly the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).

The committee is expected to submit a detailed report or presentation to the prime minister within 10 days. The Ministry of Climate Change will provide secretarial support to the committee.

In a parallel development, a special policy dialogue forum has also been constituted. This will engage all stakeholders, including provincial governments, federal ministries, semi-government bodies, civil society, and the media. Meetings will be held on a fortnightly basis to shape short, medium, and long-term national strategies for climate adaptation and disaster mitigation.

This forum includes the federal ministers for climate change, communications, and water resources. It also includes the Prime Minister’s Advisers on Political Affairs and Inter-Provincial Coordination, federal secretaries, the Chairman of NDMA, and the secretaries of irrigation and environment from all four provinces. 

Representatives from Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan are also included. The Director General of the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) is a key member of the forum.

The dialogue committee would review the preparedness of federal and provincial authorities to handle natural disasters, assessing financial requirements for water reservoirs and flood mitigation projects, and monitoring the progress of flood prevention and drainage schemes.

It will also focus on restoring natural water channels by eliminating encroachments. It will propose new legislation to penalise negligence related to deforestation. In addition, it will work on upgrading forecasting infrastructure to improve monsoon predictions and will help develop urban drainage strategies for rapid rainwater removal.





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Anna Cathcart teases big changes in ‘XO, Kitty’ season 3

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Anna Cathcart teases big changes in ‘XO, Kitty’ season 3


Anna Cathcart teases big changes in ‘XO, Kitty’ season 3

Kitty Song Covey is entering her senior year – and apparently, she still hasn’t discovered the concept of “chill.”

Anna Cathcart is back as everyone’s favourite chaos queen in season 3 of XO, Kitty, premiering on Netflix this spring. And according to the 22-year-old star, Kitty may want to consider a yoga class. Or three.

“She just needs to calm down a little bit,” Anna told People magazine. “I feel like Kitty has the most chaos [sic] of anyone I know, and that’s what we love about her.”

“But also, girl, you need to sit down sometimes,” she continued. “Take a deep breath, it’s okay. She kind of always has been [that way], but in a controlled way, I guess. She handles it well.”

Season 3 picks up after that cliffhanger (you know the one), and for the first time, fans will see a summer episode – yes, summer at KISS is officially unlocked.

“I’m finally allowed to talk about that because it’s been a secret forever,” Anna shared. “So very excited and I think they’re going to be surprised, but also super happy. So I can’t wait.”

And it’s not just poolside vibes. “[Kitty’s] making some big decisions in her life and it’s senior year, all of that, so I’m very excited for them to see,” she added.

Translation? Expect romance, identity spirals, possibly tears – and definitely Kitty-level impulsive decision-making.





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Holly Willoughby could be next big digital star after Gordon Ramsay

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Holly Willoughby could be next big digital star after Gordon Ramsay


Ms Willoughby has largely been off our screens since she left ‘This Morning’ in October 2023

Holly Willoughby is preparing to make her TV comeback with her won Youtube channel, following reports of her solo project.

Since leaving This Morning, she briefly hosted ITV’s You Bet! and Netflix’s reality show Celebrity Bear Hunt.

It has now been reported that the 44-year-old is following other stars who have their own channels, including Ant and Dec, chef Gordon Ramsay and rapper KSI.

By comparison, Gordon Ramsay leads with 21.9 million Youtube subscribers, followed by KSI at 17.3 million.

A source close to Ms Willoughby previously told Daily Mail:

‘She is working with her husband Dan Baldwin’s production company Hungry Bear to develop a ‘multi-strand programme for digital platforms’ in a move she is said to be ‘thrilled and excited’ about.

She also has a production company on hand, Hungry Bear, which creates Gladiators and Michael McIntyre’s Big Show and is run by her husband Dan Baldwin.

A TV insider said: ‘This is a massive game-changer for Holly and the wider industry because this show and her channel will be a threat to the main broadcasters, particularly This Morning and ITV.

‘Advertisers are increasingly turning away from traditional terrestrial telly and looking for new opportunities and new ways to promote themselves online — and with a magazine show like this it’s the perfect vehicle. 

‘And if any of the big-name retailers could cherry-pick a presenter who’s an ideal figure to front it, then it is surely Holly.’

Ms Willoughby has largely been off our screens since she left This Morning in October 2023, after she was told a former security guard had planned to kidnap, rape and murder her.





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Ramadan, Eid remittances to keep rupee stable

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Ramadan, Eid remittances to keep rupee stable


An employee counts Pakistani rupee notes at a bank in Peshawar, August 22, 2023. — Reuters
  • Interbank rate stays range-bound through the week.
  • IMF review talks begin under EFF and RSF.
  • Remittances rise year-on-year, dip month-on-month.

KARACHI: The Pakistani rupee is expected to stay stable and may strengthen slightly in the near term, supported by seasonal remittance inflows during Ramadan and ahead of Eid, The News reported, citing a report released on Saturday.

The currency traded in a tight band in the interbank market this week, closing at 279.55 to the dollar on Monday and at 279.47 on Friday.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) team began talks with Pakistani authorities on Wednesday for the third review under the $7 billion Extended Financing Facility (EFF) and the second review of the $1.1 billion Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF). 

Upon successful completion, Pakistan would become eligible by the end of April for about $1 billion under the EFF and an additional $200 million under the RSF.

The geopolitical situation has worsened as the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran, plunging the region into a new conflict.

The rupee has appreciated by approximately 60 paisa since the beginning of the year, said Tresmark, a platform that provides live financial rates, in a client note. While this increase is modest on its own, it is more significant when considering the broader context, it said. 

The rupee has strengthened despite several challenges, including rising geopolitical risks and US posturing in the region, escalating tensions along the western border, isolated internal security incidents, Brent crude prices trading above $72 a barrel, a steady decline in exports, a widening trade deficit, tariff pressures and a persistent inflation differential with the US.

“Seasonal remittance inflows around Ramadan and Eid are likely to keep the rupee well bid in the near term,” the Tresmark’s report said.

“That said, most economists argue that further appreciation offers limited structural benefit, which makes the recent firmness somewhat counterintuitive,” it added.

Pakistan’s remittances rose 15.4% year-on-year (YoY) in January to $3.5 billion. However, these flows dropped 4% on a month-on-month (MoM) basis. Remittances increased 11.3% to $23.2 billion in the first seven months of the fiscal year 2026.

“Premiums have marginally improved. If costing is tight, exporters should opt for forwards, as rupee outlook continues to look stable to slightly stronger,” it said.

According to the report, the rupee’s stability is not isolated. Several high-carry or reform-backed EM currencies have also held firm despite geopolitical noise, including the Egyptian pound, Thai baht, South African rand, Brazilian real, Mexican peso, and Indonesian rupiah.





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