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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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Vogue Williams says ‘end of era’ as couple sell Battersea flat

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Vogue Williams says ‘end of era’ as couple sell Battersea flat


Vogue Williams shared the couple have finally sold the first home  

Irish media personality and model, Vogue Williams and her husband Spencer Matthews have taken a major step in their personal lives by selling their £4.25million Battersea apartment and buying their ‘forever’ home in London. 

The couple first put their luxurious London flat on the market two years ago, slashing the price but a staggering £1million during that time.

In the latest episode of her YouTube vlog, Vogue shared the couple have finally sold the first home  where they made memories together and purchased their ‘forever’ family house in London back in June. 

The I’m A Celeb star gave fans a sneak peak of the stunning new property but admitted the family will have to wait at least 18 months in due to extensive renovations.

‘We sold our apartment. It’s gone. End of an era. The apartment is gone,’ Vogue told viewers. 

‘We’ve got a rental around the corner so that the kids can stay in school because we have bought our dream house.’

‘I’ll miss this apartment. We’ve lived here for seven years. It’s the first place we lived together. All our kids were born here. So, it’s going to be weird saying goodbye, but at the end of the day, we have this amazing house that we’re going to love so much.’

‘This is our forever house. I know that people say that, but it actually is our forever house. It’s like my dream home I have in Ireland. And this is the dream home here where I think the kids will grow up.’

Back in April it was revealed that Vogue and Spencer had knocked a further £450,000 off the asking price of their luxurious London apartment.





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Jim Belushi shares having lively dreams about late brother John

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Jim Belushi shares having lively dreams about late brother John


Jim Belushi is opening up about a deeply personal experience that has stayed with him for decades, revealing that he still has recurring dreams about his late brother, John Belushi, more than 40 years after his death.

The actor and comedian says these dreams feel less like memories and more like meaningful reunions.

Speaking to PEOPLE, Jim, now 71, shared that several of these dreams have stood out over the years, especially those where John appears healthy, alive, and doing what they both loved most. 

“He’s alive and fine, and we were acting together,” Jim said. “We’re improvising at Second City or on Saturday Night Live.” 

In the dreams, the brothers are back on stage, fully immersed in comedy, as if time never interrupted their bond.

Jim admitted that even in his dreams, John’s humour gets the best of him. 

“I got mad at him because he was making me laugh so hard I couldn’t stay in character,” he said, recalling how those moments would play out.

“Those were kind of nice visits.” The actor’s words reflect both the joy and ache of reconnecting with a brother he lost too soon.

John Belushi, a celebrated Saturday Night Live star and performer, died on March 5, 1982, at just 33 years old. 

His death was ruled an accidental overdose caused by acute cocaine and heroin intoxication, often referred to as a “speedball.” 

More than 43 years later, Jim says the dreams still come from time to time, offering what he describes as “little visits.”

He echoed similar thoughts in a conversation with Variety, explaining, “I have dreams once in a while where he and I are acting at Second City.”

Jim went on to describe one dream in detail, saying, “We were on stage together, and he was so funny that I cracked up, eating the scene in front of everybody. I got so mad at him, because that’s the worst thing you can do, is break character, right? But he was just so funny, and he goes, ‘Ah, come on, kid!’ He was sweet to me. So, I still get little visits.”

Jim Belushi has spoken about his brother many times over the years, often reflecting on their close relationship and shared passion for comedy. 

Today, as he stars in the new film Song Sung Blue alongside Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson, those dreams remain a comforting reminder that the connection he shared with John never truly faded.





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Olivia Rodrigo, Louis Partridge call it quits after two years, details revealed

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Olivia Rodrigo, Louis Partridge call it quits after two years, details revealed


Olivia Rodrigo, Louis Partridge call it quits after two years, details revealed

Olivia Rodrigo and Louis Partridge have reportedly broken up after dating for two years.

The Hope ur OK singer and the House of Guinness actor, who started seeing each other in 2023, are said to have parted ways a few weeks ago.

A source told The Sun that people close to the couple were surprised by the news.

However, the insider said it was a hard time for both of them and that they thought it was better to be apart for now.

Olivia, 22, is reportedly very emotional when talking about the break-up at Lily Allen’s Christmas party at Stringfellows in Covent Garden, London, on December 20.

Insider revealed that friends are there to support her but the source said it was still a tough and sad moment.

Olivia and Louis didn’t confirm the split just yet, as in September, Louis said he was happy being known as Olivia’s boyfriend and told Variety that everything was good between them.

Earlier in their relationship, the driver license hitmaker visited Louis in London with her friend Conan Gray.

They spent time together at dinners, clubs and events, showing fans how close they were.

Louis also said he wanted to keep their relationship private, as he told British Vogue that dating should not be done in public.

Moreover, Olivia and Louis’ last public outing together was in October at the Academy Museum Gala in Los Angeles.





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