SPI

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan experienced its “wettest April since 1961”, receiving more than twice as much rain as usual for the month, the country’s weather agency said in a report. April rainfall was recorded at 59.3 millimetres, “excessively above” the normal average of 22.5 millimetres, Pakistan’s metrology department said late Friday in its monthly climate report. There were at least 144 deaths in thunderstorms and house collapses due to heavy rains in what the report said was the “wettest April since 1961”. Pakistan is increasingly vulnerable to unpredictable weather, as well as often destructive monsoon rains that usually arrive in July. In the summer of 2022, a third of Pakistan was submerged by unprecedented monsoon rains that displaced millions of people and cost the country $30 billion in damage and economic losses, according to a World Bank estimate. “Climate change is a major factor that is influencing the erratic weather patterns in our region,” Zaheer Ahmad Babar, spokesper...

Thirteen conservative judges appointed by Donald Trump vow not to hire judicial law clerks from Columbia University after pro-Palestinian campus protests. source https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/trump-judges-columbia-law-clerks-rcna151148

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday mandated that all markets close by 8:00 PM each day and remain shut on Sundays as part of efforts to address the intense smog affecting the city. While issuing the order, Justice Shahid Karim noted that despite numerous hearings and calls for action, there has been a lack of effective measures to combat smog. He expressed a desire to avoid issuing orders that cannot realistically be enforced. This ruling to close markets came after various government departments presented performance reports on their efforts to mitigate smog before Justice Karim. The court instructed authorities to limit vehicle access to motorways and the Ring Road and to impose a complete ban on the entry of trucks and trailers into the city. The court pointed out that trucks and trailers play a significant role in contributing to smog and environmental pollution. It ordered the deployment of police to manage heavy traffic. Justice Karim voiced his frustration, remarking th...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called on the global community to honour its financial pledges to deal with the issue of climate change. Addressing Climate Action Summit COP-29 in Baku today, he regretted that the financial commitments made at previous summits have yet to be fulfilled. The premier said that climate finance must be grant based and not add to the debt burden of vulnerable developing countries. Shehbaz Sharif stressed that without climate justice, there can be no real resilience. Highlighting the devastation caused by the 2022 floods in Pakistan, Prime Minister Shehabz Sharif pointed out that Pakistan is one of the countries that contributes less than half a percent of global emissions, yet it remains vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Read more: PM Shehbaz urges stronger climate finance mechanism Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan is a resilient, hardworking and responsible nation, and that it is fully committed to be part of global climate solutions. He sai...

LAHORE: Scores of diseases being spread in Lahore owing to persistent air pollution in city amid the government’s desperate efforts to curb smog. Increasing number of the patients of dry cough and breathing problems being reported in the city’s hospitals. Meanwhile, increasing cases of pneumonia, chest infection and cough being reported among children, sources said. Irritation in eyes as well as soring and dry eyes and cases of skin diseases have increased in the city amid the spell of persistent air pollution and smog. High levels of pollutants in the air have also affected the patients of heart diseases and asthma, hospital sources said. According to a report over 35,000 patients affected by smog have been reported in a week in five major government hospitals of Lahore. Hospital sources said that over 9,000 patients have been reported at Mayo Hospital in last one week. In city’s Jinnah Hospital 7,000 and Gangaram Hospital over 6,000 patients reported, according to sources. Mea...

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Pakistan has introduced significant amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016 through the PECA Amendment Act 2025. The act has now turned into law as President Asif Ali Zardari on January 30, gave his assent to the suggested amendments. The lawmakers say that these amendments focus on enhancing accountability, protecting digital rights, and ensuring a safer digital environment for citizens while a huge number of journalist bodies, media organisations and human rights organizations are criticizing it, calling it an attack on freedom of expression on internet. Here are some key points from PECA Amendment Act 2025. Key Amendments and Provisions: Establishment of the Social Media Protection and Regulatory Authority (SMPRA): A new regulatory body, the Social Media Protection and Regulatory Authority (SMPRA) , will be established to oversee social media platforms, regulate unlawful content, and ensure compliance with national laws. The SMPRA will have the po...

GUJRANWALA: The death toll of Pakistani citizens from the recent Greece boat tragedy has risen to 9 as the authorities found four more bodies of Pakistani nationals, ARY News reported on Wednesday, quoting FIA officials. On December 14, last year, the foreign media reported that a wooden boat carrying migrants capsized off the island of Gavdos in southern Greece. According to the FIA, the latest victims, identified as Shabbir, Zain Ali, and Zeeshan from Narowal, along with Owais Ali from Sialkot, were found near the site of the incident. The bodies have been transferred from Greece’s Giavados Island to a hospital in Athens for processing. The FIA confirmed that arrangements are being made by the Pakistani Embassy to send the bodies back to Pakistan. The process is expected to take approximately one week before the remains can be returned to their families in Pakistan. Authorities are continuing to investigate the cause of the tragedy and provide support to the families of the vi...

MOSCOW: Moscow on Monday said it retook two villages from Ukrainian forces in Russia’s Kursk region, as Russian troops mount a counter-offensive in the border area where Kyiv launched its surprise incursion in August. Russia’s defence ministry said army units “continuing offensive actions, liberated the settlements of Uspenovka and Borki.” Ukraine said on Monday it had asked the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to join humanitarian efforts in Russia’s Kursk region following a cross-border incursion by Ukrainian forces. Ukraine’s army remains in the Kursk region more than a month after launching the assault, in which President Volodymyr Zelenskiy says Kyiv has taken control of about 100 settlements. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said he had instructed his ministry to formally invite the UN and ICRC to work in the Kursk region when he visited the northeast Ukrainian region of Sumy on Sunday. The ministry confirmed that it had issued the request...

SpaceX commenced its countdown to the New Year with the launch of the first of three rockets scheduled to conclude the year 2024. As reported, a Falcon 9 rocket , carrying 22 satellites from the company, lifted off on Saturday, from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The launch occurred at 8:48 PM from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E), as reported by Space.com. As planned, approximately 65 minutes later, the satellites were on course for deployment into low Earth orbit. With two additional launches still on the agenda, this marked SpaceX’s 132nd Falcon launch of the year. The upcoming launches include a mission for commercial communications satellites and another batch of Starlink satellites. READ: Starliner Helium leak: Will Elon Musk’s SpaceX bring back Sunita Williams to earth? “We are now aiming for 134 launches—just two short of our previous target—to conclude 2024 on a high note,” stated Kiko Dontchev, SpaceX’s vice president of launch. He further remarked, “H...