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Al Arabiya
3 days ago
- Climate
- Al Arabiya
Explainer: Why Pakistan's monsoon floods are becoming deadlier
Climate change has triggered extreme rainfall and flash floods in northwestern Pakistan, killing at least 337 people, according to the National Disaster Management Authority, while rescuers recovered dozens of bodies from the rubble of collapses homes in the affected areas. Authorities have warned of more deluges and possible landslides in the coming days and urged local administration to remain on alert. Intense monsoon rains have lashed Pakistan since June 26 and killed hundreds of people. Increasing natural disasters Pakistan is extremely vulnerable to climate change-induced disasters. In 2022, a record-breaking monsoon killed nearly 1700 people and destroyed millions of homes. The country also suffers regular flash floods and landslides during the monsoon season, which runs from June to September, particularly in the rugged northwest, where villages are often perched on steep slopes and riverbanks. Lieutenant General Inam Haider Malik, the chairman of the National Disaster Management Authority, told a news conference in Islamabad that Pakistan was experiencing shifting weather patterns because of climate change. Since the monsoon season began in June, Pakistan has already received 50 percent more rainfall than in the same period last year, he added. He warned that more intense weather could follow, with heavy rains forecast to continue this month. Experts say climate change is intensifying the frequency and severity of such extreme weather events in South Asia. Khalid Khan, a weather expert, said Pakistan produces less than 1 percent of planet-warming emissions but faces heatwaves, heavy rains, glacial outburst floods and now cloudbursts, underscoring how climate change is devastating communities within hours. High death toll and government criticism Angry residents in Buner, Pakistan, accused officials of failing to warn them to evacuate after torrential rain and cloudbursts triggered deadly flooding and landslides. There was no warning broadcast from mosque loudspeakers, a traditional method in remote areas. Mohammad Iqbal, a schoolteacher in Pir Baba village, told the Associated Press that the lack of a timely warning system caused casualties and forced many to flee their homes at the last moment. 'Survivors escaped with nothing,' he said. 'If people had been informed earlier, lives could have been saved and residents could have moved to safer places.' Deadliest incidents In one of the deadliest incidents, 24 people from one family died in the village of Qadar Nagar when floodwaters swept through their home on the eve of a wedding. The head of the family, Umar Khan, said he survived the floods because he was out of the house at the time. Four of his relatives have yet to be found. The government said that while an early warning system was in place, the sudden downpour in Buner was so intense that the deluge struck before residents could be alerted. Some countries have reached out to Islamabad offering help, but Lt. Haider said Pakistan has sufficient resources and does not require foreign assistance at this time. Asfandyar Khan Khattak, director-general of the Provincial Disaster Management Authority, said there was 'no forecasting system anywhere in the world' that could predict the exact time and location of a cloudburst, a sudden and intense downpour. Pakistan's early warning system Idrees Mahsud, a disaster management official, said Pakistan's early warning system used satellite imagery and meteorological data to send alerts to local authorities. These were shared through the media and community leaders. He said monsoon rains that once only swelled rivers now also triggered urban flooding. An emergency services spokesman in Buner, Mohammad Sohail, said more than half the damaged roads in the district had reopened by Sunday, allowing vehicles and heavy machinery to reach cut-off villages. Crews were clearing piles of rocks and mud dumped by the floods. They were still using heavy machinery to remove the rubble of collapsed homes after families reported that some of their relatives were missing.
The Hindu
02-07-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Cinema houses in Puducherry battle changing trends and a tax disadvantage
Puducherry's cinema theatre business, already battling for survival due to competition from local cable and OTT platforms on top of ever-rising overhead costs, nervously awaits the fallout of the lowering of entertainment tax in the neighbouring State of Tamil Nadu. Sources in the industry said that at a time when the theatre business was already suffering from the anomaly of double-taxation in the form of GST and entertainment tax, Tamil Nadu's reduction of entertainment tax to 4% from 8% would aggravate the huge disparity with the entertainment sector in Puducherry where a 25% rate prevailed. Theatre owners claim that while many States/local bodies have significantly reduced or eliminated entertainment tax after the introduction of GST, Puducherry still levied an 'unprecedentedly high rate' in addition to the standard 18% GST. 'However much Tamil film producers and distributors may see our market as vital for bringing in new releases, they have long grumbled, and not without basis, about how a net tax outgo of 43% was untenable as it resulted in shrinking margins from ticket sales here,' a theatre owner said. Sources said whenever Tamil film producers-distributors mooted re-evaluating new releases in the Puducherry market, they were reassured that the government would soon respond sympathetically to the theatre owners' plea for lowering the tax. 'What has now accentuated the disparity in tax rates is the latest reduction of entertainment tax in Tamil Nadu. Our worst fear is that the Tamil film industry finally decides enough is enough and stops considering Puducherry as a market for new releases because of the prohibitive tax,' a theatre owner said 'As we are totally dependent on the neighbouring State for Tamil films, any drastic measure could lead to the collapse of the theatre business here,' he added. Sources in government said that from an administration's viewpoint, foregoing revenue from cinema houses would be like chopping off an arm. Take the case of Pondicherry Municipality where entertainment tax was the fifth biggest revenue earner, after property tax, commercial rentals, professional tax and user charges. During 2024-25, Pondicherry Municipality earned over ₹5.6 crore by way of entertainment tax from cinema theatres. During the last four years, including the Covid-impacted fiscal of 2021-22, the gross revenue from this source was to the tune of ₹18.5 crore. 'One needs to take into account the fact that civic bodies lack access to substantial government funds and have to heavily rely on mobilised revenue,' a Local Administration official said. However, theatre owners said that while the State's need for own revenue in addition to its share from GST was understandable, levying a high entertainment tax rate could turn counterproductive, if unsustainable businesses shut shop. 'It would be ironical if it is eventually a high tax that serves the death blow on a sector that has historically been highly tax-compliant. The government has to take a call sooner than later on whether to compromise on the tax rate to sustain revenue or be left empty-handed if unsustainable cinema houses shut shop,' a spokesman for the theatre sector said. Theatre proprietors also pointed to the trend of how over a decade or so several landmark theatres vanished from the cityscape, and gave way to hotels, textile shops or commercial complexes. As many as 20 cinema houses, including 14 in the heart of the city, many of which were release centres, have shut shop in the last decade. Even for the handful of theatres that stand, survival is challenged by factors like the dwindling viewer interest, piracy and release on OTT even before a good film has been allowed a full theatrical run, sources said. 'Our overheads are the same whether a film runs to a full house or partly-filled auditorium. In fact, we hear that a few suburban theatres have already cut down screening schedules to three days a week to save on overheads, especially the electricity expenses,' a spokesman said. Meanwhile, an official said the onus was on the government to decide on rationalisation of entertainment tax. 'From a fiscal perspective, it is imperative that any lowering of tax concerning an important source of revenue for a civic body is offset by the government in some form,' the official said.
Saba Yemen
24-06-2025
- Business
- Saba Yemen
Al-Madani, Al-Rabai, & Abbad inaugurate agricultural & fisheries projects in Capital Secretariat at cost of 659 Million Riyals
Sana'a - Saba: Deputy Prime Minister for Local Administration, Rural Development, and Minister of Local Administration and Rural Development Mohammed Al-Madani, along with Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Water Resources Dr. Radhwan Al-Rabai, and Capital Secretariat Governor Dr. Hamoud Abbad, inaugurated on Tuesday a number of agricultural and fisheries projects in the Capital Secretariat at a cost of 659 million and 779 thousand Yemeni riyals. These projects, funded by the local authority in the Capital Secretariat through the Agricultural Projects and Initiatives Financing Unit, included: - Establishing fish and marine product sales points in the Secretariat's districts. - Installing advertising boards to promote agricultural and fisheries products. - Launching the unit's digital platform to enhance e-service efficiency and facilitate beneficiaries' access to support and financing. The projects also encompassed the second phase of support for plant and animal sector activities at the Agricultural and Veterinary Institute, including maintenance, furnishing, and operation of equipment at the modern veterinary teaching hospital. Additionally, they involved providing necessary tools , materials for medical devices and training veterinary staff on their use. Other initiatives included expanding capacity and improving educational resources for the College of Veterinary Medicine and the College of Agriculture (Phase II), which involved supplying and installing furniture for four lecture halls in the veterinary college and the new agricultural college's auditorium. Among the inaugurated projects were: - Rehabilitation, maintenance, and restoration of the Agricultural , Fisheries Projects and Initiatives Financing Unit's building. - Maintenance, rehabilitation, and furnishing of agricultural sector buildings. - Rehabilitation of the mechanical maintenance workshop and servicing agricultural sector equipment. - Procurement and supply of surveying equipment for the financing unit's operations. During the inauguration, Deputy Prime Minister Al-Madani emphasized the importance of these developmental projects in strengthening value chains. He noted that the government is currently implementing policies and mechanisms related to value chains and reducing import costs, with all current projects directly impacting society and contributing to self-sufficiency and food security. He highlighted the opening of marketing-related projects, such as fish sales points, and institutional development projects, including equipping the veterinary hospital, which will serve professionals in veterinary and animal value chains. Al-Madani mentioned new marketing initiatives, such as upcoming value chain festivals in various provinces, and multiple value chains being implemented nationwide by financing units and local authorities, covering fisheries, cotton, dates, and other sectors. He stressed the importance of the Capital Secretariat's role as the final link in the value chain, receiving raw materials produced in rural areas and marketing them through projects that promote fresh product sales while processing others to reduce import costs. This step enhances economic empowerment for families and activates the private sector to receive raw materials from rural regions. Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Water Resources Dr. Radhwan Al-Rabai affirmed that the launched projects focus on economic aspects, particularly marketing and export, to absorb local products and enhance their competitiveness. He stated that the next phase would see integration between financing units in the Capital Secretariat and provinces to implement qualitative initiatives addressing local agricultural value chains, reducing imports and advancing self-sufficiency. Dr. Al-Rabai noted a serious commitment to achieving self-sufficiency by building a resilient economy that adapts to regional and international changes. Capital Secretariat Governor Dr. Hamoud Abbad emphasized the significance of these projects in laying the foundation for agricultural, livestock, and marketing development, highlighting the Secretariat's central role in successfully marketing local products through festivals, exhibitions, fish sales points, and permanent markets. He underscored the importance of cooperative initiatives in achieving sustainable development and fostering partnerships between official and community sectors in value chains and economic empowerment. Engineer Abdulmalik Al-Ansi, Director of the Agricultural and Fisheries Projects and Initiatives Financing Unit, stated that these projects mark the first phase of a strategic series to be announced soon, as part of a comprehensive plan to enhance community production and create a stimulating developmental environment. He added that the new projects will launch an ambitious development plan prepared in recent months to empower agriculture, fisheries, vocational education, and digital services, improving local production efficiency, creating jobs, and enhancing citizen services. Al-Ansi affirmed the unit's commitment to expanding productive projects and targeting sectors most vital to people's lives, aiming to build a strong economy based on planning, sustainability, and community participation. Whatsapp Telegram Email Print more of (Local)
The Hindu
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
CM inaugurates V.T. Bhattathiripad cultural complex in Palakkad
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated the V.T. Bhattathiripad Cultural Complex at Yakara here on Sunday. Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Vijayan praised Bhattathiripad's contributions to Kerala's cultural landscape. He said that Bhattathiripad's literary works, including dramas, short stories and Sahitya Akademi Award winning autobiography 'Kanneerum Kinavum', had left an indelible mark on the State's literary firmament. Mr. Vijayan said that the values of freedom, democracy, secularism and socialism were crucial for the survival of art and literature. 'VT and other leaders of the renaissance believed that literature and art are built upon the foundation of material conditions, and that they cannot endure without a strong base,' he said. The one-lakh sq.-ft. complex in five acres was built at a cost of ₹68 crore with modern facilities like audio-visual theatre with advanced lighting, sound and projection systems, a black box theatre, a venue for sculpture workshops and a craft museum. It has a garden, a large parking area and a cafeteria. Minister for Culture and Fisheries Saji Cherian presided over the function. Minister for Local Administration M.B. Rajesh, V.K. Sreekandan, MP, MLAs Rahul Mamkootathil, K. Babu, K.D. Prasenan, K. Premkumar and K. Santhakumari, District Panchayat president K. Binumol, ward councillor Dhanya Unnikrishnan, Cultural Department director Divya S. Iyer, District Collector G. Priyanka, Deputy Collector Sini K. Thomas, former Minister A.K. Balan, V.T. Bhattathiripad's son V.T. Vasudevan, O.V. Vijayan Memorial secretary T.R. Ajayan and Kunjan Nambiar Memorial chairman K. Jayadevan were among those who spoke.
Jordan News
13-04-2025
- Business
- Jordan News
Amman Municipality Chief: No New Taxes on Buildings and Land - Jordan News
Amman Municipality Chief: No New Taxes on Buildings and Land Amman Municipality Chief, Yousef Al-Shawarbeh, confirmed on Sunday that there will be no new taxes on buildings and land, and no increase in the tax burden on citizens. اضافة اعلان Al-Shawarbeh explained during an interview with Al-Mamlaka that the amendments made to the draft law were purely procedural and focused on the use of technology, establishing clear formulas that enable citizens to calculate their taxes transparently, while minimizing human intervention as much as possible in the tax assessment process. He clarified that the property and land tax is assessed through valuation committees, which visit the sites and determine the nature of the building's use, whether it is a personal residence, leased, commercial, or industrial, depending on its actual use. Al-Shawarbeh added that these committees request supporting documents (evidence) which are used as the basis for estimating the tax, such as rental contracts. He pointed out that these supporting documents were not part of the original law but are only used for estimation purposes. He also mentioned that the new law includes incentives and exemptions that are outlined for the first time, confirming that it provides incentives and exemptions that were not included in the previous law. Furthermore, the Municipality Chief explained that the draft law includes a formula based on land use regulations and the percentage of benefit, in contrast to the previous system where taxes were imposed on the entire area of the land. He confirmed that taxes will only be imposed on the portion of the land that is being used, not on the entire plot, and emphasized that the estimation mechanism has been entirely revised, now relying on neutral and clear formulas for everyone. Al-Shawarbeh pointed out that the "base land price" was adopted as part of the formula, a neutral standard used as the basis for imposing land fees, whether in cases of sale or purchase. He assured that the draft law will not impose any new tax burdens on citizens and will not negatively impact investment, stressing that the procedures will be simpler and will not hinder investment or the real estate market. Al-Shawarbeh denied the circulating information about the new draft law, confirming that it is inaccurate and contradicts what is stated in the law, and emphasized that what is written in Article 12 of the new property and land tax law is not a tax, and that the text has been taken out of context. In a previous meeting, Minister of Local Administration, Walid Al-Masri, confirmed that the 2025 Property and Land Tax Law draft was prepared by the Greater Amman Municipality and the Department of Legislation and Opinion, and it will not lead to an increase in property and land taxes. Al-Masri added during a meeting of the Parliamentary Economic and Investment Committee on Monday, attended by all relevant parties, that the draft law aims to make the formation of committees more governed than the previous law and to ensure that all sectors are represented in the committees. Al-Mamlaka
