Flood situation in Assam remains grave, over 4.88 lakh people affected
Guwahati (PTI): The flood situation in Assam remained grave on Saturday with over 4.88 lakh people affected so far, an official report said.
Major rivers remained in spate across the state with the meteorological department warning of more rainfall and thunderstorm in different parts.
A Central Water Commission report on Friday evening said the Brahmaputra was flowing over the danger level in Nematighat (Jorhat).
The water level of the Puthimari and Pagladiya rivers have breached the red mark in Kamrup and Nalbari districts respectively, it added.
The Regional Meteorological Centre here has issued a 'Yellow' alert for Saturday, asking people to be on watch and remain updated for heavy rainfall and thunderstorm in some parts of the state.
As per an official report, more than 4.88 lakh people in 16 districts are currently reeling under floods.
Two persons have been killed in floods this year so far.
Worst affected has been the Bajali sub-division where 2.67 lakh people have been hit by the deluge.
Nalbari and Barpeta districts are also among the severely hit with around 80,000 and 73,000 people affected respectively.
More than 35,000 people are staying in 140 relief camps. Another 75 relief distribution centres are also functional.
Different agencies, including NDRF, SDRF, civil defence personnel and local people, have been assisting the administration in carrying out rescue and relief operations.
Embankments have been breached or damaged in Biswanath, Darrang and Kokrajhar districts in the last 24 hours.
Roads, bridges and other infrastructure have been damaged in different districts, including Bajali, Baksa, Barpeta, Cachar, Chirang, Darrang, Dhemaji, Dhubri, Goalpara, Karimganj, Kokrajhar, Majuli and Nalbari.
Reports of erosion have been recorded in Baksa, Biswanath, Bongaigaon, Chirang, Dhubri, Kokrajhar, Dibrugarh, Sivsagar, Sonitpur, South Salmara, Udalguri and Tamulpur.
Landslides and urban flooding have also been reported from different parts, the report added.
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismisses defence minister in surprise announcement
Jerusalem, Nov 5: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday dismissed his popular defence minister, Yoav Gallant, in a surprise announcement that came as the country is embroiled in wars on multiple fronts across the region.
Netanyahu and Gallant have repeatedly been at odds over the war in Gaza. But Netanyahu had avoided firing his rival. Netanyahu cited “significant gaps” and a “crisis of trust” between the men in his Tuesday evening announcement.
“In the midst of a war, more than ever, full trust is required between the prime minister and defence minister,” Netanyahu said. “Unfortunately, although in the first months of the campaign there was such trust and there was very fruitful work, during the last months this trust cracked between me and the defence minister.”
In the early days of the war, Israel's leadership presented a unified front as it responded to Hamas' October 7, 2023, attack. But as the war dragged on and spread to Lebanon, key policy differences have emerged. While Netanyahu has called for continued military pressure on Hamas, Gallant had taken a more pragmatic approach, saying that military force has created the necessary conditions for a diplomatic deal that could bring home hostages held by the Hamas group.
Gallant, a former general who has gained public respect with a gruff, no-nonsense personality, said in a statement: “The security of the state of Israel always was, and will always remain, my life's mission."
Gallant has worn a simple, black buttoned shirt throughout the war in a sign of sorrow over the October 7 attack and developed a strong relationship with his US counterpart, Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin.
A previous attempt by Netanyahu to fire Gallant in March 2023 sparked widespread street protests against Netanyahu. He also flirted with the idea of dismissing Gallant over the summer but held off until Tuesday's announcement.
Gallant will be replaced by Foreign Minister Israel Katz, a Netanyahu loyalist and veteran Cabinet minister who was a junior officer in the military. Gideon Saar, a former Netanyahu rival who recently rejoined the government, will take the foreign affairs post.
Netanyahu has a long history of neutralising his rivals. In his statement, he claimed he had made “many attempts” to bridge the gaps with Gallant.
“But they kept getting wider. They also came to the knowledge of the public in an unacceptable way, and worse than that, they came to the knowledge of the enemy - our enemies enjoyed it and derived a lot of benefit from it,” he said.
