Heavy rains lash Chennai and its suburbs; holiday declared for schools
Chennai (PTI): Heavy overnight rains lashed the city and its suburbs, prompting authorities to declare a holiday for schools on Monday, as morning office-goers had a hard time braving the downpour amid traffic snarls in some parts of the city.
Trees were uprooted in areas including Ekkatuthangal, Adyar and Nanganallur and the city civic body was clearing them, Greater Chennai Corporation officials said.
Chennai Airport received the highest of 16 cm of rainfall during the 24-hour period ending 8.30 am on Monday, the regional weather office said.
International flight operations at the airport were affected as around 10 incoming flights, including from Doha, Colombo and Dubai were diverted to Bengaluru, subsequently affecting departure as well.
The sharp showers brought relief to people from the sweltering heat that the city and its nearby districts had been witnessing over the past few days.
Following the rains, authorities declared a holiday for schools in Chennai and its neighbouring districts of Chengalpet, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur, besides Vellore and Ranipet.
The weather office forecast more spells of rain for the city and its suburbs on Monday.
In its bulletin tweeted at 10.30 am, the Regional Meteorological Centre said Chennai Airport (16 cm) and Taramani (14 cm) received the highest rainfall in the last 24 hours.
Chembarambakkam in neighbouring Tiruvallur district received 13 cm.
Meanwhile, the water level in the various reservoirs meeting Chennai's drinking water requirements stood at satisfactory levels, going by official figures.
The water level at Kannankottai-Thervoykandigai was 34.31 ft as against its full capacity of 36.31 ft. The level at Poondi was 27.66 ft as against the full capacity of 35 ft, according to a tweet uploaded on the official handle of Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB).
The lakes at Chembarambakkam, Cholavaram, Red Hills and Veeranam (Cuddalore dt) also had good levels.
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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.
