Moderate to heavy rains were recorded in various parts of Qatar for several hours from late on Monday, accompanied by strong winds. While the northern region experienced heavy rains and hail, several other parts of the country, including Doha, received only scattered to moderate rain.Thundery rain was observed in northern areas such as Shamal and Ruwais along with strong winds. According to Qatar Meteorology Department, total amount of rain reached about 45ml in the early afternoon Tuesday. Social media is abuzz with videos of heavy rains in the northern parts of the country as well as the rough and turbulent waves in the sea.The Met department said that thundery rain accompanied with hail was observed at several parts of the northern region. By evening the department said that there could be thundery rains along with dusty winds mainly northeasterly to northwesterly with high speed.Meanwhile, other parts of the country received moderate to scattered rain. In addition, most parts of Qatar experienced very heavy winds and the seafront areas witnessed very rough and turbulent sea with very high waves lashing the shores. However, most parts of Doha had only scatted rains and the traffic was normal with no major incidents. The city had overcast conditions most of the time during the day.With the Eid holidays coming to an end, it was expected that all the students would start their academic session from Tuesday. However, the Ministry of Education and Higher Education had warned about the adverse weather conditions and instructed educational institutes to provide classes online for the day.Financial institutes such as the banks worked remotely with most branches closed for the day and only select branches, mostly in malls, functioned.Various parts of the region have been experiencing heavy rains for the last several days. Parts of Oman, the UAE and Saudi Arabia witnessed very heavy rains resulting in several causalities.

Dubai's major international airport began diverting all incoming flights yesterday as heavy rains lashed the city, causing widespread flooding.The air hub, which had been expecting more than 100 flights Tuesday evening, earlier briefly halted its operations in the chaos caused by the storm.Dubai has been paralysed by the torrential rain that caused floods around the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, and left 18 dead in Oman on Sunday and Monday."Due to the continued exceptional weather event currently being experienced in the UAE, Dubai International is temporarily diverting inbound flights due to arrive this evening... until the inclement situation improves," a Dubai Airports spokesperson said.Departures will continue, said the spokesperson, who earlier warned that roads around the airport have suffered major flooding and urged passengers to use public transport.Unconfirmed images on social media showed planes taxiing across an apron flooded with standing water.Similar scenes were repeated across Dubai and elsewhere in the UAE.Flagship shopping centres Dubai Mall and Mall of the Emirates both suffered flooding and water was ankle-deep in at least one Dubai Metro station, according to images posted on social media.Roads and residential communities also suffered heavy flooding and many residents reported leaks from roofs, doors and windows.Schools were shut across the UAE and were expected to remain closed Wednesday, when further storms are forecast. Dubai's government also extended remote working for its employees into Wednesday.The Asian Champions League football semi-final between the UAE's Al Ain and Saudi side Al Hilal, due to be hosted in Al Ain, was postponed for 24 hours because of the weather.Some inland areas of the UAE recorded more than 80mm of rain over 24 hours, approaching the annual average of about 100mm.The weather board "urged residents to take all the precautions... and to stay away from areas of flooding and water accumulation" in a post on X.Bahrain was also hit by heavy rain and flooding after being pummelled by thunder and lightning overnight.The storms descended on the UAE, Bahrain and areas of Qatar after passing over Oman, where they caused deadly floods and left dozens stranded.A child's body was recovered on Tuesday, bringing the death toll to 18 with two people missing, emergency authorities told the official Oman News Agency.Nine schoolchildren and three adults died when their vehicles were swept away in flash floods, the news agency reported on Sunday.

A top US university has canceled its plans for a graduation speech by a Muslim student over what it says are safety concerns, after pro-Israel groups criticised her selection.The decision by the University of Southern California is the latest controversy to roil American higher education since the conflict between Israel and Hamas erupted in October.Asna Tabassum, who has been attacked online for "antisemitic and anti-Zionist rhetoric," had been selected as class valedictorian.USC's valedictorian is chosen by college officials from among scores of applicants with high academic grades.They represent the graduating class and deliver a speech at graduation in front of up to 65,000 people.But on Monday the university's provost, Andrew Guzman, announced the May 10 ceremony would go ahead without the speech."Unfortunately, over the past several days, discussion relating to the selection of our valedictorian has taken on an alarming tenor," Guzman said in a statement."The intensity of feelings, fueled by both social media and the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, has grown to include many voices outside of USC and has escalated to the point of creating substantial risks relating to security."Guzman's statement gave no specifics, but the Los Angeles Times quoted Erroll Southers, the university's associate senior vice president for safety and risk assurance, as saying the institution had received threats by email, phone and letter.Individuals "say they will come to the campus," he said.Tabassum criticised the decision, which she said was the result of the university "succumbing to a campaign of hate meant to silence my voice.""Although this should have been a time of celebration for my family, friends, professors and classmates, anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian voices have subjected me to a campaign of racist hatred because of my uncompromising belief in human rights for all," she said in a statement.The fallout from the Israel-Hamas conflict has been felt around the world, and is particularly intense on US college campuses, where both pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian groups say they are being victimised and silenced.On Wednesday the president of the prestigious Columbia University in New York will become the latest campus leader to face questions from US lawmakers about whether her institution is doing enough to combat anti-Semitism in the student body.