Be aware
I lived in the UAE for six years and played lots of golf in the sun (‘Skin cancer alert for Dubai sunbathers,’ Gulf News, August 1). Two years ago, I went to the doctor with what I thought was a cold sore that wouldn’t heal, and it turned out to be a squamous cell carcinoma, which is a type of skin cancer and it had spread to the lymph nodes in my neck!
I was diagnosed with stage four cancer caused by excessive exposure to the sun. After major surgery to remove the lymph nodes and lots of radiation and chemotherapy, I am beating it. Please be aware of the damage that too much sun can do to you.
From Ms Jenny Brown
Alsancak, Cyprus
Facebook comment
Sun always a risk
Going into the sun anywhere unprotected puts you at risk for sun damage. This is not ‘new’ news. Just behind the times over here. No matter what colour your skin, we’ve been taught this in Australia since we were little.
From Ms Patricia Franklin
Dubai
Facebook comment
Don’t leave children alone
Why on Earth are parents leaving their children inside the car alone (‘Car thief drives off with baby in stolen vehicle,’ Gulf News, August 2)? If she doesn’t have anyone else to go with her, she could have gone in a taxi to ensure safety for both. I can’t imagine how you would run errands and leave your first priority in the car alone. Thank God the baby is safe.
From Ms Christine Blanco
UAE
Facebook comment
Foolish and lucky
I am tired of repeating how foolish one can be when they leave their children in cars alone. I think some parents really will never pay heed to mistakes done by others.
Life is so convenient these days, we have the best of strollers or baby carriers and yet we still find it’s too much of an effort to carry our children to run errands. At least the thief left the child in a mosque. What if he had killed him or left him some place unsafe? These are your children; you can’t take them for granted.
From Ms Mahnaaz Shaikh
UAE
Facebook comment
Recklessness
Police must do something about this. Just a few days ago, a 19 month old baby died in a car. Last year, the same thing happened when parents went to a petrol station and left the baby in the car. Every year, it’s the same story again and again. When will action be taken against these reckless parents?
From Ms Zuhoor Kebire
UAE
Facebook comment
Many can’t swim
I am from Karachi in Pakistan, and I know that some of these people who decided to go swimming have never even seen a swimming pool in their lives (‘37 bodies recovered after Karachi bathing deaths,’ Gulf News, August 3). Many don’t know how to swim and they throng the beach here in the thousands and go deep inside water, especially in rough seas.
God can put us through tests but we should never put Him through a test!
From Mr Maheen Kureishi
UAE
Facebook comment
Showing off
Most of the people just go deep into the water to show off in front of the women who come with their families and friends. They are trying to attract girls but they end up putting themselves in danger.
From Mr Mohsin Khan
Sharjah
Facebook comment
Swimming despite warnings
This is the outcome when people go against the law and act according to their wish and will. If only the beach-goers would have paid heed to the warnings from the authorities, such tragedies would not occur on the first place.
To make it worse, it is strange that there were families fighting with the police officials to allow them to swim despite being aware that nearly many dozens of people had drowned as a result of swimming in rough seas. It is a shame that educated people behave with such uncivilised manners.
The police should have cordoned off all roads leading to the beach to prevent further mishaps or at least until professional lifeguards are made available to assist visitors.
From Ms Fatima Suhail
UAE
Facebook comment
A deadly disease
It would have been useful to give important information about Ebola (‘‘Ebola a potential threat to Britain’,’ Gulf News, August 1). This article speaks a lot about its potential spread but that’s it. For those who don’t know the Ebola virus disease (EVD), it is severe and often fatal illness in humans. EVD outbreaks have a case fatality rate of up to 90 per cent.
EVD outbreaks occur primarily in remote villages in Central and West Africa, near tropical rainforests. The virus is transmitted to people from wild animals and can then spread through human-to-human transmission.
I believe that there is no specific treatment or vaccine available for curing it in people or animals.
From Mr Aju Jacob
Dubai
Facebook comment
Negligent driving
It’s really sad that despite so much road discipline, we still find people violating traffic laws and endangering lives (‘Overloaded trucks a danger,’ Gulf News, July 31). It’s this type of negligence that will get someone injured.
From Ms Pearl Naren Rathi
UAE
Facebook comment
Who it affects most
I think small companies will suffer more for the increased costs of visas (‘How much UAE visa will cost after increase,’ Gulf News, August 1). Small companies have already suffered from visa validity period being reduced from three to two years. I would like to request the authorities to please reduce the cost of visas for small companies.
From Mr Aziz Khattak
Dubai
Website comment
Slacken fees for children
Residence visas for spouses is Dh200 and for non-government employees its Dh250, but there is no leniency for infants or children under 18, wherein parents have to bear school fees, housing rental, housing fee and 30 per cent electricity surcharges. At least children and infants should have visas priced at 50 per cent of what adults are charged.
From Mr Tommy
Dubai
Website comment
Relax visa fees
I agree with Tommy. There should be some relaxation for children and even for spouse visas because people are living with families spending almost 100 per cent of their salaries or income. Family visa fees shouldn’t be more than Dh50. Everybody has a right to live with their family.
From Mr Shaikh
Sharjah
Website comment
Still free for some
So it looks like for tourists of the 43 European Union (EU) countries and other nationalities such as Australia, the US, Canada and New Zealand, who have previously always got a visit visa on arrival for free, there is still no charge and no change!
From Mr Richard
Dubai
Website comment
Time to wake up
How can the Middle East remain silent when their brothers are being killed in hundreds by Israel? The European and US leaders have always morally, financially and militarily encouraged and supported Israel. With the latest shipment of arms and ammunition to Israel, US President Barack Obama has shown the world that he is an enemy of the Palestinians. The West is destroying Islamic countries.
From Mr Hassan Ali Jamani
UAE
Technology affecting history
As the years pass, people tend to be more curious to unearth the hidden secrets of this magical world. Technology has improved, keeping up with the demands of the growing populations and the changing lifestyles. So I wonder, does the information age mean that we are losing important historical information? It has both positive and negative impacts on the world of history.
People who love to research our past depend on technology for effective results. Digital innovations have gifted us new equipment like X-Ray and laser scanners to detect clues hidden beneath the earth’s visible surface.
However, the extensive use of technology might have curbed the interest and insight with which people learnt history. I think this has reduced the original purpose of historical information - to discover and learn.
Technology has its imperfections. All the information we get from the internet need not be correct. When a new piece of information is excavated, different versions of it are posted on the web, and it is difficult to identify the truth. I think this will result in authentic historical information slipping through our fingers.
The historical information mankind currently possesses faces serious threats from the advancing new media age. If we know how to manage our resources and technology, if we understand the individual and unique importance of the past, present and future, then the information age will not wipe out our past.
From Ms Maria Vincent
Dubai
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