Obey rules, save lives
Car engines should be switched off during fuelling at petrol stations (‘Car catches fire at a petrol station in Dubai’, Gulf News, May 31). Petrol is volatile, so when it is already heated with the atmospheric heat and it goes into a running engine, it has the potential to catch fire before the spark plug fires.
It is written at every fuelling station to switch off the engine and stop smoking. I don’t know why people don’t follow the rules and prevent putting lives in danger.
From Mr Hassan Raza
UAE
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Not reason for car blaze
In response to Hassan Raza, the flashing point of petrol fumes is 280 degrees centigrade, so no matter how hot the atmosphere is, it can’t ignite it. Petrol never burns, it’s the fumes of petrol that burn in a car and petrol is converted to fumes only by injectors when sprayed into the cylinders. There is no air in fuel lines, so no combustion can happen.
From Mr Shahzaib Arshad
UAE
Facebook comment
Many fires lately
But why have there been so many fires lately in the country? For the past few weeks Sharjah, Dubai and now Fujairah are seeing fires making the news. Something must be done to prevent these fire outbreaks, it’s too bad for sure!
From Ms Yahaya Kittengo
UAE
Facebook comment
Enforce petrol station rules
A proper fire suppressant system could help as well as educating and enforcing the rule of switching the engine off. Attendants shouldn’t start or allow fuelling while the engine is on!
From Mr Andrew Forsyth
Dubai
Facebook comment
Educate attendants
Drivers should switch off the car while filling up, and I have observed that employees are filling fuel tanks at full pressure, which may also cause this. During the summer, they should fill fuel slowly. Filling fuel at a fast speed creates more risk of catching fire.
From Mr S. Atif Masroor
UAE
Facebook comment
What caused Fujairah’s fire?
It is such a pity that this wonderful place was destroyed by fire, but I am sure that the authorities will rebuild the market there and we will just have to wait (‘Fire guts Friday Market in Masafi’, Gulf News, May 31). I wonder what caused the fire? I blame it either on old and faulty electrical lines or smokers.
From Mr Habeeb Hassan
UAE
Website comment
Ban harmful supplements!
The health authorities should issue a notice to the pharmacies to destroy such medicines and halt the supply of them immediately (‘Warning on 9 dangerous food supplements’, Gulf News, May 31). It should also be issued to the doctors and hospitals as well. Periodical inspections should also be in place.
From Mr Mohammad
UAE
Website comment
Women deserve more respect
Before the debate on who is at fault in this unfortunate incident of the alleged unlawful arrest of the pregnant woman, is it fair for male officers to get their hands on a woman (‘Body-cam video shows Barstow police taking down 8-months-pregnant woman’, Gulf News, May 31)? It’s just sad to witness men in uniform ill-treating women. Regardless of everything else, women deserve respect, especially if she is expecting. The manner in which the woman was taken down is extremely brutal. She could have lost her child due to the force used in the arrest or the stress it might have caused her. The officers should be sacked unless they learn to behave decently towards women, regardless of skin colour.
From Ms Fatima Suhail
Sharjah
Facebook comment
What is going on?
This is shocking, what is going on with the police system in the US? I hope the baby is okay and if not, well I hope it plays on the police officer’s conscience - if he even has one!
From Mr Shaun Garratt
UAE
Facebook comment
No right for this treatment
If she didn’t give her name, what right does that give the police to wrestle with the woman? Come on, this is inhumane. I know it’s the woman’s fault that she didn’t give her name when he asked her, but this should not be the result of that.
From Mr Shahzad Ahmad
UAE
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Now Congress shows concern
The Gulf News story on India ‘suit boot’ being more acceptable than ‘suitcase’ was an interesting read (‘‘Suit boot’ is more acceptable than ‘suitcase’: PM’, Gulf News, May 31). As Prime Minister Narendra Modi rightly said that even with what the Congress party has done to the poor and the farmers, they are now criticising the land bill. He has also expressed that he is prepared to change the ordinance and that is not a matter of life and death to him. I hope a new bill will be presented shortly for approval.
From Mr K. Ragavan
Bengaluru, India
Hypocritical actions cause blaspheming
While talking about the recent blasts at mosques in Saudi Arabia, it made me somehow link other such blasts in mosques in Pakistan and other countries and then link it back to blasphemy (‘Bomb explodes near Saudi mosque’, Gulf News, May 30). Daesh and the Taliban claim to be custodians of a peaceful and beautiful religion and yet they claim responsibility of attacking the house of God, killing innocent people, attacking the country where the Holy Kaaba is situated - is it not blasphemy?
From Mr Kirtan Varasia
UAE
Threatened by pigeons
With regards to Indian authorities detaining a pigeon on suspected espionage, I say well done, Indian Intelligence, very well done (‘Pigeon detained for spying in India’, Gulf News, May 31). At last you caught this dangerous, armed, wanted and notorious pigeon.
From Mr Omar Janjua
UAE
Website comment
Can’t expect a release
Spy pigeons are always a headache for the Punjab police. A white coloured pigeon, suspected to be a Pakistani ‘spy’ was caught by the residents of Pathankot, India a remote village near the border. I appreciate the sense of humour of Gulf News in giving this report under the category of ‘Top stories’ with a picture showing that the bird is kept behind the iron bars, which is apt and appropriate. Now the police may charge a spy case against it and send it to a torture cell to shed all the secrets behind its trips to India. Until and unless the court gives the bird a clean chit as not guilty, it can’t expect a release. I wonder why the bird lovers in India are not protesting against the cruelty towards birds. I do pity the poor bird!
From Mr Sunny Joseph
Mala, India
Pigeons aren’t people
The officials should start investigating on what nationality the pigeon was. Was it flying with proper documents and passport? Too long have we allowed these innocent looking birds to pass through borders with ease. Not anymore! They should be treated like humans!
From Mr Sujit
UAE
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Many Indians know Urdu
This is unbelievable! Now India will arrest birds? One thing I find interesting is that there was Urdu written on the bird that they couldn’t translate but there are many people who can read, write and speak Urdu. But still they are not sure what is written in Urdu. If anything is there, it’s not necessarily written from Pakistan.
From Mr Arman Khan
UAE
Website comment
What could they learn?
I wonder what the interrogation revealed. Did the bird confess or have the courage to fluff out its tail feathers in defiance?
From Mr Haaike Barnard
UAE
Facebook comment
Tony Blair was ineffective
Why was the former British Prime Minister Tony Blair appointed as Middle East Peace Envoy in 2007 (‘After the Middle East, Blair braves new conflict zone’, Gulf News, May 30)? Wasn’t he supposed to represent the quartet of the US, Russia, the UN and the EU? No! He had not achieved or even tried to achieve in bringing Israelis and the Palestinians together by even an inch, not speaking of the two-state solution between the two. While watching the developments closely, we did not witness Blair utter a word condemning Israel’s ruthless aggression on the helpless and innocent Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Surely, Blair was not on a charitable mission during his seven years’ role as the peace envoy. Instead, he was paid millions of dollars that helped to enhance his bank balance. The British are generally known to give their fair share of money’s worth for every endeavour they undertake. Where is Tony Blair’s accountability? Instead of filling up his coffers, same could perhaps have been spent on rehabilitating needy Palestinians or those in need in various African nations.
From Dr U. K. Kataky
Dubai
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