Keeps us safe
People here are supporting this man’s actions of setting fire to the speed radar camera (‘Man arrested for setting UAE speed radars on fire,’ Gulf News, July 10). But just think about it: these radars are one of those good reasons why I reach home safely. It keeps those bad drivers on the road under control.
From Mr Ashwin Ameen
UAE
Facebook comment
Respect property
He should have been arrested. We should treat government property as if it is our property and respect these infrastructures and try to preserve it.
From Mr Anurag Singh
UAE
Facebook comment
Should be punished
A radar camera is not some sadist who enjoys fining people. If you don’t speed, the radar does not blink. Why burn and destroy government property? It’s there for our own safety. People who destroy government property have criminal tendencies and should surely be punished.
From Ms Mahnaaz Shaikh
UAE
Facebook comment
Still need physical sighting
I agree with this idea of using astronomy for Ramadan and there are committees in Islamic countries who seek the input from meteorological departments and physicists (‘Use astronomy to determine start of Ramadan: scholars,’ Gulf News, July 10). I have been using a particular software for more than ten years and it’s been absolutely correct on all the Ramadan and Eid occasions. However, according to Islamic tradition and sayings of the Prophet, the physical moon sighting must remain a mandatory decision factor.
From Mr Bilal Seddiqi
Dubai
Website comment
More accurate
In my opinion, if you use astronomy to sight, it is no less a ‘sighting’ than with your eye. Eye witness reports are notoriously inaccurate - so it’s not like witnessing the moon is a more accurate method. In fact, calculation on the whole is far more accurate. The Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) in the US has done a commendable job on this front, but attitudes are far harder to change. So, despite the ISNA’s efforts, people in the US and Canada still rely on a physical sighting.
From Mr Ahmad
Kuwait
Website comment
Wake up
Since when did killing innocent people become self defence (‘Netanyahu promises to intensify Gaza attack,’ Gulf News, July 10)? Innocent or not, people are supposed to at least respect this holy month instead of continuing the feud.
It’s not that Muslims need to wake up, it’s that humanity and empathy do. It’s kindness and compassion that have to wake up. Humankind has to wake up.
From Ms Shamina Usman
Dubai
Facebook comment
Oppressed by apathy
All the people in the Occupied Territory are innocent since they are the oppressed. In the case of the Palestinians, they are oppressed by the apathy of the whole world.
From Ms Aziza Al Busaidy
Dubai
Facebook comment
Praying for freedom
The war crimes that Israel stands accused of will not end as long as the Israeli government perpetuates a violent military occupation that allows inequality and injustice to flourish. Israel’s recent actions, including attempts to discredit victims’ families and eyewitnesses, deliberately targeting civilians and pursuing a policy of collective punishment, epitomise the repression and systematic violations of human rights inherent in Israel’s unjust occupation.
Israeli authorities must end its policy of collective punishment and ensure that Palestinian civilians are protected and not targets of violence.
The international community recognizes the rights of Palestinians to use all means at their disposal to fight this state-sponsored oppression. There would be no ‘security problem’ for Israel if it did not oppress the Palestinian people.
Peace is only possible if it is based on justice and respect for international law.
Continued Israeli military aggression against Palestinian civilian’s amounts to grave breaches of the Fourth Geneva Convention, namely war crimes, and systematic gross violations of human rights. A disproportionate number of women and children have been killed and maimed by Israel.
How Israel treats Palestinian citizens is a crime against humanity. Israel has deprived millions of Palestinians of their liberty and property. It has systematically imprisoned and tortured thousands of Palestinians, contrary to the rules of international law. It has, in particular, waged a relentless and cruel war against the brave children of Palestine.
Let us, as freedom-loving people, be committed to global justice and pray that God guides the Palestinian people to justice, freedom and prosperity.
From Mr Samaoen Osman
Cape Town, South Africa
Road rage
The traffic and driving around Sharjah is atrocious at the best of times. The lack of a police presence is obvious. I have very rarely seen a police car unless there has been an accident and in that case, it’s too late. I was driving my wife to work at 9am on Sunday in a 60km/h speed zone, and I was passing a line of cars when a car came up behind me doing well over the limit flashing his light and honking his horn.
It was clear the traffic lights were red ahead, and I had nowhere to go but straight. My wife turned around to gesture to him to stop tailgating. This made the driver take both hands off the steering wheel to gesture at us to move over.
We changed lanes and stopped at the red light. The car behind us pulled up two lanes apart, I could not see the driver. But, he then wound down his window and his next gesture was to circle his finger around his ear and yell something towards us in a clearly aggressive manner.
From Mr Andrew Haddrick
UAE
Smaller buses needed
Most of the buses that have services from Abu Dhabi to its suburb are not full all the times except on Friday and holidays. There are many times when these buses going to destinations with very few passengers.
Buses are waiting a long time in bus stations for more passengers and on the other hand, passengers are trying to go to their destinations in a very short time frame. This creates situations of passengers trying to go with some other means. Instead of big buses, if there were just mini buses or small bus services on these routes, it will be more beneficial and helpful for the passengers. I hope the authorities will look into this.
From Mr M. A. Mannan
Abu Dhabi
Traditional wisdom
Deciding whether spending money is more beneficial than it is detrimental is a complicated subject. At a macro level, spending is good as long as there is a manufacturing sector in the country in question and the spending comes from their own sources. If the spending is funded by loans or credit cards and the borrowing is beyond an individual’s capacity to repay, there are bound to be defaults that will balloon into bigger problems and result in big spending backfiring on the economy. At a micro level, that is at an individual level, indiscriminate spending could affect a person’s personal finance in the long run. So, it is back to traditional wisdom: spend on essentials, do not splash out on non-essentials, and savings are as important as spending.
From Mr Seddiqi
UAE
Facebook comment
No wasting
When one shops a lot, they’re either hoarding stuff at home or wasting material goods. So, as long as they’re giving away to charity what they no longer want, how much they spend shouldn’t matter. I think if they are charitable, they are being nice to their economy and society as well.
From Ms Haifa Mohammad
UAE
Use the post
With the internet, people don’t seem to send letters by post anymore. When was the last time you wrote by hand and posted a letter? Why not take advantage of the Ramadan office hours and write a small note to your friend or family far away from you. Or, use a telephone booth and make a surprise call!
It will be a great surprise for them and an everlasting gift.
From Mr Ramesh Menon
Abu Dhabi
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