Women in business
It is indeed promising that women are launching post-pandemic businesses. However, simply creating support for women entrepreneurs isn’t enough (“In UAE, women led the way to launch businesses after pandemic disruption”, Gulf News, July 13). Women entrepreneurs who wish to establish a company must also be informed that help exists and they should get trained on how to use it. Throughout the COVID_19 pandemic, governments worldwide have pulled together business support packages. I’m glad that the gender diversity situation is changing across the globe, and it’s pretty applaudable.
From Ms Sarah Thomas
UAE
Are summers getting hotter?
In some parts of the globe, summers are getting hotter than usual (“Health tips: How to beat the summer heat and stay hydrated”, Gulf News, June 10). It seems that it is not just the average temperature that goes up, globally, the weather seems to be getting worse with more extreme events. Global climatic change has natural and artificial causes. If you notice, both summers and winters are getting warmer. Heat waves are becoming more common globally, and intense heat waves are expected, especially in the US. It is more dangerous when heat waves are combined with humidity. As we know, extreme heat can increase the risk of other types of disasters, like drought and other dry conditions, which can turn into wildfires like the recent one in California. Rising temperatures across the country threaten people, ecosystems and the economy. We should know that this extreme temperature can also affect the air quality. It is our responsibility to minimise the effect by switching to eco-friendly living.
From Mr Hari Shankar
UAE
Aviation safety
India has one of the better air safety indicators in the world compared to the global average (“Second SpiceJet snag in a day: Windshield cracks mid-air”, Gulf News, July 5). Still, several recent flight incident scares bring urgency for further strengthening air safety and the need for a comprehensive safety audit in the aviation sector on multiple sectors, including airworthiness of aircraft, pilots-training and ground safety. The recent incidences of mid-air troubles are scary. The situation requires urgent DGCA (The Directorate General of Civil Aviation) attention. Recently, a flight made an emergency landing at Karachi Airport after the fuel indicator malfunctioned mid-air. The fire incident in a Delhi bound Patna aircraft also took place when the plane was still in the air. It was a risk to 185 lives in the aircraft, but due to the pilot’s skill and ability to navigate the aircraft in the frightening situation, the plane landed safely. However, modern passenger aircraft are built to operate even with one engine, but sometimes it can be catastrophic. The DGCA must put all measures in place for a robust air safety mechanism, which requires a comprehensive approach. The authority should also conduct a thorough investigation to find out the reason for such things and order a comprehensive safety audit to minimise such scary incidents. Airlines should pay more attention to regular aircraft maintenance and upgrade the training for pilots and air controllers.
From Mr Ramesh G Jethwani
India
Teens and smoking
The youth are vulnerable, taking up smoking as a trend, with peer pressure to accentuate it into a habit. Their curiosity, sense of adventure and a risk-taking mental disposition makes them experiment and try something different in life. Despite more prominent warnings on cigarette packs and media messages about their harmful effects, they smoke as they think death is very far. Smokers enjoy the smoke which emanates, unmindful of passive smoking. One of the companies withdrew its brand of smokeless cigarettes as they found smokers enjoyed the smoke. Banning the sale of loose cigarettes, larger warnings on packets and increasing the legal age for purchase of tobacco products to 25 years are welcome, but the change has to come from within. In the interest of the nation’s health, the problem has to be tackled at the grassroots level of tobacco growing, despite the powerful tobacco lobby repeatedly asserting its contribution to the national economy.
From Mr T S Karthik
India
Novak Djokovic wins seventh Wimbledon title
Kudos to World No.1 tennis player Novak Djokovic for reaching his eighth Wimbledon finals, defeating the British professional tennis player, Cameron Norrie, in four sets, that too after winning his quarterfinals in five stages (“Novak Djokovic wins seventh Wimbledon title and 21st Grand Slam”, Gulf News, July 10). He has repeatedly proved to be a real champion player like Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. However, it is unfortunate that a spirited player like Rafael Nadal had to pull out, due to injury, in the semi-final clash against Nick Kyrgios. His absence has deprived another epic final between Nadal and Djokovic. Of course, he overcomes Nick Kyrgios, the Australian professional tennis player who is on a roll this year. It was a golden chance for Djokovic, who did it with pride. Congratulations! He won a seventh Wimbledon title and the 21st Grand Slam crown on Sunday with a four-set triumph over Nick Kyrgios.
From Mr N. Mahadevan
India
