The news of the Paris attacks is disturbing. I understand that Paris is a beloved and familiar place for a lot of people, but it troubled me that Beirut had received so little attention after the horrific bombings two days earlier. It also troubled me that Baghdad, a place I have absolutely no connection with, received even less attention after the senseless bombing there last week.
Worst of all, I found the understanding of the refugee crisis skewed and simplistic. If you’ve been following the journeys of the people leaving their homes around the world right now, perhaps you’ll understand why the words “Syrian refugee crisis” are just as devastating as “pray for Paris”.
Mainstream coverage of the Beirut attack has been sparse. Last July, over a 100 Egyptians were killed in ISIL attacks. Last month, 100 more were killed from a bombing in Ankara.
It’s time to pray for humanity. It’s time to make all places beloved. It’s time to pray for the world.
Samaoen Osman, South Africa
To answer the question whether Facebook's response to the Paris carnage suggests it has pro-western bias (Social inequality, November 18), I think media is dominated by the western perspective. It was shocking how very little coverage in western media the terror attack in Beirut last week got.
Wiltrud Matthes, Dubai
I guess most things have a pro-western bias. Perhaps it’s time that changed.
Dave Pryce, Dubai
I don’t think this is true. When the earthquake devastated Nepal, for instance, westerners and Facebook jumped in to help. When a catastrophe takes place in the Middle East, westerners try to help as much as they can. These statements only cause divisions.
I would say that if you want to help the world and make a difference, then do not just sit there but do something about it. Find ways to help, in positive ways and stop finding faults all the time with those who really try to make a difference.
Brigitte von Bulow, Abu Dhabi
Losing weight a Herculean task
Exercise and change of diet that allow for enough weight loss to make a difference are not always possible or helpful because of mitigating circumstances like injuries or handicaps (Diabetes: It's time to be making big noise about the silent killer, November 12).
Aside from the fact that weight loss and lifestyle changes fail in more than half of all cases, it is a Herculean task to loose enough weight and keep it off. However, Type 2 diabetes can be effectively cured through the use of certain types of bariatric surgery. This viable option is, however, rejected for coverage by most insurance companies; forcing many people with this condition to suffer. For many sufferers, such a radical change, whether through surgery or lifestyle change, is not realistically achievable.
D Glass, Dubai
Focus on the rubbish problem
In reference to the article Abu Dhabi's growing waste problem (November 19), this year I noticed an increase in the incidence of throwing waste in the streets. I am not sure whether this is because the number of people who do this has increased or the number of cleaning staff has come down.
I often see people throwing their waste without thinking. They even throw plastic bags that you can sometimes see flying around in the streets. In some areas, the stench is unbearable.
In my view, tankers should be dispatched at least once a day to wash the streets, as it is done in Milan.
Marinella Fogli, Abu Dhabi
We have two bins given by the waste-management company. One is for general waste and the other for recyclable items. My household was very happy about this and we separated the waste as required only to witness the rubbish truck dumping the content of both bins into one holding area. This is the problem.
Casey N Corley, Abu Dhabi
