What went wrong with sub?

Tower projects boost economy

I am writing about High priority (August 17), Mitya Underwood's report on the future of megatowers such as the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.

While they may not make much money, they are good for the economy by generating jobs.

Lawrence Mendoza, Abu Dhabi

Starvation diet is not for everybody

The treatment referred to in How to starve yourself thin (August 18) is not new; a lot of celebrities have used it.

However, it is for people who need to lose a few extra kilograms.

Diets like this are not useful for morbidly obese people in the long run, because studies have shown that these people have issues with their body chemistry, genetics, eating habits and lifestyle.

S Sara, US

Questions about submarine deaths

I am writing in response to Unidentified bodies retrieved from stricken Indian submarine (August 16).

Questions that must be asked about this incident include:

What kind of batteries were installed during modernisation? Where were they made? Could there have been a human error during the maintenance process?

Name withheld by request

US money props up the status quo

I am writing in reference to the violence and instability in Egypt (Brotherhood faces new ban, August 18)

Central to the situation is Israel, which is lobbying hard for the United States to continue to pay the Egyptian military the huge sums of money it previously gave the deposed leader, Hosni Mubarak.

The US needs to suspend the $1.3 billion (Dh4.8 billion) it gives Egypt in military aid in the wake of the recent killings in Cairo - not least because this fund is now contrary to America's own legislation.

The US has effectively bribed the Egyptian government for many years to allow the continuation of the siege of Gaza by preventing the movement of essential supplies. This ensures that 1.6 million civilians in Gaza live on the edge of poverty and that Israel can expand its illegal settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

America's contributions to the Egyptian and Israeli governments through aid, gifts, grants and loan guarantees maintain this awful status quo.

A Bellchambers, UK

On July 24, Egypt's General Abdel Fattah El Sisi called for nationwide protests, urging Egyptians to take to the streets.

But now he is targeting protesters. How does he decide who should protest, how long they should protest and against whom?

U Ubaid, Dubai

The US and Europe have no business involving themselves in the Egyptian crisis.

J Hackman, US

Bomb a response to Assad support

The recent deadly attack in Lebanon (Car bomb in Beirut kills at least 14, August 16) is not simply an overflow of violence from Syria.

It is a direct reaction to Lebanese support for a bloody dictator, Bashar Al Assad.

J Adam, South Africa

Returning home is often difficult

Moving to India after living in the US for 20 years is a big event (After a return to India, life has become more interrupted, August 14).

I have been living with my family in the UAE for 20 years, and whenever we go to India for a holiday, two weeks is the maximum that we can enjoy. After that it just becomes irritating.

Moiz SA, Sharjah

Gym should have better marketing

I refer to Gym apologises for 'offensive' advert (August 16).

Surely, there are better ways of creating publicity for what is, after all, just a fitness centre.

The owner needs to acquire better taste for the sake of his business and future ad campaigns.

Name withheld by request

Camera decision no big revelation

The story No plans for taxi video cameras (August 15) effectively says that technology that isn't legal in the UAE won't be used by taxis in the UAE.

This is hardly surprising.

R Whitehead, Dubai