The Diwali Unesco listing is beyond words
I write in reference to David Tusing’s article Modi hails Unesco listing of Diwali: ‘People in India are thrilled’ (December 10): the inclusion of Diwali is not only a great honour for India and Indians, but also a marker of how the festival has inspired millions of people around the world. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed happiness over this achievement in a nicely worded statement, but my own personal joy after reading the news is beyond words.
K Ragavan, Bengaluru, India
May Syria prevail
I write in reference to Mohamad Ali Harisi and Vanessa Ghanem’s article Al Shara confronts rebel history after being called ‘former terrorist’ on stage (December 6): Ahmad Al Shara is doing wonderful things, so there will be those who will try to tarnish his name. May God be with him and may Syria prevail.
Name withheld upon request
The world stands with Palestine
I write in reference to the video captioned A Palestinian woman in the occupied West Bank wept as Israeli diggers uprooted her olive trees under military protection (December 10): they want to erase every trace of the indigenous people of Palestine, but it will never happen because the people of the world stand with Palestine.
Patricia Steele, Scotland
Taxing Britons
I write in reference to Hadley Gamble’s article Former UK PM Cameron ‘worried’ about Britons leaving for the UAE (December 10): Brexit has been the major issue for tax revenues, not the flight of high-net-worth individuals. Taxing excessive wealth is a moral and economic obligation for any nation state. Some will stay as they value the nation that made them wealthy, others will leave. Perhaps a global tax on high wealth, or a corporation tax on business wealth could help level things up for people?
Name withheld upon request
Trump’s verbal assault on migrants
I write in reference to the video captioned US President Donald Trump issued a new verbal assault on migrants from countries he described as ‘Third World’ (December 11): is that AI? Can a president from anywhere refer to another country like that? What kind of language is that? By the way, Scandinavian leaders would never use that kind of language when referring to those countries.
Daniel De Giovani, Brazil
Is this real? Why are these people clapping? Are they hypnotised? What’s going on?
Marcela Danielova, Dubai
