Iranian leaders should clean their own house first

Readers respond to The National's coverage

The British soul singer Amy Winehouse performs the grand finale to the musical festivities at Gulf Bike Week in Dubai. A reader registers many complaints about her singing. Amy Leang / The National

In reference to the news article Harsh words for US and Israel at Iranian revolution rallies (February 11), the Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmedinejad should know that preaching hatred will do no good. I agree that US is poking it nose into each and every country. But the US has shown maturity in its actions on Egypt.

Mr Ahmedinejad or Ayatollah Khamenei don't have any right to comment or congratulate the people of Egypt since they are doing the same that the former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak had done for 30 years. They have forgotten what they did to the innocent people of Iran two years ago by ruthlessly suppressing them and their fundamental rights.

Instead of giving big lectures, the leaders of Iran must first clean up their government and heed the people's voice.

Karthik Kamath, Dubai

Complaint about floating library

In reference to the news article Charity ship Logos Hope docks in Dubai (February 10) my husband and I went to the Logos Hope ship hoping to find some great bargain books for our children. What we found was something quite different from what we expected. Not only were the books decidedly not bargains, I found more than one whose price was actually marked up from its price in US dollars.

There was also not so thinly veiled proselytisation to Christianity taking place. In addition to the entire section of Bibles and Christian spirituality, the marriage and family sections were dominated by Christian titles and the management section had a book called What if Jesus was Mayor? in addition to other similarly themed titles. There were Christian children's books mixed in with Elmo and Bob the Builder. I was raised Christian. But I have been Muslim for almost 9 years.

Umm Hamza, Dubai

The machinery of final justice

The article The execution of justice (February 11) described the last hours of Rashid Al Rashidi, the murderer of four-year-old Moosa Mukhtiar Ahmed. The execution should serve as a relief to the bereaved parents for the heinous act done to their child.

While no amount of punishment served will undo the ugly turn of events that eventually led to the child being brutally murdered, still we all need to appreciate the government's machinery for upholding capital punishment in this regard.

Yousuf Yaqub, Abu Dhabi

Developers have the upper hand

The news article Pay up before you can vote, developers tell owners associations (February 13) reported that property developers are demanding that homeowners pay outstanding maintenance fees before they are allowed to vote for owners' associations.

Developers only take the part of the law that suits them. The Real Estate Regulatory Authority (Rera) does have reasonable positions but no teeth to implement them. Developers are still in control and that has a negative impact on the market. What is the point to have laws and a regulatory body if developers don't comply?

Salvatore Primo, Dubai

Bad night with Amy Winehouse

In the news article about the recent Amy Winehouse concert, Did Winehouse impress? No, no, no (February 13), Thomas Ovesen, the chief operating officer of the concert organiser Done Event, is quoted as saying: "Fans vote with their feet. Last night 10,000 fans saw her full length show complete with all her hits."

Amy Winehouse was a disgrace. She forgot the words of her second song, stumbled through the rest; she left the stage loads of times (the backing singers were more talented). No way did the crowd stay to watch her.

I left after song eight and the taxi queue was pretty much all the way back to the Dubai Festival City entrance. People were piling out after her third song. We deserve a refund - you couldn't even hear her. She was a mess, playing with her nails, drinking water mid-song, asking the crowd if they wanted to get up there and join the band after she was booed. It's all on YouTube - the camera doesn't lie.

It was pretty much one of the worst nights out I've ever had in this country.

Peter Richards, Dubai

I should have gone to see Clapton.

Adam Garcia, Dubai

Foie gras is a nasty procedure

I refer to Foie Gras master class with Bruno Menard (February 13). I am amazed that a respectable newspaper is promoting such a disgusting practice. We human beings can live without animals being put through this nasty procedure.

Del D, Abu Dhabi