Countries should join forces to find a cure for coronavirus

Our readers have their say on finding a cure for coronavirus, the prospect of peace in Afghanistan and reclining airplane seats

A medical worker writes down a patient's dietary information on a colleague's protective suit inside Leishenshan hospital, a makeshift hospital to treat patients with the novel coronavirus, in Wuhan, Show more

Regarding Gillian Duncan's report Two new cases of coronavirus confirmed in UAE (February 21): compliments on your daily coverage of the menace, which is keeping us abreast of developments across the world. The virus has taken many lives and disrupted the economy of many countries, even dampening global economic prospects. All countries should sink their political, religious and ideological differences to merge their medical forces and research capabilities to fight it. Leaders like Donald Trump, Boris Johnson, Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, Narendra Modi etc, should pool their national medical research teams to find a cure. Mankind has evolved weapons like the atom bomb and nuclear missiles to kill in a war. Surely, mankind can also discover an antidote to save human lives. Finding an antidote to coronavirus should be the top priority for world leaders. Everything else can wait.

Rajendra Aneja, Dubai 

May peace finally prevail in Afghanistan

With reference to Stefanie Glinski's report US-Taliban truce begins, paving the way for peace in Afghanistan: this was a good read. America's longest war in history could finally be coming to a close and the presence of US forces after almost two decades in Afghanistan might finally end. The Taliban caused terror across the country for too long. Let's hope now that the Afghan people now have a real shot at peace.

K Ragavan, Bengaluru

The debate over reclining airplane seats

With reference to Katy Gillett and Sophie Prideaux's The great debate: Should you recline your seat while on a plane? (February 22): there's nothing like talking to the person behind you politely and asking if they mind or explaining that you are tall so it makes a difference to you and telling them if they need it upright while they eat, etc to just ask – some human kindness and connection is all that's needed.

Sue Wild, Abu Dhabi

Most travellers care only about themselves. What about people who take up all the overhead compartment with too many bags or recline their seat before take off or thump the screen behind your seat or spend 10 minutes in the bathroom or get up out of their seat before the plane has stopped moving or don’t have the decency to let you out of your row because they’re in such a hurry to get off the plane. People are at their worst when travelling so reclining a seat that is meant to be reclined (except when meals are served) shouldn’t even be a discussion.

Karl Jeffs, Dubai

Reclining seats or not, airlines should create more leg space for the comfort of passengers. But they stuff people like sheep. If they removed two rows of seats from the back of the plane and adjust all other seats to get a little more space, we would see a huge difference.

Mehmood Sarwar, Oldham