Focus on sports, not on clothes

Focus on sports not on what players wear, a reader says. Other topics: animal torture, children's stress, jewellery, IRA, three-day week

We need to focus on sports and not on what players wear, a reader says. Marcio Jose Sanchez / AP Photo

Regarding the article Hijab is a good fit for the Olympic Games (August 12), people need to focus on the fact that they are all wonderful. Their training, skills and are what win them a medal. What they wear is immaterial.

They both face a type of scrutiny that should not be part of the sport.

Name withheld by request

Those torturing animals can harm humans

I’m lost for words after reading the article, Torture and killing of kitten in Abu Dhabi fuels safety call (Agugust 11).

It’s simply disturbing that the perpetrator potentially removed the kitten to torture it and then return it.

Tillie Mortier-Young, Abu Dhabi

Perhaps some parents need to keep a closer watch on their children as they get bored in these summer months.

Chris Gregory, Dubai

A person who can do something like this to a kitten or any animal is also capable to harming a human. God help us. What’s wrong with the world?

Maryam Zandi, Dubai

Pay attention to children’s stress

You have rightly pointed out in your editorial (How to manage exam stress, August 12) that schools must make dealing with the inevitable stress an essential part of a teenager's education. Stress and anxiety among children are overlooked by most schools and parents. And no matter how many articles and videos you show them, their views will stay the same.

Fawaz Siddiqi, Abu Dhabi

Why do we need jewellery?

From the business angle, it's true that high prices of gold has resulted in a decline in demand (UAE gold jewellery demand falls 26% due to high prices and oil rout, August 12). But I know many people who are paying more attention to the suffering in this world and realising that wearing flashy, expensive and unnecessary bling is tacky.

Wearing gold jewellery gives an impression that you care more for material things and less for mankind.

My father told me to always remember that you don’t need a lot of things in life, because they can be stolen, lost or broken. Such things can be replaced, he said, but if you miss the opportunity to help the needy once, it can be lost forever.

He told me you would only need four pieces of jewellery in your lifetime: sweet 16 earrings from your parents, a wedding ring when you marry, a mother’s ring when you have children and a necklace with a locket from your children.

Annie O'Farrell, US

IRA is in no way better than ISIL

I am from Northern Ireland and I am disappointed that you claim that the majority of people support a united Ireland (Unlike the IRA, the ISIL project will outlive ISIL itself, August 11). That is a false claim.

According to a recent survey, the vast majority of northern Irish said they’d prefer to remain part of the UK.

Also, please don’t suggest that the IRA is a “decent” terrorist group. A terrorist is a terrorist. Their aim is to enforce their own brand of law and order and justice that’s the same as ISIL.

Robert Bradley, Abu Dhabi

Three-day week sounds great

There is, of course, merit to Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim’s theory that we should work three days a week and not retire until we are 75 (Pie in the sky? August 8).

However, I don’t think he got to be a billionaire by staffing his businesses on this proposal.

John Francis, US

With our lifespan and age of retirement increasing, it’s silly to work the same hours.

Linda Lo, Dubai