Khalifa City needs better infrastructure

A reader calls for better roads and pavements in Khalifa City. Other topics: Syria, Eid holiday, diamonds, Haj, movies

A reader calls for better roads and pavements in Khalifa City. Satish Kumar / The National

As a resident of Khalifa City, I second the motion on a better road network and more after-school activities for children of residents (Emiratis in Khalifa City A want more roads and footpaths, September 17).

The paths that Shamma Al Hameli, a candidate for the Federal National Council, mentions are largely unused because there is no safe access for most residents. Residents of Al Raha Gardens have great access but the rest of Khalifa City A is just plain dangerous for pedestrians and bicycle traffic.

D Glass, Abu Dhabi

Russia may do what US couldn’t

Stephen Blackwell's opinion article Putin maximises his options in the Middle East (September 14), which says that Russia's increased military role in Syria is designed to boost its options for the end of the conflict, is one way of looking at it.

The US and its various coalition partners have had plenty of time to annihilate ISIL and its proxies. And the more than precise drone killings in Yemen show that they have the means to do so if they want to. Why is it then that ISIL men can drive around the country in state-of-the art military convoys and can overrun large parts of the country without meeting much resistance?

Where there is a will there is a way. I see no willingness on America’s part to stop the bloodshed. Maybe Russia will do.

Rita Amer, Dubai

Questions over Eid holiday

It's difficult to think of celebration at a time when the nation still mourns so many fallen sons (Eid Al Adha public holidays announced, September 17). Nonetheless, there is confusion: in years past, Arafat Day has been a holiday, too. Because it has not been mentioned in any official publication, there is a lot of speculation and confusion as to whether it will be a holiday or not. It would be extremely helpful if the Government would clarify this.

Elan Faabri, Dubai

The difference in diamonds

It's not true to state the Kimberley Process (KP) has reduced the trade in blood diamonds to less than 1 per cent (Dubai to head up fight against trade in blood diamonds, September 16). The KP doesn't ban blood diamonds, it bans "conflict diamonds" that are narrowly defined as "rough diamonds used by rebel movements or their allies to fund violence aimed at undermining legitimate governments".

Diamonds that fund gross human-rights violations by rogue regimes continue to flood the market – all fully legal. The failure of the KP to broaden the definition of a “conflict diamond” to include diamonds that fund human-rights violations by government forces means these blood diamonds get a free pass.

Name withheld by request

Bring some good movies

I check the cinema listings for all the cinemas in the city, all the screenings and can hardly find any decent film. What happened to A Walk in the Woods?

It’s a superb and gentle film. It came and went in one week and the ticket was priced at Dh75 at one VIP cinema. That is a lot of money even for those who are on a decent salary. However, these cinemas should show such classy films more often.

Carole Miller, Abu Dhabi

Halt construction work during Haj

Every year, the Saudi authorities conduct construction work at Mecca and Medina during the time of Haj (Saudi king sanctions Binladin firm over crane tragedy that killed 107, September 16). Isn't it possible to halt the construction work just for 20 days?

Abu Zahra Muhammad, Bangladesh

Isn’t it time that we stopped mentioning Osama whenever anything to do with his family is in the news? It’s completely irrelevant.

Name withheld by request