Large repercussions for nuclear tests
I s it an uncanny coincidence that during February 2013, North Korea detonated its third nuclear device, causing an earthquake in the north east of the country (‘A sharper focus on North Korea’, Gulf News, September 19)? Its latest fifth underground test caused a 5.2-magnitude earthquake in nearby South Korea, just days later.
Earthquakes and fluctuations of the Earth’s axis have a direct cause and effect relationship with the testing of nuclear devices. Underground nuclear tests are the probable cause of abnormal polar motions of the Earth. In a 150-kiloton explosion, the position of the pole could radically slide. During 1978, the former Soviet Union conducted 10-megaton nuclear tests at Semipaltinsk, a seismic laboratory in Upsala, Sweden, and recorded the underground test. After 36 hours, an earthquake in Tabas, Iran, occurred, killing 25,000 people.
A catastrophic 8.2 earthquake struck Tangshan, China in July, 1976, killing 800,000 people. Five days earlier, the French tested a bomb at their Murotoa Atoll in the Pacific Ocean. Four days earlier, the US tested a nuclear device in Nevada, 24 hours before the earthquake in China. Nuclear testing has the potential to trigger the adverse movements of tectonic plates, whilst nuclear weapons have the capacity to obliterate all life on Earth. From Mr Farouk Araie Johannesburg, South Africa
Clean the Philippines!
E ven if the Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte asks for a year and kills 10,000 more, I still believe that he is doing the right thing (‘Duterte to extend drug war, says ‘cannot kill them all’, Gulf News, September 20). This is the only way to deal with these criminals. Please understand he is not killing saints or Nobel Prize winners. I think the Filipino people should support him to clean the country. From Mr Ali Asgar Ladhani Dubai Facebook comment
Criminals protected
Y es, our enforcer in the Philippines cannot shoot all of the criminals down because they were protected by our other corrupt senators. From Mr Arnulfo Cuizon UAE Facebook comment
Not logical
B ut, do you actually believe that killing is the only solution? Most importantly, do you really believe you can kill
Other methods, too
T he government offered help to drug addicts with rehabilitation centres and such, and they have other strategies to win the fight against drugs. Unfortunately, this does not make international news. From Ms Kristinne Jade Maglantay UAE Facebook comment
Doesn’t work!
T hose other methods for coping with drugs issues is something that most countries in the world use. It’s not news, so it’s not publicised. That’s the difference. Rehabilitation centres work, what’s not proven is whether a violent war on drugs works. Actually, by the US’s history, a war on drugs has been proven not to work. From Mr Joseph Cline UAE Facebook comment
Don’t need to kill people
H ow can you kill people without a court, a judge and evidence? Maybe treatment is a better option. There are countries who manage without running around killing people. From Ms Kiru Koha UAE Facebook comment
Bandage on a severed artery
S ome of you want him to continue the killings and that is wrong. How can you call yourselves human beings? If a man is addicted to drugs, he deserves help, not death. The war on drugs is clearly failing in the US, so it will inevitably fail in the Philippines.
When will you succeed and not need to kill drugs users? Never. There will always be drugs and there will always be drug abusers. We need to use a different approach. Instead of the “kill them all” method, try throwing those who need help in hospitals and put people in jail if their crimes deserve it.
People calling for the killings are the reason why this world will never see peace. Would you put a bandage on a severed artery? Stop blaming the drugs and start blaming the people. At least in the US, most drug offenders are in jail because of non-violent crimes. People will commit atrocities no matter what stimulated them. A “drug war” is only initiated by incompetent leaders that don’t deserve leadership titles. From Mr Mike Schmidt UAE Facebook comment
Can’t let them go
Y ou might be right at some point, Mr Mike Schmidt. But how can you explain a child who was killed and raped by her own father who happened to be a drug addict? Innocent people who were robbed and killed by drug addicts? From Ms Janice Castro Kingrey UAE Facebook comment
Fighting back
M ost of the killings related to drugs were by bust operations and they fight back. Police are also dying. So tell us, if the people involved pointed a gun at the police, what should they do? From Mr Ray Manansala
Not the only stress
I t’s not just low salaries causing stress, but also the delay in receiving that low salary, working extra hours for free, no recognition for low profile jobs, unprofessional behaviour of superiors, abusive words due to work pressure (‘Low salary: Top cause of stress for workers in UAE, other Mena countries’, Gulf News, September 20). Low salary is not the only reason for stress, but a key component of stress. From Mr Shaikh Rizwan Ahmad UAE Facebook comment
Compensate employees
L ow salary is the key factor for our stresses, but the important part is that companies ignore loyal employees and employees slowly become disinterested. Employees are not interested in the company’s goals and objectives. Many surveys show that good compensation systems are key motivators that help companies achieve their goals and objectives. From Mr Suhail Abdul Wadood Dubai Facebook comment
Working all the time
T his is absolutely right. Especially to those who are really working hard. Some people are working 12 to 15 hours a day with one day off. One more stress is when your salary is delayed. From Mr Raymond Ronquillo Dubai Facebook comment
Editor’s note: Is there a news report that you feel strongly about? Something that has to be addressed in the community and requires resolution? Email us on readers@ gulfnews.com. You can also post a comment on our Facebook page or tweet to us @GNReaders.