Latest news with #RajendraAneja
The National
2 days ago
- Business
- The National
The world shouldn't spiral into an era of conflicts
The UN must act more decisively to end wars I write in reference to Jihan Abdalla's article US envoy optimistic latest Gaza ceasefire deal will be agreed (May 28): with military conflicts raging in Ukraine, Gaza and Sudan, the future is frightening. The world had pinned its hopes on US President Donald Trump to end these wars. However, neither America nor an international body like the UN has been able to restore peace. I sometimes fear that another world war could begin, perhaps even by sheer accident. The problem is that, even though people and leaders of various nations are weary of these protracted wars, none of their efforts are restoring peace in any of the theatres. Nonetheless, the international community needs to keep trying. The UN was formed in part to prevent another world war. It must seize the initiative and show leadership. It should act. Now. Rajendra Aneja, Dubai Good call from Turkey I write in reference to Sarah Maisey's article Turkey plans to fine impatient plane passengers who stand up too early or block aisles (May 29): this is a very good decision. I have often seen passengers opening overhead cabins to get their bags out even before the plane has landed, with bags falling on top of the poor passengers who are seated in some unfortunate cases. Manori Rimona, Emerald, Canada I don't understand where passengers who stand up early want to go. We all have to get on the same bus to get to the terminal, to wait for our suitcases, to maybe get checked by customs officers. Victor Raphael, Kielce, Poland The solution is to organise disembarking in the same way as boarding, section by section. Duncan Lamont, Langbank, Scotland Taqa is well positioned I write in reference to Alvin R Cabral's article Abu Dhabi's Taqa keeping tabs on tariffs as it considers international expansion (May 29): Taqa's strategic positioning in Abu Dhabi is key to its resilience. With nearly half of its power generation capacity unaffected by tariffs, the company continues to drive energy innovation and stability. Jeff Excell, Sandhurst, South Africa Trump's university move will damage America's brand I write in reference to Ahmed S Almansoori and Shireena Al Nowais's article Emirati Harvard alumni criticise Trump plan to block overseas students (May 28): the Trump administration's recent plan to bar foreign students from attending Ivy League universities was unexpected and may have significant negative consequences. Experts suggest that it could adversely affect the US economy, particularly in sectors that benefit from international talent, such as technology, research and academia. Moreover, critics argue that the policy sends a discouraging message to global students, undermines the US's long-standing reputation for educational excellence, and potentially drives international talent to other countries like Canada, the UK and Australia. Emirati Harvard alumni, among others, voiced concern over the decision, stressing that such measures could harm not only international relations but also the academic and cultural diversity that fuels innovation in US institutions.
Gulf Today
6 days ago
- Politics
- Gulf Today
Deadly wars
With major conflicts raging in Ukraine, Gaza and Sudan, the world is becoming frightening. The world had pinned its hopes on President Trump, that he would stop these battles. However, even the United Nations has not been able to restore peace. My fear is that another World War may commence by sheer accident. Some enraged nation may drop a nuclear weapon, to resolve some intractable issues. Then, other nations and allies may be compelled to join battle. Very soon, the situation will be uncontrollable. The third World War will not follow the pattern of the previous wars. As it is, the people and leaders of various nations are weary of the protracted battles in Ukraine and Gaza. All the efforts to restore peace are flopping. The United Nations was formed to prevent another World War. It must seize the initiative and leadership. It should act. Now. Rajendra Aneja, Mumbai, India
Gulf Today
09-05-2025
- Business
- Gulf Today
Topsy-turvy world
The world is becoming a very topsy-turvy place. For the last few decades, countries have been collaborating on technology and medical research. The Covid-19 vaccines were discovered in America. Then, they were produced in factories across the world, including in India. Those vaccines rescued mankind. People and goods moved effortlessly between nations. Free thought, research and scholarship, broke the frontiers of knowledge and wisdom. Thus, we were reaping the benefits of globalisation... Now, every country is safeguarding its boundaries. People do not trust each other. We are becoming insulated nations. We could lose the fruits of globalisation and shared progress. Various nations are negotiating tariff rates. Everyone knows, that higher tariffs will get passed to consumers. People across the world have been suffering from high inflation, after Covid-19 and the Ukraine war. Yet, it appears that tariffs will rise between countries. Prices will increase further. Common citizens, especially the salaried classes and the poor, will suffer. The sales of many products have already declined in many Western countries, for fear of a recession. There is also panic-buying of everyday products like toilet paper and mineral water in some supermarkets. We need to think, what type of a world we are creating for future generations. Rajendra Aneja, By email
Gulf Today
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Gulf Today
Hearty tribute
Thanks for your beautiful editorial 'Pope Francis, voice of sanity and humility,' April 21, Gulf Today website). The Pope's voice was of humaneness, in an increasingly self-obsessed world. You have rightly extolled his quality of being able to apologise gracefully. Apologising to someone does not make a person small or inferior. The Pope believed in a world of peace. A world, in which the weapons of mass-destruction are not deployed against our fellow-men, but are gradually deactivated and dismantled. We should aim for a world, where we take pride in building, not in destroying. People flock to see the Empire State Building in New York, the Statue of Christ in Rio de Janeiro, the Taj Mahal in Agra, India, etc. These gorgeous monuments are a tribute to man's ingenuity and creativity. We need more such works of art and less drone-killings. The Pope travelled to various countries, including the Middle East, to build bridges between people and cultures. He believed in a borderless world, where people respect each other, irrespective of whether they are Moslems, Christians, Hindus or Buddhists. We should strive towards this goal, however utopian it seems. A truly borderless world may be possible if the disparities in the world are reduced and every man had a home and a job, especially in Africa and South Asia. If the fruits of technology are widely shared, we could have a more equal world. Rajendra Aneja, Mumbai, India
Gulf Today
28-04-2025
- Business
- Gulf Today
True globalisation
The Middle East is a shining example of brilliant progress through immigration management. The UAE has many expatriates. Dubai's scintillating Sheikh Zayed Road, with its tall towers, is the creation of local imagination and immigrant endeavour. That is, global professionals and workers from Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, the Philippines and Indonesia. Fly any Middle Eastern airline, and from the pilots to loaders, the entire staff hails from countries spanning Europe to the Far East. This is globalisation. It is also the future. Any country that fights the knowledge trend may get isolated from the world economy. Sure, countries need to regulate immigration to take care of their own labour forces. Yet, the fact remains that countries are known for skill specialisation, whether by historical accident or by design. Think of Germany for engineering, the US for technology, Britain for administration, France for fashion, India for IT services, the Middle East for financial services and China for manufacturing. These are the broad competitive advantages of these countries/regions. By the theory of comparative advantage, cross-border trade benefits all. But equally, the exchange of skills brought about by the free movement of workers across borders can work to everyone's advantage. Of course, equity and fairness in remuneration should be the guiding principles of any market that hopes to gain from the phenomenon. If the global vision of a borderless planet must be realised, then the curbs on immigration should be rationalised. Rajendra Aneja, Mumbai, India
