Paid to part
Sir — Dating.com, a US-based dating platform, has advertised an unusual role — Chief Break-up Officer — offering about $3,000 a month to end relationships on behalf of clients who want to avoid messy separations but are too afraid to have the conversation themselves. Applicants must have survived at least three break-ups. The company says the role offers a more compassionate alternative to ghosting, now a common way of ending relationships. Whether it will actually reduce ghosting remains uncertain. After all, those unwilling to send a break-up message may simply disappear without hiring anyone at all.
Diksha Jha,
Calcutta
Irish lesson
Sir — Ireland's historic 2-0 series victory over the reigning Twenty20 world champions, India, is arguably one of the greatest achievements in the country's cricketing history ("Batters struggle again as India concede series", Jun 29). Defeating a side that had not lost a T20 series in three years despite being without key players underlines Ireland's resilience. The triumph must serve as a reminder that hitting sixes is not as easy as it often appears in the Indian Premier League. Ireland prevailed by grafting with the bat and executing disciplined bowling plans.
Himangka Kaushik,
Delhi
Sir — Ireland scripted history in Belfast by defeating India for the first time in international cricket, sweeping a two-match bilateral T20 series. The shock result left the reigning T20 World Cup winners scrambling to avoid a rare series defeat. Reduced to 30 for 3, Ireland staged a remarkable comeback.
While India's batters struggled on the sluggish pitch, Ireland's bowlers executed disciplined lengths and backed them up with flawless fielding. India's casual approach led to their defeat. The Men in Blue treated the fixture more like an outing than a serious international contest.
C.K. Ramanathan,
Ghaziabad
Sir — Not even India's harshest critics would have imagined that the reigning T20 World Cup champions would lose a T20 series 0-2 to the 11th-ranked Ireland. Complacency against a lower-ranked side, an overreliance on all-rounders at the expense of middle-order batters, dropped catches and the inability of India's batters to adapt to bowler-friendly conditions — all contributed to the debacle.
With a five-match T20 series against England next, the English bowlers will surely draw lessons from Ireland's success and test India's batting even further. One hopes the Indian team learns from its mistakes, improves its consistency, discipline and match awareness, and lives up to its true potential.
Bal Govind,
Noida
Sir — The decision of the India captain, Shreyas Iyer, to leave out the in-form Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has come under scrutiny after the defeat to Ireland. While the team management opted for experienced openers, their repeated failures exposed the batting line-up's fragility. This has reignited the debate over whether form should be given more weight than experience in team selection.
A.P. Thiruvadi,
Chennai
Sir — India's defeat in both matches against Ireland should serve as a reality check. Whether the series was lost due to poor selection, uninspired captaincy or Ireland's outstanding cricket deserves introspection.
Atul Krishna Srivastava,
Navi Mumbai
Europe burns
Sir — Europe is facing an unprecedented heat crisis as a persistent Omega heat dome continues to trap hot air and humidity over the continent. Temperatures exceeding 40° Celsius have damaged infrastructure and claimed more than 1,300 lives. Climate change and urbanisation have compounded the crisis, underscoring the need for stronger heat-action plans and long-term climate adaptation. India, too, could face similarly prolonged and intense heatwaves, making resilient infrastructure and mitigation measures an urgent priority.
R.S. Narula,
Patiala
Sir — The unprecedented hot weather in Europe has left thousands vulnerable, with France alone reporting around 1,000 heat-related deaths. Temperatures have soared to 45°C in Spain and 41.5°C in Germany, placing immense strain on infrastructure. Roads are buckling, train speeds have been reduced because of expanding tracks, and major outdoor events have been cancelled. Emergency services are working around the clock. The world can no longer afford to ignore global warming.
Yashaswi Bairagi,
Ujjain
Bus crisis
Sir — Inadequate public transport services on B.L. Saha Road, the stretch connecting Mahabirtala and Siriti in the Behala East constituency, deserve attention. Once a thriving industrial hub, the area has undergone rapid urbanisation. The population has consequently grown, but public transport has failed to keep pace. Only a handful of buses ply on this route, causing inconvenience to thousands of residents.
Satyam Dasgupta,
Calcutta