Second option
Sir — Job requirements are becoming more mystifying by the day. Recently, the Zomato CEO, Deepinder Goyal, posted an unusual job opening for product and business leaders who have a “second brain”. He explained that “second brain” refers to the use of Artificial Intelligence as one’s ‘second brain’, which helps streamline decision-making and enhance creativity and productivity. The encroachment of AI on our daily lives has become undeniable. However, one wonders whether having two brains would suffice for the said post given the erratic work hours and demanding expectations at Zomato.
Dhruv Rastogi, Noida
Expansionist aim
Sir — Days before Donald Trump took charge as the president of the United States of America, Israel and Hamas had reached a ceasefire agreement after months of negotiations. Now, as the first of the three phases of the ceasefire deal unfolds, Trump’s proposal to take over Gaza threatens to derail the peace process (“Trump’s Gaza Grab”, Feb 6). During a press briefing with the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump suggested that the US’s takeover of Gaza would bring stability to the Middle East.
This is a completely hypocritical stance for a president who has consistently criticised the US’s involvement in others’ conflicts. Preserving the ceasefire in Gaza should be of utmost priority.
Khokan Das, Calcutta
Sir — Donald Trump’s proposed plan to take over Gaza and turn it into a Middle Eastern riviera has drawn sharp criticism from leaders across the world. Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention prohibits the forced transfer or deportation of protected people from occupied territories. Some Palestinians calling Trump a “madman” is thus absolutely befitting in this context.
Prasun Kumar Dutta, West Midnapore
Sir — After taking oath as the president of the US, Donald Trump has been delivering several sweeping changes at warp speed (“Prime plot”, Feb 7). The latest is his proposal to take over Gaza. Will the other Middle Eastern countries do nothing about Trump’s controversial plan?
Fakhrul Alam, Calcutta
Sir — The US plans to take control of Gaza and relocate all the Palestinians to Egypt and Jordan without even consulting the two countries about whether they are ready to accept Palestinian refugees. Trump’s plan will not only destabilise the Middle East but also lead to demographic and cultural shifts in the region. Going by the US’s previous expansion designs, there is a high possibility that the Palestinians will never be allowed to return to their territory and Israel and the US will jointly control Gaza and exploit its resources.
Alina Ansari, Ujjain
Sir — ‘Bizarre’ would be the right word to describe Donald Trump’s plan to acquire Gaza. Has the Trump-led administration even considered the feasibility and the global implications of the forced displacement of Palestinians? How can Palestinians be forced out of their homes? Will the US also support Benjamin Netanyahu’s ambition to annex the West Bank? Trump seems to have not thought through the possibility of getting drawn into another forever war despite his own promise to extract the US from such conflicts. Gaza has been reduced to a pure real-estate play for Trump.
Shovanlal Chakraborty, Calcutta
Sir — By proposing a plan to annex the Gaza Strip, Donald Trump seems to have gone back to his roots of being a real estate operator, drooling over prime seaside property. The hopes and aspirations of the Palestinian people that are already in tatters will be further shattered if the bulldozers come marching into Gaza.
S. Kamat, Mysuru
