Eggy delight
Sir — You either love it or you hate — mayonnaise, a creamy sauce made out of an emulsion of oil, egg yolk and vinegar or lemon juice, has long divided the world of food lovers. While some people swear by mayonnaise and add it to everything from burgers to momos, others absolutely cannot stand the taste of it. But surely even fans of mayonnaise would draw the line at drinking it. Japan has taken its love for mayonnaise to the next level by inventing a drinkable version of this creamy concoction. This might seem revolting at first but eggs and dairy based drinks are hardly new — come Christmas, copious amounts of eggnog will be consumed in the Western world and the Vietnamese think noting of adding eggs to their milky coffee.
Rushati Palit, Calcutta
Full of bluster
Sir — The president-elect of the United States of America, Donald Trump, has threatened BRICS nations with “100 per cent tariffs” if they moved to create a new currency or back any other option as the world’s reserve (“Dollar dare: Trump 100% tariff threat to Brics”, Dec 2). Trump must understand that such impositions could actually disrupt the US economy. Higher tariffs levied on goods imported from countries like India and China would have to be borne by common citizens. Many companies would, in turn, leave America and this would pave the way for international trade disruptions. In trying to defend its hegemony in the world, the US might actually end up isolating itself.
Vijay Singh Adhikari, Nainital
Sir — Donald Trump’s threat of imposing 100% tariffs on nations adopting alternatives to the US dollar is a challenge for global trade and diplomacy (“Dull shine”, Dec 4). Such a move would risk market stability. As a key BRICS member and significant trade partner for the US, India must find a way to strike a balance. Reducing its reliance on the dollar is significant but maintaining harmonious ties with America is equally critical. The challenge demands vigilance and diplomatic tact from India.
R.K. Jain, Barwani, Madhya Pradesh
Sir — Even before Donald Trump has returned to the White House officially, he has already started making controversial decisions. Besides threatening to levy 100% tariffs on goods from BRICS nations, he has also announced that he will impose an additional 10% import duty on Chinese products and 25% on things from Canada and Mexico. His indifference towards NATO has also put European nations on edge. BRICS nations — 45% of the world’s population comes under this group — should join hands with disillusioned European countries and put Trump in his place.
Jang Bahadur Singh, Jamshedpur
Sir — The US president-elect is right to be wary about the prospective de-dollarisation of the world economy. For decades, the dollar has served as the world’s reserve currency, granting the US unparalleled economic influence. However, over-reliance on it makes other nations vulnerable to the whims of US policies and sanctions. Donald Trump’s bluster and coercive tactics could backfire. His threat may embolden nations to accelerate efforts to find alternatives to the dollar. The future of the greenback will depend not on coercion but on its ability to adapt to a world seeking a more equitable financial order.
S.S. Paul, Nadia
Sir — Donald Trump’s threat to BRICS countries is impractical. America cannot afford to antagonise a bloc that together accounts for 37% of the global gross domestic product. If Trump makes good on his threat of imposing 100% tarrifs on BRICS countries, it will upend the US economy by raising domestic expenditure and causing inflation to shoot up. This, in turn, would affect the value of the dollar, hastening the de-dollarisation of the world.
Khokan Das, Calcutta
Chasm widens
Sir — The prime minister of Nepal, K.P. Sharma Oli, broke away from tradition in his fourth term by making Beijing the destination of his first foreign visit. Traditionally, India is the place of choice for such trips. The Nepal government has also accepted the line of credit to the tune $20 million from China. Although, India and Nepal have shared close strategic ties with each other, Kathmandu has increasingly been moving away from New Delhi. India needs to do some quick thinking and get Nepal back on its side. Otherwise, it will lose a key ally.
Dimple Wadhawan, Kanpur
Trouble brewing
Sir — Pakistan is experiencing a multi-dimensional crisis. Its economy is struggling to recover from the combined fallouts of fiscal deficit, high inflation, unsustainable energy prices and structural reforms enforced by the International Monetary Fund.
Amidst all this, there is heightened tension in Pakistan owing to the subjugation of the former prime minister, Imran Khan, who still enjoys immense popularity in that country. By opting out of political exile — a customary conduit for former political and military leaders in Pakistan — Khan’s appeal has increased manifold. In fact, his support base has expanded from the urban middle class to all levels of society. People see him as a way out of their current troubles.
Shovanlal Chakraborty, Calcutta
Blood on the field
Sir — In a shocking incident, over 56 people died and several were injured in a stampede after a domestic football match in Guinea. All this because of a disputed penalty. It is surprising that the world has not learnt any lessons from the Indonesian football ground stampede in 2022. An independent investigation should be conducted by FIFA. Hooliganism on the football field must be put to an end.
Jayanta Datta, Hooghly
