In its recent annual survey of violations of trade union rights, the International Trade Union Confederation reported that 90 people were "killed in 2010 due to their involvement in legitimate trade union activities, and a further 75 were subjected to death threats". Forty-nine killings were recorded in Colombia and 10 in Guatemala, the report also highlights murders in Bangladesh, Brazil, El Salvador, Honduras, Pakistan, Philippines, Swaziland and Uganda. It is not known how many of these victims had been "taken out and executed in front of their families" (Letters, 3 December).
Professor KD Ewing
Cambridge
• I was interested to read of Mr Saatchi's revelation regarding the buying and selling of contemporary art (Saatchi's Robert Hughes moment, 3 December). He now realises what many people have known for years: much of contemporary art is crap. Saatchi hasn't had a Robert Hughes moment, he's had a Gerald Ratner moment.
Peter Betts
Liverpool
• Venture capitalist Jon Moulton (Interview, 2 December) says: "People imagine that we are sitting there picking out the assets, throwing the staff on to the streets and selling the factories - we don't." In 2000, his company, Alchemy Partners, closed the Ushers brewery in the Wiltshire town of Trowbridge with the loss of hundreds of jobs and sold off the site. At the time, the company was brewing at near full capacity.
Roger Smokcum
Stowmarket, Suffolk
• Roses in bloom and dwarf rhododendrons flowering in West Cumbria on 3 December. Berried holly in short supply (Letters, 1 December). What's going on?
Roger Putnam
Eskdale, Cumbria
• Thanks to Mr Gilmour for pointing out Kintyre is a peninsula, not an island (Letters, 30 November). Can I be the first to wish him a Merry Isthmus.
Michael Cunningham
Wolverhampton
• Have they checked that new pandas are happy to eat deep-fried bamboo (Report, 2 December)?
Anthony Tasgal
London