In the ancient city of Petra, Jordan's best-known tourist destination, shadows fall against golden rocks and the towering Treasury stands isolated without its usual throng of tour groups and souvenir-sellers.
The coronavirus pandemic has brought tourism in Jordan to a dramatic halt but, in the latest video from the Jordanian tourism board, the message is not to rush back (which is impossible for most due to a ban on commercial passenger flights).
The ad campaign, in an unusual move, urges travellers to take their time.
"Majestic Petra has been standing still in the face of time for over 2,000 years," begins the video as it opens with a shot of the Nabataean Treasury. "And now, it's waiting," says the voice over on the hauntingly beautiful video.
The Visit Jordan movie then takes viewers on a visual journey across the country, showcasing some of its highlights, including the shorelines of Aqaba in the south, the never-ending Wadi Rum desert and the green forests of Ajloun.
It pans across Amman, reminding travellers that "the beating heart" of the capital is waiting for their return.
"Take your time," ends the video, "we will be waiting for you."
Jordan implemented some of the world's strictest measures against the coronavirus as it worked to halt the spread of Covid-19. Lockdowns and night-time curfews were implemented across the country and travellers arriving into Jordan were placed in mandatory quarantine.
The country later suspended all air travel for passengers and the suspension is still in place today.
These extreme measures have proven successful in controlling the virus. Jordan has a population of more than 10 million people but has only 540 confirmed cases of Covid-19 to date.
Conversely, the measures have devastated tourism, which typically accounts for around 10 per cent of the country's gross domestic product.
The Tourism Ministry in Jordan recently announced measures to help those working in the industry. These included waiving fees for licenses and exempting some tourism facilities from rent.
For Engaging Cultures Travel, a tour company that runs trips across Jordan, Tunisia, Egypt and Palestine, it has been a rough few months.
"March was spent issuing refunds for cancelled tours and the number of online tour inquiries we receive has dropped precipitously," explains Jon Killpack, co-owner of the company.
"The uncertainty of when travel will begin again is a challenge for many in the tourism industry," said the Jordan-based operator.
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
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How does ToTok work?
The calling app is available to download on Google Play and Apple App Store
To successfully install ToTok, users are asked to enter their phone number and then create a nickname.
The app then gives users the option add their existing phone contacts, allowing them to immediately contact people also using the application by video or voice call or via message.
Users can also invite other contacts to download ToTok to allow them to make contact through the app.
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Constant Variable (CVT)
Power: 141bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: Dh64,500
On sale: Now
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Qosty Byogaani
Starring: Hani Razmzi, Maya Nasir and Hassan Hosny
Four stars
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War 2
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana
Rating: 2/5
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
How to invest in gold
Investors can tap into the gold price by purchasing physical jewellery, coins and even gold bars, but these need to be stored safely and possibly insured.
A cheaper and more straightforward way to benefit from gold price growth is to buy an exchange-traded fund (ETF).
Most advisers suggest sticking to “physical” ETFs. These hold actual gold bullion, bars and coins in a vault on investors’ behalf. Others do not hold gold but use derivatives to track the price instead, adding an extra layer of risk. The two biggest physical gold ETFs are SPDR Gold Trust and iShares Gold Trust.
Another way to invest in gold’s success is to buy gold mining stocks, but Mr Gravier says this brings added risks and can be more volatile. “They have a serious downside potential should the price consolidate.”
Mr Kyprianou says gold and gold miners are two different asset classes. “One is a commodity and the other is a company stock, which means they behave differently.”
Mining companies are a business, susceptible to other market forces, such as worker availability, health and safety, strikes, debt levels, and so on. “These have nothing to do with gold at all. It means that some companies will survive, others won’t.”
By contrast, when gold is mined, it just sits in a vault. “It doesn’t even rust, which means it retains its value,” Mr Kyprianou says.
You may already have exposure to gold miners in your portfolio, say, through an international ETF or actively managed mutual fund.
You could spread this risk with an actively managed fund that invests in a spread of gold miners, with the best known being BlackRock Gold & General. It is up an incredible 55 per cent over the past year, and 240 per cent over five years. As always, past performance is no guide to the future.
UAE squad
Humaira Tasneem (c), Chamani Senevirathne (vc), Subha Srinivasan, NIsha Ali, Udeni Kuruppuarachchi, Chaya Mughal, Roopa Nagraj, Esha Oza, Ishani Senevirathne, Heena Hotchandani, Keveesha Kumari, Judith Cleetus, Chavi Bhatt, Namita D’Souza.
Zakat definitions
Zakat: an Arabic word meaning ‘to cleanse’ or ‘purification’.
Nisab: the minimum amount that a Muslim must have before being obliged to pay zakat. Traditionally, the nisab threshold was 87.48 grams of gold, or 612.36 grams of silver. The monetary value of the nisab therefore varies by current prices and currencies.
Zakat Al Mal: the ‘cleansing’ of wealth, as one of the five pillars of Islam; a spiritual duty for all Muslims meeting the ‘nisab’ wealth criteria in a lunar year, to pay 2.5 per cent of their wealth in alms to the deserving and needy.
Zakat Al Fitr: a donation to charity given during Ramadan, before Eid Al Fitr, in the form of food. Every adult Muslim who possesses food in excess of the needs of themselves and their family must pay two qadahs (an old measure just over 2 kilograms) of flour, wheat, barley or rice from each person in a household, as a minimum.
