• Horse and donkey rides are popular with tourists to the ancient city of Petra in Jordan. The site reopened in May after closure because of the coronavirus pandemic. AFP
    Horse and donkey rides are popular with tourists to the ancient city of Petra in Jordan. The site reopened in May after closure because of the coronavirus pandemic. AFP
  • Herds of hard-working donkeys once carried hordes of tourists on the rocky paths through Petra, in Jordan, but tourist numbers plummeted because of the coronavirus pandemic and many animals face an uncertain future. AFP
    Herds of hard-working donkeys once carried hordes of tourists on the rocky paths through Petra, in Jordan, but tourist numbers plummeted because of the coronavirus pandemic and many animals face an uncertain future. AFP
  • Horse and donkey owners in Petra use a clinic run by Peta (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) , to keep their animals fit and healthy to carry tourists through the popular ancient city. AFP
    Horse and donkey owners in Petra use a clinic run by Peta (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) , to keep their animals fit and healthy to carry tourists through the popular ancient city. AFP
  • A donkey owner waits for costumers in Petra, where visitor numbers crashed during the Covid-19 pandemic. AFP
    A donkey owner waits for costumers in Petra, where visitor numbers crashed during the Covid-19 pandemic. AFP
  • The working donkeys of Petra and their owners rely on tourists for their livelihood, which is being greatly affected by pandemic restrictions on travel. AFP
    The working donkeys of Petra and their owners rely on tourists for their livelihood, which is being greatly affected by pandemic restrictions on travel. AFP
  • Jordanians take their animals to the Peta clinic for treatment. AFP
    Jordanians take their animals to the Peta clinic for treatment. AFP
  • Egyptian vet Hassan Shatta, an equine surgery specialist who runs the PETA clinic, treating donkeys and horses used by locals to transport visitors in the Jordanian ancient city of Petra. Herds of hard-working donkeys once carried hordes of tourists on the rocky paths of Jordan's Petra, but visitor numbers crashed amid coronavirus and the loyal animals now face the chop. AFP
    Egyptian vet Hassan Shatta, an equine surgery specialist who runs the PETA clinic, treating donkeys and horses used by locals to transport visitors in the Jordanian ancient city of Petra. Herds of hard-working donkeys once carried hordes of tourists on the rocky paths of Jordan's Petra, but visitor numbers crashed amid coronavirus and the loyal animals now face the chop. AFP
  • Egyptian vet Hassan Shatta, an equine surgery specialist who runs the Peta clinic, treating a donkey used by a local man to carry visitors round the ancient city of Petra. AFP
    Egyptian vet Hassan Shatta, an equine surgery specialist who runs the Peta clinic, treating a donkey used by a local man to carry visitors round the ancient city of Petra. AFP
  • Donkeys at the Peta clinic in the Jordanian city of Petra. AFP
    Donkeys at the Peta clinic in the Jordanian city of Petra. AFP
  • Donkey owner Abdulrahman Ali, 15, feeds his animals at the Peta clinic. AFP
    Donkey owner Abdulrahman Ali, 15, feeds his animals at the Peta clinic. AFP

MENA

Petra's donkeys struggle through the pandemic - in pictures

The hard-working animals once carried hordes of tourists but visitor numbers crashed

The National

June 10, 2021

  • English
  • Arabic

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Marathon results

Men:

 1. Titus Ekiru(KEN) 2:06:13 

2. Alphonce Simbu(TAN) 2:07:50 

3. Reuben Kipyego(KEN) 2:08:25 

4. Abel Kirui(KEN) 2:08:46 

5. Felix Kemutai(KEN) 2:10:48  

Women:

1. Judith Korir(KEN) 2:22:30 

2. Eunice Chumba(BHR) 2:26:01 

3. Immaculate Chemutai(UGA) 2:28:30 

4. Abebech Bekele(ETH) 2:29:43 

5. Aleksandra Morozova(RUS) 2:33:01  

How to get exposure to gold

Although you can buy gold easily on the Dubai markets, the problem with buying physical bars, coins or jewellery is that you then have storage, security and insurance issues.

A far easier option is to invest in a low-cost exchange traded fund (ETF) that invests in the precious metal instead, for example, ETFS Physical Gold (PHAU) and iShares Physical Gold (SGLN) both track physical gold. The VanEck Vectors Gold Miners ETF invests directly in mining companies.

Alternatively, BlackRock Gold & General seeks to achieve long-term capital growth primarily through an actively managed portfolio of gold mining, commodity and precious-metal related shares. Its largest portfolio holdings include gold miners Newcrest Mining, Barrick Gold Corp, Agnico Eagle Mines and the NewMont Goldcorp.

Brave investors could take on the added risk of buying individual gold mining stocks, many of which have performed wonderfully well lately.

London-listed Centamin is up more than 70 per cent in just three months, although in a sign of its volatility, it is down 5 per cent on two years ago. Trans-Siberian Gold, listed on London's alternative investment market (AIM) for small stocks, has seen its share price almost quadruple from 34p to 124p over the same period, but do not assume this kind of runaway growth can continue for long

However, buying individual equities like these is highly risky, as their share prices can crash just as quickly, which isn't what what you want from a supposedly safe haven.

T20 World Cup Qualifier

Final: Netherlands beat PNG by seven wickets

Qualified teams

1. Netherlands
2. PNG
3. Ireland
4. Namibia
5. Scotland
6. Oman

T20 World Cup 2020, Australia

Group A: Sri Lanka, PNG, Ireland, Oman
Group B: Bangladesh, Netherlands, Namibia, Scotland

Results

2pm: Al Sahel Contracting Company – Maiden (PA) Dh50,000 (Dirt) 1,200m; Winner: AF Mutakafel, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer)

2.30pm: Dubai Real Estate Centre – Maiden (TB) Dh60,000 (D) 1,200m; Winner: El Baareq, Antonio Fresu, Rashed Bouresly

3pm: Shadwell – Rated Conditions (TB) Dh100,000 (D) 1,950m; Winner: Lost Eden, Andrea Atzeni, Doug Watson

3.30pm: Keeneland – Handicap (TB) Dh84,000 (D) 1,000m; Winner: Alkaraama, Dane O’Neill, Musabah Al Muhairi

4pm: Keeneland – Handicap (TB) Dh76,000 (D) 1,800m; Winner: Lady Snazz, Saif Al Balushi, Bhupat Seemar

4.30pm: Hive – Conditions (TB) Dh100,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Down On Da Bayou, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer

5pm: Dubai Real Estate Centre – (TB) Handicap Dh64,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Lahmoom, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer

GAC GS8 Specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh149,900

Plastic tipping points
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW

Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman

Director: Jesse Armstrong

Rating: 3.5/5

MENA