For spectators, camel racing is the ideal sport for social distancing. But for handlers, the resumption of races this week is a risky prospect.
And as the sun rose over the Marmoom track south of Dubai on Tuesday, handlers gathered at the starting line, jostling their beasts into position.
Emirati owners watched from their vehicles beside the track, as is customary.
This week marks the first race series since the circuit was closed in April to limit the spread of Covid-19.
The track becomes a gathering place for thousands of handlers and camel owners from around the Gulf during the season.
But this year new safety rules have been introduced to safeguard the health of staff and members of the public due to the pandemic.
The Dubai Camel Race Club, for example, requires handlers minimise time at the track and wear masks at all times or risk fines for non-compliance.
But on Tuesday morning, handlers interviewed by The National said life outside the city is good protection.
"At the beginning, we said corona is in this country and that country, it’s even here in Dubai and we felt tension every day," said Mohammed Saleem, 38, a Pakistani citizen born in the UAE who grew up with camels. “People got so worried they stopped eating. But now, all things are from God."
The UAE reported 541 new cases on Monday, the highest number in seven weeks.
The sport requires handlers work closely together to saddle camels and guide herds from farms to track. Handlers live together at farms near the track, often sharing a bedroom and are typically isolated from city life.
Ahmed, a 30-year-old handler, returned to Dubai from Bangladesh in early August as soon as he was able to get a flight back. Since his return, he heard many at camel farms in the area tested positive for the virus and were treated at hospitals.
"We know about cases from camel farms in Dubai and in Al Ain," said Ahmed, who did not want to give his real name. "There was corona here before but now it’s gone."
"Am I worried? Not at all," he said, pointing to the sky. "God provides."
Rahim Daad, a Pakistani handler with 17 years' experience, also returned to the UAE last month. He and his colleagues live in Al Ain but were allowed to attend the Dubai races after testing negative for Covid-19.
"I’m not worried because there are laws," said Mr Daad.
It is not the first time coronavirus has been a topic of racetrack speculation.
An outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome that swept the Gulf in 2014 infected both camels and humans. Although less contagious than Covid-19, it had a higher mortality rate. The discovery that camels could host the Mers coronavirus was met with skepticism. Some camel owners published videos where they kissed camels, rejecting the idea that the ship of the desert could be a carrier of disease.
This time, owners have taken coronavirus seriously.
Trackside majlises where race owners socialise remain shut as Emirati camel owners continue to practice social distancing.
“Before corona, the races were all about the lads and the conversation,” said Juma Humaid, a Dubai camel owner in his late sixties. “Now, no. If I go to a majlis, there’s only two or three of us.”
Mr Humaid gave his handlers masks and bottles of Dettol disinfectant.
“I talk to them regularly but it’s up to people to ... wear a mask,” he said. “There’s not much corona now," he said, despite the recent increase in cases.
Amin Donamiya, 30, a handler of ten years originally from Bangladesh, agreed. He had not heard of the recent spike in cases.
“I don’t know much about corona, I just stay around here. For Eid, I stayed in the house. Corona is in the city, not here, so why would I worry?"
Nasser, a handler from Lahore who stood nearby, disagreed. “Of course we’re worried. We don’t know much about corona, so we should be worried.”
With that, he mounted his camel and strode back to his farm.
Engine: 80 kWh four-wheel-drive
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 402bhp
Torque: 760Nm
Price: From Dh280,000
Mumbai Indians 213/6 (20 ov)
Royal Challengers Bangalore 167/8 (20 ov)
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
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What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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MATCH INFO
Bayern Munich 2 Borussia Monchengladbach 1
Bayern: Zirkzee (26'), Goretzka (86')
Gladbach: Pavard (37' og)
Man of the Match: Breel Embolo (Borussia Monchengladbach)
VEZEETA PROFILE
Date started: 2012
Founder: Amir Barsoum
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: HealthTech / MedTech
Size: 300 employees
Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)
Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
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ETFs explained
Exhchange traded funds are bought and sold like shares, but operate as index-tracking funds, passively following their chosen indices, such as the S&P 500, FTSE 100 and the FTSE All World, plus a vast range of smaller exchanges and commodities, such as gold, silver, copper sugar, coffee and oil.
ETFs have zero upfront fees and annual charges as low as 0.07 per cent a year, which means you get to keep more of your returns, as actively managed funds can charge as much as 1.5 per cent a year.
There are thousands to choose from, with the five biggest providers BlackRock’s iShares range, Vanguard, State Street Global Advisors SPDR ETFs, Deutsche Bank AWM X-trackers and Invesco PowerShares.
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
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MATCH INFO
Borussia Dortmund 0
Bayern Munich 1 (Kimmich 43')
Man of the match: Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich)
Last 10 NBA champions
2017: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-1
2016: Cleveland bt Golden State 4-3
2015: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-2
2014: San Antonio bt Miami 4-1
2013: Miami bt San Antonio 4-3
2012: Miami bt Oklahoma City 4-1
2011: Dallas bt Miami 4-2
2010: Los Angeles Lakers bt Boston 4-3
2009: Los Angeles Lakers bt Orlando 4-1
2008: Boston bt Los Angeles Lakers 4-2
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Started: April 2017
Founders: Mostafa Kandil, Ahmed Sabbah and Mahmoud Nouh
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport
Size: 450 employees
Investment: approximately $80 million
Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani
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Started: October 2023
Founder: Namrata Raina
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Sector: E-commerce
Current number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Initial investment: Undisclosed
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APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
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Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4
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In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
Price: From Dh2,099
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