RIYADH: Saudi Arabia attracted 18 percent of all foreign investment into the Middle East and North Africa last year, the most of any country in the region.
The number of projects fell by 49 percent in 2020 to 73 for a value of $10.4 billion, Al Arabiya reported, citing data from Financial Times’ FDI Intelligence.
New foreign projects established in the MENA region fell to 1,031 in 2020, compared with 1,795 in 2019 as the coronavirus outbreak forced the closure of much of the global economy.
The UAE topped regional countries in the number of new foreign projects with 327 projects and ranked second in terms of the value of investments, attracting $9 billion.
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SINGAPORE (Reuters) -Oil prices steadied slightly on Friday after three days of losses, but were on track for a weekly fall as investors braced for the return of Iranian crude supplies after officials said Iran and world powers made progress a nuclear deal.
FILE PHOTO: Crude oil storage tanks are seen in an aerial photograph at the Cushing oil hub in Cushing, Oklahoma, U.S. April 21, 2020. REUTERS/Drone Base
Brent crude futures rose 41 cents, or 0.6%, to $65.52 a barrel by 0911 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate was at $62.46 a barrel, up 52 cents, or 0.8%.
The two contracts are on track to fall over 4% on the week- their biggest loss since March- after Iran’s president said the United States was ready to lift sanctions on his country’s oil, banking and shipping sectors.
Archaeological remnants are common in mountains, which formed part of trading route for camel convoys
Updated 21 May 2021
May 21, 2021 04:47
MAKKAH: The Hisma mountains, west of Tabuk in northern Saudi Arabia, are home to Arab inscriptions carved by the Thamud and other ancient tribes dating back more than 2,600 years.
Archaeological remnants are common in the mountains, which formed part of a trading route for camel convoys and were well known among traders because of their ship-like formation.
Salma Hawsawi, a professor of ancient history at King Saud University, told Arab News that the Kingdom is rich in archaeological evidence of ancient civilizations that prospered in the varied geography and climate offered by various regions.
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia announced 10 deaths from COVID-19 and 1,136 new infections on Friday.
Of the new cases, 342 were recorded in Riyadh, 276 in Makkah, 150 in the Eastern Province, 73 in Madinah, 66 in Asir, 59 in Jazan, 36 in Tabuk, 27 in Najran, 22 in Hail, 18 in Al-Baha, 14 in the Northern Borders region and six in Al-Jouf.
The total number of recoveries in the Kingdom increased to 422,706 after 980 more patients recovered from the virus.
A total of 7,224 people have succumbed to the virus in the Kingdom so far.
Over 12.4 million doses of a coronavirus vaccine have been administered in the Kingdom to date.
Archaeological remnants are common in mountains, which formed part of trading route for camel convoys