US President Donald Trump meets Bahrain Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa in the Oval Office. EPA
US President Donald Trump meets Bahrain Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa in the Oval Office. EPA
US President Donald Trump meets Bahrain Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa in the Oval Office. EPA
US President Donald Trump meets Bahrain Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa in the Oval Office. EPA

US and Bahrain sign 'milestone' nuclear co-operation agreement


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The US and Bahrain signed a pact on peaceful nuclear energy as part of billions of dollars worth of deals during the Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa's visit to Washington.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Bahrain's Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Abdullatif Al Zayani signed the civil nuclear co-operation agreement, according to the US State Department.

The agreement "represents an important step towards establishing a robust civil nuclear partnership between the United States and Bahrain with the aim of enhancing energy security and promoting mutual prosperity through expanded economic co-operation", the State Department said.

Mr Al Zayani commended the strategic co-operation, calling it a milestone in strategic partnership, according to the Bahrain News Agency.

"It aligns with Bahrain's commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2060 and supporting global efforts to address climate change and environmental protection," the BNA said.

It happened during Prince Salman's visit to Washington, where he met Mr Trump in the Oval Office.

The two leaders shook on a $17 billion investment deal in a major boost to the island nation.

Mr Trump has hailed ties with Bahrain.

“Anything they needed, we helped them,” Mr Trump said while meeting Prince Salman. “And anything we needed, they helped us.”

Prince Salman, who is also Prime Minister, said the deal involved “real money".

"These aren’t fake deals," he added.

The agreements include purchasing American planes, jet engines and computer servers. More investments could be made in aluminium production and artificial intelligence.

Bahrain's King Hamad is expected to visit Washington before the end of the year. An important part of the relationship will be an agreement, signed on Wednesday, to advance co-operation on civilian nuclear energy.

The agreement was signed by Mr Al Zayani and Mr Rubio, with the aim of supporting Bahrain’s efforts to achieve energy security and carbon neutrality by 2060.

Mr Al Zayani described the agreement as a “significant qualitative leap” in the partnership between the two countries.

He said that the two nations were seeking to develop advanced technologies that provide safe, secure and reliable civil nuclear energy.

Bahrain is expected to sign a deal valued at about $7 billion for its national carrier, Gulf Air, to buy 12 Boeing aircraft with an option for six more and 40 General Electric engines, according to a White House official.

Dinner with Qatari Prime Minister

Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman, the Prime Minister of Qatar, was also at the White House for a private dinner with Mr Trump on Wednesday evening.

The two were expected to discuss negotiations over a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal. Qatar has been a key mediator between Israel and Hamas in the talks.

Although Mr Trump has repeatedly said that a ceasefire was imminent, negotiators have yet to reach a breakthrough. Talks have continued in Doha for a second consecutive week without progress.

Sources say the discussions have stalled over the scope of Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza – a proposal Hamas has rejected as inadequate.

Israel has informed Egyptian and Qatari mediators it intends to create a security zone up to 2km deep along its entire border with Gaza as well as the enclave's Mediterranean coast, sources told The National on Wednesday.

They said Israel has also told the mediators it plans to evict residents of the northern Gaza towns of Jabalia and Beit Lahia and resettle them in Al Mawasi, a narrow strip of coastal land near the southern city of Khan Younis.

Israel informed them of its intention to gather hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in a “humanitarian city” south of Rafah on the border with Egypt, according to the sources.

Hamas has claimed that Israel wants to keep at least 40 per cent of the Gaza Strip under its control as part of any deal to end the war.

Mr Trump visited the Gulf in May, making stops in Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. While in Qatar, he toured Al Udeid Air Base, the largest US military facility in the Middle East.

The base was attacked by Iran after US air strikes on Iranian nuclear sites. One ballistic missile struck the base, while others were intercepted.

Mr Trump has expressed interest in using a luxurious Boeing 747, donated by Qatar, as his version of Air Force One, citing frustration with delays in Boeing’s delivery of new aircraft. However, the proposed arrangement has sparked controversy and raised political, security and ethical concerns.

Result:

1. Cecilie Hatteland (NOR) atop Alex - 31.46 seconds

2. Anna Gorbacheva (RUS) atop Curt 13 - 31.82 seconds

3. Georgia Tame (GBR) atop Cash Up - 32.81 seconds

4. Sheikha Latifa bint Ahmed Al Maktoum (UAE) atop Peanuts de Beaufour - 35.85 seconds

5. Miriam Schneider (GER) atop Benur du Romet - 37.53 seconds

6. Annika Sande (NOR) atop For Cash 2 - 31.42 seconds (4 penalties)

MATCH INFO

Manchester City 6 Huddersfield Town 1
Man City: Agüero (25', 35', 75'), Jesus (31'), Silva (48'), Kongolo (84' og)
Huddersfield: Stankovic (43')

PAST 10 BRITISH GRAND PRIX WINNERS

2016 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)
2015 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)
2014 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)
2013 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes-GP)
2012 - Mark Webber (Red Bull Racing)
2011 - Fernando Alonso (Ferrari)
2010 - Mark Webber (Red Bull Racing)
2009 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing)
2008 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren)
2007 - Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari)

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What should do investors do now?

What does the S&P 500's new all-time high mean for the average investor? 

Should I be euphoric?

No. It's fine to be pleased about hearty returns on your investments. But it's not a good idea to tie your emotions closely to the ups and downs of the stock market. You'll get tired fast. This market moment comes on the heels of last year's nosedive. And it's not the first or last time the stock market will make a dramatic move.

So what happened?

It's more about what happened last year. Many of the concerns that triggered that plunge towards the end of last have largely been quelled. The US and China are slowly moving toward a trade agreement. The Federal Reserve has indicated it likely will not raise rates at all in 2019 after seven recent increases. And those changes, along with some strong earnings reports and broader healthy economic indicators, have fueled some optimism in stock markets.

"The panic in the fourth quarter was based mostly on fears," says Brent Schutte, chief investment strategist for Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company. "The fundamentals have mostly held up, while the fears have gone away and the fears were based mostly on emotion."

Should I buy? Should I sell?

Maybe. It depends on what your long-term investment plan is. The best advice is usually the same no matter the day — determine your financial goals, make a plan to reach them and stick to it.

"I would encourage (investors) not to overreact to highs, just as I would encourage them not to overreact to the lows of December," Mr Schutte says.

All the same, there are some situations in which you should consider taking action. If you think you can't live through another low like last year, the time to get out is now. If the balance of assets in your portfolio is out of whack thanks to the rise of the stock market, make adjustments. And if you need your money in the next five to 10 years, it shouldn't be in stocks anyhow. But for most people, it's also a good time to just leave things be.

Resist the urge to abandon the diversification of your portfolio, Mr Schutte cautions. It may be tempting to shed other investments that aren't performing as well, such as some international stocks, but diversification is designed to help steady your performance over time.

Will the rally last?

No one knows for sure. But David Bailin, chief investment officer at Citi Private Bank, expects the US market could move up 5 per cent to 7 per cent more over the next nine to 12 months, provided the Fed doesn't raise rates and earnings growth exceeds current expectations. We are in a late cycle market, a period when US equities have historically done very well, but volatility also rises, he says.

"This phase can last six months to several years, but it's important clients remain invested and not try to prematurely position for a contraction of the market," Mr Bailin says. "Doing so would risk missing out on important portfolio returns."

ADCC AFC Women’s Champions League Group A fixtures

October 3: v Wuhan Jiangda Women’s FC
October 6: v Hyundai Steel Red Angels Women’s FC
October 9: v Sabah FA

White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogenChromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxideUltramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica contentOphiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on landOlivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour

WOMAN AND CHILD

Director: Saeed Roustaee

Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi

Rating: 4/5

Greatest of All Time
Starring: Vijay, Sneha, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan
Director: Venkat Prabhu
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WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?

1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull

2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight

3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge

4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own

5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed

Our legal columnist

Name: Yousef Al Bahar

Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994

Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers

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Director: Ruben Fleischer

Cast: Tom Hardy, Michelle Williams, Riz Ahmed

Rating: 1.5/5

MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW

Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman

Director: Jesse Armstrong

Rating: 3.5/5

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE

When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.

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UK’s AI plan
  • AI ambassadors such as MIT economist Simon Johnson, Monzo cofounder Tom Blomfield and Google DeepMind’s Raia Hadsell
  • £10bn AI growth zone in South Wales to create 5,000 jobs
  • £100m of government support for startups building AI hardware products
  • £250m to train new AI models
The specs

Engine: 6.2-litre V8

Transmission: ten-speed

Power: 420bhp

Torque: 624Nm

Price: Dh325,125

On sale: Now

THE NEW BATCH'S FOCUS SECTORS

AiFlux – renewables, oil and gas

DevisionX – manufacturing

Event Gates – security and manufacturing

Farmdar – agriculture

Farmin – smart cities

Greener Crop – agriculture

Ipera.ai – space digitisation

Lune Technologies – fibre-optics

Monak – delivery

NutzenTech – environment

Nybl – machine learning

Occicor – shelf management

Olymon Solutions – smart automation

Pivony – user-generated data

PowerDev – energy big data

Sav – finance

Searover – renewables

Swftbox – delivery

Trade Capital Partners – FinTech

Valorafutbol – sports and entertainment

Workfam – employee engagement

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Updated: July 24, 2025, 8:53 AM