Bahrain Crown Prince and Trump address Iran actions and Gulf dispute

Bahrain’s crown prince, Salman bin Hamad, met US president Donald Trump on Thursday to discuss several issues, including countering Iran’s activities in the Middle East, and the Gulf dispute.

Mr Trump welcomed Crown Prince Salman, saying: “It’s a great honour to have the Crown Prince of Bahrain in the Oval Office. We're doing a lot of business together. They are buying a lot of things. I heard $9 billion is thrown about. That's a very nice trip and we appreciate it. We have a long relationship and it will only get better.

"I can tell you they've been … a great friend."

The crown prince, who also met with vice president Mike Pence, said his visit to Washington builds “on the hundred years of good relations” between Bahrain and the US.

“The peoples of both countries have benefited from this relationship, and we continue to seek ways to strengthen that,” he said.

On Wednesday, Crown Prince Salman met with US secretary of state Rex Tillerson.

“The two leaders discussed countering Iran’s malign activities in the region, the importance of resolving the ongoing Gulf dispute, and other bilateral and regional issues of mutual concern,” according to a US state department statement. “Mr Tillerson thanked the crown prince for Bahrain’s strong partnership with the United States.”

Prince Salman’s visit to the US capital, where he also met secretary of defence James Mattis, was the highest-level visit yet by a Bahraini delegation. Mr Mattis hosted an “enhanced honour cordon” welcoming the crown prince, after which they signed an enhanced defence co-operation agreement.

Bahrain’s defence ties with the US have improved under the Trump administration, which agreed to the sale of F-16 aircraft and removed conditions set by the Obama administration.

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Sigurd Neubauer, a non-resident fellow at Gulf Forum International, said that Bahrain wants to enhance its relations with the Trump administration because it sees itself on the front line against Iran and its agenda.

"[Manama] would also like to see a visit by King Hamad of Bahrain at the White House with president Trump, and it's possible that Crown Prince Salman has brought this up during his visit," he told The National.

King Hamad and Mr Trump met in Riyadh last May, and it is expected that the king would make an official visit to the White House in early 2018.

The state department said that Mr Tillerson stressed during his meeting with Crown Prince Salman on the importance of resolving the Gulf dispute between Qatar and four Arab countries, which have boycotted Doha over its support of extremist groups.

"The US supports Kuwaiti mediation and is likely encouraging Bahrain to attend next week's talks in Kuwait," Mr Neubauer said, in reference to the upcoming GCC summit.

Karen Young, a senior resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, said the Bahraini delegation’s visit encompassed more than the traditional diplomatic meetings.

"The delegation in Washington now is seeking US support for efforts to tackle the larger political reforms that will be necessary for national reconciliation," she told The National. "Bahrain is an important bellwether of reforms moving forward in the Gulf Cooperation Council," she said, referencing a difficult fiscal position with the drop in oil revenues.

"Bahrain has been willing to try major reforms to the kafala [programme] or sponsored labour system, including a pilot programme allowing migrants to be self-employed with access to government health care. They are removing obstacles to foreign ownership and investment so intrinsic to Gulf economic models."

Prince Salman, who arrived in Washington on Tuesday night, is leading a large diplomatic, military and economic delegation to discuss with US officials co-operation, trade and economic reforms.

The delegation includes minister of foreign affairs Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed, minister of oil Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa, president of the labour market regulatory authority Ausamah bin Abdullah Al Absi, and head of the operations division at the Royal Bahraini Air Force Brig Sheikh Mohammed bin Salman.

The UAE squad for the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games

The jiu-jitsu men’s team: Faisal Al Ketbi, Zayed Al Kaabi, Yahia Al Hammadi, Taleb Al Kirbi, Obaid Al Nuaimi, Omar Al Fadhli, Zayed Al Mansoori, Saeed Al Mazroui, Ibrahim Al Hosani, Mohammed Al Qubaisi, Salem Al Suwaidi, Khalfan Belhol, Saood Al Hammadi.

Women’s team: Mouza Al Shamsi, Wadeema Al Yafei, Reem Al Hashmi, Mahra Al Hanaei, Bashayer Al Matrooshi, Hessa Thani, Salwa Al Ali.

Fight card

Preliminaries:

Nouredine Samir (UAE) v Sheroz Kholmirzav (UZB); Lucas Porst (SWE) v Ellis Barboza (GBR); Mouhmad Amine Alharar (MAR) v Mohammed Mardi (UAE); Ibrahim Bilal (UAE) v Spyro Besiri (GRE); Aslamjan Ortikov (UZB) v Joshua Ridgwell (GBR)

Main card:

Carlos Prates (BRA) v Dmitry Valent (BLR); Bobirjon Tagiev (UZB) v Valentin Thibaut (FRA); Arthur Meyer (FRA) v Hicham Moujtahid (BEL); Ines Es Salehy (BEL) v Myriame Djedidi (FRA); Craig Coakley (IRE) v Deniz Demirkapu (TUR); Artem Avanesov (ARM) v Badreddine Attif (MAR); Abdulvosid Buranov (RUS) v Akram Hamidi (FRA)

Title card:

Intercontinental Lightweight: Ilyass Habibali (UAE) v Angel Marquez (ESP)

Intercontinental Middleweight: Amine El Moatassime (UAE) v Francesco Iadanza (ITA)

Asian Featherweight: Zakaria El Jamari (UAE) v Phillip Delarmino (PHI)

HIV on the rise in the region

A 2019 United Nations special analysis on Aids reveals 37 per cent of new HIV infections in the Mena region are from people injecting drugs.

New HIV infections have also risen by 29 per cent in western Europe and Asia, and by 7 per cent in Latin America, but declined elsewhere.

Egypt has shown the highest increase in recorded cases of HIV since 2010, up by 196 per cent.

Access to HIV testing, treatment and care in the region is well below the global average.

Few statistics have been published on the number of cases in the UAE, although a UNAIDS report said 1.5 per cent of the prison population has the virus.

Scores:

Day 4

England 290 & 346
Sri Lanka 336 & 226-7 (target 301)

Sri Lanka require another 75 runs with three wickets remaining

EXPATS

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Mina Cup winners

Under 12 – Minerva Academy

Under 14 – Unam Pumas

Under 16 – Fursan Hispania

Under 18 – Madenat

Whiile you're here

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UK-EU trade at a glance

EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years

Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products

Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries

Smoother border management with use of e-gates

Cutting red tape on import and export of food

Revival
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Interscope

Dust and sand storms compared

Sand storm

Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
Travel distance: Limited
Source: Open desert areas with strong winds

Dust storm

Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
Duration: Can linger for days
Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
Source: Can be carried from distant regions

GRAN%20TURISMO

%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Neill%20Blomkamp%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20David%20Harbour%2C%20Orlando%20Bloom%2C%20Archie%20Madekwe%2C%20Darren%20Barnet%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

The specs

Engine: 4.0-litre, twin-turbocharged V8

Transmission: nine-speed automatic

Power: 630bhp

Torque: 900Nm

Price: Dh810,000

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More on Quran memorisation:

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MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW

Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman

Director: Jesse Armstrong

Rating: 3.5/5

Key facilities

Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
Premier League-standard football pitch
400m Olympic running track
NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
600-seat auditorium
Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
Specialist robotics and science laboratories
AR and VR-enabled learning centres
Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills

About Karol Nawrocki

• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.

• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.

• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.

• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.