U. S. and Saudi Arabia Team Up for Rare Earths and Nuclear Power

The United States and Saudi Arabia have made some big moves together. They're working on getting rare earth minerals and setting up nuclear power plants. These minerals are super important. They're used in everything from electric cars to advanced fighter jets. Saudi Arabia says it has a lot of these minerals. But right now, China controls most of the supply. The U. S. and Saudi Arabia have a plan. An American company will help build a refinery in Saudi Arabia. They'll mine and process these minerals together. This could help the U. S. and its allies rely less on China. Saudi Arabia sees this as a big opportunity. They want to become a major player in the mineral industry, just like they are with oil. But there are some concerns. Even with these new deals, the West might still need China for most of its rare earth minerals for years to come. The U. S. and Saudi Arabia also signed a deal on nuclear power. The U. S. will help build a nuclear power plant in Saudi Arabia. The deal is supposed to be just for generating electricity, not for making weapons. However, there are worries about Saudi Arabia's intentions. Some experts think Saudi Arabia wants the option to make nuclear weapons. They've been pushing for the right to enrich uranium, which is a key step in making nuclear weapons. The U. S. says there will be safeguards, but the details aren't clear yet. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia's crown prince talked to President Trump about Sudan. There's a lot of violence in Sudan right now. Saudi Arabia is worried it could spread and invite terrorism. The crown prince asked President Trump to do something about it. Trump said he would start working on the issue.