United States and Saudi Arabia Sign Landmark Nuclear Cooperation Agreement
The United States and Saudi Arabia have signed a landmark civilian nuclear cooperation agreement, with U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman formalizing the accord on Wednesday. The deal, known in Washington as a “123 Agreement,” is designed to prevent proliferation while allowing the transfer of U.S. nuclear technology to the kingdom.
U.S. officials said the pact upholds the highest standards of nuclear safety and non-proliferation, though the Trump administration did not release its full text. Reports indicate the framework could give American companies priority access to Saudi nuclear reactors and fuel sales worth billions of dollars over decades, and may permit Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium for civilian purposes.
Saudi Arabia has long sought American nuclear technology, and the agreement could deepen U.S.-Saudi ties for years. It is also likely to draw scrutiny from Israel and some U.S. lawmakers concerned about regional security implications.
Houthis Strike Saudi Tankers in Red Sea, Raising New Front
Yemen’s Houthi militia claimed on Thursday to have struck two Saudi Arabian oil tankers in the Red Sea, the first such attacks since the Iranian-aligned group announced a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia on Monday. The embargo was declared in retaliation for a blockade on Yemen and a recent attack on Sanaa International Airport.
Saudi state media later confirmed that one of the vessels was ablaze. The claimed strikes came as the U.S. military continued its campaign against Iran, with The Guardian reporting a 12th successive night of American attacks.
The violence in the waterway helped push Brent crude oil futures up about 3 percent on Thursday to as high as $97.45 a barrel, with traders fearing that attacks from Yemen and Iran could create a “two-chokepoint problem” for global energy supplies.
New York Mayor Says City Lacks Authority to Arrest Netanyahu
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has acknowledged that his office does not have the authority to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu under the International Criminal Court warrant, and he called on the U.S. federal government to act if Netanyahu visits the city later this year.
Mamdani, who had pledged during his campaign to detain Netanyahu, has continued to call the Israeli leader a war criminal and the “architect of a horrific genocide.” Netanyahu denies the ICC’s war-crimes charges. The mayor’s clarification underscores the limits of municipal power over international arrest warrants.
Independent Autopsy Inconclusive in Death of Mississippi Teen Nolan Wells
Preliminary results of an independent autopsy commissioned by the family of Nolan Wells, an 18-year-old found dead off Horn Island, Mississippi, after a Fourth of July boat trip, were inconclusive, family attorney Ben Crump announced on Wednesday.
The autopsy listed both the cause and manner of death as “undetermined, pending investigation,” leaving the family pressing for answers nearly three weeks after Wells was left on the island by friends. Authorities have not provided a conclusive account of what happened.
Tropical Storm Bertha Makes Landfall in Louisiana With 45 mph Winds
Tropical Storm Bertha came ashore Wednesday afternoon in St. Bernard Parish, southeast of New Orleans, with maximum sustained winds estimated at 45 mph and higher gusts, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.
Forecasters had warned of heavy rain, localized flooding and possible storm surge along the Gulf Coast from Florida to Louisiana. Early assessments suggest damage may be limited because the El Niño weather pattern is countering the storm’s worst effects, though unusually warm Atlantic waters continue to raise the risk of destructive storms this season.
UK Plans Business Rate Cut for Pubs, Clubs and Music Venues
The British government plans to cut business rates for pubs, clubs and live music venues by 20 percent from next April, in a £100 million package that would save the typical pub around £1,100 in the next financial year.
Chief Secretary to the Treasury Emma Reynolds insisted the plan is fully funded, pointing to changes in rules for vape shops and online marketplaces, which are described as still under review and consultation.
Scottish Police Officer Was Rapist Who Attacked Women Over 14 Years
A Police Scotland officer who took his own life in May after officers visited his home has been identified as a serial rapist who attacked at least nine women over 14 years, detectives said. The first known victim reported that PC Alan Greer raped her in her Glasgow home in 2012 after she had called police to report being the victim of a crime.
Investigators anticipate that more victims may come forward, and the case has been described by observers as potentially “Police Scotland’s Wayne Couzens moment,” referring to the scandal around a London officer convicted of murder.
Ukraine Names Mykhailo Drapatyi New Commander-in-Chief Amid Shake-Up
Ukraine has appointed Major General Mykhailo Drapatyi as its new commander-in-chief, the third person to hold the post since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. The change follows a week of nationwide protests over the direction of Ukraine’s military strategy.
Drapatyi, a decorated commander popular at home and abroad, now faces the challenge of balancing military reformers’ demands for greater independence with political leaders’ input on battlefield strategy.
Trump Attends Dignified Transfer for Soldiers Killed in Iran War
President Donald Trump attended a dignified transfer ceremony for U.S. Army soldiers killed in recent days in the ongoing war with Iran, as public criticism of the conflict grows.
During the event, Trump said the fallen service members supported the Iran war. The ceremony came as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was requesting billions of dollars from Congress to cover the rising cost of the war.
Scottish Labour Leader Anas Sarwar Quits to Join UK Government
Anas Sarwar is stepping down as leader of Scottish Labour and leaving the Scottish Parliament to become a trade minister in Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s new U.K. government, a role that will require him to take a seat in the House of Lords.
Political rivals in Holyrood condemned the move, calling Sarwar a “chancer” and accusing him of lying to voters. Sarwar was the first senior Labour figure to call for Keir Starmer’s resignation.
Prince George Marks 13th Birthday With New Official Photograph
Prince George, who is second in line to the British throne, turned 13 on Wednesday, and his parents, Prince William and Princess Catherine, released a new photograph of him in a suit to mark the occasion.
The birthday also marks a milestone before George follows in his father’s footsteps and begins secondary school at Eton College in September.
Maduro and Wife to Face US Drug-Trafficking Trial in June 2027
A U.S. judge has set a trial date of June 1, 2027, for ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, on drug-trafficking charges. The couple appeared in a Manhattan courtroom on Wednesday wearing prison garb and both have pleaded not guilty.
Maduro and Flores are being held at a Brooklyn jail. In April, the U.S. allowed Venezuela to pay for their legal defense, a step previously barred under American sanctions.