US Signs Landmark Nuclear Deal With Saudi Arabia
The United States has signed a landmark peaceful nuclear cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia, a deal that could potentially allow the kingdom to enrich uranium for civilian use. US Energy Secretary Chris Wright and his Saudi counterpart, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, signed the accord on Wednesday, the Department of Energy announced, though the Trump administration did not release the full text.
NPR confirmed that the agreement would permit the transfer of American nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia and give US companies priority access to nuclear reactors and fuel. The arrangement is expected to last decades and be worth billions of dollars, potentially deepening US-Saudi ties for years to come.
Such civilian nuclear pacts, known as 123 Agreements, are designed to prevent the development of weapons and uphold nonproliferation standards. Still, the framework has already attracted concern in Israel and among some US lawmakers, who worry that any enrichment capability could carry broader strategic risks.
New York Mayor Mamdani Says He Cannot Arrest Netanyahu
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has acknowledged that his office lacks the authority to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, walking back earlier pledges to detain the leader if he visited the city. Mamdani said late Tuesday that the city could not execute an International Criminal Court arrest warrant and instead called on federal authorities to act.
Mamdani, who had previously declared Netanyahu "not welcome" in New York, urged the US government to enforce the ICC warrant should Netanyahu travel to the United States in the fall. He described the Israeli prime minister as a war criminal and the "architect of a horrific genocide"; Netanyahu denies international charges of war crimes.
Tropical Storm Bertha Makes Landfall in Louisiana
Tropical Storm Bertha made landfall in St Bernard parish, on the Gulf coast southeast of New Orleans, on Wednesday afternoon, the US National Hurricane Center said. Maximum sustained winds were estimated at 45 mph, with higher gusts, after forecasters had earlier predicted a late-Wednesday landfall with winds near 60 mph.
Damage from Bertha is expected to be limited because the El Niño weather pattern is countering its worst effects, forecasters said. But unusually warm Atlantic waters mean the risk of destructive storms remains high for the season.
The storm came as other severe weather struck across the country. Tornadoes swept from the Midwest to the Northeast on Tuesday, causing major damage, while rescuers in Kentucky and West Virginia freed residents trapped by catastrophic floods.
Independent Autopsy Inconclusive in Death of Mississippi Teen Nolan Wells
An independent autopsy commissioned by the family of Nolan Wells has failed to determine what killed the 18-year-old, whose body was found off Horn Island in Mississippi after a Fourth of July boat trip with friends. The cause and manner of death were both ruled "undetermined, pending investigation," the family's attorney, Ben Crump, announced on Wednesday.
Wells was discovered days after he went missing during the holiday outing. Nearly three weeks after his death, no conclusive answers have emerged about what happened, and the preliminary independent autopsy results leave the investigation open.
Model Scout Linked to Jeffrey Epstein Found Dead Near Paris
Daniel Siad, a modelling scout who repeatedly introduced Jeffrey Epstein to young women, has been found dead at his home near Paris, French officials said. Siad, 69, was discovered on Monday.
Siad was under investigation by French prosecutors specialising in human trafficking and faced allegations including rape. His name appears thousands of times in the Epstein files, and messages show he connected women to Epstein. He had previously denied wrongdoing and said he did not know the threat Epstein posed.
Rebel Wilson Cleared of Defaming Co-Star in Sydney Court
Australian actor Rebel Wilson has been found not liable for defaming actress Charlotte MacInnes in a series of social media posts, a Sydney court ruled on Wednesday. MacInnes, the lead actor in Wilson's directorial debut "The Deb," had brought the defamation case after a bitter dispute that spanned continents and several years.
The court cleared Wilson of the allegations, dismissing the case against her.
Trump Honors Fallen Soldiers as Hegseth Defends Iran War Funding
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faced a barrage of questions from lawmakers on Tuesday as he defended the administration's request for billions in emergency military spending for the war with Iran. Hegseth estimated that the nearly five‑month‑old conflict has already cost $37.5 billion. The national average price of gasoline topped $4 a gallon again on Monday as the conflict escalated.
President Donald Trump attended a dignified transfer on Tuesday for four US Army soldiers killed in recent Iranian attacks. Speaking for the fallen, Trump said they had supported the war, even as public criticism of the conflict grows.
Ukraine Names Mykhailo Drapatyi as New Commander-in-Chief
Ukraine has appointed Maj. Gen. Mykhailo Drapatyi as its new commander-in-chief following a week of nationwide protests over the direction of the country's military strategy against Russia. He is the third person to hold the post since Russia's full-scale invasion began in February 2022.
Drapatyi is a decorated commander who is popular both inside Ukraine and abroad. He now faces the difficult task of balancing military reformers' calls for greater independence with political input on battlefield strategy.
Scottish Labour Leader Quits to Join UK Trade Ministry
Anas Sarwar is stepping down as leader of Scottish Labour to accept a role as a UK trade minister in Prime Minister Andy Burnham's new government. Sarwar, who said he was "delighted" to take the post, will leave the Scottish Parliament and take up a seat in the House of Lords.
Rival parties at 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 before Starmer's departure.
Prince George Marks 13th Birthday with New Portrait
Prince George, who is second in line to the British throne, turned 13 on Wednesday. His parents, Prince William and Kate, shared a new photograph of him in a suit to mark the occasion.
The birthday marks a milestone year for the young prince, who is preparing to start secondary school at Eton College in September, following in his father's footsteps.
Maduro and Wife to Face US Drug-Trafficking Trial in June 2027
A US judge has set a 1 June 2027 trial date for ousted Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, on drug-trafficking charges. The couple appeared in a Manhattan courtroom on Wednesday, with Maduro led in wearing beige prison garb by US marshals.
Maduro and Flores are being held at a Brooklyn jail and have both pleaded not guilty. In April, the US allowed Venezuela to pay for their legal defence, a move previously prohibited by American sanctions.