FBI arrests Saudi OpenAI engineer over covert recording device, DOJ says

US President Donald Trump has approved a landmark civilian nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia, marking a major step in expanding strategic cooperation between the two countries. The proposed deal is expected to remain in effect for 30 years and is valued at tens of billions of dollars. The agreement is designed to support the development of Saudi Arabia’s civilian nuclear energy program while giving American companies a leading role in building the kingdom’s nuclear infrastructure. It is expected to create significant investment opportunities for US firms and strengthen long-term energy cooperation between Washington and Riyadh. Under the proposed framework, American companies could participate in constructing nuclear facilities across Saudi Arabia. The agreement also allows for the possibility of building a uranium enrichment plant in the kingdom if future joint studies by both governments determine that such a project is necessary. US officials say the deal will enable Washington to remain closely involved in the development of Saudi Arabia’s nuclear program. They believe this cooperation will help ensure that the kingdom’s nuclear activities remain focused on peaceful civilian purposes. The Trump administration is expected to submit the agreement to the US Congress in the coming days. The pact is being introduced under Section 123 of the US Atomic Energy Act of 1954, which provides the legal framework for civilian nuclear cooperation between the United States and foreign countries. Once submitted, Congress will have about 90 days to review the agreement. If lawmakers do not reject it during the review period, the agreement will automatically enter into force. Blocking the deal would require Congress to pass a joint resolution with enough votes to override a possible presidential veto. According to officials familiar with the proposal, the agreement does not include the “Gold Standard,” a condition that permanently bars partner countries from enriching uranium or reprocessing spent nuclear fuel. These activities can potentially be used in the production of nuclear weapons. The proposed agreement also reportedly does not include the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Additional Protocol. This protocol allows international inspectors to conduct broader inspections and monitor undeclared nuclear facilities. Its absence has raised concerns among some non-proliferation experts and lawmakers. US officials, however, insist that the agreement contains strong safeguards required under American law. They stress that the deal does not obligate the United States to transfer sensitive uranium enrichment technology or nuclear fuel cycle capabilities to Saudi Arabia. Instead, it establishes a legal pathway for future civilian cooperation while requiring separate approvals for any advanced technology transfers. The agreement follows earlier discussions between senior US and Saudi officials, who signed a preliminary framework last year to expand cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy. The proposal has generated debate in Washington. Several Democratic lawmakers, along with some Republicans, have argued that stronger safeguards should be included before the agreement is approved. They believe stricter restrictions are necessary to reduce the risk of nuclear weapons proliferation in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia has repeatedly stated that its nuclear program is intended to meet growing energy demands and diversify the country’s energy resources. However, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has previously said that if Iran were to acquire a nuclear weapon, Saudi Arabia would also seek similar capabilities. His remarks have fueled international concerns about a possible regional nuclear arms race.

Twelve years after Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 disappeared without a trace, relatives of Chinese passengers returned to a Beijing court seeking answers they say they have been denied for more than a decade. The families insist that financial compensation alone cannot resolve their pain and are urging the court to focus on establishing the truth behind one of aviation’s greatest unsolved mysteries. The appeal comes after a Beijing court ruled in December that Malaysia Airlines should pay compensation of 2.9 million yuan to each of eight Chinese families. While the ruling acknowledged their loss, two families challenged the decision, arguing that it failed to address the airline’s responsibility or explain what happened to the aircraft and the 239 people on board. Flight MH370, a Boeing 777 travelling from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8, 2014, disappeared from radar with 239 passengers and crew members. Nearly two thirds of those on board were Chinese nationals. Despite years of international search operations across the Indian Ocean, investigators have never located the aircraft’s main wreckage or recovered its flight recorders, leaving the fate of those on board unknown. The latest court hearing in Beijing was held behind closed doors, but family members gathered outside to express their frustration. Li Eryou, whose son was among the passengers, said the original court ruling left him feeling insulted because it focused only on financial compensation while ignoring the deeper questions surrounding the disappearance. Li said no one had apologized to the families during the past 12 years and argued that the case deserved to be treated as an international tragedy rather than a routine legal dispute. He believes the compensation awarded by the lower court does not reflect the seriousness of the disaster or the emotional suffering experienced by relatives who continue to live without closure. Over the years, aviation experts have proposed several possible explanations for the disappearance. Theories have included deliberate actions by the pilot, hijacking, a missile strike or a technical failure. Another widely discussed possibility suggests that a fire involving electronic equipment may have filled the cabin with smoke, causing everyone on board to lose consciousness before the aircraft continued flying on autopilot until it ran out of fuel and crashed into the Indian Ocean. However, none of these theories has been confirmed because investigators have never recovered enough evidence to determine exactly what happened. The absence of definitive findings has continued to fuel uncertainty and speculation, leaving many families convinced that important questions remain unanswered. Jiang Hui, whose mother was on the missing aircraft, said the appeal is not primarily about receiving more money. Instead, he said the families want the court to establish the facts surrounding the case and examine whether Malaysia Airlines responded appropriately after the aircraft disappeared. According to Jiang, determining responsibility and uncovering the truth are far more important than the compensation itself. People from 14 different countries were on board Flight MH370, including 50 Malaysian passengers and crew members. While legal proceedings continue in China, there are currently no similar cases pending against the airline in Malaysia. Last month, the Malaysian government announced that the search for MH370 would continue until June next year. The renewed operation is being carried out by private exploration company Ocean Infinity, which has previously led several unsuccessful search missions in the southern Indian Ocean. Although earlier efforts failed to locate the aircraft, relatives remain hopeful that new technology and expanded search areas could finally provide long awaited answers. Jiang welcomed Malaysia’s decision to extend the search and urged authorities to allow families to organize their own independent search missions alongside official efforts. For many relatives, discovering what happened to Flight MH370 remains their greatest priority, believing that only the truth can finally bring closure after more than a decade of uncertainty.