NPR News: 07-22-2026 6PM EDT

Jeanine Herbst· Host0:00

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jeanine Herbst. The White House has signed a nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia. NPR's Quil Lawrence reports for decades the US has been concerned about nuclear weapons proliferation in the Middle East.

Quil Lawrence0:15

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has long sought US reactor technology with the stated goal of developing a peaceful nuclear power program. The American nuclear industry is interested in doing business with the oil-rich country, but previous US presidents had worried it could lead to a weapons program and a nuclear arms race in the Middle East with the Saudis' archrival, Iran. In the past, nuclear cooperation was held out as an incentive if Saudi Arabia recognized the state of Israel or if the kingdom addressed human rights concerns. According to a memo seen by NPR, this deal requires none of those concessions and may not include the strictest international inspections to make sure the Saudis don't begin a weapons program. Quil Lawrence, NPR News.

Jeanine Herbst· Host0:57

An independent autopsy has failed to identify the cause of death for Nolan Wells, an eighteen-year-old in Mississippi whose body was found shortly after he disappeared following a July Fourth boat trip with friends. Tierra Jackson with Mississippi Public Broadcasting has more.

Tierra Jackson1:14

Attorney Ben Crump, who has been representing Wells' family, presented the results of the independent autopsy conducted by Washington, DC, forensic pathologist Dr. Roger Mitchell. Crump says Mitchell's findings were limited because they received the body after the