Iran’s president approves law suspending cooperation with UN nuclear watchdog

Iran's president approves law suspending cooperation with UN nuclear watchdog

Iranian PresidentMasoud Pezeshkianhas approved a law to halt cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), a move which will likely obscure any attempt by Tehran to restart itsdamaged nuclear program. Wednesday's decision comes a week after Iran's parliament passed a law to suspend cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog. Iran blames the IAEA for collaborating with Israel and providing a pathway for strikes on its nuclear facilities, an accusation which the agency denies. Pezeshkian ordered Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, the Supreme National Security Council, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to begin implementing the law, state-run news agency IRNA said. It's unclear when and how the new law will be implemented, but the decision could pave the way for Iran to rebuild its nuclear program without inspections or monitoring from the IAEA. Iran is a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which requires members to allow monitoring and inspections of facilities to confirm the peaceful nature of nuclear programs. "We are aware of these reports. The IAEA is awaiting further official information from Iran," an IAEA spokesperson told CNN. The US State Department said Iran's decision was "unacceptable" and called for Tehran to "cooperate fully without further delay." Spokesperson Tammy Bruce said this comes at a time when Iran "has a window of opportunity to reverse course and choose a path of peace and prosperity." Germany said that Pezeshkian's move sends a "disastrous signal." "For a diplomatic solution it is essential for Iran to work with the IAEA," German foreign ministry spokesman Martin Giese told reporters, as reported by Agence France-Presse (AFP) UN Secretary-General Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric called Iran's decision "concerning" at a press briefing on Wednesday. He reiterated Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' calls for Iran to cooperate with the IAEA. Israel launched an unprecedented attack on Iran last month that targeted its military commanders, nuclear facilities and the scientists who develop its atomic program. In the week that followed, the United States launched supportive strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in Natanz, Isfahan and Fordow. A 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran ended with a ceasefire last week. Iran said its facilities were badly damaged in the attacks but that it intends to continue enriching uranium to continue its "peaceful" nuclear program. On Sunday, the IAEA said US strikes on Iranfell short of causing total damageto the program and that Tehran could restart enriching uranium "in a matter of months." Days before Israel attacked the Iranian facilities, the IAEA said it could not verify that Tehran's nuclear program is entirely peaceful and issued a report saying Iran was enriching uranium to near weapons-grade levels. That document triggered an IAEA resolution censuring Iran, fueling outrage across the Iranian government who accuse the agency and its director general, Rafael Grossi, of being biased. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei has repeatedly denied Iran is building a bomb and says weapons of mass destruction are forbidden under Islam. The country began enriching uranium to higher levels after US President Donald Trump withdrew in 2018 from a nuclear agreement signed between the Obama administration and Iran. CNN's Jennifer Hansler contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account atCNN.com

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July 02, 2025

Iran’s president approves law suspending cooperation with UN nuclear watchdog

Iran's president approves law suspending cooperation with UN nuclear watchdog Iranian PresidentMasoud Pezeshkianhas approved a law to ha...

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Military veteran gets a life sentence for plotting an FBI attack after his Jan. 6 arrest

Military veteran gets a life sentence for plotting an FBI attack after his Jan. 6 arrest

WASHINGTON (AP) — A military veteran was sentenced Wednesday to life in prison for plotting to attack an FBI office and assassinate law enforcement officers in retaliation for his arrest on charges that he was part of the mob thatstormed the Capitolon Jan. 6, 2021, court records show. Edward Kelley was one of thefirst riotersto breach the Capitol. Nearly two years later, Kelley made plans with another man to attack the FBI office in Knoxville, Tennessee, using improvised explosive devices attached to vehicles and drones, according to prosecutors. Last November,a jury convicted Kelleyof conspiring to murder federal employees, solicitation to commit a crime of violence and influencing federal officials by threat. Kelley, 36, received a pardon fromPresident Donald Trumpfor his Jan. 6 convictions, but a judge agreed with prosecutors that Trump's action did not extend to Kelley's Tennessee case. That makes Kelley, who is from Maryvale, Tennessee, one of only a few Capitol riot defendants remaining in prison after the Republican president'ssweeping act of clemency. U.S. District Judge Thomas Varlan handed down Kelley's life sentence during a hearing in Knoxville, according to court records. The judge denied a request for Kelley to be released pending the outcome of an appeal. Prosecutors had recommended a life sentence for Kelley, saying he was remorseless and incapable of rehabilitation. "On the contrary, Kelley not only believes the actions for which he was convicted were justified but that his duty as a self-styled 'patriot' compelled him to target East Tennessee law enforcement for assassination,"they wrote. Kelley served in the Marine Corps for eight years. He was deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan before his 2015 discharge from the military. On Jan. 6, 2021, Kelley was captured on video helping two other rioters throw a Capitol Police officer onto the ground and using a piece of wood to damage a window,according to the FBI. He was the fourth person to enter the Capitol through a broken window, the FBI said. After a trial without a jury, a federal judge in Washingtonconvicted Kelleylast November of 11 counts stemming from the riot. Before Kelley could be sentenced, Trump pardoned him and hundreds of other convicted Capitol rioters. Kelley argued that his pardon was broad enough to cover his conduct in the Tennessee case, butthe judge disagreed. Varlan said Kelley's crimes in the Tennessee case were separated from Kelley's conduct on Jan. 6 "by years and miles." Prosecutors reached thesame conclusion. In other Jan. 6 cases, however, Trump's Justice Department has argued that the pardons apply to separate convictions. For instance, prosecutors concluded that a Kentucky man's pardon for storming the Capitolalso covered his convictionfor illegally possessing guns when FBI agents searched his home for the Jan. 6 investigation. Kelley has been jailed since December 2022. His lawyer, Mark Brown, said Kelley did not hurt anybody or directly threaten anybody with violence. Brown urged the judge to reject prosecutors' request to apply a "terrorism enhancement" in calculating his client's sentence. "Kelley does not deserve the same sentence as an actual 'terrorist' who injured or killed hundreds or thousands of America citizens,"Brown wrote. Kelley's co-defendant, Austin Carter, pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge in January 2024. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 4. Kelley created a list of 36 law-enforcement officers to target for assassination and shared it with Carter, calling it their first "mission," according to prosecutors. All the officers were involved in Kelley's May 2022 arrest on Capitol riot charges and the FBI's search of his home. "The proof at trial established that Kelley targeted law enforcement because of their anticipated role in the civil war that Kelley hoped to initiate and because of his animus towards those who participated in his May 2022 arrest and search of his home," prosecutors wrote. Kelley, Carter and a third man used an encrypted messaging platform to discuss plans, prosecutors said. Carter testified that he met with Kelley to conduct military-style training in November 2022. "Carter's testimony was unequivocal — he had no doubts that, had he and Kelley not been arrested, the law enforcement personnel included on Kelley's list would have been murdered," prosecutors wrote. Kelley's attorney said the case involved "little to no planning." "Discussions did not lead to action," Brown wrote. "And while people may not like what Mr. Kelley had to say, he stands behind his position that he has a First Amendment right to free speech."

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July 02, 2025

Military veteran gets a life sentence for plotting an FBI attack after his Jan. 6 arrest

Military veteran gets a life sentence for plotting an FBI attack after his Jan. 6 arrest WASHINGTON (AP) — A military veteran was sentenced ...

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Iranian nuclear program degraded by up to two years, Pentagon says

Iranian nuclear program degraded by up to two years, Pentagon says

By Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The Pentagon said on Wednesday that U.S. strikes 10 days ago had degraded Iran's nuclear program by up to two years, suggesting the U.S. military operation likely achieved its goals despite a far more cautious initial assessment that leaked to the public. Sean Parnell, a Pentagon spokesman, offered the figure at a briefing to reporters, adding that the official estimate was "probably closer to two years." Parnell did not provide evidence to back up his assessment. "We have degraded their program by one to two years, at least intel assessments inside the Department (of Defense) assess that," Parnell told a news briefing. U.S. military bombers carried out strikes against three Iranian nuclear facilities on June 22 using more than a dozen 30,000-pound (13,600-kg) bunker-buster bombs and more than two dozen Tomahawk land attack cruise missiles. The evolving U.S. intelligence about the impact of the strikes is being closely watched, after President Donald Trump said almost immediately after they took place that Iran's program had been obliterated, language echoed by Parnell at Wednesday's briefing. Such conclusions often take the U.S. intelligence community weeks or more to determine. "All of the intelligence that we've seen (has) led us to believe that Iran's -- those facilities especially, have been completely obliterated," Parnell said. Over the weekend, the head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog, Rafael Grossi, said that Iran could be producing enriched uranium in a few months, raising doubts about how effective U.S. strikes to destroy Tehran's nuclear program have been. Several experts have also cautioned that Iran likely moved a stockpile of near weapons-grade highly enriched uranium out of the deeply buried Fordow site before the strikes and could be hiding it. But U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said last week he was unaware of intelligence suggesting Iran had moved its highly enriched uranium to shield it from U.S. strikes. A preliminary assessment last week from the Defense Intelligence Agency suggested that the strikes may have only set back Iran's nuclear program by months. But Trump administration officials said that assessment was low confidence and had been overtaken by intelligence showing Iran's nuclear program was severely damaged. According to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, the strikes on the Fordow nuclear site caused severe damage. "No one exactly knows what has transpired in Fordow. That being said, what we know so far is that the facilities have been seriously and heavily damaged," Araqchi said in the interview broadcast by CBS News on Tuesday. (Reporting by Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)

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July 02, 2025

Iranian nuclear program degraded by up to two years, Pentagon says

Iranian nuclear program degraded by up to two years, Pentagon says By Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The Pentagon said o...

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Japan's emperor says he will honor Japanese POWs who were held in Mongolia

Japan's emperor says he will honor Japanese POWs who were held in Mongolia

TOKYO (AP) — Japan'sEmperor Naruhitosaid Wednesday that he will honor thousands of Japanese prisoners of World War II who were held under harsh conditions inMongoliawhen he visits the country next week. Naruhito, marking the 80th anniversary of the end of WWII, has been visiting some of the places where the bloodiest battles and bombings occurred, includingIwo Jima,OkinawaandHiroshima.It's part of his effort at atonement and remembrance of the tragedy of war fought in the name of his grandfather, Emperor Hirohito. "I will pay tribute to the Japanese people who unwillingly died in the distant land away from home, and think of their hardships," Naruhito said at a news conference ahead of his July 6-13 trip to Mongolia. His Harvard-educated former diplomat wife, Empress Masako, will accompany him. Just before the end of the hostilities in 1945, the Soviet Union had declared war on Japan, taking most of about 575,000 Japanese POWs to Siberia. But around 12,000 to 14,000 of them were taken to Mongolia, which was fighting alongside the Soviets against Japan. Most of the POWs were put to hard labor and construction work for the Mongolian government's headquarters, a state university and a theater that are still preserved in the capital Ulaanbaatar. The prisoners toiled under harsh conditions and scarce food. Japanese records show about 1,700 of them died in Mongolia. "As we mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the war this year, we should never forget the pain and sorrow of the people," Naruhito said. "I believe it is important to not forget those who died, deepen understanding of the wartime past and to nurture the peace-loving heart." Naruhito has repeatedly stressed the importance of telling the war's tragedy to younger generations, pledging to contribute to efforts to promote the understanding of history and the determination for peace. The emperor's trip to Mongolia will be his second since he visited in 2007 as crown prince to mark the 35th anniversary of the diplomatic ties between the countries.

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July 02, 2025

Japan's emperor says he will honor Japanese POWs who were held in Mongolia

Japan's emperor says he will honor Japanese POWs who were held in Mongolia TOKYO (AP) — Japan'sEmperor Naruhitosaid Wednesday that h...

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FBI announces move to new D.C. headquarters

FBI announces move to new D.C. headquarters

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has selected a new headquarters building in Washington, D.C., after nearly two decades of failed attempts to find a permanent new space, the Bureau announced on Tuesday. The FBI has been headquartered in downtown D.C. at the J. Edgar Hoover building since 1975 but structural problems have plagued the building for the last 20 years, leading to redevelopment and relocation projects that until Thursday had not successfully been resolved. "This is a historic moment for the FBI," FBI Director Kash Patel said in astatement, adding he is "ushering FBI Headquarters into a new era and providing our agents of justice a safer place to work." The Bureau and the U.S. General Services Administration selected the Ronald Reagan Building, blocks away from the Hoover building, as the new location. It was home to the U.S. Agency for International Development until this year, when the Trump administration consolidated USAID into the State Department andallowed Customs and Border Protectionto take over the building's lease. "Moving to the Ronald Reagan Building is the most cost effective and resource efficient way to carry out our mission to protect the American people and uphold the Constitution," Patel continued. It is unclear when the FBI will begin its transition out of the Hoover building. In a March speech at the Justice Department, President Trump said his administration is "going to build another big FBI building right where it is, which would have been the right place, because the FBI and the DOJ have to be near each other." "They were going to build an FBI headquarters three hours away in Maryland, a liberal state," Mr. Trump said, adding that the state's political leadership had "no bearing" on his decision to cancel a previous Biden administration plan to move the headquarters to Maryland. During his first term, Mr. Trump abandoned a plan to move the FBI to one of three locations in Maryland or Virginia, instead proposing a smaller headquarters in Washington to replace the Hoover building. Under the Biden administration in 2023, the GSAchose a site in Greenbelt, Maryland, to serve as the new location for the FBI headquarters. The decision came after a 15-year debate on whether the headquarters should be relocated to Maryland or Virginia. Democratic members of Congress from Maryland blasted the decision to scrap plans for a new Maryland headquarters, saying that Congress "appropriated funds specifically for the purpose of the new, consolidated campus to be built in Maryland." "Simply moving down the street would ignore the real threats the Bureau faces and further jeopardize the safety of those protecting our communities," the Maryland lawmakerssaid in a joint statement. "That's why we will be fighting back against this proposal with every tool we have." In May, Patel told Congress his goal is to move about 10% of the Bureau's Washington workforce — about 1,500 people — away from the D.C. area and redeploy them across the country, including a sizable number of personnel at the FBI's facility in Huntsville, Alabama. In an interview with Fox News the same month, Patel called the Hoover building "unsafe for our workforce." Details from inside the courtroom as Sean "Diddy" Combs jury announced verdict Split verdict in Sean "Diddy" Combs' sex trafficking and racketeering trial | Special Report House Republicans scramble to meet Trump's Fourth of July deadline on budget bill

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July 02, 2025

FBI announces move to new D.C. headquarters

FBI announces move to new D.C. headquarters The Federal Bureau of Investigation has selected a new headquarters building in Washington, D.C....

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Hong Kong proposes recognizing same-sex partnerships formed overseas

Hong Kong proposes recognizing same-sex partnerships formed overseas

HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong's government on Wednesday proposed a registration system that would recognize same-sex partnerships formed overseas, granting such couples more rights in the city. In a document submitted to the legislature, the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau said the proposed system would allow registration for same-sex adult couples who have married, formed civil partnerships or civil unions overseas, provided these relationships were legally recognized in those jurisdictions and one of them is a Hong Kong resident. After the registration, the couples would have rights including the ability to participate in medical decisions for their loved ones, provided consent is given. For mentally incapacitated adult patients, their partners can take part in the decisions as guardians. They would also enjoy the right to handle after-death matters for their partners, including claiming the bodies and deciding whether their remains can be used for medical treatment, education or research. Same-sex couples cannot get married or register for civil partnerships in Hong Kong. But authorities recognize same-sex marriages registered abroad for taxation and civil service benefits and other practical reasons, such as dependent visas. Many of the government's concessionswere won through legal challengesand the city has seen growing social acceptance toward same-sex marriage in recent years. The government proposal came in response to thetop court's landmark ruling in 2023in favor of a framework for recognizing same-sex couples' rights. The ruling did not grant full marriage rights to same-sex couples but was a partial victory for prominent pro-democracy activistJimmy Sham, who foughta five-year legal battleover the recognition of same-sex marriages registered overseas. Sham, who was sentenced to over four years for his role inan unofficial primaryunder a Beijing-imposed national security law, was released from prison in May. In an interview with The Associated Press, Sham said heterosexual couples were not required to register their marriages overseas to get the recognition locally and questioned why same-sex couples had to do so. He also suggested that the government allow same-sex couples to enjoy equal prison visiting rights as heterosexual couples. "I hope the government will listen to opinions from society and the community, and try to develop a solution that doesn't exceed society's acceptance level, while meeting the expectations of same-sex couples and avoiding legal challenges," he said. Jerome Yau, co-founder of non-governmental organization Hong Kong Marriage Equality, said the government document was "very conservative" and "far from acceptable." He said he failed to see the logic of only making those who are married or have formed partnerships overseas eligible for the measures. "We believe that will create an obvious inequality in the sense of local same-sex couples who are not married overseas won't be eligible to register the relationships. I think that's unfair, and potentially that will lead to further litigation," he said, adding that he hoped the bill would come with more details. The government is expected to table a bill in the legislature at a later date. Lawmakers will discuss the document on Thursday. Some pro-Beijing legislators have spoken out against granting same-sex couples equal rights, upholding the traditional view that marriage should only be between men and women. The government said its proposals were made after considering the city's actual situation, adding that there are different views over the recognition of same sex partnerships and it would have to strike a balance to avoid dividing society.

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July 02, 2025

Hong Kong proposes recognizing same-sex partnerships formed overseas

Hong Kong proposes recognizing same-sex partnerships formed overseas HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong's government on Wednesday proposed a reg...

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Beyoncé's BeyGood foundation donates $100K to Texas Southern University's marching band

Beyoncé's BeyGood foundation donates $100K to Texas Southern University's marching band

Beyoncé Knowles-Carteris continuing to show hersupport for historically Black colleges and universitiesdonating funds to Texas Southern University's marching band. The Texas-bred singer'sBeyGood foundationawarded a gift of $100,000 to the university's Ocean of Soul Marching Band in support of the band's musical excellence and academic achievement. Texas Southern University President J.W. Crawford III made note of the donation, which will support scholarships, recruitment and retention for band members as well as enhancements to technology and infrastructure. "We are deeply appreciative of the BeyGood Foundation for this significant demonstration of its commitment to empowering our student musicians and elevating their form of artistic expression," Crawford said. This isn't the first timeBeyoncéhas amplified the school and its band members. During her2024 Christmas Day NFL halftime performanceduring the Texas-Ravens game in her hometown of Houston, over 200 band members joined Beyoncé as she put on a jaw-dropping performance. The show, dubbed "Beyoncé Bowl," brought in 27 million U.S. viewers, according to Netflix. "The BeyGOOD Foundation's impactful investment affirms the powerful role that HBCUs play in shaping the next generation of artistic, academic, and cultural leaders," said Charlie Coleman III, the senior associate vice president of development and alumni engagement at the school. "This partnership does more than support the Ocean of Soul — it opens doors for our students to access the arts in life-changing ways, inspired by one of the most beloved artists of our time." Beyoncé is in the middle of herCowboy Carter and the Rodeo Chitlin' Circuit Tour, which spans nine cities across the U.S. and Europe. The grand finaleis set to take place in Las Vegason July 26. Follow Caché McClay, the USA TODAY Network's Beyoncé Knowles-Carter reporter, onInstagram,TikTokandXas @cachemcclay. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean:Beyoncé's BeyGood foundation donates $100K to HBCU marching band

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July 02, 2025

Beyoncé's BeyGood foundation donates $100K to Texas Southern University's marching band

Beyoncé's BeyGood foundation donates $100K to Texas Southern University's marching band Beyoncé Knowles-Carteris continuing to show...

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