SUMMARY: President Donald Trump announced he will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on August 15 in Alaska to discuss ending the war in Ukraine, marking the first U.S.-Russia summit since 2021. Trump suggested a peace deal may include territory swaps but gave few details. Despite Trump’s efforts and an ultimatum for Russia to negotiate, fighting continues intensely, with Ukrainian forces determined to resist. The Kremlin has yet to confirm the meeting. Putin recently spoke with major allies, possibly signaling progress on peace talks. Analysts remain skeptical, noting Putin aims to outlast Western pressure and is not fully committed to ending the conflict.

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SUMMARY: New York City officials have identified the remains of three 9/11 victims—Ryan D. Fitzgerald, Barbara A. Keating, and an unnamed woman—using advanced DNA technology on tiny fragments found over 20 years ago. This marks progress in the nearly 25-year effort to return victims to their families. Keating, a retired nonprofit executive and American Airlines Flight 11 passenger, was identified through a DNA match with her hairbrush. Fitzgerald was a Manhattan-based currency trader. The city medical examiner’s office continues testing remains, honoring the nearly 3,000 people killed on September 11, 2001. Mayor Eric Adams praised the commitment to providing answers for families.

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SUMMARY: The EPA, under Trump-appointed Administrator Lee Zeldin, ended a $7 billion grant program from the Biden-era Solar for All initiative, aimed at funding residential solar projects for over 900,000 low-income U.S. households. The program, part of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund authorized by the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, had awarded funds to states and tribes for renewable energy projects, with only $53 million spent so far. Critics, including Sen. Bernie Sanders and solar industry leaders, argue the termination is illegal and counterproductive amid rising energy costs and climate threats. Legal challenges are ongoing, with courts blocking contract freezes, as opposition accuses the administration of favoring fossil fuels.

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