Global

President Donald Trump met with both President Volodymyr Zelenski of Ukraine and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel on Tuesday in private sessions lacking the usual fanfare, photo ops and press releases. The men were in town to participate in the funeral services for recently departed Senator Lindsey Graham, who was a great friend of and might be described as a co-belligerent with both nations!

As of now, little is known regarding exactly what went on during the closed-door meetings, though there will presumably be leaks or actual revelations of what went on in the next few days. The sessions included key administration players like Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth as well as Chief Negotiator Steve Witkoff and several congressmen, but both Trump and Netanyahu were reportedly pleased by the result.

Republicans in the House Ways and Means Committee have begun a witch hunt against BreakThrough News — and it's up to all of us to fight back.

We now face a Congressional subpoena demanding financial records, internal communications, and other documents. This subpoena is not a criminal charge or part of any criminal investigation. That's because our only "crime" is journalism.

For years, BT has been a leading voice in independent media, daring to tell the stories that corporate media ignored. When the Palestine solidarity movement emerged as a force in US politics, we were there. When ICE flooded the streets of Minneapolis, we were there. Whether it's in Cuba or the Congo, we have stood by our commitment to tell the truth and hold the powerful accountable for their crimes.

Now, the powerful are trying to silence us — and it won't stop there. This attack isn't just about our outlet. This is an attack on freedom of speech and freedom of the press. Fundamentally, it's an attack on all of us. That's why we all need to speak up with one voice.

Renewables account for 96 percent of new U.S. grid capacity in Q1

Despite considerable headwinds from Federal policy that significantly favor fossil fuels, during the first quarter of 2026, solar and energy storage combined to account for 91 percent of all new electricity generation capacity added to the U.S. grid. This represents the highest collective quarterly share ever recorded by the two technologies.

Wind generation represented 5 percent of grid generation additions, with natural gas contributing the final 4 percent. No new coal or nuclear generation capacity has been added to the grid this year. Collectively, wind and solar represented 96 percent of all new generating - the highest percentage for renewables ever recorded.

In May 2026, monthly electricity generation from solar resources exceeded generation from coal for the first time in U.S. history. No new coal generation has been added to the US grid since 2013.

While solar accounted for a negligible fraction of the national energy mix a decade ago, it now supplies approximately 13 percent of all power consumed from the grid.

Washington has opened talks with Saudi Arabia to consider nuclear capability for the desert kingdom.

The Americans and Saudis insist they are only discussing peaceful nuclear weapons. Don’t believe it. The Saudis argue they must have nuclear capability to generate energy when their oil begins to wear out. Every oil-producing nation can rightly make the same argument. When the oil runs out, no more gold beds, French furniture, show girls and disposable Rolls-Royces.

The only really admirable Saudi king in recent memory, Faisal bin Saud, reportedly said, ‘we are riding in expensive cars, but I fear one day soon we will end up riding camels again when our oil runs out’. This noble far-seeing ruler was assassinated in 1976 by a nephew who was said to be demented. Some Saudis suspected Faisal was killed by a western power.

Saudi has only 38 million tribal people scattered over a vast, arid nation. Libya’s late chief, Muammar Gaddafi told me ‘The Saudis are very rich people who live behind high walls. They are terrified of their neighbors.’ Gaddafi was himself murdered by the French and Americans.

When House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries sent out a recent “dear colleague” letter, its second sentence cited “the position articulated by… pro-peace organizations like J Street.” The congressman and J Street were opposing an amendment to block $3.3 billion in military shipments and other aid to Israel.

Jeffries contended that the measure was “overly broad.” On the same day, using the same phrase “overly broad,” J Street issued a statement declaring that “we support Leader Jeffries’ decision to oppose the amendment.”

Both Jeffries and J Street respectfully noted that many members of Congress had understandable reasons to back the measure. The next day, July 15, a record 103 Democrats voted in favor of blocking weaponry to Israel.

My introduction to Congressman Charles Diggs was through the 1987 PBS documentary Eyes on the Prize: America’s Civil Rights Years. He was interviewed about the kidnapping and murder of Emmett Till, a 14-year-old boy, in Money, Mississippi, for whistling at and grabbing Carolyn Bryant, a white woman in a small country store where Till–a native northerner not privy to the ways of the Jim Crow South–and his cousins had gone to buy candy.