作者： root

5 things to know for June 15: Diplomatic breakthrough, UFC Freedom 250, Missouri plane crash, social media ban, Ukraine

Jun 15, 2026, 6:34 AM ET / CNN

By Alexandra Banner

New Yorkers took to the streets over the weekend to celebrate the Knicks’ first NBA championship in more than 50 years. Preparations are now underway for a victory parade on Thursday, along with a ceremony honoring the team with keys to the city.

Here’s what else you need to know to get up to speed and on with your day.

Oil tankers sit at anchor in the Strait of Hormuz off Bandar Abbas, Iran, in May.

Amirhosein Khorgooi/AP

1️⃣ Diplomatic breakthrough

The US and Iran say they have reached an agreement to end the war that will take effect on Friday, though both sides have signaled the deal hinges on certain conditions. President Donald Trump said the US is lifting its naval blockade on Iranian ports and that the Strait of Hormuz will reopen after the agreement is signed. Follow the latest updates.

MORE:Oil prices hit three-month lows on US-Iran agreement

2️⃣ UFC Freedom 250

President Trump hosted a UFC fight night at the White House on Sunday as part of America’s 250th anniversary celebration. The event, which fell on Trump’s 80th birthday, drew enthusiastic crowds and a high-profile guest list, while also prompting protests from critics. Despite the added scrutiny outside the cage, fight fans were treated to a night of wild knockouts inside it, culminating in two stunning upsets in the co-main bouts. Read more.

WATCH:Trump takes in UFC action from cage-side seat

3️⃣ Missouri plane crash

A pilot and 11 passengers were killed Sunday after their airplane crashed moments after takeoff at a Missouri airport in one of the deadliest US skydiving plane crashes in decades. Nine of the victims were experienced skydivers, while two were going to participate in tandem jumps, officials said. Read more.

https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/15/us/5-things-to-know-for-june-15-diplomatic-breakthrough-ufc-freedom-250-missouri-plane-crash-social-media-ban-ukraine

Video shows aftermath of deadly plane crash
2:19 • Source: CNN

Video shows aftermath of deadly plane crash
2:19

4️⃣ Social media ban

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said today that he plans to ban children and teens under the age of 16 in the UK from using social media platforms, marking one of the world’s most far-reaching crackdowns on youth internet use to date. As well as a ban on sites such as TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram, Starmer said he would take action against gaming and livestreaming services that allow children to talk to strangers. Read more.

5️⃣ Ukraine

Russia unleashed another deadly barrage on Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, hours ago, setting fire to a 1,000-year-old monastery complex. Images captured overnight showed flames billowing from Kyiv’s Pechersk Lavra, an 11th-century spiritual and cultural center that holds deep significance for many Ukrainians. Read more.

The Dormition Cathedral of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra monastery burns after it was hit during Russian missile and drone strikes on Kyiv.

Ukrainian Culture Ministry/Handout/Reuters

GET 5 THINGS IN YOUR INBOX

• If you want to get up to speed on the latest headlines, then let us introduce you to your new favorite fix. Sign up for the 5 Things newsletter.

Breakfast browse

China didn’t qualify for the World Cup

But a referee has emerged as a star among its fans.

When it may make sense to claim Social Security at 62

Most financial experts recommend holding off on claiming your Social Security retirement benefits until your full retirement age (which is now 67) or even as late as age 70. But for some retirees, waiting simply isn’t realistic.

SpaceX is coming to your 401(k) — maybe

SpaceX went public in a record-breaking IPO last week. But even if you’re not buying yet, you could still see the company’s stock in your 401(k) soon via a number of avenues.

Luigi Mangione due to appear in court this week

Experts say a mental health defense may be Luigi Mangione’s best argument in his state murder trial, given the strength of the evidence against him.

Sen. Mitch McConnell hospitalized

Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell was admitted to a hospital on Sunday, but few details about his condition were immediately available.

And finally…

https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/15/us/5-things-to-know-for-june-15-diplomatic-breakthrough-ufc-freedom-250-missouri-plane-crash-social-media-ban-ukraine

Paris holds first sumo wrestling tournament in 30 years
More than 60 of the world’s top sumo wrestlers will compete in a weekend-long tournament in Paris, which hasn’t hosted such a tournament for the traditional Japanese sport in over 30 years.

1:02 • Source: CNN

Paris holds first sumo wrestling tournament in …
1:02

▶️ Paris holds first sumo wrestling tournament in 30 years

A rare sumo wrestling tournament in Paris drew crowds — and plenty of curiosity. See the video.

Today’s edition of 5 Things AM was edited and produced by CNN’s Andrew Torgan.

伊媒：美伊谈判最后关头加入霍尔木兹海峡收费条款

2026年6月15日 17:58 / 联合早报

伊朗方面说，一旦美伊谅解备忘录签署，霍尔木兹海峡就会向所有商船重新开放。图为6月15日霍尔木兹海峡水域的船只。 （路透社）

伊朗媒体说，美国与伊朗在宣布达成框架协议前的最后关头，加入关于征收霍尔木兹海峡海事服务费的条款。

法尔斯通讯社星期一（6月15日）引述不具名消息人士的话报道，在美伊谈判的最后时刻，谅解备忘录的文本出现修改，“以便明确且直白地强调伊朗和阿曼对霍尔木兹海峡的主权问题”。

报道称，使用“海事服务”（maritime services）这个术语，意味着“美国已接受向伊朗支付相关费用”。

美国总统特朗普星期天（14日）宣布与伊朗达成共识，霍尔木兹海峡将于6月19日重新开放，他已下令解除对伊朗港口的封锁。

一名伊朗高级官员说，一旦谅解备忘录签署，霍尔木兹海峡会向所有商船重新开放。

伊媒：美伊谈判最后关头加入霍尔木兹海峡收费条款

2026年6月15日 17:58 / 联合早报

伊朗方面说，一旦美伊谅解备忘录签署，霍尔木兹海峡就会向所有商船重新开放。图为6月15日霍尔木兹海峡水域的船只。 （路透社）

伊朗媒体说，美国与伊朗在宣布达成框架协议前的最后关头，加入关于征收霍尔木兹海峡海事服务费的条款。

法尔斯通讯社星期一（6月15日）引述不具名消息人士的话报道，在美伊谈判的最后时刻，谅解备忘录的文本出现修改，“以便明确且直白地强调伊朗和阿曼对霍尔木兹海峡的主权问题”。

报道称，使用“海事服务”（maritime services）这个术语，意味着“美国已接受向伊朗支付相关费用”。

美国总统特朗普星期天（14日）宣布与伊朗达成共识，霍尔木兹海峡将于6月19日重新开放，他已下令解除对伊朗港口的封锁。

一名伊朗高级官员说，一旦谅解备忘录签署，霍尔木兹海峡会向所有商船重新开放。

Deadly Russian strikes leave landmark Ukraine cathedral in flames

2026-06-15T07:13:00-0400 / CBS News

Kyiv, Ukraine — Russia fired a barrage of missiles at several major Ukrainian cities on Monday, killing at least 11 people and sparking a blaze at one of the most important Orthodox monasteries.

AFP journalists across Kyiv witnessed residents running through the streets seeking shelter throughout the night as projectiles were intercepted in the sky and glowing debris fell across the darkened city.

In response to the assault, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for more pressure on Moscow from G7 leaders who were gathering at a summit in France set to be dominated by the U.S.-Iranian deal to end the Middle East war.

The violence killed five people and wounded 34 in the capital as fire broke out on the grounds of the UNESCO world heritage site Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, setting the roof of its Dormition Cathedral on fire.

Firefighters work to extinguish a fire at the Dormition Cathedral of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, which was hit during Russian missile and drone strikes amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine on June 15, 2026. Valentyn Ogirenko/REUTERS

“This is one of Russia’s most serious crimes against Christian culture to date,” Zelenskyy said on social media.

Founded in the 11th century, the site holds huge significance for Orthodox believers in both Ukraine and Russia.

Russia’s military said it had carried out a “massive strike” on military sites in Kyiv as well as the Kharkiv and Dnipro regions, but denied targeting the Lavra, saying without evidence that it was hit by an outdated U.S. Patriot air defense missile.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said the attack was the “equivalent … of a bombing of Notre Dame,” the famed Paris cathedral. The Associated Press pointed out. French President Emmanuel Macron said the attack only strengthened the determination of Ukraine’s allies to pursue a ceasefire and work toward peace, the AP reported.

Moscow fired 70 missiles and 611 drones, mainly targeting the capital, Ukraine’s air force said, adding it had downed 50 of the missiles and 582 drones.

In the morning Kyiv sun, an AFP reporter saw rescuers carefully cleaning up rubble at the monastery as the church bells rang out the tune of the Ukrainian anthem.

Zelenskyy called for G7 leaders to give a “decisive and substantive” response to the attacks.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko visit the Dormition Cathedral of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, which was hit during Russian missile and drone strikes on June 15, 2026. Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via Reuters

He urged “more pressure on the aggressor and more support for Ukraine’s air defense, especially anti-ballistic capabilities.”

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the G7 leaders will “discuss the next steps to increase pressure on Russia, bring (Russian President Vladimir) Putin to the negotiating table, and end this senseless killing.”

“You cannot strike shrines”

In Kyiv, museum worker Natalia Korol said she was “outraged” by the strike on the monastery.

“It is a shrine. They also say that it is their shrine. You cannot strike shrines,” the 52-year-old told AFP.

The Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, a monastery with emblematic golden domes, is venerated by both the Russian and Ukrainian wings of the Orthodox Church as one of their most important spiritual centers.

Its sprawling cave system holds the relics of dozens of saints revered by both churches.

The Dormition Cathedral, set ablaze in the overnight attacks, was almost completely destroyed during World War II and rebuilt only in the 1990s.

The Russian Orthodox Church administered the site via its Ukrainian branch for centuries.

In 2022-2023, the monks serving in the Ukrainian branch of the Moscow church were evicted from the monastery, accused of having ties to Russia.

A building in the capital’s Mystetsky Arsenal National Art and Museum Complex also caught fire, according to Ukraine’s emergency service.

A Ukrainian drone strike killed three people and wounded three others in the Russian city of Tula, around 120 miles south of Moscow, the regional governor Dmitry Milyaev said on Monday.

The strikes came hours after the U.S. and Iran announced a peace deal and after Zelenskyy and Putin called President Trump on Sunday to discuss the conflict in Ukraine.

Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine has turned into Europe’s worst conflict since World War II, with thousands of civilians and hundreds of thousands of troops killed.

Amid near-daily pummelling of its cities by Russian drones and missiles, Ukraine has in recent weeks stepped up its own aerial attacks that it says mostly target Russia’s oil infrastructure to sap Moscow’s profits that fund the war.

Ebola risk for World Cup is ‘extremely low’, but US is ready, experts say

2026-06-15T10:06:35.238Z / Reuters

CHICAGO, June 15 (Reuters) – The risk that a traveler infected with Ebola could arrive in the United States during the 2026 World Cup tournament that kicked off last week is low but not zero, and if that happens, U.S. hospitals are ready to respond, U.S. infectious disease experts say.

It wasn’t always so.

Keep up with the latest medical breakthroughs and healthcare trends with the Reuters Health Rounds newsletter. Sign up here.

During the 2014 West African Ebola outbreak, ​a Liberian man, Thomas Eric Duncan, arrived in a Dallas hospital with Ebola symptoms and was turned away before being admitted.

Two nurses were infected but survived.

That led to $260 million in U.S. funding for ​Ebola preparedness training and response capabilities and 13 specialized treatment centers – all intended to help hospitals identify, isolate and safely care for suspected Ebola patients.

“We’re not going to be able to prevent 100% of infections, but we certainly are the most prepared that we have ever been,” said Dr. Gavin Harris, an expert in serious communicable diseases at Emory University in Atlanta, one of 11 U.S. World Cup host cities.

Public health officials and hospitals in the U.S. host cities have been preparing for a range of infectious disease threats as 6.5 million fans travel across North ​America during the 39-day event featuring 104 matches in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Pan American Health Organization and the World Health Organization have all described the risk ​of Ebola to World Cup host countries as low, citing measles, COVID-19 and influenza – which spread when large crowds gather – as the most likely threats.

But the Ebola outbreak in the ​Democratic Republic of Congo that has infected more than 675 people and killed more than 135 remains a concern.

“The risk of Ebola to anyone at the World Cup is extremely low. Ebola isn’t airborne and doesn’t spread through casual contact — ​it requires direct contact with the body fluids of someone who is ill,” said Dr. Tom Frieden, chief executive of Resolve to Save Lives and former director of the CDC.

“But low isn’t zero, and it won’t be zero until the outbreak ​is stopped at its source in DRC.”

LEARNING FROM THE PAST

U.S. Ebola preparedness efforts that began in 2015 were born out of a collaboration between Emory University, the University of Nebraska Medical Center and NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue in New York City – facilities that cared for Ebola patients during the West African Ebola outbreak, the largest to date.

“There was a recognition that we had a duty to train other facilities to recognize potential patients who might be exposed or sick with something like Ebola,” Emory’s Harris said.

Thousands of healthcare workers have since been trained to ​recognize and treat patients with Ebola and other serious pathogens.

For the World Cup, preparedness experts have conducted nationwide training exercises simulating a potential MERS outbreak at the games.

They have also compiled guidance for physicians, raising awareness of illnesses not typical of ​their home cities, including mosquito-borne conditions such as malaria, dengue and chikungunya.

The United States, Mexico and Canada have instituted airport screening and travel bans restricting entry of non-citizens with recent travel to countries affected by the outbreak, and the U.S. has urged Europe to impose similar ​restrictions. Harris said ⁠those bans are likely to decrease the chances of Ebola at World Cup venues.

In order to comply with U.S. restrictions, the DRC national soccer team left the country in May and trained in Belgium ahead of travel to the United States.

In each host city, FIFA, local public health officials and hospital systems have formed medical committees that have been conducting Ebola and other infectious disease threat assessments based on the teams that will play in their cities, diseases prevalent within their home countries, visa restrictions and stadium logistics, Harris said.

Some areas have discussed supplying disease-specific treatments or protective gear to the venues and are using surveillance tools, including wastewater monitoring, air quality data and electronic medical records, to detect unusual illness clusters.

FIFA said medical-related risks ​are assessed as part of overall tournament planning and managed ​in close coordination with the host cities, which provide ⁠medical leaders that oversee and coordinate services.

It said it is monitoring the Ebola outbreak and is in contact with sporting and health authorities in the DRC and the three host countries.

FILLING IN THE GAPS

Dr. Michael Osterholm, an infectious disease expert at the University of Minnesota, said planning for mass gatherings in the U.S. is not new.

“State and local health departments working ​in conjunction with CDC have for many years been at the forefront of individuals coming into this country,” he said.

To help with disease monitoring and coordination, Georgetown University ​has set up an independent Health Security ⁠Operations Center in collaboration with more than 30 public and private sector entities.

More than 700 state and local health authorities have signed up for the group’s daily reports, as have some 60 federal partners, FIFA and the CDC.

Still, staff cuts at the CDC, the U.S. departure from WHO, and strain on state and local health departments that have been battling the biggest U.S. measles outbreak in decades have taken a toll, Frieden and two other experts said.

“My biggest concern is whether a CDC that’s lost thousands of staff ⁠has the capacity, ​support, and mandate to move fast enough — both here and in DRC,” Frieden said.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the ​CDC, did not respond to a request for comment.

Jeanne Marrazzo, chief executive of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, said health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s cuts to public health have led to an exodus from government agencies.

“Nonetheless, we know the people who are still there are working around the ​clock in many cases to try to keep us safe,” she said in a briefing.

Reporting by Julie Steenhuysen; Additional reporting by Siddhi Mahatole and Rohith Nair in Bengaluru and Julien Pretot in New York; Editing by Caroline Humer and Rosalba O’Brien

Trump heads to G7 with Iran deal momentum, trade fights waiting

June 15, 2026 6:00am EDT / Fox News

Secretary of State Marco Rubio joins U.S. delegation as trade, China, and NATO dominate discussions

By Ashley J. DiMella Fox News

President Donald Trump traveled to France for the G7 summit after announcing a deal with Iran, setting up high-stakes meetings Monday with world leaders over the Middle East, trade, Ukraine and artificial intelligence.

Trump jetted off to Évian-les-Bains following the UFC Freedom Fight that took place on the South Lawn at the White House Sunday.

President Trump will be joined by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and a U.S. delegation as leaders from France, the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan and the European Union gather from Monday through Wednesday as part of the annual meeting. Discussions are expected to focus on trade, artificial intelligence, supply chain resilience, critical minerals, and illegal immigration.

“President Trump has effectively restored America’s standing on the world stage and strengthened relationships abroad and the president looks forward to a productive G7 summit on shared issues of importance next week,” said a senior administration officials during a call with reporters Saturday.

RUBIO MEETS G7 MINISTERS IN FRANCE AS US LEADS ON IRAN — ALLIES UNDER FIRE FOR TEPID RESPONSE

World leaders pose for a photo during the Group of Seven Summit at the Kananaskis Country Golf Course in Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada, on June 16, 2025.(Ludovic Marin/AFP)

Trump’s trip to Europe follows his announcement on Sunday that the U.S. and Iran had finalized a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to end the war following months of negotiations.

“The Deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran is now complete. Congratulations to all! I hereby fully authorize the toll free opening of the Strait of Hormuz, and, simultaneously herewith, authorize the immediate removal of the United States Naval blockade. Ships of the World, start your engines. Let the oil flow,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

European leaders backed the announcement, including the leaders of France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom saying in a joint statement on Sunday: “We are prepared to lift relevant sanctions in response to clear, verifiable steps by Iran on its nuclear program.”

Last year’s G7 was held in Alberta, Canada, with President Trump leaving the talks sooner than expected as the Israel-Iran conflict intensified. The summit did not produce any major trade breakthroughs.

Trump, this year, is expected to join bilateral meetings with French President Emmanuel Macron, Emir of the State of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi,United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Egyptian president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, a senior administration officials told reporters.

Although Ukraine is expected to feature prominently in discussions, Trump has no formal meeting scheduled with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, but will join him in working sessions.

Trump will attend broader multilateral sessions on economic growth and working lunches with global tech CEOs and Middle East leaders.

Heading into the G7 meetings, Trump’s objective is to gauge whether other leaders are willing to participate in efforts to clear mines and help restore normal shipping through the Strait, a senior administration official said.

Trump will face allies as tensions loom over his “America First” tariff policies which are aimed at leveling the global trade playing field by holding other countries accountable for trade deficits.

Trump aims to secure a “very good” U.S.-India trade deal that expands American exports and reduces barriers for U.S. businesses operating in India, a senior administration official said.

The summit comes weeks before the July 1 deadline for the first joint review of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which replaced NAFTA and entered into force in 2020.

US ALLIES EDGE CLOSER TO BEIJING AS CRITICS WARN CHINA IS GAINING LEVERAGE OVER WASHINGTON

President Donald Trump signs an executive order during an event in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., on June 3, 2026.(Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

After attending a U.S.-China summit in Beijing last month, Trump praised what he called “fantastic trade deals,” including agreements for China to buy Boeing planes and soybeans.

TRUMP TOUTS ‘FANTASTIC TRADE DEALS’ IN FINAL XI MEETING AMID TARIFF STANDOFF

Dependency on China will be a focus of the group of seven with discussions expected on Chinese supply chains, excess production capacity and clean technologies.

Trump is set to have bilateral meetings with French President Emmanuel Macron, Emir of the State of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi, United Arab Emirates president Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Egyptian president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.(Ludovic Marin/AFP)

Leaders are closely watching China as the global race to develop and dominate artificial intelligence intensifies, with concerns over technological leadership, economic competitiveness and national security shaping the agenda.

At the time, U.S. officials said China continues to weigh whether to buy advanced U.S. chips or accelerate domestic alternatives, while Trump said the two sides discussed the possibility of AI guardrails.

AI executives from large tech companies such as OpenAI, Meta and Anthropic are expected to attend the G7 to discuss regulation and AI infrastructure, Reuters reported.

Ashley J. DiMella reports on politics for Fox News Digital.

blob:https://www.foxnews.com/da9929f5-841e-435b-b405-e483f0101a95

报告：美国太阳能发电量首次超越燃煤发电

2026年6月15日 18:03 / 联合早报

报告指出，美国太阳能发电量今年5月首次超越燃煤发电，占全国发电量12.8%，创历史新高。 （示意图 / Pixabay）

报告指出，美国太阳能发电量今年5月首次超越燃煤发电，占全国发电量12.8%，创历史新高。 （示意图 / Pixabay）

尽管特朗普政府近年调整对再生能源的支持政策，但最新行业报告显示，美国太阳能发电量在5月创下历史新高，且首次超过燃煤发电。

美国广播公司（ABC）报道，清洁能源转型智库Ember于6月12日发布的报告显示，太阳能5月供应全美12.8%的电力，首次高于燃煤发电的12.2%。当月太阳能发电量达45.5太瓦时（TWh），较去年同期增加17%。

Ember高级数据分析师富尔格姆（Nicolas Fulghum）说，太阳能已从过去的小众电力来源，成长为美国电力系统中第三大、增长最快的电力来源之一。

美国太阳能产业协会（SEIA）与伍德麦肯兹（Wood Mackenzie）联合发布的报告也显示，今年第一季度美国新增太阳能装机容量7.8吉瓦（GW），全国太阳能装置总数突破600万套。目前太阳能发电已足以供应约5000万个家庭用电，预计到2034年可增至1亿个家庭。

报告指出，人工智能（AI）及数据中心迅速扩张，正推动美国电力需求持续增长，促使科技企业积极寻求稳定电力来源。

此外，尽管特朗普政府收紧对再生能源的支持政策，美国太阳能产业仍保持快速增长，而且新增装机容量主要来自特朗普在2024年胜选的州。

与太阳能持续扩张形成对比的是，特朗普政府正积极扶持煤炭产业。美国能源部宣布，将依据《国防生产法》提供逾7亿美元联邦资金，用于升级现有燃煤电厂、建设新燃煤设施及扩建煤炭出口基础设施。

不过，美国环保局数据显示，美国过去10年未有新的公用事业规模燃煤电厂投入建设。科学界普遍认为，煤炭燃烧排放的二氧化碳及其他污染物，是导致全球暖化和气候变化的重要因素之一。

报告：美国太阳能发电量首次超越燃煤发电

2026年6月15日 18:03 / 联合早报

报告指出，美国太阳能发电量今年5月首次超越燃煤发电，占全国发电量12.8%，创历史新高。 （示意图 / Pixabay）

[image_1]
尽管特朗普政府近年调整对再生能源的支持政策，但最新行业报告显示，美国太阳能发电量在5月创下历史新高，且首次超过燃煤发电。

美国广播公司（ABC）报道，清洁能源转型智库Ember于6月12日发布的报告显示，太阳能5月供应全美12.8%的电力，首次高于燃煤发电的12.2%。当月太阳能发电量达45.5太瓦时（TWh），较去年同期增加17%。

Ember高级数据分析师富尔ghum说，太阳能已从过去的小众电力来源，成长为美国电力系统中第三大、增长最快的电力来源之一。

美国太阳能产业协会（SEIA）与伍德麦肯兹（Wood Mackenzie）联合发布的报告也显示，今年第一季度美国新增太阳能装机容量7.8吉瓦（GW），全国太阳能装置总数突破600万套。目前太阳能发电已足以供应约5000万个家庭用电，预计到2034年可增至1亿个家庭。

报告指出，人工智能（AI）及数据中心迅速扩张，正推动美国电力需求持续增长，促使科技企业积极寻求稳定电力来源。

此外，尽管特朗普政府收紧对再生能源的支持政策，美国太阳能产业仍保持快速增长，而且新增装机容量主要来自特朗普在2024年胜选的州。

与太阳能持续扩张形成对比的是，特朗普政府正积极扶持煤炭产业。美国能源部宣布，将依据《国防生产法》提供逾7亿美元联邦资金，用于升级现有燃煤电厂、建设新燃煤设施及扩建煤炭出口基础设施。

不过，美国环保局数据显示，美国过去10年未有新的公用事业规模燃煤电厂投入建设。科学界普遍认为，煤炭燃烧排放的二氧化碳及其他污染物，是导致全球暖化和气候变化的重要因素之一。

‘An awkward family gathering’: Trump and G7 leaders convene in France amid geopolitical divergences

2026-06-15T10:30:07.865Z / https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/15/politics/g7-trump-france-gathering

Geneva, Switzerland—

For weeks, President Donald Trump and his advisers have looked ahead warily to this week’s Group of Seven summit in France.

Overseeing a Middle East war stuck in a dangerous limbo between ceasefire and full-blown conflict, Trump risked arriving to the lakeside resort of Évian-les-Bains without a deal and under scrutiny from some of the world’s most powerful people.

Instead, Trump will touch down Monday eager to trumpet the accord he announced over the weekend that appears to end hostilities with Iran for now and, in the president’s telling, reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump had wanted to enter the summit of leading industrialized nations in a position of strength and with an agreement in hand, sources say. And after months of conflict and negotiations that drew immense skepticism from his fellow G7 leaders, he’ll now get that — albeit with significant, lingering questions about the specifics of the agreement and the extent to which each side will abide by it.

The Iran war had already been expected to dominate discussions this week among the leaders, each of whom was forced to confront higher energy prices as a result of the strait’s prolonged closure. Over the last several months, Trump lashed out at nearly all of them for their reluctance to help patrol the key waterway, making for an awkward backdrop to this week’s gathering.

Ahead of the summit, officials from four of the G7 countries said that how to move ahead in the Middle East — even with an agreement in place — would undoubtedly provide fodder for intense discussions behind the closed doors of the Belle Époque Hôtel Royal in Évian.

Trump plans to press the leaders to help in the strait now that an agreement is in place, according to officials. France and Britain have both said they would form a coalition to help open the waterway once the conflict ended, including the removal of mines laid by Iran over the course of the war.

On Tuesday, the leaders of three Arab states — Egypt, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates — will also join for talks, invited by French President Emmanuel Macron to help home in on the thorny questions affecting their region. Trump will meet them individually as well.

Macron also asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to attend in an effort to cajole the G7 to agree on support for Kyiv and the need for negotiations to end Russia’s war, now in its fifth year. Trump spent much of his first year back in office trying unsuccessfully to broker an agreement between Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin. But he rarely discusses that conflict anymore as Iran consumes his attention, and European officials are eager to ascertain whether Trump is willing to apply new pressure on Putin.

Trump’s aides said discussions over coordination in the Strait of Hormuz, economic growth, supply chain resilience, legal immigration and artificial intelligence would all drive his conversations at this week’s summit. Officials from other G7 governments described similar agendas, but added China, the Ebola crisis in Africa and digital safety as potential points of conversation.

One US official said Trump planned to “reframe” discussions around development at the summit to focus on investment partnerships that would benefit both recipient nations and those providing the funds.

Trump’s long-standing skepticism of G7 summits

American officials have been frank, however, that the president is not approaching the summit with any particular goal in mind, and the administration is not expecting any large announcements or deliverables to emerge.

“It’s all really just a big photo op,” a senior White House official said. “It’s not like big things get done there. It’s more about the meetings that come after.”

The official said the summit could set the scene for more substantial conversations and dealmaking down the line. And some European officials also said they viewed the gathering as a precursor for another major summit — of NATO leaders in Turkey in early July — that many of them expect could prove contentious.

Trump has never been a particular fan of attending G7 summits. In his first term, he consistently questioned advisers whether his presence was necessary, and wondered what could be accomplished without the presence of countries like Russia and China.

Every summit he’s attended has, in some way, gone awry.

He abruptly cut short his time at two summits in Canada — one during his first term in the northern woods of Quebec and one last year in Alberta. Attending his first G7 in 2017 on the rocky coast of Sicily, he seemed to feel fellow leaders were ganging up on him by trying to convince him to remain in the Paris climate accord (some aides believed the pressure pushed him to withdraw from the agreement more quickly than he might have otherwise).

The last time Macron hosted the summit, in 2019, a dinner beneath the Biarritz lighthouse grew heated when Trump demanded Russia be readmitted into the alliance after being ejected following Moscow’s annexation of Crimea in 2014. Over their plates of Basque tuna, Trump’s fellow leaders offered little support for the idea.

Five years and a full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine later, Trump opened last year’s G7 by issuing the same demand.

Max Bergmann, the program director for Europe at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, likened the summit to an “awkward family gathering … where you have to go to your in-laws and there’s an uncle that you don’t quite like.”

“No one wants to have a confrontation, even if things get quite passive aggressive at times,” Bergmann said. “But there’s always the possibility that things might snap, and it might get rather dramatic.”

Planning this year’s summit, French officials looked first and foremost to ensure Trump stuck it out after he cut short his stay in Kananaskis in Canada last year. For Évian, the French have taken no chances. The dates of the gathering were shifted by a few days to accommodate Trump’s plans to host a UFC fight at the White House on his birthday.

And Macron — who has endured a hot-and-cold relationship with Trump for almost a decade — invited the US leader to a dinner at the gilded Palace of Versailles, outside Paris, on Wednesday evening as the summit ends.

Expectations for concrete outcomes are so low that organizers say there will be no joint communiqué signed by all leaders, as was once customary at G7 meetings. Instead, leaders are set to endorse a set of ad hoc declarations on issues including critical minerals, health and the protection of children online.

It’s a measure of how little convergence there is between Trump and his fellow G7 leaders on the most pressing geopolitical issues. While Iran and the ongoing war in Ukraine will be discussed, any conclusions will be reflected in a statement by the French presidency. The same solution was adopted by Canada ahead of last year’s G7.

Despite the obvious rifts, this year’s French hosts insisted the meeting amounted to a victory even before it began, making an early distinction between the two sets of topics that will be discussed.

“This Évian summit is, for us, already a success, in the sense that we have two categories of issues to address: substantive issues, which are truly very structural in nature and shape the international agenda, and current events and crises, which, by definition, require greater flexibility and cannot be fully anticipated in advance,” an official in the French presidency said. “On the substantive issues, this G7 summit is already a success.”

Meanwhile, the lakeside resort of Évian has transformed into a veritable fortress. A heavy police and military presence has contributed to the sense of siege being felt by many of the spa town’s residents.

“We have a lot of people who come by car to buy their bread,” said Delphine, who runs a bakery in town.

“Buying bread is not essential, and to cross the roadblocks you need an essential reason. I don’t think it’s going to be very pleasant, honestly. That being said, they’re just there to do their job. You can’t host seven presidents who are that important without security, but it’s a very unusual situation.”

CNN’s Elina Baudier Kim, Melissa Bell, Paula Newton and Sebastian Shukla contributed to this report.

Highly dangerous plutonium offers no quick fix to US nuclear fuel crunch

2026-06-15T10:05:59.959Z / Reuters

The Purex (Plutonium Uranium Extraction Plant) separations facility at the Hanford Works is seen in an undated aerial photo. The building has been vacant for nearly twenty years but remains highly contaminated, according to the Department of Energy. DOE/Handout via REUTERS FOR EDITORIAL USE… Purchase Licensing RightsRead more

• Summary
• Companies

• Security and handling costs for plutonium fuel could be high, raising taxpayer concerns
• Non-proliferation experts and lawmakers warn of terrorism risks and economic viability challenges
• Oklo says surplus plutonium could help bridge fuel gap

WASHINGTON, June 15 (Reuters) – The Trump administration is moving forward with talks with companies to turn Cold War-era plutonium into a fuel for new nuclear reactors, part of a multi-pronged strategy to ensure there is enough ​power to feed the U.S. data center boom.

But the scheme risks extensive delays and exorbitant security costs – to the point it may be unfeasible – due to a simple ‌fact: plutonium is incredibly dangerous.

Jumpstart your morning with the latest legal news delivered straight to your inbox from The Daily Docket newsletter. Sign up here.

A grapefruit-sized hunk of the material, in the wrong hands, could yield an atomic weapon as strong as the one the United States dropped on Nagasaki during World War Two. Even the dust of the radioactive element, which has a half-life of 24,000 years, is potentially deadly if inhaled.

“This is weapons-usable plutonium,” said Ross Matzkin-Bridger, who worked on securing plutonium materials around the world at the U.S. Department of Energy and its arm the National Nuclear Security Administration. “I’m very concerned that there are ​big pieces of the risk that the taxpayers are going to be tackling.”

The Trump administration revealed last month that it had chosen five companies to enter advanced talks over developing 19.7 metric tons ​of various forms of plutonium, including from dismantled nuclear warheads, into reactor fuel.

Storing plutonium has long been a headache for the U.S. government, and the dash to ⁠use it shows how the industry is trying novel ways to achieve President Donald Trump’s goal to quadruple U.S. nuclear power capacity by 2050 as power demand from data centers surges.

U.S. Representative Bill Foster, an Illinois ​Democrat and the only physicist in the U.S. Congress, said “my brain goes on high alert” when he hears about the proposal.

Foster said the program would likely face sky-high security costs to keep it “robust against terrorism” ​and that stakeholders should look closely at the economies of such plants before moving forward.

The U.S. DOE said it expects that the majority of the workforce at a facility handling plutonium will require highest-level security clearances.

The companies would be required to submit material safety and security plans for the stabilization, packaging, transportation, and storage of plutonium, a spokesperson for the Office of Nuclear Energy said.

“DOE does not expect to pay for the specialized proliferation, security, and health protections required to process surplus ​plutonium,” the spokesperson said.

COMPANIES SELECTED

Oklo

, one company seeking to generate power with the plutonium, believes the material can be a fuel source at least until the U.S. expands domestic uranium supplies, including a type ​called HALEU, mostly made in Russia, that is more enriched than fuel used in today’s U.S. reactors.

Bonita Chester, an Oklo spokesperson, when asked whether taxpayers would end up paying large costs for the program, said the plan to use plutonium for fuel would eliminate the ‌need for another ⁠expensive and risky government plan to dilute and dispose of the material.

The Trump administration halted disposal efforts last year when it first announced the fuel plan.

Oklo “would invest in transport, the associated fuel fabrication infrastructure, as well as all licensing requirements, including safety, security, and safeguards,” said Chester. She did not detail the company’s estimate for those costs.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright sat on Oklo’s board until he joined the administration.

Wright was not involved in the selection of Oklo, forfeited unvested shares in the company, and “recused himself from matters specifically involving Oklo,” another DOE spokesperson said.

Carl Perez, CEO of Exodys Energy, which plans to build a facility on federal land to process surplus ​plutonium into nuclear fuel, said no facility can obtain ​required U.S. authorizations and licenses “without fully addressing ⁠worker protection, overall safety, and material safeguards against recognized standards.”

Greg Piefer, CEO and founder of SHINE Technologies, said it has extensive experience processing and handling nuclear materials, and that once plutonium generates power in a reactor, it is no longer dangerous.

“One of the most responsible things we can do with weapons-grade plutonium is ​to burn it,” he said.

Standard Nuclear and Flibe Energy, the other two companies involved in the advanced talks, did not respond to requests for comment.

ROCKY ​HISTORY

The U.S. history of converting ⁠plutonium to fuel is rocky. The U.S. had agreed in 2000 to turn it into mixed oxide fuel (MOX) to run in reactors. Trump’s first administration nixed the MOX program in 2018, saying it would cost about $48 billion more than the $7.6 billion already spent on it.

Oklo plans to run plutonium in so-called fast reactors it is developing and that it says are more efficient than reactors that had been expected to run on MOX. According to ⁠Oklo’s internal calculations, ​1 metric ton of plutonium used in a fast reactor could power almost 1 million American homes for a year.

Fast reactors ​in the U.S. have so far only been used for research, not power generation.

Ernest Moniz, a U.S. energy secretary under former President Barack Obama, said it is easier and less costly to dilute and dispose of the material. “My expectation is that you will ​find the government paying for a hell of a lot of what’s going on here, including all the security you would need around weapons-grade plutonium.”

Reporting by Timothy Gardner; editing by Richard Valdmanis and Nia Williams

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.