Start your week smart: Russia avoids crisis, Titan sub probe, migrant shipwreck disaster

By CNN

Published June 25, 2023 6:56 AM

By Andrew Torgan and Daniel Wine, CNN

(CNN) — Fourth of July celebrations are right around the corner. Time to light the grill and cook up some … lab-grown chicken? Yes, cell-based meat that is grown, or cultivated, in a lab is a thing now — although you can’t go buy it in stores just yet. No doubt you have some questions, and we have answers.

Here’s what else you need to know to Start Your Week Smart.

The weekend that was

• Russia pulled back from the brink of a crisis after a deal was reached to end an insurrection by thousands of Wagner fighters who were advancing toward Moscow. The abrupt about-face follows a rare, remarkable challenge to the Kremlin that threatened to plunge the country into chaos and destabilize its already stumbling war efforts in Ukraine.
• The international investigation into the fatal Titan submersible implosion broadened, with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police saying it’s looking into whether “criminal, federal or provincial laws may possibly have been broken.” The announcement comes amid mounting questions about the Titan’s design.
• Survivors of the migrant shipwreck disaster near Greece in which hundreds are feared dead recall scenes of chaos and desperation. They also called into question the Greek coast guard’s version of what happened.
• The Supreme Court, in an 8-1 ruling, revived the Biden administration’s immigration guidelines that prioritize which noncitizens to deport, dismissing a challenge from Texas and Louisiana, which argued the policies conflicted with immigration law.
• Human remains were found in Southern California near the area where investigators have been searching for missing British actor Julian Sands, authorities said.

The week ahead

Monday
The Hajj, an annual Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia, is expected to start — although dates may vary slightly for different countries depending on the sighting of the New Moon. Islam requires every Muslim who is physically and financially able to make the journey to the holy city at least once in his or her life.

Tuesday
Walt Nauta, Donald Trump’s aide, will be arraigned on six counts related to the investigation of the former president’s alleged mishandling of classified documents. Nauta, who was arrested, fingerprinted and processed at a federal courthouse in Miami along with Trump earlier this month, did not enter a plea at that time because he did not have a local attorney.

Wednesday
June 28 marks five years since a gunman stormed into the newsroom of the Capital Gazette in Maryland and killed five people. The gunman was given five life sentences without the possibility of parole, plus one life sentence, plus 345 years in 2021 after a jury found him criminally responsible for the massacre, rejecting his insanity plea.

Friday
Friday marks the unofficial kickoff to an extended weekend for many in the US ahead of the Independence Day holiday the following week. July 4 falls on a Tuesday this year, and most corporate offices will be closed on Monday as well.

Saturday
July 1 is Canada Day.

One Thing: Letting love lead
In this week’s One Thing podcast, CNN’s Adrienne Broaddus tells us what’s driving a wave of anti-LGBTQ legislation across the country. Plus, we hear about a Black minister’s ongoing journey to accept his transgender daughter. Listen here for more.

Photos of the week

Check out more images from the week that was, curated by CNN Photos.

What’s happening in entertainment

TV and streaming
The BET Awards 2023 will air live tonight at 8 p.m. ET. Drake leads the nominations with seven nods, including best male hip hop artist, album of the year and best male R&B/pop artist. Click here for the full list of nominees.

“Hijack,” starring Idris Elba, lands on Apple TV+ on Wednesday. The series follows the events on a hijacked flight from Dubai to London that play out in real time.

In theaters
Everyone’s favorite Archaeology 101 professor dusts off his leather jacket, fedora and whip on Friday when “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” arrives in theaters. The fifth installment pairs Harrison Ford with “Fleabag” star Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Expect lots of chases, some familiar faces, a rousing musical score and — you guessed it — Nazis.

What’s happening in sports

At a glance …
Qualifying for Wimbledon begins Monday ahead of the start of the Grand Slam tennis tournament on July 3. Novak Djokovic will be seeking his fifth straight Wimbledon singles title and his second consecutive Grand Slam title after winning the French Open earlier this month.

It’s the NFL vs. the NBA in a made-for-TV golf event on Thursday. Kansas City Chiefs teammates Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce face off against Golden State Warriors Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson in the eighth installment of Capital One’s “The Match” in Las Vegas — a 12-hole scramble format event benefiting the No Kid Hungry campaign. “The Match” will be simulcast at 6:30 p.m. ET on TNT, truTV and HLN in the US, as well as on discovery+ in Europe. (CNN, like the aforementioned networks, is owned by Warner Bros. Discovery.)

LSU edged Florida 4-3 in a thrilling Game 1 of the Men’s College World Series thanks to an 11th-inning home run by Cade Beloso. Game 2 is today.

And Stage 1 of the Tour de France begins Saturday.

For more of your favorite sports, head on over to Bleacher Report, which — like CNN — is owned by Warner Bros. Discovery.

Quiz time!

Looking for a challenge to start your week? Take CNN’s weekly news quiz to see how much you remember from the week that was! So far, 47% of fellow quiz fans have gotten eight or more questions right. How will you fare?

Play me off…

‘O Canada’
In honor of Canada Day on Saturday, please enjoy the Canadian national anthem, sung in 11 different languages.

Article Topic Follows: CNN - National

Jump to comments ↓