Start your week smart: Ukraine, Earthquake, King Charles III, The Queen, Mar-a-Lago

Things looked very different at this time last year. Covid-19 vaccines were rolling out across the country and millions of people were lining up daily to get their shots – or to get swabs shoved up their noses. Fast forward to today. Following a wave of rapid innovation, the first Covid-19 breathalyzer test will soon make its way into medical offices and mobile testing sites.

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

The weekend that was

• Officials in the southeastern port of Mariupol have rejected a Russian ultimatum demanding the surrender of Ukrainian forces in the city, the scene of a sustained and brutal siege. Russia responded by saying it would “eliminate all resistance.”

• Two people were fatally shot and at least nine others were injured by gunfire overnight during a large party in Pittsburgh’s East Allegheny neighborhood, officials said early this morning. Separately, one person has been arrested in connection with a mass shooting at a South Carolina mall Saturday that left 14 people hurt, police said yesterday.

• North Korea fired two projectiles into waters off the east of the Korean Peninsula yesterday, according to the South Korean military. It was the country’s 12th such test this year.

• Firefighters battling the deadly McBride Fire in southern New Mexico were able to get the flames 56% contained by last night, a massive jump from the 0% containment reported earlier in the day, authorities said.

• Twitter’s board of directors adopted a limited-term shareholder rights plan called a “poison pill” late last week that could make it harder for Elon Musk to acquire the company.

The week ahead

Tuesday

Primary season continues with elections in Connecticut, Minnesota, Vermont and Wisconsin, as well as a special general election for Minnesota’s 1st Congressional District.

Twitter’s former head of security, who filed an explosive whistleblower disclosure in July, is scheduled to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee to discuss his allegations of serious security vulnerabilities at the social media company. September 13 is also the day that Twitter’s shareholders are set to vote on whether to approve Elon Musk’s $44 billion takeover deal – which Musk wants to terminate.

Alex Jones’ second defamation trial over the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School is expected to begin in Connecticut. The trial will determine how much Jones and his company will have to pay the families of the victims. Jones was previously found liable in a defamation lawsuit for calling the 2012 massacre a hoax. In August, a Texas jury awarded $45.2 million to the parents of one of the children killed in the shooting.

And the 77th session of the UN General Assembly kicks off in New York City with representatives from the 193 member states gathering in person after a two-year disruption due to Covid-19.

We’ll get the latest look at inflation with the Consumer Price Index for July. Inflation surged to a new pandemic-era peak in June, with consumer prices jumping by 9.1% year-over-year to the highest level in more than 40 years.

Thursday

Thursday is Queen Elizabeth’s 96th birthday. The Queen has been taking a step back from public appearances and events due to feeling “very tired and exhausted” following her recent bout of Covid-19, a royal source said. A spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex confirmed to CNN that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle visited the Queen last week, on their way to The Hague to attend The Invictus Games, which began yesterday.

It’s also the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month.

Friday

Saturday

Want more 5 Things?

In this week’s One Thing podcast, CNN Chief International Anchor Christiane Amanpour looks back at the Queen’s legacy and unpacks what her death means for the future of the monarchy. Plus, she remembers being honored by Queen Elizabeth for her work and what it was like meeting her face-to-face. Listen here. 

Photos of the week

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II welcomes Liz Truss at Scotland's Balmoral Castle on Tuesday, September 6. The Queen invited Truss to become prime minister and form a new government.

Wind whips embers from a burning tree near Hemet, California, on Tuesday, September 6. The Fairview Fire forced hundreds of residents to flee amid a severe heat wave that has enveloped the region.

Tennis legend Serena Williams motions a heart to fans after losing in the third round of the US Open on Friday, September 2. Williams, who said she would "evolve away" from the sport after the tournament, lost to Australia's Ajla Tomljanović in three sets.

A Ukrainian soldier takes a selfie as artillery is fired on the front line of the fight against Russia on Saturday, September 3. Ukrainian officials say the military has made sweeping gains in a counteroffensive in the northeastern Kharkiv region.

Former US President Barack Obama kisses his wife, former first lady Michelle Obama, after the unveiling of their official White House portraits on Wednesday, September 7.

A model displays a creation from the Heaven Gaia by Xiong Ying during China Fashion Week in Beijing on Sunday, September 4.

Pakistani naval personnel rescue flood-affected people in the country's Dadu district on Wednesday, September 7. Severe flooding has killed more than 1,300 people in Pakistan since mid-June, officials said, and by the end of August more than a third of the country was underwater, according to satellite images from the European Space Agency.

Smoke billows from the Venezuelan ship Taurus 1 as it burns in Colombia's Buenaventura Bay on Tuesday, September 6. Twenty-nine people were rescued after a fire broke out on the boat, the Colombian Navy said.

Britain's Prince William drives Prince Andrew, Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex, to Scotland's Balmoral Castle on Thursday, September 8. The death of Queen Elizabeth II was announced a short time later.

From left, Olivia Wilde, Chris Pine, Harry Styles and Gemma Chan attend the premiere of their film "Don't Worry Darling" at the Venice International Film Festival on Monday, September 5. Footage from the festival sparked conversation on the internet over whether Styles appeared to spit on Pine at the event. The whole incident got so big that a denial of any spitting was issued. Even Styles himself joked about it at a recent concert.

Athletes compete during the Swimrun World Championship in Sandhamn, Sweden, on Monday, September 5. Team members are linked by a leash and have to compete together in an open-water swim and a run.

A police forensics team investigates a crime scene after multiple people were killed and injured in a mass stabbing in Weldon, Saskatchewan, on Sunday, September 4. Brothers Damien and Myles Sanderson were wanted in connection with the deaths of 10 people. Both of them are now dead as well.

Rescue workers help people after an earthquake caused a landslide near Moxi Town, China, on Tuesday, September 6.

Members of the Buffalo Bills celebrate after Boogie Basham (No. 55) intercepted a pass in the team's win over the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday, September 8. The Bills knocked off the defending champions 31-10 in what was the first game of the regular season.

Steve Bannon, former adviser to Donald Trump, attends his arraignment in New York on Thursday, September 8. Bannon has pleaded not guilty to money laundering and conspiracy charges related to an effort to raise money to fund construction of a wall along the southern US border. The state charges are based on the same conduct Bannon was charged with by federal prosecutors in 2020. Then-President Trump pardoned Bannon on the federal fraud charges related to the alleged scheme as he was leaving office. Presidential pardons do not apply to state investigations.

Children draw next to a US-Mexico border wall as they and a group of asylum seekers, mainly from South America, wait for US authorities to process them in Tijuana, Mexico, on Monday, September 5.

People take photos with their phones as an image of the late Queen Elizabeth II is displayed in London's Piccadilly Circus on Thursday, September 8.

Members of the South Carolina State Senate Medical Affairs Committee take a vote on a near-total ban of abortion on Tuesday, September 6. The committee advanced the bill to the state Senate after first removing an exception for rape and incest.

South Dakota players break up a pass intended for Kansas State wide receiver Phillip Brooks during a college football game in Manhattan, Kansas, on Saturday, September 3.

This photo, taken on Wednesday, September 7, shows a part of the forest near Hostens, France, that was burned during wildfires this summer.

French tennis player Caroline Garcia celebrates after defeating Coco Gauff in the US Open quarterfinals on Tuesday, September 6.

People take part in a J'Ouvert celebration in Brooklyn, New York, on Monday, September 5. J'Ouvert is a pre-dawn reverie with roots in the emancipation of enslaved people in the Caribbean.

This aerial photo shows heavy machinery being used at salt evaporation ponds near the city of Vlorë, Albania, on Thursday, September 1. Albania is a traditional producer of sea salt.

Boris Johnson waves to supporters outside No. 10 Downing Street before formally resigning as Britain's prime minister on Tuesday, September 6. He announced in July that he would be stepping down following a series of political crises.

A police officer loads his gun at a crime scene in Memphis, Tennessee, on Wednesday, September 7. A 19-year-old man was arrested Wednesday after livestreaming part of a shooting rampage that left four people dead and three others injured, police said.

Student activists shout slogans in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Thursday, September 8, during a rally against sharp increases in fuel prices.

People sit on a parched river bed in Wuhan, China, on Friday, September 2.

Seattle guard Sue Bird reacts to fans chanting "Thank you, Sue" after the Storm were eliminated from the WNBA playoffs on Tuesday, September 6. Bird, one of the best women's basketball players in history, is retiring after this season.

A rainbow is seen near England's Windsor Castle as the Union Flag is lowered after the death of Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday, September 8.

A search-and-rescue team works at the site of a collapsed crane in Hong Kong on Wednesday, September 7. At least two people were killed, and more were injured.

Queen's Brian May performs at a tribute concert in London for Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins on Saturday, September 3. Hawkins died in March at the age of 50. A star-studded lineup, which also included Paul McCartney and Liam Gallagher, joined the Foo Fighters for Saturday's concert.

Janus, a two-headed Greek tortoise, enjoys salad for his 25th birthday on Saturday, September 3. Janus lives at the Geneva Museum of Natural History in Switzerland.

A fan kisses Chelsea's Mateo Kovacic after the player gave him his jersey following a Premier League match in London on Saturday, September 3.

A woman reacts next to the body of her mother, who was killed by shelling in Donetsk, Ukraine, on Friday, September 2.

Dutch water polo player Bente Rogge, left, competes against Spain's Maica Garcia Godoy during a semifinal match at the European Water Polo Championships on Wednesday, September 7.

People in Regla, Cuba, take part in a procession honoring the Black Madonna on Wednesday, September 7. The Black Madonna is honored on the same day as Cuba's patron saint, the Virgin of Charity, both of which are recognized as powerful deities in the African-influenced religion of Santeria. See last week in 34 photos.

Prev Next

Check out more moving, fascinating and thought-provoking images from the week that was, curated by CNN Photos.

What’s happening in entertainment

‘A League of Their Own’

The 74th Emmy Awards hosted by “SNL” veteran Kenan Thompson will air Monday at 8 p.m. ET on NBC. You can get ready for the show by reading about all the nominations here. And be sure to check out some of the nominees’ reactions to getting the nod.

Elsewhere in TV and streaming land…

Season 5 of “The Handmaid’s Tale” premiers Wednesday on Hulu, while the fourth and final season of “Atlanta” begins Thursday on FX.

‘The Woman King’

Viola Davis stars in this drama based on the history of the Agojie, an army of women warriors who defended the West African kingdom of Dahomey in the 18th and 19th centuries. “The Woman King” hits theaters on Friday.

What’s happening in sports

If you build it …

The US Open men’s singles final is set for later today with Casper Ruud facing Carlos Alcaraz. On Saturday, Polish tennis star Iga Swiatek defeated Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur in straight sets in the women’s singles final

And you can watch the premiere of “Serena Williams: On Her Terms” tonight at 8 p.m. ET on CNN. The film chronicles her early beginnings in Compton, California, to her epic ascent to international prominence, exploring the key moments on and off the court that shaped her evolution.

Basketball

Game 1 of the 2022 WNBA Finals tips off today with the Las Vegas Aces facing the Connecticut Sun. Last week, WNBA legend Sue Bird bid farewell to the sport when her Seattle Storm lost in the semifinals to Las Vegas.

Football

It’s the first Sunday of the NFL season, so go stake out your spot on the couch now. And if you are new to the game – or merely clueless like me – here’s a glossary of terms and football jargon to get you up to speed.

Quiz time!

Take CNN’s weekly news quiz to see how much you remember from the week that was! So far, 55% of fellow quiz fans have gotten an 8 out of 10 or better this week. How well can you do?

Play me off

‘Summertime’

While I admit it’s not as well known as “I’m Just a Bill” or “Conjunction Junction,” this 3-minute history lesson on the US Constitution courtesy of “School House Rock” does have a catchy banjo riff… Give it a listen now and you’ll be humming it by Saturday. (Click here to view)