A billionaire’s risky and unprecedented space mission has come to an end

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Sunday 09.15.24

When you think deeply about pizza — and who doesn't — do you think of the frozen food aisle of the grocery store? The delivery guy who was supposed to be there in 30 minutes? Or do you envision Naples, pizza's ancestral home? Surely Italy is where you'll find the world's best pizza, right? Or maybe not ... Here's what else you need to know to Start Your Week Smart.
 

By Andrew Torgan and Daniel Wine

The Crew Dragon capsule returns to Earth. (SpaceX)

MONDAY

September 16 is Independence Day in Mexico. The holiday commemorates the day when priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla called on Mexicans to rise up against the colonial government of Spain in 1810, starting an 11-year struggle for freedom. And if you thought May 5, or Cinco de Mayo, celebrated Mexico's independence — think again.

September 16 also marks two years since the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini after she was taken into custody by Iran's morality police for apparently not wearing her headscarf properly. Her death sparked violent clashes between demonstrators and authorities that left dozens dead.

WEDNESDAY

The Federal Reserve wraps up its two-day meeting on monetary policy, and officials are widely expected to trim interest rates by a quarter-point, making it less expensive for individuals and businesses to borrow money. Inflation has slowed dramatically since the central bank began its historic tightening cycle in March 2022 — and while some price pressures still linger, their focus has shifted to the health of the labor market.

FRIDAY

Early in-person voting in Virginia and Minnesota gets underway, as does absentee voting in South Dakota.

SATURDAY

President Joe Biden welcomes the leaders of Australia, India and Japan for the final "Quad" summit of his term, adding a personal touch to the event by hosting it in his hometown of Wilmington, Delaware, senior administration officials tell CNN. The gathering comes as the president has recalibrated plans for the final months of his term in office, shifting from campaigning for reelection to refocusing his attention on domestic and foreign policy issues, including working to shore up overseas alliances as he prepares a handoff to the next administration.

One Thing: 🎧 School cell phone bans
In today's "One Thing" podcast, CNN's David Rind speaks with Beech Grove City Schools superintendent Laura Hammack about how her schools are implementing Indiana's new law restricting cell phone use in classrooms. Listen here.

The Tribute in Light memorial illuminates the New York skyline to mark the 23rd anniversary of the September 11 attacks. Check out more images from the week that was, curated by CNN Photos.

TV and streaming
The father and son duo Eugene and Dan Levy, who co-starred in the Emmy-winning sitcom "Schitt's Creek," will host the 76th Emmy Awards live tonight at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. FX's "The Bear" landed 23 nominations, including outstanding comedy series. In the outstanding drama series category, another FX series, "Shōgun," had the most nominations this year with 25.

In theaters

"The Substance" stars Demi Moore as a fading celebrity who decides to use a black-market drug that temporarily creates a younger, better version of herself. Margaret Qualley and Dennis Quaid co-star in the body horror film that opens Friday.

Also arriving Friday is "Never Let Go," starring Halle Berry as the mother of twin sons living in a remote cabin in the woods (isn't it always?). The trio remain tethered together by ropes whenever they leave the cabin to protect them from an evil spirit that has haunted the family for years. 

At a glance ...
While football season is now in full swing, other sports are winding down. The WNBA Playoffs begin a week from today, and Major League Baseball's postseason will start with the Wild Card Series on October 1. But fear not, diehard sports fans — the NBA's preseason tip-off is just a few weeks away.

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

Brought to you by CNN Underscored

'The Preamble'
September 17 is Constitution Day, which commemorates the day in 1787 when the document was signed in Philadelphia. Anyone who grew up in the '70s or '80s will remember this little ditty as their first introduction to the founding of the United States. (Click here to view)