10 things you need to know today: June 25, 2023

1. Wagner Group ends rebellion as leader agrees to leave Russia

The Wagner Group agreed to end its rebellion towards Moscow late Saturday, with the leader of the mercenaries, Yevgeny Prigozhin, agreeing to halt the push toward Russia's capital city. The agreement was hatched by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who brought Prigozhin to a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin. In exchange for not facing prosecution in Russia, Prigozhin agreed to move to Belarus, and Russia said that none of his accomplices will be charged either. The mutiny began after Prigozhin and his troops, who had begun the war fighting alongside Russia, took over the city of Rostov-on-Don, known for being a military stronghold for Russian forces in the war in Ukraine.

The Washington Post Reuters

2. Putin’s grip on power apparently damaged after Wagner mutiny

While the Wagner Group rebellion came to an end on Saturday, experts say the incident likely weakened the dictatorial, "tough-guy" image of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Within hours of the mutiny starting, a deal had been reached for the Wagner leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, to end his siege and move to Belarus. However, Putin's image has undoubtedly been hurt as a result, and "he will try to compensate by making the regime even more hands-on," Alexander Gabuev, director of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, told NPR. "The regime will become increasingly more repressive at home." This sentiment was echoed by former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul, who said there was "no doubt" Putin's standing has been damaged.

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NPR The New York Times

3. Hazardous materials sent into Montana river after train derailment

Several freight train cars carrying hazardous materials plummeted into the Yellowstone River in Montana on Saturday after a bridge collapsed, officials said. The incident occurred around 60 miles west of the city of Billings. It is unclear what caused the train cars to derail, but no injuries were reported. At least three of the train cars that collapsed into the river were carrying hot asphalt and molten sulfur, both of which could be toxic to the surrounding environment. However, it is unclear if any of this material leaked from the derailed cars into the river. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg tweeted that he'd spoken to Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte (R) to offer federal support.

CBS News The Wall Street Journal

4. Taliban claims women are ‘comfortable and prosperous’ in Afghanistan

The supreme leader of the Taliban, Hibatullah Akhundzada, released a message Sunday saying that women in Afghanistan were able to live a "comfortable and prosperous life." Akhundzada, who has led Afghanistan since the Taliban reclaimed control of the country in 2021, said that the government had taken steps to ensure better lives for women. Akhundzada claimed that women have been protected from forced marriages, and that "negative aspects" of the Taliban's previous rule will soon be ended, adding that the "status of women as a free and dignified human being has been restored." However, women remain deeply oppressed under the Taliban, having been mostly banned from public life, workplaces, and school beyond the sixth grade.

The Associated Press

5. Canada to open criminal investigation into Titan submersible implosion

Canadian officials broadened their investigation into the implosion of the Titan submersible on Saturday, saying they were now exploring potential criminal charges. In a statement, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said they were examining whether "criminal, federal, or provincial laws may possibly have been broken." The announcement comes after backlash towards the company that ran the Titan, OceanGate, after it was repeatedly warned that the vessel could not withstand the pressure of deep-sea diving. The Titan imploded last weekend while exploring the wreck of the Titanic, killing all five people aboard, including OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush. The U.S. Coast Guard is also conducting its own investigation to determine the cause of the accident.

CNN VOA

6. Remains found in area where actor Julian Sands disappeared

Human remains were located on Southern California's Mount Baldy on Saturday, in the same area where actor Julian Sands went missing five months ago, officials said. The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department said the body was discovered by local hikers and transported to the county coroner's office for identification. The discovery comes after Sands, known for his role in films like "The Killing Fields" and "Leaving Las Vegas," disappeared this past January while hiking on Mount Baldy. Sheriff's deputies had announced last week that they'd resumed the search for Sands after the weather improved, but he was still unable to be located. The mountain remains a popular spot for hikers and tourists.

CBS News KABC-TV

7. Japanese military reportedly testing Elon Musks’ Starlink service

The Japanese military is considering using Elon Musk's Starlink satellite internet service, Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper reported Saturday. The Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) has reportedly been testing the satellite service for widespread usage, with the intent to implement it sometime in 2024, Yomiuri reported. While Japan's Defense Ministry already has access to orbiting satellites, the Starlink system would add low-Earth orbit devices to the military's repertoire, sources told the newspaper. JSDF has reportedly been testing Starlink since March, with training underway in 10 different military locations around Japan. The news comes after the U.S. Defense Department revealed this month that it had been contracted to provide Starlink services to fighters on the Ukrainian battlefield.

Reuters Bloomberg

8. 12 people taken to hospital after over-chlorination in Houston pool

At least 12 people were hospitalized Saturday after being exposed to over-chlorinated pool water, city officials said. The exposure occurred around 5 p.m. at a local swimming pool's lazy river, the Houston Fire Department said in a statement. Fire Chief Samuel Peña confirmed that the cause of the exposure was "an over-chlorination of the pool." At least some of the patients, including children, were transported to the hospital via ambulance, though others reportedly drove to get treatment themselves. The conditions of the patients were not immediately available. However, exposure to high levels of chlorine can cause "asthma, nausea, skin & eye irritation," Peña noted, among other breathing and health problems.

NBC News ABC News

9. Argentinian dictatorship’s ‘death flight’ plane returned to country

A Short SC.7 Skyvan airplane used by the historic Argentinian dictatorship to kill political prisoners was returned to Argentina on Saturday for display in a museum. The plane is the first craft confirmed to be used during the 'death flights' carried out by the Argentinian military junta from 1976 to 1983. During this period of deadly atrocities, prisoners of the junta would be hurled from an airplane while alive and allowed to plummet to their deaths. The plane, which was discovered in the United States, will be displayed in Argentina's Museum of Memory — dedicated to those who lost their lives during the atrocities.

The Associated Press

10. BET Awards to return Sunday night

The BET Awards will take place on Sunday night, honoring the top African-American entertainers in the music industry. Among the notable highlights of the ceremony will be a tribute to Tina Turner, the legendary artist who passed away last month at the age of 83. BET said the tribute will display "the essence of Turner's unparalleled legacy," and will include a performance from singer Patti LaBelle. Other notable names in attendance will be Bia, Coi Leray, Cutty Ranks, Dexta Daps, M.O.P., Rah Digga, and more, who will join Busta Rhymes as he receives a Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to music. Past recipients include Whitney Houston, Prince, Queen Latifah, and Samuel L. Jackson.

CNN