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☆ Brittney Griner tells The Cut she ‘worried someone might shoot the plane down’ after her release from Russian detention
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-07 | by ( George Ramsay | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Brittney Griner feared that her plane would be shot down after she was released from detention in Russia, the WNBA star said in a new interview with The Cut. Speaking with former US soccer icon Megan Rapinoe in an interview published in The Cut on Monday, Griner recalled the moment she learned that she was being released. “I got a note underneath my door that said, ‘Be ready at midnight,’ or some late, crazy hour,” she said. I was worried someone might shoot the plane down. The US State Department, however, deemed that Griner had been wrongfully detained, and she was released in December 2022 in a prisoner swap involving Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.

Persons: Brittney Griner, Megan Rapinoe, Griner, “, ‘, ” Griner, Viktor Bout, Suzanne Cordeiro, ”, Rapinoe, Bash Raymond Griner Organizations: CNN, WNBA, US State Department, Russian, Getty, Phoenix Mercury Locations: Russia, San Antonio , Texas, AFP

☆ Brittney Griner tells ABC that she ‘wanted to take my life more than once’ while detained in Russia
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-02 | by ( Wayne Sterling | George Ramsay | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

The US State Department deemed that Griner had been wrongfully detained and she was released in December 2022 in a prisoner swap involving Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout. I felt like leaving here so badly,” Griner said in the ABC interview which aired on Wednesday. I have to endure this.”Griner, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, also said that she was required to write Russian President Vladimir Putin a letter asking for forgiveness. Natalia Kolesnikova/Reuters“They made me write this letter,” said Griner, not specifying who told her to write the letter. The Phoenix Mercury star is entering her 11th WNBA season having returned to the team in May last year.

Persons: CNN — Brittney Griner, ABC’s, Griner, Viktor Bout, “, ” Griner, can’t, ”, Vladimir Putin, Natalia Kolesnikova, Reuters “, Cherelle Organizations: International Association for Suicide Prevention, Befrienders Worldwide, CNN, WNBA, US State Department, Russian, ABC, Reuters, ”, UMMC Ekaterinburg, Phoenix Mercury, Paris Olympics Locations: Russia, Khimki, Moscow, Russian, Paris

☆ Brittney Griner felt ‘less than human’ while being detained in Russia, she tells ABC in interview
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-23 | by ( Ben Morse | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —Surveying her new surroundings in a Russian penal colony, the enormity of her prison confinement suddenly dawned on Brittney Griner, the WNBA star has told ABC. “There was a huge knife sitting on the table, and I was just like: ‘Now, this is going to be a ride,” said Griner. The mattress had a huge blood stain on it. I had no soap, no toilet paper,” added Griner, who the US State Department deemed wrongfully detained and was released last December in a prisoner swap that involved Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout. This is a developing story and will be updated.

Persons: Griner, Robin Roberts, “, ”, Viktor Bout Organizations: CNN, WNBA, ABC, US State Department Locations: Russian

☆ Russian oligarch went to Moscow in effort to broker complex prisoner exchange that included Navalny, sources say
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-08 | by ( Sebastian Shukla | Alex Marquardt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —A multi-country prisoner exchange that might have freed Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny was being discussed and progressing when he died last month, multiple sources have told CNN, and included the direct involvement of a Russian oligarch, Roman Abramovich. However, a source close to Navalny’s team told CNN that on the evening of February 15 they had received word that a message had been delivered to Putin. Clinton “initially passed on the message” to US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, Grozev told CNN. “We had to find a way to package the German asset [Krasikov] into an American negotiation,” the source close to the Navalny team said. Getting the message to Putin was one of the greatest challenges, the individual close to the Navalny team told CNN.

Persons: Alexey Navalny, Roman Abramovich, Navalny, Abramovich, Hillary Clinton, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Maria Pevchikh, “, ”, Dmitry Peskov, it’s, Christo Grozev, Clinton, Grozev, Biden, Viktor Bout, Brittney Griner, Clinton “, Jake Sullivan, Sullivan, Pevchikh, Vadim Krasikov, Krasikov, Tucker Carlson, Evan Gershkovich, Paul Whelan, Whelan, Gershkovich, Whelan –, Sergey Vladimirovich Cherkasov, ” Abramovich Organizations: CNN, United Arab, Kremlin, IK, Aspen Ideas, FSB, US National, National Security, Wall Street, Krasikov, Navalny, US Department of Justice Locations: Russian, Moscow, United Arab Emirates, Ukraine, Siberia, Western, Russia, Aspen, Colorado, Berlin, Chechen, Europe, Germans, Brazil

CNN —A US-Russian dual citizen has been arrested in Russia on charges of treason for allegedly collecting funds for Ukrainian organizations and openly supporting Kyiv. It also accused the woman of taking part in “public actions in support of the Kyiv regime” while in the US. The court chose a preventive measure in the form of detention for the accused,” the statement added. Moscow has detained several US citizens in recent years, some of whom have been exchanged for Russian prisoners held in Western countries. The Moscow City Court on Tuesday rejected Gershkovich’s lawyers appeal and has upheld his pretrial detention until March 30.

Persons: Evan Gershkovich, “, Gershkovich, Vladimir Putin, Vadim Krasikov, Natalia Kolesnikova, ” Putin, Tucker Carlson, ”, Brittney, Viktor Bout, Griner, US Marine Paul Whelan Organizations: CNN, Russia’s Federal Security Service, Ukrainian Armed Forces, Embassy, US State Department, Wall Street, Court, Getty, Fox News, basketball, US Marine Locations: Russian, Russia, Los Angeles, Yekaterinburg, Moscow, “, Lefortovo, Germany, Chechen, Berlin, AFP, United States

☆ Brittney Griner’s No. 42 jersey officially retired by Baylor women’s basketball
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-19 | by ( Homero De La Fuente | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —The Baylor women’s basketball program retired Brittney Griner’s No. Fans in attendance were all given yellow shirts with the number 42 and a silhouette of Griner emblazoned on the front. After finishing her collegiate career as the most decorated player in the program’s history, Griner becomes the seventh player to have her jersey retired in Baylor women’s basketball history. Following her career at Baylor, Griner was the No. She’s also won two Olympic gold medals as part of Team USA’s women’s basketball roster.

Persons: Brittney, Griner, Sims, Melissa Jones, Nina Davis, Suzie Snider Eppers, Shelia Lambert, Sophia Young, LM Otero, she’s, She’s, USA’s, Viktor Bout Organizations: CNN, Baylor, Foster, Bears, Big, NCAA, Phoenix Mercury, WNBA, US State Department Locations: , Texas, Russia, Russian

☆ Putin references Russian hitman in German jail as he suggests ‘agreement can be reached’ on detained US reporter Gershkovich
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( Nathan Hodge | Helen Regan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

CNN —Russian President Vladimir Putin has suggested “an agreement can be reached” with the United States to release detained American journalist Evan Gershkovich, as he brought up the conviction of a “patriotic” Russian hitman in Germany. Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal reporter, was arrested last March while on a reporting trip in the country. When Putin said Gershkovich was working with US special services, Carlson did push the Russian president, saying: “This guy is obviously not a spy, he’s a kid. In fact, journalists have repeatedly been requesting interviews with Putin, but the Russian President had declined to grant access. The Russian President suggested that the path to ending the war in Ukraine was through direct negotiations between Washington and Moscow.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Evan Gershkovich, Tucker Carlson, Putin’s, Carlson, Putin, “, ” Putin, ”, Natalia Kolesnikova, Gershkovich’s, “ He’s, Evan, ” Danielle Gershkovich, Biden, Gershkovich, Paul Whelan, He’s, Vadim Krasikov, Krasikov, Viktor Bout, Brittney Griner, Whelan, “ Evan, ” “ Evan, “ We’re, Viktor Orbán, Javier Milei, Volodymyr Zelensky, “ Putin, railroaded Tucker Carlson, Jill Dougherty, Dougherty, Armin Wolf, Joe Biden, Dmitry Medvedev Organizations: CNN, Fox News, Street Journal, Federal Security Service, Novosti, US State Department, Getty, White, Russian, Street, Big Tech, International Criminal Court, Rights Watch, Russia’s, Kremlin, NATO, Republicans Locations: United States, American, Russian, Germany, Ukraine, Moscow, Europe, Russia, US, AFP, Berlin, Chechen, Ukrainian, Mariupol, Austrian, Washington, Poland, Belarus, Israel

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration has made a new and significant offer aimed at securing the release of American detainees Paul Whelan and Evan Gershkovich, but Russia has rejected the offer, the State Department said Tuesday. It was a significant proposal,” Miller said. Whelan, a corporate security executive from Michigan, has been jailed in Russia since his December 2018 arrest on espionage-related charges that both he and the U.S. government dispute. Gershkovich and the Journal deny the allegations, and Russian authorities haven’t detailed any evidence to support the espionage charges. Griner was ultimately released in December in a prisoner swap with notorious Russian arms trafficker Viktor Bout, but Whelan was not part of the deal.

Persons: —, Biden, Paul Whelan, Evan Gershkovich, Matthew Miller, ” Miller, Whelan, Gershkovich, “, Miller, Evan, ”, Antony Blinken, Brittney Griner, Griner, Viktor Bout Organizations: WASHINGTON, State Department, U.S, Street Journal Locations: Russia, Washington, Moscow, U.S, Michigan, Russian, Yekaterinburg, Gershkovich

☆ Brittney Griner honored by the WNBA for her off-the-court community impact
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-27 | by ( David Close | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Basketball star Brittney Griner was honored Friday with the WNBA Cares Community Assist Award – an honor bestowed on the Phoenix Mercury center for her off-the-court volunteer work. Griner, who the US State Department deemed wrongfully detained, was released last December in a prisoner swap that involved Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout. Griner has spent all of her WNBA seasons with the Mercury, winning a championship in 2014. Griner founded the shoe drive in 2016 after noticing unhoused persons in the Phoenix area walking without shoes. The WNBA says it will split a $20,000 donation between the two charities in honor of Griner.

Persons: Brittney Griner, Griner, Viktor Bout, Adam Pantozzi, “, I’ll, ” Organizations: CNN —, WNBA, Phoenix Mercury, US State Department, Mercury, Phoenix, Team USA, University of Tennessee Locations: Phoenix, USA

☆ Griner receives WNBA Cares Community Assist Award
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

May 21, 2023; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner (42) reacts after scoring against the Chicago Sky in the second half at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsOct 27 (Reuters) - Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner has received the season-long WNBA Cares Community Assist Award in part for her continued work in championing the safe return of wrongful detainees overseas, the league said on Friday. Throughout the 2023 WNBA season, Griner, who was freed from a Russian penal colony in a high-profile prisoner exchange last year, worked with Bring Our Families Home, a campaign that helps spread awareness about wrongfully detained Americans. "I know the opportunity, privilege and responsibility I have to make a difference in the lives of others, and I'll always remain committed to that," Griner said in a WNBA news release. During the season, Griner and the Mercury also hosted families and friends of wrongful detainees at their games.

Persons: Rick Scuteri, Griner, Viktor Bout, Frank Pingue, Ken Ferris Organizations: Phoenix Mercury, Chicago Sky, Footprint Center, Mercury, Griner, BG, Phoenix Rescue, National Basketball Association, Russia, Thomson Locations: Phoenix , Arizona, USA, Russian, Phoenix, Moscow, Ukraine, Toronto

☆ Paul Whelan tells CNN he asked Blinken to ensure he's not left behind again
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( Jennifer Hansler | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Paul Whelan, an American who has been imprisoned in Russia for nearly five years, pressed Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a phone call in August to ensure that he is not left behind again, Whelan told CNN. He has been designated as wrongfully detained by the US State Department. Whelan was not included in prisoner swaps that freed fellow wrongfully detained Americans Trevor Reed and Brittney Griner last year. “Secretary Blinken remains committed to bringing Paul home,” a State Department spokesperson told CNN on Monday. They’ll spin it out as long as they can, to try to pressure on him, as well as on the US government to do something,” he told CNN.

Persons: CNN — Paul Whelan, Antony Blinken, Whelan, “, ”, Blinken, Joe Biden “, he’s, Blinken “, ” Whelan, I’m, Whelan –, –, Trevor Reed, Brittney Griner, Konstantin Yaroshenko, Viktor Bout, Biden, Vadim Krasikov, Paul, Paul Whelan, ’ Whelan, Alsu Kurmasheva, Evan Gershkovich, “ We’re Organizations: CNN, Marine, US State Department, “, State Department, Blinken Locations: American, Russia, Mordovia, Irish, Moscow, Russian, Germany, ”, United States, “

Louis Milione retired from the DEA a second time this summer amid reporting by The Associated Press on potential conflicts caused by his prior consulting for the pharmaceutical industry. Milione had spent four years at Guidepost prior to his return, leveraging his extensive experience and contacts from a 21-year DEA career. “Should we say Welcome Back?” Guidepost quipped in a social media post this week announcing Milione’s rehire as president of global investigations and regulatory compliance. His career stands out for two cycles through the revolving door between government and industry, raising questions about the potential impact on the DEA’s mission to police drug companies blamed for tens of thousands of American overdose deaths. Morris & Dickson is still challenging the ruling, which threatens to put the $4 billion a year company out of business.

Persons: Louis Milione, Milione, Anne Milgram’s, “, ” Guidepost, Milione’s rehire, they’re, ”, Jeff Hauser, Viktor Bout, rehire Milione, Milgram, Lou Milione, Morris, Dickson, ” Milgram Organizations: WASHINGTON, Enforcement, Purdue Pharma, Associated Press, Guidepost Solutions, Justice, DEA’s, Dickson Co, DEA, AP, Morris, Department of Justice Locations: New York, America, Shreveport , Louisiana, Investigative@ap.org

☆ Biden takes a political hit but brings Americans home
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

After all, the United States does not do deals with its well-meaning friends to free hostages or wrongly detained Americans. There is no perfect deal to free imprisoned Americans and the agreement with Iran is especially divisive. In this way dealing with US enemies can be a sign of political strength rather than weakness. Criticism from the likes of former President Donald Trump and Pence is politicized in the context of their presidential campaigns – and ignores their own deals to free Americans. Moscow is subsequently currently driving a relentless bargain over the fate of imprisoned Americans Paul Whelan and Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich.

Persons: Joe Biden’s, Mike Pence, Donald Trump, Pence, –, Trump, Wang, Kim Jong, Trump’s, Biden, Mike McCaul, Viktor Bout, Brittney Griner, Paul Whelan, Evan Gershkovich, ”, Barack Obama, Ronald Reagan, foments, Neda Sharghi, Emad Sharghi, “, Paul Whelan’s, Morad, Namazi – Organizations: CNN, Washington, Biden, Trump, Texas, House Foreign Affairs, Wall Street, White, GOP, US Treasury Department Locations: Iran, United States, Russia, Venezuela, Qatar, China, North Korea, Tehran, Moscow

☆ The former Russian arms dealer known as the "Merchant of Death" who the US exchanged for Brittney Griner is back in Russia and now learning to use a smartphone
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-10 | by ( Katie Hawkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The US swapped Viktor Bout, a once notorious Russian arms dealer, for WNBA star Britney Griner, last year. Known as the "Merchant of Death," Bout spent 15 years in a US prison. Bout is now back in Russia, adjusting to modern life, and running for local office. Advertisement Advertisement Watch:The career pivot isn't the only challenge facing Bout, who was first arrested by police in Thailand in 2008 before his extradition to the United States. Since his release, Bout has been a vocal supporter of Russian President Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine.

Persons: Viktor Bout, Britney Griner, Brittney Griner, Griner, it's, Bout, Vladimir Putin's Organizations: WNBA, Service, New York Times, Times, Kremlin Liberal Democratic Party Locations: Russian, Russia, Wall, Silicon, United States, Ulyanovsk, Moscow, Thailand, Ukraine, He's

PHOENIX (AP) — Brittney Griner's return to the WNBA after nearly 10 months in a Russian prison hasn't always been the smoothest ride. One more joyful moment came on Friday night, when the 6-foot-9 Griner played her final home game of the season in front of an announced sellout crowd of 13,206. "I've really enjoyed being here, playing basketball, being with this group, being back in the Valley with the fans. “I'm just happy to be here, doing what I love.”She'll have one more game on Sunday in Las Vegas. Like Griner, Hammon also played for Russian teams during the offseason in her playing days and even represented the country in the Olympics in 2008 and 2012.

Persons: hasn't, Griner, “ It's, ” Griner, I've, “ I'm, ”, “, Viktor Bout —, Becky Hammon, Hammon, ” Hammon, Sydney Colson, I'm, ” Colson, ___ Organizations: PHOENIX, WNBA, Las Vegas Aces, Aces, ESPN, Mercury, Russian, Nike Locations: Las Vegas, United States, Texas, Russia

☆ Jailed US citizen Paul Whelan seen in rare video at Russian penal colony
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-28 | by ( Humeyra Pamuk | Thomson Reuters | Humeyra Pamuk Is A Senior Foreign Policy Correspondent Based In Washington Dc. She Covers The U.S. State Department | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, who was detained and accused of espionage, stands inside a defendants' cage during his verdict hearing in Moscow, Russia June 15, 2020. Arrested in 2018 in Russia, Whelan was convicted of spying charges in 2020 and sentenced to 16 years in a penal colony in Mordovia, a Russian region notorious since Soviet times for its penal colonies. "Today was the first time I've seen what he really looks like since June 2020," his brother David Whelan said in an email. He said the Russia Today had showed up in the prison in May to film Whelan and when he declined to participate, the prison staff retaliated against him. In the video, Whelan tells the questioner that he will not answer his questions.

Persons: U.S . Marine Paul Whelan, Maxim, Paul Whelan, Whelan, Biden, David Whelan, Trevor Reed, Konstantin Yaroshenko, Washington, Brittney, Viktor Bout, Antony Blinken, Evan Gershkovich, Humeyra Pamuk, Josie Kao Organizations: U.S . Marine, REUTERS, Rights, Kremlin, Russia, Wall Street, Thomson Locations: Moscow, Russia, United States, Mordovia, Russian, American, Ukraine, U.S, Yekaterinburg, Gershkovich

☆ Russia says there are 'certain contacts' with U.S. on detained U.S. reporter Gershkovich
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MOSCOW, July 4 (Reuters) - Russia said on Tuesday that there were "certain contacts" with the United States over the case of detained Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, but that it did not want to make them public. As for the legal right to consular contacts, this right, of course, must be ensured on both sides," Peskov said. Russia accuses Gershkovich of espionage, something he denies. Russia has said there could be no exchange involving Gershkovich until a verdict is reached in his case. Washington has said it is committed to bringing home Gershkovich and Paul Whelan, a former U.S. marine who is serving a 16-year sentence in Russia for espionage.

Persons: Evan Gershkovich, Lynne Tracy, Vladimir Dunaev, Dmitry Peskov, Peskov, Gershkovich, Brittney Griner, Viktor Bout, Washington, Paul Whelan, Lucy Papachristou, Mark Trevelyan Organizations: Street, Kremlin, Gershkovich, Reuters, Thomson Locations: MOSCOW, Russia, United States, Moscow, Russian, Ohio, U.S, Washington

☆ Russian ex-arms dealer freed for Brittney Griner to run for far-right party in local vote
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

July 2 (Reuters) - A Russian arms dealer freed last December in a prisoner swap for U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner has been chosen as the candidate of a far-right party for a seat in a Russian regional legislature, state news agency RIA reported on Sunday. RIA cited an official in Russia's ultra-nationalist Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR)'s local organisation as saying that Bout had been nominated as a candidate for the legislative assembly of the Ulyanovsk region in central Russia. Bout publicly joined the LDPR following his return to Russia. Despite its name, the LDPR holds far-right, ultra-nationalist views and strongly supports President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine. Lugovoi has served as an LDPR member of Russia's national parliament since 2007.

Persons: Brittney Griner, Viktor Bout, RIA, Bout, Griner, Vladimir Putin's, Andrei Lugovoi, Alexander Litvinenko, Lugovoi, Felix Light, Gareth Jones Organizations: U.S, Liberal Democratic Party, U.S . Department of Justice, Thomson Locations: Russian, United States, Ulyanovsk, Russia, Thailand, Washington, Ukraine, Britain

☆ Russia's Lavrov says Moscow is in contact with U.S. about embassies
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

June 28 (Reuters) - White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan has been in touch with Moscow to discuss the respective Russian and U.S. embassies, and the two sides are in talks on the subject, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday. On Wednesday, in the text of an interview with Russian television published by Russia's foreign ministry, Lavrov hinted at some of these. Despite the deep freeze in relations, there have been some signs that contact is being maintained. Ambassador Lynne Tracy had spoken to Russian representatives and given "signals" that the United States was not involved in the weekend mutiny by Wagner mercenaries, and hoped that Russia's nuclear arsenal would be kept safe. Lavrov also quoted Tracy as saying the mutiny was Russia's internal affair.

Persons: Jake Sullivan, Sergei Lavrov, Moscow's, Evan Gershkovich, Vladimir Putin, Lavrov, counterbalances, Brittney Griner, Viktor Bout, Lynne Tracy, Wagner, Tracy, Kevin Liffey, Alison Williams, Gareth Jones Organizations: White House, Wall Street, Thomson Locations: Moscow, U.S, Russia, Crimea, Ukraine, American, United States

☆ House Passes Resolution Calling on Russia to Free U.S. Prisoners
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-13 | by ( Karoun Demirjian | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

Why It MattersThe House has weighed in to condemn Mr. Whelan’s detention in the past, but Tuesday’s resolution was the first time that either chamber of Congress had officially called for Mr. Gershkovich’s release. Mr. Gershkovich’s arrest came just a few months after a high-profile prisoner swap in which Brittney Griner, an American W.N.B.A. American officials tried and failed to secure the release of Mr. Whelan in the deal. Mr. Whelan, who holds American, Canadian, Irish and British passports, has insisted he was visiting Russia as a tourist, and was set up. It is not clear which Russian prisoners the Kremlin would seek in exchange for either Mr. Gershkovich or Mr. Whelan, or both.

Persons: Biden, Gershkovich’s, “, Marc Fogel, Vladimir Kara, Murza, Mr, Antony J, Blinken, Roger D, Carstens, Biden’s, Gershkovich, Soviet, Brittney, Viktor Bout, Whelan, Griner’s, ”, — Organizations: American, Kremlin Locations: U.S, Russia, Russian, American, Yekaterinburg, Moscow, United States

CNN —Following the harassment of WNBA star Brittney Griner at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, Phoenix Mercury’s leadership plans to make adjustments to prioritize players’ travel safety, head coach Vanessa Nygaard said Sunday. When asked if Griner was approved to charter flights and why she wasn’t chartering on Saturday, Nygaard said the team was following league-established rules and guidelines. Griner’s longtime teammate and WNBA star Diana Taurasi said that the harassment occurred during the team’s first public appearance since Griner’s release. Describing the incident as “unnerving,” Taurasi said the players’ safety comes first. “We implore the league and the teams not to wait another day to change the rule regarding travel.”

Persons: Brittney Griner, Vanessa Nygaard, Griner, ”, Viktor Bout –, Biden, ” Nygaard, Nygaard, Brianna Turner, “, Griner’s, Diana Taurasi, ” Taurasi Organizations: CNN, Fort Worth International, Phoenix, WNBA, “, “ League, Indiana Fever, Mercury, Basketball Players Locations: Dallas, Russia, of

☆ Brittney Griner faced 'excessive harassment' by a right-wing social-media personality at Dallas airport
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-11 | by ( Isobel Van Hagen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A right-wing 'provocateur' appeared to harass Brittney Griner at a Dallas airport on Saturday. download the app Email address By clicking ‘Sign up’, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider as well as other partner offers and accept our Terms of Service and Privacy PolicyWNBA player Brittney Griner was confronted by a right-wing social-media personality at a Dallas airport on Saturday. In the video, Stein shouts, "Do you still want to boycott America, Brittney?" Stein also shouts that Griner "hates America" and "What about the merchant of death Brit?" The Phoenix Mercury had been in Texas for a game against the Dallas Wings, which they lost 90-77.

Persons: Brittney, Alex Stein, —, Brittney Griner, Stein, Brit, Terri Jackson, Griner, Viktor Bout —, Brianna Turner, Turner, Alexandria Ocasio, Cortez Organizations: WNBA, Service, Twitter, America, Washington Post, New York Rep, Capitol, Latina, Phoenix Mercury, Dallas Wings Locations: Dallas, Alexandria, Texas

CNN —Brittney Griner, the WNBA star who was freed from Russia late last year after being wrongfully detained, was harassed Saturday by a man described as a social media “provocateur” at a Dallas airport. A source familiar with the incident told CNN that around 9:30 am CT, Griner was at the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport traveling with Phoenix Mercury teammates on their way to a game. CNN has reached out to local law enforcement and the DFW airport about the incident. “We remain steadfastly committed to the highest standards of security for players,” the statement reads. We demand better.”Unlike in the NBA, WNBA teams are not permitted to use charter planes for travel, CNN previously reported.

Persons: Brittney Griner, Griner, Viktor Bout –, ”, Biden, “, Brianna Turner, Lindsay Kagawa Colas, ” Colas Organizations: CNN, WNBA, Dallas Fort Worth International, Phoenix Mercury, DFW, “, Twitter, NBA Locations: Russia, Dallas, of, America

CNN —Nearly five months after she was released from Russian detention, WNBA star Brittney Griner says it feels “a little overwhelming” to return to public life given the widespread interest in her case. Griner spent nearly 300 days in custody before being released as part of a prisoner swap involving Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout in December. She has since been reintegrating into life in the United States, meeting with US President Joe Biden, attending the Met Gala on Monday, and preparing for the season ahead with the Phoenix Mercury. “I didn’t think it could get that big,” Griner told reporters during the Mercury’s annual preseason media day on Wednesday. Griner arrives back in the United States in December.

☆ Families of US detainees urge Biden to do more to deter hostage-taking
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Humeyra Pamuk | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Speaking at an event organized by the "Bring Our Families Home" campaign, an advocacy group set up largely by the families of American citizens detained abroad, relatives called on Biden to do more to bring home their loved ones but also deter "hostage-taking" by foreign governments and groups. Proponents of "Bring Our Families Home" are urging Biden to take steps including more swaps of prisoners and easing of sanctions against countries that are holding U.S. detainees. Most recently, Russia has detained U.S. citizen and Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich on espionage charges, which he denies. The Biden administration has carried out two prisoner swaps with Russia and one with Venezuela. Families also repeated a call to meet with Biden, a plea that went unanswered for many of them for over a year.

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