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☆ 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, “

MOSCOW (AP) — Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich lost an appeal Tuesday to be released from jail on espionage charges, meaning he will remain behind bars at least through Nov. 30. Gershkovich, 31, had a mostly blank expression as he appeared in the defendant's glass cage in Moscow City Court in blue shirt, T-shirt and jeans. On Sept. 19, the court declined to hear the appeal, citing unspecified procedural violations. The Russian Foreign Ministry has said it will consider a swap for Gershkovich only after a verdict in his trial. In Russia, espionage trials can last for more than a year.

Persons: Evan Gershkovich, Gershkovich, Nicholas Daniloff, Brittney Organizations: MOSCOW, Street, Court, Federal Security Service, U.S, U.S . News, KGB, Analysts, Russian Foreign Ministry Locations: Moscow, Yekaterinburg, American, Russia, Ukraine

For its part, North Korea appears to have treated his case as one of illegal immigration. North Korea's KCNA state news agency said King told Pyongyang he entered North Korea illegally because he was "disillusioned about unequal U.S. The Swedish government, which represents U.S. interests in North Korea because Washington has no diplomatic presence in the country, retrieved King in North Korea and brought him to China. The State Department said the U.S. ambassador to Beijing, Nicholas Burns, met King in Dandong, China, a city bordering North Korea. King, who joined the U.S. army in January 2021, faced two allegations of assault in South Korea.

Persons: Travis King, King, Fort Sam Houston, Brittney Griner, Travis T, Sarah Leslie, Handout, Nicholas Burns, Phil Stewart, Idrees Ali, Evan Garcia, Ed Davies, Neil Fullick, Toby Chopra Organizations: U.S . Army, Reuters, Base San, Fort, Brooke Army Medical Center, Russia, Security Area, REUTERS, Army, The State Department, Osan Air Force Base, U.S, South Korean, Thomson Locations: Texas, North Korea, U.S, Base San Antonio, Panmunjom, South Korea, Pyongyang, Swedish, Washington, China, Beijing, Dandong, Shenyang, United States, Korea

WASHINGTON/SEOUL, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Private Travis King, the U.S. soldier who ran into North Korea in July, is in U.S. custody and heading home after being expelled by North Korea into China, the United States said on Wednesday. For its part, North Korea appears to have treated his case as one of illegal immigration. North Korea's KCNA state news agency said King told Pyongyang he entered North Korea illegally because he was disillusioned about unequal U.S. Last month, it said that he wanted refuge in North Korea or elsewhere because of maltreatment and racial discrimination within the U.S. army. KING IN 'GOOD HEALTH'The Swedish government, which represents U.S. interests in North Korea because Washington has no diplomatic presence in the country, retrieved King in North Korea and brought him to China.

Persons: Travis King, King, KCNA, Matthew Miller, Nicholas Burns, Miller, Kim Hong, Jonathan Franks, Claudine Gates, Gates, Myron Gates, Fort Sam Houston, Brittney Griner, Hyonhee Shin, hyang Choi, Phil Stewart, Susan Heavey, Trevor Hunnicutt, Doina, Idrees Ali, Daphne Psaledakis Michael Martina, Humeyra Pamuk, David Brunnstrom, Brendan O'Brien, Johan Ahlander, Philippa Fletcher, Sharon Singleton, Bill Berkrot, Don Durfee, Daniel Wallis, William Maclean, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: North, The State Department, ., China . State Department, U.S, Osan Air Force Base, King, REUTERS, United States Army, ABC News, South Korean, Brooke Army Medical Center, Base San, Fort, Russia, Thomson Locations: WASHINGTON, SEOUL, U.S, North Korea, China, United States, Washington, Pyongyang, Swedish, Beijing, Dandong, Shenyang, South Korea, Sweden, Gijungdong, Panmunjom, Texas, Base San Antonio, Seoul, Chicago, Stockholm

☆ 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

NEW YORK (AP) — The WNBA once again had strong metrics as the league had its most-watched regular season in 21 years and its highest average attendance since 2018. Viewership was up 21% over last year across its national television partners and the league's average attendance of 6,615 fans was the WNBA's highest since the 2018 season. An expanded schedule to 40 games this season helped the league gain its highest total attendance in 13 years (1,587,488). Las Vegas also hosted the highest-attended game this season, drawing a crowd of 17,406 on Sunday against Brittney Griner and the Phoenix Mercury on the final day of the regular season. That game was played at the bigger T-Mobile Arena as opposed to the Aces regular venue, which seats about 12,000.

Persons: Cathy Engelbert, Brittney Griner, Nikki Fargas, ___ Organizations: WNBA, Aces, Phoenix Mercury, Mobile, ” Aces, ESPN Locations: Vegas

She finished the regular season second in the league in scoring, averaging a career-best 23 points a game. It’s been a lot of amazing basketball going on this year and makes you feel good going into the playoffs.”Stewart narrowly edged Las Vegas' A'ja Wilson by one vote from the 12-member media. It's the fourth time that an Aces player has won the award with Clark joining Dearica Hamby, who won it twice and Kelsey Plum. Joining them on the first-team are Seattle's Jewell Loyd and Las Vegas' Chelsea Gray. AP WNBA POWER POLLNew York finished atop the power poll with Las Vegas second.

Persons: Breanna Stewart, Stewart, “, ”, It’s, ” Stewart, Wilson, Alyssa Thomas, Thomas, Washington's Brittney Sykes, Alysha Clark, Clark, Dearica Hamby, Kelsey Plum, Connecticut's Stephanie White, Brionna Jones, Achilles, Brittney, Napheesa Collier, Griner, Collier, Satou, Sabally, Grace Berger, Dorka Juhasz, Diamond Miller, Jordan Horston, Haley Jones, Seattle's Jewell Loyd, Chelsea Gray, Jackie Young, Sabrina Ionescu, Arike, Ogunbowale, ___ Organizations: Liberty, Associated, Aces, Las Vegas, AP, WNBA, Sun, Boston, Indiana Fever, Dallas Wings, Diamond Miller of, Las, AP WNBA, New York, Aces ., Phoenix Locations: Seattle, New York, Diamond Miller of Minnesota, Atlanta, Las Vegas, . Connecticut, Dallas, Washington, Aces . Atlanta, Minnesota, Chicago, Los Angeles, Indiana

☆ 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

☆ Bill Richardson, the former New Mexico governor and UN ambassador just nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize for his work to free political prisoners, has died at 75
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-02 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Bill Richardson, the former two-term New Mexico governor and veteran diplomat, has died at 75. Richardson served as ambassador to the UN and Energy Secretary under President Bill Clinton. Last month, he was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize over his work to free political prisoners. In 2002, Richardson was elected to the New Mexico governorship and won reelection in a landslide in 2006. AdvertisementAdvertisementIn August 2023, Richardson was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize for his work to secure freedom for political hostages in foreign countries.

Persons: Bill Richardson, Richardson, Bill Clinton, Mickey Bergman, Bergman, Bill Clinton's, Sen, Barack Obama, Brittney Griner, Cherelle Griner Organizations: UN, Energy, Service, United Nations, Richardson Center, Global, Richardson, Democratic, Illinois Locations: Mexico, Wall, Silicon, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Russia

☆ Former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson dead at 75
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-02 | by ( Uwa Ede-Osifo | Associated Press | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Bill Richardson, the former New Mexico governor, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and Secretary of Energy under President Bill Clinton, has died. Mickey Bergman, Vice President of the Richardson Center, commented in a statement on Saturday, "Governor Richardson passed away peacefully in his sleep last night. "There was no person that Governor Richardson would not speak with if it held the promise of returning a person to freedom. Richardson came to New Mexico in 1978 and chose to run for political office in the state because of its Hispanic roots. Rep. Gabe Vasquez shared a heartfelt message calling Richardson a "titan in New Mexico and abroad."

Persons: Bill Richardson, Bill Clinton, Richardson, Mickey Bergman, Governor Richardson, Bergman, Brittney Griner, Griner, Saddam Hussein, Fidel Castro, Kim Jong, " Richardson, William Blaine Richardson, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Obama, Richardson's, Gabe Vasquez, Vazquez, Sen, Ben Ray Luján, Luján Organizations: New, United Nations, Energy, Richardson Locations: New Mexico, U.S, Moscow, Bangladesh, North Korea, Sudan, Colombia, Iraq, Congo, Zaire, Afghanistan, Pasadena , California, Mexico City, American, Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Mexico

Bill Richardson, a longtime fixture of Democratic politics with turns as Energy Secretary and United Nations ambassador under the Clinton administration, died on Friday, the Richardson Center for Global Engagement said in a statement. There was no person that Governor Richardson would not speak with if it held the promise of returning a person to freedom,” Mickey Bergman, vice president of the Richardson Center, said in a statement. Richardson later served as US ambassador to the United Nations and secretary of energy before being elected governor of New Mexico in 2002. After an unsuccessful bid for the presidency in 2008, Richardson launched the Richardson Center for Global Engagement, a non profit promoting international peace, in 2011. He grew up in Mexico City, Mexico, leaving to attend boarding school in Massachusetts in 1960.

Persons: Bill Richardson, Clinton, Richardson, “, Mickey Bergman, ” Richardson, Frank Bradford Morse, Brittney Griner, Paul Whelan, Governor Richardson, Neda, “ Governor Richardson, Mexico Sen, Martin Heinrich, ” Heinrich, Barbara Richardson Organizations: CNN, Former New, Former New Mexico Gov, Energy Secretary, United Nations, Richardson Center, Global, Richardson, Massachusetts, US State Department, Senate Foreign Relations, House, New, “, Democratic, Tufts University, Tufts ’ Fletcher School of Law, Diplomacy Locations: Former New Mexico, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Moscow, Mexico, Pasadena , California, Mexico City

CNN —Rare new video has emerged showing detained American Paul Whelan, who has been held in Russia for more than four years, inside his prison camp. The video, released by Russian state-controlled news agency Russia Today (RT), shows Whelan wearing a Russian prison uniform in different parts of the prison, with shots of him using a sewing machine and eating in a cafeteria. The former United States Marine was sentenced to 16 years in prison on an espionage charge he vehemently denies. Earlier this month, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke to Whelan, who the US government deems wrongfully detained, according to a source familiar with the call. The Biden administration has put forth proposals for Whelan’s release, but Russia has not responded in a substantive way, two administration officials told CNN.

Persons: Paul Whelan, Whelan, ” Whelan –, –, “, ”, I’m, David Whelan, David, Paul, ” David, Antony Blinken, Trevor Reed, Brittney Griner, Biden, Evan Gershkovich Organizations: CNN, Russia, United States Marine, ”, RT, Wall Street Locations: Russia, Russian, Irish, Moscow

☆ 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

☆ Freed Russian ex-arms dealer to run for far-right party
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-02 | by ( Reuters Editorial | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

PoliticsFreed Russian ex-arms dealer to run for far-right partyPostedA 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. This report produced by Freddie Joyner.

Persons: Freed, Brittney Griner, Freddie Joyner Organizations: U.S Locations: Freed Russian, Russian

☆ 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

☆ Griner named WNBA All-Star for ninth time
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

NEW YORK, June 25 (Reuters) - Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner was named a WNBA All-Star for the ninth time on Sunday, just a little over six months after being released from a Russian prison. Griner warned during the preseason that she would need time to regain her full abilities after the 10 months she spent in Russian custody but has blown away her own expectations and was ninth in the league in average points per game as of Sunday. Twice MVP A'ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces and 2018 MVP Breanna Stewart of the New York Liberty were named the captains for the All-Star Game, which is set for July 15 in Las Vegas. The Indiana Fever's Aliyah Boston, who went first overall in the 2023 draft, became the first rookie since 2014 to earn an All-Star selection. Reporting by Amy Tennery in New York; Editing by Hugh LawsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Griner, A'ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, Amy Tennery, Hugh Lawson Organizations: YORK, Mercury, Western Conference, Las Vegas Aces, New York Liberty, Aliyah Boston, Thomson Locations: Las Vegas, The Indiana, New York

While on a working visit to Russia, the UAE president briefly toured the country’s pavilion at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF). For the UAE, this is a “calculated risk” it is willing to take, part of the Gulf nation’s policy of de-escalation and dialogue in an increasingly polarized world, a top UAE official told CNN in exclusive comments on Thursday. “This polarization has to be broken,” Anwar Gargash, the diplomatic adviser to the UAE president, said. Meanwhile, its bilateral trade with Russia increased by 68% to $9 billion in 2022, mostly Russian exports to the UAE. But the UAE’s policy towards Russia has invited warnings from the US that individuals and institutions that allow Russia to evade sanctions risk losing access to G7 markets.

Persons: Mohamed bin Zayed, ” Sheikh Mohammed, Putin, ” Anwar Gargash, “, Sheikh Mohamed, Gargash, ”, ” Gargash, Brittney, Victor Bout, Sheikh Mohamed’s, Griner, Dina Esfandiary, Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, Esfandiary Organizations: UAE CNN —, West, United Arab Emirates, St ., Economic, UAE, CNN, Putin, Crisis Locations: Abu Dhabi, UAE, Ukraine, Russia, St, St . Petersburg, “, Europe, East, North Africa, United States, Al Dhafra, Israel, China, Iran, Turkey, SPIEF, Emirates

☆ 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

☆ 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

☆ Russia arrests U.S. citizen on drug dealing charges
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

MOSCOW, June 11 (Reuters) - A U.S. musician and former paratrooper has been arrested in Moscow on drug dealing charges and his court appearance, locked in a metal cage, has been shown on state television. "The former paratrooper and a musician, who is accused of running a drug dealing business involving young people, will remain in custody until Aug. 6, 2023." The spokesperson did not say if U.S. officials had yet had consular access to Leake. When Leake initially came to Moscow, he worked as an English teacher and helped translate songs for Russian bands. Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, a U.S. citizen, was arrested in March on espionage charges that he, the Journal and Washington deny.

Persons: Michael Travis Leake, REN, Leake, Brittney Griner, Paul Whelan, Washington, Evan Gershkovich, Guy Faulconbridge, Lidia Kelly, Edmund Klamann, Frances Kerry Organizations: Moscow's, Reuters, REN TV, State Department, U.S ., Street, Washington, Thomson Locations: MOSCOW, U.S, Moscow, Russian, Moscow's Khamovniki, Leake, Russia's, Ukraine, United States, Russia, Washington, Melbourne

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

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

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