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☆ Factbox: Brittney Griner, U.S. basketball star caught up in Russia crisis
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/2] U.S. basketball player Brittney Griner, who was detained at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport and later charged with illegal possession of cannabis, stands inside a defendants' cage before a court hearing in Khimki outside Moscow, Russia August 4, 2022. REUTERS/Evgenia Novozhenina/Pool/File PhotoDec 8 (Reuters) - A U.S. official said on Thursday that U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner, who had been jailed in Russia in charges of possessing and smuggling illegal drugs, was now in U.S. custody. Russia said she had been traded for Viktor Bout, a Russian arms dealer jailed in the United States. Brittney Griner, 32, is a double Olympic champion and seven-times All-Star player in the U.S. Women's National Basketball Association (WBNA). Known as "BG" to basketball fans, she has played for UMMC Ekaterinburg in Russia during the WNBA winter off-season since 2014.

US WNBA basketball superstar Brittney Griner arrives to a hearing at the Khimki Court, outside Moscow on June 27, 2022. Kirill Kudryavtsev | AFP | Getty ImagesWNBA star Brittney Griner is free Thursday after the Biden administration negotiated her release from a Russian penal colony in exchange for an arms dealer, according to a senior administration official. Maxim Shemetov | ReutersGriner will be flown to a medical facility in San Antonio where she will receive care, a senior administration official said. Cherelle Griner, will meet her there, according to a senior administration official. People familiar with the negotiations for his release say the Russians refused to release Whelan without getting a Russian spy in return.

☆ Biden administration brings WNBA star Brittany Griner home for the holidays after 10 months in Russian custody
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Emma Kinery | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The Biden administration is bringing WNBA star Brittney Griner, who has been detained in Russia for 10 months, home for the holidays after months of negotiation. "She is safe, she is on a plane, she is on her way home," U.S. President Joe Biden announced Thursday. Cherelle Griner was present and able to speak with Brittney when Biden made the call from the Oval Office. Notably absent from the swap was another American detained in Russia, Paul Whelan, who has been in Russian custody since 2018. "We've not forgotten about Paul Whelan," Biden said.

☆ Saudi Arabia did not mediate in Griner release, White House says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] U.S. President Joe Biden and Cherelle Griner speak on the phone with WNBA basketball star Brittney Griner after her release by Russia, in this White House handout photo taken in the Oval Office, as Vice President Kamala Harris and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken look on, at the White House in Washington, U.S. December 8, 2022. The White House/Handout via REUTERSWASHINGTON, Dec 8 (Reuters) - The release of basketball star player Brittney Griner was negotiated between the United States and Russia only, the White House said on Thursday, denying a Saudi Arabia statement that it was involved. "The only countries that negotiated this deal were the United States and Russia," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said, when asked about Saudi Arabia's role. Griner was exchanged for Viktor Bout, a onetime Russian weapons dealer who had been convicted in the United States and imprisoned for 10 years. “We are also grateful to other countries including Saudi Arabia” that raised the issue of detained Americans with the Russian government, she said.

Griner arrived in the UAE capital of Abu Dhabi by private plane from Moscow as Bout was flown in on a private plane from Washington. Bout, nicknamed the "merchant of death," embraced a Russian official who greeted him and smiled broadly as he was led away. A joint UAE-Saudi statement said the UAE president and Saudi crown prince led mediation efforts that secured Griner's release. Griner was exchanged for Bout, a onetime Russian weapons dealer who had been convicted in the United States and imprisoned for 10 years. During the prisoner swap, Griner was met on the tarmac in UAE by chief U.S. hostage negotiator Roger Carstens.

REUTERS/Evgenia Novozhenina/Pool//File PhotoWASHINGTON, Dec 8 (Reuters) - U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner has been released in a prisoner swap with Russia and is on her way back to the United States, President Joe Biden said on Thursday, ending what he called months of "hell." The Russian foreign ministry said it traded Griner for Russian citizen Viktor Bout, a former arms dealer. The swap took place at the Abu Dhabi airport in the United Arab Emirates, Russian news agencies said. Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris spoke by phone with Griner from the Oval Office, along with Griner's wife, Cherelle. For experts on the Russian security services, Moscow's lasting interest in Bout hint strongly at Russian intelligence ties.

☆ Juul settles another 5,000 lawsuits after receiving equity investment, an effort CEO calls 'yet another significant step to secure our path forward'
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Jordan Hart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Juul Labs settled over 5,000 lawsuits covering 10,000 plaintiffs on Tuesday. The company said it secured an equity investment to fund the settlement, according to a spokesperson. Juul agreed to pay $439 million to US states and territories in a separate settlement in September. Plaintiffs of the suit include Juul consumers, personal-injury plaintiffs, government entities, and Native American tribes, WSJ reported. A spokesperson for the vape company told Insider the settlement is a "major step" in shaping the future of the company.

☆ Juul Labs settles litigation in the United States
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Rob Mclean | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN Business —E-cigarette maker Juul Labs said Tuesday that it has settled litigation it faced in the United States, resolving a substantial amount of legal issues for the company. “The global resolution covers more than 5,000 cases brought by approximately 10,000 plaintiffs against Juul Labs and its officers and directors,” the company said in a news release. The investigation found that Juul deliberately marketed its products to young people, even though e-cigarette sales to children are illegal. In the past, Juul Labs has sold some of the most popular vaping products in the United States, especially its flavored products. A court temporarily blocked the FDA ban, so the products are still for sale in the United States.

☆ Family concerned about whereabouts of Whelan, American jailed in Russia
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Andrea Shalal | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, Nov 30 (Reuters) - The brother of Paul Whelan, an American jailed in Russia, said on Tuesday his family is concerned about his whereabouts after not hearing from him for days and unclear messages from the prison staff that he was moved to the prison hospital. David Whelan, the brother of Paul, said that the family does not definitely know where Paul is. David Whelan added that when transferred to the prison's hospital in the past, Paul had always mentioned the move in his phone calls. David Whelan said in an emailed statement, adding that Paul appeared healthy and well to the diplomats. David Whelan said that the family has not been in contact with the White House, just with the U.S. Embassy in Moscow and the State Department.

☆ U.S. deeply concerned about Whelan, American jailed in Russia -White House
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Doina Chiacu | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON, Nov 30 (Reuters) - The United States is "deeply concerned" about detained American Paul Whelan in Russia, and has not been able to get information from Moscow on his whereabouts or condition, White House national security spokesman John Kirby said on Wednesday. U.S. diplomats in Moscow were working to get details on what was going on with Whelan, Kirby said. "But yes, we are deeply concerned about the lack of information and the lack of contact from Paul," he added. It's highly unusual," David Whelan said. When transferred to the prison's hospital in the past, his brother had always mentioned the move in his phone calls, David Whelan said.

Vaping may increase a person's risk for cavities and tooth decay, preliminary new research suggests. Adding artificial sweeteners and flavorings to the sticky aerosol may create the perfect breeding ground for cavities. The new study, published Wednesday in the Journal of the American Dental Association, is considered preliminary and does not prove that vaping causes cavities. But because e-cigarette usage is so rampant among adolescents — with 2.5 million teens vaping in the United States alone — the possibility that it could increase the risk for tooth decay in this generation is worrisome, experts who study vaping in young people said. Among these high-risk patients, e-cigarette users, Irusa found, were at a "significantly" higher risk of developing cavities, compared with those who did not vape.

☆ Being LGBTQ in Colorado Springs wasn’t always easy. Now, some feel more exposed than ever.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Matt-Lavietes-Byline-Jm.Jpg | Matt Lavietes | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

Then just days later, a gunman entered the city’s sole LGBTQ dance club, killing five people and injuring 19 others. Colorado Springs has long been considered a stronghold of evangelism, an identity of Christianity that has a history of opposing LGBTQ equality. The city has very few spaces where its LGBTQ people say they feel a sense of freedom and acceptance. Christopher Aaby, 39, moved to Colorado Springs when he was about 6. Jimmy Gomez-Beisch, 40, a gay burlesque dancer who was born and raised in Colorado Springs, struck a more hopeful tone for the community’s future.

☆ World Cup 2022: What fans can't do in Qatar
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( Amy Woodyatt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —After years of anticipation – and controversy – since Qatar was awarded the World Cup, the tournament finally got underway on Sunday in Doha. DrinkingThe sale and consumption of alcohol has been a highly contentious issue since Qatar was first announced as the World Cup host 12 years ago. FIFA President Gianni Infantino attends a press conference at the Qatar National Convention Center (QNCC) in Doha on November 19, 2022, ahead of the Qatar 2022 World Cup football tournament. But it’s not the lowest-scoring country taking part in the World Cup; Saudi Arabia scores a 7 and Iran scores a 14. There is no legal guarantee of press freedom or freedom of expression in Qatar, the US Embassy in Qatar notes.

☆ An airline passenger was seriously injured when an e-cigarette caught fire mid-flight
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-19 | by ( Ryan Hogg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

An Air France passenger was seriously injured after an e-cigarette caught fire mid-air. France's air safety body said it was investigating the incident on the Paris-bound flight. 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 PolicyA passenger was seriously injured on an Air France flight when an e-cigarette caught fire mid-flight, authorities said. The bureau said one person had been seriously injured after an e-cigarette caused a lithium battery fire as the plane was coming in to land. Air France and the air safety bureau didn't immediately respond to requests for comment from Insider.

☆ Who is Viktor Bout, the arms dealer who could be swapped for Griner?
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( Felix Light | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

Russia wants the jailed arms dealer back in Moscow and is discussing a prisoner swap with the United States that could see him exchanged for Americans imprisoned in Russia including basketball star Brittney Griner. Reed was ultimately freed in return for Konstantin Yaroshenko, a Russian pilot jailed in the United States on drug trafficking charges. For some experts, the Russian state's continued interest in Bout, plus his skills and connections in the international arms trade, hint strongly at Russian intelligence ties. In interviews, Bout has said he attended Moscow's Military Institute of Foreign Languages, which serves as a training ground for military intelligence officers. “His case has become totemic for the Russian intelligence services, who are keen to show that they don’t abandon their own people,” Galeotti added.

☆ Brittney Griner taken to penal colony in Russia's Mordovia region - lawyers
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Nov 17 (Reuters) - U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner has been taken to a penal colony in the Russian region of Mordovia, her lawyers said in a statement on Thursday. Reuters had earlier reported the transfer, citing a source familiar with the case. In August, Griner was sentenced to nine years on drugs charges following her arrest at a Moscow airport with vape cartridges containing cannabis oil. Reporting by Reuters; editing by David Ljunggren and Jonathan OatisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ EXCLUSIVE Brittney Griner taken to penal colony in Russia's Mordovia region - source
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Filipp Lebedev | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Evgenia Novozhenina/Pool/File PhotoNov 17 (Reuters) - U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner has been taken to a penal colony in the Russian region of Mordovia, a source familiar with the case told Reuters on Thursday. In August, Griner was sentenced to nine years in a penal colony on drugs charges following her arrest at a Moscow airport in February with vape cartridges containing cannabis oil in her luggage. She was moved from a detention centre near Moscow on Nov. 4 to be taken to an undisclosed prison location. Russian authorities have given no information on her whereabouts for nearly two weeks, but the source said she had been taken to Female Penal Colony IK-2 in Yavas, about 500 km (300 miles) southeast of Moscow. Inmates of Russian penal colonies are required to work long hours for meagre pay on tedious manual tasks such as sewing.

☆ Brittney Griner taken to remote, all-female Russian penal colony to serve 9-year sentence: report
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Brittney Griner was moved to a penal colony in Russia's Mordovia, Reuters reported. A source familiar with the situation told the outlet that she has been moved to Female Penal Colony IK-2 in Yavas, a small town about 300 miles southeast of Moscow. On November 4, she was moved from a detention center near Moscow to an unknown location, the outlet reported. A satellite image of the IK-2 penal colony in Yavas, Russia. Griner was arrested on drugs charges in February, after she was found with vape cartridges containing cannabis oil in her luggage.

☆ Biden hopes Putin will be more open to negotiating Brittney Griner's release now midterms are over
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-10 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Biden said he hopes Putin will be willing to talk about freeing Brittney Griner with midterms over. He said he hopes Putin will "be willing to talk more seriously about a prisoner exchange." Griner's appeal to her nine-year sentence was rejected, and she has been sent to a penal colony. Biden has publicly spoken about trying to release Griner multiple times. Earlier this week Griner's wife, Cherelle Griner, said she was worried about the basketball star's mental health.

American basketball player Brittney Griner, jailed in Russia in what the United States calls a wrongful detention, is being moved to a penal colony, her attorneys said Wednesday. “Every minute that Brittney Griner must endure wrongful detention in Russia is a minute too long,” Jean-Pierre said in a statement Wednesday. Griner pleaded guilty in July, but said that she'd packed hurriedly for a flight and brought the canisters to Russia unintentionally. Griner treated injuries with medical cannabis, her attorneys argued at the trial. She had been in Russia to play with a Russian Premier League women’s team, UMMC Ekaterinburg, which she has done since 2014.

WASHINGTON, Nov 9 (Reuters) - U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner was transferred last week from a detention center outside the Russian capital and is on her way to a penal colony, her legal team said on Wednesday. She was sentenced on Aug. 4 to nine years in a penal colony on charges of possessing and smuggling drugs. Griner had pleaded guilty but said she had made an "honest mistake" and had not meant to break the law. The souring of ties between Russia and the West has complicated the talks to secure Griner's release. Biden's national security adviser Jake Sullivan, in an earlier statement, described Griner's conditions as "intolerable" and the trial she had to go through as "another sham judicial proceeding."

☆ More adolescent e-cigarette users report vaping within five minutes of waking up, study finds
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-07 | by ( Jacqueline Howard | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

The data included a total of 151,573 survey respondents, all in middle or high school in the United States. ‘Concerning’ trends in the intensity of useThe overall prevalence of e-cigarette use peaked in 2019 and then declined. But by 2019, more e-cigarette users were using within the first five minutes of waking up each day compared with traditional cigarette users. “It is encouraging that the prevalence of e-cigarette use has declined among U.S. adolescents from 2019 to 2021. “Unfortunately, early nicotine addiction could overturn the significant tobacco control progress made over many decades,” she said.

☆ Brittney Griner met with US officials in Russia for the first time since her appeal was denied
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

US officials were able to meet with Brittney Griner in person Thursday for the first time in weeks. "[US Russian embassy officials] visited Brittney Griner today," Price tweeted. Griner was in Russia to play with the Russian Premier League during the WNBA off-season. "We continue to press for the immediate release of Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan and fair treatment for every detained American," Price tweeted after the Thursday meeting. Cherelle Griner told co-hosts of "The View" on Tuesday.

The wife of detained basketball star Brittney Griner said Tuesday that she fears for her wife's mental health and that the decorated player's "mind is fading" in Russian custody. Cherelle Griner said she last spoke with her wife in mid-October as she described her struggles to overcome the mental hardships of Russian imprisonment. Cherelle Griner said Tuesday on ABC's "The View." But this is just absurd," Cherelle Griner told the panel of "The View." Cherelle Griner said her only hope now is for the White House and the Kremlin to agree to a prisoner swap.

A Russian appeals court is due on Tuesday to hear the case of WNBA star Brittney Griner, sentenced to nine years in prison in what the United States has called a wrongful detention. Griner, 32, “is quite pessimistic about the outcome” of the appeal, one of her attorneys, Maria Blagovolina, said Monday on MSNBC. Medical cannabis is illegal in Russia, but it is legal in most of the U.S.United States officials say Griner is being wrongfully detained. “It is our goal to see them home as soon as we can.”Griner's wife, Cherelle Griner, has said that Brittney Griner is being held hostage. When she was detained, Griner had been in Russia to play for a Russian Premier League women’s team, UMMC Ekaterinburg, which she had since 2014.

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