Dec 08 WATCH: Former Olympic basketball coach Dawn Staley on Brittney Griner’s release By Gretchen Frazee, Courtney Norris Griner, who was detained at a Russian airport after authorities allegedly found vape cartridges with trace amounts of cannabis oil in her luggage, was let go in exchange for convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout. Continue reading
Dec 08 Griner release ‘right choice,’ say family of American left behind in Russian prisoner swap By Mike Householder, Kathleen Foody, Associated Press Paul Whelan's brother said his family supported the U.S. government's agreement to a prisoner exchange that freed WNBA star Brittney Griner but left Whelan behind. Continue reading
Dec 08 Kremlin says it’s up to President Zelenskyy when Ukraine conflict ends By E. Eduardo Castillo, Associated Press The Kremlin says it's up to Ukraine's president to end the military conflict, suggesting terms that Kyiv has repeatedly rejected. Continue reading
Dec 08 WATCH: Biden lauds Brittney Griner’s release from Russia as part of prisoner swap By Eric Tucker, Matthew Lee, Zeke Miller, Associated Press Russia freed WNBA star Brittney Griner in a dramatic high-level prisoner exchange, with the U.S. releasing notorious Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout. Paul Whelan, an American jailed for nearly four years, remains in Russia. Continue reading
Nov 29 Russian diplomat says U.S. prisoner swap is still on the table By Associated Press A senior Russian diplomat says Russia and the United States repeatedly came close to reaching agreement on a prisoner exchange and a deal remains possible before the year’s end. Continue reading
Nov 09 Watch 3:49 News Wrap: Russian military withdrawing from Kherson in southern Ukraine In our news wrap Wednesday, Russia's military announced its forces are withdrawing from Kherson in southern Ukraine, lawyers for American basketball player Brittney Griner say she's been sent to a penal colony to serve a nine-year sentence for drug possession… Continue watching
Nov 09 Biden says he hopes Putin will negotiate WNBA star Brittney Griner’s release By Associated Press President Joe Biden says he hopes Russian President Vladimir Putin will be more willing to negotiate the release of WNBA star Brittney Griner now that the U.S. midterm elections are over. Continue reading
Nov 09 WNBA star Brittney Griner transferred to Russian penal colony after failed appeal By Associated Press American basketball star Brittney Griner's lawyers say she has been sent to a penal colony in Russia to serve her sentence for drug possession. A Russian court rejected an appeal of her nine-year sentence last month. Continue reading
Oct 26 Prisoner swap talks about WNBA star Brittney Griner must be confidential, Kremlin says By Associated Press The eight-time all-star center with the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury and a two-time Olympic gold medalist was convicted Aug. 4 after police said they found vape canisters containing cannabis oil in her luggage at Moscow’s airport. Continue reading
Oct 25 Watch 5:22 News Wrap: Putin pushes to boost production of weapons and supplies for Ukraine invasion In our news wrap Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin pushed for faster production of weapons and supplies amid a report that its forces are running low on artillery ammunition in Ukraine, Rishi Sunak was formally installed as Britain's new prime… Continue watching