Daily Briefing: How Brittney Griner got home
Brittney Griner #BrittneyGriner
A plane believed to be carrying WNBA star Brittney Griner has landed in the United States after a one-for-one swap between the U.S. and Russia. Also in the news: The House codified same-sex marriage and what to expect in the World Cup this weekend.
🙋🏼♀️ I’m Nicole Fallert, Daily Briefing author. Here’s what to know about those AI portraits you’ve been seeing on social media.
Here we go with Friday’s news.
Nearly 10 months after basketball star detained in Russia, Brittney Griner is free
Brittney Griner was seen getting off a plane that landed Friday at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland in Texas. Her release from behind bars in Russia followed months of what the White House called “painstaking, extraordinary” negotiations between the Biden administration and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s regime for the safe return of the two-time Olympic gold medalist and seven-time WNBA All-Star. The Biden administration accepted the deal although Russia would not budge on another jailed American, Paul Whelan. Read more
The deal: In the last 48 hours, Griner was transported from a Russian penal colony where she was help captive to the United Arab Emirates for a one-for-one swap with Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, who was held in a U.S. prison since 2012.
What happened: Griner walked directly past Bout on the tarmac as the two prisoners were escorted to opposite directions at the Abu Dhabi airport, according to video released by Russian-state media. Earlier, aboard a plane out of Russia, a smiling Griner described herself as “happy.”
”BG is FREE!!!”: The sports world expressed emotions surrounding Griner’s return on social media and on television.
”Today my family is whole”: Griner’s wife, Cherelle, tirelessly and heroically worked to free Brittney.
Who is Viktor Bout? The notorious Russian gun dealer dubbed the “Merchant of Death,” is a former Soviet military officer and translator who was serving a 25-year prison sentence.
There’s also Paul Whelan: President Joe Biden said the U.S. will continue efforts to bring home Whelan, an American who has been jailed in Russia for nearly four years.
Story continues
📷 Photo of the day: US-Russia prisoner swap 📷
Griner, a center for the Phoenix Mercury, had been in custody in Russia since February when she was arrested at an airport near Moscow while returning to play for her Russian professional basketball team, UMMC Ekaterinburg. She was charged with possessing cannabis oil. Click here to see more photos of the swap.
WNBA star Brittney Griner deplanes at Kelly Field in San Antonio, Texas, following her release in a prisoner swap with Russia, Friday, Dec. 9, 2022.
As Respect for Marriage Act passes, same-sex couples share tentative enthusiasm
The House passed the Respect for Marriage Act Thursday by a vote of 258-169 –enshrining federal rights for same-sex marriage. The legislation guarantees federal recognition of any marriage between two individuals if the union was valid in the state where it was performed. It also requires states to accept the legitimacy of a valid marriage performed elsewhere and protects interracial marriages. The bill now heads to President Joe Biden, who is expected to sign the legislation into law. Read more
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) participates in a bill enrollment ceremony alongside Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and a bipartisan group of Senators and Representatives for the Respect For Marriage Act at the U.S. Capitol Building on December 08, 2022 in Washington, DC.
More news to know now
🌤 What’s the weather this weekend? Check your local forecast here.
How did Republicans lose Georgia?
Voters rejected Trump-backed, election-denying candidates in presidential battlegrounds such as Pennsylvania, Arizona, Nevada, Michigan and Wisconsin – and now Georgia. Political experts can draw lessons both old and new from Raphael Warnock’s win over Herschel Walker in the George Senate runoff. Nationally, Walker is the latest Donald Trump-sponsored Republican candidate to lose a big statewide race, despite a favorable political environment for the GOP – a warning sign for the party, especially with Trump himself planning to run again for the presidency in 2024. The new lesson: Trump-backed candidates tend to have trouble in battleground states. Read more
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., joined by Sen. Gary Peters., D-Mich., chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, signals “51” as he speaks with reporters after Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock defeated Republican challenger Herschel Walker in a runoff election in Georgia last night, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2022.
US sending $275 million in military aid to Ukraine
Officials say the U.S. is sending an additional $275 million in military aid to Ukraine, including large amounts of ammunition and high-tech systems that can be used to detect and counter drones in its ongoing war with Russia. The total amount is smaller than most of the recent packages of aid, and comes as many military officials and experts predict a reduction in attacks during the winter. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Russia appears to be slowing its military activities to regroup and launch a new offensive when the weather warms. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the aid package prior to its public release, which is expected Friday. Read more
Locals receive humanitarian aid in Bakhmut, Donetsk region on December 8, 2022, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
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Ronaldo, Portugal look to end Morocco’s World Cup run
This World Cup marks Morocco’s first ever spot in the quarterfinals — the first to take place in the Arab world, no less — and now a meeting with Portugal and its superstar striker, Cristiano Ronaldo. Will he start Saturday’s match, or won’t he? That’s the big question being asked about Ronaldo after he was dropped by Portugal coach Fernando Santos for the 6-1 win over Switzerland in the round of 16 on Tuesday. As for Morocco, the nation is in uncharted territory after becoming only the fourth African country to reach the quarterfinals at soccer’s biggest tournament. Read more
Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo looks on against Uruguay during the second half of the group stage match in the 2022 World Cup at Lusail Stadium.
One more thing
Anthony Fuqua and Will Smith in “Emancipation”
Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer at USA TODAY, sign up for the email here. Want to send Nicole a note, shoot her an email at NFallert@usatoday.com or follow along with her musings on Twitter. Support journalism like this – subscribe to USA TODAY here.
Associated Press contributed reporting.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Brittney Griner, same-sex marriage, GOP, Senate, World Cup, Ukraine, Celine Dion: Daily Briefing