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Brittney Griner live updates: WNBA star swapped for Russian Viktor Bout in prisoner exchange

December 8, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — The U.S. has swapped WNBA star Brittney Griner for convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, according to a senior U.S. official.

The basketball star was taken into custody at a Moscow area airport in February in possession of vaping cartridges containing hashish oil, an illegal substance in Russia.

Griner pleaded guilty in July and was sentenced to nine years in prison on Aug. 7. She appealed the sentence, but was quickly rejected in October.

Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:

Dec 08, 1:07 PM EST
Paul Whelan calls CNN from prison

Paul Whelan called CNN from prison on Thursday, saying he’s “happy that Brittney is going home today and that Trevor [Reed] went home when he did — but I don’t understand why I’m still sitting here.”

Whelan said he’s “greatly disappointed that more has not been done to secure my release,” adding, “I was arrested for a crime that never occurred.”

Whelan, who has been imprisoned in Russia for nearly four years, said his message to Biden is: “This is a precarious situation that needs to be resolved quickly, and I would hope that he and his administration would do everything they could to get me home. regardless of the price they may have to pay at this point.”

Biden said Thursday that the prisoner swap was “not a choice” between Brittney Griner and Whelan.

“Russia is treating Paul’s case differently than Brittney’s, and while we have not yet succeeded in securing Paul’s release we are not giving up. We will never give up,” he said.

“We’ll continue to engage the Russians on Paul, and we’ll continue to look at everything possible to bring him home,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken added.

-ABC News’ Ben Gittleson

Dec 08, 12:38 PM EST
Phoenix Mercury, Griner’s WNBA team, releases statement: ‘She’s on her way’

The Phoenix Mercury, Brittney Griner’s WNBA team, celebrated their star player’s return Thursday.

“Miraculously, mercifully, the count of days detained has ended at 294, and our friend, our sister is headed back home where she belongs,” the team wrote on Twitter. “The emotions for our organization, just like for our fans and so many across the world, are those of joyous celebration, deep gratitude, grief for the time lost, and sincere hope for all families still awaiting the return of a loved one.”

Griner has played her entire nine-year career with Phoenix, making eight All-Star teams and winning the WNBA title in 2014.

The team had posted each week, saying how many days Griner had been in detention in Russia and continuing to advocate for her release. Teammates like Kia Nurse, Brianna Turner, Sophie Cunningham and Shey Peddy tweeted their relief at Griner’s release.

“BG’s strength in this process, her unwavering belief that resolution would come, and the hope she displayed every day is what kept all of us believing this day would come,” the Mercury said in its joint statement with the Phoenix Suns.

“We no longer have to Bring BG Home — she’s on her way,” they concluded.

Dec 08, 12:29 PM EST
Griner headed to Brooke Army Medical Center

Brittney Griner is en route to Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, a spokesperson at the base confirmed to ABC News. She’s expected to arrive late Thursday night or early Friday, according to the base.

-ABC News’ Gina Sunseri and Ben Gittleson

Dec 08, 11:28 AM EST
WNBA, NBA commissioners praise release

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert applauded the release of Griner, an eight-time league All Star, and said she showed “extraordinary courage and dignity in the face of enormous adversity.”

“There has not been a day over the past ten months where we all haven’t had Brittney Griner on our minds and in our hearts and that has now turned into a collective wave of joy and relief knowing that she will soon be reunited with her family, the WNBA player community, and her friends,” Engelbert wrote in a statement.

The WNBA celebrated Griner all season, putting her No. 42 on every court and even having every player in this year’s All Star Game wear her number. Many players spoke out throughout the season for her release.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, who had also consistently pushed for Griner’s release, said in a statement, “Brittney has had to endure an unimaginable situation and we’re thrilled that she is on her way home to her family and friends. We thank the members of the NBA and WNBA community who never wavered in their efforts to raise awareness of Brittney’s unjust circumstances.”

Seattle Storm star Breanna Stewart, the 2018 WNBA MVP and a teammate of Griner on both the U.S. national team and Russian squad UMMC Ekaterinburg, had posted a plea for Griner’s release every day on Twitter, counting the days and tagging President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and the White House in the posts. On Thursday, she wrote, “BG is FREE!!! 294 days and she is coming home!!!”

Dec 08, 9:22 AM EST
Griner negotiations were ‘painstaking,’ Russians treating Whelan differently: Biden

The road to Griner’s release involved “painstaking and intense negotiations,” President Biden said as he thanked many across his administration who “worked tirelessly to secure her release.”

“She’s relieved to finally be heading home and the fact remains that she’s lost months of her life, experienced a needless trauma,” he said. “She deserves space, privacy and time with her loved ones to recover and heal from her time being wrongfully detained.”

Biden said Griner landed in the United Arab Emirates and that the country helped facilitate the transfer.

Paul Whelan was not part of this exchange, the president said, adding, “This was not a choice of which American to bring home.”

“Sadly, for totally illegitimate reasons, Russia is treating Paul’s case differently than Brittney’s. And while we have not yet succeeded in securing Paul’s release, we are not giving up. We will never give up,” Biden said. “We remain in close touch with Paul’s family — the Whelan family — and my thoughts and prayers are with them today.”

“They have to have such mixed emotions today,” he continued. “And we’ll keep negotiating in good faith for Paul Whelan. I guarantee that. I say that to the family. And I guarantee you. I urge Russia to do the same to ensure that Paul’s health and humane treat are maintained until we can bring him home. I don’t want American to be detained one extra day if we can bring that person home.”

Dec 08, 9:20 AM EST
Blinken says Russia not willing to release Paul Whelan

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he’s grateful to everyone “who worked tirelessly” to bring Brittney Griner home, but lamented that Paul Whelan and his family “continue to suffer needlessly.”

“Despite our ceaseless efforts, the Russian Government has not yet been willing to bring a long overdue end to his wrongful detention. I wholeheartedly wish we could have brought Paul home today on the same plane with Brittney,” he said in a statement. “We will not relent in our efforts to bring Paul and all other U.S. nationals held hostage or wrongfully detained abroad home to their loved ones.”

Dec 08, 9:02 AM EST
Biden says Griner will be home within 24 hours

President Joe Biden confirmed that WNBA star Brittney Griner is on her way back to the U.S. and will be back within 24 hours.

The president said she’s in “good spirits.”

“She’s safe. She’s on a plane. She’s on her way home,” Biden said.

“After months of being unjustly detained in Russia held under intolerable circumstances, Brittany will soon be back in the arms of her loved ones and — and she should have been there all along,” he said.

A senior U.S. official told ABC News that Biden signed off on the prisoner swap last week.

Dec 08, 8:59 AM EST
Whelan family disappointed he wasn’t included in swap

The brother of Paul Whelan, an ex-U.S. Marine currently being held in Russian prison, said they were told beforehand he would not be included in the swap and were “able to mentally prepare for what is now a public disappointment for us.”

“At some level, our family has steeled ourselves for this likelihood,” Whelan’s brother, David, wrote in a statement. “And I think, as the use of wrongful detentions and hostage diplomacy continues around the globe, it’s clear the US government needs to be more assertive. If bad actors like Russia are going to grab innocent Americans, the US needs a swifter, more direct response, and to be prepared in advance.”

“In Russia’s case, this may mean taking more law-breaking, Kremlin-connected Russians into custody,” he added. “It’s not like there aren’t plenty around the world.”

David Whelan also made sure to note he and his family were happy Griner has been released and said he knew the cases “were not intertwined.”

“There is no greater success than for a wrongful detainee to be freed and for them to go home,” he wrote. “The Biden Administration made the right decision to bring Ms. Griner home, and to make the deal that was possible, rather than waiting for one that wasn’t going to happen.”

The Whelan family issued a similar statement in April when U.S. citizen Trevor Reed was freed from Russia in a prisoner swap. David Whelan alluded to that in his statement Thursday, saying, “The sentiments I shared in April about Trevor are unchanged: this is the event we wish for so much for our own family. She will be reunited with her family. Brittney is free. And Paul is still a hostage.”

Dec 08, 8:53 AM EST
Cherelle Griner calls past months ‘one of the darkest moments of my life’

Brittney Griner’s wife, Cherelle Griner, called the past months “one of the darkest moments of my life,” but flashed a large smile on her face knowing “BG” will be home soon.

“Today I’m just standing here overwhelmed with emotions, but the most important emotion that I have right now is just sincere gratitude for President Biden and his entire administration,” she said as she stood alongside President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

“It’s a happy day for me and my family,” she said.

Dec 08, 8:45 AM EST
Lavrov confirms swap, Putin pardoned Griner

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov confirmed that Griner was released and the prisoner exchange was carried out at Abu Dhabi Airport.

“For a long time, the Russian Federation has been negotiating with the United States on the release of V.A. Bout,” Lavrov said in a statement. “Washington categorically refused to engage in dialogue on the inclusion of the Russian in the exchange scheme. Nevertheless, the Russian Federation continued to actively work to rescue our compatriot.”

“As a result of the efforts made, it was possible to agree with the American side on the organization of the exchange of V.A.Bout for B. Griner,” he continued.

The U.S. has said for months it had offered Bout as part of a prisoner swap for Griner and Russian detained ex-Marine Paul Whelan.

Ombudsman of the Russian Federation Tatyana Moskalkova said Putin pardoned Griner before her release in the swap and she and Bout “should not serve the rest of their sentences in their respective countries.”

Dec 08, 8:34 AM EST
Who is Viktor Bout?

Griner has been swapped for the convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, according to a senior U.S. official.

Bout was arguably the world’s best-known illegal arms trafficker and his capture in 2008 at a hotel in Thailand came at the end of a nearly decade-long hunt by the U.S.

Bout, 55, emerged as a kingpin in the global illegal arms trade during the 1990s, accused of fueling some of the world’s bloodiest conflicts, particularly in Africa. Sourcing weapons from the huge stockpiles of the collapsed Soviet Union, the Russian used a fleet of Soviet-built transport aircraft to supply vast quantities of arm, often circumventing international embargoes.

Dec 08, 8:27 AM EST
Biden speaks to Griner aboard plane

President Joe Biden shared a photo of himself talking on the phone to Brittney Griner from the White House, along with Vice President Kamala Harris, saying she was on a plane, safe and headed home.

He is also shown hugging Cherelle Griner, Brittney’s wife.

Moments ago I spoke to Brittney Griner.
She is safe.
She is on a plane.
She is on her way home. pic.twitter.com/FmHgfzrcDT
— President Biden (@POTUS) December 8, 2022

FDA authorizes updated COVID-19 boosters for kids under 5

December 8, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(SILVER SPRING, Md.) — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized bivalent COVID-19 boosters for children between the ages of 6 months and 4 years old Thursday.

The booster, available from both Pfizer and Moderna, was previously authorized for everyone 5 years and older in October.

“More children now have the opportunity to update their protection against COVID-19 with a bivalent COVID-19 vaccine, and we encourage parents and caregivers of those eligible to consider doing so — especially as we head into the holidays and winter months where more time will be spent indoors,” FDA Commissioner Robert Califf said in a statement.

“As this virus has changed, and immunity from previous COVID-19 vaccination wanes, the more people who keep up to date on COVID-19 vaccinations, the more benefit there will be for individuals, families and public health by helping prevent severe illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths.”

The updated booster targets BA.4 and BA.5, which are subvariants of the omicron variant.

Children are eligible to receive the booster at least two months from the completion of their primary series or after receiving a separate booster dose.

The authorization means there are now more than 267 million people eligible for the booster in the U.S., according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

However, as of Nov. 30, only about 13% of those eligible have received an updated booster dose.

The final step before the booster can be distributed to the under age 5 category is authorization from the CDC, which must be signed off on by the agency’s director, Dr. Rochelle Walensky.

When considering authorizing the updated booster, the FDA said it looked at immune response data from adults who had received the original booster, which targeted the original omicron variant BA.1, as well data from a study comparing children who received the original booster and children who only received the primary series.

“Vaccines remain the best defense against the most devastating consequences of disease caused by the currently circulating omicron variant, such as hospitalization and death,” Dr. Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, said in a statement. “Based on available data, the updated, bivalent vaccines are expected to provide increased protection against COVID-19.”

“Parents and caregivers can be assured that the FDA has taken a great deal of care in our review, and we encourage parents of children of any age who are eligible for primary vaccination or a bivalent COVID-19 vaccine booster dose to consider seeking vaccination now as it can potentially help protect them from COVID-19 during a time when cases are increasing,” the statement continued.

CDC report shows how infectious mpox is and how important vaccination was in stemming outbreak

December 8, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(ATLANTA) — A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows how infectious mpox can be and how important vaccination was in reducing the outbreak over the summer.

Last month, the World Health Organization renamed “monkeypox” as “mpox” over concerns of stigmatization of the disease.

The study, published Thursday, looked at cases by vaccination status among men ages 18-49 between July 31 and Oct. 1 in the U.S.

The outbreak, which has significantly decreased in recent weeks, has primarily been concentrated among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, although the CDC has noted that anyone — regardless of sexual orientation — can contract the virus.

Currently, the only vaccine used in the U.S. is the JYNNEOS vaccine, which is a two-dose shot given four weeks apart and approved by the Food and Drug Administration to prevent smallpox and mpox.

To increase the number of doses available, the FDA announced a new strategy in August to inject the vaccine intradermally, just below the first layer of skin, rather than subcutaneously, or under all the layers of skin.

This allows one vial of vaccine to be given out as five separate doses rather than a single dose.

Over the two-month period, 9,544 cases were reported in this age group. Of those cases, 87.2% were among unvaccinated individuals.

Cases among unvaccinated people were 9.6 times higher compared to vaccinated individuals, according to the study.

Additionally, mpox infections were 7.4 times higher among people who received only the first vaccine dose.

“Monitoring mpox incidence by vaccination status using currently available surveillance data provides an indication of the real-world impact of JYNNEOS vaccine on prevention of mpox to guide rapid public health decision-making,” the authors wrote.

The team also determined there was no difference if the vaccine was administered subcutaneously or intradermally.

“This supports previous clinical trial data that indicated similar immune responses to JYNNEOS vaccination over time after intradermal or subcutaneous administration,” the authors wrote.

The authors noted that the study had limitations, including not controlling for behaviors that affect the risk for virus exposure and whether the vaccine was administered pre-exposure or post-exposure.

But the study shows that at-risk individuals should get the JYNNEOS vaccine as soon as possible, they said.

‘New York Times’ reporters and other staff stage 24-hour strike

December 8, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — More than 1,000 journalists and other workers at The New York Times launched a 24-hour strike on Thursday, a protest over ongoing contract negotiations that marks the first such strike at the company in more than four decades.

“It’s never an easy decision to refuse to do work you love, but our members are willing to do what it takes to win a better newsroom for all,” the NewsGuild of New York, the union representing the workers, said on Thursday.

Workers and management have reached an impasse over the scale of pay increases, the balance between remote and in-office work and other issues, according to a letter signed by more than 1,000 employees.

A collective bargaining agreement between the workers and The Times expired last March, giving way to 20 months of negotiations, the letter said. Those negotiations spanned more than 120 hours across 40 bargaining sessions but the two sides still disagree on a host of concerns.

“The Times company is profitable,” the letter said. “It is time the unionized workers who made so much of this possible be properly compensated for their efforts.”

New York Times spokesperson Danielle Rhoades Ha expressed disappointment over the work stoppage, saying the two sides have taken steps toward an agreement.

“It is disappointing that they are taking such an extreme action when we are not at an impasse,” Rhoades Ha told ABC News.

“Though we’ve made progress and offered several new proposals this week to address issues identified as priorities by the Guild, we still have much more work to do when we return to the bargaining table,” Rhoades Ha added.

It was unclear whether the work stoppage would disrupt operations at the news outlet. The Times could publish some previously written work and workers outside of the union would be called upon to make up for the absence of colleagues, Dana Goldstein, a domestic correspondent at the national desk who participated in the work stoppage, told ABC News.

“This is a show of strength to show that we are ready to take these steps and do believe our incredible work over what’s been some of the hardest times of our lives during the pandemic should be rewarded,” she said.

Negotiations have stalled primarily over the scale of annual pay increases, Goldstein said.

The company has offered 2.75% in average annual guaranteed base-pay raises, according to the letter from Times employees.

That offer falls short of what workers need as they weather sky-high inflation and rising housing costs in New York City, where many employees live, said Goldstein, who has worked at The Times for six years.

“We’re not asking for raises to keep up with inflation,” she said. “We’re asking for more than what’s been offered.”

Despite the impasse on pay increases, the company has improved its offer on some benefits, Goldstein said.

The company, which had sought to replace a pension plan with a 401(k), is now offering employees a choice between the two, she said. The company also agreed to improve fertility benefits, she added.

Prominent supporters of Times workers, including actor Mark Ruffalo and Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-NY, called on people to forego visiting The Times website and using Times products in an act of solidarity with the workers.

“Support the New York Times workers in solidarity and steer clear of the NY Times during their strike,” Ruffalo said. “Even Wordle.”

House passes historic marriage equality bill

December 8, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — The House on Thursday passed a bill to codify federal recognition of same-sex and interracial marriages, which now goes to President Joe Biden’s desk for his signature.

The Respect for Marriage Act passed with bipartisan support in a 258-169 vote. Thirty-nine Republicans joined Democrats in voting yes on the measure.

The legislation passed with cheers and hugs on the floor. Former Rep. Barney Frank, an openly gay Democrat who has long fought for marriage equality, was present for the vote.
MORE: How Congress achieved a historic breakthrough on gay marriage

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Rep. David Cicilline, Sen. Tammy Baldwin, Rep. Jerry Nadler and Republican Sen. Susan Collins held a bill enrollment ceremony celebrating the bill’s passage.

“What a great day,” Pelosi said at the ceremony, thanking her colleagues for their support. “At last we have history in the making, but not only are we on the ride sight of history, we are on the right side of the future: expanding freedom in America.”
PHOTO: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., announces final passage of the bill with protections for same-sex marriages, on the House Floor, Dec. 8, 2022, in Washington.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., announces final passage of the bill with protections for same-sex marriages, on the House Floor, Dec. 8, 2022, in Washington.
AP

Pelosi, who is leaving her post as House Democratic leader, has said she is “particularly happy” the Respect for Marriage Act will be one of the last bills she signs in her role.

“Once signed into law, the Respect for Marriage Act will help prevent right-wing extremists from upending the lives of loving couples traumatizing kids across the country, and turning back the clock on hard-won progress,” Pelosi said in a floor speech ahead of the vote.

Biden has said he’s prepared to sign the measure after it passed the House. In a statement after Senate passage last week, he said he will “promptly and proudly sign it into law.”

Ensuring same-sex marriage rights are protected between states became a top priority for Democrats in light of the Supreme Court’s June decision to overrule its precedent in 1973’s Roe v. Wade guaranteeing a constitutional right to abortion.

Justice Clarence Thomas indicated in a concurring opinion at the time that he would like to see the court reverse the 2015 ruling Obergefell v. Hodges guaranteeing the national right to same-sex marriage, which was decided on similar grounds as Roe.
MORE: Senate approves historic legislation to protect same-sex marriages
PHOTO: The Capitol in Washington, D.C., Dec. 4, 2022.
The Capitol in Washington, D.C., Dec. 4, 2022.
Daniel Slim/AFP via Getty Images

The Respect for Marriage Act will not codify Obergefell and set a national requirement that all states must license same-sex marriages. But it will require individual states to recognize a same-sex (or interracial) marriage that was lawfully performed in another state.

The Senate passed the bill last week, 61-36 — marking a victory for Democrats during the lame-duck after months of negotiations with Republicans. Twelve members of the GOP voted in support of the legislation.

Schumer at Thursday’s bill enrollment ceremony said the issue is personal for many in Congress. Schumer’s daughter is married to her wife.

“Thanks to the tireless advocacy of many — many in this room — and the dogged work by many of my colleagues, my grandchild will live in a world that will respect and honor their mothers’ marriage,” he said. “So yes, this is about millions of LGBTQ Americans in the country but countless other lives of children and families will also be impacted.”

The House passed a similar version of this legislation earlier this year, with 47 Republicans supporting it. The Senate version includes new language to ease some GOP concerns about religious freedom.

ABC News’ Allison Pecorin, Will Steakin and Gabe Ferris contributed to this report.

Suspect in fatal UVA shooting of 3 football players makes court appearance

December 8, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.) — The student accused of opening fire on a loaded charter bus, killing three University of Virginia football players and wounding two other classmates, made a brief appearance in court on Thursday.

The suspect, Christopher Darnell Jones Jr., 22, appeared in court in Charlottesville for a status conference in the triple-murder case. It was his second court appearance since his arrest in the deadly November attacks.

Jones was represented at the hearing by a public defender.

A judge scheduled a preliminary hearing in the case for March 30, according to ABC affiliate station WSET in Lynchburg, Virginia.

Jones is charged with three felony counts of second-degree murder, two felony counts of malicious wounding and five felony counts of using a firearm in the commission of a felony. He has yet to enter a plea to the charges.f

The shooting unfolded on Nov. 13 when Jones allegedly opened fire with a handgun on a charter bus packed with students returning to the UVA campus in Charlottesville from a field trip to Washington, D.C., officials said.

Killed in the attack were UVA Cavaliers football players Devin Chandler, Lavel Davis Jr. and D’Sean Perry. The shooting also wounded students Mike Hoins and Marlee Morgan.

Jones was a walk-on member of the school’s football team in 2018, but never played in a game, UVA officials said.

A possible motive for the shooting has not been disclosed by prosecutors or investigators.

As law enforcement continues to investigate the killings, Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares is conducting an external review of the circumstances leading up to the attack. Miyares has yet to announce any findings in his probe.

Prosecutors said a witness told police Jones targeted specific students on the bus and that one of the victims, Chandler, was shot to death as he slept on the bus.

Jones was arrested a day after the attack following a massive search for him.

Virginia State Police confirmed that multiple guns and ammunition were seized from Jones’ home.

Biden insists prisoner swap was ‘not a choice’ between Brittney Griner, Paul Whelan

December 8, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — In celebrating WNBA star Brittney Griner’s release, President Joe Biden made a point on Thursday to say the prisoner swap was “not a choice” between Griner and Paul Whelan, the American former Marine who is still detained in Russia.

“We never forgot about Brittney. We’ve not forgotten about Paul Whelan who has been unjustly detained in Russia for years. This was not a choice of which American to bring home,” Biden said from the White House.

“Sadly, or totally illegitimate reasons, Russia is treating Paul’s case differently than Brittney’s, and while we have not yet succeeded in securing Paul’s release we are not giving up. We will never give up,” he said.

Whelan has spent four years in detention since he was seized in 2018 by Russia’s domestic intelligence agency, the Federal Security Service, while visiting Moscow for a friend’s wedding. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison on espionage charges but the United States and his family say they were fabricated in order to take him as a political bargaining chip.

The Biden administration remains in close contact with the Whelan family, Biden said, adding they must have “such mixed emotions today.”

“We’ll keep negotiating in good faith for Paul’s release. I guarantee that. I say that to the family. I guarantee you. I urge Russia to do the same to ensure that Paul’s health and humane treatment are maintained until we are able to bring him home. I don’t want any American to sit wrongfully detained one extra day if we can bring that person home,” he said.

Whelan’s twin brother, David, released a statement just ahead of Biden’s remarks calling the swap for Griner “the right decision.”

“As the family member of a Russian hostage, I can literally only imagine the joy she will have, being reunited with her loved ones, and in time for the holidays. There is no greater success than for a wrongful detainee to be freed and for them to go home. The Biden Administration made the right decision to bring Ms. Griner home, and to make the deal that was possible, rather than waiting for one that wasn’t going to happen,” he said.

He said officials let them know in advance “that Paul would be left behind,” unlike in April, when news broke of former Marine Trevor Reed’s return.

“This is the event we wish for so much for our own family,” the Whelans said in April, and again on Thursday. “She will be reunited with her family. Brittney is free. And Paul is still a hostage.”

The Whelan family is unsure if Whelan himself is aware of Griner’s release, his brother said, but they expect to speak with him soon, as they approach the fourth anniversary of his detention.

Griner will be back in the U.S. within 24 hours, according to officials.

“She’s safe. She’s on a plane. She’s on her way home,” Biden said alongside Brittney’s wife, Cherelle, Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

Blinken, in a written statement, praised Griner’s release but lamented that Whelan and his family “continue to suffer needlessly.”

Former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, who for months tried to help negotiate a trade for Griner and Whelan and travelled repeatedly to Moscow for meetings, said his team is thrilled Griner is now free but called for the Biden administration to now make Whelan’s return a priority.

ABC News’ Cindy Smith and Justin Gomez contributed to this report.

How millions of missing workers are making do without a job

December 8, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Recession fears have mounted in recent weeks, as inflation continues to strain household budgets and the Federal Reserve appears set to raise interest rates and further slow the economy.

As if blissfully unaware, however, the job market has thrived. Hiring last month exceeded expectations and defied warnings of a downturn.

But the good jobs news could ultimately imperil the economy. Wages last month grew a blistering 5.1% compared to a year earlier, offering welcome relief for workers but also sobering news for Fed officials fearful of runaway inflation driven by income gains.

In turn, a lesser known data point has drawn outsized attention: the share of the adult population not working or actively looking for work. If workers are in ample supply, it gives the labor market some slack and limits wage growth. However, workforce participation came in at 62.1% last month, markedly lower than the pre-pandemic level of 63.4%.

The scant supply of workers keeps the labor market taut and helps fuel rising wages, which risk exacerbating inflation and pushing the economy into a recession, economists told ABC News.

Americans “should be worried about it,” Stephanie Roth, a senior market economist at J.P. Morgan Private Bank, told ABC News. The firm predicts a recession as the most likely outcome for the economy, she said, adding that “a continued tight labor market and high wage inflation would be a key reason.”

The alarm raises a key question at the heart of the economy: How can millions of missing workers stay on the sidelines while affording to pay their bills?

Here’s how unemployed people have kept up their lives and why it matters:

Retirement rates increased

The top explanation for why so many people have stayed out of the workforce centers on people who retired during the pandemic, economists said.

Over the past three months, there were 3.6 million more Americans who had left the labor force and said they didn’t want a job, compared with the same period in 2019, Aaron Sojourner, an economist at the Upjohn Institute, told ABC News. Among those 3.6 million people, individuals aged 55 and above made up about 90%, he added.

A stock market tear during the pandemic ballooned the assets of some older Americans, allowing them to subsist without income. Meanwhile, the heightened risk of severe illness faced by older Americans amid the COVID outbreak left them fearful of exposure at the workplace, Sojourner said.

“They had their finances in a position that enabled them to make the choice to stay out,” he said.

A stock market downturn this year has buffeted that financial stronghold for retirees, however, said Roth, of J.P. Morgan. Still, the reluctance of many older Americans to reenter the workforce owes to the endurance of their pandemic-era savings and the difficulty in reverting back to a bygone lifestyle.

“Now they’ve settled into their lives in retirement and they’re less inclined to come back into the labor force,” Roth said.

Savings strengthened

Another financial lifeline for unemployed Americans is the stockpile of savings that many built during the pandemic, economists said.

The COVID era strengthened household savings as government stimulus and high-flying asset prices combined with a lockdown lifestyle that did away with expenses like travel and eating out.

U.S. households amassed about $2.3 trillion in savings in 2020 and 2021, a Federal Reserve study showed last month. Moreover, households in the lower half of income distribution were still holding a combined $350 billion in excess savings as of the middle of this year, the study found.

Those savings afforded workers the flexibility to make major changes like quitting their jobs and cutting expenses to afford the lost income, Jesse Wheeler, an economic analyst with the research firm Morning Consult, told ABC News.

“The lifestyle choices that people made during the pandemic to move to a different place, work a little less and enjoy time with family – those sorts of choices are sticky,” Wheeler said.

Recently, however, savings for many have dwindled, Wheeler said.

Last month, the personal savings rate fell to 2.3%, the lowest rate in nearly two decades, according to data from the Commerce Department.

With persistent inflation hovering near a 40-year high, shoppers have drawn on savings to preserve a steady level of consumption while weathering elevated prices, he added.

“Clearly, it’s not going to be sustainable over the long term,” Wheeler said. “People eventually need to pull back on spending or reenter the labor force to increase their earnings.”

Informal work and self-employment

Data reporting a shrunken workforce likely overlooks some Americans who’ve continued to work, especially at self-run businesses or informal jobs, economists said.

During the pandemic, new business applications soared and they have remained above pre-pandemic levels, Census Bureau data showed. The Bureau reported nearly 433,000 new business applications in October, a marked increase from 313,000 in December 2019. In July 2020, new business applications reached as high as 552,000.

The government survey that calculates monthly U.S. hiring may leave out some self-employed people, said Roth.

Some people working gig jobs describe themselves as employed while others don’t, said Wheeler, of Morning Consult.

Typically, people who work formal gig jobs in delivery or ridehail service describe themselves as employed in response to queries. However, people who rely on jobs like babysitting, house sitting or dog walking often do not call themselves employed, Wheeler said.

The increase in gig work across the economy likely accounts for some of those missing from the workforce, said Sojourner.

“There are slightly more people who see informal work as an option for how to sell some of their time and skills,” he said.

Relying on a spouse or other family for support

The savings boom and rise of remote work during the pandemic led some married households to drop from two incomes to one, and pushed some workers to move in with family members, allowing previously employed people to subsist on support from loved ones, economists said.

While this shift likely accounts for a small portion of those outside of the labor force and data remains limited, the phenomenon highlights a lifestyle change enjoyed by some who have prioritized childcare or other activities above work, they said.

“People have changed up their lifestyles, maybe moved to the suburbs or consolidated households, maybe switched from one income to two,” Wheeler said. “They’ve realized that they like that lifestyle better and don’t want to go back.”

For instance, the workforce participation rate for women aged 25-34 fell nearly 5 percentage points after the outset of the pandemic, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. While employment in that group has rebounded, it remains below pre-pandemic levels.

The choice to give up work for childcare made up a key obstacle for women during the pandemic. While the problem remains, it has largely eased, Roth said.

“I wouldn’t say it’s the most important driver of wage inflation today but it’s an important piece of the puzzle,” Roth said.

Brittney Griner live updates: WNBA star swapped for Viktor Bout in prisoner exchange

December 8, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — The U.S. has swapped WNBA star Brittney Griner for convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, according to a senior U.S. official.

The basketball star was taken into custody at a Moscow area airport earlier this year in possession of vaping cartridges containing hashish oil, an illegal substance in Russia.

Griner pleaded guilty and was sentenced to nine years in prison.

Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:

Dec 08, 9:02 AM EST
Biden says Griner will be home within 24 hours

President Joe Biden confirmed that WNBA star Brittney Griner is on her way back to the U.S. and will be back within 24 hours.

The president said she’s in “good spirits.”

“She’s safe. She’s on a plane. She’s on her way home,” Biden said.

A senior U.S. official told ABC News that Biden signed off on the prisoner swap last week.

Dec 08, 8:59 AM EST
Whelan family disappointed he wasn’t included in swap

“In Russia’s case, this may mean taking more law-breaking, Kremlin-connected Russians into custody,” he added. “It’s not like there aren’t plenty around the world.”

David Whelan also made sure to note he and his family were happy Griner has been released and said he knew the cases “were not intertwined.”

Dec 08, 8:53 AM EST
Cherelle Griner calls past months ‘one of the darkest moments of my life’

Brittney Griner’s wife, Cherelle Griner, called the past months “one of the darkest moments of my life,” but flashed a large smile on her face knowing “BG” will be home soon.

“It’s a happy day for me and my family,” she said.

Dec 08, 8:45 AM EST
Lavrov confirms swap, Putin pardoned Griner

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov confirmed that Griner was released and the prisoner exchange was carried out at Abu Dhabi Airport.

“As a result of the efforts made, it was possible to agree with the American side on the organization of the exchange of V.A.Bout for B. Griner,” he continued.

The U.S. has said for months it had offered Bout as part of a prisoner swap for Griner and Russian detained ex-Marine Paul Whelan.

Dec 08, 8:34 AM EST
Who is Viktor Bout?

Griner has been swapped for the convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, according to a senior U.S. official.

Bout was arguably the world’s best-known illegal arms trafficker and his capture in 2008 at a hotel in Thailand came at the end of a nearly decade-long hunt by the U.S.

Dec 08, 8:27 AM EST
Biden speaks to Griner aboard plane

President Joe Biden shared a photo of himself talking on the phone to Brittney Griner from the White House, along with Vice President Kamala Harris, saying she was on a plane, safe and headed home.

He is also shown hugging Cherelle Griner, Brittney’s wife.

Moments ago I spoke to Brittney Griner.
She is safe.
She is on a plane.
She is on her way home. pic.twitter.com/FmHgfzrcDT
— President Biden (@POTUS) December 8, 2022

FDA weighs whether Lasik patients should be given extra warning about possible risks

December 8, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — The Food and Drug Administration is weighing whether or not surgeons should provide additional warnings about the risks of Lasik, a popular corrective eye-sight surgery.

In a draft guidance from July, the agency suggested that patients should be explicitly informed about the risks of dry eye, problems driving at night, visual disturbances — or other rare but more serious side effects related to the surgery.

The FDA is still finalizing the guidance. If implemented, companies would be asked to create a checklist of possible risks and surgeons would be asked to go through that checklist with patients to ensure they understand the possible risks and benefits of the procedure.

An FDA spokesperson said in a statement, “The FDA issued a draft guidance in July 2022 that recommends content and formatting for patient labeling information for laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) devices. As part of the guidance process, this document was published in the Federal Register, giving the public an opportunity to comment. The comment period for the draft guidance recently closed on November 25, 2022. With the comment period now closed, the FDA is now reviewing and considering comments for the final guidance. The timeline for the final guidance issuing is dependent on a number of factors and we cannot provide a firm timeline at this point.”

The American Academy of Opthalmology weighed in on the proposed guidance and raised concerns about the checklist.

“Much of the content presented is important for the informed consent process but it is presented with insufficient depth and nuance,” said Dr. Stephen McLeod, CEO of the academy. “The academy’s position is that effective informed consent is a process of shared information and decision-making that occurs between the physician and the patient. Risks and benefits do not exist in a vacuum, and for them to be meaningful rather than abstract, they must be interpreted and discussed in the context of a specific patient. We are also concerned that there are several statements that are not well supported by the latest evidence, and some that have actually been disproved.”

According to the FDA, Lasik is a procedure intended to reduce a person’s dependency on glasses or contact lenses. The agency said that the surgery is one of the most commonly performed and estimated that nearly 600,000 Lasik surgeries are performed each year.

In a video, the agency summarizes some risks to the procedure, stating that “Lasik is not for everyone.”

The newly drafted guidance succeeds two previous FDA measures on disclosing the risks of Lasik surgery.

In May 2009, the FDA issued a letter to eye care professionals providing them with important information about promoting and advertising Lasik after receiving complaints that consumers were not told of the risks associated with the procedure.

Two years later, the FDA issued a second letter “to remind eye care professionals of their legal responsibility to provide balanced information about medical products,” including disclosing risk information in eye care professionals’ promotional material.

In 2017, after the agency reportedly received complaints about side effects from the surgery, from dry eye to more serious stories of chronic eye pain, it commissioned studies to investigate whether patients were being adequately informed about risks, as well as clear benefits.

The 2022 draft guidance suggests that manufacturers and surgeons should explicitly walk patients through a “checklist” that includes clear warnings and benefits.

The drafted Lasik “checklist” includes part of the following.

Six months after surgery:

Up to 27% of patients experience dry eye symptoms
About 41% of patients may experience visual symptoms such as glare, halos, starbursts or double images
Around 4% of patients may have “very” or “extremely” bothersome symptoms
Around 2% of patients may have “a lot of difficulty” when not wearing glasses or contacts

Five years after surgery:

About 17% of patients still used eye drops for dry eyes
Fewer than 2% of patients still notice some visual disturbance
About 8% of patients have trouble driving at night
There are rare (fewer than 1%) reports of severe, constant pain

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