US Russia Griner USAGM
Metadata
- US Russia Griner USAGM
- December 8, 2022
- Content Type Package
- Language English
- Transcript/Script English USAGM SHARE ((PLAYBOOK SLUG: US-Russia-Griner (TV) HEADLINE: Brittney Griner Freed from Russian Prison TEASER: American female basketball star who was held for months in Russian prisons on drug charges was released in a one-for-one swap for international arms dealer Viktor Bout PUBLISHED:12/08/2022 at 11am BYLINE: Patsy Widakuswara CONTRIBUTOR: DATELINE: White House VIDEOGRAPHER: PRODUCER: SCRIPT EDITORS: sv, MAS VIDEO SOURCE (S): AP, AFP, Reuters PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV _x_ RADIO __ TRT: 1:51 VID APPROVED BY: MAS TYPE: TV EDITOR NOTES: Can work for Radio)) ((INTRO)) Brittney Griner, the American female basketball star who was held for months in Russian prisons on drug charges, was released Thursday in a prisoner swap for international arms dealer Viktor Bout. White House Bureau Chief Patsy Widakuswara has the report. ((NARRATOR)) The WNBA star Britney Griner was released after months held in Russia, President Joe Biden announced from the White House Thursday morning. ((President Joe Biden)) “This is a day we've worked toward for a long time. We never stopped pushing for her. Release took painstaking and intense negotiations and I want to thank all the hardworking public servants across my administration who work tirelessly to secure our release. I also want to thank the UAE for helping us facilitate Brittany's return, because that's where she landed these past few months.” ((NARRATOR)) Griner was released in a one-for-one prisoner swap for international arms dealer Viktor Bout. ((NARRATOR)) "She is safe. She is on a plane. She is on her way home," Biden first announced in a tweet, which included photos of himself in the Oval Office with Griner’s wife, Cherelle Griner. ((Cherelle Griner, Brittney Griner’s Wife)) “Today my family is home. But as you all are aware, there's so many other families who are not whole. So BG is not here to say this, but I will gladly speak on her behalf and say that BG and I remain committed to the work of getting every American home including Paul ((Whelan)), whose family is in our hearts today as we celebrate BG being home.” ((NARRATOR)) Retired U.S. Marine Paul Whelan has been imprisoned in Russia for nearly four years, on espionage charges that the U.S. says are false. ((President Joe Biden)) “While we have not yet succeeded in securing Paul’s release, we are not giving up. We will never give up. 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. And we’ll keep negotiating in good faith for Paul’s release. I guarantee that.” ((NARRATOR)) Griner was detained in Russia in February. She will now undergo a medical evaluation, as is standard procedure for freed U.S. prisoners ((NARRATOR)) Biden said that she is expected to return to the U.S. within 24 hours. Patsy Widakuswara, VOA News, at the White House.
- Transcript/Script USAGM SHARE ((PLAYBOOK SLUG: US-Russia-Griner (TV) HEADLINE: Brittney Griner Freed from Russian Prison TEASER: American female basketball star who was held for months in Russian prisons on drug charges was released in a one-for-one swap for international arms dealer Viktor Bout PUBLISHED:12/08/2022 at 11am BYLINE: Patsy Widakuswara CONTRIBUTOR: DATELINE: White House VIDEOGRAPHER: PRODUCER: SCRIPT EDITORS: sv, MAS VIDEO SOURCE (S): AP, AFP, Reuters PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV _x_ RADIO __ TRT: 1:51 VID APPROVED BY: MAS TYPE: TV EDITOR NOTES: Can work for Radio)) ((INTRO)) Brittney Griner, the American female basketball star who was held for months in Russian prisons on drug charges, was released Thursday in a prisoner swap for international arms dealer Viktor Bout. White House Bureau Chief Patsy Widakuswara has the report. ((NARRATOR)) The WNBA star Britney Griner was released after months held in Russia, President Joe Biden announced from the White House Thursday morning. ((President Joe Biden)) “This is a day we've worked toward for a long time. We never stopped pushing for her. Release took painstaking and intense negotiations and I want to thank all the hardworking public servants across my administration who work tirelessly to secure our release. I also want to thank the UAE for helping us facilitate Brittany's return, because that's where she landed these past few months.” ((NARRATOR)) Griner was released in a one-for-one prisoner swap for international arms dealer Viktor Bout. ((NARRATOR)) "She is safe. She is on a plane. She is on her way home," Biden first announced in a tweet, which included photos of himself in the Oval Office with Griner’s wife, Cherelle Griner. ((Cherelle Griner, Brittney Griner’s Wife)) “Today my family is home. But as you all are aware, there's so many other families who are not whole. So BG is not here to say this, but I will gladly speak on her behalf and say that BG and I remain committed to the work of getting every American home including Paul ((Whelan)), whose family is in our hearts today as we celebrate BG being home.” ((NARRATOR)) Retired U.S. Marine Paul Whelan has been imprisoned in Russia for nearly four years, on espionage charges that the U.S. says are false. ((President Joe Biden)) “While we have not yet succeeded in securing Paul’s release, we are not giving up. We will never give up. 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. And we’ll keep negotiating in good faith for Paul’s release. I guarantee that.” ((NARRATOR)) Griner was detained in Russia in February. She will now undergo a medical evaluation, as is standard procedure for freed U.S. prisoners ((NARRATOR)) Biden said that she is expected to return to the U.S. within 24 hours. Patsy Widakuswara, VOA News, at the White House.
- NewsML Media Topics Arts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
- Network VOA
- Embargo Date December 8, 2022 11:08 EST
- Byline Patsy Widakuswara
- Brand / Language Service Voice of America