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Melissa Harris-Perry: Thanks for sticking with us on The Takeaway. I'm Melissa Harris-Perry. Well, let's look back at it Thursday here on The Takeaway, we're bringing you some updates on a few of our continuing stories, and we begin with some very good news.
Brittney Griner is coming home. Just after eight o'clock am this morning news broke that the WNBA star was released from a Russian penal colony as part of a prisoner swap which took place in the United Arab Emirates. Here's President Biden speaking about the release on Thursday morning.
President Biden: I'm glad to be able to say that Brittney is in good spirits. She's relieved to finally be heading home. The fact remains that she's lost months of her life, experienced a needless trauma. She deserves space, privacy, and time with her loved ones to recover and heal from her time being wrongfully detained.
Melissa Harris-Perry: Here on The Takeaway, we've been bringing you Griner's story throughout the nine distressing months that she's been held in Russia. We last talked about her case last week with Dave Zirin, sports editor for The Nation. He told us about both the domestic and international politics surrounding Griner's imprisonment.
Dave Zirin: It does seem like right now Vladimir Putin is far more enjoying seeing the United States in a state of division over this and seeing the people who want to bring Griner home twist in the wind.
Melissa Harris-Perry: Across social media, many responded to news of Griner's release with expressions of gratitude, relief, and joy. Of course, here at The Takeaway, we are unreservedly thrilled to know that Brittney Griner will be spending the holidays with her family and loved ones. At the same time, we remain deeply concerned about American Paul Whelan, who was not included in this prisoner swap and who remains in prison in Russia.
President Biden: While we have not yet succeeded in securing Paul's release, we are not giving up. We will never give up. We'll remain in close touch with Paul's family, the Whelan family, and my thoughts and prayers are with him today. They have to have such mixed emotions today. We'll keep negotiating in good faith for Paul's release, I guarantee that.
Melissa Harris-Perry: Now on Monday, we brought you a story out of North Carolina, about a deliberate attack on multiple power substations in Moore County. The Saturday night attack left more than 40,000 residents without power during a cold week, but we're happy to report that crews worked around the clock and have now restored power.
Investigators did find more than two dozen shell casings from a high-powered rifle at the scene but as of Thursday morning, no one has been arrested. North Carolina's Governor Roy Cooper spoke to CNN on Wednesday morning.
Roy Cooper: This was a specific act. The person or persons knew what they were doing and what it took to disable this substation.
Melissa Harris-Perry: The FBI's Charlotte division has opened a tip line and requested the public's help in identifying anyone who may have been involved. Finally, yesterday, Time Magazine released its annual Persons of the Year for 2022. Topping the list is President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the spirit of Ukraine.
Now as a former comedian and actor, Zelenskyy was initially received by global political leaders as a less-than-serious figure. Charismatic, popular, and adept at social media use, it wasn't clear these skills would prove equal to the task he faced when Russia violently invaded his country in February.
In their assessment of Zelensky, Time shows that it is precisely this showmanship at the global level which has served his nation's interests during this brutal year. Here is Times Person of the Year, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, addressing the United Nations back in October.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy: A crime has been committed against Ukraine, and we demand just punishment. The crime was committed against the values that make you and me a community of the united nations.
Melissa Harris-Perry: All right, Takeaway, we've looked back at it and now you're up to date. It's The Takeaway.
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