Inside the secretive world of freeing American hostages abroad

The Brittney Griner-Viktor Bout prisoner exchange highlighted the secret, chaotic, divisive and sometimes weird world of global prisoner negotiation.

Read in browser Read in browser The Daily Briefing YOUR MORNING NEWS ROUNDUP Sat Dec 17 2022 Inside the secretive, chaotic, weird ways hostages like Griner get freed The Brittney Griner-Viktor Bout prisoner exchange highlighted the secret, chaotic, divisive and sometimes weird world of global prisoner negotiation. READ MORE COVID is about to explode in China: What does that mean for the US? Experts are predicting COVID cases in China will explode after the country ended its strict zero-COVID policy. Here's how the US may be affected. READ MORE This week: Government shutdown avoided, same-sex marriage law passes After domestic spending debate held up negotiations, Congress passed a measure to delay the spending bill vote another week. Here's what else happened this week. READ MORE Read Today's eNewspaper Read Today's eNewspaper What happens if a school doesn't comply with Title IX? Not a whole lot. Enforcement of the federal gender-equity law is essentially toothless, mired in red tape and delays as aggrieved students wait years for relief. READ MORE How the kindness of two teens is helping a small town cope with change The kindness of two teens and a homecoming queen switch is helping Crossville, Alabama cope with shifts in culture and demographics. READ MORE A Better Daily Briefing We've redesigned your favorite newsletter to have a cleaner look and feel. Let us know what you think about it. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS ➔ SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS ➔ IN CASE YOU MISSED IT Some climate change protesters turned to vandalism in 2022. Why? Activists can't make the radical, systemic changes needed to fight climate change. But experts say they have the power to draw attention to the cause. READ MORE Sleep psychologist explains nightmares and gives prevention strategies Dr. Nadorff says everyone has nightmares, but not everyone remembers them. He presents a number of strategies to prevent memories of nightmares. READ MORE What to know about NFL's biggest Week 15 games Week 15 is set to be a pivotal juncture for several teams in playoff contention. The New York Giants and Washington Commanders headline the action. READ MORE Puzzle solutions for Saturday, Dec. 17, 2022 Find answers to the latest online sudoku and crossword puzzles that were published in USA TODAY Network's local newspapers. READ MORE Sign up for the news you want Exclusive newsletters are part of your subscription, don't miss out! We're always working to add benefits for subscribers like you. SEE ALL NEWSLETTERS ➔ SEE ALL NEWSLETTERS ➔ SUBSCRIBE TODAY Our Reporting. Your Stories. • Full access to subscriber-only content on all devices.   • Share bonus subscription with a family member or friend.   • The universal e-Editon, the digital version of our print paper , plus bonus monthly magazines and hundreds of local papers.   • Original reporting of our hometown teams, from high school sports to the pros. SUBSCRIBE TODAY SUBSCRIBE TODAY Newsletters   |    eNewspaper   |   Crosswords Follow Us Problem viewing email? View in browser Unsubscribe  •   Manage Newsletters  •  Terms of Service  •   Privacy Policy/Your California Privacy Rights  •  Privacy Notice  •   Do Not Sell My Info/Cookie Policy  •  Feedback