Brittney Griner returns to the U.S., Kyrsten Sinema will leave the Democratic Party; Ukraine asks for a Nutcracker boycott

Plus, why the first Gen Z candidate elected in the U.S. House can't get an apartment. [View this email online]( [NPR]( by Suzanne Nuyen Good morning. Basketball star Brittney Griner has [returned to the U.S.]( This is what we know about [Viktor Bout]( the arms dealer she was traded for. Here's what we're following today: 🥇 First up [Brittney Griner disembarks from a plane on a dark airfield]( Kirill Kudryavtsev/AFP via Getty Images Brittney Griner's plane [landed in the U.S.]( this morning. As the country celebrates her return, the Biden administration is vowing to secure the release of someone who's been detained in Russia much longer. Paul Whelan, a former U.S. Marine, has been [held in Russia since 2018](. He and his family are disappointed he was left behind in the Griner swap. Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, an unapologetic moderate who has alienated progressives with her stance on the filibuster and other issues, is [leaving the Democratic Party]( to register as an independent. Sinema told Politico this morning that she will not caucus with Republicans. Kristen Petranek has two children, and although the pregnancies were hard on her body, she wanted another. Because of Wisconsin's strict abortion laws, she had to make the difficult decision [not to have any more kids](. She has a history of miscarriages and diabetes, and she fears that if something goes wrong, her state's law may inhibit doctors from helping her. Maxwell Frost, who became the first Gen Z candidate to be elected to the U.S. House in November, was recently denied an apartment in D.C. due to his credit record. He's speaking out now on [Congress' problem of accessibility]( for people who don't come from wealth. --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- 📷 Picture show [Performers with the Kyiv National Ballet rehearse for a production of The Snow Queen at the National Opera in Kyiv ]( Pete Kiehart for NPR Ukraine's culture minister is calling on the nation's Western allies to temporarily boycott Russian artists and composers, including [Pyotr Tchaikovsky]( the composer behind Christmas classic The Nutcracker. It's a big ask — and a late ask — for the U.S., where the holiday season is well underway. --------------------------------------------------------------- 🎧 Today’s listen [Fifteen-year-olds from a DCXI soccer team practice together in Washington, D.C., in November. Club co-founder and coach Pierre Hedji says some of their team members pay and some don't. "If you can afford to pay the whole thing, pay the whole thing. That way we can afford to help the next kid that can't pay anything at all."]( Maansi Srivastava/NPR As the World Cup quarterfinals begin, kids all over the world are sure to draw inspiration from soccer greats like Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe. But in the U.S., playing competitive youth soccer can cost families a small fortune, excluding kids who might excel at the sport. 🎧 Listen to [how people around the country are trying to get more kids in the game]( or [read the story](. --------------------------------------------------------------- 🎥 Weekend picks [Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle, announcing their engagement on November 27, 2017 in London, England.]( Chris Jackson/Getty Images Check out what [our critics]( are watching, reading and listening to this weekend: Movies: Not into the typical romantic Christmas movies? [Violent Night]( dares to ask the question: What if Santa Claus was a jaded drunk who steals booze while leaving presents under the tree on Christmas Eve? TV: In the first part of Netflix's long-awaited docuseries [Harry & Meghan]( we see the couple navigating their early relationship. Critic Eric Deggans says it avoids offending specific royals, but offers a critique of British society. Books: Jane Smiley's latest novel, [A Dangerous Business]( is inspired by Edgar Allan Poe's The Murders in the Rue Morgue. In the story, characters Eliza and Jean are determined to figure out who killed their missing colleagues. Music: Whether you're into rock, jazz or classical, NPR Music has all the playlists you need for the [best music of 2022](. Games: Fifty years ago, Atari released the original [Pong]( as an arcade game. To mark the anniversary, Atari co-founder and Pong designer Allan Alcorn 🎧 [spoke with NPR]( to reflect on the game's development. --------------------------------------------------------------- Before you go Rich Fury/Getty Images for NARAS - Céline Dion has been diagnosed with a rare neurological disorder called stiff-person syndrome. The singer has repeatedly postponed performances in the past year because of [severe muscle spasms](. - What if you could wake up and be one to two years younger? South Koreans will soon, as the country switches to an [internationally recognized style]( of counting ages. - It's the end of an era. Boeing says the [last 747 it will ever build]( left its assembly line this week. --------------------------------------------------------------- Stream your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. [Find a Station]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! 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