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Brittney Griner Detention In Russia Extended

by Author29/08/202307/08/2023

Brittney Griner, the American basketball star detained in Moscow on allegations of drug smuggling, will remain in custody for at least two more months, Russian media reported Thursday.

“The court granted the request of the investigation and extended the period of detention of the US citizen Griner until May 19,” a Russian court spokesperson told the Kremlin-controlled press agency TASS.

The outlet Mash also reported the news, sharing a video on Telegram showing Griner, 31, walking down a hallway with two guards.

A person close to the matter told BuzzFeed News Griner was OK and has been meeting regularly with her Russian legal team while in detention. The investigation is still ongoing, and a trial date has not been set, the person said.

If the investigation isn’t complete by May, whether she will continue to be detained pending trial will be reassessed then.

A State Department spokesperson told BuzzFeed News, “We are closely engaged on this case and in frequent contact with Brittney Griner’s legal team.”

The arrest of the WNBA star and two-time Olympic Gold medalist was first reported on March 5, but Rep. Colin Allred of Texas, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, has said she was arrested on Feb. 17.

She was detained after customs allegedly found cartridges of hashish oil in her luggage at an airport outside Moscow. She could face up to 10 years in prison.

Griner is a member of the Phoenix Mercury but had been playing in the off-season for Russia’s

Trans Peruvian Activist Died In Bali Police Custody

by Author21/08/202307/08/2023

The statement from Ventosilla’s family “raises very serious questions that deserve clear and accurate answers,” Harvard Kennedy School Dean Douglas Elmendorf said. “Harvard Kennedy School supports the family’s call for an immediate and thorough investigation and for public release of all relevant information, and the School stands with all of Rodrigo’s friends and colleagues and with the LGBTQ+ community.”

Ventosilla’s family has asked the Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to push for an investigation into Indonesian authorities’ conduct. But in a statement issued this week, the ministry appeared to side with Indonesian officials’ account of the events.

In a news release on Aug. 22, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs denied that Indonesian authorities’ actions amounted to discrimination and anti-trans violence. The ministry said that the arrest happened because customs officers found pills with a medical prescription and “objects that contained traces of cannabis, as well as various products made with said substance.”

“As is public knowledge, Indonesia maintains a zero-tolerance policy regarding the possession of drugs and their derivative products, for which one of the detained nationals would have committed a serious crime under the strict laws of that country,” the ministry said.

It also said that the Peruvian Consulate was in touch with local authorities throughout to ensure that they worked within local law and respected Ventosilla and Marallano’s rights.

Gianna Camacho, a spokesperson for Ventosilla’s family, told BuzzFeed News that they reject the ministry’s statement, calling it an “offense against the families” and “biased” against Sebastian and the

Sabbatical

by Author05/08/202327/10/2022

My mother died Monday night. She was 74.

Earlier this week, I began writing a memorial for her. I know I haven’t talked much about Mom here at Get Rich Slowly, but she probably played the biggest role in molding me into the person I am today. After writing 2500 words, I realized I have a lot to process. And maybe Get Rich Slowly isn’t the place to publish a tribute to her. I don’t know.

[My mother when she was probably 15 years old]

In any event, I’m taking some time off.

For the next few weeks, I’ll be dealing with the logistics of Mom’s memorial service and her estate. And while I’m taking time away from Get Rich Slowly to handle these things, it feels like a good opportunity to tackle a few big projects I’ve been putting off — including the “de-design” of this blog.

My plan is to take a three-month sabbatical. I may indeed publish a bit here and there — and I’ll regularly update the “Spare Change” section on the front page and send the GRS Insider email newsletter — but my intention right now is to step away from Get Rich Slowly until the end of the year.

I’ll be back on 01 January 2023.