bg is not walking into a situation where there's a balance of justice. she's walking into a situation where their injurjudicial syste a 99% conviction rate. their system is guilty. >> have you seen any of the pictures that have been released this week of her? >> i have. i have. >> what did you think? >> it was very disheartening. honestly, i told you i like to be very frank with my wife and authentic when i do write her. i told her, i saw a picture and i honestly for a second, i thought you were insane. i said, it took me aback and i told her i was like, i want to tell you one thing, if you are losing your miepnd just be gracious with yourself because you're how many. you come back. we will love you back whole. if you aren't going insane p, just do me a favor and just try and keep whatever integrity you can control by not allowing them to depict you in ways that are not really your current state. if you got to put a hoodie on and cover your head, do it. don't allow them to try to strip you completely to that degree because at the end of day, they're cont

bg home? because i do trust that they're -- that the persons working on this are very genuine people, that i do believe. but i don't think the maximum amount of effort is being done because, again, the rhetoric and the actions don't match. you know, when you have a situation where bg can call our government, the embassy, 11 times and that phone call don't get answered, you don't have my trust at that point until i see actions that are in bg's best interest. it would have been in her best interest for her phone call to have been answered. it would be in her best interest for her to be back on u.s. soil. so until i see things like that, no. >> i know that you've had some conversations with the secretary of state and with other officials, but you want to talk to president biden, right? >> absolutely. and the reason why is because i'm new to this. i just graduated law school. so i can only do those things that are being told are beneficial for my wife. and the most beneficial thing that i've been

he is a person that ultimately will make that decision for bg to come home.ants to tell me they care, i would love for him to tell me he cares. >> what do you want to tell him, if you were to sit in front of him, what would you say speaking directly to him? >> the first thing i want to humanize my wife to him. >> there's talk of prisoner swaps being the thing that needs to happen. is that what you think needs to be done, that the administration should say we will swap who you want for brittney? >> to be very honest with you, i don't really listen to much of the talk about the how in measures of, you know, what is necessary to get her home, but if that's what's necessary, then, yes, do it. >> what do you want the world to know your wife is facing in this so-called trial that she's about to face? >> well, that's a really good question. i want people to try to put themselves in her shoes and just think about the fact that this is not our typical system, so bg is not walking into a system where there is a balance of justice. she's walking into a situation where t

what i saw in bg's letter, what i heard in bg's letter to the president, she was gracious. was so gracious. she talked about paul whelan and other detainees. we heard that from so many of the speakers at the phoenix rally. we are all pulling in the same direction. we absolutely are. this is about everybody. >> in fact, david whelan, paul's brother, who has been one of his big advocates, he and his sister, he tweeted now saying, i hope that brittney griner's guilty plea will hasten the end of the injustice she's experiencing. russia won't work to send her home until there's a conviction and a sentence. that is, in essence, speaking in solidarity. >> absolutely. i heard him. i heard him earlier today. i think i had just gotten off the plane. i made a point to stop and listen, because we're feeling it for them. i was so appreciative of the words he said. like i said, we're all in this together. >> we are hearing she's facing difficult conditions in jail. can you shed any light on that? >> yes. what we have heard is bg is doing as well as can be expected. when you hear it phras

and that's what we are bg all about.dent. we need him to do whatever it takes to bring bg home. >> trevor: when you look at the situation, you know, through the lens of people who are helping people who aren't helping, as you said there has been support from other athletes who now have been given the license to speak. there are some who have said it feels like this isn't something that would have happened to you know, one of the men's basketball player, if it was lebron he would have been out in a week is what people are saying, it feels like when we deal with a international incident there is a lot of sensitivity that has to come into play so i wondered from your side when looking at people raising their voices, et cetera, what are you hoping that they would push for, in a situation where you feel the administration has got it handled. i know that her family hasn't spoken to her. but what do you need from the people or is it just everybody having to wait because two governments are having a conversation about a delegate

call to bg's wife.ss is being made on that front. you know, the coverage of women's sports and the coverage of women athletes is really the concern here. i mean, the question is, would tom brady be home? but tom brady wouldn't be there, right, because he doesn't have to go to a foreign country to implement his income from the wnba. so we want to keep focus on bringing bg home. but there is an undercurrent here of the lack of coverage and the value of women's sports. >> i do want to ask about that. but first i want to play some sound from this emotional rally last night. brittany's wife, as you noted, talking about her humanity being stripped from her. listen to this. >> i can't r, rest as her humany is stripped from her, i can't rest inside her safety is in question. i honestly can't rest until she's home. i am frustrated that 10 days have passed since my wife has been able to speak to me, to our family, and to our friends. i'm frustrated that my wife is not going to get justice. >> understandly emotion

. >> do you trust that the maximum amount of effort is being put forward to bring bg home?more from this exclusive interview with cnn's abby phillip next. >>> plus the woman suspected of murdering an elite american cyclist finally captured in costa rica. how authorities say she got away for so long. that's ahead. [whistling] with technology that can scale across all your clouds... it's easier to do more innovative things. [whistling] like any family, the auburns all have... individual priorities. some like strategic diversification. some like a little comfort, to balance out the risk. others want immediate gratification... and long-term gratification,too. they have their own interests, but at the end of the day there's nothing like being... a gold-owner. visit invest.gold to see why gold is everyone's asset. >>> happening now, wnba star brittney griner in a moscow courtroom fort start of her trial. grooiner has been detained in russia since february, accused of smuggling drugs in her lug luggage. frederik pleitgen is live outside the courtroom for us this morning. >> report

we want to keep the focus on bringing bg hope but there's an uncurrent of coverage. >> what are your> coach said a lot there. there are a lot of pieces and layers to what she said and important to focus on who big points talking about the covering, the media coverage and a pay equity problem, issue, concern that we have of the union have. we believe our colleagues in the league also share these concerns, too. we have to work together to address them. the situation that bg's in right now forces us if we're going to be honest and good partners to have the conversations and to look to ways to address them. i think the coverage in the media issue is huge. it impacts the business which impacts the marketability and the pay equity issue and the opportunities to make more money here in the u.s. for players and members who are americans and many layers. if we're going to honor bg right now and do right by the members of my union, wnba players, then we will have the hard conversations and get to address the issues. >> very quickly, you said you wanted a face to face meeting with president bid

of course we miss bg dearly. yes, we're her teammate but we know her as a person.know what she's given to our communities and to our lives. there's a mix between heartbreak but at the same time what we're good at is strike that jazzing and bringing our collective voices together and we'll continue to keep her on the forefront. >> at her hearing a former teammate testified on her behalf. you've played overseas, what do you make of their support for her? >> i think it's really telling. it speaks to what i was talking about with who she is as a person and what she's been able to give here in america and her club in russia in terms of on the court performance and off the court energy. they miss her. that's telling. >> would you ever go back to russia? >> you know, it's a tough question because when you play overseas you develop relationships and friendships and these aren't just teammates. these become friends, they become family. so it's tricky because i have that connection, but at the same time, i don't think so. that's really what makes it sad. i don't think americ

bg we love you." for more, we're joined by two guests.zirin is a sports editor for the nation magazine and host of the edge of sports podcast. his recent article is headlined "brittney griner's show trial begins." also with us, maya goldberg-safir, independent writer and audio producer and the co-director of the third coast international audio festival. her recent article is "brittney griner and the labyrinth of wrongful detainment." first, let's start with maya. your response to this trial and the trial's end with brittney pleading guilty to carrying these vape cartridges and cannabis oil, ich would not be illegal in the united states, and what this means? >> first, i think this incredibly important every time we talked about brittney griner's case first talk about the big issues at play and we need to be blunt she is wrongfully detained. it has been 140 one days. what that means is this case is political. this is not about justice. this is a case that is decided from above the court, from powers that be. the outcome of this trial is goi

>> we've had great response to bg's n biden responding with a call to bg's wife.ress is being made on that front. the coverage of women's sports and women's athletes is really the concern here. the question is would tom brady be home? tom brady would not be there because he doesn't have to go to a foreign country to supplement his income from the wnba. >> u.s. officials assist they are doing everything they can. >> i spoke with ms. griner in the courtroom. she said she is eating well and able to read books and under the circumstances she is doing well. most important, i was able to share with ms. griner a letter from president biden and she was able to read the letter. >> reporter: it is unclear what was written. u.s. officials have got trevor reed and a controversy of prison swap. diplomats are committed to bringing home all americans, including written griner, and others, who they say are wrongfully detained. matthew chance. cnn, moscow. >>> let's bring in jason al washington opinion calmness and he spent 544 days in iran in prison. let's begin with this deeply

. >> first, bring bg home. okay? we're going to do that. >> bg deserves to be free.e's being held as a political prisoner. obviously. >> it's been 153 nights now that bg has been wrongfully detained thousands of miles away from home, away from her family, away from her friends, away from her team. all throughout that time, we've kept her in our thoughts and in our hearts. even though we know that ain't nearly enough to bring her home ya'll. >> the more we say her name, the louder our voices will be. >> the more we see her face, the closer we'll feel to her and her to us. >> we cannot stop fighting for her, cannot stop believing for her, and we will not stop hoping for the day when we can welcome her home safely. we are bg. [ applause ] >> and you can see curry wearing griner's phoenix mercury jersey under his track suit there. the white house has said that she has been wrongfully detained and is advocating for her release. espys aside the slowest sports day on the calendar, that ends today and thankfully the major league baseball second half resumes with a handful of

he is the perhap that ultimately will make that decision for bg to come home. while everybody says they care i would love for him to say he cares. five hours court in a tiny cage with the feet up to the ground so she is experiencing a lot the days before walking into court. >> abby phillip is joining us live now. how is she coping with this incredibly difficult situation? >> it is a very difficult time for her. what helped is the ability to talk to each other via the letters on a fairly regular basis. this week sound like multiple back and forths by letter speaking candidly. doesn't have to hold anything back and not concerned that the russian government is trying to intercept the communications and are honest with each other with the support of other families going through the scenario that brought her into the fold and said that's a help to her. >> tell us about the support she is getting from the other families. >> there are so many families of other americans classified as wrongfully detained. brought home from russia trevor reed. they really keep a tight k

. >> brittney griner, bg. >> reporter: the phoenix mercury, their fans and griner's family making it clear brittney is not alone. estly can't rest she's home. >> president biden, please help bring bg home. >> reporter: day two of the wnba star's trial gets under way this morning in moscow. just days after the white house received a handwritten letter griner wrote to president biden. reading in part, i'm terrified i might be here forever. the president and vice president yesterday called griner's wife directly. the white house saying, the president called cherelle to reassure her that he is working to secure brittney's release. as soon as possible. >> let's make sure this administration knows they have our support to do whatever is necessary and that we are not going to ever be quiet until she's home safely. >> reporter: but the family of paul whelan, an american detained in russia since 2018, is slamming the president saying he's never called them. whelan's sister tweeting, still looking for that press release saying president biden has spoken to anyone in our family about paul whela

when you have a situation where bg can call our government, the embassy 11 times and that phone call trust at that point until i see actions that are in bg's best interests. it would have been this her best interests for the phone calls to be interested, it would be in her best interests for her to be back on u.s. oil. >> griner has spoken to the families of other wrongbly detained americans and that the most consistent advice she's received is don't be quiet. >>> president biden speaking thursday at the close of the nato summit and said russia is being wounded by the war it started in ukraine. >> look at the impact that the war on ukraine has had on russia. they have had to renege on their national debt for the first time since the beginning, almost well over 100 years. they have lost 15 years of the gains they made in terms of their economy. so they are paying a very, very heavy price for this. >> let's bring in global affairs analyst kim dozier. nice to see you. always appreciate your expertise. what the president said is obviously true, but the fact is americans here at home are

so bg is not walking into a situation where there is a balance of justice. into a situation where their judicial system has a 99% conviction rate. so in their system, there is no innocent. in their system, it's guilty. so she's having to make decisions that are -- that's going to preserve her physical and mental health right now. so just, you know, be gracious in understanding that she's having to navigate something totally different than what an american would have to navigate in a judicial system -- in our judicial system here. to them, they're treating her like a princess, basically because they do things differently. i'm not trying to bash what they do, but i don't agree with it. i don't think they're treating her in a way that they could be considered harshly. i think they think they're treating her as best as their system allows, which should tell you a lot, because i think that's terrible still. >> what could the biden administration do today to demonstrate to you that they're really on it? >> well, again, you know, for me, we're at 130 days, and so t

free bg. >> they know where bg is. she's been there for four months. they know that.a petition? like why? let's pretend like it's tom brady. when we have to sign a petition then? >> brittney griner went on trial in russia on friday on drug smuggling charges. she is facing up to ten years in prison. >>> nearly two months after a shooting, the u.s. has weighed in on how the palestinian american journalist was killed and who's to blame. that story when we return. um, she's eating the rocket. ♪ lunchables! built t to be eaten. ♪ at xfinity, we're constantly innovating. and we're working 24/7 to connect you to more of what you love. we're bringing you the nation's largest gig speed network. available to more homes than anyone else. and with xfi complete, get 10x faster upload speeds. tech upgrades for your changing wifi needs. and advanced security at home and on the go to block millions of threats. only from us... xfinity. >>> akron, ohio, is under a curfew now after weekend protests over the fatal police shooting of jayland walker, an unarmed black man. police say the ma

call don't get answered, you don't have much trust at that point until i see actions that are in bg'sinterest. >> thanks for your time today. try to enjoy your fourth of july weekend. anna cabrera picks up coverage after a quick break. ♪ i brought in ensure max protein, with thirty grams of protein. those who tried me felt more energy in just two weeks! (sighs wearily) he i'll take that! (excited yell) woo-hoo! ensure max protein. with thirty grams of protein one gram of sugar, and nutrients to support immuneealth. if your moderate to severe crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis symptoms are stopping you in your tracks... choose stelara® from the start... and move toward relief after the first dose... with injections every two months. stelara® may increase your risk of infections, some serious, and cancer. before treatment, get tested for tb. tell your doctor if you have an infection, flu-like symptoms, sores, new skin growths, have had cancer, or if you need a vaccine. pres, a rare, potentially fatal brain condition, may be possible. some serious allergic reactions and lung inflammat

bg has already indicated that nuclear construction is underway. here in turkey, alexei likhachev, the head of rosatov, today in his welcoming speech emphasized the great role of the working man of labor, and here, after all, not many people were present at the solemn ceremony only construction managers and representatives of rosatom and the turkish authorities invited here , including those people who, in difficult conditions in winter in very strong winds and in summer with forty-degree heat, work to ensure that this object is delivered on time and really work, despite all the difficulties, which in recent years the global world took place is exactly right. in the twenty-third year, all construction and installation work will be completed, fuel will be delivered to the site, and the first unit. this means that not under construction, but an existing object will appear on the territory of turkey, we have deadlines, no matter how difficult the pandemic and the restrictions that have been adopted in recent months, in general, i would say quite convu

. >> bg can call our government, the embassy 11 times, and that phone call don't get answered? don't have my trust at that point. >> reporter: brittney griner's wife telling our robin roberts that she wants answers. >> you say she's top priority but i want to see it, and i feel like to see it would be e seeing bg on u.s. soil. >> reporter: now, cherelle has been asking to meet with president biden directly. it is going to be a tough battle to bring griner home because in russia less than 1% of defendants in criminal cases get acquitted. now, her next court appearance is due to take place on thursday. janai? >> all right, lama, thank you. >>> staying overseas now, but turning to the war in ukraine, this morning, president zelenskyy is accusing russia of purposeful terror. new deaths reported from the missile strike on an apartment building in odesa. abc's tom soufi burridge is in ukraine for the latest. >> reporter: good morning, janai. the devastating collateral damage from russian missile strikes in recent days caused by low accuracy weapons, possibly the result of low or dwin

. >> our next move as supporters for bg is to make sure that the administration understands that they have our full support in doing any and everything necessary to be able bring bg home as well as every other wrongfully detained american. >> in the coming days, griner will be getting a diplomatic assist. former new mexico governor and u.s. ambassador bill richardson is planning a trip to russia in april. richardson helped work to get trevor reed released. he's the u.s. marine who spent 3 years jailed in russia, griner's fellow players in the wnba say it's long past time for her to come home. >> getting her home. and i can't emphasize this enough will be a win for every american because even though we are athletes pg e is an athlete. he's also an american. that was aaron nolan reporting for us this afternoon. there's been speculation in recent days griner could be freed if the u.s. release is victor boot. >> a russian arms dealer found guilty of selling weapons to terrorists. >> up next here on kron, 4 news at noon, road fireworks causing a chain reaction sending a group of people inc

understands as they have our full support in doing anything and everything is necessary to bring bg hone and as well as any of the lawfully unlawfully obtained detained american. >> -- he's a national action president and host of ms beasts politicsnation. reverend al, thank you for being here. paul whelan does another prisoner detained. his brother just cried the deplorable conditions he was living. and you mentioned it yesterday's press conference that britney does not have access to the news that isn't aware of the million standing with her. can you speak to the level of isolation that griner is experiencing right now? do you have a sense of the conditions that she's being held in? >> well in speaking with cherelle his or wife, i know that she has not been able to even have a phone call in almost five months of being incarcerated. with cherelle. she has not been able to talk to her parents. she has no idea what's being done to get her released, other than through her attorney's. she is in a jail where 98% of the people cannot speak english. she has no way of communicating. she, i

is not alone. >> i honestly cannot rest until she is home. >> president biden, help bring bg home. >two of her trial gets underway this morning in moscow. stays after the white house received a handwritten letter she wrote to president biden. reading in part, i'm terrified i might be here forever. the president and vice president yesterday called her wife directly. the white house saying the president called cheryl to reassure her that he is working to secure brittany's release as soon as possible. >> let's make sure this administration knows they have our support to do whatever is necessary. and that we are not going to ever be quiet until she is home safely. >> but the family of paul whelen, an american detained in russia since 2018 slamming the president, saying he has never called them. we lens sister tweeting still looking for the press release saying president biden hasn't spoken to anyone in our family about paul whelan wrong we detained in russia for 3.5 years. more than 1000 black women leaders wrote to president biden urging him to make a deal to bring her home. she could f

so i am grateful and that the administration that was the first one that bg ever voted for, took the see her in the midst of which he is going through and to see what me directly and know that they are exhausting all efforts to bring her home. >> joining me to discuss is the founder of hashtag when with black women. thank you for taking the time to be with us. i wonder what you make of griner's guilty plea. >> you know, i think i it's important to note that black women that signed this letter to president biden who stand in full support in biden and harris's work and the administration to ensure that we bring britney griner home, i think it's important for us all to recognize the russian court system is very different than we the u.s.. but the most important thing is what we stayed in our a letter is that we believe the russian federation is wrongfully detaining britney griner under intolerable circumstances in the u.s. government has echoed that. so it is important for us to really focus on making sure that we are very clear that we stand in solidarity with brittani, that we stand i

wrote to shim saying i'm terrified i might be here forever last night the phoenix mercury held a bring bg home rally >> i can't rest as her humanity has been stripped from her i can't rest as her safety is in question i honestly can't rest until she's home i'm frustrated i'm frustrated that 140 daysnce been able to speak to me i'm frustrated that my wife is not going to get justice >> reporter: fewer than 1% of defendants in russian criminal cases are acquitted. she could spend up to ten years in prison if convicted >> 99% conviction rate is terrifying thank you. >>> now to michelle grossmann who's watching another round of severe storms stretching from montana to georgia good morning >> good morning, guys. we so active yesterday, the day before we're going to be active once again and doing it again tomorrow we're seeing storms throughout plains into the midwest. parts of the ohio valley that's what we're going to see again today. we're looking at, stretching from montana to the southeast where you sighee the yellow. you can see pretty strong forms. could see even a chance of a brief torn

griner's fans pleading for her release and the sports world rallying behind her too. >> our message to bge with you. >> reporter: and griner's courtroom attire could also be a sign of her strength. she wore this red crenshaw t-shirt. it's a south l.a. neighborhood and a logo made famous by the late rapper nipsey hussle and his marathon clothing brand, and, whit, that's exactly what this legal battle is shaping up to be. a marathon, not a sprint. >> absolutely. all right, morgan, thank you. >>> now to preventing one of the dangers of the summer season. stressed and preoccupied parents at risk of leaving a child in a hot car. abc's faith abubey is here with more on 9 efforts to stop more of these tragedies and many parents across the country dealing with heat waves this weekend. faith. >> it's a scary one, whit. good morning. an estimated 38 children die every single year after being trapped or left in hot cars. a lot of parents tend to think it would never happen to them, but the sad reality is, it could happen to anyone. but safety advocates say it's also 100% preventable. this morning, s

he is a person, you know, that ultimately will make that decision for bg to come home. >> reporter: russian media reports say the kremlin wants a trade for arms dealer victor boot, serving a 25-year sentence in the u.s. meanwhile, griner's trial is just beginning, could go on for months u.s. officials tell me russia has a practice of jailing americans on trumped up charges to use as bargaining chips to trade for hardened russian criminals in the u.s a kremlin spokesman denied the arrest was politically motivated. tom? >> andrea mitchell thank you. >>> we go to ukraine where there's another deadly russian attack on civilians, including on an apartment building missiles hitting at 1:00 in the morning as families were sleeping inside matt bradley is in ukraine with those images tonight. >> reporter: tonight along ukraine's southern coast, rescue workers desperately searching for survivors after russian missiles struck another civilian target overnight. this time destroying a 12-story apartment building and nearby recreation center. we heard strikes, we live close by, said this witness we helpe

griner's wife reacting to britney's fear >> it breaks my heart when i hear her say that because bg ishe strongest person that i know she does not say words like that lightly. >> reporter: the two-time olympic gold medallist have been jailed for 4.5 months after russian authorities found vape cartridges in her luggage. she faces a ten year sentence if convicted of drug smuggling and 99% of those tried in russian courts are convicted griner appearing to president biden please don't forget about me and other american detainees, please do all you can to bring us home. the white house says the president read her letter and he takes it to heart. griner's wife says she has not heard from the president russian state media says the kremlin wants a russian arms those three americans staying in jail for d dealer jailed in the u.s would you recommend the president come up with a trade >> compares to ten more years of those three americans staying in jail for decades i would take that trade. >> reporter: griner's trial resumes on thursday. andrea mitchell, nbc news, washington >>> in 60 seconds tr

bg has already indicated that nuclear construction is underway.in turkey, aleksey likhachev, the head of the rosatovs, today emphasized the great role of the working man of labor, including those people who who are working in difficult conditions to ensure that this facility is commissioned in the twenty-third year, all construction and installation work will be completed, fuel will be delivered to the site, and the first block. this means that it is not an object under construction, but an existing object. we will appear on the territory of turkey on time, no matter how difficult the pandemic and the restrictions that have been adopted in recent months , in general, i would say quite frantically and fragmented in the banking and technological sphere. all this really. doesn't stop us nuclear construction in the world employs 20,000 people. more than 500 buildings and structures, more than 100 units of equipment and vehicles are being erected here. they constantly work here and the scale describes well, for example, the amount of material of the sa

bg has already indicated that nuclear construction is underway.urkey, aleksey likhachev, the head of the rosatov, today emphasized the great role of the working man of labor in all welcoming conditions, and here, after all, at the solemn ceremony not only construction managers and representatives of rosatom and the turkish authorities were present, including those people who, in difficult conditions in winter in very strong winds and in summer with forty-degree heat, work to ensure that this facility is commissioned on time and really. so, despite all the difficulties that have occurred in the global world in recent years, it is going exactly on schedule in the twenty- third year, all construction and installation work will be completed, fuel will be delivered to the site, and the first unit. this means not the facility under construction, and the existing facility will appear on the territory of turkey, we are on time, no matter how difficult the pandemic and the restrictions that have been adopted in recent months, in general, i would say quite

much they li see the faces of bg soldiers, who have told me with their pride in their eyes how much they service member, and into our incredible military families, you are heroes. he will always be in my thoughts and prayers. i think of all of the members of law enforcement who greet us everywhere we go. at every hour of every day, they stand guard to keep our communities safe, and we are forever in their debt. i have been moved by children i have visited in hospitals and foster care centers. even as they fight difficult illnesses, or face challenges, they bring such a joy to everyone they meet. i remember the mothers who have battled the disease of opioid addiction, and have overcome incredible hardships for love of their children. i have been inspired by the devoted caregivers for babies born with neonatal abstinence syndrome, and communities that give these children the support and care they need to grow. when i think about this meaningful experiences, i am humbled to have had the opportunity to represent a nation with such a kind and generous people. as the world continues to confron

. >> it brought me so much joy as well as bg. i believe every word she said to him he understood and he sees her as a person and he has not forgotten her. they are exhausting all efforts to bring her home. >> reporter: cherelle griner speaking out after the phoenix mercury player made that surprise admission thursday, telling a russian court how cartridges of hashish oil ended up in her luggage. >> i was in a rush packing, and the cartridges accidentally ended up in my bag. >> reporter: tonight supporters joining cherelle griner as she urged leniency in chicago just days before the wnba all-star game. the league naming griner an honorary all star. >> she has the wholehearted and unconditional support of the entire wnba. >> reporter: whit, experts say that guilty plea could help speed up the court process for griner, and with the white house facing mounting pressures to help griner and other american detainees, tonight we're learning president biden called paul whelan's sister. >>> tonight, the nation added 372,000 jobs in june, e

bg has already indicated that nuclear construction is underway.likhachev, the head of the rosatovs, today emphasized the great role of the working man of labor in his welcoming speech, and here, after all, at the solemn ceremony not only construction managers and representatives of rosatom and the turkish authorities were present, including those people who, in difficult conditions in winter in very strong winds and in summer with forty-degree heat, work to ensure that this facility is commissioned on time and really. so, despite all the difficulties that have occurred in the global world in recent years, it is proceeding exactly on schedule.

actions and so it's been hardest thing to balance because i can't let up because it's over 130 days and bgack. >> what's the challenge here for the biden administration with this, jill? >> these are always very difficult cases. part of it is very, very public. this is being used in a sense for propaganda from the russian side and behind the scenes is often how these things are worked out if they are worked out. given that there's almost no communication between the united states and russia, it's very, very delicate and very complicated and also you have the other part that united states embassy and moscow right now, they are depleting of staff. this is really very difficult to handle under any circumstances and you have another american paul whelan who is still there. he's been there since 2018. this is tough challenge. >> yeah. it's not just in russia either. it's everywhere around the world as well. when i heard her speak of her frustration, i thought of your family. your fight the get your brother freed from wrongful detain in iran. what are you thinkings you see brittney's wife thrust

>> we've had great response with bg's letter to biden and biden responding to her wife.ly conce here. the question is would tom brady be home? but he wouldn't be there because he doesn't have to go to a foreign country to supplement his income from the wnba. >> reporter: but officials in washington and moscow insist they're doing everything they can. >> i was able to speak with miss greiner in the courtroom. she said that she's eating well. she's able to read books and under the circumstances, she's doing well. most importantly, i was able to share with miss greiner a letter from president biden and miss greiner was able to read that letter. >> reporter: it's unclear what was written, but u.s. officials already negotiated the release of one u.s. prisoner this year in a controversial prisoner swap. u.s. diplomats say they're committed to bringing home all americans including brittney griner and others who they say are wrongfully detained. wolf, a light sentence though in a russian court, particularly in a case which is so political of this as a time of very fraught relati

bg needs to come home, and the only way that she comes home is if president biden decides she needs tobody, and look, yeah. let's do it. >> hi again, everyone, it's 5:00 in the east. that was as clear and direct a plea as you will hear. it came from vanessa nygard, the head coach of the wnba's phoenix mercury, to president joe biden directly about a member of her team. brittney griner has been wrongfully detained. that's an official designation from the u.s. state department in russia if more than four months now. she was arrested at the moscow airport one week before russia launched a war against ukraine over alleged drug smuggling charges. airport officials alleged she was carrying vape cartridges with cannabis oil in her luggage. if she is convicted there, griner could face up to ten years in prison. today was the very first day of her trial. "washington post" reports, a russian prosecutor accused griner of transporting a significant amount of cannabis oil. that's according to russian media reports on her trial. griner, seated in a cage in the courtroom with a bottle of water and a

times and the phone call don't get answered, you don't have my trust until i see actions that are in bg'sld be in her best interest to be back on u.s. soil. >> an american held in russia. we will continue to cover this story, bring you any developments as we learn them. >>> ukraine says 20 people were killed, including two children after russian missiles designed as anti-ship missiles hit a residential building. this same type of ammunition, russian forces used when they hit a mall on monday. the attacks come just after ukraine did retake the strategically important snake island in the black sea. russia claims it with drew as a gesture of good will but followed intense fighting there. this morning russian forces say they have made gains around the embattled city in eastern ukraine saying they took a key oil refinery there. >>> this week, big development at the nato summit in madrid. nato formalized its invitation to join the ie license. it's a notable expansion of the defense bloc that undercuts vladmir putin's aims as his war in ukraine grinds on. >> do you believe turkey, like other nat

she had embroidered the initials bg. greiner.ch ties into a huge headline today, greiner pleading guilty. others including megan rapinoe making a public push to get the biden administration to do more to get her released. >> i want to make two points about these two incredible women, simone biles and megan rapinoe, not only are they incredibly accomplish on the field and on the mat as we know, but we talk about athletes using their platform, these are two women who have done that, so incredibly impactfully. not just, you mentioned megan rapinoe wearing brittney griner's initials and her lapel, each woman has brought about actionable change. equal pay to women soccer, it was a really incredible precedent to be setting. and simone biles became, unfortunately, the face of a major institutional sexual assault scandal. she was the most famous person to come forward against larry nassar. and, she has been a vocal proponent of mental health for women, for black women and for athletes. so, the impact of these two women, extends far beyon

the initialled bg. the name she's known by family and friends, and today britney's wife will join the reverend al in chicago where britney has been named a starter in sunday's wnba all-star game. to keep up the pressure on the white house, the reverend al is trying to get help from the state department and the white house to make a clergy visit to britney in jail next week. they are very concerned about her physical and her spiritual and mental well being. >> and then obviously there are others being held as well. that will be considered in the big picture here. >> exactly. and let me just point out that david whelan, paul whelan's brothers will be on with us at noon and the thought is that if they do make a trade for boot, they've got to make a bigger trade. that is what michael mcfaul said. you have to get paul whelan home. >> absolutely. while we have you here. want to get your thoughts on the legacy of shinzo abe. so consequential, in the u.s./japan relationship. of course the word just breaking thi

back, we're never going to allow them to take their precious time because every second that goes by, bgng. >> we cannot allow the case of britney griner for her to be used as some prop by volodymyr putin. we want to see her released. we want this united states government to do with it can and there should be no swapping deals, that does not include britney griner we are going to stay on this we in the civil rights and faith communities her having a lot more say in the next few days about freeing britney griner. we'll be right back. y griner we'll be right back. the minions are coming to ihop. with an all new menu you're going to love. ♪ ♪ excuse me! enjoy the minions menu at ihop. for a limited time kids eat free! and catch minions: the rise of gru. welcome back to politicsnation. inflation is at a 40 year high. many black and brown americans are feeling squeezed. report from the new york fed finds these communities are the hardest hit by rising costs for just about everything. the study goes on to warn the economic ripple effects could erase recent gains that have been made in reducing

i know bg will take comfort in knowing she will not be forgotten.ted states government considers her wrongfully detained, after russian officials say they found vape cartridges containing cannabis oil in her luggage. she faces up to ten years in prison if convicted. her trial is scheduled to resume later today in moscow. >>> meanwhile, the family of paul whelan, another american detained in russia is expressing concern that his case has not had the same level of attention as griner's with four letters written to the white house requesting a meeting with the president but has not heard back. we are not getting a lot in the way of detail about the administration's efforts to free my brother. adding, what does it mean that the president reaches out to some families and not others? the uneven nature of the outreach from the white house is of concern not just for the whelans but all wrongful detainees. a retired marine arrested in moscow in 2018 on spying charges which he has consistently denied. he was later sentenced in june, 2020, to 16 years in priso

when you have a situation where bg can call our government the embassy 11 times. and that phone call doesn't get answered. you don't have my trust until i see actions. that are in her best interest. it would have been in her best interest for her phone call to be answered. in her best interest to be on u.s. soil. until i see things like that, no. >> i know that you have had conversations with the secretary of state and with other officials. you want to talk to president biden. right? >> absolutely. and the reason why is because i'm new to this. i don't, i'm no politician. i just graduated law school. i can only do those things that are being told are beneficial for my wife. and the most beneficial thing i have been told is that you meet with president biden. he has the power, he is the person you know that ultimately will make that decision for her to come home. and so everybody else wants to tell me they care. i want him to tell me he cares. >> you can see more of the interview on inside politics sunday. 8:00 a.m. eastern or 12:00 p.m. democratic representative r

. >> i want to make it very clear that our next move as supporters for bg is to make sure that the administration that they have our full support in doing any and everything necessary to be able to bring her home, as well as every other wrongfully detained american. >> president biden has made a commitment to do whatever is necessary in this case. and i will continue to push the administration until brittani is returned home. i got involved because after i mentioned this case here on politics nation a couple of months ago, there was radio silence. now, there is momentum and i plan to do all i can to help. i have even reached out to the russian orthodox church and the white house to organize a clergy visit to go and pray with or for britney in russia. i hope this case will help people understand that sports and faith go beyond borders. they transcend politics and even wore. let's have some areas where we put our differences aside and come together. she traveled to russia to play basketball in part because female athletes still are not being paid what they deserve here in the united states. but she

. >> griner's wnba team are holding a bring bg home rally in front of their arena tonight.ry to spread awareness of what is going on with her. meantime the family of demaryius thomas says the late nfl star had the disease cte when he passed away at the end of the last year. the 33-year-old's parents said he had been suffering from memory loss and paranoia, frequent headaches before dying of a seizure in december and they said they donated his brain for study because that is what he would have wanted. boston university researchers came back with the diagnosis yesterday and thomas is now one of more than 300 former nfl players that that lab has diagnosed with the disease. >>> elsewhere in sports, three time defending champion novak djokovic is headed to the finals at wimbledon. he had dropped the first two sets to the 20-year-old but rallied to win the match in five. the epic comeback extending his winning streak to 26 straight. he hadn't lost at the all-england club since 2017. tiger woods continues to gear up for his return to competitive golf competing in a pro am in irela

considering the nature of her case, the insignificant amount of the substance and bg's personality and history of positive contributions to global and russian sport, the defense hopes that the plea will be considered by the court as a mitigating factor and there will be no severe sentence. she at the moment faces up to ten years in prison. according to "the new york times," by pleading guilty, griner has potentially accelerated her trial. cleared a path for either a deal with the united states or a request for clemency. experts tell the times that her best hope is that the biden administration secures her freedom by releasing a russian currently held in the united states. the name of one prisoner in particular has emerged. a viktor bout a russian arms dealer serving a 25-year prison sentence. the russian officials saying no such negotiations can take place until the end of her trial. which griner's lawyers in moscow expect to conclude around the beginning of next month. griner was detained just a week before russia invaded ukraine, her next hearing is scheduled for next thursday. >>> l

. >> president biden, please help bring bg home. >> reporter: -- her family and friends are making oneis wrongfully detained in russia i've adapted her mindset in my efforts to get her home by going no matter what or how i feel. i honestly can't rest until she's home. >> martha joined by rachel scott. martha, let me begin with you. the stakes are climbing. the russians clearly seeing brittney griner as a serious bargaining chip. >> reporter: they sure do, george. the center of this, of course, the war in ukraine which certainly adds to the stakes. but former u.s. marine trevor reed who had been detained by the russians was freed in april, but you have paul whelan who has been there almost three years, but griner is a public figure and that adds to her value for the russians. what they long wanted is a prisoner exchange for a russian arms dealer named viktor bout who has been in a u.s. prison since 2008. he is not someone the u.s. wants to release, but the u.s. also wants all these detainees brought home, george. >> that's right. rachel, the white house working hard, they say, doing eve