our guest of the next seven minutes or so on brittney griner's case and u.s. hostage policy and diplomacy. bill in ohio. >> yes, hi. i'm concerned for brittney, and i am hopeful that mr. richardson will be able to work something out. my thought process is, why is the wnba in russia? we have all these american companies that have pulled out of their. to bring lebron up in this whole conversation is just wrong. that young man has never done anything wrong and has never been associated with any drugs or anything like that. it is a wrong comparison. but i want brittney to get out of there, but why is the wnba in russia? danielle: i would not be surprised if the wnba players do not go back to russia again. the russian state demonstrated that it is not a safe waste -- place for americans to travel. even before this incident, they were treated like stars there and made lots of money. they were relished as star athletes. i can't imagine any of them will be going back anytime soon. there is other leagues in other countries around the world, and you are probably going to

her recent article is "brittney griner and the labyrinth of wrongful detainment." 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 going to be whatever outcome is most favorable to russia right now and the demands they are making on the u.s. and one of the ways we know that this is a wrongful detainment is because these charges are very clearly trumped up. you mentioned that the charge she is facing for up to 10 years in prison is large-scale possession of cannabis and drug trafficking. the prosecution themselves have

and brittney griner certainly is very much aware of that.legal defense team today. and they said that she is somewhat nervous, as this trial moves into this decisive phase. and you could have a verdict very soon. but that she's also laser focused on her defense. here's what they told me. >> wnba star brittney griner focused on the final and decisive phase of her trial for drug charges in russia. speaking to cnn right after visiting her, griner's lawyer says the athlete is keeping the faith. >> she is of course stressed and quite nervous. and she knows that the end of the trial is approaching. but she really appreciates all the support she is getting. >> reporter: griner's legal team is building their strategy on efforts to get lenience from the court for showing remorse for trying to enter the country with vaping cartridges containing cannabis oil. >> i do understand what my charges are against me and with them being accidentally in my bags, i take responsibility. but i did not intend to smuggle or plan to smuggle anything into russia. >> th

basketball player brittney griner.in court in moscow for a hearing in her trial and drops charges. she faces a potential sentence of a decade in prison after being found carrying canada's oil in vapor cartridges. these latest pictures show brittney griner entering the courthouse. the court heard from character witnesses including the sporting director of a russian team praising her. her team captain testified and spoke to reporters afterwards. >> i can say that britney has always been a very good teammate. my role is to be with her, support her. we miss her energy. i was very happy to see her and i hope this trial will be over soon, and with a positive outcome. >> russian authorities previously raised this cctv footage of brittney griner apparently being stopped at an airport in february. she pleaded guilty but told the court she did not intend to break the law. this is her lawyer after a previous hearing. >> she admitted that it was ours -- was hers. but she said it was unintentionally brought to russia, because she w

on the first day of her trial last week, she was able to speak to brittney griner, brittney griner asked her to convey the message that she is keeping the faith. and i think you see that to a remarkable degree, in that remarkable handwritten letter that brittney griner sent to the administration. brittney griner, paul whelan, americans around the world who are held hostage or unjustly detained, they are always on our thoughts. they are always weighing on everything it is that we do. we regularly engage with families, we regularly engage with the representation of those who are wrongfully detained or held hostage. but, i think, all of you can understand, at the same time, while we update families certainly in broad strokes on our efforts. it is not something that we are in a position to speak to publicly and any detail. and i point to the case of trevor reed, i was often asked from this podium about updates for trevor reed's case and i have said things very similar to what i just said about brittney griner. and to paul whelan, of course, we were able to find a way to secure trevor r

new details on a proposed prisoner swap between russia and the usa to bring home brittney griner and s a second prisoner in exchange for releasing griner, detained since february and whelan, the american businessman and former marine in a russian cell since 2018. sources tell cnn along with the u.s. releasing viktor bout, russia also wants a convicted killer and former colonel in the spy agency released from custody in germany. here's what the biden administration told my colleague, jim sciutto about that. >> holding two american citizens hostage in exchange for an a assassin in a third party country is not a serious counteroffer. it's a bad faith attempt to avoid a serious offer and proposal the united states put forward. we urge russia to take that offer seriously. >> cnn's frederik pleitgen is now with me, coming in live from moscow. fred, tell us more about this second person russia is seeking and has the u.s. reached out to germany. is this being taken seriously at all? what's the latest? >> the u.s. didn't believe the counteroffer was necessarily serious. he's someone inside a g

is there movement to getting brittney griner and paul whelan home?will talk about a reversal of u.s. policy coming up. this is "andrea mitchell reports." you are watching msnbc. s. you are watching msnbc welcome to allstate, where you can bundle and save. isn't that right phil? i'm in the metaverse, bundling my home and auto insurance. bundle home and auto and save. call a local agent or 1-888-allstate for a quote today. from the #1 fiber brand comes metamucil gummies. getting your daily fiber is now even easier. made with prebiotic plant based fiber to support your digestive health. each serving has 5 grams of fiber and no added sugar. metamucil fiber gummies. there is nothing glamorous about migraines. since i was a teenager the pain has taken me away from my family and friends. but i finally found relief with nurtec odt it's the only medication that can treat my migraine right when it strikes and prevent my next attack. treat and prevent all in one. don't take if allergic to nurtec. most common side effects, in less than 3%, were nausea, indigesti

and brittney griner's wife.en a phone call what do you want from the administration? >> i think it's helpful, very helpful there's been a phone call. in that conversation, our commander in chief gave cherelle griner the assurance that bg was a top priority. paul whelan is a top priority and others are a top priority. that's what cherelle griner deserved and hopeful that other families get the same opportunity. what we now to do is to stand by the administration. our commander in chief. our vice president harris and let them know that we encourage and support all efforts to they will undertake to bring our citizens home. >> thank you for your time. >> thank you. >>> two former of president trump's biggest foes were the sunt of tax audits. one said his was no coincidence. we have new details next. lactaid is 100% real milk, just without the lactose. tastes great in our iced coffees too. which makes waking up at 5 a.m. to milk the cows a little easier. (moo) mabel says for you, it's more like 5:15. ma mom, really?

brittney griner pied _ really unfortunate. brittney griner pled guilty _ really unfortunate.ilty to - really unfortunate. brittney griner pled guilty to a - really unfortunate. brittney griner pled guilty to a drug| griner pled guilty to a drug related charge but said she didn't intend to break the law. he asked claims she has been wrongfully detained will stop it now in a rare move, the state department has gone public about an offer to lend her release and that of another american, paulwhelan. indie her release and that of another american, paulwhelan. we have conve ed american, paulwhelan. we have conveyed this _ american, paulwhelan. we have conveyed this on _ american, paulwhelan. we have conveyed this on a _ american, paulwhelan. we have conveyed this on a number - american, paulwhelan. we have conveyed this on a number of - conveyed this on a number of occasions in directly to russian officials, and my hope would be in speaking to foreign minister that i can advance the efforts to bring them home. he wouldn't give details, but the administration did agree to a prisoner

brittney griner - led frightening. brittney griner pled guilty _ frightening.o _ frightening. brittney griner pled guilty to a _ frightening. brittney griner. pled guilty to a drug-related pled guilty to a drug—related charge but says she didn't intend to break the law stop at the us says she has been wrongfully detained which russia denies. but now in a rare move the state department has gone public about her release. ~ has gone public about her release-— has gone public about her release. ~ ., , , release. we have conveyed this on a number — release. we have conveyed this on a number of _ release. we have conveyed this on a number of occasions, - on a number of occasions, indirectly to russian officials, and my hope would be that in speaking to misdelivery of, i can advance the efforts to bring her home. —— sergei lavrov. to bring her home. -- sergei lavrov. ., . ., , to bring her home. -- sergei lavrov. . . , ,, lavrov. that increased pressure from the families _ lavrov. that increased pressure from the families of— lavrov. that increased pressure from the f

find rewards like these and so many more in the xfinity app. >>> wnba star brittney griner testified r own defense today in a russian courtroom. griner described how she was treated after her arrest for allegedly smuggling cannabis oil in her luggage. griner says she was not read her rights or given a lawyer. she says she was also forced to sign documents she did not understand and her phone was confiscated. griner said the cannabis oil was for medical use only and it was accidentally in her bag because she was rushing to pack. she says she knows the law in russia and called it an honest mistake. joining us is dawn staley, the head coach for the south carolina gamecocks. thank you for your time. let me start with something we've learned, that the secretary of state antony blinken is going to make remarks soon. what do you want to hear from him? >> i want to hear that we're one step closer to brings brittney home, and although we know it's a difficult process that's forever changing, but if anybody can get her home, it's him, so look forward to his comments and hopefully hearing that s

"outfront" with me now, democratic congresswoman jackson lee, represents texas where brittney griner ree. thank you, congresswoman, i understand you've been in touch with britney's family, her wife is frustrated and understandably worried. how worried are you that griner is going to be sentenced in the end to ten years in a russian prison? >> kate, thanks for having me. first of all, let me, as i always do, have the nation and all of us offer our prayers and concerns for the family. and for the families of those who are wrongfully held around the world that are our citizens and should be released immediately. i'm very worried. first of all, it is correct that russia has no legal system. the small amount of drugs that they say she has is an allegation, we don't know whether it's true or not, and it's a very, very small amount. and in the united states, it would not even be considered any kind of crime. so we know this is a political detention, incarceration. this is punishment, and this is mr. putin making himself a pariah around the world for even doing this because she was picked up,

on the home court of griner's team, the phoenix mercury, a rally for her release. >> brittney griner,.! >> reporter: griner's wife cherelle wiping away tears. delivering this emotional message. >> what and hoy i feel today is a deeper emotion than hurt. i'm frustrated. i'm frustrated that 140 days have passed since my wife has been able to speak to me, to our family, and to her friends. i'm frustrated that my wife is not going to get justice. >> reporter: public pressure directed at the white house is mounting, calling on president biden to double down on efforts to bring griner home. earlier this week, more than 1,100 black female leaders penned an open letter to the administration, urging them to swiftly make a deal, writing in part, brittney griner cast her first-ever vote in 2020. she voted for you and vice president kamala harris. more than prioritizing her immediate return in word, you must do so in deed. concerns are also growing for griner's physical and mental well-being. civil rights activist reverend al sharpton, who was so moved by cherelle's public outcry, asked biden to

senior international correspondent frederik pleitgen with the story. >> reporter: brittney griner handcuffed as she was led into the courtroom. cameras were not allowed inside the trial where the wnba star was read the charges of allegedly trying to smuggle drugs into russia. her lawyer saying griner is in strong spirits. >> she's a bit worried, but she's -- she's a tough lady. and i think she will manage. >> what do you think are the chances she can get out, that you'll get an acquittal? >> i would not comment on that. >> reporter: brittney griner was detained at a moscow airport on february 17th. prosecutors today claiming she was carrying two vaping cartridges with a total of about 0.7 grams of cannabis oil inside them. a crime in russia that can carry a sentence of up to ten years in a prison colony. the u.s. considers brittney griner as being wrongfully detained. charge d'affaires called on russia to release brittney griner immediately. >> wrongful detention is unacceptable wherever it occurs. the united states government at the very highest levels is working very hard to bring miss gri

offer to release brittney griner and paul whelan fromcapt. ring directly from griner as she takes the stand in her own defense. is it on the green? [goose squawks] i was just looking for my ball. 19thth hole, sam adams summer ale. [goose squawks] (here you go.) (cheers guys!) [whistling] when you have technology that's easier to control... that can scale across all your clouds... we got that right? yeah, we got that. it's easier to be an innovator. so you can do more incredible things. [whistling] you might have heard of carvana and that we sell cars online. we believe buying a car should be something that gets you hyped up. and that your new car ought to come with newfound happiness and zero surprises. and all of us will stop at nothing to drive you happy. we'll drive you happy at carvana. the unknown is not empty. it's a storm that crashes, and consumes, replacing thought with worry. but one thing can calm uncertainty. an answer. uncovered through exploration, teamwork, and innovation. an answer that leads to even more answers. mayo clinic.

also coming up, the uss it is ready to make a substantial offer to secure the release of brittney griner and paul whelan, both detained in russia. ukraine's high-risk harvest. inside the occupation to secure the wheat fields and safeguard supplies for the world. in the battle to contain three major wildfires including one on the island of lesbos. ♪ >> we begin in iraq, were hundreds of protesters who stormed parliament have now withdrawn after hours of occupying the building. supporters were demonstrating against the nomination for the position of prime minister. they occupy the parliamentary building in baghdad's heavily guarded green zone for hours with little resistance from security forces. last month or than 70 members of parliament resigned on his orders, deepening months of deadlock. >> we sacrificed for many years and ask for reforms and change of regime. the most important thing is change of regime. the current regime is useless. the country will not work. >> they first stormed the high-security green zone, the political heart of the city, to reach the heart of the building. it

brittney griner is facing 10 years in russian prison. secretar that the two y have spblinken since russayslaunchel his discuss this in the next coming days. their release. >> we put a substantial proposal on the table weeks ago to facilitate the release. our governments have communicated on that proposal. i will use the conversation to follow up personally and i hope it will move us to a resolution. >> the decision to trade the brush and arms dealer made after a month of discussion. this came over objections from the justice department. let's turn to william palmer, an expert on russian judicial system and is the act of director of the wilson center, william, thanks. is this a deal the russians might take and one we should offer? >> the russians may take it and president biden has gone out on a limb saying that he wants to get brittney griner and paul whelan home. this is the best possibility of doing that. whether the russians want to delay or whether they take their time answering secretary of state blinken, that will be another matter

well, brittney griner now is becoming more high-profile by the day, wolf. this high-stakes game of chess, this hostage drama becomes more difficult to get her back because of it. i'm asking a question because we don't know. there is so much unknown here, but the emotions of the moment and the situation for the grfamy is carrying the day forward. as this trial starts tomorrow, we'll see how this plays out. >> thank you very, very much. >>> still ahead, we're going to live to ukraine as russia makes new advances in the east and hundreds and thousands of ukrainians are now being urged to evacuate. stay with us. te exam and x-rays free to new patients without ininsurance - everyda. plusus, patients get 20% off their treatment plan. we're on n your corner and in your corner every step of the way. because your anything is our everything. aspen dental. anything to make you smile. book today at aspendental.com, walk in, or call 1-800-aspendental. she's feeling the power of listerine. he's feeling it. yep, them too. it's an invigorating rush... ...zapping millions o

thank you. >>> as the trial of wnba star brittney griner gets under way today in russia griner's wifecnn. >> do you trust that the maximum amount of effort is being put forward to bring bg home? >> no, i don't. >> 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 s

brian todd, cnn, washington. >>> so what is it going to take to bring brittney griner home.w to talk more about it is daniel gilbert. a fellow in u.s. policy and international security at dartmouth college. danielle, good to see you. so in a recent article, you wrote that hostage diplomacy will likely be a more prevalent threat to the security of western countries. what do you mean by that? >> hostage diplomacy is when foreign governments use their criminal justice system to take hostages. essentially, they arrest foreigners under the color and guise of law, but the intension is always to use them for foreign policy leverage. so when we look at the case of brittney griner and other americans held in russia, if venezuela, in iran, all over the world right now, we have our adversaries who are pretending that they have made these legitimate arrests when they're just trying to make the u.s. government make political concessions. >> wow, and so those political concessions like we just heard in the piece, that it is more likely russia would want sanction relief rather than a priso

brittney griner's wife disputes that.ays brittney griner tried to call her on their anniversary, but no one was in the embassy to connect the call. >> i do trust that the persons working on this are very genuine people. that i do believe. but i don't think that 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 much trust at that point until i see actions that are in bg's best interest. >> 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 disea

brittney griner carrying a picture of her wife while walking into court today, pleading guilty to drug charges, telling the judge, quote, i had no intention of breaking any russian law. griner arrested for bringing vape cartridges of hashish oil into the country. the charges carrying up to ten years in prison. and after writing president biden, telling him she's terrified, u.s. officials hand delivering the president's response. >>> back here at home, new details tonight about the suspect charged in the deadly parade shooting in illinois. abc news speaking to his father, who claims he had no warning this was going to happen. why he says he has no regrets helping his son obtain a gun permit. and what he is now saying about under police investigation himself. authorities now confirming a long history of calls from the home. >>> also tonight, in the face of unrelenting pressure, prime minister boris johnson resigns. his own party and cabinet ministers leaving him no choice. the final scandal forcing him out of office. and what happens now. >>> a rare look at some of the u.s. veterans on t

brittney griner's supporters have been extraordinarily generous in talking about paul's freedom as well as ms. griner's freedom. it has been really helpful. i think the challenge remains that the u.s. doesn't know what concessions it is willing to give, doesn't have agreement in a coordinated fashion amongst the agencies who have to agree, obviously the president will have to fundamentally sign off on whatever concession it is, but there's no agreement on what these are, so you know, there's speculation about trades with these people, or those people, or other things that the u.s. government might do, but i still think that the u.s. government hasn't gotten to the point where it has a consistent approach to help first, maybe the people who are being kept in russia, but also, you know, the other 50 families, the americans being held in china and venezuela, and egypt and all of these other countries who, you know, are really looking for the same sort of support, the same consistent information and help that we are asking for. >> and in fact, the fbi would have to sign off, d.o.j., and you

it is going how we planned. >> reporter: but conviction rates in russia are well over 90% and brittney grinerten years in prison if found guilty. the u.s. has been frustrated by the process of getting a prisonner swap with moscow to get back griner and paul whelan. secretary of state blinken says he raised the issue with the russian foreign minister. >> i pressed the kremlin to accept the substantial proposal we put forget on the release of paul whelan and brittney griner. >> reporter: but the russians have made clear they don't want to speak publicly about prisoner swaps. >> translator: this topic was discussed over a year ago during the geneva meeting between presidents putin and biden. there they agreed to authorize competent people to deal with these issues. the foreign ministry is not one of them. >> reporter: brittney griner's legal team says they have not been made aware of any negotiations and are only focused on the tough legal battle ahead. >> she asked to say that she loves everybody and misses her family, of course her wife. and again she appreciates a lot the huge support she's g

as i mentioned, brittney griner is going through trial right now.ing, brianna, is scheduled for july 7th. as you mentioned, even though the biden administration is saying they're doing everything they can, her wife, telling cnn, that more needs to be done. >> yeah, she is insistent about that. rosa flores, thank you for the report. >>> two officers shot during fourth of july celebrations in philadelphia. we'll have details ahead. we're also hearing from a father on how he shielded his son from the gunfire in highland park. >> when the shots stopped, again, that's when we started -- we decided to run. we ran behind the building and i put my son in the dumpster, and he sat there with his dog and i went back to look for the rest of the family. ♪ whenever heartburn strtrikes get fast relief with tums. it's time to love food backck. ♪ tum tum tum tum tums ♪ (vo) get t verizon business unlimitd from the network businesses rely on. like manny. event planning with our best plan ever. (manny) yeah, that's what i do. (vo) with 5g ultra wideband in many re cit

this is something that bringing people home, bringing brittney griner home, bringing paul home, this something that we're focused on 24/7, seven days a week. >> so can we expect russia to allow griner and whelan to return with some sort of deal? joining us now is kimberly st. julian, her work is focused on race and the black experience of russia and the soviet union and consulted with the wnba's players union about griner's detainment. thank you very much for being here. >> brittney griner testified today that the documents she signed upon her arrest were written in russian that no one explained them to her, what do you make of that? why did russian law enforcement not provide her with a translator? was it deliberate? >> this is exactly what i saw happen as soon as i saw the footage of her detained in the airport with her signing documents and i wondered if they're in english and i thought they were in russian and they were. so in russian law, she should have had access to a translator but in russia law, it doesn't necessarily say you have access to a translator at the point you're b

inquired about showing how serious the administration is about trying to get brittney griner and paulout of russian custody, anderson. >> and i understand you spoke to a lawyer about griner. >> i did. i did. it was right after that lawyer visited brittney griner today. she said brittney griner nervous at this point in time simply because the trial is going into a really, really important phase. we're coming down to the last couple hearings. she also said right now brittney griner is laser focused on their defense. they're trying to get a lenient verdict from the russian court. of course they've presented evidence. she showed some remorse for accidentally bringing those cartridges with cannabis oil into the russian federation. one of the things we always have to point out, anderson, of course, is that russian courts have an extremely high conviction rate. so, leniency is something that's going to be difficult to come by. and even the lawyers say that in the end they do hope that there is a prisoner exchange and that brittney griner can some home as fast as possible, anderson. >> and do

lester >> kelly o'donnell, thank you. >>> now to our nbc news exclusive wnba star brittney griner is due back in a russian court tomorrow, and perhaps no one understands her struggle quite like a young american with a very similar story she's never shared her account publicly before, but tonight she's breaking her silence with our kate snow >> are you speaking out right now in part because you hope brittney griner hears you and feels your camaraderie? >> that's probably the biggest reason that i'm here >> reporter: naama issachar grew up in new jersey and moved to israel as a teen in 2019, she backpacked through india and had a layover in moscow on her way home she says she was pulled from the boarding line, taken to a room where authorities searched her checked backpack and found a third of an ounce of cannabis >> i was like, where did that come from there was no point that i was like, oh no, they found it. like i didn't know it was in my bag. >> reporter: she was charged with possession and later trafficking. over the next ten months issachar was held in cells with up to 40 other w

this year criticizing the white house over griner's case here's hallie jackson. >> reporter: brittney griner in a russian courtroom today holding up pictures of her wife and friends as the u.s. embassy says the wnba superstar is doing okay that's after griner pleaded guilty to having cannabis oil in her luggage, facing up to ten years in prison her defense team today emphasizing it was used medicinally and packed accidentally griner set to testify tomorrow, telling an abc news producer, she has no complaints. do you want to say something to cherelle? >> good luck on the bar exam >> reporter: pressure now building to free griner and american paul whelan who is being held by the kremlin after an espionage trial the u.s. called a mockery. >> i know what they went through. >> reporter: trevor reed spent nearly three years in russian prison on charges of assaulting a police officer which he denied released in april, the former marine's mission now to push to get others like griner and whelan released. is the white house is the president doing enough in your view to get them out >> i can't say 100

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paula canny joins us live >> detained wnba star brittney griner has pleaded guilty to drug possession charges in russia. >> she entered her plea today on just a second day of her trial. griner has been in custody since february after authorities say that she had cannabis oil in her luggage at a moscow airport. graner faces up to 10 years in prison. but her lawyers said today they're hoping for the most lenient sentence possible insisting. >> this is all a big mistake, but there is much more. you know, a lot of complex factors that place here, political issues, news nation correspondent paul gerke explains. >> brittney griner pleaded guilty to drug possession in moscow. thursday. kreider will take it the 2 time olympic gold medalist and wnba star has been detained in russia since february when she was arrested at the airport to vape cartridges containing less than a gram of hashish oil combined were found in her luggage. griner admits the carts were hers, but her lawyers insist she did not intend to commit a crime. she said that it was intentional approach to to russia. >> because she

you know, one thing to note she told me, brittney griner cast her first ballot ever for president biden, and cherelle griner thinks that should mean something, that her plight should get all the way to the highest levels of this government and they should be willing to do whatever it takes, she said, whatever takes to bring her wife home. take a listen. do you trust that the maximum amount of effort is being put forward to bring b.g. home? >> no, i don't. the people working on this are genuine people who 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 b.g. 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 b.g.'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. >> reporter: i know you had some conversations w

[whistling] >>> this morning, wnba star brittney griner is facing cross examination in her moscow trial on drug charges. griner's facing up to ten years in prison. she pleaded guilty this month, a move her defense team hopes will lead to a less severe sentence. cnn's frederik pleitgen is live for us in berlin. he's following this. fred, what's the latest here? >> reporter: hi there, brianna. the latest is that brittney griner was brought into the courtroom a couple of minutes ago in handcuffs as usual. apparently carrying some documents as well. the trial actually got under way i would say 10 or 15 minutes ago. what we do know at this very point in time is that brittney griner is answering questions, we believe they're questions from her own defense team. essentially talking about the flight that brought her to moscow, where, of course, at the end of that, at the airport, the russian authorities say they found those vaping cartridges that included that cannabis oil. so essentially she's going to be answering questions from her own defense team and there could be a cross examination as w

back star brittney griner is under way in russia, her defense team expected to present evidence today.s. officials say griner will also have someone from the u.s. embassy staff in the courtroom with her. >>> and cnn has learned two top aides to former vice president mike pence have testified to a grand jury in washington. marc short, former white house chief of staff for pence, one of the highest profile officials from the trump administration to offer insights into what was happening inside the oval office before and on the day that the january 6 riots happened. u.s. president joe biden called out his predecessor for failing to act on january 6 while addressing a conference of black law enforcement officials. he praised the bravery of u.s. capitol police but said that donald trump didn't share their courage. >> for three hours, the defeatest former president of the united states watched it all happen as he sat in the comfort of the private dining room next to the oval office. while he was doing that, brave law enforcement officers were subject to the medieval hell for three hours. fa

for president biden and the united states government to simply get a deal done, that can bring brittney grinerme. listen. tell me about what you have been able to hear from brittney in this time. there was the call that didn't happen. what have you been able to hear from her while she's been in detention? >> so, i haven't really been able to hear anything that brings me the most assurance about her well-being to that degree because the call would have given me that. so i don't know how well she's doing. >> reporter: do you trust that the maximum amount of effort is being put forward to bring b.g. home? >> no i don't. and i hate to say that, because i do trust 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 b.g. 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 b.g.'s best interest. it would have been i

. >> brie, thank you >>> now to russia where the drug possession trial for brittney griner continues this morning. the wnba star has been detained since february after customs officials say they found vape canisters containing cannabis oil in her hluggage. we know that griner is testifying this week, but can we expect a verdict as well >> reporter: cori, good morning. it is possible we are expecting t verdict, but you annever know brittney griner is expected to take the witness stand tomorrow where she will take questions from her attorney, from the prosecution, along with the judge. and then of course closing arguments are expected brittney griner will have one final moment to say final thoughts before a verdict is brought down, and then she's sentenced. and of course she faces up to ten years in prison. what we saw last week is that her attorney, basically trying to make the case that this was an accident. brittney griner saying look, i was rushing to get to russia and accidentally lef left these car twc cartridges in my luggage she is legally allowed to consume cannabis because she

brittney griner is not. and that is why it is such a hard trade to think about. i just think the americans involved in these negotiations have to think about what is best for americans, not what is the right principle here. boot has been in jail for a decade. is it worth another decade of his time versus getting these americans out. in terms of the conditions, they're horrible. just exactly what you would expect. i visited russian prisons before i was a u.s. government official, it is not a place that anybody wants to be. it is not a place any russias want to be. horrible condition. and that is why it is a desperate situation to try to get these americans out. >> ambassador, fbi director christopher wray issued his starkest warning yet about the national security threat china posts to the west. speak ago long side his british counterpart in london, he said the chinese government poses an even more threat to western businesses than many sophisticated people realize. also raise the possibility that china may be inching closer to invading taiwan. not long after the

bargaining chip for russia, and history may be repeating itself in the case of the wnba star brittney griner. today, in a russian courtroom, griner pleaded guilty to drug possession charges, saying that the two vape cartridges found in her luggage which police said contained cannabis oil, were left there unintentionally. but she still faces up to ten years in prison if convicted, she's expected to be back in court on july 14th. her wife and her team, the phoenix mercury have been speaking out about her in prison but last night held a public rally in the home arena calling on the biden administration to do more to free the basketball star. but ironically, today's guilty plea could be a sign that we may be closer to seeing a diplomatic resolution to the situation. a top russian official has indicated that no steps could be taken to free griner until her case was resolved. and with that now in motion, russia appears interested in exchanging brittney griner for a former soviet military officer and arms dealer named viktor bout, with a federal prison sentence for selling weapons to people who sai

brittney griner has been in a jail cell in russia for months.in this jail cell, and her detention has been extended over and over, and right now she's going on trial for the -- for possession of narcotics. and so when you think about what she's going through alone in this jail cell with her thoughts flooding not being able to be with her family, that's the backdrop of this letter. now, the full letter was not issued publicly, but we have some excerpts, and here is what that letter says in part. quote, i realize you are dealing so much, and this is to president biden, but please don't forget about me and the other american detainees. she goes onto say she voted for biden and believes in him, and then, quote, i miss my wife. i miss any family. i miss my teammates. it kills me to know they're suffering so much right now. i'm grateful for anything you can do at this moment to get me home. the white house reiterated that they believe that griner was wrongfully detained, and there's a statement issued by the biden administration saying the following.

but the free brittney griner campaign is not really helping her. if anything, it is raising her price and making it harder for the u.s. to make a swap for her because the kremlin can ask for more and more and more the higher her price goes. >> jason, what's your reaction there to what we just heard? >> look, i mean, i am the recipient of a long and vociferous campaign calling for my release. i agree with julia that it raises the stakes. at the same time, i'm also surprised that the u.s. government kind of let out that information yesterday, that they have an offer on the table. usually they wouldn't do that. and it indicates to me that it's probably not moving in the right direction. >> jason, because you have been part of this, what does the return process look like? >> first of all, it's a very long process. the fact we're talking about this right now and have been talking about it in brittney griner's case for about five months now, you know, that's kind of a short period of time, all things considered. i know that's a terrible thing to think ab

united states says it's offered russia a deal aimed at freeing the american basketball player, brittney griner. trying to avert a globalfood crisis — the first ships carrying crucial grain supplies prepare to leave ports in ukraine. he's credited with inspiring the global green movement — tributes are paid to the environmentalist, james lovelock, who has died at the age of 103. welcome to our viewers on pbs in america and around the globe. a potential visit to taiwan by the us house speaker, nancy pelosi, is stirring alarm in presidentjoe biden�*s administration. officials are concerned the trip may cross red lines for china and fears there's no potential exit path. beijing, which claims sovereignty over the island, has already issued harsh warnings, even suggesting a possible military response. against this backdrop, president biden is expected to call president xi on thursday, for the first time in months. gareth barlow reports. this is taiwan. to beijing it is the breakaway province that must become part of the country, if need be by force. to washington it is of the territory of the us has

i did have the opportunity to speak with brittney griner in the courtroom.as well can be expected in these difficult circumstances. and she asked me to con slay that she is in good spirits and is keeping up the faith. >>. >> keeping up the faith. they're saying i was able to also to speak to brittney griner e 's lawyer. he said she is concern but also keeping fit and keeping up the faith. he said as well the next trial date is set for july 7th. >> well, our thoughts are certainly with brittney griner, her family, her loved ones and others who are also detained in russia like paul weeland and his family and those in other places around the world. fred, thank you for your reporting. >>> demanding answers but getting none. uvalde families plead for any information about the investigation into the mass school shooting. >> it was obliterated. in a closed casket. i couldn't hug her. i couldn't touch her. i couldn't say my last good-bye. topped on tender shaved steak. it's a real slam dunk. riright, derek? wrong sport, chuck. just hold the sub, man! subway keeps re

>>> imprisoned wnba star brittney griner just sent an impassioned plea to president biden to bring her detained in a russian prison went on trial in russia on friday on drug smuggling charges and she'll return to court on thursday. in her handwritten letter she tells the president she's terrified that she will be in russia forever. cnn's rosa flores joins us now. take us through this letter that you helped obtain and how the white house is responding. >> reporter: you know, alisyn, the backdrop is really important here because brittney griner has spent months in a russian jail. now she was detained, remember, back in february on possession of narcotics charges, and so she's been there, she's been in that jail cell by herself. now she's going to trial, and it's in that mind space that these words start flowing, these thoughts start flowing, and so she grabs a pen and paper and writes this letter to president biden. now her communications team did not release the entire letter. these are excerpts. and here's what she wrote, quote, as i sit here in a russian prison alone with my thoughts

to secure the release of wnba star brittney griner and paul whelan, another u.s. citizen convicted of espionage in russia, that's according to people briefed on the matter. despite the offer being on the table since june a senior administration official subjected russia has yet to officially respond. the u.s. secretary of state antony blinken says he expects to speak to russian foreign minister sergey lavrov in the coming days to discuss the potential swap. >>> i'm selina wang in beijing. president joe biden and chinese president xi jinping are having a phone call today as tensions are running high. beijing is furious over a potential visit by house speaker nancy pelosi to taiwan. china has urged the u.s. to cancel her trip, threatening powerful retaliation. this is a high stakes moment and the call is a chance for both sides to lower the temperature and manage the tensions. pelosi's potential visits come comes before xi jinping is seek an unprecedented third term and the concern is that he will make a rash move in response to the visit since he cannot look weak a

so griner's team is pleading for leniency. >> reporter: wnba star brittney griner focussed on the final and decisive phase of her trial on drug charges in russia. griner's lawyer says the athlete is keeping the faith. >> she's quite nervous. and she knows that the end of the trial is approaching. but she really appreciates all the support hshe's getting. >> reporter: griner's team is building their strategy on trying to get leniency from the court. >> i do understand what my charges are against me. and with them being accidentally in my bag, i take responsibility, but i did not intend to smuggle or plan to mu smuggle anything to russia. >> reporter: the legal team believes so far their strategy has worked. >> the court listens. the court accepts already almost all our evidence, so i think that it is going how we planned. >> reporter: but conviction rates in russia are well over 90%. and brittney griner faces up to ten years in prison if found guilty. the u.s. has been frustrated by a lack of progress trying to organize a prisoner swap to get brittney griner and paul whelan, who's curren

american held prisoner in russia her ten-month-long nightmare and her message to wnba superstar brittney griner being held in what is believed to be the same detention center >>> starbucks shut down why the coffee giant is closing stores in several major cities and it's not about sales. >>> and the trailblazing woman making nfl history >> announcer: this is "nbc nightly news" with lester holt >>> good evening, everyone the government is putting another dismal number to what our family budgets are already telling us prices are still going up the rate of inflation in june ballooned to 9.1% over the same month last year. the highest peak since 1981 the cost of virtually everything up, from gas, up 60%, to groceries, up 12.2%. to the roofs over our heads climbing 5.5% last month president biden calling the numbers unacceptably high but also out of date, noting they do not fully reflect recent declines in gas prices still, it spells a gut check moment for the fed as it weighs more interest rate hikes, sure to hit home for american borrowers and potentially tipping the economy into a recession. tom c

brittney griner faces up to ten years in prison. trinity chavez, cbs news new york. >>> the closest ally of the u.s. will have new leadership. boris johnson is stepping down. the time line for picking a new leader will be announced next week. johnson expressed some remorse he had to leave his position. >> i want you to know how sad i am to be giving up the best job in the world. but thems the breaks. >> and new at noon, alex pa dill la, community leaders held a rally on gun violence. it follows the passage of the bipartisan safety act. it improves background checks, helps state's laws and strengthens protections. but padilla says this historic bill is only the part. >> on that same date, the supreme court of the united states struck down laws that keep our community safe from deadly weapons. so, yes, we have much more work to do. >> padilla says gun safety measures is part of the solution, something he says california has demonstrated to work. >>> kids protested outside san francisco today to hold pg&e accountable for their manageme