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When asked about whether the Biden administration would support a religious delegation to Russia if negotiations with Russia were unsuccessful, John Kirby told theGrio, I dont want to speculate on a hypothetical here.

Advocates are continuing to call for a religious delegation trip to Russia to return WNBA star Brittney Griner to the United States, as Griner has since been found guilty and sentenced to 9 years in prison, and negotiations between the Kremlin and the White House for her return remain ongoing.

Rev. William Barber of the Poor Peoples Campaign and Repairers of the Breach told theGrio that he and a group of diverse religious leaders are willing to, with the help of the U.S. government, take such a trip to Russia on a purely humanitarian basis.

Rev. William Barber speaks during a demonstration at the U.S. Supreme Court during the MoveOn and Poor Peoples Build Back Better Action on November 15, 2021 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Jemal Countess/Getty Images for MoveOn)

We would be willing to bring together that kind of diverse coalitionget on a plane and go to Moscow and talk to whoever to say, Lets put down the swords, the separation and put down all of the schemes and games and just be human for a second and do what is right, said Barber.

Were saying to Putin and saying to the White House, we should be looking through this as a moral issue. What has this woman done to even be in court facing [nine] years in prison?

Barber added, its utterly ridiculous when you think about it from a moral perspective, and we just want to know that were willing to participate in any way that makes sense.

The activist and preacher said that if Griner were his daughter, he would hope that the same thing would happen.

Rev. Al Sharpton, who first called for a Russia trip among religious leaders last month, reiterated to theGrio that he wants to take a clergy visit on moral grounds.

She needs to understand that people are with her and that shes not forgotten, said Sharpton.

The famed minister and civil rights activist said he was first compelled to go on a clergy trip after speaking with and hearing the anguish of Brittney Griners wife, Cherelle Griner.

Story continues

US reverend Al Sharpton (C) speaks at a press conference in support of the release of professional basketball player Brittney Griner, on July 8, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois, who has plead guilty to drug charges in Russia. (Photo by MAX HERMAN / AFP) (Photo by MAX HERMAN/AFP via Getty Images)

[She] told me [Brittneys] in jail about two and a half hours outside of Moscow. Most people dont even speak English there, said Sharpton, who said hes concerned about her spiritual and mental health.

Griner said she unknowingly possessed less than a gram of cannabis oil in her luggage while traveling to Russia, where she plays professional basketball during the WNBAs off-season. The 31-year-old athlete pleaded guilty in hopes of receiving a lesser penalty.

Despite Griners recent sentencing, the U.S. government is continuing to work its geopolitical levers to bring Griner home from what it determined is a wrongful detainment. Last week, the State Department confirmed that it made an offer to Russia for a prisoner swap to bring back Griner and Paul Whelan, another American imprisoned by the Kremlin since 2018. However, Russia reportedly made a counteroffer that the U.S. deemed not serious, and so far, no agreement has been reached.

When asked by theGrio during Tuesdays White House press briefing whether or not the Biden administration was confident in its ability to reach such a deal with Russiawhich is currently locked into a geopolitical conflict with the U.S. amid Russias unprovoked war in UkraineJohn Kirby, White House coordinator for strategic communications at the National Security Council, said that the administration is not going to negotiate this thing in public.

I dont think its helpful for Paul or for Brittney, for us from the podium to get into a back and forth with the Russians over what the negotiations might or might not look like going forward, Kirby told theGrio. We made a serious proposal, made a serious offer, and we urge the Russians to take that offer because it was done with sincerity. And we know we can back it up.

He added, Bottom line is we want to see Brittney and Paul come home to their families where they belong. And the president takes that responsibility seriously.

National Security Council coordinator for strategic communications John Kirby, right, answers questions with White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre (L) during the daily briefing at the White House on August 02, 2022 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

When asked about whether the Biden White House would support a religious delegation trip to Russia if negotiations with Russia were unsuccessful, Kirby told theGrio, I dont want to speculate on a hypothetical here. I would just tell you that we are working hard, government to government, to get Paul and Brittney home. He added, So much so that we did put forth a very serious proposal and I think Im just gonna leave it there.

Meanwhile, activists and those close to Griner are doing their part to keep the national focus on her detainment in Russia and ensure her safe return. Griners wife Cherelle, her agent Lindsay Kagawa Colas, teammates and the WNBA have organized and attended rallies calling for Griners release.

Karen Finney, a senior Democratic strategist, has been working with Colas and advocacy groups to organize around bringing Griner home. Finney helped lead the signing of a letter from a collective of civil rights, human rights, womens rights and LGBTQ+ organizations, including the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), Color of Change, National Black Justice Coalition, National Urban League, GLAAD, and several others.

Finney told theGrio that she was compelled to get involved in the efforts to return Griner to the United States because the Olympic gold medalist represents, in her various identities, the American story so eloquently.

Brittney Griner #15 of Team United States poses for photographs with her gold medal during the Womens Basketball medal ceremony on day sixteen of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic games at Saitama Super Arena on August 08, 2021 in Saitama, Japan. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Finney, who participated in college sports, said she also sees an opportunity for the universal love of sports to be an effective tool to compel Griners release.

Sports has a unique power to unify people across the globethats what the Olympics is all about, Finney told theGrio.

Whether its the Olympics or the World Cup, Finney highlighted that athletes cross international borders to participate in various sports that the global community knows and loves. Brittneys detention threatens the sanctity of sports and the safety of athletes who travel and compete internationally, said Finney.

Rev. Sharpton echoed those sentiments, telling theGrio what Russia has done to Griner will make athletes afraid to go anywhere in the world. He added, The world should not be so isolated that athletes feel that theyve got to stay home, even under unfair economic conditions, because they could be used as some political chessboard as a pawn.

Last month, Griner pleaded to President Joe Biden in a letter to do everything he could to secure her return to the U.S. I still have so much good to do with my freedom that you can help restore, she wrote. I miss my wife! I miss my family! I miss my teammates! It kills me to know they are suffering so much right now. I am grateful for whatever you can do at this moment to get me home.

In response, President Biden sent a personal letter to Griner, assuring her that the White House was doing everything to ensure her safe return. Cherelle, in a previous interview with theGrio, said the president has also extended an offer for her and Griners family to visit him at the White House.

Cherelle at the time urged the public to raise their voices for Brittney. BG is the type of person that if the roles were reversed, she would use her platform to make a difference, Cherelle shared. She cares about everybody, and this is the time to now care about her. So continue to lift her up. Continue to make noise about her until the day that we see her back.

Gerren Keith Gaynor

Gerren Keith Gaynor is the Managing Editor of Politics and Washington Correspondent at theGrio. He is based in Washington, D.C.

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The post Clergy continue to call for humanitarian trip to Russia for Brittney Griners return amid White House negotiations appeared first on TheGrio.

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Clergy continue to call for humanitarian trip to Russia for Brittney Griners return amid White House negotiations - Yahoo News

It was a busy 18-hour or so span when the Phoenix Suns went from being one of three teams without a single two-way slot filled to having both filled by Duane Washington Jr. and Ish Wainright, but beyond that were reaching a bit of a dead period in the offseason.

Even now that weve reached August and camp looms, a couple loose ends still need tying, so well touch on each here.

Speaking of those Durant scenarios that Crowder may play a part in, we finally have some action that may push the whole deal forward in one direction or another. Steve Bulpett at Heavy.com had the report, featuring a few key points:

What Im hearing is that KD is going to meet with the owner this week, the source told Heavy Sports. Hes going to go directly to the owner, Joe Tsai, sometime this week. Well see how that works... I have no idea whats going to come of that meeting. There are some things that KD is unhappy about, and Im not sure any of that gets fixed here. But maybe it does.

At an apparent fork in the road in the trade discussions, this meeting can go one of two ways in my eyes:

I continue to firmly believe theres no ending with Durant on another one of the 28 teams; its going to be Phoenix or Brooklyn. Those 28 other teams appear to be scared off from even putting their names in the hat, as well.

A personnel exec from another club expressed disappointment with the process... I think theres some teams that arent very happy that when they talk to Brooklyn it gets in the papers, he said. That doesnt help. Ive talked with a couple of teams that are not happy with the rumors that creep out of there through all this. Its not a good way to do business.

Brooklyn general manager Sean Marks may have flown too close to the sun in trying to drive up a bidding war by using the media any chance he got. Suddenly, the Suns package of picks and salary filler seems a whole lot more intriguing since its the only offer, especially if Durant does activate hardball mode.

The anonymous source quoted in the story made the case that Durant wont activate hardball mode, saying If they cant get a deal done, hes just going to say, [Expletive] it, and hell play and hell play hard like he always does. I know KD, and hes not going to sit out or anything like that. Hes not that kind of guy. Theres no way.

We may see later this week whether Durant is that kind of guy or not, and for Suns fans sake, we should hope he is.

Since we last heard from Adam Silver on Jul. 12 that the investigation is in its final stage, there have been a couple small developments in the Sarver storyline.

Former Sun Goran Dragic spoke out about Sarvers frugality a week later when he shared that after missing the All-Star game in 2013-14 (the season in which he was named to the All-NBA Third Team), Sarver told Dragic he was happy he missed out.

Sarver wouldve had to pay a $1 million signing bonus if Dragic did make the squad.

Another week later, Rev. Al Sharpton who spoke out against Sarver when the allegations were first made public spoke once again, expressing frustrations with the never-ending nature of the investigation:

Enough is enough. I was patient when the NBA told me the Sarver investigation would be wrapped up by April; but April came and went. Then they told me in June to wait a few more weeks; but June came and went. It is now almost August, and there is no end in sight on the Sarver investigation.

That point about a June target date matches something I heard about a month ago that there were people around the league preparing for that to be the drop date as well. It, as Sharpton notes, came and went, and August became the new target date.

Were in August.

I was included in the group of many that believed the last full roster spot was being saved for Wainright, who was recently brought back on just a two-way slot. Without an obvious candidate on deck for the final spot now, what are the options left?

For the believers enduring on the Kevin Durant front, theres always the possibility that if it happens and Phoenix loses a lot of depth in the process, players around the league might be intrigued by the opportunity to join a contender and ask to be bought out. FLEX From Jersey alluded to as much in a recent podcast, stating as many as three players around the league would be interested.

Given the financial constraints of Phoenixs current payroll as well as the lack of free agents still on the market, the other options are few and far between. The Suns can only offer minimum contracts at this point, which isnt the worst thing since the remaining options arent necessarily working up bidding wars.

Dennis Schroder is the biggest name still available, and he performed well as recently as last month representing Germany in the 2023 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers, including a match against Poland where he put up 38 points (10-25 shooting) in 31 minutes in a 10-point win.

However, theres the point about Schroder having arguably his best NBA season playing alongside Chris Paul in Oklahoma City, so if Paul had interest in a reunion, it likely wouldve happened already.

I personally believe that after training camps are underway and cuts are made, there will be a value player to be added; thats the kind of luxury afforded to contending teams players want to play for your team, especially when your organization includes Monty Williams and Devin Booker.

The thing that really sucks about August in the NBA is it takes a lot patience, which is sometimes easier said than done. But if in April, you were told that a 64-18 team would successfully run it back with Ayton on a smaller deal than it couldve been, I think most of us would be happy with the offseason that happened.

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August check-in on Suns offseason: Durant meeting, Sarver news...soon, final roster spot - Bright Side Of The Sun

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Kenan Thompson, longtime Saturday Night Live alum will receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the coming days.

Walk of Fame announced this week that Thompson will be the 2,728th recipient of a Hollywood star, celebrating the career and work of elite entertainers and artists. The ceremony will take place on Aug. 11 at 11:30 a.m. PST at the site of the star, 6627 Hollywood Boulevard.

Lupita Sanchez Cornejo, chairman of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, will be emcee for the occasion. Joining her will be special guests actor Josh Server, comedian/actor J.B. Smoove and Thompsons former SNL castmate and comedienne, Leslie Jones.

Thompson is the longest-tenured cast member in SNL history with 19 seasons under his belt. During that time, hes made audiences laugh with memorable reoccurring sketches such as Black Jeopardy, and Whats Up with That. He also is well known for his humorous impressions of figures such as Rev. Al Sharpton, Charles Barkley, Steve Harvey and David Ortiz.

Prior to joining SNL in 2003 where he earned four Emmy Award nominations, Thompson has been entertaining audiences since childhood. He became a child star on Nickelodeons teenage sketch comedy series, All That, in the 1990s, as well as the networks hit sitcom Kenan and Kel with All That co-star, Kel Mitchell.

Kenan Thompson is the voice of a generation stated Ana Martinez, producer of the Hollywood Walk of Fame. From Kenan and Kel to Saturday Night Live, Kenan has been making folks laugh for nearly 30 years.

As a celebration for Thompsons upcoming 20th anniversary on the NBC sketch comedy series, Martinez said that it would be fitting to place Kenans star next to the star of the man who gave him his job, Lorne Michaels.

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Kenan Thompson to receive star on Hollywood Walk of Fame - TheGrio

Premiering on ABC in the United States on 11 July 2022, Claim to Fame is a reality competition show. Kevin and Frankie Jonas host the show.

The Jonas Brothers new reality show Claim To Fame premiered on ABC last month, and viewers have become engrossed in the drama.

There were originally 12 contestants, all of whom were related to famous people. The goal of the show is to determine who the mysterious person in boldface in each participants family tree is.

Fans were making guesses in real time alongside the cast as they perused the clue wall, which featured images related to each of the hidden celebrity relationships.

Due to the shocking nature of this seasons revelations, the internet has been working around the clock to try and make sense of all the potential pairings

Read More: FBOY Island Season 2 Spoilers: Everything We Know so Far in August 2022!

A wide range of celebrities, including Miley Cyrus, Tom Holland, Prince, Loni Love, and others, have been bandied about. Although many mysteries remain unanswered.

And if you are here, its probably because you are looking for spoilers, as this article contains some. Fortunately, a few of the competitors have been eliminated from consideration.

Pepper was selected as the guesser for a third time in episode four. To her dismay, she assumed erroneously that Kai was connected to Andra Day. Womp.

The fact that Brittany was the daughter of former Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre ultimately led to her elimination.

Who has been voted off the island thus far is as follows:

Although the identities of the remaining cast members have yet to be uncovered, you can rest assured that the internet will have those details before the show airs.After Maxwell was eliminated in the pilot, everyone was eager to find out who Peppers relative was (since she was the guesser).

A Twitter user has done some research and asserts that Pepper is in fact Dean Martins granddaughter. The user not only provided evidence of the celebrity connection, but also side-by-side photos of the candidates.

Please note that this list is based entirely on one Twitter thread. This information was taken directly from Twitter. Their website may provide you with the same material in a different format, or it may provide you with additional material.

Kai wore a floor-length white gown in last nights episode that viewers think theyve seen Tiffany Haddish wear before. Users on Twitter also noted that Tiffany wore the same dress to multiple ceremonies.

This information was taken directly from Twitter. Their website may provide you with the same material in a different format, or it may provide you with additional material.

Fans of the show Claim To Fame initially thought that Dominique was related to Loni Love because of their striking resemblance. However, as reported by Newsweek, subsequent episodes have revealed that Dominique is actually related to Reverend Al Sharpton, an American civil rights activist, talk show host, and politician.

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Previously, Lark had revealed that her aunt was a supermodel in the 1980s. Since Cindy Crawford, a supermodel, is one of Larks followers on Instagram, many people assume that she must be Cindy Crawfords niece.

Now that you have all the information you need, you can kick back every Monday night and watch the cast try to piece together the puzzle on ABC.

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