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P.M. Boris Johnson Refuse to Step Down; Russian Troops Now Advancing to Sloviansk; Uvalde Survivor Remembers the Pain and Sorrow; Griner Family Pleas the Biden Administration for Brittney's Release; Highland Park Shooter Will Face Multiple Charges Without Bail; Monkeypox Raise Alarm Bells for WHO. Aired 3-4a ET

Aired July 07, 2022 - 03:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[03:00:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to our viewers joining us from all around the world. I'm Rosemary Church in Atlanta.

MAX FOSTER, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Max Foster, outside the houses of parliament. A record number of resignations and a defiant prime minister clinging on to power. Has Boris Johnson lost the confidence of his own party?

CHURCH: Plus, President Biden telling WNBA star Brittney Griner's wife that he's working to secure Griner's release from Russia. This, as we're just hours away from her next court appearance.

FOSTER: The resignations within Boris Johnson's government are coming at a staggering place right now. The Britain's embattled prime minister is vowing to fight for his future. Saying he won't step down despite growing calls for him to do just that.

Discontent over his leadership intensified over the last week, as yet another scandal engulfed the government. That led to the sudden and shocking resignations of two key cabinet members on Tuesday, the finance minister and health secretary. But it hasn't stopped there.

Now, at least 50 lawmakers have stepped down from their post, including some in just the past few hours. On Wednesday night, Mr. Johnson actually took matters into his own hands, deciding to sack a senior cabinet minister and a key adviser really, Michael Gove. Sources say Gove had urged the prime minister earlier in the day to accept that his time is up.

We've also learned that a delegation of cabinet members went to Downing Street to ask Mr. Johnson to resign. That coming after he was battered by questions to an appearance before a parliamentary committee.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BORIS JOHNSON, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: The last thing this country needs --

UNKNOWN: Because we need -- because this house --

(CROSSTALK)

JOHNSON: The last thing this country needs, frankly, is an election.

UNKNOWN: Because this house.

JOHNSON: What needs -- on the country I think the risk is -- the risk is that people continue to focus on this type of thing. And I think that is a --

(CROSSTALK)

UNKNOWN: And how did it help --

JOHNSON: What we need to do is get on with stable --

UNKNOWN: How did it help --

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Let's bring in CNN's Nada Bashir, she is out Downing -- outside Downing Street. You know, he is not budging there, is he, Nada? And that is the historic thing here. Because traditionally, when a cabinet goes to that prime minister and says it's time to go, they would go. But Boris Johnson isn't a traditionalist. He's doing this in his own way. What do you think his strategy is?

NADA BASHIR, CNN REPORTER: Look, Max, this is certainly Boris Johnson doing in his own way, clinging on to power despite the fact that we have seen multiple resignations surpassing 15 now. It's only eight o'clock and we have already seen several just in the early hours of this morning. We are expecting more to come.

And as you mentioned there, we saw a delegation of his own cabinet ministers who haven't issued their resignations, at least not yet. Calling on the prime minister to resign, telling him the time is up for him. He should do the what David (Inaudible) as the honorable thing, and step down himself.

But this is a prime minister, Max, who cannot command the support of his party any longer. We have seen the significant resignations, many now touching on the fact that they believe the prime minister lacks the support and the trust of his party. And of course, that key issue which we have seen time and time again the issue of integrity.

And the prime minister has faced multiple scandals, multiple crises in government over the last few months. Some that would've forced any other prime minister to walk away from this position. Yet, he has hold on to power.

We heard him yesterday speaking during prime minister's question time, saying that he wants to get on with the job. That is the message we've heard time and time again. The prime minister deflecting those criticisms and saying that the country wants the prime minister, wants the government to get on with their policy priorities. He says that he's planning on making changes, will set up new economic policies next week.

But for many this seems to be a tone-deaf response given the significance of the resignations that we have seen. He believes that even if he loses the support of his party, he still holds a mandate with the voters, with the constituents.

[03:05:05]

But as we said, seven out of 10 adults in recent polling now believe that the prime minister should resign. That's up from the last time polling that's taken when the vote of confidence was held a month ago. So clearly, there are some real hard facts that the prime minister needs to reckon with. He is losing support within his party, but he also losing support with the constituencies as well. Max?

FOSTER: At the moment, we don't have a functioning government, do we? Now only are they all caught up with this mayhem in the party. But there are departments that have only won minister in them, only one minister to make decisions on matters of state. So, the whole system is grinding to a halt, effectively?

BASHIR: Yes, absolutely. We have seen so many resignations, key resignation among ministers. The prime minister is likely now struggling to fill those positions. He is clinging on to power. But the question is even if he can hold them to power, can he control government, can he lead government in a really meaningful way?

And that is looking more and more unlikely and more and more difficult for the prime minister as he continues to see those key figures stepping down from their post. And that is adding that mounting pressure on Boris Johnson. We are of course expecting that committee of backbenchers, the 1922 committee next week to elect a new executive, and of course, to discuss the potential to trigger a vote of confidence.

Now of course, we did see the prime minister narrowly survived a vote of confidence just a month ago. Typically, he would be immune from another vote for 12 months. But those executives are set to be looking at changing those rules in order for a vote to be called earlier.

FOSTER: OK Nada, in Downing Street, thank you. Joining me also Richard Johnson, he's a lecturer at Queen Mary University of London. So, it's pretty clear that Boris Johnson isn't going anywhere. So that debate appears to be over unless he's slept on it and thinks differently this morning. The only way for him to go then would be to be forced out.

And as Nada was describing, it could be a confidence vote in the conservative party. But the opposition could also call one, can they in the house behind me?

RICHARD JOHNSON, LECTURER, QUEEN MARY UNIVERSITY OF LONDON: Well, there are two types of confidence votes. So, one is a vote of confidence in Boris Johnson's leadership of the conservative party, which is a matter for conservative MPs. And that's what most people are talking about.

There's of course the ability for the opposition to call a motion of confidence in the government. But if Boris Johnson could lose that motion, then the whole government would fall and there would be no action. And I'm pretty sure that a great number of conservative MPs don't want to see that happen.

So, Labour doesn't have the votes to do that, and I don't think there would be enough conservative MPs crossing the aisle for that. So, I really think it comes back down to the question of his leadership from the conservative party and that internal vote among conservative MPs.

FOSTER: A fascinating time for the likes of yourself, and your students to try to make sense of all of this because it is unprecedented, isn't it, for a prime minister to refuse to go when their cabinet is calling on them to go?

R. JOHNSON: Well, if we think it back even to Theresa May's premiership which was on pretty rocky shoals at various points. Boris Johnson has now exceeded the number of ministerial resignations that Theresa May experience before she decided to stand down.

So, this is pretty extraordinary to have this scale of resignation for close allies of the prime minister to go to the prime minister and tell him to resign. Technically, of course, the prime minister can refuse at this stage. There's nothing illegitimate about him refusing to do so. He wants, it seems he wants to test his support among MPs.

Personally, I don't really understand why he is so dedicated to that because he almost certainly going to lose that vote. But if it's a matter of if he wants to keep fighting to the bitter end then I think he's probably gotten to a Monday or Tuesday to hold out, if he wishes to do so.

FOSTER: Constitutional crisis would occur, wouldn't it, if there was a prime minister, a leader of the party in Downing Street without the support of the party. The debate is whether or not he has the support of the party. But it does seem though, it's only Boris Johnson and a couple of very close allies that actually believe that he does have that support.

So, at the moment, we could be in very tricky waters, didn't we, constitutionally, if the -- if we have someone hold up in Downing Street that doesn't have the support of the country, arguably, and certainly not the party?

R. JOHNSON: Well, conventionally, the prime minister is the leader of the party that commands the majority in the House of Commons. There are instances where someone can be removed as the party leader. And there might be a bit of an interim appearance.

[03:09:55]

So, for example, after the 10th election, Gordon Brown resigned as the leader of the Labour Party but stayed on as prime minister until the coalition between the conservatives and liberal Democrats was swept out. You could see something like that happening.

Ultimately, the sovereign, the queen, does have the power to dismiss a prime minister, it's not exercised in this country for a very long time. It has been exercised in the commonwealth through the governor general not too long ago. But that, you know, I think Boris Johnson's reputation really would be in tatters to a scene that he was putting the queen, 96-year-old woman in a very difficult position to make, a position that she doesn't want to have to be in a position to make.

FOSTER: Yes, Richard Johnson, I think you're absolutely right. She'd ran them all from any sort of political interference as this could be construed. Thanks for joining us.

Rosemary, we'll be following this over the course of the day. Perhaps, Boris Johnson has had a change of thought, having slept on it, we don't know. It seems unlikely. We haven't seen him yet today but we'll bring you any updates on his way of thinking this morning as they come through.

CHURCH: Yes, definitely we will continue to cover this. Many thanks to you, Max.

Ukraine admits that it's losing ground in the Donbas to advancing Russian forces, but claims those Russian troops are suffering enormous losses in the process. Ukrainian officials believe Russia's next objective is the city of Sloviansk in the Donetsk region. It's one of the few remaining Ukrainian strongholds in the Donbas.

With much of Russia's fire power now aimed at Sloviansk and nearby towns, Ukrainians civilians still in the area are being urged to get out if they can. The Russian airstrikes are not limited to the Donbas. Ukraine's president says a teacher's college in Kharkiv was destroyed on Wednesday by a Russian missile.

And CNN's Scott McLean joins us live now from the Ukrainian capital. Good to see you again, Scott. So, Ukraine says its forces are putting up fierce resistance in the Donbas and that Sloviansk appears to be Russia's next targets. So, what is the latest on the military front?

SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Rosemary, if you look at the pictures coming out of the Donetsk region, if you look at the map, things don't look that great for the Ukrainians. But they say that they do have a couple of things going for them. First and foremost, they say that the Russians are taking an enormous number of losses, really hampering their ability to move forward.

Now CNN is not in a position to confirm losses on either side of the frontline. But even some pro-Russian commentators have suggested that the battle for the Luhansk region, the city of Lysychansk, Severodonetsk were far too deadly. It came up far too high of a human cost.

There is also the Severodonetsk River as well, that seems to be getting in the Russian's way as of late. The Ukrainian says that the Russians are stuck on the other side of it, and they say that this natural barrier is something that they may well be very well able to defend and keep them on the other side for months.

Of course, the expectation though is that the Russians will continue to shell and use artillery strikes, and bombing campaigns with increasing severity and increasing escalation in order to flatten that area and get all of the civilians and troops to move back one way or another.

Zelenskyy also says that the HIMARS system, the high mobility artillery rocket system that's been supplied by the United States is now having a big impact. He says that it is extremely accurate, and exactly what his side needs right now. There is video emerged from the city of Donetsk on Tuesday, that appears to show what may have been a stash of ammunition there being hit because there were subsequent explosions.

Though the Ukrainians, they don't confirm any of their artillery strikes, but Zelenskyy says that look, it's a game-changer. It's certainly making a difference. One of the things that Zelenskyy has really been asking for in terms of weapons, is an air defense system.

And just yesterday in the overnight hour, we saw another Russian missile strike. This one, a teacher's college in the city of Kharkiv just on the eastern edge of the city. And the pictures really tell the story. One of the main buildings is absolutely obliterated. The president says that the main building, lecture halls, library, they were all impacted by this latest strike.

And he says that, look, strikes like this on clear civilian infrastructure this is really the definition of barbarism. And again, it sort of reinforces his view that Ukrainians need a more modern air defense systems so that ordinary people in this country don't have to live their lives in fear as those air raid sirens sound from time to time. Rosemary?

CHURCH: Yes, exactly right. Scott McLean joining us live from Kyiv. Many thanks.

[03:14:56]

We have no details about the gunman who prosecutors say admitted to opening fire on a Fourth of July parade, his plans for a second attack, and his first appearance in court. That's just ahead.

Plus, waiting for help that took too long to come. A teacher who survived the Uvalde, Texas school massacre describes how police failed to save the children in his classroom.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHURCH: Residents in Highland Park, Illinois are gathering for vigils to remember the seven people killed in the Fourth of July parade shooting. They range in age from 35 to 88, parents, grandparents, beloved family members who died celebrating Independence Day in the United States. The gunman is being held without bond in an Illinois jail. We are

getting a look at some of the evidence that prosecutors have against him and why they say that the shooting spree could have been much worse.

CNN's Ed Lavandera reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Appearing in court for the first time since the July 4th massacre, prosecutors say shooting suspect Robert Crimo III admitted to opening fire on parade goers celebrating Independence Day in Highland Park, Illinois. Authorities say 330 round magazines and 83 spent shell casing were recovered and that Crimo was considering another shooting in Madison, a two-and-a- half-hour drive away.

CHRISTOPHER COVELLI, DEPUTY CHIEF, LAKE COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT: He did see a celebration occurring that was occuring in Madison and he seriously contemplate using the firearm in his vehicle to commit another shooting in Madison.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): A judge ruled that he will be held without bond. The states attorney is charging the 21-year-old with seven counts of first-degree murder. The FBI is also considering federal charges.

ERIC RINEHART, LAKE COUNTY STATE'S ATTORNEY: These are just the first of many charges that will be filed against Mr. Crimo. I want to emphasize that. There will be more charges. We anticipate dozens of more charges centering around each of the victims.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): New surveillance video captured the commotion after the gunfire started. Some parade spectators were scrambling into a nearby outdoor apparel store, a few stumbling upon entry then ducking for cover.

Crimo's past contact with law enforcement is now under scrutiny. Police say they were contacted in April of 2019, after Crimo tried to kill himself. The matter was treated as a mental health matter and no police action was taken.

Five months later, a family member contacted police reporting that Crimo had a collection of knives and said he was going to, quote, "kill everyone." Police responded and removed 60 knives, a dagger and a sword from his home. No one from his family filed a complaint.

[03:20:05]

Later that day, the knives were returned to Crimo's father, who claim they were his. Despite all of this, Crimo was still granted a fire arm card by Illinois state police, with his father sponsoring the application for the card. The agency says Crimo passed four background checks between June of 2020 and September of 2021.

MAYOR NANCY ROTERING (D), HIGHLAND PARK, ILLINOIS: I'm looking forward to an explanation of what happened. We in Highland Park, our police department did the right thing, filed the necessary reports, and I am waiting for that explanation. I expect it in the next few days.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): As a community mourns, more witnesses are coming forward sharing their harrowing experiences.

BRYANT SIVESS, PARADE ATTENDEE HELPED VICTIMS: The whole time when I was trying to figure out what's going on, you know, what do I need to do.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): Bryant Sivess attended the parade with his wife and four kids. He says his oldest son was briefly missing after the shooting stopped, but says he still managed to help victims while searching for his child. He eventually found his son in a nearby jewelry store.

SIVESS: When I came and got him and just asked, where have you been son? We were scared to death. We didn't know if he was shot, that's why we're looking, we didn't know if he's just hiding somewhere. We didn't know.

LAVANDERA (on camera): Authorities say that they don't know why the alleged gunman didn't carry out the second attack in Madison, Wisconsin. But that the earlier indication is that the shooter did not prepare or research that enough. As far as the overall motivation for this attack on the Highland Park 4th of July parade, investigators say that they are hesitant to speculate because right now the motive isn't necessarily clear.

Ed Lavandera, CNN, Highland Park, Illinois.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: A new report details missed opportunities and mistakes in the police response to the mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas. Nineteen students and two teachers were killed in the massacre back in May. The report says police officers had two possible chances to stop the gunman before he entered the school.

First, an officer sped through the parking lot without seeing the gunman. Then, a different officer spotted the gunman and got him in the sights of his rifle, but in the time it took him to ask his supervisor for permission to take the shot, the gunman had already entered the score.

Well once inside the school, it took over an hour for police to finally stop him. A teacher who was wounded in the attack managed to survive by playing dead. All 11 children in his classroom were killed. He spoke with our Shimon Prokupecz about the horrors of that day.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARNULFO REYES, TEACHER WHO SURVIVED MASSACRE: I started seeing like the shoe rack fly off the walls and stuff like that. And that's when I had told my kids, I don't know what it is but let's get under the table.

SHIMON PROKUPECZ, CNN CRIME AND JUSTICE REPORTER: Arnulfo Reyes was the only survivor from classroom 111 at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas. After a month in the hospital 10 surgeries from bullet wounds to his arm and back he is finally back home and talking about the day that ripped so many lives apart.

REYES: I was getting the kids under the table, when I turned around I saw him. I just saw like the shadow. And that's when I saw the two, like the fire, and then I ended up on the ground as well.

PROKUPECZ: And so, you get hit and you go down? And what's going on in your mind at that time?

REYES: I'm just thinking, and waiting for someone to come and save us. You always think, you know, something bad happening that the cops get there so fast. They rush in and they help you. You know? And I was just waiting for that. I was waiting for anybody, anybody to come save us.

PROKUPECZ: We now know it would be a long and agonizing 74 minutes before police would enter Reyes' classroom to kill the gunman.

REYES: He did a lot of things to make me flinch or react in some way. And that was one of them, where he like -- as I am laying down, either like this or like this, tapping it. It was splashing in my face --

PROKUPECZ: The blood?

REYES: Yes.

PROKUPECZ: Was he trying to see if you're still alive?

REYES: I think so.

PROKUPECZ: You are lying there for over an hour, right? And no one is coming to help. What do you think of that?

[03:25:00]

REYES: That they forgot us. I mean, they probably thought that we were all dead or something. But if they would have gone in before, some of them probably would have made it.

PROKUPECZ: It's a question that many are struggling with, as precious seconds tick by. Could lives have been saved if officers acted sooner? Nineteen students and two teachers would lose their lives that day the subject of multiple ongoing investigations, it's being called one of the biggest law enforcement failures in recent memory, officers feet away on the other side at the door.

REYES: A lot of the law enforcement failed because they take that oath to protect. I was in there to protect the kids, but I had no bullet vest or bulletproof vest or any tactical gear that they used. And they had everything.

PROKUPECZ: When did you realize that the children that were around you are dead and were not going to make it?

REYES: After they shot him and the border patrol said, anybody get up, let's go, let's go, you know, like try to get the kids up. Nobody moved but me. And then somebody else said, there is children under here. The children were dead under the table. But there is nothing I could do about it. Just -- so.

PROKUPECZ: Your children --

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: So heartbreaking. Just ahead, the British prime minister is digging in and defying calls to quit. Meanwhile, we are getting word of at least several new resignations.

Plus, a U.S. basketball star begs the White House in a letter to get her released from a Russian jail. And President Joe Biden writes her back, and calls her wife just before her trial is set to resume. We are back in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[03:30:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MAX FOSTER, CNN ANCHOR: Can a British government's political crisis end with anything other than the prime minister's resignation? Well that question is on the minds of millions as Boris Johnson vows to fight off the mounting rebellion from within his own conservative party.

More people resigning today. More than 50 members of his government has quit since Tuesday, with a handful amount just the last hour or so. Amongst the latest to go is the Northern Ireland minister Brandon Lewis, minister for security and borders, Damian Hinds, and also the exchequer secretary to the treasury, Helen Whately.

A close ally and senior cabinet minister Michael Gove urge the prime minister to resign, and was sacked. Analysts say Mr. Johnson's career could be on the cusp of a dramatic disintegration, but he is insisting the country needs him to do his job, and is brushing off calls for an early election.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BORIS JOHNSON, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: You are asking about something that is not going to happen. History teaches us that the best way to avoid political disturbance is to allow the government that has a mandate to get on and deliver its mandate. That is what we are going to do. (END VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: CNN's Bianca Nobilo has more now on the crisis that Boris Johnson is definitely facing.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHNSON: I abhor bullying and abuse of power anywhere in parliament in this party or any other party.

BIANCA NOBILO, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Boris Johnson seemingly unsinkable premiership once again on the rocks, but this time, it is different.

SAJID JAVID, BRITISH HEALTH SECRETARY: Threading the tightrope between loyalty and integrity has become impossible in recent months.

NOBILO (voice-over): Trust in Johnson's word almost completely eroded, say more than two dozen members of parliament resigning from government within 24 hours, including two of his most prominent cabinet ministers. Health secretary Sajid Javid saying I can no longer, in good conscience continue serving in this government.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak reasons the public rightly expect the government to be conducted properly, competently and seriously.

Johnson and his office now being held to account over the handling of allegations of sexual misconduct by a member of government after a former top civil servant broke ground to accuse them of lying about not knowing of the previous official complaint of alleged sexual misconduct before promoting the member of parliament involved.

Johnson has since admitted he did know about the allegations

KEIR STARMER, LEADER, BRITISH LABOUR PARTY: For a week, he's had him defending his decision to promote a sexual predator. Every day the lines he's forced them to take have been untrue. And now, he wants them to go out and say that he simply forgot.

JOHNSON: I greatly regret that he continued in office.

NOBILO (voice-over): Just last month, the prime minister was booed in public before narrowly surviving a confidence vote by members of his own party, following the latest scandal, party gate.

Now, a source close to one of his most loyal supporters, home secretary Priti Patel tells CNN that she has told the prime minister the view of the party is that he has to go. As more letters voicing no confidence in the prime minister are going in, members of parliament suggest changes to the rules of the conservative backbench 1922 committee, so another vote can be held before some parliamentary recess.

The question for many now appears to be not a matter of if, but how soon his premiership will end.

Bianca Nobilo, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: Michael Gove, a very close ally to Boris Johnson, I mean, they've had tension in the past but they are very close professionally. They -- Gove was advising him to quit, eventually, and he round up being fired. Earlier we asked European affairs commentator Dominic Thomas what to make of that.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DOMINIC THOMAS, CNN EUROPEAN AFFAIRS COMMENTATOR: Well, I mean, it is once again, he is surrounded by this group of people who in many ways, you could say this entourage have enabled him, they have defended him throughout. They are talking today about, you know, values and ethics, but it's been well known to many people that this administration under him has not been functional.

They have not been involved in lawmaking and legislating. They've been involved in defending the prime minister repeatedly over a two plus- year period.

And so, him coming up against Gove who is a respected member, a reasonable member of that -- of that cabinet, but with a long-standing history of tension and conflict with Boris Johnson over Brexit over his various campaigns and so on and so forth. But essentially saying, you are either with me or against me here.

[03:35:00]

And if you are not willing to back me and defend me in this, then it's time to step away. And you are replaceable. And thus far, he has been able to fill these high-ranking positions, but then the situation has disintegrated and deteriorated over the day, so you now have a whole range of members of this supporting group from junior members and ministers and so on and so forth that are now stepping away. I think it's now becoming untenable for him to remain in power.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOSTER: He went on to say the whole situation points to the dysfunctionality within the conservative party.

That does it for me outside the Houses of Parliament trying to make sense of all of this at the top of the hour, though. We are going to take it back to Rosemary, though, who is going to make sense of the other parts of the news.

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: Absolutely. Thank you so much, Max. I appreciate it.

Well, coming up here on CNN Newsroom, President Biden and Vice President Harris call the wife of WNBA star Brittney Griner who is being held in Russia. We'll be right back with the latest on that.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) CHURCH: The trial of U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner is set to

resume in Russia today, but before the proceedings get underway, President Joe Biden is responding to her letter from jail in which she said she is afraid Russia may never let her out.

And Griner's wife spoke with the president on the phone. Griner is facing drug smuggling charges which can potentially put her behind bars for up to 10 years. But the U.S. says she is wrongfully detained, and there are fears Russia is using her as a bargaining chip as tensions grow over Ukraine.

Well, for more on Griner's trial, Nina dos Santos joins us live from London. Good morning to you, Nina.

So Griner's next court appearance just a few hours away. What's expected? And what impact might President Biden's phone call have on the outcome? Could his involvement perhaps make a difference?

NINA DOS SANTOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, at this point, Rosemary, we know that obviously he has spoken with Cherelle Griner, Brittney Griner's wife, to assuage her concerns obviously after that really poignant letter was revealed earlier this week on the Fourth of July.

It turned out that Brittney Griner had written to her family and her wife, and also the White House as well, imploring that U.S. President Joe Biden to do as much as he could to try and secure her release, and also to consider the fate of other U.S. citizens who are being held behind bars in the United States, such as, for instance Paul Whelan.

She said in that letter, that she feared being behind bars forever in Russia, and said, I know you are dealing with so much at the moment. Obviously in a reference to the war in Ukraine, but please don't forget about us.

[03:39:58]

Now that letter, the revelation of excerpts of that letter, and also the fact that Brittney Griner said that she voted, the one and only time in the United States for Joe Biden to elect him a few years ago.

That prompted this telephone conversation that has since happened yesterday evening between Cherelle Griner, the wife of Brittney Griner, the U.S. President Joe Biden, and also Kamala Harris, the vice president. During which Joe Biden actually read her excerpts of his response to Brittney Griner.

A lot of this obviously while trying to shore up support for Brittney Griner as she is going through this difficult time, but would it have any bearing on the trial? That we don't really know. This trial has been going on since Friday, and in typical fashion in these Russian courts also considering as a highly politicized and charged case here. We haven't really heard that much coming out of it.

As you said, the big fear here is that she and other U.S. citizens could be held as bargaining chips by Russia to try and secure say the release of prominent Russians that are currently held in U.S. detention. Rosemary?

CHURCH: All right, Nina dos Santos, many thanks for that update. I appreciate it.

And as Griner prepares for today's hearing, her fans and teammates say they want her back home now, they held a support rally for her at a sports arena where her team, the Phoenix Mercury plays their home games. The rally urged government and other agencies to do everything they can to win her release. Griner's wife spoke there on Wednesday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHERELLE GRINER, BRITTNEY GRINER'S WIFE: I'm frustrated that 140 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.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: The families of other Americans detained abroad are not satisfied either, and that includes a sister of Paul Whelan who is being held in Russia on espionage charges for more than three years. She is asking why Whelan and his family did not get a letter or a phone call from Mr. Biden as Griner did.

Well, the World Health Organization is reconsidering classifying monkeypox an international health emergency. The group's director general made the announcement on Wednesday given new data about the evolution of the outbreak.

Just a few days ago, it ruled it didn't meet the criteria for the label but the spread of monkeypox across Europe has given the WHO more reason for concern.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TEDROS ADHANOM GHEBREYESUS, DIRECTOR-GENERAL, WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION: Across the world, there has now been more than 6,000 cases recorded in 58 countries. Europe is the current epicenter of the outbreak, recording more than 80 percent of cases globally.

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CHURCH: The WHO is working with vaccine manufacturers to get the limited number of shots to the countries that need them most. And before we go the most famous bull running festival made a comeback about an hour ago.

The city of Pamplona, Spain kicked off its annual San Fermin festival the first one since the COVID pandemic began. It included the signature event, the running of the bulls, that's when revelers try to outrun a group of bulls charging through the city's narrow streets. The bull runs will be held daily until the end of the eight-day festival. Animal rights groups have been campaigning to have those events banned. I'm Rosemary Church. Thank you so much for your company. Max Foster

will have more CNN Newsroom in about 15 minutes from now. Inside Africa is coming up next.

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