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Russian media: Griner pleads guilty in Russia drugs trial

MOSCOW (AP) _ Russian news agencies say jailed American basketball star Brittney Griner has pleaded guilty to drug possession and smuggling charges during her trial in Moscow.

The reports quoted Griner as pleading guilty to the charges at Thursday’s court hearing. They said that speaking through an interpreter, Griner said she had acted unintentionally because she was packing in haste.

Griner was detained in February at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport after vape canisters with cannabis oil allegedly were found in her luggage. She faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted of large-scale transportation of drugs.

The trial of the Phoenix Mercury star and two-time Olympic gold medalist began last week.

How major US stock indexes fared Tuesday 8/18/2026

Wall Street pulled further from its all-time high Tuesday as AI stocks got back to sinking. The S&P 500 fell 0.7% for a third straight modest loss since setting its all-time high on Thursday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 0.2%, and the Nasdaq composite sank 1.3%. Nvidia, Micron Technology and Broadcom were some of the heaviest weights on the market amid criticism that their prices shot too high in the frenzy around AI. Treasury yields held relatively steady in the bond market, while stock indexes were mixed in Europe and Asia.
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