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WNBA All-Stars all wear Griner's No. 42 in second half (0:36)

In the second half, the All-Stars wore jerseys with the number 42 written on them. It was 0: 36.

10:09 AM ET

President Joe Biden signed an executive order Tuesday aimed at increasing the flow of information to families of Americans held abroad and at imposing sanctions on the criminals and terrorists who hold them captive.

It is unclear if the new order will result in bringing home more Americans jailed in foreign countries, but senior Biden administration officials who preview the action to reporters said they regard it as an important way to raise the cost of hostage taking.

The administration is facing criticism from some families over a perceived lack of creativity and aggressiveness in getting their loved ones home. There has been increased attention to the population of Americans who are jailed abroad and designated by the U.S. as wrongly held.

The representative told T.J. that they were not going to comment. The representative said that they were focused on her trial at the moment.

The Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and Hostage- Taking Accountability Act, named after a retired FBI agent who vanished in Iran 15 years ago and is now presumed dead, authorizes the president to impose sanctions on people believed to be involved in the case.

It could apply to government officials or criminals who are not affiliated with a government. According to one official who briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity, since sanctions may not always help facilitate a jailed American's release, such punishment is expected to be used wisely.

The order will direct federal agencies to do better at sharing information and intel with the families of prisoners about the status of their cases and efforts to get them home.

The State Department is adding a new risk indicator to its country specific travel advisories to warn travelers about nations where there is an elevated risk of being arrested.

Foreign travel risk indicators are used by the department. The new risk indicator, marked as "D" for detaining, will be applied to countries such as Iran, North Korea, Russia and Venezuela.

A group of relatives of Americans in jail are gathering in Washington this week to see a mural dedicated to them. The administration wouldn't say if Biden would meet with the families.

Elizabeth said her family was happy with the news.

She believes it to be a significant move. I don't care what Russia thinks about it, I'm tired of people being afraid of protecting Americans. Our citizens are being held by Russia as hostages.

She said it was difficult to say if it would bring her brother or her friend home sooner. I think that it puts a little more leverage on our side. I think that pushes things a bit more in the right direction.

She appreciated the part of the executive order that gives families access to more intel about their loved ones in jail.

She said that if they were given more information, they wouldn't feel the need to go to the White House.

Since December of last year, when he was charged with espionage, Paul has been in Russia. The US considers him to have been wrongly held.

Jonathan Franks, a spokesman for the Bring Our Families Home Campaign, said in a statement that the families are still waiting for a reply to their requests for meetings with President Biden.

The White House is taking executive action to direct itself to follow existing law rather than engaging with the families in a meaningful way.

This report used information from The Associated Press and T.J.Quinn.