President Joe Biden said their “brutal ordeal” is over for three American citizens, two journalists and a former Marine, who were arrested and held in Russia, accused of spying. Evan Gershkovich, reporter for The Wall Street Journal, and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan were both released in a historic prisoner swap on Thursday, the biggest since the Cold War. Also released were Alsu Kurmasheva, a Russian American journalist for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, and Vladimir Kara-Murza, a Russian opposition activist who holds an American green card. “This is a good day,” Biden said at a press conference with family members of the prisoners. “Now their brutal ordeal is over and they are free.” “This is an incredible relief for all the families gathered here,” Biden said. “It’s a relief to the friends and colleagues all across the country who have been praying for this day for a long time.” The three Americans were flown to Turkey earlier today and will soon be on their way home to their families, Biden said. The president and the families were able to speak to the prisoners on the telephone from the Oval Office, Biden said. A total of 24 prisoners were released in the deal, which involved at least six countries. Germany, Poland, Norway, Slovenia, and Turkey all cooperated with the U.S. on the prisoner release, Biden said. Russian hit man Vadim Krasikov, who was serving a life sentence in Germany, was reportedly at the center of the agreement. “The deal that made this possible was a feat of diplomacy and friendship,” Biden said. “It says a lot about the United States that we work relentlessly to free Americans who are unjustly held around the world,” the president said. “But it also says a lot about us that this deal includes the release of Russian political prisoners. They stood up for democracy and human rights. Their own leaders threw them in prison. The United States helped secure their release as well. That’s who we are in the United States. We stand for freedom, for liberty, for justice not only for our own people but for others as well.” Biden added that “deals like this come with tough calls.” Biden also prompted the audience to sing “Happy Birthday” to Kurmasheva’s young daughter, Miriam, and gave her a hug. When asked whether he would speak to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Biden responded, “I don’t need to speak with Putin.” Biden was also asked about former President Donald Trump’s statement that he would secure Journal reporter Gershkovich’s release if re-elected. “Why didn’t he do it when he was president?” Biden responded. Gershkovich, 32, was arrested in March 2023, more than two years after Trump left the White House. Russian authorities accused him of being a Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) spy. He was convicted in June. Russian prosecutors alleged that Gershkovich collected “secret information” regarding a Russian defense contractor “using painstaking conspiratorial methods.” He was held in a Stalin-era prison in Moscow and reportedly only allowed one hour a day to walk around. Whelan, 54, a former Marine who is also the former director of global security for auto-parts supplier BorgWarner, was arrested in 2018 at a wedding in Moscow. He was accused of spying and of possessing a flash drive with Russian state secrets. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison in 2020. Kurmasheva, 47, the Russian American journalist, was convicted by a Russian court of spreading false information about Russia’s military. She was sentenced to six and a half years in prison. She was detained in June 2023 while visiting her sick mother. Kara-Murza, the Russian opposition activist and a contributing columnist for The Washington Post, was arrested after he returned to Russia in April 2022. He was charged with treason for speaking out against the war in Ukraine. He claims he had been poisoned by Russian authorities and developed a nerve condition. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison. Eight Russians were released back to Russia as part of the deal, including several Russian spies, a former high-ranking Russian Federal Security Service colonel convicted of murder by a German court, a Russian citizen accused of scheming to provide American-made electronics and ammunition to Russia, and a Russian businessman who was sentenced in Boston to nine years for a $93 million criminal scheme.

Since the Paris Olympics kicked off nearly a week ago, countless unforgettable moments have taken place. There are the impressive athletes, of course, like Katie Ledecky, but they aren’t the only ones capturing attention this week. There are also plenty of notable supporters, including none other than Snoop Dogg himself! You may have caught him participating in the torch relay, but that was just the start of his involvement in the games. As a correspondent for NBC, you can expect to spot Snoop Dogg at many of the Olympic events. This is great for us viewers, of course, but it’s also an amazing surprise for the athletes themselves. That includes gymnasts Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles, both of whom were floored to spot Snoop Dogg in the crowd. See the wholesome moment these icons interact in the video below! It seems that Biles is the first person to spot the legendary rapper. Once she does, she’s quick to spread the word to her teammates. Seeing them become starstruck is oh-so relatable and sweet! To top off this amazing moment, they get the chance to experience a mini dance break with him. Talk about a great way to get hyped up before a big performance! Snoop Dogg Delights Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles From The Crowd at the Paris Olympics View this post on Instagram A post shared by On Her Turf (@onherturf) Snoop Dogg is known as an incredible rapper, but he’s also a fantastic hype man. This can be seen in his Olympics commentary and interviews. Even his wardrobe screams “TEAM USA!” There’s the kind of red, white, and blue attire you’d imagine, but he also wears shirts with the faces of Olympic athletes on them. Best of all, Biles is one of them! “Did not have Snoop dancing with the gymnastics team at the Olympics on my 2024 bingo card, but I’m here for it!!!!” one fan shares, with another adding, “The timeline that we live in is unparalleled.” You can find the source of this story’s featured image here! The post Simone Biles & Jordan Chiles Have The Best Reaction When They Spot Someone Special In The Crowd At Paris Olympics appeared first on InspireMore.

There is no room for pride in the life of a Christian who accurately sees himself and herself in light of the Gospel.

'deliberately misrepresented'

'Even bugs fart … that was a surprise'

'It’s a shame when a progressive company like Crooked Media fails to live up to its own values'

'It shouldn’t be ruined due to a man'

'Demonstrating for LEBANON and Palestine'

During a July 27 campaign rally in St. Cloud, Minnesota, 2024 Republican nominee and former President Donald Trump claimed Vice President Kamala Harris supports “ending cash bail nationwide.” Verdict: Unsubstantiated Harris called for ending cash bail during her 2020 presidential campaign. One expert disagreed on the accuracy of Trump’s claim about Harris supporting cash bail […]

Cuffari wrote that "many [Secret Service] text messages, from January 5 and 6, 2021, were erased as part of a device-replacement program."