The Independent

 Freed American prisoner Paul Whelan described being imprisoned in Russia as “absolute nonsense by the Russian government.”He made those comments early on Friday 2 August after he, along with journalist Evan Gershkovich and Alsu Kurmasheva, arrived at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas.The three Americans were part of the biggest US-Russian prisoner swap in post-Soviet history, a trade which follows years of back-channel negotiations despite relations between Washington and Moscow being at their lowest point since the Cold War after Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine.

Freed American Paul Whelan describes being imprisoned in Russia as ‘absolute nonsense’

CBS News

Three Americans who were wrongfully imprisoned in Russia, Evan Gershkovich, Paul Whelan and Alsu Kurmasheva, are back on U.S. soil. They made a brief stop at Joint Base Andrews, before arriving in San Antonio to undergo medical assessments. CBS News chief White House correspondent Nancy Cordes has more.

Paul Whelan describes journey home as Americans freed from Russia return to U.S. soil

The Associated Press

In early 2022, Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich wrote on social media that “reporting on Russia is now also a regular practice of watching people you know get locked away for years.”. A year later, he was the one locked up — arrested in March 2023 on charges...

Long before his arrest, US reporter lamented that many friends in Russia were being locked up

TheDailyBeast

Russia freed American Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and others on Thursday in the biggest prisoner swap deal between the U.S. and Moscow since the end of the Cold War, with a Russian assassin heading back to his homeland as part of the arrangement. A total of 26 people and seven countries were involved in the exchange, which took place in Ankara, Turkey, the Turkish presidency said. It also confirmed that Vadim Krasikov—an FSB hitman jailed in Germany for a shocking daylight murder—was included in the exchange. As well as Gershkovich, fellow American and former U.S. marine Paul Whelan...

Putin Frees Gershkovich and Other Americans in Exchange for Russian Hitman

Business Insider

In May, Trump claimed he was the only one who could negotiate Evan Gershkovich's freedom, but Biden secured the deal on Thursday.

Trump said he was the only person who could convince Putin to release Evan Gershkovich. He was wrong.

New York City, NY

Writers represent independent, third-party users who have joined our contributor program and self-verified their accounts. Writers are expected, like all users, to adhere to our Community Standards.

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Cheryl E Preston

Yesterday was the third time this year that an ad stating Chelsea Clinton lives in a beautiful Virginia home popped up on my laptop. My computer did not warn me this was a dangerous site, so this time, I clicked on the link.

Chelsea Clinton is rumored to be living in Virginia but probably still in NYC

Chicago, IL

Foodie in Chicago

Shortly before 3 AM, people in the Chicago area may have felt their houses shake as a 3.4-magnitude earthquake occurred about 60 miles west of the city. (CHICAGO) The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported a 3.4-magnitude earthquake around Somonauk, IL. Somonauk is in DeKalb and LaSalle Counties, 64 miles west of Chicago.

Did You Feel the Earthquake?

Earlier this year, US intelligence discovered that the Russian government planned to assassinate the chief executive of a powerful German arms manufacturer which has been producing artillery shells and military vehicles for Ukraine, according to five US and western officials familiar with the episode.

Exclusive: US and Germany foiled Russian plot to assassinate CEO of arms manufacturer sending weapons to Ukraine

The Hill

Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich requested an interview with Russian President Vladimir Putin in a form he had to complete to finalize his release, according to a new report from the Journal. Before being released as part of a major prisoner exchange, Gershkovich had to officially ask for presidential...

Gershkovich requested interview with Putin in Russian form finalizing his release

The Forward

As part of a multicountry prisoner swap, Russia has released Evan Gershkovich, the jailed Jewish Wall Street Journal journalist, along with others being held, including Vladimir Kara-Murza, a Russian Jewish dissident. While much has been written about Gershkovich since he was arrested in March 2023, Kara-Murza is less well-known. Who is Vladimir Kara-Murza? Kara-Murza, 42,...

Who is Vladimir Kara-Murza, the Russian Jewish dissident released with Evan Gershkovich?

Contributors represent independent, third-party users who have joined our contributor program and self-verified their accounts. They have also demonstrated their experience writing hard news for other outlets. Contributors are expected, like all users, to adhere to our Community Standards.

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Bucks County Beacon

Conservatives have done the United States a huge favor by explaining in detail what they’ll try to do if Donald Trump is reelected. Project 2025 , a “presidential transition project” of the Heritage Foundation, helpfully lays out how a group of former Trump officials would like to transform the country into a right-wing dystopia where the rich thrive and the rest of us die aspiring to be rich.

Project 2025’s Plan to Gut Medicare and Medicaid

Florida State

Jacksonville Today

Republican Donald Trump has a 7-point lead over Democrat Kamala Harris among Florida voters, 49% to 42%, according to a new poll from the University of North Florida. Four percent are backing another candidate, and 6% are undecided or didn’t answer.

New Florida poll: Trump leads; support strong for abortion and recreational weed

Community Voices represent independent, third-party users who have joined our contributor program but not yet verified their accounts. Community Voices are expected, like all users, to adhere to our Community Standards.

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Emily Standley Allard

Marriage is a significant life decision that requires extreme commitment, understanding, devotion and a heck of a lot of compromise. While many people dream of a lifelong partnership, others find the concept of marriage challenging. Astrology offers insights into personality traits and behaviors, suggesting that certain zodiac signs might face more difficulties in maintaining a traditional marital relationship. This article explores the five zodiac signs that are often considered less suited for marriage due to their unique characteristics and tendencies when it comes to lifelong commitment.

The 5 Zodiac Signs Not Meant for Matrimony

Hello and happy Friday! We are officially one week into the 2024 Paris Olympics, and there’s plenty of news to recap — from several Jewish medalists to security threats against Israel’s delegation. Let’s dig in. These 10 Jews have won medals at the Paris Olympics. The...

The Jewish Sport Report: A Jewish recap of the opening week of the 2024 Paris Olympics

Kentucky State

Northern Kentucky Tribune

The Kentucky Secretary of State on Friday announced 14,502 Kentuckians registered to vote in July. “Kentuckians are signing up to vote in big numbers, because they trust the integrity of our elections,” said Secretary of State Michael Adams.

Kentucky voter registrations increased by more than 14,500 in July, the most since 2022

Orange County, CA

Corcoran, CA

NewSantaAna

CORCORAN – California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) officials are investigating the July 28, 2024, death of an incarcerated person at California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility as a homicide.

Pimp arrested in Orange County killed by an inmate at a state prison

Virginia State

Ronkonkoma, NY

The New York Post reveals that two men who died in a plane crash at MacArthur Airport were from Virginia. The men had been visiting friends in Long Island and were returning home when the tragedy occurred.

Life partners from Virginia have been identified as the victims of a New York plane crash

Russian dissidents freed as part of a prisoner swap between Moscow and the West this week expressed mixed feelings about the deal on Friday.  Jailed US journalist Evan Gershkovich and a Russian agent jailed for a Berlin murder were among two dozen prisoners freed Thursday in the biggest East-West prisoner swap since the Cold War.

Freed Russian dissidents bittersweet on historic swap

NATIONAL HARBOR, Maryland — Sandra Parker was going over talking points with 3,000 Christians United for Israel activists before they headed to Capitol Hill to lobby their representatives. She delivered the usual cautions: Be punctual, be polite, be thankful. But Parker, the chairwoman of the CUFI Action Fund, the...

Among pro-Israel conservatives, concern mounts over isolationism — and antisemitism — on the far right

In March 2024, Russian President Vladimir Putin won an unsurprising landslide reelection victory, securing 87% of the vote in an election that had no credible opposition. However, dissent was visible throughout the country. With Putin ruling since the turn of the century and a domestic situation arguably more unstable than it has been in decades, many are wondering what Russia’s future will look like when he is no longer in charge.

What happens to Russia after Putin?

NewsBreak

Evan Gershkovich, American Jewish journalist jailed in Russia, is freed in prisoner exchange

Evan Gershkovich, the American Jewish Wall Street Journal reporter who has been held in Russian prison for more than a year, is now free, the White...

Evan Gershkovich, American Jewish journalist jailed in Russia, is freed in prisoner exchange

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