‘Merchant of Death’ allegedly returns to arms trade after US release
Viktor Bout, the infamous Russian arms dealer known as the “Merchant of Death,” is reportedly back in the arms trade after his release by the U.S. in 2022. According to The Wall Street Journal, Bout is now reportedly brokering weapons deals for the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.
Bout was originally sentenced to 25 years in a U.S. prison for conspiring to sell weapons to a Colombian terrorist group with the intent to kill Americans. He was arrested in 2008 during a U.S. sting operation, and his arms dealings have spanned decades, supplying conflicts across Africa, South America, and the Middle East.
In 2022, Bout was released from U.S. custody as part of a prisoner swap for WNBA player Brittney Griner, following her imprisonment in Russia for possession of cannabis oil cartridges.
Getty Images
Currently, Bout is allegedly facilitating the sale of Russian arms to the Houthis, including AK-74 rifles and potentially more advanced weapons, with deliveries disguised as food shipments.
The U.S. and its allies have expressed concern as Houthi forces have launched attacks on merchant vessels in the Red Sea. These new arms deals could escalate tensions in the region, posing potential threats to U.S. forces.
While Bout denied any involvement, the implications of these deals are significant for both U.S. military interests and regional stability in the Red Sea.
The strike is over for now, as thousands of dockworkers return to their jobs after a tentative agreement to raise their pay. And why after more than three decades in prison , the Menendez brothers — infamous for killing their parents — might have their case reviewed and the factor it all hinges on. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Friday, Oct. 4, 2024.
Tens of thousands of U.S. dockworkers are getting back on the job after two days of a strike that clogged dozens of East and Gulf coast ports. The historic labor action, which threatened to drive inflation back up, is now on hold until at least January 15.
Thursday night, Oct. 3, members of the International Longshoremen’s Association struck a tentative deal with the U.S. Maritime Alliance over pay. The agreement will increase workers’ wages by 62% over the span of six years.
The agreement is an increase over the Maritime Alliance’s offer of 50% earlier this week, but a compromise for the ILA, which has called for a 77% increase in wages over the same time period.
The new deal would bring hourly pay for top dockworkers to $63 per hour by the end of the deal, compared to $39 an hour under the most recently expired contract.
Dockworkers had also been calling for a total ban on automation, but no deal was reached on that. Sources close to the matter have said that will be the main topic of negotiations between now and Jan. 15.
I applaud the International Longshoremen’s Association and the United States Maritime Alliance for coming together to reopen the East Coast and Gulf ports and ensure the availability of critical supplies for Hurricane Helene recovery and rebuilding.
More Israeli strikes on Hezbollah targets in Beirut
Powerful blasts rocked Beirut Thursday night into Friday morning, Oct. 4, as Israel unleashed some of its heaviest strikes on the Lebanese capital city yet. This comes as Iran’s foreign minister is in Beirut meeting with Lebanese officials over the expanding conflict between Israel and Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah.
Thursday, Israel ordered more evacuations for villages in southern Lebanon, potentially signaling plans to broaden the ground invasion there. Meanwhile, Lebanon’s state-run news agency said an Israeli strike took out the main highway between Lebanon and Syria, which tens of thousands of people have used over the past two weeks to flee the escalating fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.
🔴Mohammad Rashid Sakafi, the Commander of Hezbollah’s Communications Unit, during a precise, intelligence-based strike in Beirut yesterday.
Sakafi was a senior Hezbollah terrorist, who was responsible for the communications unit since 2000. Sakafi invested significant efforts… pic.twitter.com/PH65nh5FLI
The Israeli military also said it killed another top Hezbollah militant, Mohammed Anisi, in a recent strike on Beirut. Hezbollah has not yet confirmed that claim.
Three ex-officers found guilty in Tyre Nichols beating death
A federal jury convicted three former Memphis police officers in the 2023 beating death of Tyre Nichols Thursday, but they were acquitted of the most serious charges. The jury found Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley and Justin Smith guilty of witness tampering for covering up the attack. Haley was also convicted of violating Nichols’ civil rights.
Nichols died three days after the officers brutally beat him following a traffic stop. The officers now face up to 20 years in prison for the witness tampering convictions while Haley’s civil rights violation conviction carries up to 10 years. Sentencing is pending with a hearing scheduled to determine whether they will remain in custody.
The case has triggered federal investigations into Memphis police practices, and Nichols’ family has filed a $550 million lawsuit against the city and its police department.
In a statement, the assistant U.S. attorney who oversees the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said, “Tyre Nichols should be alive today.”
35 years later, Menendez brothers’ case under review following claims of parental abuse
Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón announced his office will review the convictions of Erik and Lyle Menendez, nearly 35 years after they were imprisoned for killing their parents in 1989. New evidence, including a letter from Erik Menendez alleging sexual abuse by their father, prompted the reexamination.
Gascón stressed that while the brothers’ guilt is not being contested, the new evidence and changing views on sexual abuse require a review. The attorney for the Menendez brothers argues they’ve been rehabilitated and is seeking a re-sentencing.
A hearing on Nov. 29 will determine the next steps, which could include a new trial or an adjusted sentence.
Country star Garth Brooks accused of rape
A former employee has come forward accusing country music superstar Garth Brooks of sexual assault and battery. In a the lawsuit, the woman said she worked as his hair and makeup artist.
The lawsuit alleges in 2019, Brooks raped the woman during a work trip in Los Angeles.
Before this lawsuit was made public, CNN reported an anonymous celebrity plaintiff — now identified as Brooks — had tried to block the woman from suing and denied the claims.
In a statement released to the media, Brooks said, “For the last two months, I have been hassled to no end with threats, lies, and tragic tales of what my future would be if I did not write a check for many millions of dollars.”
If there was ever a night that I really needed this, TONIGHT was that night! Thank you for my life!!!!! love, g pic.twitter.com/q6FFLrJO0a
He went on to say, “Hush money, no matter how much or how little, is still hush money. In my mind, that means I am admitting to behavior I am incapable of—ugly acts no human should ever do to another. We filed suit against this person nearly a month ago to speak out against extortion and defamation of character. We filed it anonymously for the sake of families on both sides.”
Category 4 Hurricane Kirk strengthens, expected to stay offshore
Hurricane Kirk, a powerful Category 4 storm, is churning in the Atlantic, with forecasters warning of dangerous swells that could impact the U.S. east coast, Bermuda, the Greater Antilles, and the Bahamas by this weekend. Though the hurricane is expected to remain far from land, its waves might cause life-threatening surf and rip currents.
NEW: #Kirk is now a major #hurricane with 125mph sustained winds and will strengthen to *near Category 5 strength* over the next couple of days. Certainly thankful it will remain out to sea and no threat to land! #HurricaneKirk#weatherpic.twitter.com/frSGbEgtFe
As Kirk strengthens, Tropical Storm Leslie has also formed in the Atlantic but poses no immediate threat to land.
Meanwhile, the southeast is still reeling from Hurricane Helene, which left more than 200 people dead and caused catastrophic damage. Rescue efforts continue as many residents remain without water, power and communication services.
President Joe Biden has visited the region to survey the devastation, pledging federal aid for debris removal and recovery efforts in Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas.
Justice Department calls Georgia prisons ‘inhumane,’ gangs, extortion rampant
Georgia’s state prisons are plagued with deadly violence, extortion, drug use and sexual abuse, according to a new report from the Justice Department. Attorneys for the federal government are now telling the state to take immediate steps to fix the problem or be sued.
Investigators described the conditions in Georgia’s prisons as horrific and inhumane.
“People Georgia holds in its prisons people are assaulted, stabbed, raped and killed or left to languish inside facilities that are woefully understaffed,” Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke said.
The findings are part of a state-wide civil rights investigation that dates back to 2021. At the time, federal officials said they were concerned about stabbings, beatings and other acts of violence.
The investigators determined the confinement conditions in Georgia prisons violate the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution, which bars cruel and unusual punishment.
The report also said gangs control multiple aspects of day-to-day life in the prisons including access to phones, showers, food and bed assignments. Investigators said they received credible allegations of beatings, coerced sex acts and extortion by gangs.
“Gang members have co-opted certain administrative functions like bed assignments from the Department of Corrections and they have extorted money from the family members of incarcerated people,” Ryan K. Buchanan, the U.S. Attorney Northern District of Georgia, said.
LGBTQ individuals are targeted for violence and the incidents are not properly investigated. There are even reports of torture.
“In America, time in prison should not be a sentence to death, torture or rape,” Assistant Attorney General Clarke said. “We can’t turn a blind eye to the wretched conditions and wanton violence unfolding in these institutions.”
Approximately 50,000 people are incarcerated in Georgia. That is the fourth highest prison population in the country, despite the state being the eighth most populous in the nation. Approximately 59% of the state’s prisoners are Black, compared to 31% of the overall state population.
“The people incarcerated in these jails and prisons are our neighbors, siblings, children, parents, family members and friends,” Clarke said. “The Constitution requires and public safety demands that our prisons provide safe living conditions for the people incarcerated them.”
The Justice Department did not provide an exact timeline for when changes need to be made nor consequences for failures to make improvements. However, officials said the work needs to start immediately.
Activists throw soup at Van Gogh painting again; other protesters jailed
Climate activists threw soup over Vincent Van Gogh’s “Sunflowers” painting again in London on Friday, Sept. 27. Three protesters from Just Stop Oil tossed the tomato soup over Sunflowers 1889 and Sunflowers 1888.
It happened an hour after two others were sentenced to prison time for a similar protest with one of the Sunflower paintings in 2022. Phoebe Plummer was sentenced to two years in prison. Anna Holland received 20 months in prison. Plummer got additional time for protesting in the road.
Just Stop Oil has been pushing back on the U.K. government’s plans to grant new licenses for fossil fuel production.
Supporters of the group say the Sunflower paintings were covered with glass and the art is being valued more than human life.
In June 2024, Just Stop Oil protesters spray painted the famous Stonehenge monument, covering some of the structure with orange marks. Turns out, the group used orange corn flour and it washed away without damage.
At least 3 dead as Helene barrels through southeastern US
Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida overnight as a major Category 4 storm, leaving at least 3 people dead and leading to massive power outages. And the Oakland A’s have played their final home game after 57 years. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Friday, Sept. 27, 2024.
At least 3 dead as Helene barrels through southeastern U.S.
The storm brought the anticipated life-threatening storm surge, strong winds and heavy rains. Meteorologists say just because the storm has weakened significantly, does not make it less dangerous.
Authorities in Pasco County, Florida rescued people trapped by heavy flooding. One person was killed on Interstate 4 near Tampa when a sign fell on their car, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
Authorities in Wheeler County, Georgia said two people were killed when an apparent tornado overturned a mobile home. Two others died in Laurens County, according to emergency officials.
As of early Friday morning, more than one million people in Florida were without power, as were hundreds of thousands more in Georgia. Power outages linked to Helene have also been reported in South Carolina and North Carolina.
The National Hurricane Center said tropical storm conditions will be felt throughout the southeast throughout Friday, with strong, damaging winds likely to “penetrate as far inland as the higher terrain of the southern Appalachians.”
Trump says he will meet with Zelenskyy to hear ‘victory plan’
The decision comes after there was some doubt whether the meeting between the two would occur — after both Trump and Zelenskyy have been critical of each other.
On Thursday, the Ukrainian president met with both President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris separately to discuss his plan to defeat Russia. Biden pledged to send billions of dollars more in missiles, drones, weapons, and supplies.
Meanwhile, Harris told Zelenskyy recent calls for Ukraine to give over some of its land to Russia are “dangerous and unacceptable,” referring to recent suggestions by Trump and his running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance. Both have suggested Ukraine should cut a deal quickly to end the war that’s been going on for almost three years now.
Trump has stated that if he wins the November election, he will end the Russia-Ukraine war even before he takes office.
Zelenskyy also met with members of Congress Thursday in an effort to shore up American support for the ongoing war.
DOJ expected to announce charges in alleged Iranian hack of Trump campaign
Investigators said Iran gained access to Trump campaign emails and sent files to various media outlets and the Biden-Harris campaign this summer, before President Biden dropped out of the race and Vice President Harris took over as the Democratic nominee.
Reports said multiple Iranian hackers will be charged. Sources told ABC News the Trump campaign has been informed of the charges.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams to appear in federal court
New York City Mayor Eric Adams is set to make an appearance in federal court Friday. He will be arraigned on charges including bribery, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and solicitation of a contribution by a foreign national.
It marked the second time this year the state has employed this controversial method.
Miller was sentenced to death in 2000 for a 1999 shooting that killed three men he had worked with, after he accused them of spreading rumors about him.
The Alabama Department of Corrections said the procedure involved Miller being fitted with a mask and nitrogen gas flowing into his system for about 15 minutes.
According to the Associated Press, Miller’s final words were, “I didn’t do anything to be here.”
The game had plenty of emotion as well as some interruptions. Somebody threw a smoke bomb onto the field at one point, and a fan ran onto the field and made a dash for it, as well.
In the end, A’s fans soaked up all the memories, staying well past the final out.
The team will now relocate to Sacramento for the next three seasons before moving to their new permanent home in Las Vegas in 2028.
US charges 6 Hamas leaders with terrorism over Oct. 7 attack
The U.S. Department of Justice has announced terrorism charges against senior leaders of Hamas. And with the kickoff to a new NFL season a day away, betting on the games is expected to break records. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024.
US charges 6 Hamas leaders with terrorism over Oct. 7 attack
The Department of Justice has announced charges against six senior Hamas officials for killing at least 43 Americans since the terrorist attack on Oct. 7, 2023, in Israel. Nearly a year later, there are mass protests taking place in the streets of Israel after six more bodies of hostages were recovered.
U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said the federal charges unsealed Tuesday, Sept. 3, won’t be the last efforts by the DOJ to hold Hamas accountable for its heinous crimes.
Justice Department Announces Terrorism Charges Against Senior Leaders of Hamas pic.twitter.com/z8gS2lUGvV
“On Oct. 7, Hamas terrorists murdered nearly 1,200 people, including over 40 Americans, and kidnapped hundreds of civilians,” Garland said. “They perpetrated the deadliest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust. The charges unsealed today are just one part of our effort to target every aspect of Hamas’ operations. These actions will not be our last.”
The recovery of the bodies of Goldberg-Polin and five other hostages in Gaza sparked a massive round of protests in Israel. Thousands of people are calling for more action to be taken to see the release of the remaining hostages.
The charges filed against six Hamas leaders include conspiracy to provide material support to a terrorist organization, conspiracy to murder U.S. Nationals, and conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction.
However, of the six Hamas officials charged, three of them are already dead. The other three have not yet been captured.
Zelenskyy: Ukraine to hold onto Russian territories ‘indefinitely’
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Kyiv will be holding on to the Russian territories it seized last month indefinitely as its war with Russia stretches on. It’s part of a plan to force Russian President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table.
Almost a month ago, Ukrainian troops took over Russia’s Kursk region in an unexpected operation. Ukraine now claims it controls nearly 500 square miles of Russian territory and has taken hundreds of Russian prisoners of war.
In an interview with NBC News, Zelenskyy would not discuss whether Ukraine planned to try to seize more Russian territory.
The interview aired hours before Ukraine’s foreign minister resigned Wednesday, Sept. 4, as a Ukraine parliament deputy warned it would be the “day of resignations,” with more than half of Zelenskyy’s cabinet members expected to be replaced.
Harris to announce economic plans, Trump to hold town hall
There are now less than nine weeks until Election Day and both presidential candidates will be on the road today.
The Democratic nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, is set to give a speech in New Hampshire, unveiling plans for new benefits for entrepreneurs and small businesses. Those plans are set to include a tax deduction of up to $50,000 for starting a small business; ten times the $5,000 amount currently granted to small businesses in their first year.
She is also set to announce a goal of 25 million small business applications during her first term if she’s elected president. That would surpass the 19 million new small businesses under the Biden administration.
Meanwhile, Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump will be holding a town hall in the battleground state of Pennsylvania.
He’ll take questions during the event at the Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg hosted by Fox News’ Sean Hannity. The town hall will air Wednesday night on the network.
Both vice presidential candidates are also holding events Wednesday. Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is set to be in Pennsylvania and Republican Ohio Sen. JD Vance in Arizona.
Federal judge won’t intervene in Trump’s New York criminal case
A federal judge has rejected former President Trump’s request to intervene in his New York criminal case. Trump’s lawyers were hoping to move the case to federal court so they could try to have his conviction overturned in the wake of the Supreme Court’s presidential immunity ruling.
The lawsuit brought by six Republican states and led by Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey alleges they have documents proving the Biden administration plans to begin canceling loans this week, even though a cancellation plan technically does not exist yet.
Usually, states cannot file to block federal regulation until it’s officially in place, but in this case, the states say they have proof the secretary of education is implementing the plan without one officially being in place.
The lawsuit claims the administration has been planning this move since May. The Education Department has not commented on the pending litigation.
$35 billion expected to be bet on NFL this season
The NFL’s 2024 season kicks off Thursday, Sept. 5, and the American Gaming Association predicts Americans are about to dish out the big bucks betting on games. They say $35 billion will be placed in legal wagers this season.
If the association is right, that would be a roughly 30% increase from the amount bet on the NFL in the 2023 season.
Last season there was nearly $27 billion spent on legally betting on NFL games. Since then, even more states have passed laws to allow for legal betting markets, including North Carolina, Maine, and Vermont.
Betting is now legal in 38 states and Washington D.C.
The American Gaming Association said more bets are placed and more money is wagered on the NFL than any other league.
DOJ investigates Tennessee prison amid reports of violence and abuse
The Department of Justice launched an investigation into Tennessee’s largest prison after prosecutors said there’s been years of unchecked violence and sexual abuse at the facility. Between July 2022 and June 2023, the Trousdale Turner Correctional Facility reported 196 assaults, 90 incidents of sexual misconduct, two murders, and 15 “accidental” deaths.
The crisis escalated in early 2024, with five stabbings occurring in just three weeks.
The private prison faces a severe staffing crisis with an unprecedented turnover rate, which authorities said has led to dangerous situations. There was one reported instance of a single officer being responsible for watching 360 prisoners.
Despite ongoing issues at the correctional center, Tennessee has repeatedly renewed its contract with CoreCivic — the company which manages the facility.
Tennessee’s investment in private prisons is significant, with $233 million allocated for four CoreCivic-operated facilities in the current budget.
Loved ones of inmates have raised questions about the state’s commitment to prisoner welfare and effective oversight of privately operated facilities and the protection of prisoners’ rights.
UK to release thousands of prisoners following surge of protest arrests
The U.K. is rolling out a major emergency plan called “Operation Early Dawn” to tackle severe overcrowding in its prisons. This decision comes after a surge in arrests related to recent anti-immigration protests.
Starting in August, the U.K. government will release around 5,500 offenders early to make space in its overcrowded jails. For now, recent offenders in northern England and parts of the Midlands will be taken to court only if a prison cell is available for them. Until then, they’ll remain in holding cells.
This will likely cause delays in court proceedings, but police assure the public that it will not affect their ability to make arrests or ensure public safety as protests continue.
The prisons and probation minister acknowledged the system’s struggles and said early release is necessary to manage the current pressures.
Recent data shows more than 1,000 arrests and nearly 700 charges linked to riots that followed a tragic stabbing incident in Southport in July.
The government is also cracking down on misinformation and hate speech online since the incident. Wayne O’Rourke has been sentenced to three years in prison for spreading what officials called “racial hate” online.
In the meantime, ahead of prisoners’ early release next month, the U.K. government said it is working hard to make more room in prisons and address both physical and online threats. The government said it’s aiming to restore order amid what has been the worst unrest seen in the U.K. for more than a decade.
Gershkovich, Whelan return to US in 24-person prisoner swap with Russia
It was an emotional reunion as Americans Evan Gershkovich and Paul Whelan returned home after the largest prisoner exchange between Russia and the U.S. since the Cold War. And former President Donald Trump’s running mate, Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, visits the U.S.-Mexico border in Arizona. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Friday, August 2, 2024.
Gershkovich, Whelan return to US in 24-person prisoner swap with Russia
Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan and several other Americans who were wrongfully being detained by Russia are back on American soil. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris joined loved ones in greeting them off the plane at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland late Thursday night, Aug. 1.
It was an emotional reunion as these high-profile American prisoners returned home as part of a major prisoner exchange between the U.S. and Russia. President Biden said negotiations had been going on for months and involved seven countries and two dozen prisoners.
This handout image was provided by a third-party organization and may not adhere to Getty Images’ editorial policy. In this handout photo provided by the U.S. government, Wall Street Journal Reporter Evan Gershkovich, Radio Free Europe journalist Alsu Kurmasheva and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan pose with an American flag in the airport lounge on Aug. 1, 2024 in Ankara, Turkey. Gershkovich, Kurmasheva, Whelan and others were involved in a multinational prisoner swap with Russia. Source: Getty Images
Paul Whelan served five years in captivity and Evan Gershkovich had been detained for 491 days. In exchange for their freedom, Russia is getting back eight of its own, including two spies being released by Slovenia and a convicted murderer held in Germany.
Some foreign policy experts say prisoner swaps could give U.S. adversaries incentive to take more Americans on false pretenses and treat them as bargaining chips. The president responded to reporters questions, saying, “My job is to make sure, number one, they don’t get them and if they do, we get them back.”
After the National Electoral Council declared Maduro the winner, thousands of opposition supporters took to the streets in protest, which turned deadly. At least 11 people have reportedly been killed. Hundreds of protesters have also been arrested since then in what has become a volatile week in the nation — with still many questions left unanswered about the future of Venezuela’s ruling party.
JD Vance tours southern border in Arizona
Former President Donald Trump’s running mate Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, toured the border in Arizona on Thursday, Aug. 1, and met with border patrol, who say southern Arizona is at the “epicenter of smuggling fentanyl.” While there, Vance laid out what would be some of the border security measures the Trump administration would put in place immediately should Trump win the 2024 election.
Those measures include reimplementing deportations and other Trump-era immigration polices such as “Remain in Mexico” and continuing construction on the border wall.
Vance now heads to Atlanta where he and Trump will share the stage at a rally on Saturday, Aug. 3.
As for likely Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, she has started to secure delegates to officially become the Party’s nominee.
Her campaign has a busy week ahead, expecting to secure her spot at the top of the Democratic ticket as early as Monday, Aug. 5. Soon after, she’s expected to announce who her running mate will be before holding a joint rally in Philadelphia on Tuesday, Aug. 6.
Intel cutting 15% of workforce
Chip maker Intel is cutting 15% of its workforce, which is at least 15,000 jobs, in an effort to compete with its more successful rivals. In a memo to staff Thursday, Aug. 1, Intel’s CEO said the company plans to save $10 billion in 2025 alone.
Intel is also suspending its stock dividend as part of its cost-cutting plan.
The company reported a loss of $1.6 billion from April through June of 2024 (Q2), and it forecast third-quarter (Q3) revenues will be well below expectations. That news sent company shares tumbling, setting the chipmaker up to lose more than $24 billion in market value.
Judge overturns $4.7B NFL Sunday Ticket verdict
A federal judge has overturned a nearly $5 billion verdict in an NFL “Sunday Ticket” case. The class-action lawsuit was brought by subscribers who alleged the NFL violated anti-trust laws by overcharging to watch out-of-market games on its paid subscription service.
Upon appeal, a U.S. district judge ruled two witnesses’ testimonies should have been left out and said the jury’s verdict was “clearly not supported by evidence and must be vacated.”
Simone Biles, Katie Ledecky win more medals to make Olympics history
Team USA picked up more Olympic gold Thursday, Aug. 1, bringing its total to nine so far at the Paris games. Thursday marked historic wins in fencing and rowing, as well as swimmer Kate Douglass earning her first gold medal.
Even more history was made by two of the biggest stars on Team USA: Simone Biles and Katie Ledecky.
Biles won her sixth gold medal — and ninth medal overall — in the individual all-around competition for a second time, reclaiming her 2016 title. Biles, who is already the most decorated American gymnast in Olympics history, is the first American to win the event more than once and the first gymnast to win it non-consecutively.
Biles wasn’t alone in representing the U.S on the medal stand. Her teammate Suni Lee took home the bronze.
U.S. swimmer Katie Ledecky’s team earned the silver in the 4×200 meter freestyle, giving Ledecky her 13th medal. That’s the most by any female U.S. Olympian in the history of the games.
And they’re not done yet. Both Biles and Ledecky still have chances to add more medals to their historic totals in the days ahead.
US, Russia secure largest prisoner swap deal since fall of Soviet Union
The United States announced a prisoner swap with Moscow on Thursday, Aug. 1, that freed Wall Street Journalist Evan Gershkovich, former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan and more than a dozen others from prison in Russia. Their release is part of the largest prisoner exchange involving the United States and Russia since the fall of the Soviet Union. The deal included at least 24 people.
“This deal would not have been possible without our allies: Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Norway and Turkey,” President Joe Biden said. “They all stepped up and they stood with us. They stood with us, and made bold and brave decisions, released prisoners being held in their countries, who were justifiably held and provided logistical support to get Americans home.”
The United States and its allies gave Russia a cyber hacker in the United States, alleged “sleeper agents,” who lived double lives in Slovenia and one person who was charged for the shooting death of a man in a Berlin park.
Earlier in July, a judge sentenced Gershkovich to 16 years in a high security penal colony after Russian authorities charged him with “gathering secret information.”
The U.S. State Department maintains that both men were innocent and wrongfully detained.
“Their brutal ordeal is over, and they are free,” Biden said. “Moments ago, the families and I were able to speak to them on the telephone from the Oval Office. They’re out of Russia earlier today. They were flown to Turkey and soon they’ll be wheels up on their way home to see their families.”
The multinational deal also secured the release of former regional office coordinators for the late Alexei Navalny.
Negotiations between the United States, its allies and Russia reportedly began in 2022 following the release of WNBA star Briteny Griner.
