The secretive prisoner swap driven by a relentless mom

U.S. Marine Paul Whelan and Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich have been freed from Russian custody in one of the most complicated prisoner swaps in history. The Journal goes inside the negotiations to bring them home.

The Wall Street Journal reports on how America’s new political war is pitting young men against young women. And Amy Walter from the Cook Political Report joins to discuss the issue.

The Los Angeles Times reports on Simone Biles’s historic all-around victory, her second gold of these Games and her ninth Olympic medal overall. 

Katie Ledecky is now the most decorated American woman in Olympic history. The Athletic has the story. 

And Yahoo Sports looks at how Reddit cofounder Alexis Ohanian and rapper Flavor Flav stepped up to help a U.S. Olympian in need.

Today’s episode was hosted by Shumita Basu.