Skip to Main content

8.13°^C Vancouver

News Entertainment Videos Shows Podcast Contact Us

Aug 1, 2024 3:53 PM - The Canadian Press

Canadian-born captive and American journalist freed in prisoner swap with Russia

Share On

canadian-born-captive-and-american-journalist-freed-in-prisoner-swap-with-russia

Officials in Turkey, where the exchange took place, say some two dozen people were set free through the multinational deal.(Photo: The Canadian Press)

Canadian-born Paul Whelan and Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich were set free today as the United States and Russia completed their largest prisoner swap in post-Soviet history.

Officials in Turkey, where the exchange took place, say some two dozen people were set free through the multinational deal.

Whelan, who was born in Canada to British parents, was detained in December 2018 after traveling to Russia for a wedding.

Whelan was convicted of espionage charges in Russia, which he and the U.S. have said were false, and was serving a 16-year prison sentence.

Gershkovich was arrested while on a reporting trip in 2003 when Russian authorities claimed, without offering any evidence, that he was gathering secret information for the U.S.

The White House did not immediately release any details on the deal and Global Affairs Canada has yet not provided any comment.

Latest news

pq-leader-calls-for-renewed-sovereignty-debate-following-legault-resignation

CanadaJan 16, 2026

PQ leader calls for renewed sovereignty debate following Legault resignation

The leader of the Parti Québécois says Premier François Legault’s decision to step down has reopened the question of Quebec sovereignty and created an opportunity to reset the province’s political direction. Paul St-Pierre Plamondon said Legault’s tenure demonstrates the limits of seeking greater autonomy within Canada, arguing that Quebec has failed to achieve meaningful gains in key areas such as immigration control and health care after more than seven years under Coalition Avenir Québec rule. Legault founded the CAQ on the idea of moving beyond the long-standing divide between fe

AlbertaJan 16, 2026

Crown seeks 16-year prison term for Calgary man convicted of ISIS involvement

Federal prosecutors are asking a judge to impose a 16-year prison sentence on a Calgary man convicted of participating in the activities of the Islamic State group after travelling to Syria more than a decade ago. Jamal Borhot, now 35, was found guilty in December of three counts related to involvement with a listed terrorist organization. The court heard Borhot travelled to Syria in 2013 and knowingly assisted ISIS while the group was carrying out widespread violence across the region. During sentencing submissions, the Crown said Borhot was not a passive supporter. Prosecutors told the court

four-prominent-punjab-leaders-join-bjp-ahead-of-2027-assembly-elections

IndiaJan 16, 2026

Four prominent Punjab leaders join BJP ahead of 2027 Assembly elections

Political activity in Punjab has intensified as parties begin positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 state Assembly elections. In this context, the Bharatiya Janata Party has taken another step to strengthen its organisational base in the state. On Friday, former Congress Member of Parliament Jagmeet Brar formally joined the BJP in the presence of Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Saini. He was joined by Omkar Sidhu, former officer on special duty to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, senior Shiromani Akali Dal leader Charanjit Brar, and Jagmeet Brar’s brother Ripjeet Singh Brar. BJP leaders

south-korean-court-sentences-former-president-yoon-suk-yeol-to-five-years-in-prison

WorldJan 16, 2026

South Korean court sentences former president Yoon Suk Yeol to five years in prison

A South Korean court has sentenced former president Yoon Suk Yeol to five years in prison in connection with criminal charges linked to his controversial declaration of martial law in late 2024. The ruling, delivered Friday by the Seoul Central District Court, marks the first verdict among eight separate criminal trials Yoon is facing related to the decree and other alleged misconduct. The court convicted Yoon on charges including defying authorities during attempts to detain him and fabricating official documents. Prosecutors had argued that Yoon obstructed law enforcement and abused presiden

Abbotsford hotel death under investigation by IHIT

Abbotsford police have turned over an investigation into a death at a local hotel to the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team. Police say officers were called to a report of suspicious circumstances at a hotel along Marshall Road near Clearbrook Road. When patrol members arrived, they located a deceased person inside one of the hotel rooms. Investigators believe the incident was isolated to that room and say there is no ongoing risk to the public. Police have also stated there is no connection between this case and recent extortion related incidents reported elsewhere in the Fraser Valley. O

Related News

PQ leader calls for renewed sovereignty debate following Legault resignation

PQ leader calls for renewed sovereignty debate following Legault resignation

The leader of the Parti Québécois says Premier François Legault’s decision to step down has reopened the question of Quebec sovereignty and created an opportunity to reset the province’s political direction. Paul St-Pierre Plamondon said Legault’s tenure demonstrates the limits of seeking greater autonomy within Canada, arguing that Quebec has failed to achieve meaningful gains in key areas such as immigration control and health care after more than seven years under Coalition Avenir Québec rule. Legault founded the CAQ on the idea of moving beyond the long-standing divide between fe

Carney raises Greenland and Arctic sovereignty in meeting with China’s Xi

Carney raises Greenland and Arctic sovereignty in meeting with China’s Xi

Prime Minister Mark Carney says he discussed Greenland’s future and broader Arctic sovereignty issues during a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, amid ongoing international attention on the strategic importance of the Arctic region. Carney told reporters the conversation included concerns about recent statements by the U.S. president regarding Greenland, emphasizing Canada’s view that decisions about the territory’s future should rest with the people of Greenland themselves. He said he found “significant alignment” with Xi on the principle of respecting sovereignty

Canada, China strike preliminary deal easing canola tariffs in exchange for EV access

Canada, China strike preliminary deal easing canola tariffs in exchange for EV access

Prime Minister Mark Carney says Canada has reached a preliminary trade agreement with China that would ease long-standing agricultural tariffs while allowing a limited number of Chinese-made electric vehicles into the Canadian market. Under the deal, China is expected to reduce duties on Canadian canola seed to 15 per cent by March. Tariffs on canola meal, as well as lobster, crab and peas, are set to be lifted from March through at least the end of the year, offering relief to farmers and exporters who have faced restricted access to one of Canada’s largest overseas markets. In exchange, Ca

Legals

Journalism code of ethics

© 2021 AKASH Broadcasting Inc.

MANAGED BY STRATWIT

useful links

Accessibility Plan

BC Children's Hospital