i'm laura trevelyan in new york and this is bbc world news america. brazil, the favourites, are out of the world cup. the five—time world cup champions are defeated in a penalty shoot—out against croatia. argentina are also through to the semifinals, beating the netherlands. croatians celebrate as their team reaches another world cup semifinal. we'll be reporting from zagreb and sao paulo. in other news, one of russia's most prominent opposition politicians is jailed after speaking out against the war in ukraine. shock waves in washington, as kyrsten sinema leaves the democratic party to become an independent in the us senate, complicating the party's narrow

control of the chamber. days after police in bangladesh fired on protesters, now two opposition leaders are detained, the night before a major demonstration. and we take you to the great wall of china, where two brothers are making an epicjourney — running the entire length of it. welcome to world news america on pbs and around the globe. it's been a busy week in global news, but we're starting tonight with global soccer — as millions around the world are focused on the football world cup. it was a dramatic day in doha. the favourites to win this year's tournament, brazil, have been kicked out after losing to croatia on penalties. croatia are the first team to make the semifinals.

and they are joined by argentina, who defeated the netherlands also in a dramatic penalty shoot—out. let's go to olly foster in doha. what an extraordinary night. let's start with brazil being defeated. who thought that was going to happen? flat who thought that was going to ha en? ., , ., ,, who thought that was going to hat-en? ., , , ., happen? not perhaps the shocks that we have had — happen? not perhaps the shocks that we have had so _ happen? not perhaps the shocks that we have had so far _ happen? not perhaps the shocks that we have had so far here _ happen? not perhaps the shocks that we have had so far here at _ happen? not perhaps the shocks that we have had so far here at this - we have had so far here at this world cup, a road cup of so many surprises, because croatia, they were runners—up in russia for years ago, but we have had two extraordinary quarterfinals to start things off —— a world cup of so many. brazil, they have been playing so well. i watched them beat south korea 4—1 in the last 16. they simply blew them away. and they were the favourites coming in here, the five—time champions. but it was goalless after 90 minutes. then things began to bubble up in extra time. neymar put them ahead. we

thought, that would be it. brazil going through. by croatia, the equalised, and i took that first quarterfinal into extra time, and croatia, they are the penalty masters. they beat japan that way in a shoot—out in the last round, their route to the final in russia four years ago, that saw them come through two penalty shoot—out and they were absolutely perfect with theirs, but their keeper, he pulled off one fine save from roderigo and thenit off one fine save from roderigo and then it was marquinhos who had to step up for brazil and he hit a post, and that was it. brazil were out. croatia were absolutely jubilant. and they proceed to the semifinals. find jubilant. and they proceed to the semifinals-— semifinals. and let's 'ust talk about that huge h semifinals. and let's 'ust talk about that huge win,_ semifinals. and let'sjust talk about that huge win, then, . semifinals. and let'sjust talkl about that huge win, then, for argentina, who were next up, and the role of the legendary messi. this

was an role of the legendary messi.t'13 was an astonishing game. at the stadium where the fund will be a week on sunday. and argentina had every chance of progressing. if argentina had gone out, that would be two south american giants going out and the likelihood that the european domination of this tournament would continue. and argentina were cruising towards the semifinals, messi at the heart of everything. he played for melina to put them up at half—time. messi then scored a penalty. into the final ten minutes, what did louis van gaal do? he brings on wout weghorst, this huge striker. he scores in the final ten minutes and then ten minutes of injury time, this ingenious free

kick by the dutch, argentina are also through to the semi finals, beating the entherlands at the end of it, he forces extra time, no goals but another penalty shoot—out. —— this ingenious free kick by the dutch, weghorst... lar lautaro martinez scored to send them through to the semifinals. we have this semifinal between croatia and argentina, but we're just taking a breath. had two rest days waiting for these quarterfinals, both of them going to extra time and then penalties. we all need a bit of a breather and readers looking forward to the next quarterfinals. a couple of one—sided ones, that would be very easy to report on! of one-sided ones, that would be very easy to report on!— of one-sided ones, that would be very easy to report on! indeed so. that england- _ very easy to report on! indeed so. that england- france, _ very easy to report on! indeed so. that england- france, of- very easy to report on! indeed so. that england- france, of course, | that england— france, of course, tomorrow. thanks for that. well, there were scenes ofjubiliation in croatia as the national team knocked brazil out in that penalty shoot—out.

guy delauney has been soaking up the atmosphere in zagreb. they are toasting the name of the goalkeeper here in the centre of the grab. all of these bars still pretty much packed out after the match, the quarterfinal of the world cup against brazil which croatia won on penalties, as they tend to do. the goalkeeper did what he tend to do, which is save those crucial kicks. croatia on the other hand proving extremely resilient in their own spot kicks. and talking to the fans throughout the course of the day and even during the match, and even went it looks desperate for curation the second half of extra time, when they went 1—0 down, they said, look, we will score a goal, we will take it to penalties —— even when it looks desperate for croatia. what is even more, they believe they can go all the way to the final. people are saying to me, we went all the way to the final. this time, we are going

to do it again, but we are going to win it. guy delauney in a jubilant croatia. for brazil, this was a devastating defeat, crashing out of a tournament many believed they could win. here's katy watson in sao paolo. you can hear the band has started up, musicians presume blue book to celebrate a win for brazil going to to the semifinals, but now they have been booked they may as well enjoy the party. you see people sitting behind me. an unbelievable result for the brazilians. they were so convinced they were going to win this game and go through to the final. i have never seen such confidence. appalled means everything to brazilians. especially after a difficult few years politically, with so much division. i was talking to one woman who says brazil comes together with football. it doesn't matter about race, politics or religion but that brazil comes together when there is a world cup, and they take the day off. nobody worked because football matters so much, but instead they

are going to have to find another team to support. talking to one couple, they said they will now be supporting croatia. they beat brazil, they good team to support, they say, but the mood is definitely heavy. my partner has walked up to a kids party. he says it feels like they have double booked it with a funeral. it will take some hours, some days for that mood to lift. katy watson there in a sad sao paulo. an exciting day, with an exciting weekend ahead. let's bring in football analyst roberto rojas. this is pretty amazing, isn't it? argentina and croatia are the for semifinalists.— argentina and croatia are the for semifinalists. ., ., , ,., , ., semifinalists. yeah, absolutely, and i think certainly _ semifinalists. yeah, absolutely, and i think certainly not _ semifinalists. yeah, absolutely, and i think certainly not everyone - i think certainly not everyone expected that to be the semifinal. everyone was willing to see perhaps priscilla make it a thrilling semifinal against argentina, priscilla make it a thrilling semifinalagainst argentina, but unfortunately we do... at least unfortunately we do... at least unfortunately for the brazilians, they will have to sit at home and watch their rivals take on the team

that defeated them in the quarterfinals. but has been such an exciting world cup. two penalty shoot—out today. we have two more quarterfinals going on tomorrow, between england and france and morocco against portugal. it has been exciting to see and i cannot wait to see what is at stake for tomorrow. i wait to see what is at stake for tomorrow— wait to see what is at stake for tomorrow. ., ., ., ,~' , ., , tomorrow. i have to ask you, being biased, tomorrow. i have to ask you, being biased. about _ tomorrow. i have to ask you, being biased, about england _ tomorrow. i have to ask you, being biased, about england versus - tomorrow. i have to ask you, being l biased, about england versus france first. what do you reckon? who is favoured there?— favoured there? yeah, it is really tou~h. i favoured there? yeah, it is really tough- i think _ favoured there? yeah, it is really tough. i think out _ favoured there? yeah, it is really tough. i think out of _ favoured there? yeah, it is really tough. i think out of the - favoured there? yeah, it is really tough. i think out of the four- tough. i think out of the four quarterfinals we have, this is going to be the one that is probably the toughest to call, and notjust because friends have just played tremendously, being the reigning champions —— france. someone like kylian mbappe has been so stellar to watch. golden boot right now, leading ogle scores at the world cup, but england, they have been slowly getting much better. obviously for them, this is the biggest test, to show their capability of being world champions. of

capability of being world champions. of course the pressure is always on them. we say that every four years. what a way to, unfortunately, have the loser of this game illuminated. it is going to be sad to see, but i cannot decide. i think i would favour francejust cannot decide. i think i would favour france just because of the way they have been playing, but it can go either way, honestly. i think we could see similar situations to what we saw today, with brazil and croatia and argentina and the dutch. 0f croatia and argentina and the dutch. of course, morocco and portugal also play tomorrow, but do you feel that argentina is looking pretty good, in terms of this tournament and going all the way, especially with messi playing so spectacularly?- playing so spectacularly? yeah, absolutely- _ playing so spectacularly? yeah, absolutely- i— playing so spectacularly? yeah, absolutely. i think _ playing so spectacularly? yeah, absolutely. i think that - playing so spectacularly? yeah, absolutely. i think that has - playing so spectacularly? yeah, | absolutely. i think that has been the big storyline given to this argentina side, this argentina side that had won the cup of america, the

first title that messi has won at senior level with his team, there just this mystique towards them especially after losing the first gimmick in saudi arabia in one of the all—time world cup shocks. for them to go out and win the group, to beat australia, not to beat the dutch in this manner, they have this feeling they can go all the way. certainly afterjeannie croatia came against result, they will not look at this as an easy walk in the park, but there is that mystique given to them, the fact that messi could indeed be playing his final world cup in an argentina shirt, i think she —— he wants to close out and career by getting one trophy he needs to cement a fantastic career, what we've seen over the last 15 to 20 years. we've seen over the last 15 to 20 ears. ., , ., we've seen over the last 15 to 20 ears. .,, ., ., .,, ., , years. roberto ro'as, a very excitin: years. roberto ro'as, a very exciting world _ years. roberto rojas, a very exciting world cup. - years. roberto rojas, a very exciting world cup. thanks i years. roberto rojas, a very l exciting world cup. thanks for joining us, even if you do favour france over england tomorrow! in other news...

one of russia's leading opposition politicians has been jailed for speaking out about russian war crimes in ukraine. ilya yashin told his supporters not to worry about him as he was led away for his eight—and—a—half year sentence. from moscow, steve rosenberg reports. handcuffed and locked inside a glass cage as if a dangerous criminal. but ilya yashin is a russian politician, a fierce critic of vladimir putin. he had been put on trialfor talking publicly about evidence of russian atrocities in the ukrainian town of bucha. thejudge convicted him of spreading fake news about the russian army and sent him to prison for eight—and—a—half years. "don't worry," he told his supporters, "it's ok." outside the courthouse, "freedom," they shout. but just a tiny few. perhaps this is why.

eight years of prison is a lot. some people that murder someone may get less. so it's understandable why not many voices you hear now like yashin�*s one. the trial that has now ended here reflects the growing wave of repression in russia since vladimir putin invaded ukraine. the message from the kremlin to its critics, to its opponents, is clear — "stay silent." later, vladimir putin was asked for his reaction to the eight—and—a—half—year prison sentence. "isn't that brutal?", asks the journalist. the president's reply... "casting doubt on the decision of the court is inappropriate." in a statement, ilya yashin said this... "strong leaders are calm and confident. only weak ones try to silence people." steve rosenberg, bbc news, moscow.

the white house says the us basketball star brittney griner appears to be in good health after returning home from ten months detention in russia. ms griner will now undergo medical checks in hospital in texas. she was freed on thursday in a prisoner swap that saw a russian arms dealer released from prison in the united states. president putin's spokesman has said it'd be wrong to see the exchange as a step towards alleviating the current crisis in us—russian relations. dmitry peskov described the state of those relations as pitiful. the world of us politics was jolted this morning when the senior senator for the state of arizona announced she was leaving the democratic party and registering as an independent. kyrsten sinema's move comes just days after raphael warnock�*s re—election in georgia gave the democrats 51 seats in the senate, a narrow majority. sinema has referred ruffled feathers.

to explain everything, our north america correspondent anthony zurcherjoins us now from washington. was this a horrible shock to democrats, senator sinema saying she is going to be an independent? i think it did come to a surprise to democrats. they knew as you mentioned that pearson cinema had an independent streak, and if you look backin independent streak, and if you look back in her history, she started supporting ralph nader's independent presidential bid in 2000, she was a member of the green party for several years and she was sort of an independent when she made it to the senate, but they were not inspecting this, although i do not think it is going to change the dynamic because kyrsten sinema is going to continue to work with the democrats, she is going to hold her set of committee seats with the democrats. that will give the democrats still that operating majority in the us senate committee committee power that goes along with it and the other prerogatives they go along with it. anthony, does it tell us something about the state of us politics or more about the state of the senator and her own politicalfuture? i

and her own political future? i think to be a little