this is news live from berlin a prisoner swap and a possible step toward resolving the conflict in eastern ukraine. there was a hero's welcome in the capital kiev for the 76 men and women released by separatists in the country's east and return the ukrainian government released all the prisoners that it had been holding also coming up. a gunman opens fire in a church in the united states in the state of texas killing 2 parishioners churchgoers return fire and kill.

spicer welcome to the program the ukrainian government and russian backed separatists have completed a major prisoner exchange among those released are captives held by both sides since hostilities broke out in 2014 the swap follows an agreement russia and ukraine reached earlier this month in talks brokered by germany and france. home for the new year dozens of joyful reunion splayed out on the quay of airports tama many of the captives hadn't same friends or family for years on hand a visibly moved president flawed to me is the lenski he great to the exchange during talks with russia's vladimir putin earlier this month. as

we deliver on our promises to each so these people will celebrate new year with their loved ones with their parents and children at home just each night. and this is the moment prisoners were frayed earlier on sunday russian back separatists late ukrainian prisoners go at a checkpoint in the country's aist the men were lined up to be collected by the red cross for some it was a chance to voice their anger over their treatment here you know i spent 5 years in a basement how can this happen in the 21st century in a european country where for example they are. heading home to dozens of separate as many of them have also faced harsh conditions in captivity. in this conflict volunteer militias have often ignored the rules of war conditions in captivity and the tourists n.g.o.s say the ukrainian government too has violated detainees rights . they tortured me 5 times in jail on a good movie

a dream i did they said he's dead take away his body but i survived despite their. many of those have been released for the new year will bring horrifying stories with them. but whatever they've enjoyed now is still a moment to celebrate. for the families and others in a war torn country. and reporter charles mcphedran who brought us that story is with us now so charles a major prisoner exchange the 2nd in the space of a year does this increase the chances of peace you have to hope so but we can't be optimistic naik chances of still not quite when we look at what's happening in a snoot people die almost every day we also say a bunch of landmines which kill civilians and this is a granny conflict in which the the front lines really haven't shifted despite

a lack of internet the left lack of international attention to that is really explained by the fact. that at this this conflict is basically shifting down here since 2014 when we saw most of the fighting so not much shifting in the front line there not much doing in the party's positions on the one hand selenski is under pressure not to make too many concessions to russia and the separatists and russian the separatists getting the influence they want in the political game in kiev they're not giving in the the concessions i need to to really move towards a comprehensive peace deal oh you just saw him in and the story is sort of basking in sharing in the emotion do you think he'll have a jump in popularity that might strengthen his negotiating hand right below me is the lenski is really great that they sort of head of state functions we sort on election night he's someone who really shows the emotional needs vice might be something to do with the fact that he has a background in acting one might speculate he's really seen as a quite a genuine later. and he shares in the emotion of the moment we saw that at kiev

airport as as the detainees arrived back to the city we saw his nervousness and then his joy and this is something which really connects with ukrainians because they have a tradition of rather a much soviet style ladies and lot of his legs he's someone who's really the people's president to friends of tony blair. and you've been actually reporting on this part of the story closely with one of the families involved in the prisoner exchange can you tell us a bit about that why maybe not everybody is happy that not everybody is happy about this aspect of the story we've seen the release of 5 place offices of a trial for the murder all 48 protests is on the mind on the protests in true 24 tane this preceded the war in the east of the country and there are questions about how these guys ended up on the prisoner exchange with that hasn't been clarified yet because there isn't

a direct connection obviously for the families of those police officers it's a really really happy di but for the families of the victims there's a lot of people who are unhappy about this exchange and will be asking questions when the emotion i die and we say how how people start to think through the consequences of this exchange. of the justice they're looking for suppose all right charles mcphedran thanks for that. churchgoers in the u.s. state of texas have shot dead a gunman who opened fire on a sunday service police say the gunman killed 2 parishioners at the attack and it quickly after 2 church members used their own weapons to shoot the assailant dead. for parishioners at the west freeway church of christ 11 50 am on sunday morning became a time to kill a man dressed in dark clothing stood up from the pews and opened fire within seconds a volunteer church security officer had shot and killed the assailant moments later

several other churchgoers had also drawn their guns but to day evil walked boldly among us let me remind you good people raised up and stopped it before it got worse . 2 victims died in the attack more than 200 others were shaken but spared churchgoers said they were grateful for the presence of armed worshipers. well i don't think i know i think it all congregations should have the people that are difficult to get servants to sit with the one of her face and say yes and then they're wonderful people they were there before anything got any worse a little bit. this year the u.s. has witnessed more mass killings than any other year on record. this country has seen so many of these that we've actually. gotten used to it to this point

and it's tragic and it's this is terrible situation especially during the holiday season investigators say they are working to find a motive for this latest tragedy. and it's time now to take a look at some of the other stories making news around the world. a german rescue ship has docked in sicily after rescuing more than 30 migrants in the mediterranean the allen kirti vessel reached the southern port of put salo on sunday migrants were picked up off the libyan coast last week. at least 10 people were killed when a missile hit a military parade in a town in southern yemen a ceremony for new recruits was being held by a southern yemen separatist group allied with a government spokesman blamed who the rebels are the attack. the united states says it has bombed 5 locations in iraq and syria controlled by a paramilitary group with suspected ties to iran secretary of state mike pump aoe

said the strikes were in response to earlier attacks that threatened american forces in iraq it's not clear if there were any victims in the middle east over the course of the last it's estimated that a government led assault has caused nearly a quarter of a 1000000 syrians to flee their homes recently neighboring turkey is warning that they could end up in europe if that happens one crossing point for migrants is the border between turkey and european union member old area d w correspondent near drag storage traveled there and talked to both guards and a refugee who started a new life in europe. mohammad jamal a professional syrian hairdresser fled his war torn hometown of aleppo 6 years ago . he made it as far as bulgaria and opened a salon in the capital sofia. like

it is here in bulgaria women one can work here and i can build a future good though. like other refugees in bulgaria he was allowed to start working 3 months after his arrival mohamed has 7 children to support along with his ailing parents who live in turkey says he's not a bulgarian he can't send for them yet he's applied for citizenship but it's still pending. i am muslim because there are still more. than i think the most important thing is to be a good person. and whatever your religion is. with you and. the turkish bulgarian border is over 200 kilometers long. but because some areas like fences or other barriers officials were powerless to

keep tens of thousands of refugees from syria and iraq from crossing over last year . the situation is different now police say only about $3000.00 people have tried to cross the border illegally this year. is it to do says less to do it so we started upgrading border security and the technical infrastructure on the bulgarian turkish border. if someone tries to cross the border illegally we can be there in 10 minutes in the notice of the queue to get student to do. so. and fewer refugees means less of a burden for bulgarian reception centers. like this one at her monthly near the border not many refugees are housed here now but until a few years ago overcrowding led to frequent fights. with. migration increases again we'll have

a bigger problems but at the moment we only have 120 refugees so there is no problem. but this is of little concern to mohamed jamal all he wants to do is leave the past behind him and look ahead towards a brighter future in bulgaria. the sporting year is coming to a close after 12 months of joy tears and amazement us lifted the women's football world cup and spawned a new global superstar while the russian doping sag dragged on here's a look back at an epic 2019. parade of champions the united states won a record extending full freemans football world cup and their stuff pino took home every individual that was possible as much for passionate pleas for gender equality on field exploits in men's club football liverpool rain supremum winning the

champions league and the club world cup in tennis the women's mage's was shed 4 ways but french open went to ash policy and did the year as number one. for the men it was 2 grand slam titles each for rafa nadal and novak djokovic the greatest comeback came in gulf where tiger woods won the masters age 4311 years after his last major victory following personal injury problems athletics had its usual up and down year kenya's gave became the 1st person to run a marathon in under 2 hours but it will not count officially. the world championships in doha were overshadowed by low spectator numbers the heat and doping but shelley and fraser price stole the show for the women adding to malta her record hall of $9.00 dulls the world championships the russian doping scandal intensified with the country now banned from all major sporting events for 4 years

after being accused of manipulating dates are clean russians may compete as neutrals must say these last form of the one great nicky loud at age 70 and lewis hamilton secured an emotional 6th title underdog south africa beat england in the men's ruby world cup final see a khaleesi became the 1st black male captain to lift the trophy proving let repine know that politics and sports can go hand in hand. and a reminder of the top story we're following for you. the ukrainian government and russian backed separatists have completed an exchange of prisoners captured during ukraine's 5 year conflict it's part of an agreement reached earlier this month between ukraine and russia conflict has claimed more than $13000.00 lives. and you are watching. news long from berlin coming up next part 2 of our doc film

series 970 on the big bang that created today's world i'm nick spicer more news at the top of the hour thanks for watching. because time to take one step further and face the consulate. time to search. for the troops. time to come down troops and conduct the war. it's time for.