liberation of democracy and architect of emotions are daniel stuart's. december 25th on d. w o a d w news line from berlin. brittany grier is free and back in the united states. after months in a russian prison camp, the plane carrying the us basketball star touched down after she was handed over in a prisoner a swap in exchange for a notorious russian arms dealer. also on the program and the world cup in katara,

brazil's long a wave for world come full re goes on add the favorites, crash out to croatia in the quarter finals. ah, i'm cough really good to have you with us. here is basketball star, brittany griner is back on us soil after being released from a russian penal colony. she touched down in san antonio, texas 10 months after being detained in moscow. a deal between the us and russian government saw her released in exchange for a russian arms dealer, accused of supplying al qaeda and the taliban, and fueling armed conflict around the world. a prisoner swap on the tarmac of abu dhabi airport. it was here that captivity ended for us basketball star, brittany greiner. back in the u. s. i.

griner was arrested at moscow airport in february, after she was caught with less than a gram of cannabis oil in her luggage. she was sentenced to 9 years in prison. the man she was exchanged for victor boot was in a u. s. jail serving a 25 year sentence for arms trafficking. his role in selling weapons to rogue states, rebel groups and warlords around the world. and him, the nickname, the merchants of death. the exchange is no doubt of victory for both prisoners and their families. but some in the us, including republican lawmakers, have slammed it as a gift to putin, anemia. you believe me amused through a 3rd form even though i got a miracle can you know they've also taken aim at biden's failure to negotiate the release of former us marine paul whalen, who is currently serving a 16 year sentence for espionage falling on. that's the charge,

the u. s. has continually denied, however, you can see how they are at that in a sign of hope. putin said more prisoner exchangers were on the cards, look, must feel that the pro law oh, contact the part of the contact is ongoing on the level of special services, it never stopped or other exchange as possible. yes, everything is possible. this is the result of negotiation, susan and the surgeon for compromise. the boys could compare me. in this case, the compromise was found. we aren't ruling out a continuation of this work in the future. so that is patient continues to wage. his war of aggression in ukraine and washington through its full support behind cave hopes of more co operation may be premature. earlier i spoke to the w corresponding curling that she was in washington, d. c, and asked her how the u. s. is reacting to russia,

claiming the swab of greiner and boot to be their victory. b, u. s. is also claiming victory, of course, and this is a huge win for the biden administration. we have to say a bringing wrongfully detained. american citizens back home is always a victory for the administration in charge, especially of course, weeks before christmas. we have seen that the popularity of us presidents usually goes up with a release of this kind. that was also the case under obama, especially if there has been public pressure. and that has been definitely the case with greiner. so the announcement brought definitely celebration, but also some criticism. and that is because the trade did not include you. as the marine poll we lena, an american citizen who is also in russian custody. as i just mentioned. for the swamp, the u. s. certainly had to make compromises in not securing the release of pol whelan when i spoke to a correspondent and russian affairs analyst constantine i got in vilnius earlier, i asked him if russia had also had to make compromises in the swamp?

well, it's only a supposition box, some american, a old let's media. let's reported that mr. poacher really wanted one person out, but this person serving oh, well my symptoms in germany's name is virgin cross. you go and it's been sent us to wife for the king of a former church on was the middle of berlin in 2019. maybe maybe fully my supposition. so my suspicion good. you want to buy them to pressure over from the german government to release a classical and then with exchange bought, it seems it didn't work out, but that is all we hope offices as constantine. i got reporting there. let's now take a look at some other stories making headlines around the world today. of course, and moscow has found opposition. politicians, ilia yashimi guilty of spreading false information about the russian military and ukraine. yashimi had described the killings of civilians in boucher by russian

forces. as a massacre, faces up to 9 years in prison. fire that broke out at a shopping mall near moscow has claimed at least one life and in gulf the entire building, initial report say the fire broke out at 6 am local time. the cause of the blaze is still being investigated. china has begun relaxing most of its strict 0 coven policies. the move away from covered 19 curves is being greeted by many chinese people, especially the young after 3 years of harsh controls. but as the country begins to slowly open up again, many are nervous about the current high rates of infection. proving a return to normal life is still quite a way off. long lines and val hon, where the corporate pandemic for started. after nearly 3 yos, china has dropped some of its strict measures covert clinics. i'll see a soldier admissions if only the high demand is if we were in lockdown

at least only asymptomatic cases, either be quarantined at home or sent to make shift hospitals. but now with everything opening up, all these people are out of the infection rate is higher, have a lot of friends who already have a cold or fever symptoms that are a lot. and i'm one of them is so in spite of being sick, sion is outside. she has docked up buying a whole bag of medicines and is happy to see things opening up. would you either her? i think opening up as great as we're only in our 20 areas. if these locked down continued, that would mean our entire youth would be spent sitting in a house to one go her guy. despite that sentiment, there's barely any one at one of who hands bell. no night. markets. people are wary of rising infections and still getting used to the big change.

so this user has actually, i'm still a little watered way in my work business travel was normal, but at the moment as things opened up, i'm not really prepared to travel to the town called a deal going do what you did is tonya, clearly the, i think the last 3 years, but a little differently. it felt like we were fighting a war. now i think that i just think while i'll do my best to protect myself. yeah . even if i eventually really do catch those virus, i won't be afraid. he now jones out the why just if you will sure, did the up china's exit from its 0 corporate policy has been sudden and rapid now its citizens are playing catch up of return to normal is still some way off. ah, at the world cup in katara 5 time winners, brazil and overall favorites are out of the tournament. after losing to croatia in

the quarter finals, croatia held their nerve to win on penalties after a 10th period of extra time. that means of brazil's weight for a 1st world cup in 20 years, goes on the crowd inside the education city stadium had watched more than a 100 minutes of gold football when name or solo effort. finally broke the deadlock for brazil. a slick passing move, culminating in his 2nd goal of the tournament, one that looked like a certain winner. but in the 170 minute correlation substitute, bruno petrovich converted his team's 1st shot on target. a deflection from martinos ensuring that croatia would be heading into a 2nd successive penalty shootout. and for a 2nd successive time it was they who prevailed while croatia hammered home clinical spot kicks. brazil twice failed to convert. it was martinos missed that

finally settled, things sending croatia into the final for once again. the runners up in russia have high hopes for could talk. while ne mind coat are once again heading home empty handed straight after the final whistle, did we report a barbara basal joined us from a bar in zagreb, and we asked her to describe the atmosphere which turned out to be a rather needless question. ah, ah. c a okay, so that was a nail

. i met the right, this is a cool, a great evening diagram. so all the public viewing took place inside in side to many bars and people with a head to head back to the 2nd floor. i don't need to tell you what the mood is like. you just got a little taste the i absolutely over the mood. it was not here. i mean, brazil was, there was still one aside. they were really afraid of that. what do you have? what is gratian, trainer has a, if we look at the players, we know we have to be afraid of them. they really thought it out. and that they showed this tremendous resilience. that seems to be the strength of the creation of the creation team. and so people are absolutely over joy,

this is going to be one hell of a party tonight. and d, w. sports, diane persona is in, can tar. she told me more about how the brazilian team and fans have been reacting a. this is a massive disappointment for brazil, i mean, coming into this game. they were definitely the favorites coming into the entire tournament. brazil were favorites to when there is so much believe here in doha, in brazil really everywhere that this brazil side would be able to win another world cut this time around. i mean, they had, they have such a skilled team from their goal keeper, all the way to their forwards. everybody we talked to here thought that brazil were going to win the tournament. i mean, especially after their strong performance again, south korea. everyone was really flying high thinking brazil would went now. maybe they got a little bit too overconfident because tonight that was definitely not the case.

now we know brazil historically them struggled a little bit against a european opponent. in the knockout. this is the 6th time they lawson a knockout to a european opposition. of course, croatia is not an easy team to play against the finalists of the last world cup. not meant to be i can tell you who is not upset though, and that was argentinian van, who are going into the stadium behind me. they were seeing and dancing, glad that there perennial rivals brazil are now going home. croatia were extra time specialists at the last world cup already. how do they keep coming up with these winds? i mean this game for croatia was absolutely massive. i mean it's such a small country. there's under 4000000 people that lived there. and they knew that coming in to this game, they were going to be the underdogs. and actually it's kind of become a hallmark of croatia, is that when their bats are against the wall, they prove they produce some of the most spectacular gains and results. now croatia

knew, of course, that brazil were probably had more skilled side than they did and the way that they were going to be that was through grit and determination. that's been really been the way that they've approached this world cut. they've been more solid than spectacular. but they know how to get the job done. they do not stop fighting. at no point in the game, did they give up? and actually probably an extra time in a world cut. there is no better side than croatia. i mean, 8 of their last 9 naco game have gone into extra time. they've now $14.00 to $4.00 penalties, shoot out. so really if you think about it, it might have been kind of a walk in the park for croatia once the game went to extra time. diane barcelona, in katara, thank you and that's our time. but before we go, i want to give you an update on the other quarter finals match inc entire today, putting argentina against the netherlands score is currently to to so another nail biter there. almost as much as side one coming up after the break. rob watts has

the business next friday of i'm nicole really for me and the entire team here in berlin. thank you so much for joining with . ah, every journey is full of surprises. we've gone all out to give you some tips with all who reg.