live from london. this is bbc news. israel says the bodies of four hostages have been returned, as freed palestinian prisoners arrive in the west bank. expectation from washington as sir keir starmer is set to meet president donald trump today, with an agenda focused on ukraine guarantees. thousands of forced labourers released from scam centres along the thai—myanmar border are stranded in makeshift camps. another week, another launch — spacex is behind athena, a six—legged lander that will spend about a week flying to the moon.

exchange was filmed.

of the latest swap with israel of the latest swap with israel arriving in the arriving in the occupied west bank. among them were 50 people serving life sentences, but more than 400 were gazans detained during the war, often held without charge. their release came after their release came after the bodies of four israeli the bodies of four israeli hostages arrived at a forensic hostages arrived at a forensic centre in tel aviv. centre in tel aviv. all had been taken all had been taken from their homes in tel aviv from their homes in tel aviv on the 7th of october. previous releases had involved ceremonies that israel said were cruel and humiliating. having no repeat having no repeat was a condition of was a condition of today's exchange. today's exchange. amongst those released in previous weeks was yarden bibas. yesterday, he buried yesterday, he buried his wife and two sons. his wife and two sons. they had also been held hostage by hamas but died during their captivity. during their captivity. "shiri, i'm sorry i couldn't

protect you all", he says.

mr starmer says he wants to strike a new partnership well, hello, from washington. and already we have been to the british embassy. why? the prime minister headed straight there from the plane foreign secretary david lammy was there too. why? they wanted to woo members of the trump administration who had been invited to a drinks reception. and take a look at this, this is diplomacy in action. saying he reckons he's got something in common with elon musk, the billionaire working for donald trump, demonstrate his ruthlessness

at cutting through bureaucracy. we want to strike a new partnership. style, but we are stripping away red tape and bureaucracy. have always been super close and should continue working really closely. i wouldn't say that we are being encircled by our a little bit of ganging up. and we are going to be and we are going to be doing it at the time when you have a leader in this doing it at the time country in the president who, in my view, is going to be a very consequential president

for this country indeed. for this country indeed. so that big meeting so that big meeting for the prime minister for the prime minister with the presidentjust a few with the presidentjust a few hours away now. hours away now. ukraine, the middle east, ukraine, the middle east, trade, artificial intelligence, trade, artificial intelligence, so much on the agenda. so much on the agenda. and a huge amount at stake. away red tape and bureaucracy, our north america correspondent merlyn thomas told us more about sir keir starmer�*s message for president trump. we have heard that sir keir starmer called president donald trump a close friend and said that no relationship was more relationship was more important than with the us, important than with the us, the relationship between the uk the relationship between the uk and us, very special relationship that has been and us, very special so far emphasised between the two countries between the two countries for so many years. for so many years. and this line that you heard, and this line that you heard, that sir keir starmer said, that sir keir starmer said, that actually, he is stripping that actually, he is stripping away red tape and bureaucracy, is almost a plea to the trump administration that actually

we have a lot more in common than you think, you know, we are coming to closer ground with you. and so sir keir starmer is saying, you know, we have cut back on foreign aid, we are upping our defence spending. these are two things that he will be able to use as leverage, and things that he will say, sir keir starmer, as a plea to actually, you know, we can meet halfway on this. hopefully, for starmer, he will be looking to make a deal. sir keir starmer�*s meeting really comes at a quite critical juncture for both the uk and also europe's relationship with the us. he is sort of sandwiched in between two meetings. earlier this week, we saw president macron visiting the white house. the photos that we saw were very chummy. the two leaders, president macron and president trump, where very flattering towards each other. and then later this week, obviously, we are expecting

the tate are us

uk nationals and were arrested uk nationals and were arrested in three years and in romania three years ago and in romania three years ago and are facing trial on allegations facing trial on allegations are facing trial on allegatiana rape, trafficking of rape, trafficking miners and are facing trial on allegaticxna rape, trafficking and of rape, trafficking miners and money—laundering, all of which money—laundering, all of which they deny. this comes after the deny. this {7 deny. this comes after the they deny. this comes after the us had asked romania to relax us had asked romania to relax us; had asked romania to relax the travel restrictions on the travel on the us; had asked romania to relax brothers. on the two brothers. that news that us; had asked romania to relax brothers. that on the us; had asked romania to relax brothers. that or that two brothers. that news that andrew and his brother andrew tate and his brother have reportedly triston have reportedly left triston have reportedly left romania and they are on their romania they on their romania and they are on their way to the usa. we will speak way to the usa. we will speak to our in to our correspondent in romania to our correspondent in romania as soon as we can. as soon as we can. let's get back to one let's get back to one of our main stories. hamas has said it is ready to start talks on the next of our main stories. phase of the gaza ceasefire deal after the exchange of palestinian prisoners for israeli hostage bodies overnight completed phase one. let's speak to our middle east correspondent yolande knell, who is in jerusalem. who is in jerusalem. a very handover, a very different handover, this one, wasn't it, after so many issues with the previous

spectacles.— issues with the previous spectacles. that is exactly ri . ht. spectacles. that is exactly right. israel _ spectacles. that is exactly right. israel had _ spectacles. that is exactly l right. israel had complained about those handover ceremonies, as they said they were being used by hamas for propaganda purposes. late last night, we had these four caskets just being handed night, we had these four casketsjust being handed over in a very low—key way to the red cross. they were then brought out of gaza and has been taken to an israeli forensics laboratory. we have been hearing this morning that dna tests have already confirmed the identities of three of the israeli male hostages come up with the test is continuing, they are all men who were seized from their homes in kibbutz is close to gaza in the hamas led attacks on the 7th of october 2023. of course, theirfamilies have course, their families have been course, theirfamilies have been waiting for news, waiting for the remains to be returned so they can bury them. until recently, most of them had not known the fate of their loved ones. in return, what we have

seen is most of the more than 600 palestinian prisoners being returned as well, during the night. we had about 100 who were mostly convicted of deadly attacks on israelis, who have been deported abroad. they have been deported abroad. they have been sent out initially to egypt. most of them, though, from this 600 number, are those who were detained during the war in gaza and held without trial or charge by israel. they are now able to go home as well ahead of the islamic holy month of ramadan. this swap was secured by egyptian mediators of course after they managed to overcome the latest impasse in this first six—week phase of the gaza ceasefire but still big questions about what happens next.— big questions about what happens next. yes, let's talk about that. _ happens next. yes, let's talk about that. the _ happens next. yes, let's talk. about that. the understanding was that negotiations for phase

two were meant to start during phase one, weren't they? does it seem that they haven't even actually started yet?— actually started yet? yes, those negotiations - actually started yet? yes, those negotiations were l those negotiations were supposed to have started by now andindeed supposed to have started by now and indeed has been concluded in time for the end of the initial six—week stage of the trees. —— and indeed has been concluded. we still have a few days left to run. but hamas has put out a statement confirming it is ready to start those delayed talks. it says basically that a continuation of the ceasefire advancement to phase two which is when we are supposed to see a full end to the war and a full withdrawal of israeli troops from gaza and the remaining about 60 israeli hostages being returned, 2a of those said to be alive, by the israeli authorities, well, hamas is saying that the only way to achieve those things is by a continuation of this deal.

the israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu, though, has been much more keen to talk about an extension of the first phase, where you would see a continuation of these exchanges of israeli hostages for palestinian prisoners being released. hamas may well agree to that for a couple more weeks but of course, it is very unlikely to do that in the longer term. the israeli prime minister is under a lot of pressure from his political allies really to return to the war in gaza and to achieve the war in gaza and to achieve the war goals that israel set for itself, which are basically to defeat hamas, both militarily and in terms of its governing capabilities.— capabilities. thank you for “oininu capabilities. thank you for joining us- _ capabilities. thank you for joining us. yolande - capabilities. thank you for joining us. yolande knelll capabilities. thank you forl joining us. yolande knell in jerusalem, there. around the world and across the uk. this is bbc news.

thousands of forced labourers

who've been released from scam in makeshift camps in myanmar. some report poorfood supplies and sanitation. you have been looking into this. such a huge business, the this. sach'a'huga’ business. the isn't this. sach'a'huge business. the isn't it? talk us scam centres, isn't it? talk us through what has going on. through what has been going on. i'm only about 200 metres away from the border. i am standing in sugar cane field. it's in a sugar cane field. it's hot. the buildings you rather hot. the buildings you can see behind me, white rather hot. the buildings you can see b! that me, white rather hot. the buildings you can see b! that is e, white rather hot. the buildings you can see b! that is one white rather hot. the buildings you can see b! that is one of white rather hot. the buildings you can see b! that is one of we te 1 about 7 7 1 about 30 7 : about30 scam 7 1 about 30 scam compounds think about 30 scam compounds that have constructed that have been constructed right across this border in the last four years, built by chinese gambling syndicates. in them they have been carrying out elaborate fraud where they persuade people all over the 272: to pa rt to part their world to part with their savings. they use labour, basically who have been basically people who have been drawn here, again from all over the world, they need all kinds of languages to do it. those

people in many cases have been tricked and then using tricked and then forced, using torture and beatings, to keep it is itisa it is a notorious going. it is a notorious business. it is deeply involved basioess. !t is classic ihoatoea .. ,, . other basioess. !t is. classic ihoatoea .. ,, , other of transnational in the last couple of —: =: the thai authorities and weeks, the thai authorities and the government here has decided it has had enough and cut power and telecoms and that has the who control fercssthe mititias flhs cant-“st part of me and ma, they that part of me and mac they in on and were in on the scams and they have helping them, they have decided because they been hurt so because they have been hurt so badly this severing of ties thailand, to start with thailand, to start releasing the workers at some around 8000 have been the centres. the one from the centres. the one behind me, believe most of workers have been out the workers have been taken out of it. but the problem is their eoly out of it. but the problem is their scaly out is of it. but the problem is their $2an}! out is through only way out is through which has to process thailand which has to process them which is a very slow process. in the meantime, these people are in makeshift over the border in the frenzy of construction has now stopped.

the rows of featureless buildings which have sprung up many have been trafficked and horribly mistreated. forcing their militia allies to start freeing the workers. and taken in by the thai army. hundreds of chinese workers have already been flown home, though they were clearly being treated as but the flow of evacuees to thailand has now stopped. others who escaped. the conditions we are in are very hard. it is all very messed up now. i just want to go home. i just want to go back to my country.

to stop compounds like the one behind me from running militias over the border to free thousands of trapped workers. yet, it seems, no one has thought through how to move so many people from so many countries back into safety and back to their own homes. unfortunately, we are hearing distressing information about were positive for tb. we are hearing from them that they are coughing, people are basically suffering while they are waiting. you will see there are many

army, also, in this area. it is very dangerous. we met a young bangladeshi man who escaped from a notorious electric shock torture. their rule is very hard. two electric shocks? every week, we need to earn for them $5,000. how many people did you scam in the three many people. i don't count but... 20, 50? more than.

difficult to control. we understand that the thais have brought over around 90 today. their indonesians today. their empathy has very eggayhy has been. very have 2222923?! has been. very have got proactive, they have got flights and they will take was; shit this is“ fshg “355 have been this forrquite 7 7 ln�*; “2. has l522”; '-ll,—-* ' 1" m7 ca. this for quite some time. is a very process. it is a very slow process. there been any others there haven't been any others coming out for the past week, the initial bunches oi ”wyfwhl; ' w ' 7 1 who 7 you ”71h; ' ' ' youstill chinese who came out. you still have a very large of have a very large number of trapped over there. people trapped over there. unless the thais speed up the e, of — —— — ————— e— 7°? staging the}? w i’fifstehey they fearé 77 they fearfthat the here, they fear that the militias who have limited themselves and may of1emselves and may 77 7 7 77 0115815597457 lina 751737; 7 7 77 7 7 77 of7look7in7g7af7ter7d7may7 7 77 7 7 77 of7look7ing7af7ter7the77n717 7 7 7sze {in} 7 7fju7si1 {in} back {78 7’sz11 {fé’ni back {78 the 7777 7push them back to the scam will push them back to the scam centres when they could face punishment for having worse punishment for having left. and there are real doubts ; 7 just how committed about just how committed thailand aboutjust how committed thailand is to the thailand is to ending the scams. they have been quite active in the few weeks. active in the last few weeks. but there are still something sat there are still ssmsthihg " ”fl” " we believe 90,000 people like we believe 90,000 people still working in scam centres, of them still operating. isa

is a business which would an enormous amount of take an enormous amount of to shut down, given just and how lawless and war—torn myanmar and how vulnerable is to this kind of crime. just a little update to bring you from the vatican about pope saying that he has francis, saying that he has slept well and is resting. that a of 7 a of the 7 where is a view of the hospital where pope francis at the pope francis is at the moment in rome. a very brief update from the vatican, saying pope fem the �*jaticas. fang bees —— — —— — ., . ,, , slept for" the �*jaticae. fans pose ~ , ~ , ~ 7 ~ , slept well for" the t’atisah. fans pose ~ , ~ , ~ 7 ~ , slept well is ffa fin? eli 5“?le a 51st ’ let's go back our resting. let's go back to our news the last brea'k�*rng rnews'from'the itast a n brea'k�*rng rnews'from'the itast an hour. for the united states. let's speak to our correspondent in bucharest nick thorpe. this came after a request from the us. can you explain what

has happened?— the us. can you explain what has happened? the us. can you explain what has ha ened? ,, ., ., ., .,, has happened? sure, romania has come under— has happened? sure, romania has come under _ pressure i come under enormous pressure from the trump administration -== the us 7 7the7us7 73717114577 7777 the us allow, to return in the us to allow, to return the passports of the tate the sassssfts stths tat: they are the sesssefts m the tate they are british brothers. they are british american dual citizens and so in order to leave basically, in order to leave romania, they have been under judicial control, romania, they have been under judicialcontrol, basically, judicial control, so basically, they are still under investigation in and investigation in romania and have been in and out of house arrest. they were detained and questioned times since questioned many times since they were first detained in december 2022. they were first detained in december2022. but they were first detained in december 2022. but my understanding is that their passports, their we re were returned to passports, were returned to them yesterday afternoon and that they flew out of romania, of bucharest, this morning, out of bucharest, this morning, soon after 5am, on a bound for 7 bound for the jet bound for the united states, with the blessing of the romanian authorities. just what the charges that the romanian authorities. just wi facing charges that the romanian authorities. just wi facing trialges that the romanian authorities. just wi facing trial for that the romanian authorities. just wi facing trial for in at they were facing trial for in romania are?— they were facing trial for in romania are? , .,.

romania are? 72 l? serious m romania are?§ i trafficking. m romania are?§ . trafficking, forming f rape, i romania are?§ . trafficking, forming an pe, i of trafficking, forming an organised criminal group. they were accused of were accused basically of forcing to take part chat and sex, chat'ahci'cohversatiohs with content online. pornographic content online. have denied the charges they have denied the charges all along. they have denied the charges allalong. but they have denied the charges all along. but in these cases brought against them. were brought against them. obviously, as influencers, they are well—known people with a reseryflett-hnefiwoeeete with of a reveryflett-hnefiwoeeete with of followers a reseryflett-hnefiwoeeete with of followers on millions of followers on different social,” 7 apps. it sitterehtssciatmecfia apps. !t been a high profile case. has heeh a high profits case. — —— —— has heeh a high profits case. —— —— ————r has been one has heeh a high profile case. —— —— w”, has been one that has heeh a high profits case. —— —— ————r has been one that the has heeh a high profits case. —— —— ————r has been one that1 ie has heeh a high profile case. —— —— w”, has been one that1 i think remaining authorities i think have been struggling to keep of, given the power to control of, given the power to of the tate strongly backed the now they strongly backed the united states in the united states election, strongly donald 7 77 donald trump 77 donald trump and 77 election . election. the have come under ma'or major pressure to allow pretty major pressure to allow them to return to the united states. but i also understand

they are still under that they are still under investigation here and i believe have given believe they have given some kind of indication that they to romania to kind of indication that they to to romania to kind of indication that they to cooperate 1ia to continue to cooperate and in that collaboratein that , gets them. —'* investigation gets them. that is interesting. _ investigation gets them. that is interesting. they _ investigation gets them. that is interesting. they also is ifite'eet'fifi the? efe elee of ie ifitefeef'he thee efe elefi of tax evasion ie ifitefeef'he thee efe elee of tax evasion in the accused of tax evasion in the uk as well. is accused of tax evasion in the uk as well- _ accused of tax evasion in the uk as well. %$ the uk uk as well. %;e the uk auainst uk as welli - the uk against them, i uk as welli - the uk against them, a l uk as welli - case uk against them, a l uk as welli - case has |gainst them, a l uk as welli - case has been t them, a l uk as welli - case has been brought a l uk as wen; - case has been brought by civil caserhasrtseenrbrooght by �* women who civil caserhasrbeenbrooght by �* women who accused civil caserhasrbeenbrooght by �*women who accused them of four women who accused them of sexual violence against them. ==eeal sinlente asainfithem ”ww”? my seesels'filente seeihst'thehht" ' ' " my again but my understanding again there is that they can only be extradited the uk from once the court romania, once the court over, orthe against them is investigation against them is concluded here in romania. i concludes here he game�*s ! what we are concludes herein game�*s ! what we are going to hear think what we are going to hear from the romanian authorities is that given that that is still ongoing, i think be the reason they giee be the reason they giye to will be the reason they give to the uk that they have been allowed to leave here and go to

llnited united states. than the united states, rather than being extradited to the uk as the uk authorities have been 7 do fluhe an idea of asking. do you have any idea of what i happen _ asking. do you have any idea of what. happen to _ asking. do you have any idea of what. happen to them - asking. do you have any idea of what. happen to them when | what will happen to them when in the us? they arrive in the us? where they arrive in the us? where they might go from there? l they might go from there? i know but i think one they might go from there? l know but i think one can don't know but i think one can imagine, given their prominence on social media, that the first 7 77w7ill77 777offi7ciall7y 7 777 77 7 77w7ill77 777offi7ciall7yi7s777 77 7 77w7ill77 777offi7ciall7y one; we will hear officially is when they go on x, presumably, and speak in probably rather triumphant terms that they have escaped romania, they have been escaped romania, they have'been from romania, and i escaped romania, they have'been theym romania, and i escaped romania, they have'been they willomania, and i escaped romania, they have'been they willomania, some expect they will proctairnsorne of victory. expect theywiltproctaimson�* , of victo . . ~ expect theywiltproctaimson�* , of victo . ., ,, , ., kind of victory. 0k, thank you for talking _ kind of victory. 0k, thank you for talking us _ kind of victory. 0k, thank you for talking us through i of i from7 f that news that from bucharest. that news has broken in the last half an has broken in the test halt an �*orso has broken in the test halt an �*or so the tate hour or so that the tate brothers are thought to be to f7 to the f7 to the united a heading to the united states. a quick reminder of the update we have had from the well about pope francis. the

as watt asset peas fransis; the , ~ ~ . , ~ has said as watt asset psse fransis; the , ~ ~ . , ~ has said that pope yatjgag has said that pope slept well and is francis has slept'wett and is a very brief statement resting. a very brief'staten�*gent the vatican and that of from the vatican and that of course is the view of the hospital where is at the hospital where he is at the moment. plenty more to do us on7bbc news. wednesday was a pretty active day, weather—wise. large hail around as well. that has now cleared away, and the weather is quieting down for the next few days. patches around too. of the uk, parts of scotland. from the word go.

the rest of the uk sees sunny spells, some cloud bubbling parts of northwest scotland, perhaps northern ireland too. 9—11 celsius our top temperature — so still through into the final day of winter on friday morning. we've got some mist and some fog that could be quite extensive first thing. across the uk on friday. that'll just start to burn away the mist and fog gradually through the course of friday morning. so it'll brighten up through the day, one or two places could keep some fogginess right into the afternoon, i think. and a bit of fairweather cloud that bubbles up during friday afternoon.

in from the northwest. it tends to fizzle out as it does so, reallyjust a band of cloud moving across the northern half of the uk — whereas further south, again, morning mist and fog, but that should clear away, so some sunny spells. figures across the board. here's the high pressure that sticks with us into the second second weather front tries to nudge its way for most of us, a similar day again — dry and settled, around 10—11 celsius. bye— bye.

from the eu and claims the bloc was only formed "to screw the us". the art of a deal. uk prime minister sir keir starmer heads to washington,

and will gatwick get the green light to use its second runway on a daily basis? a decision is expected today on whether the uk's second biggest airport can spread its wings. i'm sally bundock union with new tariffs. to 25% on all eu goods entering the country claiming the bloc the eu is currently america's third largest trading partner. could hit as much as $29 billion worth of the bloc�*s exports.