it's a deeply polarized country at the moment with people who support donald trump willing to seemingly willing to support him at almost any cost and his detractors also seeing almost everything he does. as insane or totally unhelpful to america's standing as a respected country in the world in a moment like this when you do see americans come home after being held captive in a foreign country it is a it is somewhat of a unifying moment americans are happy to see their compatriots returned home. safely and at least alive so in spite of the deep political divide inside the united states this is the type of event that could be a bridge to bring people together a point where americans we're all one point of unity we're seeing our fellow citizens come home and and join together in that do you see that happening in the next few days that the people whether they want to or not are going to have to held

this move by the president. yeah i think that's fair to say and also the timing is clearly significant as well because that is exactly what the trumpet ministration will want to see come out of this and remember this also comes just on the heels of his announcement that the united states it was withdrawing from the iran nuclear deal something that was highly criticized and deeply divisive for the united states european allies who saw that as a terrible move and had been pleading with trump and not to scupper the deal so we're turning very quickly away from something that is going to have moment as being an area where we're looking at the images out to break it i'm sorry there's a there's a victory sign there they are. tony kim kim dome tool. being released there rather. the president there translator or. speaking to them as well they are american citizens of course and

being spoken to briefly by the president on the plane they're now being accompanied him down the gangway there to american soil with him along the. it was a wonderful woman they looked really genuinely happy and of course very relieved to be back in the united states. no doubt no doubt this is a momentous moment for them the fact that they are walking down the staircase on their own is also significant you know they look like they look at least at first glance to be in reasonable shape. and no doubt thrilled to be back in the united states. state just give them a very warm hug there they do look as you mentioned claire quite healthy mike pence the vice president the back ground there beaming away you know we were talking about of course is being put the political move by the president but there is of

course is this truly human moment when you see it. right there with the three president released prisoners heading to that american medical check we're talking about looking forward very much to to meeting up with their family members so we can't lose the human moment that we're seeing right now and in all of this real joy right there in cheers from from the crowds let's listen to what's happening there the cheers. ok are we expecting the president to make a statement or what are we can we look forward to here. ok here we let's listen to what the what will the president about the charcoal on the air if you could listen in the president now.

ok we're barely. ok we can't hear very well was having this problem with the audio there the president said these are three fantastic individuals who will have to see. what will happen. and this is a special life for three great people. ok the president clearly thanking a number of those people involved and the release of prisoners themselves greeting them calling them three incredible people as he welcomes them back to the united states there. is a moment of national unity and me we're getting some audio now.

through. claire let's go back to this what this means for the united states right now. i mean this is a really stunning display you're seeing u.s. president donald trump standing there with the release detainees and his new secretary of state might pompei oh really coming home from one of his first and certainly the biggest diplomatic mission in that role so far remember this was all this is all kind of come together at a in the last minute we didn't know that pale was going to pyongyang and tall until trump mentioned it when he was announcing that he was pulling out of iran nuclear deal just a couple days ago and similarly i it seems like this was also orchestrated in some way at the last minute that it was not clear that it's not as we were going to see this kind of reception with trump welcoming nobody would be easier as in areas like

in this. area don't let me jump in there but arab i could go on their way back great great presidents go and enjoy what we have to president although now these are great people they've been through a lot but. it's a great honor but the great the the true honor is going to be if we have a victory in getting rid of nuclear weapons you. know not at all. we very much appreciate that he allowed them to go before the meeting it was sort of understood that we'd. be able to get these three terrific people during the meeting and bring them home after the meeting and it was night it let it go before the meeting i mean frankly we didn't think this was going to happen and they did so like you could say were a little bit of that but it was a very important thing to all of us to be able to get these three great people out

and i must tell you. i want to pay my warmest respects to the parents of our war here who is a great young man who. who really suffered and his parents have become friends of ours they are spectacular people and i just want to pay my respects i actually called them the other day and might call them also mike betts and. they are really incredible people. on the p.p. and. i think our secretary of state. despite the fact that the new york times said he was missing he was in north korea but i think our secretary of state has done a fantastic job mike and you know that you were missing that. they couldn't find it . in the cockpit they couldn't find him because he was in north korea you know but

you know i don't want to comment on whether or not i spoke to him. and. what we're starting off on a new footing this is a wonderful thing that you release the folks early i was a big thing very important to me and i really think we have a very good chance of doing something very meaningful and if anybody would have said that five years ago ten years ago or even a year ago you would have said that stop possible so a lot i will say this a lot of very good things have happened. said. i really think he wants to do something i think he did this because i really think he wants to do something and bring that country into the real world i really believe that john and i think i think that we're going to have

a success i think this will be a very big success it's never been taken this fall. is that a bitter relationship like this that we're starting from here but i really think a lot of progress has been made and we'll see what happens we're talking about a few weeks i guess many of you will be with us but some great things going to happen and that's what we hope so i want to thank you all it's very early in the morning. i think you probably broke the all time in history television rating for three o'clock in the morning that i would say but i want to just congratulate decent three great people and gradually. the american citizens tony kim kim jong troll and kim song back on american soil

released by north korea down from very much enjoying the limelight at this moment of where we're going to ising their release that no doubt done by the secretary of state. as it was all over the last couple of days let's go back to clare richardson our correspondent in washington is following this for us clarify the presidents are in the sounding very optimistic and raising the bar and expectations for what's going to happen at the summit coming up later this month beginning in june and possibly singapore. right we just heard him say that he's optimistic that kim jong un is serious about seeking a new way forward and this is again really he talked about their personal relationship and the fact that this could indicate cooling tensions between the united states and north korea he said it was nice of kim jong un to release these hostages early surely surely there is also a political reason at play and it's not simply from the goodness of his heart all of a sudden the thing that's going to be interesting is whether he can actually get north

korea to get rid of its nuclear weapons as he said that he wanted to do just there i think you know many would most people would be extremely pleased if you were able to do that but north korea really sees its nuclear program as essential to its survival to the regime's political survival and so to be able to talk kim jong un away from that program is going to require a lot more than just seeing than just a good relationship i would say and there's a big questions about verification at this point as well how that would happen there's a lot of moving parts right now there's still being discussed but what happened though is that you know along with the optimism that you were talking about as we have the president. relativizing that his statements by saying well we'll have to see what what happens is that part of the frustrating process we go through is journalist where we try to analyze where the president's headed is that is

a kind of comment that he makes nonetheless the role devising got of slavery what this is what is going to happen it sounds like in the background the president's tipping and telegraphing a certain progress that's been made. and that's certainly the message that he's trying to send tonight and just make this highly public welcome home for the prisoners who have been released but also in that speech we just heard him make there you know he's hedging his bets in his characteristic way saying we don't know . what's going to happen wait and see i can't promise anything but also you know a lot praising his counterpart kim jong un for being a nice enough to release these hostages and saying that this has been a victory the fact that we have these three korean american citizens back in the united states where richardson for us thanks so much for that claire bring us up to date and following the arrival of the three prisoners released by north korea three americans released by north korea having landed at andrews air force base. where

president trump has been meeting them as mentioned and will have more of course on the developments regarding north korea and the upcoming summit planned there let's recap what's happened so far three american prisoners released by north korea have landed and there's air force base where president trump greeted them that's what you've been watching live here on d w the prisoner release coming during that build up to expect a historic summit tween north korea and nine states the trio including a christian missionary and two men arrested while teaching at the foreign funded. university of science and technology. now these three spent one to two years in north korea prisons were led any state or tiffany's person. described their release as quote very exciting and as a gesture of goodwill on behalf of north korea. let's

move on to some other news now on a day after president trump pulled the u.s. out of the iran nuclear accord tensions are rising on the front line that separates israel from syria these pictures from syria state t.v. reportedly show israeli rockets over damascus now there's really no tears as it carried out the strikes in response to a barrage of rockets fired at its outposts in the go on heights which it blames on elite raney and forces the revolutionary guard in syria its crudes unit it is the second day of strikes between the two sides. for the very latest let's go to jerusalem now our correspondent tanya kramer standing by for us tom what prompted this escalation and what more can you tell us about the targets hit by the israeli military. well yes d.s. hiren's went off in the israeli controlled part of the golan heights just shortly after midnight and according to the israeli army a barrage of rockets came in what they claim were fired from the brain in forces

and d. is israeli army responded with a large air raid on dozens of targets now they published a more comprehensive report and describing a target list and also videos this morning they targeted mission storehouses a damascus international airport in teds inside its logistic compounds other sites that is why claims to ukrainian forces now it has been discredited by security officials of one of the largest operations on syrian soil in decades and one of the army spokesperson has said that it will send back ukrainian forces at least by a couple of months now this comes of course after weeks of tensions after let's israeli as strikes on targets in syria over the past months and the israeli army had warned of an imminent strike just a few days ago tony when you look at this being the largest operation as israeli

defense officials are saying in syria in code decades how concerned is israel right now about mission creep that should israel continue its strikes on syria it will get drawn deeper and deeper into the war that's been going on there for eight years now. one of the primary targets here is iran and its presence in syria and that has been the montreal prime minister netanyahu for many months now i mean doing oldest civil war in syria israel has set its own red lines mainly when it comes to weapon transfers to have been as israel's army has never commented on that but right now what is the main concern for israel is the rain in expansion as they call it and they see that evolve is settling their own military installations and that's what they want to stop now the israeli defense minister has said that he hopes this round of exchange of violence is over you says that many military

targets infrastructure so there is talk of the army has said to residents on the occupied golan heights to do to go about their normal daily lives it was to be open but of course there are conflicting interests from all sides and it's still to see whether this will deter all sides from taking more action or if there's more to follow thomas thanks so much for bringing us up to date on all this from jerusalem donna crime or force there all the french president among them across says president trump's decision to quit the iran nuclear deal is quote a mistake he made the comments while in germany to receive the prestigious charlemagne prize now it is given every year to an individual who has made a special contribution to unity and here now ahead of today's ceremony the french president sat down with the wu and with the public broadcaster e r d for this exclusive interview. you tried to to

a save the air india and nuclear deal when you were in washington why did you fail . i think the most important thing is to maintain stability and peace and middle east i'm in washington and i have said this by the way i had understood that president trump wanted to. leave agreement from two thousand and fifteen and during our joint press conference i had suggested that we work on a broader framework and i am very sorry about his decision i think it is a mistake and this is why we europeans have decided like we reiterated yesterday to remain within the agreement from two thousand and fifteen as i reminded president of wanny we negotiated and signed this agreement and it allows us to control the nuclear defense activity in iran until two thousand and twenty five but this

agreement needs to be completed if. you are saying that the europeans are going to try to remain in in the agreement and adopt it but what does it really mean without the united states what is it rusts without them is their proposal that sufficient for iran and this is going to be our topic in the coming weeks and months and it's the mandate that we gave our foreign ministers in the e.u. and iran. because. what are you going to be able to propose while it's the agreement that we signed balls. is everything over a no because one of the signatories draws out but the others are reaffirming that they're committed but i think in any event. it is a pity because we had anticipated and now we can regret his decision bad it's

important that we all remain obsessed by stability and peace in the region. we'll have and we'll have more of that exclusive interview for you what the french president throughout the day. is about to see an historic change of power after a surprise election victory by opposition leader martin mohammed he said to be sworn in as prime minister later today ending more than six decades of rule by the b.n. coalition the defeated incumbent has accepted defeat the new ninety two year old leader is pledging reforms. a stunning political comeback few had predicted that man had to mohamed would pull off an election victory off to coming out of retirement to run. despite nearing his ninety day mattera led an energetic campaign that galvanized malaysians to vote for

his opposition party he set to become the world's oldest prime minister. of course. but. i am still i can see the function young leaders do not have sufficient background so. they need somebody with experience and. not many people with experience. i have. supporters were jubilant as the election results became clear many had thought my tears victory and possible. before this situation . and. cautious about it. a mood for change in the country has ended the sixty year rule of the coalition led

by national braszczok he had been the favorite to win the election despite the emphasis by corruption allegations. but he was defeated by his one time mentor. one hundred years political career spans decades by many as the father of modern malaysia he was prime minister for twenty two years and a world famous politician. under his rule malaysia's economy boomed but critics on him as an author were tarion with little regard for human rights. violently he jailed his deputy prime minister by him and nine hundred ninety eight he called for reforms but in a twist of this election i had to has said he will hand over power to abraham and to yes but malaysians will have to wait and see if this ambitious political veteran who would really be ready to retire for good. now for some of the other stories

making the news this hour is a most prisoners at a high security jail near indonesia's capital jakarta have killed five police officers they took officers auster in a prison riot for good by. police say they resolve the crisis after a tense stand off so-called islamic faith claimed its fighters were involved in that violence. down from his nominee to head the cia has a valve that the agency would never avert to harsh interrogation methods under her leadership gina housefull facing tough questioning during her senate confirmation hearing because of her role running a covert detention site where waterboarding which is illegal internationally was used senior republican senator john mccain as urged his call heads to reject or driven or if you're just joining us here at the w. here's one of the stories we're following for you three american prisoners released by north korea have deplaned at andrews air force base where u.s.

president all from greeted them the prisoner release comes during the build up to a storage summit with the u.s. the trio includes a christian missionary and two men arrested while teaching at the foreign funded yang university of science and technology the men spent one to two years in north korean prisons for alleged and he stayed until the. president from describe their release as a very exciting and as a gesture of goodwill on behalf of north korea. well here's what the president had to say as the three men arrived home. my proudest achievement will be this is a part of it but will be when we need nuclear just that entire prodigious this is what people have been waiting for for a long time nobody thought we could be on this track in terms of speed so i'm very honored to have helped the brief says that great way to read it you know i got and

i got to speak to him on the plane these are great people they've been through a lot but it's it's a great honor but the great and the true honor is going to be if we have a victory in getting rid of nuclear weapons you know. the u.s. president there just moments ago let's recap that story for you for you three american prisoners released by north korea have landed at andrews air force base where president trump green them prisoner release coming during the build up to that expected historic summit between the united states and communist north korea the trio includes a christian missionary and two men arrested while teaching at the foreign funded gang and university of science and technology the men spent one to two years in north korean prisons some of them very difficult prisons for alleged antics their activities present from describe the police as a very exciting and as a gesture of goodwill on behalf of north korea.

this is d.w. news live from berlin we have more coming up for you at the top of the hour including more on the prisoner release and will have more on our exclusive interview as well with president mock from the french president with d.w. you can also get more on these stories and others at our website w dot com and don't forget you can always get more with our app as well you can don't download that app from google play or the apple store for now though i'm brian thomas for the entire news team thanks so much for joining us we have see you again at the top of the hour. the. truth. is. the. truth.

of. the.

come. on the scene the scene. using sadness to. never let me close to the action project is the only one of its kind blake years ago months of sadness come to him by the forces of nature they help to protect the coast subtract the planet would come tomorrow to the next.

an exclusive interview with the french president. blah blah is stirring up france europe and the world. the rising star of global politics the interview the bomb. w.'s program guide. highlights. dot com highlights. where i come from we have to fight for a free press and was born and raised in a military dictatorship with just one to be shadow and if your newspapers when official information as a journalist i have work all the strength of many characters and their problems are almost the same fourteen social inequality a lack of the freedom of the press and corruption we can afford to stay silent when

it comes to the fans of the humans on the scene or why the poles who have decided to put their trust in us. may name is jenny harrison i work a day w. . you don't you need to chill orange today coming up. this month how green one could profit from climate change. to mention bike frames from a three g. printer. and.