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The Israeli military says eight hostages have been handed over to the Red Cross in Gaza as part of a third release of hostages since a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas began on 19 January.

Agam Berger, a 20-year-old soldier, was freed first in northern Gaza and is now back in Israel.

The Israeli military said seven more hostages have now been handed to the Red Cross in Gaza.

It is thought two of the seven were Israelis 29-year-old Arbel Yehud and 80-year-old Gadi Moses - while the five others were foreign nationals, believed to be Thai.

Israel will later release 110 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons as part of the exchange, according to Hamas.

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An American Airlines flight carrying dozens of passengers has collided with a military helicopter as it approached Washington DC's Ronald Reagan National Airport.

The plane then crashed into the Potomac River, officials said, and boats and divers are searching the water for survivors.

The Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet - carrying 60 passengers and four crew members - collided with the helicopter as it was approaching the runway at around 21:00 EST (02:00 GMT) on Wednesday.

The plane was coming from Wichita, Kansas, according to the airline.

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President Trump has signed an executive order to set up a 30,000-person facility for undocumented migrants in Guantanamo Bay in Cuba.

Donald Trump said the facility - which is separate to the high-security US military prison also located there - will be used to house "criminal illegal aliens" that are deemed to pose a public safety risk in the US.

Cuba's government swiftly condemned the announcement, accusing the US of torture and illegal detention on "occupied" land on the island.

The US administration's new border tsar, Tom Homan, said that an existing migrant detention centre at the base would be expanded amid an increase in migrant detentions and deportations during the Trump administration.

Trump's announcement came as he signed an Act into law requiring undocumented immigrants who are arrested for theft or violent crimes to be held in jail pending trial.

The US has already been using a facility in Guantanamo - known as the Guantanamo Migrant Operations Center - for decades. In a 2024 report, the International Refugee Assistance Project accused the US government of secretly holding migrants there in "inhumane" conditions indefinitely after detaining them at sea.

Clive Myrie presents BBC News at Ten reporting by Sarah Smith in Washington.

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President Donald Trump's health secretary pick, Robert F Kennedy Jr, has faced hours of grilling from a committee US senators.

A vocal vaccine sceptic, RFK Jr told the hearing that he is pro-vaccine and defended previous comments on the issue.

The hearing was interrupted twice by shouting protesters. But he received a loud applause when he promised to make America healthy again.

Some public health experts have praised his stance on combatting the proliferation of ultra-processed food.

If he is confirmed, RFK Jr will lead the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees everything from food safety to medical research.

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Today, the UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves gave her support to expanding Heathrow Airport to include a third runway.

Reeves also backed expansions at Luton and Gatwick airports, as well as a "growth corridor" between Oxford and Cambridge, which she claimed could be "Europe's Silicon Valley".

Other projects announced today include a major redevelopment of Old Trafford, the area around a new stadium for Manchester United, and a plan to bring Doncaster/Sheffield airport back into use and boost industry at East Midlands airport.

Adam Fleming is joined by the BBC's political editor Chris Mason, the BBC's chief economics correspondent Dharshini David and Policy and Analysis correspondent at BBC Verify Ben Chu.

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Rebels have reportedly taken over much of the key city of Goma in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, following three days of intense fighting between M23 rebels and the army and its allies.

Rwanda has been accused of backing the Tutsi-led M23 rebel group in recent months, but the neighbouring country has denied giving the rebels any direct military support.

Kenyan leader William Ruto had invited DR Congo President Félix Tshisekedi and his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame to a virtual summit aimed at ending the fighting, later on Wednesday.

But state media said Tshisekedi will not take part in the regionally brokered talks.

Rwandan government spokeswoman Yolande Makolo said Rwanda would take part in the summit, but did not say whether Kagame would attend.

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Israel has named the three Israeli hostages set to be released on Thursday under the terms of the ceasefire deal with Hamas.

The trio to be released in the third exchange have been named as Arbel Yehoud, 29, Agam Berger, 19, and 80-year-old Gadi Moses.

As part of this deal 110 Palestinians are being released from Israeli jails, about 30 of which are believed to be women and children.

Five unnamed Thai nationals are also set to be released on Thursday in a separate deal.

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Authorities say at least 30 people have died and a further 60 were injured in a crowd crush in India’s northern city of Prayagraj at the Kumbh Mela festival.

India Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah have expressed condolences for the victims of the crush, acknowledging the loss of lives.

The Kumbh Mela - which lasts for over six weeks - is believed to be the largest religious gathering on earth, drawing tens of millions of Hindus from around the world. Up to 100 million people were expected to attend the bathing day at the festival.

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UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves has confirmed that the government is officially backing plans for a third runway at Heathrow Airport.

Reeves said the runway is “badly needed’ and could create 100,000 jobs at the London airport.

The plans received parliamentary approval in June 2018, but have been stuck in limbo after legal challenges ever since.

Reeves invited Heathrow to submit plans to expand the airport, but promised the government would only sign them off if "in line with legal environmental and climate objectives".

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Aid agencies have described a catastrophic situation in northern Gaza, where more than 300,000 displaced Palestinians have so far returned to their neighbourhoods under the ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas.

A United Nations official told the BBC there was a "massive, massive effort ahead" to ensure that key services were provided to those returning north.

The UN says almost 70% of buildings across Gaza have been destroyed or badly damaged by Israeli bombardment, and that in most cases the displaced have no physical homes to return to in the north.

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