US President Donald Trump has welcomed home three Americans released by North Korea after detaining for more than a year. Mr Trump said it was a "special night for these really great people" as they arrived at the Andrews Air Force Base near Washington. Mr Trump and his wife Melania entered the plane after it arrived at about 02:45 local time today and a few minutes later emerged with the three men to wave to the media.

The White House said the trio had been freed as a gesture of goodwill ahead of the planned meeting between Mr Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. The president said he appreciated that Mr Kim had allowed the men to leave as frankly the US did not think that was going to happen before the meeting.

The men, Kim Dong Chul, Kim Hak Song and Tony Kim, were released yesterday amid a warming of relations between the longtime adversaries. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo secured their release in Pyongyang after meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on final plans for a Trump-Kim summit.