1. The Israeli government has announced that some of the living hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip have been released and handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross. The Israeli military says seven hostages have been freed on Monday. This follows a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas that took effect on Friday under a plan proposed by US President Donald Trump. More hostages are expected to be released later in the day. The freed hostages will later be reunited with their families.
2. The Smithsonian Institution has temporarily closed its museums in Washington DC amid the US government shutdown. The Smithsonian had used prior-year funds to remain open since the shutdown began on October 1. But it decided to temporarily close the museums from Sunday, as the shutdown drags on.
3. The 2025 World Expo in Osaka will close on Monday with a ceremony to be attended by Crown Prince and Princess Akishino, Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru and other dignitaries. The Expo opened in April, centering on the theme, “Designing Future Society for Our Lives.” A total of 158 countries and territories as well as seven international organizations have been taking part. The closing ceremony will begin at 2:00 p.m. at the exhibition’s venue on the artificial island of Yumeshima.