While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, Feb 8, 2025
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Hostages (clockwise from top left) Or Levy, Ohad Ben Ami, and Eli Sharabi will be handed over on Feb 8.
PHOTOS: REUTERS
Hamas names hostages to be freed after accusing Israel of breaching ceasefire
Hamas on Feb 7 announced the names of three Israeli hostages to be released on Feb 8 in exchange for Palestinian prisoners after a delay that underlined the obstacles hanging over a fragile deal meant to end the war in Gaza.
Ohad Ben Ami and Eli Sharabi, both taken hostage from Kibbutz Be’eri during the cross-border Hamas-led attack on Oct 7, 2023, and Or Levy, abducted that day from the Nova music festival, will be handed over on Feb 8, Hamas said.
The Hamas prisoners’ media office said Israel was expected to free 183 Palestinians in exchange, including 18 who have been serving life sentences, 54 serving long sentences and 111 who were detained in the Gaza Strip during the war.
Trump says US and Japan will work to cut trade deficit as he greets Ishiba
US President Donald Trump welcomed Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba at the White House on Feb 7 and said the two countries would work to cut Washington’s trade deficit with Tokyo amid escalating trade tensions threatening to rupture the global economy.
“We love Japan!” Trump said as he greeted Ishiba and the two shook hands. Trump later told reporters at they sat together in the Oval Office that the two countries would work together to get US trade deficit with Japan down to “even.”
“Should be pretty easy to do,” he said. “I don’t think we’ll have any problem whatsoever. They want fairness too.” According to latest US trade data, Japan’s 2024 goods trade surplus was US$68.5 billion (S$92.83 billion) compared with US$71.6 billion in 2023.
Dozens fall sick aboard Royal Caribbean cruise ship
About 90 passengers and crew on a Royal Caribbean cruise in the Gulf of Mexico have fallen sick with a gastrointestinal illness causing diarrhea and vomiting, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“Radiance of the Seas” departed Tampa, Florida, on Feb 8 for a seven-day cruise around the western Caribbean, planning to visit ports in Mexico, Honduras and Belize, according to Cruisemapper.com. An outbreak of a gastrointestinal illness was reported to the CDC’s vessel sanitation program on Tuesday.
The Miami-based Royal Caribbean did not immediately return a request for comment.
Live poultry markets in New York City, suburbs shut after bird flu detected
Authorities in New York state have temporarily closed all live poultry markets in New York City and three suburban counties after bird flu was detected at seven markets within the past week, according to a notice on as authorities nationwide track the current bird flu outbreak, including the state’s website.
Bird flu has also infected about two-thirds of the dairy herds in California, the biggest milk-producing state, and nearly 70 people since April.
In New York state, the five-day closure of live poultry markets in New York City and three counties–Westchester, Suffolk and Nassau–will allow them to be cleaned and disinfected to help prevent spread of the disease, New York Governor Kathy Hochul said in a statement.
Luka Doncic expected to make Lakers’ debut on Feb 10
Five-time All-NBA guard Luka Doncic is expected to make his debut with the Los Angeles Lakers on Feb 10 against the visiting Utah Jazz.
The Lakers host the Indiana Pacers on Saturday, but coach JJ Redick said he wasn’t counting on playing Doncic, who is making his way back from a calf injury.
“Probably more likely Monday,” Redick said Feb 6 night. “No commitment made on anything, but probably trending more toward Monday.”
