World News: Israeli hostage bodies set to be returned

This is the World Now, bringing you the latest stories from around the globe.

In the Middle East, Hamas is set to return the bodies of four Israeli hostages, including a mother and her two young sons, as part of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.

Hamas confirmed the identities of the four bodies on Wednesday ahead of returning them to Israel on Thursday.

They include Shiri Bibas, aged 32, and her two young boys, 4, and 9 months old, who, for many Israelis, have come to symbolize the plight of those taken as hostages.

The family had been abducted during the October 2023 attacks on southern Israel and had since been held captive.

In addition, the body of 83-year-old retired journalist Oded Lifshitz is also set to be returned.

The developments are part of the initial phase of a ceasefire agreement, which includes the release of 6 living Israeli hostages on Saturday, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the nation was "torn," ahead of the return of the bodies.

NATO has begun its largest military exercise of the year, Steadfast Dart 2025, in Romania, aimed at enhancing the alliance's rapid deployment capabilities along its eastern border.

NATO's largest combat exercise involves approximately 10,000 military personnel, from nine NATO member countries, including the United Kingdom and Spain.

Exercises take place across Romania, Bulgaria, and Greece over six weeks, focusing on testing the readiness and interoperability of NATO's Allied Reaction Force.

The ARF was established in July 2024 and is designed for deployment within ten days, integrating conventional forces with cyber and space-based technologies.

NATO's most powerful member, the U.S., is not involved, reflecting a shift toward Europe's self-reliance in defense.

This comes amid uncertainties regarding the U.S. commitment to European security under President Donald Trump's administration.

In the United States, Cameron County in Texas, has approved an election to determine whether SpaceX's launch site and surrounding areas, will be incorporated as the city of Starbase.

The vote is scheduled for May 3, with early voting set to begin on April 22. It will include residents living near the Boca Chica launch facility.

A petition initiated in December last year garnered over 70 signatures, primarily from SpaceX employees, meeting the state's requirements for incorporation. If the measure passes, Starbase would become the newest city in Cameron County since 1995.

In the Philippines, the Addition Hills village in Mandaluyong City has launched a program, offering residents a bounty for captured mosquitoes.

The initiative, introduced on Wednesday, aims to combat the rising cases of dengue fever in the densely populated capital region, by offering one Philippine peso, which is less than two U.S. cents, for every five dead or alive mosquitoes or larvae turned in.

The strategy was implemented following a significant increase in dengue cases in the country,

with over 28,000 reported nationwide as of February 1, marking a 40% rise compared to last year.

Choi Chi-hee, Arirang News.