05 March 2024; MEMO: A member of Hamas’s political leadership has said that the movement “does not know” if the hostages held in Gaza are alive or dead.

“We do not know exactly who is alive and who is dead, whether they were killed by bombing or by famine,” Bassem Naim told AFP from Cairo. “There are captives held by multiple groups and in multiple places.”

Chandigarh, Mar 5 (PTI) Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Tuesday presented the state's budget for the financial year 2024-25 envisaging total outlay of over Rs 2 lakh crore, providing special focus on health and education.

While presenting the budget in the state assembly, he also announced several new initiatives, while earmarking Rs 575 crore for various crop diversification schemes for farmers.

BEIJING, March 5 (Xinhua) -- China seeks to achieve a GDP growth rate of around 5 percent for 2024, the latest signal that the world's second-largest economy is committed to high-quality development despite uncertainties at home and abroad.

The projected goal, which remains unchanged from the previous year's growth target, is one of the key development objectives unveiled in the government work report delivered by Premier Li Qiang to the national legislature, which began its annual session Tuesday.

04 March 2024; MEMO: Turkiye’s annual inflation exceeded expectations and jumped to above 67 per cent in February, official data showed on Monday, maintaining pressure for tight monetary policy amid strong rises in food, hotel and education prices, Daily Sabah reports.

According to the report, measured in the consumer price index (CPI), inflation surged to 67.07 per cent over 12 months ending in February, the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) said.

03 March 2024; MEMO: Pope Francis on Sunday urged efforts to reach a cease-fire in Gaza, saying, “Enough, please”, Anadolu reports.

“I carry in my heart with pain the suffering the people of Palestine and Israel,” the pontiff said in his weekly Angelus message.

He called for an end to the conflict, saying the immense destruction causes pain and has terrible consequences for the small and defenseless.

03 March 2024; MEMO: The United Nations children’s agency UNICEF warned Sunday of rising child deaths in the Gaza Strip as Israeli offensive and siege on the territory continues, Anadolu reports.

At least 15 Palestinian children died from dehydration and malnutrition at the Kamal Adwan Hospital in the northern Gaza Strip as Israel tightened a crippling blockade on the area, according to local health authorities.

03 March 2024; MEMO: The Israeli attack on people waiting to receive humanitarian aid on Thursday morning, which killed 118 Palestinians and injured over 750 others, was orchestrated by Tel Aviv and involved local Palestinian entrepreneurs to show a genuine humanitarian aid delivery, media reports said on Sunday, Anadolu reports.

01 March 2024; MEMO: The New York Times is facing criticism following doubts raised over the accuracy of a story published in December regarding allegations of sexual violence perpetrated by Hamas, Anadolu Agency reports.

Controversy has erupted over one of the reporters involved in contributing to the story.

29 February 2024; MEMO:Israeli National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, voiced support, Thursday, for Israeli soldiers after a shooting left more than 100 Palestinians dead as they were waiting for humanitarian aid in Gaza City, Anadolu Agency reports.

“We must give complete support to our heroic fighters operating in Gaza, who acted excellently against a Gazan mob that tried to harm them,” Ben-Gvir said in a statement.

29 February 2024; MEMO: The French Foreign Ministry declared on Thursday that there was no justification for Israeli soldiers who shot and killed over 100 Palestinians queuing to receive humanitarian aid in Gaza, Anadolu Agency reported.

03 March 2024; MEMO: Russia, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Algeria have announced further cuts in oil production cuts. All are members of the OPEC+ group of petroleum producing states.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said on Sunday that Russia will reduce its oil production by 471,000 barrels per day by the end of the second quarter of 2024.

01 March 2024; MEMO: Seven hostages who have been held in Gaza were killed as a result of the Israeli military’s bombardment of the enclave, Abu Obaida, the spokesperson for Hamas’s armed wing, Al-Qassam Brigades, said on Friday, Reuter’s reports.

It was not immediately clear when the seven died.