WORLD BRIEFING: March 2, 2024

Many of the people treated for injuries following a rush on an aid convoy in Gaza on Thursday suffered gunshot wounds, the UN has said. UN observers visited Gaza City's al-Shifa Hospital and saw some of the roughly 200 people still being treated. Hamas, which governs Gaza, has accused Israel of firing at civilians, but Israel said there was a "stampede" after its troops fired warning shots. Leaders from around the world have called for a full investigation - BBC

The United States will begin air dropping food aid to the people of Gaza, President Joe Biden announced Friday, as the humanitarian crisis deepens and Israel continues to resist opening additional land crossings to allow more assistance into the war-torn strip. Speaking in the Oval Office, Biden said the US would be “pulling out every stop” to get additional aid into Gaza, which has been under heavy bombardment by Israel since the October 7 Hamas terror attacks. “Aid flowing to Gaza is nowhere nearly enough,” the US president said, noting that “hundreds of trucks” should be entering the enclave - CNN

Russia launched a wave of drone strikes early on March 2 on three Ukrainian regions -- Odesa, Mykolayiv, and Kharkiv -- killing at least three people, wounding several others, and causing material damage, regional officials said. The Black Sea port city of Odesa sustained the most serious attack, with drones striking a high-rise residential building, regional governor Oleh Kiper and Mayor Hennadiy Trukhanov said. Two people were killed and seven were wounded, they added. Trukhanov said on Telegram that there may still be people under the rubble and that several residents are unaccounted for - RFE/RL

At least 120 people were arrested in Russia for taking part in rallies to honor the memory of Aleksei Navalny, who was buried in Moscow on March 1 following his suspicious death in an Arctic prison last month, as some Russian regions declared the late opposition politician's name an "extremist symbol." Navalny was laid to rest in a cemetery near his childhood home in Moscow as tens of thousands of supporters defiantly risked reprisals from the authorities as police kept them from joining in the services. Relatives and close associates were allowed to be present at the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God for a brief funeral ceremony for President Vladimir Putin's most prominent foe before the burial in nearby Borisovskoye Cemetery - RFE/RL

A day after parliamentary election concluded in Iran, hard-liners are leading in initial vote counting in the capital of Tehran, state media reported Saturday. State-run IRNA news agency and state TV said 1,960 from 5,000 ballots in Tehran have been counted so far, based on an interior ministry report which is updated hourly. Officials have not yet released the total voter turnout. However, IRNA said it was 41%, based on unofficial reports - AP.

This review is reprinted with the author’s permission from his World Briefing blog.