Ajuede.com

A woman mourns after seeing the body of her son who died due to COVID-19, outside a mortuary of a hospital in New Delhi [Adnan Abidi/Reuters] India has recorded more than 4,000 COVID-19 deaths for a second straight day, while infections stayed below 400,000 for a fourth day, as the virus rampages the rural areas where cases can go unreported due to a lack of testing. According to the health ministry’s data on Thursday, India reported 362,727 new COVID-19 infections over the last 24 hours, with the total caseload now at 23.7 million. Deaths climbed by 4,120, taking the death toll to 258,317. Health experts believe the actual numbers could be five to 10 times higher. The vicious second wave of the virus that erupted in February has left families weeping over the dead in rural hospitals or camp in wards to tend the sick, as hospitals remain inundated and medical staff overwhelmed. Crematoriums and mortuaries are cramped, with dead bodies piling up. Nearly 100 bodies washed up on the banks

I Iranian flag waves in front of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) headquarters, before the beginning of a board of governors meeting, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Vienna, Austria, March 1, 2021. (photo credit: REUTERS/LISI NIESNER/FILE PHOTO) Hamas and PIJ officials have told Egyptian, Qatari and other mediators that they would be ready to stop their attacks on Israel once Israel stops its military offensive in the Gaza Strip.  Despite the belligerent statements of  Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) over the past three days, the two groups are nevertheless believed to be looking for a way to end the fighting with Israel. But Hamas and PIJ know that they can’t reach any deal with Israel without the blessing of their patrons in  Iran . In the past few days, Hamas and PIJ leaders spoke to Iranian officials about the latest flare-up of violence. It is unclear, however, whether Tehran is interested at this stage in a ceasefire. Hamas leader Ismail

Biden climate czar John Kerry again categorically denied giving Iran foreign minister Javad Zarif information on U.S. operations in Syria, albeit with some deflection and hemming and hawing. "Uh, right now, I don't have a relationship with foreign minister," Kerry began when Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., pressed the former secretary of state on his past relationship with Zarif  during testimony  Wednesday before the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Perry reminded Kerry the question was not about now, but before, amid reports Zarif boasted Kerry had warned him about Israeli operations in Syria. "I would characterize it as professional," Kerry said, when redirected by Perry to expound on his past relationship. Then, Perry pointedly asked: "Mr. Secretary, the foreign minister, claimed that you had discussed more than 200 israeli operations against Iranian-backed terrorists in Syria. Did you provide information to Mr. Zarif on Israeli operations against Iranian-back