India recorded 43,654 new coronavirus cases, 47 per cent higher than yesterday when fresh cases dipped below 30,000 for the first time in nearly four months; around 50 per cent of India's new Covid cases have been reported from Kerala; Mamata Banerjee met with Congress president Sonia Gandhi and party leader Rahul Gandhi in Delhi amid opposition moves to join forces for a united fight in the 2024 national election; and other top stories.