Breaking news highlights: Jharkhand reports 3,704 new Covid cases, 4 more deaths

With the shutting of Delhi government schools due to the surge in Covid-19 cases, an order has been issued to distribute dry ration kits amongst all the students, in the form of mid-day meals. 

The Election Commission has increased expenditure limit for candidates contesting Assembly, Lok Sabha polls.

President Joe Biden said Thursday that the United States and the rest of the world were locked in a battle between democracy and authoritarianism, in a speech marking one year since the assault on the US Capitol.

"We're living at an inflection point in history, both at home and abroad. We're engaged anew in a struggle between democracy and autocracy," he said.

"I will allow no one to place a dagger at the throat of democracy," Biden said at the Capitol. "I will stand in this breach. I will defend this nation."

Maharashtra reported 36,265 new Covid cases and 13 deaths on Thursday. State's Omicron tally has climbed to 876.

Mumbai's Dharavi reports 107 new Covid-19 infections, the highest ever spike in a day; Case tally at 7,626, says Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot tests positive for the Covid-19 disease, he informs in a tweet.

Delhi reports 15,097 new Covid cases, 6 deaths; positivity rate at 15.37%

Kazakhstan on Thursday set fuel price limits on liquid petroleum gas (LPG) for six months, the government said, after a New Year increase triggered protests that boiled over into mass unrest.

The government said in a statement it took the "urgent" measure to "stabilise the socio-economic situation" in the Central Asian country, where LPG is widely used to fuel cars. Unrest over the price hike led to clashes with police that reportedly left dozens dead.

Centre writes to states to ensure setting up of district, sub-district control rooms for Covid-19 management with adequate staff, doctors, infrastructure, monitoring of beds availability, making outbound calls to patients in home isolation.

Union Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya meets doctors and health workers who have tested positive for Covid-19 at AIIMS Delhi. “Many of our doctors, health workers have been affected with Covid-19 while serving patients, I pray for their good health," said the minister.

Delhi high court declines to postpone the UPSC mains exam scheduled from tomorrow. The court said that it was not inclined to interfere with the schedule of the exam. 

As many as 125 passengers of an international chartered flight from Italy have tested positive for Covid-19 on arrival at Amritsar airport.

At least 12 dead, 353 wounded among security forces in Kazakh unrest, reports news agency AFP.

Australia has agreed to delay world number one Novak Djokovic's deportation, says the sportsperson's lawyer.

The main conspirator and creator of ‘Bulli Bai’ on GitHub and the primary Twitter account holder with the same name has been held by Delhi Police's Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations unit (IFSO) from Assam. The accused's name is Niraj Bishnoi aged 21 and he is a second-year BTech student from VIT, Bhopal, DCP KPS Malhotra said.  The police team with the arrested youth will reach Delhi at 3.30pm.

President Ram Nath Kovind has expressed concern on the security breach matter during PM Narendra Modi's Punjab visit on Wednesday. PM Modi will meet the President shortly.

Main conspirator in ‘Bulli Bai’ app case arrested by Delhi Police’s IFSO special cell from Assam, ANI reported.

Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain said on Thursday that the national capital is in “comfortable position” in terms of hospital bed occupancy, according to PTI. He added that there is no need for a lockdown in the state at the moment.

Maharashtra health department said on Thursday that it has stopped genome sequencing after 55 per cent of Covid-19 samples confirm Omicron, ANI reported. An order for a fresh sero-survey in the state is awaited.

Union home secretary Ajay Bhalla will hold a review meeting this evening over the rising Covid-19 cases in Delhi-NCR.

The supreme court will hear a petition on Friday seeking probe into PM Modi's security breach in Punjab on Wednesday. The CJI has asked petitioners to serve a copy on the Centre and the Punjab government today. Notably, the petition has been filed by an organisation called ‘Lawyer’s Voice'.

Punjab government has constituted a two-member high-level committee to probe security lapses during PM Modi's visit to the state on Wednesday.

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati has been declared a containment zone after as many as 60 Covid-19 cases were detected on its campus, news agency ANI reported citing an order.