As per the World Health Organization (WHO), the new Omicron coronavirus strain found in 63 countries will surpass Delta in spreading speed.

"As of December 9, 2021, cases of human infections with this variant have been identified in 63 countries across all six WHO regions," read the overview by the WHO, reported Sputnik.

It is not clear yet, why the new strain is spreading so fast, the organization added.

Three more states — Andhra Pradesh, Chandigarh and Kerala — reported their first case of Omicron on Sunday. Maharashtra and Karnataka also reported one more case each, taking the total in the country to 38.

While a 20-year-old fully vaccinated man from Italy was detected in Chandigarh with Omicron, a 34-year-old foreign traveller from Ireland tested positive for the new variant in Visakhapatnam. In Kerala, a person who returned from the UK on December 6 to Ernakulam, was identified as the first patient.

Rice export prices in India this week slipped to their lowest since December 2016 as a weaker rupee allowed exporters to cut rates amid climbing local supply from fresh crops.

Top exporter India’s 5 percent broken parboiled variety was quoted at $351-$356 per tonne, down from $353-$358 last week.

India's top oil and gas producer ONGC is seeking a minimum price of USD 3.5-4 for the natural gas it plans to produce from coal seams in Jharkhand and a field in Tripura.

Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has issued separate tenders seeking buyers of 0.02 million standard cubic meters per day of coal-bed methane (CBM) it plans to produce from the North Karanpura CBM block in Jharkhand and 0.1 mmscmd from Khubal field in Tripura.

The Telangana government and the Centre are at loggerheads over the upcoming coal block auction. Being the majority owner of Singareni Collieries Company (SCCL), Telangana wants the Centre to keep out four blocks coming in the entity’s area from the auction.

Against the auction move, around 41,000 employees representing trade unions had gone on a three-day strike from Thursday to Saturday.

The national capital recorded its coldest night of the season on Thursday with the temperature dipping to 8.3 degrees Celcius, the India Meteorological Department said.

An official of the weather agency told ANI, Last night was the coldest in Delhi with the temperature plummeting to 8.3 degrees Celsius. It was the coldest night of this season till now.

With 7,992 people testing positive for the coronavirus in a day, India's COVID-19 tally climbed to 3,46,682,736, while the number of active cases declined to 93,277, the lowest in 559 days, according to Union health ministry data updated on Saturday.

The death toll mounted to 4,75,128 with the addition of 393 fatalities, according to the data updated at 8 am.

After farmers suspended their agitation against the three farm laws, they have started vacating Delhi borders where they have been stationed for more than a year. They have dismantled their settlements, removed tarpaulins, tied bales of clothes and now are in the process of returning home.

The farmers will take out victory march to celebrate their success of repeal of the farm laws.

The mortal remains of four Indian Air Force personnel and two Indian Army soldiers who died in the military helicopter crash near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu earlier this week has been completed.

Thirteen of the 14 people on board the Mi-17V5 helicopter, including India's first chief of defence staff (CDS), his wife Madhulika Rawat were among those killed after it crashed on December 8.

Delhi air quality became toxic on Saturday, deteriorating further after it had slightly improved in the previous days. Meanwhile, the Commission on Air Quality Management (CAQM) informed the Supreme Court on Friday that it inspected 1,534 places and issued an immediate closure notice to 228 industrial units to curb air pollution in Delhi-NCR.

The Air Quality Index (AQI) of the national capital was 310 --'poor'-- at 8 am, according to the state-run System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR). Readings below 50 are considered safe, while anything above 300 is considered hazardous or 'severe'.

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