Highlights: Brazil confirms 3rd Omicron case, reports AP

Health officials on Wednesday confirmed Brazil's third case of the Omicron coronavirus variant as the government examined possible new measures to contain the virus, reported news agency AP.

The emergence of the Omicron variant has understandably captured global attention. At least 23 countries from five of six WHO regions have now reported cases of Omicron, and we expect that number to grow: WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesu

“I welcome Manjinder Singh Sirsa to BJP. Placing his trust in the BJP's resolve for the welfare of the Sikh community, under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi, he joined the party. I believe that his joining will further strengthen this resolve,” news agency ANI quoted Union home minister Amit Shah as saying.

A World War II bomb exploded at a construction site next to a busy railway line in Munich on Wednesday, injuring three people, one of them seriously, AP quoted German police as saying.

The Chennai airport on Wednesday slashed RT-PCR test price from ₹900 to ₹700 amid Omicron Covid-19 variant scare. Read more

The Act to repeal farm laws may be called 'Farm Laws Repeal Act, 2021, the Centre said on Wednesday.

It is time for the European Union to "think about mandatory vaccination" against Covid, AFP quoted European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen as saying on Wednesday. 

Shiromani Akali Dal leader and Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee president Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Wednesday joined the BJP in the presence of Union ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, reported news agency ANI.

Nigeria has detected its first case of the omicron coronavirus variant in a sample it collected in October, news agency AP quoted the country’s national public health institute as saying on Wednesday.

The Delhi Police has summoned Rajasthan CM's officer on special duty for interrogation in phone tapping case, reported news agency PTI.

Saudi Arabia has recorded the Gulf's first confirmed case of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus in a citizen returning from North Africa, a health ministry official said Wednesday. Read more

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation on Wednesday said it will notify its decision regarding the date of resumption of scheduled commercial international airline services to/from India in due course. 

It also said that the situation is being closely-watched in view of emergence of new Covid-19 variant.

US and Russian foreign ministers to hold talks on Ukraine, reports AFP citing officials.

“If all regional parties come together, then it will be easy to defeat the Bharatiya Janata Party,” news agency ANI quoted West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee as saying on Wednesday, during an interaction with civil society members in Mumbai.

In Karnataka's Tumkur district, 15 new Covid-19 cases were detected in two nursing colleges, reports ANI citing the district health officer.

The India Meteorological Department has issued a pre-cyclone alert for North Andhra Pradesh and Odisha coast, in which it said that a depression is likely to form on Thursday and is expected to intensify into a cyclonic storm on December 3. It will move further northwest and reach Andhra Pradesh - Odisha coast around December 4 morning.

Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, confirmed its first identified case of the Omicron Covid-19 variant.

In view of the Omicron variant, the Ranchi airport in Jharkhand has begun testing all arriving passengers for Covid-19, reports ANI. 

Delhi government slashed the VAT on petrol from 30% to 19.40% that would reduce petrol prices by ₹8 per litre, reports ANI. The new rates would come in to effect from midnight today.

PM Narendra Modi is set to visit Dehradun, Uttarakhand and lay foundation stone for multiple projects worth around ₹18,000 on December 4, reports ANI citing his office. The Delhi-Dehradun Economic Corridor to be built at a cost of around ₹8300 crore is among the list of projects. 

Former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh and dismissed police officer Sachin Vaze appeared before the Chandiwal Commission, formed to probe corruption allegations made by former Mumbai commissioner Param Bir Singh, reports ANI. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi wished the people of Nagaland on Statehood Day. “On the special occasion of Nagaland’s Statehood Day, greetings to the wonderful people of the state. Naga culture personifies valour and humane values. The people of Nagaland are making rich contributions to India’s growth. I pray for Nagaland’s progress in the years to come,” he tweeted.

A plea has been filed in the Supreme Court against actor Kangana Ranaut that sought future censoring of all social media posts by the actor in order to maintain law and order in the country, reports ANI.

India reports 8,954 new Covid-19 cases and 267 deaths in the last 24 hours. Active caseload fell by 1,520 cases, went below the 100,000-mark and stood at 99,023.

Kashmir police said that two terrorists were killed during the encounter in Qasbayar area of Pulwama, Kashmir. The forces are trying to ascertain the identities of the militants.