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Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) has signed six agreements with four countries for launching foreign satellites during 2021-23. Its commercial arm New Space India Ltd inked the pacts for launching the satellites by India’s mainstay rocket PSLV, Union space minister Jitendra Singh said.

In a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, Singh also informed that about 132 million euros will be earned through launches of these foreign satellites on a commercial basis.

In another written reply, the minister said that from 1999 to till date, a total of 342 foreign satellites belonging to 34 countries have been successfully launched on board PSLV on a commercial basis. He said that through launches of these foreign satellites, India has earned a foreign exchange revenue of approx $35 million and 10 million euros during the last three years (2019 to 2021). The types of foreign satellites that were launched include satellites primarily for earth observation, scientific and technology demonstration purposes.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday that the Omicron variant of coronavirus is spreading at a rate not seen with any previous variant. \

In a media briefing, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director general of WHO, said, "77 countries have now reported cases of Omicron, and the reality is that Omicron is probably in most countries, even if it hasn't been detected yet. Omicron is spreading at a rate we have not seen with any previous variant." Meanwhile, the UK's health minister said the omicron variant is spreading so rapidly that it has the potential to overwhelm Britain's hospitals. He also highlighted the need to strengthen coronavirus restrictions and speed up the delivery of booster vaccine shots. Watch this report to know all the updates related to Omicron variant of coronavirus.

Senior Opposition leaders such as the Congress’s Mallikarjun Kharge and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar may collectively urge Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu to take the initiative to end the logjam in RS over the suspension of 12 MPs, a meeting chaired by Congress president Sonia Gandhi decided on Tuesday.

According to people familiar with the developments, the leaders may also point out to Naidu how his predecessor, Hamid Ansari, often took the lead to end such logjams during his tenure.

The strategy on the Opposition’s way forward in the Upper House, besides the upcoming assembly elections in several states, was decided at a key meeting of leaders of five parties at Gandhi’s residence.

More than 18 Opposition parties have planned a march from Parliament to Vijay Chowk to protest against the suspension of 12 lawmakers from the Rajya Sabha — an issue that has already triggered daily protests inside and outside the Upper House since past two weeks.

The march, to be joined by Opposition leaders of both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, will be held at noon. Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge told media that protests will continue through different forms of Satyagraha. “We have to fight it. We have to tell the people why our people were suspended and how wrongly they have been kept out of the House. Our fight will continue and find other methods like a march or asking all political parties addressing to the press. We will continue our protests through different forms of Satyagraha,” he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi begins his two-day visit to his parliamentary constituency Varanasi on Monday (December 13, 2021). 

On day 1, the Prime Minister will visit the 'Shri Kashi Vishwanath' Temple and offer prayers and will inaugurate the 'Shri Kashi Vishwanath Dham' project. PM Modi is also scheduled to visit the 'Kaal Bhairav' Temple and witness Ganga Aarti while on board a Ro-Ro Vessel.

According to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), PM Modi will visit the 'Kaal Bhairav Temple' at around 12 PM and will then proceed to the 'Shri Kashi Vishwanath' Temple and offer prayers at around 1 PM. Following this, he will inaugurate phase 1 of the Shri Kashi Vishwanath Dham project which is constructed at a cost of around Rs 339 crores.