Jan 08: Day-long fast against merger of Vijaya Bank; MLC Ivan D'Souza
Mangaluru, Jan 6: Congress leader Ivan D'Souza will undertake a day-long fast Tuesday against the merger of Vijaya Bank with the Bank of Baroda.
D'Souza told reporters here Sunday that the merger decision had challenged the self-respect of the people of Dakshina Kannada where Vijaya bank started its operations.
Vijaya bank, which began with the vision of helping farmers and the poorer sections of society, was earning profits during the last two years and had declared dividends to its customers in 2017, the MLC said.
The BJP representative of Dakshina Kannada in parliament had not raised their voice against the merger, he claimed.
The Congress would also hold protests against the merger in front of all the branches of Vijaya Bank here in co-operation with its employees on January 10, D'Souza said.
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ISRO launches its heaviest satellite on ‘Bahubali’ rocket
Bengaluru: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Wednesday successfully launched its heaviest satellite to date, marking a major milestone in India’s space programme.
According to a report published by The New Indian Express, the Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM3)-M6 rocket lifted off with the 6.10-tonne BlueBird-6 Block-2 communication satellite of US-based AST SpaceMobile (AST and Science, LLC) and released it accurately in the 518.50 km altitude circular Low Earth Orbit (LEO).
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The launch took place at 8.55 am and the satellite released in its orbit at 9.11 am in what ISRO scientists described as a “textbook launch”.
ISRO Chairman V Narayanan reportedly said this was the third commercial launch using the LVM3 rocket and the first time it was used exclusively for a foreign communication satellite. He said that this mission was also the ninth launch mission of the LVM3, with all launches so far being successful.
Until now, ISRO’s heaviest launch was the 4.40-tonne GSAT-7R satellite placed in orbit in November 2025 for the Indian Navy. The BlueBird-6 satellite now surpasses that record, making it the heaviest payload launched by ISRO.
Explaining the BlueBird Block-2 Mission, the team said the satellite, which will be a part of a constellation of other similar satellites under the mission will provide faster 4G and 5G services and video calls. It also aims at enhancing network connectivity with locations where there were hassles earlier. AST SpaceMobile has launched five satellites, Bluebird 1-5 in September 2024, which provide continuous coverage across the US and other select countries.
As per the report, the LVM3-M6 has injected the satellite in the 518.50 km circular LEO orbit at a 53-degree inclination to the equator. It is just 1.5 km lower than the designated orbit, and is considered accurate. This precise placement is also an achievement marked by the ISRO team, said Narayanan.
The satellite had arrived at Sriharikota in October, and the launch was earlier postponed due to technical reasons before being successfully carried out on December 24, officials said.
