NEW DELHI: PM Narendra Modi on Wednesday congratulated Isro after its ‘Bahubali’ rocket LVM-M6 successfully placed US’s new-generation BlueBird Block-2 communication satellite, weighing 6,100 kg, into orbit. It was the heaviest payload to be placed into the low earth orbit (LEO) in LVM3’s launch history — the previous heaviest was the LVM3-M5 communication satellite 03, weighing about 4,400 kg, that was placed into the geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO) on November 2.“A significant stride in India’s space sector. The successful LVM3-M6 launch, placing the heaviest satellite ever launched from Indian soil, the spacecraft of USA, BlueBird Block-2, into its intended orbit, marks a proud milestone in India’s space journey,” PM Modi said in a post on X.The mission marks the 6th operational flight of the LVM3 launch vehicle. It also represents a significant leap in telecommunications technology, as the US payload is designed to provide high-speed 4G and 5G connectivity directly to smartphones.BlueBird Block-2 is the second important US satellite launch from India this year after the Indo-US joint mission’s NISAR, the world’s costliest (around $1.5 billion) and most advanced Earth-imaging satellite. As of late Dec 2025, Isro has launched at least 234 satellites for the US. Since 2015, when India launched the first commercial US satellites on board PSLV-C30, American satellites make up the largest portion of the total 434 foreign satellites launched by Isro, contributing significantly to the nearly $143 million in foreign exchange revenue generated by these launches.Space minister Jitendra Singh also congratulated Isro on the successful launch. “I think it is the moment of glory for the country. It has been possible because of the progress of the last 10 to 12 years (under the PM Narendra Modi-led government). Even though the American satellites were being launched from Sriharikota earlier as well, today’s launch has demonstrated to the world that we have the capacity to launch a satellite as heavy as 6,000 kgs,” he said. Placing a 6-tonne-class satellite into LEO is significant because payload mass has become a key indicator for constellation efficiency in the direct-to-device and hybrid satellite-terrestrial era. Heavier satellites enable higher payload consolidation, fewer orbital assets, simplified phasing, and lower per-user costs when serving mass-market connectivity. From an operator’s perspective, this reduces both capital intensity and operational complexity. India’s demonstrated ability to support such missions meaningfully alters how global satcom players model constellation architecture, insurance exposure, and launch diversification.Commenting on the broader significance, Subba Rao, president of Space Industry Association India, said: “This mission demonstrates that India is now part of the core commercial LEO deployment landscape. The importance lies not only in launch success, but in what it signals about India’s industrial readiness, reliability, and ability to support constellations at scale over time. That confidence is what global operators ultimately build programmes around.”Several industrial units from the Indian private industry have contributed significantly to LVM3 rocket success. Ananth Technologies Pvt Ltd (ATL), a long-standing partner of the Indian Space Programme, said, ‘It is proud to have contributed to this historic mission”. “ATL has been closely associated with the LVM3 programme and has delivered critical flight hardware, avionics systems, electronics, and precision subsystems that play a vital role in mission success,” a company statement said.

The average interest rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage in the US edged slightly lower this week but continued to hover within a narrow range that has prevailed for nearly two months, offering only modest relief to homebuyers.The benchmark long-term mortgage rate slipped to 6.18% from 6.21% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said on Wednesday. A year ago, the average rate stood at 6.85%, according to data cited by the AP.Borrowing costs moved the other way for 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, which are commonly used by homeowners refinancing their loans. The average rate rose to 5.50% from 5.47% a week earlier, compared with 6% a year ago, Freddie Mac said.Mortgage rates are influenced by a range of factors, including the Federal Reserve’s interest-rate decisions and investor expectations around inflation and economic growth. They typically track the 10-year US Treasury yield, which lenders use as a benchmark when pricing home loans.The 10-year Treasury yield stood at 4.15% by midday Wednesday, slightly higher than last week’s 4.12%.Freddie Mac data show that the 30-year mortgage rate has remained largely stable since October 30, when it dipped to 6.17%, its lowest level in more than a year. Rates began easing in July amid expectations of Federal Reserve rate cuts, which started in September and continued this month.While the Fed does not directly set mortgage rates, cuts to short-term rates can signal easing inflation or slower growth, prompting investors to buy US government bonds. That can push down long-term Treasury yields and, in turn, mortgage rates. However, rate cuts do not always lead to lower mortgage borrowing costs.Housing market conditions have improved slightly compared with a year ago. Home listings have risen sharply, and many sellers have lowered asking prices as properties take longer to sell, according to Realtor.com data. Buyers who can pay cash or manage current mortgage rates are in a stronger position than last year.Even so, affordability remains a major hurdle, particularly for first-time buyers without home equity. Economic uncertainty and concerns about the job market are also keeping many prospective buyers on the sidelines.Sales of previously owned US homes rose in November from the previous month, but slowed compared with a year earlier for the first time since May, despite mortgage rates hovering near their lowest levels of the year. Over the first 11 months of the year, home sales were down 0.5% from the same period last year.

NEW DELHI: Congress on Wednesday slammed the Centre’s directions to states to impose a ban on granting new mining leases in the Aravalli range, calling it a “bogus attempt at damage control that will not fool anybody”Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh alleged that despite the fresh directive, “the Aravallis are not being saved, but are being sold out,” he said in a post on X.On Wednesday, the Union environment ministry directed states to impose a complete ban on new mining leases in the Aravallis and expand protected zones, describing it as a major step toward the “conservation and protection.” The directive aims to safeguard the Aravallis as a continuous geological ridge extending from Gujarat to the NCR and to end unregulated mining across the region.

The Centre’s order came after a public row over its new definition of the Aravallis, which classifies an “Aravalli Hill” as a landform with an elevation of at least 100 metres above its surrounding terrain, and an “Aravalli Range” as a cluster of two or more such hills within 500 metres of each other. However, the former Union environment minister dismissed the move as insufficient, arguing that the core issue remains unaddressed. “These are pious proclamations but the dangerous 100m+ redefinition of the Aravallis — rejected by the Forest Survey of India, the Supreme Court-mandated Central Empowered Committee, and the Supreme Court’s amicus curiae — remains unchanged,” said Ramesh.He has repeatedly said that the redefinition being adopted by the Centre has been opposed by the Forest Survey of India, the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) of the Supreme Court, and the apex court’s amicus curiae.The Bharatiya Janata Party-led Centre rejected the charge that the new definition weakens environmental safeguards, maintaining that more than 90 per cent of the Aravalli region remains protected and that the revised definition does not relax mining controls, reported PTI.In an earlier post, Ramesh had accused the government of misleading the public on the issue. “It is by now abundantly clear that the Union Minister of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change is being economical with the truth on the Aravallis issue and is misleading the public,” he said.He also questioned why the PM Modi-led government is pushing through what he described as a “fatally flawed” redefinition of the Aravallis despite widespread expert opposition.

Klay Thompson & Megan Thee Stallion Vs Brandon Ingram & GloRilla’s net worth (Image via Getty Images)

NBA players are well-known figures. Prominent male athletes are frequently able to locate some of the most attractive and remarkable women. It makes sense that they would date other well-known individuals like actresses, models, or singers since they are essentially celebrities. In the NBA, it is not only the athletes who are creating waves on the court that attract all the attention but also the alluring ladies standing by as their biggest fans, particularly if that athlete is a member of the NBA, the second-biggest professional sports league in the country. The NBA has seen a lot of head-turning girlfriends this year.

Klay Thompson and Megan Thee Stallion‘s combined net worth in 2025: Earnings, assets, investments, and more

According to publications like Celebrity Net Worth and others, Klay Thompson’s wealth in 2025 is estimated to be between the lower limit of $70 million and the higher maximum of $140 million. This is mostly because of his lucrative three-year, $50 million NBA contract with the Dallas Mavericks, which begins in 2024. He also has huge endorsement deals with companies like Anta, and his investments are propelling him up the financial ladder. Megan Thee Stallion’s estimated net worth in 2025 is $40 million. In addition to her music, the singer has a number of contracts with other companies. She was named the brand ambassador for the well-known cosmetics firm Revlon in 2020.In addition to owning Realtypath, a real estate company, he has invested in Overtime, a sports media start-up, and Sleeper, a fantasy sports website. On the other hand, Megan Thee Stallion became a worldwide brand ambassador for Revlon in 2020. In February 2022, Megan, a rapper, appeared in a Cheetos commercial that aired during the Super Bowl. She reportedly received $2 million for her role in the advertisement. Additionally, the actress signed a contract with the Cheetos during the 2022 NFL Super Bowl, earning an estimated $2 million. In the past, she served as the model for the company’s advertisements. They are therefore unquestionably viewed as a power couple because of their joint riches of more than $100 million in addition to their love.

Brandon Ingram and GloRilla’s combined net worth in 2025: Earnings, assets, investments, and more

Rapper GloRilla has revealed in multiple interviews that he and NBA player Brandon Ingram are in a public relationship. GloRilla is thought to be worth $2 million. With her singles F.N.F. (Let’s Go), Tomorrow 2, and Blessed, she rose to fame in 2022. Through the release of successful singles, albums, and joint ventures with other musicians, the rapper has accumulated fortune. Conversely, American professional basketball player Brandon Ingram has a $12 million net worth. Ingram began playing collegiate basketball at Duke, where he won the 2016 ACC Rookie of the Year award. In the 2016 NBA draft, the Los Angeles Lakers selected him with the second overall pick.Through his brand deals, NBA contracts, and other ventures, Ingram has amassed cash. After being selected by the Los Angeles Lakers, he joined the league in 2016 and quickly established himself as a dependable player. After being transferred to the Toronto Raptors in 2025, he reportedly agreed to a $120 million three-year contract extension. The aggregate net worth of Brandon Ingram and GloRilla from their individual careers and endorsements is thought to be between $13 and $15 million, while precise amounts are not available. However, this varies with income streams.Taken together, these NBA stars and their high-profile partners personify how success on the court and stardom off it can translate into impressive financial empires. Their combined earnings and influence firmly place them among the most talked-about power couples in sports and entertainment today.Also read: Klay Thompson and Megan Thee Stallion’s combined net worth in 2025: Earnings, assets, investments, and more