** Singing her way to success

This 10-year-old singing sensation is releasing her new single for which she will collaborate with Grammy nominee, Shontelle Layne

 Megan Rakesh, the little Bengaluru-based pop sensation has had a flurry of a month with the formation of her band, the release of her first single, and Grammy-nominated artiste Shontelle Layne, one of her role models and inspirations, announcing a remix of her single. All this just days before her 10th birthday.

** India’s Tallest Lord Subramanyeshwara Swamy Statue To Be Installed At Gattevadi Near Nanjangud

Plans have materialised to install India’s tallest Lord Subramanyeshwara statue (54-ft) at Gattevadi village under Doddakavalande hobli in Nanjangud taluk.

The 18-ft statue of the Snake God will be placed on a 36-ft stone pedestal and the initiative has been taken by Thapobhoomi Trust.

** Manipur residents celebrate renaming of Mount Harriet

Recognition for revolt against British

People in many parts of Manipur celebrated the renaming of Mount Harriet in Andaman and Nicobar Islands as Mount Manipur, by lighting candles in front of their houses on Sunday evening.

Prince Kulachandra and 22 others were deported to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands for serving long prison terms for revolting against the British government. Officials say that in view of his good behaviour, prince Kulachandra was shifted to a bungalow there later. Nothing is known of the other prisoners.

** Large Sri Lankan contingent to attend Kushinagar airport opening

Sports Minister Namal Rajapaksa, nephew of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and son of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, will travel to Uttar Pradesh, along with ministerial colleagues and a group of 100 Buddhist monks to attend the event, according to officials in Colombo.

The airport is expected to provide seamless connectivity to tourists from Sri Lanka, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, China, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, etc.

Kushinagar is the centre of the Buddhist circuit, which consists of pilgrimage sites at Lumbini, Sarnath and Gaya. Buddhist pilgrims consider Kushinagar a sacred site where, they believe, Gautama Buddha delivered his last sermon and attained ‘Mahaparinirvana’ or salvation.

Uttar Pradesh

** India reiterates demand for finding origin of COVID-19

India’s Raman Gangakhedkar, a renowned epidemiologist and Dr. C.G. Pandit National Chair at the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), is among 26 members of the Scientific Advisory Group for determining the origins of the virus, according to the WHO.

** IIT Kanpur team identifies a novel target to treat prostate cancer

The DLX1 protein is found at elevated levels in prostate cancer patients, the reason why the DLX1 protein has been used as a urine-based biomarker. Now the team of researchers led by Dr. Bushra Ateeq, Professor at the Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, IIT Kanpur has found that the DLX1 protein, which is expressed at higher levels in the prostate cancer cells, has a huge role in the growth and development of the tumour and the spread of the cancer to other organs in the body (metastasis).

** Jaishankar unveils plaque at ‘Bhoodan Grove’ in Israel

Dr. S. Jaishankar also visited the Indian Cemetery at Talpiot in Jerusalem and paid homage to the brave Indian soldiers who made the supreme sacrifie during World War I.   | Photo Credit: PTI

** Jaishankar hails manifold contribution of Indian Jewish community to Indo-Israel ties

This is my third visit to Israel in the last four years. But every time I return, I leave with the sense of an unfinished journey. Like India, this too is a place that requires a lifetime to discover and understand. I am, therefore, happy to be back here, in a land with which we have centuries old ties, and amidst you who are the umbilical cord nourishing these ties,” Mr. Jaishankar said addressing the Indian Jewish community in Israel and a gathering of Indologists.

** Dubai expat’s rare collection of Apple products traces evolution of tech giant

Jimmy Grewal claims he has every major Apple product that was ever launched since the company was founded in 1976.

** Meet Debanjali Kamstra, the UAE’s first Mrs World contestant

It’s a good time to be a beauty queen in the UAE. Following the historic announcement  earlier this month that the UAE will be sending its first contestant to the Miss Universe pageant , a Dubai entrepreneur and mother-of-two will soon make history as the first to represent the Emirates at another global competition: the Mrs World contest.

Debanjali Kamstra, 35, an Indian businesswoman who’s called the UAE home for the past 13 years, will be among 72 contestants who compete for the crown, which the organisation says “celebrates the uniqueness of married women”.

To be held in Las Vegas in January, Kamstra says she was taken aback by the enthusiastic response she received from the organisers in September.