Good News: From PM Modi congratulating NZ's Ardern to cowherd's son cracking NEET

With the pandemic taking its toll on the lives of people, many have been feeling overwhelmed and anxious due to the serious updates. While the news of the death toll can be increasingly upsetting, some good news at the end of the day can fetch the positivity. So here’s a news wrap of some of the awe-inspiring and encouraging stories to drive away gloom and infuse hope amid the pandemic. 

PM Modi congratulates New Zealand's Ardern

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday congratulated his New Zealand counterpart Jacinda Ardern for securing a second term in office and said he looked forward to working together for taking the bilateral relationship to a higher level. Ardern won a second term in office on Saturday in an election landslide of historic proportions. In his tweet, Modi said, "My heartiest congratulations to the PM of New Zealand @jacindaardern on her resounding victory. Recall our last meet a year ago and look forward to working together for taking India-NZ relationship to a higher level.

[Credit: PTI]

Texas girl finds COVID-19 treatment, wins $25,000

A 14-year-old Texas girl won $25,000 for developing a potential SARS-CoV-2 virus treatment. Anika Chebrolu, from Frisco, US used in-silico methodology and discovered a molecule that can bind to spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 and hamper its functioning. The young scientist was honoured with a cash prize for winning the 2020 3M Young Scientist Challenge in a virtual address. While the youngster was initially working to create a treatment for flu, she steered her research post-COVID-19 in the US. The schoolgirl told sources of KTVT that she developed a molecular treatment which, after binding with a certain protein on the SARS-CoV-2 virus, develops immunity against COVID-19.

8-year-old blind Canadian boy can see stars

An 8-year-old boy in Toronto, Canada became the first patient to be able to see again post a rare gene replacement therapy. According to sources of local CTV, the kid was born with an impaired vision due to a rare genetic disorder called retinitis pigmentosa, which causes mutations in the RPE65 gene. While the Canadian boy had decreased vision at night, and during low light conditions, after the miraculous therapy, he reported that he was able to see stars and that he hadn’t seen them before. 

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Cowherd's son cracks NEET

Son of a cowherd and a Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee (MGNREGA) worker from Theni district of Tamil Nadu topped the list of achievers in National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) 2020 on October 17 after he scored 664 marks out of a total 720 in his second attempt. Serving as an inspiration to the aspiring students from meagre backgrounds, Jeevithkumar, the student of Government Model Higher Secondary School at Silvarpatti, Periyakulam, wrote the exam since it's known to be one of the most difficult to crack. 

Trump signs Act to honour war veterans

The United States President Donald Trump on Saturday, October 17 signed the Merrill’s Marauders Congressional Gold Medal Act into law to recognise war veterans who fought for the country in World War II. The law would award Congressional gold medals to soldiers of the famed 5307th Composite Unit, a warfare unit that fought in the jungles of Burma (Myanmar) during the Second World War. 

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