1. NASA unveils plan to setup 'Artemis', the first human base camp on Moon's south pole by 2024

• NASA is working on the Artemis program that aims to land humans on the moon by 2024. The space agency has put forward a plan showing what a US lunar presence may look like after the milestone.
• NASA submitted a 13-page report to the National Space Council on 2 April. NASA unveils plan to setup Artemis, the first human base camp on Moon's south pole by 2024
• The report titled NASA’s Plan for Sustained Lunar Exploration and Development offers a summary of how the space agency will accomplish the 2024 moon landing mission.
• The initial plan is to move to one to two-month stays to learn more about the moon and the universe.

Foot Notes: About NASA
Founded: 29 Jul 1958 , United States
Headquarters: Washington, D.C , United States
Founder: Dwight D. Eisenhower
Chairman: Jim Bridenstine

2. Govt nominated IOB & HDFC Bank for collecting donations of PM Cares Fund

• After State Bank of India (SBI), now State-owned Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) and private lender Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC) Bank have been nominated for the collection of donations for Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund (PM-Cares Fund), which was set up on March 28, 2020 to raise money for providing relief to the affected due to Coronavirus outbreak.
• The contributions can be made by RTGS, NEFT, IMPS, cheques and demand drafts were drawn in favour of PM-Cares Fund.
• One can also remit contributions directly by the electronic clearing system (ECS) to the designated savings bank account of nominated banks.It should be noted that all donations are entitled to 100% income tax exemption under Section 80G of the Income Tax Act, 1961.

Foot Notes: About HDFC
The HDFC group has contributed Rs.150 crores to the PM-Cares Fund.
Headquarter– Mumbai, Maharashtra
Managing Director (MD)– Aditya Puri
Tagline– We understand your world
Digital Assistant– EVA
About IOB:
Headquarters– Chennai, Tamil Nadu
MD & Chief Executive Officer (CEO)– Karnam Sekar
Tagline– Good people to grow with

3. Naveen Patnaik gets PETA’s “Hero to Animals Award” for feeding community animals

• The Chief Minister of Odisha, Naveen Patnaik has been conferred with Hero to Animals Award by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India for feeding community animals in five municipal corporations and all 48 municipalities of Odisha during the COVID-19 lockdown. He has allocated Rs 54 lakhs from a relief fund for the same.
• He has presented a framed certificate and a letter of appreciation from PETA India. It should be noted that the central government advisory body the Animal Welfare Board of India had urged state governments and union territories (UTs) to allow animal welfare volunteers to feed community animals.
• Also, Ministry of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries mandated veterinary services and animal shelters to function as normal and kept in the “essential services” list.

Foot Notes: About PETA India
Establishment– 2000
Headquarter– Mumbai, Maharashtra 

4.Two new books providing a better understanding of COVID-19 will release in May 2020

• To provide better understanding and prevention of novel coronavirus (COVID-19), two new books are all set to release in May 2020. The books are:
• How Contagion Works: Science, Awareness and Community in Times of Global Crisis” by Italian physicist Paolo Giordano.
• Deadliest Enemy: Our War Against Killer Germs” by epidemiologist Michael Osterholm and author Mark Olshaker.
• Both books will be published by Hatchette, United States (US).

5. FCI sets new record in single day transportation of food grains

• Food Corporation of India (FCI) has set a new record in single day movement by moving 70 rakes carrying one lakh 93 thousand Metric Tonnes food grains continuously for two days. 
• FCI is ensuring that enough food grain stocks are made available in every part of the country during the countrywide lockdown. During the 12 days since the start of lockdown on 25th of last month, FCI has done an average movement of one lakh 41 thousand tonnes of food grain per day as against the pre-lockdown daily average of about 80 thousand tonnes. 
• Punjab accounted for about 46 per cent of total food grain movement followed by Haryana, Telangana and Chhattisgarh.

Foot Notes: About FCI
Founded: 1965
Chairman & Managing Director: D. V. Prasad

6. IIT-Roorkee, AIIMS-Rishikesh develop low-cost portable ventilator ‘Prana-Vayu’ for COVID-19 patients

• The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Roorkee, in collaboration with All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS), Rishikesh, has developed a low-cost ventilator. 
• A presentation was made before 450 industry representatives for early mass production.
• The ventilator, Prana Vayu, will cost ₹25,000 per unit, much less than the products available in the market.
• Prana Vayu was presented to more than 450 industry representatives in a webinar organized by the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) for its mass production.

Foot notes: About IIT Roorkee
Motto: श्रमं विना न किमपि साध्यम् (Sanskrit); Nothing can be achieved without hard work
Established: 1847; 173 years ago
Director: Ajit K Chaturvedi

About AIIMS Rishikesh:
Motto: Vishwārogya hi dharmo nah; Global health is the religion for us
Established: 2012
President: Samiran Nundy

7. PNB Housing Finance signs agreement with JICA to raise $75 million  

• Punjab National Bank Housing Finance has signed a pact with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to raise 75 million dollars. 
• The Citibank will be co-financing 25 million dollars in order to finance the mortgage loans in the affordable housing segment. 
• The tie-up also states first debt funding ever done by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in the housing finance sector in India. 

Foot notes: About PNB Housing Finance
Managing Director of PNB Housing Finance:  Sanjaya Gupta.
Headquarters: New Delhi

Foot notes: About JICA(Japan International Cooperation Agency)
Headquarters location: Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
President: Shinichi Kitaoka
Founded: August 1974

8. Kobe Bryant, eight others selected for Basketball Hall of Fame

• Kobe Bryant will be posthumously inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The five-time NBA champion died, aged 41, in a helicopter crash in January alongside his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others.
• He was the NBA Most Valuable Player in 2008, was Finals MVP twice and earned 18 All-Star selections. He was in the United States team that won Olympic gold in 2008 and 2012.
• Tim Duncan, a five-time NBA champion with the San Antonio Spurs, and Kevin Garnett, who helped the Boston Celtics win the championship in 2008, were also inducted into the Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame is named after Dr James Naismith, the Canadian physician who invented basketball.

9. 3 times Grammy Award winner Bill Withers passes away

• American singer and songwriter Bill Withers, whose songs from the 1970s have provided immeasurable inspiration in the decades, die at the age of 81.
• Withers earned international acclaim for songs like “Lean on Me” and “Ain’t No Sunshine”, both are on Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
• The three-time Grammy Award-winning artist enjoyed an active music career that lasted from 1970 to 1985

10. World Health Day is celebrated on 7 April

• World Health Day is celebrated on 7 April every year. The day aims to create awareness of health to highlight a priority area of concern for the World Health Organization. In 1948, the WHO hold the First World Health Assembly.
• The day honors the contribution of nurses and midwives and recognizes their vital role in keeping the world healthy.
• World Health Day is marked by the World Health Organization (WHO) and many other organizations. The day aims to spread awareness around maintaining good health and a balanced lifestyle.

Foot notes: About WHO:
Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
Head: Tedros Adhanom
Founded: 7 April 1948