The Innovation Cell of the Ministry of Human Resource has launched an online challenge ‘Samadhan’ to invite ideas and innovations that can help fight against the novel coronavirus that has infected over 4,700 people in India.

The challenge is open for student innovators, researchers, educators and startups to participate. The last date for applications is April 14.

“Your ideas and innovations can be a force multiplier in these challenging times of coronavirus pandemic. I urge you all to come forward and help us combat coronavirus by participating in Samadhan Challenge. Together we can and we will make the difference,” HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank posted on Twitter on April 7.

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. The National Space Council is an advisory group to US President Donald Trump, presided over by Vice President Mike Pence.

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.

It also gives information on what the US would achieve from a long-term presence on the moon and lunar orbit.

Mahmoud Jibril, the former head of the Libyan rebel government that overthrew longtime ruler Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, has died from the coronavirus, his party said.

Jibril, 68, died on Sunday in Cairo where he had been hospitalized for two weeks, said Khaled al-Mrimi, secretary of the National Forces Alliance, founded by Jibril in 2012.

He had been admitted to the Ganzouri Specialized Hospital in Cairo on March 21 after suffering from cardiac arrest and three days later tested positive for coronavirus, hospital director Hisham Wagdy said.    

"He started ... recovering the day before yesterday but then he began deteriorating again," Wagdy told the AFP news agency, confirming that Jibril died at 2 pm local time.

Big-hitting wicketkeeper-batsman Jock Edwards, who represented New Zealand in six Tests and eight ODIs, has passed away. He was 64.

Central District Cricket Association, for whom he played 67 first-class matches and 31 one-days in the 1970s and 80s, confirmed his death on Monday. He was also a member of the Nelson side that held on to the Hawke Cup for 14 matches between February 1979 and February 1983.

"All the team at CD extend our heartfelt condolences to the family & friends of Jock Edwards…Jock was a terrific teammate and an entertainer in the game whom we know will be hugely missed. Rest in peace, Jock," the tweet on CDC official account read.

In 2011, Jock told the Nelson Mail that while some coaches had tried to rein him in, he "didn't listen to them".

India's sports fraternity also joined the country by lighting lamps and candles in response to Prime Minster's call to demonstrate the nation's collective resolve. Sports personalities such as batting legend Sachin Tendulkar, India captain Virat Kohli, chief coach Ravi Shastri, six-time world champion boxer MC Mary Kom, double Olympic medallist wrestler Sushil Kumar, other Olympic medallists like Sakshi Malik, PV Sindhu and Saina Nehwal took to social media to express their solidarity in the fight against the deadly disease.
 
Cricketers Virender Sehwag, Ravichandran Ashwin, Suresh Raina, Hardik Pandya, Pragyan Ojha, wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt, gymnast Dipa Karmakar, sprinter Hima Das and many others also joined the fight against the darkness spread by the coronavirus.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call to switch off lights at 9 PM for 9 minutes and light up diyas and candles on 5^th April evoked massive response across the country. A cross section of people switched off their lights and lit 'diyas' to express solidarity with the nation's fight against coronavirus, COVID-19.

On Friday, in a video message, the Prime Minister had said that India will experience the power of light, clearly illuminating the common purpose, the country is fighting for. Mr Modi said, amidst the darkness spread by the Corona pandemic, the country must continuously progress towards light and hope.

Government has exempted shops of agricultural machinery, tea industry and related services from lockdown.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued the 4th addendum to the guidelines issued regarding lockdown to fight COVID-19, to exempt shops of agricultural machinery and its spare parts.

The fourth addendum issued by Union Home Secretary, Ajay Bhalla on Friday exempted shops for truck repairs on highways, preferably at fuel pumps as well as the tea industry, including plantations with maximum 50 per cent workers.

The MHA said that social distancing and proper hygiene practices must be ensured in each of these activities.

Health Ministry urges people to download 'Aarogya Setu' App to assess risk of Coronavirus infection.

Government on Friday said that a total 30 lakh people have downloaded the Aarogya Setu App. Health and Family Welfare Ministry has urged all the citizens to download this app as this enable people to assess themselves the risk for their catching Coronavirus infection.

Briefing media in New Delhi on Friday, Joint Secretary in Health and Family Welfare Ministry, Lav Agarwal said, total 2301 confirmed cases of Coronavirus have been reported in the country and 157 patients have been recovered. He said, 56 people have lost their lives in the country so far.

He said, during the last two days, 647 confimed cases from 14 states have been reported from those who participated in the Tabligi Jammat in Nizammudin, Markaz, New Delhi. He said, these cases have surged the numbers of confirmed cases in the country.

LG Advisor Umang Narula has reviewed the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Gharib Kalyan Package in Union Territory Ladakh, on Friday in Leh. Advisor issued instructions to plan the distribution in a staggered manner in co-ordination with the police department.

Divisional Commissioner Saugat Biswas informed that, in Ladakh, all Antyodaya Ann Yojana and Priority Household beneficiaries will be provided additional 5kg Rice per person free of cost upto June. Additionally, one kilogram pulses per household will also be provided every month. 

He also instructed the Deputy Commissioners to start stocking up of the fair price shops of Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs with adequate food grains from the respective FCI stores.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today urged people to light diyas tomorrow to show solidarity in country's fight against COVID-19. In a tweet, Mr Modi shared a video of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee reciting the poem - Aao Phir Se Diya Jalayein.
 
Citizens are advised not to use alcohol based sanitizers while lighting diyas and candles tomorrow at 9 PM as it is inflammable.