5 stories you must read today, September 24: From NASA announcing Artemis 2 launch to Delhi Ashram molestation scandal and more

The US space agency, NASA, is set to return to the moon in early 2026, with the Artemis 2 mission. According to NASA, Artemis 2 will fly four astronauts on a 10-day journey around the Moon aboard the Orion spacecraft. Though no official launch date has been announced, the mission is expected to be carried out anytime between February and April 2026. This will be the first time NASA is returning to the moon with a manned mission since the Apollo 17 launch in 1972. The uncrewed Artemis 1 mission in November 2022 successfully sent Orion into lunar orbit and returned it to Earth after four weeks. Read more

Chaitanyananda Saraswati, the manager of a religious ashram in Delhi’s Vasant Kunj, has been booked by the Delhi Police on charges of molestation. 17 students who are studying under the EWS (Economically Weaker Section) quota have accused Saraswati of molestation. According to the police, Saraswati, who is on the run, has five cases registered against him, including one that was lodged in 2016. During the investigation, police also found that the accused was allegedly using a red Volvo car with a fake ‘diplomatic’ number plate. Read more

Months after the much-publicised firing spree of federal workers in the US, the Trump administration is quietly calling back many of them. The General Services Administration is making a U-turn after the DOGE job cuts left the agency “broken and understaffed.” Hundreds of employees who were let go by DOGE have now been told that they can return to work. The employees have been given until the end of the week to accept or decline reinstatement. Those who agree must report on October 6, effectively returning after a seven-month paid absence. Read more

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday said that Shyamkanu Mahanta, the organiser of the North East India Festival in Singapore, where singer Zubeen Garg died last week, will be barred from holding any events in the state. Mahanta is the Chief Functionary of Trend MMS Private Limited, which organises exhibitions and cultural festivals. According to the Assam CM, the state government will not provide any financial grant, advertisement, or sponsorship to any event associated with him. Garg, who was set to perform at the North East India Festival in Singapore, died after a scuba diving accident. Read more

The Indian men’s football team may miss out on next year’s Asian Games after the Sports Ministry issued detailed guidelines for the eligibility of individual athletes and teams. According to the guidelines, which say that only those teams and athletes with medal-winning potential will be considered to represent the country, the Indian men’s team, which is ranked 24th in Asia, is unlikely to make the cut. The IOA had refused to grant permission to the men’s team for the 2018 Asian Games on the same grounds. Read more