Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launched its second moon mission Chandrayaan-2 on Monday at 2:43 PM. The mission seeks to explore the unchartered Lunar south pole by landing a rover and will be launched onboard GSLV-Mk0III-M1 from Sriharikota. The Rs 978 crore mission will be launched from the second launchpad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre, over 100km from Chennai.

Chandrayaan 2 launch: WION exclusively talks to Dr. Uzi Rubin

Fire brigade personnel deployed an aerial ladder to rescue 60 persons from a Mumbai building, where fire broke out Monday afternoon. Efforts are on to rescue people who may still be trapped in the nine-floor telephone exchange building in western suburb Bandra.

Mumbai fire: 60 rescued, many still feared trapped

Shinzo Abe has declared victory in Japan's national elections with polls indicating his party has won a majority of seats in the upper house of Parliament, and is now set to become the country's longest-serving prime minister.

Shinzo Abe declares victory in Japan election

Hong Kong police fired rubber bullets and tear gas in running clashes with protesters late on Sunday (July 22) amid chaotic scenes as anger over an extradition bill morphs into a fresh front against what many see as a broader erosion of freedoms by Beijing.

Hong Kong police fire rubber bullets, tear gas as protests descend into chaos

One of the most highly anticipated cars globally, GM has finally pulled the wraps off the 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray C8 as the new version of the iconic American sports car. The new Chevy Corvette is not only different in how it looks but breaks the very mould that the car was known for with its new mid-engined layout.

WION Wallet: 2020 Corvette Launches: Mid-Engine, 495 hp, More Tech, Less Than $60K

Chandrayaan 2 launch: WION exclusively talks to first Indian space traveller Rakesh Sharma

People have taken to Twitter to commend the successful launch of the second moon mission of India. Celebrities, ministers including honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi have tweeted inc celebration, extending their support to ISRO's efforts.

PM Modi congratulates ISRO on Chandrayaan 2, says India is immensely proud

A huge fire has broken out in a building in Mumbai's Bandra West area. The building houses the state-run telecom company MTNL. Around 100 people are feared trapped on the terrace of the building. 14 fire engines are at the spot to douse the level-four fire

Fire At MTNL Building In Mumbai's Bandra

This segment of WION brings to you top stories of the morning from across the globe. Watch this video to get updated with the latest information.

WION Speed News: Watch top national and international news of the morning - July 21th, 2019

Imran Khan is scheduled to meet US President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday. Following a meeting in the Oval Office, Trump will host the visiting prime minister for a working lunch at the White House. Imran Khan’s maiden visit to the US as Pakistan’s Prime Minister will be “weak in substance” and there is nothing he can promise that hasn’t been promised before, a former top diplomat has said.

Imran Khan's biggest diplomatic visit

When Mariatu Sesay realized she was pregnant at 14, one thing scared her more than the social isolation she felt in the classroom: under Sierra Leonean law, she was now banned from attending school at all because she was expecting. A conscientious student, Sesay defied the ban and kept coming to study at the school, regardless of the law and the taunts from her classmates. "I still wanted to continue school after learning I was pregnant. I love education, that's what made me want to continue. When I would show up people would ridicule me, but I summed up the courage to continue going," Sesay told Reuters, holding her 10-month-old baby girl, Nadia, in her arms. Moved by Sesay's resolve, the school principal, Eric Conteh defied the law, risking his career and becoming an unwitting figurehead in the fight against a rule that rights groups say is outdated and stigmatizes teenage pregnancy.

Sierra Leone school defies ban on pregnant girls

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif attended a meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement in Caracas on Saturday (July 20) where he told gathered media that "the government of the United States is isolated." Tensions between Iran and the West ratcheted up on Saturday as Britain denounced the Iranian seizure of a British-flagged oil tanker, rejecting Tehran's explanation that it had seized the vessel on Friday (July 19) because it had been involved in an accident. The event in the global oil trade's most important waterway has been viewed in the West as a major escalation after three months of confrontation that has already taken Iran and the United States to the brink of war. Prior to his travel to Venezuela, Zarif attended a meeting of the U.N. Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in New York. After Venezuela, he will also travel to Bolivia and Nicaragua. The Non-Aligned Movement is a Cold War-era bloc of some 120 nations that was formed a half-century ago by nations wanting to avoid aligning with the United States or the Soviet Union and which has dwindled in relevance over the years.

"The United States is isolated" - Iran's Zarif at Non-Aligned Movement meeting

British Airways and Lufthansa abruptly suspended flights to Cairo from Saturday(July 20) over security concerns but giving no details about what may have prompted the move.

British Airways and Lufthansa suspends flights to Cairo

Afghanistan intelligence has recently released audio tapes, which reveal Pakistan's link to the Kandahar attack. Will this affect Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan's visit to the US?

Afghans allegation will affect Imran Khan's US visit?

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan arrived in Washington DC on a three-day official trip to the US. According to the reports, Khan did not receive the state protocol which the US gives to the heads of the government who arrive on an official trip.

No top official to welcome Imran Khan in US

Iran seizes British tanker in the Strait of Hormuz. 18 Indian sailors were aboard the vessel. India said captured sailors were given consular access. We are in touch with Iran to secure an early release. Watch this video to know more.

India asks Iran to release its sailors

Floods have forced more than three million people from their homes across north and northeastern India, officials said on Monday (July 15). Floodwaters in the northeastern Indian state of Assam rose overnight with the Brahmaputra river, which flows down from the Himalayas into Bangladesh, and its tributaries still in spate. More than 1.7 million people in Assam have been displaced by the floods, authorities said, and most of the Kaziranga National Park, home to the rare one-horned rhino, was also underwater. Known for its tea industry, Assam is often inundated by seasonal flooding, and state and federal governments have spent millions of rupees on flood control. Worst affected is the northern Indian state of Bihar, where some 1.9 million people have fled their homes due to rising waters, a state government release said. In neighboring Nepal, 64 people were killed and 31 were missing, with around a third of all districts hit by heavy rains, authorities said. Many of the deaths were caused by landslides that swept away houses.

Bangladesh: Monsoon floods & landslide continue

Aerial footage taken on Saturday has revealed the scale of devastation after a huge explosion ripped through a gas factory in central China's Henan Province on Friday. The explosion took place at around 17:45 at an air separation unit of the gas factory owned by the Henan Coal Gas (Group) Co. Ltd., located in the city of Yima. At least 10 people have been killed, with 19 severely injured and five others remaining missing, while many others are thought to have sustained injuries. The core blast site has been reduced to ruins and covered by massive dust and debris, with all major facilities having collapsed. The force of the explosion also heavily impacted on the surrounding area with severe damage being seen as far as 300 meters away from the core blast site. The ground nearby is covered with a mess of broken glass, rubble from collapsed walls, and a huge sea of debris. A pungent smell also still hangs in the air. All glass from windows within a radius of three kilometers was shattered due to the powerful shockwave triggered by the blast, while buildings in the area have been damaged to varying degrees.

China: Blast occurred in the air separation unit

The row between Iran and Britain escalated on Sunday after the two countries accused each other of increasing tensions following Iran's seizure of a British-flagged oil tanker and the detention of Iran's Grace 1 oil tanker in Gibraltar on July 4. Watch this video to know more.

Radio talk between Iran and UK Navies

Police in Hong Kong raided a homemade-explosives manufacturing lab ahead of another weekend of protests in the semi-autonomous Chinese territory. Banners voicing opposition to an extradition bill that has sparked more than a month of demonstrations were found at the lab, according to Hong Kong media reports. Police said the investigation was continuing and that they had not found concrete evidence linking the explosives-making to a major protest march planned for Sunday. Police said they found about 2 kilograms (4.4 pounds) of TATP, or tri-acetone tri-peroxide, in the late Friday night raid.

Hong Kong police seize explosives ahead of protests

Iran seized British tanker in the Strait of Hormuz in which 18 Indian sailors were aboard the vessel. Captured Indian sailors are given consular access, India has also asked Iran to release its sailors. Watch this video to know more.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/mukhtar-abbas-naqvi-those-abusing-pm-narendra-modi-now-insulting-security-forces-205047">Union Minister of Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi</a>&nbsp;has expressed confidence that the BJP is going to be the first choice of Muslims in elections.

Speaking to WION's Palki Sharma Upadhyay, Naqvi said that his party the BJP's commitment is development with dignity, and empowerment without appeasement.

Here's the full transcript of the interview:

WION: When it comes to reports of violence against Muslims, do you think these incidents are happening?

Naqvi: Modi government's track record since 2014 is tremendous. It's commitment towards inclusive development is being fulfilled. Muslims have been the primary beneficiaries of many schemes rolled out by the government. Every other political party wants the Muslim vote but they don't want to do anything for their empowerment.&nbsp;

Out commitment is development with dignity, empowerment without appeasement.&nbsp;

All these reports are fake and fabricated, propaganda of some frustrated people.&nbsp;

WION: Have you ever been discriminated in this country because of being a Muslim?

Naqvi: No. I have never felt this way, right from my college till now. We have tried to end the environment of any sort of discrimination. Ours is the commitment of development without discrimination.&nbsp;

WION: Do you believer that the BJP will ever be the first choice of a Muslim voter?

Naqvi: Yes, I strongly believe so. In 2014, around 12-15 per cent Muslims had voted for the BJP. In 2019 it grew to 25 per cent. This was a major revolutionary change in the mindset of the people. You will see further change in the next elections.&nbsp;

WION: Will triple talaq bill be passed this time?

Naqvi: We hope it gets passed this time. This has nothing to do with Islam, it is something which should come to an end. It is not a good practice, it is not a political issue. Risks are associated with running the government, if you don't take risks, reforms can't happen and without reforms a government cannot perform.&nbsp;

WION: United States, which is traditionally seen as an ally, came out with a report which was critical of your government and its treatment of minorities, your views?

Naqvi: That country should see its own track record when it comes to the minorities. In our country, the constitutional, democratic and religious rights of all minorities are safe and well protected. We don't need any advice from anyone.&nbsp;

We therefore reject such reports.&nbsp;

WION: Global leaders are of the view that religious minorities in Pakistan are suffering, what would you say?

Naqvi: At the time of partition, 22-23 per cent minorities existed in Pakistan, which is not even two per cent now. This is a cause of worry. Ours have grown from 8 to around 18-20 per cent as people say. This is the difference which we need to understand. This country is secular because the majority of people here, the major community has the DNA of secularism and unity.&nbsp;

WION: Your thoughts on China’s detaining ethnic <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pompeo-calls-chinas-treatment-of-uighurs-stain-of-the-century-237014">Uighurs and other Muslims in Xinjiang</a>?

Naqvi: I know of such reports but I don't have much to comment on this but I can say that people's rights cannot be crushed. &nbsp;

Union Minister of Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi has expressed confidence that the BJP is going to be the first choice of Muslims in elections. Speaking to WION's Palki Sharma Upadhyay, Naqvi said that his party the BJP's commitment is development with dignity, and empowerment without appeasement.

Union Minister of Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi has expressed confidence that the BJP is going to be the first choice of Muslims in elections. Speaking to WION's Palki Sharma Upadhyay, Naqvi said that his party the BJP's commitment is development with dignity, and empowerment without appeasement. Here's the full transcript of the interview: WION: When it comes to reports of violence against Muslims, do you think these incidents are happening? Naqvi: Modi government's track record since 2014 is tremendous. It's commitment towards inclusive development is being fulfilled. Muslims have been the primary beneficiaries of many schemes rolled out by the government. Every other political party wants the Muslim vote but they don't want to do anything for their empowerment. Out commitment is development with dignity, empowerment without appeasement. All these reports are fake and fabricated, propaganda of some frustrated people. WION: Have you ever been discriminated in this country because of being a Muslim? Naqvi: No. I have never felt this way, right from my college till now. We have tried to end the environment of any sort of discrimination. Ours is the commitment of development without discrimination. WION: Do you believer that the BJP will ever be the first choice of a Muslim voter? Naqvi: Yes, I strongly believe so. In 2014, around 12-15 per cent Muslims had voted for the BJP. In 2019 it grew to 25 per cent. This was a major revolutionary change in the mindset of the people. You will see further change in the next elections. WION: Will triple talaq bill be passed this time? Naqvi: We hope it gets passed this time. This has nothing to do with Islam, it is something which should come to an end. It is not a good practice, it is not a political issue. Risks are associated with running the government, if you don't take risks, reforms can't happen and without reforms a government cannot perform. WION: United States, which is traditionally seen as an ally, came out with a report which was critical of your government and its treatment of minorities, your views? Naqvi: That country should see its own track record when it comes to the minorities. In our country, the constitutional, democratic and religious rights of all minorities are safe and well protected. We don't need any advice from anyone. We therefore reject such reports. WION: Global leaders are of the view that religious minorities in Pakistan are suffering, what would you say? Naqvi: At the time of partition, 22-23 per cent minorities existed in Pakistan, which is not even two per cent now. This is a cause of worry. Ours have grown from 8 to around 18-20 per cent as people say. This is the difference which we need to understand. This country is secular because the majority of people here, the major community has the DNA of secularism and unity. WION: Your thoughts on China’s detaining ethnic Uighurs and other Muslims in Xinjiang? Naqvi: I know of such reports but I don't have much to comment on this but I can say that people's rights cannot be crushed.

BJP's commitment is development without appeasement: Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi to WION

Chinese firefighters have rescued a three-year-old boy from a four-meter-deep well with a diameter of only 30-centimeter in Heze City of east China's Shandong Province. Watch this video to know more.

China: Firefighters rescued toddler from abandoned well

The Iraqi military has said that they have launched the second phase of the military operation against Islamic State. Watch this video to know more.

Second phase of operation by Iraq military troops against the Islamic State

Thousands of protesters descended on China’s representative office in Hong Kong, as anger over an extradition bill morphs into a fresh front. Watch this video to know more.

Hong Kong: Thousands protest for complete withdrawal of extradition bill

Iraq military troops launches second phase of operation

China continues to reel over floods, heavy rain has been hitting many provinces in China. Around 356,000 people have been evacuated from their homes. Watch this video to know more.

China continues to reel over floods, death toll rises to 61

Afghanistan intelligence has released audio tapes, which reveal Pakistan's link to the Kandahar attack.

Afghan released audio tapes reveals Pak link to Kandahar attack

Iran Embassy: Indian Crew Members Will Remain Safe After seizure of British Oil Tanker

18 Indians aboard tanker seized by Iran

Voters across Japan began casting their ballots on Sunday in the upper house election, which is expected to be a barometer of public opinion on Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's six and a half years in power. Members of the upper house serve six-year terms, with about half the seats up for grabs every three years. In Sunday's election, 124 seats are up for grabs, including three that are newly added. With a total of 370 candidates vying for the seats, key platform issues include amending the Constitution, hiking the consumption tax, and the state's pension system.

Voting begins in Japan's upper house election

wion

Wion, News on Wion, stories on Wion, articles on Wion, Wion stories at Wion, Wion news, Wion latest news