SATURDAY 25 JANUARY, 2025 epaper.morningstandard.in facebook.com/TheMorningStandard X.com/TheMornStandard US INFERNO NEW FIRES ERUPT IN SAN DIEGO The wildfire churning through the mountains to the north of Los Angeles slowed down, but new blazes erupted in San Diego, triggering more evacuations PAGE 9 HOW DID THE ASSAD REGIME COLLAPSE? A CAPITAL VIEW OF NEWS  NEW DELHI  J8.00 Effects of explosion felt in nearby areas; 2nd blast in an ordnance factory in recent months 8 killed, 7 injured in blast at Maha ordnance factory M AYA N K S I N G H @ New Delhi AT least eight persons were killed and seven others injured in a massive blast at the ordnance factory at Jawahar Nagar area of Bhandara district in Maharashtra on Friday The . explosion occurred around 10.30 am in the low temperature plastic explosive (LTP) section, causing the roof to collapse and trapping more than a dozen workers. R K Yadav, joint general mana g e r, O r d n a n c e F a c t o r y Bhandara, said 13 people have been rescued from the accident site and five among them have been shifted to a local hospital. The blast was of such high intensity that it was heard from as far as 5 kilometres away. A thick smoke was seen rising from the factory in a video captured from a distance. A rescue and relief team comprising fire brigade, local administration, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and medical teams reached the spot within minutes of the explosion, an official said. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on X, “My condolences to the bereaved families. Praying for the speedy recovery of the injured.” Bhandara district Collector Sanjay Kolte said the blast led to a roof collapse at the site that trapped over a dozen workers. The district administration has ordered a probe. Four among the deceased workers were identified as Chandrashekhar Goswami (59), Manoj Meshram (55), Ajay Nagdeve (51), and Ankit Barai (21). Union minister Nitin Gadkari termed the explosion an unfortunate incident. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced `5 lakh each to the family of those killed in the blast. On October 22, 2024, two workers were killed and 15 others injured in a blast at the ordnance factory at Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh. (With inputs from Mumbai) Deeply saddened to know about the blast at Ordnance Factory at Bhandara. All efforts are being made to provide aid to those affected — Rajnath Singh, Union defence minister  PAGES 12 Trump begins mass deportation drive EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ New Delhi Smoke billows from the Ordnance Factory in Bhandara on Friday | PTI 21-YEAR-OLD AMONG THE DECEASED NAGPUR: The blast was so powerful that residents of three villages in the vicinity felt its impact, said relatives of a 21-year-old apprentice, Ankit Barai, who died. He had joined the factory last year At the core of Syria’s fall were two key actors — Russia and Turkey — normally seen on opposing sides in the global divide between the West and the Axis of Resistance. Russia was Syria’s main backer, while Turkey, hostile to Assad. In reality, behind the scenes, complex negotiations unfolded across most dividing lines, particularly between Russia and Turkey. Ultimately, Syria became the bargaining chip. | P9 THE new US administration under Donald Trump has started deporting undocumented immigrants, the White House said on Friday . White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the authorities “arrested 538 illegal immig rant criminals” on Thursday, adding that “hundreds” were deported by military aircraft. “Just as he promised, President Trump is sending a strong message to the world: those who enter the United States illegally will face serious consequences,” the White House said. Tough action against illegal immigration was a major poll promise that Trump set out to fulfil soon after his inauguration as US President on January 20. According to the Department of Homeland Security, over 11 million people are staying in the US illegally A few thousand . Indians are reportedly also among the undocumented. Meanwhile, India on Friday reiterated its position that it will take back undocumented Indians, adding that New Delhi is against illegal immigration. “For Indians not just in the US, but anywhere in the world, if they are Indian nationals and they are overstaying, or they are in a particular country without proper documentation, we’ll take them back provided documents are shared with us so that we can verify their nationality and that they are indeed Indians,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. P7 & 9 ‘I’m son of Amanatullah, Oppn MPs suspended for a day from Waqf panel don’t need licence or RC’ P R E E T H A N A I R @ New Delhi THE meeting of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the Waqf Amendment Bill witnessed unruly scenes on Friday after 10 Opposition MPs were suspended for a day amid accusations against chairman Jagdambika Pal of being partisan during the meeting. Later, the suspended MPs shot off a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, alleging that S H E K H A R S I N G H @ New Delhi THE Delhi Police has booked the son of AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan for allegedly flouting traffic rules and misbehaving with cops and has fined `20,000 for multiple violations, including riding without a helmet, reckless driving, and using a motorcycle with a modified silencer. The incident took place on Thursday on Nafees Road, Batla House, during routine checks ahead of Republic Day . The police said two boys were spotted riding a bike in the wrong lane, weaving dangerously through traffic and creating a ruckus with the loud noise of a modified silencer. According to the general diary at the Jamia Nagar police station, accessed by this newspaper, Assistant Sub-Inspector Ramvir Singh, along with the SHO and other officials managed to stop the bike. “It was found that the Royal Enfield Bullet had a modified silencer. The boy riding the motorcycle claimed that he was the son of MLA Amanatullah Khan,” read the general diary in Hindi filed by ASI Singh. “What’s the big deal? He (one of the boys) then began to mis- behave. When asked to show his driving licence and RC, he said, ‘I don’t need a licence or RC. I am the son of MLA Amanatullah Khan, and you cannot issue me a challan. He called his father and made him speak to the SHO,” it said. The diary claimed that Amanatullah also spoke rudely, saying, “You can arrest me too.” “After this, both boys left the scene without providing their names or addresses, abandoning the motorcycle,” it said. A fine of `20,000 was slapped, including `5,000 for using a modified silencer, `2,000 for misbehaving with a police officer, `5,000 for riding without a driving licence, `2,000 for riding without a helmet, and `1,000 for dangerous driving. The police said the bike has been seized and the rider will be summoned to court. ZVEREV IN FINAL AFTER DJOKOVIC CONCEDES MATCH Madison Keys stands between Aryna Sabalenka and a third consecutive Australian Open crown. In the men’s side, Novak Djokovic conceded the semifinal to Alexander Zverev after sustaining an injury. A look at the state of play at Melbourne... SABALENKA CHASES HISTORY, KEYS MAIDEN TITLE World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka has looked in pristine form and is the favourite to achieve a threepeat at Melbourne. Having only lost one set so far in the first six matches, the 26-year-old is also the fresher of the two players. Madison Keys has been a nearly-figure in the WTA circuit. She has always been there or thereabouts but without a big title. Having saved a match point against Iga Swiatek in the last four, could this be her big stage? DJOKOVIC DOWN AND OUT Novak Djokovic's latest attempt at winning a record-breaking 25th Major ended after he had to retire mid-match against Alexander Zverev. The Serb former World No. 1, who hadn't trained at all between the quarter-final and the semi-final, lost a tightly contested first set 7-6 before shaking hands. NOVAK DJOKOVIC, WHEN ASKED IF THIS WAS HIS LAST AUSTRALIAN OPEN 10 NO OF AUSTRALIAN OPEN TITLES DJOKOVIC HAS WON Pal suspended them after he received a phone call during the meeting. The MPs said that the JPC chief does not have the power to suspend the members and urged Birla to instruct him to conduct the proceedings in a fair manner. The Opposition members alleged that the proceedings had been reduced to a f a rc e, bu t t h e ch a i r m a n slammed their conduct aimed at disrupting the meeting. Pal accused TMC’s Kalyan Banerjee of abusing him and said that he tried to bring the meeting to order, adjourning it twice, but in vain. BJP member Aparajita Sarangi alle ged that the conduct of the Opposition members was “disgusting” as they were continuously creating ruckus during the proceedings. The suspended MPs include TMC’s Kalyan Banerjee, Nasir Hussain and Md Jawed of Congress, DMK’s A Raja and M Abdullah and AIMIM’s Asaduddin Owaisi among others. The sequence of events began after the Opposition MPs raised questions over the “sudden change” in the agenda. At a press conference in the evening, the suspended MPs alleged that the government is acting in a hasty manner keeping the Delhi polls in mind. STRICT STEPS Bill to rein in microfinancing companies in K’taka soon EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ Bengaluru THE state government is planning to formulate ‘Karnataka Microfinance Institutions (Regulation of Money Lending) Bill’ to rein in microfinance companies. This is in view of the rising number of complaints accusing such companies of harassing those unable to clear loans taken from them. Talking to media on Friday after a cabinet meeting, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister HK Patil said the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and other central finance agencies are not able to control microfinance companies. “We are tabling the Karnataka Microfinance Institutions (Regulation of Money Lending) Bill at a meeting convened by CM Siddaramaiah on Saturday Patil said. ,’’ The meeting will discuss measures to be taken to stop such lending companies from harassing borrowers, especially farmers, in rural areas. Asked if such finance companies can’t be controlled under existing laws, Patil said they are not strong. Police have limited powers to handle such cases. “We have to plug the loopholes,’’ he added. He said the state government has taken the issue seriously and a special law is expected soon to control such lending companies. Kejriwal, BJP trade charges on law and order, corruption A N U P V E R M A @ New Delhi AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Friday reiterated that despite repeated requests, the home ministry continues to ignore the deteriorating law and order situation in the capital, where “gang wars are taking place on the streets”. In a quick rebuttal, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said that before questioning the Centre Kejriwal should reply to the people of Delhi. He said that the people believe that AAP leaders have tarnished the city’s image. Kejriwal said that UP CM Yogi Adityanath surprised him by acknowledging the law and order situation during his recent Delhi visit. Referring to Adityanath, Kejriwal said on Thursday the UP CM had said that law and order have deteriorated. “I agree with him 100% and so do the people. Gangsters roam openly in the city There are 11 major gangs . that have divided the city into territories. Extortion is being sought from traders,” he said. Kejriwal said that women no longer feel safe outside their homes. “Every day, 17 children and 10 women are being abducted. Murders are taking place, while chain snatching, thefts, and robberies are rampant. AAP SAYS BIDHURI BREACHED POLL CODE Arvind Kejriwal at a campaign in support of Najafgarh candidate Tarun Yadav | PTI The city is gripped by fear,” the AAP supremo said. Hitting back, Sachdeva said that Kejriwal would remain silent on rampant corruption and other misdeeds by the AAP government, but the BJP would After AAP, now Punjab Cong adds muscle to party’s capital campaign H A R P R E E T B A J W A @ Chandigarh NOT only are the 300 leaders of Punjab AAP campaigning for their party candidates in the national capital, but the Punjab Congress has also mobilised its leadership, with approximately 250 members actively canvassing and criticising the ruling party in Delhi. They are emphasising the AAP-led Punjab government’s “misgovernance” and highlighting “unfulfilled promises,” such as the commitment to provide `1,000 per month to women in the state. The list of state Congress leaders in Delhi since January 18 includes Punjab Congress president and MP from Ludhiana Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, LoP and senior party leader Partap Singh Bajwa, and former CM and MP from Jalandhar Charanjit Singh Channi. The party has set up a control room as its leaders, divided into DEDICATED MINISTRY FOR PURVANCHALIS Congress announced plans to create a dedicated ministry for the group if it wins the elections. The Purvanchalis, who hail from the Bhojpuri-speaking regions of Bihar and UP, make up a voter base of 30-35 lakh and hold sway in over 20 constituencies. P4 14 teams, canvass in Punjabispeaking areas spread over 15 assembly segments, such as Kalkaji, Badli, Janakpuri, Tilak Nagar, and Rajouri Graden. The party’s primary focus is on the New Delhi constituency where Sandeep Dikshit, son of former Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit of the Congress, is pitched against Arvind Kejriwal and Parvesh Verma of the BJP . “As we enter Delhi, a huge landfill greets us. The most livable city in the world has sadly been turned into an urban slum,’’ Bajwa said. “In the 2022 Punjab assembly elections, the AAP showcased the Delhi model and took the Punjab voters for a ride. Now it is trying to fool Delhi people by highlighting their Punjab model,” said Raja Warring. Cong ress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira said that they are highlighting the “misgovernance” by the AAP government in Punjab and that the state ruling party could only manage to win three seats in the Lok Sabha elections. “I am cautioning the voters against the fake revolutionaries,” he said. continue to demand answers. “Kejriwal owes the people an answer on the goondaism of MLA Amanatullah Khan and his son. Khan was arrested under MCOCA and a woman secretary was beaten at his house. AAP lodged a complaint against BJP’s Kalkaji candidate Ramesh Bidhuri, accusing him of violating the model code of conduct by setting up his election office near a polling booth in Govindpuri. Bidhuri is pitted against Chief Minister Atishi and Alka Lamba of the Congress. P3 What about the children, youth, and women who died due to waterlogging during the 2024 monsoon? Kejriwal needs to come clear on various allegations,” Sachdeva added. MORE REPORTS ON PG 3 & 4 Festival of democracy begins: 103-yr-old, 92-yr-old former RBI official vote from home A S H I S H S R I V A S TA V A @ New Delhi VOTERS aged 85+ and Persons with Disabilities exercised their franchise from their homes on Friday as the Election Commission provided a home voting facility for the February 5 assembly elections in the capital. EC teams visited several constituencies and took the votes of the elderly on ballot papers. Among them were 103-year-old Uma Shankar Bhatnagar from Greater Kailash and 92-year-old KK Khanna, who retired as an officer from the Reserve Bank of India. “Police and Election Commission officials came to my house. It seems the EC itself came to take my vote,” Khanna, who is bedridden, said. According to the electoral rolls, Delhi has 1,09,063 elderly voters aged above 85 and 79,114 differently-abled voters. According to the poll body, 6,399 elderly voters aged above 85 and 1,050 differently-abled voters across Delhi districts applied for the home voting facility The process began on Fri. day, with poll officials visiting voters at their residences to collect their ballots. West Delhi recorded the highest number of applications for home voting, with 1,050 opting for the service, while North East saw the lowest participation, with 66 applying. The last date to apply for home voting was January 15. Those who applied within the deadline can cast their votes at home until February 4. Afterward, the ballots will be sent to the election officer and the local booth-level officer for further processing.