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Federal Judge Blocks Trump Administration from Deploying National Guard in Portland
A federal judge in Oregon has temporarily barred the Trump administration from deploying the National Guard to Portland, ruling that the move was unjustified given the scale of recent protests and could infringe on the state’s sovereignty.
US District Judge Karin Immergut issued the temporary injunction on Saturday in response to a lawsuit filed by the state of Oregon and the city of Portland. The legal challenge came just days after the Trump administration announced plans to federalise 200 members of the Oregon National Guard to protect federal buildings, claiming the city was “war-ravaged.”
In her ruling, Judge Immergut said the protests in Portland had been relatively small and did not warrant military intervention. “This country has a longstanding and foundational tradition of resistance to government overreach, especially in the form of military intrusion into civil affairs,” she wrote. “This historical tradition boils down to a simple proposition: this is a nation of Constitutional law, not martial law.”
The court found that the president’s determination to deploy federalised forces was “untethered to the facts,” noting that demonstrations near the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) building were largely peaceful and limited in scope. Immergut warned that allowing such a deployment could undermine Oregon’s state sovereignty and blur the constitutional boundaries between federal and local authority.
While the president is generally afforded broad discretion to federalise National Guard troops when local law enforcement cannot maintain order, Immergut said this was not the case in Portland.
Following the ruling, the White House immediately filed a notice of appeal to the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals. “President Trump exercised his lawful authority to protect federal assets and personnel in Portland following violent riots and attacks on law enforcement — we expect to be vindicated by a higher court,” said White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson.
The ruling comes amid a broader legal battle over the federal government’s use of military and law enforcement powers in American cities. Last month, another federal judge ruled that Trump’s deployment of more than 4,700 National Guard soldiers and Marines to Los Angeles was unlawful, though about 300 troops were allowed to remain on the condition that they did not engage in civilian law enforcement.
Meanwhile, President Trump on Saturday approved the deployment of 300 National Guard members to Chicago after federal immigration officials reported clashes with demonstrators.
In Portland, protests had remained small—typically drawing a few dozen people—until the announcement of the planned National Guard deployment on September 28, which saw crowds swell to around 400. Federal agents responded with tear gas and pepper rounds as tensions flared near the ICE facility, resulting in several arrests.
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Investigation Underway After Goa Nightclub Fire Kills at Least 25
Authorities in the Indian state of Goa have opened an investigation into a nightclub fire that killed at least 25 people, including several tourists, in one of the region’s most popular party districts. Six others were injured in the blaze, which broke out shortly after midnight in Arpora, a nightlife hub about 25 kilometres from the state capital, Panaji.
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant confirmed the death toll in a statement posted on X, saying the victims included many of the club’s kitchen staff and a small number of visiting tourists. He added that all the injured were in stable condition and receiving medical treatment. Rescue teams recovered all bodies from the site.
Early reports from local police, cited by the Press Trust of India, indicated that a gas cylinder explosion triggered the fire. Witnesses, however, told the agency that the blaze appeared to start on the club’s first floor, where nearly 100 tourists were dancing at the time. As smoke and flames swept through the building, many people ran toward the lower floor, where they became trapped along with staff members.
Sawant said a formal inquiry would determine the exact cause and whether the club complied with fire safety regulations. He pledged strict action against anyone found responsible, writing on X that any negligence uncovered by investigators would be “dealt with firmly”.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of panic as patrons attempted to flee the burning building. “We rushed out of the club only to see that the entire structure was up in flames,” said Fatima Shaikh, who was inside when the fire began.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered condolences in a message on X, calling the incident “deeply saddening” and wishing the injured a swift recovery.
Local media reported that the club’s location along the Arpora River backwaters posed challenges for emergency crews. A narrow approach road forced fire engines to park about 400 metres from the entrance, slowing their response. Reports also revealed that the building had previously received a demolition notice after officials found it lacked a construction permit. That order was later withdrawn by senior state authorities, according to Arpora councillor Roshan Redkar.
Incidents involving gas cylinders and electrical faults are not unusual in India and often lead to heavy casualties, prompting renewed calls for stronger enforcement of safety standards. Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi criticised the tragedy as a “criminal failure of safety and governance” and urged a transparent investigation to establish accountability and prevent future disasters.
The probe into the fire is expected to assess structural safety, emergency exits and compliance with existing regulations as authorities work to piece together how the late-night gathering turned into one of the deadliest incidents in the state in recent years.
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