The Trump administration branded Chicago a “war zone” Sunday as a justification for deploying soldiers against the will of local Democratic officials, while a judge blocked the White House from sending troops to another Democrat-run city.

An escalating political crisis across the country pits President Donald Trump´s anti-crime and migration crackdown against opposition Democrats who accuse him of an authoritarian power grab.

In the newest flashpoint, Trump late Saturday authorised deployment of 300 National Guard soldiers to Chicago, the third-largest city in the United States, despite the opposition of elected leaders, including the mayor and state Governor JB Pritzker.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem defended the move on Sunday, claiming on Fox News that Chicago is “a war zone.”

But Pritzker, speaking on CNN’s “State of the Union” show, accused Republicans of aiming to sow “mayhem on the ground. They want to create the war zone, so that they can send in even more troops.”

In a statement, the governor called the proposed deployment “Trump´s invasion,” saying “there is no reason” to send troops into Illinois or any other state without the “knowledge, consent, or cooperation” of local officials.

A CBS poll released Sunday found that 58% of Americans oppose deploying the National Guard to cities.

Trump — who last Tuesday spoke of using the military for a “war from within” — shows no sign of backing off his hardline campaign.

On Sunday, he falsely claimed that “Portland is burning to the ground. It´s insurrectionists all over the place.”

Key ally Mike Johnson, the Republican speaker of the House of Representatives, echoed the president´s rhetoric Sunday, telling NBC that National Guard troops deployed in the US capital, Washington, had responded to a “literal war zone” — a characterisation at odds with reality.

No to ‘martial law’

Trump’s campaign to use the military on home soil hit a roadblock late Saturday in Portland, Oregon, when a court ruled the deployment was unlawful.

Trump has repeatedly called Portland “war-ravaged,” but US District Judge Karin Immergut issued a temporary block, saying “the president´s determination was simply untethered to the facts.”

“This is a nation of Constitutional law, not martial law,” Immergut wrote in her ruling.

Although Portland has seen scattered attacks on federal officers and property, the Trump administration failed to demonstrate “that those episodes of violence were part of an organised attempt to overthrow the government as a whole” — thereby justifying military force, she said.

One of Trump´s key advisors, Stephen Miller, called the judge´s order “legal insurrection.”

Another court order issued late Sunday blocked the deployment of National Guard soldiers from other states, according to Oregon´s attorney general and California Governor Gavin Newsom, who earlier announced he was suing to stop the mobilisation.

“A federal judge BLOCKED Donald Trump’s unlawful attempt to DEPLOY 300 OF OUR NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS TO PORTLAND,” said Newsom, whose press office has deliberately copied the president´s abrasive, all-capitals style.

“Trump’s abuse of power won’t stand,” Newsom added.

• Measures taken under Saudi Vision 2030: Ministry of Hajj, Umrah
• Adds initiative reflects Kingdom’s vision to facilitate Muslims.
• Nusuk Umrah platform launched for aspirants of direct Umrah.
  

Saudi Arabia’s authorities permitted holders of various types of visas to perform Umrah during their stay in the kingdom under the Saudi Vision 2030.

“All holders of visas of various types can perform Umrah during their stay in the kingdom,” the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has confirmed in a statement.

The Ministry stated that the visas cover multiple categories, including personal and family visit visas, electronic tourist visas, transit or stopover visas, work permits, and other types can visit Makkah to perfrom Umrah.

The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah added that the initiative reflects the Kingdom’s ongoing commitment to facilitating the arrival of Muslims from across the globe, enabling them to perform their religious duties with comfort and peace of mind.

“This comes as part of the Ministry’s efforts to facilitate procedures for the guests of Allah and to expand the number of beneficiaries of the services provided within the Hajj and Umrah system, in line with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030,” it said in the statement.

The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah added that it has recently launched the “Nusuk Umrah” platform for those wishing to perform Umrah directly. Through the platform, users can select a suitable package and issue an Umrah permit electronically with ease, in an integrated digital experience that allows booking services and selecting preferred times with great flexibility.

“These facilitative measures reflect the keenness of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince — may Allah protect them — to enable Muslims to visit the Two Holy Mosques and perform their rituals in a spiritual and safe environment, while providing the finest services that enrich the experience of the guests of Allah and make their faith journey easier.”

SIDOARJO: The death toll from an Indonesian school collapse rose to 54 on Monday, officials said, as rescuers searched for more than a dozen still missing.

Part of the multi-storey building on Indonesia’s Java island collapsed suddenly last week as students gathered for afternoon prayers.

As of this morning, “we have retrieved 54 dead victims, including five body parts,” National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) operations director Yudhi Bramantyo told a press conference.

Rescuers were still working around the clock in the rubble of the boarding school.

“We hope we can conclude the recovery today [Monday], and we will return the bodies [to the families],” said Yudhi.

The collapse was Indonesia’s deadliest disaster so far this year, Budi Irawan, the deputy head of the national disaster agency (BNPB), said.

At least 13 people were still missing, he added.

Investigators have been examining the cause of the collapse, but initial indications suggest that substandard construction may have contributed to the incident, according to experts.

The families of the missing agreed on Thursday for heavy equipment to be used, after the 72-hour “golden period” for the best chance of survival came to an end.

Lax construction standards have raised widespread concerns about building safety in Indonesia.

At least three people were killed and dozens were injured in September when a building hosting a prayer recital collapsed in West Java.