Monday Briefing: Trump deports Venezuelans

Plus, Spider-Man through the years

View in browser|nytimes.com March 17, 2025 By Natasha Frost Good morning. We're covering the Trump administration's deportation of hundreds of Venezuelans and a Ukrainian retreat in Russia. Plus: Spider-Man through the years. El Salvador's government released this photo of Venezuelan deportees from the United States being taken to a prison in the municipality of Tecoluca.  El Salvador's Presidency Press Office, via Reuters U.S. deported hundreds in the face of a judge's order The Trump administration denied that it had violated a court order by deporting hundreds of Venezuelan immigrants accused of being gang members to a prison in El Salvador over the weekend, saying that the president had broad powers to quickly expel them under an 18th-century law meant for wartime. The White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, also asserted in a statement that the federal courts "have no jurisdiction" over the president's conduct of foreign affairs or his power to expel foreign enemies. Timing: The judge issued his order shortly before 7 p.m. on Saturday in Washington, but video posted from El Salvador shows deportees disembarking at night. El Salvador is two hours behind Washington. Its president, Nayib Bukele, posted a screenshot about the judge's order, with a message: "Oopsie… Too late." Context: President Trump signed an executive order on Friday invoking the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, which allows for summary deportations of people from countries at war with the U.S. The Venezuelan government said yesterday that the attempt to apply the act to this situation "constitutes a crime against humanity." Related coverage: Trump's tactics are shredding decades of precedents when it comes to the U.S.-Mexico border. An international graduate student at Cornell University filed a lawsuit to block enforcement of two executive orders that, he fears, could result in his deportation for pro-Palestinian activism. A Lebanese doctor and professor at Brown University's medical school was deported, despite having a valid visa and a court order blocking her expulsion, according to her lawyer and court papers. More on Trump U.S. stock markets have been falling since Trump was elected. They are now behind other markets around the world. Trump and his allies have held up post-apartheid South Africa as a so-called cautionary tale for white people. The data tells a different story. Health officials in West Texas are worried that the unproven health advice of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the health secretary, could make it harder to contain a growing measles outbreak. Track Trump's actions since he took office. Ronen Bar, the Shin Bet director, at a memorial in Jerusalem in October. Pool photo by Gil Cohen-Magen Netanyahu moves to fire an Israeli intelligence chief Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was taking action to oust Ronen Bar, the director of the Shin Bet, Israel's domestic intelligence agency, raising concerns among critics that he was seeking to undermine its independence. Members of Netanyahu's coalition have demanded Bar's dismissal, saying he had undermined the prime minister. The decision came amid tensions between Netanyahu and security officials over the handling of the war in Gaza, and in the wake of Shin Bet investigations into allegations against several Netanyahu aides. In Gaza: Israeli forces killed at least nine Palestinians in strikes on Saturday, according to the Gaza health ministry. No aid has reached the enclave since March 2, driving prices to levels that few can afford. News from the region: Ultra-Orthodox Jews were exempt from military service in Israel. Now they're being drafted. The Houthi militia in Yemen vowed to retaliate after the U.S. ordered strikes that the group says killed at least 53 people. Ukrainian military vehicles across the border from the Kursk region of Russia in January. Finbarr O'Reilly for The New York Times Ukraine's bold campaign in Russia nears its end Ukrainian troops have withdrawn from all but a sliver of land in Russia's Kursk region in recent days, according to military analysts and soldiers, as Kyiv's monthslong campaign to seize and occupy Russian territory appears to be ending in the face of relentless airstrikes and drone assaults. The fighting in Kursk is now less about holding Russian territory, Ukrainian soldiers said, and more about controlling the best defensive positions to prevent the Russians from pushing into the Sumy region of Ukraine. Here's how Kyiv's offensive unraveled. What's next: Steve Witkoff, the U.S. special envoy to the Middle East, said yesterday that he expected President Trump to speak with President Vladimir Putin of Russia this week about a cease-fire. MORE TOP NEWS Alexandros Avramidis/Reuters North Macedonia: At least 59 people were killed and 155 others injured in a fire at a nightclub about 50 miles east of the capital, Skopje. Saudi Arabia: An extraordinary number of Kenyan domestic workers have died in the past five years. Saudi royals and East African leaders are profiting from the trade, a Times investigation found. Ethiopia: A moderately strong earthquake struck the country last night. Pope Francis: The Vatican released the first photo of the pope since he was hospitalized last month. Young people gathered under his windows to wish him a quick recovery. Climate: Greenpeace fought to save the whales. But can it save itself? Serbia: More than 100,000 protesters in Belgrade demanded that President Aleksandar Vucic step aside. Space: A SpaceX Dragon spacecraft arrived at the International Space Station, paving the way for two NASA astronauts to finally go home after nine months in orbit. SPORTS NEWS Soccer: Newcastle United beat Liverpool to win the Carabao Cup final, ending a 56-year wait for a trophy. Formula 1: Lando Norris secured victory at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, navigating intense late pressure from Max Verstappen. Tennis: The rise of Mirra Andreeva already looked inevitable. Then Conchita Martinez, her coach, sped it up. Speedskating: At 95, Iichi Marumo is the world's oldest speedskater. He's gunning for 100. MORNING READ Sarah Blesener for The New York Times In a hospital corridor, the Costello family was bracing to say farewell to their witty, contrarian, compassionate Brendan. His final wish upended their plans. Lives lived: Roy L. Prosterman, who left a lucrative corporate law practice to champion land reform in the underdeveloped world, died at 89. CONVERSATION STARTERS The cost of true or false: The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam acts as an authenticator of the artist's work. Is it worth the trouble? Have your "innie" read this: The show "Severance" is starting to change how people discuss work-life balance. Dressing for the plane: What should you wear on a flight? Vanessa Friedman, The Times's fashion director and chief fashion critic, has answers. ARTS AND IDEAS ABC, NBC, Sony Pictures Television, Marvel Studios and Disney+ The evolution of Spider-Man The superhero has been the subject of many different animated TV shows since the 1960s. My colleague Maya Phillips explored how he has evolved. The original "Spider-Man" show, which aired from 1967 to 1970, had animation that was thoroughly of its time, she writes — "blocky outlines, jerky character movements and flat, untextured backgrounds." Later iterations have had a more vibrant New York City backdrop and more finessed animation, giving a boost to Spider-Man's wall-crawling skills — and musculature. In terms of animation, the most recent series, "Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man," returns to where it all began, with designs evoking the classic "Amazing Spider-Man" comic books. We hope you've enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times. RECOMMENDATIONS Linda Xiao for The New York Times Cook: This warming vegetarian stew by Yotam Ottolenghi has a vibrant fresh pea topping. Read: These five books are hitting screens this year. Read them first. Watch: Our guide to the best sci-fi movies to stream includes a zany comedy from New Zealand. Mature: We asked experts what's normal, so far as aging goes, and what's not. Play the Spelling Bee. And here are today's Mini Crossword and Wordle. You can find all our puzzles here. That's it for today's briefing. See you tomorrow. — Natasha Reach Natasha and the team at briefing@nytimes.com. Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for Morning Briefing: Europe Edition from The New York Times. To stop receiving Morning Briefing: Europe Edition, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018