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.”
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.
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Ukrainian troops have withdrawn from all but a sliver of land in Russia’s Kursk region in recent days, according to military analysts and soldiers, as Kyiv’s monthslong campaign to seize and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.
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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.