Wednesday, April 16, 2025

Thursday Briefing: A judge’s pushback against Trump

Plus, a look at the Grand Egyptian Museum.
Morning Briefing: Asia Pacific Edition

April 17, 2025

Good morning. We're covering a judge's bid to hold Trump accountable for deportations and chipmakers caught in the trade war.

Plus, a look at the Grand Egyptian Museum.

A man sits in behind a microphone in a suit and tie. A placard in front of him reads
Judge James Boasberg.  Drew Angerer/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

A judge threatened to hold Trump officials in contempt

A judge in Washington yesterday said that he would open a contempt investigation into the Trump administration over its deportation flights of migrants unless it gave the deported men a chance to challenge their removal.

The judge, James Boasberg, said that there was "probable cause" the administration had violated an order he gave last month to keep the migrants in the U.S., instead of sending them to El Salvador.

The move toward a possible inquiry was a remarkable attempt by a judge to hold the White House accountable for its apparent willingness to flout court orders. Read the ruling here.

What's next: Boasberg said that if the White House did not comply, he would order sworn declarations from officials to find who was responsible. If that failed, he would require depositions or hold hearings under oath. And if that was unsuccessful, Boasberg said he would refer the case to the Justice Department for criminal prosecution.

Mission to El Salvador: Chris Van Hollen, a Democratic Senator, traveled to El Salvador yesterday to press for the release of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran immigrant who was mistakenly deported from the U.S.

Three people wearing red lanyards walk on a sidewalk with a large gray building with a red TSMC logo on it.
Taiwan is home to TSMC, the world's largest chip manufacturer.  Ann Wang/Reuters

Chipmakers are caught in the U.S.-China trade war

The stock price for Nvidia, the American chip giant, tumbled nearly 7 percent yesterday after the company revealed that the U.S. government would restrict sales of some of its chips to China. A congressional committee also opened an investigation into Nvidia, seeking to assess whether the company knowingly helped China develop advanced A.I. technology.

Trump has also threatened tariffs on Taiwan, where most of the world's advanced semiconductors are made. China similarly views the island's chip dominance as a problem. But unlike the U.S., it has sought to reduce barriers to import the technology.

More on tariffs

A couple men inspect the ruins and rubble of a destroyed building.
The site of a strike in northern Gaza, yesterday.  Mahmoud Issa/Reuters

Israel threatened 'tremendous force' in Gaza

Israel's defense minister warned yesterday that the war in Gaza would soon escalate with "tremendous force" and an extended humanitarian blockade if Hamas did not quickly release hostages.

The U.N. said that the humanitarian situation in the enclave was likely at its worst since the conflict began, with the population on the brink of famine.

A hostage's ordeal: Keith Siegel, who spent 484 days as a hostage in Gaza, described the distress he endured. During his captivity, he was whisked between hiding locations over 30 times and spent a stretch in a tunnel. "I thought about death many times in that tunnel," he said in an interview with The Times.

MORE TOP NEWS

People gathered together near a sign that reads, "The Supreme Court."
Outside of the Supreme Court in London, yesterday.  Maja Smiejkowska/Reuters

Sports

MORNING READ

Moose crossing a river with a forest of trees in the background.
SVT, via Associated Press

Who would spend hours a day watching moose trudge through northern Sweden? Lots of people, it turns out. For the next three weeks, moose fans are following "The Great Moose Migration" live on the country's national broadcaster. "This is reality TV at its finest," the moderator of a Facebook group said.

Lives lived: Richard Armitage, who served as the No. 2 official at the State Department during the 9/11 attacks and the start of America's wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, died at 79.

CONVERSATION STARTERS

Two men in formal attire are on a marble staircase. One stands holding the railing, wearing glasses and a suit with a white shirt. The other sits on the steps, wearing a pinstripe suit and light-colored boots. The background features a wall sconce.
Dana Scruggs for The New York Times

ARTS AND IDEAS

A slide show of visitors looking at Egyptian artifacts.
Stephen Hiltner for The New York Times

The Grand Egyptian Museum is finally open

The world's most anticipated museum is finally open. The Grand Egyptian Museum, outside Cairo, had been announcing and then canceling plans since 2012, delayed by revolutions, wars, financial crises and a pandemic.

My colleague Stephen Hiltner traveled to the colossal complex and was greeted by one of its many showstoppers: a 3,200-year-old statue of Ramses II. Other highlights included a mummified crocodile and a display of figurines left as servants for the dead. Take a look.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Top down view of Lemon Yogurt Cheesecake.
Mark Weinberg for The New York Times

Bake: Lots of lemon zest and Greek yogurt ensures this cheesecake is light and tangy.

Watch: In "Towards Zero," Agatha Christie gets steamy.

Read: "I Seek a Kind Person" tells the story of seven children who escaped wartime Austria, thanks to a British newspaper.

Consider: Having a family history of cancer can be frightening. Here's what to do about it.

Travel: The actress Olivia Munn shares her favorite places in Tokyo.

Play: Spelling Bee, the Mini Crossword, Wordle and Sudoku. Find all our games here.

That's it for today. See you tomorrow. — Emmett

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