The Headlines - A Showdown on Ukraine, and a Judge Says DOGE Might Be Unconstitutional

Episode Date: February 25, 2025

Plus, Roberta Flack remembered.  On Today’s Episode: U.S. and European Allies Split Sharply at the U.N. Over Ukraine, by Farnaz FassihiTrump and Macron Display Old Friendship but Split on the Ukraine War, by Peter BakerUkraine Nears a Deal to Give U.S. a Share of Its Mineral Wealth, by Constant MéheutJudge Questions Constitutionality of Musk’s Cost-Cutting Operation, by Alan FeuerOn Chinese Tuna Boats, North Koreans Trawl for Cash for Kim Jong-un, by Choe Sang-Hun and Muktita SuhartonoRoberta Flack, Virtuoso Singer-Pianist Who Ruled the Charts, Dies at 88, by Giovanni RussonelloTune in every weekday morning. To get our full audio journalism and storytelling experience, download the New York Times Audio app — available to Times news subscribers on iOS — and sign up for our weekly newsletter.Tell us what you think at: [e-mail]. 

From the New York Times, it's the headlines. I'm Tracy Mumford. Today's Tuesday, February 25th. Here's what we're covering. The way we answer to the Russian aggression today, it will define our common future, the future of the entire democratic world and the future of the UN. At the United Nations yesterday, there was a diplomatic showdown between the U.S. and some of its closest allies over the war in Ukraine.

Delegates were meeting on the third anniversary of Russia's invasion, and Ukraine put forward a resolution condemning Russia's actions and calling on it to pull back its troops. It had the backing of countries like Britain and France, but the U.S. refused to sign it. Multiple resolutions of the General Assembly have demanded that Russia withdraw its forces from Ukraine. Those resolutions have failed to stop the war. Instead, American representatives pushed through a short resolution of their own that called for an end to the war without assigning blame and mourned the loss of life on both sides of the conflict. European diplomats said they were furious that the U.S., their longtime ally, had sided against them. Thank you, Mr. President. — As the UN was meeting...

— Again, the relationship's been very special with France and very special with this gentleman on my right. —...President Trump hosted the president of France, Emmanuel Macron, at the White House. There were hugs and handshakes and compliments, but Macron also pushed back on Trump's framing of the war in Ukraine. — Europe is loaning the money to Ukraine. They get their money back. No, in fact, to be frank, we paid.

We paid 60% of the total default. In one exchange, Macron cut Trump off to fact check his false claim that European countries expect to be reimbursed for their aid to Ukraine. Macron's visit, which his team scrambled to organize amid Trump's increasingly hostile stance towards Europe, comes as other leaders are also rushing to Washington. Over the weekend, the Polish president attended the conservative convention CPAC to try and

influence the new administration. And the prime minister of Britain will visit the White House on Thursday. Meanwhile, the Times has learned that the U.S. and Ukraine are pushing forward on a massive new economic deal. It would give the U.S. a large share of the profits from Ukraine's natural resources like lithium. It was originally Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's idea. He wanted to trade mineral rights in exchange for ongoing U.S. military support. Trump came in with a different idea.

Essentially, Donald Trump has turned the concept on its head and said that he wants the minerals and other natural resources such as oil and gas as compensation for past American aid with no thing in return for Ukraine. Constant Meillet covers Ukraine for the Times and has gotten access to drafts of the agreement. He says right now the sticking point will be what kind of security guarantee, if any, the U.S. is willing to provide. And so the Ukrainians and the Americans have been haggling over what Ukraine could get in return. The argument at the White House has been that the mere presence of American economic interest

in Ukraine would deter future Russian aggression. The idea is that if you have American businesses on the ground, the Russians will not dare to attack. But President Zelensky has countered that there were American businesses on the ground, the Russians will not dare to attack. But President Zelensky has countered that there were American businesses on the ground in eastern Ukraine prior to the Russian full-scale invasion and that did not deter the Russians attack. Yesterday a federal judge said that the way Musk's cost-cutting team, the Department

of Government Efficiency, was set up may violate the Constitution. Her remarks came as part of a case about Doge's attempts to access sensitive data at the Treasury Department. The judge said she was concerned that Doge violates a clause in the Constitution that requires leaders of federal agencies to be confirmed by the Senate, which Musk has not been. She also indicated she has serious concerns about how Doge is being run and who is technically in charge. She repeatedly asked a lawyer for the government to identify the administrator of the group.

He was unable to answer. She also asked what Musk's job actually was and was told, I don't have any information beyond he's a close advisor to the president. In response, the judge said, quote, if you have people that are not authorized to carry out some of these functions that they're carrying out,

that does raise an issue. Her comments are not part of any binding ruling, but suggests there could be legal problems ahead for Doge. A New Report Reveals How North Korea Has Been Sending Its Own Citizens Overseas As Forced Labor A new report reveals how North Korea has been sending its own citizens overseas as forced labor to bring in money for the regime. The report from the Environmental Justice Foundation found that North Koreans have been forced to work on Chinese fishing boats thousands of miles from home.

Some of the workers have been effectively trapped on the ocean for almost a decade. They've had their passports confiscated, they have no cell phones, and most of their salaries go directly to North Korea's government. The boats catch tuna, which is sold to markets across Asia and even as far away as Europe and the United Kingdom. It's part of a shadowy labor practice in which dozens of countries around the world benefit from forced North Korean labor. North Korea has sent people to work in factories and restaurants in China.

Others work in Russian logging and construction. And there are laborers in the Middle East, Africa, and Eastern Europe. In all, more than 100,000 North Koreans are working abroad for the regime. And finally, The first time ever I saw your face. Roberta Flack, the virtuoso singer and pianist, has died at 88 years old. performances of achingly slow songs. Though she started playing the piano from the time she was young, she didn't hit it big until much later. She worked as a teacher into her 30s. At one point I was teaching physical education and I taught math classes. I taught English classes.

Which is a waste, I guess. No, not a waste, but not music. Flack played her early gigs around Washington, D.C. I decided to stop teaching school after I had worked for the summer as a singer at a little club on Capitol Hill where a lot of senators came with their families on Sundays. And it was also a gay bar, and it was like very cosmopolitan kind of interesting place. Her regular performances at a club called Mr. Henry's

caught the attention of everyone from Liberace to record executives. She became a superstar after Clint Eastwood featured her rendition of First Time Ever I Saw Your Face in one of his movies. With her next big hit, she became one of the most listened to artists of the 1970s. Killing Me Softly became her signature song, which she performed for decades, including with the Fugees on their 90s remix of it. As a performer, as an artist, it was hard work.

Nobody poured me into a gown. They didn't put me into a mold. They didn't fashion my face. They didn't fashion my figure. I've made it purely on talent. Those are the headlines. Today on The Daily, Times tech reporter Cashmere Hill on the story of how one woman fell in love, deeply romantically in love, with a chatbot. That's next in the New York Times audio app, or you can listen wherever you get your podcasts.

I'm Tracy Mumford, we'll be back tomorrow.