NPR News Now - NPR News: 09-06-2025 1AM EDT

Episode Date: September 6, 2025

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Support for NPR comes from NPR member stations and Eric and Wendy Schmidt through the Schmidt Family Foundation, working toward a healthy, resilient, secure world for all. On the web at theshmit.org. Live from NPR News in New York City, I'm Dwa Lisei Kautau. There's mixed reaction from Pentagon officials after President Trump signed an executive order on Friday to rebrand the Defense Department to the Department. of war. Here's Trump explaining his renaming. I think it's a much more appropriate name, especially in light of where the world is right now. We have the strongest military in the world. We have the greatest equipment in the world.

We have the greatest manufacturers of equipment by far. The administration's secretary of defense, Pete Hegeseth, said after the signing of the order, this name change is about restoring the warrior ethos. He later posted a video on his official social media showing a new nameplate on his office door. that reads Secretary of War. The Department of Agriculture has started to issue guidance on how states should implement new work requirements for people who receive food assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP. As NPR's Maria Godoy reports, estimates suggest the new rules could result in some 2.4 million people losing benefits each month. The changes to SNAP were included in the massive spending and tax bill President Trump signed into law this summer.

Under the new rules, most able-bodied adults without dependents must now prove they work, volunteer, or take part in a training program for at least 80 hours a month in order to keep their SNAP benefits. The changes removed previous exemptions from many parents of teens, veterans, people experiencing homelessness, foster youth, and adults between the ages of 55 and 65. The USDA says states have 120-day period to implement the changes. Maria Godoy and PR News. Israel's military targeted high-rise buildings in Gaza City as it prepares for a wide-scale ground invasion of its urban centers.

The health ministry there says its records show more than 56,000 children have lost one or both parents and more than 19,000 Palestinian children killed by Israel fire. And Perez-Aiboutrari has the latest. The military leveled a high-rise building in Gaza City after ordering it evacuated Friday afternoon. was brought down with what appeared to be at least four missiles, according to video shared online. One of those videos was shared by Israel's defense minister, who said, quote, the latch of Hell's gates in Gaza has now been removed. The military says the tower it struck near the coast was being used by Hamas to plan and carry out attacks on Israeli forces.

The Israeli military did not provide evidence, and instead published an illustrated video. It says shows how Hamas installs cameras on rooftops and uses tunnels under buildings. The video included what appeared to be several dozen targets across the city. Hamas says the targeting of residential towers is part of an attempt to force Gaza City's residents to leave and says claims that Hamas uses these buildings are lies. Aya-Baltrowi, NPR News, Dubai. This is NPR News. Nearly 500 South Koreans were arrested at a Hyundai factory in the state of Georgia on Friday.

Immigration officials said it was the, quote, largest single, site enforcement operation in the history of homeland security investigations. And President Trump, speaking from the Oval Office, said these workers are people that came through with Biden. He said they came through illegally. South Korea expressed, quote, concern and regret over the immigration raid and urged the Trump administration to respect the rights of its citizens. The Korean nationals are being held in an ICE facility in Folkston, Georgia, temporarily. President Trump's Tax and spending legislation requires states to implement Medicaid work requirements starting in 2027. But as Montana Public Radio's Aaron Bolton reports, Montana is seeking to enforce them sooner.

Montana estimates 65% of Medicaid enrollees meet the standards or are exempt. But another state agency estimated that figure to be over 90%. Montana health economist Bryce Ward. The expectations of any benefit to anybody from this are pretty much zero. Ward expects the state will spend more money than it saves because of the additional paperwork. Ward also worries about Montanaan's erroneously being denied coverage. The latest federal data shows Montana failed to process over half of Medicaid applications this spring within the 45-day deadline.

For NPR News, I'm Aaron Bolton and Columbia Falls, Montana. And I'm Doa Lai-Countale, NPR News in New York City. message comes from Wise, the app for using money around the globe. When you manage your money with Wise, you'll always get the mid-market exchange rate with no hidden fees. Join millions of customers and visit wise.com. T's and C's Apply.