NPR News Now - NPR News: 09-07-2025 9PM EDT

Episode Date: September 8, 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 Washington, I'm Janine Herbst. South Korean officials say they've reached a deal for the release of more than 300 people who were detained in an ice raid at a Georgia Hyundai electric vehicle battery plant last week. As Molly Samuel from Member Station WABE reports, the facility is one of many major Korean investments in the state. The plant is a joint venture between Korean companies Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution. It's under construction near a Hyundai EV and hybrid car factory that began production last year.

Georgia has long-running business ties to South Korea, and the state maintains an office in Seoul. 475 people were detained in the raid, most of them, South Korean nationals. According to the Department of Homeland Security, the month-long investigation is the biggest in agency history. A South Korean official said they plan to push to review visa policies, and the country is chartering a plane to bring the Korean workers home. For NPR News, I'm Molly Samuel in Atlanta. The number of Americans missing work for National Guard deployments or other civil service is at a nearly 20-year high. Empires-Winzer-Johnston reports economists say is putting added strain

on the labor market. Employers in the U.S. reported more than 90,000 week-long absences from January to August. That's more than double the number this time last year. The Labor Department says it's the highest since 2006 when National Guard troops were deployed to Iraq. The spite comes amid President Trump's ordering of thousands of troops to major U.S. cities and as he considers new deployments. Economists say it's straining both workers and employees. employers. And Pierce-Winzer-Johnston reporting. Independence Day celebrations in Brazil are being marked by nationwide protests. Julia Carnaro reports tensions are high as a former far-right president favored by President Trump faces trial. Supporters of Jaip Bolsonaro gathered in dozens of cities

under the motto React Brazil, condemning the former president's trial in the Supreme Court. Bolsonaro faces five charges, including plotting a coup. after his defeat to current president, Luis In Nasu Lula da Silva. In Brasilia, official Independence Day celebrations were held under the motto, sovereign Brazil. This, in reaction to President Trump's support for Bolsonaro, and the 50% tariffs he imposed on Brazilian exports, Trump has called the trial against Bolsonaro a witch hunt. In an Independence Day speech, President Lula said Brazil was nobody's colony

and would not accept orders from anyone. For NPR News, I'm Julia Carnero in San Paulo. Asia markets are trading higher at this hour than NICA, the main market in Japan, is up about 1.6%. You're listening to NPR News from Washington. The Department of Transportation says it will train more than 160 new railroad bridge inspectors, that to expand state and federal oversight of the country's more than 70,000 railroad bridges. And Piers Lex Doig has more.

The announcement follows an Associated Press report produced by the Howard Center for Investigative Journalism at Arizona State University that found the Federal Railroad Administration had just six employees overseeing railroad bridge safety. This allowed companies to largely inspect themselves with little oversight. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said his agency will now train existing federal and state track inspectors to also inspect railroad bridges. Those workers will be able to recommend civil penalties for companies when defects are found. The Rail Union SmartTD said on its website the development is a clear step forward in addressing rail workers' safety concerns, saying, though, quote, there is more work to be done. For NPR News, I'm Lex Doyle. The United Nations Postal Agency says postal traffic to the U.S. sank 80% after President Trump ended the de minimis exemption to tariffs on good.

less than $800. The Universal Postal Union says 88 postal operators say they've suspended some or all postal services to the U.S. until a solution can be reached because airlines and other carriers say they wouldn't be able to collect those duties. The Swiss-based agency says it's rolling out new measures that can help post offices around the world calculate and collect tariffs. I'm Janine Herbst, NPR News, in Washington. This 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.