Human Times

North American Edition

12th September 2025

THE HOT STORY

South Korean workers detained in U.S. raid arrive home

More than 300 South Koreans who were detained in an immigration raid at a Hyundai plant in the U.S. state of Georgia have arrived home. A chartered Korean Air jet carrying the workers and 14 non-Koreans who were also detained in the raid took off from Atlanta at midday local time on Thursday (17:00 BST). One South Korean national has reportedly chosen to stay in the U.S. to seek permanent residency. Korean companies would be "very hesitant" about investing in the U.S. following the raid, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said on Thursday. "The situation is extremely bewildering," Lee observed, while noting it is common practice for Korean firms to send workers to help set up overseas factories. "If that's no longer allowed, establishing manufacturing facilities in the U.S. will only become more difficult . . . making companies question whether it's worth doing at all," he added. On Friday, the South Korean foreign ministry said it had called for the U.S. Congress to support a new visa for Korean firms.

WORKFORCE

New jobless claims climb to highest since October 2021

Initial jobless claims rose by 27,000 to 263,000 in the seven days to September 6th, the Labor Department reported Thursday, the highest level since October 2021. Economists polled by the Wall Street Journal had estimated that new claims would decline by 2,000, to a total of 235,000. The four-week moving average of new jobless claims increased to 240,500, the highest since June, while continuing claims, reported with a one-week lag, were unchanged at 1.94m. “The surge in initial jobless claims in the first week of September came primarily from Texas, while claims declined in most states," commented economist Eliza Winger. "While any deterioration in the labor market bears watching given growing labor-market weakness, a broader increase in claims would have been much more concerning.”

ECONOMY

Consumer prices rose 2.9% last month

In August, consumer prices increased by 2.9% year-over-year, marking the largest rise since January, according to the Labor Department. The uptick was driven by higher costs for gas, groceries, hotel rooms, airfare, clothing, and used cars. Core prices, excluding food and energy, also rose by 3.1%, remaining above the Federal Reserve's 2% target. As the Fed prepares for its upcoming meeting, it faces pressure to cut short-term rates from 4.3% to about 4.1%. However, rising inflation complicates this decision. Jerome Powell, the Fed Chair, indicated that the focus is shifting towards job concerns, especially as the unemployment rate increased to 4.3% and weekly claims for unemployment benefits rose sharply. The overall inflation rate accelerated by 0.4% from July to August, surpassing the previous month’s 0.2% increase.

HEALTH & WELLBEING

Rate of employers covering weight-loss drugs remains flat, Cigna says

Health insurer Cigna has said the share of employers paying for obesity drugs is flat year-over-year, although it still sees an uptick in demand for the treatments. More than half of the firm's Evernorth unit's clients, a group that includes large employers and health plans, cover the drugs for weight management, chief financial officer Brian Evanko said.

Reuters

MANAGEMENT

Bridging the readiness gap in accounting

The Illinois CPA Society (ICPAS) has released findings from its 2025 Insight Special Feature, “The Readiness Divide: How Next-Gen Accounting Talent Measures Up,” highlighting a significant skills gap between early-career professionals and their managers. The survey, which included 470 responses from both groups, revealed that early-career employees rated their readiness 2.44 points higher than managers did on a 10-point scale. Key issues identified include misaligned perceptions of communication and professionalism, low ratings in critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and a lack of technological proficiency. Geoffrey Brown, CAE, president and chief executive of ICPAS, said: “We uncovered notable disconnects between expectations and experiences and pinpointed where additional support and skill building is needed.”

Accounting Today

CPA Practice Advisor

LEGAL

SCOTUS to determine legality of Trump tariffs

The Supreme Court agreed Tuesday to hear a case on the legality of President Donald Trump's slate of global tariffs in early November, with a ruling potentially coming before the end of the year. The justices took up the Justice Department's appeal of a lower court's ruling that Trump overstepped his authority in imposing most of his tariffs under a federal law meant for emergencies. That ruling stemmed from two challenges: one brought by five small businesses that import goods, including a New York wine and spirits importer and a Pennsylvania-based sport fishing retailer, and the other filed by 12 U.S. states - Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Oregon and Vermont. The Supreme Court also agreed to hear a separate challenge to Trump's tariffs brought by a family-owned toy company, Learning Resources.

Ohio township pushes back against influx of data centers

Jerome Township has implemented a nine-month moratorium - the first of its kind in Ohio - on new data center construction amid rising concerns from residents about noise, energy consumption, and limited economic benefits. Township Trustees voted unanimously to place a moratorium on the "receipt, processing, issuance or approval of any application for a zoning certificate" for data centers to enable officials to study future growth in the expanding industry. Trustees said multiple applications awaiting approval will now be held up. Township Administrator Brandon Standley said: "We have learned from and listened to our residents," as he highlighted the community's dissatisfaction with existing Amazon facilities. Trustee Wezlynn Davis described the noise as "beyond tolerable."

The Columbus Dispatch

INTERNATIONAL

Massive data breach hits Stockholm employees

A cyberattack on Miljödata, a Swedish HR system provider, has compromised the personal data of over 40,000 City of Stockholm employees. The breach, detected in late August, includes names, identity numbers, phone numbers, email addresses, and employment IDs. Cybersecurity firm Truesec is investigating the incident, but the full extent of the leak remains unclear. Marcus Murray, founder of Truesec, said: "It's still unclear whether sensitive data was accessed." The City of Stockholm said it is monitoring the situation and will provide updates as they become available.

Helsinki Times

PwC's Tom Seymour deregistered over tax scandal

Tom Seymour, former chief of PwC Australia, has been deregistered by the Tax Practitioners Board (TPB) for failing to act on signs of unethical conduct within the firm. The TPB's report highlighted that Seymour allowed a culture of improper behavior to flourish in the tax division. He denied awareness of any confidential information being shared and said: "I disagree with the TPB finding that I breached the Code of Conduct." The sanction is the most significant in the ongoing PwC tax leaks scandal, which has resulted in numerous departures.

Bloomberg Tax

Financial Review

U.K. hiring intentions plummet

The U.K. has experienced the steepest decline in hiring intentions among 20 European countries, according to ManpowerGroup U.K. Forty-one per cent of employers planned to hire last year and only 13% said they were considering cuts before last year's Budget - a difference of 28 percentage points - but that optimism has dwindled, with the gap between hiring and firing intentions now at just 11%. Petra Tagg, director of ManpowerGroup UK, said: "It's a tough outlook for the U.K. at the moment." Tagg went on to warn that employers may turn to automation instead of hiring new staff.

The Daily Telegraph

Cuban authorities say power outage mostly resolved

Havana is gradually returning to normal after a nationwide blackout left 9.7m residents without power. The Cuban Energy and Mining Ministry reported that 80% of the capital has regained electricity. The restoration process is ongoing, with officials aiming to fully restore service soon, although the country's power system has been in crisis for years, struggling to meet demand due to outdated infrastructure and dwindling fuel imports. Residents expressed frustration over the situation, highlighting the severe impact on daily life amid Cuba's broader economic challenges.

Reuters

OTHER

Vaccine trust plummets among Americans

Only 24% of Americans believe recent vaccine recommendations from the Trump administration are based on scientific evidence, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll. The administration has advised against COVID-19 vaccinations for young, healthy individuals and pregnant women, reversing previous policies. The poll indicates that 48% of respondents doubt the scientific basis of these recommendations. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the administration's top public health official, has altered the immunisation recommendation process, leading to concerns about future vaccine access, especially among children.

U.S. News

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