NPR News: 09-07-2026 4PM EDT

0:00Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Louise Skivone. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is heading to South America this week as the Trump administration embraces a new group of right-wing leaders and pushes to expand U.S. influence across the region. NPR's Michelle Kellman reports on what's on his agenda. The State Department says Rubio will travel to Columbia, Ecuador, and Peru to talk about enhanced cooperation in the fight against what it calls Narco Terrorism. The Trump administration has killed at least 227 people in the past year in strikes on what it alleges are drug boats in the Caribbean and the Pacific. Critics say these strikes are illegal and have not had an impact on the drug trade, but Rubio may not face much pushback on this trip as new right-wing governments promise to work with the Trump administration. The State Department says Rubio will also discuss trade and support for recovery efforts from a recent earthquake in Columbia. Michelle Kellman and PR News, the State Department.

1:01Diesel is selling at near-record highs and this comes at a terrible time for farmers. At Frank Moore, a sub-member station KCUR in Kansas City reports, corn and soybean farmers are starting to harvest while some wheat farmers are getting ready to plant. Big farming operations by diesel by the Tancor Truckload. The people who run those farms tend to support President Donald Trump. But the spike in diesel prices thanks to Trump's war with Iran are straining that relationship. Well, I'm a Republican and I'm a farmer and I am pissed. Vance Amke is about to start planting wheat on his farm in western Kansas. We'll probably use about 5,000 gallons to put in the crop. It's just a rapidly escalating cost so you can't do anything about it. You just eat it. Amke figures the 60% jump in diesel prices could cost him up to $50,000 this year. Friend Pyrrhus on Frank Morris in Kansas City. Consumers with Buy Now pay later debt may now find it harder to get relief from that debt.

2:06And PR's Stephen Bissaha reports, these installment programs covered about $70 billion last year. Buy Now pay later. Let's consumers split payments on everything from furniture to clothes. The Credit Council and Company, Money Management International, says it's seeing more clients with Buy Now pay later debt. Ted Rossman is the group's consumer finance analyst. He says these newer Buy Now pay later companies are not as willing to offer debt relief. Like credit card lenders are often willing to work with us. We can negotiate something like an 8% rate over four or five years. The Buy Now pay later companies are often not willing to make the same accommodations. Buy Now pay later does have lower delinquency rates than credit cards. But Rossman worries with the growing debt those delinquencies could rise. Stephen Bissaha and PR News. This is NPR News. Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, says he expects Russia's war against Ukraine to continue.

3:07This after meeting with President Trump's emissary Steve Wichoff and Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who arrived in Kiev Sunday. They had previously met a Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Zelensky says he discussed a winter aid package for Ukraine. This long weekend marks the unofficial end of summer and the official start of school and PR's Jernaki Meta has this snapshot from Los Angeles. At Michele Trenas Street Elementary, kindergarteners are starting the year with some big feelings. I'm excited to learn about kindergarten. I'm nervous. Excited! That's why Michele Trenas has a longstanding tradition of older and wiser fifth graders. Welcoming New kindergarteners to elementary school. Fifth graders like Gerald Gomez-Rena, who says part of his job is to help the new students with the transition by accessing emotional tools like breathing and quiet safe place and garbage can. What's garbage can? Can is when you throw away feelings if you get sad or not.

4:10And he said the idea is to make sure kindergarteners start the year off hand in hand with a built-in friend. Jernaki Meta and Pierre News Los Angeles. New Mexico governor, Michelle Luhan Grisham, has something to say about President Trump's social media suggestion that her state be renamed New America. New Mexico's name is in doubt for debate she declared what is up for debate is who's showing up for working families. I'm Louise Kivone, NPR News, Washington.