NPR News: 09-07-2026 7PM EDT

0:00Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janine Herbst. 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. Impares Michele Kelliman has more. 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. Michele Kelliman and NPR News, the State Department.

1:01Diesel is selling at a record high and this comes at a terrible time for farmers. As Frank Morris of Member Station KCUR 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 tanker 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 Enke 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. Just a rapidly escalating cost so you can't do anything about it. You just eat it. Trump figures the 60% jump in diesel prices could cost him up to $50,000 this year. Front Piers News on Frank Morris in Kansas City. The average rate on a 30 year mortgage is now nearly 7% making home ownership more expensive.

2:06But NPR Steven Bessauha reports buyers who can't afford higher rates or pay cash may have an advantage. High mortgage rates tend to drive away home buyers. But Nerdwall's housing expert Kate Wood says that also means buyers that stay in the market can get more concessions from sellers. They're more willing to work with you because they aren't just, you know, swimming in offers and taking their pick. She also recommends that home buyers shop around for a mortgage. When things are even like a little bit unstable or a little bit iffy, my goodness, like please, look at all the lenders because you are going to see a really good amount of dispersion. Wood warns buyers who wait that if and when rates do drop, a flood of pent up competition could make that home you're looking at cost tens of thousands of dollars more. Steven Bessauha NPR News. You're listening to NPR News from Washington. The height of tick season is nearing an end across the U.S. but as impires pink wong reports,

3:07they're not totally gone and in some parts of the country, danger remains. On a national level, tick bites tend to drop off in September. That's according to data reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Dr. Allison Hinckley, an epidemiologist there, says those in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Upper Midwest regions should still keep an eye out for the Black-Legged Deer tick which remains active through the fall. It's the type of tick that can transmit Lyme disease. So especially in those regions, we think it's still important to take steps to avoid tick bites. Come winter, the ticks are less active. They'll hunker in leaf litter and soil and hibernate through colder months. People researchers are working on methods to reduce tick populations and the disease burdens they carry. Hinckley recommends people were closed treated with tick repellent to prevent tick bites and to remove ticks promptly if they latch, pink wong and PR news. Naval engineer Ilya Espino de Marada took the helm today as the first woman to lead the Panama Canal administration, stepping into the role at a challenging time for the vital

4:10maritime route. He led the multi-billion dollar expansion project last decade and now takes full command of the canal. Only three other Panamanians have held the position since the United States handed over the inter-oceanic waterway in late 1999. The 64-year-old engineer's appointment to the canal's top post is already seen as a symbol of women's capability for executive leadership roles across that industry. I'm Janine Herbst, NPR News in Washington. At NPR there's a little something for everyone. If you need advice for that big life change, try listening to LifeKit. If you want to know more about that new TV show, check out Pop Culture Happy Hour. And if you want to dive deeper into your favorite podcasts and enjoy perks like bonus episodes, archive access and more, check out NPR Plus. Find out more and support the shows you love at plus.npr.org.